JED WALTERS
Jed Walters entered the skateboard world with a bang, then just as quickly as he'd appeared, he was gone, leaving skaters worldwide scratching their heads. With a single but stand-out part in one of the most important videos of the early 90s, World Industries seminal 1992 offering - Love Child, Jed came out of nowhere, switch 360flipped his way into skate history, then vanished. The last proper mention of Jed was this great piece by Mackenzie Eisenhour which talked of him being offered a pro model on World Industries - easily the coolest and most elite team during this era - but instead denying it to go and work in a pizza joint and surf in Carlsbad. As a self-professed skate-nerd and amateur stalker, I made it my mission to track down Jed through an arduous chain of events involving an Instagram post, some dated information via DM, Facebook stalking, messages to his old employers and finally in me signing up to a non-skate related forum to message someone on there that may or may not have been Jed, to see if he wanted to talk about his quick time in skateboarding. Luckily, he was keen, although, in an unsurprising show of humility, he was very shocked that anyone would care about what he had to say.
Jed – we care.
By Alex Dyer.
Jed – we care.
By Alex Dyer.
Alright mate, thanks a lot for doing this. Let’s start at the start, as let’s face it – most people know almost nothing about you.
I believe you started skating in South Dakota, who was your crew and what year was that?
Yeah, that’s goin' deep. Let’s see - David Asscherick, Ture Lillegraven, Nate Martin, Matt Vidal and a bunch of others too. Man, I forget. We probably all started out around 1987.
I believe you started skating in South Dakota, who was your crew and what year was that?
Yeah, that’s goin' deep. Let’s see - David Asscherick, Ture Lillegraven, Nate Martin, Matt Vidal and a bunch of others too. Man, I forget. We probably all started out around 1987.
Who were your favourite skaters during this era?
Natas Kaupas, Mark Gonzales and Matt Hensley.
Natas Kaupas, Mark Gonzales and Matt Hensley.
Then you headed out to California, was this purely for skateboarding, and did you have aspirations of making it?
Ohhh, making it, in like, the Hollywood sense? No way, I was pretty, anti [that stuff], but yeah, I gotta confess that making it in the skate-world was something that we were all really reluctantly obsessed with. What I mean is, absolutely NONE of us ever would have admitted that we were going out there for anything other than a summer-time knockabout, but yeah, what could seem more fulfilling to a bunch of country-boys obsessed with skateboarding, than to make-it in 'SoCal' or, even worse, as we probably called it back then 'Cali', in emulation of then-popular rapper-types.
It was really ironic, because the three of us (Dave, Ture and myself) who actually made the trip out there, were all the time dogged by a Bad Religion song, whose main refrain was:
“And they all want to journey to the Land of competition,
Southern California will destroy them.
And they know they’re the best
Cause of the way they are dressed…
Like the tragic idiots whom they compete” [sic]
We were weirdos, always singing this song to each other in mockery of our own private ambitions.
Ohhh, making it, in like, the Hollywood sense? No way, I was pretty, anti [that stuff], but yeah, I gotta confess that making it in the skate-world was something that we were all really reluctantly obsessed with. What I mean is, absolutely NONE of us ever would have admitted that we were going out there for anything other than a summer-time knockabout, but yeah, what could seem more fulfilling to a bunch of country-boys obsessed with skateboarding, than to make-it in 'SoCal' or, even worse, as we probably called it back then 'Cali', in emulation of then-popular rapper-types.
It was really ironic, because the three of us (Dave, Ture and myself) who actually made the trip out there, were all the time dogged by a Bad Religion song, whose main refrain was:
“And they all want to journey to the Land of competition,
Southern California will destroy them.
And they know they’re the best
Cause of the way they are dressed…
Like the tragic idiots whom they compete” [sic]
We were weirdos, always singing this song to each other in mockery of our own private ambitions.
Jed from Turn The Other Cheek - filmed by Dave Schlossbach in 1990
"Jed was the guy you respected. So smooth, calm and collected.”
KARL WATSON
Haha, excellent stuff. So, you were discovered in a parking lot by Guy and Shiloh, is that right?
