Session Magazine - Issue 51

pOSTEERR free pOST movie sessio ely - the sess ie + FREE unlik DVD!! unli frEE DVD ionn mov kely

SOUTH AFRICA: R34.95 OTHER COUNTRIES: R 3 0 . 0 4

The Long-a

waited Sessi

on Video

2012

I SSUE 51 | su m m e r 2 0 1 2

PLUS: GiveAWAYS!; Chinner’s Pike Dream; The Art of Skateboard Photography; Wild in The Parks; Kev Love grows an arm; The Long and Short of it; Reviews; Reader’s Photos; Bizness and more unlikely skateboard banter.

WWW.SE SSI O N M A G .C O. Z A * May contain material offensive to some readers.

TOMSCHAAR | STALEFISH | BLABAC PHOTO

INTRODUCING THE DC YOUTH DIVISION DCSHOES.COM/SKATEBOARDING

SHANE O’NEILL

THE NEW TEAM EDITION 2. AVAILABLE NOW. NIKESKATEBOARDING.COM

Contents Issue 51 10 - Shortcuts 12 - Mailbag & Winners 13 - Bizness 14 - Shindigs 16 - Local Produce 18 - Walking The Cow 22 - Volcom Home 32 - Unlikely - The Session Movie 38 - JP Du Preez 48 - Young Guns 2012 58 - Dlamini Dlamini Ketchup 64 - Closet Envy 666 - Tattanalogy 67 - Decadence 68 - Stick Tips 70 - Inappropriate Reviews 72 - Rainy Days 74 - Have an Adrian Day

editor’s note

AD Henderson

It’s difficult to sit here, at the end of a rollercoaster of a year and say, ‘Yeah, this year has been good.’

Long Days

Yann Horowitz dyed his hair to match these hydrants.

Double 19 Ollie in Durban.

Pleasant Nights.

Holiday time… That decline of work; those extra-long, extra-hot sessions; that holiday buzz; the open road; that blank space in a 12 block calendar.

It’s difficult to sit here, at the end of a rollercoaster of a year and say, ‘Yeah, this year has been good.’ How the hell do you gauge that? Granted it is subjective to the individual, but in terms of skateboarding... Have we had a good year?

Watch Unlikely, look at what Dlamini is throwing down; check out our Young Guns article; consider a sponsorship of 11 years; consider Moses placing 15th in Manny Mania; think about the fact that Yann was on Converse Europe and that Sam Clark is shooting for Kingpin and other European It’s been one hell of a year for us. Shit, for Considering we are saying goodbye to mags... All these things are but a small everyone I think. It’s had a feeling about it... a true son and legend of South African 2012. Most probably attributed to the various skateboarding, it’s hard to say that we have. reflection of what SA skateboarders are theories relating to this specific year being 2012 will always be remembered with JP Du capable of. And it’s in this light we would the ever-foretold ‘end of days’. Nonetheless, Preez in mind, but all would agree, he would want to close off 2012 - in celebration of in skateboarding at least, it certainly has have not wanted his passing to overshadow what we, as skateboarders, are doing with our lives... How we are progressing. been momentous. the positivity and fresh energy that our culture acquired this year.

waste on not enjoying life, is a second we’ll later want back.

So to sign off this year, I’d leave you with that sentiment - the sentiment I’ve begun to wake up to every day...

Do shit. Live free. Die Happy.

Hope we see you next year.

AD

L O C A T I O N / B O L I V I A

Time is constantly ticking. Every second we

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Post letters to PO Box 2591, Somerset West, 7129.

Contributing Photographers Andre Visser, Jonathan Pinkhard, Clinton Theron, Alan Marola, Jansen van Staden, Leon Bester, Dewald Bruwer, Darren Jacoby, Werner Lamprecht, Luke Patterson, Ryan Janssens, Grant Mclachlan, Veronica

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Writers Adrian Day, Luke Jackson, Brett Shaw, AD Henderson, Darren Jacoby, Mark Donaldson, Ruan Scott, Loucas Polydorou.

10 | shortcuts

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Session Skateboarding Magazine is published independantly 6 times a year by Schyf Media cc. Session will welcome all letters, e-mails and photos. We will review the contribution and assess whether or not it can be used as print or online content. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the magazine, it’s owners or it’s management. Session Skateboarding Magazine is the copyright of Session Magazine cc. Any duplication of this magazine, for any media or sale activity, will result in legal action and chestslap from the bakersman himself.

T H E

B A L A N C E

R V C A . C O M

O F

O P P O S I T E S

Gio clears some pavement into a bank for AV17.

Hand-Crafted

Reader’s letters Double Whammy

I am also complaining about the swearing in the magazines and if you could please limit it because young kids read the magazine and results in a bad influence.

Jadon Hansen

Dear Session I’ve entered your Snail Mail Competition with two drawings drawn by my hand for the competition.

I have already paid for a monthly subscription, and have received my first issue this month. Well fine then, you can just keep your

one to send so here are both of them.

Yours sincerly James Pitout Nice one James, you’re our winner.

subscription. - Ed

Got to say, the ass-shot and rocket flip did leave us a little sad... Although, if you imagine hard enough, that could be the catch on an airwalk...

better late than never

Either way, enjoy the mags and the limited edition 10 Year Session Tshirt James!

What’s up Session Mag. As soon as I saw the Bizness page and picked up on your request for the mailbag, I got a paper and started drawing something.

I came up with the first page (shown) but then it really got my creative juces (sic) flowing. I made another one. I couldn’t decide which

- Ed

next issues mailbag competition: Draw your favourite picture from a previous Session. Best drawing we receive wins a subscription and a Surprise Session Gift.

get 6 Issues of iSession t e d E d i t ion PLUS a Lim

r T-SHIRT Ten Yea f o r only all

R200 mandelas Winners of the DAkine Backpack.

call on that homie again. And Pretty Sweet was just the other day!). Wandile Msomi has officially moved on from DC, as well as Skullcandy. He’s been Instagramming some flow adidas kicks from his long time Funisu homie Piet Retief, so who knows where that will lead. Wan and some SSS homies road tripped down to Kimberley to judge a Maloof contest and visit Chinner. Check Funisu online for the footage.

The revamped Revolution warehouse should be ready for action by the end of the year, so their cheap sales are definitely going to get bigger. Nixon and PlanB have launched their Soundclash Project. A limited edition collaboration of sleekness, which is only available at Baseline on Long Street, Swindle. co.za, RVCA Canal Walk and RVCA Gateway.

47Brand have arrived with their range of top notch snapbacks – we’ve got 2 to give away this issue.

The Boardhouse is a surf/skate/bar/ in Tableview that recently opened Yann Horowits’ hair is yellow. restaurant a small skate-space next to their bar. They’re Rumour has it he’s evading more of a restaurant so under-ages are to skate in the morning, leaving the authorities after his one-song- allowed older guys to suip and skate after hours. band, Faces of Meth, sang about In other park news, the new park in Port is under-construction and reports preferring Jim Beam – down by Elizabeth are drizzling in that it’s going to be well worth a the river – over Jack Daniels. visit. Knysna also apparently have a new park being built called the Yard.

Black-suited drunks were alerted after the DC REELedit in which the song was used created Giovanni Votano has the Close Up in AV17 this summer, which features a Debut with a face-melting epidemic.

Adam Woolf, the Quiksilver Backyard Speaking of the REELedit, Morck and his crew of Judges have announced the top ten.

Keep an eye out on their Facebook page for the winners announcement. Also, Danny Way’s Waiting For Lightning will be available for download on the US iTunes soon (Time to

Firstly, this holiday you will learn airwalks in tribute to the passing of our brother JP Du Preez. His legacy will live on in dedication to the carefree, sheer enjoyment that these plank’s offer us. JP’s old team-mate Moses Adams has been added to the PlanB team after parting ways with KFD. It’s anyone’s guess who’ll be added to the team but now that they have only one rider there’s sure to be team selections being made as we speak. Justus Kotze will be managing the team riding Your Mom… That’s right. They’re going to bend her ov… oh shit, what. It’s a wheel company…?

Speaking of cyclic, spinning things...

Jacques Mare.

Frontside shuvit.

Thrashers.

R90 for 3 issues / R150 for 6 issues

PH. Phillip Botha

Burnout, a Weekend with Jimmy Wong, Maloof 2012, a Plankie focus and The Vans Thumbs Up Tour. It’s sure to be a banger!

Baseline has a new drop of Real, Spitfire, Anti Hero, Venture and Krooked hardgoods and apparel. It’s moving fast so don’t sleep! shop.baselinestudio.co.za – free delivery

THERON

Send your letters to: The Session Snail PO Box 2591, Somerest West, 7129

anywhere in SA! Clarkes / The Pit have a host of specials going on and will be playing host to the Session Video premiere as this mag hits shelves.

In Plankie news, they have no more boards for Alan to break. New ones should be in soon.

LEFT HAND SALUTE! We would like to congratulate VansSA on running thier first local advert, with the newset memebr of the team, Joubert van Staden. And for hosting the Bones Brigade documentary screenings around the country, Vans Team rider and all around shredder Mr Dallas Oberholzer and Charl Jensel were out in Barcelona recently for a Laureus conference.

The got to session some of the beautiful marble of the city at nights, and Charl came back with a renewed vengeance to teach and inspire skateboarders of SA. The Element team just don’t sit still and are on another trip as you read this.

Look out for the article next issue. They reportedly have a special guest…?

Apparently JJ Harris is moving to Cape Town. God help us all. Plankie Northern Sales Manager Nico van der Werf and his lovely wife have had their first child. Congrats! Also, congratulations must go to Loucas Polydorou and his lady Sarah from WESC SA on their engagement.... Good luck Sarah.

In Session news, the video is done and you should have watched it already. The trailer was launched on our website which will evolve into the new site over December. Our product line of classic tees, hats and 10 Year Cover Tshirt will be available in December from Baseline’s online store as well as skate outlets nationwide. Subscribers get preference so get on it!

We also have a super secret Session family announcement to make next issue.

So be prepared...

Now go have a mad skate-holiday crackers!

SS

To subscribe, visit:

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12 | Mailbag

Winner of the noongun FTW Tshirt giveaway.

Tiro Setsetse A: Since 1806.

Selfish and technique board giveaway

Tell us who owns Selfish?

Or name the Technique SA team?

Either way you might win a board.

Send you entries to info@sessionmag.co.za

Will Craig Leak and Leon Bester’s planned Hooters after-party become a reality after winning the REELedit contest?

