The Rhythm Keeper: Jack McCoy's Musical Journey Through Surf Culture
In the world of surf films, Jack McCoy's Blue Horizon stands as a tale of rhythmic experience.
Like the purity of a wave that rolls in when everything feels right, this tale begins on the shores of Hawaii, where the harmony of the Pacific Ocean wrote its own score into a young boy's consciousness.
It's always a pleasure when Uncle Jack and his puppy Bentley honk the horn as they drive down our driveway. Always with stories, sometimes with unseen 16mm surf footage or trippy shots of clouds, and other times just for a window of karmic coincidence - 'there's no wine until it's time,' as he says. A few weeks ago, it was with the story of his musical journey.
Growing up in Hawaii during the explosive cultural revolution of the 1960s, Jack found himself at the epicentre of a transformative era. The islands weren't just a geographical location; they were a confluence of surf culture, musical innovation, and spiritual awakening. It was here, amid the breaking waves and swaying palms, that a young Jack McCoy would witness Jimi Hendrix perform on multiple magic occasions – moments that would forever alter his understanding of how sound could move through space and transform human experience.
"When you're standing there, feeling Hendrix's music physically push against your chest, it changes how you understand energy," Jack reflects. These early Hawaiian experiences weren't just about watching performances; they were lessons in how music could capture and translate the raw power of nature – a skill that would later define his filmmaking career.
This was the live Jimi realm in Hawaii in the early days.
The early morning Hendrix show stands out in Jack's memory - watching the sun rise as Jimi took the stage, the dawn light painting the sky as the first notes rang out. "There was something magical about that hour," Jack recalls. "The way the music seemed to wake up with the island." Another Hendrix show would leave an even more visceral impression. Jack and his friend Dumphy found themselves with their heads pressed against the speakers, feeling every note physically resonate through their bodies. "We weren't just hearing the music," Jack remembers, "we were inside it, feeling each frequency reshape our understanding of what sound could do."
But perhaps one of their most transformative musical experiences came at a Quicksilver concert, where Jack and Dumphy discovered themselves tucked underneath the piano for the entire show. "Being that close to the instrument, feeling the vibrations directly above us - it completely changed how we understood music," Jack explains. "You could feel every note travelling through the wood, through the air, through your whole body. It wasn't just about listening anymore; it was about being inside the music itself."
At age ten, Jack's world expanded through his father's gift of a transistor radio – a simple device with two switches and a tuning wheel that would become his nightly companion. "Every night at 7:30, I'd tune in to the top ten countdown," Jack remembers, his voice carrying the wonder of those childhood discoveries. "Elvis was number one for ten weeks with 'All Shook Up.' I'd lie there in bed, learning about these songs, about their stories. The radio wasn't just playing music; it was teaching me about rhythm, about how sounds could paint pictures in your mind."
Through an extraordinary twist of fate, Jack's musical education took a formal turn through a dear friend of his father. Henry Russell, who at time was NBC's musical director in Los Angeles, became more than a mentor; he became the architect of Jack's understanding of musical structure. "He would explain how classical music worked," Jack remembers, "how forty musicians could start with nothing but silence and create something magnificent."
Under Russell's guidance, Jack learned to dissect music with the precision of a surgeon. Each instrument, each note, each pause became significant. This wasn't just about appreciating music; it was about understanding its architecture, its ability to move people emotionally and physically. Russell would break down classical pieces, explaining how different sections of the orchestra worked together to create emotional peaks and valleys – a lesson that would later prove invaluable in Jack's filmmaking.
"When I listen to music now," Jack explains, "I want to hear every instrument. I want to hear the bass, the trombone, the tambourine, the click sticks – whatever's there, I want to hear it all." This attention to detail, this ability to understand how different elements combine to create a whole, became the foundation of his approach to matching visuals with sound.
The story of Blue Horizon's musical journey takes an unexpected turn through a chance meeting that would transform Jack's approach to film soundtracks forever. Just by chance, Jack met Sarah, a music manager and lawyer whose expertise would prove invaluable. What began as a simple arrangement - surfing lessons in exchange for music production guidance - evolved into a mentorship that would reshape surf film history.
When Blue Horizon began taking shape, it represented the perfect synthesis of Jack's musical journey - from those Hawaiian live music experiences to Russell's orchestral teachings, mixed with Jack’s present-day live music hunger. The film's most celebrated sequence, scored to Hendrix's music, became possible through Sarah's innovative approach to music licensing. "The Hendrix Foundation never clears anything," Jack notes with amazement, yet through a complex web of connections involving a 90s band called The Beautiful People, they managed to secure what seemed impossible.
The story of Jack's relationship with Paul McCartney stands as a testament to his father's philosophy about "unrealistic possibilities." What began as a seemingly impossible dream became reality through a combination of persistence, respect, and genuine artistic connection. "If someone told me I was going to create the possibility of collaborating with a Beatle," Jack reflects, "I would have laughed at them." The collaboration wasn't just about using McCartney's music; it was about creating something that honoured both artists' visions.
The Foo Fighters collaboration emerged from this same approach of authentic connection. When "Times Like These" and "One By One" seemed like impossible gets, Sarah's guidance proved invaluable. The response from John Silva, the Foo Fighters' manager, came with humble enthusiasm: "Dear Sarah, The boys want to be in Jack McCoy's new surf movie. Consider it done." Dave Grohl, known for his deep appreciation of authentic storytelling, resonated with Jack's approach to combining music and visuals. The band understood that this wasn't just another licensing deal; it was about creating something that honored both the music and the waves.
Jack, his wife Kelly, and Dave.
Now, as autumn 2025 settles over the Australian coast, Jack finds himself deep on the 20th Anniversary tour of Blue Horizon. The timing feels significant, coinciding with a period where the connection between music, nature, and human experience feels more vital than ever. "When you're matching music to waves," Jack explains, "you're really trying to capture something eternal. It's like that old tradition of asking each other 'how the waves have been' – it's not just about the surf, it's about connecting to something bigger than ourselves."
His process remains as meticulous as ever. For this anniversary tour, he's revisiting the original tracks with fresh ears, understanding how their meaning has evolved over two decades. "Music doesn't just capture a moment," he reflects, "it grows with time. These songs mean something different now than they did twenty years ago, but that's what makes them powerful."
The Blue Horizon 20th Anniversary tour isn't just a celebration of an iconic surf film; it's a reminder of how music and surfing can transcend their individual forms to create something greater. As new generations discover the film, they're not just watching surfers ride waves or hearing classic tracks – they're experiencing that same magic that struck a young boy in Hawaii, feeling Hendrix's music push against his chest, understanding for the first time how sound could capture the very essence of the ocean.
"My father always told me to create unrealistic possibilities," Jack says, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Looking back now, I realize that's exactly what music does – it makes the impossible feel within reach." As he prepares to share Blue Horizon with audiences across Australia, that same spirit of possibility continues to guide his work, proving that some stories, like some waves and some songs, only grow more powerful with time.
BLUE HORIZON 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
FINAL SHOWS – NSW & QLD – LET’S SELL IT OUT AND PACK THE HOUSE!
• Wed, 14th - Avoca Theatre
• Thurs, 15th - The Ritz, Randwick
• Fri, 16th - Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne
• Sat, 17th - Gala Cinema, Wollongong
• Thurs, 22nd - Balter Brewery, Currumbin
• Fri, 23rd - Lennox Head Community Centre
• Sat, 24th - Nambour Cinema, Sunshine Coast
