North Skateboard Magazine Issue 18

NORTH SKATEBOARD MAGAZINE

ISSUE 18

SIMPLY DOES IT | CHAD TIM TIM

WWW.CARHARTT-WIP.COM DENIS LYNN – ROLL IN • PHOTO: SAMU KARVONEN

Cover: Lewi Johnson - 360 Flip Photographer: Graham Tait

Lewi Johnson

Film Gallery

Mark Suciu

5B ART DEPT. PHOTO: MIKE HEIKKEILA PAINTING: MONICA KIM GRAZA UPLOAD: NARDELLI

NEIL HERRICK, BK BACK T.

Lewi Johnson

Photography by Graham Tait

You were getting pretty stressed the last time we went out, is that

That was the best decision I ever made, because of that I can

normal for you?

do the tricks I can do these days and that shit stokes me out!

I didn’t take it lightly financially but skating and chasing the

Ah, no way dude, that wasn’t me at all, I’m not one to stress,

dream was more important to me than money. To be a

like ever. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself sometimes,

professional skater one day you would maybe have to skate

I tend to over think things a lot and when I do it really gets to

all day every day to get that control and consistency over

me, I’d probably consider myself 100% emotionally attached

your board, well that’s what I’d expect at least. And then to

to my skateboard. I recently started a new job so I’ve been

film it and put it out there, that takes loads of time and I don’t

working heavy hours which has led to less skating and less

have anywhere near that amount of time now, I’m back stuck

control over my board. So when I’ve been going out

in the system. What makes it even worse is that work is

feeling sketchy it’s been getting to me lately, especially on

enforcing new shift patterns which has to be the worst thing

days when you’ve spent your time and money to come all

I’ve ever heard! 11am ‘til 8pm. Man what are you meant to do

the way from Edinburgh to shoot photos and I’m feeling like

with that skating wise? It’s fucked! So that could be

shit, legs feeling burst, barely even getting into tricks. The

another potential step back, or at least that’s how it feels at

pressure totally blows my head off. I kind of just sit down

the minute. Haha! I do realise that you have to work in life to

for a minute, maybe squeeze a few tears if it’s getting too

make a living though and I’m all for it, I do work as hard as I

much, close my eyes and think about what Jamie Thomas

can. Ya get nowt for nowt in this world. You gotta work for it.

would say. Haha! Big up Chief! That guy keeps me chill in my

But aye, I’m still trying to get as much skating done as

thoughts. Haha! But aye, I’m always stoked!

possible and to keep improving and of course I skate because I love it, I’m the happiest when I’m on my board,

How has it been going from skating every day to working full time?

it brings out the best in me and it distracts me from how messed up the world is. So apart from feeling a little ropey

It’s really sucked to be totally honest mate. Going from having

lately I’m sticking by everything I stand for and that is to never

the freedom to go skating anywhere any time to being stuck

give up!

in a warehouse from eight ‘til five most days really got to my head, purely because I heard a saying, “A real job can kill real dreams”, which totally got to me. I couldn’t stop thinking this.

I worked nine to five in a garage from leaving school for five years but I hated it so much, I knew I had to be spending that time skating, I hate cars as well, I’m not interested one bit. I hate driving as well but that’s when I decided fuck it, I want to skate all of the time. If I don’t do this now I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. I couldn’t bear the thought of wondering ‘what if’ so I quit and decided to give it everything on my board.

Is your end goal to be a professional skater?

Hell yeah dude!! For sure. To be a professional one day would just be a full dream come true! I’d love to be pro. I’ve watched the big skate videos all these years and when you see them flying down massive gaps and grinding big ass handrails and Hubbas; it looks wicked! Like that shit is real danger and it inspires me to go out there and try that kinda stuff. I’d love to have the chance to see all the iconic spots that I’ve been watching from being a kid and just have the opportunity to put something down them. The Hollywood High rail, man I’ve gotta get summit on that before my life ends! I’d love to get a back Smithy on that shit! Haha! But yeah man I’d love to be riding with the big dawgs one day! I’d really love to meet the Zero guys more than anything. Who knows dude, just gotta keep pushing and loving and hopefully something mad will happen!

FS Bluntslide

You jump down some big stuff for sure. How did your body cope with that when you were skating everyday?

Haha! Yeah man, I try my best to skate big shit, it just seems like one of the funnest things to do. It’s actually a strange one because I feel like the more you skate the more your body gets used to the pain. I was still hurting a lot though.

It was mostly on a night after I got home and settled down.

Even more when I get into bed feeling like my whole body’s vibrating, some nights it was actually hard getting to sleep because I was hurting that much from the slams, I’ve had some rough nights sleep kicking and turning, not being able to stay comfortable for more than like five minutes having to change position so much. Placing pillows under my legs to hold them in certain positions where it doesn’t hurt as bad. I remember one day I did a full ten hours at Five Bridges hammering it as hard as I could then I woke up in the middle of the night screaming with mad cramp in my legs and it lasted a good half an hour, muscles in full spazz. It was literally some of the worst pain I’ve ever experienced.

