Issue 121 October 2012 free
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Seven 6 Shreddly Sins Tour
Issue 121 october 2012
Hopkins Summersides Redmond Tumia Hoostie Murray
#DustDemons Emericanadians on the Plains Cariboo’s Okanagan Battle
Will Blakley Exposed
Identity tony hawk Five Spot Morgan Smith Sound Check japandroids Art Blender fos
MJ ECHELON XLK
PICO XLK LINDEN
L A K A I L I M I T E D F O O TW EA R T H E S HO E S W E S KATE BIEBEL / JOHNSON / MARIANO / CARROLL / HOWARD / WELSH / ALVAREZ / GILLET / BRADY / JENSEN FERNANDEZ / TERSHY / ESPINOZA / HAWK / WALKER / PEREZ / photo by Colen / ad #160 / lakai.com + crailtap.com supradistribution.com / lakaistickers@supradistribution.com
SIGNATURE MODEL
CROOKED GRIND | BLABAC PHOTO
SEE MIKEY TAYLOR’S REDISCOVER VIDEO AT DCSHOES.COM/SKATEBOARDING
GIRL FILMS AND CHOCOLATE CINEMA PRESENT
PREMIERING NOVEMBER 16, 2012 STARRING: ALEX OLSON / VINCENT ALVAREZ / BRANDON BIEBEL / MIKEMO CAPALDI / BRIAN ANDERSON / CHICO BRENES / SEAN MALTO / CORY KENNEDY ELIJAH BERLE / MIKE CARROLL / ERIC KOSTON / RAVEN TERSHY / GUY MARIANO / JERON WILSON / JESUS FERNANDEZ / JUSTIN ELDRIDGE KENNY ANDERSON / CHRIS ROBERTS / MARC JOHNSON / DANIEL CASTILLO / STEVIE PEREZ / RICK HOWARD / RICK MCCRANK / GINO IANNUCCI
www.prettys weetvid eo. co m # p r ettys weet
issue 121 • October 2012
FEATURES
24 Will Blakley interview
34 Cariboo skate’s
Okanagan Battle
44 #DustDemons
Emericanadians on tour
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66 Seven 6 Shreddly Sins
vancouver island invasion
The Stake Out cover photo & caption by
josh hotz
It only took two days for our rental to get broken into in Detroit. They nabbed the GPS, but not all of the camera gear in the trunk, so MITCH BARRETTE took advantage of Wi-Fi hotspots and tips from the locals in order to plug spot directions into his iPhone. For a change, this particular rail was in a pretty nice ‘hood, so we staked it out ‘till the ‘Closed’ sign went up. Even then, the cops circled the building, but once the coast was clear Mitch was sparked to jump on a BACKSIDE TAILSLIDE. He always lets the filmer and I set up every little detail, then gets into warrior mode. True to form, he battle-rolled out of a few bails that could’ve gone bad before blurting out: “Burles, film this one the best! Hotz, shoot this one the best! Right here!” After the borderline OCD ritual, he handled this back tail for his second Concrete cover.
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Byron Ready Frontside Flip Transfer photo
Sam Fidlin
Adam “Polski” Wawrzynczak Nosegrind photo
Josh Hotz
keith henry
issue 121 • October 2012
departments
10 past blast
issue #64 April 2003
14 inventory 18 identity tony hawk 20 art blender fos 56 exposure gallery 80 young bloods
forgues / wilson / pryds
88 sound check japandroids 90 video links 92 5 spot morgan smith 8
Concrete skateboarding
justdontsleep.com strangelanding.tumblr.com
Rise & Shine – David Ehrenreich Sure, Dave is listed on our masthead as a “Video Specialist,” and the title holds true; he curates and writes our Video Links page each issue and had a hand in much of what you see on Concrete TV (vimeo.com/concreteskate). Dave is constantly filming and editing quality projects, and while this is what he’s become known for, allow us to scratch the surface further. He’s a talented skateboarder; he plans everything on small pieces of paper and he won’t hesitate to use Weird Owl as an audio backdrop. This issue Dave went above and beyond by filming everything during a shenaniganlaced Vancouver Island tour before penning that tale as our headline feature (p.66), and editing some soon-to-be released webisodes that’ll go along with it. We take great pride in consistently spelling his last name right, and having him on this page.
ryan sheckler backside flip / dallas, tx
timebombtrading.com facebook.com/timebombtrading
etnies.com
Existing as Canada’s longest-running skate magazine has its privileges, one being a deep archive that spans back to 1990. So each issue we take a random look at the past…
ISSUE #64
april 2003 Glenn Suggitt frontside boardslide [o] Jody Morris
Pessimist or optimist: the two basic types of people one could end up shooting with on any particular day. I have always loved shooting with Suggitt as he’s always been one of those guys who is on the glass half-full side of the equation. He remains positive in spite of the odds being against him. That’s the kind of motivation that drives everyone around him to have a great time. This particular rail in Tucson, Arizona, had multiple strikes stacked up against it already. Security was lurking hard because we were on the wrong side of a sizeable fence, combined with the best feature of any spot—an uphill landing. Most wouldn’t bother with it, but Glenn’s train of thought was different: “Well, we came all this way. Why wouldn’t we?” If memory serves correctly, which it often doesn’t, I believe the uphill landing gave Glenn a tough battle but I think he secretly enjoys slams; kind of like the make is less rewarding if he doesn’t draw a little blood first. This is why Glenn was great to have around in this situation. I think he was the first one over the huge fence, first one down the rail, and the first one with a smile on his face. Glass half-full style. —Jody Morris
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MIKE”HASHBROWN”SCHULZE FS FLIP • PHOTO RICH ODAM
“HASHBROWN” FS FLIP • PHOTO RICH ODAM
DESTRUCTOTRUCKS.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/DESTRUCTOTRUCKS |
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follow all your favourite brands at: ultimateskateboarddist.com facebook.com/ultimatedistribution instagram: @ultimatedist
Alien Workshop x Keith Haring Board Series
This 10 deck series is a shout out to ’80s NYC art darling Keith Haring. His work focused on love, unity and social consciousness and is most recognizable by its dancing faceless animated characters. Haring passed away in 1990, but established the Keith Haring Foundation in 1989, a year after being diagnosed with AIDS. The foundation continues to protect the legacy of Haring’s art and ideals, while also supporting organizations that assist underprivileged children and those engaged in work related to AIDS and HIV. alienworkshop.com / haring.com
Altamont Convoy Jacket
collection compiled by casey jones
The Boss continues to impress with his signature pieces for Altamont. For Fall ’12 he adds another dope jacket to all the goods he’s designed for the brand since its inception in 2006. The Convoy Jacket is composed of a cotton yarn dye canvas and a sherpa lining for the autumn chills. It’s functional and has that vintage, slacker look that just might never go out of style. altamontapparel.com
Dickies Skate 873 Work Pant
Adidas Eyewear Conductor Hi
Based on the success of its skate footwear, adidas is offering up another product segment to us skateboarders—sunglasses. The Conductor Hi is a remake of the classic ’80s aviator and is made of lightweight materials to ensure a perfect feel and fit. These shades are part of the adidas Originals line-up, they’re scratch resistant, and the UV-A, B and C protected lenses make them worth the trip to your local sunglass shop. adidas.com/eyewear
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Dickies has always been on skateboarding’s radar, but now they’ve embraced it with a proper program. With a team consisting of Greco, Alvarez, Terpening and Remillard, the brand comes through on the skate side and stays true to its classic aesthetic. The 873 Work Pant is a slightly different take on the 1940s-designed classic—the Original 874. Rather than risk the backlash of redesigning the 874, the 873 was created for those who like a straight leg with a slimmer look. Welcome back. dickiesskate.com
LAKAI x fourstar Mariano XLK
We’ve featured this style in the past and we’ll damn well do it again because it’s such a timeless silhouette. This particular T-toe soccer inspired shoe is even more sick considering it’s Guy’s model in collaboration with Fourstar. Complete with the proprietary XLK outsole, it’s also lightweight with increased grip and good times. Did we mention it also comes in a Hi? lakai.com / fourstarclothing.com
