Categories
DVD Reviews

Who? – A Welsh Scene Video

Whats the point of scene videos? Back in the day, it was the main way kids would get sponsored, we would send them in to RAD and the one good guy in the crew would get props, and maybe a sketchy video grab sequence. Scene videos seemed to die off towards the end of the 90s.

Fast forward 2008, and scenes/crews seem to be popping up all over, its part of skatings fabric, skaters are travelling again – and skaters are more info hungry than ever – hows things in London? are the Scottish guys still gnarly? Whats up with all those parks in the north? But, what about Wales? Who? Who, indeed……..

Scott Magill will show you Who?! 20 year old skater/videographer weighs in with a 40minute dvd set to top up the Welsh scenes right to be talked about, visited and ultimately respected.

The dvd kicks in with a Transworld-esque Cardiff City montage and the skating kicks off with Chris Jones sacking him self over and over on a fakie bigspin boardslide on a handrail, once that is pulled clean and plums are counted, some heavy skating sets the level for the rest of the video, a flip noseslide down a gnarly sea front hubba lets you know this video is for real.

The trick level is kept right up there with Alan Williams adding a tech level (halfcab-nose many-nollie bigspin-fake nose manual) Chris Jones adds some speedy firecracker action and crazy nollie pop. Nice fullpipe montage too leading in to the tiny Caradog Emanuals section – this ripper is one for the very near future, super consistent – we also are treated to a 411 Chaos Style montage showing friends and loc’dogs from around Wales.

Keeping the sections flowing is Jess Young, funky tune and funkier wallrides down steps, chunky road gaps and chunkier 50/50 on a tall 8 stair rail, im assured these spots are way prettier on camera and real grime in real life. Nick Batt kicks in some long lines and the newly hooked up at AWS Rhys Meek scoops up bigspin flips for fun.

Dai Williams stomps lazer flips, down 8! Lush flip front crooks that Mike York would be proud of too. Dylan Hughes had a section I was looking forward too, I wasn’t let down either, he kickflips the dirtiest 11 set and gets 4 down with confidence and ease without worrying about the landing and isn’t shy to nollie flip 11 either. For me the standout was Nicky Howells section, nice Foreign Beggars track and a overly large bag of tricks – Nollie heel flip-bodyvarial-shifties (in the air) down steps and the strangest thing is, even with flip nose many-nollie tre’s this dude doesn’t feel “tech” just proper street steez – think Rob Dydek (without Big Black) and you will be close to his style of nailing tricks. Im still in shock at the last two tricks of his section.

For a fiver (£5) the video is put together at a more than acceptable standard, it’s a very easy watch and the skating far outshines most of the spots – musically it all fits together too, and with an hour of worthwhile extras it’s a pretty good little package – highly recommended, a must for the bonafide street urchin.

Watch trailers below to get hyped go to www.bridgenders.com or www.myspace.com/whovideo to buy a copy of the DVD and support the effort that has gone into this film.

8/10
Phil Procter

Categories
Skateboarding News

Projekt Girl Jam scheduled

Projekts Skatepark in Manchester have organised what looks to be the first all girl skate jam of the year.

The jam is scheduled for 8th March and has a whopping £600 up for grabs for the best tricks on the day. Entry is £3 and the event is sponosred by Death, Nikita, Landscape and Independent Trucks.

Visit www.projektsmcr.com for address details and more.

Categories
Live Reviews

Manchester Orchestra – live

Scala, London
13th February 2008

Manchester Orchestra will always get the two thumbs up from me. I’m writing this review now whilst sitting on the bus on my way home from their Scala gig and listening to them on my iPod. So you get the picture that I pretty much love these guys already.

Tonight’s show wasn’t their favourite London show they’ve ever done, but they’ve promised me they’ll top the King’s College gig, which gave Andy a break from singing whilst the crowd took over and sang the majority of their “I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child” album back at them., leaving the whole place bristling that something very special had happened.

A blinding set featuring songs from their debut album, plus a couple of teasers from the new album, on it’s way very soon. The second track, which was called something like “Shake It Out”, but I was too lost in the moment to fully hear what Andy Hull was saying, was fucking amazing, and was definitely whetting the audience’s appetites for what’s to come.

The usual Andy solo performance at the end was accompanied by a rare show of his side project song, which enthralled all those there and just topped off this night to perfection, despite the odd atmosphere that Scala always brings.

I’ve seen Manchester Orchestra live about six times now, because they are a band that instantly gives you that feeling they really care about their music. With them playing over 250 shows a year for some time now, these are hard-working lads but they put everything they can into every performance, and humbly thank everyone for being at the show. And when they say it, you know the truly mean it.

Right, ‘Sleeper 1979’ has just started paying in my ears and I’m pissed from the bottle of Jack Daniels the boys gave me to say thanks, so this is it. Manchester Orchestra are amazing, and you should all know this by now. Shame on you if you don’t.

Moose

Categories
Music News

Punk goes Crunk

Fearless Records will be releasing a new album in April.

The latest installment of their “Punk Goes…” series will be Punk Goes Crunk featuring punk bands doing covers of rap songs. The tracklisting is:

1. Put Yo Hood Up (Lil John) – Set Your Goals
2. Got Your Money (Ol’ Dirty Bastard) – Say Anything
3. I Wish (Skee-Lo) – The Secret Handshake
4. Men in Black (Will Smith) – Forever the Sickest Kids
5. California Love (2PAC) – My American Heart
6. I Wanna Love You (Akon) – The Maine
7. Kryptonite (Purple Ribbon All-Stars) – Emanuel
8. The Seed (The Roots) – Person L
9. Still Fly (Big Tymers) -The Devil Wears Prada
10. Umbrella (Rihanna) – All Time Low
11. Notorious Thugs (Notorious BIG) – Scary Kids Scaring Kids
12. Nothin’ But A “G” Thang (Dr. Dre) – The Escape Frame
13. Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg) – Hot Rod Circuit
14. Hey Ya! (OutKast) – Lorene Drive
15. Tennessee (Arrested Development) – New Found Glory

www.fearlessrecords.com

Categories
Music News

Brutal Knights plan new EP

Brutal Knights are to release a new EP.

