Sky High and Homies at Asylum

This weekend Sky High helped put on a competition at a local indoor and lots of homies showed up.  Reece Doezema, Jack Colston, Christian Dean, and many more shut it down for this quick video filmed by Big E. Reece ended up winning the actual competition too, congrats to him!

Inside Welcomes Spencer Steed

I’m psyched to announce that Spencer Steed will now be joining me as a part of the Inside team.  Spencer has a long history in this sport, from riding to working in the industry.  Originally from Ohio, he moved out to California after high school and ended up working at ScooterZone for a number of months.  He moved back to the Midwest after Tilt was in need of a sales guy.  He left Tilt in January this year and now runs a distribution company called Forefront Supply.  He works extremely hard behind the scenes to do things right and have a positive impact on scootering.  Not only that but he’s been my friend for longer than I can remember so I’m excited to have him with me now!  I did a quick bio with him, check it out below:

Whip front scooterflip at 2013 Chi Jam.

Age: 22

Location: North Chicago, IL

Employment: Forefront Supply

Years Riding: 11 years, although you may not be able to tell.

Setup:

Tilt Grips

Downside Strewth Bars

Tilt SCS Lt

Tilt J-Young Headset (thank you Kyle Miller)

TSI Threshold

Tilt Blaster Wheels

Tilt Bearings

Hella Grip

Favorite rider(s): Aaron Watson and David Veltum. Even though they both aren't active, there is nothing like watching those guys shred on a good day.

Favorite part about the industry: Probably just the fact that it is growing. I think more people need to appreciate that simple fact. It is really cool to be able to watch everything unfold the way it has, even if it isn't perfect.

Least favorite part about the industry: Riders with narrow minded or uninformed opinions that preach like they actually have any idea about what is good or bad for the sport.

Ryan Gould | Serenity Park

I don't post day videos very often so you know its gotta be good if I do.  Cody Groom and Rgould met up at the skatepark with an FS7 and had to get some footy.  These guys clearly had a vision for a video and executed it perfectly.  The only bummer was how short it was.  Hopefully these dudes come together for a bigger project in the future.

Didine Terchague - Welcome to Blunt

This was heavyyy.  Didine has had a killer year so far- taking best trick at the Paris Street Jam and Montreux, and now officially getting on Blunt.  Dude definitely fits in with that crew.  Roots Boy spent the past few months filming with him for this edit and it turned out great.  Sit back and watch the handrail destruction.

Antti Karppinen 2015

It's sick how you can see how a rider's surroundings sort of shape his riding.  Antti is from Finland, and while the spots might not be the best, you can tell he makes the most of them.  Some really cool 50's and other creative tricks.  Spot/use of spot at 2:06 was tight.  Board gap board was nasty too.  The last minute of this is super nutty actually, don't miss this one.

OFFICIAL TRAILER V2: Jus' a Commadting | JACT

"Jus' a Commadting" is a video coming soon by the Command Crew out of the UK.  This trailer is really quite unique in that its not just riding clips, each rider introduces themselves and tells us a little bit about them.  So it's really sweet to see such a young crew of riders (most of them seem to be about 15) doing someone different but still cool.  And you can see from the riding clips that these guys are throwing down, so I'm definitely looking forward to this one.

ADVCT Co l Woodward homies V2

ADVCT is always making moves, and this time they moved on down to Woodward for the scooter weekend.  Tons of homies were filmed, including guys like Tyler Bradley, Cam Ward, Matt Grippi, Corey Funk, Zach Poon, and of course the ADVCT boys themselves.  Tyler is pretty much indisputably the best at 50s, and as one Youtube commenter put it, "It is unfair that Zack Martin is allowed to ride scooters." They also used a really enjoyable song, good job to these guys!

Cuff Crew Presents: Ketchup

The Cuff Crew represents what it's all about:  going out riding scooters with the homies, stacking clips, and getting lit.  This is their second full/mid length video and its clear to see their progression from the first.  These guys are holding it down on the East Coast and I'm psyched to see them making moves!  The video features:

Chris Aponte

Draven Woolley

Jay Reyes

Shane Cooper

Jason Borshchick

Dezmond Young

Ben Kowalski

Michael Mankong

and more.

