The Lurk Report

Alex Greenberg is a community leader in the Charlotte NC hardcore punk community. He’s the fastest drummer I’ve ever seen and he plays in more bands than you can count. His primary band Mutant Strain has conquered vast reaches of the planet via self-sustained international tours, cementing their status as one of the greats in the DIY punk scene. We discuss his ethos of DIY culture, building community by playing in bands and booking shows, his unique approach to personal hygiene, and why we should all be drinking big red. I am forever impressed by radical humans who give more they take from their respective cultures, therefore I am stoked to celebrate his efforts in the public eye. He’s an interesting dude and even if you don’t listen to punk or hardcore there’s some good stuff to take away here. Drop in and have a listen!

Jonathan Robbins is a Graveside local and legendary North Carolina DIY disciple, voyaging far and wide to scrub concrete wherever duty calls. Over the years he has shown unwavering valor to the DIY scene, thus becoming a wealth of knowledge in janky building techniques, scene history, and current events. We discuss blowing it as a clueless newbie in a small town skate scene, grinding it out for 4 years to skate in Boone when no parks were available, building a DIY in the parking lot of an open business, getting fired, the power struggle and future of Graveside, and much more. J-Rob is a great friend, every sessions best hype man, and an inspiration to DIYers all across the land. Shut up and tune in!!!

Aaron Collins is a Raleigh, NC based builder, skater, and supervillain. He is a blue collar force of willpower and determination who stops at nothing to complete whatever task he sets his mind to. He is largely responsible for the construction of the most controversial skate obstacle in the entire southeast; the infamous Graveside loop. I wanted to get him on the podcast to speak publicly about his involvement at Graveside, building the punk wall, the backstory of how he ended up running the Graveside Instagram, the buildup of events that led to the loop, and much much more. The subject matter of this episode contains nudity, drugs, slams, and all sorts of entertaining matters that are not appropriate for children. As of now, Graveside is still in safe hands and is taking donations for future builds. You want some? Come and take it!

Robert Thomas is an NC born-and-bred skater who recently defected to Richmond VA. He's bounced all over NC carving his life path and has made immeasurable contributions to skateboarding along the way. When we were at App State together he filmed/compiled iPhone Blues, which is my favorite full-length video of all time. We talked about building at the Boone DIY, bringing his brainchild Crabtree Sanctuary to life, assisting Lurk Report alumni Ashley Galleher with construction at her home skate complex, and much more. This is perhaps the most fried episode to date but everybody loves Bert and I knew he had some epic stories to unlock and share with the masses. Jah bless you all! Now go tre flip a mini board.

This episode features Patrick Peck and Tyler Hall of the SC hardcore band Riot Stares. Riot Stares recently released their debut LP ‘Sounds of Acceleration’ after being dormant for several years. We discussed their backgrounds and introductions to heavy music, the why and how behind their creative process, and their perspective on the tragic loss of their bandmate and friend Issy Varoumas. These gentlemen have been musical role models to myself and many others in the hardcore space for years now, so I believed their story was worth sharing and celebrating on my platform. No skate talk in this one, but take a listen anyways and get schooled on some rad new music for your skatepark playlist!

Caleb Hogue is a skater and musician currently living in Greensboro, NC. He plays drums in a handful of ripping local bands such as A Knife in the Dark, Holy Figures, and Dull Mourning. We share a deep passion around the same the same things and have been friends for quite a few years now, so this episode was both a blast and a breeze. We spoke about the cultural influence of the Tony Hawk games on our skateboarding and music tastes, we shed some light on how the DIY music scene in NC operates in contrast to the skate scene, and we shouted out a bunch of cool local bands and musicians that my normal listener base may not be familiar with. To the only man I know who has drummed for 3 bands at a show back to back to back, thanks for ripping the pod with me!

Bryce McCluskey AKA DaGroundskeeper69 is a local at Graveside DIY, a builder, a musician, and now a verified Lurk Report pinch hitter. He stepped in and saved the day by jumping on the mic with me when a different podcast guest had to bail last minute. We chopped it up over a few beers and talked about Graveside, Sk8 Cary, no handed sweepers, and much more. This is a laid-back burner episode with no expectations, no hidden messages, just two idiots having a great time. All in all Bryce is a solid dude to have on your roster for when plans go south. Be like Bryce. 

