Endangered Species-The”Regional Pro Surfer”

Posted on October 5, 2019 by nealdude85

A Case Study–Santa Cruz, California

By Neal Kearney

*NOTE. THE MEAT OF THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN, YET UNPUBLISHED, IN JUNE 2017 FOR A CERTAIN AMERICAN SURF WHO MAG WHO SHALL GO UNNAMED. THE SURF INDUSTRY SUCKS SOMETIMES! OH WELL…HERE IT IS, I HOPE YOU ENJOY!

It’s hard to make it as pro surfer these days. Even for the world’s best surfers , the cushy, umbrella-sponsorship deals of the past are hard to come by. Last year, you may have noticed that the back half of the World Surf League’s World Tour had rippers like Josh Kerr shredding without a main sponsor. If guys like Kerrzy are in trouble, that means “regional pros” are going extinct.

If top level guys are scraping for support, how does a local legend or talented, up-and- coming surfer (commonly referred to as “Regional Pros”), expect even a piddly crumb from the withering pie that is the surf industry? The pro surfer explosion in Santa Cruz, California, which blossomed in the ’90’s, and fizzled out by the end of the first decade of the twenty fist century. This shift illustrates how difficult it is for up-and-comers to remain relevant and marketable in a hemorrhaging surf industry where a good looking, yet mediocre Instagram surf star is guaranteed more exposure than a tech-inept, shy, introverted, yet phenomenally superb surfer.

The catalyst for the explosion of media attention directed to Santa Cruz can be attributed to many factors, but in the beginning, much of the credit goes to ace photographer and filmmaker Tony Roberts, who pushed the surf media to recognize just how much insane surfing was going on in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Robert’s unique, in-your-face action shots began peppering all of the major US surf mags, including Surfing and Surfer magazine, and helped put the national spotlight Santa Cruz’s stacked talent pool.

It got to the point that Santa Cruz was so saturated with talent that practically every hot surfer had sponsors and contracts; along with free gear, respect and prestige. Many of these surfers went on to become “international pro surfers”: Adam Replogle, Chris Gallagher, Jason “Ratboy” Collins, Shawn “Barney” Barron, Pete Mel, Anthony Ruffo, etc. This crew could travel the world and get paid to huck huge airs and rush giant tubes, fine-tuning their acts with unbridled, point-break power surfing at home.

TR was the man in Santa Cruz during the late ’80’s/early ’90’s, pumping out classic images and even full-length movies, but when he left for Central America in mid 90’s, there was a need for someone to take the control of SC freight train. Ripping skateboarder and surfer Dave Nelson learned a lot from Roberts and could keep the ball rolling, especially Roberts knack for up close fish eye action and skate influenced angles.

“TR was by far my biggest inspiration. I studied what he did daily and we used to shoot and skate and surf every day. He was always experimenting with different lenses and angles. He taught me a lot!” remembers Nelson.

Enter Transworld Surf, established in 1999, and sadly decapitated in 2013 due to the strangulation of print media. Nelson scored countless covers and spreads with his unique angles and inventive use of multiple flashes, film gel, and speed blur effects. He also introduced a new crew of “regional pros” to the masses. These centrally located hot-shots usually stuck relatively close to home during their careers, following Nelson, aka “Nelly”, into a number of local,”studio-esque” surf breaks. Guys like Homer Henard, Matt Rockhold, Bud Freitas, and Austin Smith-Ford were among the local pro’s who worked extensively with Nelson.

Chris Cote, TWS’s editor basically ran the ship, and gave “regional pros” from SC a lot of love, mainly due to Nelson’s wealth of insane photography.

“Regional pros are surfers who absolutely rip their local breaks, AKA, ‘Hometown Heroes’. Locally respected and widely known by ‘traveling pros’ as the guy or girl to either get in contact with when they are rolling through their town, or, watch to out for when competing in their town. Regional pros a lot of times just choose to stay in their hometown a lot of times, not that they don’t have the talent to travel and compete, but for one reason or another, they are content with just being “the guy” in their respective area,” explains Cote.

From 2000-2010, or thereabouts, regional pros in Santa Cruz could make a chunk of chain just cruising with Nelly, scouring the coast for big pits and ramps. They were memorable days for the humble photographer, and he soaked up every minute of it.

“Every day was a mission. An adventure. Some days we went North, but usually we went South. The spots were sharky as Hell. The locals were always watching. I was always ready to go, from dawn to dusk, which some surfers loved, and some hated (laughs)”.

This enabled regional pro’s such as Bud Freitas and Austin Smith-Ford to concentrate on their surfing at home; to the point that no one could touch them- their talent was next level. Cote was more than willing to give love to these under the radar pro’s.

“Young kids like Matt “Ratt” [Schrodetz] and Noi [Kaulukukui} were fucking on fire, absolutely ripping. It was easy to fill magazines with Santa Cruz surfers cause they all surfed so good and Nelly was right there to capture it going down.”

