We are proud to announce that we will reveal the full line up at our Camden Crawl night at The Barfly Club this coming Monday. On Sunday 2nd May this venue will host 4 amazing live acts playing throughout the night and will end with sets from special guest DJs until 3am.
Click here for the line up of acts and spread the word this week by inviting friends to our Facebook Event page.
Ticket info can be found online and don’t forget that this event sells out every year as it’s the biggest underground music festival in London. We will not have a guest list for this event as we are guests ourselves so sort your tickets out here.
Words and photos by James Brewer and thanks to Tom Gillespie
A Third Foot are a company I have been surrounded by since I first started skateboarding 9 years ago. Growing up in the Black Country/Birmingham scene it was pretty much impossible to miss them but this isn’t just your standard ‘local board company’, they’re a company that has been on the UK scene for many years now and has nurtured some of the UK’s finest talent including the likes of Olly Todd, Kris Vile and Ozzy Ben.
Not only that, but they have always been more than ‘just a board company’ as they are the only wood shop the UK actually has to offer. They have printed boards for a lot of your favourite companies and probably your local shop.
There was actually a spotlight interview on them on this website in 2005 where it was pointed out how there are only a few wood shops in the world, and a lot of them are fighting for work thanks to the mammoth production rate from China. So for myself, seeing a few blokes from Birmingham making top quality boards is refreshing- to say the least.
The company is all about quality over quantity which has shone through with not only the goods they produce, but the edits they bring out once in every blue moon. Most notably the recent ‘Summer Vacation Tour‘ which saw Ben Blake, Tom Brown, Woody, Doug McLaughlan and flow bro’s Phil Shore and Jason Caines get freaky up North.
This is a company that I back hard, and it’s not because I am from the same area, it’s because I know how hard these guys work and know how much love they have for skateboarding. The past couple of years has seen a couple of ‘Guerrilla Jams‘ organised by them in the back streets of Birmingham. The last jam was in the summer of 2009 at Birmingham’s hot spot ‘Demo’ – A3F owners Ken and Joel put together a series of ‘ghetto’ flatbanks, kickers to drums, rails and ledges and then were happy enough to leave them at the spot for locals to session (unfortunately these were soon destroyed by the local council).
I went down to their factory to have a chat with the owners behind the project Ken and Joel about how the current credit crunch has affected them, and to actually find out what goes into making a board in the UK…
So let’s start with your history. A Third Foot has been around for nearly 13 years now, with a lot of companies struggling to a point where they have to call it a day: how have you managed to stay around and stay prominent for so long?
I think the key difference between us and any other UK board company is that we’re the only manufacturer. With the income from both our A Third Foot boards, and the boards we produce for other companies from our wood shop, we’ve managed to stay afloat for all these years. We’ve also hooked some some undeniably great skaters throughout the years – Kris Vile, Olly Todd, Woody.
How did A Third Foot initially start and how did the name come about?
We were fed up of America ruling us with it’s wooden fist! We were influenced by the D.I.Y punk scene heavily whilst growing up skating, and we decided to have a go for ourselves. We started the company with some Princes Trust start-up money and used it to have a hydraulic press fabricated. Back then, we were pretty much out there on our own. There was no manufacturing guide or help websites to turn to! Occasionally you caught a glimpse of a press in a skate video. At first, we kind of made it up as we went, learning how to use the machinery properly to get the shapes and concave that we wanted. The initial challenge for us was to produce a board that was of the same standard as the American wood everyone was used to.
As for the name, Joel’s ex girlfriend thought of it. It implies that the skateboard is part of the rider. Skating down a street fast. Not even tricks, controlling the board as if it were your foot.
Talking of D.I.Y, what’s the idea behind the infamous ‘Guerrilla Jam’?
The Guerrilla Jam was intended as a bit of a wake up call to skaters. We wanted to show how much potential fun you and your mates could have out of some scrap wood, nails and a bit of effort. Don’t wait for someone to come and build somewhere to skate for you. Do it yourself. I think the first Guerrilla Jam cost us about £5 to put on. The entire budget was spent on screws. The rest of the materials we acquired from skips and cobbled together! We then dragged them round to a quiet street behind the factory and held a competition. No permission, no rules, and certainly no energy drink sponsors in sight!
Over the past few years the whole economy has gone into crisis, this has had a big impact on a lot of companies throughout skateboarding. How has the economic crisis effected you?
It hasn’t really effected us much, as we’ve been in crisis since day one! The falling dollar has helped us if anything, by making it even more cost effective for people in this country to buy British rather than head to China for their wood. We held our prices, and picked up some more business.
Has it ever been difficult to run a skateboard brand while running a wood shop at the same time?