Is Simon Stipcich going to get some photos now? Or pursue a career in figure-skating videos? Will Piet Retief kill someone from being off a board for so long? Is Luke Jackson supporting long-boarding by only shooting photos of pushing? Are the Element team actually homeless? Will the London skaters ever send us photos of themselves? Was that Sam Clark in Willow’s recent online video? Has the skateboarder vs longboarder debate gone too far… Will there be a showdown? Find out in the next episode of Green Days… wait, what the hell is Green Days?

events happenings

@ Revolution Festival Mall

62 beginners, 72 AMS & 22 SA PROs. Free Entry; Free food; Free Red Bulls; Music; A 1000 square meter park packed full of skateboarders, kids, parents and onlookers...

How could it NOT be wild?

A little less than half the total outcome arrived before the doors Simon Stipcich, even opened. It was chaos, but the good kind where you know Anthony de the day’s going to be filled with good skateboarding.

Mendonca, Kyfie Kruger, Brendan The contest was broken down into 2 sections for the groups Dyamond and and divided into 10 man heats. This meant it was easier to Braxton Haine in monitor the skaters; there was no pressure on the kids so that action won’t be they could have a good time, and there was more than enough easily forgotten. space for all the riders to get their tricks in and mostly get past Not to mention each other. Yet still, there were a lot of homies who just kept that Dlamini their heads down and ended up crashing into one another, or Dlamini brought pulling a taxi drivers’ move cutting someone else off. But all- smiles to almost in-all it was a good sign for our country’s skateboarding as the every kid who amount of young kids who participated was astounding. skated under15 when he walked in.

The Am division kicked off and the guys who stuck out were: We had Maanda and Jean-Marc on the mic, and the practice Trae Rice, with huge FS ollies in the quarter and just the most session produced some decent tricks with even better tricks speed out of all of the Ams; Sketchy had the craziest combos being put down in the contest. I don’t even know where to putting him in the 1st place spot; Peace’s Nollieflip Noseslid start!? Matt’s clean Tail 270’s and Tail Bigspins on the upthe hubba to take second; Jeandre Bester chilled with some ledge, plus a 180 SW Smith down the hubba; Alan’s steezy BS BS and FS Blunts and Ofentse Nollieheel Lipslid the adidas Blunts down the hubbas, gap over the box to Tail on the downrail to take third… They all had their heads in the game and ledge and huge BS 360 Kickflips over the hip; JM’s Flip Melons skated super hard. over the box every try and BS Board flip out; Brendan Jack’s The Pro division was what everyone was waiting for and officially kicked off at 3pm. A surprise appearance from the whole Volcom team got kids hyped! Seeing the likes of Alan Marola, Jean-Marc Johannes and Matthew Henderson, as well as 14 | shindigs

WOW! Switch FS Feeble the handrail, Flip Crooks, Flip FS Smiths, SW Bigheel the stairs and to finish it off Hardflip BS Lipslide Fakie on the handrail… Everyone went bat-shit crazy and soon after that, he almost got Varial heel BS lip. EPIC!

At the end of the mayhem, Dlamini took first and best trick, with Simon in second, Alan in third, Anthony in fourth and Jean-Marc in fifth. Much thanks to Revolution, Red Bull, Volcom, Skullcandy and all the skaters and supporters that showed up to witness BS Hurricanes; Braxton’s BS Noseblunt and BS Overcrook some truly great South African skateboarding. on the handrail; Anthony’s Flip Noseslide on the big hubba, 5050 up the hubbas and FS Crooked the whole big manny Be sure to catch the next Wild in the Park’s contest pad (4 meters!); Simon’s Tre Noseslides, Nollie Bigflip on the next year. There ain’t nothing tame about it! hip,T the box to 50 50 down the hubba; and then Dlamini… SS

proudly Presented by

Mike’s nickname is Chinner. His Instagram name is @pikedreamz. ‘Pike’ meaning transition and ‘dreamz’… well, I guess because he’s living one. He gets paid to live and skate in another country.

Chinner is one hell of a Pike shredder too. We skated together at the Vans Pit Party earlier this year.

He saved my ass. I fell around repeatedly, too drunk and high on antibiotics to skate. Since then, Chinner has become one of my favourite skateboarders in South Africa.

Even if he is a Yank.

You’re originally from Ohio? Is that where your ‘Pike Dream’ started?

Yeah, I was born and raised in a small city in Ohio called Youngstown. It sucked for skating so we’d usually drive an hour to Akron or Cleveland to skate street if we really wanted to make anything happen. As far as the whole pike thing goes - I always thought it was funny how older people who saw skateboarding on TV would refer to a vert ramp as a “half-pike”. So I just merged it with the expression “pipe dream” - a hope that will never come true. I had no initial meaning behind it; I just thought the name worked. It’s pretty much just an inside joke and a catch phrase like ‘Shake Junt’ or something like that. But it’s really about just skating mini ramps, blasting some tunes and enjoying some sodas with the homies - mainly just a bunch of slackers that kill ramps. It really reflects the DIY ramp scene in Northeast Ohio.

I’ve had several stickers made and also want to make T-shirts with goofy designs. Check out www. pikedreamz.tublr.com for more insight on the pike life. Oh, and that night at Clarke’s was pretty much pike life personified.

16 | local Produce

become the Park Manager here?

I used to work for Sole Tech helping with the ‘eS (RIP) Game of Skate Tour each summer touring the US. The Pro Game of Skate finals were at the first MMC in Orange County in ’08 where I also helped judge and do whatever they needed. I kept in touch and also traveled to work at the events in Orange County, NYC and DC doing photo and video blogging during the contest. Mark Waters organized me an event management internship in which I needed to graduate. I spent my internship here at the skatepark where I did online assignments and earned school credit to manage the Maloof Plaza and host and market my events.

I was managing tre flips while my classmates were managing complaints at hotels and restaurants.

Suckers.

What did you expect skateboarding to be like in South Africa?

Man, I honestly had no initial thoughts or expectations. I was still tripping on the thought that I would be traveling the world and living in South Africa. I didn’t do as much research as I should have but I knew there was talent in SA. I’m Were there a lot of parks and mini-ramps really stoked on Yann Horowitz, Loucas Polydorou, you’d go to as a kid? Wez Coertzen, and Wandile Msomi. I skated with We had lots of indoor James Harris out in Cape Town - his tricks are parks in Ohio. It’s cold, rainy and snowy for half the year so indoor spots are essential. My good friend Jay owned a shop and a park for a while and I spent quite a bit of time there. Most recently, before I moved out here, I was studying in a town called Kent where a few homies had keys to an art studio/gallery called studio proper! Definitely one of my favorites here, he’s the 425. There were always people grandmaster of the pike, no doubt. Kanya Spani is in there working on art projects or playing music, and in the back really good too. Lot’s of rippers here. I was really stoked on JP as well. He was a nice dude and had there’s the bowl, which is pretty such a rad, loose style. Rest in peace, man. much now known as “The Pike.”

There weren’t many street spots What’s the most African experience you’ve had out there and because of school since you arrived here? and work, the time I had to go on I looked out my window the other day and saw a street missions was pretty scarce. giraffe! Damn, son!

Lots of mini ramp skating was How has it been learning about the industry a result of that combined with and history of SA skating? How does it taking it easy due to an ankle compare? injury I battled for the past year I was reading the 50th issue and it felt like I’ve or so. been living here for 10 years. I’ve met many of Did you study and hold down a the people from that article and hearing what they 9 – 5 at all? had to say about the scene and the progression I studied Hospitality Management of skateboarding and how they made it work with at Kent State University and held such limited resources was inspiring. It seems like down 2 part-time catering jobs skateboarding’s come such a long way in such a while I was studying. I think the short amount of time here and its rad to witness it decision to go to college was first-hand. It’s only going to grow faster. I love the more of a reaction to an internal industry here because everyone is so tight with pressure to be “qualified on each other. It’s like a big family and it was definitely paper”. It was more of a back up evident in that issue. Session does a great job of plan because I always knew that representing skateboarding in the country.

I’d fall into the skate industry. I don’t see myself behind the front What are your responsibilities as Park desk of a hotel though. Skating’s Manager?

I have to develop monthly schedules of contests it for me. I guess things are and other events for the kids to help push the working for now. progression of skaters in Kimberley. I document How did you get involved with what’s going on on a daily basis and post photos, the Maloof, and how did you videos, and other content on the Maloof website

along with Facebook and Twitter. I also help out Northern Cape Tourism to organize and host other activations around the Northern Cape. I helped Wandile and Gavin from Boogaloos with a few stops on the Skate for Hope tour, which eventually led me to meeting you in Cape Town. It’s been a good ride so far. I’m also really dedicated to correcting the mongo crisis in Kimberley.

The local events have become a regular there.

You must have seen a lot of progression. Who have been the stand outs?

Man, it’s been unreal how fast these kids have been progressing over the 6 months that I’ve been here. The Kimberley scene is coming up, for sure.

I know I’m leaving lots of people out here but I really wanted to mention Brad Balie. He is only 11 years old and has been skating for about a year. He has the raddest tricks and goes big with plenty of speed and without fear. He tweaks ollies down the big 4 like grown men could only dream of. You’ll be seeing more of him. There’s another kid Brendan Molena that comes from the township to borrow a skateboard every day. He’s only been skating for 2 months and he’s already been blowing minds.

Warrick Delport is another ripper that has been holding it down here since day one and he also helps manage the skatepark. Can somebody give him some boards? He’s a huge influence on the Kimberley skate scene, Warrick kills it. There’s lots of emerging talent here, it’s sick to be a part of it.

Are the cash rewards becoming big motivators for the kids?

We normally do product prizes or cash vouchers but they are definitely motivators. I think even if we held the contests with no prizes they’d still rip just for the hell of it.

How has the community received you in Kimberley? Are you becoming well known around there?

I’m the tall white American. I stick out like a sore thumb. “Mr. Mike” is being received quite well at the local Nando’s (sponsor me).

What sort of times do you ‘work’?

I’m at the skatepark everyday from around 1 to 7. Weekends I’m there a little earlier, but we also put the lights on and get some fun night sessions going. Once the day is over I’m almost always working on something. Editing video, posting content, or helping with random things such as this interview.

Where are you staying and what do you get up to after hours?

I stay at a guest house at the Big Hole, right by the skatepark. I even walk there sometimes it’s so close. After hours I’ll get a solid meal and do whatever work I have to do and then I’ll just lurk youtube or watch Breaking Bad. Maybe skype with some friends back home. Sometimes I’ll go out and shoot some pool at the Half with some homies or check out Protea Life. I keep it super low-profile here in Kimberley.

What plans do you have for the holidays?

I’m going back to the states for a couple weeks to see friends and family. The studio 425 ramp is in the process of getting rebuilt so I’d like to try to get together an event with a ramp jam, art/photo show and music. Hopefully that goes down. I’m also going to Tri Star to stock up on 8.75 Anti Hero decks and some Spitfires. They’re hard to come by here!

