The Shaper - Best Film at Show

This awesome film, The Shaper, has been awarded the prize for Best Film at Show at the inaugural Old Farts Surf Co. film festival.  Old Farts Surf Co. Head Honcho, The Mexican (OFSC No. 4) said "congratulations to the judges for choosing a film that encapsulates the pure essence of oldfartsurfing."  Click on the link below and enjoy:
The link below

Morning of the Earth - Live - Reviewed

Morning of the Earth could be the greatest surf movie ever made.  In fact it could just be the greatest movie ever made.  In fact the Oldfartsurfer thinks everything made in 1972 was the greatest thing ever made other than his custom Oceans 6'6" twin fin that was made in 1978. Morning of the Earth is also blessed with the greatest sound track ever recorded.  What a year to be 15 - Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers, CSNY Deja Vu, Neil Young's After the Goldrush, Who's Next, Jethro Tull, - how good was it back then!.    But this movie set the standard, it is,to quote the title song, "the measure of our lives".
For those who don't remember (brains fried) or who weren't there, this movie just showed surfers surfing and hanging out, no narration, just set to a sensational original sound track.  If you asked what the story was or "what was it all about" you'd missed the point.  The theme was "keep it simple", and, there were no leg ropes!  It moves from Australia, to Bali to Oahu with sensational surfing by some of the greatest ever oldfartsurfers including Terry Fitzgerald, Michael Peterson, Gerry Lopez, Rusty Miller and Nat Young.  The surfing is interspersed with local lifestyle scenes of rustic living in northern NSW, cockfights and even smoking weed in Bali.  Bazaar you might think, however, what makes all this work is the original soundtrack that complements the surfing and the feel of the film.
The Oldfartsurfer has two vinyl records and a CD of the soundtrack and it is also installed on his Ipod and IPhone.  When it came out on CD he put it straight in the car stereo and played it all the way home.  It was like meeting an old friend and reminiscing about the good old days.  Every note and sound was still perfectly in place. 
In this production, the movie is screened with live music and was first performed about a year ago but unfortunately the Oldfartsurfer missed it.  So when a second tour of performances was advertised a few months ago he was determined not to miss it again. It was put on the bucket list and the best tickets immediately purchased for the performance at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.  Could this production live up to the standards set in 1972?
Arriving at the theatre the Oldfartsurfer noticed two distinct groups.  Firstly the oldfartsurfers, their wives and some of their offspring. Their average age would have put them older than 15 in 1972. Included in this group he would include some younger oldfartsurfers, perhaps they were 15 in 2002, however, he would still classify them as oldfartsurfers for just turning up.  The second group were four models, two male, two female, posing in cool Rip Curl and Billabong gear over some spotlessly painted and polished Sandman panel vans doing some media stunt.  Neither the models, the cars or the clothing companies were around around in 1972.
Given his predisposition to liking all things about the original Morning of the Earth, there was the potential for the Oldfartsurfer to be bitterly disappointed if things didn't quite measure up.  You will pleased to know that the show put a stupid grin on the Oldfartsurfers's face from beginning to end.  In fact he was almost tempted to break into song in a public place.  Thank Huey he didn't as the band and the singers managed to deliver on their end of the bargain.
Brian Cadd's voice may have been a little scratchy trying to reach a couple of the high notes on the first song and the descending orchestral riff was missing from the theme song, but overall, it was a great show.  They had edited the film a little and added some new footage of Dave Rastovich and Hannah, his mermaid missus, but listening to the music live while watching the big screen certainly gave a great experience.  Brian Cadd, Tim Gaze and Mike Rudd all performed their original songs and contemporary artists Lior and Gyan were wonderfully matched to deliver songs by G Wayne Thomas and others.
The highlight of the performance was when all the artists came on stage just before intermission to share verses of the two chord classic Simple Ben.  This was repeated in the encore for a good old singalong.
Attending Morning of the Earth, the Oldfartsurfer missed, what was reported to be the highlight of the Mona Foma Festival, when Brian Richie, the Dresden Dolls, Mike Harvey (of PJ) performed Violent Femmes songs.  Any regrets - no!
Click here to book your tickets.
Make a comment or click here to tell the oldfartsurfer what you really think.

