THE JEFF PHILLIPS STORY + DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY

Jeff Phillips is one of the most sad and tragic stories in the history of skateboarding.
Viewer warning: This video discusses the fact that at just 30 years of age he ended his own life.
Jeff had a glorious skateboarding career which he established himself as one of the best of all time.
I filmed this interview and part in one day in Dallas, Texas at his skatepark. I could have never imagined how one of the greatest stories in skateboarding would end so abruptly.
He is so dearly missed and his legacy will live on forever.
video by @tonyrobertsphoto
#realskatestories #jeffphillips #skatehistory

[@startedskating86]

You should be asked to be on The Nine Club or Hawk vs Wolf. You'd be a super interesting because you watched it all happen.

[@RealSkateStories]

I would love that. So many stories.

[@PatrickTaylor-nm2se]

@@RealSkateStoriesThat would be hella rad hearing your stories on either podcast. You were in the thick of it during the late 80’s and early 90’s . I could only imagine the stories you have bro.

[@RealSkateStories]

@@PatrickTaylor-nm2se Thank you, one day I will tell some on @thenineclub !

[@PatrickTaylor-nm2se]

@@RealSkateStories It’s going to happen! Keep up the amazing work. Would love to surf some breaks with you down in South America.

[@chadchad9407]

I skated Jeff Phillips skate park in 1991. RIP.

[@johnpope4023]

Best vertical skater of all time.

[@kprdallas5700]

Spent many days at that park. Dallas legend. RIP Jeff.

[@jeffkeni]

The guy was an amazing skater. His speed never waivered. I was stunned when he reverted the layback rollout. It happened so quickly! Every time and I mean EVERY time I see a clip of him skating I say to myself he is was born to skate. A natural. Not a Hosoi kind of natural. Man, Hosoi, any non-skater could watch Hosoi skate and say he's a natural. That's probably not as likely with Jeff but if you ARE a skater TOO, you could watch him skate and say he's as much of a natural as Hosoi. Just a few years after the tragedy the Gravity Games and X Games came to be. I have often wondered what kind of force he would have been on the big tranny ramps of The Games. And the Mega Ramps? I think he would have been right there in the mix with Burnquist, Way etc. He had every bit of the command and control. Imagine his frontside boneless on a mega ramp! R.I.P Jeff Phillips. Gone but not forgotten.

[@tylerharvell9938]

I grew up skating his park. Jon Comer taught me how to drop in there. Mike crum taught me backside disasters there. Kalis used to make appearances there too, that was after Jeff had passed. Much love and respect to Jeff.

[@erichanhauser3190]

So sad. Found out on New Years Eve 93. Didnt believe it. We miss you Jeff. RIP to one of the greatest ever ever. Power Skater fer sure.

[@solidrock6524]

It happened Christmas eve and he wasn't found till new years eve?

[@vonslagle]

@@solidrock6524Eric, the guy commenting, is saying that he found out about Jeff passing on New Years Eve of 1993. I know that’s what he meant because I also heard that he passed away on that New Year’s. News travelled way slower back then before the internet

[@solidrock6524]

@@vonslagle I'm from that time so I thought either scenario was possible. I was just bummed out thinking about the family and how Christmas will always be tied to that

[@mandonmaloney2815]

He died Christmas night

[@startedskating86]

He lands so close to the coping it's so precise. Even when he did that Frontside boneless off of the platform he landed right at the top

[@erichanhauser3190]

Best Frontside boneless. Best 360 boneless. Best Miller Flip. Best Inverts. Pretty much best everything. Proper. Head high airs outta fakies. Fucking sick.

[@startedskating86]

​@@erichanhauser3190I wholeheartedly agree plus like TR said he rarely bails

[@christianirwin]

I saw him skate the Clown Ramp in Dallas a few times - just WAY better than everyone else and we'd all stop and watch.

[@UZIEGO]

THANK YOU!!! One of the most important and shortest careers of in our culture!!!

