KIT
ramp and then the older guys heard
about it and started coming around.
They could already drive, so they
would take us around with them.
When you hang out with older guys,
you really get shaped by them. They
helped point us in the right direction.
We were already addicted to skating.
All the older kids moved on or out of
All
town, but we still carried on their
influence. We just had a strong base
of friends and fun to grow up with.
Why did you quit Toy Machine?
was going through kind of a stag-
nant point in my life. I was totally
satisfied with the team, but I needed
a change. I just felt like maybe I
wanted to ride for someone else.
Why?
Well, the ams weren't even getting
paid. I tried to talk to the people at
Toy Machine to see if we could get
some money for Elissa, Bam, Kerry,
and Maldonado, and there really
wasn't an opportunity for them to get
paid. I thought it was crappy, because
everywhere I went everyone carried
on about how Toy Machine was the
best team and how they sold so well.
I just felt that if we were doing so
well that everyone should at least see
a little bit of the pie. I had already
gone through three years of collect-
ing bottles and cans and eating
Ramen noodles, and I didn't want the
dudes on my team to be put. that
same position. When it came down
to it, it was just something I had to
do, move on and leave the guys
behind, which really sucked.
So you're happy with Element?
The team is great. We just got
back from Australia-some sick
skating went on over there. We also
just finished a new video. It's got
footage from our US, Europe, and
Australia tours, so it's going to be a
tour video-a lot of obstacles and
Above: Super cool switch 180° to Smith on a refrigerator-sized
ledge. Right: Stylish backside drifter off a tight buckler of a tranny.
some street skating. It's got good
skating and some fun stuff too. By
the time it comes out, we'll already
be working on our next video, which
is going to be our rawest video.
Everybody's going to have like four
minutes of their best stuff.
What was it like being on tour
with Natas?
Sick man.
Did you look up to him as a kid?
Oh yeah. You find yourself star-
ing at him like a goofball, and you
have to apologize, like, "Oh, sorry,
man, I forgot." It's weird. You have
lots of questions. I saw him back
in the day on the Cadillac tour
with Julien Stranger, and I can
still remember what he was wear-
ing that day. It was definitely a
pleasure to finally meet him.
When did you meet Elissa?
I was staying with Tom Penny and
Chad Muska and they had just
started getting some money, so
they had an apartment and let me
park my bones on the couch.
Muska had told me about her and
then we went out to Florida and
met her. I thought she was sick and
wanted her to be on Toy Machine.
We all told Ed we were down for it,
and so we got her on the team. You
meet people sometimes and you
know that they're your friend. It
was instantly like we had known
each other for a long time. You kind
of have that bond in skateboarding.
66 THRASHER