Recess Round Table Pt. 1

Cory Hagelstein


Self portrait stolen from Cory's Facebook.

Cory Hagelstein is a damn good filmer and editor, and he rips too. I originally wanted to reach out to a few filmers in the area that I respect to interview them much in the way I've interviewed many skateboarders in the area that I respect. Cory was the first and only to respond, so, I decided to try and put together an article on his forthcoming video Recess that has been mentioned pretty often on the blog. This is the first part of what I've decided to call the Recess Round Table. This one deals with only Cory, the King Arthur of the round table, so to speak. The second part will be about everyone involved, including Cory, again.
-AD

"Don't slack. Film everything and anything."


Photo: Nick Williams

On Efil and 'COGSkatemedia':
I wish I could have been in Scott Bankey's Efil. I had no help with that video. That summer I was barely skating, I was really hooked on snowboarding and throughout the summer skateboarding never really appealed to me. I don't know why exactly, I think it was just a weird time in my life. Looking back that was dumb as hell, I feel like I missed out on a lot that summer. Recess is my first full length video that I've been working on since last year. It's going to come out this December.

Chronicles of Gnarnia was Scott, Joey and I's old skate media name. I honestly have no idea how we came up with that name. But for all of you wondering what "COGskatemedia" meant, now you know.

When did you start skating?
I started "skating" in 5th grade. I played all the Tony Hawk games and and thought skating was super sick. I really got into skating in the 6th grade when I met Scott Bankey and Jared Howell. We would skate at Summer Stephens park which was right by my old house.

What comes first to you: skating or filming?
Since I'm filming a full length video, filming comes first. But I love rolling around when I get the chance in between filming.

When did you get into filming?
I got into filming when I met Scott. He had this little handycam and it seemed like I was always using it more than him. I never really thought it would be something that would become a part of my life.

When making a video, what's your thought process? Do you have a certain technique or aesthetic that you try to have shine through?
Don't slack. Film everything and anything. I try to get the most footage I can so there's a bunch to mess around and edit with.

Have you ever had any close calls, horror stories, missed tricks, tape glitches, or happy accidents when filming for Recess?
Well filming with a VX, tape glitches are almost an everyday thing. I've had many lens hits, but nothing too serious. I can't think of the tricks I was filming, but I definitely remember a few times when my battery would die right as someone would try a trick, and of course they would land it. We would always go back and re-film it though. A good horror story is when I got a fisheye for my first camera. I was skating around with my long time friends Ross Babinski and Matty Grygorcewicz. We were riding down Matty's street and I had my camera and fisheye in my hand. I was rolling up a curb and I hit a stop rock. I literally chucked my fisheye at the ground and the front element shattered. I can't even describe how bummed I was. There's a happy ending though, I called the fisheye manufacturer and told them the ring that held the glass together was completely loose and the glass fell out when I put it on the camera. I sent back the fisheye and they sent me a new one! It seems like I was suppose to film a bunch of other people for my video, but it's like they fell of the face of the Earth.

"I give mad credit to HD filmers though..."


Cory and Joey Martinez. Photo : Balogh

On the flipside, what would be your proudest moment as a filmer?
Probably my proudest moment was when I got the VX1/MK1 setup. Nothing compares to the footage from a VX so I was proud to have it and actually make legit looking skate videos.

SD or HD? Why?
SD. You can't get that raw look with an HD camera... But it's 2013, tapes are becoming extinct and HD is taking over. I definitely see myself getting a new setup in the near future and it will most likely be HD. I give mad credit to HD filmers though, it seems like trying to get a nice looking picture on a HD camera is twice as hard getting one on a VX.

Do you have any regrets with how a video part turned out?
I've only really had one video part and that was in Joey Martinez's Model Mouth. That part was filmed in 3 nights so I wish I could of gotten more footy, but I'm a filmer and being in front of the camera is kinda weird.

How much of the footage you've filmed has came about through planning, and how much has came about by going out without having a set destination?
I think most of the footage I have gotten was just from going out and filming whatever. The only time I could of think when we went out through planning is when my camera was broke and everyone had a huge list of tricks they wanted to do.

