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BVB (Bad Vibe Bob) had been mentioned on E's surf report a few times in the past. Known for his fearsome scowl, big red board and impressive surfing, BVB has been prowling and regulating Bay Area lineups for the last two decades. He gained notoriety in the 80s and 90s for a string of scathing, vitriolic letters to the major mags after they began publishing pictures of Ocean Beach, SF. He is an intense, serious surfer who has seen the evolution of the local surf scene over the last 20 years. When BVB emailed me and suggested an interview i took him up on his offer and here's what he had to say:
E: How has the population of SF surfers changed in the 20 years you've been surfing around here?
But it's a fact. I remember the faces and all the shitty cars; there were no fancy SUV's, nice Audi's, Beemers, Jetta's or Passat's -. Christ, back then it was a little easier getting by as a surf bum. Obviously, the economic pressures were not as great as they are now. There was the era of black; grunge; the Mermen era, - then the evil Yuppie mentality was born, then came the trustafarians, add more trustafarians (from all over the country this time), add more grunge; add Metallica - then came the era of Pam, Kelly and Tommy Lee; then came the tough guy Capitolaesque era: shaved head, Ben Davis pants /shorts, goe tee, chain on the hip connected to the black wallet in the pocket - the wallet embossed with a ‘Dog Town' logo?! Cant' forget the cell phone, Internet , the longboard revolution and the impact of Blue Crush on the women. Then came the start up dot commies. This sealed it. I personally and am surely not alone in thinking that this influx of people has wreaked more damaging havoc than any other single era or cultural shift for surfing in this city. Stop and think about what San Francisco means to all the people who don't surf. We live in an amazing place and we all need to more cognizant of where we are in time.
That era was hard to take. All my artists friends, writer friends and fellow surfers got ousted. We were being evicted left and right. Kicked out - priced out, moved out and shamed - caught with our pants down and that was it. But you know this. Bought and sold to the highest bidder! In the middle of a myriad of changes for the beach community we got bombed by a new commerce and most of us were undone and are only now re-recovering what was lost - again trying to realize the dream but we are older now and there is an influx of newer younger city slicker surfer's who've come in and changed the very nature of what it means to be "a surfer" in S.F..
E: How did you get the nickname "Bad Vibe Bob?" "Transplant from Hell": (Actual quote uttered to me in the water one day in ‘89.) Ok, ok - ok. So I wasn't BORN is San Francisco. I was born in the California Hospital on Hope St. in Los Angeles in 1959. OK ????!!!!!!! So what. In '84 I moved here after being a three time college dropout in Santa Barbara and bailing to Hawaii every other semester. Came up here to finish my English degree at S.F. State and to surf. My Dad had been here since '75 with a lithography business on Sheridan Street south of Market. I saw the waves.
Thanks to OB it took me 9 extra yrs. to graduate. Kidding. How easy do you think it was turning around to surf instead of attend class? Heading to State -- to my right are insane waves - no one out and perfect. Not one soul. Coulda gone to Berkeley but... I met "Rusty" the boxer right off in '84. He was among a few others surfing bigger waves in the middle. We became friends in the water and for years it was him pushing me into bigger and bigger surf. I'd come in from surfing and my neighbor on 48th x Lawton used to look at me and say shit like, "Boxing again?," or, "You're alive?!" or, "You like like you've been 9 rounds with a boxer." "I was," I'd say. We used to CHARGE! I was 31 and ready for anything. Trouble came on small days. Locals in that day were a mean bunch of mother fuckers. I quit surfing VF's in 90. I'd get into it all the time. Seemed that even though I got great waves I was kind of looked down upon for being a tranny. Plus I was super hyper - I have always been a mover - can't sit and wait for waves - can't do it. Gotta keep moving. Some people think it's too aggressive but I can't help it. Sorry.
