Steve Berra vs SpndX
- Detaljer
- Oprettet: torsdag, 2. oktober 2008 17:38
- Skrevet af Spandx
Skateboard.dk's så absolut mest undergravende reporter SpndX er taget på togt i MyBerrics og er lykkedes at komme i snak med Steve Berra, som sammen med Eric Koston, står bag det hastigt voksende fænomen The Berrics. Efter i første omgang tilsyneladende at have trådt Steve kraftigt over tæerne på MyBerrics' forum, skal Steve da lige takkes for at tage sig tid til at besvare vores spørgsmål.When did you start skating?
I got a board for my 13th birthday, which is quite late nowadays for kids to start, but back then that was pretty much the normal age.
What was your first pro model?
It was a Vision John Grigley Street Ghost.
Could you explain the thoughts behind expanding The Berrics with the online community MyBerrics?
When I was younger I lived far from California, not just in distance but in probability of me ever going there because I didn't have any money. California is where skateboarding seemed to happen. To me, everyone in California skated. In Nebraska there were very few people that did. We would drive to Kansas and Missouri and Minnesota and Illinois just to hang out with and meet other skaters. Those were great times. Really great times. Eric and I figured MyBerrics could help bring skaters together because Skateboarding is happening everywhere, not just in California. People can post up footage and photos on MyBerrics and it could be seen. I've been skateboarding a long time. A lot of people talk about the industry and have their own viewpoint of it. You even posted on MyBerrics, "Is it just me or is this basically a bad idéa? Yet again does remnants of skateboard culture deterioate into something elitist and removed from it roots, just another way to shove more products down the greedy throats of frustrated teens from the middle class? Slowly but surely removing both the street and cultural elements from skateboarding and instead creating a small elitist cult ready to spend their income on their respective icons..." -- I'm not exactly sure what that means really. We're not shoving any products down anyone's throat. I'd say having Sk8Mafia, Stereo, City Skateboards, Real, Black Label and Enjoi in here to do a UNITED NATIONS is far from elitist as well. That same philosophy applies to MyBerrics. Elitists are on other sites. And man, come on, we're not Mtv.
Being involved in Scientology, does that mean you have more in common with L. Ron Hubbard and Tom Cruise than you do Steve Alba and Duane Peters?
I'm not sure you care if I have anything in common with any of the aforementioned, but I'll answer it the best I can. Steve Alba skates. I skate. His name is Steve. My name is Steve. That's something. L. Ron Hubbard is the author of all Scientology. I read his books so we have that in common. Tom Cruise also reads his books, we got that in common. Duane Peters skates. I skate. We got that in common, but I don't know Duane. I don't know Tom and I don't know Salba either, but we did used to ride for Hurley together and he was the second pro skater I saw when I was 13. If I knew any of these 3 individuals I'd be able to answer the question better. As far as L. Ron Hubbard is concerned, I never even heard of him until 1999, 13 years after his passing. If you would have asked Eric Koston or Peter Smolik, I could answer it better. I know those guys, I know what we do and don't have in common.
Where do you see skateboarding evolving to next?
Do you mean skateboarding or the industry of skateboarding? Those are two different things. Skateboarding will evolve no matter what. The ability some of these young skaters have at 16 is just remarkable. It blows my mind. As far as the industry? I don't know. It will be interesting though.
Which skaters really get you stoked?
There are so many. I see so many come to the Berrics and, like I said, they're incredible. But you don't have to be incredible to get me stoked. I watch some of the videos on MyBerrics and the skaters look like they're having so much fun. I remember those days. No pressure of having to jump down stairs. No video deadlines. Those were fun days. Those skaters, out there, doing it, they all inspire me.
What's the worst thing that has happened to skateboarding in recent years?
Oh, I don't know. This seems like a Sheckler bait question so I'll take it. I know people complain about Ryan a lot, but honestly, I've never even met him so I don't have anything to complain about. He doesn't have any real effect on my life. I do know that I saw him take one of the gnarliest slams at that Maloof Cup a few months ago, one that not many people could get up from and he got right up. As a guy who's been face down in the concrete before, I respect that. He's extremely good at skateboarding. As far as all the other stuff... I think if someone is letting Ryan Sheckler or MyBerrics or the XGames or Jamie Thomas or whatever eat away at them and aren't doing anything but sounding off about on message boards it instead of actually doing something they would like to see and do in skateboarding, then they really don't have a right to complain about it. I mean, Darren Navarette for instance, he doesn't like the X-Games, so what's he doing? He and Creature created a backyard ramp jam like they used to have in the late 80s and 90s. That's fucking cool!! Darren Navarette is fucking cool! That's the way to go about things. He's taking shit into his own hands. That's what Ryan is doing as well, taking shit in his own hands, just the other end of the spectrum.
The best thing about skateboarding?
The industry is a real industry. People can grow up loving skating and if they don't turn pro they can actually have a job working inside something they love. They can have a family and live a life that you couldn't really live when I was 13. You could, but it wasn't like it is today. It has sustained itself. It's big. It's a part of the culture now.
Biggest ambition in life?
To see people do well. To help people do well.
Any final thoughts for our readers?
I don't think this thing is final yet.
Steve blev naturligvis spurgt om at uddybe hans sidste svar, men indtil nu må spørgsmålet stå ubesvaret hen. Denne reporter fortsætter sine perfide, undergravende aktiviteter og vil fortsat gang på gang udstille sig som et mindre menneske end de fleste, følg med hvis du tør...