在悄然退出效力多年的Flip数月后，Mark Appleyard终于如传言所说落户新东家Element Skateboards，而Element方面则以两款全新的Appleyard签名板面作为礼物欢迎他的加入。
与此同时Mark Appleyard也在第一时间接受了Transworld Skateboarding杂志的访谈，谈及退出Flip以及与Element合作的相关事宜。
After left Flip couple of months，as the rumor Mark Appleyard is now representing Element Skateboards. and Element just welcome Mark Appleyard to their home with two brand new decks.
Meanwhile Transworld Skateboardings Kevin Duffel has the complete interview on how it all went down, including why he left Flip.
凭借着轻松的姿态，Mark Appleyard无可争议的成为近年来最受尊敬也是被谈论最多的滑手。那么究竟是什么让他突然离开曾效力10年之久的Flip而选择无赞助状态？不错，正如你们所猜测的，人们议论的那样，尽管谣言四起，但是没有人真的知道他最终会选择谁，不过就在昨天，Element宣布他们招收了一位新pro，此事已酝酿了几个月，不过如今已正式生效。现在Mark该谈谈他所经历的真相了。
Q: 你在Flip那么多年，为何决定退出？
A: 已经结束了，我感觉自己已经不适应那里了而且这些年团队也变了很多，所以我的想法是“这破事儿不再适合我了”我只是需要在自己效力的公司能更振奋一些，所以我不得不改变。
Q: 离开那些你长期以来旅行和玩板的同伴困难吗？
A: 是的，离别很艰难，但这是商业的选择，你明白吗？如果一个人想跟你做朋友，这事不应该取决于你为谁效力。我只是不得不做出对自己有利的改变，我的选择让我很振奋，虽然艰难但是不得不做。
Q: 嗯，看上去人们有时候会忘记这是商业也是事业，到头来你还是得做你最感兴趣的事。
A: 没错，如果他们忘了，那么他们就都靠边站吧。
Q: 是什么让你想转投Element？已经计划了一段时间了吗？
A: 我的意思是，我有很多选择，而我只是觉得Element更适合我。这是一家不错的公司，比较朴实和自然。我想“这就是我想去的公司。”然后我跟那边的人碰了面，他们很不错，接着我们就敲定了，就是这么牛。
Q: 确实如此。也没什么不好，他们已经安排好接下来的旅行并且也会照顾你。
A: 哦，肯定的，他们是最大的公司，他们超大，这是一次职业的晋级，我升华了，明智的选择，我很兴奋。
Q: 还有签署其他惊人的附加条约吗？我听说Monster给Greg Lutzka买了一栋房子，Element会给你买你的第三块劳力士吗？
A: 哈哈！没有，没签什么附加条款，不过他们真的很照顾我，所以万事OK啦！
Q: 现在你跟Geoff Rowley或者其他Flip的队员有什么不和吗？大家都很坦然还是让你们彼此有些不好的感觉？
A: 其中一些不错，我跟队中的每个人都相处的不错，不过另外一些幕后人物就比较难搞。基本上就是我的朋友都支持我，而那些假装是我朋友的人都觉得不爽。我才不在乎呢，因为如果他们不赞同我的决定那他们就不是我的朋友，有些时候你得把朋友跟熟人分清楚，只有当一些事情发生后他们才会露出本色。
Q: 那么当你退出的时候Element方面的事情都已经安排妥了？还是某天你彻底受不了Flip而不得不离开？
A: 大体上是我忍无可忍了，那些破事总是变来变去，而且很长一段时间我根本无法投入。直到有一天我才醒悟，我想“如果我不支持它那么我就没有激情。”于是我去那儿，非常客气而且专业的告诉他们，我超漂亮的辞职了，并且一一感谢他们对我的帮助，还说这是一次愉快的合作。就在我退出的时候，那儿的一些人就变脸了。
Q: 但你并不是没有付出啊？
A: 是啊，基本上我在那个公司耗费了10年去帮助他们成就公司，我已经放弃很长一段时间了，我说“不，不是我的错。”他们的口号是“仇恨，杀戮，破坏。”首先这与我想表现的刚好相反，而最终你得做最适合你的事。
Q: 一年前在Thrasher的访谈中你说过“我一直在思考过悠闲生活的方法。途径，你知道就是变得富有。我永远都不想被迫去工作，除了滑板我想我不会工作。”是那些想法促使你跳槽吗？
A: 是的，无意冒犯Flip，但是他们跟我的气场和风格不搭，我的态度是“我无法投入其中。”我做出最好的改变而且我真的很兴奋。Element很了不起，能成为他们的一员我超级开心。每个人都很棒，能成为其中一员我很兴奋，现在我觉得找到完美的归宿了。
Q: 那么你之前跟Element的某人是朋友吗？还是即兴加入？适应新的团队对你来说困难吗？
A: 不，我跟Darrell Stanton交往已经很久了，他是我的好朋友，Levi Brown跟我也是朋友，而且我也认识Chad Tim Tim，Muska和Ray Barbee。基本上他们的所有队员我都认识，我就是喜欢他们。你应该看看我的第一块板面的图案，很适合我。
Q: 补充一点，为什么不能以成熟一点的心态来为公司效力呢？你不能总是辞职自寻死路啊。
A: 没错，不过Element是一家了不起的滑板公司，除此之外，它也是一家了不起的公司，他们拥有自己的店铺，他们将自己的力量聚集在一起。这是一件合法的事，你得做适合你的事。
Q: 你认为给Element拍片和拍Flip视频的过程有什么不同？
A: 对我而言那是我生命中一个与众不同的时期。当我完成哪些Sorry的片段时，情况就不一样了。现在我喜欢单纯的外出，我再也不用坐面包车了，我坐在自己的车里，我做我自己的事，我在业余时间拍我的片段，我发现这样比之前那种方式更有效，不过想想当年我拍Flip的第一部影片时才19岁，然后23岁拍第二部，最后一部里大部分是老片段。跟Darrell和Element的人一起拍片我真的很开心，他们是我的朋友，我也喜欢跟他们一起玩板。这种感觉是对的，感觉工作的成分少了，基本上就是这样。
Q: 那就是说回归到最基本的滑板状态？
A: 对，我想Element更能代表我的风格，看起来它非常适合我。
