Weekend Buzz ep. 32: Johny Layton & Taylor Smith
September 21, 2012
Fred Gall: Professional skateboarder; guardian angel.
September 19, 2012
Fred Gall: Professional skateboarder; guardian angel.
Words: Robert Brink
Photo & Video: Dave Smith
ESPN.com June 2012.
“When I was a kid my uncle Johnny was a fireman,” says Habitat pro and X Games Real Street 2012 contender, Fred Gall. “He used to take me to the firehouse and I wanted to be a fireman too. I dunno why. I have an instinct to … well, I guess I just don’t wanna see people die or get hurt.”
It was approximately 3 AM on February 28 when Fred saw a building across the street from his hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia engulfed in flames when he decided to check it out.
“I was out there filming for my Real Street part with Dave Smith and Andrew Patillo,” Gall explains. “I wanted to get some crazy footage that no one else is gonna have—to have my part be different. So we skate down the street and it turns out to be a monastery. And this is a serious fire—a blazing inferno.
“At first, we had our digital cameras, like, ‘Film me doing a no comply in front of this fire.’ Kinda laughing about it. Then I realized that on the second and third floors there were monks trapped on the balcony and no one was doing anything about it—people were just staring.’
“Something about Freddy,” says longtime friend Dave Smith, “is that he’s seriously like an angel cast to Earth to guard the misfortunate. Somehow or another, these people always tend to be within Freddy’s vision. He could be at his worst and then into his best in a matter of seconds. At the Cambodian airport, a lady forgot her passport at the counter and he ran full steam through the airport to return it.”
“So I scaled the side of the building next to the burning one,” explains Gall. “And up top there are these long bamboo sticks that just happened to be the right length, so I made a bridge. The monks were scared to cross because it was so ghetto-rigged. Basically, you took two steps on the bamboo and someone would grab your hand and pull you in. But I got two monks down then went inside and shit is blowing up, it’s hot as hell and monks are just standing in the pitch black. I don’t know if it was for their religion or what. One was just throwing buckets of water on the flames but it wasn’t doing shit.”
“We tried to make it a little more serious to them,” says Smith, “Like, ‘Hey you gotta, get out of here.’ It seemed like they didn’t know what to do or where to go. Maybe they couldn’t see or were in shock but no one seemed scared about what was going on but the potential for disaster was right in their face.”
“I found a bucket and I put it on my head because shit was falling all over the place,” Gall continues, “and I’m screaming, ‘Where’s the women and children?’ But there are no women and children because it’s a monk monastery [laughing]. I was just in hero mode— just trying to save lives, dude. And Dave had made his way up and he’s like, ‘we gotta get outta here!’
“I walked into the stairway and it was engulfed in embers and smoke,” says Smith. “The only way to see was with the flash on my camera. That’s when I noticed all the monks just standing around, not knowing where to go because they couldn’t see anything.”
“I got down before Freddy,” Smith continues, “and I looked up and he’s crossing the bridge he made and helping three or four monks over to the safer building.”
“So after we make it down,” Gall continues, “the fire department shows up, puts out the fire and straight-up leaves. The fire engine number was 666. Not even kidding. Then I just went back to the hotel and had a beer. Like, ‘Wow that was fucking crazy.’”
“He gets pretty emotional after stuff like that,” explains Smith. “We got back to the hotel and he was in tears. He gets emotionally involved because he really cares.”
“Halfway back to the hotel,” says Smith, “Fred realized that he didn’t have his board. We went back to get it and sure enough this monk was standing there with it waiting for Fred. They all thanked him dearly. They were very honored that an American went for it like that.”
Throughout the years, Fred has been notorious for a lifestyle some might consider “sinful” or “wrong” or whatever the word might be. I asked him if he ever considered that his good karma for the times he has saved lives (yes there are many) balances out the bad karma that might send him straight to hell one day.