"I'm already looking forward to filming my next video, and Recess isn't even done yet."


Ollie. Photo : Bankey

You've put together video parts for people before. What is the hardest part about, if there is one, about making a second, third, etc. video? Do you ever feel any sort of pressure to have the next one be 'better', per say, than the one prior?
Filming for Recess has been a huge learning experience with filming a full length (editors note: as opposed to filming something like Hockey Howard). I feel like I'll be way more prepared with my next video with a more solid line up of people and idea behind it. I'm already looking forward to filming my next video, and Recess isn't even done yet. But yeah, you definitely feel the pressure to make the next video a lot better. I feel like that's more on the skaters part though because they're the ones skating and I'm just pointing a camera and staying close.

When getting a line up together, how do you go about it? Is there anyone you've never filmed that you wish you would have?
I love to have all my close friends in the line up. I really base the line up with people I think deserve a part. I wish I could of filmed all the friends I have made with skateboarding, but that would be impossible.

Obviously, the filmers know what tricks were easiest and hardest to get. Do you have any stories about that, or any 'near makes', so to speak?
I've been out with my friends numerous times trying to get tricks that were insane. Plenty of times someone would be trying a trick and end up doing something else. I remember Ivan was trying a trick on this slanted ledge, and he must of fallen on his ass like 5 times in a row. He was so over it. I haven't been back to the spot since.

Who would you say is the hardest person you've filmed with to film, be it accurately capturing how fast someone was skating, keeping up with someone, being able to showcase how gnarly something actually is, etc. ?
I'd have to say it's tie between Joey and Ivan. They skate the weirdest/coolest shit and skate fast. Keeping up isn't a big deal, but with some of the stuff they skate is just like, "how the hell am I going to film this".

"I'm going to film BBW porn. Find me on xvideos."


Fisheye self portrait frame grab.

Finally, a notorious problem about how skateboarding transfers from in person to the TV screen - what spots would you say are notoriously hard to film, in order to show how hard it actually is to skate, like that phrase "That spot is so much harder to skate than it looks"?

I have never really faced a challenge with filming at a spot, wherever I have filmed always seemed pretty smooth and easy, or I would figure out a way to film it so it's easier. But one place I can think of that is hard as hell to film at is not a spot, but a skatepark instead. The Streets Skatepark was one of the trickiest places to film. I'm always jumping off my board and running around there while I'm filming. It almost seems like you're trying to dodge the ramps and rails as you're filming. I recently filmed a Berrics rip off for the park featuring the park's team rider, Justin Zimmerman, and I must of only been on my board for 5 seconds during the 60 second run. The rest of the time I was running around trying to keep a steady hand.

Do you think the DVD release is dead?
Not really. Having a hard copy of a video is always cool, but everyone is on YouTube now so online releases seem like a good idea.

What can we expect in the future?
After Recess I'm quitting with filming skateboarding. I'm going to film BBW porn. Find me on xvideos.

Part two next week.

White Bread Interview No. 9

Scott Braun



Self Portrait

Editors note : I did not feel comfortable writing an introduction to Scott's interview. Although I have skated with him numerous times, I have not spoken much to him. He isn't the kind of person who hangs out and skateboards, he just skates. There's something to be said about that. Perhaps the old cliche "He lets his skating do the talking" could fit. Therefore, I reached out to his best friend to write his introduction. Enjoy the read.

Scott Braun is rad. He has been riding his skateboard since 1988 and does not look to stop. I have had some of the best memories skating with Scott. The raddest sessions and the most laughs have been with him. He has progressed with skateboarding. He has adapted. Scottie will never be that "old dude" that talks about how rad skateboarding was and do "old school" tricks, instead he will shut his mouth land all
kinds of shit and have a smile on his face the whole time. Scott
belongs on a skateboard. When you see him ride you will see what I mean. I am honored to call him my best friend and here is to another 20 on our boards! Roll forever bro!
- Steve Durant

"I was only thirteen and my parents would have killed me."



