Jim Gray Exclusive Interview Wallride X Podcast EP 010

Описание: On this episode of the Wallride X podcast, Marko “Sharko” Jazbinsek (Sugar/Unified) and Dez Beristain (FlippinBoards) sit down with Jim Gray, a hall of famer, fast-pipe charger, and brand creator.

Jim takes us back to the transformational 80s era of vert skating and shaped decks. We talk about his time on G&S, riding for Blockhead, and the two tricks he invented, the Jim Jam and the Gray Slide, including why Neil Blender named them.

We dive deep into the legendary Big 5 meeting with Larry Balma (Tracker, Transworld), Brad Dorfman (Vision), George Powell (Powell Peralta), Rich Novak (Santa Cruz), and Fausto Vitello (Thrasher, Independent). Jim discusses how the Big 5 handled skateboarding, and how the skater-run street brands of the 90s shifted the industry’s balance of power. He shares his unfiltered thoughts on Steve Rocco, how vert was killed in the 90s, and how some skaters who became businessmen in the 90s acted out of greed compared to the approach of the Big 5 in the 80s.

From Acme Skateboards and Formula One Wheels to the lawsuit that cost him $1M and his battles to keep making bigger wheels when the industry went small, Jim holds nothing back. We also touch on skateboard magazines like Thrasher and Transworld, the editorial vs. advertorial shift, and how magazine advertisers shaped the narrative in the 90s.

Jim gives his take on skatepark design, contest formats, and whether compulsory tricks belong in modern competition. We close with what skateboarding truly means to him, the importance of fun in it all, his message to the next generation, and the story behind his InkAgenda sticker business.

This episode is packed with history, controversy, and straight talk from a skater who has been at the heart of it all. Watch the full episode, subscribe, and tap in.

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