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PHOTO: CAREY/AFRAME
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L O C A T I O N / M E X I C O
T H E
B A L A N C E
R V C A . C O M
O F
O P P O S I T E S
DRAWING FROM SURF SIDER D.N.A. AND VANS CLASSIC HERITAGE, WE’VE CREATED OUR MOST COMFORTABLE SANDAL TO DATE. FUSING SURF SIDER STYLING WITH CLASSIC SANDAL DESIGN, AND FEATURING A SUPER COMFY, VANSLITE, COMPRESSION-MOLDED FOOTBED, THE OG SLIP ALSO INCLUDES A SURF SIDER-INSPIRED OUTSOLE AND WAFFLE TREAD PATTERN WITH CLASSIC PRINTS AND MATERIALS. ENJOY!
LOOK FOR JOHN AND THE REST OF THE SURF TEAM IN GET-N CLASSIC VOL. 2 COMING TO YOU FALL, 2012.
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photo: Daniel Russo Š2012, Vans Inc.
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// 2012
Offset // Two Thousand Twelve
// Function
COMUNE was formed from the idea that there will always be people out there who not only embrace the rawness and imperfections of every day life but use it to creatively push the boundaries of what’s possible in skateboarding, fashion, art, and music their own way, with complete disregard of the consequences.
// Purpose
Our goal is to provide clothing that reflects this lifestyle of carefree idealism and to support the people that choose to live it.
DROP CITY
SKAT E B O ARD ING
// SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE
1300 FACTORY PLACE
LOS ANGELES
CA
90013
20 12
// Skate Contributor
Jordan Sanchez see more of Jordan Sanchez at: www.youtube.com/user/VicsMarket
P H OT OS : A N DY F R OB ER G
WWW.THECOMUNE.COM
// INFO@THECOMUNE.COM
// THE-CHANGE.TUMBLR.COM
COPYRIGHT © 2012
jake johnson / gravisskateboarding.com
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TOC RANDOMS // 32 PRODUCT REVIEW // 38 IN BLOOM: THE GIRL & THE MUSIC // 40 ANTHONY AUSGANG // 42 JOHNNY MARR // 44 TABITHA SHAFRAN // 46 INSTAGRAM // 48 SUPER TASTE // 52 OS GEMEOS MISS YOU // 54 ARTO SAARI // 60 RYAN CALLINAN // 68 THE ART OF JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR // 72 FASHION // 80 US GRAND PRIX // 86 OAC @ WHITE WALLS SF // 90 DENNIS MCNETT @ AR4T GALLERY // 92 EZEKIEL X COLLECTIVE // 94 ELECTRIC’S D.PAYNE RELEASE PARTY // 96 CROCODILES // 100 LAS DIABLITAS BORRACHAS // 102 CD REVIEWS // 104
Artist: JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR
2012
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ALL WE HAVE IS NOW W W W . E Z E K I E L U S A . C O M
ED ITOr-I N-CHIEF nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com
ED ITOR joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com
CREATIVE DIRECTO R mark paul deren madsteez@madsteez.com
E DITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com
SKATE EDITOR chris ortiz chris@blisssmag.com
SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com
MUSIC ED ITOR max ritter max@blisssmag.com
ADV ERTISI NG ads@blisssmag.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning
CONTRIBUTORS Matt Patterson, Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Spencer Pirdy, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.blisssmag.com Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/ articles/letters/advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss’ right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which may reflect negatively on the integrity of the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.
APRIL 2012 Cover Artist: Jason Decaires Taylor
If your favorite shop isn’t receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact info@blisssmag.com
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Andrew Reynolds
nixon.com
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RED SKIES Mitch Abshire, aka Captain Fin, is up to his old tricks again and who better to collaborate with for the second time than his friends and worldly purveyors of fine foot threads, Stance. This time they’ve come up with a three-of-a-kind pack of socks that allow you to play sailor on one foot and vampire on the other. These socks are decked out with all of the abnormal bells and whistles that we are accustomed to seeing from Stance as well as a single fin of the same nature that Captain Fin Co. has designed. Red Skies at night make this pack of socks a true delight and we can’t wait to get our hands, (and feet) on them!
WAX BALL VOL. 6 On the evening of April 12th the streets of Laguna will be seeing a good time as The Wax Ball Vol. 6 rolls back into town. Just like the previous Wax Ball volumes, it’s sure to be one hell of an evening with some good old fashion rock-n-roll by Ty Segall with White Fence. All of the crew from Thalia Surf Shop and Brixton will be on hand so you know there’ll be some good times to be had and plenty of pretty ladies as well. The fun begins around 9pm at the Marine Room Tavern on Thursday, April 12th, so show up, rock out and leave with a smile.
WAVE OF THE WINTER Reef Mcintosh did some damn fine work this winter, and we have to congratulate him again for winning the “Wave of the Winter” and $25k from Surfline.com. Reef was shocked as he was greeted at LAX this past month by a slew of friends and a big old check with his name on it. For those who can’t remember, Reef’s wave was a vertical Off the Wall death drop into an impossibly cavernous barrel. Of course he stylishly exited the beast and now he’s reaping the rewards. He’ll savor the taste of victory for a while as he gears up for another big occasion – his wedding. We are stoked that Reef got all of this well deserved credit this winter and we can’t wait to see him in some more deep tubes.
I’M AWESOME
BAG OF RHYTHM We were happily surprised with a brand new portable speaker system this past month courtesy of our friend Vanessa over at the House of Marley. The Marley Bag of Rhythm is a speaker system that is polished enough to keep in your own house, yet has the durability that makes it available for any outdoor activities your mind’s can muster up. We’re talking sustainable Birch wood complimented by a cotton bag, an iPod and iPhone docking and charging station and over 30 years of unrivaled sound quality. We’re excited to bring our Bag of Rhythm with us wherever we go and we suggest you all grab one and let the sweet sound vibrations permeating from this bag take over.
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Jason Ellis ceases to shock us – his latest endeavor is an autobiographical-type book titled I’m Awesome. The book, written by Mike Tully, is a jaw-dropping, inspirational life story on how Ellis overcame a tough childhood, abandonment, domestic abuse and drug addiction to become host of Sirius XM’s increasingly popular The Jason Ellis Show. Before owning the radio waves, most knew Ellis as a die-hard Aussie skater with balls of steel and the social life to back it up. His life journey has brought him out of Australia’s suburbs, into the X Games, onto the Mega Ramp, married to a Penthouse Pet, as a pro MMA fighter, a moto-riding enthusiast, radio host and finally a drug free, loving father. This is a must-read book for any Jason Ellis fan and will be available to the public on April 17th so be sure to pre-order your copy today.
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TAL COOPERMAN International playboy and dear friend of the BL!SSS family, Tal Cooperman, has just inked and exclusive deal with the boys at Neff Headwear. Anyone who knows Tal knows that he has his fingers in more than a handful of projects and his arm usually around the hottest looking girl in the room. With his never-ending list of celebrity contacts and big shots, we’re sure to see some exciting collaborations and kick-ass get-togethers in the near future. Be sure to keep checking back at blisssmag.com and neffheadwear.com for upcoming events that you won’t wanna miss.
HOBIE BY HURLEY The Hurley heads just inked a licensing deal with Hobie, a brand that has over 60 years of experience in the industry. The creative duo is now coming together in a new line of men’s apparel titled Hobie by Hurley. With Hobie’s timeless style and Hurley’s constant innovation this is sure to be a long lasting relationship with plenty of functional toys and products to serve any waterman’s needs. The line should be available later this year so make sure to keep an eye out and pump up the stoke factor with Hobie by Hurley.
LOCALS ONLY Locals Only is any skateboarder’s quintessential time capsule that takes skateboarding back to its roots when you could ride barefoot with reckless abandon. Locals Only captures the original sidewalk surfers of the mid 70’s and vividly depicts the style that they showed on a regular basis. Long hair, bronzed scraggly frames and serious power turns are just a few of the images you’ll see while turning the pages of this masterpiece. This book comes highly recommended from all of us here at BL!SSS, so make sure to buy one!
BANTAM CRUISER Globe has come out with a new Bantam Cruiser that is taking yesterday’s style and turning it into today’s craze. That’s right, the kids are drooling all over these retro style skates with a new and enjoyable spin. Whether you’re just rolling to class, hanging by the beach or testing out the Bantam’s capabilities in a backyard pool, the proof is in the pudding and these things are as versatile as they are colorful. Unlike other similar boards that break easily, these are known for their long lasting components that in the end make for a better, more reliable skateboard. Go get yourself one and enjoy the Bantam craze yourself.
