Robert Brink - Writer

Ali Boulala Interview

May 2, 2006 | Skip To The Comments (10)

Ali Boulala
By Rob Brink
etnies.com March 2006

Wrote this one for etnies.com. Throughout the interview, Ali said "I don't know" and "fuck" a lot, but I had to cut that kinda stuff out for the site. Not that many people get the chance to interview a guy as outrageous and elusive as Ali, and, even though this is a basic interview for a younger audience, I'm stoked that I had the opportunity to do it.

etnies would like to take this moment to proudly introduce the newest addition to our family...

A man eclectic enough to be added to an already well-rounded and diverse roster. A man who surfaced on the scene in the mid-90s and following in the footsteps of Tom Penny, elevated switch stance skateboarding to a new level. A man that takes on some of the most unskateable and unlikely terrain—and makes it look effortless and fun. A man who's produced some of the most unique and entertaining video parts in skateboarding's history.

He gives new meaning to the term “flair”—leopard print is no match for him. A man who doesn't quite ride for Baker, but is elite enough to continually be granted parts in their videos. A man who almost ollied 25 stairs in Flip's Sorry and if it wasn't for the reality of inertia and gravity, he might have actually landed it. He's a man who'll take etnies to realms it's never seen before. He could be like every other pro if he wanted to—instead, he chooses to be Ali Boulala and we're delighted to have him on the team.

How and when did you start skating?
I bought my first board in Mallorca, Spain. We came here on a family vacation there and saw skaters and my brother was like “why don't we just buy boards instead of playing video games” or whatever we were doing. So we bought our first setups there.

How long ago was that?
Oh I don't know but it was fuckin' long ago! At least 13 years ago maybe.

Do you remember what your first setup was?
I had a Toxic board, that's not even around anymore. But it had some gnarly green wheels. My brother had a Dogtown board.

Who were you skating with back then?
Just some random friends around the block, like whoever was living in the area that had a skateboard. My brother too.

Who were the any early influences on your skating?
I definitely was heavily influenced by Mike Carroll. It varies. It was always something different but definitely Mike Carroll.

When you first came on the scene, from the looks of some older footage it seemed like you were very influenced by Penny…anyone else?
Well I just said Mike Carroll.

Before you discovered skateboarding, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I don't think I had any idea whatsoever. I had no dreams of being a fireman or anything like that. I never had a goal.

When and how did you realize that skating contests wasn't for you?
I don't know, man. I won some back in the day so maybe there was a little bit of hope there. I watched some in Sweden when I was a kid but I never really took it seriously or tried to be like “I'm gonna win!” So I guess I was never really like that.

What might it take to make you actually enter a contest again?
I dunno, I guess if I was there I would try to skate. It's not gonna be the best run though. I am not really against it. It's just that I'm shit at it.

What do you enjoy most about being a pro?
Everything about it basically. You can do whatever you want. And skating is what I want to do anyway.

What's something about being pro that you didn't anticipate would happen before you were pro.
I never really even knew that you could get boards for free and I was shocked. And that's not even being pro. I had no idea you could even make money or anything.

Is anything bad about being a pro? What are the downsides?
Like I said, there aren't really any because you are doing what you want to do.

What do you think of skate videos these days?
Definitely too many coming out constantly. You just lose track. It was more traditional back in the day when just one video came out, one gnarly video and that was the one you watched all the time. Now it just seems like everyone is doing like two videos a year or something like that. But still, of course keep making videos, what else are you gonna do?

What videos are you watching lately?
Jeremy Wray's part in Second Hand Smoke.

What are your all-time favorites?
Probably Second Hand Smoke. The first gnarly one was Hocus Pocus. That was like “Okay, wow, this is insane, I didn't know this could be done!” Then maybe Questionable, then of course the first Blind video, Video Days. Those earlier videos where there was just massive leaps in skating. Pat Duffy grinding a round kinked rail, it was like “You can do that? You can like, balance on a round kinked rail?” So probably Questionable was the most memorable.

How do you always end up with a part in the Baker videos?
They are just my friends. I dunno. They want me in there I guess and I want to be in there.

Do you enjoy filming video parts?
It just depends if you are psyched to do shit or not. That's what you have to do as a pro all the time anyway so might as well try to make it fun.

You hit spots a lot differently than most skaters, do you look for a different way to hit stuff, or does that just come naturally? You seeing things kinda differently?
Laughter. I guess so. I am just so out of it that everything is all different. I don't really try to look for it, its just there.

How does it feel to be part of the etnies team? Is there anyone in particular you are stoked to be on the team with?
I already knew everyone to begin with, so that's always good.

Is it more comfortable being on a team that has more of your fellow Flip riders?
For sure, that helps. But I know everybody else too. Its all just friends basically so you know it's gonna be good.

Nearly everyone rode a pair of etnies at one time or another while they were young, do you remember your first pair of etnies?
Probably some Sal 23s or something like that.

What's your favorite etnies shoe to skate?
Depends kinda. The Faction is good for sure. But the Arto is good if you want to blast some shit. Kinda hard to say.

Who do you skate with mostly now?
Depends whoever I am on a trip with or whoever is in the area. Just random people basically.

Who are your favorite skaters of all time?
Well, back to Mike Carroll again and the Penny days. I am gonna have to say Danny Way too. I was definitely psyched on him back in the day, like in Hocus Pocus and all that, but still, Danny is gnarly as fuck.

So far, what have been the highlights of your skateboarding career?
Signing this etnies contract maybe…hahah! I don't know. It always seems like the latest thing is the greatest thing. This Mallorca trip was great.

What do you enjoy besides skating?
Guitar. Not much else maybe.

Who in skateboarding do you admire right now?
I dunno. I can't think of anything.

What are you working on currently? Any filming or anything?
We are trying to do another Flip video, so who knows. I guess that's what I have to try to work on.

How about a trick you want to learn but just suck at?
Backside noseblunt slides or something like that.

Favorite terrain to skate?
It really depends on the day. I don't really have anything that I like the most.

How about your gear? How do you go about picking out clothes for your wardrobe?
I dunno. I just see something outrageous and put it on basically. Hahaha. Like “That looks flamboyant, let's put that on!”

How does skating differ for you in the USA vs. where you are now at home?
Well, skating is skating, but it's more like the situations around it, like in Europe you don't have to worry as much about getting arrested or get kicked out or whatever. But maybe some spots are different or the ground is not as smooth. But its all skating.

Why the choice not to stay in the US? How does it benefit or negatively affect you to not be in living in the USA.
Of course I can't always go deal with my sponsors or make decisions. It makes it a bit harder. But I want to try and get back so I can sort this type of shit out.

If you could tell the skateboarders across the world one bit of advice, what would it be?
I dunno man, I really can't give any advice. Don't do what I do.

Wheelspin reverse donuts...

Stats:

Date of birth: 1-28-79

Favorite skaters: Mike Carroll and Danny Way

Hobbies: Guitar, Motorbikes, Fires

Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden

Current Residence: Lyon, France

Stance: Goofy

Sponsors: etnies and Flip

Likes:

1. Guitar
2. Fires
3. Wheelspin Reverse Donuts
4. All the Jimis/Jimmys (musicians)
5. All the Johnnys (musicians)

Dislikes:

1. I really don't know