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EDate of Birth : January 28, 1979 EPlace of Birth : Placentia Bay Newfoundland EResides : Tokyo EFavorite Music : Hip hop, R&B, Jazz EFavorite Skate Video : FTC Penal Code EFavorite Trick : Frontside Flip EFavorite Terrain : Mannual Curbs EFavorite Skater : Ronnie Creager ESponsors : Monke Skateboards, Royal Trucks (American Flow)  |
2005/11/13.@interviewer Koji Asada. |
| How long have you been skating? 13 years or so. How did you start? A girl cousin of mine got me into skating. Do you remember your first board? Yeah, it was a Consolidated Ever-slick Corey Chrysler. How did you hook up with Monke Skateboards? I met the owner of Monke well over 10 years ago. We were skating this indoor park called The Club House in Vancouver. Started skating and hitting all the parks together. We had a bond. Everyone was like a huge crew, always skated together. Who are Japanese skaters that ride for Monke skateboards? Hiroki Watanabe, and we flow boards to Koji Yokomizo from Yokohama area. Where have you lived in the past? When I was growing up, I lived mostly in Vancouver, then lived in Osaka city for a while, stayed in Yokohama as well and now I live in Adachiku, Tokyo. When did you live in Osaka? About 3 years ago. How long did you stay there? Only for three months. I worked at a sushi restaurant. It was cool. How was Osaka? It`s one of my favorite places in Japan. I like the people. People are funnier in Osaka. What are some difficulties you face living in Japan? I guess everyone would know....the rush hour...how busy it is getting on the train....not being able to read anything. Actually that`s a real big problem for me. How`s your Japanese? Pretty good. I can enjoy a conversation with most of my friends. But it`s hard to understand when it`s a big group. Do you ever get discriminated in Japan? Hmmm. I get the odd look here and there from certain people, but most of the time with people I surround myself with I have no problem. They are cool. What aspects of Japan do you like? I love the friendliness of most people, food, culture, and definitelly the skate terrain as well. Skating is unbelievable. That`s why I like it here the most. What`s the difference in skating between Japan and Canada? I think in Canada we have a lot more space and less people. Here in Japan, there are more marble and ledge skating where as in Canada would be more like stairs, handrails, and kind of more ghetto. Here it seems more perfect, and stuff everywhere. You just get off any stations and there are spots. That`s how I see it. How do you describe your skate style? I try to keep my skating clean and smooth as possible. I`m not into burly and tranny but I`m more like mannual, stair-flip kind of guy. I ilke skating into banks, flip tricks into banks. How do your friends describe you as a person? Definitely all my friends think that I have high energy and always positive. Always hyped on skating and going out with a group of people and getting it done. Make it happen, you know what I mean. How do you define a good skater? Number one, style. In my eyes, style is the most important. Definitely clothing, fashion and how they look is important as well. Trick selection and consistency are important, too. So are you picky with fashion? Pretty much, yeah. I`m more into baggy, hip hop kind of style. Hip hop has definitely affected my style of skating. So for example what kind of clothing do you wear for a photo shoot? I like to wear sweaters and baggy jeans. I like skating in Nikes and Sauconys, stuff like that. I`m not really into skateboard brands. What are some criteria for selecting tricks and spots for photo shoots? Definitely has to be an original spot. I like skating spots no one has really hit. If you`ve noticed most of my photos, they are just random spots. Describe the feeling of sticking big tricks? It`s the most relaxing feeling. It feels so good when you finish it or get it done. What`s your memorable skate tour? One of the best tour ever was when I went to San Francisco when I was 17. I was really young. It was my fourth year skating. It was cool to skate street spots through the city. And also the Beijing, China tour. I got to go with all the Japanese riders. It was really good. You`ll see it in the"Catch Me" video, There are new spots no one has seen. Hopefully people are hyped on it. What`s your next project? Try to film as much as possible and take photos. Try to promote Monke in Japan. Travel as much as possible. Try to pick up more sponsors. How often do you skate? Right now I`m working three days a week,so I try to skate 4 or 5 days a week. What do you do? Teaching English to kids.