Kevin had a really good web video come out about a week ago and he had done pretty good last year in the Dew Tour so the interview was in need. So we got it done, enjoy!

Name:
Kevin Lajos Kiraly

Location:
Livermore California

Sponsors:
Redline Bicycles, Alpinestars, Beloe footwear

Years riding:
like 6 or 7

It seems like lately you have really blown up. Did you ever expect to be riding bikes as a career?
Well not really, i always wanted to but dreams are dreams haha

You recently had a web video for redline come out, do you have any other video parts or web edits in the works?
The Redline web vid turned out pretty cool, i was really siked on it, it was just me messing around at my park and it didnt turn out half bad, so there will probably a lot more in the future. But as of right now im filming for an unnamed video with full parts from some gnarly dudes like Corey Bohan and Kym Grosser.

How are things going with Redline, any news you can share like road trips, videos, signature parts, or anything like that?
Well right now im riding my signature sticker way G5 frame, that wont be available for a couple months, and im Buying a High Definition camera soo hopefully ill be able to makes Some HD Web vids for redline.

Your also on Beloe, what was it like to be asked to be apart of that team and how did it all come about?
I was Soo happy when Brian asked me if i wanted to be apart of Beloe, especially after he told me who was on the team. company’s awsome

Is there any signature stuff from Beloe coming from you or> anything big involving you and Beloe?
No, no signature stuff for me but i think Jim C is getting a signature shoe

How about the rest of the sponsors? Anything big going on> with those?
Nothing really besides my redline frame stickerway thing.

Your obviously able to ride ramps, what are some of your favorite things/places to ride?
I definetly ride the park almost everyday, But i love riding street, i definetly get more satisfaction riding good street then good park.

Did you grow up racing at all or have you just been freestylin since day 1?
I raced when i was really young but quit when i was about 11, then started freestyling when i was like 16.

How do you feel about contests? Do you plan on doing the Dew Tour again this year?
contest are fun and stressful at the same time. Yes i will be at the dew tour this year, i stayed in high enough points last year to be prequalified for this year. Theyre fun though.

You get to travel a fair amount, where are some of your favorite places you have been and where are some places you would like to go at some point?
I have only been inside the united states, probably my favorite place is Greenville North Carolina, i know i know, such a generic answer but that place is amazing, soo fun and soo many amazing riders. I definetly want to go to Barcalona, and australia.

If you could go on a road trip with 5 people to ride, who would you bring and why?
this is an easy one, Colin Mackay, Garrett Reynolds, Ty Morrow, Danny Hickerson, and Gator. All those guys are amazing people and amazing riders and if you dont know Gator, hes the MirraCo TM and one of the funniest people ive ever met.

You seem to have quite a bag of tricks, what are some tricks that give you the most trouble?
Vador jams and downside double peg grinds, both those tricks ive tried numerous times and can never get them.

If you could change anything about BMX what would it be and why?
wish they still called stem’s goose necks.

Have you had any serious injuries on your bike?
Broken pinky, ive been super lucky soo far “knock on wood”

Outside of riding what are some things you are into?
im really into filming and video editing, my dog, and the GF

Do you work at all other than ride? If not what kinds of jobs have you had in the past?
im lucky enough to not have to work, but i did work at the bike shop for a month then quit.

How do you feel about getting loose? Strippers? and public intoxication?
Its fun, getting loose with your good friends is always amazing.

If you could hook up with any actress/model/person who would it be and why?
Probably Scarlett Johanson (probably spelt her name wrong) just because shes super hott!

What is something crazy that has happened to you that nobody believes?
not sure, nothing worthy to tell

What are some bands or music you are into?
definetly into chill electro indie stuff. Fisherspooner, elkland, peter bjorn and John.

Seen any good movies lately?
I am Legend, i like those kinda future Movies.

How do you feel about school?
its kool if you like it, i sucked at school so i wasnt really into it.

Who or what are some of the biggest influences on your life?
My Older Brothers, Mom, DAD, Colin Mackay, Optimus Prime.

If you could be sponsored by any non-bmx related company, who would it be and why?
Probably Audi So i can have dope cars, or subway because i always eat it.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
Travel More, Win a Big comp so i can have a sweet trophey, move out of my mommy’s.

If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
Teleporting so i can go anywhere i want, best power to have for sure!

What kind of advice do you have for kids who are just getting into BMX?
Learn the little stuff first, learn to tire tap before you learn to tailwhip.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
I want to thanks everyone at redline, Fuzzy, Gork,John and Evan, you guys have been amazing, Brian at Beloe, your the man, send me some white stickers, alpinestars and Bmxunion, Chyea!

Anything else you would like to say?
Na im going to sleep

Running a bike company is a hard thing to do. Starting a company from nothing is even harder. Matt is the owner of Tempered Bikes, hes also everything else a normal company would have so he is a busy dude, but lately things have been good to him. We got talking and ended up doing an interview and this is what he has to say… Enjoy

Name:
Mathew Lawton

Location:
Brisbane, Australia.

