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John Gaskins interview - the video at last (Read 109781 times)

petejh

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But a big thank you to all those people who keep saying it doesn't matter if this was or was not done and telling people who care to get a life.

Agree with most of that except the last bit. Of course it 'matters'. Or why do you even know Gaskins' name?

To say it doesn't matter is simplistic bullshit. Godskins, or any other climbers, doesn't matter to me relative to lots of things. But if it doesn't matter, in the broadest sense of the word, whether he climbed VNB, Walk Away ss, Il Pirata, Moment of Clarity, Hubble, etc. then there would never have been an interview with John Gaskins because you and I would never have heard of him. I don't care about Gaskin's life as a teacher, christian, husband and father or whatever - I vaguely care that he claims to have been one of the first 8C climbers in the world, or that he 'might' be a fantasist, or something in-between. Because I'm also a climber.

And because I'm a climber I find stuff about climbing of some interest. If it doesn't matter to you then stop wasting your time on here. Go and discuss fishing or whatever does matter to you. No, climbing doesn't sit very highly on a scale of life's 'what matters', it's relative like just about everything else. If I never hear another word about Gaskins again I'm sure I'll continue happily but the same could be said of nearly anything.


shark

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But a big thank you to all those people who keep saying it doesn't matter if this was or was not done and telling people who care to get a life.
Agree with most of that except the last bit. Of course it 'matters'. Or why do you even know Gaskins' name?

I haven't got any proof but I believe he's being sarcastic

petejh

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 :wall:

I haven't got any proof...

Well I don't believe you then.

a dense loner

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Yes I was being sarcastic Pete. After finishing laughing and wondering where you were coming from with that I completely agree with everything you've said. It does matter.

ian h

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Nemo - I appreciate it's a highly tenuous sentence that I'm about to write but with respect to Walkaway SS, a forum member on here a few years ago mentioned that him and his girlfriend had a session at that sector whilst bumping into John and his wife. He was seen to do both the sit and start moves independent on the day by said person. Again I appreciate the uselessness of what I've just said and a forum search would doubtless lead you to this account.

That was me. I have not climbed in a good few years now, but still take an interest. Not many things stick in my mind so clearly as that day. He was friendly and engaging, offered his help on the adjacent problem I was doing, and was happy to work walk away ss with me present. He was seriously close to linking it, and I have zero doubt in my mind that he completed it.

shark

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Great!

Shark, one thing I curious about - you asked him about some of his most memorable days and he said there were a few, then began by describing doing that Austrian traverse in 30min. You then switched topic - did John at any point mention his other highlights?

No. Replaying it I realised I cut him off a bit early there when he was probably going to expand on other things. My bad. Sorry.


Ah well, still a fine interview!

I'll email and ask him (along with anything else anyone want asking).


Shark - if you're gonna get back in touch with John I think the obvious things to ask would be:
1.  Ask if he's prepared to go and check out Shadowplay - if he's into going running in the mountains it'd only take a few minutes to go and have a look.  I think clarity on that would put an end to most of the ridiculously overly positive and equally overly negative views.  And if he’s up for it, perhaps confirmation of whether there have been hold changes on Il Pirata too.

2.  Sounds like you’ve already asked for some of the other footage of him climbing – in particular though I think the footage of VNB would be great to see.  Going forward, I think this and Walk on By Sit are the two of his hardest things that people are likely to show most interest in.  The sequence on Walk On By Sit sounds like it's pretty obvious.  But think it would be really useful for people to see exactly what sequence he used on VNB.

3.  If he's prepared to take a look at some pictures of his other unrepeated problems and try and describe them a little more clearly I think it would be very helpful (maybe ask Carlisle or Greg or someone which ones are still unclear?)  I realise it's ages since he's done these things so it might be hard to remember right down to the RH thurrrr, LF thurrr type details.  But with things like MOC it shouldn't be hard to be clear about which side of the flippin arete was climbed!


Guy has done the editing for the Shed Session (during which incidentally he makes it reasonably clear which side of the MOC arete he climbed) and I am emailing a copy to John for approval together with the above questions. If there any others that anyone want asking let me know..

Mark Lloyd

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It's all gone quiet ?

shark

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It's all gone quiet ?

Hi Mark,

I chased John on Monday re answering a few further questions sent by email and approving the video and he said he would get back to me by the end of the week.

AMorris

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any news on when you will be sharing the cellar sessions video?

shark

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any news on when you will be sharing the cellar sessions video?

Sorry meant to chase him this week  :spank:

I'll text him now.

AMorris

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any news on when you will be sharing the cellar sessions video?

Sorry meant to chase him this week  :spank:

I'll text him now.

excellent cheers! Been looking forward to seeing G at work on his board

moose

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One cannot chase John Gaskins: if you are worthy, he warps space to bring you within the G'ness.

Jaspersharpe

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One cannot chase John Gaskins: if you are worthy, he warps space to bring you within the G'ness.

Most belief systems should be respected no matter how ridiculous or offensive they seem to those of sound mind.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

Actually no, they shouldn't.



GCW

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The G isnt a belief system, it's a way of life. Fools.

Jaspersharpe

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PipeSmoke

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Saw this interview  and got excited to watch it, however, it stops playing after about 20 seconds. Anybody else have  this problem? Or know how to fix? Might just be my old shitty laptop but really keen to watch this.
Ta

shark

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Saw this interview  and got excited to watch it, however, it stops playing after about 20 seconds. Anybody else have  this problem? Or know how to fix? Might just be my old shitty laptop but really keen to watch this.
Ta

Mine did that but if you give it a while to download it should be OK. You can enjoy my ugly mug while waiting or have a cuppa.  :devangel:

shark

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Few people have chased me up on this as the interview has been offline for a while whilst bmc has been transferring content to a new YouTube site and it’s now up again


Monolith

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Bouldering's own Frost/Nixon. As long as you did Gaskins Problem ss Jonsky, I still love you.

shurt

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Bouldering's own Frost/Nixon. As long as you did Gaskins Problem ss Jonsky, I still love you.

Still a cult hero.

Rich Simpson is not tragically.

 :worms:

Stewart

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Bouldering's own Frost/Nixon. As long as you did Gaskins Problem ss Jonsky, I still love you.

Still a cult hero.

Rich Simpson is not tragically.

 :worms:

However, Si O'Connor is so far down the rabbit hole that he has become one.

 :worms: :worms:

Fiend

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Li O'Crapper interview would be a fine thing indeed. Do it, shark.

r-man

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Bouldering's own Frost/Nixon. As long as you did Gaskins Problem ss Jonsky, I still love you.

Still a cult hero.

Rich Simpson is not tragically.

 :worms:

That's not entirely true. Ok, the climbing claims were a weird episode in British climbing, but people still talk of his ability and how incredibly strong he was. A beast in the school room, by all accounts. So he's still a school room hero.

tomtom

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Bouldering's own Frost/Nixon. As long as you did Gaskins Problem ss Jonsky, I still love you.

I thought a little more Piers Morgan than frost... 😃

shark

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Quote from: tomtom link=topic=23407.msg585648#msg585648

I thought a little more Piers Morgan than frost... 😃

That hurt

 

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