Now that the new site is for the most part all dialed in, we can get back to work. I have been talking with Tazz over the last week or so to get this done, and I finally had the chance to post this up. If you aren’t familiar with Tazz, he is one of those guys definitely coming up in BMX right now. He kills it on his bike, and has a pretty awesome personality to back it up. So check out the interview, photos, and videos, then leave him some love in the comments!
Name:
Zachary Tazz Hernandez
Is Tazz really your middle name, or is it just a nickname? What’s the story behind that anyways?
Just my middle name… My parents never called my Zachary. I have no idea why they named me Tazz. Every time I ask, they just change the subject… kooks.
Location:
Dallas TX BABY!
Sponsors:
Drive, Sauced Pizza, Tree & Leaf Clothing, RBMX Bike Shop, Curbside Industries, and Standard just flowed me a frame.
Years riding:
8 years
What was it that first got you into BMX? Any real early memories come to mind?
I was cruisin’ around G-town on my Murray mountain bike, and saw this kid carving this tranny slant thing (that I still ride all the time)… followed him home… found out he lived down the street and hung out with him every day that summer. He taught me well. Thanks Richard.
You have been riding for Drive for a while now. How are things going with them? Do you have any news about them for us? It seems like Drive has been on the down low lately? (In my opinion)
They keep my shit dialed no questions asked. I love what they make. There’s a lot of crazy business going on with the company right now though. I don’t know too much, and I don’t want to say too much. They’re moving buildings, our TM quit… Crazy shit’s going down, but everything is still good and solid. We’re about to start getting some ads out there and hitting the road as well…
Austin, Texas has one of the largest scenes in BMX, what is Dallas like? Is it a pretty bike friendly city or not so much?
Dallas is probably the exact opposite of Austin. I love the scene in Dallas though. There’s a very wide variety of riders here, and it’s more spread out… there’s not a lot going on in Dallas BMX wise, which leaves us with a lot of room to grow. Usually people from Dallas move to Austin. I always try to talk them out of it… Austin is established. We need to get shit going here.
What’s a typical day of riding like for you? Where can you usually be found riding?
THE TRAILS! I’m usually always at the trails.
I ride the Allen park every now and then while the kids are still in school… Freestyle skatepark on Thursday nights… or just lookin’ for spots…
Who is your typical riding crew these days? Any up and comers you can tell us about?
I ride with different people all the time now, so I don’t even have a certain crew I role with… Most of the guys already came up… Jeremie Infelise, Tom Dugan, Jared Swafford, Miles Rogoish, Russ Wadlin… everyone knows them already… I have no idea…
If you could go on a road trip with any 5 people, who would you pick, where would you go, and why?
Definitely the 5 dudes I named above… somewhere that none of us have ever been…somewhere with good trails, crazy street and a good skatepark… anywhere new to ride our bikes.
If you had to pick between a dialed set of trails, a few real good street spots, or real smooth park, what would you choose over the other two? Any reason why?
Trails for sure… I’m a park kid at heart, but you can do whatever you want at the trails… build whatever you want, and never have to worry about a skateboard flying at your neck. trails are where it’s at… have some beers, cook a dog and get lifted…You have done quite a bit of traveling over the years, what are some of your favorite places you have gone? What is the craziest story that comes to mind while out on the road? I love Ohio. The parks there are amazing… the chengas, the flow, section 8 RIP… the street there is real good. I like Chicago too… there’s like a million free parks around that area that are so amazing… I need to start travelin’ for some trails though… I need to get out to England.
Do you have any trips planned for the summer?
Arizona and Cali right now. Get some sections done for Seen 3 and film with some of the Drive crew…
I’ve noticed you got quite a few tricks on lock. If you could only do three, which three would you pick and why?
Invert and Turndown… I don’t even need a third… those were the only two tricks I wanted to learn when I started riding… I spent years doing shitty turndowns and tables. Once I learned those two, I was never unhappy on my bike again… I just like riding the same shit as everyone else differently. I consider that a trick.
Who or what are the influences on your riding?
I try to do shit that people don’t do… so I guess I try to not let people influence my riding. But watching anyone ride gets me pumped to ride.
Do you ever find yourself getting burned out on riding at all? What do you do to keep things fresh for you?
No way… this is all I do… ride bikes. Every day is fresh.
What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
I don’t even want to think about that… probably inventing new drugs.
What are you usually up to when you aren’t riding?
Food, sex, or editing… or myspace.
It seems like you are pretty big into filming and editing. What kind of cameras, computers, and editing programs are you working with?
Yeah, I love it… I bought a trv900 from Miles a while back; I use my grandpa’s computer with whatever editing program came with that shit, ha-ha. I never really cared for effects much… all I need is a couple fades, some title stuff and I’m good to go. Splittin clips.
What’s your dream camera setup?
Shit, that changes every day… yesterday it was a Red Scarlet, today it’s a vx2100… I’ll probably stick with the Sony… cheaper, and I can just throw it in a bag. A camera light, mic, and trusty fisheye.
I know you just had an edit come out recently, but do you have any more edits or video parts in the works?
