WHO

Jussi Pohjanen, 30 years old, I live in Tampere, Finland. Storage worker by day, freelance illustrator and amateur musician by night.

MEMORY LANE

How and when did you get involved with skateboarding?

I got my first board as a birthday present in 1998. My cousin started skateboarding around the same time, just before I got my first board, and it just seemed so fucking cool to do the same thing that Turtles did in the cartoons haha!

First trick you learned or struggled with the most?

I believe it was fakie big spin. Still struggling with 360 flips and pop shove-its.

Best/worst memory in your skateboarding history?

I really can't choose one particular memory that is the best or the worst. But I still go down the memory lane to the year 2004 when me and my friends skated and filmed every damn day on that summer. Also the years when I lived in Lahti were pretty good skateboarding-wise.

Ever been in a skategang? What is/was it called?

Our very first skategang was called Duckstance. We released one video in 2004 and started filming a sequel to it but it never got finished because my friends had more interest in tuning their mopeds and all that shit. After that we did a couple of videos with a different group called Myrk.

STYLE

How would you describe your skating?

Trying to be creative but looking like a paralyzed ballet dancer.

What kind of spots do you prefer?

Ledges, curbs and manual pads.

What kind of a skateboard setup do you have?

8.5 Windmill deck, 44 Ace trucks, Jivaro 54mm wheels, Windmill ceramic bearings and Rib Bones rails.

Favorite trick?

Frontside no-comply and ollie.

PHILOSOPHY

How has skateboarding changed the way you perceive the world?

Skateboarding has been with me over two thirds of my life so I really can't compare myself now to a 7-year old kid from a small town that I was when I started skating. Still I'm 100% sure that I wouldn't be here if I haven't started skateboarding.

Has skateboarding affected the way you make music or other things?

It definitely has changed my taste of music the most. Thanks to skateboarding (especially Tony Hawk games) I have found some of my all time favorite bands.

How do you see skateboarding as a culture now or compared to when you started skating?

When I started skating I lived in Tornio (Northern Finland) and I didn't know anything about skateboarding culture. I didn't know skate videos, magazines or skateparks existed. Now I know that we have too fucking many skate videos and not enough of magazines or zines but luckily we have so many places to go skate.

ART

What music have you discovered through skateboarding?

ZEKE, Melvins, Chelsea Wolfe and the list goes on.

Favorite song to skate to?

I don't like to listen to music while skating. It throws me off from the focus when you can't hear what's happening around you.

Who are the skaters/musicians you look up to?

Skaters: Orange Man, Gou Miyagi, Pena Järvelin, Mark Gonzales etc.
Musicians: Nick Yacyshyn, Läjä Äijälä, Esa Pulliainen, Topi Sorsakoski etc.

Favorite skateboard graphics of all time?

Shorty's Chad Muska silhouette.

Favorite skate video or part of all time?

Captured Issue 1.

HEALTH

Have you had any bad injuries?

I have broken my wrist when snowboarding. Once I sprained my ankle when I stepped off a curb and couldn't skate for a few weeks. So nothing too serious. Knocking on wood.

Beverage of choice when skating?

Water and a couple of low ABV beers.

How do you take care of your body before and after skating if you do that at all?

I'm so lazy that I don't take care of my body before or after skating. I try to stretch a bit but I could do more.

Final words of wisdom or motivation for the young ones:

Say fuck you to your student counsellor when she says you won't get a job from art or music school, listen to ZEKE and hail Satan!