Vast Lives

Sho is a one of a kind human being. His goal is to remain as low key as possible. Our conversation was in downtown Yokohama, Japan. 

Sho's studio is hidden in the shadows, blink and you will miss it. This is just how Sho likes to conduct his life - low key and true to himself. The studio holds a special place in his heart, as a child his parents would bring him there to eat Sushi - little did he know that this below street level space would become his creative hub. 

Some may call it a man cave others might see it as a workshop of sorts, Sho's passion for Fashion, Surfing, skateboarding and bikes is evident the minute you walk through the door. His goal is to continue remaining true to his passions, to keep an inner child alive one of which is driven by 'feeling good' joy and good energy. 

This episode is about Sho's quest to keep his stoke alive while sharing his creative path and passions with his community.

Barton and Steve sit down for a candid conversation on the state of surfing. Filmed in 2024 at Barton’s home on Sunset Beach, the discussion reads today almost like a forecast — a reflection on an industry in transition.

Barton calls things as he sees them. Direct and unvarnished, he praises the foundations that once defined the surf industry while acknowledging, with equal candour, its gradual demise. In this episode, he offers a measured perspective shaped by decades both inside and alongside the culture.

His outlook has long been forged through independence. Losing his father at a young age meant learning early to chart his own course. That sense of self-reliance — coupled with an enduring love for surfing and the people around it — has made Barton a familiar voice across the global surf community. Known for his open-book manner and heart-on-sleeve commentary, he speaks with a mix of warmth and conviction.

The conversation moves easily between past and present: the formative moments that shaped him, the evolution of the sport, and where surfing may yet be headed.

Yudai is one of those individuals where you feel an immediate presence. An aura of warmth and kindness.

In this episode Steve and Yudai meet up at his popular little coffee shop in Chigasaki Japan. A small yet cosy space that is an extension of Yudai's low key, beautifully curated humble approach to life. They discuss his childhood struggle of finding his path through failure & experimentation. 

Although Yudai was always near the ocean as a child, his love for Surfing was tainted by an aggressive approach to its introduction by his father. He decided that Baseball and later on Basketball were going to be stepping stones, chapters of curiosity. All of which led to a later reconnection to Surfing and the Ocean. 

In a somewhat crazy pivot - Yudai decided to take up Drift car racing. a passion that is still with him today. 

Yudai's journey is testimony to his curious, inquisitive nature. His latest projects which include owing his own boutique coffee shop, organic micro farming to building farm to table experiences, are all part of his bigger dreams.

Bernie Shelly is no stranger to the South african surfing community. Bernie has been surfing for half a century. 5O years of wave riding, while navigating family life, motherhood whilst majoring in psychology at Cape Town university. 

Bernie and steve discuss what it was like in those early days, when surfing was relatively new in South Africa. 

Bernie goes on to relate stories of old and her close knit community with South African surfing legend John Whitmore. She also relates to her becoming a journalist and sacrificing surfing to raise her children.
 
The conversation centers itself around the female surfing community and the challenges which accompanied the then very male dominated sport.
 
Bernie's ability to take on varying roles throughout her life is testimony to her spirited approach to life. 

Over the years she has been a major inspiration to many up and coming female surfers from her hometown of Cape Town. 
Join us for a heartwarming surfing heritage story from the deep South in Cape Town.

Steve and Reita discuss his early years doing his best to help his ageing father whilst realising that only later in life he would get to follow his true passion. Not only did he pursue what he loved most by travelling the globe learning the various techniques and culture behind Indigo dyeing  - he also decided to forge his own path despite skepticism from the community.

To reshape an ancient craft into a standalone technique requires courage, tenacity, and deep passion. Reita Moriya is an artist, disruptor, and artisan who has dedicated himself to using indigo as his primary medium, ranging from artwork on canvas to concrete sculptures.

Representing a new generation of plasterers, Moriya also fuses traditional Japanese indigo coloring with modern plastering techniques. His work speaks to the viewer in abstract ways while maintaining a profound, tangible presence.

