Focus Skateboarding Magazine #59 - January/February '15

BRANDON WESTGATE LIPSLIDE

WATCH “ZOO ENGLAND” AT ZOOYORK.COM NOW

January/February 2015 VOLUME eleven ISSUE one

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a rticles

a. b. b angers

Table//Contents

Table of Contents

10

forewords Holiday Scramble

22

fresh find Emmett Bleiler

14

guest editor Dan Murphy

24

fresh find Shawn Macmillan

16

insta-faves Instagram pulls

26

photographer’s eye L T & A

18

hammertime TRICK OF THE MONTH

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behind the lens Stephen Oliveira

20

fresh find Clement Oladipo

32 Ode to Kenny

40 Billy Roper

34 The Struggle

42 Al Davis

38 Shane Kassin

46 Incentives

humble bragging humble bragging small talk

ON THE COVER: Dave Bachinsky [hardflip] photography :: Rob Collins CONTENTS: Cole Wilson [50-50 up] photography :: Ben Clemens

small talk small talk

photo section

Š2015 Vans, Inc.

P.O. BOX 31628 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19147 215.310.9677

www.FocusSkateMag.com

CO-OWNER / MIKE MAZUR EDITORIAL DIRECTOR mazur@focusskatemag.com CO-OWNER / JUSTIN HEISTER ART DIRECTOR justin@focusskatemag.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT / ZANDER TAKETOMO SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER zandert@focusskatemag.com WEB / ONLINE STEPHEN OLIVEIRA CONTENT MANAGER stephen@focusskatemag.com WEB SUPPORT MATT KOSOY gonzo@focusskatemag.com COPY EDITOR JAMES WILLIAM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MIKE BELLEME, DANIEL BLECKLEY, ROB COLLINS, SEAN CRONAN, LUKE DARIGAN, ANDY ENOS, RYAN GEE, Nick Ghobashi, KARIM GHONEM, MIKE HEIKKILA, JASON HENRY, BRIAN KELLEY, BEN KILPATRICK, STEPHEN KNIGHT, SCOTT KRAMER, RICHIE McCORKLE, CHRIS McDONALD, STEPHEN OLIVEIRA, ALEX PAPKE, DAVID STUCK, XENO TSARNAS, ALLEN YING, DAN ZASLAVSKY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BUDDY BLECKLEY, ANDREW CANNON, LUKE DARIGAN, RYAN GEE, Claire Laver, CHRIS NIERATKO, STEPHEN OLIVEIRA, ALEX PAPKE, ZANDER TAKETOMO, XENO TSARNAS Interested in Advertising and Supporting your Local Scene?

Call 215.310.9677 for more info Want to submit photos, editorial, or hate mail?

Send submissions to info@focusskatemag.com or via snail mail to the address above Join us on Facebook at facebook.com/FocusSkateMag Join us on Twitter at twitter.com/FocusSkateMag Join us on YouTube at youtube.com/FocusSkateMag Join us on Instagram at @FocusSkateMag Read full issues online at issuu.com/FocusSkateMag

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Focus Skateboarding Magazine is published bi-monthly, six times a year

by Focus Skateboarding Magazine Inc. All contents are copyrighted by Focus Skateboarding Magazine Inc. 2015. Reproduction of any material requires the written consent from the publishers. All letters, photos, editorial contributions, and advertisements are accepted upon the representation that they are original materials by the author and/or advertiser. The author and/or advertiser accept full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their ads and/or editorial contributions. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff, or advertisers of Focus Skateboarding Magazine.

Any similarities between persons or places mentioned or alluded to in the fiction and real places or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.

Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements. The author and/or advertisers also will indemnify and save Focus Skateboarding Magazine harmless from any legal claims. Now either read this magazine, or go skate!

Fore//Words

Holiday Scramble WORDS :: Mazur

Holiday seasons can be hell… And for many these days, it seems to be the “cool” thing to say you that hate Christmas or what not. By the way, I am the furthest from being politically correct that you can be, so if you are offended by Merry Christmas, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Anyway, back to the holiday seasons. Its hell, but I love it. The only thing I really don’t like is dealing with magazine deadlines during this time. It’s probably the most stressful and frustrating thing you can deal with.

And by the time you read this, its all done and over with.

have the same roll up. Same with landings and rail types. I really, honestly, believe that we as skateboarders are probably some of the best problem solvers out there.

While sometimes the motivation might be an issue, ‘cause it’s not directly linked to your skateboarding, it is still there if you really need it. It’s ingrained in us as skaters from years and years of non-direct practices within your actual skating. And like I said, sometimes the motivation might not quite be there with actually wanting to solve a problem, but if you really tried you could.

You have that skill set.

The closest thing I can relate this to when it comes to skateboarding is when you are so close to landing a new, or very difficult, trick but something just doesn’t let you. Like for instance, you are so close to nailing a kickflip noseblunt down the local 8-stair rail… You’d be famous in your area if you did it, too. But then the cops come and kick you out. No worries you think, you’ll get it next day. Next day comes, and boom, the rail is gone. They tore the whole area down.

That frustration you feel, that is what its like to do the magazine during the holidays.

While you might still be upset that you were not able to get that kickflip noseblunt, and really frustrated, you know that you have that trick in your bag. You’ll find another spot to adapt it to and still be the hometown hero. You’ll solve the issue of no longer being able to skate that spot and make your trick. And being that it involves your skateboarding career, you’ll be extra motivated.

focusskatemag.com

Tim Snyder

Luckily, if skateboarding has taught me anything, it’s to be resilient. To be able to bounce back and just make things happen.

