Im gona use this blog to do a serie… ──Interview 1/ Evan Kinori
2011.03.02
Im gona use this blog to do a series of short interviews with a few underground skaters that i think have some interesting things to say!
Here we go with Evan Kinori's interview, SF local and good friend.
There is a fresh new video part of him at the end of this interview!!! Check it out
EVAN KINORI
Photo: Ben Gore
Hi Evan, first off, can you introduce yourself?
- Salut, my name's evan kinori, I was born in Philadelphia and then raised in Connecticut near New Haven. A pretty cool small city with some good street skating and fun little spots to cruise. I am 22 and have been living and cruising around san francisco for almost 5 years now. My life at the moment revolves around music, friends, taking pictures, creating and seeing art, broadening my mental bandwith, travelling when possible, and ofcourse, skateboarding.
Backside five o/ SF/ Photo: Brad Burt
You used to live on the east coast, and now you live in San Francisco. Why?
- Well after growing up on the east, as much as i love it, i had grown weary of winter. At the end of high school, when it was time to look for colleges, I thought that san francisco was the best metropolitan area in the U.S. that had a mild climate. I had visited family a few times as i was growing up and felt that there was something really special about pushing around san francisco. I also really like the variety of cultures and differences in every neighborhood. It's easy to navigate here also, like a big town with a small downtown and lots of nature mixed into the landscape. Not to mention all of the good restaurants (mexican food does not exist in Connecticut like it does here)...
Wallride nollie/ SF/ Photo: Joe Pointsky
You've been a part of the Rasa Libre family for a long time now. How did that happen?
-Let's see...I don't know how deep to go into my love for the original Rasa Libre. I was pretty obsessed for a while.
Around 2003, there was a void in skating where no creative or visionary board companies were around. It had been a long time since stereo or supernaut and aside from Ipath, there wasnt much of a cruising or freedom vibe in skating. Everything was either technical or hammers, and as i never felt comfortable jumping down stuff, and i was no good at trying one really hard trick all day just to make it once, i didnt know what my place was in skating. My three favorite skaters had always been nates jones, matt field, and kenny reed so when i found out that matt, nate, and reese were starting something, i was really excited. As the company began it was like fireworks for me, it gave me so much inspiration everyday in life and in skating, I really identified with every aspect of what they were doing. It still seems so ahead of its time, like it was too sophisticated for skateboarding maybe. Looking back at that period, it really shaped and helped me find my vision in skating, and to feel comfortable when i just wanted to push around and feel the streets beneath me, without worrying whether or not i was to be any good at skating. So...eventually something went wrong, i still dont know exactly, but DLX stopped the brand and i was devastated.
Around this time though, it was 2006, and i was moving out to SF with some friends. I was getting shoes sometimes from Ipath and ended up meeting matt at the office a few times. It was Ryan Lay who really introduced us though. After about a year of cruising and chilling together, me and Matt became pretty close friends. I think he knew how much i cared about rasa, and a few people had told him how hyped i was on it, so slowly we began talking more about the brand and I think he knew that i understood its vision and what it was supposed to be about. Slowly he let me become more and more involved with the process. I wouldnt consider myself on the team or anything, i just think its more like family, I have alot of love for Matt and the company, and i really appreciate him helping me out with boards for so long. I have always tried to help as much as i can by spreading the vision the company has, just letting kids know its okay to just have fun and do whatever you feel. I always felt confused when people would call rasa a hippie or a rasta company, because to me it was just all about doing your own thing, and being understanding and open minded to all walks of life, and all types of skating. As long as you're expressing yourself and loving what your doing, thats the soul ride revolution...
Pole jam wallride fakie/ SF/ Photo: Brad Burt
Why do you like Yoga? Is there any relation in between Yoga and skateboarding?
