BL!SSS Magazine | August 2016 | #108

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animal chin • photo • grant brittain

randoms • 22 product • 26 brian bress • 28 michael mapes • 30 super taste • 32 pow!wow! long beach • 34 grant brittain photo feature• 36 the zone • 42 jenny morgan • 48 north-east underground • 56 road to cabo • 60 jody wachniak • 64 quiksilver originals party • 68 dvs + tavik swim: we are people • 70 2016 drink water rat race • 72 the smell • 74 music reviews • 75 grom • 76

IM MA AH GI IN NA A A R LY E CX OA LN L DE EC RT I O N

F A M I L Y I M O G E N

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Editor-in-Chief nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com

Editor

joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com

Creative DirectoR mark paul deren : madsteez madsteez@madsteez.com

assistant editor delon isaacs delon@blisssmag.com

EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com

SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com

MUSI C EDITOR max ritter max@blisssmag.com

advertising ads@blisssmag.com

contributing Photographers

Jason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Bruce Beach, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue, Joe Foster, Sean Sullivan, Delon Isaacs

contributors

Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon, JP Olson, Bruce Beach

AUGUST 2016 BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.blisssmag.com Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/ advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss’ right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team.

Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which may reflect negatively on the integrity of the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.

ARTIST • JENNY MORGAN

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@805BEER SEE THE BUMMY KOEPENICK STORY AND MORE AT 805BEER.COM

VOLCOM X ANTIHERO

Colliding deep beneath the Earth’s crust, Volcom and Antihero’s road-creeping roots have entangled to grow something new, thus giving us the all-new Volcom x Antihero collab. Supported and designed by double-dipping legends Grant Taylor, Chris Pfanner and Daan Van Der Linden, this new line of goods have been spawned from their creative minds to build garments with the best materials and the most durable designs. This Volcom X Antihero Collection is pretty badass; you won’t find a bunch of flashy bells and whistles here, just a clean, no-nonsense apparel with a solid range of shirts, vests, pants and other key accessory pieces.

Shop the collection today at your local skate/apparel store or at volcom.com

ACTIVE RIDE SHOP FIGGY APPAREL COLLECTION

Figgy is a pretty cool guy: he’s wicked tall, skates really good, shreds the guitar and apparently is the first skater to have his own signature apparel line for Active Ride Shop. Justin “Figgy” Figueroa has been riding and flying the Active flag since the early 2000s, so kicking off this unique first-ever dedicated R/S rider apparel line made perfect sense. The Active R/S line is a skateboard-inspired full line of apparel crafted for men, women, and youth featuring garment pieces designed to really last.

You know… for like skateboarding in. Figgy’s collection is now available online and at all 29 Active locations. The range includes flannels, knits, and several graphic t-shirts, so get it while it’s hot, yo.

BANZAI BOWLS HAWAII

Our favorite 100%, non-GMO, organic acai provider has just opened shop on the North Shore of Hawaii. The Original Banzai Bowls Hawaii, located at Sunset Beach next to the Chevron station (59-186 Kamehameha Hwy), had their grand opening this past month. To celebrate family and friends showed up for an authentic Hawaiian blessing, live tunes and free bowls for everyone. Banzai Bowls also presented the North Shore Lifeguard Association Junior Guards a gigantic check for $16,500, which will pay for the guards to fly to Maui for the Junior Lifeguard State Championships. They also donated another $7,000 to the Friends of Sunset Beach, a volunteer and donation-based nonprofit that helps fund the arts program at Sunset Beach Elementary. So next time you find yourself on the North Shore craving a healthy snack, you know where to go – support those that support their community.

CONVERSE ONE STAR PRO MID TOP

Protect that ankle, bruh, with the all-new Cons One Star Pro Mid Top, which has been our preferred skate shoe for the month of August. We’ve always cherished the appeal of the classic 1974 Converse One Star staple, and back in the ‘90s this was thee sneaker that rose to prominence in alternative culture, which was embraced by all sorts of self-reliant innovators of street and skate. It’s the summer of 2016 now and the Cons One Star has come a long way, especially with all of its new technical design. The new One Star Pro Mid Top delivers the durability and impact protection needed for skateboarding with a tough suede upper and plush, Nike Lunarlon cushioning. The new modified mid profile offers extra support, and the autoclave construction and rubber outsole enhance board feel and grip, no matter where you skate. Pick up all the colorways at Converse retailers for $75 USD now.

BANKSY IN ORANGE COUNTY

The Artists Republic Gallery in Laguna Beach has got some exciting news for the month of August – world-renowned graffiti artist Bansky will be in SoCal for the first time ever. Well, the actual human may not be there but one of his originals will. On display August 20th through October 20th for everyone to enjoy, be sure to check out the Haight Street Rat as part of the group exhibition Pageant of the Vandals. The show is co-curated by Hexagon Gallery and Elephants & Castles and also includes works by Shepherd Fairey, Ben Eine, Zio Ziegler, Jeff Gillette, Swoon, Chad Hasegawa, Lucy, Ella and many more. With so much good talent under one roof it would be a crime for you not to swing by and check out. Located at 1175 South Coast Hwy in North Laguna, we’ll see you there.

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METAL NECK 2: THE BANGOVER

Newport Beach’s motley crew of incredibly talented surfing weirdoes have finally blessed us with Metal Neck 2: The Bangover, a sequel to their original surf film Metal Neck, which was released three years ago from around the same time today. If you’re unfamiliar with Metal Neck you’ve been living under a rock, which is probably for your own good because this surfing thriller is not intended for your typical boring so and so. Metal Neck is the brainchild surf movie/lifestyle of our favorite local surfer Andrew Doheny and filmer Matt Tromberg, starring a cast of some of the most entertaining surfers including Christian Fletcher, Noa Deane, Creed Mactaggart, Ford Archbold, Alex Knost, Colin Moran, Ozzie Wright, and of course Metal Jimmy. This movie will blow your fucking mind. Follow @metal_neck for updates, as it will be most likely released online free to the public early this month.

ELEMENT X MLB COLLECTION

Element Skateboard Company and the MLB skipped a couple of bases and decided to go all the way home for this amazing new collaboration in celebration for the 2016 MLB All-Star Game festivities. The partnership with MLB allows Element to produce boards of all 30 teams, which is freakin’ nuts! This introduces a new category to the market that offers skateboarders the opportunity to represent their favorite hometown baseball team and heroes. From the New York Yankees to whatever weird Midwest state you live in to the Los Angeles Dodgers, check out Element’s exquisite MLB deck offering at elementbrand.com.

POLER INVADES LAGUNA BEACH

Camp vibes galore, Laguna Beach has a new resident and they go by the name of Poler. Located at 1360 South Coast Hwy, they have every rad item you can possibly think of for your next adventure. All the i’s have been dotted and t’s crossed when it comes to the interior of this new retail space/hangout – you literally feel like you’re at the best campsite in the world. So next time your passing through Laguna Beach, stop on in and check out all the must-haves for the next time you decide to take the path less traveled.

BYRD BODY WASH, SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

As the Byrdhouse in LA continues to grow so does its line of hair and body care products. Our boy Chase Wilson continues to impress us with his latest addition to his line of men’s grooming with the Hydrating Body Wash, Purifying Shampoo and Lightweight Conditioner. Keeping it true to the tradition that the ocean provides all we need, there are some key ingredients in the new products that are making us smile: Pacific Sea Salt, Red Algae and Sea Kelp. Staying true to his roots and making us all look and smell a little bit nicer, we’re proud of what Big Byrd continues to do.

