For those of you who adore Lakai shoes, you will be stoked to know that a special edition Pretty Sweet ‘Manchester‘ has been released this week. These comfy suede uppers feature a Girl Logo on the left shoe and a Chocolate logo on the right with the heels both sporting those Pretty Sweet words. They also come with a lapel pin that will come in handy when making a bong. Out now.
Photography by Ben Larthe
As the Trunk Boyz were getting tattooed in an ink joint down the road and necking sake bombs, art was being hung in the Hoxton Hotel, hair was being pulled at the Richmix, and a steady wave of people from all corners of the country started to fill the cinema to see Pretty Sweet.
Despite the fact that the team riders were fresh off the plane from the US premiere, the overall vibe was chilled and the Girl fam were certainly hyped on bringing this to London. The film played, the tricks flowed, the beers and cocktails spilled, and the spoilers will remain elsewhere for now whilst the film premiere’s across Europe.
One word that will spring to mind when you get to see this production for the first time is ‘fun’. The Girl and Chocolate teams and crew obviously had large portions of the good stuff filming this over a 5 year period. Look out for the DVD that will be hitting your local skate shop in the next week, or get ready to download it from i-Tunes on the 27th.
Thanks to all at Girl and Chocolate, Diana and all at the Hoxton Hotel for accommodating us on the night and the Never Mind The Art Dump exhibition that runs until December 7th. Thanks to Tiger Beer, all at Form Distribution, Ben Larthe, and everyone who returned home on the night without stealing from The Art Dump. Karma is certainly a beautiful beast. Enjoy.
If you were at the Pretty Sweet UK premiere last night you may have ended up back at the Hoxton Hotel where you will find some treats hanging on the walls. For the next three weeks, the hotel will host Never Mind The Art Dump, an exclusive art show brought to you by Crossfire and Form Distribution.
Never Mind The Art Dump is showcasing iconic posters of the Girl & Chocolate Film Archives, re-interpreted versions of those posters, as well as exclusive skateboard decks and 8 brand new prints from their new feature, ‘Pretty Sweet’. This work will run from Tuesday November 20th through to December 7th at The Hoxton Hotel, 81 Great Eastern St, London, EC2A 3HU and is free entry. Prints from the show will be available to purchase soon. Look out for details.
From Mouse to Goldfish, Yeah Right, Fully Flared and now Pretty Sweet, Spike Jonze’s work has graced skateboarders screens since 1992 with some of the most iconic skateboard videos ever made. This exhibition, allows visitors to revisit some of skateboarding’s classical moments made up of The Art Dump‘s most creative work force.
The Art Dump is the name tagged to a team of like-minded creative misfits who work under the same flat roof in Torrance, California. They are, essentially, The Girl Skateboard Company’s full-time art department. The veteran, Andy Jenkins (Bend Press) uses his title as art director loosely. He considers the crew a co-op and lets it operate that way, with each artist bringing their own unique, individual vision to the Girl brands.
The current team roster includes: Eric Anthony (The High Desert), Hershel Baltrotsky (Art Raffle), Jeremy Carnahan, Michael Coleman (Michael Coleman Studio), Christian Morin (M District), Andy Mueller (The Quiet Life & Ohio Girl), and Chris Waycott.
That is the simplest way you can break down the Art Dump, though it’s not really that simple, for each of these people has a myriad of interests, talents and mediums. As a group, and individually, they work in both commercial and non-commercial worlds. Sometimes these worlds collide and that is where the Art Dump’s collaborative projects exist — amidst the rubble and question marks of a crash site of graphics and fine art.
There are others who flow in and out of the Dump, offering their own abilities from time to time and working in the collaborative environment with the core group. Those include: Spike Jonze, Evan Hecox, Lori Damiano, Thomas Campbell, Rick McCrank, Brian Anderson, Marc Johnson, Brad Staba, Andrew Pommier, and Edith Abeyta. Alumni of the Art Dump include: Rob Abeyta Jr., Bucky Fukumoto, Johannes Gamble, Bob Kronbauer, Tony Larson, Michael Leon, Kevin Lyons, Geoff McFettridge, Jordan Mitchell, and Misato Suzuki.
