Concrete Skateboarding Issue 130 by Concrete Skateboarding Magazine

Issue 130 / 2014 / free

est. 1990: canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original skateboard magazine

TRAVEL

oahu explored interviews

Issue 130 / 2014

matt gravel Charles rivard colin Lambert TJ rogers Art Blender jay croft past blast rick mccrank Sound Check real estate 5 spot leo romero

INTRODUCING

ECHELON BY LAKAI LIMITED FOOTWEAR

S P I K E J O N Z E & B R A N D O N B I E B E L / I N S T A : @ L A K A I LT D / F B : L A K A I LT D / W E B : L A K A I . C O M / S U P R A D I S T R I B U T I O N . C O M

PHOTO: JOE HAMMEKE

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JIMMY@ C ACAO OBRON

NOLLIE BACKSIDE FLIP IN THE

WORKER PANT.

W AT C H T H E C L I P AT W W W. J S LV. C O M /J I M M YC A O | @J S LV |

#J S LV | #J U S L I V

SEE THE SKATE COPA COLLECTION AND VIDEO AT ADIDAS.COM/SKATEBOARDING

#ADIDASSKATECOPA

MARK GONZALES BACKSIDE 50–50 IN NEW YORK CITY, U.S.A.

issue 130 / 2014

FEATURES 22 matt

gravel

on the radar

30 is Charles

useful or useless?

40 mahalo,

rivard

oahu...

gabriel, moore, clark, maley & summersides in hawaii

THE STRANGER cover photo & caption by

Keith Henry

I shot this photo the day I met COLIN LAMBERT. He picked me up at the airport in Winnipeg a couple hours prior and drove me to his apartment so I could drop my luggage off and get settled. We headed to Sk8 Skates shortly after and rolled around the Forks plaza when he mentioned that this rail was at the top level of a nearby parkade. It seemed sketchy by his description, and upon arrival I was pretty shocked—the ground was pretty rough and the run-up had a glob of Bondo that looked like it hadn’t been spread. I was worried for him and his potential offspring, but his trusty 58mm Bones Wheels didn’t let him down. He got this FAKIE LIPSLIDE and I was just happy that I didn’t have to drive a stranger to the hospital. Thanks for that, Colin.

Colin Findlater

backside overcrook photo sam fidlin

54 colin

66 tj

Lambert

remaining relevant

rogers

navigating the grey areas

nolan waller

backlip from ledge photo brian caissie

DEPARTMENTS

issue 130 / 2014

10 razor tail by p.d. 12 past blast issue 35 / 1998 14 inventory 16 the beanstalk project 18 art blender jay croft 80 young bloods hampton / nickoshie / devries 88 sound check real estate 90 video links 92 five spot leo romero

Rise & Shine – P.D. words & photo Sam McKinlay

Being the manager of PD’s Hot Shop and helping owner P.D. lay out his various Skull Skates graphics, I’ve spent a lot of time with him and really gained some insight into his profound deconstruction of the skateboard as a mechanical and utilitarian object. P.D.’s fanaticism for early 20th century skateboards and their almost minimalist and primitive construction fuels his various writings and themes around the skateboard as a machine—a driving force of fun through simple mechanization and objectification. Be it something like explaining how a steam train’s “truck” apparatus influenced very early skateboard axle design, P.D. can always display his dedication to the design through vivid historical know-how. Such insight and more is available to everyone via his Razor Tail page in each issue of Concrete. skullskates.com

ti meb ombtrad i n g .c o m | fa c e b o o k . c o m /t im e b o m bt ra d ing @ t im e b o m bt ra d ing

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ISSUE #35 - 1998 Rick McCrank

Frontside Nosegrind [o] Jody morris

Around the time this was shot, Rick McCrank was a machine—carving out a name for himself and surviving on a steady diet of 7-Eleven candy. I think this energy also fueled his approach to spots in Vancouver, some of which were previously considered unskateable; as in too high, too long or too sketchy. Part of the enduring respect skateboarding has for Rick stems from his consistently positive attitude, and his concept of “just because no one has tried it, doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.” Countless tricks have been done on this rail since this photo was shot, but once upon a time the mere thought of getting onto it was kind of a pipe dream. It has a short run-up and was considered monstrously tall at that time. Prior to this photo, it caught everyone off-guard when Moses Itkonen did a 50-50 on it for a DC ad. I remember being out shooting one day and Rick wanted to take a look. Sure enough, he used a rather unhealthy diet as the fuel to accomplish what was considered unthinkable—as in no one but Rick would have even thought to try it. Imagine what he could’ve done on it if he was the healthy eater he is today? —Jody Morris

collection compiled by

casey jones

LAKAI

FURA Lakai has achieved its goal of creating an affordable, minimalist and highly skateable vulc shoe. The straight-up Fura is an instant classic, it comes in canvas or suede, and it’ll save you some dough. lakai.com

LOSER MACHINE

Adrian Lopez started this chopper, skate and surf-inspired apparel brand back in ’09. It’s got a solid dose of Americana, and what we have here is the Lombard button-up, War Pig coaches jacket and Craven snap-back. losermachine.com

OFFICIAL

REAL

theofficialbrand.com

realskateboards.com

Official has been making waves lately with their stacked team and quality headwear. Shown here is the Deadspots Love Park five-panel, Floral Noir snap-back and Jose Rojo felt hat, along with the Steamers and Venceremos campers. Keep an eye out.

Wrecking Crew Based on some of the first REAL shapes, the Wrecking Crew series has been updated and strengthened thanks to their R1 Construction mold. Ranging from 8.65” to 9”, each uniquely shaped board comes with a free set of rails.

EMERICA

Romero laced Leo Romero has been wearing the Laced shoe for a long time, so Emerica produced a special version of the classic. It comes complete with low-pro cupsole, rubber heel-drag pod and stabilized tongue to keep your feet snug. emerica.com

CHANCE

Ball Series Straight outta Chilliwack, BC, Chance Skateboards has been coming on strong over the last year. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about Canadian-made boards, clean design and a solid team. Featured is their best-selling Ball Series decks. chanceskateboards.com

HUF

satan on acid Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what this custom fit tee from HUF is called. Like, really. Other than the interesting convergence of the hippy and devil-worship worlds, what else needs to be said? hufworldwide.com

dekline

bixby Try to find another vulcanized shoe that combines the dirty downtown streets with a clean aesthetic better than the Bixby. Might be tough. Premium materials and premium durability make this one worth grabbing. dekline.com

LRG

The Lifted Research Group keeps things relevant and mellow. From their Core Collection comes clean looks like the fitted Two hat, the Hustle Trees tee and their Classic Cargo shorts. l-r-g.com

DVS SHOES

lucid Designed and approved by the DVS squad, the Lucid boasts a classic suede skate silhouette with a flawless, flick-friendly toecap. The non-slip herringbone tread pattern and an EVA midsole scream for endless summer skate days. dvsshoes.com

