Skatepark of Tampa Born and Brought Up
We were lucky enough to get Ian Gow accompanied by Abdias Rivera, Matt Seeman and Sam Giles where they share some intriguing insights about their skating skills and open up about their childhood memories.
Ian Gow is 35+ currently. In the interview below – he specifies his age as 15! This is a rare exclusive interview with the then famous Skatepark of Tampa skaters.They grew up at the Tampa Skatepark and learned their skills there – rising to the skies of fame and success.
The Interview was done by Ryan Clements on Feb 15th 04 and was originally titled – “Ian Gow Big Man in Tampa”
Ryan: This is my first interview, so I’m kinda’ excited about it. I’m going to be Dave Carniesque. All right, let’s get the basics out of the way.
Sam Giles: Can I get some of that banana?
Ryan: State your name, age, and sign.
Ian Gow: What?
Ryan: You don’t know how old you are?
Ian Gow: Ian Gow, 15…
Ryan: What’s your sign?
Ian Gow: I don’t know.
Ryan: You don’t know your sign? You’re going to have to tell chicks that when you get older. Aren’t you kind of small for being 15?
Ian Gow: No.
Ryan: No? You have an 18 year-old brother that’s like 6’6″. Explain that one.
Ian Gow: I got my mom’s genes and he got my dad’s genes.
Ryan: How tall is your mom?
Ian Gow: 5’3″.
Ryan: So you were a little quiet when you first started coming around the Skatepark of Tampa. Are you shy because you’re so little? (Laughter)
Ian Gow: No. (laughter)
Ryan: Hooters is your favorite restaurant, right?
Ian Gow: Now it is.
Abdias Rivera: ‘Cause we went that day in Orlando.
Ryan: And the waitresses think you’re cute? (Laughter)
Ian Gow: I hope so.
Ryan: Did you try to grab any asses while you were there?
Ian Gow: No.
Matt Seeman: Yeah, right.
Abdias Rivera: He was all scared because he thought we were gonna’ tell them that it was his birthday.
Ryan: That’s right, uh, we made him think it was like going to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, did you ever hear about that? Where they sing “Happy Birthday” to you?
Abdias Rivera: He was all scared the whole time like, “Where’d Schaefer go?Ó when Schaefer left to the bathroom.
Ryan: So I heard, um, Abdias told me that your favorite band now is the Cottonmouth Kings, and uh…(laughter)
Ian Gow: No. (laughter)
Ryan: …and he told me that they get you hyped to skate big rails. That’s true?
Ian Gow: No, they suck. (Laughter)
Abdias Rivera: They do suck.
Ryan: So, I gotta’ ask you a question about us. So what do you think of the Skatepark staff taking you out to the Surf Expo, partying to the wee hours of the morning, while the whole time we’re supposed to be like good role models for you guys…we’re wasted, you guys are driving us around…and then we’re playing football in the lobby? Remember that? (Laughter) That was pretty fun.
Ian Gow: In my boxers.
Ryan: Did you guys have a fun time that weekend?
Ian Gow: Yeah.
Ryan: That was cool. We’re going to do it again in January.
All: Yeah! Yes!
Ryan: So you gotta’ talk a little more on this interview. So that was a fun weekend, and you got hooked up pretty good. Being on the Skatepark of Tampa team comes with a little clout. So who hooked you up that weekend?
Ian Gow: Reef. No. Been on Reef. Dragon and that’s it, but they said that I can get on Hurley.
Ryan: Oh, Hurley, huh? Really? What do you have to do to get on Hurley?
Ian Gow: I haven’t called the guy. I have his business card in my wallet.
Ryan: Seriously though, you are ripping for a young guy. Did it come naturally or do you really have to bust your ass to learn tricks?
All: Naturally.
Ian Gow: Not naturally, it’s naturally for…
Sam Giles: You bust when you’re trying them down 13-stair rails.
Ryan: But do you work hard? Say to learn a new trick
Ian Gow: Yeah!
Ryan: ‘Cause I always hear like, “Dude, it took him five tries and he did the backside smith.” Or maybe that was you (Abdias).
Matt Seeman: Never did a crooked grind down the handrail third try? Biggest handrail downtown.
Ryan: Which handrail?
Matt Seeman: The School Board 10.
Ian Gow: I crooked grinded the handrail here (Skatepark of Tampa) a bunch of times, though.
Matt Seeman: Three tries.
Sam Giles: Here it took you a bunch of tries. And then you go to street and it takes you three tries, which is supposed to be a harder rail.
Ryan: Last question. So why do you think it’s cool to quit school and get home-schooled like the rest of the little derelicts around here?
Sam Giles: We’re cool, man.
Ian Gow: ‘Cause I don’t like the people at school.
Ryan: You don’t like the people? I didn’t either. How about you guys?
Ian Gow: I’ve been home-schooled for a long time, and I do my work better, I guess. No teachers fucking with you.
Sam Giles: Now ask him about the (yelling), “Why? Why? Why? Why?”
Ryan: What’s that?
Ian Gow: You tell him.
Sam Giles: He gets a lot of rages sometimes.
Ryan: So you get kinda’ mad? You have a bad temper?
Sam Giles: It’s not a temper. He doesn’t throw his board or break it like a lot of people do. He just gets mad and screams. He’s like, “(says lots of curse words).”
Ryan: So does that make you seem bigger? Since you’re small and you say bad words?
Ian Gow: No.
Sam Giles: I’m scared of him. He picked up a whole silverware drawer, the whole thing! He chucked it across the room. The knife hit me in the face; luckily it didn’t cut me.
Matt Seeman: Spoons, forks, knives were flying all across my living room.
Sam Giles: He threw a pork chop at me.
Ryan: You guys get mad at each other, huh, like a bunch of girls hanging out.