BEN CARLSON FOUNDATION - SPENCER PIRDY

Not only is Spencer Pirdy an incredible surfer but he’s also an awesome human being. For three days in a row our previous BL!SSS employee Spencer set out to conquer a legendary endurance mission, in honor of Ben Carlson, while raising $8,000 for the Ben Carlson Foundation. For this fundraiser our Newport Beach Spartan paddled 28 miles from Newport Beach to Catalina, followed it up with a 26.5 mile run around the island the next day, and finished it off by paddling another 28 miles all the way home. The amount of perseverance and endurance Spence took to overcome this challenge blows us away, and we couldn’t be anymore proud of our guy. If you have a little bit of time please make sure you head over to bencarlsonfoundation.org and make a donation, and 100% of your contributions will be used to help fund the missions chosen to honor Ben. Congrats again on all of your hard work Pirdy! #bendidgo

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left to right • Active Ride Shop, Jammer - $44.99, activerideshop.com • Billabong, Crossfire X Submersible - $64.95, billabong.com • etnies, Modrus - $44.99, etnies.com • Ezekiel, In Reverse - $52, ezekielusa.com • Fishworks, Stretch Clipperton - $64.95, fishworksproducts.com • Hurley, Dri-Fit Chino 22” - $60, hurley.com • Lira, Weekday Jogger - $40, liraclothing.com • ourCaste, Don - $60, ourCaste.com • Quiksilver, Utilitarion 20” Amphibian - $69.50, quiksilver.com • Rhythm, Bottle Brush Jam - $54.99, rhythmlivin.com • Roark, Porter 5-Pocket Chino - $60, roark.com • RVCA, Control Vintage Hybrid - $60, rvca.com • Super Brand, Course Walkshort - $64, superbranded.com • Vans, Dewitt Print Short - $49.50, vans.com • Vissla, Sofa Surfer - $49.95, vissla.com • Volcom, Voltility - $50, volcom.com

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interview • OCMA

check out

Where do the many personalities of your characters come from and are you in any of them?

I’m in many of the videos but not all of them. I used to be in all of the videos but I wanted to start to incorporate friends and other people to expand what I could do. The characters themselves in my pieces are sometimes alter egos and other times they are constructed from people I’ve met in my life.

In recent videos, many times the characters and their respective personalities come from the jobs or actions they do. Many times I let how or what they do reveal to me what type of personality they have.

As your projects include many processes and materials, what part of your innovations are you drawn to most?

I’m usually drawn to the process or material I know the least about. I love learning new ways to make things and new ways to use materials because there’s an element of risk involved in trying something with which you’re not comfortable.

As you incorporate television characters, well known artwork from different artists/periods, and other sources, have you ever received a reaction from someone referenced that took you by surprise?

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One time I made a costume for a video based on a collage that used a small portion of a Ralph Meatyard photograph. Meatyard isn’t exactly a household name in photography but my gallerist told me that a viewer at the gallery had spotted the Meatyard reference and mentioned it. It’s not at all important that you know who Meatyard is to enjoy that piece, but I do like that one can dig a little bit and find little details that might reveal my interests and influences.

You were born in Virginia but live in Los Angeles; does LA contribute to or influence your work?

LA absolutely influences my work. When I came out to LA back in 2003 to go to grad school at UCLA I began to realize that the film industry was a shadow resource for the art world, and as an artists there were so many resources, both people and material, that I could tap into.

It’s clear you like to be inclusive.

I don’t want there to be barriers to enjoying art. I don’t want some folks who maybe slept through art history class or who feel intimidated by galleries and museums to feel like they can’t approach my work.

Brian Bress: Make Your Own Friends is on view at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, August 6 through December 4, 2016.

The exhibition offers an in-depth look at the last 10 years of his practice. Bringing together his video, sculpture, and works on paper for the first time, the exhibition is the most significant presentation of the LA artist’s work to date.

Bress is known for the fictional characters he creates, inspired by 1980s children’s television programming, exotic world cultures, and historical art movements. Born as doodles or collages, these imaginative figures take shape as sculptural costumes and come to life on video, performed in front of elaborately composed backdrops. Brian Bress: Make Your Own Friends is jointly organized by Whitney Tassie, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), and Nora Burnett Abrams, curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.

interview • liz rice mccray

check out

This month we caught up with artist Michael Mapes and asked him a couple questions about his multidimensional scientific art pinnings. Make sure to check out more of his art at website room62.com.

How would you describe your art to our reader?

My work shares art historical connections with assemblage and collage. I often refer to it as dimensional collage or mixed-media collage. A majority of my art examines a single subject, oftentimes humans or paintings of humans. I employ a kind of pseudo-scientific method. I choose subjects and in the reconstruction of them I reference entomology, biological and forensics materials and processes using insect pins, test tubes, petri dishes, sample bags, gelatin pill capsules, etc. As such, I’m creating contemporary portraiture where the art is seen through a kind of scientific lens. My hope is that it encourages different ways of processing and interpreting what and how we look at things - art, science or anything.

Your art is meticulous and precise in every way.

Will you explain your creative process?

A majority of my work is portraiture. I take a similar initial approach as to when I used to draw and paint. I get to know the subjects to best determine the approach to capturing their likeness.

This can involve anything from an informational audit – literally submitting dozens of specific questions – to researching the subject in an almost

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investigative manner. From this content, I generate an understanding of how to approach the general composition.

For the photographic-based works, I generally take my own photographs of living human specimens. For the Dutch Master and pin-up series, I use high-resolution images made available from the museums or from the artist’s estate. I re-size them all and make stacks of prints. The process and sensibility of making these works is very much like painting.

As evidenced by the work, this material is dissected into innumerable parts. In the reconstruction process, the original photographic content is substituted in meaningful ways. I refer to this new content as “biographical DNA.” Your pinnings reminds me of a forensic science crime scene... collections and specimens making up a bigger picture. Are the items you are pinning a part of the story, and what materials do you use in your assemblage?

The forensic reference is important to suggesting qualities and history in the subjects. When carefully considered for their color and composition, the individual specimens suggest a great deal more about the subjects than the surface characteristics of the original photo or painting. The sum effect is to create a story about the subject that is complex in the parts but also fundamentally seen as a whole.

Materials vary wildly depending on the subject and availability. Beyond the photographs, I collect such things as hair, fingernails, perfume, dental x-rays, fingerprints, handwriting samples, cigarette butts, false eyelashes, wine corks, soil samples, botanical materials and more. This process has the dual effect of furthering my understanding of the subject, and at the same time I consider how best to present it in the work.

How did you get into creating these mixed media collages?

I returned to the studio years later after studying art with an intention of a more serious pursuit. I had skills in drawing, painting and photography, but I didn’t regard myself as exceptional in any of them.

I experimented in the studio for the better part of a year before one day altering a photograph with a hole punch and sewing pins. I recognized the potential. The scientific reference, which I significantly built upon, stemmed from having a number of friends who were in different areas of science. I simply employed the veneer of science without the burden of much actual knowledge of it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Last thing, where can people check out your art?

I exhibit in the States and internationally with galleries. I have a website at room62.com with upcoming exhibits and such.

photography • dominic petruzzi • @dominicpetruzzi model • talita correa • @talita_c • @hollywoodmodelmanagement hair & makeup • juanita lopez • @jlomakeup_

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words • john pangilinan • photos • selina miles & brandon shigeta

POW!WOW! Long Beach returned for the second consecutive year from July 11-17.

Artists from around the globe participated in the weeklong event bringing art and culture to the city. POW!WOW! is a gathering of contemporary artists that engage with the broader community in the process and creation of art. Long Beach plays host to a week filled with live mural paintings, art exhibitions, talks and more. In addition, the Long Beach Museum of Art, in collaboration

with Thinkspace Gallery and POW! WOW!, hosted the opening of “Vitality and Verve: In the Third Dimension,” which opened on Friday, July 15th.

“Long Beach is the perfect setting for POW! WOW! The creative community in the city is thriving with art and music and has become a hub for artists,” stated Jasper Wong, founder and lead director of POW! WOW! “The amount of support that the city has shown is incredible,

craig “skibs” barker

andrew hem

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aaron de la cruz

and we look forward to another great event.”

Featured artists include Pantonio, Ernest Zacharevic, Aaron Li-Hill, Sarah Joncas, Cinta Vidal, Hitotzuki, Andrew Hem, Edwin Ushiro, Yoskay Yamamoto, Hula and more. The public was invited to watch and experience the process of the artists as they created their murals throughout the city. Make sure to check out the entire POW! WOW! festivities and murals at www.powwowlongbeach.com.

felipe pantone telmo miel

defer

mark dean veca sarah joncas

sergio garcia

dragon 76

li-hill

ernest zacharevic

gator • baldy • layback

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interview • delon isaacs When did you first start getting into photography?

