Surfing all day and partying all night with Dog Williams, Itchy Grey, Kid Colman or Wayne “Whale” Smith, only to name a few, gave me an insight into the crazy Rockabilly, Mod and Rudeboy scene that was quickly emerging in the early ‘80s here on the Gold Coast.
My part was played by cutting wild shapes into mates’ hair on any given Sunday, usually in some messy two bed flat at Budds Beach or Broadbeach. The price? A six pack of XXXX, 2 joints, or $10.
While heavily immersed in this culture, I was also serving out a hairdressing apprenticeship at the Jon Le Court Barbershop at Pacific Fair. That’s good reason for me to look no further than my 37 year industry history to obtain inspiration from the hair I love to create.
All the pressure in the world as a first year hairdresser was placed on me by this crowd of crazies, who wanted skinned out cap cuts or 6 inch quiffs. Looking back now, I can see I love and thrive on that pressure, and in breaking new ground in both the creative and in the business side of our great industry.
And so begins Blade & Brother Barbers.
My inspiration in building Blade & Brother is to create a great place to go and get a cut from a barber who is loving his work and to sit and share a yarn and a cold beer with like minded men.
I’m passionate about passing on my knowledge and learning from others that I’m working with. That’s the very foundation of this barbershop.
To be successful in this industry, I believe you need to be authentic and sensitive to your own town, its history and the people you know well. With that in mind, the world of barbering will be your oyster.
