Advertise on podcast: The Union Tapes

FBM team rider Ryan Corrigan was in the UK, yet again-for the recent annual Boyley Jam in Hastings recently. We knew he had a storied life so took the opportunity to get him in the chair and find out the some of the stories. Ryan has visited the UK many times over the years, partied, on multiple tours and events, shooting pics for magazines and just cruising around London more often than you'd think. As usual we take it from his earliest BMX and punk rock days in Arkansas to moving to Austin, early sponsors, recent sponsors and follow it right through and up to todays BMX sessions, he still rides BMX now, travels and builds ramps as a day job.

Theres not many people who fit in this bracket, Mark Noble first started in BMX magazine publication business when he began contributing photos and writing to a lost and dwindling publication, Freestyle BMX in 1986, saying that, BMX was lost and dwindling at that time. The publishers gave up the magazine and the Nobles, 2 young BMX riders took the reigns, with virtually no budget, very few advertisers, a couple grains of know how and no audience they some how managed to put a monthly magazine out of BMX Freestyle, Racing and Skateboarding for a few years. In 89 Freestyle shed what was left of the very 80s looking Freestyle BMX title and turned into Invert magazine, which featured more of the same but with a more feel and grit to it. As BMX started its slow rebuild, Invert eventually evolved into Ride UK, solely BMX with content from around the world. Shortly after that the publishing company 4130 started releasing other titles, and a family run company grew into something stronger than they'd imagined, eventually being bought by some idiotic venture capitalists who bought every core magazine in the uk and managed to run almost every one of them into ruin . We cover this whole journey right up to current day, and the release of Marks highly praised Emulsion book, a select collection of Marks BMX pics from 1987 to 2003, which came out a few years back.

Crandall has lived a BMX life, you probably heard about it before? But you wouldn't have heard most of these topics. Cause I havent and I listen to most BMX audio out there. The Cran man could definitely be considered a 'Lord of fun' as one of their old t shirt slogans used to say. I wanted to know the in's and out's of FBM, one of my favourite BMX co's of all time. Who was involved at the start? And what spawned its inception as it bounced from Ithaca to Fort Wayne to Ohio. How did they break into selling and designing soft goods, ads in USA ride, why did they make such chaotic and ground breaking videos, what was road fools 2 like. Why did they end up becoming a full blown bike company-and one of the most important brands of the 90s- and what happened to finish it off? The stories behind the jams, how they went up against the multi million corporate X games with a bunch of pallets in parking lot and where it went from there to what he is up to now?

So we reached the big 50…A harder task than you'd think in this BMX podcast thing. For one reason or another a fair few people that I want to come on and tell their story are difficult to convince. Anyways lets hope that they do eventually change their feeble minds! Cause there are a few that myself and other people know should come on... But onto Paul. A very fitting episode 50. This guys has been on my list for a long,long time and I have asked him to come on before, he's been one of the most requested characters for this podcast so It was good to finally get him on….He didn't stop talking though, which I expected (Its episode 50 right, make it count, make it a task!) but then what do you expect from a guy that's lived this much BMX and seems to remember all his weekend race results from 12 plus to current day, it is gonna go on a bit. This guy has done it all from a kid who couldn't place at races, to getting sponsored, onto being a pro racer, trail rider, Chasm jumper, roof dropper, magazine contributor, Ride uk assistant editor, professional photographer, team manager for multiple brands, celebrity commentator/announcer and still rides BMX now, find out the journey from West London to Southern California, you may need to book a week off work to listen tho!

