Tom Penny Stories with Dave Swift

[@superduperman7202]

Tom Penny skated into Radlands in Northampton UK on a day when we all should've been in school, I was there with 3 friends, he was alone, no one else was in the park as it was 11am. He sat on top of the Mini Ramp and watched me do late shove its off the kicker into the mini ramp flat bottom whilst he smoked a cigarette. He slapped his board every time I landed a trick. He dropped into the mini ramp and skated off around the park once. Said bye to me and my friends and left. Very quiet and nice guy. He did no tricks just came to watch for a bit. That's my Tom Penny story.

[@magnetshoes]

one of pennys mates told me that he was a heavy meth user but idk how true that is, you hear about this?

[@superduperman7202]

@@magnetshoes He wasn't at the age when he was kicking about Radlands.

[@gogadrakulic1085]

Beutiful story

[@enjoy_the_board]

@@magnetshoes There's that one Ghetto Child ad where he looks skinny as fuck, like literally crack head skinny. If it was true, it doesn't seem like he's using now.

[@ogfullmelt]

Nice

[@skate_health7319]

Y’all need to to anything possible to get Penny on the show !!!

[@DarwinBoys1]

It will never happen I think…

[@skate_health7319]

@@DarwinBoys1 we can hope and dream lol …

[@dblah4076]

The mystery of him is part of the legacy. Unless he asks to be on, leave it be

[@jovantrendmaker4722]

How hes never in america

[@dlf6124]

They would literally have to travel over the pond to get that podcast

[@burrowsgod]

I'm from England..was at all the radlands comps..even though I never knew Tom personally I witnessed him on his pathway to the destruction of skateboarding at the time..along with Rowley Shipman and Wainwright...glorious time in UK skateboarding.

[@skatechatham]

I went to 1993 comp, Penny had a flat brim hat on and intense eyes just floating around the course. I have some crummy film camera pics of him skating the box at the left side with the rail on top.

[@burrowsgod]

@@skatechatham I was there..penny was a virtual unknown..I've still got the ticket and remember it well.

[@jamalydude]

@@skatechathamplease put them on KZbin if you can transfer it. Absolute gold you have there

[@zhgjlr23]

Bro I just met penny yesterday in a pub in Bordeaux! Dude is so chill and super easy to talk to lol

[@seancrutcher525]

What state is the Bordeaux you are talking about located.i live in nashville but the part of town is called bordeaux

[@RollForever88]

@@seancrutcher525 I’d assume in France

[@heroicsquirrel3195]

@@seancrutcher525 France fool😂

[@hotscum6970]

@@seancrutcher525 hahaha damn dude

[@johncollins636]

@@seancrutcher525come on Sean

[@HsvPeavey]

Tom Penny is the skater’s favorite skater. 🤜🤛

[@J.W.Brogan]

Your favorite skater's favorite skater.*

[@danielmc8385]

Unless they like watching skaters skate handrails.

[@vancouverbill]

​@@danielmc8385 dude he did switch fs tail down that square rail in down town LA way before that trick became popular. switch bs lip down skate park handrails

[@danielmc8385]

@@vancouverbill he did the same shit over and over. He stopped progressing and it showed in his flip parts. Koston was and is so much better.

[@danielmc8385]

@@vancouverbill have you ever seen him grind a handrail? How about a switch heel flip down a set? Chances are if you see a Penny clip, it’s the same trick you’ve already seen 20 times. Overrated as fuck.

[@arikuusela6716]

You need to get Arto Saari as a guest! He must have good stories from the Flip era.

[@DarwinBoys1]

Bro Arto has a lot of problem with memory now… he can’t even remember some tricks he did etc that’s so sad :/

[@arikuusela6716]

@@DarwinBoys1 Oh damn, I didn't know that

[@elliottwoods5636]

@@DarwinBoys1 i don't deny this at all, we all know arto has taken some nasty slams. but im curious about your sources, cant find any info on it.

