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Once upon a hell of a time. Our 50 years of innovation has helped us perfect what really matters — amplifying the thrill of human experience. Check out "Life Beyond Walls: Highway 101" featuring the adventures of Dillon Perillo, Yadin Nicol and the Clark.
The experience is everything.™
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RANDOMS // 32 PRODUCT //38 MARK HEINE // 40 YUGO KOHROGI // 42 SARAH MUIRHEAD // 44 SHAPER PROFILE: DONALD BRINK // 46 MURAL OF THE MONTH: AEC OF INTERESNI KAZKI //48 SHOP OF THE MONTH: PORT LBC // 50 INSTAGRAM // 52 SUPER TASTE // 56 TOTALLY CRUSTACEOUS TOUR CHAMPS // 58 POW! WOW! LONG BEACH //60 LIGHT, CAMERA… DESTRUCTION IN PUERTO RICO //62 BONES SWISS EUROPE TRIP // 66 THE ART OF BORONDO // 70 NATE ZOLLER // 76 RICKY APONTE PHOTO PROFILE // 80 SEAN SULLIVAN PHOTO PROFILE // 84 PAINTER: CHRIS LUNDY AT HURLEY // 90 7TH LETTER/JIM PHILIPS: THIRTY YEARS OF THE SCREAMING HAND // 92 SHOREPOUND LOST & FOUND // 94 VITALITY AND VERVE l ANP QUARTERLY l RVCA X POWWOW // 96 GNAR BURGER // 98 REVIEWS // 100 GROM // 102
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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, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue, DANIEL BAMBAATA MARLEY Joe Foster, Sean Sullivan, Delon Isaacs (SINGER | SONGWRITER)
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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.
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dane reynolds hi-site We wish there was some ploy to tell you that by buying this shoe it will make you surf just like Dane Reynolds, but unfortunately that logic doesn’t translate with surfing. But you should buy this Hi-Site anyway, just based on the fact that you like the guy so much. Launching the beginning of this month, just in time for the U.S. Open of Surfing, Vans is more than happy to present Dane’s new three-piece footwear collection. The graphics throughout this new collection are drawn straight from the hand of Reynolds, reflecting images of his dog and various other obscure things. Look for these puppies at your local surf shop some time very, very soon.
volcom mod tech surf vitals The boys and girls at Volcom have been quietly constructing the most durable surf products ever created. Their latest release, Volcom Mod-Tech Surf Vitals, are a must-have for any surf adventure your brain could ever imagine. Whether it’s keeping your gear dry or the sun off your back, these goodies can satisfy any situation you can find yourself in. Get your Mod-Tech Dry Bag, Revo Jacket and Recliner Sandals at volcom.com or finer local retailers and start your very own adventure today.
gopro hero 4 session Filming your own sponsor-me video just got 100 times easier. Released last month, the tech geniuses over at GoPro unveiled their latest and greatest camera, the Hero 4 Session. The Hero 4 has now evolved into a 1.5-inch cube, equipped with an all-new, super-simple, one-button operation. And forget about those waterproof cases people, ‘cause this new little baby is 100 percent waterproof up to depths of 33 feet. Your self-esteem deserves the all-new Hero 4 Session; you’ve been ripping lately so finally prove it! 30
d'Blanc perspective D’Blanc Eyewear did something pretty cool this last month by launching their first bi-annual, branded photo-journal displaying Noa “the golden boy” Deane on the cover. The 80-page zine is filled with tons of babes in shades, fun little surf trips and an interview of our good artist friend Evan “Stink” Rossell. Tear into a page of D’Blanc’s book of cool and find one of these at a local specialty retailer or get one online for free at www.dblanc. com with the purchase of any pair of sunglasses.
the ramones x quiksilver collection We’re not quite sure how this came to be but the Ramones are down for Quiksilver, and the relationship goes both ways. In stores as of last month, Quiksilver has presented their music collaboration collection, commemorating some of the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll bands in a limited series run under their own branding. Enjoy Quiksilver collaborations from artists Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Beach Boys and one of our favorites, the Ramones. Get it while supply lasts because these limited pieces have gotten everyone “all revved up and ready to go!” Too corny? Whatever, we’ll get you next time.
smith is fishing With summer in full swing, El Nino-like conditions on the water and all the boys and girls in town for endless surf competitions in California, the Smith team took it upon themselves to do a little team bonding out on the water. While we had our heads downs wrapping up a deadline, team Smith chartered fishing vessel Sum Fun from Dana Point to take advantage of some of the best local fishing we’ve seen in years. Though we were bummed we couldn’t be there first-hand, it’s safe to say everyone had a blast, as captain Brian Woolley put them on the fish and everyone walked away with great memories and ear-to-ear smiles.
tilly's x zio ziegler One of our favorite retailers, Tilly’s, has beautified the city of Irvine by teaming up with contemporary artist Zio Ziegler – as they have just unveiled his 15,000-square-foot mural on Tilly’s e-commerce building. Seen from the 405 Freeway, this mural is one of the first of its kind for Orange County and is hopefully a step in the right direction for many more to come. This wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Artists Republic founder Torrey Cook and Vans for their roles in facilitating the process. The mural is scheduled to stay up for at least the remainder of summer, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the next commute to San Diego.
neff x the simpsons ¡Ay Caramba! Probably one of the hottest collaborations of the year comes straight to you from the brilliant minds of Neff Headwear. The first-ever collaboration between Neff and The Simpsons combines revamped ‘90s street style with a fresh spin on the iconic characters that have been bringing mischievous joy to our TV’s for the last 20+ years. The collection features t-shirts, joggers, flannels and accessories all adorned with various Bart Simpson prints and plaid accents. Find your Neff X Simpsons needs at any Tilly’s store location or at www.tillys.com.
tom blake surf tees Our neighbor and iconic surf publisher Paul Holmes swung by our office to talk shop and tell us all about his latest endeavor. Besides creating some classic, must-have collector books from Croul Publications they are now releasing some Signature Series Tees with images spanning way back to the roots of surfing. They’re super soft, 100% cotton and feature vintage imagery and logos by surf legend and design pioneer Tom Blake. Available exclusively at croulpublications.com, get yours today.
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x-project nomadic cinema kit Smaller is better. Well, not in all cases, but definitely when it comes to XSories newest pocketsize multimedia projector, the X-Project WIFI Nomadic Cinema Kit. Walk around anywhere you’d like with sheer confidence knowing that you can project any image or video you’ve got on whatever surface, all within a device that fits in the palm of your hand. Given its easy portability, internal speaker and its power of a max projection of 120-inches, the X-Project WIFI Nomadic Cinema Kit is the ultimate on-the-road entertainment system. Find one online at www.xsories.com or where finer technology is sold.
Tanner Rozunko
circa comeback Lots of good things happen when walking the Agenda Show Long Beach. I ran into our old buddy Mario Miller, who’s now heading up the reintroduction to Circa Shoes as their new Marketing Director. They’ve been a staple in the skate industry for decades but have recently undergone some big changes. Let us introduce to you The Essential, one of the first new models endorsed by none other than Windsor James. It’s available now, so get your ass out there, pick up a pair and take down that 10stair you’ve been eyeing for the last year or so.
insight - since last time Oh Insight, since last time. You were one of the very first brands from Australia that we absolutely fell in love with. This rollercoaster of an industry has brought you up and down quite a bit over the past few years, but it’s safe to say the team in place has got you on the path of resurgence in America. Your new video, which introduces your Fall 2015 range, Since Last Time, is catching eyes globally and has already been nominated for “Best Fashion” in the International Fashion Film Festival. Produced by Venice local and award-winning filmmaker Ace Norton, it’s creative collaborations like this that continue to set you apart form the rest. Well worth the watch, so give it a gander at insight51.com.
proof x beloved summer sunglass collab' It’s about time you throw out those 1990’s speed-dealer sunglasses you’ve been rocking the last 10 years and try something new, something with color and more pizzazz. Something like Proof Eyewear and Beloveds’ new collaboration called Flavorful Sunglasses. The three-piece collection is printed with pizza, ice cream, and waffles on each pair and is made from seven-ply Canadian Maple skateboard decks, offering spring-loaded hinges for any face shape. The eyewear will retail for a measly 95 bucks. Spice up your serious looking face with a little bit of fun and head over too iwantproof.com to shop for these gems.
e;lement flex flannel Elements newest Flex Flannel tops have been tested to be the most comfortable and flexible range of button-ups on the market right now. Don’t believe us? Well just ask your local lumberjack! Kidding. Although, they would probably be booming in the lumberjacking industry, the new Flex Flannel range is perfect for any type of man out there, with styles suited for any type of event or activity. Look good and move around however you would like without any type of restrictions; skater tested and skater approved.
vans propeller dvd book primitive clothing Super SoCal sales rep Carter Katz has opened our eyes yet again to another up-andcoming skate brand that’s making some serious noise in the skate world. Let us introduce you to Primitive, making some of best decks and threads out there. Relitively new to the game, the quality and aesthetics are straight G, and they give the impression that they’ve been around much longer than one would suspect. Don’t believe us? Check them out for yourself at primitiveskate.com and step up your game today. Approved by P-Rod, Bastien Salabanzi and Nick Tucker, how could you say no? 34
We know that you and your DVD player have probably been lacking some excitement in your lives lately, and that’s why you guys should go out together and pick up ‘Propeller,’ Vans newest hit skateboard film, out on DVD today! Featuring full parts from some of the biggest names in modern skateboarding alongside appearances from legends and true pioneers, Propeller presents a sweeping snapshot of modern skateboarding that only Vans can deliver. Along with the DVD comes a book featuring over 70-pages of exclusive photography from the making of the video, plus quotes and anecdotes by Vans’ legendary professional skateboarding team. This package deal is a sincere treat. If you have any type of respect for skateboarding this purchase should be a necessity.
