Andy Ruffell

[DIRTBIKER250F]

Hope you guys dont mind me moving this onto the hallowed turf of Rad, but i think its a good place to put it also 






ANDY RUFFELL







1 .   The name Andy Ruffell is as Arguably the most iconic British name in bmx History Andy, was it a conscious effort at a point in your career to Market yourself, or do you think you were a product of the time ? 

OK, lets do an easy question first then LOL, I was always ambitious but primarily I just loved riding BMX bikes and I intentionally maxed my personal PR because for me, it was the only way out of Walthamstow! I was pretty single minded though and worked very hard at everything BMX, it was easy to be that way because I LOVED IT!  It was weird though the first few years as BMX was everywhere and cliché or not it was like being a pop star..

2. At 14 you left school for a career in bmx, although this turned out to be a great move, the scene was very small with out (at the time) a great media following, did you have to persuade your parents about this, or did you have the full backing to make the move ?

To be honest everything I did at that time was pure instinct, no real plan I just knew I wanted to ride. I really wasn’t any good at the whole school thing anyway (getting in fights and expelled etc) The school tried for a while to keep me there but after a few demo’s in the playground even they realized I’d be better off riding a bike LOL. I think I still had to go back and do exams later though which I passed.. My mum was always concerned about what I was doing but my dad didn’t give a shit what I did as long as I was safe (Love You Guys!) Its funny now though that I have a massive thirst for learning stuff so I read lots of books and buy tons of DVD’s on science, space and Politics (my latest passion (?) is String Theory and M Theory (efforts to find a unifying theory of the BIG and small) yeah seriously LOL


 
3. After you left BMX around 88 Andy, can you tell us about your time as a producer, and also about the collaboration with Kanya King on the Mobo Awards ?

Don’t think we have long enough for that LOL, basically when BMX finally sunk without trace (I was useless and Geth Shooter was kicking my ass into next Sunday) I met some cool guys who owned a Large Media company in London and before I knew I was on a shoot working with the producer of a Russell Harty (RIP) TV special and realized that this was what I really wanted to do! Over the next few years I learnt a lot about TV and production and became a Producer in my own right, in 1993 I was introduced to Kanya King. Kanya had been trying to sell the idea of a black music awards show for a while with no takers, so I teamed up with her, we scrapped together every penny we could (including money from my fellow company directors Nick Scott & Ed Riseman) and then we basically lost it all on the first show at the Connaught rooms in London 1995.. However we did manage to get Tony Blair to officially open the show and he had a CBS film crew with him, which was broadcast nationally in states. The US labels took notice so we borrowed some more money and decided to carry on. By 1998 we sold out the Albert Hall, Had MasterCard as a sponsor and I got the TV show sold in 50 countries. I sold out my half in 2001 I think when I moved to the states. That’s the short version LOL.

4. Going back to the 80s Andy, was the contract with Mongoose the defining moment in your a Facebook group, if so what did it change ?

Yes it was but primarily because I got a new bike and equipment, I could replace stuff that broke and I could stop working on a market stall every day! Malcolm and Sue Jarvis who were the true pioneers of BMX in the UK were like family to me and that really made a difference to my mind set – I wasn’t on my own any more and finally got to travel a bit including Europe which blew my mind!
 



5. Your time at last years Bmx Burner bash was an eye opener for you Andy, can you look back and describe your feelings seeing your old bikes e.t.c ?

Yeah that was a bit surreal! Dave Hall and the guys at Burner Bash had asked me to come over a few times over the last few years but it was always difficult because of drama’s with my TV Channel in Miami. I didn’t really know what to expect but this year when we got to the event  (Very Late) I couldn’t believe all the bikes and all the amazing Burner & BMX fans that were there (I even Signed some autographs!) When I saw the replica Raleigh and Pro Class bikes that I used to ride back in the day, I can tell you that I was almost close to tears – it was really emotional, I’ve known Craig for 30 years and he’s never seen me like that LOL. I gotta say a special thank you to Dave Hall And The Burner Bash Team, Jimmy P for making those replica’s and making me emotional! and everyone who was there that day it was really special!





6. Looking back to Geth Shooter beating the American's in 1985 Andy, behind the scenes what effect did that have on you Brit riders if any ?

Well I can say that that was one of the most amazing moments in the history of UK BMX Racing! I can’t speak for the other guys but I wished it was me! Seriously though I was proud of Geth for dragging UK BMX up to the Americans level! I’m developing a movie about BMX in those days and that’s gonna be a big storyline!


 
7. The move to Raleigh was a great move for the Nottingham based bike outfit, was it a Good move for Andy Ruffell at the time ?

Sure, it was a great deal for me and I had my most successful racing year ever. I know the end of year reports said that they never had so much PR value so I guess it worked for both of us. It was bizarre though because I never really had any contact with Raleigh Head Office. It sure was a busy time, I think I visited 20 countries did 100 plus demo shows and raced my ass off LOL but wow what a year! Craig Schofield will always be the Raleigh BMX Legend.


 
8. Was there a time in Andy Ruffels life that bmx seemed a distant memory, and has the current interest awoken the bmx'r in Andy Ruffell ?

Yeah distant memory for the last 25 years LOL, to be honest I never really thought about BMX until a couple of years ago when people started emailing old school BMX pictures and pictures of replica bikes.. Since then I’ve been lucky to be invited to the BMX Hall Of Fame in San Diego and met up with a lot of the US old school pro’s like Eddy King and Bob Haro and of course Dale Holmes – Ah and I went to Bournemouth in 2006? And met up with Geth Shooter and a lot of UK Old Schooler’s – THAT WAS FUN!  I’m in The UK in January so I’m hoping I can track down Tim March and have a few beers with him and Geth, its been too long!
 


