Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Voted #1 Radio Station in the Missoula Valley, Trail 1033's Official Podcast makes exclusive on-air interviews, performances, new music and interesting conversations available to you on demand.
Enjoy daily uploads following community interviews on the Morning Trail show with Robert Chase, occasional live performances from both new and landmark bands and artists. Check out the Lunchbox every weekday at Noon, as Mike Smith dishes up a great block of themed music, interviews and more. New music your thing? Every Tuesday 6PM-7PM, enjoy The New Show hosted and produced by Tommy Evans.
Catch so much more interesting and timely conversation and, of course, amazing music from Robert, Mike and Tommy - LIVE- on The Trail 1033FM in Missoula and around the world at trail1033.com every day from 6AM until 9PM.
See what we're up to at trail1033.com or give us a call at 406-721-6800
Mike Smith:
You know one of those guys?
Andy Kemmis:
Yeah.
Chris Bacon:
Yeah.
Mike Smith:
Live Pearl Jam recorded just over here back in 2018 on Trail 103.3, KDTR-FM, Florence-Missoula. I'm Mike Smith. Andy Kemmis and Chris Bacon are in the Trail Studio today.
Hey guys!
Andy Kemmis:
Hey!
Chris Bacon:
Yeah!
Mike Smith:
Well, you guys are sharing a microphone, but you're good friends, so thanks for doing that.
Chris Bacon:
We'll get closer.
Andy Kemmis:
We like looking at each other.
Mike Smith:
I've just got to ask—top of mind—Chris, you came in today and handed Andy a pair of tidy whities. What was that all about? This is live radio!
Chris Bacon:
This is live radio!
Well, I got a really awesome gift from Andy about a year ago. It was a pair of Handerpants...hand underpants. Tidy-whity hand underpants.
Mike Smith:
Perfect. So they're underpants that go on your hand?
Chris Bacon:
Right! Fingerless gloves, but they look like underwear.
Mike Smith:
Always stylish.
Chris Bacon:
Exactly.
So my good buddy Andy just had a birthday, and I found the perfect gift for him at a show over in Bozeman. The band was called Schlong—it was a reunion show—and I thought, "This is absolutely Andy's birthday present."
Mike Smith:
All right, I'm going on the website right now. I need a pair myself.
Chris Bacon:
Oh yeah. Get some.
Mike Smith:
Gentlemen, among many things, you guys are skateboard enthusiasts. You believe in community, in giving kids something positive to do, and in everything that skateboarding represents.
Andy Kemmis:
One hundred percent.
Chris Bacon:
Yeah. You nailed it.
Mike Smith:
You've been in the Trail Studio multiple times talking about these projects. Let's start with Montana Grind.
We're coming off the documentary film festival where it screened, and now it's been making the rounds. I even saw the Pearl Jam Ten Club talking about it this week.
Where are things now? Where can people see it? What should people know about Montana Grind?
If you haven't seen it, it's about the skateparks that have been built all over Montana.
Andy Kemmis:
Yeah. Montana Grind was made by Brazilian filmmaker Dan Rees, who's been coming to Montana for probably 12 to 15 years, documenting the skateboard scene here and following both the skateboarders and the evolution of skateparks throughout the state.
He created this really beautiful film that captures not only skateboarding, but also the lives of the skateboarders and how skateparks have changed the lives of so many kids around Montana.
A lot of the story centers around the Fender Skatepark in Browning, Montana. It's really a phenomenal slice of life showing where skateboarding is today in Montana.
It's a very tender film. It gets into the lives of people who've been positively affected by skateboarding and by having these skateparks. At the same time, it also shows that life in Montana can be difficult, and that's part of the story too.
Chris Bacon:
The isolation here is actually one of the things that breeds creativity and gives people the desire to build skateparks in their communities.
It all feeds into using skateboarding as an outlet.
One thing our friend Jeff Ament really understands is growing up in a tiny town.
Mike Smith:
Absolutely.
Chris Bacon:
He gets it.
We were actually just in Big Sandy a couple weekends ago for the 16th Annual Pig Roast.
Mike Smith:
That had to be fun.
Chris Bacon:
It was awesome.
