This is Kyuss

Hailing from the idyllic Australian hamlet of Byron Bay, pro surfer and Sun Bum ambassador Kyuss King is a man of many aptitudes.

Apart from pushing the limits as one of surfing’s most progressive young guns, his natural talents for music, auto mechanics, and acting make his presence a highly magnetic one. And while we could continue to wax lyrical about his competitive prowess or his mind-blowing collection of vintage surf craft, we think the elder King’s humble yet relentless attitude toward his myriad passions keeps our eyes glued. Enter the energy field for yourself, below.

This interview was created in partnership with Sun Bum and has been edited for brevity.

Sun Bum: We’ve noticed you’re a bit of a metalhead. Were you named after the band Kyuss? 

Kyuss King: Yeah, music is definitely a massive part of my life, from listening to it to playing it! And metal is 100% at the top of my genre – there’s nothing like headbanging to some chunky riffs. Yeah, I was named after the band Kyuss. It was my dad’s favorite band through the ’90s. Funny story, my dad actually had the song Green Machine blasting in the hospital while my mum was in labor with me haha. I guess I kinda came into the world to that kinda music.

What music have you been grooving to lately?

I’ve been listening to a fair bit of Punk lately – Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Bad Brains, Cro-Mags. I’ve also been listening to stuff like The Doors, Johnny Cash, Ted Nugent, Tim Buckley, and DEVO, and I love diving into the 80s eg: WA WA NEE, Flock of Seagulls, Kim Wilde, etc. I’m definitely locked into the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. I think it’s good to keep your genre options open, as there’s so much good stuff out there.

What was it like growing up on a farm in Byron Bay?

It’s been amazing. Byron Bay is such a rad place with lots of options for good waves. Our little farm is epic. We can blast music really loud and it won’t annoy the neighbors (too much). My brother Ras and I also love to ride dirt bikes around and fix up old-school muscle cars, so it’s nice having the space to do that. 

How has Byron changed in the past 15 years?

Byron Bay has changed a lot since I was grom. I remember going to surf early before school and there would only be my family, a few mates, and a handful of other locals. Now it’s crazy! Sometimes you can’t even get a park to go to the beach, but you can’t really blame anyone as Byron is just such a beautiful place. Everyone that comes here doesn’t want to leave.

As far as surfing, what are your goals for the next five years?

Within the next five years, I’d love to make the championship tour and take a title. That’s been my dream since I could surf! I also really want to travel and explore some new amazing waves and places and create cool videos. A couple more movies under my belt will be great too!

We noticed that you’ve been busy working on Hollywood-style films while you’re not surfing. What got you into the entertainment world?

Yeah, the acting gig has been really fun! I’m always keen to try something challenging, different, and new. The film Rasmus and I did really just came up out of the blue. We got hit up on Instagram by the director to do an audition and amazingly they liked what we did, so in short, that’s how it happened. 

What advice do you have for upcoming groms?

Keep it analog and make sure you have multiple passions in life. Being an athlete involves pushing your body a lot and therefore injuries are a part of the journey (as I’m experiencing right now). It’s been so helpful in my healing journey to have other outlets and passions to keep my sanity.

Where do you see professional surfing 20 years from now?

Probably surfing some crazy wave pool tour on the moon. Or Mars?

Read the full interview at SunBum.com.