Visit the Hoxton, grab one of their incredible burgers and a beer and enjoy what’s on show.
The final 45 tickets for Girl and Chocolate Skateboards’ brand new video ‘Pretty Sweet’ are now online at £6 each. Get them quick as they will go like hot cakes. Girl and Chocolate team riders Raven Tershy, Elijah Berle, Rick Howard, Cory Kennedy, Vincent Alvarez and Stevie Perez will be in attendance on the night.
The film starts at 5.45pm, hosted by Form Distribution and Crossfire. You will need to be in the venue well in advance to take your seat. You will also be asked politely to hand in your phones and any other recordable devices on entry. You will be able to retrieve these after the film.
Tickets can be bought from here. Look out for a comp to win a deluxe boxset, full set up and much more next week PLUS daily random swag on our Facebook and Twitter pages this week.
Everyday this week, we will be giving away various ‘Pretty Sweet‘ freebies on our Facebook and Twitter pages in the lead up to the Form Distribution and Crossfire hosted Pretty Sweet UK video premiere, scheduled for next Monday November 19th.
Look out for Pretty Sweet Random Swag dropping online from today to win it all.
Girl and Chocolate team manager Sam Smyth discusses how Sean Malto’s sponsor me tapes got him a place on the Girl Skateboards team. Was it easy? Find out below and get more about Sean’s part in Pretty Sweet from this week’s interview.
With 10 days to go before Pretty Sweet drops onto premiere screens across the planet, Kansas born, Girl Skateboards pro, Sean Malto spills some beans on his trips to the UK, what’s coming from Pretty Sweet and a little bit more.
How different has this year been, knowing you started 2012 wearing a pair of Nike‘s?
Man, it’s so crazy. I’m just starting a different chapter in my skate life. I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I have to skate for some of the best companies in the world. With that though, it creates much more traveling for me.
This was your second trip to London in 2 months, what’s your take on the terrain we have here to skate?
It’s tough, but I love the way footage looks in London. I’m a big fan of all of the Blueprint videos.
Have you found how rough our streets are a hindrance or a challenge?
It’s definitely a challenge. Getting stuff in London does not come easy! It’s a lot of walking and skating just to get to the spot. Then you have to deal with the weathered ground. I have a lot of fun in London though so I try and go there when I can.
Have you managed to film any footage for Pretty Sweet in London’s streets?
I got a few things in London that are in my part. Feds (Girl Filmer) and myself came out and skated around for 10 days and filmed kinda everything from skating spots to taking the tube. I’m not sure how they ended up editing my part but I’m sure some of that footage is in there.
Any particular UK spots that you enjoyed most?
The bench that turns into a flatbar is amazing. I’ve never skated anything like that in my life.
What about the culture, the people and the food. Some Americans hate our food…
I’m the least pickiest eater. I like all types of food, so that doesn’t bother me at all. The people are always nice and I definitely enjoy a good pub every once in a while!
Growing up in Kansas, did you have any knowledge about the UK skate scene at all?
I didn’t know a lot about it, other than the Blueprint videos. When I started hanging out with people that have visited the UK, everyone always mentioned that Nick Jensen was killing it.
Which UK skaters do you rate the most?
There’s so many talented people. Neil Smith, Nick Jensen, Danny Brady, Jerome Campbell, Paul Shier…..they’re all so awesome to watch skate.
Is your Pretty Sweet part finished yet?
Last day of filming was October 15th, so I’m all done!
Where was the majority of your footage for this production filmed?
Kinda a little bit of everywhere. Over the past few years I’ve spent time all over Europe, China, and the US, so it’s just a collection of everything I’ve filmed.
Which trick was the biggest pain in the ass to get down and where?
I filmed one of my last tricks a week before the deadline of the video. It was one of the scariest tricks I’ve every put myself through. It sucked so bad. When I landed it, I was more happy that I didn’t have to try it again than I was about landing it!
Did you have to go back to any spots to re-shoot tricks you didn’t particularly like?
There were a few things I had to go back to. Towards the end, it was more about trying to do tricks I’d been putting off until the deadline.
Did you manage to get any NBD’s down in this section?
Haha! I’m not sure. I’m not the best at skate history. I’m sure there’s a couple tricks that seem to be NBD’s, but someone probably did it at EMB 20 years ago.
