2016 Predictions Prt. 1

Today is the day when I would normally post a Christmas montage. These montages are sometimes filled with semi-subpar skating, save for a few notable exceptions (Ryan Schendel backside nosegrind fucking Kerns while snow is visibly falling, Ryan Schendel lipslide to fakie no roll away turn 270 and stop at fucking Kerns, Ryan Schendel front blunt Kerns with snow on the fucking ledge, the fact that we used to skate Kerns all the damn time, Scott Sharba's switch backside wallride, caballerial off the curb line at The Wallride Spot, all of Ivan's tricks that ended up in his Babanga part, modestly including Allen's no comply 5-0 even though he fucking travelled [This may have been the moment that Mr. Dillard 'Jumped The Shark' into dangerous territory in one Adam Howard's mind]). 

However, with it being 55 degrees on the first day of winter, it just doesn't feel like Christmas time. Also, bruh, we're making a fucking video right the fuck now fam. See ya there.

Wear your longest, heaviest, and most precious fur. Word to Guwop.

However, because of recent correspondence with a fan of the blog, I have decided to give some sort of update on it's absence. So here it is, another listicle for ya. Word to Ride Channel. Hit me up if you want some more click bait articles. You can pay me in T. Hawks old stash of Fury trucks.   

10. Jet ski usage, lion statue stocks increase ten to possibly even twenty fold. 

I think it is safe to assume that the reader of this blog began skating at some point before 2010. With that in mind I must proceed, albeit with caution, the way 99% of the speech in the high school class cleverly named Speech begin:

PICTURE THIS : a world in which 50% of skateboarders are wearing a white t-shirt and brown corduroys. The optional headgear accessory include a beanie (preferably heather grey, orange, or some sort of strange, #veryrare color way, such as baby blue) precariously perched on the top of the head, possibly above the ears, but in no way performing the actual task that a beanie has been scientifically engineered in labs world wide for ; keeping the user warm or a vintage SnapBack. This portion of the skateboarding population dons half cabs, chuckka lows, Eras, the recently widely available Adidas campus vulc, or perhaps if you're #moneyman, Nike SB Blazers. The main component of these skateboarders is the shoelace belt (or shoolase balt, shout out to James Michael Lester). The other 50% of skateboarders are either rocking Corey Duffell attire or cuffing their pants to just below the knees, thank you very much Matt Hartzel, fashion icon. Shred heads of Doom and Mind Field had just come out recently, and a new generation of skateboarders were proclaiming Architecture in Helsinki, Animal Collective MGMT, and Passion Pit as their favorite bands of all fucking time bro, and I heard them BEFORE I saw those Skate Perception montages. 

It was a different time. Then came the very first Solo part, the very absolute first filmed in all HD, and this video part changed EVERYTHING as we knew it. What part was this, you may find yourself asking? 

This part would be Dylan. (This following period is NOT a typo). Over night, things changed, and they changed FAST. Kids were ditching their colored t-shirts and hopping into lines at Urban Outfitters and H&M. People would land a trick and hop their feet to the middle of the board. People were not, however, slicking back their hair and somehow frontside flipping head high over a hip with Ray Bans on the top of their head (this still does not compute, by the way). 

The main focal point though, and possibly most noticeably, was that people were now smoking Camel Blues.

It can be said that Dylan. put Dylan Rieder on the map and ingrained him into this generations mind. Overnight, Dylan went from that guy in MindField to a #icon, similar to the moment I still remember when I got a Twitter notification one day at work that stated @RyanSchendel is now following you, or when suddenly, mid day, Ryan Schendels texts to me appeared in blue and not green. It's difficult to remember the advent of such things, similar to how Bob Dylan. never said exactly when he noticed that the times were a changin'. He realized it after the fact. It is important to take note of certain quantifiable moments when everything changed. I can only think of three off of the top of my head: when Dylan. came out, when that kid's father was targeted to be killed by the ninja spies, but killed them instead, and finally, when I first learned of DJ Khaled's Snapchat.

If I know anything, it is that many people see someone being very successful at something and want their own piece of the pie. This happened with Fully Flared ledge combos up until about 2011, it happened when Dylan. came out, and this will happen once the Michigan weather turns to summer. The same way people saw the most easily accessible manner to posture as and feel like what they'd imagine Dylan. to feel like and began buying Camel Blues, lowering their cuffs to just above the ankle, and adding the prefix 'Waxed' to many things, including canvas and denim, I predict that many folks desiring to follow DJ Khaled. on the road to success will begin riding around on jet skis every single fucking day in order to feel like him. OR they will cop that young lieonnnnnnn statue, even though they don't want you to.

09. The line drawn into the sand becomes wider and more blurred.

This one is actually serious. Dekline Footwear, another skater owned brand, ceased to exist this year. They didn't reach out to Altamont Capital partners or whatever the fuck it is that bought a sizable portion of HUF and Girl/Chocolate/Fourstar/Lakai. One could say this might be why they folded. This leaves the viable shoe options that are not major corporations that have not always been involved in skateboarding (note that I did NOT state major corporations, Vans is owned by a major corporation, but have been in skateboarding since 1966. Fuck off.) Lakai, HUF, Globe, Vans, Sole Tech (eS, Etnies, Emerica) and DC. Circa (remember when it was C1rca?) and Oairs don't count, for obvious reasons : I stated viable. If I was going to state every shoe company you could theoretically skate in that wasn't Nike, Converse (Nike), adidas, or New Balan, I would add Airwalk, NSS, Airspeed or fucking Crocs before Circa and Osiris. You fucking could theoretically castrate yourself at home (word to Marshall Applewhite), but that doesn't mean anyone in their right mind is going to do that. Globe is flirting with this line itself. The line of self castration.

So anyways, with Nike and Coverse's pro/am/flow/pro & am flow team nearing, or quite possibly equaling the remaining shoe companies' entire teams combined, and only getting bigger and more powerful, what company is next to fold after Dekline, well, Deklined? Unfortunately, it makes me uneasy to say it won't be the brand flirting with becoming a Payless-Like brand, Globe, as they distribute 99% of the skateboarding products in the commonwealth of Australia. So that leaves HUF, Vans, Sole Tech, and Lakai.

