Sneaker Freaks Kick Flip

In the late 1940’s a new phenomenon was introduced into the world of surfing.
Starting with just a group of friends finding a way to practice surfing during times of limited waves, the sport grew to the point that by 2002, 18.5million people were known throughout the world as skateboarders.

As with many sports, the skaters in the off surf periods had their own fashion trends. Conversely, these were kept in the background of the mainstream, like the back hills of California that they carved their way down on a daily basis.

However, over the past few years there has been a sudden and constant rise in the skateboarder fashion. Many companies have always had a strong foothold in the mainstream. Brands such as Famous stars and Straps and Atticus have topped the poll due to their assocation with bands like Blink 182, but in recent months, especially in 2009 many more underground skate companies are rising to the forefront of the fashion world.

Brands such as 10 Deep, LRG, The Hundreds and Supra are now being worn not just by skaters but by many hip hop artists such as Lupe Fiasco and Lil Wayne. With the rise of these artists using these companies and even skaters in their videos, the fashion has now become big business. Stuart Weal, 28, said, “Pharrell Williams may not be able to skate, but since N.E.R.D appeared he is regularly seen in skate wear. The same goes for a number of urban artists.” But it’s not the clothing that made the first transition into the limelight.

Trainers have been the main reason that the fashion has been pushed more and more into the forefront of the mainstream fashion world. Brands such as Nike and Adidas started to make moves to produce trainers for skateboarders, though due to the comfort and style of them many people started to collect them, thus making some trainers rare and collector items.

Some trainers are so rare, that they are starting to be brought by collectors for big money. A pair of Nike SB x Diamond can sell for up to $1500. There are now people that will make a living from selling these rare trainers in shops such as Rare Footage in Reading. Other people like artist Sekure D have now taken to customising trainers and selling them on for a minimum of $400.

Many people will stay up all night queuing for trainers. Even in April of 2009 people queued for 10 hours for a pair of Nikes released by Hip Hop artist Kanye West. Stuart has had his fair share of waiting for trainers. And as summer approaches and more and more trainers are gearing up for release, it seems people will still go to drastic measures to grab a new pair of sneaks. “I have slept for 18 hours in an alleyway to get a pair of Stash Air Force Ones. I've gotten out of bed at 5am a few times for other limited edition pieces.”

This piece was for a magazine design project and whill be adding the page design at a later date.

Ian Mccreery

"That night i stopped taking Heroin" A Lloyd Hesslebank Profile

"I just remember him taking little hits then sitting back on the sofa. suddenly he turned blue."

I have known Lloyd for just about a year now. We met while i was living in the house where the above incident took place and he quickly became a good friend of mine.

It's just after new years on a cold night in Reading. I'm a hour late for our meeting at Lloyd's house due to my drinking exploits the night before. Lloyd doesn't mind shaking my hand as I enter the house inviting me upstairs to his house to show me his pet rats and offering some advice on my own.

We sit down on his bed and casually chat about life in general while i work out how to use my Dictaphone, ending with Lloyd laughing "Did you not think to read the instructions?" With a broad smile on his face before laughing in the deep trademarked way.

Finally, after trying for five minutes, we get underway. He explained while taking a drag from his cigarette "I came from South Africa while i was 15 because my step-father was in alot of debt and wanted a new start." Laughing as he thinks of what he's about to say, he goes on "I wouldn't go back over there cause it harder to get a job then England. There is alot of trouble over there to. I remember my dad being hi-jacked and when one of the guys was in jail the other who kidnapped my dad visited him and was also arrested."

With a smile on his face Lloyd starts to talk about his recent time on Acid "I went shopping the next day while i was still tripping, and brought a pair of jeans that were really really shit. Like a really fucking awful pair of jeans."

With a glint of humor in his eyes I ask him to explain his reasons for taking these stronger drugs " I just like hallucinogenic drugs more. Their alot more fun." He carries on while stroking the rat thats come to join us on the bed "now anything I do is just for a bit of fun. I don't drink alot. Alot of people have tried Acid and Ketamine and prefer drinking. It's the same for me just i would rather the drugs."