The UKBFA has been brought up numerous times in the Union tapes, often in a disapproving way. Its fair to say at one point the UKBFA was a target of the core riders of the 80s. Its never had a chance to tell its side of the stories-excluding a few letters in BMX Action bike back in 1986, so when I got an email from ex 80s pro Simon Kefford, son of Colin Kefford, the UKBFA founder, when I saw his name pop up in my inbox, I first thought id said something negative on a podcast about his Dad? Fortunately that was not the reason he mailing me. He said he had found a box of the UKBFA's history/time line and if I wanted it he would send it over. Of course I wanted it, I love all this stuff. So he sent the box and it did not disappoint, all kinds of intriguing letters, proposals, news letters, contests itineraries, programmes, fliers, news paper cuttings, a list of UKBFA members, early contest ideas, so much info. I managed to talk a reluctant Simon into coming on for an interview to hear his BMX pro life story and tell us as much as he knew about Colin Kefford's / UKBFA's side of things. Thanks Simon!

Dylan Clayton is one of the UK's most winning racers, not only that but also known as one of the guys who rewrote the book on how to gain speed without pedalling, a method most others had not yet thought about. With an addiction to BMX starting at a very early age, and a thirst for riding even if it meant taking the occasional unofficial day off school. Dylan takes us through his path into riding round the streets then moving swiftly onto the race track through being sponsored by Alans BMX, Robinson then onto Mongoose. The boom years getting pics in magazines and winning races at an early age, then the dead days of BMX and how he and the race scene survived it. Winning races moving through the ranks getting on other BMX teams and eventually landing on Sunn for a pro ride, riding in the USA, riding trails and skateparks, and now working for BC, as well as a whole lot more info in here...Lets get it on!

There's not many in UK BMX more legendary than Mike Pardon, Pike was there from the start. In the early days living near the first Alans BMX store. Mike got into the early race scene, soon developed a skill for BMX racing, travelling the UK race circuit with the Alans BMX team and landing a sponsor from Torker. He soon got disillusioned with racing taking up Freestyle riding as it just started developing in UK, thanks to Bob Haro's demo at the Birmingham NEC. This quickly developed on to becoming one half of the BMX Bi Weekly trick team along side riding buddy Andy Preston. These guys were on all over our bedroom walls in the 80s, and also all over the TV at the same time period. Mike won the first BMX Beat and the BMX Bi weekly trick team had their own mini BMX teaching show on early morning Saturday TV. Pike got BMX fatigue in the glossy days of 85 and ended up getting more into vert skating, to which he also achieved at pro level…This is a fun journey to listen to, Pike is still doing these activity's right up to present day.

Effraim Catlow has been riding a BMX almost as long as BMX has been about in the UK. I first saw Effraim riding flat in the car park of Woking sports centre when I and a friend-park Watling- went to watch the Tizer worlds Woking stop. He just picked up a Hutch sponsor and was on a pink or purple trick star. From then I saw him very often at all the events, and when BMX died off in the late 80s early 90s he was always about, he became more a flatland specialist and off he went on his own path into flat land mastery and a huge part of the flatland scene. We cover a lot of ground here, from early days discovering Southsea skatepark, seeing the 80's pros at KOS 85, making zines, taking pics, putting on KOC events, writing flatland columns for magazines, winning world titles, and the Flat matters online community he's been doing for decades now….click play and take it all in!

Nerd alert….As if this podcast aint nerdy enough already...Union tapes episode 45… We have Issue 7 of our magazine/zine due out in the next few weeks. Featuring all the usual BMX entertainment and more…I love magazines and back in the early days of BMX life magazines is what kept us all in the loop of what was happening with in the BMX scene. Before TV shows started showing BMX there were BMX magazines. Pictures of BMX inspired us to keep riding and want to do the moves we were presented in the mags. Magazines have a lot to answer for, in the late 80s and into the 90s opinions in magazines kept our will strong to keep riding in our little scenes, and provided us with info on where the other little scenes were and any events happening. I thought id delve into the history of UK BMX magazines, coming from the first print mags we got which were weekly news paper style, all the way up to the present day. But spent more time covering the early ones and boom time prints/quite a lot of info here about our beloved magazines and its very interesting to see how each one differed to others in content with literally in the mid 80s some mags seemed years apart but came out at the same time! Check this out if you are as nerdy as I am. There should be a lot to learn! Support BMX print, its better than ya phone!

