Jordan Dale EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

1. whats your name, age , how long have you been skating, what are you
rolling on at the moment, location?

I'm Jordan Dale and I've been
skating for 22 years. I live in Vine Grove KY, I'm skating the
Rollerblade Solo Hypes with lime green postive and negative plates as
well as white ones on the right skate. I also have Xjsado Blue Mook
Frames, Mark Wodja Denial Wheels 59/93.

2. So from what i recall the last time i saw you in Rolling media was
in Daily Bread's 2003 issue with Nick wood on front, what have you
been doing with yourself since then?

An amazing amount of things, Searching for purity. Searching for the
light within myself to calm down and find my genius;). Searching for
my talents so I can rule this world;P.

It took a heck of a long time
due to thinking about non-sense, which is what it all is. I
constantly skated and never stopped. I still traveled over a mad
amount of places such as Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and
mainly skated in Radcliff, KY.

I started Origyn up in 2007 again to
sell beautiful clothes of my own spiritual design. I fell in and out
of different ideas of the truest principle of rollerblading according to
street skating, park skating and overall, the freedom of it.

I continually wrote music and started to record my album about a year
and a half ago. This was my greatest work. I dreamt of doing this
for 10 years and more. With a blessing from the Gods-_- I found the cash
to build a studio and start my work on it after a mad amount of
problems that tested my patience and desire to relax and go with the
unexpected defunct problems of the world. No dream can be denied with
the power of feeling love/Passion. It will always come to pass, either in
this existence or some other. Hope is the greatest thing, I expect to
win, I expect to rule, I expect to be the best. I do not deny the
competition of the thoughts of man, yet I deny the competition, I deny
hatred. For I only see love.




creating & Being the illusion of man, something we
are not. Lately, I have been meditating to the maximum trying to find
enlightenment. I've been studying for over 4 years and it's
progression has developed to something I never expected because of my
own stupidity to open up to the infinite intellects in the universe
beckoning, for me to be something more than the dark path I was. They
are always bidding us come…

The idea of basic meditation may seem
strange and weird, yet it is the most profound matter of intellect
that will change this world completely when grasped, understood and
practiced in it's infinite formats. The power of man is beyond what
we are conformed in thinking right now. We are hiding our "Super
Powers." The prophets of man have spoken of many truths, yet we deny
the past of powers. It's written all over the movies. Our own innate
desire to be these creatures such as Neo, Superman, The Dragon, Iron
Man, Tron, Spider-Man, and so on. These are all actually realities of
Gods in the universe existing as a source of intelligence to reach-_-.
We are not beyond this path. We think we can't. Yet, it is easier to
be one of these creatures than to be yourself, because you choose to
hold onto the idea that you are limited. Who ever said you cannot
know all things? Deny them and start feeling what is possible.



Deny all things and then you'll know what all things really are. Deny your
thoughts and find the true state of happiness, our own existence of
mystic feelings defined in the eternal level of compassionate energies
rotating around in our head fused with the elements of the dead all
interconnected. Yes, we are infinitely powerful. Knowing all things
is always a dimension of IQ that is growing. So we must choose to
deny our world's tradition, become the non-conformist and start
conforming our own individual beliefs, our Gods, our creations and
then we'll find our own identity.

The meditation I've been doing is
all about layers in the mind's eye. It's secret, so I keep it safe.
The basic premise is this though revolving around the universe. This
is my most important element. I've been running Origyn Cloth as well
and it's been super since the spring. I created a line called "Dr.
Zeus" which surrounded it's self around themes of realising those
mythological Gods that are real in a different realm, fused with the
element of Dr. Seuss artistic ideas and the neon wave coming across
the world, I created it. The site www.origyncloth.com has evolved
into something weird. Keep Kentucky weird. My new expression. We
have Lights that shine. They are Gods. They skate hard because they
love it. They are equal. They are super. They will love you.
Forever. So love them and don't lose yourself-_-. A team video is being
worked on right now that will be out this October on Hallow's Eve.
There will be a release party. It will feature over 21 different
skaters on different levels of intelligence;).

All with unique styles, all to be appreciated. They are Sunz, Moons
and Stars. The soundtrack will be feauting music from my album called
"The Soundtrack." I'll be editing along with other individuals. I'm
hoping to be most eccentric and outrageous with this video for that is
the best way to get noticed in the world. Look at Lady Gaga. What an
amazing weirdo she is!, I've been painting for the last year and
finished my best painting the one. It's a futuristic city coupled with beaming
suns with spontaneous colors. The side painting to it is a link that
is a surrealist, split markers and pencil and any other medium I
desire.


Skating lately has been superb. Recently I went to a
competition in Nashville called "Too Cold Too Blade Outside". A huge
amount of people came and I ended up going with some friends and
having the best time. I jumped off a roof that was about 14 feet up
or so which was my biggest gap with my cape on so I was super excited
about that meditation-_-. Then I went to the hospital to get some pain
pills, hehe;P and relax the next night i was away like a vampire on the
internet sucking the blood of the cybernetic world of us Troninians.

3. As i enthusiastically search daily for the most up to date
industry/sport info i managed catch a line mentioning you , first
thought that came to mind was, " wow Jordan Dale no way!" and a black
and white photo showing you in your cape bravely making a attempt at
doing a massive Gap that was said to be 2stories high, hope you got
out of it alright? , What has your new found practice of Meditation
brought you and in a concise manner what is the purpose and function
of it and has it helped you in any way with any fears in regards to
skating and life in general?

lol. That's coo man. Well, as I have said, yet in different words
this time, mediation is the key to all knowledge and will give you
your greatest dreams in this life if practiced deeply enough.

4. I see that you've been working on producing some sweet Music
spreading out to a variety of genre's , what is it that your band/you
aim with your music, would i be correct in saying that its a
Alternative/experimental type of music?

Definitely. I experiment with dark and light. They are equal. The
idea of an infinite style came to me about 6 years ago and I decided
to not be one artist of a genre, but all of them, for I am all of them
because they exist in me. The band I am in is us 3 amigos as an
improvisation band with whatever name we desire for the moment of our
performance. We will fuck the world up of conformity for plain
listening of music. If you don't feel the music, your hating it, so
stop thinking and listen to the weirdest music in the world, ours.


5. Have you had any idea's with inregards to weather you would be
interested in incorporating your work within Rollerblading , music ,
perhaps help teams of various companies with meditation techniques
which would aid in one way or another? .

I definitely am doing that and will do more of that. I am a spokesman
for the greatest power on earth. It will be emperatic, operatic and
will take me to rule it with the expectation of a one world
government-_-. This is what Maharishi has said and promoted. He is a
man that brought transdental meditation over to the U.S. and taught
the Beatles.

Skaters and this industry will get to the top of this
world in happiness no other way. I will die for these words. I will
die for these words. I will die for these words. They are priceless.
They are timeless;).

