Random Rogues And Ratbag Tales - Paperback

by Monty Webber (Author)

Many of these stories appeared in Tracks surfing magazine. Most of it actually happened. Names and places have been changed on occasion - mostly to protect the innocent and guilty alike.

Author Biography

Monty Webber is a surfer, artist, writer and film-maker. His last two films have won national and international awards; 'Journey on' (2013) and 'Liquid time' (2003). He has been a freelance contributor to 'Tracks Surfing Magazine' for just under 30 years, his first story appearing in 1988. He has self-published three collections of short stories; 'Random Rogues and Ratbag Tales' (2013), 'Tripping Yarns' (2014) and 'Diagnose This' (2015). His usual style of writing is considered 'Gonzo surf journalism' but his serious profiles on surfers have garnered a respect not usually attributed to surfing journalists. In 1982 he won a grant from the Visual Arts Board and worked for one year with Australian sculptor Michael Snape and had his first and only solo exhibition of large welded steel sculpture's at 'The Australian Center of Photography' sculpture garden in 1986. He has continued to draw and paint although rarely exhibits, other that in group photographic, drawing or painting shows. During the 1980s he was recognised as one of the best tube riders in the world; his 'title wave' from Billabong's first surfing video 'Surf into Summer' being referred to by 'Encyclopedia of Surfing's' Matt Warshaw as "The best tube-ride I had seen up until that point". He lives at Angourie Point, on the New South Wales north coast, where he surfs, writes, paints and makes films that stretch the medium to the point that they are recognised internationally as art. Australia's most revered surf film maker Alby Falzon describes Monty's film, Liquid Time as; "Without doubt the most beautiful film I have ever seen". It received the Cinematography Award at the 2004 Saint Jean de Luz Surf Film Festival.