First time I saw Fids ride was Backyard and followed his exploits ever since, huge loss to our riding community. Lovely tribute John, never take his laugh away from the intro. What a character. 😊👊🏻🤘🏻❤️
That was really good John, thanks for this. Love hearing stories from around this time, I was over in Wiltshire where there wasn't a decent BMX scene so everything came from the mags and the yearly trip down to Hastings for Backyard. When you only see these people in videos and magazines they become superheroes which is what Fids was for me back then.
The legacy of Fids lives on. Love hearing your stories and seeing the photos and footage, especially his young punk style. Got some laps with him in Portland in 2023 and he ripped some huge nothings on the jumps. Shed a tear for a real one.
The warehouse you are talking bout mate I believe is the bus garage Canterbury . It had a shady as fk vert where all the panels of wood were coming away and the coping barely attached and then you had the other room with a deathbox and a quarter pipe. It’s all we had in the area after the Canterbury council removed the halfpipe outside the riverside pool but fids and jez made it the place to be. I also recall Neil you talk about who was a rave dj called xxx and had a human league haircut with one short curtain one side and shoulder length the other 😂
@@theuniontapes not sure maybe 2000? it was at The Astoria, Glenn came out he was badass, big muscly unit, unfortunately by the end of the first song his gut was hanging out and when he turned round the light was bouncing off his bald patch.
Lovely tribute John, thank you! Brought back a lot of memories for me, loved skating vert with Fids or just skating in our home town, wherever it was it was always a good time. Spent more time on trains with him than I can remember, going to meet him early mornings at his Mum’s house and if it was raining he always said if the curb opposite was dry we’d go hahaha he was a total one off! RIP Fids!!! 🖕🏻
I first met Fids in the late 80s when he had come to Canterbury as a skater. If memory serves me correct, he was on pacer hogs shoes sponsorship and had come to Canterbury to get some sort of flow sponsorship from “wheels and waves” I believe he got this via his connection with Jez ? Who was at the time a well known street skater in Canterbury. I am not sure if he was getting any help from “No Softies” over at Gillingham at the time, but the park over there was in its last days. Fids must have been about 17 at the time, and had come over on a motorbike that was either 125cc or below. By 1992/3 Canterbury saw a few of the skaters, turn back into BMX. As many of the skaters themselves had a previous BMX background. What is worth noting is that I believe James Mulby from Dover (who also had an interview in RAD) lived with Fids in Canterbury for a while. I think the strangest conversation I ever had with Fids was when he disclosed to me his family background. He told me his father was a policeman and that his mother had been in a road accident in which she was knocked off her bicycle by a tarmac roller. I thought he was pulling my leg at the time, but he was super serious. In fact there was so many weird and intriguing stories that surrounded him over the years wasn’t surprising. I am sure many people will have a memory of some of his escapades. The last time I saw Fids was in Germany late this year. I could see at the start of the day he looked troubled and that he was deflated. And I went over to say hello. I didn’t know about the diagnosis at the time. But as the day progressed, he appeared to loosen up and smile and laugh. I can not say I was particularly close with Fids, but I always admired his will power and stamina. If he wanted something, he would just make it happen and often with an infectious smile and a laugh. I was genuinely sad to hear of his passing. He was a larger than life character and he will be missed. I thank you for putting this video reflection up.
@@mpettersson remember the half pipe outside the swimming pool ? Skating Canterbury with fids and jez and hanging out in wheels & waves and David jones locker watching propaganda on vhs in the shop are some of my happiest memories.
@Indicasativa55Yeah! There was Tim from wheels and waves and his partner, Alex? There was the mini ramp at riverside with Alan? You also had that bloke from across the road of wheels and waves who had a pet shop and went on to be a policeman ? They memories all seem so long ago now. Good times.
@@mpettersson I can remember all that lol , seems like a different world now when I look back , I still sk8 occasionally but my 50 year old knees are nearly done but the comments on hear took me right back and made me think I might just keep going for a bit longer
You forgot Marcel, Jason hoad. I first met fids around 85 and had never seen him on a bike until a decade or two after that. This is a great work and really extremely nice of you to do this and I'm very grateful to see early photos. Fids was more punk than the dead Kennedy's of which we were both huge fans.
Thanks, yeah you are right-i forgot some, it was difficult to remember some stuff-its been a while, I also forgot Nye, flatland Pete, and Dan with the Redline and probably some more
I knew fids when he lived in Canterbury in the early 90s he helped some of us locals build a skatepark in a disused bus garage with the sketchiest vert ramp you ever saw ( a death trap 😂) and he could ride that like a pro on a bmx or a deck even then. We went as a group to the backyard jam 93 or 4 and that’s when things blew up for fids with s&m bikes. He was a top guy , very unassuming and humble and quick to offer advice to those struggling to land or pull certain.tricks . He moved to America and that was the last we saw of him but I’m proud to have known him and he will live long in the memory of those he inspired with his boundless enthusiasm , determination and his sense of personal freedom RIP 🫡
Like ewire knew FIDS from the Canterbury 😊bus depot. Remember the gt and his oversized knee pads. The laugh too. Friendly and down to earth guy. Also remember the yellow S&M dirt bike he had too. RIDE ON DUDE. Also worked with Paul too he made a bmx look so small 😂
Great video, thanks for putting it out there, Fids was a good 'un. All the photo's of Fids at Gill were mine and also the Gillingham Day video which is on Marcel Fernandes youtube channel was filmed by either myself or my wife at the time. I lost my original copy but if you need any clips from it anytime just ask Marcel, I'm sure he'll send you a copy.
