Sure Volcom is now a French owned corporate conglomerate type thing – far flung from its conceived in punkdom past – but fact is they still have one packed surf team. Here’s the boy’s from 2009’s BS! – Dusty Payne, Mitch Coleburn and Alex Gray (the Californian pro, not yours truly) – absolutely ripping in West Oz. Makes me regret even more not trekking across that big rock of a country/continent when I was on my stint in Sydney.
You know what they say, “sharing is caring.” Seeing as RCS! hasn’t done much sharing over the last three months or so, here’s a clip of Hawaiian World Tour competitor Dusty Payne going absolutely mental in his home state, compliments of his primary sponsor the now French owned Volcom. Forgive me?
Dang. Keeping up with a blog can be hard. A full-time job, two-hour daily commute, business trips and duties as a homo sapien have really interfered with Right Coast Shout‘s regularity this past month and a half (bruddah need some laxatives, ASAP). That said, in the spirit of Monty Python’s Black Knight, you can severe my limbs and leave my torso scuttling in the leaves, but you can’t kill a seldom read surf and surf accessories blog.
To ease my way back into the blogosphere, here’s the host of albums I’ve reviewed for ESM‘s Vital Reverb since the immensely popular Dropkick post.
March 25 found me Zenning out to the subtle soundscape of Papercuts. A one-man band, Papercuts explores music in the realm of Radiohead and Coldplay with less prominent vocals and a greater tendency toward white noise. Sadly, Luck-One did not fare as well in my eyes. The socially conscious rapper has a stunning ability to release speed-blur rhymes that lack any true substance or originality.
The men of Parts & Labor.
The April 6 Vital entry reacquainted me with longtime noise rockers Parts & Labor. A tried and true band, this threesome delivered with Constant Future, but failed to explore past their Muse-before-Muse sound.
Fans of Iceland rejoice! April 12 found me taking the Sin Fang tour. Similar to fellow countrymen Sigur Ros, Sin Fang draws a number of comparisons and a few divergences. Like its popular cousin, Sin Fang has a knack for weaving emotionally appealing melodies. The same can be said for Starfucker, my other review in this edition of Vital. Electro-Pop melodies digitally ooze from Reptilians, masking the album’s topical theme of death with fun-loving dance music.
DJ master J. Rocc landed a 9/10 for his groovetastic album Some Cold Rock Stuf. Yes, he meant for “Stuf” to be spelled with one “f.” J. Rocc steps away from mainstream MC focused Hip Hop and explores a compendium of sounds to create his instrumental masterpiece. Look to the April 22 entry to learn more. Accompanying J. Rocc’s creative explosion is The Megaphonic Thrift, an enjoyable band that traded in genuineness for Sonic Youth.
April 28 was a welcome return to good ole Americana. New age bluegrass/folk/indie band Southeast Engine roars down the tracks with Canary. Seeking ways to distinguish itself from the rising tide of new roots music bands, Southeast Engine made Canary a concept album telling tales straight out of The Great Depression. The idea hits home as we present day Americans limp out of the economic hole formerly termed The Great Recession.
Oh rocker chicks... Little Scream happy howling.
From the May 4 edition of Vital comes one of my favorite new band, Little Scream. Emerging from Montreal’s burgeoning indie scene, Little Scream or Laurel Sprengelmeyer is a folkier version of St. Vincent. Powerful and seductive, Little Scream’s The Golden Record fulfills it’s prophesying title to the fullest. Also on deck is True Widow, a band that terms its brand of grunge as “stonegaze.”
And finally, Gypsyblood and Ryat round out the Vitals recapped on this post. From the May 10 post, Gypsyblood offers pop melodies in a raw, fuzzed format (this one’s for you Tini). Ryat continues the week’s pop theme but interprets the sounds in her head like a computer, resulting in electro pop for the ages.
For any of you who picked up the May issue of ESM, turn to page 94 to read my review of Alexander’s self-titled solo debut. If your fingers aren’t ink-smudged, access a pdf version of the issue here. Lead singer of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, Alexander Ebert channels his solitary creative juices into this album. Though Alexander largely sounds like its creator’s more popular gig, tracks like the Hip Hop inspired “Truth” offer hints of pristine separation.
That’s it for this extensive album of reviews. Come back soon to get your surf digest on the biggest occurrences in surfing over the last couple of months. The Billabong Pro Rio, the third stop on the ASP World Tour, began it’s waiting period today so stay tuned to the webcast for further updates.