The 7″ record will be called My Life My Fault and will be release by Spin The Bottle Records. You can check out the tracks “My Life My Fault” and “Be My Babysitterhere. The group said of the record:

“We stand by this recording as it sounds like 7 year olds playing oi! music too fast. These new joints were lovingly crafted with only 2 notes each and we hope you fucking hate them.”

www.myspace.com/brutalknights

Categories
Music News

Marilyn Manson drink panned

Marilyn Manson has been slated by critics for his new drink.

Mansinthe, the singer’s own absinthe concoction, was tested at gourmet food website Epicurious and the biggest complaint was the smell which was compared to sewage water, swamp mud and rubbing alcohol. As absinthe is illegal in the States, Manson’s brand is made in Switzerland but one critic said:

“If a smell could speak, this absinthe is saying: ‘Do not touch.'”

www.marilynmanson.com

Categories
Music News

Death Cab tracklisting

Death Cab For Cutie will release their new album in May.

Narrow Stairs will feature 11 tracks and Nick Harmer has said the new material is “a sampling of the most uptempo, upbeat Death Cab songs as well as some of our saddest.” The album tracklisting is:

‘Bixby Canyon Bridge’
‘I Will Possess Your Heart’
‘No Sunlight’
‘Cath’
‘Talking Bird’
‘You Can Do Better Than Me (But I Can’t Do Better Than You)’
‘Grapevine Fires’
‘Your New Twin Size Bed’
‘The Remainder’
‘Pity and Fear’
‘The Ice Is Getting Thinner’

www.deathcabforcutie.com

Categories
Buzz Chart

The Horrorpops

The Horrorpops could certain teach Justin a thing or two in terms of bringing sexy back. Granted, you probably won’t see the Danish psychobilly trio bothering the charts in the near future (for shame!), but in third album ‘Kiss Kiss Kill Kill‘, they’ve created what is probably the sexiest, most sultry kitten of an album to grace these ears since, erm, their previous record.

The band may veer towards the more melodic, pop-oriented end of the psychobilly spectrum, but their signature sharp wit remains delightfully intact (with vocalist/upright bassist Patricia Day gleefully parodying the chorus of Madness’ ‘Our House’ for the “My fist, in the middle of your face” refrain of ‘MissFit’). Be it the ska-tinged stylings of the aforementioned ‘MissFit‘, the rollicking stomp of ‘Boot2Boot’, or the widescreen balladry of ‘Hitchcock Starlet’, the Horrorpops pull it off with an abundance of catchy tunes and no little panache.

Check out ‘Heading For The Disco?’ and smile as Patricia takes aim at would-be 80’s fashionista types in suitably sassy style. Oh, and be sure to have your dancing shoes at the ready.

Alex Gosman

Categories
Skateboarding News

Ride and Destroy

Look out for Ride Skateshop’s latest DVD Humble Jumble featuring their riders Jim Skin, Joe Skin, Luke Hassett, Sam Beckett, Russ Perry, Russ Bristow, Craig Cooper and Matt and Terry Aldersley.

The vid is a 6 part montage with 2 friends sections and the usual slam section/odd clips dotted about covering mostly tranny skating from all over the UK and Europe.

Buy it from the Ride website at for £5 and support skater owned shops.

Categories
Film Reviews

Jumper

20th Century Fox Production
www.jumpermovie.co.uk

I don’t hate Jumper, I just hate that these films follow such a close structure that it’s hard not to be negative. Jumper is pretty much as predictable as you’d imagine, it’s not terrible, but it’s what you’d expect. Director Doug Liman takes control with this sci-fi tale; he’s clearly a man who fears change, as this little flick isn’t much off Mr & Mrs Smith or The Bourne Identity.

Jumper (basically teleporting) is about an underground war that has been going on since the dawn of time, between teleporters and those out to harvest their bones, the Paladins. The “Jumper” whom we are following is David Rice, (Riceboy to those who clearly have a crazy imagination). David discovers his ability just before he’s about to drown under a frozen lake, in an attempt to save a gift for his school sweetheart. After discovering his power, he decides to use it to escape the small town life, ditching his father and attempts to seek out the mother who walked out on him as a kid.

Time passes; he gets cocky and starts to lose track of how much power he has, until he draws the attention of another Jumper (Griffin). Griffin explains to him about the Paladins and their ability, throw in some clichéd banter and David’s Achilles heel, (his childhood sweetheart Millie) a handful of Paladins and obvious twist, and you’ve got the general film.

The advantage of being a Jumper allowed for the film to trek pretty much all over the globe, making for some stunning backdrops, which made appealing cinematic viewing, however that’s as far as it went.

The special effects for the actual Jumping weren’t terrible either. They were well developed giving the idea of a nauseous, confusing punch with every jump, which made the fight scenes play out quite nicely. It just seemed like Liman was using that as space filler because clearly dialogue and character development wasn’t top of the list.

The film isn’t terrible, as I said before, it’s just very predictable, so if you like that kind of sci-fi-cum-action-cum-chase film, I’m sure you’ll have a ball. Special powers are always super cool, and Jumping seems like a fairly awesome power to posses, if only eh?

Emily Paget

Watch the trailer here: