Montana
Pool Service

This one is a cool one. Back in 2012 I spoke in Rapid City at the Dahl Arts Center. With my buddy Jason Alley. And one Hugh Weber drove over from Sioux Falls for the gig, and we all hung out the next day. His friend the esteemed writer Ellen McGirt was in town to interview Lakota community organizers on Pine Ridge. And we went along for the ride, and learned SO MUCH. Staggering stats and a tough reality for reservation life.

And that afternoon, they showed us a skatepark, and of course, I perked up. A skatepark? Now we’re talking. While checking it out, someone said, “This was built by the bass player from Pearl Jam.” And that’s when I learned about Montana Pool Service.

I started following MPS, and would see different parks added each year. Beyond cool. Of course I knew the name Jeff Ament, having seen the Pearl Jam explosion in ’91/’92 up close. Those first three records are still in heavy rotation around the shop. Powerful stuff!

When Jeff reached out in 2021 to do some graphics for MPS I quickly jumped at the chance. I busted out a bunch of graphics and fired them off to Jeff. In no time an awesome hat showed up, and then I’d see stickers and stuff on kids at assorted events Jeff would be throwing all over the west. So damned cool.

As these words go to print, we’re waiting for a MPS couple decks made by the Paul Schmitt of Schmitt Stix lore!

(I owe this awesome connection my our mutual buddy O. Jeff and O would skate together down near their homes in San Diego. Any number of times O would call, mouthful of food and say, “Sitting here with Jeff having lunch.” Always cool and my mind would swim! Thanks, buddy. Sure do miss you, O.)