Issue 112 May 2011 free
1611 East The Skate House R e d e f i n e d
JS LApierre Has A Veggiewish
The Natural Habitat
Issue 112 May 2011
Will Marshall Identity Joey Pepper Five Spot Levi Brown shoe Vault Nike Dunk Art Blender Michael Sieben
DAN ZASLAVSKY SWITCH FLIP BACK TAIL.
RUSS MILLIGAN DVS SHOE COMPANY 955 FRANCISCO ST. TORRANCE, CA 90502 DVSSHOES.COM
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SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM DVSSTICKERS@SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM
DAEWON 12’er
ROYAL SUEDE
SEE MORE OF BEN & THE SQUARE TWO AT éSSKATEBOARDING.COM TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING
éS PROUDLY WELCOMES BEN RAEMERS TO THE TEAM: BEN SKATES IN THE SQUARE TWO BLACK / GREY / RED
SKATEBOARDING STARTS WITH
LAKA E. S K AT S WE SHOE . THE NSON C JOH . MAR WEAR FOOT ITED I LIM
INT RO DU CIN G TH E MJ ECH ELO N. SEE ALL CO LOR S AT LAK AI. CO M sup rad ist rib uti on. com lakais tic ker s@ sup rad ist rib uti on. com
heelflip. photo by colen
The predominant design ideal of Lakai Footwear places peak skateboard function as priority number one. Fashion follows a close second, but performance has always been our driving force. With the introduction of Echelon, we now have a category that allows us to flip these ideals from time to time, encouraging fashion to become the primary design focus. The branding for these styles has changed, but the commitment to excellence remains the same. Echelon is Heel to Toe quality, fashion first.
andrew wenckstern // Switch Frontside Bigspin Heelflip photos
diego gamez
I S S U E 1 1 2 /// May 2011
JS LApierre 34 Has A Veggiewish
“Why eat meat if you can’t kill an animal?”
44 Will Marshall 1611 East 54 The Natural Habitat
“I can go all day without leaving my own bed.”
The Skate House Redefined
“The lady across the street wasn’t really down with us at the beginning.”
10 14 16 22 24 28 76 86 94 96 98 100
Rise & Shine Jeff Comber Identity Joey Pepper Inventory Art Blender Michael Sieben BA.KU. PROPAGANDA Muskellunge OF Dark Island Both Ends Of The Lens Darrell Smith Sequential Evidence Young Bloods Video Reviews shoe Vaults Nike Dunk Sound Check J Mascis The Five Spot Levi Brown
Danger bay cover photo and caption by
Brian Caissie
I’m sure you’ve had the experience of finding a spot that would make for a great photo, but it’s just riddled with problems. The spot that IAN TWA skated for his first Concrete cover is one of those. Not only is the round bar head-height from the ground, there’s another rail to get hung up on right next to it. And of course the run-up is short and the landing is uphill. Overall, a pretty dangerous spot that I’ve looked at a few times. Twa also saw the potential for a good photo, and put himself in the right frame of mind to do this CROOKED GRIND POP-OUT. That’s dedication.
Visit concreteskateboarding.com on your desktop or mobile device to watch the Issue 112 commercial.
Concrete skateboarding
7
AND THE 205 VULC C1RCA.COM
FRONTSIDE TAILSLIDE. SIMI VALLEY, CA - circa 2011. PHOTO: BART JONES
SCAN THIS FOR A DISCOUNT CODE FOR C1RCA PRODUCTS AT SHOP.C1RCA.COM
May 2011
Issue 112
Pat O’Rourke // Half-cab heelflip
Rise & Shine
sean moriarty
Jeff Comber currently residing in downtown Toronto’s Liberty Village, Jeff Comber’s first camera pick-up was a Nikon F90X in 1998 (one he still uses at the ripe age of 31). By 2003 he completed his photography studies at Oakville’s Sheridan College, and along with tipping his hat to Mike O’Meally, Oliver Barton, Dylan Doubt and French Fred, he adds: “My sister Becky is an amazing art photographer, and Boogie’s dedication and timing is a real inspiration”. If you happen to have a surplus of ice cold craft brew from Creemore, Mill Street, Denison’s, Hockley or Steam Whistle, and a patio to go along with them, Combs (as he signs off on his emails) will efficiently help you empty those bottles. Best known for having a perma-smile and an undying appetite, Jeff landed on this page for his excellence in getting shit done. As the fourth dude crashing in a Barcelona one-bedroom, he managed to snap and send some clutch Darrell Smith skate photos under tight deadline conditions. Check out the Both Ends of the Lens feature (p.28), and thanks for making it happen, Combs.
jeffcomber.com
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Concrete skateboarding
distributed by Ultimate
matt daughters
Identity
They say at the end of your life, if you’re lucky, you can count your really close friends on one hand. If that’s the case, I would say Joey Pepper is holding on strong with the thumb spot on mine. He’s what we call “a good shit” in the Northeast. Once he got hit in the head with a bag of rocks and robbed in New York while on his bike, then walked to the hospital bleeding. Joey has a Pitbull named Tonka and can skate everything, including vert. He also works part-time just to appreciate skateboarding more when he’s not doing it. —Matt Daughters
Most prized possessions?
Tonka, my seven-year-old Red Nose Pitbull, and a four-foot tall framed oil painting of Waylon Jennings bought from a total stranger on a random loading dock for $20; I’ve been offered $1000 for it. I also have a lot of random woodworking tools; some nice ones and some crappy ones, but like ‘em all.
When you’re not skating you’re _____? Not skateboarding.
Most influential video of all time?
My opinion always changes on this one but I’ll say Virtual Reality (1993), specifically Pat Duffy.
Who do you skate with on the regular?
Curtis Rapp, Michael Hastings, Jack Sabback, John Igei, Dave “Mike Mike” Mitchell, Rob Nordstrom, Corey Ducky, Matt Willigan, Zered Bassett, Brian Brown, Steve Nardone and Jahmal Williams.
Best places you’ve been to outside of the States? Vietnam, The Amazon River, and Laos.
Top travel companions and why?
Jack Sabback knows every Pearl Jam lyric and doesn’t bitch about anything; Jon Mehring is an experienced veteran who’s down to get into some weird shit; Matt Jones keeps it light and John Igei is the mellowest dude ever.
Top movies in your rotation?
Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), and The Shawshank Redemption (1994).
Favourite inspirational quote? “Never waste a boner.”—R.W.
Last book you read?
A Walk in The Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson.
First songs that pop up on shuffle?
“Tecumseh Valley” by Townes Van Zandt, “Long Time Gone” by Waylon Jennings and “Death Penalty” by Witchfinder General.
Favourite videos you’ve been a part of?
