John Navratil

John Navratil is the drummer for the group, and he can really play! When the band plays out, John seems to have his own fan club of young kids who want to be just like him. He is the youngest, coolest and cutest member of the group, and the only member still single. He is also one of the best surfers in the area – just ask him!!

John Navratil is a man of mystery whose quietly reserved demeanor belies his underlying intensity which is only revealed in a blistering cutback a gut-rum bling drum solo.

John grew up on Long Beach Eastside and is a Millikan High School grad. In his youth John excellent at all sports with a particular passion and fair for baseball, that is, until, as is true for many of us, surfing became part of his life. Along with developing as a surfer, john became a masterful musician and still plays professionally with the well-known locally favorite ELM Street Band. John’s effortless licks and seamless drumming exemplify the same intensely cool approach and style he exhibits through surfing. John is also an excellent vocalist and contribute to the Elm Street Band’s amazing harmonies as they do justice to covers of the beatles and Beach Boys: no easy feast

John has a great understated sense of humor but when provoked can render scathingly funny imitations of his friends and acquaintances.(…uh, ah,, oh hell, and uh and by the way, that means you Simmons!). John was an early member of the State Beach crew and during the late 80’s and early 90’s John and his friends were boating into the Ranch on a regular b regular basis.

John was always a solid guy to have in the boat during the always sketchy and often treacherous voyages, which at that time began and ended with beach launches or landings through the Gaviota shorebreak. When things got critical John would always hang in there to ensure the safety of the boat, cameras, gear and bodies while others were diving away in abandon ship mode.

On one particularly memorable trip, John and crew scored epic double overhead Government’s Point at the north end of the Bixby Ranch. John’s surfing that day was reminiscent of fellow goofy-footer Wayne Lynch as he solidly carved off the top and bottom of the lined-up point waves before getting chased out by a rapidly approaching stom front. The 13’s Zodiac seemed even smaller as they at last reached the southern Hollister Ranch and witnessed huge Razorblades perfect as the sun was setting. The guys did some quick comparative calculations, estimating the wave size based on the height of the guy they saw dropping in, probable board length, distanced viewed from, etc, and determined it to be precisely f—in huge. The wind and rain hit just as the got trailered and the storm ended up being one of those pier destroying monsters that devastated the coast.

Today, John can usually be found ripping on one of his MD shaped boards at Bolsa Chica, at least during daylight hours. After dark, John makes music with the Elm Street Band.

In this day and age of rampant self-promotion, trash-talking and often delusional egoism, John Navertell is refreshing as a truly nice guy; grounded and modest with both surfing and musical talent to spare, but you would never hear that from him, it is through his actions that John makes his mark on the world.