King for a Day - skateboarder Frank Gerwer - Brief Article - Interview

Thrasher Magazine, Feb, 2002 by Steve Randall

SKATEBOARDING WAS PRETTY BORING IN 1990. Videos were lame, wheels were small; there was nothin' much going on. Somewhere in that year, Blind's Video Days was released and made skating look fun again. Guy, Rudy, and Jason all had kill parts, but Mark Gonzales stole the show. His part had it all: Tech, cruising, gnar, and even big. One trick at one spot was the first bullet fired in a war that won't end until they 'doze it. By simply frontside grabbing the four-stair at Wallenberg, Gonz set the wheels in motion for all to be judged by that infamous stairway. First it was an ollie, then a frontside 180, then backside... But one trick was never had--the kickflip. Cairo, Markovich, and nameless others went there to put their name down.

The sands of history are fickle friends indeed; nobody remembers "Almost stuck it" or "He could have done it." We live in the now. And from now on, the benchmark that all kickflips will be judged against is the one pulled over those ledges.

Bottom line: Frank Gerwer kickflipped the Four at Wallenberg on Saturday, October 27, 2001. King for a day.--Steve Randall

THE FRANK GERWER INTERVIEW

Describe the sequence of events that happened that day.

I woke up at 10am, brushed my teeth, went to go watch Gabe ollie the four--basically that's what happened.

What time was this?

It was early; it was like 11 o'clock, 11:30am.

Did you eat anything for breakfast?

I didn't eat nothin' for breakfast. I just kicked it with Field for a little bit, then took off to watch Gabe ollie the four.

Had you thought about it that day, or prior to it?

I never thought about it until Gabe was gettin' worked. And then I tried to ollie it, and then...

So, you ollied it first?

Yeah, but I hung up on the last step and landed on the curb and rolled away. And then sat down on the curb for a little awhile, watched Gabe eat it a couple more times. I just flailed up a couple kickflips over it, and got one. That's basically the whole series of events.

It took about five tries to land it?

It's six or seven to actually roll away; could be, I don't know.

How come you didn't grab it, man?

I tried a tailgrab and the nosegrab. The first one to nosegrab, but it didn't seem like it was going to work out. Then the tailgrab went sour. So I figured, alright, just huck it and see if I can barrel roll it off of this thing and try to make it.

What was the feeling like riding away? What'd you do to celebrate?

I didn't do anything, actually. I went to Duffy's party that day and watched everybody skate. I didn't get drunk. I didn't party.

Didn't go straight to the bar?

No, I didn't. I pretty much kicked it the whole day. It was a big adrenaline rush, though.

Did you get a phone call from Willie Brown?

Yeah, Willie called me up and I had lunch at the mayor's office. It was rad 'cause his secretary came in and she gave us, like, a table dance, shrimp cocktail, and I got to discuss the PG&E rates. He's lowering the bill on my house alone because of it. Just my house gets, ya know, a little bit off.

Are you pre-qualified for the X-Games?

I don't know. I got a check now from Matt, though. I might make it. Somebody ought to know. I think if I would have grabbed it I would have been in the top 10. I wouldn't have had to skate in the final. Yeah, no grab.

Did it get you laid?

No, it didn't. It did not get me laid. The chicks are really not digging doin' a kickflip at Wallenberg. "Baby, wanna go back to my house?"

Do you feel like you're going to get caught in the trick vacuum? You're only going to get remembered for the kickflip of the four? Do you feel any pressure now?

Oh, no. I'm already frontside boardslide guy. I'll just be kickflip frontside boardslide guy, now. I can only do two tricks. That's basically it.

What's next on the horizon for Frank Gerwer?

Backside 360 kickflip it. I'm definitely going to try that one.

Can you give me some insight into the deep, dark, disturbed mind of Frank Gerwer?

Don't be me. I don't know. I'm hung over right now.