ADVCT CO l Nukk

This is what's up.  Nukk was the crew of dudes that became the original Lucky team.  Featuring the OG crew of James Gee, Blake Bailor, Evan Yamada, Jessee Ikedah, Brenton Reid, Trevor Henthorn, and a sprinkling of Tyler Bradley clips, this video is like a blast from the past.  All the old skateparks and spots from the Nukk videos are seen here, but with new and improved tricks.  Get yourself in front of a big screen and enjoy!

Tom Luca Holubowski - Welcome to Flavor

German Tom Luca Holubowski was just added to the Flavor squad.  I was surprised when I read this was filmed in only three days, because there's such a variety of spots.  Things I liked:  all the high speed lines, the back smith combos, that steeze landing at 1:35.  Dislikes:  some of the filming was a bit shaky, which happens with DSLR footy at high speeds.  A couple single clips in there could have been filmed better too.  Overall enjoyed it though, looking forward to seeing future projects out of Tom.

JACKDAUTH

What happens when you take an amazing young talent and put him in one of the best older crews?  This happens.  Jack Dauth, 16, started riding with Friendly about 7 months ago.  In that time he has amassed this killer footage.  Jack really has those down heel combos on lock- whip front board 270 down heel was nuts.  Dude is incredibly smooth as well.  Great stuff.

Hep Greg | Nine Lives

Hep Greg's new Signature River RAPID wheel is out now, and this is the video he filmed to promote it.  Greg's impeccable style never ceases to entertain.  His personality always shines through in his riding and he always has unique song choices.  You can't not like a Hep Greg video.  Check it out now.

PROTO Intermission | Jake Sorensen

Jake has solidified himself as one of the most exciting young riders out there over the past couple years.  His appearances in Hella Grip videos and Insta clips demonstrate how talented he is on a scooter, and finally we have his full Proto Intermission part to see what he can do when he's trying. Jake seems to be able to do anything he wants on a scooter- I've never really ridden with him, but I feel like his tricks come pretty quickly compared to most.  Either way, he does some of the most ridiculous tricks I've seen on a scooter, so just start watching already.

MATT OGLE INTERVIEW

When I first started riding in summer 2006, Matt Ogle was already established as one of the top riders.  He had yet to secure a sponsor (as there was only Razor and Micro) but there was no doubt he had some of the most influential and enjoyable videos.  He quickly became a personal favorite rider of mine to watch, along with his riding buddy Daniel Warwick.  I believe it was 2010 when he was added to Inward’s team alongside myself, so we quickly became great friends.  Inward eventually dropped their team and Matt was doing the college thing, so he slowed down a bit.  Over the past couple years however, he’s been going hard, attending street jams, traveling around Texas, filming for a video.  He just dropped his Time Lapse video, which at 11 minutes and three songs long is as ambitious as it is effective.  I decided to ask Matt a few questions about the video among other things, so read on.  

Jordan Jasa:  First off, congrats on the video. How's it feel to release a video in 2015?

Matt Ogle:  Thanks Jordan. It feels phenomenal. 2015 is probably the first year in my life that it has started to down on me how fast life is flying by. The more wild parts of me have started to fade away so I've had plenty of time to really let life sink in.

You're 25 now then right? Do you consider yourself an adult?

Yup, 25 is correct. I do consider myself to be an adult as well although others would contest that.

What a sesh like for you today compared to what it was during the SI days?

Well, the level of activity with riding has changed during all the seasons of my life. When I was 12, it was non-stop and all out in the middle of the street with my neighbors. When SI came around a couple years later, my best childhood friends and I would sesh around the neighborhood and film on my dads old video camera he passed down. These were the years (ages 13-16) that I just had endless energy. We would ride 2-5 miles daily from spot to spot and that was just how we transported from one place to the other. From 16-18 I had a car, so there was much more spot exploration and skatepark visits. I would often ride with Dan and Ricky for over 4 hours and never think twice about my body or level of exhaustion. The SI sessions with Dan and Ricky were really next level on all planes. We were best friends and when we weren't riding, we were laughing or exploring. And in that moment, i swear we were infinite. Now, sessions are much shorter and (while I was filming) to the point. On a good day I can ride for about 4-5 hours straight at max. The quality of the sesh is always about who is with us. Good vibes go a long way. I am clearly still progressing in some ways, and also clearly regressing in others.