@ was an old bus depot in Canterbury.. rode there with Fids and Jez. I think they were living in Selling together between Ashford and Canterbury. Place is stuck firmly in my head from a really badly stacked table 1 footer which ended with me completely tangled in my bike 😅 Fantastic episode 🖤
@@theuniontapesyea was a bedsit on the wincheap road in Canterbury. Ashford did have a squatter park for one winter but Canterbury was the longest running.
what a legend. first meet him in the old bus depot in canterbury. that funbox was sick as fuck for a young 13 year old bmxer he got me doing no footers in a few weeks. rip
I remember him randomly turning up at our trails back in the 90's and asking for me, i didn't know him so was thinking I'd done something wrong, turns out he had heard i had some decent tattoos and wanted me to take him to meet the guy who'd done them, he ended up with "Fids" under his arm. Rip
Awesome tribute John 👊
This is a really nice touch. Great stories and insight into the Fids journey. RIP 🖕❤
What a great tribute mate! RIP FIDS
First time I saw Fids ride was Backyard and followed his exploits ever since, huge loss to our riding community.
Lovely tribute John, never take his laugh away from the intro.
What a character. 😊👊🏻🤘🏻❤️
The laugh was how he ended up with the pirate moniker for a few years!
@ A real Pirate of Penzance! 😊
@@skullcowboy70 Yep, exactly that!
What a legend RIP Fids.
That was really good John, thanks for this. Love hearing stories from around this time, I was over in Wiltshire where there wasn't a decent BMX scene so everything came from the mags and the yearly trip down to Hastings for Backyard. When you only see these people in videos and magazines they become superheroes which is what Fids was for me back then.
Thanks for this John 👍
RIP FIDS♥♥
The legacy of Fids lives on. Love hearing your stories and seeing the photos and footage, especially his young punk style. Got some laps with him in Portland in 2023 and he ripped some huge nothings on the jumps. Shed a tear for a real one.
The warehouse you are talking bout mate I believe is the bus garage Canterbury . It had a shady as fk vert where all the panels of wood were coming away and the coping barely attached and then you had the other room with a deathbox and a quarter pipe. It’s all we had in the area after the Canterbury council removed the halfpipe outside the riverside pool but fids and jez made it the place to be.
I also recall Neil you talk about who was a rave dj called xxx and had a human league haircut with one short curtain one side and shoulder length the other 😂
Respect!
Thank you , what a lovely tribute to the best laugh in BMX. Rip Fids ❤
First met Fids at a Danzig show, he was really nice to me and my friends ❤
no way, which Danzing gig?
@@theuniontapes not sure maybe 2000? it was at The Astoria, Glenn came out he was badass, big muscly unit, unfortunately by the end of the first song his gut was hanging out and when he turned round the light was bouncing off his bald patch.
Quality. So cool hearing his story, and that he was in the background of that iconic TLB/Glynn Lewis pic
Lovely tribute John, thank you! Brought back a lot of memories for me, loved skating vert with Fids or just skating in our home town, wherever it was it was always a good time. Spent more time on trains with him than I can remember, going to meet him early mornings at his Mum’s house and if it was raining he always said if the curb opposite was dry we’d go hahaha he was a total one off! RIP Fids!!! 🖕🏻
Hey Toby, glad you found the video, much love to you, hope you are well!x
@ I’m doing okay thanks John!
Awesome tribute John, such a rad man. RIP Fids.
thanks
I first met Fids in the late 80s when he had come to Canterbury as a skater. If memory serves me correct, he was on pacer hogs shoes sponsorship and had come to Canterbury to get some sort of flow sponsorship from “wheels and waves” I believe he got this via his connection with Jez ? Who was at the time a well known street skater in Canterbury.
I am not sure if he was getting any help from “No Softies” over at Gillingham at the time, but the park over there was in its last days.
Fids must have been about 17 at the time, and had come over on a motorbike that was either 125cc or below.
By 1992/3 Canterbury saw a few of the skaters, turn back into BMX. As many of the skaters themselves had a previous BMX background.
What is worth noting is that I believe James Mulby from Dover (who also had an interview in RAD) lived with Fids in Canterbury for a while.
I think the strangest conversation I ever had with Fids was when he disclosed to me his family background. He told me his father was a policeman and that his mother had been in a road accident in which she was knocked off her bicycle by a tarmac roller. I thought he was pulling my leg at the time, but he was super serious.
In fact there was so many weird and intriguing stories that surrounded him over the years wasn’t surprising. I am sure many people will have a memory of some of his escapades.