If half of the people you see in videos wearing cuffed dickies and HUF Classics paid full price for them, HUF is fine and in no danger what so ever. Vans is obviously fine and thriving after their Propeller release (if you told me ten years ago this hypothetical Vans video would come out I would have laughed). Sole Tech could probably survive ten more years if nobody bought shoes from them from this day forth based solely off of their 2003-2009 hey-day of Callicut saws to 6th grade to high school girls, life of Ryan fans, and people who 'used to' skate. This unfortunately leaves Lakai, and unfortunately, 2016 could be the year that a company headed by fucking Mike Caroll and Rick Howard fails somehow. Some of you should be ashamed. Choose to support the brands that you would be upset if they went out of business, or don't fucking complain that Mariano left Lakai while you lace up your dope boy Cory Kennedy's.

08. Fashion downgrade

Legendarily, when Chris Cole got on Zero, Jamie Thomas allegedly would send Young Cobra Cole (what sort of grown ass in your thirties fathered a fucking child ass man would call himself that) gear that would mold him into the Zero image. One can only imagine that this will begin (and continue, mind you) to happen to new, up coming flow kids, or perhaps even to people switching their sponsors. What? Danny Garcia on Welcome? Quick. Once he gets his first box of boards, we have to overnight him these shitty polo hats and Dickies. Make him look like a 1990's dad on vacation. 

07. The last of the post-renovation pre-revamped Capital Park footage is used

Much like how all of Josh Stewart's videos had at least one old Danny Renaud clip from prior to his ridiculous plummet off of a building, I'm sure a lot of people still have a sick Capital line in the vault, waiting for the full length to come out. However, lately, although the plaza itself looks even better than it did in 2011, it's had a Securitas car parked there ever since we noticed it got a slight face lift. Bummer. Shout out to the chick eating fried chicken that punched Scott Bankey in the face. Wish I was there. Also, how the fuck did Bench Schwandt (@BenchSchwandt on #TheGram) perform 5-0 to switch crooked grind on that ledge?! 

06. Allen Dillard can flip his board again? (Perhaps).

As anyone familiar to the blog know, I've had ankle problems since 2012. They never went away after my first surgery, leading me to a second, in order to tighten a key ligament in my ankle and shave off debri in the ankle joint. Otherwise, if I don't, my ankle will give way. This means no more nosemanuals. As I type this, I have about three weeks of waking left before I go under the knife. I hope to be able to skate to my ability again, as well as, more importantly, not having ankle fucking pain all day every day. Cross fingers, toes, swords, and rolled golds for me.

5-1 coming soon. One in five. 

White Bread Interview 11

Bren Sungahid

Portrait by Evan Hutchings

Bren was one of the first people I originally wanted to interview for this humble, now stagnant, blog. I don't even quite recall how to format everything the way the other interviews were. However, earlier this year, I happened to get an email from Bren that answered all of my questions. I was so fucking stoked but I kept putting this off because of life's dumb happenings. However, I'm finally glad to bring to all three readers the Bren Sungahid interview. Thanks a lot, Bren.

 Kickflip. Photo by Evan Hutchings

When and how did you end up getting a board? 

My first board was a borrowed Variflex from a kid that lived around the block from me. I’m pretty sure I was around 10 when I started skating. I borrowed that board for like 6 months then my mom eventually got me my own. 

Where did you originally start skating? 

WESTLAND!

Who were the people you first started skating with? Do any of them still skate?

Brian Martin, Bryan Harris, Jerry Bowling, Steve Rogers, Travis Reed,  Charles Hudson, Jason Mass, Robbie Mansel.  Some of them definitely still skate and some stopped to pursue other avenues in life, but for the ones who have stopped, or their skateboarding has become less of a priority to them, still have it in their blood. Even though they don’t skate anymore or don’t do it as much, I know they still think about it all the time and still carry that vision that only you can obtain as a skateboarder.

How did you get into it?

The kid I borrowed that board from for like half a year.  There isn’t a deep intriguing story on how I started skating.  Am I “cool guying” this interview right now? (Editors note: I don't know what I was thinking with this second follow up question... haha)

Was there like a defining moment when you decided  “I want to do this”?

No. There wasn’t a defining moment because the very first time I stepped on that skateboard I already knew. It made sense to me right away and my mind was set.

How often did you skate at that point in your life vs. now, and has the feeling you  have for it changed in any way?

Back then I didn’t have any major obligations so I had every opportunity to invest all of my time into skateboarding. This point in my life I have responsibilities in the form of fatherhood. I also suffered some knee injuries that I couldn’t fully bounce back from. So obviously I am not skating as much as I once could due to those factors. I do make it a point though to skate a couple times a week, if the weather permits or if I can have time away from Dad life then I’m usually on my board. No feelings have changed, I think about skating about 90 percent of the day, most of my days especially when I’m at work: I’m playing a skate video through my head or thinking of tricks. I still feel extremely passionate about skateboarding.

Frontside Flip. Photo by Kyle Thompson.

Can you explain your outlook on skating and what influenced/influences you?

I think skateboarding is in a good place right now. It’s extremely diverse and cultured and it makes being a part of it so sick! I have too many influences to name, but as of late the simple things are really influential.  Today I am influenced by what I can relate to, and simplicity is that.  As far individuals who influence and inspire me, I’d have to say it’s my friends and people who are trying to create something out of nothing. 

How has becoming a father changed your skateboarding outlook, if it has?

Becoming a father hasn’t really changed my outlook on skateboarding.  My kids know I skateboard and they have been around skating since they both were born. Brianna, my 8 year old, will come with me to the skate park here and there to roll around with her old man. Emma my three year old knows what a skateboard is and will stand on mine inside the house. My kids being aware of skateboarding and what it means to me is pretty influential…damn I should have included that above.  But having kids was a humbling experience for me and it really didn’t change my perspective of skateboarding.  If anything I just enjoy skateboarding more because I have my kids to enjoy it with. Know what I’m saying?!

Backside flip. Photo by Evan Hutchings.

I know you had an injury, or surgery, or something like that... Could you tell all four readers of the blog about that? What did you do with your time off?

Yeah man, I have this condition called chondromalacia in both my knees.  It’s a condition where the cartilage in my knees are deteriorating and softening which causes pain and discomfort. It started with my right knee then progressively moved to my left. I did the surgery, therapy, cortisone shots, and all the other bullshit the doctors told me to do.  The condition is still in full effect despite my attempts to get better.  At first this injury shattered me….I was in such denial for the longest time.  I went mental for a while there because it literally happened out of nowhere.  It was like one day I was skating normal then boom I couldn’t even Ollie the next.  My initial response to the injury was to drink a lot of alcohol and hope that I would wake up one day and my knee was back to normal.  But what I didn’t know was that me piling out prior to my injury was a big part of the injury itself.. I’ll be first to admit man that I didn’t really take care of myself.  I ate like shit, drank way too much, and pursued a really unhealthy lifestyle. Then I would skate all day and expect my body to hold up. Then repeat that unhealthy process again and again day after day.  But during my time off I really tried to buckle down on my extracurricular activities and started pursuing a healthier and better life.  I got into stretching and foam rolling and that has really helped my knees a lot.