I began working at the Del Mar Skate Ranch in August of 1978 and borrowed my roommate’s Canon AE-1 in February of 1979 and shot my first roll of film, Kodachrome 64 Slide film.

How important were those first initial years of shooting photographs at Del Mar Skate Ranch to you?

I was essentially self-taught, just shooting my friends and the locals.

I was looking at photos in Skateboarder Magazine and Wide World of Skateboarding and trying to figure out the proper angles and the basics of skate photography. I would be working at the Ranch and pros would come in and I would go out and try to get some shots of them. I have a lot of bad rolls, but that’s how I learned, from my mistakes. I owe a lot to the locals at DMSR for putting up with me asking them to do trick after trick, over and over again. I couldn’t have done it without their patience. I am still friends with many of them.

Was there much money in skate photography back in the early ‘80s?

There was no money in the early ‘80s. I remember getting 50 bucks and I was stoked! I bought film with it. Skateboard Photographer was not a profession or an option – it was just fun.

Do you remember a point of time where it clicked for you and you realized you could make a living off of being this specific type of photographer?

When I started taking photography classes at Palomar Junior College in San Marcos, I was already shooting skate photos. Sonny Miller (RIP) took me into the darkroom there to print some of my negatives, and then that’s when I fell in love with photography. I knew then that I wanted to be a photographer, but like I said, there was no such thing as “Skate Photographer.” I started thinking that I would go on in school and do fine art photography, or teach or something. It wasn’t until a couple of years into my time at Transworld Skateboarding Magazine that I considered Skate Photographer as my profession.

Looking at all your old skate photos you can tell there is a huge trust factor between you and all your subjects, everything seems very honest. How important is it to you to build actual relationships with your subjects, rather than just being some guy at the right place, shooting strangers?

I started out shooting my friends and the DMSR locals. We already had a relationship and I knew how a certain person skated. There were not as many skaters of notoriety back then and I knew everyone that came to the skatepark. Del Mar was an internationally known skate destination. If I didn’t know someone, we would shoot together and we would become friendly. You have to have pretty good social skills to be a successful photographer. Taking photos is only part of it; it’s a collaborative relationship between skater and photographer, and we help each other. Afterwards you go get food, coffee or a beer and that bonds you together for life.

I assume a lot of the people you shot in the early days were some of your closest friends?

I shot Kyle Jensen, a young local for my first roll of film in 1979.

I owe him for that. He started skating again a few years back and we have rekindled our friendship. I am still friends with the locals and pros I shot back then: Bill Billing, Jim Alesi, Tony, Swift, Miller, Strople, Inouye, Cab, Nieder, Swank, Vuckovich, Hosoi, Guerrero, Mountain, Grisham, Kasai, Staab, etc. Sometimes I don’t see them all that much, but we have that special relationship, it’s a brotherhood.

You have to remember: we were doing all of this at a time when the only people who cared about skateboarding were the skateboarders.

There were two magazines, a handful of photographers and 30+ pro skaters.

Going off the last question, who were the first couple of skaters that were a part of your photo entourage? During those early years you must have had a specific group of skaters you shot all the time that would help you craft your talent.

I have a couple of hundred photos of Owen Nieder doing handplants at Del Mar. I hung out with my fellow workers Bill Billing and Jim Alesi daily, and I would hone my skills on those dudes. They are still my oldest friends. I was shooting my friends and they were my crash test dummies and models. I owe all of them so much.

grosso • atlanta

Do you have a favorite photo or favorite ad in which you shot the photo for?

The June, 1987 Swank cover of Transworld is probably my favorite.

It wasn’t just about the shot, it was also about the drama that went on with getting it on the cover and then I think it changed the whole way skateboard photography could be used in publication.

People either hated that cover or loved it. That was a collaboration between David Carson, who was the art director, and myself.

Black and white, not peak action shot, no cover blurbs and not pushing a sponsor. I think it was sort of revolutionary in a way and ended up being one of my iconic images. Now, moody, lifestyley skateboarding photos are the norm.

How much content have you been sitting on that is unseen?

How deep do the BrittaIn archives go? Are you planning on releasing a book any time soon?

There are a lot of B-Roll photos that were never seen. They have a new validity to them because they’re old. My tastes have changed with time too. What I didn’t like back then, I dig now. Plus,

mike smith • acid drop • upland

duane peters

gonz • boneless • gemco

jamie thomas • leap of faith

photographic styles have changed.

Now shooting into the sun is cool.

My archives are chaotic. You know that scene at the end of Indiana Jones? Imagine that, the size of a two-car garage. I am working on a coffee table book with Nixon, coming out in 2017, hopefully.

When skateboarding transformed from ramps to actual street skating, how much of an exciting time was that for your photography?

Like, I mean you were a huge part of something that really never existed. I couldn’t imagine what the capabilities of shooting photos during a time like that would be.

True, Mofo at Thrasher and I and a few other photogs (Kanights, Mountain, Blender, Ortiz, Thatcher, etc.) were figuring out how to shoot street skating. We were taking what we already knew shooting ramps and pools to the curbs, ledges and then handrails.

I consider the 1980s as the Golden Age of Skateboarding, and we were quite fortunate to have film budgets and magazines to show our work. Thrasher and Transworld were the Internet back then, long may they live.

jay adams • del mar • 1982 Are there any new wave photographer millennials that inspire you today? Who pushes you to go out and take photos?

It is my peers that inspire me to keep shooting. There are so many skate photographers these days. Jacob Messex and Jake Darwen work for The Skateboard Mag and I think they stand out above the horde.

You really need to shoot the best people nowadays or have a unique look or style. It is very competitive now. Back in the day, I was always trying to compete against Mofo; he motivated me to do my best.

Do things like iPhones and Instagram and all the social media junk bum you out on taking photos or no? Do you have a certain stand on how the new-age processes photographs and art?

I love it all, I am an addict. I use social media to promote skateboarding, my photography and photography. I see stuff on Instagram that could easily be in a magazine. A lot of the stuff however is just noise, and the electronic media can be quite fleeting.

You can say whatever you want about print, but it’s still a “big thing” to get a cover or an interview in a mag and I think it has more longevity. Modern print magazines have to be collectible and have compelling stories. The Skateboard Mag has that, I think. I like holding a good quality mag in my hands with big quality photos, but that is just me. I like it all and it’s all just different tools in the paint box. I love how shooting film is cool, film sales have risen actually and alternative photographic techniques like Wet Plate Collodion have come back. I love anything to do with photography, analog or digital.

After all, it’s all digital in the end. bones brigade • 2003

caballero • boneless • kona

You must have thousands and thousands of slides. How often do you reflect on all the photos you’ve taken, and how often do you find a photo where you didn’t really like before but then learned to love because of a newly developed appreciation?

Like I said, my tastes are always changing and I rediscover old forgotten photos often. I find photos I had forgotten I shot; they have been buried in the vault, my garage. Time changes everything. We were just shooting for the moment, it all became important later, history.

interview • delon isaacs Every time Jack Coleman makes a new movie, you’re instantly blown away on how far he’s come and how much better he keeps getting at making these things. I’ve seen and heard Jack work on this silly little movie for what seems like decades now, shooting and re-shooting, editing and re-editing, all in a sanctuary of a 3-foot by 6-foot asbestos-filled shack, literally found kissing the roads of PCH. The Zone, Jack Coleman’s latest full-length surf movie, is an alternative-dimension portal for surfing where creativity and imagination are boundless, a visual medium that capsulates everything that makes you giggle when you think about how much fun surfing really is. I’ve been forced to watch this movie twice now and I think I watched it another time on my own willingly, but each time I’ve seen it I can’t help

but realize how much I really like everything that is going on. In celebration for the launch of The Zone, we got to ask our big goofball of a friend a couple questions about his latest film.

Tell me about your new film “The Zone” and how long have you been getting footage for this film.

The Zone is my longest project to date; it was shot over a two-year time period, now going on 28 months. This film was definitely my most passionate with the largest commitment I ever made to creating a truthful piece of cinema. The film is inspired by those who are featured in it, surfers like Ryan Burch and Derek Hynd who have transcended their respective selves to become the cutting edge of what surfing truly is. The Zone is that conscience place where a surfer becomes one with the ocean.