Q: Element的队员Muska曾说“钱让你变得丰富”就这次与Element的交易而言，我们应该期望你接下来能有多丰富？
A: 比现在丰富一点，但也不是特丰富。
Q: 更多寿司晚餐？
A: 嗯，一些寿司晚餐，不过更多的是牛排。
Q: 只是菲列牛排还是其他的？
A: 多数是菲列牛排，哈哈！
Q: 换个话题，是什么让你在前臂上纹了“one love”而不是像其他人一样买一张鲍勃马利的海报？
A: 哈哈，没错。或许我应该买张他的海报就行了不过这是我在芬兰时一个朋友在他的公寓帮我纹的。我猜就是当时感觉对了，我不知道，“One love”应该比较纯正，也可能就是我当时的想法吧。
Q: 没准也是一件好事，现在Element是你唯一的爱了。
A: 是啊，不过对我而言就是觉得它很纯正，你明白嘛？不过跟Element也挺搭的，但是在纹了以后我从来没想过这些，也可能他们就是因为这个才把我加进来的吧。
Q: 近期你和Element有什么计划吗？
A: 我们眼下正着手组建一支强队，可能也会拍些视频，让它正统一些。Element已经很强了，不过我想对我自己、Element还有公司的其他人而言这是个绝佳的时机。
Q: 毫无疑问，还有什么结束语吗？
A: 没有，就是尊重一切。并无恶意，我尊敬所有帮助过我的人。我感觉我现在的赞助商们将会成为我余下职业生涯中唯一的赞助商，我支持我所效力的一切，我很振奋。
With a style as effortless as possible, Mark Appleyard’s unarguably one of the most looked up to and talked about skaters of recent years. So what happens when he suddenly leaves his decade-long tenure at Flip and opts to go sponsorless? Well, as you’d guess, people talk. Despite rumors, nobody truly knew where he would eventually call home, but yesterday, Element announced they enlisted a new pro. It’s been a few months in the making, but now it’s official–here’s what Mark’s got to say about enduring the Elements.
You were on Flip for years. Why’d you decide to call it quits?
I was over it [laughs]. I feel like I grew out of it and the team changed so much over the years that I was just like, “this shit ain’t for me anymore,” and I just needed to feel more stoked on the company I ride for, so I had to change it up.
Was it hard to leave all the homeys you’ve been traveling and skating with for so long?
Yeah it was hard to leave, but it’s a business move. Ya know? If someone’s gonna be your friend, it shouldn’t depend on what company you ride for. I just had to make a power move to benefit myself. I’m really stoked on the choice I made. It was difficult but it had to be done.
Yeah, it seems like people sometimes forget it’s a business and a career as well. You gotta do what’s in your best interest at the end of the day.
Hell yeah, and if they forget then they can f–k off anyways.
What inspired the move to Element? Had it been in the works for a while?
I mean, I had a lot of options and I just figured that Element best suits my vibe. It’s just a nice company and kinda earthy and nature-y and stuff. I just felt like, “Damn that’s where I wana be.” And then I met up with the guys and they were really cool and we just clicked. I’m down–it’s sick.
For sure. Plus it never hurts that they’ve got budget to go on awesome trips and take care of you.
Oh for sure, they’re the biggest. They’re huge. It’s a professional move. I upgraded. Like, smart move. I’m stoked.
Any crazy signing bonus? I heard Monster bought Greg Lutzka a house–did Element buy Appleyard his third Rolex?
