Roger Krebs Interview

August 28, 2017

fs flip wallride

Roger, what’s going on, what are we doing right now?

We’re at the Phoenix Hotel, having a pool party. We partying in the Tenderloin.

What have you been doing all day?

Woke up in the sunset at a friend’s house, went and skated around a little bit and got some coffee, a coconut, and some grapefruit juice, and then I went… Where the fuck did I go? I just forgot.

It’s okay. Is that like an average day? You forgetting where you are?

Well an average day would be I wake up, skate down 24th up to Guerrero and then walk up to 21st. Bomb the double shoot down to the 19th, make my way over to the BART on 16th, and then make my way downtown and go skate throughout the city. All day. Every day.

So what do you do for work?

I park cars, I’m a valet.

Have you ever parked cars on acid?

Next question.

Where you from originally? Is SF better?

I’m originally from Cleveland, OH. I wouldn’t say it’s better, there’s just different aspects. I love San Francisco though and that’s why I live here.

What did you love most about Cleveland?

My family being there. Skateboarding and shit was cool too, but family for sure.

Who were some of the OGs that showed you the way out there?

Tim Rigby owned a shop called Ohio Surf and Skate, unfortunately it went under cause he was too nice of a dude. But through that shop I met Grady Wilrich, Jeff Weisenberg, Dan Byler, Jake and Isaac Edwards, Brian Burkholder. They were the older heads who brought me to skateparks and stuff. Then when I started skating street it was Nathan Malinsky, he had the skate wagon with everything you’d need. Bondo, signs, generator from a lawnmower engine.

taildrop 50-50

Sick, what’s yr favorite trick?

Tail scrapes over manholes in the street.

So when’s the last time you took a lady out on a date?

Tonight! I saw a girl I know from another girl that I was seeing. Saw her walking down the stairs at BART and I peeked through that lil tunnel and saw her and I was like “Alright, she looks familiar.” Then we linked up and now we’re here. Told her we we’re going to a hotel party, and here we are.

What’s yr favorite flavor of buzzballs and how’d they become trendy?

Probably strawberry rum job, but that’s just the buzzballs talking. I don’t know how they showed up, I saw em on Spirit Airlines which you should never fly because it sucks, and then we just started saying the word cause it’s so fucking catchy. Then everybody caught on, and started saying it and actually drinking them. But I rarely drink buzzballs, I WILL drink one for sure, like yo @buzzballs send me a box!

You reading this buzzballs? Send us a box.

They were supposed to already! But it never came… Oh my toe!

Shit sorry, yr really wearing flip flops right now?

Yeah I just found em poolside, I don’t know who’s they are.

Sketchy. What’s the meaning of life?

Enjoy it!

So what does “linking and building” mean?

It can mean anything you want it to mean. You can link and build a girl, you can link and build a buzz ball, you can link and build a spliff. Anything, you’re just networking, you’re linking, you’re building, you’re doing your thing.

Well said, so I just declined Dr. Browns phone call, what do you think about him?

I think I left him at work at 8 o’clock cause I cut myself early to come to the pool party! But I love Dr. Brown. He fucks with the vision heavy.

What is the vision, and can anybody fuck with it?

The vision is the vision and it’s linking and building and that’s all you have to do.

fs flip p- Daniel Beck

So how’d you get on Snack?

When I lived on Van Ness and Eddy in 2011, I was skating down Van Ness and I ran into Bonesaw. I had met him prior, but basically I was like, “Where’s the party at?” and he was like, “Oh it’s that way.” And he sent me to Folsom Street Fair.

Yikes. Describe the team in one word?

There’s a lot of affiliates, but I guess I’d say goofballs.

Tell me something incriminating about Bonesaw?

Ahhh, incriminations of the hacksaw. He’s hacking and linking right now! That’s a tough question, Bonesaw never incriminates himself.

Have you ever thought you were going to die?

All the time, every day! Whether it’s bombing a hill or walking down the street in the TL. You never know what’s gonna happen.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’m already a burnout so fuck, more burnt.

What’s yr favorite hill in the city?

There’s two of em. Guerrero from 21st to 19th, and then Diamond Heights. From the top, the crustiness to the smoothness. It’s a good balance.

Whats yr favorite alley in the city?

I’m not gonna say Albion, if that’s what you want me to say. I don’t even have a favorite, I skate down all of em just to see what’s going on.

What was the craziest shit that happened in Colombia to you?

The whole trip was crazy. I had a great time man, it was wild and we skated a ton. We met a lot of really cool people too. America puts all other countries on blast for the dumbest shit and they don’t even know. Travel, travel, travel. It’s the best thing.

You think yr gonna stay out West?

I don’t know, I love it here but with the way things are looking who knows? I might end up in Japan, or some shit. I’d like to live there.

ollie

(Drunk Russian girl: Who is your friend? You are neglecting him!)

Nickodem: I’m just waiting for the bus and they’re doing an interview! I don’t want to interrupt.

You’re not interrupting trust me! Why’d you have to do this damn interview at the party asshole!?

This is the whole point! Nick you got any questions?

(Drunk Russian: I have question! are you grateful for your skate skills?)

Very grateful, I’m extremely grateful for my body and my legs and my arms and my torso and my penis. I’ve been skateboarding for eighteen years! And it took me a while to realize how skateboarding makes me feel, and to truly appreciate it. I don’t know about the skills, but I understand now how much I appreciate the way being on a skateboard makes me feel happy. That’s what I’m grateful for.

(Drunk Russian: I feel the same thing for Salsa dance.)

Alright that’s enough. How much acid is too much acid?

There’s never too much acid.

What do you think of electric skateboards?

I don’t know, I like to just point and laugh at those people. I mean it looks like they’re having a good time and all, but I don’t fuck with em personally. I was talking with Adrian the other day and he was saying there should be a little attachable thing for your board, like a little motor so then you could just cruise up the hill real quick. I mean thats a cool idea but nah, I’m not fucking with the electric longboards. They are not fucking with the vision.

Anybody you want to shout out hooking you up?

Venture, Brama’s hooking it up. Bronson and Mob just sent me a nice little box. Vans, yes, thank you Matt Casper, you do so much! Mission, FTC, DLX, all the shops, thank you for keeping this city going.