» Shaun Butler's signature parts:
The Goldie special edition dirt Bike, Goldie beginner dirt Bike, ButlerLite Bar, ButlerLite Fork, Butler Saddle

» Biography / Interview
Thanks to BMXRider UK for interviewing Shaun!

What is your real name?
Goldie Leshaun Butler
What do you prefer to be called?
I like to be called GOLDIE or Shaun but really I would rather someone remember me and how I am rather than who I am or by my name. My lifestyle is BMX. I work a full time job and I ride. I don't try to impress anyone, I try to keep it real no matter where I am or what I'm doing. That's what life is about, having fun and keeping it real.
How old are you?
I'm 27 and I feel like I'm 18
How long have you been riding BMX?
16 years
How long have you been riding professionally?
10 years
What is your favorite drink?
Distilled water or herbal tea with milk or creamer... English Style.
What is your favorite food?
Vegetarian Lasagna with garlic bread.
What is your favorite actor?
Nicholas Cage
What is your favorite female models name?
Jessica Walker
What is your favorite past time?
I enjoy reading books of the spiritual nature.
What's your favorite BMX web site?
www.barspinner.com , www.bmxstuntman.com, www.smartbombentertainment.com
What is your cultural background?
African American and Cherokee Indian.
Birthday?
I was born to Gwen Butler on June 29, 1976 in Fullerton, California.
What is your favorite cereal?
Cocoa Pebbles or Frosted Flakes...Tastes Great!
What is your religion?
I don't consider myself religious but I consider myself a seeker of Christ and of the truth.
If you could run your own planet what would it look like?
My planet would be similar to earth, surrounded by many different moons. The day light is different, it would never be too dark to go riding. But it would get dark enough for us to fall asleep. Everybody would be telepathic and friendly. There would be no war, because there would only be positive thoughts that would pass through all people's minds. Everybody could wish themselves where they want to be and they would be there in a moments notice. BMX would be the main form of transportation. All housing would be built underground. Currency would be through the exchange of favors. (the barter system)
What does a normal day with you consist of?
Today I woke up at 6AM and made a brown bag lunch for my daughter Justice. Then I woke up my fiancé Jay so she could get Justice to school on time. If I had time I would have made something to eat, but I was in a hurry...so I'm out the door at 7AM and at the office by 8. I work in luxury, in an air-conditioned office with a conference room where my desk sits. On Thursdays the executives buy me lunch...everybody's real cool and there are always snacks to eat. It's cool to work at Tate Environmental because we prevent toxic pollution from leaking out of faulty facilities such as Edison, Arco, Cost Co, Mobil, Nella Oil and World Oil. It makes me feel great to be part of something so positive. Depending on how much I feel like riding, I can leave work from 1o'clock to 5 o'clock and go and ride somewhere interesting, whether its a beach ride or riding trails and learning new tricks. Sometimes I'll go to Barspinner's and take a few runs on the halfpipe with my bike or Timmy Ball's skateboard. After I do my thing, and we figure who's free for the evening between Jay (my fiancé) and I, one of us will pick up Justice. By this time it's 8PM and it's time for the family to relax with dinner, homework, emails, reading or watching some television.
What is your most memorable riding experience?
I have many but the first one that comes to mind is when I stayed in Rhode Island for 3 weeks to help build the Gravity Games course with Fuzzy, Barspinner, Magilla, Elf and others. Another memorable experience is when I stayed at Stu Dawkins' flat in Hastings, England for the Backyard Jam in 97. The next was when I won the MTV Sports Music Festival and walked away with an autographed guitar from ICE - T. I met ICE's assistant and his name was Shaun Butler, what a trip!...it was a trip! Last but not least when my promoter Rob Smart and I held our very first "Butler Invitational" dirt jumping event in Santa Barbara, California. We held it at the NBL track. (www.sbbmx.com ) "That Friday night I felt like I won the X Games or something. " I was stoked all my friends from the West Coast (USA) showed up. I like when the pro riders judge the contests but we ended up letting the crowd judge on this one. We all loved the "Butler Invitational" and there's more to come. We were able to bring our families and friends together for an incredible and memorable evening of Dirt Jumping, it was good for all of us... it was fun and that's what BMX is about... fun... its a hobby, a lifestyle and for some a career.