Back in 2011, Wade DesArmo, Geoff Dermer, Paul Machnau, Micky Papa, Chad Dickson, Andrew Pommier and a host of Canadian and Californian skateboard industry people started developing the BeanStalk Sponsorship Project—an authentic skateboard program aimed at raising the social and economic growth of skateboarding in North America. The project collaborates with over 40 Canadian and Californian companies and over 100 prominent people from the skateboarding industry. BeanStalk provides a 45-60% discount sponsorship on set-ups and shoes for five skateboarders per participating skateshop. It also connects skaters with companies and direction to further their skateboarding progression and potential. These sponsorships aim at providing young skaters with positive life experiences through skateboarding, ensuring they receive the support they need to progress. In a way, the Project was designed to support the education, physical and mental well being of dedicated school-aged skaters. Aside from benefitting the lives of skateboarders, BeanStalk reduces promotion spending for retailers, boosts the retailers’ exposure in the community, and connects retailers and brands with customers through a feel-good, societyimproving project. Currently available in British Columbia and Alberta, skaters can apply online to be part of the BeanStalk Project at oneareacode.com. Sponsorships are limited, so be fast! —Brett Box

Jason Wilson

(beanstalk ambassador)

switch heelflip photo Brett Box

jean-marc poirier

Thank you to everyone who made and continues to make the BeanStalk Sponsorship Project a reality: Kitsch, OneThirtyThree, Boardwalk, S&J Sales, Ultimate Dist., Four Star Dist., Red Star, Underworld, Coastal Riders, Blitz, The Kayo Corp., Black Box, Tum Yeto, Sole Technology, Skate One, One Distribution, Element, Timebomb Trading, Island Riders, Sitka, Heritage, Pacific Boarder, Dry Spot, Vesper, Replay, The Truth, Aftermath, Westview Ford, Rice Toyota, Epic Design, Island Insurance, Cap-it, Line X, Kal Tire, Canadian Tire & Rhodos Coffee.

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art blender

kron, Ohio’s Jay Croft has made skateboarding a fundamental part of his life since 1986, and over time his art has graced many skateboards, stickers and wheels. From an early age he was encouraged to pursue creativity by his grandfather, and Jay did so by relying on his own will to learn rather than through formal schooling. In fact, his education came from running his own shop, making ‘zines, websites, screen printing, and by figuring out the essential modern tools that are Illustrator and Photoshop. “If I had maybe gone to school, I would’ve learned that stuff a different way,” he mentions. “But I guess that’s just the way it goes. I’m one of the lucky ones.” Jay lived in Chicago for six years, but has since returned to his hometown of Akron. As a visual merchandiser for Vans he gets to travel around the Midwest, including his old Chi-Town stomping grounds, to visit shops and meet local skateboarders. Back at home he splits family time with skateboarding and creative time, which has led to collaborations with companies such as Alien Workshop, Element, Vans, Lowcard and independent skateshops. The style of art Jay creates is simple and bold. It’s infused with humour and garnished with truths about living a life of skateboarding. His characters tend to be beaten and bruised, but with a continuous positive outlook. “Smile, you’re riding a skateboard” is his motto, and it shows through his life and passions. —Randy Laybourne streetcanoe.com

“Jay’s art, skateboard energy and great outlook on life make people feel good. Kind of like how it’s hard to capture the rad of a Grant Taylor or Omar Salazar on film, it’s hard to put into words what a ripping human Jay is. Make an effort to meet him. You’ll be better for it.” —Russ Pope

left to right from top: Alien Workshop “Still Friends” deck Uprise skateshop “How High” deck Credo skateshop “Skate To Bleed” deck “Wheel Fell Off” art “Skateboard 4 Ever” art Alien Workshop “Sars Bear” tee Locard “Jay Croft” tee Street Canoe “Smile” sticker Vans “A-Skate” Era Pro laceless shoe

jay croft

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Push 13â&#x20AC;? by Jay Croft. Created exclusively for Concrete Skateboarding. visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer & mobile device.

photo: fick

photo: eg

[ MATT GRAVEL ] ON THE RADAR

ON THE RADAR

MATT GRAVEL

.0210186495089 51604890.90825 0.249058698.07 .5614.08950.85 8470230.064.20 .20148902.9802 99.6489001.2.8 28549120.89408 984083154084.4 5047140.6802.8 89140.1498.894 2.35847.206948 58.478960.2896 .2089474.04848 478960.1468948 72848920.48941 528910.2847861 3204820.489087 10561.68410.68 84.05448640.87 6140.46.048108 854160.614.046 4681560.1468.8 854163.4168447 47.20478.98478 014.215102.547 824.4084084.45 540.2545.0.453 35470.840.4874 .87486740.5745

ON THE RADAR

MATT GRAVEL

words

Brandon Wells

photos

rich odam

ailing from the Greater Victoria, BC, neighbourhood of Fernwood, Matt Gravel has been killing it on Vancouver Island forever. Jamie Collins (R.I.P.) and I were hyped to have him join the Instrumental Skateboards crew because of his great attitude, and I consider him as family. Matt’s skateboarding has progressed through hard work, which makes me proud to see him get this On The Radar interview. Speaking of hard work, aside from Instrumental the twenty-something-yearold is hooked up by Cake Supply Co., Converse and Destructo (through Ultimate Distribution), as you’ll see in this issue’s ad. Matt is always down to have a session and a beer with the homies, and if you ever make it to the Island he’ll probably follow up being your spot guide with a performance at the local karaoke spot. What you’ll find on the following pages is some switch magic, why they call him Joop Beans, what he plans on doing as Fernwood’s mayor and more. Oh, and watch out for his VICtorious part, which will hit concreteskateboarding.com on April 25th.

41201.20141200 58100.89258010 58214201802.14 .0210186495089 51604890.90825 0.249058698.07 .5614.08950.85 8470230.064.20 .20148902.9802 99.6489001.2.8 28549120.89408 984083154084.4 5047140.6802.8 89140.1498.894 2.35847.206948 58.478960.2896 .2089474.04848 478960.1468948 72848920.48941 528910.2847861 3204820.489087 10561.68410.68 84.05448640.87 6140.46.048108 854160.614.046 4681560.1468.8 854163.4168447 47.20478.98478 014.215102.547 824.4084084.45 540.2545.0.453 35470.840.4874

switch backside tailslide bigspin [o] jay delaney

What is it about the Vancouver Island skate scene that keeps you here instead of moving to the mainland? I really like how connected everyone is on the Island. No matter where you go you’re guaranteed a good time with good people. And the quality of life is so much better in my opinion. I just don’t really like the everyday vibe of Vancouver; it’s too fast paced for me. I grew up in small towns, so going to Van is always a shock to the system. But I like it in small doses—a weekend here and there to skate. Every time I get on the boat back to the Island it’s like a weight is lifted off my shoulders because I know I’m goin’ home.

What exactly is a P.A. Taste? P.A. stands for Port Alberni, which is where you and Jamie Collins are from. The “Taste” consists of getting a full-on slap in the face. It’s just a clean hit, then we’re on our way to having a good laugh. This usually happens, especially to Eric Timmins, when someone starts running their mouth or getting unruly when we’re partying. I’ve learned not to run my mouth so much now, but sometimes no matter what you say you deserve a Taste to bring you back to reality. 23

no comply switch 50-50

crook pop-over

Do you have a favourite Jamie Collins story or memory? Ramp Camp for sure. Him and the boys would haul a mini-ramp piece by piece through the forest, then build it on a beach for everyone to come skate and party for a weekend. Jamie would be skating harder than you, slamming harder than you, drinking more than you and he would always be the first one doing it all over again the next day. It’s just legendary stuff. He was such an important part of bringing everyone on the Island together, and such a huge influence on how a lot of us lived our lives. What does a typical night out with the homies usually entail? Fernwood Beer, Burt Reynolds, E-Timms getting slapped, laughin’, Lucky, Burt Reynolds, Lucky, then a 9a.m. text message reading: “fuck.”

