SURFBORT

Formed in Brooklyn, NY, and led by founding member and vocalist Dani Miller, the band’s opening shot was fired in 2016 with their EP Sufbort 7”. A clear indication of the feisty and take-no-prisoners approach that Miller and her cohorts would take. Laying down some blistering surfer, punk, DIY tracks, the follow-up EP, ‘Bort to Death’, a year later, turned the etchings they were scrawling into deep gouges and a firm statement of intent and direction. 

Friendship Music became the debut record that put the band on the map in 2018. Brief and to the point, the record scorched a blistering pace of rapid-fire tracks that came at you with the speed and veracity of a rattling gun set to maximum kill. A quick succession of mayhem neatly bottled up for your listening pleasure, available for your auditory consumption to digest on your way through the Bandcamp express lane checkout. 

Two subsequent EP’s, ‘Billy’ and ‘You Don’t Exist’, both released in 2019, saw the band defining their sound and redefining the musical landscape. At a time when things were expanding, and a solid momentum for the band was gathering pace, the sharpest of contractions occurred as the global pandemic took hold. Yet as the live music scene ground to an unprecedented halt, the band’s most aptly titled EP ‘Apocalypse Care Package’ of 2020 was the saviour that our senses needed and a middle finger to the pathogens we all longed to salute. 

After the foul taste of Covid, restrictions, face masks and staggering death toll began to be rinsed from our collective psyche, the sophomore LP ‘Keep On Truckin’ hit the stores a year later. By this time, the quartet’s sphere began to swell, and rightly so given the scintillating sounds and razor-sharp lyricism that the band were delivering. Firmly entrenched in the local scene, the devilish jams they were conjuring with unnerving ease ultimately led to far greater exposure, wide support within the DIY community and peer recognition. 

A testament to their growing fan base and broad appeal took shape in the form of who the Brooklyn outfit were keeping company with as they started performing with the likes of Interpol, Amyl &The Sniffers, Iceage and The Growlers. With their status cemented and credentials secured, some time out could be afforded. An absence from the scene provided Miller the relative luxury of time for some inward contemplation. Making sure that her creative well was plumped properly so another album could make its way through the industry S bend, and her personal hurdles had been dealt with.

Enter: Reality Star. A feverish blend of brutal humility, the distillation of hardship and rejuvenation that led to a renewed sense of vigour and appreciation. A maturation brought about by a Zen-like state of managing ambition and dealing with life’s trials and tribulations. Yet eleven years on from the opening shot of ‘Trash’, the firestarter single which kicked into gear their full tilt sonic assault, ‘Lucky’ – their lead single off Reality Star sounded like the embodiment of what put the band on everyone’s radar but with the added special sauce which comes from a new view on the world, or at very least an old head on young shoulders. 

Its searing guitar, enough to awaken any soul, and its underlying message one of supreme importance, as Miller explains. “We all wanna enjoy life right? So, the more lucky, good moments, the better. And it’s not about bypassing the bad moments, but helping you come out of them, which is so important. I wanted to create a spell, a chant, to help myself and anyone listening out of a funk! There are high moments in life and low, so this song was written in a low that got me to a better time. I will use the lucky fairy magic again and again to keep the good times rolling. I hope it has the same effect for you too!” The self-assuring track blasting away the cobwebs of doubt and any ring rust that may have taken hold due to the intervening time between albums, and the chaotic landmines life tends to leave lurking in wait.

There’s a reason, however, why ‘Lucky’ was picked to be the lead single, as Miller says, “We chose ‘Lucky’ to start because I wanted to set the tone: for everyone to be Lucky!”. And for good reason, given how wild, unpredictable and erratic the world is right now. A little bit of luck can go a long way, and perhaps a good deal more of it is needed to weather the tsunami of excrement one is expected to endure each and every day. A sentiment not lost on Miller as she details the thematic continuity that runs throughout the album. “Trying to get through this insane world together and not just survive, but have a good time with family and friends while doing it. There’s lots of processing of pain, loss, and deep nihilism, but themes of joy, togetherness, and lots of laughter, like always–comedy is so healing. We’re always fuck the government, take care of the community and friends, and have more good times before you leave the planet.”

Throughout the album, there is a dichotomy or conflict between competing visions (or perhaps they are premonitions) of life as it is, and life as it is portrayed. That notion can be found on several tracks. For example, two opposing forces such as the disillusioned ‘USA Cheese’, and the forewarning of ‘Notorious Brat’, which the two echo perfectly. This, as Miller sums up, belies the overt messaging society lays on so thick you can paint walls with it, and that the individual is a beautiful creature, no matter what the exterior, as she makes sense of it by saying. “This is just our fried-out brains trying to process life” giggles Miller. ‘USA Cheese’ comes from deep frustration with the U.S. and government. Saying, everything’s so easy is obviously sarcastic because we are just so fed up with political warfare and impossible living wages. ‘Notorious Brat’ is more of a self-discovery of figuring out you’re a freak and a brat, and that time is passing by, so don’t waste it on not being yourself.” 