Habitat Footwear Lark
We thought it would be good to highlight a shoe from a mainstay brand we’ve all heard of, but aren’t super familiar with their quality footwear program. The Lark is a good place to start, with a classic vulcanized design and a stitchless toe cap. Let’s not forget about Habitat’s enviro awareness. This shoe utilizes water-based glues and a sturdy PU footbed, which makes them so comfy they’ll become a permanent habitat for your feet, on and off-board. habitatfootwear.com
DC
Centric S Kalis
Josh has been on the DC team for nearly 15 years, and his latest is one of the nicer signature shoes to drop in 2012. A marriage between athletic and functional, the Centric S Kalis features a heavy-duty suede upper, Super Suede toe for increased durability, no-sew vent holes for breathability, and a low-profile airbag engineered into the EVA-laced cupsole. Whew! Oh yeah, and it skates l.a.m.f. dcshoes.com/skate
etnies Jose Rojo
Tiltmode’s own Jose Rojo finally has his long overdue first Pro shoe thanks to etnies. It’s described as “style on the surface and within”—a true reflection of Big Joe Red’s skating and personal style. A slim, perforated upper, hidden lace option, vulcanized sole and a clean, elongated toe cap are all functional for sessions on the wood wheel, and at your local tavern. etnies.com
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om .c ist dd ar bo te ka es at ltim :u at ds on an uti br ib e tr rit dis ou te t av ma is r f lti ted ou /u a l y m ltim al .co u w ok : @ llo o m fo ceb gra fa sta in
TONY HAWK Tony Hawk has become the most famous skater in history, but he hasn’t changed much in the 26 years that I’ve known him. Yeah, his house has an improved view, but it’s still cluttered with a skatepark in the back. The beloved Civic evolved into a six-figure Lexus complete with stray French fries and spilled Smarties residing between seats. I doubt he’ll ever posses the proper tools for setting up boards and his bearings have historically been a game of chance—either fresh Swiss or
pilfered rusty relics from castaway boards. Vintage cheesy plastic N.S.A. trophies and bags of X Games medals—both are shoved in closets, given away, lost or thrown out. And he still walks up a sketchy ladder a few times a week to his private ramp and pushes skate progression, landing and slamming (broken pelvis, fractured skull) with an internal drive that appears ageless. —Sean Mortimer
Favourite vert ramp of all time?
What’s your favourite show on The Ride Channel?
Mine. I designed it and paid a staging company to make it portable and sturdy. It’s now 10 years old, still in mint condition (with the same surface), and can be put up almost anywhere in two hours.
Dream car you now own?
I have a 1964 Corvette Stingray, but my dream is to able to drive it every day without worrying about a smoke plume rising from the engine. I realize it’s an attainable goal, I just can’t find the time.
Recent stand-out session with your son, Riley?
Skating Arto’s pool. I sometimes forget that Riley was raised skating transitions. He has great flow, finds lines easily, and I’m jealous of his feeble grinds.
Best contest experience you’ve had?
Münster World Championships, 1998. It was nearing the end of my competitive career and I was on point for every run.
Strangest fan request?
Spots, because I like the rich history of skateparks and legendary skate spots. People don’t realize the depth of culture that exists in such places.
Best under-the-radar ripper on Birdhouse?
Shawn Hale, because he goes fast, rips street, and will destroy any mini ramp.
Top 3 Canadian events you’ve attended?
• Expo 86, Vancouver: The biggest event we had seen up to that point in time. Skating was relatively new and we had no idea that so many people embraced it on that scale. • Slam City Jam in Vancouver, 2002: Great crowd, and they used my ramp! • Boom Boom HuckJam in Toronto, 2003: It was one of the best lineups with Bob, Bucky, Andy, Mat Hoffman and more. We were in a groove once we got there. Unforgettable show.
Favourite guy to use in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD?
Mine, only because I know all of my special tricks and button combos in order to score big.
A mom asked me to sign her daughter’s thong, which was thankfully still in the package.
Go-to album when you’re listening to music?
Most common fan request?
Top Canadians?
“Can I get a picture?”, followed by them taking their own or handing their iPhone to a stranger who pushes the home button instead of the shutter.
The Fragile (1999) by Nine Inch Nails.
Chris Haslam, Colin McKay, Alex Chalmers, Rick McCrank and Pierre-Luc Gagnon.
Most used iPhone apps?
Instagram, Camera+ and Angry Birds Space, at least until I finish all of it with three stars.
Favourite vacation spot in the world?
It used to be Japan because I love the food and culture, but my recent trip to Santorini, Greece, has me rethinking that. It is truly a paradise.
Favourite people to follow on Instagram?
Jerry Hsu @internetfamous, Jeff Grosso @grossosucks and Nick Swardson @nickswardson.
Best rumour you’ve heard about yourself?
Every few years a Facebook page springs up posting something about my death. The best part is, some people will then see that I am actively posting on my Facebook page and Twitter, and still question my mortality.
Best random celebrity fan-out? brian caissie
Charlize Theron stopped me at a restaurant and asked me to sit down by her so she could take a picture with me. She was very sincere in telling me that she loves what I do. The feeling is mutual.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
As an unappreciated, awkward amateur skater, Stacy Peralta told me to stop worrying about what people think and to just keep skating the way I want.
tonyhawk.com
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mark “fos” foster A rt i s t - De s ig n e r - a r t d i r e c t o r - c o m pa n y ow n e r - v i d e o g r a p h e r - B r a n d M a nag e r
J
ust 30 kilometres north of Manchester, England, Mark “Fos” Foster was raised up in the borough of Rossendale. He spent a bit of time at art college at Burnley, Lancashire, before attending Goldsmiths in New Cross, London. After getting his degree, he went on to work at Slam City Skates, a UK skateboard distributor, in the warehouse before taking on the sales director role. During his time with Slam, Fos started his own board brands, Heroin and Landscape, and quit his job in 2002 to focus on them. Currently, he
calls Los Angeles home, where he keeps Heroin going and works as the art director for Altamont Apparel. Fos’ drawing style is rough, sketchy and utterly distinctive. With any of his projects—whether it’s the graphics he’s done for REAL, Black Label, Toy Machine, Zero, Foundation, Deathwish, Baker, Creature or Emerica—he injects his own dark English wit and satire into them. Naming his brand Heroin is a perfect example: “At first some shops in the UK would refuse to stock it,” he explains. “Then people read my
clockwise from top left:
Heroin “Fos Balls” deck Heroin “Deer Man Balls” deck Heroin “Shimizu Balls” deck Heroin “Childress Balls” deck Heroin “Chopper Beer Monster” deck 20
Concrete skateboarding
interviews, knew I was straight edge and that it was about being addicted to skateboarding. With a name like Heroin, it’s about upsetting the establishment.” With Americans Daniel Shimizu and Chet Childress on Heroin now, the brand has made the jump over the pond with distribution in Canada and the U.S. No more spray painting boards in the backyard for Fos. —Randy Laybourne heroinskateboarding.com altamontapparel.com
Heroin “Deer Man Skeletal” deck Heroin “Shimizu Lucky Cat” deck Baker “Reynolds Skeleton” deck Deathwish “Dixon Black Jesus” deck Altamont “Surreal” tee Altamont “Hand” tee
Altamont “Approved” tee Emerica “Ridgemont” shoe Deathwish logo Brigada logo Altamont logo
visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer / iphone / ipad.