These surfers flow autonomously, only letting the wave dictate what they do with its energy. That’s THE ZONE! Can you tell us some of the people starring in the film?

The whole cast only includes 11 surfers currently.

I wanted to keep the cast to just the surfers I like, not what the mainstream has been force-feeding us, although some cast members are internationally known as the leaders in what they have contributed to surfing. The cast is: Rangi Ormond, Ari Browne, Derek Hynd, Derrick Disney, Bryce Young, Ryan Burch, Rob Machado, Robin Kegel, Justin Adams, Alex Knost, Ozzie Wright, and possibly David Rastovich as the final piece to the puzzle that is The Zone.

rangi ormond

byron bay

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ari browne • australia

bryce young

derrick disney • baja

robin kegel

ari vs kang

bryce young

the rookie

ari brown

baja

ari browne

justin & al You usually feature underground surfers in your films, people like Justin Adams, Rangi Ormond, Ari Browne, and a lot of other people that the mainstream surf media wouldn’t cover. Who are some of the new people featuring in The Zone?

That’s right, I love these underground guys. I feel what they do is just as important as what Kelly Slater did, or who won what contest, or did a certain air. This film has a couple of new guys I’ve added that I’m proud to say are legit surfers that have a true love for what they do in and out of the water.

I’d say my newest and brightest cast member would be Derrick Disney & Bryce Young. These two guys are peaking physically and mentally right now.

Barely into their mid-twenties, they are the future of innovative, alternative board riding elite. Just the equipment they ride really separates them from the rest of surfing. And by the way, they charge some pretty big waves as well. Look for these two guys

to stand out in the movie! I’m so excited to feature such dynamic surfers like them; they feed off each other and push each other to take it just that much further.

Hell froze over because you’re shooting digital now. What’s up with that?

The Zone is the first feature film I’ve ever done that will feature digital imagery. Of course, more than half the film was shot with Super 8 analog film. With shooting just film it limited my capacity to create usable work. I was limited to a certain focal range of capturing. With digital I can now shoot waves I never got a chance to shoot properly before. I guess in a nutshell, digital has opened up the look of my films to a point that is where I want them to go right now, a place where it can be enjoyed by a wider audience than what my Super 8 films in the past projected.

ozzie wright

derek hynd byron bay

diz • flex tail

rob machado bryce young

rasta Was this film totally self-funded?

Pretty much, maybe co-produced by four other donors.

There is no corporate sponsor attachment, and all the footage and traveling you see throughout the film was all paid by money I earn from photo jobs and film sales. My dream was to strictly live life 100% involved in the work, trying to create a piece that has some sort of substance to it. I feel like I’ve done that with this movie. I gave it all up to just focus my energy on the ocean.

Any plans on a new film after The Zone?

Possibly, yeah. I think I got another in me. Gonna take my time for sure though. I know it takes at least two years to put something legitimate together for the people to enjoy, at least, by my standards.

Any special thanks?

Harry Henderson, who is kinda my right hand for this project, I’d call him a talent coordinator and almost like a manager to me. Also Paul Naude and John Cambridge for their generosity and support throughout the making of the film.

ryan burch

bryce young

rangi ormond caribbean jack coleman

interview • jen schwarting

To start, can you describe your recent body of work?

My most recent solo show, “Turning the Tide,” was at Beers Gallery in London in March 2016. I was working with psychological themes centered on the shadow of the human psyche. Carl Jung popularized the idea of “the shadow” and described it as the unconscious aspects of the personality that the conscious self denies or rejects. On a personal level, I believe it’s important to acknowledge the shadow aspects within myself, and then make an effort to integrate that material into my awareness. Carl Jung expressed, “To confront a person with his shadow is to show him his own light. Once one has experienced what it is like to stand judgingly between the opposites, one begins to understand what is meant by ‘the self.’”

When I saw your work for the first time in person at Driscoll Babcock Galleries in New York, I was surprised by the scale. The figures

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are all the more powerful painted larger than life.

It’s important to me that the figures exist at a scale larger than life – I need the scale to reflect my personal feelings towards these individuals and I often want to venerate them or make idols. I like offering the viewer the experience of encountering giants who feel super human. The physical labor that goes into a large canvas is very rewarding.

When your whole body is involved in the act of painting, it can start to feel like sculpture. The grander the scale, the more physically cathartic it feels to execute.

You use a color-shifting, psychedelic palette, and many of your subjects have a dreamy, blissed-out expression. Are they in ecstasy? What accounts for their altered states?

The subjects are experiencing both the ecstasy and the agony of being alive.

The more subtle facial expressions allow for ambiguity, which leaves room

for the color to speak louder than body posture. I also have an appreciation for very simplistic and static poses, again, allowing for color to demand importance. Bathing the subjects in gradient fields of color helps to elevate them and place them in altered spaces.

My work is primarily self-portraiture and people whom I am close with on a personal level. My connection to the sitter is foundational. I try to address each portrait from the point of view of the sitter and ask myself what is needed. Does the sitter need a jolt of electric color to energize and move them? Or maybe the sitter is posing for me because there is a major life event taking place, the depths of which will need to be made evident through more aggressive techniques. Taking into consideration the present state of my subject helps me to shift them in some way. Color has proven to be most satisfying and profound in terms of truly transforming the figure.

Can you talk about the role technology plays in your painting?

The manipulation and saturation of digital photo filters comes to mind, but the newest work, painted in reverse, seems to draw from old school film negatives.

I am highly influenced by digital gradients and love mimicking the smooth perfection with paint. That is why I am often asked if the work is airbrushed or manipulated in Photoshop in some way, but it’s all brushwork. I don’t make preparatory sketches; I prefer to play with the image digitally and try color schemes or ideas out in Photoshop and then allow myself to problem solve on the canvas itself. Since I take on the role of photographer and the photographic reference is such a huge part of my process, I look to other photographers such as Rineke Dijkstra and Sally Mann for inspiration.

Sally Mann’s daguerreotypes were on my mind during the last body of work; it was helpful to reference her

analogue process when thinking about inverting my images digitally. I was reminded that in traditional forms of photography, the image starts as a negative and is made positive by adding light – a synchronistic metaphor for the content of the work.

You can’t know light without dark – I explored this duality through the use of a limited palette and inversions.

When the portraits became monotone, I felt an immediate impulse to turn them inside out. With white and black switching places, it was as if the contrast between light and dark was amplified – the white glowing and the black deepening. This reversal of color structure was psychologically shocking to my system. I started dreaming about the paintings and having conversations with them about their content. I ventured pretty deep down the rabbit hole and used the making of this work to help me navigate through an internal landscape.

You recently painted a self-portrait

in which your facial features are almost entirely blurred, except for one exquisite, all-seeing eye.

Are you representing a higher consciousness?

Yes. The blurred features are a push and pull between states. Symbolically, I think of it in a few different ways.

The blurred features are being pushed back into an infinite fog of color, while the more rendered eye can clearly see through the haze. The all-seeing eye is allowed access to higher levels of consciousness and is looking out at the world from the perspective of the highest self. The eye being singled out also alludes to the power of the proverbial third eye – providing the subject matter with the ability to perceive the world beyond ordinary sight.

This particular self-portrait is titled Purple Haze. How much does music influence your painting?

I often pull titles from the music that has an impacted the work. In the studio, there are times when an album

will serve as a sort of soundtrack, and I’ll notice a beautiful synchronicity when the themes in the music mirror the ideas I’m working with in the paintings. I honor that influence by pulling lyrics or titles from the poetic musicians. In reference to Purple Haze, the title is also a tip of the hat to the weed and psychedelic culture – both having an influence in my creative process.

The treatment of your subjects’ hair is intriguing – both as a formal framing device, and as a singular nod to fashion. Otherwise, your backgrounds and your models are bare, devoid of clothes or any specific stylistic references.

Are you pursuing a sense of timelessness?

