To Celebrate our return Vans have offered to send one lucky competition winner something. We’re not sure exactly what yet but it’ll probably be awesome. And it’ll be free so you can’t complain really. Just answer the question below.

[contact-form]

Mike O’Shea is an artist residing in Bristol and looks like the Grimm’s Fairy tale character ‘Rumpelstiltskin’, although I don’t think his art involves spinning straw into gold, or tricking princesses. Read the interview below to find out about your new favourite artist.

So Mike tell me and all at Writers Tailblock, where do you come from? A magical forest?

No [laughs] I come from Taunton in the southwest. Its an alright place to grow up as long as you get out of there as soon as your old enough to get drunk.

So what brings you to Bristol? It’s only down the road from Taunton.

I came here for the prostitutes, jogging trousers and drum and bass. That’s why everyone moves to Bristol isn’t it?

Have you ever had sex with a prostitute? How much did you pay?

What? No! I wouldn’t pay a prostitute for sex!

So you pay to watch?

I don’t pay, period. I watch from a distance and film them. I have some respect.

Would you say you’re some sort of voyeur? I do see a lot of cock in your artwork…

No I’m not into voyeurism. Genetalia isn’t featured in all of my work look at the pictures on the wall.

Oh yeah you’re right. Out of the seven drawings only four of them are drawings of cocks and there’s some lady parts too.

Yeah see I’m not just a cock artist.

So yeah I guess I should ask, why Art?

I hated drawing, I was never good at it, but one day someone told me that you could become rich and famous from drawing childish, crude scribbles so I thought why not? I could do that. I have no love or passion for art, its all about the money. Isn’t that what drives all of us?

So who Influences and inspires your artwork then? The tome of knowledge known as ‘facebook’ says you like Ed T.

This is a common misconception, I don’t like his artwork. It’s not just his stuff, I hate all art. I just thought if I said I liked Templeton then it would keep me relevant with the youth of today.

Ed T is notorious for drawing crude drawings like your own and taking pictures of people in the nude, would you ever shoot pictures of your friends naked?

No I wouldn’t do that. But I would film them. Come on have you seen Chris Jones? Who wouldn’t, given the opportunity.

HIGHBROW X CRAYON, CHRIS JONES EDIT from HIGHBROW on Vimeo.

Yeah Chris Jones is a bit of a Dreamboat. Would you give naked pictures of yourself to friends?

Yeah my wang is amazing. It’s like an elegant swan.

Would I be right in saying that being a skate artist has made you incredibly rich?

Yeah I’m super rich now. All I do is laze around drawing pictures of cocks. I live in Clifton too which everyone knows is the upper class part of Bristol. I’m one of those guys you hate that walks around with flip flops on with a sleeve less puffer jacket.

Do you own a massive Mansion and swim in a room of money like scrooge Mcduck?

Yeah I’m loaded. I flick pound coins at the unfortunate and laugh as they scamper after them. It’s a fun hobby of mine.

Did you use these vast riches to start Highbrow?

Yeah.

How do you feel about people saying Highbrow is just another ‘bedroom company’?

Those people can suck my fat one. Highbrow is the best company the UK has seen. I want people to think it’s a small time operation because that will make us look core, but infact it’s a huge program. We are rubbing shoulders with the top dogs like Berra and Dyrdek. As soon as the core thing ain’t cool no more we will get our own MTV show and all that shit.

What’s the Company’s ethos? Do you have a particular demographic?

Well Highbrow is a company for the uber trendy and super cool. Mostly for the fashion geeks, because they love spending their hard earned cash on crap. Palace got to the triangle just before us, but don’t worry because were gunna one up them. The Square is gunna be so hot in 2012.

So who do you skate with in Bristol then?

You know what I have so much cash from my artwork and pimping out Highbrow that I don’t skate anymore. To be honest I never really skated. I walked around town with my board a bit when I was younger but it was to hard so I never bothered learning. As long as you have the image you don’t need to skate. I want the highbrow ship to look skater owned but I don’t do that shit. It’s for kids you know? What kind of man would play on one of those toys? A pervert? I’m a business man, not a spotty teenager.

Well Thanks for your time Mr O Shea. Any closing comments?

Yeah, the only way to be happy in life is to tread on as many people as you can until you get what you want. Friends are weak, and money lasts for ever.

