“Besides all of the bullshit that seems to go along with it. Riding a bike will always be fun.”

“Besides all of the bullshit that seems to go along with it. Riding a bike will always be fun.”

interview by thomas fritscher Photos: Ed Docherty

>> 1. Name, Age, sponsors:
David Parrick, 30, Volume Bikes, Duffs shoes, Kink and Primo both help me out.
>> 2. Occupation?
Video Producer/ FilmMaker (I guess)
>> 3. Where are you from?
I grew up in Houston, Texas than moved to Austin for a couple of years and then
I moved to Los Angeles where I’ve lived for the past eight years.
>> 4. What made you move from Austin to California?
I needed a change. I loved Austin but I figured that I would not accomplish
very much if I stayed there.
>> 5. When did you start riding and what did you start with?
I started racing BMX when I was 11 years old. I mainly just liked the dirt jumping
aspect of it. I raced bmx until I was 15 and started riding ramps when freestyle
evolved. It just seemed more fun to me and you didn’t have to pay to do it.
>> 6. When, what and who was Club Homeless?
6. My friends from and I started it as a joke when we were in high school. It
was a spoof on Club Homeboy. We just did it for fun and people seemed to like
the name homeless so we used it for the bike company.
>> 7. How did you get into street riding?
There wasn’t to many people to ride with were I lived and most of my friends
where skaters, so i would ride with them and try to do skate tricks. I skated
for a while but I sucked at it, so I figured that I should just stick with bikes.
>> 8. What do you think about the fact that riding is all about street nowadays? Do you feel
responsible?
I’m stoked that most of the attention is on street riding. To me it has always
been the most fun aspect of the sport. I’m surprised that it took so long for
it to catch on this big. I’d like to think that I helped it along the way a
bit with the video’s I’ve made. The riders in those video’s definitely pushed
the sport in the direction that it’s going in now. When James Shepard and I
made Homeless “Trash”. We mainly wanted to show the real street aspect
of riding. At the time thats what we wanted to see in video’s and that was what
we where into. It just took along time for it to catch on.
>> 9. What do you think of todays riding scene? Do you look back to the ‘Good old days’ at
all or do you think riding is constantly evolving to the better?
It has it’s good and bad points. It always has, people will always complain
about it no matter what. I think I enjoy it know as much as I did back then.
I think It’s still evolving. Just when you think it can’t go much further, somebody
steps it up a notch and I takes a while for everyone to catch up.
>> 10. What
was your impression of the european riding scene (i.e. at the backyard jam)?
I just went over there for Bike 2000 and it totally ruled!! I really like the
scene over there. Everyone was really cool and I had a great time. I haven’t
been to any other countries in Europe, but everyone that I know or have met
have been super nice. I want to go back and check out other countries. There
are some amazing riders in Europe. I finally got to see Gerry Galley ride. That
guy rules. All of the English riders go off!!! There are to many to mention.
Oh yea, Morris rules!!
>> 11. How much time do you spend on riding nowadays, and what are your goals on a bike?
I ride as much now as I ever have. I’ll go to skateparks once or twice a week
and I’ll ride at Primo at least two to three times a week. They just made private
ramps for us that rule. I haven’t been riding street as much as i’d like to.
I get injured to much. As far as goals I just want to keep learning new tricks.
I have no desire to be competitive. I’d like to have one more good video part.
I’m not sure if my body can take it anymore.
>> 12. Who are some of your favorite riders?
There are to many to mention. I don’t know. My friends that I ride with. All
of the riders that have been in my video’s. Those are the ones I like to watch
ride. Taj and Joe, Rooftop,Castillo,I don’t know. There are too many. Miron
definitely.
>> 13. What
made you do your first Video, when was that and what was it called?
The first one that anyone actually saw was Homeless “Highway to Hell”.
I don’t think that too many people saw it. It came out about a year before Homeless
“Trash”.
>> 14. Is Trash Productions a one man company? If not, who else is involved?
Trashvideo is my company. I sometimes have people help out on different videos.
Ryan Young helped with the editing on “Nowhere Fast”, and that worked
out really well.
>> 15. Compared
to other BMX Videos yours are straight forward riding films. Explain your masterplan
I just mainly like to see progressive riding.
>> 16. What are you trying to achieve with your Videos, what’s your goal?
My goal is to make videos that make people stoked on riding. If people say that
after watching one of my videos, they wanted to go out and ride and try crazy
shit, then I’m happy.
>> 17. How do
you go about making a video? Do you follow a script or an idea or do you throw
stuff together till it fits?
I definitely have an idea of how I want it to look. I’ll have an idea for a
song that I’m going to use and I’ll have the part go along with it. I’m pretty
picky about how it goes together.
>> 18. What
equipment did you film / cut your first Video on and what are you using nowadays?
I used to use Hi8 video and edit on either SVHS or 3/4. That shit is so out
dated now. Thank God! Now I shoot with digital cameras and super8 movie film.
I’m also starting to shoot with 16mm film. I edit now on the computer with Adobe
Premier and Media 100.
>> 19. What
do you look for in a BMX Video? What are some of your favorite Videos ever made?
19. I really don’t pay to much attention to BMX video’s. There are some good
ones out there. I think the Props guys do a good job with the Road Fools videos.
Those are always entertaining. Hoffmans “Head First” will always be
a classic. The original Dirt Bros. video influenced me and the whole homeless
crew more than any other bike video. Seventies( Backyard) videos, I’ve always
enjoyed. I just mainly pay attention to Skate videos more.
>> 20. Do you have any influences in videomaking?
Mainly Skate videos. Toy Machine, Zero,and the last few Transworld videos would
get me stoked to go ride. I thought that Birdhouse video “The End”
was done really well. I like the Transworld videos alot. They do a really good
job with the editing. Spike Jones Is also a really big influence. Blind’s “Video
Days” still Rules!!
>> 21. What
kind of music do you listen to personally and what do you look for in music
to fit in a riding video?
I listen to a wide range of music. Anywhere from The Beatles to Slayer, Sonic
Youth,Miles Davis,Dead Kennedys,dj Shadow,Devo,the Cramps,Pink Floyd. It just
depends on the mood I’m in.
>> 22. Are you doing any Videowork outside of BMX? If yes, what? If not, why?
22. I haven’t really done anything else as of yet. I’ve had some skate video
offers and I’d like to give that a try. I’d really like to direct a music video.
>> 23. What are your plans for the future?
I have a couple of bike video projects in the works. One may be Really Big!!
I can’t say as of yet. I”m also thinking about starting a clothing company.
I’ve always wanted to do that. I think I’ll be pretty busy this year.

>> 25. Any message to our readers?
25.Besides all of the bullshit that seems to go along with it. Riding a bike
will always be fun.
>> 26. Anyone you want to thank?
All of the riders that appeared in my videos. They all Rule. Volume Bikes, Duffs
shoes, Kink, Primo, Stephan Prantl at We The People, Ian and Stu at Seventies,
all of my friends that wouldn’t let me quit riding when I really thought that
I wanted to, And my wife Linda.

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