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Dismantling Works of Art For Art With Deadstock Anatomies
122 Plays11 months ago
This week I welcome Al Baker better known as Deadstock Anatomies to the podcast. We talk about his love for the game of basketball. Why he had to give up sneakers, his time in the pool circuit. Also how his unconventional career path lead him back to sneakers. His biggest inspiration and where Deadstock Anatomies came from and has taken him! Fun and insightful episode this week!
Where to find Al:
Socials: @deadstockanatomies
Podcast Linktree: https://linktr.ee/myfirstkicks
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Intro Music by The DoppleGangaz: https://thedoppelgangaz.bandcamp.com/
Outro Music by Gordon Bombay: https://thegordonbombay.bandcamp.com/
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Transcript
Meet Al Baker: Sneaker Artist from Las Vegas
00:00:15
Speaker
How you doing, man? Good. Good. Good. Yo. Thank you so much for jumping on. I mean, you know, I found you through Charlie, I want to say, and then recently you did some sick, a sick piece with nice kicks. Oh yeah. Yeah. With Matt, I did a piece for Matt. Yeah. That was my first new balance. It's crazy. I mean, you know ah for people for people who aren't familiar with you and my listeners are not familiar with you, how about you introduce yourself? Yeah. um My name is Al Baker. I based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. I am an artist. i will I will consider myself like a sneaker artist is basically what I do. but i I dissect sneakers, take them apart, and then frame them up to create
Inspiration from Entomology: How It All Began
00:01:01
Speaker
wall art. so It's ah almost in a way similar to insects.
00:01:06
Speaker
that you would see in the Natural History Museum and all that stuff, you know? Out here, we have this place. I forgot the name of it, though. And it used to be in this, like, there's this loop you do back in the day with sneakers, and you'd be in Soho, and there's this there's a shop that does have, like, ah insects, pieces. oh What is it what that that term called when you do... I mean, you pretty much, I don't know exactly the term, right? You're pretty much, you're talking about like the framing and stuff. Yeah. So you would basically pin them up and all that. Uh, I mean, it's just kind of a, I don't, I honestly don't know the name of it, but, uh, just to kind of put it all together, I just say as part of like the entomology kind of field and yeah and all that stuff. It's like, if you ever, for the listeners, if you're ever see like, uh,
00:02:00
Speaker
Like a breakdown of a, of an insect in a textbook where it has like the little lines and stuff like that.
A Sneakerhead's Journey: Middle School Memories
00:02:06
Speaker
You're basically, you're bringing that to life and you doing it for sneakers, which is absolutely why I think it's a unique take. So yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you're, you're in New York, right? Yeah. Yeah. So, and you've been to the natural history museum over there. Yeah. So they have like, a as far as I remember, they add a huge ah insect exhibit over there where they pretty much just did everything, pinned them up on the walls and stuff. And I'm kind of doing the same thing where I'm also creating little plaques to kind of give you, you know, give like an educational side of it, the history behind the shoe and all that stuff as well. So, so where does that, where does that curiosity come from? What do you mean?
00:02:48
Speaker
like, what made you want to be like, all right, i'm ah um ah um ah instead of just wearing these shoes, I'm gonna break them down. and oh Oh, well, my wife, ah she's actually has a passion for entomology. And she was doing that stuff. She was pinning the insects. She was getting ethically sourced insects from all over the world. And what she was doing was like they came in packaged and she had to leave them in a box with a paper wet paper towel to kind of loosen the the but loosen up the body parts and then she would spread them. And when she spread them hi and she would let it dry and then that's when she frames them, pins them and does all that. And we literally have a whole wall of just insect that you would see around the world and
Unique Tastes: Love for 'Ugly' Sneakers
00:03:33
Speaker
it's pretty dope. And
00:03:34
Speaker
It was cool because with me, you know as much as I love sneakers, I kind of did this i had an idea that just randomly popped in my head and was like, what if I did this? And it was one of those things where it was probably the first time I ever put my idea into work and ended up working out. I mean, that's wild. As a matter of fact, let's just hard pivot into the question. And that question is, what's your first kicks? What's that first pair of sneakers you absolutely need to have? So to lead into that the ah question, ah yeah i like I was a huge sneaker person when I was in middle school, high school. like
00:04:20
Speaker
And I feel like that time was much different than it is now. ah Like I wasn't into like the huge, the hype sneakers and stuff. I was more into like whatever the basketball, because I was, I loved basketball. So my favorite player was Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady. The shoes I wanted the most were the, you know, the answers, like my favorite pair of the answer sixes, which I feel like it doesn't get enough love. And then ah the T-max. And pretty much any T-max you can think of, like
Facing Teasing: School Fashion Struggles
00:04:46
Speaker
I wanted,
00:04:49
Speaker
And, uh, well, I'll hold on. What'd you get? Did you get any of them? Yeah. Um, yeah, my, my parents definitely, uh, helped me out with that. Like I, I, uh, I got the and answer six lows, the whole white ones with silver. I really wanted, and I still, I'm still trying to find a pair because I really want to get them again. I'm hoping that they retro one, but I don't know. I just don't seem like it's going to happen. But, uh, so I totally forgot about the issue and I will say these are not a great looking shoe. I love them so much. You're talking about the one with the zipper, right? is Yeah. The friend has got this, like the, it says, I don't know what it has. I think it says Iverson on the side and like the little squares. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
00:05:36
Speaker
I love those. The insole is cool. The insole is very cool. Dude, I absolutely love those so much. And I like the low ones better, but I pretty much like low penny shoes better than anything. But um but I mean, that probably says and and enough about me because if you to think about it, Team X, they're not a good looking shoe either. You know what I mean? No. But especially the Team X1s. The Team X1s are horrendous looking, technically. and ah But I love them so much. And and because I played basketball, I thought there were such a great basketball shoes. so They were so comfortable, bought even though they were bulky. I felt like I can kick anybody and it would be, you know, I wouldn't have to worry about my foot getting hurt.
Hustler's Tale: Mastering Pool for Profit
00:06:14
Speaker
yeah
00:06:17
Speaker
It's like, I mean, I'm just looking at these again. And I'm like, wow, I can't believe anybody bought these, but this scar they look like, they look like ah dance shoes. Like you're about to pull up to the palm. and yeah Yeah. I mean, the I'm not going to lie. Like looking when you're wearing them, you're looking down on your feet, like, It looks like you're wearing cardboard boxes in a way. like the The way they're shaped, they're just so squared off and weird, but man, I don't know what it was. I think i guess i ah I must have like a weird sense of style or something, but when it comes to the uglier shoes, ah there I mean, I had the data shoes, I had the the Chris Webbers.
