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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Before the Surf Was Up

    When John Severson moved to San Clemente as a young man, he was only one of three surfers in the whole city. In the following years, he helped popularize and shape America’s surf culture, which exploded around him. He joins us to look back on almost more than 60 years of a cultural phenomenon he helped create.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Sep 23, 2014 • 1 min read

    When John Severson moved to San Clemente as a young man, he was only one of three surfers in the whole city. In the following years, he helped popularize and shape America’s surf culture, which exploded around him. He joins us to look back on almost more than 60 years of a cultural phenomenon he helped create.

    John Severson at the office, 1959. Photo copyright John Severson via Puka Puka

    Greg Noll in Pipeline showdown, 1964. Photo copyright John Severson via Puka Puka

    Surfer Magazine Sept. 1967 Vol. 8 No. 4. Ron Stoner surf shot, Severson sunset. Photo copyright GrindMedia, LLC.

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Recruiting Jihadists, Funding Privacy Research, and More
    1. 0:00Fighting Jihadist Recruitment in L.A.
    2. 8:54Who Is Khorasan?
    3. 18:24Before the Surf Was UpYou’re reading this
    4. 30:57Google, Stanford and Privacy Research
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Andrew Walsh

      Too Beautiful to Live

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Matt Holzman

      Producer, 'The Document'

    • KCRW placeholder

      John Severson

      Surfer, artist, and founder of Surf Magazine. His new book is “John Severson’s Surf.”

      News

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Recruiting Jihadists, Funding Privacy Research, and More
    1. 0:00Fighting Jihadist Recruitment in L.A.
    2. 8:54Who Is Khorasan?
    3. 18:24Before the Surf Was UpYou’re reading this
    4. 30:57Google, Stanford and Privacy Research
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand