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
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
Hi, and welcome to Episode 6 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Tonight we’re travelling through the internet to Barrie, Ontario to hang out and to learn about the styles of a Neighbourhood Rapper who wants to change the world for the better. An amazing snowboarder, a positive creator, and part Owner of Unity Market and Studios, he is known on the Hip-Hop scene simply as L.S., give it up for Shane Dennis!!
Hippie Mike: What’s Up Shane?
L.S.: How you doin’? I’m excellent
HM: Let’s start out with a little bit of History. You and I were very close friends in our teenaged years, almost inseparable. We skateboarded, snowboarded, and got into a lot of mischief together. In that entire time period, I cannot recall either of us imagining about becoming a Rap Star. Can you tell us when you’re life changed and why you took the path that you did…
L.S.: Well let me start by saying that I do think back to those years a lot and you were definitely a mentor to me, though we were a lot younger then. But how I got started on that path, I mean I was writing music when I was young and listened to Hip Hop. I was in a band when I was in like Grade 5 or 6 and writing some music, you know, and had been taking piano lessons when I was a kid and I always listened to Hip Hop and loved it, and then it was after that I moved in to like those teenage years of being like, taking some of the lyrics I was writing with music and started writing “Raps” with it. You guys moved out West and from riding/snowboarding, I hooked back up with Jordi LaForty [Jordan Peters], and we just met up again. This was years and years later and we were just talking and I was like, “Yeah, I’m writin’ some rhymes” and he was like, “Man, I’m makin’ beats” and that was a huge step in the right direction by linking with Jordi. That passion definitely grew with me for a long time and I knew that i wanted to do things with music, but I think really the lyricism and the poetry and the creative wits about Hip Hop and certain styles of Hip Hop for me just struck that passion again and that’s really the start of how I really skewed into the life that I live of Music and Hip Hop…
HM: When we were kids, I recall you learning a lot about snowboarding from myself, and you were reaching a very high skill level when I moved away to BC in ’98. What happened from there with your “Snowboard Career”?
L.S.: Yeah, I got hooked up with Burton when I was like 16 or 17 with Eric Frankcom and Dennis LeBlanc, which you know both very well, and we were kind of a trio riding hard and doing all the comp and stuff. I rode for Burton for a long time, I had some other hook ups through Quiksilver as well and Skullcandy, which is a newer company. Obviously you know of Skullcandy but this was more when like Skullcandy was first coming out. And yeah I did some National Circuits and did well in some of the competitions in halfpipe riding. Snowboarding was, as you know, was like my life, and then music, so yeah
HM: Yeah , so it just went together. Back in those teenaged years you were a little younger than the rest of us, and a little bit shorter. We always called you “Lil’ Shane”, is that where L.S. comes from?
L.S.: Well, yes. That’s a very sturdy stand point of where that comes from. Little Shane Dennis but I dropped the”D” so it just became L.S.. Yeah and I remember you used to call me Lil’ Shane and it’s too funny because even before like Lil’ Wayne and stuff, that was back before that. And like when you guys left to go out West I was like thinking about a name and it was actually my boy James D that’s here at the Studio, he’s an Engineer, and he was like…. man I contemplated for like years about what am I gonna call myself and then it was just like okay, L.S….
HM: Hey, and it worked out! How hard is it to make a name for yourself in the Music Industry as a Rap Superstar without following the trends of Gang Life and the other negativities portrayed by most Rappers?
L.S.: Well I was lucky with a great upbringing and you know through struggles and stuff, I had the support of parents and my grandparents that were very culturally musical people. And I wanted to make a positive difference in music and as I got more into Hip Hop I really looked at these things and you know, I’m in Barrie, Ontario, which is just North of Toronto and I’ve lived back in this city for like 5 years and worked with a lot of kids from different turfs in Toronto and just using music as a tool and that same very thing of helping them to realize the influence that they are. And a lot of these kids are hardcore in Gang Life, and they’re not faking anything you know. There’s a settlement in lots of big cities, especially in Toronto, from like the 70’s where like Bloods and Crips. There’s this one youth that we worked with, his father was killed, he was raised by his uncle, and they were Bloods. He’s an incredible young rhymer, he’s a huge influence to his surrounding peers and stuff, and his community and trying to help build a positive light of it. Because really I feel like where Hip Hop started from was that it was an outreach for people to voice things of oppression and stuff, and unfortunately in the mix, there’s so much that we can’t really get into, it’s where a lot of the Pop Culture of where Hip Hop is directed, or the machine that is directing it is to project more violence and all that kind of stuff. So, I probably could have taken an easier road for “making it” as a Hip Hop Artist or whatever that is, but I’m really just at the beginning still, but just passionately feeling and wanting to make a positive change and knowing how much and powerful the music is and that kind of kept me from getting on the negative side of expression… I mean, not like my stuff is all Lodi Doddi and everything’s great, it’s definitely not, but you know it’s about the message of what’s being said
HM: Yeah. So I’m personally not a huge fan of Hip Hop, but I do enjoy meaningful lyrics and I find a lot of deep thoughts about the ways of the world in the words you write. Your songs are mainly about bringing out controversial truths for the blind world to recognize, but do you think your lyrics might be too powerful for the majority of listeners to understand?
L.S.: (long pause and nodding) Yeeaaah… What I was gonna say with that is Yes it is definitely. I have a message and so there is some simplified stuff, because I do really love the complexity of lyricism, and that part was the thing that really got me into Hip Hop huge so, the complexities of it yes, sometimes it combines with a lot of things that to the masses are already going over their head anyways, or they maybe aren’t awake or whatever to certain things in the ways of the world and I combine that with complex lyrics about it, it like definitely can go over people’s heads. But when you add passion into that, like truly, and really expressing things, then it becomes more tangible. But there’s also more stuff to grasp, and there’s gonna be a variety versus, I don’t wanna say dumbing it down at all, but in a sense it is more musical, and there’s singing and maybe parts that are made more clear or easier for people to get, because there’s an important message I’m writing about, and I don’t want people to miss it. But there still will be the stuff that like the heads will go crazy for the lyricism and be like “What did he just say???”
“Steadily we rock, no force can hold us; Enemies we watch, remote control us; We’d better beat the clocks as the voice of soldiers, deadily we stop, the Broken Warrior…” – L.S. (Broken Warrior)
HM: In the song “Face Odds”, which I consider one of your most powerful messages, you’re focusing on George W. Bush and publishing the lies he portrayed and the negative influences he had on so many people while he was the President of the United States. What provoked you to write this song? It’s a pretty serious song
L.S.: Ummm. I’m always involved in society and doing things like digging in to the deeper side of certain subjects and I had kind of a hardcore thoughts at that time of making that song. And that song, though I think it is a positive song, it definitely has a like Rah Rah kind of feel to it, like we need to Wake the Fuck Up!! kind of vibe and maybe that kind of degression with it. That song was coming from judist things from seeing in the news or reading about or just seeing in the world, and I do you know follow, I mean I’m no politician or whatever, but I do follow these worldly issues that are going on and it’s just a lot of researching things. And from watching documentaries to digging into readings of people and conversing with people about those things and that’s where that song came from for me, and uhh, yeah… It’s kind of like how Bob Marley, he would speak about some things that are horrible things that happened in the past or whatever, but it’s got a vibe to it. It’s uplifting. So yeah, that song came from just all of these depths into the things that were going on in politics and with that you know people were like, oh I don’t follow politics or whatever, but we are all creating the system of all the things that we don’t like, or taht we do like. I mean, I really believe that. I’m really about trying to make people recognize how powerful we all are, you know, how much of an influence we are
HM: In the video for “That Summer”, you’re surfing the wake behind a boat while rapping. How good are you at Surfing?
