I think it can be unanimously agreed that Arto hasn’t put out a bad video part to date. How much his often well-chosen musical choices factor into this should be considered, but in terms of ability alone the parts are iconic. Going way back to Elvis Costello in the Platinum’s Crimes and Misdemeanours, his shared part with Rowley to Fugazi in Tranworld’s Feedback as we’ve already highlighted, The Smiths in the following Flip video Really Sorry and all the way to his last part with the weird but fitting electronic accompaniment of Atlas in Mind Field.

It’s here however, that we find ourselves with the definitive Arto. The fast editing, sheer amount of tricks and pace of ‘1984’all result in a more frantic first half of this double song part as Arto reels off banger after banger in an onslaught of handrails and gaps. The opening instrumental to ‘1984’ also helps add a sense of mystery as you wonder ‘is he mirroring this line?’ Yep.

It’s still surprising that certain tricks on renowned spots are not highlighted as would be today. Perfect instances being the switch flip and backside kickflip down the Santa Monica triple set and the frontside 360 over the Besos bump to bar. Both are only shown from one angle in a scenario where a second (and perhaps slow mo’d) would be perfectly reasonable. In the case of the frontside 360 two more tricks follow on, suggesting that Arto simply powered through his trick book on the spot…

Moving in the latter half of the part, the calmer paced ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’ is fittingly paired with incredibly long handrail grinds and Arto plummeting down stair sets so big that he seems to freeze time for a brief moment. Rather than slowing momentum, the mellower soundtrack highlights Arto’s trademark nonchalance on a board. There are few parts that can truly be thought of as ‘just as good if it was released today’ and this is the pinnacle.