As a key player of the Trumpton scene I been trying to get this guy on for ages, James has been working on a book and wanted to do this once it was completed, he stayed true to his word and came on, and in person! The Retford/Trumpton scene became a major piece of the puzzle in the mid 80s to early 90s. The Hudson brothers had one of the early half pipes in the grounds of their house. Featured many times in BMX Action bike and Rad and the scene bred locals that went on to become some of the pioneers of the era. Our chat goes back to his very start in BMX, being 'pro'ed out by his Grandad' on his first BMX, to doing demos at local fetes with the Retford and District trick team. Building the half pipe, his first sponsors, riding at the circus, the UKBFA circuit and Alfreton quarter pipe sessions. Trips to the USA, getting into photography, pics for RAD. What happened at the controversial UK KOV Portsmouth event. Becoming the editor of SK8 Action magazine and how he ended up making his on BMX magazine in 91, the short lived BMX Now! And everything that followed….

Keith has been on one of my original lists for guests before I even started, and this one gets a bit real, Keith has certainly lived a life and come through a lot of tough times which I'm sure many of us have never experienced. Keith has travelled a path and still managed to come out with a life time of passion for BMX. Keith started his journey in BMX in New Jersey where he got into the local skate scene and learnt to ride halfpipes, he attended a lot of seminal late 80s BMX events and with a few trips going back n forth to California became one of the break out riders in the early to mid 90s. With is signature aggro style and no nonsense approach to riding. Keith got on S&M, scored magazine covers, multiple video parts and a trip to the back yard jam in 93. We talk meeting the so cal crew, early magazine pics, the cover of Invert magazine, S&M videos, UK trip and Riding with Jerry Galley, Dirty Deeds, BMX Inferno, the short lived Menstrual cycles brand, Hoffman bikes Sprocket jockey shows, Lolapalooza demo's and all the gnarly stuff that followed…Hit play and find out a whole lot of the story, right up to still ripping on a BMX now…

Seamus Mckeon has sailed nicely under the BMX radar for a long time now, cutting his teeth in BMX in early 2000's seems so recent in comparison to our usual guests. None the less Seamus has had an equally interesting path from starting out his journey on an 80s GT performer, then ending up working at Eastern bikes in his home town. Early influences and VHS tapes and DVD's. He became a progressive BMX rider early on with in the scene. We get into all the usual stuff, home ramp, riding with his brother. Working at the warranty department at Eastern, a short spell on other bike brands and how some relationships with sponsors quickly fell apart. Distinct ways of riding bike sand certain perspectives on tricks, the hand plant history. Getting on FBM and getting to know Steve Crandall, FBM trips and the FBM crew. Trips to the UK, riding for United bikes , and coming right up to date with the his own DIY concrete bowl the Goat pen.

Nothing says committed BMX filmer like Stew Johnson, the guy has had his hand in many a classic BMX video in the last 30 years. Back in 96 I got a copy of Scum Lights Out on VHS from Cyclone-the legendary ole retail store in Waltham Abbey. I'd heard of Scum , it was a low key -in the uk- T shirt brand but id never seen a t shirt. The cover looked good and professional for those days, so I dived in and got it. It is one of my favourite videos to this day. Show casing a whole bunch of scenes that you rarely saw back then, East coast and middle America was so nice to look at being in the UK. A year later I met Stew at Posh, he was filming for his next video Anthem. Which is where everything started to change for him when you listen to his story.. We get into all the usual stuff here from his beginnings in BMX and his love of 80s heavy metal-He saw the infamous Cliff Burton play with Metallica in Fort Wayne IN-getting into BMX as a kid, hes fascination with Dizz Hicks, going to races, meeting infamous characters on the wider BMX scene, starting Scum clothing and making seminal 90s BMX 1201 and info on its cast of characters, living in the Fat house in Fort Wayne, filming for Props, making videos for Fit and his job at S&M now-which I wanted to spend more time on but it got pretty late. We do an Anthem and Anthem 2 deep dive, which I'm sure. A lot of people will enjoy….plenty to get involved with here