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EJACK TO HEX We’ve spoken in the past of the wonders that the folks of Hex bags and accessories are bestowing the world with on a regular basis, but this time they’ve taken things a step further by adding world class snowboarder and outdoor good-time ambassador Eric Jackson to their team. Since the two linked up, Eric has been seen out sporting all of Hex’s finest tech and fashion savvy bags, iPhone cases and watchbands. Look for big things to come from this budding relationship in the near future. For all of the latest and greatest Hex products visit shophex.com.
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ROYAL ELASTICS SHOES Royal Elastics has made a pretty big splash lately with cool contemporary boutiques all up and down the west coast with their new, leather-bottom styling. The Brother Roland Plus (pictured here in Black/Red) is a perfect example of the versatility of a traditionally dressy shoe. With elasticated enclosure (no time for laces being their tag-line) they can be slid into with ease and paired up with everything from jeans and a tee to khakis and a button up. They’ve taken inspiration from all across the board, luxury to lifestyle. Their use of color and different textured materials gives Royal Elastics a dimension that makes them unlike any other.
KERR PROLITE Seems like everyone is looking to get a piece of Josh Kerr these days and rightfully so. The high-flying Aussie just can’t keep himself out of the news as he has inked another deal, this time with accessory company ProLite. Pro-Lite has been leading the charge for some time now in everything that surfers require including premium board bags, leashes, traction pads and more. Kerrzy is already working on signature products that are to be released throughout the year so check back soon for an update on the gear. For now we’ll just kick back and wait to see what Kerrzy has in store for us next as he’s back in his homeland boosting away.
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SESAME STREET SHOW The month of April will be ending on a high note as Known Gallery will be bringing us Sesame Street presented by the Seventh Letter and Neff Headwear. The show is being curated by Tal Cooperman and Aaron Levant of Agenda, so you know it won’t be just any ordinary run-of-the-mill art show. New art will be on display by Revok, Pose, Ewok, Anthony Lister, Kelsey Brooks, Patrick Martinez and even BL!SSS’s own Madsteez. The Known Gallery is teaming up with the City of Hope charity and will be donating half of the proceeds to the research center. So mark your calendars for April 28th at the Known Gallery, we’ll see you there.
DONO DAL CIELO April showers bring May flowers – or in this case grapes. We received a sweet little care package of liquid grapes from our good friend and winemaker Hunter McGillivray of Dono Dal Cielo Vineyards. Those of you who don’t remember Hunter, he once was California super rep for Nitro, Celtek, Holden, Famous Stars and Straps, Lifetime Collective, Ashbury, L1 and Rogue Status before turning husband and moving up north to partake in the family business. We can’t say he’s made a bad move either, as the wine he sent us is some top shelf stuff. We’ve already powered through all the Zinfandels he delivered and we’d highly recommend it to any of our wine-indulging readers. Next time your in your local market search out the Dono Dal Cielo label and try some for yourself.
LIGHT DEATH Light Death is an art exhibition from a loose-knit aggregation of pool agitators, congregators, drainers and riders. There will be new work on display by skate legends Salba, CR Stecyk III, Lance Mountain, Duane Peters and Steve Olson. Brought to you by the Hurley Art Department and Pabst Blue Ribbon, Light Death is a one-night-only event featuring free music, art and skating. There will be a live performance by Powerflex 5 and the Hurley skate park will be open to the public. This is all going down on Friday, April 6th at Hurley HQ from 6-9pm. So come hang with us and everyone else at what’s sure to be fun filled evening.
jean genie
Analog: analogclothing.com
RVCA: rvca.com
Comune: thecomune.com
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Lira: liraclothing.com
Vans: vans.com
VSTR: vstr.com
Volcom: volcom.com
Ambig: ambig.com
Matix: matixclothing.com
Coalatree: coalatree.com
Hurley: hurley.com
LRG: l-r-g.com
Insight: insight51.com
Ezekiel: ezekielusa.com
WESC: wesc.com
Quiksilver: quiksilver.com
Child of the Indigo: childoftheindigo.com
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Words: Spencer Pirdy Any intuitive person who first meets Alrik Yuill can get an immediate sense of the creative wheels that are constantly turning in his mind. For evidence of this one should look no further than his unique artwork. His newest sculpture, In Bloom: The Girl & The Music, was over four years in the making. His subject is unknown, which makes any sculpture even more of a curious little anecdote. Was it a late night companion? Or a manifestation of his ever stimulating mind? What we do know is that Alrik’s road to finishing this piece was a burden of long drudgery. The kind that only a true craftsman can endure. It took months of hard labor, over 1200 pounds of clay, little to no sleep, a strict diet of poke burrito’s, weary eyes, leathered hands and a few barrels in between to stabilize the mind. What was created was a voluptuous 8-foot 6-inch woman weighing in at over 2300 pounds when finished. The outside layer is clay with the inside structure made of wood, plaster, wire and metal. The sculpture itself is a poetic vision of a blissful young lady subtly swaying to the musical vibrations of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Her location, state of mind and intentions are all up for
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interpretation, but one would have to believe that the sculpture is a representation of the positive influence art and music have on the mind. This isn’t the end result for The Girl & The Music though, as Alrik has plans of making a plaster waste mold into a mother mold and eventually casting the entire sculpture into bronze. In Bloom is a piece that is relatable to any living being on this earth, because let’s face it, you’re never too old to bloom again. As long as the music plays this towering beauty will continue to direct her gaze towards you, the viewer, and maybe entice you to question the way you are blooming in different facets of your life. Lately, we’ve seen Alrik around town, chasing a few swells, finding inspiration in little gems that are close in proximity to his daily routine and stopping by the office every once in a while to say hi. Every time he graces us with his presence we can see the creative wheels spinning and only imagine what he has in store for the future. To learn more about Alrik’s artwork and commission him for custom sculptures visit alrikyuill.com.
Anthony Ausgang is an author and artist currently working in Los Angeles. His paintings have been critically referred to as Pop Surrealism or Low Brow, but Ausgang’s unique trait is that he combines street attitude with his knowledge of art history and contemporary art trends. “The art world made Deconstruction one of its pet projects and I’m fascinated by the concept of taking apart an art form and examining its components but baffled that no one seems interested in putting the parts back together,” says Ausgang. Applying this reductive scrutiny to his trademark psychedelic cartoon cat characters, Ausgang finds that the “postdeconstruction reconstruction” is neither abstract nor realist; the creatures are a construct of cartoon character elements. A mouth with a tail can successfully represent a cat; any more visual information is unnecessary. Ausgang’s crew of morphed up felines mimic normal human behavior while exploring the distorted toon-world that represents our own frayed reality. The direct storyline in Ausgang’s early work has been replaced with an oblique description of events. These new paintings depict a multi-faceted narrative that invites the viewers’ scrutiny and debate. Since the “meaning” of the painting is to be
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defined by its audience, a story develops that is unspecified by the artist. Released from the tyranny of a linear narrative, Ausgang is able to expand the visual quotient of his paintings and let his psychedelic cats roam freely. Born in Trinidad and Tobago but raised in Houston, Ausgang’s work makes smart use of both cultures. “The weirdness of having been born in an English colony and then moving to Texas wasn’t apparent to me until I became a teenager. My parents did their best to carry on the European traditions but I was hell bent on assimilating everything American”. He moved to Hollywood via Austin and enrolled at The Otis Art Institute, quickly dropping out to pursue showing in galleries. Since then, Ausgang has had many one person and group shows in Europe, Asia and America. The bands MGMT and the Boredoms have used his paintings for cover art and his work is included in the collections of Sympathy For The Record Industry and the musician Sonic Boom. Make sure you check out some of his recent work in Volcom’s Summer 2012 Featured Artist line (available now) and at ausgangart.com.
