ringworm - fenning

Interview: Ambrose Kenny Smith

(Photos - Fenning/Dunny, Vid - Cal, Qs - Fenning)

Mr Ambrose Kenny Smith
Age: 16
Sponsors: Foundation, Emerica, Speakys skate shop and Winkipop!
Town of Dwelling: Ocean Grove, Geelong. Right by the beach boi


The name Ambrose is the not a name you hear very often in Australia like Dj Double decks Dave or Frankie four fingers are something you'd hear in the school yard. Where did it come from and why did your parents choose it?

Well apparently one day my grandma told my parents to name me Ambrose after one of my great relatives. My dad is a bit of a boxing fanatic and named me after the old school boxer Ambrose Palmer

Ever thought of changing it?

Not really, used to want to change my last name because I hated having two What's the best band or song name you've ever heard?

Goons of Doom, Chocolate Watchband and of course The 13th Floor Elevators are all sick names I reckon. Rodriguez has some sick names for songs, so does Nick Cave. That bad muthafucka called Stagger Lee!


OG Park: Cal What's the name of your band? Do you gig around Melbourne much?

Sambrose Automobile, it's my name and friend Sams can't remember how we got automobile? We usually play down our way more along the surf coast and stuff. We've played in Melbourne a few times it's just a bit of a hassle sometimes getting up there I guess, would rather wait so when were overage we can drink at the pubs we play at instead of just doing a set and then leaving.

You going to be releasing any ep's or albums this year?

Ah yeah were doing another ep real soon, we've just decided to do it at this recording studio in Geelong so it should turn out sounding pretty good hopefully.

Does the musical side of things ever take over the skating side of things to the point were your spending perfect sunny day's just drinking brew and playing tunes?

Yeah most of the time we practise on the weekends during the day which sucks because it's always at the worst times mostly so there's not much time to skate before or after

What would you rate your top 3 vens for good cheap/free live gigs?

1. Piping Hot Chicken Shop - Ocean Grove, we play there a bit too often but it's always fun
2. Blues Train - Queenscliff, each cartridge there's a different band/artist playing. Bumpy ride
3. Queenscliff Music Fest - overall a pretty fun weekend, make the effort and go sometime I go almost every year ha-ha


bareflop - fenning You should organise some sort of tour/road trip of gigs and skating..that would be a tight little article.

Ha-ha that's a sick idea! There would have to be soo much effort in planning that. I would love to start a band with all skateboarders one day that would be ideal

What are you main musical influences? Have you seen any of them live?

I have heaps of influences I listen to almost anything, hate people that are real judgemental and one sided about music sometimes. Blues influences would be like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James etc. I've also seen a fair few different people play, saw KISS with Caccas when I was younger that was pretty hectic! Also saw The Prodigy play at Big Day Out this year that was hilarious seeing a massive amount of people real panged getting into it. Last band I probably saw live was Tame Impala at this pub in Geelong where me and my mate jumped the fence into the beer garden while crook watched out for bouncers, they're amazing live. Ended up walking away completely drenched in mine and other peoples sweat, fun night.

Do you get into your art much..apart from music?

Yeah I recently went and saw the Salvador Dali Exhibition with school last week which was amazing, surrealism is the best to look at while under the influence..

This question is completely disjointed from the last but Jack Crook the other day was telling me how your mum made him get out of the car in some dirty wet car park just after she picked you up from the skate park to pick up a bottle??? Then proceeded to fang through a massive puddle which completely drenched Jack in tasty mud water and you guys were laughing for ages..

Ha-ha holy shit, that happened like at least three years ago I think? Me, my friend Rhys and my mum went to pick up Jack one night from his house in Barwon Heads. On the turn off into his street it was raining and there was a huge puddle at the bus stop on the corner. We made a plan to get Jack to run over to the puddle a pick up some supposable rubbish we had dropped. Jack being overly nice person he is jumped out of the car without hesitation and ran over to the puddle. My mum then sped up driving straight through the puddle splashing a tidle wave of rain water all over Jack. Almost crying with laughter we let Jack back in the car wet with dirty water all the way into Geelong.

When you come to Melbourne who do you usually skate with crash etc.you were staying at Mike Martins for a while there weren't you?

Ah yeah sometimes I would stay at there pad in Pooran with him and Yuta, beautiful apartment might I add. But other from staying there I usually crash at either 198 in Carlton or at my home away home at Sammy George's house in East Bentleigh.


flannel of prawps - fenning Who's your style influences on the board?