Ryde or Die (Aesthetics, 2001), Get Familiar (Chris Hall, 2006) and Madness (Expedition, 2010). To check out the Madness video and all the extras, visit: thekayocorp.com/kayotv/category/madness 14
Concrete skateboarding
distributed by Ultimate
collection compiled by sean miller
inventory
SPITFIRE x DICKIES
Stadium Jacket
Dickies has been making quality work apparel since 1922, and over the years they’ve unintentionally built a subculture following. Spitfire’s existence as an iconic urethane brand since the late-’80s is just as verified, making this jacket one of the few creditable cross-branded pieces out there. Now you can Survive the Slide in more ways than one. dlxsf.com
/
dickies.com
SKULL SKATES
Team Skul 13
“For decades kids and adults have taken the frustrated energy that makes them want to smash stuff and channeled it into skateboarding. Skull Skates has given birth to an unruly adolescent named Team Skul 13 – a line comprised of slightly more tapered shapes for better pop and control in technical situations. Street to tranny, Team Skul is smashing off a knee scab and making it next try.”—PD skullskates.com
QUIKSILVER
Alex Olson Signature Denim
You might say skateboarding is in Alex’s genes, and his signature denim certainly makes that official. With all the style and talent he has, you know anything he puts his name on is going to be legit. And the fact that his Quiksilver Coolmax denim has a crotch gusset means no more blow-outs! skate.quiksilver.com
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Concrete skateboarding
COMUNE
Braydon Vest
Black waxed denim and the Braydon Szafranski jacket have always been staples in the COMUNE line. Out of the gate this material is a bit tough, but give it a few weeks of wear and it will work-in beautifully. Give it a year and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind vest with a custom vintage look. thecomune.com
L E O
R O M E R O
2 0 1 0
S K A T E R
T H E
B A L A N C E
O F
O F
T H E
Y E A R
O P P O S I T E S
R V C A . C O M T I M E B O M B T R A D I N G . C O M F A C E B O O K . C O M / T I M E B O M B T R A D I N G
inventory
éS
Ecosse
This is John Rattray’s well-deserved premiere Pro model. It features a durable one-piece toe cap and what he refers to as a “wonderful rubber outsole.” The Sole Technology Institute’s System G2 footbed and Heel Lockdown feature keep things comfortable on the inside. You can also find Rattray as Victor LeBonte alongside his éS teammate Rick McCrank as Blair Stanley in Machotaildrop. That is, if you can find a copy. esskateboarding.com
DC
Studio
At the heart of this shoe from DC’s Life Collection is Bounce Suede – a rubber-coated suede that allows water, dirt, grime and even spilled drinks in the club to bounce off without leaving a mark. This material also helps the shoe stay fresh by minimizing those pesky instep creases. The Studio will stay good-looking on your feet, and we all know that’s where women look first. dcshoes.com
C1RCA combat
Tweest
Don “The Nuge” Nguyen’s latest shoe was designed from the ground up for skateboarding. Modeled after the slim fit and control of old soccer silhouettes, this vulcanized shoe features mixed materials – hemp, suede, canvas – and the Tie Dye colourway process ensures every shoe will be completely unique. The Tweest will only be found in skateboard shops, so support local and support Nuge. c1rcacombat.com
DVS x GREEN APPLE
Rico ct
Winnipeg’s own Mike McDermott has been with DVS for 10 years and opened the Green Apple Skateboard Shop in May 2009. Given his Irish heritage, it only made sense to release the DVS x Green Apple three-pack on Saint Patrick’s Day. The Rico CT, Milan CT and Inmate models are available in limited quantities and only at Green Apple. Give ‘em a call. dvsshoes.com
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Concrete skateboarding
/
greenappleshop.ca
INTRODUCING THE WRAP TWO-PIECE CONSTRUCTION X TWELVE COLORS SUPRAFOOTWEAR.COM
distributed by Ultimate PHOTOS: KLEIN
& VIDEO CLIPS BLACKLABEL SKATES | NEVER BE BOUGHT NEVER BE SOLD | CHECK THE BLACK BLOG FOR THE LATEST PRODUCTS BLACKLABELSKATES .COM
A R T B L E N D E R // MICHAEL SIEBEN
D
EEP in the heart of Texas resides one of skateboarding’s most prolific and active artists – Michael Sieben. His sense of humour is as unmistakable as his drawing style and both can make one chuckle deep in the gut. Since graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 1999 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Michael has been very busy doing a variety of things from the comfort of his South Austin home. From 2004 to 2006 he was a founding member of Camp Fig Gallery, and since ’06 he’s been a founding member of the Okay Mountain Gallery [okaymountain.com] in Austin. Michael has been a staff writer and illustrator for Thrasher since 2004, and most times his semi-regularly published column takes a piss on all the silly stuff happening in
skateboarding. “But I only make fun of things that I secretly love,” he admits. “Skateboarding is awesome. All of it.” In 2008, after the unfortunate demise of Bueno Skateboards, Michael and Stacy Lowery started Roger. By handling the art direction and marketing, Sieben keeps the smart-ass humour going strong with his deck and tee graphics, the ads, a sticker team, and their website [rogerskateboards.com]. The brand has also been able to weather the great recession while constantly warning us that they might be out of business soon. Another sly joke. Sieben is a great collaborator with other artists and companies. For example, in 2005 he traded drawings with Travis Millard through the mail for a year, which turned into a Volcomsupported 40-page book and art show called
“Michael Sieben is about as rad they come. He’s a consummate optimist and can twist almost anything into a joke. Mike’s artwork is a lot like himself; a bit rough, sometimes rather raw, often hilarious and endearingly memorable.” –Travis Millard // Artist-Illustrator-Designer
clockwise from top left:
Adidas Sieben & Friends video Roger “Keeps On Lickin’” tee Roger “Me So Horny” tee Roger “Here For The Beer” tee Roger “Roger Sucks” tee Roger “Ghost With A Boner” tee Roger “Artist Series 1” deck Roger “Artist Series 2” deck Roger “Pink Freud” deck Roger “The Bueno Company” deck Roger “Focus Here” deck Volcom/Thrasher Internet Shack web show 22
Concrete skateboarding
Hitten Switches. Adidas also tapped into Michael’s creativity in 2008 for Michael Sieben & Friends – a digital short that brought some of his characters to full-sized life. This year, Michael and Volcom’s Mike Aho are taking over the web with the Internet Shack [theinternetshack.blogspot.com]. In its second season, the show mixes art and skateboarding into one tripped-out world of random happenings. Considering all the great art, words and video he creates, Michael Sieben wears more hats than George W. Bush. Fortunately for us one of them isn’t a 10-gallon cowboy hat while we’re trying to watch a 3D movie at the megaplex. —Randy Laybourne msieben.com
“Retaining Wonderment� by Michael Sieben, created exclusively for Concrete Skateboarding.
visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer and iphone.
BarRi er kult / The Range Of Propaganda chapter 2: muskellunge of dark island photos dylan doubt
the mask-donning and mysterious barrier-altar worshippers, better known to all as The Barrier Kult, now exist in fear-inspiring numbers within their principal region of British Columbia. As part of the original trio of ritual Kultists – which includes Deer Man Of Dark Woods and Vlad Mountain Impaler – the Depth Leviathan Dweller described the group’s expansion as “a mastery of plague-ridden individuals” in the first Chapter of BA.KU’s propaganda efforts, which can be found in the 111th Issue of Concrete. This time around he tells the harrowing tale of the lake and river dweller from Northern B.C.’s Interior, the Kultist known as Muskellunge Of Dark Island. —Frank Daniello
portaging his canoe through the haunted lakebeds of ghost-ridden sturgeon and gravel sediment before paddling the rivers of northern British Columbia for many years, Muskellunge Of Dark Island eventually approached the southern Interior and ended his pagan journey in Vancouver – the area of Barrier Kult violence. Unlike the Beast Of Gevaudan’s journey from the hills into the vice-ridden streets of inner France’s towns and cities, Muskellunge Of Dark Island delved into the haunted centres of the Northern Canada wilderness, amongst its riverbed plants and roots that act as rotted arms to shadow one’s self within – to create an island as phantom as the water wilderness. Deer Man Of Dark Woods haunted the trees and dirt of the dry Interior, the witch’s wood, while Muskellunge Of Dark Island dwelled in and upon the rivers and lakes of the northern B.C. Interior, which represent ominous areas of lore and nature’s procurement of the darker realms of the hidden lakesides. Muskellunge Of Dark Island takes his dark phantom-like and horrific river fish legacy from the haunted folklore of the B.C. Interior – the Chinlac Massacre at the Stuart and Nechako rivers; the mystery that surrounds the McQueen Lake Murder; the Rolling River Reserve phantom, and the milfoil-ridden figure that haunts Morfee Lake. The blood shaven and knife ritual haunting history of the northern B.C. Interior and its legacy prompted Muskellunge Of Dark Island to navigate the rivers until he encountered the blackened entity of Darke Lake. it presented him with supreme ritual and militant barrier possession as he stared into the grey darkness of the gravel-ridden shores leading to the dark waters that housed fish and haunted phantom beings. The possession was complete. Muskellunge Of Dark Island’s travels brought him to the ritual barriers and the barriers of the dark tunnel where the cold walls bleed with river water and constantly remind him of the violent militance and purity of the sweeper, the tailblock, the slash grind. —Depth Leviathan Dweller
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Concrete skateboarding
1
Legend
2
Chinlac Massacre = Located just east of Vanderhoof, B.C. lies the ancient grounds of a First Nations village known as Chinlac. It has been told that around the year 1745 a Chilcotin chief led a war party to the area in order to avenge a killing. In turn, the men, woman and children from Chinlac’s resident Carrier tribe fell victim to a most gruesome slaughter. McQueen Lake Murder = According to legend, when the Dining House at McQueen Lake (northwest of Kamloops, B.C.) was first built, a cook was alone preparing for a huge party and was brutally murdered. Ever since, at around 7:20pm each night his final scream can be heard. rolling river reserve Phantom = The dark figure of a man allegedly follows lone hikers at night and watches over them from a distance as they navigate through the woods at the Rolling River Reserve near Erickson, B.C. Milfoil-ridden figure = Local folklore states that a young girl drowned in Morfee Lake near Mackenzie, B.C. Along with sightings of a strange apparition, her screams can be heard over the lake at night.
