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

The Tour Without Taj It’s like a sad Friday night in

I’m about to walk down the trail at Lowers to watch the contest. Live. Yep, fuck it, I wanna watch some surfing. And make sure there is still free beer at contests. I remember Jay Larson said he surfed because there was “Free beer at contests” in an old issue of Surfer Magazine. I need to make sure that’s still happening. I have a fear it is not. (Update: there is!)

Another thing that has me kicking rocks while walking down the trail is the absence of Taj Burrow. The weight of that statement is burying me alive. It’s not right. Just the other night I had some dinner in San Clemente (where it’s highly likely you’ll run into a few of the world’s best grabbing Acai after hitting the gym). And on this night I did see a few. I saw Joel Parkinson drinking red wine. And I saw Nat Young passing by the restaurant, but he had opened toed shoes on and I don’t think the restaurant we were eating in allowed that. At this point in my life I don’t even know who’s right or wrong in that situation. In this instance, Nat did not stay. But it got me thinking back to last year, Taj’s last event at Trestles. Why? Well, because one night, he was leaving dinner with some friends. I think he lost earlier that day. But he was not glum. Or despondent. He was Taj. Smiling and enjoying his fucking night. Our two friend groups staring each other down, everyone’s eyes filled with Friday Night Lights. There was nothing to do but go sing Karaoke. Both groups aimed in the same directions, and what happens after is blurry, but everyone was there. Stephanie Gilmore and Laura Enever did a nice rendition of something. I remember that. And all was well. It was good old fashioned fun at the Lowers Pro.

I bring this random night up, because, frankly, I miss Taj. I miss his enthusiasm for surfing. Competitively and non competitively. Because with Taj, his love of it all didn’t stop when he put his board down and took his jersey off. He lives like he’s always surfing Rocky Point. Or Lowers. Or home. With zest and panache. Sick style. The intensity displayed in flashes, but his smile always shining in between. And before I start shedding a tear, I will leave and go down to the event and I will see who on this Corporate Tour will take the torch. I like watching surfing. I’m going down there. But I want to see who can make these heats a little hotter. And the San Clemente nights still fun. Because right now, with no Taj in town, I’m considering a movie in my room tonight. —Travis

Watch Taj in Panama is Certain: 

Taylor Steele, Joe Curren, Tim Curran

I’ll never surf the wave pool Even if Kelly Slater invites me, no strings attached, I will very politely decline. Here’s why:

I have the worst taste in music because of surfing. And yeah, I suppose music is entirely subjective, but I spent my formative years listening to a melodic and generic emo version of punk rock that is now married to my obsession with surfing. And I don’t blame Taylor Steele. I thank him. It has been…

what youth kelly slater wave pool caddyshack

Country Club Surf Culture Why I want nothing to do with the WSL and Kelly Slater Wave Co.

All day today there’s been a lot of hype, speculation and excitement around the WSL’s specialty event at Kelly Slater’s wave pool. I’ve spoken to people at the wave and people who rode the wave and people who attended the event — some invited and some not invited. We’ve texted with Kelly (who I must say has…

what youth dear youth discontent travis ferre

Fan the flames of Discontent The Dream Tour is changing and it’s starting at a wave pool

I’ve made it more than apparent that I hate the word content. I hate all of it’s definitions. Content. Content. And content. Fuck ’em all. It’s a bad word. It’s a vanilla plain oatmeal crappy word that encourages status quo and general well being and I’ve never gotten along with it no matter how you’re…

what youth florida hurricane irma

When you’re in the radar of Irma I’ve learned a lot about hurricane culture today

In Florida, everywhere you look there is a television screen bigger than the previous “biggest TV screen you’ve ever seen” and they are all shouting and displaying a massive radar depiction of Hurricane Irma — who deserves to be capitalized and probably deserves an even bigger TV. And I’d be lying if I said I…

what youth thomas campbell movie craig anderson surfing

Thomas Campbell’s Fever Dreams In a world of gimmicks, it’s nice to know there’s a new Thomas Campbell film in the works

“This isn’t going to be like any of my other films.” That was the first thing Thomas Campbell told me about this new project. He then went on to describe his vision a bit — which is always a fascinating journey, listening to an artist describe what they see in their mind over the phone….

what youth julian k

Who is Julian Klincewicz? Well, he’s an underground and prolific part of many things and the subject of an upcoming WY Artist Series

Julian Klincewicz has the kind of name you hope you don’t have to type out too often. There are letters in it that don’t spend a lot of time next to each other and sounding it out just aint gonna work. But it’s one I nail every time now. Without looking. Written and spoken. And…

Leo Romero, Brostyle

Brostyle Pacific Northwest trip We went to Seattle and back with Leo Romero, Dakota Servold, Corey Glick, Dylan Witkin and Aaron Homoki

Well over the past few years we’ve been lucky enough to get to know Leo Romero pretty well. He owns a griptape company called “Brostyle.” And the thing that makes a grip company special and different from a board company or shoe company is the fact that you aren’t necessarily in it to make money…

The guys still going in the US Open Stories behind Kanoa Igarashi, Tanner Gudauskas and Soli Bailey

The early days of the US Open are interesting. It’s a mixed plate of up and comers, some familiar faces and a bunch of dudes you probably just straight up haven’t heard of. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with who’s who in those early days, but now that things have thinned out, we looked at who’s still surfing…

what youth happy hour mitch coleborn us open of surfing summer

When Mitch and Yago stop by “Don’t you wanna fly above the water like a pelican?”

Hi there. Yep, back. Nothing like a nice couple of “Happy Hours” with Mitch Coleborn and Yago Dora to ignite the spirit. Yesterday, both popped in for the afternoon to kick off the completely unofficial and totally unregulated or sponsored “What Youth Happy Hours.” If you don’t know, we have a little store front at…

what youth recommends rip chester bennington

RIP Chester Bennington The Linkin Park frontman apparently had a bigger impact on all of us than we thought

Editor’s note: This a weird one. Linkin Park might not be a band you’d anticipate seeing us report on after learning about lead singer Chester Bennington taking his own life today. But Linkin Park is interesting.  They are probably the first band that somehow has had a weird impact on every single person and age demographic…

what youth issue 18 lauch party

Come Spread the Gospel with us “Join, or die” with us, Former, Need Essentials and Vans at the Ace Hotel in LA

In 1754 Benjamin Franklin made the political cartoon you see on our flyer and he published it in the Pennsylvania Gazette, an editorial piece about a “disunited state” that existed between the founding colonies of America. And before I get too deep on that — because the fact of the matter is we’re all just gonna check…

what youth ryan burch issue 18

New issue is at the printer, now what? Well, hit the road. And have a party of course.

“Do you know how many times I clicked my fucking mouse to make this thing?” We’ll chalk this up to “shit art director’s say,” but it’s true, ours, Scott Chenoweth, did probably click his mouse a lot of times. And it was all for you, because we made another issue. Number 18! Hot damn. While…

Sign up for letters from What Youth


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