[@DarwinBoys1]

@@elliottwoods5636 You can find it easily

[@elliottwoods5636]

@@DarwinBoys1 not that easily apparently

[@patrickbyrne5070]

People forgetting how shabby the streets were (n still are really in comparison)here in UK. Not to mention the weather.. Putting Penny on cali streets was like giving him easy mode I guess 😀

[@markettrader911]

1994 Cali streets perhaps. Nowadays Cali is a bankrupt dilapidated failed socialist utopia hell-hole with crumbling roads and infrastructure. Speaking from experience

[@johncollins636]

Great perspective

[@anthonysmith8321]

Switch frontside flip was on the 411 video. Flip industry section.

[@mikebroussard3782]

Dave Swift is a legend, soo amazing to hear him tell his stories of Tom Penny. Legends loving legends, ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@RT-iy9fe]

i was skating with Penny a few years back in Oxford. Still such a gent with natural talent. viva la Penny !

[@romeisfallingagain]

just to let you know, if you manage to read this in time before they sell out, SS20 (oxford skateshop which is now only online) has done a flip collaboration with tom penny and released a tom penny x ss20 & flip deck. its really awesome. got one through the post this week

[@JoeSmith-gn1ki]

Mind that when tom penny switch fs flipped the carlsbad gap the monumental plan b video second hand smoke had just came out and Jeremy wray was king of going big and everyone had lost their shit over j wray fs flipping carlsbad gap in that video, so when penny did it switch shortly after in the middle of a less important video like 411 it was the shot heard around the world. Markovich had kickflipped carlsbad well before that in that transworld cover and had maintained king status for a while till dethroned by wray and i wonder what he was thinking?

[@quinndavis]

Carlsbad gap was in 411 Flip section, same as no push back tail run.

[@rahkielsingh6028]

came out 1 year b4 i ever stepped on a skateboard. Missed this issue, parts weird af lol kzbin.info/www/bejne/haSUh4aeo62Gl9U

[@DelightfulPager-ro4nw]

Tom Penny had a style and a skill that was God given! Looked like the board was part of him just incredible to watch

[@genuineparticle]

Love Swift's Penny impression. Reminiscent of Dana Carvey doing Paul McCartney. 'We were strummin and croonin' and turning knobbies for a bit and that was Sgt. Peppers"

[@michaelwilson8212]

Shout out from the UK, the guys a national treasure.

[@reza_dc2]

Had a chance to watch and meet Penny at the old Huntington beach skatepark , dude was chill as fuck and very friendly. Legend.

[@chrishendricks1160]

Besides Hosoi, Penny is to me the most gifted skater on earth..ever. No one could step to Penny in 95. I think people overlook the fact he came from Englad where the terrain is knarly..cobblestone and shitty spots..When he got over to the US alot of the spots were perfect and even spots like the chain to bank he was able to manage because of the europe terrain he was used to.

[@Complex_Addition]

I saw him skate in Finland at a es demo. Koston, Rick McCrank and Tom fucking Penny were there. Rick McCrank killed the park. Koston had trouble with a noseblunt slide on a pyramid corner. Tom Penny was smoking cigarrettes on a ramp. He started skating about thirty minutes into the demo. He pulled a switch krooked grind into a handrail after a few tries and the fuckin place exploded !

[@daleadelic]

man i think i was at the es tour when it rolled into bolton in the NW UK and yeah rick mccrank was absolutely tearing the park up. it was one of the first times we had seen skating so consistant like that. he landed everything! i think koston was injured at the time in the uk. amazing times.. then osiris tour and america rolled through too. special golden years of skating man

[@turtleboypurp]

man swift has been there for so much of skateboarding. this was a great episode.

[@torsion2]

i met Tom Penny in about 1992/3 at Bath skatepark. I was skating on my own and TP rocked up on his own and just had a little sesh.

[@laneellsworth805]

Tom Penny is a straight LEGEND!!!!!

[@chrishyde4728]

Kelly slippin on the Carlsbad switch frontside flip. Flip industry section 411. Come on man 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@-regular-james-]

My exact thought. Isn't he the 411 encyclopedia? I damn near wore that VHS out. His tricks in that video, and his shit in the TSA video are peak Penny.

[@SLAYS863]

👍

[@Jbone306]

Still don’t know why they crapped on him for that 😂

[@kellymcentee7172]

His natural talent is undeniable and so fun to watch. I don't even think he knows that he's got a gift. Hard not to like Tom Penny.

