This month we’re going to take a journey into the world of Pete Long.
Pete does a lot- skating, snowboarding, surfing, blogging, flying, driving, coaching, travelling, posing and loving- usually all in one week. I first saw Pete having a few sneaky drinks for lunch at the River Inn bar down at Thredbo last ski season- big pants, big hoody, big crew and big smile.

A mutual friend told me he lived in Bondi when he wasn’t busy being uberman, so I found him on facestalk, told him about our little ionbondi.com adventure, and we met down at Bondi’s ‘Big Bluey’ skatebowl for his regular ‘Wednesday Shred’. At the time, Pete was recovering from a bad case of the flu (not that I could tell), and was down there helping a mate find his feet after spending 15 years out of the skate bowl. He’s a very smooth skater- his height and build help with that, and although he was pretty sick, he was pulling out some big airs and tricky stalls. His mate wan’t that bad either (hey there buddy!), but after about an hour he took a bit of a spill and corked his knee (getting old has its symptoms) and while I played nurse on the grassy knoll (esky bag, Coopers and smokes) Pete kept battling it out in the deep end. Now it’s not until you watch a skater try a trick over, and over, and over again, that you truly get a sense of how talented they really are, and the mental battles they fight when their line doesn’t stick. Pete, however, is one of those positive kinda people… takes a breath, thanks the skatebowl for not breaking any of his bones, and does it all again…

*So who are you, and where are you from?
My name is Pete Long, I grew up in Bankstown in Sydney’s Inner West, and now live and love in Bondi.

*How long have you living the skating/surfing/snowboarding lifestyle?
I’ve been skateboarding since I was 7 years old, and I’m pretty sure I’m actually addicted to it. Surfing has been a part of my life since I was a teenager, but living so far from the coast as a kid simply meant that every time we got to the waves, it was ‘on like donkey kong’. I did my first trip to the snow in ‘98, and have been travelling and competing overseas and locally, within both lifestyles, for the past 12 years. I am ever so grateful to live on our beautiful continent, that’s for sure!

*Are you park, street or bowl... or all 3?
I grew up skating vert, bowls and old school jump ramps… those days still bring a smile to my heart!

*Any broken bones? Worst stack?
I have been pretty fortunate in the injury department, however the years of abuse are taking their toll on my ankles. But I keep it at bay through daily yoga and just trying to look after my body in general. I still feel like that 12 year old when I’m about to drop in though, and this is my main attraction- the addiction I step back to so often… a certain meditative state that grounds me to no end.

*Do you have a signature move?
Well tricks like ‘double corks’ and 1260’s are now the everyday norm in my snowboarding, and I can see how much my skating over the years, is keeping me in the game. There’s a big advantage in both surfing and snowboarding if you have the skateboarding thing down- it makes the transition of bowl tricks to jumps a hell of a lot easier.

*Are you sponsored?
I am signed with Dinosaurs Will Die snowboards and have about 8 other sponsors; Ashbury eyewear, ElmCompany headwear, Etnies, Thirtytwo, 3rdchapter clothing, Go Natural snack bars, Celtek gloves & Skullcandy headphones.

*How do you psych yourself up before hitting those big air booters?
I use music in general to inspire and motivate me in life, and also to psych myself up for big events. Hitting 100 foot jumps on my snowboard definitely requires some mental strength, and I find that music gets me into the zone, so to speak.

*What were you doing in the States, and how did you end up in that line of work?
This Northern winter, I stepped back from the ‘guest pro’ coaching role I have had for the past four seasons. Although it allowed me some solid time on the snow, I felt that a lot of the kids were beyond the skill level of most of their “coaches/instructors”, and I felt that they would be better served with some one on one coaching. In saying that, this season I took on more of a coach/manager/mentor role with one of Australia’s up and coming rulers Hugh Marsden (remember that name peep’s, he is sure to blow many a mind in the future!) I also have a couple of other young bucks’ parents showing interest in what I’m doing, so I dare say that may become a bigger part of my career down the line. I have worked with kids at various levels over my life, from youth work for South Sydney Youth Services (Redfern council), to helping out wherever I can, when I’m at home with ‘The Right Push” skate clinics, run by the amazingly selfless folks at Westsyde Connection in Dulwich Hill.