1. Astrodeck, Desert Point - $39.95, astrodeck.com 2. DC, Spray Graffik - $14, dcshoes.com 3. Hurley, Phantom Fee Elite - $80, hurley.com 4. RVCA, Trench Town - $19, rvca.com 5. Sanuk, Longitude - $44, sanuk.com 6. Volcom, Recliner Rubber - $22, volcom.com 7. Billabong, Spinner - $27.95, billabong.com 8. Vans, Captain Fin Co. X Vans - $19, vans.com 9. Quiksilver, Coastal Oasis - $45, quiksilver.com
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Aluminati Skateboards x Drew Brophy Artist Series Cruiser Part of our 2015 Artist Series of boards, the Brophy Wingnut takes Drew’s world famous surf artwork and gives it life on the latest sidewalk surfer from Aluminati Skateboards. Just like the perfect swell, this board won’t be around forever. Grab yours before it’s gone.
WWW.ALUMINATIBOARDS.COM
You don’t have to go far to find mystery and magic on Earth. It’s always been there, at our doorstep, beyond the trees, in the oceans… especially there – the oceans are an ancient and alien place, filled with life that had been evolving for billions of years before the first tetrapod ever set flipper on land. It’s the origin of all life, and yet it remains a mystery. With technology we occasionally manage to slip deep below the surface for a brief glimpse. But in general, our direct personal experience with the world that covers seven-tenths of the planet is limited to snatching gulps of air and mucking about on or near the surface. The oceans are an unknown place that creates both curiosity and fear. This is the home of “Sirens.” Artist and author Mark Heine is a storyteller, and “Sirens” is the culmination of his own 32-year evolution in bringing the works of his imagination to life. The paintings seen here are part of an ambitious
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project that combines his passions for painting and writing. These works, among others, will be used to illustrate key story moments in his upcoming book of fiction, also entitled Sirens. Heine finds that fictional writing allows him to explore both the light and dark sides of his vivid imagination, while with the paintings he can create a fictional world in detail beyond the written word. It’s a symbiotic balance: his painting inspires his writing and his writing motivates his painting. The combination results in a unique approach to both. In the genre of magical realism, “Sirens” is a tale of our ambiguous and destructive relationship with our environment, as seen from the point of view of the creatures inhabiting the oceans. The key figures in the story are a modern reinterpretation of the Sirens or sea nymphs of Greek mythology, made infamous in Homer’s
Odyssey. In Heine’s interpretation, innocence, honor and love are set against betrayal, greed and genocide. A moral battle is underway beyond our sight and control, and the outcome will decide the fate of humankind. According to the United Nations, the top threat now facing us is global warming and what that means for the sustainability of life. Heine believes that for us to survive our next evolution must be to affect change in global attitudes about the planet. He makes this analogy: “If you place a frog in a pot of hot water, it will jump clear. Put the same frog in a pot of cold water, turn on the heat, and it will happily sit there and boil to death. The earth is the pot and we are the frog. The heat is on... we turned it on ourselves.” The “Sirens” story is an allegory of the very real crisis we face. In the story, however, humanity is given a deadline and extinction is the penalty for not acting. “Sirens”
is ambitious in several ways, not least because it dives into difficult and complex questions, such as what are the first key political and economic steps we have to take to move with enough urgency to secure a sustainable future? These are questions we must all begin to ask, for our survival. This is the motivation behind the “Sirens” project. Heine hopes to tap into the current popularity of magical realism to ignite interest in the environment and sustainability, since he believes that the most efficient way to affect global attitudes is through popular culture. Heine’s ultimate vision is a show of life-size paintings that will accompany the launch of the book. A film of the story would complete his vision. The book is now in production, and Heine has already begun writing a sequel. Visit www.markheine.com for more information. Heine’s “Sirens” paintings are available exclusively through RJD Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York, www.rjdgallery.com.
Interview : Liz Rice McCray When asked, “What do you do?” how do you answer? I want to seek for what is beginning and what is origin. I want to share a feeling and emotion words cannot describe with other people through my paintings. Your paintings have a sense of motion, a melting sensation… Will you tell us about this technique and how it evolved in your painting? I blur lines and boundaries around colors to soften. I intend those lines to change into texture, which
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calls up something. Recently, I dare to let the force of brushwork remain and try to use paints thickly. Both are my evolution. The women in your paintings exude sexuality. Can you tell us about the subjects of your paintings? My paintings’ theme is the pursuit of what is beginning and what is origin. I want to share a feeling and emotion words cannot describe with other people through the images of females. Sexuality is one of my ways where I can express those feeling and emotion. You work primarily with oils,
but do you work with other mediums as well? Although I sometimes use acrylic paints as the base coat, I use oil paints in most cases. Very basic technique; I don’t use unusual method. Will you tell us about your exhibition “Ripple,” at Cashi Gallery in Tokyo? In my portraits of women, I have painted them full length and I have not depicted each part of a face. Faces are, however, motif at this personal exhibition. While I draw faces more tangibly, I try to seek the point where they look abstract.
Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us? Solo Exhibition at Gallery Naruyama, May 15th – June 6th. Where can people check out your art? My work can be found at http:// oguy.jp. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. We look forward to your Solo show @ Gallery Naruyama.
Words: Sarah Muirhead I’m fascinated by the physicality and spirit of a body and its potential for pleasure, pain and expression. Idiosyncratic character is intrinsically important in my work but an anatomical, pulsing, critical view is also there. The image is an accurate representation, but the close detail is an expressive pattern describing minute features. It’s a record of my examination of
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the subject and my relationship with them rather than a slavish copy of their every pore. I like using body paint and projectors to give my subjects something to interact with, which often leads to an image which articulates the anatomy of the body or lets them be part of the process in deciding which pose or composition works best. It’s interesting to watch how people react with these tools and whether they use them self consciously or instinctively. The
potential ambiguity and tension in the eye contact of a still image is something I find enormously compelling and I have tried to appeal for a reaction in the viewer. The quality of flesh, its contrasting textures and tensions, the density and potential of muscle and the irregularity and dimples in fatty tissue are important in the way I want to describe any given subject. I want the bodies I paint to be a strange mixture of lurid, glistening attraction and true
empathic realism avoiding elegant clichés. They reflect private selves and acknowledge my inescapable role as a voyeur in observing and recreating them. A period of serious illness has detached my idea of personality from physicality – I want to paint the two back together again. View more of Sarah’s work at www.sarahmuirhead.com.
Interview: Delon Isaacs From looking at your website and various other social media outlets (not that we’re creeping on you or anything), you don’t seem to be the average contest three-fin short-board type of shaper. Can you walk us through the type of surfboards you’re passionate about shaping? What’s so funny is that I shaped two 4’9” contest grom boards today. Reality is, I made the first one and mowed the rocker in and knew it was too much for the vision we were after. I finished it because it certainly has a place alongside its flatter counterpart and will give fuel to the learning curve as we grow. I grabbed another blank and made it right. I love surfboards, perhaps to a fault. I think I love people’s boards more than they ever will. This passion for the details included in any design and a keen fascination for making things is what drives me to do my best and build something for someone that will suit their vision for the water. It’s a creative process and the details in design and more are endless. Many call it art. I don’t know. I do a lot of art too; boards must work first before they look pretty. I like the ones that can serve the needs of a desired ride and do it better than anything else. This progression is what keeps one on point, with an open mind and a willingness to be wrong. I keep it honest from day-to-day and will never stop learning. I actually learned stuff today that hadn’t yet sunk into a level from which I’ll never forget it, from the urgency of excellence that the understanding of the entire craft was designed around. I don’t build boards to look a certain way or gather more traction in a social post. It’s all a dedication to details of functional elements and design. To be truthful, it’s quite difficult to build any good surfboard. Committing to the brave and offbeat concepts certainly narrows the real audience. But I’m committed to them, the boards are working
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better and I’m stoked pushing the envelope where relevant. Asymmetrical surfboard? What the hell does that mean? Please explain this to me as if I were five, because I’m practically there when it comes understanding anything about board design? The way I see it is that a board that is built to help you surf the way you stand will be your best friend in the sea. Your feet look different in front of your ankle and behind it. These heels and toes can be used to varying degrees as you face the wave or the beach. It is easier when you are only on the toe part of your shoe than just the heel. These same feet you walk with, run or dance are the driving force of the board you are steering on a wave. I make the boards to go left and right but design them for the way in which you are expecting to stand. Kind of like if you are left or right handed, or kick a ball with a preferred foot. The favored stance when surfing is due to your perceived comfort and demand for maneuverability on this beautiful and yet tricky liquid canvas. It’s your feet and weight distributions when you surf, that’s all. Your surfboards are pretty unique, and there’s definitely an art to them and the way you surf them too, but you must encounter some difficult situations with customers who don’t understand the boards you make or how to ride them. Or am I completely wrong? When you add customers to any conversation there is room for disconnect. That’s all right though; my job is to explain concepts and impart the details available to them in a board that can suit their vision. Most people don’t even know how they want to ride a board or wave – this is grave. If you have a vision for what you want to do on a wave, a realistic idea of what you are able to do too, the divide between those can be made to feel less distinct and your dream rides can come
true. When folks ask me how to ride a board I always say, “Just ride it.” We made the changes not to feel different or disconnected from one rail to another but to allow you to enjoy the flavor of the design in question, more often, giving you ease and flow from heels to toe and back again. You are on one rail at a time and we can help you enjoy that part well. What was your upbringing like with surfing? When did you first get into shaping and how did you initially identify yourself with the “surfing world”? I was a late bloomer. Moved to beach at age 15, but so stoked to get to surf. I grew up doing art and painting but had a fascination for how things were made and the details of design and functional craft. When it came to surfboards, I was enthralled at the differences from one to another. I started getting boards made for me and would fuse designs and sensations from different boards in my growing quiver, looking to create a craft for certain situations and conditions at hand. This worked pretty well but I was frustrated with the realm of potential. I earned a spot to learn as I watched boards being shaped, started with some hot coats, dings, fins, etc. Dave Van Ginkel of DVG shapes and Robin Fletcher Evans were instrumental in the formative content and gave me an opportunity to look and listen back in South Africa. Pre inter-web and videos, I just got to work and learned. I finally bought a blank and started making my own boards. I’m not so sure I identified with the surfing world; we shared so many common interests and the sea but it still seemed “hoity-toity.” True craftsman or real wave riders that enjoy the privilege to live these things is what resonates with me. When I meet these individuals, it gives me hope for a great tribe. You’re based out one of the most popular and renowned shaping areas in
the entire world, San Clemente. What’s your relationship with the area like? Do you feel like it’s ever too competitive or clicky? It’s certainly a board-building mecca. I tend to do my own thing and work away from the immediate area. It’s a short day to get all the things done a business requires, chitchat can become political. Being in this town is an honor though, and having so many surfboards of epic quality around is right down my alley. I love boards and many of the creative craftsmen behind these brands and boards we know and depend on have become friends with kind insight. It’s a great opportunity to be so close to a global headquarters of surf and boards, it keeps the standards and demand fresh. San Clemente is also where my wife was born and raised, so that gives me an added appreciation and connection to the place and its history. What does the future of Brink Surfboards look like? Do you have any new riders, models or events coming our way sometime soon? The future is bright. There is so much work to do, bringing these thoughts to great people looking for insight into the details in any board or the available options for how they ride. I have been traveling a little and recently back from shaping in France. Looking forward to setting up some Australia action and a couple other countries too. We are busy setting up international custom ordering platforms with best costs and safest options, which I’m so excited about. Models – groveling channel bottoms are common requests and I’m working on a short length single that you can trust. The “Fancy Free” is being well received and enjoyed on many coastlines now. It’s not for every day use but certainly for every quiver. Events are on the horizon. Without giving too much away let’s just imagine boards, thoughts and the details of difference that can inspire, empower and evolve.
