7.03.2013

chrome ball interview #61: bobby puleo

chops sits down with bob for conversation. 


Alright Bob, so I gotta ask… what have you been up to, man? It was so good to see that new edit. But what all has been going on with you?

Everything has pretty much been the same with me. I'm still skating, I’m still somewhat obsessive about skating, I still creep around NY and NJ and I still pick up crap off the ground. The only thing that’s really changed recently is that I moved from Brooklyn to Queens. I also had to get a regular job a few years back so that I can have pieces of paper with designs of ancient symbols and dead men on them to give to my landlord.

I pretty much stopped being paid by skateboard-related companies to skateboard a few years back but that hasn't really changed anything.

What is going on with Traffic these days?

It's still there. Rick has his own way of running the brand. I'm sure it's governed by real Rick shit. The dude's got a lot to deal with. But I think Traffic is one of the realest brands that's come along in a long time. Hopefully it stays around for a long time.

But you’re still riding for them, right?

Yeah. I've been a bit focused as of late on this VICTIM project and the Greatest Misses project, but yeah, I still ride for Traffic.


What is the status on that Greatest Misses project? When can we expect this and what do we have to look forward to? I know its taken a few different incarnations over the years. 

Yeah, it’s basically done. Should be available soon somehow, wink wink.

Honestly, I’ve barely heard from you since that amazing Traffic Report interview a couple years back which, in typical form, raised a bit of controversy. Quite frankly, I couldn’t believe some of the things people were claiming to have gotten from your words.  Why do you think the things you say are so often seen as “controversial”? 

I’m not sure. I think people like to twist things around to project how and what they're feeling about a particular subject. People interpret things differently. A lot of people like to call people bad names when they hear or see people calling people bad names. They'll swear the person's wrong for doing it, yet they don't realize that they're doing the same exact thing. If you read the interview, I didn't call anyone anything. I’ve had people come up and tell me that was the best thing they’ve ever read. I’ve never once had anybody come up to me and say the type of negative shit people say so easily over the internet.

That’s usually how it goes. Now going back a bit, my first introduction to you came in that golden age of Zoo York in the early 90s. What was it like rolling with that legendary crew back then? 

It was interesting at first. Zoo, to me, has always been a bit of mess. They spelled my name wrong in the first ad. That ticked me off a bit. I thought, "How difficult is it to ask someone how to spell their name?"

True. But what made you choose to leave an operation that was right in your own backyard for SF-based Stereo? I know Hickey got on there as well but did you get any flack from some of the other hardcore East heads at the time for leaving?

Not at all. In fact, it was extremely easy to leave considering how crazy Zoo was run back then. Of course, getting asked to ride for Stereo back then was a no-brainer. I used to love Stereo. A Visual Sound is easily one of the best videos ever made. Mike Daher’s part is one of the best.


Your Penal Code opener. Did you realize at the time you were filming your debut video segment or did it just come about naturally through filming with Meza? And is it true you were bummed on the Van Morrison soundtrack? 

Yeah, I didn’t like the song. That said, I didn’t like the Mad Circle song either. But yeah, I was just skating. I wish I would have known a little bit more about how video parts were constructed back then, I would’ve insisted on a "better" song. I think it’s important for skateboarders to choose their own songs because that is also part of the video part. It’s a big indicator of who that person is. If a person has a “good part” but a wack song then I think the part is somewhat worthless.

Though I gotta say that part is one of my all-time favorites but there’s a different vibe than the rest of your parts. What I mean is that there’s so much west coast footage, and while you definitely brought your own style to the locales, there are several iconic spots in there. Skateboarding was so different back then but you know it’s an easy target for your critics… What would you say to the claims that you were “spot-raping” in this? 

There was no such thing as spot raping back then. There was like one dude who was skating off the beaten path shit back then. His name is Sean Young and he wasn’t even from SF. People went to SF to skate Embarco and everybody knows this. If you had the balls to skate Embarco amongst them dudes, more power to you. I wasn't out there to skate Embarco. In fact, I don't even no why I went out there.

