Weeks 8 & 9: Warshaw & Campbell

First off, the Cyrus Sutton film, Compassing, was very captivating in the way it portrayed the life of a dedicated, young surfer. It is amazing how he was willing to create his own home by utilizing his minimum resources, such as his van and other scratch objects. It was also interesting how he would photograph his journeys. Other than the film, Matt Warshaw's article on the upbringing of surf magazines titled, Articles of
Faith, was very informative in describing the specific components that gave the surf magazines the most popularity and attention. This included photography. As mentioned by our class discussions, without the involvement of photography, surfing would probably not be as publicized and popular as it is today. In surfing magazines, "the pretty pictures" as Warshaw describes, were what captured most of the customers' attention. The photographs were incredibly interesting and artistic because, at the time (1950s), it took an experienced photographer in order to capture at least one good wave or surf. Taking photographs of this sport was much more difficult, and it continues to be. Surfers loved the surf photographs so much that they would steal advertising posts from telephone poles and other places around the area. Still, it was not ALL about the photographs. The 26-year-old magazine designer that Warshaw also mentions did not take the best photos but it was so communicative, friendly, and creative, that the public did not pay much attention to the lack of photographic quality at all. Surf magazines consisted of not only surfing, but psychedelia and poetry.

Another subject that Warshaw passively mentions is about the way some surfers interpret surfing as a "Godly" thing. Warshaw did not like how some people referred to surfing magazines as "life changing" or their personal "bibles". So as we discussed this in class as well, we questioned the possibility of surfing having to do with a "spiritual" side rather than an actual "religious" side. But whether it is interpreted as a spiritual or religious act, it is definitely a way of living for almost all surfers.

In the Campbell article titled, Pretty Much, it describes the amount of work it takes to get a magazine "out there", as I can simply say. Campbell needs it to be commercially stable, high quality photography, film making, and art direction. This ties back with the importance of photography. If it weren't for photographic images on magazines, the magazines would be incredibly boring. People who read them won't be as motivated to see people surf or even surf themselves.

Wave pools-The future?

The whole wave pools used as an alternative is really just dumb. I was watching a documentary about the Disneyworld Resort and learning how to surf is one of their many attractions available. However they teach you how to surf in a wave pool, one of the manager guys happily said: “The great thing about the wave pool is that every time you get the perfect wave.” Pretty sure anyone who relies on Disney to learn how to surf is setting themselves up to get rocked when they’re out in the ocean. The perfect wave rarely happens unless you’re in a Hollywood movie Part of the surf experience is going out and finding where the right spot to surf is. When you’re going out to surf you have to work with what’s given to you and not with what some generator is making the waves. For people not located on the coast there are clearly other ways to fill your need to surf. Tarp surfing seems pretty rad to do and it calls for the community vibe you would get when going surfing with a few friends. My coworker went back to Paris and he is able to continue surfing on the lake and another coworker surfs Lake Michigan Another alternative method is river surfing, that looks pretty crazy.

While watching the video about wave pools being used to get surfing recognized as a sport and possibly made an Olympic sport, I think that’s just a little unnecessary. Surfing is clearly a worldwide sport and it doesn’t need to be recognized by the Olympics in order to be considered legitimate.

Who benefits from the contests?

While Watching The Present it was said, “surf competitions only represent 99.5% of the surf population.” This being said, whom does the surf competition really benefit? Obviously its fun to go out and watch the best surfers in the world compete but the whole competition aspect goes against surf culture in my opinion. Everyone has a different relationship with surfing and for most it’s a spiritual connection to nature, that’s the focus and the main draw to surf. Competition comes relatively naturally when surfing with friends as far as a showing each other who is best. The competitions support the surfers on a small scale but they’re mostly funding the surf brands. Personally I would rather see the top surfers just catching a sesh and enjoying themselves then watch them at a contest.