Nah, no man, I wonder how this stuff gets started... Not like it really matters, but uhh, well you’ve got to understand what an absolute, little sycophant I was at the time. I only ever got to hang around with Guy and the other guys who had ‘made-it' because I had a car. They’d tolerate my cling-on personality because I’d drive them around to the skate spots. Of course, I never would have admitted this to myself, but the idea of ever having been 'discovered' or anything like that... nah, it’s just a joke. No, and Shiloh - I don’t think I even met him till a little bit later.
Nah, no man, I wonder how this stuff gets started... Not like it really matters, but uhh, well you’ve got to understand what an absolute, little sycophant I was at the time. I only ever got to hang around with Guy and the other guys who had ‘made-it' because I had a car. They’d tolerate my cling-on personality because I’d drive them around to the skate spots. Of course, I never would have admitted this to myself, but the idea of ever having been 'discovered' or anything like that... nah, it’s just a joke. No, and Shiloh - I don’t think I even met him till a little bit later.
"I only met him when he came to SF from LA. He had big pop, style and rocked Adidas!!"
MIKE YORK
Did Guy have a word with Rocco to put you on World straight away?
Ohhh, NO man! Wow, how this stuff gets twisted around. I was just this hanger-on who used to shuttle everyone around. I think that Guy would speak well of me to him [Rocco] and Rodney. Guy and me were actually growing to be really genuine friends at the time, but I think it was Jason Lee who actually put in the good word that resulted in my being able to ‘get stuff’. I (the little, weaselish rat that I was at the time) ended-up repaying him by talking a bunch of smack about him to one of Shiloh’s then girlfriends. I didn’t really say anything to her, I remember it was no big deal, just some stuff about regretting that he wasn’t skating with us as much these days, or some-such nonsense. This somehow got back to him as “Jed said that you never skate anymore, and that all you ever do is go around in tight jeans and try to be like James Dean”. HA! I never said anything like that, but the damage had been done. I saw him in a burrito-shop in North Hollywood after that and he was ticked, and I was just all, “dude, I never said that, dude…” instead of just owning up to what I HAD done. That was the last interaction I ever had with the guy. I’ve got a million regrets from those days.
Ohhh, NO man! Wow, how this stuff gets twisted around. I was just this hanger-on who used to shuttle everyone around. I think that Guy would speak well of me to him [Rocco] and Rodney. Guy and me were actually growing to be really genuine friends at the time, but I think it was Jason Lee who actually put in the good word that resulted in my being able to ‘get stuff’. I (the little, weaselish rat that I was at the time) ended-up repaying him by talking a bunch of smack about him to one of Shiloh’s then girlfriends. I didn’t really say anything to her, I remember it was no big deal, just some stuff about regretting that he wasn’t skating with us as much these days, or some-such nonsense. This somehow got back to him as “Jed said that you never skate anymore, and that all you ever do is go around in tight jeans and try to be like James Dean”. HA! I never said anything like that, but the damage had been done. I saw him in a burrito-shop in North Hollywood after that and he was ticked, and I was just all, “dude, I never said that, dude…” instead of just owning up to what I HAD done. That was the last interaction I ever had with the guy. I’ve got a million regrets from those days.
I can imagine you were stoked when you got on. Everyone I knew was obsessed with World during this time, was that the same for you?
Not really. I was obsessed with Blind. That’s who I wanted to ‘get on’. The sense of belonging I craved (it’s sickening to have to confess all this) was with Gonzales, Lee, Rudy and Guy. I was actually fool enough to be able to picture myself (although I knew it really wasn’t like that) cruising around in a low-rider, drinking booze (we didn’t even drink, at the time) and hitting-up cool skate spots. What a tool.
But as to ‘getting-on’ World, at first, one merely got flowed-stiff. We’d go down to the skate shops to hawk it for gas and burrito money. There was none of the sense of belonging that I craved till the little Hell-Tour stuff got rolling. By then, it started to feel more like a team.
