CONCRETE Skateboarding 109 by Concrete Skateboarding Magazine

Issue 109 November 2010 free

NICK N u g g e t

MOORE ///////////////////////////////////

OKANAGAN

road trippinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Issue 109 . November 2010

MATT

BERGER The Instant Message Identity John Cardiel Five Spot Brandon Westgate shoe Vault Sheep Art Blender Craig Metzger

NICK GARCIA 1 2 6 ( 6 /, ' ( 7 5 $ 1 6 ) ( 5 3 + 2 7 2 * , 2 9 $ 1 1 , 5 ( ' $

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9 5 5 F R A N C I S C O S T. TO R R A N C E , C A 9 0 5 0 2 D V S S H O E S . C O M ZERED BASSETT CHICO BRENES ANDREW BROPHY DANIEL CASTILLO JIMMY CAO NICK GARCIA KERRY GETZ KENNY HOYLE MARTY MURAWSKI TOREY PUDWILL ROBBIE RUSSO DAEWON SONG JERON WILSON MARK BAINES LUCIEN CLARKE FLORENT MIRTAIN PAUL SHIER

MUNITION CT 7+( 081,7 , 2 1 & 7 6 + 2 : 1 , 1 1$9< 68(' ( 6 ( ( 0 2 5 ( 67</(6 $1 ' & 2 / 2 5 6

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SEE MORE OF KEVIN AND THE EDWARD AT ESSKATEBOARDING.COM TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING

éS PROUDLY WELCOMES KEVIN TERPENING TO THE TEAM

SKATEBOARDING STARTS WITH

photo by andy mueller

LAKAI LIMITED FOOTWEAR : THE SHOES WE SKATE

FOSTER / CAPALDI / JOHNSON / CARROLL / MARIANO / HOWARD / WELSH / BIEBEL / LENOCE / ALVAREZ / FERNANDEZ ESPINOZA / PUIG / GILLET / BRADY / JENSEN / 955 Francisco Street, Torrance, CA 90502 / lakai.com supradistribution.com lakaistickers@supradistribution.com

issue 109 November 2010

Josh Clark // Heelflip photo

Geoff Clifford

30 Minutes Or Less cover photo and caption by

Brian Caissie

Before MATT BERGER headed back to Kamloops, there was one last Vancouver stop to make. And the 30-minute window made things very tight. After we stole a No Parking sign to cover the huge crack at the bottom of the incline, Matt started jumping on this 180 SWITCH CROOK POP-OUT right away. I don’t think this ledge has been skated much, or grinded at all, because it’s really chunky. I set up my gear just in time for Matt’s landing, and luckily Stacy Gabriel was there to film. To me, this is the perfect session – getting the job done quick and getting the clip. I think that’s what every skater strives for, aside from a victory beer. Watch the cover footy on concreteskateboarding.com.

Concrete skateboarding

28 Both Ends of the Lens the Photography of Cory Wilson

“I shoot quite a lot on trips; I’ll usually bring a film camera and my digital.”

34 In the OK

the Ultimate team takes a trip through BC’s Okanagan

“It’s the closest thing to flying in a space shuttle on ground!”

46 Nick Moore Fancy Feast

“It’s not an obsession, it’s just my favourite animal. All cat species, not just felines.”

56 Matt Berger The Instant Message

“I usually end up winning and sometimes kids can’t take it so they start crying. It’s happened a few times. I’m a nerd.”

70 Sequential Evidence The frames hold the truth

10 12 16 18 22 82

Rise & Shine // Rich Odam In Memoriam // Josh Evin Identity // John Cardiel Inventory Art Blender // Craig metzger Young Bloods

90 92 94 96 98 100

Video Reviews Off the Shelf Shoe Vaults // Sheep Sound Check // No Age the Five Spot // Brandon WEstgate Last Call

rich odam

issue 109 November 2010

Dan Redmond, bluntslide pop out

Rich Odam’s first Concrete cover

Rise & Shine Rich Odam

“In the OK” p.34

Gailea Momolu // Issue 96, 2008

Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Rich Odam immigrated to Toronto when he was 18. He lived there for 12 years, receiving his photography diploma at Humber College (the same school Jody Morris attended). Rich relocated his operations to Vancouver five years ago and has been heavily published in Concrete ever since. He was a clear-cut choice for this issue’s prestigious Rise & Shine honour because not only did the 35 year-old click a portion of Matt Berger’s headliner interview (p.56), he also shot the entire “In The OK” road trip feature (assuming the role of driver and dad on the jaunt as well), and still found time to pen a review about 15 – Atiba Jefferson’s éS retrospective photo book (p.92). Aside from being happily married, Rich also maintains a serious relationship with Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, and rarely misses a Tweetmoment @RichOdam. Aside from cherishing the opportunity to use his Hasselblad 500 C/M, a slice of heaven for the always-positive Peruvian comes in the form of ham-free Hawaiian with an Inca Kola chaser, backed by an ambiance-setting playlist featuring The Game. odamphoto.com 10

Concrete skateboarding

ltimate ed by U distribut

In Memoriam

josh evin’s first appearance in Concrete:

‘Kootenay Country’ // 50-50 // Issue 30 – September 1997

words

Josh & Chris Haslam // Slam City Jam 2003

KERRY McCALL artwork Jay Rego

I first met Josh back in 1992. Even at 11 he had magnetic charm and was killing it on a skateboard with unique style. He was definitely not like anyone else. During high school in Castlegar, BC, he would put on demos for the entire school, airing huge gaps and launching over a friend’s Pontiac Sunfire. Classic Josh. Our good friend Ian Comishin owned PM Skateboards, which became Josh’s first sponsor. He started traveling to contests like Slam City Jam in Vancouver and the Cash Bash in Kelowna. These events are where he started to make a name for himself, and soon he began picking up more sponsors on his way to doing what he always dreamed – becoming a professional skateboarder.

We did two skate tours in 2004 and 2005 with our company Black Russian, and Josh was truly in his element. It was a dream getting to promote Black Russian while skating with good buddies like Eugene Voykin, Mike Stewart, Rob Sigaty, Jesse Lockhart, Ben Demoskoff, Daniel “Alien” Nelson, Paul Carter, Morgan Campbell and Dayne Brummet. I feel so lucky to have known Josh, and I wouldn’t have a lot of these experiences if it wasn’t for him. Josh will be remembered and loved forever by his family and friends. Over a thousand people attended his service in June, and since some people

were not able to make it out to the Kootenays, a few of us decided to have a celebration of life in Josh’s honour. On August 14th, a Memorial Skate Jam was held at Hastings Bowl in Vancouver, and over 200 people, including both old and new friends, joined the epic session. Josh would’ve been so stoked. Afterwards, we held a party at the Century House featuring SideSixtySeven (Josh’s good friends and one of his favourite bands). A collection of his video parts from the last 15 years also played alongside Ty-C’s hip-hop track, “Black Russian”, which was dedicated to Josh. Memories were shared, and it was a great end to a great day – a tradition that will carry on. We love you, Josh. joshevin.com

leeside and josh/haslam photo by brian caissie

The first big skate trip for Josh was PM’s “Hicks on Sticks” tour in 1999 with Shane Wallace, Eugene

Voykin and Mike Evans. This was a major move in Josh’s career, because he really flourished in the demo setting. He loved to skate and entertain, and people loved to watch him. It was what he was meant to do.