To figure out a different, and maybe unique, way to approach a problem or situation when your hands are tied on how you normally would go about it. And this makes sense too, considering you constantly have to adapt your tricks to the location. Not every bench is going to grind the same or

So while Christmas can be total hell for the magazine deadlines, and us, we still make it happen. We figure out a way on how to get things done weeks earlier, so as to bring you guys the best East Coast magazine we can. Motivation can be low at times with something, but because it’s for skateboarding we can usually build it back up knowing its part of our dream.

It’s almost more rewarding when it all comes together. Because of that, I love Christmas and all the holidays around it.

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Brandon Bonner [frontside wallride]

Liam Annis

Guest//Editor

East Coast Kids forever

focusskatemag.com

My love for skating is not just a hobby or job, but more of an addiction. I have to skateboard, and I have to push myself until my body can’t do it any longer. Till the wheels fall off, as they say. I have to fly. Just because a company doesn’t show as much support as they used to, and the money they put into promoting me isn’t there, doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing what I love, nevertheless doing it on a professional level. I still find myself more addicted and passionate about my love for skateboarding and that keeps me progressing. I still push myself harder and harder everyday.

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When I moved back to the East Coast after pursuing my dream in California as a professional skateboarder, I had no intentions of slowing down. Rather, I moved back to re-spark the fire I had while living here that fueled my original addiction to skateboarding. To regain the love I had when I started, the love I had in doing it for fun and not just a job. I lived out there to be in the middle of the industry, to pursue the dream and learn the business side of being a professional. After a knowledgeable six-year stint out west, I was ready to

get back to my roots and enjoy skating for the same reason I started. The freedom, the drive, the camaraderie, and habitual line stepping it involves.

Taking it to the next level and learning new shit has always been something that inspired me. The excitement and confidence you get when accomplishing personal goals on your own is truly gratifying.

Skateboarding is a solo activity. It only takes one, and that’s you. It requires self-involvement and selfexecution to prevail. But true enjoyment for me is the packaged deal. Doing what you love, where you love, being with the people you love, and the people that love you. That’s the environment that fuels my motivation and returns the most productivity.

That happens to be here on the East Coast.

I knew the risk involved when I moved back here. That having a career in skateboarding on the East Coast is more challenging. That the support I had by sponsors could deteriorate even dissolve, and that my career as a professional could be jeopardized by being so far away from the industry’s headquarters in California.

WORDS :: Dan Murphy

But in the end, it was worth it. Yeah, I don’t have the financial support, photographers, or filmer resources I had out there, but my friends do their best and we pass the camera around like good homies should, helping each other stack clips.

That brings me to this photo. It was the first time I met Liam and after seeing this double set in Portsmouth, NH, I decided to hit him up and see if he could shoot.

He was enthusiastic and punctual, showing up soon after I called. He proceeded to set up his flashes and gave me a thumbs-up when he was ready. I barged it and got it first try, and after looking at the photo I was so psyched that I didn’t even have to try it again. He did a great job. Getting the photo first try is proof that he’s is a truly competent photographer and I’m hyped to have someone motivated and talented to shoot photos now up in New England. We got some big projects in the works, and I’m still shredding everyday I can, so keep your eyes peeled. Proof is soon to come. East Coast kids forever.

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insTa//Faves

1.

insTa-faves

1: @jeetlebuice photo: @juicy18 2: @lockonhart photo: @kofiphoto

#FocuSSKatemag #eaStcoaStexcellence

3: @chopskee photo: @dann_o

the mission is simple, if you’d like to see your handy work featured in Focus as part of our, “Insta-Faves,” you better start following us (@FocusSkatemag) and use the hashtags: #FocusSkatemag and #eastcoastexcellence on your rad photos.

5: @guccimanefanclub photo: @andre__marshall

focusskatemag.com

4: photo: @mymansandthem

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We’re always browsing and reposting finds from our hashtags, and in addition to that, we’re also picking 9 each issue to put in the mag. here’s your chance for 15 minutes of internet fame to be solidified in print for a lifetime.

6: @daltondern photo: @sand__brain 7: @kittrellnorman photo: @suarasarous 8: D’andre pendergrass photo: @davidleidecker 9: @theprosepect photo: @joe.zevallos

4%!- 2)$%2 !&4/. '!30!2 0(/4/ ",!+% #2/#+%2

Luke Darigan

HAMMER//TIME focusskatemag.com

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Asher Bradshaw I am almost positive this is the first-ever 540 we have run in Focus. Sorta funny too, ‘cause I can remember years ago going to FDR to shoot a shoeless 540 on that deathly vert ramp, but it just never worked out. I’ve always liked the way a 540s look, and with the flair that Asher brought to it with this one, I knew instantly this was going to be this month’s Hammertime! Now, who is going to 540 down a set of stairs? That’s what I’d like to see on the next cover!

WORDS :: MAZUR

Jake Johnson taking flight yet again on a power wallie in the heart of the Mission district in San Francisco. Jake’s new pro wheels will be on the rise in 2015. #baconwrappeddogs #redraggers #narcocorridos

FRESH//FIND

“These days, they’re so many styles of skating, and so many types of people that do it, that it’s hard to single out particular people that often; at least in my opinion.

I’d personally prefer to see a very well done tailslide than a flip-in flip-outty grindy combo trick with no soul. That’s just me. I’m from the old school where style is king.

To be honest, I’d rather see a properly done powerslide.

