So I was listening to some of Brian Setzer’s Christmas music recently when I discovered the above surf song, “Mr. Jazzer Goes Surfing.” I know he’s done other classics, like “Sleepwalk” and “Hawaii Five-O” so I was interested to see if there was more of a Setzer-surf connection.
I couldn’t find anything saying he surfed, but I did find some interesting surf-related info about his label, Surfdog Records. The company, located near the famous Swami’s reef break in San Diego, was founded by Dave Kaplan, a former accountant and avid surfer.
Interestingly, Kaplan started surfing in his native Phoenix — which had a Big Wave Surf Pool he and his friends would visit. Later, he moved to LA and surfed there while working as an accountant. Eventually, he ditched the suit and entered the music business, signing UB40 as his first client.
Through the years other clients would include Freddy Mercury, Butthole Surfers, Gary Hoey, Dave Stewart and even Harry Perry – that turban-wearing dude who plays guitar while roller skating in Venice Beach.
Surfdog has put out dozens of albums and has landed its artists’ music on numerous TV shows and movies. But while it’s serious about music, it also values quality of life — and surfing. From the web site:
“If we’re out at a board meeting, and the surf is good, you’ll know what we’re really up to.”
Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by Pat
Filed under: Music, Surf stuff
I wouldn’t mind being a musical artist on Surfdog. It sounds like a fun company.
Gary Hoey has made a career out of making Christmas albums for Surfdog. Not exactly a lightweight.