Foam Symmetry Review

Harrison Roach (above) is a phenomenal surfet on long, short or wood. So I was happy to see him on the cover of Australia's latest surfing magazine. It's a bold move, putting your time and money into establishing another surfing magazine at anytime, let alone in these post-GFC, post-analogue, post-post-modern, post-Elvis times.
But that hasn't stopped Justin Bevan delivering Volume One Number One of the mag foam symmetry.

I can't show any photos from that issue as the editor's words are quite clear: "Copyright is reserved and the scanning of pages to be placed on websites or blogs is prohibited". (And as one who has had their own images infringed upon - karma will get you - I take these things seriously!) I can tell you the production values and Oz print job are sumptuous. I can tell you that after flicking through its 77 pages that I wanted to grab my old film cameras and go shootin and loggin at the same time. 

I can tell you that Issue One does not appear to have any shots of WCT type shortboarders shredding Pipeline/Off-da-wall/MystoIndo/Todos/Chile/Superbank/Jbay.

I can tell you that the mag is planned to be delivered quarterly and you can subscribe for four issues for $35Au. If I was a surfin sista, I might be disappointed. Then again maybe not as the shots of all the fellas are pretty impressive. BUT (and this is my only beef) where are the sista surfers, guys? There's a double page hang five of Kassia Meador and a half page shot of Sasha Leitmanis and that's it for the girl surfers.

But don't let this put you off. It's early days for these ultra-hip media-mogul sliders. Get yourself a copy and make up your own mind.

Life in the Jungle

"Somebody's got a knife
You better get yourself a gun
The junkie on the corner
He ain't havin' any fun
He just might decide to kill you
And you won't be the only one
That's life in the jungle" 

from Life in the Jungle by John Mayall

Art will set you free. So they say. In downtown Medelin, Columbia one woman is doing her bit to channel youthful energy away from guns, drugs and death. BIG shout out to Tatiana Gomez of the Bestia Extraña Gallery, book, music, apparel and Toy store for providing inspiration to emerging artists as well as community spirit and pride. 
If the GFC has left you in some resemblance of financial health, pump some money into the creative economy and the folks that sculpt clay, canvas, sound or foam.

Mono Monday x Kurungabaa

I wasn't going to try and land any words on this page today but while waiting for the coffee thing to percolate on the stove at dawn today I found these evocative words sent from Rebecca Olive of Kurungabaa following my Arc Poetry post last week and thought that I should share them. BIG thanks Rebecca,

'Lines of flight'

Despite our feelings,
and our needs,
The way of things
never really flow
in one direction.

They arc
north and south,
bending and curving in on themselves.

(In)consistent,
twisting,
bent,
warped,
clean,
curved,
divine.

Time and light
have
smooth curves
and
clean lines of flight.

We mould these
curves and lines
into our lives:
aesthetic
moving.
They hold us still and shift us
through the world,
earthly and oceanic.

The way of things

never really flow 

in one direction.

by Rebecca Olive Winter 2011

So long and thanks for all the fish

Final day today for Noosa Longboards' Noosaville surf shop. Get along, buy stuff and farewell Parrish (above) and Nathan (below).

"There was a point to this story, but it has temporarily escaped the chronicler's mind"

Douglas Adams from So Long and Thanks for All the Fish 1984

Kick Out the Jams

Muesli and coffee. Check.
Bike ride to mail box. Check.
Old skool MC5. Check.
Nikonos loaded. Check.

OK.
Now I'm ready.

Guitar Weekend

This weekend the Vintage Amp and Guitar Show is on in our part of the island. So I'll be mooching around with my camera soaking up the vibes of those who can actually knock out a respectable cover or a tune of their own.

Fortunately, I have my old mate Tony to explain the nuances. That's him above on the road somewhere. We don't catch up enough but when we do, the decades seem to evaporate as our conversation swings from tube amps to catching tadpoles together in Year 2 to new music worth mentioning to unmentionable (here), yet hilarious adventures from the road or beach or campsite. Mate, this note's for you.

Brine Brothers

Broker but Stoker

We're back from the Noosa Festival of Surf and to paraphrase Cyrus Sutton, "broker but stoker". Shot a lot, surfed a lot, wrote a lot, ate a lot, met a lot of wonderful folks and worked on my new crazy old guy beard. Spent a lot, drove a lot. Failed to blog. I'll make it up to you, as they say. Full report over the next few weeks as my little 35mm Nikonos frames return from the C41 lab. Until then, this is why I want an iPhone. Pic by my mate Andrew Dale (that's him styling above in the Amateur Men's Comp at the Festival).

Wet Sparks

Wet sparks shoot out momentarily as a pulse of energy that has travelled a thousand leagues dissipates on an isolated stretch of coastline, witnessed by one happy hanger of toes.

Wach-tober

Long after the pictures have faded, surfers will share story about the young Californian who hung 10 in the tube and did handstands on the nose of his longboard one autumn at Noosa. Thank you Mr Wach.

Simply Living