360 Flip Up. Click to enlarge.

Skateboarding chose me. I won my first skateboard at a baseball banquet when I was eleven. It was a red Powell Peralta Skull and Sword model with white Tracker trucks and Slimeball wheels.

At the corner of my street was an elementary school with a few waxed parking blocks. I would skate those and then there was a stair that we would do “lip tricks” on... kinda a lost art but I’d spend hours doing nosepick shuvits and pivot type tricks. Also at this time jump ramp skating was in and we would build those and skate them.

"Skateboarding chose me."



Frontside Tailslide over the hip. Click to enlarge

Not long after I won that board the kids that I grew up with on my street got boards. They skated for a year or two and then moved on to other things. Around that time skatings popularity took a nose dive and most kids quit. There were a few older kids that stuck with it and they took me under their wing. Thanks Danny Shane Done and Steve. I skated with these guys till I was around 15 or so and then they got busy with other things. The only one that I think still skates is Anthony “T” Bushey (Editors note : The person whom the "T" gap at Hart Plaza is named after). He lived not far from me and we have kept in touch somewhat but he now resides in California. Since then for good or bad most of the friends that I have had in my life have been contingent with skateboarding. I would befriend a new group of guys that skated, I’d hang with them for a few years, they’d quit and I’d move on to different group from maybe a different time. Eventually, I met JP, Steve, and Aaron through T and have been good friends with them for probably the last 15 years or so.

Looking back a few defining moments stand out. I remember when I was about twelve my dad built me a bank/jump ramp. We had it in the back yard. One day I was skating it with a kid from down the street. All of a sudden a gang of neon clad skateboard warriors barged down the street, there must of been close to twenty of them, they saw my ramp and came through each took a few runs and they were gone. I was star struck at the time and yearned to be a part of that gang. Another memorable time when I knew that this was for me was driving in my cool older friend’s beat ass Camaro to a half in Detroit. I was sitting on some home speakers that he had for a back seat and Suicidal Tendencies was blasting through them. Pieces of the car were falling off and you could look down and see the freeway through the floorboards and there was no other place I would have rather been. I was only thirteen and my parents would have killed me. They thought I was just skating around the neighborhood.

"...you definitely felt a strong bond with anyone who skated."



Frontside Smith Grind, with a Mike Carroll-like hand. Click to enlarge.

I try to skate a few times a week. This year I have been battling a few injuries and am stubborn when it comes to seeing doctors, so I haven’t been able to skate as much as I’d like. With having a family and a job I have to be a little more efficient in my skating. I can’t jump in a car and drive around for five hours and hit a few spots, but I can go to a skatepark and skate for an hour and a half pretty easily. I feel very fortunate that there have been some parks built within the last few years. I think shifting to being more of a park skater has allowed me to skate and progress for a few extra years. I’m not 360 flipping down a gap anymore, but enjoy switch 360 flipping over a little hip just as much.

Sometime in the nineties there was a shift in skate videos that was kinda interesting. In the early nineties you would watch videos as a way to learn tricks. Videos today are totally entertainment. Around here no one really skated then. With that there were good and bad things : If you saw some guy with Vans or Airwalks on you could walk up to him and talk about skating with him. Skating was so dead than that you definitely felt a strong bond with anyone who skated.

"...it has never and never will change."



Frontside Ollie. Click to enlarge.

I can honestly say that I gave skating my all. I can’t look back and say that I wished I would have tried harder when I was younger, or even at 37. It bums me out when I see skaters either my age or younger that are just “cruising” or have made a conscious decision to skate “old school”. Skating for me has always been about progression. I could be an old fart that carves bowls, and I do have a mean slash grind, but until I can’t flip my board, I’m still gonna flip it. Skating is rad because you can try a trick for sometimes years and then something will click.
Probably one of the last things that I thought was rad was Jason Jessee’s Cons ad. He could be on Cons just because he is Jason Jessee, but he lost some pounds and put out a pretty good little welcome video.

