What's Armaudillo? How did you get on board with the company?
Well to be frank, it's an amazing company that is setting and designing new trends. They are the ultimate flair company. Beautiful and stylish belts and wallets made from top-notch leather. Vert pro from down under Trevor Ward got in touch with me and told me his ideas. I couldn't refuse. I'm very stoked to be a part of the brand. They are a lot like Skull Candy, doing stuff that others aren't. Innovation in urban culture.
How many signature pieces do you have out? Are they all leather?
Right now I have 4 different pieces. And yes they are all leather. I wanted my stuff to be influenced with dark gothic rock and western vibes. Since they are signature items I really wanted them to reflect my likings. I have two belts, a wallet and a key chain. I'm very stoked on them. The Conchology belt is my favorite belt I've ever owned.
What was the design process like? What inspired your signature designs?
Since they are based in Australia I had to do q lot of emailing to get to the ball rolling. The designer and I fired back ideas. I told him what I really wanted to see and Armourdillo made it happen.
Does it stink like a leather store every time you open one of your boxes?
I would say it's a lovely aroma!
How was filming for your right foot forward part? Were you happy with your part?
It was a very stressful 8 months. I say this only in regards with injuries I suffered with while trying to film. I was having a really bad luck streak last year. I hope 2010 goes much better. While filming and skating there was no stress. I just had a blast and tried my hardest to please myself and my fans. I love the song and I think Chris Ray did a great job.
I dont think kids understand what goes into a video part. How much time does it take to get 2 minutes of usable footage?
You might be right. Some people expect a lot more. I give my heart and soul to skateboarding. I try my hardest to come through with a project. 100% determination. Skating is not easy for me and the spots I like to skate terrify me. At demos people expect us all to land things every try. I'm not very consistent. Some pros are robotic wizards on wheels. I wish I had it that way. But like you said, it takes so much time and effort for a few minutes of footage.
Do you like filming? How do you deal with the pressure of deadlines?
I love skateboarding. I do it every day as much as I can. I love filming with friends when we are all out shredding together. Sometimes it's very hard. It feels like a job when you don't want to skate and you have to. I try not to hesitate when filming so I don't get caught up with deadlines. If I keep up with my job the homework doesn't stack up before the due date. So deadlines dont bother me. There is always next time too. I know it's not my last part so if I didn't get the stuff I wanted I'll get it for the next part.
You're known for putting out gnarly parts. Do you try to outdo yourself with each part?
Thanks, I'm stoked to hear that. Like I said I just try my hardest to please myself and my fans. I don't always want to out do myself, in fact I know I can't out do stuff that I've done in the past. So instead I try to do some different tricks, change up my structure a bit.
Are you still really into collecting obscure vinyl? Where do you go to find those hidden gems? Has eBay made record hunting easier?
I'm an eBay fiend. I love collecting vinyl. It is amazing when you find a rare gem at the record store but for me the most convenient way to find them is online. The Internet is amazing.
Talk about your newest Osiris shoe. What do you like and dislke in a shoe. What components does your newest shoe have that makes it right for your type of skating?
My favorite features with the shoe is just it’s simplicity in design. I like a very thin and basic shoe. I also really do like the sole on this model too. I'm very stoked to have my name on it.
Is there any pro or pros that you haven't skated with that you would be psyched to?
I've been so lucky over the years, I've had a chance to meet and skate with all my favorites. Reese Forbes and Huf would be pros I'd like to cruise down the street with.
So what’s the dream session...with who? Where? How?
I actually just had one! Skating with one of my Heroes. Cairo Foster in Beijing china. It was one of the beat sessions I've ever had.
What projects are you working on right now?
Recently I decided to launch my own brand. It is called Death Beat. Right now I’m making shirts only. Someday I hope to turn it into a full brand. The idea behind the brand is to give back to my fans. I'm screen printing the stitches myself. All the shirts are designed and made personally by me. For more info check out my website @ http://www.deathbeatsite.com/
What are some things you can't live without?
Skateboarding, Dad, Mom, brothers, Rachel, music for pleasure, coca cola and my dogs water and the sun are needed as well. And so much more. All the good guy stuff. I like stuff and lots of it. I’m definitely a junk collector.
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