else who would go around being a
dickhead in the city causing trou-
ble and smashing windows, and
getting chased by people. And
skaters aren't seen the way we are
over here; not everyone knows
about skating. In Liverpool kids
see you on the street and are like,
"Fuckin' skateboard freak, what
fuckin' shoes are those, what the
fuck pants are they, why you
wearin' your dad's pants, get some
money." They just give you shit,
and if you do anything like punch
them in the face and fight, the
next time they see you they'd all
just fuck you up.
What would happen if you
I wore a Birdhouse shirt with a
penguin holding an umbrella
or something into a bar?
I don't know. It wouldn't be
good, really. Just because of the
way they are, they'd be like,
"What's that? It's not Nike or
Reebok, fuck you." Every kid is
just tweaked like that.
Did you get in fights when you
were younger?
When I was younger I got into
a lot. Then when I was fifteen I
just really got into my skating
and chilled out for a bit. Over
the last few years there've been
a couple.
Did you graduate high school?
Yeah, but you don't graduate in
England, you just finish it. So I fin-
ished and I did okay.
When you first moved here,
you were just a little kid and
kind of nervous.
At the time I rode for Flip, and
Flip had just moved here. Geoff
Rowley told me to just come over,
that I could go back to England,
but to come to America. They got
me over here just to check me out
or something. I'd go out with
Jeremy Fox and he'd be torturing
me, telling me that someone had
to learn 360° flips. I was just like
fuck, is this what skating's about?
I skated with everyone on the
team, but I just felt like shit and
wasn't comfortable with my skat-
ing. Then I met Andrew Reynolds
and Dan Rogers, and a bunch of
people who skated with me for
me, and you could just feel that. It
made me feel a lot better and
more confident.
It's easier to skate with friends.
Well, when someone wants to
skate with you because they want
to skate with you it's good. But
when someone's skating with y ricks, you get good, then you're spon-
because they want to be like, sored, and you're at the bottom of the list
this kid good, should he and building up again. Then you're about
around?" it's just like, fuck off. o be pro, but you've got to be one of the
Do you have any pets? op amateurs because of what the pros
In England I have a dog call are doing now. Skating's getting to where
Mitchie and a cat called Winstcertain pros are in charge; they get the
and I have an iguana in my roomost board sales, and obviously the com-
Does your iguana still rany you ride for wants you to be one of
around your room?
he top pros, so you've got to try and be
Yeah, but there's a heat lane of the best ams.
for it so it stays over there are you going to be able to crush
chills by that. Then at night veryone at all the contests because
sleeps, and in the daytime it's ou skate the Vans park?
the window.
I know you're interested
Bruce Lee. Why?
Me? Oh, I don't know about that.
you're pretty good at contests though.
I get lucky. I just go and see if it
When I was really little I works out.
started watching his movies, ou don't care about it?
every time I'd think of a me I like to do well because it will help me
that I wanted to watch it would ut, but really I don't care who wins a
a Bruce Lee one.
acking contest. Of course I like to win.
What about music? You se ut there are people who go and stay in
to like music a whole lot.he warehouse for sixty hours practicing
Yeah, because that's an easy me trick and then they go and do it at the
to be inspired to get all your gontest, so they should win.
feelings out. If you want too you smoke weed?
pissed off, listen to some depr No. I ate mushrooms like twice, 'cause
ing music. If you want to go ra was my birthday, and I was watching
listen to some fast music, or whe Doors at the time, but that was just a
ever gets you off.
heesy excuse. I just tried 'em.
Have you had a girlfridow do you feel about
since you've been out here untington Beach?
No.
I just love it.
Are you looking for one, or ho's the undisputed king of
e Ashtray?
you care?
I don't want one right now. The Ashtray? I saw Ed Templeton rage
like meeting girls and hanging ere one time.
and doing whatevs.
ho's the king of the Vans park
It seems like there are a loght now?
amateurs getting more at Ronnie Creager. Rick McCrank can kill
tion these days. Why do too.
think that is?
hy did you had to move off Warner
Because today it's like this venue? Why are you breaking up
start skating, you start leare family?
We got kicked out of the house, but it
sn't even my apartment. I was just
ying there. We did so much shit; we all
really into remote control cars and
yed with them at one in the morning,
there were sketchy people next door
us. We just tortured them and made
ds of noise.
hat's special about skate-
arders that drives them to do
this crazy stuff?
efore I skated, I did a lot of
ngs like play soccer and
ss around with martial
I was doing it, but I
sn't really feelin' it.
ere'd be kids on the
cer team who,
en we got beat,
uld cry, and
were the
players.
www
Left: Brits are known for their quirky sense of humor and funny little habits like
nollie flipping off ledges that really ought to be too big for that sort of thing.
Above: Frontside slider around tea-time.
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