Surfing, Filmmaking, and the Chasing the Perfect Wave: An Interview with Matt Wessen, Founder of LA County Historical Society

On this episode of the "Can We Start Over?" podcast, hosts Britt and Lindsey interview Matt Wessen, a lifelong surfer, artist, photographer, and founder of the LA County Historical Society.

Matt shares his childhood experience near the beach and how it led to his love of surfing, eventually becoming his primary passion as a kid. He also talks about his journey into filmmaking and the lessons he learned along the way, including the value of creativity for creativity's sake and the importance of not chasing after fame or fortune. Matt discusses the addiction to surfing and how it can become elusive and seductive, leading to a wild search for the perfect wave. 

Listen for a unique perspective on the culture and community surrounding surfing and art in LA!

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Transcript

Britt: 0:15

Welcome back to the, can we start over podcast? My name is

Lindsey: 0:18

Brit. And I'm

Britt: 0:18

Lindsay. If this is your first time tuning in, we are a family of five who sold everything we own in Texas, traveled the world for eight months to find something new just to start over. And along the way, we talked to other people that have started over in whatever profound way that is in their lives. And

Lindsey: 0:36

we bring it all to you here on this podcast that you're listening to right now. We're glad you're here. Thank you. If you love this podcast, why not throw it a rating in a review in Apple Podcasts? It really helps us send an episode to a friend, connect with us on social media. At Instagram, we are CanWeStartOverPod. Check out our website, canwestartoverpodcast. com where we have merch, newsletter, sign up for our freebie that will teach you our three keys for keeping cool in 15 years of marriage and relationships and how we start over in our relationship all the time. And

Britt: 1:20

today we have a really great interview for you. It's Matt Wesson. He was one of the first people we met when we visited Ojai for the first time. Before we decided to move here, we had such a great time, met so many cool people, and he was at the top of the list. He is an L. A. native, multi generational family from L. A. He's a lifelong surfer, an artist, a photographer. He founded the L. A. County Historical Society, and he's awesome. And we brought him here for you to listen to. Yeah,

Lindsey: 1:49

that's a great conversation. Let's just get into it. Let's do it. Do you surf every day? No.

Matt: 1:58

No. I try, but I, I am between baby world and work world. Right. Yeah. So, and uh, between the wind, swell, tide and all that stuff, it's, you gotta, sometimes it doesn't work out that way. Yeah. But then when it does, you try to go full Daryl mode and then, and then catch up after and kind of back and forth.

Britt: 2:18

Yeah. So did you always live near the beach? I did. So surfing at some point was probably

Matt: 2:24

an everyday thing? Yes, since like maybe 10 years old, or 11 years old. Oh, awesome. Yeah. Wow.

Lindsey: 2:32

Was that something that you were just personally interested in or did, was like your family

Matt: 2:40

surfing? I used to swim with my father a lot. In

Lindsey: 2:44

the ocean? In the ocean. Yeah. And

Matt: 2:45

then one day I made it out in big surf and he didn't. And that was, that was kind of like the time where I was like, I had swim fins on and he didn't, so I guess that might've helped. But I was also like nine and he was like 55. So that's like a memory of mine, like

Lindsey: 3:02

where I was like, Oh, I can't believe I made it. Like feeling so accomplished.

Matt: 3:05

Yeah, but I mean, it was more of like swimming and boogie boarding for a long time, maybe till like 11 or 12. Yeah. And then went into like more hardboard surfing.

Lindsey: 3:15

That's awesome. Where was

Matt: 3:16

that? That was in Topanga, California. Oh, cool. Yeah. So my dad moved there in, uh, 1960.

Lindsey: 3:23

Ooh, yeah. Give or take a year or two. Yeah. Wow. So you, so you grew up there? Yeah. What was that like?

Matt: 3:30

Well, I grew up on a place called the Mesa. So that was more on the hill by the beach at the mouth of Topanga. And people think of Topanga like the, the canyon, which is. Also, like, we're, like, at the mouth of the, of the, of the canyon, and Topanga Canyon's, like, up, because the town's, like, maybe five, five miles. Got it. Okay. It's, like, a park, and then five miles it starts. Right. So we're at the bottom by the beach. Okay.

Lindsey: 3:57

We've been there before a little bit, but, yeah, yeah. Growing up there, did it feel removed from L. A.? Did it feel like a small

Matt: 4:05

town? Oh, it's great. It was a great area. I mean, it's interesting because it was kind of the end of the road where the Ringe family, like the Adamsons and the Ringes intermarried, and they, the end of the road used to be Topanga. And then they owned from right after Topanga all the way to Leo Carrillo. It was closed. There was no PCH. Oh, wow. And the reason why there's no, um, Train like there is on the rest of California is because they built their own one mile track of train. Oh, wow. Like, like their own small train. And so that, that there was a 20 mile, like, contingency. You couldn't have competing railroad. So that's why the, the railroad goes around the valley and then back into Ventura, like back onto the beach. Wow. Interesting. Yeah. So it's definitely a little different than the other coastal cities because all the other coastal cities in California have a

Britt: 4:55

train. Right. Yeah. So surfing was, I guess, your main passion as a kid, like you're still doing it still. So did you compete?

Matt: 5:04

It was only, only in one contest and that's it. Yeah. And then that was never again. Yeah. Yeah. So it

Britt: 5:09

was more of a, uh, a friend's going out and

Matt: 5:13

I made, I made movies. So we made our first like, um, Surf movie when we were like 15 or 16. And then we made like more of like a kind of like jackass before jackass. Um, called Hooligans. And I made it with a guy named Logan Shinto and his brother Blake Shinto. And a few of my friends, uh, Charlie Smith and Brad Barnison. And then that went like really well. You know, we had like a premiere and it was like sold out. Everyone's like doing drugs and beers and it's all crazy. And, um... And yeah, so that was kind of like the beginning of the like, movie world for me when I was like 18.

