CONOR HARRINGTON ISSUE 124
ANDREW REYNOLDS / LOS ANGELES, CA RVCA.COM/ANDREWREYNOLDS
MIKEY
ENDLESS GOOD STUFF Mammoth is the place to be for big mountain winter fun. From laughs on the lift and fist pumps in the park to amazing outdoor adventures on snowmobiles, snowshoes and snow tubes, the winter fun never expires.
CON TENT S S
CONOR HARRINGTON / PAGE 42
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WWW.BLISSSMAG.COM
BLISSS MAGAZINE / ISSUE No. 124
20. RANDOMS 24. IAN CUMBERLAND 26. CAITLIN MCCORMACK 28. KELLIE ORR 30. SEAN STARWARS 32. WAYNE HORSE 34. SUPER TASTE 36. DEREK DUNFEE INTERVIEW 42. THE ART OF CONOR HARRINGTON 48. THE TEN YEAR WINTER...TAHOE 54. HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
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60. ALIENS WAS HERE: VOLCOM MOVIE PREMIER 62. MAMMOTH: OPENING WEEKEND 64. COMPLEXCON 66. HIGHLAND SHOWDOWN 68. MUSIC INTERVIEW: THE MAD WALLS 69. MUSIC REVIEWS 70. GROMS
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ISSUE No. 124 / STAFF
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Editor-in-Chief
NI CK K A L I O NZ E S nick@blisssmag.com
Editor
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Art Editor
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Snow Editor
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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS JASON KENWORTHY, DOMINIC PETRUZZI, DANIEL RUSSO, TOBY OGDEN, TOM CAREY, BRIAN BEILMANN, JACK COLEMAN, ANDREW MAPSTONE, ADAM MORAN, DAVE NELSON, PAT EICHSTAEDT, JULIEN LECORPS, RYAN BOYES, ZACH HOOPER, TIM PEARE, MICHAEL LALLANDE, BOB PLUMB, PETER MORNING, BRYCE KANIGHTS, ARTO SARRI, ANTHONY ACOSTA, CAMERON STRAND, BRIAN FICK, DEVILLE NUNNS, GAGE THOMPSON, DEREK BAHN, TOM COZAD, BRUCE BEACH, ROBBIE CRAWFORD, RYAN DONAHUE, JOE FOSTER, SEAN SULLIVAN, STAN SIEVERS, CHRIS LOMENZO 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, RICHIE OLIVARES, ERIC MEYERS, KELLY SHANNON, JP OLSON, BRUCE BEACH, BONES 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.
ISSUE No. 124
CONOR HARRINGTON
THE ART OF CONOR HARRINGTON / PG.42
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IAN WALSH – PEOPLE’S CHAMP
It was an early surprise when we received the email that the Pe’ahi stop on the WSL Big Wave Tour was on Green Alert for the final weekend in the month of October. The waiting period for this event last through the entire month of February but with forecasted 40-45 waves and pristine conditions, they had no choice but to pull the trigger. And what a good call it was, as we saw some of the world’s best paddle, surf and get absolutely barreled at what is arguably the largest, most perfect wave in the entire world. And at the end of the day we couldn’t be happier that hometown hero Ian Walsh was atop the podium. Semifinal 2 had to be the most actionpacked, exciting big wave we’d ever scene with 10-point rides by both Ian Walsh (should’ve been a 12) and Ryan Hipwood, and incredible surfing by Kai Lenny and Albee Layer as well; it truly is incredible how well these guys surf giant size surf.
SALT LIFE – DAYTONA
There’s hardly a day that goes by that we don’t notice a Salt Life sticker or decal on our daily commute. It’s one of those brands that just seems to be getting bigger and bigger and bigger and we couldn’t be more stoked for them. Bringing it back to the state where it all started, they’ve just recently opened up their second flagship store in Florida. This one is located Daytona Beach [1100 Cornerstone Blvd, #910] and the new doors swung open just in time for the holiday season. Encompassing everything surf, fish and dive related, there’s something for everyone on your gift list, so put this mag down and handle your business. And just in case you’re not in the sunshine state, they’ve got stores in Huntington Beach and San Clemente too, so no excuses this holiday season.
RAT CHEESE GOURMET WAX
This past month we were graced with one of the best smelling packages we’ve ever received at the BL!SSS headquarters. The Rat Cheese Gourmet Wax crew musta been watching us surf this last run of swell and noticed we’ve been in some dire need of fresh wax. Their gourmet blend is currently offered in cold/cool, warm/tropical and base coat and boasts 140 grams of wax in each bar; nearly double that of traditional wax bars. They also produce skate and snow wax and quite a few choice soft goods, so no matter what you’re into they’ve got you covered. Ask for it at your local shop, you won’t be disappointed.
PARKER COFFIN REVIVALIST
There’s a new savage on the block and he goes by the name of Parker Coffin. Parker’s a Santa Barbara loc-dog who’s always had our attention but caught the eyes of the boys and girls at Roark when his main surfboard real estate sponsor recently became available. Joining the likes of revivalists Jamie Thomas, Ralph Bruhwiler, Nate Zoller, Jake Burghart and Jerry Ricciotti, we expect to see big things from little Parker. He’s got all the style and pizazz one could want from an athlete and we’re stoked he’s joined forces with the Roark team.
PUBLIC SNOWBOARDS
In only their second season of business, big things have already come for Public Snowboards as they were awarded “Best Park Board” in the prestigious 2018 Annual Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood, the most comprehensive snowboard test on the planet. But what else would you really expect from a board company started by shredder Joe Sexton and backed by the likes of good pals Darrell Mathes and Chris Bradshaw, all of which have new models available now. These are the new-new and a must-have for every diehard snow junky, get yours at your favorite core shop and find out what all the fuss is about.
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NEW STOP ON WSL
Unless you live under a rock you’ve gotta know about Kelly Slater’s [ahem, the WSL’s] new wave pool that exists in Lemoore, CA by now. By far the best manmade wave we’ve ever seen, the WSL announced that the Surf Ranch will now host stop number eight on the 2018 Championship Tour. This is a first people and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ve heard quite a grumble about the departure of Cloudbreak and Lowers but with guaranteed perfect waves at The Ranch and the addition of Bali’s infamous Keramas, we’ve got a feeling everyone’s still gonna be glued to their computer screen when the competitions get under way. Looking forward to 2018 and fingers crossed the BL!SSS crew finally gets the invite to sample some of the best surf in Lemoore, CA.
GOPRO FUSION
If you’re looking to spoil that special photographer someone in your life than look no further than the GoPro Fusion. Available now, it comes with every bell and whistle [and probably a few more] that you ever thought possible. Virtual reality, gimbal-like stabilization, overcapture, spherical surround sound, waterproof, hands-free voice commands and all of this in stunning 5.2k quality, we really feel like there’s nothing more they can think of. But then again, we’re pretty sure it’s not the first time we’ve thought that about the GoPro crew. Regardless, this might be the best stocking stuffer for the action sports enthusiasts, so do your best to stay off that naughty list.
MERGE4 FLAGSHIP STORE
Our newest favorite sock company, Merge4, has just opened doors to their first flagship store in Santa Barbara. Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, Merge4 has made it their mission to bring to market quality-driven, comfortable, durable, modern socks that are made from environmentally-responsible materials. They’ve already teamed up with a plethora of athletes, artists, musicians and influencers that span genres and generations and have released some of the best looking socks we’ve ever seen. And with the support of Wee Man, Steve Caballero, Landon McNamara, Jay Moriarity, Jimbo Philips, Bad Otis Link, Eric Dressen, Nathan Fletcher, Timmy Reyes, Ed Colver, Greg Minnaar, Spidey Demontrond, Cedric Gracia, Shawn “Barney” Barron and Skylar the Surfing Dog, we’re sure there’s a little something for everyone. So next time you find yourself on State Street in Santa Barbara be sure to swing in and check out the 2,000 square-feet of sock madness, they make great stocking stuffers!