Interview: Lize Rice McCray Hi Johnny, will you please introduce yourself, a little synopsis for the reader? My name’s Johnny. I come from an Irish family who moved to the outskirts of downtown Manchester, England in the 1960’s. I moved to the suburbs in my teens and I started writing songs on the guitar inspired by 70’s pop and then New Wave. I left home at seventeen and formed The Smiths in 1982. What advice have you been giving that is still relevant today? Be your own man. Do you have any advice for musicians that are just starting out? I meet a lot of young musicians who are frustrated because they can’t find other people to play with who like the same music. It can seem like you will never find the right people but you do. You just have to be really dedicated not only to learning your craft, whatever that is, but also being dedicated to the life. It can happen if you persevere. My good friend Nolan Hall (you met him years ago with me in Portland on a RVCA trip) sent me the news about you designing a guitar for Fender, will you tell us about the Johnny Marr Jaguar signature guitar you designed? I started playing a Fender Jaguar guitar when I joined Modest Mouse in 2005. I’ve played all kinds of makes of guitar but the Jaguar really worked for what I do and the way I sound. I started to obsess about the perfect guitar and I decided to design one using all the great aspects of the existing Jaguar but eliminating what I found to be “unwanted conditions,” which were technical. It was tricky as I loved the original design aesthetically and I didn’t want to mess with that. I played a lot of old Jags and took all the aspects of what I liked (a specific neck shape, pick ups, wiring, etc) and put my own version together bit by bit. It’s now very different from the original but you wouldn’t know when you look at it, which is what I wanted but wasn’t sure if it could be done. How long did it take you to design this guitar? How many prototypes did you make and do you still have any of the prototypes? It was a long process; I started in 2006 and it was done in 2010. I played... two hundred or so shows with Modest Mouse and then over a hundred with The Cribs whilst I was working on it, changing things. It was useful to be refining it in all kinds of real situations. I’d be swapping between my prototype during shows and comparing it with great old ones from the 1962-66 period that I’d be using on some songs. You make quick decisions when you’re in front of several thousand people, seriously. I then used it for a lot of the soundtrack for the movie Inception, which I did with Hans Zimmer, and at the premier concerts with the orchestra, so it’s pretty versatile. There are two prototypes. How did this collaboration with Fender come about? Fender heard that I was building my own guitar and offered to put out a signature model. It is quite an honor to have your own Fender model. They were really helpful with sorting things out for me whilst at the same time trusting me to get on with it. They were really supportive and have put it out without any compromises, even though there are a lot of changes. It’s been very cool. What is your favorite part about the Johnny Marr Jaguar signature Guitar? My favorite part of the guitar…? I have to say the neck. You can get around most things not being to your liking on a guitar but if the neck isn’t working for you or causes problems then you’re done for. It was pretty good to get a guitar off a wall in a shop and it’s exactly the same as your own. I thought that would be interesting
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but when it happened it was a trip. Is this the main guitar you play these days? I very rarely play any other. There isn’t any need for it now. If I need a 12 string or an acoustic then I’ll do that, but mine does what I need. I’ve been playing it in every situation for about five years. If you could have any musician playing with your guitar, who would you like to see playing it? Nile Rodgers. I played it when I guested with Chic recently but I’d like to hear him playing it. What are you currently listening to and what bands do you like? I’ve been going to a lot of Northern Soul clubs and All Nighters and it’s so good to
hear those records through a P.A. system. I liked the Howler record that’s just came out on Rough Trade. Can you tell us something about you that most people don’t know? I’m not actually that opinionated, and cats really do weird me out. What parallels do you see the between London styles growing up and the current contemporary scene in US culture? The only parallels, as I see it, are with people who get skate culture. With that culture comes certain kinds of style, which has a U.S. Metal-Punk influence as well as the graphic arts and comics etc. I like that these are off the radar of some of the usual media and that there’s a lot of it. There are definitely some UK kids who
live for American culture, they’re often less conspicuous. The Indie scene only has similarities in as much as it’s selfreverential and up it’s own ass/arse. Where can people go to buy the Johnny Marr Jaguar or find out more info about the guitar? There’s information about the guitar at fender.com and at johnnymarr.net. It can be bought or ordered at most guitar shops I think. So Johnny, do you have any special projects coming up that you can tell us about? I’m recording songs for my band The Healers and doing some shows in the summer. I might play for the Dali Lama. Who knows?
Tabitha Shafran is a working artist, mother, organic gardener, dreamer, tarot card reader, crystal collector and all around awesome person. She is currently living just outside of Byron Bay on Australia’s northern NSW coast with her two beautiful boys and her supermodel husband. Tabitha’s naturalist philosophy on life translates directly into delicate illustrations and use of watercolor on various papers and reclaimed wood. She’s an incredibly beautiful and spiritual person that leads a full life and explores her talents freely without structured pressures and slings. Her artwork is of the highest quality in lead pencil illustration and watercolor composition. At the age of 31, Tab is only just now starting to do her first art shows and although she’s been an accomplished artist for many years, she’s just now feeling ready to show her work to the world and is pushing her art to the next level. When asked what art means to her, Tab replies, “Art means expression, exploration and creativity through absolute abandonment. To be an artist is to be a creator of what comes
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from that place inside where there is no judgment, criticism or doubt. Art is the result of being true to yourself.” She’s not your typical premature, hipster artist and as she has matured, her developing artistic profile and depth has come into fruition at a good point in her life. Her art has grown its own character and Tabitha is becoming more recognized and appreciated because of her true talents in multiple mediums, garnering recent press in both Australian and international magazines and websites. Tab is a resident artist for Thrills and Tallow (two emerging Australia brands to keep your eyes on) while creating freelance designs and illustrations in the action sports market for some of the biggest in our industry: Hurley, Volcom, Stussy & Insight to name a few. Check out her newest work and her most recent gardening harvests at tabithashafran.blogspot.com, as well as purchase limited edition prints online at tabithashafran.bigcartel.com.
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Good morning // The captain & a beer // Bruce Iron’s “VA” // Educational field trip (Miller’s family Barber Shop)
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Bloody Decks // Going deep at Pipe // Modern day Dali Lama - PM Tenore approved // Love you dad
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Nainoa Dung (13-years old) - Living the dream // Little brother Lono’s first board // Jon Jon & his future x-wife at Pipe // Danny & Tori Fuller - it’s official
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Raffa Mendes - hands down best // Koby Abberton, got crabs // Baby Andy and mommy Irons // Little sis and moms
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All about the booty // Puppy love
Photo: Dominic Petruzzi : dominicpetruzziphoto.com // Model: Courtney :: Next Models
Aloha! The Polynesian Gods have graciously sent us Courtney from the beautiful islands of Hawaii for the month of April and we can’t keep our eyes off of her. Hawaii is the land of leisure and paradise, with an abundance of tropical beauty and majestic seas that can convince anyone to stay there forever. We’re just glad that Courtney decided to come to California and grace us with her presence in this issue. Sure, it may be short lived but we’ll be damned if it isn’t worth every glimpse!
Hair & Makeup: Nancy Von Der Launitz // Retouch: JasonSchorle.com
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Words: Casey Holland I was first introduced to Os Gêmeos through their first U.S. solo exhibition in 2003, at The Luggage Store in San Francisco and the supporting show book, Pavil, published by RVCA. At the time, the movement of street-based artwork to the gallery was not as pronounced as it is today and those first indoor segues were essentially murals and pieces you’d find on the street – though still distinct and indicative of things to come. Since the Pavil show, the twins’ work has grown to colossal scale and evolved to become a true experience for the exhibition visitor. This fact became apparent at their most recent solo show at Prism Gallery in Los Angles, titled Miss You. The gallery space was bathed in reds and oranges, which enhanced the artworks’ vibrancy and created a dreamlike state as one took in the surreal subject matter. As you made your way through the paintings and constructions, watching out for the lamp-lit head drips emerging from the floor, visitors could peruse the darkened artist flat and examine the wonderings and inspirations of the “owner,” while being confronted with a floor-to-ceiling interactive touch screen that flooded the room with digital glow. On your way out of the show (or in, for that matter), a hanging painted box invited you to step inside and witness the multi-faceted expanse of these artists. But the words and images on these pages will do no justice to the detail and power of the works in the exhibition; you just have to experience it for yourself. The Prism Gallery is located at 8746 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA and at prismla.com. Photos: Courtesy of PRISM, Colin Day
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When you hear the name Arto Saari, images of handrails, switch tre flips and solid style come mind. If they don’t, then stop reading this right now, I want nothing to do with you. Arto has set standards in skateboarding that people will be trying to reach for a very long time. He’s on every true skaters top 10 list and deserves it. From coming to America at a young age, turning pro for Flip Skateboards, becoming Thrasher’s SOTY (Skater Of The Year) and now being a father, he has seen and done it all. While he was doing all that shredding he was also developing another skill… photography. Arto is one of those people we all love to hate – Those that can excel at more than one thing. He has taken his skate lifestyle and parlayed that into an opportunity to document all the madness and personalities that come with it. Just like he did with his skating, Arto is pushing himself further and further everyday in photography. We checked in with the man to ask him a few questions. Enjoy. -Ryan Allan
Interview by Bobby Tang What or who got you into photography? The first time I picked up a photo camera was in an art class in the 7th grade, but I should say that I didn’t really start to shoot photos till 2000. I bought my first FM2 off Skin Phillips in Miami while filming for the Sorry video. I have been heavily influenced being surrounded by skate photogs. Do you have a collection of cameras? I have some film cameras, 35 mm, medium format (6x6, 6x9) and also a 4x5 that they don’t make quick load film anymore, which is a bummer. What are you favorite cameras? I love my Canon 5D, Leica M7, Mamiya 6x9, Super 23 and I have been getting into the 4x5 camera lately.