SS

ponzone

So how do you get to shoot with one of the top dogs? (Look at issue 50 to see who they are) I guess it’s part of the process. When you start to get good, people will notice. And if you’re riding the right stuff, have a good attitude and are doing your own thing, the wheel will start to turn. The exact same way good sponsorships work. You can’t force this kind of thing even if your Granny told you you’re going to be the next Sheckler. You’ll meet the right people and they will introduce you to the best guys.

This is a tight knit community but we’re all looking out for each other, so if you try to back-door the process everyone one will know and you’ll be pegged as a looser.

You also have to be a banker, because if you never land anything photographers will lose interest in you because skate tricks need to be landed legit. Un-landed tricks

don’t get run, plus there are a thousand make your first album and one year to other dudes who are just as hungry to get make the second so make sure you’re a photo in the mag. ready. Because when you’re up you don’t want to be a one trick stallion.

There’s also no excuse if you live in a onehorse town, you just need to psyche your It’s not all glamorous either. Skating at buddy up to start shooting bomber photos. 5am to miss the traffic; last goes in the Skateboarding always embraces the D.I.Y rain; broken bones, boards and egos; attitude. Fresh faces, spots and tricks are photographers lying down in piss infected always rad. It will take time before you start gutters; concerned citizens; cracks and to get it right. cops, but to capture a moment forever is killer.

When your time does come you need to have the tricks and the spots. Not some So next time you page through SESSION blown out spot/trick that every living and take a minute to think about the fact that breathing soul south of the equator has every single photo has a background done. We all look at everything through story. The drive there, who was riding different eyes, it’s just a matter of not that day, what you had for lunch, how being lazy. Stop your car or get out the taxi. many times you got kicked out, batteries Just go stand there and touch, smell and going flat, flashes being broken… And lick it because stuff looks really different then on the ride home you all just think when you drive past at 80km an hour. to yourselves, ‘Hell yeah that was the Roam the streets, explore back alleys, look best time ever.’ – because that’s why over backyard walls, google earth drainage we all ride. We want to have the best ditches or even concrete stuff up. All that time of our life… Again. will make you a better skater without you even realising it. You get your whole life to SS

Wallie Feeble on some tight tranny in KZN.

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“...broken bones, boards and egos; photographers lying down in piss infected gutters...“

Danny Way

nixon.com DEALER ENQUIRES: 042 200 2665

18 | Walking the cow

lem

villemin

frontside alley-oop seeley

www.adidas.com/skateboarding

Š 2012 adidas america, inc. adidas, the trefoil logo and the 3-stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas group.

LAMPRECHT

bruwer

Home Then they kind of died…

The advertising stopped, the team weren’t hearing back from anyone. Many left or began pursuing

22 | volcom home set in stone

other options. For whatever reason, The Stone lost its grip on its skate program.

Until now.

With the re-sign of Alan Marola; JeanMarc’s rising level of technicality showcased in Unlikely; the addition of two of SA’s most underground skateboarders, Skippy (Plankie) and Matt Henderson (AV14 Debutant); as well as the successful continuation of their Wild In The Parks event at Festival Mall recently, it’s clear that Volcom is back.

And that is well and truly, Set in Stone.

visser

olcom South Africa have been around skateboarding a long time. The very first Session inside-spread featured Gavin Morgan kickflipping a Jozi bin for The Stone. They supported an array of other SA names such as Lloyd Hodoul, Filly Alves, Simon Stipcich, Clint van der Schyf, Rob du Rand, Lucio Diblasio, Moses, Marola… With a strong team and a reputation for hosting the kinds of events even haters could not help but enjoy, the brand was the epitome of an international brand doing it right on SA shores.

mclachlan

V

Set in Stone

volcom home set in stone | 23

No one in skateboarding should need to be introduced to you. Do you still introduce yourself to other skaters?

Well, let me put it this way; I still introduce myself, it all depends on where I am.

Isn’t it awkward when people know you without you knowing them?

Not really, but it can be sometimes, when I’m somewhere I haven’t been before.

Does the fame aspect bother you?

Not at all, I’m skating for myself and that’s why I love it so much.

When did you first get on Volcom? How’d it happen?

Yay back when... I was 16 at the time, and Volcom had a Volcom Free Day at 1610 skatepark (John’s park) in Stikland. I was planning on staying at home that day, but all my friends said I must come with and so I did.

What a good choice that was. Ian Loubser (Volcom team manager) came to me after the whole event and asked me if I wanted to come up to Durban for the Winterslam contest at the beach front park. Hells yea...

(At the time I was skating for Jamie on Dope and for Boogaloos) so a long story short Ian asked me if I wanted to skate for Volcom, and at first I was like I don’t know… So he gave me some product, and I think that is where my mind changed. I went back to Cape Town sponsored by Volcom the happiest kid ever.

11 years later, still representing Volcom.

Who were your team-mates?

Lloyd, Lucio, Rob Du Rand, Clint, Loucas, Hennie Classen, fuck I can’t remember all of them…

Do you remember your first team mission? Tour or contest or whatever.

There have been so many of them and all were great. The first one was a round tour,

24 | volcom home set in stone

“Does the fame aspect bother you?

Not at all, I’m skating for myself and that’s why I love it so much.” volcom home set in stone | 25

skating demos wherever we ended up: skate parks, parking lots...

What was the raddest Volcom event you’ve been at?

Canal walk best trick contest. The one where I BS Noseblunted the big down box.

Did you quit Volcom? What happened from your side?

I didn’t quit I just hadn’t heard anything from them, so I assumed that I was off the team.

How did you end up back on The Stone?

Volcom’s new team manager gave me a call and asked if I would still skate for them… and why not?

How was the first team trip up to WITP? You had a late night before apparently…

I think it was pretty fucking awesome, next time we must just stay a little longer and get some street skating done too. The late night before we don’t talk about.

“Keep your mind on what you want to put down and not on who you going to put it down on.”

26 | volcom home set in stone

clark

S

o Volcom’s your first sponsor.

How’d that happen?

A few weeks after AV14 came out, Jono Channing from Volcom called me up.

Basically told me they were re-doing their skate team and would like me to be a part of it. I was stoked.

Did you have any other offers after your Debut part in AV14?

Haha no.

What do you remember about Volcom from when you were younger? Have you always liked the brand?

While I was growing up, I remember Volcom having the coolest and weirdest ads in skate mags. Their ads always stood out to me compared to other brands mainly because of how strange they were. Plus Dollin and Rowley rode for them so I couldn’t help but like the brand.

What Volcom product have you had over the years?

Over the years I have had countless Volcom shirts but my Volcom Chicago DVD was, and still is, one of my best buys. Dig that vid, plus love watching the ‘lil SA bit with Mosey in it As a creative, you’ve always had a crazy T-Shirt collection, is it weird only wearing one brand now that you’ve got a clothing sponsor?

Was a bit different at first but wouldn’t want to be wearing anything else!

How hard is it to get coverage while holding down a full-time job?

Difficult at times. I’m basically living from weekend to weekend at the moment but sometimes it’s really shit because when weekend does roll by then weather is just crap or the spot u want to film at is a bustMISHUN. So really got to make use of the little time I have on weekends. If I could I would just be skating every Damd day but got to pay the bills.

Tell us about your first flight…

Haha, flying for the first time up to Jozi for Volcom Wild in the parks was awesome. The view from above the clouds was so jhas. Wish I could see that view every day.

You’re usually jinxed when it comes to skate comps or events. What happened this time?

Jinxed yeah. Skated for a hour and a half getting used to the park then ended up snapping my board swizz fs biggy’n the stair set. First thoughts: Goddammit, 1 week old aargh!! I so Jinxed this shit. Remembered tuning JM on the way that I didnt bring a extra board because I never break ‘em... Fail.

I heard you focused some kid’s board?

I’m really sorry about that, still feel like a dick.

But that was the first thing in my mind as I got up from that elbow smasher.

Were you stoked with your Close Up in AV16.? It looked like you put in the hours?

Yeah, 3 x ligaments, 2 x bruised heels, many x pain.

Joubert put you on Plankie because of the Close Up didn’t he?

No, I got on Plankie before the close up. I started skating for Plankie at the Fuck the Buck contest in George. Dankie Plankie

So are you going to take it easy for a while? What are you doing to pay the bills?

Well I’m filming for the new Plankie video so no taking it easy. I have a company called Moonlights that I share with my soon to be wife Nadine and that pretty much pays my bills.

Introduce Matt Henderson from your perspective.

Mal skater... What can I say....?

Then Alan and I ended up trying to organize grip since Rev had runout that day.

You still skated the comp though? How’d that go?

Had fun skating the comp. Surprised I landed a few things without sliding on my face. Must say I really struggled to skate on that slippery ass floor but overall a good time.

I remember joking about a poster of Alan we had on the wall in our obs flat when he first came round with Sam. Was it weird at first, hanging and skating with him?

Skating alongside Alan is crazy. I remember that day Sam came back from shooting with Alan, and they came to chill at the flat. I was sitting there thinking geezis this is that crazy ass mofo who we’ve been watching kill for years since Boogs days. Alan is such a safe/ chilled guy but when he gets on a board he just kills everything in his path. He is definitely one of my favourite SA skaters.

When did you first meet Jean-Marc?

Introduce him for us.

Really if you dont know who Jean-marc is then you’ve been living under a rock for the past 3 years. JM is one of the most talented/ ambitious skaters I know in CT.I met JM for the first time quite a few years back at this o2o / Mountainview park in Claremont. Even back then I knew JM was gonna be one of those kids that was gonna rip in years to come, and look now. JM has a crazy bag of tricks which only keeps gettin bigger every time I see him skate.Dont even bother challenging him in a game of S.K.A.T.E because seriously who you kidding? Really amped to see what JM has in store for us in his Session part.

Did people know who you were?

Maybe a handful. It’s better that way.

How did you deal with the crowds?

Keep your mind on what you wana put down and not on who you gona put it down on.

Who impressed you the most at the event?

Dude there were too many guys that killed it but gotta say watching Dlamini skate that park was such a pleasure.

You’ve been on a mission to film and shoot as much as possible lately. Got any plans?

At the moment not too many plans just been trying to get as much pics and footy as I can inbetween injuries.

volcom home set in stone | 27

“...when I got there I found myself warming up on handrails with the likes of Ishod Wair and David Gravette.”

hen did you get officially get on The Stone? How did that come about?

Well, I have been involved with the brand from a young age... I think I was 18 at the time when I got on flow and everything kind of unfolded after that. I remember it was at a contest where one of the guys from Volcom saw me and asked me if I’d be keen to ride for them. I was hella amped when it happened, as Volcom was, and still is, my favourite team.

I thought you were sending them emails and shit for a while?

Ha ha, I was basically sending them my videos and stuff… just kept the guys in loop of things that were going down on my side.