Could you tell us your experiences with Simplicity, Chiipss, Adio and Blueprint, like how these opportunities came to be, etcetera?

Well Simplicity was my first shop sponsor and the people behind it are the coolest dudes ever.  That shit is like a dynasty and I’m super psyched that I can say I was a part of that. When Simplicity decided to close its doors Pat Miller started Chiipss. I was one of the fortunate few asked by Pat to ride for his shop. Pat has a good eye for anything that has to do with skateboarding, so it was a no-brainer to be down with  CHIIPSS. The thing with Adio was really random. Pat one day just asked if I wanted to get shoes I told him yes and that was that.  Shit is real simple with Miller, basically shits either going to happen or it’s not. For the record, Brian Kulak was the Adio rep at that time and he was beyond generous to me so, thanks Brian!!  The Blueprint thing was also random.  Pat already knew that I was a big fan of Blueprint. So when he decided to open an account with them and found out that they were willing to give one of his shop riders some boards he asked me if I was down. Dude I’ll never forget that call…I was at a Wendys drive through with my girlfriend and Pat calls me and says “Wanna get Blueprint boards?” I was like "uhhh……yes", and again that was that.  Real fucking sweet and simple! I know Pat had to send Blueprint my little video and I was so scared. I was thinking the whole time that those dudes were going be bummed on my footage or some shit. I guess it went well because Blueprint was kind enough to give me boards for like 2 years.  

Photo by Evan Hutchings.

Out of all of the time you've been skating, what was your favorite 'era' so to speak?

The era where skateboarders focused more on skateboarding.  But if I had to pick a time it would probably be around 95-2000.  Based on what I’ve seen in the videos that looked like the best era. Everybody seemed to be just skating and there wasn’t too much HYPE yet, you know?  Shit was much rawer back then, it was just pure skateboarding. 

Your original Datsnare part is one of my favorite local video parts, sorry to fan out... Could you talk a little about how that video came out? Who's idea was the intro? It was pure genius.

Hahah thanks man! I’m glad someone liked it.  Well, the early Datsnare crew  consisted of Evan Hutchings, Matt Radosevich, Goose, Matt Hartzel, Justin Broadway,  Christian Gietzen, Anthony Roscini, Nick Marchione, sometimes Brian Martin, and myself. We all skated a bunch together and a series of videos sort of just happened... Dude, it was such a good system that we had. We would just skate and basically fuck around. If someone was coming close to whatever they were trying Rado would ask if they wanted to film it and next thing you know there’s a video.  Rado filmed most of the time but sometimes Justin would film if he wasn’t skating or shooting  photos. We never had an itinerary for filming, which was so awesome because that didn’t apply any pressure, you know? I’d like to think of the Datsnare videos as us having a good time and it just so happened to have been documented. I can’t recall who’s idea the intro was for “Chronicles of an Internet Superstar” but that shit was pretty accurate hahahah.   The full house theme and Hartzel lighting a cigarette with a blow torch is fucking gold!

I think that might be it bud.

As a special little treat (I'm hoping it is looked upon that way), I was able to gather some of Bren's footage he's thrown up on Instagram over the past few months and organized it into a little part, with Bren's blessings of course. So here it is... I'd like to thank Bren for taking the time to answer all of my nerdy little questions and to anyone reading this blog. Also, thanks to anyone who pointed a camera at Bren and anyone reading this. - Allen

Bren Sungahid Instagram Part from Allen Dillard on Vimeo.

Elizabeth Park Regulations Pt. 1

Elizabeth Park Regulations and Rules, Pt 1

It's already April, everyone, and with that brings the purchase of new skateboards for new skateboarders. With the rise in acceptance of skateboarding in the social media sphere, as any Instagram/twitter account that looks vaguely similar, yet somehow more cringe-worthy than tumblr's fuckyeahdylanreider page will tell you. We could be seeing the possibility of the inevitable/yet highly preventable hashtags '#everyoneskates' and '#boyswhoskate' over coming the popularity of the equally cringe worthy hashtags '#guyswithink' '/ #girlswithink'. I digress.

What this means for downriver is The Return of the Mack. In this case, the titular Mack is Elizabeth park. What these two amazing yet equally awful realizations mean to the three people who read this blog is this : you will end up at Elizabeth Park at some point in the next sixth months and at many points you will encounter Elizabeth Park new comers. It's a mere fact. We must embrace it, not run from it.

As a long-time Elizabeth Park local since it's inclusion to the downriver skatepark scene in late 2006, before the "C ledge" and the "A-Frame" were bestowed lovingly by Wayne County park officials and before it's 2008-2009 hey-days, it is my duty to attempt to educate the masses on the proper use of one of Downriver's top three wretched hives of scum and villainy (in order : Southgate/Lincoln Park as a hole, Front Row, Elizabeth Park).

As a wise man named George Costanza once said, "we're living in a society", and a society itself is governed by rules. There are a set of rules posted by the Wayne County Parks commission at Elizabeth Park. However, these are not the rules that should be posted. There are a set of rules and guidelines, unwritten in format, of which should be followed in accordance to one stepping foot onto the smooth square of relatively crack-less concrete (with one major exception, but I will get to that).

Note: when traversing the area between the grass bordering The Road and onto the lighter colored, uneven cement before the actual skateparks borders, one must beware. This area should be looked upon in the same way that International Waters between policed and governed territories are : this is a lawless land. It is not used for anything. The grass prior to it is governed by Elizabeth Park's rules and guidelines. The skatepark after it is governed and policed by the skateparks guidelines and rules (below). The patch of uneven concrete is merely a point of no return. Perhaps it could be looked at as a mental preparation zone, or perhaps similar to the infamous Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. If the skatepark is West Berlin and the grass East Berlin, this section of concrete is the Berlin Wall itself. No one stopped of their own accord on their trip over the Berlin Wall, or turned back while half way over. Please keep this in mind in the case you or someone you are with has forgotten something important in the car on the other side of the grass. When you've gotten this far into your mental, emotional, or perhaps even spiritual journey, you mustn't turn back immediately. The promised land is just over the horizon of the former tennis court nets. Catch your breath while stomping the mud off of your kicks, prepare yourself to follow the listed guidelines below, and press on. You're almost there.