Farmer : Dive, Grab, Slash
Javi : Stale
Lance
Vanuatu : Land Diving
Christian Fletcher
Dylan : K-Flip
Do you prefer film or digital? Depends what I am shooting. Most skate stuff, I will do digital. Landscape stuff, I tend to go film or if there is budget to shoot something on film. What or who are you shooting these days? A lot of skate action mostly, but I have been eager to learn studio lighting, especially for portraits. A lot of just passing by moments on my travels and landscape/long exposure stuff. Do you think that skateboarding helped you with different perspectives in photography? Yes for sure. Skateboarding has taught me a lot about photography. It’s been a great vessel to interesting scenarios and a way to meet a lot of people along the way. Even when you are a total maggot, you seem to take the best photos. How the fuck do you do it? 5D, Canon 16-35mm lens, aperture priority, autofocus and make sure you always have another drink available when in that state of Maggot Cunt. Grosso : Texas Plant
Bud Bear : Suicide Seat
You’re part of Analog’s PLA Program and Gravis’ Creative Departures, tell us a little bit about it. PLA gives a platform for various different artists to showcase their photos on t-shirts and art shows. I love being involved with PLA. Gravis Creative Departures works a lot of the same way for different artists. The platform is a little bit different and it’s not just about photography. Creative Departures also includes graphic design, painters, etc. Creative Departures is a melting pot of amazing creative individuals of total epicness! What’s up with that Instagram photo contest from Gravis? Yep, that just launched about a week ago. This is an encouragement to shoot photos with what you have in your pocket. Shoot, shoot and shoot more. You also get a free pair of shoes monthly if you win. Something fun for kids to do while out shredding. Oster : Slash
Charno : B.S Slash Valley Pool
Are you working with any other companies? I mostly work with Gravis, Analog, Flip, Destructo, Mob Grip, Poler, CCS and Ricta. I shoot something for all my sponsors.
Do you plan on pursuing something in this field after skateboarding? I am starting to find a similar passion toward photography as I have for skateboarding... only time will tell.
Epicly Later’d is having a segment on you, what’s that all about? It is about a simple boy from Finland coming to America to ride a skateboard.
Anything else you want to add? I would like to thank skateboarding for all pinnacle apex vibrations!
How can people see some of your work? I am working on a website at the moment but for now artosaari. tumblr.com. Any shows coming up? Gravis’ Creative Departures LA show.
Last question. Who wins in a drinking contest, you or Adam Warren? Depends if you are allowed to keep drinking while being unconscious. Thanks again Apex. Check out Arto’s photos at artosaari. tumblr.com, follow him on Instagram @artofoto.
Russell : Killing It
At just 20-years-old, Ryan Callinan is everything a surf brand could want. He’s young, motivated, has a wicked backhand, isn’t shy of a good time and has a bowl cut hairdo that outdoes anyone’s 3rd grade yearbook picture by a mile. He’s the complete package and exciting as hell to watch. At first it was his backhand airs that caught most people’s attention, but by no means is this Newcastle native a one trick pony. If you’ve perused through recent surf blogs and videos you’d know he’s around for a good time and is here to stay. He’s traveled to far off locations with surfing’s elite, surfed heavy reef passes and has pretty much done it all with impeccable style, new wave innovation and grom-like stoke. His surfing repertoire spans across the board. Throw a jersey on him and put him out against the world’s best juniors in firing Keramas and you’ll see a feisty competitor who will smoke you silly. So, if you’re walking down for a surf at your local beach break and see him paddle out, do yourself a favor and sit your ass on the sand, grab a beer and enjoy the spectacle.
Photos: Tom Carey
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Interview: Dale Ernhart Jr. Please state your full name. Ryan Keith Callinan Sands. And where do you call home? Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
What kind of car do you drive? A Holden Commodore, it’s a station wagon.
And date of birth? May 27th, 1992.
What’s on your bucket list (things you must do before you die)? I’m not sure, there are too many to name.
And who are your sponsors? Billabong, Sanuk, Electric and 3P Surfboards.
What do you prefer, blondes or brunettes? Both.
How many years have you been surfing? Fifteen.
Who or what do you look up to for inspiration? Young people going big!
Do you have any nicknames? Yeah… R-Cal and Rhino.
What word or phrase do you most overuse? Sick!
And what are your favorite spots? Um… Rocky Point, Macaronis… and Merewether/Dixon Park. What’s your favorite food? Chicken.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Maybe my first cover - that was a pretty special. What’s your most treasured possession?
My iPhone or laptop. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why? Where I live now, all my friends and family are here and the waves get super fun most of the time. What do you prefer more, barrels or airs? Whatever, if I’m getting barreled or doing airs, I’m happy either way. What is your favorite grab? Slob. What do you consider your career highlights? Three covers and getting 2nd on the Australian Junior Series. In your opinion, who are the top five most progressive surfers right now? Dane Reynolds, John John Florence, Matt Meola, Chippa and Julian Wilson. Last year you had a “breakout
year,” a pretty crazy part in the Billabong flick, clips in Kai Neville’s movie, numerous spreads as well as a cover. Prior to that you were a bit under the radar, so where did this kid from Newcastle come from? Haha, um… I’m not sure, just kind of came out of nowhere for me too. I felt I was surfing pretty good for a while but just needed somewhere to showcase it. I went on a boat trip with some crazy good surfers and got some really good coverage out of it, so that started it I guess. More specifically, the backside, full-rotation, cork-screw thing really seemed to turn heads. It was the ender to your section, also in Lost Atlas, as well as a cover feature… What the eff was that thing? Do you have a name for it, was it a hail mary/ accident? I don’t know what it was, when I first saw it I thought it looked a bit like a cartwheel, it was definitely a fluke, haha. I didn’t want to name it
because I’m sure snowboarders or skateboarders have done the same thing and it’s already named. Any new airs/maneuvers you are working on or have up your sleeve? Not lately because I haven’t been surfing due to injuries but I have a few thing I would like to try when I get back into it that could be interesting. After a breakout year, you’ve followed it up with an accidentprone year of not surfing more than you have been surfing. That is correct, only half a year though. You first injured yourself last year, give us a run down… What happened, how did you do it, how long were you out of the water, etc.? I was surfing in Bali around the World Junior and it was the day after I got knocked out, we were surfing a beachie and I just tried
a backside air reverse on a pretty gnarly section. I landed on the lip but when I was coming down the wave bounced up and pushed my front foot up towards my knee. I walked up the beach, I knew it was hurt but didn’t think it was that bad. I flew home to find out it was broken. I was in the boot for six weeks and out of the water for another two weeks after that. What was your reaction when the doctor told you that you had to be out of the water for X amount of months? I was pretty bummed but I handled it quite well actually, you know these things happen. What is the toughest/worst thing about being out of the water? Watching your mates surf fun waves and wanting to be out there with them. And now you’ve re-injured it? Is it the same ankle or the other ankle? What’s going on there? Um, it was the other ankle, I was just coming back and I think I was still favoring my strong ankle so I put a bit too much pressure on it during one air and tore the
ligaments… another eight weeks out of the water. Who is your favorite travel partner(s), who do you usually travel with? I don’t really have a set travel crew, it changes a fair bit but I have been travelling with Billabong a little bit, like Brent Savage and Jack Freestone, those guys are good. They are always keen to surf and are pretty cruisey. Do you have any trips coming up? I have a couple coming up but not for a few months, a couple of Billabong trips and a few magazine ones that should be pretty fun. Do you have any new projects you’d like to fill us in on? I’m thinking about making a little minimovie on my return to surfing. So hopefully it won’t take too long to get enough clips. What’s next for Ryan Callinan? Getting all healed up and back in the water, yew.
