January 2011 Member of The Month: dtj16

As you may have noticed we haven’t been doing MOTM’s lately, but hey what better way to start 2011 (I am aware it’s February already) than to do these again? And what better member to do it than our favorite Texan dtj16?

skateboard citySo, why don’t you start by telling us your name age, gender, and a little bit of what’s going on in your life?
Dylan Jones, and I just finished washing blood off my index finger, because I managed to cut it while attempting to create triangles out of colored griptape (which I somehow managed to cut into completely different dimensions, even though I traced them).
That’s rad I see that you are a fan of wacky grip jobs, why is that?
Well, I’ve been skating nearly 10 years, and over that time I’ve ridden far to many boards, and in the past when I’d get angry I’d focus them. (A very unhealthy habit, and looking back one of my biggest regrets). So within the last 3 or 4 years, I’ve tried to do ..”different” gripjobs, to help make my boards more personal. In skating, people like setting up fresh decks every week or so. Even if I get them free, I try my best to ride them at least a month or so. (or until they crack in half). I want it to be MY board, and be personalized. Some may call it gay but whatever.
Yeah I do that, too I try to skate my boards until they are pretty beat up, and I write or make a stencil on almost everyone one of them. I find it rad when I see that pros wear their shit down pretty good too instead of setting up a board every day. When did you start skating and why?
Yeah, I saw some of the stencils you were doing, their pretty sick. I can’t do that kind of stuff. I have a few pieces of stenciled griptape that my buddy Zarosh sent me, but I don’t get it.. All the layering and stuff. I don’t have that much patience.
As for when and why I started playing with skateboards? When: July 23rd 2001, my 11th birthday. All my friends had skateboards, and I was riding a hand-me-down blind Mushroom cloud deck (technically I was buttboarding, but still) so I when I got birthday money, the first thing I did was go to the toy store
I went there with the intention of buying a gundam model or some legos. But didn’t have enough money. So instead I bought a skateboard with pictures of gundam wing robots on it. ($19)
Did you start trying tricks with that board or was there a little bit of time in between until you got a real board and started getting a little more serious?
skateboard city
I doubt anyone cares what I have to say, so I’ll just skim past it and say.. I didn’t start doing tricks until my 3rd year of skating, except for ollies. (Sort of explains why I can ollie high). The funny thing is, for my first 2 years of skating, I was goofy.
Currently I’m regular
Damn that explains why you are pretty good at switch. Yeah, I’m kind of the other way around, I started doing a bunch of fliptricks down stairs and shit when I started, and now I barely flip my board or skate stairs. I guess that’s what so awesome about skating, that you can do whatever the fuck you want.
Yeah, exactly.
You are always posting footage regularly and when I talk to you, you always tell me how your skating days are always so awesome and fun, what keeps you so motivated?
You are always posting footage regularly and when I talk to you, you always tell me how your skating days are always so awesome and fun, what keeps you so motivated?

I suck at everything else, skating is the only thing I’m OK at. But music, my friends, and pug keep me motivated
and to be honest, I’m not filming much
I’ve filmed 1 trick in January. I went to the spot 3 weekends in the row, landed the trick each weekend, but the clip kept looking bad
But its not the filmers fault or anything, I just suck at kickflips and can’t not mob them.
Speaking about your pug I know you just started a company inspired on him, tell us more about that.
I don’t know where you heard that, but that’s completely wrong.