Interview: Liz Rice McCray This month’s Mural of the Month is “Odysseus escape from Polyphemus” by AEC of Interesni Kazki. Thank you to our publisher Nick Kalizones for spotting this mural and suggesting it. AEC, you were a pleasure to interview and we are excited to check out the Interesni Kazki solo show at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in the January of 2016. Will you tell us the story behind “Odysseus escape from Polyphemus”? Mural “Odysseus escape from Polyphemus” is my own interpretation of ancient myth that happened exactly in that part of Sicily by Homer’s epic poem. It is related to the modern Sicily as well, to the topic of relations between politics and mafia, between
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Italian government and some special Sicilian traditions. I love the seagulls. Are they a part of the myth? Seagulls here are just part of whole composition and don’t have some special meaning.
create multidimensional space without any physical, metaphysical or temporal borders. The goal for me is to find an image of universal universe. Where is this mural located? The mural is created in Catania City, the port area, Sicily.
Tell us a little background info about yourself. Will you tell us about Interesni Kazki? I am one of Interesni Kazki duo, which has existed 10 years already. The last few years I, and my partner Vladimir, have done more separate works than before.
How did the “Odysseus escape from Polyphemus” mural come about? Who asked you to paint it? This mural was a part of Emergence Festival, an International Urban Action Festival that took place in the city port area, on the surfaces of old wheat siloses that are 40 years old.
Are most of your murals a blend of religious folklore? I love to blend scientific, religious, mythological, social, folklore, political and historical topics in my works to
It looks very large – how big is it? Do you normally paint on this scale? The height of wall is 30 meters; this is the tallest mural I have ever done.
I have painted huge walls before but none higher than 6-7 floors. Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us? More murals to keep our eyes open for? Yes, we are planning some mural projects but our main focus for the next few months is preparing for our Interesni Kazki solo show that’s going to be at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in January of 2016. Where can people check out more of your art? In last six years we’ve painted a lot of murals around the globe, some of them already don’t exist but all are possible to view on our blog at interesnikazki. blogspot.com.
When was the store established, and who’s the general mastermind/ fearless leader behind the shop? The store was established in April of 2011. The inception of the brand came from myself and business partners at the time looking to create an environment and creative outlet for clothing and other projects we could present to the market. Tell us a bit about yourself, Jim. What is your relationship with Long Beach? All of my family grew up in the Southern California area, some lived in the Long Beach area back when oil rigs still covered Signal Hill. I wound up in the LB area for work in the skateboard/ footwear industry for Podium Distribution (R.I.P.) after growing up in the northern part of the state and a stint on the East Coast. I have grown to really enjoy the community of the past 13 years that I have been here and appreciate the mixed cultural elements the city provides. Being here
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we make 90% of our products locally in LA, Long Beach and San Pedro; it’s a great neutral area to have a handle on production of our goods and have all the assets we need in our backyard. What is PORT’s Mission Statement? When we started the brand our Mission Statement read, “Beers, Sports & Babes.” We were in our late 20s at the time so it seemed conceivable that it was ok... I would say we have evolved a bit from that mantra into more an experience you get from the store itself and our marketing. We still pride ourselves on not being too serious; however, we take pride in the effort we put forth into our products and telling the stories of the brands we work with. How does the store differ than your average clothing store, and how are the pieces sold in the store selected? I believe you get an experience shopping or browsing our store. We make an effort to have our environment
tell our story. From the products to the fixtures, we believe our customers understand what the store is all about and appreciate what we are doing, even if you aren’t into it. Who designs the actual “PORT” clothing? What’s your range of store-branded apparel look like? I design seasonal collections and get help from our team with graphic applications and treatments. I like to keep the collection clean and understated with having a unique story to each piece we produce. I pull a lot of inspiration from the vintage and classic apparel market and try to put a PORT twist on things. Things like classic surf and skate photography along with vintage military and collegiate wear always seam to stick in my head when I’m working on a new season. What does PORT’s future look like, and what changes (if any) are in the works? We are gonna keep on truckin’. It’s
great to know we have the support of the consumer and that people appreciate the direction we have taken with the shop and the brand. The wish list for the future would include a new location or two that we are conceiving. We also plan to continue working on creative projects with like-minded brands and other creatives. Walk us through what your average customer is like? What’s the most popular thing they’re coming into the store to look for? We are located in the retro district of 4th Street so we have a lot of great shops in the neighborhood, from mid-century furniture, classic tikiinspired to barber shops and vintage stores. Our average customer is a bit all over the place, being that there is such an eclectic mix of stores in our neighborhood. However, the customers that seek us out are inspired by our clothing’s aesthetic and the way we present ourselves. Normally, we have been too, so we get a few barfly types that like to hang and shoot the shit.
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Photo: Dominic Petruzzi @dominicpetruzzi Model: Brooke Sheldon @brookesheldonnn :: @cwmanagement Hair & Makeup: Olivia Taddeo @mua_olivia_ Retouch: @jschorle
Photos: Tom Carey This year was the first of its kind, as Volcom somehow managed to pull off running their 2015 Totally Crustaceous Tour Global Championships at Lower Trestles. Prior to this, the championships have always been held at 54th Street in Newport Beach, so the change of venue was exciting news for the competitors and everyone involved. The two-day, invite-only, free event was one for the books, as Volcom beach takeover was nothing short of spectacular. Mother Nature agreed and welcomed competitors with consistent 3-5 foot surf and dreamy, oil-glass conditions. We wouldn’t say perfect 10-point rides were the norm, but there more than a handful awarded throughout the event; a testament to how well these youngsters are surfing and the caliber of talent in the water. And heck, with a $30,000 prize purse, you could bet that every athlete in the event was bringing his or her A-game. For those of you who couldn’t make it down to event in person, there were thousands online watching the live-feed as all the action unfolded. There was too much nonstop action to recap so we’ve whittled it down to the finals. The Girls final included Alyssa Spencer (US), Camilla Kemp (PRT), Caroline Marks (US), and Kahanu Delovio (US). Right from the start, we knew it was going to be a close final with all girls scoring great waves, but it was Caroline Marks who continued to show us how far the level of girls surfing has come, impressing the judges to total a heat score of 17.34 for the win. The Grom final was a nail-biting finish! A favorite going into the final was Nick Marshall who, between he and his brother (Jake Marshall), has been on fire the entire event. Brazil’s Mateus Herdy was a definite force and held the first position, pushing Nick Marshall, Kade Matson, and Robert Grillho III to find some gems. It came down to the last few seconds when Nick grabbed a quick left with a solid air reverse, but he came up just short, leaving Mateus to be crowned the 2015 Volcom TCT Global Champs Grom winner!
