The Gen X Skater

Kelly ~ Skate Base London

3 minute stories from adult roller skaters within the UK urban roller skating scene. Listen to a range of personal experiences, insights and inner-standings - discover what contributes to the essence of skate culture, and what's held within the hearts and minds of skaters across London's thriving underground roller skating community. Full interviews on: https://www.skatebaselondon.com/blog Hosted by Kelly ~ The Gen X Skater ~Skate Base London

Episodes

  1. Episode 7: [Record Breaker] Steve

    14H AGO

    Episode 7: [Record Breaker] Steve

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene. Meet Steve: I first met Steve last year, as he was enjoying a jam during a social skate meet. I can honestly tell you that he's one of the warmest and most open hearted skaters you could ever hope to meet. He's someone that really loves to jam skate. If you've ever met Steve, you'll know that he's always ready to throw down his middle work in his hockey skate conversions, teach you what he knows and learn a new move - so long as it's rhythmic. Funnily enough, he wasn't always into the jam skating. He started out as a long distance skater 40 odd years ago, and yep, he went on to set a world record. "I'll tell you the experience was amazing, especially Scotland, tge mountains, you could just see mountains basically. I was doing like 98 miles a day, you know. Nine days, ten hours, 25 minutes." ~Steve ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    4 min
  2. Episode 6: [Skate Photographer] Roland Ramanan

    MAR 9

    Episode 6: [Skate Photographer] Roland Ramanan

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene. Meet Roland: I’ve known Roland since 2022, when he first took photos of my son and me on roller skates. The skate scene was much quieter back then, and Roland was just beginning his skate photography project. Since then, he’s photographed me on several occasions — first at the skate park and at my home with my son, later in a photography studio, more recently during rehearsals for an upcoming three-day performance at The Posh Club, as well as sporadically during a variety of meets and events. Roland has also photographed my mum in her skates — at the age of 70. Come to think of it, Roland has photographed most of the leading figures and members of the skate community. When I first met Roland, he was certain that skating wasn’t for him. But when I saw him again around a year later, he was in a shiny new pair of skates, drilling his foundation moves with a dedicated focus. Since then, he’s become just as obsessed with skating as the rest of us — it’s been beautiful to watch his passion for skating blossom. "Roller skating has a unique ability to kind of charm and disarm people. They just really observe and get pulled into the moment through curiosity. Skating's not like anything out there."  ~Roland Ramanan     ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    4 min
  3. Episode 5: [Performance Artist] Kat François

    FEB 24

    Episode 5: [Performance Artist] Kat François

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene. Meet Kat François: My fellow Gen Xer, Kat François started skating about a year ago. We first met when she joined one of my roller skating courses, and I can honestly say that we've maintained a strong connection ever since. As someone who's watched Kat make strides in her skating journey over this time, it's clear that she's someone who walks and skates her own path. I've seen her take on the many challenges that learning to skate across a variety of disciplines poses, and courageously carve her own way. She's fully immersed herself in UK skate culture — at home and abroad! Perhaps Kat's background as a performing artist along with a long-standing relationship with physical fitness spanning decades has been a key factor? Somehow, I feel that these are yet more consequences of Kat's creativity, drive and tenacity. But hey, read on and decide for yourself. "So many, good, good people, good sisters. All ages, but I'll say the majority of these are around 40 plus, people that I just never would have met otherwise. That's been the most surprising and rewarding thing, the new friendships, and the depth of those friendships." ~Kat François    ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    3 min
  4. Episode 4: [London's Most Prolific Skate Traveller] Laverne

    FEB 24

    Episode 4: [London's Most Prolific Skate Traveller] Laverne

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene. Meet Laverne: I was first introduced to Laverne at Gatwick Airport whilst on my way back from Skate Love Barcelona a few years back. Since then, our paths crossed a few times when meeting with our artistic skating teacher, and then — we bumped into each other again at Gatwick on our way to an artistic skating retreat in Ibiza. We became roomies on that trip, and honestly, we’ve had a beautiful connection ever since — always deep chats about our shared passion, or fresh skate skill exchanges at a skate meet. Anyone who knows her will likely tell you the same thing; she’s charismatic, warm-hearted, generous and so so passionate about her skating — at home or abroad. And also, you better believe that Laverne is no stranger to a spontaneous skating trip. So many skaters have been inspired by her “just go for it" attitude when it comes to making the most of a skate vacay. Laverne has skated in most parts of the world and had lessons with just about every prominant instructor across the global — it's no wonder she's become one of London's primary contacts for those wanting to host international skate teachers in the UK. Her desire to travel [prolifically] and connect with skaters all over the world, paired with her unquenchable thirst for soaking up a wide variety of skating styles has impacted her knowledge and ability to skate most styles like no one else I know. Laverne has become quite a talking point in London, as we proudly watch her living her best skate life — creating the richest of skating experiences possible. "I think I've now done about 25 [skate trips] in the last two years. I like to try a little bit of everything. I love skate culture. I don't know, I just like to travel and learn and meet people." ~Laverne     ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    3 min
  5. Episode 3: [French Sensation] Big Jim

