SkateBoarder Magazine
Who's Hot!
Vol 3, #2

What can you say about Jay Adams? Mere words could never come close to accurately describing him. Ask anyone who knows him, they’ll tell you. He’s one radical mutha. On the streets of his old hometown, Jay’s exploits are nearly legendary. Tales of his madness include: the time he got a ticket for skating on the freeway, numerous vicious food fights, when he allegedly skate-snatched the wig off the bald woman’s head, his uncanny throwing ability with a dirt clod (total accuracy for up to two city blocks), and how he can be gone for nine months, and walk into the Ocean Park Library and still cause the librarian to go into uncontrollable hysteria the instant she recognizes him (this library doesn’t have surfing magazines). In regards to these stories, Jay merely smiles and says, “it sounds like somebody else to me; I mean, if I ever stole a bald lady’s wig, I’d sure remember THAT!!!

Aside from the insanity, there remains Adams’ undeniable skating ability. People who are known as innovators consider Jay to be an original. Adams and Alva were the protypical Z-boys, and their riding did more to turn people on to the new surf-skate style than anything else. Jay did spectacularly well in contests, although now he doesn’t remember any of them in particular. When queried further, he states, “After all, contests aren’t really important.”

Editor’s note: Adams won freestyle and cross-country events in 1975 Hang Ten World Pro-Am, as well as 10 other first-place titles and over 20 other assorted placings.

Jay began surfing and skating at age 5 under the encouragement of his father, Kent Sherwood, a long-time surfer. He prefers bank and pool riding to other facets of skateboarding, and credits Tony Alva with “tuning him into the banks.” Other favorite skaters include “Torger Johnson and Bob Biniak. Adams feels that “it is important to skate well all around-‘cause it’s dead to be stuck doing just one thing.”

These days, the lad spends his winters in the Islands and his summers on the mainland taking full advantage of all skating and surfing opportunities.

Jay is very concerned with the quality and type of equipment he uses, feeling “it really makes a difference; it’s all that matters.” For skating, he is currently breaking in a new Logan 27” kicktail to accompany his old standards, a molded unidirectional fiberglass 27” slalom board, and a molded glass 27” kicktail for pools (both of which are manufactured by his dad). For surfing, he uses an Urbany 7’ x 18" wide round pin, and a 63" x 18 ¼” wide modified sting.

Adams’ favorite spots are Revere, Bellagio and Highland in California, and Wallos and Stoker Hill in Hawaii. His future visions include “better skate parks, with double-sided vertical walls, like a cross between Wallos and a pool.” He adds, “They better come soon, though, because the way it is going, the parks will be the only places left to skate.”

For tips, Jay offers that “you should be spontaneous in your skating, and not plan ahead, just do what comes natural.” And that “music really helps you to skate better, so just park your car next to the hill and turn up the stereo full blast.”

We asked Jay if his mother ever worried about him, and he answered, “of course not.” Then we asked if he ever worried about his mother, and he stated, "no, she’s able to take care of herself.”