Jesus Fernandez web interview..

March 12, 2008 @ 1:49 PM

Photo by Benjamin Deberdt

Interview by Maria Bernal

Tell us about your skate beginnings

My parents lived (and still do), close to the Retiro Park (Madrid) and I started watching some guys skating, like Esteban Velarde. Well, most of them still skate. Someone also showed me a skate video; it was Public Domain, a Powell video. This was in the 80’s. I started liking it and bought a skateboard. My brother Alfon also bought one and so we started together. Well, he started a week before me, because he was faster buying a board. And well, up to this day we have been both skating.

Most skate families consist of two brothers, but in your family all three brothers skate. Which of you three started first?

It was Alfon, because he bought his board one week before I did. My little brother started later, like 6 years after we did.

Did all three brothers progress in a similar way?

I think my little brother caught more attention, because he progressed faster than we did. 

Do you have a favorite skateboarder?

Guy Mariano. I admire the way he thinks about skateboarding, how he is always innovating. There are maybe other skateboarders who do more tricks, but for me this is not the only thing that matters. I don’t know, it is Guys way of thinking that I like, never repeating any tricks, but just innovating.

Backside 270 ollie tailslide. Photo by Oliver Barton.

You have been in the States and are now in Barcelona, so you must have seen many pros and amateurs skating. Who has impressed you most?

Eric Koston. I know it’s like a cliché, but he still impress me the most. Little kids don’t impress me, they all skate so good! Every kid does a flip over crazy stairs. But I think it is more amazing to see that Koston is STILL doing this, after so many years. I always think he will not risk so much, but he always does.

Can you list the sponsors you have had…

My first sponsor was Action, a distributor in Madrid; I still know it was in Menorca Street. After that it was Session, I skated for this skateshop. Having a skate shop sponsoring you is different than skating for a company. Then it was Class and after that I spent two years without skating. After that I moved to America and Neighbourhood started sponsoring me.

The only skate company you have been pro for is Neighbourhood right? How was it to do the LA LA LAND video?

It was amazing, without money, really difficult. I was in the States with little money, so busy being worried about everything that I wasn’t able to think about skateboarding. This was the situation during the first months until they started paying. It was cool because it was the first video we were doing and we knew many people would watch it and this was a real motivation.

Click the picture to see the animation. Photo by Esteban Velarde

In the LA County video you have a shared part with Alfon, a short but good one. Fakie Hardflip switch crooked. How did you come up with this trick??

I don’t know, Dani, David, Alfon and me were always doing fakie crooked grind backside and we able to do it flipping in. It was a trick that we were doing a lot. And one day I did this fakie hardflip to switch crooked grind. It’s crazy, but I love this trick.

Do you remember the first time you did it?

Yes, it was with my brother David, he filmed it with a video camera we borrowed from someone. It was while I was living in the States, but the first time happened in Plaza Colon (Madrid).I was spending some time in Madrid before going back to go on doing the video. David filmed this trick and I went back to the States with the tape.

You also had a short but amazing appearance in Yeah Right. Which was the most difficult trick for you to do?

The last one: switch flip switch crooked grind

We also have your contribution to the Dope video, mostly filmed in Madrid. Do you think there are big differences between Spanish and American filmmakers (less pressure, for example?)

Not really, the differences have to do more with the person who is filming, not with their nationality. Everyone does it in a different way.

Imagine a little kid is reading this interview. What advice would you give him?

I would tell him that it’s cool to skate, but that you will not be able to do it your whole life. I would really tell him to do what I have not done, to think about what will happen later. I am not talking about having to study, but have at least a plan B prepared, learn to do something different than just skating. If he wants to skate seriously, not just as a hobby he should work hard, skate everyday. This is the only thing you need to improve and well, be a little bit talented. If he realises he is good at it, the more he skates the better he will be. 

What do you hate most about the skate scene?

Probably the fact that many people look at skaters in a negative way, because there is always trash around the places skaters are, specially in Barcelona, but it’s not only a skaters thing, it happens everywhere, although here in Barcelona people normally associate both things.

Jesus rides for: Chocolate, Lakai, Matix, Royal and Hubba.

Photo by Roger Fornos

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