KEVIN "SPANKY" LONG

Not bad for a kid of such humble beginnings. A former pimp, playa, hustler and con-man extraordinaire, Kevin's nickname, Spanky, comes from the heavy-handed pimpin' lessons he served-up while breaking in hoes down on the track in the dirty ghettos of his hometown in Westlake Village, California. Speaking from his temporary residence at the [now defunct] Emerica mansion high up in the Hollywood Hills, Kevin says he’s only too happy to finally leave the thug life behind him, but he warns, "you can take da thug out da ghetto, but you cain’t never take da ghetto out da thug." Word.

Kevin Spanky Long's Sponsors: Emerica skate shoes, Baker skateboards, Ruca clothing, Ghetto Child wheels, Venture trucks.

Kevin Spanky Long's Interview:

In addition to bringing a much-needed non-destruction-oriented nickname to skateboarding, Kevin "Spanky" Long's friendly and sincere demeanor stands out like shorts in a contest, what with all the sour attitudes, freakiness and out-and-out cluelessness among today's teens. But being a swell guy doesn't get you a stable of top-notch sponsors and a full-length Thrasher interview. To tell you the truth, Spanky didn't even know he had started an interview until we told him it was already finished. Yep, you guessed it. Spanky's another one of those kids--over-achieving, dedicated, ready to go.

So let's go.

First of all, I know this is a question you've been asked all your life, but how'd you get the name Spanky?

It started when I was about probably, eight-years-old--my older brother's friends started calling me Spanky because of the movie Little Rascals. It went away for a little bit, then a couple of years ago it just totally stuck and I've been called Spanky ever since.

Are you happy about it?

I don't know. Sometimes it's weird because I don't like introducing myself as Spanky, but sometimes I'm like, "Hey, my name's Kevin," and people say. "Wait. I thought you were Spanky." It just gets a little bit weird, but it's not too bad.

Do you think you'll still be Spanky when you're 30?

I kind a hope not Hopefully it'll maybe go away one day, but I don't know how.

Who calls you Kevin?

Basically my parents, my brother--my whole family, and some of my old friends from school.

What else do people call you?

Terry calls me "Spank Dizzle." I get "Spanker" a lot, "Spank Dog," "Sir Spanks-a-lot," "Spankle."

Skating seems to be working out pretty good for you. How long were you shredding before you got involved in the whole sponsorship thing?

I was really only skating for about a year before this guy from a shop called IG started hooking me up. He just started giving me little discounts here and there, but he was really cool. He helped me out and got me to keep with skateboarding. It wasn't for a while that I actually got sponsored, except by this shop. They've been helping me out since day one.

You rode for Sixteen?

Yeah, I rode for Sixteen for a while.

Do you get kicked off when you turn 17?

I really don't know because it wasn't set in stone. There might be some people older that 16 on right now. At the beginning it was supposed to be like that. I never got to be at that 16 point.

That team seems like the farm league. It's almost like that company is better off not making videos so nobody knows how good their riders are.

Exactly. It's like they made the company just for their riders to get snagged.

How old are you now?

Seventeen.

What happened after Sixteen? Did you go straight to City Stars?

No. Actually Rodney Johnson, he was the team manager at Sixteen, he left and he got a job as team manager at World. I was just getting flow for a while from World, and then I believe it was the end of that summer when I had been skating with Paul Rodriguez and Mike Taylor a lot--they just basically hooked me up, and Kareem. They flowed me for a second, then they just put me on.

Were you nervous to meet Kareem?

Not really, I guess I should have been, but the way that Kareem made me feel--it sounds corny--he made me feel like he was already one of my homies, or I was one of his homies.

It seems like there's a lot of abuse at the hands of the bigger guys on those City Stars trips. How many wedgies do you typically get on a weekend trip?

Well, quite a few. I'm usually the one who's trying to be like "Alright guys, uhhh... let's go to bed or something because..." It seems like it never stops, but I've gotten plenty of wedgies and it's not only the pros that are beating us up--once they're done beating us, Mike gets his turn on all the younger ams.

Who's the worst person to go up against?

It definitely would have to be Mike Taylor because it never stops, never. Caine gives the worst beat downs for sure, but Mike's will just go on all night long.

Are all the City Stars pretty good friends?

Yeah, that's basically the greatest part about City Stars. When we go on trips it feels just like when I go on little road trips with my friends. It's not work at all; it's just everyone's homies. We don't mind bagging on each other because we're all tight.

Do you ever feel competitive with the other guys?

No, I don't feel competitive at all.

Even for fun?

There's some competitiveness on the team, but not too much. We're all great friends and it's fun to be competitive, but it's not easy to compete with people like Mike and Paul.

What's the best trip you've gone on?

I'd have to say my trip to Tampa and Atlanta with Emerica was really fun just because of all the people who went on it. Andrew and Heath were there, and it was sick to go on a trip with them.

I noticed you can handle yourself on tranny pretty well. Have you always skated all different kinds of terrain?

Yeah, I've never been one of those air baby kids who just skated skateparks. When I first started skating my dad got me a launch ramp--he built me one--and ever since I've always skated street more but I've always liked to skate skateparks; at least have fun trying to skate both.

What's your favorite type of terrain?

I have the most fun when I'm trying--believe it or not--when I'm trying to do the biggest stuff I can, like pushing myself. So, probably skating rails or something.

What did you think of that pool we skated the other night?

Oh, that was so sick. It was fun because I've always wanted to skate a pool and it was exactly what I thought it would be. Hard, but really fun.

Why do you think a lot of kids your age are such handrail lunatics?

Maybe they think that's the only way they can get recognized or sponsored. I guess it's just they think that's what you gotta because that's what they see in magazines.

