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100% natural hemp upper with super comfy Vanslite footbed.
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Š2010, Vans Inc.
8/19/10 6:20 PM
Decker Crocker
P 1 - A D A M L A Y O U T
Adam Wright
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W R I G H T
2010MAR_ 2010MAR_
B L I S S S A D S
DROP CITY
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FUNCTION COMUNE was formed from the idea that there will always be people out there who not only embrace the rawness and imperfections of everyday life but use it to creatively push the boundaries of what’s possible in skateboarding, fashion, art, and music their own way, with complete disregard of the consequences.
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PURPOSE Our goal is to provide clothing that reflects this lifestyle of carefree idealism and to support the people that choose to live it.
INFO@THECOMUNE.COM WWW.THECOMUNE.COM
COPYRIGHT © 2010 949 574 9142
FALL TEN
karlson
Tea Party
Motorcycle Exhibition 3 Curated by Nelson Kanno Photographed by Adam Wright Additonal photography by Scott Pommier
Select motorcycles chosen for their historic importance and/or design excellence on display to include:
4 Cole Foster // Salinas Boys Shinya Kimura // Chabott Engineering Ian Barry // Falcon Motorcycles Trevelen Rabanal // Super Co Kiyo // Garage Company Kutty Notebloom // Hippy Killer John Edwards // Old Tyme Custom Paint
COM_A2010SEP-KARLSONblisss
Date, Time & Information
5 Saturday, September 25th // 2010 7:00PM until 11:00PM info@thecomune.com // RSVP is Required Gringo & The Bean // Providing Food and Drinks
Something Better Change
www.thecomune.com info@thecomune.com 2139 Placentia Avenue Costa Mesa CA 92627
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“Karlson Tea Party” is an evening in appreciation of contemporary motorcycle design and culture. Curated by industry guru, Nelson Kanno a well-known journalist and will also feature a photo exhibition composed by Adam Wright. Adam Wright is best recognized as the man behind Road Coarse and Hauler series photo magazines who uses his Leica camera with no flash and just one lens to capture his legendary imagery.
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dylan Dylan Rieder, a short film by Gravis Footwear. For more info, log onto gravisskateboarding.com
8/9/10 2:42 PM
Artist: Nicola Verlato
5573 AAATM Junior Hooded Pullover Fleece 8 oz. 80% Ringspun Cotton/20% Polyester* Sizes S-XL *Athletic Heather 75/25 Ringspun Cotton/Polyester
Available colors:
All garments are available with a Tear Away Label for easy removal to help with your re-labeling and heat transfer programs. Contact us today for a copy of our new 2010 catalog to see what new styles and colors we have to fulfill all your blank apparel needs.
Athletic Heather Black Charcoal Dark Chocolate Navy Pink Powder Blue Red White
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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.com
EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice liz@blisssmag.com
SKATE EDITOR chris ortiz chris@blisssmag.com
SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com
MUSIC 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
CONTRIBUTORS TYLER MAASSEN
Matt Patterson, Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Liz Rice, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Spencer Pirdy 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.
SEPTEMBER 2010
Cover Art : Nicola Verlato
If your favorite shop isn’t receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact info@blisssmag.com
nixonnow.com
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8/6/10 4:04 PM
SHADY NATE TYLER
TRMRS TRMRS the self proclaimed “budget pop trash rock” are the latest buzz coming out of the local Costa Mesa garage-punk circuit. All summer long these kids have been honing their raw brand of lo-fi surf punk up and down the West Coast. Currently the boys are mixing their debut LP “Sea Things” over at the Growlers studio. Have a listen and scope their upcoming shows at myspace.com/trmers. Every once in a while, Nate Tyler wonders out of his eco-friendly yurt to catch some waves, and now when he does so he’ll be throwing on a pair of Raen sunglasses to help protect him from the sketchy UV rays. The guy has just signed a sweet deal with the good folk’s at Raen Optics. That’s right, it looks like all the hippies in Central California area are going to be rocking the Nate Tyler signature shades real soon! Seriously though, Nate is an extremely good surfer and an even better person, so congrats to you both.
BILL MURRAY ART SHOW Can’t get enough of Bill Murray? Yeah, us either and that’s why we’re all gonna be heading over to the R&R Gallery in LA on the evening of September 17th. Over 40 artists have pulled together and supplied original pieces for the show titled “Mr Bill Murray: A Tribute to a Legend.” I don’t know how our boy Madsteez got the invite to participate, but he did. He finished the piece this month and though I’m not gonna let the cat out of the bag, I think it’ll be one of the most talked about paintings at the show. Oh, and I just got confirmation that the man himself, Mr. Bill Murray, will be in attendance so you won’t wanna miss out.
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THE OUTSIDE Tired of watching surf videos like Modern Collective that leave you puzzled, frustrated, and make you want to quit surfing? Well, here is the perfect solution. The drama The Outside tells the story of a young Southern Californian upstart named Ned Blakey whose love of surfing takes him to the top of the pro tour. After gaining endorsement deals, sponsorships, and an agent, the new celebrity begins to lose focus and slip into the party scene. Ned’s forced to go back to his roots, his love of surfing and his friends and paddle back out as a new man to “The Outside.” If this just doesn’t sound too gravy to you then it’s worth mentioning that there is some hardcore on screen ripping by Taj Burrow, Taylor Knox, Holly Beck, Tim Curran, Rabbit Kekai and Dean Randazzo. So break out the popcorn and watch an interesting film that we give two shaka’s up.
MOUNTAIN DEW GREEN LABEL ART What’s more refreshing than an ice cold Mountain Dew? Peep their newly designed can they’re producing from Green Label Art in collaboration with pro skater Paul Rodriguez and legendary skater/artist Don Pendleton. The duo met up in LA and after days of reviewing and critiquing sketches, the “Living, Breathing Landscape” was born. It was inspired by Don’s artistic style and creativity as well as Paul’s love of dragons and keeping it “real skate.” The two came together and made a truly stylish can. Now 35 skate shops across the country have designed their own cans, but only one of these cans will be sold nation wide. Log onto greenlabelart.com to cast your vote to see who makes it!
photos: jon steele
He rarely wears shoes. He carries Aloha instead of Visa. He plays the uke with his eyes closed. He will give you the shirt off his back. ... and the hat, and possibly the shoes.
ANDY JENKINS DROP COLLAB
RIP RIZZO
The crew at Drop Mfg just dropped these special-edition glove and goggle combo with master artist Andy Jenkins for the upcoming snow season. The combo is part of their Drop Pure Inspiration Series, a tribute to creative individuals who inspire us through their artistic pursuits. The DPI series is celebrating three years of co-op creative pieces from Drop’s collection. Make sure you check out these 1080p gloves and goggles wherever Drop products are sold.
GNARLY THREADS We got a little visit from the Gnarly crew and they laced us up with some of their latest Gnarly gear. Every time I see something these guys produce it gets me in stitches. Latest to their growing collection is the Chino Gnarly x Bad News Bears baseball tee. Like everything they produce, this tee is top notch. It’s good to see a tight knit crew doing what love and getting such a positive response from all the kids wearing it. Thanks for stopping in Jon and Dylan and we’ll see ya soon.
If you’re one of the lucky few that gets BL!SSS Magazine delivered directly to your doorstep each month, then chances are that your envelope was stuffed by our boy Pat Rizzo. Well, we’re sad to report that Rizzo finally lost his battle with cancer this past month on Friday the 13th. He definitely held on till the bitter end and surprisingly enough, the one thing that kept him going for so long was looking forward to sending out the new issues of BL!SSS each month to all of you readers. Rizzo was a solid dude, a dedicated worker and waved the BL!SSS flag everywhere he went. He will be missed dearly around here and we’ll be thinking about you each and every month Rizzo.
BILLABONG LOVES PODIUM
EQUALIBRYUM
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Nowadays it’s hard to find someone in a group of people not wearing one of these balance improving, all-healing wonder bands with charged holographs that improve everything you do. At BL!SSS, we’ve been a bit skeptical and probably one of the last to jump on the bandwagon, but when our buddy Chad “Smalls” Penry swung by the office passing out these new Equalibryum wristbands, we soon became believers. It took a couple field tests and some explanation about blood flow and pressure points, but we gotta say that there is definitely something about these things that’s worth getting excited about. If you don’t believe us, check out the hordes of professional athletes wearing them. Consider this, 3 medalists in the 2010 X-Games were rocking these titaniuminfused Equalib r y u m bands.
Big thangs happening down under as the boys at Billabong have been getting a lot of press lately on the business side of things. It seems as though Paul Naude is looking to take over the action sports industry by way of teaming up with every legit brand out there. The company just strengthened its footwear portfolio by inking a partnership with Podium to distribute brands DVS, Matix, and Lakai in Australia and New Zealand. The deal should finalize by the end of this month. Stay tuned to find out what’s next for the Bong.
ELEMENT SKATE FESTIVAL
TEAM SIGNING , AM SKATE CONTEST, SKATE JAM Join the Element team Saturday, September 25th at South Coast Plaza for the Element Skate Festival. Element, Beachworks, Elemental Awareness, South Coast Farms, CreateASkate, The Ecology Center and Inside the Outdoors will all be on hand for the afternoon that includes a team signing, am skate contest, tie-dye clinic, organic food giveaways, live rare animals, prizes and more!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH $045" .&4" $" t 4065) $0"45 1-";"
3PM AM SKATE CONTEST – FREE ENTRY OVERALL WINNER RECEIVES A WEEK AT ELEMENT YMCA SKATE CAMP NEXT SUMMER! 3&(*453"5*0/ 13"$5*$& 45"354 "5 1. t .645 )"7& 4*(/&3 8"*7&3
4PM ELEMENT TEAM SKATE DEMO
%"33&-- 45"/50/ $)"% 5*. 5*. -&7* #308/, NICK GARCIA, JULIAN DAVIDSON, #00 +0)/40/ -"$&: #",&3 "/% .03&
5PM ELEMENT TEAM SIGNING */4*%& 5)& #&"$)803,4 4503& 0/ -0$"5*0/ t '3&& 1045&34
FREE TEE TO TIE DYE WITH ANY ELEMENT PURCHASE LOCATION: 3333 BRISTOL STREET, COSTA MESA, CA 92626 INFO: BEACHWORKS: 714-754- 0221 WEB: ELEMENTSKATEBOARDS.COM
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8/17/10 11:30:58 AM
SABRE X WARREN SMITH
TLD STORE I was moseying around The Lab the other week and I came across this new little gem, the Troy Lee Design Store. Looking like the raddest hipster hangout on the block, they’re loaded with all the limited, must-have Troy Lee Designs. My good friend Armando Marron helped set the new store and judging by looks it’ll be here for quite some time. Next time you find yourself at The Lab you might wanna check it out. Panhandling Warren Smith and our friends at Sabre have always been close, in an uber gay way, but the couple just made it official by granting Warren the ability to see the world in Sabre vision. Warren’s surfing is progressive and unpredictable which is why he meshes perfectly with the Sabre family. The two are sure to achieve great things. Word is that Warren is hanging out in New York right now enjoying some late nights and cute boys, but look for the indie-rocker’s aerial wizardry to be coming to a beach near you very soon.
