Transcript
Speaker: I'm Steve Brown. I'm Mark McBride. And welcome to season two of the Yo-Yo Player podcast, where a couple of dusty old graybeards reminisce about the 1999 Fiend Magazine Yo-Yo Tour.
Speaker: On today's episode, Kings of the Vans Warped Tour.
Speaker: Again, Less Than Jake, for those who don't know, is a, like, ska core band. So, like, you're talking about, like, you know, an energetic, playful music style.
Speaker: So like there was a sense of humor there and there was a lot of energy. So yo-yoing seemed to make sense. yeah they were By the time you got to Ice-T, it didn't make sense. But yet somehow Julius and Rick ended up like up there with them.
Speaker: It was the first year that they had hip hop. I remember that was a thing. yeah They put hip hop on it so it had and but And it's funny that like it had, it was M&M, M&M, what are the bad, but then an iced tea.
Speaker: Yeah. And everybody tell has told stories about iced tea. Sure. I've got all the same stories as that. So yeah, we were all over there doing it together. So I was going to say, like what we've been asking everybody is like, when you think back to that year, like what are the stories that you tell other people?
Speaker: I mean, everybody, I'm sure, has stories about you know late night dance parties on Ice-T's bus. you know um Just being able to do that. Of course, now everybody sees him on whatever you know Law & Order or whatever the hell that TV show is that he's made a career out of.
Speaker: Side note, I wanted to add, hopefully you've got high-res pictures. of you When I look through the notes, there's a picture from when we were in LA, and Ice-T was like playing with my yo-yo, and I was like chatting with him, and like Rick's in the foreground.
Speaker: Hopefully I can get a high-res copy of that from you somewhere, because I want to show that to people. Yeah, remind me. i'll I'll email you the original. Cool. But yeah, like, you know, Ice borrowed my, that was in LA when we were hanging out that time. And I remember everybody was really like in awe of Ice's wife, Coco. She was there visiting that day and walking around. Everybody's like, oh shit, it's Coco, look. check it out And so they were like walking around doing their thing, but ice came up. DJ evil. He was fucking super dope and he was cool and he was into the yo-yo stuff too. And he'd like hang out sometimes.
Speaker: Um, but I stopped and was talking and he was usually pretty busy and had a lot of stuff going on. Um, but, He stopped and was hanging out and yo-yoing with it He like borrowed my yo-yo, was doing some tricks with my yo-yo.
Speaker: I got a picture somewhere, Mark. I'll try to find it and send you a copy, take a picture and send it to you. But it's like you're standing by washing ice as he's like playing with my yo-yo, like throwing it between his legs and doing stuff. But he could like walk the dog and rock a baby and do some basic yo-yo tricks, which was pretty awesome.
Speaker: I remember that moment because I remember you know he you handed him the yo-yo and he immediately like threw it, like did a perfect sleeper, did walk the dog with it. And then he did like a rock the baby. It took him a couple tries and it was kind of a sloppy rock the baby. And then he's like, yeah, but you know you guys do all that sick shit, like throwing it between your legs. And then he just bends over and throws like a perfect like forward pass like backwards between his legs and catches it. He's like, you know, like that. And we're all just like, oh! Yeah, that's That's peak iced tea right there. Like that's the man. Like he's a pretty talented dude. Well, the iced tea story is pretty fucking good. Right.
Speaker: So what's the iced tea story? Which one? I remember the whole thing. Yeah. Right. Well, my my sequence, my limit is Rick Wyatt's got a much, much better story than I do, obviously. But the sequence that I've got is, you know, as a tour progressed, we we got more and more invites to get on stages. Right. And Steve was already connected with less than Jake's. We were on their stage the very beginning. But but over and over, more and more bands started asking us to be on their stage.
Speaker: And Ice-T was one of the ones that never did. And I didn't seem like he ever would. You know, why would he? Right. And then one day we've got I got photos of this one day, him and his girl looks like and a bodyguard show up at our booth.
Speaker: We're doing our thing. We've got a big crowd. I don't where was, but it was big crowd of folks we're doing our thing. And I got a picture of like Ice-T with a yo-yo on his finger, you know, trying to work this thing, you know, failing miserably at this thing.
Speaker: And, uh, well, that was pretty funny, you know? And then i don't think it was that show, some show a little while later, I guess. I'm just hanging out by the booth and we get word that, uh, people are, some of our yo-yo players are going to go up an Ice-T stage. i was like, what?
Speaker: So we all, I kind of ran over there at San Diego, I'm pretty sure. And sure enough, get up and freaking iced tea does this little introduction, my OG this and that something. And here comes freaking Rick Wyatt and Julius freaking double looping coming, you know, like what the fuck with the little blue bandanas on their face and shit. was like, oh my God, I could not believe it. I could not believe it. I don't know. I listened to freaking some iced tea back in the day. Like, I know, you know, I doesn't know iced tea. was like, you gotta be kidding me. And so that all happened. And then Rick Wyatt rode the bus, right?
