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NOLA N RA POZA O V E R S I X D E C A D E S O F Q U ALI T Y
WHAT WE LIVE FOR We’re celebrating the snowy season with tons of fun and events for everyone. From first chair, beer toast, giveaways and $50 lift tickets on day one to weekend movie premieres and afterparties, Mammoth is kicking off winter right.
OPENING DAY & WEEKEND BASH
NOVEMBER 10 –12
FIND THE FULL LIST OF FUN ONLINE
dylan rieder • photo • ortiz
randoms • 20 product • 24 ian davis • 26 kyle lambert • 28 logan maxwell • 30 super taste • 34 rone - empty • 36 in and around the quiksilver pro france • 38 bill durgin • 42 dylan rieder • 48
outer islands indonesia • 56 the art of sketchy tank • 62 mammoth anticipation • 66 systems - jason revok • 72 beach goth • 74 red bull qiantang surfing shoot out • 76 oh boland • 78 music reviews • 79 groms • 80
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Editor-in-Chief nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com
Editor
joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com
Creative DirectoR mark paul deren : madsteez madsteez@madsteez.com
assistant editor delon isaacs delon@blisssmag.com
EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com
SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com
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, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Bruce Beach, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue, Joe Foster, Sean Sullivan, Stan Sievers
contributors
Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon, JP Olson, Bruce Beach
NOVEMBER 2016 BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.blisssmag.com Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/ advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss’ right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which may reflect negatively on the integrity of the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.
DYLAN RIEDER • 1988 - 2016
PHOTO • MARK OBLOW
If your favorite shop isn’t receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact info@blisssmag.com
VA SPORT X DEFER COLLECTION
This season RVCA has built their VA Sport line from the ground up by implementing its art roots with the incorporation of their Artist Network Program (ANP) into hightech sports fabrications and garments readymade for the gym, ring or mat. For this round of sportswear RVCA has teamed up with ANP Artist Defer, an artist who has been in integral part of the early graffiti art movement in Los Angeles since the mid 1980’s. If you haven’t ever had the opportunity to view Defer’s art we highly recommend you do because the guy is an absolute psycho with a spray can. The technicality of Defer’s art goes hand-in-hand with how well designed these active wear pieces really are. If you head over to rvca.com you can view this VA X Defer collection of compression tees, compression shorts, shirts, hats and trunks, all of which are out today!
CUATER BELTS
You can’t ever underestimate a good belt. They’re the one essential accessory that will always be there for you and the ups and downs of your ever-so-fluctuating waist, which is why we are so hyped on Robbie McKnight’s new brand Cuater. Cuater is a newly emerging brand, dominating the accessory market with a vast collection of premium belts that feature genuine leathers, unique print graphics and some belts that contain an ultra comfortable interwoven stretch. Winter is upon us, which scares the BeJebus out of us, because it’s usually the season that our beautiful summer bodies go to shit, and we really seek out comfortness in our belts to readjust with our pre-hibernation bodies. Cuater has your back for all these kinds of situations, and their product will not only support hoisting your pants up, but they make you look good at the same time. Check out www.cuater.com today and view their first batch of products, and also be on the lookout for their exclusive featured artist collaborations.
THE CLUB HOUSE AT HOWL
A new space for gathering, celebrating and collaborating… Located in the heart of Long Beach, California, The Club House at Howl is a finely decorated retail space that also doubles as a beautiful indoor/outdoor venue where they host every type of event from pop-up retail shows, live music, art exhibitions and dinner parties. Howl is dedicated to inspiring adventures and visual bliss through collaborative gatherings as well as a bi-annual publication. All of the brands and goods carried in the store are sourced with the highest quality materials, with simple and minimalist aesthetics. If you happen to find yourself in the LBC, make sure you head over to 237 Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90802 to check out the recently renovated early 1900s building that was also rated “Top 10 places in Long Beach to say I Do” by the Long Beach Post. P.S. If you’re curious as to what kind of events are being held at the space, head over to www.howladventures.com to view their frequently updated event calendar!
REED’S ORIGINAL GINGER CHEWS
Snacks, on snacks, on snacks, on snacks. Reed’s Ginger Chews are freakin’ delicious. We spend so much goddam time in this office that we’re constantly looking toward obsessive snacking to pass the time and to relieve ourselves from the horrors of looking at computer screens, and pushing mouses with our shitty, carpal tunnel induced hands. Reed’s brings you this treasured treat all the way from Indonesia, where these little godsends are naturally made from a popular recipe that’s generations old and that contains real ginger root. Snacking can be a dangerous dance, but these individually wrapped ginger chews are free from any of that whack crap that makes you feel bad, as it contains no preservatives, caffeine, gluten or GMOs. Those artificial, sugary, teeth-rotting candy bars that you keep buying yourself have got to go, so be more responsible with your snacking and head over to ReedInc.com to order or to find our what store near you sell these gingery treats!
KINGSLEY
Our boy Kingsley Aarons is back at it again with his cool line of youth clothing. Kingsley Clothing is a unique California lifestyle, youth-clothing brand that embraces art, adrenaline and music with style, comfort and attitude. Originally inspired by the birth of his son Zephyr, Kingsley realized that the market was missing rad clothes for the little guys, and it’s been nearly 12 years he’s making the youth look as great as their parents. Shop now for your little rockers at kingsleyclothing. com or check it out on Instagram: @kingsleyclothing.
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@805BEER SEE MORE AT 805BEER.COM
éS SLB REISSUE
The éS SLB is back, as the most requested skate shoe in the history of skateboarding is showing its face once again in only the best skate shops countrywide. Originally designed back in 1996 by skate legend Salvador Lucas Barbier, the SLB has stood the test of time. It was the first shoe introduced to the skate community with an internal neoprene sock, keeping the foot snug and locked into position. Matched with a timeless classic profile that encompassed function and beauty, all you sneak-heads and die-hard skaters eat your heart out and get a pair today. The SLB is available now in the limited green/white colorway, with more colors arriving early 2017.
COSTA MESA CONCEPTUAL ART CENTER
The Costa Mesa Conceptual Art Center announces its public opening of Dancing Baby, a solo exhibition by Justin Adams and the gallery’s first show. The Costa Mesa Conceptual Art Center concentrates primarily on the importance of conceptual experimentation and exploration. Born from an internal process measured in degrees of alienation and departing from a poetics of space, Alex Knost and Daniella Murphy have conceived a concrete garden. Dancing Baby opens November 19, 7-10 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Conceptual Art Center. For more information, head over to Instagram: @costamesaconceptualartcenter.
ROARK X GRAYL
Still gotta admire the boys over at Roark, revivalists in their own right, setting up shop that’s calculated with travel and adventure. They plan inspiration trips, and the more exotic the better, design a range after it and repeat – it’s the perfect combination of work and adventure. One of the best parts of doing what Roark does is all the awesome collaborations that go along with each adventure. This last year the Roark team explored Vancouver Island and teamed up with Grayl to release the Roark Revival Grayle Purifier Bottle, which purifies any fresh water in under 15 seconds. It’s a French-press-style filter that removes 99.999% of disease causing bacteria, 99.999% of protozoan cysts, 99.999% of viruses and heavy metals. Essentially it’s a must-have for any explorer. Head over to RoarkRevival.com to check it out.
PATAGONIA BEER
Patagonia teamed up with Hopworks Urban Brewery [HUB] in Portland, Oregon to release their first-ever Long Root Ale, a Northwest-style Pale Ale made with only organic ingredients and Kernza perennial grain. For those of you that don’t know, Kernza is a sustainable, year-round “superwheat” derived from an ancient wheatgrass that just so happens to make really good beer. The Kernza grain is ideally suited for organic regenerative agriculture – its long roots allow it to thrive without pesticides, it uses less water than conventional wheat, and it helps to reduce erosion and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than annual grains. So do Mother Nature a solid, and next time you’re in Whole Foods pick up a six-pack, and cheers to a healthier planet!