ZIPPO APPAREL Our boy Todd Proffit has teamed up with Ingrid Martin and Mary Bang and is gearing up to launch Zippo Apparel. Zippo has been around since the early 30’s and is just oozing American heritage. We got a behind the scenes peek at what they’re planning on creating and we gotta say it’s quite impressive. The line is set to drop in early 2011 and will consist of denim, twills, fleece, tees, knits, wovens, hats and belts. With Proffit at the helm and a brand that’s nearing it’s 100-year anniversary, they’re sure to be a success.
RIP CURL X MICK FANNING TIME We all know how important the tides are when it comes to being dialed in on your local shred spot. That is why Rip Curl has just introduced the limited edition Mick Fanning Ultimate Titanium Oceansearch. Built on the platform of Mick’s go-to Ultimate Titanium Oceansearch, this limited edition timepiece features the champion’s signature engraved in the individually numbered caseback, and is finished in stealth black titanium carbide plating. Custom black packaging showcases the product and includes a commemorative booklet chronicling Mick’s historical run to his 2nd ASP World Championship. Strictly limited in production to 100 pieces for US distribution and 777 worldwide, you’d better be quick if you one to pick up one of these bad boys.
KENT DOONAN REAL WATER
We just got off the phone with our boy Malcolm McCassy and I swear this guy has always got so much going on. Latest on his plate is a little brand called Real Water. And I use the term “little” quite loosely because Malcolm has already been on the tear networking this brand to all types of celebrities, athletes and musicians. Apparently, this is the only alkalized, antioxidant bottled water with stable negative ions on the planet. What all that means is it’s the only water that is actually good for you. Go get yourself some and experience cellular hydration like never before.
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ACCURATE PLANER
FILTRATE GOGGLES Braly Joy and the guys at Filtrate are setting out to master every aspect of the optical field. They’re now mixing things up in the snow market with the launch of three new snow goggles. We got to sneak a peak at some of the finished product at ASR, and needless to say it looked on point and true to Filtrate’s quality design. The stylish snow shades are affordable and ideal for any conditions. The goggles are set to come onto the snow market for the 2010-11 winter season, so if you’re a devoted rider get out there and snag yourself a pair.
CLOCKY’S FUTURE
There hasn’t been a whole lot of technological innovation in the art of making handcrafted surfboards in the past four or five decades until now. From the boys and girls that make the best fishing reels in the world, may we introduce to you the Accurate Planer. This isn’t just another ordinary foreign piece of machinery, but instead an all American made, billeted aluminum, finely tuned instrument. We’ve seen more than a handful of legendary shaper’s jaw hit the floor when they had chance to mow some foam with this instrument. Our buddies Ben Secrest and Dave and Doug Nilsen are the masterminds behind this new tool but I think Gregg Noll put it best when he called it “the Porsche of all planers.” Check them out at accuratewaterman.com.
PETER RAFFIN X COMUNE Do you know what time it is? Well, our friend Mason Brown from Cardboard Robot and his new invention Clocky certainly do. Clocky is the all-knowing, all-powerful time continuum that requires a worthy player. Your guide is free will in this quest for answers, and infinite wisdom will be gained if you master Clocky. The game involves a question, a multi-sided dice, and a pentagram. Then you wait for Clocky to give you the answer. It’s like a cross between Lord of the Rings and Jeopardy. So check it out at clockytime.com and possess the key to unlocking the future!
The boys up the road at Comune have acquired another gem to their skate team in the form of Peter Raffin. After checking out some footy of him we realized that this guy is the real deal and takes his skating to another level. This San Jose local is a core street skater. He goes huge, has effortless style, and most of all Peter loves to partake in some late night debauchery in the form of some OG Coors with a few of his closest buddies. A perfect fit to the Comune team! For more of his ripping, check him out in the new Black Label video, “God Save the Label.”
12th ANNUAL WOOD RACQUET CLASSIC
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If you’re anything like us, then you love to play dress up every once in a while. So throw on your best old school tennis attire and take some of your weekly frustrations out on the court, at the Costa Mesa Wood Racquet Classic on Sunday, September 5th. The event is going down at Clay Peterson and Johnny McCray’s backyard estates, and playing in the tournament is invite only. It’s for a great cause that benefits the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, and many elite companies are backing it such as Volcom, Analog, RVCA, Vestal, Estrada and Cordell. A dinner will follow the day’s festivities, and this event is sure to be the social gathering of the summer. The aces will begin to drop around 8 am and should go until dusk. So go and live it up, but remember, no John McEnroe outbursts!
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PHOTO: JOE FOSTER
Oleema and Kalani Miller have turned their brand into a lifestyle: trips to Bali for production, photo shoots in Hawaii and the Bahamas, R&D at the beaches of Southern California. They’ve created a good balance of business, passion and pleasure, which has made MIKOH authentic. A year ago, Oleema and Kalani Miller created MIKOH swimwear, taking inspiration from foreign beaches, distant customs and cultures. They wanted to make a collection of swimwear that would reflect their love of travel, one of a kind statement pieces and their appreciation for the perfect bikini. Only three months after launching their first collection, the bible for swimwear, Sports Illustrated, fell in love with one of the suits and decided to feature it in their upcoming issue. Once the magazine hit the stands, the phones rang, website blew up and sales skyrocketed. Since then, things have been going full speed – design, sales, production and PR. Now after a year, they are back in Bali where they started, designing the 3rd collection, working on production and doing as much shopping, laying out and hitting the spa they can fit in. *MIKOH is derived from the girls’ last name, Miller, as well as the first initial of Kalani and Oleema’s and their younger sister’s name, Hana. In Japanese, Miko is a term that anciently meant a “female shaman” or a “female prophecy.”
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Words: Jason Jaworski Flipping through the pages of this book feels like flipping through a Rolodex of memories. David Choe’s most recent artwork is a book - a monolithic monograph - one which compiles all and everything about the man from the man himself. Nothing you’ve seen from him in any publication or book contains this much of him, from him, or by him - words sharing the space of a page in scrawl while images and reproductions of paintings flow vibrantly. The book is a journey, its pages following the many paths and roads that Dave took - from his early days as a child drawing G.I. Joes and comic book characters to his development as a man and an artist - this book is exactly what its title is - David Choe. Contained within its covers is all the work, all the dreams, thoughts and art that has spiraled throughout his head and onto the page. Peppered throughout the book are stories from him relating to moments real, stories of youth and recent maturation regarding/revolving around his work and the ways in which its creation has affected and effected him. There are stories and photos of his train hopping adventures, numerous nude women, stories of college mischief and friendships, stories and lessons of working with his art and how it simultaneously takes as much as it gives to him. It is a book about growth, redemption and all the themes tantamount to his journey as an artist/person - a book that’s as much on him as it is him: genuinely genuine, brutally honest, self-deprecating while simultaneously self-aggrandizing. Every page splintered and splattered with a mosaic of his genius and talent. The book itself becomes much like a painting of his dirty, disorganized, beautiful, frenetic, supremely confident, and booming/ brimming with a depth of his own personal history while all the while speaking to an audience without pretension. The cover image is one of a painting done haphazardly though beautifully upon the palm of his hand - Dave’s palmistry and future written by him - his art being his life and his life being an artwork. This book reflects the life he has lived up until now and the only negative thing about it is that it ends, all of us knowing that Dave will never stop. He’s constantly creating a work, which, like the book, reflects his self and soul brilliantly. Steal this book, buy this book, borrow it from a friend and never return it - do whatever it is that you have to do to get this book. Within these pages breathes the life of a man, the version of the man that the man has chosen to create and everything he chooses to relate. A book as genius, brimming with talent, outspoken, soft-spoken, quiet, loud, contradictory, dirty, amazing, humble, beautiful and egomaniacal as the man himself. As with his art, he has created something again. Something that will startle, rival and engender waves of praise and hate for years to come.
