The times are always changin’ and it gets tough to keep up sometimes, but one thing that’s always kept me goin’ is my skateboard. After many years of living life as a skater I’ve always been able to adjust with the changes. As I get older, I get wiser, but I also seem to get bigger and slower. And it makes it tough to be who you were back when you were just growing up annihilating the streets and livin’ life in your Glory Daze. But I always find my way home.
Surrey is the place I call home, and I’m very proud of what I have helped to create in this city for the skateboard community to enjoy. But as the population of skateboarders seemed to be constantly growing here in Surrey, the population of Skate Shops was diminishing. And now there is only 1 true “Skater Owned and Operated” Skateboard Shop left in this city.
So I went on a search to find that little shop hidden away in the heart of Cloverdale, venturing through the streets and skate parks of surrey until I finally got there. It was calling my name to come home.
I found my destination, took off my jacket and prepared to stay a while.
Another amazing and unique video montage of Kilian Martin created by Brett Novak. Named “Internal Departure”, it looks like it was filmed in some art gallery somewhere. Either way, it another chance for you to boggle your brain trying to figure out half the tricks that Kilian lays down. Primo Slide to Crooked Grind… what?
It awesome because there isn’t much comparison for Kilian Martin’s skateboarding style other than Rodney Mullen, but even at that, they are very different. Rodney Mullen invented tricks that changed the world of skateboarding forever and helped it to progress to the point it’s at today. Kilian lives in the generation of today where boards have not changed for almost 2 decades and the population of skateboarders around the world are fixed in their ways. The only other younger skateboarder I can think to relate to Kilian is William Spencer. Not that they do any of the same tricks, but they relate by being inventors. Maybe we could have a battle video between them one day like the old Rodney Mullen vs. Daewon Song (A-Team vs. World Industries) videos…
Watch this new video of Kilian and be amazed by his talent once again, and if you’re interested in seeing him skate live, make sure you show up to The World Round-Up Freestyle Championships this May 17-20 at The Cloverdale Rodeo.
Welcome to Episode 8 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we’re chillin’ out at Bonsor Skate Park in Metrotown with the kid I simply call “The Dominator”. He’s young and full of talent, and wins a lot of competitions. His sponsors include Chance Skateboards, Volcom and Vans Shoes. He recently won Wild in the Parks last year and was also named King of Surrey for winning the most Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey contests in 2012, give it up for Dominic Devries!!
Hippie Mike: Welcome Dominic. Please, tell the world how old you are and how long you’ve been skateboarding
Dominic Devries: I’m 16 years old and started skating when I was 9
HM: What was the first experience you remember as the moment you decided that you loved skateboarding?
Dominic: Um, my cousin got me a Hulk Skateboard on my 9th birthday and I just had a lot of fun with that. And I just kept skating since then
HM: You just broke your arm for the second time last September, what are some of the worst injuries you’ve had?
Dominic: Well, those are probably the worst, but I’ve broken my elbow twice too. Yeah, and my foot
HM: Ouch… Do you ever just feel warn out and tired, and not want to skate anymore?
Dominic: No, never
HM: Tell us the best accomplishment you’ve had as a skater
Dominic: Probably the biggest one was winning the “Element – Make it Count” contest here at Bonsor
HM: Cool. Who are the people that influence you the most?
Dominic: Um, I don’t know, I like watching Micky Papa skate. He stokes me up to do new tricks and stuff
HM: Okay, I notice in the contests that the other kids cheer for everyone but you during the runs, almost like they’re more depressed when you land stuff than excited. Does that hurt your feelings at all?
Dominic: Not at all
HM: Does it pump you up?
Dominic: It doesn’t pump me up, or stoke me up, it’s just…
HM: Just Life?
Dominic: Yeah, it’s just life…
HM: Do you think you’ll ever become a Top Name Pro?
Dominic: I don’t know, no idea. Hopefully, that would be pretty cool (laughs)
HM: Are we gonna see Dominic Devries on the TV tearing up X Games or Street League some day?
Dominic: Maybe (laughs)
HM: So I gave you the nickname “The Dominator” a couple years ago. Do you like it?
Dominic: Uh, yeah. It’s cool, but… sometimes people make fun of me for it (laughs)
HM: Last year you won your share of competitions, and you finally accomplished winning the King of Surrey Trophy at my Series with three 1st Place and two 2nd Place finishes out of the 5 contests. How did that feel?
Dominic: It felt good. That was one of my goals last year
HM: Name your 3 favourite Skate Parks
Dominic: Probably Bonsor, Chuck Bailey and Plaza
HM: 3 favourite Street Spots
Dominic: Granville 8, and uh… Terry Fox Plaza, and maybe… Hot Spot
HM: 3 Best Tricks you’ve ever landed
Dominic: Probably Tre Flip down the 12, and Kickflip Front Board down Bricktown 10, and…. maybe front blunt shove on Granville 8
HM: Nice!, and the 3 coolest people you’ve ever skated with
Dominic: Mark Appleyard, Chad Tim Tim, and, and I saw Nyjah Huston for a bit (smiles)
HM: Nice. So, what’s next for The Dominator in 2013?
