24 Apr 2009

Not to keep on about skateboarding


 
I’m writing this on a warm sunny friday in London – a perfect Stockwell or Cantelowes day. However I’m sitting at a desk overlooking the Thames (could be worse) at a temp job in a Government office. I'm 36 in May. I started skateboarding at 14 and stopped a few times. Never succesfully.

I decided a while back, that that even though my knee is shot, my wrists are pretty bad, and I now have a son that needs me in one piece for when he’s growing up – I can’t and don’t want to stop skateboarding. I will one day, when I have to, but am selfishly willing to push it as far as my body will go.

For some reason the pic above, from Transworld just reminded me of all the things I love about it – and even though I’m basically just carving around popping the odd trick nowadays – and trying to learn mini ramps again, it’s basically been the most consistent thing in my life. And look at that roll-in up top

Scary as hell – and the caption says ‘no you wouldn’t’ but damn doesn’t that look crazy fun? I think the reason it stirs feelings in me is that back in the day Roskopp face boards and bright green Slimeballs - when we were all learning and everything was new, Transworld was one of the mags that gave you a glimpse of a side of skating you didn’t have in Grey London. We even nicknamed those perfect summer skate days as ‘Transworld blue’ due to the cloudless skies that appeared so often in the mag photos.

My point is (I think) that sometimes you go in phases with things that you love - when they frustrate you to the point of wanting to stop, or other people don’t understand what you’re doing and why and it effects your thought process ‘why AM I doing this?’ But whatever. Really – whatever. Even if it lasts only a couple months, I am still skating this summer, and hopefully for a lot more to come.

Click the title to link to more photo's of Bob Burnquist's 'open day' at his home/ramp/complex thing. Enjoy the sunshine.

20 Apr 2009

'If you were to talk...'

...directly to the kids at Columbine or the people in that community, what would you say to them if they were here right now?'

'I wouldn't say a single word to them, I would listen to what they have to say - and that's what no one did.'   Marilyn Manson.

Yeah, probably the most succinct comment in the whole of Bowling For Columbine.
and not to make light of what happened - but to quote CR: 'Whatever happened ta CRAZY?'

 

13 Apr 2009

Sketchy


Unpacking / digging... came up with the ol' Graphics scrapbook - general doodles / collected crap, like this (bought the jacket ... went to gig wearing the jacket.)








And this randomness...













 

6 Apr 2009

Best movie soundtracks: Pt 3




Not the best film in the world, in fact not even the best film called Judgement Night in the world... but Helmet and House of Pain? Onyx and Biohazard? Cypress Hill and Pearl Jam? Teenage Fanclub and De La? Mudhoney and Sir Mix-A-Lot? Yes, Yes indeed.

2 Apr 2009

RBT



 

 the new Robert Williams website. Go on, you know you want to...


Fun...





Watched this for the first time in a while the other day: There were sections of vids 'back in the day' that you'd watch - study the lines (kickflip, no comply, bigspin, shove-it, manual) and go out and try to repeat it exactly - then there were the vids that would get you as stoked, but that you'd just not even bother trying to emulate, as it potentially meant a lot of pain and broken boards. This was one of the latter.

1 Apr 2009

These can't be the only notes in the world...



April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984

“I hope to refine music, study it, try to find some area that I can unlock. I don't quite know how to explain it but it's there. These can't be the only notes in the world, there's got to be other notes some place, in some dimension, between the crack”

Marvin Gaye said that. Today's the anniversary of the day he left this place to go wherever he went. Check out the rare clip of Marvin with Otis Redding...



 

(c'mon that's classic stuff)