Col Bernasconi’s career path has had more twists and turns than a J-Bay leg-burner. After a stint as a pro surfer, which included a cameo in cult film Doped Youth, Col transitioned into the surf media where he held down gigs at both Waves and Tracks. These days Col’ lives on the central Coast and uses his natural charisma to earn a living from Australia’s favourite sport, buying and selling real estate.

Amidst the highs and lows of the career roller coaster ride, playing music has been a constant. Col has been involved in a few bands over the years but recently launched a solo career as singer/songwriter CB Ghost, an act he describes as featuring “singalong tunes and poetic lyrics” with a “deep connection to the original toe tapping heartfelt music and the ocean.” CB Ghost kicks off its first tour tomorrow night in Burleigh. (book a ticket here).  Below Col answers a few questions about making the music, his continued passion for surfing and what his mate Kelly Slater said when he heard the new tunes. Also check out the exclusive preview of the clip for CB Ghost’s debut single, ‘Hollywood Hills’ directed by Ben Corlett.   

You have been in a couple of bands. What’s different about this one?

Yeah well my rock band 4Bolt was awesome but it was like being in a marriage to three blokes and I love them dearly but it was hard. We had a good run and released a couple of Eps and a full album called Voodoo Mudslide. Great shows and great fun (mainly rehearsing which we did like fucking loose rock stars). That came to a natural conclusion. Fast forward and I am playing with my great mate Geoff Nicol in Ghosts of Avalon – just the two of us as the creative drivers. I love writing with Geoff. He is my favourite person to write music with. Every time we get together within half an hour we would have a new song – it’s been that way ever since we started back in Avalon where we are from. We both moved away at similar times and then continued the music writing process with him in Queensland and with me on the Central Coast.

Geoff (like me) has special idiosyncrasies as a human, and playing live wasn’t happening. And I love playing live. So despite a backlog of songs together we’ve never officially actually played live… So wanting to kick on and not having to rely or have to put pressure on him I became a ghost of Ghosts of Avalon and went solo as CB Ghost. Being self-sufficient and not relying on anyone, and not pressuring anyone else to play here or there – just doing it my way was of great appeal. And of course pushing through the fear barrier, which is always a gateway to something special. Hopefully he’s gonna play the Burleigh heads show at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on May 2nd. I love Geoff, he’s a fucking genius guitarist, musician and great mate. We laugh our asses off – he’s a good surfer and golfer also. Hopefully now that I’m active and touring and releasing music he can join me onstage and we can bust out songs like Life at Sea and Sydney Song (demo was used on Tracksmag.com tribute video for Andy Irons tribute video)

Where does the drive to make the music come from? 

I’ve been writing little poems and songs since I was a kid. Obsessed with music ever since I started listening to my parents’ vinyl records. The Beatles, Stones and Elvis. So nothing unusual about continuing to do it and I’ve never really stopped. Really it’s an artist and mental health outlet for my crazy mind. Always loved writing. Helps me understand myself, life and love the whole shebang. Plus I love to party and where better than the music world ha ha. 

You’re busy working full time, have a couple of kids and still manage to make finals at the Australian titles. How do you fit it in? 

I do work full time but I have my kids one-week on, one off. On my week off I get busy. I totally dedicated myself to the family life for 10 years with the guitar in a corner collecting dust (many know that story). But I never put it down completely. I’m allowing myself more time now – life’s too short. Never stopped surfing and that included surfing in state titles and Aussies titles etc. Love catching up with the boys and testing myself under heat conditions. Keeps me off the drink for a few weeks. Or when I won the Aussie Title – 3 months. There’s a lesson there I wish I learnt in my pro career ha ha.

I also worked hard to get to a place where I don’t have to work eight till six anymore.

How does the song writing process work for you? 

Quite often an idea will come quickly and swiftly and the lyrics can come randomly from my subconscious. I’m glad that it seems to be continuous in that regard. I’m not a great guitar player but I’m getting better. So sometimes I have to pull up on forming the story or the narrative and focus on getting some sort of melody and structure first. Being so emotionally connected to words that can be a hindrance. In saying that many of my favourite songs I’ve written have come quite quickly. Record rough version and tidy them up later. I often ask my girlfriend nowadays about new ones, “does that sound like a real song to you?” I know I’m onto something if she says something like “is that one of yours? Did you write that?” There are a few that are laborious and I’ll be working on for a long time for example a song called Dawn Dark Days is song I started writing on trip to North Shore Hawaii over a year ago and it’s still not finished.

What are the songs about? 

