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

How’d this happen? Issue 0019 is somehow a thing coming soon and we really need to surf again

what youth surfing indonesia nate lawrence photography

Every single issue of What Youth comes with it’s own insane personality disorder. It walks and talks and fucks with us like the hot babe at the coffee shop who just can’t be bothered. We’re obsessed, but completely frustrated every minute of the day. The smallest details, the biggest details, the weather outside and the air conditioning inside — they all take their toll on the creation of a print magazine. I can fuck up on the website all day long and make changes. And it’s OK. But print though, that thing is gonna live until it turns to dirt, or is recycled and turned into a coffee cup.

This time it was the moon. And personal and global tragedies, natural disasters, bouts with salmonella, last minute trips to the big apple and significant swell events that made this issue the vixen that it is. Oh, and then there’s something they call “continual partial attention” and addictive feedback loops which also had something to do with the anxious creation of it. We made it while managing to check our phone an average of 2,617 times a day. Literally. It all derailed or bettered the upcoming issue one way or another. Hell, the actual conversation of whether or not to make magazine issues can get in the way of an issue. But we figured out why you need them. So they will continue. But it does seem that the more we think we’re in control of making the things inside of them, the more we realize we’re not, and we have to be willing to make the cluster fuck they become somehow coherent, interesting and inspiring. And I think that’s what makes us all wake up every morning.

And now that this one is getting inked, and I’m flying away again for some time away from it — healing from the personal panic attacks each issue brings on, (I’m going to watch football with my mom in a foreign city, more on that later). But before I completely check out for two days, I’m going to tell you something exciting about this one: we’re going to bring it to you personally. And we’re going to make sure you all get a copy. And yeah, I’m looking to all of you who don’t own a copy (and those of you who do). You’re all getting this one. You’ll see.

Another thing we just realized: We need to get back to surfing. A quick perusal of the surf space after a couple absolute marathon sessions this weekend shows inflatable life jackets, wave pools and really piss poor edits circulating. I watched Lost Atlas to get in the mood. And that was made like 8 years ago. Sounds like we need to get back at it. So we will. Scroll below and check the cutting room floor for Issue 19. And prepare to go surf with us. And go Falcons. —Travis 

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Thurston Moore made our ears bleed Live from the LA Art Book Fair

Thurston Moore continues his reign as the king of dissonance at the LAABF

I still haven’t seen Cluster either And it’s being made in the room next to me

I didn’t think I’d have to write that. But there it is. The morning of the premiere and I still haven’t seen the damn thing. After a week in the desert, followed by an even more dehydrated stint in the lizard den known as the What Youth editing bay, Kai and Blake are still the…

Seven missions, 16 sessions A dispatch from your guide to good waves

Hints from a good-wave magnet

Creed McTaggart what youth cluster

Dear Youth What Youth HQ during the making of Cluster

This is us on deadline.

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A rookie’s year on the run Dear Youth with Quinn Matthews

Quinn Matthews recaps his 2014 year on the road as a rookie.

dear youth quinn matthews what youth hawaii

Dear Youth One more Aloha from Hawaii (with Quinn Matthews)

We just had to say aloha one more time. This time Quinn Matthews says farewell to the island. It’s been exactly a year now since Quinn Matthews caught our eye with his photos from Hawaii, and this year was a stellar sophomore campaign. Always fresh, and always rad angles.

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Dear Youth: See Ya Hawaii 12 Photos from the North Shore

Nate Lawrence photos from the North Shore.

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Dear Youth Swimming at Pipe: Quinn Matthews

Editor’s Note: Every time Quinn does something (anything), it’s probably his first time. And while I think he’d swam and shot at Pipe before, these were definitely the biggest waves he’d ever swam in. Which lends for good reading, especially when you line it up with the results you see below. Quinn wrote this and…

dear youth quinn matthews what youth surfing

Dear Youth 15 photos from North Shore: Quinn Matthews

Last year it was his fresh approach in Hawaii that caught our eye. And throughout the year he’s continued to amaze and baffle us simultaneously with his awe of the world around him and ability to get the wildest shots at the least likely of times. Quinn Matthews is a shy, unassuming, extremely green but…

dear youth hawaii kenny hurtado what youth surfing

Dear Youth 15 Photos from Hawaii: Kenny Hurtado

Kenny Hurtado has always been one of our favorite photographers. Both for the purity of his photography and for his humble demeanor. He’s been over on the North Shore the past few weeks and took a very unique approach to his coverage of the most photographed place in the surf world.

dear youth hawii nate lawrence what youth

Dear Youth 15 Photos from the North Shore: Nate Lawrence

Photographing the North Shore is an interesting skill if you wanna do it right. Nate Lawrence has been on the North Shore for a few weeks now, and prior to that he’s logged well over a decade of pilgrimages each year. And somehow, each trip back he manages to surprise us with the unique and…

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Dear Youth Right Place, Right Time.

I just had the best month of my life.

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