Thrasher Magazine

 

Photo: Templeton

 

Collin Provost is Buzzed Light Beer. The Provider always provides—he’s got the tunes, he’s got the beer, he’s got the clips and he’s got the ender right here. No sober clips, no complaints, no regrets, Collin is just living his best life while stacking footage. There’s nothing fancy about him—what you see is what you get and you ain’t seen nothin’ like him in the streets. Provost dances with the best of them.

 

Buzzed Light Beer blasts off in Fort Worth and gets four wheels on the ceiling     Photo: Karpinski

 

What’s up, Collin?

Not much, just got home from a Chargers game. Dad got hooked up with some tickets. 

 

I heard you initially wanted your dad to do this interview. 

It was just an idea. It would have been the shit. I had to get him a little more drunk and then he said he was down to do the interview for Thrasher. 

 

Does you dad know what’s going on with Programming Injection? 

Hell no. I don’t think anyone does, Mike. 

 

Call 1-800-CAUGHT-CLEAN to order your kickflip today     Photo: Karpinski

 

What do you know about the video at this point? 

Nothing really. I know it’s coming out in October and my deadline is this month and I know I got another trip coming up so I’m fucked. 

 

Ah nah, tell me what trip it is. 

Oh, you know what it is. 

 

Damn it, Collin, don’t tell me then.

You already know, Mike. What’s up with our deadline? Is it solid?

 

Yep, it’s final.

At least we got the last trick done. Stoked I finally got that clip because I didn’t have one. It was terrifying to not have a last trick. 

 

Yeah, man, I have been losing sleep over this video. 

Ah shit. Me too, Mike. A lot of sleepless nights thinking I got to get this video done.

 

Did I stress you out? You never seem to be stressed out.

Yeah, you would call me and I was stressing on each call. 

 

The pillar at the end got pillaged so The Provider could power through this boardslide. Perfect     Photo: Rhino

 

I never stressed on you when I would check in. 

I put all the stress on myself. I know what I got to get done. You didn’t really stress me. 

 

You are the team rider I checked in on the least. 

Well, I’m out there every day trying. That’s all I can give. 

 

You didn’t go on too many of our trips. You asked to stay at home and film since you travel so much. 

Yeah, I feel like I can get more done at home, that’s for sure.  

 

 

How was the filming process for this video with you having so many other demanding sponsors’ obligations? 

This video was a lot more drawn out for me. Now there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel. I felt like we talked about this video for a couple of years and now it’s here and I’m excited and stoked to get it out. I had a lot of jam ups trying to get this video done, that’s for sure. 

 

Photo: Karpinski 

 

You, CJ and Axel are always gone on trips so it was so tough to get this video done. 

Yeah, that’s why I wanted to stay home and finish this video up. I feel like it’s easy to get mediocre tricks on a trip. When it’s coming down to the deadline I got ideas here at home. I just need time to go and do them. 

 

It’s been nine years since Brainwash. What has changed in those nine years for you? 

Fuck. I was amateur in that video, a little bushy-haired am. 

 

I like that, Collin. I like all the phases of Collin. How old are you now? 

I’m 28. I think I turned pro right after Brainwash.

 

Yeah, shortly after. You almost missed your surprise going-pro party 

Yeah, I refused to bring a skateboard with me that day. The team was trying to get me to go to Cherry Park. I showed up on a beach cruiser. I was like, I’m not going to Cherry again today. We get stuck there too much. Then I rolled up and everyone was there and it was a big surprise. It was sick! 

 

You grew up in Huntington Beach, moved to Long Beach and now you live in Vista. Why did you end up in Vista? 

I just had to get out. I am way more productive down here in Vista. I had the party house in Long Beach. I felt like Long Beach was hurting my skating so I moved away. 

 

Somebody better call the doctor because these bricks look fuckin’ sick—wallie transfer      Photo: Karpinski

 

Who spray painted “Led Zeppletwist” in your living room back in Long Beach? 