Photo from GrindTV.com
Hawaiian, blond, freaking mental — all terms that describe the Fight Club series wildcard, Dusty Payne. From the great island of Oahu, Dusty represents a new charge in Hawaiian surfing. The young ripper is among a crew of Hawaiians — also including Clay Marzo, Kai Barger and Innersection Blue winner Matt Meola — who are proving that Hawaiians can do more than big barrels and power carves, they can fly too.
Over the past couple years, Dusty has unassumingly been landing some amazing video segments with primary roles in Kai Neville’s tour-de-force Modern Collective and Julian Wilson‘s biopic Scratching The Surface. Being surrounded by the likes of Jordy Smith, Dion Aigus and Jules distracts most viewers from the magic Dusty’s throwing. Take a second look, and you’ll discover a surfer performing at the pinnacle of progression.
In competition, Dusty can’t find his form. He ended his freshman year on the World Tour scrounging for requalification. Luck landed in his lap, as he handily defeated Mick Fanning at Pipe landing him the single heat’s worth of points necessary to keep batting in the big leagues. At last month’s Quicksilver Pro, Dusty surfed with a new confidence, defeating two-time world champ Fanning again before bowing out with an equal fifth finish.
Photo from Surfer Magazine, credit Childs.
Dusty possesses all the necessary attributes to be a triple-threat: an accomplished free surfer, competition surfer and fighter. Superior balance and natural ability ooze from this 22-year-old. Paired with a no-fear approach already proven at Pipe and Backdoor, Dusty’s natural abilities have been refined by a year on tour. Standing at 5’10”, this regular foot appears relatively unassuming, and that will help him in a fight. To underestimate Dusty would be a grave mistake. So long as he’s confident, Dusty can conquer foes seemingly beyond him because of his talent, training ethic, newfound experience and balls. But if Dusty isn’t “feeling it,” count on an utterly uninspired loss that will make you cringe.
Feel unprepared planet earth, Dusty “bring the” Payne is Right Coast Shout‘s wildcard fighter.
That does it for the Fight Club series. Hope you found some degree of enjoyment from my speculative quips. If after reading any of this series’ posts you’re feeling superior to our 2011 WT surfers, don’t. These guys are the best of the best in competitive surfing right now and deserve an appropriate amount of respect for their athletic feats. And remember, at the end of day, violence isn’t cool; it’s just fun to talk about.
Just in time for the week of St. Patty’s Day, Vital Reverb featured my review of Going Out In Style by Bostonian Celtic punks Dropkick Murphys on March 18. Packed with barroom anthems, folk songs for the working man and some potential crossover hits, Going Out In Style does just what its name suggests.
The March 14 Vital Reverb posting on ESM‘s website easternsurf.com features two of the most interesting albums I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. Those Shocking Shaking Days: Indonesian Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock and Funk 1970-1978 is a compilation of songs by various bands that have two things in common: being Indonesian and rocking your face off. Confined to Indonesia because of Suharto‘s dictatorship, these bands finally get their just exposure on this unique album.
My review of Paris Suit Yourself‘s My Main Shitstain also appears on the March 14 post. The Bordeaux native, Berlin based band gets its unabridged freak on with My Main Shitstain. Anyone looking for a different, intense sound should give these guys a listen.
Check out the first review on the March 4 edition of Vital Reverb to hear what I had to say about mellow classic rockers The Fervor. Frontwoman Natalie Felker and company earn some well-deserved comparisons to the timeless Led Zeppelin with Arise, Great Warrior. Crunchy guitar riffs and sung scenes of grandeur manage to make this toned-down album sound larger than life.
Old Man Markley, the more the merrier?
Also, in case y’all we’re starting to think that I’m only a for-web guy, go grab a copy of ESM‘s March issue or access a pdf version here. You can read my review Guts N’ Teeth by blue grass punks Old Man Markley in the Eargasm section on page 86. Turn to the Peepshow section on page 90 to read about Protect Our Waves, a quirky surf film of U.K. origin by Surfers Against Sewage that addresses the issues of sewage, pollution and social activism with kooky cartoons and shots of shredding.
My o my, it’s The Bottom Five. That’s right folks, in this third installment of the Fight Club series RCS! will unashamedly present the five surfers currently on the World Tour least likely to hold their own in the throes of combat.