‘End of an Era for Downtown Vancouver’ // 5-0 at leeside // issue 47 - june 2000

Concrete skateboarding

‘can-am’ (Josh’s first interview) // Issue 49 – December 2000

hawaii photos by brian caissie ‘Josh vs the volcano’ hawaiian trip // Boneless // issue 80 – december 2005

Hawaii 2005

Ollie at Hastings bowl, Vancouver // Issue 67 – 2003

Stalefish // Hawaii 2005

Photo Brian Caissie

Josh Evin Memorial Skate Jam at Hastings

hastings photos by nick nicholson

adam cassidy

august 14, 2010

Alex Chalmers, backside gap transfer

Sluggo: backside air // Jamie Maley: F/s slash

Rob ‘Sluggo’ Boyce, frontside air

Byron Brisco, f/s 360 spine transfer Backside 50-50, Vancouver // Canadian Skateboard Annual – 2004

Photo Kyle Shura

Identity

What can be said about John Cardiel that hasn’t already been etched in the concrete annals of skateboarding folklore? Cards is a legend in the purest form of the word. The skateboarder’s skateboarder, if you will. I had the honour of sitting down with the 1992 SOTY in an LA hotel room to go over this ID page, and was truly impressed. He is exactly how you would expect him to be – positive, honest and stoked on life overall. The world would be a better place if we had more people like John rolling around. All hail Cardiel!

ben stoddard

—Ben Stoddard

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K E V I N

T H E

S P A N K Y

B A L A N C E

O F

L O N G

O P P O S I T E S

RVCA.COM TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING

inventory

Class act THIS PAGE - top left to bottom right

DaKine

Team Covert Haslam backpack

Encore 2 hood - heather

Tonik - black / white

Emerica

Wino - black / gum

éS

Square One Mid - Sean Sheffey collab

éS

Slant - brown

Lakai

Lucas 2 - blue suede

Baker Helipop deck Destructo Superlite - rasta hubba - Shake Junt Mini-logo bearings Red Star

Paul Machnau ‘Wanted’ deck

Sector 9

Joel Tudor Signature Model - mini series

Red Star

‘The Case’ deck THAT PAGE - top left to bottom right

Spacecraft

Essential Snowcat tee

Upside tee

éS

Bobby Worrest - Eli flannel - gold

Quiksilver

Strummer flannel - comp red

Matix

Anvil - Mikey Leblanc flannel - charcoal

éS

Bobby Worrest jean - indigo raw

Quiksilver

Justin Brock chino - smoke

Matix

Marc Johnson stretch cord - bark

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A R T B L E N D E R // CRAIG METZGER

riginally from Queens in New York City, a job at éS ended up moving Craig Metzger’s base of operations and exploration to Long Beach, California five years ago. Although he’s been quoted as saying he would never leave New York for the land of freeways and foot-long burritos, he’s since changed his tune: “Now it’s hard for me to think about leaving this place. However, I do miss certain things about NY. For example, the skateboarding.”

new perspective: “It taught me that creative people can play major roles in all business aspects, not just making things look pretty.” This knowledge allowed him to grow as an artist who understands the wants of the skateboard market. And his ability to tap into other artists – such as Nathan Fox [foxnathan.com] and groups like The Mountain [themountain.me] – makes Craig one of the few who can anticipate the trends in product design and graphics.

Incase (just to name just a few), his personal work has also been featured in shows, books and magazines. Craig combines a graphic edge with a natural and organic tone through his use of fun-loving animals and characters – just don’t cross them or those flagpoles could become spears.

While still residing in New York, Craig founded Instant Winner Skateboards in 2002, which helped open the door to a

Along with his collective experience doing art and design work with companies such as Etnies, Vans, DC, Spitfire, Thunder, Nixon and

—Randy Laybourne

“Craig is the sleeping giant of the skateboard industry. He looks soft and gentle and innocent, but he’s really focused and talented. He’s like a really tall, smart baby seal. And skateboarding is better for having him around.” -Don Pendleton // artist, designer and skateboarder

clockwise from top left:

Instant Winner “Sleeper Series” boards (a collaberation with Nathan Fox.) Instant Winner “So Awesome” tee Ipath “Black Star” tee Spitfire “Charged” tee Spitfire “Trespass” tee Emerica “Letters” tee Personal “Keep Nature Close” tee 22

Concrete skateboarding

Craig became the marketing leader over at IPATH [ipath.com] in November 2009, which has led to a great improvement in their message, look and overall direction. craigmetzger.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art Pieceâ&#x20AC;? by Craig Metzger, created exclusively for Concrete Skateboarding.

visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer and iphone.

Ty Peterson - FS Feeble | Geoff Clifford Photo

49days.ca

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF CORY WILSON

intro

Frank Daniello Cory Wilson

stills and captions

Originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario, but currently posted up in East Vancouver, Cory Wilson has made a clear-cut national name for himself as a quick-footed talent on the board and one of the friendliest dudes in the game. However, fewer people are aware of his budding passion for photography. “I bought my first camera – a cheap Olympus digital point-andshoot that I ended up breaking [laughs] – before I went to Barcelona and Portugal in 2007,” the 23 year-old explains. “Then I bought a 35mm Canon AV-1 aperture-priority camera right before the second time I went to Barcelona in 2008, and that’s when I got more into shooting photos.” Cory cites the time he spends with talented professional photographers in Vancouver “skateboarding in front of the lens” as the main reason he became so interested in learning about cameras and capturing his perspective on the opposite end of the lens. “I’m still not that advanced, but I’m learning a lot,” he humbly admits. “I have five different cameras now – mostly 35mm pointand-shoots, along with a manual Nikon FA and my Canon G11

digital. When I’m broke I shoot digi [laughs]. I enjoy shooting with professional film, but it’s expensive so I don’t get to use it all the time. A perk of knowing professional photographers is they’ll kick me down a couple rolls once-in-a-while [laughs].” According to Cory, “daily occurrences” are what he tends to freeze-frame, although he does manage to work in a little subject matter that’s more directly related to what he’s well-known for in front of the camera. “I shoot quite a lot on trips; I’ll usually bring a film camera and my digital,” he says. “Just for fun, I even try to shoot a little skateboarding now that I have a camera where I can set the shutter speed [laughs].” The selection of stills Cory provided for this piece are shot on 35mm film, a medium he tends to enjoy most. “I like the raw feeling and the not-knowing aspect of shooting with film. The most rewarding thing is getting the photos back, and having them turn out how you wanted them to.” visit concreteskateboarding.com to check out some of cory wilson’s photo extras…

360 flip Photo: Caissie 28

Concrete skateboarding

Darren Wilson Niagara Falls, ON // June 2010 // Leica C3

Cab Catchers San Francisco, CA // Oct 2009 // Olympus Trip 35

Sean MacAlister –pole jam– Richmond, BC // July 2010 // Nikon FA

Juxtapostion Shenzhen, China // Nov 2009 // Leica C3

Market Lurking Guangzhou, China // Nov 2009 // Leica C3

Demolition Scavenger Shenzhen, China // Nov 2009 // Leica C3

“After a Quiksilver tour to Montreal and Toronto, I was fortunate enough to go back home and visit my family. I went kayaking with my dad in Chippewa Creek, and he’s about to launch in this photo. He bought the kayaks after I moved away to Vancouver in 2005, so this was my first time. My dad is the biggest inspiration in my life. He’s an artist, a hunter, a tradesman – he’s got so many different skills.”

“I’m happy with how this photo turned out. Sean was only around for one day because he was on his way to Victoria with Drew Merriman. He got three awesome tricks the day he was in Vancouver, and this is one of them. Sean is such a natural skateboarder – things come to him pretty easily and consistently.”

“I woke up early one day to check out a street market, and I saw this guy who had a device that could bang nails into the steel pipe he had on the table. He had a little microphone on, and he was trying to sell the tool. In China, I really enjoyed the experience of just skating around and taking it all in.”

“I was on a BLVD skateshop trip, and it was the second time I’d been to SF. We didn’t have a van or anything, we just took transit and skated to get around the city. This is just a random snapshot of some people about to jump into a cab, and it was shot on cheap black-and-white Kodak film [laughs].”

