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RANDOMS // 32 PRODUCT REVIEW // 38 BEN CARLSON // 40 PURPS // 42 LILY MEOLA // 44 LEAH YERPE // 46 EVER // 48 INSTAGRAM // 50 SUPER TASTE // 52 ZARIA FORMAN // 54 VANS GET-N-CLASSIC V.3 // 56 THE ART OF CHRIS LABROOY // 62 FASHION // 68 KARIM GHONEM PHOTO PROFILE // 74 NO JUSTICE NO PEACE // 82 JUSTIN KENNISTON // 88 TRAV “END OF THE BEGINNING” // 94 8TH ANNUAL MALIBU INVITATIONAL // 96 PAGES @ VASF // 98 ARNETTE CASH POT ALA MOANA BOWLS // 100 AGENDA LONG BEACH // 102 WIZARD WOES // 104 CD REVIEWS // 106 GROMS // 110
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com
EDITOR joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com
CREATI V E D IREC TOR mark paul deren : madsteez madsteez@madsteez.com
ASS ISTANT EDITOR spencer pirdy spencer@blisssmag.com
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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, Joe Foster
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 BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street
AUGUST 2014
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.
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REFLECTIVE COLLECTION
INSIGHT TAKE OVER There has been a bit of turmoil over at one of our favorite brands the past couple of years, and we’re delighted to announce that Insight is here to stay and is relocating its headquarters to America. Always on the pulse of what’s hot and always setting trends throughout our industry, we were more than delighted to meet up with them at last month’s Agenda Long Beach and hear the entire scoop. With Alek Parker at the helm of the ship and Insight veterans Larry Castro and the lovely Danica Elbertse on board, expect to see big things poppin’ off in Venice in the near future. We’re sure they’ll have a killer kickoff party at some point, so be sure to stay up to date at insight51.com for details.
ZAK NOYLE X WATERSHOT Zak Noyle is helping to spread his passion for photography with the masses day in, day out, and this past month he continued to do so by announcing the release of his signature water housing from Watershot. The housing is equipped for iPhone 5, 5S and 5C and can handle depths up to 195 feet deep. The Zak Noyle signature housing comes with two high-quality glass lenses: one a standard view lens and the other a wide-angle, fisheye lens. The housing also comes with a tripod mount that’ll allow you to utilize it outside the water or attach it to other handles or whichever GoPro mounts you may already have. Zak’s developed one amazing multi-purpose housing for all of us, so head on over to watershot.com today to get your own Zak Noyle signature Watershot housing.
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We had the pleasure of catching up with Spencer Goetz of Imperial Motion this past month and he was kind enough to unveil IM’s new Reflective Collection to us. Imperial Motion is a brand that consistently pumps out the finest of threads, and trust us when we say that its new collection is as dangerously good-looking as ever. The new line features two fully reflective hats and a denim pant with a fully reflective printed inner cuff pattern, and we highly suggest you consider grabbing all three items. You can shop the Reflective Collection styles at imperialmotion. com or at finer retailers near you. And in the words of the folks at Imperial Motion: Stay Safe and Stay Stylish.
BLADE KING OF GRAFFITI
Graffiti icon Blade has just come out with a new book entitled Blade: King of Graffiti. Blade is an original member of the famous graffiti crew the Crazy Five along with Death, Vamm, Crachee, Tull and his partner Comet. The crew became pioneers in the 1970s by taking to the streets of the Bronx and using the fuel of youthful freedom and rock ‘n’ roll to push the limits of graffiti. Now, with his tack-sharp memory and the help of Steven Ogburn, Roger Gastman and Chris Pape, Blade’s legendary stories have come to life. From his early graffiti days to far beyond the 5,000 plus trains that he painted before he stopped counting, this book has something for everyone to appreciate. Blade will always be a name synonymous with graffiti royalty, and we suggest you all get a copy of Blade: King of Graffiti to add to your library. Visit bladekingofgraf.com or anywhere fine, leather-bound books are sold.
LET’S PARTY Who doesn’t like to party? I was visiting my boy Jason Jackson at Catch Surf and he walked me over to his neighbors, Let’s Party Traction, who are making some of the best traction pads for your surfboard, skate decks and skimmers on the West Coast. These guys got a good thing going, and their party cat mascot has been poppin’ up more and more over the last few months. Every time I see this furry, four-eyed critter it gives me a chuckle. Check out everything they have to offer at letspartytraction. com, or pick up one of their pads at your local core shop.
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BLACK BOX WINE We all enjoy a little vino here and there from time to time, and many of you BL!SSS readers out there may even be true wine aficionados. That’s why we wanted to boggle your minds a little with the newfound love we have for boxed wine. Well, not just any boxed wine, but Black Box Wines, specifically. Yes, our eyes have been opened thanks to the wonderful Lauren Machen who sent some samples of Black Box Wines our way. Black Box Wines are high-quality, awardwinning wines that come in a wide array of varietals for anyone’s particular taste. These great tasting wines come in 3L and 500ML boxes, perfect for any outdoor adventures including: music festivals, snowboarding, surf trips, romantic hikes, or wowing the crowd at your next house party. Make sure to try Black Box Wines the next time you’re looking for a fine palette pleaser – you’ll be happy you did!
SANUK CASSIUS Sanuk has long been a brand at the top of the footwear game, but the company recently put its efforts into producing a shoe that offers all of the elite comfort, style and durability for which Sanuk is known. Enter the Cassius, the newest vulcanized shoe to land in the Sanuk line. The Cassius is the quintessential blend of a casual cruiser and a refined loafer, making it wearable in practically every situation you could think up. The Cassius boasts a “no ledge” profile, waxed twill, 5/8 lace-up with custom print soft canvas lining, Happy U rubber outsole and much more. Colorways include navy, dark brown, brown, khaki, black and camo with the shoe coming in half sizes, a Sanuk first as well. The Cassius is your perfect school, work, travel or everyday live-in shoe, so head over to your local retailer or sanuk.com to snag yourself a pair today.
TRANSWORLD ENDLESS SKATER TransWorld Skateboarding just teamed up with SuperVillian Studios, home to some of the creators of the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise, to bring us Transworld Endless Skater. The new game, exclusive to mobile devices, builds off of the original Endless Skater game. In TransWorld Endless Skater you’re able to play as one of five world-renowned professionals: Danny Way, Christian Hosoi, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins-Pastrana, Sean Malto or Ryan Decenzo. Everything from the spots to the skaters to the tricks and sponsors are all ultra-realistic. Players can compete with friends for high scores, upgrade their skills, unlock new zones and discover each professional skater’s signature tricks. Transworld Skateboarding and SuperVillian studios have given us another reason to stay glued to our mobile devices, but at least in this case it’ll be for the sake of vicariously living out our skateboarding dreams. Make sure to keep an eye out for TransWorld Endless Skater in the app store very soon!
DREDED TAIL PADS ARNETTE WINS SWITCHFOOT Team Arnette is on a roll after having taken home first place this past month at the 10th annual Switchfoot Bro-Am in Encinitas. Arnette’s team of four included top SD surfers Darrel Goodrum, Gabe Garcia, J.D. Lewis and Sean Marceron. The crew dominated all day, taking out team after team consisting of top industry brands that showed up to compete. Of course, Arnette is proud of their regional team, and the boys were hyped to hoist a trophy in their backyard in front of a crowd of 10,000 anxious Switchfoot fans. There’s no doubt the whole Arnette crew will be back next year to defend their title. Congrats to Arnette and everyone who participated, and we’ll see you all next year! 34
There’s a new tail pad company that caught our attention going by the name of Dreded. Dreded is a company co-founded by surfing legend Matt Hoy. Those who are familiar with Hoy know that he’s a man who never holds back. Dreded is built on everything that he embodies and is heavily influenced by motivated humans, surf, snow, art, travel, Rock ‘n’ Roll and cold beer. Dreded offers the public not just grip, but a story that they can run with as well. Dreded products are available in four varieties of unique, high-quality grips in premium black materials, “Macro” and “Micro” textures. Both textured styles are available in two- and three-piece grips allowing for effortless application. Make sure to keep an eye out for Dreded to be hitting America soon. In the meantime, head over to dreded.com to get your grip on.
LIRA 2014 FALL COLLECTION W W W. L I R AC LOT H I N G . C O M
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COASTAL COLLECTION What do you get when you mix Iron & Resin, Aloha Sunday, Oakland Surf and Port of Long Beach? Let us introduce you to The Coastal Collection – a collaborative effort between four like-minded brands and boutiques that all share a few common interests. The collection was forged from sharing the similar passions in clothing and culture along with their combined affinity and appreciation for the California Coastline. The line consists of Hawaiian-style print button-ups, graphic tees, board shorts, a custom wool blanket, a bucket hat and exclusive cap with leather detail from Ampal Creative. Available at finer California retailers, get your Coastal Collection today.
BYRD NEWS There’s a whole lot of exciting news coming from our friend Chase Wilson and his company Byrd Hairdo Products. Byrd’s been producing premium hair products since 2012 and has recently settled into their new office, The Byrd’s Nest, in Culver City. Odds are you’ve heard of or already been to one of their “Slick Saturdays” events that host an evening of live music, cocktails and haircuts at the on-site Byrd’s Barber Shop. Byrd has also welcomed a new face to the flock in Michael Donavan as their new vice president of business development, and they’ve named Scott Wilson as their new creative director for the brand. Head to byrdhair.com to find products and keep up with all Byrd news, and we’ll see you all at the Byrd’s Nest soon for another epic Slick Saturdays.
