TRUE TWAIN

Mark Twain.

PHUUUK!

TC drawing his line.

If actions speak louder than words, then Curren always spoke louder than most.

WRENCH PILOT

Wrench Pilot number 16.

Wrench Pilot was drawn by Mel Bend (Andy Jenkins) and published in Transworld Skateboarding magazine between 1989 - 1991. 23 episodes of Wrench Pilot appeared before Bend stopped drawing it.

I had a subscription to the magazine back then and part of the thrill of getting my copy in the post was following the latest adventures of Lettus Bee. I loved everything about it - the contrasty black & white-ness, the graphic flow, the outsider concepts & storylines and of course the brilliant drawing...

THE GREATEST

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

Muhammad Ali; world champ, politically and socially outspoken, never lacking in self confidence and always dignified & stylish.

For a few more nuggets of wisdom etc, click here.

HELLO TOKYO

In Deep.

A big welcome to Club 51, all the way from Tokyo, Japan - another transplanted Celt enters the blogosphere...

Why Club 51? Because he dwelleth with the gods upon the 51st floor approx one thousand feet up in the air! That's why.

CORKAGE

Spent last weekend in Cork joining the celebrations for young Rua.

Shop full of religion.

Rory Gallagher Place, Cork.

Watched the mighty Munster do battle.

Nipped over to The Kingdom to check a couple of spots.

Flat this time, but always worth a look.

INTERVIEW - DAVE BARNWELL

db stylin' off the bottom on a nice right at G-Bay.

Anyone who has surfed in the south west of Cornwall in recent years will probably have come across Dave Barnwell's smiling face in the water, and clicked onto his popular SurfHog website. Always a positive presence and guaranteed to bring a good vibe to the line-up, I thought I'd try and get a bit of an insight into what keeps him stoked.

Dave, where are you from and when did you start surfing?

I was born in Bristol, but I've lived all over; the Midlands, the South East, and for a few years Arizona in the States. I started surfing in Brighton, in the late nineties, but didn't get hooked until I started coming down to Cornwall regularly to get in at more consistent breaks, well more consistent than Brighton has to offer anyway! I've spent a lot of my life on or around the water/ocean, thanks to my parents owning several small boats over the years.

Do you remember your first green wave?

My first green wave was at Godrevy in front of the lifeguard hut, I remember looking down and seeing a few sand eels accompanying me too, I don't think anyone forgets that moment. It's when the obsession truly starts.

What keeps you coming back for more?

Surfing for me is about relaxing, having fun, it's one of the few things I've found where you totally empty your mind of everything, it's not a conscious thing, it just seems there's no room for anything but the moment when riding a wave, that's pretty special; the rest of the time I'm just soaking up the scenery and the company of friends, or watching other folks grab a good wave.

Nice & clean and goin' for the nose.

You must be the smiliest person I've ever come across in the water - big grin, always happy to chat etc - what keeps you so stoked?

I always try to be positive, it's a conscious choice. If I chat to someone heading in for a session I always make a point of wishing them a good one. I'm a firm believer in a positive attitude rubbing off on folks around you. I did have a period of low times for a couple of years, and if anything getting through that taught me the value of embracing the good, and not beating yourself up about the bad times; surfing's one of those good things, to be embraced.

How do you cope with the inevitable crowds these days?

I hate crowds, I find it does take the edge off a surf, as you have to go into competition mode to ensure you get some good waves, rather than relax and go with the flow. In the summer the easiest way to avoid the crowds is simple, get up for the dawny or wait for the sunset session. I was getting in at 4.45am mid summer last year when the conditions were good. Plus just going to breaks that involve a bit of effort to get to cuts down the crowd rapidly.

HISTORY

Ma & Pa and Rex the first, Godrevy August 1970.

ATLANTIC

Biro lines.

CALENDAR

A bit late I know; here's a calendar I did for 2010 highlighting people with Kernow Konnections who made a mark in the world.

BLACK&WHITE WORLD

The zen of Calvin & Hobbes rules. Clicky piccy to go big.

SALTWATER CURES

Isak Dinesen quote (pseudonym of Karen Blixen - Danish writer of Out of Africa).

ALTOCUMULUS

Beautiful clouds on Saturday.

INTERVIEW - MARK 'TRAWLER' LAWER

Trawler lien-to-tail, Newquay.

