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Skateboarding News

Nothing Meaner: Dean Lane skatepark trailer

Over the last 7 months the guys from DIY Bristol have been putting together what looks like a must-watch documentary on the history of Bristol’s Dean Lane Skatepark.

40 years of skate history will be included in the full ting when it premieres at the Campus Pool on the 9th August, the day before the day before DLH funday. For now though take in this trailer and get hyped for what awesome stories and memories will follow.

Amazing work….

Nothing Meaner: Dean Lane skatepark trailer from Clockwise Film on Vimeo.

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Finding Joseph I: An Oral History of H.R. from Bad Brains

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How low can a punk get? It obviously depends of course on state of mind, drug use, religious beliefs and fame and fortune to start with, but let’s digress for a second and introduce H.R to those who may not know him. Paul “H.R.” Hudson, aka Joseph I, is the unique frontman of the legendary and explosive hardcore band, Bad Brains, whose rise to fame in the 1980s saw them travel the world to perform their bone crunching music to thousands. H.R’s presence on stage is unforgettable. Whether he is screaming from the bottom of his soul to thrashing 200mph riffs or singing sweet dulcet Rastafarian tones over dope basslines, this enigma was born to emit electrifying energy to others that can be deeply infectious. Only a chosen few can say that they fronted arguably, the best live punk rock band of all time.

I’m slightly biased here, as my 16 year old self decided to travel to the Marquee Club on Tottenham Court Rd in London back in 1989 to see them play on the ‘Quickness’ Tour. Bad Brains were the first legit hardcore band I had ever witnessed play live and their sheer sonic force and insane energy just ripped the place apart. Bodies flew off the stage all night long, beer was thrown everywhere, H.R was backflipping – someone even dived off the balcony. I had discovered hardcore from the kings of the scene, directly from the inner sanctum, instantly inspiring me to form my own band. They were that influential.

As Bad Brains grew in popularity, H.R’s erratic behaviour rose with it causing chaos within the band’s touring and recording schedule but his character was so compelling that his actions were not seen to be anything other than avant-garde to some. It took a while for those close to him to realise that maybe his abnormal social behaviour was actually out of his control and caused by a legitimate illness such as schizophrenia. This is the subject that forms the basis of this amazing documentary made by director James Lathos. As a lifelong Bad Brains fan, Lathos spent a lot of time with H.R in the US and Jamaica over the space of 10 years and decided to piece together this documentary without any prior experience of film making. A task that on reflection is an accolade in itself as his work sucks you in and turns you upside down revealing a detailed and personal inside view of the band’s struggle to keep their frontman focused throughout serious illness.

The film takes you through the early years of the Hudson family and their movements around the world from birth in Liverpool, England to Kingston, Jamaica, leading to various locations across America to their home in Washington DC, where the two Hudson brothers, Earl and Paul would meet guitarist Gary Miller (aka Dr Know) and bassist Darryl Jennifer. Strangely, both band members decided not to contribute to the documentary at all, leaving the sound bites to Earl Hudson, Bad Brains’ manager Anthony Countey, Positive Force founder Mark Andersen, Dischord’s Ian MacKaye, various members of Sublime, 311, Living Colour, Fishbone and many others, but for once, no Henry Rollins or Dave Grohl! In fact many key hardcore luminaries who we thought would be present in this flick discussing the good old days were not present.

In reflection though, Lathos’ followed H.R’s journey as a solo singer in the many collaborations and reggae projects that he formed around the US that toured Europe during the late 1980s and 90s. A mission that wasn’t all about survival, but a quest to find inner peace and happiness through leaving behind the somewhat negative, in-your-face force that punk rock is famed for. H.R struggled with this aggression and much preferred the more heartfelt, soulful Rasta vibes of reggae and dub leading him on various paths to write music with many other musicians within the genre.

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The director depicts H.R as a Shaman who drifted in search of new musical directions without managing to pay a single electric bill in his life. A deeply religious man who only needed a bed and bible but whose illness eventually lead him to homelessness. Sadly, his schizophrenia became so unbearable that one questioned whether he knew if he was actually on stage performing or not. Lathos’ goes deep into the dark side of the singer’s mental instability in true documentary form making uncomfortable viewing with H.Rs personal archive of self filmed footage confirming that he was stuck in his own hallucinogenic world. But from the depths of despair there is always light and the scene that explains the purchase of a white limousine, his wonderfully bizarre outfits and that unforgettable grin are quick to soften the blow!

From the incredible unseen live footage to learning how H.R invented the word ‘mosh’ from his Jamaican patois chants, ‘Finding Joseph I’ takes you on an inside journey through the success and turmoil of H.R and Bad Brains confirming why they’re included for induction into the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

For a debut production in the world of music documentaries, Lathos’ film will go down as one of the best you will see within the hardcore scene. I literally cannot believe we managed to see the very first screening that H.R himself has not even seen yet, so thank you Doc’n Roll Film Festival for the opportunity. Apparently there was so much archive interview footage that a book will also be published next January, but as the director mentioned on the night at the Q&A, it’s too early to tell what Small Axe Films will be doing in terms of releasing it online or on DVD yet but it will happen. For now, watch the trailer and get yourself some PMA.

