Throwback Thursdays: Ciaran Perry Interview

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Lots of people messaging me about Ciaran Perry’s riding, and I dug back to my interview with him from 2009, his riding to this day is still relevant. Enjoy this one if you missed it the first time from the FM blogspot days….


intro/interview: EC

Ciaran Perry is the first of the ‘isolated’ interviews for my blog, it’s great that in a country as small as ours, there’s still amazing riders that I haven’t ever met yet. Throughout the UK and no doubt every other country in the world, there are pockets of riders or individual riders that help push the artform forward at their own speed, not inspired by trends, but their own personal aspirations.
Ciaran’s 23 years old, and lives in the South west of England, in Taunton. Not too far from where the NASS event happens.
No doubt many of you have seen Ciaran’s videos on global flat, Vimeo, you tube, if you haven’t theres a few videos within this two part interview, an awesome rider, with a real creative flair. Read on.

Your quite far removed from the rest of the UK flat scene, how did you get into riding? I’m always interested how riders get exposed to flat?
Well I used to skate for 3 years + before flat and was first exposed to flat at I believe the first ever NASS. Phil Dolan was doing a show with GT, I remember being massively intrigued by what was going on, it just looked so different and so fresh. I think even then I percieved it as being super creative and pretty much limitless ironically as a skater I was full into flatland skating but without the influence. I never knew who Rodney Mullen was or even saw flatland skating till pretty much after I had finished with it, it was just my natural style, so it was transitional to move to flatland. It was the perfect sport, my love for bikes and the creativity I enjoyed in skating all came to one with flatland. So yeah, Phil Dolan and the first issue of Ride (UK) I ever owned, which again had a Phil Dolan interview and Jimmy (Petitet) and Alex (Jumelin) interview in were my first exposures to flatland.

That shows the importance of flatland being in the magazines really, and also flatland in contests, that also really proves worthwhile when something I was involved in inspired somebody to get into flatland. Now your into flatland and fully involved, I guess you don’t miss the magazine coverage and everything has moved online pretty much? What’s your standpoint on lack of flatland in the magazines?
I can’t really say I was ever much of a magazine buyer anyway, they were more like if I happen to be going past smiths I’ll have a look to see if there’s anything worth purchasing, so for me whether flatland is in magazines or not is no direct concern, but now we are all online I think it’s positive for a number of reasons.
Firstly its easier to reach a broader audience online which is clearly a big thing, its also free online to both access and create so the concerns of covering costs aren’t so great, but also outside of that, the internet is fast and everyone now is contributing like a family, if some jam comes down you can guarantee someone was there and will be reporting it online within a day and then it will be talked about and to be honest the only negative I can ever see is the lack of quality in online videos compared to professional DVD work from Bobby and Chad, etc, but I think slowly that’s improving also.
At the end of the day flatlanders aren’t film makers so they just want to see the riding, which is a shame because the art of film making and presentation is important to. The end of magazines isn’t a negative though, it’s merely a focus shift to a more accessible online format, it’s basically made the most underground riders able to show off their stuff if they want to.

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Throwback Thursdays: Effraim Catlow / Ride UK Rear Wheel Drive Videopart

It’s not too often I showcase my own riding on Flatmattersonline, so today we have a special treat from the archives for this weeks Throwback.
We go back to the Ride UK “Rear Wheel Drive” video put together by Steve Bartholomew who you recall ran the Clicked Video Magazine.
As my memory recalls we started filming this part in the summer of 2001, and the video came out in spring of 2002.
This video showcases my flatland riding, but also some ramp and concrete clips from Southsea Skatepark. From no handed tailwhip nosepicks, to g-turn cowboy flip variations, to the ender which I am still proud of to this day.

Thanks to Steve for sending this over, stoked to tach this again after so many years.

