By Steve Cave, About.com Guide

Rodney Mullen is, for me, hands down the best skater we’ve got. Rodney Mullen has invented a massive list of tricks, he’s taken first in every freestyle competition he’s entered but one (that one, he was sick. And took second!), and he’s well known a very easy going, humble, friendly guy. I got to talk to Rodney Mullen recently, and here’s what he had to say:

What first drew you to skateboarding? And what keeps driving you?

Rodney Mullen – Skating first appealed to me because of the type of people that did it, plus the fact it wasn’t organized or coached. There was no “perfect swing” to master; everybody did things their own way, and every way seemed “right.” There was nobody telling me that I wasn’t good enough, or that I should be more like the other guy, or that I had to beat the other guy… Even at contests, skaters didn’t seem to be competing against each other; everybody just did their own thing, together. What drives me is pretty simple: I love skateboarding. It helps me be me; it’s how I feel free.

On your video segments, you look ridiculously comfortable and natural. Where does that come from?

Rodney Mullen – I’ve been doing it for a while, plus I guess my mom had good balance.

When no one is filming, what’s your skating like?

Rodney Mullen – Embarrassing. I just cruise around and build on movements that seem to offer promise for what’s next for me, or just simple motions that feel good depending on the spot. I’m not that interested in repeating hard stuff that doesn’t point to something new; I try to keep my eye on what’s weak about my skating. Plenty of that to work with… I almost always skate alone, in the middle of the night– no cameras and stuff. It’s my time.

What do you do with your time when you aren’t skating?

Rodney Mullen – My wife says that the best way to describe my life is Forest Gump. I find myself surrounded by extraordinary people that give me unusual opportunities, so I do the best I can. Pretty vague, I know– sorry. I nerd out a lot with books, computers, & music, and I’m always close to the Bible. Other than that, I hang out with my wife and dogs as much as I can.

What projects have you been working on lately? (and what happened to the Uber-board?)

Rodney Mullen – I did the Uber stuff a long time ago, and now they’re still trying to “catch up” for mass distribution– not that easy. Besides the Gump stuff, I do a number of things with the company, especially with Tensor & Almost. But the main thing to me is still just my skating. After Round III, I had become limited. I promised myself I wouldn’t film again until I had something to offer. Over the past year, I’ve taken a long and humbling route that will hopefully change that, though I still have a ways to go. I should start filming again in a month or so. Wish me luck.

What advice do you have for skaters reading this?

Rodney Mullen – Just stay close to your skating and your real friends. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of honors just for doing what I love, yet they didn’t add one iota to the value that skating itself has brought to my life. Just stay close to what makes you you.

Interview & Intro by Dustin Umberger
From: 48blocks

Ronson Lambert has been on the scene for over a decade now, beginning his career on the short-lived DNA team alongside some of the more obscure and underrated rippers of the day. Then he suddenly exploded out of the gate with two very innovative video parts – P-Rod’s Forecast and Transworld’s A Time to Shine put Ronson in the spotlight temporarily. But fortune and circumstance changed his path, securing for him a spot out of the limelight but still in the game. Ronson took some of my questions and gave his perspective on those circumstances, and where the game might take him from here on. Based on his determination, skill, and love for skateboarding, I’m betting we’ll see much more of him in 2012.

Dustin: You rode for DNA, which was a solid company but wasn’t in that top tier. It seemed that many of the riders were dudes who were underrated, and some ended up blowing up (P-rod) but others kind of faded away (Micah). What was that experience like, and was it your first legit sponsor?

Ronson: By the time I got on, Paul had already been riding for DNA for a minute and had already parted ways with them. At that time they were revamping the whole team – they added a bunch of new dudes from all over. We all clicked and became good friends. My experience with DNA in the beginning was amazing… Definitely a great life experience as we all got to travel together and skate all these rad places. It was a great thing for that time period. However, after a couple years on DNA, I started to realize that I had an insatiable hunger to progress with my skating and my friends at the time weren’t on the same page; they seemed to be complacent with where they were with skateboarding. So that showed me it was time to move on and to continue progressing to the full potential that I knew I was capable of. Yeah, I was still in high school when I got picked up by DNA skateboards and they were my first legit sponsor. Crazy to think I knew nothing about the business aspect side of skateboarding or how it worked, we all gotta go through that though. All I knew at the time was that I had a company that wanted to support me and my passion of skateboarding.

