Finding a new skater you are stoked on is quite the same as getting really hooked on a band or musician you had never listened to before: sometimes you just know your record collection needed something new even if it was pretty solid already. We are all watching skate clips on every media every day and I have my go-tos. However, suddenly my algorithm gifted me a refreshing clip of an ollie one-foot tailgrab by Nick Michel, and ever since this day, I’m hyped like a teenager if new footage of him comes out – comparable to your favorite band releasing a new song. It’s not too common that a guy your age, in his mid-twenties, keeps on stoking you for years like your favorites regularly do, who have been in the game for twenty, maybe thirty years. And if you are a fan of someone, you certainly have several questions about them in your mind – at least enough to meet up for a burrito in L.A.
Do you realize how easy it is to connect with like-minded people in the era we live in? You just send a message to a skater anywhere in the world, whom you enjoy watching, or someone that inspires you with the projects they are doing, and you have a very high chance that they’ll reply and be stoked. From there, you can develop a connection and potentially link up and build projects together. That’s basically what happened between Sergio Santoro from Brazil, Ben Koppl from the US of A, and myself. – Leo Valls
We meet Sarah in her home in Malmö, where she’s recently moved back to upon finishing a degree in photography up north in Gothenburg. The apartment she moved into, though not entirely finished just yet, already has “photographer” written all over it. A small collection of nice-looking analog cameras on the shelf, photography books, tripods, and camera bag in the corner, and by the time we’re done, the entire floor is covered in precious handmade color prints produced during countless late-night sessions in her old university’s darkroom. The last time we worked closely with Sarah, she was the guest editor of issue 28 and used the platform to push predominantly female actors into the limelight. Since then, not only has the industry changed but also her career, surroundings, and focus. Time for a catch-up!
Every time we go on a Rave trip to Madrid, nothing happens as it was planned. The first time, Fred didn’t show up, Léo arrived three days late (on a five-day trip) because he missed his bus twice, and we were too many people for the number of beds in the flat. On this trip, we again tried our best, but still, things didn’t go as planned… This time Léo didn’t show up, Olivier ended up being with us for only 48 hours, and both Amélien and Mika were a bit hurt. At least, the flat was so huge that we had spare beds. Also, Madrid has much more to offer than that: the local scene is welcoming and hearty, Adrian Rios is the best guide/photographer you can possibly have, and there are so many crazy good spots. We will definitely come back for a third round. Then, hopefully, with the right amount of people and beds. – PJ Chapuis
Any sighting of Niels Bennett is a special little treat since he is rather calculated and careful with his output, always looking at the bigger picture. The mind of a seasoned pro in a young man’s body. Sometimes in life, there are too many options to make one singular choice. Niels, as meticulous as he is about anything from trick selection to his scarce online presence, couldn’t settle on single tricks on these photos, so he went for doubles. In a similar fashion as Niels deals with the spots, we hit up the Girl pro with a quick one-two punch interview.
At the age of 20, young Frenchman Tim Débauché already seems to have wiggled himself into all the right places and is well set up to start a successful career in skateboarding. While the internet seemingly still likes to remember him wearing the sponsored beanie, by now he has quit the contest circuit, grown out of some sponsors’ aesthetics, and has evolved into a gritty-looking footage machine with a good taste in tricks, spots, and music. Andrew Peters, who chaperoned and photographed Tim during his short stay in L.A., checked up on him to reminisce and dig a little deeper into the mind of an up and comer.