We always discuss the skateboarders, but the filmers are equally important to mention when it comes to film productions. Out of Ty Evans, Federico, Ryan Lovell, Sam Newman and Roger Bagley, which one person gets the very best out of the team for their parts on the day, which filmers do you like working with mostly, and who filmed the majority of your part?
I love all those guys. Ty Evans, Ryan Lovell, and Feds filmed the majority. To be able to work with all those guys has been an amazing experience. I did work with Ty Evans a lot for Pretty Sweet. He’s so motivated, and knows what it takes to get a video done. I’ve never been on more productive trips than Ty Evans’ trips.
Sean hits up a bs nose blunt at the Ladbroke Grove rail, poached by Matt Anderson’s phone cam.
Do you know what other names came up first before they chose the title Pretty Sweet?
There was one other name that I really liked, inspired by Keenan Milton. I don’t know if I should say it, because I think it could be used for another video somewhere down the road!
Brandon Biebel mentioned in a recent interview that Guy Mariano’s part is going to blow minds. Have you been on any filming missions with him for this production?
I’ve seen a few things on trips, but Guy is a very talented and motivated person. His part is going to exceed any expectations. To me, his part is going to be one of the best parts ever in skateboarding.
Who is everyone hyped on for this video from the Chocolate camp?
Obviously MJ is the man. All the new guys on the team killed it as well though! Stevie Perez, Elijah, Raven, and Vincent took this video to a whole new level!
Any words on Gino, Koston and Howard?
Watching Gino is, and always will be amazing. No one makes it look better than him. Rick Howard is a big reason why Girl is so awesome, and why this video is even happening. I have so much respect for Rick and always have such a great time hanging out with him. Koston’s the best skater in the world! But you guys already knew that right?
For all the new skaters out there who may not have seen classic Girl Skateboards videos, Mouse or Goldfish. If you had to choose a section from each film, which ones would you choose
Koston in Mouse and Jeron’s section in Goldfish.
Tell us something about Pretty Sweet that we don’t know?
Trunk Boyz are always fun and funny to hang out with. If anyone from London wants a dose of the Trunk Boyz, I would suggest going to the premiere in the UK! They’ll be there, and in full force!
Last words….
Don’t piss into the wind.
Pretty Sweet premiere’s in the UK at the Richmix Cinema, London on Monday November 19th. Girl and Chocolate team riders Raven Tershy, Elijah Berle, Rick Howard, Cory Kennedy, Vincent Alvarez and Stevie Perez will be in attendance on the night. Pre-order the deluxe DVD boxset from your local skate shop this week.
Watch Sean’s latest footage for Kansas City skate shop Escapist, whose latest video ‘Red and Yellow’ just dropped this weekend. This part also features footage of Tyshaun Johnson.
Watch this clip of how Sean was sponsored by Girl too.
Mexican ripper Stevie Perez gets the day in the life treatment ahead of the launch of ‘Pretty Sweet‘ worldwide. He will be in the UK on the 19th November at the official London/UK premiere but until then, get stuck into this for an intro into Chocolate Skateboards’ best kept secret.
Form Distribution and Crossfire are proud to announce the much anticipated official London/UK premiere of ‘Pretty Sweet’, the new video by Girl and Chocolate Skateboards, scheduled to be screened in London on Monday November 19th.
Only 100 limited tickets for the 5.45pm public showing of Pretty Sweet at the Richmix Cinema, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London, E1 6LA have been made available today for £6. Please note that these tickets are advance only and will go very quickly.
Girl and Chocolate team riders Raven Tershy, Elijah Berle, Rick Howard, Cory Kennedy, Vincent Alvarez and Stevie Perez will be in attendance on the night. Click here. to purchase your ticket.
Pre-order the deluxe DVD boxset from your local skate shop this week.
While on his first European Summer tour, Sebo Walker met with Sylvain Tognelli and travelled to Málaga, Southern Spain. Pedro Sánchez and Andrés Díaz (LAKAI Spain) joined and together discovered the incredible spots, delicious food and nice weather La Costa del Sol offers. This is what went down.
Lakai Malaga Weekenders from nowdist on Vimeo.