Now your persistency has paid off. You've arrived, board in hand. This is the moment of truth. You've stepped forth into a land judged by rules unlike any other municipality you have likely ventured. If you are a responsible human being, you are most likely surveying the scene to understand these rules. However, as this article exists, not everyone has the mental fortitude to attempt to survey the norms held by the population before diving in (dick) head first.

Below is a chart which dictates the obstacles, the flow of foot traffic, skateboard traffic, cigarette smoker traffic, non-skateboarder traffic, and parent-non-skateboarder traffic. These rules have never before been written, let alone in such a constitutional declaration for those of is uninitiated into skatepark-localism. Study them. Enjoy them. Abide by them. Thank you. Enjoy the skatepark.


Click to enlarge, print off, and study. Chart courtesy of myself, bitch.





There will be additions soon.

Skate of the Union

Me Rn




Alright, so. Ya know how at the beginning of every year, the president gives that address that basically sums up what happened last year, and what will happen in the coming 12 months, and everyone's watching Walking Dead and refreshing Instagram instead of paying attention? Ay, it's alright. I'm guilty of both, but what I think is a really interesting thought is the idea that perhaps skateboarding is deserving of such discussion. It's the beginning of the year (yes I know it's April, but, we're out here in the first quarter still, son, therefore it's the beginning), and one can only imagine that a lot of us are finally getting some sunlight and shedding that damn Zooey Deschanel complexion we've garnered since December in favor of a more Carhartt-like bronze (side note, much like Ghostface once claimed that the only person able to claim dressing as well as him was Slick Rick, the only person fuckin' with the grand exalted Schendelini, master of the pepperoni and grey hair, is one Evan Hutchings).

Same color as the pants, g



As much as many people eye roll at the inclusion of a Lil Wayne pro model shoe being made by a skate shoe company (term is loosely used) on skate shop walls (there has to be a shop out there desperate enough to put those on the wall), the fact is this: skateboarding is dividing into two halves.

What I mean by this is as follows : the "big" skateboard companies, hard goods or otherwise, are getting bigger. Nike SB seems to have no problem flying their first round draft picks all across the world and putting them up in 6-star hotels, adding to their roster yearly, and apparently enough money to make some skate shoes that no one in their right mind would buy. One can assume that the original incarnation of the Omar Salazar pro model, the Gino Iannucci favored Challenge Court, and even, to a lesser extent, the Veloce (The Mayor has a pair that he doesn't even wear) must have been a nice tax-write off for the multi-zillion dollar company. It doesn't matter if no one buys some of their shoes they put out, as they make damn near everything. Likewise with Adidas (someone on the three stripes design team must really dislike Silas, as all of his models look gross compared to the rest of their catalog), Supra, and some other companies. As far as hard goods companies go, it's strange to imagine Tony Hawk's company as an under-dog in the situation when around 15 years ago, everyone's first board was a Birdhouse. DLX seems to be one of the biggest companies in that field, and thank Gos those guys love skateboarding and "keep it real." But aside from the sporting goods companies, what else is there?

Not quite sure what I was expecting



There is a unnervingly long list of companies that are run out of major to "semi-major" distributions that "keep it real" whose contributions to skateboarding include sponsoring your favorite mid-90's hero's third run at a comeback, or who puts out fantastic videos, that I have come to the conclusion only exist in the sense that they are a front for drug cartels or money laundering organizations. They always end up having their catalogs posted on skateboard message boards, or are shared on Facebook and Instagram for likes and comments. The comments are always as follows:

"Haven't had a _____ board in a while. Totally am/was gonna/would/consider buy/buying one of those if they make it to the local shop / if they don't have any ____ boards / if they made that in an 8.25 / if they made it in a fun, wacky, antiqued fish shape (side note - pour some out for American Antique) / (apparently) if its not a red-top board / if only their wood didn't suck."

Pick and choose what to fill the blanks with. You know these companies exist, we've all said his before. It's ridiculous that Slap actually has this thing where people (read : a coalition) are supposed to band together to buy Board X the next chance they get in a grass roots attempt to keep Board X Company going.

It's really a collective circle jerk, but what on Slap isn't?




A lot of these companies can only coast by on their laurels, fair-weather 'support' groups (liking X-company /& X-Pro but constantly skating Y-Company Boards) and their core-points for so long. I'd love to be skating a east coast style hero board, or the more-core sister board company to Zumiez' hottest board company, or a "east coast powerhouse who skated to the same song twice in two different videos"' board, but I'm not going to fool myself. I either won't be, because board company A doesn't exist in this area, board company B barely existed at all for a few years there, and board company C has the absolute worst wood this side of Dwindle Distribution. Therefore, a lot of these companies that I've alluded to are very much in danger of shutting down, leaving us with the companies that stay afloat either because their boards are unanimously the shit (DLX) or because their over-hyped video offerings change skateboarding for better or worse (Crailtap, Kayo, NHS, etc). These companies are in danger, unless....

Yep. The company name was gonna be Costanza Skateboards. Patent-pending.



Unless they downsize. In the past few years, new companies have been popping up like the flowers outside your window right now (Polar, 3D, Fucking Awesome, Alex Olson's company [Kinda refuse to type Bianca Chandon tbh ; it will be referred to in this post As AOCKRTBC], Politic, Magenta, etc etc). This right here is why skateboarding is awesome. A friend of mine and myself were brainstorming about starting a board company ourselves, recently. The reason we ultimately decided to scrap the idea was simple : there are so many rad little companies started exactly the way we planned on starting it by like minded individuals that truly love skateboarding and want to give back to it as much as possible, by attempting to fill a void that arguably may or may not be there in terms of board graphics and image and videos ; There are so many companies I decided we simply respected too much, especially local companies, that we didn't want to take money out of their pocket by putting it into ours.

The reason the companies I listed above are so damn rad is because you can feel the love in the product. You can feel the good vibes emanating out. A lot of the people who own these companies, especially some of the really small ones, local ones, and newly minted ones actually have to work a real job in order to support themselves and their family. They don't cut corners on their shoes or on their wood, because they invasion thief target market as people like them. These companies definitely were created with speaking to themselves, to a degree. For example; when me and my friend were thinking about our company, we were less concerned with our boards selling out immediately to little kids (don't get me wrong, the kids are the future, and their parents money is really what keeps the industry afloat), but mainly, we wanted to make a product that we would be stoked on ourselves (obviously trying to think about these things without a bias was difficult. The brainstorming sessions often ended with several long-winded pats on our back because we were so proud of ourselves... Psyche), and that's what these companies do.

