Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Conversation With: Kelly Slater by Dane Reynolds Dane Reynolds explains how he got his interview with Kelly Slater for What Youth Issue 3

kelly slater interviewd by dane reynolds what youth issue 3

He shot the photos. Did the interview. Transcribed it. Edited it. Got it in on time. And managed to produce one of the most fascinating interviews we’ve read in a long time. Dane explains how it came together and offers up a small sample of the interview from the mag.

Dane: “Well the Kelly interview came up when I stopped by and you guys were hanging out and talking about ideas for the new issue. I said you guys should blow everyone’s mind and do something with Kelly. Then we thought it would be rad if I interviewed him. I was excited about the idea but as it started developing and becoming a real possibility I got really nervous. I have zero experience conducting interviews and all the possible disastrous scenarios played through my head. But new year, new me. I was sort of drawn to it because of my fears and I got in this weird mode where I was trying to make it happen but secretly hoping it didn’t and I emailed him and asked if he was into it. He replied, “Sure, whatever.” I like this response. It means I tried but it’s never gonna happen. Then I saw him at Rincon and we agreed to meet and shape a board and do an interview. I decided about an hour before our meeting time that I would ask him about conspiracy stuff because I remember staying with him in Tahiti and he was researching conspiracy stuff on his computer constantly. He seriously had like 17 browser windows open at one point, all of ’em conspiracy sites. I’m not very well versed in the world of conspiracy and didn’t have time to do research but I gave it a shot. Kelly was really responsive and it flowed well. Kelly was pretty busy and didn’t want to shape a board so we just talked in Travis Lee’s office while they filled out board orders.”

And now, a short teaser of the interview between the two:

DANE: Do you think tech addiction is something to be concerned about?

KELLY: I wonder… you see people post an Instagram of a whole room of people on their phones doing something, and so you gotta wonder, is that the new form of socializing?

DANE: I’ve thought about this a bit and I feel like overusing the internet is going to be one of those things that, almost like smoking when you’re pregnant or drinking or something, that people will figure out is bad for you and we’ll have to regulate our usage.

KELLY: Maybe that’s a good app to make! You can have a time regulator, and it tells you how long you’ve been on, and OK, you’ve had your fill for the day and your phone turns off automatically.

DANE: But then I’ve spoken to people who think the complete opposite, that eventually our cognitive mind will be part of a computer system.

KELLY: Think about how embedded technology is in our everyday lives now. Like, you can do diagnostics on your car from your iPhone, and thats probably beyond what people’s idea of the future was in the ’70s. So go from where we’re at now, what’s so far in the future it’s unthinkable? and that is to have your brain basically plugged into like…

DANE: Do you remember The Show, the Taylor Steele video? The skit where Greg Browning walks through the desert and digs up a VHS tape and clips on a screen and it plays the surf video?

KELLY: Yeah, I do.

DANE: I remember going “Oh my God that is amazing!” I thought that was, like, beyond the future.

KELLY: It’s funny ’cause I find myself in everyday conversations and people will go, “Do you know this or do you know that? Do you know where this place is? Do you know anything about this topic?’ And i’m like ,”Oh!” (grabs phone)

DANE: No shit! I google things every day. Like, all day.

KELLY: You can know anything in five seconds. Two seconds! You know exactly the definition of a word you’ve never heard before or where’s this place or who’s involved in that thing or “Do you know this guy?” Anything! You just search it… it’s weird.

For the rest of the interview, grab a copy of the magazine now in the shop. It’s worth it. We wouldn’t lie. It’s Kelly and Dane.

what youth recommends the mmeories royal united song sampler

Conversation With: The Memories And watch their sampler video for new album Royal United Song Service

The Memories, if you didn’t know, make music that’s both tongue-in-cheek delight and thoughtful, sometimes whimsical sincerity, thrown together in a heap of lo-fi garage arrangements that can make you laugh and cry at the same time. Their lyrics are simple, yet expressive and compelling. I first fell in love with the Memories years ago…

what youth conversation with thomas campbell surfing craig anderson ryan burch movie

Conversation With: Thomas Campbell On his new surf film, creating in the modern climate and casting his dream lineup of surfers

