Sing us a song.
When history looks back upon industries that became decimated, for whatever reason, it will likely rank them thusly: 3) Coal 2) Video rental stores 1) Surf.
Yes, our beloved Spart of Kings, and its important players like Bob McKnight, Gordon Merchant, Richard “Wooly” Woolcott once enjoyed prestige associated with the likes of John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan. Titans of prosperity. It would have been impossible to see the end, from the middle of those halcyon years, but the end did come and come hard. Private equity scooping up Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, firing all employees, re-selling to licensing groups.
Mountain and wave and stone relegated to Costco’s cheapest bins.
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is Billy Joel bravely opening up about his life in the new documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” which aired, publicly, for the first time just two days ago.
Joel, famous for such hits as “Piano Man” and “Uptown Girl” discussed many stories of his important life including becoming suicidal after having an affair with his good pal’s wife when he was in his 20s.
“I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic. So I figured, ‘That’s it. I don’t want to live anymore.’” the multi-time Grammy Award winner shared. “I was just in a lot of pain. It was sort of like why hang out, tomorrow is going to be just like today is and today sucks. So, I just thought I’d end it all.”
He took many sleeping pills, first, and drank a bottle of Lemon Pledge, second.
Mercifully neither attempt took.
The 76-year-old detailed the highest of highs, living that rock star life, and also the lowest of lows but, most importantly, for surf industry fans, wore a Deux Ex Machina hat throughout his interview.
While not part of the “Big Three,” Deux burst onto the surf industry scene in Sydney, Australia during the early 2010s. Very hip design and a motorcycle backbone became the gold standard of a burgeoning surf “hipster” movement. The very talented surf photographer Dustin Humphrey was some part of the brand and that was enough for me.
David Lee Scales did not discuss Joel nor Deux during our weekly chat but did dig right into Italo Ferreira’s pregnancy. Not as essential as She’s Always a Woman but still pretty good.