L.S.: (laughs) At real surfing?? Uhhh, yeah, at real surfing… I haven’t had the privilege or honour of real surfing behind nothing but Mother Nature. But it’s pretty easy to do behind a boat. We go out sometimes and have fun, and then the environmental side of me is like more and more conscious of like Man this is wasting a lot of gas for us to have fun here. I don’t do it that much, but yeah, the wake surfing’s pretty easy so I was like rapping the tune while I’m surfing (laughs)
HM: I caught you on Youtube on the Howard Stern Show and he was dissing you hard calling you a “White Guy” and telling you to start up a “Hip Hop Construction Company” How tough is it to be respected in the Hip Hop Industry when you’re white?
L.S.: Oh that’s such a great question. I could talk a lot about that question, but I think these days it’s becoming kind of easier and easier. And it’s funny, the funny thing is though, there’s always been white dudes in Hip Hop since Hip Hop started, I mean look at The Beastie Boys, you know what I mean? But the Howard Stern thing, that was pretty funny. I don’t want to say anything negative about anybody but people were like Man he’s a Dick. Whatever… it was the same when I was on The Dean Blundell Show on 102.1 The Edge, when they were like ripping me up and then I went down there one day and they wanted to be my best friends (laughs)
HM: Tell us about the Unity Market and Studio and how you ended up partnering with Andrew Miller
L.S.: Well, Andrew and I have known each other for a long time through Snowboarding as well and my boy James Dasilva who’s the Engineer here who is a very good friend of mine and also the main person who I’ve worked on all my music with over the years. I had came back from Tour in Europe and we started this thing with Andrew. We called it 40 days and 40 Nights of Holistic Care, and Andrew had his Farming certification and had done a lot of outreach, and I had previously done a lot of outreach with music and we actually did spend 40 days and 40 nights harvesting carrots. We had a lot of time to talk during that and we were thinking of getting some type of spot to do outreach and to involve music and the whole Urban Garden thing. Just somewhere to be , and to be working with youth and stuff. So this place that we’re at now, I had been here from like years and years before as it was a studio before us. And Andrew went by and saw that this building was for lease and he called me and was like, “You know 25 Toronto Street?” That’s the address here, and I was like, “What that place is for lease, man we gotta make that happen.” ‘Cause I had been here and knew that this spot was amazing so I spoke with James who had a studio and it all came together. Fortunately we were able to add in the Cafe and we have an amazing collaboration of people working towards all the things that we believe in.
HM: Cool. Can you explain the “Back to Basics” project
L.S.: Back to Basics Social Development is a Not-For-Profit and Andrew started that about 3 1/2 years ago now. It’s about the outreach of sustainability, the three main things behind Back to Basics are Food, Water, Shelter, and just how many people there are living in some type of poverty, not to compare to 3rd world countries, but locally and all over Canada, and the world obviously. But yeah, Shelter and Water, and what’s happening to the world’s water, and the food that we’re taking in, GMO’s and just so many chemicals on the food, so there’s a lot of consciousness of that. And with Andrew and I teaming together closer and my experience with the youth and also my music, speaking about these things, and even my movement relating with the arts world, really it’s brilliance to convey these messages. The knowledge of these things, healthy food, living, a community, connective collaboration. People actually care about what’s going on. And trying in these difficult times, like that Face Odds type of song of mine, and that world is a messed up place feelings, and then trying to combine all these things in positive ways. For me, it’s Positive Hip Hop, or conveying messages through Music and Art. Back to Basics is like the outreach where we can create opportunities and experience and there’s that element of like re-skilling. A lot of what’s taught in today’s education system isn’t right, and people need to get connected with the Earth, you know??
HM: (laughs) Can you tell us about the 45km Clean Up fundraiser
L.S.: So I skated 45kms around the perimeter of the city. I picked up 7 big bags of garbage. We organized Volunteers to head up different parks and help clean up the parks and the community. Pretty much every Sunday we do a big clean up
HM: Okay, some quick questions…
What’s your most meaningful song?
L.S.: Of my own?? It’s not out yet (laughs)
HM: Name your 3 favourite musicians
L.S.: Okay, Cee Lo Green, Al Green and Mos Def
HM: Beautiful. Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?
L.S.: In a Neighbourhood near you (laughs)
HM: (laughing) Hopefully. And the last question – How is L.S. Gonna change the world?
L.S.: Two feet and a heartbeat, a drum, my tongue, my set of lungs, where I been from, and definitely my heart
Well thanks Shane for being a guest on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I really like everything that you’re doing, the positive attitude you bring to the table, and you’re mind frame to never give up on your dreams. I’m glad that I was part of your life growing up. I miss you lots and hope to see you out here on the West Coast soon for a Tour.
Welcome to Episode 5 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we are hanging out in North Delta with a very unique skateboarder. He’s one of the only Freestylers in Canada, his pockets are overflowing with tricks, and he’s always ready to put on a Demo. Sponsored by Protest Skateboards, Kilian Clothing and West 49, he’s the Number 2 ranked Amateur Freestyle Skateboarder in the World – give it up for Ryan Brynelson!!
Hippie Mike: What’s up Ryan? How’s it feel to be on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike?
Ryan Brynelson: Oh, I was very surprised when you called me yesterday and asked me if I wanted to be on GLORY DAZE. I thought it was so great, I watch it on Youtube every now and then and I definitely enjoy it, so thank you so much for having me
HM: Cool. First off, can you tell us a little bit about the history of Freestyle Skateboarding and how many people actually still do it?
Ryan: Alright, so Freestyle Skateboarding is the essence of skateboarding. It came out first in the 1970’s and people would nail 2×4’s to roller skates with clay wheels and they would just kind of ride around on that. It was Freestyle Skateboarding but it was definitely not the same compared to what Freestylers do today. They were mostly just doing tic-tacs and handstands and it was very limited. Then of course the urethane wheel came out and that changed a lot. But it was still pretty much the same. People were still doing tic-tacs, maybe a little more fancy footwork you know if they did have the urethane wheel. And then of course came Rodney Mullen, the Number 1 Freestyle skateboarder in the world ever, the number 1 skateboarder in the world ever in my opinion on the planet. And so what Rodney did was, he sort of saw Steve Rocco doing like 50-50 tricks and then he started doing that, but he made a ton of variations that I’m sure you’ve all seen in videos like Almost Round 3 and stuff, so, pretty much like all truck variations, caspers, that all came from him and then Freestyle started to become more than just footwork and handstands and people were starting to like ride their boards you know on the truck, on the side, upside down and things like that
HM: So how many people in the world are Freestyle Skateboarders?
