Skateboarding Starts With éS Timeline

What is your best memory of éS? During the seven years I worked for éS, the good times compiled like the beer fat on my belly, too many to write about just one. The experience of working with, bringing up and teaching the game to riders like Paul Rodriguez, PJ Ladd, Bobby Worrest and Justin Eldridge, add to some of my favorite moments as éS TM. Working with the already-éStablished Koston, McCrank, Saari, Getz, Burnquist, Penny, TX, Javier, and Creager was a learning experience in its own. There were many “first time’s” while working for éS, from travels to absinthe, contests to beer gardens, hash to learning how to say French Fries in French, my most vivid memories come from these years. Pierre’s house parties don’t ring a bad memory, either.

What was the craziest trick you saw go down that wasn’t filmed. Bummer deal with that question, most of the time the camera was recording, following these dudes from spot to spot. I can tell you my favorite moment watching PJ Ladd and Alexis Sablone play a game of SKATE. They were staying at my old LA apartment in 02’, skating in the Whole Foods parking lot from 9 pm to like 4 am. I remember wondering what they were up to after the 5th hour, so I skated down to Whole Foods around 2 am and found them playing a Game of SKATE. They had been playing against each other for almost 5 hours at that point. Unbelievable. I went back and finished the 12-pack.

Which color hair did most of the éS pro-ho’s have? Brunette. Always…

What are your favorite 5 éS shoes. Nothing will beat the OG Accel. You were pretty psyched looking down at your feet and seeing Accel’s on them. Best skate shoe ever, hands down. K-3’s were another stand-out. I was feelin’ the K-4’s, too, all rubber toe. You could pogo from block-to-block and never worry about heel-bruises with that outsole. They gripped like mad. The EOS was a ground-breaking shoe. I remember Paul Rodriguez being heavy into its shape and simplicity. McCrank’s Norton shoe was pretty radical, too.

If éS never existed how would skateboarding be different today? Could you imagine Koston skating in Osiris’s? His Chomp part shredding in D-3’s? éS will always play such a significant role in skateboarding’s history, whether we realize it now or later in life. One look back on its historical team line up, including current team riders, the mind-blowing Menikmati video (there will never be a video as highly-regarded as Menikmati), its influence and forward thinking within footwear design and technology through out the years. It’s a tough brand to step to when it comes to history. Hell, even the Menikmati soundtrack is historical.

So Tony how did you come to work for Sole Tech? I was a day-trader and dancer in Costa Mesa and Don Brown was a local customer at “Cream Johnson’s Lounge and Sushi”. He used to tip me large, and one day asked if I wanted to dance for Sole Tech. I said yes.

What was your first trip? Adding up the travels is too much to remember, so I’ll say I’ve been to 13 countries during the seven years I worked as TM. Goodtimes…

What picture do you wish you still had? I took a photo of some perfect titties in Germany. Lost that canister of film on the way home.

Where else did you go as TM? First trip was to Tokyo. Three demos and a 12-stitch eye-slice. Running up wet ramps with non-grip outsoles in front of 500 Japanese fans was a big mistake. But they loved it. And me.

Do you regard this as a time in skateboarding that will ever be repeated? How have things changed. I don’t think you can ever repeat skateboarding’s history from 1995-2005 (R.I.P.). The McGills and Hosoi’s had disappeared, new icons and heroes of skateboarding were being looked up to and changing the way we skated, the way we dressed, music we listened to.

You made hats for everyone with their nicknames on - what were they all? What's the story? During the first “King of the Road” tour, fashion statements were big in the éS family, such as skating in $300.00 denim, wearing the shit out of some pink polos and rocking some airbrushed caps. We were in Philly during the first day of KOTR. I remember seeing some homeboys looking so tight with these air-brushed mesh caps with their knick-names airbrushed across the front of the cap. “Finga’s” was one, I think he had three fingers, can’t remember the other hat knick-name, but damn they looked tight! So I found an airbrush shop close to Kerry Getz’s shop Nocturnal and had some of the riders knick-names airbrushed across the front. I can’t remember them all but a few - SPARKLES, SCUBA, CRANKERS and P-ROD stand out in my mind. I remember wondering if Paul was gonna stick with that knick-name. I guess he did.

Penny stories – come on a classic one? I think the first time meeting Penny was a classic one. I remember being pretty damn psyched to get to shake his hand for the first time. We were in Hamburg on an éS Germany tour in 03’. Tour buses, endless per diem and Tom Penny. He was pretty quiet, smoked a few cigarettes and hadn’t been in the public eye in quite a few years, then BOOM, he was thrown into a media whirlwind, press pressure and of course, demos and signings for 10 days. I remember he disappeared a few times, but would amazingly reappear at the hotel hours later. I also remember his hotel phone and room service bill would reach $1500.00 - $2500.00 every 3 days. The company card got some heavy abuse that trip. I remember Tom, Mikey Taylor, PJ, Paul, Koston, Arto and McCrank had a contest to see who could spend the most money on room service. At the end of the trip, adding up the costs, I think it was Mikey and Paul that won the soup de jour, spending $5000.00 in 3 days on room service and drinks. A total of $35,000.00 was spent on that 10-day tour, and no we didn’t pay for hotels or per diem. THANKS PIERRE!

What place did you not travel to on tour that you wish you would have? Why? So bummed I never got to experience Brazil or South America during those years of travel. I had an opportunity with Burnquist, but I think I had just returned from Australia and turned down the trip. To experience the culture with such an icon would have been rad.

During your time as éS TM, who was the one skater that was close to being put onto éS but slipped away? Why? It’s a tie between Scuba Steve and Alexis Sablone. Scuba’s switch crooks are pretty tough to beat, but Alexis’ everything else was much better. If it were based on moves alone, Scuba would definitely be on the team roster. Alexis made the smart move and decided to go to school in NYC. The girl’s a certified genius. Scuba went on to be TM for éS (highly regarded move, Scub’s).

What was the most random expense you ever received from a team rider for a hotel bill, night out, etc… I think we were asked to pay all travel expenses for any FLIP rider that was on éS. That could have added up to the higher 5-figure point by 2005. Other than that paying for Paul, Mikey Taylor and Penny’s food and phone bills on tour was pretty awesome. Around $15,000.00 - $20,000.00 on one tour, from what I remember.

What team rider pulled the most girls while on tour? Anything specific that stands out? Pretty much all of these dudes had a lady back home, so beyond a flirtatious conversation, no one pulled chicks, with the exception of Cale Nuske. He was probably my favorite to watch at a bar. The dude could pull some ladies. Probably still is pulling, no doubt. It’s that Australian accent, the chicks seemed to love it. If I were ever to write a book on how to pick up chicks, I’d say speak like an Australian or pack a tight side-pipe. Especially when in Vegas.

Pretty much all of these photos were shot by Mr Tony Evjenth...
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