ÉDITO Foutu édito... C’est toujours ce que je fais en dernier. Je ne sais jamais trop quoi raconter. En plus je sais que très peu de monde lit cette partie du ‘zine, du coup, pas vraiment facile de me motiver. Puis, quand je me décide enfin, ça fini toujours par toucher un sujet sérieux, et donc, c’est très souvent chiant. Probablement encore plus pour vous que pour moi d’ailleurs. Mais bon, il va bien falloir que je m’y mette, parce qu’ouais, Fred (l’boss de Soma), il n’est plus tout jeune ! J’suis même sûr qu’il ne va pas tarder à me refiler les commandes de son magazine.
Vous ne me croyez pas hein ? Et bien vous n’avez qu’à aller lire le dernier numéro, la transition est déjà entrain de se faire. Ouais, j’ai pu signer mon 1er article ! La grande classe hein ?! Non ? Ouais, bon ok, d’accord, j’lui ai arrangé l’coup pour des vacances par chères en Grèce pour qu’il accepte de publier mon truc en fait... Remarque, il prend des risques, parce que, la dernière fois que j’ai écris un truc pour un mag’ c’était pour Chill, et celui-ci a disparu très peu de temps après ! ... Bref, merci Fred et longue vie à Soma !
VERSUS SKATEZINE & PLUS #CXV winter 2016 jeremyversusdurand@hotmail.fr / versus-skatezine.ca issuu.com/versus / facebook.com/versusskatezinefromhell DIY SK8 1312 ACAB 1998 YCM 1984 MDV 2004 NINICHE 666 F**K PMC
OLI BÜRGIN THE
INTERVIEW
FS Nosepick / @Rob Rouleaux
I never would have imagined the effect that the Blackcrossbowl had on our scene BS 360 @Gogo Cetiner
OLI BÜRGIN THE
INTERVIEW
“There are just a few “real big names” in skateboarding coming from Switzerland. And Oli Buergin is one of them. So, for sure, as a real skaterat-nerd, I still remember the first time I’ve seen him. It was a while ago, at the Black Cross Bowl in Basel. It wasn’t even finished yet and he was already doing crazy hurricanes around the big corner. Years after, the Black Cross Bowl died, and Port Land was born. That’s where I saw him once again. I was a bit older, a bit less shy and intimidated, so I went to him, with my shaky sketchy swiss german, to buy him a Black Cross Bowl DVD, that they were selling there. He answered me really kindly, in perfect french. What a day, I talked to Oli Buergin, bought a great DVD and skated one of the best DIY in the world. Amazing. Anyway, a couple of months ago, Charles, Cyru and me wanted to skate Port Land again. But when we arrived in Basel, it was already dark... No problem, Charles called Oli, who arrived a couple of minutes after, to put lights on for us! We exchanged a couple of words about Bernside (Bern’s DIY skatepark project), and then skated ‘til we couldn’t move anymore. Another amazing day. When I woke up the day after, sore as hell, it was all clear to me: I’ve to do an interview with Oli once! And you know what? Here is it! Enjoy!” Hello Oli! I’m sorry, but you’ll have to introduce yourself, ‘cause kids nowadays just learn through Street League! I am 42 years old and i’m from Basel, Switzerland. When i was about twelve years old, i got to ride a skateboard (fibreglass style and narrow) for the first time and was instantly hooked. My parents didn’t want to let me have one, my mom was worried that i would hurt myself. Luckily my grandmother was kind enough to offer me a board for my birthday. For a while i used it to cruise to school and didn’t really know how to do tricks. They were not very important. After a while i met some other skaters from my town and we saw the first magazines and soon after, started building our own ramps. That lead to skating more and then building more ramps and then travelling to skate and then working in the skate industry and eventually having my whole life revolve around skateboarding…
Hurricane @Gogo Cetiner
Port Land is like a DIY on steroids For those who are still asking themself “who the fuck is this guy?”, I’ll tell you something: Oli Buergin had a pro-model with Santa Cruz a couple of years ago, and then, afterwards, a guest board with Antiz! See?! I’m interviewing a star guys! (laugh) At some point i must have been good enough to actually impress some people. I won a few contests, filmed some video parts (mostly for local videos) and when I was almost 30 years old, my longtime sponsor Santa Cruz offered to make a board with my name. I didn’t really make any money from it, but it was a nice motivation to continue to push myself at an age where (at the time) most people started to slow down with their skating. The Antiz guest board came a bit later, but it was an honour to be involved with one of the most legit European board companies! You’re working at Etnies since a while now... Did you felt the impact of Nike entering the business? And the “crisis” in the last past years? I’ve been working for Etnies for close to twenty years now… Crazy how time flies! We definitely feel the effect that Nike has on the market. A lot of the young kids nowadays think Nike is a legit skateboard brand that’s been around for a long time. I see etnies as one of the last real skater owned brands and i’m grateful to be able to contribute to our mission. It’s rad to work with people like Albert Nyberg, Willow and Barney Page. They love skateboarding as much as I do…
The financial crisis has made it hard for smaller companies and skateshops to survive and it’salways sad to see brands or shops disappear. One of my first experience with Switzerland, was at the Grand Prix in Lausanne 2002. Great memories. Have you ever participated in some ways to any of those? Because I know that you were in charge of the ESC (European Skateboard Championship) in Basel years after... I helped a little bit in the very beginning of the Grand Prix and later I was working on site to set up the vert ramp with Vertical Skateramps. The Grand Prix was a really rad event that brought the global skate community to Switzerland a few years in a row. The ESC was somewhat similar to that but with a focus on European skateboarders. At the time when we started ESC, there weren’t a lot of events that brought the whole scene together and made sure that the skaters are happy and treated well.
