UKC

Excellent interview with Johnny here. I love the comment about Ondra being the only one who's trying hard and "considering people are climbing 9b+ there are no hard trad climbs."

vimeo.com/67293102#

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Thanks for the link. Rather refreshingly, no mention of the indian face...

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Hmmm, not my cup of tea, sorry.

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

I thought that was awesome..hes just such a character!

In reply to Elrond:

I think it's a lovely, gentle, balanced interview, so different from the way most people talk about climbing. And amusing in parts (e.g 'the trouble with modern climbers they're too interested in laundry and mortgages.')

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: yeah, he looked quite anachronistic sitting there in his tweedy jacket, as though he'd stepped out of a 1960s time machine. And not one mention of being super-psyched ;-D

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Oh to be from a rich family and have all the time in the world to play on the rocks!

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Thanks for that.

In reply to Arms Cliff:

I'm not sure Johnny's been from a rich family for some time.

jcm

Refreshing, real and honest. The guys a legend !

In reply to Arms Cliff:

Quite a few of his climbing companions in Wales and Sheffield weren't interested in laundry and mortgages, and instead dossed on floors while ont he dole and went climbing all the time and off on adventures, think that's probably what he's getting at?

It sounds a bit of an insecure existence to me, though.

In reply to Timmd:

That's the bullshit myth of the 'impecunious climber', isn't it? How did it work out for the lads, do you know? What are they all doing now?

In reply to Rob Parsons:
Running rope access companies? Deriving benefit from the companies they sold as they approached retirement? Teaching in schools? Living off their over-generous pensions? How do I know?

In the 60's and 70's there really was a 'dirtbag' ethos. The other lads who were dossing in the Stoney woodshed could maybe verify. I had 10 shillings pocket money a week. I hitched to the peak, climbed, dossed and maybe treated myself to a pasty and gravy for half of my pocket money.

In reply to Rob Parsons: Bullshit myth seem rather strong?

I imagine most/all eventually became more conventional and found jobs, or found weird niches.

Lots of people doss about irresponsibly in their youth and 20s, and 30s come to that I suppose.

In reply to Arms Cliff:

You think there would be many people who would reject that opportunity?

Or do you have a particular issue with Mr Dawes?

In reply to andyathome:

It could always be neither? That s/he wishes for him it were so.

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Thanks for the link. I've always found Johnny Dawes an interesting and inspiring climber, but not always likeable. Here I found him likeable, too.

In reply to Rob Parsons:

They've all done really well.. its a running joke really how many of them did really well following their time collecting various benefit schemes.. there was some sort of entrepreneurs grant.. which a few of them have, and all the ones I now have successful jobs or have set up their own businesses.

In reply to jonathan shepherd: He mentions Ondra, he mentions Staffordshire, he knows what he's on about

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

A real hero. A genuinely nice guy, even if he does owe me a gallon or two of beer.

In reply to Arms Cliff:

Envy is such an unpleasant thing.

In reply to stroppygob:

So is name dropping :-p

In reply to biscuit: JD squirted an old friend with a water pistol while he was on the little climbing wall in Outside Hathersage, my friend fell off, and JD ran off laughing. ()

I've never met the fellow though.

In reply to jonathan shepherd:

Hmmmm, boring comes to mind.

In reply to xplorer: I just don't like to see him with a bit of a stomach, seems like a shame. I'm not being judgemental.

In reply to Timmd:

He's climbed some pretty hard routes with that belly, so you can see where he is coming from, although his 'trying hard' comment is certainly unfair to the handful of trad climbers in the UK and US who are still pushing the limits.

In reply to jonathan shepherd: Good interview. Is Angel's share really 8A? Blimey... Noticed that the translator downgraded it and Johnny did say 'for me'.

In reply to andyathome:

Here you go:
youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo&

In reply to andyathome:
I had 10 shillings pocket money a week. I hitched to the peak, climbed, dossed and maybe treated myself to a pasty and gravy for half of my pocket money.

5 shillings for a pasty and gravy? Was it venison? Swan?

In reply to Offwidth:

Think it's cause he didn't used to have one, to be honest. It'd be cool if he could be like Stevie Haston and stay in super good shape as he gets older. ()

I guess it's because to me it represents the passage of time, and how for all people it takes it's toll, even for people like Johnny Dawes and other climbing/heroes.

At least he's still enjoying climbing...

In reply to Timmd:

Again 'enjoying' is a bit of an understatement, he is still trying to put up new lines above E6 and next May (9th) he will be 50. If anything his 'shape' proves his point: others who are experienced, trim, fit, climbing strong and much more technically adept should be doing better than him.

In reply to Offwidth:

>others who are ... much more technically adept

Not too many of those, I shouldn't have thought.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Depends: watching the best boulderers I've been seriously impressed with the continuing improvement: it's mainly strength, power and stamina but not all. The trad potential in these folk is huge.

In reply to Offwidth:

I agree.

In reply to Offwidth: JD was different.. as it the quarrymen? must be the best bit of climbing I've seen.. he just flowed.. but thought about it still. Some people may not be the best but still make steps greater than their raw ability suggests. He was actually very fit in his day, one thing that surprised me when I watched.. but he was never waifer thin or super powerful really.

In reply to IainRUK:

The key lessons he gave us for me from a technical perspective were always there to see: things like using momentum to make moves where you wouldn't be able to complete them static; confidence in your movement memory to do stuff at your limit in bold headpoints; respecting the whole crag including the lowly and the different routes to round out skill sets for improved onsight problem solving. Watching him though, it almost comes over as explorative play and the lack of a dissected breakdown of what is going on at the time (or his ability to explain it simply and clearly is maybe part of it. The way body movenment memory (engrams) work and develop is interesting. I learnt to juggle and unicycle (together, going backwards with fire clubs) and it didnt come as naturally to me as some but the learning process often involved almost stopping thinking and letting the body get on with it. Whatever, for him the special difference is more in his head than his body.

Quarryman was super impressive but doesn't obviously illustrate the first two points I made above, being a bit staccatto and relatively safe on that flared 'chimney' pitch... the man himself will tick me off for not noticing the nuance in the movement, I'm sure.... I'll take that, as I've always enjoy talking to him and I feel lucky to be in a position where I have and almost certainly will again.

In reply to Offwidth:
"Technique is no substitute for strength"

In reply to Bulls Crack:

Except when you are doing it wrong

In reply to Bulls Crack:

Technique is no substitute for strength

Or as Ben Moon put it: "Technique is no substitute for power".

In reply to MJ:

Or memory

In reply to jonathan shepherd: Nobody is going to climb like Dawes.Words can never 100% explain technique.Watch the videos and learn from the way he moves;then develop your OWN style.Expecting people to climb superhard forever is unreasonable and unrealistic.The few who can do it are the exception.Most Olympic athletes are done by age 36.

As for what is more use,strength or technique,best try to develop both....
As Dawes has said,find a bit of rock that looks impossible;then try to climb it.
The rock will teach you everything you need to know,if you keep at it.

Mitch