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2010
WeA ctiv is t B E N N Y FA IR FA X, S TA S H, C LIN T PE T E R S O N , N IC O LE LE MO IN E & VA N E S S A P R A G ER S HO T B Y C HE RY L D U N N www. we s c. co m
Words: Scotty Stopnick
Sad, stupid, annoying, messed up, tight pants, girls that look like boys, concrete monkeys, scooters, loggers & dongers, dohos & fords, crashing jumping, death, surfing, skating, burnouts and probing: What do all of these words have in common? Rip Shred Tear! This is a movie that will suck harder than all movies – You will watch it and ask yourself who am I? What have I been doing with my life? Why am I still wearing camo cargo shorts, drinking energy drinks that make my testicles smaller and trying to be like Jimmy Slade and not wearing tight pants and kissing boys. This film created by Mitch Abshire and filmed/edited by Maddison Dyer and Mark Choiniere will change your life for the worst. Rip Shred Tear surfs and skates up the states, hanging toes and suckin’ bones, getting the slash on in places like the Hoover dam, the Delaware River, Minnesota Lake, South Dakota Inlets and Wyoming Falls. This film was made to get the real story out of the closet about surfing. Raw, dangerous and pure vomit. Some of the humans surfing in this video include Jimmy Slade, Lance Burkhart, Rick Kane, Jonny Tsunami, Alex Knost, Jared Mell, Troy Elmore, Scotty and Turkey Stopnik, Tyler Mumma, Ford Archbold, Andrew Doheny, JJ Wessels, Devinbriggs.com and a lot of other creeps that you probably hate. The film premiered this past month and will be available at your local shred stores soon, so go watch it. Photo: Mark Choiniere
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Words: Kelly Shannon
After beginning his career in the film industry as an editor for movie trailers, today, Emmett Malloy has directed almost a dozen films with a profound focus on music documentaries. In 2002, Malloy co-created Brushfire Records with long-time friend Jack Johnson to produce soundtracks for surf films and future music releases. Together, their record label strives to create music and films that are positive, working to connect like-minded musicians and artists. Most recently, Malloy co-produced 180 South, which documents the awe-inspiring adventures of surfer and climber Jeff Johnson following the epic 1968 journey of his hero’s, Yvon Chouinard and Douglas Tompkins, as they drive, mountain climb and surf their way to Chilean Patagonia. In the summer of 2007, Emmett Malloy followed The White Stripes through each province and territory in Canada as the Detroit rock duo celebrated their 10th anniversary show. Creating one of the most interesting and unique tours any band has yet to accomplish, The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights features incredible live (and awesomely loud) concert footage, intimate backstage moments, interviews with Jack and Meg White, and the band’s first-time adventure through Canada. Malloy captures the Stripes’ creativity, fervor, and intense dedication to creating music. Jack follows the art of constriction, believing that having a limited color palette, no set list, and quick deadlines forces one to become creative. As he says in the film, “All the time in the world kills creativity.” Quite appropriately, the film is beautifully processed in red, white, and black, the signature colors of The White Stripes. Photo: Emmett Malloy
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Unlike other rockumentaries where a band might play in a smoke-filled bar or on the corner of a crowded street, Malloy was able to catch the Stripes’ impromptu ‘mini-concerts,’ which include a bowling alley in Saskatoon, on a city bus in Winnipeg, on a boat in Charlottetown harbor, and at the Toronto YMCA, where Jack sings “The Wheels On A Bus” with a little boy. These mini-concerts prove the critics to be misguided, saying everything The White Stripes do is “premeditated” is most definitely a falsity. Through all the questions that remain, Jack and Meg White’s personal relationship stays abstruse in the film. Jack refers to themselves as brother and sister, which has been said to take the focus off their relationship (as ex-husband and wife) and to shift the focus solely to their music. Being called overbearing, Jack has been criticized in the past for never letting Meg speak in interviews. The film corrects this assumption, as every word throughout the documentary Meg speaks is subtitled because she is just that quiet. The emotional ending features Jack playing the piano and singing “White Moon,” while tears fall from Meg’s eyes as she sits on the bench next to him. He consoles her, and she buries her face into his shoulder and begins to sob. Malloy catches that the love between them is very real, whether they’re brother and sister, husband and wife, or best friends. And it proves to the viewer that it doesn’t matter what label they are. They simply make incredible music together.
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Photo: Dominic Petruzzi : dominicpetruzzi.com // Model: Allie Mason :: Otto Models
20-year-old Allie Mason is not your typical Southern California beach bunny. She grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, and as you can all tell by this shot, she’s not afraid to get out there and take some chances. She loves wakeboarding and all kinds of action sports, just as much as getting lubed up and laying on motorcycles. When faced with the prospect of stripping down and posing on a brand new HarleyDavidson Forty-Eight, she literally jumped at the opportunity where many would have walked away. We love girls like Allie and hope this is not the last time that she will be gracing our pages. Bikini: Hurley :: hurley.com // Hair & Makeup: KCWitkamp:: makeupbykc.com // Photo Retouch: Kacie Sloane
The Million Man March comes to Huntington Beach
Last year was cool. Some big names, a cleaned-up beach and the biggest south since Gerlach’s floater in ‘91. But you’re only as good as your last event, so the 500,000-person question was: how can Hurley, Nike 6.0 and Converse top it this year? By all accounts, they found a way to do it. They did it in the water, where everyone from Dane to Jordy to Slater to the flying Brazilians to Julian Wilson showed us new performance heights in decent HB peaks. Dane’s frontside 360 for a 9.87 and Julian’s full-rotation backside air in the Expression Session were worth the price of admission (free) alone. Photos: Beau Roulette, Derek Bahn, Michael Lallande
Brett Simpson
Brett Simpson
Rob Machado, Lauren Çonrad & Bob Hurley
Jordy Smith
Ben Hachell
They did it at the Nike 6.0 HB BMX course, where BMX legend Ryan Nyquist took out the future stars with a run to remember. They turned it up a couple notches at the Converse Coastal Carnage event, where Ben Hatchell took out the legends in a new-and-improved course. The beach? Check. New records for crowds, estimated at more than 500,000 for the entire week. Massive brand experience with booth lines to Brookhurst. Walk the Walk went nuts, with Sal, the Hills’ Lauren Conrad and some 90210 chick cheering on Corona Del Mar to victory in front of 15,000 people. The music acts, starting with Cold War Kids on Tuesday and ending with Weezer on Saturday also blew us away. Weezer was a joke - like 50,000-plus people packed into the zone there. Check all those OP Pro glory days photos from the 80s and it doesn’t even come close. The US Open is bigger and better than it ever was.
David Loy
Evan Geiselman
Evan Geiselman
Julian Wilson
Tom Remillard
Dane Reynolds
Kevin Kowalski
Kelly Slater
Omar Hassan
Kolohe Andino
Jadson Andre
Walk the Walk
And if there was still any lingering doubt, all you needed to do was turn your attention back to the ocean. Watch Carissa Moore, the future of women’s surfing, win the largest prize purse in female surfing history. Then, on the final day, witness Brett Simpson do it all over again as he beat Kelly, Dane and Jordy for his second $100,000 check in a year. “I’ll take this one for HB,” he said. “I can retire after this one.” Another year, another perfectly executed script for the US Open of Surfing. It was a script, right? Men’s Final Results: Pro JR Final Results: 1 – Brett Simpson 1 – Evan Geiselman 2 – Jordy Smith 2 – Alejo Muniz =3 - Kelly Slater 3 – Kolohe Andino =3 - Mick Fanning 4 – Miguel Pupo Skate Final Results: 1. Ben Hatchell 2. Tom Remillard 3. Kevin Kowalski 4. Ben Raybourne Ben Raybourne
Photos: Mike Stanfield :: Intro: Derek Fukuhara Unfortunately (or fortunately) not every kid is born into a traditional suburban family. In most cases, it is easy for a teenager with no direction to get sucked into the trap of his or her environment. Like most skateboarders, Vince Duran is a product of this environment. From a young age Vince was raised by the streets and could have easily taken the path of his Hispanic forefathers. Whether Vince chose skateboarding or skateboarding chose Vince, the outcome remains the same. Skateboarding has taught him life lessons that an eleventh grade English teacher never could. A piece of wood with four wheels has taken yet another young man out of the hood and released him out into the world of creativity and knowledge. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of “two buck chuck” and enjoy this friendly conversation. Interview: Derek Fukuhara, Kevin Coakley, & Mike Stanfield So what’s your name? Wait, that’s a real question? Yes, this is an interview man. It’s like an old 411 intro. I’ve never done something like this before. It’s Vince Duran... Martinez... I dunno? How old are you? I’m 20 years old. Who gives you free stuff? Well Mike gives me clothes... so that’s Ezekiel. Who gives you shoes? I get ES flow. And who gives you skateboards? I don’t really get skateboards. Alright, where you from? Fullerton, California.
Cool, what shoe size are you? That’s a fuckin’ dumb question, that does not need to be in the interview. Dude, kids wanna know. I’m a size 8. In case kids wanna buy your old shoes when they see you at the skatepark. So wait, you’re from Buena Park? I just said Fullerton. (laughs) Let’s see what else I can ask you... Oh, you ride for Liberty Boardshop too. Oh yeah. I’ll give it to you, that’s a new one for you. So who do you like to watch skateboard. What’s an example of a video part you like. Oh my god my, favorite skater? I don’t know if I have a favorite skater.
Everyone has times where their favorite skaters change, like every season. Who are you hyped on right now? Austyn Gillette is pretty tight, Derek Fukuhara, Mr. Kevin Coakley, I like his skating... it’s pretty tight. This tall red headed dude... what the fuck is his name? Red Bryan. You can’t miss him, he’s red and he’s tall. Are you in love now? Am I in love? God, dude, what’s up with these questions? I am in love, I got it good. I’m pretty hyped. So where do you live? Where do I live? I live at my girlfriend’s parent’s house. That’s tight, how does that work out for you? You know what, it’s awesome dude. Home cooked meals every night... free
butt wipe. What does that even mean? She wipes your butt? Home cooked meals AND she wipes your ass? That’s what they call it over there, butt wipe man. I dunno, gotta pay for that shit. What kind of food do they cook you? Dude, they cook steaks, mashed potatoes, asparagus... Are they white or Latin? Well her mom’s Mexican and her dad’s white. When was the first time you smoked weed? Tell us the experience. The first time I smoked weed was again with Tony, the worst fuckin’ influence ever. We were at his house one day
B.S Nose Grind
B.S Tail
B.S Smith
and I got this back smith on this bump to ledge that the homie filmed and we barely got it from him. I wanted to watch it so bad because I hadn’t seen it yet. Tony was like “Smoke this bowl and I’ll let you watch this clip,” and I was like “Uhhhhhhhh.” So I smoked the bowl with him. I wasn’t high at first and then I watched the clip and I was doing sound effects when the clip was rolling. I was like oh what look at that (makes grinding sounds), dude I’m fuckin’ high. Then I sat there and watched the clip all night cuz I was just fuckin’ high. Trippin’ out like, fuckin’ skateboarding is so weird man. What happened at the rail
Nose Slide
against the wall after you landed your trick? We were tryin’ this trick, skating it for an hour or so and this fat dude peeked his head from atop the window of the rail... against the wall. He was giving us thumbs up while we were skating the rail... against the wall. We thought he was going to kick us out and shit, but he was super hyped. Five minutes later he comes out and he was like “Yo, that shit is so tight! Skateboarding is so tight!” He was super hyped on skating, all drunk, drinking a White Russian all faded. He seriously just chilled there for two hours while we were skating that fuckin’ rail. Then the cops came and he was like “Yo get inside the building,
B.S Nose Blunt
get inside the building!” We were like shit, should we follow this dude? What if he kills us or rapes us or something inside that building. So we ran in there when the cops came and he hid us away inside this Elk’s Lodge. We were looking at the cop busting everyone outside who was filming and shooting photos. Then the cop leaves and we go back out and we skate the rail for a little while longer. He’s still chillin’ with us and the session ends, then he asks if we want to go have a free drink inside the Elk’s Lodge. We were like fuck ya let’s go do that. After skating all night we were like, “fuck it, whatever, let’s go get a free drink from this dude.” We go into this Elk’s Lodge and it’s a full on bar with nothing but pool tables everywhere. Then he was like “Yo what kinda drink do you want?” He hooked us up with mad drinks and got us all drunk. We were all playing pool and he served us up with popcorn. We’re just like what the fuck is the matter with this guy? Then we were all finished with the night and he opens the door and lets us out and
that’s pretty much the end of the story, I haven’t seen him since. I wanna go back, we should go back and party with Kevin. If someone paid you a million dollars would you make out with that dude? A million dollars? Naw man... Yea man, actually I fuckin’ would. And I filmed it and put it on Youtube? Ya, I’m on the fuckin’ struggle man, I don’t give a shit about what people think about me, I gotta get that money. What happens if it’s a million Pesos? Naw, I dunno. If it’s enough to pay my phone bill I’ll do it. So you’d make out with that dude for 50 bucks? Fuck ya man, just to keep that phone alive. What’s your favorite beer? Corona, I’m half Mexican man.
