October 2017

POWDER DAYS, NOT JUST POWDER HOURS.

Photo: Ian Matteson

DOA

HAND BUILT AT THE WORLD’S ONLY 100% HYDRO POWERED SNOWBOARD MANUFACTURING FACILITY – THE CAPiTA MOTHERSHIP.

Well here we are, a dozen strong. Twelve years under our belt highlighting what we love most: snow and skate as well as the culture that exists around the two. With only our whims to guide us we have been on quite the journey together. For this first issue we thought we’d go SLC heavy. We got a homie on the cover and another local who makes his own pow boards as the featured interview. That’s the beauty of not having corporate overlords; we get to do what we want, and so we did. A lot of us got into snow and skate because it offered us a freedom that traditional sports could not, and we thought that was worth honoring with this first issue of volume twelve. Thanks for joining us on yet another ride. We promise if you keep looking for us each fall we will keep showing up.

- A rkade

Skater: Location:

Photographer: Camera:

Logan Summers Salt Lake City Colton Weston Canon 1DX Mark II

Opening Act

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Origins

Characters

Graphic Story

Rome Retrospect

Travel / Photo Essay

Artist Profile

Musician Profile

Photographer Profile

Interview

Sound Check

Instaham

End Credits

Skater:

Location:

Photographer:

Camera:

Tyson Bowerbank

Salt Lake City

Niels Jensen

Nikon D4S

Photos:

Words:

Bob Plumb Jake Malenick

“ We ended up taking the long way up!”

When you ask someone if there are any crazy stories from a trip, you know it’s going to be good if those are the first words out of their mouth. “We went up Little Tuk to get to Big Tuk,” continues photographer Bob Plumb about a split trip to Mt. Tukuhnikivatz this past spring. “It was so icy and we only had 2 pairs of Black Diamond crampons and 4 ice axes. We ended up rigging something up to make it safe for everyone. Seemed dicey to me. Besides the icy hike, the wind and the temps had turned the top 3 quarters of the run into a sheet of ice! It was so icy I couldn't stop. It was pretty intimidating standing on top of that. I have no idea how Jeff [Richards] found this stash of good snow. Jeff being Jeff dropped in full on. All balls no brains. Going fast as shit and hit that little stash. Middle of the run was so good! We hiked out to a dead car battery. We messed with that for a few hours. Ended up using the Skamper battery. Headed out and got ourselves a cheeseburger. Griff probably got the veggie burger. Good times.”

With Rod Stewart’s Forever Young playing regularly, Bob and Jeff along with Griffin Siebert and Jeremy “Jerm” Thornburg found themselves deep in the La Sal mountains for a Spring Break worthy of a cover shot. It started out in the dark dawn patrol style, but it turned into an incredible view of the sunrise with icy laughs at the peak after watching Griff hike “really fast. I’d say too fast,” mentions Bob. The overall plan was to split up the Tuks, charge down, camp in Moab and partake in all the climbing and touristy sights southern Utah has to offer. As the following photos will show, that, and a little desert skating, is exactly what this talented crew got into.

"Griff hikes really fast. I'd say too fast."

Words: Josh Ruggles

S tarting a brand is one of those lofty American dreams that so many plan to bring to life. Thousands take the leap of faith each year, and thousands more close up shop. It’s not easy to make something from nothing, it’s harder to make money doing it—and to start a clothing brand is something that every sane business person says to not try. It’s also something that so many kids in the shred scene want to do. But with so many established brands saturating the industry, how many of these crew-made brands actually peak their heads out of the crowds to the point where others catch on to become something bigger? The dudes behind Gnarly Clothes were one such crew, explains brand manager Jeff Richards: “I remember on my first trip out here when I was like 14 or 15, we stayed at Keegan’s (Valaika) parents house and Gnarly was kind of starting out,” he recalls. “It was already these guys' crew but it wasn't an actual brand yet. There were stickers and peace tree, but that was it.”

Going into a skimboard shop after hours to borrow their vinyl cutter, founders Keegan and Dylan Fait started with stickers, and after covering Laguna Beach with Keegan’s now iconic peace tree logo, they eventually moved onto shirts, but it wasn’t quite a movement yet.

“Most people didn't get it,” Dylan says. “It was kind of a time in the industry that was ‘fashionable' tight jeans, fancy boots, topped with a nice slim button up, a leather jacket, suave haircut, and a cig in your mouth [laughs].” While several companies were catering to the hesh style, and some brands emerged because of this era, Gnarly kept doing their own thing. “We did goofy stuff,” says Dylan. “Designed things we thought were cool, and it didn't necessarily fit the current stage of the industry.” But whether it was ahead of the times, or behind them isn’t really what Gnarly was about anyway. They were in it to create as a crew—even if they were more like the love child between a shred mob and an art project than an actual brand at that time. “If you got yourself that interested in a hobby like skateboarding, snowboarding, or surfing your mind was opened to creativity at a young age. Your own clothing company gives you an endless expansion of that creativity,” Jeff says.

