Cooper Brownlee, weareorangejuice.com, june 2012: Melbourne, Australia in early 2003 was when it started I believe. Myself, Leon Sablinskis, Andrei Sablinskis, Stuart Dolley and Allan Briotti (R.I.P) were always talking about ways to get more riders exposure in this country and that’s how it came about.
I honestly can’t remember how the actual name came about but I am pretty sure it had to do with photography as at the time I was also getting into that a lot so it spawned from that. This is where I think having more schooling and learning more about graphic design would have helped me back then, I think about certain things now and wish I did it differently but all in all it works out and I like the name.
Focalpoint Magazine was released in print for 27 issues but made the transition to an online based magazine in 2012.
The very first issue of the Zine, printed in 2003. 70 copies photocopied and sent around to various bike shops.
Andrei Sablinskis wallride on the cover.
Allan Brioti.
One day mission: Shepparton skatepark and Craigebourne bowl.
Your bike or your babe ?
Searching the streets...
The Beau Allan interview.`
Canberra trip.
Leon Sablinskis interview.
Living the underground.
Cooper Brownlee, weareorangejuice.com, june 2012: Total D.I.Y style zine, I laid it out on my mums computer using Microsoft Word and printed a copy out and Leon’s dad was nice enough to print 50 copies of it out at his work for us. I stapled them together and we just dropped them in a couple local shops and to riders we met.
Printed in 2004, 50 copies of this were made via photocopier and distributed to local bmx shops.
Tasmania trip.
News flow.
RIP: pools that are no more.
Living the underground: Jamie Pape and Richard Newberry,.
Local Shredders.
Who ? Barney Norman and Brad Rose.
How much does TV stereotype the BMX scene ?
How can you survive not riding ?
Printed in 2004, Black and White, 70 copies photocopied and Distributed around to local stores.
Printed in 2005, I think we did 250 copies of these via a local printed in B&W, so long ago.
Phil Johnston solid rail hop on the cover. Pic by Ian Robinson.
Josh Fountain Bio.
Whats in the bag article.
Living the underground.
The backyards history.
Emancipate dvd premiere.
Daniel Johnson interview.
Ivanhoe trails R.LP.
Another spot ruined.
Random top 10.
A tribute to Chadd Walton.
ACT 5 Jam.
That was then, this is now.
Andrew Gul Bio.
Bike checks.
Scott Greentree Interview.
Country Victoria Scene.
Respect the trails.
Knox Bowl Jam.
Ben Pigot Bio.
Pool wreckers.
72 pages.
Lindsay McMahon Bio.
Web creations interview.
Girls in bmx.
Daniel Hayward Bio.
Dedicated to the shovel article.
Cooper's World Trip.
Mikey Rands article.
Btown jam.
Journies into the unknown.
Ryan Gardiner Bio.
Swithing On article.
Five Dock Jam.
Martial Clothing Interview.
The long lost article.
Tempered Bikes interview.
A long time ago article.
Inside triple six distro.
Rollcall interview.
Halloween Jam.
Living the underground.
Spinal Disorder.
Randon top 10.
74 pages -Flemington banks jam -Jarrod Roche Bio -More to life then bmx article -In good company interview -Appreciate that 20inch -Ballarat scene report -Inside Stowawat Distro -Kie Ashworth interview -Western Ghetto Jam -Random top 10 -Why support Aus bmx -Beacon Bio -Jeff's shed farwell jam -Liam Fahy Hampton Interview -Developed -Adam Coucher Bio -When did the hobby become an obsession? article -Live Wire Jam
56 pages, full colour.
Jules on the cover.
Rick Hayward Interview.
Pacific Pines Trails.
Pathways Article -Shaghai trip.
Fat Brad Bio.
Melbs street Jam.
Distractions article.
Escaping Hypothermia article.
Nick Kajewski Bio.
Adelaide Trip.
Tom Blanch Rio.
Randomness.
Living the Underground.
Inside Kick Ass Bmx Bistro.
Musical Influences.
Knox Bowl History.
Craig Young Bio.
From the sidelines article.
Nick Hills Interview.
PLUS MORE!
focalpointbmx.com: A new chapter in the mags life begins with colour! and still free. Oh yeah and all this: Pacific pines trails, pathways, Welcome to Shaghai, Fat Brad bio, Melbourne city street comp, Rants with Reeves, Whats on your easal, Distractions, Escaping Hypothermia, Developed, Nick Kajewski bio, Rick Hayward interview, Adelaide trip, Patterns premiere, Tom Blanch bio, On the road, Living the underground, Inside kickassbmx, Broken glass online, Knox bowl history, The ec jam, Triplesix premiere, Craig Young bio, From the sidelines, Crossword, Nick Hills interview. 56 pages. Full colour. Free.
Released: July 06.
Stepped up to 1000 copies being printed yet still free in all good bike shops and through the mailing list.
focalpointbmx.com: Issue nine, the roman numerals begin, a photo from Russia on the cover and all this: Emancipate halloween jam, Drain kids suit jam, The vegan life, James Mauri interview, The poms, Hobart snake run history, United we stand, Covenant distro, Welcome to Australia, The adverture, Welcome to summer, Peazant clothing, Claw: riding with a shit hand, Chris O'Donnell bio, tales from the streets, Russia and South Korea trip, Girls only, Tom Ingles bio, Coalesce dvd, B-Town trail jam, The sharp end zine, Ammadu, Living the underground, Peter Koh interview, Lilydale bowl jam, Style. 56 pages. Full colour. Free. Released: December 06.
focalpointbmx.com: Issue ten our first glossy cover, the main features included were: Zombie flesh eaters interview, Will Jackson, BnH Zine, Todd Edenborough bio, Steadfast interview, Flem banks jam, Family ties, Dishonour clothing, Colony NZ trip, Josh Ticks interview, Anthony Harrison bio, Corio bowls history, Behind the suit with Andrei Sablinskis, Outside the lines: riding carparks, Damo Gibson bio, Tales from the trains, 5 dock jam, Leigh Giason interview, Living the undergroud, The first time: handrails. 56 pages. Full Colour. Free. Released: April 07
Stepped up to 2500 copies being printed as demand is high since the mag is free!
