Tapdancing Trooper

Goes to show why flips out of front nose and nollie back heels out of just about anything are tricks that are not done for a reason. Our boy here, a weird twist of Jesus Fernandez and Janoski-appearance, has some stock-ugly hardflips as well. All that aside, the smith tricks are impressive as possible these days, and the kickflip front crook variants just as much. The way he sits in the grind before the shuvit is something rare, and the quick footed nollie varial flip out is surprising considering there is indeed a definitive tweak on the front crook. Styled front crooks that are technically progressive = rarity for sure. But the smith's are the real focus. I do not know who the opening guy is, I assume it's a cut from the previous part. He deserves credit for that smooth front blunt backside flip and the massive, late-spun frontside flip, whoever he is. But like I said, the smith variations. Damn. Front smith varial heel, front smith double flip, front smith varial flip, back smith hardflip, kickflip back smith tre? As much as tapdancing can get old, tricks from smith grinds and backside crooks will always make me happy on the inside. His 5-0 skills are apparent too; but the lock in for smith's makes them that much cooler.

Leo's Stay Gold part discussion is still coming. Came across this and felt like it was easier to post after a 12 hour day.

Chaos Among Men

So there's a good bit of drama in the DGK camp over clothing representation, loyalties, and self-preservation. I'm not gonna go much into this saga, because I have never seen anything like it, and I believe it will pan out on it's own rather quickly.

The fight:



The speech?:


The feud appears to be between the DC street master Darren Harper and Stevie Williams. While Harper has caught a legitimate amount of shit for doing this with such a respected skater/businessman/owner, considering the balls it takes to go at such a man at a Redbull sponsored event in public in front of a large herd is pretty remarkable. The fact that Spencer Fujimoto clocks Harper in the face with a skateboard of all things WHILE Darren is pinned down makes this really a meat and bones subject. This does not bode well for DGK; how can a team manager, aka Spencer Fujimoto (henceforth referred to only as "Pussy" or "Bitch") smack another skater with a board in such circumstances? While a physical altercation because of sponsor circumstances is somewhat pitiful and completely unnecessary, it doesn't say much for the Dirty Ghetto Kids that their owner and Fujifilm team manager have to team up against one of their own riders simply because they don't like his decisions. I can think of many new meanings for their anonym, but the word that comes to mind most is singular and all telling. Disgusting. This is not how business is done, this is not how respectable 'businessmen' behave, and this is not how you fight. Nothing good is coming from this, regardless of who's at fault. The DGK brand as a whole stands to suffer from this escapade, and I for one hope it rightfully does. I also hope Bitch either loses his job, or gets smacked around gang-style in the back alley of an industry gathering.

In other news, I have not gotten to post my one-sided discussion of Leo Romero's Stay Gold rail-raiser part yet, which should hopefully happen this weekend, bald-dog problems notwithstanding. There are several other items on my 'To-Post' list, including a diddy on Jimmy Carlin and some smaller name clips and notably, Skate and Create with all it's glory and three-striped disappointment. But the most exciting issue to my mind is the recently announced plans to release Element's "Trio" on DVD.

Yes, an internet video coming to DVD post-release.

Only weeks ago I was complaining to a friend that while internet video footage and release is a satisfying commodity for someone like myself and a good outlet for the monster quantity of good but not DVD notable footage many paid-skaters are capable of producing these days, it's a shame some of these releases aren't designated afterwards for free DVD or Special Edition circulation. Coming particularly to mind is the Element Europe video, DC's "Skateboarding is Forever", and "Trio", with Dylan's Gravis part rearing in my mind before a copy of it came with my Skateboard Mag issue. Thrasher's Tragedy was much a success in it's popularity due to mag distribution, and I couldn't help but wonder what the harm would be in putting out such significant and non-video-unified parts on discs like that, for they no doubt have more value than the bullshit Analog tour discs that usually accompany publications. Specifically bothering me was my utter adoration of the Trio parts and my inability to view them with a beer and some pizza rolls from my large television. Adio and DC take note, this kind of release will hopefully play to the generation of DVD buyers harvested by the release of "Stay Gold" and those reminiscing for the golden days of the video release alike, in addition to providing the instant access granted by online debut. To have a company actually come up with the idea to put these creations on disc, whether it be for more money or more widespread audience, is a seeming dream come true. Hopefully we see more of it in the future; in the meantime, start saving your spare change and buy Trio and support this idea.

Shoulda Seen This One Comin'

Fakie to fakie. Will we see the famed snowboard 1080 soon? Ugh. Take a barf bag up there with you, Bob.

