surfblog1000

Hello 2009. Goodbye SB1000.

2009-01-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well, it's time. I originally started this blog as a way to channel my surf obsession, and I think it has run its course (the blog, not my surf obsession). Nowadays I'm more into reading all of the great surf blogs that are still vital, posting interesting bits consistently. I have really enjoyed sharing the stuff I'm into, and I appreciate everyone who has stopped by to check in.

I'll still be reading my favorite surf blogs, commenting here and there. I'm always reachable at our shop, and for those interested, you can check out my other blog here.

Thanks to all, and I wish you the best in 2009. Happy surfing and all the other stuff you like to do. This has been a good time.

Take care,
jb

sadblog1000

2008-12-09T23:45:00.001-08:00

Man, a lot more work than surf lately. Yep, haven't been out in three weeks. Yep, missed all of the recent swell activity. Yep, I'm a kook because I just cannot get my ass up early enough to surf before the rest of the day starts.

To be fair, we just opened our new business, and after so much effort it has been it's own massive reward for sure. I do need some water in the gills, but I'm really stoked on what we have created. Not a surplus of sleep though.

So, I'll keep posting from time to time. There are so many other vital, active surf blogs these days, there's more than enough to check out as it is. Still, I can't seem to pull the plug completely. I still enjoy reading all of your blogs, pretty much everyday.

If you're into tea and you're in or near San Diego, I'm at the shop everyday except Monday. Halcyon Tea: 3009 Beech Street, 92102 in South Park.

The tide is pretty damn high tomorrow morning.

This Never Gets Old

2008-11-20T23:06:00.001-08:00

You've probably seen it, but I never get tired of watching Val Ching from 1963.

. . .

2008-11-11T20:54:00.000-08:00

The Tears and Music of Love

2008-11-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

Deerhoof live.

Nude as the News

2008-10-31T02:18:00.000-07:00

I'm digging this live clip. Chan Marshall with Steve Shelley on point behind the kit.

Fluid

2008-10-24T22:27:00.001-07:00

Love this photo. Found it via the resintint blog, which I always enjoy checking out. The photographer is Keith Novosel, and you can see more of his work at www.fluidmotionphoto.com.

Been into the weather and zero wind all day long. Had a few really fun sessions over the past couple of weeks. Hope you've all been getting your share too.

This is Rad

2008-10-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

Poster done by Yee Haw Industries.

Classic San Diego

2008-10-01T21:38:00.000-07:00

Osprey, 1966

Big Rock, 1966

Skip at PB Point, 1965

You may have already seen this Flickr set, but if you haven't there are a few gems for sure.

Dorkiness From Yesteryear

2008-09-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

Don't ask me how I came across this photo; I don't recall. Honestly. But, for whatever reason this appeared and I was instantly blasted back to 1980 or so. I had one of these on my Torker. Or, maybe it was after that, on my Diamond Back. Anyway, I hadn't seen nor thought of anything related to the whole BMX thing since I was about 11. It was a trip.

Can you tell the surf has been lame around here the past few days?

Equinox

2008-09-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

Wish I brought the camera today. The local beach was glassy for hours, clean with some very fun pick-and-choose gems. The light was absolutely incredible, and I simply couldn't get out of the water. Neck and shoulders are a bit worked due to lots of laps and stalking the shifting corners. To top it off, really good vibes in the water and very few people. I'm still feeling the buzz.

Bronx River Parkway

2008-09-15T00:19:00.001-07:00

La Valla. This is a must listen.

Up early today, but nothing too happening surf-wise. Had a fun hour-long session on Friday. Sometimes the local beach works well at high tide. Some fun little peelers before dark.

Damn, JB! Where you been?

2008-09-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

Workin'! Been super busy, and the shop is almost open. Have some final build-out to do, but we're almost there. Still been making time to get in the water, but the weather/wind hasn't cooperated with me the past few days. Yesterday I had to drive up to LA and it was sunny, minimal wind, and it looked fun driving past a few spots. Got up this morning and the wind was already on it! I gotta get in tomorrow no matter what.

We printed up these shop business cards a few weeks back. Not sure if there are any ink-on-paper heads out there, but I'm stoked on the subtle letterpress job. Doing the design for your own company is always complicated, but in the end I'm pretty stoked.

Thanks for checking in.

jb

Californian

2008-08-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Mike Hynson, San Diego 1966

Yeah, summer in San Diego is crowded, but it's fun seeking the little nooks that very few people surf. I've been hitting a couple spots for many years where people can be fewer than 50 yards away in a herd while I surf either alone or with a couple of others. Not sure why/how this happens, but it always amazes me that you can get that in the middle of summer in a place like San Diego.