Why is it that you skate switch so much? When I was younger I rolled my right ankle and couldn’t really skate anymore, then I realized it could handle popping so I started skating switch. I was also heavily influenced by Russ Milligan and Brian Wenning back then, so it just seemed natural. How did the nickname “Poop Jeans” come about, and how did it evolve into “Joop Beans”? Well everyone thinks I got this nickname because I shit my pants one time…or multiple times. I wish that was the case, but really it’s because I used to always wear dumpy brown cords. One day I bought a pair of blue jeans and it threw everyone off, so they started calling me Matt Jeans, which eventually turned to Poop Jeans when I went back to my brown dumpers. There was a little letter reversal on it and now I’m called Joop Beans, or Joop for short.

[ 26

During my term I promise to provide good times, cold beers and skateboarding.

]

switch feeble bigspin

What are your thoughts on being elected as the mayor of Fernwood, and what do you plan on doing for the people? I’m hyped on being Fernwood’s mayor! During my term I promise to provide good times, cold beers and skateboarding. Perhaps a new park for us if the city will come around. Just remember to clean up after yourselves and respect the neighbours! Tell us about joining forces with the good homies at Cake Clothing. Cake is a company that my good homie Ryo Kaneki started in Japan. He’s been making and designing clothing his whole life, and selling Cake stuff to the homies in Victoria for the last couple years. Me and Bryn McKay hit him up recently about putting a catalog together—turning it into a real thing and using it as a creative outlet for us. So far things are good. We got the spring catalog done and we’re waiting on orders from shops on the Island and a couple in Van. Check out cakesupplyco.blogspot.com.

How does Seattle play a role in this interview? I went down there with the Underworld dudes, so it’s where I got almost all the photos for this interview. That place is such a playground, and it was actually my first time there. I’ve never had so much fun skatin’ in my life. Plus the good homie Rich Colwell lives down there, making it a guaranteed good time. I’m definitely going back soon. What do you and the Instrumental crew have planned for 2014? I’m kicking Eric Timmins’ lazy ass off the team, then using the money you’d spend on his boards to take the dudes on a trip [laughs].

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WES KREMER - FOR THE HOMIES - SK8MAFIA4LIFE SK8MAFIA4LIFE.COM - INSTAGRAM: @SK8MAFIA #SK8MAFIA - TWITTER:@SK8MAFIA4LIFE PHOTO: CONNELLY

MATTGRAVEL KO % :K % KEAL@ H@GLG JA;@ G<9E

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Montreal’s Charles Rivard is a very unique character. I’d like to think that the meaning of the acronym U.P.O.S. that’s tattooed on his wrist stands for Useful Person Of Society, although at times he considers himself to be a Useless Piece Of Shit (you’ll learn more about that in this interview). But even when he’s useless, he’s useful—offering constant entertainment and positive vibes to anyone around him, whether he’s playing DJ, cracking jokes, or drawing funny doodles to show his friends (you’ll get a good dose of his humour by following him @chuckmvp on Instagram). His carefree attitude usually lightens the mood during a session, making things a bit more fun and less serious wherever he happens to be ripping during his travels. It’s those qualities that led to him to getting hooked up by adidas Skateboarding Canada, along with Fourstar, Spitfire and Thunder (through Supra Distribution), among others. When skating is done for the day, Chuck will be one of the first to get the party going. He also won’t hesitate to continue into the early morning, and this is probably explains why he’s got so many friends all over the world. So if Chuck considers his antics both on and off the board as the “Useless” version of U.P.O.S., then he should carry on because his uselessness is very useful to the rest of us. —Josh Clark

Jeff Thorburn

How does your average fair-weather day look? It usually starts off with a pot of coffee and some music—a lot of rap and video game soundtracks most times. I draw for about an hour before I start heading down towards Peace Park to meet with Antoine and the rest of the homies. What can you say about Peace Park that hasn’t been said? Not much. The ledges are still high, and so are the locals. Cops are still unfriendly, trying to give skateboarders $600 tickets. The park had a skateshop for a minute, but that didn’t last very long. Crack is still more popular than water or beer combined, and wax is illegal. It’s a great place to raise your children. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in recent memory? It was probably when I dyed my hair blue for my 22nd birthday. Thanks to Phil Lavoie for the great present. Yeah, it was pretty funny for the three or four days it stayed blue, then my hair became silver-blond for the next three months. It made me look like a homeless cancer patient. I was not getting laid.

Didn’t you have a pretty bad elbow injury last year? Breaking it was definitely my 2013 highlight. What a better way to start the year off? I was in S.F. at the time staying with some friends and we decided to go on an L.A. mission for a couple days. After skating a some spots on the first morning, I attempted to switch bomb the “only” hill in L.A. and ended up flying home the day after for immediate surgery. Wicked! What’s up with the tattoo on your wrist? Well it says “U.P.O.S.,” which is actually something my friends invented. It means: Useless Piece Of Shit. What made you get that? I was on a bipolar high in 2012 when I dyed my hair blue, so I got this tattoo. When I showed my parents they were like, “What is it? It looks like shit.” I had to tell them it means Useless Piece Of Shit and they looked at me funny. I actually look at it as a Yin-Yang. What are a few examples of U.P.O.S. in action? If you worked and chilled with your girl all week it’s time to be a U.P.O.S. and take a day off. Or if I’ve been piling out so much it’s time to get it together—counter-P.O.S. keeps me in check. It’s a really important part of my vocabulary.

So what happened with the Bixi Bikes? The first time I met Kyle [MacDonald] was when he moved to Montreal about five years ago. I had a rolled ankle, and it was the first time I decided to leave my house after 10 days. We went to the bar and I was limping on the way home when this girl we were with taught me how to steal a Bixi. If you lift up the back tire you break the lock, then you can just fuck off with the bike. So I showed Kyle how to do it and he took five bikes out of the rack [laughs]. Did you get busted? We were drunk so we walked up this hill with the bikes instead of just biking away. When we got to the top there was 20 cop cars waiting. They let everyone go and arrested me, so I got cuffed in front of everyone. It was so

wack. They charged me with theft under $5000—they basically told me it was like stealing a car. I was only 19 and thought I was so fucked, but I got a lawyer and beat it in court. I mean, how could I steal five bikes by myself with a rolled ankle walking up a hill? It was the dumbest thing ever. That’s not your only story about theft under $5000. I went to TAZ and broke my pivot cup, so I borrowed one from the rental board. I forgot to give it back when we were done skating, and later JS [Lapierre] got a message from one of the guys at the park saying that I robbed TAZ. I got the guy’s name and sent him an eBay link to 1000 pivots cups for $5.99. The next time I went to TAZ they told me I was banned for life [laughs]. They were calling me the TAZ thief.