My shit has always been to explore and know my environment. I want to go down every street and know every neighborhood. I'm a neighborhood junkie. In NY and NJ, every neighborhood has a certain characteristic or trait. A history, and I'm really interested in the personality and history of neighborhoods.

But anyhow, when I showed up at EMB for the first time, Mike Cao called me a "t-dog"(tourist dog) right to my face. That was 94 or 95, the heyday of Embarco was done at that point. That was, I believe, when the sand volleyball courts were plopped down in the middle of it. Anyhow, I will always be indebted to Mike Cao for that. That taught me a lot. That's how skateboarding and your spot/spots should be. I treat street skating the way Salba treats pool skating, what can I say. May God bless Mike Cao.


Talk a little about your involvement with Eastern Exposure 3. Wasn’t Tim O’Connor’s part was originally supposed to be yours? What happened there? 

I’m not sure. I actually thought it was originally supposed to be Kim’s (Quim. We always pronounced his name “Kim”). That’s how I understood it.

Were you more focused on filming for Penal Code at the time when Underachievers was being filmed? Is that why you only had a few clips in EE3? What did you think when you first saw Underachievers with its strong East Coast Philosophy. You had to be hyped, right? That was like a golden-era back then. 

Uh, I'm not sure. I can't even really remember if those two videos were happening at the same time. Filming is tricky with me. I'm not the type of dude who can just film anything and I'm also not the type of person that does film just anything. Everything I film is stuff that I really want to film and that fits into what I'm trying to say with the part. I've always been like that. So with EE3, Dan and I didn't really spend that much time together. Therefore we didn't have much footage together. NYC has always experienced filmer droughts. It's tough to be a filmer here. Dan was primarily in Philly. 

To answer the second part of the question, when I saw it, I just thought it was normal. That's what we were doing, and skating here.  

But it was kinda surprising to see you leave Stereo post-Penal Code when your career really seemed to be on the upswing. I always heard there was some beef with you and Ethan Fowler. Any truth to that? Why’d you leave? 

I didn’t leave, I got kicked off. There was no beef between that dude and I. I looked up to homeboy. I just got cold-called one day from Dune and he said basically that they couldn’t continue to sponsor me. He didn't tell me why. I was super-bummed.

I heard later that it was because Ethan didn’t like me or some shit. God bless Ethan as well.

Now your Mad Circle 5Flavors part is more like what we traditionally expect from a Bobby Puleo part… a unique take with spots I honestly haven’t seen since. Was there a conscious effort to make this part more in line with your personal view of street skating?

Yeah, I guess at that point, I had spent more time in SF and was beginning to creep around more. SF is small compared to NY. I don’t like skating around other people so I have a tendency to look for spots where I don’t have to be around others. I tell you what, that schoolyard spot with the bench into the bank is one of the best spots I’ve ever skated. That bank was so shit rough. If you fell on that, it was cheese grater time. In fact, it wasn’t even a bank, I think it was just rocks.


A classic East Coast company that fell through the cracks before it had the time to shine: what is one thing about riding for INFMS that people would be surprised to learn? And why did it fail? That video is still amazing. Just too ahead of its time? 

Surprised to learn? That it was run behind the scenes by a bunch of non-skateboarders. I liked those dudes, but my God, talk about doing everything ass backwards.

INFMS happened because I saw Geo Moya riding one of their boards one day and it was basically the exact same size and shape as the Girl board I was riding. I asked him what board it was and he told me it was an INFMS board. I was somewhat surprised but it was Chapman wood. I think Geo may have hooked that up for me. Next thing I know, I was up in their office getting boards and they asked me if I wanted to ride for them.

After Mad Circle ended, I really had no idea what to do. I was never really in that scenario.  I had already moved back to NY from SF and was living uptown. I seriously didn’t know what I was going to do because I don’t think I was trying to buy boards. Shit, I don’t even like being on the same block as skateshops. I panicked when I realized no boards were coming in the mail for me. Luckily, for better or for worse, I saw Geo riding that board that fateful day.

