Text & Pics Martin Ellis & Friends
Saffy Build Antwerp Fdr Stockholm
NiceBoys pull-out edition (don’t get too excited)
Essex & Beyond
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contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Saffy Antwerp Ditch botley nice boys FDR Geneva death Stockholm
Welcome to Issue 1 of Cruel Mistress. This zine was inspired by those already made by guys like Zach Connolly (Dropout), Dietsches (OMSA) & Wez Lundry (Pooldust). The idea is to keep some sort of record of what’s going on in Essex, London, UK area. I’m lucky enough to also get to travel abroad a bit, so those trips will also be included. This issue covers a couple of years really. One of the main reasons for making it in the first place was to get the story of the Dreamland build of Oneminet Park (Saffron Walden) documented. The pics I took while helping out with the build are in here. The Nice Boys are a bunch of scum-bags from the Colchester area. If you want to send any stuff for the next issue, please email it to me at cruelmistressskatezine@live.co.uk
2 Cover photo – King Rat Olly Death Sesh Saffy
Saffy - Dreamland Saffron Walden Park build, Essex, march – June 2007
The first time I saw these guys was when the place had been dug out, the rumours / myth that Dreamland were coming to Essex were so long running as to be laughable. Yep they were here. Met with Mark Scott, he wasn’t too impressed by my lame questions. 3
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Anyhow, the build went at hell of a pace, we had superb weather for May & apart from the slow delivery of mud, everyone was pretty happy. Peter Gunn BSRnR
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Chugga Chugga
On weekends we got to play. The bowls were full of stones whenever work was underway, if I asked “can we skate today” I was told “yeah – if you sweep out the bowls” – my pleasure. Brett with a legendary FSG in the clamshell bit of the middle bowl.
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Testing of the obstacles is obviously essential.
4x2
Rain does not stop the construction. Whenever it rained (and it rained a lot less than usual) the tents were put up & work carried on. In Oregon it rains just as much as here. 6
Team work, framed by the tent frame
Tavita & Billy, Loading-Bay Block. The stencilling on 7 Tavita’s hoody is just awesome.
Peter Gunn in Essex. Check out Peter’s footage in the Why Wouldn’t You DVD if you get the chance. His sections are with Mark Scott’s
8 Manhole cover by pool
This guy was really classy; we had waited ages for the Coping to come from Sun Valley. Anyhow, he says ‘why have you got Americans over here doing this work, surely English people can do this?’
Sun Valley, Penrose Coping
Rainy day with Stencil 9
Brett, ready to go home.
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The PlanB visit was a last minute thing & Danny, Colin & the boys came here at the end of a quick Europe tour, with all of them pretty beat up or waiting for surgery. 10
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Jack took a whack to the head at the demo, said it was the Indys I lent him. OK we were all pretty star struck to have Danny Way here.
One last thrash of the Destruction Derby cars, 11
Antwerp
Work of art Cradle Made 2 trips to Antwerp now, ‘07 was when Team Pain were finishing off. Got an invite to stay & it was awesome. The pipes are also out of this world. It’s no-brainer you have to visit this park. By Asia Dok.
Brett is my friend, he switched from Dreamland to Team Pain so I got the invite.
Lars (Volunteer) 12 building the pyramid & Larsipan
Pipe transfers in Antwerp. 2 pics of the same gap from opposite sides. Roadie’s one is way better than mine.
Jan by Roadie The second trip was ‘08 with the Nice Boys – I think they enjoyed it.
Blue Tile Some say pipes are boring & there isn’t any point in skating them. I disagree.
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Ditch (Woodbridge)
This is a ditch worth visiting if you are on the way to Gt Yarmouth one day, it is just past Ipswich on the A12. Look out for the telephone box with stickers in the Ipswich bound lay-by. As you can see we keep cleaning it out, the plan is to be able to skate the whole 200m of it.
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I don’t know what Olly is trying here, gives an idea of the scale of the ditch (he’s about 4 feet tall), not massive & pretty rough. Bring big wheels [60mm Dropouts recommended]. Oh yeah, bring a broom too, it usually needs the stones & dead rabbits sweeping up.
www.myspace.com/essexniceboys www.youtube.com/niceboysbkateteam
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botley
Well it is smaller than you’d expect, but the coping is real nice
Death
Yeah the drain was blocked when I went & it was raining. Maybe will be able to skate it next time. 16
A bunch of friends who will do anything to have fun and a laugh. Skating drinking and travelling cheap as fuck. Havin a nice time n that! Over the last two years we’ve been travelling over the U.K and Europe skating. Were filming for a video which might be finished one day.
“He's a snake looks like Corey Duffel and is the second arse hole of British skateboarding (1st Martin Herrick).” - Chin
Corey Duffel 17
Complete cunt! Looks like a rat, tight bastard. Has the ability to do a few skateboard tricks when he’s not moaning about how something hurts. If your in a good mood he’ll soon fix that, the most irritating bastard but the only other person up for doing something stupid for a cheap thrill. - Curly Manic depressive, he’s not happy till your unhappy, Cant take him anywhere without feeling like your gonna get a kickin. has an inability to think about what he says, is unable to make new friends so he has to put up with the ones he has, and we put up with him cos he has a car! Nah he's the man. Actually enjoys skateboarding the smallest pieces of shit but will complain about the lack of kfc’s all day. - himself
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Curly is a wafter! But when large takes over he occasionally skates. When he's not too busy doing nose picks he's playing mega drive. A pikey bastard indeed!