00:06:59
Speaker
You were the the demographic these Hoopers were looking for back in the day. Yeah, I didn't know anybody wearing those man. And i've been I met Littrell and I told him I wore him and I would totally lose lines to his face. like i was I was running down the court wearing these playing basketball. And every with every single step, it was like a I had ah you you had a fan going because every time you took a step, it just sounded like a fan. And because of the air pocket, if you actually had them or seen them in person, like for those spinners to the spin, there's like an air pocket that you would step on and it would just, you know, blow the air into the wheel and then spin it.
00:07:41
Speaker
And you get crazy. I didn't, I know that. Yeah. And you can literally hear it every time you took a step. So it was like, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. It was, it was one of the most annoying things of all time, but I, I loved it. I don't know why I just, I just loved it. And same with the, uh, the Weber's, ah I mean, every single shoe had that, uh, had that, uh, shininess to it. And I don't know, I just stood out and I had a weird sense of style. No, I'm not, I'm not here. um I did, but. So, so like in in high school, like, were you, were what were the kids saying to you then if you're rocking these? I mean, so, I mean, the group I was hanging out with, they, uh, they were all part of, I was playing basketball with
Basketball Skills: A Father's Influence
00:08:25
Speaker
them too. And they were kind of, excuse me, they were kind of doing the same thing. We're in the same stuff. And, um, I don't know.
00:08:33
Speaker
i yeah I thought I was looking good. About that for bullying young Al. Because like, I'm trying to remember like, when I was in school, I mean, everything, it doesn't matter if you were like in the freshest of freshest. So yeah, it it'd be weird, like, you know, in school, it doesn't matter what you were wearing, people will always just make it funny. So just like, I remember one time, somebody pulled up in the air during the 16s. And I made a video of this because all the kids were like, I don't know if you remember the 16, it's like the one with the the vest on it and the shiny- I'm waiting and i wanting to hear what you say about them before I get my opinion on it. Well, I remember distinctly was somebody pulled up with them and they dropped the blue the navy blue and white pair and they were like, man,
00:09:28
Speaker
You pulling up in here with these tap dance shoes, you need to get out of here. And for the rest of my life, that's all I see now. I think they're like tap dance shoes. So yeah, I made a video of that and people were were were coming at me, coming after me because I said that. I mean, oh, here's the crazy part. I absolutely love the 16 so much. Like, I don't like the the the cover part. I actually love the way they look without the cover. Yeah.
From Hoops to Diamonds: An Injury's Impact
00:09:58
Speaker
I like the way they look without it. So if I were to buy them, I would never wear that pet that part on top. But yeah, I love those ones so much. And I'm glad that they're coming out with those again. Now, at least from what I hear. So it's... i mean
00:10:14
Speaker
I mean, let's see because they now they're like, yeah, we're gonna come out with all this other stuff and yeah i'm just i'm I'm like like I'm waiting to be like, okay It's really coming out because I feel like somebody's some I feel like it's it like all these sneaker leakers are like just running out of Like they're just coming up through stuff until Nike is like yeah, this is true Then I'll be like I'm always just gonna be like we'll see that's true ah I think I was just like the all the articles are like they're they're trying to Like the tens and above they're focusing on re-releasing those and retroing and that was, but I don't know if if
New Horizons: From Pool to Photography
00:10:51
Speaker
if that's true. I really, I really hope so. Cause I love pretty much though. I mean, I love the tens i love and everything about the tens as well. So I know they came out with the, was that 16th set? What was the one in the briefcase again? The 17. The 17th. I'm not really a huge fan of those, but I, uh, that's a good sign that they actually did come out with those too.
00:11:12
Speaker
make sure that the other ones are coming out. For sure, for sure. Because it gives the but people that like those models a chance. Like, yeah yeah, one of my one of my early memories is the 15. So I do want to get a pair even though I think they're hideous. I still I still probably will get a pair. yes Yeah, just for memory sake. Yeah, it's I have the and like, like my my knowledge is not, you know, as as good as others but I'm trying to remember it it was the one man they I think it was the thirteenth but they had a low top and had almost look like a rim on the side and there were low top with baby baby blue
00:11:55
Speaker
On the bottom. It looked like carbon fiber on the bottom going across but I don't know I'm better explaining things. So It's it's what it's another one. Like there's just Jordans I've had growing up and I loved them Jordans weren't really my main focus when I was growing up as ah as much as they are now I think I love I love Jordans. I love my keys. I love soccer knees look any other any shoe brand really but um When I was a kid, I was more focused on like basketball in the game of basketball. And if I was a fan of the player, I wanted their shoe, but that was pretty much me. Was that, was that like what propelled you into loving sneakers and like being part of that? I don't know if you were part of like, you know, a sneaker group back in a day or, or anything like that. So, I mean, to get started. So when I'm, when I was a kid, I loved the.
00:12:49
Speaker
The shoes growing up, but then I stopped uh, because I got into playing pool when I was in What was that I think I was 17 I started playing billiards And then I went I like like you were nice at it uh, yeah, I was I tell people I was probe I was kind of like I was just below the pro level like I was I was playing on the pro tour in florida And it's been about 10 years doing that. So I kind of pushed sneakers aside and i so I wore more shoes that were just comfortable to wear around the pool table because I was playing upwards of, well, I was practicing 13 hours a day, but in tournaments, I'll be playing from seven in the morning to but you know five the next morning. So it was like, wow yeah, I had to make sure I had comfortable shoes on. And it was,
00:13:43
Speaker
So I kind of like lost my sneaker touch when I was around that time. I mean, i would have been it would have been something if you were like wearing heat and on- Yeah, but like could you imagine wearing a pair of Jordan Fours walking around the pool table for 12 hours like that? You're on the Ocho?
Rekindling Passion: The Jordan Racer Threes
00:14:04
Speaker
You're on ESPN Ocho? Just like- goral He's about to hit it. yeah ah Well, Billiards has his own channel now, apparently. yeah This is his new set. Because I don't play Billiards no more. I ended up putting that ah like six years ago, seven six, seven years ago. But ever since then, they have their own absolute channel, ah like just Billiards TV. And i that's brand new. i never They don't do ESPN no more.