CROWN ACE IS A CROWN JEWEL
If you’ve seen the Crown Ace ad in our magazine starring their brand ambassador Punker Pat getting shacked off his nut, it’s obvious that our friends at Crown Ace love surfing and support the lifestyle. While they have 16 stores in So Cal and Lake Havasu, Crown got its start back in 1949 with its first location on PCH in Corona Del Mar! The Schulein family of Newport Beach has owned Crown since 1974 and lifelong Newport Beach resident and waterman Mark Schulein has been the company’s president for a long time... What we love most about Crown isn’t the fact they sell nuts and bolts and other cool stuff but rather the fact they have raised more than $350,000 for Children’s Miracle Networks Hospitals the past several years and has given back more than a million dollars to customers through their Ace Rewards program. More important than selling hardware is giving back to the communities they serve and for that, we thank them!! By the way, at time of print, Crown has just purchased store #17, Island Ace Hardware on the North Shore of Kauai, aloha!
TESLA ROADSTER
Burning the midnight oil and daydreaming at the same time, I think if we had an extra $200,000 lying around we’d have to pre-order the recently unveiled Tesla Roadster. With neck-breaking acceleration of 0-60 in a record-breaking 1.9 seconds, this will be the fastest car to hit a production line. And with top speeds at a whopping 250 mph and a 620-mile range, it really does seem like something from the future. Of course leave it up to Elon Musk and the Tesla crew to bring this to market, but I’d be willing to bet we see quite a few of these in 2018 on the streets of SoCal.
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KA RO TIN M ,S & : FU TA TU M RE PS S
HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU SURFERS
IAN CUMBERLAND interview / liz rice mccray
This month we had the pleasure of interviewing Ian Cumberland, Irish-born painter. Cumberland paints large-scale, surreal, photo-realistic paintings about the society around him. We caught up with Cumberland to talk a bit about his art, inspiration and creative process. Enjoy the interview. One element of your paintings that affects me greatly is your recurring themes influenced by everyday life, contemporary society and real people. Will you tell us about your portraits and the subjects? I make images about the society I see around me. I feel there is emptiness in society, a consumerist alienation where authentic social life has been replaced with its representation leaving little beneath. My paintings aren’t real portraits as I construct sets and pose the models. I’m creating the illusion of normality, they’re very ordinary, but starkly lit making them almost a heightened normality that tips into something more alarming. Most people I know struggle with the daily grind of life. Many have jobs they dislike, only to buy a load of stuff that we’re made to believe will bring some kind of happiness. So there is a focus on the individual in the midst of an on going drama as if something is about to happen or has happened because I feel people are never too far away from breaking point. I feel social media has accelerated this. What was supposed to connect us has in many ways disconnected us. What is the process you use to conceptualize a piece, refine it, “test” it, etcetera, so you do not get part way through a painting and discover, “This is not working”? Basically I’ll come up with an idea and then try to turn it into an image. I’ll construct a set/background, include props, clothes, etc. and then arrange for a model to pose how I want and then photograph it. So in many ways, how I work is in the manner of film, theatre and fashion. As I paint from photographs I tend to know exactly how the image will look before I get into the painting stage, so if the image doesn’t end up working it wont become a painting.
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What are some of your consistent influences? I get influences from all around but there is definitely a feeling I like. Whether it’s music I listen to, films I watch, art, books or news, I’m always drawn to a certain feeling which is the best way I can describe it. The same with my own work, it has a certain feeling to it, it’s not intentional or trying to replicate something, I guess it’s more just a reflection of myself. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an artist? Life. When and why did you really start taking your art seriously? I began to take art seriously when I realised I could make a living out of it. I used to paint a lot of commissions and the business-side consumed me to the point where I didn’t enjoy it. Now I try to focus on making things I want to do, that has some meaning to it. I try to enjoy it now and not take it as seriously because it is just art at the end of the day. Where can our readers check out more of your art? My website, www.iancumberland.com. Last question, if you were not an artist, what do you think you would be with all that life experience? I’d be a nomad.
W W W. LU R K IN G C LA S S . C O M
CAITLIN MCCORMACK interview / liz rice mccray
Caitlin McCormack received a BFA in Illustration in 2010 from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. She lives with two cats in South Philly and crochets to forget the world, in the chaos of her slovenly, nest-like studio. She currently receives representation from Paradigm Gallery + Studio. To see more of her art go to www.caitlintmccormack.com. Will you describe where you are right now, this way everyone reading along can imagine the setting. Hey guys, I’m currently sitting in my studio, on the floor. I work on the floor. The room is pretty messy right now, but not as messy as usual because I recently brought a ton of work to Paradigm Gallery. I collect things pretty obsessively, so the grey walls and old wooden shelves of my studio are cluttered with lots of antique photos and books, scraps of vintage lace and fabric, apothecary bottles, and toys. As well as some of my own sketches and a weird portrait my mom painted of herself as a nun. I also have some pretty cool purple bat string lights hanging in the corner. Pretty excited about those. Would love to see the picture your mom painted. So when someone asks, “What kind of art do you do?” How do you answer? I guess my answer to that question is usually, “I’m a fiber sculptor.” Sometimes I’ll go into further detail and explain that I crochet animal skeletons out of cotton string that is stiffened with glue, after which whoever initially asked the question will back out of the room, slowly. Hahaha. What mediums do you mainly work with? I generally use a pretty streamlined array of materials, which would be cotton string (that I’ve either collected at flea markets and such, or newer string that has been dyed in my kitchen), a top-secret mixture of glues, steel pins and velvet. I love the utter lack of reflectivity of black velvet and how it can relay the impression of a void.
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Can you tell us a little bit more about your creative process? My process begins with a series of sketches, done after observing a specimen either in person at a museum, or from a photograph. Then I do some drawings from memory, to move away from an accurate depiction of the form, since my work is about memory, and how your recollection of something can become warped over time. After that, I mentally break the skeleton down into parts and crochet the individual bones with a tiny hook, stiffen the pieces with glue, let them dry, and assemble them into the full creature. The following days/weeks are spent applying more glue, and waiting until the piece is sturdy enough to support itself so that it can be mounted to a velvet base. Kind of cliché artist interview question here, but where do you draw inspiration from? I mentioned that memory is a very fundamental aspect of why I make this work - I’m always interested in how bizarre and unfamiliar our recollections can become as we conjure them up, over time. To be honest, something that I don’t go a single day without thinking of is John Carpenter’s film, The Thing. The warped, sinewy forms in that movie left an impression on me at a young age. I’m also very interested in entropy, and how matter is always in a constant, cyclical process of breaking down and building up, and breaking down again. Ok very last question, where can people check out more of your art? And thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Thank you for asking me some questions! Right now, I have a solo exhibit on display at Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philadelphia, called Lazarus Taxa. Also, starting November 24th, I’ll be taking part in a two-person show with the amazing Tyler Thrasher at Antler Gallery in Portland, OR. I feel very lucky to be able to show my work in such wonderful spaces. You can see more of my work on Instagram, @mister_caitlin, Tumblr, @lostwithall and Twitter, @mister_caitlin.
KELLIE ORR interview / liz rice mccray
Kellie Orr is based in Perth, Western Australia, and mainly works in portraiture. Using realistic and hyper realistic oil painting methods, Kellie’s work presents honest observations of social behavior, personal identity development and western cultural themes. Her work explores the subtle nuances of our daily lives, our shared experiences and the human condition. If you get a chance make sure to check out more of Kellie Orr’s art at www.kellieorr.com. I’m always curious where people are at the present time that we interview them; will you describe where you are right now? This way everyone reading along can imagine the setting. It’s a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon in Perth, Australia, and I’m sitting in my home studio with the air con on. So, starting with the obvious, why art? Rumors are that you are self-taught, how did you learn to oil paint using realistic and hyper realistic oil painting methods? Art is freedom. I get to control what I paint, how I paint and what I say through my art. It allows me to express my opinions about the human condition, how we exist, what we think about and how we interact with each other. I get to connect with so many people who wouldn’t have otherwise listened to what I have to say, and a connection can be made so easily though a visual medium. There are so many other parts of my life where I choose to do things to make other people happy or satisfy social and cultural expectations, but with art I can just paint to satisfy myself. I’m mostly self-taught; I spend a hell of a lot of time on Instagram looking at art I love, so I’ve definitely been influenced a lot by artists I admire. I went to art school for a week when I was 16 but quit because it didn’t seem like I was going to learn about realistic portrait painting any time soon. I’ve found that the best tips I’ve picked up have been from other artists who have better skills than me - I did a residency with Jen Mann a year ago in Toronto and Jen taught me so much. Also, I think that practice and trial and error go a long way! We love Jen Mann’s work [www.jenmann.com], when did you decide to ditch your day job and pursue your artistic talents? It was actually my boyfriend, Callum, who’s to blame. He’s a photographer and when we got together a few years ago he kept saying I needed a hobby. When I was at high school and for a few years after I was really into art but I was making some pretty boring paintings. It hadn’t occurred to me that I could paint pictures with a concept and I was essentially copying family photos and it became pretty uninspiring. When Callum told me I needed a hobby I was like, “Well, there was this painting thing I used to do…” It started out with one painting, then it completely blew up and took over my life and now I am completely hooked on art and I absolutely love it! I could never imagine not making art again. Plus, the art I make now is way more fun than copying a family photo. How do you choose your subjects now? With people I have pretty tight requirements. If I’m going to stare at all of the tiny details of someone’s face for a few months I have to like them! They have to totally be on board with my art, I have to think they’re humble and genuine and not arrogant. Also, it’s really important that they fit my style. It also depends on how my creative process is going for that painting. Sometimes I’ll want to paint a particular person, then go from there. Mostly I think of a concept and then think, “Who do I know that gets that idea?” Thus, why I end up painting a lot of my mates.
