MALE SPEAKER 1: Hey.
What time is it?
Right now, what time is it?
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: 7:15.
MALE SPEAKER 1: 7:15 what?
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: In the morning.
Gotta get a little footage, but can't even have a board.
Joke!
Look what you're making me skate.
You forget to send me boards.
Look at this soggy, chipped piece of wood that you expect
me to get footage on.
Are you serious?
I was going to Philly a lot, and then I just finished high
school, and Bill had a house out there with his girlfriend
at the time.
I just was staying with him a lot of weekends and stuff and
ended up just getting my own place out there.
Still at that time, 17 years old, skating was so consuming,
and Philadelphia was complete skate, too.
And we would just skate all day and night, have some
beers, go to bed, skate, and that's all there was.
BRIAN WENNING: Where is it at?
[LAUGHTER]
ROB PLUHOWSKI: Philadelphia was a great fit for anybody.
You know, there was love at the prime time.
It was, like, everyone would skate in the park all day.
It was just love all day--
City Hall, love City Hall.
I mean, those guys definitely put it more on the map, you
know, with the Habitat video, and the Workshop video.
It came down to, just, turning things around for everyone,
you know, skateboard-wise.
And they really opened people's eyes to who they were
really fast.
You know, when those guys first came down, it was nose
grind pop out era.
You know, everything was nosegrind
pop out at the ledge.
And they just do it all.
They could just-- and, fuck, none of us could even
nosegrind the Love ledges, you know, besides Kalis.
And those guys just come down there and just blew everyone's
minds away.
I mean, Wenning was doing shit on ledges that he couldn't
even, like, fathom.
You know, it was amazing.
I would say Wenning, more first.
But Anthony was kind of--
Anthony came up real fast, you know what I mean.
They weren't much alike, that's for sure.
I mean, Wenning was, like--
Wenning always wanted the attention, You know, he was,
like, doing stupid shit to get people to look at him.
And then, you know, Anthony would just be skating.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: You know, I look at my skating when I
was 15 or 16, now.
I don't regret a lot of the stuff I did, but it's just,
definitely, you change.
I hope you would change.
I hope everyone would change from when they're 15, 16 years
old, otherwise, it would be a fucked up place, man.
But I don't have the fucking mentals to do a lot of the
skating I used to do back then.
MALE SPEAKER 1: Oh, oh.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Did I almost do it?
MALE SPEAKER 1: You all right?
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Yeah, let me see it.
ROB PLUHOWSKI: I would say the one that stands out in my
mind, right now--
that was the switch ollie into the fountain, for sure.
They had never even ollied it.
You know what I mean, they didn't even try to ollie it,
ever, just straight to switch ollie.
That blows my mind away.
MALE SPEAKER 1: Ugh.
ROB PLUHOWSKI: He, just, did it.
I mean, he got broke.
He got beat up.
I mean, I was scared for him, sometimes.
Yeah, like, switch ollie into the fountain at night, what
the hell are you thinking?
AUDIENCE: Woo!
[CHEERS]
AUDIENCE: Whoa!
BRIAN WENNING: I don't know.
Hanging with PJ Ladd in California, sometimes, it
gives me the feeling that hanging with
Anthony back then.
AUDIENCE: [CHEERS]
BRIAN WENNING: That's why we were in competition.
It would help both of us.
AUDIENCE: Oh!
BRIAN WENNING: I don't know if he just forgot
about himself or what.
I mean, I still skate the same exact shit.
But maybe he thought it was time to move on.
AUDIENCE: Yeah.
BRIAN WENNING: That was the time when, like, he'd be at
the spot at Love Park, and we wouldn't even talk.
[CHEERING]
MALE SPEAKER 2: But you switch 180'd it.
BRIAN WENNING: Oh, yeah.
MALE SPEAKER 2: Did you have it in mind that, OK, he
switch ollied it?
BRIAN WENNING: I don't know.
Somebody was telling me, in the background, like, when I--
because he did it, like, a week before.
Then I, like how, that Vern Larid character likes to say
it on video--
"oh, that was before Brian did
switchbacks." I went hey, whatever.
So I landed that.
I got a cheesesteak, and like, everybody went crazy.
And then you look over, and Anthony's, like, trying to do
a nollie tre-flip no spin or nollie flipout no spin or
nollie flipout, or something to make [INAUDIBLE]
But yeah, I don't-- we just separated.
That was it.
That was, like, the breaking--
That was, just ridiculous.
He claims-- there was something in some magazine--
I remember, that we only had skateboarding in common, but.
