How is Volume 5 different/ similar than previous Strangeways releases?

It was the first one I'd filmed in HD after my VX workhorse died, I was pretty nervous about switching up formats because I like the classic 4:3 ratio a lot but once I figured out how to do it in HD I was pretty stoked how the footage looked. It's pretty similar to the others I've made in the way it's got a lot of the same faces and spots from previous videos.

Did you have any personal goals with this one?

Nothing major, just to make something enjoyable to watch. I like film title sequences so I messed around with titles and animation a bit more and dialled in the super 8 footage and colours a bit more than I have done previously. Riding-wise I had a few ideas that I wanted to film but they usually come when you're out riding anyway, no major hammers or anything to tick off. I much prefer to see what you come across on the day.

Where did you end up traveling to while filming SW 5?

We went on two trips to Copenhagen and Malmo, but other than that it was filmed mostly around Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, the North East and a sprinkling of the Midlands and London

You’ve filmed the majority of the SW saga in Northern England, right? How do you keep finding so many sick setups and spots over a decade later?

Yeah it’s mostly filmed up here, it's a relatively large area with quite a lot of adjoining industrial cities and towns, so there is quite a lot to go at if you take the time to relentlessly comb over and revisit places in hope that something might've changed.

You started filming the video in 2019; How did COVID affect the progress of the video?

It hampered it in the way that you couldn't really travel out of your area for a while, it stopped people from other areas coming over at the weekends but there was no deadline or anything like that so I just rolled with whatever was happening. We got over to Copenhagen in 2019 before everything kicked off and were lucky enough to sneak another week over there during the height of it all in 2020 when there was a small window of opportunity to travel that we took advantage of.

There was a month at the start of it all where you couldn't really hang around with anyone but that soon opened up a bit where you could see a few people. I usually ride with 2 or 3 other people anyway so it was pretty normal in that respect - it made me really appreciate what was around to ride locally a lot more and I figured three people riding a ledge in an industrial estate on a Sunday is pretty small potatoes considering you saw the powers that be were all guzzling champers and scoffing vol-au-vents together.

Sounds pretty wanky but it was pretty organic - just the result of what happens when we go out riding with friends, quite relaxed and leisurely. I can imagine that there is a bit of pressure for these poor lads having to send themselves down massive handrails to keep their place on a team. I couldn't ride if you were expected to produce something in a time frame, I just film stuff as it happens and wait until I have enough footage gathered to make something out of it.

The quarters in the beginning of Wozzy’s part look so fun; what’s the story behind that place?

Its known locally as Skag Pit - a fenced off forgotten gem behind an old leisure centre in the Midlands and rumoured to be an old council built skatepark where the quarters were put in the wrong way up so they are really steep at the top. That place was one of my favourite spots to ride, unfortunately it got knocked down last year. I wanted my ashes scattered there.

There are a number of DIY spots that make appearances, like The Hole In Malmo. How do you see those fitting into a predominantly street-based video?

Riding grew out of a DIY culture so in that way they fit nicely, they're interesting to look at and usually hard to ride. Also, I find them alluring because they're not supposed to be there and they inhabit places that are usually abandoned or forgotten about and I love being in places like that.

Any particularly favorite spots/ destinations that appeared in the vid?

Copenhagen was a really good destination, pretty much left to your own devices, ideal weather conditions, unlimited spots and good food.

Skag Pit (RIP) was unreal and on a quiet day I like riding this ledge spot in Stockport that feature quite heavily in the video.

In some of the follow-film lines, you catch a glimpse of the filmer’s bike. Using two wheels instead of four for filming lines seems to be becoming less and less common these days. Was that a conscious decision, or more so that you just don’t see a need to lug around a skateboard for filming purposes?

No chance I’m carting a skateboard around all day; you have to be able to skate for a start - I struggle enough trying to ride, never mind learning to skate too.

I did consider the Parrick-style speed skates though.

Any plans for more Volumes of Strangeways?

Yeah hopefully going to try and cook up another in the laboratory.