Hit your burglar alarms
I got Joe Perrin’s heater of a video “Last of the Mohicans” a while back and after a couple weeks of watching it I’m basically left with a bunch of questions: Is Fred Gall the grindingest dude over 25 in the skateboard realm? Is he the grindingest dude period? Did Steve Durante skate to a Blues Traveler instrumental? How did Josh Dowd roll away from the last switch wallride in his part? How come so many of these Florida dudes wear beards?
There’s East Coast grime and then there’s Florida grime… sweaty, mossy, crushed glass and dead brown rat grime. And haze. I used to think it was just fogged up cameras but after watching “The Good Life” a billion times along with the older Statics I have come to understand that the air in Florida literally sweats, creating a sort of light fog. This is known to meteorologists as the Gershon effect.
In spite of my usual “too long” complaint, which in this instance I will amend to “just a little bit too long,” the “Mohicans” video knocks on pretty much all levels. The lineup has familiar dirts (Danny Renaud, Jon Newport, Jimmy Lannon, Joel Meinholz), lesser-known dirts (Dowd, 80s Joe, Ross Norman who skates sort of like Andy Honen) and a generous sprinkling of random others such as Durante, Jack Sabback and Todd Jordan, as well as Cincinnatianites Al Davis and Dave Caddo.
Skating-wise it’s along the same lines as Josh Stewart’s “Static” stuff, with maybe less cellar doors and more manuals. Also less reverence for mouldering brick structures. Highlights: Fred Gall’s meaty switch wallie in his opening line…Al Davis’ b/s 180 switch frontside crooked grind revert…Durante’s seen-it-before-but-bigger-this-time switch backside tailslide switch heelflip…Caddo’s frontside 180 switch crooked grind…Ed Selego’s towering nosegrind…80s’ masterful switch heelflip over the gap…Renaud’s entire section as usual but most especially the backside noseblunt revert. Man.
It builds to a sweaty, bearded crescendo, Josh Dowd’s closer part, which is pretty much one shocking switch move after the other. Switch backside lipslide to switch backside 5-0, that kind of shit. The switch frontside crooked grind up above. A big switch 360 flip at the end of a line. Hopefully somebody puts him on.
So right, this is one of the best videos of the year. Besides Josh Dowd it also features a lot of beer drinking, night skating and occasional gunfire. Buy it from Killa Tapes so Perrin can film Dango’s antics in HD next time.
Tags: 80s Joe, Danny Renaud, Florida, Fred Gall, geriatrics, Joe Perrin, Josh Dowd, Last of the Mohicans, swamp thing, the Good Life, Trick Daddy
boil the ocean 
September 19, 2008 at 3:21 am |
Honestly I was surprised that someone with a pointdexter name like Ross Norman could rip in such a gangster fashion. He shredded the least gritty spots but impressed me the most. Jimmy Lannon was sick too; kid loves them hydrants. Great writeup man.
September 19, 2008 at 10:27 am |
‘the gershon effect’ had me laughing.
September 20, 2008 at 8:40 pm |
I liked how something to the effect of “We’re the last guys out there skating street” was said, maybe in an article? Maybe by that Renaud fellow? Hence the name of the video. Pretty goony and pretentious thing to say. Shitloads of people all over the world still skate street- we just don’t make videos out of our sessions that no one will buy.
September 22, 2008 at 6:04 pm |
I’ve been following this site for a while, and I have to say it’s one of the best written sites in skateboarding. That said, thanks for the review and the link, it’s much appreciated.
Oh, and Ralph, I believe it said “Raw street skaters are a dying breed”, sorry if you misinterpreted, but I think that’s a pretty decent statement to make considering the current situation in skateboarding. But I guess one who refers to Renaud as “that Renaud fellow” is pretty out of touch anyhow.
September 22, 2008 at 6:13 pm |
PS- You’re right on with the “Gershon effect”- I was amazed at how clear the footage came out the first time I filmed in Cali’s crisp, dry air. It can get pretty miserable down here. Prettyyy, prettyyy, miserable.
September 22, 2008 at 9:01 pm |
Okay, so you corrected the quote- but are “raw street skaters a dying breed”? The answer is NO, and speaking of DANNY RENAUD like he’s some top shelf dude is ridiculous.
September 23, 2008 at 6:22 pm |
I’m not going to go any further into this argument past this: Danny Renaud, weather you know him/love him/hate him/etc., is indeed relevant, and in my opinion (which I know is shared by many, many others) top shelf in all regards, including skill and creativity on a skateboard, and more importantly, in character. He is the essence of everything that’s missing from most skateboarders nowadays. People coming up now as “raw”, are really just a packaged product. Everything is contrived, even creativity. That being said, you say “NO”, but I say yes, raw street skating is dying a sad death- That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. Now go do a pole jam to manny and call it creative.
September 26, 2008 at 11:35 pm |
Danny Renaud = pass the Courvoisier
October 1, 2008 at 10:57 am |
Raw Street skating is people who can sleep in the streets and be in the darkest hoods at midnight to skate whatever they want. I’ve seen so many Cali kids that won’t get out of the car at spots we skate. This ain’t the sunny Cali valley kiddies. I don’t care how many stairs you’ve jumped down or rails you’ve done you still a pussy. And don’t think I haven’t hucked my carcass down 16 stairs and done big ass rails cause I have. Don’t think cause you saw me clownin in some skateboard vid that you know me. I eat glass and concrete for breakfast. Videos aren’t everything. You can’t hang. Trust me…
October 2, 2008 at 1:26 pm |
Danny = My inspiration to continue. … Ralph You’re fucking retarded. Mancini you da illest. Joey P. thanks for making such a good video for my eyeball’s to attend to while i’m out here in cali waiting for the shimmy to get here. spots are trife… lets go back east.
October 7, 2008 at 1:26 am |
Rip Cali, take advantage of being away from the “Gershon Effect” while you can. It’s boutta get good here though. Dango= The Creator of the Skeleton Theory. We’re all just skeletons with goo!