Picture this: It’s 2007, the iPhone just dropped, the Transformers trailer is relentlessly showing on TV, and skateboarding is facing an onslaught of corporate opportunity.

But now, in 2025, Ben is ready to switch things up for a new era with its own set of issues—with his new brand, Glass House. Enjoy a first look promo video from the team and then scroll down for a short Q&A with Ben where we talk about the new company and whether he’s really real or if we were just chatting with a Ben Horton AI chatbot.

Q&A WITH CREATOR + ARTIST BEN HORTON

Why do you do so few interviews? Do you have some dead bodies hiding in the closet?
I don’t want to listen to myself talk. Nah, I live in a 600 square foot apartment, so I’d just dump them out the window anyway.

So what’s the deal? What’s happening with $lave?
$lave Skateboards is done. We’ve archived it a little at www.worldwideslave.com for anyone who’d like to check out the history of what it was.

Why did you feel it was time to move on from $lave?
It has been 18 years and $lave has run its course. I’m thankful to have something last this long, but I’ve been wanting to work on something new, with a new approach to modern issues. I don’t know what will happen, but I guess I’ll find out.

What’s the new brand?
Glass House. Everyone from $lave is involved: Anthony Schultz, AJ Zavala, Pat Burke, Danny Dicola, and Logan Taylor. Along with some new additions: Zack Wallin, Cody Jacobson and TJ Person who all skated for $lave informally as well.

You know the skate industry is dying, right? Why start another brand and further jam up skate shops with more brands that they take the burden of selling?
Well, I’m ending one brand and starting another. I enjoy making things for people, in an industry I’ve been a part of most of my life. Shops can decide what brands they want to carry and what works for them.

What is the significance of Glass House? A nod to we are all living in Glass Houses in the age of social media?
More or less. From my view Glass House is a reflection of modern day society, and is a response to the current delicate state of things. Centering on the deterioration of privacy, freedom and environment due to corporatism, politics, social media, authority, etc. Our lives seemingly becoming more transparent, plastic and fragile, creating a feeling of lack of control and wariness of the future. Our data is being collected, our movements recorded. Invisible rules for an invisible order. I’m not suggesting that I have solutions. Maybe nothing matters and that’s cool too. Things fall apart.

$lave felt like a rebellion against the excess of the ’90s and early 2000s, what is this new company a rebellion against?
$lave was a reaction to social, political and environmental issues of the 20th century and how it led to the times we were living in.

It’s definitely a new era now.

Disinformation and social media didn’t exist in their current form when $lave started for example. Fragmentation has increased. So while $lave focused mostly on how our society got to this point, Glass House focuses more on where we are, where we’re headed, and what are we going to do about it.

“Our lives are seemingly becoming more transparent, plastic and fragile”

Some of these questions feel like they were answered by an AI robot. Are you sure you’re not part of the system already?
How can I know for sure? Maybe all of us are AI robots.

I know a lot of people had issues with the name $lave. Did you ever get blowback for the name? Especially in the last few years?
Occasionally. Misinterpretation is a risk everyone takes when they decide to put something into the world. Even though $lave was dystopian themed, it wasn’t science fiction. $lave described a world where everyone is systematically fucked by the rich and powerful, on different levels and for different reasons. Some more than others of course. The social class structure. Keeping people broken up, disconnected, in a never ending fight against each other. A fight over dumb shit that’s out of our control, like what we look like or what we’re born into. This technique has worked to oppress on different levels since the beginning of humankind. $lave wasn’t describing anything new, but maybe it wasn’t sufficiently illustrated, either.

Did some racist assholes ever try to co-opt it?
Not that I know of.

Since you have such a strong animal theme with the brand, have you ever considered officially adding a pro animal to the team? There’s bulldogs and chimps that certainly can skate. Think it would be a first.
Have them send in a video.

Before you started $lave it felt like you were trying to be a contemporary artist with art shows in real galleries, did you ever feel comfortable in that world? How was that world different from skateboarding?
I have never felt comfortable in that world, and probably never will. But I continue to show stuff sometimes and believe that the arts are important for spreading ideas and ways of thinking. We can see that with the various restrictions put on it by governments and authority. Ideas start revolutions.

It seems like it has more rules and boundaries than skateboarding. When I was a kid skate shops were my art galleries. The graphics on the boards gave me ideas and new ways to think and see the world. When I later worked in a shop, I saw this same reaction from some kids when they walked in. Skateboarding has always been a space where I feel we can discuss ideas. To me, skateboarding is a reflection of society, and my art is a reflection of that.

What’s your favorite Pat Burke story?
We were on a trip up north and went to a bar that happened to have karaoke. Pat and Winterberg chose “For Whom The Bells Tolls” and went up front. The bell starts, and as soon as the song kicks in Pat grabs a full pitcher of beer off the table of some couple on a date, and pours the whole thing on his head. The bouncers come in from everywhere and Pat manages to slip through and off the stage. He’s running through the bar throwing those white plastic chairs behind him. These guys are slamming all over these things and we’re all dying laughing. He made it out and I met up with him at the liquor store down the street.

You’ve stayed very loyal to the OG team, is there a sadness within the squad $lave is ending?
These guys rule and they have stayed loyal to me as well. I’m extremely thankful for that. I can’t speak for them, but it seems like everyone is looking forward to something new.

Intro and interview by: Thomas Barker
Share this with the local homies on Facebook
Scroll your life away on Instagram and Twitter