Say what you want, but few names carry as much weight in skateboarding as Josh Kalis. He's been around the block and back, that's for sure, and he's still out there killing it to this day. From his early Toy Machine days to his decade-plus with Alien Workshop to finding what appears to be his forever home at DGK, Kalis has a super inspiring story to tell, both on and off the board.
And in the latest Beyond Boards podcast, Kalis is in the hot seat, which means we get some great LOVE Park stories, some behind-the-scenes insight on his new brand, Silak and a ton of random questions come funneling in from some of skateboarding's finest. Epic conversation, to say the least. Dive in:
Just FYI—it's a three and a half hour conversation, so sometimes it's easier to let the hosts themselves dish out all the nitty-gritty details, you know? Here's what Beyond Boards had to say about the episode:
"Together we discussed his life and career, from picking up his first board in the late 80’s, crossing paths in the early 90’s with a young Jamie Thomas in Dallas, Texas who invited him to California and offered him a spot on the Toy Machine team, getting on Alien Workshop and DC Shoes and settling down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he and Stevie Williams teamed up to push further the concept of plaza skating at the already iconic Love Park spot, joining Stevie on DGK after 13 years on the workshop, moving back with his family to Grand Rapids where he built his own indoor park as well as his clothing brand (@silakbrand) and much more through surprise questions from friends of his, including: Skin Phillips, Jimmy Astleford, Kelly Bird, Kerry Getz [and many more]."
For you young guns out there, consider this a chance to hear firsthand from someone who genuinely helped shaped the culture. For longtime Kalis fans, it’s an opportunity to revisit some of the defining moments that made him a household name.
Enough from me, though—you know what to do. Toss it on in the background and get stoked.
