bl!sss magazine | april 2013 | #68

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E R I K E L L I N G T O N / L I Z A R D K I N G / T E R R Y K E N N E D Y / T O M P E N N Y / K E V I N R O M A R

W I N D S O R J A M E S / S P E N C E R H A M I L T O N / B O O J O H N S O N / D A N E V A U G H N / C H E W Y C A N N O N

K R 3 W D E N I M . C O M

E R I K E L L I N G T O N

K - S L I M 5 - P O C K E T T W I L L

R O U T I N E W O V E N

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T H E B A L A N C E O F O P P O S I T E S

R V C A . C O M

L O C A T I O N / H A W A I I

VANSSURF.COM2013, Vans Inc. photo: William Sharp

Arguably the worlds most sought-after surfer, Dane Reynolds is a humble enigma. While most likely surfing more than any human on the planet, he still finds time for music, art, and editing. Vans worked with Dane to combine his own art, an aloha print, and the material from an old comfortable coat to translate into this collection. Dane chose his three favorite styles for this special pack, available at the best surf shops around the world.

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T O U R D A T E S

A P R I L 1 8 L E P A P A G A Y O , L E U C A D I A , C A

A P R I L 2 4 M A L I B U B E A C H I N N , M A L I B U , C A

A P R I L 2 5 B I R D S S U R F S H E D , S A N D I E G O , C A

A P R I L 2 6 L A P A L O M A T H E A T E R , E N C I N I T A S , C A

A P R I L 2 7 P A C W A V E S P R I N G F L I N G , S A N T A C R U Z , C A

M A Y 1 W H A T Y O U T H H Q , C O S T A M E S A , C A

M A Y 2 T R I A N G L E S Q U A R E ( N B F F ) , N E W P O R T B E A C H , C A

# J U S TP A S S I N GT H R O U G H

T O U R D A T E S

A P R I L 1 8 L E P A P A G A Y O , L E U C A D I A , C A

A P R I L 2 4 M A L I B U B E A C H I N N , M A L I B U , C A

A P R I L 2 5 B I R D S S U R F S H E D , S A N D I E G O , C A

A P R I L 2 6 L A P A L O M A T H E A T E R , E N C I N I T A S , C A

A P R I L 2 7 P A C W A V E S P R I N G F L I N G , S A N T A C R U Z , C A

M A Y 1 W H A T Y O U T H H Q , C O S T A M E S A , C A

M A Y 2 T R I A N G L E S Q U A R E ( N B F F ) , N E W P O R T B E A C H , C A

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Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressedinthismagazinereecttheopinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which mayreectnegativelyontheintegrityof the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.

If your favorite shop isnt receiving BL!SSS Magazine please contact [email protected]

APRIL 2013

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFnick [email protected]

EDITORjoey [email protected]

CREATIVE DIRECTORmark paul deren : [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITORspencer [email protected]

EDITOR AT LARGEliz rice [email protected]

SKATE EDITORchris [email protected]

SNOW EDITORjon [email protected]

MUSIC EDITORmax [email protected]

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSJason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson

CONTRIBUTORSMatt Patterson, Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Spencer Pirdy, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon

BL!SSS Magazine

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T H E D E R B IEllis Ericson Through The Eyes of Jimmy James

R AEN.com

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ART: DALEAST

masthead

nixon.com

Dusty Payne

NFUFS4XJTT.BEFIBOEXJUIMBSHFEBUFt/BUVSBMSVCCFSCBOEt"OUJHMBSFDSZTUBM

nixon.com

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Dusty PaynetookouthisrstprofessionalwinthispastmonthinwesternAustralia at the Margaret River Drug Aware Pro. It really is a surprise that for a surferofDustyscaliberthiswashisrst-everprofessionalwin.Buthey,betterlatethannever,right?Dustyrippedpastaeldofstar-studdedcompetitors,dealingwithsomegiantMargaretswallsofwaterintheprocess.Inthenalhemetoneofthe worlds best, Josh Kerr, and it was there that Dusty dug deep and threw down anear-perfectrideenroutetovictory.Theyoung,talentedMaui ripper has had his own hurdles to jump in the past year, as he battled an injury that had him sidelined for a good part of 2012. Now, Dusty seems to be rejuvenated and ready to continuecharginginthersthalfoftheyear.WereallydoenjoywatchingDustysinsanesurng,andwereexcitedtoseeifhecanbackupthewinatBells!

Nixon has an arsenal of watches that range from the most practical and durable to the most intricate and polished of timepieces. Speaking on the last of those, our eyes were instantly drawn to Nixons all new 48-20 Chrono watch that was just released. The watchisasne-tunedasthey come, with speed and torque inspired measuring instruments and a clean, sophisticated look that anyone with an eye for style will enjoy. Nixon has also announced that the 48-20Chronowillbecomingoutin a special black/ baby blue limited edition color way as well, so keep your eyespeeledforthiseye-poppingwatchat nearby retailers.

The boys and girls over at Watershot Inc. just sent us their latest underwater housings for the iPhone 5. Theyve released two new models to choose from, the Watershot and the Watershot Pro, both of which should be available by the time this issue hits the street. The Watershot Pro(picturedhere)comeswithaatandawide-anglelenstocoverallyour photography needs. And like everything Watershot makes, these housing are built to live in the water withstanding rocks, reef, salt, sand and extreme pressure, and safe up to 195 feet. We also just got word thattheyreintheprocessofne-tuningtheirnewiPhoneappthatwillinterface with Instagramforinstantaneoussharing.Ano-brainerforallwater enthusiasts, visit watershot.com to learn more and make sure to snag yourself one today.

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Eric Koston has been one of the worlds best skateboarders for the past 20 plus years and still shows no signs of letting up. Eric and Nikehavenishedthenaltouches on his Koston 2 and this badass shoe is now available to the public. The shoe perfectly bridges Erics sense of style with functionality. It never hurts to have Nike technology on your side, and the two were able to come up with a lightweight and durable shoe that youll never want to take off. Theres also a pretty classic commercial of Eric and his new shoe star that can be viewed on nikesb.com, so check it out and get your hands on the Koston 2 while youre at it.

NIKE KOSTON 2

WATERSHOT PRO

DUSTY WINS MARGARET

NIXON 48-20 CHRONO

randoms

REMEMBER TO REMEMBEROur pal and talented photographer Beau Roulette sent us over a copy of his new book Remember to Remember. The book is a compilation of images from Beaus years spent snapping away behind the lens of a Pentax UC-1 camera. Within the pagesofthebookyoullndsomeofthe most entertaining pictures around. From the perverse and scandalous to raw and hilarious, the shock value that this book holds is priceless. While most of the photos are of subjects Beau has encountered over the years, there is one photograph in particular in which he is featured. Were not going to give it away, but we promise that when you get the book and see for yourself youll be quite amazed. We suggest you all head on over to beauroulette.com and purchase a copy of Remember to Remember or to check out more of Beaus work.

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Roark has surfaced again. A package with postcard and a few Bintangs showed up at our BL!SSSofcelastweek.Correspondencereads,Thetripwaslong.Itwasreligiouswithoutfollowing,sacricialwithoutloss,andbythetimeitwasover,itwas8-10feetagain.ItappearsRoarkhasbeenmeandering throughout Indonesia, breaking through the disorientation of Kuta, exploring outer atolls, foreign states of mind and frivolous amounts of Bintang.TheVolume4Bali Highcollectionfeaturessweaty,jungle-tarnishedgarments and new trinkets that could only fall out of Roarks pocket. Read and see the artifacts of adventure at roarkrevival.com or at a shop near you.

Globehasbeenworkingcloselywithteamriderandall-aroundskatelegendMark Appleyard and they have just released his new signature shoe, The Mahalo.TheMahaloisalow-top,vulcanizedshoebuiltforhigh-impactskateperformance and comes with Globes Pu Shockbed with impact control. Unlike otherskate-specicshoes,styleisntcompromisedintheMahalo.ThisshoestillmanagestomaintainHawaiianspiritandcomesinhigh-gradeshavedsuede/canvasaswellasasupercleancanvas.Theshoehasthreedistinctivelyeye-pleasingcolorwaysforyoutochoosefrom,makingthisAloha-inspiredshoeamust-have.CheckoutTheMahaloandtherestofGlobeslineatglobe.tv.

