Last weekend, hundreds of skaters voted for their favourite team video from the annual Lords of the Swords video comp. This was the most fun event in the UK’s unsponsored skate scene calendar this year and the bars were raised once again.
Throughout August, all of the skaters you see from these 9 teams were out filming and skating, ticking the boxes of the ridiculous challenges that were laid out before them. Blood, sweat and many beers have been shed in the making of these amazing videos so without any further delay, get a brew on, sit back and take in the UK’s most exciting scene comp. The vote has now passed but you can use the comments below if you are arsed.
Enjoy the remains of 2011’s Lords of the Swords comp.
1. TEAM DSD
2. TEAM SCRATCH AND SNIFF (This year’s youngest competitors)
3. TEAM DEUTSCHLAND
4. TEAM POKÉFUX (90’s nostalgia)
5. TEAM BLITZKRIEG
6. MONSTER NETWORK
7. THE GREEN TEAM
8. THE D-TEAM
9. ZOMBIE SKATEBOARDS TEAM (Can’t win due to them all being sponsored)
[poll id=”4″]
If you like this feature, then go here and press that magic like button and we may well do it again. Enjoy the gallery from this amazing road trip courtesy of Tom Halliday.
I’m sure it’s safe to say that you’ve all probably already seen the edits and highlights of the brilliant Vans Downtown Showdown skate event that was held in London in August this month. Instead of covering the event trick by trick, we decided to focus on an alternative view with the help of hardworking artist, French as he designed the artwork. So this video series will cover the Showdown itself, a guest pro interview and an insight into French’s daily life as part of our Day In The Life skate art series that will all make sense on Halloween this year.
In the first part of three episodes, we kick off the day in question at French’s gaff by waking up the Antiz guys and heading over to Spitalfields Market to see what went down. Be sure to tune in next week where we interviewed ‘The Mayor of the Piss Drunks’ and Vans pro Dustin Dollin.
Tony Hawk is still the busiest and most dedicated skateboarder on the planet, and proved exactly that when he stopped overnight in London last month to inspire kids to support the Laureus project. This foundation uses the power of sport to help tackle pressing social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives so we popped down to East London to see him box with the locals and discuss the past, present and future.
This video interview covers the Sport For Good Foundation, reminiscing the 1988 Bones Brigade Tour of Europe at the Latimer Road vert demo and skating the legendary Livingstone Skatepark in Scotland. We also ask Tony about how the Megaramp is making an impact across the planet, the rise of ams on the up, the growing popularity of indoor training facilities in the US, plus an insight into the forthcoming Bones Brigade documentary that is being put together right now by Stacy Peralta.
Click play for the full interview by Matthew Bromley and big thanks to Laureus for the invite and photos. Visit the Quiksilver UK site here.
The start of the Witchcraft Skateboards tour at the beginning of this month saw the road crew consisting of French, Jake Snelling, Jamie Morley, Mark Tidbury and many friends hit up skateparks around the Herfordshire and Essex areas. With the plan to pick up more team riders and friends along the way, the first stop on the tour was Saffron Walden’s American built paradise. The sun was out, the concrete coping got rinsed and luckily no one was injured on the first day!
On day 2, the team riders met more friends at Hemel Hemstead’s Extreme Connexions park for session on their brand new coping and pool tiles. The sight of tube socks was ridiculous and even the familiar faces of Ben Raemers, Carl Wilson and Mark Munson were there to welcome the lads off the van.
Enjoy this footage put together by Bromley of these 2 packed days of skating on the road. Look out for the full tour video on Sidewalk Mag when it’s ready to roll soon and thanks to Terrathorn for the use of their music.
Every year, this guys turns up at our Crossfire events, rips beyond belief and leaves with a smile on his face at the end of the day with some free stuff. This has gone on now for about 4 years in a row, so we decided to check in with Manuel Lopez this month and find out exactly who he is.
Photos: Jamie Harold Video: Filmed and edited by Josh Clarke
Let’s kick this off with this slam that opens this edit of yourself and friends below, you took a good one there!
