For the last six months, Alex Lawton has been filming up a storm for his TWS video part that drops today. Anyone who knows Alex will know that he has created the perfect life synergy of combining hard work and determination with equal parts good-times and gronkage. A delicate balance if ever there was one. The proof is in the pudding – and if you put your nose up close enough to the screen and take a deep breath, (or at least click the video link) you’ll almost be able to smell this freshly baked goodness…
RICHMOND – MELBOURNE: 1:45pm
How you doing Lawtsy?
I’m good mate, very good. I’m in Melbourne and I actually just got back from the airport after picking up Julian (Davidson) who’s just flown in from Long Beach, California. We’re chilling at Nathan’s (Jackson) place while he has a shower and freshens up. He’s arrived right in the midst of a big heat wave, so the poor bugger is sweating it all out.
Melbourne is no fun in a heat wave…
Yeah, it’s the city with four seasons in one week and when it’s hot, it’s just dry.
You still have a pool at your crib?
Nah, that was my old place, but I still go there and use it. That’s where we’re gonna head to today – a swim to cool off, couple of beers, afternoon barbie.
FRONTSIDE BOARDSLIDE
When did you officially make the move from Brisbane to Melbourne?
I actually don’t even know. I was coming here back and forth from Brizzy for years, then I moved in with Darwen, Christian Low, Kayle (Lawson) and Neihana (Tonkin) about a year ago. We had a little spot in South Bank, ‘The Complex’ and then I moved out of there when I went back to the States last year in June. Now, I’m back and I’m staying at my girlfriend’s place in Balaclava.
So, you’ve just dropped this Transworld part today – how did that project come about?
It was something I’ve always wanted to do, as in my own project. Originally I was working toward a part for Element New World, but that got pushed back. I’d been filming my arse off for a solid six months and getting some footage together. I just thought it might be a good opportunity to release it as a solo project.
And introduce Alex Lawton to the world!!!
[Laughs] Well, yeah, we’ll give it a go. It’s kind of nerve wracking, but it’s all good and I’m kind of more shocked that I managed to do it in the six months that I had. I was lucky enough to go on a bunch of trips in that time too, so that helped and made it all feasible.
——– CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CLIP ——-
SWITCH FRONTSIDE HEELFLIP
“… if I’ve fried my mind the night before… it allows me to just skate and not think about anything else. It just makes you stick to your board, because you forget how to bail… Mind you, this whole theory can just as easily go the complete opposite way.”
NOLLIE FRONT CROOKS
One of those trips was your first visit to Barcelona too, right?
Yeah, sure was, for me and Jake (Darwen). The one thing I can say about the place is it’s not what you expect. On one hand it’s a paradise for skateboarding, but a nightmare to film there. Just because, so many people are there every single day that so many things have been done, or you don’t know what’s been done. It just makes it really challenging, but we did the best we could and I feel like we got some good results.
Last year you crashed for a few weeks at what was Journal HQ at the time…
Yeah, I was the intern.
Yep, throwing your opinion around left, right and centre.
Well, you know. I like to talk, so if people want to listen… I’ll give it a go.
I must admit I was quite surprised by your knowledge. Would you consider yourself a skate-nerd?
Well, Darwen would say the opposite – he’d just say I was a gronk! [Laughs]
GAP TO WALLRIDE
Another thing I remember during your ‘internship’ was you cooking a feed you’d been fantasizing about…
Oh yeah, I found the recipe on-line, which is funny actually cos’ it was from some little recipe book for kids. I’m always a sucker for junk food, so I just thought ‘Well, the boys have let me stay, I better cook them a good meal’ and the tater tot nachos it was! It was amazing!
And stogy!
Yeah, I’d say that one alteration I’d make to the recipe is to leave out the Old El Paso seasoning powder. I think it’s just like pure MSG and it made us all feel crook. But how genius is replacing corn chips with tater tots? Just hook in and let the taste buds go wild!
You mentioned Darwen and Gronkage before, he claims you do some of your best work after a bout of heavy partying… How does this work?
I think it’s more to do with the fact that if I’ve fried my mind the night before, I’m not thinking as much when I’m trying something, so it allows me to just skate and not think about anything else when I’m jumping down shit. It just makes you stick to your board, because you forget how to bail [Laughs] But, it’s definitely getting a little bit harder to pull that off as I’m getting a little bit older. This whole theory can just as easily go the complete opposite way. Touch wood.
OLLIE OVER TO BACK LIP
