BL!SSS Magazine | August 2012 | #60

BLISSS_SU12_FUSE_Waist2.indd 1

7/17/12 4:56 PM

Blisss_AG_Stefan_Aug12.indd 1

S T E FA N J A N O S K I

design unlikely futures / analogclothing.com

7/2/12 2:13 PM

L O C A T I O N / C A L I F O R N I A

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

Reef_Blisss_Spread_21x13.625.indd 2-3

7/9/12 11:01 AM

August Ad-BG.indd 1

7/20/12 4:42 PM

X

quarters aws/ black-silver/ gravisskateboarding.com

Blisss_Gravis_DylanSlipAWS_Aug12.indd 1

7/2/12 2:30 PM

20 // 12

MAGDALENA WOSINSKA DROP CITY CONTRIBUTOR

for more photos visit: www.magdalenawosinska.com

// Function

COMUNE was created by people who embrace the rawness and imperfections of everyday life and use it to creatively push the boundaries in fashion through art, music, skate, and snow.

// Purpose

OUR GOAL is to provide clothing that reflects a lifestyle of carefree idealism and to support the people that choose to live it.

DROP CITY

COM_MAGDA_RIVERRUN.indd 1

P HO T O G RAP HY

// SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE

1300 FACTORY PLACE

LOS ANGELES

CA

90013

// Model Kerry Krogstad Greg Bolyard

//

WWW.THECOMUNE.COM

// INFO@THECOMUNE.COM

// THE-CHANGE.TUMBLR.COM

COPYRIGHT © 2012

7/6/12 3:52 PM

5 YEARS : 60 ISSUES // 30 RANDOMS // 38 PRODUCT REVIEW // 44 TAL COOPERMAN // 46 MICHAEL PAGE // 48 CHRISTIAN HOSOI // 50 MENDESBROS // 52 INTELLISKIN // 54 INSTAGRAM // 58 SUPER TASTE // 62 NICK ROZSA // 66 GREYSON FLETCHER // 74 2012 SWIMSUIT // 82 CRAIG ANDERSON // 92 ARTIST PROFILE // 102 CURREN CAPLES // 110 CHINA INVASION // 118 NIKE’S SIXTH AND MILL // 124 QUIKSILVER : NIGHT AT THE PARK // 126 BODY GLOVE BREAKFAST WITH BL!SSS // 128 ELECTRIC WILDERNESS // 130 HEAVY HAWAII // 134 CD REVIEWS // 136 GROM // 142

Terra Jo Bikini – Volcom volcom.com

WeA c t i v i s t VA NE S S A P R A G E R SHOT IN HE R STU DIO IN G LE NDALE CALIFOR NIA B Y G IOVANNI R E DA

FO R MO R E O N TH IS S U P E R LATIV E S PA C E wes c. com

Words: Nick Kalionzes

So check this out: the magazine you’re reading our 60th issue. That means we’ve been bringing you a fresh issue every month now for five years. It’s quite an accomplishment on our part, and at BL!SSS we’re pretty proud of the moment. It’s been an amazing ride, and we’re so grateful to be able to do what we do. Over the years we’ve been able to feature artists on our covers that we could only have dreamed of working with when we started.

We have interviewed all sorts of legends as well as the up-and-comers striving for greatness. We are so lucky and proud to live the lifestyle we feature in the magazine, and that’s what’s most important to us. Having

30

our office across the street from the beach makes it possible to take those all-so-important-to-the-soul surf breaks with the boys.

Or we can fly up the hill to skate one of the ramps at many of our advertisers’ headquarters. And if there’s snow we’re just a couple hours from it. Our network of friends in this industry is like a family, and we are so grateful for all of you who’ve had our back over the years. So many people are responsible for where we are today, and without you we would be nothing. Thank you all, and here’s to another five years.

CHRISTIAN MAALOUF brixton.com

BrixtonAd_Bliss-0812.indd 1

7/18/12 3:28 PM

ALL WE HA IS NOW W W W . E Z E K I E L U S A . C O M

AUGUST_BLISSS.indd 3

HAVE

THANKS FOR GETTING US OUT OF A RUT: JAY DIEBEL RYAN MARK IAN HUTCHISON MARTY MALANA JEROME MADLAMBAYAN REID COLLIER IANO DOVI ROBERTO’S DESERT RANCH FAMILY

7/16/12 5:11 PM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com

EDITOR

joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com

CREATIVE DIRECTO R mark paul deren madsteez@madsteez.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR spencer pirdy spencer@blisssmag.com

EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com

SKATE EDITOR

chris ortiz chris@blisssmag.com

SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com

MUSIC EDITOR max ritter max@blisssmag.com

ADVER TISING 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

AUG 2012

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.

Photo: Dominic Petruzzi Model: Terra Jo Bikini – Hurley hurley.com

Artist: Brian Dettmer

R AEN.COM

If your favorite shop isn’t receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact info@blisssmag.com

BLISSS_Thom_Dayton.indd 1

7/23/12 10:55 AM

t 5BSQBVMJO XBUFS SFTJTUBOUBODZ t $VTUPN NFHB MJOL TIPVMEFS TUSBQT t 3FJOGPSDFE TUJUDIFE CBDL QBOFMT

nixon.com

BACKPACK_COLLECTIONS_RHP_BLISS copy.indd 1

7/2/12 4:20 PM

WONDERLAND

LEVI’S + NIKE Levi’s and Nike, being the two powerhouses that they are, have joined forces to create and produce some of the best-fitting, performanceenhanced jeans we’ve ever seen. Taking Levi’s classic style and comfort and Nike’s innovative designs, the two companies created a jean with superior fit and unparalleled performance. Thus, the Nike/Levi’s 511 Skateboarding Collection was born. These jeans are tested and proven. Just ask Omar Salazar, who is featured in the new Levi’s/Nike commercial putting his jeans through the gauntlet that is rough, all-day street skating. He comes out smelling like roses, and his jeans don’t look phased one bit. So, make sure to visit levi.com and snag a pair of 511s as quickly as you can.

MANNY MANIA WINNER The Red Bull two-wheeler event went down in epic proportions this past month at Woodward East in central Pennsylvania. When all was said and done, it was newcomer Dan Corrigan who ended up atop the podium after ousting out all fellow competitors. His technical bag of tricks was not one to mess with, as he will now be representing the United States at the Manny Mania World Finals on August 18th in New York City. The world event will consist of qualifiers from 12 different countries and five continents after two-wheeling their way across countless manual pads and skateparks: This is the World Series of manual skateboarding. It’s sure to be an action-packed event with tons of giveaways and a huge crowd, so if you happen to be in the Big Apple be sure to check it out.

38

There’s a new sunglass company lining the faces of all the pretty people across the beaches of Southern California. Our dear friends Chris Friel and Mark Powell are at the helm of the Wonderland, and we’re pretty sure they just hit this one out of the park. These high-end, timeless frames make you twice as handsome as you already are. If you own a pair of these you’re guaranteed to get laid at least a few times a day. And that chick you’ve always wanted that is way out of your league is gonna throw herself at you the first time she sees you wear ‘em… for sure. Plus, we want our friends Chris and Mark to get uber rich so they will actually pick up the lunch tab for once in our lives. Seriously, Friel owes us lunch so please go buy some of their shades. You can see all the styles and keep up to date on what the boys are up to at wonderlandsun.com and @wonderlandsun on Instagram and Twitter.

JAWS

We’ve had our fair share of shark scares this summer in Southern California and we figured the best way to put those scares to rest would be by letting you face them head on. That’s right, we’re talking about the newly released Blu-ray, high definition installment of the 1975 summer classic Jaws. Everyone’s familiar with the ominous beating of the orchestral Jaws soundtrack that comes on right before a swimmer is devoured and pulled under, never to be seen again. Well, now you’ll be able to watch these scenes in ultra-vivid fashion that’ll have you feeling like you’re right there on the shores of Martha’s Vineyard. This is all thanks to the folks at Universal Studios who couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate their 100th anniversary then by re-scaring the bejesus out of the American public. So, go out and recapture one of Spielberg’s masterpieces and relive the thrill of Jaws.

RAEN SOFTGOODS Known for their stylish glasses and uber cool crew, the Raen Optics boys have just announced that they’re now entering into the apparel world. What better way to compliment your shades and grow the brand by branching out and introducing a line of soft goods to the marketplace. We’ve seen a sneak preview of some of the stuff they’re working on and man does it look sweet. It’s just a matter of time before you see every hip kid on the block rocking a Raen tee shirt or jacket. We love watching the little guys grow up and couldn’t be more stoked for whole Raen team. Speaking of which, they’ve also just added sir Thom Pringle to their stellar roster. Another trendsetter who fits the Raen bill to perfection, we’re sure this relationship will be a lifer.

HOSOI SKATEBOARDS

ULTIMATE SURF TRUCK Hot off the lot, Toyota and Oakley have just put the finishing touches to the all-new Oakley Surf Truck and she is officially in commission. This allpurpose truck is designed to cater to Oakley’s global surf team and will be taking on multiple duties from chasing hurricane swells in southern Baja to getting to and from contests. This Tacoma comes fully equipped with offroad capability, racks for boards, an extra cab for seating, an outdoor shower and storage space for a built-in grill, cooler and pretty much anything else your minds could conjure up. If this sounds amazing to you then by all means head down to your local Toyota dealership and order one of these bad boys up. For the rest of us who can’t dream quite that big, we’ll be left to watching Ronny, Seabass, Barger and the rest of the wild Oakley surf team wreak havoc on the streets of Southern California in this thing. Keep an eye out and maybe they’ll lend you a lift this summer!

Skate legend and longtime friend of the magazine, Christian Hosoi, stopped by the offices to talk about his book release and fill us in on all the new product they’ve been developing over at Hosoi Skateboards. The true family man that he is, Christian incorporated his own father’s artwork for the new line of team decks, and we think that is pretty effing awesome. They’ve also got a limited edition, guest-model Muska deck on lock for this month as well. This is a re-release of an original Hosoi model that was issued while Christian was behind bars in Hawaii. Two legends, one deck – this is gonna be hot item for all you skate collectors out there, so we suggest you preorder one from your local shop ASAP.

GNARLY ONLINE

The boys behind Gnarly have stepped it up and have given their website the facelift it so badly deserved. In the past couple of years, this crew has brought to life a brand from the floor up and have showed the world what a couple of rad snowboarders from Laguna Beach can actually do. They’ve got some of the best repping their gear, and it’s quite obvious that product actually made by snowboarders is gonna be purchased by snowboarders. The new site will keep you posted on what Keegan Valaika and the crew have been up to. Fulfill your summer doldrums with dope clips of last winter’s best sessions and keep you up to date with freshest gear that Gnarly has to offer – check it all out at GnarlyClothes.com.

