The Kids Are Alright Part Two
Above: Cooper and Conor
Another trip into the minds of adolescent skater boys.
Due to popular demand, we are back with the second instalment of the segment where I get a peek into the minds of the adolescent skater boys who occupy the deck at Melbourne’s City Park.
I really liked my intro for the first one I did in March so here it is again.
For generations, old heads have asked the same question: Do kids even know anything about skating anymore?
I guess I’m an old head now because I find myself asking that question when I see the new generation of kids flocking to Melbourne’s City Park, filming clips to achieve TikTok stardom, showing off their new outfits, getting in the way, eating Zooper Doopers, and littering. So, I figured the only way to answer this age-old question would be by asking some of them questions about skateboarding and skate videos to get inside their little adolescent brains. Thanks to them all for being good sports and answering my questions
And yeah, I guess the kids are fine.
Cooper & Connor [twins]
How old are you?
Cooper: 15
Connor: 15
When did you start skating?
Cooper: About two years ago, in July 2021.
Connor: Yep.
Did you start at the same time?
Cooper: Yeah.
Connor: Yeah.
What pants do you wear?
Cooper: Cash Only.
Connor: Normally just my big boys
What about your Chrome Hearts?
Connor: I don’t know, they’re for putting it on you know, for going out.
What’s your favourite trick?
Cooper: Switch back heel.
You cannot switch back heel.
Cooper: Yeah mums I can I just landed one before!
Damn, that’s dope.
What’s your favourite trick, Connor?
Connor: Nollie flip.
Who’s your favourite skater?
Cooper: Myself.
Connor: What the fuck [laughs]. You’re my favourite skater, Josh.
Thanks, Connor. What’s your favourite company?
Cooper: Pearls.
Connor: Pass~Port.
What’s your favourite skate video?
Cooper: I just watched this one it was amazing, what was it, Connor?
Connor: Oh, I can’t remember. I don’t know what it was called.
Cooper: Out of memory I like Fuller House, it’s really good.
Connor: Welcome to Melbourne.
Do you have a favourite video part?
Cooper: I don’t watch like individual parts.
Connor: Hyun Kummer the Flytecc dude.
Do you guys watch skating on TikTok or something?
Cooper: Yeah, it comes up on my For You Page.
Connor: Yeah, same.
Sick, how many followers do you have?
Cooper: I have a thousand.
Connor: I have two thousand.
What is the most views you’ve got on TikTok?
Cooper: I got 40,000 views on a video once of me skating in Prahran carpark. It was terrible [laughs].
Who invented the kickflip?
Cooper: Oh Rodney Mullen.
Connor: I swear it was Rodney Mullen.
Cooper: That’s the freestyle guy right?
Who did the first kickflip out of you two?
Cooper: Me.
Connor: He did.
Who’s the better skater out of you two?
Cooper: I am.
Connor: Yeah, I’d say he is.
Who did the first 900?
Cooper: Tony Hawk.
Connor: Tony Hawk.
Do you guys want to watch a skate video?
Cooper: Yeah.
Connor: Alright.
Cooper and Connor’s Review of Wade Desarmo’s Part in DGK - It’s Official [2006]
Cooper: When was this video made?
Connor: Yeah, when?
When do you think?
Cooper: That’s like 2006.
Connor: It looks pretty old.
Cooper: Look at what they’re wearing bro.
Connor: 2000? 2003?
Cooper: Nah, it’s not that old.
Connor: Maybe 2008.
Cooper: Look how tiny his board is compared to his feet.
Cooper: Bro, these clips are actually crazy for how long ago they were.
Cooper: That was the longest three minutes I’ve ever seen.
What do you mean? Did you get that bored?
Cooper: [Laughs] Nah, it’s just those three minutes felt like ages.
Bruh, what did you think of the song?
Cooper: I don’t know the song was pretty funny. I don’t think it should belong in a skate part.
Connor: I feel like it matched, to be honest. That was good it fit the video.
Cooper: Yeah, it matched the video.
What song would you use if you were going to edit a skate video?
Cooper: I don’t know.
Connor: Faneto by Chief Keef. I feel like it would fit that part.
What do you think of his outfits?
Cooper: They are so goofy. I get the big shoes and big pants, but the big shirt makes it look bad.
Connor: I probably would’ve liked this outfit when I was younger.
What did you think of the part as a whole?
Cooper: It was actually good skating, but the clothes were not on point.
Connor: It was tough. It was good.
Would you say it was hard?
Connor: [Laughs] Yeah it was pretty hard.
Flynn & Mac
How old are you?
Mac: 14.
Flynn: 16.
When did you start skating?
Mac: Start of last year.
Flynn: Two years ago.