[@auralepiphanies4055]

Me and my two best friends got to drive down one weekend and skate surprisingly with Jeff and two of his friends at the park. I cant remember the name of his friends but they were two brothers and they also shredded super tough. Super friendly even though he seemed super old to us (we were 14-15, 16...haha)...thanks for creating the park JPhillips-kids dont know how much it meant to us back then. Very few pipes and we had to travel from rural Oklahoma just to get there. This was also the first time I ever rolled in on a pipe over 7 feet and it scared the shit outtta me! hahah cheers!

[@fugyamofug]

Effortless steeze- massive airs - huge bag of tricks - dude was beyond rad- his runs are sick - nonstop momentum and even when he slowed down he would use that to go into a grind or a stall - true skate rat So stezzy so easy Fluidity at its finest -glad there is footage Its a sad story- thanks for the upload dude- respect

[@hellowthere]

The Sims' Jeff Phillips board was the first "professional board" I owned, purchased by my parents during a trip to L.A. in 1986. I selected it solely based on its design, which I saw in a BMX magazine and had no additional information, considering I lived in Brazil at the time. After acquiring it, I began to closely follow Jeff's successful career in skateboarding. As you mentioned, his passing is one of the most tragic events in the history of the sport. It is cliché to say, but it is unfortunate that he succumbed to depression, as he could have witnessed the remarkable growth and success skateboarding would eventually achieve, instead of experiencing the extravagant "micro wheels era" at the time of his passing. Thank you for sharing the videos. The footage is truly impressive.

[@danmacfarlane3444]

Thanks for making Speed Freaks and This! Honored that the park photo I took is at 1:58 🙏🏻 I was around Jeff Phillips from the first year I began skateboarding: I saw him in my neighborhood at Parker Pool, Many times at the Skate Park Of Houston, and even ran into him and his Girlfriend at the Alamo! His park was super good to skate. Dare I say, I liked skating it more than the Skate Park Of Houston.

[@RealSkateStories]

Thank you Dan

[@brendangeraghty8865]

Thanks so much for helping keep Jeff's memory alive and educating the younger generation of skaters on what natural ability is. He is so missed. He should be here skating the new combi and winning without even trying and shaking a 20' vert ramp without even trying. You want to see effortless ability?. The kids gotta know. Thank you, from the bottom of my filthy, skate rat heart, man.

[@jeffnott-vi2bj]

Sad he was amazing I meet him at a Demo was really nice I never knew how he died it’s so sad RIP he was so positive a lot of the pros back then didn’t have a lot of time for you, but he did Rob And Kendall where very cool and talked to me my uncle knew them he skated down hill and Half Pipe I still skate at age 46 and ride BMX dirt and street because of my uncle and people Like Jeff plus we share the same name Glad I could meet Team Santa Cruz and Jeff back in the Day I got wheels and decks from them a few times Thanks for the Video 🙌

[@dgapp76]

I remember going to the demos at Clown Ramp and later all the lock-ins at Jeff Phillips skate park. When he skated, the whole place would stop and watch. Dude was always cool with the younger guys and everyone looked up to him. He was like a big brother to us. Rip that huge ramp in the sky my man. You are missed and never forgotten. Shout out to badass John Comer as well. Thanks for the amazing memories and skills taught.

[@tikotiko5328]

Hands down. One of my favorite vert skaters. I was so sad when he passed.

[@keithhampton9700]

Jeff's tree house was very cool 😅and major scary.Jeff was a great friend and the greatest skater of all time. He is missed by all of us.😢

[@DAWIII]

I helped build that treehouse, and my palms still sweat thinking about it!😂

[@keithhampton9700]

@@DAWIII Dan?

[@killerskatepark]

Jeff Phillips was a powerhouse! His suicide really hits home with a lot of skaters all around the world. The ride seems like it'll last forever until it just doesn't. Getting old is the final boss of what it means to be a life-long skateboarder. Lots of skaters retire early because they can't take what older age has to dish out. Some get into girls or other hobbies/passions, some get into drugs and crime, some just fizzle out and work a 9-5 or something similar and unfortunately, some don't make it out alive. Jeff is an extreme example of what it means to have a life others would be jealous of and then to have it all snatched away in next to no time. Although his rise and fall was beyond what the average skater goes through, it's still incredibly relatable to millions of normal skaters too. Jeff will be remembered for his amazing skateboarding forever.......and his fall from grace and death will help skaters realize life has many chapters. Don't close the book until it's done. Skate for fun. That's it.