What made you decide to give Enjoi a shot? A sick team but it just seemed a little odd with you hopping on a Dwindle team. Were you looking for a more stable operation following the INFMS experiment?  

Actually I got another cold call, this time from Marc. I think he and Jerry were both on the line and they basically just asked me to ride for Enjoi. I had nothing else going on so I decided to give it a shot. I sorta thought it could work. Definitely odd in retrospect but I thought it was a good odd for the both of us.

Also, I was away from those guys in San Jose. So it sorta worked. But I was bummed when Marc left. He actually tried to get me to quit but what the hell was I going to do? It wasn’t like he was offering me to ride for Chocolate. And as you can probably tell, I don’t have a hard-on for too many skateboard companies out there. So quitting wasn't really an option.


How did Static 2 come about? I’ve always wondered how you guys went about filming that one… cause it seems like there’s footage from all over the place, very ambitious for such a relatively small video. And who’s idea was to skate to the Kinks’ “Shangri-La”? A perfect fit. 

That was my idea.

A lot of the Static 2 part was filmed by Alex Mucilli and a lot of it was filmed even before I had been asked to be a part of that project. That, again, was just me filming my skating.

Alex lived in Philly and I would go down there or he would come up here. Then he moved up here and, as many people find out, it’s hard to live in NY and do “skateboard shit” unless you have some gravy train shit going on. So Alex had to get a job and that was pretty much the end of us filming together.

It happens. What are your thoughts about the “cellar door” cliché that seems to be so closely associated with you? It has to get on your nerves at this point. It’s always been part of East Coast skating… why do you think that concept has been so attached with you throughout the years? 

I mean what can I say, NY has a ton of cellar doors on its sidewalks and nooks. That’s just what I saw when I was growing up skating here, so it was natural to use them. I've always skated them. Does it annoy me? No. I like skating those things. They’re very challenging objects. A lot of people have this perception that those things are "easy" to skate. You hit that lock or that handle, it could be Beth Israel time.

I know you’ve spoken about the cookie-cutter nature of today’s pros, as far as skating the same spots and looking the same. But hasn’t it always been this way? Especially in the 90’s where everybody dressed almost exactly the same… I actually see much more variety these days in both styles of tricks and dress, don’t you? 

Hell no. There were really only two dudes in the 90's that sorta dressed the same and had "perfect style". I thought that was Koston, and then Rene Matthyssen. Didn't you think Rene Matthyssen kinda had a Koston-esque thing going on? I know in retrospect it seems odd, but back then that's what I thought. The denim jeans, white shirt. Perfect switch frontside flips, same haircuts sorta.

Anyhow, to me, every kid on the internet has that same picture-perfect style these days. That machine robot perfection. It’s fine though.  I’m actually amazed by it. It’s like you’re watching a video game. Many, many kids have it.

And then there's this highwater pants fad shit with the Vans replica/Nike boat shoe that every sneaker brand makes. The Adidas/Converse shoe is also a popular formula. Throw that in the mix and you can't tell who's who anymore.

But that said, I don’t really watch too many “new kid video parts”. It seems like everyone I do watch either has highwater style and/or perfect robot style. Which like I said, is all well and dandy, but not my thing.

I think the last video part I watched was Todd Congeliere’s part in the Liberty video.


So sick. But what’s your opinion on Mark Suciu’s latest “City of Brotherly Love” part. Dude definitely puts down some amazing stuff but what do you feel about his claiming Philadelphia so hard for a kid from the West Coast? He obviously has an East Coast fixation… 

Did he claim Philly? That would be ridiculous if he did. I don’t know, I watched the part once. I was super surprised to hear that he put my Static 2 part as number one on his top video part list. I appreciated that. But it surprised me as well.

