Thrasher Magazine

Garric Ray caught up with Cody Lockwood to talk about the new Lifeblood video, traveling, and working.


Name, age, sponsors:
Cody Lockwood, 23 years old, I ride for Lifeblood skateboards, Bones wheels, Thunder trucks, Krew denim, Bones Swiss, Nike SB, Jessup, and Dakine.

So you guys just wrapped up the new Lifeblood video. How long did you work on that project for?
Around two years or so.

Who has your favorite part in the video?
I think everyone’s part was equally impressive! I was really stoked on how the whole video turned out.


Stalefish

Correct me if I’m wrong here, but with the exception of Mark ‘Red’ Scott you’re the only person on the team with a job right? (No offense Kowalski)
Yeah, for a while, I was the only person with a job (other than Mark) but now Mason Merlino is working a construction job down in southern California.

How long have you been working for Dreamland now? I’ve seen you out on a couple of job sites now. I’ve got to admit I never realized how grueling building skate parks could be until I starting hanging with people from Dreamland.
I’ve been working for Dreamland for four years now and yeah; it’s hard work, but good work.

I’ve known you for a long time and I’ve never once heard you say that you were feeling good. You’re always hurt in some way or another. I’m going to guess working 14 hour days pouring concrete might have something to do with it.
That’s not always true, my body feels good sometimes, usually after a couple spliffs though.


Backside corner air

I remember you told me about a house you stayed in Hailey, Idaho, on a job and you were really stoked on it because it had carpet rather than hard wood floors. I get the impression most of you guys don’t even bring a sleeping bag with you when you travel. Do you like to ‘rough it’ whenever possible?
It’s kind of case specific, but most of the time it’s just me being a bit unprepared, in all honesty. I’ve been getting my road kit pimped out a little bit recently though.

I’m guessing showers are probably more of luxury type thing where you guys are out working? Something tells me that’s not really a priority.
Believe it or not, we actually get good housing usually; you’ve just got to bring your own furniture and supplies.

Tell me about your little airport run-in a couple months back. From the story I was told you’re lucky to be allowed to fly anymore.
Ok, so I was flying back to San Diego from seeing Slayer in Texas. I had a layover in Denver and drank way too much booze along the way. I was getting on my connecting flight and was told my board would not fit with it strapped to my backpack so I proceeded to stand there and try and break my board with the backpack still attached to it. Finally I unstrapped it, broke it, and then stuffed it into my backpack. Then the airline told me I was not getting on my flight because I was too drunk. I got mad and security came and told me I had to leave the airport. So I decided to go outside and smoke. I ended up going out an emergency exit, I guess, and ended up outside smoking a cig where the planes taxi and shit! The cops came and I talked my way out of it somehow. But they did make me pay for a $200 hotel room for like four hours. Oh well. I got to see Slayer in Texas though.


Kickflip back lip

How many attempts did it take to focus your board in front of the flight attendant at the terminal? It’s sounds like it was a pretty awkward minute or two. I would have loved to have seen that in person.
Probably about five times and yeah, I’m sure that would have been great to see if it wasn’t me.

For anyone that knows Red personally, it’s safe to say that he doesn’t go about things like the rest of us. Things that he might deem safe or normal are completely terrifying to the rest of the world.  I’m going to go out on a limb here, but you’ve probably been in the middle of many scary close calls with Red, right?
Probably one of the scariest things I've ever done with Mark was help rebuild his barn after he had burned it down. It's pretty sketchy being 30 feet off the ground in the winter on the Oregon coast while it's pissing rain.


Feeble

And I’m going to bet you and Mark didn’t have a rope or safety harness?
Nope, we didn’t have either of those things. That would have been nice though. But everything worked out, so maybe we didn’t need it anyways.

How many different countries did you travel to for your video part? I just watched it and it seems like you were all over the place.
I don’t know actually. I think three, maybe four?

What’s been your favorite place that you‘ve traveled to lately? I remember hearing a story about a skateable bar somewhere in Barcelona.
Copenhagen is my favorite. Yeah, last year I took a trip to Spain and Italy with a couple buddies. And yeah, Barcelona does have a bar with a skate park; it was pretty rad to checkout that spot.



I remember you saying that a lot of your trips overseas were actually paid for out of your own pocket rather then getting help from your sponsors? I don’t feel like there are a lot of sponsored skateboarders these days who can say that.
Last year I did save up and pay my own way to Italy and Spain. My sponsors do help big time when I ask though.

Were you surprised that you got last part? I remember hearing for a while that Dalton was going to get it.
I was totally surprised! Especially because Dalton grinded the Mt. Everest of rails in his part. And Kevin did the most casual crazy loop madness ever!

The one thing I’ve learned about you is that it’s really hard for you to stay in one place for very long. You live in Portland, but it seems like it’s hard for you to stay in town for any longer then a week’s time.
I prefer to stay busy rather than just sit around the house.


Front feeble

You recently got your first Bones wheels ad, how did that come about? Are you stoked?  In this day and age it’s pretty tough to get onto a team of that caliber.
Actually I had a $100 bet on that trick with you for probably almost a year. I am so thankful for them giving me that ad let alone to be apart of the best wheel company out there!

You are the only person that I know that somehow skates better when you’re hungover. Anytime that you call me and say that drank way too much the night before, I usually assume you’re about to do something really gnarly. I’m pretty sure both the kickflip back noseblunt at Burnside and the front smith to front feeble were both days you very super hung over.  Do you mind explaining how that works?
Yeah, the party tends to catch up to you early in the morning from time to time. I’m not really sure why it works out for me, I’d just rather try and get out of the house and sweat out the hangover rather then being bummed and feeling shitty. I swear though that’s the best way to cure a hangover- just get out and skate.

With 2014 nearly coming to a close, what do you have planned out for the rest of the year? Are you going on any more trips or going back to work?
It’s been a rad year for sure! They just keep getting better and better. I’m going on a Bones trip to Texas in two weeks. Then not much else after that, just working through the winter trying to keep the bills paid and the dream alive!