Session Magazine - Issue 53 by Session Magazine

SOUTH AFRICA R34.95 OTHER COUNTRIES R30.04

DCSHOES.COM

MATT MILLER | NOLLIE 270 SWITCH B/S NOSEBLUNT | BLABAC PHOTO

c l o s e t

e n v y

( 5 0 )

s t i c k

t i p s

( 5 2 )

s t

Clark

u b b o r n

r e v i e w s

( 5 4 )

a m

s h a u n

b u r g e r

( 5 5 )

R a i n y

d a y s

( 5 6 )

H a v e

a n

a d r i a n

d a y

( 5 8 )

/ M a y

( 1 8 )

A p r i l

b l a c k b o a r d

5 3 2 0 1 3 :

( 1 6 )

i s s u e J a n s e n

o r c k

C O N T E N T s v a n s t a

d e n

l a t e n t

p o t e n t i a l

( 3 8 )

w e s l e y

t o o t h

s c h r o e d e r

m a n

o r

m a c h i n e ( 3 0 ) P i e t e r r e t i e f T a i w a n k e t c h u p ( 2 2 ) r e g u l a r s : F i r s t r o u n d s ( 1 0 ) W i n n

Jansen van Staden kills it. Long boardslide to fakie. Thibault Square, Cape Town.

e r s / m a i l b a g

( 1 2 )

Y o u r

m o m

h a s

b o w l

( 1 4 )

p o s s e s s i o n s

a n d r e w

first rounds

// ad henderson

There is something uniquely satisfying about the unknown lurking around the next corner. The uncertainty… The risk of a freak accident… The conversion of fear into adrenaline… The chance of finding something amazing. Knowing what there is always becomes boring.

There isn’t ever a perfect spot. In an age when the focus of skateboarding seems to be entirely encroached upon the idea of judging what is the best, fastest, highest or longest, it’s easy to forget that the journey towards these pinnacles is full of unknowns. We are regularly faced with a thousand questions and doubts about what lies before us. The path is there, the sidewalk empty, but there is a 50% chance that some granny with a walker or teenager with a pram will decide at this particular minute to exit the pharmacy door you’re planning to be grinding, at the very instant that you pop for it. Does that stop you? Not often. We hardly consider things like this when out rolling. There ‘s a metric fuck-ton of things that could possibly send us into various states of injury but they’re all almost unilaterally ignored. We just go for it. It’s a lot harder to apply this line of thought to general life, but it’s possible. Most people don’t appreciate it though. Planning, organisation and routine are fundamentals of working life and necessary but not imperative. The repercussions are a bit more far-reaching than your board flying under a car, or chipping some tiles. Yet their result is the same -relief, success, stoke. Choosing to approach life like an empty sidewalk, with all the possibilities for failure, and all the opportunities for success, means that you never really know where you will end up. You’ll think you’ve found the answer a dozen times, before realising there isn’t ever really an answer, there isn’t ever a perfect spot. There is only the journey, and all the little experiences along the way. Marty Murawski had a little help to find out what was around this corner. Switch Pivot Fakie.

Founder Brendan Body Editor AD Henderson Online Darren Jacoby Financial Clint van der Schyf Consultant Adrian Day Advertising Kyle Porter (info@amplespace.co.za)

Photographers Pablo Ponzone, Gavin Scott, Ben Bergh, Sam Clark, Tim Moolman, Miguel Howell, Rudi Jeggle, Wayne Reiche, Tyrone Bradley, Clint van der Schyf, Lingo Rodrigues, Andre Visser, Jonathan Pinkhard, Clinton Theron, Alan Marola, Jansen van Staden, Leon Bester, Dewald Bruwer, Darren Jacoby, Eric Palmer, Werner Lamprecht, Luke Patterson, Ryan Janssens, Grant Mclachlan, Hein Kotze. Writers Adrian Day, Brett Shaw, Luke Jackson, Darren Jacoby, Mark Donaldson, AD Henderson. Published independently through Schyf Media cc.

10 | sessionmag.co.za

Email us on info@sessionmag.co.za Post letters to PO Box 2591, Somerset West, 7129. Follow us on www.sessionmag.co.za facebook.com/SessionMag twitter.com/SessionSkatemag instagram.com/sessionskatemag

Printers Typo Colour Printing Specialists +27 (0) 11 402 3468/9 Distributed RNA Distribution Support Skate Stores Please contact info@sessionmag. co.za should you wish to stock Session in your store, or if you are looking to find out where Session is stocked.

Session Skateboarding Magazine is published independently 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 the words welcome to taiwan tattooed across your face.

MAILBAG

new pe

letters, drawings, emails, facebook messages, dm’s, snailmail, telegraphs, messages in bottles.

thieving suckers

mission accomplished

Dear Sesh Mag.

Hey Session.

This is the most devastating story I’ve ever had to write (besides explaining to my parents I had just rolled my car and need them to come fetch me...). Anyway, to the point. I have been a follower and “attempting” collector of Session mag since the beginning (well issue 3 to be exact my slow ass missed the kick off as usual.) Aside a few issues missing I have collected most. The past two years had me in some difficult times so I had to stop for that period but I’m back in the loop and my 1st issue since my personal rescission(sic) was your 10 year issue.

My name is Mayan. I LOVE THE SESSION SKATE MAG. I skate any free time I can get (even if it rains I skate in our garage). The new Unlikely movie is AWESOME!!!!! I watch it almost every day. My favourite part is Kanya Spani. I also like the “Have an Adrian Day” articles and the Closet Envy. I am quite a big Session fan. I even started a Session craze in my grade (I’m in grade 6). I really like the stickers and posters that you give with the Session and the incredible movie done by the great Jamie O’Brien. Session has inspired me.

s k at e pa r k

Mayan (but my friends call me max) Keep doing that Max. It pleases The Session greatly.

earth = hippy speak Hey people of the earth! I was considering sending in some photo’s to be printed in the mag, and I was wondering if there were any rules or something like that, like the pixels, the backround, the tricks, the size? How do i know if it’s ‘good enough’? Thanx! :} Kendall Renner Three things: There are no rules. If it gets printed it’s good enough. Keep shooting until you get printed.

Turns out I got suckers who thieve from me and one of them did so my 10 year edition. This, I hope you understand, has more value to me then most because it was my come back issue. I was wondering if possible can I get another copy of it? I am willing to pay if needs be. This is a real plea and your assistance in this regard will be really appreciated. And the day I find that sucker with my mag I’ll be sure to halla at you to send the Bakersman and his infamous chest slap to my hood to sort them out. Yours in grown-man tears. KG Marite

park report, port elizabeth

There comes a time in every young man’s life when he needs to pick up his balls and reconnect the testosterone flow. Go get them Thieving Suckers KG.