A lot of kids nowadays think Nike is a legit skateboard brand...
You built 2 of my favorite skate-spots. First the Black Cross Bowl (RIP), which was, a Pontus Alv project at the beginning right? Thanks! The two spots are quite different. The Blackcrossbowl was our first experience with concrete and it was made possible by the collaboration with Pontus. It’s a long story, but basically it
FS Tailgrab @Sebatian Hartung
FS Wallride @Kristijan Smok
I really like supporting other DIY projects and sharing my concrete knowledge
Whenever there is a DIY to be found we skate it
BS Air @Kristijan Smok
was a byproduct of the 2006 ESC, where we did an art show and I felt like Pontus could do something that will outlast the event. So we found a spot to build some kind of concrete “sculpture” that was skateable. Under the the supervision of Pontus we managed to build a sculpture and it lasted for six years. Looking back on it I am not sure if it was actually skateable… :-) I never would have imagined the effect that the Blackcrossbowl had on our scene! People started to skate again or skated every week instead of once a month. We extended the bowl twice and it became a mythical place that skaters from all of Europe came to shred. Had some funny and crazy nights there, especially the last party when we destroyed the bowl. Then Port Land. Amazing spot but... Why this name? Isn’t it a bit confusing with Portland Oregon? Or was it on purpose? Port Land is like a DIY on steroids. We had a lot of momentum and support from the city as well as a lot of friends that don’t actually really skate. They still pitched in some $$$ and worked long hours on the construction site. We asked for 400m2 of space to build and got some financial support from the Lottery Fund. All this made it possible to go crazy and build on a professional level with concrete trucks and a shotcrete pump. At times we got a little bit ahead of ourselves, but in the end it all worked out. We recently signed a new contract so Port Land will be around until the end of 2019 at least! The name has three meanings: The Portland cement that’s used for concrete, a tribute to Burnside (in Portland) and the fact that it’s located in the port of Basel.
FS Tailslide @Soerfi Schweingruber
FS Tailslide @Soerfi Schweingruber
the last party we destroyed the bowl What’s up next? An indoor skatepark right? Would be nice since Pumpwerk died, with one of the last Vert ramp of the country... By the time this interview comes out, the building of new indoor park should have started. It was a long process to get everything together, but it’s worth busting your ass to have a dry place to skate in the winter. Unfortunately the vert ramp will not fit into the new building. If all goes well it will be set up outside for some nice summertime vert sessions. My friends at Bernisde told me they are keeping in touch with you for their project too... The Bernside guys hit me up a while ago to share some of the experience and knowledge from the Port Land project. I gave them as much information as possible and they started to work with the city to get a building permit. This was almost two years ago and it looks like they can start building this spring. I am looking forward to get my hands dirty when the concrete pouring starts! I really like supporting other DIY projects and sharing my concrete knowledge. You’ve been travelling quite a lot with your job. Are you everytime looking for all the DIY spots when you go somewhere? Because the DIY scene seems to be a big influence in your life... Whenever there’s a DIY to be found, we skate it. But when I am travelling for Etnies, there’s not always time to get on my board. Normally I have one or two cameras running to document the skating of my riders… Oli, thanks for your time. I hope I’ll the chance to skate with you in Port Land again soon. Keep on keeping on with your amazing work. The skateboard community can be thankfull. Wanna add something before we wrap this thing? Thanks for having me in Versus!
