If you were a young, teenage skatepunk in the late eighties, you know Matt Hensley.
The wallet chain. the cut off surplus shorts. Who didn't start wearing chukkas, unless you did already, or cutting down your Airwalks once you spotted Hensley doing it in Transworld, Thrasher or Poweredge(yeah, I know. I just took you waaaaay back. You forgot about that one.)I'm pretty sure I went through, as maybe a lot of kids did, a period of wanting to be Matt Hensley.
This brings it all back for me. If you're familiar with H-Street's Hokus Pokus ('89), you'll know that Hensley skated to this very song, originally by Sub Society. Well, Patrick O'Dell, photographer and creator of the library of nostalgia that is Epicly Later'd, directed this video for The Historics' cover. Calling in some total rippers including Alex Olson, Spanky, Heath Kirchart, as Hensley stand-ins, O'Dell has refashioned the threads of so many of our shared youth into a fitting tribute to Hensley.
Check out the video then take a look at where it all started.
(In the Hokus Pokus vid, skip to 3:48)
That is awesome. I grew up skateboarding and so this really strikes a chord with me. Hokus Pokus and Shackle me not were before my time, but I almost religiously watched Questionable and Virtual Reality. Even looking at it now, that Matt Hensley tribute part is insane. I've gotten to meet him through music relations (Flogging Molly) and while I'm not a huge fan of the band, I definitely freaked out a little inside because of his skateboard legend status. Got to have a couple impromptu skate sessions with him too! Pretty rad.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! My skating heydays where 87 to 93. I remember this well. I had to have the chain wallet immediately after I saw Hensley wearing one, so did a half dozen friends of mine. Steve Caballero had good style as well. He used to wear his suspenders hanging down in some of the old Powell Peralta videos, or soe times a waistcoat. Thinking about his makes me want to find a pair of the old Vision Street Wear suede hi-tops.
ReplyDeleteseeing that guy marcos do those pop shuvit five-o's is just crazy
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