9. The Holeshot Project Andy, how much of it personally were you involved in and whats your greatest memories of that time ?

Well I created it and ‘sadly’ I financed it (I never Learn) LOL, it was a wild time that’s for sure! Holeshot morphed out of the UK BMX Freestyle Championships I started in 1982 or 83 I think, that got all official so Holeshot was designed to be a bit crazy and wild and I think we succeeded LOL.. I wanted to do ‘The Olympics Of Extreme Sports’ we even had the US Frisbee champs at the first Holeshot oh and world hacky sack champs performing (That was weird). Overall though it would take 10 pages to go into Holeshot but here’s a summary – Massive Fun, Big Law Suit, American Skaters Running Amock in London, Hotels Set On Fire, Injured Hosts On Live TV, Skaters Jumping In The Train Rails At Oxford Circus, Fights Over Limo’s and finally - The Best Skaters and BMXers in the world having a blast and pissing off the establishment!   
 




10. Can you give us an idea into what you believe caused the bubble to burst around bmx in 87/88, and was it a Generation thing ?

Actually I think it was similar to the cycle Skateboarding used to experience before the X Games. It seems that after ‘The Glory Days?’ in the 80’s BMX has never really recovered in the publics imagination – I do believe though that if we could get BMX Supercross as part of the X Games it would spark the growth again..
 
11. Your time abroad in the 80s Andy, were these life changing events or did it feel just part and parcel of the lifestyle at them times ?

Yeah it was definitely life changing I hadn’t been out the country till I started BMXin. I learnt and experienced so much and I haven’t stopped traveling since. I do wish I had spent more time in the states in the 80’s though I always envied Tim March for spending time there with Greg Hill and really honing his riding skills.  I’ve been very lucky though I travelled to a lot of places in the BMX era and then round the world a few times since producing TV shows or Airline and Cruise ship entertainment.. I wont stop traveling till I’m dead and then maybe do some more LOL
 




12. Who were your idols and heroes when you were a kid Andy ?

Don’t remember any Hero’s when I was a kid, but there’s a lot of people who I respected enormously growing up in BMX like Tinker Juarez, Cav Strutt who I rode with at Skateparks in 1978 / 79, US Mongoose Pro Bobby Woods who I got to hang out a lot with, Bob Haro for sure (especially loved getting airs in his pick up truck in 1981) Tim March, Jason Maloney and of course my main man Craig Schofield! with out him around who knows where I would’ve ended up LOL. oh and my new hero is Jimmy P – did you see the pro class replica he did!


 
13. When you look back at bmx and then see were it is now, is there a relevance to what you guys were doing then and were the sport is now ?

Not really – although now I’ve got my new Free Agent Team Limo (I do intend to ride again Dale, I Promise) I know one thing for sure, where the sport is today is light years away from our era, when I watch modern riders like Maris Strombergs and those guys ( I went to Chula Vista this year) and see the tracks, techiques like ‘Manualing’ and ‘Clips’ and how they gate now it just blows my mind! Some say that us old era racers paved the way for the way they ride today – I think the Jury is out on that one.
 
14. Out of the Eighties spot light Andy, in your free time, did you get more fun from freestyle or race ?

Freestyling for sure – Racing was always a trip but my soul was in freestyle from the minute I rode my first skatepark back in 1978.. Nothing beats the thrill of pulling off a ‘Front Hop’ in front of a crowd LOL - those were the days for sure!


 
15. Well thanks for your time in the Spotlight Andy, is there a question you have not been asked or anything else you would like to share with us ?

Just remember this boys and girls - ‘Everybody Dies, Not Everybody Really Lives’
 


 

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[rollin72]

great interview Paul, but that blue font is fookin bobbins, its making me go sken eyed
 ...good to see you back mate

[DIRTBIKER250F]

If two other people say the Blue is shite Gaz, il let you pick the colour ya whinney git 


Cheers anyway 

[Gish]

Good interview and read that Paul 

Also good to see you back on the forum 

[MartyC]

I enjoyed reading that, thanks Paul and of course Andy

[Retrodan72]

Nice little interview that mate, good work.

[factory pilot]

Great stuff that mate, it was Bob Haro and Andy who were my heroes back in the day....
I'm sure I forced my mum to buy ready break because of him
A great article..top work all round 

[Bigfrawg]

'twas a good read that , welcome back dirtboxer , have you bought jimmy p back with you ?

[griff]

 
I'm with Gaz on the blue font though
made my eyes do this 

[mantadave]

What a fooking legend my dad used try make me like shitty wigan rugby when I was a kid and I fooking hated it ruffell came on blue peter and it changed my life  Nobbing around wigan till 12 at night and at school with tony law he  used tell us he new ruffell and he did at 11yrs old was were it was at. my dad riding around in car looking for me and my mates happy days he could race and do freestyle and had a supergoose and a pro class legend 

[pickle]

Great interview!  hope you don't mind Paul but i changed the colour of the questions as it hurt my eyes trying te read them in Blue 

[scoff]

Great interview, some good old pictures in there too.
I was trying to name the full mongoose team?

[citysi1974]

Great read...the guy is a legend 

[mark.hogan63@ntlworld.com]

great interview i never rode bmxs properly as too small in 80s although i had a nice bike, i ve always seen them as pieces of atrwork, even the individual parts.

[Leezee2]

Great interview   

[Mikku]

Not sure if I missed this the first time I read this but does anyone know anything more about the, "I’m developing a movie about BMX in those days" bit?? Did it ever happen or is it still in the pipeline, excuse the pun!