Dave Adlington aka Dead Dave aka Zombie Dave aka Skeleton Dave aka Franken-Dave is probably one of the most recognisable skaters around Yorkshire these days. At over 6ft tall and with one of the most noticeable dress senses and trick selection the chances are you've already seen him skate but didn't know who he was. Dave's been places and seen things so, while you might not of heard of him, he's got some great stories and he is the perfect dude for getting breezy with. This is Mr Dead Dave. Enjoy.
RC - Lets get one thing cleared once and for all, are you related to Rebecca Adlington the multiple medal winning olympic swimmer? You both got similar noses.
DD - Yeah, that's my sister, I taught her to swim
RC - Haa haaaaa. Should we start? A/S/L?
DD - ha, yeah, Dead Dave / male / Sheffield
RC - A stands for age not name. Actually Dronfield, No?
DD - Yeah Dronfield hah
RC - Come on then when did you start skating?
I got my first board from a car boot and I called it Jake
DD - I started skating around 2000. I got my first board from a car boot and I called it Jake hah
RC - I can't remember you being quite as 80's when I first met you. When and how did this come about?
F/S Rock n Roll - Reece Leung
DD - I got obsessed with all the 80s skating after watching the street style comps on YouTube and stuff. Mostly the Savannah Slamma videos. They where having the best time and tricks where so stylish and aggressive. It looked so much fun. The real roots of skating.
RC - That’s the great thing about skating, the styles, who are you biggest style influences these days?
Style is everything
DD - Style is everything! And there are so many! I’ve been stoked on Nolan Johnson and Erick Winkowski real stylists. Ben broyd has style, raw style. Ben Schroeder has a kill yourself style. Duane Peters is the best I think!
Insane Terrain - Reece Leung
RC - You know people want to know about the trou [trousers]? Where do you pick these things up from? I remember having some vision pants in 1990, they were so fucked my mam cut out and sewed virtually the full left leg to another pair of jeans I had so I could still wear them to meet Mark Gonzales at South Shields.
DD - Ha ha that's rad can I buy them of ya?
RC - They probably wouldn't fit you anyway Im a midget ha ha
DD - I get mine from charity shops n thrift shops an shit. It's all fun. I feel weird wearing black trousers now can't skate properly feel like I'm going to a job interview or summat shit like that
RC - Keeping the punk rock element of skateboarding well alive aren't you Dave?
DD - Skating and music like that go hand in hand. Just picture an empty pool and heavy music playing loud that's my dream.
RC - You've just learned inverts and I know you've mentioned you're making an effort to learn Ho Ho plants this year. Hows that going?
Getting inverted - Timmy Garbett
DD - Yes HO HO !! It's going ok I really want to do it!! It has to be the best feeling trick to roll away from!! Wonder is any British skaters can do them?
RC - I imagine there’s a few maybe Goffy in his hey-day
DD - Hah maybe he was a layback air kinda guy, I think hahaha
RC - So Dave, moving on, you're quite well traveled now. You spent some time in the US?
DD - That was a good trip! I can't remember much though hah.
The doors fell off and the windows got shot out and everything.
RC - You bought a car right?
DD - Oh yeah, we bought a van we toured it around, went to party's and everything. The doors fell off and the windows got shot out and everything. We called it the 'rage cage' we gave it to our friends as a present after hah
RC - What was the gnarliest thing you saw over there?
a Roller Blader showed up they told him to fuck off and he didn't so they just throttled him
DD - I remember we where at Marginal Way the DIY spot in Seattle, there were some brute locals there and a Roller Blader showed up they told him to fuck off and he didn't so they just throttled him hah. I'm sure he never went back
RC - Holy shit, they’re next level some of the hardcore skaters over there. You have some more stories from Oz too?
DD - Hah Oz was the best!!! Tasmania is the sickest.. Me and my mate were drifting the back roads of Melbourne in the company car and he fully wrote it off into a tree. We had to get a tractor to pull us out it was so funny. But Car crashes are bad shit.
RC - Fuck you’ve almost died twice! We’ll come back to that though
F/S Air - Greg Somerset
RC - Is that where you met [Dustin] Dollin?
Dollin is a cunt
DD - Hah No, Dollin is a cunt!! We were in Amsterdam and he was trying to be all badass I threatened him and it shut him up, he hung out with a different Crew after that Timmy [Garbett] was gutted! I said I was Tony [Trujillo] to the Vans workers, they believed me and gave me his VIP wrist band. I'm so hot
RC - So you was just hanging out with him then he tried to start on you?
