The Union Tapes

Dan Price made an impact on the UK scene in the mid 90s but his BMX roots true back much further than that. We take a step back into the archives of Dans active mind and uncover a lot of things most of had no idea about. His journey into BMX being quite different to most others who came through the 80s BMX explosion where he went in a few different directions and found himself returning back to a BMX scene that was desolate but he didn’t even realise it. Get into this one, we cover 80s BMX boom, discovering Southbank, early influences and being heckled for being too dirt brothers like, early street jams, meeting life long friend James White. contests, moving to Hastings, never being bothered about riding ramps, magazine pics, video parts, the ideals of street riding, the trouble with being sponsored, trips to the USA and his take on modern street riding, the never ending battle of still riding BMX and what it all involves.

Back when I first got into BMX, we used to go Rom on semi regular basis, dreaming of one day being able to air the concrete bowls there like the other kids could. Rom had some amazing locals, low key and top sponsored guys. But what everyone really fawned over was the California skateparks, under the picturesque blue sky, light coloured concrete, motocross googles and colourful race uniforms. There were a few riders that featured regularly in the UK magazines, pics started coming out in UK magazines of riders like Eddie, Brian Blyther, Mike Dominguez and Rich Sigur who specialised in aerial moves at the pipeline skatepark in CA. These pics were the ones all of us aspiring youngsters looked to and dreamed about. One of the riders that I started to see feature in the uk magazines was Eddie Fiola, Whom by this point was aboard the new GT performer fully kitted out in matching race gear. The buzz was well and truly out there and this guy was on everyones radar, more photoshoots and a visit to the UK to compete on the new UK BMX TV show Kellogs track wars was perfect timing. Now almost a house hold name in the UK. That year yellow bike part sales no doubt got as popular as they have ever been. Eddie was all over the magazines and events for the next few years, but then slowly faded out of the spot light, even though he never quit riding BMX. We do the usual here and follow Eddies story from his first bike into BMX, creating skatepark riding with the early pioneers and what evolved from it. First photoshoots, the start of the King of the Skateparks events. Multiple sponsorship stories, visits and tours to the Japan, UK and Europe. Controversy at the Kellogs event. Shows, the changing face of BMX, right up to present day and releasing the EF frame fork and bar kits….An information over load on this one for me. Enjoy.

Bob Morales Bob Osborne Tinker Jurez Fred Bekker Bob Haro Jeff Watson Mike Dominguez Brian Blyther Dave Vanderspek Donovan Ritter Tony Murray Rich Sigur Richard Anderson Josh White Jess Dyrenforth Dave Curry Ron Wilkerson Dave Breed Terry Jenkins Andy Irwin Craig Campbell Neil Ruffell Maurice Meyer Josh White Mat Hoffman Dave Voelker Stu Thompsen Harry Leary Greg Hill Timmy Judge Scot Breithaupt

BMX action bike was the real BMX bible back in the 80s, it set the standard for uk bmx mags in its approach to covering BMX and how the many themes of it grew.I don’t know where to start with this intro, this is the first person on the show that has never ridden BMX, but contributed so much to it and many people have requested I get him on the show. If you are into BMX you would have undoubtedly seen TLB real name Tim Leighton Boyce’s pics some where, even if you didn’t realise they were his. For us kids who came through in the 80s Tim is a name we all know. we get into Tim’s start into the skateboard industry working at Alpine sports and the skateboard explosion in the 70s. His start in being a skateboard magazine photographer. The collapse of skateboarding into the BMX boom years and what he did and didn’t like about it. His early approach to covering the local kids as well as the pros of the time. The iconic photo shoots with Craig Campbell at Rom and the Eddie Fiola and Mike Dominguez Livingston story. The re emergence of Skateboarding and slowly creeping it into BMX Action bike, the emergence of the newer BMX street style. The infamous Mons jam’s and the UKBFA vs BMX action bike conflict. Turning the magazine into Read and Destroy with Nick Philip. The demise of Read and Destroy and what came next, We also talk about the up coming read and Destroy book-which doesn’t feature any BMX pics inside, we did talk about his BMX archive but couldn’t include that part. Rumour has it there are over 3000 of Tim’s BMX pics out there…Let’s hope they make it into print sooner than later.

