Author: Crossfire

Yet another successful issue of the premiere video magazine 411. 14-3 mixes Duffs art director Russ Pope’s graphics with the skills of Ted DeGros, the Duffs team, Emmanuel Guzman and Sid Melvin, Don “The Nuge” Nguyen, Richie Belton, Ben Gore and the Cliché team on their travels through Sicily. Is that reason enough to cop this DVD?

If it isn’t, maybe I should go into more depth. Issue 14-3 opens to Chaos led by Marius Sylven – Keep an eye open for this kid! The first real part goes to Richie who is focussing all of his teenage angst (and then some) on an array of ridiculous gaps and rails. I’d like to suggest Richie starts to take it easy on his little body, but something tells me those pleas just fall upon deaf ears.

Much calmer and sitting further outfield in the tech end of skating is Ted DeGros. Let me tell you about my first experience of witnessing the Canadian’s finesse: It was in an old issue of SBC Magazine which featured a full interview full of shockingly smooth photos and sequences, but the interview was simply entitled ‘Ted’. What was I supposed to gather from that? Well, Ted remains low on the radar but seeing as his part has some of the sickest tricks to date in it (frontside nollie 360 heelflip over the bump to table, frontside tailslide hardflip out…), Ted’s going to find it awfyl hard to avoid the attention.

Cliché board a plane for yet another wild tour of unchartered territory. This time it’s Sicily for the Mafia Tour. Of course there are plenty of spots on the tiny island and of course Jérémie Daclin and the boys can handle it. What did you expect from one of the most well-rounded teams in the industry?

World’s newest amateur Ben Gore makes his ‘world’ premiere debut (Ha! Ha! Pun intended) in this issue of 411vm and he’s a smooth little fella. I can here the comparisons with Danny Renaud circa Mosaic already…

Santa Cruz stamp their foot down as one of the sickest teams out there when all terrain vehicle Emmanuel Guzman and styler Sid Melvin share a part. (Did I mention the tag team of Flo marfaing and Alex Carolino in the Chaos section? They’re bosses too!) In any case watch and re-watch Guzman’s backside kickflip noseblunt backside revert again, again, and again.

Someone who can share his love of flying with Richie is Don “The Nuge” Nguyen. Boy, can this dude leap! I mean, Don doesn’t really stretch his tech abilities firther than a varial heelflip, but when it comes to taking the plunge, he leaves his sanity on the bedside table.

Finally, as if all that wasn’t sufficient enough, the Duffs team throw in anice montage of varied board stylistics. I use the adjective ‘nice’ because the rest of the issue is already very satisfactory and this montage ends up feeling like Duffs run chaos section. However, you must look out as Jason Adams opens the skating with one of the best wallrides to date.

And there you have it! 411VM 14-3 is definitely worth getting a hold of simply for the choice of skaters they’ve amassed in this issue. A pat on the back for whoever gets these kind of crews together. Apparently next month will have the DVS Chupa Cabra tour of South America- another fine piece of entertainment and stoke. Don’t let me leave you without mentioning the bonuses that include the winner of the Vs. contest, Canada’s Underworld Skateshop tour of the States (Keep your eyes peeled for Blueprint’s Paul Carter!), and the Battle of the Shops skate-off.

Watch the trailer here.

Ralph Lloyd-Davis
05/09/2006

Straight off the bat, this DVD shouldn’t cost you more than a few quid- in fact, you might even find it for free in some places, so that’s reason enough to get it. What is it? Real’s latest promo DVD Life and Times that, contrary to their previous opus Roll Forever, is a sort of documentary that follows the team through their day to day routines and travels.

Featured in this DVD are various riders on various missions be it a chilled session at the TF Dojo in Hunter’s Point, or a late night session at Jasin’s Ramp. It isn’t so much about the finished product, but more the route taken to get you al that sick footage you feast on. Add to this loads of bonuses that are filled with out-takes, footage from other trips and one of the gnarliest hill bombs in San Francisco by Damian Bravo who’s egged on by his Ernie Torres. It’s just a pity that the footage it out of focus at times. Oh well…

Now, the Real skaters are all about skateboarding. Their image is that of straight skateboarding and what they supply is skateboarding that makes you and me want to skate. No frills- just thrills. So, when Dennis Busenitz is micced up and sessioning an elevator ledge/loading bay and says in not so many words “To all you shit-talkers out there – We’re out here skating more than you whilst you just sit there talking shit on this video, so fuck you motherfuckers!” I guess that sets the standard, doesn’t it. Go Skate now!

www.dlxsf.com for all the trimmings

Ralph Lloyd-Davis
05/09/2006