Ron Allen is a true veteran of skateboarding and has been a part of so many great things. The guy truly is inspirational. He’s got one of the best attitudes and has been ripping at a pro level for over 20 years. We recently got Ron to answer a few questions that cover most of his story, check it out below.

48 Blocks: Are you originally from Oakland?

Ron: I lived in The Town for twenty years, but I'm originally from a small town in the Central Valley called Visalia. I moved to Oaktown right after I turned pro.

48 Blocks: I think most people including myself became Ron Allen fans as a result of the H-Street videos. How did you first hook up with H-Street and were they your first sponsor?

Ron: I Met Mike Ternasky at skate camp. I was on Vision and went to a contest with the top 32 ams. I got second and Vision said I couldn’t turn pro until the next year. I was bummed and MT was talking about this new company he was going to start with Tony Magnussen. Everybody was telling me not to do it because people in the industry didn’t trust MT or TM. They were always good to me so I sign on in a Las Vegas coffee shop with Brian Lotti sitting next to me. My first checks bounced and this guy Mr. Brown put 5k on the table and asked me to quit and join his deal, I said no that Tony and Mike had my back and they did.

48 Blocks: Talk a little bit about that H-Street era, it was a really progressive time for skating. What was it like being a part of that and filming for those influential videos?

Ron: I fired the first H-Street camera man because he wanted to do follow shots with us while he sat in a wheel chair. I was not having that cause living in The Town some one would've said something. We used to call the office everyday and tell them what we had learned. If you claimed, you had better be careful cause MT would show up to film whatever you claimed.  I told him of a tailslide I did with my homies at this museum rail he was there the next day.

48 Blocks: What are your memories of Mike Ternasky?

Ron: Mike Ternasky was ahead of his time, so was Tony Mag. Mike talked about how skateboarding would be and I swear he was so right. I still miss him, I used to talk to him everyday. I think that’s why me and T-Mag are such homies because we know there will never be another force like that in skateboarding so we must carry on. 

48 Blocks: Talk a little bit about Life Skateboards.

Ron: Life was part of H-Street so it wasn’t any different at first. I must say that Kien Lieu was such a stand up guy because he didn’t want to switch to Life so he didn’t. I always had mad respect for the Donger.

48 Blocks: The Life Video A Soldiers Story is classic for so many reason, what do you remember about filming for that and what was it like working with a young Sean Sheffey.

Ron: Let’s get it straight the Life video was dope because of Dan Sturt and Mike T. I also think Mack Dawg was involved. Those guys were so ahead of the vid game back then. All I can say about Sean Sheffey is him and Pat Duffy are why people skate big stuff, they were the first to scare you when they skate - always on that critical edge.

48 Blocks: I can't remember when or why exactly Life ended, can you give us the official story behind that?

Ron: Life ended because we weren’t stoked being part of H-Street so we took our show up to Deluxe & called it Fun Skateboards, that was Jesse Niehaus, John Reeves, Keith Hufnagel and a bunch of others.

48 Blocks: How did you hook up with Deluxe?

Ron: Once again big up and respect for Jeff Klindt (RIP), Jim Thiebaud,Tommy Guerrero, Fausto, Kirk, and Swensen. They gave me the opportunity and taught me how to do business. I learned some hard lessons but it was a great experience

48 Blocks: The list of FUN's alumni include many big names like Keenan Milton, Eric Pupecki, Keith Hufnagel, and Brad Staba. How did you go about picking riders, it seems like you had an eye for talent?

Ron: All those guys had one thing in common, they all loved to skateboard. Everybody was hungry and made me hella have to work but I loved it. Can’t forget the others like Ben Liversedge and Jeb Stewart.

48 Blocks: Ultimately what happened with FUN?

Ron: Fun became part of Deluxe and we just weren’t making it, so they talked to me about changing from Fun to ADI (American Dream Incorporated) that’s when Alyasha came on board.

48 Blocks: Talk a little bit about ADI - as far as image, it was one of the best brands in my opinion.

Ron: ADI was Alyasha’s and my idea along with a lot of help from Wein at Slap. It was classic Americana with a twist. We did ads for the people in your land, our ads spoke the native tongue of where you were from, we kind of clowned with some stuff which might have brought us down.