THE STACKER IS BACK
The boys and girls over at Electric have brought back some of the best damn shades we’ve ever seen. Whether you’re on the water fishing, checking the surf, in the mountains, on the bike or just cruising for the ladies, The Stacker is what you need. The super-stylie frames won the “2016 Gear of the Year Award” from Outside Magazine but here at BL!SSS we’re gonna one-up them and call these the “Shades of the Century.” With new colorways and frames just released, log onto www. electriccalifornia.com or head on over to your favorite core retailer and pick them up ASAP.
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WWW.SKETCHYTANK.COM
Billabong, 4/3 Furnace Carbon Front Zip Fullsuit - $409.95, billabong.com • Body Glove, 4/3 Red Cell Fullsuit - $489.95, bodyglove.com • Xcel, Revolt TDC Fullsuit 4/3 - $409.95, xcelwetsuits.com • Hurley, Phantom 202 Fullsuit - $430, hurley.com • Hyperflex, VooDoo Frontzip 4/3 Fullsuit - $324.99, hyperflexusa.com • O’Neill, Psychofreak Z.E.N. Zip 3/2 SSW Fullsuit - $409.99, oneill.com • Patagonia, R3 Yulex Front-Zip Fullsuit - $469, patagonia.com • Quiksilver, Highline Zipperless 3/2 Fullsuit - $249.95, quiksilver • Rip Curl, Flashbomb Plus Zip Free 4/3 Fullsuit - $519.99, ripcurl.com • RVCA, RVCA X Kelsey Brookes ANP Wetsuit Jacket - $225, rvca.com • Vissla, 7 Seas 50/50 4/3 Fullsuit - $229.95, vissla.com • Volcom, Lefty Front Zip Jacket - $100, volcom.com
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words • william pym
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For 15 years, Ian Davis has made detailed pictures of men in groups. They are identically dressed in vocational clothes – business suits, lab coats, clerical frocks, hi-vis vests or military drab. They research and design, they assess disaster’s imminence and aftermath, and they amass and protect resources. Despite the outward appearance of purpose, the men are bystanders. The paintings are executed in clean, graphic acrylic layers establishing vast architecture and nature, and then they are finished with brushy filigree on sometimes hundreds of faces. Davis continues an artistic tradition of awe and desperation that spans Bruegel’s Tower of Babel through Martin Kippenberger’s The Happy End of Franz Kafka’s
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Amerika. Plans will go nowhere. Designs for solutions will be ignored. Man is unable to address anything. Time stops. Davis’ vignettes can be cited at any point in the past 50 years. Complex, considered geometry tightens the psychological effect of the scenes. Davis’ symmetry is not sacred, or cosmic, but neurological. Geometry here is an overarching mechanism, a loom pulling us into lines like Thomas Baryle’s delirious skins or the atom-bomb angst of Salvador Dali’s lateperiod Nuclear Mysticism, where images float as exploded units, in total sync but never to touch. Davis provides actors, location and motivation, the ingredients of a narrative, only to see it overwhelmed and stymied by the all-encompassing
strength of an order that man has built for himself. The artist’s compositions hum with a balance that is both serene and unsettling. Being incensed and powerless at the same time is a 2016 feeling. Davis depicts ritual behavior enacted with total devotion by men of power and influence. He builds structures for these men. The careerlong painter of political allegory limns the world of entrenched bureaucracy, he lives inside it with brush at the canvas, to feel for its contours and find its flaws. He depicts the shape of our world. In this he finds purpose and a means of having a voice. To see more of Ian Davis art go to www.iandavisart.com.
TRADITION MEETS PROGRESSION +
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interview • liz rice mccray
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Hi Kyle. Perhaps you could describe where you are right now, so this way everyone reading along can imagine the setting. Right now I’m sat in my home studio in Las Vegas. I moved here two years ago from the UK to pursue my dream of working in the entertainment industry as an illustrator. Wow, how do you like living in Vegas? That must be a big change for you coming from the UK. Living in Vegas is very different from living in the UK. The weather is fantastic, and the entertainment scene is incredibly vibrant. I’ve also seen a big increase in professional opportunities, and I’m sure that this is just the beginning. So when asked “What do you do?” how do you answer? I’d say I’m an illustrator/artist working in the entertainment industry creating illustrations for movies and creative advertising. People will then usually ask “What kind of illustrations?” so I would give them examples of projects I have done. You have some great examples, lots of cool projects. You did the illustrations for the new hit Netflix TV series Stranger Things. How did you land that? In 2011 I created a poster for the movie Super 8, which was used for the international release of the movie and is now featured on its DVD artwork. Apparently, the show runners for Stranger Things were fans of that poster and put forward my name to work on the poster for their new Netflix TV show. They were keen to have a poster that was reminiscent of the classic ‘80s illustrated style.At the time I didn’t know much about the series but it sounded like a fun project. I worked with a design agency called Contend to create the poster layout. Their Art Director, Nate Sherman, and I sent ideas to Netflix to create the perfect composition that had all of the key story points from the show.
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Once the composition had been approved I sketched the outlines using my iPad Pro and then used Photoshop on my Mac to add color and texture. The finished artwork was used as the main poster for the Netflix series and for all of their key advertising, including billboard posters displayed around Hollywood. I was also commissioned by the Duffer Brothers, the show’s directors, to produce illustrations of the lead actors. These illustrations were then printed onto canvases and given to the actors as gifts. How did you get into digital illustration work in the entertainment industry? I’ve been creating artwork my whole life, starting by sketching cartoon characters while sitting in front of the TV as a child. I studied art through school and then painting and illustration at university. I gradually began to learn about doing all of this digitally when I discovered Adobe Photoshop. In 2009 I created a website and started putting my artwork online. In 2010, while working in one of the Apple retail stores, I started painting with an iPad, using an app called Brushes. This app allowed you to create videos that documented the process of creating a painting, so I shared one of these videos online. That’s when some of my paintings started to get noticed. In 2013, after a couple of years of working on the iPad, I did a photorealistic painting of Morgan Freeman. This received a lot of attention, gaining 15 million views on YouTube and was featured worldwide. This opened a lot of doors and paved the way for me to create digital artwork in the entertainment industry. I watched that video of you painting Morgan Freeman, using only a finger, an iPad Air and the app Procreate. It was a complete trip to watch you create it. I actually haven’t used the app before and don’t really know what it is. Do you use this app a lot? Is it a finger painting app?
