Ja Rule called...

I got interviewed today about skateboarding. It's for an online magazine that's starting up and I hope they don't get bummed out that I'm posting it on here a bit early. Here it is:

Pat Maloney….. The man puts a smile on my face every time I see him… I remember this one time me and Steve Pritula (AGK photographer) went on a trip to Toronto to go skate in the winter and the place we were at got hit by lightning. Lightning in winter?? So I quickly call Pat ask him if we can chill at his pad he of course says yes. So he lives not even 20 min away since this storm is so bad it took us an hour to get there. We finally get there greeted with high fives and vodka. So were chillin we start playing video games and we play xbox 360 live halo 2 and Pat starts talking in a new jersey accent just rippin on everyone saying he’s a Gay Guido and just Fucks with everyone. I cried for 2 hours straight. AGK

1. Age, location, and where were yeah born?
21 years young, currently living downtown Toronto but grew up in the wonderful guido district of Niagara Falls.
2. So I think you’re the Jake Phelps (thrasher magazine editor) of Canada. I think you need to talk about the skateboard industry what’s your take on it?
(laughs) The skate industry is weird stuff, all politics really. More older dudes should be getting on companies rather then the younger ones with shitty attitudes. The younger ones lately are mostly mouthy and cocky but nothing a spin kick can’t fix.
3. What’s Panther Starship all about and who’s in it?
Panther Starship was actually started off as a fake band I thought of after 48 hours of no sleep. I would go around telling girls my band, Panther Starship, was playing at a certain time/venue and for them to show. You know, little ice breaker (laughs). My friend Matt Hariski (Whiskey) wanted to start a board company and needed a name so we decided to make it Panther Starship. Whiskey also played the keytar in Panther Starship when we told everyone we had a band, which is important. It’s just based around getting awesome, that’s the image. The 80’s, beers, bbqs, heavy metal, ladies, high fives, etc. We got a really solid bbqrew (team) that I’m stoked on but can’t reveal just yet. The video should be done by December we hope. If not, we’ll all get drunk and watch Space Jam and it’ll be the same thing.
4. How’s the scene up in Toronto?
Not bad really. A lot of people take skateboarding too seriously and there’s a ton of drama in the scene, but at the same time there’s some incredibly rad people here too. It balances itself out for sure. Dave Nolan was telling me the other week about how out of all the places he’s traveled around the world that Toronto is his favourite place. Says it all right there.
5. What yeah think about the scene in Niagara?
The skate scene is new to me in Niagara. We never had a skate community until the park and AntiGravity opened for everyone to meet up, talk, and go from there. Before that it was always just go around the city and skate the 2 or 3 spots we actually had and maybe see a new face or two. I’m stoked to see everyone there supporting independent shops and companies too. Everyone knows that huge companies like West 49 are lame. Look at the people who go there and buy their stuff! Emos, guidos, and jocks? So cool!
6. Tragically, Mike Day passed away last year if you could say one last sentence to him what would you say?
I wouldn’t say a word, I’d let our skate session do the talking.
7. Have any good stories?
Too many really, everyday seems like something new happens. Recently though i was at the st catharines skatepark the other weekend about to drop into a ramp when I heard a bunch of screaming from behind me. i look behind me and there's 6 teenage girls running away from an angry flying canadian goose. one of the girls splits away from the group, screaming, when the goose follows her jumps on her back and she whipes out on the ground. just when it looks like the goose is about to get gnar on her, this minivan comes ripping around the corner honking and going nuts. this old guy gets out and begins yelling at the goose, but stopped when the goose flew at him and he ran back in his van with the girl who was knocked down. the old guy throws it reverse, bringing the girl to the doors of the arena she left from, where she ran through the doors screaming even though the goose was nowhere near her. everyone was watching from the skatepark, dying laughing. just when we thought it was over, it was far from it. the old guy tries to run over the goose, but having no luck, he decided to go near the goose and rev the engine at it. this is the point where i completely lost it and fell to the ground laughing. the goose casually walked away back to his spot and waited for more people to gnar. as ice cube once said, 'it was a good day'.
8. How do you feel about Ryan Sheckler and his new TV show Life of Ryan?
The skidmark of skateboarding? Lame. I’m surprised he isn’t on west 49, he’s a typical customer. To be completely honest, I entered that contest West 49 is having right now to meet Ryan Sheckler. If I win, my plan is to get people to donate money to me and if I get enough, I will kick Ryan Sheckler in the crotch. All proceeds will go to charity and helping build new skate parks in the community.
9. Do you think it helps skateboarding?
Not at all. It makes us all look like cry baby jocks with our last names tattooed across our backs. Skateboarding has drastically declined in popularity this year, figure that one out.
10. Who’s Ripping nowadays?
Oh man, so many people. All of AGK are rippers and just run Niagara Park like nothing, so all those guys. Dave Nolan, Dan Arget, Matt Hariski, Veenstra, Erika PK, Mike Morris and all the Friendly skateboards dudes, Matt Mongeri, Wojtek Zawada, Steve Bureau, Aaron Power, Hayden Currie, Matt Maloney, all of the Windsor/ Change skateboard dudes like Hill Sulpher, Dallas Ives, Mikey Plantus, Jesse Tessier, Bilingual James Denomme. I’m missing a ton of peope but anyone whose having fun skating is a ripper.
11. What music are you rockin now?
(laughs) a lot of metal and punk, the usual. Kill Cheerleader, Motorhead, Misfits, Joy Divison, Bad Brains, all the best of both genres really. If it’s fast and rad then I’ll rock it. I like a ton of mellow stuff too like Elliot Smith and Cat Power. Some hip hop, but it’s all old stuff and Dr Octagon. Daft Punk is always good too.
12. So lets do a Thrasher word association here.

Panther Starship- vortex of awesome.
Purple- goes good with green.
AGK- Niagara Falls
Skateboarding- devine.
Rollerblading- hilarious.
Toronto- gorgeous.
West 49- ryan sheckler
Fully flared- 10 years ahead of it’s time.
Butter On My Bread- incredible.
Matt Mongeri- style.
Greco- should’ve stayed on heroin.

13. What’s your take on what were doing here at AGK?
Amazing, but I want to see an Anthony Nedea pro model board eventually.
14. Shout outs?
I name dropped enough in the who rips question (laughs). So anyone I skate with, hang with, love... And Rick Moranis and Steve Buschemi. Get Awesome.