Yesterday was one of those days when a magic window opens between high and low tide and everything falls into place. When I first got out there was too much water, conditions weren't coming together, but you could tell there was a little pulse. So, I got a few here and there before deciding to do some laps for exercise. By the time I paddled back to my usual spot everything had changed. The tide was going out and it was only a matter of time before it would get too low. In the span of an hour I don't know how many waves I had, but they just kept coming. A few people paddled over with enough to go around and within ten minutes everyone was gone, all going in at the same time. I stayed out for another 45 minutes and had some really fun waves. It had become oil-slick glass with the sunlight just perfect, the water nice and blue, and it might sound goofy, but I was so aware of being a Californian. It was just a very California moment is all I can say. While there have been some fun days here and there this summer, this just happened to be one beyond the norm. The waves weren't extraordinary, but really fun, no wind, good light, warm water, the Vaquero in effect, and nearly nobody else around. It's one of those sessions that fulfills you in a different way. Glad to see those still exist.

Fresh Fruit

2008-08-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Jello Biafra interviewed by Jools Holland during the Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables era.

I Heart Vests

2008-08-13T22:14:00.001-07:00

I don't know why, but I haven't had a vest for a few years now. I used to always wear them from late spring into early fall, but I've been wearing a jacket for a while since I've been fried on the shoulders a fair amount of times in life. But, I decided it's time again as I'm sick of having tan hands and nothing else. I know, a vest tan isn't much better.

Anyway, I was on a mission for a thicker vest with smoothie, and I was kind of hot on the O'Neill O'riginal series vest. Not to be all retro, but I can't hang with so many vests and the disco logos they have going on. Yeah, I'm weird that way. Anyway, I could not find my size in any shop. Finally I did, and it fit great except for the big chunk taken out of the back, most likely from someone's fingernail. No thanks. So, I was about to give up when I happened into a random shop and found the Nine Plus vest above. Now, these things run pretty small, and I was bummed to see they only had an XXL size. But I tried it on, and it was perfect. Plus, it has a zip instead of being a straight pullover like the O'Neill. All happened the way it was meant to. And, Patagonia was completely sold out until next year, so that wasn't an option.

Why am I writing so much about a vest? The thing is 3 mm, super comfortable with the Yamamoto smoothie, and my favorite vest so far. I have heard of some durability issues with the Nine Plus fulls, but I take really good care of all my shit, so I have high hopes that this one will last a while for me.

A few fun days of surf early in the week and the end of last week. All in all, not a bad summer for surf around here other than the wind.

Hope you're all enjoying yours.

Nice.

2008-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite images from Dane Peterson's Flickr page.

Untitled

2008-08-02T00:07:00.001-07:00

Who the hell would wear this? But if you feel so inclined, it can be yours for $1,295. No problem! The description says it was made in the 60s, but who knows. It may well be. I'll shut up and let you check out the description they retailer provides:

You are looking at one of the most highly sought after vintage shirts on this planet. This very, very rare pleasure from paradise was put out in the 1960's to promote the now infamous surfing movie "Endless Summer". The fabic on this vintage treasure is graced with a killer full panel pattern on both the back and front of the shirt (see photos). You will see the silhouettes of surfers against a golden yellow and atomic orange sunset. This baby also has a zip up the front so you can be as sexy as you want to be !! Or you can wear this as a jacket with a t-shirt underneath. Do not miss this once in a life time chance to own a killer piece of Hawaiian shirt surfing history. This stunning shirt would look amazing framed in koa wood and hung as a piece or art !!

Yep, it actually said, "as sexy as you want to be" and it was talking about this very shirt. Damn.

Conejo

2008-07-31T01:07:00.000-07:00

Just saw Bustin' Down the Door last night. I liked it, and even though I knew the basic story it was nice to have it told by the guys. Noticeably absent were Lopez, Bertlemann, Rory, etc. May have been cool to get their perspectives on the deal, but it was good to hear BK's thoughts.

Been limping along here with the SB1000. Not sure if anyone's out there anymore. I'll see where this goes, see how much more life it has in it, etc. One thing I don't like is half-assed surf blogs, and this is becoming one.

If You Like Bongos...

2008-07-15T17:14:00.001-07:00

...then you'll like this clip if you haven't seen it already.

Raw(k)ness

2008-07-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, how many people have covered this song? I just don't know if I've heard a better version. I think The Sonics were among the finest of the entire 60's garage scene. I know, "garage" is an overused term. Anyway, if you're into that stuff, check it.

Demateralize

2008-06-29T14:32:00.001-07:00

The whole of the experience is much greater than the component parts of board/wave/rider,etc. You can break down the elements and admire each individually, but put it all together...