Lindsey: 5:54

Wow. Oh, cool. Did it feel like a fluke or did you like see that as like a vision for yourself?

Matt: 6:00

Well, I learned the value of a hundred percent of zero is zero. Basically, when, like as a Joel Silver, the guy who produced, um, Like diehard and terminator, like called the next day and was like, we need you guys in the back lot to show your movie, right? And then all of a sudden it became like agents got involved for like no reason. And next thing you know, it became like a clusterfuck. Yeah. And no one ever saw the movie. I still haven't seen the movie ever since the premiere. Wow. And, uh, so yeah, I kind of learned like that. Lesson of like, sometimes art needs to just like go through it's like to be seen and shown and, and then it'll shake out where it needs to be more so than be like, I need it all because progression, because then it doesn't even matter. Like, so often creative projects are just the idea of doing creativity and there isn't like some giant gold rock at the end or some bag of gold or like a million dollar payday. It's just, it's like another. Little brick in the wall. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. And it's kind of like, you know, 41, like looking back at every project that this is like, it's all just little bricks in the wall. Yeah. And, and you know what I mean? It's, I don't know, that's kind of like my big life lesson was like at 18, like hit me in the head with like a sledgehammer, you know? Yeah. So that started that the filmmaking and then made another film after that, like two years later and then met a kid named Will Eubank and went to Brooks film school. And then he now is a pretty well known director, but he was like the guy that Really taught me like you can do anything if you want to, and he had a ranch out in San Ynez, kind of on the other side of Santa Barbara and, um, horses and had access to like machinery and stuff. Right. So, and, uh, he was like the, kind of the golden boy of Panavision, right. When they went from 35 millimeter to digital. And so he was like the test pilot for that process, because everything was in motion picture and film and reels and whatever, and like digital, which we have now. And so basically we're like, why don't we start a commercial company or a film company? And instead of just like testing and shooting, whatever, why don't, you know. Or more like him. And then I'm like, was like, hopped on board is like creative and producer with him. And, and so we were making like crazy sets and he would call up reenactors and like a hundred people would show up for free all in civil war gear. And he would build all his own explosives. Like now with like. Yeah. And like the big switchboard and there'd be like a hundred confederate guys with the union guys and everything blowing up and freaking the whole deal with like 10 million in Panavision equipment. And it costs us like 300 bucks for the day. And kind of that, that really showed me like kind of what you can do if you like can dream to do it. Yeah. Right. And then basically he made a spaceship in his backyard. There on the ranch like a crazy spaceship and then there's a movie called love I think it's on like Amazon or whatever. And then that was like the one that like Slingshot of the career and now he's like, you know I don't know how many features he's done now like five or seven like major motion picture with like a list people and or 10 pics I don't know And his brother's a writer. He lives up here and And I was really it's something that awe inspiring of like That you don't have to like, wait for all the money and all these other things and blame it on everybody else, right? Right. Like if you want it, you can do it. If you really want it, you can make it happen. Yeah.

Lindsey: 9:37

And it doesn't. So did it feel like what you mentioned earlier of like creativity just for the sake of it? Or did, or kind of, it was just, did he also.

Matt: 9:48

Oh, he was a visionary. He would know he was a visionary, you know, um. And he didn't get into UCLA film school, so I think it created like this, like, you know, angst, but he was just fucking determined. Wow. He was like a dude and I'll never remember our first assignment in film school. And it was like, people were like shooting in their like dorm bathroom or like whatever. Right. And I go to his ranch for the first time. Like, cause we weren't cool in the beginning. Cause I was like surf, Daryl, like all this, like, he was like super serious, like film guy. And we like, didn't like each other. And then we got a class later and I show up to his ranch and it's like him flying by when I get there going like 50 miles an hour with like a herd of horses and like a freaking a steady cam attached to like some pickup, like going, I was just like, no way, this is what's going on here. And we, and we just like really like connected after that, like process and and spend like years. Doing films and, and things together. So that was,

Lindsey: 10:45

that's amazing what that was. Yeah. Surf. Daryl, did you already say that? Like a derelict. Oh,

Matt: 10:51

derelict. Okay. Yeah. So a darrel's like short. Oh, for that. I like

Britt: 10:56

that. I'm gonna add that to

Matt: 10:57

my Love it. Yeah. You know, like, you know, like the wide van and shit everywhere in the van and you know, all this crap everywhere. Disheveled life. So that was

Lindsey: 11:08

you in, in film school, that's still you. Yeah,

Matt: 11:12

for sure. You know, my wife tries to keep everything clean, but I'm still, this is a complete mess.

Lindsey: 11:20

So what, where did you go after that experience?

Matt: 11:25

So that, that, that was like, did that and then made sure a bunch of short films with this guy Hans Emanuel. So we did, um, a couple of films in Madrid. In Spanish, and that was, that was really cool. And, um, we almost won the Berlin, LA short film. We got like a second. Wow. And then I kind of was just like filmmaking became a little difficult with its, with its how long it took.

Lindsey: 11:56

What, what

Matt: 11:56

do you mean by that? Well, does he come up with an idea? Then you write a script and then you try to get some money and then you shoot production. And then after production, you do the editing and then you find. Right. Then you find the music and then after all that's ended, then you have a year or two of like film festivals and then hopefully something happens. So you kind of have these like multiple films all going at the same time and it becomes like exhausting because so often it's like for the love of it or you're not getting paid or I don't know. Right, right. And this is pre streaming, pre content, like need of content. Now it's like, yeah. Because this would have been like 2004. Okay. So this is like pre iPhone.

Lindsey: 12:36

Yeah. Yeah. Wow.

Matt: 12:38

And then I guess the last film that I made was called the West Siders. It's a documentary about surf culture and Santa Cruz with this guy. Vince Collier is like the godfather of steamer lane and Flea, Daryl, Free Flea, Verasco, Jason, Rat Boy, Collins. And who was the third guy? I can't remember right now, but anyways, there's three of them. And then there's kind of about this group of Santa Cruz people that kind of redefined surf surfing with like big waves and aerials and kind of in like the, like drugs and chaos and violence that surrounded this like group in time. So I produced that with, uh, Josh Palmer was the director and that's like kind of a cult cult classic kind of film. That's amazing. I would have been like in 2007, I guess it was like the last project.

