MAT LLOYD

Not sure what we were doing here, but the blond is Hannah

I recently got to sit down with my friend Hannah Bailey for an upcoming episode of 'The Skateboarder And...' podcast.  If you missed the first episode of series two, I got to hang out in artist Mr. Browns studio and talk skateboarding, hip hop, creativity and his new album of course.  

Since I've been doing the podcast I've met a vast array of talented people, many of whom I'm glad to say are my friends, discuss their passions, choices and how they made time to make things happen.  The people I've met have inspired me, I definitely don't think by latest book would have come about if it hadn't been for sitting down with photographer Ben Gore for the first episode of series one. 

 One of the recurring topics in each episode is 'side hustle'. What I mean by that is, no matter what the persons job, family situation or cash flow, they find time to focus on their main passion/gaol.  And by focusing just a little at a time, day by day, week by week, their main passion in some cases is becoming or has become there full time occupation.  They find time.

When I met Hannah to record for the podcast it was at a House of Vans fund raising event for Skateistan.  Hannah who works for Skateistan as their Communications manager had organised the fundraiser which included an exclusive screening of their new animation "Her Story", a showing of the Highsnobiety documentary about Skateistans Skate School in Johannesburg "The Skateboard and The City" and the UK PREMIERE of all-girl feature length skate film Quit Your Day Job Vid.  It was a really positive night for Skateistan, female skateboarding and just skateboarding in general.

Of course on top of co-ordinating all of this she gave me an hour to chat about skateboarding, her career choices and how she ended up living in Berlin and working for Skateistan.  Another person whose positivity and drive inspires me to keep pushing forward.

Hannah's episode will be out in March however fear not the next episode of 'The Skateboarder And...' podcast will be available on the 1st of January.  Till then you can listen to the teaser below:

Ok, first things first.  I am writing this on my MacBook Pro, and I love my MacBook Pro!  I use my MacBook Pro to edit photos, videos, podcasts and sometimes a little music.  It's awesome and I genuinely believe if my house burnt down, I'd only be gutted about losing my skateboard (of course) and my laptop...everything else can burn.

The only problem I have with my laptop is that I just can't seem to write new poetry on it.  By that I mean, for some reason, typing ideas/lines for a new piece on my laptop, seems to sap the creativity out of me, and I find myself staring at a blank screen.  Seriously I can have a great idea (of course I'd say that) and by the time I've loaded up 'Word', it's just floated out of my head.  It's like staring at my laptop screen automatically gives me 'writers block', well 'poetry block' to be exact.
Like many writers I tend to opt for a pad & pen, I'm rarely without one close at hand, but I do see more and more poets writing into their phones.  I've done quite a few gigs recently where poets will stand up and read directly from their phones (it infuriates me when they pause to scroll down).  I use my phone as an absolute last resort when it comes to writing on the go as it seems to have the same effect as my laptop.

To make me sound even more kooky (read eccentric), and I'm not try to be 'that guy', about a year ago I bought a typewriter.  Yep an old skool Seiko Silver Reed SR180 Deluxe, it's older than me and I love it!  Maybe even more than my MacBook.  It doesn't seem to have the same effect that writing on my laptop has and whilst it can be frustrating to have to type something out repeatedly due to the lack of a delete button and my sausage fingers, this repetition is helping me learn the piece!  It also looks pretty great on my Instagram too!  Obviously it hasn't replaced the need for my note pad and certainly isn't as portable as my laptop but there is something pleasing about banging away on those keys.  And if like me, your handwriting fluctuates from readable to what the fuck is that mess - a typewriter makes a lot of sense.

Maybe I'm just a paper and ink type of writer?  What's your choice? Are you a pen and paper writer or are you all about the digital?

PS. a lot of people ask me about the note book in the picture, it's from Explorer Press.

Skateboard videos.  Sometimes when I'm a bit sleepy (read hungover) on a weekend and I'm getting ready to go skateboarding with the crew I pop on a skate video in the back ground.  The weekend normally means an early start and some mornings I could use a little stoke!  It's the same with poetry, sometimes, I could use a little stoke.

We've all been there, those days when we lack inspiration.  Those days when we just can't seem to get anything down on the page, those days when everything we write just doesn't cut it.  First I would say write anyway, even if what you've written today is bad, at least you have written.  I try to write something everyday, and if you follow me on instagram you can see some of these daily scribbling's under the hashtag #notadaywithoutaline Writing everyday keeps me thinking and developing ideas.  Of course not all (read most) of the ideas are good, but at least I'm writing.  And every so often those ideas, some new, some old eventually develop into full poems that I use on stage.

Secondly when you're feeling really uninspired, remember, CREATIVITY BREEDS!  Its true!!  Whenever my tank is low I find surrounding myself with creative people is the best way for me to get inspired to be creative.  Recently I've found myself going to the Poetry Cafe for Poetry Unplugged and just sitting watching other poets.  Seeing other people perform gives me ideas and the drive to put pen to paper and start writing!  Just being around creative people makes me want to create!!

Back in May I started recording a podcast called 'Skateboarder And...', where I get to sit down with skateboarders who have an artistic passion.  Across eight episodes (number 9 is in the works), I've talked to; illustrators, photographers, company owners, furniture makers, artists and skate shop owners, and their passion is infectious.  The great upside to taking the time to sit down with all these creative people is that it's made me more creative!  It really has improved my writing, my drive and the ideas just kept coming.  I would advise everyone, when your tanks running low, push yourself to write something everyday (good or bad), watch/read other performers/poets and definitely talk to other creative people and share your ideas!

To listen to the latest episode of the Skateboarder And... podcast click below:
https://soundcloud.com/skateboarderandpodcast

As Gil Scott Heron sang "No matter how far wrong you've gone, You can always turn around".  And this is the case for Kevin 'Spanky' Long.  Back in 2010 he had a part in EMERICA Stay Gold, was Pro on Baker Skateboards and had what looked like a promising future ahead of him.  By 2013 however after a lot of partying and a now legendary incident with fire he was dropped from the Baker skateboards team losing his Pro model and (I would think) his primary source of income.  That's when things got interesting...

Vice.com just launched a two part Epicaly Later'd 'Revisiting Kevin 'Spanky' Long' that documents his fall from pro to flow and his rise back to pro in 2015.  His journey is inspiring, and reminds us that no mater how far you feel you may have strayed from your current path, what ever it may be...put in the work and don't give up!





Image Source MonsterChildren.com