Interview: Kelly Shannon
Sculpture has been a means of human expression since prehistoric times. Beginning in the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia, sculpture became a vast inspiration for several centuries of European art. In the late 1960’s to early 70’s, the environmental art movement began, representing an avant-garde approach to sculpture, landscapes, and the relationship between them. Artist Donald Judd once stated, “Three dimensions are real space… Actual space is intrinsically more powerful and specific than paint on a flat surface.” Today, sculptor, photographer, and conservationist Jason deCaires Taylor carves meaningful figures out of cement, oversees cranes, boats, and his crew, and drowns his artistry underwater, creating impactful artificial reefs of public art under the sea. Currently living in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, Taylor’s infinite passion for exploring the planet stemmed from growing up in Europe and Asia. When living in Malaysia as a child, the artist spent ample time on the coral reefs, where his fascination with the natural world evolved. He later became a scuba diving instructor in various parts of the globe, where his affection grew for conservation, naturalism, and photography. As a teenager, Taylor was a graffiti artist, where he discovered his interests between art and the environment. Now, the eco-sculptor uses carefully researched eco-friendly materials, which actively promotes coral growth. He works closely with Marine biologists in the research and creation of the underwater habitats, creating spaces to attract certain types of marine life. For example, his submerged display Inercia depicts a man on a couch watching television, ignorant of our environmental crisis; yet the television provides a habitat space for juvenile fish. The choice of environment Taylor exhibits his work is completely unique. The underwater environment is somewhat similar to that of the outdoors, as the sculptures are subject to change due to weather conditions and changes in light. Over time, the figures become transformed by living in the submerged environment, where Taylor draws a parallel to children growing up and being affected by their surroundings. His permanent installations are designed to pose as artificial reefs; attracting corals, increasing marine biomass and aggregating fish species, while diverting tourists away from fragile natural reefs, and thus providing space for natural rejuvenation. Over the past few decades, we have lost over 40 percent of our natural coral reefs globally, and scientists predict a permanent demise of 80 percent by 2050. Coral mining, agricultural and urban runoff, pollution, and overfishing are just a few of the threats to the coral ecosystems. Taylor’s creation of underwater sculpture parks attracts tourists away from natural reefs, allowing them to recover. His individualist works are designed “to promote the regeneration of marine life and to use sculpture as a means of conveying hope and awareness of the plight of our oceans,” before it’s too late.
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“DURING HURRICANE IVAN IN GRENADA, A 200-TON SHIP WRECK WAS LIFTED FROM THE SEA BED AND THEN TWISTED LIKE A CHRISTMAS CRACKER.”
What were your favorite activities growing up? Exploration, discovering new places, old buildings, disused railway stations, nature trails, anywhere which had a sense of discovery. I was fortunate to spend some of my youth in Malaysia and my parents used to hire local boats to go island exploring on the weekends. Where and how did you learn to sculpt and become a photographer? I obtained a degree in sculpture at The London Institute of Arts and part of the course was learning to document your work. As most of my installations have always been either temporary or site specific, I always worked hard to develop my photographic skills. How did you come up with the idea to take your work from land to underwater? I always felt my works needed to be more practical and beneficial to the location I placed them in. When I started diving, I realized the how nature colonized structures underwater and how useful artificial reefs could be as a form of conservation. It was just a natural progression from there. What is your biggest challenge in doing this? Many; but generally it’s dealing with the powerful nature of the sea and its currents and tropical storms. During hurricane Ivan in Grenada, a 200-ton ship wreck was lifted from the sea bed and then twisted like a Christmas cracker. So most of my efforts go into placing works in areas that are protected and anchored securely to the seabed. Approximately how long does the process take, from sculpting to placing it in the ocean? Depending on the design, but more or less about three to six months. The timings of sea deployments can be held up by weather conditions, so I generally try to aim for the calm seas of summer to install.
How often do you revisit your sites and check on the changes underwater life has done to your sculptures? Once every two weeks. However, as my body of work grows and diversifies (around 500 pieces), I am finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with all the latest developments. Which two pieces of work are your favorite and why? The VW (Anthropocene) - because it weighs eight tons and was such a nightmare to install, it gave me great sense of achievement in the end. And The Lost Correspondent, because as soon as I placed it, I had the feeling it had been down there for hundreds of years. You definitely get the point across that you want people to act on environmental conservation. What else do you want us to get out of looking at your work? Maybe a sense of loss, that we are moving so fast forward that we have little time to contemplate the here and now. Also for the works to highlight the creativity of nature and how our future depends on living in symbiosis with it. You travel quite often. Where haven’t you been that you want to visit? Without doubt, Antarctica. What’s it like working underwater? Very different. Everything needs to be well thought out and meticulously planned, as you have little time on one tank of air. Working 20 miles away from your studio also means there is no popping back for a spanner halfway though the job. Communication with your crew is another issue and good briefing prior to commencing is vital to ensure everybody is on the same page. To read more about the underwater sculptor, watch videos of instillation, or see more works of his art, please visit jasondecairestaylor.com
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Top – Volcom volcom.com Shorts – Hurley hurley.com Boots – Stylist’s own
Sweater – Matix matixclothing.com Shorts – Vans vans.com Shoes – Stylist’s own
Bikini – Volcom volcom.com
Hat – Brixton brixton.com Dress – Hurley hurley.com Boots – Stylist’s own
Shirt – Astars astarswomens.com Shorts – WESC wesc.com
Jacket – RVCA rvca.com Shorts – RVCA rvca.com Shoes – Stylist’s own
Shirt – Lira liraclothing.com Bikini – Volcom volcom.com
Jacket – Nike nike.com Sunglasses – Oakley oakley.com
Words: Eric Meyersa :: Photos: Peter Morning It’s the final week of February, and hundreds of top-tier athletes from around the world are flying into Mammoth, en route to the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix. The contest is one of a handful that will have a very large impact on who represents their countries in the next Olympics, and also could have an impact on what the first-ever Olympic slopestyle course looks like. The Sprint U.S. Grand Prix is a 5-star TTR event, meaning that it attracts some of the best names in the game, as they try to earn points toward winning the annual global tour. It also happened to be at Mammoth Mountain, meaning that you get sunshine and massive jumps that bring out some extra spectators and shredders. As these athletes rolled into town, the flights behind them (many carrying team managers and other hanger-ons) were canceled, and the top of the mountain was hit with 100 mph winds. This didn’t make for good practice days, but it did make for a super fun scene at Mammoth’s Main Lodge. Most of the athletes were staying at the Mammoth Mountain Inn, adjacent to the lodge, so with all the lifts shut down, the place was crawling with the world’s best skiers and snowboarders, and very few members of the general public. Yes, there were skiers, and I promise this is all I’ll say about them, but having the extra 400 of them here for the contest turned the weather days into a social mixer that definitely spawned a few fireside romances. After a day of weathering the storm, the riders enjoyed a powder day while the course was dug out, prompting some to wonder whether they were on a vacation or at a contest. Then, just as quickly as it had come in, the weather did what it does in Mammoth, and turned into bluebird skies and warm temps for the contest days. The delay had forced a condensed schedule, which only made things more exciting for the throngs of people that had showed up for the weekend festivities, which would include not only this pinnacle-level competition but a pair of live shows featuring three bands. Competition day one started off with a bang, with slopestyle qualifiers and finals all on Friday. Now, the slopestyle world has been getting somewhat vanilla lately, with your standard miniature rail features that just end up becoming formality, and something stupid for the kooks to backflip off of, but Mammoth seemed determined to serve up a new flavor for the U.S. Grand Prix. “The course design was based on feedback from the X Games, and we wanted ours to be as good as that one – if not better – with a four-pack of large jumps and an urban-influenced rail line,” said Mammoth Mountain Terrain Park Director Michael Gregory. At the top of the course, a 40-stair was framed by a round down bar on one side and a down box on the other. The oversize urban feature led into the famous Miami Vice 30-foot down rail matched up with an equallylong down-flat-down round bar, it was either man up and make the high ollie onto the Vice rail or drop big coming off the double-down – there was no way around it. After this was the burly, park-style stuff you often see in contests, just to keep everyone happy. The ledge wedge loomed on the left side of the next pad – a wallride with creeper ledges on either side, that most competitors went straight to the top of, putting them into a railslide about 20 feet off the snow. Next to that was another elevated feature, this time a lift tower, that
The biggest contest ever built
Gingerbread legs
Chas, obviously.
