Video of Last Week: Koichiro Uehara in LENZ II

Koichiro Uehara's latest video part is a joy to watch. His quick feet are unparalleled by anyone else and to create an entire video part that keeps that quick rhythm is really incredible. This is the kind of part that makes you want to go skate and have fun.

Some other pretty awesome videos from last week:
Taylor Kirby - Shep Dawgs Tape Deck
Mike Anderson - Yellow Van Chronicles
Ryan Reyes - A Happy Medium 3
New Balance Numeric - Pinnytown
Max Murphy - VHS

And now for some solid remixes/B-Sides
Jim Greco - Deathwish Video Remix
Axel Cruysberghs - Excess Baggage from AB&A
Kevin Tierney and Dave Willis - Kings of New York Remix

And lastly, Kingpin had an article on the 10 Tricks Danny Montoya Did First, which was a spot-on tribute to a guy that is very underrated today. While people are trying to get more spins and more flips into their tech tricks today, Danny Montoya has always been a notch above the rest when it comes to technical and stylish creativity.

Pro Too Soon #5: Neen Williams

I first remember hearing the name "Neen Williams" from his Mag Minute. This alone to me was just another very solid part but with a better-than-normal smooth style. Nothing outstanding or exceptional to really go crazy over. Since then (possibly back in 2008?), I don't think I really heard much about Neen at all, up until Chicken Bone Nowison was approaching its release. Maybe some park footage or random clips on the internet, likely a commercial for the Shake Junt vid too, but nothing really to affirmatively place Neen on the radar. Now in 2011, Neen is welcomed to Deathwish in February and I'm thinking, "Ok, this guy's got a pretty tight style and should be able to put out some good skating." Again, a satisfactory feeling but nothing truly noteworthy yet. He gets on Supra in August later that year, the awaited Shake Junt video drops in November (Neen's part above), and then almost immediately goes pro after the video in December of 2011. Now his SJ part was definitely really good, churning out loads of ridiculously smooth tricks and one of the best heelflips in skateboarding (when Neen's heelflip at full flick is rightfully compared to the iconic Michael Jordan slam dunk silhouette, it's one for the ages for sure). However, I don't think the part was THAT good to warrant turning pro after being on the Deathwish squad for maybe 10 months at the time, especially when Moose had been shredding with the crew for much longer! And it wasn't even like Neen was generating tons of footage with all the Supra tours at this point because he also just got on that team. It really felt like a rushed time to give him the pro nod. Despite Neen's definitely special personality (I mean that with no sarcasm at all because it really is special in every good sense of the word), the time put in with Deathwish and the actual skating that he put out by that time is not enough in my opinion for turning pro.
However, ever since then, Neen has been on a tear with the Supra team stacking clips and banging out tricks with every tour. And his latest video part in the Deathwish Video was definitely his best yet. Getting 3 tricks at that last tall staircase blew me away! It's a showing as good as this one that make me think how turning pro after the Chicken Bone Nowison part was even less worthy, because of how good a part Neen is capable of coming out with. Anyway, long story short, turning Neen pro after the work put in since the Shake Junt video and culminating with the Deathwish Video would have been ideal.

Clipper #1: Brian "Slash" Hansen

Slash's ender for The Deathwish Video has so many levels of awesomeness and gnarliness. The trick by itself, caballerial frontside noseslide back to regular, is easily one of the craziest tricks to go down the Clipper ledge. What puts Slash's trick over the top for me is twofold. The back foot coming off of the board for essentially a one-footed noseslide, which appears totally accidental, showcases Slash's crazed board control and makes Slash's already sick style look that much cooler. The second aspect of this trick is the fact that with the curvature of the Clipper ledge itself, Slash actually locked into somewhat of a nosegrind. Caballerial backside nosegrind. Think about how many times you've actually seen that done. I can only remember Raul Navarro doing one in his latest Adidas part, and he is a supreme ledge technician. So to think that Slash basically cab nosegrinded the gnarly Clipper hubba, even if the lock-in was unintentional and more of a switch Suski grind to get really specific, everything going on in that one clip is crazy. Slash takes the Clipper cake with this one for sure.
(Though I can't post Slash's Deathwish part, the trick is actually discussed in an episode of the Weekend Buzz and you can see the trick itself there as well!)

Dudes with Nicknames #3: Lizard King (Mike Plumb)

Continuing the trend of great nicknames from the Deathwish squad, Mike Plumb (AKA Lizard King) is up next.  From what I've gathered the origin of the name is like this: Lizard was skating at a park back in the day and one of his favorite skaters at the time,"Pumpkin King", came up to him randomly and called him Lizard, the Lizard King. The name's stuck ever since, and when I say stuck I really mean it.  The only time Mike Plumb comes out is when Lizard's being interviewed and is forced to give up his original name. I'm assuming the Lizard part came from his ability to ride on walls and on obstacles most people shouldn't be able to. Just take a look at the May 2009 issue of Transworld for a prime example.
Lizard does stay true to him name quite often in his video parts, coming up with some pretty hairy ideas for whatever spots he comes to.  Just look at the very first trick in his shared part with Theotis in Baker has a Deathwish, as well as a couple sketchy wallie tricks from 0:30. Then there's his Real Street part (above) from this past year along with his Deathwish video part which both have more of the crazy use of spots with Lizard's abilities to handle anything sketchy with a passion-filled eagerness and ease.

Dudes with Nicknames #4: Furby (Ramiro Salcedo)

I'm not sure how Furby got his nickname, but it is definitely clear that Ramiro Salcedo has been retired as a name. Never have I heard Furby be referenced by any other name than Furby, and with its catchiness it's bound to last him the rest of his career. (Does Deathwish have nickname prerequisites?)
Now Furby has got one of the illest styles in skateboarding: with all of his many fliptricks he's got the perfect pop and flick, and somehow manages to stomp his tricks down while still looking like he's bouncing on the clouds with light feet.  Not to mention he looks like a straight G in whatever he does. He's got his 180 fliptricks in any stance or direction on lock and never fails to put out really great footage. While his latest Deathwish video part was instantly my favorite from the video, his skills and consistency are really shown in his 420 part (above) which was filmed in less than 20 days! Also worthy mentioning this part from Supra where Furby once again goes off with stylish tricks.

Dudes with Nicknames #5: Moose (Luis de los Reyes)

From what I've read and heard, as Moose was coming up he would always paint a different animal on his griptape. At a skatepark when some pros were around, they saw him ripping and wanted to get his attention so they shouted out "Moose!", since that happened to be the animal on his griptape at the time.  Ever since, that name has stuck and has basically erased Luis's original name for the skate industry. I'd say that he is a prime example of how a solid nickname can really stick and take over for a skater.
Now I don't need to delve in at all into how awesome Moose is as a skater, and I am beyond stoked that he is FINALLY pro now. (Just copped his new pro model from Deathwish!) I still love watching his Recruit part at the Berrics (above) and if you haven't seen his part in the Deathwish video, get on that ASAP.
And finally, watch this whole video, but just make sure to witness the stunning perfection at 3:51. That is all.