I Started Snowboarding When It Was Becoming More Skate-In- Fluenced, and That’S the Route I Took

audiovisual INTERVIEWED If You Don’t Know, Now You Know: DILLON Ojo By Paul Gonzalez

As a black anglophone from Quebec, Dillon is unique within the snowboard world. The likeable come-up is barely 18 years of age and his rail riding is on par with the best of the best. With a growing U.S. presence, solid sponsor support and the footage and pho- tos to back it all up, it’s safe to say we haven’t come close to seeing what Dillon is capable of.

“I started snowboarding when it was becoming more skate-influenced, and that’s the route I took. All the guys I ride with are all like that, and they’re older than me, so I followed them and that’s how I got my style.”

Tell me a bit about what went on this season. The season up finishing in four. You and your crew seem to be leading was good. I took the winter off of school to focus on filming the way as the next generation of riders out of Quebec. for Nowamean; the movie this year is called Bangarang. I What’s the scene like for people trying to come up there? filmed with them mostly, and was able to get some shots in In Quebec, everything is based around urban rail riding, at the end of the season with the guys from KTC (Keep The and Quebec is one of the main places for people to come Change), so I’ll have a few shots with them. Where in Que- to ride rails. For most of the riders out of here, if you want to bec are you from? I noticed right away you don’t have an get noticed, it’s for your rail riding. It’s hard compared to the accent at all. I’m from Montreal. English is my first language; States, where the industry is a lot bigger or better known. I have been talking fluid French for maybe four years now. It seems like one of the plus sides of being a rail rider in I learned just from hanging with the Bruners Crew. They Quebec is the fact that it’s such a hot spot for urban rid- taught me everything from my French to my riding. I used ing. You have the chance to show different crews around, to speak a bit, but they taught me everything. My French and in return, they get to see your riding in person. Yeah, isn’t really clean French, it’s more slang and stuff. But I can that totally helps a lot. Once you can get your name out into talk to French people, and if I don’t tell them I’m English, the industry in the States, that’s pretty much the key—just they don’t even know. Tell me about the Bruners Crew. I to get into the States. Quebec has a way smaller scene than met all the Bruners guys when I was 14 at our local hill. It’s a lot of places. In Quebec, our hills and parks are a lot shit- me, Julian [Choiniere], Axel [Theoret], Oliver [Beliveau], LP tier than in the States. That’s pretty much the main reason [Dorval], Nathan [Mailhot] and Alex [Gogo], and it’s the local why everyone is out in the streets and using the spots and crew from Mont St-Bruno [Quebec]. Last year, we gave our- snow we have to our advantage. What was it like work- selves the name Bruners and started dropping little videos ing with the KTC crew? That was really cool. Usually, I’m to show people our local mountain and what we do and filming with guys out of Quebec, so it was cool to be able stuff. It’s pretty much my best friends, and we just have fun to meet up with them and show them around when they with it. Is that crew a lot of the same dudes you film with? came out here. I found it really cool to film with guys out of Alex, LP and Axel are with the Nowamean crew. But the rest the U.S.; it’s a different vibe and something new, so I really of the guys, when we’re not snowboarding, we spend a lot enjoyed that. Speaking of getting your name out in the of time together—they are my best homies. When you said U.S., it seems like you have been involved in a lot of the you took the year off school, did you mean high school or ThirtyTwo Spot Check videos. This year, I spent more time university? In Quebec, when you turn 17, you go to college. in the States, and ThirtyTwo invited me to come out and film It was my first year, but I took the winter off to concentrate for their Spot Check series at Loon, Hunter and Sugarbush. Ren Rob photo on snowboarding. Usually, I just go to fall semester and take That was really cool because you get to meet the other the winters off; so instead of finishing in two years, I’ll end riders who are on a higher program with the company. »