Being a dad hasn’t really changed my outlook. Obviously my kids and family our priority number one. I am very lucky in that I have an awesome wife who basically does about 90 percent of the homelife stuff. She just ran in the Detroit marathon, so she understands what it is like to be passionate about something.

As far as skating goes it has never and never will change. As with anything else its your perception that changes. I would have to say that sometimes skaters take an elitist attitude with skating that I don’t like. I think skateboard does have a unique subculture to it, but I would never hang on to skateboarding just to be a part of it or be a spectator to it. Once I can’t do it anymore, I’m sure I’ll find other interests. While I’m on my soapbox I’ll also take a shot at skaters who define it by what they do. In other words skating is all about carving and finding lines in a pool says the old pool skater or skateboarding is all about skating gaps and rails says the young skater with good knees. Both are right and wrong, because again it goes back to one’s perception.

"...and I do have a mean slash grind..."




The mean slash grind. Click to enlarge.

Thank you to Scott Braun for being kind enough to answer these questions, Steve Durant for writing up a worthy introduction and Bren Sungahid for giving me the idea. We still have some things coming down the pipeline, including a special surprise from Scott Braun. Sorry there's been such a delay on these interviews. Go skate.

White Bread Interview No. 8

Steve Durant




Portrait Courtesy of Facebook. Click to enlarge.

I love Steve Durant. I can honestly say that he's one of the most positive, energetic, and down to earth people out there, and he's always got an interesting story to tell. Seeing him up at the skatepark is one of life's finer pleasures, as he will get you sparked to skate. When I started asking people to do these interviews, Steve was one of the first people to pop into my head, and with good reason. If you graduated high school in the 2000's, he has been skateboarding longer than you've been alive. The best thing about this interview is it goes hand in hand with the last interview. Steve mentions the dentist office spot that Ryan would always ask his dad to go to so he could watch the skateboarders, and Ryan would eventually go on to be taught by Mr. Durant in highschool. Steve and the other downriver skateboarders from that generation may indirectly have inspired Schendel to pick up a skateboard, and that is truly beautiful.
-Allen Dillard

The year was 1988. I moved to Allen Park, and I was into skateboarding, but I had no board. I bought my first board little by little. I got a Lance Mountain Future Primitive with Trackers and Vision Blurrs. I rode with Jeff Andrews, Nick Papsick and Sandy Deguli. No one knows these dudes now, but they were rad! We watched videos over and over and rode everyday. We would skate Allen Park and my ma would drop us off in Dearborn.

"No one knows those dudes now, but they were rad."




Steve's first board graphic was out before you were born, most likely. Courtesy of retroskatestickers.com

After a few years I met the Taylor crew, Luke, Kevin, Devin, all those dudes at Soup 'n' More. Eventullay the old crew folded but I had started working at the shop, and ended up rolling with JP, T, the dude the big ts gap is named after, and Lapo too.

"It's endless, man."

Actually all the dudes downriver would skate the dentist office and then we would roll downtown. Shit, we rode everywhere. We would roll to east lansing to visit Coffey. We hit Toledo, this was during 1993 to 1997. We all would push each other, JP, Scott Arron and myself would hit up Taylor Town or hit D-Town. It's endless man. I am sure im forgetting people but here's the point: Skateboarding introduced me to so many people, I have made friends, I seen shit go down and lived it. Its weird now that Im the old dude, but im greatful for riding, and I lived a life most would only dream about. I, like most kids, wanted to go pro, but at that time, skating was dead, so I went to college and now I can buy shit when I want. I skated everyday as a kid. In my twenties it was a bunch.

"So I went to college and now I can buy shit when I want."

I slowed down because of my grown up responsiblities and my kids and job but now its so much more fun. Its a part of me. I can still hang. Of all the skaters I have seen come n go, there are a few of us og downriver fools still pushing, and its been 25 years. I am proud to have been a part of skateboardings ride, fall and rise. I appreciate all the parks now because of them kids get stoked. I plan to roll forever. Oldman out.

"I plan to roll forever."




