Subject : Chris Mahoney
Interview and Questions : Rob Harrison
Photography : Carinne Leandri
Additional comments [ ] : John Hall/Ben Manuel

Location : The Tudor pub, Wigan England
Date : 27/01/2003

So is it gonna be Chris, Mahoney, Mahomo or something else - have you a preference?
Oh here we go. What, you want me to tell you who I am and stuff?

Yeah, what do you want people to know you by?
All my friends know my as Chris. Pill and Ben Manuel know me as gumbo, mahomo, mahogany, minestrone, mahatney€

Where's the gumbo from?
Cause when I had my teeth knocked out I had a swelling on my gums didn't I, so they're erm€Is this going now? €oh right, so yeah cause when I knocked 'em out I had the swelling on my gums.

When did you lose the teeth?
Origianlly in 1998, you was there weren't you john? I did a truckdriver at Stockport [sk8] and when I landed I just crashed and smashed them out on the concrete floor.

[JohnH - hands behind him, teeth first.]
One of them yeah.

And the dog? What's the Pooch's preference?
Pepi. My dog's ace.

What do you know about me?
Your name's Rob and you've got a beard€you're living in germany now with your girlfriend..

Full of interesting facts you..

Am I likely to ask you good questions or just talk shit about you?
I reckon you're likely to just talk shit about me

What kind of preparations have you made for this interview?
To be honest , None really, I figured if I'd of prepared then it would be instantaneous, not really what I would have thought, so I put it to the back of my mind really.

I don't believe you, I bet you were tiding the house and cleaning your nails in your apron. I bet you got out all your trendy magazines and put them on the coffee table before we got here?
Yeah sure have you seen the state of my house! I messed it up.

Put all your tracksuit music to the back?
Hiding my rockports

Tell us about the Chris at home, "who lives in a house liiiike this"? do you have any other pets, tell us about your lovely wife and your blossoming public romance?
[Laughing], I live in the house with my mother, and my brother that's it and a dog called pepi.

I never knew you Had a brother!?
I've three brothers and a sister actually, big family€.i think that my mother got bored quiet often [laughter]

How do you think other people perceive you?
I dunno, I wouldn't like to think about that because if you€, oh god can you imagine that somebody thinks you're a absolute knobhead and some think you're dead cool or something.

Would it bother you if you were disliked within the scene?
Nah, people take me as I am I guess, I don't want to be like€like you know€, I try to be nice to people.

What about if you featured in the most disliked rider within Ride UK's reader's pole?
I'd be gutted ;)

I heard that when that issue comes out you order like 30 copies of the mag to get the voting slips and vote for yourself€..any truth in that?
[laughing] bollocks, like I've got the money to do that ;)

This definitely isn't your first interview is it, how many do you think you've had?
How many interviews? This is my third I think .

Ok, but how many good one's like this one?
I dunno ;) I wouldn't like to say. I wouldn't want to say if it was good or bad, I want to keep an open mind.

What was the last one?
I just recently did one for Bmx-Rider , but I haven't a clue when it's gonna be out.

Lets start on an interesting point€.even though it surprises me I have heard that you're a bit of a ladies man, what's the score at the moment?
I dunno, I do alright with the ladies I must admit. I met this really nice girl called Eran but she lives in the Isle of Wight which is a million miles away but she's pretty cool. I met her in London, I won't go into detail but Pill and Zak will remember it definitely.

But was that Board-X then?
Yeah it was then actually. But what do you think that it is that they find attractive?

Tell us the good points€no purvey stuff ok!
I don't think that I have any! To be honest I'm a bit of a knobhead really because I just dick about. I'm out for having a good time, I'm a bit loud, I've been told that I'm a bit angry when I'm drunk but I don't think I am. I just don't mind going to talk to girls, I haven't a problem with that. They kind of see me as a bit of a bad boy but I'm a baby really.

Actually thinking about women, you still owe me money! If you recall I gave you the bed at Telford cause you had your girlfriend with you and you said it was worth the 15 you owe me?
I'm always skint cause I get money and I just spend it dead quick. All my sponsorship pay me loads of money ;)

Is that a regular thing, do you travel a lot with your girlfriend of the moment?
No. ;) She comes to see me and I go over there. But there's always the thing when you live miles away from somebody, it's hard. But I've been over a couple of times.

So if you only met her at Board-X, you've only known her a few weeks but you already been over a couple of times€.so you've been seeing quite a lot of her then?
Yeah, I guess I have really. I've seen her pretty much every week I guess.

So it's pretty serious then ;) I'm not getting married or anything!!!!
It's not that serious!

Would you let your girlfriend appear in one of the metal adverts?The one's where the women are totally naked and leaning back across the bars of the bike with the seat where it could hurt?
To be honest I don't think that she's up for that sort of thing.

Ah so you would?
No I wouldn't; €€It's up to her if she wants to do it then she would, but I don't think that I'd be dead happy with it. I know she wouldn't do because she's quite shy, so she won't do it anyway.

Would you be happy doing it ?
Yeah. I wanna be a porn star actually, that'd be a great job.

What do you think of the UK's advertising censorship regarding such things?
It sucks.

Do you think that Ride Uk should run the metal ads?
I don't know, it's not that sort of thing is it. Obviously I'd like to see it, but€.

Have you ever jumped someone else's girlfriend? ;)
No. I wouldn't ever do that, it's disrespectful.

So you're a gentleman?
Yeah right, I'm a gentleman.Nah I just think that kind of thing is disrespectful. But saying that, I've got off with friends ex-girlfriends and that and they got angry with me.

Like if someone got off with one f my ex-girlfriends€..like I think Ben did, I could get kind of angry about it but then I start to thinking that she's my ex and I'm not going out with her anymore so.

[Ben - Chris€ I've got more respect for you than that. Bottom line is€she's great in bed.]
Exactly my point, Ben's an animal isn't he.

The last time I saw you was at the urban games€I was going to ask you what've you been doing with yourself since, but I had a quick scan round some of this years results:

Hastings 2002, 6th Pro vert , 12th pro dirt,7th pro street
board X 4th then 2nd in the two street finals
NASS 2002 =1 in street & 4th in dirt

But I don't think I saw you at Southsea?
No, where did I go€

[Ben - there was no money in the pot! ]
Bollocks! I couldn't afford to get there for a start.