I remember my mam coming into my room cause I’d woke her up from the screaming. I think she thought I was being attacked by someone or summit. Haha! She had to rub my legs cause I was just stuck rolling about my bedroom floor not being able to do nothing to get rid off it. That was intense.

I also suffer crazy back pain, my back’s just crunching more and more and when that sets off there’s nothing you can do to get rid of the pain. I tend to moan a lot about my back. I think I do people’s heads in sometimes cause of how many times I’ve got to tell them my backs hurting. Haha! The day or two after skating stairs is always hard as well, some days I wake up and can barely get out of bed and when I do I’m walking around like an old man, taking proper baby steps half the size of normal ones ‘cause the legs just won’t stretch. So aye dude the pain is serious. Haha!

Kickflip

Haha! Damn that is intense. So you still live at home?

Yeah mate I still live at home. There’s me, my younger bro, my mam and my step dad. They have horses so they’re always at the farm riding and looking after them. My big bro just recently moved out with his girlfriend, he only lives five minutes up the road which is cool. He rips the guitar to shreds, he can play any Pink Floyd song and make it sound exactly the same which totally blows my mind! Big ups Daz! My nana is actually gonna be moving in with us real soon as well as we want her to be here safe with us so we can take care of her. Bless her she’s amazing, really can’t wait to be able to see her everyday. They’re all amazing and really supportive of me, always provided me with the resources I need to skate. Sorted me out with money to go to the skatepark, got me fresh shoes to skate when they were burst, bought me boards when they broke, trucks, bearings if they went shite, even if they could barely afford it they never wanted to see me without a board so I always appreciate that. I’m a real family man, I really cherish the time I have with the fam, they’re all really proud.

Ollie Next page: BS Noseblunt Slide

Your little brother skates doesn’t he?

Hell yeah he smashes it dude! He’s three years younger than me coming up 20 this year yet he’s nearly bigger than me!

We skated together from the beginning. At first we were just bombing down the street on our asses and then I stood up and bombed the hill and loved it. Took a canny few face plants like but the bro didn’t really fully get into it ‘til maybe like a year or so after. Then we were always skating Lidl car park just down the road, there was a manny pad with a little curb that went up to a big curb, we hung about there eating shit tons of waffles and biscuits. Then silky skatepark was built and it just took off from there, I remember having to sneak through Newcastle to skate the streets when I was like 12 cause my mam weren’t keen on letting me go that far by myself. Haha! She used to give me like three quid a day in the six weeks holidays and the metro was only a quid for an all day ticket, so we went and discovered loads of spots and just skated daft little two sets and four sets, the funnest days of my life! That’s basically how it all started. It’s always wicked when we skate together ‘cause there’s this real connection and energy between us which is well cool, I think everbody sees that and it stokes them out. The lads always seem to be smiling and stoked as hell on us. The hype is beyond!

Where does your nickname come from?

Haha! I was waiting for that one! I actually have hardly any idea to be honest, I just know that I did a hardflip down the Civic eight when I was 14 and a guy called Mellon gave me the name the Cougar and it just stuck. It’s on YouTube like, check out ‘DVDeekies introduction The Cougar’, that might give you a bit more understanding. Haha! But I really like it ‘cause it’s different, there’s only one Cougar and it’s me!

Everyone who knows me calls me Cougar or Cougz, even all my mates who don’t skate! People seem to dig it so I do love it like. It kind of inspires me to be different and I want to keep living up to the name so I’m always pushing myself!

You mentioned your mum and step dad have horses, do you ever

We were absolutely devastated like, especially my mam. But

ride them?

we got his ashes in a really nice box with his mane and some photos, alongside the little bro’s in the big cabinet. They look

Haha! Nah dude, I did when I was a kid like, it’s scary mate.

lovely. Always in our thoughts and hearts!

I remember when my mam was first looking to buy a horse and we went up this farm to check it out to see if the horse

You’ve been filming a lot recently, what are you planning to do with

was cool. My mam had a ride of the horse just chilling around

the footage?

the field, next thing ya know the horse suddenly started galloping from one end of the field to the other full speed and

Yeah mate I’ve got a part coming out real soon, I’ve just gotta

kicked her off over its head flipping her into the fence! She

get the last few tricks and then I’ll be sweet to put it out. I

literally smashed through this wooden fence upside down

know exactly what they are so all I need to do is just go land

and that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever had to

them, so aye, that will be here real soon! I have no idea what

watch. I freaked the hell out, crying, screaming thinking she

it’s gonna look like but just have a deeks when I let it out

was dead, she got hurt a canny bit so nah, hell to that. I’ll

guys, I would much appreciate it!

stick to riding the jet ski thanks!

I’d just like say a big thanks to everyone who supports me!

