Space Brothers Podcast

Back in the early to mid-80s, BMX freestyle was still somewhat of a new thing. Companies were in a race to invent and create components that could turn the average BMX bike into a full-blown freestyle bike. In a short period of time in addition to standing platforms built into frames, forks, and handlebars, a number of components that were more on the side of gimmicks and gadgets were released into the BMX scene for consumption. Almost every company came out with an odd invention or two or at least a variation of something already being done. Flip-up fork standers, frame stands, screw-on pegs, flip-up pegs, frame extenders, bar extenders, Buff guards which protected your foot from the backside of the fork, seats where you clicked a button, and the nose of the seat extended, brake guards, locking brake levers, and the Potts mod, which allowed you to run the front brake cable through the center of the stem bolt, and into your fork. Within a few years, the sport of BMX freestyle went through several extreme c

Back in the mid-80s, there was one trick that was considered crazier than all the rest, and that trick was the 900... Mike Dominguez, Brian Blyther, Dave Voelker, and many other talented riders came close but to no avail... and then... in 1989 at a 2 Hip King Of Vert Contest in Canada... a young Mat Hoffman pulled off the unthinkable, which sent shockwaves through the BMX industry. Again it was proof that a once thought to be impossible trick could be accomplished. Up next and closely behind to complete the 2 1/2 rotation aerial were Dennis McCoy and Jay Miron... As flips and flairs became the new trend in the early 90s, spinning 900s became mostly an afterthought for years to come, simply because of the risk of serious injury. BMX freestyle had become almost as big in the UK in the 80s, as it was in the United States... oddly enough, the ramp scene exploded with some amazing talent, and very quickly some of the best vert riders were no longer just from the US. Along came the eventual master of the 900 fro

When I think of mid 80s BMX and heavy metal, one rider comes to mind and that's Dizz Hicks! His style was symbolic of the era... He rode it all, flatland, quarter pipe, and short ramp aka a wedge ramp. Dizz is one of the most well known and electrifying riders to ever touch a BMX bike. While Dizz created the first ever upside down flatland tricks which were way ahead of their time and could bust a respectable 7-8 feet on the quarter pipe consistently, he became most known for riding the short ramp. During the summers of 1985 through 1987, Dizz traveled with his sponsor CW Bikes and hit up bike shops across the country rocking his heavy metal style, extreme raditude, high speed flatland tricks, and super tweaked kick turn variations. In fact, the CW shows were probably the only BMX shows where the audience piled up behind the short ramp, so they could get a closer look. During his time on summer tour, he'd spend no less than 10 minutes per show riding a ramp, that most others struggled to ride at all. BMX fa

Rob Nolli has been one of the biggest names in BMX freestyle for well over 25 years. He's one of the best all-around BMX freestyle riders to ever do it winning flatland, dirt, and park contests as well as finishing in the top ten at several major vert contests. There was a time when Rob was a threat to win any contest he entered regardless of who the other riders were. Rob was a top competitor in comps like the X Games, ESPN X Trials and B3 events, the NBC Sports Gravity Games, and Dew Tour for years, while simultaneously being one of the busiest show riders in the sport. Working for GT Bicycles Rob performed thousands of demos including NBA and NFL halftime shows, fairs, and bike shops in all 50 states AND around the globe. I was lucky enough to announce a ton of shows with Rob throughout the years and he always put forth a solid effort every time he was on his bike, leaving the crowd wanting more. Now in his mid-40s... Rob owns his own BMX show company called the BMX TRICKSTARS and makes a living putting o

Catfish... aka Zack Yankush... One of the most controversial people in the history of BMX. He's a jack of all trades and a master of many. He's announced major contests like the X Games and Dew Tour, done demos for Nitro Circus, had a tv show called Strangers In Danger, and co-hosted The Come Up podcast... he's been an announcer at nearly every single major BMX event in recent years, and he continues to announce contests around the globe. Zach started riding in 1985 and has a deep history in BMX freestyle. He's super passionate about BMX, and always has something on his mind to talk about when it comes to the behind the scenes aspect of the sport. Over the past several years he's become known more for his opinions off his bike, than on it. Zack isn't afraid to call out anyone or anything if he doesn't agree with something. We caught up with Zack and asked him if he looked at himself as a controversial symbol in BMX, his roots in the Ohio scene, how he got started announcing BMX events, the craziest thing h