Tell us about your first bar experience. I don’t even remember my first bar experience. That good huh? It was that good. I remember taking a shot of Jager and I thought it was Jack (laughs). Then I told everyone at the bar, “Ya dude, I just took a shot of Jack, I’m fucked up right now!” They were like, “Naw man, it was Jager.” I was like, “Naw man, it was Jack!” And they were like “Naw, it was Jager, I just bought it, it was fuckin Jager.” It was cool man, played pool... puked. So what direction do you want to go to in skating? Where do you see yourself in ten years? Probably doin’ the same shit, still livin’ at my girl’s house. I dunno man, I don’t fuckin’ know with skateboarding, skateboarding’s weird. I dunno, I’d want to be chillin’ in SF, loc’d out. Seriously, loc’d out, not having to worry about anything but getting on my
skateboard everyday and skating down the street. Tell us about the time your house got hit by a drive by. I was 9 years old living in Santa Ana so I was used to this kinda thing (laughs). We were hanging out in the living room watching TV when out of nowhere we hear BANG! BANG! Everyone jumps to the ground, one goes through a window, luckily no one got hit. Turns out they wanted the guy next door. They shot his car up real good. We’re gonna end it at that, you got any last words? Advice, thanks, shout outs, rap lyrics? Be unique. Keep creativity in skateboarding for it is an art form of self-expression. I’d like to thank Liberty Boardshop for all their support and Mikendo over at Ezekiel and Scuba at ES, thank you guys for every thing! Shout out to the plastic crew, Derek, Darien, and all the homies! Oh and “fuck bitches, get money.”
Cosmic Compositions :: Interview: Greg Escalante & Nathan Spoor Nicola Verlato is the type of artist that you think of when you imagine what it could be like to grow up a painter, in Italy, surrounded by the Masters and all the richness and knowledge that a European experience abounds with. On meeting the artist, one has to admit that he is gifted with a generous portion of talent as well as wit and intelligence. Top that off with a rich history that includes studying drawing in a monastery at age 7, and opening his own professional painting studio at age 15 to provide the aristocracy with their much-needed portraiture, and we are beginning to delve into the life of one storybook life narrative packaged into a very engaging individual with a visually stunning hand. After making his way through the scholastic muddle of Italy’s art programs, Verlato made the move from Venice to New York. Once in the States, a new world was beginning to unfold – one in which he would immediately hit the ground running and make his mark. Currently, Verlato is working on new pieces for exhibitions in Milan, Norway, New York and Southern California. We are very excited to share a few moments with this multi-talented individual, as the artist takes time from his busy studio schedule to talk to BL!SSS about his life and times as an artist on the move. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule, Nicola. So tell us a little about where you are from in Italy. How did your art career all begin? My pleasure, gentlemen. I am from Italy, born in the northeastern part of Verona in 1965. I grew up in the countryside, close to the city. I lived in Venice for a long time, then Milan. After that I moved to my studio in New York. I believe my earliest memory of making art was when I was 4 or 5, copying Disney cartoons and pictures out of comic books. I was immediately drawn to this, and my mother recognized that interest and was very good to encourage me by having these pictures around. For the first couple of years I was just crying, and then my mother gave me Legos and I was perfectly content to build houses. But around the age of 4 she started giving me different kinds of pencils and I only wanted to draw. So drawing eventually took up all of that time. So did you ever study art, in a scholastic scene or through tutorials? Oh yes, I studied everything and drew as much as I could. At the age of 7 I discovered a book of art with Old Masters works in it. I became obsessed with the works of Caravaggio and would spend hours copying paintings in oils. I wanted to find a teacher, so that I could pursue more of this type of work. So it wasn’t long until my family was able to find a class for me with a monk in a monastery not far from my house in Vicenza. From the age of 14 in the summers I would go to the monastery and study with the monk, and we would spend that time diligently studying drawing in an academic way.
Was this a proper academy or school, and were there other students? Oh certainly, there were other students. The other people that were there were older, in their 20’s and 30’s. Of those, one found success as a concept artist and also a film director. The main reason I believe there were artists outside the main school, was that the official art college in Verona was very bad. The teachers basically knew nothing. It could be said that I was an angry child, and I left that to find something more. At the age of 15 I opened my own studio with a friend. This friend, incidentally, is now living in Los Angles - the concept artist and film director we mentioned just a bit earlier. We painted all day long and sold pieces, which we’d been doing since we were 9 years old. I painted religious subject matter, even though I
was not a church member. I was simply fascinated by it and was selling these works consistently and for a good price. They sold well enough that I began doing commissions for families in the area. Then when I was 17, I sincerely wanted to finish this schooling. So I studied the 3 year’s worth of material in just one year. So that when I was 18 I finished at the same age as the other students that were previously enrolled. My mother wanted me to study architecture, but that bored me for the most part. This was because I never liked the Modernist style, which was the style that they were teaching there. I spent my time doing portraits and large allegorical scenes. I studied Classical music and Renaissance music, and became equally obsessed with the electric guitar as I had been with oil painting.
What happened next? It almost sounds like you went off on another path. Well, when I was in Venice working for the aristocratic families, I was also professionally engaged in space design and decorating spaces for parties. These were not just small events that a few people you would never know or see again would attend. These parties were frequented by David Bowie, Grace Jones and the like, and took place in palaces around St. Mark’s Square in Venice. By the time I was 28, I was doing portraiture, interior design, and creating soundtracks for documentaries. I was rekindling my interest in contemporary art, and saw that things were beginning to change in the arts. For the most part I was disgusted with contemporary art, which was mostly inhabited by people
copying Joseph Beuys. Contemporary art was just a thing for people to copy. What was it that might have helped sway your thinking? Well, at the time I thought pop culture was the real culture. But for me, Disney was 100x more important than Picasso. Picasso was the end of something, and Disney was the beginning. This was the new popular culture, and I had to look into it more closely. At this time, the Contemporary Art Foundation in Venice would do an art contest each year. So I started getting back into the flow in 1994 by showing a large commission that I had been working on. I was invited to an important exhibit in Rome, and I started thinking that I should move. Venice is so small, so I moved to Milan. My style was so different than everything
that was considered contemporary at the time. It was a real struggle. For a while I struggled, and even worked in 3D for a bit. At this time I was doing quite a lot of storyboarding as my job, and was finding my thoughts heavily influenced by the movie, Tron, which had engaged my fascination for 3D since seeing it in 1982. It was also at this point in time that a couple of my artist friends encouraged me to move to New York. So in 2004 I moved to New York, and it was definitely the right move! Pop culture and the so-called Art World were becoming what I felt a contemporary art world should be. I saw new works that really excited my mind. I was finally able to see the works John Currin in person at the Whitney, during his retrospective. I had become aware of his work when I was living in Milan, and in truth had moved to New York to be a part of the sort of movement that Currin was a part of. Currin’s work is such an important artist and a perfect example of edgy work. So after moving to New York, when did you start showing? Was it immediately or did it take some time? I was very lucky because I had two friends, and they introduced me to a few galleries. And one of those galleries asked, “Did you see the John Currin exhibt at the Whitney?” Of course I had, and expressed my feelings about the show and about Currin’s place in contemporary art. I was asked to show in the gallery’s next show on the spot! So
within 3 days of arriving in New York, I had found a new gallery, and closed up my shop in Italy and moved my studio to New York. My girlfriend was not so excited about this move. She did not like my attitude one bit. So I had to leave her and pursue this life. Did you feel that you had a different perspective or more room to explore or find your voice in New York over Italy? Interestingly, yes. From Italy it was impossible to have an international perspective. It is too provincial. Where in a city like Los Angeles there is the opportunity to work with likeminded and creative individuals, there is also that open perspective in a city such as New York for me. How did you get noticed in Los Angeles then? Was it a consequence of working in New York? I did an exhibit at Stux Gallery in New York and honestly, it was probably my best exhibit to date. They really appreciated the works that I had done. At some point I was shown in Juxtapoz magazine, based on the West Coast. From that point, Meg Linton, who put me in the Juxtapoz show at the Laguna Art Museum, contacted me. Then I was contacted about being in an exhibition with a museum in Florida. I believe that Alix Sloan was responsible for getting me in contact with several persons of interest in the arts, among them Annie Adjchavanich. And of course Jonathan LeVine called me up directly, because he had seen my show at
Stux Gallery around that same time. That sounds amazing, and exhausting at the same time! So what are you working on now, what’s coming up for Nicola Verlato the painter? Right now I am working on an exhibition that is coming up in Milan. Antonio Columbo is bringing some pop surrealist artists to Milan to start the movement there in September. Then I am in a group show in Norway with Eric White and Tom Sanford. After that is a very interesting group exhibit at Grand Central Art Center called “Suggestivism” at the beginning of 2011. In 2012 I have a solo exhibit with Jonathan LeVine. But I also am working on other projects as well: I am working on a monument about a utopian architectural concept based on the blues man Robert Johnson. The concept for that piece centers around the birth of our modern culture springing from the meeting of The Devil and Robert Johnson in the 1930’s. But honestly, most of the time I must produce oil paintings, so that will take some time to create. Have you noticed that you’ve become stronger in one area rather than another, say, at composition, perspective, or philosophy? Composition is absolutely the main thing in my paintings. It is the way to create what I really want, a way create an image
that has to get stuck in your brain forever, like a neuron. Painting is the combination of extremely complex elements. And the combination of all these things together, all the elements capture the attention of the viewer. It should create a new cell in the viewer and live on. You can do that through the use of composition, that is the specificity of painting. At the moment I am also teaching at the New York Academy of Art. In those classes I stress this principal a lot. At times there are pieces by students that contain two or three people in a painting with no real composition. In this scenario they are truly avoiding composition, they are afraid of its power. So as we come to a conclusion of our time together, perhaps you wouldn’t mind sharing a bit of where your images come from? It works in this way: Sometimes I am struck by something in a movie or a comic book or on the internet. I start to work on that idea and work with the subject matter. Other times I start drawing and work with shapes and then start to fill in the shapes with elements that I see in the shapes. I then give it a meaning from what I see as the shapes begin to come together. This idea of a swirling composition comes from giving the idea energy and cosmic power. I really want to shake the viewer, to excite the viewer as much as possible. The relationship with the work of art depends as much on what is there as on what you might want to see.