My family, my friends! My enemies if there’s any. Haha! Cheers

I remember going on a horse when I was a kid and wasn’t keen.

to Bish for filming me over the years! Always appreciate that

I’m always a bit apprehensive with big animals! What’s the horse’s

dude! Thank you Ravenous skateboards, Sex skateboards

name? Does it have a nickname like everyone down your way?

and the Gs in Sheffield for the hook ups and the inspiration!

I’ll never forget that! A massive cheers to Form Distribution

Aye dude they’re beautiful animals but if they don’t know you

and Zero Skateboards and Jamie Thomas for the flow of

they can be pretty unpredictable. Hell no would I want to get

boards they’re sorting me with! That blows my mind

in to a kerfuffle with one, they’re beasts. I like to stroke their

everyday! Hope I get to ride with you guys one day! Cheers

heads and feed them carrots and that. I went up before and

for the inspiration Chief! Always thinking of you! Thank you

he was cool enough to give me a cuddle, that felt pretty chill,

Graham for presenting me with the opportunity to talk to you

the connection between man and beast is real. My mam’s

and for the big efforts you’ve made coming down to shoot

horse is called Cass—Cassandra—and Tony, my step dad,

me! Really appreciate it dude! We’re going for a Five Guys

his is called Connor - Spirit. Connor being named after my

next time I’m up, and I’m paying! And of course last but not

little bro who sadly passed away at birth. Big ups little bro!

least, thank you Jackie!! Thank you Native skate store for all

Hope you’re smashing them handrails up there! Love you

your hook ups over the years! For the inspiration from being

forever! But yeah Cass is Spirit’s mam so that’s really cool,

a kid! You saw me as a kid and now you see me as an adult.

really stands by him against the other horses and that. It’s

I will take it to the grave! Thank you skateboarding! Every one

amazing man, I can totally see the love the horse has for my

of you inspire me to be my best every day. I hope I can do the

mam. She had a horse called Bungle since he was a kid but

same! Be happy guys! Stay real! Love all and roll ‘til death!

he sadly passed away, he was stunning, really lovely horse.

Heelflip

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Film Gallery

Graham Tait / Korahn Gayle / Switch Heelflip

Graham Tait / Sam Murgatroyd / BS Lipslide

Graham Tait / Dom Henry / Switch Flip

Benjamin Deberdt / Gunez Ozgodan / Switch Pop Shove

Terry Worona / Bob Spanbauer / Ollie Charlie Pravel / FS Wallride

Fabien Ponsero / David Bachl / BS Nosepick

Fabien Ponsero / Uryann Raudet / Gap to FS Lipslide

Ramon Zuliani / Ale Cesario / Ollie

Kyle Thompson / Jason Wallace / Gap To Crook

Jan Vollmann / Naheul Kirchhoff / FS Nosegrind

Todd Taylor / Justin Higgins / FS Bluntslide

Phillip Santosuosso / BS Smith

Jersey Dave / Erik Martinez / Ollie

Daniel Beck / Itamar Kessler / BS Lipslide

Windbreakers coming soon.

Gavin Morgan / Loucas Polydorou / BS Noseblunt Slide

Tom Bailey / Sam Beckett / FS Air

Evan Hutchings / Brad Hendrickson / BS Flip

Andy Enos / John Gardner / Boneless

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Mark Suciu Photography by Zander Taketomo

Interview by Neil Macdonald @scienceversuslife

Was your move from the West Coast to Philadelphia related to your

In Brooklyn and Harlem, and I totally get what you mean about it

studies?

having all these different moving parts working together. Now you said you moved there specifically for school, but you’re a

I’d already been going to Philly, for around three months a

professional skateboarder. There must have been an element of

year, before I moved. Every year I’d go out for two or three

being closer to the industry in New York than in Lyon that informed

months, and then it came to the time where I decided I

that decision.

wanted to go to college, so I decided that Philly was a good place to go. For one, I knew the city really well and I wanted to

I really don’t think I was letting myself be influenced by that

skate there. I was thinking about where I could go to school

thought at the time. It’s like I was casting a veil over my own

and be productive as a skater at the same time, and I also

thinking. Basically I was trying to shut down one avenue of

wanted somewhere that was far enough away from home

my life and the avenue of my decision making because I felt

because I wanted to leave the Bay Area. I didn’t really want

like it had had such a hold over me for so long that I didn’t

to go to San Francisco for college, even though that was

want it to get in the way any more. I was really burnt out on

what I’d been telling everyone. Or to LA, for that matter. I was

skating... Or it wasn’t entirely that I was burnt out, just that I

expressly going there for school, but it was because I had

saw so much potential in other things, and was like, “Wow,

such close ties with the city and had a lot of friends there, but

maybe skateboarding—as amazing and as eye-opening as

I did say to myself that I wasn’t going there just for school.

