Skateboarding
Meet Daniel Spiegel, the man skateboarding saved
Vienna's one-time problem child has made it through some hard times to become a fixture on the Austrian scene. We spoke to him to hear his story and get some context for his banging new video part.
3 min
Checkout: Daniel Spiegel
Austria's problem child comes of age with this solid part to go alongside his insightful interview.
He's also a candid and uninhibited interview subject. Far from the 'do you like filming?' tramlines of pedestrian interviews, this conversation turned out to be visceral, honest and insightful.
Meet Daniel Spiegel, Vienna's skate rat made good.
Hi Daniel, I know your Mum didn't expect you to skate for long: what made skating into the thing for you?
Yeah, my Mum said I'd stop skating after a week or so... about 17 years ago; definitely the best 17 years of my life.
When I was a kid, I had some childhood struggles. I don't really want to talk about it. Anyways, as I didn't really like being at home, I always had some mode of transport like roller skates, bikes or even a scooter and I'd be on the streets – mostly on my own – until it got dark and I had to be back home.
One day my best friends at school introduced me to skateboarding; as happened to a lot of people, I guess.
At that point of my life, I was a pretty unpleasant person... a 'Kretzn', as we say in Vienna; people around me hated me for being how I was.
So, I got introduced to skateboarding and that changed my life completely – it introduced me to a lot of wonderful people with whom I still hang out, showed me so many different places [that] I could never have seen because we never had money. Different cultures, different points of view, in general.
If I hadn't started skating, I've no idea what I'd be doing right now; I'm so happy about the way things turned out.
That's a pretty big issue for me – I feel like I love skateboarding more than anybody could ever imagine, because it saved my ass, as it has for lots of people. To this day, I'm grateful for every minute I spend on my board.
Daniel Spiegel
© Ulrich Sperl
Daniel Spiegel – Switch Back Tail
© Ulrich Sperl
Daniel Spiegel – Switch Flip
© Jan Federer
Daniel Spiegel – Nosegrind Pop Out
© Hendrik Herzmann
You're from Vienna but ride for Über Skateboards based out of Hamburg: how did that come about?
One day a couple of years ago, we skated the hall in Eindhoven and Thomas Tröger was around the same day, coincidentally. We filmed some tricks, as I remember it, and probably chatted a bit that day, too – Thomas is an outgoing type of guy.
How rad a dude is Thomas Tröger? Can we talk about him?
Thomas is the best dude out there you could imagine. We haven't exchanged a lot over the last few years, I guess because he stopped working for Über and I had bad depression and didn't have the power to make that move and get in contact.
Thomas always tries his best to help other people, he'll always be on your side if you need anything – I can't say that about many people.
He's very outgoing and extrovert – he just likes to be around good people, talk and have a good time. When I stayed in Hamburg, I'd stay at his and his wife Jojo's place and would have the best time ever, even during my depression. His presence alone would make me feel safe and loved – he's married to his best friend Jojo and they have a relationship like nobody else: they're soulmates, best friends and lovers who became parents a little while ago. Since then I haven't seen them and that hurts, but Thomas is one of the best people I have met on this journey and I owe him a f**king lot.
Keep being the person you are, Thomas: I love you and Jojo from the bottom of my heart.
Your pro board is an 8.5 – do you see the overall trend towards bigger set-ups as a reflection of people skating a lot of different terrain these days?
I guess people have realised [that] skating boards below 8.25 or 8.5 sucks, in general!
You never have the same control – and that's true on pretty much every terrain.
I remember skating 7.75s like everybody did and then for a time even 7.5s, which I wouldn't even consider a skateboard nowadays [laughs].
I could do Tre-Double Flips but not Ollie down big stuff or skate a mini-ramp properly. F**k that.
Skating big boards doesn't require much more power, but gives you 100 percent more control over your board. It took some time but people realised that and the rest is history. Looks a lot better, too!
Any sketchy stories from hanging out around [iconic Viennese island-spot] Donauinsel?
Donauinsel used to be really sketchy, from what I've been told by skaters from before my time.
Nazis would show up out of nowhere and beat the shit out of skaters hanging out there.
It must have been an unbelievably harsh time skating there, knowing those assholes could show up any minute and you could end up in hospital.
When I started skating, Donauinsel was a lot more mellow – but I remember for a summer or two, gangs would show up pretty much every day and rob us.
Every f**king day, I heard about someone being attacked and robbed of their phones and wallets.
Every day, until no one would skate there anymore before the situation calmed down and we got our spot back.
Nowadays, though, it's one of the best spots to hang out and get some, it's all changed.
Explain 'Leiwand' to us?
Is this about my ass tattoo? 'Leiwand' is a Viennese expression which means, like, amazing, great, superb: only Viennese people use it, and that makes it distinct, I suppose: it's a very common word in everyday life here.
I say it at least 50 times a day: 'simply leiwand!'
Such a great expression – a group of us all got it tattooed on our asses as a mark of solidarity: it's leiwand to have leiwand written on your ass.
Any shouts to your people?
Yoooo... I'd like to give a huge shout out to all the homies who've been with my throughout the years; it hasn't always been easy with me, and I see some people more than others, but you guys know I've always tried my best to be a good person and I'm really, really grateful for having you guys on my side: much love.
An even huger shout to my family, I didn't really know how important family is until these days, actually – but it's more important than anything else. I love you guys.
Last but not least a big shout to my sponsors who've supported me throughout the years, without you guys I would've been lost. You know who you are!