PE’s new plaza is another stop along they coast you’ll want to put on the list. For an afternoon at least. The park sits in a huge expanse of land leaving you wondering why it’s not double the size. It clearly wouldn’t have made a dent in the open ground available.

winners The Busentz Lines competition winner is Karabo Maponyane with the answer: Line 1: Frontside Kickflip; Switch Backside 5-0; Fakie Tailside. Line 2: Switch Frontside 5-0 Frontside Shuv out; Switch Pop Shuv; Backside Caballerial Tailslide. Your new kicks are on their way! 12 | sessionmag.co.za

Either way, it’s a fun skate with hips and quarters to flow and a few ledges and rails to keep you entertained. The surface is smooth and solid, giving you that gliding feeling. It’s free to the public and not too busy most of the week. The general feel is that the obstacles are a bit mellow and certain things could have been better placed. Overall, PE’s new hook up spot scores a 6.5 out of 10 on the Session Spot-O-Meter. Shot for the photos Mr Rieyaad Saban.

Send your letters to info@sessionmag.co.za / PO Box 2591, Somerset West, 7129 Or just drop us a DM on Facebook.com/SessionMag or Twitter.com/SessionSkateMag

THE SNIPER COLLECTION

TEAM-DESIGNED, CUSTOM-BUILT, HIGH-CALIBER.

DEALER ENQUIRIES: 042 2002665

nixon.com

Clockwise from left: Waterlock Backpack, Synchro Belt, The Corporal, Snapper Trucker Hat, The Steelcat, The October.

Your Mom’s Wheels is based at The Pit, situated behind Clarke’s Bar and Restaurant in Bree Street Cape Town. Melissa Williams and Lyndall Maunder are her owners and between them, are doing some hella rad shit.

bizness

Recently they teamed up with German friend Hannes Nockel from Anker Ramps to put another idea into reality in the form a tight, fast and hella fun bowl with a wallride adjacent to the existing miniramp.

tightass new indoor bowl

We sent some questions to Hannes, Mel and Lyndal.

Your Mom has a bowl H: Anker Rampen is a Skatepark Company from Kiel, a city in the very North of Germany. We work bastard hard the whole European summer, but you can’t build with concrete in the snow and ice - so we spend our winters in South Africa where Clarke’s happens to be our favorite restaurant, bar, hang out spot! M: Lyndall and I have both known Hannes for years from him spending summers out here. Louis, Julian and all the homies started coming out here with him and they became super good friends of ours through skating and the rest. Death Alley was the first Anker project in Cape Town, have they built anything else in SA? H: …not really. We tried, but when it comes to building Skateparks in SA, there’s a lot of weird politics involved - it seems. Even joining up with local skatepark companies proves to be difficult. I guess there’s such few concrete skatepark projects, that no one wants to share any - understandable.

H: We’ve seen it a lot, and been wanting to try it forever, but this was the first time. It’s very nice for indoor, cause it’s clean and light. The reason we usually don’t use it is simple, it’s expensive and rubble usually does the trick.

Once it starts to set (usually after around about 5 hours) that’s when the most important work begins - finishing the surface with steel trowels until it’s ROCK HARD.

The most common mistake is people build shit that should never have been built out of concrete. Shit that should never have been built at all.

What was the initial idea behind Your Mom’s Bowl? L: Joubert sent a photo of a backyard setup he skated in Durban and Mel and I thought we could do something like that in The Pit. Mel has a wide on for bowls so the idea evolved into that pretty quickly. H: Seamus, Mel and us (the Anker Team) had a mind changing experience when we skated Sibbarb, TBS and Steppe side in Malmö (Sweden) - we realized small transitions, set up in the right way, can be so much fun. That inspired us. We wanted to create something like that, something fast and not necessarily too easy. What preparation was needed before getting started? H: Funds, design, workers, tools, material - in that order. What sort of problems did you face in planning it? H: We were very restricted when it came to space, so the most difficult part was, designing a shape that works. The area is very small, then it couldn’t 14 | sessionmag.co.za

The use of polystyrene was quite innovative, had you used this method before?

- Hannes

It takes practice and a lot of experience to get nice results but it’s also not rocket science. If you’re a skateboarder you have one massive advantage towards every construction worker and concrete expert - you know what it needs to look like in the end.

Clark

What is Anker Ramps and how did Your Mom meet them?

tools to work it. Every company has their own techniques and special tools, but generally what needs to happen is this - you wanna float the concrete until all the little holes in the surface are sealed with the cream (the stuff that comes up when floating the concrete). That’ll take a while and a lot of hands.

What are the most common mistakes people make when building with concrete? H: The most common mistake is people build shit that should never have been built out of concrete. Shit that should never have been built at all, hahaha. You included a wallride in the bowl. Did that complicate things? H: No.

Take us through the process of shaping the transition? H: Okay, that’s a tough one with a few words. But I’ll try: Once you’ve got your rubble packed nicely (or your styrofoam in shape), all the rebar in, and the formwork attached, there’s two ways of building a transition: Shotcrete, which means using a concrete pump and a compressor - the most elegant way with the best results. You spray the concrete into the transitions with air pressure. Or manually, using nothing but wheelbarrows, shovels and strength.

Did you have a lot of help from local skaters? H: We did. It was amazing to see how many people joined, were keen to learn, and stayed until late every day. Some nights there were 20 guys and we were running out of tools. Nice to see people put their heart into a project like that.

williams

No, it’s a reference to your mom’s underarm hair!

be too high, because of the ceiling, and it couldn’t be too heavy, because of the floor (there’s a story underneath and concrete weighs over 2 tons per cubic meter).

Were they lazy labourers? H: None of us got paid a cent for doing this, and not everyone has the same work ethics, obviously. But most of the guys worked their balls off - so no, they weren’t!

Either way, one of the most important things is to get the right mix. You want the concrete to be pretty dry, but you still need to be able to close up all the gaps later. If it’s too wet, it’s very runny and you won’t be able to get in the top parts of the transition. If it’s too dry, it makes it super difficult to shape and to get a nice finish.

Who has been shredding the bowl the most since it was built?

Once the concrete is in we use all kinds of different

M: Servicing!

H: Not us! M: The general consensus seems to point in the direction of Mr. Horowitz. What other plans does Your Mom have for her Pit?

clark

Is ‘The Pit’ a reference to your mom’s underarm hair?

williams

clark

Dewald Bruwer locks a tight Backside Smith after-hours.

sessionmag.co.za | 15

possessions

janssens

ten things you got

16 | sessionmag.co.za

W h en yo u’ve b een ro l l i ng fo r al most 2 /3 o f you r l i fe, yo u tend to accumul ate so me t hi ng s. W e got h o l d o f DC Skate Ch i ef And rew Mo rc k a nd h ad a gand er at h i s notewo rth y Pos Sessi ons.