Um there are a few favourites to watch.
Ethan Fowler
Team Poon
Jefri Klasevski
Rhys Grogan
Angel Ramirez
Dan Drehobl
Bobby Pratt
Charles McIver(Ian on the forums)

I've noticed you're a pretty big Fan of the no comply flip tricks. That was a pretty tight no comply 360 heel flip front tails you did at the park the other day. Is that something you just made up or influenced by a combination of skaters?


pineapple cabaret - fenning Whaley flips there called, from the originator Ron Whaley. There pretty fun to do cause there's not much effort needed. I didn't invent it or anything its just funny pulling them out and seeing people's reactions ha-ha

You and Caccas are pretty good mates. How long have you guys been skating together for?

Since I moved to the Geelong area I first started skating with Jack and the rest of the Fudge It Crew ha-ha. After skating with them a bit I eventually started hanging out with Caccas from skating in Geelong so since I was about 11. Pretty much hanged out with him nearly every day since then, off and on though due to his bipolar like personality. That man is one crazy unit, stories and bitching about his antics can go for days... in the end you gotta love him, he's not normal.

I remember a while ago we finished up the day skating at pivot city Skate Park and Caccas left about an hour before we left and forgot his board. I ended up finding it and dropping it back at his house and he had no idea he forgot it? Does that happen very often?

Caccas loses everything dude! every time I with him the question most asked would have to be either "where do you want to skate?" then mostly disagreeing with my reply, the other is always "where's my wallet" or "where's my phone" and if you don't instantly start trying to help the retard he starts flipping out then eventually finds that he was sitting on it.

How was your dead line filming for the Glong vid? Was it hectic? At what point did you realise it was real? It was actually going to happen.

The whole time caccas was filming for Once Upon A Time I didn't really take it that serious thinking that it wouldn't happen. Wasting most my time filming shit tricks sometimes mucking around caccas kept it all and put it together. I was pretty disappointed with a lot of it but towards the end of filming it I felt I was getting better things slowly but was too late I guess.
But with people like Jack on the other hand who absolutely killed it whenever he had the chance. Considering the circumstances filming with Caccas sometimes can be hectic and I lose it. Prawps to Crooky he's wheels were on fire ha

Do you think it's changed the way how people skate in the area now because there's a level that has to be met before anything is taken serious for footage or photos?

I don't think anyone in Geelong takes it seriously, if you hang out at the waterfront park enough you will understand. Everyone comes from different areas in Geelong some areas poorer than others, at the park on the waterfront everything is just chilling doing stuff like playing dice and rolling around the park. most of the time you cant leave ha-ha


mctwist - sickquence: dunny

Any travel plans for this year?

I would love to go anywhere almost even just out of the state ha-ha, have no money though and never works out when I try to hassle other people for it. Sure mumsy might help me out with something soon, been pretty keen to go to Perth for awhile...

1.. Books or Magazines

Brochures

2.. Records or C.ds

Vinyl

3.. Popped Bennie or Flat peaks

Train driver hats

4.. Cheap Asian bakery or home made lunches

Asian bakery prices went up so home made

5.. Good skate park or skatable street spots

Snake run

6.. Fist fight or wrestling mach's

Thumb wars

dill woz ere - dunny

7.. Nintendo or Sega's

Mario kart moo moo farm

8.. 12 string guitar or 6's

Ukulele

9.. Good movie or TV sezes

Films

10.. Throwing up or fighting

Grog bogs

11.. Basket Ball or Golf's

Basket Ball, your mums going out with squeak

12.. Jog or sprint's

Walk into a sprint (the speed up)

13.. Beer or Sprit's

Be3r

14.. Gigs or Festival's

Festivals FO sho

15.. Bruised heels or ripped hand's

Broken nails

Thanks for your time mate - Out shouts

Suttsy
Jimmy aka Ringo
Dmcewan
Pete and Matt from Goliath
Aek from Emerica
Everyone at Speakys
Paulie chicken Dyer
Hugh Thomas Gilbert
Jack William Crook
Sydor and the Andrews
Jeremy Corea the smooth operator
Callum Lanky Paul
Dean Palmer for his dance moves
The Random Massive ha
Cac The Wack
Hayz
Camberwell Warriors
Sloz
Bob Harley
props go here........