Surf Curse

Surf Curse is an American band formed in Reno, Nevada in 2012 by Nick Rattigan and Jacob Rubeck, who met as teenagers and initially played together in an earlier project before settling on the Surf Curse name. Rattigan handles drums and vocals while also writing much of the band's material, drawing on a lo-fi, garage-rock aesthetic filtered through surf-rock and jangly indie-pop influences.

The band built its early following through DIY shows and a connection to the Los Angeles all-ages venue The Smell, a formative scene for lo-fi and garage acts, referenced in their song «The Smell Saved My Life» from their debut album Buds. Their sound is marked by fuzzy guitars, driving rhythms, and hooky, often melancholic melodies, heard on tracks like «Freaks» and «Disco» — the former of which found a major second life online years after release and introduced the band to a much wider audience.

Both members maintain other projects alongside Surf Curse: Rattigan records as Current Joys (previously Televisions), while Rubeck has released music under names including Casino Hearts and Franco Years. Despite operating largely outside the mainstream music industry, Surf Curse has become an influential touchstone in the modern lo-fi/bedroom and garage-pop revival.