*How many weeks per year do you think you ride?
Including the coaching side of things, I’d say about 24 weeks of the year.

*Is there a place you really want to ride, but haven’t yet?
On the hit list for my snowboarding would be, in no particular order, Alaska, Lebanon, Chilli… mmm… damn the list goes on! But yeah, so many amazingly beautiful parts of this world that I dare say will be copping a bit of Pete lovin’ at some stage.

*Favourite place to surf/skate/ride?
To skate is without a doubt Big Bluey at Bondi, snowboarding would have to be either Lake Tahoe, USA or Niseko, Japan, and surfing… wow.. tough one, but would have to be Diamond Head/ Forster area on the NSW Mid North Coast. Just so mellow up there, amazing humans and no real negative vibes out in water.

*What do you love about living in Bondi?
More and more in my older years, I am being drawn to the ocean, hence my choice of Bondi when I’m in the country. Amazing beaches, Big Bluey, great food, and always a bit of culture to embrace… be it art shows or gigs at the beachy (Beach Road Hotel). I like to surround myself with creative, somewhat spiritual beings, and Bondi has always attracted these folk...

*Best thing you’ve ever witnessed?
I am blessed on a daily basis to see, feel and live this life’s magic- no one time could I point out as a favourite. Every sunset, sunrise, something as simple as a snowflake falling in front of my eyes and touching down on my nose, paddling out into a sparkling, blue ocean only to be greeted by a pack of dolphins… damn the list goes on! If you are open to it and let love live, those silly bumper stickers that say “magic happens” really start to make sense ha ha.

*And finally, some last words of wisdom?
This is my life, it is my one time to be me. I want to experience every single good thing… You can only become truly accomplished at something you love, so don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them with your whole heart. And remember, if you have much, give from your wealth; if you have little, give from your heart.

Play safe my friends!
Much Peace, Love & Light to all
Gratitude

P&L

Still want more??? Pete recently returned from Lake Tahoe USA, after an epic season snowboarding, blogging and generally running a muck. There are a tonne of videos on www.vimeo.com and www.youtube.com, and he is also a contributor on www.snowboardermag.com.au, and has regular blogs on www.whitegoldway.blogspot.com

Tamarama photographer “Paul Blackmore”

A guy walks into a bar…. hears a girl with a voice like a motorbike, and a fire in her belly… sits, gobsmacked in amazement… and shakes his head- Who is this girl, and why isn’t she on my ipod? Her name is Genevieve Chadwick, the bar is the Beach Road Hotel, and the guy is some random that came and stood next to me when I watched her play at the Lovejam festival. Genevieve is one of those people that you can’t tear your eyes off once she starts playing. She has a real smokehouse kinda voice, and sings with so much emotion and strength that you feel like her songs are being played in your ribcage. This month, Genevieve launches her debut album; Riding the Wind Forgetting Time, and starts the official launch tour with a heap of gigs you can go watch. If there is one musician you see play live this month, make sure you see Genevieve Chadwick- she was one of the major highlights that night, and I still find myself having conversations with strangers about “the awesome curly haired blonde chick with a rough as guts voice”...

*Where do you live?
My car, South Coast NSW or with my partner in Sydney?!

*Besides music, do you have another occupation?
Living!

*How did you get into music?
I was a bloody hyperactive child that always needed something to do and finally I found the guitar, which developed into a hobby and a passion. It naturally progressed into my career.

*What style do you classify yourself as?
Blues roots rock (that sounds like blues is having sex with rock)

*How many times do you play a week?
On average... fuck, well last year I played 80 gigs in 52 weeks which averages around a couple a week. At times it can be more and sometimes I’ve played 2 or 3 gigs in a day.

*How long did it take to make the album?
10 months, this little baby was overdue for sure!

*Is there an assortment of songs you’ve written throughout your career on the album, or did you write the songs specifically for it?
It’s a collection of where I’ve been in the last three or four years. There are more recent songs on it which are closer to what i’m doing now like “You Don’t Know”, “Tell Me Lies”, “One Time Thing” and “Ease Up”.