6. Do you plan to make time to be in the rolling scene more visibly eg
entering local and national competions? or perhaps launching a
clothing line to support rollerblading and gain recognition of your
work as well?

I've been competing in at least 4 competitions this year. I plan and
dream of competing in as many as dreams will come. I'll be in
ecstasy. www.origyncloth.com is my world. Welcome to paradise.
Welcome to Wonka Vision. Welcome to pure imaginations;).





7. i suppose you've had a eye on the progression of the sport , do you
have any idea's that you would like to express that rollerblading
could use, what elements would be needed to further progress the
sport, filming wise, music, promotional approach for growth of the
sport.. what are your thoughts.. ?

The sport will progress only when they lose their thoughts and start
mediating on their 5 senses around them and the inevitable infinite
senses. The basic 5 will fuse them with the earth and they'll love
what they skate.

As far as industry expression. The cleanest image and dirtiest.
Just free openness in expression. Acceptance of all the different
levels of people trying to begin and end. Skaters should be "weird" and
look at what they don't want to. Stop conforming to the way every one
else is skating. Be mad, cause they might think that. Be standing
out on a ledge and jump. Dress differently. Do what your covering up and not hide and
be. Do what your hiding to be. All those million dreams you've
dreamed over night, let them loose and become them. Your not who you
are until you change what you are, constantly. It's the only way to
go up.

8. what were the high lights of your skating career from the time that
you started competing and some of the learning experiences that you
gained during that time?

My favourite times in skating have been the highlighted tricks of my
careers. My first and foremost was when I started skating in Germany
and had the best day ever skating downtown at Kaiserslautern. It
was a sunny day. I took the train from Enkenbach-Alsenborn to K-Town.
I enjoyed the ecstasy of life, the trees, the birds, the wind, the
sun, the clouds, the train tracks tracking, the food, the drink, the
architecture, the people, the conversation, the city, the smells,
unto.

We got off the bus and went to roll down stairs. The best
tricks ever. The root of our existence. I love now. I love new. I
love old. I love 360 negative fishbrains switch and natural. I luv
360 pudslides both ways. I love girls both ways.
I'm a vampire. I'm what you want to be;). we are as ONE and the same. So lets be United.

9. what were your favourite wheel,skate,frame,clothing companies and
are there any you would of wanted to be apart of and wish were still
around today?

MINDGAME definitely. They were really different and set the greatest
standard for the industry with an amazing team I looked up to them immensly.
They were and will be my heroes forever. Well done Shane Coburn and
the puzzle pieces to this Underworld of Super Neo's-_-. The best skates
then were Razors. They were what I knew. I shut off to others
because i was sponsored by a different bunch. They supported me Hugely
and I would die for them. I love that their skates were overall
versatile not limited to Positive and Negative plates, or in other
words Soul plates. They constantly pushed the overall sport, never
stopping. They evolved their riders, supporting them with cash
so they could pursue their dream of being the best. They sat
and watched and gave their love when you needed it. That's why I love
them. They are the future of our sport and they will not ever cease
to amaze. So be amazed, they are full of stars limitless.

The Frames are
Ground Control. They/He revolutionised the industry. The name itself is
ground breaking for he will break your ground when he shows up in a
new edit and competition. I believe and know Jon and he will be the
best skater ever. He was.

10. Do you have any idea's as to why rollerblading wasn't successful
in solidifying its popularity to where it would be able to sustain
itself as a extreme sport as others have after their boom days have
passed.? and what could of been done?

Love never fails. As it is done in this industry it will acheive the top.
Only hate has made the industry fall inside and out. Therefore let us
listen to each other and it will come into place.


Spring & Summer 2003 Line


Origyn 2007 Line


Summer 2010 Line


Zeus Themed Line



Old Fashion
Origyn Team



LINKS to Jordan Dales Music and youtube channel as well as link to Origyn Cloth ENJOY!

Music&Youtube: http://www.reverbnation.com/jordandale

Origyn Cloth.:http://www.origyncloth.com/news.html

What you have just experienced are the words of a spiritual being that travels the Universe beyond the confines of societies norms and has freed himself from the Cell that many think is freedom, an eccentric and Talented.

KJ Hines (JUG Affiliate) Loud, Music Video

Franky Morales ft. Black Dada- I Made It HD Official Music Video!

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgFXvP8ODM&feature=player_embedded

Video is out at last feat. Black Dada ... peep it link or direct on this page.

Stephane Julien – Exclusive Interview and Edit BE-MAG

Stephane and I have been friends for 14 years. I know him as much as I know myself. We have been through so much together, kind of like two soldiers that fought side by side, you know? Steph is an extraordinary human being, he is always there for you if you need help or something. I have seen him going through many faces in his life. He is working hard on becoming a better person and seeing that is such an inspiration for me and all the peeps around him. Skating wise...? Well, I will let the edit speak for itself. All I can say is that skating with him is a true blessing in my life. Thanks Stephane for being a brother to me. I’ll see you tonight anyway at the TAZ session!

Introduction by Mathieu Ledoux
Interview by Dave Ghent & Christoph Böttcher
Photography by Takashi Seida, Yan Lecomte, Marie-France Denoncourt, Stephen Bohn
Image captions by Stephane Julien
How long have you been skating? Sponsors?

17 years, I’m sponsored by Lylac skateshop.


When did you decide to pursue a career as a stuntman? Or is it more of a job for you? Do you support your family with your stunt work for films and such?

I started to do stunts in 2000 when the „Rollerball“ came to Montreal. They hired myself, Mathieu Ledoux, Thomas Liccioni, Serge Maheu, Jon B and many more to do all the rollerblade stunts in it! It is definitely a career that I have a big passion for. And I have a lot of fun doing it! I do support my family with it, but it is always hard to know when the next job will be. When you find something that you like to do, you deal with the downside of it.



»I doubled the character „Tobey“ in the movie „Rollerball“. It was my first movie and this appointment started my career as a stuntman. In this scene, I had to take down 3 players from the golden team.«


What is your wife's job? She's most likely the one that supports the family with a 'real' job since you're jumping off roofs and get shot at all day long, right?

Well right now she is pregnant again… We are waiting for a little girl this time. But she is also a stuntgirl so we both have the same lifestyle.

Did you attend a special school to become stuntman or is your ability self taught?

Well, I learned the most by myself but I also got guidance from friends. For parkour/freerunning I went to France a couple time to learn from Yamakasi. I also took classes for martial arts. I learned a lot from Jamie Jones, Stephane Lefebvre, Jonathan Eusebio, Chad Stahelski, Damon Caro and John Stead, all stunt coordinators that hired me.


Do you have any special stunt talents that production firms book you for?

Rollerblade, ski, parkour/freerunning, fight choreography, cable jerks, human torch, falls, reactions… My height is also popular at 6". So I get work because of that as well.


Did you ever get into a dodgy moment on a set? Was there ever something that made you wish you didn't agree to do a certain job?