This happened when I went to Geneva with Josh Clarke to chill out with some friends and film. We went to this new spot that no one had skated. It was a flat hubba with 7 foot drop after. I went for a back 5-0 and it for a first try, it grinded alright. Then I went for a line to film and do a back 5-0 at the end. The only problem was that there was a big chip in the ledge that I hooked up on. So I went flying and landed on my arm, ribs and face and was winded! When I was in the air, it felt like this has already happened and I could have sworn I dreamt about it. My chin didn’t stop bleeding, but after a day it closed up on its own and was gone within 2 weeks. It was definitely the gnarliest slam I have ever taken!
How often do you bail out of tricks in that fashion, are you foot to the pedal in general, or are you a bit more concise about your approach to tricks at speed?
I take a lot of nasty slams unfortunately, but never bad enough to break something. I have been really lucky so far. I’m not afraid of going fast at all though. I knew I was going too slow, but for some reason I went for it anyway. Oh, and I’m learning to do the signature Daryl Dominguez Ninja Roll out of every bail to bounce back up without getting hurt too!
You have always showed up at the Crossfire events and got amongst it in the pro jam. If you were to create your own skate event, what would you roll out for everyone?
I would organise a best trick on the hip to hubba because no one ever skates that. Or, I would create a new obstacle that no one has ever seen or skated before- it would have to be something gnarly like a big ass driveway gap into a handrail or hubba. It would be good to see a best trick event at the Ladbroke grove 10-set or see who can get the best line at St. Paul’s Nightrider 6 and 5 set – obviously I would skate in it too!
So, you’re definitely not one of those skaters who think that comps and jams suck then?
Nah…I like to participate, but I don’t care if I win or lose. I love the hype you get and it’s an opportunity to try crazy shit.
Should Bay Sixty 6 Skatepark close down to become a garden centre?
NO WAY!
What does that skatepark bring to your local London skate community?
Well, it’s the place where I met other skaters that have sponsors and skaters that don’t and it’s a fun place to chill and try new stuff. I love cruising around in that park and having a session on certain parts of the park.
What about tunes, what music stokes you?
I’m a really big Biggie fan so all his music and anything that sets the mood for the trick you’re trying. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Kid Cudi, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC – just anything that pumps me up. I love listening to chilled out music too, but not when I’m skating. It all depends on my mood really. I’ll listen and give a chance to just about anything no matter what genre and if I like it I will put that shit on my iPod and jam out.
I have never understood people who skate and listen to music as I believe that grinding andsliding is part of the music of skateboarding, do you miss it when you skate with your cans on?
I only listen to music in skate parks and when I’m filming a line, but when I’m going for something bigger I need to concentrate more. I don’t use headphones that block out the sound, so I can hear everything. I hate it when I can’t hear the pop of my board.
So, you have traveled a fair bit. How many countries have you lived in?
I’ve lived in 4 different countries, skated in 3. I was born and raised in Canada then I moved to Hong Kong for 2 years. That’s where I started skating. Then I lived in Geneva, Switzerland for 4 years- where skateboarding really happened for me. I then moved to London and fell in love with the skate scene here so I’ve got no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
London can certainly have that affect on people. So what happens with sponsors if you travel so much?
My sponsors at the moment are based in Geneva. Right now I’m riding for a skate shop called Doodah, it’s the biggest skateshop in Switzerland and I’ve been on them since I was 15, so for over 3 years now. I also ride for Matix Switzerland and I get flowed Thunder Trucks and Spitfire Wheels. I used to ride for Adio but then the whole team went down the drain. The European team got kicked a lot sooner than the pro team, so I had my last order last July.
So how does skating in London compare to skating in the other places you’ve lived?
Well, I came from 2 places that had the most perfect and cleanest spots. Hong Kong is all marble. Security can be tight there but at some places they don’t really care and the pavements are really smooth in Geneva. There are a couple of grimy spots but most of them are absolutely perfect. Nobody hassles you for skating- it’s one of the best places in the world to skate, but nobody knows it.
London has a larger variety of spots. Especially a lot of stairs, which I need to work on haha! There are not that many handrails, and the ones that are here are pretty gnarly so it feels really good when you get a trick on them. It sucks that the most perfect spots have the most tight security in the city, like Liverpool St and Cabot Square in Canary Wharf.