attracted a little more action since no one wanted to risk losing speed for the massive jumps that waited below. Coming out of the rail section, riders were treated to about three mellow setup turns before a four-pack of jumps. It’s not too often you see four jumps in a contest, and it opened up plenty of new options for the guys and girls charging the course. Official measurements weighed the jumps in at 56, 61, 65, and 74-feet. When Sage Kotsenburg was asked if he thought it was the biggest course he had ever seen, he replied; “It might be! It’s a pretty killer four-line of jumps, ya know like the last two are pretty massive!” Kotsenburg ended up taking home second place, so rest assured he didn’t back down before the behemoths. Sage’s smooth style was what earned him second place. The kid rides effortlessly, despite carrying a huge bag of tricks with him everywhere he goes. Below him on the podium was Mark Hoyt, a relative up-and-comer who no doubt has only just begun carving his name into the scene of prospective Olympians, as this was his first major contest podium. A fact that the winner Chas Guldemond focused the award ceremony crowd upon. He pointed it out as people were cheering for him and his win, a humble guy no matter what your opinion of him may be. Chas’s opinion of the course setup? “It’s a man’s course! The jumps are pretty good size, biggest contest jumps I’ve seen this year and it looks pretty badass!” A good contest deserves a great concert, so Hyde Lounge
Mammoth’s Greg Bretz
hosted the official after party, with a live show by Brooklyn’s Class Actress. Led by the sexy Elizabeth Harper, the duo started the night off right at Hyde, and even admitted to doing some skiing of their own during the day. The live shows here are not to be missed, with talent just inches away and interactions with the band, it provides a refreshingly unique experience for everyone involved. “I don’t want to leave, I honestly don’t want to leave. I keep seeing people that live up here and work up here and just feel so attached to the world and to the life and I completely get it,” said Harper. “And I think its cool that they’re trying to bring more musical acts here.” Speaking of more musical acts, the softspoken singer also mentioned an upcoming tour with Penguin Prison, so mark your calendars for that one. After over an hour of the upbeat music and seductive vocals that make up the conversational songs of Class Actress’ EP Rapprocher, DJ Twist took over and the lounge kept dancing into the night. The only thing missing from the party at Hyde were the half pipe athletes, who had to wake up early for the contest on Saturday morning. Luckily, it was only qualifiers during these unpopular hours, and the spectator areas enveloping the pipe filled up for finals after lunchtime. The huge field had been narrowed down to handful of the best, and they each had two runs in the freshly built, and always-perfect pipe at Mammoth. The weather was hot and awesome, but the quickly softening pipe seemed to give many of the competitor’s trouble. Very few even landed a clean first run, with many who clearly weren’t accustomed to the soft snow, failing to post a complete run at all. Not
Sage on the Lift Tower
Matt Ladley – the board says it all
Elena started her 2012 takeover at Mammoth
Mammoth’s Luke Mitrani
Ben Ferguson
guson
that they needed it, but a distinct advantage was held by the kids who spend a lot of time here during the winter. Luke Mitrani, for example, is one of the most exciting riders to watch, since he starts his runs with the rarely seen Double Michalchuk at about 15 feet above the deck. Must be nice to snatch ten grand for the Maloof Best Trick before you even get to your second hit. Then, at the bottom of his run he tossed up a double-cork, setting a standard that you’d have to double-down twice to make the podium here. Greg Bretz took notes and put a couple double-corks into his run as well, landing him a notch above Mitrani in second place. Louie Vito must have been paying attention too, because after putting up a pair of doubles in his first run, he threw in a third for good measure in his second run to take home the win. Continuing with the theme of doubling up, the Mammoth Concert Series brought snowboard video-soundtrack regulars Shiny Toy Guns and Brazilian body-movers CSS to Canyon Lodge. The cool thing about the concerts at Canyon, is that sound checks happen shortly after the lifts close, but the bar is still open. CSS welcomed in a few stragglers during sound check, and their dance moves earned them a spot on the band’s guest list for the show. Once the real thing got underway, it wasn’t long before the athletes and industry folk were testing the limits of what the ski lodge could handle as they rocked into the night with Shiny Toy Guns. The whole thing felt like a true celebration, especially for STG lead singer sister, Carah,
Louie Vito’s signature stale
who tagged along to celebrate her birthday in the snow. CSS kept things going after this, and the energy inside the venue didn’t skip a beat. Hopefully that’s the pace we can expect as they head down to Los Angeles to record their new album later this year. The real treat, however, was reserved for the night owls who made it to Hyde Lounge after the show, as Carah grabbed the mic and sung Le Disko in the middle of the dance floor to shut the place down at last call.
Men’s Slopestyle 123-
Chas Guldemond Sage Kotsenburg Mark Hoyt
Women’s Slopestyle 123-
Joanna Dzierzawski Indigo Monk Karly Shorr
Men’s Half Pipe 123-
Louie Vito Greg Bretz Luke Mitrani
Women’s Half Pipe
Mens Pipe Winners
Mens Slope Winners
123-
Elena Hight Kaitlyn Farrington Ellery Hollingsworth
OAC Co-Founders Tanner Hoss & Clay Wendel // Adam Wallacavage // MADSTEEZ // NORM AWR MSK // Craig Skibs Barker // Evan “Stink” Rossell // Brian Viveros // Boink // Auction Girls // Skinner // White Walls Gallery // Craola, Dabs and Myla
On February 18th, collectors, artists, and art lovers converged onto the Tenderloin district of San Francisco in support of the Oceanic Awareness Collaboration (OAC) by attending their second show held at White Walls Gallery. Titled Art on the Move 2012, it was the first of many traveling shows curated by OAC. The show was a collaborative group effort displaying a range of work including Brian Viveros, Stephanie Buer, William Zdan, Jacub Gagnon, Shepard Fairey, Brett Amory, Will Barras, Adam Wallacavage, Joseph Todorovich, and many more – totaling over 80 participating artists. Following the success of their 2011 show, OAC pulled off another one-night exhibition that more than doubled the amount of money raised from the previous year. White Walls opened the doors at 6 pm to a consistent swarm of people all night for an OAC party with a purpose. Sounds were brought to the show by DJ Mr.Numberonederful of the Cannibal Flower and Thinkspace Gallery. The proceeds are still being tallied, but the rough number raised looks to be around $35,000
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before artist splits and other expenses. The caliber of work OAC is attracting is topnotch and continues to grow stronger with each exhibition. Funds raised from this event will be used to send kids to CIMI camp and educate the youth about growing environmental concerns. OAC has also recently partnered with Seacology and will be visiting the Philippines for their first international conservation project – focusing on the preservation of mangrove forests, coral reefs, and the people of the island of Cebu. Art on the Move 2012 wrapped up OAC’s first year as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, much was accomplished (even more is left to be accomplished) but at the rate things are going, nothing seems out of reach for co-founders Tanner Hoss and Clay Wendel. If you slept on this past show, OAC is holding their 2nd Annual Art for Awareness on April 28th, 2012 @ Andi Campognone Projects. For more information about OAC’s campaigns, purpose, and upcoming events, visit oacollabo.com or facebook.com/oacollabo.
For more information visit:
activerideshop.com/brodown *Under 18 will need a parent present to sign the release forms. Space is limited to be sure to get there early, there are only 100 spots open. In partnership with Inyo National Forest
ActiveAprilBlisss.indd 1
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Words: Dana Nichols & Torrey Cook :: Photos: Torrey Cook & Peter Stow // El Mysterioso // The man of the hour Dennis McNett with Anika & Jon Warren // Robed Wolfbat Shamans are just some of the work of Dennis McNett // Doug Palladini, Torrey Cook, Dennis McNett & Greg Escalante // Carl E. Smith & Brian Cook // Mark Weiner, Russ & Jennifer Pope // Ben Brough and Marty Jimenez // Opening Night - the Whale greets all // Annie Adjchavanich & Chris Overholser
Dennis McNett and the Wolfbat Shamans arrived in Laguna Beach on February 4th, bringing with them spirits not seen in these parts for decades… spirits from a time when mystical creatures walked the earth among their human counterparts, and their stories followed them through the ages to become legend. The weeklong festivities began with a four-day whale installation and two raucous days of mask making with Dennis at the Laguna Beach Boys and Girls Club. On Wednesday, Feb. 1st a preview was held for very special friends of the gallery, followed by a hearty meal at Laguna Beach’s only underground Belgian eatery. Then on Saturday, Feb. 4th, everyone who entered AR4T Gallery in Laguna Beach was initiated as Wolfbat Tribesman on the opening night of Wolfbat Shamans and the Whale of Gratitude. McNett’s masked shamans, portholes and shields were regarded by old and young. Each tribesman brought their gifts of gratitude
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to the whale, as did the haunting vocal serenade of El Mysterioso. McNett and his girlfriend Miryam had traveled from Brooklyn on what was her first trip to California. She noticed that everyone smiles here. So… it’s not a myth that happiness prevails; the Whale of Gratitude succeeded in its intention. Wrote art blogger Michael C. Hsiung, “The show is hands down amazing, from hand-carved wood Shaman Masks and totem faces, Portholes, Shields, prints, and a seriously impressive installation-the Whale of Gratitude. Congrats on a great show Dennis.” Thank you to Vans for helping kick off 2012 with such a great exhibition of truly unique art, and for their generous support of the next show at AR4T: Tax Included, featuring all new works by Russ Pope, opening Thursday, April 5th.
