Categories
Hip Hop Show

Hip Hop Show – December 06

Whilst everyone was starting their Christmas shopping early, Crossfire’s DJ Zac Slack and resident head-nodder Abjekt were plugging away getting you a playlist of hip hop from all over the world. So if you want bangers from Scandinavia, chilled beats from America and crazy shit from Holland, you’ve come to the right place.

Click the flag to launch the show and don’t forget that if you ever want to request a track for the next show, all you have to do is click here and ask for it. Get those headphones on, it’s time to break out the beats!

1. Looptroop – Long Arm Of The Law (David v Goliath)
2. Static & Nat Ill f. Pacewon – Put It Down (Good Child Records)
3. Peanut Butter Wolf – Mobbin (Stone’s Throw)
4. Binary Star – Conquistadors (Subterraneous)
5. Juggaknots – Trouble Man (Third Earth Music)
6. Vakill – The Equinox (Molemen)
7. Sound Providers – Breath Testing (ABB)
8. Surreal & DJ Balance f. Braille & Sivion – Permanent Ink (Hip Hop IS Music)
9. Listener & EQ – Officer You Have The Wrong Man I Am Not That Man (Deepspace5)
10. Robust & Prolyphic – Breakdown (Galapagos 4)
11. C-Mon & Kypski – Chemical Mixture (Penoze)
12. Salt N Pepa – Push It (London)
13. Hocus Pocus f. The Procussions (On And On)
14. Oktober f. J-Live – Reset The Game (Freshchest)
15. Pigeon John – I’ve Lost My Job Again (Quannum)
16. Insight – Evolve (Brick)

Categories
Skateboarding News

Revolution lives!

Even if this winter is proving to be one of the mildest to date, that’s not an excuse to ignore your indoor skateparks.

You may not be aware but Crossfire’s sister company Division provide finace to a select amount of the top indoor parks in the UK in exchange for music promotions, Revolution Skatepark in Broadstairs, Kent are one of those and almost felt the cold shoulder and went out of business due to extortionate rent rises, but luckily Councilor Chris Wells and the Thanet Community Development Trust have provided a long term lease with the possibility of creating extra outdoor facilities to skatepark owner Dan Chapman! Woo Hoo!

This was a close call, so remember kids- Support your scene! Death and Duffs UK recently passed through and showed theirs.

Visit them at: www.revolutionskatepark.co.uk

Oakwood Industrial Estate
Dane Valley Road
St. Peters
Broadstairs
Kent CT10 3JJ
Tel: (Skatepark) 01843 866707

Categories
Features

Middle Age Shred: Northern Mafia Jam

Works Skatepark, Leeds
Saturday 28th October 2006

Words and pics by Matt Sefton

It hung in the balance for a while – with tales of a simple private venue hire by middle-age-shred.com ‘Godfather’ Carl Arnfield for one of the regular gatherings of the UK’s more, ahem, ‘mature’ skaters being taken over by a BBC film crew and, even worse, PEOPLE UNDER 30!, the Middle-Age-Shred.com ‘Northern Mafia’ Jam at Leeds Works indoor park looked like it would be wiped from the calendar. It wasn’t. It rocked. Hard!

Pulling in to the Works car park close to 8pm, it was immediately obvious that this wasn’t your usual skate night. The car park’s usual occupants – beaten up bangers held together with skate stickers – had been replaced by an overflowing fleet of shiny, polished metal. And from that metal poured a seemingly endless stream of skaters – over 200 at a tenner a head in all from as far afield as Cornwall and Wales – marking what must surely be the UK’s largest ever gathering of skaters old enough to remember lusting after green Kryptonics and Benjiboard Sabloskys and seeing Stacy Peralta on Blue Peter!

From the minute I stepped into the park and heard the dulcet tones of Blackpool’s Big Woody screaming obscenities at people he’d probably met for the first time 30 seconds previously, I knew we were in for a good night. I’ve attended a few of these jams before and there’s always a crowd of familiar faces. Tonight was no different, except this time the regulars were joined by dozens of new blood (well, old blood!). Guys (and girls) from their 30’s to their 50’s who had heard about the Jam either through a news piece in Sidewalk, a Works Newsletter or word of mouth, some accompanied by their children, had decided that this was the night to say “fuck what the bloke door thinks, I’m scarfing a handful of ibruprofen and going out on my skateboard”.

Leeds Works is a huge indoor park – probably the biggest in the UK – so 200 bodies quickly and easily located their terrain of choice, with a large chunk of them heading for Snoz’s latest creation – the pool, complete with backyard transitions, concrete coping and, in case you were in any doubt of its ability to cause serious bodily harm, enough sprayed on skulls to summon old nick himself. Be in no doubt – these guys hadn’t come for a leisurely roll around. They were going to christen this beast good and proper! Apart from Plymouth’s legendary Trawler, who managed to pull out a flurry of laybacks, tailslides and rock and rolls before a nasty slam took him down, the names on show won’t mean much to your average skater.