ROARK With Sir Roark traveling all over the world in search of adventure and inspiration, it’s no wonder he’s teamed up with Leatherman Tools to make a limited-edition run of the Crater c33LX pocketknife. It comes equipped with a bottle opener/carabiner, Philips and flat-head screwdrivers, a pocket clip and it comes with a black DLC finish on the blade. It’s a good-looking tool that can save your butt in just about every situation. We all know that adventure hurts, but it’s monotony that will kill you. So be like Roark and get on your own adventure – just be sure to pick up one of these babies before you go. Available at fine retailers worldwide and at www.roark.com.
MASTERPAN FISHIN’ MISSION
SALTY CREW
I had the pleasure of meeting and fishing with one of the Salty Crew founders Jared Lane this past month on the annual MasterPlan Fishin’ Mission. We’ve been seeing the Salty Crew stickers all around SoCal lately, and it was great catching up with Jared and hearing what this new brand is all about. Surf, fish, dive and sail, these water enthusiasts are all about making their own adventures and enjoying what this world has to offer. With friends like CJ Hobgood, Jason “Ratboy” Collins, Greg Trompas and Duane Deigo repping their gear, you know they got a good thing going. Check ‘em out at salty-crew.com or follow their Instagram @salty_crew. 36
With Agenda Long Beach in the books, a select group of buyers, media peeps and industry-heads packed their bags and headed to San Diego for the 4th Annual MasterPlan Fishin’ Mission on Friday, July 11th. This has become a must-do trip for BL!SSS editor Joey Marshall, as he’s constantly coming up with every excuse possible to be out on the water and away from the office. Like in years past, Captain Jodie Morgan and Apollo crew put the boys right on top of the fish. With nearly 100 fish on the deck (Yellowtail, Yellowfin and Bluefin) and a shit-ton of Pabst Blue Ribbon consumed, it was neck and neck to see who would go home as “The Drunkest Fisherman.” Though a tight race to the end, no one would challenge that this year’s drunk honors goes to Hoang Fong for his non-stop hilarious antics and willingness to consume beers sunup to sundown. We wanna give a proper shoutout to Ashton Maxfield and Carter Katz for arranging this trip again and thank the sponsors that made it all possible: Etnies, MasterPlan Communication, Fred Water, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and of course, Jodie and the entire Apollo crew. See ya next year!
1. Nike, Lunar Janoski - $110, nikesb.com // 2. Vans, Happy Daze by Dane Reynolds - $52, vans.com // 3. Volcom, Lo-Fi - $60, volcom.com // 4. Etnies, Marana E-Lite - $84.99, etnies.com // 5. DVS, Nica - $70, dvsshoes.com // 6. Converse, Chuck Taylor All Star - $65, converse.com // 7. Huf, Sutter Blondie - $65, hufworldwide.com // 8. Globe, Los Angered by Dion Agius - $110, globe.tv (available at Huntington Surf & Sport) // 9. Sanuk, Casa Barco - $60, sanuk.com // 10. Filament, Hypha - $84.95, ďŹ lamentbrand.com // 11. Supra, Hammer Run - $74.99, suprafootwear.com // 12. Adidas, Seeley - $65, adidas.com // 13. DC Shoes, Nyjah Vulc TX - $70, dcshoes.com // 14. Reef, Deckhand 2 - $57, reef.com // 15. Gram, 402g - $139, gramshoes.com 38
Photo: Tom Cozad
Photo: Lucano Hinkle
Words: Spencer Pirdy In the late afternoon of July 6, 2014, the biggest south swell to reach Southern California’s shores in years raged to its peak off the waters of Newport Beach. With 10to 15-foot sets and an abnormally strong 20-second interval fueling the swell, Ben Carlson vigilantly stood at the back of Newport Beach Lifeguard boat 5342 as it patrolled just off the turbulent seas of 16th street. It was then that Ben spotted something he’d dedicated his life to preserving – a person in distress. He motioned to alert his boat operator, and in seconds they were within close proximity of the victim. At this moment, years of training, preparation, experience and overall knowledge of the ocean took over, as Ben realized the ailing swimmer in front of him was in dire need of help. Without hesitation, without fear for himself, with only the wellbeing of a complete stranger at the forefront of his mind, Ben Carlson leapt into the trepid waters off of the Newport Point, swiftly swam to his victim, secured him and saved his life. This was Ben’s last rescue, one of thousands that he’d performed in his 15 years of lifeguarding for the City of Newport Beach. But it was one that will never be forgotten and will go down in history as the most remarkable save Newport’s Lifeguard Department and departments worldwide have ever seen. For on this fateful day, Ben Carlson gave his life in the line of duty to save another’s. Ben had it all figured out. There was
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no man who was naturally more fit, more knowledgeable, more damn handsome, more comical and richer in spirit than Ben Carlson. He grabbed life by the horns and squeezed it for all it was worth, but he did so in a calculated manner that anyone could admire. At the age of 32, Ben had lived more than men twice his years. Ben not only helped the multitude of swimmers and visitors in distress that he rescued on the beaches and in the waters of Newport but also everyone around him in daily life. By day he guarded lives, and by night he responsibly tended bar, using his earned veteran status in both positions to help others: lending knowledge to less experienced guards on the beach; offering a job to friends who might be in need of extra income through the service sector when positions arose. All the while through his years of strenuous work, Ben maintained strong clarity in perspective and discipline in life, saving money for traveling the world in pursuit of big waves in the process, and setting enough aside to eventually buy a house in Newport Beach. His second home of Puerto Escondido, a place where Ben had excelled in riding gigantic waves and made lifelong friends, cherished his frequent visits. He was like family to Coco Nogales, Oscar Moncada and many of the best big-wave surfers in the world that traveled to the area. Ben always saw the good in others, and through this was able to bring out the best in anyone he came in contact with. He walked the walk without any talk,
and constantly treated others the way he’d want to be treated. Maybe it was the strong upbringing his family had given him, maybe it was the benefits reached through earning a Psychology degree at UC Irvine, or maybe it was just a natural gift. Whatever the case, it was clearly evident that Ben Carlson was one in a million, a special kind of person of the likes we rarely ever see walk this earth. In the week after Ben’s tragic death something extraordinary occurred in Newport Beach, in Southern California and anywhere in the world where Ben’s heroic acts had reached. Family members held each other tighter, surfers shared stories of ultimate trips and sessions with Ben, lifeguard and first responder communities up and down the coast gave an outpouring of support in his name, bonds were strengthened and people came together. The grief turned to remembrance, and this fast-paced community slowed down, causing people to pause and reflect on what really mattered. A week after Ben’s death, on Sunday July 13th, 7,500 people gathered at the base of the Newport Pier, just yards from where Ben had made his final rescue, to paddle out in his honor. The same boat that Ben made his last save on was there with his board and a wreath to offer in the middle of an enormous circle of paddlers. Later that day a memorial was held at Orange Street in upper west Newport with 5,000 people in attendance. There, Ben’s family was
awarded the Medal of Valor for his remarkable service. Those closest to Ben shared memories that moved the crowd of people present to laugh, cry and celebrate the life of Ben in the richest of spirit. The whole day was an unbelievable display of the highest degree of raw human compassion. It was through Ben that thousands came together and found true meaning in this tragedy. Ben Did Go. And Ben would want us to go on and live our lives, because he lived his life to the absolute fullest. He’d want us to help others, because Ben dropped everything, no matter the circumstances, to help others at a moment’s notice. The joy of having known such a wonderful person, of having had the pleasure of being in the presence of and even just having heard the story of Ben Carlson is a gift. His story will live on forever, just as his spirit will. We thank you for all that you’ve given us Ben, and we love you always! The Newport Beach Ocean Lifeguards Association has set up a scholarship fund in Ben’s name. Donations can be made online at www.newportbeachca.gov/ bencarlsondonation or by mail to Newport Beach Fire Department, Attn: NBOLA, Ben Carlson Scholarship, P.O. Box 1768, Newport Beach, CA 92658-8915. Make check payable to “NBOLA” and include “Ben Carlson Scholarship Fund” in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible.
