INTERVIEW BY SIMON WOODSTOCK
I met Alan Petersen a few years back at Palo Alto Skatepark
through Karma Tsocheff, a mutual friend of ours. Alan was done
skating for the day, so I didn't get to see him ride. As I glanced at
the park, the cement was still smoldering. The smoke from those
flames would endure for weeks as tales were told by the locals
about just how big that fire was.
Over the last few years, Alan and I have been on each other's
handshake list whenever our paths
come to cross. We usually take time
to grab a bite to eat and talk shit
about whatever is on our minds. I
guess you could call us friends.
Recently, Alan moved from his
hometown Fresno to Campbell, CA,
across the street from my apartment.
ALAN
Two ships that were sailing the zany sea of skateboarding were now
docked at the same pier. I hung out with Alan during the shoots
for the photos you will now witness of him. I caught some of his
babble on paper too. Simply put, any terrain, any gap and any
trick he pleases, Alan Petersen is bad ass!
Hey Alan, what's up lately?
I've just been hanging out at
home with a girl that flew down
from Oregon to see me. We just
drink and watch a lot of movies.
All you do is watch movies?
No, not really
So now you live in Campbell?
Yeah, with Salman Agah.
Didn't Jason Adams live there?
Yeah, but him and Salman had
some differences.
Do you plan to stay for a while?
Our lease is up on our apart
ment in a couple of months. Then
I plan to move to Concord with
Karma and Wade Speyer.
Aren't you, Tom Knox and
Karma Tsocheff from the
Fresno/Visalia Triangle?
Please don't remind me about
that
But isn't that where Kevin
Thatcher said you were from in
your first pro contest in SF?
Yeah, I got upset because Fres
no and Visalia are two separate
cities and I don't see how they
form a triangle
But you still got second. How
much money did you win?
Two thousand dollars. I opened
my first bank account the next day.
These days you would be lucky
to get two hundred dollars for
second place.
Who's going to be the next
Consolidated pro?
Jesse Paez
What about Roger Seliner?
He is pro already with no model.
He doesn't want a model because
he sees all his friends that have
models freaking out.
Is it true that Tom Knox got
into a scuffle with a sheriff
from Visalia?
It's true, but I don't know the
details. All I know is he has a
lawyer going to court for him.
Tom Knox pioneered today's
street skating in my book."
Yep, anyone who slags on Tom
Knox is fucked in the head.
Where have you been skating?
Yesterday, I tried to do a
frontside 50/50 on a cement dou-
ble kink, but I couldn't do it and I
freaked out. I'm going back
tomorrow to make it.
Who is that one author you like
so much?
Charles Bukowski.
And the music guy you have a
picture of on your wall?
Henry Rollins. One time, I heard
a story about Henry and lan
MacKaye. They both worked at a
tropical fish store and one day a
kid wanted a special goldfish out
of a tank full of goldfish. Henry and
lan teased the kid for a long while
Yeah, I guess everything is and acted like they couldn't catch
pretty slow these days.
You seem to be doing really
good in these slow times.
the fish when they easily could
have. When they finally did catch
it, Henry put it in his mouth and
Consolidated takes care of me, swallowed it whole. The kid ran
Keenan and Birdo rule.
out of the store crying
KOON WAY TO THE ARE
FREAK
UULA
32
PETERSEN