A sense of timelessness is very attractive to me. I haven’t wanted to add hints of fashion or include tattoos on the skin because I think that figurative work can denote its place in time purely through style. Maybe it’s a strange quirk of mine, but too many

narrative signifiers in figurative work tend to make me uncomfortable, so I like to strip mine down as much as possible. The subject matter doesn’t exist in an earthly space filled with material cues – it hovers just outside of those bounds. My long-term goal is to keep pushing the figure deeper into an abstract space – some have referred to this space as purgatory, but I see it as more free form and otherdimensional.

The hair has become its own pictorial device and can move through different levels of realism – sometimes every strand is depicted in detail and then the dimensionality can be lost all together and it becomes purely graphic and hard-edged. I start every painting with an acrylic base color of cadmium red, and I enjoy leaving this red layer visible by turning the hair into an open graphic shape – framing the figure with a bright crimson mane. With the hair actually being a part of the body, it serves as a middle ground between contemporary trends and the eternal.

Speaking of the eternal, you have been painting yourself and your friends, and you all exude the glow of youth. As you begin to age, will the work change?

I have always known that as I age, the work will directly reflect that transformation. At this point, my work has allowed me to have an intimate understanding of my own skin and shape – I’m watching my body subtly change, looking more and more like my mother’s. And since I do pull my subjects from a close pool of people, I will watch them age on an intimate level as well. I’m looking forward to witnessing this process of life and cataloguing the beauty and drama behind it. With age comes deeper life experience.

Bearing witness to the process of life but also, I’m guessing, its end?

Skeletons and skulls are recurring motifs in your work. Do you

identify them as symbols of death or something else entirely?

The symbolism of the skull has been evolving through the years of its use and will continue to do so. I first started painting the skull as a blanket symbol for mortality, referencing art history more than a personal narrative. I thought of the skeleton as an inert object, able to simply represent an idea, but essentially empty. As I have been confronted with more deaths in my own life though, the skull and skeleton have taken on a complete life of their own. They are no longer inert and lifeless, but filled with existential quandary. Working with these symbols helps me to slowly comprehend grief and the concept of death. The skeleton now feels like an entity, a living being who is able to walk between worlds.

Do you paint every day?

My schedule ebbs and flows in the

studio based around deadlines. My practice in the last few years has been built around creating specific bodies of work, with a few pieces that bridge the gap between them. When preparing for a show, I’m in my studio between six and seven days a week, getting lost in the work. I lean more towards the workaholic end of the spectrum, so I have to balance myself out. I have about three months a year where I need to recharge and I find it impossible to paint, which can be frustrating but also necessary.

What do you to do to recharge?

I take time off from the studio and put my energy elsewhere, which can feel challenging after such concentrated focus. I first clean the studio as an act of cleansing. Then I give myself a few weeks of catching up on all the other life activities I ignore or push to the side while working; like exercise, reading, travel and downtime. One of

my priorities during this time is to look at as much art as possible, so I can refill my well of muses.

Have any recent exhibitions inspired you?

I saw Toyin Ojih Odutola at Jack Shainman Gallery in NYC. Odutola is an artist who works with themes of identity and the sociopolitical concept of skin color through portraiture. I have been following her work for years and was thrilled to see her latest show in person. She creates her portraits by building up layers of ballpoint pen ink, allowing the ink to transform in color and range. Her figures are beautifully rendered and multilayered in terms of content and soul. Upon entering the space, I was stopped in my tracks by her inverted self-portrait – blown away by its subtle glow. That same day, I had started my own inverted self-portrait, so seeing her glowing on the wall made me feel a deep kinship with the work.

Another exhibition that has stayed with me is the inaugural exhibition at the new Met Breuer Museum in NYC titled “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible.”

The exhibition focuses on the question “when is a work of art finished?”

Comprised of 197 pieces of unfinished works, the show spans 600 years of art history. The unfinished quality of the work allows for a deep look into the process of the artist and reveals previously unseen layers of thought.

Some of the work is incomplete due to death or unforeseen circumstances, but the more contemporary end of the spectrum shows artists working with the concept of “non-finto”– intentionally unfinished. Seeing this show gave me profound insight into my own desire to deconstruct the figure.

Abstract painting has arguably been the predominant trend in painting for the past decade until now, when the pendulum seems to be swinging back to figure painting.

This is an exciting moment in art

and I’m curious to hear not only your thoughts on figure painting, but also your thoughts on realism.

What can you say in defense of realism?

I have had to stand up to harsh scrutiny and defend my affinity for realism. For me, the realistic structure is a natural tool to communicate themes about the body and mind. For the last century, there has existed a strong prejudice against realism – it has been denounced as unoriginal, and simply a copy of nature. The instant communication offered by realism is seen as proof that it must be void of deeper content, and woefully unsophisticated. The readability and narrative quality of academic figuration went out of favor when abstraction offered a portal to an elite way of viewing art, separating itself from the common language. As a culture, we needed this evolution in visual language. The art world gained more liberty to expand the definition of art and its function in the economy

as a commodity. Art has always served as a mirror to culture and this rejection of tradition served a purpose. However, realism never left the social sphere, although the artists who were still attracted to its power were marginalized for decades. It has been suggested that figuration and realism are experiencing a re-birth at the moment – I see it as a resurfacing, being pulled back into view. Gradually, the marginalized are becoming more visible.

What do you love best about being an artist?

My favorite thing about being an artist is the ability to see hidden structures in my environment that otherwise be might be missed. Moments like finding an unintentional color combination that feels charged due to its randomness, or seeing a poetic metaphor in an exchange between strangers. Artists tend to look at the world through the lens of needing inspiration, and if you get lost in that perspective, the world

can feel pretty electric.

What are you working on right now?

This coming October I have a show opening curated by Ivar Zeile based on the last few years of my selfportraiture. Being confronted by the idea of standing in a room lined with only self-portraits has me thinking about what it means to paint the self. I’ve been wondering where the boundary between introspection and self-obsession lies. To paint a self-portrait I think requires deep introspection, but also the ability to detach from the painted image. As I look at this dichotomy, I’m realizing that it’s increasingly difficult for me to dis-associate with the painted self. I’m thinking of tackling this tension by also painting my Doppelgänger. Two years ago, I met someone who I consider to be my true Doppelgänger, I asked her to pose for me and I’ve only painted her once. The overlap between other and self will be interesting to explore.

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words & photos • ricky aponte

The Northeast Coast has some of the most unknown, gnarly skaters in the country. With having to deal with insane weather and very crusty spots these dudes know how to put it down. The cities up here are no laughing matter when it comes to being sketchy to skate. Main cities and skate hubs like NYC, Boston and Providence are not as glamorous as they look when it comes to getting some clips or photos in a shitty area. Smaller cities in the Northeast, like Hartford, Groton, Portland and Springfield, are just as gnarly as the bigger cities but never get the credit. These smaller cities put out some of the most gnarly kids and pros I’ve seen out of the East Coast, such as Donny Barley, Anthony Shetler, Bryan Anderson and some local rippers Kevin Phelps, Nate Greenwood and Julian Lewis. The Northeast is home for all of us over here and nothing really beats it. Crusty and all, the Northeast is, in my eyes at least, more desirable than heading out west. There are some serious hidden gems out here for spots that people ignore because “LA has the spots,” but when people come out they’re so surprised that all their views are changed about the area. I believe the Northeast skate scene is honestly the best in America with some extremely underrated talent.

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kevin phelps • 5050 pop in • groton, ct

brandon westgate • switch ollie • hartford, ct

clint beswick • crail tailblock • brooklyn, nyc

rafael pereira • switch fs tail • boston, ma

andrew hinchliffe • fs 180 • manchester, ct

With some big contributions to the Northeast, such as the new Vans park in Boston, the Converse pop-up park in Boston, the Nike Garage in NYC and all of the Roll for Rob events, kids from around the nation are traveling here to not only come to these big events and parks but also to skate some of the “crusty” East Coast spots. Not only do we have some insane parks up here, the Northeast is filled with some gnarly DIYs. Obviously FDR being the biggest and gnarliest over here, we have some smaller ones such as Worcide in Worcester, MA and the tiny Waterbury, CT. These DIYs are all equally as fun to skate and you can get some good stuff at all of them. DIYs are a huge part of our skate culture up here, and if you’re down to skate a DIY you gotta be down to either help them out with some work or throw some beers their way for their hard work. That being said, the Northeast is

pretty profound for their hard work when it comes to anything skate related.