I was honestly surprised at a few tricks in your video just because of how gnarly they were. What's the motivation behind sending it today when you're not being paid for it and the risk of injury being upped?

Honestly the motivation behind this video was to get a full length edit out that I was truly proud of, in HD. Without sponsors (shout out to Tommy D and Ian Johnson though) motivation was really only coming from my desire to put out an edit where I felt like if I were to die tomorrow, I would be happy about. Even my Bustin Cakes part in 2010 had loads of filler and clips that I personally look back at and was not happy about. In summary - it was for me. If I ever land another sponsor, that would be just gooch (Proto/TILT shoutout). But I don't expect that nor was I filming for it.

To have 3 songs worth of footage that you're happy with...that's like so much dude, you're definitely getting out there a lot. Where all did you travel for this video?

Theo and I were just talking about this - mostly TX (Austin, Dallas, Waco, San Antonio & Houston). There are a few others though. The main one is China. I was in Suzhou, China for a work trip last January and got to scoot all over. When I finally saw that  subway entrance roll in (first clip of the video) I knew it was going to happen at some point. It was perfect. I contemplated doing it after work for like 3 days and then finally my last day in Suzhou rolled around and I was like....alright it's now or never. I was pretty sketched out considering I am an American in a foreign land...breaking the law and all.

Like you did that solo?

Yup. My coworker Steve was my only other source of English and he would not have approved nor filmed me haha.

That's so crazy. Which place was your favorite?

As in spots from the video? Easily the place where I do the roof drop. Theres a perfect low 4 rail (where I do front 50 to fw), perfect 6 rail, roof drop, naturally waxed ledges...it's always a good time. Plus it is literally in the ghettos of Austin. There are always people stopping by to watch and adorable little kids EVERYWHERE.

So you're a pretty devout christian, right? That's not something I see you share online about very often. What are your views on religion and I guess, displaying it?

Yeah I am. I guess when it comes to sharing my faith online, I keep it rare and relevant. Social media is a double-edged sword for sharing my faith. Many non-believers feel persecuted or annoyed by constant Christian opinions and I understand that. I have gotten multiple messages from friends outside of the scooter community that have expressed that to me, or are just outright hateful about my POV. Therefore, I just stick to what I know - be myself, glorify God the best I can (nobody is perfect and deserves respect unless warranted otherwise) and love others. The most effective way to communicate my faith, from my experience, is to just talk about it in person and hold back from seeing people as "possible converts". People are human beings, not projects. This way of approaching the conversation generally ends in a mutual understanding and tighter bond with that person. Daniel Warwick was very anti-religious, yet he remained my closest friend until the day he passed away. I think that out of respect and love we were able to see past our differences and that made our friendship unbreakable!

That's what's up. Danny was the man. I never really knew him personally but he seemed so cool to me (and was an amazing scooter rider).

He was cool man. And intelligent. And hysterical. And deep. The list is endless.

Which scooter riders right now stand out to you? Pro or otherwise.

In terms of riding i've really been feeling Gus Rymer, Cam Poe, Arnaud Marchenoir, Tom K (Tilt throwaway was just gooch in face) and I gotta say your part got me back on a Jordan Jasa high as well! There are honestly too many gnarly riders these days to give proper credit to haha, but these are a few of the ones that I have really built an alliance to. Oh and I need to give Mckeen cred as well. He is a primary OG (and personal friend) that raises the bar with every video. As if we don't all know this. Respect.

So how do you manage riding/work/Carlos/having a life? A lot of people seem to get too busy to ride when they hit college/post college years, or just drift out of it and move on to other interests.

This one is tough to answer, mostly just because I don't really know how. I like to stay busy so having an agenda every day is great. I write to do lists every day as well to make sure that the priorities are straight for how I want them to be. Carlos requires a lot of attention (currently passed out in my lap). Work requires 8-9 hours a day. And then in my free time (evenings and weekends) I just try to get time in for everything. My social life has probably suffered the most. Or rather, I have stuck to a few close friends and my girlfriend instead of trying to see everyone and their uncle. TO DO LISTS THO. Shoutout to roomy Theo Kotyk for giving me a social life when I don't have one.

