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Welcome to the second of two episode 150 instalments. To mark this milestone, I decided to stay true to the ethos of the Looking Sideways podcast and speak to two of my oldest and closest friends; two people who’ve been integral to the Looking Sideways universe since it launched - Ed Leigh and Owen Tozer. 

This, episode 150b, is the second instalment with Owen Tozer. Long term listeners will know Owen - he’s one of my oldest and closest friends who has been a key part of the Looking Sideways story since its inception a decade ago. He’s also my co-author on Looking Sideways Vol.1, the first Looking Sideways book we recently finished and which will be available soon. 

Not that this comes close to covering the full extent of Owen’s omnivorous creative talent and range As I’ve said many, many times before, Owen is the real deal - a supremely talented photographer, art director, designer, film-maker, artist and musician. Sure, like any creative he sometimes doesn’t know when to stop arguing with the producer but that’s alright. His standards are higher than everybody else’s.

I’m extremely fortunate he continues to lend his considerable talents to Looking Sideways, and the completion of our book and episode 150 seemed a fitting occasion to finally get him on the show. Join us, as we cover Owen’s life and career, his work on new project Goodrays, Looking Sideways Volume 1, the creativity v commerce conundrum, and loads more classic LS topics. 

I’m so grateful for my friendship and creative partnership with Owen, and this was a hugely enjoyable catch up with one of my favourite people - hope you enjoy it! 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 150b: Owen Tozer - Made Up

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 Ryan Gellert who last year replaced Rose Marcario as Patagonia’s CEO, taking charge at a critical point in the company’s history. Ryan took the role following his successful six-year stint overseeing Patagonia in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, during which he helped the brand attain its leadership position in the European outdoor and environmental communities, and oversaw projects such as Save The Blue Heart of Europe and Patagonia Action Works. 

Of course, as in all episodes of Type 2, we delved into Ryan’s back story and explored his own personal history of activism. But I was particularly interested in finding out more about his new position, and what he hopes to achieve during his time in the role, as we all reflect upon 12 months that have changed the world. 

After all, the position of Patagonia CEO fulfils a certain totemic role in the outdoor and environment worlds, and how Ryan approaches his tenure will obviously say a lot about Patagonia the company. How is he going to use this position and power? What does he stand for? And, by extension, what does Patagonia in 2021 stand for? These are the topics I was interested in discussing and which, I’m happy to say, Ryan was equally happy to explore. 

The result is a completely fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with someone in one of the most influential roles in our industry. I’m also extremely grateful to Ryan for sharing his own at times very personal story. My thanks to Ryan and his team for their help in setting this episode up. Hope you enjoy it. 

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.

TYPE 2: Episode 17 - Ryan Gellert

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

After an unscheduled and very welcome month off, I’m back. This chat with Sally McGee from Yonder has been a long time coming, and is very much by public demand. As my followers on Instagram will know, I frequently run polls to ask listeners who I should speak to for future episodes. And after a while I noticed something: among the usual suspects like Hawk and Slater, one name kept popping up over and over again - Sally from Yonder. 

I did some digging and quickly came to understand why. Yonder, which Sally runs with her husband Tom, is a surf school, a coaching company and a brand. But more than that, it symbolises an inclusive approach to surfing that has come along at the exactly the right time to meet the moment UK surfing finds itself in right now. 

So when I realised Sal would be in Devon at the same time I would be in May 2021, we arranged to catch up for what was only my third in-person interview since Covid came along. I’d almost forgotten how much more fun and enjoyable it is to do this in person, and what followed was a really lovely chat about about all things Yonder and Sal’s life in surfing. 	
I think Sal’s approach to surfing will really resonate with a lot of people, especially the way her and Tom have worked hard to build Yonder based upon their values, and a legitimate desire to create a genuinely inclusive community.

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.

Episode 156: Sally McGee - Yonder

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

This week’s guest Dylan Graves has managed something that sounds simple but is actually really very difficult when it comes to surf, skate and snow film-making - coming up with a simple idea that manages to convey the stoke of the entire business while also telling a repeatedly compelling story. 

If you don’t know Dylan, he is a professional surfer from Puerto Rico and the host of a YouTube show called Weird Waves, which for my money is the best professional surfing vlog out there. Why am I making this bold claim? Because Weird Waves is so far removed from the usual surf culture narrative, with its preoccupations with the same tedious tropes we’ve all had rammed down our throats for the past 70 plus years. 

Instead, each episode of Weird Waves focuses lovingly on the margins of surf culture, the scenes that are a million miles away from the Beach Grit beat, but are, in 2021, just as legitimate as La Jolla, Hawaii or Byron Bay. Whether it’s the Brits surfing the Severn Bore on junky old longboards, or frothing mid westerners tackling howling Great Lake windswell, Dylan puts these communities in the spotlight with zero judgement. 

There’s another reason that Weird Waves is to be applauded, too, which is the way that Dylan uses the format to challenge himself, whether creatively or by tackling the bigger issues of the day without fear or favour. When somebody with the profile of Dylan uses their platform to challenge themselves, and attempt to make our community more inclusive and accepting, they should be applauded. That’s a big reason why I invited Dylan on the show, and why I enjoyed our thoughtful conversation so much. Hope you do too.