*How do you go about writing your songs (inspiration, music or lyrics first etc)?
Sometimes I write something cool on guitar and then start writing a song, or I find a great piece of music I’ve written and try to write words for it. It is easier when I have a melody and idea in my head and then try and transcribe it... Mostly I’m inspired to write the song.

*What are the most important things you’ve learnt on your musician journey?
I understand the term “That’s Show Bizz babe”, and that it’s better to be free than chained. Oh AND all you need is a smile!

*Best thing about your job?
I don’t have a job, I have a lifestyle and its fucking great. If you were to call it a job, the best bit would be that I get to be myself. The more “me” I am the better, and that’s appreciated.

*What is on the Genevieve Chadwick to-do-list for the year?
I wanna go overseas and play music anywhere and everywhere.

*Best thing about living/playing in Bondi?
Bondi is the land of the “beautiful people”, but it’s coastal and I’m familiar with that. I like the vibe and I like the “live” music scene here.

*Any last words of wisdom?
Be brave, be strong, be free.

Genevieve is hitting the road. Check out the dates for her upcoming gigs and get your asses down to see her… cause fuck, she’ll blow you away!

April 9 2011
The Roxbury Hotel,
Glebe, Sydney

April 16 2011
The Grand Junction Hotel
Maitland, NSW

June 5 2011
Bondi the Beautiful
Bondi, NSW

Meeting a successful person can be a moving experience. The ability to learn from the lives they’ve lead the mistakes they’ve made and the opportunities they’ve taken can in turn harbour our own aspirations in a similar field. Being the impressionable young man that I am, I like to gravitate towards these people in the hope that feeding off their excellence will some how help in my own personal endeavours. So far, to no avail.
Meeting a person who is on the cusp of excellence is something different. Its like what I assume buying a Warhol print before he died would be, or purchasing Apple shares just before iPod’s were released; this sense of impending greatness that isn’t justifiable just now but you can feel it in your gut that its going to happen. David Joshua Ford is this to a tee.

Interestingly, one of the first things I discovered about David’s early life before we met, was the fact that he grew up without a television. Probably not that significant of a loss to most, but for a budding director this places him in a highly unique position amongst most people of his age. As opposed to approaching the media from the, for the lack of a better phrase, ‘Americanised’ perspective that most seem to have experienced, David’s lack of exposure to such a structure for film and television means that his vision is still somewhat unadulterated. Like I said, rare for a man of 27 years.

An undergraduate from Charles Sturt and a recent graduate from Directing at the renowned AFTRS (Australian Film, Television and Radio School) obviously means he isn’t running around the world oblivious to the last twenty years of cinematic achievements, however it still seems to place him a distinct category of his own. His attention to narrative and character development for example is reflective of this early and unusually high exposure to literature in the absence of a television. His meticulous fascination with people and their relationships with not only each other but with the world in which they live is something that can only be likened to the plot of a brilliant novel.

I first heard of David after reading of his submission for the Bondi Short Film Festival in 2010. His documentary “Lillie” depicts the world of a four-year-old girl, contrasting her relatively sheltered upbringing against the fragility and trauma of her mother’s childhood. The portrait covers three generations of women who pull together to form an eclectic family unit in the absence of their men. David was intrigued by Lillie’s natural candour and wanted to explore the sense of wonder that a child holds for the world.
Other notable projects of his include his contribution to the Fanging It travel series on ABC2 and a self-produced documentary titled Children With Hope filmed in Mozambique and broadcast on pay TV in Australia bad overseas. More recently, David presented the Channel 31 music program, Scout TV.

David’s talents also transcend genres with a striking collection of travel photography accompanying his achievements in film. Trips to South East Asia, Africa, North America and Europe have been captured by this ability of his to apprehend certain emotions and experiences so vividly in his work; not simply to record the sights one sees whilst on holidays which is a trap most travellers with a camera tend to fall into.
Sitting with David in Gould St, was like sitting with a friend dreaming about what’s going to happen once school is finished or uni is done and all the options that lay ahead. Listening to him talk about his work was not dissimilar to hearing an artist describe the meaning of a painting; there just constantly seems so much substance to what he does. Calling his future ‘bright,’ seems too cliché a word for such a unique person. Blindingly iridescent may be more fitting for David is that Warhol painting. Watch this space.

For more information please visit David’s website www.davidjoshuaford.com