[@CaseyDarwin]

I was about 10 years old when Speed Freaks came out and that little interview where he says he skates for fun has always stuck with me, haunting. Please don't stop publishing these until you feel it's complete. Even if these videos aren't getting millions of views right now, their importance will only grow over time. It seems like you already understand what a treasure you have. But I just wanted to offer some perspective from afar.

[@RealSkateStories]

Thanks Casey. The archives are so deep so no end to what will be published on here!! This channel is relatively new so I am stoked with the engagement I am already getting and it just continues to grow. There is nothing even close in the skate realm on KZbin so indeed I do understand.

[@shakeandbreak2938]

The alley-oop to front side Ollie was insane! Jeff is absolutely my favorite skater. My first pro board was a 1987 Jeff Phillips mini. My mom one night woke me up in tge middle of the night because the Vusion Rock and Roll Jam was on t.v. and we both sat in amazement of Jeff and watched him win. I remember my mom saying to "look at how close he lands to the top of the ramp, that is where he gets his speed and power." She was so right. From one Phillips to another, Jeff, you are truly missed.

[@michaelgpartridge2384]

Your mom is something else! How cool, thanks for sharing that!

[@shakeandbreak2938]

@michaelgpartridge2384 she definitely is. What was more amazing was that it was a school night, too. Lol

[@mutatedgenome]

Jeff was always a favorite of mine in 80's. Depression sucks.

[@marcelboogaard3809]

Poetry in motion. Jeff is my all time favourite vert skater.

[@RyanCrase1]

The best. My first board was the green and orange Sims Jeff Phillips. He’s always been my favorite skater. RIP

[@mackash]

Cool. One of my all time fav skaters. Cheers. RIP Jeff

[@sk8rMike360]

Very tragic. Good story. I'm willing to bet those switch carves were some of the first ever to be done. I always thought it was crazy how he dwarfed giant vert ramps.. Legendary

[@rockwallcares5084]

I started out skating the Clown/Blue ramp at Bachman Lake, then we started taking the city bus to Phillips Skate Park. Spent many a days there, and the all night lock ins! My vert boards were always Phillips from his Sims to BBC.....

[@fordhamdigi]

Such a ripper. So consistent.

[@mackash]

Thank you so much for posting all these vids. This is by far one of the best skate channels online. Well done man. Wish we had a time machine.

[@ArnoldFields-w5t]

Saw Jeff in lake Tahoe in Terror N Tahoe Skate Contest late 80's The BEST Skater with the best Graphics... came down to hosie n hawk .. Jeff Won......

[@lemonite1]

so smooth and precise.. dangerously close to hanging up but never does. Who does an invert on a wall then follows it up with a 6ft air? Jeff Phillips R.i.P

[@blackplague-x3y]

My first pro-model was a Sims Jeff Phillips with Gullwings and the whole plastic guards in 1986. It cost $240 complete lol! It was a monster board with huge sims wheels! R.I.P Jeff!

[@RealSkateStories]

Damn they must have charged you by the pound! 😂😂

[@blackplague-x3y]

@@RealSkateStories It came with every addition they sold - tail guard, copers, nose guard, rails.... a damn tank! I was 11 yrs old

[@nk6054]

Awesome memories. Sounds similar to mine, green Gullwings, risers and 60mm Purple Toxic wheels. £85 in early 92. Poole

[@angrytater2456]

Tragic. He was a ripper. R.I.P.

[@dwayneandrews2059]

Legend, what a beast. Him, Grosso and Tom Boyle are so solid, like their pounding gravity into the dirt. So sick, sad their all gone but their influence never will be. Ripping a great big bowl in the sky boys. Thnx for posting bro.

[@markcopley2526]

Crazy how good Jeff was!! One of the BEST ever!! Too sad man.. RIP.

