Lodge Guest, Marcus Grönwall

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Where do you currently live and where are you from ?

Malmö, Sweden.

Tell us a little bit about your past ?

I was born and raised around here. Normal, modern upbringing with divorced parents, step-parents and dislocation. What a question…My past?! Well, everything important in my life has gone down in Malmö. I don’t mind going other places, but this is home. Skating, music, love, drinking, loneliness, friends, work, parenthood. It’s all here.

Why skateboarding ? How did it start for you ?

An older cousin of mine skated in the late 70’s, and I always remembered that board of his. It was a Santa Cruz with Sims wheels, very skinny deck and big green wheels. Well, when I was about 12 or 13 I remember asking my mother to bring it back with her after visiting (my aunt and cousins lived in Öland, about three hours away), because I knew my cousin wasn’t using it anymore. After weeks of waiting, there it was. I came home from school and it was sort of on a chair in my mother’s little workroom. Among the clothes waiting to be ironed and the untuned piano, there it was.

What size set up, wheels & trucks do you currently ride ?

Well, I change it up every now and then. Nothing smaller than 8 and rarely anything bigger than 8.75, though. Thunder trucks since 1991, I think. Right now I’m rocking a fun shape Junkyard Amandus 8.812 that my man Tobbe at Bryggeriet set me up with. He was right, I like it but I had to paint over the graphics. A lot higher quality than I expected and with sort of a flat concave. Really the only reason why I don’t ride Polar decks all the time. I like a flatter concave. Thunder lights 149. I don’t remember why I got the lights. And Bones V4 54 wheels. Well, they were 54 when I got them years ago. And they never ever flatspot.

Do you have any setup rituals, we need to know about ?

No, I keep it simple. Though this thing with just having three bolts and nuts per truck… I never bought it. So, it’s too heavy? Go with just two then. Or one. Ok. No rails or risers, but if I’m inspired and bored I might get a little arty with a sticker sticking out through a hole in the grip tape. Oh, and I try to keep track of which truck is the front one. These days it shouldn’t matter, but I don’t really like going backwards. The back truck needs to be tighter.

Any sponsors ?

God, no. I suck at skating. I got two or three things I know how to do pretty well, but I avoid most obstacles. Though Tobbe at Bryggeriet has my back and sends me anonymous packages filled with stickers and sunglasses from Emerica.

What kind of skateboarding do you prefer ?

Low impact 89-91 street style skating. Manuals, slappies, no complies, wallies, ledges, small stairs and banks.

Do you have a skate spot in your home town you can recommend ?

Damn. This is Malmö, you know. Known for skateboarding, but not known for natural skate spots. If you’re a park person, we’ve got it all. In the summertime, hit the cement parks in Malmö and the surrounding area. In the winter, Bryggeriet is the go-to place. They rebuild the street area every year! Pontus has his pissing ground at TBS, but be warned. It looks cool in the videos, but it’s fucking hard to skate.

Who is your favorite skateboarders ?

If every single pro skater, active or retired or whatever, released a part of new footy simultaneously I would watch Rodney first, then Natas and the Gonz.

School, work, not working or other occupation ?

I’m 44. I work as a special needs teacher here in town.

How is a normal day looking for you ? 

Nothing exciting at all. It’s work from 8 till 16.30. Taking the dog out a few times. When we’ve got a new premiere coming up, I’m cutting skate footy. Otherwise I make music, sometimes alone but more often with friends like MC who took the photos you’re seeing in this interview. There’s also Linus who loves country even more than I do. These guys can make me sound decent, if only I bring some strong material to the table. I try.

Tell us how a good long weekend is looking for you

Well, I don’t go out like I used to. Not that often, anyway. I’m a single dad and I don’t look for love in those places anymore. I like to have some wine, sure. But I want to be working on something at the same time. Lyrics for songs, footy for a teaser, trying to draw a logo. Something. So it usually doesn’t get that late anymore. Unless I hook up with Tobbe. We go back.

Any big plans for 2019 ?

Well the music videos I’ve put out this year are from an imaginary album called TÖS 2. It’s really a collection of home recordings that MC played drums on and then gracefully mixed and mastered. All the songs are gonna be available online. 2019 we are going to record TÖS 3, but in a larger and more professional way. Skating-wise I’d like to make another video, but we need to find some interesting spots AND not be tired and fat. When I can’t sleep, I try to think of tricks and spots.

Christmas is here, will you get or give any big presents this year ?

Not really, I’m grateful that I’m alive and in touch with some of my family still. I just want make my senapssill and my gravlax for people to enjoy. It’s a holiday for kids and they can have it.

How are you going to celebrate new years eve ?

With my daughter at home. A shitload of shrimp, majo, potato chips and Harry Potter.

Who are you hanging out with at the moment ?

Right now, my dog. Rhodesian Ridgeback called Chili. Bitch got back, you know? Big ass construction workers roll up on me on the sidewalk, she be ah hah move.

Who and what is your motivation at the moment ?

Nothing as of the moment. They put out a book by Leonard Cohen posthumously and it is very unfinished. I sort of feel like that. Just get it down and we’ll see what happens to it.

Last country you visited ? and what happened there ?

I spent my last summer in Sicily for a while. I drove a 60’s Cinquecento through the countryside with no lights and a back seat full of kids without seatbelts. I hated it. Then I saw Sleep in Copenhagen at the end of the summer. I don’t which was more intense, but Sleep kicked ass.

What was the last gnarly thing you witnessed ?

Just today one of my students threw a plate of salmon with hollandaise at another student. I was like, really? With the sauce? All that butter?

What was the last item you bought ?

Besides groceries, a Boss CE-5 pedal for my guitar. I’m getting serious ‘bout my sound. Watch out Santana!

What do you do besides skateboarding, do you have other hobbies, other interests ?

I might’ve mentioned making music? Other than that, writing little silly poems, watching sci-fi and cooking.

What is your to go to restaurant, you wanna share ?

Sure, I’ll share. I love good food but I will eat anything. Ok, falafel and kebab? Nydala Kebab or Falafel Baghdad. Asian? You go to Restaurang Asien, a block from Möllevångstorget. Sushi? Yukai on Bergsgatan. Fine dining? Ask yo bitch. Or my bitch.

When you cook food, what do you cook ?

I’ve got two weak spots, Italian and Swedish. So I’ll make Kalops (thick beef stew cooked for hours) or fried herring with mashed potatoes served with lingonberries. Or I’ll make the greatest lasagne you’ve ever had! Or risotto biancho.

Whats your top 3 favorite drinks ?

Ok, I’m not really a drinks type of person. But caipirinha will get you there. If you’re like me, stick to beers. Beer is trouble enough.

How do you see the future of skateboarding ?

It’s always going to go through phases. Nyjah looked ridiculous, now Supreme looks ridiculous. I looked ridiculous in 1992 when I looked exactly like Rick Howard. But we’re skating. Skill was never really important. Then Rodney would’ve shut it down. Let the kids decide.

Who do we need to interview on the lodge ?

Get Nils Svensson to lay it out. He\’s got stories for weeks.

Do you ever think about a future with no skateboarding ?

No I don’t think about it. In my short life it’s always been around. Maybe it’s like rock music. The commies and the islamists banned it. Did it die? No, it just went underground, DJURA!

Last words, did we miss anything ?

You missed everything, my friend. Thank you so much!

 

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