Yes. Apologies to all the people who buy our boards and want to see a full length video. We want to see it too! The brand should be so much more in the public eye. We’d love to be able to employ a full- time team manager. The team past and present all deserve to be paid and go as far as they can within skateboarding with us. We have barely done any marketing which is pretty much all the other brands do. We’re too busy making boards!
The majority of the team are now heading towards their 30’s. On top of that, with the recent departure of Ozzy Ben, does this mean you guys will be looking out for new riders?
There’s more sponsored people in the country now than there’s ever been and we take our time whilst choosing team riders. Usually, the team bring a skater to our attention who we investigate further. Unfortunately being in the wood shop all week doesn’t really allow us to get to all the events or parks to scout for talent ourselves. Our message to people who think they’re of sponsorship standard is: don’t find us, we’ll find you.
You have taken part in two Big Push events, how did you find those?
The Big Push is probably one of the best events that’s been run in this country. It’s a fool proof plan, having all the best skaters in the country going on road trips and competing with each other for the best team award. For us, we found it brought the best out of our riders, who when faced with a deadline pushed themselves to the limit for the cause! We’re well up for the next one Sidewalk if you’re reading this!
You’re always coming out with new shapes/concave for your boards: are there any secret plans we can reveal?
We are planning to copy Anti-Hero shapes any minute now. Also, water down our shapes so they look like every other Chinese board you see. Seriously though, we got our shape dialed perfectly from day one. NOT!
Which is your favourite graphic that A Third Foot have put out over the years?
Both the “Chain” board and the “Flogging a Dead Horse” board are favourites of ours because they mean something to us outside of skateboarding. The Frank Lentini board is special to us because it was all done by hand, we didn’t use a computer on that one at all. All the films were made by hand and then they were screen printed. Also, any of the artwork Chris Bourke has produced for us over the years, he’s a very talented guy and we’re stoked to see his work being used by other companies now. The “Tribute” series are also close to our hearts as we based them on bands and records that we grew up listening to.
What’s your most memorable experience you’ve had running the company?
One day we got stoned at work with Stu Banner and nearly decided to close the business!
What’s the weirdest board shape/graphic request you’ve had to deal with?
We got a request from a guy years ago who’d never stepped on a board in his life. He asked us to create a 3 wheeled monster with a shopping trolley wheel stuck in the middle for traveling sideways. He swore it would revolutionize skateboarding forever! Also, some twat asked us to copy an Enuff shape once!
And finally, the obligatory thank you’s.
Everyone who’s supported A Third Foot over the years. All our past and present riders who’ve represented us, and all the magazines and industry bods that have helped us out. Thank you all.
Keep up to date with A Third Foot on the interweb at www.athirdfoot.co.uk and explore their Spring 2010 Catalogue featuring all of their new decks pressed right here in the UK and their Factory Outlet Sale. This ‘Summer Vacation Tour’ filmed and edited by Tom Gillespie says it all, get involved.
This Time Tomorrow has been long in the making, and Chris Mulhern has overseen the whole project from start to finish. 3 years since capturing the first tricks for this video Chris has travelled from his native Philly streets, all across America and spent the best part of a year in Europe linking up with core street skaters and filming in Paris, London, Athens and Berlin. I dread to think how much footage was edited down here, but the end result in video has to justify the means – and here we have a perfect example of that.
Right, on to the film – this video is LONG, I’m talking best part of an hour here, with a mixture of US as well as UK riders, too many to list them all in this review. The video kicks off a montage of cityscapes, the feel of the production and edit is akin to a Fred Montagne Cliché release, or a Habitat film. The slick graphics and intros lead not into seasoned pro’s at perfect spots – but in to street soldiers in some unforgiving street battlegrounds. Jimmy McDonald and Devon Connell definitely get commendations for quick footed, harsh terrain abuse. The American skaters carry on taking the East Coast apart with Stereo Field Agent Curtis Rapp leading the line, showing his recovery from a particularly nasty car crash hasn’t stripped him of any style.
The UK steps up, no place has grimy spots like here, London should be a prim, shiny marble skate mecca……it’s not. Spots 90% of pro skaters would turn their noses up at are systematically destroyed with the focus on intelligent tight lines rather than the simplicity of “going big”. Rory Milanes likes to do awkward tricks, gaps to grind, flip gaps to manual – all as standard in his repertoire. Steph Morgan shows he can match the East coasters with quick, tight lines, while Lucien Clarke takes the longer section with his laid back style managing to avoid the clichéd spots in London to bust out his bag of tricks and innovation.