Marv moved to London in 2005 (with Daniel Benson), I remember wondering why they’d moved to London - I thought they were both from Sheffield and that scene was blowing up at the time with the recent release of Joe Cox’s Voices DVD. They had a reputation that preceded them, so the buzz was out these guys were in town. We crosed paths at a Rom jam and at the time I was surprised at their amicability. I came to learn both these guys were students of the BMX game through and through. Marv was one of the big break out names in the uk around that time, he scored the last part on the Voices DVD from the then underground Sheffield scene, then ended up on the Fit bikes UK team, with many sponsors to follow. He made multiple magazine features that often provoked other riders, made endless DVD appearances aswell as making his own series of DIY DVD’s documenting the London scene he was involved in. This is the tale of kid from Berkshire moving through the BMX ranks right up to having a pro frame with Fit and far beyond…

Riders mentioned Daniel Benson, Grant Stone, Joe Cox, Dan Cox, James Cox, Joe Fox, Liam Eranshaw, Reece Coren, Tim March, Dakota Roache, Cookie, The Count, Kris Bennett, Ben Lewis, Leo Forte, James Smith, Will Jackson, Northern John, Rob Hate, Bowl Head, Jersey Mike Taylor, Butcher , Troy Mcmurray, The Gonz, Joe Riley, Tom Blythe, Rob Bartlett, Ross Payne, Robin Fenlon, Jon Taylor, Ian Morris, Scott Malyon, Dean Hearne

The first pic I ever saw of some over tweaking something was Todd Anderson, who at that point in time-1985-was riding for Redline. I picked up a magazine in a mock 711 next to Faze 7 BMX centre in Waltham Cross, Todd was cranking a loopback with his feet on the cranks arms, and his front wheel hitting his shin, I'd never seen this before, until that point a look back was anything with bars passed 90 degrees. I think those pics set the standard for many people to follow with all tricks not just the look back. Todd’s BMX journey started many years before that though, we go right back to he start, first seeing freestyle at a race meet, riding for SE bikes, the infamous cover of Freestylin' magazine, local scene, building quarters, the legendary Camirrilo ramp and the sessions and riders who rode there. AFA events. As well as the lookback we discuss his iconic 1 foot fatties and being the alley oop master in the early days. Trick techniques and how he evolved his style so early, innovating tricks he isn’t really credited for. Taking big slams. Getting on General Bikes, tour life and what General were before and after their bike venture. Right up through the 2 hip KOV and Meet the street events, Vans tours with Eddie Fiola, tracking his life right up to present day where he still dabbles in BMX.

The Union tapes Episode 24 with ex S&M UK rider James Cox, we go back to the start of his BMX journey coming out of Portsmouth in the mid 90s and the routes he took a long the way. We cover BMX influence through out his life and the ever evolving projects he had, from riding to music, to creating his own brands Retribution and then later Antidote. His fascination for S&M bikes and riding for em later on, making videos and becoming a magazine regular, moving around the uk to different scenes, working at 4 down. UFO’s, lucid dreams and astral projecting…get it on!

Riders mantioned

Isaac Clark, Morgan from Southsea, Farren Downes, James Newrick, Daniel Benson, Cookie, Marv, Clarkie, Kris Bennett, Shaun Butler, Shane Steels, Tommy C, Geoff Slattery, Corey Martinez, Nathan Williams, Ryan Metro, Chris Moeller, Ricky Tribble, Mark Tanner, Fathead, Steve Bancroft, Paul Bromfield, Ed Docherty, Robin Fenlon, Ben Lewis, Buzzard, Dan Cox, Joe Cox, Josh Bedford, Dave Young, Steven Laidlaw, Tom Saunders

Got a little bonus going on here, and some thing a little different. Coinciding with the release of our zine 5 and Nails in the Coffin on DVD, ex Uk Fit pro Marv (Nicholas Martin) who was a young 16 years of age and a fan of Nails in the Coffin when it came out back in the late 90s, he wanted to know a few things about it, so came in and asked me some behind the scenes questions about the goings on in and around the making and riding in the video.