Dustin: How did you hook up with P-Rod for the first Forecast video? It seemed that your skills had progressed a lot by that time. Were you skating differently and pushing yourself more or was it just a natural progression? Was that part the one that really got you out there and into the public eye, so to speak?

Ronson: First I’d like to thank Paul for having my back and giving me that opportunity. Having a part in Forecast was huge for me! I had a bunch of footage stacked up and my buddy (James) Riff (videographer / editor) thought it would be good if he sent it to Paul to see if I could get a part in his Forecast video. I thank Mr. James Riff for sending my footage to Paul. Back then, he knew Paul a lot better than I did and that’s how I got my part. Before that, I felt like I was under the radar. I was skating differently, having fun, pushing myself, filming, shooting photo’s, grinding hard… putting all my being into skateboarding, that’s what felt right, and truly natural. I knew I wanted to take it to the next level, and when I achieve that then I always want to take it even further. Forecast definitely got me out there and showed the world my skateboarding. I was blessed to be given the opportunity to be in back-to-back videos, Forecast and A Time To Shine, which really gave me exposure. (It was) the best time of my life.

Dustin: By the time of your Transworld part, you were rocking Plan B boards and gear. What was the story? I remember that being around the time that Plan B had just reformed, so I was expecting you to be one of their core ams. It wasn’t long after that you switched to World. Can you explain that transition?

Ronson: I’m always getting asked about this. At the time, I expected to get on Plan B, I felt so confident that I didn’t have a backup plan. It was looking good, it was looking bright, I was hyping up & repping Plan B gear, and doing everything I was supposed to be doing. The team manager ended up telling me that they’re not putting on any ams at that time. I was a kid with big dreams and it felt like the air got let out of my balloon so to speak… I felt blind-sided, and let down, ya know? So when World approached me, offered me a contract, and then after a year to turn me pro and have my own product lines – I was ready, felt appreciated and wanted to (keep in mind that no other company was there for me at that time)… Even though I knew their reputation, at the beginning of riding for them things did feel right and were looking bright. I was hyped – they got a new owner, new TM, were revamping to a more relevant team, and working to change their image, but without any advice or guidance from people in my life to tell me that this was or wasn’t a good thing to do…I took it, I was inexperienced in business and naïve I’d say. Had I known then what I know now… things would’ve been much different with my decisions. Everything happens for a reason. It was definitely a learning experience that I grew from.

Dustin: You seem to be representing a lot of up-and-coming or more obscure companies rather than the big brands. Was this a conscious decision? What is it like to have to market yourself towards a certain style or genre in skating?

Ronson: That’s true; I represent and give props to those who support me. I’ve changed, matured, and learned a lot over the years… and refuse to compromise what I value, whether it’s a big or small brand. It’s not all just about the money, it must also be the right fit and have that mutual respect. I now know how to critique a company for their reputation, mission statement, what they can offer me and what I can offer them, if we are headed in the same direction, support, being part of a team, goals, etc. So if a company’s mission statement doesn’t instill similar values, or I’m not feeling their product, then we’re just not the right fit for each other, and I’ll leave it at that. However, I feel blacklisted; no really big companies have approached me since World. I get surprised at how some people think I still ride for them. It’s easy to get jaded in skateboarding. I really want to leave that part of my life behind me, as I’ve moved on from that experience. As for marketing – well it’s for sure time consuming, takes mad work, determination, and perseverance. I’ve been learning a lot of other skills along the way as well as further exploring my artistic side.

Dustin: Your YouTube videos get a lot of hits, and draw a lot of comparisons to PJ Ladd in your tech abilities and choice of terrain. One criticism I’ve seen a lot online is this idea of your style being too deliberate, for example the way your posture when you land and the way you push. How would you describe your own style, and how has it developed over the years?

Ronson: They do. Well if people say so, sure why not. PJ has helped me out and has been a favorite skater. Though, everyone has his own individual style which is shaped, developed, and refined through progression. My style and posture is a result of a badly broken clavicle that happened during the first week filming for my part in A Time To Shine. People don’t realize that I was wearing this awkward brace called The Figure-8 and in pain while having only three months to film my part, but there was no way I was going to let my injury cause me to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Transworld! I live with this every day since I didn’t take a break to let it heal properly. I’ve just learned to accept and do my best with what I have, and to always push myself to consistently excel. Even though I still hear comments about my style and shit, I don’t take it personal because they just don’t know the facts. But now, because of this interview, they will know if they take time to read.

