I met Marcus Waldron a while back through Nik Stain and Kyle Dalrymple when they were filming for Totally Nector a few years back.  It’s rad to see how so many of the skaters from that video carving out a names for themselves in the East Coast skate scene- not for fame or sponsorship with some cool-guy gimmick.  Just a raw and genuine approach to skateboarding.  Skaters like John Gardner, the Gesko’s, Sloan Palder, Paul O, all the Wilson Brothers, Dylan James and many others coming from PA, NY, NJ and DE representing various shops all skating together anywhere and everywhere because . . . well damn, that’s what real skaters do.

Marcus puts out a ‘zine called Skate Jawn with the help of his homies that chronicles all the mayhem these guys bring to spots all over the East and beyond.  It’s a labor of love which I admire. 

On the Grind is his next step.  A coffee table-style book interviewing people who have use skateboarding to lead creative lives rather than being another cog in the system.

Pre-order a copy on Marcus’s Kickstarter before September 16th.

HB: What is your first memory involving skateboarding?

MW: Probably going to play guitar at my friends house when I was like 12 and he had a skateboard. Someone ollied it and I couldn’t. I heard there was a kid at school who could kickflip. After that, I always used to try ollies when I went over, then I got my own board.  

HB:  Explain what Skate Jawn is and what drives someone to create a zine?

MW:  Skate Jawn is a zine of skateboarding and shit made by me and my friends in Philadelphia. We got homies all over the country contributing and distributing, stoked on the same vibes, skating, enjoying it, and being able to publish anything we want. Try to balance out some of the bullshit. 

HB:  How did you go from a ‘zine to a full on hardcover book?

MW:  I always wanted to make a book, and for my senior project at school I wanted to do something kind of related to the magazine. I figured I knew so many interesting, creative skaters, that I could try to talk to them about how skateboarding got them into what they do now. 

HB:  How did you go about selecting the people in it when you’re clearly surround by so many creative and talented individuals? 

MW:  I tried to chose people from a variety of different fields to make different sections. It was tough. I tried to think of skaters I know who are passionate about other things, that skateboarding got them into. 

HB:  How can people get a copy of On the Grind for themselves?

MW:  There’s a kickstarter taking pre-orders until Sunday Sept 16th. Early October there will be limited copies available at Homebase, NJ skateshop and www.skatejawn.com.

HB:  What can of impact do you hope to make on people who read your book?

MW:  The only impact I hope to make is that people see all the great experiences that come with skateboarding, and how it can offer new directions in life. You can also find out about some really interesting people too. 

Get yourself a copy y’all.  Check out the On the Grind Kickstarter.

Thanks for putting Homebase in your book Marcus.  The check’s in the mail.

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