laid-out-magazine-issue-1

TEXAS
LIFE
The Lone Star State

NOT JUST A MAGAZINE
...
STORIES OF
PASSION
AND A WAY OF
LIFE

Raina Saenz
Photo: Ant

Why Laid Out?
One night after skating at the Lee and Joe Jamail skatepark, or as those in the
know call it, the downtown skatepark, I made a quick stop at Kroger for some
brew. While in the parking lot I ran into Aaron who works at the Lee and Joe Jamail
skate park. He was telling me how after a year of the skatepark being closed
for renovations, he had to get re-acclimated with the park doing the normal bad
ass skating that he does and got “laid out” and how it had been a minute since he
was laid out. At that moment I knew the name of the magazine would be Laid Out.
I remember when I first started skating and would constantly fall. Then one day
when you think you are a pro, you try that one trick like a blunt to fakie, first air
over coping, first 50-50 on a rail, or first ollie over some stairs, and something
goes terribly wrong during the attempt of this trick. You open your eyes and can’t
breathe, it feels like you are going to die. Everyone huddles around you and you
can see the concern on their faces. You slowly come too and still in pain, then you
start to think something is broke and you feel for blood. All clear, but that’s when
you realize you’ve been Laid Out. Some people run home crying, never to be seen
again after they get laid out. If you’re that type of person, this magazine isn’t for
you. However, if you’re the type that waits for the pain to subside so you can try
it again and get the high of landing what almost killed you, then you will love this
magazine.
Getting up after you get laid out and trying again is not just something skaters do,
it’s a life philosophy. When you get laid out by life, wait for the pain to go away and
get your ass up and push forward.
ANT

Da Crew
Ant
Editor in Chief
Photographer
Illustrator
Writer
Raina Saenz
Transcriptionist
Christine Saenz
Support
Christian Hernandez
Writer
Contributing
Photographers & Illustrators
Alex Manahan
D.C. Boson
Feral Noise
Israel Santana
Andy Nguyen
Adam Israel Valdez
Derrick Hayes
Anthony Acosta
Contact us at: contact@laidout.life
For advertising information,
email: advertise@laidout.life
Go to our YouTube channel
“Laid Out Magazine”
to see our interviews.

ON THE COVER
Khobretti pg 31
Art by Alex Manahan
Steven Robinson pg 20
Chernobyle Babies
Interview
Jared Gutierrez
Interview
Cockfight
Interview
Digital music or YouTube
Christian Hernandez
Khobretti
Interview
Steven Robinson
Interview
Jordan Santana
Interview
Gen Why
Interview
OFCS
Interview
HOUSTON
Graffitti Photos
ANBOF
D.C. Boson Film
Killer Hearts band member
Photo: Ant

THE CHERNOBYL BABIES
STORY
Interviewed by Ant

from left, Bjorn, Tony, Matt, and Brent on drums /Photo: Ant
We are here with Chernobyl babies and will
start with introductions?
Matt: I’m Matt, I play guitar and I’m the backup singer.
I’ve been probably playing for about 12 years probably,
its been a while. Actually, some of my favorite bands
are probably like, Street Brats, and The Unseen. I like
Wildlife now and Misfits. Kind of classic and stuff. All
the good stuff!
Tony: My name is Tony and I yell in the band. I’ve been
yelling since the day that I was born and I’m going to
say that Discocks is my favorite band.
Bjorn: My name is Bjorn and I play bass in the band.
I’ve been in this band for 6 months.
(Laughter)
Bjorn: Second show. Favorite artist\band is Danzig
and Bob Seger.
Tony: I’m glad someone said Bob Seger!
Why the name Chernobyl Babies? I did research
on the name, so I’m curious.
(Laughter)
Tony: When we first came up with it we were still in
high school. We had just learned about that in our history
class and we just thought it was fitting for a punk
rock band because we were fucked up. Yeah, that’s basically
it! (laughter)
Matt: That sounds about right. (laughing)
Tony: It’s eye catching, that helps. But yeah!
How long have you guys been playing together?
Tony: The band started in like 2004. There’s several
moments of activity and inactivity (laughter)
Matt: I think I joined the band in 2008, 2009? Something
like that!
Tony: Yeah, he joined the band in 2017. (pointing at
Bjorn laughing)
Bjorn: Yep! In July.
Tony: Hahaha! Yeah in July!
Matt: But yeah we (Matt & Tony) were playing for like
9 years.

Tony: Something like that, yeah.
How long have you guys been playing?
Matt: 9 years.
9 years, except for this gentleman on the
end. (Bjorn)
Tony: yeah, yeah!
How did you guys meet?
Tony: He (Bjorn) has another band named punks attack.
It’s fantastic and we use to play shows together.
So, we needed a bass player and it just made sense.
Matt: We (Matt & Tony) went to high school together,
in Michigan.
Any albums in the works?
Tony: We have two 7 inch and a full length we’ve recorded
like 4 times and never put out. But, it’s out
there on the internet.
(Laughter)
Matt: We will have a new 7 inch…
Bjorn: It’s hard to find.
Matt: We will have a new 7 inch coming out at some
point.
Tony: At some point! It’s recorded. Its ready… at some
point its coming out.
How many gigs do you play a year?
Tony: This year we’ve done two, which is about a
100% increase. Typically, it’s about one a year
Matt: One to three! (laughter)
Why so few gigs? You just like kind of push
everything on YouTube?
Tony: Supply and demand. If you keep the supply
really small, then enough people will be excited about
it.
Bass player Bjorn (left) and guitarist Matt (right) /Photo: Ant

I know, I mean everyone here is talking
about you guys. I mean I was told, “You
need to talk to these guys. You need to!
They’re fucking badass!” So you know…
Tony: Oh, we’re excited about it. This is the first time
we played a new city in close to ten years. Every time
we play, we tend to stick to home turf, so we’ll just
play the cities that we’ve played forever.
Bjorn: Probably since Minneapolis.
All: yeah (laughter)
Tony: And so, we’re excited. This is a first… new city,
new venue, new crowd. I’m Stoked!
Matt: We all live in different states, so that kind of
makes it hard to play shows constantly.
Tony: Logistics.
Where do you live?
Matt: I still live in Michigan and so does our drummer
(Brent).
Tony: I live in Tulsa Oklahoma.
Bjorn: I just moved to Austin Texas but I’m from
Houston. Where do you see yourself as band in 5
years?
Matt doing back up vocals /Photo: Ant
Tony: Probably doing the exact same stuff we’re
doing right now. Which is very little, but a really good
time, (laughter) that’s the goal. The goal is to have
fun! (still laughing) Just old.
Bjorn: Same shit we’re doing now, just older.
Tony: I imagine I’ll be fatter by then and having
worse teeth.
All: (laughing)
Any last words?
Drummer Brent /Photo: Ant
Tony: Thank you James for putting this on, because
it’s fantastic, and we’re really excited. It’s a ton of
hard work that doesn’t get thanked very often, so
thank you.
Matt: Yeah thanks for getting us down here and having
us play.
Do you have any questions (towards Julian
Kane)?
Julian: Ok. I’m still like… like… y’all all…

Lead singer Tony /Photo: Ant
Michigan, Tulsa, Austin, so I’m still like…
how does it work?
Bjorn: It doesn’t, you’ll see!
Tony: If you’re wondering if we had band practice
before this? The answer is. “NO!” (laughter)
Bjorn: We’ve had zero!
Matt: Kind of how it’s been going for a while.
Tony: Yeah, probably the past like 6 years. I don’t
think we’ve had a band practice since 2010.
Matt: Sometimes we just play the songs, like they’re
engraved in our fucking head.
Tony: We just kind of wing it, and I mean its authentic.
It is what it is!
Bjorn: So follow up question before that, can we practice
in here before we go up?
Matt: That is a legitimate question
All: (laughing)
Tony: But yeah, I mean, now days a lot of bands don’t
live in the same area. Most the bands that do that are
much bigger than us and can afford airplane tickets,
but we don’t let the fact that we don’t require a large
sum of money to stop us.
THE END

THE JARED GUTIERREZ
STORY
Interviewed by Ant

We are here with local skater, so lets start
with your Name and where are you from?
My name is Jared Gutierrez and I’m from Houston,
Texas
How long has skating been a part of your
life?
I’d say for a good 12 years now, I started back in middle
school.
What or who got you started?
I think it was this one time, well I used to watch a lot
of TV growing up and we had nickelodeon gas, and
they had trick tips or whatever. Tony hawk used to
teach you how to ollie and I didn’t have a legit skateboard
set up at the time, so I remember a long time
after seeing that commercial my mom took me to
walmart and they had a Mike McGill board, kind of
realistic sketch on the skateboard. So I ended up taking
that home and then I just tried to learn how to ollie.
So I’d probably say that and just seeing it around
a lot, like my best friend actually used to skate too.
So, the secrets out, you had a Wal-mart
Board.
(Laughter)
It was a Mike McGill!
I know you have the ollie on lock but, do you
still remember the first trick you had on
lock?
I do rememeber, it was actually kickflips. I tore so
many pairs of shoes (laughter) I remember I had
these old Chris Cole’s, Fallen and I had them for 8th
grade year and I learned how to kickflip. Tore right
through the toe piece.
How long did it take you to get the kickflip
down?
Awhile, I guess its all about the flick and how you pop
it, but I think my kickflips looks a little something
like it did 12 years ago.
Since you’ve been skating have you ever
been Laid Out and thought you were going
to die,and if so did it make you want to stop
skating?
All the time,
Photo: Ant

