“Ive been reading surf mags since the 1960s. Today, if there were no surfing magazines, and John Severson was starting over, I reckon hed publish something like The Surfers Journal. TSJs success is proof that, more than ever, surfers are still hungry for the true spirit of wave riding, exploration and surfcraft design. A while back in <a href="http://www.swaylocks.com/,">www.swaylocks.com/,</a> promotional material vs. substantive content in surf "er" and "ing" were counted and compared. It was very revealing. Theres nothing wrong with a surf mag advertising products. But marketing the peripheral should never get in the way of communicating the essence.” (Posted by “Solo”. Is he the same dude as “Dale S.”?)
Lee - right on! We can only hope that, like other apects of modern culture, that the cycle will come back around like it did in the 70’s (Soul surfers, Black wetsuits, single fins, etc.). I’m constantly amazed at how Surfing and Surfer ignore longboarding. I don’t know what they’re looking at, but half the people i see on longboards are kids! Not that any stlye of Surfing or surfboards aren’t valid, it just gets a bit boring after awhile. And how do they expect us old farts to read the mags when the type is so #!@&**$&#%^@ SMALL! It’s ALL valid, especially … FUN!
Aloha Lee D. SOLO is many people. He has a severe depression disorder. He takes meds and loves to surf the net. Have no clue if he “surfs” for real.
Agreed on ___er & ___ing. They are catering to the youth market and the money that goes with it. Can’t say as I blame them. They should be named thruster & thrusting respectivley. But I was amazed when Surfer had a twin fin fish on the cover of the big July Issue. I love the Surfer’s Journal, but from time to time it can get a little self absorbed & pretentious. They can get a little too ‘insider’. Kimo’s artricles are a joy, but I read another puff piece on Dora, I dont know what. He ripped A LOT of people off, friends. TSJ seems to ignore that. They are probably shocked that da Cat didn’t rise from the dead 3 days after he was buried. And just my opinion here, friends. I still subscribe, and at the price they charge, I think have earned the right to shoot off my mouth. It’s still the best surf mag out there.
R2D3… Last time I checked, I was still me. Ive never had a depression disorder. I take no meds of any kind. I seldom have the time to net cruise beyond the confines of surfing-related subject matter. I havent ocean surfed for about 4 years due to complications from injuries. The following is the complete text of what I posted in Surfermags message board. I offer no apologies: (posted January 25, 2004) Ive been reading surf mags since the 1960s. Today, if there were no surfing magazines, and John Severson was starting over, I reckon hed publish something like The Surfers Journal. TSJs success is proof that, more than ever, surfers are still hungry for the true spirit of wave riding, exploration and surfcraft design. From my perspective, Disco Tex is right. A while back in www.swaylocks.com/, promotional material vs. substantive content in surf “er” and “ing” were counted and compared. It was very revealing. There`s nothing wrong with a surf mag advertising products. But marketing the peripheral should never get in the way of communicating the essence.
“Marketing the peripheral should never get in the way of communicating the essence.”
Unfort. marketing is the essence. Captureing the “essence”, true or not, is the goal of most marketing campaigns. The product is secondary as it’s first goal is to pull the reader in by catering to their visual needs and wants, moving them through the ad to the product. It just seems that the implied essence these days is T&A with rowdy grunged out rich kids mixed in. I also agree that TSJ has become incredibly pretentious. It’s along the same lines of the new school localism that is around these days. At least out east, and for sure in San Diego, it’s become so incredibly expensive to live out there that when you see a local kid in the water their motivation and upbringing is much different compared to what the beach used to be, asside from affordable. THe beach is now filled with abusers who take far more than they give. People sit out in the water on 1000’s in equipment looking to be a “toughguy” about surfing in their break, yet they’ve got no sense of what surfing is all about, mainly brethern and the social aspect of being in the water with people who share a common love. A love, that formerly transcended gender, race, creed and locale. It used to be that you could go anywhere with a surfboard and be accepted by fellow surfers. While this still exists, it’s far from the norm. When I hear people talk about how they are locals, yet they live there half the year, have paid 1 million for the house and keep all money outside of the community, I spend my hour commute each way to the beach (3 times a week might I add) wondering what it is that motivates these people to surf because it sure isn’t the stoke of being at one with mother ocean. I’m not sure that the culture will turn around however, it’s proven far too lucrative. Music during the 40’s - 70’s was about playing a note and carrying a tune, now it’s about , surprise T&A and image. This shit sells, pure and simple. The essence is harder to find but still there. As a surfer fostering future generations, I’ll try and do my part to pass on the stoke of surfing rather than the image. Magazines and companies however, are out to make a dollar. Stoke doesn’t pay the rent.
“Solo” and “Dale Solomnonson” are not real. “The mat man” up in Oregon is a front for imported (Taiwan) product. Its high time the scam is revealed!!! Cant we all do better than that??? ???
