Interview: Pat Dandy (words and all photos by Rome Torti)
Tell everyone who you are?
I'm Pat Dandy, i live on the gold coast and ride for zero, fallen, pig wheels flow and skateboards only.
How old are you and have you always been a hairy beast?
I'm 20 and i guess i've been pretty hairy for a while haha, its getting ridicules now though, my chest hairs are starting to join with my beard, its gnarley.
You live on the Gold Coast now but before that you grew up in a lovely place called Wanganui, tell Australia about this pretty little south island town.
north island you gay man, Rome thinks its funny to tell everyone i'm from the south island. Well Wanganui is a pretty crazy little town, the mungrel mob which is a well known nz gang are pretty big there, so if you wanna get a bulldog tatted on your face you should move there, nah its a good place, i'm glad i grew up there.
When did skateboarding enter your life pat and when did the sponsorship world first come a knockin?
I think I would have been like 10 or something when i started skating, i would of been about fifteen when i got hooked up by a sk8 shop in wanganui called spotz shed.
One question i know alot of people would like answered, is the skin on your back really leather?
hahah you've seen me bleed many of times, so i guess that's not true, but it could be getting stronger from landing on it heaps, maybe one day it might be as tough as leather haha that would be sick!!
Pat why is it when you slam you grunt like a wild bore?
My dads a wild bore, you've seen him romeo, good old spud.
You just swapped your kewday sponsorship to join zero, which is fitting because you are definat'ly a poormans Jamie Thomas, how did this come about and was it hard to leave the kewday coop?
Yeah it was definitely hard leaving kewday, Jamie and all the kewday family were all super cool. I spoke to Barnaby about riding for zero and he was psyched and so was i so that's how it happened.
frollie - photo: torti
|
Obviously joining the zero team must be a dream come true for you, what's it feel like to be added to you all time favorite team?
Yeah its pretty crazy, the team is so sick, i'm just psyched to be able to skate everyday.
Fallen are making a video right now. any chance you might have some clips in there?
Well Jamie Thomas is supposed to be sending a camera over or something, so maybe i dunno.
Do you feel the pressure to throw yourself off large buildings now your in the zero army?
Nah not really, i like trying to push myself and do bigger shit than i've done before, that's how its always been and i'm just gonna keep doing what i do.
Who are some skaters that influence you, by first impressions most would assume people like the zero team, but who else are you into? sheckler? smolik?
Sheckler's the tightest haha.. yea obviously the zero dudes, Jon Allie is amazing to watch, Geoff Rowley's always been one of my favorites too.
Now pat, its no secret your a bit of a ladies man, have you got any tips for the young fellas out there that want to learn the secrets to womanising?
haha i dunno man, i can't answer that question.
Ok, how about this one, out of any woman in the world, which one would you most like to club over the head and drag to your cave?
Yes that's my answer to the question above, club em lads! it works every time haha . umm dude ther'es way too many to choose one, i thought you would of known i would say that Romeo.
I would of said Shakira. The spots on the gold coast are not always the smoothest, including the parks, do you think this helps skaters from here get better since they grow up skating average spots?
Yeah we do have limited spots on the gold coast, some spots that get skated are pretty ruff and shithouse, so yea for sure i think it helps when you get to sk8 some smooth spot.
You have quite a few tattoos now, how many more are on the way?
I still want heaps of shit, if i didn't spend all my money on beer, i would have alot more, i'm gonna get some soon though, hook me up with some tattoo money barnaby, haha.
One thing i find humerous about you also pat is how you think everything is gay. The other day you called me and asked what i was doing , i told you i was xmas shopping for my family and you said i was a gay homo for doing so, why is shopping for your loved ones gay?
Who the hell says loved ones, that's so gay. i know your a secret homo rome, just come out man i wont judge you.
Who are you calling homo, i can remember a drunken birthday boy getting a bit gay no so long ago! i think your just in denial as to what you really want, another hairy man to listen to slayer with and make out!
hahahaha alright you got me there rome, but your not my type mate, don't worry you'll find a big old man to take care of you someday lad.
Why do you only like vb Pat?
Because its the tightest, i started drinking it when i found out i was gonna move here, its so cheap in new zealand, last time i went back i brought a six pack for $7!
Who do you usually skate with ?
-Well you will usually pick me up just after i've woke up, so ill make my breakfast and jump in the car, my lil bro Jim will sometimes come, Jimmy Roche, Dan Wheel, Sparx, Trent Fahey, Jason "Feather" Heather, John "Dicko" Dickenson, Nick "Apprentice" Wilson, Jualean, heaps of people, who ever's down, i can't think of who else.
2007 was a pretty awesome year for you, 2 slam covers, a shit load of coverage, good sponsorship deal but it was also a terrible year for skateboarding in oz as with so many fellow skaters losing their lives. what's your plans/ hopes for 08?
Man it was a very crazy year with the deaths in the skate community, Shanes passing affected me quite a bit because i new him personally, my deepest condolences to all the family's and friends who lost there loved ones (i just said it, i'm gay) no plans for 2008 just skate and see what happens.
Ok mate that's enough out of you pig, finish it off the way you finish every conversation.
-LATERRRRRRSSSSSS!!
fs noseblizz - photo: torti
|
|