Week 8 and 9

            

             While in our class discussion, Week 9 spoke about the waves pools. In my
opinion, I think that they should not have wave pools because it will take away the whole unknown adventurous experience away and that people would not be
prepared for the real waves out in the ocean. As from past articles I read, I
remember most of the people stated that they love that unknown feeling
and that every wave they ride would never be the same. I agree because I
do not really like routine myself, I like a little change and adventure here
and there. I understand that it could be better for surfing competitions, however;
after watching people surf in the wave garden, it seemed a little repetitive and
not interesting as much to watch because the same wave was coming over
and over. Like the above image, it shows you what you are able to capture in
nature's finest moments. You would not be able to grasp the same atmosphere
if you were to go to an artificial wave park without any real nature attached to
it. You would not get the same feeling of the rushing cold or warm water
because it would just be the same forever and the surfing world would definitely
 changed a way lot more if it does come to having wave pools in our future generations. It
would be definitely interesting to see how far wave pools will go especially
in competitions. It might just come to that wave pools will be our future place
for surfing competitions whether we do or do not want them. I rather not have
wave pools for surfing though.

             For week 8, I read the excerpt from Caught Inside by Daniel Duane.
I really thought this article was interesting because it was nice to see
surfing in Santa Cruz and that there were actual characters from Santa Cruz
and the University of Santa Cruz. So, it allows us to have a sort of connection that
this happened in this very city. Daniel Duane, a student at the time at UCSC
wrote about his experience with his Professor and his Professor's friend, Willie
when they went on a trip to go surfing. He explains that his Professor held
surfing as a huge part of his life even to the point where he rather go
surf a nice wave than be at his class to give out the final exam. He would always
find a time to surf within his schedule. It made me think of how far would you
let surfing take apart of your life, but in some cases, surfing can be the
life that you want and that it is a spiritual need. It allows you to experience
something incredible while being out in the ocean of unknown.

From Surf Rock to Beach Goth (Weeks 8 and 9)

Instead of tackling the reading assigned for these two weeks I have decided to do a bit of a surf music history from the 50's to today. This is not an in-depth history, Crowley's Surf Beat is the go-to in that department, instead I am encompassing some bands/artists that flew under the radar during this time we've been covering music. Now, not all of these artists are what "we" would consider surf, most just take the elements surf rock brought to music (three-chord structure, reverb, "hazy" and "wave-like" guitar structures, and songs about the ocean). Hopefully you enjoy: (And count this as a blog post...)

The 1950's...in Technicolor.

Now the 50's is a weird time to cover as just about all of Crowley's book analyzed music in this decade, so here are some tunes that may have not gotten recognition.

Roy Orbison:

Roy Orbison's saddened croon seems as far from surf music as one can get, but the intricate-yet-simplistic guitar chords are staples of surf music. The Western-motif, made famous by Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, rooted itself in the surf-scene of this time period. Orbison's sad song about a heartbreak, not brought on by the ocean, definitely had a place on the radios of many surfers.

Buddy Holly:

Much like Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly's Western ballads utilized the same structures surf rock songs would later mimic. Holly however, really loved to take his guitar tone to whole new heights with his very intricate guitar solos and use of reverb. Now, if you asked Mr. Holly if he was a surf rocker he'd probably laugh and adjust his glasses. In this instance though, maybe today is "the Day" he rode the waves.

The 1960's... man, haha.

The hippy and drug culture of the 1960's definitely had an effect on surf music, and it shows in the psychedelic effects used. With the sheer amount of bands formed during this time I will try to keep it limited to about two very important selections. Notably, one song from the Los Angeles area and one song from the Bay Area; two very important spots for both music and surf culture.

The Doors

Now to even try and summarize the impact The Doors had on music is a travesty but in the world of surf music, The Doors did...well little to nothing. The Doors is an LA band making what at the time was considered experimental psychedelic rock but to a Los Angeles surfer, this band was everything. Morrison's sultry voice cascading through the harsh drums and high-pitched synths, paralleled a surfer gliding through wave after wave. (A bit of a stretch I know, but hey The Doors are great).

The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead, a band almost synonymous with hippies and San Francisco. It is of no surprise I would add them to a growing list of bands that have nothing to do with surf music but everything to do with surf culture. As much as many surfers would hate to admit, drug culture and surf culture meet at many points, and the Dead is definitely one of them. From a Woodstock head to a Malibu Beach surf bum, The Grateful Dead had an impact. Whether or not said Head or said surf bum decided to take copious amounts of LSD in an effort to "open their doors of perception" (Huxley's Doors of Perception) remains to be seen.

The 1970's...in 3-D!!!!!

I could write multiple blog posts on the 1970's alone but to make this as short as possible I'll stick to one punk song, one two-tone ska song, and...well another punk song.