Lindsey: 13:28

And so when you're producing that, were you also partaking in their, like, surf chaos world, or were you removed

Matt: 13:37

from it? No, no, because it was already, like, the director already had their relationship, and it was more of, like, the story that wanted to be, oh, Sean Barney Barron was the other, the third character. No, but, I mean, still, you were, like, around them, and it was, like, infectious, the, like, their vibe is strong, like, they're, like, Really radical, inspiring, riding like giant waves. I mean, the fear of just like looking up in the 50 story building and just turning around and going and, and they were like pioneers of that. And they were kind of being insulated or like Santa Cruz for that time was kind of its own Island, even though it's not an Island, but it, it was like their own. The industry wasn't there. There wasn't a lot of people coming to like, look at what was going on there. So. It kind of was this interesting story of how now, but now Mavericks is like a really famous wave. And now the whole world comes there. And, but there was a time where it was kind of like their world. And it's kind of celebrating that and their adolescence coming of age and kind of this main character, Vince Collier, who has since passed away. And Sean Barney Baron has since passed away. So. It was an honor to be a part of that project. And what

Lindsey: 14:50

about that? Like, do you feel that maybe the chaos of surfing or, or that, that's like surf culture and you mentioned a couple of people passed away? Do you feel a part of that or do you feel disconnected from that from what

Matt: 15:06

the chaos? Yeah. Yeah, of course. It's an addiction.

Lindsey: 15:09

Yeah. Yeah. So how do you think you didn't like go? I

Matt: 15:14

did almost died of addiction. Yeah. So many of my friends, I had a friend phone call today. I have one of my friends that is on the edge of dying, but yet I'm like, you look from that. So we're always like most talented. In the water, I've known him since we used to live together in Santa Barbara and you know, he, I don't know, I think it goes hand in hand, the idea of like, it's a drug, surfing's like a drug once you get into it and you really get into it becomes very seductive and very like elusive and it's like chasing the dragon and you're trying to freaking always get that high and you can't always find it and there's all these factors to try and get there and it's, yeah. You know, so then you kind of like, kind of live your life like that outside of it, because you're trying to like, always, I don't know, it just becomes this dog chasing the tail kind of thing. And it's so often so many, so many people are like in that, the ones that are like in it that are like, like, you know what I mean? Like just part of them, they're like fused into this, like, I don't know, the search. Right. And everyone that I know is like, that is on that level or like. Searching to be on that level or all have that same wild look in their eye, finding that feeling like, I don't know, we have like the term of like the life changer, whatever you do, you get the, you know, you get that ride or that moment where it like literally changes who you are. And there are stories of people getting those and going crazy. How do they go crazy? Because it's too, too much. It's like too good. It's too intense. Yeah. It'd be like if you took a hundred hits of acid and never came back. Wow. There's stories of people. I don't know anyone personally, but yeah, that it's like that. It's like that. Yeah. The Lord. Yeah. But I mean, it's interesting because you actually, when it, when you do get those crazy waves that you are riding, like inside the surface of the earth, when it is fully around you and the energy is coming from everywhere and you're like in it, and if you're in there long enough, it starts to become like. Overwhelming. And then if it becomes like even like longer and longer, then all of a sudden you're overwhelmed. It's still there. And, and it just becomes like an emotional like Yeah, it's part of, it's just like that lore of that thing of like why, and I think surf culture is sometimes like overshadowed by like Target or like the, you know, what's going on at Costco or were you seeing commercials or, I don't know. I'm always thinking about Costco commercial. No, but you, you know, you have the like$89 board and if you break, you get a free one and. You know what I mean? There's all these like entry levels and you have like the surf schools and people go straight and like, yeah, you know, but there's like this whole other deeper, like thing that goes like deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep thing. Yeah. And all these levels like operate all on the same, on the same field. That's what's pretty crazy too. Like if you're like, just started yesterday and you like paddle out, like it's like all this kind

Lindsey: 18:04

of, it's like not gatekeeping or

Matt: 18:07

is, but I mean, there also is this like, well, if you can. Go out there, you know, like, you know, the world cup, like you can't just go out there and like, be like, all right, I'm going to kick the, you know, right. But if you're like, if you go out to take a flight to a pipeline and it's the best day of the whole decade, you can just walk right out, paddle out and you can go get that way.

Lindsey: 18:25

Right, right, right. Like in this way, it's, I mean, you, it's free. Of

Matt: 18:30

course there's a gatekeepers and that's true, but you can still go out there and put yourself in the mix and freaking get it. And that's crazy. Like comparatively to. To another, any other sport is all within the same confines and grips.

Lindsey: 18:43

Wow.

Matt: 18:44

Wow. So there's, there's fun and there's like that thing and it's, you know, it all comes down to like winds. Well tie charts. And then you have like surf line and like their claims and like other websites and their claims. And then you have like nautical and like satellite data. And that's like real, it's like not about like whether it's good or not. And you kind of are trying to like, Kind of like out, like, see what the claims are and then see what the real data is and see if you can like beat the like claim versus the data and like, kind of be where people aren't.

Lindsey: 19:13

So there's like this aspect of like, it's totally being a mathematician.

Matt: 19:17

Yeah, totally. I love meteorology.

Lindsey: 19:20

Of course.

Matt: 19:22

I checked the movies for like 20 times a day.

Lindsey: 19:24

Wow. I was like, what's going on? Just to know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow.

Britt: 19:29

Man, this is fascinating as someone that just grew up in the plains of Texas. Right, right.