Unfortunately, the era of the regional pro, especially in Santa Cruz, was quietly burned to ashes due to the ’08 financial crisis and struggles of the surf industry. Companies had to take a hard look at what surfers would be best to promote their brand, and now, there are only a handful of regional pros who get financial help, let alone free gear.

Matthew Myers of Santa Cruz, now residing in Costa Mesa, works for Rip Curl. His job includes tending to the needs of high profile team riders while building a solid youth presence. A former regional pro himself, Myers has valuable insight into the woes of the surf economy. A common theme he’s noticed is more money is going to the top, world tour, elite athletes, some of which are gunning for world titles. Companies see the biggest, more recognized athletes as a greater asset as they possess the ability to reach a larger audience, which results in a greater return on investment.

“There’s not a ton of regional pro’s in America getting paid anymore,” Myers admits.

“For example, we have a surfer in Santa Cruz who is getting a pay check; definitely not enough to get paid comfortably but he gets to travel the world and have some incredible experiences on Rip Curl’s dime. He’s stayed extremely active, charismatic, has a lot of fun with other people, and is an amazing surfer to boot. To be relevant you must be really outgoing and marketable, and be attractive to the brand to want to use you in either their marketing including social media and websites.”

The regional pro is now an endangered species across the globe, especially in Santa Cruz. For better or for worse, these extremely talented surfers and photographers have been forced to adapt. They’ve returned from their day jobs; running business, cutting hair, working construction, and everything in between. The ripple effect from companies clamping down on their funds has altered the landscape of professional surfing dramatically. Will this stop surf fans from visiting their favorite surf websites or WSL broadcasts? Not a chance. Life is constantly changing, and although regional pros may be a thing of the past, the talent will continue to shine when the waves come up.

LOST CAUSE RETURNS!

Posted on October 3, 2019 by nealdude85

Rafferty in fine form

Throughout the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, Santa Cruz was a breeding ground for pissed off punk rock acts. The raw aggression inherent in the sound was greatly reflected in the generations of high-flying skaters and no holds barred surfers; fueled by aggressive lyrics, heavy riffs, thumping bass, and warp speed drumming. This was especially the case during the ‘90’s, where an explosion of diverse acts saturated the local music scene. While this over-saturation nailed a coffin in the lively scene, there are some legendary acts who remain favorites to this day. One such band was Lost Cause.

In 1993, young punk rock enthusiast and surfer Shane Rafferty knew he wanted to sing in his own band. He’d written some lyrics but didn’t have the crew to help him put them to music. One fateful day he got a chance to listen to his buddy Zack Mitchell’s demo tape. Mitchell, a drummer, had recorded some songs with guitarist Kalu Coletta and bassist Gabe Makenzie. Upon first listen, Rafferty could hear his lyrics pair up with the group dynamic in his mind, and immediately wrote up a few songs’ worth of lyrics practically overnight. Before long the crew was jamming. “Lost Cause” was born.

Their sound was old-school punk, heavily influenced by bands like B’last and Black Flag. Standout tracks include “21”, “My mind”, “Empty Bottle”, and “Tomorrow” (their most popular song to date). It wasn’t long before the local boys had won over the Santa Cruz punk crowd. In 1996 they were signed to Half Pint records. Copyright complications compelled to group to change their name, and for a few more years they performed under the moniker “Leveler”.

Sound and Fury *notice author in red surrounded in the Pit*

Around 2003, grown-up responsibilities led this tight act to disband, with Rafferty and Makenzie raising families and moving inland, while Coletta migrated to Oahu to hone his surfboard shaping skills. Fast forward a dozen years later and Rafferty, who had moved home and raised a few babies, felt an urge to get the band back together but struggled to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules.

Fellow punk rocker Guerin Myall was celebrating his 50th and asked if the crew could come together. Coletta had returned but Mackenzie was still living and working in Oregon. Despite this, Rafferty figured “if you build it, they will come”, and agreed to play the show. Sure enough, everyone was able to get together to salute their fellow punk rocker’s half-centennial landmark and the magic resurfaced.

The Band is Back!

“It was like nothing had changed,” remembes Rafferty. “The energy was immediate!”

Now the boys are back— this time to play their first official show this Thursday at the Catalyst with fellow at Live Oak shredders, “Kemper’s Temper”.

Next Fall, Lost Cause will join the similarly reunited Santa Cruz punk band “Good Riddance” on October 5 at the Discovery in Ventura. The group plans on releasing music from the early cassette days and recording new music next Fall.

Come pay homage to these local lifelong punkers! Show starts at 8:30. This is one you don’t want to miss! Plus the cover is only $5!!!!!