Shaun Allison is a name that was on my original list of guests back when I first started thinking about doing this podcast, and I’m sure many people out there won’t have even heard of? After avoiding the media spot light of the news agent mags and finding a home contributing to the zine scene where he felt more at home with the true underground of BMX, There was rumours of shaun floating around the London scene for a year or so before any of the lesser travelled kids saw him in action, He showed up to the south bank street jam in 88 with Dave Slade, I was there that day and was witness to a totally different riding style and approach to what I was used to, it was all power and aggression with a few moves I'd not even seen before. Shaun got in the public eye of BMX in the late 80s, when BMX was well and truly in its biggest decline. This is a story about riding in and around the north of England with a crew of other like minded underground innovators around the Retford, Sheffield, Nottingham and Worksop areas.

Riders mentioned: Jason Ellis, Sid, David Slade, Cow-Mike Rose, Andy Brown, Jason Hassell, James Hudson, Mick Hudson, Geth Shooter, Chris Hardy, Neil Waddington, Craig Campbell, Pardeep Lail, Ed Docherty, Mad Malc Stappleton, Dave Curry, Tim March, Andy Ruffell, Lee Cewcker, Titch, Shardy, Kev Motishaw, Martin Burnstein, Lee Brown, Anthony Christian, Stu Horner, Mat Hoffman, Dave Dean, Mad Mcmad, Nick Phillip, Pete Augustin, Ron Wilkerson, Will Smyth, Clive Gosling, Zach Shaw, Mike Canning, Simon Tabron, Jim Tomlinson, Dino Squillino, Dave Voelker, Ross Marshall, Dave Beveridge, John Hall

Jumping forward a decade or so from our last episode. I first met Owain in the 90's, he was a tiny chatty kid ripping around the boneyard in Chester and the surrounding skateparks of the time. Fast forward many years and this dude has never dropped off. Rode for a bunch of big companies, won contests, flew around the world, scoring multiple magazine covers, video parts, road trips and done all there is to do in the game of BMX. We get in to the start of his BMX journey, trips to Woodward as a kid, growing up around the Chester BMX scene. Changing up riding styles, and the in-depth street riding phase and why, riding all terrain, his involvement with BMX now, the obsession with collecting old BMX media, recent barn edit and the open loop. And even some UKBMX hall of fame talk in here. Riders mentioned Jon Taylor, Alistair Whitton, Jon Hall, Paul Harrison, Chris Hamer, Barney, Tom Baskeyfield, Tom Holmes, Tommy Gore, Zach Shaw, Jerry Galley, Stuart Dawkins, Ian Morris, Caleb Kilby, Baz Keep, Robin Fenlon, Chris Souter, Lard, Northern Jon, Will Jackson, Joe Rich, Taj, Dave Friemuth, Nate Wessell, Farren Downes, Marv, Daniel Benson, Lemsip, Chico Hooke, Martin Murray, Anthony Pill, Brian Foster, Matt Hoffman, Jay Miron, Colin Winkleman, Scott Malyon, Neil Williams, Gary Simmonds, Mark Theaker, Richie Pettman, Tony Flemming, Fids, Gogo, Johnny Mingo, Hollywood, Ron Wilkerson, Dave Littleman, Cameron Birdwell, Garrett Byrnes, George Hornig, Ralph Sinisi, Edwin Delarosa, Jack Bender, Ben Lewis, James Cox

We finally caught up with Nick Philip, and we get deep into it on many topics that he had hands on involvement. This one gives us all a deep dive into much of the mystery for most of us, meeting Jess Dyrenforth, Rom trips back in the early days, starting AA as a mail order from his bedroom, Landing a job at BMX Action bike, working with Dave Curry, and talks about what an influence Curry had on the scene. All about the behind the scenes of BMX Action bike RAD magazine. Early Southbank scene, Mons jam, being a rider rep for the ukbfa, AA becoming a clothing brand, the rise and focus of street riding in the magazine, the style change with in BMX as it evolved away from its constraints. The push for evolving the of character of BMX. Moving to California in the good ole USA to work for Freestylin magazine, Homeboy and Ozone. Getting into the early rave scene in the late 80s, right up to what his up to today.

Riders mentioned: Jess Dyrenforth, Dave Curry, Craig Campbell, Alisdair Mckenzie, Damon Nicholls, Eric Steel, Billy Stupple, Marco Lara, Andy Ruffell, Tim March, Dave Slade, Craig Grasso, Andy Jenkins, Spike Jonze, Maurice 'Drob' Meyer, Dave Nourie, Eddie Roman, Dave Vanderspek

Skateboarders: Bod Boyle, Dobie Campbell, Joe Lopes, Todd Swank