Photo: Adam Israel Valadez
(Laughter)
Everytime I’m batteling a trick and things don’t go
the way it planned in my head, that’s when I feel like I
want to give up but then again my friends are always
there behind the camera and they push me to keep
going and I’m not going to like stop after falling.
It’s tough though! Those falls will make you
change your mind. Make you rethink if it
was the right sport.
(Laughter)
I noticed that your trucks are super loose,
why?
I don’t know, I guess because when I was growing
up skating everything just felt kind of robotic with
having tight trucks all the time so I just wanted to
kind of adjust and maybe see if I could adapt. I guess
it kind of worked out because everything feels like
surfing, not that I surf but it feels like it.
Yeah, I’m not good with the loose trucks, in
fact, I suck with loose trucks.
(Laughter)
Your style of skating is much different than
most. It’s good, I like the way you skate! Did
you have a favorite skater that you liked
with the same style or was it just a natural
progression?
I watched a lot of skate videos growing up so… and
its not like what everybody thinks, you know. It’s
kind of like underground stuff. Id probably say people
like Chris Milic and Jesse Alba. They changed the
way I kind of looked at skateboarding, like don’t take
it too serious. You’re just riding a piece of wood with
some wheels on it.
Almost like Lance Mountain?
That too, yeah, I like how he’s goofy
One thing I can say is, I watch a lot of skate
videos as well but, when I see your skating,
it reminds me of the Welcome videos. I
could honestly see you skating for Welcome,
have you ever sent them clips?

I thought about it. I used to play golf growing up
and was trying to pursue that too. Before I actually
decided to I guess not take it too serious and kind of
skateboard as well, I’d probably say I’d be at a university
right now or something like that. Maybe be on a
golf team trying to make something happen.
I wasn’t going to bring that up, but I did see
some of the golfing pictures. Scratch that
out!
(Laughter)
Since you’ve been skating, you kind of met
a small crew of individuals who also skate
with you. So, since then, you’ve kind of become
like a movie star and yougot a part in
the film ANBOF directed by D.C. Boson. So,
how did that make you feel?
Photo: D.C. Boson
That’s funny, I was considering it. I used to ride a lot
of their boards all the time, maybe two, three years
ago, and I never got around to sending them actual
street footage. I guess cause like the way my life is, I
just like go to school and work. Kind of like a routine
thing, I think it was just like street skating was kind
of hard to go out and kind of pursue till now. At least
that’s the way I’m kind of proceeding it, but no, I
havent sent in any clips. I should, maybe.
It was kind of image chnaging in a kind of way, like
just through the actual perception of yourself, because
I mean I know its just a small video but I mean
I don’t really think like people are gonna.. I don’t
know. I feel like a lot of people didn’t want to watch it
in a way but just cause it’s kind of like underground
and like small. But I don’t really think it like gave
that image in my head because you know like, “Oh
Photo: D.C. Boson
You should!
Since you’ve been skating, how do you feel
skating has changed your life?
Any kind of darkness that came in my life that I
didn’t want, I would kind of use skateboarding as like
fishing with a best friend or a family member that’s
real close to you. Just kind of expressing myself and
not really talking about it but like just letting my
skating kind of, I guess, talk for me.
I do understand.
Do you ever picture what your life would be
without it?

Photo: Ant
I’m a movie star”, but I think it’s cool, a lot of people,
like after the premiere, we were talking and they had
some kid like say hi and like, “Oh I like your part!”
I thought the film was great, it was put
together very well, the music was great and
of course the tricks and the skating he had
in the line up was just awesome.
Thank you.
So when you were doing the fimlimg, or the
skating piece did you know he was filming
you for the movie or did it start as homie
clips that turned into a film?
It kind of seemed like that at first, but I guess as we
started going out every, whaterever free time we had,
he was like hey, youre gonna be in this video, and
I was like “okay cool” (laughter) it was like my first
ever part and so I thought that was kind of cool.
Did you have any bad days when you could
land any trick with the camera on?
I don’t know if you remember that kickflip, I think it
was like the ender for my part. We went to that spot
and I did it like second try but Derrell was filming
with the drone instead of the actual camera, so I had
to like fight thought that again and that took like a
really long time and I was juts like screaming and
throwing my board. I wasn’t having it, but I mean I
ended up getting it in the clip. It just, like I said, your
friends are always there to back you up and kind of
like push you.
Thank goodness for that! As you get older,
you lose friends and nobody wants to skate
with you, so take advantage of it now.
(Laughter)
Besides Skating, do you have any other
hobbies? On social media it looks like you
might play a guitar…
That is correct, yeah I play in my spare time. Not
really seriously but just like having fun. Kind of like
skating in a way, but yeah I feel like its another outlet
where say... you know how they say too much of a
good thing is a bad thing? I feel like that with skateboarding,
if you’re doing too much, it can kind of
seem kind of stale. So I kind of use music as another
outlet, its kind of like creative, and it helps. My best
friend skated, well we went to catholic school and he
used to be way better at skating than me and I used

to play guitar when I was younger too so I was better
at guitar and as we grew up together and we went to
different public schools, he took music by the hand
and then I took skating, so we kind of swapped off
and then I meet him back in high school at the orientation
for freshman year and we meet up and now I
know that his like this really great guitar player and
now he thinks that I’m like some kind of pro.
You are pro!
Which is your favorite?
I like skating, I feel like guitar can seem like kind of
challenging at times and I don’t feel like I’m really
good at lead but when it comes to rhythm I’m good.
When I’m hanging out with Alex, my best friend, he
like kind of takes the lead part and ill just like play
the chords or like solo. But I’d say skateboarding
because of the creative aspect of it.
It’s a good outlet, cause when it’s too cold,
or too, too hot, at least you have guitar.
Has there been anyone who has helped
guide you through life? Parent, mentor,
friend…
I’d have to say probably my older sister, she’s probably
taught me like a lot of the most important stuff
that I need to know. Along with my parents and just
everyone who’s along with the ride I guess. I feel like
my friends have a lot of inspiration within me. They
kind of inspire me too…
Now do your friends inspire you to do the
good things or the bad things?
(laughter)
The good things of course, I’m saying in grown up
terms. We’re getting older.
Do you stay out of trouble?
Of course, I have to. My moms always on my case.
Have you ever been in trouble?
Sometimes, but not in like craziest terms.
you got into some trouble when you were a kid?
I did!
Jared: really?
I got into a lot of trouble and again, it’s not my
interview.
(laughter)
Now a few fun questions. Favorite skater?
Street skater is probably like, Dylan Rieder, Austin Gillette
and anywhere with the technical guys like Chris
and Jesse and then I guess like tranny skaters probably
like Grant Taylor, Curren Caples, and Raney Beres.
Favorite food?
I’m gonna go with pizza,
Favorite movie?
Happy Gilmore, I don’t know, I have a few but I don’t really
watch too much TV. Oh! You know what, Pulp Fiction.
What’s your board setup?
It’s a new company, they’re kind of like low key. Lovesick,
it’s an 8.475, practically an 8.5. and then whatever
hardware. Spitfire lock ins and I think they are 63mm
with some 149 independent trucks, I think they’re stage
11s. These are some… I think they’re Z-flex rails, I put
these on because I started riding rails. I use to have one
and I use to do like the whole Daniel Vargas thing, where
like, little slide, but a little bit of grab, but I like got used
to this. I put them on and I was like, I fell in love because
you could just skate street and slide anything (laughter)
that’s what it feels like. And then for the bearings, I tried
out some Bronson’s. They feel pretty good, kind of fast.
Thank you for allowing us to interview you. Do
you have any last words?
No thank you, but if you feel like you’re going through it,
everybody is and so you’re not alone and try and make
someone smile once a day, that always helps.
Just wanted to make sure you weren’t like
me!
THE END

Photo: Andy Nguyen

COCKFIGHT SKATEBOARDS
MICHAEL NIEMANN
Interviewed by Ant

Photo: Ant
First let’s start with your name and the
name of your company?
Michael Niemann, Cockfight Skateboards.
Congrats on the 10 years making boards
and what are your thoughts on making it 10
years in the business?
(Laughter) There was never any thought on making
it any certain amount of time. I mean, it’s pretty
awesome that we’re still around after all this time for
sure.
When you started, how far did you think
you would make it with the brand?
Never even gave it a thought. We just did it because
we wanted to do it.
Why the name Cockfight?
It’s kind of a long story, but we had a list of names.
And we really wanted a name that made people
uncomfortable, or cringe, just because everything
was so homogenized at the time. It was the early
2000, and skateboarding was in a weird time. So we
had a list of names we were going through, me and
my partner Kevin. And we were like, “What are we
going to call it?” and go through the list and one of
us would hate it and the other would think it was
alright. So finally one day I was at the flea market
over off of Airline, Airline and West Road, or Airline
and Canino. It’s a gnarly flea market. Well anyways,
there’s all these shops or whatever you want to call
them with all this cockfight gear and dudes with
cockfight hats and shirts, selling the stuff for actual
cockfighting at this flea market. I was just blown
away that they were so brazen that they had that
gear on. I was like, that’s it. That’s what we’re going
to call it. So, it really doesn’t have no other meaning
other than I couldn’t believe they had that out there
and we were looking for a name so we just went with
it. It Kind of goes with the industry and there’s kind
of a little sword fight between all the companies. So I
don’t know, it kind of just fit at the time.
What made you start your own business of
making boards?
Around that same time nobody, you know 3 or 4
brands maybe, made boards that I wanted to ride.
And, that bummed me out, always the same one,
same graphic. I was like we should make our own
board and that’s pretty much how it started. We just
talk to each other about it and skated together a lot…
we’re just like… let’s do it and stop talking about it.