distributed by ultimate
distributed by ultimate
S Y T Y K
O O U H I N K O U N O W
words
dane collison
photos
brian caissie
During an energy-draining, hot-as-hell day in beautiful Vancouver, I packed up my things at the Supra Dist. office and headed out the door. Driving across the Second Narrows Bridge that connects North Vancouver to the Mainland, I was en route to where Will Blakley lives. With two stalls on the bridge and the traffic from the Pacific National Exhibition, combined with the blistering heat, the idea of a mellow interview with a mellow human seemed more and more appealing. Using Will’s directions, I parked beside a certain wedge-ramp that Mike McDermott had done a backside 360 off years before. Looking out my car window at a row of brand-new townhouses, I sat there thinking: “There’s no way Will lives in these baller units.” But before the thought could anchor in my mind, the garage door opened up with the five-foot-eight, 120-pound, soon-to-be interview subject coming out to greet me. As we walked into the four-floor townhouse, I asked how the hell he managed to swing this place. Turns out, his father’s friend was out of town for six months and had asked Will to “look after it” for her, rent-free I might add. A cold San Pellegrino was waiting for me in the kitchen while Will put the finishing touches on a spliff. He poured some coffee before we headed up to the rooftop in order to take in the view and talk about his life. Turns out, what I thought I knew about the 20-year-old wasn’t very on point, to say the least. At the end of our chat he left things off by saying, “I hope everything sounded OK. All I really know and care about is skateboarding. Skateboarding and chilling.”
Back Smith
Concrete skateboarding
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Tailslide Kickflip Out Jay Delaney
A few years back, I remember seeing you pop up at a park in Vancouver and thinking, “Where the hell did this kid come from?” In fact, where the hell did you come from? I was living in Denver, Colorado, before I came out here to Vancouver. Did you move around a lot in your earlier years? Yeah. I’ll just say I started off in Denver. I went from Denver to Scottsdale, Arizona, for six or seven months, then to Austin, Texas, for about a year before heading back to Arizona, then back to Denver again. Where were you living when you first started skating? That was in Denver, before moving south. I would ditch out of school and hang out at the park with a bunch of skaters. I ended up moving closer to the park, so I figured I had to get a board. Were you taking skateboarding seriously? Did you ride for a local shop or anything, or did that stuff come about once you moved to Van? I rode for 303 skateshop in Denver. They’re pretty well known, but my first actual sponsor was Darkstar. I made the shittiest promo of 50-50s on park ledges and they hooked me up. I don’t even know how that happened because I sucked [laughs]. 26
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How old were you then? Maybe 14? After I sent my tape I heard back, and they let me chose a brand at Dwindle so I just picked Darkstar. That was like six months into skating. They sent me two really big packages. For how much I sucked back then, it was pretty ridiculous. I heard after you moved up to Vancouver you had to roll back to Colorado for the premiere of a video you were in. Yeah, that was sick. My homie Minh Thong, who I was living with in Denver, made this video in ’09 called RAD, which stood for: Random Ass Dudes. It was a good time filming with Minh and it was my first part, so I figured I had to roll down for the premiere. The full video is on his Vimeo channel. What originally brought you and your pops across the Canadian border? Well, my dad’s actually from here. He grew up in North Van. He used to own some businesses down in Colorado and some financial problems came up with the shareholders, so he rolled up here to rebuild his credit. I followed shortly after, and it’s been a great three years.
Were you psyched when you heard that you were moving to Vancouver? Dude, I did not know a thing about Canada. I can’t say I was too hyped. Pretty much growing up in America, you don’t hear the best things about Canada. How could people not be down for Canada? Was it all stereotypical stuff that isn’t true? Oh, man, so crazy! After I moved here, I actually went up to the first person I met and was like, “What’s up, man?” He turned to me and said, “How’s it goin’, eh?” I tripped out! I was like, “No fucking way! The rumours are true.” Then I soon realized it wasn’t all like that [laughs]. That’s amazing. Did the aesthetic value of Vancouver psych you out? I was tripped out at first, man. I thought I was in Japan or something: crazy glass buildings everywhere and so many different cultures. I was in shock to say the least. Definitely the coolest-looking place I’ve seen. I know another thing that must have psyched you out. I’m talking about a major underground market in British Columbia… Oh, for sure. Yeah, just way cheaper and way better. Also, it’s all over the place! Weed in the States is sketchy sometimes, but here it’s just so much more accepted.
Switch Wallie Japan
“I’ve known Will since he was the little kid from Colorado, riding mini boards and rolledup pants before it was the trend. He’s very talented and always progressing, just tell him to keep his shoes on after a long skate day.” —Minh Thong
Ollie Up to Backside Flip Rich Odam
Since you’ve been living in Vancouver, you’ve been doing a fair bit of traveling, especially before the release of the Kitsch video, Bric-a-Brac. First off, how did the Kitsch thing come about? I met Geoff Dermer from skating the plaza every day. I was obviously too broke to be buying boards all the time so he started hooking me up, but it wasn’t anything official. When I went to China in 2011, my first trip overseas, he was like: “If you go out there and film a ton, you can have a part in the video!” Once that came out it was official. Did you do any research into the brand or Dermer’s history? Oh, for sure. When I first came out here I didn’t know anybody. I didn’t know any of the skaters from Canada really. I had to do mad research, so I’d watch old videos like North and Port Moody Blues. I realized how sick Dermer was, and he was just a homie. He’s put in a lot of time on and off his board. What was the craziest thing you saw in China? I’ve told people this before, and I’m not sure if anyone truly believes me, but I was walking alone from the club one night and I see this young-ass kid, like seven, in an alley getting hassled by a security guard and police officer. He must have been out past curfew or whatever. Anyway, they were pulling on him, trying to get him to go, and the kid just busted out. He karate chopped 28
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one of them in the throat and kicked the other in the chest! They both went down and the kid just ran off. That’s fucked! Back to the video topic, you’ve been out filming with Dave Ehrenreich for his upcoming project, SUPLEX. How’s that been going? It’s been so fun, dude. Just super mellow. We’re not trying to go out and get hammers or anything. We don’t even drive to spots; we just meet up downtown and skate around with the camera. It’s really fun. I’m hyped to see the full video, which should be ready soon. Who else has parts in it? Mike Campbell, Jamie Maley, who’s raw as fuck. I’ve been skating with him a bit lately. His part is going to be sick. There’s also Rob Rickaby, Riley Boland, the Warlimont brothers (Brad and Eric) and more… You’ve had a sufficient amount of stuff come out on the web over the last year, between the video for Supra Dist. and the Timebomb File episode. There was also one web clip where a security guard breaks his leg at the start of your part? What was up with that? Dude, I think he faked it. I was just trying to skate the wall rails at the Post Office downtown and this dude wasn’t saying shit. He was giving me just
enough room to go by him, so I was like, “I’m gonna try a trick.” Then one time I rolled by and he hits the ground like, “Oh ,God! Oh, no! Please help me!” I was tripped out. He was saying he snapped his leg and I didn’t know what to think, so we just dipped out. Sounds like an interesting situation. I don’t want to stab a nerve here, but I’m just curious. I’ve seen web edits, like the ones mentioned, surface on certain sites and cause a bit of a ruckus on message boards. What do you think when you read that shit? In all honesty, I haven’t read shit, but I’ve heard about it. People told me my stuff broke the record for most comments on SkateNewSpot.com or something. I don’t know… it’s pretty funny I guess. Everyone’s got opinions. What are the best and worst things about skateboarding in 2012? Shit, definitely the worst thing is all the daily content on the Internet. You get super jaded, and nothing can really impress you anymore. Someone does something gnarly and it just gets overlooked, you know? Other than that, the best thing in skating is basically everything else.