Theresanewlmcomingoutthismonth thats shining light on the often-hushedtopicofrecreationaldruguseinourindustry.Thelmgoesby the name of Learning to Breathe anditsarst-handaccountofex-pro surfer Anthony Ruffos battle with drug addiction and the law. The lmfollowstheSanta Cruz local as he deals with life after hes stripped of sponsorships and, ultimately, his own freedom. The movie contains interviews with Christian Fletcher, Pete Mel, Darryl Flea Virostko and more that candidly describe their own personal experiences with drugs. Itsarefreshinglmthatwillleaveyou appreciating the transparent approachtheselmmakerstook.Formoreinformationonthelm,clickonovertolearningtobreathelm.com,and look for the movie to hit the big screen sometime this month.

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Bad Religion was in the Hurley Studios rehearsing for their upcoming tour that started March 8th and runs till April 20th. They performed a live studio version of TrueNorth,whichisthetitletrackoftheirnewrecord.While Bad Religion was rehearsing, the folks at Hurley were able to record the live session and sit down and get an interview with the iconic band. The live rehearsal and interview can be viewed in its entirety at hurley.com. Once youre done enjoying the timeless sounds of Bad Religion, head on over to badreligion.com for NorthAmericantourdatesandtondoutwhentheyremaking their next stop near you. Also, be sure to pick up theirnewrecordTrueNorth.

BAD RELIGON

ROARK IN BALI

LEARNING TO BREATHE

MAHALO

We enjoy seeing new companies on the rise with an environmental purpose in mind. Rareform is a new brand that just launched about six months ago that recycles freeway advertising billboards into surfboard bags, backpacks, paddle bags, change mats and tote bags each bag 100% unique and made in California. These guys have found a new, fun and creative way to go green and its just a matter of time before they start gaining recognition. They are in Patagonia stores and other exclusive shops right now, and you can also go online to rareform.com to check them out and buy a bag with recycling in mind.

RAREFORM

randoms

The crew thats brought us Vice Magazine and vice.com have just hit it big, as theyve teamed up with HBOandaresettoairthererstHBOseries this month. Taking on all the things for which weve come to love Vice, expect to see blood, sex, corruption, drugs and just about any other off-the-wallthingyoucanpossiblyimagine.Itsunlteredandasrealasit gets, and youre not gonna believe some the weird, scary shit thats happening in other parts of the world. Set to premiere April 5, weve already set our DVRs and expect you to as well.

By the time this ink hits your ngers,Mammoths newest hot spot will have already had its grand opening. The Underground Lounge is Mammoths newest live music venue and is set to feature various indie talent throughout the season. Featuring comfort food, featured cocktails, great music and a comfortable rustic mountain atmosphere, be sure to check out the Underground Lounge the next time youre on theslopesatCaliforniasnestmountain. Open everyday of the week except Wednesdays, expect to hear a lot more about the Underground Lounge in upcoming issues of your favorite magazine.

We recently met the folks behind Uprooted Tees,anewt-shirtcompanyfrom Newport Beach with the goal of putting smiles on peoples faces onetorsoatatime.UprootedTeesaretrulyone-of-a-kindwithoriginal,quirkydesignsprintedontopofquality,form-ttingteesthatbecomesofter with each wash. Uprooted Tees encompass all ages and walks of life. They can even be used as the perfect icebreaker when youre out on the town. Hell, you may even get lucky wearing one of these tees, which works out perfectly because they make onesies for the little ones as well. But seriously, lifes too short to wear boring old tees, so you might as well spice it up a bit and make some people laugh. To peruse through the wholeUprootedTeeslineandpurchasetheperfectt-shirt,headonovertokingsroadmerch.com.

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Theres another hot little brand gaining some big traction from Laguna Beach and it goes by the name of Gooch. The two local masterminds behind this new brand are none other than Jesse Westgaard and Butch McIntosh. Anyone who has spent any time in Laguna has surely to run across these two, either on the sand, in the water or at a local watering hole. Were more than stoked for our pals down south and expect big things to come. Stay Gooch, my friends.

GOOCH

VICE HBO

UPROOTED TEES

UNDERGROUND LOUNGE

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For those lucky enough to have experienced the sweet, delicious goodness known as the Australian meat pie, then you know of the wonders that lie beneath that golden brown crust. For those who havent, well, youre in luck because Pie-Not is now up and running. Our mates Ryan Lopiccolo and Jai Snowdon arethefoundersofPie-Not,andthey have brought Americans a new casual dining experience that specializes in a range of gourmet Australian meat and vegetarian pies and pastries. Whether youre looking for a way to start your day, a quick snack or a new dining spot withuniqueambiance,Pie-Notwillhave you and your appetite perfectly satised.Stoponbyat27017th street,suite17inCosta Mesa and be prepared to add this delectable Aussie-stylebakeryasoneyourfavorite dining destinations.

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New Mexican artist Jennifer Nehrbass invests much time into each painting. A graduate of University of Wisconsin, NYU and University of New Mexico, she has received project and research grants.

Her new painting series is driven by obsession of a place where memory

and desire collide. They reinterpret visions of the west where Manifest Destiny left an indelible mark on the history and landscape beyond the 100th meridian. At one time these environments were alive, species vital, but now what remains are memento mori of a surreal space in time and location.

Realism mixes with abstraction to fuel the tension between the physical and intellectual experience of space. The guresarealwayshyperreal, navigating through scenic backdrops to a world created by their own intellectual making. The tension between the realismofthegureand

the abstracted background help articulate our current cultures disassociation with the natural world. They explore snapshots of youthful nostalgia that is both tangible and imagined. In more formal terms, these collage-inspiredpaintingsplay with the language of paint. To see more of Jennifers work check out jennifernehrbass.com.

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This year marks The Rolling Stones 50th anniversary. Yeah, theyve been rockin for a while. As such, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a special tribute this May. But before that, LAs newcomer, Project Gallery, is bringing a little Stones history to our area with theirexhibit50YearsofTheRolling Stones: A Rock & Roll Retrospectivefeaturingrare,intimateandnever-before-seenphotos of the Stones. This show depicts musics most notorious

bad boys at every stage of their incredible50-yearcareer.

Shot by the most iconic of their photographers, including renowned and legendary photographers Ken Regan, Barrie Wentzell, Ethan Russell, Lynn Goldsmith, Neal Preston, Philip Townsend and many others. Ken Regan has shot over 200 magazine covers and spent intimate time with The Stones and Andy Warhol inMontaukin1975.BarrieWentzell went to work shooting

TheStonesbetween1965-1975while at music magazine Melody Maker. Barrie shot many unknowns during that decade that turned into global superstars. Ethan Russell shot covers for The Who, The Stones and The Beatles and was The Stones main photographer from1968-1972.Thisuniqueexhibition depicts one of the worlds most notorious and beloved acts and visually weaves much of the story of theirincredible50-yearcareer.

Alsointheexhibitareworld-renowned photographers Lynn Goldsmith, Neal Preston and Philip Townsend. These people are the real deal and you thought you had stories. If you happen to be in LA make suretoswingby50YearsofThe Rolling Stones: A Rock & RollRetrospectiveatProjectGallery, 1553 N. Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood. Gallery hours are11a.m.til7p.m.,sevendays a week, and the exhibition is up until April 21st. Checkout all the gallery has to offer at projectla.net.

LAsProjectGallery, is bringing a little Stones history to our area with their exhibit 50YearsofThe Rolling Stones: A Rock & Roll Retrospectivefeaturing rare, intimate andnever-before-seenphotos of the Stones.

Words: Jen DiSisto Photo: Ken Regan

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Withnishingtouchesrecentlycompletedonhisnew50-pagecatalogue, artist Xi Zhang is ready for the April solo exhibition at the McNichols Civic Center, Denvers newest cultural complex. The center is massive. One would be hard pressedtondanyartistunder30readytollthesecondoorofthebuilding, but Xi is a very rare artist and paints as if theres no tomorrow. Zhang moved from Kaifeng, China, to the United States in 2004 in his late teens to attend the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Everyone there revered the young transplant, even though he spoke very little English, something he made up for with a genuine, animated personality that embraced everything surrounding him. And his artwork spoke volumes. He was fearless in his approach and fully embraced the freedom and spirited that had spawned some of the best artists from the region. His initial exhibition comprised of a robust

selectionofintricategurativepaintings in ecstatic colors, some as large as 8 x 8 feet, all intended to be viewed with 3D viewing glasses. This was just a taste of what was in store for more radical works to come, as Zhang quickly proved to be an endless swirl of forward momentum. His next exhibition took place at one of the citys leading contemporary venues and resulted in Zhang being hailedastheemergingartistoftheyearbytheDenverPost.