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.

Episode 169: Dylan Graves - Curiosity Seeker

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 actor, musician, performer, podcast host and trans activist Brix Schaumburg. As Germany’s most high profile trans actor, Brix has become something of a focal point for the conversation around trans rights and issues of gender. This scenario has led him to a form of gently provocative activism, in which he has used his platform to position himself as a ‘filter and buffer’, a lens through which to explore these topics with a thoughtful generosity and playfulness.

I think this really comes across in our conversation, which is an extremely nuanced and thought-provoking chat. As usual in Type 2, we talked about Brix’s life and career but really we spoke about themes that everybody can recognise: especially, the gap between our inner and public-facing selves, and how reconciling these two poles really constitutes the work of everybody’s life. Regular listeners to Type 2 and my own Looking Sideways podcast will know this one a bit of a pet theme of mine. 

We also discussed how difficult it is, no matter how progressive you consider yourself to be, to escape the binary conventions and associations that have accumulated in our culture - something I demonstrated perfectly at one point, much to Brix’s wry amusement, and which he pointed out to me in the same open spirit with which he approaches this entire topic. And we dipped a toe into the issue of trans athletes participation in sport, an issue which is at the frontline of the current debate. 

I enjoyed our conversation very much, and as is the case in the best exchanges, I learned a lot about the issues generally and, more importantly, about my own relationship to the conventions and gender boundaries that invisibly govern our lives. I hope you do too. 

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.

TYPE 2: Episode 021 - Brix Schaumburg

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 
 
Festive Special! 

Yep, as is now very much tradition in the Looking Sideways universe, for this special Christmas episode I was joined by my old pals Tim and Gendle for our fourth mince pie, Secret Santa and booze-filled yuletide jamboree. 

Now, if you’ve listened to any of these episodes before, you’ll know what to expect - although this year, I’m happy to report, we managed to juggle schedule and beat the rapidly-approaching Covid restrictions to do this one in person. Tim and Gend had a Famous First Words gig about ten days before Christmas in London, so I packed the podcast kit, donned the mark and headed on up to the Smoke to record this episode. 

If you’re new to the show or unfamiliar with the boys and their work, allow me to introduce them: two of the biggest influences and most-loved presences in British snowboarding, whether as film-makers, presenters or snowboarders. 

This year’s show took the usual format and ran with it. So expect a Christmas quiz, Secret Santa gift exchanges, the three of us getting steadily more pissed, the boys turning the tables on me and asking me a few questions, and so on. 

We had a great time doing this one, so I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas! 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 170: Tim and Gendle - Xmas Special

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

Think of this conversation with Cornish surfer Sam Bleakley as a companion piece to the extremely popular Dylan Graves episode from a few weeks back. Why? Because here we have another amazing surfer using their talent and platform in Jan in an infinitely more interesting way than most other professional surfers.

Sam’s case is particularly interesting because he has managed to find a way to combine his two major passions - geography and surfing - into one singular life path, something that has led him into some very interesting territory indeed, both literally and metaphorically. 

Of course, there’s the actual work itself. as well as a surfer, Sam is a journalist, author and academic. He also produces and presents his fantastic WSL show Brilliant Corners, and is a commentator for the WSL longboard tour. It’s a busy slate alright, but what I found fascinating about our conversation is the way Sam has worked to create these opportunities for himself by being honest to his own unique interests, and how he uses them to stretch himself creatively with honesty and integrity. 

So yep, some classic LS themes in this one, explored in a conversation that took its own time and path in the best Looking Sideways tradition. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 171: Sam Bleakley - The Dance of Things

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

If you’re a snowboarder, Danny Davis really needs no introduction. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest riders of all time, and is still going strong two decades into one of the most storied careers in competitive snowboarding. 

But there’s more to Danny than this quick thumbnail sketch. Because, in a world of ever-increasing progression for its own sake, Danny stands for something. He’s a symbol of the creativity that is supposed to be at the heart of this entire business. As such, he’s one of the most beloved and admired riders on the planet, loved by snowboarders across the world as the personification of the idea that progression is redundant if it isn’t accompanied by style and creativity. 

When I interview people how occupy such an exalted place in our culture, I’m always curious to see how they wear their reputation. Are they aware of it? Do they reject it? Embrace it? Will they even want to discuss it? 

In Danny’s case, as I was delighted to discover, he’s more than happy to discuss it. What follows is, I humbly contend, as revealing an interview with Danny as you’re likely to hear, in which one of the greats dissects his own career, his plans for the future, and the state of snowboarding in general with total honesty and openness. In doing so, he offers us a peerless insight into the mindset you need if you’re going to stay at the top of the game for twenty years. 

This one is great. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 172: Danny Davis - Travellin' Dan

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

How can you find the strength to turn traumatic experiences that have affected you deeply into something that has the power to transform your own community? How do you bypass the toxic gatekeepers who still control the routes and paths into the industry? And how can you feed the latent appetite for alternative narratives that exists yet is shamefully under-served in our world?

All themes that feature in my conversation with this week’s guest Lyndsay McLaren; a powerful, multi-layered conversation that I think is one of the most important chats I’ve ever featured on the show. 