Island Styles - Morck

Phillips Speakers

DC Leather Jacket

That particular signature model of mine was my favorite design of all 5 signature models I had over the years. A blast from the past fully loaded with as many features as I could cram in there. Even a secret stash pouch in the tongue.

Music is a big part of my life, so the delivery needs to be as good as the music is. I found these rad, arty Philips Fidelio speakers on the net and hunted them down. The style concept is too sick and the music quality they put out is audio-phile level. Having Airplay functionality built-in is just the cherry on top. Who wants to plug cables in anymore ??

That Leather DC jacket was part of the Dyrdek collection – It’s pretty much the coolest leather jacket I’ve ever come across – it was made with the most primo leather and has dope design & trims – which made it super expensive, and as a result it didn’t even make it into production – so it’s 1 of a limited number of samples around the world.

Boards

Nixon Watch - Beastie Boys

Session Magazine Collection

Those boards all have a personal link for me, either a homie’s signature board (GVB, Marola & Lloyd Hodoul) or a homie’s company (Funisu and Iron Fist / Hux colab). Either way they are all rad!

When Nixon released the Beastie Boys colab watch – I just had to have one. Beastie Boys are one of my all time favorite bands. RIP MCA.

I’ve pretty much collected all issues of Session from day 1 – that’s a big chunk of SA skate history right there.

iPad

DC Cap Case

Playstation

Nixon Trooper Headphones

My iPad is one of my most used items – I use it in some way EVERY day – It’s kinda like my window to the world and that’s where I’m reading my US skate mag subscriptions now.

I wear a cap EVERY DAY – I love caps… but they have to be perfect and my cap case keeps my peaks protected and crispy when I’m traveling.

My Playstation has served me well over the years of being benched by injuries – playing PS3 is the best way to distract yourself and kill some time until you can get back on your board.

Gotta travel with headphones – best way to screen out crying babies and avoid random conversation seekers while globetrotting. These Trooper headphones fold up so well, they are a pleasure to travel with. sessionmag.co.za | 17

blackboard // brett shaw

pinkhard

Brendan Diamond. Mirrored Frontside Bluntslides

Skateboarding didn’t always have a presence on the World Wide Web. Why? Because the dot.com void didn’t exist yet. Hell there weren’t even cell phones in the early 90’s. Back in the day there was no Zinio. We had printed magazines like Thrasher, Transworld, Big Brother, Sidewalk and Slap (if you were lucky enough to get a hold of them) and they got passed around like the village bicycle. Then 411 video Magazine came out on VHS and it changed the skate world forever. Sure we had company videos before that but 411VM had tours, profiles, contests, trick tips and tomfoolery - the perfect cocktail. It was also reassuring to know that there were other fools out there just like you raising hell on their skateboards. From 411VM came ON Video. They went from VHS to DVD and then they both died. Everyone has a 411VM story. If you don’t, go to skateboardermag.com and check out the 411VM archive. If you had to point a finger I guess you could say that the web killed company videos but I think that good company videos like PRETTY SWEET will become like rare vinyl and hopefully there will always be a place for them. These days it’s too easy. Visit skatedaily.net or hellaclips.com and you can watch 50 clips in 1 hour. Especially now that our internet speed has been jacked up. Not so long ago trying to watch a web clip was like watching a tree grow. E Commerce has also changed everything product wise because you can ride, wear and have whatever you want, now delivered to your door. Boards and shoes have become disposable. Pro Parts, tours and a general presence on the web are now just expected. You have to have such a deep bag of tricks, because 18 | sessionmag.co.za

and likewise with the stuntmen, tranny and contest guys. If

Watching Ben Raybourn set Burnside on fire live is way different to watching a clip of him on your Ipad while your mommy makes you a smoothie.

you’re a tweaker there’s strangenotes.com, offthewall.tv, Epicly Later’d or crailtap.com. Here on the tip of Africa you have reprobait.com, revolution-daily.com and baselinestudio. co.za. Then you’ve got the FTC guys in San Francisco. Palace skateboards, Blood Wizard, Deathwish, Consolidated and the skate shoe companies. Damn, your options are endless. It all comes down to traveling again. As a skateboarder you are obligated to go experience life in different countries, and you can with simply a different click. But watching Ben Raybourn set Burnside on fire live is way different to watching a clip of him on your Ipad while your mommy makes you a smoothie. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, You Tube, Vimeo… it goes on and on and some days it feels like your brain is going to explode and all the fragments are going to shoot out of

you can’t do your 10 tramline tricks week in and week out. Even with AV Skateboarding you have to continually have new tricks otherwise you won’t get coverage. If you don’t put anything out for a few months you’re forgotten or wead (web dead). The positive thing about everything being so accessible is that now you can really find your own neck in the skateboard woods. The tech guys have their companies they follow

your ass. It’s this huge interconnected web of information, photographs, HD clips and product. But the most important thing to remember is that we are all here to skateboard and you only want to be influenced by what’s going on. You need to do your own thing on your terms. That’s always the best way. Click.

Adi-Ease Nestor

22 | sessionmag.co.za

The real enjoyment of skateboarding is waking up in a completely new city and just going for a cruise. You can land every trick under this or any other sun, but that instance of freely navigating new terrain is really at the heart of skateboarding. Pieter Retief knows this all too well and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t skimp on the opportunity to bring home some photos... or video from his recent trip to Taiwan.

photos: Albert Retief interview: AD

sessionmag.co.za | 23

You’re on the same mission to find new spots, it’s just your surroundings and the faces you see that differ.

