Author Topic: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview  (Read 29193 times)

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tatsie

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smokecrack

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2014, 12:58:05 AM »
arto and dylan visited josh swindell in jail a few years ago?



damn

tom

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2014, 01:01:22 AM »
this is what you're going to skip to instantly anyways so here it is

Quote
The early nineties were rife with rumours around what you, Danny Way, Tommy Caudill and the rest of the XYZ crew were getting up to, as you all seemed to run ran pretty wild. The skate rumour mill and things hinted at in Big Brother gave the impression that you were throwing stuff through car windows, shooting at horses, fighting Markovich and some other pretty sketchy shit, was that an accurate representation of you guys at the time?
We were definitely wild kids or young adults. Those are actually the mellower events that took place; however, I don?t remember any horse getting shot? I don?t remember ever hurting animals. The Markovich story was all Danny. Kris hooked up with the chick Danny was going out with at the time (Karen) and supposedly talked shit about Danny. Earlier that day we had tracked down a guy that had broken into Danny?s car and stole his cell phone, wallet and stereo. When we confronted the guy he admitted to stealing Danny?s stuff, but said he sold it, didn?t have any money and that Danny was burnt. The guy basically said ?Fuck you! You aint getting shit.? Instead of Danny beating his ass he pee?d all over himself. I was actually embarrassed for Danny so I beat the dude up. When we got back to XYZ and told Tommy what happened he (Tommy) ridiculed Danny hard. He told him how disgusted he was with Danny and what a pussy he was. So, when the opportunity presented itself to redeem himself by fighting Kris he took it. It didn?t end well for Danny. As far as the other stuff, yeah, we were gnarly vandals. I don?t even remember half the shit we did. Between Danny, Tommy, Colin, Jordan Richter and myself we were always trying to one up each other. For me that crap grew to becoming physically violent. What used to be juvenile bullshit had grown to me becoming a full on criminal. It was a dark path I was on, for sure.
Clearly Steve Mateus and Danny Way were with you that night. Presumably you were all just out for a drink, was there something in particular that got you all fired up?
Yes. While I was in prison I had no access to the internet or gossip sites. I really was in the dark as to what people thought happened. When I paroled I began reading that shit and was floored. There?s rumors that Danny and I were driving around looking to kill somebody; that we got caught with a body in the trunk of a car; that we were shooting illegal aliens crossing the border. All of it beyond ridiculous! I definitely was drunk that night. In those days sobriety wasn?t in the cards. The bar was serving free beer and to a 20 year old drunk free beer is the greatest thing ever.
There are lots of rumours, theories and pure speculation as to what went down and who did what that night outside the bar in Azusa. Could you clear it all up once and for all and give us a detailed breakdown of the night - who exactly was there, what actually happened, why it happened and how drunk/high you guys were at the time?
Here?s the abbreviated version: A bunch of us showed up to this private party at a bar. The only notable skaters there were Ronnie Bertino and Danny. Danny told me that some guy (Keith Ogden) was coming on to him and laughing about it. Keith had obviously wandered into a hornets nest if what Danny said to me was true. So, I walked Keith out of the bar, told him it was a private party and to split or he?s going to get beat up. I didn?t threaten him personally. What?s tolerated now wasn?t in that era and a guy coming on to another guy in a bar that isn?t a gay bar was all bad. Awhile later he came back so I escorted him out again since there was no official security. By that time I was drunk and did threaten him. Still, nothing physical took place. An hour or so goes by and we hear that there?s a fight out front. When I walk out the door the first thing I see is Danny Way out cold, bleeding from the mouth. I asked out loud who hit Danny and Steve Mateus responded with ?That fag sucker punched Danny!? So, we get Danny back inside the bar and he?s clueless as to what happened. A bit later I find out that Keith?s behind the bar so I go out there with the intention of kicking his ass for sucker punching Danny. To me and everybody else in the bar, Keith appeared to be drunk. In reality he was suffering from a pre-existing brain injury. He actually left L.A. County Medical Center (General Hospital) the day before AMA (against Medical Advice). The hematoma on his brain was so large that the doctors were debating whether to drill a hole in his head to relieve the pressure on his brain. Anyway, I began walking Keith away from the bar with the intent to beat his ass. While I was walking away it became quite clear that the guy was in no position to fight. Then this guy Robert comes running up from behind, jumps in the air and kicks Keith in the back. Keith?s head slammed into my face from being kicked into me and even though it wasn?t his fault, all of my anger was directed towards him. I took out that anger on Keith in a physical manner. I kicked him about three to five times in the upper torso and face. Steve Mateus then began kicking him as well. I told Steve to stop, which he did. Keith was definitely fucked up and unconscious, but alive. None of us knew he had this pre-existing brain injury and was dying. We just felt he got KO?d. An hour later the cops show up and what does a skater do when he sees cops? He splits. I didn?t really think anything of it. The next morning I found out that Keith had died. I couldn?t believe it. Once I was arrested three weeks later a lot of stuff came to light. First up, Danny hadn?t gotten sucker punched by Keith. Danny was the one who sucker punched Keith and then some guy in turn punched Danny. Also, after the incident where I kicked Keith behind the bar, Steve Mateus went back out and stomped the life out of him with nobody around to see. Steve was wearing a size 8 Vans shoe that night and left that diamond sole pattern of a Vans shoe on Keith?s face and in blood around Keith?s final resting spot. Vans was my shoe sponsor from 1988 right up till the point of my arrest in 1993. I wore a size 10. There were no size 10 patterns anywhere in the vicinity. The whole thing was a mess. The legal proceedings that followed were a joke. When it comes to the law you get what you pay for and I was broke. My court appointed lawyer was awful. Not only that, but Steve Mateus made a deal with the prosecution for a light sentence (6 years where he only served 3) in exchange for his testimony (lies) against me. The judge railroaded me into a life sentence as well. He should have given the jury the option of manslaughter, which is what this case really was. Instead they had two options: 1st and 2nd degree murder, both carry life sentences. After a day of deliberations the jury came back and wanted to know if they could find me guilty of manslaughter instead of murder. He said ?No!? and they ended up finding me guilty of the lesser of the two charges, 2nd degree murder. I was then sentenced to 15 years to life and shipped off to prison. A month later that same judge (George Trammell) was brought up on some serious corruption charges. Google his name. That?s basically what went down. My actions were definitely criminal. I deserved to do some time; however, 19 years, 1 month and 8 days is a ridiculous amount of time for what I did.
Were the other guys arrested as well?
The only other person that was charged in this case was Steve Mateus. Like I mentioned beforehand, he made a deal with the prosecution. The guy who started it all (Robert) was never arrested or charged. Either was Danny. There was a point in the legal proceeding where Steve Mateus?s attorney started to blame Danny for what happened. I was ready to do an open plea for 30 years to life to pull Danny out of this. My loyalty to Danny was solid and has remained solid since day one. Unfortunately Danny?s caught up in his own world and can?t see beyond what benefits him. To me it?s sad.
Obviously it's pretty much worst case scenario in terms of the outcome, apart from leaving the house at all that night, what are your main regrets from what happened?
I laugh when I hear people say they have no regrets in life. Everybody has regrets. They might not be as big as mine, but they have regrets. My biggest regret was that I took part in taking a man?s life. Even though there were circumstances involved, the bottom line remains; I?m responsible for the loss of Keith. I should have been a man that stepped up and put a stop to what happened. Instead I charged forward. The whole reason I attacked Keith was out of a fucked up sense of loyalty to Danny. I felt like I had to redeem and protect a guy who I viewed as a brother. There is no main regret. There?s a whole bunch!