it’s been to me—is one of the things I’m going to regret as

Temple University is a state school that’s close to town, a lot

I’m older, that I let it have such a hold over me”. I ended up

of the skaters go there and there’s that famous flatground

deciding not to go to Lyon because I felt like maybe I’d get

spot where everybody used to meet, called Cecil B. Moore. I

lonely. The industry being in New York and not in Lyon is

thought that if I did find myself thinking that school is a good

like another way of saying that I don’t have many friends out

decision, then after two years I’ll transfer to a better school,

there. I guess it’s a little different, but that was, ultimately, why

just to go to school and not do this balancing thing again. Or

I decided not to go. There was also influence from my older

maybe I’d think that school wasn’t so promising, so I’d just

brother, who asked which would open more doors for me,

stay there. But I did really enjoy going to school, and felt like

and give me more opportunity. Academically I would have to

I needed to keep doing it, so I applied to different schools

go a year back, and it would be completely in French, and

and was accepted here in New York and in France. I was

at the time I thought I wanted to get a Masters in French, so

really on the fence between living in Lyon and living in New

that would have been really good, but it was a year back and

York City, but I ended up choosing New York, and so after

I was already a little bit older than my peers.

two years in Philly I moved here specifically for school, at The New School. New York is a really good city for skating, but I didn’t think of it as such. I was really into Philly because it’s so centred, and it’s a little bit more static, I suppose? New York has so many moving pieces. There are a lot of different crews in different areas, but the skateparks draw people together, and the spots like Flushing out in Queens, and all the spots in Brooklyn, and on the Upper West Side, and definitely in Williamsburg. Have you spent time in New York?

Nollie BS Flip

It’s Literature you studied, right?

So now it’s different. From an outsider’s perspective I’m not just an innocent kid, it’s all, “Oh, he’s a pro skater, he’s just

Yeah. For my first two years of school, when I was at Temple,

using our spot”.

I studied French—which means you study French literature basically. Then I realised I wasn’t really trying to do French, I

I actually asked Mike Blabac about this, but I want to know your

was trying to do Literature, but just not in a closed-minded,

take on it. There was some shit-talking on Slap about your adidas

nationalistic sense. Not nationalistic, but more that I didn’t

ad at Love, and how supposedly Kalis had an issue with you

want to just learn anglophone Literature, and I ended up

skating the same obstacle, the barrier off the ledge, in a shoe ad

doing Creative Writing and Literature, where I did my thesis

as he did for a DC ad.

on a French writer, Alain Robbe-Grillet. So it all came full circle, and everything I’d studied was a part of my

So he [Kalis] posted a photo on Instagram when he saw

culminating piece of work, so it worked out well.

it, with a laughing emoji, saying, “C’mon guys”. I was really bummed, I was worried I’d insulted him so I laid low for a

You mentioned going out to Philly to stay before you moved there.

second, read some comments and he said he had no beef

It’s not necessarily known as the most welcoming of cities for

with me and he’s down for me. And he’s helped me out a

out-of-town skateboarders, so do you think easing yourself in like

lot. He just thought adidas was making a bad call by doing

that helped you get accepted?

a shoe campaign which included the orange barrier off that ledge at that specific part of Love Park. One of his DC pro

From the start I had a good person to talk to, a filmer my

shoes had that gap to noseblunt slide in the ad, which was

age, Ant Travis, who loved to film and loved meeting new

so similar. It was also my choice, so I feel he let me off easy

people, so that was a good friend to have, and my

on that. I wasn’t even thinking about that trick, and I’m really

enthusiasm for all things East Coast put me in a good

sensitive to ABDs and things of that category. I definitely felt

position with the older guys. Like, “Look at this kid from Cali,

bad but I didn’t think of it at the moment. It just never

he only watches East Coast footage! We’ll bring him to the

occurred to me and I felt that he should have been criticising

spots because he’ll appreciate it. Let’s bring him over to that

me and not the company, so he let me off easy for that one.

spot in West Philly, that little bank to ledge that nobody but Jimmy McDonald has skated”, and I would just look at it and

Were you still in Philly when Love got shut down for the last time?

go, “Oh my God. Jimmy McDonald is the best”, and we’d leave. The people I was going around with got a kick out of

I wasn’t, I was doing a semester abroad, in France. I had

that, out of somebody deferential, respectful, who was also

been pretty recently before I left. It shut down in February

trying to do his own thing. These days I do come up against

2016, and I had taken a flight to Paris on the 17th of January

a bit of resistance when I have things planned. I’m not going

for my semester starting on the 25th, so there was really no

to name any names but when I go to a city with a filmer, say

way I could get back, even for a weekend. Which is pretty

Chris Mulhern, and maybe somebody else I’m skating with,

lame.

when we go to a spot and skate and even if we’re super nice to the locals, and even if we know people there who we skate with, it’s happened twice now that later on I’ve heard that people were bummed that we came through, or they’re saying that their spot’s getting too hot now.

BS Tailslide Flip

Was it though? Were you sitting in France wishing you could have

I can’t remember when it was that I started skating again, but

one last skate there?

