Photo: Courtesy of Josh Agle.
From Orange County punk to Polynesian pop: A conversation with Shag
Josh "Shag" Agle returns to AZ Tiki Oasis
Arizona Tiki Oasis returns to the Hotel Valley Ho from April 16-19. If you’ve never been, it’s the ultimate cocktail of Polynesian kitsch and high-desert hospitality — and easily the best people-watching in Scottsdale.
One of the coolest things happening at this year’s AZ Tiki Oasis is a seminar by beloved artist Josh Agle, who you might know as “Shag.” Known for his excellent work in exotica, pop culture, lush surrealism, and all things mid-century modern, Shag is more than a fan of Arizona Tiki Oasis and its longer-running counterpart, Tiki Oasis, which is now held in San Diego.
“I’ve been to every single Arizona Tiki Oasis... San Diego is more frenetic, whereas the pace of Arizona allows you more opportunity to take advantage of everything going on,” says Agle.
Shag is coming back to AZ for the annual Tiki Oasis event.
While the desert pace might be a bit more relaxed than its San Diego sibling, Agle hasn't lost his edge. The conversation shifted gears when we hit his musical DNA —because beneath the poolside aesthetic, Agle is still a punk-rock lifer. There is even a teensy bit of goth in Shag’s repertoire.
Click here to finish the conversation with this artist and icon. Thanks for supporting independent journalism!
About the Author
Tom Reardon
Tom Reardon is a husband and father, as well as a teacher, writer, and musician. He lives with his family in Phoenix, Arizona, in a home full of pets, people, books, and music.
