‘Crack’ ‘crack’

For our readers, that’s the sound of the demon alcohol getting involved in this interview. We got a 6 pack and a pack of cigarettes. I think we are set.

(laughs)

Let’s start off simple, What’s your name and where are you from?

My name is Zoltan Bodi and I’m from Hungary.

What was it like growing up and skating in Hungary and who were your favorite skater’s growing up?

Growing up in Hungary was like growing up in a deserted island. It was like no man’s land. We didn’t have a skate shop or anything like that. Somehow we would get a skateboard magazine and look at the tricks and try to copy what they were doing. I would say my favorite skater was Steve Caballero. We had all the Bones Brigade videos and the first shop opened in 1991.

How did you end up in Philadelphia and taking photos?

My father came here in 85 and I ended up visiting in 87. I went back to Hungary and came back in 1990 again. Finally in late 2000 I ended up staying here. I love Philadelphia.

Yea me too, I don’t think I’ll ever leave. So how did you end up taking photos?

I hurt my knee in 1996 and got my first knee surgery. I thought it was the end of the world, but I told myself I have to be around skateboarders and skateboarding even though I was hurt. So I decided to start taking photographs of my friends and other skateboarders.

How did you get injured?

I was trying to ollie down 5 stairs and I changed my mind in the middle of it and tried to step off my board. I ended up twisting my knee and I’ve had 5 knee surgeries since.

What kind of Camera and Lens do you use?

Canon 5D. 15mm fisheye. 50mm. 70-210 zoom

What’s your favorite photograph in a magazine?

Matt Hensley ollie under the bridge over the highway, it was in Transworld. Do you remember that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yea it was like part of the bridge was a quarter pipe and the highway is in the background.

Yea!

What is your favorite photograph that you’ve taken?

Steve Faas in the Warehouse.

Yea Faas rips! One of my favorite photos you’ve take is the one of Dave Moyer doing that crazy backside melon in the square bowl at FDR.

Moyer is my favorite skater. I don’t think he’s skating that much these days, but when he shows up to FDR he’s got the craziest tricks and some of the highest ollies and grabs. I have a photo of him in 2006, it’s actually a sequence of him doing backside flip to tail to revert in the square bowl.

Who are some of your other favorite skaters at FDR?

Steve Faas, Sperm, Shreddie, Sonny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who are your favorite skaters at the Warehouse?

Pizzle( Andrew Paterson)

The warehouse is an indoor bowl built by some of my favorite Philadelphia skaters. Of all the cigarettes that I have smoked in my life, half of them have been at the warehouse. I’ve met a lot of hot chicks there and some nights I don’t even remember how I got home. What was your most memorable night there?

Probably the night I fell in the bowl when I fought with Jerry. I was completely drunk. Also any of the parties there, especially the Halloween party.

What is the best night to go there and the best music to listen to?

Best night is Tuesday night and the best music to listen to is Evil Woman by Black Sabbath.

Agreed! Tell us about the photo you took of Akers , the one that got on the cover of Skate Jawn?

The Pole Jam. I took that in 2010 when we used to live in Fishtown. That pole jam was very close to our house. Like in February there was this sunny day, we went there and it took him like 6 tries to get it.

That was a sick house you guys lived in, Quarter pipes in the back yard, homegrown vegetable garden and lots of boozing nights. I remember waking up there one time and Akers made everyone coffee, also a blunt was being passed around, I passed on that. Was it like that all the time?

Not all the time, but a lot of times Yes.(laughs)

What happened to that Quarter pipe in the back yard?

Willy and Andy Fish got this concrete saw and cut it into pieces. Now it’s behind the revolution bowl at FDR, waiting to be put together again.

Sick. Last question. What’s with all the stickers on your van?

I love stickers. You should see all my previous cars. They were just like this one, stickers covering it from top to bottom. (laughs)

Any Shoutouts?

Nah, not really. Just keep skating.