Not negatively, but I recently did a stunt on a motorcycle and I had to hit the side of a car and fly over it to the ground. So when it was time I got ready and jumped a couple times on the spot and asked myself if I'm really gonna do this…? Hell yeah, let's do it hard! Then I jumped on the bike and drove about 40 km/h to the car and hit the ground pretty hard… Everybody on set was in shock. Then I got up and everybody cheered! It was amazing!

Stephane Julien Motorcycle Crash from Be-Mag on Vimeo.

»I doubled an actor for a bike crash. It was one of the best stunts I did so far!«


How long you been doing stunts for movies? Weren't you that guy cutting the persian general's arm off in „300“?

I've been in the movie business for 10 years now. And yeah, it was me on the movie „300“, cutting the arm off the general.


Actors receive awards for outstanding work. Is there a way a stuntman is honored for acting as a double? Did you ever win an award for your stunts?

Yeah, it’s called the „Taurus Stunts Award“, Me and Mathieu got one for best fight in „300“.

Who or what is your inspiration in life?

A lot of people… Hmmm, Nelson Mandela, my families, Dan Milman, Jackie Chan, my wife, my son, Charles Nantel, Kaya Turski, George St-Pierre, Jon Julio, Brian Shima, Roll Toronto crew, Guillaume Roy, Tanner Hall, The Jones Familly, fastmotion, 87eleven and definitely Mathieu Ledoux. He brought so much positivity to my life!



»On set of „New Police Story“. Jean Gagnon, Stephen Bohn, myself and Jackie Chan.«


How is the scene in Montreal?

It’s good, now that we have 2 major indoor parks it’s coming back together. Actually inline seems to come back everywhere. But yeah, with Lylac skateshop, owned by Guillaume Roy, it’s getting better everyday!


What kind of training do you on a regular basis?

I do a lot of activities and all of them are pretty physical, but to compensate for strength and power I train with Francois Pellerin. He trains some professional hockey players and he helps me get where I want to be physically. He makes me do a lot of upper body, ’cause with rollerblading in general you only build your legs. He also makes sure that my core is solid and he makes me do specific exercises to prevent hernias, something that happens to a lot of skaters. I also stretch a lot, specially with a foam roller. I also go to hot yoga. It’s so good!


Has training for stunts helped your skating? Anything you think people really need to know about strengthening yourself for skating?

Yeah, of course it helps. Hmmm, what I can’t say enough to people is how important it is to train and stretch. I want to be fifty and able to skate still!



»I doubled the character „Stelios“ in the movie „300“. This scene is when Stelios did an amazing leap to cut off the generals’ arm.«



Is there other sports you do besides rollerblading that cater to your profession as a stuntman?

Parkour/freerunning, skiing, wind tunneling, skateboarding, wushu, sword fighting, rock climbing and gymnastics.


I've heard that you shipped out to China for a few years, and disappeared from the scene in Montreal. What was up with that?

Yeah! When I did the movie „Rollerball“, I was 19 years old and made good money. I spent a lot, too much. So to get back on my feet, I wanted to go there to first skate and then understand how to deal with money. I had regular pay and I dealt with that for 3 years. I pushed the Inline industry with Alan Mak from O22Y skateshop, then I worked on another movie „New Police Story“. Then I knew that was what I wanted to do: stunts! It was 3 years that I was gone from the movie industry, but also from inline, too. And back then it was the big time, D-Structure was huge and made many videos, Thomas Liccioni came out with the video „5 Months“ and IMYTA came to Montreal twice. I pretty much missed all of that! So when I came back and went to skateparks, I didn't know that many people anymore. It was funny that people were asking Mathieu Ledoux: „Who is this guy?!“ So I got back on my skates, and focused on stunts. But I would really like to go back to China sometime!


What is it like to skate with Mathieu Ledoux all the time? Was he always looking for different approaches on skating or did that happen over the last few years?

It’s amazing… He is so focused on skates and he has always been pushing it to another level. He helps me to push it, too. When I skate with him, we are always practicing every little thing we can do, then 'Boom' he comes out with something amazing! You then have to try it too, you know? You can’t just watch him and not want to get as creative as him!

What do you love about rollerblading?

Dude, everything! I love to just shred fast and feel good on my skates. I love to ride my p-rail in my driveway, I love bowl, mini ramps, long quarter pipes, I love to practice switch tricks but most of all I love landing a run or a crazy trick perfectly. So perfect that it feels smooth like water.


Any advice for kids starting out, trying to make a name for themselves?

Ride for fun. Because you can be sponsored or traveling all around the world for skating, but if you don’t have fun doing it, it’s gonna get harder and harder. If you do have fun, I swear everything you will do on your skates will pay off.

Thanks to: Be-Mag, Fastmotion, Mat L, my wife Marie, Dave Ghent, Jon Julio for Valo 3, TAZ skatepark, Southpark, Lylac, you rock Guillaume, my mom and life!

Stephane Julien Inline Edit from Be-Mag on Vimeo.

SOURCE: http://www.be-mag.com/article/1642-Stephane-Julien-Exclusive-Interview-and-EditStephane Julien

BLADE LIFE: 3D Filming at Woodward West

LINK: http://www.believeinone.com/?p=836

in stunning 3D for a series on Discovery Channel 3D!!!!! :P

some great news and some awsome! top rollers and legends , always happy to see some mainstream work being done for rolling and having some of the most respected rollers;) ...

hope this ep will be online for viewing as well!

Points of view: Kaya Turski

Name: Turski
Surname: Kaya
Localisation: Montreal
Date of birth: 3 Mai 1988

Kaya Turski, pro skier and a rollerblader, turned 22 years old a few months ago and we all heard about her. At the moment she began to compete, she went to the LG Action Sports World Championships of Dallas in 2006, finished 4th, then became a pro at the finals in Los Angeles, won the Vermont Open in ski, and wins her second straight X Games women's Slopestyle gold medal this year.
She can be seen in the dvd Road to Nowhere next to Chase Rushing, Sean Santamaria, or Michael Collins, Brenton Wheeler.. Sponsored by Red Bull, Orage, Oakley, Salomon, Skullcandy, DonJoy, and D-Structure, I really wanted her to share with all her vision of Rollerblading and of her other passions in my column.

Sophie Planque: What did you study, a diploma?
Kaya Turski: This summer I was taking some summer science and math courses. Eventually I think i'd like to go into athletic therapy so I did a bio and a math class.

Can you make a short summary of your "rollerblade story" for everybody, well including ski too !!
I started rollerblading when I was 8 or 9. First, me and my dad would roll around and I would jump off stairs when I found a little set. Someone saw me and told me to check out the skate park, and as soon as I tried it I fell in love. From then, I was at the park every weekend. I started competing in ASA's when I was 14, when I turned ASA pro at the end of the year in the finals in L.A.
I started skiing when I was 16 or 17, I basically put on a pair of skis and fell in love with it right away.

