Offie Mag

 

Those of a certain age will remember the VHS glory and Playstation One graphic splendour of skateboarding in the mid-nineties and early 2000s.

Its influence lives on in fashion, video direction and skate culture to this very day, and Canadian musician Joseph Shabason is harnessing it's influence in a very lovely, very literal way.

With sound design chops from actual skateboarding, Shabason has essentially re-scored an iconic 1996 skate video from Toy Machine that launched the careers of pro skaters like Zero founder Jamie Thomas, Mike Maldonado, Elissa Steamer and Brian Anderson.

 

 

The first single of a forthcoming album titled Welcome to Hell sees Joseph Shabason re-work original VHS footage from a video he watched thousands of times growing up, inspired by the freeness of movement of the skateboarders that he attributes to his love for free jazz. 

The video for Zero Donny Barley - the single in question - is up on YouTube for you to play back as many times as you want. Listen out for the way wheels and decks hitting concrete play their own part in the music, which will be released as a full album on October 20 2023 via Western Vinyl.