Sponsors:
Cropthorn Clothing, Covenant Distribution and i guess Tempered haha

Your the guy behind Tempered bikes, it seems like just recently things have
been picking up with that?

It has been really good not just for me but also for my team these last few months, I mean Tempered has been around
For a few years now but it is only starting to get recognised world wide, which is awesome.
I guess a lot more people are starting to see our gear and what were about and they just digg it!
I am really glad the way things are going and i can see they are only going to get better.

In another interview you did recently you had talked about how you didn’t rush into
starting to make products, do you feel like your research was worth the time?

Well thats another reason why Tempered is only just starting to get out there, I spent a long time just researching
and testing prototypes that for a while there it felt like things would never eventuate and a few people were always
in disbelief.
I feel that it was definitely worth all the time because over the years i feel that Tempered has grown a lot of respect
and people were always eager to hear more about it because it was never easily accesible like it is today and i think
that is what has seperated tempered from a few other companies that kind of Pop up one week and then they are world wide
the next because they have the money and they know the right people in this industry.

What is the biggest difference between your company and other companies that are
new? What about compared to companies that have been around for a while?

I could say a bunch of things for this question but i strongly think in reality that each company both new and old has the
same goals and aspires to the same dreams that i have with TemperedBikes it seems these days as soon as one company brings
out something new every other company jumps on the bandwagon, but if that is what the riders love and that’s what sells then
why do kids whinge about people copying people, when they are only suppling riders with the shit they want?
I mean when it comes down to it, a set of handle bars is just that. The only thing that can be changed is the paint, stickers
and the company name behind the product and it is the image of a company that will set it out from one another.
With TemperedBikes i really push Artwork into everything i do and make sure that i put as much effort into getting amazing
artwork to go with the products then i do with the designing and sampling process, which is pretty dam stressful!
But at the same time i am saying this, i really push unique styles into my products most of the time it is more “Cosmetic Changes”
to the product to give it a whole different look from what else is currently on the market.

Your based out of Australia, what is the reaction you are getting from people about
the Tempered goods?

Inside Australia it is pretty good, mostly from riders. A lot of shops can sometimes be a bit iffy about new companies without
a distributor because they know that it can be hard to deal straight with the company if they are new and most likely to be always
out of stock. But then you get some shops that are really phsyced about new Aussie companies and they will order a bunch of gear of
you straight away and support you strongly 100%.
Riders in Aus are pretty much all about sticking to the local scene and supporting Australian companies, but when your up against
some of the other popular companies in this industry it is always tough!

Recently you were picked up by a few Euro distributors, how is that and where do
you expect it to go from there?

Yeah for a few months I had been talking to Martin from RideIt over in Latvia about them becoming our Europe Distributor.
They still have not received any shipments yet, just because of the lead time and shipping times are a bit hectic, but hopefully
riders will be seeing some Tempered Gear over there very soon!
I can’t really expect much or have really high hopes that it is going to sell crazy because this is our first deal outside of
Australia and i have no idea what to expect!
Everyone over at RideIt seems really cool and are all riders so i know im in good hands!

You were also recently picked up by Tripple Six, a distributor for Australia and New Zealand. How did this all come about and when can people in these areas expect to start seeing things showing up for them to buy?

Yes just today [a week or two ago] actually was the deal confirmed with Triple Six!It was kind of weird how it all happened because i had been in talks with a nother big distro for Australia but they had been so busy with a lot of other things for a while that nothing really eventuated from it.And then one day Clint Millar from Tripple Six got in touch with me about it and was really excited on all the new stuff from Tempered and he has helped me out so much since then!The first batch of the 08/09 range should be in stores Australia and New Zealand wide in about 3-4 months!Triple six is one of the biggest and most respected in the industry so i am so excited to see where things go from here!

What is your Australian team looking like so far, is it primarily unknown guys?
You were working on getting a Euro team rolling with the new distributors, have you
picked any people yet?

The team so far is Tom Stretton, Jerard Vandervalk, Mitchell Macdonald, Mathew Lawton, Justy Bumpstead and Jamie Warren.
The guys are pretty unknown outside of Australia but they are pretty well known within Australia.
They are all amazing riders each having different styles and personal qualities which i have chosen because i feel that they
all resemble Tempered in the exact image i want. I am hoping with a bunch of web edits we are working on and general adverts
these guys names will get out there a bit more, because they all deserve to be living the BMX dream no less than most of the
guys who are.
I have been talking with the Euro Distro about a “Tempered Euro Team” and although they have showed me a few videos of riders,
nothing is legit just yet!

Your the only guy employed by Tempered, so your basically doing 20 different jobs,
do you plan on getting more employees anytime soon?