Since then his credentials list has built up with striking ferocity. In the lastveyearshehasexhibitedatthe Denver International Airport, been commissioned by CNN fortheirRipple9/1110-yearanniversary project, mounted two solo exhibitions at Plus Gallery and most recently delivered an extensive lecture at the Denver Art Museum as part of their prestigious Logan Lecture Series. In 2012 Zhang received his US citizenship as an ArtistofExtraordinaryAbility,no

mean feat for someone his age. This allowed him to represent the United States through the Denver Biennial of the Americas last fall in Buenos Aires for the URRA artist residency program. His upcoming four-monthlongMcNicholsexhibition21stCenturyDNApullstogether everything currently in his studio along with works from local collections, and it will run concurrently with Denvers latest iteration of their Biennial.

Xis work is gutsy, well crafted and particularly immersive. The effortless owwithinhisstudiorevealsagiftedartist continually learning to paint, often with up to three distinct bodies of work in progress. His practice confronts new technology and its ideal relationship with pop culture, inwhathecallsournewaddictionto technology that alters our minds andperceptionsoftheworld.Onlinereferences from Facebook and Google searches swirl with a heady mixtureofpop-icons,grafti-tags,

video game, cartoon, advertisement references... you name it, and often within the context of historical icons such as classic Asian and European paintings, traditional photography and ancient calligraphy, elements that are deeply seated from his upbringing in China. The result is visually dense and exciting, achieving what one of the leading artcriticsfromDenverdubbedakindofvisualcharisma.Inonerecent series, Xi tackles the concept of how 21st Century life looks within a traditional Chinese composition, leading to graphically hilarious results.Theseoftensmaller-scaleworksonChinesegolf-leafpaperreference online dating and the technologythatallowsittoourish.They playfully read as our societys current obsessions and the artists whole-heartedembraceofthem,warts and all. For Zhang, we arealluniedinspirit,ourfacesinterchangeable across cultural, philosophical and historical lines.

Xisworkisgutsy, well crafted and particularly immersive. The effortless owwithinhisstudio reveals a gifted artist continually learning to paint.

Words: Ivar Zeile :: plusgallery.com

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Though he originally hails from Wisconsin, Bill Amundson is one ofColoradosbest-keptsecrets,a scathing satirist working in whathecallstheSuburbanRegionalistmodewithsomeofthe most advanced drawing skills intheworld.Amundsons30-yearcareer has taken place largely in Colorado, with recent works acquired by all of the states major collecting Museums. His 2011 artist talk, corresponding with hislastsoloexhibitionBlurredVision,foundover200peoplepacked like sardines inside Plus Gallerys exhibition space to hear Bill speak, something he is also very, very good at, so much so that the Denver Art Museum askedhimtogiveacareer-focusedlecture last year as part of their prestigious Logan Lecture series.

Almost everyone who buys art in Denver has something by Bill, albeit small works he pushed out to the masses through arts

festivals in what he calls his own subversiveformofstreetart.But Bills more substantial works arelargelycollector-onlyterritory,and he has more than a few heavyweight fans in that category that have supported his major efforts of the last decade. Hes drawn everyone from Dick Cheney asapower-plant,RushLimbaughas a Jeff Koons suspension tank to Sarah Palin as a towering symbol of American stupidity, complete with woodworker drills aimed at the ground. No topic is sacred for Bill, but his most revered works stilltendtobehisless-than-atteringselfportraits.Billshareshis thoughts here from several of his best of the last few years.

BrandedManistherstofmylargerscaleportraits,heexplains.Itcomesfromaconversation I had with a self proclaimed branding expert who believed that all humans, objects and activities are essentially

commodities to be marketed to one another. He not only thought thatthiswasaterricidea,butthat it was the very essence of what it meant to be an American. I took the idea of branding literally and created a logocentric individual based on myself. The man accepts his branded status in a rather sheepish manner, not sure if he should be thankful or embarrassed by the questionable honor bestow upon him.

ForyearsthefellowinTechSavvyand Solar! coveted his friends whohadthehi-techBluetoothattached to their ear, so they could appear to talk to absolutely no one as they went about their dailybusiness.Whenhenallypurchased his own, however, he realized it was inadequate for his needs and he began adding additionalhigh-techdevices.Some of these rejected the latest designs, some were decidedly retro in nature. Eventually he

indulged in surgery to enhance his functionality. He also added solar panelsinabidforcompleteself-sufciency.Hisownsurveillancecamera makes sure he behaves responsibly at all times. He is reportedly quite pleased with the results and enjoys the attention he garners whenever he appears in public.

GotToGetItOutOfMyHeaddoesntneedalotofexplaining,Amundsonsays.Ithadbeenonmy mind for several years and Inallyhadtodoittouh,getitoutofmyhead.Sufceittosay,thattheoldmaximTothineownselfbetruehasalwaysjustcaused me a lot of consternation andconfusion.

For more of Bill, tune into youtube and discover a few of his impromptu speaking engagements and discussions of his work. More of Bills work can be found through plusgallery.com.

GotToGetIt Out Of My Head doesnt need a lot of explaining,Amundson says. Ithadbeenon my mind for several years andInallyhadto do it to uh, get it out of my head.

Words: Ivar Zeile

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My early work was a response tothedifcultyofself-identicationinapost-industrialWales.Itreectedtheproblemofself-valueandworthinanew,nonself-sufcientcountrywhere every corner and horizon echoed the past, yet every TV and computer pointed forward. The youth of my generation were born into the void leftover inapost-industrialcountry,and patriotic pride was hard to come by. My paintings were born out of the rebellion against complacency and apathy that was inbred, being brought up in a very grey, poor town.

My art has been and continues to be a report on culture and society, and it shows the more honest side of these crutches upon which our humanity relies. I believe therefore my work has more in common

with the folk songwriters and is born of a very old tradition of storytelling and prose from Celtic mythology such as the Mabinogion. Some comparisons of my works have been with Irish folk songs and the political and social commentary of artists like Bob Dylan.

My current work isnt as locally subjective as it once was. I believed at one time that I could only paint about what I knew and was intimate with, which were Wales and its people. Having spent the better part of this decade travelling the world I believe now that I amqualiedtospeakofbroaderissues and paint things I have experienced, maybe not in the same way as the locals to these areas have experienced but through the eyes of a visitor and yet maintain legitimacy

in my expression. The works I have completed while living in California have been quite different to my Welsh Paintings mainly in the way the characters relate to their surroundings. In my Welsh paintings,theguresandthebackgrounds are treated the same and almost meld into one another, as is the case in reality where the generations still live in the same village for centuries. In my recent works in Los Angeles the opposite is true;theguresaredetachedfrom their environment both aesthetically and physically because of the nature of the city where the majority of the population comes from other places. The Los Angeles I have experienced is a cultural smorgasbord set in eclectic urban architecture.

Since the birth of my son I have also explored ideas in my work that touch upon the anxieties of raising a child in an environment that I believe is on the brink of disaster due to the greed and ignorant over consumption of the planets resources. The images touch on the tragedy of children forced to survive in an apocalyptic environment and violently fend for themselves, an idea that tears at the heart of the natural instincts of fatherhood and the impotence of family protection. More recently these portraits have crossed over into the dark brooding world of Grimms fairytales and mythical surrealistic subjects that help carry and convey the emotion and tragedy of the children I paint. To view more of Richards work check out richardjoliver.com or on Twitter @rjoliverneart.

Sincethebirth of my son I have also explored ideas in my work that touch upon the anxieties of raising a child in an environment that I believe is on the brink of disaster due to the greed and ignorant over consumption of the planets resources.

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Wow! Thats the only word we can think of to describe what went through our heads when this months Supertaste images of Sarah Stage came across our desk. Stunning, beautiful, gorgeous, hot, super model okay, so there are quite a few other words that may have crossed our minds as well. Needless to say, we werent disappointed. Born and raised right here in Southern California, her exotic look is a blend of Costa Rican and European descent. And with over 115K followers on Instagram, its safe to say were not her only fans.

