It’s funny, but you know a guy is really into surfing if he uses a lot of surfing metaphors when talking about other stuff.
And that’s just what happened this week when I interviewed Alejandro Escovedo for a future Ticket story. He was describing getting on stage with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band — despite having had no time to rehearse.
“It was like dropping into a huge wave — you’re committed, and you just have to go for it,” he said.
I didn’t even know Escovedo surfed — until I did some research, reading past interviews. The former punk rocker, now critically acclaimed as an Americana rock guy, grew up in Orange County, so it makes sense.
“The ocean is so meditative and beautiful,” he told me when I asked if he gets song ideas while in the lineup. “Yeah, you can totally dream and dream and dream out there — until the next wave comes, and you’d better be aware and awake.”
While he went on a surf trip to Mexico before writing his current album, “Big Station,” surfing has been more limited since he moved back to San Antonio — where he lived until he was 8 years old.
“It’s hard to be away from the ocean,” he said.
‘
Escovedo is one of several surfing musicians I’ve interviewed. Others include G. Love, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Chris Isaak, Colbie Callait and the late Clarence Clemons, who surfed with Springsteen and the E Street Band in the early days.
Escovedo has surfed the Central Coast but mostly Rincon and around Vandenburg. When he comes to San Luis Obispo to perform at SLO Brew Aug. 17, he said he might rent a board.
“I haven’t surfed up there in a long time,” he said.
Interestingly, he has a Tribune connection. His bass player, Bobby Daniel, is the brother of Stacy Daniel, who recently worked for The Tribune as a reporter before moving to the Bay Area.
No related posts.
Recent Comments