I know I was cruising around, just trying to do little ollies here and there. That was in the December, just before Christmas,

It wasn’t a visceral feeling like that, it was maybe more

then I went on my first skate trip over Spring Break, so

symbolic that it was a bummer I wasn’t there to see it off. I

probably late March, to Spain, and I got a good trick there, so

wasn’t feeling deep feelings. I saw it coming and I had

it must have been pretty soon. Two or three months recovery.

already moved away, so for me in my life, it was almost like it had already passed.

You turned pro just as you started college. That’s pretty rad of What’s your favourite place that you’ve visited, for skateboarding

Habitat to do that, and to have the faith in you that you’re still

or otherwise?

going to produce for them alongside a full-time education. Was there ever any doubt around that?

I love going to France. Maybe it’s more of a mental thing because I love speaking the language and interacting with

No, definitely not. They have a very laid back view of things

the culture, and I don’t necessarily love Paris all that much,

at Habitat. There’s Brennan Conroy and Joe Castrucci, and

although there’s so much history there and walking around

I think Brennan looked at it like, “You’ve earned it, you’ve

the city is very fun. I just like being in France. Recently I went

skated a lot and really hard, so here’s your pro board. Do

to Montpellier with my friend Jazz. We went to Paris and took

what you want with it”. I don’t know if they really thought

the train down to the South of France, down to Montpellier,

it was a risky decision, that I might not follow up with them

and then back to Paris because he had an art installation job

because I was going to school, but on the other hand, it’s a

there, so I followed him. That experience of seeing a bit of

pretty wonderful thing for adidas to have hung around.

Paris, being on the train and seeing the countryside and then

They who are so much more in the commercial world, where

discovering a new city... That’s my favourite thing. I find Paris

the guys have to explain things to the higher-ups who don’t

pretty difficult for skating.

skate. Jascha Muller always had my back and he’s always been so supportive, saying, “Do things how they make sense to you”, during those big conversations when I was

You’ve definitely been affected by injury and illness. Did you need

explaining how I was feeling about skateboarding and about

to learn to skate from scratch after your appendix problems?

skateboarding taking a lot out of my life, kind of. He’d say, “Live life in the way that you know and in the way that you’re

I wouldn’t say I had to learn to skate from scratch, but there

curious and excited about it, and do what you love, but don’t

were times when I couldn’t skate at all. I didn’t have any

forget about skating!” He was always pushing me to come

muscles. I just watched footage of me 50-50ing a curb. Two

back to skating. And also Skin Phillips, who was just being

tries. And after two tries, I’m just floored, just sent to the

put on as a team manager then. I remember we were

ground by nothing. I get into the 50, and it doesn’t quite grind

walking to the Transworld awards where I would win

enough, and I take a step off the board but my leg can’t hold

Readers’ Choice, and Year’s Best Rookie, I think, and he was

me up and I immediately fall to the ground. It’s a pretty gentle

saying to me, intensely, “Don’t blow it kid. I know you’re

fall but it’s almost like there’s some CGI and they’ve

going to school, but I’ve seen so many people have what you

green-screened out somebody pushing me off my board.

have and just blow it!” I found that a little intense and was all, “Oh come on, just let me do my thing!”

How did you first get on adidas? Did you know anybody other than

How did it go from adidas giving you shoes to getting a pro shoe?

Silas at the time?

I got on in 2012, and they were giving me shoes so Jascha I think Silas put in a good word for me. I don’t think I knew

and I would always talk about the shoes, and about how

anybody else who was on at the time... Dennis, Mark

much I like them. I was skating a ton, putting out a lot of

Gonzales, Lem... Lem I met after I got on. Nestor I didn’t

footage and winning some awards and when I turned pro

know so well. So yeah, I think it was just Silas. I was with

Jascha said there was talk of maybe one day me having a

Habitat footwear and I think I wanted to leave. I can’t

shoe. He presented the idea to me, and I was excited, but at

remember if there was a fork in the road, if they were saying

the same time I wanted to quit skating. Haha! There was a

they wanted me to turn pro for Habitat shoes. Maybe that’s

moment where I looked at having a pro shoe as this devilishly

right, now that I say it... No. I turned am for Habitat because

tantalising reason to not leave skateboarding. Which shows

of that. They said they’d put me on the team, but they were

the extent to which I was over it... We have to at some point

really pushing their shoes at the time, so in order to go am I

come to the present where I’m excited to skate and I love

had to ride for the shoes as well. I left Habitat shoes a year

skating again! Haha! But back then, that was how I felt. At

and a half before turning pro.

the time I just really wanted stark lines in my life, and clear transitions in my life to try to make the story of my life make

So Joe was cool about putting your name on a board even if you’re

sense. “Skateboarded ‘til this point. Stopped skateboarding.

not wearing their shoes?