Interview capably completed by our mate Joxa

Check out Mike’s blog for more crudely drawn cocks and ladyparts and check out your local shop to get Mike’s latest Collaboration with Crayon Skateboards.

After being introduced to Albert’s skating from an edit he released last year and being stoked on it right from the start, we thought it was only fitting to get in touch with him to ask some questions to find out a bit more about him. Our good mate Chris from Science Skateboards was due to go out to meet up with and skate with Albert in SF so kindly agreed to film us a little edit. Read on and check out the video further down to find out more about our favourite moustachioed afro sporting skateboarder called Albert…

So, who the fuck are you and how old are you an all that?

I am a black male currently living in San Francisco, Ca, and I am 22 years of age.

Where the fuck are you from?

Originally I am from Olympia, Washington, the fucking northwest!

Who the fuck do you skate with?

I go skateboarding with everyone man, grab your skateboards and lets do this!

How the fuck did you first get hooked up?

Mainly just from friends and shit, it started at Northwest Snowboards in Olympia, and then it kind of built up from there. Thanks guys! I also owe and the essential mom hookup.

How the fuck does someone from SF end up getting picked up by a London based company?

[laughs] Because Chris is the fucking man, thanks buddy!

Do you think that skating for a British company in the states affects your approach to skating or does it make fuck all difference?

No way, I don’t think it makes any difference, that’s why skateboarding is tight. At the end of the day, we’re all trying to skateboard. It doesn’t matter where.

What the fuck is up with the old lady glasses chain you were rocking in your “Cheers” edit?

[laughs] Because they are fucking sick. Plus it helps keeps my glasses on.

Were you surprised by the reaction that you had to that edit, which ultimately brought about this interview?

Yes I am. It trips me out really, people congratulate me on it, and to be honest it kind of weirds me out. But none the less, I am stoked on it, and big ups to Chris for showing people!

When the fuck are you coming to London?

[laughs] Who wants to buy me a plane ticket?!

Have you met any of your other team riders yet?

Nope, Sam Taylor added me on facebook.

Yeah, he’ll do that. How long did the edit take to sort out?

A day, unfortunately when Chris was here I started working a lot more, so trying to skate with Chris was kind of hard, so he and I just skated the park one day and decided to do a little filming, get some tricks

What have you got planned for the next few months?

Well skateboarding and working. I want to try and figure out a way to get out to London, that would be really sick!

Fuck yeah, get on it. Is there anyone else that we should be keeping an eye out for?

I don’t know really, to be honest I don’t really pay attention to the whole big skateboarding scene. But Oudalay Philavanh is REALLY fucking good.

Who the fuck else sponsors you?

No one, just Science. I’m sending a video to Hanes, and then Colgate. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Who the fuck do you want to say hey to or thank?

Everyone man, without all of my friends and family, none of this would be possible. Thank you friends, my father,my mother, my brothers and everyone from DLX and Northwest Snowboards, 35th, and everyone that had to follow me with a camera. And a huge thanks for Chris Morgan, thank you for letting me break the law.

Check out Science Skateboards for more info about Albert, his glasses chain and upcoming Science goings on

First time you were aware of skateboarding?
I was around my mates listening to Minor Threat at his house,, must have been 17 or so,, he had a VHS with Union Right To Skate on it, saw it instantly then set about getting a board, but this was Northern Ireland so it wasn’t easy! Luckily enough a few guys had quit in my area, hence me buying some random second-hand stuff

First Skate video you saw?
Union Right To Skate, Markovich, just blew my mind, VHS, I still have that tape to this day, so good, if I could get it on DVD I would!

First Pro board?
Prime Henry Sanchez, it was after a string of blanks and ever slick !!

First Skateboard hero?
Wow if I say Markovich again would it sound weird? [laughs] But it was, I guess I was in awe of him, and the first time I seen Coco Santiago bomb a SF hill on VHS was mental!!

First skate trip?
The first one I remember as a trip would be when I moved to Wales, it was a trip to Botley Bowl with a load of Welsh idiots, was the start of things to come, I don’t think I’ve managed to have anymore than 3 weekends at home since then, I’ve seen near most of the UK and beyond because of skateboarding!