It's probably true, but whatever.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Yeah, I don't know, man.
I think we just, kind of, grew apart.
Like, you know, when you're young, something like
skateboarding could just--
you know, you just have that little thing that two people
do, and that you guys could just grow and be, like, the
sickest friends, ever.
And it's just skateboarding, you know.
But as you get older, it's, like, you kind of get involved
in other stuff--
good, bad--
it doesn't even have to be, like, other, you know.
And I think that's just, kind of, what happened with us.
You know, I think at a point, all's we did have was skating.
BRIAN WENNING: I don't know.
I don't know.
I could talk to him, now, like, man to man, easy.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Is that swollen?
MALE SPEAKER 1: [INAUDIBLE].
BILL STROBECK: Everyone regrets shit they do when
they're 16, you know.
He had, like, huge gear.
He was, like--
he looks totally different, you know what I mean.
He grew out of that.
He was, like hip hop-- like, he looked funny.
I mean, we all looked funny back then.
We were young, you know.
He skated very conventionally, then, you know what I mean I
think he was, like, doing what he thought other people
wanted him to do.
I think that now he kind of does what he wants, and that's
what makes him happy.
And I think that's fine.
MALE SPEAKER 2: By the time he got to Mosaic, do you think he
was a different person than he was from Photosynthesis?
BILL STROBECK: I feel like around the end
of Mosaic, he was.
But people change every, like, 10 minutes.
Like 10 minutes ago, I was in my sweatpants in that bed,
right there, you know what I mean.
He was, definitely, changing.
I mean, those years from like 16 to 24, people change, like,
significantly.
You're a kid.
You don't know what you're doing.
You're trying things to see what you like,
you know what I mean.
And then, eventually, down the line, you know what you like.
AUDIENCE: Whoa!
BILL STROBECK: All his friends that skated
don't skate no more.
He skated with Rob Pluhowski, who has two kids and works in
fucking sanding wood all day.
What's up, Rob?
I love Rob.
Rob is one of my best friends, man.
I haven't seen him in a long time but--
we were real--
us three were real close.
Like, we were, like-- hang everyday.
MALE SPEAKER 1: Come on, Papp.
Get off of this.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: You know, they were
just my friends growing--
like, since 15 on.
You know, in skating or outside of skating, we could,
like, we could have a cup of coffee and have a chat or
something, talk about normal shit.
Rob always had a good attitude of kind of
knowing this isn't--
and kind of trained me, where--
I think it's a good mentality, where people take this skating
thing too serious.
And it's, like, you're not a fucking rock star, and like,
just, skaters have a problem being, like, a realist, and
just, you know, it's going to end.
And Rob always had a good level head of, like, well this
isn't going to last forever.
So while we have off time, and we're getting paid to do
nothing, you know, let's go to Cook-- like, let's go do
something, and go on a road trip or something.
And it was always fun.
It was cool.
ROB PLUHOWSKI: Philly was dead.
It was just--
It wasn't--
there was-- it was just dead.
I felt like I needed a change in my life.
So I always wanted to live in New York.
And Anthony was--
he's always--
You know, he's from Long Island.
He came up there with me.
We got an apartment together.
We lived together.
It was great That was a good year of my life,
living on 1st and 10th.
And then things started to change, and,
like, I had a kid.
And I had to do what I had to do here.
And then I got kicked off of Habitat.
You know, then I started to realize that skateboarding
wasn't for me, you know, in the long run.
I would skate with them everyday, kind of.
You know, I think when I left, it was, kind of, like a last
friend on the team, you know.
It's like, Anthony is a really down to earth guy, you know
what I mean.
He's like, there's no ego involved.
There's no, like--
He just wants to go skateboard and have a good time, you know
what I mean.
He, just, enjoys his time, there.
And you get in a van and you go on a trip, and within five
minutes, like, dudes, they won't stop talking about
themselves.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Hey man, it's a great company.
It's, like, at one time, I think, when I first got on
Alien, it was heavily East Coast and had all those
influences and those people behind it and style and ideas
and aesthetics.
And I think that did die out, you know, and
I don't think it's--
And I don't know who to say if that's a good
thing or a bad thing.
It just, that's what makes it just skating.
And It's just--
I'm sure there's tons of kids, you know, in California, that
love Alien now, that didn't like it, you
know, when it was more.
So it's just, like, who's to say that it was better then,
but I think it was more of an East Coast vibe, at a point,
like one of those older types of teams-- like
Rick and those dudes.
You know, you'll catch them all skating together in
California.
BILL STROBECK: I feel like--
I mean, dude, he was Workshop forever.