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Words: Spencer Pirdy
There have and always will be amazing, infl uential people on this earth of ours who create, help and inspire. These individuals gift us with what normally might not be obtainable. We can all appreciate the contributions these individuals tirelessly strive toward year in and year out for our enjoyment and satisfaction. However, seldom do we see key players who excel greatly in their own given facets of life, coming together to unite and create something truly special. This powerful form of unifi cation where the interaction of multiple elements (persons) combine and surpass the efforts that only one element could produce is called synergy. Synergy is what PM Tenore, Kelly Slater and Dr. Chris Schaumburg had in mind when they combined their diverse backgrounds to create the brand Purps. By now you’ve seen Kelly’s Instagram announcing the launch, heard the excited talk amongst websites and on the streets. And if you’re lucky, you’ve even tasted the healthy difference the brand is bringing to the world. Ask the founders and they’ll tell you that the Purps story is simple. It’s all about building a healthy lifestyle brand that also offers better choices for people to grab on the go. They created Purps because they wanted to develop premium nutrition
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products that were better choices for their daily routine, with the greater goal of giving back by inspiring and educating our youth to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The best part is that Purps is making it relatively effortless and very delicious to practice this lifestyle. The products that they’ve introduced are there to benefi t our daily functions. Each product is formulated using the Proprietary Organic Purple Life Formula that is harvested from this earth and is non-GMO, with valuable phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals. The proprietary blend contains six purple superfruits from around the world: organic mangosteen, maqui berry, açaí berry, blueberry, grape and blackberry. For the brand launch, Purps offers four premium products to choose from. With the Purps Vita multi-vitamin supplement shot you’ll fi nd a delicious way to infuse your body with vitamins and nutrients whether it’s morning, noon or night. If you’re traveling or at home, there’s the Purps Vita T/H multi-vitamin supplement powder, which can easily be added to take your water to the next level. Purps Fuel is your go-to if you need an organic boost of natural energy, with valuable phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential vitamins. And Purps Hydro is
your go-to for hydrating amidst those marathon surf sessions, long days at the skate park or endless bluebird days on the mountain. And here’s the slam dunk: All of the Purps products mentioned contain no artifi cial fl avors, no artifi cial colors and no preservatives. The Purps mission statement is simple: “uniting Nature and Science to promote your life’s health.” Nature and science is the basis of the product formulations, and in the big picture it’s how the founders plan to reach out to the community. “The long-term goal is building a healthy lifestyle brand that thrives on creating better choices and on building
a community of inspirational health advocates that want to go out and act on behalf of the overarching mission of the brand,” said Purps co-founder Dr. Chris Schaumburg. It’s an organic process of combining the best of nature and science to promote health and wellbeing. These are exciting times, and with the launch of Purps it’s safe to say that due to the synergy of a few bright minds, we’re all able to benefi t immensely. For more Purps info and to keep up to date with community activities and advocate news, visit purps.com or follow them on Instagram @purps and @ drpurps, and always remember to live the #purpslife.
CHAOS MEETS CULTURE
OTIS CAREY // MINOR PANIC DBLANC.COM
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Interview: Spencer Pirdy :: Photo: Kenworthy
Lily Meola is an unassuming country girl at heart. She comes from the kind of country that’s known for tropical blue waters and gigantic waves along with open green pastures and mountainous terrain. It’s here on the island of Maui that Lily has honed her vocal chords to a perfect pitch and has begun captivating audiences all over with her charm and talent. We caught up with Lily right before she was headed out the door to check Jaws on one of the more colossal swells to hit the bigwave spot this past winter. As you’ll read, she’s a true class act; a person who has battled adversity and someone whose musical prowess ranks well beyond her young 18 years. How did you first begin singing? It’s kind of weird, but my really good friend from when I was three told me that I used to sing all of the time around them and that they’d plug their ears and tell me to shut up. I just always remember singing. I got the lead in a play when I was younger and it was a musical – Man of La Mancha. I took singing lessons after that, and just really started falling in love with it. I started collaborating with the lead piano player in
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that musical and we started getting gigs on Maui. It was pretty cool at only 11 years old to be getting gigs. Did growing up with dyslexia have an impact on your singing career? I totally think it did, because I struggled with everything pretty much through my dyslexia. I still struggle with my singing too with remembering my lyrics. My mom tells me I can’t use my songbook anymore, but I still do. It did help me because mostly I was focusing on how bad I was at things, but with singing and playing it was a good distraction from all of that. How did growing up on Maui influence your musical career? There’s a great group of people here on the island that play music, and I’ve been really lucky to be able to work with all of them through the years. When traveling places, does it make you realize how special home is? It does and I miss it every second when I’m gone. It is good to get off the rock a little bit. Talk about playing with
Willie Nelson and his son Lucas. It’s so amazing. I am really lucky to be able to play with such amazing people. They’ve really taken me under their wing and become part of my family. They’re really supportive and I can talk to Annie (Willie’s wife) about anything. They live probably five to ten minutes away from my house.
your older brother catching huge waves at Jaws? Gosh, it makes me want to pee my pants, it freaks all of us out. He’s almost died once, and since then we’ve been really hard on him going out, telling him, “Don’t do it!” There’s a lot of pressure and it’s really scary. But when he gets a huge, good wave it feels really good to see him accomplish something.
So, in the Meola household you’ve got yourself as a musical star and Matt holding it down as a surf star. What’s the brother/ sister dynamic like for the both of you? I wouldn’t say I’m a star, still working on that. But we’ll have meetings with my mom, we call her “the Mom-ager,” and she’ll be talking about Matt and all of the crazy things he’s doing in surfing, and then we’ll talk about me and everything I’m doing. It’s kind of wild that all of this stuff is happening in such a small family. Matt’s really supportive of my singing; he’s at all my concerts and always has suggestions for me. He likes to try to be the boss sometimes, but it’s great.
What all do you have in the works for 2014? There are a few things going on at Willie’s ranch and some other events I may be apart of.
On the other side of things, how is it for you to watch
Looking forward, what goals do you have that you’d like to reach in your singing career? My biggest goal is to sell out Madison Square Garden. I don’t know why but that’s always been a dream of mine. Then, I always want to tour more and keep writing. I just started getting a little taste of it, and it has become really addicting. To hear Lily’s music, find out about future performances and to keep up with her career, visit lilymeola. com or facebook.com/ LilyLeilaniMeola.
JOHN JOHN FLORENCE WEARS THE FOLD WITH HAPPY LENS™
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Alcyone, 38” x 50”, graphite and ink on paper, 2013
Interview: Liz Rice McCray Will you please introduce yourself to our readers? I am a Brooklyn-based artist who works primarily in charcoal and graphite on paper. Your drawings are often scaled to life-size form, 10-feet tall. Will you share some of your creative process while creating these drawings? For example, how long it takes to create, medium, your strategies to sustain interest, enthusiasm and concentration? The large-scale work is my favorite because I enjoy creating something that is my own size. There is an odd comfort in feeling like my body would fit inside the drawing. These pieces can take well over 200 hours to complete, and the entire time I feel an urgency. What if something were to happen and I had to leave the drawing unfinished? That would be terrible. Whether large or small, an unfinished piece really nags at me. That’s one reason I put so much effort into the preliminary drawing process; I have to make absolute sure a piece will work before I begin, because once I start I have to see the thing through. Do you ever get tangled in
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bodies? What is your process to conceptualize a piece, refine it, “test” it, etcetera? My process begins in a very handsoff manner and switches to tightlycontrolled by the end. My models are given free reign to improvise their own poses and move however they want while I stay out of their way and snap photographs. This leaves me with a wealth of images to sift through, play with, arrange in different configurations. It’s a very intuitive process that is alternately liberating and maddening; I’ve spent many hours shifting bodies around by millimeters, trying to get everything placed just right. I make dozens of detailed sketches from these images before I hit on one that has the right rhythm and will work well as a drawing. Then after deciding what size it should be, I can begin the art piece. What do you think is most misunderstood about your work? I really don’t know. I hope people bring their own personal experiences and interpretations to my work. So if two different people have totally different understandings of a piece, that’s fine with me. You draw from models, but do
you utilize dance to help you identify, refine, etcetera? Are your models dancers? A few of my models have identified as dancers; most have not. Everyone carries themselves a little differently and moves with their own personal lexicon of body language. So working with a diverse array of people is very important to keeping the art fresh. Dancers make great models because they’ve been trained to convey meaning with their bodies. But the rest of us do that too, even if we might not be so conscious of it. Often the untrained can bring something really unexpected and special to the process. Are you a dancer or were you once a dancer? I am not a dancer, though I love dance and am influenced by it. I never had the opportunity to take dance classes when I was younger, and at this stage of my life, it’s just not going to happen. I think of myself more as a choreographer, and my drawings conduct a sort of dance. Do you dream about flying or falling? No, I don’t. I think some people assume my work is about my dreams because the drawings feel
dream-like. I certainly make dreamy images, but they are not based on any dreams I’ve ever had. You are formally trained: Pratt Institute, M.F.A. Painting/ Drawing and University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, B.F.A. Painting/Drawing with a minor in Art History. Will you share a little about your school experience? I really enjoyed being a student. It was the first time I’d ever been around other artists. Art school is a little protective bubble in which you are actually encouraged to create. The minute you leave school that encouragement evaporates. It’s time to be responsible, get a real job, pay bills, get married, have kids, stop wasting so much time on your selfindulgent “hobby.” To be an artist, particularly one not from an affluent background, requires incredible drive and dedication. I was lucky to have professors that prepared me by instilling me with a real work ethic. What’s coming up next for you? That’s a question I am rarely able to answer. I’m flying by the seat of my pants. Where can people check out more of your art? My website: leahyerpe.com.
