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ALAYNA COVERLY
CHRISTINE WEIR
KABOO
SUPER TASTE
BILLABONG PRO TAHITI
VANS PARK SERIES
VANS US OPEN OF SURFING
SETH MONIZ
THE ART OF LUKE PELLETIER
IVAN FEDERICO INTERVIEW
MARK CARTER: THE WYOMONG WAY
SNAPT 3 WORLD PREMIER
HURLEY X VIPER FINS
DRINKIN’ SMOKIN’ & WEST COASTIN’
MUSIC REVIEWS
GROMS
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PRODUCT REVIEW
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RANDOMS ISSUE No. 121
SS CON TENT +
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FEATURED ARTIST / LUKE PELLETIER
F O R I N F O R M AT I O N R E G A R D I N G T H I S E V E N T: T H E C I T Y O F N E W P O R T B E A C H R E C R E AT I O N & S E N I O R S E R V I C E S D E PA R T M E N T ( 9 4 9 ) 6 4 4 - 3 15 1
ISSUE No. 121 / STAFF
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Editor-in-Chief
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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 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 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. 121
LUKE PELLETIER
LUKE PELLETIER INTERVIEW PG.44
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RAN DoM S
// RNDMS
No. 121
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HURELY X VIPER FINS
Hurley, always one to be a little more adventurous and think outside the box, has teamed up with Viper Fins (one of the most tried and tested swim fins on the market) and have released some pretty cool looking and quality gear. The Hurley X Viper collaboration includes two premium tees (one traditional, one pocket), Viper’s infamous swim fins, a 17-inch boardshort and a six-panel snapback; all with the reverse blackball color way that the surf community so badly fears. The entire collection looks top notch so expect to see quite a few pieces being worn next time you’re at the beach.
SLOWTIDE PONCHO
When someone first starts surfing they become all too familiar with the growing pains of learning how to change inside a towel. Well, Slowtide has provided us the ultimate answer. With their new Slowtide Diggs Poncho, gone are the days of towel changing with the fear of your manhood falling out after a cold surf in the middle of winter. With the one-size-fits-all and 100% terry cotton fabric it will also keep you warm while changing or even staying in your suit between heats at your local surf contest. Coming in several unique colorways you’ll also know when you friend accidently grabs your towel and tries to pull the, “Oh, I thought it was mine bro, sorry” card on you. So if you want to make your surfing life easier, go grab yourself and poncho and thank us later.
SURF STORY II
Longtime friend of the mag and Newport ex-pat Robb Havassy has just released Surf Story: Volume II. It’s a massive, 15-pound, 550-page, limited edition, hard-cover coffee book featuring art, photos, surfing and stories by more than 100 iconic surf characters. There are only 1000 copies in circulation and each one is hand signed and numbered by the author/artist/surfer Robb Havassy. It makes a great gift and is a must-have for any diehard surf enthusiast. Available at www.surfstoryproject.com, click on over there and check it out for yourself.
MIX SUNGLASSES
Even as the days shorten and summer winds down, anyone living near or around any body of water knows how important a trusty pair of sunglasses are. Meet the Mix, our favorite new frame from the good folk at Dragon Alliance. Bold, unique and stylish as hell, the Mix embraces its different silhouette, showcasing the softest of the frame shapes in Dragon’s X-Ray Collection. Featuring rounded lenses, a metal brow bar and see-through acetate temples, it literally is a mix of all our favorite components in any frame. Turning heads wherever it goes, be sure to get yourself a pair today.
ALUMINATI BULLNOSE
The Aluminati crew has just released their newest model to their already stellar skate deck lineup, the Bullnose. Drawing inspiration from vintage cruisers, the Bullnose features a 3/8-inch concave as well as channels to advance performance while maintaining strength, flexibility and uniqueness to their board design. Like all Aluminati skate decks, she’s made from recycled aircraft-grade aluminum and integrated with clear grip tape. Available now, and with any Aluminati graphic of your choice, get yours today at www.aluminati.com or wherever finer skate decks are sold.
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RETAIL STORES 157 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, CA 92672 (714) 361-3822 // 207 Main St. Huntington Beach, CA 92648
RAN DoM S
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NATAS KAUPAS 10
Natas Kaupas has been a staple name in the skate/surf industry for what seems like forever now. Most famously known for creating the Quiksilver font, he now adds another item to his long list of industry endeavors. This time teaming up with the Captain Fin Company crew, let us be the first to introduce you to the Natas Kaupas 10 long board fin. Like its name mentions, this 10-inch fin is designed with the nose-rider in mind while removing some of the base to loosen up your turns. And like everything Natas creates, it has the unique style and flair that we’ve all come to love.
ELECTRIC CHINESE SURF TEAM
With the 2020 Summer Olympics adding surfing as a sport to the Tokyo Games, it’s gonna be the most exciting Olympics we’ve ever seen. The Chinese Olympic Surf Team visited the U.S. for the first time ever and when they left they left with their first American endorsement, Electric Eyewear. Eric Crane explained the vision behind the endorsement: “The Electric brand is proud to play a role in expanding surf culture to new geographies. The opportunity that the Olympics will bring to the sport goes far beyond the competition. The lifestyle and feeling of stoke that comes with surfing is truly an international language.” Well said Crano, well said.
OLUKAI PEHUEA
Most well known for their long-lasting, premium leather sandals, the Olukai crew have stepped up their slip-on game recently with the release of their women’s Pehuea Collection. Keeping true to their roots of Hawaiian inspired footwear, these slip-ons are casual, breathable and have removable footbeds for that easy-going island lifestyle. And with a plethora of color ways to choose from, there’s a little something for everyone. Log onto www.olukai.com or visit your local shop where finer footwear is sold and get yourself a pair today.
ROCKS N’ DOCKS FISH OFF
Our new favorite little fishing tournament has gone 100% digital for the month of September. With the first edition of Rocks N Docks a huge success, the boys and girls at Salty Crew are utilizing Instagram as the new tournament platform – allowing everyone is the entire U.S. to participate. All you need to do is grab your Salty Crew ruler sticker from participating retailers (free), post a photo of your fish next to the ruler and tag @salty_ crew and #rocksndocks in the comments and collect your prizes. There’s a daily prize of a limited-edition Rocks N Docks tee as well as weekly grand prizes of $100 of Salty Bucks, complete skateboard and your fish featured on the Salty Crew Instagram. They don’t care if the fish is caught rod and reel, speared, netted or even with your bare hands, it’s all about having fun so grab your sticker and get after it. Full details available at www. salty-crew.com
RESPECT SUPPLY CO.
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me…” We all know Aretha’s lyrics but now respect is taking on an entirely new meaning. The good peeps at Respect Supply Company paid us a little office visit and we got caught up on all the epic stuff they’ve been up to. Making premium quality tees is their business, and their business is booming. We got to see a sneak preview of their line that’s soon to come, and man is it impressive. Available at finer retailers and direct at www.respectsupplyco.com check it out for yourself – you won’t be disappointed.
