Lee-Ann Curren on the magic of music and surf

Lee-Ann Curren on the magic of music and surf
In partnership with LSFF — The French surfer and musician talks about her latest role as jury president for this year’s London Surf Film Festival.

Lee-Ann Curren is a polymath: she’s equally at home in the sea scoring waves as she is in the studio making music, or on stage captivating crowds. 

The French surfer was in the UK last weekend serving as jury president for the annual London Surf Film Festival – and true to form, she’s involved in three different projects showing there. This includes Musical Voyages, a recorded road trip with Curren and cinematographer Patrick Trefz, and the world premiere of Translate; an immersive, audiovisual surf experiment from award-winning filmmaking team Chris McClean and CJ Mirra. As the festival wound down, we caught up with Lee-Ann to find out more about the projects, and her view on the relationship between surf and music.

 

page break

Music and surfing always seem interwoven in your projects – have the two creative elements always been important in your life? 
They both have always been super important, as far as I can remember. Music has always impacted me so much emotionally and surfing has a beauty that makes it like no other sport. The two combined well can make some of the most inspiring pieces. What inspires me is seeing other people’s unique and different approaches; how everyone ‘tunes into different channels’. They can take you along with their art or their surfing, and make you explore exciting paths.

Do you enjoy the live element of music? Do you see a link between the act of surfing and playing music live? 
I enjoy the live element more and more. I think you could compare free surfing to just jamming with your friends, and surfing in an event to playing a show, because there is a public and that adds another element to the way you perform. It gets fun when you forget about your nerves or fear of being judged, and just purely enjoy what you do.

You were part of the Translate world premiere at LSFF. How did you come to work with Chris McClean and CJ Mirra? 
I met Chris McClean when he invited me on a cycling and surf trip in the Hebrides, Scotland around two years ago. He showed me some of CJ Mirra’s music which I loved instantly. Then John (CJ Mirra) helped me with the sound for a little show I played at LSFF later on – that’s how we met, we talked about making music together and we’ve been making tracks here and there when I’m in London.


Tell us about Musical Voyage, the film you made with Patrick Trefz? 
I wrote and recorded a few tracks for his film Surfers Blood a few years back, and Patrick had the idea to make a little film kind of to follow my creative process and roots in the Basque Country, France and California. I think he feels attached to these places himself we have a lot of creative ‘connections’ so it was cool to have this little project together. 

You also have a third film you were involved with premiering at LSFF – you did the soundtrack to Tan Madonna with Alex Knost. How did that collaboration come about?
Yes! Alex was in France about this time last year working on a surf flick. We surfed and played a little improvised show at Margaux’s art gallery. The music we made became the whole soundtrack, which was a nice surprise.

Can you tell us a little about your latest personal music project?
It’s coming along! After two albums with (my band) Betty The Shark we kind of went separate routes. I started making music under my own name. Finding my personal sound has been a journey, but I think surf soundtracks have helped me get there. I put out my first song in August, called ‘Conversations (Lightyear)’, which is a little voyage in itself – it’s seven minutes long! There will be more coming very soon, and hopefully a London show when my EP comes out in early 2020.

The 9th Annual London Surf Film Festival x VANS  was hosted 9th – 12th  October 2019 at the iconic Regent St Cinema. Review the full line up for 2019 on the official website.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Latest on Huck

“I refuse to accept child poverty is a normal part of our society”: Apsana Begum MP on voting to scrap the cap
Activism

“I refuse to accept child poverty is a normal part of our society”: Apsana Begum MP on voting to scrap the cap

After seeking to “enhance” the King’s Speech by voting for the scrapping of the controversial two child benefit cap, the MP for Poplar and Limehouse lost the Labour Whip.

Written by: Apsana Begum

Is skateboarding really a subculture anymore?
Outdoors

Is skateboarding really a subculture anymore?

With skate’s inclusion in the Olympics, Kyle Beachy asks what it means for the culture around the sport, and whether it’s possible to institutionalise an artform.

Written by: Kyle Beachy

Autism cannot be cured — stop trying
Activism

Autism cannot be cured — stop trying

A questionable study into the ‘reversal’ of autism does nothing but reinforce damaging stereotypes and harm, argues autistic author Jodie Hare.

Written by: Jodie Hare

Bristol Photo Festival returns for second edition
Photography

Bristol Photo Festival returns for second edition

After the success of it’s inaugural run, the festival returns this autumn with exhibitions, education and community programmes exploring a world in constant motion through still image.

Written by: Ben Smoke

Documenting the life of a New York gang leader paralysed by gun violence
Photography

Documenting the life of a New York gang leader paralysed by gun violence

New photobook ‘Say Less’ is a complex yet humanising look into a life wrecked by gun violence and organised crime.

Written by: Isaac Muk

The woman who defined 80s Hip Hop photography
Photography

The woman who defined 80s Hip Hop photography

A new exhibition brings together Janette Beckman’s visionary and boundary pushing images of an era of cultural change and moral panic.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Sign up to our newsletter

Issue 80: The Ziwe issue

Buy it now