People | Sports & Fitness

Faze Interviews: One-on-One With Skateboarding Royalty


Steve Caballero Skateboarding Royalty Vans

Some of skateboarding’s biggest names spent quality time with Faze at the Vans Skate Demo, a tour which spans 14 cities in seven countries.

Here’s what they had to say…

Steve Caballero Skateboarding Royalty
Steve Caballero: A Living Legend

Nick Name: Cab
Born: San Jose, California
Birth Date: November 8, 1964
Hometown: Campbell, California
Competitor since: 1981

What does skateboarding mean to you?
Living life and experiencing different things about myself and travelling the world. Learning patience, dedication and how to be loyal. Learning that if you put your heart into something and you work hard and keep trying and dedicate yourself, you can accomplish pretty much any goal.

How does skateboarding affect your life otherwise?
What I used to learn to skate and learn new tricks, I have directed towards other things like playing chess, drawing and painting, writing songs, playing music and my new love, motor cross riding.

How does it feel to have so many skateboarders come out to see you perform today?
It feels good because I am doing my job correctly and making a lot of people happy.

Any significant injuries you want to share?
I broke my ankle in 1991 and I’ve had a lot of sprains and close-to breaks, but I’ve been pretty lucky. But one year I rolled my ankle a few times and it took so long to heal. It’s one of these things in skateboarding; if you are not focused and you don’t concentrate and land right, something will happen.

Geoff Rowley

Geoff Rowley: Real Royalty

Birth Date: : June 6, 1976
Born: Liverpool, England
Resides: Huntington Beach, California
Hobbies: Hiking
Fave Band: Fugazi, The Jam

Of all the things you could’ve done in life, why did you choose to skateboard?
I used to hang out with older guys who picked up on skating; who were into the gnarly punk side of skating and had boards, and whatever they would do I wanted to do, too.

You’re a legend in these circles, so how does it feel when all these kids look up to you?
Well they are really nice kids and it’s a nice thing and I have nothing to add to that, really.

Do you feel any sort of pressure since people look up to you?
No. I don’t think of it like that at all. It sounds really selfish but I live my life the way I feel comfortable. And hopefully that comes off more positive than negative.

Any favourite moves?
I don’t really have one. I like rolling along but I have no favourite moves. I never really looked at it like that; trying to learn the best move ever. To me it’s all the same.

What else are you interested in?
I like ecology and wildlife. We could sit here for hours and discuss what I love about wildlife ecology but it’s a matter of time; we are doomed. We are all going down because humans are greedy horrible people and it’s just too late.

Johnny Layton Skateboarding Star

Johnny Layton: Royal Apprentice

Born: October 5, 1985
Resides: Murietta, California
Music: Dolt, Rolling Stones

How does it feel to be skating along side Geoff and Steve?
Geoff Rowley has been one of my favourite pros and now I get to travel with him. It’s insane.

How did you get here?
It’s a dream for me. I was just some kid, randomly skating as much as I could and things just happened. I was in the right place at the right time.

Is it intimidating?
No. It’s an inspiration, for sure. Just going out with these guys on the same ramps; it’s amazing and fun and I try not to take things too seriously.

Do you consider skateboarding as global or local?
I like what I am doing and meeting different people and pros from other parts of the world. We are a bunch of people doing the same thing, in different parts of the world.

Photos by Olivier Maltais


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