Supertones Surfin Dude Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan is the guitarist for NYC's best surf-rock band, The Supertones. 

What do you do?
Musician, Surfer, Dancer, Artist

How’d you get interested in surf music?

My dad and granddad were surfers from California, so I started to surf at a very young age, like around 1961 or so.   And in 1963 my Uncle Len Costello gave me his old flat top guitar. When I heard tunes on the radio like Rebel Rousers, Wipeout, Pipeline, and Walk Don’t Run that I wanted to play so my mother got me guitar lessons from a guy who played in a surfband and I learned all of those early surf tunes.  I later went to music school and studied classical guitar and all that stuff, but the thing I was best at was playing surf music.  I’ve put out about 10 records over the years with my band The Supertones.
How long have you lived in the Hotel?
Since 1982
What inspired you to move into the Chelsea? The lead singer in the band (The Stringbuster) I was in had lived here all through the 70’s. The lead singer, the other guitar player, and myself were livin on 28th street by F.I.T., when we had to move out very quickly. And since the lead singer had known Stanley for years, we all moved into the Chelsea. Since I’ve lived here I’ve lived in 5 rooms: 522, 511, 423, 220 and 719. {That must be the record for room hopping}
Do you think the Hotel has a creative energy?
The Chelsea is a very special creative place here in NYC.  Everyone who is creative and famous has passed through here at one point or another.  It has a center of creative energy that is very powerful and spiritual.  I think you have to live her for awhile to really appreciate it. 
What's your favorite Hotel Chelsea story?
There are many, but the one that stands out is one that happened in the early 80’s when I was livin in room 511.  The singer and the lead guitarist had got into a big fight because he was quitting the band.  And it carried out into the street in front of the hotel, and when the other guitarist got into a cab on 23^rd St. the singer grabbed his very rare 150 Gibson Gold Top and smashed in into 1000 pieces as he rode off down 23^rd St. in a cab looking out the back window at what just happened to his guitar.
Who is the most famous person you've ever ridden with in the elevator?
Uma
Tell us about Dan's Guitars?
It has been a music store since the 30’s.  I don’t know what it was called back then, but in the 50’s it was called Interesting Records, then in the 70’s it became Chelsea Music.  I started to work there in 83-92.  When I started there we sold records, musical instruments, and posters.  The place was full of old, out of print, useless records that we couldn’t give away, so I ended up throwing out 1000 worthless records to make room for vintage musical instruments and guitars to buy, sell and trade.  It was great because I got to play guitar and listen to a lot of great musicians who pass through the Chelsea.  I learned a lot about making money and playing music.
Tell us about one of your favorite writers, Herbert Huncke?

Everybody loved Herbert.  A very sweet, smart man who had seen the world through the underbelly of the drug and beat scene of the 30’s,  40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  For an old man he had a lot to say about life and when he talked he was very articulate and well read.  I miss him.

What is the best/worst thing that has ever happened to you at the Chelsea?

The best was working in the guitars store.  The worst was worrying about the Chelsea being sold to some big company that wanted to turn the place into a mall for rich people with way too much money.