JP Pardy is the owner of Recess Skate and Snow in Boone, NC. He is quite possibly the most influential advocate for skateboarding that the town of Boone has ever seen. His notable efforts include but are not limited to legalizing skateboarding for transportation on Appalachian State university, providing funding for the late and great Boone DIY, navigating a ton of bullshit bureaucracy to receive approval for a skatepark in Boone, and singlehandedly coordinating all fundraising efforts that made said skatepark a reality. If you’d like to support the future expansion of the skatepark head to @boonegreenwayskatepark on Instagram and use the link in the bio to donate. Thanks for your service to skateboarding, JP!

Eric Bywaters AKA E-Trade is one of those low key legends that every scene needs. He has weathered the ups and downs of the Hickory NC scene over the years, and has consistently put effort into making skateboarding happen in his small town. He was the manager of Board Paradise skatepark during its glory years, and can now be found frequenting the beloved shit hole DIY. This episode goes out to all the small town skaters doing their best and making it happen.

This episode is a light kick back with my recently acquired homie and fan of the pod, Brett Woodward. We kept it cool and casual as we discussed his background skateboarding with some industry big shots in Phoenix AZ, his current work as a carpenter in Greensboro NC, moving around and trying out new places, and how to be mindful of your mental health and check in with yourself when life get bumpy. He’s a down to earth dude with loads of applicable life experience that I’m excited to share with you all.

Tracy Stallworth is a high-level skater, soon-to-be father, and pillar in the Durham, NC skate community. This dread-headed assassin is known for swiftly shutting down any and all spots in the triangle with tricks most of us can only dream of, but his role in skateboarding goes much deeper than simply ripping. He helps manage Manifest Skate Shop and consistently puts effort into making Durham a flourishing place for skateboarding via community involvement. In this episode we talk Instagram handles, Durham courthouse, Manifest, community building, big ass shorts, and much, much more. During my time in Raleigh I came to deeply admire the scene in Durham and I couldn’t have asked for a better representative to talk about it. 

Matty MacNeil is a skater, builder, and musician living in Wilmington NC. He's been ripping for many decades now, and has gracefully transitioned into building his local scene in more ways than just skating. Matty and his crew are the ones who conceptualized and brought The Space to life, the sickest keyholder spot in the whole damn state. In addition to ruling The Space with an iron fist, he keeps the skate stoke aflame by playing bass for the legendary Wilmington-based skate rock band, Shr3d Crust. He's lived one hell of a life so far, and has tons of stories to tell about his scene, his band, and his crew to show for it. What is the difference between shred and crust? How did his boy scout canoeing partner influence the trajectory of his whole life? How do you kook yourself out of The Space? Take a listen and figure it out!

WILMINGTON IN THE HOUSE!!! Matt Miller is a skater, photographer, and filmer from Wilmington, NC. He’s a well-traveled, well-connected dude who’s immersed himself in several different NC skate scenes over the years. After graduating from the photography program at App State he utilized his talent behind the lens and his network of rippers to create his very own NC skate zine, the infamous Skateboner Mag. All 8 issues of the mag are available in digital format at www.skatebonermag.com, so do your homework and check out some gracefully curated NC skate history. We talked about his inspiration behind starting the mag, trips and people that resulted in epic photo and written content, his role as the treasurer of Asheville foundation, and much more radness. Thanks for the good times and stories, Matt!

Durand Beasley is a high caliber ripper who has lots of love for his home turf, the Outer Banks. He's worked for Artisan Skateparks since the early days, and has had a hand in the construction of many of the finest parks in our state. He was part of the legendary Post 22 crew while they were dominating the scene, and still puts on his for his hometown crew Ruckus to this day. He speaks to what's going on with skateboarding on the OBX, and shares some rad stories from his colorful career and life. This one's a rip.