Miguel Tudela
The Squids final was electric with Jackson Bunch (HI) grabbing an early lead with two high waves scores and some solid confidence. Brayden Burch (US), Afonso Antunes (PRT) and Dane Matson (US) had close heat totals all between 10 and 11 points. Jackson Bunch held his ground and topped the other three competitors and was named the 2015 Volcom TCT Global Champs Squid Champion! The Junior finals saw Jake Marshall (US), Wil Reid (US), Harley-Ross Webster (AUS), and Nolan Rapoza (US) take to the water. Three Americans and one lone Aussie held nothing back out in the Lowers lineup, as they traded off wave after wave, eager to get a piece of that $30,000 prize. In the end, it was Nolan Rapoza who bagged an impressive heat total to be crowned the 2015 TCT Juniors Global Champ! The Pro-am final saw Miguel Tudela (PER), Noah Schweizer (US), Yago Dora (BRA), and Griffin Colapinto (US) battling for the win. While the wave conditions were improving, the sun was out, the beach was packed, and the 20 and under men were ready for action! A stacked final indeed, and we were not disappointed. Yago excited the crowd grabbing 7s and 8s back to back toward the end of the heat, doing air-reverse after air-reverse. But Miguel battled back by getting one of the best waves of the final in the dying seconds of the heat and was awarded a 9.6 to take the win, edging out Yago by just a tenth of a point! A big thanks is in order for everyone who came out to support the event: competitors, moms and dads, staff, fans, beach-goers, the whole Volcom team and special thank you for all the sponsors who made this event possible: Volcom, Electric Sunglasses, Banzai Bowls, Wienerschnitzel, Surfing Magazine, Futures, Pasta Chips, Penny Skateboards, California State Parks, New Era, Speaqua and Rev’d. This continues to be the best free surf event we’ve ever seen, and we cannot wait to see what’s in store for 2016! RESULTS: PROAMFISH 1. Miguel Tudela 2. Yago Dora 3. Noah Schweizer 4. Griffin Colapinto JUNIORFISH 1. Nolan Rapoza 2. Harley-ross Webster 3. Jake Marshall 4. Wil Reid
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GROMFISH 1. Mateus Herdy 2. Nick Marshall 3. Robert Grillho III 4. Kade Matson SQUIDFISH 1. Jackson Bunch 2. Brayden Burch 3. Dane Matson 4. Afonso Antunes GIRLFISH 1. Caroline Marks 2. Kahanu Delovio 3. Alyssa Spencer 4. Camilla Kemp
Mateus Herdy Winners: Winners: Miguel Miguel Tudela, Tudela, Nolan Nolan Rapoza, Rapoza, Caroline Caroline Marks, Marks, Mateus Mateus Herdy, Herdy, Jackson Jackson Bunch Bunch
Yago Dora Colin Moran
Jackson Bunch Picked up by Tai & Richie
Nolan Rapoza Miguel Tudela Celebrating with friends
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Words: Liz Rice McCray Photos: Brandon Shigeta
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POW! WOW!’s newest endeavor was in our very own backyard in the city of Long Beach. You may have noticed the murals popping up around LBC during the end of June and the beginning of July. If you hadn’t, we highly suggest you take a Saturday to check out the mural map and go search them out. Aaron De La Cruz, Benjie Escobar, Bumblebee, Cryptik, Fafi, Hueman, James Jean, Jeff McMillan, Jeff Soto, Low Bros, Madsteez, Nychos, Push, and Tristan Eaton are the artists who contributed to Long Beach’s new transformation, brought to us by our dear friends at POW! WOW! The event not only beautified the city but also put on a week of exhibitions, film screenings and talks with Nychos, Fafi and others. One of the highlighted events was at Long Beach Museum of Art, an exhibition in collaboration with Thinkspace and POW! WOW! aptly named “Vitality and Verve: Transforming the Urban Landscape,” which opened on June 26th. The exhibition featured 20 international artists, who were invited to transform both floors of the LBMA by way of murals, installations and more. Make sure to start following POW! WOW! Hawaii, POW! WOW! Long Beach and keep up with the POW! WOW! movement beautifying a city near you sometime in the near future.
Conner Coffin
Words & Photos: Tom Carey “God, I’ve been to Puerto Rico too many times.” Those were my thoughts going into this trip. Some weight was on my shoulders as I was on assignment to shoot an ad campaign for Etnies. Those types of shoots are never any fun. Man, was I wrong. The rebirth of the Etnies surf team is insane. With the Coffin’s, the Ho’s, Matt Wilkinson, and Chris Del Moro holding down the fort, it’s a solid team. But after the 15th time you’ve been to a location you tend to start thinking stale. But this trip was different. We had fireworks. I swear, if you add fireworks to any trip it becomes memorable. Add two halfnaked girls who were the equivalent to Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O, and you have a recipe for a good time. Somehow Wilko is a celebrity in Puerto Rico. I think everyone just loves his weird-ass wetsuits he was wearing on tour that one year. We were having some beers in Rincon, watching the sunset when some dudes noticed Wilko and invited us to a kickball game. The light was setting so we arranged about six cars in the outfield to act as stadium lights and kicked the shit out of a soccer ball for the next three hours. Some moonshine was passed around, balls were kicked and even some chicks were pegged in the head trying to steal home. It was full on “prison rules.” After the game some of the guys invited us to a party in the hills outside of Aguadilla at one of their houses. It was a rad setup with an outside fire pit, tree house and some good tunes flowing. These were some good ol’ boys that relocated from the East Coast. They showed us a good time but we really turned it up a notch when the fireworks showed up. Not even 30 seconds after the Roman Candles were busted out and one of the girls had her top off and a firework in her ass, shooting fireballs at everyone. It was one the heaviest things I’ve ever seen on a trip. Everyone went scattering, diving in every direction while looking for cover. These chicks were crazy. I’m not sure where Conner wrangled these two animals from but they made us dudes look like amateurs with their firework, beerguzzling, joint-toking display from hell. At some point the ladies ducked out of the party. It might have been after the metal fire pit exploded from an errant m80 or after the shoeys everyone was drinking. It was a hard party to leave. The mortar rounds lasted into the morning. Gripes from the neighbors could be heard for hours. Something along the lines of “pinche gringos go to bed,” might have been heard. No one cared. It was an official rager. I felt like I was 16 again.
Parker Coffin
Matt Wilkinson
Conner Coffin
Chris Del Morro
The next day hurt. Coco was the only one that didn’t venture out, and I think with our heads pounding everyone had wished they joined her. That night we backed it up in Rincon at Casa Verde along with about 40 kids on Christmas break. Wilko took it upon himself to start bartending. After pouring a huge cup of 151 we had the kids blowing fireballs out front. At one point we had my dog Woody on Facetime and the whole bar yelling his name. He could hear us on his iPad cookie-dispensing machine so we dropped a cookie to
Matt Wilkinson
Parker Coffin
Coco Ho Chris Del Morro
him from the bar in Puerto Rico. He grinded it and the entire bar erupted in laughter. It was straight out of a movie. We didn’t make curfew that night like we planned but it was worth it. The waves had been pretty fun on the trip but we ended up catching a killer swell and actually had the wind back off for a whole afternoon. That never happens in Puerto Rico. We went straight to the
slabbing right and scored an hour of the most insane waves I’ve seen in a while. I shot in the rain, almost sacrificing my camera in the process… and it was worth every shot. After a weeklong of shenanigans it was time to bail. We were sad to leave. We all got along with each other and that doesn’t always happen on those random trips. It’s safe to say the Etnies team kicks ass. Until next year…. Adios.
Photos: Deville (*unless noted) Words: Vern Laird This trip to Switzerland was five years in the making. Well, at least for the five years I have been the Bones Bearings Team Manager. Ever since my first day at Bones Bearings I have always wanted to take the team to the homeland of the world’s best skateboard bearings. Makes sense, right – Bones Swiss Team in Switzerland? But there were a few obstacles to overcome. Even with a massive team list it’s still hard to coordinate schedules with other sponsors, tours, contests and skateboard events. All the skaters on the team have multiple sponsors and are always busy so the timing never seemed to be right for most of them. Also, Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world so I didn’t know how long we could actually stay there, and that’s where Germany came into the mix. We needed to go to Europe for at least two weeks to make the trip worth it, but two weeks in Switzerland would be super expensive. Germany became the best option to split the time with, since it’s close by and we have a few team riders there. Plus, there’s a lot of great stuff to skate there as well. So after all the emails, text messages and phone calls these are guys who were able to go: Taylor Bingaman, David Loy, Justin Strubing, Bobby Worrest and photographer Deville Nunes. Shawn Hale was supposed to go but he was a last-minute scratch due to a knee injury a few days before trip. We started out in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich is one of the cleanest and nicest cities in the world, and it offers an abundance of awesome things to skate. If all those spots were in California they would be a bust and everybody would have done every trick possible. We met up with our distributor and photographer extraordinaire Soerfi and Simon Stricker, our team rider in Switzerland. Soerfi is an OG, the best tour guide and also a mini-ramp champ. His skills were on full display at what has to be one of the most perfect mini-ramps I’ve ever seen, which happens to be in his warehouse. He also has a photo studio with some intense lighting equipment. Soerfi took us to some great street spots as well as DIY parks. Justin Strubing is an all-terrain ripper and flew around the DIY parks with grace, speed and style for miles. His high-speed smith grinds are always enjoyable to watch. The white-banked obstacle next to a fountain in the middle of the city was one we skated for hours. Bobby Worrest got some lines there and Strubing also killed that spot hard. The gap out to backside was speedy and boosted, and surprisingly only one board was lost in the fountain. Bobby Worrest had fun skating this ledge that must have been a few football fields long. But then again, he grew up skating at Pulaski in Washington, DC, so he was already used to skating a ledge that was kind of similar. This one just had tile on top instead of marble but he was still able to manual the distance just as easy. He also did one of the longest switch backside tail slides on that ledge over a grate and threw in a switch 360 shuvit out for good measure. There was a day of chilling down by the river. We went to keep it mellow and skate a little park but when Justin and David saw people jumping from a bridge into a river that’s pretty much how that day ended up. But it’s always good to have fun days like that on a trip just to break up all the days of stressing to try film and shoot photos. Plus, there were some hot girls jumping in from the bridge so that didn’t hurt either.
