Portrait photography by Keith Wilson
Skating photography by Jess Dyrenforth
Words by Randy Spizer, Dave Paine, Josh Petty, Eric Schrijn, Robert Lievanos and Dominic Sagona
One time when were on tour, everybody was in the van ready to go when we realized Louie was nowhere to be found. I went to his hotel room to find him still sleeping. I proceeded to wake him, tell we are waiting for him to go, and that we needed to hurry because we were running late. I then returned to the van. 15 minutes go by still no Louie. I went back to his room, he was in the shower and his bags were not even packed yet! I think we ended up being an hour late to that tour stop, and on top of that the van ran outta gas in the parking lot of the skate park when we arrived.
-Randy Spizer
Louie with the smooth signature backside royale
I would have to say the best (and there were many) great moments with Mr. Louie Zamora were on the sunshine tours, the filming of his VG profile in 14, the pound for pound tour, Australia, and any random SD day. To be more precise: Louie, Rob G, Beau and myself going to SF together was an epic moment. The famous grapevine scene. Another funny ass moment was when Louie found a lost dog at a 7-11 during the sunshine tour. Louie and I snuck that dog into 3 hotels over 4 states during the snowstorm of the decade. We never missed a date. During VG 14, Louie skating Rincon while the best skateboarders in the world watched!
Louie Zamora’s style and grace was his biggest contribution to rollerblading. Louie’s fluidity and steeze was the benchmark for all young guns to emulate. Louie embraced what the 90’s youth movement and progression in rollerblading truly represented.
-Dave Paine, VG4LIFE. Louie’s friend, confidant, and older brother since 1995.
Dat Sweatstance
Well I don’t have a specific story about Louie but that’s because I have known him for almost twenty years and with two wild guys like us there have been a lot of interesting times. Roman candle wars. People getting shoved out of the bunks on the Senate bus while sleeping, carne asada burrito eating contests that resulted in vomit flying in small engine three seater planes to skate camp, I think that was Louie. Midnight gymnastic equipment tests on the trampolines at Lake Owen. (I got black listed from there for throwing fireworks in the bunk bed of a skateboarder camper I didn’t like while he slept). Louie shooting a bottle rocket at me and jumping head first out the window one time too and that’s not even getting into the countless parties we have been to around the world or all the times we had so much fun I can’t remember. But what is the coolest part knowing Louie is the fact that we have known each other for so long and we’ve been chilling since before either of us were even sponsored. I mean we used to have sleepovers and his mom would make us food while we watched skate videos. The time I remember the best that makes me smile just to think about was one time we stayed up almost all night cracking on my brother Brian Jagger’s about his braces and the fact that when he ate it sounded like he was chewing on forks And knives. If Louie was good at anything he was good at clowning on fools. Him and I together could tear someone apart and this time we had each other in tears. But that is the kind of fun we had every time we skated or hung out which was a lot. It has been so cool to watch the both of us grow up from little 13-year-old skaters to full on world traveling pros having a blast around the world. We used to sit up and talk about the pros and watch their videos to being the pros making the videos. I mean we went on our first European tour together on the Senate tour. We spent months in a van for the sunshine tours. We spent month or so on the Senate prison bus tours. Countless ASA tours. We started Second Regime together even our wives were friends before we met them. Ravers. Haha. Anyway, Louie has been an amazing friend and we have had a wild ride together. Those will be the times I think about on my deathbed and I was lucky enough to spend them with a cool cat Like Louie Zamora. Love that guy. Hahaha
-Josh Petty
Check the commitment on this misfit kids.
I don’t know where to start really… Hhhmmmm probably when everyone got to go to Rome Italy for a comp. It was in 1999 and team Rollerblade and some senate riders, Joe Navran, Josh Petty and a couple other guys were on this trip. Ultimately we were there for an awesome comp but we ditched it and went site seeing! Went to the Vatican City and saw the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s church, and all of old empire ruins… Honestly it was one of the best trips I ever had the chance to go on. Louie and I got into some crazy adventures but that Rome trip was the gnarliest!
-Eric Schrijn
Picture perfect alley-oop topsoul
The first story that comes to mind is when I picked Louie up from the airport after he took 2nd in the Gravity Games and won $10,000! He got in my car, showed me the check and I thought he put the check in his wallet. I was cleaning my car a couple weeks later and found his check. I called and asked, “Louie, are you missing anything?” He said, “No, not that I know of.” I gave him a hint and he finally realized he didn’t have his $10,000 check. He cruised over and picked it up but we all had a good laugh about it.
-Robert Lievanos
Aright already, we get it Louie, you’re great at alley-oop tricks, especially this AO fish with the grab.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know the Gooie, then you know he can be a mischievous little booger. One of my favorite tour moments with him was taking pleasure in inflicting some mild pain and humiliation upon him during a live TV interview. We were in Palavas France at a contest, and he was on the course being questioned by some reporters with some cameras rolling live, when I rolled up behind him, pressed two pellet guns to his neck, and with one on each side, I fired them at point blank range. It put him at a loss for words on live television, and at the time I guess I found it pretty hilarious even though I’m sure he still thinks otherwise. I don’t think he ever really got me back for it, but if he did I don’t remember. But I do remember him making me some guacamole after the fact, which proves that Louie is a pretty nice guy. Thanks for the guac Lou.
-Dominic Sagona
If you want to see more from Louie Zamora make sure to get the latest Be-Mag Issue #39 here.