And now you win the X games, that’s amazing ! In few sentences, what is your vision of rollerblade, and ski?
Rollerblading isn't just an amazing sport, it's also a really awesome and tight knit, supportive community. I really appreciate that about rollerblading. People do it because they love to do it, and through the good and bad times they all stick together. As for skiing, it's also quite a tight knit community, though a little bigger. It says a lot when you can travel across the world and meet with a freeskier or rollerblader you met in a message board and they'll hook you up. Love the support!
Isn't it two hard to practice this two sports together? I'm talking about time spent, injuries, travels...
I guess so. I don't rollerblade as much as I'd like to because I'm around the snow so much. When I do come home I spend a lot of time skating though which is always fun. I don't compete in skating anymore, so I only really focus for comps for skiing. Skating is always going to be there and be so much fun. I wish there were still ASA's or X-Games for skating, I would do it for sure.

Do you feel the need to work next to your passions even though you’re a pro?
Dont understand the question? Do you mean do you need to work at a sport even if it is your passion?
Yes, I think talent and passion can only go so far. If you want to me on top of your game and excel to your maximum potential, there is a lot of work involved. The best athletes in the world are in that prime position because of endless hours training, practicing, visualizing...

Being so involved like you are in your passion, don't you think it can be a trap ? I mean, where do you see you in 10 years, what kind of job will you have if you only focus on your passion these days ? Because you told me you did a class in bio and math, but is it the only class you need ? Does it give you a diploma ?
I don't think it's a trap because I have learned so much in the years that I've travelled and skied/rollerbladed for a living. I've met a lot of great, smart and inspiring people and have learned a lot from them as well. Also, throughout all the injuries I've worked closely with doctors, physios and athletic therapists/trainers. This has given me a lot of experience in the field and it's something I see myself going into later on. I also have made hundreds of contacts throughout the world, some being my sponsors and companies I may potentially end up working with one day.

What are your projects for the future (ski, rollerblade, studies, job)?
For the future, I want to keep having fun on my skis and skates. I want to push skiing until I can't anymore, try to be always one step ahead. I want to continue competing in major events like X-Games and also film some sick movie sections. I want to go to the Olympics in 4 years too.

Good luck for the Olympics !!!!! If you want to tell me something else, you can !!
Thanks to my family & friends for supporting me and helping me get to where I am today. Thanks to my sponsors too.

Thanks a lot again !Kaya

Kaya Turski rollerbladaaaa from kaya turski on Vimeo.

CHYNNA WEIERSTALL: WINTER 2009 & 2010 EDIT

Tony Hoggan " Believe in Blading "

If only everybody had supportive parents like Tony's! , good on you mate, keep up the hard work and have FUN and never stop exploring the limits beneath your FEET!.

Mathieu Ledoux – Exclusive Interview(BE-MAG)

Besides a few phone calls as of recent, Mathieu Ledoux was much the same to me as many of you out there. A fresh face, with mind boggling new maneuvers. One difference is I in fact had been following Mathieu's skating for a couple of years now. Not knowing anything of him personally. I viewed each section as a fan, and looked forward to the next.

As of recent, I finally had the distinct honor of meeting Mathieu in person. I had invited him to join a few others and myself on a new project that we were working on. Honored, Mathieu was quick to agree, and was on a plane to San Diego a couple weeks later. All the others including myself were extremely excited to see what he was all about. Unfortunately, Mathieu's trip here was short lived due to injury and work. But knowing him face to face for roughly 48 hours, here's what I can tell you of him.

Mathieu Ledoux is a honorable man. The kind of man you would tell a secret to, trust to hold an engagement ring, ask to represent and be apart of your company, or take on any adventure you’re about to embark upon. Quite honestly the most level headed, easy to get along with person I have ever met in my life. His love for his wife and friends that surround him can only be matched by his passion and dedication for his work. And skating.

Most of you may not know, but Mathieu is a professional stuntman, and is extremely talented and dedicated to his profession. When he is not busy on a job, or skating, he is in his facility practicing for new stunts, or new skate maneuvers. Purely professional in all aspects of the word. Living on strict diets of nutritional and useful foods, he remains in immaculate condition. He has no bad vises, as far as I know. He rarely drinks, and if he does, not to get drunk. He does not smoke, or use drugs of any form. If it is true what they say, „Your body is your temple.“, then Mathieu has a kick ass temple!

Now that you know a little about Mathieu Ledoux as a person, let me tell you about his skating and my perception of it. In this era of skating in which it seems almost impossible to „Wow!“ each other, Mathieu steps in like a breathe of fresh air. He brings new inspiration that all of us can respect and incorporate in to our existing style of skating. His combination of parkour skills and years of skating experience make for a unique visual symphony.

He skates by my number one rule without knowing it: „Be impressive not only to your peers within your sport, but equally if not more impressive to those outside with no understanding of your sport“. I feel Mathieu, along side some of our greats, such as Farmer, Haffey, Aragon, Alfano etc., has the potential to show the public our physical prowess, technicality, and well rounded athleticism that rollerblading boasts.

Mathieu has picked up where my personal favorite, Dustin Latimer, has left off. And he showed me, as well as everyone else, that we still have more room to progress and new dimensions to achieve and master. Though I will admit that Mathieu's skating is not for everyone to aspire to become, I do believe we can all learn something from him and achieve our own true direction to its fullest potential. I am proud to know Mathieu and call him a friend. I am also glad to see him in a position to help progress and inspire our sport. Mathieu does not need rollerblading. He does it, because he loves it!

Introduction by Damien Wilson
Interview by Oliver Nermerich and Dave Ghent
Photography be Yan Lecomte, Leon Basin, Awall, Félix Rioux



Mat in Arizona – Shot by Awall



Let‘s start with the basics! What‘s your name? How old are you? What are your sponsors? Are you single, engaged or married?

Mathieu Ledoux, 28 years young, my sponsors are NIMH, Create Originals, Renegade Bearings, *&?%#& wheels and Lylac skate shop. I am married to my little buddha Alison Côté.



When did you get married? What does family mean to you?

I got married 2 years ago. Not under the church and government though. It was a friends and family reunion to celebrate our love and my Dad was the one who declared us married. Family for me is the people who you bond with. I have a huge family ha ha... To me we are all brothers and sisters.



Did you bring your skates to your honeymoon?

Dude, everyday is honeymoon when I am at home ha ha... But no, I did not bring my skates.



Some years ago an edit from you popped up on one of the big Rollerblading news sites. You did some weird stuff in that edit, but everyone seemed to like it! We are just wondering what you have been up to all the years before? Why didn‘t your name pop up before that?

Life has its own timing, I guess. I was probably not ready or something. I have been skating for 17 years, more than half of my life.



Leaving his mark on one of Montreal's hot spots – Shot by Yan Lecomte



You used to skate for Shop-Task and Valo. But then you switched to Boutique Lylac and NIMH? Why?