Clement seems to be on the same wavelength somewhat as myself, or at least I wouldn’t know better by seeing his skating. He can find the sketchiest polejam spot, and make the most beautiful thing happen on it.

He has a way with his approach, and honestly, it’s all about approach to me. It’s all about perspective.

That’s what separates the bland from the flavorful.

Clement has it.”

Mike Hikkila

~John Vitale Owner, The Killing Floor Skateboards

focusskatemag.com

Clement Oladipo

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[polejam over hydrant]

Hometown: Waco, TX/Richmond, VA Sponsors: The Killing Floor Skateboards, Underground Wheels, Jetty Apparel Spot you’re sick of seeing in videos: Cliché ones with names Trick that always gets you a letter in S.K.A.T.E.: Too many to name, I’ll start with a kickflip...

Guilty Pleasures: Skating boards backwards, eating sugar with tea.

Worst injury: Getting hit by a car biking to work and a broken ankle skating. It could always be worse.

One word to describe the future of skateboarding: Fuct

mstrmndcollective.com

Skating with a bulky wallet is some bullshit!

Keep it slim.

Rob Collins

FRESH//FIND

[frontside 180]

focusskatemag.com

Emmett Bleiler 22

Hometown: Falmouth - Cape Cod, MA Sponsors: None Spot you’re sick of seeing in videos: Prefab park footage Trick that always gets you a letter in S.K.A.T.E.: Tre flips Guilty Pleasures: 50mm wheels Worst injury: Grind, to slip out to the back of the head K.O. One word to describe the future of skateboarding: Blood

“The dude is 17 and has a damn flip phone. Think about that. He has no Facebook, no Instagram, and in today’s lovey-dovey skate community, he has a super critical opinion. He’s the real deal. When I met Emmett he was this little shrimp 13-year-old local grom at the Falmouth Skatepark, always talking shit. Soon thereafter I saw a photo Michon shot of him rolling into the C Bowl. Now I skate with him and I watch. I’ve seen a lot of transition skating growing up in Connecticut while Sloppy Sam and Paprocki were building all of the parks, and there’s really nothing like this dude. He just airs bigger, grinds longer, skates faster and falls harder. Bottom line.” ~Dave Lewis Friend

FRESH//FIND

Shawn Macmillan

focusskatemag.com

Liam Annis

Hometown: Medford, Ma Sponsors: Cornerstore Skateboards, Max Hesh Skateshop, Converse (flow), Bolts Premium Hardware, and Spitfire Wheels (flow) Spot you’re sick of seeing in videos: None Trick that always gets you a letter in S.K.A.T.E.: 3-Shuvs Guilty Pleasures: Fast Food Worst injury: Nothing ever too serious One word to describe the future of skateboarding: Fun

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“Shawn Mac’s skating holds true to the East Coast way of doing things. Skating everything you can utilize that’s in front of you, pushing spot to spot. He has every quality you’d want someone to have in a team rider.

Motivation, skill, photos and clips by the bundle, a super-good eye for aesthetics, and is an all around skate rat. Most importantly, he’s a good friend who’s always down to have a good time on a skateboard.

Keep an eye out for multiple new parts from him this year to see exactly what I’m talking about.” ~Jimmy Lake Cornerstone, Owner

[front smith]

Photographer’s//Eye

Lighting timing & angles WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY :: Todd Midler

Even before I became serious about photography, I was always drawn to the photos in skateboard magazines.

I would flip through them over and over again, looking at my favorite skateboarders doing insane tricks on crazy spots. But at the time, that was all there was to it, the spot and the trick. Seeing a skater switch flipping down a 14-stair set was all I cared about. But every once and while, I’d notice something that seemed out of the ordinary.

For some reason, a few photos would especially catch my eye. At the time, I knew nothing about photography, but there was something deeper that drew me to the photo. When I first picked up a camera and took the dive into the world of photography, the first place I went to for inspiration was my old skate magazines. I revisited the mags to gain insight on how the photographers captured their photos and why. I began to understand how concepts such as angles, lighting or timing caused the photo to portray something beyond just a skateboarder doing a trick at a spot. These are the things that originally drew me to certain photos. Now, when I take skate photos, I always try to tell a story and I always consider composition.

I particularly enjoyed shooting this photo because its composition presented a challenge. Most of the time when I arrive at a spot to shoot skateboarding, I watch the skater and try to capture the trick. However, when I arrived at the spot, I saw the reflection first and then noticed the ledge. I love reflections and the alternate dimension they add when you look at a scene. I knew I wanted to shoot a skate photo with the reflection, but how? Going into the shoot with a specific predetermined idea about the composition added an interesting challenge. Not only did I have to pick the right angle and frame the shot accordingly, I also had to time the trick accurately and tie it all together with the window’s reflection.

Angles are everything; whether I’m shooting street photos with my range finder or skate photos on my Hasselblad, the first thing I think about is what angle to shoot from. Even with the slightest change of an angle, an image can be completely altered. Angles are one of the most key factors that go in to capturing skateboarding. In shooting a still photo, or even when filming a trick on a vx, utilizing an angle can bring out certain things in a spot that may not be visible to the untrained eye. Different angles can either exaggerate or flatten a trick. Sometimes, the lower you get to the ground while shooting, the better. You can exaggerate the height of a trick and make everything look bigger and scarier. Other times this doesn’t always work out in your favor. I find myself pacing while I think of where to shoot a trick from. Should I sit up there? Should I shoot from across the street? Should I lie on my stomach? All these things go through my head while thinking of how to shoot a trick. If I had been just slightly to the right or left, it would ruin the symmetry in the photo and if I had squatted down lower or stood up taller I would have missed the essence of the trick.

