“Some people might not care about architecture and design and that’s fine. If they just like my skate parts, that’s cool. When someone knows the work I do beyond skateboarding, that means a lot because I probably spend more hours of the day with my head within that stuff. As I get older, well, my future definitely isn’t going to be jumping down even more stairs.” Our correspondent, Farran Golding, interviewed Alexis Sablone for GQ.
“By going out and still living, even if the situation is very difficult, it’s like a way to take control of the situation. To say, ‘No, even if there is war, I will still have my youth.’” CNN has a feature on French photojournalist, Robin Tutenges, who has been covering the skate scene in Ukraine since the war broke out in 2022.
No way you haven’t seen it but also no other way to begin the round-up: On Friday, Bronze dropped the second edition of “Bronze TV Channel 56” over on Thrasher. Includes full-ish parts from many staples of the Bronze franchise. That CBS ollie into the pit is absolutely insane.
Updated the Quartersnacks One-Spot Part Map for the first time in 2023: Tony Zhang’s Purgatory: The Sproul Video, is a video video filmed entirely at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza, referred to in the YouTube description as “the worst spot in Berkeley.” (“Purgatory” is a fantastic way to describe the spots we waste away the most at.)
Christian Henry has a new, seven-minute part out with a hall of fame Columbus Park trick right in the middle. Not on the rail! Not on the two block! And it’s a noseslide!
“I remembered from like being a kid and being like ‘Why would I fucking count how many times this dude pushes,’ but then when I saw the Andrew Allen stats and there was like flannel stats and shit I was like, ‘Yes! Fuck dude, thats awesome. I’m not the only one counting weird shit.'” The statisticians at 4-Ply crunched the numbers on all of Frank Gerwer’s footy, and got an interview with the man as well. We need to do a Frank Five Favorite Parts…
Back in October, we asked QS visitors to choose their favorite video parts of the 2010s. If civilization and skateboarding were to end today, which five parts would you bury in a weather-and-nuclear-proof time capsule for post-apocalyptic earth dwellers to reference when they rediscover skate culture of these past ten years?
QS prides itself as being a destination for people who think a lot about skateboarding. Rather than poll a few close colleagues for their favorites, we felt we had a wide enough reverberation in the skate nerd universe to try and crowdsource a canon of the 2010s from anyone willing to sit down and think about it. I can emphatically say that in reviewing the mountain of ballots, everyone took their votes seriously — save maybe the guy who voted for five Micky Papa parts.
As we tallied the results, consistent trends in the count were apparent. Any fears about a recency bias went out the window; there’s only one part from 2019, and the average year of the top 25 is 2014. QS obviously has its own breed of skate nerd audience — this poll would look different if taken by Thrasher or Free — but I would bet that their lists wouldn’t be TOO far off from this one.
Presented without comment for the top 25-11, and then via a lot of favors from writer friends on the internet for the top 10: here are the 25 best video parts of the past ten years.
Yo, the fucking height on T.J’s fakie heelflip… Also how far away do you think we are from someone ollieing the 8-flat-8 at the Met? Rumor has it that Bald Head Ed tried it back in the day, but maybe someone should take Chris Pfanner to see some paintings next time he’s in New York?
“Together, Lara and Olson have achieved a small, apocalyptic miracle: they’ve bottled the dreamy spirit of the skate shop.” Kyle Beachy has some nice words for the feel-good film of the year, the 917 Video. Also Logan moved back to L.A. and we’re never gonna see him again.
“From start to finish Sabotage 5 is a gloriously losing war against capitulation to the inevitable. Like any decent funeral, this eulogy is delivered by the immediate family, rather than transient pros, with the locals turning in their last tapes skating Love Park as it was, and a grip of tricks as it is dismantled.” More great video reviews! That one was re: Sabotage 5 via Boil the Ocean.
Spot Updates: The rails at the 27th and 2nd park got knobbed, and has anyone stolen the Delancey Curb bench back yet?
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Thank goodness the NBA is back. Gotta give this one to Wiggins, even though now the only thing the Sports Desk roots for is Russell Westbrook’s happiness and well-being (J.R. too.) Must’ve felt like a postseason-esque loss if you’re an OKC fan.
Quote of the Week: “T-Pain is the black Rob Dyrdek.” — Carl Williams
