Words and photos by Cade Meyers

“I finally found a place for myself that actually makes me want to stay alive, and now I can lift my head and look you in the eye.” (from Two Knights’ song, I’m your dad and you’re my dad). These lyrics resonate with me heavily. I’ve always been searching for some sense of belonging whether it was at school when I was young, different friend groups, sports teams, hell, even my own family didn’t always feel like home. Growing up as a pastor’s kid, I never really felt like I could fully express myself because I was told to set a “good example” for my peers. When High School came around this feeling of alienation stayed and it didn’t start to fade until I met like minded skaters that befriended me and made me feel like I was seen. Listening to music was always a way to tune that feeling out. Nowadays that feeling has grown into something else, something better. I feel like I’ve found my home, my community, my place. Over the last four years meeting and developing relationships with people within the skate and music scene and being surrounded by people who I relate to has really helped me. Taking photos of the two made me realize there is a deeper connection to music and skating. There is something really special about the release and full submersion of emotion that flows out of the two. When a skater is trying their trick they become so immersed in wanting to accomplish their goal. Testing one’s patience and skill in an almost out of body experience. I love capturing this raw state in both music and skating.

I asked my friend Chris Sloan (vocalist of Party Hats/skater) if both of these scenes give a sense of belonging. The response captured exactly the point I’m trying to get across. “Yeah, I mean I don’t really skate anymore but I notice a lot of similarities in the music scene now. Just how supportive people are of each other. I think that the skate scene and the music scene give a sense of purpose to a lot of people.”