I travel a lot, and being in different countries and a part of cultures, that's just such a huge inspiration for music, and one way or another, you get influenced.

I started surfing at the age of 10, and then turned professional at the age of 16, which was right around the same time I took up the guitar. So, the surfing came first.

Before I actually got a hard surfboard at the age of 10, like a real board, I was always just trying to stand up on boogie boards or rafts or whatever I had, trying to emulate the people that I saw surfing the waves out there.

Traveling is also a big inspiration for me.

Nobody in my family ever surfed, but they would always bring me to the beach.

[Jack Johnson]gave me my whole start in music, which was the coolest thing ever.

When I'm out in the water surfing, it clears my mind and it makes me want to play music and write music, and then when I'm playing a lot of music and touring, I can't wait to get in the water again and surf. So, I'm striving to find that perfect balance, and it's all good.