Andrew: Surf Inspired Multi-Tasker

Andrew Kidman inspired hope in me through film, writing, music and photography.
I left surfing for a big chunk of time disillusioned with the direction it had taken in and out of the water. I had a chance to move to New York and go to school soon after and off into the world of music, radio, touring and clubs I went leaving all the aggro surf jocks behind. I found my way back, which I’ll publish a little story about later as it’s a whole story in itself, and ended up working at The Surfer’s Path in their U.S. office when it was in Encinitas a guy named Justin Wallace from Perth turned me on to Andrews work and I was hooked.

There is hope I thought. There are people out there who are moved in an indescribable way by the experience we call surfing. Andrew is so moved that he can’t stop the flow of incredible ideas surfing inspires in him. Photographs, stories, music, shaping, films and a deep interest in capturing the words and images of some of the most important individuals in our surf culture. It’s not a life of fame and fortune but a satisfying life he seems to have built with his wife and children pursuing his passions. Jack Johnson cited in Rolling Stone, Andrew Kidman’s “Litmus” as one of his top ten most influential surf films. Andrew has several albums available, influential films “Litmus” and “Glass Love” and a well built book called “Ether” that is a certain collectors item. If you don’t know Andrew or know of him and his work I hope this brief conversation will guide you to exploring what Andrew has brought to the surfing the surfing community and all he has to offer.

When did you start writing? writing for public viewing of course. What was your first published work or "Assignment"?
When I was 15 I did a five-minute interview for Tracks magazine with Greg Anderson when I was doing work experience at Tracks.

Currently What is your favorite piece (past or present)? whether it be the story or the adventure it took to get the story.
It’s hard to say, it’s all been pretty fun. I don’t think I could pick a highlight, travelling anywhere and surfing new waves and meeting the local people and experiencing a their cultures is really what I live for so it’s all good.

Can you remember the first photo you developed that you actually thought you'd hang up somewhere?
Not really. I remember taking this picture of a bird on the beach and on the same roll of film I took a photo of a wave from the top of my house and a dead tree. I’m pretty much still taking the same photos, which is pretty funny.

What is it about photography that drives you to keep chasing images?
I don’t really chase them. I just take photos of what I see that interests me. Sometimes if I see a photo of a landscape or empty wave and I don’t have my camera I’ll go back and work to take what I saw, but generally, it’s just the pure inspiration of what I’m looking at. Sometimes it’s nice to not take a photo and just enjoy whatever it is I’m experiencing for what it is.

Did Photography fuel your desire to capture moments on film?
Not really. They are pretty different mediums. You can apply your photography to filmmaking, which really helps I think, but films are many ideas sewn together with some kind of theme, or narrative.

Who or What inspired you to make a film? and was Litmus your first go?
I used to make films in high school until someone ripped off the school camera. Wayne Lynch, Derek Hynd, Alby Falzon, Jon Frank, Mark Sutherland and Taylor Steele inspired me to want to make a Litmus

Who or What taught you the most about getting the photo's you wanted, capturing what you saw with your eye on film?
I always liked Hugh McLeod’s surfing photos, he used to own Surfing World in Australia, Tony Nolan, he taught me a lot about life and photography, there’s so many people really, I liked John Severson’s films and photography. Alby Falzon his films were awesome, so many people, like I said, inspiration is endless, there’s always someone doing something great or not so great that inspires you I guess.

Did you play music before Val Dusty or was music for the film the push that brought you into playing music?
I’ve played music since I was little kid. I played the violin from 5 to 16 then I started playing guitar.

What's the next music adventure?
Just working on new material with the band, sonically and lyrically. I love playing with a band. It’s great writing soundtrack stuff and then jamming on it. Its pretty interesting listening back to it. The good and the bad, I like the bad stuff as much as the good stuff.

What draws you to your deep interest in shaping and shapers?
I just like the way whatever you do to a surfboard will effect how it rides across the ocean. It fascinates me because the process is endless with infinite possibilities and nothing really is right or wrong, it’s just a personal journey. One can spend years on some kind of tangent.

Do you think there should be more attention paid to these people? It seems financially the majority don't see the benefit of worldwide surf industry and certainly 401K's or health benefits for an unhealthy profession would be interesting.
Definitely. Without the shapers and their knowledge and history of design what would we have to look at as shapers or surf? Surfboards should be twice as expensive, three times, I guess the shapers need to stand up for them selves and say, “No, this is what it’s worth.” but it’s hard because then you have someone else that says I’ll make it cheaper. It’s hard one. There’s no other industry in the world where the production costs are so expensive and the mark-up on the sale price is between 10 – 20 per cent. When people complain to me that the surfboards I make are expensive, I say, “You’re quite welcome to make it yourself.” Like Simon Anderson said, “We don’t get paid for your pain.”

