82 T
Not afraid
to pay the price,
Nanda Zipp don't think
fast as I can. So, that's been my main interest, graphic and adver
tising design. That's what I'd like to do beyond skateboarding
You play music and paint. What do those outlets do for you?
I love playing music and listening to music just the same.
because my skills as far as playing music are limited, but when I
listen to a record, those limits are being surpassed by someone
else's playing. To listen to music, it's awe inspiring. You're
going beyond your own limitations and hearing sounds that only
certain people can produce, so you can forget yourself and get
enveloped in the music. With painting, it's a release just like
skateboarding Skateboarding is a release from life, and painting
is a release from skateboarding.
What are some other activities that you like to do?
I spend quite a bit of time working on designs in my room,
working on the computer. Playing with the cats. I have two
cats. Jiva and Kasbah, and they're a lot of fun and a lot of
work too. I always look forward to coming home to them
because they always purr.
As far as skateboarding, are there still some goals that you've set
for yourself that you haven't accomplished yet? Where do you see
yourself as far as your skateboarding career is concerned?
I don't have any goals as of now. I didn't think I'd ever come this
far with it, and as long as I can keep having fun, I don't care what
level I'm on, fun is the most important thing to me, just to be able
to enjoy skateboarding. I'll always skateboard as long as my body
will let me, if it means having a ramp in my backyard when I'm fifty
or driving to the local skatepark to skate, it doesn't matter to me.
As long as I'm skating. I don't really care about too much.
You've had the opportunity to travel America and beyond. How has
that affected you?
Travelling definitely helps put America into perspective
There's so much negativity towards America from its own citi
zens, and I know because I take part in that negativity when I
see things working out the way they do sometimes. When
you go to other countries, you realize the conveniences
that the United States offers, and you realize the oppor
tunity that US citizens have. It's really inspiring. There's
no need for anybody in the US to feel sorry for their
position, because we live in a society where you can
get whatever you want, you just have to put in the time
and the energy to get it. In other countries, they don't
have that opportunity. Some countries decide for you
where you're going to be, what jobs you're going to do,
and they're more socialistic. We live in a place where you can
twice. Volcano Drop.
He skates street, he skates
vert. If he don't make this
Madonna, it's gonna hurt.
In the ten years since this
trick's inception, it's pretty
much stayed the same.
Classic slider.
have anything you want, you just have to
use your mind and your body to achieve
it. So, travelling definitely helps me real-
ize that and to realize what a gift we
have as Americans.
How has travelling abroad made you view
skateboarding?
I've noticed that skateboarding
revolves around the Pacific Coast-San
Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles-and
through travelling I've seen skateboarders
that are just incredible, but because they
live somewhere that no one ever goes.
they'll never make it in the skateboarding
market. It's really humbling because the
pro circuit is so small relative to how
many professional-level skateboarders
there are out there. There are only a
handful that actually have a board and
are active in the professional circuit
Where's the most incredible place you've
ever been?
Norway. We just came down from driv
ing on a glacier, and the car stopped for
a pit stop, so I skated down the hill about
half a mile by myself and stopped to wait
for them. I looked around and I was on
this fjord, and I looked down around me,
and all I see is green, and the only thing I
hear are these lambs with bells on, and I
felt as if I was in a different century, it
was like a time warp, and I remember
thinking, "What am I doing here? How
did I get here? I'm here because I skate-
board. I'm in a place that's untouched by
time and am here because of a skate-
board, a modern convenience." It was
really a weird place to be.
RVP-542
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Any comments you'd like to make at this time or
any people you'd like to thank for where you are
now in skateboarding and as a person?
I'd like to definitely thank my parents for
everything they've done for me. All my family and
friends, because without them, I wouldn't have
gotten the support that I did. All my sponsors.
Gavin, Corey, Sonic, Hosse, Physics, Ruben at
Thunder, Rob at Airwalk, Joel and Scotty over at
Sessions and Este, and everybody who's ever
helped me out. There are so many people, I don't.
even want to say names because I'll feel bad for
leaving people out. But, if you gave me a ride back
from the skatepark every day, then you know who
you are and thank you. And I'd just like to ask
people to take a look at the world from a differ
ent standpoint, because when people begin to
narrow their vision, society and culture become
narrowed. Just view the world from other people's
eyes. And just be happy.