Rick Thorne Interview

American BMX legend Rick Thorne is gearing up for his first UK tour as a musician, somehow he found some time in his busy schedule to have a chat about music, riding and much more.

R13: For those that know you only as a BMX rider, how would you describe your music?
RT: I like to write music to ride to, I have so many different influences of music that when I'm on stage I feel like I have to give it my all just like I would if I was riding. It's not a BMX band.

R13: How did the band come together?
RT: I started a band called Good Guys In Black around seven years ago, I'd been around music a lot but this was my first time forming a band, and I really didn't understand the language of music or how musicians in Hollywood think. Good Guys In Black had so many rotating members that I eventually decided to just to go by my name because it was easier for me as it seemed like people were flaking out a lot
R13: I know all about flakey LA musicians!
RT: Hollywood is a weird place for music as people just get hired for certain jobs. I was always different as a bike rider because I knew I wanted to be in a band when I was a kid and music had a huge influence on me. I wasn't born into or around music so riding became my expression at that time.
When I'm in the UK I'm hiring musicians from over there, I would like to bring my guys over but they're all in other bands. My drummer just got off tour with Doyle from The Misfits, I know so many people to jam with but it was easier for me to be self-titled as no-one wants to commit to something that doesn't put money in their pocket.

R13: As you've mentioned, you are heading to the UK next month – what can we expect to see from you at a live show?
RT: I'm all about positive energy and PMA, but in a cool way, a fun way where it's not preachy. It'll be full energy, full connection with the crowd, full personality and sending a message of taking the negative and making it a positive.
R13: It is a good mindset to have.
RT: Yeah, I think it steams from my hardcore roots growing up. If you're going to be on stage you should send a message and connect with people. At my show, it is 100% pinning it. I'm excited, I've been to the UK before riding bikes, but this is a huge deal to me because I've never gone overseas to play music.

R13: Will the BMX be coming on tour with you?
RT: Yeah, I'll be bringing my bike over with me to ride skate parks with the locals during the day. The people I've talked to have told me that the UK appreciate music in a different way to Americans, I'm super excited to see the response and connect with people on another level.

R13: Is there anywhere you are particularly looking forward to playing?
RT: I'm pretty excited just to jam in a different country. I am not familiar with any of the venues which is even more exciting because I don't know what to expect. It was a little weird to me when I first started playing music because the crowds were a lot smaller than I was used to being in front of during Tony Hawk tours of the X Games, it was an ego hit, it was very challenging, but now, I realise that going out without expectations is the best. You have to bring it without expectations.
This is a huge accomplishment for me because a lot people said that I couldn't play music because I rode bikes.
R13: Right, because no-one can do more than one thing(!)
RT: Oh heaven forbid – but when you can, like Jamie Fox, Mark Wahlberg, Jared Leto, they rant, rave and go crazy for it. You just have to believe in yourself and bridge those gaps on your own in a sense.
I grew up in the early eighties riding bikes and people would be like "quit riding bikes man, you're a loser", so I've already been here, it's all good and I know what I'm supposed to do. I've found a way to release my feelings and expression in a positive way, I can't get on stage and sing about stupid shit just to get some fans because it is not genuine. I would feel corny singing some shit just to be famous with music or get paid.

R13: I've heard that your live sets sometimes include covers of Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' and Rancid's 'Fall Back Down' – how did those covers come about?
RT: A couple of the guys from Left Alone are putting together a Rancid tribute record and they asked me to be on it which is huge to me! I really related to Fall Back Down as I went through a lot of the same issues of the last year and a half. I also do a Korn and Fugazi song.
That takes me back to people telling me that I can't play music because I can say "Well, I just got asked by Tim and Elvis to be on the Rancid tribute record so I must be doing something right."
I'm very grateful and I'm stoked to be able to do this. You've just got to ignore the haters, none of it really matters and actually, the people that hate you are creating interest in you. I think hating is just projections of a person's own shortcomings. I sense that a lot with music, people start bands and give up. I could have given up a long time ago with all the changes in band members but I love it too much. I had to change my plan, that's all people have to do; change their plan. Half the time with haters it's not even real anyway, it's just a feeling but they have a place to put it and that place is called the internet!
R13: Right, remember when all this nonsense used to stay in our heads?!
RT: I know, right. When we were kids something would be said and it was done, that feeling would go away because you wouldn't sit and ponder over it. Now, with the internet there's somewhere to put it and it's so much more personal. People do ponder on what they're feeling, look at it, converse about it and elaborate on it. If you put that into the universe, that vibration just exists. If you're looking to do something positive, you can't keep thinking negative because you'll never have a positive outcome because the two can't occupy the same space. I look at music very much like therapy, I like to use things that have happened to me and things I have overcome and maybe that will help someone to think "I can get over that too."