“After bringing Will out skating the first couple of times, the thing that stood out was his dedication. He lives for this and that’s why you’re reading his interview.” —Geoff Dermer
S Y T Y K
O O U H I N K O U N O W
5-0
“He was a little kid back in the day that we called ‘Ill Will’ because he was always wearing his Dr. Dre shirt and skating sick.” —Ernie Torres 30
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Kickflip 50-50 Wallride 180 Out
photos: brendan klein
F�ontside over deathbox & love �eat
COHIBA
WATERJAKE
9.0 x 32.5
8.8 x 32.75
t
t
words
tyler holm
photos
jay delaney
A long time ago, in a not-so-distant past... nine skateboarding warriors came together to form a beer-drinking alliance. They stood as a scruffy bunch, in all shapes and sizes, who were bound to a life of tattered shins and heel bruises. After loading up 20 flats of fresh, cold Cariboo brew and slapping together an armful of skateboard battle axes, they all loaded into a 36-foot recreational vehicle—their new home for the duration of a journey to the blistering Okanagan region of British Columbia. But the extreme temperatures didn’t concern any of the warriors—all of whom were prepared to guzzle brewskis, party and skate. For an adventure of this caliber, these influential men formed an alliance, including yours truly, Nick Moore, Arte Lew, Sean Lowe, Jamie Walker, Cam Schuster, Kyu Tae Kim, Dakota Allison, and photographer Jason Delaney. Some of these guys had known each other before the old Deca 2nd To None video had came out in 2001, which only helped when it came down to masterminding the strategy from the confines of the RV vessel. The only true battles were to be performed on the sweltering concrete, since floating on Kalamalka Lake with barrel of Cariboo isn’t much of a battle. It’s been said that the Okanagan breeds talent. Considering over half the guys on this trip are from this region, you’ll be led to believe that’s true. Is it something in the fresh, inland water? Perhaps, but maybe it’s in the Cariboo.
Concrete skateboarding
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Tyler Holm front board
36
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Cam Schuster
frontside tailslide
Ghost Town Escort
The Lowe Drinking Challenge
On the first night of the adventure, the boys were enroute to the old, forgotten ghost town of Kamloops. Loaded up and ready to go, I took the wheel of the rolling Tanker and navigated it towards the highway. Almost immediately the vehicle began to cultivate a fresh aroma of Cariboo towards the back, where Sean Lowe showed everyone drinking games he used to play back home in Salmon Arm with his family. Sean knew perfectly well that he may never see them again if the battle was to fail, but the warriors’ spirits were high—about as high as Jamie Walker at any given moment.
This expedition was well supplied with hungry skaters who have a hankering for ice-cold brew. That’s why it was imperative that the ’Boo was flowing on the regular. With all the different drinking games that took place and this voyage, one that stood out was the “Sean Lowe Trick Challenge,” something that consumed half of his time. The challenge itself was simple—two people, pitted against each other, would choose a trick for one another. The one to land the assigned trick last had to do a shotgun. Even though Sean would win most of the time, every now and then he’d have to open up the old hatch to suck one back. Perhaps it was the agitation of swimming to a pint-sized dock on Kalamalka Lake near Vernon that led to one particular shotgun causing Sean to dispense a vicious discharge of vomit. This claimed him as a temporary victim of the challenge he once championed, something that Nick and Cam didn’t hesitate to remind him of. Jay Delaney, being the media man he is, saw Sean’s performance as a quality Kodak moment, acting quickly to catch the action.
After a late start, and about a six-hour expedition, the bleak and opaque night in the ’Loops was upon us. The guys leap-frogged out of the vehicle after spotting a spot, and moved in for a closer look. All too busy admiring, nobody noticed this old decrepit lady of the night creeping up behind them. Nick Moore turned around, looked and jumped back 50 feet when she said he reminded her of her pet rodent. Next thing you know she was trying to invite herself aboard the Tanker. Being the General, I’m always down for the troops to pull some tail, but not of the ancient, feeble, cost-per-use variety. Avoiding dusty sheets, the boys withdrew rapidly, heading to the local skatepark to set up camp for the night in preparation of the urban concrete battlefield.
“It was imperative that the ’Boo was flowing on the regular...” 38
Concrete skateboarding
Nick ‘Nugget’ Moore varial heel
t
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Sean Lowe
half-cab noseslide nollie bigspin heelflip
Crossing Arte The details are a bit hazy, and some slight fabrication may have occurred, but here goes. One morning, the whole crew strolled in to an old, rundown butcher shop in order to fuel up on fresh fish and sandwich meats. Arte Lew stepped into the line in his warrior stance, and almost immediately a Jersey Shore cast member look-a-like budged in front of him. This douche was with a couple of sweltering hot girls who failed to realize they were in the company of an absolute jackass. Arte proceeded to tap the guy on the shoulder, whispering something like, “Eh, you cut right in front of me and that wasn’t very nice.” The antagonist replied with a boisterous douchebag laugh: “Yo, I’m the coolest cat on the west side of Jersey. Get lost, kid!”
Arte stood there insulted and ashamed that this heathen would disgrace his honour. He took one more look at the guy before performing a running backflip kick to the side of his head. Post-timber, the Jersey boy stumbled to his feet throwing a swift left at Arte while questionable sandwiches were being made behind the counter. Arte reacted quickly, karate chopping his arm clear off. Post-aggression encounter, the patrons of the butcher shop cheered with a buzz, muddled by mouthfuls of bread and mayo, throwing speared pickles at his feet as if they were bouquets of roses for heroism. Jersey’s two beautiful accompaniments instantly threw themselves at Mr. Lew, at which time he grabbed a cold Cariboo from the RV, biting into it and assuming shotgun formation at a lightning-fast speed. Totally true story.
Mishaps & Good Times On the third day of battle, the boys awoke well rested, albeit hazily hungover at the Lowe family compound in Salmon Arm. At first they devoured every morsel of food in sight, then made their way to the Tanker to spark a day of skating. I stepped outside feeling good about the immediate future, when all of a sudden Nick walked up to me and said he fucked up. Nugz had not manned the wheel of the RV once on this trip for good reason, and thought he would take the liberty of navigating it out of the driveway on its final voyage to the concrete battlefield. Little did he realize the great steel vessel was still plugged in to the side of the house when he drove off, which yanked the power cord clean off the RV, rendering it unable to harness external power. My first impression was an unsavoury loss on the financial battlefield. However, Cariboo proved to be a powerful currency, and the RV tech performed surgery on the ol’ battle Tanker for a frosty flat. As the adventure wore thin, these warriors marveled at the fact that no one had died, and everybody stomped a handful of manoeuvres at the parks and spots of the Okanagan that had surrendered to the unwavering attack. Most importantly, the sweet, rich, cool, Cariboo brews lasted right to the end of the battle, quenching the ravenous thirsts felt by those of legal drinking age.