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Daniel Pannemann : Wallie
Photo: Markus Soerfi Schweingruber
Taylor Bingaman : K Grind We also hit up this pretty awesome bank-to-wall in the tunnel. It was in the middle of nowhere but it was on our way to the train station and a perfect pit stop before sitting on the train for a few hours to go to Germany. But when I say it was in the middle of nowhere it really was. There were farms and cows and that’s about it, but yet it was still close to the city. The most skated spot was the volcano brick quarter-pipe thing. That session went into the wee hours of the night and it was fun to watch Justin and Taylor Bingaman get down on it. Strubing also has one of the best Japan airs – right up there with the best of them. The Germany part of the trip started out in Munich, which was a quick train ride from Zurich where Adam from 24/7 Distribution was waiting to pick us up and drive us around Germany for the next week. Daniel Pannemann and Marcel Webber were the German team riders on that part of the trip. Those guys were super cool and ripped. They were also awesome spot guides knowing every inch of Germany. I would say
more skate trips go through Germany than Switzerland, and we could tell that right away by the interaction with the police and spots being skate stopped. The week in Switzerland was great. We never got kicked out of anywhere. We left spots on our own and never saw any cops. It was the exact opposite in Germany. We had a few run-ins with the police. Some of us got tickets, which you had to pay right then and there on the spot. That was weird paying for a ticket on the spot. I’ve never seen that before but I guess there’s a first time for everything. We had a few demos to do in Germany, unlike in Switzerland where it was just street skating. It’s a good thing we had David Loy on the trip. He rips everything and was tour MVP. He also rips just as hard off the board as he does on it; meaning, he also won the party MVP award. Since he’s still young it’s easy for him to party hard one night and rip the next day as if nothing happened the night before. He pretty much partied hard every night but was also the one to hold it down
at every demo. And he wasn’t afraid of the big tranny parks that Germany had to offer. Loy was a one-man demo at this one big tranny park. There was a skate camp about to start so all the little kids were hyped on watching David fly all over the place and throw down some big lien to tails on the massive vert wall.
From Munich we drove several hours to Cologne. Driving in a van for that many hours takes longer than it should because every few hours we are stopping for beer then stopping to pee out all the beer, and in Germany there is no shortage of beer. Even one of the skate spots we went to was at a beer garden.
David Loy : Lean to Tail
Bobby Worrest : Switch B.S Tail Bigspin
Simon Stricker
Justin Strubing : Back Tail Slide There are beer gardens all over Germany, but this particular one had a wheelchair ramp that you could go over a bar like all the ones in Philly. But since it was literally at a beer garden more beers went down than tricks. After Cologne we went to Munster, the home of our distributor, 24/7. Munster is a small city but still has some fun stuff to skate. There’s a bowl and an indoor skate park at 24/7. The bowl is fun but hard to skate, but it wasn’t a problem for Bingaman, Loy and Strubing. Those guys really do skate it all. There was this triple-bank thing that we skated and you had to make it to the top shelf. It actually wasn’t as easy to
skate as they made it look, but then again that’s what pro’s do – make things look real easy. Everybody got a trick on that spot and Bobby Worrest did a line but Strubing’s nose blunt slide was the banger. Bobby Worrest pretty much got a line at every spot we went to – that’s just how he skates. We are almost late to the demo because Bobby was working on his marathon lines across a plaza. Fortunately, he got it before the rain came and we got to use the rain as an excuse for showing up late. But the rain stopped and the ground dried up so the demo went on.
spent on the zip-lines than actually skating but it was the end of a long, two-week trip across two countries, so this was a perfect way to have some fun before that long flight back to the USA. Thanks to everybody at Illumate Distribution in Switzerland and everybody at 24/7 Distribution in Germany for making this trip happen, and thank you to all of the skaters who made the trip.
There was one last demo in Munster at a really cool park, which also had some zip-lines. I think more time was
David Loy
Marcell : 5.0
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Interview: Liz Ric McCray Dear Borondo, thank you for taking the time to do our interview and for putting up with my bizarre and countless attempts to ring you and Internet failures and morning Skype calls (which was your evening). Yes reader, it sounds disastrous but it really was an enjoyable interview in the end. Borondo, you have been nothing but lovely and it was real pleasure to get to know you via Skype... Through this experience, you remained a mystery; never seeing your face (unsure if this was intentional) and only hearing your voice while the camera remained on me for you to see, was truly a funny experience. It was entertaining awkwardness at the start, but it turned into a truly great interview. Thanks for taking the time to this interview. I know you’re super busy. Yeah, yeah, no worries, no worries. Today’s a good day, tomorrow I start a new travel but today I’m fine. Cool so then let’s start. Please introduce yourself to our reader. My name is Gonzalo Moreno Borondo. I am a simple guy, nice and short. Grew up between Segovia and Madrid in a small town Valladolid. I’ve painted most my life; it’s my medicine to survive. I paint big walls – that’s what I’m known for. When did you get started painting? I think I started like everyone, you know. I used to paint every day in school and everything. I think my first memory [of painting] is in the corridor of my house. I don’t how old I was but my mother gave me the freedom to paint the corridor. I used to paint the corridor like my hall of fame. When I was a kid I started like that, always loving the walls, I don’t know why. Does your mom still have that house? Yeah, yeah, yeah… but it has been painted. I was a really small kid and that part of the house was just for me at the time. It was good, it was a kind of freedom that helped me fall in love with it. You know, it’s the kind of memories that you have of it, of the few images that remind you that you started quite early. The murals that you paint are highly complemented by the surfaces that you paint them on. The texture and the structures always seem to harmonize together perfectly, and I was wondering what is process to conceptualize a piece and refine it and test it? How do you pick your locations and how do you know that what you paint is going to work on that piece of wall? I never know and to me that’s the challenge, and if there is no challenge there is no fun and so it’s always kind of a fight with the surface. For me it’s very important… the dialogue, the wall and surface and the context as well. I am very interested on this kind of adaptation. I don’t feel like I can just go there and put whatever I want. I mean, when I did graffiti and these things, it’s ok but it’s another kind of thing. Now I try to be part of the wall and it’s like a kind of conversation with the architecture as well as with the people. I think for this kind of movement, now that everyone is calling street art, that it’s very important that it fits in with the environment and the surroundings, the place and the wall. Often it’s the wall who calls me not me choosing the wall. I mean, it depends. When there are festivals and this kind of thing you know they give you a wall and [say], ‘OK, this is your wall.’ In this case, I will try to arrive to the place and stay a couple of days there and talk to the people, drinking
and going to the museums and discovering what happened there. If not, it’s just weird. You go there and do your thing; that’s what you know to do and just go to another city the next day and you know the same. I try to make something that has sense in the place. It’s very important, the time, the wall has time and was painted before you. You cannot delete and erase the time, unless you’re friends. And for me sometimes it’s more beautiful than what the artists can do, just the textures of the wall. The walls are very nice so I try to keep it an important part of the artwork at the end. You can tell and that definitely reflects in your art. Will you tell me who some of your constant influences are? Oh, that is one of the classic questions. And it’s quite difficult to answer. It’s difficult because, at least for me, I have thousands of influences. I’m studying a lot of what’s around… Inspiration comes from what’s around. You can find ideas in the cinema, in a museum, in a book, in the people, in nature as well… it’s quite difficult. I feel myself inspired by everything, and afterwards something stays. And sometimes you paint something or make something and after you are like, “Oh fuck, this is what I saw a long time ago.” So the influences are inside of you. Somethings just stay and some go, but they come from everywhere. It’s very difficult to explain, sorry. So I understand you started visiting the studio of master Jose Garcia Hernandez and this was pivotal to your art. Will you tell us about your relationship? I don’t know what is the correct way to say, if it’s master or mentor – I don’t know the correct way to say it in English. First of all, he’s just an old guy, quite poor and a very good person. And always remember when I went into there he always told me these kind of things like, “Before to be an artist, you must first be a person.” I used to go there to learn how to draw and paint properly. To learn all techniques and at the same time he explained to me how important it is to experiment with different materials. He would show me that this is the way to do it but you should experiment with whatever. So, maybe you should paint with a brush or maybe with just whatever thing, you know – with the hands, with the nose, with the tits, to mix in everything and just enjoy. He taught me how important it is to just enjoy your artwork and the process of it. And I used to go there and sometimes we were just there. I started to go there when I was just 15 or 16 years old and sometimes I wouldn’t even paint. He would just talk and smoke and drink, he would drink wine and I would just stay for hours. He was a good guy and he gave me the importance to stay humble and to learn about the life and about the people, not only about art because he was never recognized for all of his art. He was a good friend; he’s still a good friend. I’d like to let the people know, because it was years with him, it was the moment that I was painting too much graffiti that I started to see more of the old master and I started to change a bit and get interested in other types of painting as well, not only the letters and graffiti. It made a big difference in my process. Will you tell me about you exhibition “Animal” at Project Space in London. It was a very, very good experience. I wanted to make something different and I prefer to make just one exhibition and make it properly. Just staying to one theme over the years instead of making small exhibitions and lots of production. So I was with this idea for a year. I moved to London to do that. Finally I found a very, very good place called London New Castle Project Space… So ok, I have a space and I want to invest
What are you really into right now, art related or otherwise? Are there other things you’re doing right now that motivate you? Honestly I would love to enter more into video, video art, animation, images and movement generally. But, at the moment I’m a bit busy. I have some compromises; for a few months I am traveling and painting again, making my tour, my trip. My idea is to stop a bit and start to experiment more with other materials. Especially with videos for sure, but unfortunately I don’t have time now to do that. Where are you off to next? Now I’m going to many countries with my friends, with a band, in Europe. Painting and taking some paintings that I have around. And after I go to Italy, Copenhagen… and I should check my calendar. I will be in Milan, Spain, and I hope at the end of the year I will be close to you. How many months out of the year do you travel? It used to be like five months, something like that. It’s quite heavy at the end. At the end you always want to stop a bit. It’s kinda like a drug at the same time, after you stop you’re always like, “What am I doing here?” It’s difficult. You become an addict of the adrenaline because every work is like a challenge. For me every work is like that. I don’t know how to do it properly and I accept this challenge and let’s see what happens. It’s quite interesting for me. If I just repeat myself I wouldn’t feel that. It’s quite heavy for myself yet at the same time I think I love it. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an in it, invest my time, stop traveling and making these walls and show the kind of things I cannot make in the streets. It allowed me to discover new things that probably no one has ever done before, and it allowed me to experiment properly with the indoor space. So for that I brought a few friends of mine that are artists that work with different materials than me… I wanted to enter something different like animation or sculptures or these kinds of things that I didn’t have the knowledge already. I called them and said, “Ok guys, come here and let’s do something huge.” That was the idea. So we were there and we were working like crazy. I learned a lot, I learned so many things. We were kind of like an orchestra, you know. I had a good piano, good violin and we just needed to make a good composition together. It was a really, really nice experience. It was good to curate everything from the beginning; every decision about how to put everything: the flyer, the frames on the wall… everything. We wanted to create a kind of experience with sound, smells, textures, things on the floor, everything had a big concept behind it. It shows in the pictures. Yes, it looks spectacular. And was Rom involved? Did he help curate it? He was kind of a producer. I don’t really understand the word curator because it’s quite ambiguous sometimes. In this case, we were there as friends making all the decisions and he was helping us through the production mostly, with the family and the PR and these kind of things. So yeah, it was quite a good experience. Generally, the people know me as a painter or a street artist, and I wanted to show that painting is my life, but I have a few others around. I wanted to show that I can work with video and installation and smells, with space, and that I can create this kind of trip around the gallery. It was good for me to make this point in my career, and not just only big walls and these kind of things – to show that I have more to say.