“We were just cruising by on our way to checking out the building in the background, and we came across these guys working. For me it was so bizarre because they’re probably getting paid maybe 80 cents-an-hour, and the juxtaposition of what’s going on here is interesting – the ancient looking man looking at the camera with a new age building in the background.”

“There was this construction site behind our hotel, and one morning I went for a walk and saw a lady standing there. It was crazy, they were tearing down all these buildings in the background, but they’d just leave the piles of rubble in this big vast space. And there were buildings in the middle of it all that people were still living in.”

The Layover Gatwick, Ireland // Jan 2009 Canon AV-1

“I was on my way to Barcelona with my girlfriend Rose and Jordan Mayfield, and we were supposed to have a layover in England. Turned out they got more snow than they’ve ever had in 20 years. We couldn’t land there, so we ended up in Ireland to wait it out for a couple days. The landscape there is amazing.”

Spencer Hamilton –frontside 360 Vancouver, BC // July 2009 Canon AV-1

“I was tagging along with a posse, but I didn’t end up skating this spot. Spencer had that trick in mind and we were all just posted up against the wall watching him skate, so I managed to snap the still. Spencer rips. He’s one of my favourites on a board.”

Bird Watchers Barcelona, Spain // Jan 2009 Canon AV-1

“This was at the Beer Banks, a famous spot in Barcy, and these old men showed up carrying boxes. I couldn’t tell what was going on, so I walked around behind them to snap the shot and it turns out the boxes were bird cages. They just parked their birds, then posted up and watched them with the dog. It was bizarre.”

Concrete skateboarding

backside heelflip Photo: Caissie

words

Danny Empey Rich Odam

photos

Initially, Craig Williams – shralper and leader of the Ultimate Distribution skate team – hatched the idea that this summer trip to BC’s Okanagan would be a “work ethic trip”. Don’t get me wrong, the work ethic was met 100% by the amazing efforts of this dedicated team. However, so was everyone’s idea to drink up after bodies had been hucked and the photos had been snatched. I ended up finished the skating part of this adventure relatively quickly with a boneless 360 attempt down 15 (see p.100). That crash-landing prevented me from doing much for the rest of the trip except sit around, observe, drink excessive amounts of beer, gather fuel for this story, and get made fun of from time-to-time. As the official pile-due-to-injury, I casually enjoyed myself. With a solid line-up of young bucks consisting of Arte Lew, AJ McCallister, Desmond Hoostie, Spencer Hamilton, Mike “Hashbrown” Schulze, Skylar Kehr, Matt Berger and Derek Swaim taking care of things, this trip had its hype right from the get-go. 34

Concrete skateboarding

The Ring Leaders

This was my first trip with “Craigola” Williams and I soon learned that every chance this man has to pull a fast one, he’ll take. When we met up in Kamloops, it wasn’t long before Craig was up to his motivational encouragements – shouting out threats of demoting the boys, yet claiming he’d reward them with “World boards”. Perhaps Craigola’s classic shenanigans and overall strategy worked, since tricks were accomplished most of the time. Whether he was playing guitar at a spot, poking fun at someone or randomly busting a legendary trick, Craig was definitely in his element as our leader. I already knew it would be a solid time when I first found out Rich Odam was coming on the trip. He was the van driver, photographer and supervisor all wrapped up in one. When the sun was settling at the end of our long and hot Okanagan days, Craigola hit the sack while Rich joined the boys for some latenight mayhem. He kept it organized and may have even gone as far as Twittering on the shitter – he was constantly updating his status. Rich really held it down with his calm personality. He was the glue that held things together on the trip.

Special Vehicular Notes

The orb was in full effect when we got to Kamloops, making it a hot and clammy session. On the verge of heat stroke and feeling drained, ice-cold beer was always a good idea at the end of the day. Chad Hampton, a friend of Craigola’s, provided the accommodations along with the barbeques and extra beer. Chad gave us all our first experience with Beer Darts (check out the sidebar on p.41), and members of our crew were considered lucky if they survived the game without getting a sharp to the foot. After stopping for a bite to eat on our way out of Kamloops, to our amusement a group of horny middle-aged women had “I love penis” written on their vehicles, and they proceeded to write “I love vagina” on our van while we dined. Leaving the tag intact, the boys were stoked and it was a good farewell to the ‘Loops.

Hardly Lowe-Key

We hit up Vernon only to find that it’s a fake Kelowna. Although we searched and found a couple of spots, we were pretty stoked to leave and head to actual Kelowna. Sean Lowe swooped in to make an appearance, and he was ready to party. The crew needed a night of R&R at this point, so everyone just kind of ignored his persistent ways. Trying to fall asleep on the other hand was tough since Lowe was right outside the window of Swaim, Berger, Odam and myself. Announcing his love over the phone to his girlfriend for the next couple hours was amusing at first but soon got annoying, especially when I could hear that someone was trapped outside with Sean. Poor Arte was locked out and being peer-pressured into hitting the club at 3am, even though it probably closed an hour before.

The Pentictonite

Enroute to Penticton we found an old abandoned motel with a pool. The only one daring enough to skate it was Skylar, who eventually ended his session by calling the wambulance while the crew turned into your basic Neanderthals and smashed their fists through the walls of one of the derelict motel rooms. A lot of spots were skated mostly by Skylar, our Gladiator. We also got the pleasure of experiencing a float down the famous Penticton Channel. Beers were necessary for the relaxing 2-hour ride, and Berger along with the Gladiator managed to pick up a couple babes on the way down-river. Floating the channel as a crew was definitely a perfect ender to the trip. A huge thanks goes to Chad Hampton for his hospitality. Also to No.1 Skateboards and Supplies [no1skateboards.com] in Kamloops for hooking up the barbeque, and Pentagon Boardshop [pentagonboardshop.com] in Penticton for setting up a delicious pizza party, which made everything that much sweeter. Finally, thanks to Skylar and his parents who were gracious enough to welcome our whole posse into their Penticton home. keep an eye on concreteskateboarding.com for video extras.

Derek Swaim // frontside heelflip

At the beginning of the trip, Derek was showing that he was possibly the most talented of the bunch through his effortless style. It’s a shame he took flight, then lost flight at the beginning of the trip. But at least he got to enjoy the pile-category with myself. Swaim comes off as a quiet and nice guy, but he’s really a silent shit disturber. He was constantly scheming with Craig on the River Channel and flipping rafts over. Watch out for Derek, he’s not as soft-hearted as one might think.

Concrete skateboarding

Skylar Kehr // frontside 50-50

Destroying everything in his path, Skylar pretty much shot enough photos for a full interview. Despite being sick already, he seemed to be on the Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission. Skylar skated, drank and puked hard every day. The crew was amazed by his rough nature and he inspired us to get our shit together. At the final spot of the trip, he managed to puke five times after getting a trick. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one way to describe Skylar: a Demon Warrior nice enough to show us around his hometown of Penticton.

Spencer Hamilton // impossible

Spencer was gung-ho and took things to the extreme. In the front seat of the car, he would devotedly take full control with his endless supply of music. Having a fellow 2Pac fan and a dipsomaniac to drink a cold one with was a pleasure. He came through on the last day with this perfectly executed impossible, claiming it was the only trick he could possibly do because of the barrage of holes in his feet from playing Beer Darts. Waking up one morning and watching Spencer try to piece together his night while looking for his sleeping bag was very amusing, especially after he found it in the dryer.