El Salvador; the land of rights, where the locals carry 12-gauges and the buzzards drink from the pool. The water is warm and no matter how hot it gets at siesta, the Pilsners are always cold. The salty humidity of the sea hugs the coast and teases out the heavy humidity of the jungle. Where they converge, shoes and shirts are optional but the thick air is worn more than it’s breathed. Worn like a comforting blanket that reminds you that you are close to paradise. A surfer could do worse than lying in the hammock, eating papusas and languidly watching point breaks produce carbon copy waves that beckon him or her back in no matter what the time of day. The hardest decisions of the day consist of balancing time in the water with time to do nothing. No time is wasted here, there is nothing to regret. Every lazy moment will be remembered. Unless, it’s forgotten, which is how you want to remember it. With coffins packed and waves pumping, the Alpinestars surf team found themselves in just that locale. Using El Cuco as a home base, Nathaniel Curran, Jesse Heilman, Chino Sue-A-Quan and Jeff Weatherall sought out the rights that El Salvador is known for. Between beers on the patio and Lakers games on the fuzzy tv, they surfed well known, as well as the little known breaks in the area. They bedded down in tropical luxury, with a southern swell pumping solid waves, just a mango’s throw from their perpetually moist teak patio. It wasn’t all siestas and sessions though. The boys were here to test the newest output from the Alpinestars boardshort department and had to stay focused. However, no one seemed to complain about the five-day r&d session.
< Nathaniel Curran, Jesse Heilman, Jeff Weatherall, PJ Gomez, and Zach Brown
Nathaniel Curran
Jesse Heilman Chino Sue-a-quan
Jeff Weatherall Nathaniel Curran
Jeff Weatherall Jeff Weatherall
Jesse Heilman
When paddling out wasn’t an option, local police and fishermen could be recruited to escort and deliver you to the base of the swell. On one occasion, they were skeptical if not nervous about the sketchy canoe that was supposed to serve as their vessel, until a scrawny 14-year-old trotted down the beach, carrying a small outboard motor weighing twice what he weighed. Sure enough, the SS Sketchy powered over the rising breakers. When carrying thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment out to a point, vulnerable to the buzzards
of the humankind proved a little bit risky, La Policia could be called to dissuade any banditry.
Any place one can watch the Lakers in the playoffs is paradise for some. Nathaniel Curran, the perennial Lakers fan, will never miss a game, When you’re in a place like this, regardless if the television is black the assault rifle-toting cops and and white, and slightly damp, and the cultural differences can be may or may not have a scorpion intimidating at first, but you quickly on it. And what’s one more sweaty adopt the uncertainty of the third dude crammed around the TV? world as a part of the adventure. You realize that the safety and The kindness of the caretakers and convenience of the first world guides in that area is renowned can be more of a burden than a and the team’s experience was no comfort. It’s easy to consider that different. With excellent food and paradise might in fact be found stellar guides to the waterways, the where it’s not necessarily sought. crew was always full and always
in the lineup. Local lobsters and homemade papusas were par for the course as well as the pre and post session egg sandwiches, which Jeff and Jesse can attest were always on point. When boarding times approached, everyone knew it, although no one wanted to exit paradise just yet. Endless rights, kind hosts and great food made it hard for anyone, even a goofy footer, to leave. But you know what they say about good things and ending… At least until the next big swell.
Photos: Ortiz Over the weekend of August 6th–8th the top pros and ams spent a couple of days at the OC Fair for the OC Maloof Money Cup. This was the 3rd year it has been held at the Orange County Fairgrounds and hot off the heels of the first ever NYC Maloof contest. The only bummer is that the course was going to be torn down, unlike in New York where Flushing Meadows got a brand new park out of the contest. With all the money spent on the course and the event itself in the “Mecca” of skateboarding, one would think it would be a given that the park would be left for everyone to enjoy for years to come - though that was not the case. I suppose we can all keep our fingers crossed for next year. The action was almost as hot as the sun over the weekend between skating, live performances by Nelly, Lil John, Ludacris, and as much fried food as one can eat. The mixed crowed made for some interesting people watching between contests. World Industries once again gave the ams a stage to show why they’re going to be the next pros with the World Industries Am championships. Up-and-comers Louie Lopez, Cody Davis, Cory Kennedy, Theotis Beasley and Tom Asta battled it out, but Ishod Wair
Pierre Luc Gagnon
Chris Cole
Nyjah Huston
Tommy Sandoval
Sean Malto
Bob Burnquist
Andy Macdonald
Torey Pudwill
when the smoke cleared it was Real’s Ishod Wair who came away with top honors. On Sunday morning, the girls kicked things off with their finals. The girls have really stepped it up in the last couple of years with tricks that any of the guys would struggle with. Leticha Bufoni’s first try BS smith grind in the finals left everyone’s jaw on the ground and earned her $25,000 for first place. The vert and street finals saw repeat winners with Pierre Luc taking his 2nd Maloof Cup Victory in vert, and the machine, Chris Cole edging out Nyjah Huston for a three peat. Thanks to the Maloof brothers for putting on a great event that helps skaters make the kind of money they deserve to keep doing what they love. Volcom Street Pro Results 1. Chris Cole 2. Nyjah Huston 3. Sean Malto 4. Torey Pudwill 5. Tommy Sandoval 6. Bastien Salabanzi
Mini-Mega/Vert Results 1. Pierre Luc Gagnon 2. Bob Burnquist 3. Andy Macdonald 4. Bucky Lasek 5. Sandro Dias 6. Adam Taylor
World Industries Street Results 1. Ishod Wair 2. Tom Asta 3. Theotis Beasley
Bastien Salabanzi
Tom Asta
Theotis Beasley
“Gigi is definitely on my top list of fun people to ride with. He’s a little mix of an 8-year-old who has a lot of enthusiasm and some kind of cartoon character that can do pretty much anything. Half the time I don’t know what he is looking at and how he is going to ride it, but he does! That’s what it is like everyday with him!” Wille Yli-Luoma
Photos: Ryan Boyes (*unless noted)
9191 is a sideways introspective into the bewildering snow-covered dreamscape of international time traveler, Gigi Rüf. Every year Gigi circles the stratosphere in the name of snowboarding and 9191 is the accumulation of his visions from one season. The project was filmed around the globe in New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Jackson Hole, Chile and Alaska. Throughout the film, many of Gigi’s teammates and friends join him in his adventures. Expect to see appearances from Wille Yli-Luoma, Bryan Iguchi, Luke Mitrani, Curtis Ciszek, Blair Habenicht, Nicolas Muller, Jake Blauvelt, and Wolle Nyvelt. The 22-minute film has an original soundtrack composed by Piers Baron and will be the first ever snowboard movie to have an original score from start to finish. It also features many high profile musical guest including Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Oliver Ackermann (A Place to Bury Strangers), Mike Conte (Early Man), Hesta Prynn, and Jaime Lynn (Kandi Coded). These photos are a visual journey accompanied by some quotes from those who happen to be part of the adventure. 9191 will premiere September 1, 2010 at Lido Theater in Newport Beach, CA. From there, both Gigi and Jake Price (Director and Cinematographer) will then embark on a 19-stop global premiere
Photo: Price
Baron & Lombardo
“Riding with Gigi was the highlight of my season. We had some really fun sessions and I was able to witness some mind melting, perspective changing stunts. He posses an uncanny ability to read terrain, riding unique lines with tech tricks thrown in the mix. His riding continues to progress with a dynamic flurry of creativity and style. A seasons worth of riding evolution awaits in 9191. The spirit of the Stone is in good hands with him.” : Bryan Iguchi
tour covering North America, Asia and Japan. For upcoming tour dates, purchasing info and everything else you’ll ever need to know about 9191 please visit 9191movie.com. “When I got the call from Baron that we were going to be recording Dave Lombardo from Slayer, I knew it would be the perfect match for the sound of Gigi’s riding. Gigi bounces around the mountain like a drumstick hitting the skins. Baron’s soundtrack for 9191 has been stuck in my head since the first time I’ve heard the tracks. Not because I’ve edited a segment to every song, and heard them thousands of times... but, because they are just that good. I’ve had the album on repeat for the past 2 months. I can’t wait for everyone to experience Gigi’s snowboarding with Baron’s music. Baron just one-upped the video soundtrack game again!” : Jake Price “When Gigi asked me to join the 9191 crew up in Haines, AK for three days I was mega stoked. I enjoy riding with him a lot for sure. It’s always nice to have an Austrian shred buddy with you and the whole crew with Jake, Scott and Blair was all time. We had three Bluebird days with the Helicopter, which was taken care of by Billy – so a big thanks for that! Those are the days in a season we are waiting for up there. Snow and stability were great and there were almost no crews out in the field so we had all the mountains for ourselves. Al’s (the heli pilot) wife even made some muffins for us, which he served us in the heli while giving us nice heliruns back to the peak. What more can you ask for?” : Wolle Nyvelt “Filming for 9191 was as real as it gets. My first AK line was with Gigi and I will never forget it. It’s about time someone made a movie about Gigi because in my opinion he is the epitome of what true snowboarders strive for. Living the snowboard lifestyle day in and day out – You the man Gigi! Hope to bump into you somewhere down here in Chile, hasta luegos amigo!” : Jake Blauvelt “From billy-goating some of the sketchiest lines in AK to hitting a mini quarter pipe in someone’s back yard, Gigi can shred it all. He has one of the most creative and unique styles snowboarding has ever and will ever see.” : Curtis Ciszek Wille Yli-Luoma