Not really. I was obsessed with Blind. That’s who I wanted to ‘get on’. The sense of belonging I craved (it’s sickening to have to confess all this) was with Gonzales, Lee, Rudy and Guy. I was actually fool enough to be able to picture myself (although I knew it really wasn’t like that) cruising around in a low-rider, drinking booze (we didn’t even drink, at the time) and hitting-up cool skate spots. What a tool.
But as to ‘getting-on’ World, at first, one merely got flowed-stiff. We’d go down to the skate shops to hawk it for gas and burrito money. There was none of the sense of belonging that I craved till the little Hell-Tour stuff got rolling. By then, it started to feel more like a team.
Did you have any sponsors at all before World?
Yeah, me and my two South Dakota friends originally went to San Diego, where I somehow got sponsored by BBC (Better Board Company). Of course, when I got to LA, I realised that this was unfashionable, and potentially damaging to my World Industries aspirations. So of course I had to drop them like a bad habit. That’s another of my huge regrets - having treated Jamie Mosberg so badly. What a little ass I was.
Yeah, me and my two South Dakota friends originally went to San Diego, where I somehow got sponsored by BBC (Better Board Company). Of course, when I got to LA, I realised that this was unfashionable, and potentially damaging to my World Industries aspirations. So of course I had to drop them like a bad habit. That’s another of my huge regrets - having treated Jamie Mosberg so badly. What a little ass I was.
Haha, I am sure he is over it now, mate. Talking of company owners, how was Rocco to deal with anyway? It always seemed like he treated his skaters pretty well.
Oh, yeah he was really fair. He was just a super generous, open-handed guy. I think his family had been Catholic or something. You’d just have to ask him for something and you’d get it. I just felt like such a weasel, though.
Oh, yeah he was really fair. He was just a super generous, open-handed guy. I think his family had been Catholic or something. You’d just have to ask him for something and you’d get it. I just felt like such a weasel, though.
"I just remember Jed being a super nice guy with a great attitude. I never really got to know him that well."
STEVE ROCCO
So presumably you’d seen Rubbish Heap and 2 World Industries Men by now. Was it clear that there was going to be another video (Love Child) or were you just chilling and filming with the team?
Yeah, there wasn’t really anything formal being talked about. We were all just going around with Socrates filming stuff.
Yeah, there wasn’t really anything formal being talked about. We were all just going around with Socrates filming stuff.
Ok, man - let’s talk about Love Child in a bit of detail. First off, who had your favourite part?
Shiloh. I loved his 360 to lip-slide on the Hewlett-Packard rail, even though it was already being damned as an unfashionable trick.
Shiloh. I loved his 360 to lip-slide on the Hewlett-Packard rail, even though it was already being damned as an unfashionable trick.
What about Chris Branagh?
Yeah… None of us were sure about, how he… I don’t know. I think Rocco knew his dad pretty well or something.
Yeah… None of us were sure about, how he… I don’t know. I think Rocco knew his dad pretty well or something.
Hahaha. Did you actually skate with him much?
Oh, no. I had never even met him. I think Shiloh had met him once, but that was it. I think he was from Arizona, and had been in the same contests that Randy Colvin had been in, but this is probably wrong. I don’t know.
Oh, no. I had never even met him. I think Shiloh had met him once, but that was it. I think he was from Arizona, and had been in the same contests that Randy Colvin had been in, but this is probably wrong. I don’t know.
Alright, now to your section... What did you think of The Tokens song (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)?
I didn’t want it. I wanted a song by a San Diego hard-core band called Struggle. But I forget the name of the song.
I didn’t want it. I wanted a song by a San Diego hard-core band called Struggle. But I forget the name of the song.
Jed's World Industries Love Child section from 1992.
