GINO
and
Photos and Interview
by David Ritchie
JAMES
Gino Perez, 19, and James
Qua, 20, have been friends
forever. Over the years, one
thing has stayed the same: the
love of skateboarding. The
following conversation took
place at James's home and
flowed with ease.
James throws his hands in the air and waves 'em like he just don't care.
How'd you meet?
James: I used to skate at Eagle Rock, and Gino
would come down and skate the launch ramp
with us.
Gino: Then it turned into Glendale High.
James: Yeah, it was Glendale High, and then it was
just skating all the time.
So, now you're teammates, and you practically live
down the street from each other.
James: And we hit the same taco truck.
Gino: Rambo's.
James, you're going to school, right?
James: Yeah, Computer Science major.
What does the single life consist of at age 20?
Gino: Got your dope ride, tell 'em what kind of car
you've got.
James: It's a '96 Civic with chrome rims and..
It's red. Tell us about your driveway.
James: It scrapes the driveway, because my car
is lowered
How'd you fix it?
James: I put on metal sheets, so my car
scrapes on metal instead of concrete.
Gino, what's your car?
Gino: Volkswagen, man.
What are you doing to it?
Gino: Fixing the interior. Putting in new lining
and carpet.
James: And fuzzy dice.
Gino: And white walls.
James: r all the ladies.
How long have you been skating?
James: Since the 9th grade.
You just saw someone doing it?
James: These guys Brian Grice and Chuck
Wampler, the guy who got shot at Lockwood, built
a ramp down the street, and I came down there
and started skating with them.
Gino: I started in 7th grade and got a little
Variflex Ninja board, but I didn't take it seriously
until 8th. I got a Caballero.
James: I started out with a Suregrip, but my first
real board was a McGill.
Gino: It was all jacked up. I was all happy. I was
all, "It goes fast."
James: Yeah, I used to see him at Eagle Rock,
and he'd be all small going off the launch ramp.
This tiny ass kid going high off the ramp.
You guys are both pro. How's that work?
James: I don't know. You get a phone call and you
have a board.
Gino: You don't get a phone call. You go down to
the skateshop, and you see your board up there.
James: Then the pressure is on!
You've got to perform now.
James: I'm a rookie.
You guys have been ripping contests ever since.
James: Every single one. I show up at all of them.
You used to skate for The Firm, right?
James: Yeah. I met Lance and skated with him for
a long time, and then he put me on. I didn't know
until I was in the video. Then I skated for him for
another two or three years. After a while, I guess
you go to college, you get your education, and you
start thinking about a lot of things in life, you start
questioning things, especially things that are always.
handed to you. I started to question a lot of things.