How’s the knee doing lately? It’s getting better, the healing process is weird man, I can jump down stairs and be ok, then I bump it getting out the car and it hurts like shit. What happened to it? I cruised down St Georges Mall shooting for the adidas represent campaign and hooked on a brick, slammed straight onto the left knee. Fucked for 6 months So rather go big than dick around on the small stuff? I guess that’s always been part of my approach, I like the rush and uncertainty, it makes the roll away feel so good. I would love to do some tech tricks, but it just takes too long. Was it healed by the time you got to Taiwan? It was not 100%, but I could skate and being given the opportunity to skate new spots, you just have to make it happen. What’s the flight time like from SA to Taiwan? Long! There’s actually a lot to look forward to, like who’s going to sit next to you for 24 hours. This can change your experience for the better. In my case I wanted to kill the guy. We had a bit of a battle for the armrest. Will I have tea or coffee, chicken or fish, what movies I will watch? I’m used to long distance travels. Your brother has been there a while now? He’s been there for 5 months and before that he was teaching English in South Korea. You’re pretty well-travelled, was it still a culture shock when you started exploring the streets? Not really, you’re on the same mission to find new spots, it’s just your surroundings and the faces you see that differ. I was intrigued with how people move around and just the everyday life. Kids learn how to walk, speak and then how to use a smart phone. You mentioned that the people were super friendly? It’s not like I had long conversations with people. If I bought something at a store and I got a smile that was enough for me. Not being kicked out of spots and being surrounded by curious onlookers smiling at you, made them seem friendly. What was an average meal like? Beef noodles, a mix of vegetables and tea. The cuisine was a definite highlight. Judging by the photos, Taiwan has some amazing architecture. Did you have to explore a bit to find spots or is there something everywhere? The traditional architecture was amazing; I enjoyed entering the temples and checking out monuments. The city caters for all ages being very practical in their design. There’s pretty much a spot on every corner and most of them have not even been touched. The city is full of marble ledges and the best flat ground to cruise on. Did you and Albert just skate around? Can he skate? We just cycled around the city; it made finding spots way easier. I think we covered about 25km on our first mission. He does not skate at all, he use to ride BMX. There seem to be tons of scooters. Too many. Where did you have the most fun skating? We found these black marble banks that you can grind for days and the area around it 24 | sessionmag.co.za

Aesthetically pleasing architecture abounds in the streets of Taiwan. Ride up Backside Flip.

26 | sessionmag.co.za

had long ledges and open flat ground. It would most definitely be a meet up spot anywhere in SA. Were there dudes that were killing it that you saw? What was the vibe when you rocked up at the local they got going there? All of the guys can skate, but they have not ventured out to street spots. They skate a lot of flat ground, but as the scene grows we will see more great things from Taiwan. I met one guy from China, who spends his winters in Taiwan due to the extreme cold. He was killing it. So there’s no footage of the 5-0. We’ve all decided that you have to go back and film it. It’s simply the right thing to do. Bro, we passed by that spot and I was not feeling it. Albert convinced me to at least try it. The wind was hectic and it took me a while to actually pop

It doesn’t really matter where you travel to, as long as you travel. onto a 50-50. After sticking the 50-50, I went straight for the 5-0. It was photo vs. footage. We chose the photo. If you don’t believe it, don’t run it. But I don’t roll like that. Alright, alright calm down. Why is travelling to new cities such a big deal for you specifically? Staying in one city is like being stuck in a room, being fed the same food and listening to the same music. It kills your creativity and sooner or later you accept it. The world is so big and you have endless opportunities. It doesn’t really matter where you travel to, as long as you travel. To travel and to be exposed to various cultures opens up your mind, inspires you and keeps your adventurous spirit alive. How was the Taiwanese night life? There were probably 3 bars worth checking out. Taiwan does not have a big drinking culture like South Africa. They do have 24hour Seven Elevens selling beer. Where did you mostly go out?

Sometimes it’s a photo vs footage kind of skate. Frontside 5-0.

I spent most of my time on the streets. We did go to this one bar (Roxy 99) with a lounge section in the back where you can find any vinyl you are looking for. You simply find what you like, take it to the DJ and she plays it for you. We spent some time there listening to music, plus the DJ was quite hot. Tell us one place you woke up and didn’t know where you were? (Aside from the last night) Not sure if you refer to this trip or in general. In 2010 it was in Tahoe, California. 2011 it was on a truck from Zimbabwe to Mozambique. 2012 was mellow and this year at the Airport going to Hong Kong. Remember these are my birthday weekends I’m referring to. Did you catch a bit of yellow fever? How strong is the Asian Persuasion? I would take 80% of all the girls I saw in Taiwan. What was the most useful Mandarin phrase you learnt? Ni Hao – Hello. Xie Xie – Thank you How did that help with security guards? When it came to security I played the innocent tourist. They don’t like conflict and prefer avoiding it, so the one officer simply left when he realised I could not speak Chinese. On a different occasion I got asked to leave, but when they left I stayed. sessionmag.co.za | 27

Pristine marble banks for a prefect Nosegrind pop in.

Did you eat a scorpion, or any other local delicacy that we usually find around the house or garden? No. I was more than happy with my noodles You got a massage from an old man? How was that? It started out good. I’m sure he did not enjoy it so much. It was straight after a skate and my top was covered in sweat. He worked my shoulder so hard I almost called it quits. I think towards the end he was joking with me, he almost dislocated my shoulder and when I resisted he started slapping me in the neck.

The one officer simply left when he realised I could not speak Chinese.

What were some of the best times of the trip?

quite a bit to drink that night but managed to make it home (brother love). The next morning I remember bus number 7, giving my brother a hug and then waking up at the airport - luckily the last stop on the route. I was wearing the same clothes as the night before with my new green fur slippers. I had my big bag, camera bag, backpack and my board in hand. I was really trying hard to act normal to ensure I could board that flight. At the check-in counter I was asked if I was ok to board. I had to repack my bag as I could only take

Definitely seeing my brother and making missions with him. We rented scooters and drove down the east coast to check out the country side. The 3 day trip was epic. That’s when I tried Betel Nut.

I wanted to do was sleep. I snapped my board in half and shoved it in my bag and

Yeah? Tell us about Betel Nut. It’s a legal drug of sorts?

at me strange. I made it through check-in and waited for my flight to Hong Kong,

Yeah it is legal. Betel Nut is some kind of fruit seed wrapped in a leaf. Chewing it gives you some sort of high I guess. It’s almost like chewing tobacco. People chew betel nut for its psychoactive properties. You have to get used to it, it makes your mouth a bit numb and in the long run can cause gum disease and cancer.

connecting to Doha then Cape Town. The flight attendant woke me up asking if I was

Did you feel the psychoactive properties? Not really, I was drinking when I tried it. You have to chew quite a bit. The guy in the photo was definitely enjoying his betel nut

one bag for hand luggage. I could not think straight, all put all my camera gear in my backpack. Some people at the airport really looked

on the flight to HK, they were calling my name. I rushed to the plane and walked passed a few disgusted faces to the back of the plane where I got the middle seat. I wish I could apologise to the people next to me. I woke up in Hong Kong feeling like shit. Now I had to board another flight. When I went to the bathroom to freshen up, I looked in the mirror. Someone had had some fun the night before. Written in

You woke up at the airport the day you had to fly home… Care to share the story.

permanent marker, in large letters across my face it said “Welcome to Taiwan”. Now

Shit bro, it was hectic man. The Saturday was my birthday and I had a flight the next morning. I packed most of my things the night before just to be safe. I had

I know why people were staring at me, I think I acted sober but my face gave it away.