“I’ve definitely thought like that,” Gall replies, “but I would say I’ve definitely done more good than bad. Some people don’t believe in karma but I believe if you help someone, good things will come to you. And I’m really going for this Real Street thing—I wanna win something. I tried really hard. I busted my ass today getting footage. There are gnarly dudes in this contest but the way we’re going to edit it, I think we have a chance. I hope people are stoked.”
Weekend Buzz ep. 31: David Gonzalez & Louie Lopez
September 14, 2012
Contenders: Kevin Terpening
September 7, 2012
Contenders: Kevin Terpening
Words: Robert Brink
The Skateboard Mag, May 2010
In the beginning of Markus Wyndham’s segment in H-Street’s Hokus Pokus, a narrator says, “This is Markus. You do not know him now, but you will someday.” At which point Markus proceeds to pop shuv-it 5-0 grind down a small rail. That was 1989.
Today, in 2010, there’s not a lot to say about Kevin Terpening. Not due to lack of talent or personality, but simply because he’s at that point in his skateboarding career where people are just gonna have to see for themselves. He’s the sleeper. The quiet, yet strangely quirky and mysterious fellow who, when all is said and done and he’s gone on his way, you think, “Damn, Kevin is fucking rad! People are gonna love this dude!”
This is K-Terps. You do not know him now, but you will someday …
I hear there’s some life drama going on?
Yea. I woke up and my old roommate called yelling at me. I didn’t pay the bills and his power and water got shut off. We had to scrounge some money up, so I’m kind of stressing.
At least you don’t live there anymore.
I feel bad for them because it’s my fault. I knew it was going to happen. I’m just an idiot.
Have you ever checked your credit score?
Fuck no! It would be fucked because I had a credit card once and a taxi driver stole it. He went and spent $2000 on it.
Do you have a checking account?
Yeah, but there’s no money in it because it’s all going to the $1,200 DWP bill. I went in all sad like, “I only have half the money. How about I just pay you half.” Trying to negotiate but they weren’t having it, so I told ‘em I’d be back soon.
Was this the same house where you had no toilet paper and you used the paper from your éS shoes?
Yeah. There was always a bunch of empty shoeboxes lying around, you know? We ran out of toilet paper and started using that shit, but then our toilet got clogged a bunch of times.
Is the good paper the piece that’s wrapped around the shoe or the part that’s crumpled inside the shoe?
The better part is what’s inside the shoes.
Oh. It’s softer?
Yeah, it doesn’t hurt. You know the other shit is like, wax paper. It’s all fucked up. You don’t want to try to wipe your ass with it. It depends on the shoe, though. Sometimes they have actual paper and sometimes it’s like tissue paper.
Like cheap toilet paper versus the expensive kind?
Exactly. It’s like the toilet paper in the stall in the gas station or at your high school.
You live in Scuba’s garage now?
Yeah. It’s pretty tight. We put up drywall and insulated the walls and I got a whole setup in there now. It’s pretty legit. I mean, it’s still in a garage, but it’s pretty tight.
Do you still owe him rent money?
It sucks. I just owe him one month right now and then maybe like, some bills. But I don’t have any money right now.
Have you tried to barter with him?
Like, “I’ll just mow the yard or plant some fucking flowers, you know, be the pool boy and shit.” We were talking about that but then it all just fell apart. Now I have to pay a bunch of rent money. It’s fucked up.
Ok pool boy … are you still working at Huf?
Yeah. I work there a few days a week. Just sit there and hang out with my friends.
Who are you riding for?
Alien Workshop flow. éS flow. Shit, I feel like I’m at Tampa Am right now. Val Surf skate shop in North Hollywood and Spitfire.
How did you get hooked up with Alien? Obviously being from Ohio …
When I was living there, my friend Scott got stuff from them and we skated together all the time. We made a video and then somehow they started hooking me up. I was psyched because in Ohio that’s a really big deal. It’s pretty sick to get hooked up from a company like Alien that you actually like.
Tell me about the Jet Black Crayon music video you’re in. I love it.
Me and Greg Hunt did it. Tommy Guerrero’s band had a new album come out and he picked 10 or so people all over the world to make a video for one of the songs. You could do whatever you wanted. I called off work for a few days and Greg would pick me up super early and we’d just go around skating shit on that thing. It was super fun and turned out pretty cool.