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At the moment I’m painting a unicorn balloon that I saw in a balloon shop window and thought would look really cool as a painting. I spent some time thinking about what I could say with it and came up with a concept that way. So sometimes it’s the image first, before the concept too. Can you tell us a bit about your creative process? Sure. With concepts, I get pretty inspired by my own experiences, what’s happening in western culture, and also I listen to a lot of podcasts and watch documentaries about the mind and psychology. At the moment I’m really into Alain de Botton. He has amazing insights into humankind and the next two paintings I plan to do are directly inspired by him. Once the concept is sorted, I do a photo shoot for a few hours. I take my own photos but photography isn’t my strongest asset so that’s where I ask for help from awesome people like my photographer boyfriend Callum. I edit the photo and use it as a painting reference, adjusting color and tone again as I feel. It usually takes me six weeks as a minimum to complete a painting, although a big 200 cm x 150 cm painting I recently completed took me at least four months. I paint a mid tone grey wash first, do a color under layer, then do a few glazing layers and finish with varnish. What kind of art do you like? I love young contemporary art being created right now. There are so many amazing artists in the world creating stunning work at the moment! I definitely have a huge love of realism, hyperrealism and portraiture, and I love watching other artists’ creative processes on Instagram. I definitely find that a lot of the artists I admire live in Canada and the US. Very last question, any last words for our readers, shout-outs, declaration of love or hate? Shout-out to BL!SSS! Thank you so much for featuring my art! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions and please stay in touch.
STRONG, SILENT TYPE
ENJOY THE JOURNEY. LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND.
www.mizulife.com @mizulife
SEAN STARWARS words / jp olson
When I first learned about Sean Starwars I was studying printmaking as an undergrad at the University of Arizona in 2008. It’s hard to tell Sean’s story without first mentioning Tom Huck and the Outlaw Printmakers. If you don’t know Tom, he is a stout little man with more hair on his chin than the top of his head, a perverted sense of humor and is arguably the most talented woodblock carver in the country. We editioned a print from his new body of work entitled “Dick Heads,” the art looked like some medieval iron maiden torture helmet, but with cocks coming in and out of every orifice. Huck is an original member of The Outlaw Printmakers, a group that turned the anal retentive academic world of printmaking upside down in the mid-nineties. Other members of the group include Bill Fick, Dennis McNett, Sean Starwars and Joseph Velasquez. While we were printing Tom tells me a story about a middle school art teacher doing wood cuts down in Mississippi who lost his job when his students showed the principal images of his art. Fast forward ten or so years and Sean is recounting the story while we print this nine-foot long linoleum block at Hurley’s print shop in Costa Mesa. So the story goes that this little town in backwoods of Mississippi had one computer with Internet and the students had learned that their art teacher had a website with images of his prints on it. At this point the students were getting all excited about this website and the principal found out and looked at the content and asks Sean to come to his office. He sat Sean down and asked him where the students may have seen this, pointing to an image on his computer of a hotdog fornicating with a pig. Sean’s response was that they may have likely seen the image in an art museum alongside other renowned printmakers’ work, but could have also found the image on his website. Sean was forced to sign his resignation letter that day. He now runs his own print shop in Laurel, Mississippi; working for himself and traveling the country giving guest lectures and offering workshops to university students. Because he no longer teaches, he has become one of, if not the most, prolific printmaker in modern society. Sean credits drinking six cans of Mountain Dew a day as the secret to his work ethic, and boasts cutting and printing 24 wood blocks in 24-hours. Sean has recently led workshops for Hunting High, LCAD, OTIS and Hurley’s Art Department, and has created the art for an all-letterpress Charles Bukowski novel that is currently on the press. Because Neil Blender and Chris Miller are his two biggest influences, more recently it has been a real treat for him to work alongside Professor Schmitt – cutting, printing, and pressing skate skins and decks. In February, Sean will be present at the Southern Graphics Convention held in Las Vegas. We look forward to seeing what is around the corner for the world’s most laidback printmaker.
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PHOTO BY @ROBBIECRAWFORD
WAYNE HORSE interview / liz rice mccray
This month we had the pleasure of interviewing Willehad Eilers, aka Wayne Horse. We asked him some cliché interview questions and turns out we really like him, Willehad Eilers art and his personality. I love when that happens. Make sure to read the interview and check out more of his art online website www.waynehorse. com and for daily updates see his Instagram, @waynehorse. Willehad Eilers, aka Wayne Horse, will you tell us about Willehad Eilers and Wayne Horse? Ever since I was a kid I had changing pseudonyms. Back then, a different name had a similar effect to a ninja suit – a whole new character to explore and represent. Later, with graffiti, the story continued. I must have gone through more than 30 names in my life. The reason why Wayne Horse stuck, as opposed to, for example, Wayne La Crosse or Wayne Lambrusko, is my immense respect for horses. To me, they are some of the most elegant and glorious animals this planet has to offer. That, and that my name was Wayne Horse when I set up my website, www. waynehorse.com in 2003. There is no big difference between Willehad Eilers and Wayne Horse. I am more likely to sign a mural as Wayne Horse and a drawing as Willehad, but we are one and the same. Well said, I got it. So you’re German-born, when and why did you decide Amsterdam? I came to Amsterdam in 2001 to study. During my last year of study, my work started to get picked up around here and it was overall easier to make a living as an artist in Amsterdam than in Bremen, where I am originally from. I am still attached to and often in Bremen, because of my parents, my closest friends and the overall spirit of the city. But Amsterdam is a great city too, with a lot of opportunity, interesting people and things to do.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an artist? The whole thing of being an artist is a challenge. In my case, my work is constantly changing and demanding different ways of treating it. This keeps me on my toes. Recently I have finally gotten to a stage with my hand, that the line I create adds to the content of the drawings I make. Instead of just illustrating the idea, it sets the tone and feeling for the image. This has been a long and hard struggle. There have been years in which I would only draw blind, to rid myself of the learned stiffness in my line. You can see the results of this struggle in my “Alles Wird Gut” series and the big painting “Das Grosse Fest.”
Will you tell us about your art? Art is, to me, a type of game of finding metaphors for what is happening around me. The artist, as a part of society, acts as a filter. In my case, this means that most of the works I produce have a sense of humor, melancholy and bluntness to them. I like to think that my works have a positive energy or attitude, but experience has taught me that not everyone agrees on that.
Where can people view more of your art? I have a lot of my work online on my website, www.waynehorse.com, for more daily updates visit my Instagram, @waynehorse. I have a show in Germany coming up in March next year at Galerie Droste in Wuppertal. Next to that, you might run into the odd scribbling or mural, maybe even in your city.
I work in different media, from murals over drawing and installations to video clips and short films. I always try to find the medium that suits a particular idea the best. I often approach an idea from different angles until I found the way of work that will eventually do it justice.
Very last question, any last words for our readers, shout-outs, declaration of love or hate? Thank you for having me. Please accept my declaration of love. With kind regards, W.
The resulting works usually have two layers. A shallow sweet, obvious, silly or funny one and the underlying root system, which allows the viewer to think further than the depicted image or told story. It is important to me that my work has this easy approachable/recognizable aspect, as it allows everyone to understand and judge my work, instead of seeing an abstract piece and saying, “Oh, this is art? I don’t get this.” I want all people to be able to like or hate, any heartfelt reaction means I did my job.