The next most important factor was timing. While I tend to focus on more urban, documentary style, street photography than I do skate photography, I have definitely noticed a parallel between the two. Capturing movement and light became major priorities when shooting outside of the skate world. Practicing getting the decisive moment in the street helped me a lot to perfect the timing of my skate photos.

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Timing for me is not just about the timing of a trick, but the limits of time in general. I shoot with a film camera as a personal preference, which adds an extra layer of both difficulty and fun. Because there is a tight limit to the number of photos I can take, I am forced to be more careful and observant. Just like when shooting people in the streets, every trick has a peak moment that is the most exciting to capture and if you miss it, you miss it. I think that being a skater and knowing how to do certain tricks, myself, helps me shoot tricks because I am better able to predict what will happen and when.

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The reflection of Matt in the window not only creates a nice sense of symmetry in the photo, but I also feel it grasps the viewer’s attention. Together, Matt and his reflection in the glass window create a really nice visual pathway for the viewer to get lost within the image.

Matt Genovese [nosegrind]

A MO D E R N C L A SS I C B U I LT F O R G R A N T TAY LO R NIKE .COM/SK ATEBOARDING

Behind/the/Lens

Stephen Oliveira WORDS :: Mazur

Stephen, you have been with us (Focus) for quite some time now... Want to maybe let everyone know what it is you do here?

I used to do a lot more, but between trying to finish up school, recently launching Survey Wheels, and trying to figure out ways to make a living off of the virtual world and never have to work a normal 9-5, my work is at a minimal amount right now.

But man, let’s see... I’ve done... Ad sales, apparel sales, typed up the content you see on our site, ran our social networks, shot photos, thought of new features, used the mag as a reason to interview my favorite skateboarders… I don’t know, there’s a lot. But it’s all so normal to me now after five years that I don’t even know all that I do. If that makes sense.

So, how exactly did you first get involved with Focus?

It was a cold October evening in Palm Bay, Florida. The time was roughly 7pm when I sent a YouTube message to a user who happened to be none other than our own Justin Heister. The man, the legend... Ha-ha. But yeah, we’re from the same hometown, and he posted a video of him and his friends skating our town in the 90’s.

I was hyped! We talked more, I added Justin, a random older man, on MySpace (sorry, mom), and then we talked more. Focus had posted a bulletin (Ah man, I miss MySpace...) looking for somebody to come into the Philly office a few days a week to post stuff on the site. I shot a message to Justin saying, “I’m not in Philly, but I have a computer and can spell well.” Four days later I got a login, and it’s been quite the journey since then.

focusskatemag.com

Where did skateboarding begin for you?

Skateboarding began for me when my friend hurt himself on a trampoline two houses down from his and couldn’t ride the skateboard home. There was, the bike, the scooter, and the skateboard. I was terrified of the skateboard and just walked to the other house instead of riding the bike or the scooter. As he got hurt, I had no other choice but to man up and ride it home. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, and now I can’t imagine my life without one. Thanks for being dangerous, trampolines.

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How did the photography aspect start?

Regardless of how much I enjoyed doing my three tricks, that are still my same three tricks to this day, when you’re 13 years old doing pop shove-its on flat and scraping manuals so hard while your friend is also 13 and doing inward heel manny back 180’s, you’re kind of dubbed “the filmer.” I filmed for a while and eventually got a VX2000 and that whole gig. I had always said, “This would look cool as a photo,” while filming a trick and then finally just bought a camera. I sold my VX and bought another camera, and it’s been nothing but fun and foreground objects ever since.

Are there any places you’d really like to travel to, to shoot?

I’m not really a fan of skateboarding being presented in this way, but I’d really like to

shoot a Street League contest. 1000’s of unknowing victims to place as foreground objects in my shots... Count me in! I talked to Rob Meronek about trying to make it happen via The Boardr, but after finding out that Street League is really strict on the shots that get taken, I soon found out that a random guy with two cameras lurking his way through the crowd, getting uncomfortably close to people’s heads wouldn’t sit right with the big dogs over at the league.

So the question on everyone’s mind... What’s in your setup?

My bag consists of a Nikon D70, D300, two Alienbees B400s, two vagabond minis, four pocket wizard pluses, two Nikon SB80s, a Nikon 35mm lens, a Nikon 55200mm, and a Nikon 10.5mm fisheye. As for things I can’t fit in my bag, I also have a t2i that I put a Nikon 50mm on, some random mic when I want to film something, which doesn’t happen too often, and an 8mm fish. I also have a Bronica SQ-A that I wish I had enough money to use more often.

Do you have any skateboarding photo equipment horror stories?

Aside from the usual lens hits or watching roughly $1000 worth of lights and batteries get hurled onto a patch of boulders and sandbags on the side of a bridge, the only thing that comes to mind is the time I had my head split open while shooting.

Someone was trying a tre flip lip on this rail in my town and I was so set on shooting vertical fisheye right at the bottom of the rail, even after him saying that he was scared for me. Gotta do what you gotta do though, you know? What do skateboarders know? Nothing! Ha-ha nah, but I was confident enough in my ability not to get hit...

Until I got hit. That’s how it always goes, isn’t it? The grip side sanded my head.

I stood up and said, “It’s fine, dude, it’s fine. No, it’s fine. It’s fine, dude, it’s fine.”

I’m pretty sure I was slightly concussed, but oh well. There’s footage of it somewhere.