Grown Ass Men

B-Herms. Allegedly injured twice trying both tre flip AND hardflip down Hollywood High 16 (maybe the tre was the idea after said hardflip appeared via another talented soul's feet in Hallelujah?), and according to a friend a patron of only skating seriously on Sundays, Bryan's part in Stay Gold is something of an enigma and a masterpiece all at once. With more than a minute of picnic table lines in the same school yard and his potentially historical Walk of Fame kickflip nosemanny, his part seems divided into a sort of intro/chill sesh and actual banger hunger. Unfortunately for the critical, variety pursuant viewer like me, Herms does two nollie inward heels, two nosegrinds, three hardflips, two tre flips, two switch fs flips and two switch front heels in addition to repetition of these go-to's in his picnic table party and another nollie inward in the video's intro. It seems a bit saddening when some of the only variety present in his part is a nollie flip, although his opening 12 set nollie tre flip in all its perfection and loftiness lends weight to balancing the equation. Faux-scientific analyzation aside, Herman's talent is highly evident despite injury and the go-to curse. Tricks at the same spot in the same clothing lend a bit of awe to the fact that he can toss undisputed bangers (plural, mind you) without even leaving a gnarly spot. I'm led to believe his part took a very small amount of time to film as far as being healthy and productive goes. It does diminish the impact of the part, however, that his ender was predictable and also a trick he is famous for, and also considering what Reynolds accomplished at the same spot that did not involve flipping frontside in the same video (not that skateboarding is about comparison, but certain things do need consideration). Yet this part will probably be one of the most remembered in Stay Gold; Herman's last full outing was Baker 3, and some time has passed since we saw him at his growing stage in that release. Sporting a chain necklace and a large stature, each trick has such pop and control that it literally dwarfs Kevin Long's following segment in a rather unexpected and unfortunate way. Plus, the standout status follows the unique nature of his part, including the daring to have such a long schoolyard segment and so many tricks at the same spots. If not anything else, the first half of his part, from the Walk of Fame through his switch front heel/nollie inward line, will be the guts of the remembrance, and the most significant footage of Bryan possibly ever. After all, it's hard to forget such a massacre of one spot, with such pop, variety (cough?) and relaxed feel. It's not at all unrealistic to imagine that these lines were seriously a by-product of boredom and a good session, either separately or in combination. Either way, to have the ability to amass a part like that requires a certain industry respect and notoriety, and to successfully release it in such an anticipated video is a feat all its own.

Now, although his part lends an air of the nonchalant to an otherwise serious video full of life-threatening maneuvers, that's not to say that I don't still find myself wishing for a part he went for 100%. But that not being the case, we are left with a little glimpse into the talents of this man, and the timeframe and issues with which he had to deal with to release it. As Reynolds said in his video discussion, Herman may not have tried, but he easily walked away with one of the most memorable parts of the video based purely on who he is, and how it was done. Pretty cool, to say the least.

Stay Bold

Perhaps it's just the sites I frequent, but the 'blogosphere' seems to still be digesting/waiting/watching Stay Gold instead of writing about it. Unfortunately I've had the time in my past couple days (or blew off things and made time, rather) to watch it about fifteen times.

The video in itself stands for so many different almost paradoxes that it's somewhat mindblowing. Emerica ushered in their new generation (Westgate, Preston, Provost, and above all FIGGY) with this instant classic, and at the same time seemed to really put a sort of cap on the skateboarding generation that grew out of the late 90s. Kirchart's retirement part, which seems more of a memorial montage than anything, is the obvious piece of evidence. Seeing such an icon, such an individual and true mind fuck as Heath Kirchart disappear into history amongst echoing drumbeats and 10+ year old footage is something that doesn't feel like it's even happening. It's fairly chilling, really, to watch his part. All the night clips, the complete lack of other people in almost every clip, the solidarity of his on-screen presence and the mind numbing effect of his footage and style mixed together perfectly punctuate the end of Heath's career and essentially an era. The hill bomb birdie flyer right before his mega ramp surprise seems to perfectly sum up Heath Kirchart, and this farewell clip coupled with his Mind Field Opus leaves you in a bit of a blown mindstate full of nostalgia and thoughts of This Is Skateboarding, Sorry, and Photosynthesis. The eerie aura passes into the surreal intro, full of naturally Emerican long exposures and time lapses. It also features Jerry Hsu's only regular stanced clip, and some very un-B-roll footage (notably Provosts fs flip over, ironically, the rail spot Heath raped in Mind Field).

Westgate starts off the birth of this video with the speed we expect, but the lack of variety we don't. Herman's part is for another discussion, Marquis Preston bursts on the scene with a frail frame that somehow reminds me of Terrell Robinson, and Kevin Long (why not Spanky, still? he's still so little) shows variety but not alot of speed and some disappointingly undeveloped style which leaves me wondering what happened to this once-golden child. Pussy gotcha hooked, is my guess. Past those parts, the most remarkably diverse and surprise parts go to Aaron Suski, Collin Provost and Justin Figueroa. Provost rips anything in his path, including a trippy concrete park bonanza and steez never before seen in his footage. The boy has obviously done a bit of maturing in terms of his skating as he grew, and the results are amazing. He looks nothing like the little Element boy, and his song fits his grungy appearance and lazy style in a way almost reminiscent of Appleyard's flip song, but not as legendary.

