Habitat Week on the CCS Blog all begins right now. And to set things off right, we’ve got an exclusive Guru Khalsa interview to mark the release of his first signature shoe.
Habitat Team Manager Brennan Conroy caught up with Guru to unearth some otherwise untold truths about everything from the origin of his name, to snake charming, to Fred Gall’s ponytail.
Stay tuned this week for more exclusives featuring all things Habitat Footwear. And be sure to check Guru’s new shoe now at CCS.
What’s the dumbest and most common single question people ask you? Well I don’t think questions are dumb….but a common question is, Is that your real name?, when asked my full name.
You live in Houston. Does living outside of a major skate media hub help you stay psyched on skating? It is hard at times, but I have friends that help out on the media side. However it takes a lot of self-motivation to get “tricks” done sometimes. I enjoy working at my own pace, but sometimes it’s slower than it might be living in a “media hub”.
What happens when a person is struck in the head with a melon thrown from a fast moving train? Haha! Whatever your brain can imagine. I suppose a number of different things could and would happen. Bottom line is, it would hurt, that’s for sure.
You said the first video you were psyched on was Powell’s Propaganda when you were in India. Is that how you and your friends learned to skate? That video was like ten years old when you started skating. How did that change your early progression in skating? This is true. A more current video of the time when I started to skate would have been Mouse, but either way Propaganda ruled! I enjoyed Frankie Hill’s part and Colin Mckay’s. The video inspired me to learn some of the tricks of that time period, but I was so young at the time anything and everything was new and cool to me. I remember the craziest trick was an Ollie Impossible. Haha. And as a kid, I “needed to learn it”.
You seem like an insanely patient dude. I don’t think I have ever seen you angry or focus a skateboard. Do you attribute this to your general upbringing or any early philosophy you learned? Haha. Well I’ve definitely gotten angry and thrown my board around from time to time…but yeah, to do that is taking out inner aggression (which is good). Usually I stop myself from getting too angry, and realize that life isn’t so bad and everything is very temporary so I might as well not spend my time getting too angry and try to spend more time going with the flow, or being happy. I suppose it’s a philosophy I have been exposed to and try to develop when I’m able to.
What does Guru Khalsa mean? Tell us a bit about the history of that name and how you ended up with it? Well, if you want to break it down Gu and Ru mean taking from darkness to light. Basically a teacher. My name, Guru Shabd Khalsa, means taking a person from darkness to light (guru) through the sound current (shabd), and khalsa is a term used for a Sikh who has taken his/her vows (amrit) to live to a certain code/lifestyle. I have never taken those vows but my parents have. A lot of Western Sikh did similarly and have the same legal (in America) last name, Khalsa. When I was born my parents brought me to their spiritual teacher named Yogi Bhajan and he named me through an astrological process.
Your shoe’s all feature a Cobra logo on the insole. I don’t know if we have ever talked about snake charmers or if it is even a relevant symbol for you. Have you ever seen a cobra or snake charmer? Haha! Yes, I have seen many snake charmers during the time I spent in India. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s relevant for me, but I enjoy and like the logo. To me snake charming is an interesting concept in the sense that music is used to control the emotions of a creature with the most venom.
You have three different shoe styles coming out. Can you explain the difference between them and a few features worth noting? Yes, I have three different shoes coming out on Habitat Footwear. One is a low top Cold Cement (similar to a cup sole) good for jumping down gaps and absorbing impact. The second is similar, a low top but it’s vulcanized. I like the way this one looks and feels. The third is my favorite and is a hi top vulcanized that can be converted to a low top. It has the unique ability to fold from a low top into a hi top and for me personally, it is the perfect amount of padding. Not too much and not too little. I hope people enjoy them all.
Can you tell us a bit about the design process for the shoes and how involved you were? Colors, styles, and overall direction? It was/is a collaboration between Joe Castrucci, Aaron Hoover, and myself.
You play the Sitar. I must say Habitat gets a lot of sh*t for all the guitar playing. Thanks for adding some diversity to the band. When did you first start playing and how the hell do you manage that giant gord based instrument on International skate trips?
Haha! Well first of all, I believe that everyone is an artist. So if everyone on Habitat is playing a guitar…then good for them. It’s a nice outlet to have. When I was younger I took a few lessons, but there was a big language barrier, so I didn’t get a proper training. As of recently in the past year I picked it up again and have just played it on my own, and developed my own technique. I should get some lessons to have some proper training, but until then, I’m just learning at my own pace. I enjoy it, and enjoy playing all instruments. Haha, and yes it’s a pain in the ass to carry around on trips. I have only done it once…but if I’m going to continue, I’m gonna need a better case or it may break, which would be sad to get off the plan and open my crappy case to see a dead sitar.
Fred Gall is known to have the longest running ponytail in skateboarding. Although you are ten years younger than him, is it possible that you may have him beat since you have never cut your hair in your LIFE? It is possible, but when I see Fred next, I suppose we’ll have to measure to be certain.
What is the future of energy in the USA? The future of energy is in our, and the younger generations hands. It is whatever we (as a group consciousness) desire. I would personally like to see people research and develop and discover new and free energy sources. Primarily I hope to see more use of solar, wind and geothermal electricity to power cities and everything really…it is up to the people, and most importantly the individual…it is up to you!!!
Tell us about the mummy necklace? A few years back I worked at an upscale jewelry store (Katy Briscoe Inc.) and bought an Egyptian B.C era mummy necklace from one of her vendors. It’s been a little polished up from its original state. I don’t know what else to say. I like it. Haha.
Have you tested your shoes thoroughly through daily skating? Did you make any changes based on this? Yes! Since the inception of Habitat Footwear, the riders have been testing the shoes out and making correctional changes to any problems we faced with the original samples of the shoes. I have tested my pro models out and have given my input and had some changes made and now I enjoy them, particularly the fold down hi top.
What is your favorite colorway for Fall in your shoe? Do you have any other news worthy products coming up that is in development for upcoming seasons? My favorite colorway for fall is most of all the shoes. I particularly like the Frost Protection Moccasin colorway with sherpa lining which will be good for winter times and looks good in general [available at CCS soon]. Haha, but yeah, generally I’m happy with all the new and improved Habitat Footwear line.
All photos courtesy of Habitat.
Get Guru’s new shoe, decks & plenty more from Habitat…