Companies like Magenta, Politic, Palace, Polar, AOCKRTBC, Traffic, etcetera stay afloat because they make a relatively small amount of boards. This means a few things:

1 - they can actually focus on their graphics.
This is because paying freelance/company artists (however small their premium is) for making, say, 25-40 boards (in the case of something like a Crailtap or DLX company) quickly adds up. Also, the bane of many wall board collectors' existence, the logo-board, is consistently more popular than a pro model board (side note : one thing I always thought was cool that Crailtap did was NEVER make logo boards, with the exception of their 20th anniversary one-off boards. This ensures that anyone buying a Crailtap board is also putting some money into one of their pros' pockets... Their boards and graphics are still ass, of course). Logo boards are often carry-overs, often featuring iconic graphics, and carry a higher profit margin for the company, due to not having to pay for a professional endorsement. Also, when a company, for example, Politic, puts out a new catalog and each pro gets 2/3 boards (this is fact, there are a few one-offs and one series graphic), this means that the artists designing these boards for the professionals usually create work that is much more in-depth, for lack of a better word. My most recent wall-board pick up, the Durante Purple Tape, for example, would be a VERY quick graphic to make in Photoshop/Illustrator/whatever ... But it's so sick because Durante wouldn't get that graphic unless he's a big enough fan of Wu-Tang to delve into their solo artist work and the designer wouldn't have made the graphic unless he himself loved Only Built For Cuban Linx and understands what "The Purple Tape" means to a lot of people. This is much more effective in standing out (read: "speaking to") to a potential customer than a company that makes 5/10/15 boards for the certain hot pro, and essentially making ass-graphics that no one will remember in a month and a half. Who will be in their 40's, reminiscing about that one Mike Mo board with the Girl logo on it, as opposed to reminiscing about, say, the Zach Lyons Magenta board with the Minor Threat nod?

2 - they have a smaller distribution (in a good way)
Not flooding the market is important. Skateboarders have always, at least in my perspective, been about not being the same as the dude next to you. For example, I feel like if a few dudes in your crew are running the Janoski's hard core, many would be less inclined to picking up a pair of said boat shoes. The fact that many smaller companies are in such high demand is because many people know that they will be getting a quality product, as well as cool guy points (if you're the only dude at the spot with a Traffic, you might as well be the mayor himself). When my friend and I were tallying up costs for getting boards made, we imagined getting boards made through a reliable, solid distribution company, which would significantly shrink our profits... But we knew that if we ordered the right number, we wouldn't have too much stock or too little stock, which would hopefully create a demand. When these companies' stock sells out (literally emptying their supply, not the negative term), that profit right there goes to their riders, graphic guys, and making the next runs, not necessarily to a marketing guy/team manager/staff filmer/staff photographer/web guy/web clip editor/social media manager/etc.

Skateboarding is so rad. it's rad because I believe we will be seeing a strange shift in the industry very similar to the economy today. The bigger companies will continue to expand as they have the large distribution to mall stores/over seas/money to pay people not to work a real job/etc, but so will the smaller companies, for the exact opposite reasons. The companies whose owner is the graphic guy, the web guy, the filmer, the artist, and the investor will thrive, because these companies are in it more for the love of doing something extra for a hobby they love, and are funding it with their own money made from working a 9-5.

I love all of you.

"See you in the streets." - Adam Howard

Post Daewon Interview Bull

Obviously, I somehow got the chance to interview Daewon Song about his 2012 trip to Detroit. If you haven't gotten a chance to check it out, go do that. It's literally right there. Thanks go out to Instagram and Daewon himself, for allowing a Downriver kid in an ankle cast a chance to interview a skateboarder he idolized growing up. This idolization, especially during his Deca/Artafact/picnic table phase may have eventually lead to my ill-fated attempt at the haircut that people on the Internet refer to as 'The Driver'. Note to self : next time you attempt to fade your haircut, Allen, make sure you have enough hair. Otherwise, you'll end up looking Chaldean, or Daewon mid-noseblunt, but with glasses, a chain smoking and insane caffeine addiction and overweight.
ANYWAYS, I know I made a post about a few of these things, but, I'm going to condense them and add to them, in the hopes of possibly getting the word out a little bit more.

1--- Video Interviews
As all three of the readers of this blog know, White Bread has been interviewing some of the local skateboarders. Originally, I wanted Reed to have a print interview. He's my best friend and one of my favorite skateboarders, regardless of his inability to know if he actually went of the hydrant he thinks he went over. However, when I asked him to sit down and respond to the same questions I asked everyone else, he decided that it would be more interesting, and at least funny, if he got drunk and answered different, Mayoral specific questions in a video interview. Part one of that interview is embedded below. Topics covered include such pressing questions as our 15 megabytes of fame, questionable raver-centric drugs, Ryan Schendel stories, and more.

WBS Video Interview: Reed Morris Pt. 1 of 2 from Allen Dillard on Vimeo.

A few of my friends expressed that they wanted me to do the same sort of interview that I did with them, and while I wanted to, I felt very similar about writing answers to myself that one of the people I reached out to did : it just felt very strange, especially the whole writing an introduction about the interviewee, being myself. I definitely didn't write out "I've known Allen for 23 years, and he's the bees knees." So, The Mayor decided that I should do the same sort of interview that he did. I originally intended on doing it sober, but after concluding filming his interview, sitting down and looking into a camera while trying not to acknowledge it's existence and being nonchalant seemed terrifying. So, after downing three beers and smoking about six-seven American Spirits, I sat down in The Mayors lazy boy, grabbed my thigh for dear life, and answered some of The Mayors questions, including questions about my trip to Chicago, skating on chemicals slightly removed from speed, and Ryan Gosling. Part one embedded below.



2--- Babanga Promo
The Whitebread Crew has been working on a video follow up to Secret Society, and by that I mean it's been very organic, and we really never stopped filming. That statement sounds really corny, but its true. Original statements had been made that the video would come out at the end of 2014, but, upon being off of my board and forced to do nothing but sharpie ugly-colored sale shoes black and capture the 50 or so DV tapes filled with footage, it has become more and more obvious to those involved that the video is readier than expected (readier in the same way that Orwell penned "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"). So, a projected release date would have to be sometime during the summer months. People having parts include Adam Howard, John Alley, Brad Smith, Allen Dillard, Ryan Schendel, Reed Morris, Hayden Conflitti, Mike Hale, Ivan Afanasyev, and Caleb Lafreniere. The online promo is embedded below. Word up to the god John Carpenter and Kurt Russell.