Words: Zac
Photo: Zac (Unseen photo of HR backstage at the Astoria, London 2007)

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Skateboarding News

Jesse Martinez documentary

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If you admire style on a skateboard then look no further than Jesse Martinez. The Venice Beach local made his name by being the raddest on a rig ever. Enjoy this short web documentary by Mike Pagan on his life and his overwhelming passion for skateboarding. It’s also a reminder that growing up sucks.

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Music News

Big Boys documentary incoming

Ph: Ben DeSoto / 1980

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Austin’s legendary skate-funk-punk pioneers the Big Boys disbanded in 1984 but they are fondly remembered for one fundamental reason; there were no limits to what they could do musically. No shackles, no boundaries. Their punk rock was in their heads, not restricted to their music. Trouble Funk collided with the scratchy post-punk of Wire and Gang Of Four, smashing head on with the energy and spirit of that first wave of hardcore punk.

“I’m a punk and I like Sham, Cockney Rejects are the world’s greatest band. But I like Joy Division, Public Image too, even though that’s not what I’m supposed to do,” sang frontman Randy ‘Biscuit’ Turner in the song Fun Fun Fun, perfectly summing up what the band was all about. Their gigs were a chaotic celebration, their lifestyle pushed as hard against the boundaries as their music did. In short, the Big Boys ruled and they deserve their own movie.

Enter Austin director Joe Salinas, whose forthcoming doc You Can Color Outside the Lines: The Big Boys is aiming for a Sundance 2016 premiere. The trailer for the film has just hit the web and features an impressive cast of talking heads from the era. Ian and Alec MacKaye, and Jeff Nelson from Minor Threat, Dave Grohl (obviously), Glenn Danzig, J Mascis, Steve Caballero, Steve Albini, HR, Kevin Seconds, David Yow, Keith Morris, Steve Alba, Lance Mountain, Exene Cervenka, John Doe and Tony Alva are among the many individuals telling the story of this incredible band.

Here’s the trailer. Go skate, make noise, start your own band. No restrictions.

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Skateboarding News

You Can’t Move History – a film by Winstan Whitter

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Winstan Whitter’s association with Southbank goes back so far that it’s no surprise that he decided to make another documentary on skateboarding’s most famous UK spot. With the recent fight to keep the space in the hands of British skaters, Whitter’s new short web documentary ‘You Can’t Move History‘ looks into the process that saved Southbank from relocation and the communication behind LLSB’s efforts to get the job done.

Get the teas on and look back on an important happening in British skateboarding.

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Skateboarding News

Lee Ralph Barefoot documentary trailer #2

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Literally cannot wait to see this new Barefoot documentary on Lee Ralph. A new trailer dropped this week featuring those who came across his wonderful character.

Alex Dyer’s film will feature Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales, Christian Hosoi, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Gregor Rankine, Kevin Staab, Chris Miller, Steve Douglas, Bod Boyle, Andrew Morrison, Ron Allen, Peter Hill, Stephen Hill, Bob Goodsby and many more. Coming soon.

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Skateboarding News

Squints – Limitless And Free

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Jon Holland’s REDirect documentary for the Berrics found the one off talent known as Tyler “Squints” Imel. Creature’s new jewel in the crown discusses how to get by, shred like a don and be Limitless And Free. Natural born killer.

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Skateboarding News

Aaron ‘Jaws’ Homoki – Push documentary

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Get behind the making of Jaws in this documentary that explains why Aaron Homoki likes to hit up the biggest shit out there. Freak of nature? No chance, he just has a taste for it and is the very best you’ll ever see when it comes to leaps of faith, oh..and horticulture.

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Music News

Lee Ranaldo to feature in new documentary

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Sonic Youth lynch-pin, and creative force in his own right Lee Ranaldo is set to feature as the subject of a new documentary titled In Doubt, Shadow Him!.

Directed by Arnaud Maguet, the film is due for release this coming December via Hifiklub and features a soundtrack recorded by Ranaldo himself at Sonic Youth’s studio. Other contributors and members of the cast include Nels Cline, Raymond Pettibon, Alan Licht, Don Fleming and more.

The documentary will be available in DVD format accompanied by a double 10″ vinyl soundtrack. Watch the trailer below.

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Skateboarding News

The Cinder Cone – The making of a treehouse skatepark

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We all have dreams. Some of them are realised, others just move on after we wake and drift into the ether. Dreams can be achieved though if you really want them. You just have to make them work, by hook or by crook, and that’s where Foster Huntington achieved the ultimate pleasure by pushing his until they became a reality.

He put a crew of friends together, each bringing their individual skills to the table including carpenters and skateboarders and then over the space of a year, something incredible happened. The ultimate dream treehouse, hot tub and skate bowl with a view of the Gods was completed.

You may have seen this image before but check out how The Cinder Cone was built in Skamania County, Washington in the Columbia River Gorge in this amazing new documentary. Huntington is now starting a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a book on the project. It’s part photos and part DIY manual, and something to keep forever.

Keep those dreams of yours alive. They are all out there, we just have to work hard to find a way of making them happen, and fast.