The Greatest

2008-06-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

Feeling Coltrane right now. This is from his Jazz Casual episode. It's an often seen clip, but still one of the most powerful performances of (in my mind) the greatest musician of any era.

A Quick Chat

2008-06-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

With Brian Jones in two short spots.

Number one.

Number two.

Bert

2008-06-15T23:27:00.001-07:00

Big Shores

2008-06-08T22:24:00.000-07:00

Not sure when the photo was taken, but damn!

Proof

2008-06-06T01:27:00.000-07:00

There was indeed some good music in the 80's—a lot of it actually. It's easy to lump everything together into memories of Men Without Hats, Thompson Twins, etc. Luckily there was more than that.

The Colourfield was fronted by Terry Hall (Specials, Fun Boy Three) and this cut still holds up if you ask me.

Summer Sessions

2008-06-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Time to break out the fins again.

Listen

2008-05-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

This one was a staple of the Point Loma backyard party scene when we were in high school. Do kids even have parties like that anymore?

Gone Too Far?

2008-05-19T22:52:00.000-07:00

I'm just asking.

Rudderless 70s

2008-05-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

Nuuwiha being trailed by his own fin.

Hot Photo #1

2008-05-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

By maestro Grannis, of course. I love this shot.

Flat Duo Jets

2008-05-07T00:49:00.000-07:00

Waaaay before the Black Keys we had the Flat Duo Jets. A raw live clip, and a classic snippet from IRS's The Cutting Edge. I miss that show.

Last Night

2008-05-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

The Mar-Keys are what you get when you add on to the BTMGs quartet. I love how these guys all worked together, separately, as partial combos, etc. No matter how you slice it, it's history and a crucial part of American music.

Red Beans & Rice

2008-04-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

Live. On a Steve Cropper kick again. Great intro if you speak Norwegian.

I Wish I Was a Catfish

2008-04-29T01:01:00.000-07:00

Actually, if I could choose I'd rather be a dolphin, but it just wouldn't work the same here. Muddy and his Tele, Newport 1960.

Morning Session

2008-04-26T00:44:00.000-07:00

Weird morning here in SD. Surfed north county until we were told to exit the water. The helicopter circled us for a while before we got out. It was kind of surreal to hear over a loudspeaker, "This is the lifeguard, there's been a fatal shark attack. Exit the water." There's going to be a lot of hype going down. Thoughts to the man's family.

Back en Acción

2008-04-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a nice albeit busy hiatus from the SB1000. Nice to step back, get out of Dodge, and get some fresh perspective. So, what's been happening?

Been surfing the Andreini more than any of my other boards. Definitely appeals to my single-fin minimalist side, and it's a nice contrast to the big twin (which is one of the best boards I've ever had) and the others. I've ridden it from chest/head high to really little days and the versatility is there. But it really turns on in better surf. The cleanest fades are possible on this thing. I'll talk more about it later.

Had some nice down time with my girls. There's nothing like getting out of town and enjoying each other in different environments.

Been playing a lot of guitar too. It's been nice to bring music back to a more consistent place. I'm set to play drums with a few cats I recently met. We'll see how that all pans out.

Been building out the shop and it is coming along incredibly well. We have sourced sustainable/recycled materials throughout the entire space; from the floor, to the walls, to all of the cabinetry. And it all looks really tight. If anyone ever needs woodwork done in the San Diego area let me know and I'll refer our guy. He's legit.

Tea. Lots and lots of it. All day, every day. We are fiends, and crafting our exact list for the shop is actually a challenge, but so much fun.

And I became an uncle for the first time. Yep, Uncle JB. Audrey was born to my sister and her husband on 3.31.

That's it for now. Not super surf-related, but thanks for checking in.

Cheers.

Vacation

2008-03-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'll be on vacation for a bit. Back in a month or so, but not gone forever. I'll be checking your blogs and posting comments here and there. I can still be reached via email at any time.

Take it easy.

jb

New Deck

2008-02-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Kinda dorky, but I'm stoked on this new deck I got for my birthday. I had this same board when I was 15 in a different colorway. I must confess I fell to the resurgence of old(er) guy skaters a couple of years back and got a deck, new 151s and a set of original NOS Santa Cruz Bullets. It has been fun! But that's been on a Mike Valelly reissue, and his model was just after my time. I mellowed on skating when I broke my finger and drums were more important to me at 17.

Anyway, we used to dig watching Steadham in the keyhole at Del Mar. Other skaters may have been more technical, but he had great flow. Check this recent video of him at Encinitas. 45 years old and still pretty damn tight. Nice railslide at :15.

