Jamie Tancowny Interview

Mar 8, 2010

Jamie Tancowny
Street Demon


As an unwritten rule, Canadian skateboarders usually blow up in Canada before they gain international recognition for their talents. Edmonton’s Jamie Tancowny is an exception to that rule, as, just like his skateboarding, he is a little different from his peers. With his explosive style of skating, it didn’t take long for big players in the game to snatch him up. They clearly weren’t let down with every magazine knocking on his door hoping to get a piece of him. Add to that his highly anticipated parts in both the Zero and Emerica videos, which will be dropping soon, it’s fitting that Jaime hails from Edmonton: The “City of Champions.”

How old are you, Jamie?
I’m 19, about to turn 20.

Where do you call home right now?
Uh, California right now, kind of, I guess. I mean it’s not really home, but it’s where I spend most of my time skating when I’m not in Edmonton.

Coming from Edmonton, how did you first get hooked up?
Well, Glenn Suggitt hooked me up with Plush first of all, so I started skating with him lots. Then Emerica did a tour through Alberta with all the dudes, and Suggitt asked me if I wanted to skate the demo a little bit, so I did, and then he took me out skating with them afterwards. We went to this rail and I ended up getting a photo with the photographer that ended up going in Slap, so they were stoked on me and ended up hooking me up.

Didn’t you attack a monster rail?
Well, I backside grinded it and I didn’t want to do anything else, but then the photographer was like, “Yo, you should do something else, like a Nosegrind, or some shit.” So I ended up trying it and did it.

Did that open the door for Zero?
Well, Jamie [Thomas] saw the photo of the Nosegrind in Slap and saw the Plush stickers on my board, so he tracked me down. He went out of his way to find me. I was stoked!

What was it like getting that call?
Actually, he called Plush and I wasn’t there, so he said he’d call back. Then like a couple months went by and he said he was going to call back, but he didn’t. So I ended up calling him out of the blue because I had his number to his office. He actually answered the phone and I was like, “Yo, is this Jamie?” And he was like, “Uh… No, hold on a second…” and he put me through to his secretary. So I told her, “Ya, he called up my shop looking for me, or whatever.” I got transferred back to him and he was like, “Oh, sorry, I thought you were a little kid trying to fan out on me, or something.” [laughs] That’s how it all happened. Then I went down to California shortly after that and met up with all those guys.

“It’s amazingly fun. Just pushing the limits, getting better at skating every day.”

Hardflip, Woytowich photo.

So, now that you’re riding for Zero, do you find there is more pressure?
No, not really. I know what I have to do, so it’s not really that much pressure. I’m just used to it in a way, kind of. It’s fun, for sure, though.

How long were you filming for the Zero video?
I’ve been filming for a couple of years now. I had to film a second part because before I just had some stuff that was more like, “Little-guy status trying to make it on” type deal, ya know? Pretty much I have a whole little guy part I can’t fuckin’ use because I look so different.

Did you get a lot better down in California?
Yeah, lots better, because everybody pretty much down there is so good, so there’s that natural progression of trying to push yourself to get better, too. Seeing how the pros did it really helped me a lot. The spots are just amazing too, which makes you a little spoiled.

How much fun is skating with Jamie Thomas?
I don’t get to a lot, actually. He usually skates the park all the time. I don’t get to session with him that much, but when I do, it’s so much fun. All those guys are so much fun, like Tommy Sandoval. That dude is hilarious.

What’s a typical filming routine? Is it planned out?
Yeah, like we’ll brainstorm some spots that we gotta do or whatever, or stuff that I want to go do. Then we’ll just get in the van and go there. It’s usually planned out though, it’s not, like, random. It’s amazingly fun. Just pushing the limits, getting better at skating every day.


Switch Heelflip, Jones Photo.

“He fuckin’ smashed my head into the ground, pulled my arm behind my back and almost broke it.”


5-0, Camarillo Photo.

So, where have these filming missions taken you?
I’m pretty sure that I’ve been to every single state. I went to France. I went to China. Not everywhere in Canada, but pretty much all the western provinces, too. Then today I’m flying off to California for a few weeks before I head out to Europe with Leo [Romero], Marquis [Preston], Spanky and Jerry [Hsu] to get some footage for the Emerica video.

What trips were the best that you’ve been on?
France was dope! That was my first Emerica trip. It was super tight! I went with everybody pretty much: Heath [Kirchart], [Andrew] Reynolds, [Brandon] Westgate, Marquis, Braydon [Szafranski], Spanky, [Bryan] Herman… basically everybody except for Leo. It was so dope to skate with those homies. We all flew there and skated together. It was a bit tough with the language barrier, though. I liked China more; it’s so dope, so cheap, good spots. That trip was with the Zero guys. The food is pretty jacked though, so I just ate McDonalds every day. Actually, France is way better, what am I talking about? [laughs]

Do you ever get burnt out from traveling so much?
Yeah, man, right now I am. I’m kind of bummed right now. If I had my way, I’d stay in Edmonton and chill [laughs]. I’m so stoked I got the opportunity!

That’s pretty rad coming from Edmonton!
Yeah, man, Edmonton is always sick though. It had negative good skate spots, but they have such good skateparks. Like, lots of really good, fucked-up skateparks. We brought up people like Travis Stuve, Travis Stenger, Glenn Suggitt, [Wade] Fyfe, and so many more. Oh, Chris Kendall, too. Man, I used to fan out on Kendall when I was 12. I’d see him at the park, and I was just a little ass, tiny kid. He’d always be there and he’d talk to me and my mom. Kendall is the man. He’s so nice. I love Kendall.