Has Volcom always been a favourite brand of yours?

Always. Most of my favourite skaters are on the team. It’s quite funny how sometimes your favourite skater can change. That happens with me but every time I get into watching new videos of a skater I find out he is on Volcom! Mark Appleyard was the first in Flip ‘Sorry’. More recently it was Luan Oliveira.

You’ve skated the DamAm in Amsterdam 2 years running now. How did it affect your outlook on skateboarding?

To be honest, it changed everything for me.

From the way I skate contests to the way I see tricks. It was pretty crazy. Before I left I was getting my tricks on lock at a local park here in Cape Town, and when I got there I found myself warming up on handrails with the likes of Ishod Wair and David Gravette. I’m

28 | volcom home set in stone

really grateful for everything I learnt out there.

Did you skate much street while you were up there?

Hell yeah, locals were showing me around some spots, mostly all were no bust. We hit one of the local ghetto spots with Sewa Kroetkov to film his day in a life. I say “ghetto spots” but coming from Cape Town, they might see civic as “ghetto”.

How does a contest like that compare to say the WITP contest here?

Well in terms of the event in general there it’s not much of a difference, although Dam Am isn’t sectioned into beginner, intermediate and advanced categories. The biggest difference would probably be the level of skating. The variation of tricks is different in DamAm. It was quite hilarious to me that at Dam Am I didn’t see one kickflip or tre flip!

Guys have got crazy ways of starting off runs over there…

You were on the mic a lot at WITP. What’s the craziest thing you saw?

It was pretty awesome to be on the mic ha ha. Craziest trick I saw was probably Simon’s lofty nollie 3 shuv over the bank, also from where I was standing, when the pizza guys got to the park… It looked like a scene from Resident Evil.

Who were the standouts?

Simon, Dlamini, Anthony… man everyone stood out that day, it was insane. Also to the kid that was doing those fat nollie heel front tails down the hubba - RESPECT! I don’t know his name though…

The Session video was pretty much your first big video part. Did you feel pressure to push yourself harder than before?

Yeah man, when I heard I was going to be filming for it, it was big news to me. It’s been a dream to film a video part and I’m stoked I got the opportunity to do it. I wanted to take the more tech approach to things in my first video part, I didn’t realise how hard it was going to be until we started filming. Some of the tricks in the video I don’t think I will be able to land again. For most of the video myself and Grant would go out skating, I’d skate and if I thought of a trick or something, cool then we’d film it - spur of the moment kinda thing. Amongst everything else though, it has been a real learning experience for me.

You’ve been teased about skating too slow.

Has that affected you?

Hahaha, nah it hasn’t affected me. I got some Bones bearings and wheels at the Rev store so we sorted that one out one-time.

How do you manage all the requirements from sponsors for edits and photos?

Well basically I’m filming and shooting

constantly.

You just got to be on it!

Are you psyched on the new Volcom team?

I’m super hyped on the team man, everyone that has asked me who is on the team is amped to hear about it. I really look forward to a demo or trip with all the guys. It’s that rad feeling of where you want to be.

How is it skating with dudes that used to inspire you to skate like Alan and Skippy?

I honestly could not be more stoked to be riding with guys I looked up to my whole life.

I have so much respect for Alan and Skippy and to be on the same team as them is real inspiration.

Introduce Skippy for us from your perspective.

So, for a while I was hearing so much about this guy to point where it was actually sounding like a myth. A friend told me to check out one of his videos on Youtube. I actually asked him from what video Skippy’s part was from – I didn’t even know he was from S.A for a while. Then I saw him at a contest and found out he was the raddest dude with such a sick style of skating and a BIG bag of tricks. If anyone was inspiring the tech it was Skippy. Flip back tail bigspin flip out…? No. Rewind? Yes, yes that was a bigspin flip out! mclachlan

W

volcom home set in stone | 29

“Trek af jou broek en lag vir jou hol?”

W

hen did you first get the call about Volcom?

Well, I spoke to Joubert a while back and he mentioned that Volcom wanted to put a few new dudes on the team and that Clint was giving input about who would be good for the team. A few months later I got an email from Jono saying that they wanted to put a team together that would make Volcom stand out again. I was super amped on the idea. Jono phoned me a few weeks after that to hear if I was still keen. I was. I’ve been down with the Stone since day one. We’re going to make great things happen.

Were you looking for a sponsor at the time?

To tell you the truth, I’m never looking for a sponsor. hahahaha. I rate there are so many dudes in the country killing it at the moment and for me, to go out looking for a sponsor would seem desperate. So I was very surprised when Jono mailed me. But I’m glad I got on. I’m super stoked on the whole thing. Definitely a first time for me.

What do you like most about the brand internationally?

In the skating industry they have always had the best dudes on the team. Taking care of their riders and trying to make things happen to make the scene grow. If a company puts the effort into skateboarding they will definitely reap the benefits.

Have you got a new bed through your job at Dial-abed yet?

No way man! I’ve got this dodge 1950’s bed that’s cutting the shit out of me.

Every morning that I wake up

it looks like I just came out of a war zone! I don’t even own pajamas anymore, that shit got sliced to bits. I miss my PJ’s!

Is it frustrating trying to get skating in while holding down a 9 to 5?

It’s one of the hardest things, but it makes me appreciate it so much more. I get super amped when I can’t skate, so when I do skate, I’ll skate until my body can’t take anymore. Then I have to take like a 3 day break just to recover. I work a lot on weekends as well but I’ll always make time for the stukkie plank. Skateboarding is a part of me and who I am, and that will never change…

How’s the tattooing going?

I’m getting there. I try and do as many as possible and I’m definitely getting a lot better at it. Every time I do one it’s the same feeling as getting one and I get this craving to do more and more. I’ve got a few lined up over the next few months so I’m happy about that.

If you are in need, drop me a message!

What kind of artwork do you prefer inking on people?

I don’t really have a preferred style or any type of specific artwork. For me it’s about what the customer wants. I’ll always give input on the matter and if I have to do some custom design I’ll definitely put some of my own creative juices in there…But a tribal can only go that far. hahahaha You’ve always been into illustration.

Which artists’ inspire you?

There are a few guys that are amazing: James Jean, David Fuhrer, Derek Hess…

Those are international guys. Locally I would say Louis Minnaar. That dude has some mad skills!

When did you first start hearing about Jean-Marc? What’s changed since then?

I first heard from him when his 48hours was released. He had some good stuff in there.

Then I saw some of the stuff he posted on Facebook and Skateboard Critic started to make fun of him which was pretty funny.

Don’t get me wrong, I just love a good laugh!

But I guess, people have to know what their mistakes are to improve on what they do. He skates a lot faster than he used to. That said, he must just enjoy what he is doing, that is all that matters.

Matt has been almost unknown until this year. Do you think it works out better for

guys to only get recognised once their skating has matured?

In some cases - yes. I’ve seen some guys that are sponsored and in the mags that only get the coverage because they are at the right place at the right time or because their homie is well known in the skating industry.

The buddy system is always a bitch. And that doesn’t help the unknown rippers in other towns (Vincent Cloete , Rynardt vd Merwe , Bevan Richards). But Matt is a different story, this guy kills it! Well-deserved recognition!

Who is your choice for SA Skater of the Year for 2012?

The honest truth… JP du Preez. This guy always skated as hard as he possibly could. He could skate anything with the most ease and got shit done. Definitely top 3 in this country. Other than him I would say Yann Horowitz.

He is a machine!!!!

What are you looking forward to most about next year regarding Volcom? What do you think would be fun to do as a team?

Skating with the homies! That’s all I want to do! I would love to go on a nice tour and just skate new stuff and have a good time and the rest will follow. We definitely need to do that!

Volcom for days my bra!!

You’ve got the last words in this article.

Make it good…

Trek af jou broek en lag vir jou hol?....To all the guys I know and the ones I don’t know so well in this skating industry of ours, you guys make this all worth it. Hou aan daai skaatsplank ry en hou dit irie! Plankie, ek poep en jy se dankie! Left hand salute for life!

volcom home set in stone | 31

Kanya Frontboards to fakie a lengthy inner-city addition.

MOSESadams KANYAspani DLAMINIdlamini KHULUdlamini LOUCASpolydorou JEAN-MARCjohannes

Yo Jamie, so I just wanted to ask you a couple of things... Is the video done?

YES! It is.

Officially?

Yes. I’m so happy.

Are you sick of watching it now?

Dude… No, I’m not totally sick of watching it. I feel a little bit numb to it really. Just now Clint asked me which was my favourite section and I didn’t know… I can’t tell. I like them all. You know?

Yeah, how did it all get started – with Bod?

Bod conned me…

He conned you?

Yeah, he conned me into doing this.

(Laughter) How did he do that?

Uhm… Alcohol and weed.

(Laughter)

32 | unlikely the session movie

He got me all drunk and stoned… You know, got me in the mood and hyped me up… and then ass-raped me for two years. (laughter) It was just one big scheme huh?

Yeah, I think so. Then he sells the magazine and doesn’t do anything at all. “Here you go…’ (laughter) Who did he first talk about doing the video with?

Well, all the guys that are in the video, were the ones that he chose. At one stage we spoke about Yann being in, and then Simon, but neither of those really worked out.

Wasn’t Darren supposed to have a full part?

Darren was supposed to have a full part.

Isn’t that why the video was so late?

(laughing) No, I wouldn’t put all the blame on

Day nailed it in a review meeting in November as we all sat around watching the parts and talking about how we still didn’t have a name for the film, “It’s questionable... Or unlikely…” he said, “Everything about this video has been unlikely.”

And so it was born. The first Session video.

Brought to your hands for free courtesy of the good people at Monster Energy.

We gave Jamie O’Brien a call to get some insight into the production.

Darren.

Can we put some of it?

You can…You can say what you want about that one. I would say his part is what it is. I mean, Darren’s whole part was shot when I still had my VX, right at the very beginning. He had a good start but then sort of didn’t follow through after that. I think he just decided he had enough footage and that was it. He was going to let everybody else catch up. (laughter) Yeah completely.

Like, I think he had one line in HD and I think Sam shot that.

So he kind of avoided the HD. The HD came in and Darren headed off...

Yeah, I think it was too sharp, you know, the footage was too clear.

Yeah it’s not raw enough to capture Darren’s

skating…

Exactly. (laughter)

You got that new cam during the making of Unlikely. Did HD change things for you?

Ummm, yeah I got it about a year into the video. Just before last years Maloof. I was shooting on both for a while. The change-over was definitely radder… It was actually when you (AD) smashed Sam’s camera and he got that 5D. He started shooting on that and SD just looked like crap compared to what he was shooting. Also, the nice, long-lens, art stuff you can get with HD you couldn’t really do that with the SD cameras. So once Sam got that camera I sort of felt I had to cross over at that stage. I really enjoy the HD footage. Especially shooting on cards and not having to deal with tapes. Although not

van der schyf

They call it bleed. Job or scope bleed. It’s when a on in that regard. Yet 2 years is a long time, and project takes far longer to be completed than was things inevitably change. expected.