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IVE
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ike anyone with a modicum of interest in the latest social networking, I’ve been glued to Instagram since I first downloaded the app. A little while ago while perusing the day’s posts, I began to come across numerous images tagged as #dustdemons featuring the likes of Bradley Sheppard, Alexis Lacroix, Skylar Kehr, Andrew Wenckstern, Spencer Corbett, Colin Lambert, Daniel “Alien” Nelson and special guest Jamie Tancowny. As I explored the pics my curiosity started to peak; photos of wizard sticks, dinosaurs and passedout dudes made me realize there had to be a story behind such road life chaos. Determined to get to the bottom of it, I contacted my old friend, David Birnie—marketing manager at Timebomb Trading—and he graciously invited me to lunch the following day.
Upon meeting up with him, we made our way into a dimly lit sports bar. I sat down directly across from Dave and knew I was in for a rippin’ good yarn when he casually sipped on his Coke and said: “So, Dust Demons. There are seriously so many memories from that trip; I think it’s probably easiest to go through the pictures.” Pulling out his phone and opening Instagram, he immediately began to laugh as he said, “521 photos in 17 days, that’s just stupid.” Giddily, I leaned forward and hit record as the glow of the iPhone screen began to jog Mr. Birnie’s memories. The result is this account of how the Emerica Canada team’s annual trip became known as the most grassroots yet technologically savvy tours of the summer.
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Skylar Kehr 50-50
Skylar Kehr. photo @corebutt
It’s a Big Country
Within the first few days it already became apparent there was going to be some heavy driving. Knowing that most of the crew was from Vancouver, it was clear that getting on the road as soon as possible would be advantageous. On this particular trip, Timebomb Trading’s Emericanadians piled in two vans chauffeured by Mr. Birnie and team manager/photographer Judah Oakes. The crew somehow made its way from Vancouver to Winnipeg and back relatively unscathed. Most assuredly, no small feat! After making their first stop in Edmonton, the crew was determined not to fall behind schedule, but no plan is 100 percent perfect. “We were looking to leave Edmonton bright and early, but I’m sure we didn’t leave until four in the afternoon, which put us a little under the gun,” Birnie mentioned. “We made it to Saskatoon that night, had dinner, and got back in the car to drive all night to Regina. The following morning we then drove to Brandon, Manitoba; all this in a day and a half! That’s pretty much why we called this tour Dust Demons, ‘cause there was so much ground to cover in such a little amount of time.”
Wild in the Streets, Winnipeg. photo @skylarkehr
As Birnie, or anyone who’s traveled across Canada, will tell you: “One thing you have to remember, and I think people forget this, is how fucking big this country is and how easy it is to get ahead of yourselves on a trip.” As far as tours go, the Emerica summer pilgrimage has turned into a legacy in its own right. Taking on a big trek almost every year, of all the brands, Emerica Canada seems to invest the most in getting its riders out there to mingle with the local talent.
Keeping it Roots While many brands like to stick to the big cities, Emerica prefers the road less traveled. The approachable nature of its tours is exemplified in the casual atmosphere it fosters. Instead of creating a demo setup like a traveling circus sideshow, Emerica prefers to keep it mellow. “We don’t like doing demos because they either make or break egos,” Birnie said. “Often you might only get five kids, or maybe 500. You never can tell how it’s going to go. So our whole thing is, we just set a date and time when we’ll be there and ask people to come skate with us.” Emerica’s city choices for its tours still may seem a little unorthodox, but the unbeaten path often garners the most fruit. While many teams would opt for major cities like Toronto, Montreal or Calgary, Emerica chose places like Brandon as one of their stops. Now to the unknowing this may seem like an odd choice, but as pointed out by Mr. Birnie: “I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Brandon, but it’s a pretty rough old city. It was rugged and weathered by history and the harsh winter climate, but when we arrived at
their skate plaza right in the middle of downtown, it was unreal. These kids have to be stoked because it’s got a bit of everything and has good flow. All the people there are rad as well.” Heading further east, after several years of hosting the most anticipated Go Skateboarding Day events in Canada, Emerica decided to bring that show to Winnipeg for 2012. Knowing the city and authorities often frown on a gaggle of skaters taking over the streets, the brand once again used its “come as you are” organic approach to the day. Making use of Facebook and word of mouth, the gang simply sent out a message to meet at the Forks plaza at 2 p.m. With great success and little injury, the Emerica team led skaters throughout the ‘Peg, hitting spots and eventually heading back to the plaza. As we all know, a Go Skate Day without incident with the law is a good one in anybody’s books.
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Andrew Wenckstern Backside Tailslide
Andrew Wenckstern. photo @skylarkehr
Real-Time Road Shenanigans Technology can be considered either friend or foe. It seems not too long ago that the only real-time info you could gather from a tour was the odd text message and a bit of imagination. Yet now, with the emergence of smartphones, any couch potato can follow along with all the tour antics as they happen. For the first time on an Emerica Canada tour, the crew made use of Instagram to chronicle their various nefarious activities. From shooting guns to Old Man Birnie’s various selfies, it was all available for the viewing public to check out at a moment’s notice. But nothing, and I mean nothing, could be more hilarious or frightening than the dreaded #instapiss photos that began to show up. Making a game out of catching each other pissing in odd locations, no one was safe from lurking teammates holding iPhones. Smartphones and social media aside, while on the road a crew of skaters will do anything to entertain themselves. Creating road trip games is not a new thing, therefore it would hardly come as a surprise that the theme game for this trip was adapted on Alien’s belief in an impending apocalypse. So, as it goes—assuming that the world has turned to proverbial shit and all that’s left are the people in the tour van— what would be your plan and who do you think would be the most immediate threat to your apocalypse survival? Filmer Benny Stoddard believed in gathering everyone and beginning a new community while Skylar seemed to be a quick target for everyone else in the van to eliminate as a liability. The greatest threat seemed to come from Alien, who planned on building a fortress on a hill, while fellow White Rock alumni Bradley Sheppard would silently disappear into the woods and become an “observer” to the whole cataclysmic, world-ending event. As you could imagine, this “game” led to some fairly interesting conversations.
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could be more “Nothing hilarious or
frightening
than the dreaded
#InstapiSs “
Alien
Front Blunt
top to bottom:
Wizard status, Alien and Skylar Kehr. photo @dontsleepben Bradley Sheppard. photo @alieneh Jamie Tancowny, #instapiss. photo @oldmanbirnie Daniel “Alien� Nelson. photo @alieneh
Alexis Lacroix
Boardslide to Feeble Grind
Young Blood and Heavy Hitters Over the past few years, the Emerica Canada team has remained solid as a rock with familiar names littering the roster. This year, in a conscious choice to reinvigorate the tour, the decision was made to bring along some of the team’s new additions to join the veterans. One of the newbies was Montreal’s Alexis Lacroix. Making his impression felt on the team, Birnie reminisced: “He’s got a really original bag of tricks for someone that young.” But being a new addition isn’t without its growing pains. “Alexis was driving Benny and Judah crazy, ‘cause he would go for a trick and midway to his next try he would change his mind on what he was going to do. Suddenly, Benny and Judah are shooting on the wrong side [laughs]. I’m sure he does a fair amount of amazing stuff
that never gets documented because of that. Alexis was just doing his thing though, which you’ve gotta respect.” Backing up his statements, Benny similarly noted: “Where he gets the skills to pull off those insane tricks is beyond me! He reminds me of a young Chris Haslam.” Unfortunately, Alexis had to leave the trip part way through in order to join his band Shindig on tour. But not before tagging in Jamie Tancowny, who met the crew in Winnipeg. Eagerly working on a Zero video, several other web edits and without sleeping in two days, Jamie is a regular workhorse who was primed and ready for some Saskatoon street skating.