artist and what have you learned from it? For me, every one [new project] is a challenge. The biggest challenge has been the work I’ve already done, using materials that I’ve never used before. As well, working with a lot of people around me, a lot of people helping me… But yeah, every work is a challenge, especially when I try to use materials I’ve never used. It’s also one of the things that excites me more. It’s like, “What happens when you do that? Let’s do that.” When I have like two options, I always go for the one I don’t know how to do. I try to do that. Often it is a mistake but that’s what makes it fun. No risk, no fun. Where can our readers check out more of your art? I just established a book a few months ago that’s called Memento Mori. It’s kind of an
experimental book as well, with information about me, a few people wrote about me. And I think it’s quite good as well. Also my website, gonzaloborondo.com and Facebook. I’m not really on Facebook. I have a fucking unofficial page that I cannot close that people did. In the end I had to make an official page because the other one was not under my control and I didn’t like the content. So I did my own Facebook where you can find maps with the location of the walls I did. I wanted to do it just like that but I had like three friends so everyone went to the unofficial page. So I had to slowly, slowly start putting links to the website so people come to the real Facebook. I recommend the website and the book, especially if you like paper. I’m a paper lover. We are paper lovers too. Hope to see you when you are in LA.
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Interview: Brandy Faber Nate Zoller has been a man on a mission lately – a mission to hunt down the best waves available to him regardless of the date, time or location. He’s not a new-school, hipster jet setter; he’s a newschool/old school, wander-lusting type of road warrior grinder. In the past year Zoller has dotted his way around the globe, scoring tropical barrels and searching for Roark in some weird locales. But his biggest haul has been closest to his Laguna Beach roots. He’s been scouring the Golden State from Northern California to Central Baja, extracting nuggets from the coastline as if he were a gold miner. And just like the state’s early settlers, Zoller has the fever. The fever for travel, adventure, a good time, and most of all, mining the ocean of her treasures! You’ve hit the road pretty hard this last year. Where have your travels taken you? In the past year I’ve been to Baja numerous times, Bali, Mainland Mexico, Nepal, Senegal, Tavarua, Vietnam and all over California. What were some of the most memorable sessions you had? Tavarua and Bali are kind of a given that you will get good waves, but some of the most memorable sessions in the past year were here at home. Scored really good Hammerland in LA one day, which I guess doesn’t happen that often. Had some great sessions at the Wedge. Mexico stands out too. I’ve been trying to get more comfortable in bigger waves and riding bigger boards. Had one really memorable big swell in Mainland and a few Todos sessions that I’m stoked on. You had a record number of boarder crossings into Baja this year didn’t you? I did 15 trips in a span of six weeks and scored a lot of really good waves from Rosarito to Guerro Negro area and everywhere in between. You’ve pretty much been on all the swells at the Wedge lately too! I had never surfed the Wedge until the Hurricane Marie swell last year. It reminds me a bit like Laguna where I grew up with the side-washes and shore pound but on steroids. That hurricane Marie swell was all time and it really opened my eyes on the Wedge. Had some really, really good sessions out there in the last year. All that hard work seems to be paying off with coverage coming from just about everywhere: NBC News, BL!SSS, Corona. com, Stab, Surfer, Surfing, Surfline, Stay Wild, Monster Children, The Inertia, Ghetto Juice, What Youth, etc. I’ve been really focused on getting the best waves available and being at the right place at the right time. Stoked on the coverage, been working really hard to get it!
Photo: Laserwolf
How did the opportunity to become a Tavarua boatman come about? A few Laguna guys have been boatmen for many years and I dropped some hints to them that I too would like to be a boatman. One day Erik “Frog” Nelson called me up and said here’s your chance, if you can get to Tavi in a week then you got a job. I booked my ticket that night!
Photo: McPherson
You can’t turn that opportunity down. What was that first trip like? The first day on the island it was like 15 feet and firing. It also happened to be Slater’s week and the swells had been lining up for about three weeks so he extended his trip. Kelly showed me the takeoff spots at both Cloudbreak and Restaurants, which was really cool. Aamion Goodwin was really cool too. He taught me a lot about the winds, currents and ocean conditions. I hope to get back down there this summer and learn some more.
Photo: Zoller
Tell us about the XXL swell you got this spring in Mainland Mexico?
Photo: Ryan Hitzel
I went down for the same swell that Mark Healey and those guys scored really, really big Puerto Escondido on but to a different place. It wasn’t as big as Puerto but still really heavy. I had just gotten a new 9’2” Christenson and wanted to try it out. Troy Eckert invited me down with him and there was a heavy crew going. Shane Dorian, Bruce Irons, Jamie O’Brien and Cory Lopez were all there. They were all really cool and
Photo: Jeff Davis
Photo: McPherson
Photo: Jeff Davis
Photo: Okvist
helped me a lot in those conditions. It was so inspiring to watch and be around those guys in that kind of surf. JOB had his Supsquatch down there too? Yeah, Jamie was filming for Red Bull TV and he brought the Supsquatch. We took it out one day and got a pretty goodsized bomb and then got barreled on a left, five of us got fully barreled on that thing – it was crazy! You been writing quite a bit as well? I enjoy writing and figured I could cover
some of the places that I’ve been lucky enough to experience. I have a blog (natezoller.com) that I post words and photos from my trips and been getting opportunities from BL!SSS, Monster Children, What Youth, Corona.com and Stay Wild to feature those trips as well. I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m traveling and as long as someone enjoys my words. Keep charging and we look forward to reading about your next adventure. Eureka, thanks!
Photo: Zoller Photo: McPherson
I found my love for photography in my junior year of high school, mindlessly shooting around with a rundown 35mm film camera. Now at 20 years old and a few years out of high school, my passion for photography has grown immensely. I’ve taken what I’ve learned from shooting film and the full process behind it and have combined it with my digital work. I try to encompass every aspect of shooting film within my digital photos, composing the lighting and framing before I even click the shutter. That’s what attracts me most to this art form – being able to make stairs, rails or ledges look visually appealing, not only to people who skate but also to people who do not.