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Cliché artist interview question here, but where do you draw inspiration from? I love to see the birds fly. I like to go for hikes in the forest. I am deeply touched by witnessing acts of compassion, but mostly my inspiration is drawn from what is directly surrounding me every day. I am a white, middle-aged male in the western world, so a lot of my work deals with ignorance, well willing, helplessness, being lost, being well-off, needing motivation on a Monday, being a rosycheeked infant watching fail videos while flying a jet plane. Another major factor is my friends and close ones. Jokes, word plays and purposeless exchange – those are things I enjoy and hold dear. It would be rude to claim that they do not have an influence on my work.
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Accepted. Thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions.
Make waves of music with the Makala Shark Ukuleles. These colorful ukes will brighten your day and are perfect for any celebration. KALAUKULELE.COM / SHARKS
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S SUPER TASTE photography / isaac zoller / @isaac_zoller model / carin cokefair / @carincokefair agency / factor la / @factorchosen_la
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DUNFEE
DEREK 36
When some think of Derek Dunfee they may automatically refer to a surfer from La Jolla who bare hand grapples into walls of water that are five to six times his size. There’s also the Derek Dunfee that is a husband, that is a friend and that is a worker – a really hard ass worker. He works hard regardless of what he does, whether it’s professional big wave surfing, being an employee at El Pescador or working hard at continuing to pave a career in surf photography, this is his own unique career path. Derek’s a blue collar type of guy who has had to earn all of the XXL nominees, awards, respect and praise from peers and the decades [or Dekka’s] of photography that he has to show for today. Hard work can get you far, but hard work and talent can be a deadly combination. And it’s a solid combination of the two of these that make Derek Dunfee as deadly as the waves he toils in.
FILM MAKER HELLMAN
Interview / Spencer Pirdy
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What have you been up to lately? I just released my third big wave zine, Dekka Volume 3, in September and I pretty much put all of my time and energy into having that show. I took a break from the restaurant I worked at, El Pescador, and promoted my photography to have the best show possible. I wanted to work with different people, have a media partner and save all of my best photography for this zine’s launch. Where did the name “Dekka” come from? Dekka is one of my nicknames that originally came from Gary Hughes from Puerto Escondido. I was trying to come up with names for this zine when I was doing 10 years of big wave photography and something with Dekka and Decade, it sounds cheesy, but I just liked it. I had a good friend of mine who’s an artist, Sketchy Tank, who really helped me out with it. But yeah, basically it’s from Gary Hughes in Puerto and me not wanting to use my name. What’s the point of difference with the Dekka zines? Well, I wanted to be original and have all original content that was big wave photography. Dekka Volume One and Two were ten years of big wave photography put into two volumes because I had so much stuff. Dekka Volume One and Two, I shot with so much film. I have my own scanner and volume one and two were mostly portraits, lifestyle, landscape and lineup. I’d shoot before I’d go surf. I have so much big wave photography. With Dekka Volume Three I wanted to add in some high action big wave shots. I wanted to get in the water and share these moments we experience as big wave surfers with guys going over the falls and paddling into these big waves. I’m trying to get really close, and for Dekka Volume 3: Heavy Water I got really close on my board, paddling really close to the pack.
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“For me, I really want to take time to appreciate and share all of these swells that might’ve been swept under the rug because of digital media.” Where did your love for photography come from? I’ve been traveling with cameras since I was a kid. I always traveled by myself with disposable cameras and made photo albums. I still have all of these photo albums from when I was a kid. I always wanted to document and share these trips because I was always by myself. Even when I was a sponsored big wave surfer, there was a point in my career when I’d go chase swells and document it with my own photography and then collect my own photos and footage as well because I didn’t have my own personal photographer and wasn’t being put on photo trips by my sponsors. I’ve been doing that for a long time because I wanted to be efficient and couldn’t afford to bring my own photographer. I just created my own original content. I tried to work with original artists and incorporate that into my work. What makes you really cherish what you’ve done in your photography career so far? I covered a really special time in big wave surfing. A time before the self-inflating life jackets and a really incredible time and certain swells and experiences that I’ll always remember. A lot of people move onto the next swell, or the next image on Instagram. For me, I really want to take time to appreciate and share all of these swells that might’ve been swept under the rug because of digital media. As big wave surfers we’re always looking at the next swell. We’ll be chasing a swell somewhere and already looking at the next swell or the next swell. There are a lot of swells that I’ve documented that I want to share. A lot of people and swells come and go in big wave surfing, and I want to always remember them.
PREVIOUS SPREAD: Mavericks, January 2017 - Ryan Augenstein scratching for his life while Chris Mashburn is holding on for his. OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Puerto Escondido, Tom Lowe setting up for the best view in the house. BOTTOM LEFT: San Diego, California dreamin’. BOTTOM RIGHT: Isabella Veliz Vazquez, making longboarding cool again THIS PAGE: Puerto Escondido, 2016 – Boulevard of broken boards.
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“I get excited just seeing the level of big wave surfing being pushed. When I shoot I almost get more excited than some of the surfers out there. If I’m in Hawaii, Malibu or Mavericks I get excited and if I see a good wave I’m smiling, laughing and everything.” Does social media frustrate you at times? An advantage that I have is that I’ve been around big wave surfing all of my life and this is something I’ve committed my life to. I don’t get frustrated by the amount of content I see on Instagram. It can make me better in that I’ll see what I can maybe do better. It’ll make me really want to get better, unique images. I’m trying to do stuff that’s unique and different. What excites you the most today about photography? Sometimes the waves are good, but there are days when it’s super crowded and I’d get frustrated where I have my camera and I get to enjoy it from behind the lens. I get excited just seeing the level of big wave surfing being pushed. When I shoot I almost get more excited than some of the surfers out there. If I’m in Hawaii, Malibu or Mavericks I get excited and if I see a good wave I’m smiling, laughing and everything. I love surfing, I love capturing and being out there. This is what I love to do. I worked in a restaurant for over four years, and I worked really hard when I was doing big wave surfing. I don’t mind having to work really hard to do this, because I don’t want to put a suit on and work an office job. I don’t think I’m made for that. Do you still have as much of a passion for big wave surfing? You know what? I feel like right now I’m in some of the best shape of my life physically, mentally and emotionally and that some of the best big waves of my life are still ahead of me. I feel weird if I get a big wave photo though and posting it now that I’ve focused so much on my own photography. I had more success than I ever thought I would in big wave surfing. That was a passion and it turned into a career. One part of me wants to be out there every big wave swell, but there’s so much pressure. I just want to go out there and surf.
Who are some photographers who inspire you? In San Diego there’s Todd Glaser who I traveled with when I was sponsored, and even getting into photography he was very supportive. He gives me advice. Peter Taras has always been really helpful as well. Even when I haven’t been shooting that great of stuff they’ve always been like, “Oh, that’s great. I can’t wait to see what you do next!” Guys like Corey Wilson, Zak Noyle, Todd and Daniel Russo, who swim really well, are always inspiring me. You’re one of the only photographers I’ve seen who paddles their 9’6” gun with a water housing on it. There’s so much water moving at places like Mavericks or other spots, and you get sucked all over the place. I’m so used to paddling on my board out there that it really helps me with getting in the spot to take a good photo. When it’s bigger than 20-foot there can be clean up sets and if I’m swimming I can’t see those clean up sets. If I have my board I can see those sets coming. I swam the other week at Jaws during the contest and it was really gnarly. On my big board when I’m paddling and shooting I feel like I can be the most efficient. What equipment do you use, and what do you focus on most in photography? I’m shooting with a 1-DX Mark 2. I have that and a water housing and a couple of different lenses, but I’m focusing on water photography and getting a different water feel. What’s the perfect photo in your eyes? I am always stoked on glassy and offshore conditions whether it’s one-foot or 50-foot. I know I don’t want jerseys in my photos. That Jaws contest I got all of these awesome photos but they’re wearing jerseys and it doesn’t make it as timeless. I’m really focusing on the free surf side of it. Lastly, what is in the future for you and your photography? I want to focus on big wave surfing – the action, culture and story – as well as the Windansea Pumphouse Graffiti Project I’ve been working on from the 20 years I’ve been shooting it. I’m also working on Dekka Volume 4, which will come out in April or May and still trying to learn everyday. I’m shooting for brands, magazines and just trying to grasp the bigger picture of my vision and where I go from here.
OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: La Jolla, Joe Skoby going fishing. BOTTOM: Puerto Escondido, Gary “Ruco Banda” Hughes on the wave of the day and Ken “Skindog” Collins with the arms up approval. THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: Mavericks, the ledge. TOP RIGHT: Mavericks, view from the lineup. BOTTOM LEFT: Puerto Escondido, all eyes out the back. BOTTOM RIGHT: Nils Schweizer on the morning commute.
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Interview / Liz Rice McCray
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Dear reader, We have been smitten with internationally recognized artist Conor Harrington for years‌ tracking his artwork across the globe from Dublin, the United States, U.K. to Norway, Spain and back again. When the opportunity was presented to interview him we jumped on it. Harrington is well known for both his street art and his gallery works. His paintings blend classical elements and contemporary art with old and new references, detailing urban influences and underlying commentary not necessarily about the past, but a metaphor for the world today. Harrington has had solo exhibitions at Lazarides Rathbone in London, The Outsiders, Stolen Space Gallery and Kinsey/DesForges in Los Angeles, among many other galleries. Conor Harrington is an Irish born painter who is currently living and working in his East London. Many thanks Conor for taking the time to answer our questions. To see more, please visit his website, www.conorharrington.com, or follow him on Instagram, @conorsaysboom.
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Perhaps you could describe where you are right now, this way everyone reading along can imagine the setting. It’s a Saturday so I just got in from running around with my son. He’s nearly three and needs a lot of exercise, so we need to be out and about as much as possible otherwise it’s not pretty! I’m sitting at the table with a stack of admin/emails to get through. I never get round to doing computer stuff during the week as I’m always painting; so I try and sit down to tackle it at the weekends. Your paintings are captivating, combining elements of new and old, with mysterious revolutionary battles and historical references of duty and honor. Can you tell us a little bit about that dichotomy? I was doing graffiti as a teenager and was fully emerged in hip-hop culture. When I went to art college I initially found it hard to grasp contemporary art so I’d look back through art history for some answers. Graffiti and art history seem worlds apart but there are a lot similarities too, a lot of tales of flesh and overblown egos. My paintings aren’t about the past. I use the 18th Century stylings as a visual metaphor for power, excess and greed but at the same time my paintings are very much about the world today. Your murals are highly complemented by the surface on which you create them, texture always seems to be a component to your pieces, what is the process you use to conceptualize a piece, refine it, “test it,” etcetera? I always choose as smooth a surface as possible, so I never paint on bricks. I like a skimmed gable end so that the wall is similar to a canvas and I can really move the paint around on it. In terms of conceptualizing a piece, I pick an image that suits the dynamic and context of the wall but generally the subject of my walls reflect what I’ve been working on in the studio.
“Graffiti and art history seem worlds apart but there are a lot similarities too, a lot of tales of flesh and overblown egos.”
PREVIOUS SPREAD: London, UK, 2014. (Photo by Owen Richards) THIS PAGE, LEFT: Grottaglie, Italy, 2012. (Photo by Angelo Milano), ABOVE: Hide and Seek, oil and spray paint on linen, 200cm x 150cm, 2016
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“I like to look at my walls as studies. I also rarely call them murals as that word conjures up a very complete and highly finished piece to me whereas I like mine to be looser and less precious.” What mediums do you mainly work with, in studio and outdoors? In the studio I mainly use oils with a little bit of spray paint but outdoors on a wall I’ve graduated from spray paint to bucket paint. The walls are bigger than they were ten years ago and I like to get loose so spray paint is too confining for me. How does your mural work inform your studio practice or vice versa? I like to look at my walls as studies. I also rarely call them murals as that word conjures up a very complete and highly finished piece to me whereas I like mine to be looser and less precious. That way I don’t feel too much pressure when I’m painting. I’ve also never taken on a commissioned mural or a public art project. The scale of the wall and the visibility of it is too much for me so when I paint a wall I like to imagine it being painted over at some stage afterwards. I’ve gotten looser on my walls and that’s definitely helped me to loosen up in the studio too. Your film “Old Norse” was your third film with filmmaker Andrew Telling. The film is mesmerizing and very moving. It showcases textures and nature and how your art integrates them, with a soundtrack that wraps it up into a perfect package, will you tell us more about your film projects? In total I’ve done four films with Andrew, three travel films (Israel/Palestine, Ireland and Norway) and one mini project with actors. I love how he works and we’re good friends so we naturally work well together. In general, I don’t like being filmed, I find it very distracting knowing the camera is on me but Andrew is very respectful and he lets me do my thing while he films me through a fence in the distance. We did three of those together and a film where we got some of the actors that I work with. That was a completely different way of working as it incorporated a lot of costumes, props and acting and I’ve been meaning to revisit it ever since. Is there an element of self-portraiture in your work? I hope not, as I tend to paint the negative aspects of masculinity - ego, greed and bravado. There’s an old cliché that suggests every painting is a self-portrait but I feel like my paintings portray the opposite of me.
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What kind of art do you like? Do you collect any art in particular? I don’t buy art, I have a handful of pieces I’ve swapped with friends but in general I don’t own much. I like a lot of painting, a lot of art not associated with the street art scene as well as some bashy graffiti. Time spent looking at art is as important as time spent making it. Where can people view more of your art? In various cities around the world but I’m sure most people view my work through their phones. Very last question. Any last words for our readers, shout-outs, declaration of love or hate. Be nice to people!
I like that answer. Thank you so much Conor for a lovely interview.
THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2013. (Photo by Alexis Diaz) / Paris, France, 2015. (Photo by Conor) / Warsaw, Poland, 2015. (Photo by Maciek Kruger / Belfast, Northern Ireland, 2012. (Photo by Ryan Loney) OPPOSITE PAGE: Transformer, oil and spray paint on linen, 200cm x 150cm, 2016
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PHOTOS & WORDS / SEAN KERRICK SULLIVAN
The snowboarder’s dream is a winter with a consistent cycle of huge storms followed by sunny days, followed by more huge storms. This past winter, that dream was realized in Northern California, and it was especially sweet after the decade long drought that drove all but the most hardcore snowboarders and film crews away. The prolonged dry spell meant that when it turned on, what was old became new, and an entire generation of riders was able to appreciate Tahoe and the Sierras for what they really are when it’s pumping.
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I was one of the lucky ones, I grew up riding the Sierras, so I knew what to expect when a single storm would drop ten plus feet, and I’ve been going home consistently despite the drought, so I knew exactly what features I wanted to shoot and hit once the tide finally came back up. But I wasn’t the only one who knew what was up; a lot of people showed up, but those who knew how to navigate the crowds and traffic scored the hardest. Absinthe Films rolled into town and laid down the law, fielding a crew so thick with talent and local experience that nobody ever beat us to a spot. Lead cinematographer Shane Charlebois was there when the freestyle potential of the Donner Pass/ASI Zone was first realized, decades ago, and he was tripping upon his return. The terrain here is so good that it rivals anything else in the world, but as people are always hunting the new new, sometimes they forget the goods that are right under their noses. In front of Shane’s lens were North Lake Tahoe locals Brandon Cocard, Brenden Gerard, and Christian Conners along with recent
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transplant Hans Mindich. Cocard and I used to ride together when we were like 10 or 12 years old on Alpine Meadows’ snowboard team, and we’d always look out the window of our parents cars on the way to Boreal for contests, looking at the tracks on the “I-80 Drop,” aka “Mini Half Dome.” When we were little groms, that was THE jump where every pro came to test themself, the history and importance of trick list on that jump runs deeper than any other spot in snowboarding. It’s huge, and it has what Cocard called “the best landing in Tahoe.” It had not been hit in nearly ten years and we finally fulfilled a childhood dream, rolled up at dawn, and broke her off proper. Hans especially, stomping a FT BS 7 Japan, a never-been-done trick on that feature. The rest of my time with Absinthe consisted of destroying a bunch more Tahoe Classics, as well as a brand new feature that was literally six-feet from the bridge parking lot on Old 40.