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Along those same lines, I saw the video that old pro Rus- a big part now that everyone is trying to find new ways to hit sell Winfield put out recently from Superpark called The rails. Style, for me, is one of the key parts of snowboarding. Blackout. Did you know he was going to edit it together like A trick always looks better with style, so what I try to do with that? I was just shredding, and one of the guys I know hit me my snowboarding is make it look stylish and to have a more up and said Russell wanted to put together an edit of all the skate-influenced style of riding. Now, with snowboarding, it’s black guys out at Superpark, and that he wanted me to have actually taking that route with skate-influenced spots and some shots. I found it super cool, and it’s pretty funny since fish-eyes and stuff. It’s almost more exciting when you see there aren’t that many black guys snowboarding. It was really someone hit a spot out of the ordinary instead of just maybe cool to meet Russell; he’s someone I have looked up to, and gapping farther onto a rail. That’s, I guess, the two different his riding is still so good. When you’re snowboarding, you kinds of snowboarding. There are the guys who go huge, and take a creative approach to the spots you hit and your trick then you have the guys who don’t go as huge but it looks re- selection. How important is it for you to snowboard cre- ally cool because of their style. I think a lot of people would atively and look at spots in your own way? Creativity plays rather see that. But it’s just a different type of snowboarding.»

Front Board. Boston, MA. Demers photo

Nosepress Wallride. Ottawa, Ont. Damman photo

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50-50. Montreal, Que. Martin photo

“Russell [Winfield] wanted to put together an edit of all the black guys out at Superpark, and he wanted me to have some shots. I found it super cool, and it’s pretty funny since there aren’t that many black guys snowboarding.”

Yeah, definitely it’s exciting to see someone Triple Cork a when it was becoming more skate-influenced, and that’s the 150-foot jump. But maybe, to the average snowboarder, route I took. All the guys I ride with are all like that, and they’re watching someone ride uniquely and do stylish simple tricks older than me, so I followed them and that’s how I got my style. is more relatable. You can put style into a Triple Cork, but it Any shout outs? Mom, dad, Dave Birnie, P-e St-Amand, Alex depends on the person. And for some people, that’s what they Sirois, Sean Keating, Sean Traer, Charles Paquet, Brian Cook, would rather see. But, maybe in our case, we would rather Ralph Damman, Jeff Heit, Alex Auchu, Brandon Phillips, Guil- see a slower, poked-out spin or something. It’s just different laume Fournier, Frank Lapierre, Je Page, Rene Caza, Dave snowboarding, and you kind of need the guys doing the Triple Demers, Alexis Caron-Côté, Colton Feldman, Cole Martin, Corks to push the limits. I don’t see myself ever doing a Triple Phil Bernard, Ren Rob, Jo Menard, Dan Walfish, ThirtyTwo, Cork or even a Double, but it’s respectable. I guess that’s Stance, Dragon, LRG, Etnies, StepChild, G-Shock, Pop Head- where snowboarding is heading today. I started snowboarding wear fam, Union, Empire, Bruners Crew and anyone I forgot.

6 7 Hi-Fi(ve) “I go through ups and downs: boppy songs to slow songs, hip-hop to love songs. audiovisual I guess it’s just how I’m feeling on the day. But the one thing I love about music is you can always find something to lift your day and sing to in the car as loud as possible… where no one can hear my thick Aussie accent.” —Ryan Tiene

- Road-tripping Kings of Leon Mumford & Sons Lana Del Ray The XX Rihanna - Sorry for Partying TYGA The Sounds Daft Punk Justice Crystal Castles - Guilty Pleasures Adele Florence and the Machine Gotye Haim Whitney Houston - Golden Oldies Fleetwood Mac 2Pac Biggie Pat Benatar Nirvana - Heavy Rotation Silversun Pickups Icona Pop Rihanna Bob Dylan Silverchair

When Tiene eats shit, he lives out his favourite Adele track, “Rolling in the Deep.” This, however, wasn’t one of those times. Whistler backcountry, B.C. Adair photo