Yes, Procreate is an impressive digital painting app for the iPad and iPhone. It has a very simple and intuitive interface but has lots of great features. I began using Procreate when it was first released in 2011. I chose it because it had a lot of features I was familiar with from Adobe Photoshop. Since then it’s become even more powerful and is now an important tool in my creative workflow. How long did it take you to make the Morgan Freeman finger painting? Why did you pick Morgan Freeman to paint? The painting took me more than 200 hours over the course of a few weeks. I chose Morgan Freeman because he is a popular actor and I felt he was somebody people of all ages would recognize. I found a photograph taken by Scott Gries and thought it would make a great painting because it required a lot of attention to detail. I spent a lot of time zooming in and painting small details, such as hairs and skin textures. I was blown away by the success of the video and I’m really happy that it inspired so many artists. So what’s next, any upcoming projects you can share with us? Yes. I was recently commissioned by Drai’s Night Club Las Vegas to produce ‘80s themed posters for their upcoming live Halloween performances. Each artist had a different movie theme: for Future we selected Back to the Future, for Fetty Wap it was Mad Max, we turned 50 Cent into the Terminator, and featured T.I.P in Top Gun. The artworks have been used to decorate Drai’s Night Club and advertise the events around Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Lastly, where can people check out your art? People can check out my artwork at www.kylelambert.com or follow me on social media: Facebook: Kyle Lambert Artist Instagram: kylelambertartist Twitter: @kylelambert Thanks Kyle for answering our questions.
interview • liz rice mccray
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It appears your interest and inclination toward painting started at a young age. How did you get started in painting? When I was in elementary school my teacher would take the class on a field trip to a local library once a week. On these trips to the library I didn’t read books; instead, I would find the “How to Draw” books and trace them. I had a hard time following the instructions of drawing a circle, then adding a few guidelines, and magically a face would appear. So I taught myself how to draw by tracing and then drawing free hand when I felt more comfortable. These instructional books covered cartoon characters and comic book characters. For most of my childhood I thought I wanted to be an animator or a comic book artist. After high school I went to community college for one year and hated it. I hated school from Kindergarten through college. I stopped going to the community college and landed an internship at an animation studio called Spumco. They were famous for creating Ren & Stimpy in the ‘90s. Someone at Spumco suggested I go take some life drawing classes to sharpen my skills a bit. I attended some classes at the school that they recommended and I quickly fell in love with life drawing. The school was called Associates in Art. At the school I was exposed to really great life drawing teachers and saw a bunch of high-quality drawings and paintings hanging in the halls of the school. After one or two semesters there, I left Spumco and started taking classes at Associates in Art full time. I started with figure drawing for about a year, and then started taking life-painting classes there as well. Classes would run from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., then I would go out and paint a landscape during lunch, and then classes would resume from 1-4 p.m. Twice a week I would stay for the evening uninstructed life drawing workshops that ran from 7-10 p.m. I was fully immersed in it and loved it. I wasn’t thinking about how I’d make a living at that time. I was obsessed with learning how to draw and paint. When and why did you really start taking your art seriously? I began taking art seriously when I realized that I hated school and I couldn’t stand to go through the standard college route. Initially I took the idea of being in the animation industry as a serious career, but I quickly realized that I didn’t like the team effort aspect of animation. There were so many people involved in making a simple thing like a TV commercial or an animation
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short. I liked the idea of being the only person who touched the art from start to finish. I’d say the turning point for me was in art school when I learned about the possibility of becoming a fine artist. That is when the obsession really started. What was your original attraction to “Western Art?” How did you get started painting American Southwest landscapes, Native Americans and classic cowboy figures? I have never really been attracted to “Western Art,” even to this day. That may sound odd but I don’t think of myself as a Western Artist. So much of the art that I am inspired by has very little to do with the West. Once I started painting western subjects I sought out masters from the early to mid 1900s and found some great artists to look up to. But I didn’t intentionally strive to become a Western Artist or enter the western market. As a kid I used to visit my grandma in Palm Springs, CA. I have vivid memories of sitting in the backseat of my mom’s car and watching the miles of barren desert roll by. Later, after finishing art school I went on a road trip out to the desert to paint landscapes and I fell in love with it. The subject lends itself to my minimal way of working. After painting the landscapes of the Southwest for a while, I wanted to start putting people into the paintings, and it just made sense to paint the people that live in the regions that I was inspired by. I spend a lot of time looking for the people who are in my painting. That might actually be the most difficult step in creating a painting. I am inspired my specific people, not just the idea of, say, a Native American in general. What role does light play in your work? Light and shadow is really important to me. I base most compositions on light and dark patterns. I think of every subject abstractly as it is being hit by the sun. Many times I treat a face the same way I would a landscape. I try to recreate light in my paintings based on memories. I have found that trying to copy light and color from a photo is unsatisfying. Instead, if I can use my visual memory to try and recreate something I have seen, it will come out stronger and will have a more personal feel to it. Light in the open Southwest is really amazing. I have been out and just watched the landscape for hours at a time and the craziest changes occur in a relatively short amount of time.
We have already touched on it, but where do you draw inspiration? I definitely pull inspiration from my visits to the deserts of the Southwest. I go out on road trips to gather reference and soak in the feel of the place. I’ll go out and do quick on-location studies, take some photos with a camera, and take some photos with my mind. One of the great things about being outside and doing on-location studies is that I am able to stand in one place for an hour or so and look at one particular view. How often does anyone really look at a particular view for an hour? I am able to study the view and take notes. It isn’t really a leisurely experience though. Usually my brain hurts after painting a study and I feel exhausted. There are hundreds of decisions being made, from thinking of how light or dark something is, how bright or gray a color is, the thickness of the paint being laid down, how to simplify or spell out a particular shape or element in the painting, etc. But these studies are so valuable to me. I keep them in my studio and can look at them anytime and I am brought directly back to the moment that I painted the piece. I can remember how hot or cold it was, all of the smells of the place come back to me, if it was a struggle to paint it or if it came easily, or how long I spent on it. They help as a great source of inspiration back at my studio. What are you really into right now, art or non-art related? Right now I would say I’m really into my two-month old son, Wilde! This is the first baby for my wife and me. It has been a really fun experience every step of the way. My hope for him is that he becomes an artist as well. I feel like it’s the best job in the world, even better than being a successful rock star. All an artist needs is some paint, some brushes and a canvas. Those simple few elements can create the most satisfying feeling and create a calm and happiness that is self-imposed. Art wise, I am currently into the idea of doing some larger scale multi-figure compositions for some upcoming museum shows. I feel like artists from the past really pushed themselves to do their best, most challenging work for major exhibitions. So my goal is to do some really major pieces in 2017 for a few museum shows. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Last question: where can people check out more of your art? My art can be found on Instagram @loganmaxwellhagege or on my website www.loganhagege.com.
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photography • nathan groff • @nathangroff model • sharlena hassani • @sharlenahassani
photo • russell charters
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On Friday, October 14th, the solo exhibition titled “Empty” by Rone made its untimely debut in Melbourne. Empty occupied the 1920s Star Lyric Theatre at 247 Johnston Street, Fitzroy. Once a grand theater in the art nouveau style that screened films between 1922 and 1952, it has long been hidden from public view by a constructed blue wall and is destined for demolition in the near future. The artist found this to be the perfect setting for his exhibit, which explores the juxtaposition between things beautiful and decayed, old and new, the desirable and the forgotten. “I have this strange attraction to forgotten spaces,” Rone says. “I tend to see something beautiful in things that are derelict, dilapidated, forgotten. I guess you could say I find beauty in neglect.” It’s appropriate that a setting which once beamed images of glamorous women into the night but is now little more than crumbling walls and falling beams, can once again reflect some beauty found in the faces of the women that Rone paints for the brief enjoyment of its viewers before they are destroyed along with the theater. For Empty, Rone displayed photographs, a new artistic medium for him, of some of his past works, all likewise constructed in buildings that were either abandoned or soon to be demolished. “They were all done clandestinely, sometimes in quite dangerous places,” Rone explains. “There was a real sense that they could be destroyed at any time, so the only way for them to exist and be seen was through these photographic images.” Canvasses were also created in the theater by sandblasting the walls to create a workspace. In the process of which he discovered the remains of a Trompe l’oeil from the 1920s, which he creatively integrated into his star piece of the exhibit, titled the Star Lyric, a twelve-meter high portrait on the rear wall of the building. The show was raved about, as viewers and fans gushed over Rone’s art, the lighting and the building, and there was an overwhelming positive response to the exhibit. If you did not get to see Empty firsthand, then the pictures in this editorial and images you see online is sadly all that you will get to see of it. The exhibition closed on Sunday, October 23rd, and the building and art will soon be demolished.
