Most riders have "other interests" besides BMX and for some riders BMX might even be their other interest. Pro flatlander Matt Wilhelm spends just as much time playing music as he does riding his bike. If he's even half as good at playing music as he is at riding flat then I'm sure he's nothing short of incredible.

When did you start playing music?

I started playing the saxophone in fifth grade and started to take it more seriously around my junior year in high school.

How many instruments can you play and which is your favorite?

I can play every saxophone from the soprano all the way down to the bass, which totals five. I can also get by on guitar, bass, and piano.

Matt focuses on a trick as the photographer focuses his camera.  credit: Jeff Zielinski

Click here to listen to a sample of Matt's music.

Did you go to school for music?

I graduated from Millikin University, which is a small private school with an excellent music program, with a degree in marketing and a minor in music. Even though music was only my minor, I think I spent more time on it than my major. I was even awarded the highest music scholarship available at my school.

What kind of music do you listen to the most and what are some of your favorite bands?

If you look at my CD collection you will probably think that I have multiple personalities because there is such a wide variety. Anything with a good melody is usually my rule for good music. Whether it is Bad Religion, Jurassic 5, Madonna, or Hall N� Oates, they all have great melodies. Right now I am really digging RJD2, Billy Joel, the Mo-town era, and especially jazz. Jazz is very creative and the musicians do so many different things with just 12 notes. For me, it is like watching a bike video every time I listen to jazz because they are constantly innovating and surpassing what has already been done. Remember when you first started riding and all the tech tricks looked pretty much the same? That is how music is, but once you train your ear and learn new licks, you can start to understand and decipher what you are listening to. Listening to pop music too much is just like watching someone do backflips all day.

Matt bears the Florida heat and humidity for a few photos in between sessions at this year's Roots Jam.  credit: Jeff Zielinski

More of Matt's sound...

Last weekend at the CFB comp at Woodward West you rode to music that you composed. Do you make a lot of compositions?

In a sense I have been making compositions since I started improvising jazz music in high school. However, I didn�t really start producing tracks until this year. Riding to my own music was very distracting and I don�t think I will do it again in a live setting. Right now I am producing all of the music for my new How-to flat video. I think the video is going to be 90 minutes long, so that means 90 minutes of original music.

How much time do you put into your music and how do you balance it with riding?

I think this year it has been about 50/50. Although even when I'm riding I'm always dreaming up new melodies and compositions in my head. I guess when I'm writing music I'm dreaming up new tricks too. So I guess it is pretty even.

Do you ever "make beats" like Will Taubin and TJ Lavin, or do you stick with actual instruments?

Making beats and creating hip-hop tracks are fairly easy compared to what I want to do in the years to come. Hip-hop tracks are very repetitious so you just need a few good ideas and you are set. I try not to sample anything more than two or three notes from someone else�s recording. More than that is just stealing and not creative. I will, however, sample one trumpet note and compose an entire new melody out of just one note. I haven�t heard anything that Will or TJ has done, but I would love to.

Matt in the middle of practice at the first ever flat event at Roots Jam.  credit: Jeff Zielinski

The ladies will love you when you play this for them...

I'm presuming you plan to pursue music further when your Pro flatlander career eventually comes to an end?

I have had two dreams in my life. I am living the first dream now, which was riding as a Pro. The second dream is to be a professional musician. I am thinking of going back to school to get a master�s degree in music, but you don�t need a degree to be a good player. However, if I were to teach in a University setting, I would need the proper credentials. Professional jazz musicians have a harder time making a living than Pro flatlanders in most cases, but I still want to do it anyway.