- Olly
Broom stick cupboard on a skateboard is a smelly vegetarian. Don’t think he’s realised he has kneecaps yet. To be fair all his tricks have shit loads of style points… just a shame there all fuckin minus. He has a hell of a lot of tricks there just fuckin well hidden. Too big and takes up too much room in the car. Enjoys going clubbing with the older woman…
- MERLIN
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Tim Johnson - Bacon Team rider – NORD Bowl Stockholm. Photo Dave Ostlund Donated to Cruel Mistress (along with the logo here & on cover) by Dave Ostlund. Check out his website at www.vert.nu (Vert Now). 20 There are loads of photos there & news on things going on in Scandinavia.
FDR Visit
People say I’m lucky with my job, that I get to travel; they’re correct. FDR, built by skaters, bikes aint welcome.
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It’s worth visiting just for the graffiti, I particularly liked Obama Yo Mama – jokes on you now. There was a funny incident when I was there – these two young guys turn up to have a look around. A gnarly looking skater shouts out from the top of the bowl, “surfs up dudes, where’s your boards – get lost there’s no surfers welcome here”. Made me laugh.
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Oh yeah, there is also LOVE park in Philly, great steps & a really nice atmosphere. Walking about Philly was fine, except when I went to the Toolbox private bowl & couldn’t get in. To say it is in the ghetto is nowhere near. I was so glad to make it back to the safety of FDR that day, really.
Even the Manhole covers are made by Indy, only joking. 23
Geneva
Hippy Jump?
Steps by the Reformation Wall Memorial in the Parc Des Bastions
There is only one miniramp I could find in Geneva, but the whole town is on 2 hills going down to the lake. The pavements are smooth & there are steps everywhere. If you are doing a Snowboarding trip & going through Geneva, it’s worth a stop off. The miniramp is next to the Rlwy Stn at Ave De la Gare de Eaux Vives. It’s metal so take a towel if its early morning, was damp both visits.
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Botley death
Zarosh & Patrick Melcher visited Saffy one evening, this summer. To see Zarosh jumping into the bowl in the dark was an eye opener.
Nick - Saffy 25
Wanna guess what Horsey is doing tonight? Yep u got it.
Can you spot Richie? Harlow (Essex) also has a nice new concrete park now. 26
Death Skateboards riders are often found in Essex, if they aren’t at Harlow or Saffy, try Harrow. Anyhow Cruel Mistress recommends Death stuff. Trawler at Saffy. Hope the leg is better soon.
Zarosh Pool Deck
The Simparch Bowl & Pipe are amazing, surely 27 a European Destination now. Cheers to Matt Sefton for the pic
Stockholm
Dave Ostlund – Vert.nu
Me by Dave in Fryshuset mellow bowl
Stockholm has a lot to offer, make sure you get in touch with someone who can show you around if its wet though. There are 3 indoor spots I know of; There’s The Fryshuset Park in Martensdalsgatan (Gullmarsplan Rlwy Stn) its got a new Poolbowl with concrete coping & the vert ramp. There’s the indoor park in the block of flats & there is the Nord Bowl, near to the Stockholmmassan in Alvsjo, it is in a large tent in a lorry yard.
This pic is from Giftorm Swedish skate mag, taken by Dave. Jean Louis can really skate 28
Prius Taxis are comin’
These ramps are both in the Humlegarden park (behind Library) in town, the new one has just opened. Watch out for the holes in the old one (I didn’t & made a tit of myself slamming in front of some hipsters). The Jersey Barrier next to the new mini is a hell of a lot of fun, gonna get one of these for our new Colchester park next year. Got to say a massive thanks to Dave Ostlund for all the ace skate pics he takes & for taking me to the fantastic indoor bowls.
Older miniramp in Library Park – with 29 holes
Dropout Wheels are great.
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Meanwhile 2 under the A40 got a facelift this year, the space behind the halfpipes was filled in with concrete, it has been made a lot more fun with street stuff & the new gaps for transfers are pretty big. The traffic is pretty much snails pace weekday mornings.
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Stockholm signage at Fryshuset park
There have been a few famous visitors this year; it was great to meet Jeff Grosso.
I’m really fond of stencils, this one was in Munster.
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From Portland Oregon comes M&M skateboards, the new excellent DVD, Why Wouldn’t You gives a pretty good idea of what’s what skate-wise over there.
33 Ramp City, Simparch (Art) Bowl & Pipe. Visit Big Woodys
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Without MAS, Carl & Woody things might get pretty boring. Especially UP NORTH
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Next issue
(when I get round to it)
Undercover Spot in need of modification. More Skating in Germany Photo Michael The park is open 8am to 10pm – located in Peaslands Rd, on jn with Thaxted Rd, behind Lord Butler Leisure Centre. CB11 3EG Lights are on until 10pm every night. Website www.oneminetpark.co.uk There is a Drinking-water tap on the side of the brick shed by the top bowl. You might need to bring a broom to sweep out before you skate.
36 cruelmistressskatezine@live.co.uk http://www.myspace.com/cruelmistressskatezine