Ryan: Laughs… Ah ha, yeah so it’s funny, ’cause I get called like the 2nd Top Amateur in the world, but really there is seriously like about 120/150 Freestylers in the world. Very few of us, so…
HM: How old are you, and when did you start skateboarding?
Ryan: I’m 20, and I started skateboarding when I was 8. I got my first board you know like most kids, at some point in their life they get a skateboard for Christmas, and of course it’s a Walmart Skateboard, and uh, so I just started puttering around on that. I would just kind of ride around on that you know goofing around and stuff, and then when I was 14 I saw Lords of Dogtown and Dogtown and Z-Boys and something about those movies just made want to start doing tricks and stuff. It showed more of a community in skateboarding for me you know where normally I’d be skateboarding with the kids up the block, but then I was introduced to the Dogtown Movie and I kind of saw more of a community there and it was very attractive to me. I saw that and I thought it was really cool you know.
HM: And that’s why you leaned towards the Freestyle?
Ryan: Well part of it. I saw them doing like the Burt Slides and stuff like that, but of course everybody’s doing street skateboarding and not many people skate that 70’s style and whatever. So at that time I thought, Okay I have to learn how to Ollie, so I learned how to Ollie. So then it was like, now the pressure’s on, you know, you gotta learn kick flips and pop shovits, and then I kept kind of going but I didn’t really like that aspect myself. I was still just kind of doing Burt Slides and just playing around with that and then I saw Freestyle Skateboarding when I got invited to a barbeque at Kevin Harris’s house and it was kind of like a Jam Session for the 2007 World Freestyle Championships of Skateboarding and since then I’ve just been doing Freestyle Skateboarding and yeah, I enjoy it very much
HM: How much has Kevin Harris taught you over the years and what other influences has he had on your life?
Ryan: Ohhh, Huge, Huge. I mean, you know, Kevin has always been such a great mentor to me. He showed me Freestyle Skateboarding and because of him I am doing this. I would say my spins and any kind of my footwork, flow work, that all comes from Kevin, and then truck tricks and everything after that, you know, that’s just me wanting to be just a rounded skateboarder.
HM: You are very into Japanese Culture. You work at a Japanese Pub, you study Japanese at school, and usually have Japanese girlfriends. What sparked this interest and where is it leading you in life?
Ryan: Laughs… Oh that’s very interesting… Well, skateboarding you know, you’re always using your body and stuff and I was very into that using my body thing, and then at school my marks were always low and people started thinking I was like stupid or whatever, and um, then I went twice to Japan on Exchange Trips and I liked it very much, so I took a Japanese Course and I decided to make it as much of a passion as skateboarding is to me. So skateboarding, I’m using my body, and then Japanese I get to use my brain and stuff, so I thought it was cool to do both
HM: So therefore you’re always learning both
Ryan: Exactly,exactly. Yeah, yeah
HM: And the girls just came with it, right?
Ryan: Laughs… I don’t really think of it like that. I just study and stuff. Laughs…
HM: Say your favourite sentence in Japanese
Ryan: My favourite sentence, ohhh, I got a few. それはたわごとの価値がありません。 “It’s not worth shit” – Laughs…
HM: There are so many skateboarders in the world, but so few of them are into Freestyle. It’s a whole different way of life. Do other skaters treat you different because your strictly a Freestyler?
Ryan: Yes. They do actually. You know, a lot of it’s been very positive, and I go to a skate park and I kind of stand out and stuff. There is times where there is a little bit of a negative side of it and I think that it’s kind of weird because so many skateboarders got into skateboarding because society kind of pushed them out and then they started skateboarding. And then I’m doing Freestyle Skateboarding. I’m doing skateboarding, I’m just doing a different style, and then by that group I get pushed out by them because of it. Not all of them, but there is definitely a group for sure and I feel like it’s kind of hype-critical…
HM: Right. Do you think people don’t respect Freestyle Skateboarding, or is it just a sign of insecurity?
Ryan: You know, I feel like it is a sign of insecurity… I feel like a lot of people respect it, but at the same time, it’s not taken as seriously
HM: They don’t understand it
Ryan: They don’t understand it, that’s exactly it. Like when Longboarding came in at first that was very like separated from skateboarding, and this is very much the same
HM: Yeah, except Freestyle created what skateboarding is and Longboarding just….. I mean like, I’ve skated 26 years and I don’t even attempt Freestyle
Ryan: Laughs…
HM: Who’s better – Rodney Mullen or Kilian Martin? Right now?
Ryan: Ohhh, that’s a hard question… Uhhhhhhh. You know, rodney is just so tech tech tech, and as far as being the tech-master it’s Rodney, but Kilian with his creativity. I mean, damn. Honestly I gotta say hands down, my favourite skateboarder is Kilian Martin. I have much respect for Rodney Mullen but my absolute favourite – Kilian Martin.
HM: What do you love the most about life?
Ryan: Life… just so many great people, so many great people.
HM: Alright – Shout out to anyone?
Ryan: Shout out to anyone, oh my gosh, I just want to say Kilian Martin I’m seriously so stoked to be riding for you on Kilian Clothing, thank you so much, uhh, I appreciate all the advise you’ve given to me before, and um, Kevin Harris, absolutely one of my greatest mentors and it’s because of him I’m even doing this, so thanks
HM: Okay Ryan, I’d like to thank you for being a guest on GLORY DAZE and I’d just like to say I have always had respect for you as an individual. From the moment I met you many years ago you were a Freestyle Skateboarder, and no one was going to change that. You’re an artist, you’re a solid skater, you’re a leader and a role model. A rare fish that swims alone in a massive sea of followers
Welcome to Episode 4 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we are chillin’ in the sunshine at the White Rock Res, a complete Do It Yourself Skate Spot located in South Surrey with the man I simply call The Jigga. He works as a Graphic Designer and owns a clothing company called AXS Gear, and will go down in history as one of Surrey’s best skaters of all time, give it up for the King of Style, Jay Mykyte!!
Hippie Mike: What’s up Jay? So first off, how old are you and how long have you been skateboarding?
Jay Mykyte: Uhhh, 31 years and been skatin’ since like, man, ever since I was a little kid basically, you know since I was 13…14
HM: And why did you become a skateboarder?
Jay: Everything else just seemed kinda boring at it only ot you to a point and then it was just like, over it…you know?
HM: I’m referring to you as the King of Style because that’s what I heard Geoff Dermer call you one time, and he’s all about styles. How much do you concentrate on the actual trick you’re trying, and how much do you think about what it’s gonna look like when you stick it?