Dominic: Uh, skating a lot, going to lots of contests, and filming lots
HM: Okay. Well Dominic, I’d like to thank you for being on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I’ve been watching you grow up as a skateboarder for a few years now and I am always stoked when you show up. You’re one of my favourite people to watch skate and I know a lot of kids look up to you. I wish you all the best in your future and really hope to see you on the TV someday getting paid for doing what you love – The Dominator everybody!!
Check out the montage of 2012 Summer from The Dominator
In the 8 1/2 years I worked at The Cloverdale Youth Centre, I got to know a lot of kids and William LeTourneau was always one of my favourites. I remember him when he first started skateboarding, super long hair, and just loved to flow. He looked up to Mitch Salter back then and they were two of the few that would actually venture into the nasty assed death bowl at the Cloverdale Skate Park with speed and air that peninsula. Back then William could cruise that park and was just hittin’ up early grabs and coping grinds all over the place, but as he got older, and trimmed that hair so it was only hangin’ down to ears, he fell into the traps of those ledge skating locals proving himself to be an all around shredder. I think that skaters who learn in tranny first and then pick up the street tricks seem to have a better sense of commitment on their boards. They’re used to stayin’ on, grindin’ long, and goin’ big. Look at Andy Anderson – perfect example.
William LeTourneau has been ripping for many years now and has won his share of prizes in the past as well. I was there when he started, I was there when he quit and started again, I was there when he had long hair, I was there when he chopped it, and I’m still there – lovin’ to see another natural skateboarder grow up strong.
Known simply to the world as “M.J.”, Michael Jordan may have been the most influential sports player of all time. Growing up with a dream to play baseball professionally in the MLB, M.J. Worked hard when it came to sports. He also shot hoops quite a bit and was extremely talented at basketball. Michael Jordan was drafted into the NBA after proving himself to be amazing with North Carolina University and he proceeded to change the game. M.J. Was one the first players that taught the world how to fly, he could literally leap into the air and hang there for a long period of time, manoeuvring the basketball from hand to hand until he would finally have the opportunity to get it past his defenders. They had to invent the Air Jordan’s just to prepare for the next generation of players. This man could shoot, he could dunk, he was one of the best defenders the game ever saw, and he was the all-time go-to guy in any clutch situation. NBA TV and Ahmad RashadinterviewMichael Jordanas he turns 50 years old, and reminisce about the good times and all the bad, and really get down to the nitty gritty about how Jordan feels about the way his life went.
Watch this interview and wonder what would have been different if Michael Jordan had never played basketball. It would be the same question to us if Rodney Mullen, Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales, Danny Way, Pat Duffy, Duane Peters, Chad Muska, Tom Penny or Ryan Sheckler never picked up a skateboard. These guys were all natural sports players that ended up concentrating their energy to the one they loved and changing the world around them. Where would Tiger Woods be if he never picked up a golf club? Chances are still being amazing at whatever else he chose to adventure in. Some people are just natural born innovators…
Every day I think about where skateboarding would have ended up if certain people had never been in the industry –
Without Rodney Mullen, would skateboards look like they do today? Would we be skating street or would the pools have been the only real skateboarding surface? Or would there even be skateboarding today?
Without Danny Way, would we have these Big Air Jumps that all the vert skaters are flying over fearlessly doing backflips and 720’s?
Without Pat Duffy, when would people have started to skate tech tricks on all these huge rails out there?
Without Ryan Sheckler, would we believe that a 12/13 year old could beat out he entire pro category in large competition?
And without Tony Hawk, would the world recognize and support skateboarding as much as they do right now?
The answer to most of these questions is no. Everyone brings a different style to their sport, or hobby. Each person makes a difference in the world. But we need to feel blessed when the true world changers enter the correct lifestyle, and stick with it. But they can’t always do it on their own, so please show them the support they deserve. You never know who the next legend is gonna be when it’s their first day.
Industry & Interest Magazine did a recent interview with the world’s most popular skateboarder right now – Kilian Martin. Kilian if you don’t know, is the next leader in Freestyle Street Skating. Pro for Powell Peralta he is definitely ready to represent at any given moment, and the tricks he throws down are mind-blowing taking freestyle tricks to the street obstacles – Rodney Mullen style. Kilian has been getting a ton of publicity this past year through montage videos filmed and edited by Brett Novak, but this is a great interview to get to know the boy behind the man.