(DISCLAIMER: I’ve never fought let alone met any of these surfers. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. Please, do NOT go pick a fight with the following pro surfers or any one else for that matter – particularly Sunny Garcia because you will get pummeled. END DISCLAIMER.)
Davo: peace, love and looking scary.
No. 5 – Chris Davidson
Davo gets a lot of crap from a lot of people. Davo also gives a lot of crap to a lot of people. Considered by many the last wildman on tour, Davo represents a punk rock, party hard side of surfing that has largely been replaced by professionalism and camaraderie. This North Narrabeen local has tamed his act in his old age, but he still rocks SoCal based company Lost… as his primary sponsor, signalling that he still finds common ground with surfing’s boisterous past. Davo rips when he wants to, but the same temper and irregularity that plague him in contests would be his undoing in a brawl.
No. 4 – Brett Simpson
Because he’s from SoCal. (What did you expect? The name of this blog is Right Coast Shout!)
Bede throwing his weight around.
No. 3 – Bede Durbidge
By all accounts Bede Durbidge is a swell guy. He’s a nice, quiet, family man, who’s generous, cool-headed and a talented competition surfer to boot. Standing at six-foot-one and fit as a fiddle, Bede could toss around half the guys on the predominantly under five-foot-ten WT if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. Whether his inner and outer peace come from spirituality or an unabridged belief in nonviolence, Bede is not a fighter. Chances are if someone tried to pick a fight with the White Fijian, he’d Gandhi them into being his friend. The man’s a lover and better for it.
No. 2 – Julian Wilson
Jules: a wonderkid the likes of which surfing rarely sees. This young Aussie aerial maestro has been on radars for a decade. Under the TLC of Quicksilver throughout most of his formative years as a grom, Jules developed into a surf star with a level notoriety and fame that rivals actors on the silver screen. His fame culminated with the release of his much anticipated film biopic “Scratching The Surface,” his 2011 WT qualification and his subsequent dropping of Quicksilver and joining the Nike 6.0 legion. All the pomp and circumstance surrounding Jules leads me to believe that he’s grown a bit soft and pampered, and that the boy wonder would be running for the hills if accosted. Ignore the pointlessness of violence, or what a brawl would do to Jules’s image, a fight might mess up his hair.
Child hater, proud Frenchman and 2010 Pipe Master, Jeremy Flores.
No. 1 – Jeremy Flores
Believe it or not, the worst fighter on the 2011 WT is a Frenchman. Shocker.
It’s too easy to hate on Jeremy. He consistently complains that WT judges underscore him because of his nationality, he disses cute little kids and he gets injured every other contest. Theoretically, hand-to-hand combat is something Jeremy should excel at since he’s been actively cross-training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a couple of years now. Sadly, Jeremy represents all that is wrong with the recent surge in popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as it applies to MMA and the UFC.
Jeremy lacks the self-control and discipline to be a good fighter. He makes poor decisions when caught in the heat of Franco passion. And his “intense” training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, well, turns out it’s not treating him that great. Just take a second look at this story from TransWorld Surf on the Sunny/Jeremy/local incident at Burleigh Heads last month. According to reports and his own testimony, Jeremy had already engaged the local before Sunny found out, ran to the shoreline and destroyed the smart-mouthed Aussie. Meaning that Sunny basically had to rescue Jeremy from the predicament the Frenchman put himself in. A short-tempered, loud man who starts fights only to get bailed out by friends = the worst fighter on the 2011 WT.
That does it for The Bottom Five. Stay tuned for the fourth and final entry in the Fight Club series, the wildcard round, coming soon.
RCS! is taking a quick break from the mildly read Fight Club series to bring you this breaking news. The National Football League (as represented by the owners) officially locked out the players union midnight, as Friday became Saturday, ESPN reported. This heightened state of squabbling over a measly $9 billion/year presents a rare and interesting possibility: No professional football in 2011.
Surfing, the times is ripe to strike. If the NFL does go defunct, there will be a massive programming hole that ESPN and the other providers will have to fill. Competitive surfing can be that – all killer – filler.
Surfing is familiar with the issues the NFL is currently trying to tackle. A couple years ago, the whispered threat from dissatisfied pro surfers of a separate, new “Dream Tour” forced collective bargaining on the part of the Association of Surfing Professionals, the surfers and the event sponsors. An updated, more competitive World Tour followed with bigger prize money up for grabs, a more dynamic ratings system and further exposure for the sport (the 2011 WT will feature events in NYC and Rio de Janeiro, and select event webcasts are broadcast live on cable in Australia and Hawaii).
