Another Tompkins Construction Date Change: The park is now being closed off for renovations and re-asphalting on Monday, October 2nd, exactly one week from today. (And the deli across the street isn’t even a deli anymore, as of a few days ago: they got rid of the entire counter for a mini smoke shop. No more sandwiches, grill or smoothies. End of an era.)
“Mainstream skateboarding finally caught on to the fact that when you’re driving to the spot, you’re passing all this other stuff that’s so much more interesting. Stuff people can skate more creatively. And you can make a far more interesting skate video by focusing on that.” New Zealand’s Manual magazine caught up with Josh Stewart to talk about putting himself through another Static video.
“BURNT” is the latest montage by Christian Kerr, featuring the continued evolution of Gabe Tennen’s tech-lord career arc, and the return of the Duane Reade benches.
In case you haven’t heard: the Tompkins construction that was set to begin in September, will now begin ~mid-November. The colder the weather, the less of a chance the asphalt will cure soft, or something like that? Any QS Readers work for a paving company?
“Going Once, Going Twice” is a fun Philly-based video by Fionn McLaughlin that’s light on the Muni and heavy on the crust. (Feel like there was another recent-ish homie video that ended with “Dirty Work” as well? Perfect homie video song.)
“Every day is Friday when you’re Tyshawn Jones.” Late on this — and it’s not a skate pod obvs — but Tyshawn was on the Throwing Fits podcast a week-and-a-half ago. (That link opens in Spotify, btw. But it’s on Apple Podcasts, too.)
“Smith knows that what becomes of Mosquito Beach is likely out of his hands. But that doesn’t dampen his impulse to keep building these spaces.” New York magazine’s Curbed publication profiled Pat Smith, Jerry Mraz, and the D.I.Y. skatepark scene in New York City, with Mosquito Beach as the focal point. (Apparently, a “sewage bomb” was unleashed on Newtown Creek following the storm last Wednesday, so it should be an interesting situation over there for a bit…)
“The era in which TD, Seagram, and similar plazas were constructed can be considered a ‘goldilocks’ moment in modern history, where the design of successful public spaces did not preclude the eventuality of skateboarding.” Michael Barker chronicles the simultaneously monumental and accidental influence of Mies van der Rohe in modern skateboarding for Village Psychic.
“Wumbus Video” is an eight-minute video from Tom Albin, who brought you the Public Skateboarding full-length from late last year. Kickflip back smith on the curb to Billy Joel ender was fire :)
Good friend of the website, longtime QS music supervisor, coin-er of the term “skate video house,” and writer of the last part in the QS book, recently published his first novel, None of the Bad Ones. It’s about partying, #badrelationships, skating at Tompkins and meeting up with girls you texted off a Blackberry ~five or six years ago. It’s a fun and nostalgic read. Use promo code “snackmancometh” on his website, ESFBooks.com, to get 30% off. QS interview about the book here.
Ahh the old “Zoo York Media Group” logo… New Kevin Tierney Zoo part is now online, with some fashion-forward griptape, white rappers, and chill cut-ins from E.S.T.. Been wondering who those wallride marks on Grand and Crosby were from ;)
To remedy the fact that there hasn’t been a full Brian Anderson part in long time, Village Psychic put together a rad three-minute remix of his past four or five years worth of video appearances. Shout out to Billy McFeely circa 2009.
This isn’t actually a new Conor Prunty part, but a new Conor Prunty part is dropping on QS this April two thousand and sixteen. Buy stock while you can :)
Canadians were unmentioned in the article entirely, which is unfortunate considering their apt handling of such music supervision decisions in the past. Here’s a new one from Antosh and all the dudes from the “Heat” video this past fall.
Everything in this twenty-five minute Byrdgang video — from the spots, to the tricks, to the picture quality, to the fact that it’s named after sub-sect of lower tier peak-era Dipset affiliates — reminded me of early-to-mid-2000s, post-Metrospective skateboard website montages in the best way possible. Smiles the whole way through :)
If you watch only one skate video today… Stereo uploaded a clean, full version of A Visual Sound online. One of the most #influential vids to ever exist, especially with regard to a lot of what’s going on in skating today.
There’s a 59-year-old cab driver in the Guangdong providence of China (a place with more than one spot) who doesn’t speak a word of English, but makes a living driving skateboarders around to spots that he shows them on his phone.
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Kevin Durant’s fallaway four-point play was insane, but the Thunder ended up losing the game in overtime, so it’s got to go to Vince Carter’s three-point game winner. Who knew Vince Carter was seventh in all-time made threes? How good have the playoffs been? Is the cloud of Donald Sterling’s worldview from two centuries ago going to end up costing the Clippers the series?
Quote of the Week: “I’ve had sex to Honest two of the past three nights. Once it was to the online stream, another to the CD.” — The G Man
