Category Archive: Skate
Video Days – Blind – 1991
Video Days from Blind Skateboards, circa 1991. One of my all-time favorite videos. Spike Jonze was the director for this video and he definitely set the bar when it comes to filming/editing. Blind was started by Mark Gonzales in 1991. The company name is an intentional jab at his former team, Vision. This was a time when Street Skating was developing at an insane rate. Although the video is mainly street oriented; there is some vert featuring the Gonz and Jordan Richter. There’s some really good music on here as well, including Black Flag, Husker Du, Dinosaur Jr, and much more. Blind now offers this video on DVD by combining it with What If?. Featured Skaters: Mark Gonzales, Rudy Johnson, Jason Lee, Guy Mariano, and Jordan Richter run time: 24 min 0 sec – Check it Out
German (not Claus Grabke) wins European vert championship.
Jürgen Horrwarth won the vert and was winning the mini-ramp-bowl portion of the European Skateboard Championships in Basle, Switzerland when it was rained out. There’s an interview with Jürgen on the Red Bull site. It’s supposed to be a direct link, but it’s wacky. Once the page loads you have to click on the “Visit Red Bull International” option and click the “interview” button. Another case of superfluous Flash Development gone awry… The interview is really dry. Your time is better spent blowing it off and reading this excerpted Claus Grabke interview from Juice Magazine. If you’re a die hard Jürgen Horrwarth fan, we’ve poached the whole thing after the link.
Is What it is – Consolidated – 1999
Is What it is from Consolidated Skateboards, circa 1999. I really enjoy these earlier Consolidated videos. It has a really good mix of Street and Vert throughout each persons part. More about Consolidated Skateboards after the jump!
23 questions with Russ Howell
Old Man Army is at it again, this time interviewing 70’s skate legend Russ Howell. I know what you’re thinking. By the end of the 70’s nobody much cared about Russ (in the skateboarding world) so why bother now? Well, it’s an interesting read nonetheless, especially for Howell’s take on the Dogtown documentary. He’s got a bone to pick with Stacy. The guy he should have a beef with is Richy Carrasco. See, Howell set a 360 record in 1977 (35 spins) but claims a personal best of 163. Meanwhile, Carrasco beat his record in 1978 with 35.5 spins and then again in 2000 with 142 spins. I don’t know how Russ lets a guy get away with calling himself the 360 King when Howell’s best is 21 over the Guinness Record. Did you know Russ Howell currently has a signature model? Learn this and more in the interview at Old Man Army. Don’t forget to check out the official web site of Russ Howell which stays true to his old school roots by maintaining a look that is circa 1996 web design.
Way Out East! – Stereo – 2004
Way Out East! from Stereo Sound Agency, circa 2004. This is a three week long tour video of London, New York and Paris with a little west coast action thrown in for good measure. I really like this video for its smooth style, and it always seems like they are having a blast. Isn’t that what skateboarding is all about? To answer my own question… Yes, yes it is. The entire video is shot in either 8mm or 16mm film. I didn’t even know that Stereo was still a company, but I guess Jason Lee seems to have run into some money with his TV shows and Movies. Stereo was originally founded in 1992 by Jason Lee and Chris Pastras. After Jason left the company to pursue his acting career, Chris kept the company running, until 2000 when it closed its doors. In 2003 Chris and Jason relaunched the company under the Giant Distribution company. By 2006 they were able to distribute independently which was probably their main goal in the first place. Featured Skaters: Jason Lee, Chris Pastras, Clint Peterson, Benny Fairfax, Keegan Sauder, Olly Todd, Brian Brown, Rick McCrank, Mike McDermott, Soy Panday, and Snowy run time: 27…
Instant punchline: Skateboarding adults
Skateboarding adults are funny. Lulu Maude gives it the old Onion try in her post titled Harriet Miers Quits White House, Wants to Spend More Time Skateboarding Check it out here. Lulu’s profile says she is a “a retired schoolmarm.” What’s a schoolmarm anyway? Did she retire in the 1920’s? Just in case Take Your Medicine folds, we’ve got it here too.
Cheese and Crackers – Almost – 2006
Cheese and Crackers from Almost Skateboards, circa 2006. Its a new year, so we can break out the videos from last year right? This is one of the better skate videos to come out of 2006. In my opinion Daewon Song and Chris Haslam are two of the most creative skaters out there, and it definitely shows in this video. Flip tricks off of blunts and into noseslides and everything in between. They even incorporate tires and suspended flat bars for a little extra flavor. The video may be short, but I usually end up watching each part multiple times just to catch what is going on. Featured Skaters: Daewon Song and Chris Haslam run time: 14 min 56 sec – Check it Out
Florida: Hook a brother up!
Skate and Annoy is sending me to Florida… Well at least I’m going there to visit the in-laws for the holidays. I’ll be in the Sarasota area December 21-26 looking to blow out skate your pools, ditches, and what not. Yeah, I know there is a park in Sarasota. I’ve been there in 04 and earlier this year too. I’ve even been to the nearby North Port park in 2002. Variety is the spice of life man! “But what about SPOT?” you say. I’m sure it’s nice, but if you think I’m going to fly from the opposite end of the (cold and wet) country to Florida to skate and indoor wooden park, you’re crazy. Unless it rains. The picture above is from Lake Mary Florida in 2002. There’s a larger version plus two more after the jump. Did I mention that I’m going to Florida?
Pimp My Skateboard: Tired but still amusing.
It’s kind of a one-liner and it looks like it was filmed in one take, but Pimp My Skateboard mostly makes up for it in post production and the script. What is this, Ebert & Kilwag or just another YouTube link?
Guy on web more bitter than me!
Sure, I’m pretty bitter. I make flippant and offhanded comments about things, and sometimes people get mad, or stupid. Yeah, we’ve even got the Annoying Kid of the Month, but most of those kids aren’t even that annoying, just funny. Muzenrider over at the Sakteboard Mag might be worse than me. The question is, who is more pathetic? Muzenrider for ragging on what tricks kids put in their YouTube videos, or Kilwag for needing to comment on it?







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