First bad slam/injury?
Well besides the one where it left me with a plate and screws in my leg, I remember I returned back from New York with a amazing fake Rolex that I bought from some dodgy guy with a suitcase full of em, I was so stoked, it looked the deal! Anyway, I was out wearing it skating somewhere, just cruising the pavement, when I noticed a bunch of hot girls across the road, of course , that very moment I hit a stone that sent me flying, but it was one of those ninja moments, you know, before you know it you’re on your feet, grabbing your board and off you go trying not to look up to see the laughing faces of hot girls, skate way out of sight, and then fall about in pain like a baby! Only this time there was no watch, fuck, I went back, it was gone, but no sign! I hope some magpie had it, but I doubt that!

First booze related mishap?
All of them! A mislead youth of sorts, bottle of buckfast and many cans of cheap nasty lager you can stomach!! Never good, oh and in later life, me and Gin, we go hand in hand leading to some destruction! NASS 2 years ago, kicking Piss at ravers!

First album owned?
I so wanted my older brothers Iron Maidens Run to the Hills, but I bought Levellers, shit, I know !

First fight?
Way too many to pin down the first one, being speccy and ginger, I left myself open for loads! First week of secondary school I had 6 fights, one started over standing on some farmers new adico trainers [laughs] I remember I had to fight him, then the next week two of his brothers. I was busy.

First memory?
I remember the day that my dad threw away my first bike, it was yellow, with those unburstable tyres, it was wicked, I remember just being gutted !!

First thing you’d do if you knew the end of the world was coming soon?
Seriously break some laws, guess that seeing the world end would be a excuse to party without the hangover !! Bring on the gin…

Further to previous criticism from our avid reader (Hi Chuck, hope you had a nice Christmas) we have decided not to review these shoes in the way we perhaps usually would, in a sarcastic and ultimately pointless way and are going to try a “different approach”

After our wheel review where we foolishly tried to outsmart you, the reader, by passing off a series of observations that were clearly self evident from the picture, (sorry  Chuck) for these brand new signature shoes from Jerry Hsu we are going to give you a review based on what they actually feel like. This will be useful to you as protential Emerica shoe buyers as you won’t have the shoes in front of you. If you do have the shoes in front of you then well done and congratulations on your fine purchase.

When you put them on they feel restrictive but in a reassuring way like when you were a kid and got a hug from your least peado-y uncle. The material of the upper is a high quality suede that feels smooth and luxurious with the texture of an old sunwithered French pensioner on a nudist beach. It feels thick and resilient and definitely gives the impression that it would hold up well against the top of a skateboard and will more than likely be thick enough to stop you getting TB should you get bitten on the foot by a badger.

The laces feel like shoelaces. But really good strong ones. Should you need a very short (yet strong) rope you could probably weave the shoelaces together however you would then have to find more laces for your shoes so they should only be used for making short ropes as a last resort.

Each shoe weighs approximately the same as a average sized book. I did have quite a large book in one hand and one of the shoes in the other and the book was definitely heavier so I would say that you would have no problem with the weight of these shoes unless you have particularly weak and feeble legs. If you do have particularly weak and feeble legs then you could try wearing these shoes for slightly longer periods each day until you have built up your legs to the point they are able to carry the weight of an average sized book. Once you have done this please feel free to email Emerica to tell them how grateful you are, they’ll no doubt be delighted to hear from you.

All in all these shoes are wonderful and you should definitely buy some as your support will help make Jerry rich. Go to the nearest shop that sells Emerica to find them. Chances are they’ll be in there. For more Hsu related info check out the Emerica Website here

We gave the board to my dear old Mum to see what she thought about it as according to women, women are always right. So it stands to reason that board reviews done by women will be right or at least that’s the plan. It may not be the best idea but until someone offers us a better one, it’s all we’ve got…

Read on to see what she came up with… Over to Mum

[Looking at the top of the board]

Oooh

Ok, now this is the first one that has a pattern on the top and I’ve not seen that before, all the others have been very plain on the top. I love the colour, its a really nice birght cheerful colour and it’s quite a straight skateboard. There’s not a lot of contours on it.

You can see the nice grain of the wood and its got a skull with Death Skateboards on it.

By Hannah Horn? So it’s made by a lady?

Designed by a lady, yes.

Oh OK, it’s not something I would have thought a lady would have done with skulls and bones and that… Nevertheless, it’s quite a nice contrast with the white and the green. I’m going to turn it over now…

Oooh, it looks like a Deathwatch beetle

Whats a beetle got to do with Boots?