Interview: Liz McCray :: Photo: PICKS This month’s Mural of the Month is a gigantic new piece by Argentinean artist Ever, in Graz, Austria, for the Livin’ Streets Festival (curated by Inoperable Gallery). The Mural is entitled Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism. We caught up with Ever, who is currently traveling around Europe, and asked him a couple questions about Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism and the undertaking of this massive installation. Be sure to check out some of his other murals from his trip abroad. This piece is entitled Personal Interpretation of the Death of Idealism, which features a huge portrait of Chairman Mao with your signature eye socket rays of beautiful color. Will you elaborate on the content in this mural? The content of the mural is the representation of the idea/idealism through the portrait of Chairman Mao Tse Tung. The woman is the definition of hopelessness, naked against the reality, fragile around the enviroment. This woman is holding a dress of a communist soldier; the clothes are empty, representing the vacuum idea. The communist flag is all over the wall, moving around the body of hope but losing itself in the death of the concept of idealism. I
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didn’t want to represent the death in a figurative way, but I wanted to represent the emptiness of a body that does not exist. You can see an imaginary head where the communist flag is supported. Is this your personal interpretation of death in idealism? Yes, it is my personal interpretation of the dead, of an idea that can’t work in this type of capitalism system. It’s the representation of a fight that I lost. It’s also the representation of my contradictions, and also the contradictions of all humans. How tall/big is this piece? The piece measures 10 stories that are in total 40 meters high. This mural is massive. How long did it take you to complete? Will you share some of your strategies for conquering a piece of such magnitude? They were 10 days of intense work, which sometimes could only work up to the middle of the day, in consequence of the rain, wind, etcetera. They were mentally tough days. There is a whole organization behind the murals, and if they fail it would complicate the working time. My strategies were try to use the old
master rules, like a grid on the wall – that helps you a lot for not making mistakes on the proportions of the bodies. This mural is a part of the Livin’ Streets Festival in Graz, Austria, curated by Inoperable Gallery. Will you tell us a bit about the Livin’ Streets Festival and how you got involved? Inoperable Gallery was the curator of the festival. They choose all the artists for the project. I was notified about the wall and the project like six months in advanced, like a typical Deustchland way of organization.
How did you feel about your time in Austria? Was this your first visit? It was my second visit to Austria. Austria is a country that I love and has many of my favorite painters, like Egon Schiele and Klimt. Austria was a pioneer in bringing the architecture, the arts and sciences for the advancement of a country (or the world). Unfortunately (like all times of humanity), they lived the first and second world war, which destroyed the human project. And you can feel this in Austria – something is missing, something was taken, which they still cannot find.
Do you know how long the mural will be on display in this location? Hopefully it’s gonna stay forever. This place was an old food company and now they’ve started to reconstruct all the fabric to make studios, offices and apartments.
What’s coming up next for you? I’m right now waiting for my flight to Paris in Frankfurt. After Paris I go to Barcelone for a project. Then I go back to my country Argentina, and then in September I have my solo show in Mexico. Then Basel, Brasil, and then I need vacations!
What was the most complicated part about the execution of this mural? The most complicated part was the organization. When you have such a big mural you have to organize yourself in part, for example, saying, “Ok, today I will do all the arm and chest.”
Where can people see more of your art? You can see more of my art via instagram @eversiempre or Facebook via eversiempre, or my website that has many interesting pictures and behind-the-scenes info at www. eversiempre.com.
DONAVON FRANKENREITER
TORREY MEISTER
MALIA MANUEL
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Photography: Dominic Petruzzi :: dominicpetruzziphoto.com :: @dominicpetruzzi Model: Kristen Kiehnle :: Brand Models //Hair & Makeup: bethcartermakeup.com for MakeupForeverUsa
Take one look at this month’s Super Taste and you’ll be struck with the feeling that you’ve died and gone to heaven. She’s an absolute knockout, and that’s without knowing anything about her. You see Kristen has the trifecta – brains, beauty and athletic prowess. She’s got a full plate attending UCLA on a volleyball scholarship, and she enjoys spending her downtime at home in Newport Beach. A word to the wise, guys, don’t ever challenge Kristen to a game of beach volleyball, because we’re pretty sure you’ll be left embarrassed and brokenhearted.
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This month www.booooooom.com featured Zaria Forman’s large-scale pastel drawings, and everyone (including us) was mezmorized by her crashing waves and luminescent ripples, remote oceans, and icy terrains. Forman travels around the globe to document Earth’s shifting landscapes and the effects of progressive climate change. “In August 2012, I led an Arctic expedition up the northwest coast of Greenland called ‘Chasing the Light,’” she explained. “It was the second expedition, the mission of which was to create art inspired by this dramatic geography. The first, in 1869, was led by the American painter William Bradford. My mother, Rena Bass Forman, had conceived the idea for the voyage but did not live to see it through. During the months of her illness her dedication to the expedition never wavered, and I promised to carry out her final journey. Documenting climate change, the work addresses the concept of saying goodbye on scales both global and personal. In Greenland, I scattered my mother’s ashes amidst the melting ice.” Continuing to address climate change in her work, Forman traveled to the Maldives, which is the lowest-lying country in the world and is in serious danger of rising sea levels. “The Maldives 2013: Continuing the story of polar melt, which is the main cause of rising seas, I followed the
melt-water from the Arctic to the equator,” she says. “I spent September 2013 in the Maldives, the lowest and flattest country in the world, collecting material and inspiration to create a body of work celebrating and representing a nation that could be entirely underwater within this century. Two award-winning artists who participated in the Greenland expedition, Chasing The Light, joined me in this venture: painter Lisa Lebofsky, and director, filmmaker, and actress Drew Denny. “During our month on the islands, we shared the concept of our project with children on the islands, inviting them to document their homeland as it transforms throughout their lives. The children can use their creativity to continue spreading awareness while inwardly processing the ecological transformations surrounding them. I hope my drawings will raise awareness and invite viewers to share the urgency of the Maldivians’ predicament in a productive and hopeful way. I believe art can facilitate a deeper understanding of crises, helping us find meaning and optimism amidst shifting landscapes.” Partial proceeds of Forman’s artwork go to 350. org, which is an international climate change campaign that works in over 180 countries around the world. To check out more of Zaria Forman’s art, go to www.zariaforman.com.
Photo: Francois Lebeau
Greenland #52, 45”x60”, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2012 54
Photo: Francois Lebeau
Photo: Francois Lebeau :: Maldives #10, 45”x75”, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2014
Greenland #63, 50”x75”, Soft Pastel on Paper, 2013
Photo: Francois Lebeau
Words: Reagan Ritchie :: Photos: Daniel Russo This is Get-N Classic Vol. 3. I’ve been working with Graham Nash and Daniel Russo on this project for Scott Sisamus and Vans, and for the past two and a half years we’ve more or less been going on trips every swell. In comparing Vol. 1 and 2, Get-N Classic Vol. 3 is an in-depth look into the destinations we’ve visited. We’ve traveled to the craziest locations, and it’s always a pretty relaxed atmosphere surrounding these trips. A lot of the trips have been rider-driven. The whole Vans team is super down to get together on trips that everyone has planned. So, for instance, Nathan Fletcher will have a trip in mind to go surf a big wave in France and he’ll call up Dane Gudauskas and say, “Dane, let’s go!” And they’ll psyche each other up on the trip. Or you’ll have Dylan Graves that has some secret wave he wants to go to that’s tucked away down in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere. There’s also Scott Sisamus who is really pumped on cold-water waves, and northern Europe is a really perfect setting to find waves of that type. It all just kind of happens in terms of the collective love we all have for traveling and surfing. Hawaii is always a major part, and this is one of the highlights of the movie. It’s basically ground zero. Vans has a pretty rich heritage in Hawaii, working with the Triple Crown and putting on the event. Hawaii is what surfing is, where it came from and where it will always be. Pipeline is everything, and from a filmer’s perspective it’s the best gift in the world. There’s no place that’s more perfect and right in your face. You have Kalani Chapman, the Florences and Nathan Fletcher who always shine there. Then, you have the Gudauskas brothers who have been going there since they were 13. The Hawaii portion of the film is very special. We traveled to a wide array of places. We went to Norway and Scottland with Nathan Florence, Dane Gudauskas and Andrew Doheny. We did a bunch of Mexico trips with Kalani, Nathan, the Florences and Wade Goodall. We went to the Central Atlantic with Dylan Graves and Pat and Tanner Gudauskas – that was one of the best trips and I had one of the best days of my life there. Being
Reagan Ritchie
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Joel Tudor Nathan Fletcher
Dane Gudauskas
Nathan Fletcher
Andrew Doheny
able to capture all that went down and even getting a bodysurf in midday was perfect. It was the hardest wave to score in the world, but somehow we did. Dylan was a huge part in helping us score on that trip. Dylan Graves’ dad had always told him about waves surrounding his home of Puerto Rico, but he’d never tell him exactly where they were. He’d always give him hints but leave it up to Dylan to go out and find these waves himself. Dylan is an absolute guru and is always searching off the grid for these perfect, rarely surfed waves, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a few magical sessions thanks to him. I think filming Nathan Fletcher and Joel Tudor at Desert Point was probably the biggest highlight for me. You have Joel who is pure style and finesse, and then someone like Nathan who is so into board design. It was really interesting to see their different approaches out there. It was such a broad spectrum of surfing going down, and what a venue for it with those long peeling lefts. Nathan was on a 5’2” with concave rails, something he and Stretch have been working on, and his surfing was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever filmed anything quite like that. Everyone on the Vans team has been there for a long time. They’re all so different, but similar in the way that they’re 100% about surfing. All of them continuously raise the level of surfing in their own ways. Everyone is such an individual on the team that stokes one another out on joining together to make these adventures happen. They all have their own quirks and characteristics, but at the end of the day share this deep love for surfing. We’re all pretty tight and everyone is there because they want to be there at this point in life. No one is out of place. Working closely with Daniel Russo, who’s a crazy swimmer and a talented lensman, has made this movie so unique. That’s something that’s made Vol. 3 stand out more than the others – having him swimming and getting
Dane Gudauskas
Dane Gudauskas
Ivan Florence
Ivan Florence
Nathan Florence
Nathan Fletcher
Kalani Chapman
Ivan Florence
Reagan Ritchie
Dylan Graves
Dylan Graves Nathan Florence
the incredible shots he has is remarkable. Some of the shots he has from Tahiti are insane. He knows how to position himself perfectly in the honey jar. That’s something to look for in Vol. 3 – the upscale cinematography. Being able to film, travel and be a part of the making of Get-N Classic Vol. 3 has been insane. It’s meant everything to me and there’s been nothing more that I’ve wanted to do in life than be able to film and experience all of this. To me, there are some times when I’m on the beach and I witness stuff going down and you know it’s just pure surfing and real. Whether it’s long boarding at Malibu or surfing perfect Caribbean, this is what surfing and this movie is at its deepest core. We’re not reinventing the wheel with these movies, but I think Get-N Classic Vol. 3 is a movie that will bridge gaps of time and really transcend what surfing is. It pays homage to the old, the new and stays true to these incredible surfers. I hope you enjoy the film. We worked hard on it and there’ll definitely be more to come.
