I seem to recall a recent post that mentioned this label, but I cannot find it using the sways search or Google method.
In any case, here’s a pic of what’s apparently the crew from “Freedom”, along with a customer picking up a new board.
Recognize anyone?
Graham Nash, Steven Stills, Dave Crosby, Neil Young, Robert Plant, and Joe Cocker?
I’m thinking Huey Lewis, Nils Lofgren, Joh Cipollina, Steve Miller, Dickie Betts, and Frank Zappa…lol
Ok we’re just funnin ya Sammy, help us out with some clues! The swallowtail looks like a g&s - is Larry Gordon one? Floyd Smith?
I don’t have any clues. I was hoping some of the old futs on here would know who these guys are. I know who the customer is, on the far right. But, I can’t ask him for info because he died in 1991.
the lapstrake hull in the shed was the clue. jersey surf club t-shirt gave it away.
freedom surfboards, isle of jersey. one of the individuals is almost certainly owner Steve Harewood.
-cbg
Well I can tell you that the Photo isn’t Freedom Surfboards in Beach Haven New jersey. I sold my interest in around 1973. At some point Ken Scott had some boards made under the Freedom brand.
I did run across the other Freedom shop on the Ilse of Jersey. Seems that they are still in business
Good for them
I also knew that.
And the swallowtail isn’t a G and S. Don’t know why anyone would think so. It has a Freedom lam on it.
That’s interesting. I pretty much assumed this was NorCal, since the guy on the far right is Rick Griffin. But, he did a few big exhibits in the UK, the Roundhouse show being the most well known.
So it’s not unlikely that he got a board from a local guy when he was in England.
Now we’re getting somewhere!
I was referring to the shape of the board, not the logo.
That Swallowtail has a real ‘‘Terry Fitz’’ look to it. Good looking shape, except for the Swallowtail. Should be a Pin’ or Sq Tail.
A few years ago I did a class on Jersey and hung out with Steve for a few days… He was still building boards and at the time he had his version of the Meyerhoff he was testing… I’m pretty sure you could Google a way to him and ask him directly about the picture… He has the definitive collection of photos of the great days on Jersey… Good luck…
So, can you definitively ID him in the pic?
Steve Harewood is the one in the light blue t-shirt.Some of the other guys there (i think) are Bobby Male shaper,Paul gregory glasser,john hetherington,sprayer and Bobby’s brother Dave.Freedom surfboards are no longer going but in the 70’s and 80’s they were one of only a few board shapers in Europe,and produced some great boards.Jersey has a long history of surfing,the first social club formed in 1923 and oldest surf club in europe 1959.They have held British and European championships several times in Jersey and produced some European champions.Quite significant for such a small island.There is still a Freedom Surf Shop in Jersey but it just sells the usual mainstream junk now.
yea that purple board looks amazing!
I was going to say the guy on the right drew your “avatar”. Then I read all the posts. I’m writing in anyway.
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That’s a label that we see from time to time in the Southwest of France - I’ve restored a few singles that had vertically laminated wood fins with a central fiberglass panel leaving a colored halo. Pretty cool. On a few of them, the foam had a very sparkly look, even more so than the Walker blanks. Caought the light nicely on the clear decks when polished up.
On the far right is my friend Rick Griffin, who died in 1991. This photo was in his personal collection. I’d like to know anything about the other’s pictured here. Rick is still famous for his logo for Rolling Stone magazine, Grateful Dead covers and San Francisco, and for his character “Murphy” which he drew in Surfer Magazine in the 1960’s. Thanks to anyone that has real information. I think that the photo was taken around 1972 or a bit later.
Thanks for identifying the guys. I’d love to share the other photos from this trip of Rick’s with they guys. I’m on Facebook under my name Randy Nauert. Lots of Rick Griffin art and photos.