Concrete skateboarding

Mike “Hashbrown” Schulze // pivot fakie

Hashbrown held his liquor down like a real Surrey man should. He also managed to get three rad photos on the trip, not to mention this guy’s switch heels are some of the loftiest I’ve ever seen. When trying a trick, it takes a lot for him to quit, and he’s the type to get down on himself if he doesn’t land one exactly the way he wants. It was a shame to see a happy and motivated guy get bummed after a hard battle. I hope that well-deserved World board from Craig cheered you up, Hashbrown! You’re a darn good skater.

Desmond Hoostie // nollie pop shuv nose manny nollie 360 flip out Easily the quietest of the group, Desmond let his skating do all the talking. The ninja technician threw down some nutty manny combos, like this one. Even more crazy was the strictly-business 360 flip to fakie he got in the 36-degree heat on a steep mini-bank in Penticton. While floating down the River Channel, Dez had a rough time catching up to the crew on his decaying floaty. He worked so hard to catch up for a beer, but it was warm by the time he got there. Dez was not impressed. Bummer, bro.

Concrete skateboarding

AJ McCallister // smith grind

I truly enjoy watching AJ skate. He has a graceful style that keeps you at ease, and he’s a down-to-Earth homie that’s always available for a good chat. AJ was yet another of Craig’s lucky World board winners for landing a smooth front bigspin over a rail in Vernon. The battle to get this smith, on the other hand, didn’t go as smoothly due to a sacking.

A Lesson in Beer Darts This game is simple and requires four tree-stumps (versus-style, two facing two with adequate spacing between), four men, two shaken and unopened beers, a dart and brave hearts. The shaken beer is placed between the stumps of each two-man team. After determining which team goes first (roshambo works just fine), a dart is thrown at the other team’s beer can. If the dart hits the target, that beer is shotgunned by one of the dudes sitting on either side of it. Take turns and repeat… Our experience with Beer Darts became sketchy when Spencer took it to a new level by making the game one-on-one with no socks or shoes, and putting the beer between his feet. He ended up getting a major toll of 23 dart wounds to the feet and shins. This particular match took Spencer out, and it also caused Chad Hampton (the inventor of Beer Darts) to flee the scene in panic because of his fear of needles.

Arte Lew // backside flip

Arte was out-to-lunch, meaning his switch double three-flips were mind blowing. His passion for skateboarding is reflected by how he tells his skate stories with such enthusiasm and in great detail. We’d always rely on Arte for some entertainment even though our abs would burn from laughing so hard. On the way home, he had his head hanging out of Craig’s car most of the time like a dog, which resulted in a full-on Arte quote of the trip: “It’s the closest thing to flying in a space shuttle on ground!”

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Skylar Kehr // taildrop

MIKE ANDERSON

for more on the matix skate team go to: matix c l o t h i n g . c o m

photo: morford

supradist r i b u t i o n . c o m matixstickers@supradist r i b u t i o n . c o m

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keith henry

Fancy NICK Feast MOORE INTERVIEW BY DANE COLLISON

Concrete skateboarding

interview

brian caissie

frontside nosegrind

“Nuggs is someone you want to be around in and out of skating. A good homie and one of the best to hit Vancouver’s streets in a while, ladies and gentlemen: this is Nick Moore, the cat whisperer.” —Ian Twa

“After coming home from work on a sunny day, I described a person I had just seen on the bus to my roommates (one of them being Nick ‘Nugget’ Moore). ‘He was about 30 years-old, scruffy face, shaved head and massive breast implants, wearing ladies’ clothing from the neck down,’ I explained, watching the expressions on everyones’ faces turn sideways in confusion. Nick was the only one to muster up a reply and ever-so-bluntly asked, ‘Was it a man with breast implants, or a woman with a head transplant?’ To me, that is one of the great characteristics of Nugget. He is very particular with his words and unless it’s extremely on-point and needed to be said, or complete comic relief, you probably won’t hear much out of him. That being said, one thing you will hear is the noise he’s been making on his skateboard. Having grown up in Vernon, BC, and relocating to Vancouver a few years back, this 20 year-old is taking life as it comes with one of the best attitudes I’ve seen in skateboarding.” —Dane Collison, Supra Distribution Team Manager

keith henry

kickflip

“Nug is fucking gnarly. I’ve seen him dislocate his elbow and walk himself to the hospital, then proceed to scale down cliffs, one-armed, the next day to go swimming. He’s always smiling and good-hearted, not to mention he rips shit on his board!” —Jay Brown

W hat was it like growing up skating in Vernon?

It was good. Grew up skating every day with my older brother and all his friends at the old park – the most ghetto set-up at a tennis court, but it was so good. RIP.

W hat was the best thing about growing up there? The summer! Hanging out at lakes, cliffjumping and boating. Camping is always fucking awesome. And partying I guess? What else do you do in Vernon?

Some sterioids. W hat made you decide to move to Vancouver full-time?

I would always come out here to skate during summer breaks and figured if I wanted to get better and not just skate the same shit in Vernon, I’d have to get to the big city. Better parks, better spots and you can meet more people.

W hat was the Vernon scene like?

Fuckin’ jocks [laughs]! It was just repetitive, and some of the people weren’t very good influences on my lifestyle.

Concrete skateboarding

W ho were some of the Canadians that inspired you as a young lad in the sunny Okanagan? In Vernon I looked up to guys like Mo-Town (Morgan Hystad), Scott Ypma, you (Dane Collison), my older brother and his crew. I was also super stoked on Sheldon Meleshinski, McCrank, and obviously Appleyard.

W hose skating in Canada is hyping you up right now?

Ian Twa, for damn sure. I always love skating with him, and Jay Brown whenever he’s out here. Corey Klim – I’ve been skating with him since the start and he always hypes me up.

And what’s up with your cat obsession?

[Laughs] It’s not an obsession, it’s just my favourite animal. All cat species, not just felines. I guess I just grew up with cats as a kid. On the farm I had cats, and in the trailer park I had cats. When I moved to Vernon from Smithers I had a cat – I fucking loved her. Her name was Kitty.

Tell me about your house cat, Stella.

I found her on craigslist and made the journey out to Surrey to go get her. I could tell she was special from the start. She just does some rad shit sometimes. It’s fun to watch her hunt and climb trees.

You’ve told me on a few occasions that you can communicate and understand cats. Please elaborate on this. [Laughs] Well, I think once you really get to know the cat – when you see them grow up and see how they think-and-react to certain things – you learn to understand them. But yeah, I can speak to cats.

OK, let’s talk traveling. You’ve been on a few skate-oriented trips on your own dollar. W hat were some of the destinations?

I went on a trip to Hawaii in 2008. That was my first time being overseas or even on a plane. That was a crazy trip. I went there with Corey Klim and Caleb Davies. The next one was a road trip through Seattle and Portland later that year, and my most recent was backpacking and skating around Europe last summer.

brian caissie

ollie

“He’s polite and humble, but he’s no pussy! You know that spot you think about skating all the time, but you’re too shook to really get down? Nuggs isn’t scared of that spot or any other grimey spot you have to offer. This kid is a beast!” —Bryan Wherry

brian caissie

backside noseblunt

“I read somewhere that he got his name from looking like a Chicken McNugget. Although that might be a little bit true, Nuggs is 100 percent natural unlike that piece of mystery meat. He’s really comfortable on a board – a pleasure to watch and to skate with.” —Spencer Hamilton

Do you have any good stories from the trips?

Fancy Fancy NICK Feast Feast MOORE INTERVIEW BY DANE COLLISON

interview

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On my last night in Hawaii I was partying and ended up meeting a girl, then we went and slept on the beach. She fed me Xanax and I got all fucked up, and slept in hella late. I missed my flight home and was broke, so I slept on beaches or at churches where they had free meals. I couldn’t even contact anyone back home, so no one knew what was up with me. It was way more fucked than it sounds.

W hat’s your current living situation like?