STEAMSHIP SURFBOARDS

NASTY TEN I saw my bru Dooma [Damien Fahrenfort] the other evening at Quiksilver, and he was just begging me to come hang out with him at Ten Night Club in Newport. Of course I said I’d be there and never showed up. I hate clubs. I’m an adult, which means I’m way too fucking old to be caught in the dark, listening to house music, creeping on youngsters. Anyway, turns out he’s trying to line his pockets with paper and has teamed up with Moskova and Dirt Nasty for a live show at Ten on August 2nd.

You’ll probably be reading this just in time to jump in your car and jam on over to the event – Ten is located at 4647 MacArthur Blvd, right next to John Wayne Airport. The doors are opening at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are available at tenoc.com. Dirt Nasty always draws a rowdy crowd, so it’s definitely gonna be a night you won’t want to miss. We’ll see you there.

40

Our longtime friend Florian Saylor has been surrounding himself with surfboards for the better part of his life and has a deep appreciation for the freeriding aspect of surfing, where it’s all about enjoying the sea and having fun on an assortment of craft. Disdained by the conformity of boards being produced by the factories, Florian began shaping and glassing surfboards using painstaking traditional methods of laminating with pigments and tints. Under his label, Steamship Surfboards, Florian has a wide variety of ‘60s and ‘70s inspired shapes - such as mini-Simmons, bonzers, single fins, mid-lengths and classic logs. Sure, everyone nowadays seems to be delving into the shaping realm, but Florian is turning out some epic shapes, and his love for surfing is apparent in his craft. His design, creativity and eye-popping resin tints/fabric inlays stick out from the rest. We can personally vouch that Florian’s boards aren’t just for show- they really work! Florian is pretty reserved and not one to toot the Steamship horn, so we figured we’d do it for him and let you know about one of the most exciting niche shapers out there right now. For more info on how to order a Steamship Surfboard, visit steamshipsurf.com.

insight51.com/art/steve-gorrow

insight51.com/surf/jared-mell

jamaican team warren smith rangi ormond otis carey cj kanuha

WWW.INSIGHT51.COM

ION AIR PRO Working for a magazine has its perks. One of our favorites is getting the latest and greatest tech shit to test out and play around with. The boys and girls at Ion Cameras are changing the industry with their latest DIY, waterproof HD camera, the Ion Air Pro. These are the new kids on the block and they are delivering a pretty gamechanging product. The Ion Air Pro is the only action-specific camera that we’ve ever heard of that contains Wi-Fi technology. No cords or plugs to transfer your footy – just connect to your camera and capture everything you shoot wirelessly. This also allows you the option of using your iPhone, iPad or computer as your viewing screen while you shoot away. It has all the bells, whistles and accessories you could ever want and looks way better than its competitors. We’ve played around with it for over a month now and couldn’t be more satisfied. If you’re looking to capture some epic, HD footage of your next big adventure this is the camera you want.

BURN WITH INSIGHT

KERR’S GOT BUMPS Pro-Lite is releasing its newest signature Josh Kerr traction pad this month. Micro-Dot technology, bright colors, arch pad and more bumps than you can shake a stick at, these pads are functional yet very stylish.

They’ll be available in finer retailers on August 15th, so get ready to dial in your new shred stick. Kerzy’s been testing out this new Micro-Dot technology for quite some time, and anybody that’s been watching the clips he’s been releasing on the web can attest that they really work. Making the finest surf accessories for all occasions, Pro-Lite can handle all your needs, so be sure to check out all their products next time you’re in your local shop.

Insight has just released a new segment to its line of killer apparel and products called Insight Collectables. The Collectables are an eclectic collection of random knickknacks and oddities handpicked from Insight Creative Director, Steve Gorrow. First up is a set of unique candles that’ll light up and add character to any room. A must-have for everyone, you’ve got a plethora of options to choose from: eagle skulls, human hearts, bones, Molotov cocktails, handguns, doll’s torsos and our favorite FUCK. Available at finer retailers worldwide, add a little spaz to your favorite room and go get one today.

HAND PLANER We received a little office present from the Russell Surfboards factory right before we shipped this issue off to the press. Our buddy JP Roberts hand made us a little planer for our summertime body surfing sessions that have been going down daily on our lunch breaks.

Reminiscent of the original ‘70s handguns, it’s just what we needed to motivate us to get in the water and have a little fun. He has been selling a few in the Russell shop down on the peninsula and we’ve been seeing more and more people strapped in and sliding in the surf. With blackball in full effect and the beaches jam packed with tourists, it’s a great way to get out in the lineup and have a good time.

42

MICRO MINIS With all the throwback little skaters rolling around the streets these day it’s no surprise that the crew at Riviera Skateboards have just released their Micro Mini Series. With three classic shapes inspired from the decks we all started on and graphics that bring you right back into the ‘80s, these mini shredders are ready for bombing, carving, cruising, jamming, sidewalk surfing and aggressive street schralping. Matched up with Paris Street Trucks and 64mm 84a Divine City Slashers wheels and sized perfectly for your locker, sock drawer, or underneath your desk, we advise you get one and get rad today.

TH!NK TANK

LRG l-r-g.com

Comune thecomune.com

Brixton brixton.com 44

Lira liraclothing.com

Quiksilver quiksilver.com

Analog analogclothing.com

Volcom volcom.com

Fox foxhead.com

RVCA rvca.com

Ambig ambig.com

Vans vans.com

WESC wesc.com

Troy Lee Designs troyleedesigns.com

Fyasko fyasko.com

Hurley hurley.com

Ezekiel ezekielusa.com

Alpinestars alpinestars.com

astars_bliss_nc.indd 1

7/24/12 2:45 PM

Interview: Aaron Levant I’m sure by now some of you have asked yourself, “Who the fuck is that Tal guy?” Well let me try and answer that question for you. Tal is like the game Six Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon, except it’s more like One Degree of Separation with Tal Cooperman. This guy knows everyone.

I’m still not exactly sure how or why but it seems to be working for him.

You can catch the 29-year-old Israeli-born Cooperman on any given day hobnobbing it up with the Hollywood’s elite, professional athletes, rock stars, business moguls, world famous street artists and a flock of Playboy Playmates from Las Vegas to Los Angeles walking past velvet ropes to tables of comp’d bottles. Tal seems to lead quite the exciting life from the outside looking in, but don’t be fooled by the glitz and glamor or Tal’s Hollywood lifestyle. He’s not the son of a Billionaire with a trust fund or a reality TV star. Tal got this lifestyle with good, old-fashioned hard work.

Tal came to America at the age of three and lived in the San Fernando Valley with his parents until moving to Agoura Hills at the age of nine.

It was there that Tal fell in love with graffiti and skateboarding at a young age, and this was also there that we bonded over a common love of graffiti.

It was that same interest that landed Tal his first internship with Gypsys & Thieves (GAT) Clothing.

Tal started off doing small tasks like bringing in kids of the Agoura suburb to buy clothing factory direct, and then he was given more responsibility like helping out at trade shows like ASR and Magic and manning the merch booth at festivals and raves like EDC or Coachella. It was Tal that got me my first internship with GAT founder Luis Pulido Jr. And that internship later turned into the brand GRN Apple Tree and then The Agenda Trade Show.

It’s connections like this that have earned Tal the nickname of the “Dot Connector” because that’s what he does best – connect the dots between people and projects.

From that 16-year-old intern at GAT all the way to today’s entertainment marketing director at Neff Headwear, Tal has held more jobs than I can count.

He has done marketing and product placement for Tribal Gear, Freestyle, Vestal Watches, Roland Berry, REEBOK, TheSeventhLetter, The Hundreds and of course The Agenda Show… just to name a few. It was doing that marketing work where Tal formed his world famous relationships. Tal brings new meaning to the saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” because he knows everyone and

46

seems to have the hookup everywhere. So I got a hold of LA’s closest thing to The Most Interesting Man in the World to ask him a few questions about his life and set the record straight on “Who the fuck is that Tal guy?”

Why are you such an asshole? Just kidding, you don’t have to answer that one. We already know the answer.

The reason I’m an asshole is because I hang out with you almost everyday since we’ve been in 6th grade, so you could just imagine what I’m going through. It’s the same reason why you’re an asshole.

It seems like you have come a long way in the world of marketing. Did you have any formal training or schooling on the subject?

To be honest, school and I don’t really go good together. My schooling was all my close friends and watching them make their brands or their night clubs the biggest in the world. Watching Pat Tenore, who is one of my dearest friends in the world, turn RVCA into the beast that it is today.

Or seeing Angel Cabada make SUPRA the most talked about shoe brand in over a decade. Hanging with my brothers Bobby Hundreds and Ben Hundreds and seeing them make so much noise in the industry off a little blog that now gets almost 100,000 unique visitors a day! I went to the best school that people wish they could pay for.

On top of all the brand building, you also did a stretch in the nightclub business. Tell me how you got involved in that and why you are done with it for now?

My two close friends Jesse and CY Waits, owners of XS and TRYST nightclubs in Vegas, were opening a night club called DRAI’s here in Hollywood and asked me if I wanted to do marketing and be pretty much the class clown for the new club they were opening at The W. I’ve been going to nightclubs for so many years, so why not get paid for it?

DRAI’s was a major success and pretty much the first mega club in LA. I had a lot of fun for a year and also drank myself to sleep for a full year! Jesse and Cy ended up splitting with their partners and I pretty much chose to leave as well. Getting home at 4 or 5 a.m. everyday and getting up at 8 a.m. wasn’t my favorite.

Was working in nightlife helpful for your day job in marketing?

Was working in nightlife helpful? YES! Very! I met so many people in LA and in Vegas. Jesse and

Cy were always flying me on jets back and forth with them. and I got to meet the biggest names in nightlife. And as far as our industry, we pretty much had our own little playground in LA and in Vegas. When X Games came along or when or one of our big energy drink brands wanted to throw a party they would go with us because I was there!

It was friends helping friends out.

You recently started at Neff Headwear. How do you like it so far?

Honestly, I love it! Shaun Neff has been a close friend for almost 10 years. A lot of people use to talk shit about NEFF, and some people still do, but Shaun is crushing it right now and EVERYONE knows it. It’s Shaun calling a lot of the shots these days, and people are now following what he’s doing. So, for me it’s awesome ‘cause Shaun is one of the first people to believe in me and give me a real home at a brand. So in my book, NEFF is somewhere I will be for a while.

How did the project with Deadmau5 come about?

The DEADMAU5 project came through me. I am close friends with the whole DEADMAU5 camp thanks to Jesse Waits. Shaun asked me if I knew DEADMAU5 and I said yes, and he was like, “This will be your first project.” NEFF will do a collaboration with MAU5, so I called his managers and it took about five months of me flying to Vegas and going everywhere DEADMAU5 was at. And now we have a huge project called “NEFFMAU5” that is now on the floor at Zumiez and a few other places. By far the coolest project I have ever worked on.