Photography: Dominic Petruzzi :: dominicpetruzziphoto.com // Model: Sarah Stage :: Elite Models

Hair & Makeup: Sothea Ouch :: sotheaouch.com // Retouch: JasonSchorle.com

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A F E N D S P R O M O T E S A F R E E - L I V I N G

L I F E S T Y L E B Y E X P R E S S I N G O U R S E L V E S

T H R O U G H A R T , M U S I C A N D T H E S P I R I T U A L

S I D E O F T H E A C T I V I T I E S W E L O V E .

O U R M O T T O I S

Q U E S T I O N E V E R Y T H I N G W H I C H

I S N T A B O U T U S E D U C A T I N G Y O U -

I T S A B O U T Y O U E D U C A T I N G Y O U R S E L F .

A F E N D S . C O M

t e a m a r t i s t - j o h a n n i n g e m a r

Curren Caples : F.S Grind

Curren, Loui & Adriano

Volcom really stepped it up this year at the 2013 Damn Am and had the best amateur skaters from all over converging to wreak havoc on a fresh new course. There was plentyofgoodtimesandinsaneskatinginthefour-dayevent,fromtheearlyqualifyingroundsallthewaytothenals.Intheend,CurrenCaplestooktophonorsandBrodiePenrodtookthebesttrickwithakickipbacktail,kickip180out on the Hubba. Curren Caples was by far the standout of the event, throwing downawlessrunafterawlessrun.Hiswinningrunsawhimstylishlylinkingmaneuvers,andinparticularthrowingdownahugefrontsideipandafrontside nose blunt. For Curren the win was bittersweet, as it was his last amateur event and hes now made the jump to the pro ranks. It was a great event for all and its great to see Curren moving on and exiting the amateur ranks on top. Well see everyone again next year for the 2014 Volcom Damn Am.

Final Results1. Curren Caples 2. Louie Lopez3. Adriano Lachovski 4. Ethan Loy 5. Axel Crysberghs 6. Chase Webb7.TrevorColden8. Anthony Anaya 9. Jereme Knibbs10. Brodie Penrod

Photos: Steve Stratton & Jake Smith

54

Loui Lopez : Fakie Flip

Adriano Lachovski : BS 270 K-Flip

Axel Cruysberghs : Boneless

Curren, Loui & Adriano

Ethan Loy : Fakie Hurricane

Javan Campello : F.S Blunt

Trevor Colden : F.S Blunt

Kelly burning Parko out at Kirra, are you kidding me? Thats like Joel back-paddlingSlateratSebastianInlet. Forget priority. Just think if Joel had continued sliding through that cavernous Kirra pit. Without a doubt he wouldve sped down theline,ownrightpastKellyinthe tube, made the longest barrel incompetitivesurnghistoryandsaluted his Aussie compatriots as he exited in the spit to their roaring cheers.

Although Kirra was where the 2013 Quiksilver Pro made its climactic nish,thetopofthepointofferedupplentyofWorldTour-calibersurngintheearlystagesofthecompetition. By rounds four and ve,conditionshadimprovedfromckleanddifculttoproper,head-high Snapper that even offered a tube or two for those competitors who picked the right waves. Many have deemed round four an unnecessary, meaningless round, but the round four heats on display

at Snapper were hard to ignore, with every heat an expression session in itself. Heat number two saw Julian, Michel and Joel all posting combined heatscoresinthe15-point-or-higherrange. Julian was able to pull off theupsetinthenalminuteagainstParko, thanks to a few of his own patentednwafts,andjumpedstraight into the quarters. Heat three had Bede Durbidge looking in completecontroluntiltheseven-minute mark when Kelly found his freakish form. Kelly secured a 9-pointrideafterheopeneduponan unsuspecting Snapper wall with a full-bodysnapthatreleasedhisnsand sent his tail drifting all the while Kelly remaining perfectly centered over his board. With less than two minutes remaining Kelly decimated anotherwavefora9.27,andwhileWilko and Bede surfed exceptionally well, they were both relegated to round 5.

Inroundve,MicheldefeatedJeremy Flores with powerful arcs

and jabs which revealed a newly polished Spartan who will be a threat on tour this year no matter whatvenuehessurng.Joelsnuckpast Adam Melling, Bede edged out Brett Simpson, and in the battle ofthein-formgoofyfootsoftheevent Wilko took down Travis Logie. Inthequarternalstheconditionsfailed to provide. Michel, Kelly, Joel and Mick dealt with subpar Snapper the best they could to move into theseminalsbeforetheeventwascalled for the day.

To the relief of contest director Jake Patterson, everyone awoke on the last day of the waiting period to see thatKirrawasnallybeginningtochurn out barrels. The event was relocated and with a dropping tide therstsemibetweenMichelandJoel hit the water. Joel was quick to pounce as he opened up with a 10-pointrideforamultiple-sectionbarrel.Hebackeditupwithan8.17andsecuredhisnalspot.Seminalnumbertwosawreworksfromstart

tonish.MickputKellyupagainsttheropesearlywithan8.67anda9.93, but once Mick had exited his 9.93 Kelly was on the next wave scoringa9.37ofhisown.Kellywasleftneedinga9.24withveminutesremaining and Kirra sent him just whathewaslookingfor-a10-pointdrainerwitharail-grabcuttytonish.

StraightintothenalandKellyand Joel exchanged with almost identical opening rides. Kellys second scoring ride was a deep tube, not the cleanest, but when he exited he threw down one of the most critical turns of the event withafull-tiltlaybacksnapunderabreaking lip. The judges gave him a 9.83. Parko was left needing a high 9 and opted to sit deeper up the point than Slater. Eight minutes remaining and the wave Parko was looking for reared up. He made the ledged-outdrop,sethislineandbegan pumping, but then he all but stopped and stood in disbelief,

Words: Spencer Pirdy :: Photos: Courtesy ASP

56

Slater

Parko

Fanning

Taj

Bourez

Julian

almost remembering of the priority situation as Kelly scrapped his way into the same wave further down theline.JoelippedKellyoffbeforehittingtheejectbutton to avoid meeting Slater. If Joel had continued it wouldve been an interference call and he wouldve put himself out of contention with eight minutes remaining. It was a tactical move by Slater, and it surelyrufedafewpro-Parkofeathers,butthefactof the matter is that Joel wouldve done the same to Kelly in a heartbeat.

Hesgoteveryrighttodoit,hesaid.Iddothesame to him. I had to throw up the bird to be like You bastard,youknow?InthedyingmomentsParkowasunabletondawavetosurpassSlater.Thusisthewayofcompetitivesurng,andmiddlengersasideParko wasnt all that bummed. Itwasanamazingevent.Youvegottobehappywiththewaveswegot.Itllberememberedforever,Joelsaid.

Kelly racked up his 52nd tour victory and now admits that hell be making a charge for a 13th title this year. It sounds repetitive, but the tour has really never looked as strong as it does this year, and we have a Joel/Kelly rivalry once again in the making.

Anthony Shultz: BS Disaster

Photos: Jon Dragonette

60

Shooting a spring catalog in the middle of a California winter can be a little tricky, especially when the weather forecasts are grey skies, rain and unpredictable temperatures. With that in mind, we packed our bags and headed across the country to Americas penis, or what some may call Florida.

Our home base for the week was Miami, which in the minds of most consists of white sandy beaches, palm trees and topless

babes. While there is a sprinkle of that, the majority of Miami seems to be a plethora of shitty clubs and shittier people who frequent them. Regardless of our loose perception of Miami, we brought a squad of absolute monsters and set out to skate and destroy whatever we came across.The team was as follows: Anthony Schultz, Denzel White, Anthony Pshebelski and Ricky Webb.

The days were sunny, hot, humid, and a perfect picture of what spring should be, even in the middle of January. So with our local tour guide Dave Anderson, who on a side note is a righteous dude and a trickster on his skateboard, we set out to accomplish something great. Our mission was to shoot a 44-pagecatalog,aswellaslmavideotoaccompanyit,invedays.Aheavychallengetosome, but our team was hungry to skate new spots and leave

their mark on Miami. Despite our initial concerns with not being familiar with Miami, the spots actually turned out to be amazing, smooth, brightly colored, and nestled into a beautiful backdrop, making for a photographers paradise. And as excited as we were to get photos, the dudes were even more amped to get tricks on all this new terrain.