As Gnarly has evolved from an inside joke between friends to being distributed internationally, the brand has brought on some industry vets like Brad Alband from Krew and Billy Anderson of Burton and Volcom. While a new addition sometimes means a big change, especially considering Brad and Billy’s decades of experience in big brands, the crew mentality is still alive and well, and the shred spirit hasn’t died with the day-to-day business. “Bringing Brad and Billy into the mix was a real game changer for us. Those dudes have been doing this stuff for a long time and unlike a lot of older guys in this industry, they still get it. They change with the pace and are willing to accept changes. We like to call our new crew, GNARLY 2.0 [laughs].”

Gnarly’s ability to weather the hard times, as well as make such big moves in a short period of time is a testament to where they came from, and why they exist. They’re not the profit-hungry types that are skimping on materials, or cutting back salaries. Instead, they just stay hungry and keep creating. “We have come a long way in the last couple years. Just like with skateboarding or snowboarding, the more you do it, the more you're into it, and the more you dive in, the better at it you get,” Jeff explains. “Gnarly has been a lot of trial and error and I think that goes with most brands. We've done a few things that sucked and we learned from those things and we have done a lot of things that surprised us how good they turned out.”

While the perseverance that comes from hucking your meat repeatedly in skateboarding and snowboarding has kept the crew in the game, after Jeff met Keegan and Dylan, he knows that it’s the creativity that got them there. “I think Keegan as a person and as a snowboarder is a great example of self-expression and going your own way,” he says. “To me, he really engulfs the definition of Gnarly. When people tell you to go left, don't just do it because someone told you to. Look into going right and left. Make the decision for yourself.” Even as the company grows, the crew has no interest in telling the creators behind the graphics how to create. Encouraging others to be creative starts from the top. “It’s a blank Canvas. No rules. The world is your oyster,” Dylan mentions about the design process. “Sometimes we have to tell Keegan we need a logo on it somewhere [laughs], but no, we want to leave it open.”

Dreaming to start a skate/snow clothing brand is not unique, but to stay focused enough to turn the passion for the shred into an international brand is. Gnarly exists because they figured out how to keep the dream alive. “This started from two young kids maybe not knowing everything they were getting themselves into, but that's why it worked,” Jeff explains. “There are bumps in the road that you won’t see, people lie—a lot. Many will tell you that you have nothing going when actually, you're onto something. I just say, fuck it. Dive in the deep end.”

NIMA JALALI

Words: Daniel Cochrane

In an industry that's quick to talk about individual expression there sure are a lot of people out there doing the same damn thing year after year. Many professionals walk the fine line between standing out just enough to seem original but make sure they cross all the industry’s clichéd dos and don’ts off their mental list. Individuals truly comfortable with themselves only come along once in awhile. Riders and personalities who are what they are and put it out there as is and let the public decide if they want to take it or leave it. When Nima Jalali hit the scene in 2003 as part of the now classic Neoproto and People trilogies he was of those individuals, unabashedly Nima.

At that time a Los Angeles based professional snowboarder, while not entirely without precedent, was still a rather rare bird. Toss in some (really) tight pants and a penchant for long sleeved, white, buttondown shirts and you had, by 2003’s standards, a drastic deviation from the norm. Indeed watching old Neoproto clips from the early/mid-2000’s Nima seems more in tune with styles from the past few years than those of his own era. Nima recounts: “I’m not sure if I created a trend/style but maybe I was one of the first to look a certain way in snowboarding. I was just heavily influenced by NYC 77 punk and everything that came with it. I dressed a certain way and didn’t want that to change and wear bright yellow cargo pants just cause I was snowboarding.”

Now here’s the caveat about being out of step with the norm. You can either act “too cool for school” about it or you can approach it in a self-effacing manner. Nima was definitely the latter even going as far as lampooning himself in Some Kinda Life with the question “Is this even snowboarding?” as he drops from a three-story parking deck (once again ahead of the game).

So what is the relevance here? Why does it matter if Nima is quite the affable gentleman? Well since he, like every other professional snowboarder before him, eventually has to face a major life decision. With his professional career winding down what would come

next? Would he remain in the industry in some capacity or would he pack it in and do who knows what?

Real Talk. Snowboarding and skateboarding are stacked with talented people looking to wedge themselves into an extremely limited number of positions. We’ve all seen or known of talented riders who seem to fall off the face of the earth for “no reason.” Usually, that simply means they are just not that easy to work with and THOSE types usually wind up on the outside looking in. For Nima the post-professional career decision was easy. He wanted to remain in the industry that he had always found so fulfilling “I always wanted to stay in the industry to some degree, I grew up skating and snowboarding, so I love it and always want to be attached to it,” says Nima. True to his atypical style Nima just didn't settle into a TM role with a company he had some sort of connection with. Although that’s is a common path for many we’ve established that Nima’s routes are generally a bit less orthodox.

Nima didn't just choose a single path after his professional career, he pretty much took advantage of any opportunity that he could. It’s kind of like when you’re playing Monopoly as a kid and your little cousin just buys every property he lands on with no seeming rhyme or reason yet, in the end, he ends up with all the cash. That's Nima.

