In the Season 3 Episode 12 of The Wood Podcast I speak with Lou Statman about his passion for slalom skateboarding. Lou invited me at the last minute to go out and meet him in the parking lot of Pflugerville High School Pfield parking lot where he frequently sets up cones and has a good time with friends charging through them. I happened to have some gear with me so I did an impromptu interview. He gives us a primer on slalom skateboarding in this episode.

At the end, Cory Thornhill and Ethan Allen also made cameo appearances and shared their rigs with us! You can find Lou on Instagram at: @loucorproductions

In this final interview in the container at the Banger in the Hangar, I found the creator of the videozine, Mongochatter, Jon Hanks and grilled him with my usual questions until we started free-flowing the conversation. His take on pushing mongo was very refreshing and applies to life as a whole. Pushing mongo is an easy target for ridicule in skateboarding, but for those who dgaf, mongo is empowerment and, after this conversation, seems to be the best way to live life.

Find him!

Instagram: @mongochatter

youtube.com/mongochatter  @MONGOCHATTER 

Patreon.com/mongochatter

In this episode at the Banger in the Hanger, I interview freshly turned pro skateboarder Dakota White, along with Pat Morehead and Brian Michaelsick from Hellsick Skateboards.  Pat and Brian talk about their roots as a skateboard company and the importance of their graphics.  Then Dakota jumps in and speaks about the significance of the graphics of his new pro model on Hellsick skateboards that Pat designed.  The imagery of the buffalo and lighting tie into his Native American roots and the star quilt pattern on the top tie into his Grandmother's Native American quilt making skill.   This graphic is amazing.  The board is high quality, and the rider, Dakota White, rips.  I have no doubt this board will become iconic. 

At Banger in the Hanger 2023 vert contest in Houston, TX I got to meet Brad Roberson, the Owner of Texas Skate Shop located deep in the sticks of East Texas in a little town called Gilmer.  In the least likely of skateboard markets, Brad is spearheading a burgeoning skateboard culture that was simmering underneath the fabric there.  He builds his own skateboard deck from scratch, and runs the Ditch Skateboarding International Facebook groups as well.  He is a natural born teacher and will take any chance he can get to evangelize the positivity that skateboarding can bring to a life and a community.  Was really great to meet him and I look forward to collabing with him somehow in the future.

In this episode I ran into Hubba (William LeMaster) at the Banger in the Hangar contest in Houston, TX.  I already knew he was basically a pro skater, has his own board with Cockfight Skateboards and is a complete ripper, but I did not know he grew up in Dallas and that he grew up hanging around the spots of all the Dallas pros like Jeff Phillips and Craig Johnson in the 80's.  Hubba is super genuine and very modest. He lets his skateboarding do most of his talking.  I felt very fortunate that he came on to share some of his origin story.  Thanks Hubba!

Be sure to look out for more Banger in the Hangar interviews between The Wood Podcast and Won't Shut Up and Skate Podcast!

In this video I interview Andy "Bastard" Escalante. Andy has been one of the folks behind the scenes at the Lizard Ditch Skateboarding DIY in Austin, Texas. Andy walks us through his skateboarding life and how he came to find his home community in this ditch. He speaks on his philosophy around community and building DIY skate spots and shares some valuable insight into how we can be a creative and constructive force in Austin culture by building placers like Lizard DIY. A special thanks to Andy for sharing his wisdom and doing this interview. And also a special thanks to all those folks who are out there building!

In this episode I sit down for the long haul with Darin Hoops.  Darin came to Austin 18 years ago in 2008 from Arizona.  His experience with the Dream Destroyers, scrappy skateboard part collecting, and DIY spot building on slabs was brought here to be a strong influnce on the DIY spot culture here in Austin.  Darin is a creator, a collector, a curator, and a talented stroryteller.  The interview was long, but it felt super short as I was deeply immersed into his verbal imagery. 

This episode is a sort of bonus episode.  So not totally about skateboarding.  Doug and I grew up together in Kingwood and skated together with all of our crew.   But Doug has always been more of a BMXer.  The BMX and the skateboarding world in Austin has always been closely related.  We skated/rode many of the same places, we partied together, we have the same DIY spot philosophies, and we all seem to know each other.  My brother Casey, who is best friends with Doug, crossed both worlds of BMX and skateboarding.  This helped me to keep in contact with Doug and be aware of both worlds. 

This episode was an emotional episode for me to make as it is still hard to see my friend, (who was always ripping and pushing the boundaries at whatever he did), confined to a wheelchair. Doug won the Nationals and worlds for BMX. Doug was chosen to go to the 2012 Beijing Olympics to represent the US for BMX. He never made it due to the accident.  He is not supposed to be alive. But over the course of this interview, I realized that Doug is still Number One. Despite doctors and people telling him he can't do things, he is continuing to push the limits of what he can do everyday and is claiming lots of small victories.  

Doug has shifted his perspective and wants to world to know he is still here and still Number 1. 

This was a banger of an episode.  It is a long one, so sit back and relax and enjoy all the amazing Texas skateboarding history that Chip can spout out on demand since he was right there experiencing it all in real time.  Chip is a long time OG Texas skateboarder and contest announcer for skatebaording and and for the. Texas Rollergirls.  He has been around the block and has the stories to prove it.  This episode has zero dull moments and makes you realize that right now, everyday you are out there skateboarding with your homies, you are making history and nostalgia for every following wave of skateboarding to come.  Chip reminds us of that fact and expresses beautifully how we are all a part of that in our own "free to be us" way.  Thanks Chip!