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.
15 comments:
I agree, it's not my thing either. However, I'm not quite so ready to reserve judgement. Popouts are turning a cool, localized, hands-on, interactive, culturally dynamic sub-group- surfers and surfing- into another commercial venture. Being a surfer used to be different than being a baseball player etc... Now we all buy toys to play. We used to, and some still do, live in the culture that produces functional tools for our play. No Popouts!
Wow, double vexing since Joel isn't a shaper. His name is on the board, but others shape them. Since there is no shaping involved here, he's just selling his approved designs. Hmmm. Wouldn't have thought he'd go this route either way...
Yeah, so it's basically just passive income. That's the clincher, I'm sure. I guess you can say Shrosbee, Kenson, Eberly, etc. shaped the originals (based on older designs) with Joel's art direction.
i'VE HEARD jOEL DOES'NT CARE ABOUT SURFING NEAR THE WAY HE USED TOo.
MAKES SENSE WITH THIS SILLY MOVE.
Later soul brother.
Marketing soul surfing?
classic.
"Later soul brother.
Marketing soul surfing?
classic."
Joel tested, Dora approved
Dora Schmorrah!
So sick of his grasp on things and it's not his fault.
If ya ever surf the bu, you'd see there's a whole crew of talkers about "the old days".
These guys all claim to be Dora's buddy.
Then there's the new school of pseudo Doras! A hell of alot of 'em.
Whatever for Dora. I just always liked his surfing. Period. I've never had a romanticized view of his whole jive. He is a historical character at this point.
f*ck dora and his ilk
Aight.
My greatest dissapointment form the recent film One California Day was the glorification of Tudor as some paragon of good living and "soul power". Reality couldn't be further from the truth.
Tudor is an asshole, plain and simple. The reason he's been so into his mixed fighting stuff isn't because of the challenge or rush of it, it's because he's gotten his ass kicked so badly in the past for being such a jerk that he wants to prevent that from happening again. His father has had his ass kicked too for the same reason.
Tudor's certainly a talented surfer from a skill perspective but should never be confused for an exemplar of how to live and treat other people.
Ohhh but Joel smokes weed and surfs with style. He MUST be soul. C'mon we have all been fed that. It can't be wrong.
-push
How much does a pop-out cost? I'm sure a person could get an equal or superior shape done by local craftsmen for less.
Interesting comments, all. The point of my post had less to do with Tudor as "soul" and more to do with how outspoken he's been about popouts in the past. It's just a blatant $-driven 180.
Still, "soul" is for sale as we know. And it's all just about fashion really. Why the hell else would neo-beavertails exist? That is a total overly self-aware fashion accessory at this point.
Last Anon: Yeah, people can work with local shapers to get a custom board that costs the equivalent or less than a Surftech.
Finally, it should be said that in spite of all the BS, there are lots of people out there doing it well.
To me the saddest part of the pop-out movement is the fact the tradition/craft of shaping, and custom boards, is quickly dying. Props to the guys at Moonlight for making handmade boards look and feel so good in their finished forms and keeping the custom vibes alive by working with great shapers.
As for joel -sure he's good st surfing. his section in Siestas and Olas is amazing. But unlike most of us he makes his living surfing and being a role model is probably more about dough than soul for him (because he's gotta make a living). I would never buy a pop-out and I really could care less about pro-surfing /surfers.
I don't think he's that concerned with being a role model, and he doesn't need to be. Again, he's just been pretty outspoken about so many things and the blatant 180, while I understand it's lots of passive $, it's just too blatant.
Thanks for the comment, ras; I just added you to the links.
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