What exciting projects do you have coming up?

Exciting projects, hmmm… Just kidding, working on something cool with my boy Ben Baller who I’m sure everyone is gonna be like, ”WTF, really?” BUT that’s what I love about Shaun, he’s always thinking out of the box. I’m also working on something with Pete Wentz for NEFF, which should be out next year at some point. A few other things as well, but I will hold off on saying anything for a bit.

At one point you started your own brand, DCMA. Do you have aspirations of ever doing your own brand again any time soon?

Yes, DCMA was fun and I learned so much from that brand. I feel like I now know how to start a brand from start to finish. And as far as my own brand, I feel like everyone asks me that almost every day. Yes, I will be doing my own brand real

soon. I have the name and have a great story behind it. Keep your eyes open, it’s coming.

It seems like you have formed these close relationships with some of the most successful people in the entrainment industry at such a young age. How did you get so close with so many influential people?

The story is really long and people will fall asleep if I talk about the whole story. But here is the shortest version ever. I’m sure everyone knows the band Linkin Park; they were the first band I ever did product placement with. I hooked them up for many years and they always introduced me to bands. So over the years, I would hook up a whole lot of bands with brands and anything I can get my hands on to meet more people. Well, at one point I became friends with Joel Madden, who is now my brother for life. He kinda took me in and introduced me to the Hollywood crowd and then I met his brother Benji, and then us three kinda went out every single night and I met so many people and became friends with so many different kinds of people! Benj and Joel is where I really met a lot of people and became friends with some important people. And then the rest I did on my own.

And the million-dollar question: What is the secret to bagging a Playboy Playmate? As you are a repeat offender in that category.

Bagging a playmate? I don’t know? I’m always at the right place and people are always, like, that girl wants to know who you are. I love Playboy and Hugh, but I’ve only been in love with one ANGEL in my life and she knows who she is. And she isn’t a playmate. I’ve had my fun and am ready to settle down.

Any closing statements?

I wanna thank a few people who have always been there for me and have always believed in me and my craziness! Shoutouts to REVOK, Casey EKLIPS Zoltan, AWR, MSK, THE SEVENTH LETTER, Pat Tenore, Angel Cabada, Shaun NEFF, Paul Gomez, Jesse Waits, Cy Waits, Holly Madison, Pasquale Rotella, THE DINGO, Angel Porrino, Sable Banoun, Steve Astephen, Carey Hart, Ryan Sheckler, Tommy Cooperman, Alison Levant, Kellen Rolland, MADSTEEZ, Benji Madden, Joel Madden, Josh Madden, Nicole Richie, Marty Kish, Bob Hurley, Ben Hundreds, Bobby Hundreds, Jon Gray, Ashley Nichols, My son Roman, and you Aaron Levant are forever my best friend in the whole world and biggest mentor... and if people only knew that shit I put you through – from Jail to me being crazy – it’s been a great ride and I thank you. I know I forgot a lot of people but I love you all.

BACKPACKS FOR EVERY SITUATION QUIKSILVER.COM

QS-002233_QuikKellyBackPack_SinglePgAd_Aug_Blisss.indd 1

7/19/12 4:24 PM

Michael Hall is a San Francisco-based painter and video artist whose work examines the struggle between control and protection. Often concerned with how these forces affect historical narratives and the contemporary reinterpretation and understanding of them, Hall’s recent work shifts the focus to a more personal perspective. The paintings and drawings depict various scenarios where a person is in close contact with a wild animal or vice versa. Often handling them as you would a pet. “This work began in an earlier (but ongoing) series, called ‘Banded,’” he said. “It started when I first encountered bird banding. I was immediately struck by the conflict in the action. It is ultimately a protective act but also intrusive and stressful for the bird. Much like the protective dynamics 48

in a relationship – the powerplays and intentions found in parental or amorous relationship. The titles of the works reflect this. Like, I Hold You Tight To Keep You Safe or We Are Held Together Despite Being Held Apart. Sometimes we hold too tight, sometimes not enough.

In the new work the dynamic is much more dangerous as people are engaging with exotic animals like tigers and lions.

The trust relationship is there but the outcome is much less certain.

“There’s a long history of giving animals anthropomorphic qualities. I’ve always been drawn to it, because it allows you a way of approaching a subject without over-explaining it. The image can become metaphorical and open. I’ve spent a lot of time observing animals.

I get transfixed by them. I always had animals like dogs, horses and birds growing up and went regularly to zoos, aquariums and animal parks. Maybe because of that, I anthropomorphize human behavior with my observed behavior of animals as well. I think there is a lot of wisdom in the animal kingdom. Sometimes we just have to reframe it.

“When developing an image I’m thinking about how much control one gives up for protection and hinting at the difficulty found in achieving a balance. The relationship between the two is complicated. It’s difficult to separate and it often becomes polarized. My focus is finding and emphasizing the personal and

empathetic within images rather than the political and polemic.”

Hall, who was awarded a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant in 2010, has held recent solo exhibitions at venues including Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Southern Exposure, and the Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco), Rental Gallery (San Francisco) and Blankspace Gallery (Oakland). His work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, at venues including Swarm Gallery, LoBot Gallery, 21 Grand (Oakland) and New Image Art Gallery (Los Angeles). Hall received his BFA from the California College of the Arts, and his MFA from Mills College. Make sure to check out more of Michael Hall’s works at michaelhallpaintings.com.

Hobie_Bliss_Partridge.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

1

7/23/12

5:18 PM

Words: Spencer Pirdy The life and times of Christian Hosoi, I mean, where does one even begin? He was born and raised on the streets of LA to a mother and father who gave him free reign very early on in life. Christian first shared puffs off of a joint with his father at the age of eight, but this was just the beginning of a life that would see Christian living well beyond his years.

Christian followed the lead of Tony Alva and Stacey Peralta, who had introduced the world to the sport of skateboarding.

During the short-lived Marina Skatepark days, Hosoi progressed well beyond his peers and soon was gaining recognition from elder skaters like Jay Adams, who were enthralled by young Christian’s graceful style. Hosoi soon took on a multitude of sponsors and almost single handedly shaped skateboarding into a trendsetting art form that included a carefree, ‘anything goes’ lifestyle.

Christian, still in his early teens, turned pro and left crowded demo’s aghast with his high-flying performances. Fans would come to adore Hosoi and his lifestyle, surging the teen into instant rockstar status. Skateboarding was booming in the early ‘80s and Christian Hosoi Photo: MADSTEEZ 50

was the phenom that every young kid, or old man for that matter, wanted to be, with all the money, girls and talent imaginable.

There was one man that stood in Christian’s way of maintaining total dominance in the skateboard world, and that man was none other than Tony Hawk. Where Christian was fluid and unpredictable – smoking joints underneath the scaffoldings before his heats – Tony was calculated and precise, an almost picture-perfect poster child for skateboarding. While the media tried to play up Christian and Tony’s rivalry and hatred toward one another, there are stories of the two getting along just fine, sharing hotel rooms and having deep admiration for one another. The two continued to push the sport’s boundaries during demos and contests. Meanwhile, Christian pushed his own partying and nightlife boundaries to its breaking point. He was heavily involved in the club scene, and by just age 17 he was in with all of the bouncers and club owners throughout Hollywood. He never waited in line and would casually mingle and

run around town with well-known movie stars and musicians, many firsthand accounts and vivid stories are depicted in the book. Soon, the weed, ‘shrooms and ecstasy Christian was using weren’t filling his void and he turned to harder drugs and faster women.

Christian was taught to be quite business savvy by his mother, and he used this to his advantage by starting his own companies and inking deals that would greatly compensate him for his troubles.

Money, money and more money began pouring in from endorsements. It was estimated that at one point in the peak of his skating career in the early ‘80s Christian was making $30,000 a month, quite a lot for a 17-year-old high school drop out. Christian was a giver and spread his riches between his family and friends equally, never asking for anything else in return. As soon as skateboarding began to hit a recession in the late ‘80s, Christian’s love for harder drugs like meth began to spike. Christian fell into a black hole of despair, skipped out on a lot of his responsibilities and eventually began

running from the law. It all culminated with Hosoi being arrested for trafficking drugs in Honolulu International Airport in January of 2000. This was where the party stopped for Christian Hosoi. No one was there to rescue him and he was forced to face the music. What happens next you, might ask? Find out yourself.

The timeless life of Christian Hosoi is now bundled into the pages of his new book HOSOI: My Life as a Skateboarder Junkie Inmate Pastor, so take advantage and enjoy!

Christian’s life was that of an unimaginable fairy tale that only a sinister badass like himself could live to tell. He teamed up with writer Chris Ahrens to produce HOSOI: My Life As a Skateboarder Junkie Inmate Pastor. All of the stories, firsthand accounts, pictures and words are 100% derived from the life of Christian Hosoi, and they sure as hell are as entertaining as anyone could hope to encounter. The book itself will leave you glued to its pages from front to back, so head to your nearest Barnes & Noble or log onto amazon.com and add a copy to your library.

Words: Makua Rothman

If Apple had a jiu-jitsu academy it would be called Mendesbros “Art of Jiu-Jitsu,” or simply AOJ. I was honored that they asked me to perform some songs for their grand opening on July 1st, 2012. Their establishment is an experience of its own, from the white-on-white aesthetic to the visual history of jiu-jitsu on the wall, to the framed belt and awards, to the art work by skater Alex Olson. The place embodies its name.

52

Long story short, the world’s best jiu-jitsu practitioners Rafa and Gui Mendes moved to Orange County, CA, to be near long-time sponsor RVCA and mentor PM Tenore (Sensei PM). Rafa and Gui go collectively by the name Mendes Bros, and for the last three straight years they have won the gold medal in the World Championships of Jiu-Jitsu (making it six gold medals total) at the young ages of 22 and 24. I have had the pleasure of training

with them in Hawaii and California, and not to say I am an expert but I know enough to say they are the best jiu-jitsu practitioners living.

Their kid’s program is secondto-none. Not only do they teach discipline but also anti-bully classes as well! The day was amazing and the grand opening was a success, with plenty of food provided by Thos Carson and his spot Bear Flag Fish Co. and the Sambazon crew had the Acai flowing. It was good to see

legends like my friend BJ Penn show support, as well as fellow surfer jiujitsu aces like Joel Tudor and his son Tosh. What a great day. OC is so lucky to have the best in their backyard. Aloha, now go train.

Mendesbros AOJ “Art of Jiu Jitsu” 411 E. 17th street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 mendesbros.com

Killer Shark Tide 150 beaches worldwide Sunrise + sunset times 100 meters H20 resistant sharkbrand.com

OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER

Curren

Tim Brown & Kai Garcia

Granger

Fred Patacchia

Roy Powers

Machado

Coco Ho

Beschen

TIM BROWN’S INTELLISKIN – A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT :: Words: Spencer Pirdy

54

We’ve all heard pessimistic voices of impending doom, “Once you turn 30 it hits you man,” or “Yeah, well wait ‘til you have kids and then you’ll see,” and even, “Ever since I started this rigorous 9-5 job I’ve just kind of let myself go.”