Matt: 19:33

Yeah. It's super crazy. Yeah, yeah. Like, how it is. This

Lindsey: 19:37

passion, obviously, that you developed at a very young age, how do you think that helped you or hindered you or how do you, how do you think that affected your work in the creative field? Like in filmmaking? Hmm. But

Matt: 19:51

once you've, like, been... And then next thing, you know, that like within that group of people that are those things, there are those opportunities that like, Oh, I'm doing this. And then like, Oh, cause you're, I want to do an art show. And then I'm like, Oh, this other dude that freaking knows you from wherever is. And then, and then, and then, and then, you know, it's kind of like, if you're in the union and I don't know, I think in some ways it saved my life. And other ways, like maybe my life could be much more, you know, I don't know, affluent or something, but I don't know. It depends on what you really are searching. Right, right.

Lindsey: 20:30

What's the outcome. Right. I guess what I was kind of wondering is. I don't

Matt: 20:33

know. Maybe it would be dead on the street.

Lindsey: 20:38

I don't know. Do you feel like that? Aspect of searching for the life changer or whatever translates into creative work in a way that I think so helped

Matt: 20:51

you. Well, I, I had a cigar that was in my travel bag for like a decade for the life changer and never got smoked, traveled the whole world, never smoked almost a couple of times, but never. Dang it. That's okay. Yeah. Well, we did. I started an artist commune in 2005 and, um, called the Icarus with a guy named Tossos Taganides and, uh, I met him on the beach in Venice. So we kind of had this like super adolescent, I don't know, childish idea of like, what if time and money didn't exist? What would artists create? Right. So our idea was like to bring a bunch of people from all over the world. So he was Greek, his family lived in a small village called Abdu on the island of Crete. It was maybe like a hundred homes, but like all Greek style connected and stuff in this ancient valley and really amazing. And uh, so we invited all these people. One of the things that came out of it was a band called Group Love that my brother happened to be in. Wow. And that's like one of the things that kind of came out of that project. Of like, are people gonna like fall apart and just become like drug addicts or are they gonna like try and like get together with the crew and like start and shit

Lindsey: 22:05

could away. Yeah. Yeah.

Britt: 22:07

And so this was happening in Crete that did they they meet

Matt: 22:10

there? Yeah. Like, okay. So I met Hannah Hooper on like a park bench in New York City and uh, Sean Gadd, um, was friends with one of Tassos friends and then my brother, um, With friends with Ryan Raven, invited him to come to Crete, and then Hannah was dating Christian, and she's like, can Christian come? And then they all got there, and then they all got along, and you know, maybe he dropped a little acid, maybe? Rumor, I'm not sure. And they all just like freaking started there, and they went to Italy, you know? And uh, and then made their first album, and you know, that one had like a number one hit on it. Yeah. Colors was like number one alternative, you know? Yeah, so that was kind of one of those weird experiments that kind of like went like it happened. And I'm glad that my brother was part of that so that my life savings that went to zero for the project, you know, like something happens. So how long

Britt: 23:10

was this commune still there? Still there? Yeah.

Matt: 23:13

Wow. So there's been like 100 plus artists come through.

Lindsey: 23:16

So I want to know more about like the beginnings was, how did you start inviting people beyond the people? I just met

Matt: 23:25

this dude on Superbowl Sunday with, he has like the Harry Krishna haircut with like punk rock gear on, you know, and it was like on the beach, on the beach, Venice breakwater. And he's like, Hey man, what's the deal with the surf around here? I was like, what? You know, I was like, had a super eight underwater, super eight and like our whole crew of people and we're all like, blah, you know, probably out of our minds, you know? And I was like, well, we're just having a party at our house. So like come back. Cause we live like three blocks off the breakwater. It was like this beautiful, you know, craftsmen and whatever it was like, I don't know, 2, 500 months for like three bedrooms in the back house and the whole thing. And I was like, yeah, we're like, you know, um, And, uh, so he came back and then he like stayed on my couch for fucking six months. So, you know what I mean? Like, and we like, you know, we became good friends and then we, we ate, we went to Gladstones, which is like a restaurant on Sunset and PCH and we're outside having a bread bowl. And he's like, Oh, I got these properties in Cree, you know, and we're like, let's make it our commune. And that's kind of like how it started.

Lindsey: 24:21

And then it just actually happened because people say stuff like that

Matt: 24:25

all the time. We flew there and. With my brother and, and yeah, we did it.

Lindsey: 24:31

So you just left Venice at that point? No. Did you go back and forth? I was

Matt: 24:35

still making the West Sider movie. Okay. Yeah, I just like flew over there for the summer. Got

Lindsey: 24:39

it. Okay. Yeah. And then did you go back and forth? Or did you, at some point, did you go to Crete and stay?

Matt: 24:48

No. No, no, no. Then the world fell apart. And then I ended up in a bus in Mexico for a year.

Lindsey: 25:02

How did the world fall apart? What world? And then how'd you get to Mexico?

Matt: 25:06

Well, I think that I just, I think that probably the good times caught up with me. Um, and I just, I think was living kind of in a illusion of like my reality. Weirdly. Well, they will do that to you. I had an experience in, in Crete that made me redefine like who I am and I couldn't really take what happened there basically. Even before all the people came, yeah, just like a full vision type of thing with this group of people. And it was like a flashback to like another, like another time. Like way another time, like another life, another life, like a hundred lives ago. Yeah. Like, yeah, like way, way back. Yeah. Another, yeah. Moment. Wow. I mean, I've never said it on a podcast, but you know, yeah, there was a lightning storm on the Hill, like back to the future. No clouds, just like lightning hitting Hilltop with no kind of like electrical storm with no clouds, like stars. Wow. And walk into this old building and then all of a sudden it was like, boom, freaking like. Right before Santorini exploded and destroyed the Minoan civilization. Wow. That thing I'm like, right. And I'm like there, and I'm this person and I'm in this amphitheater talking to these people. And then the people that I know are not shadows, but everybody who's not as a shadow that I haven't met in life yet. So there's like an amphitheater full, but there's only like five people that are like, but they're that those people then they're not the people that are now. Kind of thing. Yeah. Anyways, so that happens and I don't know how long that moment exists as non drug related. We're not on drugs. Really? This is like opening like the first beer. Wow. And then it freaking comes back. We're boom in this like old house. And then I looked at the dude and the dude next to me goes, you were that guy. Wow. So it was like a whole, like, like, wow, you know what I mean? And then it just made me redefine my life. And then like everything that was going really good in my life. I'm like, what is that? And what was it? It was nothing. It was bullshit. Yeah. And then I couldn't have started to become off balance. You're just like, why am I doing that? I was like the beginning of the house of guard flick. Oh,