Jay: I think I worry more or less about like the last part, and that’s landing it. I try to block everything else out, and then as for like style, I don’t know man, I think it’s really just the way I do my thing so I don’t really think about that either. It’s just kind of like, the way I do it
HM: You’re a pretty technical skater with lots of hard flip tricks and you can easily demo on a ledge or a mini ramp at any time too, what’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite obstacle?
HM: What’s your favourite thing to skate?
Jay: Favourite thing to skate… I’d say like anything that’s smooooooth, even if it’s just like, flat ground. Anything smooth
HM: What’s the best trick you ever learned?
Jay: Hmmmm. Probably a manual – 360 flip. I don’t know why, but it is
HM: Nice, Kwantlen Park?
Jay: Yeah
HM: AXS Gear has been around for quite a long time but is still pretty underground, tell us how AXS Gear began and what it stands for
Jay: AXS Gear began basically when I started working for the sweatshop. And it was simply about just being an individual, being yourself, not really anything special, it’s just about all existing styles. And that’s what AXS stands for is “All Existing Styles”. It’s basically just for everybody that’s you know, simple and just likes to do their thing. That’s it, plain and simple
HM: Cool. Last winter you opened a Skate Shop in New West called Royalty Skate Shop. What was that about, and what happened to it?
Jay: Royalty was like an “on the fly” thing. I kinda was gonna start some skateboards or something and was like, oh I’ll try this out, you know something that kind of connects everything anyways, and I did it with a friend who had his own business out of there too. I just wanted to try it out and see what it took to try to run a skate shop and after that it was more or less like, there was no support you know. There were people behind it but nothing really holding it together other than the few riders that it was
HM: I heard there were plans to re-open Royalty in Surrey, you think that’s still gonna happen one day?
Jay: Yeah, that’s like my main goal I’d say, just ’cause I love the scene in Surrey. It’s totally underground and nobody cares about it, nobody wants to skate out there, everyone’s kind of turned off about it and I kinda like it ’cause of that. It’s so big too, there’s so much stuff out here to skate, and so many parks
HM: We’ve been friends for a long time, explain when you met me and how we became so close
Jay: Hmmm. How I met you was just from skating. I remember seeing you at Burnaby Park was the first time I seen you and someone told me who you were, and you’d always be at Confed or Leeside. But yeah, Bear Creek and you were just all up in our faces like , Hey who are you guys? And you know this guy, and I was like yeah, this is Stu and Drew and we just like to skate. I think we just met by thriving off seeing each other skate and were always just pumped so we just kind of connected
HM: Cool. What’s the funniest story that you can think of that involves me and you
Jay: Oh man…(smiles)…the funniest…geez, I’d say like, any time we’re going to a spot and trying to like, film some tricks there was always some sort of funny bail or like, something, but I don’t know, that’s a tough one. Because every time we hang out, there’s always something funny and hilarious, so I don’t know about that one
HM: You sure it didn’t involve Colt45??
Jay: Oh yeah, oh yeah. Yeah, that was probably the craziest time I’ve had, probably with you for sure. Just goin’ for it at your house…
HM: (Laughing) Yeah we’ll just leave the story out…
JAY: Yeah (Laughs)
HM: So whenever we go out skating somewhere people always notice you and your style. You’re super solid and have a big bag of tricks. Do you feel like people look up to you as a skateboarder role model?
Jay: Oh hell yeah, like kids for sure. No matter what, I might be quiet or whatever but they’re just pumped. They’re like, Hey you do so many tricks and stuff and I’m just like, yeah that’s what you do, you just practise everything and eventually you’ll just put all the pieces together. Like don’t try and learn it all in one day, just worry about just skating
HM: Yeah, and have fun
Jay: Yeah, exactly
HM: A few weeks ago I had the Re-sheet the Ramp Fundraiser contest at my house and you pulled through and won 1st place, beating out tranny destroyers like Andy Anderson and Eve Feaver. How did that feel?
Jay: Pretty rad, I mean, I’ve never… Well, I’ve skated my fair share of mini-ramps and went to jams, but I don’t know, I think it was just one of those days where you like remember all those sessions and you’re just like, you wanna pull something wild just because all those other times, that’s what happened
HM: Was that like the craziest Mini-Ramp Contest ever or what?
Jay: It was hectic for sure (Laughs), yeah like I’ve probably never witnessed such a hardcore jam on a ramp before, for sure, hands down
HM: Everybody in at once (Laughing)
Jay: (Laughing) Everybody, everybody. You name a person and you know they were puttin’ in about 150%
HM: What was going through your mind when you were trying to Tail Drop off the top rail into the ramp at the end?
Jay: I just always remember seeing Josh Evin doing tail drops and I’d always see him like, not worrying about the drop just knowing where you wanna land and just ride it. No matter what, just stick it and you’ll ride it, and the minute I jumped in I just knew, I got it, I just have to land on it, You’ll roll away, you got it
HM: So you stuck that shit for Josh?
Jay: Yeah man, for sure. ‘Cause he was, basically, you know, somebody throws something out of nowhere, it’s him. You know, he was the guy
HM: Yeah, with bare feet…
Jay: Yeah, in socks, bare feet, yeah, definitely
HM: What was the best Contest you ever won?
Jay: You mean first place, or just winning in general? ‘Cause I would say the first one at Langley Industrial. I had like the most ghettoist shoe setup, ghettoist board and somehow I was like, landing everything.
HM: Well you needed a ghetto board to fuckin’ skate Langley Industrial (Laughs)
Jay: No it was mint back then, it was brand new
HM: What is the best accomplishment in your life?
Jay: Probably being able to do the one thing I love which is livin’ life, having fun, hangin’ with my friends, and skating
HM: What was your favourite company that you were ever sponsored by?
Jay: Oh man, favourite company ever…. I’d have to say Bruise
HM: Name the person you look up to the most in life
Jay: In life? Man…….. I would say like, my Mom…
HM: What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not skateboarding
Jay: When I’m not skating, creating. Probably creating anything, creating something
HM: If you could pick just one spot to skate for the rest of your life, where would it be
Jay: Hmm. Probably here
HM: White Rock Res?
Jay: Yeah definitely
HM: ‘Cause it’s gonna keep changin’
Jay: Yeah, I’d say this place
HM: Jay, I’d like to thank you for being a guest on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. It’s been a pleasure to hang out with you for so many years and I can’t wait to see where we venture together next. You’re an amazing skateboarder and an awesome friend, and you truly are The King of Style. Jigga Jay everybody…
Welcome to Episode 3 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. We’re hangin’ out all day today with one of the most consistent skaters in the Fraser Region. He was named “King of the Bowls” and “King of Surrey” last year in 2011 at the raw age of 15. His sponsors include Protest Skateboards, Vans Shoes, Kilian Clothing, Monke Hardware and Pd’s Hot Shop. Give it up for Andy Anderson!!
Andy Anderson: How you doin’ Mike?
