The North North Interviews Danny Montoya

   Danny Montoya has been coming through San Pedro for years now. I remember seeing him back in the day at 7th street when he was filming for 'The reason". I got a chance to catch up with him the other day. Enjoy!

  

TNN:Who and what got you into skateboarding?

Danny: My brother got me into skating. Growing up he took me under his wing. What ever he did i pretty much did. It was chill because i was always the young kid hangin with the older guys. They would put you in check and it would put me in predicaments to learn faster, whatever it was. Listen to your older brother and family members!!! haha.

Who was in your early skate crew and how many are still skating?

Growing up I was always hangin around the Long Beach area. There was 2 skate crews around town, one the 508 crew and the other the sellouts. We were all friends and i was OG 508 but would skate with both crews back in the day. Some familiar names in the 508 crew are Rob G, Steffen Attardo, Mark Nizbet, Tuan Nguyen, and Justin Reynolds. Some of the familiar names out of the Sellouts were Lib Layraman, Ceaser Singh, Ryan Bartsma, Jason Rothmeyer, and Bryan Paz (R.I.P.)

When your a young kid it was all about going skating where ever you could and hustling a ride to any skate spot.  Nowadays everybody is doing there own thing and has there careers and whatnot but the foundation of skateboarding and the memories are forever.  Some of us still get together and skate when we can.  I would say a good handful out of the 508 crew kick it here and there and go skate.

What was your first sponsor and what age were you?

My first sponsor was Planet Earth skateboards. I got on and Felix told me he was going to start Rhythm and to just ride PE boards till the whole project got launched.  I was about 17 at the time.   

I remember watching the Adio video (One Step Beyond) when it came out, and i thought you had the best part in the video. Do you remember what it was like skating and filming around that time?

Haha....thanks Brandon. In that era I was living on Broadway Ave on the Eastside LBC which was right up the block from Bixby Park known as Cherry Park by all the skaters.  I remember we would go and skate there quite a bit and there was good group of kids from the hood that would skate and be around all the time.  At that time Long Beach was really down low as far as the Skateboarding scene goes.  Some of the spots from that part aren't even skate-able nowadays around this area.  I like when it works that your able to get tricks in your local area....like you find the spot and get want you want on it.  Those were good times filming with Josh Stewart and Roger Bagley. There were a lot of trips of course that we went on with the team that are always motivating because your all there on the same mission hitting new areas.

I think i remember hearing rumors that you were gonna ride for Chocolate. Then right after that i think is when the whole Listen thing started. Whats going on with Listen now days and who is riding for you guys?

Around that time Planet Earth went under and Rick at Girl was hooking me up with boards to skate until we started Listen! 2005.  Currently Listen stepped out from underneath the LTD distribution umbrella and  is now being ran independently out of Long Beach.  The listen family consists of Rob G, Brian Brown, Jose Pereyra, Evan Smith and Nate Fantasia..check out the new www.listenskateboards.com coming soon!!  We appreciate everybody who has supported Listen over the past five years and beyond.  Skate or die!!!

Are there any projects that you are working on?

Skateboarding wise have currently been working on a new interview for Transworld and we have been traveling over the last couple years for a new Adio Video that set to come out in 2010. With Listen we are working on some collaboration projects with some other brands that will shine thru creatively for the new year. Also we are currently working on an editorial piece for Skateboarder Magazine with John Bradford that should come out in the near future.  

Have you been traveling lately and where?

Earlier this year we did a trip with some of the Adio crew to Bogota, Colombia. My family is from Medellin, Colombia originally and I had never been to Colombia's capital Bogota. We have connections there with a filmer who is a good friend who grew up there and was our guide the entire trip. Bogota is the big city of Colombia almost equivalent to New York. It was unbelievable how much original stuff there was to skate out there. There should be an article coming out soon in a new issue of Skateboarder Magazine. It always makes grounds for a good trip when your with a group of good friends.     

What is your usual night life like?

That usually depends on whats going on I guess. Lately not too much. I like to get down in the kitchen and cook, so if there is time I like to cook a nice dinner and chill.  Over the summer  I had some fellow skaters in town staying at the house. So having people in town and catering to them is nice too.  If there is some good music going on i am always down to check that out. Living on the Eastside Long Beach its fun to ride out on bikes at night especially when the weathers warm out like it has been lately.    

 

Do you want to give any shout outs?

To everybody who has been down for skateboarding. My Family and friends you know you are. And everybody in the industry who has helped me out over the years, much appreciated! All my sponsors.  Adio Footwear, Listen!, Diamond Supply Co, and Satori Movement. Keep on Pushin'!!!