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GOBLIN MAGAZINE PROCESS WITH PHILIP HALTON  

photo by Craig Dodds

Philip Halton is a prominent figure on the Irish skate scene, from jumping every bump to bar in sight to partially running Cloud skateboards and now Goblin Magazine. We sat down with the irish skateboarding mayor to find out a little about the process involved in bringing Goblin Magazine to life, enjoy.

so Philip what made you want to make an Irish skate magazine?

P: A trip to the Aran islands with wowza laces kicked it off.
We just finished releasing new cloud decks and a full clothing range so I wanted to try something new. A couple days on a desolate island in the Atlantic gave me enough time to day dream and plan out what could be done.
When I got back to Dublin I tried a few print places for prices and decided it would be viable even if it could just break even. Luckily I was with my two boys James and baz who always have countless amounts of ideas, so with those two and the notes on my phone I had a stack of content to get working on. I guess I’m lucky to be in a position where I’ve grown up skating with older guys whilst hanging around with the younger generation too, gives you a good insight and a ton of contacts all over the country to get the ball rolling. .

Did making a full magazine not seem like an epic task to take on by yourself? Did you have help with layout and design?

P:The idea started off small, like collecting photos and write ups, doing some articles and trying to get people’s art work involved. It was a good way to keep my mind busy outside of work. Something I wanted to touch on in the magazine was the aspect of mental health in Ireland, how the young people in this country struggle in silence and how being active can help dramatically. I went through a ton of shit myself and if it wasn’t for skateboarding I don’t really think I would have emerged from it. I didn’t know it at the time but I realized setting little goals and pursuing them similar to how you try learn different tricks in skateboarding could activate your mind and keep you really focused. Before you know it you have lifted yourself out of a bad place, you’re getting better at different things and learning all the time, eventually you can be relied on by your family, friends and community be it skateboarders or whoever.

pole vault in manchester

P: With the design and layout I had the best help in the world. Colin farmer and Aidan Moore have been instrumental to the whole thing. Colin done the wizard ten years earlier which was really important to me and everyone I grew up skating with when we were younger. I don’t think people in Dublin realize how important his input into skateboarding is, without him there would be no cork street, goblin or wizard. Aidan put a ton of hard work into the design and layout and I think he done a great job, a really reliable person that sticks to his word.

I fully agree about Colin, he has always helped me and countless others I'm sure when asked, a true staple in the Irish skate scene, So this obviously became very personal for you, not just a magazine, but an opportunity to highlight what's important to us as a community?

P: I wanted to add some of my own views and highlight things like portobello being under threat, or how positive skateboarding is, quite often in Ireland skateboarding is perceived in a negative light, which is really important to change because this directly affects small towns from getting funding for skateparks or places like cork street and portobello being skate friendly. We are a very underground scene, however cliche that sounds, but we have so much raw talent, small brands that people would genuinely be into if they knew how to access it or skateshops like Highrollers and the Boardroom that do so much with so little for so many. I tried to keep the magazine from being a personal blog so I wanted to include plenty of interviews and articles from other people. At the end of the day goblin should be for the community and not for me, I just see it as a way to give back to something that’s given me so much.

Ok last question, What is in store for us Saturday night?

P: A gallery full of sick brands, photos, videos, wastemen and friends. It will be the first skate event where it’s actually grand to bring your ma and still have a sick time drinking beers with your mates. It’s a pricy venue but I’m sure everything will Piece together since we have a lot of good help. Bring your mates, have a good time and hopefully buy a magazine to allow to us to do another one, after a decade of recession the future for our generation is starting to look bright.







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• BACKSIDE AIRS WITH MARTIN O'GRADY  
  

  ok marty, you ready to do your backside air interview?

  M: Hells a yea .

  I figure there is hell, purgatory,heaven and backside airs, would you agree?

  M: Most definitely, a backside air is a sign from the heavens that you are here for a reason.

  haha, so what's the secret to them? break it down for the people.

  
  M: The first thing you have to remember is not to go through a backside air. People forget that our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to suceed is always to try one more time.

  haha,Wise words

  M: Once you are at one with this Concept, you simply skoop the tail, extend the hips and BELIEVE!!!

  You are probably most well known for your ollie south backside air's, if that is what you call them? Also how in the world can you pull them off? Amazing bro

  M: I call them THE SOUTH PAKICKIT. If you feel confident you can pull them, even if you have no idea what you are doing.haha. Remember, milk the cow, but do not pull off the udder.
  