Faces of Surf-Marciano Cruz

Posted on August 16, 2019 by nealdude85

Lead by Example

Pleasure Point’s Marciano Cruz uses his experience as an immigrant to inspire others

By Neal Kearney

A young boy wanders outside of his neighborhood in San Pablo Huxtepec, in Oaxaca, Mexico, allured by gleeful noise of children playing in the streets. Before he realizes it, he’s walked straight into a large celebration. The six- year- old almost fled, but was halted by the hypnotic dance of a colorful, candy stuffed piñata tied to a tree, swaying in the wind. He sees the group of ten-year-old boys lined up in a row in the street. A man approaches.

“Would you like to race?” he asks benevolently. The boy looks down. He’s barefoot, wearing hole ridden pants, tied together with a rope around his waist. He looks up at the other kids. They are all wearing new shoes and shorts. They are also all laughing. At him. He hesitates for a moment, but the thought of all that candy dancing around inside that purple and yellow piñata firms his resolve. He nods his head at the man and approaches the line. The man blows a whistle and the boys are off. The older boys blaze past the barefooted boy. But not for long.

Talking over coffee in a quaint, yet hip Pleasure Point coffee shop, I listen to Marciano, “Chango”, Cruz recount this defining moment in his life. One that instilled a courageous approach to a living where the odds have been stacked against him his entire life. I’m transfixed by Cruz’s story, an intimate insight into the life of a man I’ve known for over twenty years.

“Little by little, I started passing everyone and before I knew it I had won! The man who got me to enter the race tried to grab me to celebrate my win and I got so scared (laughs). I was so shy that I got scared and I started to run away. So I kept running out of that place and didn’t even get any candy (laughs)”

Cruz has been living in Pleasure Point for the past twenty years and is recognizable in the lineup by his dark brown Mayan features, loud laughs and piercing whistles of excitement. Despite learning the sport in his thirties, the Oaxacan native has honed his longboarding technique over the years, become a very skilled and valued member of the Point’s surfing scene.

He’s also been serving the community at large for over twenty years, namely his efforts at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and organizing, “La Liga De La Comunidad”, an all-ages soccer league that is one of the largest in the County. Despite his successes in life, Cruz still must continually worry about assimilation into a country where people of color like himself are constantly up against the ropes.

Born in 1963, Cruz didn’t see his father very often as a kid, as he would head to the United States to work. Like most young boys, Cruz idolized his absent father, and Cruz missed him desperately while he was gone. One time when he was six, his dad brought home something that would come to signify Cruz’s life forever.

“One time, he (Cruz’s father) came back from the States and brought a back a watch; one of the watches that when you push a button it lights up. At the time I couldn’t believe it, and I became so curious about all the things I’d never seen before in my land or my life”.

This fascination with the wonders of American life and a strong desire to not only be with, but to be like his dad, are the catalysts which prompted Cruz to join a large group of young men on an illegal border crossing. Cruz was 13. When he arrived at the border, he called his father. He told him not to come to where he was. He was afraid Marciano would face hardship because he was brown. Cruz was crushed, but with no money, he kept running North.

It wasn’t long before Cruz began working in Moss Landing. He lived in Watsonville, and it was there that he was exposed to the life of the streets for the first time. “We went to a dance in Watsonville,” Cruz recalls. “One of my friends got stabbed. That was the first time I saw little gangsters in the street or people that relate to the streets. I got attracted to the streets; because of the way they defended us a and gave us a way to survive”.

In the late 1970’s, Cruz and some friends moved to the Beach Flats area of Santa Cruz. It was becoming a dangerous place, infested with crime and drugs. Yet it also offered sanctuary to the marginalized members of society; who felt strength in numbers and easier ways to make money than picking strawberries in a hot field all day, even if it meant crime or violence. Over the years, this affiliation caused Cruz trouble with the law, yet he continued to hang out with his trouble-making crew until 1989, when his world changed forever.

“I met a woman– a beautiful woman with red hair from Michigan. She became my wife and I started trying to change my life. I started to work in the Parks and Recreation cleaning up the Beach Flats because I got in trouble there, and she soon became pregnant with my first child, Anthony. Seeing my son being born changed my life because seeing this little guy made me look back on things and the way I lived my life– and I didn’t want him to go through what I did, so I started working hard to fit in this society.”

This community outreach started in the form of Cruz speaking about injustice in American society. Cruz caught the attention of Scott Kennedy, who was the vice mayor and co-founder of the Resource for Non-Violence. Kennedy would prove to be Cruz’s largest supporter and gave him the support he needed to turn his life around.

“Nobody believed in me more than Scott,” Cruz admits emotionally. “He knew I wanted to survive and see my kid. He sent me through a lot of trainings to be different and to maybe learn more about living in our society. So, through that, the courage came to start doing things in the community.”

Cruz started a Kids Club that was successful in the Flats; a place for kids to go on field trips and to do positive things to do in their community. Cruz began to volunteer at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and, along with his public speaking, he started a Kids Club that found great success. It was a safe place for kids to go on field trips and to do positive things to do in their community, as opposed to falling victim to drugs, gang life, and crime.