Leon from Shop-Task is a really good friend of mine and it was a hard move for me to do. But I live in Montreal and I thought I could do better for my local scene if I was helping out my local shop. Plus, I always skate and hang out with Lylac owner Guillaume so it just made sense to me. I quit Valo for some personal reasons. I think its a solid skate with a solid team and I truly hope that Julio and Roces do well.



You have reached the ripe old age of 28 years. So you must have had a lot of skating memories. What‘s your best skating related memory?

There is too many! My first trip to Cali, the first video I saw (The Bottom Line), sessions where you feel joy at its climax. You know what I am talking about; when you feel like time does not exist, when you feel like you are the moment itself. Sessions with my bro Stephane Julien in our barn, my trip to AZ, and right now answering these questions!



Is it true that you are working as a stunt man?

Yes.


There is always an extraordinary way to approach a spot,

Mat is always going for it – Shot by Félix Rioux



During the Shop-Task Tour through East Canada earlier this year you had to leave earlier than expected. I heard you got a call from Hollywood? What‘s that about?

Haha, that‘s Leon making fun of me for being a stuntman. I had to go work that‘s all.



So what movies did you do stunt work for?

Rollerball, Death Race, 300, Twilight 3, Punisher War Zone, R.E.D, Mummy 3, Love Guru, Outlander, Shoot 'Em Up, Steal, The Phantom and many more.



What is it like to regularly travel for work? What cities do you often film movies in?

Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver & Russia.



How did you get into the world of stunt work?

Well I always wanted to be a stuntman. I remember at school my teacher asked us to write 10 careers that we wanted to do. The first one on my list was stuntman. When she saw my answer she told me that there was no stunt class in college.
I replied that she asked me what I wanted to do and not what I wanted to study. Move forward a few years later, and I get a call to go do the audition for the flick Rollerball. I got the job and it was my first experience with Hollywood. It was nuts! That is all I am going to say about it.
What‘s your experience with the film business? Some people say it‘s a hard business, some people say it‘s the best job you can get and some people say it‘s full of drugs. So what do you think about it?

How do you experience life? Some people say its full of dangers, some people say its hard and cruel and some other people say its an amazing experience! Same for the film business. I really enjoy my work. I try to choose who I am working with and surround myself with grounded people who are passionate about their work. Of course it gets crazy sometimes. There is a lot of money involved and sometimes humans act really weird when the green is around.



With which actor/actress have you worked with, and would you go out partying with?

I don’t party. I feel like my life is a party. Everyday I get up and try to have fun. I play during the day and at night I rest and enjoy some quiet time. Reading, watching a movie, stretching, spending some sexy time with my wife, you know...? To answer your question I would like to hang out with Steve Carell.



And since you do stunts, doesn‘t it feel crazy to also „stunt“-skate in your spare time? Does your work actually help you to get better at Rollerblading?

Well, sometimes I can hear this voice in my head saying „Well, don‘t get hurt ’cause you won’t be able to work“, but I let it go and I try to just enjoy skating. It helps sometimes when I am scared to do a trick , I ask someone to give me a 3-2-1 action and my brain goes blank, and I just go.



Not a common thing for a Quebecois: wearing a Toronto tribute shirt – Shot by Yan Lecomte



What was the scariest thing you have ever done as a stuntman?

The scariest thing I did was a huge drop in for the movie rollerball. It was a 1 foot wide 20 feet high roll in that was dropping onto a 10 foot vert plastic glass wall with 3 feet of sketchy tray at the bottom. What also scares me is the fact that I never know when I‘ll be working next and that I forget that I can create whatever I want.



And as a Rollerblader?

The scariest thing I did rollerblading was also a drop in in Arizona, which you may have seen in my 90 seconds edit.



In terms of your work and your skating, do you see yourself as an artist?

Of course! First of all an artist creates. I guess we all are artists in a way ’cause we all create our own life. Some of us are aware of that and take full responsibility for our lives and thus have power to transform it. Others will blame everything around them for the life they have. They will blame their parents, people, situations etc. Those people can‘t transform their situation ’cause they think they are not responsible for their own life.




This was not an easy task: first how to get up there and then second he had to overcome his acrophobia – Shot by Yan Lecomte in MTL



How is the scene in Montreal these days?

Booming! So many young kids are buying skates. It also feel like all the OG‘s are getting back into it. Lylac skate shop is doing a good job. We also have a shop in Quebec city called D-Structure and they are also starting to get involved, which is a good thing.



Is it true that Montreal has the most beautiful girls in this world? If it‘s true, what might be the reason for that? Healthy food, healthy environment or is it just the clothing?

They heard I was living here ha ha... I married the most beautiful one! I don‘t think clothing has anything to do with being beautiful. Either healthy food or environment. I think their beauty comes from within themselves, perhaps it‘s more cultural, I don‘t know haha...



What or who can make you laugh the most?

My friend Thomas, and myself when I act like a jackass. When I think that I „know“... or „I am right“. Also people who think they are cool because they can skate good. They do some nice tricks and suddenly they‘re special. That is a really funny to me.



What would Mat Ledoux consider as the most important thing in his life?

God, love, stay present in the moment and work on becoming a better being, dig deeper into consciousness. Share with my brothers and sisters. Be the change I want to see in this dream. Also my wife! Just in case she reads my interview haha...



In Arizona while filming for his 90 seconds Revolution edit



Besides all the work and skating, I heard you are also big into skiing and parkouring. How do you manage all this and what does skiing and parkouring give you that rollerblading can‘t?

Well first of all, people need to know that up in Montreal we can‘t skate street from November to March because it gets really cold. I really enjoy being on a mountain, the view, the fresh air and of course skiing. I went on a back-country trip last winter and it was an amazing experience. Skiing deep powder through trees and hitting mellow lines was just.. Wow! I watch more skiing videos more than rollerblading. If I want to get juiced to go skate I‘ll watch skiing, it‘s weird...
Parkour is something else. At one point that’s all I would do. When you are not into it you don‘t really get it. The true essence of parkour... It’s almost like a martial art. I learned from the founders in France. They did not only teach me techniques, they taught me a way of life, values, respect and generosity. To be humble.



If you have the time to go on vacation now where would a Matt Ledoux go? What kind of trip would you be interested in?

My wife and I are going to Peru for a month. I am interested in a trip that would involve transformation. Which can be anywhere with anyone, if I am aware enough.



You can‘t be a stunt man forever, right? So what does your back-up plan look like?

I could if I wanted to. But I don‘t. No back up plan, just trust life and keep doing what I love to do.



Do you have any expectations from yourself? Where do you see yourself in the future? Or are you the type of guy that just lives for the moment?

I have big expectations but I am not attached to any results. I want to be able to be present in the now. It might take my whole life to do that, maybe not. I have started my journey and I want to stay on this path. Besides that I am planning to have kids and spend the rest of my life with Alison.