Jeff Thorburn

How did you learn English? I used to skate for a shop called Radical, and everyone there was my role model. When I was 15 they told me they were only going to speak English to me. If I asked a question in French they wouldn’t answer. They told me I had to learn English and it was going to be harsh, but I had to. It was the worst summer but it was worth it, I guess. I owe it to all the Temple guys. Describe your dream girl to me. Um, I don’t know. I’m too young to think about this, man. I have my whole life to think about it. OK, she smokes weed, listens to Tommy Wright The 3rd every morning while she cooks me breakfast, and she can put my board together when I am too U.P.O.S. She can also hang with my scumbag friends, and she lets me do whatever I want. What’s up with your 72-year-old roommate? Andrew McGraw is tight. I’ve been on a few trips with MrGraw [laughs]. No, I’m, asking about your dad. Oh my god [laughs]. Wow, I thought you were calling McGraw a fossil! That is so sick [laughs]. My dad is my best friend. Funniest dude out there. I guess I still live at home because it’s chill. We live in the best location, and my dad is so down for skating. He always wears Dime gear to business meetings. Where do you see yourself when you’re 72? Obviously I won’t be able to skate when I’m 72-years-old. I just hope I can find something I like to do for work, have a 40-year-old wife, move to the Islands... What Islands? I don’t know. Somewhere down south. Play dominoes with the homies. Any last words? [Breaks into a song] Shout out to my mama, she’s the one who made me... Shout out to my papa, he’s the one who made me... Shout out to Kevin, he’s the one who brought me... I don’t know, man.

photo: steele

BARRIO GOLETA

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FRANKIE HILL

arrkk osshh CClla

Jo m wwoorrddss J h OOddaam RRiicch pphhoottooss

When I got the last-minute invite to join Stacy Gabriel, Drew Summersides, Jamie Maley, Nick Moore, Brian Caissie and Rich Odam in Hawaii, I didn’t even hesitate. The winter cold had settled in back home, so this was a perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy some sun. Heading towards Honolulu on the island of Oahu, I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as skateboarding goes. But I knew the lifestyle stuff would be amazing, which is an understatement. As Jamie puts it: “It’s ironic going on a skate trip and being surrounded by so many crushing activities, to the point where skating almost becomes second in things to do. Kind of like how girlfriends are second in line to skateboarding.” Usually things are considered to be going well if you’re out the door skating before noon on a trip. This tropical excursion was no different, except instead of sleeping all morning we spent our time surfing, snorkeling and exploring. We really took advantage of our time on Oahu. Once we climbed into the van each morning, there was a good chance we wouldn’t be back until after sundown. With maybe a spot or two in mind, we would head in that direction making mandatory stops at scenic lookout points, mountains and beaches with waves. With a diverse crew like this, we really just went with the flow on this trip, and our assumption that there wasn’t an abundance of spots made for a stress-free vibe. We eventually discovered that there are actually a lot of spots—more than we could even hit during our stay. Sometimes trips are too focused on skating and you don’t fully get to enjoy the exotic places that skateboarding brings you to. We struck a perfect balance, and once again Jamie sums it up best: “Whatever your vice may be, nothing can amount to the withdrawals of coming home from Hawaii.” #concretefiveoh

Stacy Gabriel ollie

brian caissie

Stacy Gabriel Bluntslide fakie

Tinder claims to be “like real life, only better.” Thanks to the app that’s sweeping the nation, experienced user Stacy became friends with some local Honolulu girls. I’ve always thought Tinder was for desperate people trying to get laid, but he proved me wrong. We all benefitted from Stacy’s Tinder friendships, which resulted in us getting free Acai bowls for breakfast one morning, fresh baked goods being delivered to our hotel room, and we even got invited to a giant homemade Hawaiian feast on our last night. So a big thanks goes out to Stacy for hooking this up. I don’t know if he ever got down to business with any of the girls he met on Tinder, but he sure handled business on his board—skating every spot and walking away with a clip or a photo every time.

In an old Concrete interview, I remember reading that during a previous trip to Hawaii Nick was fed Xanax by a new friend, missed his flight home, had no money and had to sleep on beaches for a while. That definitely wasn’t the case this time around. The last trip I went on with Nick was to China last year; unfortunately he ended up getting kidney stones, which didn’t allow him to skate very much. This time around I was pumped to see him healthy and killing it on and off the board. He’s a very powerful skater that can adapt to any terrain, and he always has fun with it—cracking jokes in between tries and never taking things too seriously. Nick and I were skating a ditch one day and we’d both been trying our tricks for a little while, so we made a friendly $5 bet on whoever landed first. It’s a great way to make you forget about whatever nonsense is stopping you from landing your trick. And if your homie lands it first your next try is 100% commitment no matter what. Come to think of it, I still might owe Nick five bucks...

Nick Moore Ollie

brian caissie

frontside 180

brian caissie

Josh Clark

Frontside noseslide

Planning trips takes a lot of effort and patience. Making sure you have the perfect crew that can work together for two weeks is very important. I figured we’d be vacationing in Hawaii more than skating, which makes for a memorable and stress free trip. But doing a little of both is key, and for this reason I knew Josh would be nice to have on this trip. Up early and out the door fast was our standard, and Josh would be waking us up or waiting at the beach by 8:30 each morning with a surf board in hand. This wasn’t his first rodeo, so he knew the benefits of bringing some extra cash to enjoy the touristy experiences on the island. One of the first things we did was go to the massive Diamond Head crater near the edge of Waikiki’s coastline. It’s a solid 40-minute hike to a lookout point where you can see the ocean and Honolulu at the same time. We all ran up the trail, then Josh pushed it to the next level by jumping the railing and running over to a high cement foundation where an army cannon used to be. There he stood, on top of the old rusty metal, with the crater hundreds of feet below. I knew right away we’d be pushing the boundaries for the rest of the trip. —Brian Caissie 47

brian caissie

Jamie Maley

Backside Smith Grind

One of our epic tourism stops brought us to the Halona Blowhole, just off of Hanauma Bay. Of course, staying behind the safety railings like every other tourist wasn’t good enough for us. With #extremecaissie leading the way, we climbed down and ended up standing within a few feet of this amazing natural rock formation. The ocean breeze sends waves rolling onto the shore then sea spray shoots into the air through the cave below. We took some good pictures and got to feel the spray of the blowhole up close before Jamie felt the need to give back to it by taking a piss into the deep, dark cave before it spewed again. We all had a good laugh and didn’t think it bothered the tourists that were 100 feet up the hill. Little did we know a super citizen decided to inform a police officer passing by, and when we made it back to the top Jamie explained to the officer that he would never do such a thing. I noticed his fly was down, but this incriminating detail was missed by the officer, who let us continue on with our day. It didn’t surprise me that Jamie got himself out of this situation; he’s a super kind and easy going person. But don’t let his kindness fool you. He rips the shit out of spots with full-force aggressiveness.

brian caissie

Drew Summersides Crook Fakie

I’ve never really had the pleasure of skating with Drew before this trip, but I definitely knew what he was capable of after watching his BROTHERS part and his tricks in On The Reel [vimeo.com/83521688]. While in Hawaii, I could quickly tell that he always rips. He’s not the type of guy who’s satisfied with just a couple good tricks on a trip; he got bangers at every spot we went to. Sitting back and watching Drew cruise around a few times, I noticed he looked very natural in the Hawaiian environment. He has that surfer look happening on his board—blond hair flying around, just ripping every spot and making it look easy as if he was out there on the big waves of Oahu’s famous North Shore. As Rich Odam explains: “I love having Drew on trips. His skating is really consistent, his attitude always positive, and he’s so easy going in general. On this trip,” he continues, “Drew got down with surfing and body surfing; it took him less time to stand on a surfboard than to learn how to cut through a wave while body surfing. But he eventually picked it up and found himself getting pitted on the crazy shore breaks we threw ourselves into.”