Have you ever felt that you were going to stop riding? To quit completely?

Only one time. When I first started college. I took a semester off from heavy riding as I was trying to establish a college life. And then Steven T. hit me up with the Inward offer and I was fully back on board. Nowendays I don't see a reason to stop riding! I love being on a scooter. It was getting pretty old torwards the end of filming season but now that I can get back to the parks and purely enjoy the essence of riding I am thrilled. I will probably stop riding the day that my body can't put up with it anymore. Hopefully that is far away.

It's always nice being able to chill after putting out a video. But how on earth did such a thing as a kneeble come to your mind?

Right? Hahahah I really don't know. Obviously it's a classic circus trick that was thought of on that spot. That ledge is like an inch higher than the run up so I figured it was completely possible to do such a trick there. As to how I thought of it, who even knows. PCP is a hell of a drug.

Hahaha I was psyched on it.  I probably have enough now, was there anything else you wanted to address, or do you have any final words?

Glad to hear it brother! Final words:

1. Thank you for the interview Jordan & Inside. I wish you the best of luck with the recent Inside changes.
2. Thank you to Theo Kotyk, Mike Dejong & Austen Hailey for all of the time they put in filming me for this video. Y'all are the real goochpoppers.
3. Thank you to everyone who has sent me kind words regarding the video. My all time favorite part of releasing an edit is hearing the feedback...especially the detailed feedback highlighting favorite tricks, spots, and other features. I think our community needs to remember this for future releases. If you like authentically like an edit, don't pull a Mankong. Give them a brief critique at the least. Who doesn't love being appreciated for their riding?! Don't let the rapid release of edits and instaclips prevent you from taking the 30 seconds to make another riders day.

Shake em,
Matt

___________________________

Check his full video "Time Lapse" above, and his raw footage below:

Cam Ward Locked Up Abroad

I never feel like Cameron's videos really do him justice.  He's amazingly good, and makes everything look super easy, so maybe its like he's never trying very hard.  Regardless, there are some rad tricks in this- one footed nose manual (all the nose manual combos actually), boostin with steeze at 1:04, so you should check it out.

Tilt 2 - Jordan Jasa B Sides

In between running Inside, finishing school, and starting Forefront Supply,  Jordan somehow managed to pull together a video part.  Without compromise, might I add.  Somehow making it look effortless along the way.  If you haven't caught Tilt 2 yet, then this should hold you over until you catch Jordan's full part. His B Sides are full of things that you won't see in his actual part, so watch closely and enjoy.

Brandon James | StillMobbinFun

District's Brandon James is in the cut here with a collection of new and old clips in the parks and streets.  Brandon always somehow manages to surprise me, which he shouldn't because I'm always expecting the craziest combos from him.  So that just shows how good he really is right there.  I'm just wondering when he's going to start putting hairdressing clips in his videos...just kidding, miata owners.

Turks - Relax

Yung Turks on the track again, this time with a little street part.  He's got the fullwhips dialed but he doesn't overdo it, which is good to see.  Front feeble whip to fingerwhip was super good too, whip finger is such an underrated trick.  Good stuff all around from this guy.

Matt Ogle | Time Lapse

If you're a newer rider to the scene, you might not know much about this goofy guy, Matt Ogle.  He is a super OG rider who was one of the best in his time but sadly wasn't able to land a solid sponsor.  So he went to college, got a job, and quietly did his own thing.  The past couple years Matt has been back in action, with no signs of slowing down.  This video, filmed over the past year and eight months, shows he can still throw down like back in the day, in his own style.  Matt's a super creative rider, doing things not because they're "cool" but because he wants to do them.  This part is pretty lengthy, so get yourself in front of a decent sized screen and enjoy it.

Sky High Presents: Christian Dean

Christian Dean, originally from Davenport, IA, has been living in Chicago working for Sky High for over a year now.  He was quickly put on the team, not without good reason.  He has incredible balance and clean, smooth tricks.  He's always had his own unique style and its sick to see that finally put on display in a video- as this is his first video ever.  He even learned how to edit just so he could put this one together himself.  Great job Yoga!