[Laughs.] No. I haven’t got any signing bonuses, but they’re taking care of me real good, so it’s all good.
Is there any bad blood between you and Geoff Rowley or any of the other Flip guys now? Is it all cool or are there kinda harsh feelings between you and them?
Some of them are cool. Everybody on the team, I’m cool with–but there are other people behind-the-scenes that are being difficult. Basically it comes down to this: my friends are cool with it and the people who are fakin’ being friends with me aren’t cool with it. I don’t give a shit because if they don’t appreciate my decisions then they ain’t my friends anyways. Sometimes you’ve gotta separate your friends from your acquaintances. Sometimes their colors come out when moves happen.
So was the Element stuff all lined up when you quit? Or were you just totally over Flip one day and had to get away?
Mainly, I was just fed up. The shit changed so much and for a long time I wasn’t into it but I let it ride. One day I woke up and was like, “If I’m not backing it then I’m not hyped.” And so I went in there and told them really politely and really professionally–and I quit super nicely–and told them all thanks for helping me out and that it was a good ride. Just, when I quit, some of the guys over there got sour.
But it’s not like you didn’t put your time in.
Yeah, basically I put in ten years at that company and helped them become what they are. For a long time I was over it–”Nah shit ain’t me.” Their slogan was like “hate, kill, destroy.” First of all, that’s just opposite of what I want to represent. At the end of the day you’ve gotta do what’s best for you.
A year ago in a Thrasher interview, you said, “I’m always thinking of ways to live leisurely. Ways to, you know, get rich. I don’t ever want to have to work. After skateboarding I don’t think I could work.” Did that kinda inspire this move?
Yeah, this is a window of time and you’ve gotta get it while you can. No disrespect to [Flip], but it wasn’t clicking with my vibe or my style and I was just like, “I’m not into this.” I made the best move I could and I’m just really stoked. Element’s amazing. I’m super happy to be a part of it. Everyone’s real cool. I’m hyped to be a part of it. Now I feel like I’m in the perfect place.
So were you friends with anyone at Element before or was it a totally random move? Was it difficult adjusting to the new team?
No, I’ve been friends with Darrell Stanton for a long time–he’s a good friend of mine. And Levi [Brown] has been a good friend of mine. And I’ve known Chad Tim Tim and the Muska and Ray Barbee. I pretty much know all the guys who ride for them. I just like them. You should see my first graphic. It just suits me.
And plus, why not skate for a company that keeps it a bit mellow right? You can’t always go out and kill yourself.
Yeah, plus Element’s a great skateboard company. Beyond that, it’s also a great company. They own stores, they’ve got their shit together. It’s just a legit thing. You’ve gotta do what’s right for you.
How do you think the process of filming for an Element video will differ from that of a Flip video?
Well, that was a different place in my life for me. When I came out with those Sorry videos, it was different. Now I like to just go out. I don’t get in no van anymore. I get in my own car. I do my own thing. I film a video part on my own time. I find it just works a lot better that way. But back in the day I was like 19 for the first Flip video. Then I was like 23 for the second Flip video. The last one that just came out-a lot of that footage was kinda old. I’m really happy filming with Darrell and the Element guys. Those are my friends and I like to go skate with them. It feels right. It feels like less of a job, basically.
So it’s just back to the basics skateboarding?
Yeah. I just think Element represents my style a hell of a lot better. It just seems perfect for me.
Fellow Element rider Muska once said, “Money makes you thick.” Considering the new deal with Element, how thick should we expect you to get?
A little thicker than I am now, but not too thick.
More sushi dinners?
Yeah, some sushi dinners, but some more steak.
Just getting that Filet Mignon or what?
Yeah more Filet Mignon. [Laughs].
On a different note, what made you tattoo “one love” on your forearm instead of buying a Bob Marley poster like everyone else?
[Laughs.] True. Maybe I should have just bought the Bob Marley poster but I was in Finland and a friend of mine tattooed at his apartment. I guess I was just feelin’ it. I dunno, “One love” is just kinda rootsy or something. Or that’s what I was thinkin’ at the time. [Laughs].
Well maybe it’s a good thing–your one love is Element now.
Yeah, but for me it was just rootsy, ya know? But it kinda ties in with Element but I was never thinking about that when I got it. Maybe that’s why they put me on. [Laughs].
Anything in store for you and Element in the near future?
We’re just now gonna work on building a really tight team and maybe working on a video–just keeping it legit. Element’s been strong for so long, but I think this is a really good time for myself and Element–and the rest of the guys on Element. It’s just gonna be a good thing.
For sure. Any final words?
Nah, just respect to all. No hard feelings. I respect anybody who’s ever helped me out. I feel like the sponsors I have now will be the ones I’ll have for the rest of my career. I’m backing everything I ride. I’m stoked.