360 Flip. Click to enlarge.

Steve teaches Honors Pre-Calculus, Algebra, and Personal Finance at Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, as well as at Washtenaw Community College. He also teaches skatepark etiquette at Elizabeth Park.

White Bread Interview No. 7

Ryan Schendel




I met Ryan when I was 18 or 19, and it was because I was a hater. I had made a post online about how I disliked one of his former team mates, and after the shit storm ensued, him and I became friends at Elizabeth Park, once I went out of my way to return his board to him and introduced myself. Ryan is one of the people that has influenced me the most, from being brutally honest about things (he once told me before Aight Chill 'dropped', and I quote, "You finally deserve a part in this video. You didn't when you first started. You put yourself in because you're the editor and you could, but you deserve it now."), to essentially being the reason Secret Society was named what it was. Thanks, Ryan, for being a friend when you need to be, a dick when you wanna be, and a damn good skateboarder always.
-Allen Dillard




Backside Lipslide. --- Photo : Dillard
Click to enlarge

"I always asked him if we could go watch the skateboarders..."

Once when I was ten or so, I was at my friends house and I saw some dude skating flat at the corner of the block. He was pretty good, and to my memory it was the first time I witnessed anyone do a trick on a skateboard, although, my dad told me that years before that, I always asked him if we could go watch the skateboarders at this dentist office they would always skate at. I later concluded that there's a really good chance I was watching the Grape Jam dudes skate there cause they frequented that spot and also tagged it up with Grape Jam stickers and such. This dentist office had about twenty different waxed curbs/parking blocks and was on Eureka and Trenton in Southgate, and if you are a true downriver OG, you'd know about this place.
Anyways, when I saw that dude skating flat when I was ten that was it. I wanted to make a skateboard flip and land back on it. I didn't like any of the common sports or activities and I knew doing tricks on a skateboard was for me.

"I knew doing tricks on a skateboard was for me."




Vintage Video Grab --- Footage : Dillard

I had a few fish shaped boards from a flea market that I would push around on, but I needed one like that dude had. My mom took me to Meijer and got me a Hobie Cat board. There was one friend I had that skated, Brian, and he had a Hook-ups deck. He could ollie, flip kick flips, and could boardslide a few things. He was the only dude I skated with for the first year or so, and he taught me how to ollie. Him and I had gotten a few other neighborhood kids to skate. We would build janky ass kickers and lay rails flat on the ground and 50-50 them.
"I'd just skate by myself instead."




Backside Tailslide to Fakie --- Photo: Lester
Click to enlarge

Soon I had gotten my first legit skateboard from Cheapskates for Christmas, a Birdhouse B-logo, with Grind Kings and Spitfires. Then came Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and a few more of my friends began to skate. One of my best friends, Joe Zavadil, started around then. Joe was definitely the one out of all those friends that shared the love for skating that I had, and, although he stopped for a few years, he continues to skate to this day.
"I Ollied every loading dock in Wyandotte within my ability."
Back then, we all skated everyday, all day. Downtown Wyandotte to us back then was Barcelona. I skated all obstacles, but my favorite was stairs and loading docks. If I found a new loading dock, it could've even been identical to the last, it was a brand new spot to me. I ollied every gap/set/loading dock in Wyandotte within my ability range. Each time I came home hurt, my mom was certain I'd give it up. She couldn't grasp the idea that I just wanted to skate more and more despite the injuries. I ended up skating way more than any of my friends and they'd ask me to go play basketball or something, and I'd just skate by myself instead. If it was raining or snowing, my mom would park in the street to allow me to be in the garage for hours just skating flat or skating this tiny rail I had. Most of my friends that skated back then no longer do. Somewhere around that time I had seen Reed Morris skating in front of his house down the street. We eventually met and began skating all the time, from then to now, of course with the exception of Reed's rollerblading phases.

"Downtown Wyandotte was our Barcelona."




