Austin Stephens - skateboarder - Interview

Thrasher Magazine, Jan, 2002 by Ed Templeton, Michael Burnett

AUSTIN STEPHENS IS SO TOGETHER, HE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND QUIT SKATING.

He's not like one of these freaky kids you see whose kiekflipping ability is the only thing keeping them out of prison or an insane asylum. He's got a sharp hairstyle true--but it doesn't count for the bulk of his personality. No can you tell his sensibilities by the cut of his pants or the texture of his belt. If he wasn't getting checks from his sponsors held be totally employable. You could have him meet the folks. He can speak in complete sentences and everything. Austin's the kind of guy who could seemingly do anything. He doesn't even need skateboarding lucky for us though Cause skateboarding site as heck needs him.

MB: Is it hard being a handsome am?

I wouldn't know.

Ed: Someone told me the other day that the new ams are looking pretty ugly these days. They were like, "Have you seen the new ams these days? These kids are ugly!" And I said "What do you mean? Skaters have always been ugly." And he said, "I know, but have you looked at the check-outs lately? These kid are really ugly." That's when I realized that Toy Machine only has handsome people.

MB: So is it hard?

What?

MB: Being so handsome.

I don't know what to say to that. I don't feel especially handsome.

MB: Does it make it easier to meet the babes?

I don't think so.

Ed: We should tell the story about the Tum Yeto Canada trip. I don't know if anyone's told that story yet.

Yeah, you did.

Ed: But we haven't heard it in your words.

MB: What happened?

Wait, which story?

Ed: The one where the girl flew across the country to the next demo because she had missed the chance to possibly meet the man of her dreams.

Yeah. That's what happened.

MB: How did this happen?

Just like that. A girl saw me at a demo and then flew to the next demo to meet me.

MB: How far did she fly?

Quite far. Like halfway across Canada.

MB: So what did she say?

It felt kind of awkward. She said that when she saw me she felt like she needed to meet me. She said she felt like there was some connection.

MB: Did you feel the connection?

No. Nope. I had a girlfriend at the time so I simply told her, "I have a girlfriend right now." So that was that.

MB: Do you ever feel competitive?

No. Never. Even when I go to a rail and someone tells me all the tricks that have been done on it, I still do the same tricks I would otherwise do on it, in the order that I would naturally do them. I'm still going to skate it how I would normally skate it.

Ed: What's your order? Kids want to know what order of tricks you would do on it.

On a rail? It usually goes boardslide, noseslide, frontside boardslide, 50-50, then lipslide, Smith, backside lipslide.

MB: Where does it end?

It never ends. But those are the basics--the warm-up tricks.

MB: Can you caveman?

I can, but I've never done anything of substantial size.

MB: Did you relish your identity as a skater when you were younger, or were you one of those kids who hid the fact that you skated from people at school?

Oh yeah, I was a skater. I was known as a skater. I hung out with all the skaters. There was a small group of us and we were the skaters. We ate together at lunch and all that.

Ed: Were you hated?

No. I wouldn't say we were especially admired. We were just there.

MB: When I was in high school, the skaters were kind of paired up with new wavers as far as girls. What was it like at your school?

Why were they new wavers?

Ed: You had new wavers? You were lucky to even be paired up with girls! We were lower than nerds!

MB: Were you guys paired with any group of girls?

No, not really. None of us really dated in high school. We never hung out with girls. We just skated. I never had a girlfriend in high school.

MB: Do you still mostly have skate buddies or are you starting to have other groups of people, like your art friends or whatever?

Yeah, still mostly skaters. But I meet people here and there.

Ed: Why do the other people have to be art friends?

MB: I just couldn't think of other types of friends.

I like to go out and hang out in coffee shops sometimes and hear local bands.

MB: Have you ever worn a vest?

Yeah.

MB: Puffy?

No, like a vintage store vest.

MB: Top hat?

Nope. Never.

Ed: After the vest question, does that mean you're emo?

No, it doesn't mean I'm emo. I listen to a lot of emo music I guess. I listen to other things. Mostly rock 'n' roll.

MB: Do you know people with the Spock haircut?

Ed: The what?

MB: Like the Spock rockers. Like the built-in ear muffs.

I know a lot of people with that haircut. I like that haircut.

Ed: Are you a vegetarian?

I really like the idea of being a vegetarian. It seems to be a much healthier way of living. So I do try to avoid eating meat as much as possible. Sometimes a chicken taco or a chicken sandwich just sounds good so I'll have one. I also have a weakness for candy. I'm constantly eating some sort of candy.

Ed: Do you believe in God?

Yes, Definitely.

Ed: Why?

I was brought up in a Christian home so I was always taught that there was a God and I always prayed to God too. But I remember being young and not being absolutely sure that there was a God. And I remember looking through my Bible and I came across a verse in the book of James that said, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." And I wanted that wisdom so I asked God. Since then whenever I look at people or the Earth or the stars it just seems so obvious to me that there is a creator.