Hippie Mike: Good, Andy, we’re gonna get right into this, your only 16 years old but how long have you been skateboarding?
Andy Anderson: I’ve been skateboarding for 12 years, so since I was 4
HM: Wow. Can you explain how you first met me and what influence I had on you at that time
Andy: Well, I met you at a Cloverdale Hippie Mike’s Competition. I came in 3rd in Beginner or something, back when you didn’t have Mini. And all I remember is this way too big yellow Substance T-Shirt that I won. I wore it around my house for like 2 weeks, man
HM: So we’re here at the White Rock Bowl/South Surrey Skate Park where you have been training at for the majority of your lifetime, do you think this park has made you the skateboarder that you are today?
Andy: Definitely, because of the various obstacles here. Nothing is actually made for skateboarding, at least that’s how it feels, but I don’t know, White Rock teaches you how to be a Well-rounded Skateboarder – tranny; difficult street
HM: What do you think would be different if you had grown up somewhere else?
Andy: I’d be more based upon one style of skateboarding I think. Also, you’re pretty excluded out here, like it’s the other side of the world for North Van, you know, so I don’t really get to watch that many people unless they’re locals
HM: In the past few years you have consistently placed Top 3 in the majority of competitions that you entered. Is there added pressure in your mind to always win because of that?
Andy: Well that has started recently, but not really, I try to keep that all out. I always fall; I always get extremely hurt whenever I feel slight stress and my mind gets all scrambled. But as long as I’m not worried about winning, I always do good
HM: What was the best contest you ever won?
Andy: King of the Bowls (Big Smiles), Whistler… Ah man, that was awesome. That bowl just like, the park makes the competition because the park is so great, and then they host such a great competition at such a classic bowl. I don’t know…
HM: Well Whistler’s a great bowl though, and Whistler has 3 different parks in reality you can skate so there’s all different kinds of styles
Andy: Yeah!
HM: I referred to you as one of the most consistent skaters in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Region, and it’s true, especially in contest runs. How does it make you feel when you know that everyone else at the contest is sitting there hoping you screw up during your runs so they have a chance to win?
Andy: (Laughs) Uhhh, I’ve never thought of it like that. I just always try to block out everything else
HM: Do you think that they have that thought in their brain or are they actually routing for you to win, again?
Andy: That has legitimately never crossed my mind (Laughs)
HM: Okay, tell the world about the support that your parents have given you and are still giving you in your ventures as a skateboarder
Andy: Oh Man my parents are great. They help me out with everything. They bought me stuff when I needed stuff, you know, that was a big thing, and like I don’t know what to say about them…. Dad drives me out to Victoria every year for like a week and we just go skateboarding. He would take time off, like a fuckin’ week, to go skateboarding. And he doesn’t even skateboard. It was awesome
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Parks
Andy: White Rock, Leeside… Oh man, this 3rd one’s gonna be hard to hit…. I’m gonna say Hastings
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Spots
Andy: Oh man, Cooper’s Park for sure (under the Cambie Street Bridge), uhhhhh, can you count Bear Creek as a Skate Spot?
HM: Sure
Andy: Okay Bear Creek Park! And, ummm, Georgia Banks
HM: Name your 3 favorite Skate Companies
Andy: Oh like legitimately? Vans, Skull Skates, Protest
HM: Name your 3 favorite people to skate with
Andy: (Deep Breath) I do a lot of skating by myself, but….
HM: Are you one of your favorites to skate with?
Andy: (Laughs) Okay yeah, myself. You (Hippie Mike) always push me to do shit, because like nobody pushes me, there all just like kind of sittin’ back yellin’ “Do it! Do it!” getting me really hurt all the time. So you’re definitely not in the Top 3 (laughs), no you’re up there. I don’t know.. Who else do I skate with, Joe Buffalo
HM: Joe Buffalooooo!! Tell us about your favorite Skateboard Experience ever
Andy: King of Bowls, King of Bowls
HM: Last year in 2011, you won 2 huge titles in this region: “King of Surrey” – for placing in the Top 3 the most times in Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey & “King of the Bowls” – for the same status in the Bowl Series. Right around the same time, you got put on Team Protest, and had a video part in the latest edition of The Protest Profile on the Ear Goggles DVD. What was it like to be 15 years old and have all of this happening at that time?
Andy: Phew, dude. Skateboarding is like my complete life right? So when skateboarding works out it’s just my whole life is working out. It was great. It was the peak so far
HM: In May of this year, 2012, you showed up to the World Round-Up Freestyle Skateboarding Contest hosted by Kevin Harris and asked if you could enter. How come?
Andy: Well, my girlfriend wanted me to go to the Rodeo, and I wasn’t super stoked on it, but I heard there was this skateboarding thing going on so I thought I’d show up and I thought it would be a bunch of guys doing Tre Flips on flat or something, but it ended up being a full-fledged Freestyle Competition
HM: During the Finals, legendary photographer Jim Goodrich came over to where we were sitting and complimented you in front of your parents saying how nice you were, how talented you were, and how you were the one pushing the rest of the group to try harder. How did that make you feel?
Andy: I didn’t know Jim, but really like, how popular is a photographer?? But afterwards I looked at some of his photos and they’re just some of the most classic stuff, like Jay Adams, and like, oh my gosh… so that felt amazing. Jim’s a really nice guy
HM: You ended up placing 5th in the Amateur Category out of about 16 people from around the globe. Did that change your life in any way?
Andy: (Laughing) I didn’t realize that I was that good at Freestyle
HM: (Laughs) So you’ve always practised Freestyle? Are you some sort of “hide in your room” guy at night just doing primo tricks?
Andy: Well I was for like 1 winter. I just got super into like Truck Stands and Primos and stuff, but I always do Manuals and Shovits when I’m skating and that’s a big part of Freestyle, I didn’t realize that
HM: Are you stoked to have a legend like Kevin Harris invite you to perform Freestyle Demos with him?
Andy: Yes, that is amazing. Kevin Harris is an amazing guy, and he’s got me doing some amazing stuff
HM: So far, you have mastered all types of transitional skating like old bowls, new bowls, mini-ramps, barricades and pools, you can lay down tons of ledge and rail tricks wherever and whenever you want to, and you made a name for yourself in the Freestyle World, what the hell can we expect next from Andy Anderson?
Andy: Hopefully some flip tricks
HM: (Laughs) Alright, I want to thank you for being on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I have known you and taught you skateboarding skills since you were 7 years old.
I saw your potential right away to be an amazing skateboarder and an amazing person, and I’m glad I got to be there to help encourage you all these years. You are one of the nicest kids out there on the skate scene, you keep it humble, not cocky, and you truly are living in your Glory Daze right now, and I think it’s still gonna get better though…
Andy: Glory Daze…
HM: You make me very proud buddy – Andy Anderson everybody…..
Alright, Welcome to GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. We’re here at the Monke Warehouse and Dry Spot with owner and chief – Ben Chibber.
Hippie Mike: How’s it goin’ Ben?