The Specials

So, ska. It could take me a full-length paper to give the entire back story to ska and rocksteady so instead I'll give a brief over view: Englishmen in the Caribbean discovered reggae and ska (most notably the upstroke guitar) and brought it back to the main land only for young punk kids to start incorporating it into their young punk music. The Specials are what we consider seoncd-wave ska, or two-tone ska. Many young skinheads (ska skinheads not Nazi skinheads, very important difference) did not surf but once ska and reggae hit the United States, every surfer from Virginia Beach to Pleasure Point owned at least some piece of Rastafarian memorabilia.

The Undertones

Oh, The Undertones, John Peel's favorite band. (John Peel was a famous DJ that was at the forefront of music in England, he loved this song so much he had the lyrics engraved on his tombstone.) The god-awful One Direction cover aside, "Teenage Kicks" is one of the seminal punk rock/teenage angst anthems in all of music. Whether or not this song was exactly played by surfers is hard to tell, but the amount of airplay it got on college radio stations across the states gives me hope that at least one surfer hummed "Teenage dreams, so hard to beat" as he waited for a wave.

The Misfits

More in line with hot rod/psychobilly culture, The Misfits took punk in a weird Alice Cooper-inspired direction in the late 70's. This song specifically, mimics the grumbling sound of a swell before it breaks, much like the surf rock songs of the 50's. Not to mention the fact that Glenn Danzig's shouts practically embody the masculinity surfers shared.

The 1980's...now in NEON.

Another decade that provided multiple books-worth of music history, so for this decade I'll try and limit myself to some more punk rock and second-wave ska. The 80's also gave rise to both the hardcore punk movement and skate culture, both of which I focus more on here. Surfing and skate culture however, share a lot of the same space in terms of societal impact and the art surrounding them.

Black Flag

One of the kings of the hardcore punk scene, LA's Black Flag handmade angry songs for angry teenagers...and it is beautiful. With skateboarding and punk rock intertwined at a double-helix DNA level, it makes sense that most of Black Flag's songs consisted of three main topics: 1. Doing dumb things with friends, 2. Hating the cops, 3. Booze and Girls. Really though, what else is there to life? Black Flag made their mark on so many countercultures that is hard to even attach them to any one subculture, but for my own sake, I make the claim Black Flag was a band loved by surfers; LA surfers at least.

Operation Ivy

Berkley's own Operation Ivy embodied the skacore (ska + hardcore) movement that California helped create. Skacore, a blend of ska elements with the hardcore punk ethos took over Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Orange County during the mid to late 1980's. Operation Ivy's loud and fast ska especially took the punk and surf scenes by storm (no pun intended). This mixture of subcultures started a chain reaction that would follow both punk and surf to today.

The Gun Club

Smell that? That faint smell of whiskey, cigarettes, and gasoline? That's The Gun Club. The Gun Club makes Western blues inspired punk rock that rules. Thankfully, their Los Angeles origins made them pretty popular with surfers. Now this comes from my great-uncle Lolo who spent from about '81 to '89 at the beach (I kid you not). Unfortunately, The Gun Club's take on blues and black culture did not make them all that popular after a debut LP.

The Dead Milkmen

Okay this one is for me, I'll admit it. The Dead Milkmen's send-up of surf and beach music is something that is crucial in understanding the difference between "beach" and "surf" music. The "beach" is a place, a setting for songs about drugs, girlfriends, self-hatred, boredom, being a teenager etc. "Surf" is a style of music, and a genre in its own right. Distinction made? Cool, let's get weird in the next two decades.

The 1990's...sponsored by Windows 95.

The 1990's took the chains off music and let musicians basically do whatever they felt like doing. From the rise of rave music to the explosion of hip-hop, the 90's flipped music upside down and inside out. For surfers however, punk rock and ska stayed the same...sort of. The 90's is known as the time when punk rock became pop punk and ska became well whatever the f*** Reel Big Fish is.

Reel Big Fish

This is here just to stay in-tune with this whole "history" thing, don't listen to Reel Big Fish. The 80's late-night comedy take on ska music is kind of lame and genuinely boring, to me anyway. Yet, seeing how this is my blog post, I can say controversial statements like, "Reel Big Fish sucks" with no real consequences.

NOFX

Thanks to Lost, NOFX became very closely tied to surf music of the 90's. Providing the songs for most Lost videos, NOFX crafted a fast-yet-pop inspired sound that "pop punk" would adopt in the following decade...and people loved it. Look up NOFX at Bizarre Fest to get a  better understanding of what I mean, few "punk" bands could fill a stage that big.