R13: Would you say that life experience is the sole inspiration of your writing?
RT: I would say life inspires my writing. I'm a huge fan of Suicidal Tendencies; one time I did four shows with them, those guys are my friends, they're awesome and I love them but I look at the way they write and the way I write and it comes from an inner place because it is stuff we've been through. If I feel something and it feels good and I'm comfortable with what I'm singing and writing, I'm going to keep going in that direction. I see people writing music with the frame of mind of what's crisp, clean and safe and will attract a lot of people; I get that and understand it but it's not something that allows you to express yourself fully in my opinion, and I just can't be that dude. Song writing is something way more personal to me and I have to give it all I've got and just see what happens.

R13: Can we expect an album or an EP anytime soon?
RT: I've got a new single called The Fire Inside, the music has changed a lot over the years but I'm currently writing new music so I will have an EP, but it won't be done before I tour the UK, but I'm going to lock in a time to record a 5-6 song EP which will come out early next year.
While I'm in the UK, I'm going to be filming a new music video; totally DIY style. I'm very DIY, sometimes I don't want to be but sometimes you have to be. Music is so layered that you always seem busy with something. I don't ever feel like I have a day off but I like that because I like to keep exploring my work and my craft to make it better.

R13: How do you find time to juggle all your projects and raising two kids?
RT: I'm a single dad with two kids and the time with them is split 50:50, me and my ex-wife are friends so that's no drama. If that friendship wasn't there I would probably have a tough time getting stuff done. I was always the guy who would compete at X Games, do a TV show for ESPN, do a radio show for ESPN, and do all these appearances but still pull it off. For me, you just have to learn to shift gears. You learn to be more precise with your time and make time for things you need to do. I was up at 6am, got the kids ready for school, dropped them off, worked out, showered, I'm doing this interview, I'll go do a voiceover, go riding, pick the kids up, do homework, make dinner, do the dishes, do the laundry... that's my life. I don't have a girlfriend and I choose that, which is another reason I get a lot of stuff done but if I meet a girl and it clicks then fine but right now what's most important to me is putting food on the table for the kids and doing what I love to do. My kids are six and eight and they are only going to be six and eight once, so I put all my time to them.
Also, I don't want to be in a relationship when I'm touring and put someone else through that and I don't want to put myself through it, so that helps me have a lot of time to focus on me because I do have two kids, two dogs and a cat that I have to take care of. I don't have family out here in California, so if you don't do it, they don't get to do stuff.

R13: I saw that you were out interviewing artists at this year's Warped Tour, how did you get involved with that?
RT: I've played on 14 Warped Tours, two of them as a musician and 12 that I rode on. Warped Tour is a home of mine, I'm always welcome there whether it's riding, hosting or playing if it works out with the tour. I'll definitely be out on that tour again.

R13: On a more random note, just because everyone has been talking about it – what are your thoughts on Apple giving away U2's new album?
RT: At first, I thought it was cool because I like U2 but then I was like "This is kinda creepy, man!", they can come in and just drop shit in your iTunes – what can they take out? So, the whole privacy thing creeped me out, Apple have more control than I thought they did. I like the record, I've listened to it a few times but I do think it is creepy.
R13: Right, I feel like my iTunes have been raped; U2 and Apple have put their collective junk where it's not wanted.
RT: That's great. I know a lot of people don't like U2 and now they have to go and delete it. They're trying to do a good deed but it has kind of backfired. U2 are pretty embedded with Apple, they had their own iPod and stuff.
R13: Yeah, and they don't make it easy to delete.
RT: Wow, what a trip. That would be a pain if you don't like the band. iTunes are more powerful than we thought. Someone in America will try to sue them because they don't want to work but it'll be thrown out or they'll be paid out.
R13: You know what, it was probably hidden somewhere in their terms and conditions. They would have covered their backs.
RT: Oh yeah, no-one reads that shit. You probably unknowing agreed to have some U2 in your life.

R13: Great, that's enough of U2!, What can we expect to see from you over the next year?
RT: I have my hands in a lot of stuff; music, media, movies. I have a TV show that I'm pitching that looks really good, riding, touring. Touring is awesome; I'm in talks to go to Japan and Australia. Musically; keep playing, keeping writing, keep moving forward. Between riding bikes and music I feel like I've got the best of both worlds as I get to express myself physically on my bike and internally via the microphone. I don't want to label myself as one thing as I've been doing different types of entertainment for so long. I want to get back on TV to help my music; my goal is to make a living playing music but there's a whole building process, but that's the goal.

R13: Awesome, thanks for you time. I'll see you in London next month.