In an era where everybody has a desire for the superficial, Tom Curren reminds us of individualism, variety and dissent.
Three years ago, Tom Roland Curren, the three-time world surfing champion, who was unbeatable for most of his carer and who popularised the modern Fish, released an unlikely surf movie hit called Free Scrubber.
The film, a one-of-a-kind ride filmed by Andy Potts and whipped into a masterpiece by comic creators Vaughan Blakey and Nick Pollet, was built around Tom Curren’s three-month Mexican vacay in 2020, the three-time world champ trapped across the border as COVID hit and the US shut its doors to the world.
Curren, then fifty-seven, came equipped with a portable electric piano that could be played on the beach, fishing equipment and a flotilla of surfboards.
Empty waves and the maestro of minimalism who influenced a generation of American surfers including the noted Kelly Slater, himself world champion surfer of renown.
What could go right? Everything!
The film is frank, revealing, intimate. Tom Curren’s speech is sometimes incomprehensible as his words are slurred by his extravagant diction, but his surfing is patient, aggressive and with enough magic to still amaze people.
“On a wave he’s ageless,” said Vaughan. “The fact that he’s not looking for big sections to hit is easy on the eye. It’s not all about the hammers. You’re not waiting for him to do something. He’s just riding waves.”
Well, this July 3, which is a couple of days away, Tom Curren turns sixty years old, proof that time waits for no man except maybe Tom Curren.
Happy birthday old man!
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Geez they did a great job putting together this little masterpiece.
What’s with all the dated films? Occy, now Curren….
Classics sure, kind of. Occy’s not so much.
This short film was cool when it was released few years ago.
Greatest surfer of all time.
Time Curren
Can someone please enlightened on what “free scrubber” refers to? Is it some sort of Commonwealth advert thing – free scrubber (sponge? brush?) with purchase?
thank you!
At the end of the movie, I believe Curren randomly sees something on the ground and bends over and picks up a sponge or something, (a scrubber) off the ground.
He then says something to the effect.
”Oh, a scrubber, a, “free-scrubber”.
Free, because he just randomly found it.
That is my memory of it.
Thanks! I’ve watched it but apparently didn’t listen 🙂
EVERYBODY wanted to surf like Tom when I was a grom.
He was known for being relatively good at surfing, IIRC.
I still do 🙂
Put CI on the map, straight up.
Britt owes him a share.
Wish he had fallen off more, picked the best waves and never fell.
Tom Tom https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Yawn
Are we going to talk about his weird board stuff? Or just skim over it….
Anyone slinging dirt on Tom is surely alaia?
You’ve made a scrubber out of me and left me face red, beauty Mr Newman
he’s so the best ! even though he sprayed buckets of water on me as he paddled past
That’s a blessing.
Dear Filipe,
Be more like this cunt!
Ps- give ya self an uppercut, ya cat weasel
Derek please, we are forgetting what makes you tick.
Xox
serious lack porn innuendos of late!!!
I reckon the cunt’s in love!
Xox
trans porn you mean
Has anyone seen Tom and JFK jnr in the same room?
Yeah! They were….well you know !
Xox
FBH! -xoxo
Hahaha yussss!
Xox
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Anyone ever seen Tom and Dane sushi n sauza in the same room?
Came here to post this. I thought it was RFK Jr when I first saw the pic.