00:14:30
Speaker
i mean I'm trying to because like I remember my favorite is trick shots like I used to watch all the trick shots like I don't know it's funny because like I was just out recently for my birthday and we ended up at a bar with a pool table and I was playing pool with my boy and I'm over here trying to like cause I watch it so much I'm over here trying to do the. the Like it's like. mess you hit it yeah yeah That's what I'm going to call it fashion. And I was like. wrong but yeah I was trying to mess it into like I was doing just a U-turn into the pocket and.
00:15:06
Speaker
Nah, I couldn't do it. i was One, I was too drunk, but two, I was just like trying to get it and I'm hitting it dead on. I'm like, no, this is wrong. yes So yeah. you're you're You're the type of person that we don't like at the pool table because you're the one that puts the holes in the belt. But yeah, it's definitely, it's not easy, but once you actually get it down and learn it, it can be A pretty cool shot to show other people but yeah the trick shots like Florian ah You know Massey All those people that you you normally would see on TV, right? Those are they're pretty cool Florian's actually would like that huge YouTube sensation dude that bit That's the French guy that he actually lives out here in Vegas um But yeah, he's ah he's a pretty cool guy too, but he runs like one of the leagues out here in Vegas too. So ah Yeah, that's cool. Yeah
00:16:00
Speaker
the, uh, it's just interesting because pool is such a, I feel like it's such a bar game that it's kind of like, how do you make this a real thing? Yeah, that's true. I mean, it's not, it's, it's the reason why I quit. it's It wasn't, it wasn't fun. Like it's, it's a terrible lifestyle. I mean, just imagine. So this was back when I lived in Florida, but just imagine like having to travel throughout the state and That's how you make your, the only way you make your money is if you actually win or get top three, top five or so. You know, if you don't win anything, you're pretty much screwed out of the money that you spent to go across the state or whatever. So it's it's not great living at all. You have to be the best in the world, basically, to have these sponsorships to pay for your trips, to pay for everything. And then that's
Diving Deep: Learning Sneaker Culture
00:16:53
Speaker
what makes it worth it. But pool's not really, there's not really a lot of money in pool to begin with.
00:16:57
Speaker
so It's not like poker, you know what I'm saying? So to get a sponsorship is not a difficult, especially for something that doesn't make as much much money as poker does. You know you you ever like you know try to hustle somebody for their money at like a random night? Oh, dude, I hustle people all the time. um like I mean, just like bar hustling was really very easy. it was Well, like I would call these people fish, like, you know, they're, they're called fishes. You know what I mean? So it's pretty much the similar term, no matter what kind of form of gambling it is. But, um, these people, you would just go to the bar and then they'll see you. And all you have to do is like, you played good enough, basically you played at a level, but you were able to control the game. So that was basically what I did every time. And, um, yeah, I mean, it was easy money, a hundred, a hundred dollars a game. I'll play, you know, do that.
00:17:54
Speaker
ah but there's also time nights where I would gamble like large amounts of money. And when that was the case, I never put my own money up. I actually had a backer. who owned the pool wall, and he would fork up whatever money that you know somebody was wanting to bet, basically. That's crazy. This sounds like you're giving me like underworld the world inside information. That's crazy. this is this is why i don't because like and This is why I don't accept, or like anytime anybody is like, hey, let's play like basketball for money. I'm always like,
00:18:27
Speaker
No, I'm good. Yeah, basically. any foreign the the only I'm not a gambler. I do a hate gambling. I'm not going to lie. I live in Vegas and I hate gambling. And ah the only way I like to gamble is um if I have control at it. And pool was I was able to keep control at it playing pool because it was a skill set rather than kind of you know luck of the draw. You know what I'm saying? So I was able to use my skill to be able to You know, have a, have a better chance at winning. Yeah. Well, let's go back to like, you know, your time playing basketball. What made you stop playing basketball and switch over to, um, I wasn't great. I mean, I, I thought I was good, but I wasn't that good. Um, they, I, I pretty much just rode the bench the whole time. And, uh, I was, I just, but what was was crazy is I was the best free throw shooter. I had, I had a nearly a hundred percent brief free throw percentage.
00:19:28
Speaker
And ri barry over dude they're like like it was crazy because, you know, that game, uh, what was that game called? Where you, there was a shooter, uh, at the free throw line and the person behind you, if they made the shot for you, you're getting knocked out. What's it called? King of the court. Yeah. a knockout exactly out I think it's called knockout. So that game I was. the king i was just you know beating everybody but that's because of my free throw shooting and the only reason why i became so good at free throw shooting is because my dad because my dad was the actual basketball player where
Creating Art: Challenges and Growth
00:20:01
Speaker
he when he was in high school he played against bill wilton and all those people yeah and uh i mean he wasn't like good enough to go nba or anything but he was you know beating these people and i think he was in la at the time and uh
00:20:16
Speaker
He so he was the actual basketball player and he would tell me a free throw shooting is and it still is like it's the most important thing you need to learn and be good at in basketball and I still think it is and that's why I just practice it all the freaking time and i I spent so much time practicing it. I forgot to learn how to practice my jump shot. so so like My skills, my three point shooting, like I was so terrible at everything. But if I free throw shooting for some reason, it was better than, you know, it was way better than Shaquille O'Neal for sure. But yeah, it was, ah I just wasn't, that I wasn't really that great at the game. And I kind of realized that I was more of a baseball player than anything. I played a lot of baseball, but
00:21:01
Speaker
Uh, it was, uh, it was, yeah, I think I realized that just basketball is going nowhere. How far did you get it with baseball? I actually got injured. I played high school and I got, I got injured and, uh, it was more of a mindset thing for me. Like I, uh, what was it? Would you, would you break or tear? No. So it was actually, it was an appendix. my appendix burst in the middle of a baseball game and I hit a triple and I was like all celebrating because it was like a huge hit as I was jumping up and down it was like just out of nowhere just pain shot at me and I just dropped to the ground at that time and it was that was a crazy part and I couldn't play in the championship game that time but um which like really killed me you know what I mean like I really wanted to be part of it but um
00:21:58
Speaker
So that kind of like ah my mindset kind of kicked in. I didn't really like I didn't really get back into it. I tried and the day that I tried to get back into it, I got hit in the forehead with a with a baseball. And I was like, I don't know if I want to do this anymore.