RONSON LAMBERT – TIMES OF CHANGE – NEW EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE !!!

Dustin: I noticed that you seem to do a lot of your own promotion, and have developed a significant fan-base through your online networking and clips. Do you feel that this is part of your job as a pro skater? Do you think that you are ultimately responsible for the amount and quality of coverage that you get in mags and videos?

Ronson: Being a professional skateboarder, you’re an independent contractor; it’s up to you to make shit happen. Since I’m not currently riding for a board or shoe brand, it all depends on me to get that exposure and support I need in order to keep moving forward. I’ve lost a lot in my life in the last couple of years, and it’s made me really want skating that much more. I’ve taught myself a lot of useful traits because of what’s gone down. I have to push myself to get my own exposure that much more, so I’m always skating and doing what I need to be doing every day – it’s just a little under the radar. I feel like it’s up to me to learn all the necessary traits, and those skills to make it happen. I’ve seen lots of talented skateboarders get dropped by companies real fast; these dudes have all this potential and skill then all of a sudden they have no sponsors. And these skaters are driven, motivated, talented, have great attitudes and character, the whole package! They just don’t know how to get back into it. Without the support from your sponsors… it’s tough for sure. I know what that’s like!

Dustin: Your skating seems to blend the progressive tricks of the 90′s era with a more modern touch. What were some of your favorite videos growing up? Who are your favorite skaters of all time?

Ronson: The 90′s was the era I grew up in and pretty much defined my skating to where it’s at today. I feel privileged that I grew up in that time of transition where street skating was evolving at a fast pace. Back then my older brother was into skating and his buddy brought over the Second Hand Smoke Plan B vid. That was the very first skate video I watched. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I knew what skateboarding was, but damn I didn’t know how these dudes were flipping their boards or anything. I was determined to learn how to skateboard after watching that video, then got my first board from my older bro, from then on it became my sole passion… some favorite vids growing up: definitely Virtual Reality and Second Hand Smoke, Blind Video Days, those H-street videos, Trilogy, the Treefort video, XYZ Stars & Bars, Prime High 5, Planet Earth video, Alien Workshop Time Code, Etnies High Five, Rhythm Genesis, Girl Mouse, Rodney vs. Daewon, Toy Machine Welcome to Hell, the list could go on…

My all-time favorite skaters: Guy Mariano, Keenan Milton (RIP), Daewon Song, Ronnie Creager, Andrew Reynolds, John Cardiel, Josh Kalis, Paul Rodriguez, JB Gillet, Nyjah Houston, The list could go on…

Dustin: Do you encounter a lot of politics and negativity in your role as a sponsored skater? It seems that the climate for pros now has become more competitive, and that the number of young rippers getting exposure has exploded in this internet era of skating. How do you deal?

Ronson: I do deal with the politics and my share of being hated on. I just stay grounded and true to myself and always keep my focus on skating. Times have definitely changed with the advances in technology. I remember it was all mainly about putting video parts out and that’s what your sponsors expected, and was how you got your street cred, that and if your sponsors ran ads in mags then that was a bonus. But as skateboarding grows so do your sponsors’ expectations, and so do most companies. Now it’s changed to contests that were really never too important for most skaters and brands. But over these years contests seem to be all that matters in order to make decent money and to attract the bigger brands. Ams make decent money if they place well in contests these days and they have them often too. It’s a little harder since I’ve turned pro. I feel likes it’s been tough to get into these contests unless you receive an “invite,” or through your sponsors if they have connects, yeah, that part is not easy to deal with… there’ve been many contests I’ve been wanting to get up in the mix at.

Dustin: You seem to incorporate a lot of creativity into your tricks, and your manual combos remind me of Brezinski at times. When you select tricks to film, what are your considerations? Do you feel that spots are equally important? What would your ideal video part consist of for yourself?

Ronson: I don’t really plan ahead. I like to just go. (It’s just) being a street skater, because you never know what you’ll end up skating, especially when you’re somewhere new skateboarding. That’s the best thing. When I get to a new spot, my mind goes crazy thinking of all these tricks I wanna do… and I’ll try and do as many as I can at each spot until I feel satisfied or until we get kicked out. My considerations are that spots are definitely important – every spot is different and gives its own degree of difficulty, for sure, and you have to work with it. Most spots aren’t perfect so despite how consistently you have your tricks on lock, sometimes it could just come down to something being wrong with the spot you’re skating; the right trick but the wrong spot. Most of the time we just work through it. But all around skate spots and the environment you’re skating in do make all the difference. I like skating everything! My ideal video part would consist of spots definitely all over the world. Ledges, gaps, rails, hubba’s, manny pads… a blend of everything would be ideal.

