Pat Curren is a typical 19-year-old from Santa Barbara, California who enjoys the beach and hanging out with his friends... except, he’s a professional surfer and also happens to be touring the United States with his band Cleanspill. Maybe not so typical after all.
Pat comes from a background of both music and surfing. His dad, Tom Curren, who is also a professional surfer and a musician, taught him to love music from an early age. Growing up playing the guitar and drums, Pat now fronts his own band, Cleanspill.
Not only is Pat a genuinely nice guy, but he is humble. I spent most of the night hanging out with the boys and I only knew that Pat surfed in his spare time. After doing my own research, it’s a bit more serious than just “surfing in his spare time.” Pat is a professional surfer. Currently with Rip Curl and Channel Islands, Pat has surfed all over the world pulling in some big titles. The rocker has surfed waves from Indonesia to Hawaii.
While hanging out with the Santa Barbara four piece after their first show in Atlanta, I had the familiar feeling of hanging out with old friends. It makes sense because Pat has been playing with these guys since high school. Pat met Charlie, the drummer, through surfing along the California coast. He met Cam, Cleanspill’s guitar player, during their time at Santa Barbra High School . They came across their bass player, Geoff, in a rather different way. During a routine trip to the Montecito barber shop, Cam stumbled into a conversation with Geoff. Geoff revealed that he plays the bass. This was convenient since the friends, which would later make up the band Cleanspill, were looking to complete their surf rock ensemble with a bass player. Cam walked out of the barber shop that day with a new haircut and a bass player.
“We went into our first tour without any expectations,” Pat admitted to me. “We just expected to be tired.” The Californians, who just finished a 13 show run with Kitten, handled their first tour beautifully. After watching them perform in Atlanta, you could never tell that this was their first tour. They played like experts. Pat and the rest of the band hold high standards for themselves and their music. After their set, Pat revealed to me that the show didn’t go as they planned. There was a mishap with their pedals. However, I never would have known. They held their poise through the technical difficulties.
If you’re not familiar with Cleanspill, become acquainted real fast. They’re gaining momentum in the music scene at a rapid pace. Follow along with Pat and the rest of the boys in Cleanspill on Twitter and on Instagram both under the name @Cleanspill.
Photo courtesy of @alexguiry on Instagram