What about Pugsly Sticker Company? I know it’s not like a legit brand with sales and shit, but more just a fun thing. (Or at least that’s what I thought)
Yeah, it is a fun thing, but you have it twisted around. It’s not my company.My pug approached me back in late 2010 about taking over the pug sticker market, so that’s what we’re doing, no other company is making stickers specific to pugs. He brought me in as CEO and brand manager. But he owns it, and gives the OK on all designs. Right now we have 2 designs done, and their in production, and every month we’re going to do 2 new graphics. (done by different artists). Each run has 250 pieces.
Oh sorry about that, I guess I should get my shit straight before these interviews skateboard city
Yeah its cool, he’s just bitter at his old age (10years old.)
I mean last time we went to NYC, I wanted to skate his spots, he got really pissed and started ranting about kids not respecting the city, and stuff.
Yeah, I’ve heard he gets pretty pissed with one-uppers
Yeah he does, he started yelling at some kids earlier today, they kept mixing wallies with sw bs tailslides.
I heard he has some beef with Austin Cookie Cutter
Yeah he does. GQ model steeze. Who knows, I don’t want to trash him, since I look up to him. But sometimes his rants are awkward.
And a bit pretentious I must add, but let’s not get off topic. Who are your sponsors and what’s the story behind each of them? (How did you get on them basically)
hmmm, should I really reveal my secrets?
Uhm, I ride for… District skateshop, Airspeed footwear, Khiro Hardgoods, Never again wheels/clothing, Tracker trucks, and Pugsly sticker co.
I got on district the same way anyone gets on a local shop.. Just skate around and eventually things work out. As for never again, the owner “Hank” contacted me saying he liked my skating, and we worked something out. He’s actually the person I’m going to be screening Pugsly decks with in the future.
For khiro, I knew people on the team, and they helped put in a good word for me.
Tracker, just came recently since I ride their trucks on cruiser boards, and got to emailing the TM and things worked out.
And I guess the big one is Airspeed shoes?
Pretty much
Well that story is really long , so Sorry in advance for rambling
No worries, that’s what this is for basically.
It all started Like 3 years ago I got on Etnies flow, rode for them nearly 1.5 years. And when the TM left the company, alot of people got dropped. So after that happened, I was basically out of luck. I didn’t have a job, I was in school, and now I had to buy shoes (for the first time in awhile, it may sound wack to alot of people who do this still, but for me i was worried it would hurt my pockets)
So around that time, Kristian svitak, and Nate sherwood got on airspeed. Kristians been my favorite skater for YEARS, so I figured I’d try airspeeds out. They cost $16, so if they sucked, no sweat. If they were good, then it would really help me out financially. Also around that time, people on sbc/other forums were talking ALOT of shit on the brand, and making claims with no real information. So it gave me even more motivation to try and skate a pair. So.. I coughed up the money, bought a pair of “classics” and who would have guessed, turns out they were really good. I ended up writing a review on the shoe (posting it on SBC), and decided to show Nate sherwood “a buddy of mine”. He ended up liking it so much, that he sent it to the people at airspeed. A few weeks later I contacted them seeing what they thought of it. And we exchanged a few emails, and they sent me some more shoes. Then we didn’t talk for 8months, so I figured that was it, then… summer 2010 passed, and I finished another video part, and sent it to them (in an attempt to show them I’m still skating hard and stuff). and within a week or so, they emailed me back asking if I was interested in riding for them.
I figured it was flow or something. But after a few more emails, it turned out to be full AM sponsorship. so… within 9days of the original email, a box of 4pairs of shoes, 2shirts, and literally 200 stickers showed up at my house.
and its been 8months or so since that happened , and I couldn’t be happier.
Rad story, It’s awesome that you got on the company not only for being good but also because you backed the fuck out of them.
Yeah, I was pretty stoked, the funny thing is, I like them more than alot of other companies.I don’t get the nike/adidas hype.
Plus their working on alot of new shoes, and they’re super sick. I’m getting some samples in this week, and their a mix between fallen rivals and g-codes.
Sick! No deck sponsor? Have you sent out a few tapes to deck companies or are you not interested?
The deck situation is weird, I rode for a local company A-minus, and backed the hell out of and loved the owner and we’re still great friends. But there came a point where I wanted to try and get on something else. I ended up riding for a different company, and not being treated fairly. So I left, and in that time, A-minus folded
So basically I was left without a deck sponsor. I sent a few times out, but I feel super akward doing that. Plus I only like 6 companies (4 of which are in europe/france,) But luckily I’m still friends with the owner of A-minus, so he sends me decks ever so often. Like last month he sent me a box of 3. When I’m out of A-minus decks, and have to buy my own though.. I tend to buy Roger decks.
It’s pretty neat that you still get some decks even if the companies folded.
Which skaters influence your skating the most?
Overall I’d say Kristian Svitak, Zarosh, Matt Hensley, and my friends. Alot of locals get me stoked too. Like ryan holloway, shortbus, mcentire oh and I really like everyone involved in GORFLIFE & Sorcery- welcome skateboards
Yeah, I think I’ve told you this before, but your style and skating really remind me of Svitak.
Word, that stokes me out. I wish I could skate like him. but I can’t fs blunt or do heelflips to save my life. It seems like alot of the skaters I like, do tricks I suck at. Like ethan fowler doing bs tails and bs 360s.
And of course, who wouldn’t get stoked with Holloway’s skating, that dude’s the shitskateboard city
Yeah, I’ll use some photos for this little interview thing that he shot last weekend. He’s a real cool dude and amazing at skating
Yeah, dude he’s one of my favorites, it seems that he has such a big bag of tricks and his skating is so spontaneous, that you don’t really know what he is going to do next. It’s awesome
Yeah, totally.
The following part wasn’t supposed to be in the interview but I found it pretty funny so fuck it, I’m including it
Dude, while we’re talking, I just saw the craziest video on youtube
some girl is doing “art” infront of a crowd, then gets a can of spaghettis out, then proceeds to take 3minutes to open the can… then starts rubbing it all over her body, then cuts a hole in her pants and proceeds to… make babys with it, as a crowd applauds.
Holy shit, Link me.