Oh, that was BB Bastidas. That was one fried idea we came up with one night and we just let him go for it. We wanted to go for the side-of-a-van look so we let him have at it. It was right by the kitchen.

 

I remember your house being right beside the liquor store in Long Beach and people would just randomly show up inside of your house. 

Yeah, it was fucked. This one fool just walked in and sat down on my couch. There was like eight of us there. We asked him to leave and he was like, “Nah, I’m chilling. This is my seat, homie,” trying to be a tough guy or whatever so he got a showdown for that shit. We tossed him out the front door onto the fence. Then shortly after that a tweaker was in my bathroom and I said, “What the fuck are you doing here?” She stayed quiet and left kindly. But yeah, we had some randoms stopping by on occasion. It was just too close to the street. 

 

I don’t take you for a fighter, Collin.

I’m not and I didn’t do much fighting. There was just always a lot of people at my place so when things happened it was more of me talking shit and then someone else goes for it. I think Cody drug the guy outside. He tripped and that’s how the guy landed on the fence. Then someone else field goal punted him over the fence and he ended up in the street back where he came from. 

 

Tweakers in the bathroom and Spider’s on the walls, what a weird world     Photo: Rhino

 

You are a lot more domesticated now down in Vista with just you and your lady. 

Yeah, so much more domesticated down here in Vista. 

 

That’s rad. And Figgy is your neighbor, right? 

Fucking dream come true, man. 

 

Tell me about it. You guys both have skateparks in your backyards, right? 

Yeah, we’re fucking doing it, man. We moved right next to each other, we both got a little something to skate in our backyard and we’re fucking chilling. 

 

Frontside feeble at the world’s worst halfpipe     Photo: Rhino

 

Someone told me that you said when it’s all said and done you and Figgy want to be in wheelchairs just drinking on your front porch saying, “What an amazing life it has been.” 

Hell yeah, that’s the goal. That’s the ending. I don’t know what else would be cooler than that. Just some old haggard men hanging out talking about the good ol’ days. 

 

Are you guys going to try to connect your skateparks eventually? 

That would be the shit. I think we will start with a zipline first. 

 

 

It’s hard to get shit like that done with all these deadlines. 

Tell me about it. I think everyone chose October as their deadline so everyone I know is fucked right now. Me, Figgy, Milton, we are all fucked but after October we are all just hanging out and that’s it. I think the era of full-length videos is dying. 

 

For sure, but we gotta do it. We got to put another full-length on the shelf for Toy Machine.

Fully, we do. That’s a great fucking goal. 

 

We got a smaller Toy Machine video dropping in 2020. 

Let’s do more of those types of videos too. 

 

That’s the plan.

Fuck yeah, count me in. 

 

What do you think of current Toy Machine team? 

It’s stacked; it’s good. 

 

You know what’s nifty? A kickflip 50-50. Try writing a dumber caption. We dare you     Photo: Karpinski

 

What do you think of little CJ turning pro last month?

Little boy went pro and started to grow a lot, man. 

 

He’s already bigger than Billy. 

That ain’t saying much. 

 

If you could bring one OG rider back to Toy Machine, who would you bring back in the van? 

Muska. He’s entertaining as fuck. We got to do a Welcome Back to Hell tour.

 

I know, I’m working on it. We should bring Trapasso back too. 

Yes! Woo-wee, Nick T. Donny Barley too. 
So many good ones, Mike. It’s got to happen. 

 

What made you want to skate for Toy Machine? 

Growing up seeing Ed Templeton skate Huntington Park when I was a baby. I was just trying to stay out of the way, watching these grown men fucking rip. It’s always been a hometown thing for me. Growing up watching everyone skate, those guys were the best and all the videos mean so much to me. Toy Machine is just a really rad company. 

 

Photo: Rhino

 

Most people think that Toy Machine is a big company. It’s only seven people who work for all of Tum Yeto.

Yeah, I know. It’s sick. 

