Alex Olson delivered his 2020 state of skate during his latest interview with No Comply Network. We missed this bit of Q&A when it dropped last week due to the coronavirus media blitz; but it contains some valid points that have been a consistent theme when discussing skating over the past few years.

For sure. What’s your favorite skate video?

I tried to watch a skate part two days ago, I couldn’t finish it. I dunno, it’s one of those things. We’re at a boiling point. I think skating needs to change, everyone is so talented now but they’re not doing creative tricks or they are creative, they do really hard tricks but it’s still not enjoyable to watch.Skating definitely took a big turn in 2014-2015, tricks, the boards, people, a lot of skaters started getting sponsored who weren’t naturally talented. But we’ve hit a wall where you know that guy can go down the biggest rail or on ledges but it all just looks the same, there’s something missing, it’s a generational thing too.

How do you mean generational?

I realize each generation has a particular style of how they hold their bodies, and this new generation, they’ve learned to square and hold their weight so well, and so many other things, everything is achievable nowadays it seems.

It’s hard to be truly original now.

I would say everything’s kinda washed out almost, oversaturated I meant. Everyone is good, everyone deserves product and to be pro and there is endless media of new content, so you don’t get to to sit with anything or learn anything. I remember when an album came out, back in the day you were forced to listen to the bad songs, you paid 20 bucks so you had to listen to all of it and you started listening to the bad songs because you became accustomed to them. Nowadays it’s like an echo chamber of ideas and tricks and trends. It’s different to the 90s it’s not as simple as it was but still things are mundane. It’s hyperized.

Time will tell what, if anything, will usher in the change in skating that many have been waiting for. For more on Alex, revisit Episode 09 of Mission Statement.

Image Via Ben Colen