Grey Skateboard Magazine quizzes Paul Shier and Kevin Coakley about their most memorable tricks in Make Friends With the Color Blue. Kevin asserts that “the wallie fifty fifty on the rainbow bar was pretty memorable… The biggest problem was the landing because the brick surface was so bad. It was pretty much impossible to roll away from… This was the first day, first spot of the trip and [after ten tries] I absolutely killed myself. I ended up rolling my ankle really badly… Then we ended up finding a piece of wood [for a landing] and sure enough next go was a make. I probably could have saved myself from so much pain if we had that wood in the first place. Oh well, I guess that’s how it is sometimes. You’ve got to put in the work but in the end it’s always worth it. In the video the trick itself didn’t look like it was too hard but at least it made for a good slam. It was easily one of the hardest tricks for me in my whole part.” (Source: Grey Skateboard Mag)
“My last trick (crooked grind pop in to the bank in Majorca) ended up being such a quest for me that I had to get done. I can remember the first time I skated this spot was on a DVS trip. We were driving around a part of the island we had not really checked out before and while in a little seaside town Baines spotted the small plaza as we drove through tiny Spanish streets. We all skated the spot and people were ollieing and doing nose wheelies into the bank when I came to the realisation that it may be possible to grind and pop in. I was filming for Dudes Dudes Dudes at the time and this was going to be my last trick for that but unfortunately after trying it for a day or so I was unsuccessful.
Fast forward to another trip to Majorca with the Blueprint boys and there I was trying it again. At the time it was meant to be our last filming trip before the deadline so I felt it had to be then. I felt that it was going to happen. I got closer than on the previous trip but unfortunately again, it was not to be.
Third time’s a charm and there I was again boarding a plane to Majorca for yet another Blueprint trip. This was to be the definite final chance for me to get it done. After being on the island for about four days I decided it was time to go and have a look again. I rolled up to the spot and as always it was way steeper than I remembered, but I just wanted it over with. After a few feeble attempts I started to pop in and for the first time it I felt like it was actually going to happen. Next thing you know I take that slam you see in the video, which shook the entire life out of me, so I put my aching body back in the car and drove to the hotel.
The following day I found myself driving back to the spot for one last hurrah. My body hurt so badly and I could see rain clouds in the distance and prayed for it to rain so I would not have to try it again. I had grown to hate the spot. No luck with the rain and it was dry as a bone when we got there. Somehow I manage to get through the aches and pains and before I knew it I was riding down the bank and bombing the hill. I think the fact that my body hurt so much took away from what I was actually doing making it seem easier. I felt real triumphant when rolling away and was reminded why I do what I do. I was really happy the rain did not stop play.” (Paul Shier, Grey Skateboard Magazine)
Tags: boston, kevin coakley, london, MFWTCB, paul shier, skateboarding, video