  Wow marty, ha , great tips , not only for airs, but life in general, So moving on When vert died back in the day, how did you feel? After such a long and established career catching air.

  M: dude,I was bummed, but then i realised that change brings opportunity. I was so comfortable in the vert worl back then. I wish i was able to relive them days again so I could see that a path with no obstacles doesn't lead anywhere.
  

  ok marty,Last question. Backside airs or backsides?

  M: There are many ways to call the trick, be sure to pick one with a heart.
  
  
  
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• INSPIRATION LIST---->  
  
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   Realness Click here 
  
  
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• PANASONIC YOUTH INTERVIEW  
  

  
  

  
  Photography by Reece Leung,Timmy Garbett
  
  

  ok Zach, What got you into skateboarding ? And then what got you into documenting skateboarding?

  
  
  Z: If I'm totally honest, playing Tony Hawk's pro skater when I was a kid haha. I unlocked a video of the Muska and couldn't believe people could actually do that with a skateboard. I had to get involved haha. I've messed about with cameras a lot when I was younger. But never with a project or idea in mind. Just filming dumb stuff with my mates and shit that my band was up to at the time. I moved into a house with 3 lads a few years back. One of them started making edits around the time I moved in (Christian Morgan - a tribe called sheff) so I was around him a lot at the time when he was filming Shaun (Currie), Richard Chung, Dark Mark etc. Eventually Christian stopped filming and I bought his camera!
  
  
  

  Yeah I remember those clips in the game, haha, ok so I suppose you kinda took over Christian's spot considering you still film with Shaun Currie on a regular basis, What's it like filming with Shaun ?

  
  
  Z: There was a fair bit of time in between Christian stopping filming and me buying his camera. Shaun films with James Cruickshank and Rich Smith (skate cafe) a lot too. He's such a funny guy! We have similar senses of humour and he says some really funny shit. Honestly most times I go out skating with Shaun some random person/security ends up saying some crazy shit to him and it ends up in some gnarly situation aha. When we filmed that Fixup edit, some guy who apparently owned the building we were skating next to tried to focus Shauns board hah! They were like grappling for ages and Shaun kind of overpowered the guy. Which is pretty crazy as the guy was way bigger than him. But yeah other than that it's a good time. A lot of the time we don't even do anything, just cruise at dev and smoke weed.

  
  

  
  

  Speaking of Dev ( Devonshire skatepark ), It seems like Death skateboards has quiet an influence there ? ... what with Ronny Calow, Moggins and Ben Broyd skating it every time I Visited. did you say you are working on something with Ben ?

  
  
  Z: yeah all those guys skate there. We've been filming for a few months for a video the death guys have planned for some time this year I think. We both have jobs so not mad frequently or anything. But yeah I'm definitely stoked on everything Ben does. He's the best skateboarder and a super nice dude.

  
  

  Sounds great , Seems like he is pretty driven, can't wait to see it. so let's do some rapid questions, who is the most underrated skater in Sheffield ?

  
  Z: Oh shit what a question! Damn. I'd say Rasheed Osman. Timmy Garbett has a bunch of his clips which will hopefully surface at some point. He's a beast!
  
  
  

  Yes I agree, Rasheed is sick, that hardflip clip in the Ravenous video was so good , what's your breakfast of choice ?

  
  Z: I don't usually eat breakfast, it takes me a couple hours once I wake up ha. There's a waffle place in sheff that's dope if you wake up in time!
  
  
  

  Whos the last person you got a clip with?

  
  Z: I filmed something a little while back with Alexis Jamet. A very spicy number at a well known sheff spot. Looking forward to shooting more with him.
  
  
  

  Stoked haha, ok last question , when is the next Panasonic youth clip out ?

  
  Z: I wish I could give you a straight answer on that! With contributing to other videos it's been hard to save much for my thing. But I've got a handful of clips and a few ideas in mind. It's gonna take a while. I want it to be longer than all the others and I wanna travel a lot more to film it. Maybe some offcuts online soon? Thanks man appreciate you taking the time to do this!
  
  

  Nah man, my pleasure. Thanks and good luck with everything.

  
  

  To watch the Panasonic youth click  Panasonic 
  
  
  
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