When I think of the X Games and BMX legends, it doesn't take long to get to the name Chad Kagy. Chad was a force in BMX Park, Dirt, Vert, and Big Air and always a threat to win any contest he entered. He was also a rider you looked forward to watching because you never knew if he'd pull something out of his bag of tricks that nobody had ever seen before. Chad grew up in Northern California which had always been a hotbed for BMX talent. Seemingly every generation of Freestyle has seen a high level of riding come out of that part of the United States. From back in the early 80s with one of BMX freestyle's first crazy guys Hugo Gonzalez, to the Curb Dogs with Dave Vanderspek and Maurice Meyer, followed by Mike Kranaich, and flatland legend Pete Brandt. The 90s were no different... In addition to Kagy were Norcal shredders like Ryan Nyquist, Cameron Birdwell, and Joey Garcia who burst onto the scene pushing each other's skills while taking major contests by storm, at a time when the X Games and BMX on tv were e

BMX Flatland contests go back to the early days of BMX. While contests aren't for everyone, they bring a community of like-minded people together for a common interest. VooDoo Jam is the premiere American BMX flatland contest held in New Orleans Louisiana. It brings not only riders from around the United States.... but some of the best riders from all over the world. The main man behind the plan is life long flatlander, Scott O'Brien. Like many old school riders Scott competed in the AFA, also known as the American Freestyle Association. Their national contest circuit was known as the "Masters" which were famous in the mid to late 80s. The Masters comps were a chance to see your favorite factory sponsored riders, compete against them, and maybe even beat them while making a name for yourself... if you were good enough. It's also where you heard new music, saw the latest tricks invented, and could see the most current trends. This was arguably the most exciting time in flatland with over 200 riders competi

I always thought one of the coolest things about BMX freestyle is that you could be different, and still be accepted. You could be yourself and it didn't matter. The term freestyle literally means, do whatever you want, and that’s exactly what Matt Beringer has always done. In the mid-2000s at a time when the X Games was on the come up, growing bigger and bigger each year, and sponsors were more and more concerned with gold medals and tv coverage to create relevancy, amongst the factory superstars was a rider with a completely different mindset. Not only was Matt unique, he's one of the only guys who could have a flatland session, then blast the biggest dirt jumps, find one of the most unique lines in the skatepark, and hit the gnarliest handrail he could find, all in one day. In the recent S&M book release, there was a quote that was used back in the year 2000 when Matt was first asked by Chris Moeller to ride for S&M. QUOTE "S&M Bikes is proud to sponsor Matt Beringer. No rider past or present has done

The X Games. By many thought of as the Super Bowl for action sports. While I haven't personally agreed with everything the X Games have done over the years, it's done a lot of good for action sports, and BMX in general. The 2020 Olympics are right around the corner, and BMX park is a medal competition for the first time in Olympic history. Not just for the guys though! The upcoming Olympics will also host the first women's BMX Park competition as well. Which leaves the women wondering, how is it possible that the Olympics are including women's BMX Park, before the X Games? A lot of people in the BMX industry are wondering why it hasn't happened yet, and one of the women seeking answers is Nina Buitrago. Nina has been riding BMX for almost 20 years. Since the beginning of her BMX career, Nina has worked tirelessly to get women recognized as legitimate and capable talent in demos and contests around the globe. You may have seen Nina's Instagram post a couple of weeks ago alerting the world that the women

As the sport of BMX progressed throughout the mid-90s it became more and more common to see street riders end their video sections with massive gaps and roof drops. Many riders not only made a name for themselves with the final trick or stunt in their video part, they became legends. Fast forward to 2019 and some of the stuff you see street riders doing today is not only mind blowing but also death defying, at least at times. Sean Burns was inspired by riders that came before him who pedaled fast and went big. However what was once considered a rarity in terms of rolling the dice, is now a more common style of riding, at least for a select few. Sean is one of the gnarliest riders ever. I think it's safe to say Sean spends more time on rooftops than he does on the actual ground. His riding is super crazy, and things can go bad, very quickly. The term "high risk scenario" doesn't even begin to explain some of the amazing things Sean can do on his bike! While he's obviously a risk taker, there's also something