Backside Blunt Slide (Schendel would call this a Weed Cigar Slide) --- Photo : Dillard
When I was in 7th grade, a new skateboarder moved to Wyandotte, Shawn Reed. Shawn was just as good as me, if not better, something I was not used to cause I had always been the best out of all my friends. We instantly became friends and started skating as much as possible. I progressed more than ever when I skated with Shawn. He was the first person to tell me about style and doing tricks smoothly. If I did a trick sloppy, he'd tell me to do it again, before that, I usually just took whatever, if I rolled away I was happy, but he made me realize that good feeling of doing a solid trick. Shawn was also all about tech skating, and I was mainly gaps, stairs, and rails. He showed me PJ Ladd's Wonderful Horrible Life. I was blown away! I wanted to do some tech shit.
"...if I did a trick sloppy, he'd tell me to do it again."
Shawn and I started skating this place called Greken Skin Institute in Wyandotte which was right at the midpoint between our houses. It had smooth blacktop with manny pads and a nice curb we waxed. We would go there everyday until dark and film lines with our cameras and try to learn new ledge/manny combinations. Greken will forever be my most frequented spot and where I progressed the most. Shawn had the biggest impact on my skateboarding out of anyone, and, sadly he moved away for a period of time and we stopped skating together.
"We would go there every day until dark.."
Through highschool and into my adult years, I was able to travel more and skate new spots. Also more and more local parks were being built allowing me to progress more. Once I got my car I would drive around for hours circling buildings and industrial areas looking for new spots. After high school I became friends with Allen Dillard and began filming and traveling more than ever. I had always wanted to be in a skate video, he provided that possibility by filming my first video part in Aight Chill. The time, effort, frustrations, and money Allen has spent on filming with me is such a great reminder of what true friends are. I can always count on him for spotting me admission to a park in the winter, or lending me intelligent advice when I'm bummed about anything skating related or not, and If it weren't for him I wouldn't have skated half of the spots I have, or wouldn't have known nearly as many skateboarders as I do now. For that I have the utmost appreciation.
(Editors note: faaaaaaag)
"I have been skateboarding nonstop since I started..."
I've been skateboarding nonstop since I started and my personal view of it has not changed. I don't mind the commercialization or things of that sort, it was bound to happen because skateboarding is extraordinary. People get so bent out of shape about the things they don't like about what skateboarding has become, what a waste of energy.. Adapt you faggots, stop crying and go with the damn flow. None of the bullshit will ever change the fact that it's simply what I love and my escape to paradise.
It's lame having to pretend to be an adult and all cause I definitely don't skate as much as I used to, but everytime I get on my board I get that same old feeling I had when I was little. It's such a beautiful thing to be in the streets and use obstacles for something the architects and landscapers did not intend them for. Nothing beats making that trick you've been trying and trying. Skating has brought me so much happiness and brought me so many friends, ideas, perspectives and adventures that I would not have had otherwise. I'm extremely grateful for its existence and what it's done for me. I will skate until my body no longer permits me to and it will be a part of me forever.




Frontside Bluntslide Bigspin --- Photo : Lester
Click to enlarge
Ryan currently skated for Timez Skateboards and is filming for Babanga, which will be out next year.

Help Save The Streets

This week, an unfortunate situation has developed involving the only skateboarder owned skatepark in the area. The Streets Skatepark, in Westland, Michigan, is going through some serious tough times, and may not be open for the seasons we need it open the most.




One of the common themes that I've noticed with doing these interviews over the past few weeks is that many skateboarders feel that they cannot repay the debt they have in regards to what skateboarding has given them. It's time to try to repay that debt.




Evan Hutchings is a good dude, a great skateboarder, and above all, a humanitarian. He opened the park so that we could all have a great park to skate that is warm and has options for every kind of skateboarder there is. He has given back to the skateboard community by sacrificing his own time and money by enabling us to feed our addiction when otherwise, Mother Nature would win. He has given artists venues to display their work on the walls if the park, enabled bands to play, and hosted many events and video premieres over the last few years. It's time skateboarders do what they can in order to repay the metaphorical debt that we have as skateboarders with Evan and The Streets. Let's repay that debt.