Well I finally moved up and into an actual bedroom for the first time in my life, I guess. I’ve

brian caissie

always kind of slept on the couch, even at my parents’ house in Vernon. I was living in the doorway at your house for about nine months, but now I’ve got a bedroom, a cat and a computer. I’m stoked.

his manager, is in the basement. L-Train is a public speaker and then there’s the randoms on the couch at all times, pretty much. The house is mellow, man. There’s definitely not enough commotion. I love my living situation.

Does it keep you hyped up living in a place with eight people, or do you sometimes catch yourself getting too caught up in the commotion of the house?

On a great day you’re waking up around 10, making coffee and trying to skate. W ho do you end up calling and what’s going down?

No way. There are only three people in the house who skate, so it’s not like a regular skate house. We’ve got SonReal [myspace. com/sonreal] in there who’s a rapper, and Biz,

Usually my first call is to you to see if you’re leaving work at Supra to go film. If that’s a go, we usually bomb around in the van, pick up the homies, maybe warm up at plaza then go skate street. We have an awesome program going on.

Alright, I know you’re quick to hit up the iMac for a game of StarCraft on the Internet. Let me hear the shoutouts first.

First off, I’d like to shout-out my family and you, Dane Collison, for sure; thanks for keeping me dressed in Fourstar! Thanks to all my roommates, Twa, Wherry, Joey Williams, AJ McCallister, Keith Henry, Nelson Conway, everyone at Supra Distribution, and Brian Caissie for getting this interview going. Thank you!

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Berger THE INSTANT

MESSAGE

Intro by Frank Daniello Interview by Stacy Gabriel

Whether it’s texts, e-mails, status updates or instant messaging, tapping it out instead of talking is quite obviously the dominant form of communication. While some dig in their heels and refuse to give in to device worship and keypad socializing, others embrace the fact that you can say a whole lot with a total lack of vocal chord resonance. So why not ask a few people about the young prodigy known as Matt Berger without actually speaking to them? I mean, really. Phone calls? Airtime is old news. The first response came in via text from Stacy Gabriel (who spearheaded the IM interview portion of this feature). It read verbatim: > Matt’s like the spawn of chris cole or someshit.. He’s like one of those growing dinosaurs, > but instead he learns tricks and gets bigger till eventually he’s going to be a giant and kill > everyone. Danny Empey, while on a trip that led to this issue’s “In The OK” story (p.34), documented the following observation via e-mail after a stopover in Matt’s BC hometown: > Skating around Kamloops, stopping to talk to every girl in town, we found out that Matt is a > known rebel. While getting into some trouble at a classic spot with the rent-a-cops, Berger > was immediately identified and questioned. Talking back and managing an escape, a ticket > was later personally delivered to his house by his arch nemesis rental cop. Soon enough, hitting the Send/Receive icon led to another e-mail containing even more insight courtesy of photographer Rich Odam, who regularly goes on missions with Matt: > It’s easy to forget he’s only 16 when you skate with him because he has a good head on his > shoulders when it comes to getting things done. And his repertoire of tricks seems to grow > every time he comes to Vancouver. As I type this, Berger is sitting at school surrounded by > chongos (jocks), probably hating life. But what seems like a jail sentence will be over for him > in 2011. I think it’ll be a bittersweet time because although school sucks, he seems to have a > lot of f un with his friends; at least that’s what I can tell by looking at his status updates and > random party photos. Wanna see for yourself? Add him on Facebook, Matt Berger, I know > he’ll love it. So here’s a summary of the Matt Berger intelligence data gathered without the use of a larynx: Chris Cole-like skills? Check. Teenaged growth-spurt of a prehistoric nature that’s bringing serious power to his skating? Check. Rent-a-cop rebel? Check. Handles his business on a board at age 16? Check. Well, continue perusing the stellar photos on the following pages, and read what Matt refers to as “my first ‘real’ interview, I guess.” 56

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keith henry

Matt

Switch crooked grind

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brian caissie

Kamloops is cold and snowy for four or so months out of the year, and blistering hot in the summer. How did you get good at skating with such extreme weather conditions?

Haha, I guess when you live somewhere with weather like that you just learn to deal with the surroundings. I try not to let the weather stop me from skating.

You must have some getaway spot in the winter, or do you just do other things? In Kamloops there’s nowhere to skate when there’s snow on the ground, so I basically just snowboard or play video games.

I know your dad is a huge influence on your skating. Has he ever tried to get you to go the snowboard route? Ever since I started snowboarding he’d always ask if I would ever want to try and go somewhere with it, and film a promo or something. But I just enjoy going up and snowboarding with the homies. That’s it.

I heard some rumour that you can do cork 720s. Has anyone ever approached you for snowboard sponsorship? Haha, nah. Never. But is the rumour true? I guess so. I like jumps when I snowboard, so I just do a lot of spins. It’s super fun. You guess so? So you’ve done so many spins you lost your memory? Yes, I have done cork 720s, haha. OK, who hooks you up for skateboarding?

I ride for Almost skateboards, Tensor trucks, Bones wheels, B&B Skateshop in Kamloops, Matix clothing and éS footwear.

How did you end up getting on Almost and Tensor? Was it direct from the States or have you always been hooked up through a Canadian distributor?

I actually got on direct at Dwindle by just sending my promo disc in. My dad and I just looked up the address and mailed it off to California. At the time, I didn’t know there were Canadian distributors that you could send your promo to.

rich odam

heelflip

Did you have direct contact with Rodney Mullen?

Matt

Berger THE INSTANT

MESSAGE

A few months after I sent the promo, my mom passed me the phone and told me it was Rodney Mullen. At first I didn’t believe her. It was crazy. I’ve met him a couple times since. Once at the last Slam City Jam, and another time when I went down to Dwindle. He’s super mellow.

Initially you were on éS direct and now you’re on through Timebomb. What made you decide to switch? Most people would think that’s taking a step backwards. When I originally got on éS it was direct from the States. I decided to switch to Timebomb because there were more benefits. It was just the right decision, for sure. 60

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rich odam

laserflip

So you were just left kind of unnoticed down there with all the other éS flow dudes? They just sent you shoes and that’s it?

Yeah, they didn’t have a budget for anything more than shoes for the trash flow kids, haha. I definitely wasn’t left unnoticed. How could you be? You’re a 7-foot 16 year-old with almost a completely full beard. Haha, knock a foot off that 7, then you might be right. I’m going to shave this beard, though. It’s getting super greasy. It looks pretty rugged, but it probably gets the older girls on your jock. If it does it’s usually some greasy-ass bar chicks.

backside lipslide to fakie

So, you’re implying that you’re part of the bar scene? I guess I kinda walked into that one. Yeah, but we’ll keep that part for a later interview, or when you’re strong enough to defend yourself against the mamma and the papa Berger. Defend myself? What are you trying to imply here Stace?

If they found out you got into the bar, they would whoop your ass! Anyways, in a past interview did they try and start something between you and Koty Brown?

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Yeah, Chris Nieratko can cook up some crazy stories because nothing was true. When I did the interview, I didn’t know who Koty was. But I recently met him on a trip to Toronto. We both had nothing to say about it other than how bizarre it was.

brian caissie

backside 180 nosegrind 180 out

rich odam

crooked grind nollie 180 flip out

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rich odam

varial heelflip

Fake rumours aside, here’s a real one. I heard you make kids cry on Halo? Explain this one.

