Our casa is your casa! The etnies suite at Casa Surf is part of the Riviera Design Series. Former world champ and etnies chief, Pierre Andre, started his early pro days on the beaches and boardwalks of SoCal where he lived out his dream on the concrete wave. As the only skateboard company included in the Casa Surf Project, etnies is proud to present the etnies Skate Room:

Our Shoe Scrap Headboard is a colorful mosaic made from footwear pieces used in the etnies STI Lab research and design process.

This ceiling art, an orignal work by Mike Manzoori, is called It's not where you're going, it's how you get there. To create it, Manzoori dipped his wheels in paint, hopped on his skateboard and did what does everyday.

The Skate Free Mini Bar is stocked with four completes, each a pro board from an etnies team rider and all available for guests to cruise around Laguna Beach for the day.

You can see even more photos from Fuel TV's Carleton Curtis.

Interviewer/Matt Chapman:

Okay, so Scruffy Wallace, what is your full name?
Scruffy the Living Terrorist Wallace (laughing).

And how long have you been with The Dropkick Murphys?
I have been a Dropkick Murphy well, my whole life, but I’ve been in the band officially about almost seven years. It will be seven years in January.

Cool. What did you do before that? Didn’t you say that you were in the military?
I was in the military for about seven years, in the infantry eleven, Bravo. After I got out of the army and went to school I joined the ironworkers union and became a pipe setter. And then I got the call from the band and I’ve been playing the pipes and the tin whistles ever since.

How long have you been playing the pipes?
I’ve been playing the pipes about 21 years. I started when I was about 16. So, a little while. A little while. (Laughing).

How is traveling and everything? Didn’t you just recently have a child?
Uh, yeah! I have a 10-month-old son named Callum John William who is also a little maniac. He rips around the house all day. My wife and I just got a house, here in Boston, and I just got off the road two days ago from a European tour. And we had a blast; it was awesome. We played with some great bands, hung out with some cool cats and drank some beers, and you know. Now we’re home and I got a little time off, going to record a new record and see what happens after the summer. I think we are going to be out your way, California way, and then a Canadian tour in November, starting on the 2nd or 3rd of November, this year. So, it should be pretty cool.

Have you guys started recording this new album?
No, no. We are just in the process of writing. Our fearless leader Ken Casey is currently pulling his hair out, strand by strand, trying to mix and master the live record that we just finished over the St. Patrick’s Day, eight-day extravaganza in Boston. We recorded all those shows so we’re going to release a live record with a bonus DVD and that should be out around the Fall time… like right around when we start this next tour.

Oh, right on. Perfect. How is it being on the road that much? I mean, don’t you go out for two, three months at a time, or longer?
Well, you know we used to go out for long stretches of time, but half the guys in the band have families now so it’s honestly slowed down to a couple of weeks. We usually go out no longer than three weeks. And then we usually take a couple weeks off and then we go out again. It’s kind of a double-edged sword, you know when you’re out on the road you miss home like crazy, and then when you’re home you start going stir-crazy to get back on the road. So, it’s a very interesting lifestyle and it’s afforded me and blessed me with the ability to just stay home and concentrate on my family. And then when I’m on the road concentrate on just the music. So it’s good both ways, I guess.

Yeah. So you are an etnies fan…
Oh! I’ve been an etnies fan like pretty much, I used to skate… not very well… I’m a pretty shitty street skater, but I’ve always worn etnies. I’ve always worn the Cinch; it’s my shoe. I always love it; it’s just so comfortable, it’s like little pillows on my feet. For skating purposes and just for comfort and walking around they’re just—I won’t wear anything else. I will not wear anything else. And I thank Jordan Burns to this day for hooking me up with you guys.

Perfect. Jordan with Strung Out.
Jordan with Strung Out, yes. Those guys are excellent friends; Good guys, good music, good dirt bike rider.

I don’t know about that, but he enjoys himself.
I like to be pleasant towards people. (Laughing)
That’s funny. So what are some of your favorite bands that you guys have played with?
Against Me! is definitely one of them, Strung Out obviously, Slayer is my favorite all-time. I mean the list goes on and on. Over in Europe we played festivals with bands like Metallica. Not that I’m a fan of the new stuff, but old school Metallica obviously. Growing up as a kid and skating you’re listening to that stuff, and Suicidal and Bad Brains and the list goes on and on. Again, being out on the road and being able to play with a thousand different bands, it’s so hard to list, but I would have to say definitely Against Me! and Slayer are my two favorites that I’ve actually got to hang out with and play with and socialize with.

So what else do you enjoy doing other than basically playing music and spending time with the family? Do you have any other hobbies you look forward to… or watch golf?

Well, Kenny is again our fearless leader, he kind of imposes his golf will upon us, so I got to watch the Masters while we were on the Offspring tour last month. It’s alright to watch, but I enjoy more outdoor kind of stuff like mountain biking, skating and snowboarding. Growing up in the Rockies it’s kind of second nature to go out and ride in the snow. Like I said, not too good of a skater but I still like to do it. I’m obviously not doing flippy tricks anymore, but it’s good to get on it once in a while and go push around and hear the clickety-clack underneath my feet.

