BLAKE BILKO WILLIAMS
The Aussie
larrikin
Inside the mind of Blake “Bilko” Williams
A
SK ANY FMX FAN or
industry insider what they
think of Blake “Bilko”
Williams and you’ll get the
same answer: he’s pissfunny. He’s a clown. A
joker. A comedian with a heavy accent
and turn of phrase that’s so true-blue
Australian you sometimes wonder if
he’s “having a go” or if he’s really “fair
dinkum”.
But that’s just how Bilko is. What you
see is what you get: the guy who’s
goofing off in front of the camera and
good-naturedly taking the piss with
fans during an autograph session is
exactly the same when he’s hanging
out with his mates backstage or chilling
out at home. While the 30-year-old
occasionally drives those around him
insane with his lack of an off-switch,
that same quality is what makes him a
people magnet and the life of the party.
But behind the practical jokes, the Dew
Tour trophies and the X Games medals
is a smart, savvy bloke who knows
more than he’ll admit about being
marketable, setting himself up for the
future and making the most of his time
in the limelight.
He’s had more than his fair share of
injuries over the years (caused by both
rotten luck and bad decisions), but if
anything, they’ve helped solidify just
what he wants to get out of his career.
We caught up with Bilko to chat about
his life’s highs and lows, touring in close
quarters with the Nitro Circus family
and his thoughts on Josh Sheehan’s
groundbreaking Triple Backflip. u
Words: Simon Makker
Pictures: Simon Makker