Remember when thoughts and theories about so-called “Generation X” were on the tip of everyone’s tongue? We were called “slackers,” and older people said we lacked motivation and passion. I’ve always taken issue with these characterizations because I’ve constantly seen people my age pursuing paths and interests that had no prior archetype — and working very hard at them. Now that the focus has shifted to the next generation, and now that we’ve been pushing for a while, our generation is emerging in new careers and pursuits quite different from our forebears — and in many that didn’t exist before. Continue reading “Hal Brindley: Wild Boy”
Safety in Numbers Art Show
Though I’m admittedly not much of a painter, I have five pieces in the “Safety in Numbers” art show starting September 13th at The Ritz and Café Mundi in Austin, TX. Continue reading “Safety in Numbers Art Show”
Jared Souney: By Design
From riding flatland, ramps and street on his BMX bike to designing magazine layouts and T-shirts as well as stealing many souls from behind a shutter, Jared Souney is many things to many poeple. Those in the BMX world know him as a rider from New England who made the move to the Left Coast to do design work and shoot photos for Ride BMX magazine and beyond. Continue reading “Jared Souney: By Design”
Steve Machuga: Today Forward
I don’t know that much about Seattle except that everybody there tries to ride like Machuga. — Some Kid from Kent, Washington
A couple of months before I moved away from Seattle this last time, I finally ran into my old friend Toast. We were track-standing at the Green Lake dirt jumps, catching up, when I noticed that the guy to my left on the Terrible One (Toast was to my right) looked hella familiar. Continue reading “Steve Machuga: Today Forward”
Leif Valin: Do the Math
I met Sean McKinney several years ago at a jam in Olympia, Washington. As we were yammering on about flatland, college and beer, he stopped me mid-sentence and asked if I knew Leif Valin. I admitted that I did not, but that I knew who he was. Sean said I looked and acted like him. I thought it was weird, but we continued our rambling undaunted. Continue reading “Leif Valin: Do the Math”
Live Fast: Dave Young
Dave Young is a certified bad ass. The guy has no hesitation on his bike — he’ll try most anything right out of the gate.
Currently he’s working on a BMX company called BLK/HRT. Expect the same “no hesitations” attitude to reign here as well.
The last time I hung out with him, he was trying this rail at Balboa Park in San Diego that apparently no one has done. It’s huge, long and the runway kept boosting him up over the rail. He kept trying it until he could barely walk back to the car. We settled in for some coffee and talked about many topics. Some of which are replicated here.
Roy Christopher: How old are you? Where from?
Dave Young: I’m a whopping 22 and I’m from San Diego, CA but recently relocated to Los Angeles, The City of Angels.
RC: How long riding?
DY: I started racing BMX when I was 13 and just really liked to jump and go fast, so I quit after two months or so. I would just go to jumps around town. So, I guess about 9 years….eeek!
RC: How’d you get into BMX?
DY: I saw the movie RAD and thought it would be RAD to get a BMX! I’ve always want to do an endo out of a Kix bowl!
RC: How’d you hook up with Kink?
DY: Hmm… I was riding for Metal and It was kick-ass, but it was just time to move on and try something new. Zack called me and offered me a spot.
RC: Other sponsors?
DY: I also ride for Vans, Innes, and BLK/HRT.
RC: What’s your favorite stuff to ride?
DY: I enjoy riding schools mostly because a good school usually has a bunch of kick-ass shit in one spot!
RC: Who do you like riding with?
DY: When I was in S.D my posse consisted of Boom Boom Buchans, and when I was on the east coast I would rip with Ryan Sher, but In L.A it’s been mostly solo missions.
RC: Do you like contests?
DY: [They] help expose the sport to the public and makes it more widely accepted. [They] bring in a lot of new riders, and if some kid gets on a BMX and is stoked, that’s all that matters!
Stapled and Xeroxed Paper: The Power of Zines
You’re right, Roy, you’re hopeless. Hopelessly obsessed with a time in your sport that died a long time ago… — McGoo
Even after being dissed in Ride BMX (see the November/December 1995 issue) by McGoo, I still believe whole-heartedly in the power of zines. In his lengthy debunking of my DIY print media enthusiasm, McGoo enlisted the help of Andy Jenkins (an explanation of his importance in the zine world is too long to list here) saying, “If Andy’s own words don’t convince a thousand zine kids to throw away their Kinko’s cards and get on with their lives, BMX will remain locked in an era of Club Homeboy wristwraps, Army pants and Vision hipsacks forever.” Continue reading “Stapled and Xeroxed Paper: The Power of Zines”
Ron Wilkerson: Get Yours
Ron Wilkerson has been with the sport of freestyle BMX since before it was even a sport. He was one of the handful of riders in the early eighties who were bored with racing and wanted a little more out of their twenty-inch bikes. Ron is also the only one of those handful of riders who is still and active force in shaping the sport he helped start. Continue reading “Ron Wilkerson: Get Yours”