00:22:19
Speaker
So I kind of just I didn't even bother. I stopped playing that, too. That's wild. And then like So then was, so did you grow up in Florida or Lake? Yeah, I, I was, I actually, I grew up, I spent basically my whole life when I was born in Tennessee, uh, Clarksville, but I moved to Florida, I think when I was two. And, uh, when, uh, It was in 2017, I moved out here to Vegas because I came to Vegas so much for pool that I was actually very familiar with the area. And I was like, I want something different. So I ended up moving out here just out of nowhere. So then what is the difference? What is the different thing that you pursued out there and in Vegas? In Vegas? Photography. I actually, yeah. So I quit playing pool. I sold all my pool equipment.
00:23:16
Speaker
um literally all of my pool equipment paid for all my photography equipment like my pool table was uh four grand my like I had two pool cues that were 3500 each and then uh yeah it's they're custom cues so there's like it's there's a lot of money in as far as equipment goes and like any hobby is expensive right but so i I sold that stuff and I just bought camera stuff because my grandfather was a photographer
00:23:47
Speaker
and I just wanted to give it a try. So I moved out to Vegas and I just ah started doing adventure photography and started hiking a lot more because I wanted to do something I couldn't do in Florida, right? So Florida is just nothing but flat land beaches and swamps and mosquitoes and just torture, yeah torture, torture, humidity. And the people, the people, the people, the people there are questionable. So it's like, I need to get out of here.
Gaining Recognition: A Social Media Boost
00:24:20
Speaker
So I left and it was, it was a smaller town. like Well,
00:24:27
Speaker
I say smaller, but it was a number one retirement city. I forgot what year in the country. So it was, I mean, that pretty much explains a lot right there. So I wanted to leave and now when I moved to Vegas, that was my first time experiencing like the city life. It's not really, you know, the city like New York is, but it's still a big diverse city. Right. So I learned a lot more when I moved out here than I did my whole life living in Florida. is because it's just such a small-minded, you know, area. So it was really nice to just realize what's going on and yeah be be part of the community out here, you know, and really enjoy it. So, yeah, had it it was it was probably one of the best decisions I ever made. Well, I mean, that's such a such a culture shock for sure. Oh, yeah you know, you're going from
00:25:25
Speaker
mainly old people to now just like this mix. It's like a great, cause I was in Vegas recently. And so I know where it's like, you're just, and every night is totally different. You don't know what you're going to run into it's the situation and and it's like, everything's bright, nothing turns off. And you're just there like, well, yeah have you ever experienced away from the strip? Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like have you ever gone away from the strip before or yeah you just spent all your time? So yeah, like everybody who visits Vegas, normally they stay on the strip and then that's where all the tourists go. But there's a lot more, like people don't realize Vegas is actually an outdoor town too. Like Red Rock Canyon is probably one of the climbing meccas of the world. Like it's one of the best places in the world to rock climb, right? And I used to be a huge rock climber. So it's, and that was where I took my photography was well I was doing a lot of climbing photography as well.
00:26:16
Speaker
And so a lot of people from all over over the world visit Vegas just to go hike, see the outdoors and rock life, basically. And it's it's not just, you know, the strip. So it's really a beautiful area. And I love i love it so much. That's great. That's that's that's awesome, because like, yeah, I mean, I went to. ah What's the dam? Hoover Dam, I went to Hoover Dam. I'm over here, what's the dam?
00:26:47
Speaker
um Yeah, I mean, ah and i so we stood, last time I was there, we stood by, like, near, ah it was was it Red Rock Canyon? It could have been, but... ah where where you were So Hoover Dam, you're saying? No, like we where we stayed last time. we Hoover Dam. I've been to Vegas twice. And the first time we checked out Hoover Dam and then the second time we stood near Red Rocks Cannon. I think that's what I want to say, because I know we were trying to actually make plans to go to it, but then we ended up not doing it. But I I love just like.
00:27:25
Speaker
the landscape of Vegas, you know, because you you're you get to see in the distance, the mountains and stuff like that. And you're just like, this is gorgeous. Like when the sun hits, it's like there's I feel like doing photography, there's got to be super easy because you're just never get a really bad shot. Totally. I mean, it really is. It obviously growing up in Florida and beaches and stuff like I'm not I wasn't used to the desert. The heat is completely different. Like But the desert life is like, it's actually, it's hard to explain. Like it really is a great way of living. In my opinion, um some people might hate the heat out here, but I mean, yesterday was just hit the record yesterday in Las Vegas for 120 degrees. So yeah, so mountain shoe bottoms right there. And obviously I'm not going out hiking at that time. Right. So, but during,
00:28:23
Speaker
If you think about it, it's only a couple of months out of the year. The rest of the year is perfect to go yeah do any outdoor outdoor activity out here, you know? Yeah. So, so, you know, on your journey, when does sneakers come right back into, into your life? So when ah I met, I met, when I met my wife, we, uh, you know, we were together for a couple of years and we got married. The day after we got married, because we we just, we stayed here in Vegas. Uh, we went out to eat with family. over at Caesar's Palace and then overseas is Palace, the Nike store. Right. So we went to, yeah, we went to the Nike store and then I saw a pair of Jordan racer threes. Where are they? They're somewhere around here. So I had a pair of Jordan racer. I saw a pair of Jordan racer threes there and I'm like, man, this would actually be pretty nice to have. And they had them in my size. I, I, I didn't, I wasn't really like too sure what the situation was at the time. Like I didn't realize how fast things sold out, you know?
00:29:22
Speaker
Excuse me. But, uh, just, just the innocent little, yeah I was like, yeah, I know for sure. Like I just went into the store. I saw them. They had the racer threes and then they had the, uh, the Jordan five shattered backboards. And, uh, I was like contemplating which one to get. And I just got the racer threes, which by the way, the threes are amazingly comfortable compared to any, anything else, but.
