Tony Hawk had his phone in one hand. The other was occupied by a skateboard, a silver Birdhouse Falcon 3 model with Bones Skatepark Formula wheels.
“I’m literally going to hang up the phone from you and jump on my ramp,” he said in a phone call from San Diego, where he lives with his wife, Catherine Goodman, and the youngest of their six children, Kadence Hawk.
Hawk still gets in daily shreds, whether at a custom concrete skate park at his home or on half-pipes around the world.
Another activity he loves almost as much as skating: playing video games. In 1999, Activision released the first Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game, which became a hit franchise with more than $1.4 billion in sales.
“I’m most proud that it has brought an attention to skateboarding and an interest in it like never before,” Hawk said.
Next week, his first game in five years, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, is scheduled for release. It features new parks and skaters, including Yuto Horigome of Japan and Rayssa Leal of Brazil, who both won medals at last year’s Olympics.
In an interview, Hawk, 57, outlined 10 of his cultural essentials, including his “Game of Thrones”-inspired fireplace and the whiskey he breaks out for special occasions. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
My Skateboard
I always have my skateboard with me. It’s either in the trunk, or it’s in my hand, or, if I’m at the airport, it’s in the overhead. I’m always ready to skate. In L.A., I have to park far away from wherever I am, and I can just skate there. My board is silver — it’s actually one that’s featured in the game, which is not by accident.
Joe Strummer
I’ve been a fan of the Clash from my early days — they were so prolific in their short time together and created so much music that is timeless. I followed Strummer’s career to the Mescaleros. I imagine that, if he were still alive, he probably wouldn’t even agree to a Clash reunion. My favorite Clash song is “Stay Free.”
1911 Whiskey Bottle
I have a pretty extensive whiskey collection — it’s my other passion along with skateboarding. I have some rare bottles, including one from 1911. It had the import stamps on it — it was right before Prohibition, so there was an actual medicine label attached. I only bring it out for rare occasions, and only for someone who truly appreciates the history of such a bottle.
Top Skater
One of the first arcade stand-up games that incorporated a skateboard that you would actually stand on and perform the tricks. I always wanted one, and my office staff got me one for my birthday. The screen was an old-school, big TV screen, and they hacked it so they could put a flat screen on it.
New York City
We usually go a few times a year. The city is so vibrant and fascinating. There are legitimate skate parks in most areas. My favorite place to skate is either Chelsea Piers or Riverside Park — Riverside Park I have a little more fun at. Chelsea Piers is a little more daunting.
Our Kids’ Bedrooms
A majority of the kids still live in the area — we still have one at home, and we have three boys who are living in Los Angeles. So having their rooms there still makes us feel like we have this family unit that’s alive, even though on any given day most of the rooms are empty.
Fisheye Lenses
Some of the best skate footage — even when the cameras weren’t the most advanced — came from depth lenses. They make stunts look much more deadly. It’s like a super-wide-angle lens, and now we have those on our phones.
Our Fireplace
It looks like something out of “Game of Thrones.” Whenever our grandchild comes over, he’s mesmerized by it. It’s one of the coolest things in our house.
Discipline
After I broke my leg three years ago, the discipline it took to get back to a professional level of skating was of a different level than I’d ever known. Since then, I’ve been able to redirect that approach to every other area of my life — in terms of taking care of my body, doing strengthening training, making sure I’m available to our kids during big moments of their lives.
Skate Parks
I love that they give kids who have chosen to do something offbeat a place where they feel supported, like they have a community. I usually show up early in the morning — we call that the “Adult Swim” hour. That’s usually when the older skaters are there. I’m recognized by them, and they’re usually respectful about letting me skate. That’s also when the beginners are there, when the moms and dads are teaching the little ones, because it’s less crowded. I love that atmosphere, that mix of the new generation and the one that stuck with it and still holds it so dear.
Sarah Bahr writes about culture and style for The Times.
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