8 9 by Luke Fox audiovisual TONA Stuck in the Matrix

Atlanta preteen rap duo Kris Kross palm and plugging the future dream in our heads. He was Mor- somebody’s sound, but I think was discovered by mentor Jer- MC into a hip-hop matrix from pheus. He gave us all pills. Some it’s a compliment that some maine Dupri at a mall, and upon which he would never emerge. of us unplugged; I stuck with it.” people couldn’t separate my the release of their first single, “We started performing, but With puberty came a stronger music from their wavelength.” 1992’s “Jump,” the backwards- it wasn’t us writing the rhymes,” drive to hone his craft and a Having earned respect pants-wearing kids struck gold. Tona says between sips of a Long deepened voice. The rapper for- locally, Tona wants now to Scarborough, Ontario’s Tona, Island iced tea. “We were in a merly known as Daetona carved be heard in basements from too, was discovered by an older group called Young N.A.P.P.S., and a name for himself in the Toronto Amsterdam to Africa. With hip-hop mentor and ushered our mentor would write all our shit, battle and mixtapes circuits, a co-sign from M.O.P.’s Billy into a kiddie group. But when got us comfortable onstage. We and it became evident that his Danze, Tona has secured an P-Crucial—the GTA’s response to were performing at age nine, 10.” baritone breath control was meant American marketing and Dupri and a friend of Tona’s older All grown up and promot- to be flung into a microphone. distribution deal with Sony/RED brother—tapped a 10-year-old ing his best work yet, the “The name Tona comes from and will follow up Silverspring Tona to start rhyming alongside Silverspring Crescent LP with my distinctive tone of voice. with the more ambitious Carpe four other elementary kids, the producer Rich Kidd, Tona When I first started, it used to be Diem (tentative title) this fall. unmolded wordsmith wasn’t walk- laughs at the idea of being part super-low tone. I wasn’t projecting “Everyone is focused on ing around a food court wearing of the up-north Kris Kross. it well. Now I know how to find across the border, but I think his jeans switch; he was hanging “Exactly. But our shit was much a nice midtone, not too low or Europe could be a big market around Scarborough’s Chester Le more ’hood. We were much more too high, and I can throw it and for me. My challenge now is housing projects, making the best grimy,” he notes. “We’d be in the create moods by controlling it,” he bridging the gap between here of a subpar standard of living. basement for long days, rhyming explains. “I even heard somebody and there,” Tona says, excited Although he wouldn’t pen his for hours. [P-Crucial] would make say, ‘Why does Ludacris sound as a nine-year-old. “Germany, own rhymes until four years later, us close our eyes and had us like Jay-Z on this song?’ And it Amsterdam, anywhere. Once the Tona credits the older P-Crucial envision being on Arsenio Hall. All was my song! It sounded like world tunes in, they’ll under- for placing the blue pill in his types of shit, bro. He really put the Luda and like Jay. I’m not imitating stand it’s universal music.”

10 11 by Tom Nugent audiovisual Generationals Heza Hits With the Majors

Nugent photo

Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer recording engineer and pro- drums, they went to their second “Polyvinyl ended up being are the members and collab- ducer, helps develop their work home, Dan Black’s Washington the perfect fit. They’ve had orative team behind the New in the studio alongside them. studio, to track everything else a big impact on our trajec- Orleans band Generationals. “If there’s an outside voice, with the exception of vocals. tory. We’re lucky—we feel Their music is made up of bright it’s definitely Dan; he’s like the “We’re so familiar with him good about them,” he says. and catchy hooks that hold third one of us. He’s known us and his wife and his little boy With their new partnership hands with a series of honest forever, and we’ve worked on that we’re like family. When and the organic growth of expo- and patient lyrics that don’t half a dozen projects with him we’re there, we can have our sure the band has already been always serve as a literal story between this band and our own room and have dinner receiving, Widmer says their or message but are more so previous band,” says Widmer. with him every night. It’s a most recent North American treated as an additional instru- In the past, they’ve recorded very comfortable situation for tour has been going off. “This ment, lending to the feel of the Generationals material exclusive- us,” Widmer adds, “it’s a very particular leg of this tour has songs rather than becoming ly with Black at his home studio nurturing album-making zone.” been the best we ever had,” the focus. The group has been in Washington, D.C., but for the With Heza finished, the band he says. “The biggest and best making noise since 2009 and most recent release, they took went shopping for a new label turnouts, the best concerts, best recently released their third a different approach. After hav- to release the LP, and ended up crews, the best set... so we’re full-length album, Heza. ing a long-lasting appreciation signing with Polyvinyl Records. definitely at a peak right now. Joyner and Widmer’s writing for [Spoon drummer] Jim Eno’s This is a first for the group— We’re just feeling good and process has always been an ex- studio in Austin, TX, the band working with a major label with ready to start recording more clusive undertaking between the decided to record their drum international reach—and it’s stuff later this year and into next two, but Dan Black, the group’s tracks there. After completing proven to be a positive move. year, so onward and upward.”