I’m usually filming everyone else. There are not a lot of people in Dallas that know how to work a camera. That’s why I did the tripod edit… but since everyone liked it, I’ll keep shootin’ ’em out. I’ll probably start filming for the first Drive video soon.
After creeping on your Myspace I noticed you are pretty serious with your girl. What’s the Tazz method of success with the ladies?
Ha-ha, I have no idea… I don’t have a job; I live with my grandparents… I have not one clue… but I’m not going to question it… I’ll let you know if I find out.
Would you be stoked to see a midget stripper?
For a second or two.
What does it take for you to have a good night out? What are the choice drinks and smokes for you?
I love vodka, but anything that gets me drunk will do. Buglers for sure, especially with cigarette prices going up… it used to cost 2 dollars for a bag of tobacco, now it’s 5… Smoking is stupid anyway; I need to quit that shit.
What is the most money you have spent at the bar in one night?
Ha-ha a paycheck… that was a good night.
How do you feel about mustaches? Why don’t you have one?
I’m half Mexican, and I shave at least twice a day… I think they are awesome and hilarious. I will soon though… I’ve never had one. I’m scared of that halfway shit ass looking stage… plus, I don’t want to look Mexican.
Kill one, Fuck one, Marry one- Miley Cyrus, Pamela Anderson, Shamwow guy.
KILL! KILL! KILL!
What’s the first song to come to mind? Why?
Pop that pussy by 2 live crew… I have no idea why… when I hear the word song, I think “pop that pussy.”
Do you go to school at all?
Nope… just ride.
Who is your favorite rider from the original riders, now considered old-school? my old school isn’t that old, but I have a few… Hoffman for sure, the Gonz, Chris Stauffer, Rick Moliterno, John Parker… JEFF HESTER!!!
Do you plan to hit any major contests this year?
I’ve been thinking about. I used to ride in the CFB and JoMoPro… I just don’t look at bmx as a competitive sport, so the contests don’t appeal to me too much. We’ll see…
What will you add to the sport of BMX in your life-time?
Hopefully some original shit… and try to get rid of some of the seriousness in bmx… this shit is nothing but fun.
Have you ever been arrested? Do you have any crazy stories involving cops, security, hookers, midgets, homeless people, or pissed off people?
I’ve spent a couple nights in jail for warrant shit… I drove all the way to Indiana got a mile away from this Denny’s I was meeting a friend at, and a cop pulls me over because he ran my plates wrong, and I found out that my license was suspended… so I went to jail and they just let me go the next morning… I got a crazy story from Houston… keep reading if you want to read a story…
4 of us from Oklahoma City went on this little Texas trip for like a week and a half… Dallas, Austin and Houston… the trip went awesome until Houston. we get wasted at dirtwood, one of my friends gets dropped on his face and splits his upper lip… he’s bleeding all over the place, drunk. we end up going to this guys apartment to keep the party going… one of the guys from OKC rides to the gas station to get something to eat and comes back with two strippers… this apartment is full of guys. not one girl in this place. one stripper wasn’t down with it, so she left… the other one stayed, started grinding on a dude and took him into a room. he came out like a minute later saying he needed more guys… so 5 more guys go in there… a minute later he comes back out saying “that’s not my scene, that’s not my scene…” the other guys stayed in there… someone opens the door, two guys are jerkin’ to porn on the computer, and the other 3 are getting sucked off… god damnit. long story short… the stripper ends up being a tranny, and it was one of the guys 23rd birthday that night… and he had never done anything with a girl… his first blow job came from a dude. crazy times… Jared Hawley also spit in some girls face that night, then got head from her… and jack in the box.
What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
Get Seen Video Magazine rollin’ bigger, get a house, build an amazing set of trails and have fun.
Friends: How is the Seen video mag going?
Slow, but I’ve been getting shit ready for the Roasted Turkey Jam on June 20th… I’ve been throwing two jams a year for the past 2 or 3 years… one in the summer and one in the winter… Cold Turkey Jam and Roasted Turkey Jam… this year it’s at the trails, so I gotta work to get shit running and build new shit… I always have my camera though, and waiting for some good riding… Seen 3 will be good good good.
Friends: What’s your worst injury?
I broke my ankle doin’ tailwhips a long time ago… the day I started riding again, I broke the other one doing a 180 lookback… my ankles have never been the same… fuck my ankles.
What is the hardest part about rollerblading?
ha-ha… telling your parents you’re gay…
What are some things that really piss you off or get on your nerves?
Stupid people
What is one thing you need more of, and one thing you need less of?
I need more gas… and I need less of my car not passing inspection.
If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
I don’t want anyone to be hungry… that shit sucks… everyone should always have food… other than that, my world’s good.
What is the best advice you have ever been given, or able to give?
Don’t read the book, write the book.
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Kurt, Erik Olof Engstrom for gettin me rollin’ with Drive, Ed and Mandy for giving me free pizza for life, Dusty and Caleb (Tree & Leaf Clothing) for making badass clothes and giving them to me for free, Quentin Taylor from RBMX for always keeping my bike rollin smooth, and Russ and Rick from Standard, Sue for coming on roadtrips with me and being supportive… My grandma, for driving me around the country when I was younger, just to ride a bicycle… and everyone I ride with.
Anything else you want to say?
Pop that pussy