The 2000's...in Hi-Definition. 

The 2000's, ah the lovely millennium that I am so grateful to have ascribed to my generation. In the interest of time and space I am going to connect the 2000's and the early 2010's, because why not? I am going to return to that surf vs beach thing I talked about in the 80's here, so get excited. Seriously. Please?

Modest Mouse

Now before you ask, "Modest Mouse? And you didn't insert Float On? WTF?", I'll answer, "Float On kinda sucks". Now I'm a Modest Mouse snob, I'll admit it, but Float On is not a great enough testament to the great work they have released over the past two decades. "A Different City" the song I have here is a great example of  early 00 Modest Mouse that isn't just a Lonesome Crowded West (their 1997 album) B-Side. It has everything a young Millennial surfer would want: loud, fast drum patterns, a reverb and effect laden lead guitar, and half-spoken/half-shout vocals. It really is a dream come true.

Neutral Milk Hotel

Okay I know you are about to say, "Aeroplane came out in '98 dude, what a poser", but bear with me here. Neutral Milk Hotel had a huge popularity in the early 00's and especially in the more culturally hip surf and skate crowds that had gotten even bigger since '98. Jeff Mangum's love-sick songs about well love, made perfect beach jams for both the young hipster and the 20 something surfer.

Double Shot of Expresso: The Postal Service and Streetlight Manifesto

So you may be wondering, "Gabe why would you post the same song by two different bands?" Well, inquiring mind, Such Great Heights by The Postal Service is adored by surf companies and surf videographers alike and Such Great Heights (cover) by Streetlight Manifesto is loved by surfers and skate kids alike. Two sides of the same indie rock coin.

Passion Pit

When Passion Pit's synth pop single "Sleepyhead" took off, EVERYONE wanted to use it in their latest creative project. Surf videos, skate videos, beach videos, videos of friends, graduation videos, hell a DVD of a wedding with this song in the background exists somewhere. Passion Pit is a band that buzz blogs love alongside huge radio stations like KEXP or KCRW.

(Now for some cool stuff)

Thee Oh Sees

Thee Oh Sees rule, and we obey. John Dwyer's garage rock band has consistently put out records and tour since the mid 2000's after his old band, the Coachwhips (which you should listen to here) disbanded. Fusing old school surf rock guitar with garage and punk elements, Thee Oh Sees ignited the San Francisco garage renaissance that is happening right now. Other notable bands in this scene: Ty Segall Band , Mikal Cronin , and Fuzz (which is Ty Segall in another band, seriously he is in a ton of bands: Ty Segall Band, Ty Segall (solo), Ty Segall and White Fence).

Wavves

Wavves, aka Nathan Williams, is the poster child for the "beach rock" scene that has rooted itself in Los Angeles over the past couple of years. The first video is Wavves first release, Wavvves, which Williams recorded on his laptop (hence the lo-fi aesthetic) and the second is off of Everything Sux, an EP Wavves released in 2011. Both songs are an example of the "beach" genre of music that I described earlier. Instead of focusing on the surf the "beach" is a setting for songs about anything.

Best Coast

Best Coast, much like Wavves (both lead singers are dating if you would believe it), embody the "beach" genre of music. Like the Wavves post, the first video is off of Best Coast's early demos and the latter is off of their first full-length album. Best Coast, unlike Wavves, takes on the more sunny and pop side of surf music with girl-group like harmonies and easy-going lyrics about weed and cats.

Best Friends

Another band that takes on the "beach" genre, Best Friends does not take themselves all that seriously. Like the Dead Milkmen, Best Friends are a bit more comedic about their take on the surf genre. I mean, "Best Friends Party Hard" has to be one of the greatest slogans ever used by a band, right?

Fidlar

And at last we reach FIDLAR (F*** IT DUDE LIFE'S ALL RIGHT), the punk rock equivalent to the Ventures. These dudes aren't surfers really but who the hell cares? They make some really dope surf punk jams that you just want to jump around to and drink a six pack with. I had the privilege of doing both this summer when they played the Observatory in Santa Ana.

And this is where our journey ends, 5 decades and a bunch of bad jokes later we have reached this plateau. I was planning on going more into the revival of garage rock with bands like Tijuana Panthers and The Growlers but at this point I am surprised you are still reading. In conclusion, surf music did some cool things, punk rock is cool, beach music is not surf music, and I'm not all that funny. Thanks for reading.

