Great news, French Fred’s archives are back with some sterling footage of tech head JJ Rousseau filmed around the making of Cliché’s Bon Appétit and Lakai’s Fully Flared. Perfect Throwback Thursday.
Category: Skateboarding
The Magenta crew cruised through Paris to celebrate their 5th Anniversary with this edit for Live Media.
It’s never fun having to write stuff like this but when skate shops get burgled there’s an obvious way of everyone helping the scene.
Parlour Skate Shop in Mile End was broken into at 1.30am this morning, three thieves smashed their way in and left with with tens of thousands of pounds worth of stock. The majority of the property taken is made up of fairly rare brands only sold in a few shops in London, so if you are offered skate product anywhere, then you need to report it rather than pick up a bargain.
Parlour have posted on insta to look out for brand new clothing including Caps, T-Shirts, Crew and Jackets from Polar Skate Co, Helas, Rip N Dip, Independent, The Quietlife, Levis, Thrasher etc, plus Independent trucks, sizes 139 / 149 / 159 * Thunder trucks, sizes 145 / 147 / 149 * 5boro VHS Series decks and the Caliente Series Deck (these are a new range that are not even readily available).
If you are offered these stolen goods, take a photo of those selling it and buy the product from them. (Parlour will reimburse you for the product and reward you highly). All you need to do is personally message the shop at shout@parlourskatestore.co.uk with a location and image.
Note that the shop in Mile End will be closed as they clean up the mess, but their Hackney store is open as usual at 59, Hackney Rd. Shouts to everyone who spreads this message fast by sharing this post.
Had a taste of shoe heaven yet this year? If not, you’re about to find some. The history of the original Sal 23 started as the very first éS shoe when they launched back in 1995 – at the time it was a bona fide classic, the first pro skate shoe for Sal Barbier that spread like wildfire throughout the scene that was not only admired for its fashion statement, the functionality of the shoe was 100% built for skateboarding by skateboarders.
This period was golden. Skateboarding was raw, the real underground. None of Michael Jordan’s people were anywhere near our scene at the time, although said sports pro did share the same basketball number with Sal – the 23, a number that most 90s skaters will never forget due to this shoe. This new re-issue sees his infamous number switched to 20, paying homage to éS celebrating a sterling 20 strong years in the skater owned shoe game. Only a hardcore few will want their 23 back, but the double decade will do nicely.
Rightful big ups to éS for their achievements aside, let’s go back to functionality, because it’s rare these days for any skate shoe company to issue a shoe that has an ollie patch. Most companies want you to skate every day so that your Mum has to buy you a new pair and replace them fast – it’s a sucker marketing strategy, sneaky too. Barbier and the dudes at Sole Tech wanted a shoe that lasted. It’s a beautiful touch and one that you will appreciate when you slip these on and start pushing.
“I wanted a rubber piece on the side so it wouldn’t rip up. I kind of liked that, because I don’t always like wearing ’em when they’re brand new.” explains Sal in a previous interview. “By the time most skate shoes break in, you have to get a new pair because they’re all ripped up. I worked on the design of the whole shoe, the sole, the logo, everything, around 1994-95.”
We had a delivery of the Sal 20 here recently and have spent 3 weeks in them now. The first obvious observation is that they are now made thinner than the OGs (thankfully), but back then everything in skateboarding was wide – apart from wheels. They are comfy too. None of this waiting for the shoe to be ready for a sesh, these are lit straight out of the box. I personally like to stick the laces behind the tongue allowing the logo to represent, like a number plate. Surrounded by smooth suede with perforation holes in front of the first lace, these are super simple, but perfectly efficient for street or mini ramp skating.
All you need to know is that these are 100% skateboarding. éS have brought a classic back from their wonderful archives and re-issued them in style. You need a pair in your life. Support skater owned brands so the next wave of hard working skaters can get what they deserve.
It’s worth noting that these come up a little small, so I opted for a half size up and they were perfect. Find them in your local skate shop this month in three colourways.
Ph: Dave Swift
The 25 year homage for Burnside continues today with Creature’s slayer of the moment, Chris Russell tearing up the walls and looking back on his first days riding its DIY crete.
Head here for more Burnside video love in a new documentary.
Manchester’s Ben Grove is the latest to feature in Ride’s A-B edit but he’s nowhere near home territory and instead pushes through North Wales.
Categories
Sml Wheels – Back to the 90’s
Take a trip back to the 90s with Sml Wheels this week who delve back time to pick out some gems from the archives of skateboarding history. There’s too much to mention in text but footage from Trilogy, Second Hand Smoke, A Visual Sound, Goldfish and many more pop up in this.
Press play and reminisce.
The Majer crew don’t sit around playing Xbox and smoking weed when it’s pissing down, sessions are on mate.
Ph: Earth Patrol
You should know that Burnside is one of the world’s most infamous spots, built with passion, a DIY opus that is now a living legend in Portland. Mark ‘Red’ Scott led the charge for leaving some concrete against the wall and this place grew instantly.
Enjoy this Under the Bridge web documentary that delves into its history.
Categories
Skate Vision
Following his last video project that made SEOTW, Dillon Buss has been creating another dreamy landscape giving skateboarding the mainstream edge it’s been lacking since sports brands paid off the scene.
In Skate Vision, anything goes. Skate Edit of the Week, pick a winner!