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W W W.SKETCHYTANK.COM
PROD Uc T
RE VIEW
// PRDCT
No. 121 // Backpacks
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ELECTRIC
QUIKSILVER
HEX
HURLEY
NIXON
ROARK
RVCA
VANS
VOLCOM
Marshall Pack / $55
Wayfarer II Backpack / $150
Astrodek Surf Pack / $90
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Night Track Plus 24L / $45
Trail Backpack / $80
Clamber Backpack / $65
Infinity Patrol Backpack / $119_95
Corvas Day Pack / $110
Traverse Bag / $85
ALAYNA COVERLY interview / liz rice mccray
Alayna Coverly is an Ann Arbor-based artist working figuratively with oil paint. She has her BFA in painting and drawing, along with a Museum Studies certificate and a minor in Art History from Ohio University. Alayna Coverly is currently producing work in her studio that focuses on the intimate bonds we have with others. Thanks Alayna for taking the time to answer our questions.
Will you talk about the complexity of your paintings? I feel like even though the core idea of absence and presence is in all of my work, each piece comes from a different thought. While each piece has physical layers, they also have figurative layers. During my time at Ohio University I got involved in protests after a woman was assaulted on the street where I lived. As I began going to rallies and became involved as an activist and feminist, my work transitioned to being rooted in feminism. To that end, I use the image of smothering to convey both warmth and what could be interpreted as suffocation. This is most evident in my piece, “The Stability of Femininity.” The design on the fabric hints at the fragility projected onto femininity, while the background consists of symbol iconography that shows the stability of femininity. What sort of effect do you hope your art will have on viewers? My hope is to allow people viewing my work to project memories or past bits of their lives onto my painting. My intent is purposeful ambiguity; I want my work to be a shared experience. One of my early paintings, “But Not Forgotten,” represents the idea of a person staying with you forever, whether they’re still physically around or not. That led to the idea of a family member being embedded in wallpaper, with all its connotations of home. That feeling of being in another’s presence, but not completely, is the lingering impression I’m after.
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Any last words for our readers? The first piece of feminist literature I read, The Handmaid’s Tale, was significantly empowering for me and still resonates in my work, especially considering today’s social climate. With my artwork, I aspire to leave people with that same impression, which is why I intentionally create ambiguous paintings, allowing the viewer to have a more personal experience. I believe it’s necessary to support one another and talk about the feminist issues that we face. Where can people check out your art? My work has recently been featured on Supersonic Art, at the Ann Arbor Art Center’s show, REMIX, and Shadows, a show at Carrington Arts in Sandusky, OH. My work can also be seen at Art Prize 9 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this September, and at the Talon Gallery in Portland this December. I’m featured on www.ypsialloy.com as a studio resident and people can visit my website at www.alaynacoverly.com.
OLLIE THIS
ENJOY THE JOURNEY. LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND.
www.mizulife.com @mizulife
CHRISTINE WEIR words / dustin clendenen
Christine Weir is one of the most distinct artists working in Los Angeles today. Her primary mediums are graphite on clay panel, each piece meticulously rendered over for months by precise pencil strokes and layers upon layers of graphite. The final results are a wonder to behold in person, many of them catching and reflecting beautiful colors of light off of their metallic surfaces. She goes into so much detail and with so many layers of markings that her work takes on a 3D quality. She continues executing this style in her latest series, QUALIA, but the themes explored are a total departure from her previous work. In past series, Weir has used Google Earth to explore slightly abstract interpretations of bodies of water and the lights of cities illuminating the night. With QUALIA, she is going with exploring the emotional complexities of contemporary life. With each piece she meticulously and earnestly chronicles the internal response to chaos brought upon us through outside circumstances. “Each of us experience things differently. Your experience of red, or pain, or sadness, is different than mine,” explains Weir. “That’s ‘QUALIA.’ These drawings are my interpretations of specific emotions. Through the use of Google Earth I look for references to water systems to portray as specific feelings. There are similarities between the ways you can conceptualize water flowing and how thoughts and emotions play out.” Her most personal body of work to date, Weir uses drawing to take control and have power over this chaos. Each piece is an intricately detailed work of graphite on clay panel with flowing forms reminiscent of flowing rivers. The stark contrast and subtle details builds tension through shadows of light and dark, and countless hours are spent softly layering different weights of graphite. Each mark, location, and shape holds a different meaning for each onlooker, strenuously leading us across the panel through river-like and mountainous forms. Glowing, circular forms give us consistency and space to reconnect with our singular selves. These are a break from the tumultuous and controlled pandemonium that encompasses us on a daily basis through all-consuming commitments – relationships or otherwise. Weir’s forms draw from physical and emotional scars etched onto the landscapes of our lives and the geography that we inhabit. By chronicling this trauma in black and white, Weir’s pieces become objective windows through which we can continue to examine the anxieties and emotions of our lives.
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R E S P E C T S U P P LY C O . C O M
KABOO KAABOO Del Mar is a three-day music and entertainment experience taking place on September 15-17, 2017 in San Diego, CA. Curated as a fully immersive, elevated festival experience without the rough qualities of a traditional outdoor event, KAABOO Del Mar combines a diverse mix of top-tier music, high-quality culinary offerings, the very best craft libations, visually inspiring art exhibitions, comedy, dancing and indulgent amenities. KAABOO is located at the historic Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds, just north of San Diego on the Southern California coast. Visit www.kaaboodelmar.com for full details. At KAABOO Del Mar, art is an elemental part of the experience. Globally recognized contemporary visual artists will showcase their work throughout the artists who will be showcasing at this year’s fest – meet Nychos and Elle. Thank you both for taking the time to answer our questions.
Nychos, you have a very strong sense of composition and shadow within your artwork. Is this something that you learned on your own, or have you had formal training? That’s what painting murals taught me. The most effective training is to paint and figure out by yourself. How to compose, to shade and to highlight are things you have to try out. And then you have to fail and try again. There will be the point when you know how to apply your skills. But still, you will discover ways to apply them even better. It’s a never-ending process. It seems like you do a lot of collaboration within your mural work. Do you have a preference between working solo versus collaboration? Well, that’s hard to compare. I really enjoy collaborating with other artists. It’s like combining forces. Setting up a concept together with other crazy brains is something I definitely don’t want to miss in my creative process. On the other hand, I love to realize my own compositions without having to think about how to embed them within the work of others. So yeah, I don’t have a preference. I just do both. You are one of the main featured-artists at KAABOO this year, scheduled to paint a 30-foot tall mural right in the heart of the action. How do you feel about painting in front of a large audience? Does it effect your concentration or do you let the crowd melt away while you are creating? I let them melt away while I am turning my pockets inside out in search of my headphones. The only thing that affects my concentration is the lack of good music.