Dustin: How have your family and friends responded to your success in skating? Were they pretty supportive growing up? Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Ronson: Family and friends have been really supportive of my skateboarding. Growing up, coming from absolutely nothing my family left everything then we moved out here to California in the early 90’s. Being a skater was tough but my parents recognized how much I loved skateboarding and it kept me out of trouble and away from things I would have gotten into. Skateboarding kept me focused, so they were real supportive. Being a little street kid and a skateboarder in the 90’s in those raw and pure times – we were looked at as straight hoodrats, taggers, gangsters, shit you name it. When I saw my first ever skate video though, from that day on I knew skateboarding was what I wanted. I could finally control this imagination and dreams of mine and manifest them through skateboarding. At that time, I didn’t realize how much that decision would change my life in a way that there wouldn’t be any words to describe.

10 years from now, I want to still be shredding, innovating, dropping video parts. I see myself as a successful business owner / partner, and fully established and respected in my industry. A supporter of underprivileged children… I really want to be in a position to give back, provide sponsorships and to help those in need, and ones that have helped me in those difficult times.

Jim Greco started his skateboarding life as a rowdy young kid from New Haven Connecticut who hung out with Tim Upson and was known for his determination. One of the younger riders to bring Birdhouse skateboards to new levels, alongside Andrew Reynolds, Greco really started to take off when he, Reynolds and the rest of the infamous Warner Avenue mob holding down Huntington Beach Calif. began to reall branch out in their style and their approach to skateboarding. Not long after, the crew decided to take the means of production into their own hands and kicked off Baker skateboards, which has soared in popularity from its inception. Most recently, Greco has grown with Baker and sparked Deathwish skateboards as well as Baker Boys Distribution. Our guy Tadashi Yamaoda caught up with Greco in Los Angeles and got the scoop in Greco’s latest projects while filming some tricks at Brandon Biebel’s private skatepark.

Chad Muska and Supra Footwear release the Skytop III on the cover of the new Sneaker Freaker Magazine. Along with a full interview with Chad this issue the is one to own!

Let me ask you a tough question first up. Are you feeling as jaded as most people by the sameness of everything these days? What’s your take on the skate sneaks right now?
I try not to focus too much on the industry as a whole. All the things that we’re dealing with in this global market comes back to the product, because companies are scared that people aren’t going to buy what they make, so they’re creating ‘safe products’ which are essentially boring. You get the same exact shoe across the market with a new logo on it or the same t-shirt with the same safe graphic. When economic times get tough the product becomes bland and that’s where it opens up for people that are willing to take these risks to be innovative and stand out amongst the cookie cutters. But it’s really hard for me to judge the industry on the whole because I don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. I try to experience things from one-on-one contact, whether I’m walking into random retail shops or even from friends of mine. I’m not on the internet researching every day, I’m just trying to focus on these ideas that I have and get inspired by the things that I come across in my life.

One of your ideas turned out to be one of the most popular and most copied shoes of the last half-decade. How do you feel about the first version of the Skytop now?
The Skytop I has become a classic shoe in my eyes. I mean, now when I look at it, it just looks like a standard shoe almost. But I remember at one early point thinking ‘There’s absolutely nothing like this, it’s just so different!’ As popular as it got and as fast as it gained popularity… if it was going to die I think it would have died by now already.
The Skytop I has become a staple in our company and I think it’s fair to call it a classic. Hopefully some day you’d be able to compare it to a Half Cab or even the Dunk. It’s been copied a lot and at first it was like ‘So and so’s got their version!’ and then eventually, every brand had their version as well. There’s really nothing you can do about it, except continue to market your product as being the original. You know it’s funny… I know the Skytop I did better than the Skytop II, but for me personally, I like wearing the Skytop II more.