These voices are discouraging to us as we are of the action sports mold. No one tells us to stop or to even slow down.

But then one day you find yourself spitting out your own version of one of these phrases. I am as guilty as anyone.

The spare tire you thought you’d never see starts to form, or maybe you tear a ligament. But the cold, hard fact is that these are just excuses for adopting a lackadaisical lifestyle. While in some cases there is no way of navigating illness, injury or other ailing factors, the majority of the time there’s something you can do for yourself to help you live a longer life of high quality.

jetty with a board under his arm. Yes, he rips. He played football and volleyball all throughout his youth. Brown played all four years on a college football scholarship and he eventually went on to play professional volleyball in the mid ‘80s and ‘90s when the AVP gave birth.

Little known to everyone else at the time was that Brown was educating himself on the intricacies of sports medicine.

He surrounded himself with all of the best athletes, doctors and trainers and soon became the medical director of the AVP. As if this wasn’t enough of a task, he also became the doctor of choice by many of the ASP’s top surfers and is presently Co-Medical Director of the ASP for the Northern Hemisphere. All through his career Brown continued to accumulate valuable in-depth research that has helped him create what we are seeing today, IntelliSkin.

One man who has always lived a life of the highest quality is Dr. Tim Brown, the creator of IntelliSkin. You take one look at Tim and you can sense why he is highly regarded in the sports medicine world. The words “fitness” and “health” come to mind. Tim grew up in Newport Beach, and on any given day can be seen skipping across the 56th Street

Here we are in present times, and as I walk into Tim’s office he immediately chucks me a shirt. “Here you go,” he says. Although I’ve heard of the product’s wonders, I remain skeptical.

I’m just not quite sure how a shirt could help me out that much. Then, I start to take the thing out of its packaging and my hands feel the material of the shirt.

This isn’t any ordinary shirt. It feels like I should have a clearance code just to be holding it. Tim starts explaining to me the way in which most people sit or stand improperly can be very detrimental to their livelihood. Tim’s knowledge of the human body is vast. “My goal is to mimic anatomy,” he says. As I throw the shirt over my head I begin to see what he means. Immediately my shoulders are eased backwards, my chest is upright and open and my core feels strong. I start to feel quite amazing and grin.

My alignment is feeling intact and my comfort level is still high. This thing is real. I’m starting to become a believer.

I start to hear of some interesting IntelliSkin news. News that numerous US Olympic athletes heading to London are sporting the shirts and that a certain high-profile world champion cyclist will not get on a plane without his IntelliSkin shirt.

Brown’s philosophy is sweet and simple: what you eat, think and do is who you are. And how you move is what you become. IntelliSkin goes hand and hand with this philosophy, as it targets thousands of nerves and fibers that create neuromuscular responses that are beneficial to your alignment.

Basically, IntelliSkin allows you to have better posture than ever before, which in turn creates improved movement and the highest quality of life your body could ask for. As I leave with my newly acquired IntelliSkin shirt, I’m excited to begin realigning my future.

Here’s the greatest part of Tim’s amazing product and the part that appeals to me the most: you can wear it at that 9-5 job of yours all day if you want, you can wear it on your morning jog and you can even throw it on under your wetsuit. The IntelliSkin shirt is designed for you to wear whenever and wherever you want.

And just because professional athletes and IntelliSkin ambassador’s like Kelly Slater, Freddy P, Lisa Anderson and Kai Otton are wearing them doesn’t mean that us average folks can’t benefit just as much, if not more, from wearing it too. IntelliSkin performance apparel is made for the gamut – stay-at-home moms, desk jockeys, on-the-go types and more. IntelliSkin is the fruit dangling in front of your eyes. So, do yourself a favor and grab it before it’s too late and you’re paying for it by way of bad posture and/or injury later on in life. Improve your posture and your quality of life by investing in an IntelliSkin shirt of your choice and start living without excuses.

For more info, visit www.intelliskin.net.

JARED MELL WEARS THE MIDTOWN

SPY-ADS-SURF-BLISSS-1012-JARED-MELL.indd 2

D I S O R D E R L Y

C O N D U C T O R

spyoptic.com/crosstown

7/18/12 2:47 PM

Follow us @blisssmag

Photography: Dominic Petruzzi :: dominicpetruzziphoto.com :: Model: Natalie Pack :: LA Models

Whoever said that all models are dumb must have never met Natalie Pack. As a pre-med Dean’s honor student from UCI, majoring in biological sciences and currently interning at Hoag Hospital, it’s safe to say Natalie is a heck of a lot brighter than the boys that run this magazine. She recently earned the title of Miss California USA, which is quite a feat considering it was the largest event the Miss Universe Organization has ever held (with over 300 contestants), and we are more than pleased to have her grace the pages of this issue of BL!SSS. Good looks and the brains to match, this is the kind of girl we’d all like to know. So next time you end up in the ER and they’re pumping you full of drugs, take a moment to snap out of your daze and realize that the dreamy babe mending you back to health isn’t a hallucination of the mind, it’s August’s Supertaste.

62

66

Interview: Spencer Pirdy :: Photo: Chris Straley (unless noted*) Nick Rozsa sports a tattoo in the middle of his right forearm. Sure, plenty of today’s youth are getting tattoos like they’re going out of style, but there’s sometimes little to no meaning behind the ink. Nick’s is different, however, as his reads, “He made it out alive, and for that I am grateful – Grandpa Fran.” Grandpa Fran fought in the Korean War and was one of the last POWS taken into capture before the war ended.

His whole platoon was murdered in front of his eyes, and Grandpa Fran saw escape as his only option to surviving. After battling for his life, being shot seven times in the back and being blown away by a grenade, Fran remembers seeing the light of inevitable death heading his way. If he had died that day in Korea, there would be no Nick Rozsa. Fortunately, Grandpa Fran lived to tell the story and is basically the reason Nick Rozsa walks the earth today.

I’d say that’s worthy of some ink.

Nick told us this epic tale along with a few others that have come to be a part of his roller coaster ride of a pro surfing career.

From having a baby boy and losing his job to getting barreled in Tahiti and being given a second chance at a surfing career, Nick has seen a lot in his life, but not nearly as much as Grandpa Fran.

Did you first learn to surf in Ventura?

No, actually my parents and I moved to Maui when I was like 5 and we lived there for a little while. I went to school there and I think I was in the same class as Dusty Payne. I only lived there for about a year.

Tell us about growing up surfing in Ventura? Who were some of the guys you watched?

I moved down to Silver Strand when I was 11 from Newbury Park. I remember when I found out I was moving down I was freaking out. The craziest part was that when we moved down there we moved right next door to Timmy Curran and Dan Malloy when he used to live with them. I always looked up to Timmy and I remember walking out the first day at Strand to surf and I saw all of them and I freaked out. I was just surfing as much as I could while being homeschooled and competing in NSSAs. At what age did you realize surfing could turn into a possible career path?

When I was 15 I started to win a couple of NSSA contests, and before that I won a Volcom contest and made some money.

I just remember telling my mom, “I really want to get into this, I really want to do

Photo: Houston

this all of the time.” Each year I got a little better and then I won two divisions at Westerns. Then, the O’Neill rep in the area kind of hooked me up with some stickers and a wetsuit and I was so stoked.

The following year I did super well and Garth and Micah came up to me from O’Neill and they were like, “Whoa, hey, who are you?” That was kind of how it all started.

Do you feel surfing a combination of throaty beach breaks and lined-up points has benefited your surfing?

It definitely gets really good there in the winter. I remember when I first moved down there I was terrified of waves that were head high or bigger. Growing up there though, a lot of the guys pushed me to improve my surfing and go on bigger waves. As far as the point breaks go though, I don’t feel like I surf very well at points. I was just used to doing one or two maneuvers at Strands. I feel like my backside has always been better than my frontside because of the punchy lefts at Strands. It really did help a lot surfing such amazing waves. I remember surfing days when it was like 6-8 foot backs out there, crazy Puerto-style barrels with no one out.

You were recently in Tahiti and scored what looked like some picturesque Teahupoo barrels. What was that trip like?

I was there with the Coffin brothers, Beau Foster and Luke Davis.

And Zack Noyle was shooting water along with Shea. We stayed with Raimana. We were all freaking out because they were saying it was supposed to be big. It just never came though. I was kind of let down because I wanted to get some big waves, but it was still a really good introduction to Teahupoo.

Along those lines of scoring big waves, how do you categorize yourself in a surf world that has labeled many guys as either contest, free-surf, air or big wave guys?

With big waves, my Grandma has a house in Ensenada right by Todos and I’ve been going there since I was a little kid. I sometimes get lazy with the whole big-wave thing. I’m not some psychopath, big-wave charger, but I’d like to give it a go. I’m not competing anymore because I was just so burnt out on the contest scene. I had some things that happened to me in the past with people that were doing it, and now I’m just over it. I don’t like going out and trying to compete. I just get really annoyed. To me, it’s just, like, not surfing.

As far as categorizing myself right now, I’m just a free surfer. I’m not a big-wave charger, but I’d like to get my foot in the door. I just got a new 9’6” from Proctor so I’d love to try it out. Now that I have my baby, though, I’m always thinking twice about things like that.

Photo: Houston

“I DON’T LIKE GOING OUT AND TRYING TO COMPETE. I JUST GET REALLY ANNOYED. TO ME, IT’S JUST, LIKE, NOT SURFING.”

Photo: Houston Photo: Houston

How has fatherhood been treating you?

Yeah, well I remember when I first found out it was a boy I was so stoked. I was freaking out that it was going to be a girl. It’s a pretty big life changer. I went from being a kid and partying to having a kid and watching out for someone.

It’s not all about me anymore.

It was a good reality check and helped me buckle down, ya know. I mean… now I’m a dad. It brought a lot of happiness back into my life. Before I found out I was having a kid I was just over everything. Then I found out I was having a kid and I got really motivated, and when he came out it was just the craziest thing. They look so weird because they look like an alien at first, but then they become beautiful. I went through all of these great emotions and I couldn’t be happier.

With Salty Beards (saltybeards. com) it seems like you’re going in a little different direction from other blogs, almost the charitable route. What are some of your goals with Salty Beards?

Basically, Chris Papaleo and I sat down and discussed how we could separate ourselves from other blogs and we came up with the idea for Salty Beards because we were both rocking beards at the time. We thought it was catchy and ran with it. Originally, we were thinking of it as a brand because everyone out there has a blog. We thought including homeless people and taking them surfing would be cool, because earlier that day I had met some homeless guys around Ventura and given them some cash for food and clothes.

