Jay Meer

How long have you been skating Burnside?
I've been around since late 93 early 94 I used to live on MT. Hood and drive down to the city all the time. When I first saw the skatepark, I had my skateboards sent up from Cali right away. I started skating again instantly after a year or so break, Burnside was Heaven. I started skating around 84 and am happy to say I ve been skating for 2/3rds of my life this year.

You do a lot of the artwork in the park, do you have any favorite peice that you've done in the past? Any great works coming in the future?
I don't know, I enjoy what others enjoy. My personal favorites have been the old english MEER with the b/w face, the Nozzle Head skateboarder, the Stormtrooper of course, the FIRST TEN YEARS mural. I painted the whole top of the big wall in 2002 that was a big goal to conquer, repelling on a rope and all. I am currently working on something for Halloween, I really want to go crazy with paint down there. It might not happen as large as I was hoping this year, but I would like to start painting with the season changes consistently.

Do you skate many of the other parks in the Northwest? Which is your favorite?
Oh yeah wow, I've been living in Seattle recently half the week for about 6 months, Stoked. I am skating all the new parks up there in Washington. There is no way I would have been hitting all of them up as frequently Milton, Carnation, West Seattle if I was just in Portland. It's too easy to go to the Burnside and be happy riding that. Burnside is my personal favorite, but it's more than that, it's home. I also like to ride all the parks in Oregon from Aumsville to the coast, LC, Newberg. All of the above, West Linn etc.. One of my goals is to ride every park Dreamland and Grindline build or any legendary old or new knarly park. THE SD park Philly that would probably cover it.

How's Hip Hop Smells coming along?
It's going alright. Got a new website www.hiphopsmellz.com just starting to rebuild it, lost all my old files in a hard drive crash. There is def. some new air fresheners on the way including skater designs and more, currently we are working on about ten new designs. I am blowing this product up and be in a store near you soon. We also are going to get are team going djs mcs skaters etc. We have had a lot of Underground shows/partys from Portland OR to Houston TX. In the future 2005 I see us having a cd release party of local and national talent and gettin to a level of being able to promote some more shows, possibly even having a booth at some tradeshows. The products are well accepted, a lot of musicians and producers are down with us and ready to represent even on their tours, soon everyone will be linked up on the site. We will also be working with LCOB Lost Children of Babylon from Philly maby for a show or tour.

What's the craziest thing you've seen at Burnside both skating and not skating?
That's a hard call. A duh... About 10 years ago I saw a friend get a boom box broken in half over the back of his head while he was sitting on the ground from getting beat down from 2 guys that was pretty burly. A lot of blood and injurys did I say a lot of blood A LOT some really brutal from compound breaks to hanging dangling ankles, wrists, knock outs You name it I seen it there, Popeye muscle lookin swell bows. I fell 6ft to flat once on my head, got a knarly concussion and a huge black eye, it was burly pukin and stuff. There is way to many stories, better to tell them in person. Trick wise on the skateboard, basically every time I am there I see the unbelievable. The locals defy the laws of gravity!! Huge airs, huge airs to disaster smashes, original angles and tricks you can't see other places, giant gaps hucking it death defying hurling of the body and board, just ridiculous moves, improbable stuff. Everything, I like a heavy session with lots of collisions and close calls, mad people skating a heated session going fast balls all out.. People commiting to slam on the concrete. Everyone has there own signature moves and style that makes it fun, interesting and exciting.

What would you like to see happen in the future for Burnside?
A historical monument to skate culture, I want there to be a museum and for the Non-Profit to make money off of its' own products. I want it to help pay for a top secret shaowlin skatepark in the sticks, and maby a skateboard park lottery that cities could win and dreamland and grindline could build. For the new locals to learn and respect the history and the park and its rules. To progress into the future continually evolving, I don't think the design of the park will every stop changing it is always in a state of motion. Clean shitters, no kooks or tweakers, people pitching in more helping out and respecting the park is a must. The other stuff the locals know about that's gonna happen in the future, etc..

You're a big Heddings supporter. Have you heard any new info on how he's doing both physically and legally?
Neil is a soldier, he is hanging in there, the most recent update says he is going to court in a month, he has a court appointed attorney that is pretty good. I need to call his Moms and see how she is doing. I've been helping sell some of the Free Neil Heddings skatboards that MM is making, any one that can support should, Neil needs your help, for money on his books and to start a new life when he is released. We threw some big fund raisers for him and might throw some more. Neil is good people and an innocent man, he is one of the most humble and nice people I know, and also an amazing skater. Neil gave me a place to stay when I didn't have a place to go, and I know he would give the shirt off of his back to anyone in need. Check out Martyforever.com thats his site and FREE NEIL HEDDINGS dammit.

Anything else on your mind?
Oh I don't know, I need some work if anybody got a job Part/Full time or some freelance work I could really use a check, make that cash! So a couple of words also ... If I didn't have my dreams I would be no where, they keep me ticking goals, asperations, ideas. Follow your dreams (to an extent, sometimes your dreams change or you have to make new ones) anything is possible..ANYTHING!! Never give up and let nothing bring you down. Stay strong for all of us, for me, for yourself and rise to the challenge or occassion. Stay true and remember, don't measure your success financially. If we all help each other out this world will be a better place, so don't bullshit, help out dammit.

Want to give props to anyone?
To The Burnside SKatepark Family, thank you, and to the park itself, without you I don't know where I would be. Ah yeah everyone that has every helped me out, supported me and my art, encouraged me to succeed, given me a couch to crash on, or a place to lay my head, shared there bowl beer or food, looked out for my peoples, shown me love when I was down etc.. Everyone you know who you are, I could give a couple pages of props and I am sure people would still get left out, so here is to the guys that get left out.. One thing about the Burnside, it is a place I can go any time no matter how bad I feel or how depressed shit is and I can smile, my friends will always be there if not in person in spirit, in short it gives me good feelings. I call it HOME, and always will. Thanks to everyone that helps out to make my home a better place, a cleaner place, and a brotherhood,, the skatepark is sacred ground, riding it is being blessed, respect it as such.
Thank you
Jaymeer D.S.M.
Da Skills Manifest ..
Dangerous Skateboarding Movement




That's it. Go skate!