Ben Chibber: I’m good, how are you?
HM: Good, Um, just to start off, give us some history about Monke Skateboards. Number one, how old are you right now and how long have you been skateboarding?
Ben: Uhhh, I’m 40 years old now and I’ve been skating for I think 27 years now. On and off for 27
HM: What made you wanna start a skateboard company?
Ben: What made me start? Well, actually… I was sponsored in California, and then I didn’t really like California so I didn’t think I could live down there, so I was up here trying to figure out what to do and I went to college and I wasn’t really into the college thing and I was just like, I gotta get back into skating, what can I do? And the first thing I did, actually I started, or was in partnership with a Skate Shop (Ground Level) up by UBC
and I was importing Girl and Chocolate skateboards and basically just carrying that stuff in that skate shop and after that I was just like, wasn’t really into the retail thing so I went for the wholesale, distributor thing. And I started a Skate Company
HM: That’s Monke Skateboards
Ben: Yeah
HM: What’s the hardest part about a skate shop?
Ben: What’s the hardest part of a skate shop is just basically sitting there all day long. And just trying to market the skate shop. I’m into more moving around and being active so it didn’t really fit what I wanted to do in life…
HM: So what year did you actually start Monke?
Ben: Uhhh, well I was thinkin’ about it for a couple of years. Actually I think I started thinkin’ about it in like ’95 and then I was going through different concepts, but I didn’t actually choose one until like ’98
HM: Why “Monke”? Where did “Monke” come from?
Ben: “Monke” came from, ‘cause we’re basically monkeys just fooling around on our boards. You know, like a lot of parents call their kids monkeys, right? When they just like climbing on stuff and playing around and that’s basically what we do, we’re just a bunch of monkeys foolin’ around on a board
HM: Did you create the design?
Ben: I came up with the concept, and then I brought the concept to my artist, and then we worked on it together
HM: Okay, ummm, Spring Clean Up…(laughing)… What d’ya got? Let’s see some Old School here
Ben: Okay, well, this here is the first Monke Video (Pulls video off shelf and shows camera)
HM: Monke Madness
Ben: Monke Madness. I took my time to figure out how to film, and bought a camera, and…
HM: What’s your favorite part when you watch Monke Madness?
Ben: Oh, my favorite part would be, obviously, Ted DeGros. Just his skating back then. He was only 15 or 14 in this video, and he was just such a rad skater. Had a bunch of different guys in this video…
HM: I know a guy named Ben Chibber that’s in that video and he skates Langley Industrial. That’s the old Langley. I think your part starts there
Ben: Oh yeah, yeah that’s right. But uhhh, yeah, Ted DeGros’s in this, Russ Milligan, Geoff Dermer, Trevor Houlihan
HM: Jason Bailey
Ben: Bailey. Infamous Bailey, from Tsawwassen. Can’t forget him. Bunch of other guys. Oh and in the friends section, I had Keenan Milton, Jason Dill, Tony Ferguson, and uhhh, a couple other locals like Cyrus and… I can’t remember who else. I haven’t seen the video in so long. I only made a thousand copies, and this one’s actually still sealed
HM: What year is this, like 2000?
Ben: Yeah it was, it was 2000. It took me 2 years to film this video and then I put it out, and Jeremy Petit – Big Guns…
HM: You know that I moved here in ’98 from Ontario and I knew Monke Skateboards before I moved here?
Ben: Yeah I was workin’ hard back then (laughs), tryin’ to get it out there. That’s sick. It was actually easier to get product out there, but now a days, I mean back then a video was cool, like how many videos came out? But now we got the internet and the so much skate footage out there that you know, you start a skate company and put a video out there, no one even cares
HM: (Holds video up to camera) Do you kids even know what one of these things is? (laughs) It’s a VHS
Ben: I don’t know what else I got here… Oh, I got Russell milligan’s promo tape… I got Brian Weary’s video. People know Brian Weary, 403… Current sponsors: Source Skate Shop, United Riders, 403. I liked Brian Weary, but we just had already too many people on the team. You can only commit to a certain amount of people
HM: So whad’ya think, lookin’ back in time, what was your favorite experience in the 1990’s?
Ben: As a skater, the 1990’s?
HM: ‘ Cause I mean, to me, the 1990’s were what made skateboarding what it is today, because in the 1980’s, skateboarding was huge and then it kinda fell down, and almost fell right off the map, and then the ‘90’s brought it back, and today has fed from those technical days of the 1990’s. So what do you remember the most about the 1990’s
Ben: Oh, just goin’ down to California and meeting everybody that was part of the skate industry, and all the main dudes. I was lucky enough to like meet all those guys and skate with those guys, and hang out with those guys
HM: Like who?
Ben: Well, obviously I grew up with Rick Howard skating here in Vancouver. Now he owns, or has his hands in like 5 different skate companies and he’s done really well for himself. I mean, I remember skating with Jamie Thomas and Ed Templeton, and just being there. I was down there when like World Industries first started and just seeing that. Just seeing those guys kind of doing their thing, like when H-Street was huge, that was pretty sick, right? It was just cool to be down there. And Vision was super big, the company, and just meeting all those crazy fuckin’ ‘80’s skaters. They were just, they were crazy
HM: They were. ‘Cause skateboarding was definitely a different feel back then, like we’re not accepted into society, you know, skate parks if they existed were out in the trees, and really they didn’t exist. So there was Vert Ramps, there was Pools and there was Street
Ben: So you’re saying, what was my favorite, what do I really think about? Well yeah, I guess I think about the first time I ever went down to Cali, and you know, I hung out with Jason Dill when he was like a little kid. And like hangin’ out with the first girl that did a handrail…. Sasha Clark. She’s the first girl to do a handrail. Actually she works for, I think she works for Soul Tech. And just seeing all those people, yeah it was rad. Seeing Gonz down there, that was sick
HM: Yeah
Ben: What little I have, I cherish (laughs) because I don’t have that much, ‘cause I wasn’t that competitive for that long. (Pulls out a skateboard trophy)
Anyways, this one right here is probably my favorite. This is my most talked about skate contest when I was a kid. It was 1989, I don’t know what the day was, I think it was like Spring or something. But we used to go to these contests in Corvallis that were like to qualify for the ones in California. So we’d go to Oregon, and then the next ones would be in California, and then the next ones would be in San Diego, if you made it all the way to the finals. So this was the first one, and I got 4th so that means I would’ve qualified to go to the next one. I got fourth… the first place was this little kid named Chris Brandon, I don’t know how he got 1st, but he beat Salman Agah who got 2nd, and if you don’t know how Salman is he’s the guy that basically made up switch. He did all the first switch ollies, the switch nose wheelies, the switch kickflips, I think. I remember him doing back footed kickflips, I’d never seen that before. He has a Pizza place now in L.A. by the Berrics(Pizzanista!). So anyways, he got second, and then 3rd was this asian guy, I can’t remember what his name was… Yip… no his name was Yip Tat. He got third. And then I got fourth, and then I think Mike Carroll got fifth. And Mike Carroll, obviously everyone know who Mike Carroll is, he was skater of the year before, I don’t know what year it was but I was lucky enough to beat him so… don’t hate me. (Pulls out another trophy) And then there was the mini-ramp contest. So there was the street and then the mini and on the mini-ramp I got 11th.