photo • p1xels
photo • p1xels
photo • p1xels
words • chad wells • photos • quiksilver Going to the Quik Pro France is one of my favorite trips that I look forward to every year. There’s great culture, food, surf, wine, women, nightlife and everything that goes along with it. This year I brought three Quiky groms to experience some international travel and the energy around the event. Jackson Butler, Taj Lindblad and Kade Matson made the trip, and our accommodations were second to none right behind the dunes at the Quiky Team house at Estagnot. Our roommates for the event were
Wiggolly Dantas, his girlfriend and brother/coach, Kanoa Igarashi and his girl as well as Zeke Lau. Needless to say, the groms were psyched to get to hang behind the scenes with these guys and get into some serious FIFA PlayStation battles. I can tell you after coming to France off and on for the last 14 years that some things never change. This year was no different and the surf didn’t disappoint. There were some amazing sandbars to be sampled
and plenty of spectating of surfing’s greatest in and around the event. I’m sure you could have never predicted Keanu Asing taking out the event, as I’m sure he couldn’t as well. That’s not to say his eye wasn’t always on the prize, but coming up against John John Florence… I’ll tell you one thing, having known Keanu since he was probably 10 years old, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, has more heart than this kid. His nevergive-up attitude is second to none, and his form in the final was tack sharp against JJF. On the women’s
side, Tyler Wright sealed up the World Title, which was super sick, while Carissa walked away with the event win. There’s so much happening around the event it’s really insane to be there and experience. There was some serious high-performance ripping in the free-surfs. There was a meld of like three different sandbars that were out in front of our pad, and at any given time you could find any of the “Top 32” out there warming up or just blowing up in general. Gabriel
Mike D & crew
Leo Fioravanti current WQS #1 flaring
Kanoa & Banting autograph signing in Hossegor
Keanu Asing QSPF Men’s Champ
Tyler Wright Title flexing
Austen Sweetin Eiffel Towering
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Carissa Moore Roxy Pro France Cham
Mike D & his DJ posse
Steph Gilmore and the new 2016 Women’s World Champ Tyler Wright
Ezekiel Lau Pineapple power
Taj Lindblad’s happy place
Kade Matson / Grande Plage
Jackson Butler Capbreton special
Miky & Filippa Picon
Brooko, Reilly, Bobby & Ron from Jacks, Garry Wall
Tikanui Smith, Nate Florence & Koa Smith
French babes
Kade Matson a head above the rest
Medina and his entourage were our direct neighbors as they reserve the same house year-in and year-out. So, Gabriel was the most frequent flyer out front putting in some serious performances. I actually had him pegged for a “W” as his consistency and air combo/completion ratio is some of the best I’ve ever seen. The nightlife is also rather exceptional in France, as you typically go to dinner about 9 p.m., finish around 11 p.m. and then saunter into one of the many bar/clubs down at the main promenade in Hossegor… or possible to one of the industry-ragers that coincide with the big event. This year Quiksilver had quite a few different parties and promos happening, including a couple A+ events at their Boardriders Surf Shops, which have to
be experienced firsthand to enjoy. The Quiky shops in France are equipped with a fully operating coffee/ beer bar. Having second thoughts about buying that Bradley Thruster? You can smash a couple beers right there to help make a better decision. In Capbreton, there’s a BJJ dojo in the basement and a hair stylist/ barber shop among the amenities. One night, Mike D from the Beastie Boys DJ’d a semi-secret house party that was, in my 14-years of working at Quiksilver, one of the raddest parties I’ve ever been to! Roxy hosted their Run SUP Yoga event, which is like the Triathlon of fit women: SUP a mile, run three and get zenned out with some Yoga. Needless to say, all who attended had a great time and we can’t wait till next year to do it all over again!
Matty Banting freedom from the jersey
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interview • liz rice mccray Ok, let’s start. When asked, “What do you do?” how do you answer? I’m a studio-based art photographer. My photographs deconstruct the body pushing away from traditional views of the figure. What is the process you use to conceptualize a piece, refine it, “test” it, etcetera? Do you ever get partway through and discover, “this is not working”? I often get partway through and discover “this is not working!” I usually start with an idea for a pose, either based on the subject or sometimes inspired by a sculpture or painting, and build a set around that. Once the subject/model is on set I refine that idea, evolve it, change it, or throw it out the window. What I’ve come to realize is that the initial idea is just a way to get everything going. I used to waste time forcing an idea into fruition, but really all that is important is getting an image I’m proud of. I love it when something comes together that I could never have imagined. One element that affects me greatly is your use of light. How do you create that play of light in your mind? When conceiving an image how I’m going to light it becomes immediately obvious. Light and shadow determine the mood, but I don’t want them to be the subject of the image, so I choose a lighting setup that will accentuate the body and set. I’ll move the light(s) around until I get the effect I want, and in this current work the lighting can’t change during the shoot as multiple images from the same set are used. Not to get too personal, but what are some of your favorite parts of the body to work with and why? My first reaction is to say the torso from the back because it can appear abstract and distinctly human simultaneously. Looking through this series the torso is the one part I almost always erase, as I seem to be focusing on legs and arms. Since this series is about blurring the perception of figure and background, the erased parts do become central to the figure and appendages fade into the background. When looking for a body to transform, what do you look for? How do you go about choosing? The most important thing is to have someone who’s enthusiastic about the work. Since the body in my work is abstracted, people have to be willing to achieve that affect with me.
What do you think is most misunderstood about your work, if anything? Throughout my past series I made a conscious effort not to alter the image much in postproduction/Photoshop, mainly exposure and color correction. This idea of whether my images were altered or not wasn’t important to me it just happened to be my way of working, but it was brought up quite often. With this series I decided to do something that was obviously altered so that the conversation could go toward perception, abstraction, and historical context, rather than whether or not it was altered. As for this series, I’m not sure what will strike me as a misunderstanding. I’m sure if something does I’ll address it with something new. Where can people check out more of your art? My website, Billdurgin.com and on Instagram, @billdurgin.
ETNIES X PLAN B DROP YARN, NOT BOMBS
ETNIES X PLAN B COLLABORATION
available exclusively at etnies.com
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@etniesskateboarding
photo • ryan allan
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photo • ryan allan
Skateboarding lost one of the greatest with the passing of Dylan Rieder. He was one of the most amazing humans to ever live as well. He touched so many hearts and changed so many lives. He was quiet, kind, and loving, and he would do anything for his friends and loved ones. He loved to skateboard, surf, play pool and ping pong. He loved music, fashion and his dog Hank. He loved to travel, he loved to go out to eat with his friends, and he loved his family. Dylan had such a strong impact on the ones around him. His influence, his motivation, his drive and his passion were such a gift to see. He put 110% into everything he did. It was like being next to a super hero. Dylan’s spirit might have left his body but it will remain in the hearts of the ones he touched and be carried on forever. He raised the bar so high with his video parts that skateboarders have a lot of work to do to catch up to where he left us. Legends never die nor are they forgotten. Thank you, Dylan, for being a skateboarder and making our sport the best. You made us all so proud. You will be forever in our hearts and on our minds.
