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Legendary skateboarder Tony Alva's been shredding swimming pools and half-pipes across America since 1968. Now the old-timer's getting his chance to impress an entirely new generation of pierced and tattooed teens, courtesy of Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.

Tony Alva

Talk about being a slave to the grind: legendary skateboarder Tony Alva's been shredding swimming pools and half-pipes across America since 1968. One of the sport's original poster boys, he wasn't just a consultant on the film Lords of Dogtown - he was also one of the characters featured in the flick.

Now the old-timer's getting his chance to impress an entirely new generation of pierced and tattooed teens, courtesy of Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, where he appears as an in-game character. We sat down for a chat with the all-star athlete about what's potentially the first of many computerized cameos.

Q: Dude--aren't you dead?

Tony Alva: Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. I've just spent the past few years as an entrepreneur. It's not like I've stopped skating or anything. These days I just put more energy into running my skating and surfing company.

Q: Impressive. You and a certain other Tony seem to have come up in the world. Ever think you'd see the day?

Alva: No way, man! Growing up, nobody could've ever predicted skateboarding would be this big. These days, you've got the X Games, sponsorships from major corporations, all this media coverage... it's insane. When I was a teenager, kids who were into skateboarding were slackers. The term "professional skateboarder" just didn't exist.

Fancy Pants

Q: Tell us gramps--do you actually play games?

Alva: Hah, no, you got me there. But I'm really jazzed for American Wasteland. Although I must confess the guys I work with think it's more hilarious than anything else that I'm in the game. I'm still stunned I'm a part of something that's so technologically impressive--I mean, back in the day, kids just didn't have anything like a PlayStation 2 or Xbox to jam on.

Q: No way! What did you do for fun--chariot races?

Alva: More like drugs. It was the '60s and '70s after all. It's funny. When I hear all these politicians yelling about how videogames are corrupting the youth, it drives me nuts. I want to grab 'em. You just want to shake these guys and say, Dude--look at the type of stuff kids would be getting into if it wasn't for games. Suddenly, the hobby doesn't seem so bad.

Q: Why lend your likeness to American Wasteland?

Alva: Because I was born and raised in Los Angeles--that's my neighborhood, man. And it's a fantasy for kids to come and skate there from all over the world. It's the capital of skateboarding. Even the pros will tell you what an honor it is to come and live there and skate on its streets. You can do all that in the game. And that's something special, that I just had to be a part of.

Q: Better: Arcade-style simulations like this particular title, or movies like Dogtown and Z-Boys?

Standing Tall

Alva: In a way, I'd have to go with games. For example, American Wasteland isn't watered down by an MPAA rating. It's got a harder edge than some of these movies that have to worry about who they're going to offend. That's more realistic in a way... it's not like skateboarders are PG-13 people. Although I must admit I'm kind of biased. In the movies, there's always an actor playing me. When you play a game like this, it's me you'll see--my voice, my likeness.

Q: Any chance we'll catch you coming out with your own game soon?

Alva: I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered it. We're thinking about it at the moment. But right now, there's no definitive word.

Q: Would it necessarily be about skating?

Alva: Hmmm... maybe not. Looking back, there is actually one game I can't stop playing--the last Tekken. I have a lot of fun with that, and I know lots of people dig the whole kung-fu thing. So you never know...

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