A Star Collaboration: Art for Travis Scott
00:29:49
Speaker
I mean your pull shoe man. You could have been on ah on the ocho with the with the threes on honestly Yeah, I wish I really I really do wish I knew about that But um, so I ended up asking for my size. They had my size. I tried them on and I guess Nike has this rule where but they I had a coupon right and then you can't use the coupon unless the the shoes were sitting for more than three days And that's what that's what the guy told me. I had no idea
00:30:18
Speaker
And they were there for more than three days, so apparently they're not hyped enough, but I loved them and I bought them. And as soon as I wore them out the store, it was one of those weird nostalgic feelings I've had back when I was ah wearing the T-Maxx. It was a crazy feeling and that's kind of just what got me into it. like I started watching YouTube videos and the first person that I actually saw on YouTube was Vic Almighty. uh where he was just like restoring all these old shoes for a rejuvenator right and uh which is great because i actually went out to phoenix and met up and got a tour of his of his spot that's sick yeah and then uh which was crazy it was like you know full circle right there right but um
00:31:06
Speaker
Yeah. So it was one of those things where I just started watching more stuff. And then as time went by, the more I paid attention to it, it's more, I learned about it. And, uh, it just kind of grew from there. That's, I mean, that's amazing. Cause like, it's so it's, it's interesting. Cause like, I feel like everybody has that moment where you have to step away and then come back. Like, same goes for everything, right? So it's not only sneakers, like it could literally be anything. That is you know, especially childhood like I'm a huge person of nostalgia. I love that feeling So whatever I see movies that are coming out again or something like remakes Like I might be the only one that likes remakes But it kind of gives me that feeling as a kid that when I saw something for the first time, you know No, yeah, I'm also with you on the remakes because sometimes like the new Ghostbusters. I've been loving a new Ghostbusters. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah
00:32:01
Speaker
i Don't know I'm not sure about a little but i'm big paul but guys so ah paul Yeah, can i love i love paul ro yeah he can't really you're right he can't do no wrong but I mean like well, did you see? The new one Beverly Hills Cop the new build every Hills Cop I'm not because like that's I don't necessarily think that's a remake. It's just a continuation That's true. Right? That's actually very true. You know, it was good. By the way, I I would, I would recommend that might be my, that might be my tomorrow on the bus to the Atlantic city. Uh, but here's a good example. So like Hogwarts, like Harry Potter. I like, I liked Harry Potter going up, but when Hogwarts, the video game came out, I was binge playing that game for, for weeks. And it just, it gave me such a nostalgic feeling for when I was a kid.
00:32:53
Speaker
that was what i was I read the book for the first time when I was in elementary school. So it was like it was such a great feeling to play the game.
Handling Criticism: Staying True to Art
00:33:02
Speaker
But as that one's like a little bit different because I think we when you're reading or watching any Harry Potter or like those books, you always wanted to be one of the students in there. And now you're playing, you're actually doing that. You're actually playing that idea that you had when you were as a kid when you were reading it. versus it being like white men can't jump where they recast the whole thing and retold the whole story. And now you got Jack Harlow playing Woody Harrelson's character, right? Like, I feel like I've never seen that. So I couldn't i can't oh you gotta watch it. You you got to watch both of them. Is it
00:33:41
Speaker
Why do I have to watch it? like Is it good or is it like? I mean, it's but that that's the like the remake idea where it's like they take a old they read, they take an old movie and then they retell it with new characters in twenty, twenty four, twenty three with like the current event with current events and all that stuff. Right. Yeah. So it's like you're you're you're the idea is that they don't need to really rewrite this thing. They just got to retell it. So. you know, that's like, that's where I think like, where people don't like ah remakes or retolds retellings of stories. Well, the way the way I look at it is like the old movie is always going to be there. You know, I mean, so they could always be a fan of the old movie. If they don't like it, they don't like it. oh I mean, it's the way of life. But ah
00:34:29
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's not like when a new movie comes out, the old movie disappears, you know? No, yeah. So oh I love this tangent because we can go back and forth about this little time. But but um so then this starts the bug. You you get these the the motorsport threes and it's just like you start you start jumping back into it. But like, where was Where was the moment you were like, I think I wanna be a part of this happens? oh
00:35:02
Speaker
Well, I mean, I was working as a bellman on the strip and I had a coworker who was was into that culture. Like he he was into sneaker culture his whole life. And yeah, like it was weird. Like I worked graveyard when I first started working there and so did he. So I literally just picked his brain about everything, right? and but more I picked his brain about stuff I was just the more I learned about it the more I was like oh this is actually really interesting and cool because there's a ton of history right there's a lot of history with it it goes back to the players too like the Kobe's like I was a big fan of Kobe Bryant like it goes back to the actual players and that's the reason why I liked it but because when I was a kid I paid a lot of attention to the basketball players too so
00:35:51
Speaker
Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, all that stuff. So like Anthony Edwards, like I have issues, I love issues. And I still kind of have that connection and where I connect the shoe to the basketball player rather than getting whatever shoe that is the most hypest. You know what I mean? Like I get a shoe that I like. And if I like it, I wear it. And i I don't collect shoes. I think every shoe I have in here, I have worn. Yeah. So it's, if I like the shoe, That's a collection, man. If you have several things, you're collected. For sure. Even if you are, you're collected.
00:36:29
Speaker
tools because like like If you're even if like people who... because i once the first When I first noticed my collecting gene is with obviously Pokemon. oh Yeah, Pokemon. And then, you know... I'm playing them, but I'm also like, I gotta buy more packs. Like, you know, like you're just, you're just holding on to them and you're still playing with them. And then you're like, I feel like as long, once it starts collecting, once you start having several things, the one thing you're collecting it at this point, cause there's no point in being like, it yeah. you're right you're
00:37:00
Speaker
but I mean I think what I mean what I mean though is like there's a lot of people who buy the shoes and then they sit on them and
Future Dreams: Sneakers in New Forms
00:37:07
Speaker
yeah they never they never actually wear them right so I think every pair of shoes I have I wore and uh I continue to wear them some more than I should you know some I don't wear enough yeah I wish I now that I'm looking at them right now paying attention to it I like I should wear my military force but whatever but you know it's like but who knows Yeah, yeah. And then um I mean, that's dope. I think that the bestowing of the culture to other people is what we're missing a lot currently. You know, I think a lot of people are just kind of like jumping in, not really understanding a lot of things. And then when they when they get called out or something like that, they're like, whoa, whoa, whoa. And it's like, but yeah, we call each other out all the time. And it's like, you know, people jump back out because of that. So it's it's interesting because