On our trip Dave took us to some crazy places, one being

Words & Photos: Jon Dragonette

Anthony Pshebelski: Nose Blunt

Ricky Webb: SwitchFlip

Anthony Shultz: BS NoseBlunt

Denzel White: KickFlip

an old ampatheater on the water that was covered in graftiandturnedintoaDIYskatespot.Wealsocameacrossseveralabandonedhotels,whichseemedtolltheskyline in south beach. Once inside the gates we came across marble stairs, ledges, perfect gaps to skate, empty pools, giant sculptures, and of course the beach. One thing that we realized pretty fast is that the cops are on heavy patrol here, so we got the boot from a lot of spots very quickly. Most times we did not even have enough time to set up equipment to shoot or for the dudes to warm up. In addition to cops, there are tons of concerned citizens who seemed to have nothing better to do than turn us in orplayJohnny-lawthemselves.Eveninthesketchiestofneighborhoods our presence was not quite welcomed.

In the end, the week went by like the blink of any eye and before we knew it our time in Miami was up. Five days of skating, accompanied by late nights of partying, we leftwithfullmemorycards,funnystoriesandasatisedfeeling in our bones.We headed back to California and put together what turned out to be one of the raddest catalogs Active Ride Shop has ever put out. Thank you Miami for being so good to us. Even though you are the tip of Americas wang, in the end you didnt screw us!

Words: Chris Polovina Photos: Kenworthy

Johnnyhasaproblem,Johnnyisoutofcontrol!Roboissometimesfat,sometimes skinny, and he is always blushing. Conceived on the beach at El Moro, Robo is the best backside tube rider in California. He shapes some mean boards, will burn you, aint scared, fought Wardo and does the robotics. Growing up I kept hearing his name out in the water and hated him before I even knew who he was. Anybody who surfed better than me I would automatically talk shit on because I was so insecure. He was winning all the NSSAs,andIguredhewaslikealltheother little NSSA kids: Always smiling, acting like people they werent and focused on nothing but winning. I was wrong; John was always up to no good and was a genuine human from day one. I think he is the only surfer to get kicked off the ...lost surf team, not once, but

twice! How do you get kicked off the ...lost surfteam?Thersttime,thestoryisthatlittleJohngotintoaseriousghtwithhischildhood hero Chris Ward in Australia. Robo was just a little guy who thought Wardo was the biggest badass around, but Robo never has taken shit from anybody and brawled him. I guess they went a few rounds and John got kicked off the team. He went and rode for another clothing company for a while then found his way back to lost. He rode for them for a short time, and then once again was given the boot for doing something stupid. I asked him why they kicked him off again, but he didnt want to talk about it. Not having any backing to travel and surf he started working for Cole Surfboards, where he learned every aspect of producing and selling surfboards. He worked there for six years. He shaped a board one day and loved the whole process. Friends started asking for boards from him, and eventually he decided that he wanted to

start his own label.

Robo has been on the beach since the day he was born. Like I said earlier, he was conceived on the sand at El Moro, lived in the El Moro trailer park for years and then moved to San Clemente. I dont think there is any other surfer that can trulyclaimtobealocaloutatElMotheway Robo can. A few years ago John was surngoutthereandoneofthegrumpyold CDM guys who cant even surf but thinks they own the place started yelling at him and told him to go back where he came from. John snapped and pointed and said,youseethoserocksoverthere,mymother and father fucked on them and Iwasconceivedthere.Thedudedidnthave much to say after that. He never claims a thing, is super quiet and polite but when somebody tries him, he snaps.

Back in the day there was no stopping him. He was winning all the contests,

66

had sick footage in the all the ...lost movies and insane photos in the mags. He was the San Clemente badass following in the footsteps of Wardo. Even today he surfs better than most every pro surfer. He has style for days and will go on any nuts barrel that comes his way. A few yearsagohimandIweresurnginBaja and somebody John has looked up to his whole life came over to our ski and started lecturing John about how he could have been somebody if he would have put his head down andfocusedonsurng.Thismadehim so angry that when the next set came in I dropped him on the biggest left of the day, and he made sure the guy was looking, faded left and went right. He just pulled into the biggest closeoutdeath-tube.Fromthetimehe stood up until he got blown up in the closeout, his eyes stayed locked on the guy who had just talked shit on him. The guy sat on his ski on the inside tripping. It was so badass.

When I picked him up all he said was, Heissuchadick.WasIfocusedenoughforhim,Bubby

Robo started shaping boards just under a year ago and immediately was shaping some truly incredible shred sticks. People started noticing instantly and some of the most talented and accomplished surfers started getting his boards. Some of the guys who have ridden his boards are Nathan Fletcher, Kolohe Andino, Danny Fuller, Eric and Evan Geiselman, Luke Davis, Ian Crane, Dylan Graves, Dylan Goodale, Balaram Stack, and the list goes on and on. The word on the street is that Nathan Fletcher got one of the biggest and longest barrels ever at Skeleton Bay on a Robo board. Everywhere where I go somebody wants to order a board or is super hyped on what he is doing. IfyouhavebeensurngLowerson

any south swell over the last few years then more than likely youve had your mind blown by the surfer who never stops blushing. He has style for days and there are not too many people that take Lowers apart the way he does. Seriously, the only guy that I can think of that is on the same level out there is his childhood idol Chris Ward. Recently, Tony Roberts told me a story that happened about 10 years ago. He was in Panama shooting photos at some WQS event when he went to check the surf to see if he should shoot. Right when he rolled up he saw somebody dismantling each wave. Tony couldnt believe his eyes. It was Tom Curren. He ran back to the truck to grab his camera and setup. He soon realized this

wasnt Curren. It was Robo. In my opinion, the best compliment one can get as a surfer is being mistaken as being Curren. If Robo cared half as much as his peers did about makingitbigtimeinsurnghewouldbeon the CT today.

Robo is not just a great surfer and shaper, he is one of the most genuine friends a person could ever ask for and very humble man. He took a different road to happiness and has had more than a few hiccups along the way. Today he has established himself as a talented shaper, loving husband and soon-to-befather,andIcouldntbehappierfor the guy.

Interview: Faith47 & ROM

If there is a man who can isolate a thought and realize it into fact, he is one that I met that summer on my journeytoChina.TheI-Chinghaswritten in it a path that he walks mysteriously armed with jaded ambition and an enduring sense of must-ness.Abeautifulthingisthat

this world holds so many pockets of vastly different societies, languages and people. And a more beautiful thing is when people are able to step out of their surroundings and communicate their existence with those from other lands. This is the opening of the world we live in. DALeast is one who crosses that border; he is able to erase and redraw it. He can map out new worlds and invent new visual languages with

his work, bringing with him secret messages and meditative lines in turmoil and calm. Luckily we are to witness the progress and stark lines of this man from the east. -Faith47

Questions ROM (Good friend to Dal)

Would you please introduce yourself?

I am the temporary traveler on the earth who is being called DALeast.

Did growing up in China have any impact on your work as an artist?I feel really lucky that I was growing up in China where has an amazing history and had profound cultures and is now having a lot of problems with some mirage hope. I really love that country, thats why I feel sad

about the changes out there. The modern China has taught me a lot of things by its negative ways. Thats where some of my inspirations come from; China is a miniature example of the terminally ill materialism. You can observe the global morbidity through the enormous impact that China is holding. So I really prefer the charm that ancient China had. I am more in between the ancient Chinese and new age international humanbeing.YouwillndithardtondmeinChinaoranywhereelse around the world, but maybe you will see my work on the corner of your street.

Can you remember a time when art really started to inuencewhatyouwantedtodo with your life?

One day when I was 3 years old I told to my mum that I will be a world travel artist in this life. She wastotallyshockedbymy3-year-old language. So actually I started my career when I was 3 years old. -:)

What has been the most challenging piece of work that you have completed?There is a moment that pops up into my mind. That was 6 years ago, the time when I was crazy,actinglikeagraftiwriterandgraftibombinginChina.One night me and my past crew mate Mcg went out bombing. We climbed up a billboard, which wasthesameheightasa5-storybuilding, it was pretty hectic to do that in the cold windy winter night without any protection. It was the

rsttimethatIhadtherealizationof life is not real because death is really close to me. I guess some of thegraftiwritershasdonethatas well. I think thats the glamour ofgrafti,notthechildish.

Why are you painting animals?I like painting different subjects, not just animals, but I have painted a lot of them because I love animals. They bring this world more vitality and show the onlooker the condition of the world. It is so hard to see them around now. You may feel cold and sad if you land on a planet which only have one kind creature with their machines, so painting animals is a carrier to share my mind and memento.