Truth and Soul: The Podcast

2008-02-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

Not only an insanely good label and online record shop, but absolutely one of the best podcasts for soul/funk heads. Check the site and it will take you right to the podcast. The featured show from the above image is by DJ L Michel and features some obscure latin soul/funk gems. I also have to recommend show #7 with El Michels Affair playing live Wu-Tang cuts with full band and the MCs. This band is connected to the whole Daptone, Budos Band, Antibalas, Mighty Imperials, etc. scene. A lot of the same players. Check the feel on drummer Homer Steinweiss in this little live snippet. So nice.

From the Stacks

2008-02-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

Yeah, the B-52's have had their day. They're still out there playing, but I'm talking about 1978–1981 or so. This first album is so damn good! I'm not thinking Rock Lobster (which was endearingly quirky in 1979), but cuts like 52 Girls and 6060842! I broke this record out after not listening to it for years, and I forgot how good it was. For a combo out of Georgia in the late 70's they were tapping into the right stuff. Throw in the old keyboards, cheap guitars, and you got a signature foundation that worked very well with the vocals of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. Funny, when I first saw this as a 9 year-old kid the album cover kind of freaked me out in ways my early Kiss records never could. Not sure why. But New Wave Theater and the Dead Kennedys soon took care of that.

Have You Seen This?

2008-02-14T22:34:00.001-08:00

If so, can you give me the rundown? I know it's been around for a while, but I haven't seen it. How is it? Worth getting? Seems like it has to be good; you can never get enough Greenough as far as I'm concerned. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

Hell No.

2008-02-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

I know, bad choice of images for a surf blog.

Over Head

2008-02-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

PACIFICA — A Brazilian teen who misjudged the movement of the tide on Sunday had to be rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter as he sat on his surfboard at sea, according to officials.

Eric Urban, 17, a surfer visiting local relatives, was out in the water off Sharp Park Beach around 2:25 p.m. when he realized he couldn't get back in, he said Sunday. Although the waves were not quite 10 feet high, the tide was dropping and he got pulled away to a point about 200 yards south of the Pacifica Pier.

A distress call summoned the Pacifica Fire Department and a Coast Guard boat and helicopter, which arrived at 2:30 p.m., according to Coast Guard Petty Officer Russell Nagle.

The helicopter sent a rescue swimmer into the ocean who helped attach Urban to a cable.

Fifteen minutes later, the helicopter deposited the chilled, but healthy, surfer a short distance away on land.

"He was inexperienced and couldn't make his way," said Nagle. Urban said he was the only surfer in the area when he first paddled out.

Summer in February

2008-02-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

With some surf! Had a lot of fun today and yesterday. Decent amounts of people in the water, but the little nooks were out there. In the midst of the throngs my brother-in-law and I felt like we were surfing by ourselves for parts of the session. Last wave in, paddled away from the pack again, down to where I could feel something wanted to pop up (know that feeling?), and sure enough, nice shoulder-high corner all the way to the beach. Good way to end it.

Too Many Orders Pavel

2008-02-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

We all know Toby has blown-up over the last few years as a designer/shaper. The picture on the left is from a custom shape session he did for me in late 2003; the one on the right is the bonzer he did for me a few months back. Notice a difference? Yeah, we all age over four years time, but damn! Even with machines and ghost shapers, he has an intensely formidable list of customs. I hope he's able to pull it off. Good luck, Toblerone.

I Want to Like This

2008-02-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

But I can't say that I do. I know there was much more to the guy than surfing, but I guess I wanted less debauchery and more surfing—especially the early days of him on the super-short space sticks. It is cool to get some info. via the interview with him, but even that gets hard to read. I still haven't bought the book and don't know if I will. I've picked it up and put it back several times. I do like Brewer and Stecyk. Any differing opinions? Anyone have it? What do you think?

The Old Ludwigs

2008-02-03T00:29:00.000-08:00

Sold these a few years back to get the custom Paul Bleifuss kit I'll have 'til I die. This was a mid-60's era Ludwig in the ubiquitous blue oyster pearl finish. It was a really fun kit, and I used it as my go-to for nearly 10 years. Nice warm tone, and I found it in great condition. Just a shot I found while rummaging around. Thought I'd post it since there are a few drum/music heads out there too.

The Man and His P-Bass

2008-01-31T22:21:00.001-08:00

One of the greatest ever. Hard to find a lot of live footage with him, but here's one classic to check out. And, if you can deal with one of those music/image montages that people like to do, check out the music (not footage) of the Jackson 5's "Darling Dear." Damn, it's nice.

Enjoy your Friday.