[@dalecirrone4108]

Jeff was next level pro , he would skate the half pipe bare foot. On Wednesday he would have senior night 21 and older @ his park. Jeff and Mike Crum were killing it always. Will always remember those times

[@hernanrivaroli5703]

Hola, ¡mi amigo! Great video, as always. Living in Argentina, and having passed time, I have not always been able to follow the continuity of these great skaters. Thank you for completing these chapters lost to me.

[@RealSkateStories]

Con gusto Che!

[@amexican8528]

so stoked this came across my wall..always wanted to see the complete video...jeff is and always will be missed...WE MISS YOU BROTHER

[@michaelgpartridge2384]

Utterly prescient at all times. Jeff’s skating is fascinating even 30 years hence. Goddamn, this guy was incredible ! Excellent vid, thank you for posting!

[@markmurphy3739]

Agreed.

[@ROBBARROW1974]

Thank you for this man

[@michaelcardoso286]

Thanks for the nice words on one of the greats.

[@nk6054]

It was very sad hearing about Jeff. Obviously at the time getting my 1st proper board in early 92 i had to pick up something cheaper but didn't know who any of the names were. I probably still had it when it happened. What i do remember is all the colours, oranges, greens, pinks and purples. RIP young man

[@hunterdavis3003]

I’ve always said that if Jeff would’ve hung on for just one more year he would have received all the accolades he had coming to him. Jeff was so so close truly a heartbreaking story.

[@moetrymwm7807]

Not ONE bail! That is truly incredible. What an endless bag of tricks.

[@kilolifter9491]

Ah dang wish he would’ve stuck around. Makes me sad. Great skater and seemed like a great guy.

[@AF-gg3ce]

damn, learned more in 16 minutes about Jeff than I ever have. Bravo

[@lomasland]

Thanks !🙏

[@jasonmartin1569]

I will never forget hearing about his passing. I was livinh in S.F. and had a little party at my aoartment. My girlfriend went back to R.I. I think Julien Stranger told me ,yo Jeff Philliips committed suicide. I couldn't belive it. I had met him at the Sk8 Hut in Providence through Fred Smith. Nice guy and anazing.I couldnt belive it. I remembered i had a tie dye graphics shirt at the parents. Wish i still had it. Never forget our fallen heroes.

[@johnnypea43]

Switch carve (which I'm sure he would have called a fakie carve) was ahead of the times.

[@highonangeldust]

Dude was soooo smooth

[@startedskating86]

A fully extended and stalled invert on a mini ramp bowl takes some serious strength.

[@rampartapparel]

Those hip transfers were so dope

[@codyclark2780]

15:00-15:01 that transfer was sick. The guy definitely knew how to put anything with coping in a chokehold

[@davoid1208]

Phillips 66! True legend! RIP

[@Old_man_Rob]

If Jeff would have stay around 3 more years , Philips in the X games , wow. Yes I know Jeff may have not done it , but he definitely wasn't scared of contest. Jeff is one of the greatest to ever do it. R.I. P. ❤️🙏

[@cornballsrus]

Legend!!!!! Rest easy 🦅🦅🦅🦅

[@robertcrystals]

there's nothing like a Phillips frontside ollie

[@kipchaa8423]

Thats never the easy out.R.I.P Jeff

[@skgbrds]

No words can do justice

[@hatchmultimedia360]

AMAZING

[@crookedmouthdj]

wow, I really had no idea how good he was, born to skate

[@ryanrowe1975]

RIP Jeff Phillips

[@snopunk2]

Always thought he was awesome, then saw him win Holiday Havoc in ‘86 which cemented the deal. His SIMS boards were killer.

[@keithbrock2061]

Grew up in Baird, Texas Jeff was legend to us all in Texas RIP bro

[@marcelboogaard3809]

Tony, can you remember a Dutch skater Mark van der Eng being at the vert session? He turned pro for Deathbox (which later turned into Flip) around the time this was filmed. There’s a run off him in your raw. Footage from a while ago.

[@RealSkateStories]

Sounds familiar, was he the lanky goofy foot dude?

[@marcelboogaard3809]

@@RealSkateStories yeah, had a flyaway helmet and skated bare chested that session.

[@Dirtywesterner]

jeff was my favorite and was on or above the same level as tony and christian

[@markmurphy3739]

Above.