muskellunge of dark island / channel sweeper
photo: brian fick
intro
jeff comber
THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF DARRELL SMITH
Frank Daniello Darrell Smith
stills and captions
Not only is Montreal’s Darrell Smith the art director and coowner of Studio Skateboards [studioskateboards.com], he’s also a team rider for the brand. So his understandable need to curb the well-settled Canadian winter translated into a February 2011 trip to Barcelona, Spain with Jesse Landen and Trent Matley. Up for daily conquest was the unique and seemingly limitless street terrain along with new urban subject matter for his camera to capture. To elaborate further on Darrell’s photography background, the 27 yearold mostly shoots with 35mm black-and-white film and has about six years of darkroom experience under his belt. Having completed a year studying photography and graphic design at Oakville’s Sheridan College, he also learned high-contrast photo techniques at H.P. Beal in London, Ontario. Although he’s had a Bryan Wherry shifty ollie photo published as a 2005 SBC Photo Annual contents spread, Darrell rarely shoots skateboarding on account of his “bad angles”. His work is mostly personal
in nature, but he outwardly produces about four photo-based graphics for Studio annually. Along with being on the Studio team, Darrell also rides for Lakai through Supra Distribution, Underworld and Billabong – the brand that was part of the reason why Landen, Matley and himself ended up cramming into a onebedroom apartment in the dim labyrinth of Barcelona’s Barri Gotic. “I was working on a short film for Billabong; a behind-the-scenes look at all of us being in Barcelona and working on other videos,” Darrell alludes to the fact that he was busy collecting clips for Studio’s first video, Moodlighting, while Landen was filming for an ATM part. “It’s also the background story of how we’ve all been on Billabong for a long time and we’re super close friends.” Brandishing a Canon T2i to film HD clips for the aforementioned project, Darrell also used it to shoot the following selection of stills that document his first trip to Barcelona.
Pop Shuv Photo: Jeff Comber 28
Concrete skateboarding
Bird’s Eye Barcy
Gothic Quarter
Post-Battle
Derelict Laundry
Wicked Loud
Dark Side
“Mike Vince is on the left with Kyle MacDonald on the right, and I have no idea where exactly in Barcelona this is. Vince was like, ‘It’s your first day, you’ve gotta check out the view up there’, so he brought us up all these outdoor escalators. A dude was playing classical guitar at the top, and we were stoked to be in the city.”
“One day Jesse was trying a blunt varial flip on that weird long cobblestone quarterpipe. He worked pretty hard and finally got it, so once he sat down I snapped a photo with Trent Matley on the left. Jesse looks pretty happy, I think. I couldn’t skate that spot worth shit because I had like 50mm wheels [laughs].”
“This is another example of the area we stayed in being wicked loud. I’m not sure if these were cases of cola or beer, but they were noisily being pulled down the street. They use propane for cooking and heating there, so a guy comes around with a metal ring on his finger banging on gas tanks to let people know he’s there if they want to come out and buy one.”
“That’s Jesse Landen walking down the alley about a block away from our apartment in the Gothic Quarter, which is extremely obnoxious all the time. There’s little kids constantly running through the streets all night and there’s always people yelling and making noise. It’s really dirty from dogs shitting everywhere, but luckily they hose down the streets every night. The narrow alleys are pretty much filled with junk stores.”
“We were warming up for the day at the Parallel ledges, and this guy kept washing his clothes and wringin’ them out. You can’t see it in the photo, but he had a whole sack full. I guess that tap is a water fountain, but I heard you can’t drink the water there, so maybe that thing is just there to clean your clothes? I doubt it.”
“This was just some weird Spanish architecture I saw. Most of the photos I shoot are a little darker, a little gloomier. I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because growing up I really liked photographers like ‘Weegee’ (Arthur Fellig). He ran around New York in the 1930s and ’40s with a police radio shooting photos of things that were happening. His style was pretty dark.”
The Neighbour
“Right across from where we were staying was this old dude, and he would just sit on his patio and stare at people all day long. As soon as I shot this photo he looked up at me and was pissed. It happened like a week into the trip, so for the rest of the month I had to see this guy every single time I went out to have a smoke on the balcony [laughs].”
Storm Warning
“It was pretty much 15 degrees every day and it rained only two days out of the whole month. A storm was rolling in while we were on the balcony of Thomas Winkle’s apartment where Mike Vince was staying. I just liked how that statue looked super small and was pointing off into the distance while the birds were troubled by the storm. It’s a little pretentious [laughs].”
Cigarette Plant
“This was shot at what was basically the Dimestore apartment – Kyle MacDonald, Andrew McGraw, Phil Lavoie, Charles Rivard and a few other dudes were staying there. I thought this ashtray looked like the one at my old Montreal apartment, which was kind of a party place. My friend would always call it a cigarette plant.”
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Concrete skateboarding
Nose Manual Nollie 360 flip Photos: Jeff Comber
www.crailtap.com www.chocolateskateboards.com supradistribution.com chocolatestickers@supradistribution.com
Not Pictured: Anthony Pappalardo, Daniel Castillo, Gino Iannucci, Jesus Fernandez Altered Portrait Series out now. Video in the works.
distributed by Ultimate
Photo Brandon Alton
34
ean-Sebastien Lapierre has so much natural talent and is easily one of the best skaters I’ve ever met. He skates like a man – fast, smooth and full of style – even though he’s only 18. I think the fact that he moved away from his family’s veal farm in Notre-Dame de Stanbridge and into downtown Montreal when he was 16 made him grow up pretty fast. Most kids live at home for as long as they can to enjoy the luxuries their parents provide, but not JS. He makes his own money from skating, winning Concrete skateboarding
contests, or however he can hustle to get by. As his roommate, I never have to worry about him being late with the rent or any bills because he’s on point with everything. That says a lot for an 18 year-old. JS is also unlike the average skater who lives off junk food and McDonald’s. Instead, he recently become a vegetarian and is very conscious about what he puts into his body. I think JS’ ability to handle himself well combined with his healthy living habits will help him have a long and great skate career.
Photo Andrew Norton
PhotoS GEOFF CLIFFORD
Photo Kyle Camarillo
How was your North Hollywood experience with Beagle, the Baker filmer? Was it the Deathwish guys you were staying with this winter?
Well it was both really. I was skating with the Baker guys pretty much ‘cause Jim Greco and Erik Ellington are busy most of the time. But it was really fun. Got to meet everyone and skate some good spots. Everyone’s super chill.