28 | sessionmag.co.za

The next 24 hours were not pleasant.

Taiwan is full of spots that look made-to-skate. Red curb pop to Wallie out. sessionmag.co.za | 29

Wesley ‘Tooth’ Schroeder. Backside Overcrooks. Photo Clark.

van staden

p h o t o s : v a r ious

32 | sessionmag.co.za

i nt roduct i on: Toot h le ss

i nt ervi e w : AD

Quiet. Self-sufficient. Self-propelled. Accurate in judgement. Seldom complains. A man of few words. Yet machines rarely speak.

So why are you called Tooth? When I was a young snot gat(small one) I used to be part of a local crew in my area called the Method Kids. I met up with the homies and a fly buzzed on my tooth and they all saw... From then they called me Tooth. Besides my smile, it stuck with me all these years. It started in the hood and spread all over the country. That’s classic. How many years have you been rolling now? I would say 10 years but that would be a lie. For the past 2 years I’ve been saying 10 years when people ask, but I’ve been rolling for about +-13 years. Yeah once you get over 10 years of rolling it doesn’t matter. Kids don’t comprehend more than that. How long have you been on Vans? I’ve been on Vans for 3 years now. I really appreciate the help they have given me up to this day. You’re a lot more gangster than the other team riders, do you ever wear shorts and pull your socks up high and put some Slayer on your MP3 player? Haha! I do wear shorts and pull my socks up high at times. I think it looks cool, as long as I’m wearing Vans socks and a Snapback cap. You won’t catch me in those high white socks with those red and black stripes on them if you know what I’m talking about. You will however catch me with Slayer on my PC, 20sk8 on my

board and Bfake on my Mp3. Thanks Brett for the Slayer albums and stickers! Has Brett schooled you on wallies and wallrides yet? Khulu actually schooled me on wallrides and wallies, so now I’ve got them down.

You will however catch me with Slayer on my PC, 20sk8 on my board and Bfake on my Mp3. You guys just wrapped up a 20sk8 Weekend article for AV. How did that go? It was full of just skateboarding and friends having a good time. The Thursday we just skated street. Friday was amazing because I witnessed hundreds of skateboarders rush into Thibault Square (Infecting The City), after which 20sk8 threw a demo that Alan Adams

shut down. He skated the legendary Thibault set with all his tricks, doing them so good that you would think it was Mosey. We also had Bfake taking the mics. Saturday we went to Gugulethu to show the kids a little bit of what skateboarding is about and then hit the streets after that. Sunday it was just pure Street skating getting busted, cut hands and roasties on our backs, but putting it all down eventually BOLTS! Ryan ended the weekend with a huge ollie over a gap into a steep bank which was cool and a good ending to the weekend. He took a funny bail though that I could not stop laughing for about 30 minutes straight. The ragdoll bail. He ollied the gap, slipped out and just slid on his ass like a ragdoll. Great weekend! Everybody in the crew killed. I LOVE YOU GUYS. Sick! I can’t wait to see the weekend. So guys added in some social responsibility into the weekend with the demo and the Gugs mission. It’s a subject that seems pretty important to you guys. Is it a 20sk8 priority to help the kids? All the kids like 20sk8, so we treat them like one of us. They smile and are amped so we tell them that THEY are also part of 20sk8. A movement saying that no matter where you come from, you can get into that industry as well and make a noise. We just like getting others amped and pushing them to go big. It’s like back in the days when Alan and Christi use to kill at Canal Walk Boogaloos park and all over SA with Homesick and SPF. We looked up to them a lot and now they are legends in our skate

sessionmag.co.za | 33

I just remember Toothless speaking to me or someone saying, “Yor Tooth is a Machine maybru!”

industry. Now we just try and help hype the upcoming kids and the kids that want to start skating. I must mention that Marcel Maasen helps the kids out a lot with skate stuff, he’s a good skate-samaritan. He’s another honorary 20sk8 member isn’t he? He has been with us for our whole AV weekend and it’s been said that he definitely is. Haha, The Coloured. Hah, why do you call him the Coloured? Because he is like a G! When he hangs with us he fits in perfectly with the Cape Town city vibes and his Afrikaans... He is G on his board too. Always has fresh kicks going, new board going. Just has Cape Town flavour in him. Who do you enjoy watching skate these days? I enjoy watching Sean Malto, Tommy Fynn, Ryan Gallant, Lenny Rivas, Rodrigo TX, Jack Curtain, Forrest Edwards to name a few. These guys skate so easy and make it look fun, so I just try and keep up with what they are doing. I mostly like their style. Do you sit on YouTube and HellaClips a lot? Not so much Hellaclips but YouTube a lot. Any regulars/channels you look out for? Nigel Alexander nKa Channel; Ride Channel; MSA Channel; Official Battle at the Berrics 6 Channel; Tooth20sk8 Channel. And the channel that always makes me laugh, Top10memes Channel Speaking of meme’s, this machine association is almost as sticky as the nickname Tooth. Can you remember who started calling you a machine? What makes the rollaway worth it for you? Toothless started calling me the machine probably because whenever he saw me skate I would not give up on a trick. I would just keep going until I land it. I would fall so many times, make my white tee look brown and broken, sweat and bleed until I nailed the trick and rolled away. I just remember Toothless speaking to me or someone saying, “Yor TOOTH is a Machine maybru!” Only Toothless can tell you the real meaning behind that. Next thing I know he speaks about it in the 20sk8 song. But aside from loving skating so much, I think that process just makes the rollaway much more worth it.

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Satans Gap is infamous in the Helderberg area just outside Cape Town. You work for what you want. Tooth took Satan for a ride and banged a Nollie Flip and this 360flip in one session. Yeah, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bit Selfish.

sessionmag.co.za | 35

How long did the overcrooks take on the Sea Point rail? You had that in your head for a while didn’t you? I definitely had that buzzing in my head. I’ve always wanted to do that trick down a street handrail and Sea Point rail came straight to mind because most of the skaters have done something down there and it’s kind of a legendary spot. I wanted to make my mark. I met up with Sam Clark and Joubert early afternoon and I didn’t even warm up, I just threw myself down there to get it done with as quickly as possible. We got bust by some traffic cops saying we should go. We left and came back later at 5pm only to see the traffic cops again. They left after an hour, but suddenly

36 | sessionmag.co.za

some kind of marathon started on Sea Point and I couldn’t skate the rail or else I would fall right into the crowd. The crowd finally got less, and it got dark, and I had to hit the rail every time the guys gave me a thumbs-up. Then it took about 5 tries. How are those Selfish boards doing on the city streets? Too Good!!! I’ve skated most of the boards in the industry already and somehow nothing can come close to a fresh Selfish board. I’m not saying this just because I ride for them. It really is a good board with pop that lasts and wood that is strong. Since I’ve been riding for them I’ve been

I just threw myself down there to get it done with as quickly as possible.