"Guy and I, as well as a few of our other childhood friends, were the first to meet Jed when he came to L.A. He was so different than anyone we knew, so honest and humble as well as a rad skater. Needless to say he was welcomed immediately. We were too young to drive and Jed had a car so we would always go on skate missions together. Being that he had a car he was often recruited to do a lot of driving that I know he really didn't want to do, but Jed being the genuinely good person he is, did it with a smile. This story is one of those said times. My memory is a little spotty since this was 27 or so years ago, but I remember it like this... It was raining and Jed, Guy and I left Guy's house in Burbank to go pick up Henry Sanchez and Mike Carroll from LAX it could have only been one of them, but whatever. I remember it being a grueling ordeal with traffic the whole way there and back. On our way back we had just exited the 405 to the 101 and traffic was shitty. Also Jed was almost always a pretty distracted driver from what I remember. As we were driving we were all talking about skating and shit as Jed was navigating through traffic. I was sitting up front and I remember Jed looking at everyone else as we were talking and not the road. Next thing we know traffic comes to a stop and somebody yells at Jed to stop, but it was too late and we, with the brakes fully locked up, slid right into the rear end of another car. The damage to the other car was pretty bad but Jed's tank of a GMC Jimmy wasn't that bad at all. To our surprise the driver of the other car wasn't mad and didn't even want Jed's info. We were tripping on the way home as to how could this dude not care about us smashing his car. I don't know if it was the same night or the next day but Guy gets a call from Mark Gonzales and Mark tells him that you guys crashed into my dad last night. Mark's dad recognised Guy and that's why he wasn't mad about the accident."
SHILOH GREATHOUSE
In a time where nobody was really popping their tricks, you ended your part on a high and caught kickflip over the 3rd Street gap. Was that an intentional 'fuck you' to the super-slow ground-dragging pressure flippers of that time, or was that just how you did kickflips?
HA! No, but that’s what I would have claimed for myself. I would have been like Sid Vicious singing his version of Sinatra’s My Way, when in reality, I was just a fashion-pawn. Dude, I probably would have been DOING pressure flips in my video-part had I not learned that they were unfashionable from Jason and Guy and them.
HA! No, but that’s what I would have claimed for myself. I would have been like Sid Vicious singing his version of Sinatra’s My Way, when in reality, I was just a fashion-pawn. Dude, I probably would have been DOING pressure flips in my video-part had I not learned that they were unfashionable from Jason and Guy and them.
Putting it as an ender after switch 3flips down stairs etc. it was definitely recognised as a pretty spectacular kicky – did you have a hand in the editing at all?
Oh, no. I think that that was all Rodney and Soc. Maybe even Cliver had something to do with the edit, but I might be misremembering.
Oh, no. I think that that was all Rodney and Soc. Maybe even Cliver had something to do with the edit, but I might be misremembering.
Anything else you that you filmed that you wish had made it in there?
Yeah. I was such a little slave to fashion that I got way too caught up in all of the little switch-stuff, just because it was new. I wish that I had gone bigger and caught more - not Pat Duffy big, I was never brave or talented enough for that stuff anyway. Plus my friends (maybe out of jealousy, who knows) had already demonised his style as, “nasty.”
Yeah. I was such a little slave to fashion that I got way too caught up in all of the little switch-stuff, just because it was new. I wish that I had gone bigger and caught more - not Pat Duffy big, I was never brave or talented enough for that stuff anyway. Plus my friends (maybe out of jealousy, who knows) had already demonised his style as, “nasty.”
Anything that you wish they’d left out?
Yeah, there’s a couple of squirly little wobblers on the switch landings - especially the 3flip down the stairs.
Yeah, there’s a couple of squirly little wobblers on the switch landings - especially the 3flip down the stairs.
You had a pretty dope line at Embarcadero in your part, how was it skating there? Any grief from the locals at all?
It was super fun. No, but there was all of this mystique surrounding the Hubba Hideout spot. I remember somebody was like, “Dude, you can’t skate there… you’ll get it.” I was under a really ignorant and stupid delusion at the time that I could have made a decent fist-fighter (man, was I wrong) so I wasn’t worried, but nobody ever hassled us.
It was super fun. No, but there was all of this mystique surrounding the Hubba Hideout spot. I remember somebody was like, “Dude, you can’t skate there… you’ll get it.” I was under a really ignorant and stupid delusion at the time that I could have made a decent fist-fighter (man, was I wrong) so I wasn’t worried, but nobody ever hassled us.