By the looks of what people have seen of you online you have built up a pretty tight crew. Who do you usually skate with on a weekly basis?
I usually skate with Daryl Dominguez, Evan Knight, Jamal Bendriss and of course Josh Clarke is always around to film it all. Whenever I go back to Geneva (which is usually every couple of months) I skate with the homies over there.
So how long have you been working on this Fresh Blood?
I was asked to do it about a month ago but I included a bit of old footage which I filmed over the summer holidays. One of the days I was out with a photographer so I banged out 3 NBD’s in about 2 hours which gave me the confidence to front smith that High Street Kensington rail in 3 tries.
What’s the story behind that?
I’d seen the rail before in footy, so warmed up on the 8 stair rail on the other side (that isn’t a bust) and got a front board on that. As soon as I landed that, we took all the equipment straight to the 12 and when I got up there I didn’t realize how high the rail really was, so I went for it and jumped and ran onto the rail. Then the second try I popped too much and went into lip slide and went straight to my heels, but I had to do it that day or I wouldn’t have done it on another.
When I was up there the security guard came out and starting tripping out, shouting at me ‘Don’t go! I’m calling the Police!”, so I just told him ‘No, I got this!’ – put down my board, rolled up to it, popped and locked into the smith pretty early in the rail and rolled away. There were a bunch of pedestrians watching so when I landed it they all congratulated me and we just grabbed the equipment and got the hell out of there!
You just won a best trick comp recently at an event that Gonz was at, stoked on that?
Yeah. I just went down to watch, not compete, and then there was a best trick contest for everyone to participate in. I waited till the last 5 min and they gave everyone 5 tries and still no one landed anything on the main obstacle, so on my 3rd try I pulled away with a 5-0 Varial Flip out. To be honest I was just lucky that no one landed anything. Haha!
What came in the package, a tent on the beach?!
Yeah, 3 nights! I stayed in a hotel and I got a pair of shoes and some clothes. The trip went really well and it was a lot of fun because my girlfriend came along but I wasn’t skating too good and just kept eating shit and taking out my shins and knees and ankles! I was at the Amsterdam AM contest about a week before Barcelona and met the Minor Media guys from the Berrics, Steven Webb and Clint Peterson, so we all went out filming together when we arrived in Barcelona, then flew back to Geneva for some more filming and visit friends. Great trip.
Knowing the street riots in London are a major talking point this week, what do you think of the British youth uprising?
The riots are complete bullshit! Haha! People think that skaters are scum and up to no good- look at these hooligans! It has just a reason to steal stuff and get away with it while the Police stand there and do nothing!
Have you seen this type of reaction in the other countries you have lived in?
Yeah, this stuff happens all the time. It’s the second time I have been in the City where it’s kicking off, but it has never lasted this long.
If you were the Prime Minister, how would you tackle the problem the Police have on their hands this week?
Honestly, the Police need to start growing some balls and take these kids out because they are now hurting innocent people and ruining businesses and peoples homes. I’m not saying kill them of course, but they need to take them out and put them all behind bars! If this keeps going on more people are going to keep getting hurt and lose what they have worked hard for.
let’s wrap this up. What plans do you have for the future?
I finished school at the end of May so i’m now able to really focus on skateboarding. I hope to get hooked up in the UK and transfer into the Matix UK team from the Swiss team, because I think that it will definitely push me to progress even more. I’m working on 2 video parts at the moment. One of them with the company Cesarprod and the other, an independent film that Josh has just started working on that Daryl Dominguez, Kyron Davis, Luka Pinto, and many more will be in. Look out for that soon.
Any last words?
I’d like to give a shout out to all the homies and the chickas. You know who you are ;)
Filmed and edited by Matthew Bromley
Photo: Robert Galpin
If you have seen Paul Parker’s incredible artwork before then you will know that this guy is an art machine fueled by a passion for painting and drawing.
Inspired by childhood fascinations with video games, Toxic High stickers, action figures and packaging along with Classic Mens Adventures magazine covers, Parker has carved out a skill for attention like nobody else in the UK. His illustration work has graced books, exhibitions in Los Angeles and have also been repped on decks for Death, Witchcraft and Superdead Skateboards to name a few, so we decided to knock on his door to see where all of this creative energy is spawned from.
