Interview with Greyson Fletcher

Greyson, give us the basics. Age, sponsors, where you live, what you eat, boxers or briefs, and anything else that's important to know about you.My name is Greyson Fletcher and I'm 24. I ride for Element, RVCA, Nike, OJ Wheels, Layback beer, Independent, Astrodeck, Hardluck, and Stance. I'm from San Clemente, California. I eat lots of red meat! It's good for you. Haha, Steak Diablo burrito from Baja Fresh, rare beef soup from a pho restaurant, frozen pasta with cheese in it from wherever, rice beans and meat, and lots of cereal. Haha, when I'm not on a skate trip, I love to listen to metal and play videogames! Usually ones that are player vs player online. Surfing too, of course.

You probably get this a lot, but for any of the people who don't know would you be down to explain a little bit about the family you come from and about what it's like to grow up with professional surfer as a father? Yeah, of course. I come from a crazy surf family. Haha my great grandpa, aunt, grandpa, dad, and uncle are all surfers. They're all so gnarly. My grandma knows more about the surf industry than anybody I know and runs our family business, Astrodeck. My grandpa invented the tail pad (grip tape) for a surfboard. He was one of the first people to skate a pool as well. Growing up I always felt like the black sheep until I started doing more things with skating recently.

Were you skating and surfing before you could walk? I was always been on a skateboard growing up. There are photos of me on a board rollin’ around on my knees before I could stand up. My grandpa taught me how to surf when I was a little kid, but then I stopped because I just loved skating and wanted to skate all the time.

I heard a rumor that Jason Jesse is your God Father. Is that true? I think he's my godfather. I'll have to ask him. He and my dad would always hang out when they were little. Jason is the best!

The first thing I ever saw of you was a massive frontside Ollie on a Banana Board at Artos. Do you think you hold the world record for highest frontside Ollie on a Banana Board? Hmm, I guess it's a possibility that it could be the world record, I guess? Haha. I don't think that many people are trying to do frontside Ollies on those things though because they are so small, landing on them can be quite scary, to say the least.

The frontside Ollie one-foot has kind of become a hot move lately and it seemed to happen after you had a few come out. Are you stoked to see so many people doing them? I think it's cool to see people doing them! I've been doing them forever. I started doing them when I was little because of the Tony Hawk video game I think. Many people before have done them before me and many people will do them after I'm done as well.

Have you ever thought about riding a board with no grip tape on the front half, just to help the front foot slide right off? People have told me that one before, haha. It comes off just as easily with grip tape but with more control.

Can you talk a little bit about the transition from riding for Flip to riding to Element and how that all went down? I got on Flip a few years back because Arto was helping me a lot back then. I had a lot of fun with them. I don't know exactly how it happened but, I feel like Element fits me better. Lots of the guys live in Long Beach which isn't too far away. Everybody on the team is really cool and there are a lot people that work for Element that are having fun and being themselves when they come to work. Plus we have a really cool team manager!

Did you have any idea that you were turning pro, or was it a total surprise? I wasn't sure and kind of knew at the same time, haha. I heard a couple people say I was going to turn pro but I didn't hear that it was when my part was coming out, but I kind of hoped it was, and then it was! I was so stoked! I couldn't be happier to turn pro for this team. Everybody gets along really well and skates so different from each other. It's awesome and I love it!

You've been rocking that beard for a bit now. Do you think you may reach ZZ Top status or are you going to hack it off before you become skateboarding’s Frank Beard? It’s been growing for more than two years now. I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm growing it though, because I just didn't really do anything and it just happened. I just never really shaved much and, well, here we are. I don't feel like I ever want to cut it. It's way too trashy to be a ZZ Top beard. It's more of a death metal beard like Johan Hegg. I hope I turn into Johan Hegg of skateboarding, how about that?

Do you and Curran Caples ever get in to arguments about whose dad is a better surfer? No. Haha, we do not.

In the last few years it seems like you've been on more skate trips than most people take in their life. Are there any particular places that stand out or crews that are your favorite to travel with?That is an understatement. I'm always gone. I try to go on every trip possible. That's what we get paid for and that's how you get footage, plus who doesn't want to travel a lot? It lets you escape from all your problems and just go skate hard all day long with your friends, which is the best feeling ever! I love traveling everywhere. This year I had a lot of fun in South Africa with all the RVCA team and our South African crew that was taking us around ruled! My favorite place to go is Brazil, there's literally bowls everywhere, and I get to go skate, surf and hang out with all the RTMF crew! Pedro , his dad Andre, all his buddies. They all rip!

If you were to sell a million Greyson boards, what would Greyson Fletcher spend a million dollars on?I would probably start trying to find a rad little house, and make an insane video game room with a bunch of TV's and bunk beds for people to spend the night if they need too. Also, buy lots of surfboards, haha.