I can only talk for my local scene, but you wearing Gazelles definitely influenced us – was that a style choice, or because they were cheap? (we searched them out afterwards and they were the cheapest shoes in our area at the time)
No. Slave to fashion choice. We used to pay an arm and a leg for 'em at some Hip-Hop shop in La Mirada. They were even hard to skate in, I remember. I got a ton of tweaked ankles in 'em, but what was that, when there were such stylistic mandates to be upheld!
No. Slave to fashion choice. We used to pay an arm and a leg for 'em at some Hip-Hop shop in La Mirada. They were even hard to skate in, I remember. I got a ton of tweaked ankles in 'em, but what was that, when there were such stylistic mandates to be upheld!
You were pretty early with the switch tricks for sure, especially for an unknown (to the outside world at least) skater. Who was your inspiration for all that?
Who? Man, I don’t really… I dunno. I’ve always been really fascinated with ambidexterity: like, why our brains don’t want to do it, and would rather favour our right or left. I think that it was just starting to come into fashion, and that I viewed it as a way to get attention (I had already had a couple of pretty good ankle tweaks) without throwing myself down a bunch of stairs.
Who? Man, I don’t really… I dunno. I’ve always been really fascinated with ambidexterity: like, why our brains don’t want to do it, and would rather favour our right or left. I think that it was just starting to come into fashion, and that I viewed it as a way to get attention (I had already had a couple of pretty good ankle tweaks) without throwing myself down a bunch of stairs.
Although Guy (Mariano) had reportedly done them previously, your part featured two switch 360 flips, that were, as far as anyone can tell, the first ones to come out on video, were you aware you were on the forefront of this new wave or just out there doing your thing?
(it is hard to clarify 100% whether Tim and Henry’s came out before or after Love Child as they dropped during the same summer, but either way, it was very close)
Man, you have to believe me that almost none of us were out there, ‘just doing our thing’ at the time. We might have claimed this, but most of us were just pawns of the prevailing fashionable influence. I’d say that maybe only Guy, Jason, and even still Gonzales were actually skating how they truly wanted to.
(it is hard to clarify 100% whether Tim and Henry’s came out before or after Love Child as they dropped during the same summer, but either way, it was very close)
Man, you have to believe me that almost none of us were out there, ‘just doing our thing’ at the time. We might have claimed this, but most of us were just pawns of the prevailing fashionable influence. I’d say that maybe only Guy, Jason, and even still Gonzales were actually skating how they truly wanted to.
Haha. Ok, then, who was the first person you saw do a switch 360 flip?
I really did think that I had done the first one. I remember when Soc went in and told people that I had done one over the little La Mirada (Los Feliz) hip... Shiloh was like, “No, he wasn’t the first! Somebody else did it, first”. What a silly controversy.
I really did think that I had done the first one. I remember when Soc went in and told people that I had done one over the little La Mirada (Los Feliz) hip... Shiloh was like, “No, he wasn’t the first! Somebody else did it, first”. What a silly controversy.
Alright mate, so what on earth happened with World? Rumour has it that Rocco had offered you a pro model?
I’m sure Rocco indirectly, but it was more Rodney. He had named these three biggish tricks tricks (one involved the Wilshire rail) that he wanted to see filmed, and then they would (I hadn’t even asked) get me a model. I felt like a performing poodle who would jump through a hoop to get a treat. I remember that the tricks he was asking for seemed really attainable, but I just didn’t even want it.
I’m sure Rocco indirectly, but it was more Rodney. He had named these three biggish tricks tricks (one involved the Wilshire rail) that he wanted to see filmed, and then they would (I hadn’t even asked) get me a model. I felt like a performing poodle who would jump through a hoop to get a treat. I remember that the tricks he was asking for seemed really attainable, but I just didn’t even want it.
Still, surely that was a pretty complimentary and exciting offer at the time. Why would you turn it down and move away from the scene? Or were there other things going on that affected your decision?
