Jay Revelle
Jason Paul Revelle (born January 26, 1976) is a Canadian skateboarder 1, writer, journalist, and personality. He is most known for his work in the North American skateboarding journalism industry2, as depicted in many Canadian skateboard magazines, most notably SBC Skateboard. He has also written for Color, Thrasher, Heckler magazines, and Sport Compact Car, in addition to many other publications. In the skateboarding world, he is also nationally recognized when from 1997 to 2003, he was on the Canadian Emerica Shoes skate team, along with appearing in a multitude of skateboarding videos, the most recent of which was Chairmen of the Board. Revelle has also been ACTIVE in Japan as a writer and editor, as well as also being featured in Japanese skateboarding videos, such as Introduction, by Daisuke Takahashi, and Blue, by Atsushi Sugimoto. In the entertainment world, he has starred in films directed by Canadian film director Clement Lush And Co-written screenplays. He maintains a close working relationship with Lush to this day.
Early life
Revelle was born in Kincardine, Ontario to Gerald Wayne Revelle, a retired upper-management employee of Ontario Hydro, of European English and French descent, and Sylvia Grace Ruttan, who is also of European French/English extraction. Life in Kincardine was shortlived, as the family soon moved to Petawawa, Ontario, until 1984, when they finally settled in Oshawa, Ontario.
Revelle's family tree includes: generals fighting alongside William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, in which the Revelle clan made it's way from France to England; the first governor of Rhode Island; and Stonewall Jackson.
In younger years, Revelle excelled in school, studied karate, played soccer, read many books, and was adept at many sports. He was particularly fond of books relating to extraordinary topics and read lots on aliens, ESP, unsolved mysteries, and legends of ninjas. In 1986, Revelle began skateboarding, after succumbing to the romance of skateboarding as portrayed in the movie, Back to the Future, and it wasn't long before young Revelle was spending all his time on a skateboard.
Skateboarding
From 1989, it seemed nothing could stop the advent of a new style of skateboarding, known as street skating. Revelle took the streets as much as he could with his friends, following everything they could from skateboard videos of the day from renowned skateboard companies such as H-street and Plan B. It wasn't long before he was making videos of his own and soon after, one of his videos landed in the hands of ATM Skateboards, from Oceanside, California, offering him a product sponsorship. Trips to California soon followed, along with other sponsorship offers from Emerica Shoes Canada and Dakine backpacks. Revelle was traveling to Montreal, Vancouver, and California for various contests and skateboarding excursions.
Writing career
Coupled with a bit of older age and a more subdued enthusiasm for skateboarding professionally, Revelle turned to the printed page for spiritual renewal. Revelle's writing career began with submissions of reportings on skateboarding contests, written in a comedic way, to local skateboarding magazines. Revelle would sometimes also be the star of such events, taking the microphone and making impromptu announcements. These publications also showcased photos of Revelle skateboarding, as they knew him well from his skateboarding recognition, and from then on, Revelle maintained a working relationship with the people behind the pages, who eventually went onto bigger things, taking Revelle with them.
It wasn't until the debut of SBC Skateboard Magazine, Canada's largest skateboarding publication, that Revelle's journalism talents received national recognition. From 1998 to 2004, Revelle wrote many feature articles, music reviews, contest reviews, feature InterViews, etc., as well as contributed to the overall publication at large, planning content and brainstorming IDeaS. Highlights of his work during that period include interviews with Tony Little, Tom Green, Jason Lee, Tony Ferguson, Mike Carroll, Small Brown Bike, Sense Field, Face to Face, CKY, and many others. Revelle also became known for allowing his personality to hit the pages, and conceived many interesting and insightful articles, including an article detailing the different classifications of Skids, otherwise known as Hessiers.
Acting
Due to his ability and experience with appearing in front of the camera, acting seemed like a logical endeavor. Signed to agencies in the film industry in Toronto, Revelle began heading to auditions and thus appeared in numerous music videos acting and skating, as well as starring in local commercials and playing parts in local productions. He became well known as the star of a commercial for Alcatraz Skateshop, where he abruptly slaps an Alcatraz sticker on his mom's forehead. This commercial reached a wide audience, as it played daily after school during the Simpsons. Other notables include starring in Nickleback's music video "Worthy to Say" and Nike and Coca-Cola spec. commercials for director Clement Lush.