    FEB 24

    Episode 3: [French Sensation] Big Jim

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene. Meet Big Jim: Big Jim has been my favourite French rhythm skater and is in my top 3 skaters since I first discovered him on Insta around 3 years ago. What do I love about Big Jim? It’s the freshness he brings to the traditional rhythm skating moves we all know and strive to master! Not only does Big Jim have a firm grip on the big moves, he is able to express them in his own way. He brings hip hop swag and high level skate moves with slow mo control — in ways that are uniquely Jim's. Jim has mastered taking his flow low, and slow. Yep, groundwork is a regular feature of his unmistakable style. Jim certainly appears to be compelled to create and skate in his own unique way. When I first saw Jim, he was posting a series of skate clips, delivered with a slow mo style, on small surfaces — skating on small flexible acrylic tiles in his living room [often with his beautiful black cat perched on his shoulder, or chilling in the background], and eventually progressing to performing his skate moves ontop of boulders, brick walls, concrete podiums — anything he happened upon in his explorations in and around Paris. His approach to skating was fresh back then, and now some years down the line, he’s still giving us the freshest of interpretations through his skating art. If I saw a silhouette of Jim skating — even for 30 seconds — I’d know it was him! There aren’t too many skaters who could pass that particular litmus test! And that’s why, for me, Big Jim is 'that guy', whose fresh approach to the art of skating never fails to impress, and influence my own skating goals. I love him for that — I don't feel I’m alone in this! I've met Jim a few times now [during the European Skate Festivals] and I can honestly tell you that he is one of the most humble, REAL, and creative skaters you could hope to meet. We UK skaters really rate his style, so it wasn't a surprise to see Jim embark on his first UK tour in 2025, teaching his refreshing skating style, and drills that come together like poetry. "...since I began, I saw the video of Soul Skate, my goal is to go to Soul Skate in the USA and skate the middle. It was my main goal since I began. I am a big, big fan of US rink culture. All my inspiration comes from the United States." ~Big Jim     ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    2 min
  6. Episode 2: Skater Dredd [South London's Urban Skate Conversion Specialist]

    FEB 24

    Episode 2: Skater Dredd [South London's Urban Skate Conversion Specialist]

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene.   Meet Skater Dredd: Skater Dredd is a well known South London skater who has been a prominent figure in the urban skate scene for several years now. I learned about Skater Dredd a couple of years ago from skaters who were singing his praises [in big ways]. After several conversations with skaters he'd completed conversions for, I began recommending him to my own roller skating students. I've since met and spoken with him on many occasions, and realised for myself what a genuinely warm, respectful — put your best foot forward — kind of person he is. I've no doubt that such first rate personal attributes only add to the service he provides for our skating community. So there it is, it just goes to show how creativity, while being intentional in upholding key personal values, goes a way towards building good reputation and success. "Obviously there's a monetary value to it, but it's deeper than that. All of these people that I've built for, I'm a very small part of their skate journey, and that means a lot to me. And seeing when they progress and grow and so forth, I'm a very small part of that and I appreciate that." ~ Skater Dredd   ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    2 min
  7. Episode 1: Wayne [Skate OG] 47 years of skating

    10/13/2025

    Episode 1: Wayne [Skate OG] 47 years of skating

    Roller skate instructor at Skate Base London and blogger of The Gen X Skater. Kelly interviews skaters and skate influencers within the London urban skate scene.   Meet Wayne: Wayne is one of London's longest standing 'OG' skaters. A true skate icon, loved and revered by many within the skate community. His skating talent, particularly as a speed skater [over nearly five decades] is second to none and truly inspiring to witness. It has truly been an absolute pleasure to get to know Wayne personally and skate with him over the past few months. He's such a warm hearted person who's always happy to share insights, support and encouragement. Watching Wayne skate, I've witnessed his discipline for the art of skating, passion and the boundless love he still has for skating [and our community as a whole]. He's a REAL people person. He was the first person I wanted to kick off my series of 7 questions with. He's not just a legend in the minds of so many skaters in the urban scene, he's truly a beautiful human being — one that I'm really happy to know. "The love of skating keeps me going. I feel free to be creative. No one can put you in a box, you're free to express yourself. There are so many little things in life that can hold you back, but I just find that when I'm on my skates, I'm just free spirited." ~Wayne ____________________________ Access the full story: The Gen X Skater Blog Learn to roller skate online with: Skate Base Lessons App

    2 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

3 minute stories from adult roller skaters within the UK urban roller skating scene. Listen to a range of personal experiences, insights and inner-standings - discover what contributes to the essence of skate culture, and what's held within the hearts and minds of skaters across London's thriving underground roller skating community. Full interviews on: https://www.skatebaselondon.com/blog Hosted by Kelly ~ The Gen X Skater ~Skate Base London

Information

  • Creator
    Kelly ~ Skate Base London
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kelly ~ Skate Base London
  • Show Website
    The Gen X Skater