Carl Shipman: a brief history lesson – taken from Sidewalk 147 (December 2008)
“Carl is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of Britain’s finest ever skateboarders and the indisputable owner of the throne of Worksop, from under whose royal gaze every other notable South Yorkshire based skater since has risen to your collective attention.
Carl was one of the first British skateboarders to succeed in America at a time when you could count the number of sponsored UK heads on one hand. Mr Shipman paved the way towards international acceptance that virtually every other British skater since has trodden upon and that alone, disregarding all the amazing things he did on his skateboard over that time, should insure his position in the UK hall of skateboarding fame forever.
Thrasher covers and groundbreaking tricks on one of the globe’s most celebrated Hubbas? Done that.
Pro models on massive US companies at the height of their powers and video parts filmed in a matter of days that still stand the test of time over a decade later? Check that one too.
Being one of the original DC team riders, hand picked by Danny Way for his all round ability and inimitably relaxed yet powerful and technical style? Yes no worries there either.
In short Carl Shipman has been and done things that most aspiring skate rats can only dream of and he did it all at a time when the idea of European skaters (let alone British ones) making it in the States was virtually unheard of, a position he achieved through sheer natural talent.
Sit back and pay attention to one of the founding fathers of modern British skateboarding, you might just learn something.”
And with that, it gives me great pleasure to kick off 2011 with one of the finest sections of all time – Mr Carl Shipman in Stereo’s “A Visual Sound”. Happy new year n’ that…