[@Rufusdos]

I was at a Powell Peralta demo at a Youth Club in the UK in about 91-92. At one point Hawk and Penny were skating a 5-foot miniramp, and Penny was boning out completely tweaked melons and frontside grabs to fakie right in Hawk's face, at approximately face height too, and Tony's a tall dude. Would love to know if Hawk has any recollection of that.

[@patrickbyrne5070]

I dunno if it’s true but I once heard that Hawk said “if Penny did more vert I’d be out of a job” haha. Again not sure how true it is but back then Penny real had jaws dropping all round. I have no doubt he remembers. Penny probably doesn’t … And a lot of jealous mfs too by sounds of it!

[@Rufusdos]

@@patrickbyrne5070 Nice. Jaws dropping is right. First skater I ever saw to whom the word "radical" really applied. You couldn't bone a melon more than that. And he was so tiny and skinny too.

[@richardbrewis436]

I owned the Tom Penny Flip magic mushroom deck!!

[@CatLover-g7j]

GET TOM ON THE SHOW!!!! PLEASE !

[@MasterCrvo]

Gather round, children, time for tales of Tom Penny!

[@jonathandonald2342]

Penny smoked a cigarette and left... I e heard that story many times lol it's a classic. Sums up penny well.

[@global2526]

Penny is like a Legendary Myth that would Show Up to spots and utterly Destroy them. The perfection and style is still unmatched.

[@Green1up]

Just got my ES Penny’s today I love them and I will forever oh yeah and my micro pair

[@diegojimenez7735]

DAVE SWIFT IS THE MAN

[@mlombardo9]

The downhill school line is such beautiful skateboarding

[@monkeyboydesign]

(like everyone else) I was always intrigued by Tom. Started out with Melonchollie photos in RAD mag. Never quite managed to see him skate irl. "Penny just left!" - Brum, '89. Baked and just watching: South Bank '92. "Penny just left!" 20 years later @ Supra bowl Biarritz '09.

[@sigurdwerdammen1494]

Im 40 and you know what, this is was skateing is about for me.

[@alexfriedman2047]

I never met Tom Penny but one time Jenkem onlin Magazine had a Tom Penny loko a like contest and I just sent them a couple minutes of old olf footage from like 5 years prior to that and they ended up sending me a fat pay check and tons of prodiuct. Never thought all those nights watching Penny would pay off in that way. I still get it soemtimes at the park like "You look like Tom Penny"

[@nenemydog]

haha I just had to look at your vids and you do have that penny style! Deserved to win that competition

[@alexfriedman2047]

@@nenemydog lol thanks man. The funny thing is I didn't try to win that competition. I just knew that if I sent in old footage it would be the most Penny looking thing. I really needed that money at that time too, and new gear was tight.

[@JakeMCGreen]

Love Tom penny - we need Cardiel next!!!!

[@optimusgotslimed3175]

Dude looks like a milk man. But his shirt says Pepsi.

[@thinglizzy2718]

I watch Tom Pennys Anthology part like once’s a month before I go skate

[@williammoore9498]

The switch frontside flip at carlsbad

[@ThomasWake1]

Tom Penny is the absolute chillest dude in all skateboarding

[@KeepRecordsTV]

Such a classic point to mention: Tom (and Geoff) were brought to these Cali spots they had NEVER been to before. They would show up and have a few hours to session before dipping off to the next spot. In those few hours they would absolutely DESTROY whatever obstacle right in front of the local heads who skate those places daily. Doing shit nobody even thought to attempt. "Who the F*CK ARE THESE GUYS!!???" would be the general reaction. The whole 90's Flip era was truly something magical.

[@shootermcgavin5537]

I'm pretty sure the Carlsbad gap was from flip industry part on an old 411vm

[@greyguy.960]

Skated with him and saw him skate comps went out after the comp with him and a few mates. Great night chill guy .

[@Skateboarding151]

The switch front flip by Tom penny over the Carlsbag gap was in the video UNO

[@DeadHandX]

So good...thank you.