But you went to Derby?
Yeah, I went there, that was rad. Sick, Taj man! He's a fucking animal€.sorry I swore there I don't normally. Oh god he's an absolute animal!

You got pretty stoked there then ?
Yeah, ....I sucked, I couldn't ride to save my life.

But you like Derby?
Yeah, it was good venue and the course was a bit different and stuff but I liked them all. What can I say I've had a great time at all of them.

That is something about you really, Because every time I see you, you are one of the characters that's making the scene and dicking about. You're always enjoying yourself.
I think that's because I like to have a good time and I hate to be angry with people. The one thing that I really really pisses me off is when bmx riders slag off other bmx riders. I get on with everybody I meet. Well at least I think I do, you know what I mean. What's the point of me saying somebody's doing something gay because they've done a trick I think is not cool or something, it's bullshit that's what it basically is. I think that people some just get on with it. Have a good time, you know. Pointless making enemies through riding a bike. Pointless.

Regardless, not a bad results line up for someone your age, what are you 21 or 22 now?
21

Going back a bit then; how did you find out where the first ramps you went to were?
Oh god, I used to ride trails quite a bit, and I was riding with this kid called Lee Taylor€he doesn't ride anymore, but there was him, Dylan Clayton and the two Dans€€.Dan and Dan obviously. Basically Lee had already been to this place in Liverpool called Rampworx and he said to come with him the next time he went. And basically the second I walked in the door I was hooked, and I was like this is where I want to be from now on. To be honest the park was pretty plain and simple and there wasn't much there and the roof was leaking. I used to still go all the time, and then eventually they've got a much better place like you saw today; and I have never had to pay to ride there which is good. Rob and Ian are the most amazing guys ever. They help me out all the time, always used to come up to see what's up and stuff and they used to give me free food when I had no money and stuff because everyone has their down periods you know. It's people like that which makes me want to ride more often, Because I only had to pay my train fare and sometimes they'd even come and get me at the train station€.they've looked after me for ages.

That's like Upton Skate park, Ben's dad will come and sort people out if they get stuck and he drives them places, sorts the kids out and stuff.
Yeah, Ben's dad is a cool guy. I think that it's that which inspire you to ride. Even if you get burned out to know that you're gonna be riding with people who appreciate what you do; and who help you out. It's a whole new way of inspiring you.

What was your first bike, did it have twin top tubes, coloured rims and ski grips or are you a newer schooler?
No, my first bike was a Mongoose Menace yeah, and it had Haro kneesaver bars on it, four pegs and then I didn't have it for too long actually because my dad bought me a €..shit I've forgotten€€€ah no he got me a Haro Shreddder.

With the two inch downtube!
Yeah the massive downtube. Then after that I got a Craig Cambell prolight ! How rad is that, old school as hell. Then I had a old dyno with a mad crossing at the top; it had purple GT tyres on light green skyways. It was amazing, I used to love that bike. [much laughter] Then remember when they brought out a gold Hutch Trickstar, I had all the gold parts from it€and then I started to get cool bikes then.

[John - so you had no black parts on your bike at all then]
Nothing, it was neon as you like. But I'm pretty into the whole black thing still. It's my favourite colour, so I'd rather keep my bike like that now.

I noticed that you'd cleaned your bike before we came in case we wanted to do some photos€.admit it?!
No, no it was clean! It was clean anyway! I just had some new wheels on.

From my perspective I see you as a park rider but is that really the case?
I guess I am really. It was just convienience as well because there's no much street here and I'm not really in with the Liverpool crew. I mean I know them and stuff but I'm not really in their thing, and don't ride street much. I ride trails in the summer the whole time, but the reason I like the skatepark so much is that everybody there is friendly and I like to be riding with friendly people.

I think it's because you go to so many of the contests, any idea of the percentage you get to in the UK?
How many have I been to you mean? €..errrr all of them I think! I mean I go to every one that I can. What was it like to be invited to two of the best contests, the Worlds and then the x-games. I mean the Worlds is good but everyone looks to the x-games and gravity games as the biggest of the year.

So coming from a fairly small place like Wigan and then being invited there?
I didn't really understand how good it was to be invited to the X-games to be honest. But I don't think that I deserved to go. I don't know how the judging worked at the Worlds but I don't think that I deserved to be in such a place. People may disagree but I thought that Kye Forte rode amazing and he ended up quite low down. I mean how good is Kye on Dirt, what can you say. I felt bad for him because I thought Kye should have gone to the X-Games and probably would have done well. Whereas I went to the X-Games and crashed out and couldn't ride.

Did you get treated really well, what was it like?
Oh yeah, when I walked out it was amazing. But the security guards there sucked!

Did you get the pass with the picture on?
Yeah, you should see the picture! It's so good. I'm not smiling just looking into space€..what was I saying anyway€.ah yeah about the x-games; Cory Nastazio walked into this big arena yeah, not on his bike or anything and I was sat on the top of the roll-in. He just walked into the arena, into where the dirt jumps are and put his hands in the air; the arena was packed and I'm not talking about a football stadium it was massive! And people were just going wild, throwing stuff, screaming and he was just hands in the air turning round and was just like 'oh my god, that's fame' you know what I mean. It doesn't get much bigger than that.

You talk to him?
Yeah he is such a cool guy. He said he thought I was a badass which kinda made me feel dead good like.

Did he ask you out to his house or anything?
No, we didn't have such a long conversation really.

Would you like to go ride with him?
Yeah definitely, I mean how good is he, he's amazing.

What do you feel about riding in contests? They have always been there in all aspects of riding but do you think that they're ironic 'a contest for something normally so free'?
No I like the whole contest thing. I mean the reason I like riding in contests so much is not because I just like riding in front of loads of people, not at all. But generally at contests I always end up doing something I never thought I'd be able to do. Like, I'd never tried a double backflip until the day of bike 2001. Never tried one up until that day and I just thought bollocks I'm going to try it. So if it wasn't for me being so stoked seeing other people doing mad stuff I would think about it as much.

So you never practiced your bigger tricks. Everything was on the day?
I mean to be honest the only trick I ever learned in a foam pit was the backflip. Everything else I learned as and when. So the double and the 720's Yeah. Today was pretty much the first time I've been trying 720's.