Then we started putting out some videos and it became more of a blog, which I didn’t really want

Photo: Houston

it to turn into. Now our site is redone and our store, journal and the basis of being around the homeless community is there. We’re not going to be able to take a guy surfing every time, but we will try. And then with our shirts that we’ve made we’re going to be donating 10% of the sales from every shirt into charities, homeless shelters or food banks. We’re trying to clothe and feed the homeless. It’s practical stuff that everyone can enjoy. We just want to help however we can. A lot of them have pretty amazing stories.

Before the recession hit, you were a young adult pro surfer with a prosperous career. Did that kind of suck you into the partying lifestyle where you became a little overwhelmed?

Yeah, once I stopped competing and stuff I met a few people that kind of influenced me a lot. I hadn’t been partying at all up until I was around 19, but then I started smoking weed

and drinking. The whole thing unfolded then. Being a single surfer with money in my pocket made it easy. Most kids that are that age are pretty much doing the same thing, but I kind of just took it to the next level. I went to Bali for three months and ended up surfing like only twice. I was staying with a couple guys that were wild. I don’t put the blame on anyone else. I made all of the decisions myself. I had a really good time doing it all and I met a lot of people through it, but I kind of lost the plot. I started losing things like sponsors. Health-wise I was like pretty much dying. I woke up in a Bali hospital one day with IV’s in my arms. I was just doing a lot of stupid stuff – a lot of drugs and I went on a wild frenzy. I’m kind of glad it happened though, and now it’s out of my system. I’m a dad now and have another chance with the surfing thing.

Then the recession hit. What was going through your mind in the initial days when you were left

sponsorless? Did you have to find another job?

Yeah, that was when I was at rock bottom. I had to work with my dad doing plumbing. I wasn’t making any money and it was just the worst thing ever. The only cool thing I was doing was coaching surfing. That kind of got me motivated a lot. Literally, two weeks after I got dropped I found out my girlfriend was pregnant and I was like, “Oh my god.” I had just lost my job as a surfer, I had no education and I couldn’t go to college because I didn’t have money to pay for it. I thought I was screwed. I started surfing again and coaching the groms. They motivated me and made me have fun.

Also, Todd Proctor had a lot of faith in me and I owe a lot of gratitude to Todd as well as Chris Papeleo. I put out a few videos and Kelly re-tweeted our site’s video and made a really nice comment about my surfing, and it just kind of got the ball rolling again.

Now, things have worked out and Reef has picked you back up. How are things going?

I’m super pumped that Reef has given me a second chance and I’m just trying to make stuff happen. I couldn’t be happier being back in the surf industry and doing what I love to do.

Right now, the boys at Reef are saying your schedule is pretty flexible and open for whatever comes your way. What are you envisioning in the near future?

I really just want to keep doing the videos and hanging out with my filmer and business partner Chris. A few trips here and there as well as being a good family man is what I’m all about.

Any last shout outs?

Super stoked on the support I’ve gotten from Reef, Penny Skateboards, FCS, Gorilla Grip and Proctor Surfboards.

Thanks for everything!

Photo: Bryce Kanights

74

Interview: Ford Archbold Greyson Fletcher is one of a kind. With high-octane Fletcher blood pumping through his veins, Greyson has carved out a future for himself as one of the most stylish transitional skaters in the today’s scene. He draws innovative lines and boosts with stylish confidence that can’t be taught. It just so happens that Greyson is friends with our good pal and everyone’s favorite free-surfer Ford Archbold. Ford’s been sidelined with a broken ankle and was looking for something to occupy his time, so we had him interview Greyson one windy July afternoon. As you probably know, the two have fathers who paved the way for surf progression and now they’re doing the same in their own respectful categories. So, listen in as Greyson and Ford discuss the finer aspects of life such as European vacations, injuries, alcohol, death metal and much, much more.

What’s up, dude?

How’s it goin’, Ford?

What are you doin’?

Nothing, just at Timmy Patterson’s right now watching him shape my dad’s board.

Wanna get this interview thing started?

Yeah, I think it started right now.

How’s life, dude? What have you been up to?

It’s been good. I just got back from Europe with Flip. I got back on Saturday and we did a couple demo’s over there. It was pretty fun. We went to a bunch of skate parks over there. We went to Germany and London.

Who were you with?

I was with Luan Oliveira, Tom Penny, Curren Caples, Louie Lopez…

Ben Nordberg met up with us and then Ian Decon was on the trip with us watching out for everybody and handling shit.

Then Rune Gilfberg and Lance Mountain met up with us too.

How was it skating with all of those guys? Were they pushing you and stuff?

Yeah, it was a really good group. You had your tranny guys and then your street guys. They’d skate the street spots and then come skate the tranny spots with us and we’d always push each other, which was pretty rad.

You had the street guys doing technical stuff on the ramps – like fuckin’ weird, crazy shit (laughs).

Weird, crazy shit? What about surfing – do you surf anymore?

Yeah, I’ve been surfing a bunch lately the last two years since I moved in with my Grandma and Grandpa in San Clemente. I’ve been surfing everyday.

Photo: Bryce Kanights

No Comply Tail : Photo: Arto

With your dad and stuff?

Yeah. What about you? Have you been surfing lately?

Have I? No, I have a broken ankle.

Oh, really?

Yeah I’ve had a broken ankle for like two months.

Oh, fuck. How’d you break it?

I was surfing in Puerto Vallarta.

That suck’s you broke your ankle. Your back or your front foot?

F.S Feeble : Photo: Ortiz

Back foot. Shitty. Back to your interview, so I heard you’re working at Astrodeck with your family. Is that cool?

Yeah, it’s definitely minor because I can go to work and then we can take off days early to go surf and then finish shipping out the order the next

day. It’s shipping and receiving in the warehouse.

Is that hard work?

Uh… no (laughs). I just handle orders and package boxes with sandals and surf pads for everybody so it’s pretty easy. And we can take time off to go on trips and stuff. Like if my dad and I are both gone then someone else will ship it to the people.

Do you have any trips coming up or anything planned?

Yeah, I’m going on the Analog and Gravis trip. I think it’s called the Apex Tour. It starts tomorrow and we drive up to Santa Barbara tomorrow and we end up skating all the way up to Seattle and we fly home after that.

It’s from tomorrow ‘til August 1st. It’s going to be pretty fun.

That’s sick. When did you get on

F.S Air : Photo: Arto

Analog?

Like three months ago I think.

How are they treating you? Pretty good?

Yeah, I’m stoked on them and their clothes. Their pants are really good to skate in, they don’t rip or anything. And yeah, we’re going to go on a trip soon so…

Damn, sounds like a good start.

Yep (laughs). It sounds like a great start. I thought so too.

So, let’s get onto some other subjects.

What’s your major influence in life right now?

John Cardiel pretty much was a major influence. He’s a pro skater and he’s super gnarly. He broke his back a while ago. They told him he wasn’t going to be able to walk again, but now he can push around a skateboard and roll around

and ride his bike a bunch. It just shows you how much you can do even if your doctor tells you, “You can’t do this” or “You can’t do that.” Like he probably told you that you couldn’t surf with a broken foot before a certain time but you end up being able to way before that.

You been partying and going out to bars and shit?

No, I’ve just been laying low and going skating a bunch.

What about music and stuff? What have you been listening to?

I’ve been listening to a lot of death metal from the early ‘80s to the early ‘90s. Insight and Merciless and Cancer are my favorite bands right now.

Yeah, I’m partying though… Are you allergic to alcohol though?

Yeah, I’m allergic to alcohol. My grandpa, my dad, my uncle and me, we’re all allergic.

Cool. You go to a lot of shows and shit or no?

No, I don’t ever go to any shows. I don’t really like music that comes from this era.

Yeah, me neither. You’re 21 now, right?

Yeah.

Good to hear.

You’re 21 now too, huh?

Oh really?

Yeah, I heard it’s because the enzymes don’t break up the alcohol and it just goes straight to our blood stream supposedly. So, I don’t know.

So you just get super fucked up basically?

I guess so. We just turn super bright red and get fat red splotches everywhere,

get asthma, can’t really hear that good and get a stuffed up nose. Basically, you just feel really sick.

Oh, that sounds so fun.

Yeah, it sounds like a lot of fun (laughs).

I think it’s because we’re Native American.

What are your major goals right now in skating and in life?

I just want to skate as good as I can and get better at contests. Get a better head at contests. I’ve been working on that a lot lately because I get super nervous at contests.

Are you getting into the contest deal?

I’ve been doing contests lately. They’re pretty fun. Like if you think about it you get to skate with a bunch of good friends that you never really get to see.

And pretty much everybody you know

F.S Ollie : Photo: Arto

Crail : Photo: Arto

that skates is there and you get to hang out with your friends and that doesn’t really happen without a contest pretty much – everybody in one spot skating together.

Yeah, it’s more of a laid-back vibe?

Yeah, if you can make it that way it can be.

So, where do you skate to practice?

I just skate at San Clemente Skatepark pretty much everyday because that’s right where I live. I just go there after surfing usually or before surfing. And then sometimes I skate the Van’s skate park in Orange County. They have the Combi bowl there and that’s one of the best bowls in the world.

hang out and skate the snake run 24-7.

From what I see you have a pretty unique skate style, in a good way. Is that from your influence from your family’s surfing?

Yeah, it’s probably from my family’s surfing because I used to always watch the Wave Warrior movies and the Astrodeck movies that my grandpa made. Then also my uncle showed me John Cardiel when I was younger. I used to always watch him and he’s my favorite skater, so that too.

So, would you say you have a surf influence?

Um, I don’t know a lot of people say I have a surf influence in my skating but I have no idea.

Where’s you favorite place to skate overall in the world?

I think my favorite place to skate is in Oregon at Lincoln City Skatepark. It has basically like three different skateparks in one.

It’s got the main skatepark that was built a while ago. I forget when they built it, like early 2000 maybe. They built that and then there’s like a grass hill that went down next to the skate park and you walk down the grass hill and there’s a little bowl that’s down there. That’s pretty sick and then they built a snake run going from the top of the original skate park and it’s pretty steep so you get going really fast and end up hitting a 14-foot vert half bowl at the bottom of it. And then there’s also another snake run after that one. So, you’ve got like a bunch of stuff to do there.

Any other trips planned?

After the Analog trip I’m going to go do the Coastal Carnage at the US Open and then after that I’m going to skate another contest.

That’s really complicated for me.

Yeah, you can pretty much just

Alright, cool I’ll call you. Any last words?

Bye.

Photo: Bryce Kanights

So you have the whole month planned?

Yeah, pretty much.

When are we going surfing next?

Fuck, let’s do this. Whenever.

Where do you surf?

At Salt Creek a bunch down by Gravels.

Oh really? Maybe when my ankle gets better I’ll come belly board with you.

That sounds sick.