In Japanese, "Ai" is a homonym for both "indigo" and "love." It is Moriya's hope that your day-to-day life will be filled with both.

Steve and Reita discuss his early years doing his best to help his ageing father whilst realising that only later in life he would get to follow his true passion. Not only did he pursue what he loved most by travelling the globe learning the various techniques and culture behind Indigo dyeing  - he also decided to forge his own path despite skepticism from the community.

To reshape an ancient craft into a standalone technique requires courage, tenacity, and deep passion. Reita Moriya is an artist, disruptor, and artisan who has dedicated himself to using indigo as his primary medium, ranging from artwork on canvas to concrete sculptures.

Representing a new generation of plasterers, Moriya also fuses traditional Japanese indigo coloring with modern plastering techniques. His work speaks to the viewer in abstract ways while maintaining a profound, tangible presence.

In Japanese, "Ai" is a homonym for both "indigo" and "love." It is Moriya's hope that your day-to-day life will be filled with both.

On a sunny afternoon in downtown Hanoi ,Vietnam over 8 million people go about their daily routine. Many of which do not think about the long term impact that trash , pollution and miss managed waste might have on their lives and those of future generations. Tho' the dynamic owner of Hidden Ge, a restaurant made from up cycled trash is motivated to make a change. 

His visionary outlook underpinned by a strong desire to lift Vietnam from a country in flux and rapid commercial growth to creating awareness about waste management. His restaurant is an ode to his commitment. Everything you see around you is up cycled, from the chairs to the decor - his goal is simple. Educate - if we can all do something small to make a difference - the earth and nature will benefit and so will humanity.

Stanley Toledo aka Crunky and Steve create a podcast space in central Osaka. Shot on location outside a busy ABC mart where an ironic twist of Crunkys past as a counterculture street clothing and footwear dealer weave's together his story about his love for street fashion, skateboarding and being a foreigner adapting to life Japan. Joins us as we explore Crunkys past and his reborn love for Fingerboarding. Thats mini skateboarding , with your fingers.

Nestled high in the North West region of Vietnam is a small village called Ta’Van. Here you will find three different ethnic groups of Vietnamese people living in harmony. 

In this episode Steve shares a heartwarming connection with Giang, although not local to the region Giang is a big part of this close knit community. His coffee shop/bar is on the village main road ( although it’s so small it feels more like a hamlet ) 

Giang's immediate warmth and welcoming spirit is evident in his gleaming smile and embrace. Passionate about Nature , family and what he calls ‘slow living’.

As the crackle in the open fire in the middle of the shop burns away , Giang talks about his younger life growing up without any modern day conveniences like electricity or television. He reminisces about days spent playing outside in nature and huddling around the central fireplace as a family. The fire is a deeply symbolic community hub for Giang. Communication and storytelling is of the greatest importance to him. Giang’s love for nature and treading lightly is evident in his expression. His dream is to plant a forest in a loving act of giving back to what Nature ultimately gave him - peace and harmony.

In this episode, Steve is in Osaka with Shinji Mizuno aka Shinji Dog.

Shinji meets Steve at a local coffee shop that has been run my the same lady for over 50 years. After a traditional breakfast of toast ,butter and a strong cup of local coffee Steve and Shinji find somewhere to talk about his journey.

Shinji is very open and candid about his narrative - he started working from a young age, choosing to attend night school to enable him to work and make money during the day. His motive - to fund his addiction for Surfing. 

Shinji then opens up about some of the challenges he faced whilst living in Australia where he had to work hard to integrate. After Australia Shinji made a new home in New Zealand where his love for the people and its culture grew. His expression of love and gratitude clearly evident. 

His goal is to introduce some of that Antipodean spirit into Osaka, now home to Shinji and his wife. His dream is to lean on his experience as a chef and open a themed cafe that mixes New Zealand surf vibes with good food and drink. 

Shinji is a fun loving passionate person who is not afraid of hard work. This episode is a positive concentrated dose of Shinji's adventurous life.