 

It’s amazing what we can pull off for what little we have to work with. I don’t think people fully know the love that everyone puts into making Toy Machine what it is. 

We have people that actually care about the fucking brand—that’s what’s sick. There’s not many of us but everybody really cares about Toy Machine and that’s what makes it so special. That’s rare. 

 

 

What do you think about the level of progression in skateboarding these days? 

We have been looking at all the shit we used to skate and laughing at it. We just want to keep getting gnarly and push it. It’s been fun doing that but the shit that I have seen Milton Martinez do the last couple of months is mind boggling. He is about to break skateboarding. 

 

Pivot grip through the dust and crust     Photo: Rhino

 

I am always amazed by the stuff I have seen you do in person. Do you recall that I am forever in debt to you? Remember that wallie gap up you did in Nashville years ago? 

Oh yeah, I do remember that. Some wallie off a curb up onto someone’s front porch of their house. 

 

Yeah, you didn’t think it was possible so I offered you a million bucks to try it. A few trys later you had it and now I’m screwed. 

Ah shit, forever in debt, Mike. When I get that retirement board on Toy Machine I’m going to hit you up for that million. 

 

Not an ollie, Collin sets sail with a half Cab. Don’t see that every day      Photo: Karpinski

 

What do you think of Myles Willard as our newest addition on Toy Machine? 

Myles is the shit. He is crushing it. I’m really hyped on him. He’s just rad to watch roll around; the way he grooves is the shit. He’s a great addition. I’m stoked he’s on Toy Machine. 

 

I know you have known CJ for a few years and have traveled with him for a while with your other sponsors. What’s your take on him for the future of Toy Machine?

CJ is getting the same treatment I got when I was a little kid—no exceptions. That’s the only way he’s going to figure it out and not be a fuck up. Just big brother type of shit. He needs it. CJ, get up. How are you so tired? Jeremy and Dakota have been up for three hours already chain smoking cigarettes in the van. He’s got a lot to learn. 

 

Remember when he said he was going to move in with you guys when he grows up? 

Yeah, that was funny. That’s adorable but that’s not how it works, CJ. 

 

What do you think being a professional skateboarder means? 

There’s a lot that comes with being a professional skateboarder. If you get lazy for one second you can be gone. That’s the terrifying part of it. Especially with how many kids are coming up right now. If you want to be a professional skateboarder, fucking be a professional skateboarder. Don’t be sitting around. You will get left behind.

 

Sludge dodging noseblunt slide—how many ditches does Provost know about?      Photo: Karpinski

 

You got a lot of amazing tattoos from what I have seen over the years. 

Yeah, I fucked around for a second. We can’t have a tattoo gun near us. It gets rough and a lot of bad ideas get tossed around at night. Waking up with eight new tattoos, it’s like, Oh, fuck. What the fuck even is that?

 

What are some of your favorite tattoos between the crew?

Figgy has some really good ones that are hilarious. A lot of pun work goes on. Richie Belton has a lot of good ones. A bunch of bees on his knees for the bee’s knees. I have Mike Bison on me. It’s Mike Tyson’s face on a Bison. It’s pretty jacked. I have Steven Seagull—it’s him standing on a beat-up pigeon. I got “Puto” on my toe, a piece of shit on my big toe and a camel toe on the other foot. Just stupid shit. I also have Lynyrd Shinyrd on my shin. You see where this is going. Those are the best to me. 

 

Good times, good tunes and good tats. 

Oh yeah, just living free over here, brother. 

 

What is the ratio of sober to buzzed to drunk clips in your part? 

I don’t know if there is a sober clip in my part. If I’m skating I’m usually just buzzed. I would say two-to-three beers is ideal. 

 

How’s the body feel at 28. 

It hurts. It definitely hurts. 

 

How do you think 38 is going to feel?

Probably the same. I don’t see how it can hurt any worse than it does now. 

 

Pour the strip and get ready to rip. Collin sets sail with a frontside flip outta the GD park. The Provider always F’n provides     Photo: Rhino