Haha… I’m down to game, and I play a lot of Halo 3 on Xbox Live. I always play matches against kids and beat them, and then they challenge me for a rematch one-on-one. I usually end up winning and sometimes kids can’t take it so they start crying. It’s happened a few times. I’m a nerd. A nerd that makes kids cry? That sounds backwards. I also heard that you like to ride your boards backwards like everyone from Kamloops. Why? Well, since day one I always thought the bigger side of the board was the tail. So I grew up skating and progressing with my boards backwards. Some people try to tell me I’d skate better riding my boards normally, but it’s way better skating with a big tail and small nose.

brian caissie

Matt

Berger THE INSTANT

MESSAGE

I agree. Who’s to say what’s normal anyways? The old school boards only had a tail and no nose. And plus, a chick with a big tail and a small nose is pretty sweet too. Wouldn’t you agree?

Stace, you know what’s up.

You went on a trip recently with éS. Any good stories?

Actually, yeah. I was in Washington DC with the dudes and we were skating the famous Pulaski Park marble ledge spot there. A huge crew of dudes rolled up to and started beefing with one of the skaters there. This chick ran up, threw the guy’s phone and said, “Dat’s the game.” Then a huge brawl broke out. Later on we heard the skater ended up getting truck-fucked and had gnarly skull fractures. It was by far one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen.

That’s crazy! I know the Kamloops park has its fair share of sketchy kids…

There’s a whole pack of skids that chill there – a bunch of piles who just sit, smoke and drink all day. The odd fight happens, but nothing too gnarly.

It’s obvious you’ve spent a lot of time at that park by how technical your skating is. Whose skating influences you? I like to watch real tech guys like PJ Ladd and Ryan Gallant. They influence my skating every day. What about Derek Swaim? You must skate with him at the Kamloops park on the regular. Skating with you and Swaim growing up has influenced me a lot. You two are the reason why I got into skating ledges, and the more technical side of skateboarding. Now you can tell everyone who you’d like to thank, and give people who helped you the recognition they deserve.

I would be nowhere without these people, and I’m glad I can finally thank them publicly for their help over the years. I would like to say thanks to Mark Waters at Sole Technology, Blake Emsland at B&B skateshop, Jared Lucas and Rob Washburn at Bones, Judah Oakes at Timebomb, Dane Collison at Supra Distribution, Rodney Mullen and everyone at Almost, and anyone else who’s been supportive over the years. Also, thanks to my number one sponsor – my family.

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backside nosebluntslide

SEQUENTIAL

E V I D E N C E

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M I TC H P H I L LI PS / N O L LI E I N WA RD H E E L F L I P / K E I T H H E N RY P HOTO S

STACY GA B RIEL / FA KI E H E E L F L I P TAI L SL I D E / B R I AN C A I S S I E P H OTO S

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S PE N C E R H A M I LTO N / F RO N T S I D E F LI P / BRI A N C A I S S I E P HOTO S

JA M I E TA N C OW N Y / FA K I E H A RD F L I P / K Y L E C A M A RI LLO P HOTO S 74

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MARK APPLEYARD / KICKFLIP NOSEGRIND / SERGIO ALVAREZ PHOTOS

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W I LL M A RS H A L L / BI G S PI N F LI P / BRI A N C A I S S I E P HOTO S

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YOUNG BLOODS

Charles Deschamps

Age: 19 Lives: Montreal, QC Sponsors: Alien Workshop, Etnies, Alphanumeric, Underworld

Charles is on some next-level program. If you didn’t first see him killing it at The Berrics, then you’ll surely spot him doing bigspins in and out of every trick at the skatepark. Whether he’s getting technical, or skating a long rail that few would dare to attempt, Charles raises the bar at the spot, and always has fun doing it. So if you ever witness a bigspin boardslide bigspin out done by a Frenchman screaming “Calice de Tabarnak!”, just know it’s Chucky the Champ getting wild in your ’hood! —James Morley 82

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james morley photos

wallride

YOUNG BLOODS

Dustin Henry

Age: 16 Lives: Calgary, AB Sponsors: Think, C1RCA Canada, Venture, Bones Wheels, Skaters

Dustin, aka Dustmite, is the most grown-up 16 year-old skateboarder you will ever meet. I’m a huge fan of his skating, as is everyone who sees him, because he doesn’t have that annoying “little kid style”. Instead, this well-rounded kid cruises fast into everything, does whatever he’s trying with astonishing ease, and makes it look good. So it comes as no surprise that the older skaters have turned their heads in his direction and continue watching his talent progress. Calgary skateboarding has always been unreal; with the addition of Dustmite to the mix, things are a whole lot better. —Owen Woytowich 84

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Backside flip

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YOUNG BLOODS

Timmy Oberg

Age: 21 Lives: Edmonton, AB Sponsors: Plush Skateshop, Olive Skateboards, C1RCA Canada

Mrs. Oberg did a damn good thing by bringing little Timmy into this world and into our hearts. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smart, hardworking, and funny as hell. If the Gingers of the world were fighting for survival, he would be Kyle Reese. And the fact that he skateboards is just another notch in his belt. When I think of Timmy, the word AWESOME just starts vibrating in my brain as if Sean Sheffey was holding my head against the speakers at Woodstock. Get hungry on it. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;David Ehrenreich 86

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kickflip backtail bigspin

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THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF CORY WILSON

BACK IN THE SADDLE Vancouver, BC // July 2010 // Nikon FA

“This summer Mitch Charron got back on a board, and he’s been ripping. One day, Geoff Dermer loaded up his Caravan and we did the spot tour. In this photo, Wade Fyfe is taking a break on the curb while Dermer checks Mitch’s form on a 360 flip.” –Cory Wilson see more of cory’s photos on page 28.

Est. 1990: Canada’s original skateboard magazine

EDITOR / ART DIRECTOR Kelly Litzenberger kelly@concreteskateboarding.com

PUBLISHER Kevin Harris

PHOTO EDITOR / staff photographer Brian Caissie brian@concreteskateboarding.com

Marketing Director Jim Fenton jim@concreteskateboarding.com

associate EDITOR Frank Daniello

Web / Prepress Dave Keras

frank@concreteskateboarding.com

Administration Dave Buhr

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Contributing Photographers Geoff Clifford, Rich Odam Ben Stoddard, cory wilson keith henry, kyle camarillo sergio Alvarez, jeff delong james morley, dan mathieu Nick Nicholson, Adam Cassidy Ed Templeton

Web Associate Kris Burns guest designer Randy Laybourne lookforwardtothepast.com

contributing Writers frank daniello, Kerry Mccall, Ben Stoddard Randy Laybourne, Danny Empey, Dane Collison Stacy Gabriel, James Morley, David Ehrenreich Owen Woytowich, Paul Machnau, Rich Odam dan watson, jenny charlesworth Ben Oleynik, spencer hamilton

Concrete skateboarding is Distributed 6 times annually by Ultimate Skateboard Distributors inc. // east: 705.749.2998 // west: 604.279.8408 Subscriptions: 1 Year for $19.95 (includes shipping / taxes) – 6 issues including The Photo Annual subscribe online at concreteskateboarding.com or send cheque / money order to: Concrete Skateboarding Subscriptions | 150 - 11780 River Rd. | Richmond, BC | V6X 1Z7 concrete accepts unsolicited submissions, but is not responsible if such materials are lost or damaged. submissions sent via letter-mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return sending. for further submission inquiries, contact submissions@concreteskateboarding.com. for retailer inquiries in regards to carrying concrete, please contact info@concreteskateboarding.com.

NEXT ISSUE: issue 110 // December 10th, 2010

Frontside Hurricane. June 2, 2010 - Los Angeles, Ca

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dan mathieu

Video reviews This issue’s guest reviewer – Vancouver’s PAUL MACHNAU – hardly needs an introduction. The extremely motivated and determined Pro has occupied numerous Concrete pages since his first appearance back in 1997, and he’s had two covers – one in 1999 and one in 2003. After spending a year-and-half on World Industries and rounding out the last decade on Darkstar, he switched things up by becoming a team rider and TM for the recently revamped Red Star Skateboards.