You know skateboarding, especially in NY and Philly, is a lot like hip hop. To me, just like in the early core philosophy of hip-hop, I feel there should be a focus on finding your own shit. You know, like to have a good hip hop song, record or style, the beat, the rhythm and the rhyming style always had to be something that no one else had ever heard or been done before. I suppose that is one origin of the word "fresh". It always had to be some out of the crate type shit. You couldn't be using someone's style or beats, or be coming from somewhere not within the 5 boros and think you were legit. To me, that's what this part sorta was. It wasn't an "ode to Philly". That's ridiculous. It was more like "I want to be like those dudes and skate the shit they skate." You just can't and shouldn't bite someone else's shit. Your immediately considered wack if you do that. It's like a code of the streets that true practitioners understand.

I also feel in a place like Philly or NY, I think it's extremely important to pay your dues in those places. Funny, I mentioned "Code of the Streets" and Guru is from Boston. But you know, that dude earned his place in hip hop, especially in NY. It's too bad we can't interview that dude and hear that story anymore. That's prolly a crazy one.

Anyhow, there's a big regional pride/repping thing which comes from it being so hard to survive in places like NY and Philly. In NY at least, this place is a damn rat race. With skating, you know, there's only limited resources. So to me, I frown upon tourist types coming in and running through the resources. He coulda done all that shit in California, where he's from, and I think I would have appreciated the part that much more. That regional mentality in skateboarding in NY and Philly, connects back to hip hop in the 5 boros. You know, "Manhattan keeps on making it, Brooklyn keeps on taking it, Bronx keeps creating it and Queens keeps on faking it".  There's a heavy "pay your dues" competitiveness here. It's very frowned upon by the locals to have some kid come in and chomp shit, especially if he's being escorted on the gravy train. The locals, I think feel like, all those resources you're coming in here and chomping on could be used by the locals that actually live here. That's at least how I feel. So to me, even though homeboy was doing some crazy twist in-twist out shit, and no doubt the kid is amazing, you know he didn’t find all that shit he was skating. And I don't mean the Love shit, cause that's a no brainer. That's right there. I mean the other stuff. Which is fine, you know that shit's the norm now with the skatepark mentality. I feel he probably requested to be taken to the other stuff, as well as Love, so he could emulate a certain style or time period. That's kinda wacky to me.

The other thing that I immediately felt or noticed was that it seemed like the part was basically sponsored by a corporate entity, Adidas. So I’m watching it thinking to myself that first off, Adidas is basically paying for this kid to go out to Philly to mimic and skate all this shit that took Rick and other's years to unearth and nurture. Second, they’re paying this filmer schmoe to hold this kid’s hand to these spots. They're paying to put the kid up, put food in his mouth, fly him home when he gets homesick and wants to see Mom and what not. Fly him back when the weather was manageable. I mean come on. Personally, I thought the part was basically a simulation or portrayal of someone who actually is from or around Philly. Amazing skating and all, but a simulation of someone who is actually a Philly local. Ridiculous. The dude’s from San Wherever or wherever he's from. He's not from Philly. And I don't think Philly should be used as a backdrop for a fake Philly part, Habitat's hanging on to the past, or Adidas corporate enterprises. Let's be real here.

Of course, I’ll get called a dick on the internet for saying that and all, but that's just how I felt when I saw it. Like it was some raw Philly dead of winter shit… Come on.


Do you think the rise of skateparks is dumbing down the current generation of skaters? That maybe they’re never learning to search out different things to skate since a no-brainer round-up is so readily at their disposal?  

Are you kidding me? Jesus, it’s an epidemic. Just go to the skatepark and count the number of kids with earphones in. Could you imagine? Earphones in a skatepark! It’s like texting while driving. How discourteous can one be to others! I swear to god, I almost ran into a kid texting on his phone at the LES park the other day. I shit you not.

But I digress. Yes, I suppose.

You’ve seen more than your share of ups-and-downs in this industry. What should the kids know about the skateboarding industry? What’s skateboarding industry rule #4080? 

Kids watch your backs.

Well put. But so much has been made about what people don’t like, what would you say are your Top 5 personal favorite video parts over the years that you wish everyone would watch? 