The only other thing I can think of is the time I took a 14-hour train from Orlando to Durham and didn’t leave my seat once. I didn’t even stand up, let alone pee or eat train waffles. I was so cramped when I finally got to North Carolina and stood up, but didn’t want anyone snagging my bag.

Any shout outs or thanks?

A big thanks to Griff and the whole Federation Skate Shop family, anybody brave enough to chase a dream, foreground objects, my parents for always supporting me, my girlfriend’s parents for creating a rad human, everyone at Focus, Chipotle, everybody who has ever given me a chance to work for or learn from them off of just one sketchily long email from a random Florida kid that they’ve never heard of.

Steve Berra, The Boardr, anyone who’s ever given me the opportunity to lay on the ground or climb in some bushes to take pictures of them, all of the guys I skate with, all of the guys I skate with who tell me I’m crazy when I tell them a photo idea, Mat Call for being crazy enough to act upon my crazy photo ideas, Palm Bay, noseslides, Bowling Alley, everybody who is a part of/supports Survey, rap music, #mediaboys.

Humble//Bragging

Ode to Kenny WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY :: Liam Annis

focusskatemag.com

Today, skate footage is plastered across all spectrums of media. You can watch skating in palm of your hands. Literally just about every god-forsaken soul on this planet owns an iPhone, Android or some other smart phone.

The endless scrolling through Instagram, viewing photo after photo and video after video, can go on for hours. It’s a good thing they don’t tell you the amount of hours you spend on each app, because I know I’d have weeks or months spent on just that one fucking app. Companies still make full length videos like they used to, but they tease the shit out of you releasing individual parts on websites or have viewings for only a day. It seems like people are filming just to get it out there. In some cases filming something for the pure fact of uploading it to the internet. But then there’s those times where it just seems necessary.

Those, “What the fuck,” moments that you know will get people hyped.

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Like this photo per say, the only place you can catch the footage of this specific ollie is on Instagram. The clip was filmed from an I phone, two angles, one from a screaming fool on Snap Chat, and the other filmed good by capturing the reaction of all the homies and the atmosphere surrounding the moment. Based on the reaction of the squad watching in the back you may think this is NBD based on their reaction. But lets rewind back to 1997 to the Emerica Yellow video. Not only did Kenny Hughes ollie it and thread a very narrow needle, he fucking 180’d that shit with ease. All the homies are there backing him too, that’s what skateboarding is all about. Pushing yourself as an individual and kicking it with the homies who help you get to that next level. Maybe things have changed, I mean Kenny didn’t ollie that shit for a freaking Instagram post or to get a set amount of likes on Facebook. He did that shit ‘cause it was wild and hadn’t been done before.

I’m not saying my boy Nick did this for an Instagram post or anything like that.

First of all, no one thought anybody was going to be ollying that shit on a night like this one. Most of us had just finished skating downtown over at AQ and we went over to the library to just kick it and skate flat. A couple beers were bought and some spliffs may have been smoked, but the bottom line was we were all

there just to kick it and figure out a place to take our party to. As the night progressed and a few of us were feeling wavy, Nick stepped up onto the ledge and looked at the gap. My homie Curt yelled out, “Yo, I’ll give you five bucks if you ollie the Kenny Hughes gap!” And I, without thinking, yelled out, “I’ll give you 50 bucks if you ollie that shit!” One thing quickly led to another and I shook his hand claiming I would go right to bank after he landed that shit and I got a photo of it.

I quickly went to my bag and started breaking out what equipment I had at the time. I set up one flash, and then he tried it. Nick cleared the shit outta that thing, I knew it was actually going down. I had to tell him to chill, and wait until I was set up. I thankfully I had my homie Dave who was down to stand just to the right of the landing to hold the flash for me so I didn’t have to worry about Nick smashing it. I was worried I was gonna really fuck the photo up and owe him 50 bucks. I kept freaking out about where the flashes were, and I was fumbling with the settings on my camera. I was feeling pretty good, but nervous about getting a shot that was worth keeping. I wanted something to really remember this night. I finally got all set up and he went for it. Huck, after huck, after huck, he got right back up walked back to the ledge, and then BANG! He fucking stuck that shit. I swear if he took one more push he would have cleared the entire sidewalk. It was crazy. The homies had to yell at some shoppers to hold the fuck up or they were gonna catch a flying skater to the dome. Everyone went crazy… “What the fuck?” “Holy shit!” Everyone ran over to him like he just landed the ender to a full-length.

An ode to Kenny Hughes we thought as we all gathered back on the three stair and continued our drinks. I skated over to the ATM in stone cold amazement and grabbed my cash. Feeling blessed that I got to witness it all go down and capture the moment on my camera, I handed over the cash to Nick. He used his magic and quickly turned that green cash into some green grass and kept the whole team lit. We all had a good night that night! Thanks Kenny!

Nick Rudzinski [ollie]

HuMble//braGGinG focusskatemag.com

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THe sTruggle

is real

WorDS & photography :: JaKe wicKerSHam

growing up in the Midwest, skateboarding has proved itself to be one the shittiest/most rewarding things I could ever ask for.