Right on. Anything else you wanted to add?
Whenever you want anything from me just let me know. Like I said, its not just footwear to me, it’s a part of my person. You ask anyone that can tell you, like three-quarters of my suitcase is etnies stuff. I just believe in it and that’s why I love wearing it so much. It’s just really cool to be able to represent on a bigger level than maybe even professional skaters might be able to because I have a bigger audience to do it to. A bigger stand I guess. It’s just cool, when I do interviews I do them in etnies shirts, or I wear etnies shoes or if I go on TV, like national television, I wear etnies shirts. For me it’s not just about wearing the clothes, it’s about the lifestyle that goes around the company.

Well thank you sir!
Well thank you sir!!

The 5th annual guitar battle set off with a bang. 15 guitar contestants from all over came to battle for 90 seconds showing their skills to the Judges Comedian David Cross, Jaleel Drummer from T.V on the Radio and Lower East Side Paul Major. They Jammed out till the final 2 contestants duked it out to be the King of 2009 Guitar Battle and win a gym bag full of etnies Product.

The crowd awaits

Verte posse

Cheryl Dunn

Product prizes

Atiba shooting

Jesus rocking

Judges Paul Major and David Cross

Showing off etnies

15-yr-old guitar prodigy

Razo and Cross

The winner!

Stay tuned for video!

We've got new digs in Laguna... check 'em out and check on in! etnies just completed its custom suite as part of the Casa Surf Project at Casa Del Camino Hotel. Skate-inspired and eco-friendly, the room has everything from a headboard made from recycled shoes and water-saving bathroom features, to a poured concrete sink shaped like Chicken's old pool... fully skateable with the included Tech Decks. More pics and details to come... for now, see what Boardistan and ESPN have to say about it.

This time we hear from Thomas, who seems to be sittin' on top of the world... looking down on creation from an Applebee's:

This time I'm checking in from North Dakota, at an Applebee's to be exact! We are on our way home and decided to brave the conditions to try to get our van home that is limping through the 28 hour drive. Crossing our fingers to say the least... The show last night in Dekalb was completely awesome. It was great to see so many people, so excited, after not being there in over 4 years. I forgot how much fun playing small small places can be, when everyone in the room wants to be there. Other highlights of the last week was the last show with friends Midnight Masses, The Dear Hunter, and Thursday, whom we'd all like to thank dearly for their support and positive influence on us and everyone on the tour. Also we had a very, very beautiful day off @ UNC with some old friends that we've needed to spend some time with for an extremely long amount of time. It was a trip simply put. I have a new idea of NC after experiencing the closeness of that community and how open-minded and fun almost everyone we met seemed to be. I'll wrap this up with a quote. "The simplest things are the ones that bring the most joy, it's just hard to see if you don't take the time to pay attention to the small details in life..." - Thomas <3

Here's Frank with a word to the wise...

I've come to find that Orlando, Florida is a land of many many wonders. There is a considerable amount of "trickery" involved. All is well. Atlanta welcomed us with hella rain. Not just the kind of rain that drizzles, but rain that drizzles and plops all at the same time. There was also traffic involved. Really really bad traffic. We played the "Heaven" stage in ATL. Meat Puppets played the "Hell" stage. Apparently they kicked major tail. Geoff, from Thursday, was physically assaulted in Raleigh, NC. I literally could not believe it. It was a bummer, you know? People are super jacked up these days. We drove a lot and played a lot and we will continue to drive and play and continue. Life is good and sweet. Europa very soon!

Frank

Last Saturday, at the etnies NYC Showroom, we had a rager with VICE magazine. With open bar of Colt 45 all night and amazing music from a few very special artists coming up in the NYC scene, we celebrated the launch of our exclusive etnies x Colt 45 shoe. Team Robespierre, The Nymphets, U.S. Royalty, and Drink Up Buttercup all plugged in and got loose in the basement, while others hung out in our showroom and had a good time. It went off so hard, we now have to have a party on the west coast... just to even the score...  stay tuned. Until then, enjoy some photos from the style shark!

The Free-est, Freshest New Music: Boys Noize and The Ghost Is Dancing

Alax Ridha AKA the German DJ you know better as Boys Noize just released his latest album POWER on Last Gang Records and it's already tearing up dance floors all over Europe. The 26 year old wonder has done remixes for everyone from Snoop to Marilyn Manson (that's pretty crazy, right?). Don't sleep on his style, POWER is just what electro ordered. Grab "Starter" below, turn on a strobe light and rave the day away.

Download "Starter"

The Ghost Is Dancing began in a moldy basement in college. Look how far they've come. This Canadian six-pack create music reminiscent of Modest Mouse and Broken Social Scene, two of their favorite bands. "Battles On" sounds like a real battle cry - earnest to the core and catchy as all hell. Get the free download for your own battle.

Download "Battles Off"

Rock Steady