What pants do you wear?
Mac: Polar 93s.
Flynn: True Religion
What do you say to people who don’t like True Religion?
Flynn: I don’t like you.
What do you say to people who don’t like Polar 93s?
Mac: I don’t mind it; everyone has their own opinions.
What’s your favourite trick?
Mac: Probably back nosegrind.
Flynn: A buttery kickflip.
Who’s your favourite skater?
Mac: I don’t know, there’s too many.
Flynn: Gonna have to say Yuto Horigome.
If you had to name one person, could you name one?
Mac: I would say Yuto as well, he’s good as.
What’s your favourite company?
Mac: Pass~Port.
Flynn: Pearls.
What’s your favourite skate video?
Mac: I don’t think I have one.
Flynn: I don’t think so either.
Do you guys watch skating on TikTok or something?
Mac: Yeah, yeah.
Flynn: Yeah.
What type of skating do you watch on TikTok?
Mac: Just clips, raw clips. Steezy tricks and kinda fucked tricks too.
Flynn: Stair sets or like transition.
How many followers do you have?
Mac: A thousand-something.
Flynn: I think six thousand.
Six thousand! What do you post?
Flynn: Just random stuff, like skating and random stuff.
What is the most views you’ve got on TikTok?
Mac: I got 5,000 likes and 50,000 views.
Woah, that’s crazy what did you do?
Mac: I 50-50’d that high ledge over there that you guys all sit on.
What about you Flynn?
Flynn: 1.9 million on a nice funny meme when it was relevant.
Who invented the kickflip?
Mac: I dunno, probably like… no idea.
Flynn: I forgot his name he was like in the '90s and has a book about him, I’m pretty sure. I don’t know his name though.
Who did the first 900?
Mac: Tony Hawk?
Flynn: Tony Hawk, I’m pretty sure.
Do you guys want to watch a skate video?
Mac: Sure.
Flynn: … yes.
Mac and Flynn’s Review of Brian Anderson’s part in Toy Machine - Welcome to Hell [1996].
What year do you think this is from?
Mac: Early 2000s
Flynn: 1993. No, 1999.
What did you think of the song?
Mac: Good, good. I’ve heard it a couple of times, my parents used to play it at home. Good song.
Flynn: I’ve heard it before when I was in the ute with my dad driving when I was little.
What song would you use if you were going to edit a skate video?
Mac: I have no idea, I was thinking about this the other day, I have no clue. I have nothing.
Flynn: It really depends on the vibe of the video. For that part, I’d use some Wu-Tang. I think it has to be something classic that everyone knows.
What do you think of his outfits?
Mac: Pretty good.
Flynn: Yeah, they’re pretty good.
What did you think of the part as a whole?
Mac: Pretty sick, yeah it was good.
Flynn: He did some really gnarly stuff. I rate it.
Alex
How old are you?
Alex: 15.
When did you start skating?
Alex: A year ago.
What pants do you wear?
Alex: Cash Only.
What’s your favourite trick?
Alex: Inward heel.
Who’s your favourite skater?
Alex: Versace Plug.
What’s your favourite company?
Alex: Two Puzzled Monkeys.
What’s your favourite skate video?
Alex: Rat Ratz 6. When I first watched those videos, I thought damn these are the best videos I’ve ever seen.
Do you have a favourite video part?
Alex: Versace Plug’s part, the big one. I don’t know what it’s called.
Do you watch skating on TikTok?
Alex: Yeah, just what is on my For You Page.
Sick, how many followers do you have?
Alex: I have 340, I just started a week ago.
What is the most views you’ve got on TikTok?
Alex: I got 2,000 likes and 20,000 views on an inward heel I posted.
Who invented the kickflip?
Alex: Someone for sure. I have no idea.
Who did the first 900?
Alex: Tony Hawk.
Do you want to watch a skate video?
Alex: Yes.
Alex’s Review of Jamie Thomas’ part in Zero – Dying to Live [2002].
Alex: What the fuck, that was the fattest gap ever.
Alex: That is ginanamasaurous [he said that]. It looks big on camera imagine how big it would be in person.
Alex: Oh my god there are just so many hesh clips.
Alex: I’ve seen Kader kickflip that shit.
What did you think of the song?
Alex: It was good. It fit very well. I liked that it didn’t have too many lyrics.
Do you think a skate video is better with an instrumental?
Alex: I think the less you have the more you can focus on the video, but it depends, if it’s too basic I don’t think so.
What do you think of his outfits?
Alex: The outfits weren’t the drippiest, but they were still pretty cool. They need to be baggier.
What did you think of the part as a whole?
Alex: That was the most hesh video I’ve ever seen. That was insane.