Listen: Surfing hall-of-famer Barton Lynch talks anarchy, his brutal rivalry and friendship with Martin Potter and the hostility of the pro tour: “It wasn’t a loving organism at all. I was drowning, I was dying in there!”

One in a million… 

Today’s guest is the former world champion surfer Barton Lynch famous, now, for his oratorical gymkhanas on WSL broadcasts and for his annual, week-long junior events, less so for his former careers as a butterfly collector and anarchist.

Although warmed slightly by age, for he is fifty-seven years old, Barton will occasionally open up a front if he feels his electrons shuddering.

In this hour or so of chatter, Barton at his house at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, me performing badly by wandering away from the microphone, talk hits life, death, animism and the joy of existence.

A man who is truly one in a million.

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ValiantScorn
ValiantScorn
5 years ago

“Victimhood, is the plague of the 21st Century!” ~ V. Scorn

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago
Reply to  ValiantScorn

I’m outraged on behalf of the victims!!.
Not really.

Capt Sensible
Capt Sensible
5 years ago

The infatuation with has beens and the pro cult of celebrity makes me puke.

ValiantScorn
ValiantScorn
5 years ago
Reply to  Capt Sensible

Pick thru, and get the bean.

John Wayne
John Wayne
5 years ago

Wow – 4:25 of adverts….taking Joe Rogan down – monetising so fast compared to the other surf related podcasts……and well deserved. The last few have been epic. Keep up the good work.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

Tom Carroll and Occy were also genius in the 20 cm range ….. I was out with them in a Day before the final free surf …It was that disgusting that there was only 3 of us , in piddly NE conditions that , today , would have been strictly for soft tops and longboards and VALs , and they went at it , hammer and tongs , absolutely flying through the absolute crap , because they were incredibly fit , super talented and had worked so hard on their shit wave game because it was absolutely essential to win the world title at the time ….. It was a great show from the water , and they totally ignored me , growling like competing male lions on the savannah , as they rode past each other .

Waterproof Polo
Waterproof Polo
5 years ago

Surfed with BL at knee high Newy when I was about 15. He was super cool and encouraging it was just me him and a few of my mates. He was absolutely ripping apart the crumbly alley rights. He paddled up to me stoked as all fuck and I commented on how shit it was and he said “this is awesome, it’s better than watching Video Hits or some shit”
Had a soft spot for the legend ever since. Will definitely Party Pete this when I have the time. Getting some rad guests on DR. Good shit.

Beef & Beer
Beef & Beer
5 years ago

That was very good…

channelbottom
channelbottom
5 years ago

Apparently he was hell in the booth because of the constant gaseous emissions. His WSL nickname, gifted to him by Joe, was Fartin’ Bench.*

*I’ve completely fabricated this.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago
Reply to  channelbottom

Watch out for the Lynch Mob ….. ?
* I was inspired by your fabrication to fabricate more fabrication

sancho
sancho
5 years ago

Let’s start a GoFundMe for Derek’s microphone. Mate, you sound like your in a cave blowing out a massive bong hit constantly.

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
5 years ago
Reply to  sancho

Any money left over goes to getting a haircut or at least a hair brush! There’s a difference between looking like Kurt and looking like you just rolled out of bed…

Party Pete
Party Pete
5 years ago

I’ll listen to it later

Hippy
Hippy
5 years ago
Reply to  Party Pete

nothing if not consistent.

#metoo

Lemon Next to the Pie
Lemon Next to the Pie
5 years ago
Reply to  Party Pete

I’ll listen when you listen to it. Let us know eh?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

I remember reading Barton’s first major article in Tracks , mid 80s , possibly 84 or 85 ( a year after his first Tracks Cover ) , he spoke glowingly of the influence of anarchy on his existence at the time …..

Beef & Beer
Beef & Beer
5 years ago

Yeah I’ve probably still might have that one in a box somewhere
The first thing I remember him in was SW on a summercloud trip in the Saab…

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago
Reply to  Beef & Beer

Bruce Channon & Hugh McLeod were running at the time … I think they both had a Saab … there was another memorable trip they did with Barton and Richard Cram to Victoria .

Gino
Gino
5 years ago

Forget where in NSW you are from James, near Avoca?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago
Reply to  Gino

I grew up surfing in Cronulla , then France , then went to Germany at 47 , back to Oz to live this year for 6 months , didn’t work out , now back on the Baltic Sea in Germany ….

Gino
Gino
5 years ago

Got it. Thought you were in France atm.
Old German housemate summers in Cuxhaven over in the north sea, and up to Denmark to kite surf. Seen some great pictures of his kite surfing in Egypt. Beautiful spot, but says the Russians have taken over.

Gino
Gino
5 years ago

Ever surf Green Island? Been swearing I’ll make there one day.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago
Reply to  Gino

I paddled over the sharky as fuck channel from Lake Conjola …. 1/2 our before dawn in 83 and surfed if on and off for 8 hours …It ain’t no cloudbreak , and there is another Island on the way down which in my opinion is a much better wave …. Anyway , One of the blokes , with us on that day , Is now living at Angourie and his son Chris is having a good crack on the QS , having won an event , tuberiding at Lances’ Right a few years back and a Big 9th Place in a QS 10000 last year in Ericiera , Portugal

Gino
Gino
5 years ago

Yeah, read that it’s sharky. Saw that it’s not greatest wave,just looks like a nice place to spend the day.

Tomas' silky smooth arms
Tomas' silky smooth arms
5 years ago

Seems fit and healthy (could be wrong) sort of surprised to hear about his heart attack 5 years ago ..what’s up with surfers having heart attacks? Drug binges catching up with em?

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

In Barton’s case it may have been genetic ….I think his dad died at roughly the same age from a heart attack .

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
5 years ago

Nah, his dad was a motorcycle copper and died when his bike was hit by another car. That’s why he got bashed by the Marines when he was in that bar in Japan. One of the goons said “I’d kill my parents if I was ordered to” and Barton thought that was a cunt of a thing to say and whacked him.

It was then stacks on the mill and he got absolutely caned. I think they ran a photo of him with two black eyes in Tracks.

Chief Hot stuff
Chief Hot stuff
5 years ago

His dad was a legend!!

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

In the Documentary , Bombora , at the end are some great tales …. one being the shark tale from Wayne Lynch ( hilarious ) and another from Barton , telling about his dad at a clubbie carnival at Whale Beach , in the pillow bash on the slippery pole , while he , a very young Barton is watching some cool Dude , killin the wedge to be greeted by his topless partner and dog in the shorey, while his dad is still bashing away at another clubbie on the pole ….. at that very moment Barton chooses surfing and the rest is history……….

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
5 years ago

Thanks for the correction Stance .


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