PREVIOUS SPREAD: Brendan Gerard handling biz, so stoked on the light beam that hit the lip here, I couldn’t have designed better light if I tried. OPPOSITE PAGE: Brandon Cocard, Hans Mindnich and Brendan Gerard in the powder portal, watch for falling ice. THIS PAGE - TOP: Shane Charlebois has been worshipping at #TempleOfTheWhiteWave longer than most, prayers answered and enlightenment attainted on Donner Pass. BOTTOM: Dylan Thompson, Gray Thompson, Graylien, Grayg Kelly… the kid has many names and wears many hats, but one thing’s for sure, he’s a free-range non-GMO soul border at heart. ISSUE 124
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Surprising to all was that the Warp Wave crew, some of Tahoe’s most local local’s didn’t make much of a splash despite a good winter it was. This is my favorite crew in Cali, they all ripped the land to shreds last winter and we saw it on social media, but the prior season their film “Aurora Boardealis” became an instant classic. This year, THE year, for reasons unknown, the crew essentially disbanded, with everybody soul boarding and working on their own projects. Ah, that makes sense, these guys have been waiting for this winter for years, and soul boarding is the best, so I’m stoked for the guys to have had more riding time and less time waiting on cameras. The WW leader, Gray Thompson was spotted everywhere last winter, but sans camera bag, soul boarding at its finest… Hell yeah broey! Here’s to hoping for another WW movie, our sport desperately needs movies like theirs, insta-edits and insta-stories are worth nothing, and only serve as a distraction. Warp Wave please, get the gang back together, and make another movie, the people need your art!
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Another crew that shut it down was the Snowboarder Magazine crew while filming their movie “Pepper.” Bode Merrill let me know he was headed out with Garrett “Worm” Warnick and Chris Grenier. With dual filmers, Kyle Schwartz and Jon Stark, we headed out to a zone that’s as legendary as Donner Pass, but via snowmobile, and this one I will not name. Imagine ancient old growth trees, looking nearly like skeletons, scattered around playful jump terrain, with a mini Alaska wall up around the corner. And when I say mini, I mean, it’s man-sized shit, spines and drops galore rolling out into a perfect meadow. No crevasses, no bergschrunds, basically a rippers dream. We racked so many shots on that wall that it took me days to organize all their photos, and to top it off Chris Grenier sent his snowmobile off the cornice on the shallow end. I’ve never seen so many clips stacked in two days, and in the words of Bode, “Those were the best days of my season.” And if Bode says that, you know it was really fucking good!
LEFT: “Lights good, do a triple cork!” Said no filmer ever. Garrett “Worm” Warnick with a floaty frontside 180 for filmer Kyle Schwartz. More soul, less sellout. ABOVE: Hans is a wonder-kid, on and off his board. We all wonder how even autocorrect can’t help him with his spelling and grammar in his IG captions or text messages. It’s wonderfully refreshing, just like watching him shred.
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2017 HoLIDA Y
GIFT GUID E
// GFTGDE
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
QUIKSILVER
VANS
DRAGON
SLOWTIDE
RVCA
MIZU
HURLEY
FUTURES
SALT LIFE
Travis Rice Natural GORE-TEX Gloves / $129.95
Regime / $29.95
Phantom JJF 4 Boardshorts / $100
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Ultrarange Hi MTE / $95
Tracer Jacket / $90
Techflex JJF / $115
NFX2 Goggle / $180
V10 / $39.95
Dawn Patrol Hoodie / $58
2017 HOLID AY
GFTGDE //
G IFT GuIDE
+
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
SALT LIFE
ELECTRIC
BUELL WETSUITS
RVCA
VANS
VESTAL
MERGE4
CROWN ACE
EXPLOSIVE
Dark Seas Beanie / $22
Toy Machine X RVCA Hoodie / $54
Jimbo Cycloptop / $20
EGV Electric x Volcom Collab / $110
Danimals Implant Boot / $249.95
Traeger Pro Series 34 Wood Pellet Grill / $999_99
RB1 3/3 Split Toe Ninja Booty / $50
Retrofocus / $250
EXPL Breakwind Coaches Jacket / $32
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2017 HoLIDA Y
GIFT GUID E
// GFTGDE
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
SURF STORY Volume 2 / $300
+
ETNIES
Michelin Marana / $74.99
805 BEER
Mammoth X Stance Winter Sock / $24
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Stacker / $260
QUIKSILVER
Cheers Pullover / $50
MAMMOTH
ELECTRIC
Travis Rice Mission Snow Jacket / $159.95
JONES SNOWBOARDS Storm Chaser / $599.99
SKETCHY TANK
Down With My Demons Longsleeve Tee / $32
2017 HOLID AY
GFTGDE //
G IFT GuIDE
+
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
ZEAL
Crowley / $149
ZEAL
Portal RLS / $229
MIZU
Nomdic Coast Jacket / $88
Black Ball Hi HF MTE / $75
RVCA
V8 / $35.95
OUTERKNOWN
VANS
Toy Machine X RVCA Coaches Jacket / $69
KALA
Electric Guitarlele / $369.99
HURLEY
JJF Jacare Beanie / $22
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2017 HoLIDA Y
GIFT GUID E
// GFTGDE
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
SMITH
Squad XL / $130
+
BYRD
Big Byrd Bundle / $100
VOLCOM
Dressen / $20
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Lucky B Hat / $25
SALTY CREW
Ghost Stripe Insulated Jacket / $260
MERGE4
805 BEER
Piky Jacket / $199
SUPERBRAND PigDog / $619.95
THIRTY TWO
TM-Three Grenier / $449.99
2017 HOLID AY
GFTGDE //
G IFT GuIDE
+
No. 124 // Holiday Gift Guide
DRAGON
Proflect / $150
MAMMOTH Beanie / $20
QUIKSILVER
Gustavo Sherpa Blanket / $79.99
Bear / $139.99
VOLCOM
Hata Longa Denim Deck Jacket / $110
NIGHTSHIFT
ALUMINATI
TD2 Gore-Tex Pant / $490
SKETCHY TANK
Krampus Pullover Hoody / $60, Krampus Sweat Pant $50
VESTAL
Sophisticate / $320
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ALIENS WAS HERE
VOLCOM MOVIE PREMIER
WORDS / BONES
PHOTOS / LUKE FORGAY & DANIEL CABRAL
On the cusp of the New Year, and with the surfing world in a constant state of change, Volcom still sticks to its roots by providing us with another eccentric surf movie. If you’re like me and grew up watching the masterpiece [by none other than the infamous V-Co figureheads Richard Woolcott and Troy Eckert] Computer Body, you get the feeling that Volcom’s new edit, Aliens Was Here, still rings true to that of Wooly and Troy’s beachside trailer park editing masterpiece that we all grew up drooling over. While some bigger names have moved on and the new talent now graces up with modern surfing, one man that still reminds us of those past glory years, and looks like he’s picked up a few more moves to add to his 156 Tricks, Mr. Ozzie Wright, still melts the mind. From the beginning slogan of “Youth Against Establishment” that Volcom’s foundation was built on, to the current “True To This,” Volcom does a great job of doing just that, being true to themselves.
left to right: Packed house for Aliens Was Here / Christian Fletcher, Matt Tromberg, Mauro Diaz & Steven Sauter / Aliens were spotted everywhere / Wide-eyed and alien ready / Colin Moran & Jason Rhodes / Andrew Doheny - Power Lunch / Cole Sandman / 5-to-1 is a pretty damn good ratio if you’re Isaac Zoller
On a mild fall night in Westside Costa Mesa, the boys at Volcom threw a celebration to world premiere their newest endeavor Aliens Was Here. Pizza, PBR’s and some red wine for the classier folk was on tap while the crowd massed behind Volcom’s iconic headquarters in anticipation for the movie to start. After most of the crowd was lubed up, the boys opened the rollup doors into the skate park where the jumbo size projector was set up to start the show. While most of the area was standing room only, some did find seats on the ramps and other places to perch for a better view while the show began. The new edit began with Volcom’s ever-growing, goofy-footed squad getting ridiculously shacked on some far away left in Indo. It makes one wonder if aliens really did come and swoop these guys up and take them to some wave that doesn’t really exist. After a few minutes of this insanity Volcom’s newest team member, Noa Deane, gave us a show of ankle-breaking airs stomped into the flats that left us pondering if he was posted up on a couch somewhere recovering from his injuries. After the flick we were greeted with a short set from team rider Andrew Doheny’s band “Power Lunch” and that was a wrap. And even though the surf industry is feeling more and more like the NFL everyday, it’s refreshing that there are brands out there keeping the culture intact and the vibe alive. Thank you Volcom, and peep Aliens Was Here, free for all at www.volcom.com.