This DVD stands out for a few reasons, the editing is crazy tight with a perspective on a rolling day of footage, sections starting off light and working through to dusk and with London’s short days the night time footage takes up a bulk of the minutes. All in the video will appeal to fans of Static and the earlier Zoo York releases; not one for the ESPN viewers but undoubtedly a must for all the 1am skaters, the innovative skaters, the street soldiers out there holding it down in every town and city with the “everywhere is a spot” attitude – hats off to Mr Mulhern, this is a great vid, order it now and enjoy these offcuts that went live today.
The last pair of éS I skated in were the Square One’s, a great shoe based on the classic Accel, but since then the penchant has been for slimmer, more basic designed shoes. Here’s where the Edward comes in. Designed by Danny Garcia, you know this means the Edward is made purely for skateboarding. Like his skating style, Danny’s shoe is no frills, very much a ‘do the job and do it well’ shoe. The simple construction and one-piece toe will always get my seal of approval as there’s just nothing to go wrong, and the super smooth suede leather definitely stands up to the wear and tear that any griptape can throw at it.
The toe on these feel a lot more pointy than shoes of a similar design, which will appeal to the masses into their flip-trickery, but for those cursed with feet as massive as mine you may find the ends squeezing your toes until they wear in. They didn’t take long to get really comfy though, and they still look smart enough that you could get away with wearing them to your Nan’s house when your Mum drags you there on a Sunday.
Probably the only thing that lets the Edward down is the tiny thin leather laces they come with. I don’t mind a skate shoe looking a bit more smart than the rest, but the laces are very thin and feel like they might snap at any second, even just tying them up. So far they’re holding out well, but a little wear and they look like they’ll disintegrate. Thankfully most shoes thesedays come with 2 pairs in the box anyway so you should be fine. Other than that though, the Edward is exactly what you’re after if you need a slim, strong, basic shoe that will last you a good long while.
éS have been making shoes longer than you’ve been alive (probably) and Danny Garcia knows exactly what should go into a great pair of skate shoes, and the Edward’s prove just that. Go get some.
Etnies have dropped a fresh interview with Blueprint rider Tuukka Korhonen as the MFWTCB premiere’s roll out worldwide. He also now rides for Perus Wheels, enjoy this video below.
If you have not heard of new British skate company Ekta Skateboards yet then discover them here as they have their spring deck collection up for grabs right now distributed by Rock Solid and they look like this. Search the web and Destroy.
Enjoy this leftover footage from Chris Mulhern’s “This Time Tomorrow” DVD that just hit the web with appearances by Brian Douglas, Phil Gushue, Chris Fireoved, Rory Milanes, Walt Wolfe, Pat Heid, Brian Mollot, Brian Lantz, Paul Brabenec, Will Harmon, Jimmy Carr, John Tanner, Jin Shimizu, Steph Morgan, Bill Reeves, John Kroesser, Bill Sands and Jon Lankford.
This edit also features short parts from Shaun Williams, Devon Connell, Brendan Granstrand, Lucien Clarke and Jimmy McDonald. Click here for a quick review of the film.
If you have not visited Prague yet on a skate trip then you should consider it’s attractions as it’s a fantastic city with a great selection of spots. James Holman and Alex Pasquini met up with Vans riders Marc Churchill and Kevin McKeon at the 2008 Mystic Cup indoor bowl for a session but until now the footage has sat lonely on tape. This bowl was seriously good fun when we last passed through there, enjoy this edit and look into it.
Emerica has never failed to impress me in the past; I have always supported their movement and even though I probably will do for years to come, my honest opinion on these shoes are that they lack the ‘Stay Gold’ touch.
On paper they def look the part, but when I first laced them up, I was a bit skeptical and soon found myself wishing Emerica had sent me a pair of Leo’ 1’s instead. I have to admit, I was a big fan of the predecessor model, it had all the characteristics I normally look for in a shoe, thin suede, good construction, stylish and not too stiff. Leo’s 2nd model is almost the complete opposite to this, the shoe fits like boxes on your feet, has a dull shape and is very stiff. I did manage to skate them for a good few weeks and even though they come with all the standard trimmings you’d expect from Emerica (usual cupsole with STI Foam footbed, System G2 heel cushioning and overall thin construction for board feel), the shoe itself just never really got me excited.
I am quite particular about my skate shoes, maybe it’s just me, but I personally won’t get these again. I’m sure they will appeal to so many other skateboarders though, some will probably say they are the best shoes they’ve ever owned, however, I’d much rather roll with Leo’s previous model, a much better shoe in my books.
Shoot em up with ‘A Day in the Life’ of Leo below, fun times…
The company is all about quality over quantity which has shone through with not only the goods they produce, but the edits they bring out once in every blue moon. Most notably the recent ‘Summer Vacation Tour‘ which saw Ben Blake, Tom Brown, Woody, Doug McLaughlan and flow bro’s Phil Shore and Jason Caines get freaky up North.
The last pair of 
