Hello Jaimie and Dogtown and Dorje
well what am I asking..... hmmmmmmmmmm. I'm not asking a simple question though, of course, it is obvious that I am simple.
In the heyday of Australian Kneeboard media coverage, arguably 1974 to 1982, there were a two major and several minor media players. Surfing world, Tracks, Breakaway, Seanotes, come to mind.
A brief glance down the contributor list of the major magazines' staff photogs might give us, amongst others - one Ware, one Crawford, one Simon Chipper - all kneelos. A brief glance down the advertisers columns in those same mags might give us Friar Tuck (strongly represented) Hot Buttered, an occasional Crozier, and a mix of other miscellaneous kneelo manufacturers - not to mention in a one or two or five months period, a s aturation campaign of advertisements for Crystal Voyager.
As another example, as you probably know, Alby Falzon (editor of Tracks) was strongly involved (as I imagine was Tracks itself) in the making of Crystal Voyager. So, in this example, we have a George Greenough thrust upon us, not just because he is a genuis, but also because he is a "going" media concern.
Why am I blah blah blahing about this?
Drag out your media collections from that period and ask who is most strongly represented? Ask yourself why? How much of it is due to the intrinsic value of the surfer himself? How much is related to the 'old boy' foot in the door network? How much of it is related to the advertising dollar? How much of it is related to the advertorial dollar? Was Tracks for example a North Side Sydney Production that,
for the most part, ignored other areas of the country.
so when I ask
...would really like to know how much NL contributed to the development of kneeboard design in Australia ... I hear the rumours that it was major but .... unfortunately no one is (meaning was) saying.... not that it matters I suppose (never get on the wrong side of the press - )
I don't think I could be asking clearer question.
Mind you, I don't really care on the matter, but it seems obvious to me that, if Neil Luke was a major influence on Australian Kneeboarding (which it appears he was) , then such influnce has been largely ignored
by the major surf magazines of the period.
If such was the case I think it wouldn't hurt to ask why.
After all NL was away from the clutches of Terry Fitz who spawned or had some finger in the pye on for example) the shaping careers of Artis, Whiteman, Parkes.
In a way, because of his geographical isolation, that might make him unique.
A kind of Philip Island Monotreme.
Not that I know any of this... just making it up because I am bored
BTW Jaimie, thanks for picking up Don's board from my mother's house. The raffled goods form the last worlds donated by Don went down very well at the Novo CHristmas party.......
WITH the snowy backdrop, maybe a couple of snowmen on the shore watching you....