Why do so many good people come from Edmonton?
I have no idea; maybe it’s something in the water there?

Why don’t most people leave Edmonton?
I don’t know, I really have no idea, but they really should, everybody should leave Edmonton. [laughs]

“If I had my way, I'd stay in Edmonton and chill.”

Backside 180, Woytowich Photo.

How was Go Skateboarding Day in Vancouver with all the Emerica guys?
It was a lot of fun, but I was still drunk from the night before, which made it really sketchy. I actually ended up getting pretty hurt. I went to the plaza, then that shit across the street and skated that. After there we went to Black Ice where I tried to get a trick down that, but that’s what I got hurt on.

How’s skating with Reynolds and those guys?
When we go on trips, it’s super fun. It’s dope because they’re homies, and we’re trying to build on relationships and shit. It’s really cool, and skating with Reynolds is always rad, too. He keeps it chill though. He has a daughter now, Stella, I’m pretty sure that’s her name…

Do you like doing demos and contests?
I don’t mind skating in demos, but I hate contests!

Do the girls go crazy for you on demos?
I wouldn’t say they go crazy, you got to work for it, but I’ve been piped at demos before. [laughs] I’ll get a 30-year-old, one day. There’s way more chicks at the Emerica demos than at the Zero demos, though.

Do you have any gnarly security stories from the States?
After we did this Canadian Zero trip last year, I was in Ashland, Oregon, trying to skate this gap. This security guard told me to stop skating, like walked up to the spot, he was like, “No, stop!” but I was at the runway already, so I just threw down. My back was towards him and I tried it anyways, but he ran out and stuck his foot out and tripped me, right after I did it. I started tripping out, talking shit, and he grabbed my board. So I tried to get my board back, and we ended up having a little wrestle where he took me down super hard. He fuckin’ smashed my head into the ground, pulled my arm behind my back and almost broke it.

What ended up happening?
I ended up getting charged with disorderly conduct and assault, and yeah, it really sucked. I ended up having to go back a month later for court, too. But they ended up dropping all the charges, well, not dropping them, they just dropped them down to a misdemeanor and I had to pay $400.

Four bills for skateboarding?
Yup, 400 bucks for trying to get a trick and get my skateboard back. I guess he thought I was going to take it and try to hit him, or that’s what he claimed later, at least. “I’m like fuckin’ four-feet tall, man! Are you retarded?! I’m not going to do anything.”

Is it necessary for you to go to California?
Yeah, pretty much. Like, if I wasn’t going down there, I wouldn’t be doing anything. Coming from Canada it’s harder to get there though. It’s scary and nerve racking because if I’m not allowed down there, then I can’t do anything, ya know? I say I’m going for visits, but I end up staying there longer.

Have you had many problems at the border?
Last time I went there, or the time before, I tried to go, and it was like January 2nd or some shit, and I was in there for 10 months the last year, and you’re only allowed to be there for six months the whole year. They looked at that and said “You’re are not allowed to travel today.” So I had to fly to Vancouver, and my buddy Danny Marshall drove me across the border to Seattle. Thankfully they didn’t check it, so I got in. I mean, there are ways to do it, it’s just a little bit harder.

Ultimately, though, the goal would be to live there, eh?
Yeah, but I have to wait for my work visa before I can move there. I can only stay there six months a year right now, which is super jacked. Like it’s not hard to get one, it’s just really expensive, and with the recession, it’s taking a while. I just need it to get paid. Emerica and Zero are splitting the costs, which is dope cause shit’s hella expensive. If I could get one right now, I’d love it because it’s so much easier just going back and forth as much as you want. The States are the hardest to get though, like my sister got one for Ireland, she lived there for a few years super easily.

“There’s way more chicks at the Emerica demos than at the Zero demos though.”

Nosegrind, Camarillo Photo.

What happened with your last cell phone?
Some little guy stole my phone. I lost my phone in Edmonton, and it ended up in Fort McMurray with this kid. He started calling everyone in my phone like Chief, Tommy Guns, and everybody else in my phone list pretending to be me. He even called my friend who’s the Active team manager. She thought it was me, and he said I was on drugs having a bad trip in L.A., and that I needed Leo’s number. When she gave it to him, he was calling him every day harassing him, pretending it was me, and I’m sure Leo and everybody else is super pissed at me now. I found out who it was though because he was bragging that he had it to everyone and I got my friend to take care of it.

Do you have a lot of fans?
Yeah, I have a few on Facebook and shit, I dunno. Lots of little guys. I don’t get annoyed though, I try to answer back at all of them, but it’s hard some times. You got to keep it real and talk to all the homies.

Who has helped you out along the way?
My mom, of course. All my sponsors, like Suggitt, Jamie, Jeff Henderson, thanks to them, they’ve helped me out so much! Jetski [Gillies], too. Jetski is the one that filmed my whole Famous part and that’s what got me hooked-up pretty much. So yeah, Jetski’s a big part of that too.

What do you think you’ll be doing when you’re 40?
No Idea, I probably won’t make it to 40. If I do, I’ll probably have some kids floating around the place. [laughs] Maybe get married?

We can’t interview you without asking about the Street Demons. Who are they?
They’re the sickest people in Edmonton. My best friends from little guy status, up until now. They got my back and I got theirs.

With the Zero video out of the way, what’s next for you?
Just to finish filming for the Emerica video, and to keep on givin’er!

“You got to keep it real and talk to all the homies.”

Varial Heelflip, Woytowich Photo.

Interview from Volume 11, Issue 4.

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