JOSH KALIS
W
HAT'S THE FIRST THRASHER
you ever saw?
You have a baby now. Do you think you
have to make your life legit so you can feed
Damn, I don't remember, but it was a long your kid?
time ago.
What year did you start boarding?
I was 12 when I started skating, so 12
years ago.
How old are you now?
I'm 24.
Who do you think has the best tré flip?
The best tré? Jovontae Turner.
Oh yeah, totally.
Is that the main reason you still skate every
day, or do you still love it like when you
were 12 years old?
I still love it.
What is the best thing about skating
for you?
Honestly, there's just freedom.
that the world has to look out for?
I can't think of anybody.
What about all that flip-in, flip-out stuff; do
you think that's all right?
No, I hate that shit. It's wack; everybody
already did that.
Mike Carroll and H Street.
I know, I know. I've seen it all, and if you
really want to look into it, just look at the
old New Deal videos. Maybe it's cool for
kids who are just skating around and trying
SKATEBOARDING SETS EVERY SINGLE
TREND THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW"
For real?
Yeah, because nobody can fuck with
Jovontae's 360° flips. Jason Lee has really
controlled 360° flips, but as far as just the
look, I'm gonna have to say Jovontae. Then
again, Geoff Rowley has a very controlled
one too, and so does Jesse Paez. I've watched
his 360° flips, and when he 360° flips down
shit, he ain't playin'. He controls it.
How long have you known Lil' Stevie?
Since I was 16.
Where are you from?
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
And you ended up in Philly. Why did you
pick East as opposed to West when all the
other fools moved to SD?
My mom lived out here. Plus, I like the
city-I always loved to hop on the train and
just be out, and I love the atmosphere.
What do you think is going on now with
skating and all these kids gettin' buck wild
on the rails? It ain't skating now; it's just
stunts and tricks.
I was just asking myself that same ques-
tion. It's cool as shit, but makes me feel at
little insecure.
You don't have to feel insecure-you have
great style. It's like watching Mike
Carroll; when you watch the master, that's
the real deal.
That's true and I feel the same way. Then
again, when I see somebody kickflip backside
lipslide a 15-stair handrail, it makes me feel
like I have to take my style of skating to
another level.
It looks like it just flows from you; it's natu-
ral. It's like your part in the video: you don't
fake it, you just say, OK, this is what I want
to do.
Yeah, that's true.
Of just going wherever you want to go and
getting it done?
That's it, exactly.
True skating and freedom: those are things
you can't buy at school.
Skateboarding sets every single trend that's
out there right now.
What's the story on Love Park?
It's a hit or miss. You can skate there for a
week without getting kicked out, but then
you can go back and get kicked out every day
for the next week.
Are there any kids coming up right now
to land that stuff just to have it in the
books, but as far as pros go, we've already
done that.
Been there, done that, now let's take it to
another level.
Yeah.
Skating is never going to be stale because
people are always going to step up.
Yep.
Anything else you want to say to those
Thrasher readers out there?
Keep doin' it. Keep jumpin' off everything.
-Jake Phelps
Frontside bluntslide.