[John - I've never seen anyone person pull so many in one day.]
That's another thing like. Like when I learned backflips I did like forty in a row. Straight after each other. When I learned tailwhips I spent the whole day doing them. Every trick I learn I want to have it dialled. When I ride I try not to think that I won't be able to do something, I want to have this mental picture in my head where I can pull everything. I know that might sound really really bad yeah.

I also think that as you mature your riding matures with you. So you're doing the tricks that you want to do, not what other people are doing?
Yeah, like recently I've been learning some stuff that nobodies doing like that handle bar spinny thing you saw today. I want to start doing more things that nobody has done yet but it's really hard because in a way everybody's kind of done everything. But recently I have kind of slacked off and not ridden as much as I wanted to€€

You have been injured though?!
Yeah, but another thing was that I didn't have much money so I couldn't really travel anywhere to go riding. My new years resolution is to ride more often and to sort myself basically.

[Ben - Get a job?!]
Thing is the reason I haven't got a job is because if I had one then there's no way I could go to as many competitions as I wanted to.

So you're happy the way your lifes going at the moment?
Yeah sure I'd rather be having a good time than be rich.

Contest traveling isn't cheap, how do you sort that out?
To be honest I have got to thank Zach Shaw more than anyone else, because I know he thinks that I'm a pain in the ass, because like I always give him stress and I get stranded or something and he always helps me out and Van's pay all my traveling€.and Wayne at Eastpack as well, he's like€the guys amazing. He doesn't know me that well, we're good friends and that but it's not like we hang around together but everytime he sees me he treats me like he does. As a sponsors they really look after me. Van's have paid for me to go everywhere, I totally appreciate it.

If say a big money deal came through from Raleigh but you had to forget about Standard what would you do?
I wouldn't take it no way. I mean I can understand if you've got kids and you have the responsibility, you have to take care of them. If I was in that position then it would be different€.not for Raleigh, not for any amount of money, but say if like another bike company made an offer and I had kids to look after and a mortgage to pay then I guess I might have to do it.

So you're happy with the way your life is defined out right now and the opportunities you're taking?
Yeah, I don't get allot of money for what I'm doing and I don't want allot of money for it, you know I mean. I 'm not greedy, if I rode for one of those companies I wouldn't enjoy it. Because you wouldn't want to ride a bike you didn't like would you. I couldn't wish for a better sponsor, what can I say.

I already know that you're on Eastpack, Vans, Mutation, Standard and Oddessey any more?
You want me to give you the list? Eastpack, Vans, Mutation, Oddessey, Standard, Protec Helmets, Playstation 2 and there might be something happening with Fender Guitars but I 'm not gonna say too much about that right now. So does the fact that according to Ride UK reader poll Van's were voted the UK's most popular company for the last four years make you happy? What can I say about Vans, they're the best. Any chance of you making it to Van's contests this year? I'd like to, I mean Zack looks after me and Christian Stevenson from Playstation2 they both dead positive guys; they want me to be at contests they want me to go places and to just have a good time I guess. There's the Van's triple crown? I'd love to go to that. I mean Van's have paid for me to go more places than I could remember and they're the oldest, longest running shoe company that I know of that's into the extreme sports; I feel priveledged to be on their team to be honest. Ok but seriously are the shoes any good? Course they are! I mean the Geoff Rowley's shoe is the biggest selling shoe in extreme sports and the reason it's like that is because it's a high quality shoe€.obviously he's endorsed it and the people love and that but it's such a rad shoe to wear. You didn't just take the deal cause Zack said and he would have sent the boys round if you didn't? No, I honestly wouldn't say anything about a sponsor just because I'm sponsored by them. What's the point in just lying abut stuff, I wouldn't lie about it because there's really no point. I'd rather tell how I think about it regardless. That's sounds dead arsy doesn't it? It's not like that. Maybe you wanted the boys to come round and sort you out? ;) Yeah sure. No but I also try my best for my sponsors. They look after me, they fund my life basically. I have seen you break yourself a few times at comp's! Nah that's just me, even if I wasn't sponsored I'd still be like that. But they inspire me.

I see the sk8park listing in the magazines, there's loads and probably three figures more that are not even there - does the average UK rider underrate what we have?
Definitely. I mean within forty minutes of my house there's six skateparks and maybe seven now. But so many riders complaining that there's nothing near.

Do you think they underrate the whole scene?
Yeah sure I mean there's skateparks that people don't even know about. Do a bit of research is all I can say on that. When I start in '96 there was only Rampworx and Stockport and that was it. I'd go to one in the week and Stockport at the weekend. But now we've got like five local parks€that's quite an achievement. But if you're like Ben Manuel and you've got your own park, you know what I mean€.

[Ben - fck you]

Basically you're pro. But are you still in touch with the unsponsored aspects of riding? Tell us how roots you are chris?
Alright I might have quite a lot of sponsors, but I don't really like to use the word pro because then I might feel like a multi-milionaire or something but I'm not. I guess I am [cringing] a pro bmx rider but I tell you what if I lost everything tomorrow I would still ride my bike. Just as much as I do now. Maybe I couldn't afford to ride it as much but given the chance I would. I'd still be out there riding. I think that everyone that knows you would agree with that.

The kids at Liverpool look up to you quite a bit because of that. There was a lot of people following us round for the photo's we were doing.
I tell you what I really hate, people who are 'pros' who don't talk to the kids. I mean they were all kids at one time.

The last time you went riding where did you go?
We went to rampworx [Liverpool] today.

Can you build a wheel?
Yeah, I built my wheels. But I did work in a bike shop for a year

Have you ever had a perm?
No.

Do you still appreciate the cost of things?
Yeah, err yeah kind of. I do get a lot of stuff for free but I also still pay for things.

What was the last thing you bought? Actually gave money for? (sex doesn't count)
If I want something and I can afford it. What can I use as an example€ I bought a chain€.ah no the last thing was a Primo hub€I shouldn't be saying this because I ride for Oddessey but I wanted a really lightweight 10mm hub. The Oddessey ones weren't in or something [laughing].

