DAVID BELL -

   David is the producer and presenter of the surf-themed CRESCENT SWELLS surf radio. With over 174 shows, David digs deep to produce a weekly radio show featuring traditional surf guitar and drums, reggae, and indie/roots music heavily infused with the feel and sound of the beach lifestyle and music. CRESCENT SWELLS features many new artists that may not have the chance to be heard on mainstream radio. Whilst currently heard on three Australian east coast community radios, CRESCENT SWELLS can also be heard on the mixcloud streaming service found on the World Wide Web https://www.mixcloud.com/david-bell45/. It’s still early days for David’s surf music show, but with so much great music showcased, it’s not unreasonable to envision that surfers across our global surfing landscape will be tuning in en masse for an injection of audio surfing soul. Along with a discussion concerning how CRESCENT SWELLS started, David also shares how he discovered surfing and its impact on his life. 

BEAU YOUNG's tribute to JOHN PECK ...

   Beau Young, 2000 & 2023 World Longboard champion, joins Keith to share his heartfelt tribute to John Peck, who passed away recently at the age of 81. John gained fame within the surfing world when photographed in the early 1960's surfing Pipeline crouching low and grabbing the rail of his surfboard. It remains one of the great iconic photos of surfing. Like many surfers of that era, John embraced the counterculture's emphasis on seeking a higher consciousness free from the bind of consumerism. Turning to psychedelics, a hippie/surfer lifestyle and involvement with The Brotherhood of Eternal Love to grow his awareness, led John into a loss of freedom - but ultimately into a much healthier and natural way of living. John's renewed lifestyle and his embrace of the longboard renaissance brought him back into prominence. Plus influence, as he shared his understanding of living and surfing on a higher plane beyond the material world. Beau held John in high regard, calling him a guru, yogi, guide, inspiration and friend.   

STEPHEN COONEY -

... Stephen Cooney was introduced to the surfing world as Steve Cooney, the very young surfer who mesmerized us all in the seminal surf movie MORNING OF THE EARTH. Very few, if any of us, will ever forget the footage of his surfing those amazing Uluwatu waves. But of course, there is so much more to Stephen than that young grommet streaking across perfect Bali waves. Some of which is shared in his recently published book UNEARTHED - The story of one kid's surf Journey. And it's been quite a journey, that's for sure. Stephen started surfing early, surrounded by some of Sydney's greats, including Nat Young, David "Baddy" Treloar and his older brother Butch. After the release of MORNING OF THE EARTH, Stephen spent years working for TRACKS magazine and in publishing. Many photographs from those surfing years are featured in his memoir - hence the title UNEARTHED. The book can be purchased online via Cyclops Productions. See the link below:

https://www.cyclopsproductions.com.au/shop/p/unearthed-the-story-of-one-kids-surf-journey

DEREK CRISP -   

... Not many surfers have been caught trying to hijack a submarine for a joyride. Nor be counted amongst the first surfboard manufacturers on New South Wales's Mid North Coast, open one of its first surf shops, along with running a marlin fishing charter boat in far north Queensland for Hollywood stars. Plus a career as a publican for one of central Queensland's largest pubs, but 90-year-old Derek Crisp can - and more. He only made about 50 boards back in the day, but that was all part of Derek's big life. While the many decades have now slowed and mellowed him, he's rightly remembered around Port Macquarie as the Godfather of local surfing. When surfboard riding took off in Port in the late 1960's and 70's Derek was right there making sure those first surfers had everything they needed to paddle out. 

