The Union Tapes

John Dye

The Union tapes is a London based BMX podcast with people who's story we want to hear. We believe the UK needs BMX podcasts so we threw the hat in and interviewed the riders who were actually there. We'll aim for one a month and see where it takes us? Enjoy.

  1. Grotbags - Episode 50

    1 jul

    Grotbags - Episode 50

    So we reached the big 50…A harder task than you'd think in this BMX podcast thing. For one reason or another a fair few people that I want to come on and tell their story are difficult to convince. Anyways lets hope that they do eventually change their feeble minds! Cause there are a few that myself and other people know should come on... But onto Paul. A very fitting episode 50. This guys has been on my list for a long,long time and I have asked him to come on before, he's been one of the most requested characters for this podcast so It was good to finally get him on….He didn't stop talking though, which I expected (Its episode 50 right, make it count, make it a task!) but then what do you expect from a guy that's lived this much BMX and seems to remember all his weekend race results from 12 plus to current day, it is gonna go on a bit. This guy has done it all from a kid who couldn't place at races, to getting sponsored, onto being a pro racer, trail rider, Chasm jumper, roof dropper, magazine contributor, Ride uk assistant editor, professional photographer, team manager for multiple brands, celebrity commentator/announcer and still rides BMX now, find out the journey from West London to Southern California, you may need to book a week off work to listen tho!

    4 h 60 min
  2. Simon Kefford / UKBFA - Episode 49

    20 may

    Simon Kefford / UKBFA - Episode 49

    The UKBFA has been brought up numerous times in the Union tapes, often in a disapproving way. Its fair to say at one point the UKBFA was a target of the core riders of the 80s. Its never had a chance to tell its side of the stories-excluding a few letters in BMX Action bike back in 1986, so when I got an email from ex 80s pro Simon Kefford, son of Colin Kefford, the UKBFA founder, when I saw his name pop up in my inbox, I first thought id said something negative on a podcast about his Dad? Fortunately that was not the reason he mailing me. He said he had found a box of the UKBFA's history/time line and if I wanted it he would send it over. Of course I wanted it, I love all this stuff. So he sent the box and it did not disappoint, all kinds of intriguing letters, proposals, news letters, contests itineraries, programmes, fliers, news paper cuttings, a list of UKBFA members, early contest ideas, so much info. I managed to talk a reluctant Simon into coming on for an interview to hear his BMX pro life story and tell us as much as he knew about Colin Kefford's / UKBFA's side of things. Thanks Simon!

    2 h 8 min
  3. Dylan Clayton - Episode 48

    20 abr

    Dylan Clayton - Episode 48

    Dylan Clayton is one of the UK's most winning racers, not only that but also known as one of the guys who rewrote the book on how to gain speed without pedalling, a method most others had not yet thought about. With an addiction to BMX starting at a very early age, and a thirst for riding even if it meant taking the occasional unofficial day off school. Dylan takes us through his path into riding round the streets then moving swiftly onto the race track through being sponsored by Alans BMX, Robinson then onto Mongoose. The boom years getting pics in magazines and winning races at an early age, then the dead days of BMX and how he and the race scene survived it. Winning races moving through the ranks getting on other BMX teams and eventually landing on Sunn for a pro ride, riding in the USA, riding trails and skateparks, and now working for BC, as well as a whole lot more info in here...Lets get it on!

    2 h 24 min
  4. Mike Pardon - Episode 47

    20 mar

    Mike Pardon - Episode 47

    There's not many in UK BMX more legendary than Mike Pardon, Pike was there from the start. In the early days living near the first Alans BMX store. Mike got into the early race scene, soon developed a skill for BMX racing, travelling the UK race circuit with the Alans BMX team and landing a sponsor from Torker. He soon got disillusioned with racing taking up Freestyle riding as it just started developing in UK, thanks to Bob Haro's demo at the Birmingham NEC. This quickly developed on to becoming one half of the BMX Bi Weekly trick team along side riding buddy Andy Preston. These guys were on all over our bedroom walls in the 80s, and also all over the TV at the same time period. Mike won the first BMX Beat and the BMX Bi weekly trick team had their own mini BMX teaching show on early morning Saturday TV. Pike got BMX fatigue in the glossy days of 85 and ended up getting more into vert skating, to which he also achieved at pro level…This is a fun journey to listen to, Pike is still doing these activity's right up to present day.