The Man and his Telecaster

2008-01-30T23:03:00.000-08:00

The Stylist

2008-01-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

Can't remember where I stole this from, so apologies to the photographer. I love shots taken from the back, and this little zipper with Hamilton and his familiar hand jive is just one of those simple gems that makes me want to surf. I'm pretty sure this is from a slide show at the Surfing Heritage Foundation.

The Other JB

2008-01-28T23:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure John Belik has been mentioned in other blogs, but I heard a good interview with him a long while back on Surfer radio. It's worth a listen for some good Cliffs/design history, and Bird Huffman is there too. I'm sure many of you have already heard it, but thought I'd put it out there just in case. Scroll down to the Aug. 16, 2006 show and listen as an MP3 or as a podcast. Enjoy if you haven't already.

Thoughts on Extras?

2008-01-27T22:26:00.000-08:00

I read Pezman's take on One CA Day in the most recent TSJ. I always dig his thoughts on things and I thought he raised an interesting question as to whether or not the film lived up to its amazing trailer (and even better "Making Of..."). In the end he liked the result. It's hard to complain too much. Nice soundtrack, crisp CA color on 16 mm, and some nice surfing. Yeah, it wasn't a perfect piece, but I too enjoyed it and ended up buying it. Not to be on Thomas Campbell's jock, but I still think he has that corner of surf films on lock; better than any others I think. I'm talking just overall effort of music, footage, aesthetics, etc. Still, one thing that still seems to be hurting in most surf films is good narration. Anyway...

Does 1 CA Day live up to the trailer? Like I said, I like it, but those sneak peaks were especially hot. Nothing new as many trailers can be "juicier" then the end result. My question to those of you who have it is whether or not you feel the DVD extras lived up to expectations. Undoubtedly some good stuff, but it isn't a substantial extra offering. Did it actually warrant a 2-disc package? I felt like I either wanted more in-depth extras or everything on one disc. What do you think? I don't want to be all suspicious, but I hope they didn't just beef up the package to sell it. Sprout seems to have more overall extras on one disc. But, I don't really know anything about DVD production and there could be a good reason. Any info. out there?

Damn!!! Pete Rock and CL Smooth just came on at WeFunk (I-Tunes radio) as I'm typing this.

Back

2008-01-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

Man, it's been two weeks. Way too long. I think I've apologized enough and won't get into excuses. Though I have been cheating and started another blog related to the business we are in the process of launching. The business has been taking quite a bit of my time and I've basically put surfing aside in a big way. You think I would have learned not to do that by now; that's never a good thing to do. But, even worse is not knowing exactly WHY I've cast it aside and I'm beginning to feel like a kook. No matter how busy you get, you can always make time for a session. Now, if the weather and water were nice and warm would it be an issue? Am I, at nearly 38 years old, becoming somewhat "fair weather?" My gut tells me no, but why haven't I been out for an early morning session in a while? "Because it's fucking freezing" you say? True, but that never stopped me before.

Anyway, I'll stop. But I realized that by pushing myself to get back into the mix with the SB1000, it forces me to reconnect with surfing no matter what. It also gets me back to visiting all of your great blogs (which I've been missing). By not being in the mix, I missed out on Andrew Kidman at the Pod Room, or again tonight with Richard Kenvin at Patagonia Cardiff. So, no more. I either jump back in full-force or pull the plug entirely. I don't want to be the guy with one of those blogs that languishes forever (that I still check anyway?).

Hope you're all doing well and getting waves.

jb

Brian Blade

2008-01-13T23:15:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite players. How many cats have this kind of feel? Any volume, any tempo, the guy is a master. If the mellowish intro. is too mellow for you, fwd. to around 2:20. But, better to watch the whole thing if you ask me.

Supa Busy

2008-01-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

Minor hiatus for the rest of the week due to heavy workload. Luckily the workload is all stuff I love doing, there's just a bit too much at once. As such, haven't been able to put in the real time here at SB1000. Hang tight, I'll get around to doing it right again. Thanks.

jb

Let the Sun Take a Holiday

2008-01-05T17:05:00.000-08:00

Rainy day, rain all day
Ain't no use in gettin' uptight
Just let it groove it's own way
Let it drain your worries away
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back and dream on a rainy day

Fogged in, rainy and windy here in SD. A nice to day to hang indoors and drink plenty of tea.

Cold

2008-01-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Is the water the coldest it has ever been in San Diego? Saturday was incredibly cold! I have lived here my entire life and don't remember it as cold as it was that day. When I waded in, it felt pretty damn cold on the feet, but when I began paddling I had to catch my breath. I looked over at my brother-in-law and his expression was a clear "Holy shit!" I hate wearing booties, but I will have to bite the bullet.