So you're on Mutation, How did you come to get hooked up with a German based company?
When I got hooked up with Dragonfly, basically Dragonfly and mutation kind of tie in with each other so I got involved with that. They basically said did I want to ride for them and it was kind of weird because every rider who rode for Mutation rode for Dragonfly and I wasn't forced into it but I did feel a bit out of place. I really wanted to ride for 2&8, sorry Chico; But I had to change and they've been good to me so I have no complaints.

There's you and Craig Stevens€anyone else in the UK?
I think Brownie might be getting some sort of a deal.

They don't sponsor you for your charm that's for sure, so why?
No, nobody sponsors me for my charm. Good looks maybe.

Do you think that the Euro based companies are making a real impression on the UK riders?
Well yeah, but they don't get enough advertising over here. German companies in general. They need a good distributor. I don't know a lot of them off the top of my head but I reckon if they advertised more here. Everyone wants the American thing here still but I think it would work.

Does it feel good to be part of a euro scene Do you feel like you're breaking out from the UK 's boudararies?
I guess a little bit yeah, what can I say, Standard that's American€.

But I mean Europe rather than the US?
Europe, yeah sure. I like going to Europe, I have a few good friends and there's nothing wrong with Europe at all, but I couldn't live there because I'd miss my mum and that. Bit of a softie really. It's a family thing though. Yeah, I don't want to be away from her and I have so many good friends in England. Like my friends I hang out with in the pub like Dan, Dano and Ross they're like my brothers. I wouldn't want to lose that.

When you read or see bmx related media (mags, vids) do you get anything from them?
Sure.

So do you prefer the zine style or the full colour glossy?
It doesn't matter really, it's all good as it is.

What was the last thing you read?
Oh man there's loads of stuff. The last was probably Playboy, nah I don't know. I read half of Dennis Winghams interview on the way home from London but then I had to get off the train.

Does Liverpool have it's own zine scene? Has it ever?
Scene or zine?

Zine.
No, but they've a web site. I think it's www.rampworxskatepark.co.uk. I think, but I' not sure about it.

What purpose do you think magazines have in the scene?
They're good, a lot of people get inspiration from Magazines and it's probably a good way to find out who's good and who's doing what and what new stuffs coming out. But from a company point of view then it's a good way of advertising. Cause I have looked at things in magazines and thought I really want to get that and then gone and bought it.

For me, It's a different perspective, more of a talking point a common ground amongst people.
Yeah, and like one of my favourite riders is joe rich, and I'd seen in magazines and then he came to Liverpool and he took the time out to speak to me and everything that influenced me such that when he started Terrible One and I saw the frames advertised I went and bought a T1. It's a good way of finding out what people are like. I know that all the UK mags are well read abroad but it's pretty rare that the euro mags make it here. Yeah, they should send loads to England because people will buy them.

Do you think that we're still too insular about how good the UK is?
I think that the reason for this is because people either haven't got the money or don't want to travel to Europe, but I tell you what those people are missing out, you know because you're living in Germany. Europe is an amazing place, it opened my eyes definitely.

Do you know of or rate any of the Euro mags? [Freedom, Cream, Soul]
Yeah, I don't read them much because it's very rare that I come across them. But I do like them.

For me the Euro scene is amazing and the UK is blind to all but what is handed to it through Ride UK and now improving coverage from Dig. From what you know of the riding level in Europe do you think that there's a lot more that we don't push ourselves to see purely because of our ignorance to the language?
Yeah English people are very ignorant, well not just English people but people who go to other countries in general because a lot of the time they go to France, Germany Spain wherever and they just make no effort to learn anything. I mean when I went to Germany I went to a shop and there was an English guy in there and he was blatently ignorant in the way he totally expected the woman behind the counter to speak English, but she couldn't. Basically he was giving her shit, what's the point in that. I don't know much German but I try my best you know.

Is this where the video format breaks boundaries then?
I tell you what's good, I've only seen it a couple of times but they bring out a with subtitles but where you can still here them speaking in the background. If you watch stuff like that you can kind of pick up a few little bits and then maybe use that when you go away or whatever. Do you remember an example?

No I don't think so. I can't remember which one it is. What's the video magazine called€ Clicked, Soul? Soul, I think it was on Soul video magazine.

Freedom?
Or maybe Freedom yeah. It had somebody speaking in German, or maybe it was French but then with English subtitles on.

Ah it would be Frame.
Frame that's the one. That's it definitely.

And maybe the internet€do you use this much?
I haven't got a computer myself so I don't use it much but It's a good way to find stuff out. I've been to internet cafes a few times to look things up I can't find in the magazines or whatever. Just stuff like that.

There's a listing on the Fatbmx web site that is also pretty much the same format as the one that Dig runs€about what's hot and what's not€.i don't care who did it first, let's hear your version?
You know what, I can help you on the 'Hot' things but I don't think I can help you with the 'Not' things. Because I don't try to judge anything, I like everything to do with bmx. At the minute I can see that sliders are hot, style is a big thing at the moment, I remember at one stage it was all about who could do the biggest roof gap - you must remember that, and tailwhips are hot€.in my eyes anyway. I love that trick it's amazing.

You do a lot of tailwhips, how long is it since you learnt them?
A year I guess.

No chris it's more than that?
Is it? I learned them ages ago when I had a Pashley bike, over a jump at the park and I did a few in a row and then I got injured and when I went back to do them again I couldn't do them. As much as I tried I just couldn't get my head round it and the reason was that I wasn't committing to it. I wasn't confident that I could do it. Then about, mayBe it was more than a year ago, maybe two years ago I re-learned them and I just thought that I'm gonna keep doing them as often as I can.

I've seen you tailwhip everthing, and I'm guessing you could flip whatever you saw€.but are you working on other stuff as well?
Yeah, I like no footed stuff a lot. I have been trying like a kiss of death type thing from motor cross, like a vertical superman. People might think that it's really gay because it's motor-cross orientated but I don't care, I think it's an amazing trick. I love stuff like that. I have a big problem with learning old-school no-handers; I'm kind of getting them now but it's been a while.

You're working with a lot more tech stuff I saw today, even just playing around with smaller elements of tricks?
Yeah, yeah. I'm kind of into these bike whips. I haven't got a name for the thing I kind of invented where I spin the bike through my hands. It's different though and I like it. I like the whole tech thing but I can't get my head round it, I don't want to be doing like fifty tricks on one side of the coping or anything like that. But I want to try and use the tech thing.