Well, I don’t wish everyone would watch these but they should watch Mike York in Las Nueve Vidas de Paco, Olly Todd in Portraits, Guy in Mouse, Julien in Skypager and Mark in Video Days.

Excellent choices. Best and worst things about skateboarding in 2013? 

Best and worst? All the skateparks being built in NYC.

Nice. Alright Bob, that’s all I have. Can’t thank you enough for doing this. Anything else you’d like to add? Any words of wisdom or perhaps a favorite quote? 

“When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”

Special thanks to Robert Brink and Bobby for taking the time.

55 comments:

Mr.JohnFinn said...

Oh boy! The Truth is rough to hear... Sometimes.

sf-11 said...

Thank you Mr. Puleo for your honesty and integrity. Chops, you are a gem, thanks for the years of selfless giving and inspiration.

Sean said...

bravo!

Anonymous said...

So Great - thanks Chops and Bobby.

Anonymous said...

Hell yeah!

bob doesn't hold back! Loving it! One of the few very critical and outspoken skaters left. All hail Puleo

PezX said...

I only found this blog a few weeks ago...long nights spent reading and looking at some great content since then. Sad to see it finish so soon after I found it.

This interview is another good one. I like the mindset of East coast guys like Puleo and Oyola. Hard outlooks with no butt licking and bullshit involved, refreshing to see.

Anonymous said...

T-Dog = tard dog.

Anonymous said...

it really really sux i was born in cali cuz i luv how east coast sk8n looks. sick cellar door gaps and doing lines down the street but bobby won't let me sk8 that way. i just have 2 sk8 these stupid azz 13 stair rails and do flip tricks down them. it's honestly not even that fun it's just scary mostly. east coast sk8n looks super fun though, i hate my life as a sk8r boy cause my parents raised me in cali. fuk my life, so not fair. prob going 2 quit sk8n since i didn't grow up in NY so i'm not alllowed to ollie fire hydrants or anything, seriously looks so fuking fun, i wish i could experience it :(

Anonymous said...

The only differeence between LA and NY in the 90s was coverage. Now that theres tons of it to go around thr 5 boros are just as gay the valley. Nobody cares anymore except for bobby.

Anonymous said...

tell em bob.

the artist formerly known as agoraphobicnoseblunt said...

that was the realness...puleo breaking it down...the industry/kids nowadays are all the same because its fashionable and cool and somewhat easy...it is the new baseball right down to the uniforms and paychecks...im glad i grew up when i did, but the kids out here (east coast/providence ri to be exact) are still killing themselves in the streets for the love, not the product ,fame or money...thanks bobby and all the 80s/90s heads for the inspiration and much appreciation and love to chrome ball for all the memories...you will always be on my bookmark barxxo

Anonymous said...

3 for 3 on totally original perspectives on skateboarding. Can't wait for the next interview in yr final series Chops!

Anonymous said...

DEVS.

blackdot metalwerks said...

Anyone have a link or something to the controversial Puleo interview that was referenced? I've tried to find it on the traffic site but the page no longer exists.
Great interview and site, thanks for all the hard work!

Motzek said...

I used to be a big Puleo fan. Then I read this and realized he truly is a T-Dog. Nothing is more depressing than someone who's a 100% hater. Even hating on his own parts. Skating needs critics, but rip on the X-Games kook shit, not on one of the realist dudes in skating (Mark Suciu).

Dustin Umberger said...

Interesting take I the suciu "era raping" phenomenon. Personally I love his Philly and DC footage even though I know he's the furthest thing from a local.

To me it's like when teams came to your city on tour and skated local spots, it was always rad to me because it was so rare to see, like, Richard Mulder doing a line at Philly Ciy Hall. Plus no one seems to complain when east coast dudes bring a new trick to a standard west coast spot.