It was during this transformative time that Cruz moved to Pleasure Point and learned to surf. He was learning at the same time as his six-year-old son, Anthony, and soon became hooked. The healing powers of the sea became a new focus for Cruz, and he translated that energy by introducing his Kids Club participants to the sport as well.

“Water is an extension of life,” contends Cruz.

“I believe the water heals the mind and spirit, and it allows me to help people as much as I can. It gave me the strength to be able to survive; to allow me the stability to help my family and help my community. To share this gift with the children of our community is a blessing”.

You’d think that for someone who’s worked so hard to change not only their own life, but the lives of countless others would be rewarded later in life with comfortable means to live. This is not the case for so many Latinos like Cruz in our country. The man must scrape by to afford to support his family, which now includes two more daughters, Esperanza, and Susana. He stays afloat by landscaping and selling some of his paintings, images that are based heavily around Cruz’s past and identity: La Virgen de Guadalupe, the Mexican Flag, Mayan statues, among others.

Even with his own economic struggles, Cruz has selflessly sacrificed time and money for his community, especially with La Liga. If a player can’t afford cleats or jerseys, especially kids, Cruz will dig into his own savings to make sure that there’s enough resources for his players. He understands that meeting to play soccer every week and having the camaraderie of La Liga behind them, the Latino youth of the area will have positive alternatives to the streets to occupy their time.

Resource Center for Non-Violence co- founder Peter Klotz-Chamberlin, can’t praise Cruz enough for his work—especially his efforts with La Liga de Comunidad.

“Cruz’s dedication, especially for the kids has been amazing. The league brings together people from different sides of town, of the county, different gang identified areas to play soccer. I think it was an important means of violence prevention and community building among immigrants”, says Klotz-Chamberlin.

Cruz knows both sides of being an immigrant, from the positive people who helped him assimilate like Kennedy to those who judged him for the color of his skin.

“I know it’s hard to change everyone, but this is the philosophy I live by; if you help just one person in this world, that person can help others. That’s what I believe. We have a lot of successful youngsters that I’ve coached who’ve ended up playing for Carmel and Salinas High Schools. The idea is to keep guiding, to keep encouraging others to be positive and do positive things in society around us, that’s what keeps me going”.

In 2008, the Mayor of Santa Cruz proclaimed May 12^th, Marciano Cruz Day.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Resource Center For Non-Violence contact them at

831-423-1626
rcnvinfo@gmail.com

612 Ocean St.
Santa Cruz, CA

An edited version of this story was featured in Santa Cruz Waves

~From Kyuss to Cats~ A Discussion with Palm Desert’s Wailing Word-Wizard, John Garcia

Posted on January 11, 2019 by nealdude85

Have you been super excited about something? In that excitement did you allow self doubt, sloth, and suffering to hijack your experience? After a lengthy break from writing, I got to thinking of interview subjects for this blog. I started with some steam, then, in large part due to the stress of chronic pain, I’d continually find myself having a hard time concentrating and finishing tasks, especially the ones that mean the most to me (strangely). With that being said, I’m embarrassed, yet excited to get this post out. After having the absolutely grand pleasure of interviewing Palm Desert vocalist John Garcia in 2016, this sloth relegated our conversation to the far corners of my Iphone’s data, neglected…a sad shame if you ask me!

Garcia is best known in my circle as the former singer for Kyuss, an early ’90’s “stoner rock” band that stunned the music world with epic albums such as Blues for the Red Sun and Welcome to Sky Valley. Along with Garcia, Kyuss had been composed of other legends like Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, Scott Reeder, Alfredo Hernandez, and Brant Bjork. Kyuss played a large part in the surf scene in Santa Cruz, cemented when Santa Cruz video God Tony Roberts sprinkled the band’s heavy yet spacey sound throughout some of his classic Santa Cruz-centric flicks.

After listening to and singing his vocals in the shower for nearly twenty-five years, I’m beyond proud to share the conversation we had. Thanks to Mike Pygmie for hookin’ us up! Cheers!

Split Peak Soup-John, I’m such a huge fan of your music, as are so many of my friends up here in Santa Cruz. Have you spent any time up here?

John Garcia-Yeah man, Santa Cruz—what a cool, bitchin’ little town. David Insmore, Unida’s (one of Garcia’s other famous projects) is from Santa Cruz. So yeah, I’m familiar with your beautiful little town. What a great surfing community… I was fortunate to be able to watch a couple competitions up there as a kid. I’ve got some great memories of that place.

David Dinsmore of Santa Cruz- former Unida guitarist

SPS-Thanks John! Yeah, super lucky to call this place home…there’s so much going on! So, starting with Kyuss in about ’97, I have been hearing your voice on all my favorite albums, and here I am chatting with you, which is really fuckin’ surreal. I was wondering if there were any instances in which you were able to meet one of your idols?

The infamous Danzig

JG-I have, there’s two guys. I’m such a fan of singers. I’m just a fan of song. Glenn Danzig reached out to me in that way, as well as Ian Astbury (lead singer of the Cult). To this day, when I go see them, or run into them or whatever every once in a great while, I’m still starstruck. It’s not like we BBQ at the park with the family and shit like that, that’s not the case at all.