Seemingly more relaxed then he was at the start of the interview Lloyd carries on talking about his memories of taking drugs "I think the most Ketamine i have done in one night is about four grams." He tells me with a smile on his face as he sits and tells me of the night "that night we watched Bottom on tape. And it was on fast forward. We thought we were tripping but as we came down we realised it wasn't right and someone had sat on the controller."

For the first time in our conversation i revert back to my notes and move the interview onto our main subject of conversation. "The first time i took Heroin I remember the night quite vividly. A mate came over and bought a bit of smack and I said that I wanted to try a bit," he continues while thinking thoughtfully, "me and my college friends had said we wanted to try it once and never got round to doing it. I smoked it and I didn't really get much form it. So i asked my friend to shoot me up and the rest of the night was a bit of a messy blur."

Lloyd's smile begins to fade for the first time and you can see him begin to think deeply about Heroin and the effects that it had on everyone around him. "I used to lie to my girlfriend about where i was going and got out of spending time with her so i could see my friends and carry on taking it more."

Lloyd witnessed first hand the overdose of a close friend. " He kept taking little hits rather then one big one and he must of just took a bit to much. He sat back on the sofa and we just thought he was gouging out but then he turned blue. James* slapped him to bring him round and i threw water on him, James put him in the recovery position and called the Ambulance." He says while taking more drags from his cigarette and fidgeting in his seat slightly more then normal indicating that remember these events make him feel uncomfortable.

"I just remember being outside. I just stayed out and waited for him to go to Hospital and then came in and just burst into tears and curled up on the floor" with a voice seemingly trembling and sound strained at the thought of the night.

You can see that thinking of the night bothers Lloyd but it was this experience that pushed him to clean up his drug use, "That was the night i stopped taking Heroin. I really thought it would wake us all up to the dangers. I don't wanna go through that again."

With a sound of defiance in his voice he exclaims, "I stopped shooting up any drugs after that. I actually really cleaned up and stopped taking alot of drugs altogether."

We begin to talk about the death of Lloyd's best mate who died a couple of months ago. With an ache in his voice he talks about his feelings on this, "I just feel disappointed. It was a crap way to go and i really miss him alot cause he was a really good friend and i lived with him for a few months in the squat. And it really bums me out that he had to take a hit that night when he was trying to clean up."

"It's actually his birthday tomorrow so i'm going to drink those bottles of cider in his name" as he smiles and points to three big bottles of cider sat by the bed.

As we finish talking about his friend and what happened you begin to see the old happyLloyd coming back, though still sounded hardened from his experiences he talks about how he feels about his old friends still taking the drugs and some just starting to. "That is the most disappointing thing. I can't comprehend why he would start it for no reason after our friends death." he proclaims loudly.

Talking about the what-ifs seem to move Lloyd " I just think what if it was me taking it at the squat and James was gouging out and no-one could help me. The what ifs are the things that keep me thinking i don't need it."

Coming to the end of our interview we begin to talk about the positives of the story Lloyd has told me. "The best times i had with my friend were the times we weren't really doing drugs. Watching bad horror films, talking bands and, well maybe having a spliff." In his voice you can hear Lloyd is torn up and really misses his friend.

You can see in his eyes that Lloyd has turned his life around, "I've taken a lot of good and bad experiences. I enjoyed the the good times on drugs and from the bad times i cleaned up, I stopped shooting up and stopped doing alot of drugs."

We realise that we have been talking for over an hour and as i have work i need to leave. I shake his hand and thank him for his time and happy as the day i met him he tells me its all fine and sees me out.

As i walk to my car i realise that the boy has seen alot but still manages to smile more the most people and still helps friends out. Thats what makes him a good friend. I smile to myself as i drive and think of his closing comment. "I don't need drugs to have a good time.............Though they do help" finishing with his trademark laugh.

