… and you’re about to find out how awesome this dude is.
Can you tell us your name, age, hometown, how long you have been into bmx, and what do you do for a job?
Miguel David Esparza, 38.5 years old, I pay a mortgage in Austin, TX, I call it home. I’ve been into the bmx since the late ’70s. Poppin wheelies, buildin jumps, breakin bikes.
What makes Austin, Austin?
This one time I was tryin to throw an old tire onto the street light in front of my place (not easy) and a guy drives by in a big ol’ fancy grey benz mad doggin’ me, then pulls into the parking lot gets out all corporate and walks over to me. I think he’s about to give me shit about the light or whatever, instead he says, “can i try that?” I gave him three tries and he missed. I keep Austin, Austin.
How have you seen Austin change over the years?
When I first moved to town you’d ride around and see people with baggy pants on and seat posts, and peeps were all about high fives.
Can you compare Austin today to Austin 10 years ago?
Now tight pants, negative seat posts, and peeps are all about poundin’. Plus there’s wall ride marks on walls that 10 years ago never would’ve been considered, thanks Ruben…
Music and bicycles seem a big part of the culture in Austin, how come?
Everyone rides around with iPods on full blast then if you ride bikes it’s maybe cuz you want to be a rock star, if you’re a rock star you maybe wanna ride your bike on walls and shit, so then you move to Austin. Start diggin your own secret spot get your feeb grid on at the c ledge, then start a band with some dudes you met at the spot. maybe…
What are some of the parallels between bike and music lifestyles?
Both seem kinda dirty, the need to get out and spread that dirtyness, and meet other people that are equally or even more dirty than the ones they are already familiar with…
Local bands you dig?
There’s a band called “brown out” I like a lot they play trippy mexifunk, a friend luis is in a band called “THE ALWAYS ALREADY” their sound is kinda hard to pin down it has this timeless sound about it where you can’t tell when it came out. sorta like the “gang of four” or early cure. the “GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY” are also from austin and worth checkin out… and spoon is another band i listen to all the damn time… tia carrera always comes across with it!!!
non local bands? i like UGK , they’re from houston, outkast, early man, whatever i like all kindz of music
on their topics –how about instead of facebook we have hatebook, then you can directly hate on the shit that gets to you whatever it may be…how ’bout mentioning gettin all wasted all the time, and how it’s not that awesome ruining your weekend because pints were only 2 dollars on thurs….that’s all i got for now ….
Tell us about Tia Carrera
There was one time where they were playin and i was sittin at a table with an empty pint glass in front of me, they were heavy into their 38 minute song and i was watching the glass slowly sliding from the vibrations across the table then at just the right time, CRASH!! on the floor perfect with the music. i thought “damn tia carrera shatters glass when they play…
Who do you like to ride with?
I like to ride with whoever’s not takin themselves too serious that day, bike ridin is supossed to be fun i and i’m not into killin myself or watchin someone kill themselves tryin to get that sponsor me video done. BIG ROB is a good example of this. we showed up at the bastrop pool one time and these kids were there (like always) one of ’em sez to the other “you ready to go?” and the kid sez “nah i wanna watch that scarry dude ride” then look and rob’s throwin a sick feebskid 180to heavy laughter on the train track…
What riders get you stoked?
livin here you get to ride with the most talented people on bikes in the world
Any good Gute Stories?
We drove a box jump on a trailer to victoria tx for a show at some carnival, it was a payin gig and at the end of the demo some guy comes out and hands got some cash, he turns around and gives me $75 it was the first and only time i ever got paid for bustin tabes, then we got all blazed and rode the scary ass carnny rides. the goot sold me a honda for $1 and five lonestars (i drank one), then i was givin steve o a ride and he goes ” didn’t this used to be goots car ? we were drivin on the tracks one time like a train and it got stuck and we had to get it off before the train came… ” i guess they did.
How about Lee Sultimeier?
Lee calls me when there’s a big game on tv seeing if i want to put money on either side, i’ve won some and come home to find $50 under the door matt ,lost some then had him callin me daily to pay up, i’m not that big on the gamblin scene…
Any shoutouts or words of wisdom?
Shoutouts to whoever it is puttin those highass wallride marks…words of wisdom=when you’re ridin home from the bar after last-call feelin all good about life, just ride home. joe and ruben are not gonna put you on the team cuz you’re gonna whip the church gap at 2:38 in the morning, just go home drink some water and go to bed…
people get killed ridin home drunk, the best you can do is survive …
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