I wouldn't get into fist fights in parking lots like some people I know - it was always a punch me in the face - in the water - out of the blue thing by some ugly crusty focker jealous that he was getting fat and my era of surfers was taking over sandbars that had previously been deeply guarded or never surfed! After a few too many shots to the head I decided to completely withdraw. I became sullen and I'd give stink eye to just abut everyone I saw in the water. It was ugly. My face was ugly. Then one day out at Noriega "Rusty" paddles out in the glare and I don't really see his face so I flash him a death stare and he shouts, "Fuck....dude..., HEY!, "Bad Vibe"!!!!!!!! DUDE WHATTTTTSSSSSSSUP. That's it !!! you're new name! I love it!!!!!?" If you knew Steve L. you'll remember him as basically a fun loving individual, always upbeat for the most part, he had a way of endearing himself to you even though his other side was a brawling surf animal. I don't know what ever happened to "Rusty," might be just like him to pull a Charlie Walker. Thus "Bad Vibe" was born. I kind of liked it, but it sure did get me into a lot of trouble...still does. Didn't help that SURFER, SURFING and TSJ perpetuated the myth in the '90s by publishing my lunatic rants...signed, BVB.
E: (answers to the following questions have been condensed into one answer by Bob)
BVB:Questions 3,4,5, 6 and 7: Cut to 2004. I can think of 30 guys over 40 years old who are still ready punch the first chump that gets out of line. 'What is out of line'? you ask. It's the same here as anywhere. We have a hundred years or more of California surfing families. Let's face it - very few people are actually local, AS IN BORN IN CALIFORNIA. Then there's the dry land social pecking order and line-up hierarchy to deal with. All contestable issues but a moot point when one is knee deep in an argument or an altercation in the water or on the beach. I've seen a lot of fights, been witness to some sick shit here and in Hawaii. Pure localism and random moods in the water - I would say if you feel "vibed" look or paddle the other way - but whatever you do do DO NOT engage anyone - it isn't worth it to any of us anymore...mostly... What used to rile me most back then were the selfish surfers arriving in the early '90s.The word was out thanks to countless articles and actual pictures of perfect ocean beach in every conceivable surf mag. Imagine our reaction to seeing everything exposed - all in one day and its over. The twisted inverted thing was that the locals here that had become my friends KIND OF left it up to me to start the shit - like it had become my responsiblity; they sat back and watched - happy that at least someone was saying and doing something about all the poseurs. 'Oh', but let's never mind certain individuals selling out to the forces of popular media; Daniel Duane, Warshaw, Ben Marcus, Chris Isaak, "Doc" or even my attempts with "Surf Trip" to unite all these various OB factions. Instead of honoring what used to be a genuine culture our shit backfired and now we are knee deep in a crowd of our own making. Now you are what they were and we still are; there is no way to stop time. EXPLOITERS ALL. Not that I'm Terry Fitzgerald or anything but I think the new breed of OB surfer is what gets to me the most. These people bring their MAG attitudes, hair gel and sun block into the lineup as if it's some kind of soiree. If you're so hot and so fucking tough what the fuck are you doing here? - go hang with the North Shore gang and see how long you last. And to top it off said individuals usually have no raw talent or actual surfing ability. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! Here there and EVERYWHERE - hanging out and "acting" cool. "Surfers" who travel in packs bother me. How do they ever decide on where to surf? I used to travel with friends but no more - not time, plus I like going where I go and I am very comfortable. I see Suv portazoo's packed with 6 boards and four guys and Gidget and it's like, ‘What'?! For me, instead of tarketing certain deserving individuals like I used to for necessary ridicule, waxing windows or flattening two tires, these days I manage my anger and energy by putting it into the actual act of surfing. It matters not to me what the hell. What matters most is the time I have in the water. It is about me. It is about the wave. It is mine. A selfish solitary pursuit indeed. All of us out there trying to achieve perfect oneness in a jammed shit sea. Call it aging, call it mellowing, call it focused - whatever the heck, - I don't have the time to worry about anyone else anymore. I am a friendly person - not at all the DICK I used to be - 'right...' some who know best would say. Give way if there is a backdoor and don't drop in - pretty basic advice for surfing anywhere don't you think?