Lindsey: 27:25

so did that. It's just

Matt: 27:26

a maelstrom, you know what I mean? It just turned into like a just absolute disaster. A disaster? Disaster. Suicidal freaking death, like bottom of the clawing and death. First of all, I'm sorry. I'm not, I'm not at all. I'm so happy that it happened. Yeah. So I'm

Lindsey: 27:43

so happy. Why do you think, or why do you, why did that? Vision, take you like down so low after that, it

Matt: 27:53

needed to happen to be here. Now, you

Lindsey: 27:55

know, I think, like you felt maybe so attached to that. No, just like,

Matt: 28:00

Oh, it's just like none of it's real. And then who are you? And then like, what are you actually like standing on. Are you willing to like push against say, I'm not okay with that. That's not who I am. Are you willing to like actually like push? Try and like grow some roots, become a tree or become like solid and like be about something and like whether or not that means that you lose opportunity and like initially, but then if you like stand your ground and be and stand for something like then does life blossom for like until you die. Wow. Or does it have to just be like, and up and down and up and down and up and down. So yeah, I ended up in Mexico. Um, back from there. And then like, freaking, you know, just full, just out of my mind whirlwind of like eight months. And then my brother's like, you're going to die. And I'm like, I want to die. I get it. We're getting into the van in this, in the car, we're driving to this place in Mexico. And then we had a little piece of land down there. And then I went down there and basically like one of the best times of my life. Like it was like, where I was like transformed, where I was like, just like, like time was. Different and like responsibility was different. It wasn't the pressure of society. And like, cause it was like once the world got the house, the cars got kicked out from under me and then like, not knowing how to balance like this feeling where I was like, that's who I am. And then, but like, that's not who I am. Like who I w what, you know, it was like, how do you even just. You know, in hindsight, maybe you should have like talked to a therapist and then some shit rather than just like,

Britt: 29:33

right. Were there other people at that point when you're in Mexico, were there other people helping you through this or did

Matt: 29:40

you meet people? Yeah, no, no. There was some, there was some beautiful people that, that helped me through my journey for sure. That like, that was like just the B that was just like the, like from like the nose dive into death and then the clawing at the bottom of the. Like wanting to go deeper into like hurt and death and then it's going to go any deeper. It was like, I hit the bottom and just couldn't go any farther or it was death. It was like every, like for like months, it was like, could have died any of those days, you know? And then, yeah, just freaking was like, okay. And then just like little by little day by day, just like, you know, started like kind of going up that way. The other way, not into death and met a beautiful woman and, uh, got a dog, the dog got run over. And that was like the first time I cried from like that like thing. And that was like really the one, like the moment that like broke into like going up, I guess it was like the death of like loving something. You know, I love my parents and loved it. You know what I mean? But like, it was like still like, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. You get into this whirlwind of like, why did you, uh, why, why the, and it's like blame and just, right. It becomes dark and complicated. Right. So, yeah. And so that was kind of like that explorative thing. And we like had school buses that we like towed on and we like, we're like living in school buses and all sorts of like Metro buses. We had like five buses on the property and it was like totally crazy. And we were surfing one of the best waves in Mexico and it was like this kind of like wild. Well, part of Mexico and Southern Baja. Okay. Right. And then I went to go see my girlfriend who was in, it was like, I'm breaking up with you. And then my friends got into like the wrong car with the wrong people. And next thing you know, they're like going for 30 years to jail with like the DEA and make the front cover of every newspaper. And then I had to like figure out how to get them out of jail without the mafia, like, you know, whatever. We'll keep all that stuff. Out, but it was very, did you get them out there? Yes. Awesome. But it was intense. And then I'm in Mexico. We're out of here. Back to America. Right. You know, and I'm happy that they got out and everybody got out and everything worked out. But it was like, definitely like a moment where I was like, what? You know, cause it was like, innocent people. Wow. In the wrong place in the wrong time. Everything was wrong. And I gotta go home. So then I had to go face the music back at home.

Lindsey: 32:12

What was the music from you? Just being

Britt: 32:14

gone? Well, just

Matt: 32:14

like, like having like, having like a crazy life of just like parties, films and art and whatever. And then everyone's like suicidal psychopath. How do you even like step back into your scene? Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. It's like, Hey bro, you've been gone for years. Right. How you doing? Right.

Lindsey: 32:36

Right. So you're like walking in with some kind of baggage. That's not even yours. It's like the other people are like, it

Matt: 32:43

was more in my mentally, you know what I mean? It was like my personal like ball and chain that I'm walking around with. Not really people like people were not really ever.

Lindsey: 32:55

So it's like the story that you're telling yourself is how do I go back and everyone else is like, just come back. Yeah. Yeah. Right. So often.