He was on the ground floor of both VG and Ashbury, but most of his current day to day revolves around Howl, Death Lens and his newest project Salt and Stone. Each of these projects really exudes Nima’s aesthetic, which, as mentioned earlier, was a bit odd in 2003, but has since gone mainstream due in some part with the success of his business partnerships. Real Inception type shit. His business successes are easily attributed to his time as a professional rider. Let’s face it you don't have to be a pro to understand how much hustle and work ethic goes into filming a video part that represents both a brand and yourself. Much like the business, in general, it comes with a lot of sacrifices and hard work,and is not an endeavor kind to the weak-willed.

With so many projects on the table you would think Nima would run the risk of simply burning out, however, it's the numerous projects that keep him sane, “I dive into things super heavy and once I go in it’s all I do. With that comes burning out at some point. I love a new project because it keeps things fresh and a new perspective that I never had before. At the end of winter I’d get so burnt on filming and snowboarding so then I’d put all that energy into skating.” There you have it from the man himself, the secret to success in business is to bury yourself in various projects. His most recent project is called Salt and Stone and is his first foray into business outside the skate and snow world, but that doesn't mean the lessons learned over the past decade-plus don't apply. “I think the lesson in skate/snow that I’ve learned that’s helped Salt and Stone's progress is just the basics of how to build and market a brand. This is my first brand marketing outside of actions sports and it’s been a great experience so far! We’re having a lot of success outside of the industry. We have gotten into some amazing non-action sports doors like Colette, Poketo, Free People, Anthropologie, Mohawk General, Need Supply etc. It’s pretty cool going into your every day random store and seeing the product in it,” says Nima.

With all of the successes, Nima has achieved young guns on the come up would do well to heed his simple yet sage advice; “work hard and don’t get distracted by shit that doesn’t matter. Do what YOU know best, and if you find a hole in the market fill it. If you see something out there that exists and you think you can create a higher quality or better version, that’s a good sign. Hire a sales guy so you can focus on developing and building the brand.”

At the end of the day for Nima, it all comes back to snowboarding, “thank you to snowboarding. I’ve learned so much from it and I consider being a pro like my college education. Thank you to everyone who’s helped along the way, you know who you are as there are too many to name! Special thanks to you guys at Arkade for creating the best mag and always supporting everything I’ve done!” Hear that kids, special thanks to Arkade … the Nima stamp of approval now means we’re going to be big in just 10 more years!

Photographer: Jacob Van Orden

There was a lot to process as we walked through the myriad booths at SIA and Parts & Labor this past January. Most companies exhibited board lines that continued their brand image creating continuity from one season to the next. There were many eye-catching graphics and constant little inside jokes or references by most companies that were nods to the riders that used them. However, the IPP booth had the first line that really stopped us in our tracks. It was immediately obvious that these boards conveyed a deeper meaning, and we were instantly intrigued. We knew walking out that day that this article was a sure thing for issue number one of the new volume. We sat down with Pete at IPP to dig into the deeper meaning behind the Sin Eater graphic line.

ARKADE: How would you describe the Honalee graphic? What’s the message behind it?

PETE: The literal definition of a Sin Eater is a person who consumes a ritual meal in order to magically take on the sins of a person or household. Traditionally, the food was believed to absorb the sins of a recently deceased person, thus absolving that person’s soul. Consequently, sin-eaters supposedly carried the sins of all the people whose souls they “ate.” We added the idea of the class system to the base of the coffins to further represent the idea of how this would look based on a generic class system. I think the “Wine Hands” image represents the blood washing away the things that hold us back from being better people. I have to say though that I feel the art is there for the viewers to interpret for themselves.

A: Have you known and worked with Todd since the Fobia days?

P: Yes, but even prior to that we both worked at shop called Aljohn’s. There were multiple locations; he worked at the Uptown location, and I was at the MOA and then Burnsville. We’d speak on the phone. Then later we linked more through our time at Fobia and beyond. He eventually moved to Santa Cruz to art direct for Consolidated Skateboards. We stayed in touch some- I always tried to get Rome SDS to use his art for a board. Joel, who was the art director, always wanted to but it never made it through our art process there. Funny- Joel was at Capita MFG while we developed the art for Sin Eater with them.

A: I know you’re always overflowing with graphic ideas and themes for the whole line, is it tough to narrow in on just one each season?

P: Yes, it’s really hard. I had a whole other direction but Sin Eater came to me and it felt topical and I went forward with it ahead of this other concept I had already flushed out and started to speak with artists about. Strange lyrics or ideas kind of hit me and stick. Once they’re in the bubble I work to develop the visual and often have a group of artists I would love to work with. We flush out the visuals, and create the icons, art, and application. Then we round out the photographic ideas and moving picture thought process. It kind of forms together over the course of the year. Then I drop it and move forward with new themes and ideas. Honestly, this is the most fulfilling personal part of Interior for me; I’m a complete day dreamer by trade. Additionally, I have to say working with Philipp at the Mothership which allows us to apply these graphics to the boards in a way few other brands can. He and his team are prolific at their use and mastery of the machines and applications that allow these graphics to live so vividly on the materials.

Intro: Interview: Daniel Cochrane Jake Malenick

A: What was your inspiration behind the whole Sin Eater line?