Japan
Revelle has spent a total of four years living and working in Japan, after his stint with North American skateboarding publications. This began in the year 2002 and continues off and on. In Japan, he expanded his editorial abilities by writing video game text for KOEI Co., LTD., and also became an editor for Toyota Motor Corporation, at their Tokyo headquarters, where he wrote overseas press material, motor show booklets, and attended media events.
Influences
No doubt influenced by many people, Revelle can attribute inspiration to skateboarders such as Jason Lee, Mark Gonzales, and Mike Carroll, and can list Dave Carnie, Raold Dahl, and Scott Pommier as writing and journalism influences.
Personal life and Random Facts
Revelle has yet to be married. His tight circle of friends include director Clement Lush and Patrick Dupuis, who Revelle met through skateboarding in the late 80s.
He was born with an extra finger, which was cut off at birth.
He is highly organized in all things.
He is an avid lover of motorsports and tennis.
He counts winter and cigarettes as his most hated things in life.
Revelle speaks English, Japanese, and French.
Press
Skateboarding Publications
Vehicle Magazine (Editorial Contributor)
- Wasaga Beach contest story, 1995
SBC Skateboard Magazine (Senior Writer)
- Volume One, Issue Three through to Volume Five, Issue Five, 1998 to 2005
Highlights:
- Jason Lee and Chris Pastras Interview, Vol.5 Iss.5
- "Japan -- A Tokyo Diary", Vol.5 Iss.1
- Tom Green Interview, Vol.3 Iss.2
Color Magazine (Editorial Contributor)
- "Tuned in Tokyo", The Stereo Team in Tokyo, Color 3.1 2005
- "Under the Weather", Color 5.1 2007
- "Crossing the LIne", Color 5.2 2007
- "Shoot to Thrill", Color 5.5 2007
Thrasher Magazine (Editorial Contributor)
- Toronto Spot Check, December 2000
Heckler Magazine (Editorial Contributor)
ASM (Editorial Contributor)
- "This is Tokyo", co-written with Michael Davidson, 2006
Others
Koei Co., Ltd.
- Game text editor, Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII video series, released October 2004 5
- Game text editor, Mystic Heroes video game, released December 2005 6
Toyota Motor Corporation
- Writer/editor, 2005 Tokyo Motor Show Press Kit
- Writer/editor, 2005-2006 Website of Toyota Motor Corporation, all press releases 7
- Writer/editor, Toyota and the World, 2005 EDition
Player Magazine
- Writer, 2007 Tokyo Girls Collection, Spring 2007
Sport Compact Car Magazine
- Writer, Passion and Reason, October 2007
Skateboarding Media Appearances (Partial List)
Vehicle Magazine
- Photo sequence; Switchstance FS 180 kickflip, 1995
- Feature Interview, 1995
Concrete Powder
- Empire Skatepark, BS Lipslide, March 1996
- Photo collage, BS Lipslide, July 1996
Skate Canada Video Magazine
- Ontario Parks, Issue #2
- Draft Pick, Issue #3
Heckler Magazine
- "Toronto and Me", Issue #41
Filmography
Actor
TV Commercials:
- Lead, Alcatraz Skateshop #1 by Lush Bros Entertainment, 2000
- Lead, Alcatraz Skateshop #2 by Lush Bros Entertainment, 2001
- Lead, Nike (spec. comm.) by Lush Bros Entertainment, 2003
- Lead, Coca-Cola (spec. comm.) by Lush Bros Entertainment, 2003
Feature Films:
- Lead, Chairmen of the Board (2006)
- Lead, AT Large (2004)
- Extra, Loose Change (1999)
- Supporting skater, Introduction (Japanese Skate Video), 2005
- Draft Pick, Issue #3, Skate Canada Video Magazine
- Ontario Parks supporting skater, Issue #2, Skate Canada Video Magazine
Music Videos:
- Lead, "Worthy to Say", by Nickleback, 2001
Editor
- Assistant editor, Chairmen of the Board (2006)
- Assistant editor, AT Large (2004)
Music Director and Creative Consulting
- Assistant music director Chairmen of the Board (2006)
- Assistant music director AT Large (2004)
- Creative consultant AT Large (2004)