‘OBSOLETE’ HAS DROPPED, AND IT CAN’T GET UP
In the current job climate, automation is a real threat. In the skate industry, it’s sort of a non-issue; a robot can’t do what we do. A machine can’t express what it feels like to slappy, or why skaters-of-a-certain-generation (some would say the greatest generation) still get goosebumps when they catch a rare glimpse of Animal Chin. Robert Mechem isn’t worried about the encroaching mechanical overlords—he assembled a crack team of old-ass industry dudes to crank out tricks for the sick new video, “Obsolete.”
It’s all in the name: we’re a dying breed. Jordan Raths, Ian Freundner, Will Hayward, Donny Hunt, and Clear Weather‘s Mechem, all work in “the biz,” and deal with its unique challenges on a daily basis. While technological advancements may not post much of a threat to these guys’ careers, there are always younger, hungrier skaters nipping at their heels—you can tell that they are skating like their careers depend on it.
With that in mind, be aware that these guys spend as much time landing tricks as they flat on their backs. Unfortunately, these clips are not eligible for worker’s comp.
For more from the lens of Mechem, check out his previous video, "HEIST."
