Mind Field Skate DVD by Alien Workshop - Mind Field is a document of the team riders' and company's individuality,filmed and built over the span of 2005-2009, Mind Field is the 4th full-length audio/visual offering by Alien Workshop. You're going to get full parts from Tyler Bledsoe, Jake Johnson, Grant Taylor, Steve Berra, Rob Dyrdek, Jason Dill, Omar Salazar, Dylan Rieder, Josh Kalis, Anthony Van Engelen, Mikey Taylor, Arto Saari, and Heath Kirchart! DVD also includes 60-page photo book featuring images from the making of Mind Field,on this massive release from Alien Workshop.
AWS are probably the most unique skate company out there. Neil Blender kicked them off way back when with his altered imagery and obscure way of seeing things and since then the Worshop has evolved as a sovereign sect in its own right influencing skaters, musicians and film makers alike.
Fans of AWS will be happy to hear that this production is more a return to the good old days, back to the days of "Memory Screen" doused in overly vivid imagery and suggestion that has embedded the AWS brand on our brains for years and more to the point the skating is bang on point like those days too.
With a pro roster to rival Lakai or Plan B the skating on show here blends in perfectly to the montages that would make French Fred from Cliché drool! Following a musical intro from J.Mascis,
Omar Salazar, the highjump champ, kicks off the sections with what can only be likened to Gonz-like skating. Totally untainted by other skate vids, he just takes a whole new approach with a "hang on or slam" mentality and feet quick enough to let him ride away.
Jake Johnson hits us off with some Static-esque NY grittyness and kills random spots with tricks like wallrides down a double set! He is one to watch for sure. Arto Saari starts his video debut for AWS with a gnarly faceplant and styles his way through his section with a "too-easy" looking flip front nose pick and some nice Barca footage. It seems that the many years of skating with Geoff Rowley have certainly shaped his repertoire as his steez is gnarly, clean and Arto generally looks at ease with himself.
The big name pro's on this vid had surprisingly short sections. Perhaps Rob Dyrdek was too busy with his MTV show to put out a full section, but in reality I expect he puts out more for DC than AWS which is a sign of the times with skating, but still, he has been on AWS since day one so he had zero dues to pay on this vid. Steve Berra and Josh Kalis follow suit with bit part sections to remind us that they are still ripping but it's a shame there's not more footage from these three.
Grant Taylor just simply isn't afraid of anything. He zooms around a drained waterpark at frightening speeds with gnarly backtail slides which are insane and then sessions some obstacles that just shouldn't be ridden. Sliding the top of a door frontside is just plain wrong, heart in your mouth wrong but once again it's AWS.
Dylan Rieder somehow had the vision to wallride/grind/melon a cradle to flat which needs to be seen to be understood. Jason Dill continues his mission to be obscure, riding anything awkward and applying his relaxed style to obstacles that most skaters wouldn't look at twice. I think the surprise package is Tyler Bledsoe. His approach is technically smooth, blessed with lots of unique tricks and he is certainly not afraid to go big, especially with gap backtail on a block to flip out over an equally long gap!
Mike Taylor's section was something I was looking forward to. His part is super clean, everything is landed to bolts and he also sticks the longest crook on a rail I have ever seen! Joe Moynihan interviewed him for Crossfire in LA recently so expect words to be on here soon.
The other surprise was Anthony Van Englen. I was stoked to see him emulate the vibe of Cardiel's epic Sight Unseen section with raging street spots with an aggressive game face showing his determination to push his skating to new levels of rawness. I think skating to the Adolescents suited this barrage of gnarly ollies and speedy handrails perfectly. His ollie head on OVER the top of a handrail to crook is as technically difficult as it is hardcore, stoked.
Heath Kirchart's section rolls to the melancholic soundtrack of the one and only Morrissey. Seeming non-fussed whether flip front nosegrinding or front bluntslide bigspinning out on handrails only he knows his motivation to keeping on year after year putting out amazing sections. But like most other skateboarders I'm grateful for whatever it is! Some of the gappage in this section is so big that a tow off a motorbike is the only thing to help with the momentum but still Kirchart makes drifting 15-20 feet look like a mundane task. He's an exceptional talent.
The video is simply stunning. Greg Hunt has put the show together with a mix of 8/16mm footage as well as the usual DV stuff. J.Mascis and Dinosaur Jr feature as strong as ever on the soundtrack and one time AWS pro Duane Pitre adds perfectly to the soundscape. There's plenty of extras here too. "B-Roll" sections for everyone show some extra angles and tricks that were sketched or just didn't make the final cut, but still a cut above most peoples "A" footage. Plus if you delve into the extras you will find the AWS visual side with some inspiring ideas on infusing creativity into skate sections.
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