Welcome to the first ever VIDEO episode of the pod! This time around I sat down with some of the regulars at my local DIY to gather their thoughts and experiences regarding the spot. Eastland was set to be closed to the public soon after the time of recording this, so we were all treating this day as one of the final sessions. This was myself and Rae's way of sending the spot off on a high note and contributing to the memories made here. Eastland's importance in strengthening the fabric of the Charlotte skate scene over the last 7 years is undeniable, so respects simply had to be paid. As of now, it's past the demolition date but Eastland still stands loud and proud. Go out there and get it while you can! Huge thanks to my video department (AKA Rae Holmes) for handling the filming/editing on this one. This episode features: Jake Clary, Robert Grauer, Noah Lee, Addam Myers, Mida Jane, Steven Barrett, and Isaiah Stines. Video format is available on Spotify and Youtube, which you can find via my Instagram bio @the_lurk_report.

Georgia Martin is a highly skilled up-and-coming skater from Charlotte, NC. She came on my radar after I witnessed her casually crush the indoor park in Greensboro on a rainy weekend, and I've been a big fan ever since. Despite being a young buck in the game, she holds it down for Armada Skate Shop, Toy Machine, and Nike SB. We talked about her early years getting into skating, flyouts at Grayson skatepark, getting discovered and put on by Mike Sinclair, and much more. She has a great head on her shoulders and it was a blast to nerd out on skateboarding with her. She's working through a minor injury at the moment, but I have no doubt we'll be seeing some greatness from her in the near future. #GMshreds!

John Martin is a skater, filmer, ramp owner, and shop owner located in Greensboro, NC. In November of 2018 he brought his dreams to fruition and opened the triad area's only skater-owned shop, Stolen Skateshop in downtown Greensboro. I didn't know much about the shop before connecting with John for the interview, but we all know that a core shop is the backbone behind any healthy skate scene so I needed to learn more. We talked about John's origins as a Project 58 grom in Raleigh, how working at a shop informed his decision to later open his own, some GNARLY incidents with break-ins and robberies, and how he has propagated his local scene by hosting events, assembling a team, and more. Do yourself a favor and check out Stolen next time you're in the area. This dude's got it going on! 

AC Pearson is a Charlotte, NC ripper who is a phenomenal ambassador for women’s skateboarding in the city. She’s constantly down in the trenches with her crew putting in work on and off the board. Last year she and her partner Bruce put on an inclusivity focused skate jam/contest at Eastland with the intent of spotlighting all of our beloved “girls, gays, and theys” in the scene. I wholeheartedly believe that skateboarding should be equally as accessible to anyone regardless of their gender identity, so we broke it down podcast style and discussed her experiences as a non-male in the culture. We talked about her wholesome Eastland love story, predictions for how charlotte skateboarding will evolve post-Eastland, why mansplaining sucks, and much, much more. She’s a true people’s champ and I’m glad to call her my friend now. Enjoy!

JT Gleason is a skater and concrete enthusiast from Charleston, SC who has spent a good amount of time in Asheville helping out at the Foundation. JT got a big shout out from Alex Irvine in Episode 8 so I'm happy that I somehow wrangled him into doing an episode himself. I first came across JT at the Boone DIY when he was lending a hand with his concrete finishing expertise on a quarter pipe build for my crew at the time. He's had a nice stint as a sponsored skater for Coda skateboards and has traveled all over the world for skate trips and building projects alike. In this episode we talk about sacking handrails, working at a chocolate factory, building skateparks overseas, and much, much more. He's currently staying and working in Dugspur, VA at The Ranch Camp putting some finishing touches on the vast network of concrete stoke that's growing out there. All in all it was a blessing to meet up and have a conversation with someone who I had known about for a long time but never properly met. I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I did.

Eby Ghafarian is a skater and photographer currently operating out of Charlotte, NC. As the mastermind behind Stoops Magazine, he has documented and exposed some of the deepest cuts of the skate culture far and wide. Successfully executing print media in the digital age is not a task for the faint of heart, so I knew there was a lot to get into with this one. With the help of some talented contributors he has published 10 issues so far, each one standing alone with its own unique unifying theme. We discussed building connections while living in New York, what his motivations were behind the individual issues, and some epic stories from his times on the road filming video parts with like-minded creatives in the game. Check out www.stoopsmag.com to purchase some copies for yourself and take your personal skate mag collection to the next level. As a passionate print enthusiast, Eby's in this game for the long haul and I'm excited to see Stoops live on for countless more issues.