Robert Brink - Writer

I Ran My Mouth, Tosh Got Bummed!

December 16, 2005 | Skip To The Comments (3)

Here's my review of Emerica's This Is Skatebording video from Strength magazine. Although I don't regret what I said (it was my honest reaction to the video when it was released), I do like the video a lot more now that time has passed. Either way, Tosh was bummed and let everyone know in his Thrasher October '03 interview (see the quote above). However, he's since added me as a friend on MySpace, so that must mean we're cool now. Ironically, I currently work for Sole Technology, the company from which Emerica was born. There might be a lesson in there somewhere.

Emerica: This is Skateboarding
By Rob Brink
Strength May 2003

The title of this video alone boasts a difficult statement to live up to. Regardless, praise the Lord that Emerica's sophomore effort (remember Yellow?) offers a little variety and isn't quite as quickly edited and handrail-infested as other recent video releases.

Heath's part was bewildering and far too short—but that's what keeps us wanting more of Heath. If you need to see more big spins and hands touching the ground, then you'll dig watching Ellington. Chris Senn and Aaron Suski are always entertaining to watch, simply because they do everything so differently, speedily, and stylishly. Ed Templeton—he's just amusing—in a good way of course.

Darren Navarrette? Who knew he was on the team? God forbid you put him, a vert skater, in the ads or on website, right? Go “Vertical Vampire!” Tosh Townend's part seemed strangely out of place and mediocre. Braydon Szafranski, Austin Stephens, Bryan Herman, and especially Kevin “Spanky” Long, had solid parts. Spanky also gets kudos for using the Cure as his musical accompaniment—80s new wave is the new “punk.”

Then there's Reynolds. Who isn't itching to see his part? Some really good stuff in there for sure—even lines with lots of flatground tricks! However, like the rest of the video, after all that wait and anticipation for the last year or so—I was expecting a bit more. I don't' know what I wanted, but I felt shortchanged. In all fairness, the video is excellent, well worth buying, and lived up to its name—it is skateboarding.