Carving Nostalgia

There aren't a whole lot of modern day surfers that I really follow, there is no real reason for this, other than me not being all that interested in the pro circuit, and haven't been for quite some time.  Plus I haven't been paying all that much attention the surf media of late, at least not the outlets that give coverage to the current generation of rippers.  So for one reason or another I am a little bit out of tune with what's going on. But that said, there are a few guys that really get my attention when I see either a still shot, or video footage of them surfing.  One such person is Clay Marzo.  I first became aware of him when I his surfing a couple of years ago in a short clip that was presented by his then main sponsor, Quiksilver.  It featured his rehabilitation after suffering a pretty full on knee injury.  Getting back in the water after months, first on a bodyboard and then back on a surfboard, it was clear that he had talent and style ...

After what seems like the longest, wettest and frankly the most miserable of winters, finally things are looking up.  The evenings are now longer, the air warmer and things seem just that little bit more calm than they have done for an awful long time.  I love this time of year, when nature comes too after having been dormant for the winter months.  The beaches are friendly places again, the sea is that little bit warmer and the anticipation of what the summer months have in store is fixed firmly in my mind. As always, I am hoping for a long spell of good swells, warm weather and lots of sunshine, but living on the far South Western tip of the UK as I do, you never can tell!  One thing is for certain, and that is I am going to make the most of each and every day that comes my way, getting in the water and out in the country is going to be of the upmost importance this year.  For these are the main reasons for me choosing to live where I do. It might ...

Yesterday I got talking to someone about the surf and skate movies of the mid to late nineteen eighties and how they featured the most incredible sound tracks.  It is true that when I was a young chap, my musical tastes were heavily influenced by the films that I watched. As I have mentioned before, the Quiksilver production, The Performers '83-'84 had a massive effect on me, from the moment I saw it I knew I was on to something.  The same can be said about its soundtrack too.  Each and every track was an absolute treat to my ears and my musical horizons were expanded immediately.  Within days I had bought Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues, this was quickly followed up with the purchase of many other Talking Heads albums, as well as the music of the other bands that were on the sound track.  Some were easier to find than others, I recall Rose Tattoo being particularly tricky to source! But for the next few yea...