Week 8 + 9: The Search

The human mind is such a powerful tool and asset to us homo sapiens, even to the neanderthal who, respectively, migrated all along the pan-american and European continent. We are constantly in 'search' of something; whether it be identity, truth, hope. The many searches we all can relate to at some point in our lives. For example, in the short film Compassing, we followed Cyrus Sutton (30) on a two-month journey through the coasts of Mexico who was in search of something, but what?
This notion of the search can also be seen in the film Ocean Tribe. A film that followed four men and their friend Bob, who was diagnosed with cancer, and quadriplegic,  on an unforgettable journey with  along the coastline of Baja, Mexico. The narrator of the film, who is also the main protagonist, describes the deep intimacy his friend Bob had with the ocean, along with his other companions. From observation, all the men were in search of something and with the help of each other and surfing some waves they all discovered that something, although vaguely (maybe I will catch it on the second time around).
Bringing me to the readings On Water, by Thomas Farber, where he depicts different scenarios of the intimacy surfers have with the ocean. Daniel Duane does the same in his story, Caught Inside, with his character Vince, a surfing enthusiast/professor at a University in the Monterey county. Both of these stories explain so much behind the surfer mentality, but is it solely a surfer mentality?
Maybe, we all just need to go on our own searches to entirely grasp the truth behind our search.

Weeks 8 and 9 -- Surfing beyond the waves

As I was looking at the youtube videos for week 9 and the art galleries for week 8 I couldn't help but make the connection about how well surfing is extending to a world beyond the waves. Drew Brophy is an incredible artist and man, having met him at the Salt of the Sea event earlier this quarter where he came to Porter and presented on his work. He has taken his enjoyment of surfing and the waves into a career that he enjoys. Aaron Chang has also taken the waves and turned them into something land-locked can enjoy - photography. Speaking of land-locked, How about that German River surfing!? It is incredible how much these people will go through and the dangers they put themselves against to ride the waves they have. This is what dedication to a sport looks like. I felt my heart twing when the older speaker (the one with tatoos up his neck and who spoke English) said that his dad had a heart attack when he (the son) had gotten caught in the whipping whirlpools that follow after the river tides. For those who don't even have rivers to explore, they either find tarp surfing or surf parks to indulge their interests with. The young and thrifty find tarp surfing to be a great fix - mixing the surf likeness of skateboarding with the tube type experience of a large blue tarp barrolling over-head. For the older and wealthier folk, surf parks are looking to be the future -- extending the joys of surfing to all corners of the Earth and taking the sport from the unpredictible natural wave to a real areana, turning the professional realm of surfing into a real sport.

Readings and such – Week 8&9

Readings and such – Week 8&9

The Drew Brophy art was pretty amazing, very interesting to see the styles influence on many of the styles and artworks today, especially in the colour palettes and the attention to detail.

The Warshaw article was a very in depth esoteric look at the history of surf publications, he made plenty of declarations for the importance of these publications and he does make the whole thing seem quite interesting and meaningful, albeit completely alienating. As someone looking in I wonder who this niche article is really for, as he glorifies the whole history of surf publication as a sort of sacred text. He even pokes fun of people comparing surf magazines to religious texts, well Warshaw manages to write for about 30 pages on the same subject, so I don’t think he can distance himself too much. What really came across was how arbitrary the articles are, that the real power seems to mostly be in the photography of the act rather than written articulations.

Scott Hulet’s article on artist Thomas Campbell was a well written and insightful look at how someone can actually make a living off following their creative passions. I couldn’t say that I really cared for his work but I am impressed with the almost industrious volume of work that he has produced.

The huffington post write up on the surf industry made me laugh because in all that we’ve been learning about all semester it seemed as apt as the term “industry” may be, it also seems to go against the deep rooted, spiritual ethos that many surfers try to promote. The same with competitions and the idea of having it entered as an Olympic sport. I just feel like if this activity is so meaningful to the masses why are they all so eager to sully it with corporate sponsorships and gold medals. The state of surfing seems to have given away to capitalization anyway but I really think the surfing community needs to pick a lane. I’m sure the only way most people make any money with surfing is teaching or corporate sponsorships but maybe that says something to what this pastime has become? If it is truly about connecting with the ocean and riding waves why do you need your face on a cereal box?