We’ve been through this before, Boots is the rider, Death is the company.

So this skateboard is for Mr Boots? And he likes beetles?

He might do, but its a series, there are 6 other boards all with insects. It’s called Creeping Death and it’s done by Hannah Horn who is an artist who draws insects, among other things.

Ok right so its a series. So it looks like a beetle, and on the back of the beetle its got a nice little face as well because I can see two eyes a nose and some teeth.

It’s quite a pretty beetle, its pink and it looks almost flourescent with the silver and it contrasts very nicely against the black.

I quite like this skateboard because its quite simple. Not in a horrible way, in a nice simply designed way. It’s striking. There’s not too much going on which is quite nice and it does grab your attention

It reminds me of an African death mask and its quite good. It’s a bit Silence of the Lambs.

All in all I think it’s a nice skateboard, it’s a nice shape, some of the ones I’ve seen have got more bendy edges but this has got nice straight edges. It looks quite ergonomically designed… Aerodynamic, do i mean aerodynamic? I think I do.

It’s nice and smooth and i do like this one. I would give this board 9 out of 10. Because it’s very plain and simple.

Would it go on the wall? You could put it on the wall because it reminds me of modern art. I don’t know if I’d want it on my wall but you could because its a nice contrast.

What I think they should do, really, is make them so the front is the same colour as the back. What they should have done is made the top bit pink, that would be nice.

Oh but you put the sandpaper tape on the top dont you? Oh nevermind then. It’s good though, I like it…

The whole Creeping Death Series is available from all good skateshops now ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 Check out your local and if they haven’t got em in tell em to get onto Power Distribution to rectify it…

Tasked with formulating this exclusive review of the Nike SB Chronicles (Vol. 1), I began by getting a double-decker bus in to town to meet Roddy and Man, and some of Man’s mates from Leeds. I’m pretty sure they were called Paul, Alan and Cookie, and I don’t think I’d met them before. We drank beer for a while, and by about 8pm we figured we should start heading towards the Big Slope, where Colin was showing the Nike SB Chronicles (Vol. 1) at midnight. Everybody in the world had to watch it at the same time, so I guess it worked out that people in LA were watching it at 7pm, while we had to wait ’til later at night.

It was a bit of a disgusting night (weather-wise) so we went and got some booze and headed up to OG Glasgow ripper Chris Mowat’s flat. If it was the summer we’d have strolled around the park with our cans, nodding at passers by.

We listened to music and drank, the smokers smoked and we fiddled with Chris’ crossbow. He’s into survival, and killing his dinner, and living outdoors, so he’s got loads of cool weaponry under his bed. He had an axe and a gnarly big knife too.

Chris has a wonky eye from when his ex-girlfriend stabbed him with a compass (I’m pretty sure that’s why) so he looks pretty cool holding a crossbow. It was getting late and eventually somebody pointed out the time, so we wandered off into the rain (which had got worse) to get to the venue. The police stopped us on the way and fined us for drinking in the street.

We got to the pub where the Nike SB Chronicles (Vol. 1) was showing, and started drinking much more heavily. There were lots of people there that I know. I can see that in the photos I took.

Colin was wearing a black longsleeve under a white shortsleeve T, which struck me as unusual. I think the bar closed, and there was booze that Nike had supplied. That was the rumour beforehand anyway, and I still had a tenner left the next day, so it’s quite possible.

I took a photo of skateboarding on the big telly, so there must have been some video on. I’m not sure if it was the Nike SB Chronicles (Vol. 1) or not, because Colin messaged the next day to tell me how fucked off he was that the stream didn’t work, and I forgot to ask if it ended up playing or not. So it might just have been a video somebody had with them.

In the picture I can see somebody either a) popping out of a switch(?) noseblunt slide or b) doing some kind of frontside nollie to lipslide. It’s kind of hard to tell, and I’ll admit it’s not a great photo.

I usually prefer taking lifestyle shots, and leave the high-action work to folk who have cameras where the lens comes off. Anyway, either of those tricks on (what looks like) a high ledge off stairs is pretty respectable. I can’t think of any examples of those tricks being done well, so it’s quite promising. Maybe it’s Grant Taylor! Nike have probably raised the bar for the straight-to-iTunes video, and the soundtrack is probably an exciting, intriguing curveball. The video is probably just the right length, and is likely the kind of thing to get you psyched on going skating with your mates.

