Huck 44 - Tommy Guerrero
- Text by Andrea Kurland
- Illustrations by Timba Smits
In Huck 44, we head to San Francisco to jam with Tommy Guerrero – original Bones Brigade skateboarder and master of ambient grooves – as he prepares to roll out his atmospheric new album No Mans Land on his first European tour. A defining character in California’s rich skate history, Tommy is still contributing to the culture as an artist, solo musician and head honcho at DLX Distribution, home to forever-legit skate companies like Krooked, Anti-Hero and Real. Between the day job and the jam sessions, he’s a busy dude. But he’s still got time for a quick call from Dave Carnie – Jackass co-creator and self-proclaimed snoot – who seems intent on taking Tommy on an existentialist ride to talk ‘fake busy’, ‘global bullshit’ and the meaning of life.
Elsewhere this issue, we meet culture-shapers of all kinds:
Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reveals the danger of one-sided stories as her multi-layered novel Half of a Yellow Sun – which zones in on the human details of chaos and war – springs to life on screen.
Indie filmmaker and music video innovator Vincent Moon turns his back on big-name bands to collaborate with unknown musicians in far-flung corners of the globe.
Post-hip hop punks Ratking push New York City beats to a new experimental place.
Professional doodler Jon Burgerman tells the art world to lighten up.
Dalston-born photographer Dennis Morris reveals the stories behind the stills, from chilled times with Bob Marley to TV-smashing rampages with Sid Vicious and co.
This Is DIY – our ongoing celebration of independent culture – rolls on with inspiring stories of self-determination, from the township surfers of South Africa’s Waves for Change to one-woman publishing machine Juliet Elliot, who’s carving a credible niche for active women with the ever-progressive Coven magazine.
Laura Jane Grace, the face of socially minded punk band Against Me!, talks openly about the personal transformation that gave rise to the deeply honest new record Transgender. Dysphoria. Blues.
The Working Artisan’s Club is back! Ahead of exhibitions in Germany and London, we meet custom shaper Paul Reisberg of Arbo Surfboards, who’s turning education into a meaningful experience by passing on the skills and secrets of his craft.
Plus:
Activism Now – The New Breed Online: From Brazil’s MidiaNinja to Argentina’s Internet Party, meet the real-world agitators getting radical online.
Our Ukraine: Real people, real perspectives from the streets of Kiev.
Homegrown Santiago: Meet the record labels, shop owners and entrepreneurs that are funnelling Santi’s energy into progressive homegrown brands.
Bay Area Blood: Get re-acquainted with the real San Francisco through the people who know her best – featuring artist and boutique-owner Serena Mitnik-Miller, illustrator Justin Hager, artisan Aleksandra See, Maker Mart founder Erik Katz and Mollusk Surf Shop’s John McCambridge.
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Huck 44 is out May 8, 2014. Get it now or subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue this year.
Watch Huck’s Tommy Guerrero film, courtesy of Levi’s Skateboarding Collection, for an exclusive backstage pass to the No Mans Land European Tour.
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