Hallelujah TRansworld Anytime you throw a new Transworld video into your player, you know you’re in for some innovative skateboarding. Hallelujah, they’ve done it again! I don’t know if I like it a bit better than the last few simply because my homie Ryan Decenzo has a mind blowing part, or if it’s because skateboarding is in one hell of a creative era right now. Tyler Bledsoe starts it off with an exceptional bag of tricks, including some serious flatbar and ledge balance. Taylor Bingaman charges in and attacks everything with speed while Pete Eldridge once again comes through with some effortless looking skating. Then all of a sudden it’s like the video shotgunned a Red Bull or something, because Ryan doesn’t stop throwing hammer after hammer and keeps you glued to the screen with his shocking lines and switch rail wizardry! Torey Pudwill shows up to close out the video, and his part left me believing he has the ability to control his skateboard with his mind. Some of Torey’s tricks and ledge combos don’t even seem possible, but he makes them a reality. Go get this video, kids. Welcome to skateboarding in 2010! —Paul Machnau

STAY GOLD EMERICA I was sort of reluctant to take on the task of reviewing Stay Gold. The problem is, I probably don’t have the correct credentials to critique such a monumental project. Everyone who skateboards has already seen this movie and formed their own opinions on who had the best part, who is washed up, whose song sucked, and so on. Regardless, and for what it’s worth, here are some quick thoughts: 1) Jerry Hsu and Andrew Reynolds look amazing on skateboards (Hsu’s whole part is switch!?); 2) The next decade or so in skateboarding will be fine with guys like Figgy, Westgate, Romero and Tancowny at the helm; 3) The Baker Boys are living the endless summer that we all dream of; 4) To me, Aaron Suski had the most surprising part with amazing spots that complimented his talents on the board. On a side note, this is the first video I’ve ever bought on iTunes (for $9.99), but a QuickTime file can never replace the feeling of opening a new DVD and owning a physical representation of a team’s hard work. Aside from that, you’ll need the hardcopy in order to check out the “hidden” parts (learn more about this in the Deluxe Edition review on p.92) along with other extras, like Reynolds’ 13-minute perfectionism-filled section with commentary, and the “International Montage” featuring Canadians Dan “Alien” Nelson, Dave Nolan, Gio Namini, Glenn Suggitt, Jeff Folgmann and Bradley Sheppard. It’s been said that Stay Gold might be the end of the modern skate video as we know it, but let’s hope not. —Ben Stoddard

Elephant Direct Sure there’s Yeah Right!, Fully Flared and Stay Gold in that one category, but big companies, no matter how awesome, can’t really mess with the sheer rawness of an independent production. It’s something acquired by skating with all your camera gear, eating dinner on the curb, then filming through the night. You have to hand it to Jeremy Elkin and Jason Auger for taking their star-studded Canadian line-up (Kevin Lowry, Andrew McGraw, Marc Tison, Justin Gastelum, Pat O’Rourke, Seb Labbe, Torey Goodall, Russ Milligan, Brad Sheppard, Mike Fyfe and more) to all those aesthetically superior east coast spots. Nowhere, with the exception of San Francisco, looks quite as good. The catch is, these diamonds in the rough are hard to find and trolling through piss-soaked alleys with your free time isn’t always fun. But that dedication guarantees a great video, and separates fun street skating from generic bench lines. I had high expectations before seeing this, and I wasn’t let down. It’s talented and interesting skaters going fast, being documented nicely and scored to good music. There’s also great titling and graphics, and no use of aggressive slow-mo or long-winded intros. Elephant Direct manages to look artistically interesting and original while sticking to the tested and true VX1000/film combo. It’s a Canadian Static video, coming in at a more tasteful length. And as far as making you want to skate, it’s video of the year. —David Ehrenreich

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Off The Shelf Stay Gold: Deluxe Edition Book An Inside Look At The Life Of The Emerica Team It’s no secret. Whether it was an iTunes download or an actual spinning disc, Emerica’s Stay Gold came into your possession on that fateful day of availability – the first of September. And by now you’ve figured out how to feast your eyes on that Heath Kirchart Easter Egg part that initially could only be seen at premiere screenings (highlight “Back To Main” in the Chapters menu, then hit the right arrow button once before hitting enter), not to mention the Barrier Kult’s plague-spreading barrage (highlight “Andrew Reynolds And The Madness” in the Bonus menu and push the left arrow button once before hitting enter). Epic feature-length video aside, what about the Stay Gold: Deluxe Edition Book? Curated by the one and only Ed Templeton, who’s been on Emerica for over 15 years, this high-quality horizontal hardcover for the keen collector houses previously unseen photos of the team along with a DVD copy of the big video (check out the review on p.90). The Tempster, along with Atiba Jefferson, Michael Burnett and Mike O’Meally contributed frozen moments in time that were captured from 2000 to 2010 while their cameras were on the “candid” setting. As Templeton explains in his hand-penned foreword, the focus of this project was on selecting photos “that document both the joy and the nightmares of what it’s like to be constantly traveling and endeavoring to create a video part at the highest level.” The result is a 148-page coming-of-age Emerican chronology – a time capsule portrayal of photographic spontaneity that provides a more honest look at the strong (also sometimes subtle) personalities and the life that’s lived during a decade long get-tricks hustle. From Reynolds curiously clad in shorts and a beanie while sitting in a Lance Armstrong-inspired ice-bath, to Baby Jamie skeptically contemplating a rail in front of too many sets of curiously focused eyes, the images in this book will visually address some of your behind-the-scenes curiosities while simultaneously providing you with new ones. —Frank Daniello

15: Atiba Photography Atiba Jefferson If you’ve never heard of Atiba Jefferson [atibaphoto.com], then you probably either ride a scooter or wear rollerblades. It’s pretty safe to say Atiba is the Kobe Bryant of skateboard photography (and he’s shot photos of Kobe for the NBA, too). Sure, there’s guys like J. Grant Brittain, Daniel Harold Sturt and a grip of others who paved the way for the rest of us photographers, but when it comes to breaking the rules and making stuff “cool” enough to copy from, no one does it better than Atiba. He’s been shooting for all the top magazines in the world since the late ’90s, after initially taking on an internship at Transworld and learning directly from Grant Brittain (which is like having Michael Jordan teach you how to shoot hoops); these two have continued to work together as founding members of The Skateboard Mag. Recently, éS Footwear released a book of Atiba’s images – a retrospective compilation of work he’s done with the brand and its riders from all over the world since 1995 (most of us photographers haven’t even been shooting for that long). The book has outstanding work throughout, exploring the photographic history of éS, and of skateboarding itself. Lots of great skaters are in there – guys like Koston, PJ Ladd, Rodrigo TX, Burnquist, Creager, Penny, Kellen James, Nyjah Huston and Antwuan Dixon, just to mention a few. There are numerous memorable images in the 108-pager, including early P-Rod photos, the first photo Rick McCrank shot with Atiba, Muska in his Shorty’s days (and his Toy Machine days), and even some Rick Howard pics. The 15 book is available as a gift-with-purchase to anyone who buys the Fall 2010 éS Square Two x Atiba Jefferson Collaboration shoe. —Rich Odam