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MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN
OPENING WEEKEND
WORDS / JOEY MARSHALL
PHOTOS / PETER MORNING
Each and every year November rolls around and I start thinking about my downstairs closet. It’s where I pack up and stash all my snow gear from the previous years’ season [which was unbelievably August this last go around]. It had been a few years since I had actually made it up Mammoth Mountain for Opening Weekend and after last years’ record-shattering snowfall I had high hopes and anticipation of what was to come. Even with a less than perfect forecast, the first week of November I excitedly started pulling out all my snow gear and making sure it was all in working order. By midday on November 9th, I was doing 100mph on the US-395 chomping at the bit to get a snowboard back under my feet. The “fuzz-buster” was on full alert and that radar-tracking device paid for itself multiple times over as CHP was in full effect knowing many were Mammoth bound and with similar anticipation.
left to right: Mike Rav / Wooly in full force on Opening Day / Ryan Pluche / First snowboarder down / Tusks Bar - was the place to be / Opening Chair for the 2017/2018 season / Alex Sanguily / Ryan Pluche / Mammoth staff & Wooly, all smiles for opening weekend
And unfortunately, do to a later than expected departure, I didn’t even actually make it on the slopes day one of the 2017/2018 season. But we had all weekend, and with conditions forecasted only to get better and better, I really didn’t mind. I’ll save you, dear reader, from all the gory details of my 96-excursion but the cliff notes looked a little something like this: Arrived to Mammoth in time for the Wave Rave Opening Party, good times had. Made it on the mountain day two of the 2017/2018 season by 9am, conditions were a bit windy and with only a few lifts open but still felt good to get a board back under my feet. Friday night festivities included the usual: more movie premieres, parties and closing down the bar. Saturday started out bluebird, soft manmade fluff and they opened up Chair 14 so runs doubled in size, rode till 4pm or so, singles only and less than five minute waits. Saturday night I met up with Mammoth Mountain marketing guru Jimmy Huh and friends to celebrate his birthday, good times had by all. Slept in Sunday and jumped on the road back to reality with another opener behind us and in the books. And of course, the following weekend gets four to six feet of fresh powder and I’m once again at deadline. But it looks like there are more storms on the horizon so I’ll be heading up that way again real soon.
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COMPLEXCON
2ND ANNUAL FESTIVAL, LONG BEACH
11/4-5/2017
PHOTOS / COMPLEXCON In its second annual year, ComplexCon took Long Beach by storm this past month when tens of thousands of fans took over the Long Beach Convention Center to partake in the music, latest merch drops and visually pleasing booths by today’s most influential people and brands. We can’t say enough good things about what the ComplexCon crew has done and if you like modern urban culture this is quickly become the mecca of what’s hot. It’s where influential brands like Puma, Human Made, adidas, Neighborhood, Billionaire Boys Club, Colette, Nike, Kimoji and dozens more all converge under one roof to show the world what they’ve been up to. And with such majors players comes their star-studded talent, allowing the public to rub shoulders with their favorite celebrities, athletes and of course musicians. There were far too many to list but standouts include: Big Sean at the Puma booth, Lavar and Lonzo Ball, Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson, Andre 3000, Riff Raff, Wiz Khalifa, Rich the Kid, Travis Barker, Erik Koston… the list literally goes on and on. And after last years’ success it shouldn’t come as a surprise that hardcore fans wanting first dibs on the newest releases were camped out the night before in anticipation of what was to come. There’s was literally too much that went down on day one to fit in the limited space but the night ended with a concert style listening of N*E*R*D’s new album No_One Ever Really Dies. Day two consisted of much of the same – big drops, big names and big music as once again the convention center reached max capacity. We saw more than a few jaws drop when Kobe Bryant and Kendrick Lamar took over the court at the Nike experience center to discuss to the crowd how basketball and music has influenced their lives. One of our personal favorites, Andre 3000 released an exclusive 100 pair of shoes that he personally collaborated on with Tretorn. DJ Kahled pulled G-Eazy on stage during his performance to introduce a new G-Eazy song. DJ Kahled, the sneaker head that he is, also tossed out boxes of coveted Air Jordans into the crowd and ended the set by pulling off his own shoes and sending them home with a lucky fan – class act all the way. And with another successful ComplexCon behind us, I imagine next year is going to be even bigger and better, maybe even a 48-hour campout prior to opening the doors!
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left to right: Marc Ecko / Kobe Bryant & Kendrick Lamar at the Nike Experience / White on white on ice, AF-1 ‘07 Off White by Virgil Abloh / Diamond Supply Co. X Project Blitz X Retna; custom plexiglass miniramp / Plenty of social posts from ComplexCon Art Zone / N*E*R*D’s Pharell Williams / Wiz Khalifa / DeLorean DMC-12 from Back To The Future / HipHop Troooper / Bait with rare collection of Bearbricks on display / Free tattoos for a lucky few
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HOSTED BY SLOAN HIGHLAND SHOWDOWN ‘17 ELLIOT
WORDS / FRED VAN SCHIE
PHOTOS / CHRIS ORTIZ
On Saturday, October 28th, the 2017 X-Games Big Air gold winner Elliot Sloan hosted another event in his backyard in Vista, CA. His backyard is any skate rat’s dream. It starts with big deck and a quarterpipe that leads you to a miniramp, which sits next to a pool (with water). Further back is the massive Rockstar vert ramp, which you have seen in many (Instagram) videos from your favorite vert skateboarders. Recently, Elliot added a mini megaramp in the far back. The tower built on top of the vert deck sits 30-feet off the ground! Giving you a nice view of Vista before you drop in.
left to right: Bucky Lasek - FS Invert / Clay Kriener / Cory Juneau BS Noseblunt / Omar Hassan - Beanplant / Paul Schmitt / Man of the day - Elliot Sloan / Andy MacDonald - FS Blunt / Alex Perelson - Oillie Fakie / Kevin Kowalski - Stalefish / Rat Black
Each guest was asked to donate $20 for “Grind For Life,” the organization from two-time cancer survivor Mike Rogers, that provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families when traveling long distances to doctors and hospitals. The event was two days before Halloween so many of the guests came all dressed up. Bucky Lasek showed up as a surgeon, Bob Burnquist was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete, Andy MacDonald was Thing 1, Elliot Sloan was a bad-to-the-bone skeleton and Tony Hawk showed up as… well Tony Hawk. David Gonzalez kicked off the event with his metal band Ratt Black, and as they were playing Omar Hassan, Kevin Kowalski and some others were ripping on the quarterpipe. After that, everyone moved over to the vert ramp where a heavy session followed. With cash for various tricks, Andy MacDonald, Alex Perelson, Bob Burnquist, Bucky Lasek, Sandro Dias and host Elliot Sloan put up a great show for everyone. While the guests were enjoying the free BBQ food and free drinks, courtesy of Rockstar, the final session of the day was on the mini megaramp. Tony Hawk showed up to watch the session alongside Christian Hosoi. Elliot kicked it off with a huge Christ Air to pay homage to Christian Hosoi (who invented the trick) while Mitchie Brusco, Paul-Luc Ronchetti, Andy MacDonald, and Evan Doherty stepped up to the plate and landed some amazing bangers as well. Right after sunset Unwritten Law played and after that DJ Ben Cofresi shut it down. Thanks to Elliot and Rockstar for the fun event that raised over $3,000 for “Grind For Life,” looking forward to next year!
