JAY SMITH INTERVIEW

JULY 2003

CW: Jay, when and where were you born and raised?

JAY: Too long ago. No, I was born in 1963 in Hollywood and was brought up in the San Fernando Valley.

CW: When did you first start skateboarding?

JAY: Ummmm, I can't remember.  I guess I started skating after BMX racing-I used to race bicycles and then naturally progressed into skateboarding.

CW: Who was the first skate company or team that you skated for?

JAY: I think it was either the Malibu Skate Team or the Skatercross Skatepark Team.

CW: What other companies were you sponsored by during your skate career?

JAY: I rode for Tracker, Independent, Santa Cruz, Mad Rats, Vans, Lonnie Toft, Sims, and Powell- Peralta.

CW: Didn't you have a pro model out when you rode for Powell?

JAY: Yeah, they made me a three pro models and the Street Issue.

CW: How long did you ride for Powell?

JAY: Ummmm, I don't know-I think 4 or 5 years. It sucks that I can't remember.  I was never the type of person that kept records of anything.

CW: Oh well. How well did you do in the contests?

JAY: I had a great time at contests.  Contests were fun.  I didn't get that heavily into it-I just had a good time.  I'd just raise hell, skate, and have a f-ckin' blast-that's what it's all about actually.  There were a few people who weren't having a good time because they took it too serious and a lot of them were the ones who kicked ass.  They just didn't seem to have a whole lot of fun though.  You know, we had our whole screw-off crew and we used to get pretty crazy.  All the event organizers and contest directors hated us.

CW: After the Gold Cup Series wrapped up, it seemed like skateboarding just died or went extinct. What do you think caused it?

JAY: The closing of the skateparks, for sure-and the magazine caused it too. When Skateboarder Magazine became Action Now and started promoting other "action sports" like BMX and snowboarding-that was the beginning of the end.  It was like there was nothing left for the skaters.  Everyone else was invited into our magazine.  Once they started pushing other sports instead of skating, the parks closed and skating took a dump.  Plus, insurance costs killed it, and all the skateparks were getting sued.  And the skatepark designers and company owners were turning into cokeheads anyways.

CW: We can leave that one out if you want Jay.

JAY: Leave it-who gives a f-k.

CW: It seems like everyone went their separate ways and got into other sports, fashion, and punk rock.  So, what did you do after skating died?

JAY: I turned 21.  I started drinking and partying and all that extra curricular activity.
No, actually, before that I started racing motorcycles and made a little money competing in motocross events until I had to give it up-it started getting way too expensive.  Then I started partying more and did all kinds of stupid shit.

CW: Do you have any regrets about giving up skating?

JAY: Absolutely, yeah, just all the partying-too much is just too much.  I should have used my head a little bit more.  I wished that I would've stayed with skating.  I always said that I would never stop skating and I'd have to be a sell-out kook to ever quit-and I did.

CW: How long did you stop skating for?

JAY: 20 years.

CW: What did you do during that 20 years?

JAY: A lot of learning….about life in general, and all the other bulls-t.  The lifestyle change was kind of shocking.  You know, going from being a pro skater….

CW: Going from being a skate star to real life?

JAY: Well, I wouldn't say skate star-but yeah.  It was back down to reality again.  You know, I lived a f-kin' dream and dug it a lot.  How could I beat getting paid for doing what I loved?

CW: Yeah, you guys were like rock stars-autographs, chicks, and parties.

JAY: It was great, but I didn't get into the rock star trip-I just loved skating.

CW: What got you back into skating again?

JAY: I went to the first Old School Skate Jam and saw a whole bunch of people I knew and really felt at home again.  I felt like I was among my good friends.  I spent some of the best years of my life with this bunch of people.

CW: Did anyone in particular help you get back into skating?

JAY: Yeah, Richy Carrasco got on my ass and was very persistent.  And I really appreciate it-he is a great guy and a true gentleman.  Richy and Maria introduced me to Skaterbuilt owner Dave Hegstrom and we just hit it off.  Dave set me up with equipment and decks to get started.  Then we just started skating together all the time.  Now we are working on my new Skaterbuilt model and I couldn't be happier.  The Skaterbuilt crew is a great bunch of guys that are all around my age.  So it's cool to skate with a good group of tight friends.  Dave and Debbie have been very kind to me and I really appreciate it a lot.

CW: What types of terrain are you skating now?

JAY: Skateparks, banks, bowls, pools, ditches and whatever else-Dave's been dragging me all over the place.  And I also skate slalom with the SSS Racing Crew.  It's great to skate with the fast guys like Chicken, Richy, Steve Evans, and the rest of the SSS-a really fun bunch of bros.

CW: Do you ever get tired of skaters telling you how rad your laybacks were?

JAY: Ummm, sometimes.  But, I feel like I contributed more to skating than just laybacks-I did a lot of different moves.  But, I am very flattered by all the cool compliments and kind words that I get about my tricks and style.

CW: Well, style is what matters the most. And you always had and still do have tons of style Jay.

JAY: Well, thanks a lot.

CW: Thank you for coming back Jay-we look forward to seeing more of your style. There are a lot of skaters out there who are really stoked that you are back.

JAY: Thanks, I truly feel honored that people even remember me.  I hope to get a little crazy with everybody and have some more good times like the way it used to be. Everybody should just drop their guard, be real, get crazy, and have a lot of fun-because that's what skateboarding is all about.