Spencer Corbett Frontside Feeble
Spencer Corbett. photo @skylarkehr
below: Spencer Corbett, Skylar Kehr, Alexis Lacroix, Andrew Wenckstern. photo @judahoakes
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Andrew Wenckstern Back Smith
Andrew Wenckstern. photo @corebutt
Jamie Tancowny. photo @corebutt
from the strange smells “Aside coming from the back of the van, everything was good!“ 52
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Jamie Tancowny 50-50
LesSons LEarned It’s a fact that on any trip, whether it be with your family or closest friends, spend 17 days on the road together and someone is bound to get annoyed with someone else. Or at least I thought this was a given. “You know, it’s true,” added Birnie. “On most trips this long people will get tired of each other or there may be the odd ego conflict, but on this one there was none of that. It was really just a bunch of guys who love to skate. Aside from the strange smells coming from the back of the van, everything was good!” Needless to say, after hearing how this summer’s tour went down, I’m anxious to see what Timebomb Trading has in store for its Emerica team next year. And while I can only speculate where they may go or who they might bring, one thing can be said for certain: like salmon swimming upstream to spawn every fall, you can fully expect to see the Emericanadians once again on the road next summer. Watch for Timebomb Trading’s Dust Demons video at concreteskateboarding.com
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EXPO SURE
Shawn HalE
Fakie 360 Flip Noseblunt [o] Rich Odam
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Charles Deschamps Wallie Backside Smith Grind [o] Nathan Ethier-Myette
Eisei ‘Ace’ Sugimoto Heelflip
[o] Brett Box
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Paul Trep
Switch Backside 5-0 [o] Will Jivcoff
Drew Summersides Frontside Heelflip [o] Brian Caissie
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Matt Berger Frontside Ollie [o] Brian Caissie
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Micky Papa 360 Flip
[o] Rich Odam
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Seven Shreddly Sins Tour
We
reminisce about these trips outside crowded bars or on sweaty summer steps, where menial moments are embellished to the point of skate lore. When I first heard we were going to an island I was intrigued. Is life away from the Mainland really that much different? According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, people who live inland are not as happy as those near water. Such facts could account for the “Island Vibe” stereotypes. It could also be the reliance on a ferry system, meaning things always have to wait. Or possibly Jamaica’s widespread infamy for being marijuana connoisseurs and all-round champion chillers has just rubbed off on every other island.
We left Ultimate Distribution in Richmond, BC, on a sunny Friday morning for Vancouver Island, which is the largest off the West Coast of North America. It was a nautical-themed adventure—at least our tour poster advertised that. Traditionally, pirates have always been hated yet revered—almost admired. Desmond Hoostie reeked havoc on a 7-Eleven in Courtenay, stealing a plastic display hamburger and throwing it into the street. The same employee, who was on shift and called the police, showed up at the demo the next day excited to see the skating and shake hands with the same guys who were his enemies the night prior. I guess everyone wants to be friends with a pirate. As for our tour personnel, the heavily talented seven Shreddly Sinners became six since internationally handsome professional stuntman Jordan Hoffart was unable to make it. Pressing onward was Desmond, Adam Hopkins, Jorden Murray, Dan Redmond, Drew Summersides and Portland’s Danny Tumia. Concrete skateboarding
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Sleeping Quarters
Captains Craig Williams and Rich Odam, both of whom oozed with the responsibilities of being fathers and drivers. For reasons unknown, their room was often in a different area of the hotel than the other two. Like myself, these two were essential when it came to the inner workings of a skate trip. Rich and myself, the photographer and videographer, are accustomed to tagging along, but for Craig the TM, it was one of his first without the responsibility spotlight shining solely on himself. He still ripped the demos but hopefully enjoyed the luxury of not being required to.
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Drew Summersides, Dan Redmond and myself indulged in conspiracy theories, skate gossip, the editing suite, and cigarettes. I weaseled my way into their room under the ruse of needing Drew’s laptop to capture footage each evening. Backing up footage was important, but I also needed the luxury to decide on staying in or venturing further down the hall… YouTube, energy drinks, 3 a.m. coffee and disturbingly girly alcoholic preferences. Always good for a laugh, you could find Adam Hopkins, Desmond Hoostie, Jorden Murray
and Danny Tumia awake at all hours of the night, likely listening to Danny, who has a remarkable story regarding anything and everything. These four coexisted in perfectly balanced chaos, more or less.
C
his life for our amusement was Adam. He’ll shy away from it in conversation, which speaks to his character, but Adam thrives in highpressure situations and loves to put on a show. Like his big 50-50, it was done when a demo was waiting and while being mercilessly teased by Craig. Once we arrived at the park, a $20 offer was raised and Adam was
ampbell River was our first stop, and there was no river to be seen. Instead an ocean inlet where cruise ships dock and beach fires are legal. It was here that Adam grinded the biggest rail of the trip. With our would-be mascot Jordan Hoffart suffering illness in California, the most suitable standin for demo madness and risking
rolling away from a 540, first try. Days later our Evel Knievel rolled down a 15-foot rock barefoot on his board, to a dangerously tumultuous river with a hundred spectators yelling “yolo” at him. James Bond movies can’t ever be tense—you’re just confident that no matter what he’ll be okay, plus some girl will be waiting. Must be nice to be Adam.
“ “
D
an Redmond enjoys waking up early to go skateboarding. An admirable and bizarre combination occurs in nature when a grown-ass man with a solid work ethic finds himself cross-bred with a skate rat. But of course no one else would get up with him. Dan’s claims of sunrise shreddery were never put
to the test, but I for one believe he would have followed through. Dan unfortunately beat his own ankles to wet noodles during our second stop, Courtenay, and was forced to watch the rest of his trip unfold without him. A skate trip without skating can really bring out your true colours, but he stayed positive, motivated and even sober.
With Jorden Murray’s naturopathic remedies filling the van we got to see Dan testing them out. At one point in the van, without notice, Danny exclaimed: “Redmond is better than a pair of tits!” I’m teetering on how I feel about this comment, but you get the idea he was well-liked.
Early Bird
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Qualified A
s far as girls go, we noticed they all leave the Island before turning 18, and this is where Drew makes an entrance. He recently chopped his Braydon Szafranski blond locks into a clean, little self-proclaimed boymeets-world bob. Being the youngest on the trip, he was the only member of the van qualified to chat with girls in the high school age bracket. The usual persistent catcalls rang from our van, but if any birds came near it was all on Drew. He handled this terrible burden with a ruthless confidence that made us all proud. Drew confided in me on the trip that upon moving to Vancouver, he’d
fan-out on local skaters at the park or in the bar, feeling they were celebrities. Now, barely a year later, he’s in their shoes, appearing in magazines and going on tours. Drew is also a trained gymnast, and although my expertise in that area is tremendously limited, I can deduce that gymnastics will not hurt your skateboarding. It also comes in handy during summer recreational activities such as cliff jumping, bridge jumping and jumping off random shit in general. At any water hole Drew was the talk of the town, if he didn’t have enough help already.
“
Java Script T
hree a.m. coffee, and not because he’s getting up for work,” is still the stupidest notion I’ve ever heard, but you’ve gotta love Danny Tumia for it. I have witnessed him make a pot of coffee and then pass out, mug in hand, claiming he’d be up for hours. Danny actually introduces himself at Skeletor, everyone’s favourite villain from Masters of the Universe, though I’d suspect the nickname refers to his slender build more than superhuman strength. Flying up from Portland for the trip, Danny was our international star; at least we presented him that way. Kids didn’t have a clue, and how could they? He’s a funny geek with extreme A.D.D. who skates amazing and dishes out torment as well as he can take it.