The article and video on the wavegarden technology seemed like it actually worked very well and that this could be a perfect environment for people to learn to surf without pissing of the angry locals of many spots. On the otherhand the simplicity that many of the people were taking to makes me wonder whether the feeling of accomplishment would lessen. I’ve only been surfing a few times and being able to finally stand up and ride a wave was a very proud moment, and this was in the tame waters of south England. Knowing that a machine, rather than the planet created my wave would eliminate much of the excitement.

Everyone Loves California

What a great film! Definitely loved everything about it, from the casual narrator to the awesome surfers the decided to feature. It was great seeing a local family from Santa Barbara featured, the Currens. Seeing my hometown in the film definitely made me a bit homesick. Seeing sandspit and the beautiful harbor with the Los Padres mountains in the background made me realize just how lucky I am to call that place home. And then of course, Rincon. I liked how the movie chose surfers who aren't "famous" but locally known for their style and their story. I also enjoyed moving up the California coast as the movie went along, starting in San Diego and cruising up the Pacific Coast Highway. It was awesome to see another local family featured, the Malloy's of Ojai, which is 15 minutes away from my house. Also, the trip they make to Baja is pretty awesome because it is so similar to how my dad did it and how my boyfriend and I do it now with his friends. Camp on the beach, fish, surf, hang out in the sun...can't really beat that!

Looking forward to Dick Dale tonight!

Eyyyyy One California Day

The film screening at the SCMB was dope! The place was packed despite rain and everyone seemed to be enjoying the show. I didn't know the Malloy family would be featured. They reside and grew up in Ojai, CA which is my hometown. Right now they have my friend Wiley running a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project on one of their properties in the valley. I actually went to the inaugural naming party where we decided on "Stoke Grove", a play off the Krishnamurti school Oak Grove, which is also in my town.  The Malloy's are a great family and a genuine breed of people. Organic food and farming are the cornerstone of how they operate. No farms, no food.

The movie was great and focused more on the soul of surfing than the actual wave riding. I appreciated all the different perspectives but it was disappointing no women were shown in the movie. The only woman was Curren's wife and she had like 10 sec of footage. This speaks to the male dominance and machismo that is hyper-present in the surf culture of California. In a movie that was more focused on the stability and essence of surf, I would have liked to see a balance of genders or cultures, but everyone was white males. I know it was all about California, and they were trying to show how surfing has bled over into other cultures like jujitsu or hot rods but come on ya'll....get yo head right!
I'm sure there are plenty of women who could have talked about what they do outside of the water.

Busting Barriers Week 6

Watching Bustin' down the Door gave me a lot of insight to the mentality behind big wave chasers and the history of surfing as it evolved from lifestyle and spiritual practice into a sport. Seeing these dudes paddle into huge surf at the Bay and other North shore spots gave me the chills and an understanding for why surfing has become so popular in such a short period of time. I also liked the inverse perspective provided by Da Hui and the locals who want to protect the island breaks for native Hawaiians.

It's hard to imagine that something which was reserved only for Polynesian royalty and a remote tribe in the Pacific has spread all over the world within a few generations. It speaks to the interconnectedness of our world and the complexity of our planet.

I have mixed feelings about the merchandizing of surfing and the muliti-billion dollar industry it has become. Without such widespread popularity and success, I don't think I would have ever been able to get that $40 long board at a garage sale and catch my first wave. That feeling of dancing on water can't ever be priced or put into words. However, the impact of surf tourism and the ecological effects of wetsuits and surfboard shaping is undeniable and the over-crowding of beaches and degradation of the ocean needs to be addressed. I think surfers and other people intimately connected with the oceans are the people on the forefront of movements, like the Surfrider foundation, to help maintain our vital source of life and pleasure. We don't have any other choice if we want to keep drinking water or getting barreled.

Week 8 Readings: Daniel Duane

The part of this piece that really caught my attention was the section asking "Why Do You Surf?" from Surfer Magazine in 1995.  The answers ranged from things like "Because my dad wouldn't let me play football" to wanting to connect with God and using surfing as an outlet to do just that, to being free of rules and just being able to express oneself.  I am what the article refers to as a "city dweller"; the information/topics we have been discussing in class are mostly new to me, such as the territorial disputes over surfing locations and fights over getting the best waves.  Therefore, I've kind of made an assumption in my mind that all surfers surf for spiritual reasons or motives involving true passion and connection with ocean.  So, it was surprising to hear about the different reasons listed in the article.  It also was cool to hear about Santa Cruz through Duane's experiences and perspective and compare them with my own.  The personal connection he has with UCSC is a first (from what I can remember) out of all the authors we've read so far.