Do you eat to live or live to eat?
I guess I Eat to live, I'm quite skinny really. I lost a bit of weight actually. Though I'm not vege anymore so I might put some weight back on.

What about racing, Do you think that bmx racing has an influence in other types of riding?
Definitely got an influence in my riding because I like to be going fast when I ride my bike. I like the whole€well when I started riding bmx I met Dylan Clayton and he raced and that's what we did. So I started off racing. I only ever did three races and I got 1st, 2nd and 3rd. And I thought I'll quit while I'll ahead. That's something that doesn't really €.. we've got a lot of people who give a little bit of props to racing but they're not as willing to say that's where I started. They're more into the whole dissing racing and€ it's taken a back seat.

People are not seeing racing as a developing thing, they're just going straight into street so you've got a lot of kids bashing a wall somewhere. With no style or anything else.
Like what we've been doing today ;)

Pretty much ;)
It's funny you should say that because I'm thinking about doing a bit of a race series next year. Because, well the only reason I want to do is because I want to make Dylan [Clayton] do it as well.

You mean organizing it?
No, not that, I'm actually gonna' race. The main reason is because I want to get fit because I'm getting lazy. Another reason is that Alan Woods asked if I wanted to do it, because generally when I ride my bike I'm generally going quite fast, and Dylan was like 'ah I'm not too fussed about racing anymore', and if I was to race with Dylan I know I'd have a great time, and hopefully he would as well and it would keep him racing because he's good at that.

Fairly good yeah ;)
Yeah just a little bit! I don't know anyone who's got such a good style. He's another one who always looks to be enjoying his riding, having a good time, talking to people. I think that if Dylan hadn't spoken to me that day in the woods then I probably wouldn't be riding today. I'd probably be a drugged up criminal somewhere.

[Ben - nowts changed there then. ]
I don't take drugs by the way kids. That's not a good thing.

Where would you like to see the bmx scene at?
What bmx? Do I want to see it go?

No where do you want to see it? From what we have now, where do you want to see it in the future?
Hopefully as good as it is now because it's great.

[Ben - Olympic Sport ]
Nah, I'm not bothered about the whole Olympics thing, I mean I been to the x-games, and it doesn't seem that bad. People say 'oh it's€.'; It's a load of people riding bmx bikes having a great time with thousands of people watching; that to me sounds good, know what I mean? And competitions, I love going to competitions, I love riding in front of people. What's the point of having a talent, if you can call it that, I guess it is a talent; what's the point of having something like that and not showing it to anybody€.that's stupid. I don't know, I like riding for other people I think it's good, but that's just because I like riding my bike No, I'd still ride my bike if there was no one there. I'm not trying to say that I'd only ride my bike if there's people there, not at all. Because there's nothing more I like doing than riding my bike. I have such a good time when I'm riding. It's good, and the more the merrier I think.

Making trouble or riding? (doesn't matter I can answer that one)
Riding

[surprise]

Can you name the elements of the last criminal thing you did, spell it out cause I don't want to glamourise it or get you convicted€..i just want to know?
Do I have to?

No you don't have to. In fact maybe you shouldn't. You could tell us the story then about what made you change the direction your life was going?
Right, my mum doesn't really know much about this, but my dad knew a bit about it; but I used to be a naughty boy, doing a lot of naughty things in cars and basically I used to be a criminal because I got into hanging around with guys who were always into being criminals and just absolute idiots, to be honest I hated myself at that point in my life, you know. I was just doing bad things day in day out . I got involved with cars, I won't go into to details but borrowing cars and stuff like that. That's a bit of a bad way of putting it but I was just going the wrongest way you can go. A lot of the people I was hanging around with then are all heroin addicts and thieves and I got to a point in my life where I didn't want to be like that. They were all taking drugs and like I knew that this is bad€. Ok, so what was it that you saw that allowed you to see past what was happening then, because you have to be able to see outside of it to be able to do anything about it. If you can't see the scope then you can't develop yourself? Yeah, I can remember a lot of bad things that I did; and I knew that I needed to get out of this life. So there was one day where I just got on my bike, this little piece of shit bike that I had and I rode down to the woods; and I met Dylan Clayton because he was there. I saw him and I had heard about him before and then he basically amazed me. It was so like that is what want to do, and he just said get a bike mate€he kind of welcomed me, you know what I mean. Then I got like this mongoose menace frame and he'd like help me out, he'd give me a seat and grips and frame pads and shoes to wear€

[john - could you say to a certain extent that he saved your life?]
Definitely, yeah. I really do think that he has saved my life. If it wasn't for Dylan Clayton being so nice to me being as cool as he is I could be one of two things I'd either be in jail or I'd be dead. As simple as that, I was going in such a bad way, and he turned me around. I am so grateful to that guy.

So when you're talking about people being at a contest and enjoying it, it's not always for yourself , you're a subject in a way, people are watching you. So when you go to a contest it's perhaps not only about yourself. You do get something else from it but in the same way that maybe Dylan gave something to you, people are looking to people like yourself.
Yeah I guess. I would love it if somebody were to look at me the same way that I look at Dylan€..that sounds so gay doesn't it€€.[laughing]. I mean that I look up to Dylan, he's like one of my idols and he's such a cool friend. I'd love for people to think of me like that, it would give me a sense of achievement I guess.

[Ben - I look up to you chris]
Ah, thanks mate. But you know what I mean, there are so many people in the world who get into bad things, and I know what it's like. People think of bmx as a bunch of guys riding round on bikes, but it's not, it's a different thing, it's a way of life. It is good, keeps me out of trouble and I love it. I've been riding for seven years now and I have never got bored of it.

So you still have the same feeling now as in the beginning?
Oh yeah! I can remember the first time I did a barspin. I was so stoked, I went to tell my mum ' I done a barspin' and she didn't have a clue what I was on about. But I was stoked, and like today I pulled that 720 and €John you could tell I was like so happy that I did it. It's like when you're a kid and you get a new toy and have that stupid giggly feeling. It's just amazing, it's great. I think that when the feeling stops you give up. Yeah I think so.

How does you life work, how do you hold it together? Do you plan things or is it a day by day process?
To be honest I get up in the morning and I just do whatever. If somebody phones up and wants to go riding, then I do that. Just whatever. I don't have a job or anything.