00:37:56
Speaker
all All you got to do is just take the time and listen, you know, or look it up. And I think a lot of people forget that part. I think a lot of people are just like, they're just like, they just jump in and then they're like, yeah, I'm cool. I'm ready. I know what's going on. And you're it's like a lot of like, nah, you don't. So that's dope. and well and um I'm not gonna lie, like I don't know as much as other people do, right? So you've had a lot of people on your show that have a huge history and sneakers and where me, like I'm not as knowledgeable as them, right? But what's cool is like the artwork that I'm doing because I'm i'm typing up the history behind a shoe. As I do each piece, I am actually learning about each piece and the history behind each shoe ah in general. And so all the shoes I have done in the past,
00:38:46
Speaker
Uh, I know a lot about because I did a lot of research behind it to try to figure out You know what to write up for that. So that's one of those things where I may not know as much but i'm actually catching up a lot faster year than normal because i'm actually doing a ton of research trying to figure out Uh how to write something up for yeah, and I mean particular don't let anybody take anything away from you, right? I think what you're doing is amazing and the the way that you're doing it is super insightful because a lot of people, you're doing it in a way that people aren't doing it, right? Where it's like, you're immersing yourself within it versus just looking on Google and just be like, yeah, cool. Now I know, right? So like you're, you're. you're taking the shoe apart. And that's what I really loved about your page. Like I, one thing about, I'll give you, I'll give you your flowers right here. One thing about is just like, it's hard to get me. I 100% tell a lot of people it's hard to get me to me for me to be like, wow. Right. And
00:39:49
Speaker
when I saw your page, because, yeah, it was Winona kicks just like shared it. And I was like, this is crazy. Like, and and I don't know if you know who freehand poff is, or know about freehand profit. but He makes he makes masks out of. so yeah know i aren with that yeah Yeah. So for me, I remember seeing that like in the 2000s and being like, All right, this is all right. But because it was just like a lot of the time when I was when I was younger, it was like, it was like, oh, he's just wasting the sneaker. Like, why are you doing this? And then I looked at your stuff, I looked at yourself and I'm like, this is crazy because you can put this you can put this in a museum if they if you if you put this in a museum, you were going to be like, wow, I didn't know this is this, this is that this does this that like,
00:40:36
Speaker
when the dissection of it is super interesting to me because I think that way where it's like when I buy a shoe or it comes down to any shoe, it's like, okay, what does this serve a purpose for? What does this mean? what like And I'm like breaking it down in my head and To be honest, this probably looks like whatever you whenever you put together a piece. like i'm like I'm like, all right, cool. This is this this is this. And then like in my head, that's how I see it. And so yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, wow. is well get Every time I look at your stuff, it's wow. Well, first off, thank you, right? But I yeah appreciate that. and But yeah, it's exactly what I tried to give off is that museum kind of feel, right? So when I put together a piece,
00:41:23
Speaker
like I'm trying to show the inner parts as well. So I want I want to try to include as many parts of the shoe that I can and while still having a look, you know, aesthetic and whatever. So like I want to be educational just as much as I wanted to be just art. So when I lay the piece out, it really my goal is if it's like I just had a gallery showing my goal was anybody who looks at it really stands there for five minutes and just like really takes it in like how much work is put into each shoe, ah the design of each shoe and then the materials that are used ah in each shoe as well. Like what's the reason why that's there, this and that. like So that's that's my goal. I want to have the piece obviously look beautiful, but I also want to educate the person on the the process behind them the the design design itself.
00:42:22
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, you do that, I wanna see one in person so bad. So next time I'm out in Vegas, you might get, you might get cold. Oh, for sure, yeah, for sure. Just so I can see one in person. But honestly, yeah. Like, yeah, what's the first one that you made and did your wife help you with it? So the first one I did was a Georgian one, Chicago. However, it was a replica, right? I didn't wanna take apart and ruin a brand new, you know, authentic shoe. So I was, when I first started off, I was using mainly replicas to figure out designs. That's probably the best way to use a rep. I'll be honest. yeah oh What's chris crazy is like the rep, and I'm not going to tell anybody like where I got it, but like the rep that I i
00:43:08
Speaker
the the sort that I sourced from was like the most accurate. And it was crazy. If you gave me a replica and authentic shoe, I'm not as knowledgeable to tell you what which is which, right? However, like I couldn't tell. So it was it was nice to be able to work with that shoe. And I knew that once I transitioned to using authentic, it was gonna be basically the same thing, right? um So yeah, I use the Jordan one. And I put that together and it was literally the first piece I ever done. I sold it for like 300 bucks. Somebody here in Las Vegas owns it. and But before I sold it, I went to a couple of sneaker shows and that's when I kind of figured out, I was like, oh, maybe I do got something going here. So that's when I started working.
00:43:56
Speaker
on more designs and more things and all that stuff to the point where I just started only doing Opethics for now on. That's wild. One, smart for you to do that because I think that I feel like the idea of just starting off with like a brand new shoe and it's being like, yeah, this is it. i'd be I'd be upset if I made any mistakes. I'd be like, oh no, like, yeah, that the the stakes is high when you're just like, yeah, I'm gonna throw, I'm gonna throw up a, you know, I'm gonna get a resell because you're Chicago Jordan one is definitely going for a lot of money and you're just like, yeah, let me get some fits. Yeah. Yeah. It's like five, 600. No, I think, I think I got it.
00:44:40
Speaker
Because I actually you did buy authentic, or I think i it was like $700 or something like that. But i ah yeah, it's one of the worst parts. It's taken it apart, right? Like when you take the sole off, at the at that time I was using a steamer and I was just steaming the sole off. And that that created like watermarks. And when it dried on the leather, especially when I use suede. So when I used Suede and Nubuck, it was always these weird lines that were water but the the steam left behind. So it wasn't until actually when I met up with Vic Almighty, he told me a technique to use a heat gun and acetone and just kind of use a ah needle to kind of use the acetone. very it's It's a long process, but it's much cleaner, right? So yeah now I'm doing that for now on instead of using the steamer.
00:45:34
Speaker
which ah was an amazing, amazing advice by him. And now every shoe I do is much cleaner looking. You don't see any any lines or nothing like that. So it was it was one of those things where I was so worried about ruining the shoe when I took it apart more than anything. Yeah. When when you decided to post it, how nervous were you or did you think like this is going to go crazy? oh I don't I don't honestly know. I Like I took it to the convention. Everybody loved it. I created an Instagram page. I probably sat on, I don't know, less than a thousand followers for a couple months. And then, uh, like it was just one of those things where I knew I had a good product. I just needed eyes to see it. And, uh, it wasn't until like, I was just hustling, right? I was going to, uh, I went to sneaker con.
