INTERVIEW: Will White aka WBW Designs

Will White (WBW Designs) collaborated with VEHEMENCE to create the Gremlins inspired “Slime & Stripes” range.

Was crazy into Slayer, Pantera, Soulfly, Machine Head and all those 90’s bands then boom, Slipknot came out of nowhere with their first album (studio). So heavy, so fast and so brutal, my 16 year old ears were in heaven and they hit me right in the angsty feels.

Experience?
Woah…um… I don’t know, can’t remember a time when I didn’t draw hahaha. I guess though, when I kinda started classing myself as an artist (first time someone gave me some money for doing it lol), about 20 years, 15 semi-professional and around 10 fully pro.

Influences?
Fuck man, hate this question, far too many to properly list and I’m a hellish nerd when I get talking about it so…

Greg Capullo (Comic artist who’s work first got me into drawing properly. Also the guy that drew the cover for Korns “Follow the Leader” album)
Kyle Hotz (Comic Artist, also probably the most metal style artist whilst not being a metal album artist, the dude rocks hard)
Drew Brophy (I don’t think there’s been a more influential surf artist in recent times, the guys an absolute legend and even if you didn’t realise or know who it was, any wave you drew on your school book was probably ripped from his work lol)
Brian Allen (Pinball Machine/T-shirt/Band Poster/Frisbee artist extraordinaire. Colour work and line work is on point and the guys and absolute hero)
Beastwreck (This guys and absolute monster at designing and drawing monsters hahaha. Followed him for years on the socials and he’s the boss at anything he touches, can’t help but be inspired)

So, so, so many more but I’d bore you with it all, these are the guys that I think (at the moment) have the biggest impacts on me.

Music?
HEAVY FRICKING METAL MAN!!!! Hahahah… nah, yeah, nah. Anything fast and heavy, the thrashier the better. Reckon Slipknot are my favourite of all favourites though, although I think its more sentimentality nowadays then anything else. Was crazy into Slayer, Pantera, Soulfully, Machine Head and all those 90’s bands then boom, Slipknot came out of nowhere with their first album (studio). So heavy, so fast and so brutal, my 16 year old ears were in heaven and they hit me right in the angsty feels. I have so much love for Punk (again, the thrashier the better), Hip-Hop, Blues, damn….anything that’s got a good beat and bass or some feeling. Love me a bit of dirty DnB too, but my first love will always be fast, trashy metal.

Why a collab with Vehemence?
Saw a photo of Roach you guys posted and kinda fell into the rabbit hole that is Vehemence. A bit of stalking and I knew I’d found my brand. Had been struggling recently with the fact that sponging and surfing seemed to have moved away from the whole punk/metal attitude nowadays, not saying that its a bad thing, its just a bit upsetting that that side of our beloved sport had disappeared a bit, no more vids with soundtracks that kicked you in the nuts, no proper aggy sections with some hardcore tune twinned with some gnarly waves and big snaps and airs……Vehemence made me whole hahaha. Thank you.

Waves?
Mexican….hahahahaha, lol (yes, I am a tuss) Wedgy, heavy, slabby waves. Doesn’t have to be makable, although it is nice sometimes lol. Been sponging for decades (nearing old man status now) and am a big lad, so it has to be big and heavy to get my ass moving lol. Growing up down here has meant that I’ve been able to score some sick, sick waves, mainly beachies and wedge carnage and ever so often some of our granite slabs awaken, which is nice. East Oz is definitely my happy place when it comes to waves though, planning on making it permanent in the next few years too.

Boards?
Man, I’d love to say yes hahaha, but my days of skating are long gone, hurts far too much coming off ay. Been toying with the idea of getting a foamy for the summers but even if its small you can always get your grovel on so nah, my boogy boards are it. Oh oh oh… Does a keyboard count?

Anything else?
Love my girls (Wife and daughter, aka “My Queen and The Rat”). My favourite food is Sausage and quite like the The Twilight films…

Follow Will over on Instagram (@wbwdesigns)