Skateboarding, for the most part, is an absolutely subjective pastime and art. The definition of “good skateboarding” can vary vastly from skater to skater or observer to observer. Some folks regard technical ability as the true definition of “greatness”. Others regard style as the stronger quality. Some also employ a combination of the two for a more balanced verdict.
Whichever the case, the opinions are many. And then you have riders like Shane O’Neill—absolute anomalies in their ability on four wheels—a rider so good that we simply can’t believe or categorize how effortlessly and consistently they skate.
Shane’s new part, “This Is Not The New Shane O’Neill Video,” captured in just nine days in his native Melbourne, Australia, feels and looks like a memorial part or montage for a skater that has passed on to the next life. It’s that incredible. We don’t know if it’s the nostalgic-sounding Joe Alme tune “When Old Love Keeps You Waiting” or if O’Neill’s flip-ledge-stair lines of flawlessness, but wow is this part godly. VX-filmed and edited by James Brook, and sprinkled with retro Super 8 footage by Chris Middlebrook, the clip is a short, but inspiring two and a half minutes of heaven on Earth.
O’Neill’s been dubbed a cyborg in the past, but that’s just because to human cognition, what he accomplishes on the board looks like it can only be explained in technologic terms. We may not necessarily be fans of Shane’s calculated abilities from an artistic point of view, but definitely recognizes mechanical perfection when we see it. This dude is a machine for real!
