Please check out our short interview with shaper MAYHEM!
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…LOST Surfboards
Shaper: Matt Mayhem Bioros
Year I started shaping: 1987
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What is your shaping philosophy?
"Don't ask them what they want, tell them what they'll want next," Steve Jobs said. "I think it doesn't matter what level a surfer is at; all surfers need a board that allows them to paddle efficiently so they can line up out to sea, catch waves easily, gain speed, and use that speed to control their turns." I try to offer a wide selection of board models and designs so that everyone, from beginners to pros, can find something that suits them and will improve their surfing level and experience.
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Who has had the greatest influence on your shaping life?
Punk rock. The first time I saw or heard a punk band play at a house party, I knew I couldn't swallow what the mainstream media was trying to force on us. We rose up and created our own world, wrote and recorded our own music, made our own art, made our own toys (surf, skate, snowboard, everything I made in high school), printed our own t-shirts and sold them, made and published our own photocopied magazine, and so much more. The punk rock mantra of doing it all ourselves struck me as a teenager, so I started my own company, my dream, with just $500 in capital.
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What do others think of your expertise?
I'm not an inexperienced shaper, and I can always hear them chattering away as they simply mark things and make things, but I'm actually quite confident in my hand shaping skills.
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How do you think about your expertise (skills)?
I'm an expert when it comes to balancing my design direction, from pro surfers to friends. I spend as much time developing models for the average everyday surfer as I do developing progressive boards for the pros. I've become quite adept at packing my shaping gear into a cardboard box and getting on a plane. I feel confident shaping anytime, anywhere, in any country, under any challenging conditions.
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[What are the characteristics of the boards you make?]
There are a lot. I mainly try to keep it fun. We don't sit and wait for the next trend to come along, we charge ahead. We chart our own path in design and brand direction. We are always early on in surrounding new technologies and pursue them with impartiality.
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How do trestles affect shape?
Having Trastels behind our house here in San Clemente is a great opportunity for me. It's great to be able to test and fine-tune my designs in consistent waves like the test course. This allows me to create fast boards with a focus on smooth flow when entering and exiting turns. It's also great that the world's top surfers all pass through here every year, and I get to build boards for some of them and give them feedback.
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What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your shaping career?
Life is short and precious. No one knows when it will end (we pray for Andy's soul). Focus on your friends and family, not on sacrificing yourself. I believe that if I keep surfing and designing, good things will happen.
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Thank you everyone for reading the 24'S blog this year!
In 2011, we will continue to respond to your feedback and update the site every day, so please keep coming back!
Well, everyone, have a happy new year!
Luvsurf representative Koji Nishii.