Apparently she ripped off another artist who did something similar, and is underattack by 4chan, along with the og artist, whos trying to sue her for copyright infringement.
Hahaha,that made me laugh…the whole suing deal
I know theres quite a few proud “hipsters” on the SBC site who don’t even skate, so I’m pretty excited to see them defend that
“SHES JUST EXPRESSING HERSELF”
Hahaha yeah, I can’t wait how people will react to this shit
anyways, to wrap it up let’s do some top 5’s

Alright, but before we do I want to say, I’m really stoked on these 2 songs called “Little Hard On’s” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRoBjO2fqXA) and “I’m On Crack” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GLoHifu6aM)[/b]
Score
Haha, Alright Top 5 Skaters
Kristian svitak, Matt Hensley, Zarosh, Ethan fowler, and let’s say pontus alv .
(note – todd falcon and doug brown also)
How could we forget such creative and artistic individuals.
Top 5 skate videos

In search of the miraculous, Label kills, Static 2, 1031 Heavy mellow, and lately I’ve been stoked on that video “Boyish”.
Top 5 skate cities
I’ve never left texas. So I’m changing this question to be… top 5 favorite chicken foods. 1. Popeye’s fried chicken, 2. Taco Bell grilled chicken burrito. 3. Chicken noodle soup. 4. Chicken and broccoli on rice. 5. Chicken fried rice.
Tight, Top 5 favorite movies?
Little Nicky, Reign Over Me, Ghost Busters 1, any of the Toy Story’s and The Big Lebowski
Alright I guess that’s a wrap, any shout outs, comments, questions, suicide notes?
I’m not religious, I don’t know why shoes are so damn thin now. I love pugs, I love skateboarding. People on here think I’m super serious, But I’m actually not. I just try to correct someone if they’re wrong. Also enjoy all the links I’m including at the end of this.
Aight I guess that’s a wrap
Sweet, I just farted to celebrate

Dylan posts a bunch of footage on the site, but in case you haven’t seen any of his footage here’s a video of him. (He chose this one) and be sure to check out his youtube channel. AND SUSCRIBE IF YOU LIKE IT!