Apparently it is un-PC to call this a Varial Heelflip. Tooth Shuvit Heelflips Cape Town’s new favorite Double Set.

jumping down stairs and skating handrails but not one big chunk chip in the nose or tail, and the city streets can be quite rough and harsh on your board. I’ve got super good feedback on these boards from people I skate with and even people I don’t skate with so yeah, well done Jereme Rogers.

for the past year now. I wish I could skate and that could be my job, but unfortunately that’s not happening right now in this country. For the rest of this year, I’m just sort of going to sort myself out and keep skating.

Have you been in contact with those dudes directly?

Thanks to God. My parents for always supporting me with skateboarding. Warren Talbot and Keith Bushby at Vans. Warren Stopforth at Selfish Skateboards for putting me on the coolest board company alive. Tooth-less(DA Bruin), Shuaib, Justin, Ryan, Junaid, Quinty, Mikhail, Matthew,

All through Warren Stopforth and Ross Beswetherick. So what’s your vibe for the rest of year then? You working at the moment? Not working at the moment. I’ve just been too busy skating

It’ll get there eventually. Was good chatting Tooth. Last words or thanks?

Gino, Cameron, Lee Adams, Wade, Marcel Maasen, Guy(PinkI), Mosy, Alan, Pedro, Keerin, Toufeeq (tre-feeq AKA ToFo), Jesse, Ashley, everyone I skate with and that is a part of 20sk8. You know who you are, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST HOMIES TO SKATE WITH EVER. R.I.P JP Du Preez. Big thanks to Seth Phitides at Redbull for keeping me rehydrated and energized! Sam Clark, Joubert van Staden, Jansen van Staden, Eric palmer and Jonokay. Everyone else, you know who you are. Stay Humble and keep the peace alive.

sessionmag.co.za | 37

louw

latent potential returns to peer through the lens at the monochromatic world of the elder van staden brother.

38 | sessionmag.co.za

sessionmag.co.za | 39

Except for one. a perfectly in focus duck on the water. I sent it in to a teen school magazine and won a Fujifilm Finepix camera.

What came first – skateboarding or photography? And when did each of these interests begin? Joubert and I started skating on a plot outside Pretoria when I was 13. I convinced my mom to buy me a setup I saw advertised in the junk mail. A maroon Zorlac blank, with Powell wheels and blank trucks. Joubert had the trucks and wheels after I was done with it. Cameras have always had a presence in our lives. Since I could remember my dad always carried one around. We went with him to Hartebeespoort dam once, he put a camera in my hand, set it on aperture mode, and I started playing, think I was 15. The day’s photos were all crap. Except for one a perfectly in-focus duck on the water. I sent it in to a teen school magazine and won a Fujifilm Finepix camera. I was stoked and took photos every now and then, but I wasn’t really that into it. Only after school did I take the plunge. What makes a good photograph, to you? Henri said: “I’m not interested in photography, I’m interested in life.” Any photograph is just a representation of life. Many things constitute a good photograph. But a photograph that provokes or evokes is one to be stared at. It tells a story. It speaks to you, and you don’t know why. You just keep looking at. What do you enjoy most about the process of photography? I like the process of observing. To observe properly is to observe objectively. In life, you are both the actor in the play and the audience. Try being only the audience. Without observing you can’t really see past your own nose.

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Ryan Lay. Pop up Crooks. UCT, Cape Town

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Khulu Dlamini. Backside Flip. Thibault Square, Cape Town

42 | sessionmag.co.za

But how? How to free myself from the tyranny of my own mind?

Do you still shoot on film? What camera do you use? I do, I prefer shooting on Kodak tri-x (but really, any film will do) and I use a trusted Nikon F100. You don’t have any social media accounts. What is your personal view on social media? In the beginning, I felt like I was missing out, I had a Facebook account for 2 weeks, but it just didn’t sit well with me. The thought of it all. Social media is great; it connects people from all corners of the world. But social media is not life. Interacting with people face to face is real. When I see people walking around with a phone in front of their faces I sometimes wonder what they get out of it that’s so much better than the present moment around and within them. Do you think the internet has killed people’s appreciation for photographic prints? I wouldn’t blame the internet. The fact that a big portion of the world’s population now has access to a phone, and therefore in many instances a camera as well, photography is now very accessible and appealing to most. And the advances in technology have the camera doing most of the job. But because of this, the standards of photography have dropped in general to something you can call “acceptably good”. No more is a photo clearly defined as spectacular or really crap, it’s just… ok. “Yeah that could work. It looks alright…” Many good photographs become lost in this massive grey area. Sharing photos has become very easy. Once it was limited to print and now everyone can view each other’s photos on a screen. The need for a good print isn’t a need anymore, but rather a luxury one has to be able to afford. And when you do want a good print, especially from a traditional darkroom, there are only a couple of establishments left to do the job. It’s become a niche. You regularly meditate. Would you call yourself spiritual? Bob Marley sang: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”. He like many wise people of our time, knew what has to be done. But How? How to free myself from the tyranny of my own mind? The how is missing. We are all suffering our own minds. Every single one of us. It is universal. One cannot call suffering Hindu suffering, or Christian suffering or Japanese suffering or a poor person’s suffering. Suffering is suffering. Therefore if the sickness is universal, the remedy has to be universal. It cannot be sectarian.

sessionmag.co.za | 43

Louis Taubert. Frontside Smith. Woodstock Cape Town

There is a way to come out of suffering. A path you must walk. A technique.

How do you balance wanting to skate versus shooting skate photos?

We are fortunate that in India this technique was discovered 2000 years ago. And even more fortunate to have this technique taught to us in this day and age in the techniques’ pristine purity. No dogmas, no rituals, no blind faith. Only pure science of mind and matter and the observation thereof within the framework of your own body.

Well usually not everyone has something for the particular spot we arrive at. One or 2 people will hit it up. I’ll skate around and if someone is getting close to landing the trick, I’ll take the camera out. But if I would want to skate the spot, but someone else is also trying something, I would take photos first, get it done and then try get something if I wanted.

It is called Vipassana Meditation. It teaches three things and three things only: 1. Morality. 2. Concentration of and mastery over the mind. 3. Purification of the mind

Tell us about your father’s work as a photographer. He travelled Africa quite a bit?

