- James, how you been dude?
James: Dude I've been great. Riding a whole bunch, stackin footy still, and I got another month of summer to chill.
- Nice dude, tell me about the summer, anything memorable go down?
James: This summer a lot has went down. We have been marking spots on google maps and have been seshing new spots every time we go out to film now. Crazy hammers going down. But I got a whole month still for even more memorable stuff such as the street jam coming up on september 1st with a lot of crazy dudes coming out
- That's awesome man. So, I've been hearing rumors about you being involved in a new company? Let's hear the details dude.
James: Yeah yeah! The companys name is ADVCT, but known as Advocate. We chose the name cause we want the sport to grow up a bit and not have the idea of scooters being little kids snaking people anymore, because that isn't what scootering is at all. We want scooter riders to have sick T-shirts that they want to wear not just when they ride, but when they are hanging with their friends or at school. The shirts will be ready for this fall and we already got some awesome ideas. Check out and give us a like on our facebook page for all the updates.
Facebook
- Sounds pretty tight dude. Is this something you kind of always saw yourself doing at some point?
James: This has been an idea for over a year now. Blake Bailor, Evan Yamada, and I went to the same school and talked about creating something of our own and its not until now we are really making moves and getting things done. We all agreed that most scooter T'shirts are all the same. All of them have just the big chunky logo in the center of the chest. We thought it would be cool to have some designing on the T-shirt with a smaller logo somewhere on the shirt. Just wait till you see some of them they are really tight.
- Can't wait to check some out. So you mentioned Evan Yamada, and Blake Bailor, you guys have been down for a while haven't you?
James: We have known each other ever since elementary school. These dudes are my best friends and I'm excited we get to work in a business together and see where it takes not just us, but the sport as well.
- Damnnn. Brosss for lyfee. You guys have any financial backers that are helping the company get on its feet?
James: Our financial backers are our parents. Most parents are down to invest in their kids and we are lucky enough to have such good parents and role models that will do so. They know that the sport is something we are super passionate about and that we will work hard at it so that the money will be in good use. Obviously we will pay them back which will take time, but we know that. We are just excited to get it going.
- Family supporting Family is always a good thing. Tell me about some of the products we can expect from your company.
James: In the Fall we are coming out with 4 products to start off. They will be made out of high end material, 100% cotton, and well fitted T-shirts. The 1st one will be in either black or white with ADVCT on the upper chest. The 2nd shirt will be a baseball T shirt, (haven't decided on what color) like the ones in the picture I sent. 3rd will be a crewneck with big letters going down the shirt with a triangle. Finally the last one will be what most of our shirts in the future will be like. Its going to be a pocket T with a sick design that I don't want to give out just yet with small ADVCT letters going down the pocket. Gonna be real sick you will be able to see all the T-shirts on our facebook page and up on our website when it is up and running.
- Wow going hard with the designs. Does this affect your guys' relationship with Lucky Scooter Parts in any way?
James: This definitely has effected our relationship with Lucky. But Lucky is the chillest company and will always support us. They think this is great for us and hope we succeed. It may lead to a split off from each other, but we really don't know because nothing has happened yet.
- Yikes.. one of the longest running Teams in the sport possibly on the verge of ending? Crazy talk. What is your ultimate goal with this company?
James: The ultimate goal with the company is to have everyone love and rep our shirts. We want sweet scooter shirts that you can wear without being embarrassed. We want to change the clothing industry in the sport and hope other companies follow our ideas. Long term goals are to create parts in about a year or two. We got ideas for parts already that seem really cool that we might be able to start testing next summer.
- Looking at the state of the industry right now, what are some of the problems you see?
James: Problems I see in this industry are ads, websites, and as I have said before clothing. Lots of ads in the sport look like a kid taking a photoshop class in high school could do it. Same with some websites out there. Take some time and learn to make the website look great. I have been spending hours and hours studying website stuff to make sure that when I release it that it will look great. Also I think the industry needs to work on their video productions. Lots of really good riders who are sponsored have crappy cameras and 0 editing skills that make the video less enjoyable and not fun to watch.
- Words of wisdom right there. Would you eventually like to see more riders try to get involved in starting companies, and less people who don't ride, and will never ride, but are just trying to cash in?
James: I think that would be awesome to have more riders starting their own companies. A lot of riders out their want to ride for rider owned companies because no one knows riders better then a rider. But I think it is good to have these big named companies out there as well. These big named companies are the ones that are making the sport grow and I have nothing against them what so ever. If rider owned companies want to get bigger they will have to make some decisions that the big named companies make all the time. But I really do bet there are companies that are out there trying to just cash in money, which is terrible. They don't care about us, they don't care about the sport, they care about themselves.
- Wow.. a rider that understands that we need the bigger companies in the sport? Didn't think you guys existed... So, when we gonna start seeing some Promos from You, Evan, and Blake?
James: PROMO TOMORROW FROM MYSELF CHECK IT OUT HERE ON INSIDE AT NOON. Been working on it for over a year now. The video is all street and every spot except 1 clip was filmed here in Washington. I think its way better then what my OPUS part was so everyone check it out and enjoy. Blake's been filming for awhile, but you will prob see his later this year. And since Evan snapped his arm hes going through physical therapy so hopefully he can get back on the scooter soon and bust out as he always does.
- Damn you guys heard it, here on Inside-Scooters, at 12:00PST, James Gee Promo dropping. Any last words or shout outs, let em go now dude.
James: Ahhh. Shout out to Push it, all the riders our their that support me, and all the scooter bros. ADVCT ▲
Interview by Steven Tongson
FLEA: Yeah, that would have been us. We've
been around as a company since 2006. Back then we were doing one-piece bars.
I'm pretty sure we were the first ones doing one-piece bars in Australia and I
think second in the world. RAD was doing them just before us. Through
time and circumstance we stopped doing bars and relaunched as an apparel
company.