It’s funny you say that a lot of people look at me like some lazy dude because i sit at a computer most days all day, but i dont
just chill on myspace or watch videos, I’m constantly busy working and i know a lot of guys in the industry would know what im
on about!
I have to do all the paper work, all the sales, Invoicing, adverts, artwork, shipping documents, Contracts, sending gear out to
shops or customers, receiving big orders of products from the harbour and there is like a hundred more things i have to do each
day to keep Tempered running smoothly and on top of that i work about 4 days at a factory and the rest at a BMX store.
I only have sundays free to myself but i usually find myself on this dam computer doing emails!
I have thought about employing a few people in the past and i have tried it out but they are usually friends of mine who get too
lazy because they think its just a chill deal and i end up having to hassle them for shit!

Do you do all the designing of the products? How long does it take for you to go from idea to prototype
to distributors etc.?

If the idea for a new product hasn’t come from me then it has come from one of the team or someone onboard with tempered(artists, filmers etc),
because they are all riders too with awesome ideas.
From thinking up of the idea to getting everything on paper can take anything from a week to forever because in the mean time you have
so much going on with everything else your constantly being sidetracked and the ideas are getting more mangled and lost in your mind.
But if things go well and you have a solid plan on paper and your speaking with the manufacturer about the idea then getting a sample
can take about 3-9 months depending on what it is. I remember my first set of sample frames took around 11 months to get to me from when
i sent the designs to them arriving on my door. 11 months for 4 frames…..
From prototype to hitting the market…that part all depends on how much testing and beating you can put into the product…I have been running
sample handle bars and forks for over a year now and the latest style which only features some cut outs are only just about to be made
available for distributors.
I guess at the end of the day it depends on the company and their beliefs in the structures of their products…..or they wish to fill their pockets.
As your company expands manufacturers tend to make note of the importance of your company and they start to move your companies rank higher
up the ladder and push harder for lead time on samples and orders.

What is your warranty situation looking like, have you seen much product getting
warrantied?

I have been selling Frames and parts for a bout 18 months now solidly and i have never had anything come back to me for warranty,
which is pretty dam good in this industry!
Tempered is definiely living up to its name!

Do you have any big plans coming up team wise, like road trips, videos, web edits, whatever?

We are always filming for web edits and projects for Tempered, Just recently we went on a 5 day road trip, which was more of a chilling
trip for the team and we ended up making a pretty banging web edit from the trip!
We have a few projects going on at the moment so i guess keep hitting the website to find out all about it!
We are working on a full length DVD but there is no dates for releases yet.

What are some things you would like to accomplish with Tempered in the next few years?

I would definitely love to be able to offer Tempered products world wide and offer a whole range of unique products that no other company
has available.
In the few years Tempered has been around we have had so many crazy new ideas come about and then just scrapped them because we never
thought they would take of as a product, and now a few companies have been manufacturing similar designs to ours and they are pretty
dam popular! so in the future we won’t be holding back on any new designs at all.
I would really like to do a whole lot of filming projects of the team and a lot more travelling with them, because they are all amazing
people on and off their bikes, it just makes for a good time no matter what.

What are some of the biggest influences on how you run Tempered?

The team are one if not the main influence for Tempered, even though half the guys don’t put much help or input into Tempered, there more
just about riding and havign a good time then having to deal with this gritty shit haha. But they are the guys who push the company in the
direction it is gloing now by riding the gear the way the do and the image they have as riders.
Artwork is another major influence because i want Tempered to be a really detailed art based company, Image wise.

Outside of work, do you find much time to ride?

I do find time but it is more night time chilling sessions than anythign else now that i work saturdays, it does suck because riding
is so important to me on so many levels and i think every rider understands that.

how long have you been riding for?

Agh man when haven’t i been riding? haha I can’t remember a day when i was not riding and I’m almost 20 years old.

Do you feel like the longer you have been riding has impacted how you do things with your company?

Yeah definitely i mean im not as old as most dudes in my position in the industry but it’s just like anything, you cant jump into any business
venture without knowledge in that particular industry otherwise your just some dude reaping money from people with no good intentions.
Tempered has always been influenced by my personal riding and my riding is influenced with Tempered, when im working on something new for
Tempered then it always makes me way more phsyched to go and learn something new on my bike, And when im learning something new or just having
and awesome ride it makes me think really hard about what i can be doing next for TemperedBikes.
Also being in the industry for a while has helped a lot with the company in so many ways.

What kind of riding do you typically do, I know Australia has some amazing cement parks?

There are a bunch of good parks in Australia but i don’t think i can label myself to park, street or dirt, I am just a dude who rides BMX and i
will always be riding whatever is in front of me no matter what. But i do hassle everyone to ride street a lot more than parks haha.

Do you have a typical riding crew you ride with?