On a Monday evening out in Nanaimo, our third stop, we found ourselves the sole occupants at a strip club, yet we were still duped into paying cover. Quickly depleting our per diem, the talent was becoming frustrated with our pitiful tips. As I melted into my seat plotting an exit strategy, Danny broke the ice by climbing into the glittered cage and channeling Kate Upton while bubbles poured from the ceiling.
“ D
“
#FISH
anny’s biggest fan during an event like the strip club situation was always Jorden Murray. He’s a Salmon Arm, BC, transplant, so the experiences taken from growing up in a very small pond have groomed him for success in the most awkward of social situations. At a truck stop Tim Hortons, en route to our fourth destination, Duncan, Jorden was loudly battling Danny in a bout of napkin races, during which the edge of a napkin sits on your lip and the winner is decided by the
speed it enters your mouth without using hands. Jorden struck up a conversation with a couple of 40-something mothers, which revolved around the intricate uses of #yolo—the Earth’s most painful acronym. One mother of three, enamoured with Jorden, confessed her own catchy phrase, #fish, which she described with the shy glee of a teenage girl: Fuck It, Shit Happens. Jorden is now attempting to broaden #fish’s pop culture relevance, but fortunately he’s found only minor success. Concrete skateboarding
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Clown Food D
esmond Hoostie is a staple character at most East Vancouver skateparks. You’ll commonly see him heavily sweated, pushing his own mental and physical boundaries, oblivious to watchful eyes or documenting cameras while battling some technical math equation. Little-known facts about Desmond include: a gentle handshake, great sense of humour, and perfectly placed gangster quotes. Dez also has eyes for McDonalds. His lust for the clown’s deal meal is unmatched, and would eventually leave his body in a state of shock. I was beginning to get worried, but he explained “it was the cheapest eats, guaranteed.” I’ve heard the legend of Daniel Haney, being thrifty on trips so he’d make money on the leftover per diem, but as the trip progressed I felt bad watching Dez eat cold ravioli out of a can while we chowed on Safeway sandwiches and Momma burgers. But he took it all in stride. 74
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Staying Power W
e were only in Sooke for a couple of hours to visit a single skate spot. It was higher up, colder, and down the hillside you could see the tops of clouds and the beginnings of the Juan de Fuca Strait. Our purpose was a waterpower gap, and hucking commenced instantly. Locals watched from roofs, deer were calmly grazing and many a nature shit was expelled. Good tricks went down, which is why the cameras were out and firing for the complete stay. The big event of the day though was Desmond seeing his life flash before his eyes. He Brandon Turner’d on the
run-up, sketching out but still attempting the trick, and at the final moment tried to stop. His inertia wasn’t having it, sending Dez over the edge, down the drop, into the opposing wall and for the first time in Sooke, the session went silent. Luckily, against all odds, he was fine. He even got back up and did the damn bigspin. But his nerves were shot, and hours after we left he was still shaking with stress. It’s fortunate the reservoir’s dimensions aren’t comparable to the Jeremy Wray water towers, because filming for Faces of Death isn’t really my thing.
“ “
The Islanders O
ur final stop was Victoria, our province’s capital city and biggest opportunity to get some final street skating done, along with a sweet demo and BBQ hosted by the local shop, Coastline. The sincerity and hospitality that shone in our direction was legendary everywhere we’d been. The owner of Boardwalk in Campbell River had us over for dinner. The owner of Underground in Nanaimo took us to the local watering holes. The owner of Area 51 in Duncan personally drove kids to and from the demo and then skated it—all in the blistering sun. The Island is different and its residents swear by it. A local had mentioned to me: “You guys are nice, but I can’t trust you, you’re from the Mainland.” We never really figured it out, but to them it was our group of Shreddly Sinners who were just a little off.
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Stay tuned to concreteskateboarding.com for tour webisodes.
#7shreddlysins
RYAN LUSTEG
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Everything that you would consider a priority in life—work, money, women or whatever—are just distractions from Josh’s only priority, which is skateboarding. Take him to any spot, and he’s getting tricks or getting broke. Josh doesn’t care about his shoes matching a fresh tee (most of his have holes in them), and when some skaters say, “If someone was filming, I’d do this,” he’s just doing it regardless. In today’s era of skateboarding, it’s refreshing. —Matt Roberts
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Coming in hot out of Courtenay on Vancouver Island, Jason grew up skating one of the best parks around and it definitely shows. I’ve known this little guy for the past few years, and every time I see him he grows taller and his bag of tricks gets deeper; at the rate he’s going he’ll need to be seven-feet tall to carry that Santa’s sack over his shoulder! The kid’s got the recipe for success. —Micky Papa
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brett box
half-cab noseslide 270 nollie heel out
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There’s a lot to be said about genuine people in this day and age; people who go at their own pace and seem to enjoy every aspect of life, including the struggles. Dane is definitely the most genuine person I know. A good friend who is humble to the core, a fellow tea drinker, most definitely a skate nerd, and a damn fine Conehead. — Cyrus Stafford
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NEXT ISSUE: ISSUE 122 // December 10, 2012
maoya bassiouni
JAPANDROIDS
words
John Lucas
When Dave Prowse uses the word “epic” to describe his band’s music, he doesn’t mean that you have to be versed in the Emerson, Lake & Palmer catalogue or possess a deep fondness for 12-minute guitar solos to appreciate it. The Japandroids’ drummer-vocalist just means that, in spite of their punkish energy, the songs he and singer-guitarist Brian King create together have a bit more to them than the average three-chord thrasher. “As we tried to write shorter songs, we realized that it’s not really our style, because on every song we want to have a 30-second intro, a 30-second outro, some sort of instrumental part in it, and three choruses, at least,” Prowse says, reached by phone en route to a music festival in England. “You can’t really fit all that stuff into a two-minute song. It just so happens that all of our songs end up being four-and-a-half, five minutes. And they’re all kind of at 10 all the way through.” Actually, with apologies to Spinal Tap, Japandroids keeps it cranked to 11 for the duration of its second album, Celebration Rock. For just two guys, King and Prowse can make a hell of a racket, laying down a wall of slash-and-burn guitar and hammer-of-the-gods drum pummelling in service of numbers like “The Nights of Wine
and Roses” and “Younger Us.” Bristling with explosive, shout-along choruses and pounding rhythms, this is a collection that, while it does indeed sound like a celebration, brings a potent dose of well-past-adolescent angst to the party. And if you were making a mix tape to play at said party, you might slot a Japandroids cut between tunes by No Age and the Replacements. Celebration Rock is the Vancouver-based band’s follow-up to its 2009 full-length debut, PostNothing. The second album contains the same number of tracks as the first, and is the same length, give or take a few seconds. This, Prowse notes, is by design: “I think eight songs—you know, 35 minutes—is probably a good dose of our band for people. I think that’s probably as much as they want to hear in one sitting.” Whether the drummer is being too modest or is not open to debate, this much is certain: Celebration Rock is an adrenaline-jacked collection that showcases Japandroids’ unwavering dedication to firing-on-all-cylinders intensity. “It is pretty relentless,” Prowse admits. “It can get to be a bit of an exhausting listening experience.”
current trip will keep them away from home for over four months. Prowse says the knowledge that they would be on the road for so long—plus some sage advice from their recording engineer—had a big part in shaping their latest batch of songs. “Jesse Gander had this great line when he was recording our album,” he recalls. “Whenever he thought that we were getting pretty close to nailing a take of something, he’d say, ‘OK, guys, I think this is the one. You’re never gonna have to play this song ever again after this—except for every day of your life on tour.’ That was something we were very aware of. We had to like these songs a lot and feel really proud of them because we knew they were going to be everywhere. When we made Post-Nothing, we were just making a record for ourselves. With this one, we knew we were going to be playing it every night. So we were striving for every song to be pretty epic and interesting for us to play; also hopefully songs that people who like our band would like, and have a really great live energy to them. That’s what we were going for.” In that case, mission accomplished.