Week 7: Bikini and Gender Perspective

Well, what have atombombs and popular beach clothing in common? The history of the Bikini as a popular choice for women to dress on the board and at the beach, should also remind the people of the history of the Bikini atoll. This was the site of US atombomb testing on the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958. The population of the atoll was evacuated by the US government, but everything the tests left behind on the island is now highly radioactively contaminated. I would really be interested in seeing some of the library offers on those tests, because its hard to believe that the complete population was just expulsed from the island. And I am still curious how beach clothing named after such a tragic site can still be selling so succesful.

Another very interesting material from the last class for me were the different promotional spots by Roxy. Especially the Biarritz spot showed how much surfing has become dominated by commercial aspects. And it also shows that producers of such spots really still believe in the notion that sex sells best. That this damages the volatile gender roles in a very "body dominated" sport, is a bad side effect, if not even a really severe consequence.

Week Seven : The Bikini

When we all think of the bikini, I'm pretty sure the last thing we think about is nuclear weapons. I would have never guessed where the actual origin of the bikini name came from. For those who don't know, the bikini was named after the Bikini Islands. This was the island where the U.S. between 1946-1958 tested 25 nuclear bombs.  The Bikinians were told that the island would be used for "the good of mankind and to end all wars". After 10 years, the islanders returned to the Bikini, but shortly after, had to leave due to contamination and would not be able to return for about 30 - 60 years. Who would have thought that the origin of the bikini would have had such a dark past! The same year the US started nuclear testing, French designer Louis Reard launched the two piece bathing suit which he named, the bikini.  Teaiwa's article really was really interesting and informing about the origins of the bikini.

<------------ On a side note, me and Pechrachanna had a revelation about the show Spongebob! It was named Bikini Bottom because it was under the Bikini Island and that is why some episodes show the explosions! Just thought you would want to know a little fun fact haha! :)

Eli Bottom - Bikini Week

After reading through the articles and watching Blue Crush (2002), I was interested to explore the way in which the media addresses the representation of the female surfer. In Blue Crush, the lead character was confronted with a situation in which she found herself used and objectified by a haole. The male actor playing a prominent football figure represents the archetype of the successful white man who thinks they can do whatever they want. Although the film explores the lead female's response to his advances, it also surveys the opinions of her close friends who advise her on the situation. On the flip side, the film also seems to exploit the female form in bikini shots. I do give the film credit for not taking it too far, and by also including similar shots of different representations of the female surfer. On a final note, the absence of wetsuits caused a split for me between reality and fiction. In person, I have never seen surfers enter the water without wetsuits. Since the film took place in Hawaii, there were no wetsuits to be seen, avoiding my life experiences completely.

Week 7--Post 4: I'll never look at another bikini the same...or will I?

That's just it--the brilliance of it--as a heterosexual male, I cannot help but look at a woman in a bikini without having pretty much the exact same reaction every time. So the marginalization continues... Teresia K. Teaiwa's essay forces us to consider our very paradigm in the West, and I hate to admit it, for the bikini's sake, but she's spot on. It does not cease to amaze me how much the Two World Wars of the early 20th century have come to influence how we live 60 plus years later--right down to the bathing suits we see/wear on the beach! I recommend watching President Dwight Eisenhower's farewell address to the nation on YouTube where he talks about the so-called Military Industrial Complex. I never thought I should be including the bikini in that complex. Teaiwa's piece blew my mind! 

Week 7

The women surfers have always had a different focus, as shown by the Roxy Biarritz commercial and the Rip Curl advertisements. The competitions appear to be beauty contests rather than based on talent. With the media's portrayal of women surfers as only appearance rather than skill, stereotypes that women can't be as great of surfers are pushed to the forefront. When the focus of women's surfing is mainly on fashion and appearance it is obvious why women don't get paid as much as male surfers. They don't have the same value out in the water.