Do you have any exhibitions

or projects in the works for 2013?2013 is a really busy year for me. Abundant plans need to continue. For sure there will be surprise coming up as well.

If you could paint one more wall before the end of the world, anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?I would like to think the world is not going to end and I will paint as many walls as I can. Thanks for this interview, one last message for the readers?Thanks for your time.

QuestionsFaith47

Do you think that artists have a role in society or if there are any responsibilities in being an artist?Indeed,Ithinkartistdenitelyshould take responsibility within society, especially the artist who works in the public space. Art works for the mind and emotions, so it is powerful somehow.

What makes you excited in life? To see that the world (inner and outer) has the probability of getting better.

Whats the most depressing thing? Avidya. [Ignorance]

Whats the hardest thing about learning to drive?Its hard to do something that you dont like to do. Should we all ride bicycles?

Are your paintings therapeutic?Doyoueverndsubliminal meaning in them after you paint them that you were not aware of when you started?I usually like to develop the idea when Im painting it. So I really enjoy to follow what is coming up. As for therapeutic, I think everything can be therapeutic or something else, it depending on how the viewer sees it. Thats

why different minds make up different stories by seeing the same thing. I guess the viewer just needs the reference, then theywillgureouttherestofpart by themselves, it can be anything.

Do you think in English or Chinese? *^@:)%^&(

Bluntslide : Photo: Keith Oshiro

80

Interview: Mike Franklin

Yet another product of Cypress, Californias Furnace Skateshop (a shopthat has groomed veterans such as Rob G and Andrew Reynolds to the new faces of skateboarding including Kevin Romar, Julian Davidson and Nick Garcia), Billy Davenport is in the process of being knighted into this elite group of skateboarders. After having his claws in the industry for years, its about time he gets the recognition he deserves. Its easy for a kid to progress on a skateboard when there is no responsibility involved. Most kids will give it up the second they have to get a job, but not Billy. His video part resume runs as deep as his job resume. When hesnotworkingfull-time,heclocksinasthenewestWorldIndustriesteam member. Talent can only take you so far, but talent mixed with a solid work ethic like Billys is a recipe for success. Opportunity has nallymetpreparationwelcometotheteam,Billy.

-DerekFukuhara

So Billy, lets start this off by having you break down the normal day in the life for you.I wake up at 4:30 a.m. and hit the snooze button a few times, make some coffee, and then Im off to work til 2:00 p.m. Then I head home to make more coffee and grab my board and head to Cherry Park for a quick warm up sesh before hitting the streets. I usually skate til the sun goes down, then I head home to catch dinner with the lady, maybe a glass of wine and a movie before passing out to start it all over again the next day.

Where are you from and where are you living at nowadays?Im from Los Alamitos, CA, and currently am living in Long Beach, CA.

How and when did you get into skateboarding?I was around 10 years old, and I would always see the older kid down the street doing those little nollie bonks off the sidewalk cracks and was blown away by it. I knew right then that I wanted to skateboard.

Whatskaterhadthebiggestinuenceonyougrowingup?Shit thats a tough one Id probably have to say Marc Johnson. The rstskatevideoIhadwastheoldEmericavideoYellowandIwassuper hyped on Marcs part.

What is your favorite video part of all time?ImgonnahavetogowithArtoSaarispartintheFlipvideoSorry.

I see you have a furnace tattoo How did that come along and how long have you been riding for them?That shit was random. I planned on getting one for a while and one day Iwokeupandwaslike,Illjustgetittoday.Someandmyladywentto the tattoo shop and I got it done. Ive been riding for them for about 7yearsnow.NoonehadaFurnacetatyetandthoseguyshavehelpedme out a lot and theyre basically like family to me.

Who else are you riding for nowadays?Im riding for Heel Bruise, Furnace, Bones Wheels and World.

So youre riding for World Industries now. How did that come along and what made you make the switch from BLVD to World?I made the switch for a few reasons. One, because I know a lot of the World riders and have noticed and was hyped the changes that they were making over there. Secondly, I felt like it was a better opportunity to pursue skateboarding as a career. Im still good friends with all the BLVD guys and it ended on good terms, I just felt it was time for a change.

davenport

Lipslide Gap Out 8 Stair : Seq: Ortiz

Lipslide Gap Out 8 Stair : Seq: Ortiz

F.S Smith : Photo: Ely Phillips

F.S Board : Photo: Ely Phillips

B.S Nose Blunt : Photo: Ortiz

F.S Tail Slide : Photo: Ortiz

Have you been on any trips with the World guys yet? Whats your favorite thing so far about riding for World?Yeah, we went to AZ on a trip and it was super fun and productive.Myfavoritethingisthatweallgoskateandlmtogether and everyone feeds off each other. And its just an all-aroundgoodtime.

Whats the craziest thing youve seen while on a trip?I got arrested one time on a trip, and when I was in jail I saw some huge black guy with man tits and scars all over his face and body sit down right in front of me and take a shit. Probably the gnarliest thing Ive ever seen.

What do you do for fun when youre not skating?Iworkafull-timejobsoImprettymuchskatingwithallthefree time I have. When Im not doing that Im hanging out with the lady or out getting drinks with the bros. Oh yeah, playing pool is pretty fun too.

So you have a full-time job What do you do for work, andisithardtondtimetoskateduringtheweekwhile working so much?I work in an electrical panel shop and I wire various sizes of electrical panels that are used to power up big machinery. Not nearlyascomplexasitsounds.Itsnottoohardtondtimeto skate during the week because I get off early, and by the time I do get off all I want to do is skate.

Dream sponsor outside of skateboarding?AmericanAirlines.Thatwouldbesicktogettoyanywhereyou want.

An airline sponsor would be amazing. Speaking of, what is your dream travel destination?Im going to have to say Dubai. Johnny Layton went there

B.S Overcrooks : Photo: Ely Phillips

F.S Flip 270 : Photo: Ortiz

Photo: Ortiz

and he showed me photos and footage he got when he was there and that place looks amazing.

Whats one thing in skateboarding nowadays that pisses you off?All the skaters with big egos. At the end of the day youre just pushing around a piece of wood with wheels on it.

Agreed. So what do you think about rappers trying

to be skateboarders and skateboarders trying to be rappers?Im down for the fact that Lil Wayne is skating because it seems like he enjoys it and he seems to have the same excitement about it as I did whenIrststarted.Imdenitelynotbackingthewhole TruckFit thing and the fact that its taking away from core skate companies that have been in it since day one. Now the skateboarder trying to be

rapper thing is a whole different story. Its one thing if youre actually good at rapping, but throwing away your whole skate career for it is retarded. If youre a real skateboarder you dont QUIT skateboarding; you do it til your body is physically unable to do it anymore.

Well put, Billy. Any last words or shout-outs before we wrap this thing up?

I want to say thanks to Randy Padayo and everyone at Furnace, Richard Mulder at Heel Bruise, Jared Lucas at Bones, everyone at World, my family and friends, my lady Shannon, and anyone else that has helped me out to get to where Im at today. Last words: Nevertakeanythingforgranted,behappywithwhatyougot.

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Snowboarding emerged years ago as a group of outlaws, assholes, and outcasts shunned in a world of uppity snow sports. Skiers shook their heads, resorts banned us, and we were written off as afad.Fast-forwardsomeyearsand snowboarding is now the head shaker frowning upon the

snowboarder known as Nick Dirks. We have evolved

intoasportdominated

by aerial

Olympians, energy drinks, college boyofcejocks,agents,andcoaches. One would think there is no room in this circus for a young Oregonian dirt bag. Certainly not the case, Nick has spit out some of themostentertainingandmind-blowing video parts we have ever seen.Whilethislittlesportofoursmay have gone mainstream, Nick has remained the same, and the need for riders like him is stronger than ever. Nick is a genuine guy and could give two shits about whatever the hell iPad McTriplecork can do in the arena. Nicks approach tosnowboardingissimple:lm

a stylish video part, have fun with his friends, and fuck

anyone who says otherwise.

Interview: Justin Meyer :: Photos: Bob Plumb

Why arent you training for the Olympics?Idohavesemi-reddishhair,but I think honestly the highest Ive gone out of a super pipe is like 6 feet. I miss the smaller halfpipes. Maybe I could get a coach and train all winter? Fuck that noise.

