Jenkem on Andrew Reynolds

[saucy ragu]

Thank god there is someone with an IQ writing about skateboarding. That was spot-on - especially this:

"Steve Berra is a child behind a very large wheel, charged, like many of today?s public figures, with a stunning mixture of blind confidence in, and paranoid defense of, his private dogma. He is a shining example of thoughtfulness?s absence."

The Penny omission was pretty glaring, however.

I almost stopped reading because I didn't see his name, but I'm glad I didn't. A really fantastic article that tentacled out under all the sub-headings, ripping while simultaneously lauding on random pros throughout the years, while focusing on how Andrew has maintained and escalated his oeuvre through his silent & commanding changes, yet all-the-while hanging out a (sober) table under the ever-luminous party sign that beacons over the Baker crew.

[tangar]

i was hoping for an interview where they would ask reynolds about his take on what happened with j. strickland. oh well.

[doomstation55]

Obviously Penny was a huge influence and progressed the frontside flip to new heights. However, comparing his style of putting in work for skating in general compared to Reynolds is unfair. Penny came over in the 90's, frontside flipped and switch frontside flipped everything in sight first try and it was truly a sight to see. Reynolds has been consistently crafting video parts in which he plans out which tricks will make his parts the best, including his frontside flips. He flew to philly for like a day in order to fs flip love park fountain. Penny is a legend, and will always be remembered for his flawless style especially with fs flips, but comparing that to Reynolds whose career has spanned the better part of two and a half decades and is still re-filming lines with fs flips down long 16 stairs is outrageous. Reynolds does indeed own fs flips, and he's worked hard to earn it.

[jacquesknife]

Damn, that was really good. Thoughtful and great comparisons with Steve Berra.

[The Ghost of Lenny Kirk]

This articles is well timed. Especially coming off the end of artos epicly laterd. Both these guys came up at around the same time and literally owned rail and gap skating in the 00s. and while its good to see people like arto grow into a more mellow style of skating, its also nice to see someone figuring out how to take care of themselves and still be able to set standards at that age. Andrew reynolds actually feels like an adult that skateboards. I can say that about daewon and ellington too. Those guys feel like actual adults who learned how to balance their lives/time properly and not have to turn out like richard mulder or jay adams.

[grimcity]

Super good read, but as others have stated it was a bit over here and over there. Sort've like the Prometheus of skate articles.

[Shitbag]

Penny was actually the guy who brought frontside flips to the next level. Reynolds clearly continued the progression, but Penny was the man for a while:
Tom Penny - Etnies High 5

This. 

Yep, Muska too.  Penny and Muska styled that trick so perfectly in the mid 90s and then Reynolds took it a bit further.

WHOA WHOA there did you just compare Penny's and Muska's frontside flips and say that they both styled them perfectly?
Weird considering Penny's were fluid, crisp, and amazing, whereas Muska's were gross, heinous illusion flops that even earned themselves the nickname "Muska Flip" a.k.a. "Illusion flip".

They may have been best homies and influenced tons of people in the mid 90s but their frontside flips were definitely polar opposites.

I don't recall saying they did them the same, or even comparing them.  I just said I liked how they styled them.   I know what you're saying about Muska's way of doing them, but I happen to like them, especially the way he did them on tranny.  It's an opinion.  There are people who happen to think Torey Pudwill looks good on a skateboard too. 

Fair enough, I actually like Muska a lot but can't say the same for anyone illusion flopping a frontside flip or a hardflip.

[Shitbag]

Penny was actually the guy who brought frontside flips to the next level. Reynolds clearly continued the progression, but Penny was the man for a while:
Tom Penny - Etnies High 5

This.? 

Yep, Muska too.?  Penny and Muska styled that trick so perfectly in the mid 90s and then Reynolds took it a bit further.

WHOA WHOA there did you just compare Penny's and Muska's frontside flips and say that they both styled them perfectly?
Weird considering Penny's were fluid, crisp, and amazing, whereas Muska's were gross, heinous illusion flops that even earned themselves the nickname "Muska Flip" a.k.a. "Illusion flip".

They may have been best homies and influenced tons of people in the mid 90s but their frontside flips were definitely polar opposites.

I don't recall saying they did them the same, or even comparing them.?  I just said I liked how they styled them.?  ? I know what you're saying about Muska's way of doing them, but I happen to like them, especially the way he did them on tranny.?  It's an opinion.?  There are people who happen to think Torey Pudwill looks good on a skateboard too.? 

I've got to agree with HATE! on this. I remember people trying to do them like Muska. Muska flips and visor beanies.

Yeah believe me I like the fact that tons of people were influenced by his whole presentation, but part of that presentation was fake frontside flips and hardflips that didn't really flip, so there's that whole thing.
Trust me there wasn't much better than seeing a kid roll up to a spot in a full blown Muska kit from head to toe but once the illusion came out that's when it ceased to be endearing.