Photos: Jay Diebel // Mark Willingham & Danny Kurtzman of Ezekiel // Jon Detweiler from West Coast Ink putting some fresh ink on Colletcive’s Mike Thomas // Ezekiel TM Mikendo & Charlie Thomas from World Industries // Kedd Cook & Clifford Lidell // Shop Ezekiel // Jay Diebel & Clifford Lidell // Jeff “Doc” Lausch from Surf Prescriptions // Party dudes // Ezekiel super-rep Justin Ruttkay // Derek Fukuhara // Danny Kurtzman & Robbie Robbins
On February 24th, Ezekiel teamed up with Mike and Peter from Collective in Newport Beach for the Collective Art Show to support local artists, launching Ezekiel’s 2012 Spring Collection and giving them an excuse to throw a party in Newport’s new favorite boutique. While they were hoping to rent out the vacant space next store for the large expected turnout, the landlord unfortunately decided to take off to China with the keys, leaving Ezekiel and Collective to make some last minute changes. They cleared out the store with re-merchandised wall sections of Ezekiel’s new Spring 2012 product, brought in a DJ stage for Kedd Cook and stocked the changing room with kegs. It ended up being a perfect space for the amazing turnout.
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Jay Diebel, Ezekiel’s bearded photographer, had photos on exhibit featuring his black and white photography. Local artist, Andrew Hansen, exhibited insane wood sculptures made out of reclaimed wood along with several paintings. “Doc” Lausch from Surf Prescriptions was showcasing some of his boards and Jon from West Coast Ink was not only showing off his rock themed art, but was giving free tattoos in the middle of the packed store! Mike of Collective was the first to get inked, getting his son’s birth date on his arm. Everyone had a raging time with great art, music, tattoos, a ton of beers, Ezekiel’s Spring line, Collective’s new awesome store and all the great people who came and made it worth it. Big thanks to Collective, the Ezekiel crew and to everyone else who helped destroy the shop, the wood floors will never be the same. Go check it out for yourself at 3413 Newport Blvd in Newport Beach, CA.
Dusty getting malled by a cougar // Yes it got real weird // One lucky winner of the D.Payne shade // Jay Davies using his pink to get a love tap // We all love V-Necks and Vodka // Dusty, Dingo, Shaddy, Bemrose... game on! // Mitch Crew’s #1 // Laura Enever, Coco Ho & friend celebrating for Dusty // Lucky girls getting free swag and free drinks // Good times with peeps loving their D.Payne!
With an almost guaranteed lay-day from the Quiksilver Pro Snapper Rocks, the boys at Electric got their shit in order to host the ultimate signature sunglass release party. Dusty Payne is one of Electric’s most innovative and talented surfers in the world, and to celebrate the release of Dusty’s signature sunglass, the D.PAYNE, they decided to kick off the year with a bang by holding a party during the first event of the World Tour, the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast. The Bacardi bar by the pool was in full swing by 7pm and the line to get into the D.PAYNE party at Komune Resort was lined up as far as the eye could see. As the night went on the party got wild, and by wild, we mean really wild! The crowd stood shoulder-to-shoulder lining up for Bacardi cocktails by the pool and Coronas from
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the main bar inside. With a banging playlist from Guvera and the DJ on the decks, the party was headed in one and only one direction. The surfers, girls, surf industry who’s who and general public mingled, danced, drank and drank! The photo booth was subject to some of the highlights of the nights with plenty of girls getting involved behind the “closed curtain.” Dusty Payne was there from start to finish posing for photos with multiple women and men all night. To see all the debauchery and more head over to Electric’s Facebook page or electricvisual.com.
Rider: Ryan Carlson Photo: Joe Foster
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Interview: Max Ritter Forever sublimated into the Crocodiles music, just under the annihilating wall of distortion, is the dark discontented angst of two dudes who once overdosed on the endless sunshine of a California summer and melted our ears off our heads. We can’t help but sit and froth just thinking about LP3. While you wait, read up on our chat with Charlie Rowell to get the
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scoop and keep your eyes peeled for Endless Flowers. Oh, and pull down your shades because as Charlie reminds us, “The future is bright.” You guys just gave us a taste of the first single, “Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)”, off your new album. Pretty exciting
to have you guys back with some new tunes… Yeah Yeah Yeah!
We did a bunch of covers for b-sides on this record. Loads of punk songs we always wanted to record.
The first vinyl single release is out now and actually has a b-side cover of The Kids “Fascist Cops.” Pretty sweet, what was the inspiration there?
That’s an old one, kind of obscure too, pretty rad you guys went for that one. Are you guys going to release all the singles with a b-side like that?
Yeah. We recorded a song called “Picture My Face” by this Canadian punk band called Teenage Head. We recorded a couple more as well. We just thought thematically it would be cool if all the b-sides were old punk nuggets. The album is a little bit more pop as far as the song writing goes so we thought why not kind of juxtapose that with some punk songs. You guys traveled to Berlin to do the new record, tell us a little about how that transpired and who you worked with. We were doing a lot of European festivals last year. We had a gap in the middle of all these festivals and we were thinking it wouldn’t really be cost effective to fly everyone home and fly everyone back. We were also looking for a place to record. We decided to just stay in Berlin for a month and rehearse the album and then record it. Brandon and I produced it ourselves. Duncan Mills who mixed Sleep Forever flew out and produced it with us. The three of us did it with the full band and it went great.
Last time you guys worked with James Ford. What made you guys want to go off and do it yourself this time around? Part of us doesn’t want to have to rely on a producer for every record. I think it was great to have worked with James. He had a big influence on that record. He is a great guy and really talented. We thought about recording with him this time around too, but we thought, “Why don’t we just try it ourselves?” We basically did Summer Of Hate on our own so we thought we would just try it again. We don’t want it to be a thing where it becomes a habit to rely on a producer to come in and sort of shape everything. We wanted to challenge ourselves to do it on our own. You guys are originally from San Diego? You’ve since uprooted and call New York, among other spots, your home base. You’ve traveled all over the world, you spend a lot of time in Europe - how has this influenced and affected your music and your outlook? I don’t know if it’s really influenced the music. It’s certainly been inspiring living in London and New York. I think the things that come out in the music are always inside of Brandon and I. We think it’s just a matter of if we are feeling brave enough or experimental enough. If the place we are writing is conducive to creativity, we are definitely happier being exactly where we want to be now and having the freedom to choose where we want to live. We are definitely in really good spirits. I came from London to stay in New York with Brandon to write the songs for this record and it was just cool to be in New York. New York has an influence of its own. The influence specifically was the spirit and mindset we were in. It’s a good feeling when you take that second step as an artist and you have the ability to move to different places and travel. It gives you freedom to think about music and remove any limits of creativity. Looking back on when you guys were in the San Diego scene and coming up starting your band, what bands from SD can you look back on as influential? When we first met and when we first started playing music together we were really into bands that had just finished, Antioch Arrow and Heroin. That spazzy 90’s-era hardcore stuff. I do like the first Hotsnakes record definitely. I wouldn’t say they were a huge influence. When you’re that age, music and groups around you have an influence and when you get older you influence yourself in a way. You find other ways to be creative. Definitely at that age it was hardcore stuff. In San Diego there wasn’t a whole lot. There was obviously 31G and the bands that were on that label. We don’t really play really aggressive music like that so much anymore but those are groups that are the musical fabric of Brandon and I. In some strange way there is a thread of that in our music. It’s in there somewhere. You and Brandon have always been the crux of the band. What makes the synergy you guys have? We just met at the right time. We both enjoy and in some ways maybe even need another person to absorb things and to push each other and to be there to sort of be that spark. We met at 17, 18 years old. From that age that’s when all your personal growth happens. That’s when you decide what you’re going to do. That’s when you go through all the good and bad experiences of your teens and post teens. We were there together for that whole thing. We were living in each other’s pockets. I think that is invaluable. Having spent ten plus years together, that was the first person I really bonded with and saw eye-to-eye with musically. It just works when we sit down and play. His areas of writing match well with mine and it just works. Do you guys ever not wear your shades? (Laughs) Brandon wears his shades quite a bit. (Laughs) The future is bright. What made you guys depart Fat Possum and sign with French Kiss? I don’t know personally what was going through Fat Possum’s head. We had a two-album contract with them and we asked them if they wanted to do another and they said no. I don’t really know the reason. It could be anything. French Kiss heard somehow and hit us up immediately. It all worked out really easy. They came along straight away. We now have a European label as well which we have never had before. Fat Possum is great. They are good friends. They put a lot of faith in us and took us on before anyone else did. One of the things I have always loved about your band is the experimental sound, layers of noise, loops and textures you lay over songs and the attention to detail. How do you guys recreate those sounds or preserve them once you find them? Live, I use a couple of loop stations that I have imported that actual tape loop and noise ect. The rest of it we recreate with the keyboard. It all comes out naturally in the studio. We use a reel-to-reel tape machine to create all the dissonant moody soundscapes. James Ford showed us how to do that. He did all that stuff on Sleep Forever. We sort of took what he taught us and are using that now. We did that on the new record. None of that was planned out before we went in to the studio. It was just the songs and the riffs. That all kind of comes together on the spot in the moment, it’s never planned. That’s what makes it good! So for the album launch you guys are having a giant boat party on the Royal Princess in London? Sick! Yeah we were asked to play on a boat in London for our record release. Of course we were like that sounds great. (Laughs) I’m on a boat! Yeah exactly (Laughs) The new Crocs record Endless Flowers is out this summer June 6th, it’s going to be a good one, pick it up boys and girls.
