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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 5^th 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…..