The last time I saw Fids was in Germany late this year. I could see at the start of the day he looked troubled and that he was deflated. And I went over to say hello. I didn’t know about the diagnosis at the time. But as the day progressed, he appeared to loosen up and smile and laugh.
I can not say I was particularly close with Fids, but I always admired his will power and stamina. If he wanted something, he would just make it happen and often with an infectious smile and a laugh.
I was genuinely sad to hear of his passing. He was a larger than life character and he will be missed.
I thank you for putting this video reflection up.
Thanks for the insightful comment, yep, you are right he rode for pacer hogs. i touch upon it in the video.
@@mpettersson remember the half pipe outside the swimming pool ? Skating Canterbury with fids and jez and hanging out in wheels & waves and David jones locker watching propaganda on vhs in the shop are some of my happiest memories.
@Indicasativa55Yeah! There was Tim from wheels and waves and his partner, Alex? There was the mini ramp at riverside with Alan? You also had that bloke from across the road of wheels and waves who had a pet shop and went on to be a policeman ?
They memories all seem so long ago now. Good times.
@@mpettersson I can remember all that lol , seems like a different world now when I look back , I still sk8 occasionally but my 50 year old knees are nearly done but the comments on hear took me right back and made me think I might just keep going for a bit longer
I loved hearing them stories, must have been bleedin' hard to do.
And yeah, the cackle is what I'll aways remember 🙌
That 94 backyard was amazing , fids was spectacular on that jump. Fond memories . Great tribute. 👑
Thank you!
You forgot Marcel, Jason hoad. I first met fids around 85 and had never seen him on a bike until a decade or two after that. This is a great work and really extremely nice of you to do this and I'm very grateful to see early photos. Fids was more punk than the dead Kennedy's of which we were both huge fans.
Thanks, yeah you are right-i forgot some, it was difficult to remember some stuff-its been a while, I also forgot Nye, flatland Pete, and Dan with the Redline and probably some more
Nice one John, thanks for making this
Great tribute John!
I knew fids when he lived in Canterbury in the early 90s he helped some of us locals build a skatepark in a disused bus garage with the sketchiest vert ramp you ever saw ( a death trap 😂) and he could ride that like a pro on a bmx or a deck even then.
We went as a group to the backyard jam 93 or 4 and that’s when things blew up for fids with s&m bikes.
He was a top guy , very unassuming and humble and quick to offer advice to those struggling to land or pull certain.tricks . He moved to America and that was the last we saw of him but I’m proud to have known him and he will live long in the memory of those he inspired with his boundless enthusiasm , determination and his sense of personal freedom RIP 🫡
Great tribute thank you!
Like ewire knew FIDS from the Canterbury 😊bus depot. Remember the gt and his oversized knee pads. The laugh too. Friendly and down to earth guy. Also remember the yellow S&M dirt bike he had too. RIDE ON DUDE. Also worked with Paul too he made a bmx look so small 😂
Ride on in peace brother. Lord jibus look after this legend.
Great video, thanks for putting it out there, Fids was a good 'un.
All the photo's of Fids at Gill were mine and also the Gillingham Day video which is on Marcel Fernandes youtube channel was filmed by either myself or my wife at the time. I lost my original copy but if you need any clips from it anytime just ask Marcel, I'm sure he'll send you a copy.
Thanks Nye, i will ad a credit to you in the description, thanks for the message and all the gillingham documentation over the years!
Lovely vid, John. Great memories.
Squatted warehouse ramps were in Canterbury.. was an amazing place
Some one told me Ashford thsi morning, i never went. Some where down there...
@ was an old bus depot in Canterbury.. rode there with Fids and Jez. I think they were living in Selling together between Ashford and Canterbury.
Place is stuck firmly in my head from a really badly stacked table 1 footer which ended with me completely tangled in my bike 😅
Fantastic episode 🖤
@@dannywells74 awesome! I know they lived in wincheap at some point which i think is at the edge of canterbury?? Thanks for the info!
@@theuniontapesyea was a bedsit on the wincheap road in Canterbury.
Ashford did have a squatter park for one winter but Canterbury was the longest running.
@@theuniontapes yes it was wincheap , just up from the train station in an old terrace cottage type gaff
❤❤❤
REST IN POWER
What a fucking Human this guy was 💔
that Hoad graffitti in the Gillingham bowl. 😂
what a legend. first meet him in the old bus depot in canterbury. that funbox was sick as fuck for a young 13 year old bmxer he got me doing no footers in a few weeks. rip
Awesome!
Great times at Canterbury bus depot.
I remember him randomly turning up at our trails back in the 90's and asking for me, i didn't know him so was thinking I'd done something wrong, turns out he had heard i had some decent tattoos and wanted me to take him to meet the guy who'd done them, he ended up with "Fids" under his arm. Rip
fuck yeah John 🤘🤘
R.I.P. Fids
Thank you Mr Dye
Thanks for sharing this John.
So good to hear all those old stories.
🖤🖕