(All photos by Bryan Close unless otherwise noted)

I’ve been slacking on the original content for a week or two now, but I’m back and I’ve got a few good interviews lined up with guys like Drew Bezanson and Max Gaertig. But first I have an interview with a friend of mine named Chad Phaire. Most of you outside of NYC probably haven’t heard of Chad yet, but every time I see him out and about he keeps getting better and better at riding and he’s got a real laid back personality which never hurts either. He’s going to have a bunch of footage in the upcoming 718 video plus he’s been working on an edit for The Come Up, but until then check the interview.

What’s your name and where are you from?

My name is Chad Phaire, born in East Orange NY, went to high school in Bethlehem PA, now living in Harlem NYC.

How did you get into BMX?

When I was about 4 or 5 my Dad got me a red Pacific and taught me how to ride it. I just kept at it and as I got older, my uncle saw that I had a real interest in bike riding and said “Why don’t you get one of them bike magazines?” And I got my first BMX Plus and it blew my mind.

Who do you mostly ride with?

I usually ride with whoever is down to chill like my cousins Remo and Marv, friends Muff, Ty and Ant from Brooklyn, Chad Douglas, Oba, Ikeem, Rayshawn, Jay Flores, Prince and of course Birdman.

What is your average day riding like?

Well it starts out with Grandma’s cooking, and watching riding video’s, a hot shower, do a 20 min. stretch, a fish oil pill and I’m out. I start at a spot on 110th Street, it’s a tight square ledge spot with some long manual pads you can do some dope lines on, it’s dope you should come through!

What do you do for a living?

I’m living with my Grandmother and I work for Jamba Juice – REALLY, REALLY part time, lol. I’m going back to college in the summer.

Describe the Union Square scene these days for someone who has never spent a night hanging out at Union or who hasn’t been there in a few years…

Chill time, beautiful women, packed weekends, and some sick riding pops off.

Who is the local cast of characters you’re most likely to see at Union?

Big James, The Brooklyn crew, Queens cats and me.

Say you were at Union and you needed to get some food and didn’t have much money to spend… what is the best option?

DOLLAR SLICE!

How would you describe your riding style?

Chill and tech, whatever seems right at the time.

I think people consider the stereotypical NYC street rider style to be 4 pegs, no brakes, tons of barspins etc but you’ve got no pegs, sometimes you’ve got brakes and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do a bar, how did you end up riding the way you do?

Well I just learned bars recently and it’s like one of my favorite tricks. But just from watching everybody kill it back in the day like; Joe Rich, Superfly, Ruben, Cory Nastazio, Shawn Butler, Joey Garcia, Vic Ayala, Kevin Porter, Matt Wilhelm, Day Smith, Chase Hawk, Aitken, Chad Degroot, Matt Beringer and of course Edwin Delarosa. There’s a lot of new guys like, Nigel, Marlon, all the Garrett’s, Chris Childs, Alex Kennedy, Muff, Oba, Big James, Taco, and my Mullaly crew! I like all types of riding and do what feels good.

For those who don’t know, who is Launchpad and what is the 718 video all about? Do you have a full part in that?

Launchpad AKA “The BABY” was a Filmer for the late Bull Dog Bikes and he decided to put out a video of his own, 718video. I just got word from Oba Stanley that I’m having a split part with my boy Lil Mike, watch out for him, he’s got some fire.

How did you get the nickname “The Green Goblin” or is that just the name of your blog??

At one time I got into this phase where I wouldn’t wear any shirt unless it was green and I believe DAY DAY started calling me the Green Goblin and the name stuck. It’s the name of my blog as well.

Where did you get the nickname “Handsome Chad”?

Handsome Chad came about one night when me, Muff, Jake Seely and Mastroni were at your house and you started calling me that while we were watching Props Megatour, lol. I like that name is much better then GG.

What’s up with all the pictures of you playing tennis on your Facebook, is that your other passion in life?

I like playing tennis, I suck at it but I’ve gotten better. Every summer I work for the US Open; I work as a court attendant, and there I chill most of the time, eat free food around celebrity’s and sit on a tennis court with Venus and Serena and watch their matches as well as other well known tennis players. Basically have a good time and get paid for it.

Have you traveled much to ride your bike or have you mostly stuck around NYC? Is there anywhere in particular that you’d like to ride?

I lived in Bethlehem, PA for 4 years and met some chill dudes out there. There’s a good scene out there, A-TOWN TRASH video coming soon. I got some clips in there too.

(Photo by Rob Dolecki originally appeared in Dig)

I saw that photo of you in Dig on some indoor ramp inside a museum or something? Where was that taken and how did it come about?

It was taken at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows. I was at Ed’s bike shop with Big James and all my friends. James told us about some BMX art exhibit they were having. I was “in” (the exhibit) when Big James got me to ride the ramps . I was riding and my good friend Rob Dolecki was taking photos and he asked would it be okay if he took a photo? I was psyched that he even wanted to take a photo of me. The next thing I knew, Rob emailed me the photo, and told me it was in Dig issue 69, I was really hyped.

You got any plans for the future? What do you hope to be doing a few years from now?

I hope to be finished with college and to ride for a company would be nice! I’m HUNGRY!

Thanks for your time dude, who would you like to thank?

Thank you Adam for shedding light on the scene. I would like to thank anyone that hits my phone to go ride. I ride with anyone who is down to ride, I’d like to thank you Adam for the interview, Jerry AKA Launchpad AKA The Baby AKA “Dame Son” for those long filming hours, Oba Stanley for looking out for me with advice about anything and taking notice, Vinnie Sammon for hooking me up if I need anything, Nigel Sylvester for looking out, my cousin Remo for everything, ATOWNTRASH.BLOGSPOT.COM, Joey for throwing some clips in his next video, watch out for the AM:PM video! Classic, Bryan Close for being chill and shooting any time I want a photo and photos for this interview, Rob Dolecki for being mad cool every time I see him and for my photo in Dig, Rob from Mullally running things over there keeping everything tight, all my Mullally heads, Black Rob, Dany, David, Ralf, Franky, everybody who rides that place, The Owl’s Head crew, Bethlehem, East Orange, NJ, Allentown, Easton crews, Anyone who every help me to get this point, and of course my grandmother Gloria Dyson Phaire.

Thanks to Chad for the interview, check out some clips of him in these edits:

The Long Story Web Video

718 Video Trailer

Final Brooklyn Banks Session