I get buzzed up talking to Thomas Campbell. He has a mellow delivery but unpredictable answers. Like a frenetically elegant longboarder taking off on a wave. He’s the kind of guy who truly listens to a question and let’s it bounce around in his head so that his answer is articulated as effectively as the words…

what youth mele interview

Conversation with: Mele Saili Sunny, stylish surf royalty and the best competitive philosophy we’ve heard yet

We recently met Mele Saili through our friends at Crap Eyewear. She impressed us right away with her outlook on wave riding. And how she’s managed to evolve such a unique style both on and off waves. Our own Drew Eggers picked her creative brain for us, which you’ll find below, illustrated with imagery by…

what youth recommends coast modern music

CONVERSATION WITH: COAST MODERN On their debut album (out today) and their creative rebellion

Coast Modern doesn’t believe in genres. And why would they? After years of writing songs and producing for other artists, Coleman Trapp and Luke Atlas have become their own sound gurus, free of labels and restrictions. The only rule: “Doing whatever we want.” Their self-titled debut drops today, and it’s whopping 18 tracks of pure summer…

what youth conversation with entrance

Conversation With: Entrance On his new album Book of Changes

Entrance, the musical force that is Guy Blakeslee, first crept into my life on a mixed CD in 2003. Blakeslee’s voice, infused with blues and folk and soothing heartache, and his ability to slay a guitar hooked me on my first listen. And then The Entrance Band happened, a full-fledged psychedelic experience of a live…

Conversation With: Sam Kristofski A phone call with (one of) our favorite Kiwi filmmakers

God damn is there some talent down under Australia making films. From our very own Blake Myers to the big dogs like Take Waititi, there’s some serious creative timing in these films. We recently had the chance to pick the brain of yet another talented kiwi Sam Krisofski. What Youth: When I look back all…

what youth music

Conversation with: Josh Landau On his new band, Kill a Punk for Rock & Roll 

Josh Landau is an unstoppable force. The frontman and guitarist of The Shrine debuted his new band, Kill a Punk for Rock & Roll, just a couple weeks ago, and the momentum he’s pulling will make your head spin. Alongside Landau in his band of misfits is Jordan Jones on guitar, Don “Nuge” Nguyen on…

what youth recommends the britanys

Conversation With: The Britanys Brooklyn’s lo-fi garage band that’ll remind you of the Strokes

In case you were wondering why Brooklyn band The Britanys have a missing T in their name, blame frontman Lucas Long. “I’m a really bad speller,” he told me before their show at the Satellite in Los Angeles last month. Together with Steele Kratt on drums, Jake Williams on guitar, and Lucas Carpenter on bass,…

Conversation with Twin Peaks.

Conversation With: Twin Peaks Gas station phone conversations

Chicago does a lot of cool shit for rock n roll and lately running wild about the town is a band of garage rockers whose name you probably have been seeing pop up a lot, Twin Peaks. If you’re wondering how and where these guys came from, keep your ears peeled because, unless you despise the…

what youth music

Conversation With: Darren Rademaker The leadsinger and founder of The Tyde on his new album and his life lived playing music

I’ve known Darren Rademaker, lead singer and founder of The Tyde and seminal indie bands Further and the Summer Hits, for the better part of a decade. I’ve seen him play more than a hundred times, at least, and it really never gets old for me. He just released his fourth album with The Tyde,…

Conversation With: Alexander Schmidt On his new zine “Side Streets”, street skating and street photography

I’ve been a fan of WKND since I found out about them. Aesthetically, they’re great. But what’s also great is the personalities that exist in their crew. I discovered one of their talents, Alexander Schmidt when they announced the release party for his new zine, Side Streets. I couldn’t make it, but I loved what…

Conversation With: Adult Books The same guys that played our Issue 14 release party

“Our first band, I was fifteen, you were eighteen,” says Daniel Quintanilla, bassist and vocalist of Adult Books. He’s referring to Nick Winfrey, the band’s guitarist and vocalist and main poodle aficionado, who, I’m pretty sure, taught Quintanilla how to drive. Together with drummer M.M. Sina, who lived a block away from Winfrey in Orange…

Sign up for letters from What Youth


By enabling this page, you are acknowledging and accepting our privacy terms and conditions.