Mar 13, 20193 min read

Rider Spotlight: Tim Brookes aka Official Timmy B

If you don't know who Timmy B is, you will soon. Tim is super chill when you first meet him and you don't expect this skinny kid to throw down so hard at the Slide Jam, Podium and then Freestyle on the Mic! But that's Timmy B, he's f**king rad and super dedicated to riding boards and his music career. I had the chance to pick his brain about his past and future...

How did you start skateboarding?

I got into skateboarding when I was around 7-8 years old. I saw my older sisters friends all

doing it around my neighborhood. My neighborhood was a really good place to skate I had a

bunch of spots. It looked so cool and I was like I want to do that.

First Board?

My first board was a Rocket Power board from Toys-R-Us. My first real board was a World Industries board with the Wet Willy graphic and Spitfire wheels.

FS Board at his local skatepark near Highlands, NJ

Big Plans for 2019?

For 2019, I plan too finish the graphic for my pro model board and release the board hopefully in

the summertime. I also plan on hosting a skate event in my hometown with live music and food

to bring the community together. Definitely a California trip and possibly a trip to Germany to

skate roads out there, I've always wanted to go skate in another country.

What events will we see you at this year?

I plan on getting into racing more, usually when I go to events I compete in the slide jam, biggest air, best trick and boarder x events. I'm definitely hitting the last Central Mass as well as Kings Gap and of course all the Faceplant Events (Rip the Elwood 7 & Skate the Cape 7).

Tim (middle) got 2nd Overall for Faceplant Freestyle Cup 2017

How did you get into music and creating music?

Long car rides with my parents. My dad was into Pink Floyd, Guns and Roses, Led Zeppelin

and the Rolling Stones. It was when I heard Slash play the solo to "Sweet Child o Mine", that's

when I was like I want to do that. I got a guitar for Christmas when I was about 8 years old

took lessons for a year to learn the basics and from there took my own creative path. It's like

skateboarding it's something I don't ever picture myself getting tired of.

Shredding Guitar at the Stone Pony-Asbury Park, NJ

How does music influence you skating?

Music gets me pumped up, a lot of the times I'll take a song from a skate video I like and play

that in the morning before a session. It reminds me of the video and just makes me want to

get on the board. I have a park with trails near my house so when I'm just cruising I'll listen

to smooth jazz. If I'm mobbin hills or hitting the park its usually 90s hip hop. A lot of old

skate videos I used to watch had a lot of hip hop in them and I always loved the way the beat

corresponded with the skater in the video.

Vice versa

I'll always be creating new music and I'll sit and say I want to make something that would

go good in a skate video. How cool would it be to have your own music in your skate video?

Skaters are really supportive of whatever anyone is trying to do or present to them, I use that

and bring forth my music for everyone to jam too. Everyone has different tastes in music, I'll be

freestyling and be able to throw in lines about skateboarding which makes skateboarders go

nuts and seeing that reaction from a supportive community that I'm happy to be a part of means

more to me than anyone will ever know.

What's the latest with your music career?

I'm actually releasing an EP within the next month or two, after that I'm starting to work on a full length album. In between working in the studio I will be playing shows in NJ and more states across the North East. I start vocal lessons very soon to improve my range and versatility. I want to be able to sing in different styles and make all kinds of music.