Again, Arizona-time: X-Rated filming Mat – Shot by Awall



What else can we expect from Matt Ledoux this year? Any video projects that you‘re filming for? Any other projects?

Yes, I got a section in my mind that needs to come out! I am starting to work on it next week. Its gonna be blading as I see it, unlimited, unrestricted, powerful, creative and of course the most important of all, inspired, which means „IN-Spiritus“ – from the spirit.



What movies will you be stunt-working for in the next months?

Well, right now I am working on two TV shows called Covert affairs and Alphas. After that I am going to Peru.



Thanks for your time, Matt. Any shout outs?

I would like to thank Be-Mag and Olli for this opportunity, OG for the frames, Brett from M1 and Renegade, Damien for inspiring me to start skating again, Leon from Shop-Task, Guillaume from Lylac, James at Revolution, all my friends around me that I love so much, and of course my wife THE BOMB Alison haha... And I would like to thank you who are reading these words right now. Thanks.

Mathieu Ledoux Arizona remix from Be-Mag on Vimeo.

GRINDING AND HIGGS BOSEN

By Shane Coburn
Photos courtesy of Daily Bread Magazine

PRE-GRIND
Circa 1988

A long long time ago, in an age we call our roots, people didn't grind. They didn't know that they could. Early street skating was comprised of what people are now dubbing "free skating"; jumping curbs, the occasional fire hydrant, and doing powerslides. Skaters of today would look at this kind of skating and laugh, but we had to start somewhere...and to be honest, if you really enjoy rolling that stuff is pretty fun.

While rolling's recreational background still made up its outward appearance, the niche to be known as Aggressive was starting to attract people with a different mentality. A personality, attitude, and behavior traditionally found in other action-sports started to sparsely emerge inside of rolling.

Anybody involved in the early days of rollerblading will tell you that credit for this movement goes to a guy named Doug Boyce. Doug is the person responsible for inspiring our earliest wave of professional skaters. Even though there had been attempts at melding skating to the urban landscape previously, Doug did it in a fashion no one had ever seen before. Similar to others who have inspired new eras in our art i.e. Chris Edwards, Arlo Eisenberg, Randy Spizer, and Jon Julio, Doug brought a palatable style to something that was already fun, but lacked form.

It is safe to say that grinding was first attempted by Doug, and inspired by the skateboarding background that he came from. (I know we hate each other...blah, blah, blah, but don't forget, skateboarding was also inspired by something - surfing...a fact that modern sidewalk surfers would rather forget*) While Doug was the first to attempt grinds, the quick relationship between his 72mm wheels and a handrail does not credit him with the first grind.

*Everything has its roots, and there is a natural progression to life. For us rollerblading is that next progressive step- the thing that offers us whatever it was that other sports couldn't. Rollerbladers are like the characters in X-Men- the next wave of the evolutionary process; struggling in the minority, ostracized for their odd choices and actions. But all the while just doing what they know and what they believe in.

THE GRIND
Circa 1990

Rolling God Chris Edwards is often considered the first "grinder". Chris's influence on trick vocabulary as well as on the first wave of Extreme skaters i.e. Jess Dyrenforth, Arlo, Anjie (Angie) Walton, Brooke Howard-Smith, and Mark Shays was so incredibly powerful that people just kind of assume he grinded first. However, a more accurate statement would be that Chris is the person who people saw grinding first (there is a difference).

The story of the first "real grind" starts with Doug Boyce's roommate, a pre-Fifty/50 Jess D. Jess admits that, someone, somewhere, could have grinded before him. Brooke Howard-Smith often makes this argument, saying that he was grinding in New Zealand around the same time Jess started here in the States. But this argument and one's like it are negligible considering that Jess was the person to introduce Chris to grinding on rollerblades. This is important because Chris was the only person at that time who had the means to bring grinding to new levels, or more importantly; bring it to the masses.

Jess D. was accustomed to tinkering with parts to make them perform better. Hailing from the BMX world also gave him previous experience with grinding. It was only natural that Jess longed to grind on his new medium for expression; rollerblades. He started by taking the third wheel off of each frame, so that he could slide the coping at the local skateparks. Unfortunately, this system was very inconsistent as the third wheel space offered no center to balance on and his Lightning 608 wheels were so soft that if they even grazed the metal pipe he would stick. After investing more time into the idea of grinding on skates, Jess decided to mount 8 skateboard wheels to the bottom of his TRS's. Viola! It worked. The now exposed slick plastic frame and hard durometer wheels were the perfect mate for backsiding metal coping. Actual skating on the other hand...well that was a bit more difficult. The slippery 100A urethane made it impossible to carve a ramp. In fact, Jess had to be very conscious to keep his skates parallel and his body centered at all times. It was also a struggle to get speed with this flat set-up as the wheels had no core, and their width was not designed for fitment in the narrow rollerblade chassis. So, Jess had regular skates for airing and grind skates for transcending limitations...for the time, it was ahead of its time.

Jess told Chris about his experiment, and since everyone (all 4 or 5 people that were skating) wanted to grind in their rollerblades, it didn't take much convincing to have Chris try out the set-up. Chris rode vert, and back then vert consisted of almost entirely airs (not that you'll see much difference today). Lip tricks were limited to toe and heel-tap variations performed on the platform. But after Jess and Chris got together, the rolling world changed forever. Reportedly, Chris would do vert demos for Rollerblade and show everyone why he was called the Airman. Afterwards, he'd come down from the ramp and put his pair of modified grind skates on and proceed to frontside and backside the coping of the ramp. After his tour, Chris had planted seeds in the fertile minds of hundreds of rollerbladers, setting in motion a series of events.

I don't think any of them; Doug, Jess, or Chris had any idea what they had started.

EXTREME WHEELS AND ROCKERED SKATES
Circa 1992

It was only a matter of time before companies started to offer products for Extreme skaters. The Hyper Fat Boy, Cozmo Hockey/Street, and Kryptonics Rampage all hit the shelves around the same time. These wheels were designed with Extreme skaters in mind, offering a smaller diameter, a harder durometer, and a flatter profile than traditional recreational wheels. Skaters used these wheels on stock Rollerblade frames, and rockered* the set-up according to their personal preference. Unfortunately, none of this helped grinding.

* The term rockering comes from ice-skating. Hockey players rocker their skates to make them quicker and more maneuverable. Imagine a skate standing straight up as if someone was standing in it with the blade touching the ground. The shape of the blade, with the front and back rounded off, resembles the bottom of a rocking chair, hence the name rocker. Since Rollerblades were originally conceived as an off season training device for hockey players the skates were designed to be rockerable. By raising the front and back wheels (using the eccentric spacers) the Rollerblade wheels were able to mimic the curved radius of the hockey blade.

