Ever wanted to explain why the sounfd of urethane on surfaces sounds like music to our ears? Well, maybe Simon Morris, a Franco-American skateboard musician can help.
Musique Concrete is a project that brings together sound, space and skateboarding with musical compositions. This stuff is pretty avant-garde, but is well worth checking out.
Cheers to Skatedaily for the heads up.
If you wondered what Slap Magazine have in their mag this month, look no further.
February’s issue has ‘A Week With Louis Barletta‘ who actually manages to get a readable interview into print! His covershot of him a fakie airwalk says everything about this guy, genius.
If you have ever wondered what it’s actually like at Bruce Martin’s Skatopia ranch in Ohio then you will after reading this full feature on the gaff. It sounds off the hook. Jeremy Reeves from City Skateboards gets a full interview in this months mag alongside an introview with Zoo York am Matt Miller.
Musically, the wizard tunes of the infamous Tortoise get a licking with The Walkmen and rapper Edan who you may well have heard on the Crossfire Hip Hop Show a few moons back…
This issue is banging and well worth a read. You can find their zine and loads of extras at www.slapmagazine.com. There is even a very short but fun Beastie Boys interview in there talking about Black Flag, Misfits and Bad Brains ready to read right now..
Want to watch footage of Chet Childress, Pat Rakeshaw, Adam Alfaro, Kyle Leeper, Matt Mumford, Shurikin Shannon, Peter Watkins, Chris Troy, Chaz Pineda and Anthony Shultz?
Well, Lucero’s army have released a Podcast video called Black Noise that features all of them.
The new Peepshow section on the Black Label website will bring you up to date with the team’s latest filming missions over at over at www.blacklabelskates.com or click the image…
Danger Mouse has revealed he has been flooded with offers of production work.
Speaking to MTV News, the producer who shot to fame with The Grey Album and carried it on with Danger Doom, Gnarls Barkley and the last Gorillaz album, said that the past few months have seen him being offered numerous jobs.
The two confirmed will be the new Sparklehouse album and a record with Italian composer Daniele Lupi. He went on to say:
“The stuff I’m working on now is the stuff I’ve been working on before these successes or whatever. I’ll continue to do those, and that’s kinda what I want to do. And, of course, I always like doing whole records with people if I can”.
• Eric Koston – FS 360 ph. Jeff Landi c/o The Skateboard Mag
• Corey Duffel – Ollie into bank.
• Justin Strubing – Smith Grind pop out.
• Maysam Faraj – Boardslide pop over.
• Julian Davidson – Pop Shove-it.
• Marcus McBride – Heelflip.
• Todd Hoberger – Walljam.
Top 5 Product that failed to flog:
1. Cancerous Shoe-Goo
2. Flimsy Bone-ite boards
3. Bare minimum single bearing wheels
4. Pointless truck copers
5. $400 fashion
Top 5 Hair Cuts
1. Tony Hawk (Powell era)
2. Louis Barletta (check the new interview in Slap/Feb 07)
3. Jason Dill
4. Davross
5. Patrick Melcher (apparantly a Ginger Bastard so says his latest Death ad!)
Pic of the week:
Matt Thomas floats a 360 flip in the midst of Autumn ph. Alan Robinson
Jerome’s fifth eye.
It’s not Jerome’s fault…..well actually it mostly is, any problems you’ve had with your girl, it’s him, can’t get the lid off that jam, it’s him, raining ??…..yup you guessed it, it’s all down to the Ginger Irishman, just accept it.
So why does Jerome have one of these articles and why am I writing about the man ??….. Look at the goddamn pictures !! He has an eye (well actually he has two, four if you count glasses) for what works, just this morning I saw it in action, actually let me call this his ‘fifth eye’.
Jerome’s fifth eye starts way before taking a shot, in fact the pictures you are looking at are a complete detail perfect progression of a thought process. The talent to see a finished result in his ‘fifth eye’, is inspiring and the experience to know what to do when reality deviates from this path is steadfast. Although calling him an ‘Art Director’, makes me want to point at him, laugh and call him a fag, it perhaps might be a more apt title than photographer. – Jerome, flat caps off to you and your art work. – Dan Wound
Full name please sir
Jerome Loughran
How long have you been a photographer?
I’ve been behind the camera for years but I didn’t call myself a photographer until 6 years ago.
How did you get into skate photography?
Well, I had been taking photographs for I got into skating when I started skating they went kind of hand in hand, I remember being told by my tutor to stop wasting my time on skateboard photographs, its all I wanted to do.