Where do you sell your product?
Mainly online. Southshore distribution gets boards
when we have enough for them. Surf House always
wants our boards and basically anybody that ask me,
“Hey I want some boards!” I’ll send them to anybody.
The Point skate shop in Dallas and a couple of other
ones over through the years. But mainly online and
South Shore has them so any shop can get them.
Is it mainly just Texas or throughout the
U.S.?
Majority of our business is definitely Texas but
there’s a following elsewhere. We have some good
team riders in other spots that have guys interested
in them for sure. A lot of people get interested when
it’s a certain model, like our S-Model. People get
interested when its somebody they like, one of their
friends or someone they look up too or whatever.
That’s kind of how it goes. Texas is the main source.
You have quite a line up for your decks,
Tony Farmer, Christian Albright, Joe Fernandez,
Mike Kelly, Richard Kirby, and I
believe a Tom Groholski. What was the determining
factor for selecting these skaters
to represent your brand?
Well there’s a whole lot more than that and I will
probably forget them all. Pat Clark, Jessie Davis, Brett
Roper, Adam Young, Hubba, Ben Schroder, probably a
bunch I’m forgetting. Sorry! It’s just guys that we’re
stoked on. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything other
than, their guest models. We just ask them if they
want to do it and we’re stoked on them. We’re stoked
on the way they ride, whatever it is and that’s who we
go with and if they say yes, we do it. Over the years
we’ve had one person who said no. Really everyone’s
pretty receptive and we just go for it. It’s pretty cool.
It’s just guys we’re stoked on.
Also when I think of cockfight, I also think
Mathew Niemann, Jeremy Smith and Adam
Wiggins. What is their role with the Cockfight?
(Laughter) Well, their babies and they grew up ride’n
for us. Mathew has been skating since he was… under
2. He could barely walk when he started standing
on the board. Jeremy was our second team rider
ever and he got his friend Adam on and those 3 have
been with us from the get go pretty much. They’re
down for life, I’m pretty sure. Mathew pretty much,
he’s my kid! He does the deal. Jeremy and Adam,
they’ve never ridden anything else.
You have some pretty sick artwork on the
decks. Who designs and selects the artwork
for each deck?
It’s a pretty collaborative process. Anybody’s allowed
to pitch an idea, anybody involved, riders, us, the
artist. Paul Newman is this guy from Dallas, pretty
gnarly skater, old guy. He was our original artist and
he always did anything we wanted, however we wanted
it and he just got kind of busy. He’d still do it but I
got this guy Jessie who also rides for us, Jessie Davis.
He is the main number one creative mind behind the
whole thing. I pitch him an idea and he takes it to the
next level and I don’t question it. He does his deal, he
always does it, never paid him a dime, he’s the best.
Jessie Davis. That’s all I’m going to say about that.
Cockfight is viewed as a backyard pool,
ditch, DIY skaters. Is this something you
have always done?
Yeah! I mean, I grew up in a ditch, at EZ-7. Every single
day, forever when I was young. That was my skate
park. I grew up in Oak forest and me and my friends,
that’s where we met after school, that’s where we did
all our ride’n. That’s where we got together and went
other places and found other things. We found our
first pool in like 87 and that started a whole other
deal. That’s an obsession that’s hard to get rid of.
Pools are hard, their hard to skate. They’re not made
to be skated and take a lot of work and their nasty.
All that goes along with it, the finding it, the cleaning
it, the skating it, and none of it’s easy. That kind of
gives it an alluring sense to me. That’s why I like it
so much and all our riders like it too. Ditches, love it.
Building stuff, love it. Staying out of the skate parks,
I love it!!
Do you have a preference?
Me personally, I’ve always been a ditch skater. I love
to skateboard in ditches. That’s my number one. I do
this (Pool) but I’m not very good at this, but I love it.
Ditch skating is what I love the most.
Have you ever had leave a spot due to cops
like in the movie Dog Town?
(laughter) A lot of times… A lot of times! When your
skating these pools, you have everything from real
estate agents, to neighbors, to cops, to owners of the
properties, there’s a lot of drama, but that’s just the
way it is. It’s part of the deal.
You guys seem like a tight-knit family when
I see you at different events. Is this always
the case, or is there drama at times?

Photo: Ant
(Laughter) Jeremy Smith is the only drama queen.
I love him like a son, but he’s our only drama. Everybody
else is totally humble, totally down. They
rip when everybody’s looking or no one is looking, it
doesn’t matter and that’s just the way they are. We’re
all like family, Jeremy included in that. Jeremy likes
people to look at him a little bit and every now and
then he’ll start a little drama but it’s all in fun.
Where do you see Cockfight in the next 10
years?
(Laughter) Probably in my living room like it is right
now. I mean, that’s the way it’s going to stay. First of
all, I don’t have the time to put anymore expense into
it or any more effort. I have a real job; Kevin has a
real job. He’s off building skate parks, so he’s never
around. It’s what it is man. We do it when we can do it
and how we want to do it and it basically takes up my
living room. That’s Cockfight, my living room.
Now for a few fun and personal questions.
You kill it every time I see you skate and it
doesn’t matter whether its and ditch or the
skate park. How long have you been skating?
When I first laid eyes on dudes skateboarding in
1981, was the first time I saw people ripping with
skateboards and I knew I wanted to do it. Probably
82, I got it all together and started doing it. So, that
long, however long that is.
What or who got you into skating?
I was a big time BMXer racing, not anything like
there is now. BMX racing, jumping and all that crap,
just doing what kids do. They started putting skate
photos in the BMX magazines and I guess that was
around the skateboarder with the action now. It was
like, I do don’t know man. The beginning of all that
and melding it all together and I was like that looks
really cool. And then I rode my bike. I was in Houston
and I rode my bike down to EZ-7. We were going to
go ride our bikes there and there were all these like
punker dudes skating and ripping so hard. I mean,
we thought they were ripping and I was like, “I want
to do that!” so immediately I did whatever I could do
to get everything together to start skateboarding. We
bought a deck, three allowances later we got some
trucks, however it worked. We were hooked at that
point. Once we started doing it, there’s no stopping it,
you know how that goes. It’s an obsession!

Photo: Ant
Being an older gentleman myself, how do
you push pass the fear of getting injured?
I’m going to be honest, I’m turning 48 this week and
it does creep into my mind more than it used to. I’ve
been hurt a lot, I’ve had 5 knee surgeries and I need
another one. A lot of different shit but I think I once
I get going I forget about it, you know. I might think
about it once I first show up to the spot but I’m not
going to let it change the way I skate, that’s for sure
Also how proud are you to have a son that
rips just as hard as you?
More proud than words can even describe. Man that
kid, he’s been on skateboards since he was 1-1\2 , 2
years old. He’s been obsessed with it, I never pushed
it on him. He saw it, and he’s been around it and was
obsessed with it ever since. And he is gnarly man,
he’s scares the crap out of me, man he scares the
carp out of me but he is gnarly and he’s done that
all himself. He doesn’t listen to me and I don’t tell
him how to do tricks. I don’t do any of that, he does it,
that’s his deal and I’m extremely proud of not only
the young skater he is but the young man he is. It’s
pretty awesome to skate with him and for him to like
me. You know he’s 17 and we still hang out, so that’s
pretty cool.
Who did the filming when he slammed in
that waterslide?
That was me, and thank god I was looking through
the camera because when I look at it afterwards it
looked like he was dead.
That was a gnarly slam.
I ran down there because I heard it more than I
saw it and he jumped up and was ready to go again
immediately. Like I don’t really think he knew what
really happened and he was already just… cause that
thing is already scary to be in, and its illegal and everything
else and we were hyperventilating already
and he just jumped up took one more fall, a way more
graceful fall and then third time got it. Now that was
the second time he’s done that loop though, he just
wanted to do it front-side. He’s done it backside 2
years ago but he wanted to go back and get it frontside.
But man it was gnarly.
Thank you for the opportunity you have
given us to interview you. Do you have any
last words of wisdom?
Have fun. Find spots, build spots and give back to
skateboarding. Don’t just take, give back. Do whatever
it takes to make it grand, that’s what I think.
PLEASE EXIT THE POOL