What is your take on the Olympics and competitive snowboarding?It takes snowboarding in a way-too-serious,tripleaxle,stunt game direction. Thats not snowboarding to me. Back when I was growing up, the guys that did X-Gamesandothercontestalsolmedvideoparts.Nowadays the guys that do contests might as well be skiing.Theydontlmparts,theydontevenlmcameos,they just practice a winning run all day like ski racers. They are like human Nascars tricking for the masses. Its beyond foreign to me I couldnt name three guys that compete.

So you spend your winter lmingavideopart.What is that all about for someone who might not know the difference between you and Shaun White?I spend my winter having a damned good time with my friends, and we all push eachothertolmandcreatesomething we are proud of as a whole at the end of the year. It takes all winter and even longer, and when you add it all up, the outcome isnt scored or judged. I dont have a coach and its my creation what I want. There is no difference though in the end. We are all just idiots, avoiding real jobs,andplayingongloriedsleds.

Who has inspired you and/or put out your favorite video parts over the years?Mikey Leblanc, Shane Flood, the old Grenade videos, Kingpin, Love/Hate the list goes on.

A lot of brands are ditching their support for videos and pushing Web content. What will happen if the snowboarding video disappears as we know it?Web videos have their place, but they dont stand the test of time. They live and die the same day, maybe two days if they are really good. The snowboard video lives on forever and will always exist because there are too many people that care about it.

So you dont see yourselflmingforWeb videos only one day?Never! I am down to lmafewWebvideosduring the winter while lmingmypart,butthelife of a Web video is too short. Videos will always be there and live on. I would rather have a hard copy of my favorite video than look up some link anytime I want to get hyped. Web videos are like print ads; you look at it once and turn the page. Video parts are like covers; they live in your brain forever and hopefully on your shelf if you liked it. Y2K!

Tell the people your plans this year. How has your season been going?Imactuallylmingapartand working on some web edits along the way called TheVantasy.Iboughtasweetmonster-truckishvan and am traveling in thatthingwhilelming.But my main focus thisyearislmingforVideograss again. The movieiscalledTheLastOnes.Theseasonhasbeen going pretty good so far. Im more hyped on my footage this year

than I have ever been in the past. Lets hope the old sea leg stays in one pieceandIcannishtheseason strong.

You seem like the type of guy that doesnt give a shit about anything.Haha. Fuck that guy.

That last question was actually a quote from a cop on a Videograss trip once. Explain to the readers the situation.I think we were in Michigan? Anyways, we werelmingatsomecollege and got busted by the man. The cop asked me if I had a job (being that snowboarder isnt considered a real job), and I said no. Then he asked if I went to school there again, the answer was no. Then he gave me someshit-eatinggrin,looked me up and down andsaidthatshit,Youseem like the type of guy that doesnt give a shit aboutanything.

Who has your back and understands the need on their team for a feisty little shit as yourself?Only the best damned companies around duh! K2, Airblaster, Ashbury, Howl and Poler.

Any last bit of advice for the kids out there tryingtolmavideopart?Dont be afraid to be yourselfandsayfuckofftoanyonewhodoesnt like it. Stay creative, have fun, travel with the right people, be down to be a dirt bag and sleep in the same dirty hotel for weeks on end. Keep your good friends close and enjoy the ride.

Modern Art

F R E E A L L A G E S P R E M I E R E M A Y 1 A T T H E O B S E R V A T O R Y , 3 5 0 3 H A R B O R , S A N T A A N A C A 9 2 7 0 4

D O O R S O P E N 8 P M L I V E M U S I C F R O M T H E H I N D U P I R A T E S A N D S P E C I A L G U E S T S

A M B I G . C O M

Stecyk has blown minds once again, and not behind the scenes as usual but this time front and center as he took over the lobby of MOCA with his signature Colby boxing posters. His work isexecutedinmanyformsfromhand-paintedtoairbrushtoletterpress, to a combination of all. Stecyks constant theme in this piece is that it is changing by the day, maybe by about 10% each 24 hours, so if you return in aweekitwillbeabout70%different.ThisrelatestoBunkerHillitself, something that Stecyk knows better than most historians. Bunker Hill has radically changed over the years to be beyond recognizable, as demonstrated by the shows title. We can still

ndHopeStreet.WeknowGrand(MOCAsstreet)usedtobeCharity and Faith Street and it may be lost forever. So use Craig Stecyks installation as a jumping off point and see where it might take you too. This is really what Stecyks art is all about. Kudos to Mocas daring director Jeffery Deitch for recognizing Stecyks talent and bringing him to MOCA for a closer examination. He is also the guy responsible for Art In The Streets and is one of the few directors bringing young, exciting new art into major museums.

Words: Greg Escalante :: Photos: Derek Bahn//C.R.StecykexploringthedeteritasofBunkerHill//StecykandAdrianNymanpointingngers//GregEscalante and Jeffrey Deitch// Shawn Stussy and Anthony Converse // Steve Olson and Pat Ngoho know whats up // Charlie Thomas and Kevin Imamura // Brian Ridgeway and friend // Renee Renee aka Jason Boche rolling deep // checking it out // Hovin and Annie A representing the Church of Type

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R I C K Y W E B B / F S K I C K F L I P / U P L A N D C A . / P H O T O : D R A G O N E T T E

W W W . A C T I V E R I D E S H O P . C O M

Bliss_RICKY_APRIL13.indd 1 3/15/13 3:29 PM

Chris Coulter had been hounding us to come to Silverton Mountain for the longest time, so we decided to celebrate our 20 Years In Snow anniversary by taking him up on it. I had planned everything out but the only thing that I didnt realize is that Silverton Mountain was closed on the days we would be there (as was everything else in town). Luckily for us, Silverton was stoked to have 40 of the Vans crew coming in and they rolled out the red carpet for us. Restaurants were opened, the mountain ran the chair just for us and the man above made sure it snowed (48 inches worth). It turned out to be a trip that probably wont happen for another 20 years. The stoke from that trip will be talked about for a long time. Thanks to Silverton and all for coming out.

Words: Pete Dericks :: Photos: Aaron Dodds & Ben Eng // The crew after day 1 at Silverton Mountain // Vans boot developer Garrett Gibb, busting a method //PatMoorebustingthroughthepowdoor//SteveVanDorengivingToddMitchellfromMilosporttheLoneWolfAward//JamieLynnslasher//Astokedbunchatthe top of Silverton Mountain // JG and Raul from Satellite with Jamie and a custom art piece that he made for all the retailers // Our guide, hardly working //Late night cheers at the Grand Imperial Lodge

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Mr.JackColemanhasdoneitagain!HisnewlmSecretSoundUndergroundisanothermind-bendingviewofsurngthroughtheacid-stainedeyesofthesurflmmasterhimself.ThepremieredowninEncinitasattheLaPalomaTheatrebrought out the wild side of everyone in the auditorium. The whole back half of thetheatrewaslledwithfrothing,franticNewportlocals.SomeofthestarsofthelmwereonhandaswellincludingEllisEricson,Droid,Ford,AlexKnostandRob Machado.

Beforethelmevenbegananimpromptustandupcomedy/breakdancing/motivational speaking show was put on by Metal Jimmy, the Cosmic One and Jack. With half the audience already a few tall boys deep, everyone was in hysterics, screaming and laughing at the crazy guys on stage. At one point Jimmy had everyone encouraging him to expose his private metal parts to the crowd. He respectfully declined and proceeded to give a few dozen more war criesbeforethelmbegan.

Secret Sound opens up with Mr. Knost consuming a small handful of mushrooms

(probablyshiitake),foreshadowingthatthelmwillbeatrip.Itdidnotdisappoint. Jack has mastered the art of combining sights and sounds (and sometimessmells)tokeepeveryeyexedonthescreen.Thewavequalityofthelmwasahugestepupfromhispreviouslmsaswell.That,combinedwithanarrayofcolorsandrocknroll,kepttheaudienceYewingtilthecreditswere through.

AfterthelmeveryonestumbledacrossthestreettotheRaenafterpartyatsome bar, the name of which escapes me. Without any delay, the bands started playingandthebodiesstartedswaying.TherstbandupwasDroidsnewband,Tromberg and the Trombergs. They were fast and loud. Who knew that on top of shredding so hard in the water, Droid also has some of the raddest vocals around. Next up was Mel Gibson, featuring yours truly. All I can remember from this set was a bunch of hair bouncing around in front of the stage and watching hotchicksgettingshovedintothepittothesongBehowhileeveryonesangalong. All in all, the night was super fun. Raen puts on one badass party and JackColemanmakesanepicsurfick.Icantwaitforthenextone,yew!