HM: Nice
Okay tell us about this picture (pointing to a magazine photo on the wall)
Ben: That photo…. I went on a skateboard tour with Vision Skateboards. So they flew me down to California and we went in a van with a bunch of guys from Cali and we went to this Regional Contest. It was an Am Regional Contest, it was the major contest back then, you know. There wasn’t that many things goin’ on back then so that was like the main one. So that was at Phoenix, Arizona. So we all drove out there. This is a really famous spot in Phoenix, Arizona, all the locals know it. And I ended up shooting this photo and they gave me the back of Transworld. And actually I was the first Canadian to get the back of The Skateboard Magazine. I guess that’s a good feat right?
HM: I’d say so
Ben: Actually I want to find the original. (finds it in another room)
I found it. It was sittin’ right there, forgot where I put it. So here it is. This is how everyone knows me, in California. So the Transworld Skateboarding Mag, June 1990, I think the photo was taken in the winter, in Arizona. And on the front cover, here’s Jim Thiebaud (flips magazine over), and here’s me. See Jim Thiebaud’s one of the owners of Real Skateboards, right? And actually at the Real Premiere, I didn’t really know Jim Thiebaud, I had just seen him, like I remember seeing him back in the day doing wallrides in San Francisco. But I went up to him and I was like, “Hey Jim, how’s it goin’? I’m Ben Chibber.” And he’s all like, “Oh I know you.” And then after and I was looking again at the magazine, I was like, oh, maybe he knows me because he was on the friggin’ cover and I was on the back. I don’t know if he got another cover or not, but it was monumental. Back in the day, there was only 2 skateboard magazines and it wasn’t even that thick, so if you were a skater, you would know every single photo in there. It not like now where there’s a million photos and there’s a million magazines, and there’s a million kids, back then there was only a few people in the magazines. Oh there’s Tony Hawk doin’ a 5-0 on a handrail
(Pulls out another magazine)
This is the first Concrete Powder magazine. It’s not even the first Concrete, it’s the first Media Kit for Concrete. There’s Sluggo on part of the cover, and then there’s me. I got the 3rd page. Doin’ a 1 foot.
So this is basically the first print of Concrete. And there I am, I don’t know what it says about me. It talks about the Expo Banks, The Langley Skate Ranch, Rob Nurmi – he was the main photographer. They mention the Richmond Skate Ranch, thanks Kevin Harris. That was huge. And this is how they started the magazine. That’s my buddy Darren at the Langley Skate Ranch, and then I think I got one more. Oh yeah here on the back, right there. And then Colin McKay, doin’ a nose grind tail grab. So sick
HM: Tell me about this picture
Ben: Oh that picture, okay. That’s probably one of the first 5-0 grinds that I ever did. That’s probably ’89 or ’88. See there’s Colin McKay right there (in the background) grabbin’ his nuts. Colin was a funny guy back then, he’s real funny (laughing) he was always up his little antics. I remember that day, that’s in Richmond and we just stumbled across this spot and I ended up 5-0ing, I don’t even know who took the photo
HM: What is that from?
Ben: Someone from the crew just took it and gave it to me. I think that rails still there
HM: Would you 5-0 it right now?
Ben: (laughs) Sure, why not? If I had to, sure…
Oh, that’s my first skateboard right there. (Walks over to a skateboard on the wall) That’s my very first skateboard. I think I have to take it down, it hasn’t been taken down in years. (takes it down) oh my God, it’s got friggin’ dust all over it. Look at that thing. I think I’ve got Craig Johnson’s signature somewhere on here, from like, ’86. Anyway this is my first skateboard. I don’t know how many people you know that they rode their very first skateboard to “the end”… Basically, I had friggin’ no nose, and I had to drill my holes forward for the back truck to even get more tail, ‘cause I had no tail. So I was basically doing my sweepers and stuff, that’s all we did right? We’re doin’ sweepers, and trying to do handplants with these decks, and anyway, I got this deck from Skull Skates. This is a Steve Olson deck, Skull Skates – Steve Olson. And the son skate now and he’s a Pro, Alex Olson, that’s his son. I got it from P.D. Obviously P.D was the man back then, everyone bought their boards form P.D.’s Hot Shop, right? If you were a skater, so…
(Move into Skatepark)
HM: So tell us about The Dry Spot, the indoor skate park, The Dry Spot. Why did you start The Dry Spot?
Ben: Um, I started The Dry Spot because I just wanted to be more connected, locally. With the brand, I was extending myself out into the world and I just felt like I was travelling around too much, and I kind of just wanted to be more local. So I just changed my business plan into more of a Service Type business. And I wanted to collect cash from people, instead of like “bouncing, rubber cheques”. So that’s basically why, because of the down turn of the economy
HM: Has The Dry Spot been successful?
Ben: Yeah, I mean we’re on our third year, and there’s been ups and downs in doing it, so I learned a lot in the last 3 years about people and business… It’s life lessons, but you know, everything’s good.
Do you wanna know what we do at The Dry Spot?
HM: Yeah, Whad’ya do at The Dry Spot? Plug The Dry Spot. How do people come to The Dry Spot? What is it for?
Ben: The Dry Spot is a place that is mostly built for younger kids, so, you know, it’s built for the younger kids, but the older kids are always welcome to come. This is where a parent can drop off their kids, and it’s a safe environment, it’s controlled. We do lessons, and birthday parties, rentals, drop-ins and skate camps.
The Dry Spot
#312 – 8495 Ontario St, Vancouver, BC
604-324-4962
HM: Awesome. I’d like to thank you for coming on GLORY DAZE, and just thanks for everything you’ve done for the skateboard community over the years. I know a lot of people don’t know it, and might not give you the credit for it, but I know what happened
Welcome to the very first episode of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike!! We’re here in North Vancouver at one of North America’s oldest skate parks – Seylynn Bowl. Today we’re spending time with a true “old schooler” that’s still out here representing on the board. Sponsored by Sector9, he was King of the Bowls in 2004, the original owner of Push Skate Shop and still one of the original NV Locs. He just turned 40 years old a couple of weeks ago but that’s not slowing him down one bit – give it up for Eve Feaver!!!
Hippie Mike: First off, how does it feel to be the very first person ever profiled by Glory Daze?
Eve: Feels pretty good, yeah it’s an honour
HM: How many years have you been skateboarding?
Eve: Well I got my first skateboard when I was 6, so about 34 years ago… Actually skating on it all the time, probably, close to 30
HM: Who were your biggest influences as a kid?
Eve: A good friend John Munro who I skated with together for a long time and had a lot of fun
HM: Who are your biggest influences now?