Photo: Ant

Digital Music or YouTube?
Neither.
Record Stores
Written by
Christian Hernandez
In a culture of instant gratification and all
the mediums of entertainment that enable
instant gratification (Netflix, Youtube,
Apple music, the list goes on and fucking
on) sometimes we forget that at one point
humanity blissfully lived without these
frivolous luxuries and the thought never
occurred “Hey wouldn’t it be great to have
every song ever made at my fingertips?
Wouldn’t that be awesome!” Not quite.
There are holes and drawbacks to living in
a musical utopia where anything we can
possibly listen to is just a Youtube click
away. Sadly, the average teenager has no
idea what it’s like to live in a time where
your every desire isn’t satisfied, that there
was a time when, Gasp!, your options for
what to listen to were not infinite as the
desires imposed upon us by our capitalist
consumerist society.
There used to be a time when what
you wanted to listen to was limited to what
your record store carried. It didn’t matter
how awesome you thought Jesus and The
Mary Chain were. If your local record store
didn’t have it you continued to browse until
you found something else worth listening
to. And that’s precisely what we did, and it
was that limited option that caused us to
make choices that were exciting and exhilarating
because having a small option to
choose from, what your record store had,
was far from oppressive but was actually
fun and exciting. A wise person once said
(Lisa Simpson), “Getting everything you
want all the time will ultimately leave you
empty and unfulfilled” and the same is true
when you have every song at your fingertips.
Fun at first but ultimately unsatisfying.
But why? Why is it unsatisfying to have
everything?
Yeah, no. it must be great to search and
listen to any song that comes to your mind
at the drop of a hat. Mindless consumption
sounds amazing. We all try to turn nothing
into something. The mass produced jeans
that look the same in every store around
the nation becomes “something” unique
and tangible when wear and tear creates
faded colors, holes, and rips that makes one
of the most ordinary products in the world
something distinctly and uniquely yours.
But to try to turn digital music from nothing
to something is a futile cause. No matter
how much you replay a song, it will always
be one option among literally billions subject
to your own whims. The songs you like
become a temporary fulfillment to a desire
and will only get replaced shortly after,
like very shortly after, like 2 seconds after

your done listening to it and you mindlessly
click on the youtube suggestions. I prefer to
already have something that is, well, “something”
rather than try to turn a commodity
into something meaningful.
But what you don’t think about it is how
digital music not only turns music into a
commodity but a super commodity, increasing
the ephemeral nature of a commodity to
the highest degree possible. Say what you
want, but a record out of many records in
a store exists and is tangible. I can feel it,
touch it. I know it exists. But one song out
of every song that has ever existed ever is
easily forgotten thus increasing the transient
nature and commodification of music.
A lost relic in a meaningless sea of fleeting
pleasures as you move from one album to
another, or more accurately one song to
another and in most cases totally unaware
of what album they came from.
Having a small number of options adds to
the spontaneity of life, and makes life more
exciting and fun as a result. When we are
limited to only what are record store has,
we make interesting and ultimately rewarding
decisions when it comes to what we
listen to. I went to Cactus Records looking
for The Cure’s “Disintegration”. They didn’t
have it so I continued to browse around.
Then I came across Frank Zappa and The
Mother of Invention’s “One Size Fits All”. I
had forgotten how much I loved Frank Zappa,
how he is one of my favorite guitarists
and that I have been meaning to replicate
his style for a long time. I popped the CD in
and discovered Frank Zappa’s best guitar
work. Some of the songs were practically
just solos and instrumentals. It was an
amazing album and something I only could
have experienced if I had gone to a record
store. It’s a discovery I would have never
made through digital mediums.This album
would have been buried in all the music
that has ever been made had I had not
discovered it at a record store. Even if discovered
through digital mediums it would
be one of many bands waiting to be tossed
away and forgotten by another mindless
impulse.
I’m going to go listen to My Bloody
Valentine’s “Loveless”, easily one of
my favorite albums now. I just bought
it from Soundwaves, and it’s a band
that I would never have been exposed
to if I had not gone to a record store.

Deandre Daniels
Photo: D.C. Boson

Jason Jeff Mark Donnie
Photo: Feral Noise
THE KHOBRETTI
STORY
Interviewed by Ant

We are her with Khobretti at their recording
studio and will start with introductions?
Mark: I am Mark, I play bass and I have been playing
bass… I don’t really know how long, a long time, since
I was a teenager. I like so many different bands, and
artist, I couldn’t just pick one. I like punk to hard
core, the old stuff in particular is what really speaks
to me.
Jeff: My name is Jeff, I do vocals. As far as playing
in bands, been doing it for twenty plus years. Everything
from black metal bands to punk. What bands
I’m into, everything from Napalm Death to the
Damned, the Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees…
to DMX
Donnie: Hi, my name is Donnie, I play drums and
have played for about 28 years.
Jeff: 28 years…God damn!!
Donnie: My favorite bands span from hard core metal,
pop, especially new wave. I love a lot of new wave
music, 80’s new wave, but if I had to say a band that I
listen to a lot and has been one of my favorites since I
was a kid, is the Smith’s. Yeah, big Morrissey fan, and
yup here come the jokes.
Jeff: What’s wrong with that, Morrissey’s good!
Donnie: I would say Smith’s then.
Jason: I’m Jason, I play guitar in the band and I’ve
been playing since I was like 17. Which has been
about 17 or 18 years now and my influences range
from grind core, to sludge, shoe gazing, to new wave,
I’m all over the place, to no wave.
The name Khobretti and when I first tried
to spell it was difficult, but what does the
name mean?
Jeff: I can definitely answer that and how that story
even came about. It basically stems from the movie
Cobra, a Sylvester Stallone movie. His character
name is Marion Cobretti, but really we just kept
trying to think of a name and for a band that you
would google and that’s the only thing that comes up.
We didn’t want to use a generic word of something
like that. We kept trying to brain storm, brain storm
different things and then one day we were in Austin
driving around, my wife goes, “why don’t you name
it Cobretti?” I was like, that’s a good idea, but then we
would change the spelling a little bit so it’s not like
the character. In the movie it’s C-O, but we used K-H.
Cobra was one of those movies I watched since I was
Photo: Feral Noise

a kid and would joke around about it. What would
Marion Cobretti do?
(Laughter)
It’s a very nice name and could find no
definition of it. Most band names, there is a
definition with meaning behind the name.
Jeff: Also you are the disease and I am the cure.
(laughter)
I’ve seen you guys playing at these different
bars, but don’t actually know how long you
guys have been playing together or how you
guys even met?
Jeff: Since 2012, at least this band. That’s a multi-layered
question. As far as how it got started. First of all,
how should we start? We’ve all known each other for
a long, long, time. I guess we want to start from the
beginning?
Donnie and I have been friends for a long time. He
ironically just posted some crap on Facebook. “Anyone
looking to start a hard core band?” mad ball
influence, I emailed him as soon as possible and said
let’s do it.
Donnie: it totally doesn’t sound like mad ball, nothing
like mad ball.
(Laughter)
Jeff: We’ve known each other for a long time. I’ve
known you (Mark)20 years or more, I don’t know.
Mark: Yeah it was probably around 90, 96 0r 97,
when we first met.
Jeff: And, I’ve known him (Donnie) my whole life. We
met in high school in 90 or whatever!
Donnie: Yeah, either late 80’s or early 90’s and we
started playing in bands then. We were terrible, we
sucked! Nobody knew how to play or sing. And you
know, we grew up together and we all had the same
passion for the same music. We went to shows, spent
a lot of money going to shows, and tapes, and CD’s,
and stuff like that. And uh, then we uh, graduated
high school, then everyone had a life after that. Jeff
went off to the military, I went off and did some touring
with some bands and stuff. Jason was still here
at school you know, he was younger than us. Mark
was doing his thing. And you know, all these years
go by and… a lot of years go by and actually went to a
Chilis restaurant and I hadn’t seen Jeff in probably,
man, 10 plus years. I saw him and said hey what’s
going on and just chatted.
Jeff: Ah, you don’t remember how it went. You and
your wife were just sitting there and I went, so is everything
going well with your meal so far? (Donnie)
ah yeah! Oh What!!!
(Laughter)
Donnie: And there was another gap of years that
went by before I saw or heard from Jeff again until
I posted, “Want to start a hard core band!” and I was
kind of particular how I wanted to do it cause, I was
listening a lot to that NYC hardcore at the time. We
lived in the glory days so I was like man, it would be
fun to do this and then Jeff hit me up and said he
has a bass player and will still didn’t have a guitar
player. Didn’t even think about Jason, but I doubt
he’d want to do it! And Jason was like, “Yeah, I’ll do it,
cool!!” and we’ve been doing it ever since 2012. It’s
been a lot of fun, been a growing experience and uh,
a learning experience. You know I think we still uh,
I personally think we are getting better. Every time
we get together it’s awesome. It’s an awesome feeling
man, being in a band. This is honestly one of my first
bands that I’ve ever been and don’t argue, or fight…
any of that stuff. We’re all mature enough and think
because we grew up with each other, we don’t try
and step on each other’s toes. Not saying it doesn’t
happen, but it’s very laid back, calm and reserved,
compared to the other bands. I was usually the guy
that was flippin out, or freakin out. What’s really cool
is that this band is something different. That’s why I
really like it and personally me, I wish the market for
hard core was much bigger.
Especially here, geographically its not, but with that
said, that’s how much I love being in this band. I’m
still doing it! Like you said (ANT) earlier, we’ve done
shows were there’s not a lot of people and it kind of
gets discouraging but at the same time we’re the
type of band that’s like, you know, once it’s already
setup, it’s a rehearsal. Let’s do it!! If there’s 2 or 3
people there or if there’s 50 people, we’re going to
play exactly the same, with the same amount of energy.
It’s just the way it is, it’s who we are and that’s
how we’re going to do it.
So, no matter how many people are in attendance
you still play the same show! So
if it’s a packed house it doesn’t change the
energy, the vibe?
Donnie: No, not at all! For me even rehearsals are
that way. I’m out here like, I’m at a show cause I feel
it. That’s why it doesn’t matter who’s there. To me!!
To be honest with you and it may sound douchey
to say but I’m not playing for anyone, I’m playing
for me. I’m having a good time. Now if you like and
vibe what I’m feeling, then cool! But I don’t play for