Who did you like to watch ride when you were growing up?
Anyone and everyone I saw on a BMX bike influenced me in one way or another. Mostly vert guys like Mat Hoffman, Jay Miron, DMC, Dave Voelker, Dave Clymer, Keith Treanor , Bestwick, the POW's, the Dirt Bros., Fuzzy Hall, Brian Foster, Colin Winkleman, Van Sout, Jody Donnely, and my boy Troy McMurray...I remember when Troy McMurray and I were battling it out for the ABA Grands for third place and Troy was sporting a Denver Broncos football helmet, he told me we should both do 360 one handers over the doubles and keep it a tie...I didn't listen to Troy I did a truck driver instead, and I crashed on the doubles and Troy ended up doing 360 one hander while pointing at the crowd and earned third place that day. I should have listened to Troy!
What motivates you to ride?
My own will to want to go riding that day, Exercise and it allows me to clear my mind. Most of all it's good clean fun.
How do you compare your riding to the riding that's going on at contests today?
I don't really compare my riding to others- the times are different. We were busting cutting edge tricks all through the 90's we lead the industry and were moving forward today into the new millennium to push the limits even further, we all do it. We all push the limits in our individual way. What more can you ask for? Everybody's doing something crazy. I'm lucky enough to have an authentic style to offer and that makes me feel good about everything I do in BMX.
Do you miss the contest scene?
Not really, but it's cool to say what's up to everybody and see what they've all been working on. When I decided to stop competing in the X Games and started riding for my self the big trick was a 360-tailwhip or backflip-barspins. The very first contest I did in 93 at Twin Palms when I met Chris Moeller for the first time I placed top 3 with regular can can variations and a big half barspins. (Laughter) Besides my promoter and I are running my own contest series like I mentioned and these Dirt Jumping events are more athlete friendly. These events are for us and if others like the events great. They're fun with competition involved but they give the athletes the freedom to really enjoy there abilities in a more comfortable atmosphere. We have geared up the "Butler Invitational" to be more like a Backyard Jam with worldwide media coverage. It's cool all the Pros and Ams should participate in 2003...the more the better.
Have you ever really wanted to win?
I feel that we're all winners and I've always known that winning wasn't everything. At the same time I never really chose to apply my self 150% to see what would really happen if I pushed my limits. Winning a major event in the future would be pretty cool and would ad another positive chapter to my life. I have never gone to a contest and really set out to win. Its always nice to be the winner but it doesn't influence me one way or the other and it never will. It wasn't really about that, it was really about hanging out with the riders, traveling and riding new trails. To win was kind of a joke for me...since I am the underdog all the time, placing second, third or top five at the X Games or the K.O.D. and events like it. I could ride all of the major contests with no pressure and I liked it that way. It's always fun to compete but to me it doesn't matter if I win or not...
Are you a better rider now than when you were competing?
Yes, definitely...hands down, I have more fun on my bike than ever and just being on my bike means more to me now than it ever has. My bike and I are one.
Why do you feel that your a better rider now in 2003?
Because I still have my tricks down and I've learned a bunch of new ones. Every year I progress, I learn, I push my self to be better for myself not for any other reason.
How do you picture the next Butler Invitational Dirt Jumping Event?
Like a back yard Bar-B-Q, with a rad set of trails...like a modified hell track. Everybody having a good time, families enjoying the BMX scene and encouraging new generation of kids to start riding.
What do you honestly feel about the BMX industry?
The BMX industry is either broke or run by a bunch of tight wads. Look at how much football players and other professional athletes are paid. Were out here busting our balls for pennies, you better make sure that you love BMX for what it is, because when your all broke off and you can't pay your own doctor bills, you better hope that you had some great times on your bike. And second of all we as BMXers have to stick together so that we can all make a living off of riding.