Love forever! -mark oblow
photo • anthony acosta
photo • mark oblow
photo • brian kelly
words & photos • tom carey I’m feeling a bit like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Every trip is starting to feel the same. Every spot has been shot to death. Every Instagram post blends together. Each frontside air looks like the next. Each surf trip is becoming more and more meaningless… except for this trip here. Surrounded by Volcom’s finest: Balaram Stack, Parker Coffin, Noah Schweizer and Imai Devault, and with solid swell forecasted and Indonesia as the main course… this was going to be exciting. I haven’t scored like this in years. I did things I haven’t done in ages. I drank like I haven’t drunk in a decade, and acted like I was 20 again. It’s like I found the fountain of youth. I picked these four surfers based on their age in hopes they’d gel together. I was right. Everything became a competition. And that was cool. We surfed together, the filmers and surfers, we drank together, lit fireworks all night, jumped off waterfalls and longboarded in the pitch dark, drunk as skunks.
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balaram stack
The trip started off with us hanging for a night in Bali before puddle jumping to some outer islands. This is never a good idea in my mind, as Bali has a way of pulling you into its vortex. This trip was no exception. My jetlag hit me hard and what started as a 4 p.m. powernap turned into a 14-hour cryo-sleep. The boys went to the Sky Garden, got into a fight (or I should say got slapped around) and then we lost Balaram.
imai devault
noah schweizer
Our ride to the airport left at 6:30 a.m., and Bal showed up at 6:15. This trip was already starting out in grand fashion. We boarded the plane around 10 a.m. in the full Balinese heat. Our plane didn’t have AC so the shirts came off. That’s a big no-no in Indonesia, but it’s great for some laughs though. We landed 40 minutes later with no ride in sight, as someone at the camp got their wires crossed. Our guide finally wrangled some shit boxes to drive us three hours to the camp. This was a ride through hell. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hot before. I would have paid beaucoop dollars for some air conditioning at that point. We arrived dripping in sweat and preceded straight to our AC-cooled rooms. My jetlag was severe and a three-hour powernap was in order. I awoke to the craziest thunderstorm I’ve seen in years. These storms were like clockwork and came in over the mountains every afternoon at three o’clock on the dot.
parker coffin
The swell hadn’t really shown yet so a team surf was in order. It had been a while since all the filmers and surfers had a session together like this. Luke Forgay, Nate Leal, Scott Stinnett and myself grabbed some soft tops from the camp and joined the boys at the left out front. What started out as an innocent surf became a nude session, meant to abuse the younger guys. I caught a screamer little left with my shorts around my neck, only to kick out and see a girl paddling out through the channel. I quickly apologized stating I thought we were the only ones out there and I didn’t mean to offend her. She told me I had a little dick. I agreed and thought I’d paddle in with my tail between my legs… so to speak. We all got a kick out of it that night around the dinner table. The next day the surf was still on the smaller side so we went to check out a waterfall nearby. It was one of the more beautiful sites I’ve seen on my many trips. The guys scaled the cliff face and began to boost of the sides and into the lagoon below. Imai was going for it, scoring a 10 for his triple lindy to gainer. Parker surprised me, as he didn’t want anything to do with it and opted for the rope swing. It’s crazy how someone can rush big Pipe and Cloudbreak but then get scared with something like a cliff jump. I guess everyone knows their limit.
imai devault
balaram stack
imai devault
balaram stack
noah schweizer
parker coffin
parker coffin
noah schweizer
Day three was also on the smaller side. It seemed like a sacrifice was in order. We sniffed out the local firework dealer and after some shady backroom transactions we had our contraband and were ready for the night. This is the point where I thought I was 20 again. I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker, assuring all that we’d score in the morning. The fireworks went off and a record amount of beers were consumed, all in an effort to please the wave gods. At some point in the night we thought
it’d be a good idea to go for a surf at 10 p.m. Granted there was no moon that night and the faint flicker of the hotel lights weren’t enough to light up the waves. I have enough trouble surfing in the middle of the day let alone in the pitch dark, however I must say it was the coolest, most surreal thing I’ve ever done on a surf trip. In the pitch dark you could barely make out a breaking wave, relying on all of your senses to catch one. Luckily we were on a mellow reef break, otherwise even positioning yourself in the lineup is almost impossible.
The next day we went searching for a secret spot I had my eye on for a while. We pulled up to a six-footer going below sea level and spitting its brains out. The sacrifice had worked. I couldn’t believe it. The waves were going off. The guys couldn’t get their gear on fast enough. It was the craziest wedging slab I’ve ever shot. The wave comes out of deep water and just starts to grow, letting you backdoor the takeoff and get spit out. The wave is super shallow though and it’s pretty easy to get banged up. The guys traded tubes for three hours straight, got out to
only eat and proceed to do the same thing again for another three or four hours. I’ve never swum that much in one day in my entire life. I’ve never scored so hard in one day either. That trip, no – that session - fully rejuvenated my love for this sport and lifestyle. It’s a good feeling after you score and it’s getting harder and harder to make that happen these days, so I definitely quit taking these things for granted. It’s exactly what I needed and it’ll be highlight reel in my memory bank for years to come. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
interview • liz rice mccray
This is not my normal style of interview, but I thought we could personalize this one a bit and maybe we could both describe where we are so everyone reading along can imagine us and feel like they’re right here too. So here I am sitting in the BL!SSS office on a black pleather couch… or maybe it’s brown. I’m wearing my jacket, which is a little weird because it’s about 80-degrees outside. I have eaten half a box of Reed’s peanut butter ginger candies; someone must have dropped them off at the office, because there seems to be an abundance of these here right now. So, sitting on the couch I’m surrounded by my wrappers, I have yet to throw them away so it’s really apparent I have eaten half a box of theses strangely filling candies. I feel a little sick now... Your turn – what are you doing and where are you at? I’m at my office in Encinitas, CA, spun out on coffee and drawing out some concepts
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for some future projects I am working on. I should probably eat lunch, but I will probably smoke off my one hitter and have another cup of coffee instead. Gosh, I need coffee… well now that everyone can picture the setting let’s get started. How did you get the name Sketchy Tank? Sketchy Tank started as a folder on my computer called “the sketchy tank” where I stored disturbing images I found on the Internet through various questionable blogs. These images were not disturbing like photos of outrageous porn or death but more like hideous tattoos, sketchy people doing sketchy things, mixed with skateboarding, surfing and low brow art and design. The folder got to be over 1GB in size and I thought it would be rad to create a website to show the world this “sketchy tank” folder. I created a logo, bought the domain and posted away. It generated a lot of traffic
quick. At the time I was a freelance designer/ illustrator so I would slide my designs in there too. The views grew daily and I started offering shirts with my art for sale on sketchytank.com... the rest is history. It wasn’t really supposed to be my name, but it happened. Are you sure there was no porn in the folder? Not in that specific folder, no, haha. We will move on. Tell us about the brand Sketchy Tank: what year did it start, where do you sell your stuff, and what are some of your favorite tee designs? I started the website in 2010, but I had been doing art before that. I sold shirts at my art shows and online. Sketchy Tank is now sold through hundreds of stores throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia and recently Japan. I never thought it would be a brand and it still feels weird to say it is a brand. I like to think
of it as an anti-brand; the branding is through the artwork not just a name on a shirt. I don’t really have a favorite design and I actually hate looking at old stuff of mine because I see all the room for improvements. What are your consistent influences? I’m in a group of friends and like-minded artists called the Swamp Wizards; there are about 15 of us now. Everyone has unique styles and twisted sense of humors. Some are artists, some tattooers, some make jewelry and some even paint on animal bones. We are on a text thread where we share ideas and get feedback. We push each other and give constructive criticism. How do you know when to stop? What is too much for the viewer? I stay clear of politics and religion… not that it’s too much, but it’s not worth it to me. I respect everyone’s opinions but they can keep them to themselves and I will too.
