The Red Bulletin April 2015 - NZ

NEW ZEALAND

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

AWOLNATION

TONY QUINN

The self-styled saviour of NZ motorsport

Aaron Bruno’s record-breaking band is back

NIAGARA, NO FALLS

REVVED UP TO RACE

Conquering the holy grail of ice-climbing

Formula One’s youngest ever driver

STEVE AOKI $4.95 APRIL 2015

THE HEAVY-HITTING DJ MAKING MILLIONS FROM HIS EMPIRE

SUPERIOR WARMTH THE ULTIMATE IN HIGH PERFORMANCE STRATEGIC PANELLING TAPED SEAMS DRYMAX LINING

J A C K F R E E S TO N E / / E A S T C O A S T A U S T R A L I A B I L L A B O N G .C O. N Z

K N O W

T H E

F E E L I N G . S U P E R I O R

WA R M T H

THE RED BULLETIN

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THE TAO OF STEVE

Long nights, endless touring… it’s all a piece of cake for DJ Steve Aoki, the crown prince of EDM

This month, The Red Bulletin’s pages are filled with global talents pushing it to the next level in all sorts of spheres. International partystarter Steve Aoki is building a multimilliondollar empire (and throwing cakes) in Vegas, while fellow music man Aaron Bruno of Awolnation is back with a second album to rival the multi-platinum success of his first.

The sportsmen haven’t been slacking, either.

Undisputed king of ice-climbing Will Gadd makes a treacherous first ascent of a frozen Niagara Falls, the holy grail of his discipline.

And a warmer, but equally intrepid, Max Verstappen prepares to make motorsport history. At 17, he’ll become F1’s youngest-ever racer, going wheel-to-wheel with drivers twice his age. We hope you enjoy the issue.

04

“I thank God for what he has given me” SOFIA VERGARA, PAGE 15 THE RED BULLETIN

DYLAN DON (COVER), RAMONA ROSALES (COVER), ERIK VOAKE, ABC/GETTY IMAGES

WELCOME

APRIL 2015

AT A GLANCE GALLERY 8

56

BULLEVARD 15 TV’S MOST WANTED

The women who keep us watching

FEATURES

THE ICEMAN CLIMBETH

CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, RAMONA ROSALES, FRANCOIS RIGAUD, BALAZS GARDI, CRAIG KOLESKY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

A month in incredible pictures

22 Steve Aoki

How champion ice-climber Will Gadd realised his dream of scaling the Niagara Falls

Behind the decks of the superstar DJ

30 Red Bull Air Race

Three contenders reveal their prep

44 Julien Dupont

72

Riding a rollercoaster – by motorbike

50 The Black Keys

Barroom rock ’n’ roll hits the arena

52 Daniel Kereopa

NZ’s big hope for Ultimate Waterman

80 THE SECRET OF HIS SUCCESS

Writing a six-times platinum hit song is some feat. But then you have to follow it.

Awolnation’s Aaron Bruno returns

JET SETTERS

Harnessing some serious water power on a flyboard is the closest you’ll get to being Iron Man. It’s the only way to fly

THE RED BULLETIN

56 Climbing Niagara

Will Gadd’s history-making ascent

64 Tony Quinn

Building a legacy in NZ motorsport

72 Awolnation

Unleashing a new LP of fresh sounds

ACTION!

84 GETTING IN THE ZONE

Tough talk from the teenage F1 driver

30

Inside the minds of the top pilots in this year’s Red Bull Air Race, and how they pull off those manouevres

54 Max Verstappen

WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN

South African ultramarathon trail runner Ryan Sandes shares his tips for getting further in May’s big race

80 81 82 83 84 86 87 89 94 98

FLYBOARDING The ultimate water rush PRO TOOLS Mystic Diva waist harness MY CITY An insider’s guide to Tunis WATCHES Tag Heuer’s new beauty ENTER NOW! Wings For Life World Run MUSIC Noel Gallagher’s inspirations GAMING Ride – Gran Turismo for bikes BUYER’S GUIDE The best cars of 2015 SAVE THE DATE Unmissable events MAGIC MOMENT Windsurfing feats

05

CONTRIBUTORS WHO’S ON BOARD THIS ISSUE

“ He bounces from hotel suite to DJ booth, throwing cakes at fans and firing champagne into the crowd before winding down in the VIP area of the MGM Grand” Steve Aoki in Las Vegas, page 22

Star DJ Steve Aoki (right) with Dylan Don at the photoshoot for this month’s cover

CHRIS PALMER

STEVE APPLEFORD

SIMON DAVIDSON

“The thing that impressed me about Aaron Bruno was how self-aware he is,” says the Los Angeles-based writer regarding his interview with the brains behind American four-piece, Awolnation. “When it came to talking about his career and the music industry, I realised that Bruno is not operating in a vacuum – he knows what’s going on and that drives him to deliver something unique, which he does with his new album.

That self-awareness is the key to his evolution as an artist.”

Read the story on page 72.

The American music journalist was tasked with shadowing superstar DJ Steve Aoki at one of his legendary Las Vegas residency gigs. “You need to be prepared to keep up as he bounces from his hotel suite to the DJ booth,” says Appleford, whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, GQ and Rolling Stone magazine. “Aoki leads a non-stop party, throwing cakes at fans and firing off champagne into the crowd, before winding down in the VIP area of the MGM Grand.”

The feature is on page 22.

The Sydney-based snapper has petrol in his veins. He’s a regular at Speed Week in Bonneville in the US and drives a 1964 Ford Falcon.

None of that prepared him for a hot lap in Tony Quinn’s McLaren 650S around his Highlands Motorsport Park racetrack in Cromwell, New Zealand. “I was excited and nauseous at the same time,” he says. “Tony’s a great driver, but all I could think about was keeping my lunch down.

I’m happier photographing safely from the sidelines.”

See the results on page 64.

IN FOCUS

Behind the lens

Dylan Don Fashion photographer Dylan Don is used to directing models on his photoshoots, but Steve Aoki needed no prompting.

“I can tell you that we lost a great ninja in Steve,” says the Munich-born photographer.

“He is very energetic and has great moves, a real pleasure for any photographer.”

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THE RED BULLETIN

kings of our culture IMMORTALIZED IN PRINT

the best way to spend $10 this month

C A STELLÓ N , S PAI N

TRUE GRIT

SEBAS ROMERO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

As soon as Spain’s Joan Barreda swapped motocross for the longer-distance, crosscountry thrills of rally raid in 2011, he left the competition eating his dirt. In 2012 he won Baja Aragón on home soil and the Pharaons Rally in Egypt, and in January he toiled his way across South America to finish 17th in the Dakar Rally. What’s the secret of the Honda rider’s success? “Fine tuning,” says Barreda.

“I spend all my holidays in the garage.” hondaproracing.com Photo: Sebas Romero

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MANAMA , BAH R AI N

“When I was a boy, I was fascinated by anything that flew,” says Norwegian high-flyer Jokke Sommer. He started a career as a motocross rider, but it became clear to him he was destined for the sky. He sold his bikes and is now one of the world’s most proficient wingsuit pilots, pictured here cruising the thermals over the Bahrain International Circuit ahead of a World Endurance Championship race. Somer proved his proficiency by landing on the start line. jokkesommer.com Photo: Dan Vojtech

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DAN VOJTECH/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

SKY HIGH

LE S ARC S , FR AN C E

POWDER UP To battle deep snow drifts on a steep mountain face and live to tell the tale, you’ve got to be more at home on two skis than on your feet. It helps if you come from a country where snowsports are second nature, like Swiss skier Laurent De Martin (pictured) or his compatriot Nico Vuignier. The latter won Red Bull Linecatcher, Europe’s largest freeski backcountry contest. It was an event even such snow-skilled pros would remember, judging from his victory tweet: “What a sick day.” redbull.com/linecatcher Photo: Sebastian Marko

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SEBASTIAN MARKO/ RED BULL CONTENT POOL

T H I S M O N T H : S M A L L- S C R E E N Q U E E N S

N E M O W O F T VT E S T

GH THE BRI E BEST H AND T SOFIA VERGARA

FUNNY = MONEY The Modern Family star is head and shoulders above everyone on telly In the movies, the men earn more than the women and there are no parts for females over 40.

Over in TV land, the highest earner of all is 42-year-old Sofia Vergara.

Last year the Colombian actress became an American citizen and, according to Forbes magazine, she earned US$37m from her role as Gloria in Modern Family, her endorsements and her business dealings. When she’s not a sitcom wife to a husband twice her age, she is a founder and high-up at Latin World Entertainment, which dabbles in everything from websites to film production.

It pays to multitask.

FUNNY MONEY We like women who make us laugh COMEDY SOFIA VERGARA Modern Family 9.8m viewers

$37M KALEY CUOCO The Big Bang Theory 15.76m viewers

$11m COBIE SMULDERS How I Met Your Mother 8.3m viewers

$10m Total: $58m 33.86m viewers DRAMA MARISKA HARGITAY Law & Order: SVU 10m viewers

$13m JULIANNA MARGULIES The Good Wife 10.8m viewers

$10m ELLEN POMPEO Grey’s Anatomy 8.4m viewers

$10m GETTY IMAGES

Total: $33m 29.2m viewers

“I thank God for what he has given me” SOFIA VERGARA

VERDICT: Laughter is the best medicine. Raising a smile keeps viewers tuned in and earnings on the up

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BULLEVARD WOMEN OF TV

BLIND DATE

WHO’S YOUR LEADING LADY? Three mystery TV heroines from very different shows, only one choice for her and your future happiness together INDUSTRY:

Justice

RESIDES:

Chicago

STYLE:

These women would like more time for a relationship, but they have important work to do. Have you got what it takes to make them leave one date night a week? Answers on the next page

“Let me be your open fridge.”

Workplace chic CHILDREN:

My family and the law

You need to like children.

Because I have two of them

YOUR INCOME:

WORKOUT:

I’M LOOKING FOR: A man as my equal

I LOVE:

Irrelevant. I pay my way

Lifting files

INDUSTRY:

Sur vival

RESIDES:

No fixed abode

STYLE:

WHAT WON’T WORK AT ALL: “IDIOTS who pay for sex and get caught.”

“Tougher than the rest?

Then you’re the one.”

Militar y

I’M LOOKING FOR: A lively man

I LOVE: Guns

YOUR INCOME:

I couldn’t care less

CHILDREN:

Get in the way of things

WORKOUT:

Running. Away from zombies

INDUSTRY:

Crisis management RESIDES:

Washington DC STYLE:

WHAT WON’T WORK AT ALL: “BUMS I’ve broken up with for, like, ever.”

“If you want me, earn me!”

Trendsetter I’M LOOKING FOR: Someone relaxed

I LOVE:

Things to be classified

YOUR INCOME: Scandalously high

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CHILDREN:

Good for the image, therefore welcome WORKOUT:

Park bench presses

WHAT WON’T WORK AT ALL: “LIARS. I hate it when men don’t own up to their mistakes.”

THE RED BULLETIN

In Star Trek, Kirk and Uhura enjoyed one of the first interracial kisses on TV

BULLEVARD WOMEN OF TV

WILD GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS

NO GOODY TWO-SHOES Women men are afraid of, but love regardless What a refreshing change: TV power girls who do away with female-lead clichés. Women want to be them, men (foolishly) think they can tame them: win-win.

EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION

SEX ON SCREEN From a peck on the cheek to orgies and orgasms: everything you wanted to know about TV sex 1947 – 1950 Mary Kay And Johnny They were a couple in real life, which is why they were allowed to share a bed.

And have a child.

DIETMAR KAINRATH

1966 – 1969 Star Trek The first scripted interracial kiss on US TV didn’t occur till 1968 when Lieutenant Uhura canoodled with Captain Kirk.

1993 – 2005

1976 – 1981

NYPD Blue Viewers tuned into the police series on the promise of nudity and ended up staying for the great drama.

Charlie’s Angels They were trailblazers for today’s Victoria’s Secret crowd and permissive by the standards of the day.

1997 – 2003

GETTY IMAGES(2), DDP IMAGES(2), BBC, PICTUREDESK.COM, NETFLIX

1964 – 1972 Bewitched Samantha the witch enchanted husband Darrin and helped end the prudish era when TV married couples slept in separate beds.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Lesbian sorceresses cast a spell on the audience: Willow and Tara shattered a teen TV taboo.

2013– Masters Of Sex The first serious sex studies were in the 1940s and 1950s, Mary Kay and Johnny’s era. Now there’s a TV series about it.

Masters Of Sex: in the name of science THE RED BULLETIN

1998 – 2004 Sex And The City Men and women alike learned all there was to know about dating, promiscuity, safer sex and, to a lesser extent, shoes.

2011– Game Of Thrones The first nakedness appeared within five minutes, and has pretty much stayed onscreen throughout.

TATIANA MASLANY In Orphan Black she plays a clone looking for the secret of her background. No holds barred in the search.

1999 – 2000 Queer As Folk The British series began with the most graphic gay sex scene in TV history.

A US remake followed.

2007 – 2012 Gossip Girl There’d rarely been a threesome in a TV series before. And certainly not involving teenagers. Gasp!

EVA GREEN Vanessa Ives in Penny Dreadful: scarily enticing as a conduit to the dark side possessed by demons.

TAYLOR SCHILLING Piper Chapman in Orange Is The New Black proves that, even in a tough prison, almost-good guys can win.

CAN TALK If I don’t drink, I become more feminine

Game of Thrones: Lord Of The Rings meets Emmanuelle

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BULLEVARD WOMEN OF TV

MAKING IT BIG ON THE SMALL SCREEN

KAINRATH

THE SEASONS OF LIFE

THE DETECTIVE

Once upon a time, three rookie actresses secured star parts in big TV series. One of them continues to have a strong small-screen career. The other two…

W h a t e v e r h a p p e n e d t o …?

GILLIAN ANDERSON From The X-Files to Hannibal and The Fall: Agent Scully still shines on as an enigmatic star in the TV firmament.

The prime suspect

ANDREA ELSON Lynn Tanner’s family had a hairy alien named Alf turn up on their doorstep. Now she’s giving yoga classes in California.

The culprit

Who’s Your Leading Lady? (from previous page): You’re on the couch with…

JULIANNA MARGULIES As lawyer Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife, she grapples with an almost ex-husband who’s about as charming as the penal code.

