Podcast - Episode 3 | Chas Smith
I talk to the iconic Californian surf journalist about the light and dark side of surf culture, his storytelling journey and an attempt to re-define the American Dream.
"If you get out of your place, your world view will be challenged" - Chas Smith
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I spoke to Chas in a sports and books jam-packed 45-minute podcast where we discussed some genuinely intriguing and revealing topics such as:
Growing up in Oregon and surfing’s steep learning curve
The addictive nature of surfing and the obsessiveness of surfers
The rise of the mega surf brands and surfing culture
Purists vs. Vals (you’ll have to listen to find out what this derogatory moniker means!)
Risks around the line-up caused by the influx of newbie surfers during COVID
His writing tribe: Albert Camus and two other legendary writers
Surfing Yemen’s untouched coastline
Meeting and getting to know Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah members
Writing for surf magazines and Vice
New Journalism inspirations: Hunter S. Thompson, Norman Mailer, Thomas Wolfe
Finding your voice as a writer and building a persona
The American Dream vs. The British Dream
The Cinematic Life, Indiana Jones and the Egyptian Theatre
His next book on his bank robbing cousin
A sneak preview into an upcoming children’s book project
As I mentioned in the preview/trailer post, I went in to the podcast thinking we would talk about the aesthetic and spirituality of surfing but was given a stark reality check about the sport.
Chas loves the sport dearly but is unafraid of calling out what he terms, absurdism, in the actions of grown adults to paddle out and ride giant waves in addictive dopamine loops. His emotional detachment gives him a narrative-distance that is rare in sports books and journalism and was something I found refreshing and hope you will too.
I loved a little nostalgic moment where we discussed surfing’s influence on culture and fashion, and how the sport transcended it’s purist, natural roots to morph into a global, billion-dollar industry, for good or ill.
There are clear cross-overs between surfing and writing. Chas found mentors in surfing but personalities in writing, such as Hemingway and Camus, who he wanted to emulate. This triggered a discussion about “finding your tribe” which is a belief I hold deeply. That is to have a group of go-to authors where you feel comfortable, inspired and-–crucially to avoid rote-thinking––be challenged to learn something new. (Please let us know your tribe in the comments.)
We then spoke about finding your style and voice and if there was a difference. Chas found his “trash-prose” voice after some rejections and trial-and-error and he calls it an “idiotic voice from an idiotic perspective”. I think it’s a great lesson for authors who want to blur the lines of fiction/non-fiction, to be less conscious of form and more courageous in expression.
Confidence is something we debate in a discussion about the American Dream vs. the British Dream: how Americans are typically more brash and unafraid to set high, often near-impossible, expectations. How this relates to creating literary characters such as Gatsby and, these days with Instagram, people creating and living up to their own personas.
The glamour and glitz of American culture is something that informed Chas’ life growing up on adventure movies like Indiana Jones, which inspired him to travel to the Middle-East where he surfed untouched waters and ended up meeting active Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah members.
A man well-travelled with a global but idiosyncratic outlook, Chas is a rare find: a sharp, witty and honest writer who is relevant and diligent, but doesn’t take himself or the sport too seriously.
So if you want to add some sun, surf and storytelling to your morning coffee, listen to the podcast and share it with a friend.