[@ralphemerson8919]

The Carslbad switch frontside flip was in the Flip Industry Section of 411.

[@damianjenkin3900]

Very correct sir. Im suprised they did not remember that 411 isue 32 the best one and Geoff Rowley profiles at end.

[@MonsieurCeri]

most magical Skater ever...

[@camfasching3022]

This is very awesome, it really is a part of Skate History... Really.. I remember this.. Really Legend.... #dave4thrasherPrez

[@LushiTV]

Sw frontside flip carsbad was the flip industry section of 411 vm

[@gazebo4037]

Nice bloke Dave Swift is but he mentioned Penny falling? I mean yeah obviously that didnt happen and i understand him trying to humanise Tom more but lets keep these stories believable. Fair play to Dave though, I'm not jealous in any way!

[@oliverkirfel8680]

Penny is the illest 😊😙

[@danielclark739]

The video you're looking for is Etnies High 5

[@Cxiv_114]

@theNineClub I love the show & enjoy hearing the stories the only thing I would like to see for example is when Dave is talking about the Street Rod ad ( Pop Shov & 3-Flip) if you guys could show the content to amplify the stories .... I understand this takes time & possible rights issues but damn that would be amazing way to see & hear these throwback stories.

[@nigelgeiger6020]

I remember seeing the flip team skating to come on Eileen on the very first 411 sent to my mom’s apartment, seeing Tom and just being blown the hell away. I was so into east coast skating I barely cared about cali much less Europe and that skating made me change my thinking .

[@williammoore9498]

No it was the geoff Rowley profile intro for 411 vm

[@johnnyagnew5694]

This is fucking brilliant, love hearing about the prophet Tom. Long live the King.🍄👑❤️🍻

[@nikokaapa]

My Tom Penny story is seeing him at the "Extremely Sorry" premiere in Cologne in 2009 and asking him for an autograph. He said "no no no" and walked away, which is fair enough. I asked poor Lance Mountain as well and he ended up signing like a trillion things by all the people there without fuss, when he really didn't need to. I still have that signed premiere ticket, framed here in my room. Lance Mountain is such a hero. Funnily enough, I now live right next to that cinema I went to watch that Flip vid in 2009.

[@Gurdsresu]

all praises due to the most if tom penny before i pass drops by the 9 club and just sits for 3 hrs doesnt have say much and spits a freestyle at the end haha

[@mattlubas4038]

Loved the Flip Team . Skated Flip Decks for many years..

[@Throawei]

It's so unfortunate that these guys don't ask follow up questions or dig ever.

[@NkaVidsSkateboarding]

These are the best stories ever 🤓

[@ryguy5929]

Rob did a switch heel over the chain? 🤔

[@bballboarder019]

Does anyone know if the footage of Tom attempting the front blunt on the long out ledge is around? The one he got the cover for

[@caseyaylward8853]

I feel bad for all the Young Dudes growing up without the Legends and Tall Tales of Tom Petty. There's not that much stuff on film but it was more the unfilmed stories you would hear of Tom. Going to some Park and absolutely destroying it or going to a legendary spot and busting out an NBD first try. Like I said there's not that much on film so when you did hear he was going to be in some video coming out soon you would make sure you had a copy when it came out. I always called him a skateboarding unicorn.

[@diegosabalardo]

SS180 Carlsbad was in 411 > industries: Flip

[@jasonelliott6904]

I went to mad house party in Birmingham in about 2009 , they left the front door open all night , I shit you not Tom penny just walked in with a carer looking after him and he retired to hit in my Mates girlfriend. Blew my fucking mind

[@Lostflipper24]

What video is the school line he’s talking abt with the back tail ?

[@airforcetone]

When you’ve grown up skating rough uk streets the smooth US ones feel like a dream

[@BrianDennington]

You would look at Tom in Thrasher and Transworld and the captions just said " somewhere in Europe " like the spots didn't have names like we did in America. It's like where is he skating? Oh somewhere in Europe?

[@reidellis1988]

I remember the "Swank the Meek.. Swift the Mighty" advertisement.

[@MattyBrad]

You have to compare UK skate spots with US spots. Especially in the 90's. You lot have it made. We have cobbles and drystone walls.

