If you are not familiar with the Australian BMX scene or the riders that compose it, you wont probably have any clue of what Crispy Stream is. Crispy Stream is an Australian blog/crew created by Tempered Bikes and Shadow Conspiracy rider, Mike Vockenson. With more than 70 web videos made so far and original/hilarious content being posted everyday, it’s one of the best site ever!!
Crispy Stream is a big family and as a member, I though it would be awesome to get some exposure to the crew so the world can learn alot more about the Crispy vision, philosophy and mind.
I consider Mike as one of my best friends and I’m stoked that he took some time to answer some question for this not so usual “Rolling in Business” interview about the stream. Enjoy!
1.When and how did you start riding BMX?
My good old mother bought me a bike when I was 5 and drove me to the BMX track a bunch, things just escalated from there, especially once I discovered the skatepark a little while after.
2.When you were a kid and all those adults would ask you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” what did you say?
I think it would have been BMX racer or something to do with sports science, that’s what my graduation book says anyway.
3.Can you tell us about what you were doing before you started Crispy Stream?
Ahh, I was just working and riding my bike, using the internet for useful purposes, then I made a blog and started being a dick to everyone with my keyboard.
4.Some people went to school some other didn’t, can you tell us about your school experience? Do you think that school is important to start you own company (even though the Stream is mainly a blog/crew)?
School as in tertiary study? In certain aspects, study can be very beneficial to the operation of a business, but in the case of BMX, it certainly is possible to start it without education. From just being in the industry and knowing certain people, one can become successful, that’s how most BMX companies today have come about. The Stream is most certainly a company, nay, a corporation. One of massive proportions.
5.How old were you when you first started Crispy Stream?
Hmm, 19 I daresay.
6.When and where Crispy Stream was originally born?
It originated in my mind once I started uni, then I used the internet and my laptop to allow other people into my mind, it works well, for some people anyway.
7.Thinking of a brand name or for you case, a blog name, is always really hard, how did you come up with the name Crispy Stream?
Ah, that was kinda easy, in true Crispy fashun, I just jacked something with something else from someone else’s shit. I think I liked the idea of how a blog kinda flowed, so I was like hmmm, stream, then I combined my love of donuts to create Crispy Stream and it has blown up from there yewww.
8.How did the blog started, what was the first post like? The very first edit?
The very first post’s were me talking about how much I hate shit, like unit and music etc, which I guess is not too much different to the now haha. The first edit was deadly, I guess the original Crispy one was filmed on my old VX2100 and edited on iMovie, pretty fun to re-watch.
9.How many persons where involved when Crispy Stream first started and who is helping/posting now?
It was me for the first year or so, then I decided to let Samson blog, I think he has posted around 5 times in the last 2-3 years, not a bad ration. Then I also added, Mat Lawton, Mitch Wood, Jerry Vandervalk, Big Salad and Mitch Morison, respectively. It’s sick having all these dudes to help me out, every so often haha. It just feels better to have more support and a wider opinion base instead of me just going on about shit.
10.How can you describe Crispy Stream: what makes you different than all the other blog/crews out there?
Well, to put it simply, we’re better. In every way, form, fashion. Nah, oh yeah, we are better. We are da best c****. Crispy portrays BMX the way most people know it, but other sites tend to censor shit out. We don’t have any responsibilities or ethical ties, so I’m essentially allowed to post whatever I want (within legal limitations of course) so I guess it appeals to a lot of people for being ‘different’ in a way. It’s highly personalized and grounded in reality, more lifestyle shit and behind the scenes, which to me is the most interesting part about BMX.
11.What is a normal day for you?
Weekdays, wake up at 8, do emails and maybe a Crispy post for an hour or so. Then read and write assignments mixed with continual checking of BMX sites and emails etc until later in the arvo. Then it’s more internetting until dinner, then I will usually search for music or edit clips until bed at around midnight. It seems like a lot of time on the computer, which it is, but time goes real fast and I love doing what I do.
12.You just announced that you are making a DVD; can you tell us how you decided to do it? How is it different than making a simple web edit?
Oh fuck yeah! I would love to. Well a few people had suggested making a DVD, but it seemed that every other dude in Brisbane was making one so I just brushed the idea off. Until, pressure was mounting, one day I just caved when Salad suggested making one. The idea seemed simple enough, just save clips for a much longer time than usual and make a concerted effort to film for the DVD, it’s been so amazing, I have been filming for almost 6 months now and I plan to go for another two then figure out how to get all this shit onto a disc and out to the millions of fans eagerly awaiting. Can’t wait to have a little premiere, get drunk, laugh and yell at people. Hopefully people find it funny and have a laugh or two, that’s all that matters really. Not too much different in terms of web to DVD, basically because I don’t give a fuck about the little things, its Crispy so I can do whatever the fuck I want and people will excuse it haha. It has been so much fun editing for a DVD but, I wish I had more clips to edit haha.
13.Can you tell us who’s going to have sections? And when will it be released?
Sections will consist of Ammon Chesworth, Big Salad x Tom Stretton, Brisbane Homies Mix, Sunshine Coast Homies Mix, Tempered Mix (Nick, Jerry, Mat and myself), Samson Ross day in the life and riding section, Matt McCallum, Dave Wood, Foam Pit Sesh, Gwince Section, Urban WAGO section, Perth Trip Mix, Brock Olive and a fuckload of outtakes shit which will be in the DVD, not at the end, because that stuff is gold and I love seeing in other DVD’s so why put it at the end likes its leftover shit or something, you know?
I aim to have it premiering at LUX start of December, finish filming in November and finish off any last editing, then figure out how to burn, compress and convert it to DVD, that will be interesting, I’m kinda relying on Mitch Wood to help me out with that shit.
14.If you had the chance to start all over again, would you do something different?
Sell out harder and faster, took me a while to figure out how to exploit certain companies, but I’m well trained now.
15.One question about the future: Do you have any news about new project/products you can tell us about (except the DVD of course)?
Ahh, not too much, was kinda thinking about adding another person to blog from either Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide, increase the breadth of our span. We’re also doing another limited run of Crispy shirts, this time with Dan ‘Dezzy’ Headon’s face, it should be good, there are a lot of people supporting the Dezzy movement. Then of course, take over the BMX industry and strangle it to death and then the world.
16.What do you want to say to all the new BMX pioneers who are thinking of starting their own blog/crew?
Give a fuck and you will succeed you bunch of white dogs. $tay Deadly, Un$ure.