On that note, I wrote about the wetsuit search in the early fall. I tried my absolute best to get the best suit while adhering to my eco-minded intent. Obviously, the Patagonia and Matuse suits didn't pan out. As I mentioned, the Matuse wasn't cut for my tall self. And Patagonia never got a Large Tall in stock; I'm still on their waiting list. I put in two calls to small surf shops and they told me they'd call when some other suit options (Nineplus, Hotline) arrived in-store. I called back and then never heard from them again. As such, I utilized an O'neill hookup and ended up with the Psycho 1 for $104 brand new. Hard to beat that price.

This is the first O'neill I've ever owned. Overall, it's an alright suit. The flex is fairly good and the sealed seams are nice. Still, it isn't the warmest suit I've owned. Not bad, definitely dealable, but I don't know if I'd buy another one. I know a lot of people love these suits, this is just my own opinion. Also, the velcro on the neck is from HELL! That is the meanest, stickiest velcro I have ever seen. It loves to attach itself to every part of the wetsuit when you're trying to get it on or off. I always cringe when I have to pull it apart from the skin of the suit. Still, as an anti-flush deal it does work fairly well. The suit is 3/2, which is what I have always owned. Either I'm getting old or the suit feels a little thin-skinned. I can actually feel the coolness of the water through the suit, and I've never had this before. This is the first suit I've had with material that is almost spandex-like (this is an approximation, not an experienced comparison). It makes it kind of interesting getting into the suit as it's really grabby.

Alright, I'll quit my whining. Overall, it's a good suit, but I'd love a cozier option for the morning sessions.

Hope everyone had a fun, safe New Years. Thanks for checking in and sorry for the infrequent posts.

Hard to Watch

2007-12-29T01:25:00.000-08:00

Had breakfast with my wife and daughter at Ki's (Cardiff) this morning. We were there waiting to meet up with some friends visiting from out-of-town. The surf wasn't epic, but there were definitely some very fun-looking waves. Now, my family is the most important thing in the world to me, but damn! Anyone who has dealt with looking at sparkling glassy surf while unable to partake knows that painful tension I'm talking about.

Now it's raining.

Today's Special…

2007-12-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

…is Memphis Soul Stew.

1/2 teacup of bass
1 pound of fatback drums
4 level tablespoons of boiling Memphis guitar
a pinch of organ

King Curtis live in 1971. Not really the tightest version of this song. Check out Live at Filmore West for the real deal.

Welcome to the Family

2007-12-21T23:52:00.001-08:00

A few views of the current lineup including the newest additions.
The Pavel 5-Fin is 7'11 with tapered stringer, Biofoam blank, and Marlin Bacon bamboo runners. The Andreini is 8'0 and indicative of the detail and craftsmanship Marc puts into his boards. I must add that he sent that L-Flex to me overnight when the board was shipped without it. I didn't expect it to be included. He goes above and beyond.

As you can see, the new additions haven't been ridden. I've only been able to get a couple of short sessions in lately and I've just been grabbing the familiar before I run out the door. Plus, I have this weird delayed gratification thing anyway. They'll be in the water when the time is right.

As always, thanks for checking in with the SB1000.

Airline Design

2007-12-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Vintage airline design is definitely one of my things, and I haven't posted anything about it yet. The above image with a mix of baggage labels was bitten from a blog I recently happened upon. Though the blog isn't surf-related, there's still a whole lot of good stuff to check out. A nice eclectic mix with design as a clear throughline.

If there do happen to be any airline geeks out there, the website he got the images from is right here. The site isn't much to look at, just a basic archive, but man it runs pretty deep. Good stuff.

*Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about surfing. There's much to talk about; I just need the time to do it justice. Thanks for hanging in there.

Treat, 1970

2007-12-17T01:21:00.000-08:00

Early Santana always takes me back to growing up in PL, playing in bands, backyard parties, etc. And for me it is also linked to surfing in the winter. Not sure why. To me it's just the sound of that area of San Diego, and we listened to it constantly on the way to surf sessions at OB or the cliffs. Beginning in my early twenties I pretty much shelved my Santana records and didn't listen to them for a long time. I was too into raw soul, funk, hip hop, jazz, etc. Plus, I don't think Santana has recorded a decent record since the late 70's and I had listened to all of the good ones until they were indelibly burned into my brain. Maybe I needed a break. Recently I began listening to my old records again, and I have to say it's been nice revisiting the warmth and soul of Santana 1, Abraxas, Santana 3, Welcome, Lotus, etc.

Anyway, here's a Treat from 1970. A more obvious choice would be Black Magic Woman, or Santana at Woodstock doing Soul Sacrifice. Both of these are great, but Treat is just such a gem. I hope you enjoy it.

