Jason Dill

They don’t make ‘em like Jason Dill anymore and that’s a fact.

There was a long stretch of skateboarding history when it was all about being rebellious, when whatever anyone else was into we were out of, when the words of our Pros were purposely antagonistic and confrontational, rather than pre-programmed PC sound bites. If you listen to Jason Dill you know that he’s never outgrown that mentality. He speaks his mind, and says, does and skates what he wants, the way he wants, without giving two shits about what anyone thinks about it – in short, he’s the essence of skateboarding.

Jason grew up in the ‘90s in Huntington Beach, California, during a time when some of the greatest street skaters ever were making their bones. He was a part of the early World Industries/101 camp that changed the way street skating would be regarded forever. Since then, he’s lived a hundred lives on and off the skateboard, most of them while riding for Alien Workshop, one the most respected brands in the business. His 2000 video part in Alien’s “Photosynthesis” is the stuff of legend -- 50 years from now, kids will still look to that part for inspiration. Jason’s smooth, effortless skating throughout his career and his ability to reinvent his appearance and trick selection again and again, earned him the 28th spot on Transworld’s Most Influential Skateboarders Of All Time List in 2012.

Jason has been a friend to Vans for many years now. He’s helped create and design shoes as classic as he is for our Syndicate division, and we were unbelievably proud and honored to welcome him officially to the Vans team in the summer of 2012. In 2013, AVE & Dill also started making boards through Jason’s 13-year-old Fucking Awesome imprint.

WHAT'S THE BEST TRIP YOU'VE EVER BEEN ON?

Acid, all summer when I was 17 in New York and San Francisco.

FAVORITE VANS RIDER?

Julien Stranger. 

WHAT TRICK CAN'T YOU DO THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD?

Calming down -- that would be a good trick to learn. I haven't quite landed that one yet.

WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF SKATING?

I'm not allowed to have them anymore. Apparently they almost killed me. 

LAST GOOD BOOK YOU READ?

Everything Kurt Vonnegut, especially Palm Sunday. I'm also reading Do or Die by a woman named Leon Bing, about 1980-90s Southern California gang culture. It’s really great so far.