Interview with Phat Dean!!!
Dean Keller, is one of the coolest guys in our scene. He’s the guy behind the Pennsyltucky Derby races and Phat Deanz slide pucks. He’s got a long history in the skateworld and I thought it would be cool to do a little interview with him so everyone can get to know him and hear some insight on what skating is really all about.
Anthony – Dean, you’re a really respected member of the beast coast community, you’ve hosted two races and attended a crap load of others as well as Anton’s slide jams and now you’re making slide pucks. How did you get into all this?
Dean – After a many year layoff from skateboarding (due to personal stuff we won’t get into) I decided it was time to get the wheels under my feet again. Ray (of Rayzor Tattoos fame) was selling equipment so I got a board (shortboard) and started playing again. Joe got me out to shoot some small hills and I loved it. All of the credit for the longboard and downhill focus has to go to Ray. He did his research and got up to date on the new equipment and such and it just blew up for us after that. We started surfing the fish, finding races, finding hills, doing lots of riding, and meeting all of you guys and I fell in love with skateboarding again.
A – Can you tell me about how you’ve seen skating grow since you started in the 80s and how the scene then compares to now?
D – I think the main difference from then and now would be the quality of the equipment. Obviously the trick progression and the genres have fluctuated but it’s all skateboarding. The other major change would be the way skateboarding has moved from the backyards of the 80’s to the major networks of today. The internet has helped people to connect on a level we didn’t have in the 80’s. Back in the day we used to wait for the letter in the mail, the phone call, the magazine event announcements etc. Now we just log on and get all the information we need at a keystroke. Skateboarding in its raw form will always be skateboarding and skaters will always be skaters. At the end of the day it’s still about the fun.
A – Where do you see our current scene going and skateboarding in general?
D – It’s on the up and up. The longboard scene is growing exponentially. The number of events, the people involved, and the new companies is all growing. We’re in warp speed right now. Skateboarding in general will get more mainstream and hopefully more excepted by common society. I find it hard to believe that there are parts of the country where skaters are still treated like lepers but that will ease in time.
A – What’s your favorite skate memory?
D – There are so many. I’m as fond of those days in the 70’s, riding the plastic boards, as I am the first race I was a part of at Sultans of Speed. I always love to tell the story about my first trip to Cherry Hill Skatepark. I was 15 years old. I walked in (the park was in a warehouse) and up the steps next to the Egg Bowl just in time to see Mike Jesilowski (R.I.P.) bust into a 20 coping block rock-n-roll slide. I stood there in awe. I had never seen skating of that level in person and I was just blown away. Other things that stand out are a session at Del Mar with Ray when we got to share the world famous Keyhole Pool alone with Tony Hawk and Lester Kasai. Just the 4 of us sessioning at night, under the lights, in the mist, it was cool. All of that aside, the fondest memories are just sharing good times with good friends enjoying a passion we all have in common.
A – Who’s your all time favorite skater?
D – Most will expect to hear names like Tony Hawk, or K-Rimes or something like that. Not me man, I have to say all of my friends. Wayne, Ray, Joe, Dan “Booger” Brown, Keith Lenharr, Doug Mayer, and Buster Halterman, I love those guys and would rather see them kill it than anyone. In the longboard scene you guys are all my favorites. How can you not be inspired watching Jeremy annihilate everything in his path, seeing the grace of yourself (Anthony) pounding through a turn, and Pat destroying wheels on Idle road doing 100 foot slides? I’m so stoked at how cool the riders are in the longboard scene. It far surpasses what is going on with shortboarders. I can’t begin to explain how much respect I have for you guys.
A – Tell me about Phat Deanz. Why’d you start making pucks and what are you goals?
D – I just did some research regarding materials and made some pucks in my garage. Everyone I gave them too liked them and told me to start selling them. I figured what the hell, and went for it. My goals aren’t very lofty. I don’t expect to take over the world, or even get rich. I want to offer a quality product and quality service. I’m just having some fun and meeting new friends, and if that’s all I ever get out of it then it’s worth every bit of time and effort I put into it.
A – What are you doing to keep yourself together while the roads are slushy and covered in sand, salt and whatever other crap they throw down?
D – I just keep my eyes open and ride when I can. I don’t let the weather get to me. I just roll with it. I’ll focus a little more on the business and probably spend more time in the garage messing with those damn finger pucks!! If anyone wants to come to Harrisburg and ride let me know. My door is always open.
A – On a scale of 1 – 10 how stoked are you for 2010?
D – I don’t want to say 10 because what happens if the hype for next year is even bigger? My head will explode!!! I’m really stoked to have some more fun this year, sponsor some events, and meet some more people. I’m liking the idea of organizing and possibly seeing the scene get a little more legit.
A – Do you plan on going to any events away from our local ones?
D – This year I would have to say no. I’d like to get to Mary Hill but I don’t see it happening. I haven’t counted anything out but the main place on my radar is North Carolina. I didn’t have the time to get there for the race last year so that’s one I’m interested in. If Munnsville happens I’ll get to that, but I’m really just looking forward to the Beast Coast scene for this year and I’ll see where it leads me.
A – Anything else you want to add or say?
D – I’d like to thank Beast Coast for this opportunity. I appreciate the exposure and the chance to share some insight into Phat Dean the person. I’d like to thank my friends, Jamie, Ray, Joe, Sean, Wayne, Dylan et al for hooking up and riding with me. I’d also like to thank all of the east coast riders for accepting us geriatric skaters into you’re scene. You guys have no idea how much you’ve stoked me. I relish the opportunity to share my passion with a new generation of skaters. I could go on forever. I’m truly grateful to find myself in this place at this stage of my life.
