Philipp Schuster Interview, Viennese Happiness

November 13, 2007 @ 4:46 PM

Have you ever thought about how many people enjoy a good life, even though they make your life a living hell? I could imagine those are far more than the folks who enjoy a good life, while improving yours at the same time.
Philipp Schuster definitely belongs to the latter group of human beings. Philipp enjoys himself, and those around him, to be comfortable and safe, even when he’s backside crailsliding some weird bank most of us wouldn’t even think of doing a kickturn on. Sure, he claims that he throws temper tantrums every once in a while (who doesn’t?), but I’ve never really seen one. No, every time I see Philipp, he has a good bunch of reasons to be in a good mood lined up, and he enjoys them to the fullest. Usually, that’s when he’ll do something with his board, where being a mere witness makes my life so much better.

And yours, too.

One of the most versatile and creative skateboarders Europe has to offer right now, he enjoys making this world a better place by simply rolling around on a piece of wood with four wheels.

When, and where were you born?

September 26th 1984 in Vienna, Austria.

Philipp, in the last few years, you’ve earned your reputation as a highly talented allrounder. “Old” and “new” go hand in hand in your skateboarding. Do you skate vert as well?

Actually, yes, a little. I kind of got back into it last April, just a week before Vienna’s only vertramp was torn down, which sucked. I’ve been skating that same ramp some five years ago with Roman Hackl. When I went to that Adio competition in Belgium in April (KP44-Ed), they had a really small vertramp there. It skated almost like a miniramp—but it had some vert. I skated that thing without a helmet or pads, but I still managed to pull off some stuff. So now, I’ve ordered a helmet from Red Bull, and I still have my pads from back in the day, so when I go somewhere, and I know there’s a vertramp waiting, I take that stuff with me. I don’t carry a vert board, even though riding a vertramp with 50mm wheels, 8’’ board and loose trucks is a little...harsh.

All versatility aside, is there one thing in skateboarding that’s more fun to you than anything else? A certain terrain or certain tricks?

Well, if the first impression is really shitty, then I probably like it. If an easy, basic trick is hard—e.g. because of a crappy run up—then that’s my type of spot. Unlike a perfect spot, where you have to decide between a switch backside tailslide and a frontside crooks, because a plain 50/50 would be hard enough. Sometimes this ends up backfiring on me, for example when I deliver footage, and people say: “This doesn’t look hard at all,” even though I busted my ass nailing the trick. I have to live with it, I guess. But do you know what? A simple, flat curb can keep me happy as well, that’s pretty much all I need.

What was your first setup? When did you get it, and why?

That story is kind of strange. I got into skateboarding because of a girl named Anna. A little over nine years ago, we were classmates, and she had an old fishboard at home. It was her older brother’s board, and I was curious, so I asked her if we could go downstairs, and try it out. She could skate a little, so she showed me the first few basics—ollies included. Shortly after, I got my first board, a Toy Machine with Gullwing trucks. I took it from there.

Why skateboarding? What does it mean to you?

First of all, it’s the versatility. To me, that’s the most fun. Someone outside of skateboarding will never be able to imagine the possibilities. Skateboarding is like a drug to me, it gets me to a different reality level. I actually live in two different realities. On the one hand, I pay my taxes, I have a flat, and I live my life just like everybody else does, doing what needs to be done. On the other hand I indulge in a completely different world, with completely different rules. As soon as your wheels touch the ground, you open up a door, which leads you into a world, where worldly things don’t count anymore. The “real” life becomes irrelevant, all that matters is what skateboarding gives to, or takes from you. You can enjoy this with your friends, or alone, and you can do it wherever you find a dry patch of asphalt. This is something only a few may experience, and I’m really happy to be one of them.

Have you ever dabbled in other sports?

Not really. When I was a kid I roamed the streets with my BMX bike and bloody knees, but I wouldn’t call that a sport. I’m actually wondering what would have become of me, if I didn’t meet skateboarding; could’ve been a raging alcoholic, a Formula 1 driver, a doctor, I’ll never know. But to be honest, it’s not even worth thinking about it, as I’m really happy about how everything turned out. It’s been a good life up until here.

You’re Viennese, so naturally, you’re into good coffee—okay, I got this information from your Slept On. Do you have a favourite type of beans?
Not beans, but I certainly have my favourite coffee shops, and preparations. Most of the time, I drink the classic “Melange”. And I love Italian espresso—in Italy, of course. That stuff is just amazing. It always feels like your spoon will get stuck in that black stock.

Being on Blind Europe, how are your connections to your teammates/bosses in the USA?

It hasn’t been that long since I got on the team, so I haven’t really had any contact to the USA at all. Well, I had contacts, but that was before I got on.

Have you been to the States at all? Would a career overseas be tempting? If you compare skateboarding in Europe to skateboarding in the US, do you reckon that there’s still a gap?

I’ve never been to the States, that’s why I can’t tell you whether it’d be tempting to live there, or not. I do know, however, that my heart is really set on my home and my friends, and that I’m certainly going to visit the States at some point—just not for a long stretch of time. I can’t really stand to be in one spot for more than two weeks, even if it’s a place where I feel comfortable, like Italy or France. At some point, I just have to go back home. I’m fine in Europe, I don’t really see the point of going to the US to pursue my career.

So, at some point you’ll be old and grey in Vienna?

I still want to travel a lot and see the world, but I know where my place is. You never know, maybe I’ll stumble across a place so breathtakingly beautiful, that I’ll consider moving there, but right now, Vienna is the city I’d like to grow old in.

Get the latest Skateboarding Videos on Mpora.com