If you were to have the ultimate BMX lifestyle, what would it be for Shaun Butler?
I'd be able to wake up with a nice house and lots of land, where I can just go and learn tricks in my own yard, water my fruit and vegetable crop and live there with my family. Everything else is gravy.
What's a favorite trick that you like to do?
Well I love to do any 360 variations like I mentioned and I just learned a Suicide Truckdriver, that trick makes me feel like a kid again.
What are your signature tricks?
The superman frame grab and the barspin to turndown., as far as I know I was the first to do these.
What tricks would you still like to learn?
The 360 tailwhip, an opposite three sixty or a flip - you know a good looking flip that looks and feels comfortable and not all sketchy. (Laughter)
What places have you traveled to because of BMX?
About half of the U.S., England, France, Switzerland and Amsterdam in Holland for the Worlds. I had the chance to go to a few other countries but since I am kind of weird about flying I chose to kick it around town. Pretty stupid thinking about that now but who knows what I was thinking then.
Which was your favorite place to visit?
Hastings or London England. I could seriously live somewhere over there when I get a little older but it just might stay a fantasy of mine.
Why was England your favorite place to visit?
I visited Hastings, England and it was incredible. Their was a lot of riders that lived in the area and it was right on the beach and it was Surrounded by castles. Riders like Ian Morris, Stu Dawkins, John Dye, Richard "Boyle" Ball and the Phat Rat they were all cool to hang out with. It was like home in England right on the beach with cool places to go. The people were really friendly and cops didn't even carry a gun.
Who do you ride for now?
KHE Bicycles (khebikes.com), Dans Competition (Danscomp.com), Bell Helmets, TSA Clothing, Apollo backpacks, Fox gear, Spy Eyewear, Tioga tires, Sambazon Organic Fruit, Airwalk Stunt Team, Atomic Wheels , Truvativ BMX Cranks, Autographedtoyou.com, ODI, The RADPACK, Sheep Hill Locals (SHL) and Shaun Butler Signature Products coming in 03 courtesy of KHE Bicycles and Smartbomb Entertainment (SBE)
What goals do you have for the future?
To stay positive, be true to myself and to fellow human beings wherever I am on this planet and as far as BMX is concerned definitely starting a bike company. Creating new events and working with my promoter on the next series of Butler Invitational BMX dirt jumping events televised by Fox Sports 54321, Adrenaline TV and others. Developing bike parks, owning a bike shop, running BMX tracks, starting Butler Training Camps - who knows anything and everything for the love of BMX and all the people who love BMX.
Anyone you want to give thanks to?
BMX Rider Magazine for the interview, to all of my sponsors and fans, the kids, to all of my friends on the road that invited me to stay at there pad, Dirt Bros. and Gack for supporting me in down times. Solid Bikes for giving me cranks when profile took a dump on me. Truvativ for hooking me up with my new cranks, Tioga for hooking up tires, S&M for nine great years, Jason German "Dogger" for creating my new web site www.shaunbutler.com, SBE for this site www.mp3.com/shaunbutler , Brian Gass for some great K.O.D. events, Thomas and Wolfgang at KHE Bicycles, Rob Smart at SBE for implementing the signature product deal with KHE. The new KHE Butler products are cool. KHE let me design the products exactly how I wanted them. KHE has the new Butler bars, forks, frames, saddles and complete bicycles. Your gonna like them a lot...check them out at the KHE web site... Everyone who rides a bike, the inventor of the wheel, my fiancé and our daughter Justice, my Mom and God. Peace to everyone who's down for the cause!
Hey GOLDIE if someone wants to get a hold of you how can they contact you direct?
If you would like to contact me direct about anything at all go to www.smartbombentertainment.com or send an email to SBEWORLDWIDE@AOL.COM or CALL us in America at (USA) 1.805.402.0700 P.S - Learn to appreciate yourself and unlock your own special powers to offer to others AND go buy my new products!