Brian Bent Temp Check Interview:

All original...

Born and raised in Southern California, Stance punk and poet Brian Bent was at the center of the Orange County’s skate, surf and music scenes throughout the late 70’s and 80’s. Influential in helping shape the local counter culture, Brian drew inspiration from the emerging SoCal punk rock movement and soon found himself learning to paint and play guitar. He hasn’t stopped since.

Known for his uncanny ability to translate an often-unorthodox lifestyle through the power of his paintbrush, Brian’s art has earned a cult following of fans all over the world. He is a true original and perfectly embodies our brand ethos of “Stitched Different” like no other. We recently caught up with Brian to see what all he’s been up to in the past year and find out what lies ahead for him in 2023. Check out our conversation below.


@Brian_bent

It seems like you've been painting a lot in the studio. What have you been working on this past year?

Actually, I've been riding this twin fin 10 foot board that just kind of took me back to when I was like 16, first digging long boards and it's really inspired my paintings as far as the “Surfing with the jazz series “collection I’m currently working on. I've been actually painting a lot of surf jazz paintings and people have been digging them. As they get them, I can continually paint them, and so that's been a really cool roll through the whole summer. Now that this is the first week that it's been kind of rainy and stormy, it's kind of like a different, new chapter, but that's what I've been doing.


What are your go-to surf spots locally and when traveling?

Actually, my favorite surf spot is Doheny and San Onofre. I grew up in Dana Point where Doheny is, and it's still this really cool small, just perfect wave that, when my soul's tired I go there to surf and it's just always so elegant and so sweet. Of course, San Onofre, I grew up going there as well. Totally different break, kind of more nostalgic, more like wilderness.

As far as breaks that I really liked to surf was Malibu, especially when I was riding this Tom Blake paddle board…super nostalgic. In Hawaii, definitely Waikiki.

How often are you gigging with your music? What plans do you have playing music in the next upcoming year?

Well, my daughter and I have the father daughter Bent Duo. We've had incredible engagements and incredible play... We've played really, really cool places, either underground or regular places to play. We just got a seven inch record release out of 31 Gallery in Missouri. I think after a couple months when my daughter gets settled in Long Beach, we're going to have a record release out here.

We had one already in Missouri and people have been really stoked on hearing that we have vinyl now. I think we're just going to continue to play like we've always played, but also we're going to have a launch through Kreedom Sunglasses, a whole kind of '60s mod-rocker launch of sunglasses that we're going to tie in with the Bent Duo as well.


What do you like about being a punk and poet for Stance?

Stance gave me a platform over the years to travel different places around the world showcasing my art and music. I've always been into really cool socks and they've always had the best socks and I mean, they just fit well. They look good in photos, they look good on stage, they look good and just, they feel good. I'm just blessed to be a part of them after all these years since they pretty much almost started. It's been a really cool legacy.


What's ahead for you next year?

It all depends on what we do in the winter. It might be a super heavy traveling year or it might be another kind of dormant, just chilling local around here year. It all depends on where the inspiration is at. We've been invited to different places already, but... it might just be another local groove here, so it's hard to say, but things are getting geared up. We're just not committed quite yet.


Where can people find out more about Brian Bent?

It sounds really vain, but you can always Google my name and then you can pull up stuff from there. Instagram, I'm always working through my Instagram. We have an at home gallery now that's really cool that you can come and visit. You can make an appointment, and also you can get Bent Duo on Spotify or Apple Music. Yeah, those are the places.


Right on, Brian. Thanks, man.