There is a contest in order to benefit the park on October 6th.

I am sure there will be more fund raisers for The Streets, and this blog will contain information in regards to how to help raise those funds when the time comes. In the meantime, go do what you can to make sure The Streets stays open when we need it the most. Go skate there, give Evan double the session fee, give him your parking meter money, and be ready at the drop of a hat for the fund raisers. As someone who hates crowds and gatherings and can always find an excuse not to go, you have no excuse. Evan would do the same for you.

The Streets Skatepark is located at 39048 Webb Dr., inWestland Michigan.

White Bread Interview No. 6

Joey Martinez



Portrait shot by Scott Bankey. Click to enlarge.

The first time I can recall knowing 'of' Joey Martinez, it was sometime in probably 2009. I didn't know that many skateboarders outside of the people (read: person) that I skated with every single day, and I knew of even less 'like-minded' skateboarders. So, what I did was add Refuge's MySpace, and then immediately go through their friends list. I started adding everyone that didn't seem like a total kook. Joey was one of those guys, and shortly afterward, I had a chance encounter with him in Dearborn one spring afternoon. Although I haven't spent all that much time with him until this summer, (aside from one day trip to Birmingham, when I told Joey to follow me there in his truck. I was assuming he was bringing Scott, Ivan, Corey, etc with him, and that the only feasible way to get everyone there was with two vehicles, however upon arrival he stepped out of his truck alone.... Sorry again for making you drive there and home by yourself, Joey!), I've always been a fan of the guy. He has an interesting, almost artistic way of looking at things (which goes hand in hand with his clothing endeavor, Weird Feet / Model Mouth) to do on his skateboard. Joey Martinez is a stand up guy, an opinionated man of few words (but only because a high ratio of the things that come out of his mouth are cartoon sound effects), and I am delighted in bringing the five readers of this blog his story.
- Allen Dillard

"SOAPING it up..."



Rock 'n' Roll --- Photo : Hagelstein.
Click to enlarge.

Skateboarding for me began when I was in fourth grade... Actually, fourth grade may just have been a weird year for me. Something popular at that time were the shoes called "SOAPS", basically, they were some weird looking shoes that allowed you to grind on rails or ledges. My friend Ryan across the street and I used to wax up the curb in front of our house, and you could find us outside "SOAPING" it up, everyday.

"...I knew I wanted one."


Ollie Hydrant to Street --- Photo : Williams. Click to enlarge.

"...I always thought they looked so cool."

I can not recall who the very first person I knew to have a skateboard was, but when my friend Ryan got a skateboard, I knew I wanted one. I remember at the time everyone was getting World Industries boards, and I always thought they looked so cool. Christmas time came around, so I asked my Aunt for a skateboard for Christmas. I would have been happy with any kind of skateboard as long as I had one, but I was amazed to open the gift up and see a Bucky Lasek Birdhouse deck. I was amazed. I was so happy I could join all the neighborhood kids with my skateboard.



Bank to bank Ollie --- Photo : Williams.
Click to enlarge

I really enjoyed skating back then, and I did it every single day. I was not allowed to go very far from the house at the time. seeing as I was a little kid, so that waxed ledge that was once used for shoe grinding was now ready for skateboard grinding! I remember going to Refuge when it was still on Telegraph, right near my old middle school. As I got older, a lot of my freinds I grew up skating with had quit, and by the time I had gotten to high school, I rarely skated until I was a senior that is, when I started skating with Cory Hagelstein and Scott Bankey a lot.

"I rarely skated (when in high school) until I was a senior..."



Backside 50-50 --- Photo : Williams
Click to enlarge.

Skating with them made me love it again. Then I met this crazy little foreign kid that lived down the street. He turned out to be Ivan. Seeing Ivan so excited to skateboard everyday at 8 in the morning made me even more stoked to skate again. At that point I was skating pretty much every day with Scott, Cory, and Ivan. As we have all gotten older and started working and going to school, we haven't had as much time to skate together like we used to, but we still manage to have the best time together.

"...we haven't had as much time to skate together like we used to..."