We've had the chance to learn not only about some amazing riders over the past year and a half but amazing people as well. Beyond the realm of BMX, many of these riders have had interesting jobs or random hobbies that we've discovered during the interview process. But our next guest takes the cake in terms of an intriguing career. Art Thomason is a 5 time X Games competitor in BMX flatland, sponsored by Hoffman Bikes, and currently works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, also known as NASA. In fact, Art lives in Houston TX where he's worked for NASA for the past 15 years. He's helped train over 50 astronauts for various missions performed at the International Space Station. At age 44 Art is still currently competing in a variety of BMX flatland contests, spending plenty of time pushing the boundaries of his own riding, while maintaining his career at Johnson Space Center, also known as Mission Control. We hit up Art to get the lowdown on his favorite contest moment, riding for H

Dirt jumping goes back to the early roots of bmx, and riders have been doing it on bmx tracks and local hand made jumps since the beginning of time. However it wasn't always respected as it's own thing and it certainly wasn't a stand alone discipline in BMX, much less something you could do to make a living. For anyone who started riding in the 80s or early 90s there's one name that really stands out when you hear the term BMX dirt jumping, and that's Tim Fuzzy Hall. Fuzzy was featured on more than 15 BMX magazine covers in his lifetime. If he wasn't on the cover you can bet he was inside nearly every issue, rather it was a photo at a jumping contest, being a part of the test force putting new bikes to task, or featured in the latest factory ad. Fuzzy was everywhere! Fuzzy changed how bmx dirt riders were not only looked at, but how they could be marketable to a major factory sponsor without being a racer. Fuzzy brought his incredible skill set to any jump he could find including local and national

If you've ridden BMX in the past 35 years, there's a good chance you've either ridden a Haro or know someone who has. The company was founded in 1978 by Bob Haro. Bob started out producing number plates for BMX bikes in his home. While the company was gaining popularity, Bob was also growing the brand new sport of BMX freestyle. The BMX boom was in full swing and the company built a reputation for developing innovative, top-of-the-line freestyle bikes and accessories. In addition to Bob himself, many of the sport's biggest names have ridden for the Haro brand including, Mike Dominguez, Joe Johnson, Rick Moliterno, Brian Blyther, Dennis McCoy, Mat Hoffman, Dave Mirra, Chad DeGroot, Ryan Nyquist, Dennis Enarson, Chad Kerley, and Matthias Dandois. Back in 2011, Haro had come to a crossroads as it was losing steam to remain relevant in the BMX industry. In addition, the company was searching for its next leader to help the brand return to prominence. Who better than the man known as "Scottish John" to take

The Whopper, also known as the bunnyhop tailwhip, is one of the coolest BMX tricks ever invented, and it's hard to believe it's been around for almost 30 years. The first time Bill Nitschke pulled it off in 1990 in a Burger King parking lot in Greenwood Indiana, he had no idea of the long term impact that trick would make on the sport of BMX. In fact, 5 years after Bill showed this amazing trick to the world, only a couple of people, all flatland riders, were able to pull it off. It wasn't until several years later that street riders started to throw down the Whopper and include it in their bag of tricks on a regular basis. Nowadays it's a common trick, and street riders far outnumber the amount of flatland riders able to pull it off. I've known Bill for over 30 years and in addition to being good friends, we've done a lot of riding, touring, and traveling together. While inventing the Whopper would be enough for most riders, there's a lot more to Bill, than just creating one of the most well-known tricks

Back in the spring of 1988 when I was 14 years old, I was lucky enough to attend Woodward Camp in Pennsylvania. One of the pro instructors there, was Joe Johnson. Even though I was a flatland rider, I was well aware of who Joe was. After all he was one of Haro's main vert riders, had won lots of contests, and was featured in the magazines on a routine basis. Joe was a superstar on his bike, yet he was soft spoken, down to earth, and very humble off of it. He could blast airs bigger than almost anyone in the sport, while doing difficult tricks with an effortless yet aggressive style. Joe received the most notoriety during his career when he unveiled a new trick called the tailwhip air. Joe started working on it in the early part of 1988. I never saw him try it while I was at Woodward, but later that same summer, Joe worked on it for several weeks, and later pulled the tailwhip at the AFA Masters contest in Wayne New Jersey. This was the first ever documented tailwhip air. Joe continued to pull the tailwhip