On the other hand, I get what Bob is saying. Earn your place, be original. But think in terms of music: aren't some great bands just modern versions of old favorites? I listen to a lot of metal and punk and I can tel, you that some of the biggest new acts going are just throwbacks to eras in the 80s and 90s. Skaters who go that route are just paying homage to a golden age that I personally don't want to let go of.

And as for robot styles, yeah it's a bummer and I blame skateparks. Now they are being used as training facilities rather than just places to session and get your fix. I see dudes skating obstacles one at a time, perfecting that one special trick that will legitimize their skating in the eyes do YouTube.

Anyway, Bob has always been a favorite and there are few known skaters who actually speak their minds and offer true insights in interviews. I like that he isn't really sponsored now, there's an important freedom that comes with buying your own gear.

karoumy said...

Bobby,

Don't forget colourful [weed] socks, 5 panels, loose tank tops, black chinos and hawaiian shirts.

Mark Suciu gets home sick plane rides from adidas? Damn, what a diva.



Anonymous said...

Puleo's from New Jersey. Shouldn't he just skate there?

I remember when Chris Nieratko dropped the dime on his fake New Yorkery, he was not too happy.

It's good to call out bad trends and all the bullshit kids, but life is too short to waist it with so much bitterness. Have fun on a skateboard, people.

Sam said...

I like Puleo, but I disagree about Suciu. Couldn't his Philly part be a tribute / homage? As far as I know, Suciu has never claimed to be from PA. He is going to Temple University- it's not like he filmed his part and said, "Alright, back to sunny California for me!"

It seems like older guys will always find something to not like in the younger generation. Skateparks, contests, sponsors, style, clothes... Suciu made a solid part, in the street, during east coast winter- how many other guys do you see doing that? And the reaction is, "I don't like it"?

welch said...

real talk

Anonymous said...

wow, poor mark. having your hero shit on you in an epic interview must suck. seriously though, should choosing interesting spots be any less controllable than choosing the music in a video part? shouldnt a skater be able to skate any city in any country, especially if that's their job? suciu is a guy who's hard-working, innovative, humble, positive and motivated. i'd rather see him quietly skate an east coast spot than some attention-starved 90's throwback caricature like shawn powers. that kid's a fucking novelty.

Anonymous said...

Bobby Puleo is a kook. If I see this fuckface around I'll shoot my board into his ankle. He sucks too. The reason he hoards spots is because he can only do ollies on them, when these new kids could easily rip them to shreds. Also, he isn't even being original in his comments on skate fashion. He is a typical contrarian, if everyone skated and looked like he liked he would still complain. You would never hear Guy Mariano talk like this, you gotta be cool to be cool. Bobby is just an insecure 30+ skater.

Anonymous said...

Bobby Puleo gets shook by 16 year old bmxers at the skatepark.

rnc said...

Truth hurts

Good man Bob

Keith said...

Honest no bs answers.

Delusional at best.

Phila said...

somebody remind this guy he's from jersey, please.

rents cheaper and there's plenty of trash that needs picking too.

George Clinton Jr. said...

I can see why Bobby would be defensive of the east coast spots/legacy, but to compare it to coming up in hip-hop is the worst analogy I've ever heard. Hip-hop is has never been original, it's always sampling something before. If it's beats or loops, or even all the kung-fu shit Wu played off of. The Suci kid only played the same thing. He even payed half his Thrasher artical to respecting the east coast dudes. Bobby's gots some serious bitterness. He might want to hang out with some 1970's era funk bands and get all worked up about how the kids these days are steeling all their hard work. And then make some really good analogies about other things like brushing your teeth and the price of 1996 Toyota Celicas.

Chrome Ball Super Fan said...

Never heard of this guy.

Anonymous said...

i thought STEREO was a Southern CA based company

Anonymous said...

Talking shit about skate fashion trends is a moot point. They're basically all horrible in one way or another. I hate the skinny jeans/tall tee the most but can't talk shit because I used to wear XXXL pink Fuct shorts. Puleo was part of the whole white tee/blue jeans/black halfcabs look that dominated the mid 90's. I appreciate his honest answers, but they only served to bum me out on skateboarding. Cograts, Bobby! I can see why nobody pays you!

