Colin Passy Interview
So Colin, you’re a married man now, how has that changed your life?Well its definitely changed because so many things happened so fast after the wedding. We just went on a trip to Europe (for the first time) and recently moved into a house, so no more apartments. That's a big change because we are working with a lot more space then previously. I lived with my wife a long time before we got married so home life didn't change so much. I’ve also noticed time moves a lot faster than it used to, that's for sure.Any advice for us incase we ever decide to tie the knot?Yes absolutely, sharing a sense of humor is massive. What's love without laughter? Not for me that's what. Live with your girlfriend, boyfriend or significant other before getting married because living with someone really changes your life. It also will truly prove if you work for each other. Last thing, you really shouldn't half ass anything but definitely not marriage, it takes two to tango and one to cry. Yes I just made up that saying, you get the point.Married life has you living in the depths of Scarborough, how are you liking your stay so far?Back to the house I mentioned earlier, yes its in Scarborough, located at McCowan and Ellesmere. What can say about Scarborough, it is actually very nice looking in areas, especially the bluffs. It also looks like shit in a lot of places with the most random plazas everywhere, the businesses don't make sense, there’s always like a rug shop, adult store, or some other randomness. Many look deserted and it makes me wonder how these businesses stay open. Our parents grew up in Scarborough so I think they're pretty pumped about the whole thing, we're adjusting to our environment you could say.
Frontside Boardslide Photo: Mike McCourtYou grew up under the TLG, (the lovely gentleman), can you give us an example of a life lesson they taught you?One thing for sure is it's "nuts" to wear a skirt without underwear, well depends on your mood (referencing early adrift parties). Truly to celebrate skateboarding culture and have fun, which they most definitely do. They're about skateboarding togetherness, it's not a bad thing. You know I learned a quite a lot when I was young and I'm thankful for it.Your brother Ian Passy, trolled the skate world when he posted your sponsor me video on Kazaa/Limewire titled, this is skateboarding, yeah right, dying to live, etc. Can you tell us about the fame and feedback your received being one of the first viral skaters pre YouTube days?My brother was definitely ahead of the times and really saw talent in my skating. He knew it would get a greater response putting it under "Dying to Live" the most anticipated video at the time, it got massive feedback and my life changed completely. So it was the time where MSN messenger was really big so a lot people started contacting me through that, people from Ajax, Toronto, Edmonton, Sweden, Vancouver, and the States, it was very overwhelming. I got a commercial gig right off the bat, which was pretty cool. I got sponsored by a sister company of Premium Wood called Avera and I was excited because Toronto rippers Adam Mancini, Morgan Smith and Mortal (Adam McLaughlin) were on the team.
First day of high school was super weird, a lot kids already knew who I was and I was attracting a lot of attention. If I was smart I would of used it to meet girls and what not but I wasn't. It was great in a sense because it was easy to meet new people in a new part of my life. Then it got to my head a bit which isn't like me, I try to be more modest and quite frankly I don't love talking about myself to strangers. Also I was getting some offers that was kind of stirring some shit up with the shop I was on Perception, a relationship I didn't want to tamper with. I liked it to a certain degree because at first I just got tons of compliments from it but I also hated it because it sucks to attract attention all the time, it feels like you can't be yourself and relax. Ultimately I enjoyed skateboarding less as a consequence which isn't good.Your honeymoon looked like the trip of a lifetime, travelling all across Europe, what was the highlight and lowlight of the trip?Europe is definitely an interesting place, lots of history, very laid back, everyone is hacking darts everywhere. So many highlights, the Alps were beautiful, Switzerland and Austria were amazing as well. Amsterdam was up there obviously and Czech was really affordable and so many things to see and do. I would recommend anyone going to Europe to see Prague, best bang for your buck. Lowlight I hate to say it some of Eastern Europe has a different feel for sure. The people are friendly and there's of stuff to do and everything but the cityscapes can be bland, boring and ugly so for that reason I must say Slovenia. It's also very hard to travel by train in some parts of Eastern Europe, which also added to my reasoning behind my choice for the lowlight.