And there are really two levels to this conversation. Firstly, there’s the story of Neighbourhood Skate Club, the community skate project that Lyndsay founded in lockdown, and through which she’s aiming to “create space and opportunities for women and queer people who skateboard or want to learn”.

Then there’s Lyndsay own story, of how she’s managed to process the traumatic experiences that have hallmarked her own progress through the industry; and, along the way, found the strength to reclaim her own story, and subvert some of the insidious, toxic conventions that regrettably still exist in our community. 

Taken as a whole, these threads combine into one truly powerful and inspirational tale. I’m grateful to Lyndsay for trusting me enough to talk so openly about her experiences, and am proud of the way she’s used them to create something so positive and transformative. Just a note to say that we do discuss incidents of sexual harassment in this episode, so please be mindful of this as you listen. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 173: Lyndsay McLaren - Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

Jackson x Natural Selection omnibus special! 

Yep, myself and my right-hand man and creative collaborator Owen Tozer are on our first trip of the Covid era and what a joyous, life-affirming experience it has been. We’ve been in Jackson Hole for the first stop of the Natural Selection Tour, and have taken the opportunity to record as many episodes as we could with people involved in the event or from the wider snowboarding community. 

Starting with this conversation with my friend and fellow Natural Selection announcer Tom ’T-Bird’ Monterosso. We’d been chatting about recording this episode all week, and in the end decided to record it a couple of hours after finals day wrapped in the immediate post-show afterglow of our live broadcast of the event. 

As you’ll hear, spirits were high, and not just because we were both three Pacificos deep. I think it’s also because as myself and Tom have discovered this week, we really like hanging out and talking together. So with the event wrapped, we set the tape rolling and recorded this quick fire episode. We talked about the event, of course, and then segued into a chat about Tom’s life and career in snowboarding. There are some classic LS themes in this one, explored with totally candour and self-deprecation by one of the essential voices in US snowboarding.

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 174: Tom Monterosso - Birdman

Jackson x Natural Selection omnibus special! 

Yep, myself and my right-hand man Owen Tozer are on our first podcast trip of the Covid era. We’ve been in Jackson Hole for the first stop of the Natural Selection Tour, and have taken the opportunity to record as many episodes as we could with people involved in the event, from Jackson, or from the wider snowboarding community. 

Continuing with this conversation with judge Sandy Macdonald. One of the things I’ve been trying to do while out here is to throw some some light onto some of the more opaque aspects of the Natural Selection experience, and in that light a chat with one of the judges seemed an essential port of call. 

Because, as a cursory examination of the snowboarding conversation has revealed, the judging at this year’s event has been subject to criticism, whether below the line, among the community at large and even among the riders themselves, 

So to try and understand the judging process a little bit more clearly, and to get insights into some of the more contentious calls from this year’s Jackson event, I grabbed Sandy for a chat. 

And what a revealing insight into the the whole judging process this conversation really is. I approached this one by trying to think about what questions I want answered as a fan, and to try and address as many of the issues and explicit criticisms that I’ve seen doing the rounds in the aftermath of the event. 

Huge thanks to Sandy for being such a good sport in this one, and for tackling each of these questions with total accountability and transparency. I leaned a lot and I hope you do too.

Episode 175: Sandy Macdonald - The View From The Booth

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

Jackson x Natural Selection omnibus special! 

Yep, myself and my right-hand man Owen Tozer are on our first podcast trip of the Covid era. We’ve been in Jackson Hole for the first stop of the Natural Selection Tour, and have taken the opportunity to record as many episodes as we can with people involved in the event, from Jackson, or from the wider snowboarding community. 

This series continues with this conversation with the man behind the entire event: Travis Rice, in what is our now traditional post-event debrief. 

This year, I was particularly interested in speaking to Travis about some of the talking points that have arisen from this year’s event, notably THAT KB versus Travis match-up; and also the huge amount of kickback the event and Travis personally has received for making the launch of a Natural Selection NFT series such a focal point of this year’s event. I’ve been wanting to cover the place of NFTs in our world for a while now, and this seemed a perfect way of doing so. 

Although I’m lucky enough to count Travis as a friend, and to play a tiny part in the entire Natural Selection process, I think it’s more important than ever to use this position to pose occasionally uncomfortable questions, and to push Travis to answer some of the criticisms of the event that have begun to do the rounds now Natural Selection becomes and increasingly established part of the snowboarding landscape. 

That’s what I tried to do here, and the result, as you’ll probably expect if you’ve listened to any of my other conversations with Travis, is a fast-paced conversation in which the GOAT’s questing, pitilessly honest mindset is on full display. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 176: Travis Rice - Debrief

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

He’ll hate me for saying it. But Dr. Tony Butt, this week’s guest, is one of UK surfing’s bone fide big wave legends. As Nathan Carter put it in a recent interview for Wavelength Magazine, Tony is ‘probably the British big wave surfer with the most giant paddle waves under his belt’. 

Not that you would realise this if you used Tony’s media profile as an indicator. In a world of instant edits and Insta surf porn, Tony flies gloriously under the radar -  which is just the way he likes it. Not for Tony any social media clout-chasing. Instead, he is content to keep to himself over in Asturias in northern Spain, where he spends his time exploring the reefs and waves of this lesser known nook of the European surfing universe; and indulging his other passions of oceanography and wave forecasting. 