Is there an image that inspired you so much to take up photography?
Rick Kosick, Big Brother shot – Any Big Brother was just pure genuis and it made me laugh all day, the amount of effort put into his shots are still not matched today, Rick Kosick for life.
What were the best and worst bits of advice anyone gave you in regards to photography?
No one has ever given me bad advice. I kind of learned it from my dad who’s a free lance newspaper photographer. Good old Leo Sharp and Rich Gilligan gave me some words of wisdom that helped me so much.
Have you ever felt bad about taking a photo? If so, which one?
I’ve never felt bad about taking a photograph. If anyone felt like that there wouldn’t be some of the strongest images in history.
What were the best and worst days shooting skateboarding of your life ever and why?
Worst day would be if ya miss a one shot deal that a skater won’t be making again. The best would be knowing you’re going home with something in the can or when you make that print and its spot on.
What’s the relationship like between a photographer and filmer?
Filmers are ok , some are my best mates are filmers, if any of you out there know Dikey you know if he gets in your way it’s cause he’s on another planet!
What main advice would you give to upcoming skate photographers?
My advice is don’t unless you’re ready to be rejected for years, its total heartache – you think you’ve got a cover shot and you got shit, you keep learning for sure, and also if you don’t skate you don’t deserve to be a skatephotographer, simple.
Please tell us why you have picked your fave skate shot you have submitted?
My favouite skate shot, Cashman for the Halloween article in Sidewalk, my kinda go at a Kosick shot!
Are there ways of getting better/free equipment as you continue to grow or do you have to fund everything yourself?
I’ve paid for it all myself, just work and save and if you can get someone to get you stuff out in the States, well, it’s a little cheaper.
Is the work of a skate photographer well paid? Do you get by in life with this income alone?
Pay is minimal, there’s only like 6 guys or so in the UK making any money and only like 3 of them can call it a full time job, I’m sure if you ask any of the guys out there that their credit cards are all maxed and the bank owns their cameras, but these guys don’t do it for the money, its all about the love of skateboarding if they get paid then their rent is paid!
Does music ever inspire your photography? What music artists can you not leave for a tour without?
Music is how I got into skating, Sonic Youth, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Dag Nasty were my early influences, I remember watching the Sonic Youth 100% video with Jason Lee skating in it and that was the moment, music is so hand in hand with skating, I still make mix cd’s with the my favourite section tunes, I think Chris Senn’s section tune from Welcome To Hell by Cigar is on 90% of those cd’s.
Please tell us about the non skate shot you have submitted and the story behind it.
My non skate image is the Pritchard vs Dainton shot. It was meant to be the video cover but it got fucked with by a graphic designer who just used the arms. It did run as a advert though, still I get props over this shot and it’s my favourite.
If you were to buy a pocket snapper for capturing skating on a budget to get going, which camera would you suggest?
Cameras are changing constantly, I can never keep up, I am still a lover of film so I am biased, so probably a Yashica t4 or anything by Canon, I got Canon pride, it’s kind of like Venture vs Indy pride you know.
Would you recommend digital or film?
I don’t need to say do I?
What are the benefits of using film or digital?
Digi is much cheaper in the long run, say for sequences etc, but I think that colour film beats digi hands down.
What kit do you use?
35mm Canon gear fisheye lenses and good set lenses, Bronica 120 medium format almost everything rad for portraits nothing sexier that square format, loads of flashes Sunpaks my choice for now, and a good light meter, and knowledge of my f stops.
Look out for Jerome at a spot near you….he is always lurking with intent…
Mean Fiddler
10.02.07
Having to take the stage at 7pm to play to a barely half-full venue is a somewhat daunting task, but Tat don’t seem particularly bothered. On record, the trio’s early Green Day-isms are nothing particularly remarkable, but in the live setting, the likes of ‘Champagne, Cocaine and Strawberries‘ become endearingly ragged around the edges; with a chorus of fans singing along down at the front.
However, it takes Floridian quartet The Draft to really get this show started. The band’s ‘In A Million Pieces‘ debut was a relatively unsung highlight of 2006, and tonight the anthemic chorus and raw honesty of opener ‘New Eyes Open‘ sets the tone for their whole set; with frontman Chris Wollard visibly delighted at the mass of raised fists in the pit. Hot Water Music’s split was a great shame, but The Draft are continuing their legacy in ultra-fine style.
