Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast

Full episode info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comI paid homage to a personal influence for episode 089 when I met up with the great Steve Douglas, a legendary figures in UK skateboarding who’s had an incalculable influence in a career that has spanned almost four decades. Like a lot of people, my first introduction to Steve was through his column in RAD Magazine - an essential connection to the global scene in a time before the internet. He was also one of the people behind @newdealskateboards - another big influence in my life - and other massively influential innovations like 411. Throughout his career, he’s been driven by an absolute love of skateboarding, and a work ethic that has enabled him, time and again, to make things happen by sheer force of will. No media in your hometown? Create a zine yourself, as Steve did. Want to push yourself as a skater to become as good as you can? Be one of the first UK skaters to make the move west, and end up as one of the most important figures in the industry. Not happy with the way skaters are being treated by their existing sponsors? Start one of the first truly skater led companies, and turn it into one of the most influential brands ever. For me he’s the ultimate distillation of the DIY ethos that is such a crucial part of skate culture, and has a legit claim to be one of the most quietly influential skateboarders of the last thirty plus years. Not bad for a Chelsea fan from North London. It was a proper privilege to meet Steve and sit down to get the whole story. Big thanks to him for being so generous with his time and experience, and my friend Dan Adams at RaD for being so helpful. 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comI’ve been lucky enough to interview a massively diverse range of people since I started the Looking Sideways podcast. And one thing unites them all: the activity might have lured them in; but it was the lifestyle that eventually hooked them.Yet few guests, if any, have taken their dedication to this chosen lifestyle to the same extreme as Rip Zinger, a self-described travelling monk who has turned couch-surfing into an artform. Rip is from Tokyo and is, in the title of a blogpost written about his lifestyle, ‘a most interesting man’. A skater, snowboarder and, latterly, surfer, he left his home in pursuit of the lifestyle he loves about - and he's still on the road. Along the way Rip has racked up several lifetimes worth of incredible experiences, and made himself one of the most well-connected and much loved figures on the scene with a truly ridiculous network of contacts and friends around the world.He’s also an amazing photographer, who documents the whole scene on Instagram, and has published a couple of books that document his adventures.I’ve long found Rip’s story intriguing. Sure, we’ve all got mates who have dedicated themselves to their chosen lifestyle with noble single-mindedness - but few have managed it to turn it into such a fascinating life. Sure, the story of action sports is usually told through the lives of the superstars we all know. But characters like Rip, who are the unsung lifeblood of the scene, are just as important when it comes to sustaining our unique culture.So as my Californian road trip came to an end, I caught up with at his current digs in Cardiff-by-the-Sea to get the whole story. And what a tale it is, uniquely told by one of the scene’s great characters. Enjoy!Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comWhat attributes spring to mind when you think of the average action sports athletes? Style? Skill? Bravery? Youth?Whatever comes first, longevity is unlikely to figure too highly. After all, the majority of professional action sports careers burn short and sharp, averaging a decade at best before real life intervenes. Sure, there are a handful of special talents that have graduated to the legend programme, notably in surfing and skateboarding. But they are the exception rather than the rule. This context is what makes Mike Basich’s achievement so unparalleled. Here is a professional snowboarder who has sustained a career for 30 years. Even more impressively, he’s done so by managing to remain relevant in the face of the relentless progression that is the hallmark of all action sports culture. That alone would make him a member of an exclusive crew. But what makes Mike’s story even more special is the fact that he has done it all completely on his own terms, and by following his own idiosyncratic path. Not surprisingly, this experience has given Mike a unique outlook on life, and in today’s episode we explored the entire tale. Central to Mike’s story is the aforementioned legendary Area 23, the private resort compound he’s created for himself somewhere near Lake Tahoe. Its a two decade project that is central to the entire Basich story and ethos, and in this chat we explored what it means to Mike, and just how integral to his tale it really is. Sure, this the story of a snowboarding career. But as is always the case with Mike, it is so much more: about how to live your life on your own terms, and how to play the long game while staying true to your principles. It’s a extraordinary story from one of snowboardings most extraordinary individuals. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comDisaster, tragedy, catastrophe, death, grief - these are the concealed details of life, hidden in plain sight in the hope we never have to experience them.The truth, of course, is that we will all be tested by such experiences in our lives. Until we do, a couple of questions loom. How will we cope? How can we square these experiences, and move forward?These are questions Jamie Brisick, my guest for episode 086, has faced twice now in the last decade. The first time was when he was suddenly widowed. And now, having lost everything he owns in recent Woolsey Fires in Malibu, he is facing them all over again.Jamie is a surfer, writer and documentary maker. Like all true artists, he’s used these unimaginable losses as fuel for his work, channelling his experiences into a series of articles exploring the aftermath of the fire that rank among his finest.I met up with Jamie in Malibu at the start of my recent trip. We recorded this episode of the podcast at the site of his former home, exploring in depth the emotions that such experiences bring forth - loss, grief, self-examination and, ultimately, hope.This was the second time we’ve chatted for the podcast, but the first time we’d actually met, and it was a rare pleasure to meet somebody I’d long admired in person for the first time, and to share such a personal and moving conversation. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comShop talk special! That’s exactly what happened when I met up with the host of the self-styled ‘World’s Greatest Action Sports Podcast’, Chris Cote.Chris is a podcaster, presenter, editor, broadcaster, musician - a veritable action sports renaissance man, if you will. He’s also extremely good company, as I discovered when I went to meet him at Cote Media Group HQ in Encinitas. On this side of the pond, Chris best known for presenting the Monday M.A.S.S. with fellow Looking Sideways podcast alumnus Todd Richards, which to my mind is the best of the weekly action sports round up shows. Sure, they’re proper sideways geeks - but I also really like the way they openly acknowledge how ridiculous the whole business really is. Away from the podcast mic, Chris has carved out an action-packed career at the heart of action sports, whether presenting at the Vans Park Series or commentating on the WSL. Sure, it is good to chat about life’s weighty themes, as I have done plenty of times on recent episodes of the show. But it is equally fun to sit back, relax and talk about podcasting, action sports and life in general, as we did during this riff-filled, freewheeling conversation which came along at just the right time during our California road trip. Big thanks to Chris for being such a generous and entertaining guest. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comWhen you’ve reached the top, where do you go? It’s a question every athlete has to face, and it’s something that is developing into one of the key themes of the Looking Sideways podcast. In Taylor Knox’s case, working out the answers to such fundamental questions has always been part of his modus operandi. Sure, he is famed as one of the most influential surfers of his generation, thanks to a style that redefined power surfing for a new generation, and two decades on the tour to his name. But really, Taylor’s story is one of evolution - both in and out of the water. The truth is that Taylor has applied the same incredible focus that enabled him to become one of the world’s most celebrated surfers to the mental challenges engendered by a life and career in constant flux. As he explained to me during our conversation, it’s an approach he’s used to face every challenge he’s faced in his career, whether injuries or crises of a more existential nature. In this conversation, recorded in Carlsbad in April 2010, we looked back at the entire story - about growing up as a member of the famed Momentum Generation, about learning to love surfing again in the face of shifting motivations, and about his surfing life today following retirement after twenty years on the tour. My thanks to Taylor for a brilliant afternoon, and for sharing his story with me for the show. Hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comAnybody who has managed to find one job they love is doing pretty well. Excelling at two life-defining careers suggests somebody operating at a different level entirely. Yet that’s exactly what Circe Wallace has succeeded in doing. Of course, she initially came to prominence as one of snowboarding’s most legendary and pioneering women professionals. Her career perfectly mirrored the arc of snowboarding’s first boom, and Circe took full advantage, achieving incredible success and setting the standards for future generations to follow. With her snowboarding career winding down, Circe then shifted her focus to the nascent world of action sports talent management - and over the next two decades carved out an era-defining career in that industry, too. Today, she is Executive Vice President for Action Sports and Olympics at the Wasserman Group, and acts as agent and mentor to luminaries such as P-Rod, Torah Brighton, Travis Rice and Nicolas Muller. By any measure, it’s a wildly impressive record of success, and today Circe enjoys a reputation as one of the action sports industry’s most successful and inspirational figures. And yet, as we explore during our conversation, the journey has not been as straightforward as it appears.As a confident, unapologetic female entrepreneur determined to safeguard her own value in a male-dominated industry, she has faced obstacles at every turn and refers to herself as a ’pariah’ among certain elements of the industry. Yet Circe’s story is ultimately a positive one. This is a story of a driven, focused woman taking on a male-dominated industry - and succeeding on her own terms. It’s about how she coped with the collateral damage sustained along the way, and found a way of overcoming the toxicity that - depressingly - seems to come with the territory whenever a women attempts to achieve parity on their own terms. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com"Nothing", Calvin Coolidge tells us, "can take the place of persistence and determination". Throw in an inquisitive mind, wide creative horizons and a supremely affable nature, and you have a pretty unbeatable recipe for success.It is something Colin Kennedy seemed to intrinsically know from an early age, and helps to explain how, over two decades, he has carved out one of the most highly-regarded careers in skate media.Colin is without question one of skateboarding’s most influential filmers, celebrated for the uniqueness of his artistic vision and the sheer longevity of a career that has spanned two decades and taken in stints at DVS, 411 and the Berrics.Today, he is a freelancer legendary for bringing a unique eye to his projects. He is responsible for some of the most dazzling skate shorts of the last decade, films like Quik and One Stop, which combine a singular creative vision with some absolutely incredible skateboarding to create a beautiful aesthetic commonly likened to cinema vérité. But, as our hugely enjoyable conversation reveals, there’s much more to Colin’s story than this. Instead, this is a tale is about the power of hard work, the importance of listening to your hunches, and the creative rewards that come when you stick faithfully to your own artistic vision.Put like that, it sounds simple. But it takes creative courage to back yourself to such a degree, another thing that Colin has had since day one. For anybody struggling to follow through on their own projects, or wondering how to take the next step on their own personal journey, Colin’s work and career path are a welcome inspiration.Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comI go way, way back with legendary snowboard photographer and Transworld lifer Nick Hamilton. We first met in the mid-90s, and subsequently spent a glorious 6 year period putting together Whitelines magazine as part of a team that included friends and colleagues such as Ed Leigh, Chris Moran and Tudor ‘Chod’ Thomas. Nick was always destined for greater things, and it was no surprise when in 2001 he was headhunted by Transworld Snowboarding, subsequently moving to Cali to work first as Photo Editor and then as Content Director. His old friends, myself among them, watched on proudly as his career flourished, overseeing Transworld’s expansion into the digital realm, stewarding the most famous title in snowboarding to ever greater heights and becoming one of the most well connected and respected people in the industry. As a photographer, Nick is rightly legendary. And the story of how he carved out one of the most enviable and influential careers in the industry is equally enthralling. There’s also nobody better to pass comment on the state of modern action sports media. In this conversation, recorded at Nick’s Cardiff home in April 2019, we delve into the entire story. It’s an epic that takes in Nick’s own extraordinary tale, but also traces the evolution and changing of the media landscape, an ongoing upheaval Nick has witnessed first hand. We also dig deep into the recent developments that have seen Transworld shuttered permanently in the wake of a much-publicised takeover by American Media and which has seen Nick finally end his association with the title after almost two decades. In making this show, I’ve been lucky enough to interview some of the biggest names on the planet. But there’s something special about grabbing a couple of beers and sitting down with one of my oldest friends to reminisce about old times and their own extraordinary career. Hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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 info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.comI first heard about three times longboard world champion and current Carlsbad city council member Cori Schumacher in 2013, at the height of the Roxy/Steph Gilmore controversy. That was an episode that shone a harsh light on some of the more retrograde and toxic attitudes at play in the surf industry; and almost perfectly encapsulated the intricacies, nuances and challenge involved in debating issues of feminism, misogyny and sexism in an inherently conservative industry like surfing.Cori was at the forefront of the efforts to point out this rather obvious truth, and I remember at the time being hugely impressed by her bravery in steadfastly trying to reclaim the narrative in the face of relentless ad hominem attacks.But then, speaking truth to power in this unerring, unflinching way has long been a courageous hallmark of Cori Schumacher’s life and career. It was demonstrated once again in the aftermath of Keala Kennelly’s speech at the WSL Awards in April 2019. That speech received worldwide coverage and was roundly celebrated as the first time surfing had recognised an openly gay world champion. Except, of course, it wasn’t the first time surfing had an openly gay world champion. The first was, of course, Cori herself.For Cori this airbrushing of widely-reported history is another example of how the surf industry sanitises the truth for their own wider narrative - which is the main theme of an episode that explores some particularly weighty themes and ideas.The thing that I really find interesting and admirable about Cori, and about our conversation in general, is the originality of her thinking. We’re so used to the accepted surf industry narrative that standing apart this status quo can be a lonely act that comes at a huge personal cost.Whether you agree with all of her opinions or not, to my mind she is a true unsung hero of the surf industry and somebody we should be celebrating for her unflinching honesty and the personal sacrifices she has made for her own wider beliefs. Which is exactly why I spoke to her for the podcast. Hope you enjoy the episode.Thanks as usual to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my new 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