episode II (1998)

Most of the footage for this video was shot between 1997 and 1998. This was a pretty low period in skateboarding generally as the golden era of the early nineties had passed. There were probably less people skating around Southend during that period than in any other over the last 20 years. Most of my original skate friends had either given up for good or temporarily retired from the scene, which is probably understandable given that we were in our mid twenties at that time.

However, Marcus Andrews and I were both skating pretty regularly although we still lived at opposite ends of the country. This video really represents the times that we hung out together during that time, either in Leeds or Southend. To that end it really feels like a holiday video to me, either me being on holiday in Leeds or Marcus on holiday in Southend. We saw it as a sequel to our original video together ‘Summer 96’. In 1998 the first ‘Star Wars’ prequel was just starting production so we decided to call our video ‘Episode II’.

The video is very simply structured into 4 sections:

1. Intro
The video opens with a cool clip from one of my favourite Simpsons episodes ‘In Marge We Trust’ from 1997, which features the legendary ‘Mr. Sparkle’. The clip was directly relevant to our video as in the episode Lisa receives an unmarked vhs cassette and wonders what is on it. That is how I planned for many of my friends to receive the video, wondering what on earth it was and then hopefully being blown away to find a cool skate video.

back cover

I chose the song ‘Hundred Mile High City’ by ‘Ocean Colour Scene’ for the intro as the classic film ‘Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels’ had just come out and that song was on the soundtrack which I was playing a lot at the time. The intro was cut at a much faster pace than my first two videos had been, which was influenced by both the upbeat song and by my then girlfriend, Kirsty, who helped me cut the video at her post production company.

2. Gavin’s section
The first thing to say about my section is that I have bleached blonde hair at the start which is pretty funny, looking back now. We were way ahead of Eminem on that front! Ha Ha! Having watched this section recently for the first time in along while, I am pretty stoked on how varied the tricks and locations are. B&Q is in there, of course, plus the Library banks & benches, Leigh Station barrier, top of the Royals, Hollywell school and various spots in Leeds. It is a good representation of the skateboarding I did over those couple of years. Also prevalent throughout are some pretty dope khaki coloured adidas shell toes, which still look pretty good I reckon. The ‘Randy Crawford’ track is the classic ‘Street Life’. That’s the only life I know…


Bleached hair, a good look. 



Gav Martin, Leigh-on-Sea Station barrier grind 



khaki adidas, dope!



Gav Martin noseslide Leeds (1997)

 
3. Marcus’s section
Marcus’s section is filmed at many of the same spots as my own section but he also has lots of footage that was filmed in Leeds with his friend Joel, without me. This makes the section really varied and really good. I love some of the stuff in this section, especially the K grind on the Southend library benches and the switch K grind at B&Q in Kareem Campbell Axion’s!! Best skate shoe of all time anyone?



Marcus Andrews, crooked grind at the Southend Library benches



Switch crooks at B&Q... it was all about the crooks in 97!


4. Joel’s section
Joel Baldwinson was from Leeds and at the time we were filming this video he was skating constantly and ripping. He has the last section as he was the best skater in the video. Simple as that. Superstition by Stevie Wonder is a great track for this section. Joel, hope you are doing well mate?!



Joel Baldwinson, switch flip at the Leeds Playhouse.  Classic spot.


Summary
Having watched this video today for the first time in a number of years it brings back lots of good memories. I like the fact that the sections have footage from loads of different locations that have not been in any other video I have made. It is also cool that I edited the video with the girl I married 10 years later. There is also no hip-hop music in the video which is pretty funny for me. Overall it is probably the best skating that Marcus and I filmed together and reminds me of some great times riding a skateboard! Hope you enjoy it.

Gav Martin 2010