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CHRISTIAN SERRATOS A tomboy full of hidden talents, Rosita Espinosa from The Walking Dead makes sure that the zombies are kept on a diet for as long as possible.

KERRY WASHINGTON She loves it when you have a problem, which is why we love Olivia Pope, the ever-busy troubleshooter from Scandal.

THE RED BULLETIN

PICTUREDESK.COM, LAIF, WARNER, INSTAGRAM, ABC(2), CBS, PICTUREDESK.COM

The Wonder Years star is an author of maths books for girls. It’s like Winnie Cooper come to life in real life.

DIETMAR KAINRATH

DANICA MCKELLAR

ODD COUPLES OF COMEDY

HOW ON EARTH DOES S(HE) DO IT? Leading ladies with partners who are often downright useless. Male viewers think, “I’d be better for her than him!” A TV theme unravelled Her character

The girl

“There’s been a major development in the world of TV programmes.

The best scriptwriters are now writing for TV” SOFIE GRABOL, Star of THE KILLING and FORTITUDE, on why TV is so good (and so full of hype) these days

How she scores *

JESSICA ‘JESS’ DAY from New Girl is a teacher with man trouble and no plan for the future. The most chaotic flatmate since Phoebe from Friends.

Her best quote

“Can we please just sleep with each other now?”

Your rival and how to beat him

NICK. The roommate.

Jacked in his studies. Resign and she’s yours.

ZOOEY DESCHANEL

JAKE JOHNSON

MAX BLACK of 2 Broke Girls is the sitcom world’s curviest curveball of a waitress: she is both strong and fragile.

“You’re not a lousy mother. I know lousy mothers.

I came out of one.”

JOHNNY. Barkeeper and artist. Fickle.

Never stays with her. Show her what loyalty is.

KAT DENNINGS

NICK ZANO

“I’m a vegetaria­n , except for fish, and the occasional steak.

Literal girl-next-door PENNY in The Big Bang Theory is the anomaly in the geek-life experiment of her nerdy neighbours.

I love steak!”

SKY VISION, FOX(4), WARNER BROS. TELEVISION(4), CBS BROADCASTING(2), PICTUREDESK.COM (2)

KALEY CUOCO

LEONARD. Highly gifted, unworldly PhD. Outsmart him: invite her along to a science talk.

JOHNNY GALECKI

GLORIA PRITCHETT, power housewife and mother with unusual parenting methods, is the beating heart of Moder­n Family.

“You’re his family now.

You be the wind in his back and not the spit in his face.”

JAY. Cynical husband with high sugar-daddy content. Help her in the kitchen.

And go to church.

SOFIA VERGARA

ED O’NEILL

“He just wants to have sex. Kidding. It’s just a little hand stuff.

Kidding again. Ted’s more of a boob man.”

ROBIN SCHERBATSKY from How I Met Your Mother is a TV presenter from Canada. She loves ice hockey, guns, Scotch and weird Canadian jokes.

TED MOSBY. Architect and love of her life. Brush up on your antiAmerican, proCanuck humour.

JOSH RADNOR

COBIE SMULDERS

LESLIE KNOPE, Deputy Director of the Department in Parks And Recreation.

An ambitious politico who might be VP of the USA.

“Ben, your heart is in the right place.

Your heart and your butt.”

ADAM SCOTT

AMY POEHLER * SYMBOLS THE RED BULLETIN

BEN WYATT. Bankrupt auditor.

Audit him and bankroll his wife to the vice-president’s residence.

Sexiness

Party girl

Bitch alert

Buddy potential

Intelligence

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BULLEVARD WOMEN OF TV

OUT OF THIS WORLD

STAR PHWOARS Is there a scientific reason that many aliens in TV sci-fi are attractive humanoid females?

If there’s life on other planets, then the scriptwriters of telly space operas think it is smoking hot. It could be the optimism of a human race stuck on a disappearing, choking Earth made flesh, or it could be that the writers’ rooms of these shows are predominantly dudes with lifelong Leia complexes.

NUMBER SIX Tricia Helfer, the Cylon destroyer of worlds and hearts in Battlestar Galactica

SEVEN OF NINE Jeri Ryan played a sci-fi siren in 102 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager

PA’U ZOTOH ZHAAN Virginia Hey’s Farscape character is part plant.

She grows on you after a while

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THE KOBAL COLLECTION(2), BEN MARK HOLZBERG/SYFY, CBS

STAHMA TARR Jaime Murray is the dangerously clever and cunning star of Defiance

BULLEVARD WOMEN OF TV

LONG TO REIGN OVER US

GOD SAVE THE TV QUEENS

These regal beauties rule screens and hearts. Pick a card to learn what your selection of sexy sovereign says about you POWER

POWER

POWER

POWER

Queen of Dragons

Queen of Queens

The White Queen

Queen of Scotland

SUMMON A DRAGON! Gives you 5 extra attack points. But do not be afraid if you make her yours!

BE QUICK-WITTED! Gives you 2 extra attack points. But beware, her kisses will silence.

COOK UP A SCHEME! - 2 lives for all your opponents.

But don’t always make the same mistakes.

TOLERANCE BONUS! Upgrade your forces with any heroine! Victory will be yours.

ATTACK

LIFE

EMILIA CLARKE Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons in Game of Thrones: you like playing with fire. But you long for security.

ATTACK

LIFE

LEAH REMINI Carrie Heffernan, Doug’s wife in the sitcom King of Queens: you play macho, but you’re happy when she tells you how things should be.

ATTACK

LIFE

REBECCA FERGUSON Queen Elizabeth in the BBC series The White Queen: you’re into cold women.

And women you can save. You’re better off saving yourself.

ATTACK

LIFE

ADELAIDE KANE Mary, Queen of Scots in American costume drama Reign: you love the night and have an eye for the plain.

Keep up the good work!

The Hospital Of Dreams

Hi, I’m Dr Elliot Reid, expert in bedside manner and bedroom roleplay.

HBO, GETTY IMAGES, COMPANY PICTURES, DDP IMAGES

TOM MACKINGER

Deep breaths, please.

Meredith Grey MD, anatomy specialist.

The worst-case scenario becomes the best-case scenario: you come round in hospital and these are the healthcare professionals assigned to your care

Stick a picture of yourself here and get well soon

Dr Addison Montgomery. Your pulse seems to be getting faster…

THE RED BULLETIN

Trust me, I’m a doctor. Dr Zoe Hart.

Named for breaking them.

You may call me Thirteen.

There is nothing unlucky about me.

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Steve Ao ki’s hyperactive DJ sets and rele ntless sch edule are the stuff of d a n ce mu s i c le g e n d . But it’s in the tireless g ri n d of b ran d - b u ild ing that the form er pun k rea l ly sets h im self apart from his pe e rs WORDS: STEVE APPLEFORD PHOTOGRAPHY: PORTRAITS BY DYLAN DON; REPORTAGE BY ERIK VOAKE

In his apartment in Las Vegas, Aoki gets some love from his pet Bulldog, Coco, while working on his forthcoming album, Neon Future, Vol II

22

THE TAO OF STEVE

“IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS NO PLAN. NOW, WHEN I LOOK AT BUSINESS, I LOOK AT IT AS, ‘WHERE’S THE PLAN? WHERE’S THE FUTURE?’ ” Forbes magazine ranked Aoki at number five in its list of the highestearning DJs of 2014

Aoki’s travel schedule is relentless – he spends more than 300 days a year on the road.

“He’s a sponge,” says Bryan Linares, marketing director at Dim Mak. “He’s travelling so much, and I think it’s the A&R in him. He’s always on the cusp of the next thing.”

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O ne am is fast approaching at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Steve Aoki is bent over a laptop in his luxury hotel suite, scrolling through 160 tracks in preparation for a full set of noisy beats and the night’s coming tsunami of champagne, CO2 fog and vanilla frosting.

“I want to play all this s--t tonight!” he says excitedly, jumping out of his seat and pumping his fists amid an entourage of friends and crew waiting to bounce over to the hotel’s nightclub, Hakkasan.

“I’m amped! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!”

Aoki is dressed for action, in a longsleeve shirt, baby-blue jeans and bright blue high-tops. In a moment, two extralarge security men in suits will escort him on his long walk to the DJ booth, through the hotel’s casino, past the penny slots and the thousand-dollar machines, the high-rollers and the bakery.

Hakkasan is home to superstar DJs such as Calvin Harris and Tiësto (whose names are displayed outside on signs as big as the club itself) and is a great gig by any measure. But Aoki’s ongoing residency, which began in April 2013, represents only a small part of his success.

Moulded by both the irreverence of the LA punk scene and the experience of creating the still-influential Dim Mak record label, Aoki is an anomaly on the high-gloss global DJ circuit. He is, like a handful of his peers, a superlative entertainer. But in the way he controls his brand and mines the zeitgeist for the 26

next creative and business opportunity, he has provided himself a roadmap for longevity in a fickle industry.

Aoki, 37, has been putting the finishing touches to his new concept album, Neon Future, Vol II, a collection of colliding beats and textures of the moment featuring genre-busting collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Linkin Park and Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.

Onstage at Hakkasan, Aoki unleashes a seamless storm of EDM sounds mixed with bits of ’90s rock from Nirvana and Oasis, plus Born To Get Wild, his collaboration with will.i.am. The dancefloor shakes beneath the modern Chinois-chic décor and the light fixtures shaped like Aoki’s bearded face. One fan lunges toward the DJ booth, lifting a phone with a hopeful neon scrawl on its screen: “I love U... A selfie?”

But Aoki isn’t about to stop for a picture. There are too many fans yelling one plea in his direction: “Cake me! Cake me!”

AS AN ASIAN TEENAGER IN THE PRIVILEGED WHITE ENCLAVE OF NEWPORT BEACH, AOKI THREW HIMSELF INTO LA’S VIBRANT PUNK SCENE

THE CHAOS OF PUNK GIGS, WHERE THE SINGER WOULD WADE INTO THE CROWD, BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIER WITH THE AUDIENCE, STAYED WITH HIM

The name of Aoki’s label was inspired by his love of kung-fu movies and, in particular, fellow Asian-American Bruce Lee. Dim Mak means ‘touch of death’.

The boxing cape he wore for our photoshoot was designed by the Japanese-inspired, London-based fashion label Kokon To Zai

Behind him in the booth sit six white cakes, fresh from the bakery. In the last few years, these cakes have become his trademark. Each is decorated with the name ‘Dim Mak’ in blue frosting, but for one small error: the baker has misspelt it ‘Dim Mack’ and now Aoki’s road manager is carefully wiping off every errant C. Branding is business, after all.

But no one will notice or care when these creations are hurled into the crowd.

Aoki spies a punter sitting on a friend’s shoulders, begging to be hit. The guy is duly obliged with a fluffy white dessert right in the face, and for a moment his entire head is encased in a perfect helmet of sugary white. His reaction is pure ecstasy, and he doesn’t wipe it off.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The past decade has been very good to the men behind the decks. Electronic Dance Music has elevated the likes of Aoki, Harris and David Guetta to global brands, with relentless touring schedules and sizeable bank accounts. In 2014, Aoki finally broke into the top five of Forbes’ list of highest-earning DJs, with estimated annual earnings of more than US $23 million. However, the requirements of sustained success stretch beyond a killer live show, and that’s where Aoki sets himself apart. “My entertainment is essentially my business,” he says.

“It organically overlaps.”

There was an obvious role model in Aoki’s life when growing up; his father Rocky founded Benihana, the hugely successful chain of theatrical teppanyaki restaurants. A master at marketing, Rocky branded everything he did, including the hot-air balloon he piloted on his recordbreaking flight across the Pacific in 1981.

He loved boats, fast cars and Andy Warhol paintings, but never spoiled his children.

As an Asian teenager in the privileged white enclave of Newport Beach, Aoki threw himself into LA’s vibrant punk scene, joining a succession of local hardcore bands. Money was no object, because there wasn’t any; he would roll into town to play a gig to 30 people before crashing on a basement floor. The chaos of those live shows, where the singer would wade into the crowd, breaking down the barrier between artist and audience, stayed with Aoki.

He was 19 when he launched Dim Mak from his apartment while still a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Aoki and three friends each chipped in about $200; his father contributed zero. “He wanted me to learn the hard way,” says Aoki junior.

27

THE PAST DECADE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO DJS. EDM HAS ELEVATED THE LIKES OF AOKI AND CALVIN HARRIS TO GLOBAL BRANDS Aoki sought to prove himself despite his father. “Rocky was a patriarchal father who ran a steak joint,” says long-time manager Matt Colon. “Steve studied feminism, was a vegan and started a communist party in Santa Barbara.”

One of the first acts on Dim Mak were indie-rock duo The Kills, who have gone on to international acclaim, and the label also broke Bloc Party in the US. Aoki’s Dim Mak Tuesdays in Hollywood became must-attend events. “His parties were the spot to send cool bands to break them,” says Colon, then a marketing director at BPM magazine.

It was at these parties that Aoki stumbled into the role of DJ, jokingly calling himself “Kid Millionaire” while still driving an old Isuzu Rodeo. He would play the celebrity and fashionista scene, mixing obscure electronic music with Britney Spears. This blend defined the spirit of his label.

“I grew up listening to punk and Steve was the same way,” says Bryan Linares, who started working at Dim Mak eight years ago as an intern and is now in charge of marketing and branding. “But now you go to Coachella and you see Jay-Z watching The xx from the side of the stage. That’s the future. And we want a kid to be able to find whatever he wants to in our world.”

Aoki has seen rival labels – some bigger than his – fade along with the genres in which they specialised.

Meanwhile, the DJ has steered his label through phases of EDM, dubstep, drum ’n’ bass and electro, and thrived; in 2014, Dim Mak celebrated its 500th release.

Aoki’s brand of showmanship alarms EDM’s critics, who like their DJs to stand behind the decks and look cool

H

e makes a policy of hiring people who are willing to spend time on culture’s front lines, but Aoki’s own insatiable curiosity – and 300 days a year on the road – sets the tone. “He’s a sponge,” says Linares.

“He’s travelling so much, and I think it’s just the A&R in him. He’s always on the cusp of the next thing.”

“In the beginning, there was no plan,” explains Aoki. “Now, when I look at business, I look at it as, ‘Where’s the plan? Where’s the future?’”