For those with links to skateboarding in the UK Trawler will need no introduction. Based in Plymouth, but always liable to put in an appearance at a skatepark anywhere in Europe, if Trawler had a personalised number plate it would be SK8R4LIFE. Despite incurring injuries that would leave many on the couch permanently, he's still skating hard and along with running a business and raising a family, is now also pursuing his love of custom bikes.

Trawler running cones in 1977, Plymouth Hoe.

How long have you been rolling and what got you hooked in the first place?

I have been skateboarding for a total of 30+ years. Seeing Surfer magazines when I was a kid and surfing on TV, I think it was a programme called David Nivens Amazing World.
My grandparents lived in Newquay and I went there in the school holidays. Grandad found a rollerskate skateboard in the side alley public walkway. I picked it up and spent hours trying to master it. I was hooked just as the first craze wave came along.

Trawler, fully flared, Plymouth Hoe 1977. Nice jumper.

Skateboarding has seen many changes, is there any particular period you look back on as being poignant for you?

I liked skateboarding when it was pure and new and it was what we did growing up. Also I like it in later life, the last ten years has seen lots of new ramps and parks and I have enjoyed sampling all the new terrain and travelling over Europe and a few trips to the United States.

Olden days Trawler pushing past vertical in the Plymouth fullpipe.

Recent days Trawler upside down in Brixxleg.

Why do you still get your grind on?

It is part of who I am, I have to skate, I go nuts without skateboarding for long periods of time. It's like old longboarder surfers that you see at the beach, they have to do it.

THIS IS FLOW

Marvin Gaye - What's going on.

From the very first notes of the opening riff this is a work of art that defines flow.

I'm really not a fan of smooth vocalists, give me raw & gritty anytime, but I make an exception for Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on'. Bubbling basslines, funky riffs and pure flowing vocals combine to create a timeless suite that sounds as good today as it did almost 40 years ago when it was introduced in 1971. I particularly like that the title of the album is a statement more than a question.

Marvin Gaye talks about how he'd studied at the microphone for many years and finally felt that he learnt how to sing on this album - his secret; Relax and just let it flow...

GALLAGHER...

Rory Gallagher, 2 March 1948 - 14 June 1995 (aged 47).

My bro-in-law recently found a load of old negs that he thought he'd lost including this shot he took of Rory Gallagher at SFX (St Francis Xavier Hall) Dublin, Christmas 1983.
Blues is a musical genre created within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century. And within the genre there are many great Blues musicians with deep ties directly linked to those roots.
Yet, in a different place and time, a white guy from a quiet corner of Ireland, can also 'get' the Blues and go on to be recognised amongst the top Blues guitarists on the planet. RIP Rory G.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael MacSweeney

BUSTIN STYLE

Mark Richards & Shaun Tomson doubled in the tube at Backdoor circa 1974. (Not a flat screen TV! - Old skool all the way)

I actually won a copy of Bustin Down the Door (first time I've ever won anything). Top film based loosely on Rabbit's book, crammed full of great footage from the sevs, with lots of interviews to back it up (I particularly like Michael Tomson's raggedy style).
Thanks to BeachBum for running the little comp over on his blog.

THANKYOU

...very much!

R, T&C, Mother, Father, Skateboarding, The Big Blue Sea, Vans, Stussy, Deathbox (original), Real Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Tris, Fluid Juice, Our Little Friends of the Earth, Wooly Jumpers, Festivals, Meat Puppets, Firehose, NoMeansNo, Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh, The Pixies, Talking Heads, Ian Dury, Mark Hollis, Steel Pulse, Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, John Peel, John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Aldous Huxley, Rod McKuen, Lyall Watson, Terence McKenna, Albert Camus, Neville Brody, David Carson, Gerry Lopez, Tom Curren, Rusty Keaulana, Big Wednesday, The Endless Summer, The Deer Hunter, Two Lane Blacktop, The Last Picture Show, King Henry VIII, Vincent, Citroen DS, Hitch-hiking, Guinness, Apple Juice, Straight H2O, Bakerys, Lieutenant Columbo, Bugs Bunny, Kernow (in general), Boscawen-un, The Seven Stars, Blue Bar, Porthtowan, Droskyn, Playing Place, Holywell Bowl, Crantock Ramp, Dean Lane (and all who rolled there), Sydney, The Kingdom of Kerry, The Blogosphere (and all who dwell there), Spex, Blue, DL, Stina & Smou, Strik, Lung & Sue, Boy Laity & Jackie, Ginch & Jen, Phil-san, Meany, Chemiqu-Al, Quent & Ness, Timon, Carlos Alzamora, Michael Wright (awol), Paddy Best, Andy Garner, Ben Meshcko, Roger next door, The Currans, JoAnne & Alan, Mary MacSweeney and the MacSweeney family.

