Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comThese days, using action sports as a tool for social mobility and mentorship is a fairly well known practise. In 2005, when this week’s guest Steve Larosiliere founded his organisation Stoked, it was new territory. Stoked was founded as a result of Steve’s own experience of mentorship and his ambition ‘to use action sports to teach 21st century skills to urban youth.’15 years later, Stoked has helped thousands of disadvantaged kids across the States, while Steve’s experiences in running the organisation have given him a unique take on social entrepreneurship and the power of action sports as a transformative tool. I’ve been following Steve for a while and we caught up in early August 2020 to discuss his life and career. The result is a quickfire chat that covers the above and also takes in issues of race, identity and nationality, using the wider global conversation as context and backdrop. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comThe search for our authentic self is a lifelong process. And not always a successful one. It takes a huge amount of self honesty, and a willingness to embrace consistent and at times not always comfortable evolution.It’s something we all have to face, whether consciously or not. But imagine undergoing this entire process as a world-renowned skateboarder - while also trying to juggle both wider societal pressures, and those of a patriarchal industry who have tied your own career success to their own restrictive definitions of gender. This is exactly the position Leo Baker faced at the height of their success. And it is why there is so much more to Leo’s story than their admittedly generation-defining feats as a skater. Today, as they explained during our conversation, Leo is in a very different place, proud to be living authentically as the most high-profile nonbinary trans skater in the world. And yet, as Leo explained during our conversation, gaining the understanding and self-confidence required to finally present as their authentic self has been a long and involved process.It has involved learning to deal with the collateral damage and mental health issues that have accrued along the way, and ultimately committing to a measured and long term approach to self-care. Leo’s story is one of the most important in modern skateboarding, and I’m grateful they’ve trusted me to tell it in their own way, and in their own words. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comWe live in an age of limitless content and endless progression. A period where a thumb-swipe can summon any film part in history, and where readily-available tools mean anybody can be a story-teller or documentarian.And yet what’s striking, in this age of digital plenty, is how rare - even now! - it is for an action sports film to have something to say something other than ‘Woo-hoo! Let’s shred!’ Films that dare to use comedy and pathos to say something universal about snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing? Almost unheard of. It’s why Jerome Tanon’s 2016 film Eternal Beauty of Snowboarding is so great. Here was a film that managed to have its cake and eat it. That sent up the ridiculousness of the very scene it celebrated with affection and poignancy, while also being very funny at the same time. Here was a singular new voice with funny, important things to say about our weird little world. Jerome followed Eternal Beauty with Zaberdast, a beautiful documentary about a high-stakes freeriding trip to the Himalayas, and has just launched his latest project Heroes, a book about modern women’s snowboarding. In typical Jerome style, Heroes is an ambitious and independent undertaking that looks set to redefine the perception of women’s snowboarding for a new generation. We caught up in July 2020 to discuss Jerome’s life and career, as well as creativity in action sports in general. It’s a good one. Hope you enjoy the episode. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comTo call Matt Warshaw’s Encyclopaedia of Surfing a labour of love would be to do the entire project a grave injustice. As the name suggests, EoS is Matt’s ongoing, crowdfunded attempt to document the history of surfing and surf culture through the site of the same name. It’s an industry ‘lifer’ project par excellence. And a beautiful, Johnsonian venture that, in essence, will never be completed. But then, Matt’s entire career has been about voyaging deeper than anybody else into surf history; whether as a journalist, the author of weighty surf histories such as his History of Surfing, or now through the Encyclopaedia.With this project, surfing has found the perfect cultural and historical custodian. And Matt has found the perfect vehicle through which he can continue to explore his life’s passion. It’s the living embodiment of the 1000 True Fans theory of art and creativity, and in its Borgesian infinity there is something surreal yet completely creatively pure about the entire undertaking. I’ve been looking forward to speaking to Matt for years, and this encounter didn’t disappoint. Like a river slowly making its way across a floodplain, our conversation meandered in its own slow, purposeful way and I enjoyed it very much.Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Type 2 is a podcast from Looking Sideways in association with Patagonia that explores the intersection between the outdoors, action sports and activism.This week’s guest is Dan Crockett, a writer, journalist and activist from the UK who is currently Development Director of the Blue Marine Foundation, a charity dedicated to resorting the ocean to health.Blue Marine Foundation do so by supporting various different projects, among them the recent virtual Rewilding the Sea conference, which brought together different interested parties in an attempt to further the conversation around the topic of marine rewilding and restoration. Their work is a great way into the subject of rewilding, the concept of restoring large scale ecosystems and reintroducing natural processes and missing species to a landscape in an attempt to allow nature to take care of itself, something we discussed in detail during our conversation. Dan is also heavily involved in the drive to introduce marine national parks to the UK coastline; an attempt, as he explained, to reset our own relationship with the marine environment that is such an important part of our life.And, of course, as regular listeners of Type 2 will know, we also explored Dan’s own story, including how he ended up working on such innovative and passion-driven projects, as well as the thread that links his work - the intimacy of the human relationship with the sea, and our changing attitude to the marine environment. It’s a really lovely, reflective chat this, with a nuanced thinker and a generous conversationalist. I enjoyed it very much - thanks to Dan for sharing his insights with us. New episodes of Type 2 are released every four weeks through my Looking Sideways channel. Hear it by subscribing to Looking Sideways via ApplePodcasts, Spotify or any of the usual other podcast providers.Thanks to Ewan Wallace for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comIt’s easy to forget, but all stories are editorial choices. And those choices have a big influence on the way we collectively perceive our shared culture and history. It’s why the standard narratives around our shared history tend to default to the same names and anecdotes. And it’s why She Surf, the new overview of modern female surfing and surf history by Lauren Hill, is such a much-needed breath of fresh air. Throughout her career as a surfer, writer and podcaster, Lauren has used her experiences and wider interests to tackle big, important themes in a graceful and accessible way. She Surf - a considered, inclusive, beautifully put together piece of work - is the culmination of that lifelong quest, providing the most comprehensive and alternative view of modern and historical female surf culture yet. The book was also the launchpad into a wide-ranging, omnivorous conversation that took in the importance of play, the toxic effects of female objectification on both men and women, the legacy of the male gaze in surf culture, and many more topics that don’t get an airing too often. And, of course, we also took a long look at Lauren’s own life and career. Very much enjoyed this one. Thanks for coming on the show Lauren! Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comFull disclosure: this week’s guest is a close friend of mine. Lauren MacCallum is a writer, broadcaster and activist who has the type of plates-in-the-air career that is very common in the action sports and outdoor industry. We’ve been friend for years, and she’s someone I can always rely on to provide some much-needed perspective. In this way, this chat is just an extension of the type of freewheeling, no-stone-unturned conversation I always have with this absolute force of nature. Lauren is a brilliant conversationalist, with a considered, compassionate take on activism born from her own experience and years of hard work and research. For Lauren, community is key. It is at the root of her beliefs and the thread that links all her work, whether as General Manager for Protect Our Winters UK or through her work as a writer and broadcaster. Above all, Lauren’s personal experiences and insights make her the type of progressive, none-judgemental leader we need at this time, particularly as the last months have revealed such a vacuum of leadership at the heart of our industry. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comLet’s be honest - the Looking Sideways podcast is a pretty white and none-diverse space, reflecting as it does the action sports and outdoor community as a whole. I think this is why my first episode with Phil Young, broadcast back in November 2019, struck such a chord with listeners and very quickly went on to become one of my most popular episodes ever. The fact is it is still rare for BAME people to be given a voice or a platform in our industry. So to hear Phil outline his experiences as a person of colour in our insular little world was eye-opening for many listeners, as the feedback I received demonstrated.Since that interview, myself and Phil have kept talking and kept sharing views and experiences on this topic. And now, obviously, recent events mean the issue is now front and centre like never before. So I gave Phil a shout to see if he was up for coming back on the show and continuing our conversation. I was interested in getting his take on the events of the last few weeks, and understanding his hopes for the future. Like any conversation around this topic, it can be challenging to find the right words, and I certainly struggled at points during our chat. I left all that in though, because I think it’s important to openly and honestly discuss these things and embrace the challenges that come with it. After all, this isn’t about me or my fragility. This is about learning how to become a better ally. Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comAndy Howell has always been one of skateboarding’s sages. He’s an artist and intellectual thinker who discerns patterns, seeks out connections and is unafraid to grapple with the biggest themes of all. Story-telling. Humanity. Technology. Life. Rebirth. You know - the good stuff.You can see it in his career, and the sheer number of ways he’s found to express himself creatively over the years. There is, of course, his storied career as one of the most progressive influences in skateboarding, whether as a pro, or through his involvement with game-changing brands like New Deal, Zero Sophisto, Underworld Element or 411. It is equally evident in his career as an artist and patron of international repute, a strand to his story that includes game-changing collaborations with luminaries such as Shepherd Fairey and Jeff Kinsey. And it runs through his later incarnation as a the founder of visionary tech start-ups, his role as an investor, and his typically progressive involvement with the 30th anniversary of New Deal Skateboards. And now Andy is on the brink of a new frontier, as he processes the incident that changed his life at the end of 2019 - the fire that destroyed his family home and, with it, the collection of artwork he has been collecting and curating for over 30 years. It’s a blow that has changed Andy’s life completely, and an experience he is still learning how to process. With all that in mind, I’m grateful for Andy for even agreeing to come on the show in the first place, I’m so glad he did though, because as you’ll expect if you’ve followed Andy’s career, this chat with one of skateboarding’s most original thinkers evolved into something really fascinating and unexpected. Enjoying the podcast? Want to keep it free and ad-free? Donate here: https://bit.ly/LSBuyPint Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Type 2 is a podcast from Looking Sideways in association with Patagonia that explores the intersection between the outdoors, action sports and activism.I welcomed a legend onto the show this week - surfer and activist Dave Rastovich, one of the world’s most respected, stylish and talented surfers. On the water, Dave’s always been an innovator and leader, whether because of the career path he chose, the equipment he championed, or his pioneering activism. Indeed, Dave came to epitomise the very idea of surfer as activist, thanks to films like The Cove, and his involvement with various different campaigns.Today, Dave lives with his young family on a patch of land near Byron Bay in Australia, and it still a committed, articulate activist who continues to lend his heft to various local and national campaigns. As you might expect from somebody with such a high profile, his story is well told, so in this conversation I was interested in understanding where Dave is now, both in terms of his experience as an activist, and in light of the very real social and ecological collateral damage that they’ve been experiencing in Australia over the last couple of years. How has it changed his approach? What has he learned? And what lessons can we take from his experiences? As expected, the resulting conversation was great and I very much enjoyed this wide-ranging and passionate chat with one of surfing’s modern greats. Just a note on the sound - we recorded this one over Skype, so there is a little background noise. My thanks to Dave for being such a great sport. New episodes of Type 2 are released every four weeks through my Looking Sideways channel. Hear it by subscribing to Looking Sideways via ApplePodcasts, Spotify or any of the usual other podcast providers.Thanks to Ewan Wallace for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe