Author: Dave

Categories
Competitions Win

Win A Destructo Package!

This month we have three pairs of trucks and five t-shirts to give away in a mammoth package from Destructo. The trucks are from the D2 Pro and D2 Lite range, in Raw, Gun Black and Blue colourways endorsed by Arto Saari and the rest of the Destructo team.

Alongside this we have five dope t-shirts to throw in with them (in size medium only!)

All you need to do is answer the following question to be in with a chance of getting the lot. Get answering quickly then because this is enough to last you through the rough winter months! Watch the video below as it will help you answer the question, should you need any help. You shouldn’t…

The competition deadline is the 1st October

Please note: T-shirt designs and colourways may vary from those included in the image above.

[competition_7]

Categories
The Library

Stewart Lee – How I Escaped My Certain Fate

Stewart Lee is a comedian. A very marvellous comedian. His recent BBC2 series, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, shuffled him closer into public view with its low-key combination of stand-up and sketches. It was the culmination of several years of building up a discerning audience of people who understood and appreciated his work. Prior to this, engulfed by disillusionment and apathy, Lee had left stand-up in 2001. This book follows his efforts at re-entry into a career that now has him praised and acclaimed as one of the most challenging and original comics working today.

The book opens with a charting of his initial interest as a teenager in comedy, to establishing a successful performing partnership with fellow comic Richard Herring, and to his eventual and thorough disenchantment with the stand-up craft that had so previously enthralled him. It goes on to describe what he did in the absence of a mic and stage – most notably co-writing and directing the eminently controversial Jerry Springer: The Opera – and the circumstances that led to him reconsider his muted, virtually unnoticed retirement from stand-up.

From here, things get very interesting. What follows are three complete transcripts of full-length performances (that are also helpfully available on DVD) broken up by chapters explaining the circumstances and influences that led to him writing these particular shows. The transcripts are often funny to read, though at times I wondered if people who didn’t know of Lee could find them amusing in the absence of a mental image, without be able envision the hilariously laborious pauses that break his routines up into calmly cobbled flotsam of thought. But this is why Lee is a spectacular comedian. He needs to be seen, to be experienced in the same room as you, to observe him playing with and moderating the mood, tone and the beads of moisture between your buttocks. Which is why the transcripts aren’t just blithely strewn across the page like a pale corpse.

Each page is, without exaggeration, heaving with footnotes, appendages, and academic post-its fluttering all over the routines. Lee uses these asides to dissect even the most seemingly mundane off-the-cuff remark of a routine and delineates his thought processes behind them, not just exploring the meaning and intent behind almost every word but also every pause for breath, every gesture and sideways glance, and explains how they relate to the themes and ideas he was intending to explore on stage. It is gloriously busy, and infused with such an exciting assertion of artistic independence. Stewart Lee has such an adoring fringe audience (although it’s less a fringe now and more a long, bristly Rapunzel weave of commitment) that he doesn’t have to worry about alienating or inveigling readers. As such, the book unabashedly dances in it’s own gleeful filth of critiques and pop-shots, of snipes and finger wagging at anything and everything from unappreciative audiences, to other comedians, and even his own inadequacies and failings as a performer.

In a comedy climate where people are triumphed and fast-tracked to appearing on Live At the Apollo because they’re innocuously watchable through dead eyes, and a climate where comedians rarely criticise each other publicly for fear of compromising their career, there is solace to be had in Lee’s relentless, care-free critical shrugging. For this reason, the book is easy to recommend to those who have never of heard of Stewart Lee. The level of analysis that fills this 378 page book (that also has other transcribed routines, interviews and tidbits at the back) should be appreciated by anyone interested in the minute craft and intense deliberation that goes into building a comedy routine.

Jordan Brookes

Categories
Music News

Video of the day: Rooks

Sometimes it’s the simpler concepts that are most effective, and the debut video from UK punks Rooks is a prime example of that.

In the video for ‘Bet It All On Black‘ the camera doesn’t shift away from the trio, sitting on a white table, wearing white shirts and heaving up black vomit over all of it. Surprisingly, it’s more compelling than it is disturbing so click play below to watch it, providing you haven’t been drinking a large supply of uncouth black liquids as this won’t help.

Categories
Music News

Skate and Ruin with Les Savy Fav

The fantastic new album from everyone’s favourite Brooklyn art-skate-punk inspired rockers, Root for Ruin by Les Savy Fav is currently available to purchase digitally from the Les Savy Fav online store. Head over here for our review of the album.

The deluxe edition of the album comes packaged with a limited edition signed Les Savy Fav skateboard and a Root For Ruin logo t-shirt.

To get hyped for a shred, frontman Tim Harrington has recently made a 90s heavy playlist on Myspace called ‘Get Sighked‘. Click here to have a listen.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Help a park in Telegraph Hill get built

The plans for a park in Telegraph Hill, SE14 (map here) are well on the way to becoming a physical, skateable reality with funding secured by local skaters. The park is planned to be built in a prime location, and easily accessible for central London skaters via Victoria, St Pancras or London Bridge.  You can see the plans below.

Sadly, some local residents have recently raised awareness of potential anti-social behaviour and noise issues and have made their concerns known to the council, which could result in everyone’s hard work going to waste and the plans being scrapped.

A vote has been arranged on Tuesday 21st September (next week) at 7pm to decide whether the project will go ahead. So if you’re local to the area please turn up and help the project go ahead. The meeting is to be held at Askes’ School, Jerningham Road, just round the corner from New Cross station near where the park is to be built.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Leo Sharp gets a new website

The big friendly camera-wielding, sandwich-eating giant, Leo Sharp has a new internet home. Better yet, he has invited you, internet user, to come in and be that annoying nosey guy who picks up personal photos and greases them up with your grubby mitts.

Thankfully, it’s all online, so you can be that guy without causing any harm. So click on Chris Jones, as he solves Pythagoras’ theorem by leaping into a Bristol bank below to dive straight in.

Categories
Skateboarding News

Lakai: Behind The Flames

Eight Equals D have posted a nice little behind-the-scenes feature on Lakai’s fiery Skate & Create entry.

Click the screenshot below to head over and hear exactly how excited Ty Evans is when he talks about setting stuff on fire, and to see some tricks that weren’t included in the final edit.

Categories
Skateboarding News

La Cliché Promo Live!

The heavily anticipated La Cliché Promo is now live for your viewing pleasure on the Cliché website. Alternatively just watch it below.

We’ll save the spiel on this one because it’s French Fred filming the Cliché team… and that means it’s going to be the best thing you’ll see all day. Watch it.

LA CLICHÉ PROMO 2010 from Cliché Skateboards on Vimeo.

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Emerica – Hsu Apparel

Emerica – Hsu Apparel

The Rolling Stones has a song that comes to mind when thing’s don’t go your way, it’s simply called, you can’t always get what you want. Fuck that, you can have whatever you want, but only if you really want it, a theory proven true by the one man in skateboarding that gets what he wants no matter the cost, Jerry Hsu. If you don’t believe bruv, check out his latest section in Stay Gold and you’ll understand why I preach this written verbal!

I recently acquired a set of Hsu’s Emerica threads, a pair of slim fit jeans and a nice long sleeve flannel to see me fresh into the months of falling leaves and colour. The flannel shirt comes in real handy this time of the year, as the nights get a little cooler, this yarn dyed plaid fleece will keep your body temperature at a healthy equilibrium without the necessity of a jacket. Flannels are great and this one, like many others, instantly becomes a shirt you’ll wear on more occasions than you intend too, it’s comfortable and stylish, what more can a skateboarder ask for in a piece of clothing?

The jeans are exactly as described, 98% cotton with 2% stretch, making them ideal for any skateboarder on this planet! They are actually quite thick as it goes and judging by some of the things Jerry attempts without making it first try, they have to be super tough to endure some of the slams this man takes to gets what he wants! They are a perfect pair of slim fitting denims, comfy in crotch and thighs, but slightly tapered from the knee down, a great pair of jeans by my standards.

Both garments come with the standard Hsu Trim, a heart logo pin and labels. Jerry’s pretty hot property in Vice scene, so if you feel you lack a good appearance, tap into his collection and get yourself looking good whilst shredding the streets, it might get you laid?

Froth Stopper

Categories
Features Skateboarding

Battle of Hastings 2010

On September 4th Wheelscape summoned up 944 year-old vibes for the opening jam of their amazing new concrete park that has made its own history in the historic town of Hastings by having the first proper cradle in the UK. Boasting both a €1066 purse to be taken by the ‘Conquerer of All’ and a £300 best trick comp courtesy of The Source skateboarders travelled from all over the UK to attend this exciting day in the history of concrete parks in the UK.

Wheelscape’s Jeremy Donaldson got stuck in and wrote a round-up of the day for us to go with the official Wheelscape edit of the jam which went online this week. Read on to hear what went down and be sure to watch the fantastically put-together video for the day below. Well done to all involved, the park looks stellar. Over to you, Jeremy…

Below: Mark Munson flying frontside

I’m writing this in the middle of the night as I’m still so hyped on the Battle of Hastings I can’t sleep.

Hastings put on a beast of an opener to match their new park. An army of Scottish animals, born and raised on gnarly concrete parks battled it out with the local and not so local English knights, Welsh new blood and even some crazy fella from the Isle of Wight… Pivot Shove to Fakie in a pool? Crazy indeed – Greg Nowick.

You could tell Mark Munson’s had a few Oregon trips the way he took to the place in the Master’s comp. Along with Sean Goff, they dominated the concrete; Auntie Sean was absolutely flying round the place, smithing and lip-sliding the full length of the pool sidewall, getting right up on the ceiling in the cradle and taking first place.

In Wheelscape’s €1066 battle, Mark Murray T-Bag’d first place with relentless runs taking tricks most people would be stoked to do on a 2 foot quarter and sticking them up the gnarliest walls in the park. Jake Collins smoothed out everything in the park with big, clean airs and lip-trickery, all spiced up with a couple of huge bonlesses blasted several feet out of the vert extension. Greg Nowik just couldn’t stop, massive long runs mixing big airs and inventive tricks like blunt to melon, in the pool!

Mike McGuiness tackling the cradle

Alex Hallford and Carl Wilson killed it

Want more blunts? How about an ollie blunt flip, in the same 9 foot bowl? Call Jed Cullen with his robot knee and give him £300 from The Source for best trick.

The finals saw Daryl Nobbs and Jono Coote both smack their skin heads on the flat bottom, along with death match style scenes with 3 skaters in just the egg pool at the same time. Fortunately, before the end, Daryl was back killing the all the lines he’d wired whilst we worked on the park and Jono was miller flipping clean over loveseat.

Even a wee report like this wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Colin Adam and Trevor Johnson – these two guys killed it all day – smashed the coping to bits. Colin was kicking out huge airs inc. a sick rocket lien and smashing the blocks with the best grinds of the day. Trevor flew all over the show and reeled in Hurricanes, switch Frontrock slides and full tilt backside nosegrind reverts in the pool.

Potter absolutely slaying transition I’m too scared to even look at with this front 5-0

The standard of skating was so high it was unreal. We’ve got incredible skaters in this country now coming up off the new concrete parks and everyone in attendance were so blown away by the sickness of it all. Wheelscape were really stoked to get the opportunity to design and build a bowl on this scale, blown away by the shredding, ready for more and want to give a massive thank you to Joe Sandland, Matt Davey and all in Hastings – all their hard work made this happen.

Mark Murray claiming his €1066

And here’s why: Hurricane on that thing? You must be Teabagging mad.

Watch the Wheelscape edit below and view some photos from the Wheelscape team in the gallery below. Don’t let these good people’s work go to waste. Start booking your trains, start pestering your mates, get down to Hastings and get shredding. You can find the park at Falaise Rd, White Rock Gardens, Hastings, TN34 1ES or check the map.

Hastings Skatepark: The Battle of Hastings €1066 from Wheelscape Skateparks on Vimeo.

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