They’re just blokes who have skated for decades, still love to skate and go about their business week after week in parks throughout the UK. You know the ones – usually padded up with those funny rail things stuck to the bottom of their wider-than-average boards and big shit-eating grins on their faces. Mike from Barnstaple was the standout for me – super fast, super stylish with layback, frontside and backside airs, carve grinds and amazing frontside rocks in the shallow. Leeds Nick made sure the nice new coping was a few pounds lighter by the end of the night with a barrage of long and loud frontside slash grinds (most popular trick of the night – Dave Hackett should be on a royalty!) and Andy Cielecki brought back the lost art of the long boardslide, along with grinds to revert, feeble stalls and more lines than Kate Moss. And Felix was, well, Felix!

Elsewhere in the park, a huge, snaking mini-ramp session dominated, punctuated by the delicate tones of Mr Arnfield’s “ave it, you c**t” while the likes of Gixerkarl, Bod, Tim Walker, Old School Jonny, ChrisK and the legendary Teapot went about their business. The big bowl was put to good use too, Big Dean following in the Gonz’s footsteps by rocking the vert wall, as was the fantastic street course where Strawberry pulled off insane airs across cavernous gaps.

This being Middle Age Shred, the hub of the night was the upstairs cafe, where the comfy leather sofas were put to good use while aching bones took a breather and caught up with old friends before heading back downstairs for more carnage and make sure young ripper Jasper from Burnley wasn’t up past his bedtime.

And the BBC? Apart from causing a dangerous distraction with a rather attractive presenter, they were cool. Didn’t get in the way, seemed genuinely shocked by what they were witnessing and got the footage they wanted. Bet they still take the piss when the piece is broadcast though…

At the risk of sounding corny, this event is what skating should be about. Getting together with your mates, having a laugh, pushing your limits and going home with a smile on your face and possibly a battlescar to remember the evening by. Screw the sponsor me tape, the shoe deal and the photo coverage. As the great Tommy Lee once said “You don’t stop playing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing.”

Go to www.middle-age-shred.com for more.

Matt Sefton

Categories
DVD Reviews

Post 22’s Carolina Love

Before youtube, google video and all the other video hosting sites stormed the media like a pixellated plague, there were a few good websites any skater sitting in front of his screen could rely on for damn good footage.

Anyone who lived in a very wet place, or had a minimum of knowledge of the right places to look, must have come across Post 22.

This site was a top knotch platform for the North Carolina scene and delivered montage upon montage of unknown rippers bubbling at the brim of industry recognition. Do any of these names mean anything to you? Scotty Moore, Jed and Chad Shooter, Brett Abramsky, Ty Rhode, Tyler Tufty, Dan Murphy, Eric Hunt, Mike Swett, Jeremy Menard or Justin Brock? Give and take 2 or 3 of them, I didn’t think so.

I reckon the boys at Post 22- James Tupper and Travis Knapp Prasek- got pretty fed up of all the praise their little montages were getting via the web and internet forums, so the creation of Carolina Love was obviously overdue. I for one was never aware that North Carolina boasted so many spots; banks, stairs, ledges, rails… A street skater’s dream. However, for a brief geographical hint, North Carolina is situated slap bang in the middle of the East Coast of North America, so endless summers and spot blow-outs do not exist it would seem. In fact, NC gets each and every season, and it’s pretty refreshing to see a bunch of skaters doubled up in the sweater department as the avoid sliding on wet leaves and running into piles of snow.

But essentially, all you want to know is who kills it, right? Well, everyone comes through with above average parts that will keep you watching. Scotty Moore opens the doors with a solid mix of rail and ledge skating; Brett Abramsky threads the needle more than once as he speeds around town; Jed and Chad Shooter seem a little bit redneck for my liking but the pop out is worthy of a rewind; Tyler Tufty and Dan Murphy share a part and pump some serious pop into their game; the 2 friends sections are sweet with an appearance by ex-pat local Luda Crooks representing the smidgen of transition skating- something sorely missed from such a solid video; and then finally there’s Justin Brock a.k.a. the Wizard, and Real’s latest recruit. It comes as no surprise that Real picked this fruit out of the bunch because to describe Justin’s skating would be balls to the wall, solid and the go to guy. No half stepping.

Sadly, Post 22 no longer exists on the web (or at least there site is no longer updated), but you can still catch up with the NC scene by logging onto www.skatenc.com You will not be disappointed. Show some Carolina Love and track this one down.