Rider : Gigi Ruf
“WHENEVER GIGI STRAPPED IN, THE DAY WOULD BRING EXCITEMENT. FIRST DESCENTS IN ALASKA TO MASSIVE GAPS IN AUSTRIA, SO MUCH GREAT STUFF GOT TORN APART THIS LAST WINTER. MINDS WILL BE BLOWN.” - JAKE PRICE
Wille Yli-Luoma
Jake Price Photo: Scott Sullivan
Lombardo
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This past season is what I have always dreamed about. The season went by in a heartbeat - living, throbbing, dreaming.â&#x20AC;? : Gigi Ruf
“Riding with Gigi in Jackson was an insane experience, he’s one of the most creative riders I’ve ever met. I feel like his mind can see beyond everyone else’s. He’s so damn good at finding the perfect line and also knowing the exact speed to hit a massive jump, a true legend.” : Luke Mitrani
Photo: Price
“I was stoked to have Gigi at my house for a few days. It was still early in the winter, the snow wasn’t the best yet, but hey, it doesn’t take much to have fun sideways style right?! And it’s always a pleasure to show some of Laax’s finest runs. Speaking of pleasure, sharing 9191 times with one of my favorite snowboarders of all time is pretty much living the dream.” : Nico Mueller
On Chelsea Denim – Play Me Jeans playmejeans.com Shoes – Vans vans.com On Lee Dress – O’Neill oneill.com Shirt – UNIF unifclothing.com Shoes – Vans vans.com Hat – Stylist’s own
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On Chelsea Shirt – Alternative Apparel alternativeapparel.com Shorts – Hurley hurely.com Boots – Pour La Victoire plvstudio.com Bandanna & Jewelry Stylist’s own On Lee Dress – Fremont fremontapparelco.com Shoes –Vans vans.com
On Lee Tank top – WESC wesc.com Denim – Play Me Jeans playmejeans.com Shoes – Vans vans.com Watch – Vestal vestalwatch.com On Chelsea Flannel – Hurley hurley.com Denim – Levis levistrauss.com Shoes – Vans vans.com
On Lee Vest – Fremont fremontapparelco.com Tee – Vintage Shorts – Hurley hurley.com Shoes – Vans vans.com Belt – Stylist’s own On Chelsea Tank top – O’Quinn oquinnclothing.com Pants – RVCA rvca.com Shoes – Vans vans.com Hat – Stylist’s own Belt – Vintage
Denim – Play Me Jeans playmejeans.com Shoes – Vans vans.com
Ari Marcopolous, FGHC snow cave, Mt. Baker WA
Everybody Loves a Comeback :: Words: Zach Egge I sit in my Portland apartment, recently removed from the scene that is Southern California, and I think back to the simple times of snowboarding. During its infancy, the term “do it yourself” didn’t exist. When something is accepted as the status quo, there is no need to point it out. That’s just the way it is. Chris Brunkhart grew up photographing the legends of snowboarding during this
time period. I think that speaks volumes about him as a person and as an artist. When something isn’t handed to you, you fight for it, or lose it. Over the last year and a half, I have watched Chris apply that old school way of thinking to his latest project, How Many Dreams In The Dark? Playing the roles of photographer, writer, publisher and fundraiser, Chris has definitely set the bar for what
Tex Devenport on the beaches of Yakutat, AK
is possible if you truly believe. I know the original title of the book was How Many Days In The Dark? What is the meaning behind this, and why did you change it? The original title was from a photo essay my friend Dan Peterka used in one of his books, Project Therapy. I loved it. Somehow it spoke to me, and kinda summed up my… what I did or what I do.
I guess I reacted to the days in the dark as kinda negative. It reminded me of a turbulent period in my life and I wanted the book to be something more. And I really wanted people to see more, to dream - to share the visions, the journeys we all went on. It was all about dreams in the dark. People don’t go to Chile, they don’t go to Morocco to snowboard but the story was about getting out there and living it.
Jamie Lynn, Mt. Baker, WA
Doc Ball outside his home, Arcata, CA
Musicians underneath the Charles bridge, Prague, CZ
Brett Livingstone, Temple Cummins, Craig Kelly on the beach in Concepcion, Chile.
You’ve been out of the industry for quite a while now, what’s your reasoning for doing the book now? Well… I’ve always wanted to do a book; I’ve always wanted to tell my story. Or the way I saw things. Which was different than what the magazines were running and the films that were out. It’s been in the works for like a decade. Recently I’ve had a lot of things happen in my life; I’ve been finding my passions in photography again, my dad passed away and made me realize that the time is here and now to do something with your life. Every moment is precious and maybe that’s another
Javas Lehn over the Baker road. Mt Baker, WA
reason for the title. To share these moments with these awesome people and these beautiful places. It was just time to do it. Talk to me about the process, not only editing, but also designing, writing, and fundraising this project. I’ve always been more of the artist, impassioned artist. This project was about something more. The process was overwhelming, because I had lived like 15 years of my life on the road. Sometimes it was hard to comprehend where we were
going or where we had been. So much was spontaneous, very real, raw I guess. And going back and looking through all these images was overwhelming because people had passed away and some of the things don’t exist any more. I guess it felt like part of time had been lost and I was finding it again. I went through 40,000 images, looking through them all, remembering them, printing them and scanning them. I put them up on the wall in my basement, 1000 images of my life staring back at me, it became alive. It was its own being, telling
me what photos should be next. If you had to pick three milestones of your career, what would they be and why? 1. Answering the blue flyer on the skate shop wall. I had moved from the Midwest to Portland, and had started snowboarding. At my local shop, North Shore, there was this blue flyer, wanting photographers for this new zine. It was called Boardsports Northwest, a simple 16-page glossy zine that covered skating and snowboarding in the
Northwest. I had already been taking photos for a few years and had fallen in love with it. I made the call, set up an interview, and pretty much started my career. 2. The Movement Snowboards. It started with just the four of us: Matt Donahue, Dan Peterka, Mark Hibdon and myself. It was created out of passion, bringing our ideas to life. It allowed me to be creative beyond the boundaries of the sport. Letting me capture what I saw as the essence of snowboarding. We had total artistic
Mark â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Redâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Scott grinding on the wall at Burnisde, Portland, OR
Craig Kelly, tying up his boot near Revelstoke, BC
Mike Ranquet, looking down Gunsight, Mt. Baker, WA
Bryan Iguchi dropping s&s, Jackson Hole, WY
freedom and expression, which is something you don’t find often. 3. Traveling with Craig Kelly. When Craig called me one day, my heart stopped. I couldn’t speak. He was inviting me on a heli trip in Alaska. Here was my idol, the best snowboarder in the world, asking me if I wanted to go with him. That one trip turned into many more, and he became a great friend. He showed me the style and grace that was disappearing in the mainstream media. He introduced me to his playground, the backcountry. Opening my eyes to see even more and place me in places I had only dreamed about. The travels we shared will always be in my memories and forever in my life. Over the last ten years Chris has battled demons and had to answer questions about himself tougher than most will know. Finding beauty and inspiration through tragedy, Chris has evolved full circle, and re-emerged stronger than ever. Everybody loves a comeback. To find out more about his book and book/art tour go to gamafunction.com/dreams.
Dan Peterka, Prague, CZ
ASR MARKETPLACE
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Words & Photos: Joey Marshall // The one, the only, ASR // Matix booth making the sales // Raving Ritchie // Dave & Brad // Eskuche Andrew // Crossroads action // Chad & JP // ASR Fashion Show // Brian & Brooke // The Analog Lounge I remember the good ol’ days of ASR when I was a grom running around one big open showroom, collecting as many stickers, posters and other shwag that was being thrown out constantly by all the major exhibitors. Nowadays the typical grom must be overwhelmed, with 4 shows to choose from (the classic ASR, CLASS@ASR, Crossroads at Petco and Sacred Craft), I’m sure their minds are boggled on where to start and where to finish. Armed with a media pass and a camer,a I made my way through all four shows and was astonished on how different and relevant each and every show was to their particular sector. It was refreshing to see the hustle and bustle of business going down day one of both ASR and CLASS@ASR. I must admit I saw quite a few more bikinis walking around the show and that is a very, very good thing. I noticed how sore my neck was on day two while I made my way over to the Petco parking
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lot to experience everything Crossroads had to offer. Wow, I gotta hand it to Jamie Thomas – this show is as grassroots as it gets and I don’t think I have ever seen so many groms smiling ear-to-ear as they push around the lot taking in everything that is skateboarding. Looking past all those smiling faces I saw more than a handful of skate heavyweights posted up for the entire show. After two nights of going big, it wasn’t until Sunday that I made it to the upper deck and got to check out the Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo. Typically speaking, the last day of the show is a bit on the slower side as people are nursing hangovers and ready to get out of dodge. Not the case at the Sacred Craft venue, the show was still teaming with all walks of life, while legendary shapers were mowing foam in makeshift glass booths and explaining to younger generations about time passed. All in all, I gotta say the ASR Marketplace is still the must attend show for any brand wanting relevance in today’s economy.