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Interview: Liz rice McCray UK-based artist Chris Labrooy is the first computer generated/3D graphic artist to grace our cover. His mastering of 3D modeling is superb and his vision and creativity with his Auto Aerobics series “Auto Aerobics And roll... and stretch... and glide... and flex” is inspiring, thus placing him on the cover for his 3D graphics, illustration, type design, architectural typography, food typography, etc. Labrooy is a true master of his creative medium and trade. His artwork has been exhibited at the
design museum in London, and he has been featured in numerous illustration and design publications. For more of his work, please visit his website at www.chrislabrooy.com. What would you say your artistic medium is? My creative medium is CGI/3D graphics. What does CGI stand for? It stands for computer-generated imagery.
Haha, ok I should have put that together. Did you go to school for that? Or are you selftaught? I have only been working with CGI 3D graphics for about four or five years. Previous to this I was a product designer, so with regards to CGI I am very much self-taught. I went to school to study product design at The Royal College of Art in London. I was really into making sculptural objects and then using
the computer was not a part of my process – it was about getting my hands dirty. My education in product design is a big influence on the work I do now. It gave me an understanding of the tangible qualities of objects. Can you describe the genesis of your digital sculptures, how and when they started? I started using CGI as a way to visualize product ideas in order to evaluate them before actually making
them. As time went by I started to focus on the creative possibilities of CGI to make powerful images. I got bored going through the process of making real things, as I felt that the images and 3D renders were more powerful and engaging. Will you tell us about your Auto Aerobics series (featured on the cover)? Auto Aerobics was a personal project that I did seven months ago. There was no real big idea behind the project; I just started experimenting and churning out different ideas until
something clicked. It began as a tiny idea for a project about New York. Walking through Brooklyn on a winter evening is a truly memorable experience, which motivated me to build a digital 3D model that captured the various details and textures of this location. The Pontiac automobile was initially destined to be a prop parked on the sidewalk; however, I later decided to make it a parallel subject of the series and started abstracting the car’s form by hollowing out the vehicle’s core, stretching the proportions and experimenting with multiples, which over time began to look extraordinary.
I assume that 3D programs have changed significantly. How would you say the technology has evolved? I think to some extent it is not so much the software that has changed but the hardware. I use many of the same tools and processes now as I did when I started. The performance of commuters in the last few years has been a game changer for the work I do. The ability to render tests in seconds makes the whole creative process more intuitive. You can be more spontaneous, as you don’t have to wait 10 minutes to get a snapshot of where you are at. Have you ever had any of your images turned into actual three-dimensional objects? Or does that somehow defeat
the purpose? The sneakerboots images I did for Nike was turned into in-store retail sculptures. These were composed on the computer then 3D printed. Will you tell us a few of your clients? I have been fortunate to work with many clients over the years. I have worked for Pringles, Nike, Transport For London, ATT, Time, Xbox and Target. Which projects have you been most satisfied with? There are a couple of projects that really stand out for me. The Pringles project was really fresh and new at the time, and the client was really great and had a lot of confidence in the work. I still see it in magazine ads years after it was
done. The Transport For London new fares campaign was also really cool to do. It was a development of my Land of the Free project, and it’s also nice when a personal project can have a commercial application. What are some of your consistent influences? The process is the most consistent influence rather than any particular artist or designer. I just try to work as hard as possible and create as much output as possible. Some things work and some things don’t but it’s
important to keep trying new stuff. Where do you call home? Aberdeen, Scotland. I live in a small town in the country. How would you describe your studio or office atmosphere? I work from home, which works for me. I absolutely hate commuting, sitting in traffic and driving long distances. I’m curious, are you a sneaker guy? If so, can you tell us your
favorite make and model? I do like sneakers and I have a nice little collection. I don’t have a particular brand that I am loyal to but my favorite shoe at the moment is the New Balance Made in USA 996. The quality of the materials really set them apart from other shoes. What are you currently working on?
I am working on a project for Ted Baker in London. It’s a fun campaign that will go public later in the year. Where can people check out more of your work? My website at www.chrislabrooy.com. They can see work on my Facebook page, Behance page and also my Twitter page. I like to post different things on each of these.
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Top – Volcom volcom.com
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LIRA 2014 FALL COLLECTION W W W. L I R AC LOT H I N G . C O M
Corey Goonan : B.S Flip
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son Words: Rob Erick
t above all else: his s Karim cares abou There are three thing g), skateboarding hin t counts as one t ha (t ife d w an ids two k thing else. And in er that comes every Aft y. ph gra oto ph d an t works out; other ering, sometimes tha case you were wond . … but that’s the point times, not so much er since his parents mera in his hands ev Karim has had a ca ck in the ‘80s. It point-and-shoot ba let him use their old point-and-shoots. k da rectangular Ko g lon se tho of e on was ’t until blowing out dly enough, it wasn Remember those? Od occurred to him ars later that it ever his knee about 15 ye when it clicked. s ateboarding. That’ sk s nd frie his t oo to sh fall off, figuratively o stop ‘til the wheels And it’s not going t speaking.
Corey Goonan : Push
Vintage
Arno River, Florence Jay Burton : Gap to Crook
Emil Hilding : Smith Grind
He lives in southern Rhode Island with his wife and two daughters. His name came up in conversation, what seems now to be a handful of years ago, through a friend well known for their injections of raw power into the skateboarding wasteland as we know it. ‘Hmmm, will make a point to look him up...’ thinking to myself. Another person of note (who happened to reside in the same town as the other person) mentioned his buddy had some photos of him that he would ask to send onward. A few more epochs of time passage and images began making their way down the pipes. Neither of the two raised any expectations as per the quality of the images or tricks documented for that matter, which in hindsight was simply their reserved nature. The images themselves clearly exhibited that the person behind the lens was thinking about what they were doing.
Corey Goonan : Ollie
Correspondence continues to exchange and images always accompany the dialogue. The most resonant detail I have observed is the easy-going nature of this person. More times than fingers can count, the words “Go for it...” respond when asked if a photo was up for grabs for whichever project was in the fire. This is quality numero uno for a photog in the making – a willingness to put it out there and watch what happens. It is remarkably difficult to let an image go into the hands of another when one is not sure how their image will be used in context to a project. Many times has the regret button been pushed after handing over a photo to the advert or editorial gauntlet. Wisdom to share, as each time permission is granted the photographer’s image takes precedence. Compounded amounts of dedication, failure, patience, trust, chemistry, maintenance, and the almighty eye are built into the
Rebelo : Pivot Fakie
Dustin Walls : Texas Plant
relationship of a photographer and their subjects. We have all observed countless art directors just ruin images for the sake of corny graphic design, and some will scream bias here, but I say let the image fulďŹ ll its merit. Love it to death, and in the words of one Alice Cooper - this path is for the hard-boiled. The harder boiled part is the axis of photographer crossing the threshold from upstart to where they will take it. That said, the observed characteristics combined with the dense population of shred long cultivated in the northeastern thickets of America makes for plenty to keep this picture-maker busy. One of the most inspiring details we often fail to observe is a person steadily pushing their potential. So embark on your journey, Karim, as we look forward to seeing your evidence of moments documented along the way.
Spencer Heffernan : 360 Flip
Pimental : Front 5050 Portrait
Jay Burton : Tuck Knee
This is one of about one million blow-tails Mitch did on this trip.
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Words: Joey Marshall :: Photos: Tom Carey
I first heard about the Maldives over 10 years ago from my dear friend Jani Lange. He’s was the snowboard team manager/snow marketing guru for Volcom Europe at the time and was showing me photos of him and his snow bros shredding head-high perfection in crystal-clear water with no one around. It looked good, but to travel all the way across the world it always seemed like Indonesia was a better bet. Plus, he was the snow team manager and I wasn’t completely sold on his report. Since then, I’ve seen dozen upon dozens of surf features showcasing how good the Maldives actually are, but it wasn’t until Tom Carey returned from a two-week stint with Mitch Coleborn, Nate Tyler and Yago Dora that I can say my eyes have truly been opened. Turns out there are some wave-inclusive resorts that are must-stays if you travel to Maldives, and Tom, the world traveler that he is, was well aware of this and took full advantage. The boys shacked up at Hudhuranfushi Resort, where they enjoyed their exclusive left-hander that never fell below head-high and offered up perfection for every style of surfing. If the wind turns a little this way or little that way the wave is absolutely perfect for laying on your rail or boosting over sections. With
Mitch looking hard. Yago Dora is tight lipped about his night terror.
