Photos by Kyle Myles
Interview by Chris Aguirre
Name, age, and how long have you been skating?
C: My name is Cullen, I’ve been skating for five years, and I’m 14.
X: I’ve got to do some math. I started when I was six and I’m 15 now.
So nine years?
X: But I technically started when I was eight, so seven years. My name is Xan Stevenson, I’m fifteen, and I’ve been skating for seven years.
What got you both into skating?
X: So this one dude who I’m friends with was running a TV ad and needed a skateboard prop. When they were done using it as a prop he suggested to my mom that I should start skating.
C: My uncle got me into it.
Right, Kyle Myles, who shot photos for this interview. So what do you like about skateboarding?
X: I like learning tricks and making new friends.
C: There’s no rules to it.
Both good answers. Do you guys watch videos? I’m curious if your generation even watches skate videos.
X: We do.
C: My favorite is Mindfield.
X: I don’t know what mine is, it’s one that Joey showed me.
Who’s in it?
X: I don’t know, that’s the thing haha. It’s an older one.
Do you know names of pro skaters? Who do you like watching?
C: Gilbert Crockett, Caleb McNeely, and Ronnie Sandoval.
X: I’m blanking now. Evan Smith, I like his style and bag of tricks.
How much do you feel like Instagram has influenced your skateboarding?
X: Honestly, a lot. If I see that my friend or some random kid posted a sick trick it’s like, “ah I need to get better.”
Interesting, so you look at it like fuel for competition?
X: Yeah, I guess. And it inspires me to get better. Also, I think it’s fun to post clips in general.
Do you find yourself worried about trends that you see on IG?
X: No.
C: I don’t pay attention to it too much.
Tell me your favorite trick to do, and your favorite trick to see.
C: I like back 5-0’s, and crooks.
X: I’ll name three I like to do. I like back disasters, fakie 5-0 pivot, and I also like frontside flips. Tricks that I like to see be done, I saw this really sick switch frontside flip done down this set today. That was sick. Buttery frontside flips, I like that. And I’d say nollie flips.
What are you sick of seeing in skateboarding?
X: Skinny pants.
Do you even see that? I feel like everyone is wearing baggy pants.
X: When I see someone wearing them it’s uncomfortable for me.
What about you Cullen?
C: People wearing Empyres.
What are Empyres?
C and X in unison: Zumiez pants.
X: Oh, I have another one. I don’t like seeing people do heelflips. It’s only cool if they’re buttery.
What’s wrong with heelflips?
X: I can’t do them.
Where do you want to see skateboarding go?
C: Back to the mid 2000’s. I wish the old Alien Workshop team was still around.
We all wish that.
X: Right now I’m getting into more chunkier shoes, I’m getting into that style. So the era when DC and éS were making OG shoes.
What turns you guys onto that era of skateboarding?
X: Swag haha. I guess I just started wearing that one day. I started with the camo pants honestly.
C: Older skate videos that my uncle showed me.
What music are you guys listening to right now?
X: I like trap music and rock music, like The Clash, Clutch, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Bold Thrower, Slayer, and trap music I found through Instagram. I latched on to it.
C: I guess alternative rock. Title Fight.
Are you into hardcore?
C: Is that really hardcore? Some of their songs are a bit chiller. It’s probably more like hard rock.
Favorite shoes to skate right now?
C: Converse. I like skating in Chucks.
X: Lately I’ve been skating Dunks, they’re nice but they’re too expensive. I really like Blazers and Half Cabs too. I skate whatever really.
Who’s the best dog in the world?
X: Indy Stevenson.
Wrong answer.
X: She bit me this morning. She drew blood.
And that’s why she’s the best?
X: Yeah, exactly.
Watch Cullen and Xan’s welcome parts in Vu Skateshop’s Xan & Cullen’s Pack of Lies.
