New Indoor park: Melton Mowbray

You might have heard the whispers but Melton Mowbray Indoor Park - Terminal 1 has been approved planning permission.

Great news for us in the Midlands, stay bang up to date with the information on the FB page for it. Build begins in May.

Orate Wakefield

So at the weekend we had a little session at King G, then up to Wakefield. Weather was epic, t-shirts and bandanas out for the lads.

Dave feeble rehearsal at King Gs

Kearney: Hyped on a road trip

Beggy came along on the trip this time, and got some gnarly footage for the Hooked video

Callum was feeling it

Hooked team lurkers unite

Kearney's got a message fo tha haters

Kearney's a blunt legend don't forget

Kearney blunts for angle #2

Josh Nicholson is a nice chap to hover above the obsceneties

While Kearney hovers above the driveway

Josh backsmiths

Models pose, been on a course for it

We were wasted, chuck the gear in the vehicle and get out

Then we saw passenger dog that ordered a McFlurry, and ate it off the spoon

Filming in Ronald's hut... while we smashed back the calories... get that red bull ready for the ride home.

Spotted: Derby polejam

You may or may not have noticed this. The perfect introductory polejam...

If you're new to polejams, or want to put some new stuff on a polejam, go here...

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Men about town

We went around a few spots the other day. Footage, standing still SKATE, beef from 10 year old gangstas at skateparks... we did it all.

Chevy films Jacob's crip lines

Brett booms a perfect flip

We didn't have a ball

Jake flip manny... epic

Brett booms a tré

Manny mania, Chev lurks in the alley with the bail gun

After King G was so full of little lurker kids it was impossible to skate, we headed to Callum's local haunt, Sinfin park... where we filmed this

Chevy nollie fiddy fiddy

Callum boardslide bigspins in his own hood... dodging the waterfights

It's getting light... all night filming sessions coming right up

Derby Skatepark Update - one month on

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks, the bowl has started to be dug, the quarter has taken form and the driveway has landed, you can really start to get the scale of it...

Banks to the left...

Quarter to the right...

Driveway being formed

Give it a couple of months and this will look even better...

6 Tricks on the Sabbath: L-L-L-Lurking Lines

Josh Harmony: Get yo bearings

We love Toy Machine.. we love Fallen footwear. Who better to have a Skype to cell phone chat with than the super nice Josh Harmony.

Hooked:

Hi Josh, Thanks for doing an interview… how's it going?

Josh Harmony:

No problem, glad I can help. I'm doing pretty good.

Hooked:

So is it sunny over there..?

JH:

Sure is, I just got back home from skateboarding.

Hooked:

Awesome. So who are you riding for at the moment?

JH:

Yeah I ride for Toy Machine Skateboards, Fallen Footwear, RVCA Clothing and Independent Trucks. And PIG Wheels too.

Hooked:

Awesome.. We love Ride The Sky here.

JH:

Awesome I really like that video too… good times.

Hooked:

Was it hard filming for that video? Jaimie Thomas is super encouraging when it comes to hammers...

JH:

Erm, it can be, it can be stressful. It's not necessarily a bad thing… It wasn't hard filming for it because we were out travelling the world searching for spots and stuff, Jaimie suggests stuff to other people and get them to do tricks which has been really good for people's careers. There was one he wanted me to do a trick again to ride away different, but I totally liked the one I had… so got pretty bummed out ha ha… but beside that it wasn't really hard. They used the trick anyway the way I had filmed it the first time.

Hooked:

Sounds exciting… like it takes a certain kind of person to be pro and handle the pressure…

JH:

Well I think most professional skateboarders can get by on their own after making sure they are getting quality tricks, they don't have to worry about anything at all. I think that particular video project was Jaimie's baby so he wanted to make it the best it could be so if something was filmed a bit weird and you could do it again, he would want the filming to be just right.

Hooked:

Is there a difference between riding for Toy Machine / Independent etc in terms of trip styles, locations - for example would you do different tricks more for one company than another?

JH:

Not really different tricks - just skating and see whatever situation presents itself… as for Toy Machine being different, I'd say a bit more relaxed. I mean, we rip demos if it's a demo tour, and definatelty try and get footage and photos for articles and videos, but I think as Ed's the leader of the pack and he likes to enjoy the adventure a bit more - and sometimes he's more up for going to a rope swing over a river or something ha ha. Just fun stuff to mix it up. Which is always fun, I always appreciate that stuff.

Hooked:

That sounds epic. So do you have a favourite video to watch to get psyched? Do you still get hyped by videos?

JH:

Yeah I totally get hyped by watching videos. I started skating in '93 so the first videos I saw were Pan B and stuff, but when I really got into skating, that's when Welcome To Hell and Mouse came out in 96 and I was old enough to do tricks so I just love those videos because it reminds me of being a kid and the tricks are so good. I still love Misled Youth, I like Photosynthesis… I'm just here looking at all the videos now. I really like the new Alien Workshop video I really like Jake Johnson's part, Dill's part… all the skaters really. All the Toy Machine and Foundation videos I really like… I really like The End too on VHS haha.

Hooked:

Heath is actually a favourite skater of ours here...

JH:

Oh rad - I have the Foundation box set and I was just watching it, he's so good - even back in the day...

Hooked:

Defo. So you're on the same video as, say Tommy Sandoval (Ride The Sky) - would you watch someone else's part on a video that you were on and get hyped?