anyone man. It’s just me and sometimes I got to look
up and wonder what their thinking cause I’m rockin
out pretty hard. That’s what the music does, at least
for me.
Jeff: Going back, about playing in front of people.
Doesn’t matter if there’s 2 people or 20, or 500. It’s
very important to put on a good show no matter
what. If a person leaves that place thinking, man
they’re pretty good. They’re going to tell their friends
about it. Not like, Ah man you can tell those guys
weren’t even into it. That’s why I try to play 110% at
every show, cause you don’t know who’s there and
I’m all about first impressions. I don’t care! If I go
somewhere and they sound like shit, I go pff, and that
is my thought about them at all times. If I do anything!
I do 110% and not half way.
Mark: We go into it full energy, all the way. There’s a
feedback loop as well cause if the crowds really getting
into it, I think it just fuels, you know fuels, it gets
us more pumped up which in turn then, pumps the
crowd up or so. You have show’s like that are just, I
mean we walk of the stage and you are done. There’s
zero energy left cause we get so into it. Well at least I
do and its really cool when you have those shows. But
say we’ve played shows too where not to many people
were there and people didn’t seem like they were
really, really, getting into it, but we’re still giving it
our all.
Photo: Ant
Mark: We play good shows too though!
Photo: Ant
(Laughter)
Jeff: It’s not like every show is crap.
(Laughter)
Jeff: We play a lot of good shows!
I know every show I’ve been too that you
guys have had, I usually leave there thinking
that I can start my own band because
I’m just so pumped. You know I can’t sing or
play an instrument!
(Laughter)
That’s good man! Now going back to what you (Donnie)
were saying about the attitudes and stuff like,
you use to have the temper. So who in here has the
temper now?
Donnie: To be honest with you, Jeff and I have always
had the temper but we’ve never gone… you know…
we’ve debated on a song or maybe and the debates
are more like, maybe we should try this. And I think
what’s really cool about this band and without out it

dude who doesn’t care. People are coming out from
miles to rehearse and some dude doesn’t have the
common courtesy to call and say they’re going to
be late and he lives five minutes from the studio we
are rehearsing and everyone is coming 30, 35 plus
miles. With this band, everyone is communicating
on messenger. “Hey we’re practicing tonight!” “What
time?” Don’t get me wrong, we do have our moments
of forgetfulness like, “Oh shit, rehearsal today, oh my
god you know, I forgot! Sometimes there’s a lot of last
minute, “Hey, I know we’re supposed to rehearse tomorrow,
but I have a show I have to work and I can’t
do it.” Everyone is flexible and then we will move it
to the middle of the week. That’s kind of what we did
tonight. It’s really good that everyone is very flexible
and really courteous. That’s what I like a lot about
this band.
Mark: Everything’s very constructive, even when we
debate stuff. It’s always constructive and we always
come out with a better idea, better song, better whatever
it is we are debating because it is very constructive.
It’s not like we just argue over stuff. We really
work together on it.
Photo: Ant
being said, we kind of do like the majority rule. For
instance, in songs, song placement, that’s another
thing that sets us apart. We really take our time
on our set list. Our set list is not, “Hey let’s put this
first!” It’s thought out, it’s somewhat methodical.
We’re trying to take people on a ride.
Jeff: I think because everyone has the same goals
and everyone has the same taste in music. For the
most part, I don’t really argue about directions cause
it’s all stuff I want to play anyways. Everyone is on
the same page and not like one person wants to play
Hatebreed only stuff and the other guy wants to play
Photo: Ant
Donnie: Those two (Mark and Jason) are brothers.
Brothers are going to have their moments and I
know that’s how it is but whatever. Sometimes you
got to hold Jason back from throwing swings.
(LAUGHTER)
Donnie: As you can tell here!
The silent killer!
(Laughter)
Donnie: We got it on video, but he was much younger
though.
Mark: That is on video at the black Barbie show.
Donnie: Actually for me though, that video is something
I want erased all together. That was not a good
night for any of us. But, we try to respect each other,
we try to respect each other’s time. I got so sick
and tired of being in bands where there is that one

Suicidal Tendencies. Everybody’s on the same page.
(lower voice) Cut that out if that sounded ignorant.
(LAUGHTER)
How many times do you guys practice,
week, monthly, yearly?
Mark: Weekly.
Weekly.
Donnie: When I tell people what our weekly rehearsal
schedule is. It’s very, very unique, because we rehearse
on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am.
So, that is your church.
(Laughter)
Donnie: Pretty much and the reason that happened
for us is because Sunday seemed to be the day that
worked out for us. When we first started doing this
it would be at 3:30, 4 O’clock in the afternoon and I
noticed that I really didn’t know what they were into
anymore. I would show up for rehearsals looking at
the Texans game on my phone and they would be
like, “Oh, What’s the score?” Oh, you watch football
too. Some of the practices we’re watching the game
while rehearsing, so we thought it would be easier
to get in here at 10. Went for a couple of hours and
was still able to make the 12 O’clock game and pretty
much an accident but, we still had our whole day.
What’s really cool and unique for me, when we would
rehearse in the evenings, Jason and I would crack
a few beers, relax out and play. To be honest, there’s
been a couple of times that I’ve gotten a little sauced
and it’s been cool to play, but getting really tired
though. The advantage of playing at 10:00 am on a
Sunday is, you’re not bringing beer in. So everyone’s
on their game, on coffee and to me we have good
rehearsals. I leave here around noon, 12:30 and get
in my car and think man, that was a really good rehearsal,
really productive.
Mark: You need to setup a camera pointing at Jason
just for several minutes of him just sitting there not
saying anything. Hear us talking in the back ground
with him (Jason) just sitting there.
Where do you guys see yourself in the next
5 years?
Jason: Dead!
(Laughter)
Jeff: That’s interesting.
Photo: Ant

Photo: Feral Noise
Mark: Man, who knows.
Jeff: My goal is to keep playing. I just enjoy playing
shows, writing music, recording and the whole process
of it. Whether we make it a little bit bigger or still
just playing in Houston, it’s alright.
Donnie: For me, like Jeff said, we keep riding and
playing. Our advantage here is that we’re able to
record ourselves and record our ideas on the fly if
we want. When we were younger, we didn’t have the
money to do that. Jason and I went to audio school,
we record our own stuff and we would send it off to
get mixed and mastered. We like it that way and I
think that’s why we have a unique sound. We do our
own recordings and we do it a certain way and we
send it off to someone and they put their magic on
it so it’s like a hybrid of what we’re doing and what
their doing. As long as I can keep doing that for the
next 5 years, that’s perfect for me.
Jeff: I love it because everyone says we’re old but I
still like showing these young mother fuckers how to
do it.
Donnie: Exactly!
Any last words?
(Camera goes directly in front of Jason’s face, inches
away and…Nothing!)
(LAUGHTER)
Jeff: Check us out.
Mark: Hopefully more Skate Stock Shows.
Thank you guys! I really enjoyed the interview
and loved the stories.
Band: Yeah!
THE END