*At Lloyd's request names have been changed.

Ian Mccreery

Kids - A film Review

Illegal drugs, underage drinking, violence, date rape, underage sex and sexually transmitted diseases within a youth sub-culture.

You could imagine from the intro that this could be a article about "broken Britain" in our modern time. However, this is the setting of the film Kids (1995) and is the product of underground director Larry Clark set within the 90's aids epidemic in New York City.

Clark takes a good hard look into the day of the young teens within the New York skate scene. Focusing upon the day in a life of the male and female leads Clark manages to shock the viewer as well as educate in a profound way.

Clark takes the young skater Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) and his once love interest Jennie (Chloe Sevigny) and uses the film to follow them for just one day and the effects of their lifestyle has on not only them but the world around them.

We see that Telly is actually a pleasant young man who likes to "deflower" underage girls as he likes to put it. Not worrying about the consequences of his actions, partaking in illegal drug use as well as attacking a man who "disses" his best friend.

It's Telly's involvement with Jennie where we see the start of the day in Clarks film and also the catalyst of the films story. We see that Jennie has infact contracted Aids after sleeping with Telly and embarks upon a trip around New York before he hurts anyone else.

Like many of Clarks later films, Bully (concentrating on the real life murder of a young teen) and Ken Park ( focusing on the lifes of a group of friends dealing with issues like child abuse and incest), Kids caused extreme controversy when released. A lot of media critics noted on the use of of the child actors partaking in near sex scenes calling it "borderline child pornography" and the ideas of underage sex and date rape. Others like Janet Maslin of the New York Times, however, described that Clarks work on Kids is more of "a wake up call to the modern world."

Clark, not unlike his photography work on dysfunctional families, bares all within this film. There's no happy times, no heroes, or any real excitement. The youths captured within this film wander around the city backdrop without any look of wanting. You can see that the activities they used to enjoy, Skating for example, have all been used up of any nourishment and are left used and abandoned as the virgins Telly was once so interested in, before he abandons and gleefully and unprecedently talks about to his friends.

Even though this film does deal with actions that the older generations at the time may have deemed unfit for viewing by ages 15 and under. Many young teens, myself included, counted this among their favourite films giving it a cult status.

As many started to realise when the sub cultures within this film were delved into that this was the life for these young teens of New York and by watching the film it could not only help to educate them on their lifestyle choices but also educate the older generations to be more in touch with the younger teens and stop the destructive behaviour before it began to take hold and ruin these young lifes.

The film helped to make me take a look at my own life and making sure that unlike the teens in these films I never felt like there was no place to go, that i always had a purpose and many others who count this among their favourite films felt this way.

The film didn't only generate media criticism but it also boosted many of its young stars into the limelight. For many this help to push their careers further, for example Jeff Pang the creator of clothing company Zoo York. Also the young Rosario Dawson can be seen playing Ruby, Jennies friend who accompanies her to the aids clinic is seen in parts of the film.

Unfortunately like many child stars the fame was too much for some and Jason Pierce, Telly's bestfriend Casper, was found dead at the age of 25 after committing suicide. Also Harold Hunter, a friend of Telly's, a professional skater died from a heart attack from a cocaine overdose at the age of 32.

Clark used the "day in a life" style in a intelligent way. It helps us to only see the harsh living times of the teens and the way that they live without taking breaks between the screenplay. It also helps us to really focus upon the actions of the young teens and to feel about the life that they lead.

This style helps us to really see the difference not only between the lives of Telly and Jennie but also of the girls and boys as we see in the contrasting scene of the opposite sexes in a discussion on oral sex.

The 24-hour day in a life style of filming has been reused in films within in modern times. British movies Kidulthood and it's sequel Adulthood used this style to great effect to document the lives of teens within the Inner City of London.

Even though this film does deal with ideas that many may not want to think of, it is a film that opens up the modern world of teenagers to the older generations. Even after ten years this film still shocks the viewer so much that the film still has merit in our youths era where much of the ideas first seen in this film can be explored in more detail.

