Mambo

[Laurie McGinness]

I read a newspaper article the other day about some surf shop owner buying the Mmbo brand and stating something like that he intended to re-establish it as a surf surf brand. Now I should be staright up and say that I have always had a problem with Mambo since Dare Jennings slagged off surfers in a newspaper interview a decade or so ago. Even so to claim that Mambo was ever a "surf brand" is beyond belief. "Surf brand" ? No it was more like a brand for ex eastern suburbs hippies grown into yuppies but still wanting some tiny hint of alt culture. It was (and probably remains) the brand of the middle aged never was mal rider.

Harsh? Well maybe but, tell me if I'm wrong, did they ever put a cent into surfing? Now poor old Reg probably deserved a better fate than to be have his artwork spread over so many middle aged spreads, but hey, you take the money, you live with the consequences.

Mambo? A cool dance, nothing more.

[mustkillmulloway]

i dunno.....when u say "did they ever put a cent into surfing?"

sums up pretty much your angle

they didn't pay u off....your angry

and thats only fair....cause surfing all about commercialisation or surfing "hippies grown into yuppies "

is it not :?

p.s if it wasn't for surf journalist where would be

surfing spots with half the currant crowds at a guess

[dy_fo_life]

surfing spots with half the currant crowds at a guess

better than surfing with the full sultanas no doubt??

[2nd Reef]

Mambo a surf brand? I agree with you there. They never have been. Though in their defence, I don't think they ever claimed to be one. They made shorts and tees that happened to be worn by, amongst others, surfers.

Back in the late 80's Mambo sponsored a Ramones tour of Australia. They also sponsored the first Vibes On A Summers Day in 94 and the first Big Day Out in 92. For a few years they sponsored the Merimbula Windsurfing Classic. They run (ran?) a record label producing excellent dub and reggae releases. They frequently held art exhibitions both in Australia and overseas.

Up until they were bought out by Gazal Mambo were an art company that happened to produce their art on clothes (though they also used mediums - posters, surfboards, furniture, cars and record covers). Personally I really like the art of Reg, Jeff Raglus, Richard Allan and some of the others that were commissioned by Mambo. And I also liked their pretention-free and irreverent take on serious surf culture ("More a pair of shorts than a lifestyle").

In the mid-90's their art lost it's edge and the Mambo shirt worn by the fat bloke at the BBQ became a sad stereotype. But for 10 years prior to that it was the ducks nuts, dogs bollocks and cats flaps all rolled into one. At least I thought so.

You asked what did they give to surfing? Well, they ran an APSA for a few years at Bondi in the late 80's. One of those events was combined with a 'S.T.O.P The Ocean Pollution March' and Mambo supplied the posters. They also sponsored Ces Wilson, Terepai Richmond and Matt Griggs.

Not bad for an art company.

[Beanpole]

Potted history of Mambo: Phantom Records-Some of the best independent music in Australia plus great posters in the 80s. Employed lots of washed up rock musos silkscreening t shirts and posters. Since Dare Jennings surfed as well as co-owning Phantom he decided to do a surf parody label. Mambo was born. Parodied OZ bbq culture and of course was embraced by OZ bbq culture.

Was a vehicle for a number of surf artists including Jeff Raglus who also played in the Bachelor from Prague amongst other bands. I've got a print of his on the wall I'm looking at right now. As well as employing artists who actually made critical parodies of surf culture they continued to employ a lot of ex pop stars pulling silk screens to make a buck. I reckon they've made more biting comments about our culture since they started than all the art galleries in Australia. They were never mainstream in concept but became main stream in popularity.

[porca]

Didnt they sponsor luke steadman a couple of years ago??

[clinker]

One of the most creative clothng brands in world during their cultural peak in the late 80's early 90's.

Mambo's willingness to let artists create product without being concerned
with it's commercial success ( to a degree ) was a forerunner to a lot of the surf and fashion companies on how they promote themselves today. ( Volcom Hurley, RVCA etc. )

They certainly dropped plenty of advertising dollars into the Australian surf market. ( which probably stopped a few surf jounalists from going hungry ).

Its a shame it turned into a pile when Dare sold it ( but then again it was
his vision )

[Beanpole]

Of course Lozza they also didn't attempt to dominate surf culture or create a star system or end up being worn by kids and parents from Penrith to Tiera Del Fuego.

I can only hope a few real surf brands fall out of fashion soon so the global hegenomy can contract.

[Boozer]

Off tangent a bit, but I heard the original owners of Hot Tuna sold the business because they were sick of seeing labourers up Taree way wearing 8108's.

They wore them because they were one of the most durable boardies ever made.

[boardscape avalon]

oh and please lets not forget the australian olympic team uniforms.......SHIT out of touch company , that never wanted really put anything back into surfing, , thats that....

[Laurie McGinness]

Aaah mulloway without surf journalism where would I be? Wealthier that's for sure. My entire earnings as a "surf journalist" would probably fund a reasonable life style for a month or two. I had opportunities to do a lot better but I didn't like the developing business culture and over-promotion that was happening in the late seventies so I bailed and did very little after that, certainly nothing that contributed to the mainstream marketing of surfing.

I stand by my original point, Mambo promoted themselves as a surf brand but never put very much back. Their status as backers of "art" and music is a matter of personal taste. Their art work never really appealed to me but I can see how some might have liked it. I seem to remember that the current owner described them as one of the top four surf brands in the world which would seem to be absurd.

Personally I avoid all the major surf brands except when buying actual surfing gear, but I recognise that while I dislike much of what they have done, they have acted with some integrity in the sense that they continued, for better or worse, to invest in surfing.

[Beanpole]

oh and please lets not forget the australian olympic team uniforms.......SHIT out of touch company , that never wanted really put anything back into surfing, , thats that....

So I guess you don't carry their gear.

The idea that they can turn around and promote themselves as a straight surf brand is probably absurd but they will probably get away with it. The fact that the new owners think they are is a worry. Lets face it the company was a joke...and a very successful one. I'm sure many serious surfers would find them annoying.

What about Captain Goodvibes?
What did that pig ever put back into surfing?

[Beanpole]

Off tangent a bit, but I heard the original owners of Hot Tuna sold the business because they were sick of seeing labourers up Taree way wearing 8108's.

They wore them because they were one of the most durable boardies ever made.

Now theyre at Myers
At least Quikripabong is happy for labourers to sport their clothes.
Must of been lonely at Saltwater if you were sick of the locals wearing your duds. I think Id be shaking their hand and returning to my big mansion near the point in my Cayene.

[g_u_m_b_y]

who cares.
they sponsor sam patterson from cenral coast too.

[Laurie McGinness]

What about Captain Goodvibes?
What did that pig ever put back into surfing?

He stopped us taking ourselves too seriously for at least a decade! Now if Mambo had come with an icon like that I wouldn't have had any problem.

[Hano]

nice

[2nd Reef]

What about Captain Goodvibes?
What did that pig ever put back into surfing?

He stopped us taking ourselves too seriously for at least a decade! Now if Mambo had come with an icon like that I wouldn't have had any problem.

Laurie, I was reluctant to say that you had missed the point of Mambo but after a post like that you obviously have.

Mambo's raison d'etre was a reaction against the serious clothing labels of the day that traded on the 'hardcore' surfing image. They took the piss out of Bong / Quik & Rip with their earnest claims of 'wear our clothes, live the lifestyle'.

They were the antidote to an industry that took itself very seriously after the surf boom of the 80's.

Do you get the joke now?

[boardscape avalon]

son of goodvibes........... GONAD MAN....