Yeah, there were other things... Maybe I can be concise enough with all of this in order for you not to have to edit the whole thing out for your readership, but um, basically, let’s see if I can cut to the chase... I had been longing to just be sponsored for years and years, and I knew that if it happened, I would have this incredible feeling of fulfillment and inclusion. When it happened at BBC, I had no such feeling, so I told myself that this was because I wanted to get sponsored by Blind or World. When that happened, I had no such feeling, so I told myself that this was because I really wanted to be a pro. Well, by the time that that was dangled in front of my nose, I had begun to wise-up and to realise that the problem was not with BBC or with Rocco, or with Rodney, but with me. I had been outwardly calling myself a Christian to all of the guys that I would skate around, but inwardly I was becoming a devil - craving pornography, getting disgusted with myself, craving attention from ‘people who mattered’, getting disgusted with myself, and then repent and repeat ad nauseam. I would call myself a Christian, and then slander other people because I thought I could thrust myself more into the limelight, or because I viewed their potential success as threatening to my own. In short, I was just damning myself with my own hypocrisy, and had to get out. I wound-up slandering (or is it ‘libel’ if it’s in print?) Ternasky and Mullen in some stupid, facetious article that Tom Schmidt (Earl Parker) had asked me to write for Big Brother. I remember him and Rocco coming into the Big Brother office to confront me about it, but of course, I was just a defiant, insolent little ass about it. I remember Rocco saying, “Jed if you’re going to talk smack, that’s fine, that’s up to you - but you’ve got to be able to back it up”, and I just said, “dude, I CAN back it up, I AM backing it up. I’ll back it up right now!”, and Ternasky was like, “you’re full of it, you’ve gotta take all that stuff back”. Of course, I was like, “I’m not takin' NOTHIN' back!” A few weeks later Ternasky was killed in a T-bone collision on Airport Road in Carlsbad. No time to say sorry. No chance to unsay anything. This life is short and we get ONE shot. I’ve got a million regrets.
Pretty heavy stuff for sure, man. Thanks for explaining all that.
"We went on tour filming for the Love Child video and doing demos. We were in Florida and got kicked out of the demo we were doing, (it was at an abandoned gas station) yea, those days. The owner of the shop was mad cool and said it was all good. We did a lil product toss (World style) and the owner loaned us a bunch of beach stuff. There were a couple of surfboards and Jed took one out and was psyched. He said it was the first time he had been in the ocean, even though he lived in LA for over a year. When we got back from tour he pretty much went straight to the beach and never came back. I saw him one time about a year after at the pier with a surfboard. I think it might have been Santa Monica, he was so brown and his hair was so light, we caught up a little, he said he had been surfing a lot and it definitely looked like he was enjoying life. We skated on to the Sand Gaps or the Venice Pits or something."
SPENCER FUJIMOTO
Was there a graphic that they had in mind for you?
I don’t think so, but Cliver or Marc McKee could have whipped one out easily enough. Those guys were geniuses. I secretly looked up to them so much.
I don’t think so, but Cliver or Marc McKee could have whipped one out easily enough. Those guys were geniuses. I secretly looked up to them so much.
Where did you end up anyway? Carlsbad right?
Yup.
Yup.
Did you get good at surfing at there?
Yeah, I started going down the same road I had already been down but with surfing instead of skating, and so, kinda wrecked that for myself too. Quit that too.
Yeah, I started going down the same road I had already been down but with surfing instead of skating, and so, kinda wrecked that for myself too. Quit that too.
Were you still skating at all?
No. Not at all.
No. Not at all.
Did you get any offers to skate for anyone else?
No. Before the internet, you could slip into obscurity a lot easier and nobody’d really be able to get ahold of you anyway. Plus, probably too many people realised my real character.
No. Before the internet, you could slip into obscurity a lot easier and nobody’d really be able to get ahold of you anyway. Plus, probably too many people realised my real character.
Jed from the World Industries DVD boxset - filmed by Socrates Leal
Alright, Jed, thanks for all that. Now we've covered that period, here is some other quick fire stuff if that's cool...
Who were you closest to on World?
On World? Probably Shiloh.