*The video doesn’t have any music credits, but the soundtrack is good varying from the rhymes of the Sugar Hill Gang to the guitar riffs of the Pixies.

Ralph Lloyd Davis
30.11.06

Categories
DVD Reviews

Forays

Presented by the Story Film makers Guild

I must admit that my prior knowledge of skateboarding from New Zealand is minimal- in fact, any knowledge I might have of the country is minimal. However, thanks to the great initiative of the Story Store’s Film Makers Guild, I can now say start an in depth conversation on the skaters, spots and overall style of the Aotearoa scene at future cocktail parties.

The second chapter of the Guild is Forays; a short DVD from the 09 Video Factory featuring Brandon Foo, Brett Chan, Rush Fay, Glenn Wignall and cameos by Chey Ataria and Justin Watene. I doubt very heavily that you have heard of any of those guys, but that’s what the Story Guild is for! Plus the spots are sick!

Clean editing and segway action introduces us to the New Zealand skate scene, and the first thing that hit me as I watched was the variety of terrain everyone skates. You’ve got rough surfaces, smooth surfaces, good street ledges and mucky transition, the modern classic steep bank and the good old manual pad. Everything is there, and everything is skated- hard. I’m not sure if it’s the I-paths, brown cords or exotic environment, but Forays had me daydreaming about Habitat and their visual dynamics..? Not so much the ‘what you’re doing’, but the ‘how you’re doing it’ modus operandi results in some clean lines and good variety.

Despite everyone having individual strong parts, the two guys that stood out for me were Brett Chan and the curtain caller Glenn Wignall. To start with Brett, one person pops to mind as you watch his Asiatic frame leap and bound with unique style- London’s Ben Jobe. Brett has understood the art of cruising and effortless madness on his board. Anything from casper stalls to downhill manuals in the rain. If you have any emotion for board riding, then Brett’s part should have you running out that door in search of insane terrain.

As I mentioned earlier, the end part goes to Glenn Wignall and quite rightly so- the bugger is off the charts! Glenn’s part gets a brief intro of him ripping the shit out of one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets- a long V shaped storm drain with a 75 degree bank at one end. Needless to say, Glenn can skate anything, and always with style- kickers, transition, polejams to make Wade Burkitt green with envy, and even an empty skip! Keep an eye open for the ridiculous switch pop the young buck has as he executes perfect switch heelflips over big gaps, and even a sick switch frontside bluntslide off a chest high ledge that looks rough as 80’s griptape.

In comparison to the Story Film makers Guild first epopee, this second instalment is much better. The editing is simple but stylish nonetheless, the music is groovy without disguising below average skating, and the skating is straight up wicked. Remember: Think Habitat in a beautiful untapped land of insane terrain. Plus it’s only a Fiver! Bargain!

Visit Storey Store at www.thestorystore.co.uk and if you like the sound of this, click here to discover Kolma, another production worthy of your eyes and ears this winter.

Ralph Lloyd-Davis
29/11/2006

Categories
Skateboarding News

Hawk, Bam & Mike V hit London

The usual wednesday night session at Bay Sixty 6 Skatepark was gategrashed by no other than Tony Hawk, Bam Margera and Mike Vallely who were on a recent press trip for Gumball 3000.

For once the skate park was not mobbed allowing them to skate easily under no real pressure. Hawk skated the vert for about an hour and hucked out some massive Madonna’s and Mc Twists(footage here thanks to Jono).

Bam did not bring his board as apparently no one had told him they were actually gonna be able to skate but signed Wolfmother stickers for kids and Mike V had fun on the mini ramp with the regular wednesday night crew.

Sorry if you missed it but you know you will always here news first here at Crossfire.

Categories
Music News

Gallows tour with Bullet For My Valentine

Watford-based hardcore rock n’roll punk rock masters of chaos Gallows have been confirmed to support Bullet For My Valentine on their rescheduled UK dates in January 2007. The dates are as follows:

Wed 3rd Jan – Newcastle Academy
Thursday 4th Jan – Manchester Apollo
Fri 5th Jan – Birmingham Academy
Sun 7th Jan – Cardiff University
Mon 8th Jan – Hammersmith Apollo

The album ‘Orchestra Of Wolves‘ is out now via In At The Deep End Records.

Let the pandemonium begin, more information including Gallows, recent Crossfire radio guest slot visit: www.myspace.com/burnthegallows

Categories
Skateboarding News

New Site Update

Droids have one thing on their side when it comes down to the nitty gritty and it’s the fact that they can bloody travel anywhere in the world with a computer and a mug of coffee and settle down for a bit of work.

Much to our surprise last week, Crossfire’s chief web nut ‘Nav’ decided that Sheffield was getting dark and decided to head to Australia, Melbourne in fact, so if you are out there and want to say hello ( i know loads of people from Australia visit us weekly) then get in touch and take him out skating!