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[Elle is a female graffiti and street artist turned muralist.] Hi Elle, please tell us more about your abstract collage of human and pattern shape. Is there a meaning behind the deconstruction of these figures and forms? I have always loved collage – the Dada movement and the poetry that happens when juxtaposing things together. In doing so each viewer comes away from the work with a different understanding and meaning of the piece. My work incorporates figurative work, collage, color and anything that I find interesting or enticing to create a story. I exhibit the power of the female and the beauty of nature. I create the collages either clipped by hand or in Photoshop and then spray paint the piece so that you can see my hand in the artwork. It seems like you have been traveling the world for some time now creating your outdoor mural work. Do you have a favorite place you have painted? I have a few pieces that are my favorites or that I considered groundbreaking for my own style. Two years ago I was in London exhibiting at Saatchi Gallery with Urban Nation Museum and I painted two murals while I was out there – I consider these to be very important pieces for me, finally bringing together my ideas and developing the style in that I currently paint. KAABOO is very excited to have you not only as a featured muralist but also as one of the stage artists. Do you have a preference of art form, murals versus illustrations? I am excited to be part of the festival as well! Personally, I prefer to spray paint everything – whether it be canvases or murals; I’m not much of an illustrator. Even for the main stage digital files they are photographs of pieces that I made in the studio with spray, acrylic and airbrush. I enjoy looking at all art forms, however, illustration and contemporary or conceptual art as much as murals.
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S SUPER TASTE photography / dominic petruzzi / @dominicpetruzzi model / caitlin manley / @caitlinamanley agency / la models / @lamodels
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2017 BILLABONG PRO TAHITI
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JULIAN WILSON BEATS GABRIEL MEDINA IN FINAL JOHN JOHN RECEIVES ANDY IRONS AWARD
8/6/2017
WORDS / SPENCER PIRDY
PHOTOS / WSL
Tahiti is an amazing place, without a doubt, and Teahupoo is clearly one of the absolute wonders of the surfing world. Every year we have this event starred on the calendar because of the sheer entertainment value that the wave and the surfing provide. However, this year a pretty miniscule forecast had surfers and event organizers stressing. Rumors were that the event could finish in the first three days, with heats running from sun up to sun down… but would that really be achievable?
opposite page (left to right): Julian Wilson / Gabriel Medina / 1st place Julian Wilson, 2nd place Gabriel Medina
On day one the event kicked off at about 10 a.m. local time. Although the weather started a bit weary and waves started out small, conditions improved in the second part of the day. Swell started to pick up into the afternoon and southeast trades groomed the lineup. Notable performances came from Joel Parkinson with a round one win, Italo Ferriera advancing to round three and Ethan Ewing upsetting Filipe Toledo in round two. Day two was an absolute cracker. We were greeted by sun, building swell and clean conditions. Early heats were a bit slow, but by mid-morning there were 9-point rides getting posted all over the place. John John Florence took to the Teahupoo lineup with the ease and grace he always does, pulling into and getting spit out of two 9s that had him moving on. Gabriel Medina used the wind to his advantage in a close round three heat. Two rookies who are having a great year continued with strong performances at Teahupoo, as goofy-footers Connor O’Leary and Joan Duru both advanced into round four of the competition. The day ended with solid swell lines coming through at sunset and the hopes of finishing in clean, overhead surf the next day.
this page (left to right): John John Florence / John John with A.I. award / Kolohe Andino / Wiggoly Dantas / Jordy Smith
The final day of the Billabong Pro Tahiti began with rain and stormy conditions. At first glance we thought we were in for a rough day, but at 7 a.m. when the first heat of the morning began conditions improved vastly. John John Florence kept his roll going with a round four win, sending him straight into the quarters. The wave of the morning came from Gabriel Medina in quarterfinal number one. Gabriel locked into a deep barrel that he disappeared in for what seemed like an eternity before flying out. He then backed it up with an 8.23 to send himself into the semifinals. The guy who was the silent assassin all day though was Julian Wilson. Julian made it heat-by-heat and ended up peaking in a heated final against Gabriel Medina. Medina and Wilson fought for priority in the beginning, which had Julian frustrated and a bit out of sorts. Gabriel then got out to an early lead, but Julian battled back, and with just minutes remaining Wilson stroked into a 9.73 to snag the win. It was a clutch performance that saw Julian grab his first Billabong Pro Tahiti title. The event wrapped up this year in record time and showed that Teahupoo is still one of the world’s best waves no matter what conditions are thrown its way. The title race continues to be a tight one, and we have a feeling it’ll come down to the end of the year and a showdown at the Billabong Pipe Masters
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2017 VANS PARK SERIES
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TOM SCHAAR CLAIMS VICTORY
HUNTINGTON BEACH 8/5/2017
PHOTOS / ANTHONY ACOSTA AND ORTIZ
The Vans Park Series Americas Continental Championship was a clash of 90 of the best young park terrain skaters in the Americas. It was an all-new format to Huntington Beach that rewarded these youngsters for their skills with cash and valuable points, not to mention they all got to rip a world-class skate park in the process. The U.S.’s Heimana Reynolds and Luiz Mariano were pushing the envelope in Friday’s prelims and leading the pack going into Sundays semis and finals. Needless to say, everyone was letting it all on the line out there. In the finals though, the two who stood out from the rest were Patrick Ryan and Dora Varella, the first-ever VPS Americas Continental Champions. Patrick even battled through a pretty nasty spill after getting hung up on a huge frontside air – that’s determination right there. The two will move on to the world championships event to face off against the VPS Select Pros in the 2017 VPS Pro Tour. It was nonstop fun watching the young crew fly all over the south side of Huntington Beach, and we’re pumped to see it all go down again next year.
opposite page (left to right): Tom Schaar / CJ Collins 3rd place, Tom Schaar 1st place & Ben Hatchell 2nd place / Ben Hatchell / Murillo Peres this page (left to right): CJ Collins / Jack Fardell / Keegan Palmer / Cory Juneau / Ronnie Sandoval / Omar Hassan & Remy Stratton / Jagger Eaton / Tristan Rennie
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VANS US OPEN OF SURFING
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KANOA IGARASHI & SAGE ERICKSON REIGN SUPREME 8/6/2017
PHOTOS / WSL In the past few years the Vans US Open of Surfing has ranked up there with Virginia Beach and the Chiba Open as far as conditions go during the event. It has been as flat as an ironing board, and the event has really been evading those summertime swells we hope for here in Southern California. This year was different though. Moved up a week sooner than normal, a few days before the event a little tropical system to the south started swirling around and formed full-blown chubascos that were lining up for the entire week of the US Open. Would this finally be the year the Open fires? At week’s start it definitely was looking that way. Early round heats were looking like finals. Everyone from wildcards, QS warriors and WCT stalwarts were in the mix. In years past it has been all about one large maneuver out the back, a Huntington hop connection through to the inside and a finishing move. That was the recipe again, but that first maneuver out the back had far more consequence. Many surfers, including Ethan Ewing and Lakey Peterson, met with the razor-sharp barnacles decorating the pilings due to the ripping current from south to north. Women and men were risking it all. Michael February, Pat Gudauskas and what seemed like event favorite Felipe Toledo blasted critical sections out the back all week before delivering the inside finishing move for big scores.
opposite page (left to right): Kanoa Igarashi / Sage Erickson / Sage & Kanoa with the win / Kanoa carried up the beach this page (left to right): Pat Gudauskas / Juniors winners, Cody Young & Brisa Hennessy / Josh Kerr boosting / Filipe & Kaono interference / Filipe Toledo / Michael Febuary / Tomas Hermes / Carlos Munoz with the superman air
On finals day Toledo was clearly the favorite. Swell had dropped and that was only helping his campaign… or so we thought. Along came hometown hero Kanoa Igarashi. Kanoa and Felipe ended up getting tangled up during the semi heat and an interference was called on Toledo. The crowd went nuts and Toledo was sent packing. In the final Igarashi went on to face Tomas Hermes, a passionate regular footer from Brazil, who was squeezing the juice out of every southside dribbler he could find. In the end, Kanoa’s first wave was enough to crush Hermes’ dreams – a 9.63. Huntington Beach brought the US Open title back home. In the women’s CT event Ventura local Sage Erickson took out Tatiana Weston-Webb for the win. In the Pro Junior Hawaii’s Cody Young earned the victory. Overall, this year’s US Open was not quite as firing as forecasted, but it was well above average from recent years and pretty damn good all week for Huntington Beach standards. We’ll take that type of a Vans US Open any day!