CrossEyed & Painless, Live at Tom Price 1981

The Oldfartsurafer recently received a surprise package in the mail from Rouge (OFSC No. 45) containing a CD rarity - the 30th Anniversary edition and rremastered version of the infamous Live at Tom Price 1981 concert of West Aussie legends CrossEyed & Painless.  No explanation or covering note was proffered, however, this is one of the rarest and most unique recordings ever made.  Fans of the CrossEyes liken the Live at Tom Price 1981 recording  to The Shane's "Live at the Duke Vols 1 & 2" which celebrated the Mexican's (OFSC No. 4) 50th and the yet unheard Montague Street Back Shed recording of Cheech & Chong, the Nine Inch Nail and ex members of both The Shane's (Mex) and the CrossEyes (Rouge).  The uniqueness of the"Tom Price 81" album (as it is reverently referred to) is that it was recorded before CDs & MP3 players were invented.

According to the liner notes "If you happened to call into Tom Price pub in 1981, you might recall seeing 4 guys who travelled from Paraburdoo on Friday nights to play in the lounge bar.  Named after the Talking Heads album, the guys were a raw passionate acoustic combo, with a driving conga percussionist."  Rouge provided vocals, Bolero Acoustic 12 string and harp and the congas were provided by Chris De Burgh before he paid the ferryman instead of the lady in red.

(CrossEyed & Painless, circa 1981, Rouge on the bottom right)

The original recording was mixed live in 1981 by Ernie (who drove a fast milk cart out west) and recorded directly to a Maxell C-90 tape.  The old tape was discovered in a garage clean out in 2010 and skillfully remastered by Rouge using a Boss Digital Recorder BR-600,just in time for the 30th Anniversary.

The CrossEyes are gifted musicians who gave their own interpretation to classic modern songs of the time including songs by the Ozarks, Dire Straits, Taj Mahal, Talking Heads and Neil Young as well as an original by band member Wil Cuperus I'm OK, You're OK.  It is so good that tts hard to pick a highlight from the album, but the Little Feet Classic, Willin', stands out along with Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl.  The Tom Price 81 album presents a raw live performance in a mining town pub in outback Australia.  Pub music in Australia is about as good as it gets and this album is the next best thing to being there back in 81.

Click here for the previous related story.

Click her to tell the Oldfartsurfer what you think of the CrossEyes Tom Price 81 album.  Is it the best ever made?

The Break, New Wave Surf Music

When the Oldfartsurfer first heard the new Album by The Break, Church of the Open Sky, he thought he was hearing the soundtrack to his surfing life.  It put a big grin on his faced as he tuned in and imagined himself carving down the line of a big walling wave to the music, no vocals, just solid thumpin' guitar twangin' music.
The Break is a reincarnation of Midnigh Oil musos Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey along with Violent Femmes bass man Brian Richie.  What they are doing is having fun.  Which is what oldfartsurfing is all about.  All the tracks are named after surf breaks like Cylinders, Cyclops, Winkipop and the music reflects the character of these breaks.  However, its not all hard driving surf rock, some of the tracks are are more sublime and slowly drift along like a tropical afternoon having a Bintang in a hammock.
Avid readers will know that the oldfartsurfer Mexican was pretty disappointed when he missed seeing The Break in Byron Bay by one day when he recently went to pick up Bob the Bobsled.  Well you'll be pleased to know that the Mex finally caught the boys in Hobart.  "It was a sticky carpet pub crowded with about 300 people" said the Mex.  "The gig went off, Hirsty thumped the crap out of the tubs, Richie bounced around like a man possessed while Moginie, Mr. Cool, master of sounds, just put it out there".  "Not only that" said Mex, "I used my surf star status to catch up with the boys for a single malt before they hit the stage and we discussed their oldfartsurfer status".  The Oldfartsurfer has announced that The Break are now the official band of the Old Farts Surf Co. and the boys declared mastersurfmusicians.  Congratulations Rob, Jim, Martin and Brian!

Stoked on Gingernut Snaps

Between the ages of three and eight my family lived in Mona Vale and my fondest memories are of spending the day at the beach body surfing, riding my Zippy board, and, in those pre-legrope days, waiting for a surfboard to bounce in on the whitewater so I could grab it and  ride a couple of little waves before the owner could swim in and collect it.  Sometimes the owner would thank me when I gave it to him, other times I would cop a mouthful of abuse for touching it.  It tells a lot about a person's character the way they treat kids, or anyone else for that matter.  These were the first five years of the 60's when the board's were about 10' long and kids towed them to the beach on trailers behind their bicycles.  In Stoked, the legendary Bob McTavish tells a series of wonderful stories beginning way before my recollections.  He also spent a lot of time around Sydney's northern beaches and, from my perspective, it was great to read about what was happening while I was growing up in the neighborhood.  All I remember is the beach, the house, walking to school, playing u/7 soccer and fearfully having to race in the North Narabeen ocean baths with a huge jelly fish.