Nosebluntslide @Gogo Cetiner
“ Don’t dream it, build it ! ”
THE HANS MAAsSEN INTERVIEW
Hi Hans! Let’s get it straight. How does it feel to have one of the best backyard pool at home? After one year it is still surreal - but for real, it´s like paradise on earth and I smile every time I see the pool!!! Did you build it yourself? How long did it took? And, if it’s not too personal, how much did it cost you? No way, I had a lot of helping hands. My whole skate posse helped me to build it. If they don’t help with their work, they spend money. We work 10 month, most of the time digging the pit. Just the construction plans and the steel work was done by myself. Originally I wanted to do the concrete job also DIY, but I realise that the quantity of concrete (35m³) that you need for such a Pool is not to handel and the risk to botch things up was much to high. So I ask Matt Grabowski from Minus Ramps if he can help . Matt and his team were so stoked about the project that they agree and they did the best concrete job that I ever seen . The concrete is smooth like a baby-ass and it has not one fucking kink. Asking the guys for help, was the best idea that I ever had. Cost? Less than I thought, but much more than my wife should know!
“ Cost ? Less than I thought, but, much more than my wife should know ! ”
What/Who did inspired you to build a pool at home? Isn´t it every skaters dream? It was my dream since I started skateboarding in the mid -70s ´. The last 10 Years I lived this dream with the Factory-Bowl and the OMSA Pool but the place was getting bigger and bigger. When it starts its was just a private Bowl, at the end it was a Skate-Park with a Pool, a big Bowl, a 24m Mini-Ramp & 600m² Street. In 2013 it was clear that the park will close down in 2014. In the same time my wife and me decided to leave the city and move to the country side. With the prospect of a home with garden it was clear that I will build me a backyard pool.
FS Slasher / Broich / Gert Rieger
“ Isn´t it every skateboarders dream ? It was my dream since I started skateboarding . . in the mid -70s ! ”
FS Ollie / Lester Kasai / Kai Jabs
“ Matt Grabowski and his team (minus-ramps) did the best concrete job I’ve ever seen ! ”
What is the size of this beauty? Any famous pool inspiration? Size matters, specially when you getting older. At the age of 51 you look for something that you can ride for the last days of your SK8 “career”. I didn´t want a heartbreaking killer-pool. To take a breath riding wall to wall it has to be a little bit bigger. I copied the transition 2,40 deep end / 2,20 shallow end from the Factory-Bowl that Dietsches (and me) build in 2005. The deep end is 2,50 m deep (= 10cm vert) and the shallow 1,90m. The flat in the deep end has a 3m diameter and the shallow end 2m. The hip has a 6m diameter. Length = 16m incl. table; width = 10m incl. table. Concrete-poolcoping big like a horse cock. The right hand kidney shape is my all-time favorite. The pool is very smooth and really fucking fast, you don´t have to push hard just let it flow.
“ Respect the place and, bring enough beer & BBQ !”
I’ve heard you guys enjoyed global warming to the fullest this year...?! “Build it, and they will come!” they said. Did some “legends” already came to shred your pool?
Big/old Names : Eric Dressen and Lester Kasai visit me and they ripped the pool. New/young: Kevin Wenzke /Germany and Tim Bisterfield/ Holland set the Coping on Fire. But first of all I am proud that all my older friends and OMSA Members from all over Europe like Matt Bain and Paul Davis from England, Kevin Campbell, Alex Mosterin, Txus Dominguez from Basque Country; Jeff Podolski from Belgium, Wolfgänster and Dirk from Germany visit me and stay a while to have a good session. Do you manage to still have a “normal” relationship with family and neighbours with such a thing in your garden? Ok – my Garden/Pool isn´t Skatopia. Most of my friend are in same age (40-50). They know how to behave. In the summertime we have our wednesday session with friends and the posse. Sunday is reserved for close friends. We do not play loud music at the Pool. Concrete isn´t noisy. Therefore we have no problems with the neighbours! Ok -my wife is not always amused about a bunch of drunken, sweatsmelling, big bellies, old man hanging around in the Garden!
“ Concrete-poolcoping big like a horse cock ! ”
FS Slasher/ Eric Dressen / Anna Gala
FS Slasher / Hans / Alex Thorschmied
And what’s your wife thinking about the “soft-porno-photo-shooting” at the pool?! That was really a funny story. After a skate-session Toni, Dietsches and me where drinking beer by the Pool. Dietsches showed a very nice pic from an rock & roll and I told him, that the only way to do the Photo better, would be to do the trick between the legs of a Girl. Toni hit back and says what about a handplant and the girl is grabbing her ass. So on, after a few beers we had the idea for about 12 Photos Toni: “Let’s make a photo calendar!” Me: “The OMSA - Pools & Pussy Calendar!” Dietsches: “The Japanise will love it!” Me: “Great Idea! Who will ask his wife to be the model?!” Toni: “First I have to ask my wife if I can attend the shooting!” At the end someone knew a bitch, someone knew a photographer and we invest 1.500€. The photo shooting was so funny. We thought that we can sell millions of the calendar but at the end we just sell so much that we get our cost back. But we did it and we did it before any skate company says: Sex sells and we did it “Pornstyle” with open wound. My wife´s comment: “I thought you can sell more!”