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words

James Morley

Years ago, when I first started paying attention to the Canadian skateboarding scene, Colin Lambert was frequently a prominent figure in magazines or video clips I saw. I remember always being impressed whenever I saw something new from him, and his skating was ingrained in my brain as a sort of standard for gnarly tricks and something to look forward to seeing more of. Recently, having had the opportunity to skate and travel with Colin, it is clear to me that nothing has changed. Going out to skate and shoot photos with Colin is always a bit of a treat. He’s down to pick you up and facilitate the whole session, and you’ll almost always come away with something sick. Although he knows his limits on the board, he isn’t afraid to push them. Even if it means he’s going to slam time-aftertime, he will put in every effort to get the trick he wants. On top of this, Colin owns Sk8 Skates in Winnipeg—one of the most prominent shops in the city—and between working there nearly every day and helping out the shop team, it’s safe to say he is one of the hardest working skateboarders I know. Colin is also one of the most genuinely nice dudes out there—always stoked to be out with a crew, and he manages to constantly maintain a positive vibe wherever he is. All in all, I now see how the 29-year-old has managed to stay relevant in the skateboarding world over the years, and why he’s a solid representative for Altamont Apparel (through Timebomb Trading) and Bones Wheels (through Ultimate Distribution), among others. He is now someone that I always look forward to skating and travelling with again. ——>

[o] James Morley

You spent some time down south this winter, which is good because the weather in Winnipeg seemed insane this year. It was so horrible. On New Year’s Eve it went down to -50 degrees. Apparently Winnipeg and Mars had the same temperature that night. I can’t believe people actually went out. What was happening down in Las Vegas? I wanted to get some more footage for my part in the new Sk8 Skates video, 1987. Since I was down there a few months prior on an Altamont Canada trip [as seen in Concrete #129], it seemed like a good place to go for a quick filming mission. What’s it like being the owner of one of the oldest core skateshops in Canada? I get asked this question a lot, and I find it really hard to articulate how happy I am. Sk8 Skates has been my hangout since I was a little kid, and the staff and team have been my family 56

ever since. It’s more than just a shop; it’s a rad community of skateboarders. I care so much about that family and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. Does it get you stoked to be able to help the younger generation of skaters come up? Totally. I think that’s one of the most rewarding parts of owning the shop. Any time we’ve paid for a photographer to come out and shoot the team, I get so stoked when I see the photos in print. Obviously I would never take credit for their photos, as they’re the ones working for it and making it happen, but I do get excited that I was able to facilitate it for them. I really want the best for our riders. They are incredible skateboarders and my best friends. I wish I could do more for them. On the topic of skating, you’ve obviously become something of a household name for the readers of Canadian skateboarding

booter to boardslide [o] dan neufeld

----> hurricane [o] arto saari

magazines. What was your first published photo? It would have been about 13 years ago. I was 16. It was a feeble grind in Concrete Powder. Mike McCourt shot it. Compared to skating at that time, what has changed for you over the years? I think you approach skateboarding differently after you’ve done it for so long. More thought goes into everything. You can’t just go out skating all day, every day, when you have responsibilities. So you need to have tricks and spots in mind; filming and shooting photos is much more strategic. You even have to consider the number of times you can try a trick before you know you won’t be able to skate the next day. You learn a lot about yourself when you’ve been skating for over 20 years, but it just makes skateboarding that much more enjoyable. I’ve heard from a lot of guys that age 23 is sort of a

magic number before jumping down bigger rails and gaps turns into more of a battle for your body. It seems like you have defied this and still have no problem with bigger terrain. Do you ever have doubts about how long you’ll be able to keep skating big rails? I don’t think about it that much. I feel great and I plan on skating rails for as long as I can. I love skating handrails more than anything; there’s just something about it, and I find I don’t get that same feeling riding away from other things. Maybe it’s overcoming the mental battle that makes it so satisfying? It takes so much mentally just to get yourself to try a handrail, let alone land it. I guess I enjoy the process. You can go from both mentally and physically torturing yourself to having a euphoric high in seconds. It’s pretty crazy if you think about it. ——>

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[o] dan neufeld

[o] brian caissie

boneless smith grind

switch wallride

---->

Always one to get sessions going early on trips, it seems like you never have a problem being up and ready to go while most others would still be asleep. Why is that? I really don’t like wasting time, and sleeping in seems like a big waste of time to me. Especially when you’re on a trip. I’ve never understood why anyone would want to lay around in a hotel room all morning when there are so many spots out there. I want the best for the crew and I want every trip to be as productive as possible, so why not get the most out of every day you’re there, right? I recall this one time in Minneapolis, when you went out and 60

skated before anyone else was awake. That was weird. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I’m assuming I had a dream that I was scared of handrails. I woke up and I was convinced that I was scared. It was around six o’clock in the morning, and I was just lying there thinking and panicking that I wasn’t going to be able to skate rails anymore. I even texted my wife Dana about my concerns. I wasn’t able to get back to sleep, so I got up and went straight to this 11-stair rail that I had never skated before to prove myself wrong. I ended up skating it before any of you guys were out of bed because I just needed that reassurance [laughs]. It worked out well, because after breakfast we went

----> half-cab gap to boardslide [o] keith henry

straight to a tall 12-stair rail. I don’t know if I would’ve jumped on it if I hadn’t already skated a rail that morning. Yeah, that session was crazy. I remember the bails both looked and sounded bad, and you really had to persevere to get the land. Is that normally how rail skating is for you? It all depends. Sometimes you get lucky and ride away unscathed. Most times my hands are bleeding at the very least. I think after years of constantly ripping up my hands I’ve developed raised scars that just tear off the second I put my hands down. I leave my palms at most spots. My brother Cain has the same problem. ——>

Do you ever see yourself making the transition to skating more mellow terrain instead of high impact spots? I don’t really give it that much thought. It’s the same thing as asking yourself if you think you’ll ever make the transition between running or using a walker. It’s inevitable that at some point our bodies are going to become weak, but there’s no point in stressing about it. I’m just going to enjoy my good health while I have it, and deal with the problems as they arise. Near the end of 2013, Zero’s Cold War was released. Did I see a couple of your tricks in there? Yes you did! I’m so stoked to have been a part of that video. I have a trick in the friends section, as well as a trick in the credits montage on the DVD. I was obsessed with the Zero videos when I was growing up. I would watch them on loop when I was younger, and I still do. I’ve watched the intro of Misled Youth frame-by-frame more than once. Zero has always been my favourite company, since before I started getting boards from them, so having a trick in the video meant the world to me. Most times I’ve skated with you, we head straight to spots instead of warming up at a park. Why do you prefer going straight to the streets? I think the “warm up” is such a loose term. When someone says they need to warm up, are they referring to warming up their muscles so they can skate? If that’s the case there’s no need to go to a park. I just throw down really fast, push around, and do a couple of frontside 180s. Then my muscles are ready to go. I think what most of the younger skaters mean when they say “warm up” is that they have to go build up their confidence. They want to go practice a trick in a safe environment before taking

it to the streets. I’ll do that on occasion with a trick I’ve just learned, or something I’m not totally comfortable with. But I’m not going to a park to warm up if it’s a trick that I already know how to do. I don’t need a park rail to tell me that a trick I know how to do is safe in the streets, since they’re really the same thing. I understand why people do it and I have nothing against it, but it’s just not for me. As someone who has put in the time and made a name for yourself in Canada, is it ever intimidating to see the young guys that are coming up skating at such an advanced level? I don’t find it intimidating, I embrace it. I love how far skateboarding has come since I started. It’s frustrating at times when it comes to filming a video part or shooting photos, but it just pushes you to try harder. I don’t find it discouraging. Skateboarding needs progression or else it will become stagnant. I love where the level of skateboarding is at today. When you were younger, you said in an interview that if you were to die tomorrow, you would feel satisfied because you’ve lived such a great life. Do you still feel that way? Hell no! Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful for everything that I have in my life and I’ve been extremely fortunate. But I don’t feel that way anymore. I am so excited for the future. There are so many things that I want to do and accomplish in my life. I’m actually excited to grow old. I can’t wait to have a baby. I want to progress in skateboarding. I want to do incredible things with Sk8 Skates. And most importantly, I’m excited to grow old with my wife. You say a lot of dumb things when you’re young. I want to live forever.

