October 2003

Good Jammin' News

BILL ON SKATE-A-THON Bill attended J&J Skate Production's Labor Day Weekend extravaganza in Atlanta Georgia and had some thoughts to share about his experience. The annual event is organized by Joi Stafford and Johnny Perkins (J&J). RST  You had some things you wanted to share about Skate-A-Thon (SAT)? Bill Butler (BB)   Being that the SAT was something that we need to speak on, I will talk about that.  What I would like to see is more cooperation, meaning Joi had instructions for people not to have cameras on the floor and they should learn to listen.  The bottom line is she’s trying to protect the skaters and its very simple, all you have to do is take heed to anything that makes sense from the people that are running the show that is for everyone. The people who did go out and use their cameras, they're either not paying attention or don't care.  Even though the persons picture that's being taken may like it... the person that is taking the picture is responsible, so I’d like to see that taken heed to.  Follow the rules and everybody else will be better off. [Regarding Roll Call] I would also like to see people from the various states have a chosen person, whoever he/she might be, to actually put together and submit a piece from that state, that particular style that would be worth watching for all the other people to either (1) enjoy, (2) give them incentive to do something themselves.  So then those three days we should put our best foot forward to make everyone want to say, ‘boy, what a roll-o-thon, I don't want to miss it next year.’ It has to be something that's thought of based on time because that is a factor.  Some people could care less about shows, there are other people who would enjoy it so you're not going to please everybody, but the point is to get it out there.  It should be set up and measured according to time, per state, to include the people that are really into it and are going to produce some real serious eye candy for everyone. RST  So you wouldn't just call every skater from a certain area onto the floor, you would have a group from each state who had prepared a performance? (BB)  Yes, it should be a prepared performance for that day. There are certain people that get on the floor and skate with every state, they don't take it seriously, they could care less. RST  Do you think that is because Roll Call takes so long and some people get cold just sitting on the side?  Is Roll Call too long? (BB)    It is too long, they should get on the floor, it should be nice, fast and vibrant with music.  They should be on the case, people get on the floor, zap it, knock it out ...  If it's two records, it should be 30 seconds apart - it should be worked out to that degree.  In other words, the whole SAT should be thought out in terms of entertainment. RST  Do you see examples of that in the skate parties that are going on now? (BB)  I don't know if that's thought about like we're talking about it because if that was the case, we wouldn't be talking about it.  I think they should spend more time thinking about what is enjoyable for people in those three days, other than just going to pool parties and things like that. A pool party is different because people have a choice, they're either in the water or they're not, you don't have somebody standing there with a watch saying ‘now everybody jump in’, it's a leisure thing.  But the SAT  itself, you're encroaching on other people's time.... When you have a roll-o-thon and people get on the floor and do all these crazy things, for the most part, nobody wants to do that but that person.  It has no value at all in terms of roller skating, that's why people who look at it from other cultures they think it's clowning and that's the way we classify it instead of real serious skaters.  As far as they're concerned they don't want to see it because they are not going to do it, somebody for instance, who would get on their head, and I always talk about that, that's not roller skating.  What person would think that is roller skating?....The person that would do something like that, I would like to talk to them and let them tell me what it is about pushing themselves along on their head that has to do with roller skating.   What young lady would be influenced by that, that she would want to do that? Once you start doing anything on your hands or your back or any other part of your body other than your feet, I have to question it when you talk about roller skating.  So I’d like to see that eliminated from the roll-o-thon.  If somebody wants to do that in their house, that's fine, but don't  put your greasy head on the floor so somebody can come by, with the water and sweat off their body, and fall.  They don't think about that. So, right along with the cameras, anything that creates the possibility of someone getting hurt by  the negligence of someone else, should be checked.  You have three nights, they should be enjoyable.  That person who slides on their head or back, that should not be allowed any more than cameras on the floor, that's something they should check because it interferes with everybody and has no significance about roller skating at all. On the other hand, it's imperative that they get a handle on peoples enjoyment, they should come up with things that are enjoyable and I think they should have prizes, one night where people can really win things by being able to dance, whatever the dance might be, pairs, trios, solos. It should be worked out months in advance so they know who the person is, what they are going to do, how long they're going to do it, so that it's worth something.  Whatever that worth is in terms of entertainment and skating that somebody else would love to learn to do, that's what the roll-o-thon should be about... We get to a point where we can't handle the people because it's so much fun that they want to come to it, so let's educate ourselves, let's not be what we've always been depicted as being, clowns and what have you.  I would think at this point that we all should be aware of that and be as far away from it as possible.  The education in this sport is overlooked for some reason or another, only because it is allowed too much freedom and not enough organization.  I think Joi and John work hard to put it together and make the roll-o-thon something.  I think we all should get together and put our best foot forward toward making [it] something to talk about and get  it to the point that we just have to think more and sharper because there are so many people that want to come to it.  I think that, and more cooperation, should be happening at this point from everybody. Here's something that really bugs me - people that come to SAT should be primo skaters, meaning, there shouldn't be any person at SAT with rental skates, I don't understand that.  It's not a night for beginners, it's a night for skaters and I say that only because it is a primo time....but for my money there shouldn't be any beginners on that floor - ever.  Why?  It's simple, they get in the way, that's not the place to be as a beginner, that's not what the roll-o-thon is about.  It should be about skaters, people who can really get on it....Those three days can be for people who can really skate. RST  Does there need to be better crowd control so there are not so many people on the floor at one time all night?  Would you break it up into trio skate, couples, etc.? (BB)  Yes, I agree with that, the only difference is that it's not so much about crowd control as about people control. Crowd control is one thing but if you get people into control then the crowd is controlled.  If you get people that disobey the rule, like I say, they pay ‘X’ amount of dollars and they want to skate so it's a double edged sword.  You get that one person and they don't want to know about rules so they're gonna get on the floor and do whatever....... If you don’t have people already in advance getting ready for this sort of thing then you just get people on the floor for whatever the reason, but it's not for an organized reason and that's the difference.  It should be to a point where each state by virtue of their organization, would have relayed information to the organizers, who's gonna represent by name and music months in advance of the roll-o-thon.  When that happens, they'll come out on the floor, knock it out, do what they have to do and it will be a smooth operation, you won't have a lull in between...have it snap, snap, snap!  That's the way I do shows, Snap! Get it over with.  Let the people see what's happening, give them entertainment and don’t take all day....you better believe that if somebody's gonna be on that floor for half an hour, it better be good.  Other than that, get on the floor and get off, do what you have to do and don’t encroach on peoples time, that's the difference between a show and aggravation and people getting uptight about it. On the other hand, you have people who don’t care whether the show is good or not, they just as soon be on the floor - you've got all kinds of people, but the large majority if you are going to do something like that it should be quality - nice outfits, it should be something to watch, not some knock down drag out whatever.  Everybody should be able to watch something and say that was ‘dynamite’, even if their time was taken up they say ‘at least my time was taken up for something that was worth watching.’.... RST  What was the most positive thing about this years SAT, what were you most impressed with? (BB)    The most impressive thing was Tyrone Dixon’s documentary [8 Wheels and Some Soul Brotha Music], I thought that was the hippest thing, and I don’t speak because I played a big part in it, I speak from the point of view that we're trying to make roller skating an art form, whether it be me in it or whoever.  The point is to make roller skating an art form, for people to understand this is a dynamite sport.  Don’t rape it, don’t treat it that way, let's not be called clowns, let's produce something that people want to see and do. RST. How can skate parties contribute more to gaining respect for our expression of this sport? (BB)  I think it's being done in small doses but the dose should be larger.  Right now people should be planning, the powers that be should be planning this roll-o-thon to make it better next year. .... so the roll-o-thon is ready six months in advance, not two weeks.  I say that just as an example..They should take ample time to make it wonderful, I can't express that enough. Back to Top