Yeah im always riding with Jerard v, Dan H, Justy B, Tom s and Corey M but there is always dudes to ride with, its awesome that way.
There are so many dudes i ride with, i guess the ones i mentioned are just the guys i have been close friends with for a while now.

What do you think of the Australian scene? seems like it has blown up lately!

There is too many ways to describe a “Scene” for a whole country but i think people here in Aus are just more relaxed and more
worried about having a good time on a bike than anything else, everyone is pretty friendly and down to earth.
But then again i cant speak for all the riders haha.
There are a few riders that have been getting their names out there outside of Australia which is really awesome because there are so many
amazing riders here that go un noticed, its crazy!
Australia Rocks!

Where are some of your favorite places or spots you have ridden?

Any kind of Drains/Ditch’s,any street, Gladstone, Esperance haha but there is so many!

If somebody were coming to Australia to visit/live, where would you suggest they
go?

Definitely Western Australia if they are looking to travel, sight see and meet amazing people. It is by far the best!
And every spot their is easily accesible.

What is your worst injury you have had riding related?

I think breaking my ankle would be the worst, just because it has so many physical and mental problems after the break that effected my
riding.
But as i type this i just got back from the doctors and they told me i have punctured a Tendent in my right wrist, for a few months now
everytime i rode i would get a big lump sticking up from my wrist so i finally went to get it checked out. Turns out i punctured
the tendant in my wrist so everytime i ride or move my wrist a lot, all the blood hits the broken tendants and makes it swell up.
I have to put a coin on the lump and wear a brace for a few months to put pressure on the swelling and force it to go back down and heal.

Who or what factors are your biggest influences on your riding?

Dudes i grew up with like Owen Pennington and Kie Ashworth are big influences in my life and riding, just because they are awesome dudes
and awesome on a bike.
Web edits of shredders are always a massive factor on my riding, just because it gets me so pumped to see people having so much fun on a
bike, it makes me want to go ride and have a good time riding!

Who are the riders you look up to for inspiration?

Kie Ashworth, Jerard vandervalk, Tom Stretton, Mitchell Macdonald, Jamie warren and Justy Bumpstead.

Is it true vegemite makes you ride better?

It tastes good and definitely makes you ride better. Its kinda like redbull only you gotta eat it like chocolate or it doesnt work, you should try it.

Do you feel like owning a company has changed the way you look at BMX?

It has definitely changed the way i look at BMX and more so life.
A lot of the time when im riding and kids watch i feel like because i own a company they are expecting me to be some amazing rider or something.
No matter what im doing i am always thinking about Tempered and when im riding I am usually stressing about something within Tempered and it
can sometimes ruin the mood but most of the time it makes everything a lot better!

Outside of work and riding what are some of the stuff you like to do?

I like to go to Gigs and hang out with my girlfriend, Steph.
But other than that chilling with my mates having a few drinks is always a good time!

Sounds like your girlfriend is really supportive of what you do, doesn’t she help
you run Tempered a little?

She is really supportive yeah and she even helps me out a fair bit with the paper work side of Tempered and she is always creating artwork for adds.
She is really in the know with a few things so it helps me out a lot and takes the stress level down a bit.

What are some movies you are into?

Ride BMX Insight was amazing, anything Shook, anything with ninjas or Sci fi haha.

What kind of music do you listen to? Any bands you suggest people checking out?

Music is a massive influence in my life so im always listening to anything because different types of music influence my life in diffent ways, so if i
just listen to one type of genre then i would only be some single minded dude not getting the most out of life.
I suggest people to be open minded and listen to everything haha

What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t pick up a bike?

Skateboarding or playing football haha

What are the biggest influences on your life as a whole?

Music, BMX, Friends, Food……i think everyone answers are the same for this question?? haha

What are some things you would like to do over the course of your life?

Travel a lot more on my bike and not stress too much haha

What is the party scene like in Australia? Have you ever met that one kid who made
world news from his big ass party?

That Corey dude? How the heck did he even get famous? thousands of dudes hold parties when they leave town but for some
reason he was the only dude to get famous for it? and those “Signature sunnies”?
I have never met him and i hope i dont have to….
As for the party scene…wild.

Do you drink Fosters, or is that just a misconception of Australians?

Fosters? total misconception haha

What are some of your favorite websites?

DiversityBMX, BMX Union, Tempered, Ugzine, The Come Up.

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

I think my nanna and pop on my dads side, i have only really met them once and they were some of the best people i have ever met, they
definitely rocked my world and i think about them a lot.

If you were granted three wishes, what would they be and why?