I normally ask my wife if it’s too much and she likes when I take it too far. I try to keep things dark but still have humor. I love the balance of something that looks tough but has a message that’s funny.
things? She is supportive of 99% of what I do; as long as I am a good dad and provider she’s got my back. We are best friends and we push each other to be the best we can be.
Tell us about some of your vices? My vices are pretty normal, coffee and weed mostly. Fridays I normally go big on the partying then eat mass quantities of shit food the next day. Detox then retox!
What’s the dynamic between you and your wife regarding art? Do you ever collaborate? Well, she runs a creative ad agency with 15+ employees so she always has great ideas and advice with marketing. She is a successful entrepreneur and inspired me
How does your wife feel about all those
to quit my day job and give ST my all. Best decision I ever made and she gave me the confidence to pull the trigger and do it. She helps me with my email marketing and Facebook social media. That’s about as close to collaboration for us. You don’t tattoo? You give away tattoos at your art show? I wanted to start tattooing over a decade ago but ended up leaning into illustration and graphic design instead – less blood and more room for error. I like getting tattooed but I would probably hack people up if I did
them, so I will leave that to the pros. And yes, I travel with tattooer friends that tattoo at my events, walking billboards! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Any last words? Never trust a fart or hot girls with Adam’s apples. Lastly, where can people check out your art? I will be doing a tour next year around U.S. and some international stops too, www. sketchytank.com.
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words • lauren burke The anticipation of winter’s arrival is a yearly ritual. Summer turns to fall, the temps start to drop and powder dreams dance in our heads. For most die-hard skiers and snowboarders, this ritual plays itself out in a similar fashion year after year. A gym regimen full of squats, lunges and cross training. Religiously checking the weather forecast. The Mammoth webcams permanently saved to the favorites bar. Shred stick waxed and tuned. Opening day tickets locked in. The excitement manifests itself in many different ways, and when the first flakes starts to fall – it’s game on. The ‘15/’16 season at Mammoth was a return to the glory days. Snow started falling early and didn’t seem to let up. It was 241 days of pure fun that had us riding until the 4th of July. The ‘16/’17 season kicks off on November 10th and stoke levels are at an all-time high. Opening weekend promises to be jam-packed with parties, swag giveaways, runs with Woolly and a whole lot of shredding. The party starts long before the 8:30 a.m. annual Broadway Express banner breakthrough, as the most committed skiers and riders make the pilgrimage to the Mammoth to camp out in hopes of snagging the glory of first chair. “The industry” shows up in droves – from athletes, to photographers, to brand bigwigs – as they all are there to welcome winter back to Mammoth. Browse the #mammothsopen hashtag on Instagram for a feed full of park laps, beer toasts, Woolly hugs and all sorts of other snowy stoke.
danny davis • photo • peter morning
shayne pospisil • photo • kevin westenbarger
judd henkes • photo • peter morning
greg bretz • photo • peter morning
sy moran ª photo • peter morning
mason aguirre • photo • peter morning
Not only was the ‘15/’16 season full of pow days, it was undeniably sick in the Unbound Terrain Parks. Thirteen parks, four pipes, hundreds of features, and some of the most fun events we’ve ever thrown, including the Oakley Mini-Pipe Challenge, JLA Banked Slalom, DC Hit & Run and Snowboarder Magazine’s Superpark20. But that was just one piece in the 20-year history of Unbound awesomeness. All season long we’ll be celebrating 20 years of Unbound, sharing all the best-evers and WTFs that have come out of the last two decades in the terrain parks. The Unbound crew is committed to honoring the past, and continuing to push the innovation envelope in what is possible in terrain park construction. From the days of the Anderson brothers ripping around Mammoth to the present battlefield of young-guns throwing down, Unbound is an integral part of terrain park history and has legacy in a league of its own. From the parks to the pow to the parties, this season is primed for greatness, and there’s a lineup of events sure to impress every member of the family. The annual Night of Lights returns this year at Canyon Lodge on December 17. Celebrate the magic of the holiday season with a truly one-of-a-kind evening complete with live music, a fireworks show, torchlight parade, kid’s activities and snowmobile rides.
gabe ferguson • photo • peter morning
shayne pospisil • photo • kevin westenbarger
ando naito • photo • peter morning
frank knab • photo • peter morning
maddie mastro • photo • peter morning
james goodman • photo • peter morning
seb toots • photo • peter morning
scott blum • photo • peter morning
The parks will be popping off from November until at least June with hot laps, photo shoots, events and the U.S. Freeski and Snowboarding team training. The U.S. Grand Prix takes over Main Park February 1-4 and the stakes are higher than ever this year. The halfpipe skiing, slopestyle skiing and snowboarding slopestyle events will serve as the first selection events for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Watch slopeside as the world’s best athletes take their competition to the next level, all on live TV. You won’t want to miss the magic of Mammoth athletes Chloe Kim, Brock Crouch, Kelly Clark, Maddie Mastro, Brandon Davis and more
brian pracht • photo • peter morning
brandon davis • photo • kevin westenbarger
competing for snowboarding gold at their home court in the Unbound Terrain Parks. Whether you’re a sundeck staple, first-chair regular or just getting your snow-legs under you, the ‘16/’17 season will be full of high-fives and good vibes for everyone. Get unlimited access to skiing and riding at Mammoth Mountain, Bear Mountain, June Mountain and Snow Summit with the Cali4nia Pass. Lock in the lowest price of the season, $849, if you purchase before November 15, 2016, and start shredding on November 10th.
Detroit-based Library Street Collective is pleased to announce the public opening of SYSTEMS – a solo exhibition by Jason REVOK and the gallery’s second in a series of LA-based shows. SYSTEMS opened on Saturday, October 22nd, and the MidCity space was filled with Jason’s massive vibrating canvases and methodical paintings on metal. The Artist Reception was held on Saturday, October 22nd, from 7-9 p.m. and was packed out the door with adoring fans and viewers.
events
Presenting the disintegration of structures, the works utilize manmade tools in their creation. Whether a paint roller coiled in tape to create his Tape Loop Paintings, or an apparatus that holds a row of spray cans, the devices are well considered for their faults. Creating glitches, drips and flaws in all the right places, these systematic - yet accident prone - tools have allowed REVOK to create a distinctive series of works that are as alike as they are different. Their substantial scale maximizes the effect of micro and macro vantage points, as broken patterns are visible up close yet blur into humming geometric compositions from a distance, seeming almost machine-made rather than carefully crafted through experimentation by hand. These black-and-white canvases are inspired by the work of avant-garde composer William Basinski, who in the ‘80s attempted to convert old easy listening tapes to digital but instead watched his cassettes break apart as they moved through the recording spool. He kept documenting despite the interference and created an unprecedented series called The Disintegration Loops, where the music dissolves into bits of droning silence as it reaches its end. REVOK creates a similar effect through paint - imperfect concentric lines interrupted by diagonal composition - where breaks in pattern echo the silences of Basinski’s accidental masterpiece. Materials used by city workers are the catalyst that brings other pieces to completion. For In Memory Of/Afterlife (1 and 2), REVOK uses graffiti-removing solution to wipe out the names of loved ones lost, built up one after another and then rubbed away. The chemical dissolves the paint but leaves a dripping memorial of the text that was once there; conceptually moving for the viewer and yet still personal and private for the artist, the names are illegible in its finished state. Additionally on view will be a tall, X-shaped piece titled Ascension/Descension, made of synthetic polymer on carved birch and MDF, bridging this newest collection of works with his assemblages from the past. Jason REVOK: SYSTEMS will be held at 5428 W. Washington Blvd in Los Angeles, within the Castelli Arts complex. The exhibition will take place from October 22 through November 12 so be sure to check it out.
