We’re literally, somehow, rather deliriously checking in at the airport to leave Japan. 7 days, 3 major cities. DIY spots in the countryside. Robot cafes, underground bars, getting the boot out of numerous epic skate spots. Hotel lobby life, way too much time in a van, copious amounts of time at Lawson, family mart, 7-Eleven, Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, our new favorite Yabisu cans strewn throughout the van. Our legs are blown out. Terps is hobbling like an old man after falling on an iPhone. Ishod blowing our mind even further since we last saw him skate in Copenhagen. Arto [Saari] shredded like a boss both on the board and behind the lens. There’s “Fuck yeah Pete!” a good old boy and then Raven is as raw as it gets. It was a blurry event, hours of footage await me in the editing bay, but check out some iPhone snaps from the road for now. Hammers dropping in the distant future, but for now we keep moving. Special shout out to Rip Zinger, the local Lord who graced us with his company and a street savvy tour of the incredible country that is Japan xx. —Kai
So Long Japan A wild seven days in the streets come to an end and the edit bay opens
Beach Goth remains freaky good The Growler’s music festival is the best Halloween party ever
Chicago by night Art, dive bars and the perfectly executed 3 beer buzz
It’s perfect in all ways. The three beer buzz. You’re enthusiastic, powerful and alive. With zip and zest. Lit but sharp. It’s the magic number (but the trick is maintaining it for an extended period of time). And we’re in Chicago to perfect it. After a 4 am wake up and some public transport and domestic…
Back on the run in Mexico City We took Ozzie’s advice and starting saying, “yes” too.
We’re off to Mexico City tomorrow. Not quite sure how or why or what we’re in for, but we said yes. I think most people have a list of places around the world they must travel to. Waves they have to surf. Sites one must see. A lot of us also have a list of places…
After School Special at WY HQ Our new favorite band is still in middle school
Yesterday we rolled up the back doors of our HQ to have After School Special (A.S.S.) play. The middle school-aged three piece jammed through a tight 40-minute set that ended on an Iggy Pop birthday tribute cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and featured Tanner Rozunko on vocals. In the background, the mini ramp…
Found Footage: Stranger than Paradise YouTube Gold from the man who gave us Coffee and Cigarettes
A few good things fell into place and I fell onto my couch and subsequently fell back in love with Jim Jarmusch. Jarmusch has earned his place as a legendary cult film director by making movies such as Dead Man, Down By Law and Coffee and Cigarettes. The three films mentioned above inspire me every…
7 Reasons why being a parent is the best From the world’s greatest father
Some men and women hate children or find them a tremendous bother. On the surface, it stands to reason. Children require constant attention, get sick, cost money, take away most daylight hours, take away most nighttime hours as well, suck energy, put jam on everything, stomp dry-docked surfboards, get slivers, cry because they don’t want…
Sell your Coachella Tickets It’s time we move on…and go to Barbados
Coachella was once magic. A warm and dry de-thawing station in the desert where all of California (and a shit-ton of Australians) could go put pigment and beer and drugs in their cold, winter-white bodies and listen to good music and lay in so much grass. It started as the perennial hipster gathering, with reunion and…
Meet Jared Sherbert’s photography Full interview coming in What Youth Issue 14
Jared Sherbert is a skate photographer from Santa Clarita who is featured in our currently-in-production Issue 14.
Advice from a Failed English Major Put your money where the words are
I know absolutely nothing about anything financial. 401K. Four hundred and one thousand dollars of savings that goes into your bank account every year? Maybe. That’s my guess. I know that money helps. I know enough to spew off a few generic statements about how money helps your life but doesn’t provide ultimate happiness yadda…
Reminiscing on Cluster How I snuck into the premiere and took what was mine
I scrolled through the doldrums of Instagram, and I saw that What Youth was offering free tickets to the premiere of their long anticipated film, Cluster. I entered their contest. I wrote them an email. I had to go. The premiere was in Downtown Los Angeles. I live 10 minutes away in Echo Park. How…
Riveting and In Depth Tour Coverage! Live from Bells Beach, Australia (and go Conner)
I’ve already spoken on the poor town of Torquay. And how sleepy it must be as the world’s best are in bed by 8 each night in anticipation of classic Bells Beach. And boy are they getting classic Bells Beach lulls. But I am not here to gripe. I am here to sing. Sing praise…
Dear Youth: Pursue Anonymity On the eve of social media armageddon
The pursuit of anonymity is lost in my generation. I feel like Miki Dora when all the “working slobs” started to surf Malibu. Replace the slobs with digital opportunists forcing empty information down your throat via “push” notifications and here we are in 2016. I hate it. I used to be into it back in…
Hells Bells No More Once a wild way to spend Easter weekend, The Rip Curl Pro Bells is now a big yawn
I love Bells. I love Winkipop. I love Jan Juc. I love the Great Ocean Road. I love Melbourne. I love the girls. The people. The climate. I love love love that area. I love wetsuits. And I love that the Rip Curl office is the city center. I love it so much I once…