Photo: Marco Rapisarda
Interview & Photo: Max Ritter
Driving through Ensenada, I pulled in for the night to a dusty seaside town. My ears perked up to the wailing of a man singing “El Matador” over loud distorted guitars. The sound was ringing from a nearby dim lit shed. Curiously, I made way into the seedy establishment to discover a band playing enthusiastically to an empty bar. A strong voiced man stood tall, backed by a well-dressed band and a beautiful woman. After their show I found the man and his cohorts beside the bar and we struck up conversation. At first glance I would have guessed them to be a nomad band of criminals, possibly exiled to Mexico on the run from the law; however, they seemed nice enough and I didn’t think much of it. We talked about the love of a special woman, their craft of music and a friend that would lead them back to the states. Their broken English was suspect; they would not give me their names and kept rambling about some dude they were looking for. They looked so familiar but I couldn’t quite place their faces under their bandanas. It was all quite puzzling. We became friends and talked through the night, drinking ourselves into a haze. The next day I awoke to the crisp sea air and they were all gone without a trace. All I have left was this short recording of our exchange and a faint memory of meeting a man named Roark. Who are you? Where do you come from? We are Las Diablitas Borrachas, nocidos in Baja California, Mexico. Nacido creado. Created and born. What is this rock and roll that you play? It’s what we call a Mezcla. Mezcla being a mixture of music from all over the world. Un poquito French. Espana from Spain. Flamenco Estilo. Flamenco style. Musica punk rock. Musica rock. I feel like I have seen you before? Es posibilidad. No es me libertad. La migra. Los Federales. La policia. CHUPA! (Laughs) It is a Mystery. What inspires you? Ahhh. Inspiracion. Amor musica about love. About lost love. Musica about finding love. With a little bit of wrestling and bullfighting. (Man From The Back) Painkillers… Sometimes (Laughs) Are there any rituals that you partake in before you play? Tequila, cerveza, tequila, el bano. Do you ever play in the states? They used to welcome us with open arms. As of late we have to go under an assumed name. We are a little bit mysterious. Or Mysterioso. Is that why you play in the masks? Ahhhh. No habla ingles… There’s another member of the band that’s missing. I believe her name is Simone… Si, Simone. Pora Francia. Muy bonita. How did you meet her? We were at Paris de Noche in Ensenada. We saw this beautiful girl come in who had broken Spanish, broken English but she spoke fluent French. I don’t understand one word. I knew it wasn’t German so I assumed it was French. They say sometimes music translates through language barriers? That is the one thing. Music translates in all languages. Love more so than music translates in all languages. Simone spoke to me in Frances and I understood exactly what she was saying. Who is the man she was with? He was a good surfer. I always wondered how he survived a 3-wave hold-down wearing a Mexican wrestling mask. That impressed me. I think his name was Rick? Or Roark? Unforgettable man. He dropped an unruly Federale at a show once. Has he swooned Simone?
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Aghh. (Winces) This is a difficult subject for me. He has a little more style than me in his turns. It’s heartbreak. You never know. Women are like waves. They all come in different shapes and sizes. It just takes the one person to ride it the way it needs to be ridden. Where is she now? I hope she is back in my bed! But, like I said. It could be the changing of the tides. Maybe I am not the one. Is she with the man they call Roark? Perhaps. It saddens me but the music is what keeps us going. We all have our ups and downs. It all comes down to the music. We were fortunate to have a girl
like Simone come into our circle and really inspire us to create something that we really feel passionate about. If it works between her and I, or if it doesn’t, I know I am walking away with something that I am proud of and that we have all collectively played with our blood, sweat, and tears. Tequila, cerveza, musica amor, salud! It is speculated Las Diablitas Borrachas could be playing limited appearances in the states under the alias Los Mysteriosos. Keep your eyes peeled at local dive bars and watering holes. They will be looking for tequila, cerveza and the man they call Roark.
GZA
The Observatory, Santa Ana : March 8th, 2012
Nobody does it with the grace and style of the GZA, and at 46-yearsold he’s still lighting shit up. “WUUU-TANG!” chants buried the weak openers as the crowd-goers rolled their eyes and waited impatiently through a handful of hammered local acts. The wait was agonizing but soon the trenches of Vietnam silenced, the seas parted, and GZA showed face to quell the restless crow with his timeless flows. As the classic tracks of WuTang records and Liquid Swords were relived, the torchbearer of the Killa Bees raised his 40oz and blunt in unison with the crowd as all chanted the lyrics to “Cold World.” No, that only happened in my mind, but something like that anyway… There will always be 1995 and the institution of Wu Tang to bring order to the universe of hip-hop. GZAAA!
Photo & Review: Max Ritter
Reviews: Max Ritter
Terry Malts Killing Time Slumberland
Ceremony Zoo Matador
King Tuff Wild Desire Suicide Squeeze
Enjoy the latest and greatest ear treats from the city of scuzzination. Yes, that is a word. San Fran’s Terry Malts (not a real person) is a malt liquor fueled three-piece band party churning out some noisy singa-long rippers. An admirable display of blown out guitars and a quality exhibition of the one time honored tradition of the memorable hook. Lead Phil Benson croons, “Where is the Weekend?” We can surely all relate.
Veteran hardcore band Ceremony may be taking heat from their die-hard followers for their recent change in direction; however, the band seems to be finding success in exploring some new dimensions of its sound. Along with the stylistic changes, the band has signed with heavy tastemaker Matador Records and opted for some production upgrades. Their cleaned up recordings and heavily compressed guitars can’t hide the thrashing angst of their roots on songs like opener “Hysteria.” It’s preserved, still ripping and hard.
The always reliable, rock-n-roll songsmith Kyle Thomas has recently let loose some of his new tunes you’ll want to get your hands on. First being “Wild Desire,” his contribution to Suicide Squeeze’s new single collection. Also available for free download via Sub Pop is “Bad Thing” which is Tuff’s first single off the new album, slated for release in late May. Hell if I know if he is saying, “I’m a bad, bad, bad dude” or “I’m a bad, bad, bad thing?” Regardless, King Tuff is no doubt one bad dude with some quality new tunes you’ll want blast real loud in your Mazda Miata.
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Las Diablitas Borrachas Roark 7” Roark Uno, dos, tres, quatro! Get lost mind surfing a perfect desolate Baja point with a sound track courtesy of the fine men at Roark and their latest collaboration with manic on-the-run gunslingers Las Diablitas Borrachas. It also features two b-sides by the infamous Los Mysteriosos. Heavy on beautiful riff-age and some serious Spanish belting, guy and girl version. Warning – dude has very manly PIPES and woman is very beautiful! Learn more about the story of Roark and this collaboration at roarkrevival. com. They will be giving some of these bad boys away at your local shop so be sure to snag one.
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Photo: Lowe-White/Surfer
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