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backside lipslide [o] keith henry

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TJ ROGERS

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christian senrud

“Yes! My left ear just popped,” TJ Rogers says as he jolts his tilted head back up and heads to the bathroom about a dozen steps away. His mid-length hair is still wet from a recent shower and his rolled up sweatpants hint that he’s in for the night. He’s battling what doctors might refer to as Swimmer’s Ear, and it appears he might’ve just won. We’re at the Decenzos’ house. It’s me on the La-Z-Boy recliner, then on the couch there’s Scott manning an iPad and Apple TV, TJ in the middle when he’s not fidgeting with his ear troubles in the bathroom, and Ryan can be found on the far end. When I first got there I thought Scott, or Scoot as he’s called, was watching porn on the iPad. I walked in, said hello and there were tits on the screen. He’d barely looked up the whole time I’d been there and had a very glazed-over stare going on with a smile plastered on his face like someone who’d just discovered naked women on the computer for the first time. As it turns out, it was just Howard Stern TV. TJ returns and sits back down as the meat in the Decenzo couch-wich. “Sorry about that,” he says, still unsure if he’s fixed his ear problem. “What were we talking about?”

nick henderson

frontside 5-0

[o] cameron strand

We were talking about how odd skateboarding can be. How fickle and arbitrary the unspoken ranking system is. How you can do a huge trick, and that it can end you, and how that doesn’t really make any sense. In most sports or things—if you’re good at what you do, if you’re the guy that can hit 50 for 50 free throws in basketball or do a crazy trick shot in hockey—it’s not going to inhibit your “career,” whereas in skateboarding, it might to a lot of people. “Like how Bachinsky kickflipped El Toro,” I say. “That was how a lot of people came to know him, and that’s as far as they allowed themselves to get to know him. Everything after that fell on deaf ears for some people.” “Yeah I got that a lot actually,” TJ replies. “From my friends, too. I got a lot of: ‘Oh, you switch 180’d El Dorado!’ and ‘You switch 180’d El Dorito?’ Shit like that.”

In February Thrasher posted a video of Derek Elmendorf grinding one of the most insane kinked and curved handrails ever, a 22-flat-23, and it looked like he did it with ease. It was a cover-worthy trick, potentially record breaking (or back breaking), and one of the first comments I read about it was literally “cute hat,” in regards to his fedora. This sort of thing hasn’t held TJ back at all, though. Nor Ryan or Scoot for that matter. They’ve become my sort of Canadian census—my poll on the States’ northern brothers based off three skateboarders of varying age and rank in the sponsored world. I ask them if Animal Style from In-N-Out compares to poutine (it doesn’t). I ask them if it’s easier to travel abroad as Canadians than Americans (it is). I ask them if people give them shit for being Canadian, or if people don’t want to give them a chance because of that. They just laugh and say: “We’re Canadian. We’re used to it.”

“Not me,” Ryan said. “No one said shit to me.” We all sip from our beers, gaze back at the TV for a minute and consider why that might be. Maybe it’s because Ryan was already established a bit so he didn’t really feel the sting as bad when he nollied El Toro. TJ was still on the rise when he hucked down the infamous 20-stair in Lake Forest, California to the belittling of his friends. Or maybe Ryan just has better friends. Who knows? But that is a definitive trait of skateboarders. It’s not what’s done as much as who’s doing it, on what, with whom, how it looks, and why. Whether we like it or not, we factor in all the pertinent questions into everything skateboarding. For better or worse, the most technical, flawless skater is still victim to a host of heckling and misguided criticism.

nollie back heel

[o] cody Lisch 69

But these things—where you’re from, what you wear— factor in more than we want to admit. Skateboarding is very much about what is and who is cool, though we wince when we put it in those terms. We call it “style,” but that’s all style is—making something look cool, whether it’s an ollie up a curb or a frontside flip fakie 5-0 down a hubba. If it looks good, if it makes us want to do it, or something like it, it’s cool. If it looks like a dog shitting a peach pit, it’s not cool. We discuss this occurrence a bit, and it comes down to who you ride for and who you’re associated with. “It’s definitely a shortcut in a way,” Ryan says. “You ride for the right company and that’s your ticket in. That’s your street cred. You’re on the A-list already.”

“Whereas if you ride for another company, it can be the complete opposite,” I say. “Exactly,” Ryan returns. “A lot of those companies don’t even pay their riders because they don’t have to. Like you’re privileged just to ride for that company.” “And we are,” TJ adds as Ryan nods along. “Not everyone gets to do this, you know? But when you’re paying $3,500 just to get over here, then paying rent and everything else, your landlord’s not going to take street cred on the first of the month. ‘No it’s cool, I got this new tight sponsor, landlady, so you don’t need my rent.’” The $3,500 TJ is referencing is what it costs to get your P1 sports Visa in the United States. It basically lets you live down here as an athlete for five years without any worries of whether you’re going to be denied re-entry if and when you travel abroad. So I pose the question: “Do you think it’s the cost of the Visa that prevents so many Canadians from moving and trying to make it down here?”

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nollie flip boardslide [o] joe krolick

nick henderson

“It’s definitely not the money,” TJ says with Ryan nodding in agreement while Scoot continues smiling at his iPad. “They put you through the wringer,” TJ continues. “I had to send them every bit of coverage I’d gotten—magazines, contest winnings, a biography. My sponsors had to vouch for me, too. I’m surprised they didn’t want a stool sample.” I’ve often wondered why more people don’t move to California when their dream is to become a professional skateboarder. The weather is great, the food is good, and the people are…people. Canadians seem to be just as, if not more, talented as a nation of skateboarders than those in the U.S. “It’s just a big pain in the ass to get,” TJ says, referring to the golden Visa.

I like TJ and I’m glad that he’s down here. People who aren’t from Southern California are people I tend to relate to a little better and I find myself rooting for them a little more. I like a lot of Californians, too. Guys like Heath, Templeton and Leo are some of my favourites. However, I tend to like immigrants and outsiders because they’ve had to work a lot harder just to even make it to California. The industry isn’t in their backyard. They didn’t necessarily grow up with great weather all year round or a dozen skateparks within 50 square miles of their house. And immigrants in skateboarding have to continually “make it” over and over and over again before they turn pro. Chima Ferguson and Dane Burman were both skaters of the year in Australia before they were pro in the United States. So they basically had to bust their asses in two continents before their American board sponsors would turn them pro, whereas there’s been a few Americans who recently went pro without even putting out a video part yet.