Speaker: I don't know, for at least a night, maybe multiple nights and hung out with iced tea and this whole thing. i like That was wild. So that was definitely one of them.
Speaker: There's one story. When we were in L.A., um so there was points that you guys just, you didn't see me.
Speaker: Yeah. as So, in L.A., we was there two days. um So, that's where Ice-T lives. He lives in the hills. we've felt it I don't know. but So, day one.
Speaker: So, if I remember correctly, I think it was the first day that me and Julius was, well, me and Julius decided to show up to do a do a performance with Ice-T doing Original Gangster.
Speaker: So, but you know, after all that got done, you know, we was, you know, just kind of hanging out after we got done with our, you know, stuff.
Speaker: So, Ice actually and it invited me back to his house because we was there for we was in L.A. for two days. so yeah So that night, I went back to his house. and he you know him, Coco, his wife, and he he had a ah oh a party you know kind of going on. So one thing that some people may or may not know Ice don't smoke or he don't drink, but he don't give a shit what goes outside of that.
Speaker: So there was some celebrities there. And after I got invited back, so i I was hanging out at his house at night. And um you know we're doing what we do.
Speaker: And um You know, life was life, and if you will. So... Yeah. So, you know, it was fun. You know, we got back up. I mean, it wasn't super crazy, but, you know, it was enough to be like, shit, this is some freaking rock star type shit. I mean, it's crazy enough that I can tell, I can watch you censoring yourself as you're telling us this story. Yeah, I... I have to. I can respect that, but, you know, I'm watching you trip on your words. No, I have to just because I don't want to put anybody
Speaker: out there that... It's all good. Yeah. So, you know, it's just some of these folks was, you know, they're mega celebrities.
Speaker: still to this day. And I just, you know, it's just one of those things that I just don't want to, you know, what was it like? What was it like to be again, a Midwest boy it like living in Fall River, right? And then showing up at this Hollywood Hills like party, which is like, it sounds like it was one of the stereotypes that you're like, that shit doesn't really happen. But like, you're sort of like, I was, I was there watching it happen. Yeah. it I can't explain it. It's just one of those, it's the weirdest thing that is like, what the fuck am I? Who am, shit, let me pinch myself. Because, yeah, it was just, it was it was that weird. Yeah, man, like that night, that night in LA, I had, um,
Speaker: like I like, since I lived in I went home and slept in my, slept in my own bed. Nice. And I slept the fuck in my own bed actually. And it was actually really, I had gotten traded numbers with the girls that we met in San Diego.
Speaker: They were part of the, the, the, the the girls that killed the in San Diego. i had to revisit that. then Yeah. The girls that killed.
Speaker: <unk> in in San Diego had my number and they were like, yeah, we'll totally come by and stuff. And I'm like, there is a 20% chance that these guys, these girls are actually going to like hit me up.
Speaker: So I'm going to go to sleep with the phone right next to my fucking ear. And I woke up the next morning, nothing.
Speaker: And you're out there with fucking iced tea in the hills, man.
Speaker: A fast pointing to when we were in Utah, one of my high school buddies that I was like pals with in high school, it was also Mormon um and was over in Utah. I don't know what he was doing that summer in Utah, but he came to the Salt Lake City show.
Speaker: And like, I felt like so fucking badass when I take Kenny to go stand like backstage, side stage. I'm like, hey, let's go watch Ice-T.
Speaker: And, like, before the set, and then, like, DJ Evil E, like, walks up and is like, hey, what's up, man? And, like, i don't know, fucking get a knuckle bump or a high five or something. you Just get some props from Evil E. And then, like, Ice-T walks up and he's, like, says to Kenny, he's like, you know this guy? And he's, like, pointing at me, like, you know this guy?
Speaker: And Kenny's like, oh, yeah, we went to high school together. He's like, yeah, he's fucking cool. Or, you know, he's just basically – He's cool. You're cool too. And then like walks and goes on stage or whatever. And like that was like the best hands down moment. Like, yeah, Katie, you see that? Ice T right there just gave me, and just got props from Ice before he goes on stage.
Speaker: You know? And so that was definitely a story I told a thousand times too. oh that's awesome. That's awesome. I don't know if it was you, Mark, but somebody had said, you know, Rick, go do an interview.
Speaker: with this dude because I was getting ready to leave the tour. so i don't know if it happened in whatever the cities we were in before, but I had been in interview with um eyes and you know i I brought up the conversation because we had the um freestyle motor calls people, which was crazy. and you know Just all of us quote unquote, sideshow people.
Speaker: So, you know, how how we fit into it. So I asked Ice, I was like, you know, what do you think about Yo-Yo's being on this tour? And, you know, he went into it like, hey man, you know, I thought that's some dope ass shit. I was like, dude. No, I was like, right, right?
Speaker: didn't hear I didn't hear him play. And then I've heard all the stories about him and Rick Wyatt becoming friends and Blink-182 and Julius and things like that. And just calling him up on stage and all the yo-yoers were on stage. And we definitely may not have gotten Thien to go on, but I think we took a million kids, young adults, and made them think that yo-yoing was not something for children.