“No Justice No Peace” was some sort of political graffiti art that was on the main island of Male. The country was without a president or ruling party at that moment following some sort of coup.
Free beers at the bar on the point at Lohi’s with Nate Tyler. It’s quite a nice setup.
Offshore winds make for the best photos, but sometimes the surfers hate it. I think they’d rather have that light onshore crumble. Nate Tyler surfs a Taylor Knox model Channel Island. After seeing this turn I know why. For anyone who hasn’t been to the Maldives I’d go as soon as possible. The islands are sinking and you won’t find a more beautiful and alive ocean.
Mitch Coleborn
Fumigation patrol, hold your breath. Yago Dora flippin’ out.
Nate Tyler
Mitch Coleborn needs to get on tour. Is there anyone better than this guy that’s not on that thing?
go
I want to say this was one of Yago’s first waves in the Maldives. We were so blown away after this session, we knew instantly that he was the real deal.
less wind and lower tides the wave out back gets hollow and you can even get your tubegame going. It really is a wet dream for any goofy-footer… which is good, considering all three were right-foot forward. But the exclusive wave out back isn’t the only thing on offer, as there are over 1,000 islands that make up the Maldives Republic, with a great number of known waves and likely many more to be discovered. The boys knew this but it was pretty hard to leave a good thing. They did venture to the main island of Male for a fun surf session and barely avoided a political coup that took place just minutes after they boarded their watertaxi back to the resort. The crew was there for business, as the goal of this trip was to stack footage for the now available True To This movie that Volcom has released. You can tell by the images featured here that they accomplished more than they set out for and far exceeded any goals set prior. After talking to every one on the trip they collectively agreed it’s one of the better surf trips they had ever been on, with minimal to no hiccups along the wave and A+ surf in an absolutely beautiful setting. One scary event worth mentioning was a sleepless night due to Yago’s chilling
$400-a-night Club Med sets the backdrop for this air-reverse. Mitch Coleborn prefers the $50-a-night alternative.
It wasn’t all airs and turns, as a few tubes snuck in to our liking – Mitch Coleborn getting some shade.
Nate Tyler, hand on the rail.
Yago displaying one of a hundred grab variations he’s mastered.
Mitch throwing tail on one of the very few rights ridden the entire trip.
There were some beautiful Israeli women at the resort. This one had just come out of the army and was ready to shred. Could you imagine being bunked up near that rig?
Nate Tyler following suit with his stellar air game.
Mitch, fins free. There was actually some size on this trip. You could really dig into these waves. Mitch, fins buried.
night terror. Tom, Nate and Mitch were awoken by death-defying screams, and while trying to wake Yago Tom received quite a few bicycle kicks. Yago was back to dreamland in a few minutes, but the rest of the boys had the lights on and sleepless night thinking they were gonna get attacked by evil spirits. It made for a good laugh in the morning, but Tom still swears it was one of top three scariest moments of his life. Many of you might not know this, but the Maldive Islands are slowly sinking as polar ice caps melt, and it is estimated this surfer’s paradise might not even be here 100 years from now. That said, quit daydreaming and start booking your trip. Nose-pick pivots are so hot right now. Here’s Mitch showing us how it’s done.
Yago, flying high as can be… again.
After a week of surfing the left at Lohi’s we went on a field trip to Male and scored this super fun left wedge. Yago tucks under one.
Interview: Brandon Hammid :: Photos: Bob Plumb After years of being friends and living with Justin, I can’t think of many people that live a better life. When he’s not with his dog Red at the park, you can find him hanging out at the SFK House working on his motorcycle or at Rose Park getting a quick skate sesh. If it’s wintertime and there is snow in Salt Lake, he’ll most likely be found snowboarding at the rail gardens, having more fun than anyone there. This winter I was able to travel to Russia with him. He handled it pretty damn well considering it was his first time out of the country, and he seemed to enjoy being in such a foreign place. If you asked pretty much anyone about Justin they would describe him as one of the mellowest and nicest dudes. He’s just happy doing his thing and enjoying the moment no matter what he’s doing. So, where are you originally from? I was raised in Portland, Maine, where I lived until I graduated in 2008. I graduated in 2003; you’re making me feel kinda old. What did you do after high school? I came to Salt Lake after high school for the remainder of the winter and then got a job at High Cascade Snowboard Camp. While working at High Cascade I met some people, and at the end of the summer moved to Salt Lake. That winter I went back and forth between Colorado and Utah a few times. I continued to go out to Oregon in the summer for four years. And then, back in Salt Lake to stay. I didn’t know you moved to Salt Lake before Colorado. Yeah! I remember meeting you back then and you dressed a little bit differently. How was that inspired? I don’t know if it was inspired by anything. Explain how you dressed. I don’t know, extremely tight pants, long hair, bunch of jewelry and whatever the hell… funny hats. I remember dudes like Lance Machado, Eric Fernandez and Billy Mackey dressing the same way. I think you guys had something goin’ on with the whole gypster trend. So where did your nickname “Chip” come from? So, when I dressed like that everyone use to call me Gypsy Justin, and then Micah Hollinger wrote a rap song one summer in Oregon. One of the lines was “Justin Gyp don’t give a shit.” So then Justin Gyp kinda stuck from there, and then it broke down into just Gyp. And then Gyp transformed into Chip. Chip stuck and I’ve run with it ever since. People remember Chip over Justin anyways so I’m down. Nicknames are sweet! I remember looking up to dudes before I moved out here. Were there any specific people you looked up to that inspired you? Well, there were always guys like Scott Stevens, Chris Grenier, Chris Beresford and Austin Granger, like all the massholes. Growing up that’s who I looked up to because they were from back east. I’d watch all their edits on the Internet all the time. Their old Magical Go-Go edits, at Loon Mountain after Last Call, were my favorite. I can’t remember the name of the edits but they were absolutely incredible. I used to watch them multiple times a day. Then those guys moved out to Salt Lake and I still followed what they were doing. Slowly their edits transformed into SFK edits, rallying golf carts and a bunch of crazy shenanigans. I would watch the edits and think how they did the coolest
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shit and they seemed like they always had fun. It seemed like they never had a down time, whether it be skating the old mini ramp or having crazy party edits. You could tell they just had the time of their lives. Now those guys are all my best friends!
went to Videograss.
You started filming with Team Thunder when you first moved out to Salt Lake, right? Yeah, they kinda paved the way for a lot of things, like the more DIY kind of snowboarding. Ben used to go up into the woods and build all this shit out of trees and logs, and then he would film himself in the mountains. Or, like, random things like the hay bales edit they did in Sugarhouse Park. It kinda sucks because I got to Salt Lake as Team Thunder was kinda fading away. Will moved onto People, Ben was slowly getting out of snowboarding, Cody got hurt that winter and kinda just stopped snowboarding. Then he moved to LA to do art. Now he’s killing it doing that. Fern stuck with it for a little longer. Sean
What have you been doing since Team Thunder disappeared? I still had the drive to snowboard when Team Thunder faded away. Living in Salt Lake I met Bundy, you, and a bunch of other dudes and kept snowboarding and kept trying to film. I’d ride at Brighton a bunch and no matter what I’d run into I’d have someone to snowboard with and always end up having the best day.
It sucks when your friends start doing new things. Yeah, it’s a group effort and once people start to fall off you lose that drive from everyone else.
I love Brighton. It’s the best. Riding Brighton with your friends is the best time riding your snowboard. This year we got to film the whole year together with Think Thank. How did it compare to the last few
years? The last few years I filmed with Bode, Keep the Change, Videograss. I pretty much just crew hopped, which was really fun. It helped me figure out how I work well with some people and other people I just don’t click with. Filming with Think Thank this year was the greatest thing ever. We had the time of our lives. Things never got shitty or serious. It was just an awesome time. Every trip was super fun and productive. It seemed like we fucked off a bunch, but at the end of trips I would think about it and we did a lot of shit. While we were in Michigan our birthdays were a week apart. How sick was that spending your birthday on a snowboard trip? It was hilarious. Midnight of my birthday we ran across the street to the Marriot in our long johns. We took a shot at the bar and ran back to our shitty hotel while it was snowing super hard. On my birthday, Burtner and the whole
crew were at this party spot with like six people snowboarding at any given time in the same zone. You guys got me a birthday cake and a couple cases of beer. It was such an awesome day! You’ve never been out of the country until this year when we went to Russia. For your first time being out of the country, how was it? It was pretty nerve racking. We flew into Moscow and immediately I couldn’t read anything or communicate with anyone. We got picked up by some guy and instantly I was scared to death because of the Russian driving style. This guy would drive super fast and then immediately slam on his brakes. Then he would swerve in out of traffic, splitting lanes and cut off anyone. It really set the tone for the trip. The trip was definitely crazy. We drove for like 24 hours altogether, stopping at four different cities in Russia.
I was freaking out when we were at the flat-todown rail off the side of the road. Yeah, while we were snowboarding a camel, a donkey, a horse and dog walked by us. I didn’t know what to think. What did you think of the food in Russia? It was really strange. They were all about cold eggs, little hotdogs, coleslaw for breakfast and some weird rice. The same weird club we were in the first night was where the hotel served their breakfast. We survived Russia, though.