P: My impression of the current state of humanity. I wanted to say something more thought-provoking with the illustrated graphics after a very fine art based SHAPESHFTR collection. I feel like there’s a lot of misguided morality in culture and it seemed worthy of some dialogue in the form of graphics, and our medium is snowboards. I hope the viewer sees the analogies and doesn’t focus on the literal drawing. It seems through the course of sharing the line many people are viewing it more literally than I intended. The response has been interesting to be sure.

A: What was the design process like? Did you have a specific idea or vision or did you give Todd more free reign?

P: Well I had another direction started and this popped into my headspace. I flipped into this idea and reached out to Todd. He was down. We had some basic communication on it early on. Todd’s a busy-busy fella, so I set up the visual analogy stuff and the literal terms of Sin Eater and thought he’d jam it. At one point the timeline was narrowing so we started to talk more and he started to draw some ideas out. We kind of struggled to realize some of the ideas for a bit. I’d be remiss to not say I’m really happy with everything Sin Eater represents. The imagery is stark and really a statement to how we over-prioritize material things over other more important issues/things. Yes, a snowboard is a material thing and yes, it could be described as a hypocritical piece, but it’s also a creative tool that hosts a message broader than its sub-cultural restraints. I’m hyped when I see them on snow- they really look unique. Plus I’m proud to have art from a longtime friend whose illustrations helped visually define a major portion of my life.

A: Any big hurdles or setbacks you had to overcome creating the Sin Eater line?

P: We ran into a little time crunch on the backside. Nothing huge. It was also a bit more challenging to define our point of view for each unique perspective each deck series represented. Overall a really fulfilling course of creative action with an outcome I’m proud of.

available on itunes

arbor snowboards team video

FEATURING erik leon on the bryan iguchi pro camber snowboard

p: sean black COSA

Words: Daniel Cochrane

It’s been over 15 years since Rome SDS launched its assault on the snowboarding world, and the company shows no signs of letting up. Embracing an antiestablishment mantra from the start Rome was the snot nosed punk rock kids in an industry filled with John Denver squares. Since its inception, Rome SDS has been about thumbing their nose at the industry by doing things their way. You have to have some pretty big cajones to not only leave the world’s biggest snowboard manufacturer to start your own gig, but to also set up shop in the previously mentioned biggest company in the world’s own backyard. Rome is a reminder of the early years of snowboarding where pow days were matched with wild nights, the Olympics were the last thing on anyone’s mind, and there was a healthy tension between snowboarders and those other guys on two planks. Many an SIA party story begins with the phrase “well I was at the Rome booth and…”

That’s not to say Rome wasn't about business. Killing it was their business, and from the start business was good. Well, aside from the whole “OMG the factory is shutting down before our debut line ships” debacle, but hey what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger amirite? With a gritty street-smart aesthetic Rome hit the industry square in its neon colored teeth, and never looked back. The signing of Bjorn Leines really helped legitimize them in their first few years, and a series of team movies from 2008-2012 helped spread the message to the masses. Today Rome has become a stalwart within the industry, but that didn't come at the expense of compromising their original values. Rome never sold out; it just stayed around long enough to let everyone else buy in.

With such an important place and message in the modern snowboarding era, choosing Rome to curate a gallery of images from their in house files was a no brainer. We asked Rome to dig through the crates, and send over whatever images they believe represented the past 15 plus years. The images that follow are catalog shots, ad campaigns, tour photos, and images of daily Rome life. Enjoy.

THE GAME HAS CHANGED

When splitting into the backcountry or riding back down, a bombproof connection plays a big role in both climbing and the descent. The Expedition FC combines the simplicity of our Union Split System with the performance you have come to expect from our high-end Forged Carbon bindings.

Your favorite rider's favorite resort.

Method by: Pat Moore |

Photo by: Andrew Kooyman

Follow us on Instagram: @brightonresort

Bariloche, Argentina

A TRAVELERS PARADISE

Ben Girardi / September 12, 2017

Argentina in August is a snowboarder’s paradise. As the sweltering heat of summer and smoke from forest fires builds up around the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Hemisphere is just transitioning into winter. Cold storms push in from the Pacific and dump meters upon meters of snow, leading to days that would be amazing in the winter, but are exponentially more fun in August. An overnight flight is the transition, forget the slow change of fall, you board a plane, go to sleep in summer and wake up wanting to put a jacket on in the middle of winter. It can be a dramatic change to the body and take some time to adjust and be exhausting but every bit of exhaustion is worth it knowing pow is next on the agenda. I spent the past season and every summer for the previous decade in Bariloche, a small city in Central Argentina right at the foot of the Andes with nearby ski resort Cerro Catedral. I am always stoked to escape the summer heat and embrace a year round winter. The Andes have it all, from high alpine terrain between massive

granite spires, to the most perfectly spaced trees you can imagine with moss just hanging down covered in snow, to waist deep snow down an open run. And with a unique culture heavily influenced by European immigration, even after you take your boots off you still won’t be bored. With delicious wines and food available, along with many new breweries, to the picturesque views everywhere you turn you are never in search of something to do. An Argentinean Asado is something to marvel at, with all kinds of meat from Bife de Lomo to Morcilla (blood sausage). One taste of this mouthwateringly prepared meat and it’s not hard to understand why the high consumption of red meat in the world takes place in Argentina. Argentina is far from perfect, and many things seem far behind the times when compared to North American standards, but with the desire for an adventure, and the will to be open to new experiences, it can be an amazing experience making you never want to leave or at the very least, start planning how to go back year after year.