Who says there’s no place for big sports corporations in skateboarding?! Based on this probable epic, not me! That’s probably for sure.

The next thing I knew I was in my front room, drinking wine from a fish-shaped bottle. I was worried the wine was some special vintage wine, but it wasn’t very nice so I don’t suppose it matters if it was – the Nike SB Chronicles (Vol. 1) gets two big thumbs up from me.

Check out Nike’s Microsite here for more info and the trailer and such…

Following on from our previous interview about “art” we thought it would be a good idea to get in touch with our resident on call artist Mr Sam P Taylor to talk to him about ligers colouring in and various other bits and pieces…

So, how long have you been colouring in for?
My whole life more or less!

Youre at art college right?
I graduated from Camberwell College of Arts (UAL) earlier this year. I did an Art Foundation in Leicester then did a degree in London, so somewhere in there I started to take it seriously.

Our experience of art students is somewhat limited to Skins and taking the piss out of people mincing around Shoreditch but apparently painting goes better with massive cardigans and without socks. Why is that?
Everyone thinks they’re the next Morrissey, something like that. Studying at Camberwell I’ve seen a lot of ankles and girls who dress like grannies.

Who have you worked with?
Writerstailblock.com, Science Skateboards, Vice Magazine, Computer Arts, JVC, Death Skateboards, some others here and there.

Whats the best thing youve ever drawn?
Probably the Boston Terrier on my website, it didn’t take very long and it’s one of the few drawings from my first 2 years at uni that I still like.

What are your views on skate art crossing over to “mainstream art”?
I think that’s cool, probably just means more money for skate art, which can’t be bad.

How stoked are you on being our on call artist whenever we have any stupid ideas for shirts?
Pretty stoked. I wish you did coozies, my dream is to do an illustration for coozies. Make it happen!

Have you had any commissions from outside skateboarding?
Yeah, well some of the magazines I’ve worked with and bits and bobs. I’m completely open to any kind of brief so it doesn’t matter to me what the company is. It could be McDonalds or whatever.

Any companies that you want to work with?
Yeah, loads. In skateboarding I’d say Krooked, Anti Hero, Toy Machine and Enjoi. Outside of skateboarding there’s too many to mention, I can work for anyone. Doing a can design for a beer company would be amazing.

Favourite artists/influences?
All my homies and fellow creatives; Kyle Platts, Tom Slater and Dwayne Coleman (Earth Pain represent). I like Johnny Ryan and Chris Johanson as well.

Favourite graphics from any company that you dont ride for?
Enjoi always make me laugh. Toy Machine has rad art direction. I like anything Stefan Marx does, he smashes it. Pontus Alv’s Polar is sick. I can’t really choose specific boards, there’s too many. I like one off graphics mainly though, unless it’s a series that connects and forms one big picture, they’re pretty cool.

Finally, any chance you can draw us Jesus fighting a Liger?
Yeah sure. How’s this?

It’s perfect although they look more like they’re having a cuddle than fighting…

Check out Sam’s Website for updates on his work and then click below to see his recent edit from London’s Mile End Skatepark

So Dave,

First time you were aware of skateboarding?
Probably seeing Rom skatepark

First Skate video you saw?
Transworld Modus Operandi

First Pro board?
Dave Coyne Maple!

First Skateboard hero?
Si Skipp! [laughs]

First skate trip?
I guess the first proper one was Vans UK Southcoast Tour

First bad slam/injury?Head butting the ceiling in Lakeside indoor carpark

First booze related mishap?
I was 16 years old in Newquay with some older friends. Predictably I passed out and got done over.

First album owned?
Some terrible hip hop shit [laughs]

First concert you went to?
Probably Patti Smith…

First fight?
Some kid called Richard something or other in primary school and the football DID NOT go over the line!

First memory?Smashing greenhouse windows in Dagenham

First thing you’d do if you knew the end of the world was coming soon?
Hmm, probably go for a skate down Dagenham skatepark  with friends n beers..

You want them right? Of course you do. All you have to do is tell us why we should send them to you. Start your answer with your size obviously, we’re not mind readers…

Competition open until December 19th so you’ll get em for Christmas. Maybe