12 13 by Evan Sue-Ping audiovisual METZ 10,000 kMz

Forsythe photo

The loudest sound ever record- Considering the band has Having played many shows with and the writing that went into ed by man was the explosion of played over 200 shows in the other label stalwarts such as the album,” pleads Edkins. “We Krakatoa in 1883. Weighing in at eight months since their self- Mudhoney and Obits, they were try to play the songs the best 180 dB, the intense sound was titled debut was released by ven- encouraged to send in a demo of way we can and really work on 60 times louder than a human’s erable indie label Sub Pop, one some of the tracks off the album. the precision. Recording is a real pain threshold. Rumour has it would have to think they love “They were really into it but challenge. It’s something we love, the vibration it produced could doing it; a correct assumption, as wanted to hear the album once and we put a lot of work into it.” quite literally shake you apart. Edkins and crew have not tired in it was done,” says Edkins. After The tour for the album will take While the sound waves their endless pursuit of the road. we sent it, they took about a the band into the fall, after which moved live by Toronto’s Metz “We keep going to new cities month to say they wanted to they plan to start working on the are certainly nowhere near as in Europe and the States,” he go for it. It’s strange in this day follow-up. Momentum continues lethal, I would describe them says. “People are showing up and age because they signed to grow, as has the inevitable as “deadly.” A concoction of and having a good time. They’re us strictly on the album.” hype. Pitchfork called their set fuzz, dissonance and sweat- even recognizing the songs. No question, there are at this year’s South By South- drenched aggression, Metz It’s a great feeling and not one significant hooks within the west “the show of the festival.” exude the kind of energy that we ever really expected.” chaos of album tracks, like “Wet “We try to block stuff like that will take you off-guard, maybe However, it wasn’t their Blanket” and “Headache.” They out,” says Edkins when asked even knock you off your feet. much-talked-about live show may not be overtly obvious about the so-called sophomore jinx. “Playing live is a release,” that originally caught the ear as, say, in a Weezer song, but “We can’t write to a perceived audi- explains guitarist/vocalist of Sub Pop. In fact, the label listen closely—they are there. ence or the music will suffer. We’re Alex Edkins. “An easy and had yet to see them live before “I hope people hear the just gonna do what we’ve always fun thing for us to do.” the ink dried on their contract. music, the song arrangements done: make music for the love of it.”

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El-P & Killer Mike Bass Drum of Death Crosss Run the Jewels Bass Drum of Death Obsidian Spectre (Fool’s Gold) (Innovative Leisure) (Telephone Explosion) WWWWKv WWWww WWWWw

For fans of: Company Flow, For fans of: Wavves, Ty Segall For fans of: Ween, early Pink Floyd OutKast, Public Enemy Top track: ”Shattered Me” Top track: “Lucky Loki” Top track: “Get It” In 2011, I championed Bass Drum When I was eight, my brother played Life’s best when things are free, and of Death’s GB City above all of that me Pink Floyd’s “Lucifer Sam,” and that now includes the El-P and Killer year’s garage-rock-inspired records. I remember thinking how weird it Mike’s Run the Jewels. Downloadable Their songs were catchier, which I was. As with any impressionable for the cost of an e-mail address, the thought boded well for the group’s kid though, it stuck and I ended super duo’s joint follow-up to two of longevity. I guess I was wrong. Since up singing it non-stop. I wonder if 2012’s best rap records—El-Producto’s that time, John Barrett’s partner-in- anybody is playing Obsidian Spectre Cancer for Cure and Mike’s R.A.P. crime, drummer Colin Sneed, left the for their younger brother? What will Music—reunites the pair’s poisonous- band and subsequently, Barrett left the future hold for said kid? Will they dart wordplay and two fistfuls of burgeoning indie Fat Possum. This end up making weirdo, freak-out El-P’s frenzied beats. The 10-track record finds Barrett going it alone, music like this Halifax band? Sound- sledgehammer of noise and metaphor as he did when he first started the ing like someone huffing helium over pummels you with precision; in Mike’s project in 2008. Sounding much a psychedelic freak-out, Crosss is words, it “moves with the elegance of more like his peer, Ty Segall, this bound to corrupt more than a few an African elephant.” Not only do Big record lacks the distinguishing young minds. Better that than letting Boi and Prince Paul pop by, but there’s punch he brought to the overplayed Bieber wrap his leather vest around a song called “A Christmas Fucking genre. Still, it is entertaining, just not your baby bro, right? —E.S.P. Miracle.” Wreck the halls. —Luke Fox as memorable. —Evan Sue-Ping

Now Then Bang’ a Rang, Nowamean Whiskey, The Movie and Whiskey Relative newcomer to the snow- 2, Boozy the Clown Productions board vid world, Nowamean, Before Jackass was even a pre- the crew headed by filmmaker mature pant stain there was the Jerome Page, is releasing Whiskey series, a booze-fueled its second full-length video gem of Canadian snowboard this fall, featuring a bunch of history. Here are a few selections up-and-comers from La Belle from Whiskey, The Movie and Province and beyond. Look for Whiskey 2, blended together it in stores and online this fall. like a nice strong rye and ginger—without the ginger. Find them on YouTube.

Dillon Ojo: Whiskey Intro: Bodega Bamz (Feat. A$AP Ferg), “Say Amen” Black Flag, “Six Pack”

Jo Truchon: Sean Kearns, Kevin Sansalone: Kim and the Cinders, “The Deer” SNFU, “Loser At Life/Loser At Death”

Sean Thomson and Cameron Hill: Alex Chalmers: French Montana (Feat Chief Keef), “Diamonds” Operation Ivy, “The Crowd”

Emile Veilleux: Sean Johnson: Lee Fields, “Wish You Were Here” Dead Kennedys, “Too Drunk to Fuck”

Russell Beardsley: by Scott Birke Guards (Feat. Cults), “Sail It Slow”

16 17 by Ashley Dier audiovisual Art Department Daniel CURTIS

The language of colour is universal, and for Daniel Curtis, it’s a language he’s been speaking since child- hood. A creative director and artist, Curtis creates art that gets people excited. By combining feel-good colours with eye-catching images, Curtis is able to pro- duce honest and relatable work. Appropriating tech- niques and methodologies made relevant by some of the greats (Rothko, Pollock, Warhol), Curtis’ art dances between abstract, pop art and sculptural. Curtis has been able to combine his passions of love and sport, and grabbed a spot in the Endeavor 2014 lineup with the High5 series board graphic. For Curtis, it’s simple; he’s here to make art that makes people happy.

Can you describe how art all be- art’s relationship with colour? gan for you? I remember seeing Colour is my favourite thing to outdoor motocross races when work with and gets my throttle I was a super little thanks to my up like nothing else. Creating cousin who raced in the circuit. new combinations is what I think The look of the bikes and all that about constantly, and getting the gear was incredible in the ’80s. perfect balance is a total blast. The excitement I got from that What holds the most power in as a kid still propels me to this your pieces, the objects or the day. What is your first art-fueled colour? The crashing together memory? Drawing a wild-looking of two styles that wouldn’t guy surfing on a shark when I normally be seen together is the was five—all fluorescent colours. key. I like to let go of the handle That drawing was the funnest and just let loose and see what idea I could think of; it felt rad kicks into gear. Letting loose to make it real on paper. I can and allowing natural accidents remember feeling electrified to happen, then building from when I finished. What is your that is the most rewarding. »

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“Dan is rad. His NEON NUDE solo show tour through Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary was a huge success—no surprise there. It was an easy decision to work on a board with Daniel. The result was a crazy, neon-infused mash-up of imagery that was all painted and cut by hand. I’m hyped to have Daniel as part of our Endeavor family of designers and artists.” —Max Jenke, Endeavor Design Inc.