Ian Atsbury

Ian Astbury is the reason I started singing, so running into him I’m a stammering fool….”uhhh…duuuhh…duhhh…uhhhh “(laughs). I don’t know what to say so I kinda’ clam up and do some small talk while I’m so fucking nervous. The flip-side of the coin is that, I used their styles of singing songs as guidelines for me. I was a fan and it helped me shape and mold my vocal style.

You know, I’ve always been kinda a realist myself…I’m a father, a husband, I’ve got a normal job and I never asked for any of this. I’m actually lucky to talk to a stranger over the telephone-wire who is a fan of something I helped create many many years ago. So, I myself are in awe even talking with you!

garciagallito_0030

I’m about the whitest Mexican you’ll ever see in your life. I’m a dad to two wonderful children, have got a beautiful wife—everyone is happy and healthy, and I have so much to be thankful for. And one thing to be thankful, again, is to be driving my way to rehearsal talkin’ to a stranger, but a fan, so the pleasure’s all mine man. I don’t go to many shows at all anymore, but when I do, it’s to guys like Ian and The Cult, like the last show I went to. My wife and I went in as spectators and it was great seeing them perform.

SPS-Yeah, for sure. I’ve always loved the howls belted out by guys like Layne Staley, Glenn Danzig, and yours, in particular.

The late, great, Layne Staley of Alice ‘N Chains

Despite the fact that some of my favorite bands were pushed on me from the surf/skate culture, being a youngster on long road trips with my family really influenced my musical tastes. To this day I’m still listening to my parents’ stuff, like the Beatles, Clapton, Door, and even Bonnie Raite! In fact, Rubber Soul has been in my beat-up Honda’s CD player for about six months now (laughs). How about you? Do you have any musicians or groups that left an imprint on you at a young age?

Legendary Raitt always gives ’em somethin’ to talk about

JG– You mention Bonnie Rate, I’ve never heard a journalist, who I’ve spoken to at least, bring up an artist who may not be “cool” in someone else’s eyes. See, I appreciate that.

ewf

Because I appreciate a guy by the name of Maurice White and Phillip Bailey from a band called “Earth, Wind, and Fire”. I appreciate Al Green. I appreciate Rob Skaggs.

Coltrane in fine form

I appreciate Frank Sinatra, YES, John Coltrane- a diverse spread of musicians.

For the record, I have nothing against Monster Magnet!

People think I wake up in the morning, take a bong hit, and listen to the latest Monster Magnet CD; there’s nothing further from the truth. Matter of fact, my wife has said, “Jesus! Will stop listening to all this jazz, it’s driving me nuts!”, The older I get, I find my taste relax. For the past ten years I’ve been getting into stuff older than me- stuff from the 40’s,50’s,60’s.

ratpack

Now, I’m looking more at “Rat Pack” stuff from the 50’s, 60’s. I’m a huge fan of laxing out to that old stuff. It could be Coltrane, could be Sinatra, but that was the only stuff I’ve been listening to for the past ten years. Of course, in my childhood years I was afraid to admit. I love Terence Trent D’Arby, this black dude from New York, whose an R+B guy who had some hits in the ’80’s like Wishing Well. This guy sings amazingly, so fucking amazingly! He blows me away to this day. And I’m a fan!

terrence

Anything that can make me feel, I don’t give a fuck who you are, I will admit, “That, is bad-ass. That was cool”. I appreciate the craft. Being a musician (I’m not going to say ‘as an artist [laughs]) I don’t take that kinda stuff too seriously

“I’m a 9-5, Mom ‘n Pop, Do It Yourself kind of guy—it’s just what I do. Everyone’s page is a little bit different, and I’m definitely not the guy trying to be cool, nor do I want to be cool, I just want to be me, a husband, a father, and that’s it”

john-garcia-nick-oliveri-photo-by-morat-photography

Garcia and Nick Oliveri, former Kyuss Bassist

SPS-I’ve read somewhere that you worked at an animal hospital after Kyuss disbanded. Can you tell me a bit about your relationship to animals, and what makes that connection so strong?

Garcia-I’ve had that connection my whole life. As a kid, one of my first jobs was working at a pet store. Then a “no-kill” shelter. Shit, I probably should have become a veterinarian! I had a counselor up at UC Davis—one of the best vet schools in the country, but I kinda blew that opportunity. Schools just wasn’t for me; I was more hands-on. I like the arts. I love music and working with animals, and sometimes I wish I’d pursued the latter more proactively.

John and his beautiful wife Wendy at Desert Dunes Animal Hospital

Regardless, I have always, whether it be at a “no-kill” shelter or veterinarian clinic, pet-store or grooming facility, loved working with animals. To this day, I help I help run Palm Springs Animal Hospital, where, if I’m not doing X-Rays, I’m drawing blood, or loading rooms, or assisting a surgeon. I kinda get to wear all the hats and am stoked to be involved in that animal care scene.

