Swarmis

Now, I know this is treading dangerously close to Your Daily Donkey territory, but I couldn't resist posting this recent image from Surfshot. What a trippy shot. Considering it was taken at Swamis, there's gotta be a good caption in there somewhere.

Any takers?

Hold On...

What do you get when you mix Sam, Dave, the Mar Keys,
and Booker T/MG's? You get this! Quality footage from the
Stax-Volt '66 European tour.

Mid-Life Crisis?

Hopefully I'm too young for that. Even if it is, better a Fender Jazzmaster than a sportscar. I've obviously had music on the brain pretty heavily lately. After 20 years of playing drums, I've decided to pick up the guitar as well. I've always tooled around on guitars, but I've decided to persue it a bit more. I'm ready to be new at an instrument all over again.

While I'd love to get the Jazzmaster pictured above, the reality is I'm going to get a Fender mexi Telecaster like the one pictured below. Price is right, and I just love the sound of Telecasters. Pardon me here, but Steve Cropper fucking rules; don't know how else to say it. The Tele feels really playable and it's just a no-nonsense, bare-bones iconic workhouse. Think Joe Strummer, Keith Richards, etc. I'm stoked.



Thanks for tolerating my deviation from all things surf. I'll get back into that. Finally got the wetsuit, back in the water. The Andreini is done and I'll post more about all of that in the near future. Just need to mix it up a bit right now.

Elvin!

Check out this clip of Elvin Jones with his trio in the post-Coltrane years. I'm not an easily star-struck individual, but meeting him (though only briefly) was being in the presence of true greatness. Powerful.

Hope you all had a good holiday.

Headin' Out

No posts until after the holiday; time to get out of town with the family for a few days. Hope you all enjoy your week.

In the meantime, here's a little gem for you. Lightnin' Hopkins 1963.

Jocko at PIpe

Super flat, soft round rails, heavy as hell—no problem! Pipe innovator along with Van Artsdalen, Peck, etc. Lopez openly acknowledges his debt to these guys. This image was featured at the Talking Pipe event with Jock and Gerry at Patagonia last week.

In-Flight Selection

60's era in-flight menu for United Airlines. For you design heads, Arkiva Tropika has a massive library of printed materials to browse. Enjoy.

Seen It?

Has anyone seen the Jason Jessee movie?

Back in the Mix

Back from a little break. Too much time in the digital world, needed to spend some time in analog mode for a few days. Actually been playing
a little music with some people; nice to get back behind the drumkit.

My Andreini Vaquero is done, and now I just have to get it down here.
I may head up to Santa Barbara and pick it up at the Beach House, or I may have Marc just send it down. I had a great 30 minute conversation with him regarding the specific origins of the Vaquero design. He's talked about it a bit in the short video he did on the Mollusk site, but it was great to hear the in-depth history. Of course Innermost Limits definitely had something to do with it. Marc is getting close to 60, but he talks about surfing, Greenough, films, etc. as if he's a super-stoked teenager. Inspiring.

Other than that, had a good time at the Gerry Lopez/Jock Sutherland talk at Patagonia. Some good imagery, good story, and a very solid crowd. Jock was a bit of a quiet-talker, but I was sitting in a spot where it wasn't a problem. Still, I think some people had a hard time picking up on a lot of it. Side note: Is it just me, or are the people at Patagonia Cardiff consistently some of the nicest people on the planet? I'm serious, always such a good vibe there. If any of you went, what did you think?

Been in work mode, looking forward to getting back in the water. Respect to my dad who did his stint in Vietnam. He's a good man.

Sustainable 60's

Makaha, cardboard, Tom Morey, and Lester Beall's logo work.
An interesting mix.

Mark Cunningham

Featured in the latest episode of Hi Shredability. First two parts of four are posted. He's a trip. Enjoy.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

An appropriate follow-up to the previous post. From David Barringer in Emigre no. 68, American Mutt Barks in the Yard:

Are you lost? Or are you unwilling to admit cowardice in the muscle of your heart? When the economic calculations are made, weighing opportunistic careerism against good, ethical, soulful work, you are a prophet: you know which way your scales will tip. Ah, well. Self-preservation is an instinct of the apes whose genetic hides we have not fully shrugged off. Life advances not on the moving sidewalks of theoretical strategies, but on the messy improvisations of the vine-to-vine swing that we call a case-by-case basis. Maybe an easier crisis will come your way, one in which hypocrisy will feel as natural as a wool sweater and a judgment call will have nothing more at stake than money. Mortals can always try again (up to a point). In the meantime, be a patriot. Go shopping. Behold the wings of angels at the mall. In the feathers of sales tags will you find the map of your destiny revealed. It will have a magnetic strip on it.

It's a Shame About Joel

I mean, I should've known when Wayne Lynch decided to do one. I guess the Joel Tudor popout is old news to many, yet I hadn't heard about it until recently. Scott Henry mentioned it when we were talking last week. I remember reading an interview with Joel in Water magazine where he ensured that he wasn't interested in going the popout route. Again, money caves another one.

Now, I don't really want to get into debates about how shapers or designers, etc. deserve it since they are finally able to make a decent chunk of money and be recognized for their years of hard work. I also don't really care if they ride "just like my other boards." I will never own one. I can't. I would always rather be a part of the process. I like being able to have a conversation with the person who's actually making my board. I like to ask questions and give feedback. I like a board made by hand. I also won't get into the issue of machine-cut blanks, etc. I know what I like, but I'm not saying that's the only way.

Still, a popout is a popout. And what I do know is that they just don't do it for me. Tudor has always been an outspoken cat. He's always talked about soul, etc. Well, I don't see the soul in this move. But I do see the earning potential.

50th Post

Thanks to all of you for checking in and contributing your thoughts and feedback over the past couple of months. I'm having a good time with this and hope you're all enjoying it too. Have a good Friday.
Photo: Ron Stoner