Benji Weatherley is the Mayor of San Diego

Benji_Tubesquare.jpg

BEST EVER: Benji Mutt. Anyone who lives and surfs in San Diego, or is planning to surf there one day, needs to know only one person: Benji Weatherly. He might not have the famous hair of a Rob Machado, or the trademarked cutback of a Taylor Knox, but he surfs just as well and is a hell of a lot funnier. And if surfing wasn't running so deep in his blood, a stand up routine could've made him as famous as Andrew Dice-Clay but without all the nasty language. Benji's no dog, either. He's one of the nicest, humblest guys around who, along with Slater and the rest of the Taylor Steele crew, kickstarted the Momentum Generation in the early 90s from his folks house on the North Shore—-and for that, we thank him. So if you don't know Benji, pull up a seat and get to know him. And after reading this, if you still don't know Benji, you'll never know Jack.

Interview by Skip Snead

Ghetto Juice: I remember first meeting you when your family had the house on the North Shore and everyone used to hang out there, and many would say
this was where the Momentum Generation gelled …. what are your memories of those days in the early 90s?

Benji: I was so young during those days living at pipeline, that I didn't even realize what was going on around me at the time. It was just recently that I realized the impact that those years had on the surf world. I feel very fortunate to be part of a crew of surfers that seem to be timeless.

GJ: You were one of the first freesurfers who was paid to surf and travel? Did you call it freesurfing back then, if not, how did you describe what you did for a living to others?
BW: I think that the Taylor Steele movies made freesurfing so prevalent, that by that point, everyone knew what it was and wanted to be a part of it.

GJ: What was it like to be part of the Momentum films of the 1990s?
BW: It was like being in a touring rock band on steroids with all of your best friends getting paid to travel around the world.. there are no words to describe the feeling. But luckily, we have the movies to bring us back.

GJ: Do you ever spend much time surfing in Orange County? What spots do you like surfing up here?
BW: I love Lowers, but my new favorite is State Beach in San Clemente— that place is epic. It's so close to the beach, it makes it easy for my fat
ass to get in and out. And it doesn't hurt that my best friend and father of my goddaughter, Kalani Robb, lives there too.

GJ: You got hooked up with Bud Light several years ago … how did that come about and are you still involved with Bud Light?
BW: Eight years ago, my friend Chris Conrad from IMG sports called me out of the blue and asked me if I wanted to be sponsored by Bud Light. I almost dropped the phone and started laughing, I thought I was being punked. When I realized he was serious, all I needed to say was, "I'm your guy."

GJ: And you still drink it to this day?
BW: Oh yeah, my fridge is stocked with Bud Light right now!

GJ: How has your life changed over the past 20 years, from the time you were a grom to being a full blown adult?
BW: It hasn't changed much. I still love to surf, golf, drink beer, and hang out with friends.

GJ: Your new company UNIV is blowin' up! How did you get involved with it and tell me as much as you can about the brand, about the people and your goals for the company as we head into summer 2014?
BW: I knew those guys for a while and I was getting back into shaping boards again in their shaping room, the UNIV Work Shop. The UNIV guys- Tim, James and Cory are all serious about surfing and making cool stuff. The brand started in 2007 and has made their own denim and products since day one as well as selling other cool, one-of-a-kind things. The product is a bit higher-end and their focus is mostly premium denim and trunks all produced out of Southern California. The goal moving forward is to expand on this, and grow their international business taking it to more shops all over the world. Now starting to sew some items in the Univ Work Shop as well… it's gonna be fun!

GJ: Now you're shaping boards for UNIV, have you always had an interest in shaping surfboards? When did you shape your first board and what do you love most about creating surfboards from scratch?
BW: When I was 14 living at Pipeline, my friend Conan (Hayes) and I built a shaping room under my house just because I wanted to try shaping a board. The first board I made was for Conan, and he took it to the world championships in France, and he got fourth. It's like a full-circle of life coming back around to me. I'm shaping boards for everyone from ripper groms, to pros like Dylan Graves and Damien Hobgood. I've been enjoying shaping boards because it has really brought out a creative side of me, and it's been super fun designing boards that look and ride like spaceships.

GJ: OK. You've traveled all over the world, what place has been your favorite?
BW: Bali will always be my favorite surf trip. It's like going home to paradise. I get to hang out with some of my best friends in the entire world, and that will never change. The food and culture is on the scale of New York City, and the waves are on the scale of Heaven. I love Bali.

GJ: Finally, what's the best thing about living in San Diego? What's something about San Diego most surfers from out of town might not know?
BW: The best thing about living in San Diego is the Barth Family. Something that most surfers might not know about San Diego, is that every girl in San Diego wears Lululemon. Everyday.