He didn’t scoff at the $3,500 because he’s a hard worker and can make that fairly quickly doing construction with his uncle, which he’s been doing since he graduated high school. And that’s what he was doing during the months leading up to his move south. That, and skating at night despite the polar vortex in his hometown of Whitby, Ontario. I’d been emailing him before he moved out here and he mentioned it was -22˚C one day. Now he’s drinking a beer on a couch between two fellow Canadians after a mellow day with Scoot riding bicycles around Huntington Beach, picking fresh produce off the neighbours’ trees. TJ brought me into the kitchen to show me their haul. “Fuckin’ Orange County living, man!” he says. “Oranges, avocados, lemons. We got a couple bananas too, but they’re not looking so good.” And they’re not. They’re as green as a summer pine and about the length of a tall man’s middle finger. “I’m hoping they ripen, but I had to grab a couple either way.”

Switch ollie [o] james morley 73

frontside Boardslide [o] james morley

“I’ve dedicated more than half of my life to skateboarding.”

The Canadian trio on the couch are further examples of this. Ryan is pro and should be undeniably. Scott is AM and could definitely be pro (he probably will be if and when the Plan B video drops). TJ is not pro. He’s put out two full length video parts for his board sponsor, Blind, won contests, was honoured as the King of the Road “Mystery Guest” MVP by Thrasher, and has thrown a couple switch NBDs down notable L.A. and O.C. spots. But talent alone isn’t the test of turning someone pro anymore and it hasn’t been for a long time. So what’s the line, and how do you get there? What’s the secret? The path to becoming a professional skateboarder isn’t so much a path as it is a general direction—an “X” on a map with only the harebrained advice of your peers and the examples set by those few who have already accomplished what you’re aiming for to guide you along. It’s a path fraught with many pitfalls and sidelines, unwritten half-rules and unapplied common sense. And while some are fairly obvious—like being respectful and not taking things for granted, or staying healthy—others are abstract, arbitrary and often downright asinine. The way you hold your board, what you wear and how you wear it, hashtag use, music preference, trick selection…basically anything you do or don’t do can draw fire from the peanut gallery and edge you out of the race towards the goal of one day turning pro. But even stating the fact that your goal is to turn pro will open you up to a world of shit from the monkeys on the sideline just waiting to cast the first stone. It’s a wonder anyone ever makes it at all. TJ Rogers wants to go pro. He’s very open about that. He doesn’t shirk at referring to skateboarding as a career, or that a pro board with his name on it is exactly what he wants. Reading that might rub you the wrong way for some reason, as if someone with the gall to ask for such a thing doesn’t believe that skateboarding is enough in and of itself. Or is it that calling skateboarding a career or setting a professional goal defines things too rigidly? At a very base level is that somewhat contradictory to what we think and feel skateboarding is all about? That’s skateboarding. It’s an activity alive and kicking in the grey area between definitions. We are the tiny part of the Venn diagram existing entirely within a set of circles and entirely independent from it at the same time. We have pro skateboarders, but laugh when people talk about it as their career, despite actively seeking out their pro model shoes, boards, pants, hats and so on. So yes, TJ would like a slice, but in his case the desire isn’t coming from a sense of entitlement or good old-fashioned greed. It’s coming from the same place that we all traveled through somewhere in the not too distant past when we found skateboarding, fell in love with it and said, “This is it. This is what I’m about now.” Whether we knew it subconsciously or not, it’s also what would ultimately define us and occupy the majority of our thoughts and time from then on out. “I’ve dedicated more than half of my life to skateboarding,” TJ says. “I’m trying to do this for the rest of my life. Or at least until I can’t physically do it anymore.”

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[o] rich odam 77

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Sam Hampton cab backlip fakie

age: 18 lives: Langley, BC sponsors: Blind, Arnette, Supra, KR3W, Skullcandy, Forfathurs Hardware, vestal, Coastal Riders

Sam and I are similar in age and he’s been killing it for as long as I can remember. I’m sure there are still a couple promos of him up on YouTube shredding the Langley park when he was 11. He seems to head over to the States frequently and always comes back with footage stacked, so expect more to come from the “King of Walnut Grove”. —Antosh Cimoszko

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kyle nickoshie age: 21 lives: Winnipeg, MB sponsors: black label, vans, Sk8 Skates

frontside smith grind

dan neufeld

Kyle used to just be some wiener kid I’d see at the park who was better than me at skateboarding. When I wasn’t looking he went and turned into a grown-ass dude who is way better than me at skateboarding, and also the raddest bro to hang out with. Best back smiths. Best style. —Tyler Geurts

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dominic devries boardslide bigspin

age: 17 lives: Aldergrove, BC sponsors: Chance Skateboards, Vans, Volcom, Authentic Board Supply Co.

If you want to talk about someone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s down to skate 24/7, never complains about a spot, is consistent and always loves to skate with the homies, then Dom is it. Stoked to see what lies ahead for him as he constantly progresses and works hard at what he loves to do. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Matthew Holdsworth

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concrete Est. 1990: Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original skateboard magazine

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keith henry, sam mckinlay pd, jody morris, casey jones brett box, randy laybourne brandon wells, josh clark kevin lowry, james morley christian senrud, antosh cimoszko tyler geurts, matthew holdsworth john lucas, david ehrenreich mike sinclair concrete accepts unsolicited submissions, but is not responsible if such materials are lost or damaged. submissions sent via letter-mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return sending. for further submission inquiries, contact submissions@concreteskateboarding.com. for retailer inquiries in regards to carrying concrete, please contact info@concreteskateboarding.com.

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shawn brackbill words

John Lucas

Martin Courtney plays a Fender Stratocaster, and he’s not ashamed of it. The Real Estate frontman is well aware that in indie-music circles the Stratocaster isn’t exactly the go-to guitar. Reason being, it has come to be associated with blues-rock wankers like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and any instrument preferred by John Mayer is automatically lame, right? “It’s not cool-looking,” Courtney admits when asked about his axe of choice. “It’s the standard guitar, the Strat. It’s like in Wayne’s World—you know, when he’s idolizing this guitar in the guitar shop, and it’s just, like, a white Stratocaster. I always thought that was really confusing. But it sounds really good.” To be fair, Courtney’s particular Strat is a sweet surf-green colour and it looks pretty damn good. “That was my way of not just having a really boring Strat,” he says. “It’s a ’59 reissue, so the paint job is like the old school. It doesn’t have layers of lacquer on top of it, so it got dinged up really fast, which I think maybe a lot of people wouldn’t be into. But I like that. It’s got a lot of chips in it and stuff. It looks well-used, and I’ve only had it for about two years.” Any skateboarder given to grinding the hell out of his trucks will understand why Courtney loves all the scrapes and dings that give his

instrument character. He may be hard on his guitar, but sonically Real Estate is about as far from thrash as you can get. The band—formed in verdant Ridgewood, New Jersey, but now based in Brooklyn—builds its songs around Courtney’s dreamy vocal melodies and the shimmering interplay between his guitar and that of Matt Mondanile. As heard on Real Estate’s third and latest LP, Atlas, the sound is chill without being chillwave, and it evokes the ’80s jangle of R.E.M. and The Smiths without sounding like a throwback. On the surface, it’s music for warm spring nights and long days at the beach. Dig a little deeper, though, and things aren’t quite so idyllic. On “Crime”, for example, Courtney sings of his “crippling anxiety”, while on “The Bend” he expresses feeling as if he’s “behind the wheel, but it won’t steer”. “I’m an anxious person,” he acknowledges. “I’m a worrier, so that comes through with the lyrics. With ‘The Bend’, that’s a little bit about being on tour. When you’re on tour, it sort of feels like you don’t really have much control over your life. It’s very regimented and you’re doing the same thing every day. You have maybe an hour in the morning to yourself. Otherwise you’re just with