Indeed, if anything, Tony is better known for this side of his repertoire rather than his actual surfing thanks to his pioneering academic work, and thought-provoking journalism in titles such as The Surfer’s Path and Magic Seaweed. 

He is, in short, a total legend - if an extremely self-effacing and unassuming one. Perhaps that’s why it has taken us around three years to arrange this conversation. But it’s worth the wait. This one ranges all over the place, from how our perception of mortality shapes our life path; to the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and how it affects our surfing. Of course, we also delved into Tony’s vast experience of big wave surfing, too. 

The result is a hefty, thought-provoking chat with one of the true unsung heroes of European surfing, shot through with the wisdom accrued from a life of exploration around surfing’s wilder frontiers.

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 177: Dr. Tony Butt - On The Frontier

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

This week’s guest Yvette Curtis runs the amazing Wave Wahines, the women and girls only surf club through which she is on a mission to make surfing in the UK more accessible for women and girls from all cultures and ethnic communities. 

I think the reason I’m such a fan of Yvette’s work, and why I was so keen to chat to her for the podcast, is that it’s a story of how one person can impact the grassroots by the works they do. 

I talk about lot on the podcast about how we need to ask questions of traditional surf culture. Well, Yvette is out there doing that work, and it’s through initiatives such as Wahines that change will happen, however irrevocably. And, as I discovered during our conversation, it has come at sometimes great emotional and personal cost. Firstly, because like everybody, Yvette struggles with the dreaded imposter syndrome, and the very idea that she has any right to be a spokesperson on any of the issues we discuss. 

Secondly, because anybody doing such work, and daring to pose questions of the status quo, can find themselves open to attack, something which happened to Yvette when she appeared on a BBC Spotlight segment and subsequently received a truly horrendous amount of bullying and abuse. 

Undeterred, Yvette dusted herself down and came back more energised than ever to make a difference. As she should have one, because her experiences as a British woman of colour in the 21st century are real, impactful, challenging and are as valid a contribution to our culture as somebody who is venerated for being good at riding a piece of wood, foam or carbon. 

When ordinary people do extraordinary things, change can happen. Shining a light on such stories is basically why I started this podcast, and why I’m so glad Yvette agreed to come on the show. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 179: Yvette Curtis - Good Trouble

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

To say that Neil McDonald is interested in skate history is a little like saying Capability Brown liked to dabble in the odd bit of gardening. 

Neil is a journalist, author, curator and archivist who is obsessed, to an awe-inspiring degree, with the tales and intricacies of skate history. 

It’s a fascination he explores through his essential Science Versus Life Instagram account, and which he is developing on the grandest possible scale with his forthcoming history of UK skateboarding. For me, Neil’s reverent take on the power and importance of skate history makes him more akin to a legitimate cultural curator. It’s why I kept using the word archivist during our conversation, and why I think his work is so important and much more than the mere ‘scanning of old skateboard magazines’, to paraphrase his Insta bio.

Why? Because this stuff matters. It’s important, like any history is important. It’s how we define ourselves as a culture, and how we safeguard the uniqueness of these activities many of us have based our entire lives around. 

With Science Versus Life and his forthcoming book, Neil is doing nothing less than trying to preserve and present the entire pre-digital history of British skateboarding and, by extension, youth culture in this country. As you might imagine if you’ve listened to the show for a while, this mission is right up my boulevard, and I enjoyed our chat very much indeed. Hope you do too. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 180: Neil Macdonald - Science Versus Life

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

Sound the geek klaxon! 

Yep, this week’s conversation with legit US snowboarding legend Pat ‘the eYe’ bridges goes deep, deep down the snowboarding rabbit hole. 

I go back a long way with Pat - around twenty years, in fact. I used to write for him back when he was editor of Snowboarder Magazine, which was around when we first met. Over the years, we stayed in touch and continued to bump into each other at various events around the world. 

So you can imagine how chuffed I was to get the chance to work alongside Pat as part of the Natural Selection team: firstly, as part of the Selection Committee for the event; then, later, as part of the commentary team for the Jackson leg of this year’s tour. 

I spent that trip with working with and hanging out with Pat, which was brilliant fun and a true privilege. Cut this man and he bleeds snowboarding. He also has the most encyclopaedic knowledge of snowboarding lore of anybody I’ve ever met. Which, considering the calibre of geek I’ve spent my life hanging out with, is really saying something. 

These days Pat is as close to a definition of a snowboarding lifer as you’re going to get, as his work as publisher of Slush testifies. He continues to fight the good fight, and be outrageously entertaining company. Hope you enjoy our conversation. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 181: Pat Bridges - The Eye

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

When does cultural guardianship become another form of toxic gatekeeping? How can you connect your own personal take on activism with the bigger themes? How can ski touring and splitboarding be a vehicle to increased creativity and self-awareness? And just why is Scotland one of the most unique places to ride a snowboard in the world? 