HANDSTAND

Handstand Hooch - fine beer for a good cause.

I've been helping Handstand, a charity appeal set up for Marshall Janson, a little boy who lost both his arms and legs through Meningococcal Meningitis just after his first birthday in 2008. I created the logo they use for all their awareness and fundraising activity and when local good guys Skinner's Brewery (owned by Ben Skinner's family) offered to produce a beer to raise funds I designed a label.

If you like Skinner's ales why not drop by their shop in Truro, Cornwall and buy some Handstand Hooch, for every bottle sold £1 goes directly to the appeal.

SOFT

Took this pic on my way to work recently - reminded me that subtlety is often impressive

SNATCH!

Fred Morrison (helped by a young lady in a mini-skirt) demonstrates good Frisbee technique.

In January 1957 Fred Morrison sold his idea for a flying saucer shaped disc to Wham-O. He had named his creation the Pluto Platter in keeping with America's infatuation with UFOs. Wham-O renamed it the Frisbee, sales went bonkers and the rest is history.

Over 50 years later and a well weighted Wham-O is still the way to go.

SKETCHY

Old Town Bar, NYC.

Boy Phezzer turned me onto this blog by an old friend of ours called Steve Gardner. It's quite amazing to think that Steve's been avidly sketching every day for over 20 years! The man was obviously born to draw.

SKUH!

I just really like skulls - maybe it's because they're so black & white, or maybe because they symbolise one of the few certainties in life.

Simple skullage

Mike Giant - awesome mono work

Unknown artist: In the style of Pushead - past master of skullduggery

Mexicans love skulls - and bright colours!

Mexican Day of the Dead chocolate skulls

PROTECTION

LOPEZ

"The wave is just the music and if you get a good part­ner (in your surf­board), you can dance pretty good."

I love this image of Gerry Lopez, by Jeff Divine, it's very different to the usual iconic, backlit Pipeline shots of him getting tubed. But it still oozes style for miles. Click over to the excellent Liquid Salt for a cool interview...

VINTAGE ADS

So much good stuff on this site... tons of vintage visuals.

Hey, that's what I'm imagining when I'm scraping the stubble too.

I must take up smoking this year.

Lots of propagandist art.

When actual artists worked in advertising.

The 5.05 to Slacksville - that's just brilliant!

... a man that likes to snorkel - that's who!

A perfect reminder that what's cool today, is often ridicule tomorrow.

Worth buying for the packaging alone.

ICED PALM TREE

Liked the irony of this palm tree sprinkled with snow.

COUNTRY SHACK

I love this place...

Just had to post up another pic of Q & N's place near Bermagui, NSW. A classic wooden house with a tin roof in an idyllic spot in a quiet valley, within earshot of the surf and surrounded by wildlife (kangaroos, possums, snakes, all sorts of birds, etc). Didn't want to leave...

LITTLE DRAGON

If you ever find yourself in Newport, NSW then do yourself a favour and wander along to Mick Mock's Little Dragon.

This has to be one of the coolest little shops in the Southern Hemisphere. Basically it's a surf shop, but unlike any other, with Mick's amazing collection of surfboards, memorabilia, old school skateboards, records, books, magazines, prints, posters, Island kitsch, Hawaiiana and beach life goodies. All single handedly collected and sourced by Mick himself.

I only managed to snap a few pics (they certainly don't do justice to the incredible array of goodies) in-between excitedly chatting with Mick and being distracted by the myriad of amazing treasures crammed into the tiny shop everywhere I looked. Needless to say, a few choice items along with the beautiful Xmas prezzie I received (below) were added to my baggage allowance.

I was super stoked to get this vintage Primo 'vacation' shirt for Xmas (thanks R & S)

All kinds of finnage

Whole lotta old school

Just around the corner from Newport Surf Club