What more can be said about this guy? From the UK BMX boom in the 80s right through to present day, Jamie is still ripping on a bike. We get a good delve into the early days of how he first started out and the beginnings of progression that came from those days riding in sports halls. His thoughts on BMX media in the 80s, early influences and why they were important. Who was the main competition at the UKBFA events, getting on Hutch in the BMX recession. Climbing the ranks on the contest circuit. Riding a PK ripper in the KOV king of vert series, spinning his first 900. Backyard jams and KOC events. Moving through sponsors in the 90s.Travelling back n forth from the UK to USA, working a full time job and riding in the KHE days, getting on GT as a full time pro. Vert battles and rivalries in the USA, moving to Woodward to turn vert riding into a real occupation. The progression of vert, taking it levels up and everything that comes with it…get ya ears round this story, its a good un. Riders mentioned… Paul Winfield,Mark Atkins,Brian Wills,David Frame,David Slade,Craig Campbell,Lee Reynolds,Andy Brown,Greg Guilliote,Jason Ellis,Shaun Alison,Terry Jenkins,Stephen Laidlaw,Dave Young,Scott Carol,Jason Davie,James Hudson,Mat Hoffman,Simon Tabron,Kevin Robinson,DMC,Carlo Griggs,Mick Hudson,John Hudson,Alan Sibley,Ross Marshall,Dave Mirra,Jason Hassell,Andy Ruffell,Neil Ruffell,Zach Shaw,Jerry galley,Damon Nicholls,Woody Itson,Andy Preston,Mike Pardon,Joe Rich,Taj,Ruben,Johnny Petit,Mike Canning,Glyn Lewis,Eddie Fiola,Rich Sigur,Eric Steel,Stephan Prantl,Christophe Chevaillier,Howard Radcliffe,Stuart Dawkins,Mike Dominguez,Eddie Roman,Ron Wilkerson,Phil Dola,Graham Marfleet,Stephen Macintosh

James Newrick is a seminal name in UK BMX, from his early start in the streets of the north east to present day riding and still putting out videos of unique and real BMX. James got an a bus from Newcastle to sit down with me here in London and talk about his BMX journey. We get into it all, from the start and getting his first BMX, early BMX influences, meeting his first riding crew and finding other BMX scenes, building trails, the formation of the NSF in the early 2000's and the drama that came with its inception…video parts, moving to Sheffield for a summer, making videos back then, ratty bikes, the buff house, street jams, features in Ride, joining the S&M crew in the UK. Getting burnt out on riding to coming back to it. Making videos with a different perspective and how riding changes, what problems you have to solve as you grow up and continue riding. Get it on!   Riders mentioned : Olly Olsen,Mike Taylor,Erny Liam Earnshaw,Dave Morten,Micky Pants ,Dan Price,Dave Young,Steve Kinghan,Cookie,Marv,Benson,Joe Cox,Dan Cox,Joe Fox,James Cox,Ian Morris,Boyley,Stephen Murray,Clarky,The Gonz,Edwin Delarosa,Wassy Adam Wasylenko,Tom Blyth,Ben Lewis,Jody Donelly,Jerry Galley,Joe Rich,Zach Sprinkle,Owain Clegg,Mark Theaker,Rooftop,Ruben Alacantara ,Cleggy,Matt Wakefield,Ashley Charles,Will Jackson,Northern Jon,Chris Pink,Shaun Egglington,Bowlhead,The count,Scott Ditchburn,Andy Kinghan,Gary Simmonds,Mike Griffin,Chris Souter,Geth Shooter,Tom Saunders