When you were skating with those guys, did you get a lot of footage? Are you going to have some stuff in the new Deathwish video?
You recently became a vegetarian. How’s that going?
I did it months ago, and it’s way easier than people would think. Being a vegetarian is not even that hard, plus you feel way better by the end of the day. But it seems like you have way more choices in California at the supermarkets where you can buy organic than in Canada.
Would you consider yourself pretty well-educated given your young age?
I hope so. It was good and I got a few tricks, so maybe it’ll happen. I’d be really hyped if it did.
When I first met Spencer Hamilton he really got me into watching documentaries about food, religion and shit like that. I think it’s good to educate yourself, especially if you’re not going to school. I watch a lot of documentaries. But you’ve got to take some of that information and leave some of it. There’s a lot of weird shit in our world.
What was your routine like while in California?
Is that why you became a vegetarian?
Wake up, skate, chill. The usual. On the weekends there was definitely more of a schedule, but during the week we tend to chill a lot. There’s a good park in North Hollywood, so we would skate there to warm up.
What kind of spots are you stoked to skate out there?
Everything’s so perfect. Like, it’s way easier to get clips out there. I got better at skating rails and stuff, so that’s what I was skating.
Do you find girls in L.A. are stoked on you just because you’re a skater?
Pretty much, yeah. Food, Inc. is one of the documentaries I’ve watched. Spread The Word [sprword.com] is a really good site that I’d recommend to anyone. It’ll make you want to get healthier after watching some of those documentaries.
What were the other reasons behind making the change?
It’s a little bit of two things. One is how the meat is produced, and the other is asking yourself if you would kill an animal to eat it. And I wouldn’t do it. So, why eat meat if you can’t kill an animal?
Down there you have to have professional status. In Montreal, they all think you’re professional, which makes it easier [laughs]. Concrete skateboarding
37
PhotoS DAN MATHIEU
38
Concrete skateboarding
Photo BRANDON ALTON
Good point. What can people look forward to from JS Lapierre in 2011?
Not much [laughs]. I would say the Dimestore part in The Deuce [thedimestorecrew.com] – lots of good footage from everyone went towards that video. Maybe I’ll have some footage in the Deathwish video and some interviews here and there. I shot with some American photographers in California and it’s way more stressful shooting with them ‘cause you feel like you have to land shit – you want to land the trick quick and get the guy stoked.
What do you think of skating in Montreal?
I’ve lived downtown for almost two years and I fuckin’ love it. Lots of good spots and people don’t even skate them, so there’s lots you can do. I would really love to be able to live in LA but I definitely think Montreal is the best city.
What’s a normal day for you when you’re there?
Wake up, eat food, then go to Peace Park to meet up with the boys, which is not really a good thing ‘cause Peace Park is jacked. I admire anyone who can skate it good, I can’t at all. After that, go skate wherever. Obviously end up at Parc Lafontaine to have some beers with the homies, then probably go out because we party too much [laughs].
Do you think moving out on your own at such a young age made you mature a lot faster?
Yeah, I think it did. Especially hanging out with people a lot older, it definitely makes you more mature than hanging out with kids your age.
Explain your living arrangements at our skate house. What did your room look like before you got a wall?
For about a year-and-a-half I had three walls – one was missing and had a sheet instead. Whenever people would sleep over, the couch was on the other side of the sheet so they could hear everything that was happening in my room. When I would bring back chicks and stuff it got kinda awkward [laughs]. My dad came over and fucking built me a wall because I was just really lazy and didn’t make it happen.
Four walls. You’re moving up in the world… Hell yeah.
When you were a kid did you ever care about sponsors?
It’s kinda lame, but like every kid I always wanted to be sponsored. But I fucking love skating. I would still be doing it if I was sponsor-less because it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
PhotoS DAVID BROACH
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Concrete skateboarding
Photo GEOFF CLIFFORD
If you had no sponsors would you skate any differently? Do you skate certain things to stoke your sponsors? I like skating big stuff. It’s fun to get yourself scared sometimes. It’s hard to say if I would still try gnarly stuff if I wasn’t sponsored; I definitely wouldn’t jump on glory-handrails in the streets. But all my sponsors are good people, so I don’t feel stressed about that.
Who are you riding for right now?
I ride for Supra, KR3W, Deathwish, Pig Wheels through Tum Yeto, Independent through Centre, and Ultimate Boardshop. It’s really overwhelming to think that everything is going super good.
What’s a JS hobby besides listening to the same five songs everyday? While you’re at it, which songs are they?
I don’t know [laughs]. I don’t do anything besides skating. Music is a good way to hype yourself up, and I do listen to the same songs often. The first one would be “God Must Hate Me” by Simple Plan. Just kidding [laughs]. I’m really stoked on “Megalomania” by Black Sabbath – any Sabbath song is obviously amazing. I like “Sinister” by Pentagram, “Sailin’ On” by Bad Brains, “I Can’t Stand It” by Velvet underground and “Reverberation” by the 13th Floor Elevators.
Do you want to do the “thanks” thing?
Yeah, I want to thank my parents and sister for always being there for me. Thanks to Raj Mehra, Sam Perrault at Mehrathon and Erik Ellington, Jim Greco and Doughnut at Deathwish. Also, Pete (Nicolas Peterson), James Kolbjornsen, Chris Brown and Dennis Martin at KR3W and Supra. Mike Sinclair at Tum Yeto, Danny Marshall at
Independent, everyone at Ultimate Boardshop, and Josh Clark – thanks for everything. Bshans (Brian Shannon), Phil Lavoie, Antoine Asselin, Adam Green, Hugo Balek, Eric Riedl, Bob LaSalle, David Prevost, Kyle MacDonald, Charles Rivard, Ryan Decenzo, Mick Roy, Chris St-Cyr, Gab Ekoe and everyone from Dimestore. Jo and Sam Guay, and anyone who I filmed or shot with, anyone who let me sleep at their place, and all the homies from Montréal. Roch Lanoue, Carl Provost, Simon Porlier, Julien Lebeau, and anyone I forgot – thanks a lot.
Intro, Interview & Action Photographs By Rich Odam
W
ill and I first met in Vancouver a few years back. He was this little kid with a lot of confidence and didn’t let much bother him. We kinda lost touch and I’d only see him by coincidence at a spot out east or if he happened to be skating the west coast. Last summer we linked up a few times while I was in Toronto and I got to learn a bit more about him. His sponsor list is fresh with Element, DC Canada, Venture, Spitfire, Oakley, Lucky and Top Of The World skateshop in Ottawa supporting him. Will also has an up-beat attitude towards everything and keeps the laughs going and the inside jokes flowing. Several tales would brew from him after a day of skating – tales about his Natural Habitat, “roops” and a few involving the ladies.
Earlier this year I met up with Will in L.A. once again, this time to hang out, eat at “Chipoodles” (Chipotle’s) and ask him a few questions about his Natural Habitat and life in Cornwall, Ontario – a place he calls home when he’s not on the road.
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bedroom portraits by josh hotz
Over the next few months after last summer, Will traveled a bunch and worked hard to get shots for this – his first Concrete interview – and it reminded me of when I first met him. He was amped to go skate and get shit done as always.
The Natural Habitat Will Marshall
“I really wish I could fold up my roo m a n d j u s t b r i n g i t to C a l i . ” Switch backside heelflip What’s it like growing up in Cornwall?
It’s a bit raw, I guess. It’s just a small town with nothing to do, right? So a lot of people get into some sketchy shit. Cornwall sits between Montreal and Ottawa, about an hour away from both. Even though I live out of the way from everything it’s still convenient. I can skate those cities, or I can jump on the train and go to Toronto. Even Kingston has some good spots.
Out of those places, where do you spend the most time?