A true inventor, a young creator, a dedicated learner – Kilian Martin
Ty Williamson is a mere 18 years old and is starting his venture into the world of videography. He spent the past year filming some of the best skaters around Poco, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and has released quite a few short films. Ty still has a long way to go before being one of the most well known skateboard filmers in BC but he is definitely on the right path. He got solid equipment and knows how to edit, plus he has a very reputable status with tons of sick riders and he’s ready to dedicate his life to it. Of course filming for One Love Skateboard Shop doesn’t hurt either…
Remember this is how Jordan Mayfield, David Wayne Stevens and Benny Stoddard all began.
and this teaser for his first full length skate video to be released sometime in 2013 – Conspiracy – featuring Lanny DeBoer, Ryan Prasad, Dave Jonsson, Jesse Holland, Gilbert Turenne, Blair Higginson, Jackson Wakabayashi, Andre Tsougrianis, Michael James, Calum Wood, Gabe Di Norscio, River Tavis & Tom Korop
Hi, and welcome to Episode 7 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we’re hanging out with a Canadian Legend in the skateboard community. He’s a Technical Wizard on his skateboard and has been blowing minds with his skills for many years. From “Nollie Lazerflip Bluntslides”to “Fakie Bigspin Tweezer Flips”, he’s the Rodney Mullen of Canada. The owner of One Love Skateboard Shop– give it up for Dan Pageau!!
Hippie Mike: So Dan, can you give a brief bit of history by telling us how old you are, why you started skateboarding and where you lived at that time
Dan Pageau: Yeah, I’m 32 years old, I started skateboarding in Montrealwhen I was about 5 years old, and since then I haven’t stopped
HM: And when did you go Pro?
Dan: I turned pro in 1995 is what I remember. I did the Ramp Rage in Montreal, that was my first pro contest. I guess there was a bunch of Pros there, first time they came into town – Kareem Campbelland I think Rob Dyrdekwas there, and anyways I ended up getting 1st Place and it was sweet
HM: Sick. Who was your first sponsor?
Dan: Well I had like Shop Sponsors. I rode for EQwhich I think is still around, and then I rode for Radical Skate Shopwhich was this skate shop by Peace Park in Montreal. And basically the owner of that shop is Edward Law, and he owned True Skateboards
HM: Were you born and raised in Montreal?
Dan: Yeah, like kinda on the outskirts, but yeah
HM: What was it like trying to make it as a recognized skateboarder from Canada?
Dan: What was it like trying to make it? Uhhh, I don’t know. Like at first I didn’t really try to make it, I would just kind of show up and skate the park. I remember when I was like 8 years old, we went to Jarry Parkwhich was the local park at the time and just put on a bunch of sweaters and skate this 6′ ramp with vert and just skate that and learned how to do a bunch of stuff and from that I guess people noticed me and started sponsoring me and stuff. So it was never really something I looked for, being sponsored…
HM: Was it hard to get into the scene, like with America?
Dan: Well I guess from being sponsored with True Skateboards, we started travelling a little bit. I went to Tampa Pro, and I also went to Europe with Max Dufour and Pierre-Luc Gagnon. So I was kind of just staying in their hotel room and smooching off their Vans sponsorship(laughs), but yeah, like even in 1997they had the Vans Warped Tourwhich I did a bunch of the competitions, like I went into Boston… so we showed up their and I won 1st Place, PLG won Vertand we got free tickets to California. So that’s kind of where it started to become a little more serious for me with doing all the travelling and stuff. Yeah besides that it was just, um, for me just being really dedicated and just wanting to be everywhere and just going to all the Professional Events. I never really sent promos or tried to get sponsored, I just went to places and started shredding and then eventually uh, I think it was either Ronnie Creageror Rodney Mullennoticed me and yeah…
HM: Yeah, 2 crazy’s… (Laughs) Who’s your favourite Canadian Skateboarderright now?
Dan: My favourite Canadian Skateboarder, first thing that comes to mind would be Grant Patterson
HM: I remember seeing clips of you in videos like 411during the 90’s but I’d have to say the moment I realized how good you were was when I saw the video Underworld – Underratedin the early 2000’s. Your part in that video was mind-blowing and anyone who has never watched it needs to go watch it. What was it like to see Underworld Skate Shop expand across Canada?
Dan: well I thought it was pretty cool. I grew up with Alex skating, we used to go skate his school when I was like 9 years old. And basically, Alex is a real skateboarder. I don’t know if anybody knows this but when I didn’t even know what switch stance was, he was doing switch kick flips, and backside noseblunts on mini rampand stuff, and he’s always been really supportive and we’ve always been good buddies and just to see where he’s taken his business and how dedicated he is really impressive. Like that whole Under Attack Tour…
HM: Was that part of your inspiration to open your own Skateboard Shop?