[John - but you build ramps?]
Yeah, I build ramps with dave Arnold, he's a super cool guy like. I mean that I do make some money from riding my bike, I'm not rich or anything but it gets me by. But if it wasn't for people like Vans and Eastpack who help me out financially for riding the bike. Like Eastpack, is a big thing for me. If I get a photograph in magazine then they give me money for it and that is an amazing thing. So have you got a bit of a life plan or similar? I try not to think too far ahead realy. Obviously I want to keep riding my bike and.. Where would you like to be in say eight years? Definitely still riding, definitely still in England because I have been quite a few places and I can't imagine living anywhere else. I think that I'm too used to being at home. I've lived in the same house for twenty years now and it's quite a big thing.

[John - do you think that you appreciate England more now that you've traveled? You've been to the States, Europe, Maylasia?]
Yeah I do; but don't get me wrong, I love traveling, it's great. But to know that you always have a home to go back to, it's a good feeling to have.

Do you get stoked on new parts coming out? Oh, yeah definitely. Titanium all the way [laughing] What's the last thing that made you look twice?
This video I have at home with loads of scantily clad women on it. Actually the dvd that Ben Manuel lent me made me look twice!

There has been a fair bit of talk about freecoasters for street riding? Could you get into that yourself?
No, I can't ride with one. I tried one but I can't do it. They're good though I guess.

Do developments in parts design make you think about different ways of riding? Or is it more riding first then consideration about parts?
No, but I'm addicted to trying to make my bike light. Super addicted.

But is it changing the way you ride?
No I don't think so. I'm getting a hell of a lot smoother I think€.although thinking about today I'm not am I!? But, yeah I think with a lighter bike it's easier, not as much effort to ride.

Is that why you changed to clipless pedals?
[laughing] I never ride clipless ever! What a crap idea that is!

You always wear the cap under your helmet€.when did you start doing that and why?
Actually I stopped doing that because I got a new helmet. But, I couldn't get€.i must have a really tiny head or something€but I couldn't get a helmet to fit. Every helmet I was given, because I can't afford to buy a new one because I'm skint, they didn't fit and so I used to wear the cap underneath and I just got used to the whole thing.

Who do you think has had the most influence over the entire UK scene?
Bas Keep. Oh my word he's kicking ass isn't he. Alistar Whitton as well, that kid needs to calm down, he's getting too good like.

A while back all the UK standard team went out to the states€what was that like?
Good.

Was that your first Stateside excursion?
Yeah my first time, and it was red hot as well. I can remember walking up, and Pill saying wait till you see him you'll be shocked and I was thinking how will be shocked it's Rick Moliterno I've seen his pictures. So I was thinking that he'd be about my height but I got there and he's like this 6'6'' monster! But I reckon that he's just a bit of a softie really, he's really a super cool guy. Anything else about the US that surprised you? Just how everything is over there, especially the food and stuff like that. You get a burger and it's like whoahh, the size of your head.

Being from Wigan did you have problems with customs? ;)
No. Oh actually when we went to germany the day after the September 11 thing and I'm not going to mention his name but one of our 'friends', while we were at the checkout they came up to us and said we'd have to put the bikes in these bags. And we'd just been given these bags when my 'friend' said 'what are the bags for€all the bodies?'; and they nearly weren't going to let us on the plane. They were really pissed at that and it was a bit silly.

It's clich¹d but I has to be said..did they confiscate the car radio?
[laughing]

What was the US reaction to you lot then€who was it, you, Pill, Tambling ?
.....Yeah Martyn [Tambling] and the Hitchcocks [James] as well. And I was really surprised because you know that footplant, x-up tailwhip thing I do well I thought that they would have seen it all before but they were really into it and asking me to do it agan and stuff and Chad Kagy wanted me to do it so he could get a photo of it - weird. So it was pretty good. I didn't do good in the contest but it was such a good atmosphere. Especially when Dave Mirra back-flipped a 4ft hitchin post on a spine volcano ramp. And then he did a backflip x-up over it!

I was talking to a friend in Germany who thought that the UK riders knew how to get crazy the best€ are you happy with that?
Oh yeah, we know how to get crazy.

Do you think that you have contributed?
I hope so. I have done stupid stuff in foreign countries.

Have you something you can share?
Mmm maybe. Pill and me in Spain, we couldn't afford the hotel so basically we didn't and we went home. It was pretty funny at the time but a bit stupid now.

You don't recommend it then?
No. I don't suggest anyone else does it. But it was on his passport so if anyone's looking for money they'll find him first [laughing]. Although it was my idea.

Did you know that the longest Rick has not been on his bike was a week€one week in 30 odd years! What about you€many injuries or breaks from riding?
I broke my back in 99 and I was off my bike for about three months, that was a bit rubbish.

Pretty serious that?
I was alright really. That was all through backflips.

What learing them?
No I tried to do one over this humped ramp and landed with my back arched across the hump. And that was it, I fractured six vertebrate and my coccyx. I could just about move and it was horrible.

So you've come fairly close to making yourself disabled then?
Definitely. I also broke my ankle last year trying to do tailwhip tyretaps, that put me out for a bit as well. It just kind of twisted it inwards and now I can't ride without this ankle brace thing

. You have been with Standard for a long time now, but did you have support from someone else before?
Yeah, I rode for a few different companies. I rode for Dragonfly and Pashley for a while but then basically the company lost the distributor so I was without a bike sponsor.

And how did you get sorted with Standard?
So while I didn't have a sponsor I was just talking one day with Anthony Pill and he was like 'so who you going to ride for then' and I'd been talking to Carlo Griggs at Fly [at the time] who sounded really positive and then about an hour later Pill phoned me up and asked how did I fancy riding for Standard and I was really shocked€.i mean how amazing are Standard bikes. So I'm really fortunate to be riding for them€even though Pill doesn't now the traitor€.no I'm only kidding.

Is there any situation that would make you think again about being with them?
I mean, to be honest I don't think that anything like that could ever happen. Rick is such a cool laid back guy, he's happy with the company the way it is, and from what I've heard everything he's said about it sounded really positive to me. I couldn't ever imagine him getting pissed off at me about anything, so I think that basically it's gonna be great and I don't think that situation would occur. Maybe with other sponsors, if they started trying to make me go places and make me enter things.

