What happened to the great Aussie surf magazine? I now live in Europe and every time I used to come home I would load up on surf mags for myself, and then pass them on to other expats over here.
The last few times I didn't bother as firstly I could hardly afford more than two, and I can't tell the difference between Tracks, ASL or any of the others anymore.
Tracks was my bible as a grom, but these days it seems a million miles from the old original, can't even wipe your bum with the glossy pages these days if your caught short at the public dunny or sand dunes.
I stumbled on Stab a couple of years ago, and thought I had found something new and interesting, especially after the article on Sarge, a magazine that wasn't following the corporate machine, unfortunately it has now also started towing the line, then a few days ago I saw this heading on their website:

CREED MCTAGGART, A SWERVE CAPTURED FROM THE IRON BUTTERFLY, WA

When did a carve become a swerve? And who calls a helicopter an iron butterfly?
I have never heard anyone talk like this
Rant over

ASL and tracks were my favs as a grom too, havent bought either for years. As far as Aussie mags go Surfing World still puts out a descent read. The last couple on Gerry Lopez and MP were awsome from cover to cover.

I am also a huge fan of The Surfers Path, its got a really good mix - worth reading and viewing. Surprizes me that it comes from the UK and its a pretty cheap subscription!

crusher said...

ASL and tracks were my favs as a grom too, havent bought either for years. As far as Aussie mags go Surfing World still puts out a descent read. The last couple on Gerry Lopez and MP were awsome from cover to cover.

I am also a huge fan of The Surfers Path, its got a really good mix - worth reading and viewing. Surprizes me that it comes from the UK and its a pretty cheap subscription!

+ 1

Perfectly said.

Surfing world is the pick of a bad bunch

The last one on mr pipeline was cool, the MP one was nicely done too..

Tracks lost it years ago, it's not even worth reading for free in the newsagent or crib room...

And asl is a sad imposter of what it once tried to be...

yep i will go surfing world out off a bad bunch

smicko said...

Stab was only ever a lacklustre imitation of Underground Surf from the '90s, which in itself was crass, tasteless dross.
Perhaps we just grow less antidisestablishmentarian as we grow up and develop a little taste.

yes I agree - but I would probably also add that the mags were aimed at a certain segment of the market age wise - they have stayed there - whilst we have all grown up / aged!!!!!! Sometimes I feel let down that they never moved with me.........but Surfers Journal and Path have attempted to bridge that gap.

Ted the Kiwi said...

smicko said...

Stab was only ever a lacklustre imitation of Underground Surf from the '90s, which in itself was crass, tasteless dross.
Perhaps we just grow less antidisestablishmentarian as we grow up and develop a little taste.

yes I agree - but I would probably also add that the mags were aimed at a certain segment of the market age wise - they have stayed there - whilst we have all grown up / aged!!!!!! Sometimes I feel let down that they never moved with me.........but Surfers Journal and Path have attempted to bridge that gap.

I get ASL and SW, Tracks and waves are just copies of ASL imo with almost all of the same content.

Used to love ASL years back.

The Feltch comic was good reading for my 10yr old mind

They might send me a "SUPs are for queers" sticker

doggie said...

Torch said...

Torch said...

The Surfers Past

Surfers Path sorry

I just sent a copy of this thread to Tracks, see what happens....

They will ignor it I would think but hey, we are the readers.

forum.insidesport.com.au/Inside-Sport/Surfing
www.tracksmag.com.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5

Dawn Patrol said...

That is an epic collection!

And I have also noticed the steady decline of boobs included in the mags.

That's what hurts the most...

Yes, the boobs. Please bring them back (.Y.)

Only buy them now if they have a dvd, but over the last year or so even the dvd's have gone to crap
And most of them have short 3 second snippets of some young guys busting airs in crappy slop.
No more road trips, no more boobs, no more epic surf. WTF

actualy found a set of actual boobs in surfing world, now i go to boarding school and in the library they have fishing, water skiing, shooting, and pigging mags and the funny thing is they pull any pics of girls out but me and my mates were stoaked when we found an actual pair of propper tits !!!!! they were out of the bikini !!

AndyEliotH said...

actualy found a set of actual boobs in surfing world, now i go to boarding school and in the library they have fishing, water skiing, shooting, and pigging mags and the funny thing is they pull any pics of girls out but me and my mates were stoaked when we found an actual pair of propper tits !!!!! they were out of the bikini !!

You remind me of me at your age lol

What ever happened to this guy, he was my idol at 13, my parents didn't want me buying surf magazines when they saw the stuff he was getting up to