Survivorman Les Stroud
GRANDVILLE, MI – ‘Survivorman’ Les Stroud is an artist.
It just so happens he’s also one of the premiere survivalists in the world.
Stroud was in Grand Rapids to promote his new line of knives at the grand opening weekend for Cabela’s in Grandville. The knives aren’t something Stroud endorsed to “be a flash in the pan and make a few bucks,” he said.
Stroud designed the knives and “held their (the manufacturing company Camillus) feet to the fire to make sure the end product is something strong and of quality.”
If you think that’s just lip service from a man simply cashing a check, you don’t know Les Stroud. I got the chance to sit down and talk with him at his hotel after a day of autographs, pictures and a harmonica solo at Cabela's.
Stroud's show, "Survivorman" on the Discovery Channel, is one of the more fascinating programs on television. The premise is simple: Demonstrate by example how to survive with little or no tools or provisions in some of the most varied and challenging locations and climates around the world.
And Stroud’s not only surviving, he’s filming. There is no camera crew. There are no overnight stays in hotels. Stroud braves the elements, malnutrition and wild animals. The camera shots you see of him crossing a river or hiking over sand dunes require him to film the shot, walk all the way back to the camera, and then haul the gear through the same path. In essence, he’s doing it twice (and sometimes more).
Survivorman Les Stroud
The content, the camera angles, and even the soundtracks are all Stroud’s work. He writes it. He films it. He lives it.
“I’ve basically been able to take all of my loves and combine them together,” Stroud said. “Those loves include outdoor adventure and creative expression through music and filmmaking. Each of them vies for ownership of me, but the beauty of it all is when I can combine them all at the same time.”
Stroud, who's known for pulling out his harmonica on some remote beach or tundra and playing viewers into the break, also tours. His website lists locations and dates where you'll find him performing on guitar and harmonica with large video screens showing stories from "Survivorman."
“Other than the fact that I’m not out ‘in the bush,’ I’m expressing it all there,” Stroud said. “It’s about sharing. It’s about teaching. It’s even about leading and guiding people towards a connection to nature.”
Stroud says with a smile: “Bono (from U2) has never lived in the jungle with cannibals and David Attenborough (British naturalist) can’t rock and roll. That’s where I come in.”
He calls his music a blend of “Dave Matthews meets Tool meets Ray LaMontagne meets Peter Gabriel. I don’t have a lot of musical virtuosity, but I can wail on the harp.”
Survivorman Les Stroud
Stroud did film work on music videos in the '80s for Rush and Corey Hart.
“Actually, I did ‘Never Surrender,’ Stroud said. "It’s funny, when you watch that video at the very end and he’s finally on stage, if you look at the guitar player that’s my guitar. They needed an extra and I had mine in the car. It’s my guitar’s claim to fame.”
New episodes of "Survivorman" are in the works and could be broadcast by the end of the year.
“There are lots of places around the planet I’d love to get to,” Stroud added. “Tibet is one. But I’m thinking it’s been awhile since I’ve focused on North America. People love it when I’m ‘in their backyards’ so to speak. I still haven’t done the Appalachian Mountains or the Blue Ridge Mountains or Montana or Oregon. There are some great places that I have yet to go.”
Connect with Todd Chance on Email | Facebook | Twitter | Google Plus