Who can condemn such teachings? Anyone from any religion or even no religion can practice it. Ups and downs are there from birth. And importance is always given toward outside things. But what about what’s happening inside? From birth we start moving towards death every day. And we just go on without preparing for the inevitable. This technique is an art of living that teaches how to live peacefully with one self and others, and to learn how to cope with unwanted things happening and wanted things not happening and ultimately learn how to die peacefully. In order to give a fair trial to this technique, one has to attend a residential 10 day course presented by a man called S.N Goenka or one of his assistant teachers. The course is FREE. FREE food, FREE accommodation, FREE lodging and FREE (invaluable) teaching. In South Africa there is one such a place. In Worcester in the Western Cape, Look up www.pataka.dhamma.org and Google: Vipassana Meditation. Find out if this could be what you have been looking for. And then sign up!!! You’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain. If only one person attends the course because of this interview, it will be a great moment. The gift of Dhamma is the greatest gift of all.

44 | sessionmag.co.za

He travelled Africa not because of photography. But because of his love of the continent and his relentless efforts to help the poor and to empower people with their own resources by means of sustainable development. Africa is not poor, maybe poorly managed, but rich in diversity and culture, and rich with resources and minerals. This ensured he always had exotic locations and situations for his photographs. He taught himself how to shoot, carried his camera wherever he went and died with a camera around his neck. Did he influence your style of photography? Yes sir. The joy he got from taking photos will always remain with me. He introduced me to guys like Alf Kumalu, Sebastiao Salgado, Henri Cartier Bresson and the whole of the Magnum photography scope. If you don’t know Magnum photography, do yourself a favor… You shoot predominantly black and white. Why do you prefer that to colour? I read somewhere a response to a similar question, the photographer’s response was: “black and white is further removed from reality”. It just goes straight to the point. Something is just more obvious in a black and white photo as opposed to the same photo in color. A photographer, like everyone, sees the world through his own eyes, but to take

Juan Smit. Backside Smith. The Stadium, Cape Town

If you don't know Magnum photography do yourself a favor...

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Shuaib Philander. Pop up Backside Tailslide. Gardens, Cape Town

46 | sessionmag.co.za

Competitions and Weddings. They have got a lot in common.

a photo, he is limited to the four sides of a rectangle. Four corners. And in order for him to communicate, more clearly, what he sees to the viewer, he has to make choices about what to include in this frame, or what to exclude. Techniques like exposure control or good use of composition can help the photographer with these choices. And these choices and techniques are sometimes a little more revealed in black and white. What does one need to consider when shooting black and white? Henri said form is the 1st thing. The rest follows. But look out for highlights and shadows and textures and flow. Start looking at photos, and why you think the ones you like are good. Ask yourself: What and how and why did the photographer do what he did in the particular shot. One can learn so much by just looking at pictures. What do you enjoy shooting the most? The human comedy is said to be greatest spectacle. I enjoy walking in a place like Maputo. Like an outsider. Trying to be invisible and snatching up moments here and there unnoticed. It’s not easy, some days you get three shots and other a whole roll. I like candid/unposed photography. Raw, uninterrupted life as it represents itself in front of you wherever you are. Why this preference to landscape? I don’t know really. To shoot portrait calls for a very specific situation, but landscape just seems to work for almost everything. It’s just personal preference really. How has the move to Cape Town changed things for you? Well, I’ve predominantly been shooting skating since I’ve been here, not that I shoot that much, but there are so many skaters here and potentially there is a lot of skating to be documented. And every two months or so I get a little cash from you guys and it somehow covers rent, even if it is late, sorry Joubert. Apart from that, I’m still an unemployed skate hobo. I should probably get a job… Cape Town is a good example for the

sessionmag.co.za | 47

Kanya Spani. Frontside 50-50. Bo-Kaap, Cape Town

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Kanya Spani. Wallie. Thibault Square, Cape Town

rest of the country, not the government or politics but the people, how more accepting all the different people are towards each other here. People don’t frown upon others as much. Differences should be embraced. Coming back to the meditation question – when you realize that you yourself are suffering, and then that everyone else is also suffering. Then you might realize that there is no real necessity for hatred or animosity. Why not just love and acceptance? What do you dislike about working as a photographer? Nothing, I don’t consider it work at all. What are some of the things you will never compromise on when shooting, or never shoot for that matter? Competitions and Weddings. They’ve got a lot in common. What are your plans for the next year? I don’t really have plans. Let’s see what happens.

sessionmag.co.za | 49

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stick tips

T a i l s l i d e

// trick tips with the element team

Tailslides are fun. Whether you’re sliding or popping into them, they are definitely a need to learn. Taking the revert out isn’t much harder once you’ve got them. Start by getting a nice, solid slide going. Slide it out and spot your drop in point.

When you’re going to drop back in start swinging your shoulder out and shifting your weight forward. You try get your board sliding parallel to your shoulders as you lean in.

theron

Once you get 90 degrees you need to put that front truck down and turn your body the rest of the way. Or you could do it like a pro and revert the full 180 on your back truck, dropping front wheels as you fakie manual away.

52 | sessionmag.co.za

Keep you balance centered and shoulders square as you roll down the transition. Do them everywhere then get bored of it and then start learning them backside.

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Session 031212.indd 2

2012/12/03 10:17 AM

Vrotbek Switch ollie

500m undercover Sk8/BMX/rollerblade park & Skate store 2

(Element, DC, Sector9, Plan B. Spares. Food and drink.)

5 Progress Street, Knysna. Find us on Facebook / Twitter. Ivan: 0833252526 / Steve: 0824110950

Watch the edits at www.baselinestudio.co.za

Damd

a proud collaboration with

Supporting skateboarding w w w. r e v o l u t i o n - d a i ly. c o m

I Am

stubborn reviews

// fresh talent

van der schyf

// darren jacoby & mark donaldson

musical

Serve neat

THE SMITHS

Combine in shaker and strain into beer

Buy the morning after pill. Follow up with car insurance.

Cosmopolitan.

bottle.

Find a corner and eye fuck girls til something bites.

Serve and immediately offend Luke

1 Bottle Gin

BAD BRAINS

on mistreatment.

Serve neat. Stir quickly.

4 shots Marijuana

Get drunk and listen to JJ Harris rap with no less than 6 friends.

Serve on rocks. Stir vigorously. Garnish with Marlboro.

THE THE

Don’t leave the house.

1 Bottle Whiskey

THE WU-TANG CLAN

SLAYER 8 shots Virgin Blood

MASTER P

8 shots Wheatgrass Juice

10 shots Vodka

FUGAZI

Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve.

