Beagle brings you some throwback footage from the archives featuring Andrew Reynolds and Justin Figgy Figueroa.
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 58 – Beagle and Dustin Dollin
A summer day in Cerritos, CA. The Skate Tank takes a trip down south to Jacob Park. Beagle, eyes a combo from block-to-block, while Flip Nasty remains in the vehicle enjoying an ice cold IceHouse. After several attempts, Beagle has a short victory ride from a 50-50 180 to switch 50-50 fakie frontside half Cab out. Beagle then takes control of the TRV900, so he can film Theotis Beasley while Reno retires and takes a short siesta on a hot summer day. Theotis lands a frontside switch manual in a head-to-toe getup, compliments of SoleTech.
The following day, traveling north to the San Fernando Valley, Braydon Szafranski attempts a backside noseblunt on a 8-stair rail. The crew stays lit on hot wax and Sparks on the grass.
Into the night, at 5724 Hollywood Boulevard, the Baker House has a un-welcomed eight legged guest. Reno attempts an Indiana Jones style kill, but fails. Beagle finishes the job with an execution by print media. Shortly following the insects death, an offender falls asleep on the couch with his shoes on and a beer in his hand. Reno takes no time to address the violation, draws a condiment gun and fires. Corysco becomes a “catsup charlatan.”
The day after, Dustin Dollin decides he wants to kickflip noseslide the Wilshire 15-stair rail. After a few attempts he asked to leave the property by building security. Quick to improvise, he finds a wooden 15-stair rail at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Similar to THPS, he “fandangles” one all the way down. Lance Dawes gets the sequence. Circa 2007 – BEAGLE
Hot Plate: James Coleman
James Coleman AKA “Young Guru” is an avant-garde skateboarder that has an approach like non-other. He rides the architectural waves of the southern United States on his spiritual quest with a strong presence in the moment. Feet on the board, head in the clouds. He’s your favorite skater’s favorite skater’s favorite skater (that’s not a repetitive typo). – BEAGLE
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 57 – Justin “Figgy” Figueroa and Andrew Reynolds
The USS Bullhead Memorial park in Albuquerque, New Mexico pays homage to the USS Bullhead submarine. It was the last US Navy ship sunk by enemy action. It met its fate on the same day that the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, August 6, 1945. On the road to SXSW, the Altamont team makes a pitstop at this particular monument. Justin “Figgy” Figueroa wastes no time and gets Norrin Radd on the rail. After a few grinds and a 5-0, there is an internal discussion that 5-0 grind had already been performed on this particular rail by a specific local. Without hesitation, Figgy gets back up there and sinks a 5-0 180 out.
Continuing east towards Austin, TX, the team pulls over in a small town called Lubbock, the birthplace of Buddy Holly. Garret Hill finds a crusty kinked hubba and decides to test his luck. After a few attempts he sticks on the kink and comes down harder than the Beechcraft Bonanza on the Day The Music Died.
To lighten up the mood, the gang heads over to some brick quarter pipes. Shane Heyl and Figgy are feeling the presence of a Rock N’ Roll legend and conspired a new song while Justin Regan gets some big air, dog. Circa 2009 – BEAGLE
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 54 – Evan Hernandez
“They want me talk about Evan, right?” – Dustin Dollin
Filming for his Transworld “In Bloom” video part, a young Evan Hernadez, (Pre Rolex Watches and Rubba-Band Bizness) skates the Franklin High School 18 stair rail in Highland Park, CA. After a close call with a concussion, he rides away from a frontside boardslide, which ended up being his last trick in his Transworld part. He is accompanied by the underrated Jason Jones.
In a brief session at La Cañada High School, Jeff Lenoce attempts a switch heelflip down the 11 stair while Beagle tortures Knox Godoy by throwing his board up in a tree. After a short duration and a juvenile name calling dialogue, Knox retrieves his board by giving the tree a shake, but only to find it was now inhabited by a creepy crawler.
At the Santa Monica Courthouse, Beagle films Ako Jefferson perform a frontside kickflip down the four stair in dual t-shirt Laker getup with a pair of éS Koston 3s. As seen in “Chomp On This”. Handing the camera off, Ako films Beagle perform a frontside bluntslide shuv-it. As seen in the original Shake Junt video entitled “Shake Junt”. Peep the steez (style) on the nollie shuv, post landing. Circa 2001 – BEAGLE
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 53 – Neen Williams and Patrick “The Sinner”
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
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 51 – Erik Hamamoto, Andrew Reynolds and Antwuan Dixon
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
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 50 – Andrew Reynolds, Justin “Figgy” Figueroa and Furby
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
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 49 – Andrew Reynolds and 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
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 48 – Erik Ellington and the Carlsbad Gap
Beagle brings you the raw footage behind Erik Ellington’s Bigspin at the famous Carlsbad Gap and more; circa 2004 and 2005.
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 47 – Lizard King
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
BEAGLE Tapes: Episode 44 – Nick Merlino
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