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

Dear Youth Our weekend with Austyn Gillette and Part Friend

austyn gillete what youth part friend skateboarding

Austyn Gillette was down in San Clemente for physical therapy on Friday. He said he’d be back to his house in LA around 2:30 and invited us to meet up. His band Part Friend was playing with Swimm. all was well until I arrived and Austyn was at the Emergency room with his friend who cut his hand.

They got back two hours later, his friend Jeff had some crazy finger cast thing on now, so we had a couple drinks and we were off to the show. When we arrived the walls we’re covered in mylar and it reminded me of a haunted house. They had an open bar with two options: PBR and moonshine. I talked to Adam from Swimm the next day and he said when they were cleaning up they found several different piles of puke around the warehouse. I think the mooonshine was the culprit.

The next day I showed up to Austyn’s around 1, hungover and tired, he and friends were already drinking champagne. He was in a tuxedo and we had a conversation.

 

What Youth: What’s happening right now?

Austyn Gillette: Well, we’re having some afternoon soakers. We got a little champagne, we got a little orange juice, we got some friends, little laughs going around. Am I right? Yeah, ummm, played a hell of a show last night, don’t remember a thing. No one showed up. Everything’s working out really, really shitty.

What happened to Jeff yesterday (remember the ER)?

Oh! Before the show, Jeff decided to try to cut his finger off while trying to make a pedal board. Not for the show, just a pedal board for no reason, and uh, is that champagne empty? We’re gonna need more champagne. Anyway, we’re playing with vaude tonight. V A U D E.

Who played last night?

Part Friend. Nothing’s different. same band, we had different drummers for a bit. Warren Smith — and he recently bailed out on us due to a surf trip in Bali. I don’t think he plans on coming back.

So its the same people in both bands? 

Michael: Me and Austyn switch from bass and guitar. Austyn sings in Part Friend. I sing in Vaude. Austyn writes all his own stuff for Part Friend. We had to find a drummer last minute so it was either Graham or a drum machine. We decided to go with Graham. Keep it real, keep a friend, a fellow cohort, a weekend kind of guy. He shines on the weekend.

So which one is your main one Austyn?

Theyre both! There’s not really a main band. Mine is Part Friend, and Mikey’s is Vaude. We’re each our own writers and then we play backup for each other, but when I’m playing Vaude I feel right at home and visa versa. Literally, right at home. We practice here, we play here, we sleep here, we sweat here, we breathe here, we sleep here, we bleed here, we wake up here. Jeff definitely bleeds here.

So who’s playing tonight? 

Vaude. At hotel cafe located off of La Cienaga and sunset. I think we’re closing the deal at 12. we got some scouts coming out. Some people you might of heard of, Warner. Paramount. Ring a bell?—Michael Cukr 

Evan Geiselman in France photographed by Quinn Matthews What Youth

Dear Youth I thought Evan Geiselman was a ghost

This morning I was sitting here editing pages for What Youth Issue 9 (deadlines and shit) when photo rookie Quinn Matthews quit chasing French girls long enough to send us a batch of images from France. I flicked through and who should I see but Evan Geiselman! I immediately picked up the phone and dialed…

Craig Anderson photographed by Nate Lawrence What Youth

Dear Youth Guy in the sky

Where is the wave? I’ve cut off the bottom of the wave! “Guy in the sky” is what I was told not to do when I was younger. “Always have the wave in the photo.” “Show where he came from and where he’s going.” Blah. Blah. Blah. A long time ago I decided not to…

Kai Neville in Italy

Dear Youth Scenes from Europe with Kai

Overcast and gloom as we hit the tarmac. It feels good to be out of Indonesia. The contrast is evident immediately. I feel young here. War torn, art coated, romance-stained Europe. From Hemingway to Jean Luc, find your feet, sink your teeth and hack away. I could make a film here. Anywhere but LA, fuck,…

Mitch Coleborn photographed by Kai Neville Cluster Movie Surfboards Quiver

Dear Youth Mitch Coleborn’s Cluster Quiver

Surfboard art can be really bad. And good of course, but most often, bad. Depending who it’s in the hands of. From classic iconic pin lines, solid colors, pro and shaper decals, over-done murals…there hasn’t been too many iconic art works under foam and fiberglass. The lightning bolt, Ozzies crowns, Kalani’s Kellog boards, Todd Chesser’s…

Noa Deane in Indonesia Filming For Cluster by Kai Neville

Dear Youth Noa Deane Filming for Cluster

Noa Deane’s dad is one of the finest competitive surfers Australia has ever known. Wayne Deane’s list of accolades is lengthy, he owns a successful surfboard business and he was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame in 2003. But despite his incredible competitive success, he never forced that onto his son, and we’d…

Dane Reynolds surfing in indonesia on the set of cluster

Dear Youth Strange Desires: Dane Reynolds from the set of Cluster

I feel like I’m coming down with something. Last time I was here I projectile vomited across the room. A powerful spew that didn’t quite make the bowl. Now there are cats crawling around my gado gado. Sweats aside, the waves are good. Plenty of swell and Dane Reynolds is jamming alongside Jay Davies. Back…

Jack Freestone Crack Salina Cruz Mexico Surfing Quinn Matthews Photography Dear Youth What Youth

Dear Youth Crack, A What Youth original short will premiere Friday, August 15

We asked Dillon Perillo, who traveled to Mexico with Jack Freestone, about the trip that will be playing here on Friday. Seems that it was hot: Dillon Perillo on Mexico: “The air was a scorch and our rations were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with these funny cherry and marshmallow cookies. The beer is almost…

Rizal Tanjung bali what youth

Dear Youth Rizal Tanjung and his son Varun paddling out at Padang

Nate Lawrence: “There’s so much talk of the next generation. Kids are getting sponsored at a younger age every year. They are learning faster than previous generations. Surfing is changing into something that is very thought out and calculated. No more do kids grab any surfboard and paddle out not knowing how many cubic liters…

Bol Adi Putra surfing in bali what youth

Dear Youth Bol Adi Putra, Padang Padang

Bol Adi Putra at Padang Padang There’s no lack of swell in Indo right now. Hasn’t been for months. Wherever you are over here, you’ve been scoring. Mentawais. G-Land. Bali. It’s all been nonstop. But what you haven’t scored is Bali’s most famous wave: Padang Padang. Sure you’ve gotten a few head dips here and…

Magazine deadline Dear youth What Youth

Dear Youth Late nights, early mornings

Slept here last night…well, Scott did, if you call that sleep. And he looks good today! We just battled each demonic hurdle this latest deadline threw at us. Wielding swords of wine bottles and coffee, we are officially finished. We can throw away (and hide) all the Del Taco bags, beer cans, coffee cups and…

Luke Davis Indonesia Boat Trip Nate Lawrence Dear Youth Surfing What Youth

Dear Youth This is what it looks like to score

Taj Burrow claimed best trip to Indo…like ever. Luke Davis (pictured above) parked himself in hundreds of long-term tubes stations (often on his 5′ 5″ x 19 1/4″ Mayhem) and thoroughly proved himself a stubborn barrel pig. Kolohe Andino stood tall and strong — sporting 15 stitches in his chin — while driving through roping…

Taj Burrow Mentawais Dear Youth What Youth Music

Dear Youth Taj Burrow hammering the pedals in the Mentawais

Kolohe Andino has been looking up to Taj Burrow since he was around 7 years old. Taj was his guy as a grom. And seeings how we’re officially calling Taj Burrow The World’s Greatest Professional Surfer of All-Time, it was only fitting that when the opportunity for Kolohe to do a trip to Indo with…

Sign up for letters from What Youth


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