SPS-What trait do you think you possess that most lends itself towards such a love for helping sick or injured animals; whether it be compassion, sensitivity, or empathy, etc? If so, how has this trait molded other aspects of your life?

Garcia– I’ve just always like animals…I don’t know if that makes me sensitive? I guess it’s just being there to help them in a selfless way, which may sound corny. But it’s true. I’ve always really appreciated the diagnostic side, giving the doctor information to use to help make the right diagnosis. That, for me, is very special and important to me. Some of these animals depend on this information to stay alive.

Look, Neal, I’ve been very lucky to have three things in my life that I love to do. One, being a musician. Two, working with animals. Most importantly however, I am a husband and father, a family-man. I keep my eye on the ball and the “eye on the ball” is the most important thing in my life and that means being there for my son, daughter, and wife no matter what. It’s important to be that dad. To be that husband. That’s my real passion in life; being there for them.

SPS-It seems like, to me, a lot of singers sing to the guitar. When I check out old Youtube footage of you performing with Kyuss and Slo Burn, I see you onstage slithering around like a snake, rocking back and forth, as if you sang to that heaver bass or drum beat. Do I have something there?

Garcia– Oh man, I can’t look at footage of me back then (laughs).

SPS– No way bud! You were in the moment…golden!

Vintage Garcia Mane

Garcia– (more laughs) Thanks Neal, I appreciate it. That’s a good way to put it—you’ll have to excuse me, I’m easily embarrassed. To answer your question, I’m a guitar guy, dude. So guitar-driven, vocally. Of course, the rhythm section is there. There’s no doubt about it, that rhythm section—the bass, kick, and snare—those have all got to be there or else the guitar won’t make any sense. Absolutely, 100% and unequivocally in my opinion.

jg-eu

Later in life, I started using in-ear monitors, and of course, I’d have some bass, kick, and snare in there, but mainly what I hear in my monitors is guitar. There’s a “lower” and a “higher” guitar, and I’d use the higher the most, the one that cut through the most, that’s the one I had in my in-ears. Sometimes, I do guitar and vocals only. Of course, I couldn’t do any of that without the rhythm section. Without that section it’s generally just a big fuckin’ mess. That’s a good question.

SPS-Well I know you gotta split, but I wanted to thank you for your time and the rad conversation!

Garcia- My pleasure Neal. Thank you for the interest! This is my number, call me anytime you wanna chat!

jgar

Follow John Garcia!

http://www.facebook.com/johngarciaofficial

@johngarciasolo

HOMETOWN HUCK!

Posted on May 17, 2018 by nealdude85

Who will win? All will be revealed come June!!!

Hometown Huck

Life At Sea’s Tim Ward Offers $$$ to the biggest boost!!

By Neal Kearney

Surf progression is fueled by many things: organized competition, bitter rivalries, cross-training, and a deep pool of iconic influencers and paradigm shifters. Borderline mythical Earth-shakers, from the Duke to Dane, continually redefine the way we look at riding waves. Add in the continual evolution of surfboard and wetsuit design, advent of life saving safety vests and the utilization of jet-ski assistance, and you’ve got some strong forces propelling advancement.

How else can the limits be stretched? In the name of progression, Santa Cruz-based artist Tim Ward and his “Life At Sea” brand, are offering a $15,000 purse for their best-maneuver-caught-on-video competition called “Hometown Huck”. Waged between local Santa Cruz surfers and their respective filmers, this contest awards a honking hunk of cheddar to the craziest display of gravitational gymnastics.

A full $10k of that purse goes to 1^st Place, and prize money has a partial split to the winning filmers. Bitchin’! The window started in 2017 and will end on May 31st of this year. With less than a month remaining to submit entries, this is a clarion call to all local punters to utilize the remaining days concentrating on corking out and submitting their clips before time runs out!

Monsieur Ward

Life At Sea is a Santa Cruz influenced line of stickers, patches, keychains, and more. Most visible locally, are the Monarch, Octopi, Mermaid, Shark, Poppies and other local flora-and-fauna bumper stickers. They are everywhere! Straight from the ever-inspired and creative Ward, the newest designs include a line of Surf Rat, Anchor, Black Flag, and other nautically themed designs.

Now, along with going global with various designs customized for many locales, the brand has donated nearly $50,000 to ocean cleanup and preservation so far, as well as donating toward our local Monarch Sanctuary at Natural Bridges. A portion of every Life At Sea purchase goes toward these honorable causes–which is fuckin’ dope!

Ward’s iconic TR Productions logo

Ward is noted for his cartoon strips in the dearly departed Transworld Surf, as well as designing globally recognized graphics for brands like O’Neill and the Monterey Marine Research Vessel. He is also a stylish surfer, deep thinker, and great friend. With the Hometown Huck contest, Ward and Life at Sea are offering up $10K to the local Santa Cruz surfer who captures themselves launching the craziest air during the contest window, which started in 2017 and will end on May 31^st, 2018.

