With The Quickness #8: Pretending I'm A Superman Director Ludvig Gür Compiles Top 10 Most Essential Tracks Playlist (THPS Edition)
"Friends, I know it's been a little quiet on my side this past week, but, I assure you, everything is fine. Two weeks ago, my feature-length directorial debut, @thpsfilm, was released to a fantastic reception from critics and fans alike. It has remained in the Top 100 list of most-streamed films on @itunes for almost two weeks and still retains a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, today is a very special day for another reason: 21 years ago, the game that the documentary is all about, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, was released. It took the world by storm and changed the lives of so many people throughout the years.
I cannot overstate how much of an impact this low-budget video game made by a team of 12 people had on my life. It changed everything! So, here I am, holding up my first copy of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater for the PS1 (which was released as "Tony Hawk's Skateboarding" in Europe,) "doing everything I can, holding on to what I am..." "Pretending I'm A Superman!" If you haven't checked out the film yet, head over to @thpsfilm to find out where you can stream it. And, also, this Friday, the world will see the release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2... what a week... I never thought this day would come! #THPS #tonyhawksproskater @tonyhawkthegame"
- Ludvig Gür (@ludviggur)
01. Goldfinger - "Superman" (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater)
"The most essential song of them all. I don’t know a single fan [of] Goldfinger, whose introduction to them wasn't through Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. "Superman" is a song I connect to more "as I grow older all the time, while feeling younger in my mind." The song introduced me to Ska Punk, as well, which I became so obsessed with that I picked up a horn myself."
02. Millencolin - "No Cigar" (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2)
"There are many reasons I'm proud to be a Swede, but Millencolin may be the biggest of them all. I had no idea they were from Sweden when I first heard "No Cigar," but once I found out, I couldn't believe it. Playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater created the ever-lasting dream for me of moving to California and becoming a professional skateboarder. I was obsessed with the artform, along with the music associated with it. To, then, discover that one of the most prominent Skate Punk bands was from the country I was born in was a unique experience I can't describe. I felt like home might not be such a bad place after all."
03. Bodyjar - "Not The Same" (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3)
"A song we can thank Steve Caballero for bringing to Neversoft. This is a very emotional Punk song and it stands out in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. I haven't listened to Bodyjar as much as I have wanted to, but this is always a song that I put on whenever I'm down. Possibly, the only Australian artist to ever be featured in a Tony Hawk game (if that is incorrect info, let me know.)"
04. Less Than Jake - "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads" (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4)
"'[All My Best Friends Are] Metalheads" has been featured in various pieces of media. It first appeared in Sega's game, Street Sk8er, followed by Digimon: The Movie, and at last, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. This is, possibly, my favourite song in all of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater [games]. It has a wonderful bassline and a fantastic horn section. I lost count on how many times I've had this song on repeat, both in the game and on Spotify."
05. Public Enemy - "By The Time I Get to Arizona" (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4)
"My introduction to Public Enemy. This is still my favourite song by them."
06. Bracket - "2rak005" (Tony Hawk's Underground)
"Bracket is a generally unknown band signed to Fat Wreck Chords. Their only song with more than 100,000 streams on Spotify (as of writing) is "2RAK005" (landing at almost a million.) It was featured on several compilations by Fat Wreck [Chords], but most notably, in Tony Hawk's Underground [THUG]. I get a very rare feeling of hope every time I hear this song. I'll never get tired of "2RAK005," it's a wonderful Pop-punk song. Mad Caddies recently did a cover of this song, giving it a fantastic Ska edge featured on their 2018 release, Punk Rocksteady."
07. NOFX - "The Separation of Church & Skate" (Tony Hawk's Underground)
"This is the only NOFX song ever to be featured in a Tony Hawk game ("Linoleum" was featured in Grind Session, but that's about it.) I remember having a friend explain to me the irony of the title and afterward, I became obsessed with NOFX. This is one of their greatest songs. I love the raw energy and heavy guitars and the closing of it is just brilliant."
08. Cannibal Ox - "Iron Galaxy" (Tony Hawk's Underground)
"theneedledrop, a YouTube music critic, has brought some attention to Cannibal Ox lately through his videos. The duo only released two albums, however, they are both incredible. "Iron Galaxy" features an amazing beat, along with incredible lyrics. It reminds me of how the Tony Hawk games introduced me to Melodic Hip-Hop, a "sub-genre" (almost) that wasn't frequently heard on the radio, but, often, featured in skateboarding videos."
09. My Chemical Romance - "Astro Zombies" (Tony Hawk's American Wasteland)
"For Tony Hawk's American Wasteland [THAW], several notable Pop-punk bands (and Punk bands) were asked to cover 80's Hardcore Punk songs for the game. They ended up with 14 original covers from 14 different bands, exclusively for the game. This was my introduction to 80's Hardcore Punk. My Chemical Romance's cover of "Astro Zombies" (originally recorded by [The] Misfits) is, probably, my favourite of them all. MCR has been one of my favourite bands since they started and Gerard Way's excellent vocals makes for a brilliant update of a legendary song."
10. Saves The Day - "Sonic Reducer" (Tony Hawk's American Wasteland)
"Saves the Day is one of the most important Pop-punk bands of the 90's. Their second album, Through Being Cool, helped inspire thousands of teenagers to start playing music, including Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy. Lately, the band has gained a following in the Hardcore scene. However, the band's cover of "Sonic Reducer" by [The] Dead Boys was their first step towards that path. It's an excellent cover for an excellent game."