Unknown said...

Shame you never asked about landscape

Anonymous said...

bob is wise, and is one of few left with integrity. guy is getting old so obviously has some old school values which none of you little softies understand.
bobbys answering questions. what the fuck do you expect from a mark suciu question asked to bobby puleo?

Benjamin Deberdt said...

Really great work, once again Chops! If I may, here is my own interview of Bobby:
http://liveskateboardmedia.com/en/article/chasing-bobby
Think both compliments each other pretty well.

Anonymous said...

Puleo should realize that skateboarding has become too sanitized and too corporate for anyone to speak opinions like his anymore. Just look at all the panty bunchers whining above. George Powell is alive and well.

Louie said...

Yes, it's about time someone called out skateboarders for having the nerve to travel to a different city and film there. And to fly on a plane! Unbelievable, bro. And the clothes people wear today! Just awful. You have to be from the old school to understand important issues like these. You soft little wimps just don't get it.

Anonymous said...

Dude told it as he sees it, I personally agree with about 90% of what he said. Can afford to say it like he sees it because he doesn't make his money in the industry any more. Which being a 90s pros says something considering how many of them are dead, junkies, or in prison.

markboogie said...

Despite his bitter attitude and sometimes childish out look on the working class, his opinions are solid gold. It is funny to read about a grown man pushing 40 years of age that is frightened to get a job and ride his skateboard in his free time. The suciu comments were spot on. The older generation had to create out of what was there, there was nothing to refer to, so I respect him in that regard, plus he gave marc his props

Anonymous said...

Always hated this dudes style. Never knew why people cared so much. After reading this, I'm glad to still not care.

RB said...

;)

Anonymous said...

So... you can't skate spots you weren't born at them? What a kook... used to have a lot of respect for this dude. His skating is still sick and original. As to how "difficult" your cellar door spots are to skate, try doing one trick from that Suciu part. If he's using up the local resources, maybe the local's should have used them when they had the chance... like any day of their lives. And in skateboarding, a spot doesn't get used up just because someone does a trick at it, it's not a non-renewable resource. Bitter old man can't face the fact that others can also be talented on a skateboard.... Sad that his originality had to push him to be so upset by others enjoying skateboarding. And to diss Mark Suciu's part just because he filmed something where he currently was living, but not in his official hometown? Glad not all skateboarders are as "original" as Mr. Puleo.

Anonymous said...

The interview questions could had better follow up. For example, he said he doesn't get paid at all from skateboard companies but he still has a pro board? How does that work?

Also doesn't really explain why marc johnson tried to get him to quit enjoi, was there a falling out between enjoi and marc that he caused him to try to convince everyone to quit?

Interview is too short.

t.a. said...

Man, 43 comments and how many of them are negative? Yikes!
I have always enjoyed Senor Puleo's skating, and his refreshing, if critical, opinions. But it is an interview and if you don't want to know the answer, perhaps you shouldn't keep reading.
For all of us that would prefer less (if no) involvement from corporations, non-skateboarders, sports television, and the like, we should've entrusted more of skateboarding to folks like Puleo and Oyola and Josh Stewart and the like.
And I see what he means about Suciu. I disagree with how far he took the judgement - considering how implausible it would seem for a California-bred 20 (?) year old to even be aware of Bobby Puleo, let alone favor his skating, but there's something to be said about how blatantly the industry at large ignores the East Coast until its looking for a lil' grit and grime.

I hold very few expectations for the younger generations integrity, honesty, forthrightness, or just plain balls in regards to their words.

Long live Puleo and long live Chops!

Many thanks, Chops, for the blood, sweat, and tears you put forth with these interviews and the haters it attracts. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Just don't understand the hatred towards the suciu part. It's a goddamn skateboard, its fun, look at the websites we check and these people we read about. Suciu has an opportunity to travel and skate different "neighborhoods", the fact he is down to branch out should be respected. Sure Park robots are a bit discouraging, but this whole "fuck that nobody else should skate my city" shit is whack. I love when fools from out of town come around and trade stories.

