Thrasher Magazine

Foundation’s come out with multiple videos over the years, over the span of 100 years I think it is that the company’s been around. What out of all those videos is your favorite one?
Art Bars.

What about it do you like so much?
The editing and just how it’s put together. And Ethan Fowler’s part.

Ethan Fowler’s part? The whole thing as a team or just Ethan Fowler the way it all is?
It’s that era. I just like how it’s all put together. I think it just makes it look sick. And that was, like, right when everyone just looked sick on a board, I feel like.

I like that one a lot. If you had to choose what era of Foundation you could ride for, which era would you choose?
The one I’m on right now.

He grinded it for his Lunatic Fringe, now Kodi’s back for the bronto boardslide     Photo: Rhino

That’s dope. Are you happy with where Foundation is right now with the team and everything?
Yeah. I think the team has really changed. I mean, it’s changed every five years since 100 years like you said, so I think that it’s changed to a really awesome place that it’s at now. And I’m honored to be on the team with some of the dudes that are on the team right now.

Just some of them?
Most of them.

Nah, I really like the team too. The way you got on Foundation is kind of by accident, right? Weren’t you trying to get on Toy Machine? I’ll let you tell the story but it was an accident or something, right?
Yeah. I mean, I was gonna get on Toy Machine and it ended up not happening. 
I was supposed to be in Brainwash and that didn’t happen and then Sinclair hit me up. 
I had just broken my ankle, actually.

Why was it that you weren’t on Toy Machine? Was there a hiccup in the road?
I heard through the grapevine that there was a hiccup in the road.

This rail didn’t want Dakota on either. Fortunately, it had no choice in the matter. Noseslide through the bends     Photo: Rhino

What type of hiccup?
I guess a rider who will remain nameless didn’t want me on.

Alright, we’ll leave that one blank. So it was because someone didn’t want you on that led to—
Me getting on Foundation, yeah. And then Foundation was at a point where Sinclair was redoing the team and figuring stuff out and he wanted me to be a part of it. So I was, like, “Alright, well, that sounds sick.” And it’s taken some time but I’m really happy to be a part of Foundation now because of the team and the look of it and everything. It’s pretty awesome.

So you pretty much got on during the rebirth of the brand.
Yeah.

That’s pretty cool.
Yeah, I was psyched to be a part of something like that.

Another boardslide? When they're this F'n heavy we'll take all we can get!     Photo: Hammeke

And do you feel kind of like, not really a leader but since you were at the rebirth of something, do you feel like especially proud of where it’s gone?
I don’t know, because I wouldn’t take credit for that.

No, not to say you take credit but do you feel happy about where it’s going?
Yeah, I’m stoked to be a part of it. I’m happy that I got on Foundation and it’s turned into what it has. Like, from Mike Sinclair working hard and everyone that got on wants to be a part of it. It’s not like something that you’re just on. Every person that’s got on is super psyched to be a part of it. I think that’s a big part of being on a skateboard brand because a skateboard brand is something that represents—I don’t even know what the word would be.

You’re not getting on for any reason other than the fact that you love the brand.
Yeah, you’re not on for a paycheck or something.

Yeah. So that minor hiccup in the road was really more of a blessing than anything else.
Yeah. I’ve had people ask me over the years, “Are you bummed that you got on Foundation?” And I’m, like, “No, I’m super psyched that I’m a part of Foundation.” 
I couldn’t be happier than where I’m at.

Dylan never tré-flipped. Ramblin’ between the grates     Photo: Karpinski

That’s awesome. Well, since you’re on Foundation some of your videos have been really gnarly. I’m a fan myself, obviously. You’re kind of known for skating gnarly kinked rails. What is it that you saw or who is it that you saw that kind of drove you to do that? Or was it something that just happened? Like you got on a kinked rail and were, like, “Oh, I can do this no problem?” Was there a person or an event that significantly changed your skating to want to gravitate towards kinked rails?
I don’t know. Maybe I’ll say the Muska.

He’s the inspiration behind all that?
I just happened to jump on a kinked rail and was, like, “Whoa, that works.” I mean, I just had inspiration from all people skating. I didn’t really jump on a kinked rail because one certain person did. So I wouldn’t really be able to, like, pinpoint a person. But if I was to say someone that’s dope that skates kinked rails I would say the Muska.

Yeah, he’s definitely dope.
When I was younger I remember there was a kinked rail and I just jumped on it. I jumped on a boardslide and was like, “Whoa, I can do this!” And they’re just fun to do.

Yeah, ‘cause I feel like some people are just good at boardsliding them or grinding them or whatever. I mean, you’re one of those guys that’s able to 5-0 them and nosegrind them and Smith them and stuff.
It’s fun stuff.

The spring time, the freshness. Lapped and locked lipslide over the cones     Photo: Strand

Yeah, it is fun stuff.
You know.

All those rails and all that stuff you hit, a lot of it is on the road. I would consider you one of those skaters that’s more like a road dog than anything else. You love spending time on the road. You can just go on a whim and just go on the road for a month.
Yeah. That’s from Sinclair. That’s how that all started.

He just bred you that way? Just growing up that way?
Because that was right when I got better. I had broken my ankle and then I had got on Foundation and Sinclair was just, like, “Yeah, jump in the van,” and then we just drove across the country and that was my first skate trip, I feel like. It was, like, a month long just staying at shitty hotels and skating and I was, like, “This is the sickest shit ever.”