"Kimo’s artricles are a joy, but I read another puff piece on Dora, I dont know what. He ripped A LOT of people off, friends. TSJ seems to ignore that. They are probably shocked that da Cat didn’t rise from the dead 3 days after he was buried. And just my opinion here, friends. I still subscribe, and at the price they charge, I think have earned the right to shoot off my mouth. It’s still the best surf mag out there. " Given that 'Er just ran a 2 page spread of mediocre Dora photos as a eulogy, and 'Ing just a paragraph, criticizing TSJ Dora coverage is like not liking the color of your liferaft. I would assume that once semi-definitive Dora bios are done - at the time Stecyk was allegedly doing one, and now I understand David Rensin (sp?) has the family approval - that TSJ is the place which will want to run the “warts and all” excerpts. As it was, Steve Pezman wrote a last-visit article which was a de facto acknowledgement that surfing itself is no longer a young sport. The absolute fact is that in 20th Century surfing you had Duke Kahanamoku as figuratively most influential or perhaps emblematic for 1905-1955, and Dora for 1955-2000. Period. I would offer that in both cases this legendary status was neither desired nor comfortably accepted by either man, and quite a bit of it had to do with the luck of the draw. A true and accurate portrait of Dora through the years really is necessary, if for no other reason than to illustrate a cautionary element. At the very least a towering reference guide would be a thorough cataloging of the surfboards he rode throughout his life.
You are an absolute BOZO!!! Try to talk from your mouth on occasion.
C and C in Hollywood, is that Hollywood CA or Hollywoood F-L-A(would explain alot). Let’s assume you have gotten over your last ‘scream’ and can enjoy the vibe, Nels is right, Dora deserves better and Surfing needs the truth, SJ is playing a angle to keep the light from creeping into the shadows, the authorize bio of Dora is already a non-issue, google David R. the valley ghost writer of show business second tier and find out why, somebody stole the soul of surfing, that’s the issue, that’s what Swaylocks is about, restoring the soul of surfing, throw the bankers, factors, fabric salesman, agents, Hollywood Studios and SIMA out. The magazines have sold surfing to highest bidder, that’s the truth.
Well, that was just my take. Sorry I offended, really. This will probably cause a shit storm, but here goes: I reject the fact that Dora didn’t want all the hype. He & Noll loved every minute of it, it’s human nature, isn’t it? Who wouldnt? Intoxicating at 1st, but then as Pezman’s article reads “it just got to big”, only then was he a reluctant icon. Where am I wrong here? being born in '65, I could be talking out of my ass for all I know. Here’s the beauty of swaylocks in action, friends.
“reject the fact that Dora didn’t want all the hype. He & Noll loved every minute of it, it’s human nature, isn’t it? Who wouldnt? Intoxicating at 1st, but then as Pezman’s article reads “it just got to big”, only then was he a reluctant icon. Where am I wrong here? being born in '65, I could be talking out of my ass for all I know.” No dramas, John. I think the whole Dora thing was a case of “be careful what you ask for, you just may get it”. I personally have no more use for criminal scamming than I do localism. I suspect Dora found a huge downside to many parts of the way he chose to live, beyond jail. That was a fairly long, lonely road he took. As for Dora the surfer, however, I would make the case that he is indeed emblematic of the post-WWII surfing era. He professed to have deep respect for the Hawaiian surf heritage, or perhaps the Hawaiian beach boy heritage, which if you believe what you read in magazines has today grown to encompass crack addicts, thugs, and ripoff artists in the lineage which began with Polynesian explorers and warriors like Kamehameha. Awe, ja? Even the Viet Nam era surfers knew of that original feeling. And there is no denying he called the whole surf overpopulation thing. Equally, there is no denying he was one of the best surfing in waves under 8 feet on equipment of many eras. He remained vitally influential in surfing his entire life - he cared about surfing more than anything in his life. Not always a smart thing, not lucrative, probably not even healthy in the long run…the guy probably wasn’t much fun to be around, but some people leave big tracks when they walk in the sand, for better or worse, if they wanted to or maybe later did not. He was one of very few. As for talking out your ass, I don’t think you were…that’s a strange concept and not one I really believe in - wouldn’t be able to hear you if you were.
Well put Nels, cheers.
Surf magazines should stick to pictures and quit typing articles. They rarely get it right because most of them are in the back pocket of Quik and the rest of the surf companies cause they pay the bills. They would not dare say something overly negative about anyone that advertises with them, so rather than being impartial we can safely say that anything they print must be suspect and based on material gain. Especially where nostalgia is concerned. On Dora: he makes for a a good tradgedy story and occupied a time many like to dream about, thats about it. Anyone ever see much footage of him going backside?
he did so fairly well-certainly not as good as others of his era, but how much practice can one get surfing right points all the time???
… what’s makes a more interesting article - another Quick trip to some remote island or another Dora article? For better AND worse I’ll take Dora …
this may sound , well, “weird” and I am sure I’ll get some smart-ass remarks, but if you ever had a chance to sit and talk with Dora and look into his eyes you’ll know…it’s like looking into the history of the world…