Went to school from this point. Got a job as a professor or an academic of some sort at this point...” I think that’s just

Yeah. I had told Joe I was going to ride for adidas so long

a useful way of looking at life. You would prefer things to be

before, and he understood. It was understood that they

less complicated and vague and nebulous than they are, but

would have to give me some good persuasive arguments to

that’s how things come about. One thing leads to another,

ride for the shoes; it wasn’t of my own accord. I wasn’t like,

and you’re doing this and doing that and you don’t quite

“Please, I’ve always loved it!” He was a little bit bummed but

know what you’re doing and it all ends up in disarray

he understood, and still kept me on the team. It wasn’t like

because you’ve been unconsciously pushing towards this

quitting the shoes meant I had to quit the whole thing. I feel

thing that you love. That’s how it’s been. Now I’ve graduated

like I wanted so badly to have legitimate, separate sponsors,

from school and I’m skating all the time but I continue to do

because I would consider having two different sponsors for

school things and keep in contact with all those people. My

your boards and your shoes a legitimate thing. I wouldn’t be

life has many threads right now...

surprised if I quit Habitat shoes before I was getting any adidas. That’s what I did when I quit Powell, they wanted to turn me am when I was 16 and I said, “You know, I don’t think I want to do it, I think I just want to look for another sponsor, but thanks so much”, and we left on good terms. For six weeks I just skated random boards, and then Josh Kalis got me a box of Alien boards. And from there I got on Habitat.

Switch BS Tailslide

Right on. You’re in a pretty good position right now where you can

That big soft rubbery blue thing really does feel nice. The slim

actually choose what great thing you want to do. It’s not like you’re

versions are out now too, but if the first one was the perfect shoe

some burnt out dude looking for a job washing dishes when all

that you could think up, was it weird doing it again and changing it?

he’s ever done is skate, and it shows how much you actually enjoy putting out footage and getting coverage when you could easily be

Those changes were all mine and Scott Johnson’s. Scott

doing some other amazing thing instead.

Johnson definitely led the way in those discussions, but he was articulating things that I was feeling. All throughout the

True. Awesome. That’s a good way of looking at it. Thank

designing of the first shoe, and the conversations for the

you.

second, I felt, “Man, I wish this was ten years ago and my 14 year-old self, who was such a shoe nerd, could come to the

To what extent do you, a skateboarder, actually design a shoe?

fore and tell them exactly what to do with it”, because now I’ve let these things slip away and they’re not so important to

adidas sent out two members of the design team to

me any more. After wearing the first shoe for a while, I was

Philadelphia, and we had lunch, and spoke about all my

thinking it was a little bit floppy. After you break it in, on the

favourite shoes, and spoke about my influences. Then we

toe it would form waves, and that was because there were

went around downtown Philly to all the different shoe stores

three separate panels on the toe. Now it’s hard to figure out

and talked about all the different elements and aspects of

which idea was mine and which was Scott’s, but I’m pretty

shoes. I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted: open

sure that from the beginning we knew we had to make it one

toecap, distinctive lines, a distinctive architecture that wasn’t

panel, and keep those lines but make them just decorative.

functional but just gave it a decorative aspect without being

Stitches, that even if they blow out, are not going to affect the

overly tech, and I wanted it to be cupsole. From there, the

panel itself. So now, as the shoe gets older it still keeps its

designers opened up different conversations and things fell

shape, which is, you know... Beautiful. There was this thing at

into place and influenced the rest of the parts to follow. I had

the back of the shoe, where if you wore it for a long time the

so much say in it, even down to the texture on the sole, and

inner heel would kinda disintegrate and it would look like you

the way that there is no padding on the sole, in the shoe

were walking with a weird limp, like your ankle would go in at

structure itself, it’s all in the insole, which is a huge thick thing.

the back. Walking around New York I’d see people wearing

I feel like that was a contemporary thing that we were able

my shoe and it had just been worn into the ground, and the

to do because the insole technology now is so much better

inner heel is demolished. So they’re just walking with

than it was ten years ago.

sideways feet, and I’m thinking, “No way. This can’t be my shoe”.

“I’m responsible for this, I need to do something.”

Exactly. So I told Scott about this, and he said that it might be because there’s not enough structure. The first shoe has mesh in quite a bit of the inner upper, it goes from suede to mesh, and the new shoe has only suede.

The new shoe has mesh on the outside, and the first one didn’t.

There are people out there that produce fucking amazing parts, so I’m not saying I’m doing anything completely

Yeah. We switched those two things around to keep the

original but it’s just that some people are thrown around on

breathability, but we wanted the mesh out of the heel so that

trips, like on adidas trips, and their footage comes out here,

it would have better structure and stand up more. We also

and maybe a homie video comes out there, and there are

narrowed it down; we narrowed down the u-throat, the lace

differences of textures... A lot of people are influenced by LA

things, which gives a new structure to the shoe. Those were

skating as well... I don’t know. I’m too flattered by the

the main things I wanted to address, and I felt that the heel

question to think of how to answer!

was slipping a bit, so I told Scott and he said that maybe we had to raise the padding a bit so it catches your heel more.