The new album is a testament to Aoki’s commitment to progression. Neon Future, Vol I, released last autumn, was the ultimate party plan; on Vol II, he adds ballads and some tears. Home We’ll Go mixes bright electronics with the acoustic shadings of Canadian rock band Walk Off The Earth – imagine Mumford & Sons stepping into a bar with Daft Punk to jam. “The difference is the emotional value of this album is a bit darker,” says Aoki. “I wanted to get people into the Neon Future party and make them happy. Once they’re in, they’re ready for everything.”

A few days after the Las Vegas set, Aoki is in LA for a full day of meetings. In 24 hours’ time, he’ll be jetting off to a couple of weekend gigs in India. “Sometimes I really am zombified,” he admits.

In the Beverly Hills offices of his management company, Aoki meets with the organisers of music-meets-actionsports event Air + Style, which is being hosted by snowboarder Shaun White.

They’ve proposed placing Aoki’s booth at the very top of the event’s almost 50metre-high ramp at LA’s Rose Bowl. The DJ leans forward on the table, staring silently at the blueprint. He walks out to the balcony, about 15 metres above Wilshire Boulevard. The ramp would be more than three times this height.

Aoki got the idea of throwing cakes at the audience from a 2011 video

by Dim Mak artist Autoerotique, in which birthday cakes exploded in people’s faces in slow motion

“Fifty metres?” says Aoki. “They won’t be able to see me at all.” An enthusiastic snowboarder and BASE-jumper, Aoki may be a proven thrill-seeker, but the stage has its own demands. He’ll need more than TV cameras to feed his performance.

It’s now late afternoon and the fatigue is beginning to take its toll. Aoki’s shoes are off and his eyelids are beginning to droop. He begins to curl up in a corner of the office couch. In a short while, a taxi will arrive to take him away.

Then work on Vol II will continue.

On stage at Hakkasan that Saturday night, the demands of the real world seem more distant. For all his success as a brand-builder and label head, it’s in the booth where Aoki feels most free.

Strapping on a pair of CO2 guns on a Saturday night on the Vegas Strip, ready to fire off geysers of fog, is an experience that no spreadsheet could eclipse.

Aoki leaps to the front of the stage and sends fans crowdsurfing on inflatable rafts. He uncorks champagne bottles, spraying the front row. This is the kind of showmanship that alarms EDM’s critics, who like their DJs to stand behind the decks and look cool. Aoki is unapologetic.

At the end of his three-hour set, the crowd has thinned to a hardcore of earlymorning survivors with staminas of steel.

Aoki shares their commitment to the moment. “You want to go to sleep?!” he taunts happily.

“I love those people,” he says later of the diehard dancers. “I do it for them.” twitter.com/steveaoki

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The Red Bull Air Race returns in 2015 for another year of global competition and high-energy thrills.

The race planes are lighter, faster and more agile than a Formula One car – which in turn demands incredible precision and meticulous mental preparation from their pilots. We’ll let them explain what goes on‌ Photography: Balazs Gardi

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Flight path: Matthias Dolderer prepares for a run through the course at the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championship stop in Las Vegas

THE BEST

PILOTS ‌

Hot stuff: double World Champion Paul Bonhomme leaves a smoke trail across Putrajaya Lake, Malaysia

‘B

ehind the aeroplane.’ This is not a phrase any pilot wants to hear. It refers to a situation of less-than-full control, reacting to events rather than premeditating them. It’s the point where you stop flying the plane and the plane starts flying you. It’s something all pilots try to avoid, but particularly those in the high-speed world of air racing, where the clearest mind has the advantage.

Red Bull Air Race pilots spend hours visualising their course. Some sit staring into space, simply picturing the air gates; others physically construct a scale model of the course in their hangars, walking through it over and over again. The latter has brought a new phrase into the sport: the ‘can dance’. In the can dance, cans of Red Bull are arranged to represent air gate pylons. They’re placed precisely on 32

the toughened plastic lattice of a hangar floor and the pilots weave in and out, sometimes with eyes closed, looking for all the world like men performing a ritual dance in praise of… who knows what?

The dance changes with every round of the championship: the core components of the course remain, but the layout evolves to suit the geography, so every race requires a new set of rehearsals.

The intent is the same, though: to mentally prepare the pilot to perform manoeuvres at racing speeds and racing G-forces. Combined with training laps, it’s designed to confine qualifying and

race runs to muscle memory, divorced from the ticking of the stopwatch and pressures of competition. The best of the best are the ones who can most clearly visualise their lap. Like F1 racer Ayrton Senna or footballer Franz Beckenbauer in their pomp, the elite of the Red Bull Air Race simply look like they have more time to make their moves. They are, in effect, ahead of the aeroplane.

PREDRAG VUCKOVIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

… AND THEIR

MANOEUVRES

THE START GATE “THERE’S A LOT TO DO: RPM, CAMERA,

AIR VENTS, SMOKE… YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO YOUR PLANE AS WELL” Paul Bonhomme

THIS IS WHAT COUNTS THE PERFECT LAP BEGINS BEFORE IT BEGINS. The run to the first gate is a pilot’s final chance to visualise his run, but it’s also a busy time with lots to do, not least of which is ensuring he stays under the 200kt (370kph) maximum start-line speed.

More than one pilot has ended his race participation before it’s got going, simply

34

by going too fast through the start gate.

PAUL BONHOMME IS THE RED BULL AIR RACE WORLD CHAMPION OF 2009 AND 2010. When the series returned in 2014, Bonhomme picked up two victories and finished the championship in third position, which is approximately two places lower than anything he’d be satisfied with.

Flying is the Bonhomme family business, though Paul entered at the very bottom, sweeping the floors at his local airfield before progressing to aerobatics, flight instruction and finally civil aviation, rising to become a 747 captain for British Airways.

Bonhomme can frequently be found flying vintage World War II fighter aircraft or appearing with Steve Jones as one half of the Matadors formation aerobatic display team.

THE CHICANE “TO GET THROUGH ACCURATELY, YOU NEED TO BE PRECISE WITHOUT THINKING. YOU NEED TO BE ALWAYS AHEAD OF THE GAME” Nigel Lamb

THIS IS WHAT COUNTS THE CHICANE SEQUENCE OF THREE EQUALLY SPACED PYLONS PROVIDES A TOUGH CHALLENGE, as pilots flick from knife-edge to knife-edge, all the time trying to maintain a level altitude. “When you watch newcomers in the chicane, they struggle,” says Nigel Lamb. “You’re making rapid control inputs and a tiny

36

overuse or underuse of the rudder and the aeroplane tends to climb. The corridor of air we’re flying through is very small: a little bit too low and you get disqualified; a little bit too high and you get a penalty. You need to be incredibly precise without thinking about it. You always need to be ahead of the game.”

NIGEL LAMB IS THE REIGNING CHAMPION. HE LEARNT HIS CRAFT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, flying for the Rhodesian Air Force before making the long trip north to England to take up professional aerobatics.

Aerobatics suited Nigel perfectly, as his eight consecutive British National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship titles attest. One of the Red Bull Air Race’s more innovative pilots, Nigel has a relentless enthusiasm for developing his plane and his skillset. His hard work paid off last year with a maiden victory in Malaysia and his first World Championship.

THIS IS WHAT COUNTS IN THE WORLD OF AEROBATICS THIS WOULD BE A HALF CUBAN EIGHT, but this is racing, not aerobatics, where speed rather than grace is the order of the day and a stopwatch, not a judging panel, is the ultimate arbiter of success or failure. The vertical turning manoeuvre sees pilots pass through a gate in level flight before pulling up sharply, going over the top – being careful to not exceed the 10G maximum loading – rolling the aircraft and returning to level flight travelling in the opposite direction.

38

“The highest Gs come at highest speed when you are going around a corner,” says Matthias Dolderer.

“It doesn’t matter to us if that corner is horizontal or vertical, but the most Gs we get are in the vertical turning manoeuvre.”

THE VERTICAL TURNING MANOEUVRE “WE LEARN HOW TO HANDLE G-FORCES; OUR BODIES TALK TO US AND WE LEARN HOW TO LISTEN”

MATTHIAS DOLDERER IS ANOTHER RED BULL AIR RACE PILOT BORN INTO AVIATION. His parents ran a flight school and private airfield in Tannheim, Germany, and young Matthias is reputed to have first flown at just three years old. Forty years later, he’s piloted more than 150 types of aircraft and won German championships in aerobatics and flying ultralights. Today, along with his sister, he runs the family business, the fame of which has spread through the Tannkosh airshow and fly-in event. In 2014, Matthias picked up momentum as the year went on, the high point coming in October with a podium finish in Las Vegas.

Matthias Dolderer

NICOLAS IVANOFF IS THE RED BULL AIR RACE PILOT IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO RULE OUT. On his day, the mercurial Corsican is a match for anyone and, piloting his distinctive orange Edge 540, has the capacity to make winning look easy. The only puzzle is why he doesn’t do it more often. Nicolas took his debut Red Bull Air Race victory in 2009, winning a thrilling encounter over San Diego harbour. When the air race returned in 2014, a poor opening half of the season ruled him out of the running in the championship, but he came back with a bang in the second half of the year, finishing on the podium at Ascot and taking wins in Fort Worth and at the Red Bull Ring.

THIS IS WHAT COUNTS FLYING LEVEL THROUGH AIR GATES doesn’t present the spectator with the thrill of jinking through the chicane or throwing the plane high into a graceful vertical turn, but it’s what wins and loses air races. The pylons are 25m high and have a flat inner surface to present pilots with a perfect rectangle, through which the plane must pass in level flight. The slightest touch of a wing tip will bring down a pylon and incur a time penalty.

“It’s like on the road: some cars are fast on the motorway, others are better for tight, twisty roads

40

through the mountains,” says Nicolas Ivanoff. “We need the equivalent of the car for the tight, twisty roads. We need a great deal of precision in the way we fly, because you really don’t want to meet a pylon!”

THE AIR GATES “WE NEED A GREAT DEAL OF PRECISION. YOU DON’T WANT TO MEET A PYLON!” Nicolas Ivanoff

HANNES ARCH IS AUSTRIA’S MR ADRENALIN. The 2008 Red Bull Air Race champion is an aerobatic and stunt pilot, flies helicopters and hang gliders, and is an expert paraglider, mountaineer and BASE-jumper. He claims to be happiest when he can get away from it all, be that up in the air or out in the wild.

Arch came into the Red Bull Air Race after working as the championship’s race director.

After a 2007 rookie season in which he “watched and learned”, Arch swiftly rose into the elite category and has been a regular race winner ever since. The 2014 season saw him take victory in Croatia and Poland to finish the championship in second place for the third time in a row.

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THE FINISH GATE “AIR RACING IS LIKE DOWNHILL SKIING: IT’S ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT LINE” Hannes Arch

THIS IS WHAT COUNTS PILOTS ASSEMBLE THEIR LAP SECTION BY SECTION, balancing risk and reward.

There will be occasions when caution is thrown to the wind, but for the most part, the priority is to get to the final gate and put a clean run on the board.

“I want to take it calm, smooth and gentle, and still be fast and precise,” says Hannes Arch. “To fly through those pylons relies entirely on feeling: it should feel like two wings attached to my body. Extracting the last knot of speed at the expense of poor handling isn’t the way to go. Air racing is like

downhill skiing (and like any good Austrian, I love skiing) it’s about finding the right line, not going too wide, not making sharp edges, just smooth, energy-conserving lines.”

TAKE 5 PHOTOS OF HIGHS A ND LOWS

PHOTOGRAPHY: FABIO PIVA WORDS: WOOKIE WILLIAMS

1

FEAR

When freestyle trials rider Julien Dupont got his first look at Mexico City’s 34m-high Montana Rusa wooden rollercoaster, he knew he was in for a challenge. “A couple of months ago, Red Bull came to me with the wild idea of riding this rollercoaster in a new way,” says the 34-year-old Frenchman. “When I saw pictures of the huge, steep climbs I got scared about my bike. I didn’t know if it would have enough power to make it to the top.”

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FABIO PIVA/ RED BULL CONTENT POOL

2

FOCUS

“My first reaction was, ‘This is definitely crazy.’ This is one of the most insane action projects I’ve done in my life.” That means something coming from a man who crossed the Gateshead Millennium Bridge on two wheels back in 2011.

“This is completely new,” he says.

“You have make sure you stay in the middle of the track, and it’s so high: you can see the tiny cars in the distance. You have to stay completely focused.”

3

FORTITUDE

“I actually don’t like heights much,” says Dupont. “I always feel better on the ground. That morning, my thoughts were, ‘I won’t be able to do this.’ When I got to the top, I thought, ‘Damn.’” The first run was crucial to Dupont’s confidence.

“You have to unplug your brain, focus on your front tyre and nothing else,” he says. “I just said to myself, ‘OK, you can do it. You don’t have a trial run, so it’s a one-time opportunity. Do it or go home.’”

46

4 FUN

“Given my experience, I can estimate the dangers,” says Dupont. “I tried to do it at the perfect speed for the track. Hesitation could be fatal at certain points.

I went slowly when I had to and hit the gas everywhere else.” After the anguish, Dupont began to enjoy the ride. “Once I completed the first lap, I realised that I could do it,” he says. “Then everything was fun.

I had a great time during the second lap.”

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THE RED BULLETIN

5 FIGHT

“Sometimes you have to deal with broken bones,” says Dupont after finishing his two laps, “but when I think about that, I remind myself that there aren’t many people that make a living from their passion. That’s what makes me fight the pain and keep on going.

I’ve now done stunts in 28 different countries and I want to do something in every country in the world – I’ll need luck and a long life to achieve that.”

Watch the video: youtube.com/redbull

THE RED BULLETIN

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THE BLACK KEYS

“It’s super-weird that we play arenas” When they return to New Zealand in April, the US duo will be packing out a venue more familiar to manufactured pop acts than bluesy rock ’n’ rollers

It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ’n’ roll, especially so in 2015, with only a few rock outfits sharing the rarefied air at the top of music’s tree along with rappers, boy bands, girl singers and DJs. But in an era of unassailable pop dominance, The Black Keys are an exception to the rule.

The two-man attack of singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach, 35, and drummer Patrick Carney, 34, has incrementally won over audiences much bigger than their back-to-basics set-up and sound should rightly give them access to.