[Jive Turkey]

Yeah believe me I like the fact that tons of people were influenced by his whole presentation, but part of that presentation was fake frontside flips and hardflips that didn't really flip, so there's that whole thing.
Trust me there wasn't much better than seeing a kid roll up to a spot in a full blown Muska kit from head to toe but once the illusion came out that's when it ceased to be endearing.

No arguments here.
I remember really liking the way Muska did fs flips, and for the record I was never a fan of post Toy Muska. Then the shit got old fast. Everybody started doing it that way.

[Strike A Pose]

Muska flips are tight.

I think they look cooler.

[HATE!]

Yeah believe me I like the fact that tons of people were influenced by his whole presentation, but part of that presentation was fake frontside flips and hardflips that didn't really flip, so there's that whole thing.
Trust me there wasn't much better than seeing a kid roll up to a spot in a full blown Muska kit from head to toe but once the illusion came out that's when it ceased to be endearing.

No arguments here.
I remember really liking the way Muska did fs flips, and for the record I was never a fan of post Toy Muska. Then the shit got old fast. Everybody started doing it that way.

Yeah, I guess I was in the same boat, only I'll bump it up to include Fulfill The Dream Muska because most of that section WAS from his Toy days.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Obviously Penny was a huge influence and progressed the frontside flip to new heights. However, comparing his style of putting in work for skating in general compared to Reynolds is unfair. Penny came over in the 90's, frontside flipped and switch frontside flipped everything in sight first try and it was truly a sight to see. Reynolds has been consistently crafting video parts in which he plans out which tricks will make his parts the best, including his frontside flips. He flew to philly for like a day in order to fs flip love park fountain. Penny is a legend, and will always be remembered for his flawless style especially with fs flips, but comparing that to Reynolds whose career has spanned the better part of two and a half decades and is still re-filming lines with fs flips down long 16 stairs is outrageous. Reynolds does indeed own fs flips, and he's worked hard to earn it.

You are stupid, illiterate, and did I mention stupid? Nobody claimed that Reynolds doesn't have the best frontside flips now. The point was that this author claimed that Reynolds was the guy turning it from a little techy street trick into something to be flicked and floated over huge gaps. Everybody knows that Penny is the guy who really brought it there.
Oh, and seriously- that's what you think makes Reynolds great? The fact that he flew across the country to only film a one up down a gap with a trick he's done repeatedly? That's like the weakest aspect of his skating. To me that's like the dude who obsessively plans his contest run and does it over and over to make sure he can win. Its lame and unnatural. Reynolds is a great skater, but you brought up the biggest flaws in his skating as if they were the best parts.

[doomstation55]

Obviously Penny was a huge influence and progressed the frontside flip to new heights. However, comparing his style of putting in work for skating in general compared to Reynolds is unfair. Penny came over in the 90's, frontside flipped and switch frontside flipped everything in sight first try and it was truly a sight to see. Reynolds has been consistently crafting video parts in which he plans out which tricks will make his parts the best, including his frontside flips. He flew to philly for like a day in order to fs flip love park fountain. Penny is a legend, and will always be remembered for his flawless style especially with fs flips, but comparing that to Reynolds whose career has spanned the better part of two and a half decades and is still re-filming lines with fs flips down long 16 stairs is outrageous. Reynolds does indeed own fs flips, and he's worked hard to earn it.

You are stupid, illiterate, and did I mention stupid? Nobody claimed that Reynolds doesn't have the best frontside flips now. The point was that this author claimed that Reynolds was the guy turning it from a little techy street trick into something to be flicked and floated over huge gaps. Everybody knows that Penny is the guy who really brought it there.
Oh, and seriously- that's what you think makes Reynolds great? The fact that he flew across the country to only film a one up down a gap with a trick he's done repeatedly? That's like the weakest aspect of his skating. To me that's like the dude who obsessively plans his contest run and does it over and over to make sure he can win. Its lame and unnatural. Reynolds is a great skater, but you brought up the biggest flaws in his skating as if they were the best parts.

Definitely not illiterate, possibly stupid but the jury's still out on that one. And yes, you are correct that Penny was the skater who took the frontside flip to the next level. But, I do think this aspect of Reynolds skating is what makes him the boss. I enjoy homie videos and good clips of people skating, but as far as the full length skate video and/or parts go I see them as somewhat of an art form. For a person like Reynolds to continuously put out these epic parts in which he attempts to film tricks and lines that make his years of skating and work for a 4-5 minute part seem as if he can do anything is incredible. The madness extra in Stay Gold I believe showed this perfectly, with things such as his re-filming of the nollie 360 to kickflip line and changing it to back 360 to kickflip followed by nollie 360 to frontside flip or how he re-filmed his nollie frontside heel because it was at night.

His dedication to not only landing some of the gnarlier tricks of his time but also to ensuring that these tricks are showcased in a carefully crafted video part is what sets Reynolds apart. 

[Christopher Lambe]

I love Reynolds , that  fs flip at the hollywood 16 is my fave fs flip ever , so proper

Andrew Reynolds-Baker 3	Small | Large