Well, Toronto is the place I like the most. I’m there so often it’s more of a home-away-from-home kinda thing. I don’t know if I’d ever move there because of the winter, I’m just stoked to have people that let me stay with them whenever I go down. I’m really thankful for that. All my friends are there and I love the vibe I get whenever I’m in Toronto.
What’s an average day in the life when you’re at home?
Since I’ve been done with school I basically just turned into the biggest piece of shit [laughs]. All I do is skate, not to say I skate 24-hours-a-day, but aside from that there isn’t much else I do. Like, I don’t contribute to society one bit [laughs]. 46
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Switch frontside heelflip Why should you put all that weight on your shoulders, right? Yeah, well, I’m sure I will in the future. Right now I guess I’m stoked on being a piece of shit [laughs].
can you Explain the Natural Habitat to us? You always talk about it… It’s my room at home. My favourite place to be in the world.
Is there a way you can bring an aspect of your Habitat on the road to make it more of a Traveling Habitat?
I was thinking about that before, like: “Fuck, I really wish I could fold up my room and just bring it to Cali.” But I think the OG Natural Habitat has the vibes that can’t be brought anywhere else.
If I came to visit it, what would I find in there?
Obviously my Xbox. I’m always playing Modern Warfare 2, fuck Black Ops; I’m not feeling that shit at all. I’ll probably be on Skype and Facebook. I don’t know, man. The Natural Habitat is so sick, everything in there is within reach so I can go all day without leaving my own bed.
How involved has your dad been with your skateboarding?
My dad’s the fucking man. To this day, he does whatever he can to help me with any situation. When I was younger he’d load up the car or rent a van with a bunch skaters and just go on road trips anywhere; of course with a cooler filled with beers motivating everyone to try and catch up with him [laughs]. I’ve had so many good times skating on those trips, and I’m sure anyone who’s joined us can’t thank him enough for the priceless memories. Much respect, dad.
any funny stories about him from those adventures?
One time on a trip to Philly my dad kept calling himself Big Daddy Rat, and telling the guys stories about when he used to play hockey. Sure enough, Morgan Smith and Tom Morrison made him a hockey-like jersey out of a white tee with “Big Daddy Rat” on the back and he wore it the whole day. That was pretty sick. Another time he almost got shot in Hollywood. That was pretty loose.
Who do you like skating with the most?
Brandon Del Bianco just ‘cause he’s actually out of his mind. He’s so gnarly it doesn’t even make sense, which gets me hyped to
“ I d on ’ t c ontr i b u t e to s o c i e t y on e b i t . ” backside flip. Photo: Josh Hotz
nollie inward heelflip skate. No matter what the spot is, he’s gonna get down on it and makes it seem easy because he’s not stressing at all. I also like skatin’ with Jacob Williams, Morgan Smith, Mitch Donovan and all the Whitby guys that are killin’ it: shout out to TJ Rogers, Bobby De Keyzer, Mark Colquhoun and Wade Power.
you and Binko skate and party a lot together. Where’s your favourite place to party?
Montreal because I’m 18 and that’s the drinking age there. It’s close by and the nightlife is proper. I love Montreal and I’m sure Binko would agree.
That brings us to the next question. Binko sent one in for your interview that says: “You and me had quite a few good times in MTL. Without making us look like idiots, what’s one of the best times we had?”
Well, this is definitely gonna make us look like idiots, but it’s my favourite story for sure [laughs]. It was at the 2010 Am Getting Paid contest. We both ended up making the cut into the semi-finals but we went out to the Am Getting Laid party the night before. Alex Bastide from Underworld saw us and was like: “What the fuck are you guys doing here? You gotta skate tomorrow!” We’re both like: “Don’t worry, we’ll be there tomorrow. We do this all the time.” So later that night we ended up having some girls over and made it to Concrete skateboarding
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frontside feeble shuv out
frontside Noseslide shuv out the contest the next day just in time for Best Trick. So we missed the semis and missed the finals. We completely fucking blew it.
Do you get recognized a lot from being on The Berrics? [theberrics.com/un100508.php]
at Top Of The World in Ottawa. The filmers and photographers: Devin Guiney, Brandon Alton, Jordan Mayfield, Jordan Moss, Jay Bridges, Rich Odam, Andrew Norton, Brian Caissie and Hotz Shots. Thanks to Eric Blais and the whole South Parc crew in Brossard for letting me skate for free.
Not really often at all. Obviously there’s random times at the skatepark when someone says: “Hey, you’re the dude from Minor Media”, but it’s not when I’m out in public [laughs]. It’s not like I became famous off it or whatever.
Have you ever used that experience to get laid?
No [laughs]. I mean, girls obviously know I skate but I try not to big-ups myself in order to get the chicks [laughs].
why don’t we get some shout outs in here?
Obviously a big thank-you to my family for being really supportive, and Chad Albert who’s shown me so much support with Element. Thanks to Wade Power, Brandon Del Bianco and their families for their hospitality. Can’t forget all the guys at S&J, and Josh Robertson at Street Corner for the Ventures and Lucky stuff. Also Dylan Radloff, Mark Scurto, Derek Heidt and Jake Trottier at Oakley. Thanks to Trevn Sharp at DC Canada and Eric Dionne
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distributed by Ultimate
The Skate House Redefined words
Frank Daniello
photos
Brian Caissie
A skate house is hardly unfamiliar territory. Upon entrance, it’s not uncommon to step into a dimly lit welcome-hall full of flick-tattered kicks, not to mention the pristine next-up pairs. There’s an immediate tobaccoinfused aroma from the low-lying smoke of a freshly snapped maul lingering. Amongst that, a tinny odor of bargain beer can bottoms coming from the living room where a heated skate video analysis, movie watching session or video game rampage is happening. The faint hiss in the background is telltale that someone is using the shower, which may also dub as an Athlete’s Foot petri dish. Stereotypically, this is all part of the skate house ambience. But all things considered, it’s the stimulating abundance of residents functioning amongst the constant influx of couch surfers that really ties the room together. In some regards, the Vancouver skate house dubbed 1611 East is a different beast with a more advanced palate. Monstrous in size, this compound’s resident-roster includes a Canadian skateboarding who’s-who – Ian Twa, Joey Williams, Bryan Wherry, Caine Cripps, Spencer Hamilton and Wade Desarmo included – as well as a lengthy DIY amenities list that keeps things interesting, regardless of the season. Each individual in this house brings something unique to the table, something that inspires everyday life amongst the collective. “Everyone’s got their own little harmony going on,” Spencer begins explaining. “Personally, I don’t like feeling too comfortable in my living situation because it doesn’t make me motivated. I don’t want to be chillin’. At this place there’s always something to do. It’s never boring. There’s six people living here and it’s huge so you don’t see everyone all the time, but there’s a common vibe when we’re together. The crew here is on point.” Concrete skateboarding
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Joey Williams
switch frontside bluntslide to shuv
“Joey’s probably the house handyman – he made the herb garden on the roof and the vegetable garden. He does mad yard work and he’s always fixing stuff around the house.”—Twa
1611 East originally came together when Ian Twa was looking to find a place for himself, Bryan Wherry and Joey Williams. Invitations were extended to others once Twa found and signed the lease for the affordable and sizeable East Vancouver six-bedroom in April 2010 – a place that seems to have all the right ingredients for good livin’. “There’s four bedrooms upstairs, and that’s where me, Caine, Joey, and Spencer live,” Twa begins breaking down the floor-plan. “There’s two full bathrooms up there, a kitchen, a long solarium, computer room and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace. Downstairs we’ve got two bedrooms, and that’s where Wade and Wherry live. They’ve got their own full bathroom, a laundry room, a couple storage rooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room with another fireplace. Outside there’s a crazy patio on the roof, a front porch, a garage with a big driveway that fits four cars, and there’s a bit of a yard. It sounds kinda ridiculous, but the house is super big, which is a rare find in East Van.” Entertainment-wise, the upstairs region appears to be more analog in nature while the downstairs suite is nestled under the High Definition umbrella. “Upstairs is kind of interesting,” says Wherry. “There’s a Super Nintendo and we probably have all the best classic Disney movies ever made on VHS. A serious stack. There’s Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasia, all of it. There’s also piles of VHS skate videos and movies like all the Rambos and Bloodsport. What should be written above our first House Rule (see p.63) is: ‘Bloodsport is a true story’. I keep tellin’ these guys [laughs]. Spence also has tons of documentaries on conspiracy theories and other Spence type shit [laughs].” Desarmo explains the contrasting technology downstairs: “When I moved in, those dudes upstairs didn’t have cable or anything. To live I need a nice TV, the NHL Centre Ice package with the Senators, and I need the Internet hooked up. My first week here, I got the whole thing set up.” Concrete skateboarding