Something I’ve been thinking about recently is that it’s impossible for anything to survive long enough to become a classic. It just gets lost in the digital chatter… Everything’s so fast it’s at a point where even quality becomes disposable.
Definitely, man, it all comes back to the internet. As amazing and cool as the internet is and as much opportunity it creates, it also has so many negatives. People constantly want something new, which in turn leads to not allowing things to shine and become classic any more. You know what I mean? Things just come and go so quick, it’s like kids can’t even watch one TV show. They’re just flicking through the channels. It’s like anything that’s cool, it doesn’t stay underground and cool for very long anymore, because eventually someone’s going to talk about it or blog it or post something about it and then it’s blah, blah, blah. It’s definitely different than it was five years ago. Things are changing very quickly. When I came out with the Skytop I, I guess it kind of polluted our industry. There was nothing like it and now there’s a definite over-saturation of those style of shoes in the industry which then makes me think… okay, what’s next?

Speaking of which, I’ve got the Skytop III right here. That’s what’s next! How would you describe it to anyone who hasn’t seen it? Where would you start?
History tends to repeat itself and it seems like everybody has been looking for ‘80s gear and old school high tops, so I thought the natural progression was the whole ‘90s, technical era. I worked closely with Josh Brubaker who is an amazing shoe designer and really understands the visions that I have. There’s inspiration from different shoes in there of course, all added with our own twist. If you look at the lines closely you’ll notice it really pays attention to the details found on the original Skytop. With the Skytop II we went a little bit higher than the first version and then on this one, we obviously came down to more of a mid-cut to throw everyone off.
I don’t know what anyone thought we were going to do, but they probably assumed we were just going to go even higher I suppose. It’s hard for me to explain the shoe in a couple of words, but it’s definitely part tech-runner and part basketball shoe, mixed in with the lines of the original Skytops…

That’s a fair description. The rubber cage is the most striking feature.
Actually we had the shoe design without it and we were looking at it like, ‘Yes, it’s cool, we like it, but it needs something else!’ We weren’t sure exactly what it was but then Josh had one design mocked up that had the cage. When I saw it I was like, ‘Oh, shit, that’s it, that’s really what’s going to set this apart!’

It’s interesting that you reference the ‘90s, because it was a time when brands had the balls to say, ‘Here’s where we think the future is, if you don’t like it, don’t wear it.’ Now brands seem to be petrified of what kids are going to think.
Absolutely. If it was up to me I would have made the Skytop III even crazier! I’m envisioning shoes in my head that I don’t see anywhere else right now. When I started at Circa back in the late ‘90s, the tech era was dying down at that point but I still had a lot of ideas I was trying to bring to the table. Right now, the market is going to open back up for way more technical shoes. Personally, I’m all about learning more about production, finding out what techniques can be used, from moulding pieces to seamless stitching to sonic welding – all these different applications that are possible.

Your name is still on the tongue… Is that weird?
It was definitely weird when I was 17 and I saw it for the first time, but after 15 years I don’t really think about it any more. I see it as a blessing and an honour. It’s still kind of crazy just seeing these ideas and visions that I have come to life. Everyone’s always told me my whole life, ‘You’re a skater!’ and they sort of pigeonhole you, so to see the stuff that’s come out of my skateboarding life and into other realms has been just so amazing.

Do you feel like the shoe could be the start of a new era? I know everyone’s waiting for something big to come along… but no one has a clue what it will be or what it will look like.
Well, hopefully this will be it. I think there’s definitely going to be a change, things are getting more futuristic again. I mean, as big as the plain and simple thing has been, it’s still just part of everybody playing it safe. Personally design-wise, I’m definitely all over the place and I’m thinking of so many new and exciting designs, but it’s hard for me to find places to sell a lot of the stuff, because it will be too crazy for what the shops want, especially on the skateboarding side. I have stuff in my head right now but if I presented them to the skate shops they would probably laugh at me and never sell it. I mean, the same thing happened with the Skytop I and eventually all the shops that thought it was horrible and said they would never wear it couldn’t deny the fact that people wanted this product. It’s like when we look back on the ‘70s or the ‘80s and their distinct looks, it’s hard to say what the 2000s will be remembered for. I think it’s time for the world to define a new style and a new chapter and go ahead.

Sneakerfreaker.com

Stevie speaks about how he got into skating, DGK, Love Park, and his private skatepark in Atlanta Da Playground.

THE INTERNATIONAL // Sewa Kroetkov Coming Soon.

> Where are you living currently?

I’m living in Holland in a town called Alkmaar, which isn’t far from Amsterdam.

> Is that where you started skating?

Yes

> Where has skateboarding taken you travel wise?

First of all, skating has taken me to almost every city/town in Holland that I usually wouldn’t go. A lot of countries in Europe and it also has taken me to the U.S and especially California.