Words: Levi Prarie :: Photos: Douglas Neill // Paloma Theatre // Cosmic, Jack Coleman and Mob Rachado // Merret Scott , Tromber and Droid // Ladies in the house // Al, Tapa and Ford // BradleeColemon and Mark Lando // Stoked // Mel Gibson // Metal Jimmy and Tommy Shaw

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F A C E B O O K . C O M / M A T I X@ M A T I X C L O T H I N G

Finally,thelong-awaitedUSlmtourofKilltheMatador,PatrickPearsesvisualbiopicofOtisCarey,debuteditsnakedselfatInsightLAforitsrststop.Thestorewasjam-packedwithfolkscomingfromallovertowitnessthemayhemandtomeetandgreetthelmstalentOtisCareyandlmmakerPatrickPearse.Thepacked house participated in a heavy dose of good vibes, booze, and ear candy, with a very special live performance by Hotel Mexico.

Otissfoggyrecountofthenightwentsomethinglikethis,someevencried.IknowInearlycriedwhenthelmshatitselfhalfwaythrough.WealltappedourfeetandhighvedeachotherwhilesippingonsomePBRandPeligroso.IblamethetequilaforgettinguskickedoutofourhotelroomandhavingtodriveallthewaybackdowntoSanClemente,whilstMr.PaddyPearsewokeupnexttothegirlofhisdreams.Yeah,itwasthatgood.Checkoutinsight51.comastheUStourcontinues up and down both coasts. Big thanks go out to PBR, Peligroso, Hotel Mexico and Nathanetics.

Words: Team AZN :: Photos: Le Panda // The band Hotel Mexico, making love to our ears all the way from Kyoto, Japan // Patrick Pearse was probably puking frombeingsonervousatthispoint,gladwenallygotthesoundworking//Ladyfriends//Prowlers//InsightsuperinternAlexList&realitysuperstarKirstinBartram//Jillianfoureyes//NickAtkins//InsightLAregulars//Theman,themyth,thelegend:RobbieOwens-Russo&friend//JamieParkhurst,histongue,OtisCarey, his hair, their cute friend & Patrick Pearse

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THEWO

ODY

ISNT MA

DE OF PL

ASTIC.

2013_BLISS_WOODY_AD.indd 8 3/18/13 3:08 PM

Mike Polizee has taken his Purling Hiss project to new heights with state of the art gnar-pee-pee-gnar production tactics. Read up on me asking him questions about his band and then go pick up their super badass new album entitled Water On Mars. It comes with a Philly Cheesesteak.

Talk about how this record is sort of a milestone for you and everything youve put out over the years.ThisistherstrecordIhavehad an actual band with and thersttoberecordedinthestudio. All the old recordings were completely recorded by myself with limited resources and no band. Ive had a band now for the last couple of years, so this is a great step for us.

The collaboration and inuenceofothersinthebandseemstoreectalotinthesound of the new songs. Can you speak about those guys and what theyve brought to the table?Though Im still the primary songwriter, its inevitable that adding personalities to the mix is going to come through, and thats sort of how I wrote this album. I basically learned the language of how we all play and wrote and rehearsed the songs that best complimented us. On drums, we

have Mike Sneeringer, and on bass, Kiel Everett.

Its a pretty natural progression but talk about your leap to your rstproperstudio production record. Youveofciallyshedthe lo-four-track that you grew up with. Was it hard to let go?Itwasdenitelyabigleapformeartistically.Therearenohome-recording tricks of warbling tapes melting away on this. I wanted to embrace where I was at and it wasnt alone in a basement with a broken four track. The new album was recorded at Uniform Studios byJeffZieglerandco-producedbyAdam Granduciel from The War on Drugs.

How was the experience going into a studio and working with a producer?Recording with Jeff and Adam was great just like old friends hanging out. Also, our drummer actually lives at the studio so it was literally like recording at home,comfort-wise.Jeffssetupis killer too. Its a great room, and we all tracked basically live. I think it really captured our true sounds.

Is the sound ultimately what you were going for?Sure, thus far, yes. It was like leveling up to a new place. Now that Im there Ill start bringing

back some of my old personality in future recordings. More psych elements, layers, and shredding of course. It was a long overdue experience and Im glad we made it happen.

One of my favorite tracks on the new record is the single Mercury Retrograde. What is Mercury Retrograde? What is that song all about?Its when the planet Mercury goes into retrograde, which happens about four times a year for about a month. Its an astrological event when everything goes awry and is on the fritz, and without getting too deep, thats just what the song is about.

WhenIrstheardthatsongfor some reason it reminds me of John Davis and the band Superdrag from the 90s. The riff gives me that vibe for some reason.Yeah, I know some of the tunes Who sucked out the feeeeeeelin! Not too much past that. The songs an earworm, but I never really delved into them, and though its understandable thats notreallyamaininuence.

You are quite the guitar shredder and you have a great fuzz tone that we really get to hear on this new record. Tell us a little about what inspires your tone, and what is your

gear setup?IplayaMexi-StratthroughanAmpegVT-22halfstack.IjustuseaBoost,BigMuff,andaWah-wahpedal.

Are there dogs howling on the beginning of Water on Mars or am I hearing things?Hahathatsarst.Yea,audiohallucinations

How come Chicago labels love you guys so much, and how does it feel to now be part of a great label like Drag City?Its funny that Chicago is kind of homebaseforus.Myrstrecordcame out on Permanent Records in Chicago, and now weve returned with Drag City. Its so awesome. They are such a classic label thats stayed consistent over the years and just keeps putting out killer records. To work with them is a total privilege.

What can we look forward to on this upcoming tour?Well be playing almost all the new songs and all our best old ones that made the cut. The set weve beenpracticinghasagreatowtoit and I think were playing better than ever. Come on out!

Water On Mars is available now via Drag City Records and Purling Hiss will be on tour this month and FOR-EV-ER.

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Interview: Max Ritter :: Photo: Tiffany Yoon

Nick Cave and The Bad SeedsPush The Sky AwayBad Seed Ltd.

More harrowing ballads from Lucifer himself. The guys lyrical rants are the best. Who else gets away with opening a song with, I just nished writingJubilee Street... two tracks after asong titled Jubilee Street. No one does that.

Jo Jo Keylargo and Matt Bahamas expand on their pitch-shifted popapproach with their new LP. Like Disneyland on a mess-load ofhallucinogens, like Beach Boys soured and moldy, like Four Lokos backwards and opposite.

Colleen Green Sock It To MeHardly Art

Bubblegum scum for the ladies. If it aintMIN-I-MAL its CRIM-IN-AL.Real drums are for bums.

Suedehead LyingInBed7SingleI.S.R.S

The raddest Brit in Costa Mesa drops his mod-soul avor on a cover ofFugazis Waiting Room for sideB. Check it out and then go get the Johnny Mar haircut and see if you can join the horn section. Digital on iTunes and vinyl at suedehead.com.

Heavy Hawaii GoosebumpsArt Fag

Reviews: Max Ritter

Burgerama II

The Observatory, Santa Ana, CAFriday March 22nd, 2013

This is a shot of Ty Segall sending one while The Spits ripped off faces at Burgerama II. Year two saw even more kids losing their wigs than year one. Hats off to Sean, Lee, and alltheBurgerRecordsdudesforasuccessfulsecondrun.Alsoshout-outstoJonReiser,Ian and The Observatory bunch for being rad and making it happen!

Live Review & Photo: Max Ritter

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Live life in the bowl

Laguna BeachPH: (949) 715-8989

Costa MesaPH: (949) 722-8329

Huntington BeachPH: (714)594-3220

Rider: Ryan Carlson Photo: Joe Foster

Buy your pass by April 30 to enjoy special events and the lowest price on unrestricted skiing or riding at Southern Californias mountain home!

USE IT THIS SEASON! STARTING 4.22.130$0027+MammothMountain.com/MVPFACILITIES UNDER PERMIT FROM INYO NATIONAL FOREST.

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8528_SB_Koston2_Sprd_Sways_SU13_Blisss.ai Trim: 10.5" W X 13.625" H Bleed: 0.25" Layout Scale: 100%

bl!sss magazine | april 2013 | #68

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