DD - Hah No, he was hanging with us. We were at the show and he flicked a fag at my face, I said I was gonna knock him out hah. Most Aussies are shit-cunts. ha ha
RC - Most Aussies I've met have been sound though
DD - Nah they are cool, actually I prefer the Bogans they are the red necks of Oz
They did me for possession and drink driving
RC - You ended your Oz trip in a bit of a sour note??
DD - It ended on the Gold Coast though we where living in a Suzuki swift it was hell hah we were getting drunk and listening to music in the car one night the police rocked up. I didn't care in my eyes we were chilling. They saw a empty baggy with like a tiny bit of stalk in so they searched the car immediately and breathalyzed me. They did me for possession and drink driving cus the keys were in the ignition to listen to music. The Oz police fuck you for anything, we had to leave after that hah
RC - So you got a court summons and left on the next plane out?
Layback Something - Greg Somerset
DD - Yeah pretty much we sold the car and went underground. Shank owes them about 10 grand too hah
RC - so you reckon you'll ever get back in over there? Do you even want to?
DD - Hah I doubt it! It's all good Oz was a successful mission completed!! Now it's on to the next place to cause Chaos
RC - Chaos indeed, so lets go back quickly you've had a couple of serious near death experiences now, care to elaborate?
I was a few inches from instant death
DD - I have had some close encounters but there’s two main ones. I was in a gnarly car crash. We hit a flat bed truck at like 40 and the flat bed came through the windscreen. I was a few inches from instant death (Always wear a seat belts kids!) Second, I tried climbing up to my mates 2nd storey flat. I fell from a height and somehow walked away kind of . Near death is good for you it brings you closer to life. Try it sometime hah
RC - Yeah I had to bring you my crutches, do you still have them?
DD - Yeah hah sorry I'm a hoarder, you don't need them you're fit as a fiddle
RC - ha ha, was so gnarly, can't believe you're still alive. Talk to me about the TEN, how did that come about, what is it?
DD - Yeah that was sick it's like Justin [Jones] and Jeromes [Campbells] art project. They screen printed a load of decks and we went to sheff DIY ( R.I.P ) and made an edit. These were meant to be an exhibition with the decks an a launch ramp n shit ... Justin ??
RC - I can’t think of many full sections you’ve been in, are there any?
DD - For the TEN? The edit from that is on Vimeo
THE TEN #2 from Seven Points on Vimeo.
THE TEN #1 from Seven Points on Vimeo.
RC - I got the TEN video, I'm talking about other sections?
DD - Hah I got my edits with random footage in there and shred till your dead from when I was a kid hah and the Bad Boi edits
RC - That brings me nicely onto the Bad Boi Cru, who's in it?
Grabbing over fellow BBC member Moggins - Greg Somerset
DD - Everyone except Jake Wainwright , hah nah it's our local crew init? Me, Broyd and Moggins are the Dons it's all about putting the bad back into skating, aggravating civilians and being skate rats. If you’re doing this then you’re a Bad Boi
RC - and recently you had a trip to Copenhagen with the guys, whats so special about that place?
DD - Copenhagen is the best!! I try to go at least once a year, you meet the best people and skate the best shit . I wish I had a Fish Key though hah
RC - Whats a Fish key?
DD - It's the ring pull from a pack of mackerel and it's basically a skeleton key. I think they clocked on and now and don't make them
RC - what? no way ha ha
RC - Where did the radio station come from? Whose idea was that?
DD - The radio started in my bedroom I got inspired from Thrasher Radio and Phelps and thought I'd have a go. Broyd loved the idea and we it all started!! We would sit in his bedroom for hours talking shit into a computer and create the shows. Season 2 will happen one day naturally. I want to go big time I want the nation to be listening to us in their cars Broyd sounds so posh and nice
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RC - I was just about to say, we need more. I just have them playing in the shop real skate soundtrack
DD - I understand you're responsible for lot of our listens thank you!! Skate soundtrack is what gets us hyped to skate!
Texas Plant - Reece Leung
RC - So whats happening in the future for Dave, anything planned?
DD - I just want to travel and skate way more!! Me and Broyd are driving round Europe in the summer seeking good times, after that I guess I'll take it as it comes!
RC - Finally, Any shout outs?
DD - Bad Boi Cru worldwide, Slugger, Legacy & the House Skatepark
RC - Thanks Dave YOU ARE THE BEST!!
Follow @deaddave_ on Instagram
All images courtesy of Timmy Garbett, Eazy Streets & Reece Leung