Read More

Appleyard by Kookus

>I want to start by asking you some personal stuff that no one knows about you ok?

UUUUHH….?

Photo Mapstone

>I recently found out you are from Canada is this true?

FOR SURE, BORN AND RAISED. TIL I WAS 17

Read More

VIDEO PART: VAN dAMn // NORMAN WOODS Coming Soon!

Interview: Sean Peterson

>Norman Woods is one original cat. The first time I met Norman was with the homie Bill. Norman was this little Hollywood High Kid and at the time was one of the only brothas I knew that rocked the Rock-N-Roll look. He was a quite kid, or at least while we were shooting…. That was a long time ago. Can’t get the motha fuckah to shut up now, but he’s still got that drive to skate. He calls me almost everyday and is currently one of the reason’s I stay stoked on even shooting skate photos. Norman’s got a very distinct look and ever since I’ve known him, he’s looked that way. So I wanted to find out how and why he became a rock-n-roll brother in world saturated with conformity.

>So you’re known as a Hollywood High guy, but where exactly are you from?

I was born in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Los Angeles when my folks split up. I was like six years old.

>Where’s your mother from?

She’s from Milwaukee Wisconsin. But I think her family moved to Los Angeles when she was a baby and still lives here. She moved to Nebraska with my dad when she was 21.

>Where’s your father from?

He’s from Omaha. But my grandpa was a pretty big Jazz musician, so they moved around a lot. That’s how he and my mother met in Los Angeles.

>What did he do for a living?

He played Jazz. Whenever I was with him he’d take me to gigs and I’d hang out with all these jazz guys and the crazy women that hung around them. It was a trip.

>What was your father like growing up? Did he ever tell you any everlasting gems of personal growth?

He was awesome, but he went back and forth between Omaha and Denver all the time. My step dad was the one who told me things most of the time. He always gave me weird advice, though. When I was like twelve he told me never to give a girl the whole dick. Stuff like that.

>What was one of your first Childhood memories?

Flying to LA from Omaha and my mom telling me we were going to Disneyland the whole flight. I was pretty stoked. Then I remember meeting all these relatives for the first time.

>How do you think their influences have contributed to your style?

Well, I think they influenced me as a person, but I get my style from whatever I’m into at the time. I just try to look smooth. I’m kind of weird about that stuff. Maybe my dad’s influence is coming out now, because I’ve been fixated with suits lately.

>When did you first step on a skateboard?

The first time ever I was 8 years old. But I ate shit and scratched my face, so I never even touched one again until I was 13.

>Why did you step on a skateboard?

NW: I would see the kids in my neighborhood rolling around causing trouble. There was one kid in particular named Travis. He had a full punk kit with a big Mohawk and shit. He would make me punk tapes because my parents though rock music was the reason white kids were so crazy and wouldn’t buy them for me. It was so different from everything else I saw kids doing, so I wanted to skate. Punk music and skateboarding were one and the same to me at that time.

>Did you graduate from Hollywood High?

No. I went to Birmingham High School in the valley, and graduated from an independent study program.

>One day would you like your portrait to be on the Auditorium next to Laurence Fishburn?

I don’t want to see a big picture of my face that often.

>Back when Hollywood was the shit, what where some of the famous tricks you where there for, aside form the Nollie FS Board slide.

I saw some good stuff. I remember Darrell Stanton nollie back lipping the twelve and Bjorn Johnston nollie 180 switch crooking it. Matt Ball’s front feeble. Random kids killing it all the time, too.

>When did you get into music?

I’ve always been into music. My mom and dad split when I was young and my pops would always send me mix tapes with his letters. They’d have Jazz like Duke Ellington and Count Bassie, and crazy rap like Blowfly and old Too $hort stuff. I liked that stuff a lot so my cousin and I would make our own rap tapes when we were six and seven. But once I was like eleven or twelve I started to get into Rock n Roll. It just seemed more interesting to me.

>Why did you get into music?

Music is the way I understand things. Everything I do I’ve always used certain rhythms to make easier. It’s too hard to explain. Even when I skate I use rhythm and timing to learn tricks. That’s just who I am.

>Like many skateboarders, you let music get in the way of your skateboarding for a few years, why is that?

I had been hanging with some of my punk friends from back in the day and learning guitar a lot. It was new and exciting. Plus there are always chicks around music scenes. That was enough to occupy my mind for a while.