Photo: Bryce Kanights

BLISSS_Lana.indd 1

7/23/12 3:59 PM

82

Keleigh Bikini – Volcom volcom.com

Amelia Bikini – Oakley oakley.com

Terra Jo One-piece – Fox foxhead.com/swim

Keleigh Bikini - Insight insight51.com

Terra Jo Top – Roxy roxy.com Bottom – Nike nike.com

Amelia Bikini – Lira liraclothing.com

Terra Jo Bikini – Insight insight51.com

Keliegh Bikini – Hurley hurley.com

BLISS_AD.indd 1

PHOTO: MICHAEL STERLING EATON

6/8/12 10:24 AM

PHOTO: MICHAEL STERLING EATON

92

Interview: Brian Holcombe Brian Dettmer explores the physical history of information. As technology evolves, how we package, share and preserve information shifts. Dettmer’s medium is the artifact left behind. Since 2003, Dettmer has worked primarily with books – forming, shaping and cutting. He repurposes the book’s information to create a visual snapshot of its history. I recently spoke with Dettmer in his Atlanta studio, surrounded by works in progress for his upcoming solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia.

You make sculptures by altering books. Writers have referred to you as the “book surgeon.” Is that title an accurate description to your process?

I think the term “book surgeon” is metaphorically limited but it’s also just inaccurate to describe my process and the shift an actual book goes through in my work. I am investigating, critiquing and literally dissecting or excavating the book as I carve through; but the idea of surgery, the idea that I am making a calculated incision to fix a specific interior problem, isn’t an accurate analogy for what is happening.

What are the factors behind the selection of books you work with?

The first thing I look at is the overall feeling of the book, its specific history and the evidence of its previous life.

I make sure the images, structure of the book and even the paper type will work for my process.

More importantly, I want to use material that was vital and relevant in its time but is no longer as functional in our current ecosystem of information. Most of the books I use are non-fiction. They are the first to go since information needs to be constantly updated and the structure of the internet is more apt to go directly to an idea and make multiple connections from there. I also want the content of the book, or the form it takes, to become a metaphor for its current position in our culture and for my process of intervention.

102

Do you consider the element of chance in discovering your source material?

Chance plays a large role in my work. I seal the edges of the book and don’t plan before I begin to carve so it becomes an honest collaboration between me and the existing material. The finished work is a document of the discovery rather than a contrived composition. I carve into the surface and remove one layer at a time and I don’t move or add anything to the existing work. I can’t control what will emerge on the next layer, only the way I react to it so there is a high level of chance in the results. This makes it exciting for me while I work; it’s like reading, but I think it also brings the content back to a truer, more experiential form. We experience random images or chance events in our lives every day. The plot, or narrative, is a construct we apply after the fact in order to understand or explain a series of events. I believe in cause and effect, but the level of chance in our lives is understated by our desire to tell stories.

Does the structure of written language influence your work?

Yes, in many ways. The form of the book and its sequential pages are the perfect form for a long, linear narrative. It is a literary structure built for a steady duration; space and time are parallel. When we need to organize a series of connecting ideas, a list of unique definitions, or an evolving cloud of concepts, linear narratives become restraining and the form of the book begins to fall apart. I try to address this in my work. I’m also interested in the fluidity of language; the way an isolated word or idea can function like an image and the way language in a specific genre, say medicine or mechanics, can take on new meaning when it’s exposed in a new context.

In what ways does the content of the book determine the aesthetic of the finished work?

Since the imagery in my work is directly from the actual book there is a direct connection between the content of the book and the aesthetic of the finished piece. Form and content are far removed between a book and its meaning, but by having the book’s content direct the interior form my work takes I like to think that my work brings from and content back together. A geometry book, with structural forms and organized lines of equations, will become a very structured and graphic piece; whereas a book on natural history, filled with softer colors and natural forms, will evolve into a work with more fluidity and organic clusters.

Do you think of your sculptures as narrative?

There is a narrative: the story I am telling right now, the presumed activity behind the creation of the work, and the story of the book’s history and its role in our current information ecosystem. In this sense, any art can be considered narrative. The content in my work has been broken from the narrative so it now floats and fluctuates between narration and a more tactile or visual experience of textures and ideas. It could be considered postnarrative (literally) or pre-narrative since we all have the tendency to make connections and construct meaning from a series or cluster of chance events or images.

Did you always work with books?

I have been working with books since about 2001. Before I began to work with books I was working on a series of paintings involving codes and language so my work has always involved ideas of text, connections and disconnections between art and communication.

Who influenced your work to consider found objects as sculptural material?

Ever since Duchamp, I think the idea of a found object as a sculptural material has been a given. Rauschenberg was also a big influence on the way I view art making. When I began to work with books I was familiar with the work of Buzz Spector and Melissa Jay-Craig, both are artists from Chicago that work with the book in different ways. So, I was familiar with the book as something that could be approached as an art material and subject. I also love the early work of Tom Friedman. Seeing his work really illustrated how an object’s existing function or history can take on new meaning though a simple alteration or intervention.

New viewers of your sculptures have often assumed the pieces are constructed collages, and they are surprised to discover your process is reductive. Is creating this surprise a conscious element in the work?

I’m not as concerned with the element of surprise as I am with the metaphors

my process creates surrounding reading, learning and memory. Because of this, I am very open about my process and I want the viewer to understand how the piece was developed to a degree. The work takes on more meaning when a viewer understands how it came about.

I do want the work to work on many levels and I want to draw a viewer in because they don’t understand and want to learn more.

Do you have anything against collage?

I don’t. I think collage is the most relevant art process of our time. Most art is derived from a collection of previous work, either literally or conceptually, and now that cutting and pasting are a given in the digital realm it seems to be the primary means of production for a lot of interesting work happening today. My work could be called Décollage. This is a term that has been credited to Mimmo Rotella, an Italian artist known for his ripped, layered posters in the 1950s.

Instead of being built up of existing images, it is created by cutting or tearing away. The result of décollage is really collage the way anti-art is really art.

Is your creativity limited by working under the constraints of using only the material of the book?

I don’t think so. A lot of people assume it would be limited and ask me what is next, but I think there are an infinite number of ways the book can be

approached and explored. I have been working on a large print that is about language and the content is from a book, but it isn’t made of the physical material of a book. I think the material and its subject are unlimited and very relevant given the recent shifts in the way we receive information.

After visiting your studio, I realized that the larger sculptures involve a considerable amount of engineering to assemble before you make your first cut. Is there a limit to the scale of the sculpture?

How does architecture play into the work?

Every time I think of a new form I want a set or series of books to take I have a new set of physical restraints and structural issues I need to resolve in order to make the piece work. Since I am doing something that has never been done before, there is no model to follow.

I am constantly experimenting and inventing ways for the work to physically work. It can be exciting and frustrating. I want to push the form as far as possible while still keeping the material identifiable as a book. It is important for scale, but also for the ability to push the metaphors within the forms the books take. There is a lot of architecture that goes into the formation of my work but also within any book itself, the structural design, graphic design and the way the information is organized within a book. These all become the architecture I try to expose from within.

What is the significance of the totem structure?

I have recently been working on a series of tall, totemic structures. I want the books to take on a form that suggests a cultural tower, an icon or tribute. I also like the idea that the books are being presented like an artifact in a natural history museum; as something that had a function in a different culture or period in time but is now revered or appreciated for its history, the story behind it and its rich textures, aesthetic properties and cultural significance.

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on a series of small alterations (you could even call them collages) from book pages of U.S. state flags. I like the idea of doing the minimum intervention to get the maximum message. Each page will be cut and folded to become something new. There will be visible clues and ties to the original print. They will be small prototypes for sculptures that would be illegal if I did them with real flags. It’s about the freedom of speech issues that come from dissent and the odd idiosyncrasies that come from state laws and local cultures.

To see more of Brian Dettmer, go to briandettmer. com. Brian Holcombe is the Founder and Director of SALTWORKS, a contemporary art gallery specializing in content-driven work from emerging to mid-career interdisciplinary artists that is located in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit www.saltworksgallery.com

Interview: Spencer Pirdy Curren Caples has taken the skate world by storm in the past few years with his creative, stylish lines and solid contest results. When he first emerged on the scene nearly eight years ago, he showed the world that his age didn’t prevent him from possessing style and talent that was way beyond his years.

His tranny work is as flawless and anyone’s, and his blonde hair and good looks have girls swooning across the globe. He lives in Ventura, CA, has a private skatepark in his warehouse, and he is well known for the notorious antics and pranks he pulls on fellow skaters. For those of you who don’t know, he’s become quite the accomplished surfer as well. At only 16 years of age with major sponsors Hurley, Vans, Flip, Indy, Bones, Momentum and more (and with big time management representation), he’s got quite the career path laid out in front of him.

Luckily for us, he took a few minutes out of busy schedule for an impromptu interview.

So sit back, relax and dive into the life of Sir Curren Caples.

Tell us what’s been going on lately in the life of Curren Caples?

I just got back from Berlin and London. We were on this Flip trip.

Who taught you to skate and surf?

Well, my dad got me into surfing. He really wanted me to be a surfer, but I started skating when I was 4 and no one really thought I’d be into it. I kind of got myself into skating, but yeah, basically my dad was the one who got me into surfing.

Where are your favorite spots to surf and skate around home?

My favorite spot to skate is Arto Saari’s pool in his backyard. It’s just like the best man-made pool

F.S Heel Flip : Photo: Anthony Acosta 110

ever. I have a lot of fun there. My favorite place to surf would probably be C Street right next to my house. It’s not that good but it breaks basically every day. It can get really fun, though… wedgey.

You’re 16 now, have you been driving?

Yeah… I have my permit and I can get my license next week, but I’m bummed because I’m leaving for Copenhagen next week so I have to get it when I come back. I still have to do those driving course things too.

Are you ready for the driving world?

Yeah, I’m not too sketchy. I’ve driven pretty far so far. I drove from Woodward all the way back to my house. It’s funny, just like a month ago my mom and dad and me were all out at dinner for my cousin’s graduation and they all had drinks so I had to drive them home. Pretty funny.

Who inspires you in both the skate and surf worlds?

In skating, for me, Grant Taylor kind of inspires me because I want to be like the crossover skate, like street/tranny kind of guy. That’s who Grant Taylor is and I want to be like that one day. That’s who inspires me in skating. Surfing it would probably be Dane. I saw him today pulling up right as I was leaving. He was already in his wetsuit ready to go.

You’ve been doing some pretty big stuff for a 16-year-old. Have you had others pushing you a lot or has it all been coming naturally?

You just kind of say to yourself, “I have to do this.”

That’s what I say. Like I need to do something gnarly right now. What makes me do gnarly stuff is basically pressure. Every once in a while if I haven’t done something crazy I’ll just go try something.

Sugar Cane : Photo: Anthony Acosta

Where’s the best place you’ve traveled?