All topics covered in this week’s episode with Lesley McKenna, Hannah Bailey and Lauren MacCallum, impromptuly recorded during my recent trip to Aviemore to take part in one of Hannah and Lesley’s Wandering Workshops. This was a brilliant three days which mixed splitboarding with a much-needed creative reset. 

While there, I decided to grab Lesley, Hannah and Lauren for a chat. “What do you want to chat about?”, asked Lesley the day before, as we were heading uphill through classic Scottish four-seasons-in-one-day conditions. “Let’s just press record and see where we end up”, I replied. 

Which is exactly what we did, and as I suspected it might, it quickly evolved into a subtle, all-encompassing chat that covered a hell of a lot of ground. Of course, it helped that I was chatting to three of the smartest, most passionate people I know. 

This is actually the first time I’ve interviewed three people for the show, and I thought it worked really well. Big thanks to Lesley, Hannah and Lauren for taking the time to do it, and for the brilliant conversation. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 182: Lesley, Lauren and Hannah - Triumvirate

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

Let’s get straight to it - I’ve got one of surfing’s all-time great legends on the show this week. Along with peers like Ian Cairns, Rabbit and MR, 1977 World Champion Shaun Thomson helped to redefine surfing over the course of one of THE most influential careers of them all. He changed the game in ways we all continue to benefit from today. 

Then there are his off-the-water contributions, which are as progressive and game-changing as his surfing. He was one of surfing’s earliest activists, working with organisations such as Surfrider, and organising a campaign to improve water quality at Rincon, among other firsts. He’s also an entrepreneur, starting Instinct and sponsoring other legends such as Tom Carroll and Barton Lynch on the way to their own world crowns. And, as if that isn’t enough, he’s also a creative filmmaker and cultural custodian, notably through the film Bustin’ Down The Door, which documented the mid-70s Hawaiian scene Shaun was himself such a key part of. 

And yet, despite these incredible heights, Shaun’s life has also been marked by rare tragedy. The death of his beloved son Mathew in 1995 left him understandably bereft and seeking a new purpose in life. He found it with his Surfer’s Code, a deceptively simple self-development tool which uses surfing as a metaphor for life’s struggles, and which Shaun has subsequently used to help thousands of individuals and business find their own purpose. 

Taken as a whole, Shaun’s story is remarkable on many levels, and in this conversation we spoke about this career in the context of the biggest themes of all - life, death, grief, recovery; and how surfing has the power to shape your life in ways it can take a lifetime to understand. 

I’m very grateful to Shaun for taking the time to share his story with such openness and generosity. Hope you enjoy this episode. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 183: Shaun Tomson - The Light Shines Ahead

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

Is there anything better than catching up with an old friend after a long break, and picking up exactly where you left off?

I think not - which is why my latest with Ewan Wallace is a paean to the joys of close friendship. 

Ewan is a snowboarder and musician (he’s guitarist with Bonobo and Karmic) who is also one of my oldest and closest friends. I spent the most formative years of my life with Ewan; 15 years snowboarding, travelling, working and playing music together.  But in the last decade we haven’t seen as much of each other as usual, which is why I really cherish our time together on the rare occasions it does come around. 

On this occasion, I was also keen to reflect on our shared experiences with the perspective of time. I’ve been thinking much about the past recently, particularly the creative successes and failures. As somebody who was alongside me in the creative trenches for so many years, I’ve long been waiting for the chance to compare notes with Ewan on the times we had and the things we experienced. 

The result was the type of nourishing, grounding chat that only a proper old mate can deliver. Ewan’s always been a brilliant conversationalist and he’s led such an interesting life that know this would be a fun one. And so it proved to be.  

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 184: Ewan Wallace - The Joy of Friendship

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

There are many layers to this week’s conversation with surfer, director, film-maker, producer, creative and all-round legend Mikey Corker. 

On the one hand, it’s about this latest project Savage Waters, a surf film in the finest classical, questing tradition. It’s about how Mikey and a crew of similarly-driven and passionate people have spent years abroad Matt Knight’s yacht Hecate, on the hunt for a mythical wave, and the adventures and scrapes they got into along the way. 

Then, on another level, it’s about the travails of the professional surfing life, as well as a homage to the incredible, inspirational Knight family; a group of total legends who live life completely on their own terms, and who by the end of the film will have you wanting to jack in the job, sell the house and head for the horizon. 

But above all, it’s the story of Mikey’s own creative quest, and the reality of embarking upon such a quixotic creative endeavour. As you’ll hear, at the beginning of this project Mikey really had nothing more than the germ of an idea and a lot of drive. It has literally taken years to get to the point where Savage Waters is out in the world and beginning to garner plaudits in the form of festival slots and acclaimed reviews. 

And that’s what this one is really about: the reality of all creative projects. Nobody gives you permission. Gates don’t mysteriously swing open in recognition of your devilish cleverness and latent talent. You have to make it happen, whatever bumps in the road you encounter along the way. 

This is why I find Mikey’s story, and this brilliant conversation, so inspirational. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, to my editor Fina Charleson, and to Duncan Yeldham for production support.

Episode 185: Mikey Corker - Savage Waters

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

This week’s guest is photographer Wig Worland, one of the most respected and influential people in the history of UK skateboarding. I’ve known Wig on and off since the 90s. Looking back, we were all a little bit in awe at his complete understanding of who he was as a person, and how single-mindedly he approached his craft and self-appointed task. 

