Thankful for Keith

thankful-for-keith

Photo by Justin White

What could be said about a sweet boy, who on the night of the Static 4 premiere — in a video full of east coast legends — received the largest cheers of the evening for a mere appearance in a montage? Or of a young man who is repeatedly the subject of anonymous “Ask Me Anything” Tumblr questions eager to know the answer to life’s eternal question: “What’s good with that Keith Denley part?”

We’ve been here for a long time, just trying to summon Keith from the demands of his sales job and the magnetic pull of known drinking establishments to give the world what it needs. Yes, that Keith Denley part.

Following the release of Sweet Waste’s “Reps Who Rip” part in the spring of 2014, Keith was emboldened. The budding skater who had backside 360ed the Banks 9 when he was 18 and spent his early 20s grappling with injuries never had a full part before. Needless to say, he — also a representative of sales for a major footwear brand — was not impressed with the inaugural “Reps Who Rip” outing.

“I could film a better part by the end of the summer,” he told us.

Some people just want to see Gino push. We just want to see Keith succeed.

Except he did not take the remainder of the summer to film a better part — or any part, for that matter. Nor did he take the remainder of the year, or the following year, or the year we are currently in to film a finer part that Waste’s exquisite take on switch crooked grinds and camouflage tinted skating.

And so, as 2016 nears to a close, the world does not have that elusive Keith Denley part. But it now has this: a best-of compilation of Keith’s finest moments from the past several years, edited by Justin White, and filmed by Joe Bressler, Johnny Wilson, Rob Harris and…Justin White. Keith may never have that monumental part he was so convinced he could film, but that doesn’t make us any less thankful for what he means to our lives, each and every day.

This holiday season, give thanks for Keith. #thankfulforkeith.

Almost Spring

deodarant

New HD clip from J.P. Blair featuring Brendan Carroll, Mark Humienik, Chachi, Dick Rizzo, Josh Wilson, Ian McGraw, Ron Deily, and Nick Ferro.

Also on the topic of New Jersey cinema legends, Justin White has taken to posting Popills highlights from the mid-2000s over on Instagram via @p0pills.

A semi teaser for the Adidas full-length. Yes, there’s Lucas clips.

Some solid recent “Trip to New York” EntiresSupra’s nine-minute clip is a good time. That gap-to-5050 UP the handicap ramp rail at the Williamsburg Monument is insane, there’s some stellar flip trick form over the Columbus Park wall, and Dane Vaughn has the best Three Up Three Down manual trick this side of Denmark ;) Colin Read’s five-minute trip clip for The Northern Co. is fun vibes too.

Piles of snow are the new trashcans #tfreport.

New Cell Jawn clip with footage from Love’s final days, freezing cold Cooper Park sessions, and less cold Nike Garage sessions.

Cranberries and Westgate sightings. Skating starts ~1:40.

Slam City Jam 2K16.

Not in the habit of linking videos that already have 100k+ YouTube views, but it’s a Rodrigo remix with all his best footage from Parental Advisory and onward.

Another shot at a skate video soundtrack database. Seems simple enough.

They thought he was Future…”

“I assume I don’t need to recite for all of you the stats, between videos’ migration to Instagram and Vine and whatnot, all the private TFs, and the swelling rosters that pack the remaining full-lengths… I mean, it is really, really tough out there for any character actor, regardless of tenure or talent, to get meaningful screen time in skate videos these days.”

Polar vid is premiering in New York next Tuesday. “Details soon.”

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Still a joy to have Vince Carter in the league. Here’s a three-point shot from inside the opposite side’s three-point line. Also, this Times piece on the National Basketball League of Canada is amazing. It’s like the basketball version of Slapshot, but in 2016 and sans fights et al.

Quote of the Week: “My ass is getting too fat, I need to start jogging.” — Matt Perez

Yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

New Jersey Classics: Andy Bautista & German Nieves in ‘New Thirsty’ (2008)

german sw crook hoboken

This photo is technically from a different era, but is sick regardless. By Jonathan Mehring. Shout out to anyone who ever skated Lackawanna Ledges (R.I.P.)

One of the somewhat obscurer inclusions on Ross One’s Hopps mix was “Come Back To Me” by Cheyenne’s Comin’, which, personally speaking, is one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever discovered from a skate video. It was used for Andy Bautista and German Nieves’ ender part in Justin White’s New Thirsty video from 2008.

Andy and German’s shared part is a semi-sequel to Andy’s section in Logic #6, a part that has been discussed on this website before. Logic #6 was an unofficial City Stars Street Cinema prequel, as it had breakout parts from P-Rod, Mike Taylor and Justin Case, with a 50-percent New York/Jersey, 50-percent L.A. Andy Bautista part oddly nudged between. In 2001, it was pretty great to see Lodi, Newport and Hoboken footage sit alongside mythical L.A. schoolyards; it made those places feel as significant in the bigger, video magazine-ized portrait of skateboarding, at least for three minutes. The part also started a ten-year obsession with wanting to skate that yellow tile bank in downtown L.A. (We made it there last summer, and predictably got kicked out in one minute. The cracks are a lot bigger than they look in footage, too.)

Justin did the original great justice, right down to music supervision that captures the vibe of the Logic part, despite not being as “mad hip hop, yo.” Andy even revisited Lodi for it, though he didn’t make it back out L.A.

If you need skate “culture” stuff to do this weekend: Our homie B.K. is having a release party (#freebuzz) for a zine he made with several friends that showcases bodega-centric photography and art, Hopps, etc. is doing another “Bum Rush the Spot” event at an “undisclosed” location that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out based on the flyer image, and there’s skate art stuff at da Fish on Sunday. We’ll be watching basketball during the aforementioned events. Hopefully not a Knicks Game 7, but probably. Have a good one.

A Year of Holmes & Co.

Jersey Mane…he walk up in the club and his chain say “goodnight!” — Photo by Jason Lecras

When you make Jersey Dave a promise to post a video clip, you keep it. Otherwise, it results in years of bad luck, as he has strange, karma-altering powers that we will never understand. This promo was filmed and edited by Justin White (with a select few contributors) to honor Jersey City’s finest skateboard sales institution, Holmes & Co., and its first full year of existence. They are located on 203 Brunswick Street in Jersey City (201 332 3322 / Shopatholmes.com), so you should definitley stop by sometime if you need a new skateboard or some fresh Polo gear for a big Friday night of popping bottles with Jersey Mane himself.

Features: Brett Abramsky, Keith Denley, Fred Gall, Alex Davis, Ty Lyons, Josh Velez, Dan V, Scotty Moore, Steve Durante, Jersey Dave, Josh Wilson, Sean Colello, German Nieves, Richie Rizzo, David Brancato, Jim Hodgson, Mike Lent, Matt Daniels, Adrian Vega, Taylor Maerker, Justin White, Tariq, Matt Christie, Aiden Granstrand, Brendan Granstrand, Joe Russo, Darren Baskinger, Dan Zvereff, Alex Olkuski, Luke Malaney, Mike Marks, Jason Lecras, Chase Whitaker, and Paul Young

Filmed by: Justin White, Paul Young, Andrew Petillo, J.P. Blair, and Tombo

Full length video (allegedly) coming soon. Alternate YouTube link.