Eight albums deep, The Black Keys are now genuine arena-fillers and festival headliners, fattening up their live sound with the addition of a bass player and keyboardist while losing none of the stripped-back approach to swaggering, soulful rock ’n’ roll that separated them from the pack in the first place. Three years after the band’s first headlining world tour, with a string of arena dates behind them, Carney reflects on the challenge of translating a sound built for pubs and clubs to the nosebleeds. the red bulletin: The first Black Keys gig in New Zealand [June 28, 2008] was at a sold-out Powerstation in Auckland. Any memories of that? patrick carney: Yeah, man, I remember playing that venue. A couple of us went to a strip club with mermaids in it the night before, and I checked out a really good record store the next day.

That was The Mermaid Club and Real Groovy Records. So, on what will be 50

your third trip, what’s on the to-do list?

I don’t know the city that well, but I know it’s beautiful. Last time, a Kiwi buddy of mine took me to see [Flying Nun band] The Bats at the Leigh Sawmill Cafe, north of Auckland. That’s a cool venue, so I reckon we’ll have to head back there.

Vector is a venue more likely to host Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake. Are you still surprised that The Black Keys now pack out 12,000-seaters instead of beer-soaked dive bars?

Yeah, man, totally. We know we don’t sit easy alongside those names. But you’ve

“When you have 12,000 people in the crowd, you have to play better” got to look at it like this: in 1977, Led Zeppelin played The Forum in LA 10 nights in a row or something. Around the same time, you’d have pop acts like Linda Ronstadt and The Doobie Brothers playing there as well. It’s super-weird that we get to play arenas – it’s weirder, though, that there aren’t more rock bands doing it. I mean, where are they?

Does your performance change when you play small and large venues?

Yeah, absolutely. When you’re playing a small show, you can turn it up and the sheer volume alone can impress the

audience. When you have 12,000 people in the crowd, they’re analysing the performance, so you have to play better – and that’s made us a much better band.

You never wanted to be a drummer – guitar was your first love – so are there any pangs of regret when you see your bandmate front and centre?

Nah, man, no regrets. When you’re like 16, 17, no one wants to be the drummer; there’s one kid who wants to play drums and 30 who want to play guitar. It worked out for me in the end, though, right? I’m self-taught and I think I’m pretty good for someone who wanted to be a guitar player. A great drummer is someone who’s imaginative when it comes to creative arts. I don’t really look at technical skill as being impressive when it comes to any instrument. I wouldn’t want to sit around listening to [electric guitar virtuoso] Steve Vai all day long, you know what I mean?

The music business can be a fickle game. Would it be a bitter pill to swallow if you went back to playing clubs after this run of arena shows?

That’s a hard one. This tour we’re playing arenas and last year we did too, but who knows what happens on the next one?

We’ll just take it as it comes; we never have very high expectations other than wanting to make music that we’re proud of. I would not be surprised that when we come to New Zealand next time, we’re back to playing The Powerstation again – and we’d be totally cool with that.

The Black Keys play Auckland’s Vector Arena on Sunday, April 19: theblackkeys.com THE RED BULLETIN

DANNY CLINCH

Words : Tom Goldson

The line-up (from left) Patrick Carney – drums, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard Dan Auerbach – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums The albums Turn Blue (2014) El Camino (2011) Brothers (2010) Attack & Release (2008) Magic Potion (2006) Rubber Factory (2004) Thickfreakness (2003) The Big Come Up (2002)

DANIEL KEREOPA

“I could surf before I could swim” The Raglan waterman represents New Zealand this month in a unique test of watersport skills. And he’s determined to upstage some of the biggest surf names in the world Words : Robert Tighe Photography: David K Shields

For Daniel Kereopa, this year’s edition of The Ultimate Waterman represents a second chance to prove he’s one of the best all-round surfers in the world. In 1993, when he was 14 years old, Kereopa finished runner-up at the World Junior Championships in Bali, but he struggled to repeat that success in the senior ranks.

He competed on the pro circuits in Australia, but after a number of failed attempts to qualify for the World Championship Tour, and fed up with the financial challenges of life as a pro surfer, Kereopa returned to New Zealand in his mid-20s, where he carved out a successful career as a TV presenter and surf instructor. Now, a decade later, the 37-year-old has an opportunity to compete against the world’s best in The Ultimate Waterman, a unique event that tests athletes in six disciplines: longboard, shortboard, stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and tow-in surfing, waka ama and SUP endurance. Kai Lenny of Hawaii, Mark Visser of Australia and American Danny Ching will appear in the competition, which takes place in New Zealand waters over seven days from March 14. the red bulletin: Can you win The Ultimate Waterman considering some of the superstars you’re up against?

DANIEL KEREOPA: I’ve got a chance. I’m confident in my abilities on the water and I know I can handle myself in competition.

I’ve got this fire inside me that I haven’t had for a long time, and I’m excited about testing myself against the best surfers in the world in my own backyard.

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When did you first hear about The Ultimate Waterman event?

Greg Townsend of Surfing New Zealand shared his idea with me about three years ago. I didn’t know if he could make it happen, but I kept surfing as many different disciplines as possible in preparation for this event. The opportunity to compete across multiple disciplines in one event is very exciting.

Do you have a favourite discipline?

Surfing’s not about what you ride; it’s all

“I’m excited about testing myself against the best surfers in my own backyard” about how you behave out on the water.

If you smile and talk to people, you can change the mood of the whole line-up.

You shouldn’t worry about whether you’re competing on a stand-up paddleboard, a longboard or a shortboard. Whatever you’re riding, make sure you have fun.

How did you get into surfing?

My dad was a farmer and we moved to the surf town of Raglan when I was eight. None of my family had been on a surfboard before. Dad’s life revolved around work, and the idea of enjoying yourself on the water was alien to him.

He didn’t encourage us to go surfing.

Did your father’s attitude change?

It had to, because me and my brothers surfed all the time. We had a second-hand surfboard that we always shared between three of us. We didn’t even have wetsuits. We wore rugby shorts and one of Dad’s shearer’s shirts. I never had a lesson. I spent all my time at the beach, waiting for my turn on the board.

I was the youngest, so I was always last, but I watched and learned. I could surf before I could swim, so that made me determined not to fall off.

What are the highs and lows you’ve experienced on the water?

Winning national and international titles and finishing second at the World Juniors in Bali in 1993 were big highlights. A few years after the World Juniors, I was back in Bali and I found a dead body in the water.

There had been some big swells and we were warned that some locals had drowned. I saw something in the water, paddled over and it was a little boy.

I had nightmares about it for a long time.

What are you most looking forward to about The Ultimate Waterman?

Growing up, I’d watch videos and read about the greatest surfers in the world and dream about surfing with guys like Sunny Garcia and Mark Occhilupo.

I did get to surf with some of my heroes and now guys like Kai Lenny, Danny Ching and Mark Visser are coming to New Zealand to surf with me. The great thing is they don’t know who I am, and I’m excited to change that by showing them what I can do. theultimatewaterman.com THE RED BULLETIN

Born February 28, 1978, Huntly, New Zealand Home advantage “Knowing about the New Zealand waves and weather conditions is massive,” says Kereopa. “Our waves aren’t as steep or as powerful as places like Hawaii, so you need the right equipment. Then there’s the weather in New Zealand, which is so unpredictable and can change so fast.”

MAX VERSTAPPEN

“Why would I freak out in an F1 car?”

The 17-year-old Dutchman will go down in history when he makes his debut for Toro Rosso at this year’s Australian Grand Prix

the red bulletin: While others are thinking about finishing college, you’re joining Formula One. Any doubts?

Max Verstappen: No. I know this is what I can and want to do. I’ve wanted to be a Formula One driver since I was four.

Now’s my chance and I’m going to take it.

The FIA President Jean Todt clearly thinks 17 is too young. He’s announced a minimum age of 18 for F1 from 2016.

Is this a Verstappen law?

Whatever. As it is, I’m the youngest Formula One driver there’ll ever be. My first of what I hope will be many records!

What would you have done if things hadn’t worked out with F1?

I would have ground out a year in GP2 or Formula Renault 3.5, though really that would have been a waste of time.

How did you get the seat with Scuderia Toro Rosso?

I was at the office of Red Bull motorsport consultant, Helmut Marko, in Graz, Austria. He asked me and I said yes.

I saw it coming, but it was still a shock.

Did you call anyone?

My mum – Dad was sitting next to me.

Your dad, Jos Verstappen, drove in 108 grands prix and is a big name in racing.

Is your whole family into motorsport?

My mother was a successful kart racer and my 15-year-old sister races karts too. Ever since I can remember, all I’ve I wanted to do is become a racing driver.

Has Jos influenced your development?

That was part of my career planning.

I got through a lot of developmental stages more quickly thanks to his experience.

To start with I went to regular schools, but then travel got in the way of that and the only way forward was to have 54

private tuition. I’ve been a professional racing driver since the age of 12, with all the advantages and disadvantages that come with that.

Didn’t you yearn for a regular childhood?

My dad was quite strict. He taught me that you’re never perfect and you can always improve. That spurred me on a lot, to be good enough to have a crack at Formula One and then go on to become world champion.

“The trade-off between pure adrenalin and precise engineering fascinates me” Has Verstappen senior ever been satisfied with your performance?

Yes, when we won the karting world championships. He couldn’t be too critical when I’d just won the series.

And what about you?

One or two races in Formula 3 were really, really good, even if deep inside you’re thinking there were a couple of little things you could have done better.

You featured highly on all the top Formula One teams’ wish lists. What made you decide to go for Toro Rosso?

It’s been proven that the Red Bull junior programme gets drivers to the top.

They clearly know how to deal with young drivers. Look at Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat.

Were you really as cool on the inside as you looked on the outside at your first test sessions?

Why would I freak out? I was where I’d always wanted to be, sitting in the cockpit of a Formula One car.

You didn’t feel like you were overextending yourself?

No, I was well prepared. My father’s tough training paid off.

What’s it like driving an F1 car?

Amazing!

What is it about racing that you find so fascinating?

The trade-off between pure adrenalin and precise engineering, between being aggressive and being rational.

Would you prefer to win having led from the front uncontested or after a wheel-to-wheel battle?

I’d want to overtake first and then win.

What’s your driving style like?

Depends what I need to do. I’m aggressive when overtaking, gentle when I have to go easy on the tyres.

I’m not a one-trick pony.

How do you handle adrenalin?

I sleep it off. I even dropped off at the Toro Rosso factory when they were adjusting my F1 seat. I never have trouble sleeping, I’m lucky like that. It means my batteries are always fully charged.

Most Formula One drivers live in Monaco or Switzerland – will you be moving any time soon?

No, we’re staying in Belgium. I’m not an adult yet, remember. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Nothing will change that quickly on the personal front. scuderiatororosso.com THE RED BULLETIN

PHILIP PLATZER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Words: Werner Jessner

Born September 30, 1997, in Hasselt, Belgium.

(He has Belgian and Dutch citizenship) Achievements 2013 karting World Champion, two-time European karting champion.

Third in the European Formula 3 series with a record-breaking 10 wins Start number 33

Driving force: Max Verstappen puts his ascent into F1 down to his father’s influence

An especially cold winter created the perfect conditions for Will Gadd’s historic ascent of Niagara Falls

56

´

THE

ICEMAN

CLIMBETH No one had ever been granted permission to scale the frozen waters of the Niagara Falls. But when champion ice-climber WILL GADD was given the green light, there was no stopping him

CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Words: Steve Root

Spray ice is like a frozen cloud, says Gadd, who pioneered many of the techniques used to climb it

“NIAGARA FALLS IS PRETTY MUCH A HOLY GRAIL FOR ME. AS FALLS GO, IT’S OFF EVERYBODY’S MAP, BECAUSE THEY’RE NEVER GONNA GET PERMISSION” 58

GREG MIONSKE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL(2)

O

ne last thing before we head out,” Will Gadd says to the nearly 40-strong team of climbing riggers, photographers, paramedics, police and New York State Park officials assembled in the staging area a few hundred yards from the precipice of Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls. “We’re going at quarter time.

Take it slow. Nobody gets hurt. Quarter. Time.”

And with those words, the world champion ice-climber strides out into the bitterly cold, grey morning. At full speed.

Despite his admonition, Gadd does nothing at quarter time. The 47-year-old Canadian has abounding energy, and difficulty containing it. You tend to hear Gadd before you see him, clad in thin Arc’teryx climbing clothes, a scuffed blue helmet and a harness festooned with countless carabiners, screws, picks and pitons. The tools of his trade make the jingly-jangly sound of a skiff bobbing listlessly in a lagoon. But that would imply an aimless drift about him, and there is nothing aimless about Gadd. His life depends upon order, control and planning.

Today, his plan is to become the first man to ascend Niagara Falls. He is preceded by barrel riders, tightrope walkers, the suicidal and the just plain unlucky. But they’ve all travelled the falls in other directions. No one has ever tried going up.

But then, Gadd has always set his own course.

He’s been winning competitions since the ’90s. If

it can be climbed, he’s done it, from the vanishing glaciers of Kilimanjaro to abandoned Swedish mining caves 150 metres below the Earth’s crust.

Gadd is also a champion paraglider who has set two separate world distance records and was the first to fly across the US and the Canadian Rockies.

No wonder he was recently named one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year.

It’s no surprise that when last winter’s polar vortexes froze the long johns off North Americans and their beloved waterfall, the idea of climbing it crystallised along with the Niagara ice. “My friend and I thought about doing it,” Gadd admits, “but it wasn’t legal.

I decided I didn’t need that on my rap sheet of life.”

But when Red Bull approached with the same idea a short time later, it was a no-brainer, and the plan was set in motion. “Sometimes,” Gadd says with a laugh, “doing the right thing pays off.”

To be clear, the entire Falls do not freeze. After all, an endless tide of 681,750 gallons per second drains out of the Great Lakes and down the Niagara hatch at Horseshoe Falls, the section of the Falls that Gadd plans to climb. But under the right conditions, the mist that rises from that torrent does freeze on the 45-metre-tall rock faces framing the waterfall. It’s known as spray ice. It forms in thin layers like an onion and is wickedly unstable, unwilling to hold ice screws and prone to breaking away in huge chunks.

It’s a disorderly jumble. Will Gadd, father of two kids (aged four and seven) and hoping to continue doing that job, is not a fan of disorder or jumbles.

Especially when he’s hanging by his ice tools above the swirling cauldron of water. “If I fell in,” he says, “I’d go under the ice and be dead within minutes.”