There’s never much in the way of surprises at a Bouncing Souls show; the band seemingly having settled into their anthemic punk rock niche a long time ago. That said, last year’s ‘The Gold Record‘ album was their best effort in several years, and hence both new tracks and old standards like ‘Hopeless Romantic’ and ‘East Coast! Fuck You!‘ sparkle with a seemingly new-found vigour tonight.
Sure, singer Greg Attonito may not be quite as animated as you’d like, and the band may not be particularly talkative either, but it’s hard not to smile as they rip through song after song with all the energy of the Ramones in their prime. Joey and da bruddas would surely have approved.
Alex Gosman
Photo by Jen Saul
In life, there are only three thing the public can’t live without – Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Skaters are no different and Porno Paul knows it. A clever market study that took an entire 5 minutes sorted the title for this Welsh video of epicly trife proportions. Teamed up with a selection of Welsh Boyos, Porno is looking to spearhead the skin/skate industry with his Dirty Skateboard Movie.
Lets face it, the golden era of high production porn with 16mm film, lighting, sound and ensuite buffets is over. Today, porn is anyone’s business with the gonzo imprint of a digital hand held camera flooding the market with anything and everything.
Porno Paul grabbed his digicam and stuck it nice and close to the hot action of his fellow friends Saul Evans, Jake Collins, Olly Tyreman, Nicky Cornell, Daryll Cashman and Lee Dainton. In true gonzo etiquette, Porno Paul doesn’t stay behind the camera long and gets his wood out for the viewing pleasure (or displeasure) of the audience too.
Saul Evans is pretty rampant with his skate onslaught and despite the shaky camera angles, I did peek a sweet frontside 360 flingerflip up a generation gap. Jake Collins is small, but that doesn’t mean he holds back on the punishment. This little lad takes it like a man and spins in each and every direction as he climbs the ladder of filth. Ummm… Filth; something the Harrow and Harlow massive know all too well. A sweet selection of tricks is dished out by the Death boys here. Porno should have asked Dibble to whip his cock out- I’ve seen it, it’s at least a foot long!
Taking a break from the solo segments of the Dirty Skateboard Movie, Porno Paul has travelled far and wide and brings good shit from Penzance to Ipswich, passing through London and Wales of course. Highlights for the gangbang flesh fest include Ben Raemers transitional assault, David Davies solid street skills, a rampant drunk making a tit of himself, and footage of Morph in a bath! In fact that last bit might not be so rad…
Back to the skateboard profiling and the next three sections kick the doors off the hinges. Olly Tyreman kills it with some mad stylish moves on many a ramp. Nicky Cornell knows his way around a skatepark as he blast smooth late bigspins over the street course hips and deadly frontside disasters on the vert walls.
Finally, Daryll Cashman will scare a few with the ease at which he skates; A damn good street section that should shut up any haters. Just the opening two tricks are a sign of what’s to come and switchstance is not a problem.
The last part goes to Porno Paul’s idol, Lee Dainton. Although Lee’s probably more infamous for his Dirty Sanchez antics, it must be said that he still has a few moves on him. Coming in last after Daryll is like a slight letdown after such a sweaty flesh fest. I’m more of a spider splash – 12 inch leather god stickman myself, but Porno Paul’s Dirty Skateboard Movie is worth the watch anyway.
Get Porno in your life as a friend at www.myspace.com/pornospage
Ralph L-D
Abjekt Approved rapper Amanda Blank has finally gotten herself a music page on MySpace.
After having just had a personal profile for ages, the Spank Rock collaborator and all round awesome broad has signed up for a music profile so she can share her tracks with the big wide world of the internet.
So, if you want to check out the person that gets Crossfire hot under the collar, then click the link below and get ready for a world of smutty fun.
This Flip Damnation jacket was sent to us before Xmas as a winter jacket but it did not seem thick and warm enough to be included. But as the rains come and the freezing ice pisses off, it’s time to buy one of these babies as it’s all you need to get you through if you are looking for a new jacket to shred in.
This military designed jacket made from cotton in a simple black colour is a Geoff Rowley signature design and fit. You can whip the hood off if it gets on your tits and it also boasts many pockets so you can lose all of your possesions in them until the next time you wear it! Seriously, i love having pockets but i lose everything in them every week!
This slim beauty has an i-pod pocket with a zip for your Motorhead soundtrack and you will be pleased to know that the jacket also has a waterproof coating but i personally would not try and swim in it, unless of course you are being chased by a bear.
Overall, this is perfect for skating in, lightweight, simple, with all the pockets and pull straps you need without looking like a totally dill in.
Go to www.flipskateboards.com for more.
Chuck Bangers