Little Jamie Tancowny, as an aside, tops his Strange World part easily, in my opinion. The gnar factor is up by full points but he seems to get lost easily in the slew of monsters he co-stars with. On that note, I did not realize how absolutely out of control his hair is. I'm also surprised Reynolds didn't mention him as one of the guys that IS the future in his filmed discussion a while back, considering the boy has perfect tricks, lots of speed and a good style. But anyways. I want to rave about the oddities of Suski's part and touch on Figgy's so to save space I'll stop there.

Suski has some surprising rail to ledge tricks, a handrail clip, and even a NBD on a well-known gap. His song is an odd one, but each spot looks incredibly interesting and he seems to choose his tricks perfectly. Undoubtedly a solid step above his State of Mind part, which I had seen and assumed that he was getting ready to call it quits until his opening trick in this kicked me in the gnar balls. Braydon's next with surprising cleanliness and weird shakespeare actor attire, easily my favorite footage of him. The biggest part of the lesser names though is Figgy. A monster nollie front feeble, rails that look big even compared to him, a skatestopped big ol' 5050, and speed speed speed aid his grind-heavy part that's allegedly paving his way into pro-dom.

Due to the strangeness of Herman's part I'll save my thoughts on his segment for tomorrow, and since Leo deserves a post of his own he shall wait as well. I can't justify wrapping up this little synopsis without discussing the real gem of the video, the other half of the 'end of era' theme I touched on earlier. Although I could mention Ed Templeton and his lack of footage as more proof, speculation is he's stashing it all for a final Toy part. I could also ponder the absolute brutality Jerry Hsu has gone through and wonder if his career can continue to grow or if he's actually secured his legend status and may end up taking a smaller role in future videos. But it's too early to tell, and he can nollie back tailslide, so Reynolds it is.

The Boss snagging ender from such a starry line up is a feat in and of itself. Especially compared to the tear Leo has been on with his innovative rail techniques, and Drew's age, and his presence as the curtains in This Is Skateboarding.

But he did.

And he did it damn well.

The song is beautiful. In all reality, this along with Heath's Mind Field part are the only two perfect examples of closing parts I can think of. Yes, Hsu and MJ and Cole had epic segments that affected the world in this decade, along with Pudwill recently and other notables you can think of, but these two in particular are so perfectly suited to the music and contain such a level of refined skateboarding and classic individuality that there really is no denying the level of mastery contained within. Andrew's is THE perfect part. The opening daddy-display reminds you of his age and the fact that this may well be his last full part, and the presence of so many of today's big-boy hammer spots (carlsbad TWICE, the 5 block, the 11 with the huge hubba above it, wallenberg, hollywood high, the 14 that used to have the middle rail, the 16 he kickflipped so long ago, the red rail on the rocks, the UC Davis(?) gap at the end...) lacking only Wilshire, El Toro, and the LOVE fountain to my memory is enough to make anyone die at the thought of making a gnarlier part at any age. Most are happy to get a trick at any of those spots, and he gets tricks at all of them for one single part. Not to mention the two NBDs down carlsbad, two hammers on the five block, multiple six block clips, etc etc. In the extras there's a bonus video about his perfectionism, and contained within are the other two varial heels he did down hollywood high along with countless back 3s and his original back heel down the five block, his first fakie flip down the six block, a night-time PERFECT nollie front heel down the twelve that he threw away because it was his only night clip, and a previous version of his 10 set-16 set line. The sheer ability to huck tricks like that multiple times until you feel they are perfect is just astounding, particularly examining other feats at those spots, such as Sierra Fellers ollie north down the five block, and considering that the Boss back 360d that spots upwards of five times just to get rid of arm motions or twisted torsos. The work ethic and dedication of that man makes him a legend even with his footage unconsidered. But to look in his part and see the staple tricks you expect, the fs flips, the back heel, the back 3s, caballero, bs flip, etc fused with tricks you never saw coming like the heelflip back tail, switch heel back tail, back tail back heel, fakie tre down 11, noseslide front shuv and others is the making of a true classic. Nicely tainted with his trademark style, you see what you expect to be done done better, and what you don't expect done perfectly. Surprise and amazement coupled with his history, his status, the song, filming, and the possibility of finality = the perfect part, the perfect ender, and the undeniable mark of a legend that should leave marks on the minds of skaters for the next decade at least.