"Paddle Out" - Sublime

Also, here's the song I was talking about in class today, which is super surfy in content and in sound. The lyrics, for reference:

I never thought that when I grew up I would be in a band
And travel to all the best spots in the land
I'm not here to brag or boast
I'm just here to tell you 'bout the spots that I love the most

Natural Bridges on a clean west swell
Breaks over the reef like a bat out of hell
Stockton Ave. gets hollow and mean
And on a big day it works like a machine
Outside Stockton gets hot like a glove
Swift St. John's St. into Michell's Cove
Big Steamer Lane makes you wish you were a trout
When it's mackin' so hard only two dudes Paddle Out

A huge Summertime South swell hit when I'm in my hometown
In a surfside bowl is where I can be found
Or up and down the coast
Checkin' the spots that I love the most

Week 7: Tanned Blonde Trophies

Ford and Brown's article, Gendering the Waves, gave one of the most succinct and insightful discussions of patriarchy, feminism, and intersectionality I've ever read in just a few pages. I was incredibly struck by how easily surfing was and is aligned with these issues, which plague every other part of society, no matter how "square" or otherwise antithetical to the concept of surfing as paradise they are. I think it's interesting that people try to theorize surfing as somehow separate or untouched by the heavier issues like the social constructs of race and gender and how they affect privilege, though with just about any modern activity or historical practice, it's easier to believe that you've found paradise when you exceptionalize whatever you're doing as somehow separate from the problems that affect all modern humanity.

I think the most important issue discussed in these first few pages was the concept that "men and masculinity often take an assumed or centered position in social discourses or narratives and thereby serve as the implicit subject around which all knowledge is constructed." This concept can easily be adapted to surfing's origins and other tales of white colonialism; we trust white men's accounts as truth more quickly than native traditions like oral storytelling. Similarly, we've always accepted women as little more than beach decorations  - or as Fiske (cited) writes, "Females are passengers, spectators, there to be won, possessed, flaunted by the male." This was exemplified in today's selection of demeaning surf corporation videos, which (for the most part) refused to value or focus on these women's talent as surfers, or anything beyond their physical attributes. Their bodies are the focus; there are constant close ups of butts, midriffs, legs, etc, their faces are far less important, because that's what makes them human rather than part of the atmosphere.

These videos also reify and support a very specific vision of womanhood, specifically, blonde, white womanhood. While being fit comes naturally with being an athlete, all of these women happen to be beautiful, and for the most part, blonde, which begs the question: how many women have not made it to the public surfing sphere because they were not the idyllic California blonde? Furthermore, out of the 6 female surfer videos we watched today, approximately none featured a person of color (to my knowledge), which reminds us that even now, surfing remains a largely white sport due to legacies of inaccessibility for the poor, which history tells us has always overlapped with large communities of color.

What's disturbing about finding this trend in the most recent surf media is that it is incredibly reflective of films made over 50 years ago. The surf films we've watched from then are about as whitewashed as modern surf productions, at least the sample we've seen in class. The sexualization/objectification of womanhood is also reflected in old films. As I wrote about in my post on Muscle Beach Party, women's bodies are casually used as background or as decoration. Interestingly, in Gidget, women are hypersexualized and focused on - Gidget's goal eventually becomes a manhunt, her friends are consciously using their assets for this purpose. These are two different kinds of objectification, the first saying "you're not important enough to come into the foreground," the second saying "you're only as valuable as your sexual prowess." Both of these false narratives are at play in the videos from today, though especially the Roxy.

Videos like this are still being produced (despite public outcry) because most of us still buy into the idea that surfing is the sport of Kings - not Queens. The discourse seems natural, despite being specifically created by groups in power. Just as these narratives are constructed by those identifying with more powerful (and equally artificial) social constructs, surfing itself is a created activity, not part of "nature," as Hall (cited in Ford and Brown) writes: "Sporting practices are historically produced, socially constructed, and culturally defined to serve the interests and needs of powerful groups in society." Surfing is, obviously, not an exception. It was consciously categorized as a male sport, despite its origins in Hawaii as a unified community activity. Just as Hawaiians didn't just drop dead when Cook invaded, surfing's boys-only classification didn't "just happen." Men are not naturally better at sports, as demonstrated by the rate at which women are breaking sports records now that there is slightly less institutionalized sexism in sports from school age to professional levels. I think that understanding that the world didn't magically become unjust is the first key to solving injustice, and that requires acknowledging privilege, which comes along with accepting some responsibility.