Anonymous said...

thanks bobby! i look forward to a third consecutive part of you doing tricks onto, and off of, cellar doors.

Anonymous said...

Who is Bobby Puleo?

Anonymous said...

to leave an answer to the last dude:
bobby puleo is one, if not, the most real and true skateboard-pro out there. period. there is no glamour in his act. he just skateboards. leave alone his simple look and way of living compared to others.
no tats, no fashion, no fancy lifestyle, no big cars and cribs, no bitches and dope. just plain.
he shines throughout his skating alone.
his encouragement to find new spots, his adaption to his circumstances of surviving.
a true warrior, a renegade.
just look at the "pushed" documentary.
have you ever seen a pro working in a restaurant? i guess most people would have quit skating and just work or trying to sell out even more. but he did not!
he even turned down sponsors because of being corporate-exploiters.
and me, myself, i can identify more with someone like that than any of those gravytrain-hoppers out there. but maybe the value of achievement lies more in the differ
to wether make shitloads of money or just trying to be fullfilled with your doings. and thats a personal decission for yourself including all outcomes.
but thats brave and after all american, according to your believes. aint it?
i say that as an outsider from a european country being fascinated with skateboarding and the U.S..
and i am not trying to make him a hero or anything.
i just admire and respect him for all that he does and i like to say thank you for all the inspiration and realness.

and dont be afraid to watch that documentary mr. puleo.
its a true statement of yours.

best regards,

bastian moellers, rumor skateboards

Anonymous said...

I love his honesty and all, but never in my life I've heard a skateboarder having a pseudo-tribal mindset. Bobby needs to stop it. I don't hear Mark Gonzales complaining about kids being the "same."

Michael said...

Mixed feelings:
Puelo is big headed.
Puelo is cranky.
Puelo is realizing working 9-5 is hard.
Puelo is jealous.
Puelo has good style.
Puelo is washed up

Anonymous said...

It's pretty silly to compare street skating when bobby came up to the state of skateboarding at the moment. It may come off as bitterness but in reality it's just contrasting what was versus what is. For the most part skateparks on the east coast were rare and you had to scrounge money to go to an indoor park in the winter. It wasn't a training facility; it was a saving grace to express yourself and get your fix. For most it meant having to drive a considerable distance and it wasn't a daily or even weekly thing. Real street skateboarding is in the streets whether it be on a small curb on a back street of your small town or in the cut of a larger city. At the end of the day there is the idea of skateboading as an artistic expression; or the idea of skateboarding as a commodity to be sold to the masses. The point is, if you take the time to search out a city, whether you're new to it or have lived in it for as long as you can remember, the value of the footage will be 10 fold compared to having your hand held and being taken to other people's spots.
Billy McWilliams

Anonymous said...

I agree with a lot of the other shit you said, but that all stopped at your hating on Suciu. Every single "Philly cat" who you think you know is not actually from Philly.
None of them.
And real shit, ain't you from Jersey?
How them NYC cats feel about you claiming NYC?

Anonymous said...

And another thing, Philly is small as fuck. The entire city is probably the size of one NYC boro. It's not that hard to find what little spots there are in Philly on your own. Especially since half of them are already gone.

Unknown said...

So sorry for your lost. But hey, Bobby Puleo is the one who ultimately gets a say in who skates where

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Anonymous said...

I grew up with Puleo went to middle school and high school with him and skated with him a lot in the late 80's early 89's. He is from Clifton N.J and I cant say a bad word about him I always got along with Puleo. Being the same age as him when you get older you get disillusioned by all the bullshit you see and hear and I'm guessing it happened to him also.

Anonymous said...

No he doesn't. He's just a jealous, washed up, has been. Hates on addidas then says Mark G has one of his favorite parts ever while conveniently leaving out that Mark G is also on Adidas. Fake.