[@ezrhino100]

Jeff could have been the greatest. He was a top 3 skater back then. Hosoi, Cab and Phillips. A complete skater.

[@rockwallcares5084]

As a 12 year old that bowl and spine sure seemed a helluva lot bigger. Remember Craig Johnson and John Gibson transferring across that gap as we laid on the deck under them!

[@RealSkateStories]

Wowzers. Talk about legendary 🙌

[@thetimefly]

One day, I was skating the Clown Ramp (as shown at the beginning of this doc) and some skaters in a pickup truck pulled up and said they needed help building a new skatepark, so we piled in the back and spent the day (one of many) building Jeff’s park. After it opened, we spent many long days there. It was my favorite place in the world. Jeff would just absolutely stun everyone when he skated it. He would drop in on the vert wall in the street area and just rip the place apart. One summer, he held an overnight lock-in at the park and my friends and I decided to drop acid and skate all night. We ended up getting kinda loud and crazy in the parking lot at one point, and some cops pulled up. Jeff saw it through the window and ran out to protect us. He sent us inside as he explained the lock-in to them. He was like a super hero. About a year later, Transworld did an article on him entitled “Jeff Phillips is a sad man”. It was horrible. He killed himself not too long after. When he died, they removed his name from the park. All of that really bothered me. Still does.

[@RealSkateStories]

Thanks for sharing that. Such a tragic end to one of the greatest skate stories ever.

[@ArnoldFields-w5t]

❤

[@markgregory7140]

We went to the USA in 1984 from the UK and got a greyhound from NYC to Dallas. My friend was pen pals with Phillips via Jeff Newton at Zorlac and Jeff and Tom Barrows met us at the bus station and let us stay, they didn't even know us, that was what they and what skateboarding was like back then, great days and RIP Jeff.

[@RealSkateStories]

Amazing.

[@markgregory7140]

@@RealSkateStories Jeff also got my other friend Don Brown sponsored by Sims, we went from Dallas to Newport beach on his recommendation and that's how i found myself at Del Mar, what a great time to be alive.

[@ArcAngelNutrition-gm7jk]

He was my friend I can remember many Sunday Nights a Bacman Lake hearing the jets roar by. He was the best skateboarder I had ever seen and just a good person. You never know what the test is and what is going on with someone wish his story would have ended different.

[@rampartapparel]

Absolutely shredded that pipe

[@jakeshafer3157]

First pro I ever met, was at Skatetime and in awe of him that I spent countless days at his park that I even won a contest there one night. I have Jimmy Coleman's business card from there!

[@thecottage4493]

Man it's too bad he couldn't hold on to see skateboarding come back.......he could be riding in all those Masters contests with everyone else today

[@michaeldalziel6628]

That was awesome

[@zg-mzga]

such a bummer he's no longer with us. super generous dude. i'm from garland and still have the dallas morning news that delivered the news that he had passed. he introduced me to what I thought was his nephew and we street skated bbc prototypes. where you at toby

[@Vegasliferpools]

Natural 🇺🇸😻

[@merdith6]

I remember going to his skate park in Dallas and he had this like 8 ft Bowl it was sick could have been 9 alongside a spine ramp with a vert ramp in the back. Saw grosso skating there. I was a bit nervous on that bowl. Texas has a good skate history.

[@RealSkateStories]

Sure does!

[@chrislewis5989]

Those runs would win any contest today, nearly 40 years later on that og setup, so sick. He's like 6'4" too, power, control....

[@jamesboston8505]

Grew up, if we ever did same school,Worm introduced us. He was on a differant level even in jr high. To this day sometimes when i drive down by White Rock creek I think aboutt him hanging out in the treehouse. RIP

[@eddiemoore1533]

Such a poser, I was…I knew what I wanted though..3 days in to my new high school (Vines. Plano Texas) knowing how bad I wanted to skate more..I pleaded with my late Daddy..to give me 80 bucks, to get a Jeff Phillips board, Tracker trucks, slime balls, rails..it was a loaded baked potato..but that slime green..His name stamped on it..and I had no clue who he was… God! I loved that board..Went all over Plano with it… Even went to the parking lot, At Bachman Lake..(didn’t have the scratch, for admission, so I hung n the parking lot with my friends mom, who drove them(me)..I could see Jeff, and, a praying mantis w knee pads and a helmet (Hawk)…:My minds eye, is 20/20, at 52…and I’m today years old, when I looked up”where’s Jeff Phillips”…I asked….Thank you! This footage/homage is just what I needed…I can still ollie…skate tough or go home!!! Peace. -Eddie Mo

[@eddiemoore1533]

(The 80 bucks was a steal, off the rich kid who didn’t want to ride it no more..it was mint..I took care of that mighty quick….

