Thrasher Magazine

Words & photos by Dan Zaslavsky



Silas Baxter-Neal

What did you get for Christmas?
My first non-tube TV.

If a tree falls in the woods and no one sees it, did it really fall?
Yes, it did. It is a very self-centered, ego-based thought to believe that things only occur if humans observe them happening.

Be here now?
If you are not here now you are living in a fantasy.

Skate every damn day?
Skate every damn day if that is what you want to do, but don't do it for the sake of a hashtag. #skateeverydamndaythatyouwantoexceptthedaysthatyoudontandwhentheweatherisreallybadoryouaresoreorunmotivatedorhavenowheretoskate


This spot can be seen in The Wire. Silas Frontside Pivot to fakie.

Instagram or Twitter?
Instagram.

Mosaic or Inhabitants?
Mosaic!

Suciu or Dela?
Brains vs. brawn.

Why is Busenitz not a SOTY?
Dennis doesn't give a shit about such small human accomplishments. It would also be too limiting to pick one year that he ripped the hardest.

Skate and create or skate and destroy?
Create it to skate. Skate it to destroy it.


Silas nosegrind at an amazing looking spot in Copenhagen during last year’s contest. I emphasize the “looking.”

SOTY or POTUS (President of the United States)?
They both have become financially-based acquisitions of power and notoriety.

Good pot or Wu-Tang?
Sunshine and rainbows.

Legalize it?
Why not.

New Year's resolution?
Be the person I want to be.

Do you wish to apologize to Nyjah about your SOTY statement?
Despite whether I enjoy watching Nyjah skate or not, I do have respect for his abilities and the level he is skating at. And it is disrespectful to publicly say negative things about someone based on personal feelings. Nyjah, I am sorry for publicly slandering you. Next time I see you, vodka shots are on me. Or you can give me a shiner. It's up to you.


Fred Gall's Top 5 Favorite things in Life

1) Skateboarding
2) Beer
3) Pharmaceuticals
4) Getoz
5) Pussy


Fred Gall backside lips at FDR while most of the Habitat team spectates during their jaunt to Philly to film the Skatepark Round-Up


The Georgetown quarter pipes are one of those eternally amazing spots. Backside nosepick by an eternally amazing dude.


Stefan Janoski

What did you get for Christmas?
I'm not sure yet. A new Habitat skateboard!

Skate every damn day?
Or night or weekend—skate every damn time you feel like it.

Miami or NY?
Both. In winter, Miami and in summer, NY.


I’ve only seen this trick a few times and none of them looked this good.  Frontside wallride nollie out.

Sacto or Vacaville?
Vacaville is for visiting my parents. Sacto is awesome: mellow place, great people and amazing to skate.

Mark or Brian?
Don't you mean Mark and Brian? They're both amazing and I can't wait to see their new parts! Two newest pros for Habitat, two great guys and two talented skaters.

Mosaic or Inhabitants?
Great videos and two different time periods. Mosaic was great: my first Habitat part, Alien had a section, Pappalardo, Wenning—loved that video! Inhabitants was amazing, too! It was later so we all grew up a bit and there were new members. I could never choose one. There's different reasons to love and watch both.


Stefan messes around with an eye-pleasing no-comply to tailslide

New Years resolution?
World peace.

Who was your SOTY pick?
Danny Garcia.

How long do you think you can keep skating?
Any road followed precisely to its end leads precisely nowhere.

What's next?
Lunch.