Eve: Right Now?? My kids are a very big influence on who I am, and my grandfather. He’s living in Ontario, and he’s an artst and a very humble man
HM: Name your 3 favorite people to skate with and why…
Eve: Only 3, eh… I try to enjoy skating with anyone who’s around, but 3 people, I’d have to say – Bushman (Don Wilson). We’ve skated together a long time and we’ve got a lot of great connections and things in our lives in common, and we get along pretty good; Umm, Jamie Sherratt, same thing. We’ve been skating together for a long time and family ties, man. People you know who have families bring you closer together; and uhhh, Surfer Mark. Skates here, and you know usually you pop by for a few minutes after work and there’s only a few select people who are always here, and he’s one of them, a lot of fun to skate with
HM: Where is your favorite place to skateboard?
Eve: Seylynn, without a doubt
HM: Were you here (at Seylynn Bowl) for the Opening Day back in 1978?
Eve: I was not here – I was 6. It wasn’t something that my parents were necessarily a part of, so, I wasn’t a part of it
HM: Name your 3 favorite tricks…
Eve: My 3 favorite tricks? Nosepick. Hand Plants. And I guess, slides of all sorts… powerslides mostly.
HM: What do you do when you’re not skateboarding?
Eve: Family; my kids and wife. Try to do some sports with them, golfing with them, or just hanging out. That’s pretty much it, skateboarding and family
HM: Have you ever got a Hole in One?
Eve: No (laughs), not yet. It’s gonna happen though
HM: are you prepared for the amount of money it’s going to cost you when you do get a hole in one and have to buy the entire golf course a drink?
Eve: I am not… it’s gonna be on my own little, made, backyard, 1 hole golf course
HM: What year did you open Push Skate Shop?
Eve: 2004.
HM: What year did you sell it and why?
Eve: 2007 or early ’08. It was about 3 ½ years. It was hard to have a Skate Shop, a fulltime job and a family. One of them was going to go, and that’s the one it had to be. We wanted it to stay there, it didn’t matter who owned it, as long it was there. Everybody needs a place to stop in and hang out for a second, you know, grab a pop or something
HM: How many companies have ever sponsored you
Eve: (long pause) One. That’s it
HM: Any appearances in Magazines, Videos, Tv?
Eve: I have never had a single picture in a magazine. I have a couple of small parts, like a shot or 2 in one of the Sector9 videos, in a Protest video, and The Seylynn Story – a documentary on the park
HM: One of the best videos ever… Were you ever involved in the planning of any skate parks?
Eve: Yes, one in Coquitlam, in Maillardville, which is being built right now. It’s another New Line Skate Park. We’ve been working on that for about 4 years or so, and it will be ready soon, hopefully in July
HM: Have you ever had any serious injuries?
Eve: Uhh, serious enough, yeah. I separated a shoulder at Hastings, which… sucked. It’s hard to work like that. And I fractured my tibia at the RDS Park. Landed flatbottom on the big ramp and my heel smacked my tibia. That sucked too. But no, I’ve been pretty lucky. A little skin left a the parks, but no real breaks
HM: What is the toughest thing about being 40?
Eve: The toughest thing about being 40?… Um, wondering if I could keep up, and so far I can, although I don’t quite have the air in the lungs as much anymore, but I think I can get there
HM: Do you consider your skills on a skateboard to be better or worse now compared to when you were 20?
Eve: Better. You see, it was “doing” a trick at the start. And now, it’s “feeling” a trick. I enjoy all the small parts about everything I’m doing. I don’t know, it doesn’t have to go by fast anymore. I can take my time. I can still move fast and still enjoy every small bit of every trick
HM: What’s your opinion of having soooo many skate parks for these kids today to access – good or bad?
Eve: It’s great. It’s awesome that they get so much variety. Instead of just flatground type skateboarding, there’s such a mix now. You can decide on any day to go do a completely different type of skateboarding, so yeah, it’s good
HM: In 2009, we experienced the tragic episode involving a head on collision in the bowl right here at Seylynn Bowl Series contest and we lost The Mad Carver – Don Hartley – forever. I know you and Don were good friends and had known each other a long time. How did that day change your life?
Eve: (long pause)… It’s changed it for every day after. I think about him every time I skate; every day, if I don’t skate. A real influence was Don Hartley. Not just on a few – on many, many people, from all parts of his life… That day, I was in the run, it was during our run – all the Locs, everybody that knew each other, and it happened. And it was like the hammer dropped, you know, everything changed from that day on. But he has a very strong family, and you know, they’re great, so, I don’t know how much more to……. you know…. it changed a lot of people, and I am just so grateful to know him at all. I thank skateboarding for that. I wouldn’t have known him otherwise
HM: If you could change 1 thing about today’s world, what would it be?
Eve: That people would care a little more about just everyday life with everybody else. We all gotta deal with all the same problems basically, so everybody’s gotta recognize, you know, and take a second for everybody else
HM: Describe who “Eve” is on the inside, and what motivates you to be that person…
Eve: Umm….. I like to do things… I like to work hard. Whatever it is I think I take pride in what it is that I’m doing. Try to have fun with everything I’m doing…. I don’t know, that’s a tough one. How do you talk about yourself that way? I look to my influences to help me make choices too. It’s not just me. I am other people as well. I am who I came from. And sometimes there are battles, and sometimes you’re thankful for all that you have. That’s me I guess – don’t need too much, just happiness I guess
HM: Do you consider yourself to be a leader or a follower?
Eve: I think I am a Leader, but sometimes I know my place, and can follow
HM: What is the best accomplishment in your lifetime?
Eve: Well, kids are my best accomplishment. I guess that’s the standard one. But something that I’ve done that is only mine…… King of the Bowls (2004)
HM: Who was the coolest Pro you ever got to skate with and where?
Eve: So, at the old Richmond Skate Ranch, I got a chance to build some of the ramps with Lance Mountain, and that was pretty fun. And Neil Blender was there too and me and some of the guys that were there went for a street skate through Richmond with Neil Blender. To see a guy that you only see in the magazine or something and it was a fun time just hanging out with another skateboarder who just happened to be from another place. That was good. But there was also Steve Caballero I got a chance to skate with there. Um, Adrian Demain, but Ray Underhill was one of the funniest, friendliest guys I ever got to skate with
HM: What’s the best beer to skate with?
Eve: Uhhh, Ozujsko??? (laughing, since I had just given him his first taste of Ozujsko during the interview)
HM: Name your 3 favorite skate brands of all time…
Eve: Powell Peralta, Skull Skates and Sector9
HM: What is your most influential Skate Video to watch?
Eve: Seylynn Story – always
HM: And finally –
Do you ever see yourself quitting skateboarding?
Eve: Nope, not for a second. No matter what happens, I gotta roll still, so that’s the way it’s gonna be
HM: So I’d just like to thank you for coming on Glory Daze, especially being the first person ever. One of my favorite people to skate with – anywhere – Eve Feaver…