Another alternative is being splayed on a spire of ice like a martini olive on a toothpick. But then,

“IF I BREAK MY ANKLE WHILE CLIMBING IN THE ROCKIES, NO ONE WILL CARE. IF I BREAK MY ANKLE HERE AND HAVE TO BE RESCUED, IT’S LIKELY TO GO GLOBAL”

GREG MIONSKE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL(4), KEITH LADZINSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL(3) , CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

In advance of his ascent, Gadd checks his equipment (above) before rappelling down the wall (left) to remove hazardous loose ice.

Below (from left): Gadd discusses camera angles with fellow climber Mark Synnott; photographers Christian Pondella and David Pearson stake out spots at the cliff’s edge; Gadd reaches a precipice behind the gushing water

climbing spray ice is something Gadd pioneered, discovering and refining techniques and helping develop specialised tools to tackle it. Still, the pressure is considerable. “We have a very narrow window,” he says. “We have to get it done, or it’s not happening. A lot of people are watching. If I break my ankle while climbing in the Rockies, no one will care. If I break my ankle here and have to be rescued, it’s likely to go global.”

scending Niagara Falls is a moment – “About as big and cool as it gets,” says Gadd – that almost didn’t happen. When first pitched to red-tape wielding officials, they flatly said no.

“I believe it was, ‘Hell, no,’” recalls Major David Page of the New York State Parks Police with a wry grin as he watches the day’s events unfold. The 30-year-old had managed the crush of thousands of spectators who gathered for Nik Wallenda’s televised tightrope traverse of the Falls in 2012, and he wasn’t eager for a repeat. But things change.

Team Gadd made another approach with a more comprehensive plan, one that ensured environmental sensitivity (“There won’t be a trace I was ever here,” he assured them), included training in ice climbing for the park’s search-and-rescue team, and garnering awareness of the winter beauty of the tourist attraction, which is all but devoid of visitors at this time of year. The help of a few New York state assembly people and the Governor’s office didn’t hurt. (Note to anyone considering a similar project: don’t. But if you must, be sure to take along the right consultants – former Military Special Ops guys who are well-versed in law enforcement, and production company veterans who know how to get hold of the correct permit.) Gadd, in typical fashion, conducted every step of the way.

“Climbing is what I love doing,” he says. “When I tie into the rope and start climbing, I love it. But the rest of this stuff, it’s my job.”

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Gadd was wet, exhausted and hypothermic by the time he finally reached the top of the Falls

NIAGARA STATS

681,750 GALLONS OF WATER PER SECOND

The volume of the torrent that flows over the Horseshoe Falls. The water falls at a rate of 10 metres per second and hits the base of the Falls with a force of 2,509 tonnes

57 METRES

CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL(2), GREG MIONSKE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

GADD IS NOT A FAN OF DISORDER OR JUMBLES, ESPECIALLY WHEN HANGING BY HIS ICE TOOLS OVER THE SWIRLING CAULDRON. “IF I FELL IN, I’D GO UNDER THE ICE AND BE DEAD”

The height of Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls from its highest point to the surface of the river. Not the tallest waterfall in the world by a long way (that’s Angel Falls in Bolívar, Venezuela, at 979 metres), but it is the most powerful

63 YEARS OLD The age of retired schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor when she went over the Falls in a barrel in 1901.

On her birthday. Yes, really.

She emerged with only minor cuts and bruises

550 METRES The distance that American Nik Wallenda, then 33, walked along a high wire stretched across Horseshoe Falls in 2012

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fter months of planning, January 27 arrives: ascension day. A large camera jib has been carried to the cliff’s edge by the safety-roped crew. Gadd’s long-time lensman Christian Pondella has set anchors, roped in and leaned out over the abyss, camera in hand. More photographers assemble below and over the river in Canada. Gadd’s climbing partner Sarah Hueniken belays, feeding out rope during ascent, and ready to stop if a fall occurs.

“You do what you can to stack the deck in your favour,” explains Gadd. “But even then, things are still gonna get western occasionally.”

“He’s all about safety, and he won’t hesitate to call it,” says Bryan Smith, a videographer who has documented several of Gadd’s adventures. “If it doesn’t feel right, he’ll pull the plug straightaway.”

Gadd begins just after 11am, and it’s then that the awesome scope of the task sinks in. He is utterly dwarfed, a red-jacketed speck among otherworldly ice formations and swirling spray that freezes on contact with his clothes and face. At first, progress is quick, as if he’s trying to outrun the cold. But he often stops to study his line. A three- or four-metre vertical advance is followed by a crazy-legged traverse to one side or the other, followed by another advance, ice chunks raining down. Eventually, he reaches an ice cave which Hueniken will belay from.

Gadd then finds a shelf that he can step onto and actually get behind the rushing water. He straddles a section of ice beneath which water races. He reaches his ice tool into the torrent and it delivers an unexpected shot of water down this sleeve that would later induce hypothermia. But it’s worth it.

“You’ve gotta touch it,” he says. “It’s Niagara Falls!”

Gadd pushes on, tackling a massive column, only to retreat as he nears the top and work his way back down. “It started to sound hollow,” he would later say. “I didn’t like it. My biggest concern is that a whole section breaks off. I have to make sure that where I am is well bonded to the rock.”

At the bottom of the column, he traverses to his right and begins a new line upwards. Cramponed boots slam the ice in search of a solid toehold. Arms reach high to plant ice tools, and Gadd swings between them like a chimp between branches.

Finally, 60 minutes later, he nears the crest. You can’t help but wonder if he has the strength to pull himself up. But this is Will Gadd, the man who does one-armed pull-ups. Standing on horizontal ground, arms raised triumphantly, there is no end-zone prance. Gadd’s reaction is reverential, the magnitude of the feat washing over him like water over the falls.

That night in the hotel bar, Gadd unwinds with a tumbler of Knob Creek, no ice. He sports a wide grin and an ever-present twinkle in his blue eyes. He is relieved, appreciative of his team and tells them so repeatedly as they trade back-slaps and handshakes.

“Niagara Falls is pretty much a holy grail for me,” he says reflectively. “As falls go, it’s off everybody’s map, because they’re never gonna get permission…”

As he trails off, you can almost hear the whirr of his internal GPS searching for far-flung coordinates.

“I mean…what do you do after this?” willgadd.com

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L O R T E P IS H E D A M T R O P S R O T O M Z R OF N TH E S ELF-STYLED SAVIOFUO O D . N OW H IS D R IVIN G PAS S IO N M ILLIO N S S ELLIN G PET TH E M ID D LE O F TH E M O U NTAIN S TI G H E IS A R AC ETR AC K IN W O RD S: RO BERT VID SO N PH OTO G RA PHY: SI M O N DA

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D A HE N E V HEA

N

ot more than a few hours to go before the start of the Highlands Festival of Speed, and Highlands Motorsport Park owner Tony Quinn (also a series owner, event promoter, sponsor and race-car driver) is explaining why he invested NZ$25m in a racetrack in Cromwell, Central Otago.

“It wasn’t a business decision,” says Quinn. “Highlands is about leaving a legacy. I did it for selfish reasons. I could own a superyacht, a golf course or an airfield, but I have a racetrack instead.”

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Scotland, Quinn left for Australia in his early 20s. Thirty years later, he and his

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wife Christina run a business empire that includes VIP Petfoods and Darrell Lea confectionery. They are worth an estimated AU$400million. But Quinn stopped counting a long time ago.

“People tell me what I’m worth, but it’s just a number,” he says. “I don’t want for anything. I’ve got two or three Rolex watches that I never wear. I drive a ute or a truck or a ride-on mower. I just don’t care. I’m equally happy in the pits or at a top restaurant in Sydney, where the conversation usually gravitates to my story, because it’s the most interesting.”

Quinn’s father was a dog whisperer.

People saw what he could do with dogs, so they asked what he fed them. That’s how Jim Quinn entered the pet food business. His son worked in the factory from a young age and was a straight-A student without trying too hard, the kind of kid who’d enter a chess tournament without knowing the rules and win it.

Quinn was into cars before he was old enough to drive. His friend Geordie Taylor was a mechanic who raced at the weekend. Quinn put Taylor’s car on the front row of the grid in his very first race and was hooked. In his late teens, he dreamed of racing for a living. One day, an American go-kart champion came to town and blitzed the field in a borrowed car. Realising he wasn’t as fast as he’d thought, Quinn gave up motorsport and focused on making money.

Above: Tony Quinn (left) advises his son Kent (middle) and Highlands driver Andrew Waite (right).

Left: Quinn (left) and James Ward of the Aussie Racing Cars series roll out his replica Mustang.

Right: Australia’s Garry Treloar exits the pits in his 1972 Holden HQ Monaro Coupe.

Above right: Quinn’s mechanics and support crew inspect the damage to his Mustang

After working for his father, Quinn set up his own signwriting firm, making a small fortune. In search of greater riches, he set off for Australia, but when he landed in Perth and opened the Yellow Pages, he found 12 pages of ads for signwriters. “I mowed lawns instead,” says Quinn. “I did OK, but there were times I cried myself to sleep thinking, ‘What have I done?’”

Perth never felt like home, so Quinn moved to New Zealand and got back into the pet food business. He lived in Dargaville for nine years before winning the contract to supply a supermarket chain in Australia. Quinn relocated to the Gold Coast and made his first million in the late ’90s. His accountant, a fellow motorsport enthusiast, encouraged him to race in Targa Tasmania. Quinn won the Rookie category and was bitten by the motorsport bug once again.

“ PEOPLE EXPECTED HIGHLANDS TO FAIL, BUT THEY DIDN’T KNOW TONY“

S

ince then, Quinn has won Targa Tasmania twice and is a five-time winner of Targa New Zealand. He has sponsored V8 drivers and teams since the early 2000s and, in 2011, took charge of the Australian GT Championship. He’s also the owner of the Aussie Racing Cars series, a marquee event at the Festival of Speed.

Tony, his son Kent and son-in-law Kynan Yu are suited up for the first Friday morning practice session. Quinn is second-fastest, but he knows he has home-track advantage and the other drivers will get quicker. This is only his fourth time in an Aussie Racing Car and he’s not expecting to get on the podium.

“Don’t go putting money on me,” he says. “I’ll go alright, but I’m a big enough w--ker without winning too many races.”

When not racing, Quinn’s uniform for the weekend is a Highlands T-shirt, black shorts and Nike trainers. Now 57, with crow’s feet around his eyes and a thick head of hair with just a hint of mullet, he looks more like a volunteer than the boss.

But he’s comfortable enough in his own skin not to give a damn what others think – especially not sports administrators.

In 2004, Quinn was fined AU$3,000 by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) for spinning his car on the track before a Porsche Carrera Cup race.

Above: Quinn wears his game face ahead of the start of Race Two in the Aussie Racing Cars series.

Right: Australian touring car legend Glenn Seton comes into the pits for repairs to his 1964 Ford Mustang Coupe

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“MOTORSPORT IS IN A BAD WAY IN THIS COUNTRY. I WANT TO HELP IT GET BACK ON ITS FEET” Quinn owned the series (he bought it for AU$50,000 and sold it a few years later for AU$2m) and considered the fine too severe. So he emptied all of the vending machines in his factories and dumped a pile of coins before a CAMS official.

“The message was, ‘If you want to f--k with me, you’ll be beaten. You’re going to be embarrassed. Administrators like to have a crack at people, but the thing is, I enjoy standing up to them. It’s a p--sing contest and I’m a competitive guy.”

Quinn’s comments may sound brash, but his lilting Scottish accent softens the

impact of any profanity. He has a selfdeprecating sense of humour and a ready smile, but it’s also obvious he’s a man you wouldn’t want to cross in the boardroom.

“I surround myself with good people and leave them to do what they do best,” says Quinn. “But I tell them, ‘Don’t f--k with me. I’m trusting you. If you f--k up, the end will be swift.’”

Josie Spillane is Business Development Manager at Highlands and one of Quinn’s most trusted advisers. “Highlands is such a challenge to anyone’s sense of normal,” she says. “People expected it to fail, but 69

they didn’t know Tony. By no means is he perfect, but he’s incredibly charismatic and creative. He’s like an idiot savant.

I could look at a brown square and see a brown square; he would look at it and see a way to make money. That’s an incredible individual to be around.”

H

ighlands cost Quinn around NZ$25m, but he reckons it would have been 10 times as much if he’d built it anywhere else in the world.

“Most people would have employed a team of consultants and engineers and lawyers before they even started building,” he says. “Instead, I made very quick decisions and just got on with it.”

The project took less than a year and opened in March 2013. The 4.5km track is bordered by a pine forest and framed by the Dunstan Mountains. The complex employs more than 40 staff, and facilities include the National Motorsport Museum, 48 garages, 12 pitlane apartments, a restaurant, a technology park, a go-kart track and even a dinosaur safari park.

“Watching racing all day is boring as bats--t, so we’ve got a bus that gives tours of the park,” says Quinn. “This place is as much about tourism as about motorsport.

I reckon it has a lifespan of 20 years as a track, then it’ll have to reinvent itself.

The sport is changing. My generation used to mess around with cars. Now you lift the bonnet of a car and you’ve no idea what you’re looking at. Modern cars are a means to an end. They’re all the same.”

What’s under the hood may have changed, but crashes still mean work for the mechanic. On the second lap of the second race, Quinn is in seventh when a car spins into his racing line. The impact can be heard in the pitlane and the front of his car is a mess. When he gets back to the pits, Quinn tells his mechanic what

happened. “I had nowhere to go,” he says, “but hey, at least it was in front of the crowd on the hill. It would have been a terrible waste if it had happened in the forest where no one could see it.”

Several thousand spectators turn up for the three-day festival, a decent turnout considering ’80s soft-rock legends Foreigner and Heart are playing a concert close by. Quinn’s next project is the relaunch of the iconic Race To The Sky, last held in the Cardrona Valley in 2007. The 2015 event will take place on April 17-19, with a 14.5km course through the Pisa mountain range that makes it the world’s longest gravel hill-climb. He is also in negotiations to buy Taupo Motorsport Park, part of his masterplan to drag New Zealand motor racing out of the doldrums.

“Motorsport is in a bad way in this country,” says Quinn, taking time out ahead of the second of his five races this

“BUILDING HIGHLANDS WASN’T A BUSINESS DECISION. IT’S ABOUT LEAVING A LEGACY“ Top: the very popular National Motorsport Museum.