Ollie --- Photo : Williams
Click to enlarge

"...but we still manage to have the best time together."

I have always been a big supporter of Refuge. Z and the Burnerz are all people I really look up to, and I am thankful to have grown up near such a sick shop. Skateboarding pretty much helped me make all the friends I have today and it has really opened me up to life and I could never thank it enough.

"I could never thank it enough."



Tail Drop Ollie into the bank --- Photo : Williams
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I started Weird Feet sometime in about 2010. I had gotten a starter screen printing kit and just tried to teach myself how to do it. I really like local Michigan made, things, so I thought I would make some shirts with some designs I made on them. I thought of T-Shirts as a new way for me to make art. I do not really have a professional way of making my shirts or anything, just use a table and a single screen and hope for the best with every shirt or hat I make. The feeling of seeing people wear something I have made is pretty cool to me. The name "Model Mouth" got thrown into the name more recently, though I have no real reason as to why.

"...I just tried teaching myself to do it."



Feeble Grind --- Photo : Williams
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Lately, I have started really getting into it, and even opened up an online store so people all over the U.S. could order some products. I really enjoy printing things and I have plenty more ideas to come out in the near future. I just have to wait till the time is right and my funds are stable. Thank you to everyone who has bought anything from me!

Joey Martinez gives back to skateboarding through his clothing endeavor, Weird Feet / Model Mouth. He also rides for childhood friend Scott Bankey's American Antique Skateboards. Finally, he is filming for a video that I'm really anticipating, Recess. You can check out the threads Joey makes and support one of metro-Detroit's more creative minds by going to modelmouth.bigcartel.com Thanks go out to Joey Martinez for answering the questions, and to Cory Hagelstein, Scott Bankey and Nick Williams for taking some seriously amazing photos. Good job, guys.

White Bread Interview No. 5

Matt Bentley



Click to Enlarge

The first time I met Matt Bentley, he was hurt at Elizabeth. He went skating with his homies, and was sitting on the bench at the park in a leg cast, watching and being the cheerleader. That memory of Matt has stuck with me throughout our entire friendship. He's always around skating, whether he can actually skate or not, and his energy is infectious. He's one of my favorite people to skate with, as he will energize you to skate as much as drinking an energy drink will. He's been in my first two 'real' skate-videos, and he's gonna be in my third. Ladies and gentlemen, Matt Bentley.
-Allen Dillard

"I thought it was the fucking illest thing I ever bought."



Frontside 5-0 Grind --- Photo : Garland
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Man... I picked up a skateboard back in 2003. My neighbor across the street sold me a beat up Mini-Logo complete with thrashed Independent trucks and some Spitfire Wheels for 5 bucks. I thought it was the fucking illest thing I ever bought. From the day I bought that board on, I was out everyday skating, mobbing deep with a bunch of neighborhood kids. We were always exploring and finding shit to skate all over Downriver.

We were always exploring...


Backside Tailslide --- Photo : Lester.
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On sundays, we'd catch the 125 downtown and skate the city. Security was always low on sundays, but we would be skating so far from home with no money and nothing to drink. Hell, sometimes we would be starving, but I would jus push through it. Like watching lance mountain shred the pink motel bowl... Just a shit eating festival, then, BOOM, over the diving board.

"On sundays, we'd catch the 125 downtown and skate the city."



Backside Noseslide --- Photo : Lester.
Click to enlarge.

Hey but that just how I do it.
Skateboarding has changed a lot over the years. It has from techniques and styles, from the upcomming kids throwing down shit that have never even been seen, but not with me. Yeah, maybe I don't wear nss shoes anymore. Maybe I don't have a Wyandotte hoodie on anymore, but its still me skating.

"I wouldn't know what to do without my piece of wood."



Ollie --- Photo : Lester
Click to enlarge.


For 11 years have I been skating and have had multiple shut downs that have scared me. I wouldn't know what to do without my peice of wood.

Matt Bentley just recently had surgery on his wrist. He will be back filming for Babanga before you know it.