“ The OMSA - Pools & Pussy Calendar ! ”
Is the location secret to avoid having kids jumping off your fence everyday to skate your baby? Damm straight!!! But I live in a small village, there are not so many kids with skateboards and you can´t see the pool from the street and with three dogs barking behind the fence – the kids stay outside.
Tilo / Gert Rieger
What do you have to get, to have the chance to skate at your place? Respect the place and BBQ!
bring enough beer &
Alright Hans, you made it. Congrats. In the name of all skateboarders, thank you. Your place, and people like you are everything guys like me need to be happy and keep on skateboarding forever. Wanna add something?
“ with three dogs barking behind the fence kids stay outside ! ”
Don´t dream it, build it !
Lemmy Kilmister RI P 1945 - 2015
David Bowie RIP 1946 - 2016
Crailslide / Photo: Phil Pham
Roman Astleitner The Muckefuck interview with
Roman Astleitner
Hello Roman! How are you? Because, you had a pretty bad accident a couple of months ago... All good so far – I had a hard slam and broke my lower jaw several times, spent 8 days in hospital where I got screwed and stitched together – I’m back on the board and can eat regular food again so I can’t complain – it could have been worse! How’s it being the boss at Muckefuck?! Like living Nyjah’s kind of life right?! (laughs) Sure, I just ordered my Ferrari some days ago but the truth is it’s great to run your own company. You can do whatever the fuck you want, don’t need to follow any trends or rules and you can support skateboarding... I’m wondering what all the money is worth if you rip on your skateboard but be hated on social media 24/7.
Dont let corporate brands overtake skateboarding. Keep skateboarding in hands of skateboarders
By the way, where the fuck does the name “Muckefuck” come from?! Muckefuck is a coffee substitute which tastes remotely similar to coffee, but doesn’t have any caffeine. The expression may have come from the French words ‘mocca faux’ - fake coffee.... It seems that, new, small, independent wheels companies are popping up everywhere lately. But you guys have been in the business since 10 years already, and have a huge team settled down. Do you have the plan to take over the business like Nike is trying to do, or will there be some place for everybody?
FS Air / Photo: Sautner
Muckefuck Well, we don’t have the plan to take over the skateboarding business if you want to stay core you can’t be too big --- that does not go together! It’s true that lots of companies are popping up daily. As long as they are skateboarder owned and operated it’s all good – there always will be a place for small companies – those companies keep skateboarding alive. Are you ready to represent your country at the Olympic Games in 2020? I guess our upcoming board graphic says it all… Since a couple of years, a lot of brands moved their factories to China to make their boards... Did you guys have to do the same? We have tested a lot in the past and work together with factories all over the globe today. We have never moved our production to China, we have always been there since day one! You can get a great quality for several product groups there - especially accessories. Other goods are produced in Europe and the USA. One thing is sure, you need to take care with china business as there is a lot of crap around as everybody knows. We have good guys over there we can trust in and take care of our business!
With the right motivation you pretty much can do anything even if your body says no sometimes!
How does it feel going into your 40s and still pushing this crazy piece of wood all the time? It’s definitely not getting easier but for now I still
Melon to fakie / Photo: Mike Wechselberger
Wallride / Photo: Alex Gretter
Hurricane / Photo: Alan Maag
FS Judo Tailblock / Photo: Alan Maag
Melon / Photo: Alan Maag
can do shit – it’s all about how to motivate yourself – with the right motivation you pretty much can do anything even if your body says no sometimes! Any plans for 2016? Sure, we have a big project planned – We want to finish the final section of Wörgl DIY! If we are able to get the money together we are ready to go! There are still around 400 to 500m3 ground left waiting for concrete! A street plaza in combination with a snake run is on our minds but you never know what’s gonna happen in the end its always pretty freestyle when it comes to building!
fuck the Olympics and all that other crap skateboarding does not need!
Alright Roman, if you wanna add something, it’s now or never! Don’t let corporate brands overtake skateboarding - keep skateboarding in hands of skateboarders – support your local core shop - fuck the Olympics and all that other crap skateboarding does not need! Thanks for your time. Hope it wasn’t too annoying for you to do this interview... All the best, cheers!