So coast to coast was your first trip? Straight out the gates with the fat man?
Yeah. I think that’s the one where I met you. That was the first one.

Front blunt to fakie through the kink for the Muska     Photo: Gould

I think the first time I met you was at Matt B’s pro party.
Yeah, but then we didn’t really hang out and I think it was either the first one or the second one because I’ve gone cross country a lot. But I feel like it was the first one. But yeah, first trip was just coast to coast.

And that just broke you in.
That was, like, just seeing the world, that’s all I want to do. I’d already dropped out of high school so shit was working.

Did you learn anything from that? From just going straight on the road?
Just to be fucking psyched where you’re at. There were no flashy hotels or anything so it was just, you know how people now have flashy hotels and if they were on a Yeto trip they would probably be, like, “What the fuck?” But that’s what I grew up doing so I’m happy no matter what. Nice hotels are awesome but who cares?

I feel like you definitely learn a lot traveling and you learn a lot from just experiencing things a certain way. Tum Yeto trips, at least from when I’ve been on them, they’re definitely a certain way compared to most other trips.
Well, your early trips were the same as mine except you were with Beagle, blacked out.

Don't see kinked-rail combos every day. Servold serves up a 50-50 to front board—an Oddity indeed     Photo: Gould

Yeah, I had a crazy, drunk, fun-ass dude and now Sinclair’s a fun-ass sober dude that likes to eat food. What is it about being on the road? Is it kind of like that initial trip that sparked being on the road so much? Because I know you’re kind of one of those people that thrive on being on the road and who’s just ready to go at any given time.
I guess. I think it’s just more that I got a taste of it and I was just, like, “Yeah, this is all I want to do.” Kind of like fuckin’ Bob Dylan or something.

Because there are people out there that prefer to be home and are just so used to being there and caring for their girlfriends or whatever. They’re so in tune to their home life. But I feel like someone like you, you’re just, like, “Fuck it.”
I mean, you have this one short time to be a professional skateboarder. It’s, like, why not spend that whole entire time just traveling and seeing the world? Even in the United States every state is so different. Like my parents, I’ve already been to way more places than they have and they’re, like, 55 years old and I’m 24 and I’ve seen more than my parents. I’m blessed to be able to do that and I don’t want to take it for granted. Every time there is a chance to go on a trip it’s, like, “Please, God, let’s go.”

Yeah, totally. You mentioned Bob Dylan. Do you kind of get a lot of your outlook on skateboarding and life and traveling from someone like him? Do you find a lot of inspiration from what he says?
Yeah. From his earlier albums for sure. I mean, because he was basically kind of a skateboarder if you look back at what he was doing. It’s like he was just going and just traveling but instead of skating he was the voice of a generation. You know, actually changing the world, but besides that I feel like he was, and he’s still doing it. That’s an inspiration to me. Just keep on going, never stop and keep on keeping on, I guess.

Yeah. There’s a lot of parallels in the way he did things and the way we do things.
Yeah, you can definitely relate to it. Especially when you’re driving through inner-fuckin’ America.

It's alright Ma (I'm only kickflip front blunting to fakie)     Photos: Gould

Whose Foundation part are you looking forward to seeing the most, besides Duffel?
I’m really excited to see all the dudes’ parts but dudes in particular I’m really excited to see is Corey Glick because he’s worked so hard and he’s an amazing skateboarder and he’s super young. And then Cole just because he’s kind of like breaking new ground. I mean, I love everyone’s skating but I think Cole and Glick are gonna be the two dudes who really stand out and people will be, like, “Whoa!” And everyone else is just so awesome in their own ways as well. I think it’ll be awesome, but definitely Cole and Corey just because Cole 
is changing the game and Corey is just awesome.

Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to every single part in there too. Who’s having first part and who’s having last part?
That’s not figured out yet. I don’t know.

I mean, whoever has first and last part might even change right now.
Corey Duffel is having first and last part.

Corey Duffel is having first and last part or else he quits. Alright, what do you got coming on after this video? I know you recently invested in a brewery. I know you have plans of traveling some more. What’s going on after this video for you?
Probably just skating with you once your ankle’s better. Waiting in a fucking cocoon until you’re better.

Dope spot, dope nosegrind     Photo: Gould

Do you have any projects you’re looking forward to?
I’m gonna figure it out. I’ve been talking to Dan Stolling and seeing what I want to do. There’s definitely something coming up after I just don’t know exactly what it is yet. Traveling and skating.

And what’s up with your brewery? Do you want to give them a shout out?
Black Plague. Good-ass beer. Buy that.

Yeah, I think you guys are the first ever to start a beer company.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re the first. We’re changing the game.

The first skaters to ever do that, that’s pretty sick. So that’s it for you? That’s what’s coming up in the next year? Just keep it going?
Never stop. I mean, what else would we do?

Not short but definitely sweet, Dakota front boards all the way to the finish line     Photo: Zaslavsky

Yeah, you ain’t got nothing else to do.
Oh, we’re going to Spain or whatever. Madrid for two months.

We’re gonna go do that. Do you feel good about your video part? Do you feel good about everything you’ve come up with? Do you feel like you need to get more? You got too much?
I don’t think it’s ever done so, nah, I’m not. But it’ll be what it is. Definitely not too much. It’ll be short.

Short and sweet?
Short. Just short.

Straight to the point?
This is the end.

Yeah?
Of the interview.