Matt: 33:06

So, yeah. So that, um, So then basically I got my first opportunity to shoot a campaign for lightning bolt. I don't know, like three or four months after I got home, I like met someone. He's like, Oh, it used to shoot. Yeah. You know, like, Oh yeah. He's like this lady. And you know, is your agent ride and like, yeah, whatever, you know, and then he's like, yeah, let me just, let me see if I can get you to shoot. And that was kind of like, like my first job. And then I ended up working for them. They're called lightning bolt or like a surf, vintage surf company. And so he's worked for them for a few years. Um, and then I started an ad agency. Yeah. On, uh, Lincoln and Venice for like a couple of years called Waterhouse Project. We had a cool building there. And then that kind of started like the whole, like back in the movie making and filmmaking. And I don't know, like that world of like fighting. And then it was just like, then I met my wife, Anna and we got married like three months after we met. Amazing. You know, that's like 12 years now and she's, you know, my rock that, that puts up with all my bullshit. Um,

Britt: 34:14

so at this point when you got back into it, did you feel like you had more steady footing? Like you're getting back into this world after having this huge epiphany?

Matt: 34:24

No, but it was more of just like, I realized that like I knew what was wrong and I was able to like sit in the desert long enough to accept those wrongs. And like build my life, like not to be like, you know what you shouldn't do all these things. I will fuck you up again.

Lindsey: 34:41

Like

Matt: 34:42

you, you had to just run like ragged, like a lunatic. Like it just was like freaking all in every time. Like maybe not, maybe not go all in every single idea.

Lindsey: 34:52

Yeah. Yeah. You had the roadmap of like what

Matt: 34:55

not to do. I think you can't give the effort and not even the financial, but like here, the, like your personal self. I don't even know if the money or not, you know what I mean? Even now, like now at 41 and having a baby, like I respect finances a lot more than I used to and respect like being, um, responsible a lot more than I did in my whole life. Um, but yeah, just like the personal, like, like the key part of you for you. Right. Like regardless, like actually have a part where you're like, Hey, this is our little deal for. Mean yourself talking to yourself and like that's us and then that like you can give almost everything to everybody, but you gotta hold A little bit back for sure. And I never did that before it was full, just, just all out love to the most freaking field, the mouse. And then sometimes when you get the thing and then the like ancient freaking 2000 year old prophecy comes along, kicks the house of cards out. You're just like, you're fucked.

Britt: 35:56

Cause

Matt: 35:57

you've never kept anything. Yeah. Yeah. And that's what happened to just fell apart. You know? Yeah. But yeah, so I mean, but I'm thankful though, because it's like amazing to feel that pain and that suffering and to know that like, guess what? I don't want to go there. Like I've hit the, I hit the bottom and try to claw my way deeper. And I think that that's like a really crazy feeling to experience. Right. It's beautifully fucked up. Yeah. Yeah. Like it's so dark and like, but it's so radical. Like the emotional part of that is. It is wildly beautiful too. Yeah. It's like seeing a, like when I saw the Woolsey fire in Balibo and it was moving in a football field a second, that's like an unheard of an, I was standing on the beach at a, supposed to, uh, go to a meeting there and I watched it and it was so beautiful and so destructive. I had a full P T S D like break breakdown for like two weeks after because I was like, It was like the wind was blowing in such a way that we were in a giant snow globe and the air wasn't smoky and it was blowing over the top of us, like 400 or 500 feet. So the whole world was like Mars or Jupiter and although like crazy swirls of smoke and there's like a river of fire coming down from the mountain, it went from like five miles away or whatever. That was almost seven miles away to the beach in like freaking like 20 minutes. Oh my gosh. Like, I mean, but it was so quiet and beautiful and then eventually it gets to the beach and there's like fire tornadoes and house blowing up and I don't know. It was like overwhelming because we were like laying in the ocean just like looking at it Cuz what are you supposed to do? And I was you know, it's like one of those moments where it's just I don't know It's like feels like that where you're like you're helpless to do anything, but it's yet so Powerful you're you know It's as interesting as like intoxicating. Well, just how powerful we are, our minds are and how we can like dictate our truth. Right. Right. You know, like my friend today, like he called me and he's like, you know, he's like at that level where I was in a different path in a different way. I was just like, I, that feeling is so. Just like, there's like only you have the ability, like the personal self has the ability to decide to not be that right. Like no one could get you out. Yeah. It's so true. The power of the mind and the choice of, of life, you know, as I told him today, like, I want you to live, but you have to live. Yeah. Yeah. You have to want to live. You have to want to like actually live. You know what I mean? Like, if you don't want to live, then I can't help you. Hmm. You know, it's not normal for people that have never experienced like depression or like, but it really, it gets, it can get there where you like, don't want to, I don't know, it's powerful.

Lindsey: 38:55

Yeah. And I wonder, I mean, it's like, what is the difference between someone who can be at that level of darkness and then make the decision, you know, like what do they have? I don't know.

Matt: 39:11

Sometimes you have, I don't know. I think, like I said, the dog got run over, the dog got run over. Yeah. And I was like going to do something and I'm like borrow someone's car or whatever. They borrowed a car. I don't know. And the dog ran over and it didn't die. Like it died with me. Like it was like the thing, you know what I mean? And then because of that, the girl that I liked was like, then we became like together because we did like a Viking funeral for the dog and the fire and the board and the thing in the ocean and the dealing ceremony. And You know what I mean? There was like this, like kind of almost like an exit of that darkness was with the death of that and it kind of was like allowed for there to be like the piece of grass through the concrete. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I mean? The start of a healing process and growth. Yeah. Yeah. So that was, I don't know. Yeah. It's powerful. It's powerful.

Lindsey: 40:03

Like, it seems like it needed to maybe be. Or, or it sounds like maybe this is just be my experience. Like you experience you experiencing loss had some realization in it. I'll be like, Oh, I'm not

Matt: 40:19

ready. Oh no. But I mean, the time I was in Mexico was already like past the point of death. I was like, willing to like go. Okay. It was like shaky, but it was already like, we're like, yeah. But that was still like, like. Skipping along the bottom. Yeah. Right, right, right. Okay. But it wasn't like this and I was diving anymore. Yeah. Yeah. Um, Is there, what else can we, what should we segue into something or, or are we at an hour? Uh, yeah, we are,

Lindsey: 40:47

but well, I want to, do you have a little, I just want to know about the historical society. Sure. Yeah.