Dan: Yeah it was actually, yeah for sure. Before the skate shop I did a wheel company called Traction Wheelsand that was really fun. For me having a Skateboard Companyis not really about making money, it’s about having the Team together and making something happen. And the one thing I didn’t particularly like was calling stores and being like, you know, you wanna get my stuff in? Most stores did support it and stuff but I just got really tired of like calling and calling and calling. So I figured you know, if I just do a shop then it’s like more people coming to you. It’s not really about the money and selling product, it’s more like about who’s involved in it right now, Like Andre Tsougrianisand Lanny DeBoerand Micky Papa, and right now we’ve got Dave Jonssonand Ryan Prasadriding for us. All those guys are just insane. And to work with them, and the attitude, and the fun that we have together, and we come up with ideas. ‘Cause at first when I had One Loveit was just me and I was just bouncing ideas off the wall and had nobody really helping me out with ideas and stuff and now with one Love how it’s set up we can work together. We got a new Filmer – Ty Williamson and it’s just really amazing and he’s helping us out a lot (Check out Ty’s videos at www.youtube.com/tylerthefilmcreator )
HM: Your Pro for Monke Skateboards right now. How long have you known Ben Chibberand how did you end up sponsored by Monke?
Dan: Well how I met Ben was, a longtime ago we did Slam City Jamand we had a booth which was Premium Skateboards, Monke Skateboardsand Traction Wheels, so we did business like that and we started selling stuff. Yeah prior to that I just always thought Monke Skateboards was awesome. I remember going to Slam City Jam and being like whoa, who’s that guy? And like who’s that guy? Every guy that was like incredible talent was on Monke Skateboards. I didn’t know who they were but they were awesome
HM: Trevor Houlihan
Dan: Yeah Houlihan, and Steve Strangand um…. Ted DeGros. So me just being from Montreal, and I was already Pro before that, and just seeing those guys I thought whoa man, these Monke Skateboardguys are awesome. And I just always had this thing in the back of my mind where I wanted to ride for them. So I don’t know how it really happened but just like hangin’ out with Ben and just being like, yeah okay, let’s do it…
HM: Well I know how much Ben Chibberthinks about you, and he definitely thinks you deserve more recognition so he’s gonna be there to help you at any given moment, I know that…
Dan: And that’s the thing, i just want to be loyal. Like if I get any other offers, I don’t really care if there’s more money, i’m just going to be loyal to Monke Skateboards
HM: Cool. Who else are you sponsored by right now?
Dan: I got Monke Skateboards, United Clothingthrough Bruce, and I’m getting some shoes through Globewhich is awesome. I’m not necessarily on the Team or anything but they’ve been kind enough to send me the shoes that I like, so
HM: What’s your favourite trick to do?
Dan: Favourite trick to do would be a 360 flip
HM: Name 3 people that influenced you to be who you are today
Dan: Okay, I guess my Dad, he would be one. Um, Jesus, just how he is and the way he dealt with situations, and um, maybe Danny Way
HM: Yeah, I hear that. What’s the best trick you ever landed?
Dan: (Laughs) Best Trick I ever landed… What comes to mind right now as the best thing I can think of is the Switch Noseblunt Cabellarial Kick Flipwhich I did in the Progression Video #5in the year 2000
HM: Nice. Well, thanks a lot Dan for being a guest on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. You’re an amazing skater who helped open some big doors for the future Canadian Rippersand we thank you for that. Respect him as a skateboarder, a legend, and a true man. Type his name into Youtubeand support his shop One Love
Sean Mortimer and SBC Business Magazine have just released a huge article about one of the biggest skateboard legends Vancouver has ever experienced. At 50 years old, Peter Ducommun, or PD as everyone knows him celebrates the 35th anniversary of one of the most recognized hard core brands in existence – Skull Skates.
This article is a must read if you want to know any history about skateboarding in Canada. PD has been around for a long time, as a skateboarder, a snowboarder, a BMX rider, a skimboarder, and a fearless and intelligent Businessman. Never backing down from his beliefs PD has made his point across the world through Vancouver’s own PD’s Hot Shop and Skull Skates. He is one of the few people in the world that didn’t give up on skateboarding when the “Fad” died out in 1990 and it’s those people we need to thank the most for what skateboarding has become today.
Show him the respect he deserves and read this article to learn some important history
Last week Hippie Mike and Jeff Cole headed down to East Van to hang out with 2 of the craziest little dudes around – Django and Theo. These guys are super young and love to skate. You might know them from Kensington Park, China Creek, or have seen them shredding in the Beginner Category at any of the Bowl Series Competitions. They both qualify as “Long-Hairs” so that gets big points from Hippie Mike right away, and Django is very unique as he only skates on his knees – Friggin’ Maniac!
Anyway, they told Jeff about their Mini Ramp when they were at PD’s one day and invited us to come play on it. It was tiny, tight and lots of fun. And under cover, which in Vancouver, is the probably biggest bonus of all. This ramp is going to produce 2 awesome skaters.
