Sea and Song
Jon Foreman
Surfing. Period.
Rob Machado
I Love Surfing, But a World without Music?
Tom CurrenA few years ago, one of my best friends told me something very simple: “If you ever come to a point in life where you choose to pursue surfing at the expense of music, you’re making a mistake.” I’ve been meaning to write a meditation on that ultimatum for a while. But I figured it would be a much more interesting to hear from professional surfers/musicians whose overlapping interests have caused them to seriously confront that question. Tom Curren, Rob Machado, and Jon Foreman came to mind. Two of the three have left indelible legacies on the sport of surfing. One has sold millions of records and toured the world for seventeen years with his band Switchfoot. All are very good surfers and passionate musicians. Here’s what they had to say. – Zach Weisberg
Rob Machado is an icon of surfing. People tend to recognize his hair, which has evolved from radical afro to an unmistakably curly long hair. Rob couldn’t abandon music.
Tom Curren is a three-time World Champion and credited with developing classic California style. Most recently, he’s been recording music and touring with his band. Tom thinks this decision is like choosing between blindness and deafness. Very difficult. Read his opinion here.
Jon Foreman is the lead singer of the rock band Switchfoot. He grew up in San Diego, and is glad he doesn’t actually have to make this decision. Read his opinion here.
Most recently, these three starred in Switchfoot’s newest DVD release, Fading West. If you watch the short film released in conjunction with the album, you quickly realize that their life is enviable. Check out the new album on iTunes.