Amongst rider changes, under-budgetting and The first ever Session video bled like a bitch. And really, a lack of direction, everything almost went that’s excluding the hours and hours of floor-time belly-up with the transition of the new Session ownership. Too many kooks spoil the brothel as each skater endured in the 2 year process. it were, but Jamie carried the vision of the film Bod’s initial idea was a video that would both regardless. His tireless efforts to shoot quality inspire skateboarders as well as film makers, and over quantity, and eye for capturing the essence serve as a reflection of where skateboarding in of the skateboarding taking place, meant that South Africa is right now. His choices of Kanya the only thing questionable about this video was Spani, Moses Adams, Dlamini Dlamini, Loucas whether it would ever be completed.

Polydorou and Darren Jacoby were pretty spot

‘...this video bled like a bitch.’ unlikely the session movie | 33

having that hard-copy, by saving you tapes, is something I don’t dig about HD. Having everything on hard-drives makes me nervous.

You could drop it, spill something on it …

I mean, no one’s going to come into your house and steal your box of tapes whereas hard-drives can easily be lost like that especially if you don’t keep backups. Dude, I only started backing up a couple months ago so there was a risk that we could have lost the whole video for a while.

That would have definitely ensured that it didn’t come out.

Exactly. Haha

So how did you manage the SD vs HD differences?

It wasn’t too hard. The whole thing is put out as DV Pal, so it’s all down converted. We found a happy medium between the 2 sizes so it’s still widescreen. Then it was just a matter of de-interlacing all the footage.

Sam helped film a bit, who else helped along the way?

Yeah Sam helped, Joubert helped… Got some footage from you, a couple of clips from Darren. Johan had a couple of clips.

Uhm, who else... Grant. Grant helped a lot with Jean-Marc’s part. He shot the majority of it, which was rad. It was really cool having someone to do that. It was one thing that was really hard - trying to dedicate enough time to every single rider. You can’t always take everybody on the same sessions because everyone’s got different styles, and wants to skate different obstacles. So you have to make time to go with certain guys to skate certain kinds of spots, you know?

Yeah. Did Loucas throw any great tantrums?

Sheesh dude, you’ll see in the intro already he’s having a tantrum. But besides that in Loucas’ part he looks like quite a happy guy! He’s laughing, he’s smiling… I actually really enjoyed capturing those parts of him.

He almost likes to be an angry little guy, you know? But that’s not how you see him in the video. He’s happy and smiley. I don’t think he wants people to know he can be happy and smiley.

Yeah so he’s probably going to hate the video.

Yeah definitely. (Laughter)

And the other guys, you shot with Kanya quite a lot obvoiusly?

Yeah I love skating with Kanya. Sessions are always good. He’s one of my homies, always easy to hang out and shoot with.

going to come away with something.

It’ll even be tricks that he hasn’t tried before. He’s always trying to progress that way. He’ll learn a trick and say, right let’s go shoot it, or even learn it at the spot, which is cool. I dig that. It’s not just the same old tricks on a different spot with him. He got a lot done in a short space of time.

And Khulu? Did he take a long space of time to put his shit down?

Who? Oh Khulu? Jisses dude, that guy!

He just breaks boards, complains about spots… always something not 100% haha. But he’s just like, too big you know? I think he should be riding a 10” or something. A huge board, just so he won’t break them.

With downhill trucks and rubber wheels.

Yeah, things will last a bit longer for the dude. You know what he needs?

Psycho’s. Bring back the Psychos just for Khulu.

And Moses and his lines…?

Consistency hey. For a filmer or photographer he’s probably the best dude to go shoot with. Guaranteed getting something. It’s too easy for him! His lines, just go on and on. You’ll see, some of the lines he does are like nothing for him. But some of those spots he had to work at!

Where all did you mission to while making the vid?

Well, I went with Moses, Sam and Justus to Caledon for a long-weekend when Sam was shooting Justus’ part for AV. That was rad. Caledon is amazing. Probably the best small town around Cape Town. It’s not even far, 110kms or so. You can drive there session the day and come home.

Then we went to Durban as well for a bit, but the majority of the video was shot in Cape Town. You’ll see, we killed Cape Town. And there’s still so many spots we haven’t got to.

Yeah, there’s always something new to find. Who handled the soundtrack?

Day. Adrian chose all the songs.

Majority of the riders digged hiphop and I like editing to beats and stuff.

Did it differ a lot from the soundtrack Bod had in mind?

Yeah, quite a bit. It took Bod about a

And Dlamini? Was it a bit harder to get footage year to get me the first song. Then the one song we were gonna use was in together of him?

Well, Sam shot a lot of Dlam’s stuff but dude, he’s just so good. He just gets things done so quickly. I mean, I went up to Durban – I think only for a week or something but every time you go shoot with Dlam you know you’re

another video so that got canned. So none of Bod’s songs made it.

(Laughter)

Chilling before the rush of speed, Loucas cuts a Seapoint corner.

So what’s the next project?

Whew…

‘ ...He’s probably going to hate the video. ‘ ‘ Yeah definitely. ‘ 34 | unlikely the session movie

unlikely the session movie | 35

marola

Moses taking a little leap with a pop shuvit over a fence in Paarl.

Are you going to stop fiming for a while?

Take a little rest ja. I’m going to help Joubert with AV for a bit and then... We were playing around with the idea of doing a Plankie x Dope collaboration video. That’s what I think will be the next big one that I do. Which is going to be rad, I’m hyped on that. I’m definitely going to try take December off, but you know how it goes, all of a sudden you’re back up there getting back into the swing of things. I want to get some guys to save up and try do a little overseas trip.

As I said, there’s a lot still in Cape Town but I’m definitely ready for some fresh spots. When the PE skatepark opens I’m keen to roadtrip up there but definitely want to go overseas next year and take riders with us. Make them all fund themselves you know? Like we had to do when we were young. I think a lot of guys expect a free trip wherever they go, they need to learn to pay their way… (laughter) Yeah, old schooling it.

Yeah, I mean, no one paid me to go over and do whatever I did… Everybody had to do it themselves. I think guys get sponsored and they expect too many hand-outs. They need to get a day job, save some and make it happen for themselves.

Yip, go out and get it. Advice for producing a video of this calibre? clark

Noseblunt to aid the milking of these CPT Stadium ledges.

36 | unlikely the session movie

Making a video is hard work… But

you have to just get out and go do it. Keep documenting. Editing as you go is important for knowing what you’ve got and where you are. Planning too. Knowing what songs you’re going to use for what section. A song can tell you so much. It sets the whole pace.

That’s what I want to do next year, with our Dope/Plankie video. I want to lockdown the soundtrack. I want to shoot according to what the songs are going to be. We’ve got a bunch of cool ideas I can’t get into now, but hopefully it will come together. But yeah… Have a vision. Know what you want to do and think in advance. That was very much lacking with this Session video. I was just constantly shooting, shooting, shooting and we didn’t really have a style or... direction on what it was going to look like until the late stages - which made it a bit harder for me too. So yeah, try plan ahead and have some sort of direction.

And buy the magazine! Don’t bum it off your friend. Get a copy. You want a hard copy.

Shot to everybody else that got involved and helped out and the riders as well, for putting in the time and effort. I think we’ve made something rad, so yeah, big UP yourselves.

And thanks to you too Jamie, it’s been quite a process.

Shout Outs?

So you not gonna do another Session video?

Thanks to everybody that helped. Thanks to Johan and Janine, without them I don’t know if I would have been able to do this. Janine did a great job with the grading and titles, and Johan’s input with the online edit… After I’d been staring at the same footage for 2 years it gets hectic to see what’s going on anymore.

You get numb. You don’t know what is what.

So having fresh eyes on it to determine clips to drop or re-order made such a big difference.

(Laughter) Nah, I think I will one day. Let’s see what the advertisers think and see if we can get some budget for the next one.

Hopefully it won’t be as Unlikely as this one.

We’ll have to come up with a name and concept well in advance, but we can do something sick again.

unlikely the session movie | 37

du

Preez eightyseven

JP du Preez. 1987 - 2012. Ph. Scott

-

twentytwelve

Live free like

“You didn’t lose anything.

For implying your loss, implies ownership of the ‘lost’. And that is a very selfish thing to do. “ - Jansen van Staden.

du

Preez -

twentytwelve

van staden

eightyseven

Certain skateboarders define whole periods of skateboarding history...

JP Du Preez defined skateboarding in it’s entirety.

some of the gnarliest and stylish skateboarding South Africa has seen but also, a legacy that will serve to inspire.

JP’s radiant attitude and no-holdsbarred mentality produced not only

Roll Forever. Live Free like JP.

For that is the motivation behind this tribute article. Not to mourn, but to celebrate. JP lived as we are meant to live. Free and happy. He embraced every moment and mission and made the most of every second of every minute of every day.

van staden

We hope you catch some glimpse of the person JP was through these pages and There’s little more that can be said after join us in honouring one of the greatest you read the following stories, tributes people we’ve had the privilege of calling and respects from those close to one of our brother.

SA’s favourite skateboarders.

40 | JP DU PREEZ tribute

JP DU PREEZ tribute | 41

Charl ‘Skippy’ Stein JP du Preez was no ordinary guy. He wasn’t like anybody I’ve ever met before and I’m probably not going to meet someone like him ever again. He did the most random things and he loved every second of it. He lost himself in everything he did. From every single word he sang along to through most of the skate videos he watched, to playing games at the Plankie house while everyone else was sleeping or not even there. He never stayed there with us, but he made it

42 | JP DU PREEZ tribute

his house as well and it was amazing having him around. When we had the Plankie 4 premier at Rust, most of the people went to the Plankie house for the after party. We got to the house at around 03:30am the Friday morning. JP, our friend Janelle and I started eating dog food. Throwing it in the air and catching it like popcorn with our mouths, drinking it down it with some chocolate Steri Stumpie and of course JP is going off how it’s not that bad and we must have some more.

He made any situation seem okay… He was the guy to have around when things seemed a little dull or boring….

On one day it was raining and JP and I really wanted to skate, so we built this 8cm high manual pad about 60cm long and 40cm wide under this little afdak we had at the house. We

skated that thing for probably about 3hours and it was one of the best sessions I’ve ever had. It wouldn’t have been the same if it was with anyone else. That positive energy he left behind will be carried around by all of us and he will be remembered as the nicest guy. I have so many good memories of him. It has been an honor to have known him, and a blessing to have called him firend. Meneer Jean Pierre du Preez… Jy bly nou maar net n Superstar! Hahaha. He hated it when we told him he was a superstar.