Now the oldfartsurfers love a gingernut snap biscuit with their coffee in the Old Farts Surf Cafe' after a morning surf.  Gingernuts are great for dunking because they are hard and don't drop off in your coffee when soggy.  In fact they are so hard you pretty well have to dunk them to make them edible.  Now this is where there is a great connection between Bob and the oldfartsurfers.  One of Bob's earlier stories is of surfing with Ma and Pa Bendall on the sunshine coast and eating gingernut snaps on the rocks afterwards.  You might think it is a pretty loose connection, however, when you consider Bob's pretty much an oldfartsurfer himself, we'll claim it.

Whilst the book is introduced by award winning author, Tim Winton (of Breath fame), the book pretty much seems to be written by the man himself.  Bob tells a series of amazing stories with a lot of warmth and humour.  He must have an incredible memory as they cover his life from childhood hitching to the sunshine coast, sleeping on the beach, through his famous stowaway trip to Hawaii and the development of the short board.   If half these stories are true he has hand an amazing and envious life.  This is a real nostalgia trip and gives insight to some of the memories of your surfing life that you only read about in newspapers and magazines. 

An interesting aspect of Stoked is Bob's development as a surfboard designer.  His ideas and how he came about them are of real interest to anyone remotely interested in board design and surf history.  His collaboration with George Greenough and some of the greats at the time of the shortboard revolution gives a wonderful insight into what was happening at the time I was buying my first surfboards.  In fact the oldfartsurfer Mexican was so impressed he has decided he is going to order himself a McTavish to see what all the fuss is about.  More about that later.

Rating 5/5 for surf stoke.

Mick Fanning - Focus, Commitment & Down to Earth

I'll have to admit that before I read Surf For Your Life my perception of Mick was that he was a bit of a beer drinking boofhead, albeit a boofhead who was a brilliant surfer.  Well shame on the Oldfartsurfer for taking a superficial view of the lad based the sensationalist surf press.  Pictures of his alter ego, Eugene, swilling beer, and photos of Mick's willy hanging out of his board shorts are not the full picture.  Mick and his writer Tim Baker have done a brilliant job of presenting a great story starting with Mick's childhood in Western Sydney, the loss of his older brother, an horrific injury and the focus and dedication he applied to come back from adversity to become world champion.  The story is worthy of a Rocky style movie, but what impressed me was insight into Mick's personality and spirituality.  It is well written, difficult to put down and changed the Oldfartsurfer's perception of Mick to one of a well grounded and generous world champion.

100 Reasons - A Tasmanian Surf Film

The Oldfartsurfer had the pleasure of attending the launch of 100 Reasons a short surf film by brothers Liam and James Correy. The film was shown along with a photogaphic display "The Craft of Adventure, Tasmania and Beyond" at the Long Gallery, Salamanca Place on 4 - 5 July. With photos taken by Liam Correy and Jack Robert-Tissot. According to the blurb for the launch 100 Reasons is a:

"Short surf film ‘One Hundred Reasons’ by Liam (23) and James (20) Correy follows their incredible twenty-day, unassisted bush walking and surfing journey from Strahan to Melaleuca in South West Tasmania. Photographer Jack Robert-Tissot (23) will exhibit his finest pictures, local musicians Sam J Nicholson and Billy Whims will warm the stage and guest speaker Marion Abraham (22) will tie the talents together."

The film is a gem, and is unlike any other surf film as it is more of a documentary story about a surf adventure. As a surf adventure there are certain similarities with films like Endless Summer or the more recent Aussie surf road film Lost & Running, but this is much more of a personal journey to the wilderness that is crafted with warmth and humour. According to the trailer "there are two types of people - those who carry surfboards and those who don't" . That says a lot about the spirit of the film.

You would be excused for thinking the Correy brothers are a bit crazy. Why would you carry a 50kg pack and a surfboard into the wilderness for 20 days of hardship and pain on the faint hope of getting a wave? A bit like why climb a mountain I guess - because its there. However, you have to admire the initiative and the adventure in a couple of young dudes and this comes across in the way the film is edited. There are some nice little waves but the fact that they didn't find too many gives a focus to the story and the adventure of it.

There are DVDs of the film available, not sure where at this stage but will try and find out. Hopefully this film will be seen more widely as it is refreshing after all those surf videos full of wave after wave of sponsored surfers doing arials get pretty tedius after 5 minutes. Or maybe that's just the oldfartsurfer's perspective.

All the proceeds from the The Craft of Advetnure exibition will go to the Thamarai Learning and Community Centre in India (www.thamarai.org). For more photos check out http://thecraftofadventure.wordpress.com/