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“If you can’t talk shit, don’t even step to the ping-pong table or you’re gonna be beat before you even get there [laughs].” —Desarmo
matt daughters
Wade Desarmo switch feeble pop-over
The ping-pong room upstairs is a hot topic, Along with the familiar sound of a hollow, thermoplastic ball ricocheting off the wooden paddle’s rubber mounts, there’s the occasional vocal eruption that comes after a friendly taunt is challenged by a sick return from the opposition. “The ping-pong started up at the house when Trav [Stenger] brought over a little adjustable net and mini-paddles he got in Spain, so you could make a table out of anything,” Desarmo mentions. “We started playing on a kitchen table, the one that holds our records now, before we gladly accepted a proper ping-pong table. It runs everyday. Everyone who comes through thinks they have some game, so everyone’s got their own little beef [laughs]. I like playing Joey,” Wade continues, “and Twa thinks he’s good; he’s probably the best to beat [laughs].” Twa contributes to the pong beef: “Wade has definitely held his ground for a long time, but he’s been coming upstairs and losing a few games to me and other people, too. I don’t know, somehow he’s still holdin’ on and claiming the champ [laughs].” There are a few unique house rules to consider that involve alcohol and a ceiling ornament when it comes time to battle with the paddles. “If we’re drinking while playing, you have to put your beer on your side of the net; if the ball hits it you’ve gotta take a sip,” Desarmo clarifies the rules. “Oh, and the chandelier counts. If the ball goes off it and lands on the other side it’s legit. Sometimes you get that lucky bounce [laughs].” Concrete skateboarding
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Spencer Hamilton
fakie bigflip
“We all live here because our lifestyles are on the same level and we all skate together. It’s always a fun sesh. There’s no downer around and everyone is motivated.”—Spenny
The Skate House Redefined
“We’ve definitely disposed of broken boards in the fireplace. They burn the best because they’re the worst for the environment [laughs]. I don’t think these guys even take the griptape off.”—Wherry
Aside from the ping-pong arena, there are even more rooms that host the various recreational activities that take place on the daily. “The house is getting better all the time and there’s so many people contributing,” Wherry explains. “The possibilities are endless. We can change any room into whatever we want because there’s so much free space. Upstairs we’ve got the turntables set up in the music room and there’s Caine’s recording studio. Wade’s got his hockey set-up downstairs to work on getting into the NHL in a few years [laughs].” “Hockey has kinda overtaken my life,” Desarmo says with a laugh. “When I’m not out playing I usually put the extra futon we have on its side in the empty dining room downstairs; I shoot at the mattress using practice ice, which is basically a smooth plastic board you put on the carpet. It’s so sick.” A spot that Spencer Hamilton frequents upstairs is the record room. Complete with Numark turntables, a mixer and a generous decibel output, this audio haven opens up to the kitchen and living room. House dwellers and guests intermittently place their vinyl selections on the motor driven platters to create a soundtrack that plays day in and day out. “I’ve never been one to buy a CD, but records feel right,” Spencer points out. “It’s like you’re gettin’ in on something, you know? I’ve probably bought a few hundred records or so since I’ve lived here, and I’m just gettin’ started [laughs]. Caine also has a bunch of classic rock and reggae, and my old roommate gave us about 300 records – all of them old ’90s and early 2000s rap. Most are gems, too.” Concrete skateboarding
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gordon nicholas
Ian Twa switch front 50-50 to sidewalk gap
“Twa is the most legit dude in the house. He found the place and hooked everything up. He’s the BOSS.”—Spenny
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Caine Cripps blunt to fakie
“In a group situation, everyone knows their talents and habits. If you need to talk cooking, you talk to Joey. If you want to talk hockey, you talk to Wade. If it’s art, you talk to Caine.”—Spenny
The Skate House Redefined
“My music studio at the house has a MIDI controller, an M-Box, a microphone, and turntables for sampling. I’ve been making some hip-hop beats for fun, and even had Brian Gautreau in there before to record some rhymes.”—Caine
“Wade’s dog Banks is around most of the time, and my cat Penny is in the house all the time. She’s a popular animal. Joey’s got a crazy Penny mural in his room [laughs], and Caine made a couple grip stencils of the cat from a photo Joey shot of her jumping this crazy roof gap.” —Twa
The stomach of the average wiry skater is often a bottomless pit emptied by a steadfast metabolism. But rather than dragging in oily paper bags of empty calories from a fast food joint’s value menu, the 1611 residents regularly enjoy home-cooked meals and have the skills to make it happen. “Everyone in the house enjoys cooking,” Spencer adds. “I’m the only person here who doesn’t eat meat on a regular basis, so one of the reasons why I like living with a bunch of fools who have different eating habits is you get to see different food and smell bacon in the morning [laughs]. I’ve learned a lot about cooking from Joey. On the resourcefultip, he has a cooking background and knows what flavours, herbs and spices work together.” Resident ripper, landscaper, manual cultivator and inhouse chef Joey Williams primarily takes on the house gardening and walks us through the yard: “I got a herb garden going on the roof – rosemary, thyme, two kinds of oregano, sage, parsley, mint, chamomile, basil, and some lavender for the sock drawer,” he explains while sipping a Hell’s Gate. “In the yard we’ve got a Rainier cherry tree, two Bing cherry trees and an apple tree. Last summer we had big expectations from our five tomato plants in the garden, but we only got one or two tomatoes [laughs]. We got a bit of lettuce, and a lot of hot Serrano peppers. This year’s garden will be way better.”
“In the summer there’s lots of grillin’ happening – heavy propane use. In the winter we’ve done a few slow-cooks with anything you can put in a huge pot and leave for hours – usually chili, beef shanks or curry.”—Joey
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Bryan Wherry frontside 180 “It’s just friends, straight up. Everybody is having a good time all the time. When I’m not here I’m wondering, ‘What’s going on at the house?’ and I feel like I’m missin’ out on something.”—Wherry
Any high-morale skate house in a quiet neighbourhood with smooth frontstreet pavement and late night post-skate activities runs the risk of poor residential reactions. As Wherry points out, it was a rocky start when they moved in: “The lady across the street wasn’t really down with us at the beginning. I think she said something like, ‘Do you guys think you’re gonna move in and turn the front street into a skatepark?’ She didn’t want us skating because a specific spot on the street made her dishes clink and her dog go crazy. Then there was the whole Spenny roof incident and the ambulance picking him up while he was laid out in the driveway. I was like, ‘Jesus Christ, we just moved in’. That was definitely not a good look with the neighbours [laughs]. After I tore up my knee, the neighbours would see me on crutches and a few would ask, ‘Did you fall off the roof?’ But I think now they’re all down with us for the most part.” 1611 East would be nothing more than an oversized run-down house if it wasn’t for the creativity and character these dudes breathe into the place, which upgrades its status to a top-shelf structural specimen. And considering the fact that personality clashes might spoil a similarly extensive living situation, the crew at 1611 achieves residential success by coexisting well both on and off the board. “Living with a lot of people is the ultimate learning experience,” Spencer says. “It’s good to put yourself in this kind of situation because you learn so much more about people, even if you’ve already known them for a while. Everyone here has a common respect. Real recognizes real right off the bat, and that’s why it works in our house. But we’re not passive either, if you’re fucking up we’ll let you know.”
