Robert Brink - Writer

15 Things You Didn't Know About Lance Mountain

July 2, 2005 | Skip To The Comments (0)

15 Things You Didn't Know About Lance Mountain
By Rob Brink
Skateboarder September 2004

1. Lance is really Lance's middle name. His first name is actually Robert.
2. Lance rejected his first graphic that Powell drew for him because it was a drawing of Lance's head exploding. He didn't think his head on a skateboard was something appealing to him or others and asked them to change it. The result was the now-famous “cave drawing” graphic.


3. Before leaving Blind, Gonz asked Lance if he would take over for him, which lead to a meeting with Rocco and Natas asking Lance about helping to get Big Brother magazine up and running.
4. Because of his affinity for Britain, Lance named his company the “Firm” after the British Mob that bares the same name.
5. Lance is believed (by himself and others) to be the fourth person to land a McTwist behind Mike McGill, Lester Kasai, and Tony Hawk.
6. Lance's smallest paycheck was for $14 from Variflex skateboards. His highest from them was about $50.
7. Lance got kicked out of a freestyle contest and banned from future freestyle contests for inciting a movement where John Lucero and all his friends threw their boards onto the course during Lance's run in attempt to cause confusion.
8. Lance won more contests as an am than a pro. But while pro, he has won pool, vert, street, and an old man contest—making his trophy collection quite diverse.
9. Lance was once invited to George Harrison's house after a demo and had a pizza dinner with the Harrison family. Tom Petty was also present.
10. Lance was once chased by Italian police and then held at machine gunpoint for taking a photo of the officer while he was bombing a hill on his board.
11. Lance's film career consists of appearances in Gleaming the Cube, Police Academy 4, and Thrashin'. He skated in all three films. For Gleaming the Cube, Lance was hired to teach Christian Slater how to skateboard. After weeks of not learning how to skate properly, Slater fired Lance.

12. Lance did the original sketch for Ben Schroeder's first Dog Town graphic. He also sketched the Rick Demontrond “Spidey” graphic for Santa Cruz, and a Girl graphic for Mike Carroll which he won't reveal but swears is the “worst skate graphic ever.”
13. Lance has a rare medical condition which he had dubbed the “halfro.” Where some of his hair is straight and three distinct patches are afro.
14. Lance lived on the same street for 37 years (and planned on staying there his whole life) but just recently moved for investment purposes.
15. Lance used to live next door to infamous music producer, Phil Spector (Ramones, Beatles), who currently has murder charges against him and is awaiting trial.