Beach Boy: “Surfing is hell!”

Is playing good music and playing good surfing possible?

The Beach Boys are, of course, the most famous “surf band” of all time. Surfin’ USA, Surfin’ Safari, Surfer Girl etc. titillated 1960s audiences with images of a libertine mis en scene being staged on warm California sands.

Students of history will know that the Beach Boys didn’t actually surf. Brian Wilson, the genius behind the group, recently told the New York Post in an interview that, “I tried surfing once, and the board nearly hit me in the head. That was it for me.”

As good a reason as any to instantly give up and turn to acid.

Do you remember when Andy Irons posed with Metallica for his boardshort? I think one or two of them surfed, right? And look at the size of that shaka!

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The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis and Flea both surf but both look very bad doing it.

Anthony-kiedis-surfing-surfride-anthony-kiedis-15482713-499-378

Jack Johnson surfs very well but plays very bad music.As_surf_jack_630

Which makes me wonder. Is there anyone who surfs passably and makes OK music or are the two pursuits mutually exclusive?

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Sampson
Sampson
10 years ago

THE GROWLERS!

freerider
freerider
10 years ago

Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys ‘did’ surf……

SID
SID
10 years ago

Chas Give us a shot BIG WORLD A couple of Surf Skate Vids Jason Jessee’s Pray for Me Title track Golden Years Electric Save the Whales DVD Sid Waterbrothers

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
10 years ago
Reply to  SID

Hey Sid. Review of your doco up today on Beachgrit. Pop in and say hi on the conversation…. Cheers!

Reptilian
Reptilian
10 years ago

Ty Segall

Preston
Preston
10 years ago

Donovan Frankenreiter can jam a ditty, surfs ok too.

haroldbethyname
haroldbethyname
10 years ago

What about Perry Farrell ? Eddie Vedder? I don’t know how good they are but they surf.

Cap'n Crunch
Cap'n Crunch
10 years ago

The Goons of Doom

Limbless Jack
Limbless Jack
10 years ago

Anyone know how good the guy from sublime was at surfing? I know he mentioned it in his songs

Mapski
Mapski
10 years ago

“to you I shall put an end, and you’ll never hear surf music again”

Dooma
Dooma
10 years ago

Did the Ramones actually surf? If so how well and on what drugs?

haroldbethyname
haroldbethyname
10 years ago
Reply to  Dooma

Nope not surfers.

SID
SID
10 years ago
Reply to  Dooma

Ramones pal here No Surf Early years Coffee

Kook of the Day
Kook of the Day
10 years ago
Reply to  SID

Sid is a Ramone, the esteemed Sid Ramone, played bass on the Acid Eaters Tour…1993

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
10 years ago

Elton John is the greatest surfer from Great Britain. Not quite as good as that sword waving guy, but very close.

Jwat
Jwat
10 years ago

What about Makua?

Chas Smith
Chas Smith
10 years ago
Reply to  Jwat

I mean of course….besides Makua. I thought that was implied.

A$AP Honky
A$AP Honky
10 years ago
Reply to  Chas Smith

what bout that bloke from Parkway Drive? saw him driving the truck at P-Pass awhile back

janeausten
janeausten
10 years ago
Reply to  Chas Smith

Jordi Davieson from San Cisco surfs well.

Dumb Florida Redneck
Dumb Florida Redneck
10 years ago

The guy from DI and the adolescents surfed ok and held it with high distain “i hate surfing in HB”

Audit In Progress
Audit In Progress
10 years ago

Casey Royer? I think he was /is a nazi junkie as well.

Dumb Florida Redneck
Dumb Florida Redneck
10 years ago

Well to be fair I’m a self loathing Jewish junkie but time to go on i tunes.

Mariano Landa
Mariano Landa
10 years ago

He did hail from the OC…

Dumb Florida Redneck
Dumb Florida Redneck
10 years ago

That was the best description of jack Johnson…. ever.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
10 years ago

I missed the whole Jack Johnson thing… His shining, coincided with me having couple of years off everything surf related including surfing itself.
Filled my ears with Dutch Gabba during that time and my nostrils with Ketamine. Damn shame.

Poulet
Poulet
10 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Sounds like we may have had very similar experiences Negs, although gabba also featured heavily at free parties and raves there was also a lot of breakcore, jungletek and techno. I always wondered why when on heavy horse tranks I liked such fast music? Glad I’m not living those days anymore but do miss them now and then

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
10 years ago
Reply to  Poulet

Mmmm You didn’t steal my German military trenchcoat from that brick lane squat party in 98?
I miss the chaos, Spanish girls and the fresh crazy tunes… Don’t miss the warm Stella, Pikey scammers and hairy arm-pitted bottle throwing crustie girls.
Certainly don’t miss the hard drugs… these days I numb my brain by commentating semi-anonymously online.

Mariano Landa
Mariano Landa
10 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Wait, semi-anonymous online commentary isn’t meant to sharpen the brain? Fuuuuucccckkkkkk.

Poulet
Poulet
10 years ago
Reply to  NEGATRON

Ahhhh, my time was a little bit later but around the Bristol area so innocent of trenchcoat theft, although many similar characters
Brain can also be numbed with some of the Stab comments and WSL commentary if necessary!

Audit In Progress
Audit In Progress
10 years ago

Only a very few! Ty Segall. Jon Theodore (of Mars Volta/QOTSA). The guys in the Surf Punks (I assume). Keith Morris (regardless of his dreadlocks). FIDLAR’s first record was good (John Carper’s son). I think John “Speedo” Reis (RFTC, Hot Snakes) used to surf.

Audit In Progress
Audit In Progress
10 years ago

Oh yeah: Dennis Wilson is widely credited to be the “Actual Surfer” of the Beach Boys, and he released at least one remarkable solo record. But, then again, he also broed out with Charles Manson.

Reptilian
Reptilian
10 years ago

Marry me

Audit In Progress
Audit In Progress
10 years ago
Reply to  Reptilian

OK! *kisses*

slater thenewdonkey
slater thenewdonkey
10 years ago

That shaka really is enormous. Good lord

Captain Bee Fart
Captain Bee Fart
10 years ago

Kirk was holding a guitar but they photoshopped it out so you could see more of Lars’ scraggy, Danish beard.


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