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No. 124 / MUSIC INTERVIEW
THE MAD WALLS
Interview & Photos by David Evanko
Who are The Mad Walls and how did you come about? “The Mad Walls are a Los Angeles musical outfit that spawned from a group of recordings that I put together in the summer of 2015. Originally, it was just going to be a personal recording project, something I do to pass the time, to stay sane. The band now consists of a rag-tag group of friends: Jonathan Martin (Drums), Nikki Pickle (Bass), and, when we’re lucky enough to steal them from their other bands, Glenn Brigman (Farfisa) and Gabriel Fernandez (Guitar). We found each other through mutual friends, similar ideas and the motivation to create an original sound. Oh, and who can forget timing! It’s all just been really good timing.” – Chris Mercado (Guitar, Vocals, Songwriter) “I met The Mad Walls about a year and a half ago through our mutual band friends who were all sharing this crazy live-in practice space in Highland Park. Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Triptides, Levitation Room and The Mad Walls were all recording their albums at the same time in this hot, hazy, weed smoke-filled apartment with weird magazine cutouts glued all over the walls, and I’d go shoot photos there or just hang out and jam. We would always see each other in passing but when I saw Chris and John play live at the Constellation Room for the first time I was like, “These dudes are doing something really unique.” I remember finding out that they were looking for a bassist while I was in Europe with Triptides and I wrote to Chris from the back of the tour van driving through Germany to say, “Hey, I wanna play with you guys.’”” – Nikki Pickle (Bass)
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What kind of equipment were you using to record? “Somewhere Anywhere was recorded on a four track cassette recorder, one of those handy Tascam recorders. It was done on a Portastudio model that had no EQ, so you were basically married to whatever sound you put into it. I wish I could start naming a bunch of cool gadgets but it was done very minimally with just an SM-58, my workhorse Tele, a Fender Reverb, a little pixie dust, and voila!” – Chris
When I first met you guys you ran a pretty cool music shop, any plans or dreams of bringing that back? “Everydaze Music, those were the days! That whole underground scene didn’t last long but it’s where I met John (Drummer), so it was important for me to be there, to make those connections/friendships.” – Chris
What was the turning point that allowed this side project to take off? “I wouldn’t call the band a side project, The Mad Walls is my main squeeze! People can now enjoy the songs on a medium like vinyl thanks to Tim Presley (White Fence, Drinks) who just released Somewhere Anywhere on his record label, Birth Records. With the help of Tim, our album is now available to a wider audience.” – Chris
What’s your plan now that the record is out? “I suppose we take this record on the road; it’ll be the first time this band leaves the nest, curious of what people outside of Los Angeles will think of The Mad Walls. There are also so many songs waiting to be recorded. The next album has been written, just need to start piecing it together.” – Chris
What was the inspiration behind the debut LP Somewhere Anywhere? What subjects do you cover? Somewhere Anywhere is an attempt to produce an original piece of work. I think I just started getting comfortable writing and singing my songs, you have to not care what people are going to think, not try to fit in any genre or sound. That’s how this Mad Walls style came about.” – Chris
“We have so many plans in the works! Hitting the road in the US and places and planets beyond… we just finished shooting a music video with our super talented buddy, Alfredo Lopez, that we can’t wait to share, and we’re just writing and jamming all the time right now. We have so many ideas for things to add to our live set, and for what we want to record next as a group. There’s a lot cookin’ in the kitchen right now!” – Pickle
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MUSIC
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RE VIEW S No. 124
Live Review & Photo by David Evanko
DEAD MOON
The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA / Sunday, August 16, 2015
It’s unfortunate to hear we recently lost the great Fred Cole of the iconic Portland trio, Dead Moon, to cancer. Here is Fred (stage left) just two years ago ripping with his wife Toody. Fred had the most unique voice and was truly gifted with words. Here is to Fred’s last train; rest easy rock n’ roller.
REVIEWS BY MAX RITTER
REVIEWS BY ROB MOLT
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings / Soul Of A Woman / Daptone
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard / Polygondwanaland / Self-released
Whether it’s the hard living of a touring musician or just some law of the universe that says many truly gifted artists won’t see old age; well, we will never know. It feel’s like so many of our musical hero’s seem to leave this place too early and even more so of late. This one was cancer again. Sharon’s deeply soulful voice and songs are nothing short of incredible; however, the main reason she is so inspirational is her grit and fortitude. Sharon worked as a corrections officer in NYC and weekend wedding singer before she finally caught her break as an artist at the age forty, proving nothing is really out of reach if you don’t give up. Sharon passed away last year so it might surprise you that this is actually a new record. Yes, Sharon made this incredible album with The Dap-Kings while battling cancer for a second time. She proved herself a strong and determined person and someone who made the best of her time here. She is now gone, if nothing else to remind us this world needs more like her.
The other day we saw a lizard stuck to an insect glue trap by a front door, those traps are seriously inhumane. Anyway, we worked carefully to free the little guy. We got his legs and tail clear only to find he had already pulled his belly off, exposing his gizzards. Dude was going to be a goner. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard just released a free album, it’s their fourth release this year and it’s a great mix of tripped out energy and elongated song fun. The incredibly prolific Australian psych band wants you to downloaded it, burn copies and even get it pressed to vinyl. They actually want you to reproduce it and spread it around to your rock friends. But don’t spread glue traps, I bet the band doesn’t like lizards being stuck to those awful traps either.
AC/DC / Highway To Hell / Albert/Atlantic
Alex Cameron / Forced Witness / Secretly Canadian
Continuing with the eulogy issue… We wouldn’t be doing rock n’ roll any sort of justice if we didn’t give our respects to founding AC/DC member and creator Malcolm Young (left) who often didn’t get the shine that his brother Angus did. I found it funny reading an article about Malcolm that said although both of his older brothers had found success in the music industry before him, Malcolm’s dad still made him work as a mechanic in a bra factory after he left school for music at the age of fifteen. “I’ve never felt like a pop star – this is a nine-to-five sort of gig,” Malcolm told Rolling Stone in 2008. “It comes from working in the factories, that world. You don’t forget it.” The common theme to success in anything is work ethic and Malcolm had that. Like they said, “It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock n’ roll”. One of the greatest rhythm sections to ever do it, and in AC/DC the rhythm guitar was everything.
As America slides back into a misogynist dystopia, sleazy Alex Cameron makes the perfect anti-hero. Accompanied by his saxophone slayer, Roy Molloy, these two lounge bar creeps are back with their second, coke-dusted, dirty ashtray release. And it’s as gorgeous sounding as it is offensive to listen to. Using words like “pussy” and “faggot” grab your attention as you fear for the women and root for the losers in these sprawling moody synth songs. This time Alex’s neon light croon has expanded its range and Roy’s got more room with his horn. This really helps to tell these smarmy, hard luck songs that paint a bleak picture of an American male underbelly. It’s just done really well. “Alex Cameron” may be the sleazeball loser, but the hardworking Alex and Roy really aren’t... I think.
Thundercat / Drunk / Brainfeeder
Taylor Swift / Reputation / Big Machine
Ok, no more eulogies. Does this year feel like the red wedding in Game of Thrones to anyone else? Winter is definitely coming so let’s celebrate the only guy that goes up in key change when he is already signing high as shit. As long as Michael McDonald is still kickin’ we will be all right. Celebrate life with this Thundercat track with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins - that’s a heavy combo.
Taylor Swift has 104 million followers on Instagram. Her new record sold over a million copies in just three days. I know all this because I looked on the Internet. Swift is also on the Internet, check for yourself.
Turnstile / Real Thing / Roadrunner
Richard Hell and the Voidoids ‘Blank Generation’ / 40th Anniversary Reissue 2LP Set / Sire Records
I saw Turnstile last year and it was a pretty mental show. They have a refreshing/ unique take on hardcore in my un-esteemed opinion. This is their first single of their new record.
“I was sayin’ let me out of here before I was Even born, it’s such a gamble when you get a face It’s fascinatin’ to observe what the mirror does But when I dine it’s for the wall that I set a place I belong to the blank generation and I can take it or leave it each time” Gritty poet Richard Hell is NY puck royalty. You know the whole safety pin, painted graphic clothing look? That was him. He also co-founded Television, after which he formed the Heartbreakers with New York Doll, Johnny Thunders. “Blank Generation” is a Black Friday/Record Store Day release, and a must have for any New York Waver! I just made that up!
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Hayden Rodgers @haydenrodgers_1
Age: 11
Sponsors: Volcom Rumaner Surfboards Electric Eyewear Shade Sunscreen Banzai Bowls Laguna Surf & Sport
Hometown: Laguna Beach, CA
Favorite Surfers: Clay Marzo, Julian Wilson, John John Florence Photo: Luke Forgay
rodgers / 124
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Joel Bull // Chris Lohman // Pete Sosa // Mike West
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