Over the last few years, I have watched DUB go from web videos, to massive jams, to a full blown rider owned clothing brand. This core group of heavy hitting street riders has gown and expanded with a highly respected reputation in that time as well. Recently, Jack added yet another venture to the mix to better support the riders who support him by opening The Loot. Seeing this put me over the edge and I knew it was more than a good time to find out a little bit about this ever growing brand. Let’s see what DUB is all about…
DUB has been a name that has been coming up for a number of years from the U.K. How did DUB initially get started? Did you ever expect it to be what it has become today?
I used to film with a lot of the crew anyway, and I wanted to put a name on our videos. While I was on a trip to Barcelona with my mate Joe Miller, we decided we’d start something together. When we got back I came up with the logo and we put a street jam on in Liverpool, and it just grew from there. Joe went traveling for a year soon after so I just kinda took over alone, but between working and traveling Joe still helps out a bit, especially lately sorting out The Loot.
What’s the meaning behind DUB? Why did you choose that for the name?
Me and Joe are both really into Dub and Raggae music, and we wanted the name to fit the chill vibe that all the crew had, so when Joe suggested Dub it was a winner. Since then I’ve been asked by a load of people in the states about it, and apparently Dubs are 20” rims over there, which fits pretty well too.
Where are you guys based out of these days? I take it you are running it out of your new shop, The Loot?
Dub’s home has always been Liverpool, and until the Loot opened last month everything has been run from my bedroom. Just a PC, a camera and a box stock.
I can’t imagine why Jack chose to open a store front…
Other than yourself, who do you have helping you out with running the brand(s)?
It’s just me really, but Joe-Tek helps out with graphics and my old housemate Frenchy made the website for us. Loads of people assume we have a ton of employees, haha. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to afford to pay some of the crew to help out so they can earn some money and still be able to ride whenever they want.
What’s a typical day like for you? Is DUB your main priority or are you starting to be more focused with The Loot?
The Loot has taken up pretty much every waking hour for the last 2 months, I’ve been at the shop 10am til 9pm most days, and I do all the DUB stuff from the shop too. All DUB orders are sent from the Loot now, and I’m still manning the DUB and Loot Facebook accounts and email addresses etc every day. The one thing that has suffered as far as DUB goes is filming for the DVD, but the weather has been shit anyway and I’ve got a few people (Danny Apple and James Alcock, Cheers!) stepping in to film stuff while I’m busy.
Original state of The Loot…
Obviously, as time has progressed, DUB has become something bigger and bigger that you didn’t really expect. What are you goals for the company now? Where would you like to see things go in the future?
It’s only recently I’ve started looking ahead, I always just took stuff as it came. We have some colab stuff in the works with a few other brands I’m into, and I want to get our stuff over to the states and Canada next year if we can. I guess the main goal now is just getting more new products out, and being able to pay for some trips for the crew, so far the crew has had other sponsors travel budgets to use for trips (Thanks a lot to Seventies and 4Down) or people have paid for themselves.
What is the current product line looking like? Can you give us some hints at what you have cooking for the future?
Currently we have a load of tees, some crewnecks, hoodies and beanies. We have had lighters, grinders and other bits made but they’re always just small batches. Right now I’m working on snapbacks, shorts and vests for next summer, and some more beanies and zippers for this winter. We also have colab seats coming out with Joe-Tek early next year, Lacey, Bengo and Jambul are reppin the prototypes, so keep an eye out for them!
Do you have any plans on doing a team trips, a DVD or throwing some more jams in the future?
We’ve been working on the “Homegrown” DVD for almost 2 years now, but with the crew being so big, and everyone having other filming commitments, injuries and the shit weather in the UK it has taken longer than we thought. It’s definitely dropping next year and it’s looking good so far… We’ll be going on some more trips early next year to finish up filming, and the next jam we have planned is the yearly Rampwrox jam in Liverpool and I’m definitely throwing another Liverpool street Jam next summer too, they’re always sick. I’ve also been getting involved with some comps too, like the NASS street event, where Lacey and I designed the course as proper street set up, with a huge double set with a kinker, and we have more stuff like that lined up for next year.
Who’s on the team these days? I know you started picking up a few U.S dudes this past year, right?
The crew is now huge! It started as the 12 OG UK riders, Ditchburn, Bengo, Lacey, Benny L, Mike Taylor, Millsy, Phil Demattia, Fooman, Nailz, Olly Evans, Cookie and Josh Roberts, and we just added Jambul. We started picking up foreign riders as we got distros abroad, and now there almost 50 riders worldwide. I keep telling myself we cant afford to take anymore on, but if I like someone’s riding I just want to get them involved, I cant help myself. I’m buzzing off the US crew, Ty Morrow is reppin, and we got David Grant, Ryan Howard, Tony Malouf,Tammy McCarley, Drew York, Seamus McKeon and Pat King. Some of them have been over to see us but I’m hoping I can take the UK crew over there and do a trip with all the UK/USA troops together, that would be epic!
Are you looking to sponsor more people? What kind of guys are you looking for when filling a spot on the team?
Like I said I keep telling myself we cant afford anymore, but never say never! The main thing when we hook people up is that they are sick on a bike, but don’t take it too seriously. I always make sure all the UK crew agrees before we add any new riders to the team too, everyone gets along really well and I wanna keep it that way!
What’s the best part about running a brand in BMX?
Just getting to hook up people I look up to and enjoy watching! I never thought when I started riding and I was watching NSF2 that one day I’d be filming a DVD with Ben Lewis, Mike Taylor and Cookie. Also it’s helped me meet a lot of people who are now friends for life, Like my brother Lacey! I wouldn’t have met them if it wasn’t for DUB.
What’s the worst part?
Getting your image of how the BMX industry is when your a kid smashed! There’s a LOT of crazy politics that comes with the business side of BMX, and it sucks. There are still a lot of people who are in it for the right reason’s though, and I’m gonna make sure I stay one of them.
So a few of the people reading this want to pick up some DUB gear. Where can they get their hands on it in the U.K? What about the U.S? Everywhere else?
You should be able to find our stuff in most good BMX shops in the UK, or if your abroad you can find our distro list on our website. We also sell direct worldwide at www.dubbmx.com. Unfortunately we don’t have a distributor for the US yet, and the exchange rate make it expensive to order from the UK, so we do our best to add freebies to US orders to try and give people better value for money.
Let’s say a shop or distributor would like to carry DUB. Who should they contact to get your product in their stores and warehouses?
They can contact me at dubbmx@gmail.com, and I’ll do my best to make It happen!
Who should people contact if they have general questions about the brand or products?
The same e-mail address above, or they can hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.
Is there anything I missed you want to add?
I just wana say thanks to everyone that’s supported us, the distros and shops, and most of all the DUB troops, Your all fucking badmen.
ChillsnotSkills!
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