Chet Childress: Can't grab stalefish. (Heads_Childress).

Do you consider yourself a handicapped skateboarder?

I have a crooked-ass arm but I can walk straight and skate straight. I just can't grab stalefish.

Who influenced your skating back in North Kakalakee, North Carolina?

The Cold Crew all tore up. All the Ramp House locals, Morris and Brian Wainwright, Blaize Blouin, my brother Clint, Trey Womble, and random North Carolina heads.

Any guys in the mags that got you especially hyped?

Hell yeah. Ben Schroeder, Reese Simpson, Jason Jessee, and the almighty Duane Peters.

Back then you were skating a place called the Ramp House. Did you have a posse, and if so was there a rival gang?

No, I was too ignorant of a kid to have a posse. All I cared about was skateboarding. I just went to the park everyday. I was a straightedge kid. If I was there now, I'd have a crew. It would have been the Cold Crew because those were the guys who were doing it and having way more fun than I was.

Do you get a lot of skating done on the road? What does it take to keep a guy ripping everyday, sesh after sesh?

Real killer spots, the team, hanging with the crew... Your homies jump out of the van and you know someone is going to be ripping.

How important are the contests?

They are not important. The only thing important to me is that it's a free trip and it's fun to skate. I hate the ones where everyone is super jocked out. It's fun when there's a cool, laid-back contest with free beer. I'm just there having a good time and stoked on the free trip.

What do you dream about in regards to skating?

I just dream about day to day sessions and not stopping. Skating with my friends, pool coping, abstract street spots, whatever it takes.

What happened to vert skating?

Shit, nothing happened to vert skating. I still skate vert. After awhile--skating vert by myself in big Kakalakee--everyone got burned out. Two walls get a little old after awhile. You have to stretch out and get a little action in your life. Plus, I don't like strapping on pads everyday and staring down metal coping.

What about pool skating?

It's the ultimate, almost like street skating because there are too many options. You go to one pool with perfect coping, one with jacked coping, and others have good or bad trannies. You just have to adapt. Give it up, don't ever rag on Salba.

Alright, chicks with sticks or park cooter?

Doesn't matter. Cooter in general, I don't care. If a chick's ripping and she wants to make out, let's do it.

Skatopia or Charleston?

Skatopia, because it's more raw. I like the Charleston Hanger because of a couple dudes that are rad, but Charleston has too much of a drama for me.

Which is the sleazier coast?

It's all sleazy, I don't care where you're at. Ocean Beach, CA, is the sleaziest place I have ever been. I grew up in the pirate coast, North Carolina, and we have our haggard people too.

Favorite American skater?

All the raw dogs: 151, Anti-Hero, Drehobl, Jason Adams, Brauch, Barley, Senn. The guys out there not wearing flashy clothes, just getting some.

Who needs the head butts?

All the jocks in there worrying about the industry shit everyday--who lipslid what rail. Go catch a grind and just chill.

Who would you like to give props to?

All the raw dogs. If you don't know who I'm talking about, you will.

Predict the future and who do you want to be skating with?

My team. Everyone on the team is on the same level, no one is trying to be the superstar. I predict that skateboarding is going to get better; it's getting to the point where it's about all terrain. Like you said, we may not be getting paid like kings, but we are living like kings. It's insane, the timing right now--with the killer shit we have to skate and all the skateparks being built--I'm just psyched to have a job. And I like my job. I don't have some dude telling me to pick street or pick vert like in the past. That's why I had to get a new project.

Fifteen stairs or shallow end stairs?

Both, but you people don't know it--it's probably harder to go over shallow end stairs with tranny.

What's been your scariest drop-in?

Waking up in San Jose a few days after Tim Brauch died. I want to give it up to Brauch, Phil Shao, Jeff Phillips. They are all up there in Heaven and they have a skatepark, ripping it.

Tell me your worthy sponsors.

I'd like to give it up to all my sponsors, 'cause anyone who supports me with what I do is pretty cool. That's 151 skateboards; Vans--basically saved my life, kept my belly fed, kept me on the road, I'll wear the stripes 'til I die; Revolution wheels; Independent trucks, the most mature truck company out there; Smith optical; 1984 clothing; Old Scratch griptape; and NC skates.

What about Zachery?

Is an eight-year-old beautiful being that somehow I made. I'm not with his mom anymore, but he's hot shit. He's the whole reason why I have everything that I have now. He made me grow up quick and he gave me responsibilities, got me real hyped on everything--third grade and all A's.

Thanks list?

Thanks to my old man and my brother Clint who went through the gnarliest struggle of his life last year. He got done wrong, but he's coming back. My son Zachary and his mother Amanda who does an awesome job at raising our son. Lindsey, 151, Navarrette, Preston Maigetter, Rhino, and anyone who supports Crooks out there. Anyone who is down for skating and anyone who has helped me out, you know who you are.

Your a good example to us all, Chet.

That's right.