Above: Quinn (right) and mechanic Harry Forrester.

Left: a drone’seye view of Highlands.

weekend. “It used to be highly regarded the world over, but I think it’s been abused by the people who run it.

I want to help it get back on its feet.”

As Quinn talks, a father and his young son approach to shake his hand.

“Thank you for building this, Tony,” says the dad. “It’s fabulous.”

“Mate, that happens all the time,” Quinn explains when they’ve gone. “I ask them to tell me the worst thing about the place. I haven’t had a good answer to that question yet.” He looks over at his car in the pits. “OK, are we done?” he asks. “I’ve got to go and drive a race car.” highlands.co.nz

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THE RED BULLETIN

TH E S EC R E T OF HIS SUCCESS His six-time platinum-selling song laced big advertising campaigns, the accompanying album was a bona-fide success and his band AWOLNATION sold out arenas. But that was three years ago. Aaron Bruno on exceeding expectations the second time around W O R D S: C H R I S PA LM ER PH OTO G R A PHY: R A M O N A R O SA LES

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A

aron Bruno folds his slight frame onto the far end of a pea green ’70s era-inspired sofa in a small studio in Los Angeles.

His eyes are pools of glacier blue. They gleam as he stares forward and recounts a life. He’s walked a well-worn path: struggling musician, label malcontent, stage wrecker. Yet the collected gaffes of a frustrated, wayward wanderer have been exceedingly transformative.

Bruno has emerged an artist who, after a gruelling search, has finally found his voice. But the strings connected to multi-platinum success are tied to the weight of overbearing expectation.

“My biggest fear is letting people down,” says Bruno. “This is the first time we’ve had a tonne of passionate fans, a culture and a scene. How the f--k am I going to follow up a six-time platinum song?”

Bruno and his band Awolnation rocketed into popular culture’s fickle field of vision thanks to his strains on Sail, the unexpected hit single from 2011’s Megalithic Symphony. It solidified Bruno as a singular songwriter and ignited a fury of smash-and-grab imitators.

“It was just another song,” says Bruno, 36. “I didn’t think about it. I can’t explain why people connected with it – it was something that hadn’t been heard before.”

Despite financial rewards and complete creative freedom – the twin holy grails of the music industry – he finds little comfort in revelling in his past triumphs.

Maybe that’s because Bruno has lost everything. Twice. The wiser version of that man sitting on the couch here in Los Angeles has gone to great lengths to ensure this will not be a trilogy.

As the frontman and creative engine behind Awolnation’s much-anticipated second album, Run, Bruno is carefully

74

managing expectations, hedging bets and refusing to make the same mistakes.

Comfort is a luxury he can do without.

Bruno grew up with it, on the “safe and boring” tree-lined streets of Westlake Village, a sleepy suburban community 60km north-west of Los Angeles.

His father Jim, a financial planner, and mother Ann, a primary school teacher, inspired his early interest in music. His father’s cassette tape collection included everything from James Brown to Herbie Hancock, and balanced out the ’80s pop hits that blared from his mother’s car radio.

When Bruno was 11, his brother’s vinyl collection was his eye-opening gateway to rap music. “In terms of vibe,” he remembers, “my first punk-rock experience was actually rap music.”

Bruno’s other love was surfing. His father would take him to surf spots from Malibu up the California coast to Santa Barbara. “I spent all my time surfing to escape the banality of Westlake,” he says.

Soon he discovered the straight edge punk scene in Los Angeles, which heavily shaped his views on life and the hardcore sound of his new band, Insurgence. But in those half dozen early years music was still just an unprofitable, clunky hobby.

“I felt like any minute my dad was going to pull me aside and ask me what I was going to do with my life,” says Bruno. “My parents were definitely disappointed, and I’m pretty sure they were terrified.”

“ I SURFED T O E S C AP E B A N A LI T Y ”

“My biggest fear is letting people down,” says the man behind megahit Sail.

“How the f--k am I going to follow up a six-time platinum song?”

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“I’VE GROWN AS A SON GWRITER. BUT IT REMAI NS TO BE S E E N I F E V E RYO N E ELSE FEELS TH E S A M E W AY ” To allay their fears, he enrolled in the music theory class at Moorpark Community College, but would often skip class to go surfing. He grew tired of hardcore (“I could hide behind a scream but I wanted to sing”) and formed Home Town Heroes to satisfy his need to create something more viable. The post grunge band’s six-song demo helped secure them a manager and their first record deal at Maverick.

But Bruno feuded with the label and the band’s vexing sense of selfentitlement quickly wore thin. Clinging to their punk rock roots, they trashed a stage at the House of Blues in New Orleans in front of music industry tastemakers and were dropped by the label.

“From that moment on my career went down, down, down,” says Bruno.

“Looking back, it was evident we got a record deal way too early.”

He re-invented himself once again – this time with the anthemic sounds of Under The Influence Of Giants.

But he became frustrated by his inability to gain traction in the music industry. His difficult reputation stalked him like a shadow and he began to implode. After touring clubs, Under The Influence Of Giants were picked up by Island Def Jam, but had little success. The only American radio station to give their fist single an airing was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They were dropped again.

For the first time, Bruno realised he might not become the musician he set out to be. His reputation was in tatters.

He had no money and no back-up plan.

“I was 30,” he says. “And what did I have? Nothing.”

But Bruno did, in fact, have something.

Despite his failures, he was still wildly talented – he played guitar, piano, bass 76

and had a knack for writing weighty and meaningful lyrics. He could let go of the fear and create what he wanted to hear.

As long as he was satisfied it didn’t matter. If he could put together a band and play small shows “where everybody sings along” – that would be success.

Los Angeles-based producer Jimmy Messer was interested in the strange sounds Bruno was putting together on his own and offered to help develop them. He also gave him a job writing

songs for aspiring pop stars so he could have some money in his pocket.

Bruno recorded Sail in two hours in September 2011. Engineer Kenny Carkeet felt he would need to lay the track down again because of some distortion.

“Who cares?” replied Bruno. “No one’s gonna care about this song anyway.”

So they left it as is. It would go on to spend 79 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the second-longest charting song in Billboard’s history.

THE RED BULLETIN

is the main thread of his appeal, even if you’re not quite sure what you’re accessing. This latest long player transcends in a way he hasn’t before.

Run, the album’s title track, is a lo-fi hip-hop-infused slow roll that feels like the musical impetus to an uprising.

Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf) is like a communal concert experience waiting to happen thanks to its uptempo chantworthy lyrics. Yet at the same time it’s a personal referendum on individuality and disdain for music industry imitators.

But the gem is Windows, a soaring, head nod-inducing song with a message: that life’s most desired answers may forever be frustratingly beyond our grasp. It’s a visceral trip that flirts with hopelessness but evolves satisfyingly into an ode to self-realisation.

“But I’m aware/And I don’t care,” Bruno triumphantly bellows.

“TH IS WAS TH E F I R S T T I M E T H AT I W A S A B L E T O S AY W H AT I R E A L LY F E LT A N D N O T F E E L ASHAM ED OF IT”

Aaron Bruno is at his best blending hypnotic beats, personal anguish and an amalgam of vocal styles that have an accessible feel to them. His latest long player transcends in a way he hasn’t before THE RED BULLETIN

“This was the first time,” he says, “that I was able to really say what I felt and not feel ashamed of it.”

Last year Bruno spent four months in a small barn studio just north of Santa Barbara to start recording Awolnation’s much-anticipated second album.

Run is a kaleidoscope of feeling and sound. Bruno is at his best blending hypnotic beats, personal anguish and an amalgam of vocal styles that have an accessible feel to them. This accessibility

This is his finest hour as an artist – unencumbered and unbound, and yet compellingly vulnerable.

“I’ve grown as a songwriter,” he says, “but it remains to be seen if everybody else feels the same way.”

So there is Bruno sitting on the retro chicness of the green couch. He slowly sips a cup of tea while a photographer takes a light reading in the next room.

It has been quite a journey. But he has arrived at this particular moment very much intact, albeit a little battered.

The Bruno before you is pragmatic and thoughtful more than he is flashy or showy. This is a star frontman who refrains from making lavish purchases.

His dad does his taxes, while his mother still worries about him. Bruno’s old school friends are now his surf buddies.

He drives a 2008 Toyota Prius that’s got about 150,000 miles on the clock.

He tried the rock star thing, but found that being himself was a much better fit.

New album available at redbullrecords.com

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Where to go and what to do

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T R A V E L / C I T I E S / G E A R / M U S I C / G A M I N G / C A R S / W A T C H E S / E V E N T S

Get onboard DISCOVER FLYBOARDING, THE NEW WATERSPORT THAT’S MAKING WAVES AROUND THE WORLD

FRANCOIS RIGAUD/FRANCOISRIGAUDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

TRAVEL, page 80

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ACTION!

TRAVEL Adrenalin high: make like a superhero on a flyboard

MORE FRENCH FUN WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO EARTH IN MARSEILLE

SWING Hike out to Michel’s Cave in the Calanque National Park to get panoramic views from a huge outdoor swing. en.active-road.com

Jet setters F LYBOARD HARNESS SOME SERIOUS WATER POWER TO EXPERIENCE A FLIGHT LIKE NO OTHER

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ADVICE FROM THE INSIDE: NO STRESS “You need to keep your legs straight, your eyes on the horizon and the most important thing is to relax,” says Jordan Wayment. “When you tense up you lose your balance. Stand like you’re standing in a queue.

Then before you know it you’ll be in the air.”

The only way is up: the jets stop gravity pulling you down

WATCH After flyboarding, watch a football fly as 10-time French champion football club Olympique de Marseille run into action at their 67,000-seater stadium, Stade Vélodrome. footballclubde marseille.fr

DANCE

Make a splash

“Be familiar with the water,” says Rigaud, “be natural. It’s an instinctive sport. If you’re completely comfortable with the water, you’ll be able to concentrate on flyboarding.”

Sample the best of French action sports and live music in one place as the annual Sosh Freestyle Cup comes to town in June. soshfreestylecup.com

THE RED BULLETIN

FRANCOIS RIGAUD/FRANCOISRIGAUDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM, GETTY IMAGES

In 2015 we’re still a long way from travelling around with Thunderball-esque jetpacks. But until that day comes, flyboarding is the next best thing. Strap onto the board, fire up a 260hp jetski with a hose attached to it, and a powerful stream of water propels you 15m into the air. “Being on a flyboard is the closest I’ll ever get to being Iron Man,” says Frenchman Franky Zapata, the jetskiing champion who invented the flyboard in 2011. “It’s really like having the power to fly, you move around so intuitively.”

Zapata is based in Marseille, but the adrenalin highs the sport provides have rapidly expanded it and there are now more than 2,000 centres around the world.

Once a rider has mastered the basics of flyboarding, the sky’s the limit when it comes to tricks. The jumps and aerobatics you can do in any other board sport are all possible, with one big difference: “There’s no gravity pulling you back down,” says Jordan Wayment, 26, a mentor for young adults from Utah, USA. “You can go up in the air and stay there. The sensation of being propelled by jets of water is pretty special.”

Extreme sports enthusiast and photographer Francois Rigaud discovered the sport online and loved it so much he now runs Atlantic Zapata Racing Flyboard in Florida, USA. 39 av St Roch “When I saw a clip I knew 13740 Le Rove I had to try it,” he says.

France “It is the jetpack of today. zapata-racing.com It’s new and it’s a real rush.” atlanticflyboard.com

ACTION!

PRO TOOLS

Tightrope artist K ITEBOARDING BRUNA KAJIYA’S TRICKS HANG BY A THREAD

Bruna Kajiya, 28, is number three in the freestyle kiteboarding world rankings

“My performance is closely bound with my Mystic Diva signature harness. Literally,” says Brazilian freestyle kiteboarder Bruna Kajiya. “The waist harness is what keeps me attached to the kite and it’s been specifically designed for the female body. In our sport, you can go up to 20m into

the air, so it’s really important to have freedom of movement when you execute a jump. And it’s crucial that the line doesn’t come undone during extreme manoeuvres when you’re in the middle of pulling off particularly complex tricks.” mysticboarding.com

SMOOTH OPERATOR The edges of the harness are soft, double-thick neoprene which won’t leave pressure marks even when worn for hours.

SHARE THE BURDEN The woven, fourpart fastener spreads the load equally around the waist harness.

LOOK SHARP You can quickly sever the line with this pull-out double-edged cutter.

LOCKED IN

TOMISLAV MOZE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

The side fasteners on the harness are protected so they don’t accidentally come undone.

WAV E R E A D Y TRIED AND TESTED BY A PRO: BRUNA KAJIYA’S FAVOURITE KIT FOR KITEBOARDING IN THE MIDDAY SUN

THE RED BULLETIN

SKINCEUTICALS “I’ve tried countless different sun creams in the 11 years I’ve been competing. SkinCeuticals SPF 30 stays on the skin even if you’ve been in the water for hours.”

AIRUSH DIAMOND BK “This board was designed specifically for female kiteboarders. It’s 133cm long with a softer flex and lighter core made of poplar and balsa wood.

It responds quickly and glides easily.”

DIVA RASHVEST “Sun cream isn’t enough when the sun is beating down in the afternoon, so I wear this Mystic Lycra top with an SPF of 50+.”

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ACTION!

MY CITY

TUNIS

OUT OF TOWN

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WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LEAVE TUNIS

SABKHET ARINA

TUNIS, TUNISIA AVEN

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TOP FIVE MNIF’S BEST OF TUNIS

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This trip through the desert involves three days of barrelling over sand dunes in four-wheel drive off-road vehicles. www.camp-mars.com

their skills here during the day before revellers dance the night away by the beach to great house tunes. Order a caipirinha – Blanko has the best in the city.”

SAND FLY

T UNIS ALL THE TOP ATTRACTIONS OF AFRICA’S NORTHERNMOST CAPITAL CITY, ACCORDING TO ONE IN-THE-KNOW LOCAL “Tunis is a city of contrasts: you can sip mint tea and watch the world go by from one of the traditional cafes in the Old Town, you can play golf surrounded by palm trees by the lake, or you can up the ante and join the kitesurfers at the beach,” says Riadh Mnif, a local tourism expert who organises adventure sports excursions at Camp Mars, a small tented desert village in the Sahara. “The architecture here is breathtaking – the Medina of Tunis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the colossal Al-Zaytuna mosque and is a must-see. By day you should wander around the Old Town’s maze of narrow alleyways with its souks and food stalls, before heading over to the waterfront for dinner. After that there are cool chilled-out bars and the nightclub up the road at La Marsa where you can party the night away.” tunisiadirect.net

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1 À TABLE 15 rue El Moez “The three guys who run this place are very passionate about the fine food they sell. They’re always happy to give you recipe ideas, and you won’t find better olive oil anywhere else in Tunis.”