“I remember it looking like he was always having more fun on his board than anyone else around him. “ - Clayton Peterson

Joubert van Staden I met JP when I moved to JHB to study. Since then he came to our house almost every day to come skate or do whatever. My mom had these two gay friends she lived with and they couldn’t wait for JP to come visit. They called him their “Angel” and told him how they’ve been waiting for him for so long. It was pretty awkward for JP but so funny. Everyone loved JP. He was always in the same happy mood, whistling and smiling his way through tough times. Even when he tore ligaments he could find some good in there and laugh it off. We used to joke and call him a superstar, which

he was, but would never admit it. He signed so many autographs it was ridiculous. Kids loved him. Even that day he feebled that blue 11 stair at this school in Bryanston, kids wouldn’t leave him alone. He was constantly signing their shit. If you met JP you would know the joy that he took everywhere with him. I’m sitting here editing the Opener for AV17. It’ the hardest thing I’ve had to do, but it makes me realise how lucky we all where to have had so many skate sessions and the best of times with the raddest person. He truly was a brother. I will never forget you JP.

Warren Gregorowski I remember meeting JP all those years ago at Vaal Skatepark. Long blonde hair, massive smile and positive energy!

I remember mad nights at the Porch Hut and the move to ‘Big city life - steek jou met n knife’ I remember hours of table tennis and laughs in Blackmore street!

I remember Skirminkel on rooftops and bombing down-hills down mountains.

I remember parties, Plumbago and making music together “wat die fok, wat die fok, los daai mense van Bangkok “

I remember tuck-knees, air walks and mini ramp mastery!

I remember the birthday party at the medical mansion and skanking it up to irie tunes!

I remember Coffee Bay, left hand salutes and amazing memories made immortal on film.

I remember Bailey’s creamy beige and Old Greg!

And I will always remember all the good times and all the fun.

Forever in our hearts, FOREVER YOUNG! Much love JP.

Clayton Peterson I met JP - or as we affectionately referred to him, ‘Seuntjie’ - sometime around 20022003. He was the local ripper at the Vanderbjil skatepark that we would often go skate or do demos at.

We had heard about this ‘local pro’ from Pieter Visser who owned the park. I recall first watching him skate; he was zig-zagging all over the park doing all sorts of creative lines and laughing every time he fell. He charged with the old school tricks that we hadn’t seen anyone do since the late 80’s, but he was doing them big and fast and had this elastic flexibility and fluidity that was amazing to watch.

He could do some of the more tech stuff too but he killed it at the old school stuff and I remember it looking like he was always having more fun on his board than anyone else around him.

Back then he had short hair, was still in school

and him and his crew were the V Town Punk Rockers.

Over the following months we got to know each other better, skated more and then we invited him on a tour. The good energy and attitude he brought clicked immediately and he became the new addition to the KFD team.

We grew close over the following years. In all the time I knew him I don’t recall him ever saying a bad word about anyone - as if he did not know how to. There were things that bummed him out but he never resorted to shit talk or slander, it just was not part of his constitution.

He always had time for everyone – no matter who you were - was always appreciative, respectful, thankful and always brought good energy with him where ever he went.

He lived life with so much heart and loved selflessly. The memory of JP will always remind me to look up, smile, laugh and live.

AWE!

Leon Bester About three years ago. Myself, Pieter Retief and Juan Smit went on a ‘no plan’, minimum budget, we’ll-see-when-we-get-there skate mission.

There was a comp we wanted to check out in Durban, so our only plan was get to Durban.

Long story short, after a week with only our backpacks, skateboards and one very tiny one man tent, we ended up on a bus going to Joburg. Joubert picked us up from the station and we went to stay with JP DU Preez.

The first time any of us had met JP was very briefly at the comp we had gone to a week before. We got to JP’s place, and he found he lived in a 2x2 room, with 2 beds, his closet and his PC. There was barely space for our bags in there. Never the less, JP made us stay there, and took us skating every day. We made food on his little gas stove and watched

Alien Workshop Mind Field like 384 times.

The bed situation was the funniest though, as there were only two beds in an L-shape.

We would take turns sleeping in the corner - the reason being that you had to sleep in an awkward 90-degree position, between everybody’s stinky feet, and you wouldn’t be able to turn around all night. Even JP took his turn.

Something like this didn’t bother him, he embraced it! Homies need a place to stay? He’d hook them up. The corner looks uncomfortable; he’d give them a break and take a turn. You guys want to party? He’d be the designated driver. That was just the kind of guy he was.

JP had an amazing, humble feel around him.

Something I will never forget and chose to embrace and try and incorporate into my life.

JP DU PREEZ tribute | 43

“I think that JP had more positive energy on a bad day than most people have on a good day.”

scott

- Nico van der Werf

Melissa Griesel Firstly my heart broke when I heard the news.

Having hung-out; been on tours and enjoyed the wonders of Animal Collective with JP, it was so sad to lose this friend.

For me JP was one of the most gentle and genuine guys I’ve ever met. Funny moments were about a million to one.

The KFD tour, the vibrating plate at Leon’s house (everyday he would hit that thing wobbling after a skate laughing, saying “it feels so wee-ird.”) Also I remember him always taking his camera with him, saying “… but what if I want to take a photo?” No matter where we went.

I remember simple like him always polite; offering his never having an ego; humble and that smile…

Nico van der Werf The first time I saw JP in person was at Bright Water Skatepark. I thought to myself “That guy is so fake.” He had a constant smile on his face and was amped on everything that happened around him whether it was on, or off a skateboard. Shortly after that day I got introduced to JP and we got to see each other on a more regular basis. It was then that I realized what a positive attitude he had

towards life and other people. He always had something positive to say and would never let the negative things in life get him down or spoil the mood. I think that JP had more positive energy on a bad day than most people have on a good day. Now that I have the facts I feel a little stupid for having those initial thoughts.

I think about my own life a lot more now that JP is gone. I think about the influence I have

or could have on other people. I think more about the way I treat other people and the things I say about other people. JP was an inspiration to me on so many levels and it was a privilege to be his friend.

I will miss you forever and hold your memory with me until the day I expire.

44 | JP DU PREEZ tribute

stuff being help; being

The day of JP’s funeral, Maanda, Sam and I went out that night to a Redbull party. The Admiral Jahseed played “Higher than a Lion in Zion” and I just had JP in my mind. What a crazy beautiful person you were -truly a legend, in every sense of the word.

Marcel Maassen Let me tell you some something. He was the kinda guy that wouldn’t cause a fight but would stand up for you at all times – there were a couple of them situations that happened before haha! I don’t know if you guys remember at Maloof last year…

His brother got attacked by this big-ass Jock FUCK! JP smashed this guy’s face in with Jouberts crutch. Dedicated. It was unbelievable! That one guy could have your back like that (not scared ekse)!

Jpizzle was not scared to jump down rails or skate any gap. I have seen him eat so much shit on a rail that I wanted to vomit, but he always stands up and kills it - like a Boss!

He used to come over to the house in PTA, and the funny thing was the way that he would let

himself in… He would jump the fence, run around the house, screaming, or do his ‘lil whistle thing! We would crack up in laughter!

If u were bummed that day he would make u happy, then he would play Playstation for like hours and hours. He would play till 2am in the morning! We’d go to bed and JP was there.

We would wake up and JP was still there! But he was so fun to have around, that we could never chase him away!

AWE to know we still good.

JPizzle did not have one bad word to say to anybody. In his life he took the bad and made it excellent, the sad to happy. To me he was like an Omar Salazar. That whole happyslappy, screaming-shouting kinda shit! Kak Funny JP!

I don’t think people knew how good he really skated or the personality he had.

Jean Pierre Du Preez(aka) Jpizzle nizzle, Steez de Preezzz! I am going to miss you my friend, and everybody else will too. Your Steez, Happynizz, Crazynizz, will always be remembered.

One love my Brother....

It’s scary to know that one of my best friends has stepped away. All you want is one more chill / skate / beer or green tea (haha) with the homie. Or one eye contact and just an

Ps: I don’t use big words, I say it like it is for my Nig Jpiz!

Wandile Msomi I have been so out of it since I heard... Not trying at all to except this.... And thinking that my next trip to Pretoria is going to be my hardest... Everyone around me knew this gent and we know the loss.... and so I take the focus from us, to the one’s that really have lost a son, a brother and a companion.

And I want to offer my deepest and heart felt thoughts to you all.... I offer not only these words on paper, but my presence whenever anything is needed within your circle... And I offer this knowing that to have raised a child of this magnitude; you are all the most amazing of people. And where he is, I know it’s so hard. I was not born a Du Preez, but from now on I will live as one. Beautiful people don’t deserve this, but I have learnt in my 30 years of life, that this world spares no one from its truths.

JP DU PREEZ tribute | 45

“I guess you can say he had a natural rhythm - a vibe like a song playing out of his heart that everyone had noticed - you know - our little sunshine child!

- Tiaan Labuschagne

Pieter Retief I don’t recall the day I met JP, or how. It’s the memories and time we spent together that will remain with all of us - forever. In 2011 after the Backyard Burnout we went to Pretoria for a few days. JP was always amped on us visiting.

His dad gave him and Jacques a shit load of Jungle crunchy cookies, snack, chips and soft drinks. That shit got raided breakfast, lunch and dinner. He always shared everything with the homies and was totally cool with that. Him and Yann made

the most r i di c ul o us song on the keyboard.

Jacques jumped in with this weird flute and later everyone a d d e d something to this song.

This was too funny to witness. We recorded it

on a cell phone and the next few days JP had that song on repeat and played it to everyone, I mean everyone. It never got old! From that I kept calling him ‘DJ’ Mathlala.

Jp always offered to drive or pick you up, or give you a spot to sleep. On the way to O.R Thambo airport he realized we were low on gas, we just laughed about it, knowing we would make it… well we did not. Joubert and Jansen came to the rescue, they bought a few litres of gas and we used an old Session magazine as a ‘thunnel.’ A 20min delay while Animal collective was pumping in the car and we were on our way. We did make the flight on time. JP laughed and smiled the whole way through.

Tiaan Labuschagne When I first met JP as a kid way back in 2001, I was still playing cricket with Jacqie and didn’t really know him so well, but after a couple of years of chilling together when they used to live across from Historiahahaha- my old primary school, I got to know JP so well that he felt like a real big brother to me in the last couple of years!

I remember so many good times with JP - since we were kids at the casino, then high school times and the porch hut, and the last couple of years

always chilling at LC - sipping, braaiing, laughing - especially when JP rocked out one of his funny dances or when we made rad beats with bottles together... I’ll never forget the Modest Mouse and other trippy shit that used to jam in his car and he’d whistle along with the whole song - never out of key! I guess you can say he had a natural rhythm - a vibe like a song playing out of his heart that everyone had noticed - you know - our little sunshine child! JP even got on stage once and jammed drums for stand-up - I guess Jacques had played it so many times that JP knew the whole song by heart! Haha!