Backside Air Photo: Mike McCourtYou’ve always been one of the most underrated skateboarders, never really cared about having all the sponsors and flashy new gear, do you ever think you could have made a career out of skating?Well it comes back to the sponsor me video, probably not. I love skateboarding in my free time as a passion, but not as a job. I would compare it to how some people love to play golf or hockey. I do love pushing myself but for me not for some bullshit sponsor sub par quality gear, or some bozo ass photographer trying to get a cover. Plus I'm not a brown noser, which helps in this business (white noser doesn't hurt either). Hate to break it to you, if you think going pro is easy, you’ re in for a treat. The odds are against you and although many Toronto skaters have gone pro in the past you can imagine the amount of effort they put in. I remember going to pick up Morgan with my good friend Nathan and he would have been skating his box in a near by parking lot for hours already and sometimes he would be out there at nine in the morning., so you can really see the determination that’s needed.You were a fs salad grind master, do you still break them out these days? What do you think about the current state of the salad grind?I don't ever remember being a salad master, but yes when I skated handrails and what not I liked to throw them out. You know until you brought this up I haven't though about this trick in years, I even used do them on ledges which is risky to pull off. The current state? haha they’ll probably come around again, I don't know if you guys know this about skating but everything was done in 92' and it just recycles every few years. If you pay attention now, everyone is on 50/50s for some reason, not my cup of meat but whatever. Then will come 5-0's and then salads and I’ll be there with open arms. Wait I was a salad master, I used toss endless salads at East Side Mario's when I was 16.What did it feel like to turn pro for the homies with a super exclusive bachelor party pro model?Crazy, it was the kindest thing a group of people have ever done for me. I honestly didn't know how to respond I was over the moon. I would never expect this or ask for it, but getting as a gift and knowing all the effort that went into it gave me a warm feeling. I literally thought in my head well I guess I can throw in the towel I've been officially acknowledged as a skater permanently. I haven’t put the board on the wall yet because I hate looking at pictures of myself but definitely will in the future. Thank you to all who made that happen, it made me very happy.Throw one of the following three individuals under the bus with a fun story: Warren Ounjian, Morgan Smith, and Johnny TangFuck it all three....Here's one about Johnny, hahaha I love this one, so when I was 11 or 12 I would skate with Johnny, and on this particular occasion it was Johnny, my brother Ian, and myself and we were going to a Chinese restaurant by his house for food after skating. Walking up to the restaurant I saw Johnny's dad and brother in the window waving to us so I say "hey Johnny is that your dad and brother?" and Johnny replied "shut the fuck up you racist piece of shit.” This went back and forth a few times and finally we got in the front doors and low and behold it was them. I don't believe he apologized but to be honest I don't think the joke was beneath me. Morgan is great, but his friends were hilarious, one time my friend Nathan was driving us all home, and of course Bowskill was there, a very odd man. There are four in the back and for some reason Bowskill is all sugared up and going ape shit being a goof and hanging out the window yelling. We get pulled over and being a teenager at the time of course I have illegal items on me. I had to pull a smooth move and pull my bag out and grabbed the desired items and the cop goes "what the hell do you think your doing" without skipping a beat I replied "your searching the car and I got my skate shoes on standing in the mud, I have to switch to my walking shoes" and he replies "well ok". Little did he know I had my walking shoes on and switched to my skate shoes. Really Morgan is a well behaved, solid guy.
Best for last Warren, I'm going say I have lots of stories of Warren but I really love to retell his stories in my words. So here it goes, classic warren story in my words. He was about 16 at the time riding for Perception, sometimes the owner Greg would have parties at his house after the shop closed and some guys on the team would go. Now I think Warren was fairly new to the party game and he didn't know what he was in for, he didn't dabble with chemical drugs but other older guys at the party were obviously and I'll tell you why. He can't recall who did it (probably thanks to the after effects of alcohol) but apparently this guy or dude couldn't feel pain. He was hitting himself with stuff and doing all these things to show he was not receptive to pain. Finally the curtains come and he decides to take his penis, yes penis, dick, cock, John Thomas, dong, pecker, pocket snake, chud, chunk, nugget or whatever you’ve got and closes a door on it, not once but twice! Fuckin' twice! I love this story because you could never truly make it up.What do you have up your sleeve for 2018?I want to start skating some mini ramp, I haven't been on my board in a while and I'm dying to skate some ramp. Keep pushing at work and start some new projects soon. I will probably get a haircut at some point hair its getting long, or I’ll try to rock a pony tail, the world is my oyster, but I really do hate oysters. Final thought, whatever I'm doing in 2018 I'm going to push myself to it the best I can because truly that’s what life's about.
Colin Passy on Instagram
@colinjppassy
Mike McCourt on Instagram
@vintagemontreal