Where were you on Saturday March 30th? If the answer isn't Astatula FL, then you missed out on one of the biggest BMX events of the year called Swampfest! If you're passionate about BMX, this is the place to be! Swampfest has gotten bigger and better each year and this year the event drew over 3,000 riders, fans, and spectators from all over the world. BMX legends, industry icons, big name pros, and Joe Schmoes, from dirt to park, from flatland to street, old school, mid school, and new school. BMX came together for an unforgettable weekend of fun, excitement, partying, and most importantly brotherhood! While it took a massive crew of friends, family, and sponsors to build all of the obstacles, jumps, and ramps... the man with the vision behind Swampfest is none other than Trey Jones. Trey stopped by the Master Blaster Planet studios to talk about everything that went down before, during, and after the mayhem, including when he started designing and building the obstacles for the event, securing an area

When you think of one of the most influential bmx dirt riders over the past 15 years, you have to mention Mark Mulville. Which is crazy when you think about it, because there's no dirt in FL... only sand. His skill level is easy to spot no matter what trails or jumps he rides. He's super smooth, does plenty of stretched out tricks, and has great style to boot, not to mention he's been one of Profile Racing's most featured riders. Mark not only splits up his time on his bike between local trails, riding street, and cement skateparks, he also spends every day he can in the ocean and on his surfboard. When he's not riding or surfing, he's taking photos of Florida wildlife and various rocket launches at Cape Canaveral. We sat down with Mark at the Master Blaster Planet Studios and asked him about riding dirt in Florida, the last time he saw a shark while he was surfing, how he's built jumps out of sand, living in Pittsburgh PA, having one of the best selling bmx stems on the market, getting close to massive

The term BMX legend gets thrown around a lot these days. But in this case it's an accurate depiction. Chase Gouin is one of the biggest names ever in BMX flatland and in BMX freestyle in general. He's an icon and also a bit on an enigma. Chase has affected so many riders lives and definitely helped fuse the gap to what is considered current and modern flatland. The only thing more interesting than Chase on his bike, is the life he's lived off of it. He's traveled around the world, at times homeless or without much money to sustain anything more than putting a roof over his head. He's overcome incredible obstacles and has used up more lives than a stray cat. Yet his passion towards the sport he loves burns just as much now as it ever did. We spoke to Chase about his early life and getting into BMX, the first time he pulled a decade, meeting Kevin Jones and the Plywood Hoods, moving to York PA, his first Dorkin In York video section, special sessions he had with Kevin Jones, pulling his first quad decade,

From a competition standpoint It seems like each year we hear about another amazing rider who comes out of seemingly nowhere to become one of the biggest names in the sport. There's so many incredible riders bursting onto the scene these days. It's hard to keep track of them all. One of those riders is Brian Fox. After qualifying in 1st place at last years X Games dirt competition Brian was able to put together a perfect run and ended up with a bronze medal in the finals. Kind of crazy considering he's spent the majority of his life in Florida where there's mostly sand. Brian's not just a dirt jumper, he also competes in BMX park, and rides a lot of concrete bowls and skateparks. It's safe to say he's a threat to win any contest he enters! Even though you might not recognize Brian's name as well as some of the other competitors, he didn't come out of nowhere. He's been around for a little while. I first met Brian while doing a BMX show with Rob Nolli 5 years ago. It was obvious right away Brian had serious

Back in January of 1994 I had just flunked out of college and I felt like a complete failure, but I didn't want to return home just yet. I knew of a house with bmx riders that had just come together a couple of months previous and they were looking to take over the upstairs apt but needed a few tenants. So I moved from school directly into what became known as the Fat House. The original cast was an eclectic group of riders, mostly dirt jumpers and street riders which originally included Jody Donnelly, Mike Tag, Jeremy Reiss, Crazy Joe Daugirda, and last but not least, Steve Crandall. Crandall and the boys had just moved from Ithaca NY to move into a local skatepark that ended up going under before it got off the ground. They decided to stick it out and see what the Hoosier land could provide. Over the next couple of years Steve became more focused as a rider and a company owner, while creating some of his early videos which would become instant classics. At the time FBM was just a clothing company with a