Hey Colin how's things?
aye, no bad the now, been taking it steady after being on the Blueprint tour graft for 10 days. Just been spending valuable time with my daughter at home...it's been guid.
You became a father last year, how's life as a Dad treating you?
treating me with a fine dose of reality and responsibilty but otherwise it is treating me very well, once you have your own, you'll understand...ha ha,....
Did it put your "job" into perspective/ did it change how you view your chosen career?
not really, because i was pretty focused as it is because I have the mortgage to pay and besides, I've never taken it for granted. However, according to all the kids at demos, if you are sponsored you just get boards for 'free' and that is how it works, so maybe I have got it all wrong
I suppose the job you have allows for a lot of free time to spend with your daughter?
oh yeah, it's perfect, especially when they are this age they progress so much....would hate to miss all that.
Do you feel privileged to be in that position?
yes but at the same time it was not a privilege that was just handed to me, I've had to work at it to make that way...i've put in my ground work to get here.
If you had made the decision to get a nine to five what do you think you could have done? Are you trained in any "normal" nine to five skills?
Nine to what? dude, what the f*&% are you talking about?? Na, no real 9 to 5 skills, let's hope it don't come down to that and if you think I'll be going into what I studied at Uni, you're tripping...I'll be damned if I can remember what the hell I studied....those two years have been mind wiped.
You've worked hard to forge yourself a career in the harsh environment of Scotland. Both environmentally and industry wise it would seem to have made more sense to set up camp somewhere else, how come your still here?
Thanks...ahem....it depends how motivated you are really. At one point or another I considered re-locating to London and even the US at one point but I think had I done that it may not have worked out as well as it has. Being apart from all that bollocks gives you perspective on things. Once you immerse yourself in an 'industry based' city, if you like, it's hard to see outside of that. Remaining here has made me who I am and I'm just here because I want to be...i'm not much of a nomad and have never had the confidence or the inclination to re-locate outside of Scotland . Home is where the heart, and the shitty weather unfortunately are.
What is it you like so much about home?
Friends, Scottish attitude and pride, history, family...etc etc...ye all ken don't ye?
What do you see in the future for your career, still in skateboarding?
yeah, for a good few years more professionally until I know that I cannot still turn out some new shit...I would like to retire and not BE retired, if you like. Beyond that, probably an industry job, don't think that I haven't thought about that.
You have managed your career better than most in the UK, pro deck, pro spitfire wheels, pro thunders, on Nike. That's some pretty high profile shit for a UK based skater. Do you market yourself?
I certainly go out of my way to make sure that I'm turning in as much magazine coverage as possible because then you are talking the sponsors language; otherwise just trying to straight up rip, put down video parts consistently. That is mainly what I have based my career on if you want to call it that. I try not to sell myself too short as well, I have never considered myself a wonderful or gifted skateboarder, far from it, I'm a trier and I work hard and try to make sure that whoever I deal with recognises that. Beyond all that I try to be as co-operative as possible because down the line it doesn't matter how good you can go a skatty....a prick's a prick in any line of work and people get sick a' pricks.
Where is the best place skateboarding has taken you?
So far, Iceland , it's not as if it's a place that is so far flung that I couldn't visit again, I guess it was just circumstance dependent...skateboarding in Iceland ? it's not very good either, probably on a par with skateboarding in the Shetland Isles.
Conversely, what about the lows of skateboarding, the dark days, how was your experience of them?
Terrible and we've all been there, those frustrating winters, bad fashion ideas from the states, those evolutionary steps skateboarding went through were the worst though. When skateboarding was evolving the numbers dropped off and although we still clearly enjoyed it, it tested our patience and resilience for it. Character building to say the least, this shit teaches you lessons.
Can you see it ever getting that dark again?
yeah for sure, wouldn't rule it out...but it won't be half as testing cuz back then it was all we had in our lives.
You travelled up to Aberdeen when they had the Stoneywood skatepark, can you see the new park strengthening the scene up here again?
Oh hell yeah....Stoneywood nostalgia....there's crew up there they just need bringing oot the woodwork. If there's a solid park it's gonna boost the scene for sure and in Aberdeen yer gonna benefit fae that nice new roof in that harsh winter. With Dobson at the helm i'm expecting good things, bring it on lads.
To use one of Mike Hume's favourite questions: What should the makers of this skatepark take from the epic Stoneywood park?
This is easy....lots of space in between obstacles and a perfect driveway....KISS...keep it simple stupid....no offence likes...just a little term that seems to fit when referring to skatepark designs.
I'm sure Blueprint will do a demo when it's up and running, do you do demo's these days?
I've done more demos in the last few months than I have done in years, with ma buddies at my side I enjoy them....Baker up front, Shier bringing up the rear...ha ha.
COLIN KENNEDY
Photography:
Thanks to