From experiencing the four seasons every year to the constant eating shit from a crack due to the corroded-ass streets, I truly believe that all of these flaws can only strengthen you as a skateboarder. While it is refreshing to find a skate spot that most would consider to be a “normal one,” nothing screams the Midwest louder than having to bring a piece of wood to 50% of the spots we skate just so that there is a possibility of rolling away. there are a handful of skateboarders in Kansas City that I generally get rather excited about going out to shoot with due to their skill and consistency on a skateboard. My good friend Josh Barclay is without a doubt one of those people. I never second-guess Josh when he approaches me to shoot a photo because of how flat-out gnarly that dude is. So, when he first asked me to check out this rail with him that supposedly runs straight into the Missouri river, I didn’t sleep on it. It’s always fun venturing to a spot that you have absolutely no idea what to expect upon arrival. t my knowledge, a good friend of mine found this rail a couple to years back and had been pestering someone to try and skate it for a while. I’m going to go with my gut and say that everyone who saw the rail ended up laughing in his face due to the fact that 9 times out of 10 you would get broke the fuck off if you even tried to skate this thing. I have always been an immense supporter of those who push skateboarding to that next level with the creative and dangerous spots that they choose to skate. having said that, there are times I find myself being a bit terrified watching my friends skate an obstacle that they could potentially get seriously hurt on. this spot proved to be a perfect example of just that.

First thing you notice when you get to this spot is this huge boat that is actually a casino, and for some reason or another doesn’t even move. Why anyone would want to blow their money on a casino boat that doesn’t even move beats me. anyway, the rail is located at the back of the building and needless to say actually does run right into the river. t to be completely honest, I didn’t even know what the hell I was looking at when I first set eyes on what at the time seemed to be a deathly trap into a crucially fast moving body of water. of course the day we decide to skate this spot, the “Big Muddy” was moving at extreme speeds. this is one of those spots that you really want to pay attention of where you want to document it from. So when the time came to pick and chose an angle I really wanted include all of the death defying features this spot had to offer. Like I said, there are so many sketchy setbacks that make the spot that much gnarlier. For example, at the top of the rail there is a sharp piece of metal sticking out of the ground to where if you decided to fall at a certain angle you would be pierced with a nasty and unfortunate amount of tetanus.

Luckily someone had the idea of covering the metal up with a skateboard so it wouldn’t be as much of an issue.

When it came to the roll away, I can’t really say there was much of any at all. If you were lucky enough to overcome the rail, the struggle was only beginning to get real. as soon as you land into the bank you instantly gain immense speeds down a bank that leads into five more banks that ultimately leads into the ever rapidly moving brown abyss. of course jumping off of your board after the first bank is the only option in this scenario.

JoSH barclay [50-50 transfer]

It’s a good thing I was able to snap a decent shot early on, because Josh once again proved to me that he wasn’t about to let some lousy rail that could’ve sent him straight to the Er get the best of him.

I believe he was able to pull off the make 6th try. From what first started as an idea that had sketchy written all over it had quickly turned into something that will without a doubt be one of the craziest tricks I will have ever witnessed.

Small//Talk

“Shane Kassin is the man. Aside from being able to backside nollie (insert trick here) over anything, he is a woodworking Macgyver. Hand him a piece of wood, you’ve got a work of art. Hand him a rail, it’s getting nollie flipped over. His Macgyvering doesn’t stop at just woodworking though. Shane is the only man who can shamelessly Macgyver a bath towel out of a dish towel. While others get mad over a trick, Shane just laughs. He may shriek every once in a while, but never throws a board, let alone a fit.

When the phrase, “Big things come in small packages” was coined, the creators were subconsciously referring to Shane’s pop. If you’re ever stopping through Durham, you’ll probably run into shane at the Courthouse. He’ll be the guy doing nollie noseblunts and accidentally doing a casual line that is better than the one you’re trying to film.” ~Stephen Oliveira Friend/Photographer

Shane Kassin WORDS :: Mazur Photography :: Eric Ungberg

Hey Shane, how have things been since last time you were in Focus?

Things have been great! I moved to Durham North Carolina about two years ago and it’s been a big change from Florida. I’ve been loving it! Lot’s of nature and skate spots… Way different from good ol’ Brevard! No complaints so far!

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Why did you decide to make the move to NC? My parents decided to move up this way to Raliegh and they offered me the opportunity to go with them. At that time I was caught up in the party lifestyle Brevard had to offer. So, for me, it felt like the right thing to do. I took the journey, found a good job, moved out to Durham, calmed down a lot and have been happy ever since!

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I noticed you have still been killing it, what keeps you motivate?

Thanks! Just the love for skateboarding! Recently I’ve been filming for a video called, “Scout,” that my friend Alex Traboulsi is making. It’s going to consist of myself, Matt Hartzel, Alec Chambers, and the Post 22 Skateboard boys! Everyone’s been killing it, so it should be a good video to look out for!

Have you had any major injuries recently?

Nothing too crazy. I grinded my shin down this sketchy pop over rail in Raleigh and my leg swelled up all crazy and turned purple and green I was out for about a month.

Sounds like a brutal injury... Did you go see a doctor or what?

Nah, I was nervous a little bit during the healing process, but just figured all a doctor would do was x-ray it, prescribe me pills and ask for money. I’m not too down for pills or hospital bills, so I just waited and see how my body would take care of it and of course it conquered the situation! Time and patience is all it took!

What are you doing for a job these days?

I’ve been working in a wood shop lately making doors, windows, custom moldings and anything made of wood that people want to pay for. I’m a wood fiend! I rent out my own shop space for after work fiddling old-man-style making cutting boards and tables from old skateboards… I can’t get enough!

What’s the most elaborate thing you have fashioned up in your wood shop?

I’m not too sure. The most time consuming thing I guess is when I make skate tables. I don’t like to waste material, so pieces I don’t need I’ll cut up into random shapes then puzzle them together in away they will all match, and once I create the puzzle I have to glue them all together. It’s a total mind workout, but in the end it’s pretty rewarding.