Throwback Thursdays: Keisuke Tanigawa / Oita 2008

During this lockdown in particular, I have been digging through the Flatmattersonline archives more than ever for motivation during these hard times.
Keisuke Tanigawa is one of my favourite riders, I haven’t seen any footage in a minute. But nevertheless, this Oita edit from 2008 is full of gems and so much style.
Liquid flow and technical switches that deserves your attention if you missed it the first time round, the opposite switch foot hang 5 bar flip to spinning half hiker at 4:02 is flat out amazing!!

Throwback Thursdays: Braun Flatground 2006

We all have edits that are go to for a bit of motivation, and over the years I have found myself going back to this Braun Flatground in 2006 by Global Flat numerous times. It was freezing cold at the venue in Amsterdam as I recall (it was in December), but the riding was anything but, and the battles got heated.
When I look back this event really was the start of a new generation coming through on the big stage with the likes of Matthias Dandois, Sam Foakes, Keelan Phillips and many more, pushing hard in the finals, commuting against the experienced pros like Martti Kuoppa who really dug deep and showed everyone who is the boss. So much good riding, and the tunes go well, it’s worth sitting down today and taking a trip down memory lane.

Throwback Thursdays: Akihiko Takahashi / Sam Foakes / Effraim Catlow

Japan flatland session 2008 from Zion Bike Co. on Vimeo.

Tomorrow I celebrate 12 years of running Flatmattersonline, during this time of being not only furloughed from work and being injured. It has been a good time to reflect on those 12 years, my trip to Japan in 2008 with Sam Foakes really kickstarted FM. So this weeks TBT is dedicated to that tie and the unreal sessions with Sam, Akihiko Takahashi and all the Yokohama locals. Big thanks to Mislav from Zion Bikes for filming this. Memories!!!

Throwback Thursdays: KGB Impulsivity 2008

As we approach our 12th anniversary, let’s go back twelve years and to a video many consider the best ever done. The KGB Impulsivity featuring Martti Kuoppa, Viki Gomez and Pete Brandt, and produced by Intrikat ticks all the boxes. It’s time to watch this back, and take in the madness all over again.

This made me think did we really progress in riding, perhaps in style and flow yes. But tricks? And in this video, all the riders using brakes. Let me know your thoughts, perhaps this is a good article topic for the future?

Throwback Thursdays: Effraim Catlow / KHE Cosa Nostra Part

EFFRAIM CATLOW: KHE COSA NOSTRA BMX FLATLAND VIDEO PART from FLATMATTERSONLINE on Vimeo.

A few weeks ago, Mid School BMX on Instagram posted a clip from my KHE Cosa Nostra part which was filmed in 1997/98. I asked the guys if they had the full part as I have not seen it in years, if memory serves me right there were copyright issues with some of the film samples used on the video. Such a great time period travelling around competing with KHE/Puma team, getting to ride Albert Retey’s home stomping ground and so much more. Enjoy the part if you haven’t seen.

Thank you Mid School BMX!

Throwback Thursdays with Yuki Itoh

Who remembers when this Yuki Itoh “Welcome to Far East Cycles” edit dropped in September 2016?… I met Yuki at Five Hiroshima, sadly he was there filming not riding. Is Yuki still riding?

Everything about this Yuki Itoh edit ruled and still rules four years on.

Riding wise, the riding and the intricate switches were pretty much all groundbreaking for the time. Here are some of my personal highlights:

– The opposite turbine steam boat ride in flip flip to yammer style backwards spinning xft steam step on fork back to steam turbine to xft fork spinning steam to opposite xft steam flip steam opposite side step into spinning cliff at 1:06! Are you following all that? Yuki’s style is so nimble around the bike, amazing!

– At 2:11 the turbine teakettle to spinning xft crack pivot spinning hang ten pivot opposite one footed spinning crack step over backwards facing one footed spinning ck jump to halfpacker pivot xft backwards spinning xft stream pivot steam to x handed spinning half hiker! Mind blown!

– The last line at 3:03! I will leave that one to you!

Props to Takuya Higa also for the camerawork, this edit makes me want to ride so bad! Job done! Respect Yuki, liquid flatland at it’s finest!!