QUESTIONS Q. I'm now in my 40s just starting to learn to control my roll with a group in Philly...I think I'm a beginner, I may be an intermediate level skater.  I noticed you had openings for “intermediate” skaters, so how do you decide beginner, intermediate, advanced? A.  Learning to control the roll, that's a good way to put it.  The advanced skater, in my view, would have to be a skater that can skate different styles, has taken it upon his/herself to learn different styles so they can make the eye candy something to watch.  Each one should teach one, we should all be in a position to have something to offer roller skating - there are too many skaters [for us not to] have this thing down so cool and perfected.  There's just so much talent that's going to waste because people have an ego problem... If you're able to control the skate, being able to stop, that's why I refer to the particular style I teach - it can come under any style what I'm about to say, it's called skate stop.  Can you start and stop, that's the thing.  In my case, I can start and stop many different ways so when we talk about advanced beginner, you have somebody starting off, learning how to skate, balance, very basic T stop - you're not going 20 mph then do a T stop.  Learning how to control yourself, how to put your shoulder in the right place, body position, etc.  Between that and the art is when you start coming up with classifications for people. Most people learn how to roller skate by watching somebody else, but if the person who's watching is watching junk, that's what is going to come from watching unless the one watching knows the difference.  I call myself knowing the difference that's why I'm where I am today. As far as classification, you will be a beginner as long as you are skating, that's all I am - an advanced beginner.  If you stop beginning, then you are stuck, so you want to be classified as an advanced beginner, you're steady trying to get it....Advanced is exactly that, I've advanced to this point and that's what advanced is, that's why I said I'm an advanced beginner and that's what I want to die as. I don't want anybody who reads this, if they think of it as Bill thinks he knows everything, that person doesn't understand me.  I'm just like everyone else, I'm trying to get it, I've just gotten more of it than most people in that sense but I skate and I work just as hard as any one else, if not more, I'm trying to get it down. When I talk this way, I speak about my own experiences and translate that into giving information about what I know about skating.  When I talk about people getting on their heads, that's just nonsense to me and I could like the person that's doing it, we could have just had lunch but when they get on their head, that's not the same person to me.  I talk about the sport, and once you get on your head, you're out of the sport, it's just not skating and the person who's doing it I'm sure they would tell you the same thing.... I'm very serious when I skate, I don't just put my skates on to see if they fit my foot.  I have a lot of respect for roller skates, for the sport itself and for people who do it with the same intensity that I do, I don't care what it is, roller blades or whatever.  Have respect for it, do it the best you can and you're all right with me, anything else is questionable. You don't have to skate like anyone.  The point is just to skate period and if you're smart you'll skate for yourself ...... I'm working with this guy now....he and I have become friends because he loves skating so much.  He picked me, and said ‘Bill I really want to learn your style.’  I told him do this for me, don't’ think of it as my style, think of it as a style that you would like to learn, it just so happens that I'm doing it.  Take my style and mix it with your style and enhance your style because I skate his style...The only thing I said to him was stay in stride with me, we have to be on the same foot doing whatever we're doing...All I want from him or anybody is to be on the same foot I'm on and you can do whatever you want....We may not have the hand signals together but for the most part we can handle it. [Beginning skating is more getting your basics, how to stop, go forward and backward.  Intermediate skating is when you start to experiment with different styles, creating your own style after having learned the basics.]  That would be somebody who's got their balance down, they know how to stop, no lessons, no nothing, just following simple rules.  If you're that kind of skater, you can have more fun and skate more often because you've reached that point..