creature pants (1994)

This video was a major deal for me as it was my first completed skate video, and I think, the first ever edited skate video in Southend. I had been filming on and off for around 3 years at this point but when I finally got the chance to edit the thing I decided to use only the very latest footage. The earlier footage from 92-93 was not up to date enough for me so I did not use it (and it ended up in ‘about time’ some seven years later!)

The video is from the pre-Eastwood era of Southend skateboarding so is set in some of classic spots of the time like the top of the Royals, Vic Ave, Abbey National flyoff, Holywell school, etc. But the main place to skate in the early nineties was Farringdon car park and some of the Farringdon lines in this video are classic. The video features 4 skaters; Paul Griffiths, Ben Doyle, Simon Nash and myself. Paul had filmed quite a bit at that time as well and he gave me his tapes to use in the video which really added to the footage.

Gav Martin. Farringdon was the spot and heelflips were my trick

The video is a compilation of all four skaters over three songs. The three songs I chose were all classics from three of my favourite groups at the time; Blac Monks, Above the Law and the 5th Ward Boyz. The Blac Monks album is one of the greatest and most under rated hip-hop albums ever (and also features in Paul’s video ‘Absolute Pitch’ from 2009!). The album title of ‘Secrets of the Hidden Temple’ was also relevant, as one of the spots we skated in the video was the hidden temple on the Cliffs.

Ben Doyle, master of the 360 flip, delivers at the hidden temple.  No margin for error. Amazing!



Paul Griffiths, focused.

Watching this 15 years later I really like some of the shoes and jackets in this video. The classic Dunlop green flash makes several appearances and Ben and Simon have some pretty cool jacket footage.

Dunlop Green Flash, the best skate shoe ever?!?!

Simon Nash in classic jacket and hood combo, mid winter

When it came to edit the video in the winter of 94, I was at University and had no way of editing the video myself. But my main man Ant Morgan came to the rescue!! I gave him my paper based edited decision list and he did the rest in secret at his work. Ant code named the video ‘creature pants’ which is how it got the title. Ben had talked about calling the video ‘rolling 4 deep’ so it kind of had two titles in the end but the labels on the tapes said ‘creature pants’.

This video is amazing as the quality of the skating is super high considering the footage was shot in 1994. This video represents a great era in Southend skateboarding, Farringdon R.I.P. Hope you enjoy!

Gav Martin 2010