Matt: 40:54

I know that. Well, there, yeah, there is. That's why I'm saying there is a little, maybe a little more that does go full circle. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, after like, you know, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail after getting home, you know, like it's still like work, but like fail and then like creative idea, fail, fail, fail, you know, but it was like, great. You know, every failure is like, where you're like, I'm not going to make that mistake again. Right. And, and, um, through the like process of being home, um, uh, I started doing art shows with a guy named Skip Engblom. Who, um, is the godfather of modern skateboarding along with Craig Stasek. Um, I started Dogtown and Jeff, I was the board builder. And, um, so, um, I was invited to do a show in Tokyo and Harajuku. And, um, there was a place called Aqua Tech in Venice and, um, skip work there. And I asked him if he would help me make these molds out of fiberglass and resin. And could we try to like, make some of these for this Japan show? And he said, okay, you know, and he's like, I don't know. He's like this gnarly dude, you know what I mean? He's like, Oh, he's like the guy, you know, I mean, he's like a teddy bear, if you know him, but also that could be very stern and like not chill. If you're like mess around, like he still has that, like I said, in the Venice. Ways of things, you know? Right. It's like there's a way to be and there's a way not to be. Right. Right, right. And so for like four months, I used to come every other weekend to make these ideas and, and then this guy, Roger Doucette, who had the first search shop in the valley, he, um, he was there as well. And after, after the four months, and I'm about to go to Japan in like a month and we've done all these experiments and tried to like, okay, we're feeling pretty good about this show and whatever. I was like, dude, it's been four months with you. Like. It's no longer like what I think it's like we did it together. Do you want to go? Like I talked to the dudes in Japan Do you want to come and do the show and that was like my first opportunity to do a real like a shot at trying to do art like not just like here's a picture or two or here here in a group show or whatever, but like Flying to Tokyo and like like your whole

Lindsey: 43:07

thing. Yeah.

Matt: 43:08

Yeah and he was like Let me talk to my wife anything. All right Like I'll go. And so we went and we spent two weeks putting the show together and, and I don't know, they cried on the shoulder, you know, when the freaking we finished the show and, and I don't know, that was kind of like the beginning of the LA County historical society of like, kind of working together. And since then we've done like, I don't know, like maybe like 13 shows together. And we worked with over like 50 artists and, um, It's kind of the idea of bringing like surf street beach kind of together. But in a way of like these people that we try to showcase have played in a, a role in like pop culture and maybe haven't had like direct acknowledgement for what they've done. That's what they did was like became part of pop culture. And so the thing that they were attributed with became known, but not, not the person who made it. So then it's trying to like, put a bunch of people together that have done all sorts of unique things. And then like the culmination of that group of people and that group of works and ideas that were presented and accepted and like cherished and pop culture, like arguably that is significant. Um, It was kind of this idea of, of bringing multiple mediums together of, you know, painting, sculpture, photography, installation, um, and all different ways and shapes and forms to be able to celebrate these characters and what they've done. And so we just, our show just came down last week in Santa Monica. And, um, so there's a few, few coming up at the end of, end of the year. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah.

Lindsey: 45:05

Yeah. So,

Britt: 45:06

and where can people find out about that?

Matt: 45:08

Um, at the LA County historical society. com, but I think we're like in the middle of like redoing the site. Cause it was like, oh, everything was like pre COVID sure, but just like a whole nother thing. You know? Yeah. Right. Right. I'm like, we have that like kind of sort of historical society. COVID happened. That didn't happen anymore. Yeah. You know what I mean? So that we just did our first like group show again right now. Had a baby during Covid. Right, right. You know, can relate to that. So there's definitely like the like part two of like the starting over podcast of just like all that. Yeah. This, that was all like pre, yeah, that was like a whole pre covid. You already lived 20

Lindsey: 45:45

lives

Matt: 45:46

and you know now the post covid. Yeah. Now there's like a whole four 40 But I think, you know, the, the things that, uh, I think the two takeaways that I got from being able to work with all these people, that a lot of them are in their seventies plus. Wow. You know, that a lot of them, I mean, there's some my age and then some a little older and some a little younger, but most of them are in their seventies was one is they're like, get as many as you can before you die. As far as the waves, I catch as many as you can, as many as you can before you die. Cause a lot of them are now in their seventies and aren't able to serve, you know, but they still love talking about serving and still love the culture. And the other one is like, you know, trying to like, for me, it was like trying to like peak when I'm 70, right? Right. So it's not really like how good it is next year or the year after that or whatever. Like I see that, like the, my mentors like skip and some of those people like Craig Stasek and, and, um, you know, individuals like that, like they are still pushing the envelope and they're like, super inspiring because I'm like, You know, like they're like, or like you live a lot of lives and like they live like 150 lives, you know, but to see them continue, you know, that's amazing to go keep going and to keep like reinventing and keep creating on like such a high level, I think is, is really where if you can look at trying to like set your life for like a longer trajectory. Like you can just kind of refine things in time and not that you shouldn't try to do as many shows and, and like work as hard as you can and try and like do as many things like live for today or whatnot, you know, but, but also like, it doesn't have to. Like you don't have to peek today,

Lindsey: 47:34

right, right. And that reminds me of you saying like that first movie that you made. What would have happened if it would have been terrible?

Matt: 47:43

Yeah. Yeah. I would have been so sad.

Lindsey: 47:46

Peeking at 70 sounds

Matt: 47:47

awesome. You know? Yeah. I think about that all the time. Actually, the guy, Logan, we never talked ever since that moment. Right. That was like we were 18. So 20 years late, 20 over 20 years later, a month ago, we finally saw each other. Wow. Yeah. And I was super cool, you know, cause he's like in movies still. And he's like doing rad stuff with movies and things. And it's like, it was really great to like, kind of like, cause we were like best friends and then we like weird, like, you know, agent people got involved, like totally unnecessarily. And then they like put us against each other and it was like fully fell up, you know what I mean? And it was like, neither of us wanted that. Right. Right. You know, so that was really cool to have that. Like, um, to finally see each other and have that, have that kind of, you know, like that was one of those things that like, been, been like weirdly out there for like decades. Wow. So that was cool to get

Lindsey: 48:41

together. Yeah. To like have that closure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I want to, well, I want to ask how then you ended up here in Ojai.