You can’t tell it’s a new video at all.
Yeah. It looks like it could’ve been an actual VHS from back in the day. We watched old videos and got ideas from them. Greg definitely knew what he was doing.
Does anyone still call you Grandpa Terps?
There were people who called me that?
Yeah. It’s your nickname.
Oh. I guess I’ve been called that. I used to be crabby but I’m not that bad anymore.
And you like sitting on stoops doing nothing?
Stoop Life! The old house we lived in had a nice little porch that we called “the stoop.” We would just sit there and drink beers all day so it kind of turned into the Stoop Life. There’s something about it … I’m backing it.
Do you have any awesome final statements to make?
Yeah. I just want everyone to stop waxing the fucking ledges so much. Because today at Marsh Park, straight out of the car, I tried to do a manual trick on the top of the box and the whole entire top was waxed and I ate shit. My fucking hip is all fucked up now because I tried to do a manual. Whatever.
And now you don’t even have a stoop to sit on with your broken hip.
I know. What the fuck? But I do have power and water so I’m psyched.
Weekend Buzz ep. 30: Jerry Hsu & Louie Barletta
September 7, 2012
Weekend Buzz - Bonus Buzz #5: Austyn Gillette, Jereme Rogers, Andrew Brophy, Johan Stuckey, Yoon Sul & Jennifer Jaylene Martinez!
August 31, 2012
Weekend Buzz ep. 29: Jereme Rogers & Jennifer Martinez, part 2
August 24, 2012
Now and Then: Power Balance Bracelets
August 21, 2012
The Power Balance saga continues. As I read this new TMZ article and fondly look back on the days of Already Been Done— in particular, shooting Dave Carnie ideas for articles that he would either tell me sucked or accept and execute with genius every time—I couldn't help but also remember how we couldn't get a hold of Sheckler for a quote or two, despite multiple efforts, for an article Dave was working on.
I wanted to talk to Ryan about Power Balance, but he did not respond to my requests for an interview. According to an etnies source, Ryan was a little worried about how he would be portrayed in this article and that it might endanger his relationship with his sponsor.- Dave Carnie
Possibly more relevant now than ever, here's "Power Balance Bracelets," by Dave Carnie.
Weekend Buzz ep. 28: Jereme Rogers & Jennifer Martinez
August 17, 2012
Now and Then: Kevin Taylor
August 14, 2012
I've wanted to get back to more frequent updates for a while now. The last few years have been blurry. Not in a bad way, but somehow work and opportunity have taken me further away from writing and doing my own thing than I'd like to admit.
I saw this new Orion clip of Kevin Taylor and it sparked the idea to re-purpose my older pieces (and possibly share them with a newer generation of skaters who never saw them) based on what current stuff pops up online.
I'll just call it "Now and Then." The name is highly unoriginal, but I'd rather focus on getting this done than procrastinating by contemplating a bangin' title for weeks.
Skating in NJ in the mid '90s, Kevin was a local hero of ours. Yes, the area of NY, NJ and Pennsylvania is considered "local." Coincidentally, he rode for a Pennsylvania board company called Little* that flowed me boards for a minute. Kerry Getz rode for them as well.
I don't know if I can easily explain Kevin's skating. I just like it. Basic, but not in a bad way. Stylish. Classy. with a trick selection that was always off-the-beaten-path enough to appeal. His grate to double-stacked picnic table trickery definitely seals the deal.
Kevin was pretty quiet during this interview. It's not groundbreaking by any means. Quiet guys usually make for tough and under-stimulating interviews, but there's something I admire about people who's skating speaks louder than they do.
I found out AFTER I interviewed Kevin that he's a bit of a gambler and it would’ve made for good conversation. He also he made out with a female friend of mine who road tripped to Tampa Pro with me, on a dance floor at a club in Ybor City. Pretty sure that was 2002. It was pretty rad.
Without further ado, here's my Kevin Taylor interview from The Skateboard Mag, September 2007.