What's the Story? Evan Hernandez
By Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag May 2008
"One time," says Terry Kennedy, "I sold that dude a fake Jacob watch for like a G. I told him my cousin jacked it from somebody at a rap concert. He was running around showing everybody, but that shit was fake."
"Did you feel guilty?" I asked.
"Nah! I was bad then. I was from Long Beach. I was looking at Evan like, 'You're makin' money! I don't got none, so fuck it, I'll sell you this watch if you'll believe it.'"
"What did he say when he found out it was fake?" I asked.
"He was like 'That's fucked up man!' He wasn't even mad or anything," Terry exclaimed, laughing the whole way through.
Festivus: Lord of the Lines '08
By Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag May 2008
Does anyone want to read contest articles anymore? I mean, really… it's kinda like having your friends tell you about this awesome time they had at a spot or some party or whatever, but you weren't there. You really don't care to be reminded about the great time and great skateboarding you were unfortunate enough to miss and you pretend to listen, but really your head is off elsewhere, wishing your homey would shut the fuck up.
Or … contrary to that, perhaps people like reading about contests sometimes because they couldn't, in a million years, ever be there. Maybe they live across the country—or world, for that matter. Maybe they like to be filled in on all the happenings and yearn to live vicariously through the perspective of the mag. Maybe their friend or teammate or favorite pro skated in it. Maybe they work for the company who hosted it or sponsored it. Maybe, just maybe, they are skate nerds and will read anything and everything they can about skateboarding. And that's probably the main reason this article exists right now.
The Skateboard Mag linked to Jimmy Marchand's sponsor me video one day, and I got really stoked. So stoked and inspired in fact, that I found Jimmy on MySpace and asked if I could send him some etnies shoes. He then sent me this footy via email to check out... and yeah, that's a switch backside flip to manny down a bank.
After watching it, I explained to Jimmy I felt he could have done the backside noseblunt a little better. His reply:
"Well to tell ya the truth I had just eaten a special brownie a half hour prior to that noseblunt going down, so it was alright with me."
And I decided at that very moment I wanted to interview him. So over the last few months, via email and at Tampa Am, I did.
I had an idea for a new etnies skateboarding-only site a few months ago... so, with the help of the etnies team and some of the etnies web nerds, I did it. No bullshit on this one... no motocross, no teen heartthrob action... just skateboarding, our team and our skate shoes. Stay tuned 'cuz there's lots of good stuff happening with etnies on the skate front. I'm pretty excited about it.
Caswell Berry
By Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag February 2008
Apart from his obvious prowess on a skateboard, Caswell Berry's got an amazing ability to take a good honest look at himself and others to figure out what makes things tick. With every candid confession he made to me, a near complete stranger, during this interview, I seemingly didn't have any qualms about revealing something equally personal in return. And it lead me to believe that perhaps Caswell's greatest gift is the ability to help us all embrace our inner weirdness and just put it all out there shamelessly for others to enjoy. After all, that's what makes us us, instead of them, right?
Put simply. Caswell Berry is most likely a mental case. A wise one at that. Refreshingly, he doesn't particularly care to hide it.
What do you hate about interviews?
I tend to be contradicting and redundant and kind of, the worst. Always, you know what I mean? So whenever I'm trying to prove a point it just basically turns into this weird circle of a conversation that wraps around doesn't go anywhere and fades away or something. You know, it's hard to stay on topic. It's really hard just to like… I dunno. That's about it.
Festivus: Volcom's Damn Am '07
By Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag February 2008
Right behind Tampa Am and Phoenix Am, respectively, Volcom's Damn Am in Costa Mesa seems to be the other Am contest to attend every year. And rightfully so. Who doesn't love seeing all the up-and-comers going for the gusto and caveman bomb dropping off RVs into banks while "Party Tents" are being destroyed and classic heavy metal music is played and whatnot?
Yet, contrary to the others, Damn Am somehow manages a smaller, hometown contest feel and charm. It's never overly crowded or hyped or dramatic. There's no fighting for a spot to film or shoot or see from—in fact, there are actually folding chairs to sit in. Volcom even sets up a little street course for non-competitors to skate at and an inflatable jumping ring for the kiddies to play in. Not to mention free barbecues and giveaways from the sponsors. So accommodating! The scene is mellow and friendly and inviting.
Sklog: LanceMountain.com
By Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag February 2008
Anyone blessed with the legendary status Lance Mountain possesses should damn well have a website these days. But Mr. Mountain's site isn't just some sort of hype and destination for the skateboard community to keep up on all the latest Lance Mountain news, contest results, roster hops and whatnot.
Refreshingly, it's more of a scrapbook of his life, family, art, friends, interests, memorabilia, career and more. It's essentially a story—and should be required reading for anyone who's ever stepped on a skateboard.
Storefront: Sk8 Skates
By Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag January 2008
A skate shop is lucky to make it three years these days, much less 20. Hell, I bet many of you reading this haven't even been around 20 years.
But Sk8 Skates in Winnipeg, Manitoba has, and they've figured out a formula for two decades of survival despite harsh Canadian winters with temperatures dropping to -40 degrees Fahrenheit, multiple changes of ownership, the tragic loss of an owner, eight or nine shop relocations (which is suicide for many shops), no snowboards, wakeboards or gimmicks, no online retail, and all the peaks and valleys the skateboard industry has seen since 1987.
Chris Gregson
By Rob Brink
Bliss Magazine December 2007
Intros to interviews are boring and cliché. No one ever writes good ones anymore. Basically, if you suck at interviewing, or the person you interviewed is a turd, a great way to cover that up is to write a clever intro. Like, I'd sit here and tell you some stuff about Chris Gregson and how good he is on a skateboard and what a cool cat he is. Or maybe even get real abstract and write something completely unrelated and pass it off as "cryptic art." But why would you want to hear me say it when I just spent an hour on the phone with him and you can read about it for yourself, right?
So Chris, I found six different Chris Gregson MySpace pages. Why do you have so many?
Are you serious? I have one. But I don't make my own MySpace pages.
Did you do the one with the Regina Spektor music on it?
Uh, no. I have like some sweet like banjo music.
Oh, I see. You're the one named "Fagasaurus."
That's me! What can I say?
Festivus: Manny Mania
By Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag November 2007
If interplanetary beings, or even regular ol' human beings who don't know about skateboarding for that matter, were to watch a contest based solely on manuals, they more than likely wouldn't be too impressed. A switch stance frontside flip up a Euro gap, to manual, to one footed ollie out down another Euro gap (Ã la Creager), although difficult as hell, isn't exactly fathomable for the average citizen. In fact, it probably almost looks like a mistake or something. And it certainly doesn't embody the "Ooooohhh, Aaahhhhh, Wow" factor of say, a 20-stair or a halfpipe or that God forsaken Mega Ramp thing.