But I think the new slimness of the shoe fixes that problem.

Do you follow the new Workshop?

Scott suggested moving the main stitch, the separation between panels, moving that back from the ollie box to get it

Oh yeah. Two of my best friends ride for Alien Workshop,

out of the way. From there we just spruced it up, and those

Brandon Nguyen and Joey Guevara, and Miguel Valle who

decisions were all Scott’s. The sprucing. There’s a little detail,

is also one of my best friends films for them. I think he might

the place where the stripes go towards the laces, there’s a bit

be getting a guest board soon because he’s such a talented

of a raised patch of suede and as you follow that raised patch

skater. In the beginning of me skateboarding, Alien Workshop

down it all of a sudden goes flush into the shoe, in this cool

grew to be my favourite company. I was all, “I’m not going

mixture of flushedness and raisedness. Haha!

to ride for Powell any more, I’m going to do everything I can to ride for Alien Workshop!” And to be honest I was really

Alright, I’m glad I was able to find this again... It’s a comment from

bummed when Brennon Conroy hit me up and asked if I

a thread about you on Slap that I want you to comment on. Some

wanted to ride for Habitat instead. Definitely a better career

dude says, “Each part he puts out is different, which is really

choice for me, but I always wanted to ride for Alien. I was so

impressive. Most dudes just do the same tricks, just different spots

depressed when they went out of business and Mind Field

in every part. He almost seems bored with skating. He can do it all”.

is the best video I’ve ever seen. When they came back, that was a weird thing to do. It played with my emotions a lot. But

Ha... That’s cool. That’s a wonderful comment. I feel like

it makes sense because Mike Hill is doing it, still, and he’s

that’s definitely something I am very concious of. For every

been there from the beginning, so it’s still got this authenticity

part, I don’t want to repeat a trick, and then I don’t want to

to it, but with a new crew of guys I think it confused

repeat the mood in the next part. But it’s easy for me to do

everyone, and I was definitely party to that confusion. But

that because I have so many different options; I skate in a lot

then that passed, and my best friends ride for it, and I back

of different places. Maybe I just think more about video parts

it one hundred percent. Frankie Spears rides for them too,

than your average team rider.

and we were out skating yesterday, and I was critiquing his graphic.

FS Nollie Switch 5.0

What’s his graphic?

What was the first skateboard magazine you saw that really stood out?

It’s a kind of little kid graphic. I said that the reason that Alien is such a cool and unique company is also the reason I don’t

I think I was ready for skating the second I got my first

like it, in that it appeals to 12 year-old first time skaters who

magazine. I was so into it before then, and then my cousin,

see an alien on a board and just decide they want that one,

who had already taught me how to ollie on grass, sent me

and it also appeals to grown dudes who’ve seen

a Transworld from, I think 2002, with Paul Rodriguez on the

Photosynthesis and know the history of the company.

cover.

Sometimes you see a graphic, that, on the surface, only looks like it could be appealing to a toddler. And that was

Do you mind how your coverage appears? Photographers can be

long before Frankie was riding for them, but I love the

bummed that what would have been a cover in the past needs to

graphics the majority of the time.

get uploaded to Insta straight away now; does it matter to you?

It’s a quandary, man. I love Alien Workshop buy I just couldn’t wear

I definitely get bummed about that. It’s not so much of a

a shirt with the Alien head logo on it, or any of that ‘Believe’ stuff or

concious thing, but I feel like I used to have things run so

whatever... It’s not horrible, it’s not Darkstar, but I wish there was

much more, and now it’s like if I get an adidas photo on the

less of that stuff. We get it.

shoot, somehow it goes to an intermural campaign used to show what the shoe is doing and then the photo is never

Exactly.

used so I post it on Instagram. Just yesterday I was shooting a sequence with Zander, and I was thinking to

Do you think skateboarding looks back too much? With rebooted

myself, “Is this worth it? Nobody uses sequences”. Maybe

companies, so many reissued boards and companies like

there are just fewer opportunities these days. Or maybe I just

Welcome with shaped boards?

need to have more print projects in the works.

I think it’s always going to be a valid commercial endeavour,

What’s your favourite trick in Eastern Exposure 3?

because you’ve already got the audience, the demographic, who—if you do it right—will buy your boards. I think that’s

That’s a hard one. I haven’t seen it in a while. It’d have to be

par for the course in modern capitalism. Walking around New

something from Ricky’s part, that’s kinda standard. Maybe

York, it’s exactly the same. You go into a ‘50s diner and they

his frontside salad at Love. That’s a fun one to imitate. He

play ‘50s music and wear ‘50s outfits. You just time travel

starts in a 5.0 with his tail down, then he points his nose

all over the city so it makes sense that you can walk into a

towards the camera into a salad.

skate shop and buy a Welcome board and time-travel back to the ‘80s.

