“I felt disconnected in an office”

At what point did you realize that the general interest in skateboarding was fading? How did you cope with that?

“The skateboarding industry started slowing down later in 1979 and was really in trouble by the end of that year. SkateBoarder magazine started covering other sports and interests, then cut our salaries, and we were only making money on each photo or article published. The pro skaters were also struggling to support themselves. When SkateBoarder became Action Now in early 1980 I knew it was time to leave.

I contacted Gullwing, who I’d shot ad photos for, and they hired me. I became the general manager and team coach, which lasted for about 5 years until I was approached by Larry Balma at TWS magazine to come work for them in 1985.”

I understand that you worked at TWS as Managing Editor for a while – how was that experience? Were you still shooting whilst holding down that gig?

“I shot very little while working at TWS. The shift from working at Gullwing to managing editor at TWS magazine was exciting, but a dramatic change from everything I’d done before. It was more office oriented, which limited the regular involvement I’d had with skaters in traveling to skate spots.

I had hoped to continue to shoot regularly, but running the magazine took most of my time and it was the beginning of the end for me as a skate photographer.”

You’ve said that you got “disillusioned with skateboarding as a sport” in the mid-80’s – why was that?

“While at TWS, I felt very disconnected from skating while working in an office and I really missed my direct connection to skating through my photography. The sport itself was going through many changes as it grew up and was becoming very commercial. There was an increasing focus on tricks and winning contests, and fewer skaters were skating just for fun. And after 10 years in the industry, I felt that I was burning out a bit.”

[Inset: Tony Alva and Police, Caracas, 1979]