Nav will be enjoying the bar-b-q’s and beach bums whilst building you version 3 of this lovely webiste that we hopefully will have live for you in the early stages of the New Year. He promises some surprises and a technical wonderland, so watch this web space!

Categories
More to Life

Choose Skateboarding

This story is just one of the many that i have to put up with living in London on a weekly basis but this one really hit home.

I want to bring it to your attention as it it happened on the very street that i lived for 5 years and now i live only 5 mins walk from the spot where Tom ap Rhys Pryce was brutally stabbed to death for £20 in cash, his mobile phone and an oyster card.

If you ever wondered why this website is called Caught in the Crossfire you probably have your answer from reading this very page as the UK has become a breeding ground for youth culture that is simply out of control due to various factors that will be discussed in this More To Life feature. It’s not big, it’s not clever but it’s a reality; violent crime is not going away and when it’s opened up on your own doorstep with the entire country looking in from every media angle, one feels as though it’s time to talk about it.

Tom ap Rhys Pryce was coming home from a hard days graft as a lawyer in London on January 12 2006. He left the station where murderers Donnel Carty, 19, of Kensal Green, and Delano Brown, 18, of Sudbury Hill, North-West London had already mugged one person as they left the tube. Little did Tom know that 10 minutes later, he would be a victim of a voilent stabbing that led to his life being taken from him merely for £20 in cash, a mobile phone and an oyster card. He was stabbed in the arm, face, and twice in the chest as he tried to defend himself, as you would fighting for your life against 2 grown men. His assailants left him to die in the gutter and left blood-splattered along the street where he tried his hardest to make it home to get help a few doors away….

Yesterday (28.11.06) these 2 murdering scumbags were sentenced to life in prison but life means 17-21 years thesedays and you know that good behaviour can sometimes almost half a sentence, so will these people be able to have freedom again unlike Tom ap Rhys Pryce? Should they not be banished to LIFE in prison for such a callous, greedy murder? It seems these days that the law has become useless and hardly a deterrent to stop crimes like this taking place…

When i grew up we had respect for people, our fathers would come home and you would run to avoid being collared and given the bollocking you probably deserved but these days, parents cannot even raise a hand to a child for fear of prosecution. Even though we were little buggers skating the streets at silly hours of the morning and doing outr thing, we would never dream of doing what kids are doing today. I know times change but it’s becoming ridiculous.

How many more yellow police signs do i have to witness on the streets in my area? Is is the same where you live? Is it? I want to know and know today because this has issue become a sick joke. Please click here and leave your message if so.

Are the sentences in this country too weak? Why are the judges not sentencing these people to bigger jail terms? Why am i hearing that prisoners have Xbox consoles to play on?

Is it lack of postive role models and/or education? Is it their inability to see that 50 cent and So Solid Crew are just entertainment? Is it the fact that most kids smoke manufactured, home-made chemical filled skunk and are slowly rotting their brains?

I have so many questions and not many answers anymore. But what i do know is that i’m sick of seeing this happen in my area and i’m sick of hearing about it spreading like a social disease.

I hope that somehow, the sentence these people received this week will this be a deterrent for the thousands of other kids out there who treat human life worse than animals, somehow i doubt it, it may be too late.

I’m sure people would think twice if there was a zero tolerance system put in place and people thought twice, but this will only come good if the funding that is spent on fony wars can be brought back into our own country.

IN THE MEANTIME – CHOOSE SKATEBOARDING

Z-Ed

Please discuss this here…

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Darkstar Lightning Cores

Damn son… Darkstar just keep coming with the goods. If you’re a Crossfire reader, then you’ll know I was pretty stoked on the Darkstar Armorlight board , so when I received the new Darkstar Lightning Core wheels, I didn’t hesitate to drop my old tyres and hook up a set.

Apparently the Lightning Cores use the mechanics of a inner soft core and an harder outer core to create maximum effect on speed and grip. I’ve never heard of such a concept, with most wheel companies doing the opposite (hard on the inside, soft on the outside) and this results in wheels falling apart if the mould is wrong.

Well, one push was all I needed to roll past the competition smooth as a stallion. Weird as it may seem, the physics of these wheels actually works, so you’re rolling happy around the streets, skateparks and concrete bowls without fear of losing speed. In fact, Darkstar generated three different models to cope with all types of terrain.

I tried the 52mm 96A models which are supposed to show optimal efficiency on the street and in parks which they did, whilst my mated tried the smaller 51mm 98A sets and couldn’t complain either.

Add to this already very positive report the fact that the wheels don’t turn yellow and don’t flatspot… At all! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

9/10
Ralph Lloyd-Davis
28.11.06