When did arts and skating really mix for you?
That sounds super corny. I generally hate the “Art World” pretty bad. When I think Art World I always think of this one teacher I had at SFAI, he was like a famous artist and would have exhibits at some of the biggest galleries in SF, NY, London Paris, etc., and all he ever did was like a shmear on a canvas. He had like this unique way of HOW he shmeared, but it was more or less literally a solid color just “shmeared” over each canvas, but in the middle of it — as if the little shmear he did was like a “sight to see” or some shit. It made me sick, the fact that he was a famous working artist and even had the audacity to hang that garbage in a gallery. Ironically, the dude failed me in his class and that was the end of my schooling career as my Dad had made it very clear that he would cut me off completely as far as helping with school if I ever failed a class… if I ever see that teacher prick again it’s game over for him. He was just some yuppy who thought he was so “in” in the Art World. I always hated that shit so much. I think my hatred towards the Art World and that whole corny scene was kinda what fueled the fire for me to start just bombing. It was kinda like a rebellion against all that corny shit. After the SFAI fiasco I just went nuts bombing and doing graffiti. I used to stay up every night ’till 6am, just going around on my moto on solo missions hitting gnarly spots. I had some pretty rad spots in the city at one point. I’d say 2001/2/3 were my best years. A lot of the spots are still running. It’s dope when I go back to the city — that place is like a museum of memories and epic times for me.

How does your creative process work? Can you explain it?
I just get in my zone — my “home” if you will — put on some motivation (music), and work with whatever comes out at the time, whatever I’m feeling. The work will sometimes reflect on whatever issues or personal problems I’m dealing with at the time. Sometimes it can help me come to terms with that kinda stuff, so the anger and harsh vibes don’t affect me as negatively.

What was/is your obsession with apples? Why do you want to be an apple?
Um, I like the taste of apples. I think it’s one of the better fruits. Ha ha. No umm, The Apples that Fell Far from the Tree was an old skate film Pat and I did that was named by BJ Burnheart. A very good old friend of mine. The Apple was a fictional story of ONE apple done by the same dudes who made THE apples… it was made as just a stepping stone or documentation of where rollerblading was at the time, and some of the issues that pro rollerbladers have had to deal with: no money, no future, girl problems, constant harassment by hipster kooks, etc. It was a movie meant to be for non-bladers and just like regular people as like an art-nouveau film, but we all busted our asses for it and really shredded hard, so it was something you had to see it if you blade, so most bladers saw it. It was a pretty basic idea I thought, but then when bladers all saw it they thought it was a documentary of ME personally or some shit. It was REALLY annoying. Anyone who knows me personally would know that I don’t give a fuck if there’s no money in blading. I’m not a materialistic person, and if anything I think it’s dope as fuck how underground blading is and the fact that there’s literally nobody who does it anymore because it’s not considered “hip” or whatever. But I cannot take cred for the name, that would be the OG BJ Bernhart.

Did I ever tell you that the Life+ ‘house skating’ edit is one of my favorites of all time? There, I did now. It’s on the record!
Thanks. Blood well spilled.

I mentioned your reputation before, but let’s revisit. Like, in the recent past there was an occurrence after Blading Cup. You got into with JJ over spray painting ramp pieces you thought were being thrown away. But that was hardly your first beef. What’s the most drama you’ve gotten caught up in — clear the air or set the record straight!
I’d say the most drama has definitely been the two run-ins I’ve had with Jon. He really is the president of blading and it’s not cool having beef with him, not to mention I’ve always kinda looked up to him in a way. So it’s not cool when I’ve pissed him off somehow. Like I said, I can’t be angry at all for what happened. If I was in his shoes at that time I would be pissed too. I think of Jon as an old buddy and I hope he knows the truth behind what happened in both situations and knows that I’m on his team and would never do anything to disrespect him or do anything menacing — ESPECIALLY towards something that I feel is a positive and good thing for the blading movement itself. I like Jon and I appreciate what he has done for us in the past and what he does for blading. I think my past is a bit much for Jon to handle or be involved with, given what he has heard or whatever. I’m just too much of a liability for him to get involved with, which I understand. In both cases it was just a misunderstanding that a good chat over a beer would have solved and I hope some day we have that chance.