Malcom Dugar
Photo: D.C. Boson

THE STEVEN ROBINSON
STORY
Interviewed by Ant

First let’s start with your name and what
you do?
My name is Steven Robinson, I’m a street artist and
a graffiti artist.
How long have you been into art/graffiti?
I’ve been into art longer than graffiti. I’d say I’ve
been into art for about 10-12 years.
What about Graffiti?
Steven: And probably doing actual street graffiti for
about 5 of those.
What style of graffiti do you consider yourself
to have? ( Tag, Throw-up, Blockbuster,
wild style, heaven, stencil, Poster (pasteup),
sticker (slap), piece,)
Well I guess for everybody, what they’re trying to do
is build their own style, so I kind of incorporated a lot
of things that I’ve seen from people I look up to and
try to add a lot of that to kind of create something
that I kind of want to do.
What or who got you started into graffiti
art?
A friend named David in high school. We had a bunch
of different classes together and I was painting
already by then and he had a black book which most
graffiti artist have and I was just super inspired by
everything that was in there and he’s what got me
into it.
What inspires you when you paint?
Everything going on around us, chaos... honestly
emotions and just things that I go through personally.
Does it matter when it comes to the type of
spray can paint brand?
Honestly I don’t think it should matter, whatever
kind of instrument you can get your hands on. If you
can make something look cool with that, then that’s
the idea, not so much the brand that you got in your
hand but what you can do with what you’re using.
Are there certain times when you feel like
doing a piece or are you always ready?
In terms of graffiti I think what I’m looking for is
sort of aesthetics also spots just depending on gen-
Photo: Ant

Photo: Ant
trification and a lot of things that happen in the city.
There’s sometimes spots available and then sometimes
new ones come up and sometimes old ones get
destroyed, so I guess the coolest thing about graffiti
is you have to be consistent and just have a continuous
passion to do it. Things automatically pop up and
that just kind of inspires me to go paint.
What do you want people to see when they
look at your artwork?
Ahhh, well graffiti is a lot more egotistical. This I
wouldn’t consider graffiti, because it’s legal. I think
the actual action going out and bombing and doing
something that’s against orthodox, what other people
would want to see, I think that’s actual graffiti. I don’t
know if I want to specifically want someone to see
something but the idea is more of a personal understanding
of being able to go out and do something
that you want to accomplish for yourself and the
glorification is all in everybody seeing it.
You have some pretty gnarly grip tape pieces
I’ve seen. Do you get the same high as
painting in the city?
Yes, and no. yes because when I’m sitting there it’s
a totally different tranquil feeling and a lot of different
emotions are coming out but when I’m out
in the street there’s just a high and adrenaline that
you can’t take away from doing something like that
and its just kind of hard to explain unless you’re out
there at 3 in the morning and there’s nothing happening
and you still got that little risk of getting in
trouble so, yes and no.
Do you have a preference on the artwork
you do?
Yeah, there’s nothing like going out and bombing on
the streets. I would have to say yeah.
How is your relationship with the other
street artist out there?
It comes and goes. To be completely honest, I would
say a lot of people I’ve met who do graffiti aren’t
the most qualified citizens and they’re not the most
respectful people either. I just feel like I’m cut from
a different cloth when it comes to collaborating with
other graffiti artist instead of people who do street
art. Sometimes people are just a product of their environment.
I get a long with a few other people who
do graf in the city and the people who do know me
like me but a lot of the people who don’t know me are
the people who don’t like me.

Photo: Ant
Out of all the art pieces you have done, does
one stand out as being your favorite and
Why?
I would say at this point no, because I don’t consider
myself… that I’ve been writing for long enough
but have done a few things that I’ve been personally
proud of which are like roof top pieces and stuff like
that. Just things that other people get to see from a
different perspective.
Have you ever had issues with the law?
Yeah um… (laughter) all the time, its on a constant
basis. I personally have never been arrested or gone
to jail for doing graffiti and I’m blessed and fortunate
about that, but I’ve been raised by the right people to
keep myself aware of my environment. A lot of people
who get caught and get caught up are kind of just going
around spraying paint, there’s not really an idea
behind it and I try to be as premeditated as possible.
What would you say to the next generation
of street artist coming up?
Stay off of Instagram and social media and do what
you want to do and don’t compare yourself to anybody
and don’t set a standard for yourself because
you’re gonna lack your creativity there. If you try to
get in competition with anybody you’re just gonna
ruin whatever idea it is, you originally had. that’s
one thing I’ve had to do as an artist, is kind of take a
step back, go back to my original love for art and step
forward from what I’ve learned.
Thank you for the opportunity you have
given us to interview you. Do you have any
last words?
Well first off, I appreciate the interview and thank
you for having me. Other than that, there’s just a big
fine line between graffiti and street art and I happen
to love them both. And anybody who’s trying to get
into it, I would just say do whatever you want but
proceed cautiously and really think about what you
want to do when it comes to whatever it is you want
to paint.
THE END

THE TRUE
JORDAN SANTANA
Interviewed by Ant

Photo: Anthony Acosta
We are here with local skater from Houston,
TX, so let’s start with your Name and
where are you from?
My name is Jordan Santana and I am 14 years old.
How long have you been skating?
Since I was 6, so going on 8 years now.
What got you into skateboarding?
It was actually a few Disney channel shows that had
skaters in them, and that made me want to try skating.
So, yeah.
Was it intimidating when you first started
since it is mostly boys who skate?
It was a little at first but then when I saw some of my
friends from church doing it and I was like “oh maybe
it’s not that hard” so then I went for it.
I’ve known you for quite a while and I can
honestly say I never seen anyone progress
as fast as you. I’ve seen you when you were
struggling with an axle stall to now doing
Caballero board slides, and inverts in a bowl
with ease. Love to watch you skate and just
amazed at how much you’ve grown. How
did you do it?
That would be a lot of practicing. Over the summer
that’s just been pretty much skateboarding every
day.
So training is every day?
Yeah. Pretty much every day, 4-5 hours on weekends,
6 or 7 day.
Since you skate more than the average person,
do you still get excited about it?
Yes, 100%. When it’s a new trick it’s just getting excited
all over again

How do you think skating has changed your
life?
It’s really opened me up to just traveling all over the
world and also just having awesome people to meet
in California, Florida, and everywhere else.
You’ve been in some big skating events, and
also congrats on your invite to the El Gato
Classic! Is there one that stands out the
most to you?
I have to say the Kona Florida Bowl Riders, I just
went to the contest for the 40th year anniversary
and that’s probably going to be one of my favorites.
Why?
I gotta say that one was definitely one of the biggest
events and I met a lot of people there and pros, that
one was definitely very.. That one was a very interesting
competitions.
I’ve seen photos of you with some of skate
boarding’s legends. Does it affect the way
you skate when you know they are watching?
Photo: Anthony Acosta
I think if anything, it pumps me up more. It pushes
me to land my runs and just try to impress them all
I can.
Do they ever give you tips?
Yes, definitely! Really, Steve Caballero and Christian
Hosoi they’re two of my favorite legends.
Do you skate with them a lot?
Jordan: Definitely! Every time we go to California
we’re with Christian and we meet up a lot sometimes
with Steve Caballero.
Very nice! You know a lot of people would
be super jealous knowing that you skate
with them…. I’m Jealous!
(Laughter)
Besides Skating, do you have any other
hobbies?
Jordan: Yes, I play drums, bass, piano and a little bit
of guitar.
Which is your favorite?

Photo: Israel Santana
Bass, if skateboarding included, then skating all the
way but, behind that bass guitar.
How long have you been playing the bass
guitar?
For about 2 and a half years now.
Are you going to play something for us?
Sure, maybe a little something.
That would be awesome!
What is your ultimate goal with this sport?
Olympics maybe??
Yes, 100%. That’s the goal. To go to the Olympics and
one day become professional skateboarder.
Which would you prefer professional or
Olympics?
Olympics.
Gold, silver, or bronze?
Gold all the way.
Would you be happy with bronze?
I’d be happy just to make podium at Olympics.
What would be your advice to other girls
who are interested in skateboarding?
Have fun with it, and take it all the way.
Do you have any sponsors?