Beware

2007-12-13T10:55:00.001-08:00

If you see Yoshie in the lineup, you better be nice. The Yubiwaza technique is some serious shit. She rides a 10 ft. Robert August Surftech with a leash and likes to get waves—a LOT of waves. She sits right on the peak and is really loud, talking about how things aren't the same as they were in the old days (2003). It can be annoying, but do not cut her off or you could get Yubiwaza'd.

Work

2007-12-10T16:55:00.001-08:00

More working than surfing lately. This has lead to fewer new posts than I'd like, but I'll get back on it soon. Hope all is well.

On a Stormy Day...

2007-12-07T00:58:00.000-08:00

Bill Evans sounds especially good. Check out any of his stuff on the Verve or Riverside labels and it is impossible to be disappointed. Great piano trio music. Footage from '65. Enjoy.

Newbreak The T-Shirt?

2007-12-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one who thinks these guys are completely missing the mark? I don't think surfers want to walk around with the names of surf spots on their chests. Who's going to wear a shirt that says Newbreak or Big Rock? Not the people that are actually surfing those spots. Maybe they'll nail it in the Midwest. Or, maybe I'm way off-base and they'll be a success. Seems that anything goes these days.

Halloween 1976

2007-12-03T18:11:00.001-08:00

Guess which one I am. RIP Evel

Swarmis

2007-11-29T16:21:00.001-08:00

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...

2007-11-27T22:42:00.000-08:00

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?

2007-11-27T00:16:00.001-08:00

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!

2007-11-26T01:37:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-20T01:40:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

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?

2007-11-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen the Jason Jessee movie?

Back in the Mix

2007-11-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-08T23:10:00.000-08:00

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

Mark Cunningham

2007-11-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

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

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

2007-11-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

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

2007-11-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

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

Chilling

2007-10-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't do a Halloween-specific post today, I thought
this could work for the nighttime blog checkers. It's pretty horrifying. Well, maybe it's more hilarious. Regardless, it's worth a look if you haven't already seen it.

Trane

2007-10-31T00:43:00.000-07:00

For me, the most powerful musician ever recorded.
This one is for my wife.

Caught Red-Handed

2007-10-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

At the Mollusk Venice shop last week.

Addendum

2007-10-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

In the SUPER Geeky Post last week I was surprised that nobody mentioned Dora as one of their favorites. Dora in his heyday is definitely one of my favorites. Love him or hate him, he had style.

Water in the Gills

2007-10-24T18:51:00.001-07:00

Decided to jump in for a while tonight. Got about 1.5 hours before sunset; clean little waves that were kinda zippy before the tide got on it. Felt really good to be in the water. It was glassy and the sunset was incredible due to all the ash. Air is better than it has been.

Hope you all are safe/sound.

Absolute Respect

2007-10-23T17:08:00.000-07:00

Not really in surf mode the past couple of days. This is unfortunate
since the surf has looked really good. The ash and overall bad air quality trump the need for surf. Barely. Thinking about paddling out
is a crazy contrast to the realities faced by firefighters and rescue personnel on the front lines of the fires. My best to all of them.

Heavy Days in SD

2007-10-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Lots going on here in San Diego today. I was awakened by a call from my wife at 5:30 this morning. She and my daughter are out of town (thankfully) and she got a call from her brother who was evacuated during the night. Air in La Jolla had been thick throughout yesterday and last night. I came down to my sister's closer to downtown and it's much better. Just heard they are doing voluntary evacuations in Solana Beach—damn, that's close.

I drove the coast route through La Jolla, PB, etc. and there were tons of people in the water. Good swell, clean conditions, but heavy air. Not for me, man. Hope everyone stays safe.

Books

2007-10-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

If you're into reading/collecting surf-related books, check out this site. It isn't an extensive resource, and there are some pretty random titles in there. Still, there may be a little gem that grabs you. Worth a look just for some of the covers.

Sunset to Dark

2007-10-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Had a quick 40-minute session tonight before dark at the local beach. Kind of expected decent-sized walls, mainly closeouts. Was pleasantly surprised to find shoulder–to head-high corners on the sets, mild offshore, and some push. The red sled was working, the L-Flex was in effect—a really fun time. For some reason I haven't felt like paddling out the past week, and there's been some surf. Sometimes it's a matter of timing/tides/swell quality, etc. BUT, it's usually worth just getting out regardless. In fact, I had to push myself out the door tonight and I'm glad I did.

A friend of mine once said that the more you surf, the more you surf.
It's true! Now, for that wetsuit and some morning sessions again. Sometimes a short break can do some good.

SUPER Geeky Post

2007-10-18T22:58:00.000-07:00

Now, before you smirk, you know you've asked yourself this question. So, go easy on me.