What place or places in your travels inspired you the most to go back and put it into one or more of your many mediums?
Everywhere does. I like New York and Spain a lot.

What place do you look forward to going back to the most right now?
New York, San Diego, Spain.

Are there any parts of California that are special to you, or places that you would enjoy visiting more often?
I love California, not so much the freeways and the cities, but the deserts and mountains, Central California, Steinbeck Country, Big Sur and all the way North. San Fran is epic and beyond. I love San Diego as well, the reefs and the waves around there. It’s all pretty good really, there’s a lot of good people. The wintertime is when I like to be there, a little colder, the waves are good. It has a different energy.

What are a few of your favorite food spots or hang outs to visit when in California?
I only really eat Mexican food when I’m there. I love Mexican food. Australia has the worst Mexican food in the world as we’re so far from the heart of it. My friends Kirk and Jill who live in LA always take me to the authentic places, old school family run eateries. The dodgier they look the better the food usually is.

Is there a spot, any spot, you have as a Must Visit when you do come to California?
Any of these Mexican restaurants. Some surf spots down south where my friends surf. it’s always nice to surf with my friends in Cali. As it only ever happens a every couple of years, it’s easy to forget how special a surf with a friend at a low key place. Doesn’t really matter what the surf is like, it’s just more the time you get to spend with friends.

Are there any Californian's you admire as an influence on your different areas of work?
Lots. Skip Frye, Richard Kenvin, Hank Warner, Jill Jordon, The music of Jalopy and Old Man hands, Andy Davis, Bob Mitzven, Kyle Field/Little Wing, Parmenter, Lis, Pleskunas, Steve Pezman, John Severson....there’s a lot of inspiring people there.

Are you shaping boards for Swift?
No. I just shape boards for a few friends and myself.

Are you headed to the Green Room Festival this year?
I doubt it, nobodies contacted me about it.

Are you working on any music or film idea right now?
I’m slowly chipping away at something, it could be good, I don’t know, it could end up a load of shit, I’m just working through the thought process. Hopefully it works out okay.

How has having children affected the projects or path of focus for projects in recent years?
It’s pretty much stopped it in its tracks. The kids and family come first and the reality of feeding and housing them, so I do whatever I can to look after them, it’s hard to travel too much, it’s hard to be away from them, I hate not being with them, so I try not to go away for too long, it’s hard when you’re making a film, because one needs to travel a little, hopefully I can take them with me.

Have children, new life and thus the thoughts of beginning and end pushed your desire to chronicle/capture those so influential in our world (surfing) more urgently than prior to having kids?
Not really, it’s made most things harder creatively. I don’t spend as much time on things as I used to. I simply don’t have the time, it’s just like, “This is what it is and this is how it’s going to be, move on.” People that don’t have kids don’t understand, to be an artist you need to be somewhat self-absorbed, selfish, but it’s hard when you have your kids because you love them so much, you just want to be with them. It’s a tough one. I don’t have the answers. I’m sure all parents struggle with this.

What is next for you?
I’m working on a few things. The Brown Birds just finished up the soundtrack to this Michael Peterson film that is coming out. We did it with Tim Gaze, which was pretty humbling, Gaze is a legend of guitar in Australia. We had a lot of fun doing it. I’m working on a couple of films, ones a collaborative effort with a record label down here SPUNK, they supplied the music and people like Albert Falzon, Monty Webber, Jon Frank, Patrick Trefz and Richard Kenvin made short films to the sounds. It’s a pretty interesting look at surf culture I think. It’s very beautiful, somewhat reflective and sad, but very beautiful. But I’m mainly working with The Brown Birds playing music/recording and trying to make enough money to keep the kids fed and the bank from the door. It’s pretty hand to mouth, but I think it is for a lot of people out there at the moment. It’ll turn around I think, I think it’s a good thing because people need to value the important things in life, good food, family and creativity, I mean, the rest is just a distraction anyway.

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We had let Andrew off to get to one of his other skills, making the dinner.
Find out more about Andrew’s books, music, photos and wealth of talents that he so kindly bestows upon us at the links below.
We hope to see you again soon Andrew.

text by Lou Niles
Photo by Andrew Kidman, Lou Niles,
Art work by Andrew Kidman, Mark Surtherland




Andrew Kidman
P.O.Box 174
Uki, NSW,
2484
Australia

http://www.litmus.com.au

http://ether-kidman.blogspot.com/