D.B.: Mike, to start this off, do you know
the capital of Belgium?
M.S.: A good question, D.B. Even better
-I have the answer, BRUSSELS.
D.B.: How about Texas and Florida?
M.S.: Austin and Tallahassee, these are
easy. How about some more?
D.B.: No, that's okay. You seem to know
every capital in the world.
M.S.: Ya.
D.B.: New subject-you've been around a
long time-who have you ridden for?
M.S.: Name them all?
D.B.: Yes.
M.S.: Well, the first team was Juicy Lucy,
the local slush stand-then Tai Stick,
Hobie, Sims, Dogtown, and now Madrid.
D.B.: How about trucks?
M.S.: Lazer, Energy, Tracker, and now
Indy.
D.B.: How long have you been skating?
M.S.: About five years-one year was
freestyle.
D.B.: Were you any good?
M.S.: Does a car roll? Is Elvis king? Is a
bluebird blue? I mean, I beat Phil Jetton
and Rocco all the time. Like the way I
skated at Oasis freestyle contest. We're
talking talent.
D.B.: I remember-The Jaws meets the
Ventures on Van Nuys Blvd. routine was
awesome.
M.S.: Ya, it was great, Virg. But they
wrecked my music.
D.B.: I recall.
D.B.: Where did you start bowlriding?
M.S.: At the Runway in Carson.
D.B.: What was going on then? Who was
ripping? What were the awesome moves?
M.S.: Frontside grinds, backsides edgers,
air, inverts, rock-n-rolls, backside and
frontside roll-ins. Steve Alba, Lonnie
Hiramoto, Howard Hood. They were the
best.
D.B.: Who are your favorite skaters now?
M.S.: S. Alba, M. Alba, T. Alva, Olson,
D.P., Caballero, Billy, Neil Blender, Lance
Mountain. WILDMAN MoFo's pretty good,
and Al Losi if he pays me the twenty
bucks he owes me.
D.B.: Losi owes you twenty bucks?
M.S.: Yes, he made a bet that he'd win
me at Del Mar, he lost. I want that money
or two sets of bearings and four sets of
rail grabs.
D.B.: Would you settle for a Losi deck?
M.S.: No.
D.B.: What school do you go to?
M.S.: Mira Costa, it's keen.
D.B.: Do you get in a lot of fights?
M.S.: Sometimes, but mostly talk fights. If
anybody gives me shit, I'll get them with
my bodyguards.
D.B.: You have bodyguards?
M.S.: Yes, so don't mess with me. I got
girl bodyguards too. They're pretty tough.
D.B.: Well, knowing that, I'll try not to
offend you-but do you get in a lot of
trouble?
M.S.: No.
D.B.: Has skateboarding helped you in
life?
M.S.: Yes, because it makes me feel like
I'm better than every one else.
D.B.: So you recommend skating to
psychological health.
M.S.: Yes.
D.B.: Tell me about your model board.
M.S.: I have a white one and a purple
one. The white one's really light because
it's six-ply-it's for small people-and the
purple one is what I'm riding now. It's a
little heavier but it rides good.
D.B.: What kind of riser pads do you use?
M.S.: Ha, ha-rubber ones.
D.B.: Cruiser style.... Now that you have a
permit (class 4 only), what do you plan to
do with it?
M.S.: I'll put it in my wallet and ride my
motorcycle.
D.B.: So say something about American
highways now that you're a driver.
M.S.: They're frightening. I already got in
an accident with a ten-speed.
D.B.: Was anyone wasted?
M.S.: Yes, my gas tank and his thumb.