Playing Guitars in the Ocean

Playing Guitars in the Ocean

If you haven't met him already, may I introduce to you, Ryan Heathcote more commonly and informally known as Bugsy.

If you have had the pleasure of meeting this crazy cat in person, you have undoubtably questioned his sanity, smiled, been perplexed by his endless stream of ideas, struggled to follow his fast-paced thought patterns, been lost in his cosmic eyes (guys and girls alike), and all the while been strangely inspired.

While you casually enjoy your bintang cliff-side somewhere on the ‘Island of the Gods’, whining about your reef cuts, crowded waves, and the wind direction, this eccentric South African is making you look lazy. He is juggling teaching beautiful foreign girls to surf, creating his own water-housing, hand sewing merman tails, recording music in his home studio, filming friends surfing, and strumming chords in fast hollow 8ft pits. Video and photos to back it all.

This madman is one of those creative gems that sparkles amidst the rubble of our bloated egos that make us scared to think and express ourselves outside the box. A refreshing personality for anyone with a creative incline.

If you are open to new ideas, amused and intrigued by the guy dressed in the merman costume singing on the dance floor of one Bali’s busiest nightclubs SkyGarden, are curious about instruments inside spitting shallow Indonesian waves, or would plain out like a reason to smile, please read on.

The kaleidoscope vision gypsy musician, pencilled in some time between evading coconuts to the head and teaching half naked babes to surf to let us pick his brain on the positive energies of Bali and how playing a guitar in the barrel came to be.

Inspire us Bugs!

Where are you from? Why did you make the move to magical Bali?

I'm from a town called East London in South Africa. I was booked into a scholarship here to study the Balinese music of gamelan, which was my equivalent to winning the lottery.

This place has its own heartbeat. Anything you can dream up here, you can do. Its crazy how busy you can get doing things that are so foreign to just survival and comfort.

What dream came to be first, the surf guitar or the merman?

The surf guitar.

I was sitting in the hills in my place in the wildcoast of SA (guess thats where anyone can find some wisdom) and I realized that I have all these things I love to do and it often feels like they are all working against each other. So maybe its just time to chuck them all together.

The mermaid idea was born in the Mentawais. It came to be at the same time the Indo leg of our band was formed with my friend, Harald Steinmanns. Adventures in the South Pacific, a town there that is centered around mermaids. He really believes in them whole heartedly. We wanted to make somewhat of a tribute to the idea of what may happen to someone who makes music in waves and underwater. The suit took a lot of glue and time, but was fun to go dancing in, but super sweaty!

How did the first attempt go with playing the guitar in the tube?

I went down to the shark infested waters and tried surfing with my guitar and it hit me in the face and I was pouring blood. I was using a much bigger guitar that day, but it got easier. Yamaha is the best ones to use but it gets expensive as I’ve lost many to the reef.


You busted that thing out at some seriously busy public places; 4 story Sky Garden Bar in Kuta, Single Fin at their big sunday party, and Greenbowl surf spot, to name a few. How did people react to the merman suit?

I was getting some glares in the beginning, but then was hopping around and chatting and people were taking some pics sitting on my tail. The freak flag was high!

Swimming around in a merman costume, playing music in a barrel. Some of your plans are pretty out there. Are people responsive in a positive way? Do they support your creative adventures?

It's a slow process. I thought that after my first video I would get supported with a budget to run wild. In reality, Jack Johnson doesn't even play in the barrel! I'm still doing everything from costumes to all walks of production on my own shaky ball hair budget.

You seem to have multiple projects on the go! How do you find time in a day to work on it all? What is a typical day for you?

Wake up whenever I want, breath, check if I have any surf students. 

If I don't have any students, run wild in some creative direction.

Surf students. You mean foreign babes that you give lessons to? A guy's dream, no?

Most guys would froth because they never know how keep their bikinis from slipping off. I teach beginners in some ridiculous heaving surf. I put them in that situation to give them a full spectrum introduction. Usually after one lesson, you know almost all about the person. I have had the pleasure of dealing with some little spoiled brats. I usually end up telling them to please suit up cause its not attractive dealing with little pie face tantrums the whole time.

With that being said, a good student that listens well is gold. Someone that can drink in 25 years in 3 sittings. It just reminds me everyday the value of listening well.

Are the locals cool with you teaching? Have you ever had any run-ins with any local guys? 

Even if I wasn't teaching, there would be beef so I just don't give a rats anymore... In the land of milk and honey, money doesn't even mean anything anymore. Not much use for it here, when you are fully sustained by the land. The danger is that people might not realize just how good they have it. I have had gangs chasing me in the past, throwing coconuts at my head with big sticks and signaling the cops after me. I just took my longboard on ten lefts and was out of there. I was like Vin Diesel on a giant pink getaway surfaway machine.

A couple weeks ago, I was just out there late with a lifeguard. I heard some whistling and didn't think much. Then when I came closer to the cliff, I heard some screaming at me, typical Saffa that I am I had to do the proud meercat "come at me bro" poise from the bottom. Then they started throwing bottles and when I got up and got changed they took my board. I heard more cussing so I told my mom that us birds gotta fly up the stairs. Then homeboy Curtis got my board back the next day.

I am really lucky with some good friends here too.

There are good people here. There is just so much freedom. The true Balinese are just concerned with finding goodness in this life. They are genuinely sympathetic to those who can't seem to find it. They have so many beautiful creative illustrations of their heart and culture. Its so hard not to get caught up in. Like an Alien whirlwind of rhythm and colorful expression. To any Westerner that can really shake off any mechanical tendencies that may be inherent in the Western World.

Like I said before, this place has its own heartbeat. It helps fuel my creativity.

What are you dreaming up next?

In the future I want to take this to a whole new level in some paradise somewhere, but that's all I can disclose. Top secret.

Can we expect any more videos anytime soon?

I’m busy with an edit for Swell Tv. You can check it soon. It was filmed in the last swell around Sumbawa and Lombok. Also, I’m releasing two albums in the next two months and four music videos.

Any inspirational words for anyone going against the grain? Any suggestions to those putting a creative idea into action?

Yeah, anyone trying to reach a goal shouldn’t neglect their other passions cause that can be the fuel that fires through the uncertainty of the unforeseen. Basically just wrestle with all your passions until you find a way to chuck it all together. I call it "arubixspecification".

Any shout outs? Thank yous to send?

I want to thank Yude Andiko for the guitars Yudelele and for making me such a unique and original instrumental piece of Indonesia. Bart Silon for being my artistic mentor. Ketut Muliawana for letting me live and jam in his space. Tommy Wellman the 3rd for giving me his villa. You and Andy Bennett for all the boards, guitars and shoes!”

 

Psssttt ! Envoie-ça à ton ami!

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