Matt: 48:55

Um, Well, during COVID, we lost LA County Historical Society as just like a way to be like, there's no shows happening. Yeah. We, we spent five years trying to like really go for it, you know, and then we had, we're supposed to be in the Olympics in Tokyo. And then obviously there was no Olympics in Tokyo. And then the guy, Bobby Dew, who was like, I believed in me originally, he died during that, during that time. And, um, And then like, basically we were just like, what do we do? And then we just packed up our van because they closed the beaches in California. And we're like, we're moving to North Carolina. You and your wife. Yeah. Okay. We just like sold everything. And like the little white van out there, we're like, we're going to North Carolina. We're going to Florida. And then two days, two days before we're going to Florida, Skip calls and he's like, dude, you should go see my friend in Wilmington. And we're like, okay, fine, whatever. And then we went there, met a guy named Reggie Barnes, became my son's godfather. Wow. Um, and, uh, Louie came along. That's my baby. During while we were out there. And all of a sudden we're like, we don't know anybody here except Reggie, which is amazing, but also so scary. So we're like, Oh, we got to get back to California. You know what I mean? And like families there and whatever, even though we like love Reggie and Jocelyn and like, I don't know, it was, it's one of those things that can we start over, but just knowing one, right. It was too, especially when, you know, in the podcast, like describing like the life that kind of an art and everything, it was just like hard to like, just, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. So he came back and, um, and basically had the baby in Santa Monica. And then the day we moved, got our space, Santa Monica, we started looking for somewhere else. It was like a little studio and we're like, okay, this is gonna be great until we have the baby. And then we're, what are we going to do? It was like 300 square feet or something. And then, and then, so we've been, we were looking for like 10 months and that's during COVID where everything was like, no one could get kicked out and everything was like a zillion dollars. And then we finally found somewhere that we were going to rent Santa Monica. And now after like. And then we walk outside and some dude's taking a big poop on the front door. And then finally it was just like, you know, like blow the, your head like blows up, you know what I mean? Where you're just like, I can't, you know what I mean? Yeah. Like that, that part of the movie, I'm mad at, I'm mad as hell. I can't take it any longer. You know what I mean? Like, like full moment. And then, and then she just goes, well, you. We just go to Ohio and look, cause like when I was going to film school, it used to be a Patagonia, which was right here on the 33. I like new here. And we lived in Oxnard before and lived in Santa Barbara before. And so like, it's not like far, you know, it doesn't seem far. And, and, and we just came up here and, and there was a, uh, little manufactured home that freaking was like perfect. And just like, didn't even just like went in there and like, we'll take it. And we never even like tried to buy her. We didn't even want, I don't know. And it was just like, kind of like worked out and ended up,

Lindsey: 51:51

you just like knew that it was the spot

Matt: 51:55

that we'd just been looking for like forever. And it was more of just like, we didn't even know what to do. And then there was just like this totally awesome, like perfect little place. And that was just like, came, you know, you don't need to find a million. You just need to find one. Right. Yeah. So that's kind of like, we ended up up here and, and it's been great for the kid and life's a lot slower.

Lindsey: 52:19

Does it feel good to be

Matt: 52:20

slower? Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, not slower in like, like creativity, actually arguably like, like a hundred times more crazy into it because there isn't the outside distraction of like sitting in traffic and then like 1800, like, Cell phone towers and like 5 million people around you all freaking out all the time, you know, it's like, it's like around you is like nature and beauty. And so it's up to you to like, kind of take that time and harness it. Whereas before, like just to do an errand or two would take all day right now. And you can do like 10 errands in an hour. So it's kind of like all that extra time and kind of, if you want to, you can add up to creative time. Yeah. Yeah. So that's been nice. Yeah. Yeah. It's been great. We're really thankful to be here. And we're thankful to be able to meet you guys at the burrito coffee. It's

Lindsey: 53:11

been happening to us. Like. Yeah. Every day we meet someone that feels like an instant friend. It's a full portal up here. It really is, yeah. I

Britt: 53:22

feel like we were just talking about that yesterday. Like, already have a friend group, and know the people at the restaurants. You know what I mean? It's going to be hard to leave. Well,

Matt: 53:33

we hope you come back. We

Britt: 53:35

do too.

Matt: 53:38

Well, thanks for having me on your podcast.

Lindsey: 53:43

Would you rather have a question. Is that okay? If you have one, we always end with a question from the twins. Sure. Bring it. And I'm going to use a recycled one. Um, they're probably going to be recycled a lot, but okay. Teleport, be able, have the ability to teleport or be invisible. Teleport. Teleport. All

Matt: 54:08

day. Yeah.

Britt: 54:08

Oh, that was easy for

Matt: 54:09

you. Are you kidding me? Being a surfer, I can go anywhere to anywhere at any time. Any time, yeah. Why be invisible when you can't even see the, like, people can't even see you coming out of the way.

Lindsey: 54:18

I thought teleport too. I thought teleport to, yeah, I'm going to go anywhere, anytime in an instant. Come on and think about teleport to like, what are we talking about? Only on this earth or other dimensions. And then they're just like, it's always good. I would

Matt: 54:34

be careful about other dimensional teleportation.

Lindsey: 54:38

You already did that. You

Britt: 54:40

already did that.

Matt: 54:41

Yeah.

Lindsey: 54:44

I might end up on a beach in

Matt: 54:45

Mexico. It's not bad though. It's pretty good. Yeah, it's pretty good. Well lasted. Yeah. All right. All right. Thanks guys.

Lindsey: 54:52

It's been so awesome Oh good. Thank you so so much. All right. Sure. I really appreciate it