[@paulc6498]

No two runs were ever the same. A mark of spontaneous mastery..

[@scottneumann2124]

it's true his park closed.... but technically it was bought out and kept a skatepark till about 97 or 98. It was called Rapid Revolutions, but everybody in Dallas still called it Jeff Phillips.

[@russslagel514]

I would love to see what he (or any of these guys) could do if they were in their primes with today's gear and ramp designs.

[@kevint.5381]

I Did Not Know That..RIP. Was it Sims before Santa Cruz? My first pro deck was his, then roccos..kinda telling in a way. Vert definitely got their rock star status shook back then. At least he had the decency to leave others alone..gator..Im sure there are other hard hit pros from that era that lost substantially, depression is a real thing. Old Sad Skate Dads like me remember pioneers like jeff, gen 1 skate pro iconoclasts

[@Salba_sauce]

Wow

[@johnfudala128]

I've got similar footage. Interviews in the parking lot at and around the skatepark.

[@RealSkateStories]

Would love to see!

[@mandonmaloney2815]

That pool is my parents house.

[@stingylizard]

1st and last time I skated w Jeff was at an indoor park grand opening in Waco,TX late '80's. See the red C-iron on the roof? We were both on top of the ramp and it was tall enough that I could almost touch the c-iron holding my board over my head. I made a comment about hitting my head if I got more than 5 ft of air,which wasn't gonna happen. Jeff mean-mugged me,then took a run and did this giant ass air and contorted his body where did an axle grind with both trucks on that gd c-iron on the roof. 6 ft over my head-So epic...so indimidating. I nearly fell face forward off the ramp in awe. Only time I just took my board and watched the rest of the day. A lot of hype regarding Jeff Phillips,it was all true.

[@RealSkateStories]

Incredible.

[@AL_KING777]

I’d always wondered who a guy like blender was influenced by

[@lopwidth7343]

Id say smoother than Cab

[@markmurphy3739]

WOW! 😊

[@scottharper7280]

I was there the day he did the invert for the transworld cover at Kanis park, my home bowl to this day.

[@3DEditor]

At 8:45 is that one of Jeff's invented tricks too? What's it called? Kind of like an alley-oop hand plant.

[@mackash]

Miller flip?

[@jeffkeni]

Did he have something called the Texas Twister? Was that it at 8:45? I don't recall now. It's been so long LOL!

[@no-zo5wh]

That's his layback air

[@ron8935]

That's called a Unit. He also has the famed Phillips 66 seen elsewhere...

[@3DEditor]

@ron8935 That's right, I couldn't remember the name. Did he invent the Unit or did someone else? I know for sure that he invented Phillips 66.

[@NemohHoes]

7:23 Was that the thps 2 special trick sound? 😃

[@RealSkateStories]

Maybe they got it here!

[@NemohHoes]

@@RealSkateStories They must have! That’s incredible

[@johnsantos1920]

Legend flawless

[@skulleagletartat]

Did I hear that right, he was waiting to get fixed, as in he was injured at the time? He skated real good for being not 100%!

[@augustvong7057]

Thought of that too. The skating is incredible, but he seems to hold back a bit compared to before. Did he stop doing 540's?

[@Misserbi]

There is almost nothing you can say about a skateboarder who is into firearms. I never heard such a thing. I would assume the skateboard is that. He must have felt betrayed. That happens when someone who is sensitive is left unmonitored with their thoughts. I am sure he felt like a warrior and that defeat meant the ultimate show. Not sure how else to say it -- he was iconic and a stand out. RIP

[@jeffhagel3970]

Natural Born Skater.