There were a few new things happening besides the skate jam and the punk show. One of them was a panel discussion that Andy and I were part of. It included Jeff Ament, Dan Rees, Billy and Katherine from Evergreen Skateparks, Jay Stevens, Alora, and especially J.C. and Jay Bitsui, who are featured in Montana Grind.
They spoke directly about what you're talking about—but from their own perspective.
We all thought it was incredible.
You could really see how impactful skateboarding has been for them. Sometimes they don't even have words for it. They just keep coming back to, "Skateboarding changed my life."
They're tearing up...I'm tearing up right now.
It's incredible.
For us to hear that firsthand was amazing, and you'll definitely experience some of that in the film.
Mike Smith:
I think people are also going to feel that when they pick up Grit to Grind, your book.
When you came in before, I remember being so moved by the photographs. Andy, your images of skateparks, skateboarders, and all the different people that skateboarding brings together.
Andy Kemmis:
That's one of the coolest things about it.
You've got everyone from super-famous rock stars all the way down to a kid growing up way out in rural Montana.
It's a very democratizing lifestyle.
Mike Smith:
And it's incredibly inclusive.
That seems like one of the foundations of skateboarding.
Andy Kemmis:
Yeah.
It's baked in.
It's not something people have to strive toward—it's simply part of skateboarding.
You can take your skateboard anywhere in the world, show up at a skatepark, and instantly have friends.
You look across the park and think, "We're in the same club."
Mike Smith:
Let's circle back to Montana Grind.
Where can people watch it right now?
Chris Bacon:
I actually checked in with Dan because they just wrapped up a pretty big run of screenings.
I think right now you can still download it through the Pearl Jam website, and that's probably the easiest way to watch it all at once.
They just finished a series of screenings around Montana before and after the Big Sandy event. Dan's out in Seattle now, but that's probably your best option for the moment.
You can also follow @MontanaGrind on Instagram to keep up with future screenings and whatever comes next.
I think they're working toward a larger release, so stay tuned.
Mike Smith:
And Grit to Grind can be picked up locally?
Andy Kemmis:
Absolutely.
The best place is Board of Missoula, at 618 South Higgins.
If you really want your purchase to support skateboarding as much as possible, buy it directly from the shop.
You can also order it through boardofmissoula.com.
Mike Smith:
Who's the skateboarder on the cover?
Andy Kemmis:
Kim Peterson.
That photo was taken in Alberton, Montana.
Mike Smith:
That's about as rad as it gets.
Andy Kemmis:
She's amazing.
A legend in Montana skateboarding and just an incredible human being.
Mike Smith:
This weekend would be a great time to stop into Board of Missoula—whether you're a skateboarder, shopping for your kids, or even just looking for shoes.
Pick up the book and throw it on your coffee table.
Chris Bacon:
I've actually heard of people buying coffee tables just so they have somewhere to display the book.
Mike Smith:
That's setting the bar pretty high.
I could even see vacation rentals and Airbnbs keeping a copy around.
Chris Bacon:
Exactly.
Mike Smith:
I'm Mike Smith, and this is Trail 103.3. We're talking about the Philipsburg Skatepark Shred the Ribbon celebration with special guest Jeff Ament happening this weekend in Philipsburg.
Where do we start, Andy?
Andy Kemmis:
Point your car toward Philipsburg, Montana, and head to Zane's Park.
From about 12:00 to 3:00 PM—or thereabouts—come early and stay late. It's the grand opening of the Philipsburg Skatepark, which Chris and I, through the Montana Skatepark Association, helped make happen, along with Jeff and the Montana Pool Service crew.
But especially the local Philipsburg community. They really stepped up and got it done.
Chris Bacon:
Huge shout out to Ruby and Sue and everybody over there. It's been an awesome adventure working with them.
Andy and I have even gone into the schools a couple of times to talk with the kids, let them know the skatepark was coming, and get everybody excited.
Mike Smith:
They bring you guys into the schools?
Chris Bacon:
Yeah, we've done quite a bit of that.
Mike Smith:
That's so different from when I was growing up. I graduated in 1990, and I can't imagine the administration saying, "Hey, we're bringing a couple skateboarders into the school today."
