Who owns what and whom!
Brothers Marshall are two kinky SOBs from Malibu whose eponymous clothing label celebrates eighties nostalgia and a rubbery sexuality. Name don’t ring a bell? Take a short tour here.
Or maybe you remember when they begged Kelly Slater to “burn his surfboards.”
Just recently, BM collaborated with Arkitip to create a one-off magazine called Backdoor. It’s a wonderful and colourful little thing that reminds me of Stab circa 2006, with notes of What Youth.
As wonderful as Backdoor is, the crowning glory is a flow chart that helps, in Trace Marshall’s words, “Us dumb surfer types to understand the wonderful world of surf culture. This thing we hold so dear is really just controlled by a handful of rich white dudes. It’s pretty funny that most of the surf companies that are such rivals are actually owned by the same corporation. Is that bad? Is that good? I don’t know but we think its funny.
What else has BM got? I was compelled to ask.
BeachGrit: Whose idea was the flow chart?
Trace Marshall: We had it drawn on our wall with markers. We would occasionally do some research and fill in the blanks. My Filipino slave labor Steven V laid it out on his computer machine. We did cocaine for a few days and laid the mag out. It was inspiring. You can score it here.
What is surf culture to you?
“Surf Culture” to me is an idea created by some drug smugglers in the 70s. “Surf culture” is the best way to launder drug money. But the like most drug smugglers they got too greedy (like Pablo Escobar/Scarface/the Jamaican dude from Belly) and it all collapsed around them.
What is your current mindset re: surf culture?
Oh, it’s so beat down. It’s been raped so hard. Poor thing needs a little break. It’s been getting it from every angle for some time now. Nothing is sacred. The only real thing is surfing itself. You can’t take that away from us. That’s what it’s all about.
What is the best in surf culture?
Beer, drugs, chicks, hot dudes, Christ, butts, the turbo-tunnel fin, the calf leash, Astrodeck, Angie Reno, Brothers Marshall gear.
What is the worst?
High-speed RED cam surf shots to Super 8 cutaways. Pollution and the clothes at Brothers Marshall.
How did you become such iconoclasts?
What does that mean? We are dumb surfers. You can’t use big words like this. We are just trying to bring some fun back to this world we love so much. It’s scary times. Let’s party!
Seems like a very strange thing to be dismissive of commercial surf “culture,” which really seems to me like surf branding business, not culture, but then spend days putting together this weird chart. Who gives a shit about big brands and who they’re owned by? They make terrible products anyway. Also it’s one thing to be self-effacing, but when you mock yourself for being dumb in a piece in which I’m supposed to respect some research you did, my minds starts wandering. Quickly.
Replace surf culture globe with picture of factory in China?
I think they’re confusing surf culture and surf business. Los Angeles!
All the articles about FCStitch and you put FCS under Billabong? Does Billabong own FCS?
“The only real thing is surfing itself”
What about Hot Tuna?
I heard cocaine?
What about patagonia? They make wetsuits, don’t they?
Billabong also owns Tigerlily and Surfection. Just to be pedantic.
“Who own da Chiefs?”
“Owns….owns…”
“Oooooownnnzzz……ooooooownzzz….”
My dearest friend Doz, you forgot to close Trace Marshall’s quote with a second ” and therefore I read the entire interview as though it was being read by Trace Marshall which was quite maddening. When are you going to ask a real man like myself to fill you in on the details of surf culture? Yours faithfully, the Prince.
Well I dunno but I’m moving to WA seriously so if you ever want to chop a few lines and surf margerets we can sort out this surfing mafia but we need to find a mandolin player in oz for the soundtrack and I’m not sure that’s gonna be easy. I’m surrounded by wops here so it’s fairly easy to get ,godfatherish. Also “iconoclast” no that’s in a guys name on my facebook Timothy iconoclast is what he calls himself. That’s worse than turd…
Here I am come get me.
Until Tuesday. Follow me IP address you little rats. Sniffed the glue like little Punker Pat ‘neath Mister Collins shaping table. Riding his raised Van towards Baja as we speak. Quoting Letiticus 22 all the way. Fuck Usury! Fuck You Sury Cruise! And Fuck You Sue!
The Boy Too.
Fucke them all.
Usury Cruise!
Deflection.
Gets you much less articles. Dipshit.
NeahkahNie Pirate, Esq., III