This kinda aerial competition isn’t unprecedented. In 2008, Volcom announced they would award a ten-grand purse for a completed kickflip on a surfboard caught on tape, fueled in large part by team rider Ozzy Wright’s obsession and near-makes.

Zoltan Torkos, local Santa Cruz surfer and magician, sent Volcom an entry of him landing a, to be fair, “credit card”, kickflip. Volcom said no dice. Not above the lip, a condition clearly stated in the rules. The internet didn’t agree, and the Youth Against Establishment caved to public pressure ultimately awarding Torkos the cash.

The “Hometown Huck”, is basically the same idea, just on a local level and without restrictions on any particular type of air; much like the 50K payout won by Dusty Payne in 2008’s Kustom Airstrike campaign. Also, this aint’ no corpo publicity stunt, just a creative individual trying to pump out some flair and froth in a dying, core surf scene.

I recently chatted with Ward about his passion project and here’s what he had to say…

Ward Floats the Boat

You’ve been fortunate to have such success with your Life At Sea bumper stickers over the past decade or so. Is this contest a way of bringing back the creativity that Santa Cruz surfers have long been known for?

Great question. I was just thinking the other day, that Santa Cruz has pretty much invented the air, more than once. Kevin Reed in the very beginning, on a single-fin no less. Then Ratboy many years later, in an amphitheater setting at the (Steamer) Lane, when he split the peak with Slater and stole the show with an epic, futuristic Backside 360. Both KR and Ratboy were mag covers. I love the fact that Santa Cruz has such a prominent role in progressive surfing.

Ratty smokes Slates with the “Air Heard Around the World”

When/how did you decide to pursue this competition? Were there any specific inspiration or “Eureka!” moments in the brainstorming process?

Honestly, I feel fortunate to have had some of my art take off the way it has, and I simply came from a wave-sketching grommet-hood. The words, “Hometown Huck”, recently hit me as an event name, combined with a mental image of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn surfing on a fence post . That was it- I wanted to do something new, to give back to SC surf roots, and the Huck Finn idea/image was pretty damn fun.

The Wily Bastard himself, Huckleberry Finn

What kinds of moves are you personally hoping to see? A twist on an old favorite, or one that you’ve never seen or knew existed?

It would be awesome to see a backflip in contention, but I have no preference. Any burly move is a burly move. If you rotate, great, but if you do a huge straight air, great!

Without being too intrusive, how did you come up with the prize money. 10K is a considerable chunk o’ cheese!

The dough comes from the Life At Sea brand sticker/decal sales all over California, Florida, now in Hawaii and beyond. The purse was originally $5k, with a two-month shooting period, last summer (2017). That year was very flat, so I extended the window to an entire year–combining the money from that initial attempt with that of this year, 2018.

Noah “Waggy” Wegrich

Who are some of the local surfers whose entries you are excited to see? Any solid entries so far?

I’m not one of the Huck judges, so I’ll just give my own personal viewpoint and nothing else. The standout to me, with just weeks remaining are: Waggy (Noah Wegrich) with a huge frontside straight air and Shaun Burns with a frontside full rotor. And if we’re being honest, the actual skill and dedication required to stick the kickflips Zoltan (Torkos) does, who knows who will be in the money.

Who makes the call for the winner, and what goes into the final decision?

The judges are Shawn Dollar, Bud Freitas and Kalu Coletta. Each will independently select their own top picks, which will then be merged for the final math.

The “real” Santa Cruz is a distant memory, sadly. Is this an effort to shake up local rivalries and bring back the “core” or “nonconformist” reputation SC is known for?

I’d say it’s simply the result of an appreciation of progressive surfing- which does have a high degree of non-conformity. It’s purely for fun and for stoking some people out though…that’s it! Most of these #hometownhuck clips can be found on my Instagram @timwardart as well as Dave Nelson’s @nellysmagicmoments

Flashback Friday- How Three Hawaiian Princes Brought Surfing to Santa Cruz

Posted on November 12, 2016 by nealdude85

Gaze out to sea along our beloved coastline on any given day and you’ll see scores of rubber-clad fun seekers sitting in dense packs, waiting patiently for signs of an approaching wave. Once the waves pour in, these wave riders employ a number of different crafts to catch and ride them.

Some ride short, pointy boards that allow them to carve and even launch above the breaking waves. Others use longer, round-nosed boards for a more relaxed ride, during which the surfer can coast and trim casually, at times dancing to the nose, hanging the toes and gliding along as poised and erect as a statue.

You may even see surfers riding prone on much smaller, rectangular boards, or stand-up surfers using wide paddles to propel their large crafts into the breakers.

These aquatic enthusiasts are a tough and dedicated breed of passionate athletes who willingly enter the frigid waters, even in the most treacherous of conditions, just to get their saltwater fix.