But things have changed, and you guys have been a huge part of that change.
One thing that's really cool about the Philipsburg Skatepark—and honestly all of the skateparks—is that they're community driven.
It's not just a group coming into town saying, "Here's your skatepark."
You work with the community. Everybody has a voice, and you build it together.
Andy Kemmis:
Exactly.
That's by design.
Every community that wants a skatepark has to have skin in the game because it's their park.
Every town sees the value, and every town has different ideas. Time and time again, people step up and make it happen.
Mike Smith:
And they're all different.
In another world, you'd just build the exact same skatepark everywhere, but that's not how it works.
Every community has its own unique design.
That's one reason you guys—and Jeff and so many others—travel around Montana visiting these parks.
They're becoming destinations.
Chris Bacon:
Absolutely.
I've seen carloads of people coming through the shop, especially over the last few years as more parks have opened and people have discovered them.
They're coming to celebrate birthdays.
They're planning road trips around them.
They're coming specifically to skate Montana.
People want to experience the different bowls, the different features, and just the atmosphere.
They really see what Montana's skate scene is all about—friendly, welcoming, and everybody skating together.
Andy Kemmis:
That was so obvious at the Big Sandy Pig Roast.
Sixteen years ago it was mostly locals camping out with tents.
Now you've got Sprinter vans and trailers with license plates from California, Oregon, Washington—everywhere.
Chris Bacon:
That's just skateboarders who have jobs now.
Andy Kemmis:
And who appreciate a comfortable bed.
But it's really fun watching all these people point their vehicles toward Montana.
Along the way they stop to fish, float the rivers, visit different skateparks, eat at local restaurants, and experience these communities.
It's bigger than skateboarding.
Skateboarding is simply the magnet that brings them here.
Mike Smith:
As my business-minded friends would say...
It's a real economic driver.
Chris Bacon:
Oh yeah.
Absolutely.
Mike Smith:
So once again, the Philipsburg Skatepark Shred the Ribbon celebration is tomorrow from 12:00 until 3:00 PM.
There will be demonstrations featuring scooters, skateboards, and BMX bikes.
Free helmets and sunscreen.
Sign up for skateboard clinics.
Watch professional skateboarders.
Five-dollar food plates.
Bring a chair.
What's on the food plate?
Chris Bacon:
Food.
Andy Kemmis:
Probably chips.
Something off the grill.
Maybe a rhythm.
Mike Smith:
When you come over for the grand opening, don't just leave afterward.
Spend some time in Philipsburg.
It's such a fun little community, and they really went all out to make this happen.
The candy store is always a favorite.
Chris Bacon:
I think it's actually open seven days a week now.
There's also the newer brewery, some really cool bookstores, cafés...
It's just a quaint town with great people.
Mike Smith:
Historic buildings.
The lake.
Then after the ribbon cutting wraps up around 3:00, there's Boots in the Berg starting around 3:30 PM closer to downtown.
So it's really a full day of activities.
Andy Kemmis:
Exactly.
Show up early.
Stay late.
There's going to be fun happening all over town.
Mike Smith:
And here's some good news.
According to the National Weather Service, it'll actually be six or seven degrees cooler in Philipsburg than Missoula tomorrow.
High of only 89 degrees.
Chris Bacon:
Sounds delicious.
Mike Smith:
Although at the skatepark it'll probably still feel like 101.
Chris Bacon:
Not much warmer than that.
One thing that ties into this whole weekend—and really the entire summer—is our annual event called Madness in the Mountains.
It's a statewide skateboard scavenger hunt that's all run through an app.
Download the app, join the experience, and complete missions for points.
I think we're up to 267 different missions now.
Mike Smith:
That's really cool.
Chris Bacon:
If you're coming to the Philipsburg grand opening, don't forget to claim those points.
We even added a mission right before coming on the radio today.
People can tune into this interview, record a clip of us talking, and submit it for points.
Mike Smith:
That's awesome.
You've already got some quality clips from us.
Chris Bacon:
Exactly.
Mike Smith:
With our radio voices.
Chris Bacon:
And me talking about underwear.