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Dakota Hunt : Back Smith : NYC
Chris Pierre Jacques : Treflip : Sleepy Hollow, NY Vini Holanda : Front 5050 : Hartford, CT
Josh Dziadek : Backside 5-0 : Vernon, CT
Kevin Phelps : Switch Front Bigspin : Boston, MA
Trevor Bradbury : Indy Grab Truck Bash : Brighton, MA
I met Ricky about three years ago at Bristol Plaza. He approached me and asked if he could take a photo of a trick I was trying. Now, we’re out in Boston almost every weekend shooting. It’s been great to see skatepark photos progress into well thought out, two-page spreads in magazines. I feel it’s very important to have a good relationship with your filmer/photographer, and that’s very easy with Ricky; always motivated, levelheaded and constantly taking steps to better himself while pushing those good vibes to his homies. Ricky’s pretty handy at Tampa Am’s as well – give him drinks and he’ll produce some amazing shots, haha. I’m very much looking forward to see what comes next for Ricky Aponte. – Kevin Phelps
Greg Sanocki : Front Blunt : Holyoke, MA
Dakota Hunt : Feeble Pop in : Springfield, MA
Peter Freeman : Bean Plant : Palmer, MA
Yoshi Tanenbaum : Lazer Flip : Les, NYC
Ville Uotila : Valdez 82
Interview: Jon Francis Sean Sullivan has been a contributing photographer for BL!SSS for a few years now, so it’s about time we gave him his own photo profile. Every issue I’ve lagged on and waited to the very last minute before deadline, Sean has still managed to take the time out from traveling around the country shooting photos or one of his fishing missions to find some type of Internet access to dig through his hard drive and send over images to grace our snow content for the month. Sean captured our eye with the crew he shoots with and the quality of the photos he submits each time. I’m inspired by uniquely talented individuals who are motivated to get outside with their friends every day and take advantage of this life we live. It’s our own destination where we take ourselves, and Sean always seems to end up in the right place at the right time! Where are you from and where do you live now? I’m from Menlo Park, California, about a half hour from San Francisco and 45 minutes from Santa Cruz. I’ve lived all over: Steamboat Springs, Tahoe, Vail, SoCal… but I’m based in Salt Lake City, Utah, for now. It’s a good jumping off point. When did you start shooting photos and what got you interested? My mom worked for United until I was about 21, and we took heavy advantage of the free flights. Photography just kind of goes hand-in-hand with travel. I got addicted to both before I was even a teenager.
Jonah Owen : Park City
Broc Waring : Jackson Hole
Ville Uotila : Valdez How did you work your way into shooting snowboarding? I lived in Vail until I was about 10. Both my parents are way into skiing, so I’ve been on snow since I could walk. When I realized I didn’t have to ski, my parents hooked up a snowboard and I never looked back. What are your favorite places in the world to shoot snowboarding? Alaska, Japan, British Columbia and Jackson Hole, WY; I could be happy spending forever in any of those spots. Do you have a favorite moment or particular shot that is most memorable to you? My first cover will always stand out. When it went down I probably tripped out for a month. It’s always cool to see a photo that the crew put a ton of work into turn out good, but it’s also sick when we make something cool out of nothing, quick and easy. When those happen it’s almost like printing money.
Gray Thompson : Park City
JP Walker : Big Bear
Bryan Iguchi : Jackson Hole
Gray Thompson : Park City
Dylan Alito : Salt Lake City Unknown Soldier : Valdez
Andrew Brewer : Mammoth Mountian
Who is your favorite crew to go out with? My favorite crew is just anybody who enjoys being out there and working hard at the same time. I see you like to do a lot of fishing in your free time. Do you like to shoot photos when you’re fishing, or is that more of your soul time away from it all? Haha, that’s a tough one. It’s been a soulful mission my whole life but I started shooting it more about five years ago, and the response from the magazines and brands have been amazing. What kind of cameras do you like to shoot with? I shoot with Canon bodies but I’ve
been shooting a lot of Polaroids this summer, and I’ve been restoring old Kodak brownie cameras from the early 1900s and prepping film for those for a while now. I also just got a drone; I have about 500 hours of fixed wing R/C experience, which is translating well so far. I’ve got some cool plans for that bird. If you had to choose between film or digital for the rest of your life what would you choose and why? Damn, hard one. With the way the industry is going and my own personal workflow, I’d have to say digital. I love film to death but I do not have the time to deal with labs and scanning for the rest of my days.
Words: Josh Grelock North Shore surfer and painter Chris Lundy has been making waves in the surf art world for 30 years, literally, with his large-scale wave paintings. Lundy’s work has been used for countless surf competition posters and has been featured in magazines like Juxtapoz and The Surfer’s Journal. A competitive surfer and board-builder in his own right, Lundy built boards for several of the sport’s top riders and was himself a member of Hawaii’s Pipeline Underground before turning his focus to painting in the late ‘80s. His huge, almost psychedelic wave scenes are easy to get lost in, and they show Lundy’s deep connection with the water, making him popular with surfers and surf art collectors alike. In late 2014 Lundy’s life took a sudden turn when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive malignant brain tumor. To lift his spirits and help ease the burden of his medical bills, Hurley threw a retrospective and celebration of Lundy’s work on July 18th at Hurley
headquarters. More than 10 giant, mural-sized paintings were shipped across the U.S. to grace the walls of Town Hall, and Lundy’s original competition poster artwork was also on display. Special edition posters were available for purchase, and the Hurley Printing Press was onsite screening limited tote bags with Lundy’s work. Visitors washed down delicious Taco Dudes tacos with plenty of Primo beer. Unfortunately, due to his health, Lundy was unable to fly to California for the event, but he was still able to participate virtually with the help of his longtime buddy Mark Smith (Director of Creative Products for Nike Innovation). Lundy and Smith stopped by the show via Skype Florida. His smiling face was shown on the Town Hall projector as friends, family, and colleagues lined up for individual one-on-one chats with him. Lundy was clearly stoked on the turnout, and his presence at the event was touching for everyone involved. To learn more about Chris Lundy, his life and his work, check out www.chrislundy.com.
Photos: Nick Tellez 1. Indie Pyzel admiring the 5 panel painting ‘Beautiful Reaper’ 2. Shelley and Bob Hurley talking to Chris via Skype 3. A fan takes a photo of ‘Mama’s Mad 2’ 4. ‘Cornered’ 5. Close friends and fans of Chris Lundy talk with Chris and Nike’s Mark Smith via Skype 6. Carrie and Steve Lawrence and the young punk band, Freakzzz 7. Dwight and Audrey Dunn with daughter and Hurley ICON, Sarah Dunn 8. ‘Next Stop’ 9. Hurley’s very own, Lei Hookano 10. Adrian Corres, Nicolas Burris, Riley Mathies, Indie Pyzel and Makenzie Stade 11. Jason Maloney with Bob Hurley and Hurley Lead Production Artist, Josh Grelock 12. Fans and friends in front of iconic, hand painted surf event posters
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R E L A X E D T H I G H , TA P E R E D L E G 14 INCH LEG OPENING
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Saturday July 11th, at The Seventh Letter Gallery on Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles, Vans presented an art show celebrating “Thirty Years of the Screaming Hand: A tribute to the artist Jim Phillips.” Limited edition signed prints, decks and zines were available for purchase, and Kid Robot Purple Screaming Hands figurines (edition of 15) were auctioned off, benefiting Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support. It was an all-out tribute to Jim Phillips Sr., who was creating images that unbeknownst to him would affect generations of artists and skateboarders for years to come. Of all of the iconic imagery that Jim has created, the Screaming Hand logo has stood the test of time. Thirty years after its inception, the Screaming Hand still remains an unmistakable symbol of youth and skateboard culture. The show featured artists: Jim Phillips Sr., Jimbo Phillips, Colby Phillips, Jeremy Fish, Mike Giant, Todd Bratrud, Bigfoot, Michael Sieben, John Lucero,
John Munnerlyn, Steve Caballero, Steve Olson, Natas Kaupus, Eric Dressen, Thomas Campbell, Sean Cliver, Mark Gonzales, Benny Gold, Jason Jessee, Mark Widmann, Makoto Yamaki, Skinner and many more. The Seventh Letter curated artists: 2Shae, Alon Bonder, Axis, BOM.K, Defer, Drew Merritt, Fate, Felipe Pantone, Gustavo Rimada, Kasl, Kkade Schwarzmaler, Know Hope, Krush, Manny Sayes, MQISM, OG Abel, QP, Reyes, Sebastien Walker, Sergio Garcia, Slick, Steel, TapeMetalCanvas, Trav, Tyke Witnes and more! The show will now travel to Vancouver, London, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne, Taipei, Tokyo, and then back to the U.S. followed by 15 additional U.S. locations including New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Austin, Seattle and more. The Seventh Letter Gallery is located at 346 North Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA, or online at www.theseventhletter.com.
Photos: Brent Broza 1. A timeline dated back to the original sketches and first advertisements using Jim Phillips’ Screaming Hand artwork 2. The man himself, Jim Phillips Sr. 3. Slick installation made of skateboard decks with TapeMetalCanvas piece next to it 4. Felipe Pantone and STEEL MSK 5. Sergio Garcia sculpture 6. Scien and Klor of the 123Klan 7. The art of Axis 8. The private reception at The Seventh Letter Flagship Store and Gallery of the Screaming Hand 30 Year Anniversary, presented by Vans 9. Sebastien Walker and Fate AWR MSK 10. TRAV MSK 11. Drew Merritt 12. Gustavo Rimada
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Words: Delon Isaacs July 11th marked a pretty cool milestone in surfing culture, as dozens of appreciative fans gathered together at San Francisco’s Great Highway Gallery to gaze at the amazing artwork and surf archaeology collections from former world champion bodysurfer Mark Cunningham. Shorepound Lost & Found is nostalgic ode to the surf community created by Cunningham using artifacts that mother ocean has overtaken. Visiting the installation, it’s pretty amazing to see the process of how ordinary surf goods can become works of art through many years of ocean deterioration seen in these incredible buried treasures that Cunningham has gathered for us on display. “When the conditions allow, I don mask, fins and snorkel and make the most out of exploring and scavenging reefs and impact zones for
exercise and treasure,” Mark Cunningham explains. “Archaeological beachcombing between Makapuu and Kahuku on Oahu’s windward shoreline provides pieces of life, stories and adventures. Remains of a wipeout, a forgotten wallet brought into the inviting waters, the shiny and new becoming corroded and encrusted in their underwater resting place are resurfaced and brought back to land to question what happened.” If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the exhibition already, August 22nd marks the final day and we highly recommend you make the visit. The show has dozens of great surf artifacts and also includes photography along with an installation from artist Jonathan Steinberg. Special thanks to Nixon for their help in delivering all these special pieces, and another thanks for Kona Brewing Company for keeping everyone’s spirits up during the show!