Why do you think a lot of the other rollerbladers have a fixed belief of you that you are an asshole and don’t really want to have to deal with you?
I don’t know, I can be kind of a dick I guess? And bladers talk a lot and basically just follow the majority and shit. I’m very one-track minded when it comes to blade projects I’m working on. Sometimes it’s hard to consider everyone’s feelings and rights and what not, and have the proper respect that I would normally have. I’m very selective of the riders I get involved with. We have to really have a similar vision for skating and where we need to take it, trick-wise as well as as a movement. But I have always kinda done what I can to whip my fellow bladers into shape, which sometimes can be a bit brash I guess. Sometimes I feel like I carry the weight of rollerbladers due to the fact that it seems there are very few with the right ideas of what we need to be doing in order to make this thing be a source of stability for us. A lot of people just don’t care enough ’cause they’re just in their own sheltered little corny-ass world of video games and weed and skating and shit. Sometimes I feel like it’s my duty to make sure they don’t act like sheltered little bitches. I’ve been low key called Sargent Slaughter, like dude from Full Metal Jacket, ha ha. But most lil’ blader dudes are just little twerps who think they are hot shit and could give a fuck about anything except their next spliff, so it’s just annoying and frustrating for them to have to face the music sometimes. Life is so much simpler when you can just continue to live in a soft little bubble and pretend the real world doesn’t exist, you know? But I got love for the homeys though.

Who is your favorite person to watch blade?
Damn tough question… a lot of dudes are killing it. Bill is shredding sick right now, getting me pumped to go rip and shit. And a lot of dudes are ripping, stoked that a lot of the younger homeys are finally getting it. But I think it’s annoying how some dudes are only doing all these stylish little moves and shit and not really getting too buck. I think it’s important to take advantage of the fact that we are on blades, and we have the ability to go bigger than bikes, skateboards or anything else besides, like, snow-related… obviously, ’cause snow is way softer than concrete. But on blades you are able to have more control than anything else. It’s pretty much just man with wheels under feet, so logically we should be able to do more gnar moves. But I’m also stoked on the progression in clarity of self expression through gnar trick type shit too, if that makes sense?

Who is your favorite person filming blading?
Umm, that dude Dustin Werbeski makes some rad videos and I think Richie Eisler does them with him too? Not too sure, but those dudes are pretty awesome.

Who is your favorite person to be filmed by?
P Lennen back in the day.

What’s a time the rollerblading community did something collectively awesome together?
All the little jams and events are awesome, always super fun. Really, anytime we collectively get together and rep in a public location is what we need to do more. And we need to do advertised public demos in trendy neighborhoods and shit. I think anyone who’s into genuinely cool shit will be into blading and start rocking our gear and shit and become interested in blading, ’cause it’s fucking cool shit. I don’t think you have to actually blade in order to be into blading. A couple of my ex gf’s and a lot of homeys of mine have gotten really into blading but have no interest in even actually skating. Any person who can appreciate really fucking radical shit can dig it, you know.

How about the opposite, a time the blade world acted like punk bitches?
Pretty much any time anyone goes on those message boards and shit and starts hating, especially when they won’t even put their real name. Such as the people you see below this exact article you are reading, ha ha.

Speaking of filming, what’s your current setup in the camera department?
I don’t own a camera. Never really have, minus the lil’ Canon I had for a couple months while filming for the Inri video. Even through all the Apple vids I was collabing with people who had cameras and we would use theirs.

Is there another Seany Sea video on the horizon?
Yup, wrapping up Bladegeist Volume 2 and working on the new Apple DVD.

Anything else exciting to share?
“You wanna see who your real friends are? Go commit a crime and give yourself a prison sentence.” — Bukowski

“If you feel like your soul is depleting, that means you still have some sole left to lose.”

Okay well this went longer than I expected, but I guess that’s what happens when you talk to an institution like Dr. Sea. Thanks, man. Keep it up.