I've been on holidays for the last few weeks and haven't really been around a computer to make any posts but there has definitely been a ton going on in the skate world, most of it I couldn't care about, but there were definitely a few things I saw over the break that stoked the fire.
A couple of weeks ago I finally got my hands on a copy of the Shake Junt video "Chicken Bone Nowison" and all I can say is holy hot daaaamn!! This release from Shake Junt, a bearing an accessory company at that, is nothing less then top notch and sets off a five alarm blaze of things I am into in skateboarding. The GOAT and company really came through on this one and I can't remember the last time I watched a video, especially one I actually purchased the DVD of, so many times in such a short period of time.
The intro cracks off with an overwhelming sense that a lot of fun and a ton of family went into making the video. The opening montage is set to the appropriately titled "getcha roll" on by the hot boyz and it serves the purpose of giving the viewer a glimpse of what they are in store for; no energy drink sponsors, no competition footage, no bullshit. Koston even makes an appearance up in the cut and Dollin's front lip three shuv on the dumpster had me shitting my pants, and the video was only a few minutes in.
Neen Williams is blessed with the video's opening part and deservedly so. His first trick, the heelflip over the gap and down the three stair is absolutely mind blowing. I literally couldn't believe it, rewound it about ten times. I can't remember ever seeing a more beautiful heel flip in all my years watching skating. Shit was greasey! I a big fan of the "don't take ourselves too seriously" school of thought as far as skate companies go, and Shake Junt undeniably finds itself in this category. I loved the music choice throughout this video, as most of the song's are pretty silly, and Neen's part was no different, as the Rick James track was so on point. Neen has a unique and appealing style of skating and the talent dude has is so apparent it can't be denied. Every trick he does in his part is worthy of a rewind but my personal faves were the front shuv over the double set rail, the heel flip over the rail when he's wearing the smiley face t, the crazy pointed back smith with the red flannel, his insane front shuv the 5 block, every back tail he does in the part because they are straight up proper and of course my personal favorite, as I am a Torontonian, Neen's heel flip down the CN tower 13 which is fucking nuts, straight up!! I'm finding myself turning into a big fan of this dude, whether it be his laid back sleepy style, penchence for the skytop 3's or overall good humored demeanor, homey is killing it right now!!
Beagle Oneism comes through with the next part, which was a tight surprise as I'm always a supporter of seeing the filmer step away from the camera and on to the board, especially because sometimes you come to find out that these dudes also rip. Beagle has had footage sprinkled throughout a bunch of productions in the past, even full parts in a couple promos, but I would have to say this is definitely his longest and his best part to date. Beagle always makes me laugh and I think it is super rad how appreciative he is of his position in the skate world, he's actually a pretty refreshing dude. The frontside noseslide bail on the curved ledge at the start is hilarious and I love how he just laughs it off. After the initial bail however the part goes into straight manny mania as Beagle delivers an onslaught of various manual tricks and combos. The fakie ollie fakie manny down the bank and the nose manny nollie 3 shuv down to manny were tight and really stuck out. Beagle loves the adidas and khaki combination and even rocks a full grizzly adams beard in one of the clips, dude is so tight. The best thing about this part however, with the exception of getting to watch Beagle for a few minutes, is definitely the Sugafree/Mausberg track that is used. The beat is so annoying but catchy and the rhymes so bad I had to blast this shit on repeat over the holidays, much to the dismay of many of my friends.
The GOAT, Goat Mouf, Mr. Shake Junt; Shane Heyl himself gets next part and to be honest I kind of thought dude should have gotten last part, not necessarily because of his skating but just because dude is such a beast in life in general and pretty much is the mastermind behind Shake Junt, it would have seemed appropriate, but as I suppose he made the video, no one really wants to give themselves last part. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Shane Heyl, his views on skating and his attitude towards life, as can be noted in my post about his pro board not too long ago. Heyl isn't the most talented or progressive skater out there, but he might definitely be the most passionate (Lizard not withstanding). He is the noseslide shuv out and crook shuv out king and does a ton of them in this part. His half cab crooks are steeze for miles, and much like Beagle, Heyl has an obvious affinity for the great material that is khaki. The use of the Beastie Boys song was perhaps one of my least favorite song choices in the vid, but who cares it's Shane Heyl!
Theotis gets next part and what can I say, it's Theotis. I'm not going to even write much about this part because everyone out there knows how hard Thee Thee is killing it right now, and with footage and coverage everywhere, we all know what time it is. He is an amazing person, amazing skateboarder and amazing role model for a ton of young skaters and kids out there! He skates to Jeezy and fucking destroys everything; Bowse!!
OG Baker boy Jeff Lenoce is next on the roster and he comes through with what I would say is one of his best video parts to date. Lenoce has a limited bag of tricks, but the tricks he does do are done with such style and swag that they are all he really ever needs. A Lenoce part never dissapoints, he's like pizza; even bad pizza is still pizza so it's tight. Even a shitty Lenoce part (which this definitely isn't) is a good Lenoce part because it's Lenoce. This is a good Lenoce part because it is a good Lenoce part, period. He does some awesome tricks here, especially the; opening frontside flip, fakie inward heel manny, 50-50 transfer 50-50, the line with the nollie heel, front tail, heelflip front nose, the nollie over the rail and the switch ollie the gap. All his tricks were tight but the ones mentioned were just the standouts in my eyes. Oh yea and he skates to a live version of Otis Redding "Satisfaction", what an amazing song choice, stoked!!
