“Efficiency wants to make the world available: controllable, plannable, predictable. Skateboarding works differently. You cannot plan it however you like, force it, or optimize it reliably. Sometimes the trick works, sometimes it does not. Sometimes the world answers – and sometimes it gives you a shinner. That is exactly the point. Skateboarding does not guarantee status, safe progression, or return without risk. But when it answers, it answers personally.” Really enjoyed the new Bubble article by Dr. Veith Kilberth (former pro, sports sociologist, and co-owner of a skatepark planning firm), which unpacks the reasons for a decreased amount of young skaters today.
Jake Todd and the good people at Nocturnal Skateshop put out a new Jackson Deets part full of Philly crust, and cameos from many familiar Philly faces.
Travel Tip: An Airbnb for seven dudes with one bathroom in Mexico is a bad idea.
Contrary to Instagram reports over the past week-and-a-half, the Banks are not *technically* open. A full section of the fence was down, and the DOT security booths were gone, but that section has since been put back up. Cops are still kicking people out (no tickets…yet), and claiming the space will soon re-open (also remember it was only supposed to be closed off until 2014, so, you know…) TWScaught up with R.B. Umali for a full status report, and a bit of new footage.
Who would have thought that one of QS’ highest affinities for a non-New York skate crew would be out in Italy? Five-minute montage from the Milano Centrale boys, including #musicsupervision via Strap from Travis Porter, experimental pants supervision, and minimal tricks on objects over two feet in height.
Always get a lil’ smile out of “Summer Trip to New York” edits that put the effort into skating midtown and SoHo, which seem to be antiquated routes in the L.E.S. + outer-borough dominant mindset of the past several years. The New York section in “Double Egg & Cheese” (begins at the 7 minute mark) is a fun watch.
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Who the hell would want to get a get a drink alongside somebody whose favorite basketball player is James Harden? Russ for MVP. Uninterested in any other arguments. Bye.
“Cliché may be gone, but the elan, the esprit de corps, and that certain je ne sais quoi that made the brand so fuckin’ dope live on in the various manifestations of EuroTech that permeate the continent. Indeed, the upside to living in a dystopian futureworld is the ability to—via the ‘gram, natch—to view the quotidien of Stalin, Macba, HDV, République, and Jarmers in real time.” Frozen in Carbonite gives us the most comprehensive and heartfelt eulogy for Cliché yet, by focusing on the brand of skateboarding that it helped bring to the world stage: Eurotech™.
Two solid clips from the LurkNYC crew: “Mean Streets Volume 7,” and “Playground Casino” for Hotel Blue. Kinda been wondering when someone was going to hit the rail and do the quick wallie in front of NYU on W. 3rd…
“Putting on a fedora to go skate is like bringing a guitar to a session; it’s clear that you had other plans for the day that didn’t include skating.” Ripped Laces looks back on skateboarding’s regrettable fedora era…
Adult Rappers is a good hour-long watch about dreams and what happens to them when you grow up. Not hard to imagine a lot over overlap with skateboarding here. Shout out to Dave Dowd for the recommendation ♥
QS Sports Russell Westbrook Desk:This must’ve been, uh, disorienting. #MVP.
Quote of the Week: “Instead of ‘Skater of the Year,’ there should also be an award that’s just ‘Best Skater,’ where it’s been Ishod for the past five years.” — Leroy Holmes
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.
Emilio Cuilan’s DANY video is now available for purchase from TheDANYstore.com. Supreme and Labor also have copies for sale. The video features full parts from Shawn Powers, Genesis Evans, Jason Byoun, Adam Zhu and Yaje Popson, plus appearances from a whole lot of others. Minute teaser for the video can be found here.
There’s this video of Kenny Anderson and Vincent Alvarez skating Lenox Ledges (Antony Correa cameo!), and yes, Kenny footage is always a pleasure, but there’s only one bit of Lenox footage from the past week that anyone was talking about. Good lord.
Trife alumnus, Black Dave Willis, has a new part live on the Thrasher site entitled “NYBD.” Gap to front blunt on the out ledge across from World Trade is a wild one.
Tredje Akten is a rad 20-minute video by the homie Tao from the Malmö + Copenhagen scene. Features Ville, Hjalte, etc + a full Polar section at the end.
NY Skateboarding posted part one of apparently a three-part series of video interviews with Keith Hufnagel. This one talks about meeting Keenan Milton, the infamous Ryan Hickey house that housed all homeless skateboarders of the era, moving to San Francisco, skating Embarcadero, etc.
Gotta #respect a ten-minute Boston video that doesn’t hit Eggs once. Not easy. “Mean Streets Volume 2,” A.K.A. the LurkNYC boys go to Boston.
This is tasteless and insane, but you can visualize every scenario of this hypothetical Seinfeld script that imagines the characters’ lives in the week after 9/11.
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Who cares about Melo’s Olympic postgame interview, Russell Westbrook’s “Now I Do What I Want” video is singlehandedly the most inspirational sports moment of 2016, and the only promotional material the NBA needs for the 2016-2017 season. #MVP.
Quote of the Week: “I’m so glad I didn’t go to double town China set.” — John Choi