To have an endless supply of money….for obvious reasons.
And then i think i would sit on the last two until i really needed them for something important….like being in a car crash…or stopping
another world war before it happened.
I actually have no idea, i think if i was asked i would say money and then choke.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Definitely buy a house and put a lot of the money into Tempered haha.
But i think i would try to have some kind of plans for the money and invest a bunch of it. Too many times have i seen peoples live turn to shit
from winning the lottery, it is so crazy you would think winning a lot of money would make life a lot easier!
I have only brought like 2 lottery tickets in my life and i think one of those was for a friend….he didn’t win anything.

If you could no longer live in Australia, where would you move and why?

I have never been outside of Australia so i can’t imagine myself any where else!
I guess if i had to maybe New Zealand, that place looks so amazing and i am hoping to go there sometime this year.

What is the best quote, or the best advice you have ever received?

“If you can’t get it done when the time for it arrises, then you will never get it done” – Shaun Jarvis.
It is something so simple but at the time it was said it made perfect sense.

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into BMX?

Big tricks are cool but style earns alot more points in my books haha.
Just have fun and research your roots!

What about advice on starting a business?

Make sure you know what your fully getting into before you jump into the venture, the last thing you want is to put your name behind a whole
brand and then if it turns wrong your name as a rider could go down with it.
Try to get solid plans and a business structure before you start posting news about new products your working on otherwise you could find
yourself in a few rutts down the track when things start picking up.
I guess all in all just make sure your heart is in the right place and if it isn’t, then just stick to riding a BMX for simple pleasures then
having to stress all the time about even having a BMX.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?

I would really like to thank everybody and any body who has helped me out in my journey with Tempered and my life, without your help and support
i would be no where near where i am today. All my close friends, My Family, My girlfriend Stephanie and her family, Steve M at Ride On BMX,
Mike daly, Shain Jarvis, Kie Ashworth, jerard vandervalk, Alex Liiv, EVERYONE ON THE TEAM, Matt At Cropthorn, every shop and customer who has every brought some Tempered gear, Martin and Alfred from RideIt in Latvia, Clint Millar and everyone over at Tripple Six…..And for everybody else who knows they should be thanked in this section, I thank you!

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks to Kurt for setting this Interview up!
For all the latest on Tempered head over to www.temperedbikes.com.au and click the blog. Hopefully the new website will be up soon!
if your an artist in the BMX scene shoot me an email!
I am always needing artwork haha.

Matty Lawton chillen sesh from TemperedBikes on Vimeo.

Brian is BMX, well… I guess if you think about all the things he has done or been apart of over the years it would appear to be that way haha. With him taking over the team manager spot over at We The People I got an interview with him to see whats new in his life. Enjoy it!

Name:
Brian Tunney

Location:
West New York, NJ

Sponsors:
I think I’m past that. Oh wait, Alfredo sponsors me. Nation BMX! And Badashell. Deuce’s new Junior Misses collection rocks. Lots of other people hook it up, and it’s all very much appreciated.

Years riding:
22

You recently took over the spot as team manager over at We The People, what happened with Osato and how do you like it so far?
WTP just wanted Dave to be a rider. I mean, if you think about it, Dave Osato is one of the greatest overall BMXers ever. The dude shouldn’t be doing anymore than just riding his bike until he’s officially done riding his bike… So far, the tm gig is kinda invigorating. I was feeling pretty stale before I started working with WTP, and they’ve kinda restored my faith in BMX. So thanks guys.

So does this mean there will be some team changes?
Not really; the crew is totally solid.

Does We The People have any big road trips/dvds/ or anything like that planned you can tell us about?
Rob Harrison would know better than me. What say you Rob?

You are also apart of Eclat, what do you do with that part and is there any news revolving around that you can share?
Nothing til August. It’s all quite new. So far, we’ve done some PR e-mails to spread the word about the new company, but that’s about it. Once the parts come in, things will happen. But until then, we’re just spreading the word, talking to potential team riders and correcting everyone when they mispronounce the name.

Over the years you have been involved with a lot of companies either riding, being a TM, writing, or other projects, what are some of those things you have done?
I rode for a bunch of companies, TM’d DuFFs and wrote or still write for a bunch of places. I guess the biggest accomplishment is working on Dig Magazine for 11 years now. We just got a new Web site which is nice to look at too.

You do some writing and things for some websites, what are some sites you can commonly find some of your stuff?
Everything goes to www.Assblasters.org in one form or another, so I’d say just go there. It’s a blog set up by my good friend Jamie McParland, and it’s actually been going for like 5 years now, which is ridiculous. I’ll tell the story of the name while I’m at it. Before it started, I got drunk by myself and wrote “Don’t go to www.assblasters.com” on a dry erase board, just cause I thought it sounded funny. I then asked Jamie about helping me set up a Web site. He remembered seeing that quote on my dry erase board, and that was the domain name he chose.

You seem like one of the busiest people ever, how do you manage to find time to ride, sleep, and eat?
I used to a be a lot busier when I rode for Federal, managed music clearance for Props, edited Dig 9 times a year, team managed DuFFs and worked as a judge for the HSA/X-Games. I’m not busy at all now compared with five years ago…

Before it was cold from briantunney on Vimeo.