Photos: Jon Lake • clockwise from top left • Jason REVOK, Systems gallery installation • Caitlyn, JJ Curis, Jason REVOK, Corrina Williams, Anthony Curis • Detail, Untitled X (Ascension/ Dissension) and Kundalini (Hexagon) Loop Painting • Instrument Exercise 2 • Anti-Painting (In Memory Of/Afterlife 1) and Anti-Painting (In Memory Of/Afterlife 2) • Crowds at the opening of Jason REVOK: SYSTEMS • The view from outside 5428 W. Washington Blvd • Jason REVOK, SYSTEMS gallery installation • Detail, Instrument Exercise (Red Blue) • REVOK • Instrument Exercises 1, 4, and 2 • Anti-Painting (In Memory Of/ Afterlife 1)
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R - Marquise Henry
WE ARE SHOP BUILT
words • delon isaacs
I can’t believe this is the fifth year that the Observatory OC and the Growlers have been putting on this beautiful mess of a festival. This year’s Peach Moth (some stupid joke I can’t keep not saying) Festival was hectic just as much as it was just hilarious and amazing, that my brain is still pretty torched from that weekend which was held weeks ago.
events
Beach Goth, if you still haven’t been to or heard of, is the bi-product event and the direct result of when you give a bunch of irresponsible geniuses/goofballs a ton of money and complete freedom to throw a concert. It wouldn’t sound like a scene that would be for everyone, but take my word, it fully is! Beach Goth is one of the only concerts I’ve been to that doesn’t discriminate when it comes to musical taste, or physical stature and fame. It’s a festival where you can find the richest and most baller people coercing and having a hell time with anyone from beach bums, slobs, punks and thugs. From Patti Smith to Gucci Mane, or T.S.O.L to the Violent Femmes, or even 2 Live Crew to Justice, the festival had something enjoyable for anyone who attended. If you’ve been reading negative reviews about this year’s festival I highly recommend you to ignore it. If you were to ask any shit-dick under the age of 25 how their experience was during the festival they would tell you that it fuckin’ ruled. Shit happens and the rain was unexpected, but the Observatory crew managed to do everything they could to keep the show rollin’ and they accomplished it – so mad respect! Don’t blow it by not going next year for Beach Goth VI. Photos: Delon • clockwise from top left • Patti Smith • The Growlers • King Krule • Tomorrows Tulips • Noa Deane, Matt Tromberg, Colin Moran • The Drums • Nate Zoller & Tori • The Abigails • Growler Fans • Panda Crowd Surf • Uncle Ronni (Growlers) • KRPS • Future Islands • Brookes (Growlers)
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words: peter “PT” townend
events
The Red Bull Qiantang Shootout is a first-of-itskind surf contest that pits six, two-man teams of surfers equipped with their boards and a jet-ski against each other for a $31,000 purse, on the most unusual wave in the world. The phenomena that is known as the “Silver Dragon” comes from the tidal surge from the East China Sea into the Hangzhou Bay and down the Qiantang River. Nearly duplicating his qualifying day performance with a 9.5-scoring ride, Dean “Dingo” Morrison led Team Australia with teammate Koby Abberton to victory in the 2016 Red Bull Qiantang Surfing Shoot Out. In excellent conditions, specifically on the second upper section of the river, the former WSL/ASP World Junior Champion, Morrison again found the offshore right-hander section of the “river bore” and systematically tore apart the long walling wave that he is so familiar with from his Gold Coast point break upbringing. As Dingo described it, “I thought I was out at Snapper at home in Coolangatta.” In a close final, Team Hawaii was hot on the Aussie’s heals with Cheyne Magnussen scoring a late 8.0-point ride, but it was not enough to overtake the Aussie’s best three-wave team total. Finishing in third was Team Huntington Beach/ California of Tosh Townend and Kyle McGeary, both former NSSA Middle School Champions that topped scoring on qualifying day one. Results:
1st – Team Australia: Dean Morrison & Koby Abberton $10,000.00 2nd – Team Hawaii: Jamie O’Brien & Cheyne Magnussen $8,000.00 3rd – Team California: Tosh Townend & Kyle McGeary $5,000.00 4th – Team Spain/Europe: Eneko Acera & Kepa Acera $3,000.00 5th – Team Hangzhou/China: Alan Zhang & Xaiochen $2,500.00 6th – Team Brazil: Joao Simonsen & Paulo Esper Jorge $1,500.00 Best Wave: Dean Morrison 9.75 $1,000.00 Clockwise from top left • Dingo off the top • The whole crew • Koby backside snap down the city golden globe section • Fireworks off the Police Dock to start the finals • Kyle on a runner • Dingo on the big right • PT re-fuel on the Qiantang “Silver Dragon” river • Koby backside turn • Kyle on another sick one • Tidal bore perfection • Jamie O S-Turn • Team HB Kyle McGeary and Tosh Townend 3rd place • Cheyne on the chunky big right • The “Silver Dragon” by night touting the recent G20 Global Conference
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interview • max ritter • photo • clodagh walsh
music
Irish pub rock ‘n’ rollas! Oh Boland! [Interview with Eanna McDonagh] For those who haven’t heard the band, can you tell us about it and this new record? We’re a three-piece “noise-pop” band (if that’s even a genre) based out of Tuam, Galway, in the West of Ireland. We’ve been mates since we were wee children, went to school together, played football together and all of that. Basically, myself [Eanna] and Simon had just finished up a band a couple of years ago and Niall had a bunch of songs written. We then spent the subsequent summer in his family pub, drinking and putting some sort of a band together. It’s a kind of small town escapism, with some rock ‘n’ roll beats behind it. Mostly, it’s just we’re friends, we like having a lot of fun and playing music. We released two EPs to date, “Oh!” and “Ho!” and a split “DELPHI” with Me and My Dog, which you can find on bandcamp. The new record, “Split Milk,” was recorded by a really good mate of ours, Mark Chester, in a cottage in the middle of nowhere. It was released by Volar Records in early October this year. Are there other good bands hiding in Ireland we should know about? Yes, there are loads! We share Tuam, our hometown, with an amazing band called So Cow. We really can’t fully explain the influence that this band had on us. For a brief period, Brian Kelly of So Cow fame, taught us during some substitute classes in school and gave Niall a load of music to listen to, turning him onto heaps of really good shit! He played a show in our school subsequently and blew our collective minds. He’s kinda taken on a mentoring role with us, helped us out with a bunch of gigs and even recorded our first two EPs. Personally, they’re my favorite band in the world. Popical Island is an amazing collective of bands
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based out of Dublin. Heaps of good music is associated with them in one way or another, either through their club night “Popicalia” or through their releases. You guys really need to check out the likes of No Monster Club, Squarehead, Ginnels, Paddy Hanna, Land Lovers… among tons more of killer bands associated with them. Others on the Irish circuit like The #1s, Cian Nugent and the Cosmos, Dott, Sea Pinks and Hot Cops are all also insanely good bands to listen to. More locally, in Galway, there is a lot going on at the moment through Citóg Records. Specifically to our sound, the likes of Rural Savage and Field Trip are a must listen. Trust me, go onto the Internet and check all of it out – there is literally too many to mention. The name, “Oh Boland...?” The name “Oh Boland” comes from our good friend Dave Boland, who, along with Jay Burke, runs an original showcase night, currently in the Róisín Dubh, a venue in Galway. He gave us our first show, so we named the band after him. Also, he’s a kind of paternal figure in more ways than one for us. Is the Irish dream at all similar to the American Dream? We haven’t really had the opportunity to think up the concept of an “Irish Dream,” it’s far more muddled in a sense than the more clear-cut American dream. I guess we’ve been really bad at the whole capitalism thing in the last 100 years. We tend to kind of fuck it up. The American Dream is kinda tied up in that, in an aspirational sense. We’ve recently had a whole load of commemorations to mark 100 years of our Republic, and we still seem to have no coherent idea of what Irish-ness is. So, it’s not looking good for us thinking up a dream for it. The American Dream is probably more an easier concept for us to grasp, since so many of our extended families lived it out through emigration. I suppose you could say that the roots of the American Dream lie in immigrants. So, ya know, you’re welcome!