While waiting for the lifts to turn, Adam Redling hangs out at Tage, a local fast serve restaurant and the base of Cerro Catedral. Thankful for the snow gods for bringing fresh snow.

Andrew Burns blasts a method off a rock in a cloud of powder. It looks like he is coming right at me, and he just narrowly avoided hitting me.

The Tango originated in Argentina and then spread around the world. There are now many different forms of tango done. This women hurried inside after dancing to warm up, but put on quite the show.

The Argentinean military comes to Cerro Catedral to train in the mountains. They can be seen all over the mountain learning to ski and setting up camps to practice winter camping.

John Conway finds a tight chute through some rocks and points it.

Winds were extremely high this day so much so that you were being knocked over if you weren’t careful. We found shelter in an abandoned restaurant, which still had its menu up from years before. We obviously couldn’t order any food, but were able to take in the view from a calm location as the wind howled outside.

Goods are very expensive to get in Argentina due to high import taxes. You see plenty of old unique cars on the road as it is much more economical to keep vehicles running for a long time.

SPRING B REA K JA KE

Words: Daniel Cochrane

For Minnesota native and current Salt Lake resident, Jacob Malenick, the marriage of art and business was always in the cards. Art was the earliest part of the equation, built on a lifelong love starting with grade school classes, and bolstered to new heights via a high school Photoshop class that introduced design into the mix. Attending a snow industry catered business college in Steamboat Springs, Colorado put the two together, and equipped Jake with the tools needed to forge his way into the snowboarding industry. Now of course what every aspiring designer wants to read next is that Jake graduated and immediately began a freelance career in the snow industry that allowed him to both work and play on his own terms. In fact Jake’s original fantasy plan involved getting his education and returning to Minnesota to begin a regional snow brand that celebrated his Mid-West roots. This of course was pre Interior Plain Project, and a plan he now admits was over ambitious and something he’s thankful to have not pursued. Unfortunately making a secure living post grad freelancing is a rarity in design, and a near impossibility in snowboarding. Jake bounced around the industry in various capacities from rep life at Rome to working design and marketing at Salty Peaks before finally settling down into a steady 9-5 to keep the lights on.

In his “free time” he continues to work within the industry most notably as Creative Director for Smokin Snowboards, and also as the layout and design editor of the magazine you currently hold in your hands. He also continues to establish his brand “Spring Break Jake” embracing a once detested nickname earned from a rather unpleasant incident of sending just a little too hard at his first SIA. Finding inspiration from kindred spirits such as Sketchy Tank, Kentaro Yoshida, and Jamie Brown, Jake continues to develop his own signature style involving self-described “low brow” illustrations of the grim reaper on vacation in various tropical climes. The end game of course is to develop his skills and artistic persona to eventually enable him to quit the 9-5 and live the aforementioned ultimate design dream of freelancing… possibly on a tropical island somewhere.

I PUT THE RAD IN PARADISE

Words:

I pedaled hard towards Kilby Court, narrowly avoiding a night-ending collision with a classically inattentive Utah driver. The rest of our three-man posse witnessed this near miss from their car just behind me. After uniting at Este and getting our fill of food and libations, fuel for the night ahead, we were en route to the first show of the tour for LAbased badasses, Bleached.

We were technically a warm up show as Bleached were on their way to join up with living legends Against Me! for a nation wide tour, but the air was thick with excitement nonetheless. The small walls of Kilby Court were feeling increasingly smaller with each person that trickled in from outside. Paul had his camera at the ready as the band entered, the weight of the week dissipating off our collective shoulders as the cheers filled the intimate room and they launched into the crowd favorite “Keep On Keepin’ On”. W hile I was shouting out every word I knew the entire show, the standout song in my mind was the newly released “Can You Deal?”, a fast, catchy track that bluntly brings to attention the bullshit that women put up with in this day and age, both in the music industry and everyday living. Lead singer Jennifer Clavin belts out over driving drums and pounding guitars, “Yeah I’m a girl and I play in band, can you deal?”, releasing any pent up anger while simultaneously creating a battle cry for females everywhere who have felt the all too familiar pains at the hands of the patriarchy.

T his was my third time seeing Bleached, second at Kilby, and by far the best to date. The venue cleared quickly after the set, leaving just our crew and theirs in the peaceful courtyard. Connecting over favorite bands and insane shows, the casual conversation was a warm, welcoming contrast to the raw energy we had just witnessed. After purchasing the needed pins and patches for my ever-evolving vest, and Paul getting a couple final photos, Jennifer left me with easily the best yet most simple goodbye I’ve received from a band I admire; “Thanks for singing along.” W ith a hum in our ears reminiscent of countless shows passed, we returned to the night like creatures of habit, immediately building anticipation for the next time we can feel that familiar hum.