Continually offering sage advice, Miller celebrates the defiance of Surfbort’s music, which in equal measure embraces hedonism and altruism. Contrasting points that Miller eloquently reiterates by saying, “There is so much pleasure, pain, and suffering in life, and most of it is out of my control, but what is in my control is that I try to bring more good times to myself and others! I definitely don’t want just pleasure for myself ! Life is so crazy, I hope to help people going through a hard time and help them get to the other side. The same way other people have helped me.”

That reciprocal care and camaraderie are clear to see in the band’s third release, and how the formation of the record differed from their previous one, and which aspects remained unchanged as the cornerstones of their sound. Miller elaborates on the processes for this album, but doesn’t ignore what defines their signature sound. “This record, we really found ourselves more in the studio, we put all our heart into it. Our process was the same: Sean Powell and I getting together and combining our weird brains, but this time we had Adam Laidlaw, who is such a great songwriter, as our guitarist, engineer and mixer of the record. Linda Perry also has one song on the Record she wrote with us, “Rebel”! We’re always wild. Surfbort sounds have unorganized song structures and a unique take on what music is.”

That wildness captured in the studio was laid down on wax for all perpetuity, but it can never mimic the raw power and exuberance of Surfborts’ live performances. There live shows are stuff of legend and when bringing their craft to the stage, that wild energy is in part born out of what Miller wasn’t seeing when going to shows as a fan, and is a blend of the unbridled electricity that surges through the band when playing to an audience and not simply going through the motions as Miller adds, “Surfbort live shows are so incredible, the energy is insane and out of this world! I used to get bored at shows that were easy listening when I was 19, so I think with having my own live shows, I tried to bring the energy I wanted to see, but also provide a place to collectively get out everyone’s angst. So naturally they were high energy and psycho. But now I enjoy calm shows as well, I think it’s fun to have a mix–romantic slow song, then dancing hard in the pit screaming and laughing and making new friends.” Keeping very good company indeed, Surfbort have performed with some killer acts, such as Interpol, Idles, and Tropical Fuck Storm. Miller shares some of those memories and a particular show that she remembers most fondly. “We love Idles, Interpol and Tropical Fuck Storm, what epic people! Touring with all of them is what dreams are made of, I’m ready for round two. Honestly, all the shows blend into one big fun party, although we had a blast doing a Butthole Surfer show at the Market Hotel, where it was just Surfbort and Gibby Haynes on a Megaphone–so fun!”

The backbone to all of Surfborts output is their DIY spirit. Nothing says more about the punk ethos and fierce urge to say something than the make it at all costs approach. That’s not in the financial sense of course, but the strident and relentless efforts to get what is important out into the public domain and to rattle the social cage. Miller recaps their creative history and methodology when recalling their approaches toward translating initial thoughts (be it t-shirt design, album cover art works, making tour poster etc) and into concrete works. “We started by recording on tape in 2014. We would screenprint our own shirts, I would typewrite out the lyrics, and collage photos. My song lyrics were written in piles of notebooks in my trashed New York basement. Sean is a painter. We write or paint out our fonts. Adam Laidlaw recorded a lot of this record in his backyard, so yes, lots of DIY stuff happening. We’re not nepo babies or fancy, and I’m so grateful to not be born rich, because it gives so much room for creativity and DIY. Our guitarist, Matt Picola would photocopy our old flyers, and it just looks and feels way better than anything a computer makes. Also, working with TODO records has been amazing; they are so supportive of the artists. Meesh and Simon Halliday doing DIY behind the scenes, as well as Pooneh Ghana who we collabed with on the ‘Hot Dog’, ‘Jessica’s Changed’ and ‘Lucky’ music videos, in a very DIY, flying-by-the-seat-of-our-pants way.” Yet, it is a quirk of life when DIY paves a way into starlight.

This rags-to-riches (minus the riches) tale crescendos when Miller thinks about the influential figures she has met and the wise words they have imparted that have stuck in her mind. “Debbie Harry told me backstage once when I was nervous about a rocky soundcheck “it’s show business baby!” Which helps me just get up there and rock it and not give a fuck and just spread the joy and have a blast don’t get so caught up in me! It’s show business baby, so let’s just give it our all on stage and give the people what they want.” A task that Surfbort need little prompting in doing, yet those wise words continue to reverberate. Especially so when Miller thinks about music scenes, the constantly moving goal posts, and linking the past with the present. “Scenes are always changing, but not in a bad way. It’s just life, new music, new vibes and things are always the same but different. I had a total blast in NY in 2016 and all around the world in 2018. I bet it’s different now, but I would love to go back to 77 New York or London and rage at shows!”

There is one immutable and unrelenting facet that Miller sees in music and what it gives to her in her life as she simply states, “friendship and love unconditionally” as the guiding principles that inform her direction, keep her motivations running at high-octane levels. Reality Star is an assessment of modernity and of the four individuals living and breathing it. A record that is as personally significant to them all as it is for those who are sharing these conditions and climates. A snapshot in time, but a statement with intent. To live, to enjoy and not to be subjugated by external forces wishing to exploit or control.