How did you all pick the Chino XL song for the section? It always stood out to me as the best track in the video. Did they give you a list of songs they could use and you had to pick one of them or did you have more of a say?
If I remember correctly, Evan sat me down in front of a pile of CDs and a boom box and said, “Pick something you like,” or “what do you want?” I think they had a deal for all the content on the CDs and were allowed to use them. I’m not sure though. But when I came across Chino XL and that “Kreep” track played, it kinda got to me on two levels, the enjoyment and respect I have for the emcee skill like Chino XL and the fact that Chino took from the Radiohead track that I had listened to so much… Creep.

Do you keep in touch with any of the guys from San Diego that you shared that section with, like Nick or Ernie? I read that Nick Poderick is now a Marine. I have no idea what Ernie Villarino is up to now.
I wish I had. For awhile it seemed like Nick and I had a lot in common. We both stayed at Brian’s house for a while (the owner of Hardcore). I recently chatted with Lurch, a couple days ago actually, and we got a chance to catch up a bit. Larry was always such a calm and cool guy. Other than that, I really lost touch with most people I crossed paths with while skating. I developed into someone that didn’t really want to go out or be loud. Carlos and Tracy were the people I spent the most time with consistently, and even now we’re all busy doing our own thing we don’t really connect like we used to. Reading that link about Nick makes me proud that he could grow into such a strong person, to put himself on the line like that. I don’t have to agree or disagree with war to appreciate all he’s been doing, thanks Nick… be safe man!

Sometimes when I am stuck on a big escalator during rush hour I think of you doing a unity down one in “Quest for the Holy Rail.” Does that ever go through your head when you are on an escalator?
It doesn’t even cross my mind, really. I prefer the stairs usually.

I’ve been looking at some of the old interviews with you from skate magazines and comparing them with the answers you have been giving me so far. How do you think you have grown or changed as a person since back then, and what do you think hasn’t changed?
Oh man, I have changed in almost every way. I am still human and make plenty of mistakes of course. I think back then I was so focused on skating, and was caught up in it so much that I didn’t clearly see all the opportunities. I simply didn’t think about how my actions or lack of action might affect others or even myself. I mean, the time I jumped off the party boat at the NISS after party… I think it was a dare… very immature. I could have literally gotten sucked into the two Volkswagen-sized engines and died; just plain stupid. There were these parties at Spohn Ranch and I would drink until I passed out. I look back and think “what a waste.” Nowadays I value things on a level that I feel good about and allows me to respect myself and sleep at night. Maybe making all those little mistakes allowed me to build a foundation of what not to do and how not to act. Perhaps there is an allure to that type of personality, but it’s not something I would repeat if given a chance, and it’s not a part of who I am today. I’m sure lots of people enjoy that, but it’s just not my thing. That said, nothing’s perfect. I had a good time with everyone coming up, and the good times were amazing. For about 6 years, skating tapped into some part of me that I had never experienced before, and I learned a lot from those experiences, both memorable and regrettable.