Do you have any broads in your life or are you sticking to just strippers?

I haven’t found my babe out here, yet. She’s lost somewhere. But I try to avoid all the Sparkles and Mercedes of this world. Not really my scene!

Shane Kassin [kickflip over rail and wall]

Yeah, good to hear you are staying away from them Strippers, they’re bad news.

Get yourself an Eharmony account.

I’m not really into internet dating… I tried Tinder once. Ended up meeting girls I would never even start a conversation with! I’m going to meet my babe on a crisp beautiful day on the streets of Durham! I’ll most likely be skating the courthouse full of smiles and she’ll just be wandering around enjoying the day!

Are you still working towards a future skateboarding career? What steps have you taken toward it?

I’ve just been doing what I’ve always done. Skate as much as I can, while working hard and trying to survive in this world! Jerome, at Birdhouse, has been hooking me up for awhile keeping boards under my feet and keeping me hyped to go out and get footage.

If you haven’t ridden a Birdhouse before, go out and getchu one! Perfect shapes and the best graphics!

Do you see yourself staying within the skateboarding world for the rest of your life?

Of course, I’m addicted! I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else! There’s nothing better than meeting up with your friends on weekends skating random spots just having a good time!

How do you feel about the future of skateboarding? Is it going in the right or wrong direction?

I don’t really know. Skateboarding is getting crazy, I’m not really sure how to answer that. It’s definitely blown up a lot in the past few years and kids are getting super good with all the skateparks being built all over. Kids are doing tricks I don’t know the names of, haha. I’m kind of excited to see what it becomes!

Any new tricks you are working on?

I usually stay within my comfort zone, but some days these knees feel real fresh and I might try and flick into something and get frustrated ‘til I win or lose!

Cool, well that should wrap it up. Any shout-outs and thanks?

You, Mazur, of course for giving me the opportunity to have this interview, Eric Ungberg and Stephen Oliviera for always shooting my battles! Support small business get a pair of Survey Wheels! Jerome at Birdhouse, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me! Bob Reynolds for getting me Nikes because shoes are hard to find in my size!

All my Brevard brothers, I miss you suckers! All my North Carolina friends, thanks for the hospitality and good times and making me feel welcome! Budweiser, for helping my body relax!

Small//Talk

Billy Roper WORDS :: Zach lyons Photography :: Rob Collins

“The only thing bigger than Billy’s bag of tricks is his heart. He is a true street skate rat and there isn’t enough Bud Light in the world to drown him in.

Whenever you skate with him you are reminded of how consistent he is no matter how long it’s been since he stepped on a board. As amazing as he is both on and off a board, he is just as amazing of a friend.”

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~Ryan Garshell A.K.A. GX1000, Friend

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Billy Roper [tailslide to switch backside noseblunt shuv]

How did you end up skating for Sugar Sports being from northern VA? Seems very random…

Extremely random. I was friends with this kid Sean when I was younger who was like a super rich kid whose parents had another place in LA, so he would always go there a bunch and he somehow ended up knowing Marko (Sugar Sports owner). Sean asked me for a tape to give him one time and the dude ended up liking it I guess, and asked to give me boards. My ass had never rode for more than a fucking skate shop at that time, so I was like fuck yeah I’ll take free boards. I ended up moving to LA a few years later and then just kinda went with it. I got to travel to ton of different places I’d never been and got a li’l check every month thanks to that dude. So yeah, thanks Marko.

You’ve now lived in VA, LA, SF and now RI. Four completely different cities and skate scenes.

How did that happen and which did you like best?

Moving to LA was crazy random, and at one point I thought I’d never leave. Then like a few years after living there I ended up riding for Mike York’s company Turf, and we went on a Northwest trip and the first stop was SF. Then we stopped back there again on the way home. I instantly was like what the fuck am I doing in LA? I love this place! I’m moving here ASAP. Went back to LA, put in my 30-day notice and moved to SF. After a few years in SF I ended up meeting the chick I’m with now, and she’s from Rhode Island. So, that’s how RI came about. Out of all four cities, I’d have to say SF is the champion of everything. That place is the fucking absolute best.

You have an uncanny ability for being able to do certain tricks like switch frontside big spins and 360 flips after having a lot of beers. How do you do that?

Go to Delirium every night for four years straight.

What’s up with Surprise?

It’s a company this dude David, out of LA, does.

Rad graphics, rad dudes, rad vibes. Stoked on everyone involved. Check it at www.surpriseskateboards.com.

What’s up with that Disney show you were on?

Jimmy Gorecki juiced me, Sammy Baptista, and Tony Montgomery with that gig. We had to wear wigs almost every day for like three years doing that show doubling these three kid actors and doing all their “skate tricks.”

You could walk in on any given day and it would be, “Hey, ollie this three stair,” or, “Hey, we’re gonna attach you to the pulley system and you’re gonna back 360 melon this 16 stair.” No bullshit. It also helped us all not have to work for like four years after the shit, so that was rad. Thanks for that Jimmy.

You lived above a pretty crazy gay bar in SF, ever see some cool stuff?

That place was fucking gnarly. The smoking section was right outside my window and during PRIDE week it would be absolutely fucked. Dudes just completely naked outside smoking and doing all sorts of weird shit like its nothing. I saw a butt-naked chick pick up a cigarette out of the gutter with her mouth there once.

I think you were there for that.

Who is your favorite skater?

It will always be Kalis.

Are you ready for a New England winter?

