Icon ITW: TONY ALVA

In the 1970s, a legendary crew from Santa Monica, California, would forever change the simple act of riding a skateboard ; and in the process, the culture of surfing itself. The Zephyr Boys, later immortalized in the film Dogtown and Z-Boys. Without them, I probably wouldn’t be here writing these lines. Most likely, I’d be scrubbing boat hulls in the south of France, continuing the work of my ancestors.

Tony Alva, a prominent member and the charismatic leader of the crew, stood out as the most rebellious, the most anti-system. At just 19, in 1977, he became world champion of skateboarding. That title launched his life into a whirlwind of glory, travel, drugs, and chaos. Yet years later, that very chaos would lead him to develop a deep spirituality that still guides him today.

Now 68, he continues to ride the empty pools of Los Angeles with the same intensity. His style, forever infused with his obsession for surfing, carries a unique flow. This is what we talk about here ; but above all, how his rock’n’roll lifestyle gave way to the wisdom of a man who has stopped fighting in order to fully live in the moment.

Tony, can you start by introducing yourself?
I’m Tony Alva. We’re in Los Angeles, California. my daughter’s birthday was just a few days ago, she turned 35. She still looks like she’s in her twenties. She’ll always be my baby.

When you first started skating, did you already feel a spiritual connection, or did that come later?
My spirituality is tied to my sobriety and to being a surfer. When I was younger, I thought smoking weed, taking mushrooms, and listening to psychedelic music was spiritual. Music still is, but real spirituality for me comes from clarity, not from substances. I’ve been clean and sober for 18 years now. Staying on that path keeps me connected to God’s will for me ;that’s my spirituality.

So at first, drugs gave you an illusion of spirituality?
Exactly. Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, people thought mixing sex, drugs, alcohol, and music was some kind of spiritual experience. But for me, it created fog. It blocked me. True spirituality is conscious contact with a higher power.

When I take photos, I try not to overthink but to accept the unknown. Do you see it the same way?
Yes. You have to surrender  but not in weakness. Be actively calm and calmly active. In nature, panic will destroy you. If you stay calm, you make it through. Man’s ego is weak against nature; nature is overwhelming. I learned this through mistakes. Even after 50 years of professional skating, I’m still learning every session.

What is your faith based on?
That God constantly does for me what I could never do for myself. It’s not “my will be done,” but “Thy will be done.” My wisdom comes from letting God into my heart and soul. I don’t need to overthink : I keep it simple. Religion and spirituality are different. Religion is about rules; spirituality is direct connection.

You travel a lot. Do you study other religions?
Yes, everywhere I go I study local beliefs. Islam in Morocco, Buddhism in Asia, Hinduism in India, Christianity, Judaism, Hare Krishna… I don’t look for differences, I look for similarities. They’re all trying to reach God. Personally, I’m most connected to a mix of Christianity and Hinduism.

You often talk about ego.
The ego is the lie we tell ourselves about who we think we are. I can be arrogant, competitive, selfish. But today, prayer and meditation have replaced drugs and alcohol. I try to be honest with myself, recognize my flaws, and hand them to God. That makes me more empathetic with others.

You say you have an obsession with surfing.
Definitely. Skating is just cross-training for surfing. Nothing compares to the ocean. Surfing is like walking on water. It’s powerful, humbling, dangerous. You’re in the food chain ;  a shark could appear at any time. That’s why it’s spiritual: you’re facing the immensity and you must be humble.

That connects you to the present moment?
Yes. Jerry Lopez, “Mr. Pipeline,” said the most important thing surfing taught him was to stay present. You can’t be in yesterday or tomorrow, you have to be in the wave right now. And grace ; that comes from God. But you only receive it if you’re calm enough.

You also knew ambition and competition.
At 19, I won the biggest skate contest in the world, broadcast on TV. I was world champion. That’s when I launched my brand and career. After that, I lived like a rock star ; sex, drugs, rock’n’roll. I had to prove I was number one. That was the gang mentality of Dogtown: show no one’s better than us.

What made you change?
Repetition. Making the same mistakes over and over ;  that’s insanity. I realized it was destroying me. I quit everything: drugs, alcohol. That’s when I had a spiritual awakening. Within a year, I was a different person.

And now, how do you live?
I don’t compare my spirituality to others. I share what worked for me, but people have to do the work themselves. Smash the ego. Give up the vices. I live simply now ; I’ve been with the same woman for twenty years, in peace. Every morning I pray on my knees, meditate, do yoga. I take life one day at a time.