>Now you’re fully back on your board and in the streets getting it done. What happened that re-sparked your dedication to shredding?

I was over being in a band. It’s difficult to rely on so many people just to play a show. So much goes wrong all the time. Plus, I’d started handgun’ with the crew again and skating a little bit. My girlfriend encouraged me to skate a lot, too. I think my friends told her that I used to be really good at it. Some how I was better on my board after not skating for a couple years than I had been when I stopped.

>Who are a few of your favorite skateboarders of all time and why?

I like people who have good styles as well as skills. I’ve always been into Geoff Rowley and Andrew Reynolds cause they make the gnarliest shit look effortless. Melcher is always fun to watch cause he’s does his own thing.

>So who are some of your favorite skateboarders to skate with today and why?

I always have fun with any of the HHK homes like Marcus and Marcelas, Juice, Scotty, Joe Dirt (RIP). Also Ghost and Daniel Knapp are dope to shred with. Lately I’ve been skating with Andrew Cannon too, he always brings the stress level down.

Photos: Sean Peterson, Ayako Tanaka, Oleh Smchko, and Ruben Anders.

>Ronnie Bertino is one of my favorite skaters off all time. When he popped on the scene everyone took notice. Over the top tech control mixed with an incredible style and a welcome addition to any social gathering made Ronnie a staple in 90,s skateboarding.

>What was your favorite time in skateboarding?

My favorite time in skating was the mid 80′s to early 90′s. Reason being is that it was on a whole other level.I remember having to have the newest powell video and I would watch those over and over(stacy was really ahead of his time in those days as far as how he brought skating to the audience. I would jump up right when it was done and skate to the local school yard and pretend I was one of the bones brigade.I was hyped on having been involved when jump ramps were a big thing and skating to every spotsessioning and then skating or taking the bus to the next one. Once the late 80′s came around natas was doing things we thought would never be possible.(ollieing up full size picnic tables and ollieing from a jump ramp to a roll bar on a truck and railsliding it.The transition into the early 90′s from the 80′s was amazing at the time, a dude named Matt Hensley came along with a company called H-Street and started taking it to another level of technical and old school which blended well.

>What do you see as the biggest difference between then and now?

Well, for one, not as many kids were doing it back then. It was the epitimy of being an outcast and a rebel so to say. Now everyone is jumping on a
board and random kids who you thought would never be into it or maybe even hate on it have skateboards. Back then you were not motivated by money, I never said to myself that I wanted to get rich off of it, I think a lot of kids now have that in mind when they buy a board. Back then we did it fun and it happened to turn into something.

>I remember seeing the photos of you doing the switch back lip down the San Diego College rail back in the day ( the first ever done ) and looking back how did you even think that was possible? Back lips down rails were tough enough back then.

Before that I was up in san francisco a lot and skating with some of the best at the time. Mikey Carroll Henry Sanchez, Karl Watson, Mike York etc. I
think being in S.F for the time that I was and seeing what those dudes were throwing down openend my mind to what can actually be done on a skateboard and helped me think of things maybe other kids at the time wouldn’t have thought of. I remember it was a heated session with duffy Jeremy Wray, Colin and Rodney. Duffy was doing a backside flip over the rail and for some reason a switch backlip popped into my mind. I just started trying it. It took me a bit but (not blowing smoke up my own ass) but I did it twice in a row and didn’t like how I landed so the one you see is the third one I did,m and ended up landing right. I was just a reflection of who I was skating with at the time.

>You rode for Think, Blind, Plan B and now you been with ATM for quiet some time. Tell us about your relationship with ATM and what’s cracking down there.

Well, I was working and riding for atm when I first got involved and it was cool. I was running the team and doing slaes and skating when I could. At that time though to be honest I was deep into partying. I mean, I was doing blow, drinking tons and eating pills like they were tic tacs. It was a
reality check when I realized I needed to work a 9 to 5 and soon enough give up trying to be a pro skater. Things are good down here, Right now I am the domestic sales manager and help out in anyway that I can, production, shipping and ideas for new product.

>I have always had a lot of respect for John Falahee. What is it like working with him for so many years?

It’s been cool, John is really one of the only owners I know who jumps in the back and cuts wheels and prints wheels and works hands on. Most of the owners these days from what it seems just sit behind a desk and count money. John has always been invlolved and isn’t one of the owners that only stops by once a month I mean if you want to find John he’s here in the back working. It’s funny that I ended up here cause John was my first legit sponsor when he was doing Alva.

