Check this great interview out. http://www.easternsurf.com/themag/interview75.html http://www.easternsurf.com/themag/interview75.html
Check this great interview out. > http://www.easternsurf.com/themag/interview75.html …Essential Reading…Spread the truth!!!..
Check this great interview out. > http://www.easternsurf.com/themag/interview75.html Interesting point of view-- GL: A lot of it’s just the mentality of people building boards. I think a lot of the best people designing surfboards today don’t have their focus on the boards. There’s not a real desire to create. I read on Swell.com’s shaper forum where they’re talking about blank selection. And to me, it’s like, “Gosh, guys, don’t you want to create anything on your own?” If I use this blank, all I have to do is take a pass of each side and turn the rails—it’s paint by number shaping. Do you think DaVinci was sitting there going, “Today, I’m gonna paint the Mona Lisa. Let’s see, what canvas has it already sketched out with little numbers on it?” It’s bullshit. And because shaping’s become like that over the last 20 years—there isn’t much creativity. I think the shortboard is really off the mark now.
Interesting point of view–>>> GL: A lot of it’s just the mentality of people building boards. I think a > lot of the best people designing surfboards today don’t>>> have their focus on the boards. There’s not a real desire to create. I > read on Swell.com’s shaper forum where they’re talking>>> about blank selection. And to me, it’s like, “Gosh, guys, don’t you want > to create anything on your own?” If I use this blank, all>>> I have to do is take a pass of each side and turn the rails—it’s paint by > number shaping. Do you think DaVinci was sitting>>> there going, “Today, I’m gonna paint the Mona Lisa. Let’s see, what canvas > has it already sketched out with little numbers on>>> it?” It’s bullshit. And because shaping’s become like that over the last > 20 years—there isn’t much creativity. I think the>>> shortboard is really off the mark now. Paying the bills, is the number one driving force behind a working shapers workday. If you want creativity, work with a guy who not only handshapes his own board at his house(when the feelings right), in his workshop, but surfs very well on all shapes/styles/long/short and isn’t a drug abusing, cigarette smoking, beer for lunch drinking, Apartment renting loser. The main reason I started shaping is to avoid the stoke-draining losers that contaminate this industry. $$$$ for overhead costs and diminishing orders in the off season will really stress even the top names. HOT TIP#### Ghost shape (licensee labels), no overhead, no free boards, no pro’s, no distractions. The phony glory is gone but your lifespan may regenerate and you may actually enjoy surfing again!! But what do I know anyway…
Paying the bills, is the number one driving force behind a working shapers > workday. If you want creativity, work with a guy who not only handshapes > his own board at his house(when the feelings right), in his workshop, but > surfs very well on all shapes/styles/long/short and isn’t a drug abusing, > cigarette smoking, beer for lunch drinking, Apartment renting loser. The > main reason I started shaping is to avoid the stoke-draining losers that > contaminate this industry. $$$$ for overhead costs and diminishing orders > in the off season will really stress even the top names. HOT TIP#### Ghost > shape (licensee labels), no overhead, no free boards, no pro’s, no > distractions. The phony glory is gone but your lifespan may regenerate and > you may actually enjoy surfing again!! But what do I know > anyway… Oh yeah, one thing Greg Loehr left out was when he was hot in the mid-seventies and dealing Colombian loads to support his traveling lifestyle(so common, don’t even lie about it!), contest surfers were considered totally uncool and not welcome at most localized spots here in So. Cal. So the participating group of “contest surfer’s” consisted of just the few he mentions. Whereas in any given San Diego spot(Swamii’s,Big Rock,Newbreak,Lowers, etc.) there were 2-5 locals that were world class that wouldn’t even consider surfing in a contest with those guys, cause ‘we’ went to college, worked real jobs, and avoided (tried to anyway) the darker sub- culture that the traveling east coast miami-columbia connection pro’s brought with them!! But like I said, what do i know.
Oh yeah, one thing Greg Loehr left out was when he was hot in the > mid-seventies and dealing Colombian loads to support his traveling > lifestyle(so common, don’t even lie about it!), contest surfers were > considered totally uncool and not welcome at most localized spots here in > So. Cal. So the participating group of “contest surfer’s” > consisted of just the few he mentions. Whereas in any given San Diego > spot(Swamii’s,Big Rock,Newbreak,Lowers, etc.) there were 2-5 locals that > were world class that wouldn’t even consider surfing in a contest with > those guys, cause ‘we’ went to college, worked real jobs, and avoided > (tried to anyway) the darker sub- culture that the traveling east coast > miami-columbia connection pro’s brought with them!! But like I said, what > do i know. So, your point about creative original design is? We could go on for ages about the 70’s and the drug scene . I’ve heard many tales from fellow crew members here in Southen California. Those were some big ego’s back then. Florida - California - Hawaii - Lots of surfers and companys got there starts form payoffs. What else is new?
Oh yeah, one thing Greg Loehr left out was when he was hot in the > mid-seventies and dealing Colombian loads to support his traveling > lifestyle(so common, don’t even lie about it!), contest surfers were > considered totally uncool and not welcome at most localized spots here in > So. Cal. So the participating group of “contest surfer’s” > consisted of just the few he mentions. Whereas in any given San Diego > spot(Swamii’s,Big Rock,Newbreak,Lowers, etc.) there were 2-5 locals that > were world class that wouldn’t even consider surfing in a contest with > those guys, cause ‘we’ went to college, worked real jobs, and avoided > (tried to anyway) the darker sub- culture that the traveling east coast > miami-columbia connection pro’s brought with them!! But like I said, what > do i know. Your really off base on Greg, he was working for Catri when Dick got busted smuggling, but Greg quickly separated himself from that scene and aligned himself with Pete Dooley,Scott Busbey and George Easley and moved to Buxton, N. Carolina to form Natural Art Surfboards. When Greg returned to central Fla. as a viable shaper, many of the Miami and a jillion other surf guys were deep in the doodoo, but Greg wasn’t one of them.
Your really off base on Greg, he was working for Catri when Dick got > busted smuggling, but Greg quickly separated himself from that scene and > aligned himself with Pete Dooley,Scott Busbey and George Easley and moved > to Buxton, N. Carolina to form Natural Art Surfboards. When Greg returned > to central Fla. as a viable shaper, many of the Miami and a jillion other > surf guys were deep in the doodoo, but Greg wasn’t one of them. Alright, I got ya, sorry about that, I was having bitter seventies memories during my last post…