[@vmvlev]

i bet tom is nr1 of most peoples wish list to be on nine club ... he has like 4hrs of story telling b4 he went pro

[@thebayharborbutcher9115]

Tom Penny and Heath Kirchart for sure

[@frankcastle3827]

You guys need Toan on the show already....

[@ClutchDumars]

Smoking Weed and Skating, the Tom Penny playbook.

[@adamcarpenter1869]

I think the switch frontside flip down Carlsbad was in cinematography. But it could have been in 411 industry though.

[@dylanrogers5948]

"give me some"

[@hoonaticbloggs5402]

I met him at a comp in Botley,Oxford , must have been 1988, or 89, he must have been about 12-13 years old. We were 14-15, we thought he was a grommet back then😂, but I know peeps put down the hexagon handrail long before TP came on the Oxfordshire scene.

[@SHIREDRIFT]

If you can skate Oxford and it's medieval streets, you can skate anywhere! You should get Mon Barbour and Sean Goff on to tell some Penny stories. Without those two, there wouldn't have been much of an Oxford Skate scene

[@stuartadams3127]

Crob didn't watch 411. How is that possible?

[@gbb5642]

Jeron should has spoken about the girl beef

[@illuminatedsoles331]

What was that switch fs flip from?

[@geoffferreros6401]

Got to witness him kill Tampa a couple times. He was magical

[@switch_shuvvv]

After this all these stories we are gonna need grant brittain next

[@JoseGarcia-ks6tt]

Pilot for fred? GNARLY.

[@mimik5856]

Remember the bad vibes coming from koston when I went to the radlands comp

[@dreamyeye4015]

Authentic Tom Penny story here! I once saw Tom Penny at a supra demo way back in the day. He didn't skate so much, but he was itching constantly on his back. I was a bit disappointed but when I went to bed on the same day, the bedroom windows got thrown open. Startled, I swung my feet off the bed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Low and behold, Tom Penny was standing on my window sill with a pair of wings on his back. He jumped down and walked nonchalantly toward me and delivered a kiss on my cheek, saying in his groggy-Tom-Penny voice, "No one will ever believe you." He clambered back up the window sill, spread his wings and then disappeared into the night.

[@alexanderakerlund7267]

Rad🔥🔥🔥

[@jayr5669]

Oh what Jeron having some trouble remembering when the Girl dudes kept heckling Tom Penny and spitting on the course as he skates? Ya i wouldnt wanna admit it either😂🤡

[@MikaelFlyer]

Flip industry section on a 411vm

[@KISHIN-RIKI]

Yup, first thought was whens tom penny broz.

[@samtraygis1337]

What was Tom Penny mainly into just weed and alcohol?

[@chrishendricks1160]

Nah everything really.

[@bballboarder019]

Have they ever had Tom on the show? That would be so freaking epic

[@ashleybrown4754]

He talks less than P.J. and Heath combined

[@チャーリーブラウン-w8l]

@@ashleybrown4754 Definitely names that should be on the priority list of guest

[@superduperman7202]

His voice is too deep for the mics

[@saxenas]

As little as he talks according to his reputation, i have no doubt dude could easily hold a very entertaining 9 club interview for 3 plus hours. The whole skate industry would be on the edge of their seats the entire time. He's a really good talker too according to the few interviews of him online.

[@caryhays9589]

I got that etnies high five tape for free with a deck I bought at zumies in the 90’s…. I watch e that taped until it literally POPPED

[@Pd46.2]

Letters from America

[@hoodedcobra1531]

Penny gave me his deck

[@Demion83]

I'll never get used to people calling "e's" "ess", many people have tried to convince me that is right, but at this point I don't even care what it was supposed to be. It is e's to me.

[@Mario-dd9dh]

Is Dave working now for Pepsi?

[@highginx]

I think that Tom Penny only did mushrooms and weed 🛹🍄💨✌️

[@monkeyboydesign]

I only heard weed and booze

[@edwardscheve7317]

411 11 and best of 2 flip industry section

[@patrickbyrne5070]

Need to work on that accent mate 😀 soundin like the roadie from Wayne’s World n Withnail haha