PHOTO: SERGIO GUIDUCCI
Phone Scan CHECK IT OUT
srh.com/videos/skate PHOTO: PEP WILLIAMS
PHOTO: PEP WILLIAMS
PHOTO: PEP WILLIAMS
ACTIVE & TOMS SHOES GIVE EVENT
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Jay & Pottsy from Tamarama // GIVE artist // Artist Kyle Perez // Tony Tave, Brent Futagaki, Dennis Durrant // Brett Walker // Jenner Heller with daughter, Erin Heller, Bobby & Elsie // Joel & Scott from The Pawnshop Kings // Alexa, Renee, Jenna & Shelby // BG & son with Kyle Nakazawa // Thom Gastelum // Lauri Heiskari & Charity
At the start of 2010, Active teamed up with TOMS shoes to embark on a year-long campaign to sell 10,000 pairs of TOMS shoes this year - 10K in 2010. As the halfway point of the 10K in 2010 campaign, Active Ride Shop and TOMS shoes, along with Krochet Kids International, rallied together to host this year’s GIVE Event at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine. Over 25 amazingly talented local artists were on hand to lend their creative talents to customize TOMS shoes, while the Krochet Kids set up their Cut & Sew booth to add flare to tee’s and hats. The music line-up provided the perfect soundtrack for the event, featuring Pro Snowboarder Eddie Wall, The Branches, Tamarama, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Pawnshop Kings, Pro Surfer Timmy Curran, and DJ Episode on the one’s and two’s. Active and TOMS reached their goal of selling 10,000 pairs of shoes on the day of the event, 6 months ahead of schedule! By working together, Active, TOMS shoes, and you will now give over 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in need this year through the One for One Movement – with every pair purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Active and TOMS shoes invites you to join them in making a meaningful impact in a child’s life this year.
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NATHANIEL CURRAN & N-1 BOARDIES
ALPINESTARS.COM/ BOARDSHORTS
FUNK 4 FREE
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Del the Funky Homosapien // The Pricks // Omar & Adam // Andy, Kurt, James & Sticky // Loppi & Taylor // Bukue // Party peeps // Steel on the keys // Brophy, Brent & Steel // Colby, Ratty Matty, & Tommy // Meeks & Friend
The boys at Arnette and their Arnette Antics have been on a tear all summer long bringing us nonstop events and must-attend parties. Their latest shindig went down last month at the Tiki Bar with performances by Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Bukue, and Costa Mesa’s very own, The Pricks. The Funk 4 Free event went down in celebration of the release of Arnette’s newest shades: Venkman and Blowout, and they pulled all the strings and got Tha Funky Homosapien to Costa Mesa. Anyone familiar with Del knows that he is the shit and did not miss this event. The Pricks got the crowd rowdy and warmed up with their high-energy and lead singer Brophy was even rocking Arnette’s Aquamarine Highlife shade. There performance was all-time and closed out with crowd favorite “Jack and Coke.” Bukue was next to
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perform and got an epic response from the crowd for his first appearance in Orange County. Finally, the main event took to the stage as Mr. Hip-Hop himself, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, put an exclamation mark on the already amazing night. The crowd kept pouring in and I don’t think the Tiki Bar was quite ready for what Del and the Arnette crew already new was coming. It felt like the good old days when the parties at the Tiki Bar were THE parties to be at. Del played for an hour straight, hit after hit, and doing it all while rocking the limited edition Blowout with the white and checkered arms. As always, Del showed the OC how to put on the proper hip-hop show. Big thanks to The Pricks, Bukue, Del, Shorescrew, the Tiki Bar and everyone else he made the night so amazing.
O’QUINN X BL!SSS
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Photos: Minxy // Angela Anderson, Dean Quinn, Coco Nogales, Mark Moreno & Chloe Buckley // Go-go a ho ho // Se Hotel’s Reg keeping the models in check // Dan, Farrah & J-Lar // Justin Fry & drinking buddies // DJ Aero & wife Veronica // Siren Rooftop at Se Hotel // The brothers Doonan // Team Filtrate // Tank Top Party: Joey & Josh // Eric & Tracy
Planning a party on the last night of the ASR tradeshow extravaganza is never an easy task. Most exhibitors and attendees are wiped out from the long days of writing orders, manning their booths and extended breaks to the beer garden. Knowing this in advance didn’t deter the O’Quinn crew or the BL!SSS boys from having an all out rager at the Sé Hotel’s pool and bar on the final night of ASR. Yeah, it might have been the 4th party in 3 days at this particular venue. And yes, I’m sure more than handful of people didn’t even make it past dinner that particular night, but for those of you who did make it, one hell of a time was had. It’s not often you walk into an upscale hotel and mosey your way up to the
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pool bar to be welcomed with straight debauchery. Chicks running around in bikinis, moms dancing on the bar, mermaids in the pool, free beverages and best damn DJ’s that money couldn’t even buy. Mix in all the right industry folk and few key celebs and you have in short what went down at the Sé Hotel on this particular Saturday night. A little too much may have been consumed to tell you all what exactly went down but the twenty or so voicemails over the next week confirmed that it was indeed a success. Thank to all the participants involved – O’Quinn, Sé Hotel, Laguna Beach Swim Co, Quiver, BL!SSS and especially Mark Moreno for having invented the best blackout drink known to mankind – “the Moreno.” And for those who didn’t make it, there’s always next time but you better bring your game face.
PHOTO: ATIBA BLISSS.indd 1
heiskari 8/12/10 11:53 AM
AGENDA
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Words: Spencer Pirdy // Jim Shubin, Aaron Levant & Alex 2-Tone // Luis Calderin and Louie Vito // Mason Brown // Nicole & Kyla // Crazy Clayton // Addison // Pascal, Pat & Tom // Malcom & Jeremy // The Snoop Salute // Joey, Charlie, & Barak // The Chrisser
Normally, it’s hard to write anything pleasant on tradeshows during the hectic string of them at the end of summer. The shows sometimes seem as strenuous as a 7-game Laker road trip. However, Agenda at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach on August 4th and 5th had us all leaving with a good taste in our mouths. On display was a diverse array of almost 200 brands showing their upcoming lines for Spring 2011. With the U.S. Open going on right down the street, almost everyone involved in the surf, skate, and streetwear industry showed their faces. From the get-go the show was a success. The 8 showrooms had packed booths and aisles of exhibitors from early Wednesday morning into late Thursday afternoon, and with plenty of lovely people running around the place, the entertainment level
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was at an all time high. There was no shortage of beats with the Skull Candy DJ hitting the one’s and two’s, adding an extra hop to everyone’s step. If you were feeling a bit famished all you had to do was mosey on down to the Agenda Family Barbecue put on by One Industries, where you could fill up on as much meat as you could handle. Every evening had some sort of shenanigans going on, and wherever everyone ended up, it seemed that the good vibes of the show would follow suit. Agenda seems to be growing bigger and bigger every year, there’s no denying that. Big props to the guys who put it on, and we’ll see you at the Anaheim Agenda show in January!
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Š2010 Luxottica group. All rights reserved.
210 AR4T
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Words: Sarah Anderson // AR4T Gallery View // Ben Brough art // Ben Brough art // AR4T outside // Ryno art // Ryno art // Mattt Thompson art // Sticky art // Sticky art // Ben Brough art Situated in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach with a view of the ocean is the new 210 AR4T Gallery. The gallery is a non-proďŹ t venture funded by the JLA Project with the sole purpose of providing new and emerging artists with a space to showcase their creations. It is an opportunity for our family to give support to this community of artists and grow our creative family. Opening in late May, the gallery has already hosted shows by JLA, Carl Smith, Matty Thompson, Sticky Shaw and Ben Brough. Coming up on the agenda for September is a photography show curetted by Danny Zapalac and will feature the work of Cheyenne Ellis, Adam Fedderly, Baldemar Fierro, Corey Arnold, Jack Coleman, Jake Stangel and Lindsey Byrnes.
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October will see the return of snowboarding legend Mike Parillo to Laguna Beach with a solo art show. Jamie Lynn and Bryan Iguchi will be hosting a show starting November 20th and going through the holidays. This will be a unique show directed at the next generation of artists and not one to miss. The AR4T gallery is a kid friendly space, hosting monthly kids/family mornings where the little ones are encouraged to dance sing or create their own masterpiece. For more info on openings, shows and artists check out www.AR4T.com or www. TheJLAProject.org
877-680-0123
Š2010 Luxottica group. All rights reserved.
COME AS YOU ARE
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Words: Thomas Allen :: Photos: Melanie Berry, CR Stecyk III, Casey Holland // Os Gemeos, PM Tenore and Marsea Goldberg (New Image Art) // Rosson Crow // PC Valmorbida (Prism Gallery) // Cleon Peterson art // Van Ness Wu // Christian & Rob Clayton, Gary Baseman, with friends & family // Ed Templeton art // Melanie Berry & CR Stecyk // Ryan McGiness art // Richard Colman art // Marsea Goldberg & Kelsey Brooks
RVCA and the Artist Network Program, in conjunction with New Image Art, again had a hand in the latest group show, “Come As You Are” at PC Valmorbida’s PRISM gallery in Hollywood. The show enlisted the talents of a group with varying styles and media such as: Os Gemeos, Barry McGee, Clayton Brothers, Susanne Melanie Berry, Kelsey Brookes, Richard Colman, Dennis Hopper, Ryan McGinness, Cleon Peterson, Clare Rojas, Cheryl Dunn, Craig Stecyk, and both Ed and Deanna Templeton. Os Gemeos’ signature style, Clayton Brother’s scope and detail, and Clare Rojas’ new abstract works had the crowd buzzing throughout the night. And in true PRISM style, PC had plenty of attendees of significance at the opening reception, including the majority of the show’s cast of characters: RVCA’s PM Tenore, Marsea Goldberg, Asian pop icon Vanness Wu, Gary Baseman, Jeremy Scott and Rosson Crow among others. Come As You Are is on view at PRISM through September 4th, 2010.