Whether it may be building a DIY, fixing a spot so it’s ready to be skated, or just when it comes down to skating in general. Some of the best shops in the area are Theory, Orchard and Hive, all of which play serious factors toward putting out heavy-hitters from the East. Not only do these shops support their riders to no end, but they get endless support from their community and the skate community of the East. The Northeast Coast skate community is one giant family; we all know each other and all skate together from time to time. It’s an amazing environment over here that I believe everyone who skates should experience at least once. So if you find yourself passing through the East, be sure to stop and enjoy some of skateboarding’s hidden treasures.

vini holanda • fs lip • manchester, ct

roy syriac • fs flip • hadley, ma

anthony shetler • bs nosegrind • vernon, ct

words • nate zoller • photos • isaac zoller A small truck/sedan hybrid flies around me as the sun glares into my eyes from the east. Twenty minutes south of Ensenada and the race is on. At least that’s how most of the drivers on the road see it. The Baja 1000, everyday. Highway 1 isn’t how your dad remembers it in the eighties, with “dirt potholes tall as coyotes.” Now it’s fresh asphalt and marginal ruts. But we’re still in Northern Baja and there’s still about 900 miles to go. A lot can change.

I pulled over for breakfast at Mama Espinosa’s and that was the last time I drove for the next two weeks. From there on out it was Addy Giddings behind the wheel (his wheel) and my brother Isaac as co-pilot/photographer. I’d be relegated to the cab of the TRD Tacoma off-road (not) four-wheel renegade.

We left Laguna past midnight in order to get to a wave I had a hunch could be good by nightfall… if nothing got in our way.

On the map we were close to the wave, but in front of us was a side road with a sea of potholes eaten by years of cars outrunning the sun. Addy was driving like he was ready to beat the land-speed record, and sure enough, POP! – blown

back right tire. Shredded. After fumbling for the proper tools to change the tire, Addy realized we were minus a lug wrench.

Classic Baja scenario: middle-of-nowhere, hot-as-hell and a car every third bead of forehead sweat. An hour into waiting and a nice caballero in a big Toyota pickup pulled over and lent us his tools and expertise. We traded words in broken Spanish and he asked if Addy was my girlfriend because of his spotty bleached blue hair. At least we made it off that damn highway.

Our first look at the ocean was nuking offshore. From far the surf looked big, but as we got closer it was the wind that made the 1-footers look massive. In the distance was another point and it was much bigger. Overhead. Offshore. Tubes. No surfers. We fumbled to setup camp and I managed to catch a few before dark as planned. This was the Baja I’d been looking for all these years – the old “whoever wants it can have it” mentality. You just have to be willing to do the hard yards to get there. After two days of offshore freight trains the swell dropped off. We decided to pack the sand-filled car and make the final push to Cabo by that nightfall.

addy giddings

stosh lindsey

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nate zoller

addy giddings

warren metcalf

You know you’ve crossed into Southern Baja when the OXXOs disappear. It’s all desert cactus and mom and pop’s taco stands until your eyes lock with the Sea of Cortez and its quiet blue caress. We resisted pulling over for that first hour, trying to get to Cabo by nightfall and all, but in the end we needed to jump in the swimming pool ocean oasis in front of us. It was salty and it was good.

We passed La Paz around nightfall and were in Todos Santos by dinner. What I thought was going to be a hell-bent mission of the past was actually pretty easy. The potholes are still there but the dirt roads are slowly being covered in cement. The waves are becoming easier to access and there are still un-crowded lineups to be surfed. By the time you are in the Cabo area those secret spots are harder to come by but the parties are everywhere. You trade in your Baja adventure cap for a Mango Deck visor and get on the Pacifico train. Don’t fight the fun, surf every morning and happy hour every afternoon. It’s a lifestyle thing.

The surf continued to pump for the next two weeks in Baja. We found rights, lefts, wedges, everything in trunks. After a while the days began to blend together and good times faded into lasting memories. In the final days Addy lost control of his truck in the dirt and a pothole sent him into a 200-year-old Cardon Cactus, totaling the front end of his truck. Nobody was injured in the incident but the car sure wasn’t driving over a thousand miles home. It was time to rethink our route.

I was meant to be home in the next few days but without a passport was forced into one scenario: fly to Tijuana via La Paz and walk over the border. Good thing there’s an in-airport border bridge that takes you straight to the U.S. side of Otai Mesa. Easy. It was nice making it back up the peninsula in a little over an hour flight, but nothing beats the chaotic grunge of driving the Baja peninsula. I think Addy might still be down there. stosh lindsey

stosh lindsey

nate zoller

isaac zoller

nate zoller

words & photos • ben gavelda When you’re a kid growing up way out in the flatlands of nowhere, playing with gravity is nearly nonexistent. You might get a taste of it rolling around a skatepark (if there even is one) or popping off a curb. Other than that you’re pretty bound to the flat and wide-open expanse of the country. It takes humility and patience to live in a place like Oakbank, Manitoba, the small town where Jody Wachniak grew up. Humor is one of Jody’s most notable traits; maybe it’s his way of embracing his surroundings and dealing with the present.

When it comes to snowboarding he’s been patient, logging a decade of riding in Whistler and hustling for sponsor support.

Here’s his take on things and what makes him tick.

How did you get into snowboarding?

I grew up riding a hill called Springhill Winterpark – it’s right outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba… the middle of Canada. It’s cold, really cold. I got into snowboarding

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because I had a crush on this girl, so I went to the “hill.” That’s what we call our mountains because, well, they aren’t actually mountains. They’re floodway ditches, just massive mud ditches that let the city maintain water levels so the city doesn’t flood when it rains or snows a lot.

It happened in 1997, big flood. Anyways, yeah, some babe I wanted to play tag with was a boarder so I went to the hill on some school trips. It was that and I was really into skateboarding and you couldn’t skate in the winter. It just made sense to slide around on snow.

Tell me about Oakbank, Manitoba, your hometown.

Oakbank. Man, I’ve traveled the world and Oakbank is different, just very, very small town country style. People are rad, no status or judging, just mellow. We got a Subway when I was moving out west like 10 years ago and that was big news! Shit was in the paper.

What were your inspiration and influences growing up? What are your influences and inspirations now?

I was influenced by a lot of things, so many people and riders, but there was a kid in my hometown named Matt Overall. He was the best skater and snowboarder, kind of like Mark Appleyard meets Tom Penny style. I remember watching him frontside flip over a tennis net. It just made me like, ‘Damn, I want to look as dope as Matt.’ He was the first kid I watched and noticed that he just looked way doper than everyone else. I’m pretty sure that’s when I realized what style was. I soon stopped caring about learning crazy tricks; I just wanted to have dope style. My influences now, man, honesty I have so many. Mainly my family, my girl, friends, music, art… it sounds cliché but it’s true. I have friends that are artists that skate and snowboard and surf and DJ and shit, and I have friends that do nothing but chill, and they all influence me in different ways.

What was your road to professional snowboarding?

Long. I’m still trying to turn pro. I call myself a Canadian-regionalsemi-pro. Maybe I’ll turn actually pro one day; I had a good year.

It might happen this fall, maybe not though. It’s not really my end goal though. I just want to film a part I’m happy with, and I haven’t done that yet.

Tell me about your Whistler migration.

My road to Whistler… I was 17 and I wanted to ride my snowboard forever and Whistler is where the pros all lived. So I knew I wanted to go there once I finished school. My hometown heroes and homies Kevin Griffin, Chris Saniuk and Andrew Geeves all wanted to move to Whistler, too, but I was the first to go. I said ‘fuck it’ when I was 17 and moved alone. They all slowly moved out to Whistler and then we had a little family to ride pow with! And, well, 10 years later I’m still here riding pow. I love Whistler. I’m a small-town kid but I like the city vibes too, so Whistler is a perfect mix.

What was new for you this past season? What were some high times, and what were some shitty times?