What’s better, ESPN may be willing to a surfing takeover. “We’re not concerned,” said Jay Rasulo, CFO of Disney (parent company of ESPN), on Tuesday about the no NFL possiblity. Sure, ESPN was probably thinking of plugging in a few more college sports events or forcing americans to finally embrace soccer (my lesser fantasy), but surfing can still sneak into those holes better than John John Florence in a beastly Pipe barrel.
Nevermind the hours of paddling footage, the irregular WT schedule, that contests often run all day over the course of three days or that a hefty portion of americans live more than an hours drive from the beach. I’m certain that once the morbidly obese, ADHD affected general population sees surfing contests in the comfort of their own foreclosed homes, they’ll forget all about the old pigskin.
“Change is going to come.” Maybe?
The Heavies. Here are the five World Tourers I deem most likely to throw down with power, finesse and calculating precision when taken by the heat of hand-to-hand combat.
Alejo Muniz won the ASP PRIME Hang Loose Pro last month and made it to the quarters of the Quickie Pro this week.
No. 5 — Alejo Muniz
WT rookie Alejo Muniz offers some major fighting potential. Born in ’90s – Feb. 22, 1990 – Alejo represents the changing of the guard. Pulled from the slums of Brazil, Alejo has risen to the elite tour at a tender age and shown that he’s there for blood (he made it to the quarterfinals of this week’s Quicksilver Pro Gold Coast). So far, surfing, like global affairs, has been dominated by predominantly white countries – the U.S. and Australia primarily – but the Third World is making a charge. Unlike the world economy, however, the Chinese aren’t the ones breaking down the door; it’s the South Americans. Like Brazil and the rest of the Third World, Alejo has a chip on his shoulder, something to prove, and anyone that gets in his way is sure to leave hurting.
No. 4 — Taylor Knox
Journeyman Taylor Knox cannot be stopped. For years surf pundits have come out saying that this WILL BE Taylor’s last year on the WT. False. You can’t get rid of the Carlsbad Kid. The oldest man on the WT – born May 15, 1971 – Taylor is the little train that could, except he’s not little. This man practically invented the work-out surfer movement. He cross trains out the wazoo doing everything from running to weight-lifting to yoga. And that handlebar mustache he’s been rocking, surefire sign that the man could be a championship grappler and bull-rider.
Bobby's from a gang hood, but you'd never know by his tats...
No. 3 — Bobby Martinez
Bobby likes to box. It’s a well-known fact that this Santa Barbara goofy foot spends 50% or more of his time at home in the gym, the boxing gym. Though friends and travel buddies the Hobgoods claim that Bobby is actually a cool, mellow guy, the industry has labeled this tattooed Mexican descendant as a greedy punk. Concerning his mass sponsor changes a couple years back, I support Bobby’s unwavering backbone. Pay the man, fools! A collected boxer who doesn’t backdown: I’ll put money on him.
No. 2 — Mick Fanning
Two-time world champ Mick Fanning takes the number two spot. Like Rip Curl teammate and number four heavy Taylor Knox, Mick is a tireless athlete. After suffering a potentially career-ending injury, Mick came back stronger than ever with an exercise routine that voms success. He won the WT in 2007 and again in 2009, all the while morphing from the cocky drunkard of his alter ego Eugene into the disciplined victor. Mick’s grown accustomed to winning and knowing when the time is right to strike like lightning (his nickname is White Lightning; oh ya, I’m clever). In a fight, Mick would duck, weave and strike with more grace than a meditating Shaolin monk.
Kelly making his way to the podium after winning the Quicksilver Pro, again.
No. 1 — Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater can be nothing less than number one. Ten-time world champ, most WT wins, youngest WT champ, oldest WT champ, greatest competitive surfer of all time. The man just won the Quicksilver Pro Gold Coast signaling his unwavering dominance and drive to crush whatever opponent stands in his way. Born February 11, 1972, Kelly and Taylor are the only remaining members of the Momentum generation. Since joining the tour, Kelly’s defeated Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Shane Beschen, Sunny Garcia, Andy Irons and now the new guard best represented by the Jordy Smith, Dane Reynolds amalgamation single identity “Janedy.”