Photos:

Paul Bundy Jake Malenick

COLTON MORGAN

Words: Daniel Cochrane

New Jersey native and current Salt Lake resident Colton “Colt” Morgan has been a staple of snowboard cinema for the last half-dozen years or so. He has filmed both web edits and full feature releases with various crews from Tahoe, the Mid-West, the East Coast, and of course Salt Lake City. He is probably most known for his Under Dawgs releases D.A.E. and Video Mixtape. As a separate endeavor Colt has recently begun to take, and share, more and more photographs. We asked Colt to send us a few samples of his photography, and the following images are what we received.

There’s an expected lack of snow in this gallery. That is because, for Colt, snow usually equates to holding a video camera most of the time. However, he has recently been brought on snow trips as a photographer, and hopes to do more of that in the future. What we do have is a great mix of skate and lifestyle photographs. I love the dichotomy between the action of the skate photography and the stillness of the lifestyles. I’m really into how Colt captures the individual subjects in the context of the larger world many times making them seem small, possibly even insignificant when compared to the world around them. Colt says for him the attraction of street photography comes in capturing those moments that are lost in an instant. He recounts growing up in New Jersey and being enthralled with the mundane events of city life when he and his family would visit New York. This really fueled his passion of catching such moments. Currently, Colt is working on a movie project with Andrew Aldridge and Chad Unger entitled “Spark Plug,” and has also recently published a ‘zine entitled “The Ghost Is Clear.” A quick run through his Instagram (@colt_morgan) shows much more examples of this technique as well as more great shots of skating, snowboarding, and friends. A follow is definitely worth your time, and highly suggested.

Title: Location: Camera:

Film:

Paul Pushing with Pizza Salt Lake City Mamiya 7 Portra 400

AN INTERVIEW WITH JUSTIN "JSTONE" CLARK

SLC loc dawg Justin “JStone” Clark has been making custom pow surfers under t he Stoney Surfers moniker for the past couple of years. Although it’s not too h ard to find non-traditional shapes in the snowboarding world these days J ustin’s creations are truly unique collaborations specifically made for their o wners, and that puts Stoney Surfers in unique territory. We sat down to d iscuss his lifelong adventure of tinkering and manipulating products and m aterials, from adding extra straps to back packs as a kid to full blown c omposite boards made of NASA foam.

by Daniel Cochrane / Photos by Andrew Miller

Arkade: All right lets get right to it, talk about the inspiration and for making hand shaped pow surfer boards.

Justin: It first started when my buddies Trevor and Jeff got some pow surfers. I was stoked on the idea behind the boards but I wasn’t stoked on the available shapes that were out there. I’ve always been the kind of person that was into making things on myself, and it made me think that I could probably make one of these boards exactly how I would want it on my own. At the same time I was getting into surfing and seeing what a lot of guys like Ryan Burch, Chris Christensen, and Jon Wegener were doing with unique shaped surfboards, and I thought you know no one is really doing this in snowboarding. No one is really making custom asymmetrical boards in unique shapes. So that was the whole inspiration, I like building things, and to build a custom pow surf and go ride it is pretty cool you know.

Arkade: How was the learning curve?

Justin: It was crazy at first. When I was first trying to make the boards I was so in over my head. So I did a bunch or research, and figured out how to press a board as inexpensively as possible, meaning without spending five thousand on a snowboard press. Once I got that process dialed it was smooth sailing, but there was a solid eight months or so of R&D.

Arkade: What about the learning curve on actual board shapes? What’s your process on that? Is it kind of artistic or is it closer to math?

Justin: Well you definitely have to consider dimensions. A lot of it at first was trial and error, I’d just make a shape and go out to ride it and think about what I liked and didn't like from it. I think I did about twenty boards, each pretty different from the others, before I really started dialing in dimensions. Then as I started making them for friends I have to consider their size, weight, foot size all of that to tailor the board to them.

Arkade: There’s a handful of companies out there right now making small batch, unique shaped, boards but your stuff stands out because they are specifically tailored for the person who orders them.

Justin: Yeah that was a big thing I got from surfing; the custom shaped aspect of surfing where a board is made for you and your riding style. Again that was missing in snowboarding because obviously snowboards are expensive and it isn’t feasible for a company to custom make snowboards. So I wanted to be able to make boards for whatever people wanted to do like right tight tree lines or get wide open pow. They also get hands on from the look and shape through the entire process. That was the whole idea that since I’m hand making the board from start to finish that I can involve the person buying the board to make a truly custom board.

Arkade: Who were your Guinea Pigs?

Justin: Trev, Jeff, Griffin, have all ridden a few. Hans and Nils took a handful out on sleds for a few days, and gave me some great feedback on each of the different shapes. I’ve taken a handful out too obviously. Luckily Brighton will let you take them on the lift so I’ve been able to get some into the side country and rip ‘em down.

Arkade: So with all the R&D, and tinkering around have their been any happy accidents or lucky breaks?

