Surfer A Go Go -photo from my original artwork scan. Download to see full size. Every Saturday my band, The Challengers Band, did a TV show called Hollywood A Go-Go. Rick Griffin often tagged along. I remember him sitting against the side wall when the Byrds first did the show... and when the Rolling Stones came. So... When John Severson left Surfer Magazine for a surf contest trip, look what happened! Let me quote from Snaveley Snarewell, Chief of Police, Dana Point, California. In all my years as Dana Point Police Chief, Ive never had so much trouble with SURFER Magazine than last night. My office in the hardware store started getting calls as early as eight p.m. By two oclock in the morning, there were so many complaining calls on the switchboard, that a fuse blew out. I sent our only police car driven by patrolman Blazes Boylan. But Blazes hasnt been heard from since. I radioed for assistance and 57 cars from the surrounding communities as far away as San Francisco answered the emergency. When they got to the magazine, they found it had been repainted into a night club. Yes, thats what I said---a night club. On the side of the building was a big sign: SURFER A GO GO. Outside the building the Barnum and Bunkum Circus was going full blast with hotdog stands, roller coaster rides and a wild animal trainer who lost several of his lions. A bearded man [Rick Griffin] with a straw hat and cane was selling tickets in a booth. Thousands of surfers were flocking into the building where three electric guitar bands were playing so loud that leaves were blown off palm trees four miles away. Oh, the noise was terrible. And to top things off, your secretary, Miss Philomena Zoftick, was dressed in a bikini and dancing a wild Go Go dance in a tower. Oh, it was wonderful... I mean terrible. When police tried to arrest Miss Zoftick on a charge of having too much fun in not enough clothes, the bearded ticket seller yelled, Griffin to the rescue. Then he swung on a painters scaffold like Tarzan, Grabbed Miss Zoftic and they landed on a waiting motorcycle driven by your photographer, Ron Stoner. And the last anyone saw of them, they were heading straight up Camel Back Mountain at 98 miles an hour. Naturally, were very interested in talking to them and also to you when you return from the surfing championships. So what time are you coming back to Dana Point? Also, do you have a middle initial you might like included on the warrant for your arrest on charges of running an illicit Go Go Club? Snaveley Snarewell, Chief of Police, Dana Point, California. Chine boy is driving the band truck. Friends are included, Bugs being Tim Owens, Ron Cooper, (Tara) Terry OShay... It was quite a party. Rick had 2 months to draw, between issues. It wasnt a question of filling the space with art, it was more of a contest to see what we could get by the censors at the magazine, and the advertisers in Surfer that lived Behind the Orange Curtain. If you want to see a clip of our TV Show Hollywood a Go Go click here and Im singing a song that was the basis for another of Ricks cartoon strips: https://youtube/watch?v=s6jZGMCG1_Y&feature
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 01:22:10 +0000
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