WhiteBreadSkateboarding : Babanga Promo from Allen Dillard on Vimeo.

3--- Throwback Tapes Episode One
In an attempt to stay sane, and happening as a happy accident that came with capturing double digit amounts of miniDV tapes, I accidentally captured a tape of footage that ended up in the Sewer and Christmas 2011 montages. I edited out some of the less interesting footage for ease of the eye. Call it a rip off of those French Fred clips on the Thrasher site, it's a little behind the scenes glimpse of what we were up to at around this time two years ago, or during 'The Winter That Never Came'. It's embedded below and there will hopefully be more of them if I ever get my capture camera from the good homie John Alley.

WBS Throwback Tapes Episode 1 : Winter '11 from Allen Dillard on Vimeo.

4--- Recess
Last and definitely not least, Cory Hagelstein's very first skate video is premiering at Refuge Skate Shop (24334 Michigan Ave., Dearborn MI) this Saturday, January 25th at 6pm. If you can make it out there, you should. The video will include video parts from Adam Howard, Joey Martinez, Scott Bankey, Ivan Afanasyev, Jared Howell and also a very Jamie Thomas-like Allen Dillard part (me and my friends used to joke that Jamie Tomas grows and shaves his hair every other day). Expect nothing but one of the raddest videos to come out of the downriver area (and an Ivan part). Copies of the video will be for sale at the premiere for $5, which is less than a pack of cigarettes. Show up, buy the video (read: donate your five bucks to the Cory Hagelstein needs a vacation foundation), skip my part, and have a good time. Premiere information promo link below.

http://youtu.be/0e1WVuGCB94

Whitebread Interview No. 10

Daewon Song



Photo : Marty Murawski via instagram

Daewon Song absolutely needs no introduction, he's been skateboarding for longer than I've been alive, as you no doubt know. So, as I've actually never met Daewon in person, I'm going to get all nostalgic for a minute and tell you about my first memories of seeing his footage. Before I even procured my first board, I was playing a LOT of Tony Hawk 2, and eventually ended up on Kazaa, searching "skateboarding." The first video I ended up seeing was Rodney VS Daewon Round 2, and I was blown away by everything I saw. My pre-teen brain was blown away by literally EVERYTHING everyone did, and then Daewon's part started. Whereas Mullen blew my mind, simply because I had absolutely no idea what was going on, from being a video game skate nerd, I knew what Daewon was doing, and he was doing it on those things me and my friends ate lunch on. A week later I got my first board. So, everyone, here it is : Number ten.
- Allen Dillard




Pivot Fakie - Photo : Shier


Have you ever been to Detroit before the DVS trip, and, if so, could you detail some of those experiences?
I think once back in 1994 for a demo. I always remember the people! There's a lot of heart and soul out in D town. I was only there for a day, but the second time around was amazing and I was able to skate some of the amazing spots! I gotta give it up to all the positivity out there and inspiration to keep pushing forward regardless of how hard things can get.

How did the DVS trip come up? Was there any specific moment that convinced you, as well as everyone else, to come out this way?
I think that Shier and DVS were planning it for a while, and we knew we could go somewhere that doesn't get as much hype or as many teams going out there... it was really worth it!

Was there anyone who was asked to go on the trip that didn't, possibly because of the sort of reputation Detroit has?
No , everyone was down! When you've grew up around that stuff it just sounds like a steroid version of where I grew up already so Me and everyone were in from the start!



Blunt kickflip to fakie. TSM Cover. Photo : Matt Price

Although you're from California, you've never really screamed the "west coast" stereotype to me, however, Detroit seemed like a strange trip for you to hop on, in a good way. What were you expecting from the city, be it the spots, locals, crime, etcetera? What had you heard about the city prior to you coming here?
Well, I hate traveling but Detroit sounded fun! Rough spots and I had heard a lot about areas that were ghost towns, and a lot of crime here and there. For me, all of this sounded normal to where I grew up... but when I got to certain parts it was insane! I love all the skaters out there that stay positive and keep doing what they love, despite the drama that they may be facing! It was really a pleasure meeting all the locals.

As Koston put it in your epicly later'd, it's pretty well known that the majority of your video parts have been filmed in the surrounding areas. Considering that Barcelona and China, as well as other locales are so in vogue right now, what made you decide to come out to Detroit during the latter part of the warmer season?
First off it's no where near as far as china, hahaha! I was curious to see the spots, and I just wanted to just represent for DVS, since we had went through a tough patch. What better place to go to than an area that is all about hope and rebuilding and heart! I loved it out there.



Not the cover, but just as sick. Frontside Blunt. Photo via Matix France

Can you talk a little about the cover you shot while you were here? I specifically remember going to the local shop to get the magazine for the article, and ended up getting even more stoked once I realized it was a Michigan cover too.
That spot was amazing! They showed me a picture of it, and it was the one in the front, but when we got there we couldn't skate that one because people were working! But we ended up going to the far back one and it was so fun! A lot harder then it looks from the ground ! The locals know.

Speaking of which, the Skateboard Mag article was built around that amazingly awful T-Baby song, and I know everyone in the group was from different parts of the world, but it wasn't really that cold, was it?
For me it was! I came with just a couple of tank tops and a long sleeve! Hahaha, I was freezing, but with the proper gear , your all good! Still cold though.

Did you get to sample any Midwest-only donut chains while you were out here? Sorry that they don't have Dunkin Donuts out in CA.
Just Dunkin Donuts, but not the golden gems of donut shops out there! Hope to next time!




After The Streets closed, Chiips has the best mini ramp worth driving to. Daewon knows. Stolen from some random Instagram

How did you like the Hart Plaza manual pad? Be honest, it's the best isn't it?
That manny pad is amazing and I wish I could have got something there! I was a little hurt on the trip and I have trouble filming in big groups which limits me! I gotta get over that nervousness...

We got to experience high top fade Daewon, picnic table and bench over roof Daewon, full on crazy street spot Daewon, mini ramp Daewon, and even trees and rocks Daewon. Is traveling to dilapidated areas going to become your next 'phase'? Perhaps "most dangerous cities Daewon?"
Hahahhaha that would be amazing! I think my next quest is gonna be to spread fun and try things I was afraid to try! Maybe tricks people make fun of, or things I was afraid to try four years ago... and to just lurk in dangerous areas hahah!