Justin: Yeah actually, for me that was putting fins on the bottom of my boards. Again that came from surfing, specifically Jon Wegener. He makes these boards that are like early Hawaiian style wooden surfboards. He puts these teeny fins on the back them and I saw that and I was like you know I should try that. I’m the only person that's putting fins on their pow surfer. It really changes the ride making it 100 times better. Someone that has never ridden a pow surf style board can get on one of mine with the fins and it makes all the difference in their ability to control the board much like they were strapped into a traditional snowboard. That was really just one of those Hail Mary type ideas that really turned out to be something special.

Arkade: So with the good comes the bad. What about busts have you had some things that you thought might be game changers that just didn't pan out?

Justin: Definitely, there was this one board that I got a little too crazy with technology. I bought this foam core that NASA used on the Space Shuttles. It is super strong but really lightweight. So any way I used that and these other composites to make this insanely light board, but it was so light that it sucked. The second you hit any chop you’d just tomahawk. There have been plenty of minor things too like boards with flat tails that’d just sink on you when you tried to turn on them.

Arkade: Is it a stoke killer to put all that time and effort into a new shape and it not pan out?

Justin: When you’re shaping for like 8-10 hours it is definitely a bummer, but you know its cool to throw it up on the wall, learn from those mistakes, and move on to the next shape. It’s a little bitter sweet.

Arkade: So kind of an abrupt change but tell us what you’re going to school for.

Justin: I’m majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Arkade: So are Stoney Surfers borne from that? Are you getting some credits out of this or what?

Justin: Oh man I wish. I kind of mentioned before that I was always a person who was making things, taking them apart, adding things I thought should be there, like extra straps to backpacks. I’d do all sorts of weird things. Definitely going into engineering there’s a lot of design, and now I’m learning about new materials, and how to design things that structurally strong but still lightweight. So yeah a lot of that goes hand in hand and that’s cool because I have a way to instantly apply what I am learning in class towards my boards and building things.

Arkade: So we saw you at SIA last year. How was that experience?

Justin: Oh man that was such a big deal for me. Getting myself out there and letting people see what I am doing was huge. Kyle Kennedy and Colin Edwards (of SIA) really helped me there for sure.

Arkade: Were there a lot of random lurkers?

Justin: Yeah for sure. I was working on boards at the show so I’d get a lot of people come up and talk four hours about shapes and technique and we’d just pick each others brains about it you know. It was a great experience.

Arkade: So what’s the end game here, as far as the product and shaping goes?

Justin: I’m always going to snowboard so I’m not making pow surfers to replace snowboarding. The biggest thing I like about pow surfing is that it really takes you back to that original feeling from when you first started. I think for a lot of people it can get stale and it’s fun to do something new and different. I got some ideas in the works on progressing pow surfers. There are some pretty big limitations, specifically riding on hard pack, but there are some things I’ve been working on for few seasons and if I can pull it off it could totally revolutionize pow surfing and you could see more pow surfers at your local resorts. That’s definitely a goal right now but until then I’m just going to keep trying out new shapes and see how it goes.

Arkade: So what would you say to anyone that's looking to get into the pow surfer life. I mean it's a bit of money to get into the game?

Justin: Yeah to an extent I understand that, but you have to think about it in a different way. I mean look at how much people spend on a normal snowboard deck that may last a couple of years or maybe even only lasts one. Sure you may only take a pow surfer out a handful of days a year but you’re going to get years worth of days out of it. Plus you know when your speaking about my particular brand you’re getting a true custom board. You pick the shape, veneer, and top sheet as well as the base color. Plus I have multiple boards people can try out to kind of get their basic ideas centered.

Arkade: So how do you help narrow that down for a person, from a vague sense of what they want to a finished product?

Justin: I ask a lot about what they want to ride, like maybe they live in Millcreek and just want to ride some trees up above their house or they want to hike some lines out on the side country of Brighton. So basically what they want to get out of the board. Then a few normal questions like height, weight, and foot size of the rider. From there I tailor make a shape based on what they want to do with it.

Arkade: Are people stoked when they get their own personal board? Their own little glass slipper so to speak?

Justin: Yeah that's the best feeling in the world. I’m super involved with them as I’m coming up with the shape. I’ll bounce ideas off of them in that phase and let them make minor shape adjustments. Once we dial the shape in I don't show them anything until I meet up with them to give them the board. Just the look on their face to be so stoked to see it come to life and then know that they get to go out and ride it. I’m the only one out there doing full custom boards and then I’m making them cheaper than anyone else so that's a big selling point; fully custom and lowest price with the highest quality materials I can find.

Arkade: But not NASA foam.

Justin: Not NASA foam, a little too good.

Arkade: Ok time to wrap it up. Thanks and shout outs. Who you got?

Justin: Oh man there’s so many to thank, and now you got me on the spot what if I miss someone? OK obviously the guys at Milo since they are the best: Josh, Cal, and Benny. They've had my back for such a long time, and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity. Trevor, Jeff, Griffin, Nils, Sam, Cale guys I’ve been friends with forever you know. Everyone else around Salt Lake, and everyone that supported what I’m doing, thank you!