Yeah! At times I was unsure if we would make it out of Russia. There was a war on the brink of breaking out between Russia and Ukraine. We got confronted by people about being Americans. When we were at some spot there was a group of guys that were yelling shit at us in Russian. Then they were like, ‘Obama suck our dicks,’ all wasted off vodka yelling at us belligerently. I remember saying we were Canadian at times so they wouldn’t give us shit. What did you miss most while you were traveling filming this year? My dog Red. Luckily, being on the road I have great people that watch her. Usually, when there’s snow in Salt Lake City, like in the years past, I bring Red with me to all the spots. She’s always there with me; she’s another asset to the crew. Last year she made it into almost every video. She had a pretty hilarious clip in the middle of Bode’s part. She had a shot in your part, Videograss, and in my part. I was cruising around with a bunch of crews last year, so she was also cruising around with me. She’s a great spot dog. Is there anything else you wanna talk about? Any people you would like to thank? Umm, most of all my parents. If it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing now. Bob Plumb for always having my back; he’s helped out a lot along the way. The Think Thank guys: Ted, you, Lucey, Burtner for always being down. SFK, my roommates, Scott, Beresford, Granger, Grenier, Bode, BluePlate, Knut, Josh, Cal. Tonino for paving the way for me. Jared and Mouse for providing the best resort to ride. Rail gardens for always being a great place for me to go snowboarding.
Photos: Emjay // End of the Beginning at The Seventh Letter Gallery // I Think It’s Great // Friend Party // Deeper Perspective // Ready or not // Studio installation // Art talk On June 28th, California-based artist TRAV opened his solo show at The Seventh Letter Flagship Store and Gallery. The opening was a big success, as attendants swarmed the gallery to check out TRAV’s new body of work. TRAV’s paintings consisted of bright colors, bold line strokes, geometric patterns and his signature typography. “The goal for this show is to create thought-provoking paintings that straddle the line between a traditional sign painting aesthetic and more colorful geometric patterns reminiscent of those seen within his graffiti,” TRAV stated. Make sure to check out more of TRAV’s work at www.youngtrav.com or follow his Instagram @travmsk.
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Photos: Mehren, Zamora & Kenyon // Nathaniel Curran blowing tail to the top of the podium // Billy Hopkins airing it out // Pro winners: Billy Hopkins, Jake Davis, Nathaniel Curran & Adam Lambert // Jake Davis putting it on rail // Legend winners: Allen Sarlo, Strider Wasilewski, John McClure & Danny Klein // TheraSurf with Anthony Petruso // Sunny Garcia & Timmy pre-TheraSurf // Nick Rozsa getting after it
The eighth annual Malibu Invitational went off without a single hitch this year thanks to the support of presenting sponsor Reef and hosts House Beer, Val Surf, Freedom Artists, Dukes Malibu and Audi. The event is a fundraiser for TheraSurf, a non-profit foundation created by legendary Malibu surfer Jimmy Gamboa and his wife Kim Gamboa. TheraSurf enables children with special needs to experience the calming and healing power of the ocean while promoting a safe and interactive environment. TheraSurf stands for Therapy, Healing, Equality, Respect and Advocacy. The three-day event features an hour break each day where over 120 special needs children get to enjoy what very few do: surfing the world’s most iconic wave, with no one out! Thanks to the efforts of the entire surf community 96
the event raised over $25,000 for TheraSurf. This year’s champion was Nathaniel Curran in a highly contested final with Billy Hopkins, Jake Davis and Adam Lambert. Nathaniel was clearly the man to beat, as every wave he caught he rode all the way down the point with speed, style and flow. In the dying minutes while still needing a second wave, Nathaniel took off and rode the last wave of the heat as if he were born and raised here, earning him his fifth 9-point-plus ride of the event. His brother Tim Curran has won the event three times, and now the Curran family can add another sibling to the list of champs. The pros are amazing to watch, but
one of the best parts of the event is the Legend’s division, which brought together surfers from all regions of LA, who in the ‘80s would otherwise have been involved in fisticuffs in the parking lot. These legends have found a common ground, put all differences aside and surfed together for a greater cause. Event MC – and first year Legend’s competitor – Strider Wasilewski took home the victory over Allen Sarlo, Evan Caples and John McClure. Words were exchanged, water was splashed, but at the end of the day money was raised, tears of joy were shed and children with specials needs were equal. The entire Malibu Invitational staff and crew would like to thank everyone involved for making this year the best yet.
RESULTS Pro 1st - Nathaniel Curran 2nd - Billy Hopkins 3rd - Adam Lambert 4th - Jake Davis Legends (40 - 58) 1st - Strider Wasilewski 2nd - John McClure 3rd - Allen Sarlo 4th- Danny Klein Masters (58+) 1st - Scott Lewis 2nd - Craig Kozolowski 3rd - Don Kraft 4th - John Baker
Words: Albert Milo :: Photos: Ashlei Quinones // Exhibiting artists & the Deadbeat wall // Hamburger eyes photos // Girls // Ed & Deanna Templeton of Deadbeat club // Dudes // Lele Saveri 8 Ball Zines & Francesco Igory Deiana // 8 Ball Photos // Alex Kopps & Lele Saveri // Dennis McGrath // Clint Woodside of Deadbeat Club & Ray Potes Hamburger Eyes
On America’s day of independence, RVCA SF’s current exhibition “Pages” was installed, which was followed up with the reception on July 5th. Pages is a group show featuring work curated from three independent publishers: Hamburger Eyes (Ray Potes, SF), 8 Ball Zines (Lele Saveri, NY) and Deadbeat Club (Clint Woodside, LA). The show features the work of 40 artists and photographers displaying work from the pages of their zines/books. Some of the exhibiting artists included Dennis McGrath, Ed & Deanna Templeton, Jerry Hsu, Patrick O’Dell, Todd James, Richard Kern, Leo Fitzpatrick, Devin Briggs, Jason Roberts Dobrin, Grant Hatfield and Nolan Hall. The show had a cohesive feel, while each curated section maintained its own identity. Hamburger Eyes had home court advantage with the exhibition in their backyard, and the core crew of the Deadbeat Club made the drive up the coast. 8 Ball also posse’d up on their venture west from New York. The large turnout at the reception consisted of people with cameras slung around their back and tall cans in hand. The show runs until August 23rd. VASF is located at 1485 Haight Street , San Francisco, CA.
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THE DION AGIUS COLLECTION LOS ANGERED LOW AND LOS ANGERED AVAILABLE NOW
UNITED BY FATE EST. AUSTRALIA 1994
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Photos: Ryan Foley :: Words: Brent Bearden // The champs layback, Kekoa Cazimero // Pro Am finalists // Larry Layback // Boy’s finalists // Mini grom Jackson Bunch // 12 O’clock with Joel Centeio // Airdropping with style and composure // Mini tubes were on offer throughout the event at Ala Moana Bowls
The only stop for the 2014 Cash Pot series took place this past month at Ala Moana Bowls on Oahu’s south shore in super clean and rippable two- to three-foot conditions. The Hawaiian surf community is always extremely stoked on the event. Therefore, Arnette decided to keep one Cash Pot event alive, and it was without a doubt going to be the Hawaii stop. There was over $5,000 dollars in cash given out, and the biggest winner of the day was Kekoa Cazimero who won $1,200 throughout the whole event. The final featured Kekoa, Makua Rothmn, Alex Pedleton and Arnette’s very own Joel Centeio. The final was super tight until Cazimero’s patience paid off and he got one of the few sets in the final, unleashing a fury of turns. The 16-and-under final featured Shayden Pacarro, 10-year-old Jackson Bunch, Kelson Lau and Devin Brueggeman. Shayden started the final off with possibly the biggest set wave that came in all day and ripped it to shreds. With his opening wave he put the other finalist in a very tough position to try and catch up. It was safe to say that Shayden put on an absolute clinic at Bowls. The Aloha spirit was out both days and everyone went home super stoked.
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Results: Pro- Am 1. Kekoa Cazimero 2. Alex Pedleton 3. Makua Rothman 4. Joel Centeio 16 and Under 1. Shayden Pacarro 2. Devin Bruegermann 3. Kelson Lau 4. Jackson Bunch
Photos: Timmy B. // Packed house at Agenda Long Beach Day #1 // Founder Aaron Levant & Rick Ross // DJ Khaled // Wild Fox Swim // Kreyshawn at See You Monday // Janeen Aughenbaugh & Jessica Rush // Matix // Bird’s eye view // Hurley’s Legacy installation at Agenda
This past Agenda Long Beach signified a turning of the tides in the action sports, street and lifestyle biz. It’s no secret that our beloved industries have seen tough times over the past few years, facing unprecedented challenges that have troubled us all in one way or another. But on July 10th and 11th the Long Beach Convention Center was abuzz with business like never before, proving that our industry has realigned into a positive course with plenty of excitement and creativity fueling the fire. On both days of Agenda Long Beach it was definitely a good idea to have had your mobile check-in pass ready, as lines were roping all the way out of the convention center with buyers chomping at the bit. Upon entering the show floors it was staggering to see the amount of new brands down every aisle. Brands like Depactus made their debut – and did so with a bang. As always, there were companies using their own unique marketing gimmicks to catch the attention of attendees: Hurley always draws the masses with its Printing Press; Roark used
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its gazelle blood to entice passers by; and the Don’t Care crew had a sign on hand that caused folks to either laugh uncontrollably, walk by bewildered and appalled or rush in to get a “dick pic.” The product lines and attitudes of everyone in attendance were fresh and optimistic. Of course, with all the walking and talking that goes down in those two days you’re going to need plenty of nourishment. For that, you had to look no further than the eclectic food trucks parked out back. Bear Flag, the Lime Truck, Pizzanista and Juice Served Here were just a fraction of the options available. Ultimately, toward the end of the day the alcohol would begin to flow and serious talk would start to wear off, and questions of where the night was headed would arise. All in all, whether you were only there for a few hours or spent the whole two days there, Agenda Long Beach was very enjoyable with a huge turnout and an extremely productive 48 hours. We’ll see you all back there in January!