The Skate House Redefined Concrete skateboarding
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Bobby DeKeyzer switch frontside shuv photo rich Odam 70
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Jamie Tancowny wallride melon
photo Dylan Doubt
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Cameo Wilson frontside feeble photo Brian Caissie
Derek Swaim nollie heel to fakie
photo Brian Caissie
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Cody Roberts hardflip photo Sam Fidlin 78
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Mitch Barrette frontside shuv to crook photo Terry Worona
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Youngbloods
photos brian caissie
backside smith grind kickflip out
age:
18
sponsors:
lives:
Vancouver, BC C1RCA Canada (flow), Kitsch Skateboards
Moving to a new city and new country when you’re 17 can’t be easy, but that’s where skateboarding comes in. Will stood out immediately at the plaza, and he would always just give a quick head-nod of recognition on the way in and out. Maybe it was the older Denver, Colorado park locals that taught him one of the golden rules in skateboarding: shut up and skate. After getting some recognition and being invited to spend a month in China during the winter with his new Vancouver homies, I think it’s fair to say that things are working out for him just fine. —Geoff Dermer 86
Concrete skateboarding
Distributed by:
Youngbloods
photos james morley
Fakie flip
age:
21
sponsors:
lives:
Brampton, ON Osiris shoes (flow), Ehliens Clothing, The Rail Skatepark
Max Fairley has to be one of the most talented skateboarders I’ve seen coming out of Brampton. Whether it’s jumping down a 13 or flipping in and out of ledges, he never fails to impress. I’ve never seen someone so committed to getting tricks in my life, and as a filmer it makes me hyped to see someone push themselves that much for a video part, or a photo for that matter. Once hitting the streets after hiding out at Ching Park, you never know what Max will be throwing himself down next because this Ehlien is on some new level. —Erick Valentic 88
Concrete skateboarding
HOFFICIALLY THE BEST NEW TRUCK SINCE MAY ‘78
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HOFFART
JORDAN SKATES THE 6/4 TITANIUM AXLE TRUCKS.
NOSEGRIND THEEVETRUCKS.COM
Youngbloods
photos brian caissie
Nollie heel noseslide
age:
20
sponsors:
lives:
Vancouver, BC Ninetimes Skateshop (saskatoon, sk)
Colonel Campbell goes kind of unnoticed sometimes even though he’s had photos run multiple times before. Mike has a good skate work ethic and he’s a rad guy to hang out with, so it’s a given that all it would take for him to get noticed is just a bit of time or a chance to go on a trip. His trick selection and attitude towards skating is awesome, and he’s an “I hate haters” kind of guy who doesn’t like the negative side of skating, which is why I have vouched for him before. There is no reason why someone wouldn’t want to hook this guy up. —Stacy Gabriel 90
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Est. 1990: Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original skateboard magazine
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Contributing Photographers Diego Gamez, Jeff Comber, Sean moriarty Matt Daughters, Dylan Doubt, Darrell Smith Brandon Alton, Andrew Norton, Geoff Clifford Kyle Camarillo, Dan Mathieu, David Broach Josh Hotz, Rich Odam, Gordon Nicholas Sam Fidlin, Terry Worona, James morley dave cornacchia, Timothy Herzog, Brian Gaberman
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contributing Writers Frank Daniello, Matt Daughters, Sean Miller Randy laybourne,Depth Leviathan Dweller Josh Clark, Rich Odam, geoff dermer Erick Valentic, Stacy Gabriel, Darrell Smith Ben Stoddard, David Ehrenreich, dan watson jenny charlesworth, Travis Adams
Concrete skateboarding is Distributed 6 times annually by Ultimate Skateboard Distributors inc. // east: 705.749.2998 // west: 604.279.8408 Subscriptions: 1 Year for $19.95 (includes shipping / taxes) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 issues including The Photo Annual subscribe online at concreteskateboarding.com or send cheque / money order to: Concrete Skateboarding Subscriptions | 150 - 11780 River Rd. | Richmond, BC | V6X 1Z7 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.
NEXT ISSUE: issue 113 // June 10th, 2011
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Originally from London, Ontario, DARRELL SMITH now calls Montreal home. Could it be because La Belle Province’s largest city has real-deal poutine and their Habs have sipped champagne out of 24 Stanley Cups? Not exactly. The place is culturally rich and has an amazing skate scene, which inspires Darrell as an art director and skater for Studio Skateboards (learn more about all this in his “Both Ends Of The Lens” feature on p.28). He also got inspired by Film Fatties 2, and played the guest reviewer role for us.
Film Fatties 2 The Shots I take my hat off to Mr. Hunter Wood for having an awesome name and for the gnarly amount of work he put into this video. He filmed 90-percent of it, which means he’s either super organized or has an extreme case of insomnia. By the way, just in case kids who appear in the video are reading this, sorry I couldn’t review everyone’s part. But since I do get paid by the word I will mention everyone who appears in it: Rory Fulber, Nelson Conway, AJ McCallister, Corey Klim, Nick Moore, Tyler Gaucher, Tony Myshlyaev… Okay, I’ll stop with the names. But there are seriously 63 skaters in this video, and all of those cats get an ‘A’ for awesome shredding. Things that really stood out were Rory’s heelflip up a crazy set of stairs, and I loved that Mike Chalmers had a guest clip in there because he’s always been one of my favourites. AJ has a really good part with a stylish trick selection, and Pat Maloney is out of his mind; I don’t know where this little gaffer came from, but I like it. I tried to call FedEx so I could congratulate Tony on his ender, but some old lady named Bertha answered and promised to pass the message along… —Darrell Smith Stop by filmfatties.com, and check out Concrete’s archive of exclusive Film Fatties 2 content online at: concreteskateboarding.com/?page_id=8602.
Times Change Sk8 Skates Winnipeg is an amazing city with classic street spots, one of the best skateparks in all of Canada (The Forks) and two of the best skateshops, (Sk8 Skates and Green Apple). Open since 1987, Sk8 is one of the oldest and most respected shops in all of Canada, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down with the release of their fifth video. Times Change is a great example of what a shop video should look like. There are the expected banger parts from bigger-name guys (Colin Lambert and Jamie Mospanchuk) and there are some hidden gems from new shreds that will soon become household names (Austin Thomas and Tyler Geurts). Sure times change – new spots are found, old spots are capped, new shop riders are added and some move on – it’s all part of the evolving skate culture in the ‘Peg. There’s one thing for certain though: Sk8 Skates will always be a part of both the history and future of skateboarding in Canada. —Ben Stoddard Visit sk8skates.com, and take a look at the Issue 110/2010 feature, “Right On Target”, about the team on a Times Change filming trip to Minneapolis, MN. Get there by clicking the Online Mag tab at concreteskateboarding.com.