I filmed a full part for a movie The Manboys and had travel budget! That was new for me. I actually had enough money to focus on filming, which was amazing. Being able to travel on your sponsor’s dime is so dope! I actually went to Switzerland with my good homey/landlord Sean Pettit to film for his TV show Keep Your Tips Up. It was too fun! Red Bull money! We rode powder all day and ate like kings. Life was pretty damn Gucci for Jody. After that I went back to Whistler to film backcountry with The Manboys again and we had some amazing days, but some rough ones, too. One sled day Craig McMorris broke his leg way out in those mountains. It was gnarly. When your trucks are a few mountain ranges away with no cell phone reception, shit gets real really quick. Thankfully we found reception on one of the nearby mountain peaks. That one bar of service was the difference of a heli coming to get him or doubling him out on a snowmobile. It wasn’t a fun day that’s for sure. Backcountry is so fun, but it’s serious stuff at the same time. The Manboys are an all-time cast, a bunch of dudes that kill it but play it safe. I’m so lucky to be filming with them.

How did you become a part of The Manboys project?

Well, we all kind of moved to Whistler at the same time, roughly 10 years ago. None of us were really friends, but over the years we all became good homies. We all needed to film for a project this year, so it just made sense to make a movie together. Plus, it’s so dope filming with your homies. I’m really hyped that the opportunity presented itself. We had a lot of fun. Be sure to check The Manboys movie dropping this September.

Late last month, shop kids, board riders, surf industry tycoons and a bunch of babes gathered together for a night of celebration for everyone’s favorite traveled-inspired clothing range, the Quiksilver Originals Collection. The Quiksilver event was held in our very own backyard of Costa Mesa, at the newly revamped Westside Museum ran by our good friend and Boathouse owner, Clay Peterson. There’s a couple a key elements to throwing a great party, and Quiksilver hit the nail on the head providing an open bar, delicious food, a wacky/fun themed photo booth, and amazing live music from The Sanity’s [who we are convinced are the coolest group of teenagers ever to exist] and the headlining band the Allah-Las.

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It was great to witness such a diverse community of people all gathered together to support one of the coolest aspects of the Quiksilver brand. The Originals Collection is created around a thirst for travel destinations that inspire creativity and connection with local communities and cultures to help inform seasonal art direction based on unique stories and experiences from the road. Made up of musicians, skateboarders, artists, snowboarders, designers and surfers with a shared sense of style and peaceful living. If you didn’t get the chance view the collection at the event or you just wanted a closer look head over to www.quiksilver.com/ original-collection or a specialty dealer today for a good peep.

Michelle Randolph, Koa Rothman, Zeke Lau, Ramzi Boukhaim, & Reef McIntosh • The Sanitys • Chad Wells, Jojo Whelan, Steve Whelan, Joe Mcelroy & Fuzzy • Keanu & Kainoa Igarashi • Thaddeus Benshoof, Clay Peterson & Christian Fanticola • Allah-Las • Chad Wells, Kamila Pilwein & Fuzzy • Sam Mcintosh, Nick Kalionzes & Damian Fahrenfort • Allah-Las from above • Hey Ladies • Ted Li, Mikey Reilly, Todd Miller & Ashlee Tackett • Daniella Murphy & Alex Knost • Ty Burgess, Tyler Li, Hadyn Norwood, & Curren Lizaris • Jack, Lisa, Dano, Sydney & Billy

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*Active Combo Pack includes: (2) Active R/S Tees (18.99 or less), (1) Active R/S Button Up, & Active R/S Denim **Active Bucks redeemable 9/6/2016-9/17/2016

events

Surfer X Blood is well known for their events and they always seem to have a tight grip on getting some of the best looking females around to show up. Add that with the 4th of July weekend and mix in the DVS and Tavik Swim crew at The Hollywood Roosevelt and you know you’re in for one hell of a good time. That was exactly the case on Sunday, July 3rd, as industry folk, influencers, bloggers and a mess-load of beautiful women descended on The Roosevelt’s Tropicana pool for the “We The People” pool party that everyone was talking about. Longtime Tavik supporters WeAreTreo were on hand soothing the ears of party patrons and keeping the Modern Beach Culture alive in Hollywood. If you were lucky enough to make it into Suite 100, then you got a sneak peak at some of insanely rad items that both DVS and Tavik Swim had on offer in the pop-up store/gifting room. Be on the lookout for a new, limited-edition collaboration between WeAreTreo and DVS going live by the time this ink hits your fingers. There is still plenty of time left in summer so be on the lookout for future events from this trio, as they really are an epic time.

Photos: Preston Thalindroma, Ian Robinson, Moi Martinez • clockwise from left to right • Savanna Rae Melanson, Cait Barker & Jessica • DVS + Tavik Pool Party Roosevelt Tropicana Pool • Shannon Hall and the Tavik girls • Trevor Haremaker, Spencer Regan & Ace Bushong of WeAreTro • Brown hair don’t care • Priscilla Lynn & friend • Jill Wallace and some lovelies • Style for miles • Kayleigh Brunner is a panda • John John Gregory with an original performance • Ani Litzen & Cait Milburn • Did we mention there were girls?

• DVS X WeAreTreo Signature Shoe • Fiona Pitt & friend with Vivianne Lapointe & Morgan Pharoh of SurferxBlood

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words • stephen fox

Every summer, snowboarders flock to the glacial slopes of Mt. Hood. For the last five years DRINK WATER, the brand we created to protest energy drinks by promoting (you guessed it) water, hosts the RAT RACE on the glacier. Raising money for Water.org, the #drinkwaterRATRACE is more than just a good time; it’s for a good cause.

Nearly a billion people on Earth lack access to drinkable clean water. Roughly every 20 seconds a child dies of water-borne illness. These are heavy facts, a true global tragedy. When we created DRINK WATER, we decided to join Water.org in fighting this clean water crisis.

Back when my partners in DRINK WATER (Bryan Fox and Austin Smith) were diggers at High Cascade Snowboard Camp, they built wild tracks on the glacier, with BMX-style berms, whoops and jumps – Hell Tracks, if you will. We created the RAT RACE with that insanity in mind: let’s build a crazy snowboard race track, invite our friends to come race, partner with some our favorite brands for financial support and donate all the proceeds to Water.org.

events

The racers include some of the world’s “best” snowboarders, from Olympic medalists to legendary crowd-favorites, from rail-riding style masters to helicopter-access big mountain madmen, and 140 more in between. A few days before the event, we rally a crew and begin digging the course, designed for disaster. This year was our craziest yet, created in nearly whiteout weather, in freezing rain and with no good visibility.

When the sun broke through the morning of race day, practice runs were the first test of whether the course was survivable. Sadly, it claimed a broken collarbone.

But mostly, it bruised egos and tested board control. How about the results? Most importantly, 2016’s RAT RACE raised nearly $30,000, and all told in five years we’ve now raised over $100,000 for Water.org. We’re proud and humbled to share that these dollars save lives. What about race results, you say? Here’s your leaderboard: Sponsored Men: 1 Curtis Ciszek 2 Ben Ferguson 3 Chase Josey 4 Charles Reid 5 Temple Cummins 6 Darcy Sharpe

7 Terje Haakonsen 8 Harry Kearney 9 Austen Sweetin 10 Toby Miller 11 Danny Davis

Thanks to all who came out, supported the fundraiser and survived the RAT RACE! See you next year!

Photos: Bob Plumb • clockwise from top left • Jared Elston • 2016 Rat Trap Winners • Austin Smith • lots of girls • Blake Paul • Curtis Ciszek • Spencer Shubert • Terje Haakonsen • Brian Fox & Austin Smith displaying all the awards • Lots of people in the fog • Sam Taxwood • Brian Fox & Austin Smith • Bryan Fox • Alex Yoder

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interview & photo • max ritter

music

The Smell is an all-ages DIY venue in downtown Los Angeles, California.

If you’ve ever seen a show between its brick walls then you know what a special/rare place it is and how important it is to our music community.

As you might have heard, the iconic landmark is in dire straights at its current location due to potential demolition by the building owners. We caught up with founder Jim Smith to learn more about The Smell and how we can help it live on.

