Music brings so much back to the memory I heard “Who’s that lady?” by the Isley brothers recently and it took me back to 74 driving into my first view of Burleigh Heads, Queensland. It was 4′ to 6′ and I had never seen anything as beautiful as this before, no wind, green water, back lit from the sunrise… Awesome.

Slipping and sliding over the bolder type rocks I couldn’t get out in the water quick enough which was like a warm bath. All of a sudden I was back there just from a few notes of a song. That experience riding the tube such long ones they were, just kept going. You would go around a corner and it would just open up and out you’d come into the sunlight, so from the inspiration I was able to tweak my board from what I learnt in those waves, I felt right at home like I belonged.

Music goes all the way with surfing and helping you as a shaper be creative. I often wake up in the middle of the night and write down on a notepad and idea about a board design and always have music playing while shaping. Inspiration has never been a problem, you can inspire yourself by doing what drives you in a positive direction and a commitment to that cause.

I remember when I shaped my first “Freak” double flyer swallow, and in the bottom had a combo of a lot of different boards, that I had surfed over the years all rolled into one, rocker in the board was changed just slightly to complement the configuration I had in mind, but I was inspired to achieve a certain feel and I eventually achieved it and then I was able to incorporate the bottom and rails of the “Freak” into other plan-shapes. And without a doubt music has helped me keep inspired, so whatever keeps you inspired keep doing it!