We recently sat down with Andrew Mercado over a few beers and rapped about his new move to Sector 9 as the Brand Manager of Gullwing Trucks.

For those of you that don't know Andrew, he's an outspoken advocate for keeping "the skate" in longboarding. He grew up on Thrasher Magazine, and he doesn't particularly care for non-skater run companies. He's big on tradition and he probably knows the history of skateboarding better than you. He's been mentored by several industry insiders, including most recently Jerry Madrid, and he's recently branched out as a consultant of several brands, including the new truck company he helped start with Brandon Stewart called Caliber Trucks.

[SS] - Andrew, thanks for taking the time to fill us in on your big upcoming career move... first off, where have you been working?

[Mercado] - I co-founded Caliber Trucks with Brandon Stewart... and worked with Alasco, as well as Madrid, and have been doing my own thing with NoFuture.

[SS] - So do you have to drop all those projects?

[Mercado] - Pretty much, except for a few small projects here and there. I'm on good terms with all of them and have helped find folks to fill my shoes.

[SS] - So where you moving to? and when's the new gig start?

[Mercado] - They (Sector 9) hired me to be the brand manager for Gullwing. I start September 1st. It's kind of gnarly because I have to drop everything else, but I've set it up where I've got some people coming in to fill my shoes at Caliber, as well, Sector 9 is open to talking more about Caliber.

Andrew Mercado's Madrid Pro Model will live on even after his departure.

[SS] - How about Madrid? What's happening there?

[Mercado] - They are actually going to continue to make my board through the next year, my pro model. At that point my model will become the Ex-team model. They'll continue to make it, but it will be the Ex-team rider board. Where as normally it would say my name, it will just say Ex-team rider with my old graphic. Kind of funny, but cool. So they'll continue to produce it, but at that point I'll probably jump on and be riding Sector 9 wood.

[SS] - Will Sector 9 offer you a pro model?

[Mercado] - No, they don't want to do models or anything. Like I said, I'll probably ride my Madrid model for a while. I told Madrid they can continue to make that shape for some time to come.

[SS] - What did Jerry (Madrid) say when you told him?

[Mercado] - He was stoked. He's good friends with them over there too. Shit, he helped them get started, setup back in the day.

[SS] - What did you do on a day to day basis for Madrid?

[Mercado] - Marketing. For the past 6 months I've been at home doing my own thing, doing a little marketing, team management, brand stuff.

For years the Madrid Van has been synonymous with Andrew's personality and character. When you get the invite to come on one of Andrew's roadtrips, you know the correct answer is yes. Friendship, bonds, and memories you can't share with your parents are all part of an Andrew Mercado Roadtrip.

There are no logos on the outside of Mercado's Madrid Van, except for this one posted at Maryhill 2010. Rumor has it Coast' Longboarding's own Bricin "Striker" Lyons is the culprit who put it there.

[SS] - So at Gullwing, you're going to do brand management. You are going to do all of it you said. So where do you want to see Gullwing a year from now?

[Mercado] - (Laughs) I have no idea.

[SS] - Sold at Walmarts and Targets across the country?

[Mercado] - (Laughs) No, that's for damn sure not going to happen. It's up to them (Sector 9) where they want to take it.

[SS] - You got any plans for anything new?

[Mercado] - I wont be able to work on anything new for at least 6 months to a year. I'm going in initially to tie-up loose ends. Bring it back together. Doing anything in terms of new designs will be a little while.

[SS] - So you going to be a one man show?

[Mercado] - Eventually I'll be able to hire some people, but for now the role is just mine. They don't really have anyone doing this right now.

[SS] - Who ships the most Gullwing? Sector 9? Who's #2?

[Mercado] - Yea. Followed probably by Loaded.

[SS] - What about Arbor? Although they may just get counted with Sector 9's count.

[Mercado] - Yea, probably Arbor then.

[SS] - Are they (Gullwing Trucks) produced in China?

[Mercado] - Actually they are produced in both, they do a certain percentage here in the States and a certain percentage in China. The China production helps them meet the demand.

Andrew walks back up the hill during a recent Caliber Truck photo shoot.  

[SS] - So you got Loaded, and Sector 9, which at least in the past haven't been synonymous with downhill skateboarding. I mean Loaded doesn't have a downhill board (yet) and Sector 9 has only in the last year really started to focus on the downhill scene. Now with Louis (Pilloni) on board with Sector, and now you with Gullwing, is there an effort to get Gullwing in to some of the more downhill aspects of the sport?

[Mercado] - It really depends on when I get turned loose on to design something, if and when that happens.

[SS] - Do you want to see it go that way? or do you want to see it more broad?

[Mercado] - Well you know back in the 80's they made stuff that... they made trucks for everything. Should eventually return to that.

[SS] - Is it true you are going to focus all your marketing on Skate[Slate]?

[Mercado] - No, we're not going to do any marketing with Skate[Slate] (laughs).

[SS] - How about NoFuture? (NoFuture is Andrew's website)

[Mercado] - No, fuck those guys (laughs harder). Seriously though, I don't even know when I'll be able to start on marketing.

[SS] - So back to Sector.. they grabbed Louis earlier this year from Loaded, now they've grabbed you from Madrid... should we expect more defections towards Sector 9?

[Mercado] - No, I don't really know. I'm not really going to be doing anything at all with Sector, they are really run completely separate. At most I might ride their wheels and occasionally a deck.

[SS] - Will you get to go Australia and meet the big parent Billabong, and tell them how good they are?

[Mercado] - Yea, I think in November. Go out there, go surfing and meet Corporate (laughs).

[SS] - Will they make you wear Billabong clothing when you are there? or perhaps you can show up with some Quicksilver shirts to piss them off?

[Mercado] - (Laughs) No, I told them, I want to make sure that's not a requirement. I don't wear any of that shit anyways.

[SS] - Last question. Recently Sector started an ad campaign featuring an attractive chick wearing Sector 9 socks, and cruising on her Sector 9. Can we expect to see similar ads from Gullwing when you take over?

[Mercado] - Yea, but it will be me, all spread out with a nice sunset in the background.

For future information on Andrew Mercado, Gullwing Trucks, Caliber Trucks, and random logos that show up on the Madrid Van.. keep checking back to Skate[Slate] as we do our best to bring you the inside scoop and keep you informed on all things longboarding. Thanks to Andrew for his ongoing behind the scenes support of Skate[Slate] and giving us the opportunity to tell his story.