Kevin Long (skateboarder)

For other people called Kevin Long: see Kevin Long (disambiguation)
Kevin Long
Born Kevin Long
(1984-08-06) August 6, 1984
Nationality American
Other names Spanky
Occupation Professional skateboarder

Kevin 'Spanky' Long (born August 6, 1984) is an American professional skateboarder. Long's skateboarding stance is goofy (standing with his right foot at the front, or on the nose, of the skateboard).

Early life

Long was born in Oak Park, California, United States (U.S.). Long grew up skateboarding in California's Agoura Hills, which is just north of the Valley area and the nickname "Spanky" was created by a friend of Long's older brother. Long was a homeschool student but advised against it in a 2003 interview: "Basically I’d say homeschool is a bad idea for anybody—it’s just one step closer to dropping out. Because you have to teach it to yourself and it’s harder than it is at an actual school."[1]

Professional skateboarding

Long was first sponsored by the Sixteen Skateboards company after being noticed by Neal Mims and Rodney Johnson (team manager) at a "Skate Street" contest in Ventura, California. Alongside professional skateboarders such as Paul Rodriguez, Javier Nunez, Mikey Taylor, and Devine Calloway, Long was then recruited onto Kareem Campbell's City Stars skateboard team.[1] Prior to becoming a professional with Baker, Long explained this period of his life in an interview:

At that point I was still skating, living at home, and going to school. I didn’t really have anyone to skate with, I was just getting flowed from World [Industries]. But thankfully, I started skating with Mike Taylor and Paul Rodriguez. And Mike was on City Stars, so he helped me make a little tape and gave it to Kareem. Then Kareem started hooking me up with boards.[1]

In 2003 Long won the Tampa Am contest in Tampa, Florida, U.S., and received contract offers from both Toy Machine and Baker Skateboards later that year. Long eventually selected Baker because he "felt too comfortable with all the guys"[1] and, in the same year, he attained professional status with Baker, a company that is owned by Long's childhood hero Andrew Reynolds. Long later revealed what it was like for him skateboarding alongside Reynolds: "With Drew [Reynolds], all I have to hear him say is that he wants to do a trick and it’s done. As soon as he wants to do it, it’s almost too easy once he tries it. I can’t believe it."[1]

As of May 2013, Long is sponsored by the Emerica skate shoe brand and, in 2005, Long received his first signature shoe model the "KSL1". Long's second shoe model the "KSL Dos" was released in 2007, and his third shoe the "Spanky" was released in June 2008. In 2011 Long released his fifth Emerica shoe model, named "The Situation", which consists of a minimalist design and a vegan version was also produced.[2] Long appears in Emerica's This is Skateboarding,[3] Kids in Emerica,[4][5][6] and Stay Gold[7] videos.

Long appears in the Wavves music video "Post Acid" as a skateboarding alien—the video was directed by skateboard journalist Patrick O'Dell.[8] An interview with former Baker professional Shane Heyl on September 27, 2013 confirmed that Heyl and Long are no longer members of the Baker team as of the date of the interview. Heyl declined to speak on behalf of Long, but explained that he had left the team due to a knee injury, and on friendly terms with Reynolds.[9]

Sponsors

As of September 2013, Long is sponsored by Baker, Emerica,[10] Spitfire, RVCA,[11] Independent Truck Company,[12] Ashbury,[13] Shake Junt, and Pharmacy Boardshop.[14]

Awards

Long appeared in the Baker skateboard video Baker 3 that was the recipient of the "Best Video" award at the 8th Annual Transworld Skateboarding Awards.[15]

Music and art

Long is the guitarist for the band "The Goat and The Occasional Others" that also features professional skateboarders Shane Heyl and Reynolds, skateboard videographer Beagle Oneism, and skateboard photographer Atiba Jefferson. Examples of the band's song titles are "OOH YOUR WEIRD", "LUH DAT SH!T", and "Billy." Long is also an illustrator and has exhibited in international locations such as Tokyo, Japan.[16]

Personal life

Long's father was a young surfer in suburban Los Angeles, U.S. and his older brother Patrick Long is a professional racing car driver.[17]

In 2011, Long wrote a personal account of a serious burn injury that he sustained for Transworld Skateboarding magazine—Long suffered third-degree burns and was required to undergo surgery the day after he presented at a Los Angeles hospital. In the article, Long describes the worst part of the experience:

The very worst part was, after that surgery they had to take all my bandages off in this place called the whirlpool room. That was pure hell because it felt like they were just ripping my skin off. The pain wasn’t like anything I’ve ever felt. It’s so different from anything that I’ve ever felt happen to me on a skateboard. It felt like it was constantly burning, like I was still on fire.[18]

Videography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "KEVIN "SPANKY" LONG AM SPOTLIGHT". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. 9 September 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Mr. Fakie (18 August 2011). "Emerica The Situation". Vegan Skate Blog. Wordpress. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  3. ↑ bigPantsLittleWheels (19 November 2009). "Kevin Long - Emerica - This Is Skateboarding" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  4. ↑ EmericaFilm (13 May 2008). "Kids in Emerica Part 1" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  5. ↑ 95Gzen95 (2 September 2009). "Emerica Kids In Emerica Part 2" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  6. ↑ 95Gzen95 (2 September 2009). "Emerica Kids In Emerica Part 3" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  7. ↑ emerica (19 May 2011). "Kevin "Spanky" Long: Emerica Stay Gold B-Side" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  8. ↑ Kevin Duffel (8 September 2010). "KEVIN LONG STARS AS AN ALIEN IN PATRICK O’DELL DIRECTED WAVVES VIDEO". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  9. ↑ Ride Channel (27 September 2013). "Erik Ellington & Shane Heyl: Brad Pitt, Baker & Carlsbad Dance! Weekend Buzz ep. 79 pt. 2" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  10. ↑ Chris Nieratko (23 April 2011). "Kevin "Spanky" Long on getting burned". X Games. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "KEVIN "SPANKY" LONG". RVCA. RVCA. May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  12. ↑ kdub (12 February 2007). "PHARMACY'S STICK A SPANKY TRICK". Independent Trucks. Strange Notes. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  13. ↑ Christian Senrud (26 July 2010). "SPANKY ON ASHBURY". Skateboarder Magazine. GrindMedia, LLC. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  14. ↑ "People". Pharmacy. Pharmacy. May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "THE 8TH ANNUAL TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING AWARDS WINNERS!". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "14 Skaters We Crush On: Kevin "Spanky" Long". Buzznet. SpinMedia. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  17. ↑ Regis Lefebure (April 2012). "Company Man: Patrick Long". Automobile Magazine. Source Interlink Media. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  18. ↑ Kevin Duffel (5 May 2011). "WHAT IT FEELS LIKE: TO BE SET ON FIRE BY KEVIN "SPANKY" LONG". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  19. ↑ "Kevin Long skate videos". Skatevideosite.com. Skatevideosite.com. 2005–2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.

External links

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