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P H OTO F E AT U R E P H OTO S & I N T E R V I E W TO M CA R E Y
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Let’s get the basics out of the way – state your name, age, where you live, all your sponsors… you know the drill. My name is Seth Moniz, I’m 19 years old from Honolulu, Hawaii. Sponsors are Billabong, FCS, DVS, Vertra, Dragon Alliance and I ride Wade Tokoro Surfboards.
And how many brothers and sisters do you have? I have three brothers and one sister and all of us surf, even mom. My oldest brother is 25 and I’m the youngest at 19. It’s kind of a close spread and we all grew up together doing the same things, which is pretty cool.
And where’d you grow up? I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. Grew up in town surfing Kewalo Basin, Waikiki, and all that, Diamondhead… so I’m pretty much a towney.
What’s it like at the Billabong House (on the North Shore) during the wintertime? It’s pretty hectic. Actually, it depends when. During the Pipe Masters and Triple Crown there’s just people coming in and out all day long – just randoms to Billabong corporate guys… I stay there for Sunset and Haleiwa but once the Pipe contest is on I get out of there because there’s like a party every night, big ragers. But it’s really cool; I got to stay there at a young age when guys like Andy and Parko were there. It was really cool to watch them and surf Pipe when I was really young. And it was cool just to be in a house with them and live with them for a little bit.
Who was the crew you surfed with growing up? I grew up surfing with Zeke Lau, Keanu Asing, my brother Josh and Carissa Moore – so we have a solid little town crew. What was it like growing up in Honolulu and going to school there? Yeah, I like it a lot. I got to spend like four months here in the winter and in the summer I’ll spend my time in town when the waves are good there. I homeschooled my whole life actually, so that was pretty cool and I got to surf a lot. I still had my mom to crack the whip and make us do our work but it was cool. I spent most of time at the beach at my younger years. Tell us about the history of surfing in your family. Basically, my dad’s side of the family were all surfers and my dad kinda took it more seriously. He had a pretty good career. He surfed big waves and did the whole tour thing and he basically has passed that down to us, and now me and Josh are chasing it. I’m doing the QS now and hoping to get on the CT soon, as soon as possible. That’s our big goal right now for sure – to make the CT and do all that stuff.
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When you were a grom would you get pretty star-struck with all of those guys, the Billabong legends that were on the team? For sure. I think Andy was one of the big ones. He would be there and we wouldn’t see him very much, but every time we did he would come out with a grin and talk to the boys. It was pretty cool to just talk with him, but in the conversation I’d be pretty star-struck. And then Bruce would come out and I’d be like, “Oh shit!” It was so sick to be staying right there at a house with them. It was really cool.
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That’s so rad. Any cool stories about being at the house with any of those guys that really sticks out? Ummm… cool stories? There’s been so many stories at the Billabong house that I don’t know what even to talk about. It’s a pretty mellow house honestly; I think it’s one of the more mellow houses on the North Shore. We kinda keep to ourselves and not much goes on besides when the Pipe Masters is on, then it’s just good parties. Last year The Entourage crew came through, you know that HBO TV show? They were cruising down there pretty much every day, staying at the house, cruising, and that was really cool. Take us through what this year has been like for you: places you went, how hectic the schedule is for a guy trying to qualify for the tour, what’s it like for you? Yeah, it’s pretty hectic trying to qualify and trying to fit in surf trips – that can be pretty hard. And I love to go on surf trips just to make you feel happy and stay positive. After contests, surfing bad waves and losing in the first round or something you wanna get good waves and keep it positive. I’m basically traveling six to eight months out of the year – nah, maybe just six because I’m lucky enough that there are two or three events at home and that allows for a lot of time at home in the wintertime. It’s a solid three or four months and then summertime I’m basically gone all summer. So you have it kinda easy then? Yeah, but longest in the summer I’ll come home for a week, tops. Mostly, it’s like three or four days and then we’re out of there, going somewhere else for a surf trip or a contest. What’s your rank on the QS right now? I think I’m like 60, not really what I want right now, but… I’m 19 now and my goal is to make the tour after next year so I’m really gonna push it to get there. I definitely don’t wanna spend too much time on the QS because it’ll just kill you. You’ll get over it if you spend like seven years on the QS.
Nice, where are some destinations that you want to go to that you haven’t been to yet? I haven’t been to the Philippines yet. I’d like to go surf Cloud 9 and there are a few underground slabs that I wanna go check out, for sure. I’ve pretty much been everywhere else… Namibia, Namibia was on our checklist and we went there but we didn’t get it really good. It was fun but it wasn’t something special so we’ll probably try to get back, maybe next year.
How much pressure is on you guys to make that tour? Do you feel it at times? Yeah there’s pressure for sure. I feel like it’s time to start winning comps and getting results. I think we’re getting there. Me and Josh are working super hard just doing that, trying to do as much as we can when we’re at home; working on our boards, working with coaches.
Any hobbies or any weird things you like to do? Yeah, me and Josh dive and fish. We just came back from a trip where we went to another island to dive and we basically just camped out there for a weekend with some friends. We dove everyday and ate our fish we caught, it was pretty cool. The island is Molokai; it’s mellow, real, real Hawaiian culture. Nothing like Oahu; there’s no one out there and you’re catching your own food, hunting for your own food. So that’s one of our big hobbies.
What do you think it takes? There are so many good surfers out there, what do you think it takes to crack that top 10 or whatever? What’s the difference to make the tour? I think you have to just standout. A lot of times guys on the QS just start surfing so similar, everyone starts doing their safe turns. I feel like a lot of guys aren’t too risky, they’re just surfing safe on the QS. I’d say just going for it and making it, and that’ll get you there. But being consistent; sometimes you don’t have to over-surf in a heat… that’s probably it.
Anything else we should no about you? Any dark secrets? Not much. Golf – but that’s pretty standard right now. Everyone is getting into that niche, golfing.
So just be smart and go big when you have to? Yeah, just be smart and go big when you have to.