Indeed, as my old pal Phil Young said, when I told him I’d finally persuaded Wig to come on the podcast, there’s argument to be made that for a key period in the 90s and 2000s, Wig was THE most influential figure in UK skateboarding.

It’s a big claim, but the evidence (and any measure of common sense) backs it up. In the dim, distant, pre-social media years, the role of surf, skate or snow photographer carried an enormous amount of clout and influence. 

Particularly in the UK, which at the time didn’t have the huge industry apparatus of the States underpinning the scene. In many ways, the early history of British skateboarding is really the history of a lot of talented and extremely driven people tirelessly documenting (and hence effectively creating) the scene as it rapidly evolved in real time. Wig was and remains a crucial and highly respected part of that brilliant tradition. 

And Wig really has shot with absolutely everybody, as you’ll know if you follow him on Instagram, or are at all familiar with his work over the years. All of which means the man has tales and opinions galore on the history and uniqueness of UK and wider skateboarding history. 

Wig doesn’t do many of these, so to get the chance to hear his perspective on all things skateboarding and creativity is a privilege I don’t take lightly. 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, to Duncan Yeldham for production support, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 186: Wig Worland - On The Road Again

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 a surfer and activist Adam Hall. He’s Head of Sustainability for Surfdome, a trustee for POW UK, and is part of the team that just successfully ran the campaign to have the North Devon coastline designated one of only 12 World Surfing Reserves in the world, putting this much loved corner of the British surf world on a par with places like Noosa, Malibu and Ericeira,  

All of which would be reason enough to have Adam on as a guest for Type 2. But Adam’s story is really about how a passionate, driven individual has found a way of - yes - parlaying his own passions into positive actions on a wider scale. Which really is a key question when you get down to what it actually means to be an ‘activist’. How can we make it personal, yet impactful on a wider scale? How can we think big when we’re starting small? 

After all, it can be overwhelming, especially in the face of the sheer scale of some of the challenges we face, to work out how to make a difference. This is a conundrum that Adam has cracked, both through the projects that personify his take on activism, and through his passion for surfing, which is really at the heart of all his work. 

For me, this is what Type 2 is really about: the chance to hear from passionate, articulate, fired-up people who are out there making a difference and calling it out for what it is. 

We recorded this one at the Wave in Bristol after a really fun surf (it won’t surprise you to hear that Adam rips, by the way); and all-in-all it was a great day capped off by a brilliant, thought-provoking conversation with somebody who wears his principles on this sleeve and is out there making it happen in every way he can. 


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.

Type 2: Episode 024 - Adam Hall

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

My guest this week is Tim Myers, an award-winning and renowned cameraman, cinematographer, journalist and storyteller who has carved out an extremely interesting career for himself telling human interest stories as a freelance gun for hire for people like the BBC, CNN and the UN. 

There’s a chance you might unwittingly be familiar with Tim and his work - he achieved some internet notoriety a couple of years ago when he was attacked by riot police live on air while filming the June 2020 Washington riots for Australia network Channel 7. 

The story of Tim’s route into this world via his upbringing on an Australian ski resort is a fascinating one. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Tim for a few days while we were in Hossegor, and recognised almost immediately there I was dealing with a total legend; somebody with combines a steely sangfroid with a curiosity about the world, and who has an ease about him that makes people feel comfortable straightaway. 

I really enjoyed this episode - Tim has plenty of lessons to impart from a life and career lived at a hungry, breakneck pace. I enjoyed our conversation and learned a lot - hope you do too. 

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, to Duncan Yeldham for production support, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 187: Tim Myers - Human Interest

Full episode and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

Episode 2 of my Hossegor omnibus in association with Db! And my guest for this instalment is Christa Funk, a swimmer, surfer, coastguard and photographer who has very quickly established herself as one of the most creative and formidable photographers on the North Shore, capturing that none-more-heavy scene with a beguiling blend of dynamism, grace and beauty.

She’s also got a hell of a story about how she made this happen. As regular listeners to the show will have learned from listening to my guests over the years, there’s no set route into the industry.

Anyone who ‘makes it’ (itself a very flawed concept) has to travel a long way, literally and metaphorically. And Christa’s story about how she ended up here, via an upbringing in Colorado, twin passions for swimming and photography, and a stint in the US Coastguard, is a pretty extraordinary and inspiring tale.

And it just underlines a fundamental truth. There are no perfect career paths. Just individuals trying to work it out, and make the best of the hand they’ve been dealt. My chat with Christa is an object lesson in how far you can travel with only your geeky, niche interests and self-determination to guide you.

I had such a laugh hanging out with and recording this conversation with Christa. Thanks for being such a good sport Christa! See ya on the North Shore sometime.

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, to Duncan Yeldham for production support, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 188: Christa Funk - Wave of Acceptance

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com

For episode 012 I welcomed Finisterre founder Tom Kay to the show. 

A surfer, swimmer, fisherman, lifeboatman, father and entrepreneur, Tom founded Finisterre in 2002 and in that time has overseen the brand's evolution from bedroom start-up to the UK’s most beloved surf brand with a staff of 50 and a workshop overlooking the cliffs of Saint Agnes in Cornwall. 

