2014 will go down in history as one of the best for skate footage but the question is: which edit blew you away the most? We asked a few British skate shop owners, team managers, marketing bods and company owners what lit their fuses the most, with a nod to what British (and European) moments stood out throughout last year’s video barrage.
Get involved at the end of this article by posting up a link to your own favourite edit and argue the toss from our guests below. Huge shout out to everyone who films and skates through the pain barriers to produce the footage we see daily. Here’s to many more in 2015.
ALEX MOUL
“There are a bunch of reasons why I like this part, but mainly because Kris Vile rips and is a very good person. I scouted him out years back to ride for Santa Cruz and got his number from Ben Powell (Sidewalk editor), called him, and he didn’t believe it was me. Instead, he told me to fuck off! Haha! I had to call Ben and ask him to call him so he would take my call, seriously. Bloody brilliant! Anyway, I’m still a fan and hope he keeps ripping, ‘coz who would not want to see more from this fella? Big up Kris mate.”
GEOFF ROWLEY – Flip Skateboards
“Every once in a while a dude pops up that’s just straight rad, well rounded with a good style, and totally progressive. The Vans edit of Daan Van Der Linden is the best skating I’ve seen come out of Europe in years, keep it charged Daan!”
DARREN PEARCY – Rollersnakes Marketing and Skateboard Team Manager
“Thirty years old and still attacking the streets like he’s sixteen, Lewis Threadgold’s recent pro part for Heathen contains a plethora of gritty Mancunion street ripping. Mixing wallies and no complies with some serious technical hammers and handrail bangers, Lewis leaves no terrain untouched. It’s for these reasons and the fact that he is completely in love with skateboarding, that I nominate his Heathen pro part for my UK skate edit of 2014. Big up the king of the skate rats!”
FOS – Heroin Skateboards
“I’ve been really enjoying all the Note Manchester history stuff that Joe Gavin has been working on, it’s good seeing a mix of spots from Manchester, ‘cos I grew up there. I really liked this Tyrone O Hanrahan Megamix, he was definitely on it last year. Always like seeing stuff from him.”
NICK ZORLAC – Death Skateboards
“This is my favourite UK edit of 2014. It gets off to a great start as the first few tricks are filmed at our local, Harrow Skatepark. Blatant Localism! And then it’s 6 minutes of pedal to the metal, all-terrain destruction, including some of the UK’s most classic spots. I appreciate all kinds of skating, I really do, but there’s a certain magic about tweaked, huge airs over (and lip tricks on) 35 year old, rough, cracked and lumpy vintage concrete that really gets my adrenalin going.
These are a new generation of rippers who seem to have taken the best bits of our history, combined them with the best bits of the present and have become the future!”
SAM BARRATT – Welcome Skate Store
“The temptation for some form of public self congratulation is irresistible, so I’ll get that out the way first. The web clip that I was most personally stoked on (and in some way involved with) is the Thrasher Vacation clip that Nick chose above. Raw shredding from the bottom to the top of the country (with apologies to Scotland and Wales), with no marketing agenda, sales push or industry reach around. Aside from that, the one(s) that really lit a fire for me were the Jake’s Crates episodes on Sidewalk. The combination of nostalgia, history lesson and witnessing the effort and energy that goes in to skateboarding in this country (with the added bonus of the perverse enjoyment of a good slam) is pretty much a perfect storm of content for me. I am an old guy though.”
NIC POWELY – Vans UK TM / Skate Pharmacy
“I know it’s a bit CMOAC to pick on of our own clips and for that I humbly apologise, but this was the first thing that popped into my head when asked. The reason behind choosing this is not so much the clip but the featured skater. If there was a UK ‘Skater of the Year’ I think Charlie Munro could have taken it, his output this year and general destruction have been unquestionable. This clip was filmed in a couple of days at spots close to the shop and is a testament to how talented and consistent he is. Please view this as an appetizer and then go and check out his section in Get3 if you haven’t already because that is truly world class.”
KEVIN PARROTT – Volcom UK
“These days the young man’s game of street skating has become a bit of a “book it in” type affair with filmers and photographers consisting of spots generally reserved for those with the ability to get up from a slam or make shit quickly and with ease. A world away from the gentle approach I take with two hours warm up, thirty test attempts before I’ll commit to event the smallest of ledges and only being able to do that when the mood takes. For my age group, it feels like the over 30s crews seem to be resigned to the street parks with the kids training it up in which we are allowed to co-habit until we finally cave in and head our way towards the bowl troll years and half a century celebrations for existing on Planet Earth.
So, the synopsis here isn’t looking great. It’s a video lasting twenty minutes consisting of over 30’s with unsponsored and previously flow dudes and I get that this doesn’t exactly sound appealing but you might be mistaken on this one. Brendan Ryall has made a video he should be proud of here and blown away peoples pre-conceptions. All street, all grown men old enough to possibly (and in some cases, probably) be your dad doing genuinely good shit with all good vibes set to songs you can sing along to (as opposed to that obscure 2003 B-Side remix only available on one hundred copies of spattered vinyl you’ve never heard because you aren’t smart enough) covering to-the-point sections at spots which just look like a right laugh to skate.
Chicks dig it, too. Yah Bru 2 is definitely in my top ten for 2014!”
JACOB SAWYER – Slam City Skates
“Casper Brooker had a good year. We had to pick a Slam rider and this edit immediately sprung to mind. Casual Weekend city attacks, some Mint Banks in Croydon action, a mid nineties nollie backside flip on flat filmed and edited by our very own Maestro Mark Jackson and soundtracked by our friend Hops and his band. London magic.”
NICK SHARRATT – The Palomino
“Going through the web edits I have posted on the shop’s blog over the last year solidified in my mind just how much amazing skateboarding has been documented in the UK in 2014. Choosing just one has been impossible, but I’ve picked out three that highlight much of what I think is positive about British skateboarding right now.
Dom Henry’s part by Sean Lomax that came out through Live Skateboard Media in October. It’s nice to have this part next to Caspar’s, because, in my opinion, London and Manchester are the UK’s most photogenic cities as far as skateboarding goes. Incredible, straight up street skating from Dom filmed in very much the same manner (albeit in his own HD 4:3 format) by Sean. A lot is said about gimmicks and trends in skateboarding. Dom and Sean prove all this can be entirely irrelevant, and that if you continue to do things your way regardless the results have every chance of coming out as perfect as this.
Honourable mentions to Casper Brooker’s part above as he has such strength on his board for his age, and the speed, power, and finesse of his tricks is a joy to watch. Also Yardsale’s Fantasy Island edit. Not strictly a 100% British clip as it is all filmed in LA, but came as a result of Daniel Krietem (creator of the video and co-owner of Yardsale) taking an extended holiday from London in the city with Curtis Pearl and Darius Trabalza. For me Dan is one of the country’s very best filmers, his editing and the clothing Yardsale produce compliment each other perfectly, and the overall aesthetic of the Yardsale world is something I have really enjoyed seeing develop. The number of people starting up companies off their own backs is a continuing inspiration, and Yardsale is one that, for me, has really stood out head and shoulders over most last year.
These three videos are ones that I have returned to again and again to get me hyped to go skate. Only mediocre skating gets lost in the internet mire, the fact that it doesn’t come out on DVD does not mean it should be disregarded or forgotten. Here’s hoping 2015 is anything like 2014…
Final shouts out to London GX1000, Jasper Pegg’s Milk part, and all of Charlie Young’s footage from the past year and the series of Grey edits.”