Exhaustion is something Prowse and King know a little something about from life on tour. Their japandroids.com
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Concrete skateboarding
curated and written by
David Ehrenreich
Fall is here and depending on where you are in Canada, it’s inevitably making skateboarding a little bit less accessible. With shorter, colder days, each magazine and video release is held with higher regard. Here are some Video Links to enjoy and stockpile for the winter. Get outside for a push now, while you still have the chance.
S E C O N D H A N D STOKE
JAKE KUZYK
b i t. ly /Ry F d k S
y outube.com/ jacobk uzyk
Austin, Texas isn’t the first city popping up when thinking of influential skateboarding. Maybe that’s the brilliance behind it. Roger rose from the ashes of Bueno Skateboards, and against the odds has grown from a little grassroots company to a slightly bigger grassroots company with an international following. With Michael Sieben at the reins and Stacy Lowery behind the scenes it has quickly grown into a unanimously loved, breath of humour and sarcasm-laced fresh air. This summer marked the release of their long-awaited video, Secondhand Stoke. Highlights include a welcome-to-the-team opener from Max Taylor, Tim and Eric from Beez, cult classic Nate Broussard, along with our friend and Vancouver resident Nate Lacoste rounding out the video. Be sure to watch this production from the brilliant minds behind “Skate Switch For Jesus” and “20% Skateboarding, 80% Weed And Cobras.”
Jake Kuzyk puts a lot of passion into everything he does. He’s a well-known and amazing snowboarder, skateboarder and now videographer. Jake may humbly disagree, but he’s put out some of the best edits I’ve seen this year. Originally from Winnipeg and now living in Vancouver, Jake spends summers skating and filming with his friends, and winters traveling the world snowboarding and being filmed. He has recently contributed footage to multiple Canadian videos, and he’s both in front of and behind the camera for the Winnipeg video, WRECK X. Over the past six months, Jake has released 24 new videos on his YouTube channel, and they’re all quick, well-shot and highly entertaining chronicles of local skate adventures. His fun and genuine approach to filming and skating is infectious, which is why myself and most skaters I know jump at the opportunity to head out with him.
ABOUT TIME
SUPRA DISTRIBUTION
p o ac ht h i s . c o m / a b o ut t im e
Being a tour guide in your town is tough—taking people to a spot that someone slags, then bringing them to a restaurant that someone hates. Only a certain type of person can enjoy this, and it’s Kyle Steneide. He has been Seattle’s official ambassador to visiting Canadians for quite some time, so hopefully no one blows it and he cuts us off. I’ve only met him briefly, but what a gracious and patient host he is. Kyle recently made a video showcasing his great city, one that’s underappreciated by American skate media and is full of untapped spots. Go buy the video and watch his friends absolutely destroy the Northwest, then try to find all the spots on Google Earth. I think the title may be eluding to the fact that it’s About Time to visit Seattle on a skate trip and have the time of your life.
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Concrete skateboarding
y outube.com/ SupraDistVideos
Supra Dist. has built a legacy of supporting and showcasing some of the best Canadian talent of the last 10 years. Russ Milligan, Travis Stenger, Wade Fyfe and Quinn Starr are only part of their large team alumni. As of over three years ago, TM Dane Collison has been building a new, young team of rippers from across Canada. He’s also more than a driver and organizer, he’s the talent behind the video camera. Filming, editing, skating—Dane does it all, and does it well. There’s been a consistent flow of sweet videos, from riders’ parts to event coverage. You’ll find Derek Swaim, Nick Moore, Matt Berger, Zander Mitchell and the rest of Canada’s Girl, Chocolate, Lakai, Fourstar, Alien, Habitat and Deluxe riders all featured on the stacked Supra Dist. YouTube channel. With new edits coming out monthly, it’s a good place to keep up on Canadian skating.
morgan smith
tomas morrison
Look out for Morgan Smith, he’s coming up; remember this name, ‘cause you’re going to see it a lot in the future… just playin’. Mr. Smeet is already a household name, right? My dude just turned Pro so I guess that means he already came up. However, one thing I will advise peeps to look out for is his next part. Homeboy has been channeling his inner cruiser and his skating has truly evolved from strictly doing tricks to adding some of that artsy flavour. There’s nothing better than combining skill and grace. Fresh off a pesky Achilles injury, this skate nerd of sin is back at it. Make sure you check out his YouTube channel, durdeburde, and enjoy this 5 Spot. —Cephas Benson
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Go-To Songs
Toronto Spots
Pro Perks
1. “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems,” Notorious B.I.G. 2. “Killa Season (Intro),” Cam’ron 3. “Ima Boss,” Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross 4. “Dipset Anthem,” The Diplomats 5. “3rd Quarter,” Gucci Mane
1. Dunbat 2. CBC 3. Downtown in general 4. Kensington rooftop 5. River Street Park
1. Skating is officially my job 2. Brainstorming for web clips, parts, graphics 3. On my own schedule for the most part 4. Feels like I accomplished something 5. Not many changes, honestly
Best Video Parts
Websites
Injury Activities
1. Javier Sarmiento, Can’t Stop 2. Rodrigo TX, Can’t Stop double part 3. PJ Ladd, Wonderful, Horrible, Life 4. Eric Koston, Yeah Right! 5. Alex Carolino, Out There
1. youtube.com 2. theweathernetwork.ca 3. google.com (maps or images) 4. wikipedia.com 5. General skate site lurking
1. Documentaries 2. Research 3. Filming and editing 4. Buying stuff 5. Shooting photos
Toronto’s Finest
Flatground Champs
Nicknames
1. Koty Brown 2. Cephas Benson 3. Tomas Morrison 4. Ben Davis (galganotix on YouTube) 5. Adam Mancini
1. Luan Oliveira 2. PJ Ladd 3. Paul Liliani 4. Javier Sarmiento 5. Wade DesArmo
1. Morg 2. Smeet 3. Turtle 4. Mr. Smith 5. Smeet Hass (Cephas original)
Instagrammers
Purchases
Blind OGs
1. @youngjeezy 2. @getjuiced (Tomas Morrison) 3. @clyde_future (Adam Mancini) 4. @schmaleekk (Hugo Balek) 5. @blabacphoto
1. iPhone 2. Olloclip fisheye 3. FiLMiC Pro app 4. Craig Appleyard’s bike from Sean Mo 5. Big Boss Torpedo Blender
1. Ronnie Creager 2. James Craig 3. Corey Sheppard 4. Grant Patterson 5. Lavar McBride
Concrete skateboarding
dickies.ca
Dickies Team Rider Vincent Alvarez
follow all your favourite brands at: ultimateskateboarddist.com facebook.com/ultimatedistribution instagram: @ultimatedist
EMMANUEL GUZMAN
Featuring the C1RCA Griz Emmanuel’s Signature Shoe
C1RCA.COM / FACEBOOK.COM/C1RCAFOOTWEAR - FRONTSIDE FLIP MELON. BROOKINGS, OR. PHOTO: CHAMI
SEE REYNOLDS IN TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING COMING SOON.