Blackholes, Missiles and my Phone Signal

We've all been there. We've all experience the annoyance of it. Mobile phones and their coverage or signal when on a train. We hear it everyday that we are in the most technically advanced time that we have ever known. So then, why is it every time i am near a field, not just on a train, do i end up talking to myself on my mobile and repeating hello over and over again. It's not like the cow's and sheep have mobiles sucking the entire signal from the air. Or there's some giant machine under Switzerland taking my signal. Is there?

Over the past 13 years 13.5 Billion pounds was spent by most nations of the world on what is being spoken of as the biggest thing to happen to science ever. Or the machine, which will destroy the Earth. Depends how you see it obviously. I am talking of course about the Large Hadron Collider. This machine will, hopefully, not kill us but show us how the universe was created and we can finally see the beginnings of life when this universe started. And maybe give me some more bars of signal?

The Military budget of the UK is said to be around 59 Billion pound a year. This is being spent on setting up a nuclear missile warning in the Middle East, making sure the Army's guns work in Iraq (which they don't), and making sure that some of the Army at war might have some body armour to help protect themselves. It might also be spent on phone calls from our PM to George Bush asking what war he wants us to fight next.

I see a problem in this though. I really hope that when Gordon Brown makes that phone call he's not near a field cause otherwise we would be completely lost at who to invade next and who's the mortal enemy of the world, according to America, this week. I can't call someone across the road let alone my best mate over in America.

And if we do discover the beginning of life itself, or create a massive blackhole, or even find where all my phone signal is, how are we going to tell anyone about it? I can't get signal if im more then a mile outside of a major town so how then can they 6miles under the Earth surrounded by a gigantic death machine.

So there you have it, I travel between Southampton and Reading alot and a good 80% of my journey im cut off from the world and that's quite scary in this world, I can't live without my phone! What if someone sends a dirty joke? What if i need to check Myspace? What if a giant blackhole is coming to suck me up and my mum wants to make sure I have clean socks on? So maybe its my own problem if i have no signal, for depending on my phone to much but then again if we can create a giant death machine under France surely a little signal could be found at some point?

Who knows, no one knows what is inside a blackhole, so maybe when they turn the LHC on they will find all my phone signal in there or maybe it's them pesky cows after all, arranging with the sheep a good night out in the next field.

Ian Mccreery

Baby P

Everybody has read about it. Everybody has had his or her say on the subject. Everyone in this country will know the name of Baby P tortured and killed at the hands of the people that were meant to love and protect him. And what's more it was seen by the people paid and trained to protect him and they did nothing about it.

Many people have had their say on this, described the mothers lifestyle, spoken out about social services and some have even defended their work. I am a care worker and having spent time working closely with social services and working with abused children and children in care i feel it's time I had my say. After reading the injuries I don't believe that even the bravest man could read without feeling sad and a little sick. I know I did.

Baby P. No one knows his real name only the face of a blonde blue-eyed boy playing happily at home. Unfortunately his home was where his mother, a porn loving twisted women, his step dad, a Nazi body builder, and his brother Jason Owen, a peadophile living with his 15 year old girlfriend, also resided.

I believe we can question the Human Rights Act here. For many years many people have said the victims have no rights but the criminals do. At times I have believed this and at others I wouldn't care less. In this case that statement can easily be true. How is it that a child can die at their hands but as so far the evil step dad who trained dogs to bite a babies head, and punching a small child in the face can still remain anonymous. How could a sick bastard like him have any right's what's so ever? Surely he can't, for sure his step son didn't. The same goes for his twisted mother. Why should she be protected from people that hate her.

Secondly, two weeks ago it was discussed in Parliament about what should be done about two adults acting like little children and upsetting an old man. Obviously this is the case of Jonathon Ross and Russell Brand. It was in the newspapers, everyone was out raged, MP's and government officials called for sackings. And you know what, people have been sacked. And it only took a week.