Wood.
Interview & Photo : Max Ritter Fueled by late night Super Smash Brothers marathons and a heavy Lil B infl uence, Ryan Solomon has been crafting up the bedroom recordings of his latest musical endeavor Wizard Woes. Ryan has always been very involved in the San Diego music scene and has played in various bands over the years. He is probably known best for his work in the late band Dudes or his earlier work in a band called Da Bears. Ryan also plays keyboards in the band Heavy Hawaii. Having known Ryan for a few years now and watching him dedicate himself to what he loves, it’s been inspiring to see his music maturing and evolving. Ryan never has been one to fi t in a mold and he’s never been scared of mixing and mashing inspiration from various genres to try and create an interesting sound. The dude is constantly experimenting with different instruments, pedals, samples, and digital recording techniques in search of something unique. Ryan is also a die-hard Chargers fan so he’d probably tell you to BOLT UP! and check out his new EP, which is a three-song collection available as a free download on Bandcamp or Soundcloud. Below is our chat mid Smash Bros match. When did you fi rst start making music? I started playing in bands when I was young. I’ve always loved it. It’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do for fun. It just kind of was the path that was crafted out for me, and I guess in a way I can’t really imagine being passionate about anything else. I fi rst started playing music when I had some neighborhood friends who hit me up one summer and they were like, ‘Hey, were doing band tryouts.’ I was like, ‘Cool, can I try out?’ He was like, ‘What do you play?’ I said, ‘I don’t play anything but I have a guitar.’ So I just showed up and they convinced me to sell my guitar and get a bass. So I sold the guitar and got a bass and started getting lessons and I was the bass player. I just learned a lot of simple rockabilly licks. That was the how I fi rst started playing music. The fi rst time I actually started writing music was with my friends EJ and Danny. We rented MTV Music Generator for Playstation and just made really random house songs. I think that is why I am really geared toward using interface programs. We would just make a million songs all summer on this stupid program just laying out sequences and being weird 8th graders. You’ve always been involved in the San Diego music scene. Is it good place to be a musician? I was born and raised in San Diego. I lived in Philly for a little bit but other than that I have always lived in San Diego. I am more than happy with the scene here. The older you get you meet more people. It’s a good scene. There always seems to be shows going on any day of the week. I am always down to see friend’s bands even if I am not really a fan of their music – it’s always a good time. The thing I like about the scene here is everyone seems to be friends with each other even if you are not playing the same styles. How did your new project Wizard Woes come about? I was playing in my old band Dudes. It was somewhere in between a solo project and a band. When that
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started kind of coming to an end I was working on a bunch of songs that were intended to be for that project. I was just doing Dudes shows solo and eventually I just decided to make it a new thing. It just appeared to me the feeling was different and it was the right time to start a new project. There is something internal where you decide that this is going to be my new thing and I am going to come out with a new name. It challenges yourself to make something different enough to warrant changing it up in a way. It’s basically a favor to myself to have a fresh start and not really have to think about what you were doing before that. Just start fresh. My favorite thing about your music is genre-wise you’ve never been able to put it in a certain category and you are never afraid to experiment with sounds or mixing genres. It’s funny. It’s a lot of experimenting. I don’t really ever try to bite anything specifi c, but I’ll be listening to a new album and be like, ‘Aww fuck I want it to sound like that.’ You ask yourself, ‘Well what are they doing there?’ Then I’ll try to listen to a lot of different music and take away elements I like and blend them together. Like, ‘Oh I like this song with the house beat, but I want distorted guitars and drony keyboards.’ One thing I have kind of realized about myself is it would probably benefi t me to just pick one sound and do that and market to the people that are into that. I’ve kind of had the artistic surrender, but then again I am just not good at it. I just can’t do it. Every time I try to stick to just one vibe I immediately add in a break beat or something completely out of character. So, it’s pretty simple: I try not to think too much about what the music is going to sound like and just do what I like and let it happen. If I like it then that’s when it’s worth sharing with people. Talk a little about the nature of how you record and make music. There is so much you can do with a computer and the Internet,
especially with Abelton, which is what I use for most of my stuff. I guess that is kind of what I enjoy about what I do is listening to something and having no idea how they made it sound like that. And then that mystery gets revealed a little bit as you go. I still have no idea what I am doing; I just keep doing what I know and every once in awhile I’ll pick up something new. But the best thing about all this new technology in music is if you want to teach yourself how to do things the answers are out there. It’s crazy the amount you can do with a computer as far as producing goes. Walk us through your song writing process. Most of the times when I make a song I’ll be bored and experimenting. I’ll either be playing the guitar or sitting at the computer. I’ll download a couple VSTs or some new samples and I’ll just be trying to fuck around. I’ll give myself a few hours and I usually make like three things that are really lame and then maybe one will turn out really cool. Once you fi nd something that’s good you take that and you build on it. I’ll get some skeleton structure that I think is good and I’ll be super stoked on it that day. Then I’ll go listen to it in the car and I’ll realize, ‘Alright I have to spend a lot of time on this to make it dope.’ Then it’s just the struggle (laughs). You kind of get diminishing returns when you work on stuff for a long time. Then again I feel like if I give myself a couple months with this song I can make it good. But, that is kind of my style – just messing around until something cool comes out. It’s pretty crazy what you can make with a laptop in your bedroom these days, isn’t it? I think we’re in a great place in music right now. Anyone with a laptop and an Internet connection can make high-quality music that people like and sounds at least relatively close to studio-grade production. It’s interesting… Like with this new Daft Punk album they are kind of against that idea. They are more of this stance
that good music should only be recorded by professional musicians in professional studios. There is defi nitely an underground reaction to that like, ‘Fuck that mentality.’ Anyone can make something that sounds good. Yeah, maybe the highend isn’t as bright as something that would be recorded in the studio, but if the songs are there and it sounds passionate it doesn’t matter at all. It’s taking the money out of music. The industry doesn’t matter and it doesn’t matter if you have certain people behind you or a certain budget. What matters is you have the tools you need and anyone can do it. What’s the most rewarding thing about making music for you? The immediate feeling is when you spend a signifi cant amount of time working on a song. You let it sit and the best feeling in the world is when you let your ear rest almost to the point you forgot what it sounds like. You go back and listen to it again and if it’s good when you listen to it again that’s just the ultimate test. Like, ‘Yes! Alright this is going to be the new song now.’ And it’s such a draw. Sometimes you listen back and your like, ‘Oh yeah, recycle bin for sure.’ But when it hits and you have that feeling like, ‘Whoa. Awesome. I got lucky today. Today was a good day.’ That is the ultimate immediate reward. Beyond that, it’s just cool to be working toward something all the time. I’ve kind of realized I am always just going to have the next project or the next song, and it’s always good to be just working towards a goal and challenging yourself. I really believe the more you do things the better you get, and the only way to get better is going on a tour and being honest about the mistakes you made or working on music and being honest about how you feel about them. That way you constantly increase your standard about what is good. Check out Wizard Woes Old Flames EP, available as a free download on wizardwoes. bandcamp.com
Thee Oh Sees Live Review & Photo: Max Ritter Tuesday July 1st, 2014 The Observatory; Santa Ana, CA
Here’s a shot of Jon Dwyer and Thee Oh Sees (trio version) closing out The Burger Revue at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA. The band is technically “on-hiatus” but still destroying anyway. They have a new record out entitled Drop on Castle Face Records. Thanks to Burger Records for having us!
Reviews: Max Ritter
Earthless Meets Heavy Blanket In a Dutch Haze Outer Battery
BOYTOY S/T PaperCup Music
LA Witch S/T Self-Released
Jeez. A mind-melting guitar and drum apocalypse on this one. Mario Rubalcala (OFF!, Hot Snakes, Ect.) and Mike Eginton from Earthless join with J-Mascis (Dinosaur Jr., Witch, Ect.) and Graham Clise of Heavy Blanket to play one freaking song called “Paradise in a Purple Sky” that is literally a 60-minute unrelenting jam of destroying riffage. Heavy stuff!
Check out some angsty ninetiesinspired rock jams from Brooklyn’s BOYTOY. The trio is ripping on their debut EP; I especially enjoyed the first single “Shallow Town.” Have a listen and look out for their fulllength soon. Thanks to the homie ZEEG for sharing these guys.
Oooo oooo witchaaay woman. Couple of jams on this debut EP from the all-lady trio LA Witch. Girls get down with some fuzzedout garage blues. Is that a KISS cat? Nice! Check them out playing around town!
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Bleitch This Is Our Youth - Single Self-Released Piers Baron, who most recently created the beautiful score for Nike’s snowboarding film Never Not Part 2, has just released this here dandy first single from his latest band project entitled Bleitch with vocalist Madelyn Deutch. For fans of Chromatics, Grimes and Phantogram, it’s up that alley.
WE JUST PRINT THE SH&T!
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THE SWEET LIFE.
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