(Laughs) How do you like it? It`s alright. I like teaching kids but teaching adults private lessons is not my thing. Skating is my priority so it`s just a part-time job. Who do you usually skate with and where? Lately, I`ve been skating with Koji Yokomizo. When Hirotoshi "Buchi" Kawabuchi is here, I skate with him a lot. And when I`m back home I skate with my homies. If you hadn`t picked up skateboarding, What would you be doing now? Damn who knows? Probably working 9-5 in Vancouver. How was your high school days? High school was fun. I lived in a small suburb town called Delta, BC. I would never be there. I would go to school and go skating after. Even on weekdays I would stay out late with my friends skating east Vancouver or in the city. I was a skate rat. Where would you like to skate in the future? Places you haven`t been to? Definitely Barcelona. Also Germany, well all through Europe and Brazil. Do you have any bad habits? Aghh shit! I like drinking beer a lot. Hitting clubs a little too much. Kind of like the Brian Wenning`s part inthe DC video. Well it`s not as bad as that but I love partying. It`s a passion of mine.(Laughs) What are your strengths and weaknesses? My strength is that I am super athletic. I`ve always been into sports. Weaknesses.......maybe.....the drive for the future. I kind of live for the moment. I don`t think a lot about the future. I think one day at a time. I don`t know if you call that a weakness. Koji: But what would you like to accomplish in life? I want to be a name in skating. I feel like I`ve put a lot of energy and time into it. Travel more and get into the industry more. Also have a family. What do your parents think about your lifestyle? My parents are really supportive, actually. I`ve been in Japan a lot for the past few years and they are cool with that. they think it`s something positive, that I`ve created change for myself. Do you have regrets in life? I don`t live with regrets in life. I don`t believe in that. What was your worst injury? One time I tried to front side noseslide a rounded barrier and I smashed my knee cap into it. I was out for like a month.I damaged the inner part of my knee cap. It was really bad. Do you take any preventative measures to stay away from injuries? Hell no. I`m blowing it. Who`s hot in Japan? I`m feeling Kanagawa area right now. Seisho, Zizow, Koji Yokomizo, Yusuke Shimizu, also Itoshin. Buchi is killing it. I like Hiroki Saegusa. He is one of my favorite skater with style in Japan. Shin Okada, a cool cat. Junosuke and 145. Those are the guys I really know. Any comments to skaters? Keep being creative. Japan has so many spots. People need to travel more. Quit skating Tamachi so much. Skate all the best spots. You guys have way more spots than Vancouver. If we had them we` be going crazy. If you had to choose one which one would you choose. Girl or skateboard? Skateboard.(murmurs) Do you have anything you`d like to promote? Monke Skateboards at www.monke.com Royal Trucks,Meta Clothing Company and Meta crew, Expression Clothing Company and Tightbooth Productions Kansai area (Brand New Classics),New Line Skateparks Canada, positivity in skateboarding,style and the progression of our sport. Who would you like to thank? I would like to thank my family for all the support,my cousin Renie for getting me into skating,Koji Asada (Catch Me) video producer and friend for giving me this opportunity to be in a Japanese video and for the amazing trip to China that shit was a blessing,Ben Chibber and crew Monke Skateboards,Sekino Racing Co. Distribution Japan,Rudy Johnson for Royal Trucks,Transworld Japan,Boomer,Carhartt Clothing,Hiroki (Watcho) Watanabe for all his help in Japan much respect,Li Zacks (Dj Evade),Morih Photographer Yokohama area,Muraken Photographer Tokyo,Abechan Photographer Kanagawa area,Naohiro Abe and Shinpei Ueno in Osaka City ,John Robertson Canadian Photographer,Brian Caissie Canadian Photographer,Steve(Lightfoot) Australia,Tightbooth crew, Hirotoshi(Buchi)Kawabuchi,all my Japanese and Canadian skateboarding friends you all know who you are.Peace and one love to anyone representing skateboarding,hip hop,style and creativity.Sorry about the length gotta do it.Peace arigato. |
