Placebo.
Vert Is Dead is going to take a look at the cast of characters from Flip's Sorry video. Sorry was released in 2002. It was Flip's first video and showcased the entire pro team. The principal filmer was Fred Mortagne. French Fred used a lot of panning and long lens type shots to give the video a unique look over the usual stick the fisheye right up close to the skater method that was and is still popular. This makes for a more relaxed viewing experience and gives you a better sense of the overall spot. The soundtrack covers a range from classic punk, hip hop, modern rock, and David Bowie.
Sorry was a big deal at the time, especially given the team involved. Geoff Rowley, Arto Saari, and Mark Appleyard all won Thrasher's SOTY award either before or because of this video. More or less. There were also parts from disappearing legend Tom Penny and the polarizing Ali Boulala. It introduced Bastien Salabanzi and Alex Chalmers to the pro ranks. Rune Glifberg delivered a lot of vertical abuse in a part that was filmed in just four months.
Flip hired the services of Johnny "Rotten" Lydon to do the introductions for each part. I watched Sorry over the weekend and Johnny's parts hold up as funny.
There's no denying that this is a great video, but it comes up a little short for me. Sorry isn't something I would pop in the VCR if I wanted to watch skateboarding. There's not anything particularly flawed with it, just the combination of everything doesn't register for me. Part of that might come from Flip's image. For as ripping a team they have, the company can be a little all over the place with the graphics and ads.
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Mark had been riding for Habitat before switching to Flip. He turned pro for them in 2001 and won SOTY in 2003. Mark was part of the team at Circa and enjoyed a pro model shoe during that company's Chad Muska fueled heyday. He left for Element in 2010 and is still shredding with the planet.
Since Flip ran many a chilling ad, I paired each with a skating picture as well.
Daniel Harold Sturt took the photo in the Flip ad.
Pressure's On: Thrasher - March 2001 Volume 21 Number 3
Ricta: Thrasher - July 2002 Volume 22 Number 7
2 comments:
I don't know how it is in these days but back in the early 2000's they had those really awkward flat shapes with nearly no concave and pointy noses and tails. A weird time in skateboard history. Space shoes and 7.5" boards...
Anyway, the video was great, but I still think that Placebo was one of the worst song choices ever. hahaha
Cheers from Germany and thank you for your work!
Paul
You're welcome.
Yeah, boards were weird at times back then. I never care for Placebo. I think they might have had another song on that album that was less worse. The kids loved the Placebo.
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