the band in the car, and then you go to the venue, and it’s the same thing over and over again.” It’s not all nail-biting fretfulness, mind you. Courtney says that he’s actually very happy with most aspects of his life. And with his first child due in May, the 28-year-old musician has much to look forward to. That might explain why, for the first time, he hasn’t expended much of his songwriting energy on looking back. “I was consciously not trying to write nostalgic songs, because that was the thing that we got pegged with a lot, and just something that I did a lot.” Courtney says. “That was maybe an exercise for me to try to do things differently, lyrically, and not just fall back on what’s easy. It’s easy for me to write about growing up or something, because it’s safe to talk about where you came from. It’s easy, so I was trying to be a bit more reflective on present life.” In the present, the boy from suburban New Jersey is a grown man with a sweet surf-green Strat, and he’s okay with that. “If there’s one big theme of this record, that might be what it is: accepting that I’m not a kid anymore.”

realestatetheband.com

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curated and written by

David Ehrenreich

“A film is, or should be, more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what’s behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later.” This quote from Stanley Kubrick, the best there ever was, holds true to our little world of skateboarding as well. No need for explanation or apology in this issue’s Links. It’s just people making what feels right.

SWISS BANKS

you tu.be/udF t53Y1E d 0

Filmed and edited by Paul Labadie, this video documents France’s Antiz Skateboards team traveling through the beloved Swiss Alps on a trip funded by blue-collar dream sponsor Carhartt. The purpose was to attempt a roll on the most obscure and lonely slabs of concrete they could find. The video is pieced together in a series of vignettes instead of the traditional montage, and it’s almost completely devoid of music. It’s a behind-the-scenes look— you arrive at each spot, you’re taken on the journey of figuring out how to skate it, you see the photographers, you hear the wildlife, and then it fades to black. I was constantly wondering if they’d just skate something “normal” for the next one, but they never do! Swiss Banks features Sylvain Tognelli, Hugo Liard, Gabriel Engelke, Joseph Biais and Dominik Dietrich.

CUATRO SUEÑOS PEQUEÑOS itunes.apple.com/ca/movie/id732710386

Four Small Dreams, as it translates into English, isn’t a skate video. It’s a real film by Thomas Campbell (French Fred also lends a hand), and an experimental one at that. Released briefly for free online to help it gain some momentum, it’s now available for purchase on iTunes worldwide for a mere $2.99. This 15-minute film follows a basic narrative; our hero Javier Mendizabal is asleep, wrestling his own mind, entangled in dreams and nightmares. As the sleep deepens, the skateboarding follows. Madars Apse joins in, and together they battle exotic spots around the world. It’s an ode to ’60s cinema that’s a visual treat, but above all else it’s an expression of love for skateboarding. I can’t imagine traveling the world and shooting 16mm being an easy task; that commitment deserves the support of our community, so go and buy this one.

STEREOPHONIC SOUND: VOL.14 you tu.be/xBE k kpw 9-BM

When the Stereo Sound Agency made its triumphant return to skateboarding in the early 2000s, they started with a splash—16mm, Jason Lee doing 360 flips, Keegan Sauder, Benny Fairfax—and it was all pointing towards an updated continuation of 1994’s iconic A Visual Sound. But things slowed down a bit since that original push, excluding Clint Peterson’s consistent killing spree. They always have amazing new riders, but seem to let them go. However, appearances seem to have changed lately, and again I see Stereo pushing forward. You don’t need to look further than their Ride Channel show, Stereophonic Sound, to see parts from the whole team, including new pro and Canadian workhorse Jordan Hoffart. It’s an exciting time for the Stereo Sound Agency, and I hope a Matt Rodriguez part is next on the list.

VICTORIOUS

you go t t h at.c a / p / victor iou s .htm l

YouGotThat! is a Victoria, BC-based website dedicated to skateboarding— more specifically to the Vancouver Island scene. It only takes a couple minutes of scrolling through to see the love and attention its two main contributors, Luke Connor and Leo Graceffo, put into the site. The next logical step was clearly a feature-length video, and VICtorious is it. Containing footage from likely everyone on the Island they could muster clips from, there’s probably 100 people in this video (including Dane Pryds, Shay Sandiford, Conlan Killeen and Matt Gravel, who has an interview on p.22). Luke and Leo made this video for their scene, for their friends, for skateboarding, and they had fun doing it. I’m looking forward to seeing what they make next. Stay tuned for the full web release along with photo extras at concreteskateboarding.com on May 1st. 90

TOM ASTA

LEO ROMERO

brian caissie

After knowing Leo for a few years, I told him that he always leads people to danger. He was shocked and quickly asked, “What do you mean?” Two seconds later he directs me down a one-way street heading straight towards an oncoming 18-wheeler. Leo never panics or gets scared, he just laughs and lets you figure it out. He also enjoys doing what you’re not supposed to do. For example, I’ll say: “Don’t fuck with the van, it’s acting weird.” Next thing you know he’s peeling out, looking at you and laughing with his middle finger high in the air. At least he’ll always return with something nice for you like ice cream or expensive chocolates. There is only one Leo Romero and he kicks ass! —Mike Sinclair

Emerica Alumni

Videos You’ve Been In

Destinations

Movies

Underdog Bands

Canadians

Websites

Motorcycles

Go-To Albums

Bad Habits

Travesura Shows

Guitars

1. H.K. 2. Double E 3. Paul Machnau 4. Tempster 5. Arto

1. Scott H. Biram 2. Hurray For The Riff Raff 3. Rainer Ptacek 4. The Budrows 5. Any girl who plays an instrument

1. Bob Dylan: any era or album 2. Elvis Presley: any era or album 3. Phosphorescent: To Willie 4. Timber Timbre: Cedar Shakes 5. T. Rex: The Slider 92

1. Pharmacy - Chily 2. Stay Gold 3. Kids In Emerica 4. Brainwash 5. Friend section in Good & Evil

1. The Roaches 2. Rick McCrank 3. Neil Young 4. Harvey Foster 5. Braeden Patterson

1. Drinking 2. Smoking 3. Women 4. Shows on DVD 5. Women

1. Scotland 2. Graceland 3. Africa 4. Anything tropical 5. Home

1. npr.org 2. firstshowing.net 3. youtube.com 4. dylanchords.info 5. travesuramusic.com

1. Alex’s Bar in Long Beach 2. The Pike in Long Beach 3. Proof Lab in Mill Valley 4. Albert Street Pub in Portland 5. Some bar I played in Argentina

1. Dumb & Dumber 2. There Will Be Blood 3. No Direction Home 4. This Is Elvis 5. All the Rocky movies

1. Both 2. Of 3. Mine... 4. ’06 Harley Sportster and... 5. ’07 Harley Night Train

1. My Martin Triple-O 2. My Republic tenor resonator 3. My Mexican guitar 4. My Harmony hollow body 5. Guitar I bought on my first Toy trip

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