>You have had some of my favorite footage in skateboarding.Tell me about
some of your favorite filming memories or filming nightmares?

Well, I don’t really have a favorite memory of any particular session that I filmed but I was just having fun in general at the time and was hyped on
skating. Never really any nightmares at all up until the time came where I realized I wasn’t up to par with the shit that was going down and was finally like fuck this shit.

>What is your favorite video you were in?

I’d have to say second hand smoke and the think vid. The think vid was the first vid I ever really traveled and skated new spots and the second hand smoke vid was where I believe I was at the top of my game.

Ronnie Bertino Plan B Second Hand Smoke

>What is your favorite video part of all time and why?

I have two if I can do that. Natas in Streets on Fire and Matt Hensley in Hokus Pokus. Just watch them and you will see why.

>Seems like one thing never changes in skateboarding. People LOVE to party-What are your thoughts on the effects that can have on a up and coming skaters future?

Well, I am a perfect example of what can happen. your time most definitely can be cut short by it. We all like to have fun and when you are young
making decent money and you start partying you can either get out of control with it and let it take over or be one of the few that can maintain and handle it. I know a lot of dudes that are still killing it and have an image based on partying. Eventually though it will catch up, job wise or health wise. Just be careful. This is a lesson people have to learn on their own.

>I noticed you do a fair amount of contest judging. How did that come about?

I know the Bosticks from back in the day and actually was talking with John Muldoon (he used to judge for world cup) I asked him to put my name in the hat and eventually they started putting me on the judging panel for contests.

>Do you feel a lot of pressure judging these contests with so much cash on
the line for 1st place?

I just make sure I pay attention and judge accordingly. It can be stressful at times and sometimes dudes think they got robbed but I am only one of the judges and most the time the formats need to be understood by the riders. There are a lot of different ways the things are judged and dudes need to pay attention to that.

>I know if I was a able street skater it would give me piece of mind knowing that your were judging the street and not some dickhead old vert dude that does not even know the tricks he is watching.

I appreciate that and I hope most of the dudes respect my opinion and think I am capable of judging them in a contest.

>Knowing you travel with a rowdy crew on the contest circuit got any good Matt Miligan stories?

Milligan is a fun dude to hang with and is always looking for a good time. Honestly since I don’t drink I don’t go out much with them when they are in party mode but I see them the next day and get to hear all the fun shit that happened. Weiss, you know there is always a good milligan story.

>I know you are a proud new PAPA. How is all that?

Being a father is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can truly say now that I know what true love is. My son is the most important thing in my life and everything I do from here on out is for him.

>Can your son do frontside noseslide nollie heel fakies yet?

He already busted that shit down el toro.

>Who are your 3 favorite skaters of all time?

Matt hensley
Natas Kaupus
Mark gonzales

>What about the new ams, what ones do you feel are really taking skating to a new dimension?

There are so many new ams and so many kids now that are killing it I cant even answer this. All I can say is that the future of skateboarding looks bright.

>You got any hobbies? You in a band, like sports, breed dogs???

Yeah I got hobbies. I play guitar and was in a band for a while but now just rock out occassionaly at home. I am a huge football fan and have been a Colts fan for 25 plus years. I had a pit when I was a kid and it was the best dog ever. His name was bonzai and he has a cameo in my Think part.

>Whats next on deck for Mr Bertino?

Getting married to the mother of my kid in the near future. Only thing that is next after that that is important for me is to raise my kid right and watch him grow up to be a decent human being. I want him to be proud of me as I am already so proud of him.

>Great catching up and thanks for letting me ramble at you.

You too Weiss, love ya buddy.

RONNIE BERTINO – XYZ -STARS & BARS

VIDEO PART: THE INTERNATIONAL // TJ Rogers Out Now

>So your from Canada correct,what Part?

Whitby Ontario just a small town outside of Toronto Ontario

>Do you eat a lot of back bacon where your from?

not back bacon but i definitely love my bacon sandwich’s

Read More

Haslem by Kookus

> Chris you always seem to be on the move. Is that because people are always taking blurry photos of you in the forest?

Yeah basically that’s what it comes down to. Unless its people always trying to get me in those situations and I take off so the photos blurry. That shit got old after I did it for one of the first almost ads.

> Someone said you are in a band. Is it Rush by any chance?

Read More