Watch: The O'Riginals // Flea
O'Neill has reignited the little series they began last year. The first three episodes of 'The O'Riginals' featured lesser-known Aussie surfers doing what they do in the surf and outside of it.
This time 'round, it's Darryl 'Flea' Virostko whose path to rehab resembled that of every other junkie, but his surfing, however, was like no-one else's. In an era of specialists, Flea had it down in big waves and small, airs and barrels, towing and paddling.
This clip, which clocks in around twelve minutes has plenty of period footage - coloured neoprene, potato chip rocker ships - plus surfers being "arseholes", Flea's description not mine, along with the Flea detailing his path to rehab (Fleahab!) and onwards to redemption in the water.
Comments
I lived in NorCal between '96-'00 and can remember sitting on a boat in the channel at Mavs in the morning watching him, Pete Mel, Jeff Clark and Skindog tow 40-50ft bombs. Then we drove down to Santa Cruz and surfed Mitchell's in the arvo and he was out getting barrelled and doing airs. That whole crew were crazy and revolutionary in their own way. I always remember thinking they did amazing things but always looked ugly doing it. I remember just as I was leaving back to Aus permanently, the meth was starting to appear at parties etc. and it just ripped shreds through communities up and down the coast.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. I love the honesty. Lump in throat stuff for sure. Jack O'Niell what a legend! Fleahab how cool is that.
Meth is such a shitful drug. Ive got friends and family that have had issues and still having issues with it. Fricking horrible stuff
Gd onya for cleaning yourself up Flea..Fleahab yew good one
Australia now has Krokodil - Desomorphine - Vice News.
Great little vid. Surfing really well also ... inspirational stuff
Meh small town thug trying to make good. Reckon if the drugs didn't get him he'd still be a thug.
How is this a bad thing? Maybe the self destruction did him some good if you look at it from another perspective and I certainly appreciate people who are courageous enough to make the necessary changes.
You met him savanova? In the 4 years I was there I never had a bad experience with him. Always said hello in or out of the water. He was definitely surrounded by a lot of less than savoury types but I found him and Skindog to be nice blokes.
Some people are capable of change.