As life-long compilation tape-makers ourselves, we can't help but get excited every time we get the opportunity to interview another curator of music. That said, it's even more rare that we would even think to pre-empt anything that we've done for other publications, or "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak. But in the case of Surfside Slasher founder and the host of Viva Radio's Black Hole show, Piper K, we just couldn't wait to post the interview.

Starting the Surfside Slasher t-shirt line, (available on etsy) just a few years ago, the now 21 year-old Piper K seemed to be just a tad ahead of the "enterprising young thing" curve. But now with a show, entitled Black Hole, on Viva Radio, a fairly notable string of DJ appearances, a blog, a band named Pearl Harbor, and a t-shirt line.

PIPER K.

bad neighbors. You started doing the Surfside Slashers blog back in '07—did you start the Surfside Slasher tees about the same time? The first time I checked out your stuff, I was like, "Whoa, Stacy Peralta would be all over this!" So I wouldn't being going out of line if I were to say that it's steeped in the old-school surf/skate culture from the 80's, would I? What was your direct inspiration or reason for starting the line? Or were you just like, "Dude, making my own t's would be pretty sweet"?

piper k. My initial inspirado for starting this project was Rikk Agnew’s All By Myself album. It’s like the ultimate apocalyptic, surf-warrior, “locals only” record ever. He ended up being my first customer, all stoked that I named the “line” after one of his songs. He had me paint “Surfside Slashers” on the back of an ABM shirt he was selling on his site, and picked it up a couple weeks later. I have pictures of him giving props to my dog. So yeah, Surfside is definitely influenced by the wave warriors of the 80s, but I’m a little too “eclectic” to commit to one sphere of influence. I make a Felt shirt, and a Pink Military shirt.. so it’s all over the place. I kind of just wanted to make shirts that I would be psyched to wear.

b.ns. How did you come about to hosting your own show on Viva Radio?

p.k. My friend Paul (Wonder Wheel) played a show with R. Stevie Moore at Cake Shop, and I DJ’d. I guess I was on fire that night, because I got three marriage proposals (two of which were from Stevie), and later an offer for lifetime membership to VR from Josh. It was a pretty good night. We smoked a joint with Stevie after like, 2 and a half hours of convincing him it was okay for him to get high at his show if he wanted to (he didn’t want to get any what-for from the Cake Shop guys).

b.ns. What else do you do?

p.k. Right now I’m slanging pizzas at a place in Downtown L.A., and going to school. My major is Peace Studies. Prop215 is also a pretty integrated aspect of my day-to-day.

b.ns. Do you have any specific "process" or "concept" to making your show? I know some people always have this larger concept to the creative process, where like, they insist on everything matching up and being in line and whatever. But, if you're anything like me it's always kind of like winging it—just kind of "whatever" at the time and letting things go.

p.k. I like to think of myself as something of a “concept processer”. Just go with the flow, and let your mind keep you well.

b.ns. Other than Surfside Slashers, and Black Hole, what else is going on in your life?

p.k. Well… I’m currently dating a Rock’N’Roll Ecologist, which is pretty neat. Spruce Springsteen. I’m in a band with my little sister called Pearl Harbour. Josh [of Viva Radio] asked me if there was any connection to Stone Harbour, and I think I forgot to get back to him about it. So, to answer your question, Josh: Yes.

b.ns Around here you've got kind of a reputation for being a real "digger", in that you've got a great eye for finding amazing, but totally unheard of, records from all over the place. How do you go about finding your records, are you the kind of girl who digs first, listens second or do you just have the most comprehensive knowledge of music known to man/womankind and go out looking for records with a shopping list?

p.k. I get a lot of records from my Uncle Norm. Actually, he’s the original Surfside Slashers “mascot”. The guy with the broken surfboard and Leif Garrett mop. He’s funny. One time I went to hang with my cousin, and Norm was totally wasted. He was laying on his daughter’s pink checkerboard bed, playing guitar and singing badly. I was sort of just watching him from the doorway, unbeknownst to him, and all of a sudden he slurs “You suck!.. play something we know!” So he’s kind of a tippler, but dude’s got the jams. Other than that, I try to hang ten with the dollar bins.

b.ns. Anything else going on in your life, or do you have any special place that you want to take Black Hole or Surfside Slashers?

p.k. There’s some Pearl Harbz demos up on the ‘space if you wanna check those out. Also, I just did a run of Bobb Trimble shirts for a show he played in Cambridge, MA on April 1st. They’re nice. I gave ‘em this murky grey dye treatment that looks just like the cover of Iron Curtain Innocence. As far as future prospects, they are many and indefinite, my friend. I'd like to get involved in some design projects with current bands, so get in touch, current bands.

I guess that's an open call to all you musicians out there looking to work with one of the most active young minds I've come across in a long while. Once again, we'd like to say thanks to Piper K. for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions and share a little bit of her story with us. Keep on rocking, Piper—we can tell we'll probably be hearing a lot more about you in the future!