Surf n Tiki, connection?

This is for John O,
thought he might appreciate this.

This is South Bay(So. Cal.) 80's and 90's surf band the Halibuts,
playing a re-union show here in the early 2000s
at the Pitcher House in Hermosa Beach,

gotta love the matching Primo shirts

Jeff(btd)

Wow, these shirts are cool !

here is Pete Curry with the Neanderthals in Switzerland:

mahalo,
HT

Thanks Jeff (and Helve),

Actually is a Primo Aloha shirt really Tiki ?? For some reason I associate that pattern specifically with the early 1970,'s but that just might be foggy childhood memories.

And Helve, that photo of the Neanderthals is kind of timely. That East coast GARAGE (not Surf really) band recently played LA for the first time a few weeks ago. There were several TC members in attendance. Maybe our presence made them Tiki, ha ha.

There is no doubt that Surf music is a great complement to the mid-century cross pop-cultural stew of the Tiki Revival. The two So CA native styles peaked at the same time (roughly 1963) and came back decades later as geek cultures.

I however, am more interested in the exact 1960's historical precedence for the relationship.

It was enough for the Bigbro to devote one chapter to it in BOT (as well as the "Sound of Tiki" CD) and Brian Chidester and Domenic Priore to do the same in "Pop Surf Culture".

The use of the Tiki as a surfing talisman was a key example. I need to go back and review those books but that was the main reason I can remember. This would be a great thread to discuss the following:

1. Does any other hard photographic evidence exist to support that theory? How about Mickey Dora sporting a Tiki pennant or maybe the use of Tiki-style iconography in an AIP Beach movie?

2. I know this sounds absurd but was Surf music really a part of true Surfing culture? It might be argued that the whole "Surf music" label was simply a marketing thing by the record companies. I've also heard that most of the "real" surfers of that time were older and thus not into the Surf music which was popular with younger teens. Even today as BTD points out, most surfers are not into Surf music, and most Surf music aficionados don't surf. Or maybe the whole point is moot since consumer Surf culture is mostly about looking the part and living the "lifestyle" without ever getting wet.

Let's talk pop cultural anthopology here and not necessarily anyone's personal preferences (i.e. "I like both so that makes Surf music Tiki"). :)

I think the question is being asked wrong if one is asking "IS Surf culture Tiki?" (and I am not saying YOU are asking it that way). The answer would be no.

It is quite simple: Tikis were used as icons IN Surf culture, because the history as well as the practice of Surfing is tied to Hawaii. Surf culture is a beach culture, Hawaii is a beach culture dream destination. In the 1960s, kids that went surfing during the day wore good luck Tiki charms, and some then went to parties or clubs where Surf bands played in the evening. That was a real thing, not a commercial set up. Pop culture might have commercialized it by putting out Beach movies that showed the kids dancing by the fire on the beach at night to surf music, or hanging out at surf shacks with an occasional Tiki mask on the wall. But these situations happened. There was a famous Tiki statue at the beach in Malibu, for example.

So Tikis were one (even if small) PART OF Surf culture - which makes Surf culture PART OF Tiki culture.

All this is different today, of course.

great posts by John O, and BigBro,
but its in Tiki Music,
so hardly anyone will see it now.

thanks a lot, for whoever moved this thread.
jerks,

Jeff(btd)

On 2011-02-23 06:58, bigbrotiki wrote:

...which makes Surf culture PART OF Tiki culture.

As is Lounge culture, which is about as diametrically opposed to Surf/Beach as you can get. No wonder why Tikiphiles drink so much, we're so culturally conflicted. :)

It is interesting that the Tiki Revival has adopted the purist (or is it narrow) definition of "Surf" music as instrumentals only. Those Tiki pendant wearing kids were probably as (if not more) likely to be listening to vocals-driven music like the Beach Boys. Arguably it was that group as well as the AIP beach movies that really put Surf/Beach culture into the national consciousness.

And I also wish this thread wasn't moved as I was hoping it could focus on the visual iconography of Tiki in the So CA beach scene. :(

now let the cobwebs begin to grow on this thread.
:-/

Jeff(btd)

Jeff - I didn't have anything to do with moving the thread, but I'm curious: Why wouldn't you put a thread about a surf band in the tiki music section? And which section do you think it belonged if not here?

Arriano brings up a good point and are you guys using the "View New Posts Across Al Forums" button? It's really useful and saves a lot of time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFY2kJ96jNY

Ha ha, actually I like to think of it another way...

It's like Pharaoh banishing Moses to the desert (although BTD shares more of a resemblence to Jesus).

The Tiki Music forum is actually the Holy Land of Tiki Central !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFDuGiOy3uM

"Shalom Alechem" (Peace be upon you).

On 2011-02-23 13:31, arriano wrote:
Jeff - I didn't have anything to do with moving the thread, but I'm curious: Why wouldn't you put a thread about a surf band in the tiki music section? And which section do you think it belonged if not here?

The Thread wasn't really about a particular surf band,
it was that they were all wearing Primo shirts(which some tiki people wear)
at Tiki Events. And I would bet money that the guys in the band were
Hawaiiana fans, and probably even had tikis in the houses in the 80s.

This thread being moved from Gen. to the Tiki Music area is proof,
that there are tiki people that don't like, and or don't get the tiki/surf
crossover.

Boris,
No I never use that function.
I go to the sections of TC that I want to look at.
Events, Music, Drinks,
then General, then finding,
then
Beyond and Bilge,

if I'm bored I look at Travel,
Jeff(btd)