Published August of 2008, 2,500 copies.
focalpointbmx.com: This issue we have Raphael Jeroma-Willaims pegging a deep deep pool on the cover, along with articles about spots people ride to survive our winter weather, read more about Zombie Bmx, Tasmanian shredder Josh Fuller has a bio.
We talk to Tom Blanch about getting right back into BMX after a couple years away from it all, a bunch of stories from road trips all the way from Melbourne to Brisbane and a heap of places in between. Oz Fit team travels to Adelaide, more insight into the motivation and proof of the strength of our scene with a look into five guys filming and shooting photos in the small town area of Albury/Wodonga.
You will see some awesome photos shot by Dave Rubers with a natural spots feel to it all! Jerry Vandervalk bangs out a really solid interview, this dude can ride anything! This plus plenty more in the largest issue yet of Focalpoint.
focalpointbmx.com: Biggie Salad on the cover with a legit suicide off a giant drop! Stingray produced a solid interview with some super random questions being asked, Flem Banks coverage, Geelong shredder Mikey Spandoni scored this issues Living the Underground, We take a look into a bunch of riders backyard setups,
focalpointbmx.com: This issue features Chris Harti on the cover doing on serious braaaaap! There is a boatload of content, as always, including a ‘Behind The Photo’ with Canberra’s Raine Turnbull and Troy Jackson talks about coming back to riding after 18 months off with injury. We look into Nick Gascoine’s NAHYOURITEMATE project, talk to two young shredders named Jack Kelly and Jake Deering, and Dave Rubinich gives a quick rundown of the United Oz roadtrip. We also caught up with Leon Sablinskis and Beau Maslen, who both had interviews back in Issue One to see what they are doing seven years on. Then there are the usual Jams from across the country with a wrap up of the amazing night that was Cam’s Jam and a park-influenced photo project went down! There’s all this and a bunch of other random stuff and it’s free!
focalpointbmx.com: Another issue complete! This one features Mick Bayzand on the cover sliding one of the biggest and steepest rails I’ve ever seen. We found this particular monster in France during the Colony trip across Europe, which is just one of many features this issue.
There is also a really solid interview with Dalby rider, Josh Fountain shot by Pete Jaques, so you know it’s good! We’ve upped the game with the bunch of Living The Underground bios on unknown shredders from across the country. Mick Czajkowski talks to us about his new clothing label Afray and the silent shredders of West Oz talk about their soon to be released DVD, Let It Bleed. We have coverage from Redbull Dirtpipe as well as the Jams that haven’t happened between issues and, of course, the usual photo project mission!
All this and more in Issue 21!
focalpointbmx.com: This issue is a special one for many people, as some would know a very good friend and one of the original heads behind this very magazine past away on September 10th of this year. Allan Briotti will never be forgotten, you get him on the cover of this issue along with a tribute article about Al’s life. Along with all that reading you have the usual bios on a bunch of shredders from across the country, a Robert Bennett interview, King of the Jibs comp, An insight into photographer Pete Jaques world, Mike Davies on travelling the world, The Tas scene forum gets some words in there, We talk about a bunch of filming tips to help up and coming filmers out there and the photo project goes back to its roots!
focalpointbmx.com: So we arrive at Issue 23, and this issue brings a little bit of a new look to the mag, which I am stoked on. We also have some new contributors joining the team that are putting in the work purely for the love of it. Then to top of the new stuff is a whole new round of regular articles that see their debut in Issue 23 and will continue for every issue into the future.
From page one, Pete Jaques shot cover of Nick Kajewski slinging down a solid set. Then, once you get inside the pages, you will find interviews with Ballarat shredder Nick Harris, as well as bios on Angus Samson and Mike Ross. We catch up with Flagz about the new Defero DVD; Adam Dyson talks about how BMX shaped his career choice; Little Black Bike talk about their roadtrip around South Australia; and there’s an article dedicated to young park riders and why they love park over everything else. On top of that is the usual stuff, like the Photo Project, Jamnation and The Twenties.
Bart de Jong, www.fatbmx.com, may 2011: Is it becoming common that BMX mags go out for free? Next to The Albion from the UK, Focalpoint BMX magazine from Australia is for free as well. Who's complaining? They've made it to issue number twenty four so it's fair to say that they know what they're doing. When they decided to use this photo on the cover, they made some T-shirts with the same print as well. If you fancy one of those, get in touch with the FP Aussies and check what the costs are on that one as they won't be sent out for free. But maybe they can throw in the magazine with the T-shirt if it is withing the postal weight limits, who knows.
Issue 27 of the print mag, the last regular issue in print.
ScottMarceau , thecomeup.com, june 2012: Issue 27 of Focalpoint is now online, and although it was announced that this would be the last printed issue, it will be exclusively digital and uploaded every six weeks. This being the photo issue, there are a lot of great stories behind some amazing photographs, and even a tutorial on developing film yourself. So take ten or fifteen minutes out of your day and appreciate the non-web-edit side of BMX.