-Yoga to me is just something that i know i need to do. Some people are really flexible and can skate all day everyday, unfortunately i dont think thats me anymore... I think that yoga can be a positive influence on anyones life, but i dont try to preach to people or force anything. Its a really good combination of cultivating physical and mental energy. I have some issues with my back and knees from the years, and i realized that if i really love skating and want to go as long as possible, i'm going to have to put more effort into keeping myself flexible and ready for the demands of skating. Its funny because sometimes in the morning i get lazy and think i cant do it, but the thing about yoga is that you always get more energy than you put in. It really helps to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. As far as being related to skating, i think it offers an extension on how long and how much you can skate, and also adds to how loose and good you feel cruising. Its also similar as a physical outlet for energy and anxiety, its just a solid way bring you back to earth from all the chaos of thoughts.
You came to France a bunch of times and you can speak french! Why? How were your trips to Paris? Bordeaux? Explain.
-I love the suprised faces of people in france when i open my mouth and can actually say some stuff without completely murdering their language. Well, i've been to france a handful of times since i was a kid and i grew up in a house that had a heavy influence from french culture and cuisine. Both my parents are fluent in french and i have been studying it since high school. I can't even explain how amazing and lucky it is that they gave me the opportunity to travel from such a young age and also now, i think travelling has really been one of the biggest influences on my thinking and my ideas about life. I wont go too crazy writing an essay about my love for paris, but i will say that it truly feels like home to me now. Theres just something amazing to me about every aspect of life there. That its more about quality of life, rather than quantity of work maybe... or maybe its the fact that so many people think its just a tourist spot and its overrated, when in all reality it is one of the most undiscovered cities for skating i have ever been to. I could speak of the parisienne women, but thats for another time. I know I will live there one day soon. I am so hyped after this summer to have such good friends there now. I have slowly made more and more friends there, but after meeting the ultimate shit talker Vivien "tyson" Feil, and my main man whos always shining, Sourya - i know that i will always have people to skate and to kick it with when im there. And Soy's always down to eat too, which is extremely important in a friend for me...
So that's a little bit about Paris. This summer was my first trip to Bordeaux and it was really amazing. I recommend to anyone to go there in June. Being there for the music festival and the week long wine festival was pretty unreal. Every night was fireworks on the river and a party in the streets. Certainly one of the greatest times in recent memory. Not too mention the amazing crew of friends there, i have to thank you, Leo, for giving me the opportunity to stay there and experience your scene. I'll never forget it. Cet ete au Palatium....
Frontside bluntslide/ SF/ Photo: Brad Burt
How was filming for the Minuit video?
-Well, waking up at 6 in the evening and skating until 5 in the morning seemed pretty strange at first, but i think i got the hang of it. I had never filmed for a specific project before and especially not one all at night! It was amazing though, a really cool concept, made with real passion and friendship, it was a really unique project. I have to thank Yoan for letting me be apart of it, even though i was there during the last push for the finish line. It was really amzing to skate and film with someone who is just as excited and passionate about what hes doing as you are about your skating. I think this is pretty rare today in skating. Some times it can feel negative or like you are wasting someones time, but Yoan is really hyped and helps to create a good atmosphere for creativity and fun. I think that the best equation for filming and skating is when both the skater and filmer are truly passionate about their ideas and their craft, so that together they can create something really special and unique. To me, that is much more soulful and exciting than a company just having some guy none of the riders know, go out and try to film some thing considered "hard" or "gnarly"...that sounds stressful. I am not saying that theres only one way to do it, but for how i like to skate and think, the way Minuit was made is the most fun to me. I love all types of skating though, i usually find inspiration from alot of different styles.
http://vimeo.com/20533358
Any projects? Thanks?
- Right now the only projects are to continue skating more, doing more, getting out and seeing, travelling, doing as much as i can while i can. I would like to some day make a real video part that can communicate my vision and style of skating. I would also really like to get a photo published in a magazine one day, just for myself, to see if its possible. I have to give thanks to my family for their never ending support and understanding, to Leo Valls for opening my eyes to Bordeaux, Matt Field and the Rasa crew, Yoan for involving me with Minuit, San Francisco for shaping my skating, Shinpei Ueno and Nate Broussard for keeping me hyped on todays skating, Magenta and Palace for keeping that shit real and doing their own thing, and to all of my friends, past, present, and future...