ENTER THE ANTI-ROCKER
Circa 1992
It's a unique thing we have here- rolling. It's one thing in the world that will always be ours. No matter what companies come and go, or what dollars change hands, we will always make the real difference. Even if we don't own it on paper, we will direct it until the end. The grind wheel, which is the earliest product that can be credited to the rapid progression of street skating, was not invented in a laboratory or drafted on an engineer's table. It was first introduced to halfpipe coping by Jess Dyrenforth, shown to the world by Chris Edwards, and later adapted for street use by Southern California's elite.

Once again speculation arises at who devised and skated the first anti- rocker set-up. But there is no doubt that its biggest supporter was the same skater to inspire a revolution. Brian Konoske says that the anti- rocker wheel was conceived in a garage by a skater doing what he did best- breaking rules. While rollerblading's first real street skater, Arlo Eisenberg, had always considered his small foot size a handicap, we would not be where we are today without it. Arlo knew that his small feet would never allow him to grind with any type of rockered set-up, and for the reasons mentioned above he found the all-skateboard set- up useless on street. Arlo would end up proving that the prefect set- up for the time was to use skateboard wheels in the center, and larger wheels on the outside. It offered adequate space to grind, and still allowed for speed and traction. Named for its inverted rocker look, the anti-rocker would be the first set-up to allow a skater to lock on and slide down a rail. Granted the anti-rocker wheel did not roll...but who cared? There were grinds to invent.

THE GRIND PLATE
Circa 1992



Southern California's extreme clique was soon exclusively skating on anti-rocker set-ups. Frontsides and backsides were now a part of the everyday trick vocabulary. However, altering the skates intended design and application was presenting a new problem. The plastic frames that were riveted onto the popular recreational skates of that day did not stand a chance against curbs and planter boxes. Within weeks of grinding, frames disintegrated into nothing.



It was at this point that street skaters started attaching metal bolt wrenches (specifically the ones that came in a new Rollerblade skate box) to the inside of their frames. Mounted by the two middle wheel axles, these standard-issue skate tools allowed the plastic frame to continue to contact the curb, while making it more resistant to abrasion and supporting it with added strength. These skate tools were the inspiration for the upcoming Senate Wrench (the first mass- produced grindplate).

SHIFTED SYSTEMS
Circa 1992-93



The Shifted system was an attempt to maintain the attributes of a traditional rockered set-up, but still allow a skater to grind. It was seen as a possible solution for all skate applications (vert and street), but at the time it only gained popularity with ramp skaters. The Shifted system was a frame with two hand-drilled axle holes located a centimeter or so outward of the two stock middle-wheel axle holes. This gave the skate a small space of exposed frame in between the middle wheels.

Skaters using the Shifted system on vert, further customized their skates with wrap around metal grindplates (this thin piece of steel literally wrapped around one side of the frame to the other side). Vert riders found that the metal to metal contact with the coping accentuated their grinds, while the wrap-around effect stabilized the frame. Street skaters experimented with the plate, but for many reasons the wrap around plate was not conducive for street grinds.

In contrast to today's set-ups the Shifted system and wrap around grindplate look very primitive. But a closer analysis will reveal that these two skate modifications are the earliest ancestors of modern flat skating and h-block technology.

EXPIRIMENTS
Circa 1993

Street skaters tired of spending $10 a week on wax, started looking for alternatives to their metal plate skate set-ups. Some completely took their middle wheels out, leaving them with a half-foot grinding area (this was my first set-up). Shortly though, there was no grinding area left because the brittle frame walls disintegrated against the asphalt. Even if a skater maintained frame material the lack of center bolts resulted in shattered frames from gaps and acid drops.

Another philosophy was to mount cut-down skateboard rails on the inside of your frames via the axle bolts or wood screws. These new rails soon started to replace the now common metal wrenches. Since the rails were thicker than grindplates, they helped give skaters more non-wheel surface area to make contact with. Though a few companies flipped this idea into their own mass production rails, namely CDS Detroit, it wasn't until a couple of years later that Steve Thomas and his company Scribe perfecting the design with their pre- grooved rollerblade specific plastic grindplate (however, this would not emerge until 1994).

CORPORATE SUPPORT
Circa 1993

Once the anti-rocker wheel caught on, skaters looked to manufacturers to fashion better products after their needs. Though the market demanded a rollerblading specific anti-rocker wheel, companies were unwilling to take a risk and manufacture wheels that weren't intended to roll on. Instead, Kryptonics introduced the Lil' Roxx. At 57mm, 90a, and no-core, these wheels were meant to work in a flat or anti-rocker fashion, but proved do be no competition against the size and hardness of a generic skateboard wheel.



Hyper introduced the 52mm 88a Midget as an answer to the grind problem (and the sacrilege known as anti-rocker). This wheel was reverse engineered from Rollerblades rockering system to allow a skater to use large Hyper Fat Boy wheels on the outside (rockered up), and Midgets in the middle (rockered down). This system was the first true flat-rocker configuration. Thanks to the smaller inside wheels there was now a space in the center of the frame, but it still allowed all four wheels to make contact with the riding surface.



Since all of these concepts were new, loyalty hadn't been administered to any one philosophy. Upon the release of the Lil' Roxx and midget wheels street skaters experimented with rockering all 8 outward of the frame. This "flat" set-up gave them the maximum amount of plastic possible in between their middle wheels, while allowing them to skate with all 8 wheels rolling. In theory, this sounds like a perfect solution, but in actual practice, it was proved that rollerblading necessitated a cored wheel. So, while these new wheels presented some good concepts, they were by no means a solution.

IF YOU WANT A JOB DONE RIGHT, DO IT YOURSELF
Circa 1993

It was obvious that skate and wheel manufacturers were unwilling to commit to the emerging segment of Aggressive. So, five young skaters who were driving skating on the streets, decided to start driving product into the shops. In January of 1993 Arlo Eisenberg, Brooke Howard-Smith, Mark Heineken, Aaron Spohn, and Brian Konoske formed Senate. Senate was created to cater specifically to the Aggressive niche, and offer products that skaters badly needed. Senate's first line consisted of t-shirts, wax, and the aforementioned Metal Wrench. After establishing the market of aggressive, they changed it forever by introducing the markets first production anti- rocker wheels; Senate Bribes 47mm 100a, and C-Notes 45mm 100a. Senate's anti-rocker wheels quickly became the standard, prompting an expanded line and the catch phrase "Senate. We Set The Standards."

The anti-rocker wheel flourished, and Senate saw its idea copied by every manufacturer capable of molding polyurethane. It wasn't until a year later, when somebody took a look at what these wheels were being used for, was something different introduced. Senate's East Coast rival FR designed an anti-rocker wheel with a unique asymmetrical shape. The wheels inside sidewall had a tapered edge like all anti-rocker wheels, but its outside edge was uncut. Because Shifties (Royales), Backslides, and Torques hadn't been invented yet, the FR Progressor made perfect sense. Its odd shape, designed for the grinds of that day, was an attempt to give a skater exactly what he needed in terms of an anti-rocker wheel. Nothing more, nothing less- it worked beautifully.