Probably Australia. It’s just so beautiful.

It feels like you’re at home but without all of the people. It’s just super sick. All of the contests are just right there on the beach. Everyone’s super cool.

What goals do you have set for yourself?

For skating, it’s just to turn pro and put out a good video part and hopefully win X-Games or Coastal Carnage or something. Then, for surfing I don’t really have too many goals I just want to get good. I like kind of not being in the surf scene too much. I feel like it’s cooler if there’s not videos up of me surfing. I just surf because there’s no pressure.

Who do you enjoy skating and surfing with?

I’ve been skating a lot with Jake

Anderson, who is Mike Anderson’s little brother. I skate with him a lot. I don’t really have many people I go surf with.

I go surfing with my dad a lot. I don’t really have a set crew I go surfing with.

What’s it like going back and forth from the skate crowd to the surf crowd?

It’s not really that bad, but all surfers are stoked on skating but not all skaters are stoked on surfing. That’s why I don’t really like putting out surf videos or anything because then it just can get weird.

Do you feel your skating helps your surfing and vice versa, or is it hard to transition back and forth at times?

Skating helps surfing a lot, because you have leg muscles that you don’t use in

surfing that you do in skating. Like your muscles pumping in skating helps a lot in surfing doing cutbacks and stuff. You can hold yourself in a certain position longer. Some of my friends can’t do it because they don’t have those muscles. It helps a lot for airs for sure because you’re just comfortable and you know where you’re at. Like look at John John – he can do massive airs surfing and he skates really well too.

Going from surfing to skating, there’s stuff I’ve landed skating. Like, I was going to try this back tail in a contest and I was going to kickout but then I ended up sliding backwards down the ramp and I ended up just like reverting it and it was just fully something you’d do surfing. It was just like a reaction from surfing that pulled it.

You mentioned John John. Is he someone you look up to?

Yeah, I think he’s super sick. It’s just kind of crazy how he came out of nowhere. I mean, he was around for a long time, but then he just took over.

It’s pretty crazy; he’s so gnarly.

Are you excited for the Coastal Carnage at the US Open?

Yeah, I’m excited. I hope that this year isn’t like a full gnarly, scary practice run with guys dropping in everywhere.

I know in the years before it was mellower. My first year was my favorite Coastal Carnage. Everyone was just so mellow. Last year was kind of gnarly.

If you had to choose between surfing and skating, which one would you pick?

I love surfing and I love skating, but I don’t know. It seems like surfing is more of a special thing than skating.

F.S Tuck Knee Photo: Ortiz

Photo: Peter King

Because skating is set and you can skate the same thing every day, but surfing it’s like so many things have to come together for it to be a good day. For me, I get like super excited when it’s good for surfing. I get the same feeling when I land something I’ve never done before skating, but it’s kind of even. I don’t know, I can’t really pick between the two.

What gets you amped to skate or surf?

The times I skate the best I’m just like super hyper. It’s mostly off of music. If I’m having fun and I hear a funny song or something that’s when I can skate the best. I get hyped just going to go surf.

What are some of your other favorite hobbies outside skating and surfing?

I don’t really know if I have another hobby. I started playing some golf actually. I’ve been hitting at the driving range. I already got banned from a couple driving ranges. There’s Lein : Photo: Peter King

StaleďŹ sh : Photo: Anthony Acosta

F.S Air : Photo: Anthony Acosta

Photo: Peter King

this one golf course in LA, it’s like one of those five-story golf courses where you can drive balls off the roof, and we were leaving the place and we were going down these metal stairs and I was dragging my golf clubs and it was making the loudest noise ever.

This guy started chasing me, and we just got in the car and left and I was so bummed because I figured out that I left my debit card there. I had to go back and they were so mad. My friend and I walked up and the guy was super angry at me telling us we were going to get arrested and stuff.

Right when my dad came up the guy went into a totally different tone – it Photo: Derek Bahn

was so funny. He went from super angry and crazy to like super calm.

Do you have a girlfriend right now?

Yeah, I have a girlfriend. I’ve had a girlfriend for six months now.

Do you have any big projects you’re working on for the future?

I’m working on the Vans video and that’s coming out next year and a couple of other interviews.

Well, we’ll see you soon and thanks for your time!

Alright, thanks. See ya.

Anton Bilare

Words: Knut Eliassen :: Photos: Bob Plumb Last February, Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, Nils Arvidsson, Anton Bilare, Knut Eliassen, PerHampus Stålhandske (filmer), Bob Plumb (world class talker) and the infamous Scotty Whittlake traveled to a slope-style contest in China. You may ask yourself what are these guys doing at an international slope-style competition. We weren´t there to get on the podium; we had a hidden agenda, as we were filming lifestyle shots in China for our upcoming movie, Hyped! We also would never pass up a free trip to China with some of our best friends.

We stayed in China for a total of 7 days, four days of riding and three days of sightseeing.

Walking around Beijing, China, with all these guys (including Scotty Whittlake) was completely

118

surreal. The culture and amount of people walking around the city at any given moment is out of this world. There is not really one bad thing I can say about China, except for the food. The only way to describe it is that it tastes exactly like Panda Express, but not from inside the restaurant – more like the leftover food that is lying in the dumpster outside. I don´t mean to be mean, but the fact is that we all were bed-ridden sick for a week after our trip to China.

The Nanshan Open contest took place at a small resort called Nanshan about one and a half hours outside of Beijing. Out of our whole crew there was only one guy who qualified for the Finals, and that was the team manager. The team was looking good that day! To get the team stoked

Brian Fox

Michi Ă…lbin

Austin Smith

again we headed over to the mini-pipe. After we had ridden the contest all day in front of millions of Chinese TV viewers, we ended the day with a two-hourlong mini pipe session with the legends Michi Albin, Ingamar Backmann and Scotty Whittlake. Everyone was handplanting, tweaking and flipping their way down the mini pipe together. It was an unforgettable moment. The mini pipe was one of the main attractions during our days filming at Nanshan, because Chinese beginner skiers and boarders would fall into it about every 30 minutes. Absolutely amazing, it was just like watching America’s Funniest Home Videos.

After finishing up the contest and filming at the resort, we headed out to the Great Wall of China for some sightseeing. The Great Wall is probably the most impressive man-made thing on planet earth. It is probably 20 times bigger than you think it is. Absolutely massive!

The trip ended like all snowboard trips end, going out to the most expensive dance club/bar in Beijing. When in China, right?

Nils Ardvidsson Knut Eliassen

ND S< 3UEN 3DD A3 <YB S7 <E 1P=T/EA M B E R 2 2 012 B/ : = @ / < 5 3 1 = C < B G

: 7 D 3 0 / < 2 A / @ B / A 3 / A 7 2 3 A B/5 3

E E E >/ 1 7 4 7 1 4 3 A B 7 D/ : 1 = ;

Words: Mark Goldman :: Photos: Yoon (unless noted*) // Hip-Spine-Ledge : photo: Gorski // Justin Strubing // Quarter : photo: Scuba // Braydon Szafransk, Paul Rodriguez, Hunter & Shane O’Neill // Shane O’Neill // Theotis & Peeps // Killer Mike // Party Peeples // DJ & Yoon // Scuba

Sixth and Mill was created through the lens and voice of Nike’s skate athletes. We are fortunate that a majority of the Nike skateboarding team lives in Los Angeles area, so when they decided to create the space it was known that the team’s deep involvement was vital. The new location is not only a training facility for the team but also a place for local skaters, retailers, and friends to experience the brand and build the community of skateboarding. Joe Ciaglia of California Skateparks worked closely with Lance Mountain, Eric Koston, Ishod Wair, Paul Rodriguez and

124

Omar Salazar to create a unique course that has something for every type of skater.

Sixth and Mill will also serve as a testing ground for Nike products and a place for the team and local skaters to provide feedback on the latest product innovations. Content will be created at the space throughout the year and shared through Nike’s social channels and digital partners. We’re sure there will be plenty of events and demos in the future, so expect to see a lot more from Nike’s newest skate facility.

Bliss_BTSRound2.indd 1

7/13/12 2:35 PM

Photos: Alexander Avina : orangecounty.com // The scene: party on the left, skating on the right // Jamey Beeson & Ryan Scanlon // Craig Stevenson // Asa Calthorpe & Damien Fahrenfort // Jessica Escobar & Reef McIntosh // Matt Kechele & Tom Holbrook // Fuzzy & Will // Kristi McKnight & Allison Klein // Jamie Mitchell, Tara & Peter Mel // Willy Morris & Roger Russell // Chase Wilson // Ryan, Kelden & Chris

Back in the day, Quiksilver was notorious for their wild parties and late, late night shindigs. It’s been quite some time since we’ve attended a party at the Quiksilver headquarters, but they’ve just recently dialed in their skatepark and set aside a Wednesday night to show off the ramps and have a good time. With a house packed full of industry heads, athletes, fine-looking ladies, good food and live music, we couldn’t resist. Upon arrival we knew we were at the right entrance by the delicious food trucks parked out front and the herd of people grinding the fresh eats. Once we made our way inside there were some serious sessions going down, as the

126

Quiksilver skate team showed off their skills to the crowd that was separated only by a chain-link fence. It was quite the setup since it allowed us average folk to enjoy a plethora of cocktails and beer all the while watching the action. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly, and there was some serious mingling going down by the time the live music started. After a lengthy set from The Fling and a few more cold ones, and it was time to call it a night and hit the hay. A great time was had by all who attended, and it’s good see the boys at Quik still know how to have a great time. We can’t wait for the next one.

/ARBORCOLLECTIVE

P: Matt Smith

A R B O R C O L L E C T I V E . C O M / S K AT E

Words & Photos: Spencer Pirdy // The groms get a handshake from Jamie O // Body Glove’s Cali 1nvasion RV // Cheyne Magnusson & Mike Vavak // Greg Browning // Matt Pagan // Body Glove head man Bob Meistrell // Jamie O and Matt Patterson // Marshall, Scotty, Joey & Rob // Neighborhood Grommies // Justin Reynolds & Solomon Antonell

Body Glove kicked off their California 1nvasion Tour by stopping off for breakfast with yours truly. The sun shone brightly on Friday morning as the Body Glove RV rolled up in front of the BL!SSS office, and we were greeted by the likes of Jamie O’Brien, Nate Yeomans, Cheyne Magnusson, Matt Pagan, Greg Browning and Bob Meistrell. If this wasn’t enough to have the neighborhood groms jumping for joy, they came bearing coffee and donuts and plenty of other goodies to be signed and given away.

