Come party right in the centre of the city on the 12th of November – it’s my birthday too, if you’re looking for an excuse!

Ven a la fiesta este Sabado en el centro de Barcelona y si estas buscando una escusa…es mi cumple!

Lista/Guestlst: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=316032728412438

Kizer Advance and Arrow are out now, with 2 weeks or so to go until the Powerblading wheels from UC come out. Now if only I could get good at Fishbrains…

Oli Benet – Soul to gap by Kiku Comino

Wheel Scene: How did you get into rollerblading and what year was that?
Oli Benet: I got my first skates when I was eight years old – some Bauer Turbo quads. My cousin had bought them in a boot sale but they were too big for him, so he sold them to me. Well, he sold them to my parents, as my finances weren’t at their best back then. My first inline skates were Roces LAX when I was about 14, so I guess around 1995.

How did you start working for The Conference?
I was on the Razors team but I really didn’t like the skates. I decided to buy some Deshi skates and quit the Razors team. I emailed Deshi to tell them about myself and my love of their skates, and Mark Korte decided to send me a pair of skates and “watch me”. A few months later, the head of Powerslide was using me to test all the new products. At the time I was in sales for a big import/ export company, making good money and getting a lot of experience in business. When the guys at The Conference realised that I knew what I was doing they decided to offer me a job.

What is your position exactly?
My position has evolved through a number of departments but I consider myself co-aggressive manager with Bauer and JC Rowe, although I also do much of the customer support, proof-reading, texts, organisation of the websites, video intros, Facebook accounts, marketing, fitness and longboard shoots. Call me Mr. Odd Job, I guess!

How long have you been working for The Conference?
It’s been over seven years now. I love it!

What are your tasks on a daily and weekly basis?
I provide daily updates on The Conference, USD, Kizer and Undercover Wheels sites, as well as the Facebook accounts. I answer almost all of the emails from customers to any of the sites, all booking of European and international riders, sponsorship deals, promotion to all media websites, promotion to the public, emails, development of new products and tours. Whatever needs to get done, really.

Since The Powerhouse has opened how have things changed for the brand?
For me it’s been a real headache. We have lost the budget for riders, tours and advertising, and focused a lot of attention on the house. We have got a lot of stuff done for sure; interviews and epic sections, as well as being able to push lesser-known riders. But at the same time it’s like a full-time tour in your own city, which is quite tiresome. Still, it’s a success and it’s still a really exciting project that is churning out quality photos and videos like there is no tomorrow.

What happened to Stygma?
Stygma did really well and I loved it. The problem with clothing in a skate market (notice they have almost all gone) is that if you want to make money you have to get in line with fashion timing and stores, otherwise you’re not going to make a penny. When you have to make so many sizes and so many designs for one clothing line, you almost need a designer or two working full-time. The simple fact is that making hardware is what we are good at and what the designers are there for, and we realised that spending so many hours on T-shirt designs to not have a market for it was taking away valuable time on getting the best looking and performing hardware to customers. Getting into the fashion market needs real commitment, otherwise you are just a skate T-shirt brand and that’s not something a distribution and manufacturing company like The Conference needs to be focusing on when there’s already so much work to do on the hardware side of things.

Do you have any projects that you are working on that you can tell us about?
Get ready for aggressive 2.0. I can leak to you that Powerblading is about to be a lot more real than people expected. We’re putting a lot of faith and investment into the project and it’s about to happen. It’s extremely exciting. Also, we are working on the Xsjado 2.0 and other progressions.

Are there any more new products we can expect this year? Any more pro models?
Lots! Richie Eisler, Don Bambrick, Jeff Stockwell, JC Rowe and Dominic Sagona. We’re holding nothing back this year!

What would you like to see change in the sport/ industry?
Well, that’s a hard question. I guess more European representation at a high level, less hate in general, (it’s ridiculous the amount of haters in this sport) more money so skaters aren’t so bitter and because our pro and am skaters deserve to get paid better. Oh, and Powerblading – of course!

Photo: Kiku Comino
Original article can be found here: http://www.wheelscene.co.uk/2011/08/inside-the-industry-the-conference/

Here is the full collection of my mixes, minus Ah! Volume 1 and a couple of other older sets I may decide to upload some day. Let me know which set you like best!

I also made a fanpage on facebook which I will be keeping updated with news: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oli-Benet/212171052183440

Drop Dread Radio 6

The Bootleg Set Vol.2

Nextgen on Russian Radio E1

Dubstep Into My World

Grime Time Mixtape

Cay’s Crays – Oli Benet RMX

The Bootleg Set Vol.1

Tranceformer Mix

We worked on these between a few of us that really wanted a different kind of liner, not an old school high top one or a new school logo covered one. Something sleek and simple that would hold your foot well and would act as a second skin inside your skate.

Here’s a little video I threw together in a minute to explain the workings of the USD Phoenix Atop liner.

I haven’t tested it in action yet, but the fact that it immediately feels comfortable and holds your foot tightly so as to cancel any rubbing or lift means that I’m confident this could be a winner.

*Editor’s note: I’m not as stupid as I sound, it was pretty off the cuff…

Head over to this link to download or stream my latest mix. I finally decided to record a Dubstep mix.

http://soundcloud.com/olibenet/dubstep-into-my-world

For more of my music, go here —> www.soundcloud.com/olibenet

Thanks to Dustin Werbeski for the photo and TZ for the AW.

Despite being predominantely a dnb DJ I can’t help being a lover of all tings UK, and having been brought up on so many bassline styles I always wanted to put together a few of my favourite Grime tracks.

Download this collection of badman tunes for free here: www.soundcloud.com/olibenet

Bigup the gorgeous T. Ziggy for the artwork.

I had these clips sitting on my computer, so I just put ‘em all together. At first I thought VII tricks on the VII part 2, but then I noticed there was only 6 tricks. Duh!

These skates are out now.