Riding is another thing you multi-task to the max with, flatland, street, park, and if I recall reading an old interview where you talked about riding trails back in the day? What are you more commonly doing and how do you feel about these different “disciplines”?
More commonly, I ride either flatland or street, which is usually decided upon by either the wind or the time of day. I can’t ride flat in the wind, and I hate riding during the day around here. (I guess I could, but there’s less people out at night.) So if it’s windy, I’ll ride street around here or in the city at night. And if it’s a calm day, I’ll ride flat at night in this underground garage nearby. I’m trying to break out of my shell, and I’ve been really good about it the past few months, but I tend to get more done when I ride alone.

As for different disciplines, when I started out riding, everyone rode everything. That’s just how it was. DMC rode flatland, vert and street. Mat Hoffman rode flatland. Dave Mirra beat me a few times in 14-15 expert flatland! I think that mindset is gradually making a comeback in BMX too, which is nice to see.

You have had the chance to travel a lot because of your bike, where are some of your favorite places you have been?
Bangkok, Thailand. Shanghai, China. Vancouver, B.C. All of Japan and Germany. But even when I go to a place that’s not too welcoming, I’m usually around close friends that will gladly share a laugh about the ridiculousness of our situation. I absolutely hate Las Vegas, but if I’m there with Leland Thurman or Stew Johnson, it’s going to be fun regardless.

Where are some places you would really like to go at some point that you have not been?
I’d like to go anywhere that doesn’t involve BMX or lugging my computer along with me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very blessed for having been able to travel thanks to BMX, but I’ve also never gone anywhere that wasn’t for riding or work that involved riding. I’d love to take an e-mail-less, bike-less vacation. I’d probably go crazy, but who knows… RF14 was awesome, simply because I made it a point to stay away from the computer for 10 straight days.

Do you feel traveling is something everyone should do in their life?
Naturally. But of course, I’m not gonna force anyone to do anything they don’t wanna. I know people I grew up with that still haven’t left our hometown, and they’re perfectly happy. So yeah, I’m all for new experiences and weird situations in strange countries, but I’ll leave it up to the individual to decide.

If you could change anything about BMX, what would you change and why?
I would love to see people find the good in BMX before obviously stating whatever it might be they hate about everything. I honestly see, hear and read way too many people talking shit about everything they hate in BMX, and failing to see the good in it. I’m guilty too, but one day I asked myself, “If I hate this and this about BMX so much, why am I even doing it?” Kinda like how Luke Skywalker knew there was good in Darth Vader. There’s good inside of all the stupid things people talk shit about in BMX, you’ve just gotta search for it, or simply ignore something if it’s not your cup of tea. So yeah, less cynicism, unless you can articulate how and why as well as Russ from SPRFLS or John Paul Rogers…

Las Vegas Motorcycle Escapade from briantunney on Vimeo.

What does BMX need more of?
Individuals. People not afraid to do their own thing. It’s well on its way though, thanks in part to Catfish, Sean Burns, Leigh Ramsdell, Steven Hamilton and about 50 other awesomely strange people I’m forgetting. That and less handshaking, I think I’ve lost two years off my life from simply shaking hands with people every time I go to the Brooklyn Banks. The nod is severely underrated. Tom White and Dave Belcher will back me up on that one…

Outside of work and riding, what are some things you are into?
Normal 34 year-old kinda things; the stock exchange, Abercrombie and Fitch, Brangelina drama, Feist.

You seem like somebody who would be big into books? Have you read any good ones lately?
The last book I read was a history of Manhattan’s Lower East Side from 1850-1910 called Low Life. Aside from that, I’m a huge fan of the New Yorker, and that’s my main source of reading entertainment every week for the past decade probably.

Seen any good movies lately?
Yes. My current favorite is the Steve Rocco documentary, ‘The Man Who Souled The World.’

What kind of music do you listen to? Any you suggest people check out?
I’ve been on a huge Joan of Arc/Make Believe kick the past two months. Sandwiched between that is the new Sun Kill Moon album and Dalek’s ‘Absence.’ Not much else really right now. Except for the illustrious Heather Duby, who you can find here: www.myspace.com/heatherduby

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive, dead, fictional, who would it be and why?
Right now, it’d be my good friend Mike Vincent, who’s laid up in some sketchy rehabilitation hospital in LA following an accident in January.

What is one thing about you that nobody believes?
That I’m not a huge stoner.

If you were to win the lottery, what would you do with the cash?
Buy a house, pay off some bills and travel.

What is the best advice you can give somebody?
Brian Kachinsky told me it a few weeks ago, “Keep fucking.”

