I need to get tickets for this, what an awesome line up and two days worth of riff worshiping massive doom in the Big Apple sounds like a fucking blast.))) I'll probably end up going alone, drop out of life.
Bobby Liebling from Pentagram and myself in the Ridley Park 711 a few days after I returned from Austin (hence the beer weight which is now gone haha). Very odd to run into the man behind Pentagram and star of the newly released documentary, "Last Days Here".
Two of my personal favorite Pentagram songs.
Mostly I happen to be looking forward to Repulsion out of all these incredible bands. Being one of my favorite grind bands of all time in a sea of blast beats and Celtic Frost breakdowns, lies this filthy yet wonderful record called, "Horrified". Repulsion to me is a prime fucking example of a band breaking new ground, then vanishing not knowing how strong their influence really was on the scene. That was until the minds at Relapse Records, and a gigantic amount of praise thru the pages of Decibel Magazine's Albert Mudrain (my boss when I was an intern at Decibel Magazine) Choosing Death: The Improbable History Of Death Metal & Grindcore.
I love Repulsion-Horrified hell I like it more than Napalm Death-Scum when it comes to early Fuzzy as fuck bass riffs and who could blast fastest. Napalm Death had the message and the politics to back up their anger, where Repulsion was singing about Festering Boils, and Stabbing women walking thru the park at night. Extreme music yields extreme results.... or an over done piece of shit ball jocking waste of nine bullshit tracks from some band that was once pretty amazing, then is approached by a bigger but still not major label and down goes the ship. Like some drunk fisherman's lost boat in a fierce rain storm, some bands sink and are forgotten, while others still sit intact at the bottom of the ocean that is the record business like the fucking Titanic waiting to be re-exposed to the world in all of their rotten glory. Repulsion did just that.
The mighty Winter is also playing The Power Of The Riff East. I've been dying to see these dudes. Love them on record, and sadly missed them play Maryland Death Fest, but their music means alot to me in atmosphere along with heaviness. Its hard to put my finger on why I love this record so much aside from the basic fact that if you a fan of crushing hateful doom then what isn't there to not like? Keep in mind that this record was recorded in 1990 and they pushed out releases until 1994.
Sunn0))) are also playing the fest whom I have seen three times. All three times were inside the actual chapel of the FU Church in Philly. I don't care what anyone says I like Sunn0))) and especially love Black One. I've seen them play with Malefic of Xasthur, and Atilla Csiha. Along with Sunn playing the entire Grimmrobe Demos. I'm a fan of how much of a mind fuck Sunn0))) can be but also how dark their music comes off just as much as it does in the form of a wall of riffs. Other notable bands playing this fest are Poison Idea, Unearthly Trance who are fucking incredible.
Unearthly Trance is one of those bands that I feel fit that Relapse sale model and do it more than well.
As is Dead In The Dirt whom I will be headbanging hard as fuck for. So here are some tunes from the bands, I suggest going to this and don't forget those ear plugs.
It should be a good time, especially if you go both days. So consider this a notification that this is going down here on the East Coast.
Also here is the photo of the day:
In Solitary Ruin, or how a dirty bridge in South Philly changed the way I ride a bike?
Have you seen Hurley P? To some this question is pure nonsense, to me it is a way to spot certain lines by using specific spray paint tags at FDR Skatepark in Philly. Just a short drive over the bridge for you Jersey folk. The first time I went to FDR was for my birthday in the vile year of 1997, at the time I had never touched transition before. The caliber of FDR was not only super intimidating to me at that young age, but up to that point in my life as a BMX rider I had never had so much fun with my friends riding our bikes. I was hooked. A few months later a buddy of mines grandmother emptied out her pool and gave us permission to shred it. It was like she had a mini version of FDR in her yard. Still at this point I had never rode a proper quarter pipe but for some reason I could ride this tight backyard kidney pool. I was almost like a drug that you just can't ever have enough of,chasing cheap thrills that end in life time memories instead of collapsed veins , pools, and concrete parks over took spending too much time in the woods, but I always put my time in on the streets. Needless to say without FDR who knows if I would even still be riding BMX? I currently work concrete construction with Dave Mac, a builder since day one from FDR, and for you old heads he was Satan in the first Little Devil Brand Catalog for 97-98. But just like you would respect a set of trails, put your time in when coming to the park. I don't care if you are a local or just on a holiday. Sweep up some glass, clean up your trash, help defend FDR! If a skater is giving you a hard time just remember that without their hard work and dedication you would probably be riding some awful street plaza, or prefab skatepark at a community center like a chode. FDR is a character and deserves the utmost respect from everyone who graces her lumpy concrete with their tires and sometimes the flesh. So hit up the park in the mornings, hell evenings are good to. With the huge uprising of street riding alot of people stay away from the park, which is a shame. But hell its more concrete for me to carve!
Words by Adam Schnellenbach
Photos by Vince Discala unless noted.
Icepick on the new flat rail at the park.
Upright smith to 180 back into some tight tranny,
Peggers on the hurly p. vert wall
Bunker dive bomb.
Drink up!
This photo is an oldie of Jim Korey and myself doing an over under in the peanut pool.
Another oldie, this was one of the first tailwhips that Vince Discala did over the box with me behind the lens.
I don't know why Vince isn't afraid of doing cannonballs over the box at FDGNAR!
This run may not look like much but it was raining, my tires were soaked, and I was eight beers in. I told my friend Sara to film it on my Iphone so pardon the quality. FDR in the rain is dangerous in case you have brain damage.
I had a very weird dream involving a lady friend of mine and all I could think of was this tune. I may keep it metal, but I do still have a heart!