E: You lived on Oahu for three years. How did that experience change your perspective on surfing/localism/commitment? We took the offer without a moments hesitation. I could not pack fast enough. Plus we had been evicted from our $700.00 a month studio in the Sunset during the same month she got word about the transfer... so. It was tough leaving here after 18 years. I'd finally found a calling as an arts curator. That gig took me to places unimagined, Tahiti, Milan Italy, New York, places and exposure unimagined. At the same time given all the strife in this town it was time to leave. I'd thought I'd died and gone to paradise just like promised. We were put up at the 'W' Honolulu for a month. It lies in the shadow of Diamond Head at Waikiki. Reality set in after a week. If you've ever tried to find a place to rent in Honolulu or near it you know the score. Next to impossible. There is no such thing as a 'Rent Tech'. You're on your own. You, newspaper and phone and NO FUCKING PETS! We knew absolutely no one. I did have a few contacts but those were for later when it came to time to grovel for a job which I never got. Thanks anyway to all you folks at The Hon Academy, HCM State Foundation on Culture and the Arts etc., etc. My three years surfing on Oahu taught me one thing: HUMILITY. I was on my own surfing the north and south shores - died and gone to paradise has a price. I gravitated to Laniakea mostly - I felt comfortable in the long rights and the crew out there after awhile kind of got used to my ugly black tomato face. I surfed Sunset a bunch - haggled it out with all the rest. Never been been so humbled in my life as out there. Roger Erickson once said to me that I should try to take off behind the bowl and pull in - that way my light pintail pencil thin gun would be out of the wind... right. Anyone who's surfed it knows what I'm talking about - even on small days the wave will kick your ass - I'm laughing but its not funny. heavy. The thing about Hawaii and surfing is ability. You had better be on your game everytime you go out or the next time you show up you will mercilessly lose your place in the lineup. Being solo helped me survive. I was told beforehand to be careful about who I made friends with. I was told to stay away from certain areas. Areas and spots and people I did visit and then immediately understood why I had been warned. There is a very authentico brand of localism in Hawaii, all the islands: you are a visitor and you'd better know the place is steeped in Polynesian history. All the Hawaiian vibes are parading spirits inside and around your head. If not then you're a tourist and you should catch your flight home because you do not understand. I never once had a problem (lies) - partly because of my skin color and because I am an "older" surfer. No one really messes with crusty old fuckers anyway, right? Black to red to red to dark brown. Most of the folks thought I was a local until I made the mistake of opening my smart mouth and letting out some ironical or cynical mainland kind of smarty pants comment. I would go back to Ohau in a heartbeat - maybe go back t teach in a few years. I had gotten over the "island fever" after three years and was very content with my life living in Kaimuki and surfing the North shore in winter. If I wasn't surfing north east or west I was surfing Diamond Head beach with my friends. We lived two miles from it so it was a daily thing, "Cliffs" at 4, surfing 'til dark and then Bud Lights to midnight 3 days a week. My wife on the other hand was dealing with being a beautiful blonde lady living amidst the brown and Asian natives. It was tough for her she thought all city life in Honolulu would be more than it was. Honolulu is a toy town. She did the best she could but I could see her burning out on the conservatism and silly Christianity that runs rampant on that and the other islands. Oahu people are generally intolerant to outsiders of any kind. One has to seriously commit to the place and its people. The ("native?") locals tend to take their entitlement too far - I'm talking about the regular everyday folks, not surfers. You will have to go there to understand Oahu's special brand of racial hierarchy. We all know the Hawaii surf story. Advise Proceed with Caution! Rents on Oahu were astronomical, jobs scarce. Housing prices are the same as you would find here. Nice place: 890,000.00! Shitty fixer upper: 500,000.00. Best of it all I made some of the best friends ever. Friends for life.
E: (Bob answered the following questions as one)
Take Two: I've traveled all over the world surfing and don't really have a favorite wave. Outer islands Tahiti are pretty unreal but I'm not giving away specifics... no way. Home is longboarding Rincon cove and of course the 'Bu' and Point Dume in summer. I can't believe I'm still surfing the coast like I am at this age.
Work: I saw this horrid thing in a magazine where Herbie Fletcher is displaying at Julian Schnables sons gallery a set of 20 broken boards in a pile and the title of the piece is, "I am Herbie the Dick." Playing it off as "art." The art world is a selfish and self serving eat-its-own- beast. Artists know this. As an curator I was witness to a lot of petty political in-fighting. I am definetly over producing shows for people. Selfish bastards. You know who you are. Not to say that I'm not still working a genre. There are things in the works but I can't say anything for fear of my copyrights being lifted again. If anyone is curious about the shows I'm talking about look up and old TSJ from 2000-02, or check out David Carson's "The Art History of Surfing" published in conjunction with the farce out of Laguna from last summer. In the immediate future I'm thinking of going back to SF State this summer to finish the teaching credential I left behind and at least get back to real work for next year. Then next month I am pitching an idea to Larry Flynt in L.A.. I've had this idea brewing for quite some time... See you in the water - thank kindness. BVB
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