Toni Salminen
WHO
Toni Salminen, born May 1976. I live in Käpylä, Helsinki and I'm originally from Palokka, Jyväskylä. I play ice hockey in beer league and I'm the goalie. I write lyrics and spoken word and I perform those in various bands.
MEMORY LANE
How and when did you get involved with skateboarding?
During the spring of 1987 I got Makaha freestyle board and tic tac was almost the only thing you could do with it. Back to the Future was name of the game. Then came Anthrax, Metallica and California Sun, Acid drops, Boneless, Ollie, Jump ramps, Jeff Grosso from Santa Cruz, powerslides and the Vallely elephant. That's how it all got started.
Ever been in a skategang? What is/was it called?
Tikari Venom Posse, I don't know if it still exists anywhere else than in my head. But that's what I'm part of.
STYLE
How would you describe your skating?
A giraffe in heat trying to mate with another giraffe that surrenders for pity.
What kind of spots do you prefer?
A ditch which has a small curb on it.
What kind of a skateboard setup do you have?
9 .5” deck. I like the deck shape trends of today and I like to ride boards with different shapes. 169 indys, 52 mm wheels.
Favorite trick?
Straight no-comply.
PHILOSOPHY
How has skateboarding changed the way you perceive the world?
Everything affects almost anything.
Has skateboarding affected the way you make music or other things?
I believe that there is some influence or the aesthetic that I strive to in everything that I do owes itself in one way or another to the 80s-90s Thrasher.
How do you see skateboarding as a culture now or compared to when you started skating?
The whole world has changed so much that comparing them would be just old man's mumble. Things weren't better in the past. There were no good-ol-days. I stopped actively watching skate medias around 2009. That was around the same time that I quit my 10 year career in a skateshop. Sure I have kept up with skateboarding because of my son who skates a lot. I really like the current aesthetics of skateboarding in general with the tricks. Also clothing trends from the past are cool and most of all people seem to have fun!
ART
What music have you discovered through skateboarding?
Hundreds of bands! From Misfits to Modest Mouse. From Steve Miller Band to Sonic Youth. And from Neil Young to Napalm Death.
Favorite song to skate to?
Who are the skaters/musicians you look up to?
Natas, Vallely, Barbee, Guerrero, Blender, Bourne. They were the ones I started following when I was a kid. Back then I was fascinated by their style and their whole being. Now it's interesting to see how they have aged and what kind of persons they have become. The levels are only changing.
Favorite skateboard graphics of all time?
Vallely elephant.
Favorite skate video or part of all time?
Scott Bourne. Strongest of the strange.
HEALTH
Have you had any bad injuries?
Mental breakdown.
Beverage of choice when skating?
Sodawater.
How do you take care of your body before and after skating if you do that at all?
Yoga & Herbs.
Final words of wisdom or motivation for the young ones:
Don't be a Dick!