It is basically a dream sponsor?
Yeah, sure. I haven't any complaints at all!

What frame is it that you're on?
Standard STA ox-platinum, and it's rad.

Fancy a signature model them?
Not really no, I'm not confident enough to put my signature to anything. I don't feel that I'm worth that sort of thing, I don't think that I am good enough to be given a signature bike. It takes something pretty special for somebody to want to buy something you put your name to, you know.

I guess you have to be something pretty special for that. If it happened what would you change the way you ride or your current set up?
Definitely not, I wouldn't want to change the way I ride or the set up. It's too good. Saying that I'm not trying to say that everybody should set their bike up like me; whatever you feel comfortable with is how you should set it up. You shouldn't care about the way people think your bike is, if people think it looks stupid that's their problem and not yours. Ride however you feel comfortable. Like, I'm not using John as an example and I don't mean this in any way disrespectful but my bike is nothing like John's. I would not be able to ride his bike at all because I set mine up so differently. I have no complaints about the way he does it and John likes it so it's no problem to me. If you ride, and you feel comfortable then€..for example I have a friend called Ango yeah, in Liverpool; He rides with one hand on the straight part of the bars and the other on the curve. So can you imagine riding all crooked like that?. But he finds it confortable and it works for him so what works for you then just do that.

It is quite interesting to see, different rider's approaches give differing perspectives.
Look at Jay Miron and Garret Burns, their bikes are set up completely differently and they're both incredible, you know what I mean? Whatever you feel comfortable with€.that's all I can say on that subject.

Ok, forget riding for a minute€lets talk about your tats'; You have some pretty big work there? When was your first?
The 'CM' at the top of my arm which I kind of regret it a little.

And your most recent?
This one, my other tattoo [large forearm work, something chris likes a lot of]

I can't believe that you finished with the girl before her flat mate had finished that one?
Yeah, when I was going out with Tamar she said she'd pay for the whole thing - it was supposed to go all the way up my arm and shoulder. But then we split up for a while and a friend of mine called Danny Sharples did the rest of it, he's got a local tattoo place.

Will you stick with the same artist then?
No I don't think so; I want to get loads of stuff, the ideas I have are for some pretty big and detailed stuff. I'm going to get both sleeves done and maybe a big piece on my back. I'm quite into it. I don't care what people think about me, if they don't like it then that's their problem not mine.

Have you a design style preference?
No, I'm into tribal and Maori and I definitely want to get some hot rod flames on my body somewhere, that's like a childhood dream.

Are the designs mostly yours then?
Kind of yeah.

Is this one of the reasons you're a ladies man ;) ?
I don't think so. I don't know what that is.I do do quite well, I think it's because I try not to be a knobhead. I try to get on with them. I'm quite confident with myself as well.

What about the lip piercing, I heard that it can wear out the front of your teeth, do you give a shit?
I haven't got any teeth to worry about.

That's what i thought, Ever got it caught on a woman?
No but I had a women's piercing get caught on me once. She doesn't know about it because I hided it. What kind of a word is 'hided' €I meant that I hid the fact I got caught on her from her. I'm not going to say who it was but I used to go out with a girl who had three piercing down there. We were 'making love' once and it kind of stabbed into my genitals in the heat of the moment and I was like 'ahhh' ; she thought I was just really enjoying it.

What about a man?
Yeah, Ben manuel [laughing]

'This time' I'm not suggesting that you order 30 copies of every magazine you feature in but, Can you remember a particular photo of yourself that you liked?
Yeah, Carinne [Leandri] once sent me a photo and I'm really angry in the photo, throwing my helmet. It's a good photo. Everybody should hire Carinne!

Let's face it you're a photographers dream, big style, consistent and at most of the contests. Is there anything about the en-mass media involvement that annoys you?
Not really, I try not to get annoyed. I don't like to be in a bad mood so I try to avoid it.

It has been said about taking photos of riders and the fact that the riders get nothing from it is a bit harsh€I don't agree but how do you feel about it?
I can't say anything on that subject because I get photo contingency. I've had a fair bit of coverage this year and been pretty lucky like that so I can't really say.

Have you ever been used?
I can't go into that€..nah I don't think that I have.

Is there a photographer's style in particular that you like€Lard, Kay, Cameron, Ed, Carson, joe rich I guess there's too many to be one..?
Not really, I like black and white stuff.

What impact do you think that rider's in photography has on the images portrayed in mags?
I guess it kind of means a more realistic approach to the photo's we see but it also has a downside in that we see shot's more from certain riders and what they see, it's interesting but It can be a bit one sided.

More photos of solo missions etc? Less pure contest photos?
Yeah sure, we need both not one or the other.

While we're talking about media€have you a video preference?
I haven't got a total favourite, I keep my mind open.

Do you get many videos?
I get few, not that many. I'm more into the riding side.

What was the last you bought, whether you liked it or not?
Shit I have no idea, probably wasn't anything to do with bmx so best not even think about it.

Lards photo sequence at this years urban games [printed in Ride uk oct 02] of you tail-whipping the gap between those two quarters was a good one! What was the rest of the urban games like for you this year ?
Yeah, that was a rad photo I saw that. Like I said I really enjoy myself at all the comps and the urban games was the same I had a blast just riding and having a laugh with my friends. We could start with the wet t comp.

It was you who made the paper shirt advert for elvis wasn't it?
Yeah it got well out of hand. Started making this dodgy shirt and then the next thing is the main dirt area is taken over and we're having this wet t-shirt comp and loads of women are actually wanting to be in it. That got pretty crazy

How did you rate the girl who won it?
She was alright [laughing].

The Eastpack guys seem to be a good team to be part of?
The Eastpack lot are amazing, so cool to be around them. We have such a good laugh, and Wayne is really a cool guy and helps everyone out and stuff and he's always wanting to be involved with things. It's a really great thing to be part of.