Ok, if you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Just one person… Dinner… Hmmm… Uh… Margo Robbie. That’s a good one. A lot of people don’t even think about the female part and they just go for Elvis or something. But that’s a good one; keep it simple, and alive too. Any last words or advice? If you were on your deathbed what would you say while you were going out? Don’t worry about me, live your life, I’ll be fine. Alright, thanks so much Seth, we appreciate you taking your time to talk with us. ISSUE 121
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INTERVIEW L I Z R I C E M c C R AY
California transplant Luke Pelletier is a mover and a shaker. He is an extremely talented artist, “idea man,” painter, music-maker, curator, photo-taker, blacksmith, writer, furniture maker and much, much more. We brought with us many assumptions when interviewing Luke Pelletier – that he is an incredibly organized, practically super human (he isn’t), that he must carefully pre-plan his days to accomplish so much (not really), and that things never fall through the cracks (sometimes). Our findings were that Luke Pelletier has an incredible amount of drive, follows his enthusiasm and is extremely motivated to always be creating. Many thanks to Luke for taking the time to answer our questions.
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Will you describe where you are at this present moment so that we have a visual during our interview? This may be my favorite question to ask people. I’m sitting on the couch in my living room. My girlfriend, Kristen LiuWong, is finishing up a painting on a folding plastic table in front of me. My dog, Rooster, is squeaking a toy. And “Friends” is on in the background.
“I’m also really into the social aspect of it, like talking with people, bartering, watching people fight and walking around.”
Please say hi to Kristen for us. Now that we have a visual we are ready to start. You’re a California transplant; will you tell us a little bit about your childhood? Any standout moments, major forks in the road that you credit for making you the human you are today? I was born in Tampa, Florida, and I lived there until I was seven. That’s when we moved to Brevard, North Carolina. It’s a really small town. There wasn’t much to do. So my friends and I mostly skated, went swimming in the waterfalls, built ramps, played in punk bands… stuff like that. As far as moments that pushed me towards art, I got expelled my freshman year of high school for spray-painting a bunch of dicks all over the school with my older brother and a few friends in the middle of the night. After that, we had to go to alternative school. It was a real drag, but that’s when we all started really focusing on our band. I’d design the flyers and all the merch. Pretty soon I was doing it for other bands. Then, I went to school at SAIC in Chicago. They taught me heaps about art and community building. So I started curating shows in small galleries in Chicago. After my freshman year of college, I curated a show out here in LA at Think Tank Gallery. That was my first time coming to LA, and I fell in love with the city. I feel like that’s most of it. Did your interest and inclination toward painting start at a young age? Or would you say it evolved from your passion for music? I was always interested in art for sure, but I never really took it seriously – mostly just doodles on homework. When I got into skating, that’s when I first started to see art I liked. I loved hanging out at the skatepark and looking at all the board graphics. I’d also go to the flea market a lot with my friend Carlos because his family owned a lemonade stand out there. I was always buying anything with classic American graphics, like old matchbooks, toys and advertising. My band for sure made me take art more seriously. I wanted our band’s merch to look cool. So that’s when I started actively trying to make my art “better,” but I didn’t touch paint on my own until the summer after I graduated high school. Over the years my music has become more integrated in my art. I work on music a lot while I’m waiting for paint to dry. So a lot of my lyrics end up in my paintings.
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“I was always buying anything with classic American graphics, like old matchbooks, toys and advertising.” Painter, music maker, curator, photo-taker, coffee shop owner, designer of clothing, furniture maker — you have got your hands into many things. How do you explain your well-rounded art practice? I can’t help myself, haha. I’ve always been like this. I haven’t a real job since I was 18, but I wake up at 9:00 a.m. everyday and, if I don’t need to leave the house, I’ll work ‘til 12:00 a.m. So I’ve had a lot of free time to get as weird as I want to get. I also get burnt out on things super quickly, but I’m relentlessly motivated to be creative and make stuff. So I just sort of bounce around my apartment painting, writing, drinking, recording, responding to emails, smoking, taking photos, writing business plans, hanging out with my girlfriend and my dog, and I don’t know. All of those things are connected to me. Sometimes working on a million things at once works really well and everything goes smoothly, but a lot of the time things fall through the cracks. I’m constantly rerecording entire songs because I forgot to save the file, apologizing for forgetting about shows I agreed to be in a year earlier, leaning against most of my paintings when they’re wet, etcetera. I’ve been trying to get my act together but I’m still figuring this whole art thing out. As far as keeping it going, I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of really rad people and galleries that are nice enough to put up with how scattered and forgetful I am. So when someone asks, “What do you do?” how do you answer? My business card says: “Idea Man.” How do you make time for everything? I try my best to follow my enthusiasm. I feel like if I actively want to work on something it gets done faster and with more heart than if I force myself to do it. So, if I’m working on a painting that needs to be done tomorrow but I really want to be working on a song I just work on the song. It keeps me excited and engaged with my art. I’ve also found the painting usually gets done in time too. And if it doesn’t, eh, no worries. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one losing sleep over my art. How would you like to see your future develop? I would love to be involved with something narrative driven. Maybe a TV show. I’d love to design more interiors and open more businesses. I want to keep making paintings. I’m doing a lot more woodworking. So you’ll see more of that in the future. I’d love to record a song in a real studio with studio musicians. I’m working pretty closely with RVCA on a bunch of clothing/projects. I don’t know. I’m interested in doing a million things, but I just sort of go with the flow. If someone emails me tonight saying that they want me to design a giant waterslide for a theme park I’ll wipe my schedule.
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What kind of art do you like? Do you collect anything in particular? When I’m looking for inspiration I usually go to the flea market. I like the whole energy of it. It’s like a treasure hunt every time. You never know what you’ll find, but you know that it’ll probably be gone that day. I like all the old advertising, furniture, folk art, guns, weapons, art and antique toys. I’m also really into the social aspect of it, like talking with people, bartering, watching people fight and walking around. As far as artists go, I really like the Chicago Imagists, H.C. Westerman, Craig Stecyk, Ed Ruscha, and my friend’s work, Kristen Liu-Wong, Nathan Alexis Brown, Jillian Evelyn, Matt Cagen, Ben Jensen, Homeless Cop, Sean Hogan, Dont Fret and heaps of others. Where can people check out more of your art? On my Instagram: @lukepelletier. Very last question – any last words for our readers, shout-outs, declaration of love or hate? The new Colter Wall record is really good. Thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions.
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COME VA?
THE IVAN FEDERICO INTERVIEW Interview / lee leal
We caught up with Ivan Federico in between X Games and Dew Tour stops. He was a relative unknown shredder until the Vans Park Series Tour. Now, with three top-three finishes and being awarded “Select Pro” status in 2016, he’s on a mission of fun! Here are a few words from the Italian ripper and Embassy Skateboards newest Ambassador.
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photo / lee leal
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photo / ortiz
Greetings Ivan, what’s up? Good, thank you! I’m here now in Long Beach, perfect!
Have you skated the skatepark in Rome across from Cinecitta Studios? Yes for sure, a few times. Nothing compares with the park down there.
Where are you from and how old are you? I’m from Northern Italy, a city named Caluso; it’s very close to Turin, near the Alps and just two hours away from France. I’m 18 years old now.
Who do you skate with? Almost alone or with few friends. The scene needs to grow up in Italy.