Who were you closest to on World?
On World? Probably Shiloh.
Did you skate with the other skaters under the Rocco umbrella much (Blind, 101 etc)
Yeah. Jason (Lee), Rudy (Johnson), Tim (Gavin), Henry (Sanchez) whom I admired a TON, and Guy (Mariano). Most of all Guy, by far. Out of all my regrets from my skating days, the one that I most frequently and deeply lament is the kinda dismissive manner in which I parted ways with Guy. He had literally taken me under his roof for something like a year and a half, and our friendship had broadened into something that anyone in his right mind would have fostered for the rest of his life. He came to see me one last time at the skatepark when I was leaching off of Rocco, literally living in the skatepark with Tom Schmidt. I explained that I didn’t want to milk-it, that my heart wasn’t even remotely in skating anymore, and that I was just going to get out. Guy was never an emotional dude, and I respected him for that. He had just been through too much to betray any sentimentality, but I could just read this bewildered look on his face, as if to say, 'was all of our time spent skating and hanging-out together really just for nothing? Can you really just bail on everything with a clear conscience?'.
That was a hard lesson. I’ve come to realise since, that our sense of belonging isn’t derived from some stupid image that we’re seeking for ourselves, but to the people that God has placed in our lives; and betraying them has some hard consequences.
Yeah. Jason (Lee), Rudy (Johnson), Tim (Gavin), Henry (Sanchez) whom I admired a TON, and Guy (Mariano). Most of all Guy, by far. Out of all my regrets from my skating days, the one that I most frequently and deeply lament is the kinda dismissive manner in which I parted ways with Guy. He had literally taken me under his roof for something like a year and a half, and our friendship had broadened into something that anyone in his right mind would have fostered for the rest of his life. He came to see me one last time at the skatepark when I was leaching off of Rocco, literally living in the skatepark with Tom Schmidt. I explained that I didn’t want to milk-it, that my heart wasn’t even remotely in skating anymore, and that I was just going to get out. Guy was never an emotional dude, and I respected him for that. He had just been through too much to betray any sentimentality, but I could just read this bewildered look on his face, as if to say, 'was all of our time spent skating and hanging-out together really just for nothing? Can you really just bail on everything with a clear conscience?'.
That was a hard lesson. I’ve come to realise since, that our sense of belonging isn’t derived from some stupid image that we’re seeking for ourselves, but to the people that God has placed in our lives; and betraying them has some hard consequences.
"Jed was one of the first people that I met in California. A long time later I was told by someone, that I was the first person he met here, that always ranks pretty high. The skaters I was subjected to were a little different than what I was used to, but Jed stuck out amongst them and seemed more like I was. Once I told him that I had Rocco's credit card and he said 'why didn't you tell me?' - we went straight to an expensive seafood place, that was a long time ago, geez... Years later I moved to the North Midwest and some guys asked me who I'd met in Cali... 'You met Jed, he's from here... so what!?" they replied."
TOM SCHMIDT AKA EARL PARKER
Who was the best of that whole crew in your opinion?
Guy, by far. Unreachable talent for sticking things, and fluidness in spades.
Guy, by far. Unreachable talent for sticking things, and fluidness in spades.
Who had the best style on a skateboard?
In my pre-sponsorship days I would have said Matt Hensley, but I had never even skated with him. Out of guys that I’ve skated with, I liked Jovontae, and Jason (Lee) tons, but Guy the most.
In my pre-sponsorship days I would have said Matt Hensley, but I had never even skated with him. Out of guys that I’ve skated with, I liked Jovontae, and Jason (Lee) tons, but Guy the most.
Any stand out tricks that you saw go down that never made it to film?
Maybe on the summer tour, I saw Shiloh catch a couple backside 180 flips over pyramids that should have got filmed. He and I were always trying to catch 180 flips over pyramids on that tour for some reason.
Maybe on the summer tour, I saw Shiloh catch a couple backside 180 flips over pyramids that should have got filmed. He and I were always trying to catch 180 flips over pyramids on that tour for some reason.
Any those that you did yourself that you wish were filmed?