JH:

Yeah of course, I like everyone's part in that video. It's so cool when they are your friends and stuff as you know their ability, what tricks are harder for them… that makes it cooler. Also I'll watch the video and remember the situation… a trick will go by in one second but it could have come from a crazy situation.

I really like watching videos I was a part of, it just brings it all back. I get sentimental like that!

Hooked:

Ha, yeah you're probably in the background of everyone else's tricks too…

So who are you mainly skating with these days?

JH:

I usually skate with Austin Stephens, one of my favourite people to skate with. I just got back from skating with Leo (Romero) as he lives really close… Most of the Toy machine team as we live out here in Long Beach. W'll meet up at Cherry park.. a park we kind of added to a spot and over time it just sort of turned into a skatepark, it's awesome.

Hooked:

So what's your motivation to keep skating, pushing yourself etc?

JH:

Well it definitely takes it's toll, I just had surgery - I could barely walk before that so I'm super thankful to be skating again. Learning new tricks is what keeps me excited, wrapping my head around new tricks, you might decide to just skate switch for one day or build up the nollie stuff… Then it's really cool if I learn a new trick and I can take it to a spot and film it. It's kind of like having the opportunity to write history for yourself, tricks you've done and an accomplishment… like figuring a song on the guitar, gratifying. Also you can make a good mount of money skateboarding which is a huge blessing too.

Somehow people lose sight of how cool it is to be able to make money skating...

Hooked:

You actually sound excited about it!

JH:

Ha, Yeah well 2 years ago I started having problems with my hip, found out I was born with a shallow hip socket… it wore out my joint prematurely. It started to limit my skating. 2 Doctors told me there was nothing I could do, but about a year ago I went to another doctor, and after that surgery that pain got even worse.., like bone grinding bone… I thought I was done. I was thinking of quitting skating, but I researched it like crazy, eventually finding out about a procedure - which was developed in England.

I think these other doctors didn't know about the procedure but this new procedure fixed me up. I feel like it was taken away from me and returned do I'm super hyped!

Hooked:

So you think there was a lesson in it?

JH:

Yeah I've been able to work on my music and realise what I had been given with my music, I'm working on something right now called Lamps which should be out on iTunes by the time this comes out. I'm really excited and this season is really exciting as I get to work on my music and skating.

Hooked:

Is your music something you can see yourself moving more into when the skateboard window eventually closes?

JH:

Yeah it's inevitable I can't skate forever but I'l skate as long as I can and be part of it… I'll be making music

regardless of whether it makes money, it's not a goal - I want to make music that is true to the way I want it to sound, but I'm not interested in being famous from it. If a lot of people like it then awesome, but if not it doesn't matter.

Hooked:

Is your new EP coming out soon?

JH:

Yeah it should be on iTunes now, call Lamps. It's basically crazy fingerpicking guitar gospel music and we revitalised them with drums and bass rather than just acoustics… you'll have to hear them!

Hooked:

Awesome we'll check them out. So flipping back to skateboarding - have you got a favourite trick?

JH:

Probably a 360 flip on flat is my favourite flatground trick, that was the first thing I ever saw when I saw a kid in my neighbourhood to a 3 flip on flat. Then I guess like a ledge trick i'd say a backside smith grind, I just think that stuff's so stylish, or a back tail too.

Hooked:

And have you got any tricks that you should have down but still gives you grief… any elusive tricks?

JH:

Oh man there's tonnes of them ha ha… so many that are hard. Let me think… it might be backside smith grinds actually, not like I haven't done them, just not the way I want them ha. It's a weird trick because you can't learn it going slow… you have to being fast! Frontside smiths are the same but I've got them for some reason...

Hooked:

I know what you mean. Have you got a favourite spot to skate?

JH:

When I was growing up there was a spot called Tracy Highscool, with just a bunch of ledges and stuff, and I actually met Ed Templeton there when I was 12. He was really nice and I'd never met a pro skater before.

Right now probably Cherry Park - that placeI was telling you about.

Hooked:

Awesome. We skated Westminster skatepark that Brian Sumner pointed out when we were over there… is it true you have to wear helmets to skate parks there?

JH:

Erm, not really, I mean I've never worn a helmet. I guess if the cops want to give you a ticket they can pull you up for stuff like that.

Hooked:

Awesome. Finally is there anyone you want to thank?

JH:

I guess Ithe thanks to Jesus Christ for saving me, Jaimie Thomas and Ed Templeton for giving me a chance and everything. My parents have been super supporting too… and if you want to check out my music, search me on Youtube..

Hooked:

Thanks for doing the interview it's been ace to speak to you.

JH:

No problem, you're welcome, talk to you soon.

Check out some of Josh Harmony's footage - skating and music.

Don't forget to see what's new with Toy Machine Skateboards, Fallen Footwear, RVCA Clothing, Independent Trucks and PIG Wheels too.

Derby skatepark project history...

People who have been skating a few years in Derby may remember this:

In towards the end of 2007 we started pushing for a skatepark in Derby with a few Derby City Council member - and after meeting with Sports Development and Parks departments we needed to show them that Derby would love and use a proper, good size skatepark.

In February 2008 we put this video together and it was played for a few months on the Derby Big Screen and also we pushed the campaign everywhere, and Sidewalk helped us.

Check the video below if you didn't see it..

Here's the news article on the Hooked site - from the time it was published... amazing to see the date this all started. Thanks to everyone's input we managed to get over 300 responses to questionnaires which once popped into statistics we could use (in a pitch document) we were able to start the slow process of getting a skatepark.

It's finally happening, phew.