Mike Smith:
You guys always sound great.
Whenever you reach out, it's an easy "yes" to have you on the show.
Chris Bacon:
We really appreciate it.
We appreciate every opportunity to spread our love of skateboarding.
Mike Smith:
I also want to thank everyone here at Missoula Broadcasting.
Management always reminds me to keep things local, and that's exactly what we're doing.
Not every radio station would dedicate airtime to conversations like this.
We're happy to have you here.
I also want listeners to know that if you're in the neighborhood—or just driving down Radio Way off North Reserve—we've got Madness in the Mountains stickers that Chris brought in today.
Stop by, say hello to Mazzy at the front desk, and grab one.
Chris Bacon:
I'll even sweeten the deal.
I think I've got a couple shirts out in my car too.
Mike Smith:
Nice!
So stop by, grab some swag, and then head over to Philipsburg for the Shred the Ribbon celebration.
Mike Smith:
So if someone's driving over from Missoula tomorrow, how do they find the skatepark once they get to Philipsburg?
Andy Kemmis:
It's actually pretty easy.
The skatepark is located at Zane's Park, and if you type that into Google Maps, it'll take you right there.
If you're coming from Missoula, you'll pass the main turn into downtown Philipsburg. Keep going another quarter mile or so until you see the airport sign, then take a left.
You'll probably see plenty of cars and people gathered there.
The skatepark sits in a big open area within Zane's Park, alongside the playground. It's on the southeast side of the park.
Mike Smith:
Great.
Chris Bacon:
Honestly, one of the best parts about traveling around Montana is arriving in a town you've never skated before.
You know the town's name, but then you get there and think, "Okay...where's the skatepark?"
In a lot of these small towns, though, you can almost swing a belt buckle and hit it.
Finding it becomes part of the adventure.
Mike Smith:
And what a great town Philipsburg is.
You've got the ghost town up on the hill...
Andy Kemmis:
Yeah, there's a little bit of everything there.
Mike Smith:
It's too bad Randy wasn't here today.
Didn't he have a whole list of things to do in Philipsburg?
Chris Bacon:
That's right!
Randy's Rants—a new segment we were going to start here on Trail 103.3.
Andy Kemmis:
Randy's always here in spirit.
Mike Smith:
I actually saw Randy on television the other day, and Jeff Ament was there too.
At these events, Jeff may be a member of Pearl Jam, but when he's at a skatepark...
He's just one of the skaters.
He's down to earth.
He's approachable.
He's just a genuinely good guy.
Chris Bacon:
Exactly.
Like all of us, he's passionate about something that has the ability to change lives.
He believes that if you share that joy with other people, positive things can happen.
When it comes down to it, he's just a really rad dude.
We're incredibly fortunate to have him supporting skateboarding here in Montana and around the world.
Andy Kemmis:
And then you actually get to skate with him.
You're just carving around together, taking turns, feeding off that energy that skateboarding creates.
It's kind of surreal.
It goes right back to what we were talking about earlier—the inclusiveness of skateboarding.
It doesn't matter if you're in Pearl Jam.
It doesn't matter if it's your third day on a skateboard.
Everybody gets to use the skatepark.
Everybody gets to have fun.
And before long, you're all friends.
That's just how skateboarding works.
Mike Smith:
Healthy.
Inclusive.
Everything you could want.
The Philipsburg Skatepark Shred the Ribbon celebration is tomorrow.
Before we wrap things up, any final thoughts?
Chris Bacon:
Final thoughts?
Besides...
We miss you, Randy.
Andy Kemmis:
I just want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has supported skateboarding over the years.
Especially over the last 20 to 25 years that we've been working through the Montana Skatepark Association.
To see what's happening now is honestly beyond anything we ever imagined.
But it's going to keep happening because people continue to support these communities and these projects.
Mike Smith:
Absolutely.
Chris Bacon...
Andy Kemmis...
Have a great weekend, gentlemen.
Chris Bacon:
Thank you so much for having us.
Andy Kemmis:
Thanks, Mike.
Mike Smith:
Always a pleasure.
Enjoy the grand opening in Philipsburg, and thanks for everything you're doing for skateboarding across Montana.