Photo: Ant
Yes, I am sponsored by, Hosoi Skateboards, 187 Killer
Pads, Powerflex Wheels, The Cult clothing, Immortal
laces, Outlaw Belts, and Rastaclat Bracelets.
WOW!!! I thought you were going to say
mom and dad! That was impressive!
Mom and dad too! (Laughing)
Now a few fun questions. Favorite skater?
Christian Hosoi
Favorite food?
Wings (laughter)
What kind of wings?
Gotta be mild!
Favorite movie?
The series or the movie?
The movie.
Why?
Dwayne the Rock Johnson does a pretty funny
(laughter) I think it has good Mitch.
What’s your board setup?
My board set up is a Hosoi skateboard, with Rib Bone
rails, Independent 149s, Powerflex wheels, Bone
Swiss bearings and a Grizzly grip
Very Awesome setup!
Thank you for allowing us to interview you.
Do you have any last words?
Anybody that wants to try skating, try it. It’s a blast!
Baywatch
THE END

Photo: Israel Santana

GEN WHY
Interviewed by Ant

Brian Curtis James Alex
Photo: Ant
We are her with Gen Why and will start
with introductions?
Brian: My name is Brian, I play the drums and have
been playing for 20 years and favorite band is Global
Threat or Complete Control if you want to keep it
Texas, formally known as the Strap-ons.
Curtis: I am Curtis, I play guitar and have been in
the band 2 or 3 months and favorite band is Berkeley
from Sweden and will keep it short. That’s all I got!
James: James, I play guitar and have been playing
like forever, since I was like 13,12, 11, I don’t even
remember. My favorite band was going to be Global
Threat, however at the same time I have a lot of
favorite bands. Trombones has always been one of
my biggest influences being from Texas after all and
honestly I’m going to go ahead and give it to Alex
right here.
Alex: play bass and do vocals every now and then. I
have been playing, coming up on 5 years now, something
like that. Favorite band, Flatliners.
Band: AAHHHHH!!!
Alex: Fuck you dudes, Flatliners are amazing and I
fucking love those guys.
Why the name Gen Why?
James: Alright, real answer time, so Gen Why, this
band called FIDLAR, not punk band, had a song Why
Generation and I liked it a lot and I kind of like their
take on the generation we live in and how everyone
is always on the phones. Even in their music video
people were on the phones while they were playing
taking selfies with the band and they were kicking
the phones out of their hands. It was just a good way
to display our generation right now and what kind
of ridiculousness goes on in it. I’m not saying our
generation is bad but, there is a lot of fucking people
in our generation that I think are ridiculous. Either
way I came up with the name because of that song
basically and it also kind of makes you think Gen Y,
Generation Y, because we are generation Y, millennials.
And that’s about it.
How long have you guys been playing together?
Alex: Since about mid-June.

Photo: Ant
Brian: Beginning of June.
Alex: Started off with James hitting me up and like
hey man you want to play bass in a street punk band
and I was like, Fuck Yes.
Brian: That ain’t how it started!
Alex: He had a lot of songs written, he had this idea
of what he wanted to do. Hit up Brian on fucking
Craig’s List. They had a conversation on what they
wanted to do, they jammed a bit and had one practice
before I came in. Then started doing that.
James: Called him (Alex) up cause we were in band
previously. I won’t even say we were a band.
Alex: We Weren’t!
James: We practiced with a band before and I knew
he was a decent bass player. So I started practicing
with him (Alex), we started getting together practicing
at my house a lot. We did all the songs I had
previously written for a long time and it eventually
became Gen Why. Then we realized that we needed
a second guitar player and it’s hard to find cause
I’m kind of picky with who I pick for my band. Curtis
moved from Austin, When?
Curtis: 6 Months ago.
James: So, around when we started and also Craig’s
List with you.
Curtis: Yep, I posted an ad.
James: Someone shot me the Craig’s List ad he
(Curtis) posted and I hit him up, then he came in, to
play. We started practicing, we ended upwith our own
studio that we started paying rent for.
Alex: Now we are here just playing shows and shit!
I was going to ask you guys how you met,
but I guess this is a shout out to Craig’s List.
Craig’s List!
Brian: Shout out to Ben Andrews from Broke Off!
James: Ben Andrews actually did that for both.
James: Ben Andrews!
Brian: That’s how me and James got in contact. Ben
Andrews saw my Craig’s List ad and shot me over to
James.
James: Big shout out to Broke Off on that one!
Alex: I’ve known James for a couple of years, just

meeting him at shows and shit. Like he said, Ben
was like, a man let’s do this band. It kind of fell apart,
yeah and now we’re here.
Any albums in the works?
Brian: We have an EP this month.
James: We have an EP. You know what, I’m not going
to go in depth on that. But, we had a guy that was going
to record and produce our EP. We had two guys,
producer kind of engineer that was going to do our
EP. That fell through, so in January I believe we are
recording our first actual full EP which is going to
be called “Rotten Few”. Rotten Few EP is going to be
a 7 inch on vinyl as well as tapes. Apparently tapes
are a thing now. I feel like they’re really cheap to do
also and people are buying them man. (BURP) We
are going to do that and digital as well, so that may be
coming out either mid 2018 or around March.
Alex: Early 2018.
James: Whatever happens! It’ll happen when it happens!
It’s happening though.
So about how many gigs do you play a year?
You started in June, so since then?
James: That’s a question that we can’t answer correctly
right now. We’ve only played show for the last 2
months.
Brian: If you want to average it out, say a year!
James: 7 or 8 in the last two months.
Alex: Yeah, something like that.
James: You do the math, I’m not, you know! (Laughing)
So, no math right now?
(Laughter)
James: Yeeaahh! No math right now.
Alex: Our first gig was in October, like mid October.
James: October 13th.
Alex: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
What was it? The Friday the 13th show?
So when I saw you guys, that was your first
show?
Nice, very nice!
Alex: Since then we’ve had at least…
James: at least once a week, once every two weeks.
Alex: 7 to 8 shows, something like that for us.
James: Lots of shows.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5
years?
James: In 5 years!
5 Years!
James: That’s a hard question!
Brian: Tour the world!
James: Tour the world, we’re going to take over. We
are going to play our first show on the moon. Where
they landed, the lunar lander.
Alex: You’re going to ask that to guys who have been
drinking all night.
(Laughter)
That’s what makes it even better!
James: Really though on a real note in 5 years…
Brian: We’ll be the first “REAL HUMANS” who actually
landed on the moon.
Alex: God Dammit!
(Laughter)
James: In 5 years, honestly I don’t know! That’s
anyone’s guess and being in a band, you can never
predict what’s going to happen. We’re trying to tour a
lot, we’re trying to do anything we can. So my prediction
in 5 years will be, we will be on the road a lot.
That’s what I want to do. That’s what we all want to do
eventually. Just want to play and play everywhere as
much as possible.
Alex: I just want people singing along man. That’s it!
Brian: it would be nice to go to Europe and Japan.
James: Europe’s possible. Who knows. We might be in
Europe..
Brian: Australia!
Gen Why: Yeah!

said anything. But, we’re just trying to get our music
together and get a video out. We just want to fucking
play. That’s it! Play!
James: Cheers!
(All holding beers up except for Alex, but yes, he held
up his imaginary beer.)
Julian Kane: For yawl to be semi playing
with each other for 6 months, yawl seem
like super close knit, and yawl actually
seem like you grew up together. What
brought yawl so close?
James: Madagascar!
Brian: For Sure!
(Laughter)
Well, anything we can do to help promote
you guys, we’re here. We’ll be behind you
guys 1000% and will push you guys out.
Any last words?
Brian: We’re on YouTube. Check out our song “The
Option,” it’s up on YouTube already. It’s our single,
so get up there. It’s Gen Why – The Option. Search it
on YouTube, check it out and if you like that, you’re
going to like everything else we’ve got.
Alex: It’s been the fucking music man!
James: Punk Rock’s a family man! The whole punk
rock community is a family like everybody out here
right now. That’s a big family! Sure people fight
sometimes, people disagree, but it’s a big fucking
family. When everybody gets together and even
though everyone doesn’t know each other, it doesn’t
matter. You see two dudes with Mohawk walk in the
same room, they’re instantly going to be friends
man.
Brian: And they will look out for each other.
James: That’s just kind of how it is, skin heads, fucking
punk rockers, rude boys, anything like that man.
We get in the same building and we’re all family man.
Kind of feel like that’s how this band is. We’ve only
been hanging out for 6 or less months between us
all.
James: Yup!
Brian: And there’s a lot more to come.
Curtis: I appreciate all the support we’ve gotten here
in Houston.
Alex: Yeah dude!
Curtis: It’s a family, a tight knit family!
So, when are you going to do your first video?
The last one had Gen Why on the whole
YouTube video.
James: We’re talking about doing a video but that’s
coming out with the EP
Brian: We will just say, 3rd Ward.
James: 3rd Ward!
Alex: This dude (James) would fucking kill me if I

Photo: Ant
Alex: Yeah dude!
Brian: I feel like I’ve known these guys for years.
James: I feel like this is my family.
Alex: Our fucking songs are like some political shit
or James being pissed off about some hard drinking.
Yeah dude, the majority of our songs is about drinking.
Then you come to some shit like this, drinking
and having a good time, so you’re ready to write a
song about that and everybody’s going to hop on
board with that.
James: So, that’s the only answer I got to that! We
just kind of click man! And that’s how you know that
a bands going to be doing alright! Everybody is immediately
cool with each other. We practice for a long
time and didn’t realize that 8 hours of practice is a
long time. Some bands come up to me and they’re
like, “Dude, you guys practice for 8 fucking hours?”
I’m like, yeah and they’re like, “That’s ridiculas!” I
didn’t realize that, so that’s what we do. We practice
all the time, at least once a week, 6 to 8 hours, it’s a
long time, it gives you a lot of time to hang out. We
talk about all kinds of stupid stuff, personal stuff…
Alex: We just bullshit man! Way that I see it, I don’t
care if we play for 10 people or 10,000 people, we’re
just up there playing, having a good time. It’s fucking
fun! This is the best set to be playing. It’s fucking
awesome.
(Band doing beer clinks)
Alex: I still don’t have a fucking beer!
(Laughter)
Julian Kane: Alright, get this man (Alex) a
beer!
THE END