Fuck. One day at a time man. I got some gloves and thermals now, so I’m getting there.

Some of your earliest coverage was some really gnarly “flip-in” tricks on handrails (Gold Rail in DC).

What was your mindset at that point in your life?

Was pot involved?

I have no idea. I was really fucking stoned at that point for sure. All we had in Manassas, VA was shitty rails, so I guess that’s what started it. I wish I could still do half of that shit even on a ledge.

In this current state of skateboarding (Street League/ magazines going under/corporate companies taking over/Olympics/every kid at the skate park killing and having the best camera) what gets you hyped?

Old or new?

Both old and new. I like old East Coast vids and vids I grew up on a lot, but I also like watching shit my friends put out too. GX’s always hype for sure.

Daddy Billy?

Yup. Li’l dude’s gonna pop out any day now. Me and the chick are pretty stoked. Already got him a setup.

What is the point of life?

Try not to die for as long as you can I guess, right?

Probably ride a skateboard too.

Small//Talk

“Amidst the brush and the foliage you’ll find many agile creatures in plain sight, their brightly colored plumage and piercing calls clamoring for your attention. But don’t be distracted or you may just miss the illusory Al Buttaz as he slips on by; he of the freshly dipped camo kit, yellow beanies and the best switch tre this side of the Ohio River (or any river for that matter), Al has been crushing the game for years now. Balling on a budget, Al’s been traveling the globe, stealthily stacking clips that make you all the more eager to turn your back to the distractions and take a few big pushes down the street. And then it all makes a little more sense.

Ned XL, GC and the gang are proud. The Block, is proud. You’ve been a pro for years Al, but congrats on the official nod, it’s well deserved.” ~Joe Perrin NHS Strange Notes Videographer

focusskatemag.com

Al Davis

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WORDS :: Mazur Photography :: Palozzolo

I always like to start off interviews with the telling of one of the wildest stories a person has recently experienced. Go! A friend and I were trying to film some stuff downtown in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was around the fourth of July and I was on the phone with another friend. I heard this loud noise, which sounded like a firework going off. I looked to my right and it was a guy running across the street really fast and almost getting hit by a few cars.

Then he reached in his jacket and pulled out a gun and shot a guy at close range…

Twice. Bang, bang! I was like, “Oh fuck, they shooting down here!” I told my boy to get behind this car and chill for a second. Then the shooter ran passed us smiling as if he was hyped off shooting someone. I still remember his face ‘til this day.

He killed that guy in the middle of the day.

My older brother, Aarington, started skating back in 1989. I didn’t start until about six or seven years later.

Damn! That’s a crazy story about the shooting. Do you ever have nightmares about it and see the dude’s face still?

No, but it happened next to this skate spot. I always drive pass this place because it’s in a main area downtown. I think about it when I’m in that area. And, no I don’t ever see him.

Why such the hatred towards college? Do you feel it’s a waste or something?

College doesn’t teach you how to survive in this cold-ass world we live in.

Maybe not a waste of other people’s time, but it’s for sure a waste of mine.

How did skateboarding begin for you?

So, you were around how old when you started? Do you remember your first board or when you first stood up and what not?

I was 12 when I started skating. Don’t remember my first board, but I do remember the first board my parents bought me. I don’t remember the first time I stood up or anything.

Did you go, or are you currently enrolled in, college?

Fuck college.

Do you work a regular job or is it just straight skateboarding?

Straight up skateboarding! I have tons of jobs, but right now I skate and that gets me by.

Al Davis [switch 50-50]

What are some of your more favorite jobs and why?

I haven’t had a job I liked. I don’t think of skating as a job either.

Skateboarding is in the year of 2045. Everyday is like a week in skate life… Its fastforward on another level.

Did you ever think you’d be turning pro? How does it feel?

No and yes. It wasn’t like I was trying to turn pro. I just wanted to skate, and only skate.

So, I moved to SF to live with Ryan Garshell (gx1000mastermind). I’ve been getting a lot of coverage so I think the company I skate for thinks this is a good time to turn me pro. Professional is such a stupid word. Pro, pro, pro, you’re such a pro. It feels weird when people come up to me and say congrats on turning pro.

Do you feel you will always be apart of the skateboarding community even after you can’t physically do it any more?

As long as anyone skates they will be apart of skateboarding. That goes for a person that just started skating, and can only push around, to an older, elderly, person that has only pushed around his or her entire life. Pro, Am, flow, it doesn’t matter. If you skate you’re always a part of the skate community. I’ll push around until the clock stops ticking… Feel me?

What are some of your favorite places you have traveled to ‘cause of skating?

Anywhere and everywhere outside of the area I grew up.

How do you feel about the current state of skateboarding?

Love, hate, smiles, cry and laugh.

Do you feel skateboarding has grown in the right direction in the last few years, or taken steps back?

I feel you. Is there anyone you’d like to shout-out?

Yes, of course. But I’m goin’ to tell them face-to-face because they don’t read skateboarding magazines. They don’t skateboard.

Any lasting words of wisdom?

Pimp or be pimped.

visit www.80hdskateco.com/find to locate a pharmacy near you #KeepingYouPrescribed Since 2012

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Sean Cronan

PHOTO

IN CENTIVES Brandon Westgate [hardflip]

Ricardo Napoli

Carlos Lqui [switch frontside flip]

Laim Annis

Dillon Buss [kickflip]

Sean Cronan

Kevin Tierney [back lip front 180 out]

Matt Bullinger [gap to crook]

Bryan O’Neill

JOEY PEPPER

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