Posted: February 11, 2008

TOM KNOX
Interview: Gold | Photos: Zimmerman

When did you first turn pro?

I turned pro in January 1989 for Santa Cruz skateboards and Independent trucks.

How long were you out of the professional skateboarding arena?

I rode for Santa Cruz until 1994, then Sonic skateboards until 1997, then Dogtown for a stint. I would say between the end of 1997 until the beginning of 2004.

Were you still skating during this time?
Of course; you can’t quit who you are. I’m a skateboarder. Even when you’ve had enough of the industry politics, you don’t stop riding. Maybe I couldn’t ride as much because I had to get a job. I respect skateboarding more and all the working class skaters more having been through that. It’s hard to work all day and then try and go hit some spots, but you gotta do it.
 


How did the Santa Cruz Vets Division come to be? 

Eric Dressen and myself pitched the idea to Jeff Kendall at NHS. There are so many skaters out there who want a little bigger board, wheel base, etc. Our whole thing was to make boards we want to skate, and just make killer graphics.


Backside air

How has skateboarding changed since you were first pro? 

It used to be all about the board sponsor and contests and demos—you had to have a good board sponsor, place well in contests, and do a lot of demos. Then the videos came, and luckily I had a really good part for my first video (Speed Freaks), so that helped. Now it’s all about having a good shoe sponsor and a video part that just has to be insane. In addition to all the changes in street skating and vert just dying, street skating has to be the biggest change. I think my generation of street skaters brought in the tech and power—I mean, I came up with Jason Lee, Ray Barbee, Matt Hensley—these guys are legends.

In the last 15 years, what's gotten better and what's gotten worse in skateboarding?
Better is the level of skateboarding in all aspects: street, vert, park. We have so many public parks today, and all types of skaters are more accepted now. Worse: skate fashion is still lame. Who cares what you wear? The worst part of skateboarding happened between 1992 and 1994, with pressure flips, big pants, small wheels, and no speed.

You were on the Santa Cruz team with a pretty notorious bunch: Jason Jessee, Eric Dressen, Jeff Grosso, Corey O'Brien, and Salba. Any good stories from back in those days? 

I don’t want to incriminate anybody. I must say that I witnessed a lot. I was younger than all those guys, so I learned from it all.


Do you still keep in touch with any of your old teammates? 

All those guys you just mentioned I’ve talked to in the last week. Eric D is a good friend, Grosso still rips, as well as Salba—he’s a fuckin’ machine—and Corey owns a club in San Jose.




Madonna

How come the Cacti Widders are now just The Widders now? 

We fired our old singer and have a way harder sound. New sound, new name. www.myspace.com/cactiwidders

What else are you working on outside of skateboarding? 

I still work on airplanes; gotta pay the bills. I train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I just got my brown belt, and I’m a black belt in Judo. But I’m most proud of being married to my wife of 14 years. I’m thankful to have a second go around in skateboarding, and it wouldn’t be possible without my sponsors: Santa Cruz skateboards, Independent trucks, SabreVision, and Bern Unlimited head protection.

When was the last time you slappied a curb? 

Everyday, at least one.