This year at Stuntwars the Stone Brothers are flying in to host the 10th Anniversary Urban Street-Bike Warriors Reunion party. We took advantage of the festivities to snag an interview with Drew Stone, one of the first people to take an active interest in promoting the sport of stunt riding to the general public. He told the stories of riders around the world through his films and this is what he has to say about it today.

Be sure to head out to StuntWars and go meet Drew to chill at the Urban Street-Bike Warriors 10th Anniversary reunion (and buy a sweet BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON tee for radness's sake) on Saturday, February 11th. 

StuntBums: What is your "stunt history" for those who don't know?

Drew Stone: I directed nine street-bike films over a seven year span including "Urban Street-Bike Warriors", "Black Sheep Squadron" and "12:00". In that run the films won 4 X-tremmy awards. I also directed the MTV True Life episode “I Live To Ride,” which exposed the new sport of street-bike freestyle to millions worldwide. In 2006 I created the Urban Street-Bike Warriors: Black Sheep Squadron Tour which made landmark stops in France, Poland, and Cuba. For three consecutive years we went down to Guantanamo Bay Cuba where we did a show for the troops stationed down there which will always be one of my proudest moments.

StuntBums: What was your introduction to stunting back in the day? What qualities captivated you enough to put the time, energy and passion into it that you did.

Drew Stone: Before I did the street-bike films I had a whole career doing Music Video's. In 2000 a friend of mine Mr. Caves from the rap group "The Lords Of Brooklyn" gave me a call and said that I've got to see what's going on out in Brooklyn with these guys riding motorcycles in the streets. I went out there and he showed me a VHS tape of some guys stunting in the streets and I was blown away. It was Jon Jon and the Wheelie Boyz and right away I wanted to make a documentary about them. That's pretty much what put our first film "12:00" into motion. After that film my brother Evan Stone and I wanted to continue so we created the "Urban Street-Bike Warriors" series of films which documented the scene outside New York.

Eventually it chronicled the scene worldwide.

StuntBums: So you're hosting the Urban Street Bike Warriors reunion at the 10th anniversary StuntWars - what does that represent to you, coming back to a sport you really helped push into the spotlight?

Drew Stone: Well everything goes in cycles in this life and I'm really excited that era which meant so much to us all is coming back around again. I'm really looking forward to seeing a lot of the old riders that were in our films and helped put the sport on the map. To me it never was a "Sport" It was always a "Lifestyle" which is what made it so attractive to me in the beginning.          

StuntBums: Do you keep up with the scene at all? Has any idea or rider over the last couple years caught your eye?

Drew Stone: By choice, I've really been on the outside for a few years now so I have not seen too many new riders per se. For me it was time to move on when it became more of a "Sport" than a "Lifestyle".  Also keep in mind that I am a filmmaker and after years of making the films I felt that the story was pretty much told. I had to go find another story to tell. It's what I do.

StuntBums: What was your favorite memory from your productions?          

Drew Stone:

  • Going down to Guantanamo Bay Cuba to put on a stunt show for the American troops.
  • Having my film Urban Street-Bike Warriors #3 premiere in a theater in Nice, France.
  • Putting the Black Sheep Squadron Dream Team together and winning the team event at Stuntwars 2006.
  • The Stunt show we put on in Humboldt County, CA at Somoa Racetrack on the ocean
  • But by far the best memories I have of that whole era are of all those endless nights spent in the streets and parking lots all over the world bonding with the great riders and making these influential films.

StuntBums: What are you up to these days?

Drew Stone: I've got a few things up my sleeve these days. I have directed a film that's coming out in a few months about the early Boston Hardcore Music scene called "xxx All Ages xxx" the Boston Hardcore Film.

http://www.facebook.com/allagesthefilm

After that I'm working on a documentary about Muhammad Ali. I also sing for the early New York hardcore band ANTIDOTE which is enjoying quite the revival right now. We are working on a new record and are going to tour Europe next year.

StuntBums: When are you going to do a reprint of the BSS windbreakers ;)

Drew Stone: Hahahahahahah! By popular demand I'm going to have them for sale down at the reunion at Stuntwars. We are looking forward to it and can't wait to see everybody!!! This is the link to the Facebook event page;

http://www.facebook.com/events/224602160925155/a