What’s the skate scene like in Turin, Italy? Very small, street skaters especially. A lot of years ago there was an indoor skatepark with a vert ramp and street course. In the past a lot of skaters in Turin skated transition, but they now change to tranny. Is there a skatepark close to your home? My father built one five minutes to walk from my house: vert, mini-ramp and street. Now all we need is a bowl. Do you ever get a chance to skate vert? I started skating transition when I was very young; I had met Giorgio and Gianni Zattoni. I prefer bowl and pool but also skate a ramp, it’s very fun. You bring a lot of feeling with the height. So you’re an Italian traveling in the United States, how’s that adventure? Awesome, for skating it is the best. California is perfect – good weather and good skateparks. Have you had a chance to skate any backyard pools in California? Not yet, I hope soon. How long have you been skating? I started very young, at age three I had my first skateboard. At age five I started to go around spots and skateparks. What’s your current setup? Embassy Skateboard 8.5”, Gibson trucks, Indy 149 wheels, Bones 56 bearings, Bronson, and grip MOB. 52
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What’s your favorite thing to skate? I prefer skating bowl, street as well as street spots. It’s good to change it up because you could have more fun. We know you’re a part of the Van’s Park Series VPS, so how do you like traveling around the world skating different parks? For me it’s the best, every new experience, new vibe… just perfect! Who do like skating with on the VPS? All the guys are good and friendly; I like skating with all of them. Last year you won the Canada Hastings stop – what was that like? Have to win for sure, my first competition win. All the guys were on fire. It was amazing. This year there’s been some Ivan Federico hype with all the success in VPS. You got an invite to qualify for X Games and Dew Tour. You’re the only Italian on the list, does that make you proud? Yes, for sure. I’m only sorry for The Qualifiers in Boise, I fucked up. I worked very hard, but that is experience. What’s your daily routine like, do you go to school? Homeschooled? I studied until I was 16 years old. Now I skate, I draw a lot, I like manga. I notice you do a lot of high difficulty tricks. Where does that influence come from? Skating a long time around the world I always try to do my best. The thing is go and have fun, and if you enjoy it anything could happen.
photo / lee leal
“For me it’s the best, every new experience, new vibe… just perfect!” Ivan on how he likes traveling around the world skating differnt places.
What was it like to have a mentor like Marco Mina? I’m very grateful to the all guys that have given me time and inspiration. Marco Mina is one, Mattia Rossanino another. When I was very young I was skating all time with guys older than me. It was very funny; we were skating for a few years a lot all together. You seem like a laidback kind of guy. Do you like to compete in contests? Yes, because all the guys are on fire. They inspire me to skate harder, more focused and to try new tricks. What do you do when you’re not skateboarding? I’m lazy. I watch manga, and I draw manga. I stay with my friends… Ha ha, not too many stressful things.
photo / lee leal
How does it feel to have supporting parents? For me, it’s the only reason I am where I am now. What kind of music are you listening to? I like different kinds of music: rap, rock, punk… depends what I need to do. Is skateboarding a crime in Italy, or does Italy support the skate scene like in Malmo, Sweden? No, no… not like it is in North Europe. It’s not a crime, a lot of people skate street spots. Sometimes you could have problem, but usually it’s ok. The difference with the other countries is that we need to build a skatepark... in concrete. And good skatepark, like the ones they have. What’s the funniest European city to skate? Prague... good beer. Also Marseille, Copenhagen and Berlin. What are your plans for the summer? I don’t know… skate, have fun, beaches and sea. Chill at my house.
photo / lee leal
Right on, Ivan. Any last words or anybody you want to thank? Thanks to all the people that have taught me somethings, fuck yeah! photo / ortiz ISSUE 121
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I love to balance fear and my comfort in chaos with the flow of the natural terrain.
couple seasons ago I got a random text from snowboarder Mark Carter. He was looking for someone to come shoot with him and Bryan “Guch” Iguchi. It’d been nearly six years since I spent time around Jackson, so I hightailed it up there. Our mornings were spent in the stinging dark cold, the days burned in remote and rarely ridden mountains and the nights were short and weary. What would unfold over the next couple weeks, and linger season after season, were calculated missions far in the backcountry and a look at how these two mountaineers operate. I’d also learn that that Carter, the gruff toothpick-chewing cowboy from rural Wyoming, had a completely different side. Carter grew up in Ten Sleep, Wyoming, a rural ranching town of only 250 people in northern central Wyoming. The tiny hill of Meadowlark was the closest spot to ride, but the idea of riding professional was a world away. Carter played high school football. He worked on the family ranch. He lived in the middle of nowhere. That all changed when he moved to Jackson Hole for a season after high school. He worked at the terrain park and lived the snowboard bum life. Hard, honest work in the summers would make winters doable. It’s a migration that he continues to do to this day, running a cattle ranching operation with his brother and father and returning to the Tetons for winter. The smell of seared beef and coconut oil fills the small kitchen of his friend Resi’s rustic cabin off of Fish Creek Road. He’s cooking up some fresh steaks from the ranch. From coconut oil to Ayurvedic supplements, doobies instead of chew, I discovered that Carter is more hippy than redneck, more generous and relaxed than the rough persona some may perceive. He knows these mountains well and understands when to push it and when not to. It’s an inspiring trait of confidence he’s pulled from over many years in Jackson with legendary riders. His authenticity and drive have gotten him where he is today, a by-product of a life of honest labor. Regardless of sponsors, filming or the professional side of snowboarding, he’s going to continue riding these mountains for as long as he can. The days of snowmobiling and scouring the mountains continue. I follow along as we see moose on the trail, hunker down over campfires while trading stories and waiting for windows of sun. I sit behind the lens and track Carter and Guch as they take lines down fresh faces. The cold hard days are rewarded with the satisfaction of exploration and powder turns. The hunt in these cold, craggy ranges, with its faded western heritage and glitz, is the Wyoming way. It’s a place of contrasts, a place where cowboy and snowboard bum are one.