00:46:29
Speaker
I went to the Las Vegas sneaker convention, and I think it was called, I went to Project Show. Project Show is a huge one for like designers and all that stuff. So there's a lot of like creative directors out there that go out for that show. um And when I went to the Project Show, that was when I did some sort of interview for a super line. I forgot, I feel bad. But it was ah it was a big Instagram page, and they ah they shared That interview out of nowhere like a couple months after they actually did it and I just kind of that's where I got I think I got like Six sixteen thousand followers in two days just from that video ease. Yeah, I mean just from that video alone That's what kind of kicked started my whole thing. It made me realize like I do I do have something going here and Luckily so because I actually love doing it. So it's really it's really
00:47:29
Speaker
I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones, you know what I mean? Where I can finally quit my job and do what I love for a living. That's, you know, congrats. I mean, you know, you live in the dream right now. I'm trying to get there. I mean, it's cool. I'm kind of hitting the back end of it right now. So it's slowed down a bit, but it's still pretty cool to be able to hear a lot of cool, you know, nice words from a lot of people are known in the industry. It's pretty dope. What are opportunities like or who'd you made some cool stuff for because out of this? um Yeah, so i had a friend of mine who's ah he's a custom sneaker, ah maker, artist out here in Vegas, Jordan Diop, and d and he is he actually does a lot of work for UFC, like Dana White. so and
00:48:20
Speaker
me like I thought it's funny because I followed him for quite a bit but I didn't realize or I didn't see the Las Vegas location in his bio on his Instagram page so I kind of just hit up on his page one one day and I was like oh oh crap so it's uh he's actually lives here in Vegas so I reached out to him and we we met up and uh from there he introduced me to Dana White basically and and Dana White got a piece of mine and then uh When I met met up with me and him, went up to the headquarters, we I pitched him the idea for a ah Travis Scott piece. because he i mean if you If you don't know Dana White, he is like obsessed with Travis Scott shoes. right like the the jordan The Jordan one, Travis Scott. and If I remember right, he has like
00:49:12
Speaker
90 pairs of the same color. And he sends them all to, he sends them all to Jordan to switch out the color of the swishes. So it's nuts. And why yeah, so I pitched him the idea. Cause I want, I want to dive in more into the fine art aspect and going large scale. Like most of my work is a single shoe, right? But I want to go, uh, you know, bigger and I want to be able to put, uh, multiple multiple shoes into one frame. So I pitched him that idea, and immediately he goes to his safe and hands me a couple stacks of cash and was like, let's make it happen. And that's when he said, I'm going to gift it to Travis Scott. And I'm like, oh, wow. Yeah. So that's cool. And I'm not even a year. Honestly, I'm not even a year into this. At the time, I was probably six months into it, and I'm already being commissioned to do a piece for Travis Scott. So it's like,
00:50:11
Speaker
It was very surreal at that time. We walked out. Jordan, it was great. When we were driving back to his house, he was way more excited than I was. And I think it was because I just couldn't, I didn't really take it in, you know? So it was like, I was still trying to process it in my head. It was like, because immediately my mindset was like, okay, well, how do I do, how am I going to do this? So it was like, what's, how am I going to do the backing? Because I build everything from scratch, right? Basically, And then how am I going to get the frame? And so, so I was already kind of in, you know, the mode of executing the ah thing, but I didn't really give myself time to actually be excited at the moment. Yeah, it's tough when you're in it is definitely got to be more tough to be like, all right.
00:51:01
Speaker
Like, this is amazing. This is an amazing opportunity. Instead, you're you're probably just like, oh my God, I have like this huge thing to do now. but All the eyes are on this. You're just like, all right, how do I get this? How do I get this perfectly done? And yeah, so that's crazy. Because I don't know what your process is, but I could definitely feel like as soon as you said that, I could definitely feel like I was already in my mind of like, all right, how is he going to do this? How is he going to do that? Yeah, no, it's it's it was it was weird because I like he Like after I pitched it to him, it was within two minutes. Like he just goes into a safe, gets lots of just cash because to get the shoes itself costs eight grand. Right. And, uh, then I had to get the materials. I had to get all that, the framing and everything. So it's not cheap. It wasn't cheap. And, uh, so yeah, he, he just paid me all up front and that, and I didn't know.
00:52:00
Speaker
like how to celebrate that at the moment. And beatily, I wanted to like, I need to get to work mode and I need to figure this out. And I guess that's not a bad thing, you know, but yeah, I guess at times I should probably celebrate. You got to definitely take a moment and definitely appreciate it because that's definitely a once in a lifetime type of thing. Or I mean, it could be more common and you for you and in the future. so finger Fingers crossed. Fingers crossed. It's honestly, honestly, like I'm just like along for the ride. I, I just keep, I'm just stay doing what I'm doing and whatever comes to me, it just comes to me. And, uh, I'll just, we'll just see what it, where where it takes me from there. You know, I hope it leads to you being able to make a pool table with your grails in the middle, like a see-through pool table with your grails in the middle.
00:52:55
Speaker
Or you can get, you make it a pool table, a specialized pool table where you can make, you can switch it out. You can switch out the, and the middle. So you pull it out and it's like your, your pieces of whichever shoe you're like, I want to do like, you know, the four or five and six. that You got like a four or five and six plate. You just slide them in and out. At this point, I'll probably use that pool table as a workstation more than I do. yeah Listen, if anybody's listened to this that follows you and they're like, ah Dana White's like, I'm listening to this episode ah and then I might get this commission. And then you're going to have to make a, ah you're going to have to figure out how to make a pool table with the, with, with pieces in the middle. Well, you know, what's funny is like, I, I, I don't know how to make a pool table from scratch, but I did work with somebody who did. And I used to repair pool tables a lot. So I kind kind of had an ah idea, but yeah.
