Views of Kahuna
A mixtape for the films of Bruce Brown, Dale Davis, & George Greenough.
Tactile Joy
My friend Dan sent me this great piece the other day: “Can Radio Kill The Video Star?” The writer, Amy Schiller, talks about the satisfaction that comes from choosing radio over streaming. From the physical practice of pushing buttons and turning knobs to the emotional experience of hearing from members of the community via interstitial chatter, it is not hard to argue that we have lost something very special in our “everything anytime” reality. In an effort to simplify our lives into oblivion, we’ve somehow made them all the more complicated.
She talks about how she wanted to find a car without all the new bells and whistles… just the right ones. Maps and navigation, sure, but give me buttons and knobs and a CD player and tape deck. Part of the dream of starting this mixtape project is having a library of cassettes I can toss in my car stereo someday. There’s certain tactile joys worth holding onto.
I’ll give everything to the cloud when I pass it by as St. Peter calls my number. Until then, I am looking at radio receivers on ebay.
I just picked up a copy of Liz Pelly’s new book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, which examines how streaming has and continues to manipulate the music industry and the mostly disastrous effects that has on artists. I’ve enjoyed Liz’s music writing for years, and I’m excited to dive in. You can read an excerpt here. Let me know if you read and have thoughts!
I constantly go back and forth about streaming. This project arguably wouldn’t exist without it. At the same time, it’s somewhat of a direct reaction to its shortcomings. This is my (and your?) way to humanize the experience and make music a communal experience once more.
I’d like to use social media less and be social more. Instagram is more now than I signed up for. I wanted to see your vacation photos and send good vibes for your show promos and keep up with your kids’ Halloween costumes. I do not care to see video compilations of strangers asking other strangers how hot they think they are (I have tried telling the algorithm I don’t want this or that or any video on my feed, and yet I feel like I’m saying “excuse me” to an avalanche).
Maybe I’ll print my photos and make a scrapbook or zine and send you a letter instead. Would love to hear from you too.
Reach out and touch something.
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Views of Kahuna
Created for the films of Bruce Brown, Dale Davis, & George Greenough.
*****
Around this time of year, every year, I get the deep winter blues. I am not a cold weather fan. I was raised in it, had my fill, and I am ready to spend the rest of my life basking in 90 degree days. Unfortunately, I live in the greatest city in the world, which is cold and grey for a pretty significant portion of the year. By February, it becomes unbearable, and I need an escape.
A few years ago around now, I began ordering tacos & margaritas and queueing up the 1966 surfing documentary Endless Summer. It saves my soul every February. I am filled with enough warmth to make it to April (maybe May if I have to?). I have done this alone. I have done it with friends. I am religious in my dedication to this ritual.
In 2012, Made You A Mixtape staple and instrumental guitarist, Mark McGuire, released a collaborative album with Charles Berlitz (aka Spencer Clark) entitled Inner Tube. The record takes its inspiration from Australia and its surf culture. The LP includes a fold out poster of them “stoned in front of their favorite movies!” I loved this record immediately and became fascinated with the idea of the ideal surf movie sound.
Fast forward a few years, I blindly buy the vinyl soundtracks to two surf documentaries, To Ride A White Horse and The Golden Breed. I love them deeply. Perfect Sunday morning/afternoon listens. I dream of waking up with the sun on the west coast one day and throwing on records like this as I sit with the sliding doors open, sipping my coffee. If that home could be on the coast and that morning could provide the subtle sound of waves crashing against the shore, all the better.
This year, I dove deeper by actually watching The Golden Breed, as well as other great surf films Crystal Voyager and A World of Waves. I bought VHS copies of the first two on ebay (the VHS of Endless Summer arrives on Monday) — another concrete step in my commitment to the analog. I plan on expanding the collection. These made my dark winter mornings a little brighter.
I love these films for many reasons, but maybe most because they evoke a similar sense of wonder in me as old Hollywood westerns in their regard for the landscape. The vastness and potential danger of the ocean is as powerful (if not more) as the desert, but so is its beauty. The adventurers in either context have such deep respect and appreciation for these environments. These surf films are a sort of ocean pastoral, a calming escape from the loudness of life.
For this month’s mixtape, I’ve collected songs that could soundtrack a theoretical surf film in the same vein. Inspired by all of the aforementioned, the songs here span many genres. There is jazz, new age, ambient, psychedelic rock, country, and more. The tone is breezy, but it can get meditative and straight up goofy at times. All of the songs capture the feeling of riding a perfect wave, basking in nature’s beauty, or getting into a bit of trouble with the local beach bunnies.
I’ve titled the mixtape Views of Kahuna. In Hawaiian culture, a “kahuna” is someone of high esteem and achievement, such as a doctor or religious leader, but can be bestowed on anyone as an honorific, provided it’s deserving. In surf culture, a “kahuna” is a wizard of the waves, someone who exerts total control over the board. The moniker is nothing to take lightly. It is my hope that this collection of songs pays homage to and honors the masterful soundtracks of the widely influential films discussed earlier, if only just glimpsing their wonder.
Here’s to an endless summer. May sunshine warm your face soon enough.
*****
Love you all. Hope you enjoy!
Join Me: Emily Nenni with special guest Dylan Earl @ Skinny Dennis, Thursday, May 8th, 9pm
Recently went to the Willow Avalon show at Bowery Ballroom and I was reminded once again that country music is the best music. Absolutely top tier live music experience.
Emily Nenni rips, so this one is bound to be a stomper. Hope you’ll tag along.
RIYL: honky tonk, Office Hours, good as hell country music
Check out the music video for “Get To Know Ya.”
Some Other Tactile Joys That I Love
(that you might love too!)
Inner Tube’s Inner Tube - I mentioned this record above, but it’s worth noting that it’s never been available on any streaming service, nor should it be (some things are better kept on wax). It’s really not even one of Mark’s most celebrated or known works. However, it is one of my favorite records of all time. I’ve linked a YouTube rip of one song from the record that was posted 12 years ago and has less that 3k views. I really think this record will be considered a lost treasure some day, and it can be yours for like $12. That’s so stupid.
Voicemail - My friend Martin called me while I was at work and couldn’t answer. He was driving and thought of me and thought he’d give me a ring to say hello. He left me a short and sweet and funny voicemail, and it made my week to hear my friend’s voice that I hadn’t heard in a while. Call your friends. Leave a voicemail if they don’t answer.
Trust Your Gut - Do you remember going to Blockbuster and picking out a movie or video game based on the cover and centering your entire evening around that choice? We gave so much weight to those decisions, and sometimes they didn’t pay off, but occasionally they really did. I miss those times when we allowed ourselves to be a little disappointed but not discouraged. How often do we now start streaming something, immediately turn it off, and browse for something new? Go to the library. Go to a record or book store. Grab something on impulse, just because you like the cover. Go with the intention of discovery. I’ve found several of my most treasured records this way.