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Words: Max Ritter
It’s hard to believe it has been 16-years since Weezer let loose their debut album. Even after all these years, Rivers Cuomo and company continue to craft nerd rock radio hits for their cult following of fans. Currently Weezer is gearing up to release their 8th studio LP titled “Hurley”. Off the bat, the album artwork throws everyone for a loop as it features a close up photo of actor Jorge Garcia who played the character Hurley in the hit TV series Lost. It is questionable if the title is really a tribute to the actor or some sort of cruel joke. A more likely answer may be that the title is homage to the recent relationship the band has created with apparel brand Hurley. The tracks came to fruition as the band began working on the album in Hurley’s studio with local producer Cameron Webb. With all that is going on between the two, Hurley invited Weezer to headline the final day of the US Open musical acts. The free show was complete pandemonium as the entire beach was packed shoulder to shoulder with beach goers. Fans arriving late were hard pressed to even get a view of the stage. Rivers belted old hits like, “Say It Aint So” as well as some newer material. At one point in the set the band broke out into covers of MGMT and Lady Ga Ga. These guys showed they have plenty of fun with their trade and continue to live up to their reputation as no holds barred oddballs. The Weezer set capped a week long free festival that featured the likes of other excellent musical acts: The Soft Pack, Cold War Kids, Iration, Bedouin Soundclash, Timmy Curran, Switchfoot, Street Drum Corps, Cobra Starship, and Hot Hot Heat. Hats off to Hurley for out doing themselves again this year. Photo: Beau Roulette
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Reviews: Max Ritter
Arcade Fire The Suburbs Merge
Crocodiles Sleep Forever Fat Possum
Dan Sartain Dan Sartain Lives One Little Indian
The Thermals Personal Life Kill Rock Stars
Arcade Fire have quickly become one of the defining bands of our generation. This universally acclaimed instant classic is the best record since Radiohead’s In Rainbows. The Canadian based band recently headlined two nights at Madison Square Garden and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, thereby solidifying their throne as the reigning kings of indie music. The band hired film producer Terry Gilliam to produce a free webcast of their MSG shows and gave new and old fans an insight to the personalities of the band. What all this really means is Win Butler’s hip haircut will soon be replacing your local neighborhood scenester’s greased come-over.
San Diego is currently breeding noise pop bands and there is an ongoing contest to see who can make the best lo-fi-soundingbut-not-actually-lo-fi album. Jokes aside, this album will catch your ear. The band’s follow up to Summer of Hate is a cleaner and bigger sound. Standout tracks like “Mirrors” are hard not to like; big drums, synths, and guitars layered with a catchy hook. The production help from James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons) seems to have really helped this band hone their sound.
Birmingham Alabama garage rocker Dan Sartain’s fifth album is a head perker. He’s been around touring and the like for years but this might be his best effort yet. The sound is based off a stylish pop accessibility with simple but catchy hooks all put together in a lo-fi bohemian style. His hauntedvibe tracks have the muddy retro feel of vintage gear. His lyrics proudly wear his atheist beliefs in a rockabilly fashion on tracks like “Atheist Funeral.” Ironically “Ruby Carroll” sounds like it could be straight off a Johnny Cash record.
All the hype about this record is that it was recorded on tape and the vinyl version was mastered straight from the tape with no protools; throwback style. However they made it, the record has a great sound. If you’re a guitar snob you’ll gawk at the warmth of the guitar tones of this record. This 5th LP by the Canadian trio is a flawless collection of simple and clean pop-punk songs. Titled, Personal Life, the tracks notironically explore themes of love and relationships making them easy for anyone to relate to.
Darker My Love Alive As You Are Dangerbird
J Roddy Walston and the Business Self Titled Vagrant
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Before Today 4AD
The Good Listeners Don’t Quit Your Daydream Three Fingers Records
DML is named after the TSOL song yet their new record sounds nothing like TSOL nor does it sound like DML’s previous two records. Tim Presley amidst the recent death of his father has opted to take the post hardcore influenced sound of his band a new and “more honest” direction. The heavy layering of effects familiar to past records has been completely ditched and the result is a clean, folky, and psychedelic collection of songs reminiscent of 60’s era San Francisco. Tracks twang with an all too familiar Grateful Dead vibe and some might say their tribute to the genre goes too far. It takes guts to make something this honest and this masterful collection of throwbacks deserves some respect.
J Roddy plays the piano how it should be played. He beats the hell out of it. J Roddy and company hail out of Baltimore and have cut their teeth on the northeast circuit of the US. They have earned themselves a following by putting on high-energy southern rock and roll shows. Their brand is good time piano based blues and the highlight is J Roddy’s rebellious wailing vocals. His raspy voice sounds so strained with rock-n-roll you find yourself imagining the act these guys put on while they burn the house down trying to live up to their rep. There hasn’t been a band this boozed drenched with fun in a long time.
Ariel Pink has been around the LA scene leaking hundreds of lo-fi home recordings since the 90’s. His break came when his tracks found the ears of Animal Collective who decided to put Pink’s music out on their own label. This record is his first real studio effort and it’s full of danceable 80’s influenced pop gems. The cleaner production has brought Pink’s talents out from behind the heavy noise of his earlier recordings. The standout track is the single “Round and Round” which is an addictive pop hit with a classic feel.
Clark Stiles and Nathan Kyhber were the victims of a cliché major label debacle years ago. That project tasted brief success only to be prematurely abandoned by the label. The experience scarred their friendship and has since left them questioning their hopeless commitment to a grueling profession. In the wake of their experiences, the two have resolved their differences and continue to make music together. To record their newest album, the two tried a new concept. They packed up an RV and toured the country with their recording equipment and instruments in tow. Everyday they stopped off the beaten path and recorded one song with an unknown collaborator from each location. They documented the whole journey on camera. The colorful cast of characters and diverse locations concoct to make a special collection of songs that becomes the soundtrack to a heart-warming documentary. The CD/ DVD combo follows a unique adventure
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of two friends making the most meaningful music of their lives.
Interview: Max Ritter London based Domino Records is heavy with indie street cred. Fast on the rise, their newest signing, Chief, is no slouch on the roster. These Santa Monica/ NYU based folk-rockers get down with harmony-heavy melodies and channel 70’s era influences like Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Beach Boys, Tom Petty, and The Band. Front man Evan Koga has a stand out voice that is so precisely familiar but different you can’t quite place it among the crowd. Chief is beautifully crafted mellow rock that will quickly become your beachy summer soundtrack. We phone in with Evan to talk about their new record Modern Rituals. Can you tell us a little about how the band came together? So I was living in NY going to NYU and the drummer and the guitar player (Michael and Danny Fujikawa) who are brothers were also living in NY. We started jamming together with a friend of ours. That was kind of incarnation of the band but it didn’t really happen at that point. We took a little bit of a break, I wrote a bunch of songs came back and asked if Michael and Danny wanted to be in the band. They said, “Yeah” and that’s the genesis of it. Photo: Andrew Tonkery
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Sounds like it was all pretty organic. Now you’re back in Santa Monica, has it been pretty beneficial having roots in both NY and the West Coast? Totally, we love both places. We are from here and it’s good to be here. So the new record is out: Modern Rituals on Domino Records. How would you describe its sound? It’s pretty melodic kind of music. We’ve been saying its good driving music or good traveling music. It kind of reminds you of landscapes or open spaces. What was the writing process for the record like? We have been writing since the band started three years ago and little by little we have accumulated a catalog. Do you guys all write the songs or is there one main guy? I wrote probably 70% of the music on Modern Rituals. Danny wrote the end of that and I collaborated with the bass player (Mike Moonves) on the song “Night and Day”. The record label is based in the UK and you guys just got back from
over there. Are you guys growing faster over there? Do you think fans are a little more receptive than over here? We haven’t really done a US tour yet. In LA and NY we have really great audiences. But we haven’t really done a US tour so it’s hard to say. The UK has been pretty receptive. We played some pretty awesome shows and festivals over there. Seems like things are growing and it’s going pretty good in the UK. There are three songs on the record where it is not you singing lead. Do you guys trade off? How does that work? Yeah that’s Danny. I am guessing those are the songs he wrote? Yes, exactly. Ok it’s all coming together now. There are currently about 4 different artists that go by the name of Chief. One is a Swiss beat maker and one is a hardcore band. What’s the deal with that? I noticed. We’ll wait and see if that becomes a problem. I think we’re
probably the best one (laughs). I agree. So you guys are cool with sharing for now? Yeah, we’re all about sharing. I would have to say the track Breaking Walls is one of the standout tracks on the record. It’s a really pretty tune. What is the meaning behind that one? Hard to say; it’s pretty abstract for me. I wrote that one. I kind of want the listener to decide for himself, but you know it’s simply about breaking the wall down. You’re up against the wall and you gotta get past. You’ve cited Tom Petty, The Band, Neil Young - some classic older influence. Is there any new or recent artists that your into? Yeah. I like My Morning Jacket a lot. To be honest I actually don’t listen much to new music. Domino has some great releases. The Wild Beasts album is awesome. Most of the music is influenced by older stuff though. Thanks Evan. Readers: be sure to pick up Chief’s Modern Rituals out now on Domino Records!
S M Y: O B R D G E S RESENT S S ! L P B AGE: 16 SPONSORS: RUSTY, FILTRATE EYEWEAR, DSC, BODY GLOVE, CREATURES OF LEASURE, BUBBLE GUM, KILLER DANA, FAVORITE SURFER: MICK FANNING
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Photo: Jack McDaniel
ALRIK
YUILL
CONCEPTS
SPACETIMESURFBOARDS.COM
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AGE: 15 HOMETOWN: ST. LOUIS PARK, MN SPONSORS: BONES (FLOW) NEFF (FLOW), OSIROS (FLOW), WORLD INDUSTRIES (FLOW), 3RDLAIR FAVORITE SKATERS: TOREY PUDWILL, SEAN MALTO, CHRIS COLE
F.S board slide :: Photo: Ortiz
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Electric iPhone App Version 3.0 Out Now
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