Why is it important to you to hood memories, mixed with dirt have your work on snowboards? bikes, satanic images, cannibals, Snowboarding has been a part pineapples, nudes and other fun of my life since I was little. Ever stuff. I got above them Jack- since my cousin handed me son Pollock-style and let loose down a giant fluorescent Kemper with the paint while painting to shirt, I was hooked. The game music. So much fun to just let go called Ski or Die was an obses- and see what happens—creation sion of mine when I was, like, destruction-style. Tell us about seven years old. Snowboard- your traveling show, NEON ing, at the time (early ’90s), was NUDE. The NEON NUDE tour pretty radical and rebellious, was one of the funnest and most like, ‘Fuck skiing. We’ve got satisfying things I’ve been fortu- mohawks and smoke cigarettes nate to do. I toured it to Vancou- when we rip down the hill!’ I try ver, Victoria, then my hometown to tap into that era when I’m in Calgary. It was a dream come working on snowboards. Such true. I gave out packs of these ri- an innocent and comedic time in diculous ’80s XXX playing cards snowboarding. Anything went, at each city. That was a riot. The as long as it was creative, neon ideas all came from visiting my and out-there. What is the story folks and grandparents in this behind the 2014 board you little town called Strome. That’s designed with Endeavor? The my roots. And embracing where Endeavor High5 series was a I’m from made it so rewarding bundle of fun to create. I avoided and natural. What does being computers as much as possible an artist and creative direct- to make it handmade and raw. ing mean to you? Creative I researched all my favourite direction is helping people things at the time, put them out make things look rad so we can on pop colours of paper, then all enjoy our days more. Milton ripped them all to shreds and Glaser [graphic designer] said it rebuilt them; lots of goofy child- best: “To inform and delight.”

20 21 audiovisual Dropping Next FALL 2013

DC feasts on France

2014 Outerwear Guide / No bindings, no problems / Ben Bilocq

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editor Director of Scott Birke Production and design Evan Sue-Ping PHOTO EDITOR John Scarth PRODUCTION Manager Michael Moore x243 managing Editor Jesse Fox ProductioN DESIGN Mike Fraser Art Director Jeff Middleton SBC Group Publisher Steve Jarrett DESIGNER Stevie Visser Advertising Director Matt Aiken Senior Copy Editor Kate Rutledge Advertising Sales Jamie Reekie, Kevin Page Senior PHOTOGRAPHERS Jussi Grznar, Jeff Patterson RETAIL ACCOUNT Manager Rob Scruton Contributing PhotographerS Colin Adair, Geoff Andruik, Ashley Barker, Blotto, Phil Bernard, Circulation And Chad Chomlack, Oli Croteau, Ralph Damman, Dave Demers, Promotions DIRECTOR Connor Dudgeon, Dom Gauthier, Ben Girardi, Mike Helfrich, Mike Hartman Erin Hogue, Dan Hudson, Cameron Hunter, Adam Levitt, Justin L’heureux, RenRob, Yann Roy, Cole Taylor, Circulation And Scott Serfas, Matt Stetson Promotions MANAGER Christina Raymond Contributing Writers Sasha Barkans, Ashley Dier, Luke Fox, Sasha Goldstein, Circulation ASSISTANT Paul Gonzalez, Dan Hudson, Cameron Hunter, Natalie Langmann, Ilissa Maiatico David MacKinnon, Tom Nugent, Evan Sue-Ping, Robjn Taylor Controller Illustrator Brian Jarrett Ryan “Smolik” Helstern

Web video manager Nate Laverty

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