In the flat where I lived with JP and Jacques for a year or so, they had this old keyboard that Jacqie got from his oumatjie - jho JP, Jackie

and I jammed that thing for so long I had to rush to write my final exam on historical geology all the time I was writing I could only hear the tune we just made playing over in my head!

Jacques Du Preez AWE J.P…

Ek het vir JP gesien elke dag by die huis net skate en hoe hy dit gelove het. Hy het nooit weer terug gekyk na dit nie.

ons was het hy ons entertain met daai board.

Maak nie saak watse spot dit was nie. Die brother was altyd daar vir my, ek kon hom enige tyd bel en iets vra, hy sou mens nooit gedrop het nie. Hy was die dude met die beste hart. Hy het mense altyd gehelp en almal laat lag. Ons almal sal nooit die happiness vergeet wat hy vir ons gebring het nie.

Awe JP, dankie vir al die beste tye wat ons saam gehad het. Ek sal dit nooit vergeet nie en altyd met jou in my hart lewe. Jys die coolste broer en vriend wat mens voor kon gevra het. Sien jou weer eendag...

Awe brotherlove.

46 | JP DU PREEZ tribute

Hy is my favourite skater wat ek ooit geken het . Die coolste style en altyd daai groot smile op sy gesig as hy daar rond gerole het. Dit was die beste missions ooit. Hy was altyd die een wat sulke snaakse danse daar sou uitruk by n party of net grappe maak oor die mees randomste goed. Hy was nou n legend, en al sy vriende het my vriende geraak en al my vriende het syne geraak. Dit was brilliant.

Ek onthou al die familie missions wat ons gemaak het, waar ons ver moes ry of familie moes sien, ek het altyd saam hom gery en elke keur het ons die beste tyd gehad, ons het altyd gelag en grappe gemaak oor als, jis ek en hy kon lag oor die domste goed saam.

Hy het daai missions moer lekker gemaak. Sy board was ook altyd in sy kar en orals waar

JP DU PREEZ forever.........

van staden

As ek moet dink aan al die good times wat ek al saam gehad het met die legend JP, of moet ek se skirminkel, weet ek nie eers wat om eerste te se nie. Daar was so baie van dit. Om saam met hom groot te kon word en als so saam te share was regtig ‘n voorreg vir my. Kan nie vir iets beter gevra het nie, beste broer wat iemand voor kan vra en dan nog een van my beste vriende ook. Ek onthou nog toe ek die heel eerste Tony Hawk pro skater game daraan gebring het by die huis. Jis ons het daai game moer toe gespeel, toe ons die videos gesien het, het ons dadelik elkeen n board gekry en daar op die plot geskate elke dag.

Van daar af het ons net skate missions gemaak elke dag.

I cannot think of one single bad time I had a when that oke was around - the best times ever- Oppi Koppi, Maloof Money Cup, Coffee Bay missions you name it! That’s how I’ll always remember JP - good times.

JP, ay, dankie my vriend - jirr jys ‘n awesome brada vi my en iemand op wie ek dag en nag kon staat maak! Een van die heel beste vriende wat ek al ooit gehad het en sal he - jou legend sal vir ewig lewe! Irie my aya much love homie - sien jou weer eendag!

Alan Hardflip Backside Tailslide

Guns g n u Yo

Age: Home Town: Years Skating: Stance: Sponsors:

Future Nature was a great explanation of the existence of the Amateur Skateboarder.

Down here, it’s the same difference.

15 MILNERTON 6 goofy none

We watch them find their style; swap their big logo tshirts for flannels; exchange their curbs for mansized ledges; get beyond drunk and/or make fools out of themselves.

It’s real-life fiction when reflected on later down the line. The first photo. The first interview. The tour articles. The bad sponsorship choices. They all tell another small - or sometimes large - tale of skateboarding history.

visser

There’s a potentially legendary story lying ahead of a number of individuals at the moment. We’ve chosen five whose stories are beginning to unravel.

48 | Young Guns 2012

Young Guns 2012 | 49

50-50 transfer

Ryan

mclachlan

Age: 22 Home Town: Heathfield, Cape Town Years Skating: since i was 14 Stance: My mummy Sponsors: none Local hero: chelsea

50 | Young Guns 2012

Young Guns 2012 | 51

Bevan

Age: 19 Home Town: CENTURION Years Skating: 7 Stance: goofy Sponsors: NONE local hero: Moses

lamprecht

Kickflip

52 | Young Guns 2012

Young Guns 2012 | 53

Ollie Lat e Shuv 54 | Young Guns 2012

patterson

Age: 16 Home Town: Durban Years Skating: 6 Stance: natural Sponsors: Zoo York local hero: Thalente biyela

Young Guns 2012 | 55

visser

FS 180

56 | Young Guns 2012

Age: 19 Home Town: Cape Town Years Skating: 6 Stance: goofy Sponsors: revolution Local Hero: christi wiehahn Young Guns 2012 | 57

i Dlamini Ketchup with Dlamin photos bart jones

Earlier this year, Dlamini Dlamini dropped all his sponsors and pretty much disappeared...

Switch Frontside 360 on a double-set that would make the perfect bride.

58 | ketchup dlamini dlamini

ketchup dlamini dlamini | 59

Outside of family, no one seemed to know where he’d gone. Even Khulu wasn’t sure for a while.

Eventually, rumours began circulating that he’d made it to the states.

He was taken under the Black Box wing – Zero, Mystery, Fallen etc – and spent a couple of months staying at their warehouse/park/ backpackers, missioning around the countless perfect spots of San Diego With getting to know Manny Santiago, Felipe Gustavo and the likes, and the every day skate missions you’d think he have a ton of stories to tell…

However Dlamini really does let his skating do the talking.

And he’s well on his way to making that his only priority.

You’ve visited Lesotho quite a bit this last year.

What’s life like down there?

Yeah, some of the family is from Lesotho. It’s good there. Really chilled and people are friendly and welcoming to others visiting.

There’s a facebook group called The”Get Dlamini to the States” Foundation. I guess it worked?

Yeah man. I am grateful for the page. It got my name out there and I could also share what I have been up to. Thanks to Pumba, Tasha and my brothers for helping me out.

When was it official that you could start your missions?

When the money was raised.

It seems like a logical step. Were you feeling like SA was a bit limiting?

I dunno, I just want to keep growing and keep doing what I love doing.

A large Frontside Flip down a typically American set in Chula Vista, San Diego, California.

60 | ketchup dlamini dlamini

ketchup dlamini dlamini | 61

Did Maloof last year help make it possible?

Definitely Maloof helped me out and I met people that I could get in touch with in the states. That helped a lot as it was my first time. It was such a sick experience.

Explain the whole Black Box setup where you were staying. Where was it located?

Black Box was so much fun! There are rooms to sleep in and the park is right next door to the rooms. It’s located in Carlsbad, San Diego. Good weather, good skating and good people.

Were there always new guys or were there a couple of dudes you chilled with often?

It was the same crew almost every day.

And the street sessions? Long drives? Tickets?

The street missions were always good man. You can’t go wrong with a crew of good people skating together. Some spots were far and some close, but it was always worth the drive. We didn’t get any tickets which was sick!

What were some of the raddest places you skated?

Everywhere we went was good man because basically, every spot is perfect.

Were you filming for anything specific?

Nah, we just went out skating and filmed at the same time.

“We didn’t get any tickets, which was sick!”

Was your stay for a specific time-frame or did you need to head back here?

My time was limited but I was hoping to stay a bit longer.

It was apparent at the Volcom WITP comp that you’ve gone Super Saiyan 3. Do you see a difference in your approach to skating compared to before the states mission?

Haha, that contest was so good man. It was exactly like skating with everyone on a normal day. I would definitely say my approach has changed for the better.

You headed out there again, any definite dates?

No definite dates, but I’m hoping to go soon. I’d really like to thank Clayton Petersen and Chad Foreman for helping make it all possible.

2 words to live by?

Good Times.

62 | ketchup dlamini dlamini

ketchup dlamini dlamini | 63

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64 | Closet Envy summer 2012

10 years

skateboarders and their

in review Front Tailslide pop out down the hill.

there’s a place known as the North.

Apparently it’s ‘rof’. People are weird there. freakishly weird I’m told. and They have bad tattoos. we were imagining some sort of a mutant subculture conspiracy, then we got proof... sent to our inbox.

Kev love has grown an arm and eyes on his hands... district 9 just got real. “vokken prawns”

IRECTIONbenCro PHOTOS Veronika ARTD

Loucas Polydorou

ssman

Art fag Done by hand by the famous Tyler B Murphy.

I saw Tyler win a skate comp and that’s a fact! Coolest old man I know!

Music bird Done by my friend Rasty at 1933. Classic tattoos! Best tattoo shop in JHB by far!

For the love of the kids Always been a MJ fan even though he touched the kids!

Screaming hand A classic, back in the day when things were real!

van der schyf

Love Done by Ronald “Party Boy” Jacobs. Love my family, friends and 1933!

A

s far as I know it was my first solid coverage in Session mag and that Christi had the cover doing a lipslide on the sketchiest 20 stair rail in Sea Point. He should be writing this and not me.

was a British filmer called Alistair. Basically the whole article was shot just as we went.

We had no plans, no lists and no time really.

Our home base was at my mother’s house and I remember her telling Pablo jokingly that

I had the 48 hours in the issue and this was when you had to shoot the article by yourself. No crews or anything, so it was a pretty massive task. Bod linked me up with Pablo Ponzone and we shot the article together. Photographers had to shoot on film back then and I remember stressing so much about wasting any of his precious film. As far as I can remember he ended up shooting something stupid like 6 rolls of film at the end of it. Obviously I wasn’t she wants him to write in the mag that she’s trying hard enough. Pablo had a friend the best cook in the world. The mag came out with him, I can’t recall his surname but he and he actually wrote it.

I had young knees back then and inspiration from Zero videos.

Thank fuck some things do change.

I think this was the time that I started meeting some of the older JHB dudes. Oh, and Market Theatre in JHB had just got renovated so we got a bunch of photos there. Just ollies though... Some things never change. Except it was down stuff, I had young knees back then and inspiration from Zero videos. Thank fuck some things do change.

It’s pretty crazy that this is all 10 years ago.

You know I can go on about myself for this entire article but I think that would be as exciting as reading a Jane Austin novel. Go find your old mags, have a gander because you’ll be looking back at this 10 years from now thinking that these were the golden years.