Man, not really. In all honesty.
Man, not really. In all honesty.
Soc told us about Guy’s switch 360 flip down the El Segundo double set that was accidentally not filmed?
Yeah, I remember that too. I’m pretty sure Guy told me about that one. What I remember was his total absence of remorse that it wasn’t filmed. He truly couldn’t have cared less, but that’s Guy.
Yeah, I remember that too. I’m pretty sure Guy told me about that one. What I remember was his total absence of remorse that it wasn’t filmed. He truly couldn’t have cared less, but that’s Guy.
Brian Lotti was a guest at your wedding I believe... did you guys skate together a lot? He was always pretty amazing - what was the best thing you saw him do?
Man, he was just amazing. Just really high, caught stuff over hips and that. I think it was just his impeccably clean style I liked so much. An incredible guy to be around too. He loved to laugh.
Man, he was just amazing. Just really high, caught stuff over hips and that. I think it was just his impeccably clean style I liked so much. An incredible guy to be around too. He loved to laugh.
What about the World park – did you skate there a lot? There always seems to be funny stories from that place…
Yeah, I won’t go into most of the stories. As you can imagine, they truly don’t bear repeating. I slept there way more than I ever skated there.
Yeah, I won’t go into most of the stories. As you can imagine, they truly don’t bear repeating. I slept there way more than I ever skated there.
"Jed was a natural on a skateboard, definitely way ahead of his time, I think he might have been the first person to do switch 360 flip down some stairs. I know he got heavily into surfing but I always wondered why he decided to just leave Skateboarding."
CHICO BRENES
You actually worked in the warehouse, is that right?
I might have worked there for like a month. I can’t remember if I quit or got fired. I always wanted to work with Sal (Rocco), but I think he saw through me. I would make fun of him behind his back to Tim Gavin, just to get Tim laughing, when all the while I realised that Sal was 20 times the man than I ever was.
I might have worked there for like a month. I can’t remember if I quit or got fired. I always wanted to work with Sal (Rocco), but I think he saw through me. I would make fun of him behind his back to Tim Gavin, just to get Tim laughing, when all the while I realised that Sal was 20 times the man than I ever was.
Rocco shopping sprees – did he hook you up pretty good?
Oh man, that guy was so stinkin' loaded. As I’ve said, you just had to ask and he’d get it for ya.
Oh man, that guy was so stinkin' loaded. As I’ve said, you just had to ask and he’d get it for ya.
When was the last time you watched Love Child?
I think my oldest daughter dragged it out a couple of years ago to get a good laugh in at the old man. I couldn’t watch, man. I was terrified my friend Tim would see it, the rave-pants and all.
I think my oldest daughter dragged it out a couple of years ago to get a good laugh in at the old man. I couldn’t watch, man. I was terrified my friend Tim would see it, the rave-pants and all.
What was your favourite video from that era and why?
Probably the Low-Rider vid (Blind Video Days) for the reasons I’ve already spoken of, plus Gonzales’s blinding genius with everything he touches. I also really liked Ternasky’s edits of Hensley and stuff too.
Probably the Low-Rider vid (Blind Video Days) for the reasons I’ve already spoken of, plus Gonzales’s blinding genius with everything he touches. I also really liked Ternasky’s edits of Hensley and stuff too.
Who is your all-time favourite skater?
Guy.
Guy.
Do you still watch any skate stuff?
Yeah, I clicked onto Guy’s recent micro-edit. I’m just blown away now. Cool to see how far everything has come.
Yeah, I clicked onto Guy’s recent micro-edit. I’m just blown away now. Cool to see how far everything has come.
How often do you skate now?
None.
None.
Has anyone else tried to interview you ever?
Of course not friend, but you’re a good man!
Of course not friend, but you’re a good man!
Alright mate, thanks so much for this!
The pleasure’s all mine. I hope you’re awarded some more interesting interview candidates in the future!
Hahaha.
The pleasure’s all mine. I hope you’re awarded some more interesting interview candidates in the future!
Hahaha.
Jed Walters - April 2017