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WITH DIABOLICAL RECORDS [ @ diabolicalslc

238 S EDISON ST, SLC, UT 84111 / 801.792.9204

It Foot, It Ears

Teeter

Self-Release

Salt Lake City’s experimental two piece, Jason Rabb (vocals, guitar) and Nick Foster (percussion) self-released their much anticipated second album, Teeter. A continuation of the eerie, offbeat alternative rock of their first release in 2011, It Foot, It Ears caught attention once the band started performing live again a few years ago. The band developed a sort of cult following from innovative musicians, music majors, and poets a like.

Frantic and anxious, Humor Me, perfectly demonstrates Jason’s ability to create a verse that draws from various compositional methods and sets the tone for the album. Picnic is the hidden single, with Jason’s dragging note on a guitar and Nick’s creative percussion. Nick is known for his ability to create rhythmic sounds using unusual wind-up toys and tools with his drums to give complexity to even the most mundane of topics.

The album is a palate cleanser for anyone tired of being fed traditional musical formulas and predictable choruses. Each note keeps you guessing, but still offers a sense of familiarity and catchiness that even the most staunch music enthusiast can get behind. While every song stands well alone, the album provides the perfect mood setting for the coolest of homebodies.

- Alana Boscan

Gnod

Just Say No to the Psycho RightWing Capitalist Fascist Industrial Death Machine Rocket Recordings

Gnod is the most important and best band that you’ve very likely never heard of. They are a British music collective that can fluctuate between three and eight members, and in their ten year history have been a part of over three dozen releases. In that decade they have become must listens for fans of drone, krautrock and psychedelia. On “Just Say No” they take that ten years of history and, within first seconds of this brilliant album’s beginning, blast it into the atmosphere. Gnod is pissed, and that suits them just fine.

Instead of sticking to their traditional formula of letting songs build over the course of 10-15 minutes into epic repetitive mind melts they want you to understand that the time for patience is over. The album opens with the unstoppable Bodies For Money and never lets go. Simply put, the best drone band in the world today put out one of the most important punk albums of the last 17 years.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite album of 2017.

- Adam Tye

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard & Mild High Club

Sketches of Brunswick East ATO Records

When a band promises five albums in a year you expect a couple things: 1. It won’t happen 2. If by chance it does happen, the albums will be middling at best, terrible at worst, and you will likely have wished it would have just been cut down into one album, and 3. It absolutely will not happen. Bands don’t release that much music. The last thing that you would expect is that they accomplish this goal and that along the way they release, undoubtedly, their best work. Australia’s King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have somehow pulled off the impossible and on this particular album, the third of 2017, get help from Los Angeles psych outfit Mild High Club.

This album is, for lack of a better term, far out. This is a 70’s jazz fusion album done to perfection by two of modern psychedelia’s best bands. Astounding. At certain points you wait for it to burst into a guitar heavy riff a la King Gizzard’s other albums, but it remains true to what this album is. This is a landmark album for the band but also, hopefully, for the current psych rock scene. A lot of bands would do well to use this album as a push towards putting out more interesting and challenging albums.

- Adam Tye

Zen Mother

I Was Made to be Like Her Iluminasty Records

Zen Mother’s fourth release is setting the stage for avant-garde electronic rock to take its space among listeners of the new wave revival. The two piece, currently located in Seattle, have kept heavy guitar as a focal point, layering electronics, and distance vocals to create a masterpiece. Monika Khot’s ghostly vocals along with brooding instrumentation from Wolcott Smith takes you on a journey.

Mantra manages to be heavy, melodic, and meditative and could pass for the best film soundtrack you have never heard before. The Instrumentation from Monika and Wolcott is intricate and sharp making it difficult to imagine they recorded it on their own.

Strange Mother starts off like the beginning of your favorite psych rock song, and quickly transforms into you favorite goth metal song. Reminiscent of popular alternative 90’s rock, it takes moments to breathe, and rebuilds back into head banging industrial darkness.

The album spans several genres, ultimately standing well on its own. The longest track is ten minutes and twenty five seconds long, making the album’s multiple transitions relatively easy listening, if not a little restrained, in comparison to most avantgarde albums. If you want to listen to some of best music this year and stay on top of the current sound, this album is for you.

- Alana Boscan

Rider: Chase Burch

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Photo: James Fleege

/ Location: Hokkaido, Japan

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Editor & Advertising

Cory LLewelyn

cory@arkademagazine.com

Editor & Photo Editor

Paul Bundy paul@arkademagazine.com

Editor & Online Editor

Daniel Cochrane daniel@arkademagazine.com

Layout & Design Editor

Jake Malenick jake@arkademagazine.com

Contributing Photographers

Bob Plumb, Ben Girardi, Andrew Miller, Colton Morgan, Niels Jensen, Paul Bundy, Jacob Van Orden

Contributing Writers

Josh Ruggles, Jake Malenick, Ben Girardi

Distribution

Cooper LLewelyn, The Norm, Laramie Patrick Proudly printed in Salt Lake City, UT

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After Dark Skate Road Trip Niels Jensen St. George, UT Nikon FE Kodak Gold 200 ISSUE 1