SPLIT CHASSIS
Circa 1995

Skater ingenuity didn't stop at the invention of the anti-rocker wheel. In fact, the anti-rocker's success fueled the industry with large company dollars. It was at this point that the industry started to take opposing sides. While Rollerblade was introducing full frame grindplates, rolling's rock stars were busy signing up with companies interested in making a mark in this now viable market. Brooke Howard-Smith signed with Oxygen to produce the Argon skate. While Arlo Eisenberg, Jess Dyrenforth, and Tom Fry started working with Roces on a project called Majestic 12. Both the Argon and Majesticrejuvenated the Shifted chassis system (formerly found on the Roces Roadskate). Now being dubbed "Split", the frame allowed skaters a larger space in the center to grind with. All of the aggressive frames to follow used this characteristic; a split system frame with thick walls, and a pre-beveled groove.

Over the years the Split system has become standard. So prevalent now, that people don't refer to it as a Split system; just an Aggressive frame. The Aggressive frame was received so well that Senate and Fifty-50 soon introduced their own skater inspired versions. And so it continues; From Fifty/50 to Ground Control to 7XL, today's UFS frames are direct descendents of the Majestic 12.

BACK TO THE NEW SCHOOL
Circa 1995

The Split chassis did not extinguish passion for anti-rocker skating. Because even more space could be achieved by combing a Split chassis and set of anti-rocker wheels, street skating was able to take another leap forward. In 1995, the Shifty, Backslide, and Soyale were being introduced to the underground. A young up-and-coming skater with crooked teeth and a style all his own was on the forefront of this movement...in fact he personified it. His name was Roadhouse, and like a few before him, he changed skating forever. Randy "Roadhouse" Spizer, and his VG3 profile opened the door to street skating as we know it today. No longer did you have to tiptoe up to rails; skates were meant to go fast on. Gone were the days of spending your whole street session on a round metal rail; there were ledges, planters, and square edges to skate. Randy's wheel of choice- the anti-rocker. In 1996 Senate introduced the world's first pro- endorsed anti-rocker wheel; the 47mm 100a Roadhouse model. The Crayola colored wheels symbolize a place and time in rolling history where rules were broken and limitations shattered, while at the same time immortalizing one of our greatest contributors and heroes.

THE BATTLE
Circa 1995

While the Aggressive frame's split design was another monumental addition to skate technology, it also "split" the core Aggressive community into two philosophies: One in which skaters believed that the split system warranted a revert back to flat skating (rocker had been pretty much eliminated by now), and another following in which the Aggressive frame's increased space was a welcomed edition to a street skaters anti-rocker set-up (or in the case my favorite skater of all time; Tim Ward, his vert set-up).

Soon these two preferences had become a forum for debate. One side argued, that you weren't really rollerblading unless you had all 8 wheels on the ground, while the other felt that 8 wheel tradition hindered the further progression of the art.

Cozmo was one of the few wheel companies not to jump on the anti- rocker bandwagon. Their flat set-up heritage was a religious conviction of sorts, and with the introduction of the Aggressive frame, they now had a means to discredit the need for anti-rocker. Cozmo's "8 Down" campaign was well received as a sort of rollerblading pride motto, and the industry followed suit. Medium's 54mm 8 pack Jake Elliott wheels were introduced to support the Aggressive market's new direction, while rockered skating even saw a brief rebirth as skaters experimented with a variety of wheel size combinations and rocker plug configuartions.

FREEDOM
Circa 2000

Flat skating has been the popular set-up for quite some time now. Not until a year ago, did anti-rocker start to re-emerge in noticeable numbers. Brian Shima has skated anti-rocker almost exclusively since he started rolling 7 years ago. He feels that this set-up allows him to land on a comfortable foundation, and doesn't hinder him from grinding anything and everything. About a year and a half ago Brian approached me about making an anti-rocker wheel for Mindgame. Though I didn't believe in anti- rockers, I am excited whenever the team wants to get involved in the company...especially product development. Furthermore, I try to keep an open mind...and above all, I always welcome a debate. Shima, Dustin, and I sat down to first discuss how viable an anti- rocker wheel was. Was it necessary? Was it cheating? Did it take away from the "roll"? Being a flat skater for quite some time, I was confident in my arguments. However, that discussion proved to be humbling for me. As Shima talked about the advantage of anti-rocker wheels, including a better grinding vehicle, a less wavering base, and a lighter skate, I was impelled to argue that "your not really rollerblading unless all wheels are down", and that given the now standard shifted system frames the anti-rocker was obsolete. But obviously it wasn't, because he was still on them, and my arguments proved to be more futile the deeper I delved. Basically, I was trying to tell one of the most progressive skaters in the world how he should skate. I was trying to tell Brian Shima how a rollerblade should be. Like a Christian telling a Buddhist that he was going to hell because he hadn't taken Jesus into his heart, I was telling Shima what he should believe in. But sadly, I am not all knowing, and it was once again proved to me that day that I have more to learn. Brian likes to skate anti-rocker and no one in the world can deny that. You can't dispute a person's personal preference, just as you can't dispute a person's faith...no matter how it conflicts with your own. Brian's argument proved so convincing to Dustin and I that we decided to give anti-rocker another chance ourselves...it had been about 4 years since I had been on such a set-up. Ironically, skating anti- rockers made skating feel very new to me again. Whether it was better or more pure, didn't concern me...it was fun. Shortly after that we started to develop our own anti-rocker wheel- the first designed for an anti-rock's true purpose. As the ideas came out of our mouth and went onto the paper, the prospect of a Mindgame grind wheel became more and more exciting. Once again, we were on the verge of breaking the rules. We decided on a direction, ran some samples, and started testing them. Now everyone on the Mindgame team skates anti-rocker (yes, even Elliott)...with the exception of Omar who skates with no wheels in the middle. I'm excited that the team has turned to anti-rocker, as I have seen this change everyone's view to a more expansive outlook on rolling. Omar's decision to go in his own direction is even more exciting to me...as its simplicity is truly radical. He is doing things on skates that are impossible with middle wheels, and I cannot say that that is wrong. In that spirit, if the whole team went back to flat tomorrow, I would still support anti-rocker skaters, as I now see it as a sort of sect in our art.

As rollerbladers we need to get away from this static form, this idea of tradition. I don't see why making something harder makes it more righteous. I mean it's harder to ollie a set of stairs on a skateboard than to jump it on rollerblades...but I prefer to rollerblade, and that does not make me inferior to anyone. These dogmas are "cliquey" and create a false sense of superiority that will only hold us back. What makes rollerblading so special is its unified diversity...flat and anti- rock...soft and hardboot...tranny and street. The less we say "what should be", the less we become "this or that", and the more we can evolve.

source and next page of our history: http://web.archive.org/web/20070315185845/www.antirocker.com/page3.htm