I mean, he had the tattoo.
He had a Workshop tattoo, you know.
I don't even know if he still has it.
I think he does.
It's right on his wrist, but--
And then, you know, Alien changed, but like, it was like
that, dude.
It was, like, then all these new dudes got on.
Anthony got in Chocolate right after that.
It was like, seriously, like, I feel like a couple months
after that, he was just, like, you know, I'm on Chocolate.
ROB PLUHOWSKI: I don't know.
You know, Anthony just wanted to be with dudes
that kind of, like--
you know, like Mike Carroll, Rick Howard.
You know, they went out and skated and had a good time,
came home--
like, did their own thing, had, like, a little family
feeling thing going on.
But at Workshop at that time, it was kind of like, everyone
was out to be number one.
He was, like, you know, I just need something changed,
something more me.
You know what I mean?
Something more--
more, his style.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: So this is it.
You guys made it over here.
No one's really seen it to this level in a while.
Everyone, kind of, when I first got it, people came over
here and were, like, what are you going to do in this
dungeon, just be by yourself like you always do?
And it's just like-- no, no, like, I'm going to fix it up
and do what I want to do and, like, make stuff.
[SAW RUNNING]
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: This stuff's beautiful.
It looks like a painting, almost, you know.
But it's just like skating-- you know, you just get older.
And it's like skating can--
you want it to, but physically, your body doesn't
let you do what you want to be doing.
And it could frustrate you, and you could put that energy
into something totally negative, which is sad.
I think a lot of people in the skateboard world do.
Or you could try to do something.
I don't know what's cooler.
I don't know, you could try to make something,
and do other stuff.
That's pretty much what this is.
Yeah, I mean, woodworking and just trying to make stuff--
you know, if this is what I'm going to be doing for the next
50 years, I don't know.
You know, it's keeping me busy, now.
I really enjoy doing it.
And like I said, it's, like, East Coast Pro, it's like, I
mean, you see it.
It's a lot of downtime, not skating.
You know, you piss away a lot of free time.
And I think I just hit a point where that free time was
killing me.
I couldn't do it anymore.
I needed a place or something to make myself feel like I'm
doing something productive when I'm not skating, instead
of, you know, sitting at the bar or something
or watching TV or--
which I, you know, no hard feelings.
You know, to each their own, but I just know, as a personal
thing, where I was at a year or two ago, I just needed
something more than just numbing myself out when I was
done skating.
You just have to keep it going.
TED BARROW: I guess I met Pappalardo in late 2003, when
he moved to New York.
I don't know, you know, like, on one hand, like, you sort of
have a preconceived idea.
You know, like, you think about dudes that skate for
Alien, and you think of, like, Van Englen and fucking Kalis
and people like that.
And they're, like, sort of intimidating.
So you've got to think like a kid from the East Coast that
came up skating in Philly, essentially.
Like you know when you see his first couple parts, like, he
might be kind of a dick.
He definitely was a lot more down to earth, it comes to
meeting him, you know.
I mean, every interview where people are talking about the
Lakai video, they're like, oh, there's such this, like, big,
long expectation.
Everyone's hopes are so high, like, blah blah blah.
Like, I'm sure he doesn't respond to that at all.
Like that's the last thing he wants to think about.
And so like, probably woodworking or whatever he's
doing off the board is probably, like, in some ways
therapeutic, or it's just, kind of, keeping him
grounded, you know.
BILL STROBECK: Anthony's just like, not--
I feel like he's just not gung ho about it.
Like I don't feel like he, like, wakes up and, like,
"fuck, dude, I got to, like, go out and backslide 360 flip
tailslide on this ledge, right now." Like I think he does
what he thinks looks good, and it's not
about impressing anyone.
It's not about impressing anyone at all.
It's kind of just being true to yourself.
AUDIENCE: Woo!
ROB PLUHOWSKI: Yeah, he doesn't--
he's definitely not a spotlight person, you know.
He doesn't really--
yeah, it, definitely, frustrates him, for sure.
You know, he doesn't like people caring or even wanting
to care about what he's up to.
He's just to himself, you know.
He's just a normal person, who just--
he's good at skateboarding.
And people might say, hey, you know, what's Anthony doing,
what's he up to?
Like, he's out skateboarding in Brooklyn somewhere.
You know what I mean?
Maybe he's by himself.
Maybe he's with Bill, you know, I don't know.
MALE SPEAKER 1: Is that asphalt all right?
TED BARROW: I had to go to Williamsburg early in the
morning on a fucking Sunday, 8:00 in the morning.