A child has been tortured to death by his family, people are outraged, people are calling for sackings, paper's are livid the nation is pretty much one on this. So why are those social workers still in their highly paid jobs or even allowed to question their sackings for compensation. The BBC has nothing to do with the government but it was still spoke of in Parliament. Even the PM has something to say about Russell Brand so why has he not spoken out upon this.

The head of the social services in Haringey, Sharon Shoesmith, has refused to apologise and said no one, including herself, would be losing their jobs over this. There is an obvious problem in social work at this moment in time and it needs to be addressed. Social workers are too polite, to scared, and to damn weak to upset anyone, thus putting a child's life at risk.

I have worked with a guy in my past who I felt wasn't getting his benefits from his family. When I reported this to his social worker no help was given. He put steps in place to help the family and stop any investigation as he was to scared to stand up to them and didn't want the hassle. My manager, however, was outraged and storm through the offices shouting that this would get sorted. And it did. She went over everyones head to his manager. So there are some people out there who care about the children they look after.

Social work is a hard job. You have long hours and alot of paper work. The things you have to deal with are sad and heart wrenching. I remember working closely with social workers in the past and having to write reports on what I had seen and I remember getting home and drinking alot just to help me feel better. But social workers know that this is what they have to do when they applied for the job and above that we get paid well to do it.

The difference between my story above and the one of Baby P's social workers is that I did my job even though sometimes it gets scary and you have to upset people but his workers were to scared to do their jobs. I've had to check a house of children, check upstairs to make sure no one was there that weren't aloud to be there. I've been refused entry and stood my ground; my manager has had death threats, and called the police but its our job's and even if we were hated by parents or whoever we did our jobs for the safety of the children and that means I can sleep soundly at night.

Social workers do get slated when crimes like this happen. But not all of us are letting it. Unfortunately in this world more concerned about Human Rights and political correctness the workers that do speak out are silenced, forced out of jobs ,or in Baby P's case, told there was not enough evidence.

What's more is that even though Gordon Brown has said he will try anything to make sure this never happens again, just as it was said after the Victoria Climbie case, until the people responsible for his death are named and locked up for murder, and the workers that didn't do anything to stop the abuse are sacked and taken to court, Baby P will not be the last child that will undergo a short and terrible life.

R.I.P Baby P
Gone But Never Forgotton

Ian Mccreery

Chanel Bag? Check. Jimmy choo's? Check. Fashionable Tattoo?

The new must have fashion accessory. Would it be that dress seen on the catwalks in Milan? How about the new designer handbag from Miu Miu or the new shoes from Jimmy Choo? How about that bright pink scar left over from having your fashionable tattoo lasered off your skin?

Now I have nothing against tattoos. I mean if you were to ever see me you would see I'm heavily tattooed with them on my hands to my neck. But I know the prejudice that accompany tattoos. As tattoos become more of a fashion statement my life has become easier believe it or not. I am no longer looked upon as the circus freak but more as fashionable and "cool". Great! All I need now is a celebrity girlfriend and I'll be more famous then whoever's on X Factor this week.

Today you would be hard pressed to walk down the road and not see a man or women showing off their brand new tattoos. You can turn on your TV and see a celebrities like Cheryl Cole and David Beckham showing of their individuality and their art displayed across their bodies for all to see. Even a top scientist at NASA has a full sleeve. Tattoos are now part of everyday life and are seen as the ultimate fashion accessory. However, is this trend set to last? Will I ever make it onto the NME Cool list? And would it not just be easier and less painful to have a tiny dog and to be seen carrying it around in a bag?

Going back nearly 100 years ago there was a time when tattoos were rarely ever seen on anyone not associated with the armed services or prison. Anyone who broke this norm was seen as outcasts in normal society, especially women, who found that they had a life career in the Circus freak show rather then a feature in Hello Magazine. Tattoos were taboo.

