Filming for Shake Junt’s “ChickenBone Nowison” and the “Deathwish” video, the crew heads to Luther Burbank Middle School in Highland Park, CA. A more slender Neen Williams, steps up to huck a heelflip over the 16-stair rail. With a couple warm ollies, Neen mentally prepares himself for a heelflip. After several atempts, Neen stomps a graceful heelflip with more flavor than OG Veggie spice on a piece of organic free-range chicken. Not a damn chance…
Heading southwest, the Skate Tank docks at the LA Library for a good an old-fashioned “jump-sesh.” Patrick “The Sinner” Pasquale stomps the yard with a hardflip and fakie flip on opposing sides of the gap. Moose performs a tribute to Brad Staba and Furby has fun with a switch varial heelflip.
Back in Hollywood, Beagle spots Macaulay Culkin running late for a movie audition. Circa 2011 – BEAGLE
Erik Hamamoto skates an 15-stair aluminum rail with an uphill runway. A fantasy rail that had yet to be skated at the time, Erik uses his illusion and surfs out a boardslide.
Into the night, at a 6-6-10, Beagle films an Andrew Reynolds line down all three sets of stairs. With an improv move, Beagle pops up his board and runs down the second set of stairs. Andrew lands the backside 360 and the TRV900 gets another clip.
At the Bundy Hubba in Brentwood, CA, a stone’s throw away from 875 Bundy Dr, Atiba Jefferson practices his golf swing and Antwuan DIxon kills the Hubba. Circa 2005 – Beagle
The Wilshire Financial Tower was built in 1962. This structure is commonly referred to by skateboarders as the WIlshire 10 or Wilshire 15. The building received a Merit Award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1963. The entrance has an 88 foot wide forecourt framed by one story wings. The lobby features a four-section colored mosaic glass mural by Gyorgy Kepes, 12 feet high and totaling 57 feet in length. Welton David Beckett’s architectural firm designed this building. Interestingly, the architectural firm also designed some very interesting buildings and structures that are relevant to skateboard culture. His firm also designed the World’s Fair project in 1964, to NY skaters this is know as “Flushing Meadows”. Another famous skate spot designed by Welton Beckett’s firm is the Chase Tower in Phoenix, AZ. This pot is know as the “Bank Banks”, made famous by Chad Muska and Colby Carter. The firm also designed the Capitol Records building located in Hollywood, CA.
Anyways, let’s get down to brass tax. In pursuit of the completing the “Bake and Destroy” video which was available as a free DVD in every copy of December 2012 Thrasher Magazine. The BAKER skateboards team was in crunch time to get the final clips for the video. Warming up at the Wilshire 10 stair, Justin “Figgy” Figueroa switch backside lipslides the set and avoids oncoming traffic. Andrew Reynolds gets half Cab noseslide, while Michael Burnett documents with a photography sequence. Migrating to the big boy side, a young Franky Villani performs a coping dance with a feeble-to-50-50 and then considers a 50-50 to manual. Figgy, pursing the premeditated switch backside 50-50, get what he came there for. A cold blooded reptile (Lizard Kind) feeds off the heat of the make.
The next day, in San Pedro, CA, Furby nollie kickflips a fatty to flatty between the pam tree field goal. It’s good… Circa 2011 – BEAGLE
As night falls, with the subtle hum of a Honda EU2000, Andrew Reynolds skates an up-ledge in Fullerton, California. After a few warmup tricks, Andrew gets what he drove all way out there for, a fakie 5-0 fakie kickflip.
Just north of Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and south of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Beagle pregames by hypnotizing himself with Three-Six Mafia lyrics and HCP collector cards. He then decides to attempt a nollie bigspin down the largest set of his career. The La Cañada 11 stair is the stage of choice. Like a bat out of hell, Beagle rides away 20 feet from a sketchy one. Does that count? Even though Beagle’s mentality had taken on a gangster persona, Lance Dawes throws in the towel, so Beagle can live to fight another day. Circa 2005 – BEAGLE
In Irwindale, CA, the Baker Boys skate a hip in the blistering sun. In the pursuit of “web clips” an uncommon term at the time, Don “Nuge” Nguyen and Brian “Slash” Hansen get tricks while Andrew Reynolds and Jeff Lenoce bake in the sun.