Next up is Sex Pistol stand in Braydon Szafranski. Braydon's kits get increasingly crazy over the years, going for an increasing similarity to an early 2000's Ali Boulala/ late 1970's Johnny Rotten. Who cares really though, homey kills it on a skateboard and seems like a rad dude to boot. His part wasn't one of my favorite in the video but was definitely awesome. The only tricks that really stood out to me were the long ass manny kickflip off the curb (Herman stay gold opener anyone?), the back 5-0 down the hubba ollie out over the flower garden and the line with the front shuv, push, nosegrind nollie front shuv. Weed Saves Lives!
Next up is the surprise part of the year, Big Float, Mr. Mike White! The Sly and the Family Stone song choice is incredible and is definitely in my top three songs in the video. It's fits his skating so concisely, I love it. I don't know who this dude is, have never seen any coverage of him before but he is rolling deep with a good crew of homeys and is fucking unstoppable on the board, this part is a much watch! As I don't really know anything about dude though, all I can talk about is his skating, which is unbelievable. The kickflip 5-0 pop out down the 3 stair is amazing. Nollie tre flip manny, switch flip the double set, nollie back lip the handrail, switch frontside 180 then nollie back heel the stairs, frontside 180 switch 5-0 the hubba and the hardflip over the rail were without a doubt some of the gnarliest tricks in the video and it would come as absolutely no surprise if we see this dude earning himself a solid spot on one of the Shake Junt affiliated companies (Baker, Death Wish) sometime soon, Mike White deserves it!
There are a couple montages in the video which are pretty cool and they include homeys of the homeys, like; Flip Nasty, Spencer Hamilton, Kevin Romar, Baby Jamie, Elissa, Mumford, Gareth Stehr, Pete Eldridge, Maldonado, Grant Taylor, Antwuan, Neckface, Spanky, Furby, Moose, Ellington and TK (who has a buch of tricks and surprisingly fucking kills it). There is also a Green Room montage, dudes who claim the Green Room crew and also ride for Shake Junt. In this montage we see Baca, Belton, Bonilla, Lizard and Slash, all beasts. These montages are cool as they let the viewer see all the homeys Shake Junt rides with, and all the dudes who show them support. Plus everyone in the montages are amazing skateboarders and are ripping.
There are two parts in this video that I honestly, at the risk of sounding rash, think might be two of my favorite video parts of all time. Everything about them is amazing and how fired up they get me for skating is unmatched right now
The first of these parts is the shared part between Herman and Reynolds. I'm not gonna break down this part in terms of tricks, because at this point no one in their right mind questions how amazing either Herman or Reynolds are, they're just that good. These are two of my favorite skaters who have skated in a bunch of the same videos over the years. Herman has made it no secret how big of an influence Reynolds has been on him, his skating and his life. The influence shines through in Herman's skating and overall swag, and it's rad that he credits it to Reynolds. So I think it is so sick that they finally shared a part, skating to one song and destroying everything in their path. Oh and what a song it is, Bryan Herman, Andrew Reynolds and Outkast all in one video part, wtf?? This shit is an instant classic.
Hands down my favorite part in the video, probably my favorite video part to come out all year and perhaps even one of my favorite video parts of all time is credited to the LSDemons, Figgy and the Nuge. Holy shit this part is gnarly and inspiring as fuck, I still can't get over it and I've probably watched it about 20 times. I'm a big fan of both these dudes as people and as far as their skating is concerned. Figgy, still relatively new to the game has grown into a beast since his birdhouse days and consistently releases some of the most riveting footage in skating. Nuge is Nuge, dude is almost 35 and is still jumping down shit like he's 15, if that doesn't inspire you to get on your board I don't know what will. The song in this part (The Bob Seger System "2+2=?") is hype as shit and seems to suit these two dudes and their skating very well. I love the song and have since been listening to it by itself, it's that good. This song combined with their skating (which includes a nollie front smith, front 50-50 a kinker, kickflip frontside 5-0, front tail a huge ledge to drop, biggie front board, nollie 5-0, 5-0 the curved rail frontside 180 out courtesy of Figgy and an incredible backside heelflip, varial heelflip, bigspin heel, insane ollie and a fucking craaaaaazy kickflip at the hands of the Nuge) come together to create what in my estimation is the epitome of a skateboard video part. My words can't even do it justice, it's seriously fucking amazing, just watch it!
Like I above, a big thing I like about this video, and most videos I find myself re watching, is the overwhelming sense of family and friendship that comes through the screen, and that's what skating is all about to me. The Shake Junt dudes obviously live by their motto "for the homeys by the homeys" and that is evident in this video. They really are a family and I think that's super rad. For solid evidence of this wait until after the credits and check out Antwuan's Thanksgiving dinner toast/speech. This footage is pretty priceless and hilarious but all in all says a lot about what Shake Junt is all about, hollaa!
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