    2 h 42 min
  5. Effraim Catlow - Episode 46

    20 feb

    Effraim Catlow - Episode 46

    Effraim Catlow has been riding a BMX almost as long as BMX has been about in the UK. I first saw Effraim riding flat in the car park of Woking sports centre when I and a friend-park Watling- went to watch the Tizer worlds Woking stop. He just picked up a Hutch sponsor and was on a pink or purple trick star. From then I saw him very often at all the events, and when BMX died off in the late 80s early 90s he was always about, he became more a flatland specialist and off he went on his own path into flat land mastery and a huge part of the flatland scene. We cover a lot of ground here, from early days discovering Southsea skatepark, seeing the 80's pros at KOS 85, making zines, taking pics, putting on KOC events, writing flatland columns for magazines, winning world titles, and the Flat matters online community he's been doing for decades now….click play and take it all in!

    2 h 17 min
  6. Magazines - Episode 45

    24 ene

    Magazines - Episode 45

    Nerd alert….As if this podcast aint nerdy enough already...Union tapes episode 45… We have Issue 7 of our magazine/zine due out in the next few weeks. Featuring all the usual BMX entertainment and more…I love magazines and back in the early days of BMX life magazines is what kept us all in the loop of what was happening with in the BMX scene. Before TV shows started showing BMX there were BMX magazines. Pictures of BMX inspired us to keep riding and want to do the moves we were presented in the mags. Magazines have a lot to answer for, in the late 80s and into the 90s opinions in magazines kept our will strong to keep riding in our little scenes, and provided us with info on where the other little scenes were and any events happening. I thought id delve into the history of UK BMX magazines, coming from the first print mags we got which were weekly news paper style, all the way up to the present day. But spent more time covering the early ones and boom time prints/quite a lot of info here about our beloved magazines and its very interesting to see how each one differed to others in content with literally in the mid 80s some mags seemed years apart but came out at the same time! Check this out if you are as nerdy as I am. There should be a lot to learn! Support BMX print, its better than ya phone!

    1 h 43 min
  7. James Hudson - Episode 44

    20/12/2025

    James Hudson - Episode 44

    As a key player of the Trumpton scene I been trying to get this guy on for ages, James has been working on a book and wanted to do this once it was completed, he stayed true to his word and came on, and in person! The Retford/Trumpton scene became a major piece of the puzzle in the mid 80s to early 90s. The Hudson brothers had one of the early half pipes in the grounds of their house. Featured many times in BMX Action bike and Rad and the scene bred locals that went on to become some of the pioneers of the era. Our chat goes back to his very start in BMX, being 'pro'ed out by his Grandad' on his first BMX, to doing demos at local fetes with the Retford and District trick team. Building the half pipe, his first sponsors, riding at the circus, the UKBFA circuit and Alfreton quarter pipe sessions. Trips to the USA, getting into photography, pics for RAD. What happened at the controversial UK KOV Portsmouth event. Becoming the editor of SK8 Action magazine and how he ended up making his on BMX magazine in 91, the short lived BMX Now! And everything that followed….

    2 h 34 min
  8. Keith Treanor - Episode 43

    20/11/2025

    Keith Treanor - Episode 43

    Keith has been on one of my original lists for guests before I even started, and this one gets a bit real, Keith has certainly lived a life and come through a lot of tough times which I'm sure many of us have never experienced. Keith has travelled a path and still managed to come out with a life time of passion for BMX. Keith started his journey in BMX in New Jersey where he got into the local skate scene and learnt to ride halfpipes, he attended a lot of seminal late 80s BMX events and with a few trips going back n forth to California became one of the break out riders in the early to mid 90s. With is signature aggro style and no nonsense approach to riding. Keith got on S&M, scored magazine covers, multiple video parts and a trip to the back yard jam in 93. We talk meeting the so cal crew, early magazine pics, the cover of Invert magazine, S&M videos, UK trip and Riding with Jerry Galley, Dirty Deeds, BMX Inferno, the short lived Menstrual cycles brand, Hoffman bikes Sprocket jockey shows, Lolapalooza demo's and all the gnarly stuff that followed…Hit play and find out a whole lot of the story, right up to still ripping on a BMX now…

    2 h 48 min
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Información

The Union tapes is a London based BMX podcast with people who's story we want to hear. We believe the UK needs BMX podcasts so we threw the hat in and interviewed the riders who were actually there. We'll aim for one a month and see where it takes us? Enjoy.

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    John Dye
  • Años en activo
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodios
    52
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Derechos de autor
    © 2022
  • Sitio web del podcast
    The Union Tapes

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