That’s a big question. The most overriding thing with me is probably self-exploration and self-discovery but I’ve got much better at being more inclusive and writing songs others can feel like it’s about them too. Being very honest and raw, where I expose much more of my true self is important. Also, some fun topics and scattered themes and small details like a passing moment or a break up – a moment of frustration. Nothing is off limits. In earlier rock singer mode, I was much more hidden – if that makes sense and more abstract. The bigger concepts of rock songs can allow you to fly under the radar lyrically. My whole thing with this solo project is to be vulnerable and as real as possible. Every song on my album is related in some way to a moment in my life.

How do you feel about performing live? 

I absolutely love performing live and although public speaking is the number one fear of most people, as you know Luke, I’m comfortable with that. Doesn’t mean I’m not nervous or shy, which I definitely am but I do have a confidence if you will, because I always think something good is on the other side of fear. I’ve always felt I’ve got something to say ever since I was a little kid. I just continue to try and create the best music and a lyrical platform for that and it’s ever evolving and my brain very much likes goals. So trying to do the best for me, trying to surprise friends and when I have a new audience, it’s just a driving factor. Bottom line is I’m also just a mad music lover in the classic sense. Old school metal, stoner rock, folk music, and even country. Legends like Johnny Cash to early days Rod Stewart two guys I love and now days artists like Gerry Cinnamon (who’s Scottish like my Mum). Musicians who put their hearts on their sleeves when performing. Love it. 

Does surfing play any role in putting together the music?

Hundred percent. A lot of my songs on my album Mayhemic were actually formed through my love surfing. For example, I’ve covered Carry Me Home by The Slaves and Rik. L Rik from the Billabong Pump Movie. Although most of my album is on an acoustic guitar, we went full rock band on that one. And it came out amazing I’m excited about getting that out and maybe on a surf movie or edit.

There’s also a song for example called Hold Down Hymn which started as a little Celtic prayer I made up to sing to myself when I was getting best downs on bigger days here at Forries. Totally scary wave when it’s big! I used to countdown from 10 when I was underwater and multiple times, I’ve got way past the 10 and it just wasn’t working or keeping me calm ha ha. So I wrote this little poem to make myself feel comfortable in the water and burn more time and also embrace that beautiful experience we get where the ocean just takes us away from the world for a few seconds. Just a few days from going into the studio to record songs I’ve had for months and years I extended that prayer into a song. I also sing it trying to get through a six-minute Ice bath. It’s a good distraction and breath control song to sing and it works for me. I also take music with me when I walk to the beach to surf and hide my phone under an old boat once I’m on the sand – just so I have a sound track literally up until I paddle out.

Any surfers collaborating on the music? 

Yeah a friend of mine Dax Monaghan played guitar (and bass) on Carry Me Home and helped me with chords on Drinking Song  (a foot tapping bar room banger). He’s played live with me before and is a great guy, and a great artist in his own right. He’s got records out and is a fantastic cover artist. And also Geoff Nicol, he’s played some amazing lead guitar on three or four songs and is a handy surfer and golfer. Garrick Blowe, who is a great drummer and surfer from Forresters Beach, also features on some of the tracks.     

You and Kelly have been pretty close over the years. Have you sent the music to him for a listen? 

We’ve been mates for a long time since we were 18. As the years go by you don’t get to spend as much time together. But we always catch up in Hawaii and wherever. What I do know is he’s got my back and I’ve always got his back. I’m so proud of what he’s achieved. His friendship has helped me through tough times in life. And I’ve been there with him through some tough times too. And yes, I have sent him a song or two and like my sometimes constructive criticism of his surfing in the latter years of his career he’s been absolutely honest and constructively critical. Always honest.

Maybe he’ll jump up on stage? 

We have played live together in France before but I didn’t know the songs. Unprepared he just threw me to the wolves. Now that he’s retired from full time tour duties, I think it’s time we got Groovy Avalon (the made up band from Doped Youth) back together and have some fun and play some cover songs. I guarantee it’ll be hilarious. That would be so fun and we are both much better than we pretended to be in that band for Waves movie Doped Youth

What did you think of his retirement? 

I have to join in and just be blown away by his absolutely enormous career. But beyond the 56 titles and 11 world titles I just know for a fact that he has families around the world who consider him a brother an uncle, a friend. He is a pretty special human and while sometimes distracted and distant because of so many people wanting a piece of him – when he’s on deck and paying attention and has the time he’s a great listener he’s a great sounding board and he’s totally humble and makes you feel very comfortable. Or he can also put you in your place.

To purchase tickets for his upcoming Double Dose tour, which kicks off tomorrow on the Gold Coast, click here.

Other dates:

Yamba 3 May

Coffs Harbour 4 May

Old Bar 5 May