This is weird because an old friend of mine Miss Melissa Greenwood my favorite girl from New England was in a dream of mine. I guess King Diamond and myself know that she rules! Haha I miss you Melissa Greenwood, and Melissa Gee! Two awesome friends of mine with the same name. I know that if I ever have a daughter her name is honestly going to be Melissa and she will be bad ass to! Like my favorite Melissa's in the world. Yes I'm stoned.
Oh... Melissa, You're in my dreams You're with me every day
Oh... Melissa, could that really be your voice I hear? Too soon for you and I The priest took his sacrifice And sent you to the other side
Oh... Melissa, You're in my dreams You're with me every day
Oh... Melissa, do you remember the time we shared? Do you remember the magic nights? I will never forget your smile Do you remember the love we had?... Oh the love we had
"No... Melissa" You gotta tell me why "No... Melissa" I want her by my side "This is against the rules There won't be another time" Melissa tell me why I wanna know why
"No... Melissa" You gotta tell me why "No... Melissa" I want her by my side
Oh... Melissa, You're in my dreams You're with me every day
Oh... Melissa, close your eyes and say goodbye One last time... we'll kiss goodbye
I kiss your soul goodbye
Happy Birthday Tom Blyth! His section in the last FBM DVD was unreal this edit is no different also cheers for usuing this Electric Wizard track!
So Dave Parrick's release of Empire's latest video, "Bad Idea" made its way into my mailbox a week or two back. Needless to say mixing two of my favorites in BMX, Diamond Dave, and Empire I knew I was in for a High Definition treat of the utmost magnitude. I was one hundred percent correct about everything I expected from Empire and Parrick. First off incase you don't already know, Empire has one of the best teams in the game and everyone shows that they are rightfully deserving of the honor to ride for Empire. The video starts with this amazing intro shot inside the store, where Danny Hickerson does this seriously crazy over ice down the rail in the back of the new shop. Along with Tom Dugan's fake out Garret Byrnes ghostride off a little wooden lip across N.Lamar and into the gas station across the street all while memories of A Clockwork Orange run thru my head due to a stellar song choice.
Did video kill the radio star? I know no one has killed Kevin Porter whom starts out the video straight up killing it, with his unique style that I've been a fan of since he rode for Bully Bikes his banger would make Van Homan proud.
Sean Sexton, all I can say is wow. Holy bike control, some clips that stuck out to me was this opposite truck driver over this one famous bank/hip/spine type set up in Barcelona which I have been wanting to ride since I first saw that odd 411 produced Fit Barcelona video in which Robbo, Van Homan, Brian Foster, Edwin, Vic, and Mikey Aitken first showed most BMX riders what Barca had to offer outside of skateboard videos. But anyways Sean murders spain, along with an assorted amount of footage around Austin and his banger is seriously no joke in real life. Stoked on Sean.
Tom Smith, Liquor and Shadow's shredder I'm sure not everyone has heard of this kid, but I'm sure you heard his song. Amazing section, I don't keep up with nozza game but Tom has me sold as one of the best at coasting on his front wheel. Along with some amazing tailwhip, and opposite tailwhip combos I was blown away. Total shredder. Tom Williams says a new Tom Smith Empire edit will be dropping soon so I'm stoked.
The team section consists of Danny Hickerson, Hanson Little, George Boyd, Morgan Wade, Tony Cardona and Dylan Smith. I haven't heard Metallica in a BMX video since Darryl Nau's Seek & Destroy where Van Homan destroyed Philadelphia to Battery. This was a two song section the second song being from Agent Orange which you may recall from Edwin's section in the first Skavenger video, but I don't write for certain websites where people act like using a song from another video is a crime against humanity. I love that tune and I loved the footage all these dudes put into this section. My only complaint was the lack of a Danny Hickerson full part (get well soon!) but Danny had one of my favorite clips in the video which I'm sure alot of you missed, its this amazing high speed gap to tooth pick in Spain that is just WOW! Tony gets the last clip which gets me stoked.
Tom Dugan, haha ROCK LOBSTER! Prepare to have your mind blown and the B-52's stuck in your head after Tom assaults any form of transition in his way along with making Sean Burns proud with some of the scary ass gaps and drops he has thru out his section. Seeing Tom air the new vert wall at the T-1 ramp had me yelling at the screen along with jumping from the box landing into the vertwall. Which made zero sense. Convinced that you need a copy of this video yet? Well there is more...
Chase FUCKING Hawk, riding to one of my favorite Pink Floyd tunes and being stoked that Parrick used the Floyd yet again after Parrick rode to Brain Damage and Eclipse in Nowhere Fast. Chase not only has the best fast plant clip of all time that would make Garret Byrnes proud, his banger line at 9th street is the ultimate pro run in my opinion. With style second to none, some of the inverts done in his section were above and beyond perfect. After Chase destroys its time for yet another awesome song choice and my third favorite Smiths song for the bails. If you know Dave's work he always has a brutal fall section somewhere in his videos and this is no different. One crash that sticks out is Cardona's roof gap gone wrong. Yikes!
Onto Aaron Ross who seriously is on some next level shit on the streets. With Van Halen blasting, he does a 180 whip up a famous handrail in Boston, an Ice pick up this play groud rail to 360, well I won't spoil it for you just know that you will not be bummed. I always loved Aaron's part in Chill Bro! This is no different. After Aaron destroys the streets its onto the credits. Amazing song, fun footage, and a brilliant FUCK YOU list. All in all if you like BMX you need this video, thats all I can really say!
Here are some photos from the past week, sorry I have been slacking. I got a new job and all that real life shit. I'm getting my ticket to fly out to Austin for Texas Toast soon which should be a treat! But yeah, as usual try to enjoy the photos and the tunes. Happy Saturday.
