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 

what youth surfing california swell

When California gets good It’s not always like this, but it sure is nice when it is. Tom Carey documents.

If you’re not in Florida like some of us are, then you’ve probably been scoring sick waves. California’s been getting blasted by rain and swell all week, and then yesterday: the rain stopped, the water turned blue again and the boys been getting piped. Tom Carey tried his luck in a few fickle zones and had…

what youth surfing magazine

SURFING Magazine is gone An institution is extinct. Now what?

Yesterday, after 53 years of publishing SURFING Magazine closed down. This is strange and sad for a few reasons. My first being personal: I worked there for 8 years. Hell, I was practically raised there. Learned to be a pro and a punk at the same time and am proud that somehow when every title…

what youth womens march photography by Darren Ankenman

The prettiest day in America Darren Ankenman photographs from Saturday’s Women’s March in Los Angeles

After the day that was Friday, there was Saturday: The most beautiful day in American History. All over America people joined together to celebrate women’s equal rights and I found myself, for the moment anyway, a proud American. I watched as the streets filled with women from all over and supporters of women from all walks of life stood…

what youth craig anderson indonesia surfing

A good looking cutting room floor Issue 17 is ready for ink, here’s a peek

Full disclosure: We didn’t plan it like this. But as we’ve learned along the way, that’s so very OK. Hell, that’s what we’ve been doing in here since day 1: not sticking to the plan. Being spontaneous and open minded. And that’s the story with Issue 17. It’s got a bunch of chipped teeth, backfires…

what youth travis ferre scott chenoweth 2017

Memo from the Editor’s Desk Day 4 of 2017…

I chugged my pint of 2016 a few days ago but I’m still looking for 2017’s heartbeat. Even the ocean is still on break. But we’re not. We’re currently putting the final touches on a new issue (holy shit it’s number 17!) and have inched ourselves even closer to announcing some very exciting new projects,…

what youth hawaii rvca house kelly slater alex knost

A North Shore gathering for Dylan RVCA and Mark Oblow create a Hawaiian night that can only happen on the North Shore

Things happen on the North Shore that don’t and can’t happen anywhere else. I’m now thoroughly convinced of that. The other night at the RVCA Pipeline house we held a small bbq along with Mark Oblow and RVCA and a very limited number of our Dylan Rieder issues. The waves had fired all day long…

what youth gavin beschen

A Day With Uncle Gavin Beschen On location in Hawaii for a new episode of “4 Cities”

We met up with Gavin Beschen at Sunset Beach. He was checking the surf in his truck and we had just pounded Haupia pies from Ted’s Bakery. We walked up and found him on the boardwalk checking the waves. He told us to follow him up the hill and said he had some boards we…

Waikiki

What Youth on the North Shore “We are not Subway”

We land in Honolulu before midnight and immediately make our way to the Thrifty Car Rental place to grab our car. Everything was sorted we thought. And were told. I know because I told everyone and sorted it. What Youth is back on the North Shore finally. Been a few years and we’re pretty excited. That’s when the aloha…

what youth office fire

What Youth Fire Update: We’re good Can’t say the same for some of our neighbors

Early Friday morning we got word that the units behind our building had caught fire. Assuming it was merely a dumpster fire, I thought nothing of it for about 15 minutes. A little research proved otherwise: This was BIG. A real fire. Explosions. It was all over the news. And our building was definitely in…

what youth dear youth fuck trump

The Shape of Art To Come Let’s make sure we take advantage of this

Yesterday I stood inside a church and looked at a ballot with measures on porn and weed and a presidential battle between a woman and a rich guy with traits I usually label as “asshole.” It was a bizarre 20 minutes. But I did my part. I voted, put my sticker on my shirt and walked…

what youth magazine dylan rieder issue coming soon

The Dylan Rieder Issue: On Sale 11-22-2016 We teamed up with Mark Oblow to create our 16th issue and devoted it entirely in loving memory of Dylan Rieder.

This one means a lot. And it’s off to print today. After learning that we lost Dylan to his fight with leukemia last month, we immediately shelved all in-progress plans for Issue 16, got with Mark Oblow and discussed creating something special and memorable for one of the most influential people we’ve ever met.  Thanks…

John John Florence, Surfing, World Champ

John John Florence is the World Champ And we’re backing that big time

While we were sleeping, John John Florence became the World Champ. He sliced and diced his way through Portugal, and in making the final, and with Jordy’s semifinal loss, we got us a John John crown. And this is nice news to wake up to. Because John John deserves this. We all deserve this. It’s…

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