Photos: Daniel McElmury 1. Mark Cunningham’s treasures from the deep 2. Mark Cunningham, John Lindsey and Jonathan Steinberg 3. Jonathan Steinberg fin portraits or mugshots 4. Tiffany and Thomas Campbell with Mark Cunningham 5. Classic glass on fins and comb 6. Pascal Parra Jean Lu and Ariella Parra 7. Jonathan Steinberg and Jeff Larkey 8. A full house at The Great Highway 9. Alison Edwards and Boogie Bill Strausser 10. Niel Merrilees 11. Santa Cruz skate groms 12. Fin tree
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With all the Agenda heads in town and everyone primed and ready, the good folks at RVCA thought it a great idea to hold their ANP Quarterly launch party at the Long Beach Museum of Art. The show was titled “The Vitality and Verve: Transforming the Urban Landscape” and their timing was impeccable, as it coincided with the wrap up of POW! WOW! Long Beach and many of the featured artists were on hand, mingling and talking amongst the hundreds in attendance. The night of Wednesday, July 8th, went down in classic RVCA-esque fashion with all of the who’s who on hand, beautiful art on display, free cocktails and appetizers and sweet tunes by Ray Barbee and Josh Harmony’s
band Freckles, to keep our ears happy. It was another night for the books, as everyone left inspired and with smiles on their faces. If you missed it, don’t fret as “The Vitality and Verve: Transforming the Urban Landscape” is on display until October 25th, so check the Long Beach Museum of Art calendar at lbma.org. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to grab the latest copy of ANP Quarterly, with features from Vdrome, Either Way, Clara Cakes, Matt Connors, Go Girl, Ed Templeton, The Hippie Mafia, Deadbeat Club, Butthole Surfers, Jim Drain and so much more – it’s another must-have for every collector. Thank you RVCA for another great night, inspiring us all, one event at a time.
Photos: Delon Isaacs 1. Murphy with ANP cover 2. Aaron Rose, PM Tenore, Casey Holland 3. RVCA BOYZ 4. The LoBros 5. Austin, Mike, Grant and Ashley 6. Alex Yanes 7. Alexis Ross & Cali Thornhill-Dewitt 8. Ray Barbee 9. RVCA WOMENS 10. Jeff Soto 11. Freckles Band 12. Cryptik
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Interview: Max Ritter Photo: Steele O’Neal We called up Riki Gage from White Fang and The Memories to talk about his label Gnar Tape’s newest retail business venture/studio/ funhouse compound called “Gnar Burger” in Los Angeles. Read more about it below. What is Gnar Burger and how did it come about? Gnar Burger is the collaboration of Gnar Tapes and Burger Records. It’s a record store, clothing store, and lifestyle store. We are old friends with the Burger Records guys. There is also a studio here and a skate ramp in the parking lot. It’s a compound. The neighborhood is really Hispanic and cool. It used to be really sketchy but it’s not now. So, the place was a studio first which was originally occupied by producer Bobby Harlow and then the front store space became available and you guys took it over, correct? Yes, exactly. We’re really good friends with Bobby and we just got really lucky when he left the place. He helped us out with the landlord and the other property opened up
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so we swooped on it. The studio was called Studio B and we renamed it Studio G.
been doing this a long time so… If we didn’t have it figured out by now we wouldn’t deserve to be here.
Do people ever walk in the place looking for a Burger on accident? Sounds like a burger joint. Oh yeah, all the time. We are actually working on a recipe for an actual Gnar Burger. We’ve had some test runs and we’ve had some people try them. It’s getting there.
Who are some of the awesomely unique characters you can find over there at the Gnar Burger compound any day of the week? Myself, Riki from Free Weed, White Fang, and The Memories. There is Jimmy from White Fang, there is Izak who is in White Fang and The Memories. He also does Totally You and Skinny Jesus, which is a rap thing. Unkle Funkle of course, he is also in White Fang. You’ll see our friend Niki. The Pangea dudes are here a lot. Steele O’Neal from BRGRTV. Peach Kelli Pop, Meatbodies. King Tuff, some of The Growlers, and No Parents all live close and are around often. We rescued our dog Girlfriend from the parking lot one day. She is a poodle. She wandered in one day really gross and dirty and skinny. We saved her life and no one claimed her so we kept her. She’s always here. A lot of the Sunday homies are over here. Patty from Burger. Penelope Gazin, she painted on our wall. There are a lot of people on tour coming through and we have a lot of parties. We have a skate ramp in the parking lot now too. They built it yesterday in like two hours – it was crazy.
What else do you sell at the store besides just records? Tapes, CDs, stickers, pens, clothes (both new and vintage), band merch, art, Tamagotchis, books, zines… all kinds of shit. We are going to start selling guitars, picks, pedals, strings and all that as well… eventually. It’s pretty crazy you play in multiple bands and then still manage to take on this business. How do you handle it all? Just planning. Lots of planning! Communication. We also party a lot and smoke a lot of weed and drink a lot. That makes it really hard too. But, we seem to have it under control. We had a lot of practice back in the day in Portland. We’ve
Seems like the place is pretty big. The whole compound is pretty massive. The store is about as long as Burger but not as wide. But the studio and the office are massive. The parking lot is big. The whole lot we share with one other business is probably like 8,000 feet. It’s pretty big. What upcoming events and releases are coming up that you’re excited about over at Gnar Burger? We have a new Memories album coming up. Tons of new Gnar Tapes. A Free Weed tape, a Funkle tape, a new Lentils tape… the Lentils are from Vermont and they are from the same town King Tuff is from, Battleboro, Vermont. The Memories are playing with Shannon & The Clams at The El Rey on September 23rd. We also have a lot of shop shows here at Gnar Burger. Look for those dates online. Canter’s Deli has a truck and they park in front the store every Friday. So come to Canters and get a Ruben on Fridays! Gnar Burger is located at 3436 N Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90065. Open 12 P.M.–8 P.M. seven days a week!
WE JUST PRINT THE SH&T! / ERIK@AMPERLITHO.COM / 760.213.4008 910 17TH ST. COSTA MESA, CA 92627
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Review: Max Ritter
Wilco Star Wars Self-Released Not all bands can surprise-release new albums out of the blue and give them away for free, or get away with naming their album “Star Wars” and putting a cat on the cover. It’s no Yankee Hotel Foxtrot but kudos to you, Tweedy. Star Wars is their first LP in four years and it’s free.99 until August 13th. I refuse to believe Wilco is psyching harder than I am for the new Star Wars movie but I guess it’s possible.
Dwight Twilley Firefly b/w Livin’ In The City 7” Hozac “Dwight Twilley is an American powerpop icon from the pre-Ramones/ Cheap Trick era that slipped though the cracks due to bad management decisions and the entanglements of the major label record business.” That’s the fine folks at Hozac Records describing the under-appreciated songsmith from the eighties Dwight Twilley. This is their second archival 7” from Dwight Twilley. If you love Big Star or Tom Petty then this guy’s a must hear for you.
Dwight Twilley Firefly b/w Livin’ In The City 7” Hozac
Jacuzzi Boys Happy Damage – Single Mag Mag
“Dwight Twilley is an American power-pop icon from the preRamones/Cheap Trick era that slipped though the cracks due to bad management decisions and the entanglements of the major label record business.” That’s the fine folks at Hozac Records describing the under-appreciated songsmith from the eighties Dwight Twilley. This is their second archival 7” from Dwight Twilley. If you love Big Star or Tom Petty then this guy’s a must hear for you.
The Jacuzzi Boys are getting back to some good ol’ straight up three piece rock ‘n’ roll on their new single entitled, “Happy Damage.” The song is the first taste of an EP that will be released this fall on the band’s new label MAG MAG. The band also released a video for the tune compromised of footage from a recent tour, which makes touring in a rock ‘n’ roll band look really fun and takes out all the lame parts like sleeping in your van for a month and having really bad hangovers the entire time.
Dirt Dress Non Plus Ultra, Los Angeles, CA Saturday July 18th, 2015
Review & Photo: Max Ritter
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This night was Dirt Dress’s final show and it was pretty sad to see such a good band hang it up. Froth opened and said some really nice words about the band before their set, and then the little warehouse went into pandemonium. When the band played their song Revelations the whole room slowed and sang along and it was quite the send off. ‘Til next time, R.I.P. Dirt Dress.
Age: 12 Hometown: Ojai, CA Sponsors: Focus Apparel, Felony 4 Life Favorite Skaters: Bob Burnquist, Pedro Barros, Torey Pudwill Photo: Ortiz
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Age: 12 Hometown: San Clemente, CA Sponsors: Rip Curl, Vans, Electric, CI Surfboards, Stance Socks, Blackline & Sex Wax Favorite Surfers: Gudauskas brothers, Kolohe Andino, Owen Wright & Julian Wilson Photo: Joe Foster
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