When I was younger, I used to look up all the major companies' summer tour schedules, and the majority of them would only get as close as Chicago to us. Being someone who's been involved in the industry for over twenty years, why do you think that is?
I think maybe the shops that the companies were affiliated with at the time were more local and bought more of the local brands... which is a terrible reason but you know how that goes. I think times have changed, and you gotta get out to every damn area for the kids! I mean, people fly to China for a ledge! Hahahha.


On the flip side of that, in the past few years, there have been more and more companies venturing out this way (Emerica held Wild in the Streets 2012 here, Jahmal Williams and Joel Meinholz held that Bum Rush the Spot event here in 2011, Thrasher's Skate Rock last year, Dave Caddo, Suciu and Gall, a Jake Johnson solo trip and some others that are slipping my mind). Why do you think that is?
I think people love the experience they got when they were there, like I got with the locals! I was inspired by how bad some people can have it and they acted like they are the luckiest person in the world just hanging out at a demo! Me and a lot of people can learn a lot about the value of life out there! I think people have been spreading the word about Detroit, the spots, good people, and amazing feeling of being in the city!

Can you talk a little bit about how everyone felt about the trip? Who would you say was feeling the city and the surrounding areas the most? Got any good stories about the trip?
I think everyone was excited and of course a little lost at times, but that's because were tourists hahah! We all had an amazing time and the photos that we got out there stand out from so many places because of how amazing Detroit looks!



According to Daewon, everyone had a good time, so, here's Zack Wallin having a good time.

Finally, did you have fun? What was your favorite aspect of the trip to you? Are you planning on coming back, or was once enough?
I wanna go back for sure, and I was really happy and excited to hear about the DIY park they were doing for the community that was pretty much gone and a ghost town! These are the things that inspire me and will help build the love and motivation for all the people!




Schendel will be stoked on the amount of Blunts in this article. Blunt to fakie at Chiips.

Thanks again to Daewon, The DVS Team whose Instagrams I stole photos from (as well as other ransoms), and the internet for allowing this to happen.

Recess Round Table: Part Two

Recess around Table Pt. 2

Last week 'we' 'sat down' with Cory Hagelstein, the man behind the lens of Recess and asked him some questions to try and better understand him and the making of what should be a very good video. This week, we bring you the second part of what 'we' decided to call the Recess Round Table, a group of small interviews with those involved in it's production. Think of these interviews as a group discussion, much like a DVD commentary. I can only hope you find what might be one of the last print interviews to be enjoyable. Hopefully this project will be profitable to the video by building anticipation and interest. Thanks to all involved.
-Allen Dillard





Who is your favorite person to film?
My favorite person to film would have to be Ivan. It's fun hauling ass trying to keep up with him. Plus his style is on point.

Do you have a favorite filmer?
Yoan Taillandier for sure.

What about a favorite editor or editing style?
My favorite editing style would have to be what John Cowart or Spandakill do on YouTube. It's funny how they put it together, but it's not like a mess around montage, if that makes since. I also like Jimmy's (MiSkateage on YouTube) editing style. He is crazy with editing, his stuff is always entertaining. Mad props to him!

Obviously you've made a million edits, from full video parts to montages of varying lengths and editing styles. What's the one you're most proud of, and why?
I'd have to say I'm most proud of my KOTA edit from this year. I'm really satisfied how it came out. I went in to it with a plan to shoot a bunch of B side shots on my phone, and obviously film a bunch with the VX. So it was really rad to see how it came out in the end.

What can we expect from the Recess video?
A part from Weezy F Baby, and a soundtrack featuring Ace of Base & Young Scooter.

How did you come up with the title?
I was sitting in algebra 2 and the thought about names popped in my head. I couldn't think of anything. All of the sudden, this kid out in the hall screamed "recess" and ran out of the building. I was just like, yes, that's it. There's not a release date as of right now. But I'm thinking of sometime in January 2014.

Who's blowing it?
Everyone, especially Allen Dillard.

Who's killing it?
Me.

Who's part are you looking forward to most?
I'm really stoked on Ivan's part. Like I said, his style is on point and the stuff that he skates it super sick. Wallie wallie wallie pole jam wallie... It seems like he's happy with what he has, I think he just needs an ender and that's it!

What is your motivation?
Biggby hazelnut roast, re-tweets and favorites.

How long have you been working on Recess for?
12 years. Going on 13.

Will Ivan's part be ALL wallies/wall rides?
UOENO.





I'd say the differences between my video (Model Mouth) and Recess is that I just filmed whatever, really, and just kinda threw stuff together. I don't know much on how to edit videos, where as cory just kills it at filming, editing and getting perfect colors. His film will be more professional.




When we were filming Efil, we weren't thinking about it as a video really. It wasn't anything serious, it was just us skating and having fun with a camera. In both of my parts im just doing me! Having fun and trying to fuck some shit up. I never stressed out much about tricks besides maybe this wallride line I wanted to film ; I had to go to the spot three different times to get it. Im looking forward to Joeys part because that fool does some crazy ass shit out of nowhere and its amazing.

Some people just need to get their shit together and get out and get shit done more. Fuck, too many people influence me. I cant really choose favorites, as for the tricks yes, I see people do shit that looks sick and I learn it ; Friends and skateboarding in general is my motivation. I think everyones fucking shit up man, Joey, Scott, Jared, Corys killing it with filming and skating but he needs to start doing a little more of both if you ask me, haha.

It's been about a year now since we started working on the video, if not more.
I'm excited for everyones part man, it should be sick as fuck... and no Adam my part won't be all wallies and wallrides. I threw in some kickflips just for you.



Efil was definitely an unexpected project. From what I remember, I'd Just pull my camera out and film stuff, or if I had a line I'd hand the camera over to someone and make them film me, haha.
For Recess, being that it's been two years in the making, it'll probably the first actual video that will show my potential In the skate world. It's like the icing on the cake, because most skaters might not ever put out a video that will premiere to potential strangers (if the premiere is that big). It's also a more serious process for me... like planning, I really hate that cause when you plan things out sometimes they don't work out, and that can make me fustrated. Also, with the stuff I have for Recess, it is something I'm totally proud of. I worked hard and it shows that if I keep working I'll be even better next time.
For recess it was serious but it's ending in a non serious way, we really haven't gone out since early October to get clips but I only need a few more clips, but it's snowed already so who knows. I have a emergency ender just in case.