Who or what are the biggest influences on your life?
I’m really influenced by people that simply get out and do whatever they’re calling in life happens to be. I might not get psyched to go ride from watching a video part, but a certain song on my iPod will definitely push me out the door. I guess what I’m getting at is that I take influence from everything around me, internalize it and spit it out the only way I know how to; through riding my bike or writing it down. That, and the booze helps too.

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into BMX?
I know it’s just nomenclature, but I’m not too into the use of “kids” in regards to BMX. It draws a division between the riders and the industry. I mean, if I was to say, “Well, we need to make a hollow-pinned chain. You know, for the kids,” I’d feel as though it draws an unnecessary line between riders and industry. Yeah, there are younger people getting into BMX who might technically be referred to as “kids,” but they’re riders, and they should be respected as such. I feel like the term “kids” denotes a sense of talking down to. It’s just a pet peeve of mind though. Still, if Kevin Jones had said, “Hey kid” to me instead of “How’s it going man,” when I was 15, I’d have been bummed. It’s those little things that make all the difference… But as for riders just getting into BMX, I’d look to Van Wilder and say, “don’t take life too seriously. You’re never getting out of it alive anyway.” That, and to learn the basics, from endos to kickturns to patching a tube, before learning tailwhips.

What kind of advice do you have for somebody who wants to work in the industry as a TM/writer/etc?
Apply for food stamps, take up drinking and know that you’re going to make a few enemies along the way.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Everyone that’s helped along the way, thanks. You should all know who you are.

Anything else you would like to say?
Lord loves a workin’ man… Don’t trust whitey… See a doctor and get rid of it.

Brian Tunney Flatcrap Section from briantunney on Vimeo.

I’ve had the chance to meet Jay once at Baco… like most people it would appear. I don’t think he really remembered me just because he was knocked silly that whole weekend from a crash. As TM for Kink who has really made a come back lately he stays super busy. This is a look into his life. Enjoy

Name:
*Jay Roe*

Location:
*Rochester, New York*

Years riding:
*8 or 9*

Your the TM for Kink, how long have you been at that gig and how did you end up getting the job?
*It has been about 2 years. Growing up in Rochester I have been around Kink since i started riding. I ended up getting a job in the warehouse for Kink and Blackout Distribution and that slowly turned into a sales/tm position at both companies. *

You are in charge of a pretty legit team like Doyle, Tocco, Sexton and the rest of the guys, how do you go about picking the team?
*The team is a group effort, everyone from my friends, dudes here at work and most importantly the team go about choosing who we want to support. The team right now is honestly a group of best friends. We travel together all the time, talk all the time and have an awesome time no > matter what. At this point, I would never put anyone on the team that even one dude on our team was iffy about. A Kink trip is like traveling around the world with your boys that you grew up with. *

Is there any big news at Kink you can tell us about? What does Kink have planned for 08′?
*There is all kinds of things going on constantly here at Kink now. We will be debuting “The Outfit” which is going be the next frame available from us. The highly aniticipated “Empire Revision C” frame which is going to be a treat and a bunch more new products. Unforutantely, the Empire Revision C frame will not have a pierced headtube or weigh anywhere close to 8 pounds. The most important and exciting thing we have going on right now is “Safety First”. You’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out what that is though. “Safety First”*

You have been traveling the last week or so in Europe, what are you up to over there? Are you riding much?
*Myself, Tony Hamlin, Steve Debusk, Kink flow rider Tom Dillon and our boy Jessy Twin just decided to take a hell trip over to London and basically just do whatever. We flew in with no plans, and left a week later with some good stories. The rain kind of balled up a lot of the riding we wanted to do, but it was still fun. After that we headed to Brighton, England for a week long stay at the Seventies Apartment they have rented out over there. We met up with Sexton and Darryl Tocco and shredded all week. It was an amazing time, Brighton is a really cool place, the people are dope and the spots are endless. Ed Allen was filming for the Seventies DVD and it was just a really chill week full of riding, partying for most dudes and some beach action. *

How do you think your riding is effected being able to be around all the dudes on the team?
*Ha, sometimes it is really good and other times not so much. Everyone on our team kills it and riding with them on a regular basis is enough to push anyones riding. I try to hold my own on trips but sometimes its just to overwhelming and all of the sudden I find myself not even trying when we roll up to spots. I just sit down and watch. *

Who is your typical riding crew? Any guys you see that should be getting coverage nobody knows about?
*On a daily basis, I ride with my best friends and roomates Tom Dillon, Tony Hamlin, Jessy Twin when his acl isnt torn for a whole year, Matt Antes who works here at Kink with me and Steve Debusk. Our riding crew is actually pretty funny, Tom rides flow for Kink, Steve Debusk completely kills it and not many people even know about him. He rides flow for United. and Then Tony Hamlin obviously had his FBM days and lately has just been traveling with me and destroying everything. Tony is easily one of the most under the radar, underrated riders out there right now. He won’t be sponsorless for long though…*