Tom and I spent the day in Brighton, and after a brisk sea swim we sat down on pebble-strewn Brighton beach, where we grabbed a shandy and spent an hour or so discussing his life and career, and digging right into the story of how he built this most influential of British surf brands. 

Thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk) for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune.

Episode 012: Tom Kay - How I Built Finisterre

Full episode info and Show Notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com

My guest for episode 031 of the Looking Sideways podcast is truly one of the unsung heroes of the UK action sports community: Tim Leighton-Boyce. 

Between 1985 and 1993 Tim was the main driving force behind the legendary R.A.D magazine, the much-loved UK skateboarding magazine that did so much to support UK skateboarding and skate culture during a critical time in the scene’s development on these shores. 

During its heyday, R.A.D was a window onto a world that at the time was a genuine subculture, and it’s really impossible to overstate its importance to a generation of UK board-riders. You can see this from the popularity of the readanddestroy Instagram account which is doing a brilliant job of shining a light on this specific moment in skateboarding history. 

When I started the podcast, TLB was one of the first name on the list so I was stoked to head up to London to interview him about these years, and pay homage to a man who had such an influence on myself and countless others. 

I recorded this one at Dan Adam’s studio in East London in November 2017, and its a really homely occasional three-way chat with Tim, a modest, self-effacing man who happens to be a complete visionary and one of the most influential figures in UK skateboarding; and Dan Adams, ex-R.A.D. designer and the man behind the readanddestroy Instagram account. 

As usual, thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk) for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune.

Episode 031: Tim Leighton-Boyce - Read and Destroy

Full episode info and Show Notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com

For episode 034 I welcomed one of snowboarding’s most creative and influential characters onto the show - David Benedek, who for a decade bestrode the global snowboarding scene like a veritable colossus. 

Think of any significant cultural snowboarding development from 1999 to 2008 and chances are Benedek was involved. From the moment he burst onto the scene with a podium at the 1999 Air and Style, his career was one long list of significant milestones, from that classic trio of Robot Film movies, to his ground-breaking double corks, with plenty more in-between.

And then, seemingly at the top of his game. Benedek made the Cantona-esque decision to retire so he could concentrate on his creative ambitions. Since then he has produced the book project Current State, headed to film school, and today makes a living as a renowned and award-winning creative and designer. 

At the end of January 2018 I headed to Munich to catch up with David and have a brilliantly wide-ranging conversation about his snowboarding past and creative present. 

Such a great chat this, with a fascinating, erudite and compelling thinker. Myself and David had a great time catching up and discussing his life and career, and I hope this comes across in the episode. Thanks for coming on the show David, love your work! 

As usual, thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk) for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune.

Episode 034: David Benedek - The Great Connector

Full episode info and Show Notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com

Now this one has been a long time coming. I get a lot of requests to feature specific guests from listeners to the show, and one name has been coming up consistently since I started: Neil McNab. 

Why? Because among the European and global snowboarding community, Neil McNab is a legend, respected as a rider and above all somebody who has always trodden his own path. 

From the early days bashing gates as a racer, to the progressive decision to set up his freeride-focussed company McNab Snowboarding back in the mid 90s, Neil McNab has always been a visionary, shaping his lifestyle to enable him to concentrate on what has really been his life’s work - a dedicated quest in pursuit of the purity of the turn. 

And in a way there’s another theme at work on Neil’s story - how your relationship to action sports and the pursuits you love changes as you get older. And about how, if you’re lucky, that relationship will deepen and mature with each passing season. 

As you will hear, Neil seems to have it figured out. It is why he’s such an inspiration to so many people, and why he’s my guest for episode 060. 

Thanks as ever to Matt Ward for the theme tune.

Episode 060: Neil McNab - The Purity of the Turn

Full episode info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

I 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.

Episode 081: Nick Hamilton - The Golden Cage

Full episode info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com

I’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.

Episode 088: Rip Zinger - Rip's World

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

Coffee x snowboarding special! 

Yep, for this episode I headed to Heart Roasters to speak to the great Wille Yli-Luoma. Back in the late 90s and early 00s, Wille was one of the most progressive snowboarders in the world. And, as a member of the celebrated Forum 8, he was a member of the one of the heaviest and most progressive teams in snowboarding history. Go and watch The Resistance to get some measure of how they defined freestyle snowboarding for a generation. 

Wille was a key part of that team and for a decade bestrode the snowboarding world like the backcountry freestyle colossus he was. As his career wound down, he turned his attention to a new venture, and set about establishing Heart Roasters - despite having zero experience in the coffee industry.  

Today, Heart is a Portland institution, and Wille’s rapidly expanding wholesale business means it is about to go global. 

So many layers to this conversation. Sure, it’s about coffee - geekily so. But it’s also about the choices an athlete has to make a critical point in their career, and how the same tools that worked in one area of life can also serve you just as well in other areas. 

As inspiring off the hill as he was on it at the height of his career, this is a brilliant, all encompassing conversation with a true snowboarding legend. 

The coffee wasn’t bad either....