Photo: Benji Tube courtesy Dragon Alliance


Posted by: Ghetto JuiceGhetto Juice at: 02 Jun 2014 14:32




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BEST EVER: Benji Mutt. Anyone who lives and surfs in San Diego, or is planning to surf there one day, needs to know only one person: Benji Weatherly. He might not have the famous hair of a Rob Machado, or the trademarked cutback of a Taylor Knox, but he surfs just as well and is a hell of a lot funnier. And if surfing wasn't running so deep in his blood, a stand up routine could've made him as famous as Andrew Dice-Clay but without all the nasty language. Benji's no dog, either. He's one of the nicest, humblest guys around who, along with Slater and the rest of the Taylor Steele crew, kickstarted the Momentum Generation in the early 90s from his folks house on the North Shore—-and for that, we thank him. So if you don't know Benji, pull up a seat and get to know him. And after reading this, if you still don't know Benji, you'll never know Jack.

Interview by Skip Snead

Ghetto Juice: I remember first meeting you when your family had the house on the North Shore and everyone used to hang out there, and many would say
this was where the Momentum Generation gelled …. what are your memories of those days in the early 90s?

Benji: I was so young during those days living at pipeline, that I didn't even realize what was going on around me at the time. It was just recently that I realized the impact that those years had on the surf world. I feel very fortunate to be part of a crew of surfers that seem to be timeless.

GJ: You were one of the first freesurfers who was paid to surf and travel? Did you call it freesurfing back then, if not, how did you describe what you did for a living to others?
BW: I think that the Taylor Steele movies made freesurfing so prevalent, that by that point, everyone knew what it was and wanted to be a part of it.

GJ: What was it like to be part of the Momentum films of the 1990s?
BW: It was like being in a touring rock band on steroids with all of your best friends getting paid to travel around the world.. there are no words to describe the feeling. But luckily, we have the movies to bring us back.

GJ: Do you ever spend much time surfing in Orange County? What spots do you like surfing up here?
BW: I love Lowers, but my new favorite is State Beach in San Clemente— that place is epic. It's so close to the beach, it makes it easy for my fat
ass to get in and out. And it doesn't hurt that my best friend and father of my goddaughter, Kalani Robb, lives there too.

GJ: You got hooked up with Bud Light several years ago … how did that come about and are you still involved with Bud Light?
BW: Eight years ago, my friend Chris Conrad from IMG sports called me out of the blue and asked me if I wanted to be sponsored by Bud Light. I almost dropped the phone and started laughing, I thought I was being punked. When I realized he was serious, all I needed to say was, "I'm your guy."

GJ: And you still drink it to this day?
BW: Oh yeah, my fridge is stocked with Bud Light right now!

GJ: How has your life changed over the past 20 years, from the time you were a grom to being a full blown adult?
BW: It hasn't changed much. I still love to surf, golf, drink beer, and hang out with friends.

GJ: Your new company UNIV is blowin' up! How did you get involved with it and tell me as much as you can about the brand, about the people and your goals for the company as we head into summer 2014?
BW: I knew those guys for a while and I was getting back into shaping boards again in their shaping room, the UNIV Work Shop. The UNIV guys- Tim, James and Cory are all serious about surfing and making cool stuff. The brand started in 2007 and has made their own denim and products since day one as well as selling other cool, one-of-a-kind things. The product is a bit higher-end and their focus is mostly premium denim and trunks all produced out of Southern California. The goal moving forward is to expand on this, and grow their international business taking it to more shops all over the world. Now starting to sew some items in the Univ Work Shop as well… it's gonna be fun!

GJ: Now you're shaping boards for UNIV, have you always had an interest in shaping surfboards? When did you shape your first board and what do you love most about creating surfboards from scratch?
BW: When I was 14 living at Pipeline, my friend Conan (Hayes) and I built a shaping room under my house just because I wanted to try shaping a board. The first board I made was for Conan, and he took it to the world championships in France, and he got fourth. It's like a full-circle of life coming back around to me. I'm shaping boards for everyone from ripper groms, to pros like Dylan Graves and Damien Hobgood. I've been enjoying shaping boards because it has really brought out a creative side of me, and it's been super fun designing boards that look and ride like spaceships.

GJ: OK. You've traveled all over the world, what place has been your favorite?
BW: Bali will always be my favorite surf trip. It's like going home to paradise. I get to hang out with some of my best friends in the entire world, and that will never change. The food and culture is on the scale of New York City, and the waves are on the scale of Heaven. I love Bali.

GJ: Finally, what's the best thing about living in San Diego? What's something about San Diego most surfers from out of town might not know?
BW: The best thing about living in San Diego is the Barth Family. Something that most surfers might not know about San Diego, is that every girl in San Diego wears Lululemon. Everyday.

Photo: Benji Tube courtesy Dragon Alliance

Image Benji_Tubesquare.jpg