We should probably start out with your biggest news. You are going to be having surgery on your back to correct some issues. How did you hurt your back? Do you have any idea of what the surgery will be like?
A while ago I hurt my back really bad and couldn’t walk for couple weeks and was in terrible pain. I got through that and did loads of rehab and got myself back into riding shape. It seems like its never really been completely together though. Ever since I’ve felt like if I pump too hard my back will give out. I hurt it again just a few weeks ago. I don’t know if its new, or the same thing, but its been pretty bad lately. I’m reduced to laying around and maybe getting a little exercise for a hour or two and paying for that with lots of pain.
I’m scheduled for a spinal fusion where they remove the ruined disc and instead use screws and plates to bolt two vertebrae together. Its pretty intense surgery, but also fairly routine. The only thing I’m really not looking forward to is 6 month recovery time.
Do you have insurance to help cover your costs for this operation? It seems like BMX has that problem.
I didn’t have insurance when I lost my spleen and the bills got up to like $44,000 by the end. I’ve stayed on insurance ever since. Insurance is such a huge headache though. I’ll still have to pay like $12,000 in the end. Its really tough to win with insurance companies thats for sure! But, its way better then it could be. I’m hoping to sell my house so that I can catch up on all these bills and stuff.
You will be off the bike for six months. What will you be doing with your time off the bike? I’d imagine you will get to know your couch pretty well.
Yeah, right now its a drag. Its hard to sit or stand for any length of time. That kind of eliminates traveling or doing much. Even sitting around and drawing is kind of hard. I feel kind of dead in the water till I have the surgery. Afterwards I hope to focus everything i have on rehab. I really want to ride! I don’t know though… 6 months?!?! So long. I want to make another zine, do some drawing and possible even take some classes at the college near my house. It just depends on how and when I can start moving around.
How do your sponsors feel about you not being able to ride? Will there be any changes at all until you are back on your bike?
They all know that injuries are part of BMX. Its a bummer for everyone invovled of course… I want to ride and they want me riding, but its just the way it goes. I’m lucky really, my riding career has been pretty injury free (knock knock).... or at least “major” injury free. I think of guys like Joe Rich who went through like 3 different six month long knee surgeries and I don’t know how he could handle it.
Do you have any other sponsor news involving you other than above?
No. I’m pretty content where I am and I really haven’t worried about finding new ones or anything. Maybe I can talk my doctor into sponsoring me or something… that would be sweet.
Do you think things will be different in six months when you can get back on your bike? Will you be taking it a little easier or hopefully get back to full strength?
Have to wait in see. I know what its like to feel rusty and what a head game that is to get through. You can get through it fast, but it seems like forever. I hope to be in good shape through rehab and stuff, but riding shape and having your riding skills down just takes riding time and there’s no way around it.
A lot has changed in BMX since you have started. You were featured in the first issue of Dig. If you had to go back to any point in your career to pick as your favorite. When would you go back to?
I’m happy where I am (even despite my current state). I do miss my days of living near Posh and feeling so at home on dirt. I do miss the feeling of knowing my bike so well.
Now that you have had quite a bit of time away from running Terrible One, do you have any desire to start another brand of any form?
A little bit… sometimes. I don’t know… I have ideas and stuff running through my head that I’d like to create, but so many aspects of business (sales calls, accounting) I don’t miss at all. At least now I can give myself a good reality check when those fantasies start running through my mind.
Alright, enough with BMX. How has your art been coming along? Have you been working on anything special lately? Do you ever sell your work?
I haven’t been doing anything. Just sort of preoccupied lately with pain management. I wouldn’t say I’m in agonizing pain or anything, but there’s enough that I find it very difficult to concentrate on anything. I never have sold any I don’t think… I don’t know.... Its never very serious for me. Just something I do once in a while some of the time.
How about your music. Are you working on any new songs, full albums, touring, or anything like that?
Haven’t played at all lately. Same as above. Wearing a heavy bass is hard on me at the moment. I’m a sad sack just drooling at the TV lately. Ha Ha!
Speaking of touring, did you ever go on that cross country road trip you had planned?
I started to, but on my first day camping way up in northern Michigan it snowed and was 23 degrees. Instead I went and spent a while in Cleveland to feel that place out. I had planned to be on my trip now, but alas, here I am.
How are the dogs? I think the last time we talked a few months ago you had just got a new pup.
Dogs are well. They are keeping me company and making sure I don’t spend the whole day laying around. I got to get them out and about at least a little bit each day.
Do you have any plans for tonight?
Nope…
To finish this out. Where do you see yourself in six months?
Who knows… hopefully feeling healthy, pain free and RIDING!
Photo captions by Taj
“Well, my shoe got a cover once. I can always say that.”
Dig Issue 6
“There was a time when a decently high wall tap could earn you a cover. Such simpler times… Also, nice to share a cover with John Paul’s arm.”
Dig Issue 10
“I have no idea when or where this photo is from. Those shorts are pretty long though.”
Photo: Sandy Carson
“This was a ramp I built for an Etnies ad. My idea was to take the ramp to a bunch of spots and take photos of it doing different things. I tied it to this pillar with rope!”
Photo: Sandy Carson
“Springy fence’s are so weird to ride. You get that weird slow motion stall going. This is a natural street spot that always seemed like it should be cooler then it was. Look at how cool that ramp is! Just never could figure out much to do here. “
Photo: Sandy Carson
“The old skatepark of Austin had this cool little mini tucked into a corner for a while. It seemed like everytime they built something I really liked, they would tear it out a month later. “
Photo: Sandy Carson
“Another natural austin street spot that is really good. This ditch has been skated and ridden for at least 20 some years.”
Photo: Sandy Carson
“This was another shot from the Etnies “ little ramp” shoot. See it tucked back behind the curved wall? I had to go so fast to make this work… it was pretty fun.”
Photo: Sandy Carson
“At the first ever Hoffman BS contest (jan 92) Dave Voelker and I were riding a wallride while Eddie Roman filmed. The Voelker footage ended up in Ride Like a Man but not the stuff of me. I did this trick there and its still a lot of fun to pull out once in a while. Go give some Nac Nac footplant wallrides a try. I think you’ll like it. “
Photo: Sandy Carson
“I’ve never seen a topside can can I like, but I can’t figure out how to do them downside. Yucky style!”
Photo: Sandy Carson
“I’ll be bummed if you call this a nac nac. This is what Rich “Butcher” Bartlett called a sweeper and I’m sticking to that. Its just like a nac nac, but the bike is vertical instead of sideways. “
Taj at the Dig House in Ireland in 2003.
Photo: Sandy Carson
Classic Taj part from the Anthem video
Taj’s recent part in the Odyssey Electronical video.