48 Blocks: Since FUN & ADI you've been involved with many projects. I remember you had Heeterz going on out of Oakland for awhile in late 90's / early 00's can you give us a breif recap of what you were working on during that time?

Ron: Heeterz was my idea to put music cd’s on boards. We explained to the artist and label what it was about and they loved it. We dropped new Del, new Mos Def, and new Pharaoh Monch. The idea was simple, our boards go into skate shops all over the US and world. Most of these artist only play the larger venues, so I thought what a great way to get your music to the people -  Big Up to those artists and their labels (Rawkus and Hieroglyphics).

48 Blocks: Speaking of music, you have been involved with some bands and even did some tracks for the old H-Street videos. Talk a little a bit about who you've played with both past and present and are you still doing music now?

Ron: I’ve been in a lot of bands and things. I’m currently working on my own solo project. Bukue One and Del  have made me a couple of beats and my homies have come through, so when that’s finished I hope peeps like it. I’ve played in a seven piece jazz group called Cannonball. Before that I was in Hueman Flavor, there were some heavy cats in that band like a guy named Josh Jones, Stan Franks, Jeff Chimenti, Gary Fisher, and Sheherazade Stone. In that group I got the chance to rhyme at the San Francisco and Seattle Jazz Festivals. If i'm around when Del, A-plus, or Bukue have a show I really love to rhyme with them, they're awesome. Also in my first shoe with Osiris we released all the music from the H-Street days and other tracks over the years. I've been on a lot of peoples projects and I'm real proud of that. Really, I just love making music.

48 Blocks: More recently, you were briefly a part of the ADI relaunch before switching to Creation where you're at now. Can you talk a little bit about what happened with ADI and what prompted the move to Creation.

Ron: Rob Owens is one hell of a guy and we really wanted to work on something together. Unfortunately we had some glitches in our execution of the plan. Another stand up guy in that process was Nick Jamieson the artist, he was right on point with the graphics. It is very hard to have a skateboard company in today’s business environment, you really got to love it and take the good with the bad.

48 Blocks: High Grade has a good thing going and you seemed to be involved beyond just being a team rider. What's your role over there and how has it been working with them thus far?

Ron: That’s interesting you ask, I was TM but I just went back to being pro on there for now. The TM has to have accountability from all the riders - pros and ams. I would think that’s what the company would want. I didn’t have that so, I thought it best for me to move on.

48 Blocks: Being that you've been a fixture in the skate scene in the Bay Area since the 80's what's your take on the skate scene here and how it's progressed over the years?

Ron: The Bay Area is one of the best places to skateboard. The East Bay is a diamond in the rough. That’s why I have lived here so long. They just built a little street plaza in Richmond, so it’s on!

48 Blocks: Who are some of your all-time favorite skaters?

Ron: I have so many favorites. I just skated with Scott O'Bradovich and Tom Knox and I must say Tom is still ripping. I think Peter Ramondetta and the whole REAL crew rip! I think a lot of us older beings still rip especially the ones that still love it. Sal Barbier, Matt Hensley, and D. Way will always have top anything in my book. I think Tony Magnussen rips. I got the chance to hang and travel with the Osiris kids team and they are all a bunch of rippers. Walker Ryan and the S.H.U.F.F.L. house heads are rippers. The DTE-LOC crew out of ATL are a bunch of ripping ragers that always show you a good time in the ATL. Mark Appleyard, Wes Kremer, Marius Syvanen, and Tyler Surrey. On my own team Joe V, Sean Meeker, Nate Porter, and Max Taylor. I love Luis Tolentino, what a great spirit that guy has -  I'd just like to hang out with that man and just laugh, and Felix A always got my eye on him because he's already a mogul up in this. Also Brian Tucci and Jesse Niehaus.

48 Blocks: When is the last time you talked to Matt Hensley? It would be rad to see a photo of both of you together now.

Ron: Every time I’m down in SD I always make it to Hensley’s Pub. Sometimes I'm lucky and hes’ there and sometimes he’s on tour. Matt is one of the greatest people I've ever met on my board – a true homie for life.

48 Blocks: Any last words you'd like to say to wrap this up?

Ron: When times are tough go skate! When times are great go skate! If you can’t figure something out go skate! Don’t forget skating never changes, just the names. If you haven’t skated in awhile what the hell are you waiting for! Thanks 48 Blocks for this opportunity and many blessings, peace.