Looking Sideways Vol. 1
Looking Sideways Vol 1. is the first book by podcaster and journalist Matt Barr and photographer Owen Tozer, and a companion piece to the wildly-popular action sports- themed podcast of the same name.
California and action sports culture have helped shape the direction of authors Matt and Owen’s lives for over 20 years. The pair have spent their professional lives documenting and representing the culture of action sports as truthfully and meaningfully as possible. That mission is at the heart of Looking Sideways Vol. 1.
The book chronicles the pair’s three-week long pilgrimage to California, a trip which saw them journey from Ventura to San Diego in an attempt to understand how Californian board sports culture has shaped the world, and how this culture continues to inform the global perspective of California today.
The trip saw Matt and Owen meet and interview the people who have defined and shaped modern surfing, skating and snowboarding: from traditionally venerated alphas like surfer Herbie Fletcher and skater Jamie Thomas, to trailblazers such as LGBT surf icon Cori Schumacher and glass-ceiling smashing skateboarder Cara-Beth Burnside.
Beautifully brought to life throughout by Tozer’s unique photography and embellished by the wisdom of the interviewees and friends they encountered along the way, Looking Sideways Vol. 1 is a record of this journey, a homage to an influential culture in flux, and a lovingly- compiled tribute to the state that continues to define the global board-riding conversation.
INTERVIEWEES
Jamie Brisick, Cara-Beth Burnside, Chris Cote, Herbie Fletcher, Nick Hamilton, Colin Kennedy, Taylor Knox, Greg Long, Kevin Naughton, Craig Peterson, Cori Schumacher, Jamie Thomas, Circe Wallace, Rip Zinger.
CONTRIBUTORS
Jamie Brisick, Chris Cote, Annie Fast, Dibi Fletcher, Lauren Hill, Jeff Johnson, Ed Leigh, Ben Powell, Rob Machado, Keith Malloy, Ben Mondy, Craig Peterson, Todd Richards, Jen Sherowski, Chas Smith, Demi Taylor, Circe Wallace.
ABOUT MATT BARR
Matt Barr has been involved in the world of action sports for almost three decades. A former editor of Whitelines Snowboard Magazine, he is the co-founder of All Conditions Media, and still writes about action sports for titles around the world. In 2017, he launched the Looking Sideways podcast, drawing on his extensive contact book, love of travel and insatiable curiosity to tell the stories of the characters who shape these evolving cultures. Over 150 episodes later, the journey continues.
ABOUT OWEN TOZER
Artist, photographer, designer, director - whatever the medium, Owen Tozer’s work
is instantly recognisable. His approach is instinctive, honest and open-minded. His photographic work on Looking Sideways Vol. 1 was shaped by the specifics of the trip itself: “...moments snatched in between interviews, or from the odd free morning or evening along the way, spontaneous and unplanned.”