Different line now; I heard, in fact I know for a fact that you got out of hand during the Ben Manuel interview for Ride UK€enlighten us on that one? To the point where it was a problem for you to stay at his place, what's the score with that?
Basically right, we went to Ben's house yeah and we went out drinking in this pub. And I decided to get really drunk cause this guy was buying me jack daniels all night right (I think he fancied me). So I got bought loads of JD's and I can't remember the actual argument but apparently I was arguing about the size of my penis to the size of the other guys penis, I was trying to say that mine was bigger than he was was so we nearly had a fight€.my mums gonna be reading this!? So we nearly had this fight and I was dead drunk and then I puked up in Ben's house €€did I puke up Ben? ("yeah, twice") , ok so I puked up twice and then I was just giving abuse to his whole family because I was drunk 'cause I'm not normally like that. So Ben's mum doesn't like me anymore, but I'm really sorry Ben's mum. Ben's dad is still alright with me though €

[Ben - No he thinks you're a wanker as well]
€.does he? Ah well.

Do you use music as an influence for riding?
Ah definitely yeah!

Like listening to music as you ride?
Yeah 'course I do, the skatepark music's always on. But if someone puts on Fu Manchu or Slayer or something then I probably go nuts or something.

Do you have different tastes in music depending on what you're doing? I just like any kind of rock music What's your ideal listening environment?
Local pub I guess, but erm that's the jukebox so you have to listen to what ever get's put on. Nightclubs are always a good place€

In Wigan?
Maximes! No I'm not gonna endorse maxims really€go to the Tudor instead!

Does the music they use at contests get on your tits? Or does it help€?
If I'm lucky enough to be able to choose what music I want when i'm doing my run that's good, listen to your favourite music and have a good time riding your bmx bike

Do you believe that consideration of a faith could alter your mental state? What do mean, like a church or something?
I find reigion a very scary thing to be honest. I'm not really religious I must admit, definitely not religious. I Kinda believe in god and all that stuff but I think I don't want to be, don't want to judge people or anything, I think that if I got into religion I'd completely change and I'm think I'm happier the way I am.

I think that's it's impossible to not be influenced by others as you develop so I would like to hear who you think has influenced the way you ride?
Oh definitely. John Taylor, if it wasn't for me riding with people like Dylan Clayton and John Taylor and€Neil Williams, I know he had like a bad injury on his knee but how good was he riding today? You saw him ride today and he hadn't rode for ages until then cause of his knee. He used to be amazing; he hurt himself doing superman to tailwhip at the Urban Games yeah aand that was like at the first urban games which was what €.1999? No one was doing supermen to tailwhip in 99. So if he hadn't of injured himself he'd probably be the greatest bmx rider of all time right now! But yeah Neil Williams, Dylan Clayton, John Taylor Definitely, Jay miron has been my idol for ages, joe Rich as well. I mean look at Jay Miron, he just goes out and you know what if I had to pick my favourite rider of all time I would definitely pick out of everybody, jay miron. He does 360 double tailwhips! That's the sickest thing ever!What can I say he's an amazing guy.

€. and then who might have influenced the way you think or your thoughts on a particular subject?
Dylan with his whole different dictionary to everyone else, he's got this totally different dictionary to everybody in the world. The way he speaks is completely different, he's invented this whole new dictionary like, so if people din't know Dylan and he was having a conversation they would just think he was mental.

What about pre-event€have you any kind of a prep routine?
Nah, nothng like that.

Even bike stuff? I usually have a look at things before I go riding so I don't have to walk home over something stupid?
Do I look after my bike?Look how pimpin' my bike was today, I look after it yeah. Ben just rides it however it is but I like to have it dialed. But saying that three years ago I didn't give a shit about my bike, it used to be a piece of shit but now it's amazing.

I've not heard many slag you off?
I guess. I try to be friendly with everybody I meet. I try to get on with everyone. I did get angry with graeme hardy but I actually apologized for that cause I was wrong. I thought he was slagging someone I knew off. But I only causght half of the conversation and so I'm sorry about that graeme. You're a good mate and that. But that's the only time I ever really been angry but it was my fault.

Tell us about this advert you were supposed to do in Tel Aviv, what was the score with that?
I was meant to go and do a kids advert in tel aiv yeah, and I set up for it, and about two days before I was gonna go I found out that they wouldn't let me in the country cause I'd been to the far east, like a rival country's stamp in my passport. So Pill went instead.

what was the advert for?
It was some normal everyday kid who's never ridden a bmx bike in his life and he goes to buy this chocolat bar (this is so cheesy), and becomes this super bmx rider.

While I was in spain I was traveling on the underground metro with a Spanish friend when two girls got in the same carriage as us and were talking English. One was from the south someplace and the other I could tell because of the accent was from Liverpool. The first thing my Spanish mate said to this girl was 'ah a rough scouser' - I was killing myself. [laughter] So tell me a couple of words that are pure Liverpudlian? Teach us your alphabet [Ed. Note: chris is not from Liverpool but he knows the language well because Wigan is geographically next door to Liverpool]
Me and my good friend Dan who is sat here at the side of me, we went out to this nightclub and on the way back these girls asked me for a light, so I told them that I haven't got a light and basically we started arguing with the girls and one of them said 'don't talk to me you grock' - What's a 'grock' !!! You know what I mean, I haven't got a clue what it means, and they say words like 'Meth' and 'Kidder'. I mean I have nothing against people from Liverpool, but they have this crazy way of speaking. You couldn't put it into words, it's mad but also dead funny as well. They have this mad thing where you can be walking down the street and there be some girl walking in her pyamas - it's cool to walk round in your pyamas!

No more questions so if you have something else to add now is a good time?
I would like to thank my sponsors Vans, Eastpack, Mutation, Oddessey, Protec helmets, Playstation2, Standard and Fender if it all goes through. What about the pub, tell us about the pub! The pub! One of my friends Russell Millar, his family own a pub, Big Russ and his wife Francis they own the pub, it's a great pub in Wigan and basically they're just really welcoming. I spend a lot of time in here. It's called the Tudor House, You could find me in there most Friday nights. Anyway, getting back€I want to thank my sponsors, my family, Dylan Clayton more than anybody else, if it wasn't for him like I said I'd be dead or a criminal so thanks for that Dylan. Zack Shaw, Shaun Scarfe, Wayne Healy, ermm Archer, Mutation Clothing, My friends€Damo and the rest, Jack Daniels and Stella. END

Ed Note:
I also want to thank Chris, The Tudor House Pub in Wigan for all and chris's friends for waiting for him the whole night while we did this.