.Past Blast. Ryde or Die (2001) Aesthetics Aesthetics’ first and last video venture, with an ironic Vol.1 in the title, is an absolute classic. The era invokes images of bad graffiti fonts and cheesy overediting, but this video is clean and proper. Released in ’01, it’s not quite old enough for shaky filming and Hi-8. In fact, the only things (besides shoes of course) that sets it apart from a current video is the extensive use of makeshift jump-ramps and the occasional aftershock of an illusion flip. Opening with a solid spot from the legendary Kevin Taylor, Ryde Or Die also features John Igei’s breakout section. Clyde Singleton closes his career with an impressive performance, but to me this video was, and will always be, about Rob
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Welsh and Joey Pepper (featured in this issue’s “Identity” on p.14). I think it’s safe to say Pepper introduced a lot of kids to Iggy Pop. He also pulled together a really good section full of speed and finesse, mixing tricky lines and powerful backsmiths. Welsh’s part is also amazing; it opens with a half-cab flip nose manny nollie backside heel at Pier 7, some magic dice, a flash of gold fronts and some gangsta rap from WuTang affiliate Shyheim. The ensuing destruction of downtown SF in this quintessential Welsh part marks the end of a video that very nicely defines a great time and place in skateboarding. —David Ehrenreich
jeff comber
Video
tim e b om b tr a di n g. c om fa c eb ook.c om /ti m e b om b tr a di n g
S h o e va u lt s
words
Dan Watson
This Shoe Vaults installment will be the last one in the 12-part series that began back in Issue 98. So I figured what better shoe to profile than one of the most influential and copied of all time, the NIKE DUNK. Originally released in 1985, the Dunk stood apart from other popular Nike basketball shoes at the time – such as the “Air Force 1” and the “Terminator” – because it had a slimmer overall shape and a lower profile sole. The purpose of this design was to have a lighter shoe for increased maneuverability during games while keeping the player in better contact with the court – features that also make for a good skate shoe. In the late ’80s it was very common to see people skating high-top basketball shoes, so the Dunk – along with the “Air Jordan 1”, which slightly preceded it – was one of the most popular Nike models amongst skaters. Fast-forward to the latter half of the ’90s when skate shoes really started to stake their claim in the general shoe market. Many of the big name athletic footwear brands got into the game by forming teams and making skate specific models. Unfortunately, many of the corporate attempts were half-assed, creating shoes that didn’t skate well and had poor aesthetics. Nike was no exception to this. With a short-lived late-’90s foray into the skate market with the likes of Choppy
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top to bottom: gino iannucci / danny supa / richard mulder / reese forbes.
2002 ads courtesy of nike sb
Nike Dunk
Concrete skateboarding
Omega and Bam Margera on the team, Nike tried and failed by making shoes they thought skaters would like instead of simply re-issuing the shoes skaters had already enjoyed in the past. However, retro styles were not as popular at the time and the Dunk wasn’t even in production. By 1998 Nike did end up re-releasing it as part of a retro line, not as a skate shoe. Years after their initial attempt at entering the skate market, Nike decided to give it another shot. This time it seems they learned from the past and realized they already had an iconic shoe to work with. In 2001 the brand started producing a line of Dunks called the “Lo-Pro B” that featured durable materials, extra tongue padding and tongue-centering straps. These Dunks were the precursor to the skate line that came about when Nike added the “SB” designation to their name in March 2002. To kick-off the new SB program, four colours of the Dunk Low were released, one for each of their inaugural Pros: Reese Forbes, Richard Mulder, Danny Supa and Gino Iannucci. If I need to tell you where the Nike SB line – specifically the Dunk – went from there, you obviously haven’t been keeping up with pop culture for the last nine years. The shoe became one of the most sought-after by
both the skate market and the mainstream world. With its unique colourways, collaborations and limited runs, not only did the Dunk SB become a shoe collector’s wet dream, it really opened the door for skate shoes to break through into the streetwear market. Due to its fast rise in popularity, almost every other skate shoe brand rushed to capitalize on the Dunk’s same basic design and the two-tone colour blocking it made famous. Also, seeing how well Nike did by simply revamping some of its older models to perform better for skateboarding inspired other mainstream shoe brands to do the same. For example, Adidas and Converse are running very popular skate lines mostly based on classic models. With the addition of Eric Koston to the SB team, Nike has re-engineered the Dunk once again by improving the rubber compound and fit in order to keep up with the changing trends in skateboard footwear today. Overall, the Dunk really stands as a testament to how the functional design of a classic basketball shoe made an initial splash on the skate scene in the mid-’80s. And when it was reintroduced specifically to skateboarding 17 years later, it completely changed the game. nikeskateboarding.com
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Sound Check
J Mascis
words
Jenny Charlesworth
photo
Timothy Herzog
The awkward pauses around J Mascis’ devastatingly short responses are just long enough to convince you that he has little interest in talking to Concrete about his new solo venture, Several Shades of Why. That’s the assumption you’d make, at least, if you weren’t familiar with the bespectacled oddball at the center of Dinosaur Jr. [dinosaurjr.com]. Despite nearly 30 years in the music industry – a tenure which has seen the Amherst, Massachusetts native align himself with bonerattling bands like Witch, Upsidedown Cross and most recently Sweet Apple, in addition to his main gig alongside Lou Barlow – Mascis has never gotten the hang of self-promotion. Nor has he had to. It’s not the witty quotes or magazine covers that won him a legion of fans. Mascis’ force lies in the dizzying guitar solos, the thundering wall of noise and that unmistakably voice, forever raspy and crackling. But what if you were to dial back the distortion, silence the drums and bring Mascis’ folksy quaver to the forefront of the mix? Would the alt-rock icon still invite the same sort of attention? That’s exactly what Mascis seems to be grappling with during those long drawn-out silences over the phone. “Yeah, it’s kind of stressful that way,” he says as far as striking out on his own in such an intimate manner. “I’m kind of waiting to see how it’s received. I’m not sure how it will affect me then.” Stripped down and largely acoustic, Several Shades of Why leaves Mascis exposed, his poetic lyrics and emotional delivery front-andcenter. While he has experimented with both solo and acoustic work in the past, his latest is the first fully realized studio effort in this vein. “I wanted to do something different,” he says. “A lot of things are on the back-burner a lot of the time, and all of a sudden something happens and I can switch... I don’t have a lot of plans really.”
The 45-year-old rocker may have flipped the script, but his genius hasn’t been lost in the overhaul. A record for road trips, rainy afternoons and especially heartache, Several Shades of Why doesn’t need nagging electric guitar riffs or eardrum-blasting reverb to make its point. With tunes like “Not Enough” and “Can I”, Mascis plays the role of thoughtful troubadour as understated guitar lines carry along his tales of heartache and strife. But ask Mascis about the inspiration behind the album’s title track and he remains true to form: “Um, I don’t know. It just sounded cool. It was just a lyric and it sounded cool as the title of the album. Sometimes, I’m thinking something when I write the song then I kind of make that the chorus or the title. But I wasn’t thinking of that at the time [of writing “Several Shades of Why”], it just came to me.” Though he’s assumed the role of solo artist, Mascis didn’t hesitate to lean on a handful of guest contributors while in the studio, including Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell and low-fidelity luminary Kurt Vile. “I thought they could help me by playing stuff that I wouldn’t think of playing,” he explains. “Everybody helped somehow and most people just had little things that I liked.” One can’t help but wonder if this motley crew of musicians saw another side of Mascis, perhaps one that rebuffs his reputation as an aloof outsider. As for the rest of us, we’re left waiting for a J Mascis documentary to unlock the man’s secrets. Fittingly, a documentary that may never come. “I don’t know if it’ll pull together,” he comments. “I actually don’t think about it that much since I don’t know if it will ever see the light of day.” jmascis.com
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Concrete skateboarding
Raised in Fountain Hills, Arizona as a young lad, Element didn’t give this desert-rat any sort of golden ticket. Levi often went out of his way to make his presence known at his favourite getaway, the Element Skate Camp (where he used to be a counselor), and would take weekend trips over to Element to show them his footage. While he was just a filthy flow hippie, he worked his ass off and paid for his own flight to stay with the team in Spain, where he apparently opened some eyes. A photo here, interview there, some bangin’ parts, a couple covers, and it was a wrap. By 2009 he got the nod while on a China trip to be Element’s newest profesh. Throw in his Trio part, and you’ve got the most genuine fool on the block – a feather-footed snapper, an ill roomie and an all around sound-hound. —Travis Adams
brian gaberman
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