Andrew McGraw is an underground East Coast ripper who’s held it down in both Montreal and Boston. I’m sure you’ve seen some clips from him here and there, he had some stuff in Vicious Cycle and more recently Floor Work. He’s currently riding for Studio Skateboards, WESC, Adidas Canada, and RAW – so keep an eye out for more of Andrew in the future.

Interview by Ray Echevers

Ray: Where do you currently reside, and how is it skating there?

Andrew: I'm currently living in Montreal, been here for about 5 years or so. Montreal is a unique city in Canada, because its a French speaking province and also the city reflects Europe in a lot of ways, but mostly architecture and the laid back way of life, and as far the skating it's sick here. It’s kind of a low-key city with a lot of untouched spots.

Ray: What do you like to skate?

Andrew: Flatground, ledges, tranny, smaller rails, I’m pretty much down for everything, its fun learning how to skate new shit.

Ray: What do you do in the winter? You do anything else besides skateboard?

Andrew: The winter pretty much blows in Canada. If you live in Boston or NYC, you know it sucks, but you can pretty much add 10 degrees colder and about 4 or 5 feet more of snow and that's what it's like in Eastern Canada. I had some friends in the states truthfully ask me if it snows 12 months around, and if there are really igloos, haha. Just to clear it up for the record, we have the same seasons, its just a little gnarlier in the winter, but in the winter I'm usualy skating inside at one of the parks here or messing around playing some music, playing pool, having some beers or going over to Europe if my money is right that winter.

Ray: Who do you skate for? And how did that come about?       

Andrew: This is the worst question, for the record. Adidas Canadian team, WESC clothing, Studio Skateboards, Temple Skateshop and RAW.

Ray: What did you do before skateboarding?

Andrew: Hmm, that's a good question. I played some baseball, hockey, played the drums when I was younger, and then my family went through kind of a rough time and I no longer played sports. One summer I end up getting into skating and just started letting all of my energy into that, its pretty much the best outlet for me till this day, probably why I still love it as much as I hate it sometimes.

Ray: You skated and lived in Boston for awhile. Why did you leave? How did you like Boston? You still talk to Eli Reed & the rest of the old crew?  

Andrew: Well even though my moms family was from Boston, I was born in Canada, so I was always back and forth. But I did spend a good chunk of my childhood and teenage years there, and one summer I came back to Canada, tried to go back to Boston, and to make a long story short they banned me for 5 or 6 years. But it was sick there, I mean after awhile it became my home and to all my homies there it was like I was just from there after awhile, and even when I came back to Canada people would always think I was from Boston, some of my best times skating were there, so it will always be dope to me. I actually just chilled with Eli this summer when he was here with Zoo. He's still the same dude which is rad, always been a good kid since day one. As far as the rest of the crew, I’m still tight with Steve from RAW and a few others, I might talk with Joey (Pepper) once in awhile, but that’s pretty much it. Just a few I stay in touch with, I guess.

Ray: You also were in SF for a bit. How was it skating out there?

Andrew: Well, it was me, my homie Tim Breen, and Steve Costello from RAW, and a few others from Boston. We pretty much just went out with like 500 or a grand each and rented a place in Daly City, we somehow ended up staying for 7 months, I don’t know how but we did, it was rad out there. SF is just fun to push around, you don’t really have to go to a specific spot or anything, you just find shit everywhere, and the weed was pretty tight at the time, ha. But what I will always remember is seeing dudes like Marcus and Lavar, Henry and Welsh, skate and kill the Pier everyday. It was insane, those were dudes I used to watch when I was a little rat, and then to see them in person - I was shoooook.

Ray: Kid Cudi or Kanye West?

Andrew: Pffffff, these dudes both lose, for the record. Kanye, pre-money.

Ray: Skinny jeans or Baggy jeans?

Andrew: Used to be baggy, but now I guess I'm in the middle, but you will never catch me wearing some tight jeans.

Ray: Boston or Montreal?

Andrew: I'd have to say Montreal in the summer, just for the amount of girls and fun shit going on outside of skating, but I'd have to say Boston for overall skating, I think there’s more spots.

Ray: Jay-Z or Gangstarr?

Andrew: Jigga

Ray: Wide board or skinny board?

Andrew: The trend seems to be huge pieces of drift wood, I ride an 8.

Ray: Top 5 skaters of all time?

Andrew: Keenan, Gino, McBride brothers, Robbie Gangemi and Jahmal Williams, and childhood friend Tim Breen.

Ray: Best Boston skater? Best Canadian Skater?

Andrew: Best Boston dude overall, I'd go with PJ, even back when I skated with him, when he first started coming into the city, he was pretty much just as good as he is now and that was like 8 years ago. He's always been dope in my book. Best known Canadian, I'd have to say Appleyard, and I'll throw in an up and comer - Spencer Hamilton for notable mention.

Ray: It's shout out time.

Andrew:  Thanks to you Ray for doing this for me, 48 Blocks, Everyone in Boston, Montreal, and also all my family and sponsors. And thanks to anyone who ever helped me out and showed love at some point, thanks, peace.