If you live or skate in New York, chances are you’ve come across Jerry. In the sixteen years since he moved to New York City from Michigan, he has mostly left the warm familiarity of Lower East Side haunts to leave his mark elsewhere. If you haven’t caught him in the streets, you’ve probably skated his well-chronicled concrete work. From patching up must-see-for-visiting-pros spots like the Bronx bank-to-ledge to more meandering locales like the B.Q.E. spot, Jerry’s legacy is clear and present.
He just finished up a video called Rust Belt Trap, which acts as a great visual representation of his philosophy, practice, and craft — and we realized we have never formally spoken to him on QS. Thankfully, Jerry found a slot of time in between picking up 2 x 8’s at the lumber yard to update us on his life and work. (Rust Belt Trap is still due out on Thrasher at some point.)
+++++++
You’re from the Midwest but have been in New York for quite a while now. What’s keeping you here?
The fact that there’s something always happening. Even if you stay in and you feel like you’re missing something, that’s cool. A lot of the time, I just decide to stay home and know the whole world is still moving on and I’m fine with that. But when I was stuck in a small town, it was really moving on, and I felt like I was missing it go by.
Been slow around here, as recent injuries have taken their toll on office morale, but December is always busy. QS holiday 2017 tees are now available at Supreme Soho and Brooklyn. Arriving at other shops this week and next. Online soonish?
Probably one of the most fried concepts for a recent skate video, but in the best way possible — Kyota Umeki filmed an entire skate video on a Nintendo 3DS with a fisheye taped to it. 90% of it is filmed within like, five blocks of the L.E.S. Park. I also have “Groove Is In The Heart” stuck in my head now, great.
The crew behind Newark’s Shorty’s spot (R.I.P.) was allotted a piece of land by the city, in which they have begun to build a bowl. They’re looking to raise money for supplies, concrete trucks, etc. to speed up the project. If you’ve been to Shorty’s even once, please donate whatever you can so they can continue forward with the Shorty’s spirit ♥
Bobby Worrest has a comprehesive interview with “The Nine Club,” with a detailed discussion re: the lost art of skate spot politics and east coast aversion to wax. (His favorite Bobby Worrest part is also “Looks Ok To Me.”)
QS Sports Desk: Imagine if the Knicks did a subtler trust the process-esque strategy instead of doubling-down on iso-Melo and then trying to force the triangle onto the modern NBA for the past decade? Eh.
One of the cool things about having the privilege of knowing how to ride one of these things, besides being able to find pot no matter where you are in the world, is that it keeps you exploring. It sends you out to uncover weird parts of familiar places, makes you creep into all sorts of alleys and ditches and post-industrial shit-piles, and on many occasions, you’ll leave feeling a lot happier than when you got there.
Every time I see Caddo, he’s having a pretty good time. Then, every time I see some Caddo footage or photos, he’s having a pretty sweet time. He skates all these spots I’ve never seen before, in cities I’ve never thought to go to. He’s gotten clips at like, the Holy Trinity of New York busts: the Roosevelt Island Monument, Forbidden Banks and the Holy Grail on Nostrand Avenue. Caddo goes out of his way to keep skateboarding interesting for himself, which is why his skating is so much fun to watch.
His part in Politic’s Division, which is his second full part in as many years, is loaded with all kinds of new approaches to familiar spots, fun lines down hills and in all kinds of parking lots. Here’s a chat I had with him about Enid’s, longevity, and kickflips.
+++++++
Tell me about when you kickflipped into the Roosevelt Island monument.
That was when it first opened up. I don’t know why, but the Parks Department would close it one day a week. You get maybe ten minutes before the old security guard comes out and starts yelling at you. But the guy is like sixty-years-old, it takes him a while to mosey over. The guy got there and his technique was to stand right in the way. He’s just mellow about it, kept repeating over and over again “no, no, no.” He was just saying that for ten minutes. [John] Valenti was walking backwards with the camera as I’m trying the last one and luckily I made it. I almost rolled into the guy.
The QS webstore relaunches this Wednesday, November 2 @ midnight New York time. Small preview of the new QS merch here. Our bud Colin Sussingham also shot a lil’ Warehouse Mondays lookbook with the boys for his Tumblr. Available in U.S. shops this week. International soon. Photo by Pat Buckley.
Honestly, every skater should have Hjalte film and edit their parts. Got more stoked watching this one he made of Jonas Skrøder than anything in recent memory.
“I didn’t know you knew about Supreme.” — Stevie Williams’ 12-year-old daughter to Stevie Williams. The Bunt’s latest one is with Stevie Williams, and covers everything from early Philly days, to the origin of the switch shove revert (unexpectedly Danny Way inspired), the first pass at Reebok skate shoes, etc. Also shout out to Stevie for calling out when skateboarding looks like rollerblading :)
“The increasingly inscrutable Daniel Kim is on some Sampson deal where his trick spread (now including switch Japan airs and a switch kickflip tailgrab) seems to grow woollier in direct relation to his hair length.” — Boil the Ocean on Spirit Quest, which includes a part from my favorite skater and frontrunner for hair of the year, Daniel Kim.
Still Rich Gang mixtape forever ♥ The 30 Purse crew put together an awesome five-minute New York edit to an abridged version of the song that started my day Sept 2014-prob Sept 2015. Kudos on the wide-ranging spot selection. Haven’t seen anyone skate that black marble out ledge on 30th and 1st this decade.
“I never missed filming a session from 2000 forward because it became critical for my film and for my journey to the final level.” *Desperately awaiting intel on the New York premiere of the Todd Falcon film*
The Vancouver boys came to New York for a few days: Skate Sundays #59.
Lurker Lou is having a Card Boards show this Friday at 175 Roebling Street. 7-10 P.M. A bunch will be for sale. Flyer here. Interview about Card Boards from 2014 here.
QS Sports Desk Russell Westbrook Desk:51-13-10. OKC-GSW can’t wait :)
Quote of the Week Inquisitive Gentleman: “Why does everyone in Canada move to Montreal?” Keith Henry: “Because nobody needs a job there. You find your rent on the floor.”
Heard Petey Pablo in #theclub out in Tokyo this past week, and was reminded of the far-reaching majesty of the great state of North Carolina. Congrats to the Endless Grind crew on thirty years. This one’s for you? Uh-uh. This one’s for who? Us, us, us.
QS tees are now available at Supreme London and Los Angeles, in addition to Orchard Skateshop in Boston. Supreme London should have Alltimers RiRi and Lambo cruisers in now, and Los Angeles should be getting them soon.
The new Bronze video, Solo Jazz, comes out this August, as per their Facebook. Check the teaser from a few months back in case you missed it.
Also in the realm of hardware, our homie Jonah Miller started a hardware company out of Portland called Bolts, which is particularly tailored to people who double as skateboarder AND gambler degenerates. Check out the site at BoltsPremium.com, follow them on IG, and check the intro clip here. Stay tuned for more.
The new Tony Carr part is fun and “creative” without trying too hard. Dude rips.
The video itself seems a bit old (namely because there are spots that haven’t been around since 2008 in it), but the Shred NJ crew uploaded their 35-minute project, The Pie, on Vimeo last week.
