q: How was living in Santa Barbara?
a: Fun. It's a college town, lots of parties and young people having fun.
q: How do you like living in SF?
a: S.F. is bad ass, there is so much to skate and plenty of fun people
to skate with. The night life is fun too. I've made some cool friends.
q: How long have you been skating?
a: I had my first skate 14 years ago. But I've been skating every day
for about 9 years.
q: Who do you usually skate with?
a: I skate a lot with my photographer friend, Theo Hand. I skate
with my roommate, Jaya a lot too, and just whoever is at the local spots.
q: Who are your influences?
a: My good friend Derrick got me into skating. Everyday we would
bring our skateboard everywhere we went. He ripped, I was learning. My
friends Brandon and Jim and Tommy basically showed me what sponsorship was.
Jim gave a shirt and some wheels free! I was so stoked.
q: What's the weirdest or funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
a: Probably the weirdest thing was living in the mountains way back there.
No phones, and we grew our own food. There was a big army truck that would
go into the city of Santa Barbara like once a month or so for supplies.
We finally left when I was nine.
q: Do you mainly skate street?
a: Yes, I'm usually skating street, but I like skating everything.
Street's just the most accessible.
q: What kind of tricks are you doing?
a: Just whatever seems fun or comes to mind. I've been trying to
improve on the old ones, kickflips, ollies, nollies.
q: Who are your sponsors?
a: Venture, Sonic, Airwalk.
q: Anything to say to the people?
a: Keep skating. Have fun. Don't let shit stress you out. It's hard to
do, but it has to be done.
-Interview by Jason Freeman, Photos by Noah Martineau
******* ARIC HONDELL *******
q: How long have you been pickin pineapples?
a: All my life. I used to pick them with my mom and dad in Hawaii.
q: So what's up with than Jaw?
a: It get 0 to 60 in 2.5.
q: How long have you been skateboarding?
a: About 35 years.
q: What kind of name is Hondell?
a: The name of champs.
q: Didn't you use to be a raver?
a: No comment.
q: Tell me about the early Sacto days.
a: I had a wallet chain, who didn't?
q: Who do you ride for?
a: X-21 and this new company. Me and Lathen are the only riders.
q: Got any shouts to send out?
a: Shots out to Mike Hoffe, Jay Verdijo, Kyrie, Domingo,
Justin, Genero, Jeremy Keller, Jeff Lundi, Matt Rodriquez,
Decon Bookie, Phelps and special thanks to the whole Rafter
family for all they have done.
-Interview by Jay Verdijo
********* DOMINGO VASQUEZ *********
Domingo's mom name is Phyllis.
When Phyllis held her new born baby in her arms, she said to
herself, "My son will make a fine skateboarder someday."
She was wrong.
Domingo skates slow, low, and has no style.
Domingo sometimes falls down and cries because Dave and Mike
are laughing at him.
If you have ever seen Domingo ride his skateboard you know that
the above facts are mostly false. If he knew we were writing this he
would tell us to thank the fine staff of X-21, Kanten Russell, his
mommy, R.P. Bess, and anyone who knows why they skate.
All of Domingo's friends love him.
Enough said, watch him and learn.
-Mike Rafter and Dave Margolis
q: Who are your influences?
a: My good friend Derrick got me into skating. Everyday we would
bring our skateboard everywhere we went. He ripped, I was learning. My
friends Brandon and Jim and Tommy basically showed me what sponsorship was.
Jim gave a shirt and some wheels free! I was so stoked.
q: What's the weirdest or funniest thing that's ever happened to you?
a: Probably the weirdest thing was living in the mountains way back there.
No phones, and we grew our own food. There was a big army truck that would
go into the city of Santa Barbara like once a month or so for supplies.
We finally left when I was nine.
q: Do you mainly skate street?
a: Yes, I'm usually skating street, but I like skating everything.
Street's just the most accessible.
q: What kind of tricks are you doing?
a: Just whatever seems fun or comes to mind. I've been trying to
improve on the old ones, kickflips, ollies, nollies.
q: Who are your sponsors?
a: Venture, Sonic, Airwalk.
q: Anything to say to the people?
a: Keep skating. Have fun. Don't let shit stress you out. It's hard to
do, but it has to be done.
-Interview by Jason Freeman, Photos by Noah Martineau