How long has The Smell been in existence?

Since January 1998 (almost 17 of which have been in the current Downtown LA location).

Who runs the venue and what inspires them to keep it going?

From the people who run the door, work the snack bar, do sound, to the people who book and promote the shows, The Smell is 100% volunteer run by the same people who go to shows there and/or play there.

What would you say are some of most memorable shows or memories from The Smell during its existence?

Personally, my favorite shows are always the annual anniversary shows that we do every January. We usually like to invite artists from throughout our history, along with some of the newer artists who are drawing a lot of attention. It’s usually pretty epic.

How would you explain The Smell for those who have never been? What makes it a unique venue?

The Smell is an inclusive, all-ages, alcohol-free, volunteer-run, communitybased, DIY art and music space in Downtown LA, where people of any age, and from every socio-economic, racial and ethnic background, can go, participate in the music and art culture, and feel a sense of community. We try to be unique in that, unlike a traditional “rock club,” we try to create an atmosphere that is very much focused on the art and the music, with as little separation between the artists and the audience. We feel that in this way we

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are creating an environment in which creativity can flourish, and the artists and audience can feel like they are not just going to or playing a show, but that they are part of a real creative community.

How rare is a venue like The Smell and why do you think it is important to the LA music community?

Actually, there are quite a few venues in LA that share the same or similar vision as The Smell (Pehrspace, KAOS Network, Take Off, to name just a few) though sadly there are still not enough, and many of them are constantly being threatened by the same forces with which we are currently dealing. These spaces are important, because without them, the rich musical culture that LA enjoys would not have places to experiment, grow and flourish, and people interested in this culture (particularly young people) would not have places to go where they can interact with other people with the same interests, from other socio-economic, racial and ethic backgrounds from throughout the region, and even from other parts of the country and the world.

The Smell at its current location is in danger. What is the current status?

How long will you remain in operation and what are the plans for relocation?

We are hopeful that we will be able to remain in the current location for at least another year, but it is clear that the owners of our building, and the other buildings on the block, have plans to eventually bulldoze the entire block.

So we will be using what time we have left to raise money and eventually relocate.

How can people help save The Smell?

If people would like to help they can contribute to our GoFundMe relocation fund campaign at www.gofundme.com/thesmell. They can also sign our petition and leave a testimonial at www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-smell. They can also visit our website at www.thesmell.org for further updates. #SAVETHESMELL

review & photo • max ritter

Pinegrove The Echo, Los Angeles, CA Wednesday, July 13th, 2016 If the nerds in Revenge Of The Nerds were in a band they would maybe be Pinegrove. Or maybe the would be into Pinegrove? Coincidentally, this band has been a good fit for me since I discovered them a few weeks ago. Some compare them to an early Wilco. Lead singer Evan jokes his band sounds like “If Keith Haring wrote songs.”

reviews • max ritter

Terry Reid The Other Side Of The River Future Days When the Yardbirds disbanded Jimmy Page wanted Terry Reid to front his new band, which would later become Led Zeppelin. Reid declined and suggested some dude named Robert Plant down the road and then went on to do his own thing. His most famous release “The River” is a cult classic, yet the freakishly talented Reid is still relatively obscure. This reissue features 11 songs from “The River” recording sessions that were never released.

Teen Idles Anniversary Dischord The great Washington DC-based punk staple Dischord Records has posted their entire discography on Bandcamp for free streaming. The Internet rules sometimes. This is teenager Ian MacKaye’s band and Dischord’s first release.

Suicide Cheree 7” Superior Viaduct Remember, kids, when new music sucks you can always just go back to the old. Sleep well Alan Vega.

Earl Hooker 2 Bugs and Roach Arhoolie Arhoolie was founded in 1960 and specializes in “Hard-tofind country, bluegrass, and old time recordings.” There is a documentary about the label called This Ain’t No Mouse Music. They have endlessly rad stuff. This particular release is a dude named Earl Hooker ripping the blues with his boys Pinetop and Freddie and talking about bugs. The label was recently acquired by The Smithsonian Institution.

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reviews • delon isaacs Blood Orange Freetown Sound Domino Freetown Sound is Devs Hynes’, also known as Blood Orange, third full-length album, which in a press statement was, “developed for everyone told they’re not black enough, too black, too queer, not queer the right way, the [underappreciated]… it’s a clap back.”

I didn’t really know the severity of this album, but it’s the latest one he’s put out since 2013 where a fire destroyed his New York City apartment and he lost his computers full of demos, musical instruments, and his dog Cupid (whose name was plastered on the cover of his second album) and was released a month before.

Freetown Sound is a beautiful example of a great perseverance, and it’s of different genres ranging from gospel to funk to soul – groove to it, brah.

The Avalanches Wildflower XL/EMI/Astralwerks/Modular The Avalanches finally come out of a 16-year hibernation to give us Wildflower. I personally love DJ albums, mainly because I really love throwing a good house party, and albums like Wildflower are great to put on while you try to get all your vastly different group of friends loose. The sample-rich album is composed by a group of Australians who tie-in all sorts of genres together to make tracks all designed around the idea and feel taken from bits of past, present, and future.

Buy this album for your next kickback, it goesss!

Suicide Suicide Reissue Superior Viaduct R.I.P. Alan Vega. Alan Vega forever. Just last month, one of the most influential members to American music who paved the way for new wave, industrial, and techno, passed away at 78 years of age. In honor of the artist there has been a recent surge of reissues of Alan Vega and Martin Rev’s first self-titled album shipping from Superior Viaduct with brand new features of written notes from Thurston Moore and photography by Bruce Conner. This album means the world to us, and if you don’t have this on vinyl yet this is the perfect time to get it.

Thee Oh Sees Live in San Francisco Castle Face Coming to you direct from Thee Oh Sees is a limited doublevinyl LP pressing and DVD of a live performance from San Francisco ‘s The Chapel. There’s something so magical about seeing Thee Oh Sees live, magical things that studio albums will never be able to do justice, and this new album helps you remember the 40 something times you’ve seen them while you moshed your little heart out with your beer and sweat-soaked shirt. I don’t know how many of these things are actually pressed so get on it fast!

photo • mark winburn

groms

Age: 13 Hometown: Columbia, SC Sponsors: Real, Thunder, Spitfire, 187, Bell, Mob, Bronson, Etnies & Fuel Favorite Skater: Chris Russell, Josh Rodriguez & Pedro Barros

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#HELLOMCFLY

WE JUST PRINT THE SH&T! / ERIK@AMPERLITHO.COM / 760.213.4008 / 910 17TH ST. COSTA MESA, CA 92627

W A V E T O O L S

SINCE 1969

13 YEAR OLD BEN BENSON IS THE FUTURE

BY LANCE COLLINS & RS ELLIOTT

S U R F B O A R D S Wave Tools is stoked to support 13-yearold Ben Benson and help him reach his potential.

Wave Tools goal is to steer Ben and all the other team groms toward positive vibes, surfing stoke and personal growth.

Last winter, Ben spent a bunch of time learning about board design and testing a grom specific surfboard model. Wave Tools Co-Owner RS Elliott taught Ben about surfboard design with in-depth explanations of Rocker profiles, rail thickness, rail shape and bottom contour. RS also encouraged Ben to ride a bunch of different boards ranging from single fins made in the 70’s to Carbon Longboards. A good run of El Nino surf allowed Ben plenty of time to feel out how the different features of each board affect speed, stability, and control.

Afer six months of testing Wave Tools and Ben came up with a board that not only works great for Ben but translates to other lightweight groms as well. The specialized grom board is incredibly easy to control. Moving volume away from the rails and a few other secret points causes this board to initiate turns effortlessly. A bottom contour encourages the board to unstick with ease and allows a grom with less strength to put down the line with all the aggression of a WSL Pro. Ben, along with his Padma Boys and Newport rats like the Knott Brothers are on the right track. Wave Tools is stoked to help our team groms learn more about surfboard design.

Check Out Ben Grom Specific Board At: WAVET OOLSSURF.COM/T E AM/BEN-BENSON

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W W W . R O A R K . C O M Photo: Dylan Gordon

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