What was the first rail trick you ever learned?

It was probably a boardslide 'cause I was afraid to frontside 50-50. But when I first started skating rails I was too short to even do any grind tricks.

How many stairs was your first boardslide over?

Three, but it was a small three... and really low.

What's the scariest time you've ever had on a handrail so far?

Probably that rail we skated in Arizona with all the cracks, because of the runway--the lipslide into the parking garage.

How do you get over being so scared to do a trick?

Basically I don't like to roll and look at it 'cause that just freaks me out even more, so I just have to practice my tricks on smaller things and know that I can do it, that I'm not going to get just completely wrecked. When I'm super scared--no matter what--I just say fuck it. Sometimes, even if I want to stop, I'll try to just go and not think about myself telling me to stop.

Has that ever backfired on you?

Yeah, a couple times. I can't think of any specifics, but I'm sure I've gotten pretty wrecked by not thinking.

What's a trick you'll never be able to do?

Probably switch Smith grinds. No, no. Let me change that. I'll never be able to do switch 360 flips, even though that's what everyone says. But that is just the most ridiculous trick ever invented. I know that's unoriginal to say...

When was the first time you were blown away by someone's skating?

Probably back in the day when I first started. The person that got me into skating was JT Aultz and he lived in the same town as me, and before I even dared to do anything I saw him skating rails at this school by my house and I remember it blew my mind. I was like "Damn, this kid is insane."

You live in the Valley now, right? Thousand Oaks?

I used to live in Oak Park which is pretty close to there. He used to live in Oak Park.

You seem to have a pretty good time compared to most people when you're out trying new tricks. Do you ever get stressed out?

What stresses you out outside of skating?

Once in a while, but if something's stressing me out too bad I try to stop doing it as much as I can because I love to have fun skating. If I'm not having fun then it's not worth it.

Getting my license--learning how to drive.

Have you got it yet?

No.

How's it coming?

Not even close. Coming real slow, Only a couple people really have ever let me drive with them in the car, but the other day I kinda sketched myself out. I didn't crash but it kinda felt like I was going to hit this car.

Who do you think is the most stylish dude on rails?

Definitely Rowley. I think Rowley's sick because he's definitely got his own style. Also Austin; he looks so comfortable and his landings are so stylish.

Have you ever gotten in trouble with the law because of skating?

A couple tickets here and there, I've been taken home a few times.

Do you parents get mad or do they understand?

No, they understand totally. They've had to pick me up a couple times--not too far away, but 30 minutes from my house. My parents have always been super cool and the talk cops out of stuff a lot.

Why do you think so many cops and security guards are crazy?

I have no idea! They all are so freaky and maybe that's one of the requirements. It's seriously hard to come by a normal one. If you finally do meet a normal one, his partner is the worst.

What's the sketchiest thing you've ever accidentally eaten?

I've eaten horse, but that wasn't on accident. The worst thing I've ever accidentally eaten was an onion cause I hate onions.

Where'd you eat a horse?

I didn't eat a whole horse I just had some horse in Europe when I went on vacation with my family.

What did it taste like?

Like really chewy, gross steak Hard and chewy.

When do you think is the right time to turn pro?

The best time to turn pro I think is right after a bangin' video part, like a well known video-when a kid is so in demand that people are asking where their boards are. As long as they have enough coverage out there that people are actually dying to see their pro model come out.

Would you turn pro today if City Stars wanted you to?

I don't think I would want to just because I say it so often that people are turning pro too soon. And I don't think I have enough coverage to turn pro.

When do you think is the time to stop being pro?

Probably when you're not having fun skating anymore and you see that your skating is actually digressing basically, people aren't psyched on your skating anymore.

What's one trick besides the benihana that you would never be caught doing?

Probably a Casper flip. I do like to do airwalks though those are fun.

Do you do the scissor kick or the Christ air ones?

The scissor kick

When I was a kid, you never saw or heard about the pros drug and alcohol use. Do you think kids need to know about that kind of stuff today?

I don't think it's really necessary. Lots of people don't get it and just think that's the coolest thing to do. But also if you keep it a secret and they find out themselves it'll crush em in a way. As far as glorifying it or whatever, it doesn't seem necessary to me.

Have you had any friends quit skating because of a pre-occupation with that kind of stuff?

Yeah, basically when I got into High School most all of my friends, besides may be a couple, all quite skating I'm sure it's the same with a lot of people but, it just seems like "Huh: how old are you? You're going to go skate?"

Have you ever had a job?

No, I've worked for my dad at his woodshop here and there but never a steady job.

Do you know how to work the big power tools?

No, I took woodshop so I could work some of them, but I'm scared of certain ones. I'm scared of the regular old table saw where you have to push it through.

You go to California skateboard school, instead of regular school?

Yeah, I definitely go there. I do home study.

Are you learning anything?

Actually I feel like I'm learning a lot more now than when I went to school, because when I went to school it felt like I was just copying. I actually have to do my homework with this one. Yeah, I have nobody to copy off of. I'm learning. I'm learning slowly.

Is there anything in school you're interested in?

I was really interested in art classes, but basically I hate all other subjects.

Music you detest?

Music that I can't stand is that rap-rock stuff.

The new metal?

All that Korn and everything. I cannot take that. That's probably the thing that makes me so angry, like away from skating.

What's up for summer?

Hopefully go to Europe, but I don't have any set things yet. I'm just going to do a lot of skating. Go on a tour with Ghetto Child, that's about the only one I know of yet.

A lot of kids want to be where you are. What are the pros and cons?

Pros are I'm having the most fun of my life. I can't really find any cons.

If kids want to do what you are doing, what advice would you give them?

Advice? Keep a cool head and go with the flow, and just skate and have fun. Things will work out.