The title track off The Tourmaliners new Album "El Gato." The song is inspired loosely by legendary Malibu surf pioneer Mickey Dora. Dora was a provocative figure—the greatest to ever surf Malibu and a stunt surfer in Read more
The title track off The Tourmaliners new Album "El Gato." The song is inspired loosely by legendary Malibu surf pioneer Mickey Dora.
Dora was a provocative figure—the greatest to ever surf Malibu and a stunt surfer in classic Hollywood beach films like Gidget. While he often mocked the industry for destroying surf culture, he also took their paychecks. He was later pursued by the FBI for fraud, and researchers have suggested that the film Catch Me If You Can was loosely based on his life. Brian Bent felt a personal connection to Dora’s story, noting that in the mid-60s, Dora teamed with Greg Noll to create the "Da Cat" surfboard—known to those near Mexico as "El Gato."
The album is an adventure in stretching the sonic boundaries of surf guitar. While some tracks are traditional, the record can be dark and mysterious, mirroring Dora’s own temperament. If you have the guts to paddle out into the lineup with Dora, then you can handle this new creative effort by The Tourmaliners!
Dora was a provocative figure—the greatest to ever surf Malibu and a stunt surfer in classic Hollywood beach films like Gidget. While he often mocked the industry for destroying surf culture, he also took their paychecks. He was later pursued by the FBI for fraud, and researchers have suggested that the film Catch Me If You Can was loosely based on his life. Brian Bent felt a personal connection to Dora’s story, noting that in the mid-60s, Dora teamed with Greg Noll to create the "Da Cat" surfboard—known to those near Mexico as "El Gato."
The album is an adventure in stretching the sonic boundaries of surf guitar. While some tracks are traditional, the record can be dark and mysterious, mirroring Dora’s own temperament. If you have the guts to paddle out into the lineup with Dora, then you can handle this new creative effort by The Tourmaliners!