For Babanga, I was gonna just have fun and let the tricks come to me, but I think after recess since I'll have a break from filming (due to Dillard being in surgery and winter months) I wanna take it more serious. Skating is the only thing I can actually do sorta ok, so why not give it my all again? Also, I already filmed some good stuff for Babanga, but if anything is different [between filming for Babanga and Recess] it is that we've travelled to different states, and the spots that Dill[ard] takes us to aren't always the easiest spots to skate, which is good, because you have to think to get a trick. Also I like the 'pass the camera along system' for we've used for Babanga. Everyone can get stuff, even Dill can get stuff done.

The hardest moment getting a trick was at wood chip gap. It took at least 8 trips going there to actually get one trick throughout two years and I finally ended up getting it this summer, along with another trick that luckily came during that eighth session, and also I had to deal with a broken toe during filming.

I'm excited for Joeys part. As for my part... Haha, you know we got the Dylan look, then we got a little Austyn, and now I look normal.



Filming for Ain't Nothin' Better, Great Lakes Great Times, Spazzatura and Symbiosis were all interesting experiences... each part represents a different phase of my life. ANB was the first video I had the opportunity to be a part of, so that is memorable in itself. I was also in my first two years of college, so I was younger and dealing with the "college transition" at the time. I also had to deal with my dad's passing, so the completion of it felt like my chance to begin a new phase in my life. The 1% video was sick because I had the chance to start skating with a lot of the local guys I grew up looking up to. Garrett, Bobby, Flaugher, Jamie were all inspirational to me in one way or another, so to be in the same video as them was rad. 1% was also my first product based sponsor, so it was nice to help support the OPP (RIP?). Spazzatura was filmed while I was filming for the 1% video as well as my last two years of college, so I was dealing with a lot of field experience classes in schools and skating took a backseat. Scartzel was originally going to have ender, but he didn't have a "last trick," and I was lucky enough to find enough time during the fall of 2011 to film enough stuff to have the last part again. I'd say I worked the hardest on that part, and I'm most proud of that one so far. Symbiosis was originally supposed to be a Jeremy/Dale Decker part, but Dale had more footage with Jackson Thursby, so Jeremy ended up using a lot of my "throwaway" footage for that part. I like the editing/song choice a lot in that part and it was during my blonde hair/Gosling obsession phase. Strange times for sure, but Jeremy did a super sick job with that part. I was stoked to be a part of a collaborative project like that with some of Michigan's finest.

Filming for Recess in comparison to ANB, GLGT, Spazz, and Symbiosis comes down to the fact that I'm super lazy and blowing it. Cory and I haven't really been out skating as much as I have been out with Jeremy for Ruff Ryderz 3. Cory and everyone else in Recess are strictly fun-first type skateboarders, so it's never a "mission" to go out and get tricks, which is how it should be, but you know how that goes.

When it comes down to the differences between the filmers I've worked with, it mostly comes down to comfort. Jeremy [Cooper] is my best friend, so he knows how to motivate and push me to get through a trick because of how long we've been skating together. Working with [Allen Dillard], Cory, Pat [Miller], and anyone else isn't weird by any means, but it can be different in the sense that Jeremy knows exactly how I might react when falling, or even when my board is going to head directly for his lens (sorry for hitting your cameras soooooooooooooooo many times). It breaks down like so:

Jeremy: Knows how to push me without being a "skate coach". My go-to guy.
Cory: We trippy/hyphy
Allen: Eye for aesthetics/also trippy
Pat: Will push you to reach your full potential by always providing his input. Often results in your line looking 99% different from what you wanted (not bad)
Jim [Tumey]: Will take you to fresh spots/also an eye for aesthetics
Kyle [Eby]: Hijinx...(see "Sponsor Me 2012" on his Youtube page)

I hope that when RR3, Babanga and Recess are done it shows how much fun I had working on each project. RR3 has had most of my focus lately, so that will probably show a lot of tricks I had to really work for while filming. You'll definitely see a lot of feeble variations, basic flip tricks, and a gap or two... maybe even a rail! I did try and throw in a few surprises, though. Recess and Babanga might show the calmer side of me, if that makes any sense. I enjoy trying to get the most out of spots and to skate them in unique ways. Unfortunately, Recess will probably be mostly extra RR3 footage, but I'm still stoked on that stuff regardless. I just hope Cory is as well.

The parts I'm looking forward to the most by video:
RR3: Donny [Stock] and Kenny Walsh. Kenny might be the best skateboarder period.
Recess: Scotty, because I've seen him progress so much since I've known him.
Babanga: [Ryan] Schendel (if he gets off the Mortal Kombat kick). I personally think he's the most underrated skateboarder in MI.

I will have definitely have a full part in RR3, and I'm trying my best to have as much footage as possible in Recess and Baganga, at least enough to split a part for each video... I think I actually have more footage for Babanga than Recess, but as of now, I'm content with the footage I've gotten for each project. Cold War just came out and it's definitely inspired me to try and get a lot of single tricks, even though I like lines more.

I have way too many skateboarders that I could say have influenced me. Chris Troy sticks out because of the bigpsins and 270 variations, and I also could say Nate Broussard['s style and trick selection] has always been easy on the eyes. [Mike] Carroll for the feebles... everyone knows I love feebles on ledges now. Locally, Justin Zimmerman is absolutely killing it.

My motivation is to simply have fun and push myself to be the best I can be on my board. At this point, I NEVER would have imagined being where I am now with skateboarding. I love it to death and never want to stop. Roll forever for those who can't.

As far as who's killing it, I already told you Zimmerman and Donny are killing it. Robby Pauli is coming up, and that Nixon Dixon dude is killing everyone right now. There are also a lot of younger dudes that are going to be in a video called "Days at Large" and I've seen some of the stuff they are doing...unreal. Vinnie Mango 4 Prez though.

Who's blowing it? Easy, me. There are probably others, but I'm blowing it the most.

In regards to Recess, I've been filming for it since spring 2012 (see, blowing it), and I'm most excited to see Scotty and Joey's parts. Jared Howell is also going to kill it.

And to confirm rumors, Ivan's part WILL be ALL wallrides. You heard it first. Recess is different because it's just a bunch of friends out on their skateboards having fun on the playground...just like Recess.

This whole article ended up being so awesome to work on, even if it ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I can easily say I am a fan of all of these guys and I'm definitely inspired by everything they do. Go to the premiere. Also, my computer has taken a shit on me, so some of the surprises I spoke of in the past will have to wait. Sorry.