Steve Alba - skateboarder - Brief Article - Interview

Thrasher Magazine, August, 2001 by Michael Burnett

"I HATED MOWING THE LAWN. THAT'S WHY I CEMENTED IT IN."

Who was the first person to call you Salba?

It was Jim Ford from Kryptonics. They wanted me to have a model and it was that Kryptsix one, a P-Tex board. I wasn't having it. I told them, "Don't make that board. It's gonna break. I'm not gonna have my name on it." They made that ad that said, "We never wood," and that board was coming out. It had this Star Wars/Star Trek thing around it. I went back a month later and Jim hands me the board and it says S. Alba. He says, "Here you go, Salba."

How old were you then?

That was '78, so 17, 18.

Have you ever heard of the vert button?

Nah, what's that?

It's when you're watching a video and vert or a pipe comes on and you hit the fast forward.

Oh right.

What do you fast forward when you watch videos?

To tell you the honest-to-gosh truth, I don't watch any skate videos. My kids watch 'em. I'll watch something that Rhino sends me, like something crazy, but other than that I don't even bother.

Did you like mowing the lawn as a kid?

I hated mowing the lawn. That's why I cemented it in. My mom and dad went on vacation, and I was the one who always had to mow the lawn and pick up all the dog shit, so my buddies were cement contractors and I just told them, "Let's do it." It cost four grand of my own money and they did it over the weekend. My mom and dad came back and they were pissed, "The lawn!" It was cool, though. Didn't have to mow the lawn no more.

What advice would you give to kids like Jim Greco who have adopted the punk rock persona?

Johnny Thunders? That's a laugh. I'd say "Read up on your history books, boys."

How have you avoided the addiction, obesity, and toothlessness that's afflicted so many of your contemporaries?

I don't know, man! I've got a pretty good work ethic, I can say. I try and stretch all the time and do some sit-ups and push-ups. My whole deal is my kids, I had them a little late, so I want to still be able to jam with them when they get into high school. I try and take care of myself a little more. I'll drink a little here and there. I brush but I don't floss.

What's your beef with Alva?

I don't think it's a beef with me and him, it's more of a beef with him and me. Maybe I get a little credit for riding pools now, and maybe that rubs him the wrong way or something. I don't know what it is. I like Tony. He's a great guy. He's done a lot for skating, I just wish egos wouldn't get in the way. I've got a pretty big ego for most guys nowadays.

What's Salba Sauce?

That's a funny name that some guys gave to clear enamel spray for the coping. I got credited with it all, but Kelly and Chicken are the guys that started it. Chicken and Kelly didn't want people to wreck the coping at their pools so they made people wear copers for a long time. And people like Alva are all, "I'm not going there! I can't wear copers! That's not a true grind!" So Chicken and Kelly experimented with it and found you could spray the coping and it wouldn't get messed up as fast and would grind faster. So that's how the whole deal started. I say for people who can't handle the Salba Sauce, it's 'cause you can't get on top.

Who's the best pool skater under 21?

That street skate guy from Fresno, Ryan Johnson. That guy's insane.

What about over 40?

I guess Alva's 42, so it's gotta be him.

Discuss your Thrasher street skating cover.

That was just more or less a bank. It's called 6th Street Wave. You just carve up, grab your rail, and style it out.

Were you wearing knee pads?

Maybe. It was a long time ago. I've only had two covers in my life, both Thrasher. I always wanted a Skateboarder cover. My brother had two.

It's not too late. They're back.

Nah. Skateboarder's trippy and weak now.

What advice would you give to would-be lifers?

I look at it this way: if you haven't put in at least 10 years, you're kind of whatever. If you put in 15, you're getting some admiration. If you've put in 20 years, you're definitely a lifer Lifer's 20 years, at least. Realistically, the only lifers I've seen are Alva, myself, Cab, Lance, and Tony Hawk. As far as the genres of skateboarding. we've covered every basic deal of skateboarding. I've got almost 27 years now.

You got any of them sponsors?

I want to say thanks to Paul Gomez...Mr. Hurley. Spitfire. Joey at Indy, Vans, Smith Shades; Wild Bill at Pro Design for hooking me up all these years. Fender Guitars--Alec Perez sets me up. Old Scratch griptape and Factory skateboards by Kelly Belmar. Thanks to all you guys.