How did you link up with Volar Records from SD? We kinda always wanted the record to come out in the States. All our favorite music comes from there. So, we basically sent out the record to a bunch of labels that we thought it would suit. Volar got recommended to us. We were massive fans of some of the Nerves and Paul Collins releases that they did. Craig of Volar was nice enough to give it a listen and liked it. He was even nice enough to invest in it and bring it out. And the rest is history. I suppose the Internet is useful these days for bands and labels to connect and work together despite being thousands of miles apart, even when it comes to DIY bands like ourselves. You guys just got back from touring in the U.S. How was the trip? I have to hear your take on our political situation. What do people overseas think of us? The trip was amazing. We’re still friends, nobody got arrested and we made all the shows that we planned. We’ve never really toured on that scale before, so that was interesting – I mean, even in a geographical sense. You can get across our country in three hours and from top to bottom in about six hours in Ireland. So ya know, it wasn’t really a shock that the U.S. is big, but you’re certainly more able to understand scale after driving through it for a prolonged period of time. Also, the sense of community among the people we played with, stayed with and shared a couple of beers with was unbelievable! We were never stuck for a place to crash. The political situation isn’t that different in Europe as it is in America. There is a general sense of apathy towards political elites across the western world. I mean, the similarities between the candidacy of Trump and Brexit are eerie, coupled with the popularity of Bernie Sanders vi-save Jeremy Corbyn’s election of as leader of the British Labour Party. So I guess in a way what’s going on in the U.S. is somehow probably more familiar
than outsiders might think. But there’s probably a bit more pageantry in the U.S. I mean, we had a recent election and during the debates amongst the main political parties the most exciting thing that happened was one of them dropped a piece of paper and the other one pointed at it. It’s on YouTube, check it out. But, ya know, we can get away with it. You guys are the leaders of the free world, so ya know, don’t mess it up. Also, how can you still operate on a two-party system? What is the most eye-opening thing you saw over here? Dunkin’ Donuts. Wow, just wow. We spent a lot of time in New England, without WiFi. Those places really helped us out. Plus, the coffee was great. Also the doughnuts are great. Also, iced drinks – we don’t need iced drinks cause it’s always cold. Also parking, you all have to park the same way on every street, very little room for expressive parking in your country. Please, work on that. Also, the random names that you assign your coinage. Coming from a pub culture such as Ireland, were you easily able to out-drink us weak-minded Americans? Listen, I’m not going to go on the defensive here and claim that you guys have an outdated stereotype on mind when asking this question... But ya know, yeah we drank a lot. We are massive fans of your PBR. What a fine drink, plus, you can get it in massive cans! MASSIVE CANS! We never overtly went out to go on a mono-y-mono drinking duel, but ya know… I reckon I could have taken most of the people I came across. However, a responsible attitude towards drinking is not something to be laughed at. But listen, if anyone wants to hit us up on home turf, we’d be willing to put your weak-minded hypothesis to the test in Ireland! “Spilt Milk” the debut LP from Oh Boland is available now from Volar Records. This record comes highly recommended by myself (nobody) and esteemed Irish golfer Rory McElroy.
words & photo • nick zegel
BEACH GOTH V Beach Goth V brought an expanded and star-studded lineup to the Observatory of Orange County for the Growlers annual Halloween-centric music festival. The weekend attracted big crowds who dressed the part and embraced the chaotic festival environment. England-based King Krule made the trip across the pond just for their set on Saturday, during which they teased new material to an enthusiastic fan base. Sunday’s midday storms provided the soaked crowd with a taste of festival-life outside of the typical sunny Southern California weather. Whether or not the runny makeup was intentional, the crowd shut down Beach Goth V inside the Observatory with the Moving Units performing the songs of Joy Division. The electric set channeled the ghost of Ian Curtis who may have orchestrated the rainstorms and flooding so we could all find joy in the wettest of places.
reviews • max ritter
Bruce Springsteen Chapter and Verse Columbia The Boss looking hard right there! This album is a companion to his recently released autobiography Born To Run. The most exciting thing here is the album contains Springsteen’s earliest recording from 1966 and early ‘70s songs from his tenure in The Castiles, Steel Mill and The Bruce Springsteen Band, as well as some of his first demos for Columbia Records. I had never heard any of this early material before. It’s pretty fun to hear Springsteen ripping when he was just a 16-year-old kid in Jersey. Can’t wait to read the book.
Swet Shop Boys Cashmere Customs Swet Shop Boys, the rap duo composed of Heems (Das Racist) and Riz MC, tackle things like how lame it is for them to go through airport security as men of Indian and Pakistani descent. Their perspectives and witty banter make light of some tense political and social issues, which is refreshing.
MIA AIM Interscope MIA says this is her last album. No!
Iggy Pop The Idiot 4 Men With Beards This was Iggy Pop’s first solo album after The Stooges disbanded. After some stints in jail and a mental institution due to drug addiction, Pop linked with close friend David Bowie who helped him write and produce maybe his best solo album. Bowie’s touch is all over this thing. You can also hear the first cut of Bowie’s China Girl on this record.
reviews • delon isaacs Danny Brown Atrocity Exhibition Warp There’s a lot of fucking energy on this album, beware! Atrocity Exhibition is Danny Brown’s third major album; it’s a dark and twisted adventure and it has the potential to be the musical soundtrack to a crazy horror film. Danny Brown has invented a completely new style of hip-hop, and this latest album is proof that he is a hip-hop auteur like no other. If you’re into dark lyrics, crazy beats and features from King Kendrick, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist and Black Milk then this album is for you.
Blonde Redhead Masculin Féminin Numero Group Masculin Féminin is the all-new Blonde Redhead box set that serves as a scrapbook album made from early records that have finally crawled their way out of the vibrant 90’s basement. Masculin Féminin, weighing in at 37 tracks, compiles the band’s first two records for Steve Shelley’s Smiles like Records, their period singles, extant demos and radio. This box set is definitely a relic you need to get your hands on if you’re a Blonde Redhead fan.
Bon Iver 22, A Million JagJaguwar For the longest time I’ve associated Bon Iver as a music group that I would never be interested in. Every time I would hear the bands name I would cringe for no reason and it was just up until last week where I realized that I’ve never actually listened to any of the bands music. My friend played 22, A Million and I was super fuckin’ shocked that this is what the band sounded like. Bon Iver’s latest album has some pretty big sounds, all loaded with different kinds of squishy electronic beats, glitchy instrumentation and impressionistic lyrics. If indie-folk instrumentation is a genre you think you might be down for, I would check out this album. Leonard Cohen You Want it Darker Columbia/Sony What a fucking beast Leonard Cohen is, he’s a goddam legend. Probably one of the most prolific songwriters/poets ever to have lived, he just bestowed his 14th full-length studio album for us this past month with secret indications that this might be the last one we will ever hear due to his recent health complications. You Want it Darker is an intense album, he sounds as wise and as honest as ever, and it really doesn’t come off as an album that someone put together who is running out of time.
photo • deville nunes
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