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 109: Wille Yli-Luoma - Heart to Heart

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

It’s the final episode from my Portland series, recorded during a breakneck week spent exploring the City of Roses with my various guests. And this episode, recorded with my very old friend Jonathan Weaver, is a fitting departure from the usual format. 

That’s because we recorded this episode during a very pleasant and leisurely drive around the Oregon coastline. I rode shotgun, grabbed the mics and spent an extremely enjoyable day riding around, checking the surf and having what is even for me a properly meandering conversation. 

And what a perfect format it was for exploring Jon’s inspirational and circuitous career through the industry. I actually gave Jon his first gig as a writer way back when I helped to run Whitelines, and he’s sure come a long, long way since then; ticking off stints as a snowboarder, team manager, and general industry mover and shaker at brands like Forum and Nike as his career has flourished. 

Listeners often ask how you begin get a career in the action sports industry, and this episode is a very good place to start. 

Above all, it’s the story of a brilliant life in snowboarding and beyond, powdered by passion and curiosity. I’m very proud to call Jon a close friend, and even more stoked to have him on the show for the episode. Hope you enjoy it. 

HUGE thanks to Travel Portland, Kex Portland, Hertz and Black Diamond PR for their help in pulling this entire trip together.

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 110: Jonathan Weaver - Jack To A King

Full episodes info and Show Notes - www.wearelookingsideways.com 

It can be funny how these episodes come together sometimes. You can spend months trying to arrange a meeting. Or you can randomly bump into somebody at the top of a backcountry run off the back of Niseko Annapurri, as happened with me and Lena in this case. 

It was the type of welcome coincidence that has characterised my friendship with Lena Stoffel over the last few months. So after our day in the backcountry, we arranged to sit down in Niseko the next day to record this episode. 

I was keen to speak to her about her life and career as a skier, snowboarder, surfer, photographer and film-maker. Like all pro athletes in this world, Lena is a traveller, and I admire the way she’s putting herself out there with her recent projects. It takes a certain of amount of creative courage to think beyond the usual trick porn and attempt to explore the cultural hinterlands of skiing, surfing and snowboarding, as Lena is. 

Her approach is now winning renown beyond the narrow horizons of our own little world. As you’ll hear, Lena is extremely humble, but as is so often the case, there’s a drive and creative ambition at work that is leading her onwards to ever more intriguing projects.

I really enjoyed this one, recorded on a lovely, snowy, calm afternoon in Niseko. Hope you do too. 

Thanks to Matt Ward for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.

Episode 111: Lena Stoffel - Solar Voyager

The importance of creative confidence has been a constant theme since I began the podcast in February 2017. Think of my conversations with Nick Jenson, Mickey Smith or Sachi Cunningham, to name just three where this topic has loomed large. 

From those conversations we learned that this bravery is required if you’re going to stick to your creative guns. 

We also learned that it is equally essential if you’re going to understand a crucial lesson: that the process of creating is the point, not some nebulous thought of ‘success’ or acceptance. 

And it is also critical if you’re going to accept and be comfortable with your own place in the artistic eco-system - and give yourself permission to enjoy the act of creativity in the long term

These are lessons CJ Mirra knows well, and are partly why he’s been able to develop such a singular and intriguing musical aesthetic. He’s best known for his collaborations with director and previous guest Chris McClean; notably Translate, their ‘pan-European surf odyssey / live / audio / visual experiment’ which they performed live for the first time at the 2019 London Surf Film Festival. 

But as I discovered when I went to visit him at his Leyton studio in February 2020, there’s much more to CJ than this. 

I very much enjoyed our chat about all things creative and musical, and I hope you do too.

Episode 113: CJ Mirra - Buried Melodies

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 Alex Yoder, a snowboarder who is known for one of the best turns in the business and the series of thoughtful films he’s made in recent years about snowboarding in Turkey and Scotland. 

It was third time lucky for me and Alex - we had abortive attempts to record this episode in Portland and Niseko before finally jumping on Zoom to take care of it in time-honoured 2020 fashion. The timing was actually great, because Alex has just launched a new venture called Overview Coffee, an ethical take on coffee distribution. 

Overview sources its coffee from farms that prioritise environmental stewardship and is founded upon the principles of regenerative organic agriculture. For it’s proponents, regenerative organic agriculture offers an ethical vision for agriculture based upon a long-term approach to soil health, and a commitment to community and environmental sustainability; all of which which will become increasingly crucial if we’re to solve the many environmental issues we’re currently facing. 

That’s the thinking behind Overview, which for Alex is a kind of soft-power, pragmatic take on environmental activism - designed to educate people and encourage them to help create change with the consumer choices they make each week, which in the society we live in is still how most of actually get to exercise any influence or power.

As you’ll expect if you’re a regular listener to Type 2, we also discussed Alex’s own story, including his passion for telling stories that sit outside the usual snowboard mainstream. The result is a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation that provides plenty of food for thought on different forms of activism, and how we have more opportunities to create change than we might think. 

My thanks to Alex for a great chat - hope you enjoy this one. 

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.

TYPE 2: Episode 012 - Alex Yoder

Presented by Matt Barr, Looking Sideways is a podcast about the best stories in skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and other related endeavours.

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