At a local Home Depot, Beagle spots a character in an unusual attire. With a matching Homer Simpson shirt and shorts, the man continues to scratch his behind while discussing local politics with his entourage.
Back to skateboarding’s most famous stage, Lizard King and the Green Room crew roll deep to the Hollywood 16 stair rail. With the usual warm up chants, “For Satan”, “Green Room”, “No Batlle, No War”, and “Do or Die For The Homies”, Lizard King hypes himself up and slides a frontside noseslide all the way to the bottom, first try. Four attempts later, the Lizard surfs one out. The crowd goes wild including Molly the dog (RIP). Circa 2009 – Beagle
Cruising down the Miracle Mile, Andrew Reynolds and Pat”The Sinner” Pasquale decide to make a pit stop at the Wilshire 15 stair. The two get down to business right away with a variety of heelflips. Andrew almost rides away from a backside heelflip and Pat almost stomps a switch heelflip, but rides over one of his fingers from extreme compression. A broken board later and the session is over.
That same evening, on the heels of Andrew’s and Pat’s session, Ryan Decenzo and Nick Merlino skate the same set of stairs. Ryan attempts a switch frontside heelflip and Nick Merlino stomps a switch heelflip (For context, Nick had asked Pat for permission to attempt the same trick he had tried earlier that day. Pat granted him permission and Nick secured the bag. A controversial move on both parts, but we will let you decide who was in the wrong for that one.).
After landing the switch heelflip, Nick considers attempting a switch backside 360 down the 15, but Beagle steps in to govern, and coaches Nick to attempt down the Redondo 13 stair instead. That same evening, they light up the 13 stair and Nick rides away from the switch back 360. Circa 2006 – Beagle
Post BAKER 3, once the smoke cleared, Antwuan Dixon and Terry Kennedy ride the momentum of the video’s release and continue to document the dynasty. On Elm St., in Brea, CA, Antwuan finesses a nollie noselslide on the Brea 12-stair rail. Terry backs him up with a salad grind and half Cab boardslide. “Welcome to Primetime, b*tch.”
On the pursuit to sell more SHAKE JUNT DVDs, so the crew can purchase more André champagne, an ad hoc video premiere is thrown in Riverside, CA. Crooks Skateshop facilitates the debauchery and crew lives to drink another day. You thought listening to Tommy Wright III was a new trend?.. You got the game fucked up.
A classic spot, made famous by Elissa Steamer and Andrew Reynolds. Zack Crater makes his mark with a never before seen line at the ledges in Garden Grove, CA. Runnin’-N-Gunnin’. Circa 2006 – Beagle
Post BAKER2G and pre 9/11, Beagle and team persist a perpetual era. Jeff Lenoce attempts a nollie frontside noseslide on a crusty 7-stair out-ledge. He rides a couple of sketchy ones, but the foot-traffic wears and tears on a skater’s soul. Dogtown, the birthplace of the culture. Andrew Reynolds nollie half Cab heel flips the nine stair, with a classic elephant t-shirt. On the way out, Erik Ellington kickflip noseslides a bump-to-ledge on the outer corridor. Alex “Trainwreck” suggests some “ice colds.”
An Altamont/No Age tour to Austin, TX for SXSW. The team stops by a Texas ditch to get the day started. Brian “Slash” Hansen finds the road less traveled and crosses the chasm.
Moving downtown, local folklore spoke of an untouched rail named “The Green Goblin.” An arch nemesis, Justin “Figgy” Figueroa destroys the Supervillain second try. Norman Osborn RIP.
The next day, on the rooftop of No-Comply Skateshop, “The Goat” performs for the locals. Jimmy Beamin’ got you steamin’?.. Arizona got you fucked up?.. What really happened at Altamont?.. Ask Mick Jagger. Circa 2009