A haze of mystery has and always will surround Kelly. His training is a thing of legend and to this day, experts and analysts can only speculate as to how the old man maintains his freakish physique and cat-like balance. And one cannot overlook Kelly’s ability to adapt. The man has been winning world titles since his freshman year in 1992. Since the year Big Daddy Clinton took office, surfing has mutated into an awesome hyper-freak of a sport, and Kelly has stayed on top every step of the way – barring a brief partial retirement and the three consecutive years of dominance by the late, great Andy Irons.
Just as surfing and fighting bear a number of similarities, so shall Kelly remain the king. Whether in the waves or in the ring, Kelly cannot be stopped.
Keep loading RCS! during those free seconds when you’re bored to discover what ASP World Tour surfers you could make cry “uncle.”
2000 ASP World Champ and power surfing maestro Sunny Garcia.
In light of the recent bashing upon a Burleigh Heads local by the infamous 2000 world champ Sunny Garcia, I felt it was time I spoke-up about fighting and surfing.
For those of you who don’t know me that well, my two favorite sports growing up were surfing and martial arts (with soccer a close third). I split my time between the two becoming a more accomplished fighter than surfer, to be honest. The two are a perfect fit, like Nutella and bananas. With the advent of Ultimate Fight Challenge, a rising tide of surfers have jumped on the Mixed Martial Arts bandwagon. Sadly, MMA sucks. (As your reading this, I’m probably engaged in sub-mortal combat with a host of fiendish, roid-loving, narcissistic, UFC fan club members – And I’m winning.)
Why don’t I like the UFC? Any supposed martial art that trivializes self-discipline, mistakes wrestling with Jiu Jitsu and promotes violence isn’t for me. Granted some truly gifted martial artists — Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn — demonstrate their expertise in “the octagon,” but the UFC is probably better known for its penance for spilled blood and a reality TV show, which makes The Bachelor seem substantive.
UFC style MMA has permeated the ranks of pro surfers (Jeremy Flores) and surf journalists (Surfing‘s childish provocateur Chas Smith) alike. Burly Hawaiian Sunny Garcia further highlights this trend. Following a stint in prison for tax evasion, the former champ signed with gothic clothing sponsor Affliction, a popular brand among MMA fanatics. Sunny’s punk rock attitude — he consistently denounces the ASP and major surf brands — and awe-inspiring power surfing are commendable. Nobody wants to draw this man in any Triple Crown event heat. But Sunny’s beating of some wiseass Aussie and a random Brazilian amateur videographer is unacceptable.
There’s no need to belabor the circumstances of this event, the mainstream surf media thoroughly reported on the incident (check out these stories on TWS, Surfing and Surfline). But the whole ordeal leads the question: Who’s the best fighter on the ASP World Tour?
Now before you start, I recognize there’s a substantial disconnect between my prior peace, love and surf ramblings and this ludicrous proposition. But it could be fun… I’m obliged to mention that I’ve only ever met a handful of these surfers, I don’t know any of them on a friend basis, and I don’t know the specifics of their training regimes. That said, a series based on speculation is way more entertaining than one on fact.
Stay tuned to RCS! and learn the WT’s top 5 heavies, 5 pushovers and one wildcard.
Sims and the Doomtree crew.
Catch-up time. Here are my latest three album reviews for ESM‘s Vital Reverb.
Last week found me trying my hardest to redeem VA Beach natives N.E.R.D. The passion project of master production team The Neptunes, N.E.R.D. felt it was time they released a best of. Bad activity. Find out why by clicking here.
To my relief, sweet hip-hop redemption came this week with my introduction to Minnesota emcee Sims. Part of the Doomtree music collective, Sims spouts life-giving flows like the fountain of youth. Longtime hip-hop fans and newcomers to the genre alike should give Sims a try. With socially aware lyrics and unique beats Sims offers a new day for hip-hop. Get on the Minnesota bandwagon and click here.
Also up for listening this week was Delicate Steve. The band, headed by Jersey boy Steve Marion, recently released an Indie instrumental titled Wondervisions. Marion’s guitar with its multitude of voices is the focal point of Wondervisions. You can learn more about this original by clicking here.
I’ve had a busy last couple of weeks at work, but with the Quicksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks underway – Round 1 was completed yesterday – and all the excitement in the surfing world lately, RCS! will be much more active this week.
Right Coast Shout! 