fuck danny way
fuck you bama

hufs calve muscles

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2014, 01:09:54 AM »
So heavy.

I remember being little and hearing the crazy rumours too.

19 fucking years. Holy fuck. Dude is made from strong stuff to be able to come out on the other end of that. And with his shit together.

So rad to hear it from his muckmouth!! Well done.

pinche gringo

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2014, 01:27:18 AM »
After all this time it's cool to hear his side of the story. I didn't expect such honesty and remorse. Too bad that you often have to learn who your friends are the hard way. That was a really great interview. I hope he does well.

DISTANT RUMOURS

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2014, 04:37:17 AM »
Definitely a great interview.

And great to hear the other Side as well.


ThrillOfItAll

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2014, 05:43:52 AM »
Good Job Muckmouth!
Time To Play The Game

Dark Knight

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2014, 06:55:02 AM »
Wow.  Fucking amazing.  Muckmouth straight killing the game.

Gil

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2014, 06:57:15 AM »
Wow, never thought I'd read this interview.  Good work, Muckmouth.
Going into to business with Vallely is the skateboarding equivalent of starting a land war in Asia, just don't.

ill_Murray

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2014, 07:01:05 AM »
Damn Danny Way is on some next level scumbag shit
ill murray, can you remind me why you think im a kook

Dark Knight

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2014, 07:11:57 AM »
Damn Danny Way is on some next level scumbag shit

For fucking real.  Fuck that dude.

Noble Experiment

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #11 on: August 07, 2014, 08:23:17 AM »
Glad the truth finally comes out. No wonder why Danny never wanted to shed any light on the topic.

oldgoodburger

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #12 on: August 07, 2014, 08:26:20 AM »
danny way is the worst

The Ghost of Lenny Kirk

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #13 on: August 07, 2014, 08:45:34 AM »
so there were no bricks? where did that part come from?

actually this is worse than a brick because danny just dodged the entire situation and didnt take any heat for what actually happened. he just let his boy hang & that is beyond fucked up to me.

sid vicious

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2014, 08:52:30 AM »
crazy good interview

amazing he's so level headed and at peace with the situation.

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #15 on: August 07, 2014, 08:55:42 AM »
This interview almost made me cry. I'm glad this guy went through so much personal growth and is now a very humble man. And I must agree with everyone else and say FUCK DANNY WAY. Platinum Skateboards literally made a shirt that says "We kill fags". Nice one, Danny, you jock dipshit.

