The Spiritual Connection Between Surfing and Music

The problem with writing a weekly blog, or more specifically, a weekly surf blog is, I typically have a subject matter well in hand before I strike the first key on my keypad. My subject matter this week was (and is still) going to be about Surfers who also happen to be musicians. In other words, surfers who actually play music professionally, or semi professionally.

Then some asshole comes along like that idiot in Aurora Colorado and blows the whole week apart by yet another act of pure cowardice. And make no mistake about it. What that loser did was a yellow act of cowardice. He's a coward. Shooting unarmed innocent movie goers is an act of cowardice. It reeks of yellow.

Case in point. He gave up when actual armed police officers closed in on him. He folded. Like a coward. A sniveling weasel coward. Suddenly his bad ass "Commando" persona was no match for real men with real weapons. Shooting unarmed civilians in a crowded movie theater is one thing, but facing armed police officers?

No way. Cowards always fold. Or, they kill themselves. Losers.

I am not going to mention his name, nor am I going to post a photo of him. I only have room for one coward on this blog. And that is reserved for KSM. I will not make a forum for cowards on this blog. That's not what this is. It's just hard to write about surfing, when cowardly acts like this happen overnight.

Our world and our society, for all the good that it produces still has that 10% out there that are living on the edge. They walk among us. They work and go to school next to us. And for the most part, there are no warning signs. It just happens. Like an inner fuse being lit. A slow burning fuse that only they are aware of. And when it reaches the end.

Tragedy- followed by shock and sorrow.

Look that guy was insane. And a coward. I'm sorry for all the hurt that has swept across this nation due to his cowardly act. I know these are isolated cases. And 90% of of our society are doing what they can each and every day to get by, and do the right thing. It's just so disturbing to see yet another domestic tragedy unfold on our TV sets, and we all get sucked into the story, and become numb by the 24-7 coverage. Relentless annual madness.

So back to my original theme of this week's blog.

[Second photo] Surfers who are also musicians. I know for as long as I can remember that there have been musicians who surf. And look, I'm talking about New England. And more specifically, here in New Hampshire. I've been playing music as long as I have been surfing. I know there are others as well. The B&W photo above is one of my earlier bands. The VINNY Band. We opened for the Police at the RAT in Boston 1978, and we played our last show at the Rat in in 1984 opening for The Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was their first gig in Boston.

In between we played all the Boston clubs including headlining the Paradise. We had radio hits, and even had a damn MTV video. We made records and toured. It was fun. And the whole time I did this, I was surfing. Here in New England. I never lost sight of my first real passion. But make no mistake. Music and surfing was a big part of who I was early in my life. Still is.

I went on to form two other popular Boston Bands," SEMPER FI" where I opened for 25,000 people at the Meadowlands in NY opening for Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. I also had "The NOR'EASTERS" a Blues/Rock band that never really broke up.  We played all over , the Channel, etc etc and then...like most
of us do...I got tired of it.

I currently play in a 3pc Blues/rock band called BHD.

I can remember other bands and musicians in the early 70's who were following the same path as I was. John Gooch and Eddie Canore had a band called "Lizzy Bomb." Later on Stan Chew had several bands including one with Terence T-Bone Kirby called "Lunch at The Dump." There were others as well.

Mike O'Neill and Kurt Hanig had "Puddles of Joy." Jon Anderson another local surfer, had a bunch of bands and recording projects. Mitch Hargraves was another. All these guys still play. Not sure about Eddie Canore and John Gooch but I know, Stan, T-Bone, Mike O'Neil, Kurt Hanig and Jon Anderson all still play out.

[Third photo] Somewhere along the way, the most talented surfer/musician of all the local surfer/musicians came along, and his name is Jesse Ciarmataro. Currently going under the name QWILL. Jesse is by far the most talented individual out there. He is constantly changing and redeveloping his soulful music. His songs, his vocals, his lyrics, his uncanny ability to play any instrument is unmatched. Plus his studio skills are second to none.

If there is any artist out there who really should be playing all the big rooms and should be a bona fide ROCK Star it is Jesse QWILL Ciarmataro. All you musicians know what I'm talking about.

Jesse is the REAL Deal. His music is on SIMPLE TRUTH Records.

Two other local Surfer bands are KINGSHIGHWAY and TODO BIEN. These guys have been plugging away for a few years
now and have gone from the garage band sound to really polished. In fact, they each use the same drummer and the same percussionist. Both surfers. Salt and Johnny.

[First photo] KINGSHIGHWAY played their first gig in Boston last week. It was great seeing them in the City. It brought it all back for me and that kind of excitement of playing your first show in town. I was glad to have been there and share it with their friends and family.

[Fourth photo] Another Surfer band that has been plugging away for the last few years is TODO BIEN. Fronted by Skip Brunette, Todo Bien has stepped up and started to make a run 'out of the seacoast ' by putting together little mini tours up and down the East Coast.

The truth is, for those of you who surf and play music, there is a spiritual connection to both surfing and making music. And my advice to any musician is "if you are having fun playing music, then have at it. Keep playing. If it stops becoming fun, then you need to rethink music as a
professional career." Because making a living playing music is a tough nut to crack. You wouldn't surf if was not fun. Same with music.

"Surfing (and Music) Heals All Wounds..."

Now for Some Of My Weekly Global Observances:

OK Barack please tell me you were kidding about your statement on Saturday July 14th. You know, the one about small business owners and entrepreneurs NOT making their dreams happen on their own. Really? I guess I missed something there. And I really wish that both Obama and Romney would stop with the Negative Ads. Go on the facts guys. America is not as stupid as you both think we are.

The War in Syria has stepped up a few notches. It is now a daily bloodbath. It's funny how we live our daily lives and turn on the TV and watch homes and lives being destroyed by warplanes and tanks.

Meanwhile the Iranians are beating their chests over the bombing of innocent Israeli civilians in Bulgaria this week. My friends the world is still unstable.

Speaking of unstable. Kalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) the Mastermind behind 9/11 was disgusted by the Colorado shooting this week. In fact here he is rolling his eyes back into his head. Say what you want about KSM, but at least he had an agenda. Albeit a twisted one. But it was based on his ideology of radical Islamic beliefs.

Note to self: Must pick up Hair Net at Home Depot.

Can't wait until Fall...Football, Nor'easters, and upland magic.