Donovan Jones and Cephas Benson of The Bunt definitely aren’t bunting.
What makes a good switch tre?
Vans, see AVE, JLay, Chima.
I told a number of people I was interviewing you guys and they all wanted to know once and for all the meaning behind the name?
When we were younger, our skate crew CMB created the three Bad B’s. If you committed all three you would be banned from downtown. Bunting, Beaming and Biting. Bunting is basically flopping. If you flop on plans or any sort of commitment you’re bunting. More specifically, when you’re skating bunting is trying a trick and not coming close at all.
When did you guys first meet and start becoming friends?
Neither one of us actually don’t remember the first time we met, downtown somewhere, maybe at Shred Central, the indoor park at the time. Early teenage years. Working on a 20 year friendship here pretty soon.
What made you guys want to start the Podcast?
We both got hooked on sports podcasts a few years back and thought it would be fun to start our own. Only problem was who would want to listen to us talk about sports. We realized adding the more niche skate component would give us a better chance at getting people to tune in.
Did you guys have reservations about starting it?
We’re both pretty private, low key guys so the thought of putting ourselves out there was a huge reservation. Hearing yourselves talk is always awkward and putting your opinion out there can definitely garner some hate, but it’s been a blast so far. No regrets.
When you first started what equipment did you use?
Our first ever recording was just on an iPhone with the voice memo app. Then we went with a $75 USB recorder we all had to sit around and speak into.
How has your equipment evolved?
Thankfully we’ve moved on from the iPhone and USB recorder. These days we use Logic to edit and record, microphones and a soundboard.
What were the biggest challenges starting the podcast and growing it?
Probably getting people to listen to an audio only medium. These days everything is video. We would love to film our interviews as well, but being in Toronto makes it harder as the majority of our guests live elsewhere.
Other than equipment, what ways has the show evolved over time?
When we first started we were interviewing our friends, the episodes were more just random conversations than interviews about the guest. Now we like to deep dive on the guests career and find out everything we are curious about and what we feel people listening might be curious about as well. We also have the episodes broken down into segments: intro, interview, rapid fire, post office, rundown. When we first started it was kind of all over the place. It’s easier to plan out episodes now that we have a bit of structure.
What is the process of putting a season together?
Reach out to potential guests. Line up as many interviews as we can and start recording them. We like to do as many as we can before the season starts to air so we aren’t stressing every week to find a guest before Wednesday. We’ve had some close calls! Shouts to Nick Trapasso for bailing us out with a clutch last second interview to close out season 6.
How often do guys flake on interviews? How many unanswered texts per season?
Happens all the time! A lot of unanswered texts, but we are used to it. The skaters we approach don’t owe us anything so we can’t be mad if they flake or aren’t down to do an interview. The only time it’s annoying is if they confirm an interview date and time, we get together, set up the equipment and then they flake. It’s all part of the process though.
How do you select the guests on the show?
Anyone we both like is welcome on the show!
What makes a good guest and a good interview?
Elijah Berle! Couldn’t have asked for a better guest for our first live show. Usually skaters who are done with their pro career make for good guests because they are pretty unfiltered and aren’t afraid to shed light on some of the shadier things that happen in the industry.
Have you had any issues with guests being unhappy with how the interviews turned out?
Not really, we give the guests the option to listen to the interview before it goes out to avoid that.
Other people ever unhappy with things that were said on the show?
Yeah sometimes for sure. For example, we went in on Kris Markovic one time. He wasn’t too pleased, but after a phone call everything was hashed out.
How long did you have the podcast going before you got your first advertiser?
We did our first season without any advertisers, it was ten episodes so ten weeks.
That’s fast. Who was it and how did you get them involved?
TimeBomb Trading was our first sponsor, they came on board for our second season and we partnered up with Vans for season three onward.
Who are your current advertisers?
Vans, Brixton, Deluxe, TimeBomb Trading and CHPO Brand.
What are those brands expecting you to deliver?
Fun ads from a couple of guys who back the brands they work with and love getting boxes!
How do you actually go about getting advertisers?
The process has definitely evolved over the almost three years we’ve been doing the show. In the beginning we did some reaching out, usually to brands that we back and already have a relationship with. Once the show got a bit bigger some brands reached out to us. The relationship with Vans was natural, a lot of our friends work for the brand and they do the most for the scene in Canada, so it’s been a perfect marriage.
Torey Goodall has to be my favorite interview. Do you guys have favorites?
Torey is definitely up there for us as well. Too many for us to name, but a few off the top: Korahn Gayle, Leo Romero, James Hardy, Rick McCrank, Brian Anderson, Austyn Gilette, Justin Henry and the list goes on!
Torey Goodall. Photo: Christian
Are there ways that you’ve turned your success with the show into other opportunities?
We’ve been able to turn the success of the podcast into live shows with Vans all over the globe, Toronto, New York, Miami, London, and those will continue. The masterminds at Vans are always up to something. At The Bunt, we want to make a skate video, so that will be a top priority for us in the next couple years.
What do you guys think of the current state of skate media?
The beauty of skate media right now is that it’s coming from everywhere, not just California, and that’s a beautiful thing. The sad part is seeing print take such a big hit. Something we grew up on was skate mags, always getting excited knowing a new SBC, Colour mag, or Concrete was coming out, knowing you might see your homies in it. That’s the downfall of the internet.
Why do you think your show resonates with people so much?
We’d like to think it’s relatable for the average skater. We’re just skateboarders, grew up burning vhs tapes cause we watched them too much, spending afternoons at Chapters reading every mag they had, winters in underground parking garages. We are the average skater and now we’re interviewing the who’s who of skating. Hopefully asking the questions the people want to hear.
If someone wants to start their own media outlet, or show or brand, what would you tell them?
Our first lesson was consistency. No matter what you’re starting: a podcast, magazine, clothing company, skate shop, you name it, consistency is the key. Don’t commit to something you can’t continue for an extended period of time. We’d obviously love to do 2-3 episodes of the show every week, and run it year round, but that’s just not feasible for us. So we chose a schedule that we were able to keep up with, and that’s been our strong suit. When a season starts, the people are guaranteed 12 straight weeks of episodes. No matter what.
Is there anything you wish you would have done differently a long the way?
Maybe a different name cause we clearly ain’t bunting.
What do you guys have in store for this year?
Plotting some fun stuff, an event or two might be in the works, a Bunt video, and of course, all the interviews we can squeeze in.
Cephas, Switch Tre Gang Since 2006. Photo: Allan
Rapid Fire:
Skater that had the most influence on your style?
Rob Welsh, Scott Kane
Favorite spot in Toronto?
Dunbat or Pond
Best bar in Toronto?
City Pool, Bathhurst Local
Best Drake song?
Still Here, 4pm in Calabasas, No Long Talk
Favorite guest/interview?
Torey Goodall, Mitch Barrette
Favorite Podcast?
Jalen and Jacoby, The Fantasy Footballers
Is the ledge at the Loft good for sliding? (Wade says no)
That’s what wax is for
Favorite switch tre?
AVE, Brian Wenning
