A shitty Photoshop recreation of a poster for a shitty Ryan Gosling movie. The color scheme in the photo and the poster are practically identical, not to mention both the trick and the shitty movie take place in Bangkok — maybe it’s one of those things that make more sense in your head than in actuality?
Either way, this is as good of a placeholder as any for this Friday before Labor Day weekend, a day on which we usually post our annual End of Summer clip. We are going to have to postpone that for a week or two.
On this week where Juicy J released another solo album, it is important to remember that Fred Gall is skateboarding’s equivalent of the Juiceman (not O.J.) It’s tough to call where a twenty-year stint of consistent relevance is harder to come by — skateboarding or rap — but their respective career arcs and longevity tend to mirror one another. Much like Juicy J rebranded himself as a Lex Luger-ized (and later Mike Will-ed) frat rapper, Fred Gall perfected the over-30 shift from traditional street spots into minimal flip trick, street transition-oriented skating with his Inhabitants part, which is probably the best one in the video. (Ok, you could easily make the case for Janoski, but you know, #newjersey.) Post-2010 Juicy J changed the direction of ignorant get-drunk-and-high music being released by people half his age, just as the Governor’s aforementioned part inspired a very specific subgenre of New Jersey skateboarding by people still physically capable of flip-intensive trick repertoires. All the more impressive, is how both have sustained two decades of relevance without succumbing to their well-documented love of various substances, especially when so many of their peers have fallen to grimmer fates.
In the Quartersnacks office, the “Best Skater From New Jersey” debate is only between two names: Freddy or Quim. For today, Fred might take the honors by a smidgen. Thank you, Governor Gall, for all your years of service. Onto decade three.
Related:
Inhabitants Easter Egg 90s Part
“You can swing a skateboard pretty fast, but not as fast as a pipe.”
An hour-long podcast interview with Fred
“Hold on tight boys, it’s gonna be a rough ride.”
“I’m screaming, ‘Where’s the women and children?’ But there are no women and children because it’s a monk monastery.”
“One of the gnarliest, most vicious obstacles that a human could send his life down.”
In my top 5 favorite skaters for sure; fanned out on him earlier this year at the Commodore while Newport looked on grimly. He was psyched when I told him his Sub Zero part was my favorite thing to watch before skating when I lived in Philly. Fred is a legend.
I always thought of him as the Jadakiss of skateboarding so consistent always puts out a full part
As a huge, lifelong Fred and Quim fan, I demand you explain why Tim O’connor is not in that debate. Him and Quim have the best nollie hardflips in the industry
i’m looking for a lonely pair of pale white legs to slide in to.