Serve neat. Stir vigorously and scream offensive phrases at the top of your lungs.

1 Bottle Sparkling Mineral water.

Drive to Gandalfs and go home empty handed.

THE PIXIES

8/18/11 11:02:32 AM

Jackson. Listen to his girlfriend lecture you

Serve on rocks.

Talk about the dangers of alcoholism and how you won’t drink til next Friday.

Prepare for loser complex.

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Spend the rest of the night in a portaloo. hein kotze

Darren and Mark’s Music Guide to Drinking.

Ses45_RevoDPS.indd 7-8

Photo: Reiche’

y wiz ard

How old are you Sean? 18 years young. Has your voice broken? Indeed. Haha Where are you from? Pretoria When did you first pick up a skateboard? About 6-7 years ago in Richards Bay. A Hud. Where do you skate? Wherever I can. Skinner, the town and every Wednesday night Thrashers. Work / study / school? Sadly still in school man! Who pays for your boards?

It’s been long since I paid for my own. I skate every one’s second hand boards. How are the missions in Pretoria without the Plankie boys? It’s going on, we miss the brothers! But we still have Skippy (Charlas). And all the other friends. What’s the craziest thing you’ve witnessed at Skinner? Jansen trying to wallie the wall in to the bank. CRAZY!!! What does SSS stand for? SHAUN SKATE SOCIETY. Is Sechaba your biological father? He’ll wish. Sechaba is just Sechaba.

Roasties or wood burns? NONE!!! Tight or Loose? Loose all the way! Hills or manuals? Hills are for men. Ditch or ramp? Both!!! Best skate-lunch? Streetwise pap at KFC. Next skate trip? Down to Durban for the ‘King of the Ramps’.

Supporting skateboarding w w w. r e v o l u t i o n - d a i ly. c o m

I Am

// fresh talent

8/18/11 11:02:32 AM

hein kotze

Ses45_RevoDPS.indd 7-8

How old are you Sean? 18 years young. Has your voice broken? Indeed. Haha Where are you from? Pretoria When did you first pick up a skateboard? About 6-7 years ago in Richards Bay. A HUD. Where do you skate? Wherever I can. Skinner, the town and every Wednesday night Thrashers. Work / study / school? Sadly still in school man! Who pays for your boards?

Roasties or wood burns? NON!!! Tight or Loose? Loose all the way! Hills or manuals? Hills are for men Ditch or ramp? Both!!! Best skate-lunch? Streetwise pap at KFC. Next skate trip? Down to Durban for the ‘King of the Ramps’.

rainy days

// luke jackson

Skateboarders growing up today can get just about every new video at the click of a button. Which makes everything disposable and the interest in most productions extremely limited. The experience of buying a VHS tape from your local skate shop and the excitement of heading home to watch it without knowing what it holds in store is now gone. There is no concept of waiting for it to rewind in the video machine so you can watch it again and again. It’s the little things that make you really appreciate something. The VHS tape and now even the DVD have become somewhat nullen-void, but this also makes them somewhat rare collector’s items. Like those who still value vinyl over MP3 and who can appreciate actual music collections in contrast to virtual libraries, so there are those in skateboarding who still value the DVD over the YouTube URL. The DVDs sitting on the shelf are a tangible collection of artefacts that still hold their value years down the line. In direct opposition to the now minuscule life-span afforded to skate videos online, select individuals have begun to specifically release their videos on DVD and not put them straight online. The videos that these resistors produce are not so easily obtainable because skate shops don’t stock too many videos anymore. Therefore, you usually have to order them from the filmmakers themselves. The last three I received in the mail are Jeremy Elkin’s ‘Poisonous Products’, Yoan Taillandier’s ‘Meanwhile’ and Magenta Skateboards’ ‘Hill Street Blues 2’. ‘Poisonous Products’ is a continuous montage filmed on the streets of New York City from start to finish. The soundtrack is all NYC Hip Hop and the actual disc itself has been made to

look like vinyl. It’s rather unorthodox in that it starts with the credits and ends with the titles but you get fast street lines and good energy throughout. Hailing from Montreal and residing in NYC, Elkin has quickly made a name as one of the East Coast’s finest filmers.

It’s the little things that make you really appreciate something. ‘Meanwhile’ is an interim release from France’s VX master. The idea behind the production is to keep in touch with what Yoan is doing between his last masterpiece ‘Minuit’ and the next video that he is currently working on. It’s filmed entirely at night on the streets of Bordeaux with the locals. The city has what in my opinion is one of the tightest skate scenes in

the world at the moment, plenty of style from highly motivated individuals. ‘Hill Street Blues 2’ features Magenta team riders and friends on the streets of San Francisco. The French brand consisting of Vivien Feil, Soy Panday and Leo Valls joined US team riders Jimmy Lannon and Zach Lyons in the city to bomb hills and connect with friends for the second year running. Magenta is on a constant quest to make what they call ‘Worldwide Connections’ and put out edits in different cities on the regular. Leo Valls is a powerslide magician and his usual pace is further amplified by the steep SF slopes. In my opinion, Magenta is one of the few brands today that portrays skateboarding with true authenticity. Whether you have a hundred DVDs in your collection or none, appreciate the benefits of technology but also try to appreciate the value of what people put great effort into creating. Don’t just watch everything once because it happened to pop up on your Facebook feed and then simply forget about it afterwards. However, if there is one online video I can recommend in this issue it’s Magenta’s newest edit ‘Panic in Gotham’, that is skateboarding!

w w w. Se ss i o n M a g . c o . z a

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Autumn 2013 | Audio Visual Skateboarding Video Magazine | Issue 18

Exposure 18.1

Weekend 20sk8

Import Louis Taubert

Close Up Juan Smit

Plus Bonus Footage

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have an adrian day

// adrian day

I woke in the morning to see that the politicians in CT were having it out over skateboarding. A transport minister challenged City Councillor JP Smith’s ruling that skateboarding must remain illegal in Cape Town.

illegal or not, you are not going to stop it. Skateboarding is like prostitution A few hours later, a radio station called looking for me, to get my input. My fundamental comment, was that illegal or not, you are not going to stop it. Skateboarding is like prostitution. But in this day and age I really hope that the skateboarder never fears fines, or lets it get in the way of what he or she loves doing. I hope that parents side with their skate kids and fight the good fight. I hope that skaters can intelligently justify this rebellion to potential supporters.

My point is, no matter what happens, don’t let them take your shaka.

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clark

In Cape Town and for most of SA, the public sector hasn’t done a fucking thing for skateboarding ever. So why should we abide or respect?

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1/26/12 12:03 PM