4 FONDOUK EL ATTARINE Médina 1006 “The atmosphere inside this old-world arcade is incredible.

You’ll find the unique works of expert jewellers, rug- and hat-makers, potters and high-end fashion designers.

Don’t forget to haggle.”

WRECK DIVE

2 ASHKAN

Les Berges du Lac 2 “This boutique stocks crossover clothing inspired by modern pieces and retro North African styles. A lot of people thought the Tunisian look died out years ago, but it’s big right now.”

3 BLANKO KITESURF CLUB La Marsa “Tunisia’s top kitesurfers hone

www.camp-mars.com

5 L’AGORA 5, avenue Taieb Mhiri, Marsa “This tip is for the culture vultures. At L’Agora you can either go to young local musicians’ gigs or see works by up-and-coming artists. There’s also a cinema showing Tunisian films with English subtitles.”

Head out to Kelibia, Bizerte, or Hammamet and dive down to check out the remains of German and British warships sunk in the Second World War. divescover.com

THE RED BULLETIN

FOTOLIA(2)

Souk it and sightsee

An expedition across the Sahara Desert with a difference.

You and a flight instructor soar to dizzying heights with a motorised paraglider.

ACTION!

WATCHES

HIGH CA R B

TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Phantom New for 2015. The Monaco first appeared in 1969.

Steve McQueen wore one in Le Mans in 1971 and a modern classic was born

PLATINUM AND TITANIUM ARE OUT: WATCHES’ HOT TREND IS CARBON

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AGAINST ALL RESISTANCE You can’t consider lightweight design in the modern era without thinking of carbon fibre.

Aeroplanes, racing cars and sports equipment all utilise this light, extremely durable yet chemically stable material.

Cutting edge

2

TAG HEUER THE NEW MONACO V4 PHANTOM IS A GROUNDBREAKING TIMEPIECE BOTH INSIDE AND OUT

WATCH LIKE NO OTHER

GISBERT L. BRUNNER

I

t only requires one billionth of one horsepower to keep a typical clockwork watch movement going.

When TAG Heuer elected to reduce that further, the venerable watchmaker took a leaf out of the carmaker’s book and devised an automatic movement that replaced energy-wasting cog drive chains with markedly more efficient drive belts.

In 2004, TAG’s technicians struggled with technical problems making the first prototype of the Monaco V4 watch. So they enlisted Guy Sémon, a physicist and former jet pilot, who used computer analysis to assess about 2,500 variables in the watch’s performance. His work led to a reduction in the watch’s hair-thin drive belts from 13 to five (Sémon is now GM of the company). Further developments inside that Monaco V4 included microball bearings made of zirconium. Since then, TAG Heuer has had significantly more efficient transmission levels than those found in watches with conventional movements. In 2015, the all-new V4 Phantom’s innovative innards are matched outwardly by a cutting-edge carbon case. It’s a beautiful thing. tagheuer.com

THE RED BULLETIN

Barrels and flywheels reminiscent of a car engine. Left: innovator Guy Sémon

TAG Heuer uses moulded carbonfibre plates for the brand new V4 Phantom’s innovative case.

And the variation in the finish on each watch means that every one is aesthetically individual.

3

GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

The V4’s inner workings: drive-belt energy transfer is state-of-the-art in car engines, but TAG Heuer is the only watchmaker deploying the technology

Working with carbon requires great care and expense. Tools wear out after making 10 watch cases and only 85 per cent of watches made are approved for sale. Hence a high price tag.

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ACTION!

WINGS FOR LIFE Ryan Sandes is set to compete in the Wings for Life World Run in South Africa

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R YAN SANDES RUNNING 42KM IN ONE GO IS JUST A WARM-UP FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S STAR ULTRAMARATHON TRAIL RUNNER. HE REVEALS HIS TIPS FOR GETTING FURTHER IN THE WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN

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Train on the course.

“If possible, it’s good to run on the actual course before the event. You have a mental advantage when you know what to expect. Some parts of the course will suit you; others won’t. This way you know what’s coming.”

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Get your rest right. “If your body needs an extra day to recover from a long run, let it. Try to sleep as much as possible in the weeks leading up to the big event. Massages and eating healthily will also help you get over particularly hard training sessions.”

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Have a plan. “Don’t just train at random distances – set yourself goals. At what point do I want to be able to run this fast or that far? On one hand, it’s good for keeping you motivated; on the other, it helps you keep tabs on your progress. It’s very important to be consistent.”

Eat right. “It’s very important not to surprise your stomach during a run. You should be used to, and able to digest, anything you consume before and during a race. Drinking watered-down Red Bull works very well for me. Then, later on, I take on electrolytes.”

ENTER NOW

Do dress rehearsals.

“Train in the clothes and trainers you’ll use for the Wings for Life World Run. Trainers you’ve never worn before are a recipe for disaster.

And you should know what body parts you’ll need to tape or lubricate to avoid pain.”

Shift down a gear.

“The hardest thing for me is to reduce intensity and distance by 60 per cent for the two or three weeks leading up to the race. But the body needs the break to completely relax, refill all the tanks and fully recover from any minor injuries you’ve been carrying.”

The starting pistol for the 2015 Wings for Life World Run will be fired simultaneously in 35 locations in 33 countries on May 3, 2015. Who will hold the catcher car at bay the longest? Write ‘RBUK Bulletin’ in the club box when you enter at wingsforlifeworldrun.com

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8

Warm up. “Let your body know before the start that it’s all about to kick off. Fifteen minutes of gentle jogging will make your muscles warm and supple.

Wait as long as you can to take your tracksuit off so that you don’t cool down.”

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Stay strong. “S--t happens. You can’t afford to let unforeseen circumstances during the race increase your heart rate in the slightest. The truth of ultramarathons is that the person who copes best with the lows, wins.”

RYAN SANDES CLOCKS UP THOUSANDS OF MILES WITH THIS FIT KIT

OAKLEY RADARLOCK “These glasses are always a perfect fit thanks to interchangeable nose pads. The lenses filter out UV rays and adapt to light conditions.” oakley.com

10

Have fun. “Running is fun. You should try to bear that in mind, even when the going gets tough.”

Ryan Sandes, 33, is one of the world’s top extreme runners.

In 2010, the South African became the first man to win all 4 Deserts ultramarathons, each of which is a 250km trek through the Atacama, Gobi and Sahara Deserts and Antarctica.

GOPRO HERO4 “This action cam is just 5.9cm wide, weighs 89g and is a loyal companion when I run crosscountry. The 4K resolution makes for great videos.” gopro.com

THE RED BULLETIN

NICK MUZIK/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Go the distance

Have a Plan A, B and C. “Think of three race strategies: the first for if everything goes incredibly well, the second for a bad day at the office and the third for if everything goes according to plan. Set kilometre times for each. Don’t be afraid to switch from plan A to plan B or C if needs be. The worst and most common mistake is to set off without a plan.”

RUNNING M ATES

MUST HAVES *THE BEST STYLES FROM ALL YOUR FAVOURITE BRANDS

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8 1. New Era New York Yankees Navy $69.99 2. Von Zipper Lesmore Black Satin Grey Polar $199.99 3. Billabong Split Front Tee Black $59.99 4. Element Alder 2 Tone Chilli Pepper $149.99 5. Billabong Surrender Zip Hood New Navy $109.00 6. Globe GS Black Denim Shoes $89.99 7. Nixon Kingpin Gold $429.99 8. Wrangler Stix 1 Year Indigo $149.90

AVAILABLE AT SELECTED AMAZON STORES NATIONWIDE WWW.AMAZONSURF.CO.NZ

ACTION!

MUSIC

M O B I LE MUSIC Oasis were the high priests of Britpop in the 1990s: their concerts filled stadiums, they sold 50 million albums and their singles stayed in the British charts for a total of 765 weeks. Yet in spite of their success, the Manchester band split in 2009 because the strife between Noel and his vocalist brother Liam had become unbearable. He’s been solo ever since. Chasing Yesterday is the 47-year-old’s second solo album. It contains 10 new songs that combine Gallagher’s ingenious, Beatlesesque song-writing skills with new sounds, such as a clarinet and a washboard. Here he tells us which songs have made a mark on his life.

Ray “ Davies is my hero” PLAYLIST FIVE TRACKS THAT INSPIRED NOEL GALLAGHER TO WRITE THE MUSIC THAT MADE OASIS ROCK ’N’ ROLL STARS

noelgallagher.com

1 The Kinks

2 The Beatles

3 Sex Pistols

“All my recent songs are inspired by the art of Ray Davies’ storytelling.

He’s the master, the unsung hero of the 1960s. In my opinion he should have a knighthood by now. He should be called Sir Ray Davies. I love Pete Townsend, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but Davies is probably a little bit better than all of them.”

“The Beatles recorded so many great songs that it’s almost impossible to choose just one.

Hey Jude isn’t even my favourite, but it had a big influence on me as a songwriter in my Oasis period. I can’t bear to listen to it any more as I’ve played it to death. But I still think it’s one of the greatest songs ever made.”

“If it wasn’t for The Sex Pistols, would any of us be here? They might be the single most important band of all time, because they re-ignited the youth culture that had been murdered by the hippies. My favourite song of theirs is Pretty Vacant. The guitar riff is amazing. Their album Never Mind The Bollocks is the first record I bought.”

4 The Smiths

5 Rhythim Is Rhythim

“The Smiths gave me so much. Not that I’ve been influenced

by Morrissey’s vocals or songwriting, or Johnny Marr’s guitar playing – you couldn’t be, because both of them are so fantastic. You can’t develop that. At the minute I’m really into a song called Nowhere Fast off Meat Is Murder. It has amazing energy and an amazing rock ’n’ roll vibe.”

“The last song is totally electronic, because that’s a side to my influences most people know very little about.

This brilliant track came out in 1987 and was produced by Derrick May, one of the pioneers of the Detroit techno movement. If you listen carefully, you’ll realise it inspired the song AKA...

What a Life! on my first solo album.”

Waterloo Sunset

Nowhere Fast

Hey Jude

Strings Of Life

You don’t touch a theremin synthesizer to play it, and the same goes for the app that’s based on it.

The closer your hand gets to the camera lens, the higher the note.

Pretty Vacant

SMULE OCARINA To tease the sounds out of this flute simulator, just blow into your mobile’s microphone and play the tune using the four virtual finger holes on the touchscreen.

C H A R G I N G A H EA D HELPFUL HEADPHONES

¯ Z P2 PHA These are the first headphones with a built-in charger. The extra juice means you can crank up the volume and charge your smartphone while you’re listening to music.

To compensate for the extra battery weight, the Phaz P2 is made out of lightweight carbon fibre. phazmusic.com

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THEREMIN I/O

REAL DRUM This app lets those who drum their fingers record tracks using a 13-piece on-screen drum kit. There are 60 tutorials to help you improve your dexterity.

THE RED BULLETIN

LAWRENCE WATSON

Frontman: Noel Gallagher of High Flying Birds

THE APPS THAT TURN YOUR SMARTPHONE INTO AN INSTRUMENT

ACTION!

GAMES

Wheelie good: new bike racing game Ride

ACTION TIM E LOCK AND LOAD FOR THESE FULL-ON EPICS

BLOODBORNE Exclusive to PS4, a dark and dirty adventure through an incredible Gothic city peopled by beasts that were once people. Out worldwide from March 20. playstation.com

Cycle of excellence R IDE CAN THIS TWO-WHEELED EXTRAVAGANZA BE THE GRAN TURISMO OF BIKES? With over 100 real-life bikes recreated in great detail, Ride boasts the most motorcycles per pixel of any authentic racing game in 2015. Racers can choose machines from the world’s leading manufacturers, customise the look and spec as much as they wish, then challenge up to 11 other racers online, or 15 other computer-controlled bikes, in various modes of play.

Italy isn’t known for its video games (but is in the DNA of video games icons; see right), yet Ride developer Milestone, based in Milan, has been making officially licensed racing games for Superbikes, MotoGP, the Motocross World Championships and the World Rally Championship since 1999. There is pedigree here. To make Ride, Milestone has collaborated with Ducati, Yamaha, KTM, Honda, Triumph, MV Agusta, Aprilia and Energica to create the most realistic collection of bikes ever seen in a video game.

The action takes place on seven grand prix-inspired tracks, two city circuits, five open-road tracks and a sort-of-test-track that has been devised to test skills to the absolute limit. There are the usual types of competition found in racing games – series, one-offs, time trials – but also a drag racing mode and an endurance mode. Everything looks amazing, and hands-on previews suggest it will play For Xbox One and 360, that way, too. Out on March 20.

PlayStation 3 and 4, Steam and Windows

THE RED BULLETIN

ridevideogame.com

IT ’ S-A- H I M !

MARIO IS BACK: WITH FRIENDS AND YOU AS CREATOR

BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE

Mario Party 10

MARIO V DONKEY KONG: TIPPING STARS & MARIO PARTY 10 It’s fitting, for the 30th anniversary in 2015 of the appearance of Super Mario Brothers, that there are three new games featuring the little Italian plumber.

Two are out in March: the puzzle game Mario v Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars for Wii U and 3DS, and the multiplayer mayhem of Mario Party 10 for Wii U.

The first-personshooter series switches from military to municipal for a crime epic of cops ’n’ robbers.

From March 17 on Xbox, PS and PC. battlefield.com

DARK SOULS II

Mario Maker

MARIO MAKER Due soon on Wii U is Mario Maker, which is something truly new. You build your own Mario levels with all the classic elements, then play them and share them online. It’s incredibly good fun. nintendo.com

Last year’s superb one-man-mission into an undead world, retooled, with boosted visuals and gameplay, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and PC. From April 3. darksoulsii.com

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RED BULL ZERO.

