Interview: Russell Grundy

(questions by RDH, all photos are Fick)

RDH: I remember seeing you do a kicky melon to fakie when I first met you on the central coast like 6 years ago? I've skated with you hundreds of times since then and never see you do them anymore, even after being requested to, what's up with that?

RG: That's the best trick in the world. Well I only really did them during contests as a safety trick. But I haven't been in a comp in ages�

RDH: I saw you do a big one at Globe World Cup...

RG: Yeah World Cup was a fun contest

RDH: You haven't been skating too many contests lately are you over 'em?

RG: I'm not really a competitive person, I only went to contests to have fun, I really should start doing it again, I need some money�

RDH: Where have you been living lately and what have you been up to

RG: I live in PB (pacific beach) San Diego, with my girlfriend, I've just been skating heaps, chilling with The Lorifice and your brother.


sw board 270 out - sickquence: fick

RDH: Rad, my brother has a good tailslide, has he been doing any of his slippery tail slashers lately?

RG: He has the best tailslides to fakie, He's sick right now, I have his Creature jumper here, could you tell him, I have no phone.

RDH: Why don't you have a phone?

RG: I don't have my phone turned on due to no money right now

RDH: What other shit do you like to do besides skate

RG: Usually I fish, but I haven't been since I've been here.


channel hop - fick

RDH: You should be, you live by the ocean...

RG: Also I can't afford a rod and every time I organize a fishing trip, it rains or something falls though.

RDH: Where do you usually skate?

RG: I skate all around PB, the alleys here are awesome, full of bumps and flatbars. All over SD, I go everywhere when I have fuel money.

RDH: Parks or street?

RG: Both, I've been turning street into parks with Jeff King.

RDH: What exactly have you been doing with him, besides making love?

RG: I've been helping him build some stuff, he concreted all around his pool with crazy tranny stuff, that was fun, and just some other stuff for "Built to Shred" his show on Fuel TV. But love making is best�


fs flip - sickquence: fick

RDH: Of course

RDH: Where are you from

RG: Morisset, 35 mins, south east of Newcastle, on Beautiful Lake Macquarie.

RDH: And after living there for who knows how long, what made you want to move to the states.

RG: My Girlfriend

RDH: That works out pretty good seeing as San Diego has better skate spots than Morisset.

RG: Yeah, it has its Pros and Cons, you could say.

RDH: What are the cons? What do you miss from home?

RG: Damn, where do I start; I can't go on random over night fishing trips to the bung, all the mates back home, Wednesday nights at Slam Factory, chillin' at Burnies this could go on for awhile�you know you understand�

RDH: You would fish in Bernie's bung? Did you ever catch anything?

RG: hahaha

RDH: I like your beard it's really scraggly and red�

RG: I don't really maintain it much

RDH: You have a pretty seedy hairdo. But it always seems well conditioned what products to you use?

RG: I use whatever my hand touches that day, covered with a hat.


back lip revert - sickquence: fick

RDH: Time for you to ask me a question

RG: When are you coming down here again?

RDH: I want to road trip it this summer, its hard to leave Oregon with our surplus of cement parks�

RG: Yeah, but Washington St. is always fun

RDH: Fuck yeah, you guys diffidently have some fun parks down there, and as you said the back alleys are second to none.

RDH: Time for some "Top Fives".

RDH: Skaters?

RG: Koston, PJ Ladd, Marc Johnson, Bateup, Skunkos

RDH: Video Parts?

RG: PJ Ladd "Wonderful Horrible Life", Marc Johnson "Fully Flared", Eric Koston "Yeah Right", Jason Lee "Video Days", Shane Cross I.H.U2a

RDH: Bands?

RG: Beatles, Eagles, ACDC, Iron Maiden, Wham

RDH: Spots to gamble?

RG: MGM grand, New York New York, Excalibur, Star City, Paris

RDH: Who hooks you up?

RG: Billabong , Slam Factory, High Roller, and I've been skating Stereo boards.

RDH: Anyone you want to thank?

RG: Yeah�well thanks go out to, You first of all, for this and those rad DAKINE bags, my family, Potty and Drew, Rob for letting me stay on his couch for 3 months, Mayfield lads, Bateup, Mat Young, Pat, Sparrow, Kieran, Matt Hekkila, the sponsors, Encinitas, Orlando, scum life, OB, PB, and shubba.com�


back smith - fick