How often do you get to ride with work and everything else going on?
*I actually ride everyday, rarely here in Rochester we don’t ride for a day. Its just all we really have going, if we decide to not ride for a day, we normally sit around my room bored as hell thinking…why aren’t we riding? Lately I have been on the road a ton for work which means I am riding and working at the same time. On Kink trips and random trips I get to ride a lot which is definitely one of the best things about my job. Working for most people means they can’t ride as much. In my case it means I get to ride a lot more. *

What are some of your favorite spots to ride?
*Anything with transition! Honestly, I am a park baby. I love riding a good skatepark more than anything. Good concrete parks and just an awesome skatepark never get old to me.*

What are some tricks you cannot get sick of doing?
*Tabletops.*

Photo: Keith Terra

If I remember right I saw you get pretty messed up at Baco in Wisconsin, what is your worst riding injury?
*Ha yea, I got real messed up at that contest. I have been pretty fortunate with injuries. Nothing that has kept me out for a real long time. Ive got fake front teeth from a few bad falls, the normal random knock outs. In February I fractured 7 ribs out in Cali cause I suck at riding. *

Outside of riding and work what are you into?
*….I don’t know how to answer that. If I’m not riding im at work. And if im not at work im either working somewhere on a trip which means im also riding. Before I go to bed I sit on my computer for a long time and listen to music…This was a depressing question. *

You have done a fair amount of traveling in your day, where are some of your favorite places?
* Myself, Doyle and Sexton did a South France road trip last fall and that was really fun. I really like going to Phoenix, AZ, that is probably my favorite place in the states right now. *

Where are some places you haven’t been but you really want to go to?
*Austrailia, hopefully that will happen soon. I also want to travel through Spain soon. *

Do you think traveling can change the way a person thinks?
*Yea for sure. It can either make you really appreciate where your from…or make you never want to come home. *

You seem into music a fair share, do you go to many shows or anything like that?
*Yea, lately I have missing so many good shows cause I am never home. But I try to catch as many of the bands I like as I can. *

Photo: Bobby Parker

What kind of bands do you listen to? Any you suggest people to check out?
*I listen to quite a bit of random genres. Anything from like strange pop rock to like experimental stoner rock. haha I don’t know. Lately I have been listening to a lot of the new Headlights album. Electric President, Pelican, Tides, Giant. Even the oldies but goodies like Archers of Loaf and Sunny Day Real Esate.*

What are some must have things you cannot go anywhere without?
*My Blanket, IPOD and bike. *

Who or what are the biggest influences in your life?
*The people that > surround me on a daily basis and everyone I meet on the road. Anyone who does thier thing, lives free and lives happy. *

What are some things you do that you probably shouldn’t?
*I sleep, I > never eat, I spend a lot of money that I don’t have. *

Any good stories with run-ins with the cops? I know the Kink trip from the new props was pretty funny.
*I got a ticket for riding on the Sidewalk here in Rochester last summer right after being yelled at for riding in the street by the cops. *

If you had won the lottery, what would you do with the cash?
*Buy a new van. Other than that I would just continue living the way I do. I’d pay for more of my friends to travel with me probabaly. *

If you could spend the day with anybody alive, dead, fictional, who would it be and what would you do?
*Lester Bangs. We would go to a coffee shop and he’d rant and rave all day long. It would be amazing. I don’t even drink coffee. *

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
*Continue building on and growing with Kink. Really if I can just continue living the way I do, riding, working and traveling I would feel as accomplished as I could be I think. I couldn’t really ask for much more out of life right now (besides a girlfriend maybe). *

What is the best advice or quote you have ever heard?
*The only true currency in this bankrupt world… is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.*

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into BMX?
*Watch Walters part in Time Well Spent, Find out as much as you can About Joe Rich, Van Homan, Doyle and Brian Yeagle. Make sure your BRAKES work ok, then go shred. *

How about advice for somebody who wants to be a TM or work in the industry?
*Meet as many people as you can and don’t freak them out. I think a lot of peoples positions in the industry are ones they kind of fall into. When you live your life through bike riding, it is only natural that it turns into your job as well.*

Photo: Ben Pritchard R.I.P.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
*My parents for sure, they have supported me since the day I quit playing sports and came home all banged up from the skatepark. I am definitely fortunate to have them behind my dumbass doing what I do. I don’t think I’d be as happy with my life and who I am if it wasn’t for them. They are rad. Matt Antes for actually being solely responsible for me even having a job here and putting up with me. Everyone else I work with, Zack, Reez and Bobby. The entire Kink team for being amazing. Aaron Burto for being one of the baddest dudes around, Eric at DC. Walter Pieringer and everyone at props for bringing me on Road Fools. *

Anything else you would like to say?
*We’ll Live, Be Free and Die Happy.*