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How does a cowboy from Wyoming become a professional snowboarder? I believe I manifested this path. It’s a pretty unordinary career choice coming from Ten Sleep, but I always knew I wanted to live by my own choices and dreams. Tell me about learning to ride, the hill, how all that happened? I was fortunate enough to grow up in a wild place. Our school was a tiny K-12. If your grades were up to par the bus went up to the little resort “Meadowlark” half days on Friday. It was nothing but a poma lift and tickets were $3, so most of the ranch kids could afford it. I started out skiing until I saw Charlie Hicks, the only shredder riding down the hill with his big husky chasing him. He just looked like he was having way more fun ripping around on a board. Even going up the poma he was getting fresh tracks in the powder off to the side. I was so interested in snowboarding at that point. It was all I could think about. I begged for a board. Finally my mom hooked it up. She has always been the most supportive of my path in the mountains. Charlie took my brother, sister and I under his wing and showed us the way. He has been my biggest influence in snowboarding to this day. He still continues to live in the Big Horns keeping the dream alive. What keeps you snowboarding? What is it about the pursuit that keeps you hooked? I feel most alive and at peace when I’m in the mountains. Snowboarding gives me a sense
of accomplishment and a challenge. I love to balance fear and my comfort in chaos with the flow of the natural terrain. The exploration of my inner self and the terrain around me always has me at my best. Adventures with my comrades is all I’ve ever really wanted. The bonds that it creates between brothers are priceless. Tell me about your other life, summer working the land? I credit my other life on the ranch for the man I have become. Growing up with a solid work ethic and real men and women. I’m always back in the summer because that’s where my family is and my roots are buried. Some of the most rewarding days I’ve had are the ones working side by side with my family. I’ll never leave. You seem really content with staying at home in Jackson. Why? What keeps you there instead of chasing snow elsewhere? Jackson is my other home. I feel more comfortable riding there than any place in the world. I really have no reason to leave. The shred community is as authentic as is gets and all my friends are there. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the best place I’ve ever ridden and seems to keep producing year after year. The surrounding mountains have endless terrain to explore with difficult access to keep the donkeys at bay. Bottom line is that it’s in Wyoming and that’s the only place I want to be. ISSUE 121
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SNAPT 3 PREMIER
AT THE O.C. OBSERVATORY 8/4/2017
WORDS / BONES
PHOTOS / BRELAN @BS_UKULELE
They say good things come in threes. Good things like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Three Stooges… I could go on forever, but what really matters is that it seems like the universe does really work in threes. Counting down that road of logic we find ourselves writing about the universe’s latest addition to the golden rule – Snapt 3. When I finally watched the movie I noticed that our good friend and creator of Snapt 3, Logan Dulien, didn’t set out to finish the trilogy as an end of an era, but almost as an ushering in of the new generation, all the while paying homage to the previous generation with an almost throwback style of editing and production.
left to right: Jack Robinson on the big screen / Man of the hour, Logan “Chucky” Dulien / Andre Nickatina woke the crowd up before the world premier of Snapt 3 / Mike Brophy & Tanner Prairie / Girls, girls, girls / Ethan Tenore & Curren Lizares / Burger and Dirt Nasty closing out the show / Travis Smith, Brelan Sugahara & Koa Smith / Logan Dulien & OC Instanews’ Unkle Tito
In the first two movies you got to see now legends of the sport like the late Andy Irons and Taj Burrow to underground rippers surfing everything from perfect Teaphoo to destroying perfect walls of J-Bay during the CT event, something you never see in surf films these days. The Snapt movies had an almost everyday-man surfing feel to them; it wasn’t at waves that only the elite could surf while getting filmed with a 10-billion-megapixel camera, but parts where anyone could say, “Hey, I can go there and maybe do something like these guys on those waves.” To me, that’s where the success lay with these movies and is what made them so appealing to so many of us growing up. Snapt 3 brings that ultra successful style of film from movies one and two to the modern surfing platform of today. It features everything from Mason Ho jumping over rocks and standing tall in barrels at Pipe that most of us can only dream about to the likes of California kids Parker Coffin and Ian Crane ripping the shit out of some perfect left, and finishing it off is West Oz wonder boy Jack Robinson surfing waves nobody else wants, all while making it look as easy as a three foot day at Lowers. When it comes to throwing the biggest movie premiere of the year venue is everything, and Logan pulled out all the stops. As if locking down the OC Observatory on a Friday night smack dab in the middle of the US Open wasn’t good enough, Logan loaded up the music entertainment before the movie with good friends to the surf industry and fellow surfers themselves, the band Distractor. Following Distractor came one of the highlights of the night, none other than the not-so-underground Bay Area rapper Andrea Nickatina. With Andrea fully sending the party into overdrive everyone finally got to see what we were all waiting for, Snapt 3. As with all trilogies, you’re sad to see something come to and end but also excited to see what the future holds. And as the movie so vividly expressed, the future of surfing is in great hands. Congratulations to Logan Dulien and his entire team on an amazing movie and equally amazing event! 60
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Durable.
Water-Resistant.
Go Anywhere.
Redefining ukulele.
KAL ABRAND.COM/WATERMAN
HURLEY X VIPER FINS
WORDS / PAT TOWERSEY
PHOTOS / DEREK BAHN
On Thursday, August 17th, Hurley released its Viper collaboration with a big event on the Costa Mesa campus. It kicked off with a slide show by Ron Romanosky, with film slides dating back to the ‘60s, a time before outrageous crowds and social media. It was followed up by a Viper team Q&A, where Fred Simpson shared some amazing insights into his development of Viper Fins.
left to right: Scott Matthews about to get after it in the new Hurley x Viper Fins boardshorts / Punker Pat, Ron Romanosky, Fred Simpson, Matt Larson, JJ Ayala, Scott Matthews & Tim Burnham / A packed house / Punker Pat breaking it down / Over 300 people in attendance / The Hurley x Viper collection
Why Hurley X Viper, some of you might ask? In 1978, after getting humbled by the world-famous Wedge, Fred Simpson began developing what would become the world’s first bodysurf-specific fin design. His unique fin design was meant to allow bodysurfers the ability to grab the face of the wave, while their feet were above their heads – something like controlled chaos. Fred’s motto has always been, “tools, not toys.” That same year, Bob Hurley began shaping surfboards for wave riders at the opposite end of the Newport Peninsula with that same shared philosophy. It really doesn’t matter if you’re lying down, standing up, on your knees or board-less – it’s all about enjoying the ocean.
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DRINKIN’ SMOKIN’ & WEST COASTIN’ A GROUP LOVE/HATE LETTER TO LA PRESENTED BY THINK TANK GALLERY & VANS 8/19/2017
PHOTOS / BAHA DANESH
Think Tank Gallery returns to DTLA with a month of shows about its hometown and all the stereotypes that come from it, especially true ones. Months after moving out of Downtown Los Angeles and popping up across town, Think Tank Gallery proudly announced its massive homecoming exhibit, “Drinkin’ Smokin’ & West Coastin’ – A Group Love/Hate Letter to LA,” which opened on August 19th, 2017. In a much-covered story, the alternative arts venue that was home to the Think Tank for years of skate and street art shows was converted to an events rental space, and the gallery co-op was forced to leave following Oakland’s Ghost Ship Fire. Now the gallery has teamed up with Vans and others like Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles to once again take over the venue for a month-long series of arts and events with a list of over 70 confirmed artists that will carry guests through the dynamic space. “It’s a reflection on classic Best Coast culture from the ‘84 Olympics to the Kings/Lakers rivalry, the period when we grew up with our city and all the great and terrible things that happened in between,” says Jacob Patterson of Think Tank Gallery. To pull it off, all of the gallery’s favorite artists and producers have come along, plus some new ones. Once again, they’re bringing nightly events into the venue for an entire month, August 20th through September 23rd. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday – Sunday. We hope everyone can check it out.