00:53:49
Speaker
Oh yeah, i see I see what you're saying. good I'll take, I'll take, look, I'll take 10% of that commission off of that, but it's just this idea. okay oh I'm um'm curious because, you know, like I, like I said earlier with, with freehand profit, I had like an adverse reaction to like watching, like looking at sneakers get chopped up, right? So have you received any of that or like people being like, why would you destroy a perfect, um totally you know, totally I got a lot of,
00:54:20
Speaker
Uh, it was, I wouldn't say it was like anger or anything. It was just like, people are like, holy crap. That's really cool. What you doing? But I'm kind of really getting cringed up. And again, a weird gut feeling about you chopping up this shoe. Right. So, I mean, I got that quite a bit. What, what, how do you receive that? Like, is that, and does it water's off a duck back because of pool or is it just like, you know? Um, well, there's always going to be people that don't like your stuff no matter what you're doing. So. um, there was there was a time where like I posted stuff on on reddit and I don't know if you're familiar with reddit but people people are just ruthless, right? So yeah, it was one of those things where I felt like no matter what I posted on instagram I got love but whenever I posted on reddit like it was nice to kind of give me back down make me you know, think about how approaching it approaching things because people will lay it into me there and uh
00:55:20
Speaker
They're like, that's not art. And I get it. you know It's one of those things where I haven't spent thousands and thousands of hours you know drawing or you know illustrations or doing stuff like that where people are just you absolute masters at what they do. And they they work out, right? I have a lot of history in the creative world in general, as far as art the artistic background and photography. Like I didn't mention this, but I did like, I did miniature stuff a lot. Wow, man, you got a long resume, man. Yeah, i have I have a lot of creative outlets. And so I did a lot in my background, but it kind of just
00:56:14
Speaker
It led me to the point where it allowed me to come up with that idea and and just pursue it and be able to approach it and have it look good. and it's a
00:56:27
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, not everybody's going to like your stuff and I get it. It's cool, but you just got to kind of just forget about them and just focus on the people who do like your stuff, you know? Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's it's tough. Art is tough. Like I go to museums and I'm always like, this is trash. Like two string string strings on a on ah on a wall. I'm like, why? You know, ah you know, I don't see the vision sometimes, but, you know, the the the I always applaud the ability to put yourself out there and just take a chance like that because it's hard. It's hard. And then getting that chance to be in a public place is even harder. Right. So like, yeah.
00:57:07
Speaker
I mean, everybody's done it. Everybody's gone through to an art museum and was like, I could do that. And I'm on the other side of that now, because I know there's people that can do what I do. Right. So it's one of those things where I think it's more so the idea behind it. that accounts for it, then rather the execution of it, if that makes sense. I don't know if that makes sense, but it makes sense. I think I think I think you're you're telling a story from your from your point of view with your the way how you process it. Right. So they can't take that part away from you and they can't they can't see the vision you see when you see when you finish when you finish a product or like when you finish a piece. Right. So
00:57:53
Speaker
if they try to discredit you because they're think that it's so easy to do then why aren't they doing it is always my yeah think but that was the cool thing about the uh that to that video i told you about that i got the interview at project show like the response from that video was very overwhelming and the very few people that did kind of negatively take it there's a lot of other responses that were like you're just mad you didn't think about it right so it's like it's it was one of those things where you know i'm just happy i did think about it and i'm happy that i'm able to kind of execute it because i'm i'm really honestly i'm having a good time
00:58:32
Speaker
Learning about these sneakers. I'm having a good time taking these apart because nobody's taking these shoes apart when they buy the shoes They you know, they're obviously going to put them in their collection and like have it hold their value I'm sitting here just ruining the shoe, you know for everybody to see like but So it's actually a good time like having other people pay for that shoe so that so I could see what it looks like how it's made and Yeah, the materials that are used into the shoe itself Yeah, man. I mean, look, I think you created a lane for yourself. I'm definitely hoping to see a lot more of your work. And again, though, I definitely got to be able to. So I got to see one in person. Like, oh, in the next couple of years, I got to see one in person because I love your post. But I know I know I'm going to feel something totally different when it's in my in my face. And my in my personal opinion, I feel like photos don't do it justice. I feel like it does look a lot nicer and a lot more
00:59:31
Speaker
Like mind blowing in person. For sure. For sure. So at the end of the podcast, I always ask another question. So I want you, it does. It does. It deals with a little bit of visualization. So I want you to think back to, let's go with the irises sixes. You got the irises sixes. No, I don't. um Okay. So then let's go to the T max. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Cause I know you said you had those. All right. So I want you to flashback to when you're about to open that box with the T max in it. And now you're you. behind your younger self, what would you tell your younger self as they open that box?
01:00:07
Speaker
Huh. Interesting. So, so, so the team X I do have are the, my wife calls them the silver surfer shoes because they are the, uh, the Philadelphia all-star game team X. And I don't know if you remember that, but no, almost the whole shoe is silver. Right. And, uh, it, It's like, yeah. so so i Honestly, they they're not great looking, but they were the only teammates I could find at the time. and They were practically brand new and I got them for like 80 bucks on Poshmark. and so When they came in, that nostalgic feeling was great, but I knew if I was a kid and I saw myself
01:00:53
Speaker
opening the box of those, I'd probably smack myself to be honest. cause there i this I'm not really a huge fan of like super flashy shoes. I do love bright colors, ah like the undefeated Air Forces that came out not too long ago, but I ah so like i love that stuff. but Like, when the whole shoe is silver, I feel like that's really overdoing it. But, so, like, I wear it to the gym and stuff, and ah they're super comfortable. But, I don't know, it's tough to kind of rock them with an outfit, to be honest. So, I probably totally smacked myself when I was a kid, for sure. what's ah All right, let me rephrase this question. What's a shoe that you had when you were a kid? So, I had quite a few.
01:01:47
Speaker
so
01:01:50
Speaker
One in particular that I actually really loved was a pair of Jordan team. Like I said, I'm not huge on these teams. Yeah, they're teams, but they came out like the new pair, but they're like the original one. They'll never really come out with them ever again, but I love those so much. but Dude, I had the weirdest collection. Like, I just loved it. I mean, that I just need... I was just saying a one shoe. Just give me one shoe. And then we're we're gonna use that question on that shoe. So let's go with the Team Jordans. You're about to open... You're about to or open the box that was Team Jordans. What would you... Your older self behind your younger self would tell them as they open that box. Oh, so but so that way around. So what would I would say now to my... To the kid? so To me as a kid? Yeah. I should have kept them.
01:02:47
Speaker
well Like I had a weird I had a weird thing growing up where like the only way I could get a new pair of shoes is if you know, if my parents would buy me a new pair of shoes if the old pair will wear out and Sometimes I would actually like Just beat them the crap on purpose just to be able to get a new pair of shoes and it was one of those things and one of the reasons why I kind of got out of it was because
01:03:15
Speaker
I didn't have anybody else really to tell me that it was normal to have a shoe fetish like to have a a like, it was like, I just do fetish. yeah So like, my it was just wasn't like a normal thing. I didn't feel like it was normal. I felt like it was just a weird thing at the time to like shoes so much. And now that I'm older, I kind of get it. And I've realized that I'm not the only one actually, you know, enjoys sneakers. So, but so I mean, I guess if I was a,
01:03:51
Speaker
telling my younger self I probably would have told him all the shoes that I had I should have kept because I was the same size then I was now so it's like wow yeah so I really should have kept them and I would have still worn them up you know Wow. That's that's very rare, first of all. But beautifully said. oh Thank you again for jumping on, man. You know, we say each week, wear your kicks. Peace.