What’s the best thing you’ve seen go down at Love?

I just don’t know if it’s going to fully pan out. It’s difficult to put out so many parts and to believe in them without marking

I wasn’t there for any of the really crazy tricks down the gap.

them with some song that you’ve really felt, “This is it, this is

When somebody goes to the gap, there’s all this gravity...

what I have to skate to”, you know? That’s how I’ve always

“Oh, he’s gonna do a trick down the gap!” And he starts

thought about video parts, ever since I was ten and dreaming

trying it, and it’s almost like I fuckin’ hope he doesn’t land it,

about having my own part when Shorty’s sent me a box of

for some reason. It feels put on or something. Even when I

boards. All, “I’m gonna have a part in the video! What song

was doing the varial heel, it was just this thing that I had to

am I going to skate to?!”

do; it was out of character for me, and I felt it. I’d never skated anything that big, it wasn’t my thing and it was just that I had to do a trick down the gap. To watch Dylan Sourbeer at Love, to watch him come up, was the coolest thing for me. He was an unsung hero at the time. Even seeing him do a proper trick was this great joy. Like, “What the fuck?! How does no one know about this guy?!” Even if he does a long backside nosegrind, pop out, which has been done a million times, but when you see him do it you feel privy to some kind of secret. When he nearly back three’d the bump-to-can, the way he was doing it and everything, and how he came so close... That was pretty amazing to watch.

That’s my favourite thing. Dylan Sourbeer.

What have you got lined up for the rest of the year?

For the rest of the year? Just a lot of skate trips, some contests... I’m trying to put out, maybe, an independent video part. I’ve been kind of annoyed with song rights on my part and on the part of others too. Man, YouTube’s lame these days. YouTube and Thrasher, and adidas can’t have my video parts on the site longer than two years, so these parts are just gone, or they’re going. They have to find some solution, but I’m not sure if that’s their number one priority.

For instance, my intro to adidas part is not on the internet, which is so lame. So I’m trying to do an independent part so we can bypass the rights to the song. It’d be hard to do, with not being supported by adidas, but I’ve spoken to some people and they’ve been excited.

FS Shove 50-50 FS 180

I think every ten year-old knows what their graphic is going to be

Anything’s better than the shit on Thrasher videos.

and what song they’re going to skate to! Did you get to pick your song in Away Days?

Yeah. And then Instagram. I feel a sort of responsibility now with my song choices, because the majority of skate edits on

No. That was a bummer because I was supposed to skate

Instagram are set to contemporary rap music. Not that I have

to this song that I thought would have made a lot of sense

anything against that, I’m just against all forms of hegemony.

at the time. It was a Peter Bjorn and John song that said,

Haha! I want to show the range of music you can skate to.

“And the question is, was I more alive then than I am now? I

Rap is the default choice at the moment, so much so that it

happily have to disagree, I laugh more often now, I cry more

seems people don’t realise it is a choice and that it signifies

often now, I am more me”. The song worked first of all, and

something other than, “I know what’s cool right now”. A song

then listening to the lyrics you’re like, “Oh shit, hell yeah!” But

adds a huge layer of meaning to a skate part. I have a sphere

that was a really difficult video part for me to film because

of influence, however small, and I want to use that to show

half the time I wasn’t stoked at all on skating, I just wanted

that you can fuckin’ listen to different music if you want! Since

to go to school. That was filmed through the first two years

North is out of Scotland I feel like we should somehow get

of school, which was my most intense period of school. So I

a shout out to Belle & Sebastian. They’re my favourite band;

was supposed to skate to that song, and it seemed like, up

hopefully one day I’ll skate to a song by them.

until the premiere, that it was going to happen and then at the premiere I’m sitting there and there’s another song on.

I knew the song, it’s Beach House and I love Beach House, but I’d already skated to them and I felt that this song was not as triumphant, it was mellow, and I was so bummed.

Especially because I was watching it in LA with 500 people or something. I felt like they should have told me something before going into the premiere, but maybe they had so many other things going on that they forgot, or maybe they thought it’d be better if I just saw it. It was my buddy Justin Albert that selected the song, and he knew how much I liked Beach House, so he was really bummed that I didn’t like it. But I had to be honest. He put out my most recent part, for the second shoe, and that song worked out perfectly for us because we were discussing songs and then he suggested that one [Montana by Youth Lagoon], which is one of my favourite songs of the last few years but I didn’t think it’d work for skating at all so I didn’t suggest it. That was wonderful. We’re working forward now, post the Away Days bummer-session!

BS Feeble Grind

Thanks

Editor & Photographer Graham Tait

Mike @ Keen Dist Josh @ Theories A&M Imaging

Layout & Design Graham Tait

Zander Takemoto Mark Suciu Lewi Johnson

Feature Interviews Neil Macdonald [@scienceversuslife]

All the contributing photographers.

5BORO adidas Skateboarding

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