It just so happened that the week we wanted to film, he was shooting an advert with Lovenskate for a new t-shirt design over at Harlow’s concrete hole dressed as a jungle dweller!
Big things are in the works for Paul Parker right now so keep your eyes peeled for news on where his art will take him in the future.
Following the first webisode in last week’s video feature, Craig Questions’ Day in the Life returns to your screen for part 2 with an insight into the new Heroin Zombie Series via a trip to Mark ‘Fos’ Foster‘s house and some much needed Thrasher worshipping.
Click below to watch the tricks that came from an hour long skate session at Stockwell’s Brixton Beach with Craig, Fos and Jake Snelling before Questions attends art show in London that he didn’t actually want anyone to see.
If you missed part 1, then probably best to watch it first here.
Wight Trash Skateboards have unleashed a monster video edit today to celebrate the opening of their online shop.
The Isle of White crew are currently working on a full length team video scheduled for November released called DANG! and have dropped this in the interim.
Discover the weird and wonderful world of Jesse James and Chris ‘Avi’ Atherton who have filmed and edited this beast for your viewing pleasure. The edit features a mash up of 80’s clips and some tech skating from Jesse James, Will Sayer, ‘Avi and John Cattle. Natas also gets a mention as does Frap the Old Deer, and Josh Kalis on puncture repair duties!
Get your eyes round this, it’s also inspired by by Stephen Baldwin!
He collects, he draws, he shreds, he scores…Craig ‘Questions’ Scott is a true one off. If you’ve never heard of him before then you’re definitely in for a treat with this Day In The Life. Craig is generally like marmite. You are either digging his eccentricity or done with it. He’s a skater who has asked so many questions over the years that Dom Perkins (who took this amazing photo) called him exactly that, and it stuck.
Maybe it was the luminous gunge of Jim Phillips’ famous 80’s artwork that has pushed Questions into the path of the unknown, or maybe it was the smell of Neil Blender’s pads. Underneath all the toys, smoke bombs and boneless-ones is a guy living his dream, the way he wants his life to roll out. That passion should never be sneered at- but instead, observed from within his own domain, and this week we have done exactly that.
Click to watch part 1 of 2 below and feast your eye’s on the fascinating world of a man who grew up smelling the fresh seaside air of Whitstable beaches and has just recently just inked his first board graphic for the new Zombie Series for Heroin Skateboards.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this video feature next week where you’ll see Craig, Fos and Jake Snelling shredding Brixton’s most famous beach down in Stockwell and more about how the Heroin series took shape. When you are done, click here for part 2.
Whether it is your swollen liver from a top night out, your tweaked ankle or even the fact that your girlfriend has just decided to shag your best mate, we all go through pain to get what we want in life. The flipside to this malarkey is sharing the good times with your best mates and documenting it. Sam Taylor‘s EARTH PAIN 666 has been unleashed today, enjoy it as you only live once.
How much pain does this Earth bring to you on a weekly basis?
None at all, I have a pretty easy life. Maybe shiners, delams and spilt beer counts but apart from that I don’t have many worries.
How much pain did you go through in the making of these hilarious scene clips?
The most pain was when George was filming and he dropped my camera and broke the lens, that fucking sucked. The funniest was seeing Chad Muska DJ – That was fucked up.
How much pain comes from the Based Gods?
Based God fucked my bitch.
What’s the worst pain you have seen anyone go through whilst out skateboarding?
When I was a kid I saw a guy bail at the Boardroom and break his arm in 2 places, that was fucking gnarly. Someone broke their lower back trying to clear the wall at Stockwell the other day, I wasn’t there but I heard he landed in the middle of the road. Dwayne trying to switch ollie the seven at southbank is always a gnarly site.
Which part of Earth goes through more pain than anywhere else?
I leave that to Ali Drummond. He’s in Burma being Rambo. Earth Pain is more about the little slams we take whilst out skating, Dwayne hitting the floor or Josh Cox doing some stinking late flip.
What pain comes next?
Earth Pain 7 – If George buys me a new camera. More t-shirts, zines and prints are ready to drop, check the website.