MO: What happened to Box?
CM: It became a business. We created it out of love and we wanted to see the sport grow, which it did. Then Pat started to get bored, Neil started to get distracted and I saw an opportunity to sell it and make some money at the high point, so I initiated that. We sold it to Sports and Fitness Publishing, which published Inline Magazine, Inline Retailer and Roller Hockey, so it seemed like a good fit. Then they sold us to Emap, which lumped it in with the Surfer group (which was the weirdest marriage ever) and they sold it to Prime Media, which killed it! But that was 1999, when the sport was dying and the ad revenues wouldn’t support the magazine anymore.
MO: After all that happened what did you do with yourself?
CM: I left everything and moved to Florida for one year and worked for Disney. I worked underground for Disney under a false name with a false address and a false social security number so that I could write a book about the goings on behind the scenes at Disney World.
MO: And how hard is it to get a false SS number?
CM: A magician never reveals his tricks. It’s Disney magic!
MO: What was that experience like, moving away for a year to write a book?
CM: It was a very lonely experience, but it was good. It was like turning myself inside out.
MO: Why lonely?
CM: Lonely because I was there as somebody else. I wasn’t there as me, I was playing it safe so I wouldn’t get caught, so I could write the book. So I couldn’t open up to anybody out there. I didn’t have my friends there. There were a few rollerbladers out there doing the Tarzan show but really it was just me and my computer writing for a year.
MO: Give us one example of what Disney doesn’t want us to know.
CM: Disney cast members, like all the rest of us, fuck a lot, drink a lot, do drugs, molest people, engage in illicit behaviors. And then there’s the offstage living…Now Mike, I hope you’re not going to forget about all the good parts of rollerblading’s history, like “Blade Warriors” and “Brink” and “Airborne.”
2010! I feel ya.
Chris, I really, really want to read that book!
Mike, great interview man.
In Airborne, I was always rooting for the Goose. Sorry guys.
These days I feel bad about how big rollerblading is in my life !
But this interview came out as Jesus Christ, ahah !
I’m kiding but 2010, why not !
Thx for that interview…that was good. I also want to read the book…and think about Wearing neon cloth for rolling tomorrow
Jo
quote ” FUCK YEAH!!” arlo E. hehe your not the only one wanting to make sure the 2nd coming is a solid and lasting one..
the surge of old and new blood has infact accelerated…as mentioned 08 was i guss you can say the dark age.. but within the dark there was a bright light.. as i was holidaying in sweden,denmark… poland…etc…
during the 6months i couldnt help but notice the strong but clear indication that our sport is on the way on a positive note.. not just there but in Australia.. as well.. kids as young as 9-28+ either getting into or coming back to rollerblading or as suggested FreestyleRolling/Rolling by dipskate or if im correct B unique clothing who supported the name..
stapel skate park in malmo(sweden) was the perfect breeding ground and stage… bit of street but not enough then there was alot of bowl,pool and transitions… fun park… , all i can say is build the basic structure and rep., shima and all the rest lets think through, be realistic and focus on what will keep the wheel going and make it a solid lifestyle.. olympics eg similar to what was seen at Busan in 08 hmm yea but with more roller input what structures will allow for us to show what we see at BSCD etc.. united we need to be ONE..
ive returned to sk8in after nine years break, im 29 “prayer of the roller boys” started the obsession 4 me along with patricia arquette lol, its a painfull return at 29 with such long break but looks like i was just in time, awesome interview, relieving some fears bout being too late 🙂
A great interview, in classic Box debauched style. I miss Box, I miss Lausanne. Does Chris Mitchell still roll from time to time? I’d like to think so. Good luck with the book.
Can someone put me in contact with Chris Mitchell…? Please.
I’d like to see a Nick Riggle feature for ONE’s 15 Minutes as I’ve already interviewed Nick from my POV and shot some current photo’s in his NYU Philosophy Dept.
Thank you… 🙂
Yeah, it started for me in 93 also and I took a break around 98, but we are returning to the sport to create the majic again and build the energy for the next wave. He is right there is alot of aspects of skating that need to be embraced and support each other, athletes in every genre. 2010 sounds good Chris, we will see you on the ramps.
Thanks for doing the interview,
Great interview thanks
Did Chris Mitchell really come up with the word “Aggressive” rollerblading? Cuase right til this day it sounds really lame. I admit it, it sounds pretty lame.
Keep it Rollerblader.
Rolling… Plain and simple…
I’ll be skating more in 2010 as currently getting it back right now… So I think chris is on the money here!
Great interview too, and yes.. I too want to read the book!
its was never rollerblader
Freestyle Skating
If 2010 is the year I am standing on my roof looking for the second coming as well. I think I am the only person on 8 wheels left in Dallas/FTW that remembers the NISS days. I will be waiting for the Return while I am teaching my two boys how to top-side silver rail in Las Colinas. Thanks for the interview… (inline moved to Europe and left me here in America).
Chris Mitchell has always been the man! and one of the funniest fools I ever met! RESPECT!
I hope that book isnt about me, just kiddin. great to hear that you are involved in the sport still. as i get older i am realizing that skating was the only thing i was or have been passionate about, and its sad that so many kids won’t understand that because its not a popular sport. keep rollin “but not in spandex”
It’s ok to just call it “skating,” “Inline,” “Inline skate” or Inline skating, ” etc. There’s a chance that terms like “Freestyle” and “rolling” may sound lame in the future. We should try to distance ourselves from the words like “aggressive,” “aggro,” “blades” “freestyle,” “extreme,” “rollerblades,” etc. When skateboarding came out they had different genres… (people use to compete in spandex on skateboards in the 70’s as a form of dance) but now people forget it use to be like that and just say skateboarding.
does any1 know what model of skates were used in the airborne movie, the ones in the picture which are all black and have some colours paintings on its side????
2012?
2010 didn’t turn out to be the year, but I certainly think we’re getting closer.
Aggressive Inline Skating no more. Hence forth: Blading.
