Wednesday, April 18

Rick Thorne Interview

What's been going on with you for the past few months?

Last few months for me, I had knee surgery back in like Sept or Oct.I had both of my knees done, ACL reconstruction. I got married in October, and then like the last couple of months actually, I've gotten back into riding. This is my second contest since surgery, and lately been kinda like, everything came down at once. I had surgery, and there's deadlines for video parts, contests and tours and stuff so, I've been really focusing on just getting healthy and just starting to do my stuff again.

How's married life going?

Good. My wife's the best. Number one, man. She's a skater, so she skates and I ride, so she totally understands what I'm doing, and I like back her...lately the last few months we got serious about our band. We have a band called "All Scarred Up" with me and Madonna and a couple of friends. It's a project that we're doing is just like bike riding. Create music, do what you want to do...our similarities are pretty close.

I heard Mat Hoffman took a big hit trying to go thirty feet. What do you think about that, him trying to go that big?

He did that big ramp a few years ago and he fell and I never thought that he would do it again, 'cause he got hurt and stuff. But I think he could do it, you know? I think Mat's a very determined individual. I don't really know the details of his crash, 'cause I haven't talked to him, but you don't play around on that. When you fall, the injuries are very severe, even more than on this 12-foot (ramp). I give him props completely 'cause I think people look at that as a whole nother..that's not even the same sport anymore, it's like, dare-devilish.

Describe a typical Rick Thorne day?

You know what, I've been hanging around with the younger dudes, like the 18-22 year-old kids. All they want to do is ride. That's all that they have, they don't have relationships or houses or cars or any of that crap. It's kinda keeping me on my toes. Some days we'll wake up, scout out some streets, parks, or we'll ride it up to LA, usually that's on the weekends. Monday through Friday we'll go to the Vans skate park on certain days and certain nights, the one in Ontario or the one here in Orange. I got a mini ramp in my yard, we'll ride the vert at night.
So you wake up, ride street, ride a skatepark, ride the vert at night time, weekends go ride street...I spend a lot of time around my house, right now I'm just installing the white picket fence and spending time with my wife. And I also do that show, EXPN's X2day, and so with that I'm coming up with ideas for that. And then just other opportunities, be your own agent, your own bike rider, your own television guy, and music too! Actually, here's my normal day: Wake up, do some stuff around the house for a couple of hours, make some phone calls, go ride street or a skatepark, do band practice, eat, and go ride vert, and then go to bed or watch a movie. That's pretty much like a daily thing. And like weekends I might not ride if the parks are packed, so we'll go ride street all day. And that's when I'm at home, you know what I mean?

Anything big planned for the EXPN2day show?

The next one's gonna be at the Action Sports and Music Awards. Really, the show is built on spontaneity. And covering people in their element, you know? I don't know, I'm full of surprises, you just gotta stay tuned - spontenaity is the best thing.

How do you feel about ESPN's whole involvement in competitions?

With ESPN covering the sports, I think it's great because especially in bike riding we're trying to reach the point in bike riding where you have endorsements, like products where you don't have to compete. But unfortunately in bike riding, the turn over isn't as great as we would want it to be, like in skateboarding, but I think contests help riders be able to make a living at it, but don't make that your everything. Understand what I'm saying? Stay in the industry, stay into videos, stay into riding street, stay riding vert, but also go to the contests. Don't just think that contests are dumb or videos are cool, there's no one or other, do it all. But with ESPN covering the sports it helps to solidify with the mainstream, it isn't just a side show at a fair, that we did for YEARS, its an actual sport...

Give the kids and up-and-comers an idea of how long it took you to compete?

Now a days I think kids can learn quicker because there's skateparks, there's people backing it. Bike riding is still struggling, 'cause we're not allowed to ride a lot of places for some reason or another. But to the kids that want to come out and ride bikes, I've been riding for almost 20years, but it doesn't take 20 years to compete. Just set your goals, in anything that you do. If you want to be here at this contest then set that as your goal, you'll get here.

What bothers most about being a Pro?

What bothers me most is all the cash! (laughs) Just kidding, it isn't the money 'cause bike riders don't make shit compared to everybody else. What bothers me is the fact that people expect stuff out of you sometimes when you don't want to give it. You show up at a skate park and there's this underlying thing like "hey that's the dude on TV." You know what, it's fun to work your way up. That's the BEST part.

In your opinion, who's the best in your sport?

My opinion is that there is never a best. You're the best you can be for your self. Like that person may be able to do more tricks, but there's always something somebody can't do. No one can do everything. The best is the kid that's riding his guts out, and has put most of his heart into it.

Describe the best day of your life.

The best day of my life is when I married Madonna, October 21, 2000.

Other sports you participate in?

Music, although that's not a sport. I focus strickly on bikes, 'cause I want to be the best that I can be. I don't want to hurt myself trying to be MotoX guy or something.

Domestic or import?

Domestic.

If you could destroy any person's career, whose would it be?

Let me think about this...hold on a second, hold on this is important to me...

Puff Daddy or Slayer?

Slayer. Puff Daddy's toast. Puff Daddy's overrated. I don't personally like the dude. That's the person I'd like to destroy! If I could destroy one person's career, it would be Puff Daddy. He sucks.

Who's the person that your mom and dad wanted you to be?

They wanted me to be...what's that guy's name? Ozzy Osborn.

Married life or single till you die?

Married (of course).

Meatsa Meatsa or veggie delight?

Meat.

Any pre-run rituals?

A cup of coffee.

Most embarrassing moment?

I was in 3th grade at a Xmas party, and I ate a lot of sweets, like chocolates and stuff. I went to fart and I shit my pants. So I had to go to the bathroom, everyone knew it.

What would your classmates have voted you as?

Back in the day when they hated bikes, probably like less likely to succeed.

Corona or Tequilla?

Neither, I don't drink.