OFCS
JERRY GOODSON
Interviewed by Ant

Photo: Ant
My name is Jerry Goodson, the name of the company
is OFCS, out of Houston, TX. Go Houston!!!
What is OFCS?
OFCS is a custom Skateboard company that makes
boards to fit your needs based on the way you ride.
Which would include length, width, tail size, nose
size, or whatever, but it’s all custom.
What is the craziest board you had to cut
out?
Ah man, as I think you have heard many times, nothing
in skateboarding hadn’t already been done, but
I did this saw tooth cut on the sides of a board and it
was an old Schmitt shape. It looked crazy but it was a
well-known board back in the day.
How long have you been in business?
I have been in business for about eight years.
What made you start your own business?
You know I wanted to provide a way that people had a
choice as to what they ride. In the day a lot of boards
were put out on the market and it had a pros name
on it. We had to basically decide that’s what we were
going to ride based on the pro that we liked, but really
all in all those guys had the choices because they
would dictate what they wanted as a shape. I thought
if I could bring that to people that skate everywhere,
then they would be riding what would fit their feet
like a pair of shoes.
Why the name OFCS?
OFCS derived from a friend of mine Rick Hernandez
who took a real liking to the art part of my idea and
we ran some ideas back and forth and he is a great
graphic designer. He came up with some ideas, Old
Fart Custom Skateboards, based on some things I
had said. And of course some other friends that had
helped me during the course of the years. Things
have changed and it became easier to say and easier
to remember OFCS.
Since the name has OLD in it! Who would
your clients be?
My clients are everyone that wants to ride something
that really fits their feet, whether it be a 2-yearold
which I made a boards for, all the way up to a
67-year-old.

How did you get into custom creating your
own boards and who taught you this trade?
You know man! Back in the day, 75ish, I was the kid
who had the engineering mind wanting to know in
boards that I saw, which at the time was a board with
clay wheels. We were putting boards together with
old skates that had steel wheels and I started trying
to create my own boards. My dad had a saber saw
and he would cut me loose in the garage and I didn’t
interfere with anything and I had creative juices
flowing. And with taking art classes early on in junior
high, high school, I just started getting creative.
I was the kid who took the serving trays from the
restaurants and started gluing the trays together to
see if I could come up with a fiberglass board and of
course over the years G&S did that.
What makes your boards different than the
other boards that are out there right now?
Made with love brother! I was once told anyone could
put the ingredients of the recipe together and come
up with a dish, but if it’s made with love it tastes
extremely well. So all my boards are made with a
personal touch as if it’s my first or my last.
Love is very important?
Absolutely!!!
Would you ever streamline the production
of your boards?
Man I’m always up for streamlining the procedures
and things to make things better. I don’t think I will
ever mass produce. I don’t think that’s what OFCS
is here to do. That being said, I don’t look at OFCS as
being a company that’s in competition with anybody.
I am a custom board maker and my whole purpose
is to make each board on a personal basis. So I would
definitely streamline my procedures, update my
equipment and make things a little easier, but I think
I will always be making custom boards.
Most of your boards have unique designs on
the bottom of them and have seen the first
generation designs and the new generation
designs and how they have evolved. What
inspires the design on the bottom of the
boards?
There again, the skating industry has always dictated
what we ride and what we look at on the bottom
of the board. I just wanted to be different and in the
early days of course it was just something and am a
real big fan of abstract art. So therefore seeing some-
Photo: Ant

Do you feel like there’s any competition
with anyone here?
NEVER!! What I tell people, is if you don’t know what
you ride, then customs not your thing. Especially
here in Houston there’s a couple of local companies
that will fix you with whatever you want.
Where do you see OFCS in the next 5 years?
OFCS has a lot of things on the agenda for what I
want to see it grow into. Some I can disclose, but for
the most part I just want to keep moving forward as
long as I can and put something back in the skating
that I love so much.
Now time for some fun questions. I have
seen you at the skate park rolling on your
board, I see you carving, I see you doing the
old school tricks, but what or who got you
into skating?
Photo: Ant
thing new on the board, one offs that no one will ever
see again and overtime I have gone to things that I
do repeat, but I’m all about the colors and the feeling
at the time.
Man I’ve been skating since the mid 70’s, clay
wheels, steel wheels and we started pushing on sidewalks
and stuff all around the neighborhood, basically
infatuated. I took woodshop and couldn’t wait
to get to shop, make my own board, get out of school
Photo: Ant
Do you have any flow riders that skate for
you right now?
I do have flow riders. I have 2, Raina Saenz and Ben
Elliot. My whole purpose for the flow riders is definitely
not sponsorship, but if I can take someone who
loves it as much as I do and I see them riding with
passion and energy the way they do and I can teach
these kids to be I touch with what they ride, then we
can work together and someone else will see them
ride and they can help the others figure out what
they ride.
So how did you select the two that you have
right now on your team and what caught
your eye?
Man, one word, STYLE!! Ben Elliot’s got a style that
is unbelievable, it’s very surfer. And Raina, she’s
got a style that you can’t turn away from, its full of
energy, and she’s driving forward. She took third
place in California (Exposure) and we all proud here
in Houston.

Photo: Derrick Hayes
and then just roll the neighborhood. Then of course
when I got my first skateboarder magazine from
the grocery store which only carried one. So I would
talk to the manager and he would hold it for me each
month. Just seeing the stuff done in the magazines
and it kept growing and growing and pretty soon I
was bit. Any skater will tell you, that’s once you start
riding, you can’t put it down regardless of how old
you are, even if you have to sit on it and catamaran.
At the age of 55, why do you still skate and
how long have you skated?
Total years I’m not sure, but it’s been a long time. I
skate for the self-challenge and the flow of things. At
this age it’s not what you can accomplish, it’s just being
able to do it. I heard Doug Saladino tell somebody,
“it’s not the fact that you want to compete, it’s the fact
that we can still do it.” And I thoroughly agree with
that. So basically at this age, is the comradery with
everyone that’s loves it as much as I do.
At Laid Out we have a special section just
for Distinguished Gents, so being an older
Distiguised Gent, are there any physical
limitations?
Yeah there sure is man! It’s called a handicapped
mind. I think anybody would agree that our minds
keep us from succeeding with anything we might try
that day.
Are there any last words from Mr. OFCS
himself?
Be grateful, act with love, check your motives, watch
your attitude and forgive.
SHOP CLOSED

GRAFFITI

ART
For more photos and locations
of the art pieces, go to our website.
www.laidout.life

Brendan Sanders
Photo: D.C. Boson

D.C. BOSON
FILM
Written by Ant

Houston Independent Filmer D.C. Boson’s
skate video ANBOF (A Nickel Bag of Funk)
premiered at the Brick SkateShop on Saturday
night November 18, 2017. Even with the
success of the night, the video attracted so
many skaters that those in attendance had
to/gladly to get a chance to watch this vid
with a packed house. Those in attendance
were sitting on the floor, standing along the
wall and standing outside watching through
a window. The night and video almost did
not happen. After working a year on the
skate video ANBOF, an unexpected computer
crash resulted in the loss of all footage
and files. The loss of video clips and their
edits from the computer crash killed Boson’s
desire to begin another film and state,
“I slacked for a while till my homeboy Deandre
Daniels (Dre) started bugging me about
filming and the spirit for filming was back.”
D.C. Boson’s inspiration came from his love
for skating and a borrowed Hi8 Camera
(maybe explain the video quality of a hi8,
that fact that it is hard to make out the
people being filmed, Zero’s first video “thrill
of it all” was shot in a hi8 a now discontinued
video format maybe mention that) that
eventually became his and said he would
have never gotten into film making if it
wasn’t for his skating background. What
a shame that would have been! Along this
journey he met some people and started
a little crew who would then become the
insane footage and stars for A Nickel Bag Of
Funk.
The film features Deandre Daniels, An
Nguyen, Korben Mitchell, Justin Flip, Elijah
Boyd, Brendon Sanders, Jared Gutierrez,
Justin Wiederman, and Josh De La Rosa.
Everyone in the film is loved like a brother,
says Boson. The music mix was provided
by Jade Castillo and kudos to Jade for the
great mix of beats that fit each of the skaters.
Music in itself is its own art and I could
not agree more for the statement from
Boson. The video has an array of technical
tricks, smooth styles and the music to
match on all the skaters featured. Rails,
stairs and…PARKING BLOCKS…OH MY!!!
After watching this film, I was ready to hit
the streets and try not to get laid out.
Definitely a recommended video to watch
and update you when and where you can
purchase this DVD. Thank you D.C. Boson
for your contribution to Texas SkateBoarding!!
THE END
Photo of D.C. Boson

HOW DO YOU SEE
YOURSELF IN THE
FUTURE?
TEXAS
LIFE
The Lone Star State