Plain and simple, Santa Cruzans are crazy for surfing. And why shouldn’t they be? After all, our town boasts a number of world-class breaks, beautiful beaches and a rich surfing history. Innovators such as wetsuit pioneer Jack O’Neill, world-renowned shapers like Bob Pearson of Pearson Arrow and modern day surf icons such as Pete Mel and Jason “Ratboy” Collins serve as examples of our community’s influence on the world of surf. In fact, Santa Cruz has had more of an impact on surfing history than most of us probably realize.

Santa Cruz, the TRUE “Surf City”, USA

Despite the area’s long-held reputation as one of the most popular surf mecca’s in the world, though, there’s a bit of history that has slipped through the cracks, until now.

The gumshoe efforts of two passionate local surf historians have revealed the story of the three Hawaiian princes. These princes were the first to surf in mainland America, and the first place they paddled in was Santa Cruz.

The culmination of 35 years of work, Santa Cruz’s Geoffrey Dunn and Kim Stoner have put together a clear, concise and historically supported account of the Hawaiian princes’ stay in Santa Cruz. It is hard evidence supporting a story printed in the local newspaper, the Santa Cruz Daily Surf, on Monday, July 20, 1885.

In the Daily Surf’s page two Beach Breeze column, the writer mentions — along with reports of a packed beach, ideal summer conditions and 30-40 swimmers “dashing and tossing and plunging through the breakers” — the three princes and their surfing exploits in front of a crowd of merry beachgoers at the San Lorenzo River mouth.

“Everyone knew about the Daily Surf mention in 1885,” Dunn said. “But no one knew the actual story.”

Geoffrey Dunn here at home in Santa Cruz

Dunn spent his childhood playing in the waters of the river mouth and has always felt a strong connection to the place. Like most of his peers who grew up on the Westside, Dunn spent a great deal of his time swimming and surfing. The river mouth was his favorite, and he and cousins would surf it on mats during the summer.

“The river mouth used to be an entirely different spot before the harbor was around,” Dunn said. “When big western swells came in during the summer, the wave could get really good and powerful. I’ve always been fascinated with the river mouth as a surf break and could imagine how good it used to get. Being familiar with the story of the princes’ surfing exploits there, I can understand why it caught their attention, as back then it would’ve resembled some of their home breaks on Oahu, such as Waikiki.”

Dunn’s personal connection to the river mouth and love for our city’s rich surfing history inspired his subsequent quest to unearth the details of the surfing princes once and for all. Dunn teamed with Stoner, his childhood friend and a devout advocate for the preservation of Santa Cruz’s surfing history who had similarly developed a fascination with the story of the princes, and began years of research.

The original boards on display in Santa Cruz

Rare documents and photographs were gathered from the Hawaiian Legacy Archive in Honolulu and the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley. They also found previous mentions of the princes by former Sentinel historian Ernest Otto. In time, a clear picture of the princes’ visit to Santa Cruz, as well as the impact their “surfboard swimming” had on its residents, began to emerge.

As it turns out, the young princes had indeed spent time in Santa Cruz while attending St. Matthews Hall in San Mateo, a military school for boys. During their time off school, the princes, named David Kawananakoa, Edward Keliiahonui and Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole, had stayed with Antoinette Swan, a native of Oahu and an adopted member of the royal family.

Swan moved to Santa Cruz in the 1860s with her husband, Lyman. Her home served as a perfect summertime respite for the young men, who most likely were anxious to surf like they did back home on Oahu. It’s easy to see how inviting the waves peeling into the San Lorenzo river mouth on that hot and festive day in 1885 were for the young Hawaiians.

The report of the surfing exposition highlighted the amusement and joy that beachgoers experienced. Ten years later, another article mentions how local boys had taken to surfing the river mouth like the Hawaiian princes. This nugget of overlooked history shows how surfing caught on in Santa Cruz. The surfing spectacle must have had a profound effect on the generation of citizens who witnessed it, adding weight to our town’s claim to the title of the real “Surf City, USA.”

What “localism”?

Kristen Zambucka, an artist and writer from Honolulu who is friends with the descendants of the royal family, came up with the idea to create a plaque to display somewhere in Santa Cruz. After collaborating with Zambucka on the design of the plaque, Dunn got financial support from the royal descendants of the Kawananakoa and Marignoli families. Bronze artist Sean Monaghan and Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete helped design and build the base, and additional funding came from the Santa Cruz Woodies Club and Friends of Parks and Recreation.

The plaque. Surfing means so much to this town. Here we honor those who came first

For Dunn, the plaque is a perfect way to celebrate the legacy of those who first brought surfing to America.

“It’s gorgeous,” he said. “The city could’ve done something else, but they went out of their way to do something special and I couldn’t be any more pleased. Tom and Sean did a beautiful job on this and created what I think is the most spectacular framework for a monument in California. It’s a beautiful monument, and I’m proud to have played a part in this effort to uncover and pay tribute to a rich part of our community’s history.”