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left to right: Discussing the work of Stephen Palladino & Peter G. / Vans installation / Couple of bunnies on hand to brighten up the mood / The Nanoleaf Aurora merch table / Artist Andrew Sorier & friends / Roscoe’s / The Mezcal El Silencio team with artist Nathan Bell / Low rider from Majestics Car Club of HB / DJ Val the Vandal / Taking it all in – pieces by Luke Pelletier, Masashi Ozawa, Allison Bamcat, Ash Santos & Egan Franks / Art advisor Else Munroe / Artist Ray Young Chu & friend
EX CULT No. 121 / MUSIC INTERVIEW
INTER // VIEW
Interview & Photos by David Evanko
LA seems to be on a different spectrum than Memphis. Since moving here have you experienced any changes in your songwriting or subject matter? I’ve noticed it’s harder to maintain my negative attitude amidst the palm trees, but anything good takes time, so I’m hoping to be my normal surly self soon. Have you started surfing yet? Nope! I actually have lived by water before and never tried, but I’m sure I’ll get dragged in the water with a board soon. All the dudes in Gøggs are super into surfing so I guess I have to start. As for now, I live by the JFA mantra, “Surf punks, we’re not. Skateboard, we do.” You left your Music Editor position at the Memphis Flyer as part of the move, so how’s that transition going? Are you pursuing journalism in LA? Nah, I’m taking a break from the slog of music journalism. I may never return. Maybe I’ll do like one word album reviews for someone. I’ll be doing some behindthe-scenes work for some bands I like, but other than that I am focusing on writing music. How has your involvement in music journalism impacted your songwriting? I’d say it hasn’t really. I tried to keep the two separate. However, analyzing music from a writer’s point of view has allowed me to get into so many bands I may have passed up, so for that I am forever grateful! The new EP, Blurry b/w Final Exit and Double Hits, has been my pre surf/ skate pump-up since its release. How did those songs come about? That’s awesome! We had the song “Blurry” bouncing off the walls of the practice space months before we recorded it, and the B-sides were written pretty quickly before they were recorded. “Blurry” was definitely a hit when we played it live in Europe, so I’m stoked to play it on these upcoming US shows. I always liked the idea of people surfing and skating to our music. When I was a teenager I used to skate weird construction sites to Suicidal Tendencies and the first Metallica albums, so to think people are doing the same thing with the music we create is fucking sick. There’s an essence of early LA punk in your records. What’s your take on that era and how has it contributed to your sound? I just love that type of stuff; I have since the first time I heard the Germs or Black Flag. Henry Rollins, Claude Bessy, Darby Crash, those dudes are like my three wise men, so it makes sense that their influence would make their way into my vocals and lyrics. Any Memphis bands should we be listening to? Aquarian Blood, Hash Redactor, True Sons of Thunder, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Playa Fly, Reserving Dirtnaps and Bluff City Vice. What does Ex Cult have in the works for the rest of the year? Well, since I live thousands of miles away from the other four members of the band, it’s a little tricky scheduling practices. But we’re not going anywhere. Expect us to have something new for you soon and expect it on In The Red Records! Shout out to Larry Hardy and all true weedsmen everywhere.
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M U S I C
RE
RE VIEW S No. 121
Interview & Photo by David Evanko
POW! Little Joy, Los Angeles, CA / August 20th, 2017
Amid the chaos of Echo Park Rising, a sharper chaos stuck its head out of the center of the stew and lurched itself into the ether. It materialized as the physical cyber attack called POW! and rearranged our understanding of punk and the kinetic guidings that result in dance. I left with my brain on a gurney, while others were escorted by security.
REVIEWS BY MAX RITTER
REVIEWS BY ROB MOLT
Superchunk / S/T / Merge
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard / Sketches of Brunswick East / ATO Records
This is a reissue of the first album of the nineties-era North Carolina indie rock band that was originally released 1990-ish. Great for the collection right next to the band’s heroes Sonic Youth or Dino Jr. Singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan and bassist Laura Ballance went on to found the now iconic Merge records.
This is the third release from Aussie hard-psych troupe King Gizzard in 2017. The surprise album has incorporated their Los Angeles tourmates (and band name world champions) Mild High Club to collaborate. The long-distance power couple have created slower, mellow-gold-feeling jams that is a slight departure from Gizzard’s usual spastic high-energy rock for which they are known. The latest cross Pacific sampling between the two lovers is a new direction, at least for now. Good luck you two.
Brand New / Science Fiction / Procrastinate! Music Traitors
The War on Drugs / A Deeper Understanding / Atlantic Records
A cult emo band I never quite got into like others, but this eight years later “comeback” album is dark and quite beautiful. If you’re into Brand New you’re losing your shit. Your? You’re? Yer…ya…ya.
The war on drugs is a sham. A cash grab setup by mean, old, white men and the military industrial complex. This scheme was a self-written permission note penned by the government to allow the selling of war, displace power, control countries and imprison America’s minorities. It’s an absolute Civil Rights disaster disguised as doing the right thing. The War on Drugs, on other hand, is brilliant and gorgeous. It’s an incredibly talented Philadelphia band with a sweeping, classic rock sound that soars on their fourth record, “A Deeper Understanding.” It’s American music art at its biggest guitars and brightest keys – our kind of war.
Gold Star / Big Blue / Autumn Tone
together PANGEA / Bulls and Roosters / NETTWERK
I’m currently on a road trip and randomly heard the song “St Vincent De Paul’s” on an XM radio station and it blew my head up. I have now discovered Marlon Rabenreither, a LA-based, country-influenced songsmith. I now refer him to you if you like harmonica or troubadour songwriter dudes.
The California garage punkers, together PANGEA, have grown up a little, kicked some habits, broke up with some girlfriends and are listening to the Beatles. That, along with bringing new tempos and cleaner riffs, helped them evolve in the really crowded garage scene. You got to keep sounding different, man. They’ve added some lighter guitar strolls and a summer beach sway to their punk muscle. The lyrics still have the necessary angst but you can hear some fun in the way they exorcise some demons.
BADBADNOTGOOD / Late Night Tales / Night Time Stories Ltd.
Big Thief / Capacity / Saddle Creek
The most woke jazz band out there contributes to the Late Night Tales series, which is an artist-curated mix/compilation series released by UK label Night Time Stories Ltd. BBNG have impeccable taste.
A female-fronted neo-folk band might be the most intense music you hear this year. Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief has seen some shit. She was born into a cult. Really. Her family of musicians got out of there, lived in a van and camped anywhere, crashing in rooms with other families and squatting across the country – the entire thing. Her musician father taught her along the way, and even at a very early age the talent was there. This little warrior got herself to NYC and literally sang her way into the lauded Berklee College of Music. She met her band in Brooklyn, including the beautiful playing of guitarist Buck Meek, and now they’re writing her stories of youth, abuse and struggle. You absolutely have to hear it, she deserves it. ISSUE 121
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Bash Mendes @bash_mendes
Age: 15
Sponsors: O’Neill WRV Surfboards Famous Futures Val Surf
Hometown: San Clemente, CA
Favorite Surfer: John John Florence
Photo: Joe Foster
mendes / 121
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ISSUE 121
Keegan Palmer @keeganpalmer
Age: 14 Favorite Skaters: Pedro Barros Ben Raybourn Jimmy Wilkins Photo: Ortiz
Hometown: Currumbin, Australia Sponsors: Nike SB, Oakley, Flip Skateboards, Bones Wheels, Independent & Bronson
palmer / 121
ISSUE 121
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@electric
s zombie av1
@zekelau + @j.bleu
by @voegs