I rode my bike over the bridge, and I get a text from
Pappalardo, like 15 minutes later.
And he's, like, riding your bike over the
Williamsburg Bridge?
And I was, like, what are you doing up?
And he's like, "killing it." Like, where the fuck was he?
Like, I don't-- you know, what was he doing at 8:00 the
morning on a Sunday?
TY EVANS: Like, the root of skateboarding has, and always
will be, fun.
And making skate videos, you definitely have to put in
work, and it takes the fun aspect out of it.
You know, we've got to go [INAUDIBLE] this, we've got to
go write this up.
We've got to go here.
We've got to do that.
And skating's not like that.
You know, skating's like, what Pappalardo's part's about.
It is about going out your door and
skating down the street.
I don't think you'd ever see Papps skating like one of
those makeshift jump ramp ledges, or something.
You know what I mean.
It's like, he skates, like, true stuff that you would find
just lurking around.
Out of all the parts in the video, look at Papps' part,
and it's the most true to skating.
It's the less contrived part out of everything, you know.
And that's what makes Papps' part stand out, you know,
aside from the fact that it's all on the East Coast.
You know, that's the totally raw, pure form of skating.
That's, basically, the equivalent of jumping out of
your front door and skating something.
MALE SPEAKER 2: Do you think, like, the vibe of Fully
Flaired or the vibe of, like, the rest of the team had
anything to do with him not skating for Lakai anymore
after that?
TY EVANS: No.
I mean, I don't know if it's common knowledge, but that was
going on before the video was even over.
You know, it's like--
I think the one thing about Lakai is that there's so many
good guys on there, they all deserve to have shoes and
these great deals.
And I don't care what company you are, it's like, how do you
support 19 pro shoes?
That's a huge salary.
You've got to be, like, the swoosh or the three stripes to
support some shit like that.
You know, and I'm sure when Papps was filming his part, he
knew, like, I'm just going to get through this Lakai fucking
thing, get through this beast, and then I'll get on a shoe
company and pay some bills.
Like you know, I think it's great that someone like Alex
and Papps can go and live a little bit more
comfortably, you know.
You know It's not affecting their positions on
Chocolate or Girl.
I think, like, what Federico was saying, like, you know,
it's pretty cool that, like, everything just kind of worked
out, you know.
BILL STROBECK: Like, he's doing all right.
He's doing good.
He's stoked.
And out of everything, I think leaving Lakai was a
good thing for him.
I think it was like, you know, Rick and Mike left their,
like, companies, you know, when they're younger, like, to
try their own things and to see if they like it.
I mean-- and they seem to be doing well themselves, so.
Hmm.
He seems to be like the forefront--
like, he seems to be, like, the dude at Converse, you know
what I mean.
So that's, like, a good thing, you know, because he's like,
oh, I want this shoe, like, I can get it.
You know what I mean?
Like, I can tell them I want this in suede--
I want this, like, and it's there.
You know, they're super down for him.
MALE SPEAKER 2: Is Converse--
they get behind this kind of stuff?
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Yeah, they were psyched.
They were, like, the initial people that helped me out with
the space and getting the space going, and then pushing
me to do some more of this stuff.
And that's a good feeling to have, you know.
Not just like, "send me your footage tape for 30 seconds of
footage."
And you know, they know I'm skating when I'm skating.
And in here, I'm not trying to fool anyone, or--
it's a really good relationship.
And I think some of the first 20, 25 people, like shops and
stuff that kind of order Converse, and just shops in
general that carry the product and back it will get, like,
one of these benches or something.
We're trying to work something out.
Not like the dudes at the skate shop
give a shit, but whatever.
If I'm not skating, I'm in here.
It used to be the bar, so yeah I'd rather just come here and
just play around, and try to make something.
Yeah, cocobolo is really interesting.
This stuff's really cool, like this spalted maple--
like, I want to do a huge table of just this stuff.
Yeah, my grandfather gave me a lot of stuff.
He was an electrician, and he always did this as, kind of,
like a hobby, as well-- kind of woodworking
and anything craftsman.
He would just--
he, like, built his own house, type of guy.
So he gave me a lot of his old stuff to play around with.
And it was actually cool.
He came over here about a month ago.
And he's, just, like the guy that you can never get a
reaction out of, and he was, like, proud.
It was cool.
Stray.
MALE SPEAKER 2: Stray's the friendliest dog.
ANTHONY PAPPALARDO: Friendliest dog.
MALE SPEAKER 2: She looks like Santa's Little Helper, but the
black version.