List your 10 favorite surfers off the top of your head in no particular order. Like this: Nat Young, Michael Peterson, Lopez, Phil Edwards, Butch VanArtsdalen, Billy Hamilton, Larry Bertlemann, Joel Tudor, Skip Frye, Buttons

Go:

Wetsuit Update

2007-10-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

Well, if you can believe it I'm still on the hunt. Things are looking less promising on the eco front at this time. As I mentioned, the Matuse suits are not cut for my type. No LT, and the XL is way too small. Patagonia was looking more and more inviting regardless of the price tag. Problem is, they haven't had any LT in stock for a while now. They aren't sure when they will be getting them and I guess there's a list of people who want them. The new Patagonia suit won't be available for at least another month and I won't be able to wait that long. With only a long-sleeve spring right now, I've been surfing less as it is. I get most of my surf time in the morning and it has been less and less inviting without a fullsuit.

So, I will most likely break down this weekend and go out to find the best possible option. Still open to suggestions. Hope you're all warm and getting waves.

Vaquero

2007-10-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

A little snippet on Marc Andreini at wetsand. I'm looking forward to the board he shaped for me.

Sacred Craft

2007-10-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick ramble about the event. I think the Swayloholics Anonymous was happening at the same time. Anyone go?

Anyway, I only made it to the Expo on Saturday. That was pretty much enough for me, but I would have liked to see JP in the discussion about imported surfboards, etc. When I first walked in, I thought to myself that it would be a quick visit. It was pretty packed, and it was basically a mini trade show vibe. You can only ooh and ahh so much. Still, I wanted to wait to see the panel of "legends" and perhaps see Andreini in the shaper's booth. The booth was the full fishbowl effect. A bunch of people climbing on each other to get a glimpse into a couple of windows. It dawned on me that many of the people have very likely never actually seen a surfboard being built. I've seen my share so I didn't look on for extended periods of time. It was nice to see the first attacks on the blank and then cruise by later to contrast that with the finish work. I did end up seeing Andreini's shape and it was very tight indeed. As I posted before, the shape-off was a little weird in terms of judging guys based on being closest to the original shape. Though it wasn't a very intriguing element for me, I do think it was good to illustrate the fact that hand-built surfboards are still here and always will be. I hope it made some people appreciate it more and perhaps not take it for granted. For those who've only been off-the-rack buyers, maybe they'll create a relationship with a shaper and get a custom surfboard built personally for them.

Actually, it was at the shaper's booth that I connected with Erik Olson of Breaks Selection. As many of you know, Erik builds some very fine-looking surfboards and is a really nice guy to boot. Talking to him was a good time. In fact, for me it was the conversations and connections with people that made the event better. I spent a fair amount of time with the hull heads. Brian Hilbers of Fineline launched right into conversation and was a lot of fun to talk with. So was Kirk Putnam and a cat from Mollusk Venice (can't remember his name, good guy). There were some incredible looking blades in their stall.

Bought a few bars of eco-wax, connected with Toby (I'm supposed to meet him at 10am for the new shape; we'll see if it happens), told Sam George how much I liked his TSJ article about Sao Tome, asked John Peck a question, and that was pretty much it. Overall a pretty decent event. I'm sure it took a lot to make it happen. Bottom line, it was about surfing and surfboards; easy to complain, but worth it anyway.

Did You Go?

2007-10-14T15:30:00.001-07:00

If you did go to the Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo
what did you think? I'll give my report in the next post.

Greenough Heads Unite!

2007-10-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

Found at switch-foot.com

A Good Egg

2007-10-11T20:53:00.001-07:00

I'm into the boards Dain Thomas is making. This elasto single fin egg 8'0" x 21 1/2" x 2 7/8" is no exception. I'm a sucker for that outline. Always good to check in at Six Ounce Surfboards.

Thoughts on Shape Off?

2007-10-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

I'm planning on heading to the Sacred Craft surfboard show this weekend. I have high hopes for a good event. One of the things that has me interested yet slightly puzzled is the Tribute to the Masters Shapeoff. Mike Diffenderfer is indeed a legend, master craftsman, and respected icon of surfing. I would love to own one of his vintage craft. I just think the idea of copying a shape of his and then judging who does the best job is just a little odd. I know replica shapes are an important part of our surf culture history; I'm all for it. It just seems strange to take a replica and then judge it based on what...whoever is closest to the original? Not sure if that's the exact criteria. Again, I'm not judging the idea or calling it a bad idea, I'm just unsure if I'm for it or ambivalent. I guess I would love to see shapers taking an existing shape and applying their own design ideas/concepts based on personal interpretation. Maybe this is what the plan is. What do you think?