Interview: Marty Murawski

Marty Murawski at the Cowtown Showdown

Marty Murawski seems to be described in the same way by everyone who has ever met him: laidback and funny. I got to meet Marty during the weekend of the Cowtown Showdown and (thanks to Tedd Cookerly) I got the chance interview him. After doing so, I can agree with the aforementioned description. The whole weekend Marty had a smile on his face and could be found making jokes and skating around with the kids. I can’t forget to mention that his laidback style melts over into his skating, which makes for some pretty fluid manual tricks. Now, I’ll spare you the ongoing description and let Marty do the talking for himself…

Click more for the interview.

How did Blueprint get involved with the Cowtown Showdown?

 Ronnie [Goodnow] and Tedd [Cookerly] had talked about doing it for the first annual – first time. And, him and Ronnie are good friends. Ronnie works down at Blueprint and does alot of stuff down there so I think he’s the one who set it up and got us out here to do it.

Do you think the team will come out again next year if it is held again?

Yeah, I’m sure we would. It was fun, you know? It was mellow and we didn’t have to do too much [laughs]. And, they took care of us so yeah, I’m sure we would, I would.

What were your first thoughts when you found out that the event was a part of the Arnold Sports Festival?

Ah, man… I didn’t know what to expect really [laughs]. I actually just thought it would be kind of funny. I was like, “Man, I get to watch muscle dudes run around and I’m sure that’s gonna be hilarious”. And then, you’re not really sure how well the event is gonna be set up. That’s the only worry I guess. Hopefully it’s not like, “What are you walkin’ into?”. You know, like –

Pre-fab ramps?

Yeah, it was good, the course was good, you know? It was easy.

Do you guys have any plans on going anywhere else in Ohio, like checking out the skate plaza or are you guys out of here after this?

Nah, I think we just have to fly home. I gotta go home and do some stuff with DVS and then we go to the UK for the [Blueprint] video premiere and have that whole tour so it’s just a quick little trip for us out here.

Have you ever been out to the skate plaza?

No, I haven’t, it looks fun. It looks really good. Kind of hoping it was close [laughs].

It’s only about a half hour to 45 minutes from here.

Yeah, I heard like 45 minutes.

Have you gotten to go to any of the other events they are having here?

No, I want to, I want to. It’s over at the other building right?

Yeah, just down the street, I think.

Yeah, I think if I get the chance, I have to judge some of the contests so – But, yeah I’d like to go over there and see what’s going on [laughs].

Maybe judge a lifting contest?

Ah, man, just to watch and see what’s happening.

Marty Murawski and Paul Shier judging the Sponsored competition

Do you like to do demos or do they stress you out?

I don’t really get stressed out. It’s not like I’m like ,“Ah, I’m gonna go out there and do this demo! I’m siked on it!” [laughs]. But, it just depends on the situation, it was mellow. I mean, from when the time started where the demo was actually going, it’s not like I was skating any differently. I just continued skating, you know? If you just do it like that it’s like – I’m not the type of guy who’s gonna go, “Okay, now I’m gonna fly off this wall and get everyone siked” you know? It’s like, “I’m just gonna skate”. So yeah, they’re fun.

Have you ever judged a competition before?

Yeah. Like… 3 of ‘em. Just back in Arizona, just like smaller ones. But yeah, I judged one with Levi Brown, when he was younger. He was all nervous and I don’t know – He talked about it in a magazine because I gave him third out of three people. He was like “What the hell?” and I’m like “Dude, you didn’t land anything” [laughs]. He was nervous though so –

If you could improve this contest, after seeing what it was like, what would you change?

Honestly, I think it will naturally get better. You do your first one and figure out, “This would have ran smoother if we would have done this” And, I’m sure the course will gradually build up and they will come up with more ideas but for a first contest, I think it was really good. I wouldn’t say really anything. I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the course and everyone was cool and the kids are cool so –

Are there any projects you’re working on now?

Well, just finished my part for the Blueprint video. Which I only had like 5 months to do [laughs]. But, I share a part so [I] got a good amount of stuff in 5 months, as far as stuff that I liked. And then, I’m working on like a DVS… thing, [lowers voice] that I’m not allowed to talk about yet [laughs]. But, just that and then trying to shoot photos and work on some interviews.

Have you gotten to see any of your part?

Uh-uh. I haven’t seen any of it [laughs].

So it’s gonna be a surprise?

Yeah, I saw what the video was gonna be like a year ago but that was before I was on the team and since then no one has seen it. So it’s gonna be alot better than what it was a year ago, you know? But I even asked Paul [Shier], “Have you seen it?”, cause everyone else is like “Nah, we haven’t seen our parts”. But, I guess [Dan] Magee just doesn’t want anyone to see the footage, [he] just wants to edit it and it’s like we’re watching it for the first time too when the premiere goes.

You want to list your sponsors?

It’s, well, Blueprint – Matix, DVS, Bones Wheels, Bones Swiss, Indy, Freedom Boardshop, and we’ll put Filmbot Grip cause that’s kinda new.

Alright, thanks.

Yeah, no problem.

 

For footage of Marty at the Blueprint Demo click here.

For complete coverage of the 2010 Cowtown Showdown click here.