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S H OE V A U L TS

just a quick reminder from frank hirata

ed templeton model a message from our corporate representative ed templeton mike manzoori modeling the sheep texel

words

The latest installment in our Shoe Vaults series is focused on a short-lived, but muchloved brand. SHEEP launched in 1996 when Sole Technology – the father company of Etnies, Emerica and éS – decided to branch out with another brand after noticing that many mainstream companies were biting their shoe designs and offering them at a cheaper price-point. In response to this, Sole Tech chose to offer their own brand that would feature simple, basic designs at a lower price. As a way to keep costs down, it was decided that Sheep would utilize alternatives to suede and leather – something that was a new development at the time. However, the problem with this business model came when Sole Tech discovered that the importing costs of synthetic materials were actually higher than suede or leather, so the price-point strategy was abandoned. Sheep decided to maintain the focus on mostly synthetic materials, which turned out to be a good decision in the end. The brand ended up filling a niche market since there were virtually no shoe companies dedicated to producing vegan-friendly footwear. As such, Sheep became a desirable sponsor for the Pro skaters out there who didn’t want to wrap their feet in animal skin. Ed Templeton was the first to jump aboard, and he helped 94

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Dan Watson

Concrete skateboarding

develop a strong team of notables such as Rick McCrank, Brian Anderson, and Matt Field. The team became an integral part of shaping the brand, and Sheep quickly took on a more artistic vibe than the other companies produced by Sole Tech. The identity and tone of Sheep can be seen in the hard-to-find Life Of Leisure video, which was produced by Sheep rider Mike Manzoori in 1996. Anyone who remembers the shoe market that existed in the latter half of the ’90s knows that “simple” and “basic” were not really words you would use to describe most of the designs out there. So to have a brand that concentrated on basic designs was a breath of fresh air. Stylistically, Sheep was definitely ahead of the curve with models like the “Merino”, which could be found in the simple and classic all-black with a white vulcanized sole – an old school aesthetic that was less common at the time. The shoes were well received by both unknown skaters out in the streets, as well as Pros who weren’t locked in with a shoe sponsor. In fact, viewers out there with a keen eye may have noticed Guy Mariano rocking Sheep heavily in Girl’s classic 1996 video Mouse, despite never being on the team or even being flowed any product by the company.

As we all know, good things don’t last. Despite Sheep’s popularity, Sole Tech decided that it didn’t have the resources to focus on four shoe companies. So by the end of 1998, less than two full years after its creation, Sheep was put out to pasture. However, even though the shoe company was short-lived, it left a big impact on skateboarding. Many people look back on the company very fondly, and the Life Of Leisure video is considered to be somewhat of a cult classic among skate nerds. Furthermore, the brand’s inclusion of vegan-friendly materials and ideologies later became more commonplace in the skate shoe industry. In this author’s humble opinion, Sheep had a strong influence on the feel and direction of IPATH footwear, which was created in part by Matt Field shortly after Sheep’s demise. In retrospect, perhaps the fact that the company didn’t last long helped solidify its place as a fond memory from skateboarding’s past. It came in and made an impact, then disappeared before its popularity waned, leaving people wanting more. When recently asked if the Sheep rebirth idea has ever been thrown around, Sole Tech Senior VP of Marketing Don Brown responded with: “Not officially, although I have an eerie feeling that one day Sheep will be back to happily cavort in the light of day.”

ads courtesy of sole technology // shoe images courtesy of ed templeton

Sheep Shoes

distributed by Ultimate

Sound Check

photo courtesy of sub pop

No Age

“THERE WAS NO REAL CONCEPT EXCEPT NOT HOLD BACK AND GET IT ALL OUT” words

Jenny Charlesworth

No Age isn’t a band that has to hustle in order to get press. One would hope that neither drummer/vocalist Dean Spunt nor guitarist Randy Randall has the type of mother who closely documents her children’s achievements because there isn’t a fridge door big enough to house all the magazine clippings that celebrate the Los Angeles art-punk duo. But that’s how it goes with buzz bands. Some upstart releases a seveninch that catches the ear of a Tweet-happy tastemaker, then all of a sudden the group gets slapped with the coveted “Next Best Thing” tag and the rest of us spend six months lapping them up. Rarely do we stick it out for the long haul, but with No Age something clicked. The outfit landed a following beyond the graffitied walls of The Smell [thesmell.org] – the now-legendary all-ages DIY venue where they got their start – and have gone on to far outlive the typical shelf life enjoyed by buzz bands these days. On their new album, the aptly titled Everything In Between, Spunt and Randall shed some insight on the years since their 2008 Sub Pop debut thrust them into the limelight without being gobbled up by the hype machine. “We wanted to make an honest record that reflected our life from Nouns to the present; 96

Concrete skateboarding

everything in between these triumphs, failures and pain,” Spunt tells Concrete. “There was no real concept except not hold back and get it all out, so we kept recording in little bits here, little bits there – feeling it out as well as feeling ourselves out.” If you’ve done something crazy like swear off music blogs (or still haven’t come across a pair of those limited edition No Age/Ed Templeton vegan shoes by Emerica) you could probably use a refresher course on the band and their noise-riddled jams. There are, of course, plenty of singles and EPs to get you caught up, but Spunt doesn’t actually think all that groundwork is necessary. “This record seems to be a saturated version of all the elements we were fucking with before,” he says. “There should be no comparison [to earlier work]. It should be listened to after you have that sip of wine on your brain or smell the coffee [beans] at the perfume counter at the mall.” Most of us will probably go with that sip of wine when the time comes to unlock No Age’s delirious tape loops and weird tones. But even without the Chardonnay, the sample-based dream-pop heard on the lead single “Glitter” or album opener “Life Prowler” would strike a chord. As for the

rest of the material – a clever mash-up of schizophrenic sounds, near-monotone vocals and nagging guitar riffs – it leaves little doubt as to who is leading the pack when it comes to tricked-out DIY pop. Their most ambitious work to date, Everything In Between sees the longtime collaborators testing their boundaries as punk visionaries – reworking their approach in terms of production and addressing some personal revelations, albeit cryptically. The risks that were taken are not insignificant, but don’t mention that to Spunt. “There are no risks, only actions that need to happen,” he says. “If they seem like they are bad ideas to other people, they are probably great ideas.” With an attitude like that, it’s pretty obvious that No Age was never going to settle for being just another of-the-moment band who fades into music history oblivion after a so-so rating from Pitchfork. No, Spunt and Randall have their sights set on much more – the lo-fi throne. Only time will tell if they can clinch that honour, but in the meantime we can all agree that with Everything In Between, they’re on the fast-track to getting there. myspace.com/nonoage

brian caissie

the five spot

The past year has been especially good for Wareham, Massachusetts native Brandon Westgate. Last summer saw his break-out part drop in Zoo York’s State Of Mind, along with his Pro debut. Next came endless travel, interviews, covers and coverage, which resulted in his winning of the illustrious Transworld “Rookie of the Year” award. All this takes us to the present, when our minds have just been blown by his breathtaking Emerica Stay Gold part. Although Brandon still resides in Wareham and doesn’t live the life that you’d expect from a top skateboard Pro, he’s living exactly the life we wants. And that’s precisely what he deserves. —Ben Oleynik

Concrete skateboarding

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Last Call Danny Empey // 360 BONELESS attempt

“Jumpin’ down shit can be nerve-racking for all parties involved – the skater, the homies watchin’, and I’m sure even the filmer and photographer feel a little something in their stomachs. Having said that, Danny Empey doesn’t give a fuck. This 15 is no joke. It’s about four-feet wide and on a hill so when you cruise up it basically feels like you’re rollin’ off a cliff. To add to all the madness, I think I was the only one who knew what he was gonna try. Right after he whipped this monstrous 360 boneless, Craig Williams looked up at me in disbelief and said something like, ‘What the fuck!? I thought he was going for an ollie!’ This is one of the gnarliest attempts I’ve ever seen live. Keep your eyes on Danny.” Check out the rest of the “In The OK” feature on p.34.

rich odam

—Spencer Hamilton

100

Concrete skateboarding

photo: David Christian distributed by Ultimate

The Tin Toy Series Series - artwork by Andrew Pommier www.momentumskate.com

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INTRODUCING THE JK8

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