December 19, 2008
Festivus: Downtown Showdown '08
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag February 2009
It’s virtually impossible to be surrounded by a few hundred of your friends in a Hollywood replica of downtown Manhattan, with Slayer’s "Angel of Death" playing at mind-shearing volumes while Jon Ponts kamikazes himself twenty-something feet across a pentagram-shaped monstrosity of a skateboarding obstacle named the “Five Points of Pure Evil” and not have a good time. Im-fucking-possible.
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December 19, 2008
Festivus: Goofy Vs. regular 2008
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag February 2009
Winning is played. Seriously. Throughout all of history, people just want to win shit. Free stuff, games, wars, bets, the affection of another person or many people, skateboarding contests. Wanting to win just starts trouble and drama and usually results in mental anguish or a loss of income and pride. So, in an unprecedented new marketing strategy that will soon resonate and be imitated throughout the entire industry, The Skateboard Mag decided to lose this year’s GvR on purpose. Keep an eye on your inboxes for the big press release next week.
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December 19, 2008
It's nice to be able to speak/post freely about my friend Jose riding for etnies now. Waiting for the formal announcements and ads are hard sometimes, especially when you are sitting on tons of cool photos and video and most people know the scoop already.
Anyway, we did an interview the other night for his "Welcome to the team" deal. Part one of three is live. I like it.
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October 29, 2008
Cara-Beth Burnside
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag September 2008
Cara-Beth Burnside has been skating for a looooong time. She’s won, and is still winning, lots of contests. She had the first female pro model shoe—ever. Back when having a pro model skateboarding shoe actually meant something. She’s been in the Olympics for snowboarding, but she’s over that now—strictly skating. She’s a brown belt in karate, so don’t call her Cara or she’ll fuck you up.
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October 27, 2008
Jason Adams
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag December 2008
There are more than a few pro skateboarders out there who cringe when you ask them how old they are. Jason Adams isn’t one of them.
I read an old Big Brother interview with you and learned all about the BMC [Beautiful Man’s Club]. Is it still in effect?
Just in spirit these days. There’s still a few people out there. It was me, Jai Tanju, Tim Brauch and Crazy Eddie that started it in an elevator in Long Beach during a trade show—as a joke. It was created out of way too much time on our hands and we just drank way too much. But next thing you know now there’s like BMC Japan and they’re still fully into it. Years ago I went there and they had BMC shirts, all written in Japanese.
Were those the dark years?
Kind of. I did drink a lot, so half the time I was having the time of my life the other half was dark depression. I was just pile of shit basically. The high moments when you’re just partying everything’s great. And then there’s the next day and you’re like “God I hate myself. I don’t hardly skate anymore and I feel like shit and I’m broke and I live in a shitty house with eight dudes.”
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October 6, 2008
Milestone: Corey Duffel
By Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag November 2008
Corey Duffel admits to being a certifiable drama magnet. Some of it, as you may know, has been self-inflicted and highly publicized in the skateboard media over the years, while other parts of it might just be the fact that Corey stands out in a crowd. He looks and dresses different. He has presence and a big mouth every now and again. It could be something in the cosmos—some weird energy. You know that friend of yours who’s always having odd or funny or crazy stuff happen to him for no apparent reason? That’s Corey.
“Drama is following me constantly,” says Duffel. “The worst part is, I try to avoid drama, yet I’m always stuck in the middle of it. Whether it’s with fucking girlfriends or fucking kids or whatever. And cops never leave me alone. I just want to sit down and have a peaceful evening, and nope, it always seems to be drama.”
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September 9, 2008
Sticker Recall: A Collective
"Fuct"
By Rob Brink
Skatebook #3
It was like ‘92 or ‘93. The heyday of huge clothes in skateboarding. I didn’t have money for some Blind jeans or Fuct shorts like everyone was wearing, so I rocked the carpenter-style ones, called “Big Yanks,” from K-Mart for $11. Knowing this, my best friend at the time, Mike, got me a pair of dark green Fuct shorts for my birthday. I was over six-feet tall and and really skinny and pale back...
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August 11, 2008
The new enjoi catalog is fun. They emailed me one day and asked me to do a few interviews for it (ie: the entire team), and I couldn't refuse. Read 'em over there, Or steal this.
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July 24, 2008
Bryan Herman
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag, September 2008
Bryan Herman struck me as a simple dude who just wants to enjoy his ride. Simple is always better. So let’s keep this intro simple too, shall we? Bryan made me laugh harder than anyone I’ve ever interviewed. The way he says shit, and the way he laughs before and after he says it is contagious. We sometimes forget how important laughter is until we spend 15 minutes doing it uncontrollably, ya know? Makes you wonder why you don’t do it more often.
So tell us about G Code…
Pretty much if you don’t know what G Code is you can’t have it explained to you. You just got to know what it is—the code you live by, you know?
Whatever happened to the Bryan Herman’s Big Adventure video and the Skatetopia you were gonna build?
I want to do that still. I’ve been filming with Beagle for a long time. We’ll just go and fuck around and that’s the stuff that’s kind of cool. I was going to put it together for my mom for a Mother’s Day gift—all the things I’ve been doing over the years. It would be sick to come out with a video and call it Bryan Herman’s Big Adventure.
Did you get your mom anything this Mother’s Day last week?
I cut out a bunch of pictures and I made a little collage book for her. Me and my two brothers did it. It was all artistic and shit. Reminded me of third grade.
Awwww… the sensitive side of Bryan Herman. This will be a touching interview.
Nah man. That ain’t gonna happen.
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July 23, 2008
Kyle Leeper
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag, September 2008
Kyle Leeper always looks like he’s on a vacation. He’s one of the funniest, most quotable people you’ll ever meet—without even trying to be. He’s a simpleton who doesn’t sweat the small stuff… or even the big stuff. He’ll instantly lighten up a session or situation if he sees it getting too intense.
He’ll give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. One time I happily returned the favor when he needed to take a shit at a spot but had nothing to wipe with.
He’s patient and makes everything look effortless… from rocking a plaid pair of shorts with slip-ons, a v-neck tee and some goofy sunglasses, to insanely teched-out no comply variations on flat or skating some weird-ass obscure spot. To be quite honest, skateboarding needs more people like Kyle.
You did a Black Label demo yesterday. Do kids ask who the hell you are?
All the time, dude. They think I’m like, the team manager. Is this going well? I feel lightheaded. Interviews freak me out. Are we halfway done yet? [Laughter]
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