JOHN BRASEN -

... John is the editor and publisher of Australia's premier longboard magazine, PACIFIC LONGBOARDER. The long-standing magazine's byline is: For The Love of Surfing. Any conversation with John makes it evident that his life is one defined by the love of surfing - so choosing that byline for his magazine wouldn't have been that hard. And it is John's magazine, well, to be more exact, John's and his wife Sharon's. PACIFIC LONGBOARDER is not owned by a large publishing corporation that has a surfing magazine in its "lifestyle" portfolio. It is proudly the Brasen's magazine and it's proudly very much a surfing magazine - and that shows. Each edition is loaded with photos, profiles, news, articles and updates of what's happening in the longboard scene, pretty much globally.  Nowadays with so many women riding longboards they are well represented in PLB just as much as the men. John is a Woolgoolga guy from New South Wales' mid north coast, a small coastal town with solid local values that shine through in this episode. Just like his magazine.

www.pacificlongboarder.com

THE AUDACIOUS SURF TALES OF VLADIMIR BORIS WAXANOV - Stories 7 & 8

 ...Finally, some good news, Vladimir has surfaced - well, sort of. He has been talking with his sister, Olga, whom Keith has also been talking to, so the relayed message is that he is fine, but he does have to lay low for a while. Without revealing his location, all he would say is that he is in the "Stans" somewhere. Either Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan. Plus, he has been listening to the SURF TOWN interviews, which he loves - and the reading of his short stories, which of course he's stoked about. Keep going, Keithovich he relayed. So here is a double dose of his audacious tales, both laced with a decent dose of Aussie irreverence. Oh, and Olga is pregnant with twin boys who are going to be called Caesar and Napoleon. As you do ....

DEREK HYND -

... Any sit-down chat with Derek Hynd is guaranteed to be thoughtful and original. No surprise that this interview was conducted under trees atop of a windy Byron Bay hill. Even his dog Bungle Bungle contributed - as did a stranger parking his car close by. But it's worth braving any cold winter wind to have the privilege of interviewing Derek. He is a former professional surfer, a surfboard shaper, writer, exponent of friction-free surfing, innovator, and one of surfing's great free thinkers. With a deep lifetime of surfing experience and insight, any interview with Derek is guaranteed to be fascinating. One recorded episode with Derek is never enough to mine his depths. Yet, in this longest SURF TOWN interview to date, Derek's words amounted to a very engaging conversation.

https://youtu.be/IzrO_J37pQM

https://youtu.be/g6g0Ai9ZEU0

JOHN OGDEN -

 ... This SURF TOWN episode's guest is John "Oggy" Odgen, a Sydney-based photographer, cinematographer, writer and the owner of Cyclops Press, which has published many high-quality books relating to Australian Indigenous and Aussie culture. John is a surfer so it's no surprise he has published a series of surf books, including Mike Ritter's and Jack McCoy's well-received surf book "Grajagan - surfing in the tiger's lair." He has also recently published Stephen Cooney's (of Morning of The Earth fame) memoir titled "Unearthed," and "Waterproof - a History of Australian Surf Photography." John's work is marked with an eye for detail and style relevant to the background and culture of his subject.  

https://youtu.be/IzrO_J37pQM

https://youtu.be/g6g0Ai9ZEU0

TERRY RICHARDSON ...

 - 1988 Australian Surfing Champion, World Masters Surfing champion, former ASP World number 7, two-time Aussie Masters champion, winner of two Bali Om contests, winner of the 1982 Waimea 5000 in Brazil and finalist of numerous international surfing contests, Terry Richardson chats with SURF TOWN about his rich surfing life and much more. Terry, also known as Richo, is a well-known surf shop owner and respected shaper. Emerging as a pre-eminent surfing talent from southern New South Wales, Terry deservedly stood among the greats of his era, including Michael Peterson, Shaun Thomson, Gerry Lopez, Simon Anderson, and Wayne Lynch, among others. A genuine good guy who has done much for Australian surfing. 

https://youtu.be/IzrO_J37pQM

https://youtu.be/g6g0Ai9ZEU0

DISCUSSION TABLE 101 with Tim Baker. Topic: SURF CULTURE ...


- Who better to have a free-flowing conversation about surf culture than the three-time winner of the Surfing Australia Hall of Fame Culture Award, Tim Baker? With decades of surf writing (ten books) and editorial work (two surfing magazines), Tim has an astute understanding of the surfing lifestyle and its vibrant culture. Tim not only shared contemporary observations but also spoke about surfing's ancient heritage. In the fast-moving global surfing dynamic of today, it was refreshing to hear the thoughts and insights of a wise observer. One who deeply loves surfing and all that it has given countless surfers across the years and the world.