SS

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The Boardhouse

5050 front

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WITH

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12 Beach Boulevard, Marine Circle 7441 Bloubergstrand, Cape Town Phone: 0845543262/ 0731435902

OUT

Way back when, in a dark period of hugely over-sized everything, yet laughably small wheels and a fiendish infatuation with pressure flips; combos were a standard part of skateboarding.

Granted it was mostly on curbs yet comparatively, combos have made a comeback. Aided undoubtedly by the video game reality we now find skateboarding in.

Nevertheless, combos are fun. Popping to one trick and then shifting your weight into another position is painfully challenging but proportionately rewarding. Especially when it flows as one movement.

AV17 Close Up star Gio spells out one of the first combos you’ll want to try, to help you on your way back into the future.

50-50 like a boss. Don’t muck about on the 50-50. Pop and grind it proper. (Stand on the ledge on your board. That’s what a 50-50 should feel like.

URBAN MACHINE

LegionSession 031212.indd 2

Co.

2012/12/03 10:17 AM

Pop ‘n Balance. Keep your weight centred while you’re grinding. Keep your legs ready to pop.

Jump a little. When you’re ready to pop to frontboard, jump a little while popping the board 90 degrees. Turn your shoulders a little bit, but keep that front shoulder up.

thandos

Balance the slide. Get your board flat and hold that slide. You will slip out. You will fall hard. You will try again.

Bolts. Feel out which way your board is turning. Sometimes the board wants to go fakie, so go with it. Either way, if you can’t see your bolts you going to be smiling.

100% Pure Freedom

www.urbanmachineco.com

THERON

Now go find a ledge to start practising, but always remember the most important thing about combos...

68 | element stick tips

Do them fast, and with flow. No jerky, stuttering spinaroony will ever look good, no matter how many times the board flicks. If it doesn’t have flow, don’t bother showing anyone.

SS

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NOW

Linkin Park: Darren: Fans were dying to see them

in Cape Town. Yes, I stole that from etv’s Lance Witten.

Mark: Only the lucky ones.

Darren: Do you think Linkin Park will collaborate with Jay Z again to bring you ‘99 problems and the scaffolding’s one’ ?

Mark: I hope they hire the same people for the Lady Gaga concert.

Darren: Linkin Park could have at least followed up the incident with song hits like “Hit the floor” and “Easier to run”.

Mark: If the lead singer didn’t beat cancer he would have saved some poor girls life in Cape Town.

Darren: If I played in Linkin Park beating cancer would be the least of my worries.

Mark: I only drink Lucozade now.

Darren: If this review doesn’t get hate mail then it’s pretty obvious nobody reads them.

Mark: I have never hated this band more.

Darren: I have never hated our reviews more.

The The: Darren: Have you tried to pirate ‘The

The’. It’s literally impossible with a name like that. Do you ever feel our reviews come across as immature after people have read Jackson’s movie reviews?

Mark: People don’t read Jackson’s reviews.

Darren: He needs to watch less

skateboarding and spend more time cleaning the sand out of his bearings. Have you seen the Baseline advert for this issue?

Mark: Yeah he’s fuckin goin for it.

I just wish Gino would stop biting his shit.

Darren: If the front-on angle wasn’t enough you can also check out his reviews out for a side profile. The sadistic work of Clint vd Schyf. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that Luke hasn’t taken that push cross-country yet. He’d make Puddy’s Pretoria to Cape Town 3 month pushing trip look like a cruise down to the shop.

Mark: I heard he was trying to beat the record for the longest flatground manual.

Darren: He should do it in Bloemfontein. Call out the media, get a helicopter to help drag him in. Some heavy metal bands. DROS to provide the boerie rolls.

Luke Jackson: Grow up guys! None of your reviews are legitimate. ‘The The’ has been around since 1979 and they even wrote a song for the labour party interestingly enough. The guitar work is totally psychedelic and Matt Johnson sings some beautiful melodies.

Mark: Jackson you should spend less time researching bands and more time dealing with your drinking problem. I was appalled last weekend when you pushed that little girl into the street.

Darren: All because she mistook him for Ryan Gosling.

Brooke Candy: Darren: Every kid reading

this magazine’s wet dream. I was going to say I’d be willing to quit skateboarding for her, but that’s not saying much.

Mark: She seems so sweet. Girl next door.

Darren: The girl next door seems loose, but not Brooke Candy loose.

Mark: I think the only thing this girl craves more than dick is attention.

Darren: Yeah, but that’s true for all girls. It looks like she has walked through a gift wrapping shop after hosting a bukkake party.

Mark: If you could bone her but you had to hit it raw dog would you?

Darren: Of course. I’ve researched this and there’s only a 1 in a 1000 chance of catching HIV. I’ll just eat healthy for a week and a grab a shower after.

Mark: Imagine taking her home to meet your parents. I would be better off bringing home a dead body or an infant.

Darren: Or your sister. My mom doesn’t drink so I’m trying to secure her liver after she passes. I’m not prepared to do something that will jeopardise that.

Mark: You will have aids by then anyway. Your liver won’t have a chance to fail you.

Darren: That’s rich coming from you.

SS

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70 | skullcandy inappropriate reviews

1

4/9/12

6:16 PM

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wearing Skullcandy Aviator

skatevideosBY Mayor

Van der schyf

Bake and Destroy Baker is the bastard stepchild of skateboarding companies.

They still use the VX1000 rather than HD, they always include plenty of antics that seem to go down whilst under the influence, and they’re raw as hell. This video came out for free with Thrasher Magazine but naturally it was fully uploaded onto Youtube within about a week of its release.

Justin Figueroa has the headlining section which is straight gnar! The guy crooked grinds a double kink handrail, next level shit. The big surprise in this one is the rise of Cyril Jackson, seemingly out of nowhere he blesses skateboarding with some soulful style. Riley Hawk opens the video, the guy is a full grown man with long hair and tattoos, anybody else remember when Tony Hawk came to Gateway and a little Riley was boardsliding the flatbar with a helmet on? Yeah you’re old now bro, the guy is slaying proper shit nowadays.

Once upon a time Andrew Reynolds frontside flipped Birdhouse skateboards and now Tony Hawk’s golden child shreds Reynolds’ sticks.

Unfortunately you won’t find a full Reynolds section in this video but you will discover a few gems dispersed throughout, not to mention that he edited the video himself. I find it funny that ‘The Boss’ has gone completely sober and is killing it as hard as his younger days and yet the masses who worship him get heavily intoxicated on the regular. If you’re feeling too old on a skateboard then maybe ‘Chief Drew’ has a valuable lesson for you. Quartersnacks.com remixed his footage into a full part, look it up. Gold! The world premiere in LA was a riot...literally! So many skateboarders gathered in the streets outside the cinema trying to get in that LA Police called in a riot squad.

This new production is pretty epic but perhaps it’s a little too epic if you know what I mean? This is just a skate video at the end of the day. Well Jack Black and Will Arnett are in it, Odd Future and Kanye West were at the LA and NYC premieres respectively and Spike Jonze is using some of the film industry’s greatest technological advancements, so perhaps this is not ‘just’ a skate video. I have to say that I hate how much slow motion they use, the intro in particular is painful to sit through. However, the skateboarding in this film is completely amazing. I was a little disappointed that some of the more established names have so little footage, but this is really a production to introduce as well as solidify the Girl/Choc family’s new generation of talent. Mike Mo Capaldi, Sean Malto, Cory Kennedy, Vincent Alvarez, Raven Tershy, Stevie Perez, Alex Olson and Elijah Berle are names that will be synonymous with Girl & Chocolate from here on out as older pros have a decreasing presence.

However, Marc Johnson and Guy Mariano still hold it down for the old guard. What Mariano is capable of after so many years is completely insane. His comeback truly is the greatest of all time. I’m not that into all of his crazy tech trickery but it sure is undeniably impressive, switch 3 flip nosegrind on a handrail! Yeah, good luck going pro my friends. The younger guys might be the force behind this film but Mariano shows us that he sure as hell isn’t stepping aside just yet. Film production quality on this is in a different league altogether compared to most skate videos and it surely is the biggest video of the year. It’s available to buy on iTunes so grab it there because who knows when we’ll see Pretty Sweet the DVD in SA? Unfortunately no Rick Howard footage is in Girl & Chocolate videos are the ones that seem to set the there, but we get some Mike Carroll and Gino Iannucci has 4 standards in the skate world, big productions that raise the clips, I still get hyped on those two. bar. ‘Fully Flared’ was a Lakai video but with almost all the Reaction to this video has been mixed but that is natural same people working on it behind the scenes, and plenty of when so much hype is created in the skate media leading the same guys in the spotlight I’m naturally including it into up to a release. Love it or not, everyone has to see it and I my referral as a Girl & Chocolate video. know you will. These guys can sure as hell ride a skateboard Fully Flared is said to have changed skateboarding forever better than most. but can the same be said of ‘Pretty Sweet’? I’m not so sure. SS

Summer 2012 | Audio Visual Skateboarding Video Magazine | Issue 17

Exposure 17.1 Contest Quiksilver Backyard Burnout Weekend Jimmy Wong Contest Maloof Money Cup 2012 Debut Adam Woolf Focus Plankie Field Trip Vans Close Up Giovanni Votano Plus Bonus Footage

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72 | rainy days luke jackson

skateb o arding and all that it

entails

HO! HO! HO!

We all hate longboarders, right?

And we hate people referring to it as skateboarding. We skate. They roll on cruisers and longboards, lookin’ kooky and pushing mongo.

The other day some girl asks me “Well if you skate why aren’t you at the ‘Slide’ contest?

It’s the biggest skateboard event in SA!” “No it isn’t”, I responded.

“Yes it is!” she exclaimed at which point part of my soul died knowing that I may have to explain the difference to her.

We then just said plainly:

“You cannot talk to us about skateboarding.”

74 | have an adrian day

© POLYDOROU

VISSER

James Harris sliding some hills for the hell of it. Only ONE glove!

To which she argued a little. Then told me she skates and is working on the “World Cup of Skateboarding” or some shit. Sure you are.

World Cup of sliding around on your ass with a helmet, Piranha pads and gardening gloves.

But nevertheless it seems pointless hating on people. That’s just a waste of energy. It sucks that everyone considers themselves a skateboarder, but you know the real deal and just stick by that.

ignore. Cops can’t spend all day ticketing everyone on four wheels, and perhaps, it could result in parks being built out of necessity.

So, I’m not pro longboarding or against it. In reality I don’t give a shit. But I just want to give you something to ponder. Maybe we can use these guys. Maybe we can’t.

SS

The real issue arises when we contemplate whether it could work for us, or will just work entirely against us. The first scenario is if a kid gets killed on his kookboard, the powers that be will carpet bomb all levels of skateboarding and further outlaw it.

But the potentially positive side is that the bigger it all seems, the harder it is to

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