THE RED BULLETIN CARS SPECIAL

CARS2015 A LOOK AROUND THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW POINTS TO THIS BEING A GOOD YEAR FOR CARS. EXISTING DESIGNS HAVE BEEN REFINED, NEW GAPS EXPLOITED AND THE SHEER HIGH-OCTANE POTENTIAL OF IT ALL HAS SET HEARTS RACING. HERE ARE OUR CHOICES

New take on a classic: the Ford GT will generate over 600hp

THE RED BULLETIN

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CARS SPECIAL

CITY

F I AT 500X 120 to 170hp, front- or all-wheel drive, 4.27m long

NIPPY, NEAT AND ECONOMICAL: THESE ARE THE QUALITIES YOU’D EXPECT IN A DECENT URBAN OPTION. BUT THESE CARS CAN DO SO MUCH MORE

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

It takes the attractive design of the Fiat 500 to the next level.

Perfect view, even when facing the steepest garage ramp.

Stylish urbanites who want to be ready for anything.

VA U X H A L L / O P E L A D A M S 150hp, front-wheel drive, top speed of over 200kph

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Cool, fresh styling and a sporty turbo engine.

It has 18in wheel rims, sports suspension and uprated brakes.

Hip young things who want to get out and about fast, with no fuss.

BEST OF

V O L K S WA G E N G O L F G T E

BEATS BY DRE You want to enjoy the time you spend getting from A to B, so a car’s interior is important – not least in an urban setting.

An unstoppable trend began in Japan’s big cities and is quickly conquering the world.

To complement in-vehicle infotainment and connectivity – linking your car and smartphone – speaker quality is rapidly increasing.

Sometimes the only antidote to the traffic jam you’re stuck in is being able to enjoy some stress-abating tunes, and now it can be at the quality you’d have in your home.

Beats by Dre has come up with a tailor-made sound system for the Fiat 500L, consisting of seven painstakingly tuned speakers that create sound as good as you’d hear while sitting on the sofa.

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A plug-in hybrid. Petrol engine – 150hp; electric engine – 102hp

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Has all the qualities of the Golf, but can drive for 50km on electric charge.

A top speed of 222kph and fuel consumption of 1.5 litres/100km.

As with any Volkswagen Golf, anyone and everyone.

PEUGEOT 208 GTI 30TH 208hp, front-wheel drive, 0-100kph in 6.5s

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

It marks the 30th anniversary of the legendary 205 GTi.

The glossy paintwork. And living up to the legacy of the 205.

Those who like to fly around bends, accelerate hard and brake late.

THE RED BULLETIN

CITROËN C4 CACTUS Petrol or diesel, 82 to 110hp, 4.16m long

Toyota WEC driver: Alex Wurz

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

A relaxing all-rounder that you can’t help but like.

The Airbump panels on the side to prevent dings and scrapes.

Impossible to say: the Cactus is the essence of égalité on the road.

QUICK Q&A Why does everyone drive hybrids in the WEC [World Endurance Championship] and at Le Mans?

Because you’ve got to get by on a specific amount of energy and you can’t afford to do without the braking energy.

What does that mean?

If we didn’t have a hybrid engine, we wouldn’t manage a single lap in the given time.

The brakes wouldn’t cope.

Why is that?

The actual braking system is tiny. We mainly slow down with the hybrid system and make the most of every joule.

What’s on your wish list?

Six wheels or more! That way we could recover the braking energy even more efficiently.

CLEVER GOOD IDEAS COME IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS: SOME YOU RECOGNISE STRAIGHT OFF, WITH OTHERS IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER

THE RED BULLETIN

MINI COOPER S 5-DOOR Front-wheel drive, 192hp, top speed 230kph, 3.98m long

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

You can now climb into the back seat while maintaining your dignity.

Mini spirit combined with BMW tech and a practical layout.

Thanks to the two rear doors, young families will now have one too.

R E N A U LT E S PA C E Petrol, diesel and hybrid, 130 to 200hp

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

It has all the same qualities, but no longer looks like a minivan.

It’s fitted with a glass roof that darkens on demand.

Family men, the self-employed, people with sports equipment.

T OYO TA T S 0 4 0 H Y B R I D Carbon chassis, petrol and electric motor, over 1,000hp

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

It looks wild, drives even wilder, and yet saves petrol.

Racing cars have never been so quick and yet so economical.

This model?

Racers. But we all reap the rewards of the technology.

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CARS SPECIAL

SUV

R A N G E ROV E R H Y B R I D Diesel hybrid, total power: 335hp

TALL IS THE NEW BROAD: NOW THERE’S A HIGH-SEATER CAR FOR ALL TASTES, FROM EARTHY TO URBAN

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

This iconic car is more socially acceptable as a hybrid.

Its unmistakeable appearance and true off-road capabilities.

All those footballers, the businessman and his wife.

H O N D A C R -V Front- or four-wheel drive, petrol, new 160hp diesel engine

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

All the comfort of a passenger car, but an elevated seating position.

Nine-speed auto gearbox reduces fuel consumption and emissions.

This is a truly international car with fans on all continents.

BEST OF

J A G U A R F- PA C E All-wheel drive, six- or eight-cylinder, diesel. Due in 2016

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Jaguar fans can finally get off-road (though nowhere too rough).

The F-Pace is the first SUV in the company’s illustrious history.

Worldly types for whom other highend SUVs are still too vulgar.

M A Z D A C X- 5 Front- or all-wheel drive, new 192hp, top-of-the-range petrol engine

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W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Kodo design, SKYACTIV tech, driver-assistance system warnings.

All the strengths of the old model, with improved tech and better looks.

Lots of people: the CX-5 is a hit in the US as well as Europe.

A WATERPROOF SOUND SYSTEM The Jeep Wrangler is one of the best off-roaders in the world. Not many cars can tame the legendary Rubicon Trail. The 40km part road, part off-road route through the Sierra Nevada in California is one of the toughest challenges that a car can conquer… or not, as the case may be. Water crossings are par for the course, in addition to all the rocks.

Alpine have now developed a waterproof hi-fi system for the Wrangler. It has 500W, eight speakers and a powerful subwoofer that booms out of the boot – even if the worst does happen and it’s stuck underwater for 90 hours.

THE RED BULLETIN

SUPERSPORT COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY IF YOU GET TO DRIVE ONE OF THESE CARS IN A RACING GAME. YOU’RE EVEN LUCKIER IF YOU CAN AFFORD ONE IN REAL LIFE

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA GTS Rear- or all-wheel drive, 430hp, 0-100kph in 4s

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

A wide rear, 20in wheels and 30hp extra keep this iconic car fresh.

Sportier than the regular Carrera and comfier than a GT3.

Someone who knows he’s just made a dream come true.

N I S S A N S K Y L I N E G T- R All-wheel drive, twin-turbo, 550hp; the NISMO – 600hp

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

They call it Godzilla: it should be feared and admired equally.

One of the world’s quickest cars and better-engineered than ever.

Anyone from Fast & Furious: top speed 315kph; 0-100kph in 2.8s.

BMW 6ER COUPÉ Six or eight-cylinder, diesel or petrol, from 313 to 450hp

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Large touring coupé from the German school.

Calmly quick.

Classic straightsix engine.

No downsizing here.

Those people who value style over space.

BEST OF

FORD GT Six-cylinder, 0-100kph in 3.2s, top speed of 320kph. Due in 2017

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

W H AT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

WHO DRIVES IT?

Surely we don’t have to explain. Just look at it!

Its predecessor was already an icon. Fifty years later it’s back.

Steve McQueen would have had a blue one, with orange stripes.

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W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T I T

AUDI PILOTED DRIVING Quick laps, no driver In the future, self-driving cars will take control of acceleration, braking and steering, allowing us to relax as we glide through the traffic. Audi showed us what’s technically possible when they sent an A7 bombing its own way round the Hockenheim race circuit at full speed.

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ACTION!

SAVE THE DATE Vintage flight club: eyes on the skies this Easter

April 3-5

Battle over Omaka The Classic Fighters airshow takes to the skies of Marlborough every second Easter weekend. This year the main event (Friday is practice day; Saturday and Sunday the show proper) will be the spectacular sight of over 100 aircraft in a mock attack of the Omaha Aviation Heritage Centre, with ground troops and pyrotechnics ramping up the action.

Classic Fighters 2015 will also pay tribute to Anzac aviation history and feature the firmly-on-the-ground vintage vehicles of the Marlborough Classic Car Club. classicfighters.co.nz

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April 10-12

Sheeran delights Ed Sheeran is a global musical phenomenon, selling millions of albums and packing out arena shows with nothing more than a loop pedal, an acoustic guitar and hip-hop-inspired, folk-infused pop songs. During the 23-year-old Brit’s previous visit to New Zealand, for gigs last autumn, he made a cameo on Shortland Street. The evidence suggests he is a far better musician than actor, so don’t bet on a repeat Shorty performance when he plays Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena and Auckland’s Vector Arena. edsheeran.com

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DON’T MISS

April 8

Sample the master of funk Sixty years ago, barbershop assistant George Clinton formed a doo-wop band that evolved into Parliament, the groundbreaking psychedelic funk band. Also leading its sister act Funkadelic, Clinton has become one of the most influential musicians of all. Hip-hop would not be what it is without Parliament-Funkadelic samples. Aged 73, he and his band still pack big funk in their trunk. Catch them at the Powerstation in Auckland. georgeclinton.com

Grand old man of funk: George Clinton

MORE DATES FOR THE DIARY

11 APRIL

SPEED RULES

April 11

The hardest yards As well as being the country’s biggest multisport event, the Xterra Rotorua Festival is also the most open to athletes of all abilities. There are five events staggered over the day: 5.5km, 11km and 21km races that can be run or walked, a 26km mountain bike event and a triathlon. The latter, for solo tri-hards and teams of two or three, is an almost Olympic-standard challenge of 1km swim, 26km bike and 11km run. xterra.co.nz

With seven classes of racing, including the lesser-spotted ‘Crazy People in Road Cars’ category, the Demolition Derby at the Baypark Family Speedway (with bonus stockcar champs) is a full-on crash fest. baypark speedway.co.nz

17 APRIL

PRIZE TURNER

March 14-21

At The Tuning Fork in Auckland for one night only, experience the rousing sing-alongs of English folk-punk singer-songwriter Frank Turner and his backing band The Sleeping Souls.

GAVIN CONROY, CHRISTIE GOODWIN, MARK TANTRUM, RUSTY RUSSELL

Surf’s really up The Ultimate Waterman competition has not been incorrectly named. Eight of the world’s best ocean athletes will assemble in Auckland for the inaugural contest. They will fly or drive from city to coast, enjoying the best conditions for the contest’s six disciplines: tow-in surfing, waka ama (outrigger canoeing), longboard, shortboard, stand-up paddle and stand-up endurance. Could this be the start of a new global multisport?

tuningfork.co.nz

18

theultimatewaterman.com

APRIL

April 6-7

April 8-11

April 4

April 22-23

Paolo: can u go?

To the old school

Thunder-struck

Songsmith

Scottish singer Paolo Nutini brought blue-eyed soul back last year with Caustic Love, an album that also called on the talents of Prince prodigy Janelle Monaé, bassist Pino Palladino (D’Angelo, The Who) and producer Tchad Blake (Crowded House, Pearl Jam). Nutini will be in Auckland in April for two gigs at the Powerstation. ticketmaster.co.nz

Rap legends Jurassic 5 haven’t taken their foot off the gas since they reformed last year, with a world tour and impressive new tracks added to their repertoire of harmony-driven hip-hop.

On their forthcoming New Zealand run, the six-man crew will bring the feel-good stuff to Christchurch, Wellington and two nights in Auckland. jurassic5.com

Methven Mountain Thunder, the annual race that gives classic motorcyclists the green light to tear up suburban streets, returns to Canterbury on Easter Saturday. A 1km circuit will be cordoned off and given over to several classes of bike racing, including classics from all eras and the 200kph beasts of modern times. mountainthunder.co.nz

Having first lent his voice to Disclosure’s breakthrough track Latch, Brit Sam Smith is now a big star in his own right. The soul man’s debut LP In The Lonely Hour (which features a cut produced by ex-pat radio DJ, Zane Lowe) landed at No.2 on the New Zealand album chart. And now he’s in Auckland, with his band, for a two-night stand. frontiertouring/samsmith

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KEYS OF LIFE For a rock band of just guitarist and drummer, The Black Keys make a big noise.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney will soon pump it out at arenas in Christchurch and Auckland, with high-wattage support from Band of Skulls. theblackkeys.com

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Visual Storytelling Beyond the ordinary

JULY 2014 R30

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

7

ADRENALIN PLAYGROUNDS

M AKING CH ANGE PAY

THE CAPTAIN OF ADVENTURE

TO BLOW YOUR MIND

So u th Afri ca’s b ri g htest so c i a l e ntre p re n e u rs

ALL-ROUND ACTION HERO WILL GADD IS A LIVING LEGEND IN THE TRUEST SENSE.

LI NKIN PARK On th e i r n ew album and Tw itte r ma d n ess NEYMAR JUNIOR, Brazilian Football Star

NEYMAR!

UK EDITION

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

19 WORLD

AWESOME

SHOT!

Action photo special

CA N T H E B OY GE NIUS WIN TH E WOR L D CUP FO R B R A Z IL?

CLASS WATCHES

UNDEAD FUNNY

QUEEN OF THE BEACH

2014’s most hilarious movie

Dave Grohl

PEAK FREEFALL

Adventure’s toughest task

EXCLUSIVE: the legend reaches into your mind and music’s future

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MAGIC MOMENT

The 2,600 inhabitants of a sleepy Scandinavian fishing village ran for cover earlier this year when Hurricane Egon battered the south-west coast of Sweden. But for local windsurfer Markus Rydberg, the resulting waves presented an opportunity that was too good to pass up. “I executed some of the most difficult tricks of my career,” says Rydberg, 24. “This picture shows me pulling off a tweaked pushloop.” markusrydberg.com

“ This was the jump of my life – thank you, Hurricane Egon” Swedish windsurfer Markus Rydberg made the most of the conditions DAVID HOLMQVIST

Traslovslage, Sweden January 11, 2015

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PLUS: martin Crowe Penina DaviDson oUr sUPer rUgby boLters

FebRuaRy – 2015 Issue 97 CRICket woRld Cup a to Z

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RaglaN sChool suRF aCademy

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bRuCe aNstey Wyatt CroCkett maRtIN CRowe

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