Cousin Avi

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #16 on: August 07, 2014, 09:09:44 AM »
I speak for the whole Chilean Skateboarding community by saying that Mr. Way is a piece of dry shit for letting his friend spend all that time in jail without saying a word and in the process becoming a millionaire with one of the only things that brings happiness and Joy to all of us: Skateboarding.



trannies and mannies

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #17 on: August 07, 2014, 09:10:17 AM »
this is crazy. glad to see hes doing well

Rusty_Berrings

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #18 on: August 07, 2014, 09:16:47 AM »
Skating on food trays, huh? I'll have to try that one out next time I'm detention'd. 5 tries for a kickflip ain't bad if you haven't skated in 19 years 8 months...

galaxies

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #19 on: August 07, 2014, 09:23:40 AM »
The Judge he mentions in that interview does sound like a really fucked up guy (with yellow fever, apparently) :o
http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/george-w-iii-trammell

Quote
The case against Trammell grew out of a sexual relationship he had with a woman while her husband was awaiting sentencing in his court on kidnapping and other charges.
Quote
Former Superior Court Judge George W. Trammell III was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison Wednesday for giving favored treatment to a criminal defendant with whom he had a clandestine sexual relationship.

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #20 on: August 07, 2014, 09:25:41 AM »
 :o

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #21 on: August 07, 2014, 10:31:50 AM »

SodaJerk

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #22 on: August 07, 2014, 10:48:40 AM »
I heard Danny Way is going to talk publicly about this and make it up to Josh, right after the Plan B video drops.


Oprah Winfrey

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #23 on: August 07, 2014, 11:02:43 AM »
I heard Danny Way is going to talk publicly about this and make it up to Josh, right after the Plan B video drops.


The Mess

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #24 on: August 07, 2014, 11:16:00 AM »
wow. that was so good. heartfelt and great to hear he's on a good path after all this. a tearjerker reading the end of that.

Am I tripping or was there a Think ad sequence of Josh front popping the Gonz gap.

Can anybody post that if it exists.

Welcome back Josh!
i have nothing to fear but jesse himself.

Aatila

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #25 on: August 07, 2014, 12:13:05 PM »
damn yo peeps can't hide for shit now that the internet is in full swing as opposed to the pre internet days where josh had no voice behind the walls.  Its dope that oblow stuck around and held him down.  I wonder what arto's relationship was like with josh? anyways Danny way aint a real one.  Ill give him his skate legacy but as a person that was pretty shady.  It aint like he was doing fed time he could of put money on a nigga books or wrote a letter or something?  Josh held him down.  I wonder if Danny is gonna respond?

alonelikeastone

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #26 on: August 07, 2014, 12:27:34 PM »
Wow.
Muckmouth is on fire.
Great work.
That's the holy grail of interviews right there.
Who is next ? Rocco? Gator?

i used to skate

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #27 on: August 07, 2014, 12:31:07 PM »
i don't really know how to feel about this

i believe him, but that is just his side of the story

Danny may have suckerpunched Keith, but from Josh's words, he doesn't say Danny was lying about it, just that other people were saying Keith suckerpunched Danny.  who knows if Danny told people that, or if things just got lost in translation because drinking/loyalty.

it is kind of fucked for Danny to be known as a Gay Killer 20 years later (prior to the interview) when he just punched some dude who was starting shit (sucker or not) no bricks involved.  I can kind of understand if he wants to distance himself from this situation, no one made Josh and Steve stomp the guy out, regardless if Josh did less stomping than Steve.  this whole time people have been saying Danny killed dude with a brick and Josh took the heat for it, when that's not really true.

to me, the other dude (Steve) who lied and threw Josh under the bus is the only true scumbag here

AssBandit

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #28 on: August 07, 2014, 01:23:28 PM »
i always thought that danny was this no non-since 'kick ass and take' names type of dude.  i don't think i've ever pissed myself or gotten knocked out for starting a fight. 

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Re: Muckmouth | Josh Swindell interview
« Reply #29 on: August 07, 2014, 01:24:54 PM »
i don't really know how to feel about this

i believe him, but that is just his side of the story

Danny may have suckerpunched Keith, but from Josh's words, he doesn't say Danny was lying about it, just that other people were saying Keith suckerpunched Danny. �who knows if Danny told people that, or if things just got lost in translation because drinking/loyalty.

it is kind of fucked for Danny to be known as a Gay Killer 20 years later (prior to the interview) when he just punched some dude who was starting shit (sucker or not) no bricks involved. �I can kind of understand if he wants to distance himself from this situation, no one made Josh and Steve stomp the guy out, regardless if Josh did less stomping than Steve. �this whole time people have been saying Danny killed dude with a brick and Josh took the heat for it, when that's not really true.

to me, the other dude (Steve) who lied and threw Josh under the bus is the only true scumbag here

I don't think Danni Weigh will tell his side of the story..also danni should of done time for being an accomplice.
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