Speaker: Just because the yo-yoers were on the stage with the musicians and they were doing things. They were not doing walk the dog. They were not doing forward pass. They were doing things that could be perceived of as cool. Like we did when we went to, what was the name of that club, that goth club we used to yo-yo at, or I used to juggle at.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. Was Einstein's? Einstein's. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. We're Rogue from the Cruise Shadows with DJ. I remember once you were miming. It was Bela Lugosi is Dead was playing and you were miming Crucifying Rogue. It was one of the strangest things I've ever seen, Steve, on stage. And you both were so into it.
Speaker: And I'm still friends with Rogue. Yeah.
Speaker: like thoughts about bus life, you know, that I remember like we're double stacked in this bus and they had paired us up with the Vans crew. Right. That were hanging out. They were they were like selling and give away shoes and shit.
Speaker: They paired us with them. By the we shared a bus with the fucking Vans people and never managed to get a free pair of shoes. What the fuck? That is not true. got a free pair of shoes. I got a free. I got two. No, no. They gave everybody free pair of shoes like day one. You were supposed to go like you're supposed to go to headquarters and everybody on the tour was supposed to have a pair of Vans.
Speaker: And here's the thing that's weird. You missed the memo, Steve? Now, here's the thing that made it funny. I didn't, like, at that point... It was DVS. Like i read I met some guy from DVS and he's like, yeah, I'll sponsor you. So I was technically sponsored by DVS just because they gave me a free pair of shoes like a month before the tour. Sweet. And so I didn't even think about it. I'm like, oh, well, I can't get a pair of Vans. I've got, like I got these DVSs.
Speaker: We are on the bus with the owner of Vans. That's right. We were on the bus with fucking Steve Van Doren. Yeah. And the, and I didn't even think about this. So they're like about,
Speaker: two thirds way through the tour. I was like, kicker. I was like, yeah, they're like, everyone's rocking the vans. I'm like, yeah, I'm wearing the D I'm wearing the DVS They, they sponsored me. Like I think I'm the only one wearing them. And I remember one of the other vans people going, Oh, Steve has noticed. That's funny, dude. Apparently I've been getting the stink eye from him the whole tour without even knowing it.
Speaker: Well, well yeah all the Vans people were pretty friendly. we didn't have any problem with them. they were great. Oh, they were great. So what do you remember about the ah Steve Van Doren and like the Vans crew? who Like tell us about the Vans crew that we were on the bus with.
Speaker: I remember the Vans crew, who right? So that was the cool thing. there you know Different bands had their different buses, and there was a bus with the BMX guys on it and a bus with the Moto X guys, and and then there was us. you know Obviously, we don't get our own bus, so they kind of squeezed us onto the like production one of the production buses, and we were riding around with the Van Doren family and the people running the Vans shoe tent.
Speaker: So that was actually really cool. That's another story that I tell people, right? Like, oh, when we were on tour, like we shared a bus with Steven Van Doren, like, you know, of Vance. And his daughter, i remember his daughter, Christy was super hot.
Speaker: Christy Van Doren and think it was her boyfriend, Chad. Before Chad's were a thing, you know, like he was totally san Diego Chad.
Speaker: um Proto Chad. Yeah, like a proto Chad.
Speaker: But he was such a nice guy. course. They're all rad people, you know? and then Steve... Do you remember one of who was the guy – one of the dudes never wore socks all day. Like he like he was working in the van's tent, didn't wear socks, and his shoes were so fucking stinky that they made him leave them outside of the fucking bus at night. Like, like dude, you were – it was like halfway through the tour where it it like hit a peak where like it's now escaped your bunk, man. Yeah.
Speaker: There's like a new level of organism living in the shoe that- Yes. right this now That's funny. I don't know. I don't remember who that was, but I just remember they were all cool people.
Speaker: just normal, regular old people, have fun. they're like um And then Steve Van Doren, one of the other stories I tell people, was like, yeah, you know the owner of the Vans shoe company, yeah, he like bought me fast food before. you know and I don't know if you guys remember, but there was a day that Steve Van Doren came on the bus and had him and his buddy Coach, I think was the guy's name, like his his childhood friend, who was like another one of the older, it was like the uncle to Christy Van Doren and all the younger crew that were manning the tent. And like Steve and coach like came on and they had like fucking 20 or 30 bags of Carl's juniors. And they're like, Hey guys, we brought dinner. And everybody just, it was just this gesture that they did for us. And it was kind of cool, you know, like, so get my Western bacon cheeseburger whatever. And my fries and courtesy of Steven Van Doren. Thanks man.
Speaker: What the fuck am I going to do? Hell yeah. i'm so It's kind of like after the tour when, um you know, we'll talk about this later. When Seven Dust kidnapped my ass from Providence, Rhode Island in New York.
Speaker: oh Yeah. ah So I've never told this story. um But this is after Warped Tour and shit like that. You know, it's just one of those things. You hang out with rock stars. You just do what rock stars do.
Speaker: So, and again, not married, no kids. No, fuck it. Whatever.