Plenty of industry folks were on hand to spread good vibes and get a few autographs from the surf stars. After an hour or so the boys got word

128

that the waves were kind of fun down the road, so the RV had to relocate to the river jetties for an impromptu display of wave shredding. All in all, the breakfast was a great success and everyone left full on pastries and caffeine, ready to hit the day head on... or maybe they just called in sick and went surfing. We’d like to think the latter. Anyways, a big thanks goes out to Mike Vavak, Bob Meistrell and the whole Body Glove crew for putting the breakfast meet and greet together, and we wish them the best as they venture up and down the California coast.

12TLD_SPORTSWEAR_JACKETS_DIRTRACK_SINGLE.indd 1

7/20/12 5:34 PM

Photos: Derek Bahn // Parker Coffin, Pat O’Connell & Conner Coffin // the movie // Parker, Conner and the luck winners // Giveaway madness // Travis Tighe // Kai Barger // Monster bitches // Ryan Hurley // Steve Sherman // super into surf movies

Electric Wilderness premiered to a packed house the other night at Hurley HQ in Costa Mesa. It was a great night with tunes, pizza and a mixed crowd that was amped to see Parker and Conner Coffin’s new movie. After a bit of mingling and a few grom giveaways it was time for the premiere of Electric Wilderness. From start to finish, it was a fun, action-packed movie all shot from one amazing trip to Northern Sumatra. The flick is a Young Wise Tails Production that was filmed and edited by Ryan Perry. The crew consisted of Conner Coffin, Parker Coffin, Jack Freestone, Clay Marzo, Andrew Doheny and Dillon Perillo. If you like fireworks,

130

perfect rights and watching some of the best surfers in the world dick around, then you’ll love Electric Wilderness. After watching this you’re left with an overwhelming feeling of wanting to go pack some boards and head out to find the perfect and playful rights these guys were attacking throughout the whole movie. If you weren’t lucky enough to see the premiere, don’t trip because you can go to surfingmag.com and download it yourself for free.

So, check it out, and a big thanks again to Hurley and the Coffin brothers for a fun-filled night.

JT AULTZ AVA I L A B L E AT

LEFT TO RIGHT SHRED TEE_CREAM MARCEL KNIT_BLUE HENDERSON KNIT_WHITE LAWLER L/S KNIT_OLIVE BREAKER JACKET_DILL AMBIG.COM I N STA @ A M B I G C LOT H I N G F A C E B O O K /A M B I G U O U S C L O T H I N G

Interview & Photo: Max Ritter Heavy Hawaii is the summer jam! A worthy bunch of hodge-podge, suspect-looking hombres; they are the Darth Vader of surf music and their bird-shit-soaked Astro Van will be blowing tires and minds in a town near you. (Left to Right) Matt Bahamas, Jo Jo Keylargo, and Matt Mahalos. I made that last one up, mahalos.

There’s a little bit of the high stuff in there too. We wanted to make this record darker and different than the last. It’s poppy, but not as poppy as the HH e.p. Every song sounds different yet still cohesive. We’re all very stoked. Also, this record incorporates more of the band, unlike the last one where I did most of the recording myself on keyboards. This one has more guitar and bass.

Last time I saw you, you came through town on a little West Coast run. How was it? I heard it was a wild one. What were some of the highlights?

I love just about every major city on the West Coast. I especially love San Francisco. This time in San Francisco I made the big mistake/genius idea of taking mushrooms the morning before our show. I figured we would have a nice, easy day at Dolores Park, but what we didn’t realize is that it was Pride Weekend and all of San Francisco decided to show up with their dingdongs on fire. Some of the other guys decided to take ‘em too so they were dancing with giant robots and frogs in ponchos. No joke, there are vids on YouTube. I was making a fool of myself pretending my sandwich was my GF and just being an all-around obnoxious prick. I remember I photo-bombed this group of 50-year-old lesbians, which at first seemed like they were into it but then I decided to start jumping and moshing around. I ended up on top of the whole bunch and they were fucking pissed. I think I almost pooped my pantalones too. Then we played an awesome show that night.

I was reading about how you write songs.

I think it’s kinda of interesting because I think a lot of kids in the digital age seem to write this way. You write on your laptop and record several versions of one song, and then you just kind of let them all marinate like rough drafts until you take it to the studio. Do you ever feel like some of the demo’s are better, or is it hard to commit to one version? Is a song ever done?

Sometimes I get pissed because we can’t recreate the demo version. I love the sleeping bag demo and the beacons demo a lot. We might release a cassette with just the lo-fi demos. They’re all so good. Is a song ever done?

Fuuuuuuuuck… That’s a loaded question. These guys get pissed ‘cause I keep making revisions.

Even after the record has been done I still want more. That’s one reason this record has been delayed. It’s my fault for being a Nazi. Not a real Nazi, but a music Nazi…Well, actually the Nazis would take orders from Hitler, so I’m a music Adolf Hitler. I’m kidding. I just want the best product possible. The band understands. I bring back songs with new keyboard parts and their responses are usually like, “This is just what that song needed, Adolf. ”

It trips me out. You’re one of those guys you see and think, ‘That dude’s look doesn’t match his voice.’ For some reason you’d think you would have this deep baritone but you have a pretty high voice. Steroids?

What gives?

I dunno. This new record has a lot of deep baritone singing. It’s very sludgy and raw.

134

A lot of the songs on record are mellower.

When I saw you guys live recently it was loud and kind of heavier; do you guys switch it up like that? Or maybe that was just a really bad show?

Since we play with a full band we kind play a little

harder. We know the songs can be kinda sleepy, so we put a little pick-me-up on that ass. I think the show you came to in Costa Mesa was a shit show. We were told three bands were playing and it ended up being six. The band right before we performed played for an hour and a half. By the time we were up it was 1 a.m. and the whole band was furious and drunk. We played pretty loud and aggressive. Fuck those bands.

You guys put out a new 7-inch this year.

I know you have been recording a new record. Tell us a little bit about the new tunes and when can we expect to hear them.

The new record is titled Goosebumps. We’ll release a single this August, so you can get a taste of the new record. It’s rich and bright and dark all at the same time. I mention some stuff earlier about it. Heavy Hawaii is hard to classify to a certain genre. People say chill wave surf and dark ‘60s pop. This record is going to make it even more difficult to pin down. I like to consider the group an art project. Bands should be evolving and trying new stuff all the time. The first record was a series and now this new record is an allnew series. It has songs that sound nothing like the EP, but all in all it sounds like HH. You guys win my award for best merch. You have a Will Smith and Jada whatever-hername shirt that is pretty badass. I want to know how you plan to top that one?

I love that shirt. We have plenty of those shirts. I don’t think kids were really into them. Lots of my friends wouldn’t rock that shirt. The ones that did wear them would be asked all the time about it, which is the whole point. People are pussies and care too much what people think. We’ve made some new ones. My buddy Nick Gazin designed a new shirt and it’s perfect. Nick writes for Vice and is a fucking badass designer. His favorite band is also “Wicked Wisdom” (YouTube

that ass), so he really loved our old shirts.

You have a comic book with your buddy Nate from Wavves. Tell us about all that.

Negative Dad is on the way and probably two other entire books are in discussion. All the books are taking place in the same fictional universe.

Negative Dad is going to be deep and thorough.

Nate and I spent a lot of time developing the characters and really giving weight to the city/ universe the story takes place in. It’s the first time Nate and I have tackled a project like this, and it’s really exciting to see it coming to life. I think people are expecting a funny, punk zine, but this is a full-on, long story arc. It follows our two main characters Daniel and Serjio through some bizarre and trippy stuff. They get caught up in an overall universal crisis that they’ve somehow been involved in all their lives, and surprisingly long before they were even created.

Have you ever thought about legally changing your name to Matt Bahamas? I think it’d be pretty sick.

If I ever legally changed my name I would change it to “Willennium” after the greatest, cheesiest, most white person’s mom, hip-hop record ever. We listened to “Willennium” drunk in the van on our way back down to San Diego at like 10 in the morning – it was the fucking best!

I think that might have been the actual highlight of the tour.

I am tapped out of lame questions now…

Mikey and I are writing music for an all-girl group project, Jojo and Derek are writing some new punk stuff, and I also have been writing new music for some other projects. Keeping busy. It’s all probably gonna end up sounding like “Willennium” any way. Fuck it.

Thanks, Matt. Check out Heavy Hawaii on Art Fag Records. YEW.

King Tuff Alex’s Bar : Long Beach, CA July 5th, 2012 Kyle Thomas is back in stride supporting a new King Tuff album just released via Sub Pop. Here is the man shredding down the barn at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach. Before he laid into the first song he said, “We haven’t practiced in three weeks. I guess we will see how this goes.” Backed by his trusty bass man Magic Jake and half of Audacity, the boys didn’t miss a note. Bad, bad dude/thing. BRAP!

Photo & Review: Max Ritter

Reviews: Max Ritter

136

Sweet Valley Stay Calm Fools Gold

Plateaus ‘Do It For You’ b/w ‘Jasmine’ 7” Hozac Records

Le Yikes Surf Club Yikes EP Grizzly Records

Audacity Mellow Cruisers Burger Records / Recess Records

Nathan Williams of Wavves and his mastermind musician little brother Joel Williams, a.k.a. Kynan, have a new instrumental sampling project out this month they call Sweet Valley, and it is pretty damn jam-able. Ranks up there with some of the all-time great sibling groups. You know… like Kris Kross. Wait, they weren’t brothers? Daddy Mac and Mac Daddy? That’s confusing. Long live ‘92!

Our new favorite muffled fuzzy San Diegan rock ‘n’ rollers. A Plateaus is a small Indonesian deer. You start seeing them if you drink too many Mad Dog 20/20s and take Midol. Actually, I think they just made that word up.

The Sewers of Philly are oozing with cheese steak poop… and also this EP, which contains raw and abrasive (yet pleasing to the trained ear) music.

Cassette medium courtesy Grizzly Records, it comes with an optional membership card to join the Le Yikes Surf Club, which is similar to the Black Panthers in some ways I think.

It seems like four year and seven score since Burger dropped these wild Fullerton punker’s cult debut album when they were still in diapers.

Did I get that right? They are back with another doozy chocked full of sporadic tempo changes much like their own raging hormones. Still that angsty fever with a little bit more of that classic power pop tinge, and the sheen polish of a band that’s gellin’ like Magellan.

138

Rider: Kanoa Igarashi Photo: Joe Foster

Banzai Bowls Laguna Beach

1100 S Coast Hwy Ste. 106, Laguna Beach, Ca 92651 | PH: (949) 715-8989

Banzai Bowls Costa Mesa

488 E 17th St A107, Costa Mesa, Ca 92627 | PH: (949) 722-8329

Banzai Bowls Huntington Beach

222 5th St, Huntington Beach, Ca 92648 | PH: (714) 594-3220

Electric_Bliss_Mags.indd 1

7/13/12 2:20 PM

N I K E S U R F I NG . C O M

PUSHEAD X NIKE LEGACY TC BOARDSHORT

With Hydra Void for water -shedding lightweight comfort