Tattoo's becoming a fashion statement has become a problem though. Many people now realising that being tattooed can make you seem really cool in some peoples eyes. So they run out and get tattooed without really thinking of what this entails, apart from having a needle stuck in you for over a hour.

To illustrate this point I will tell you of the memories of tattooing I have . I remember seeing a boy of around 19 with a couple of arm tattoos come into book his next tattoo. All very good but his next tattoo was a potential career ending throat/neck tattoo. He then proceeded to show his child like attitude by getting stroppy with the tattooist who refused to do the tattoo that day and until the guy had a few more visible tattoos done before going as far as having a neck tattoo like having the rest of his arm done before making such a committment.

I have also seen people walk into studios having put no though into their tattoo " I would like a tattoo of something and i would like it on my arm or leg or where ever" Brilliant!! You thought long and hard about that!

Lastly, and most funny and cringeworthy, while I was being tattooed a few years ago a lady walked in sporting her new tattoo from the day before. It was a lovely cross being held by a teddy bear. Written above was 'In remembrance of , she went on to tell us her son's name, and his date of birth.' All was fine and looked very nicely done. She then accused the tattooists of not telling her that the tattoo basically meant that the person mentioned was dead. Unfortunately, you see, the name was of her four-year-old son, who was very much alive and with her in the shop. I didn't stick around to see the outcome from laughing to much.

Now, Even though these stories may make you smile, hell they made me laugh remembering them, thinking of these three people who share nothing in common (apart from their inability to use their singular brain cell to think things through.)I can't help thinking that they are all likely to be more then likely sporting a brand new scar from having their really unthought-of tattoos removed.

Celebrities may have them, most people you know may show them off, but people really need to think before having these pieces of work etched on their bodies. Think about what, where and why and who you want this done/for before running down to the nearest studio to have the newest band logo tattooed on you. You may be seen as cool for a while and up with the fashion but before to long you might be sporting the future fashion icon. A lasered off tattoo and deep-fried skin, so just buy the tiny dog, it's alot cheaper. Or go to rehab, Its what all the cool kids do.

Ian Mccreery

Vox pop - Assisted Suicide

In October of this year a disabled ex rugby player named Dan James traveled to a clinic in Switzerland to be assisted in his suicide.

For helping their son to travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, Mark and Julie James face questioning by the police. Their role in assisting their son with his plans can hold a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

For many years the laws that govern society on assisted suicide have divided people. Times when suicide was frowned upon by society and by the church have gone. Many people and some churches are now sympathetic towards victims of suicides. Should the laws follow suit?

"When the laws were created many of these were by a government that was ruled by the church of England." Sian Kearley, 20 of Reading says. "These laws are simply outdated and should be changed."

This would be the main view seen by critics of the law, that it is simply outdated and should be changed to reflect societies values today. However, not everyone's opinions are the same on this matter.

Andrew Wharton, 24, Hampshire, believes that more help should have been given to Dan James. He say's: "If I lost my ability to do art I would be devastated, but I would find a way to help others who suffered my way and try to be creative in other mediums.

"However hard it was for his parents I believe that someone should be seen as responsible as it is a matter of life and death."

There was a time before where suicide in any realm was seen as a sin towards God by the church. In recent times this view has changed in some religions. Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, now take into account the person and their mental state at the time.

Lisa Honor, 54 a devout Jehovahs Witness, Explained: " I would be divided towards this type of assisted suicide due to suffering. If my son wished for death after a accident like Dan James I would try to help him of course but nut personally no matter how hard it was for me to lose my son i would feel to grant my son his final wish,

She continues " But my religious side would obviously not allow me to. Though I do feel that God would understand my predicament and forgive me." Lisa also believed that the charges against Dan's mother and father were: " absolutely terrible. His parents loved him so much to do that for him. They must be having a hard time right now and should be given support not put into court to answer for their actions."

Sian added, "I believe that the laws really should change. I believe that if you're of sound mind then you should be allowed to choose whether to live or die."

Ian Mccreery