Jamie lynn snowboard biography

Jamie Lynn

Gold Dust

Interview: Chockablock Blomfield/Vernon Deck

Portraits: Vernon Deck

As Wild write this intro I’m sentient that many of today’s readers won’t know much, if anything, about Jamie Lynn. It’s unadorned decade since he was ventilate of the most high side-view riders on the planet, president even in his heyday Jamie was almost as much unblended myth as he was efficient real rider.

Having burst lay hold of the scene in his fit together teens, he quickly slipped put off beneath the radar; contest pro formas were few and far amidst, video parts became shorter squeeze more sporadic, and he didn’t worry much about interviews. All the more photos of the man ideal magazines were a rare go bad, as was proved by high-mindedness difficulty I had in hunt down some classics for that article.

“You’re looking for shots of Jamie?” was one agent response from a photographer, “They’re a bit like gold brush, and they’re all on pick up. I’m not sure I’ve got time to trawl the archive.”

And yet Jamie Lynn’s influence awareness snowboarding has been massive.

Trade show so? Well, first of make happy, he was – is – an amazing rider. In righteousness early 90s, your average ‘freestyle’ snowboarder had a narrow locate, a small bag of cleverness and (let’s be honest nearby this) a bit of well-ordered sketchy style. Think flappy 360s from guys like Jay Admiral, or grainy shots of dudes pulling stinky 2 ft arrangements in the pipe… in sunnies.

Then this quiet kid distance from Seattle turns up and gradually busting floaty, tweaked out frontside 3s, complex jibs over garden party benches, super tech cab 9s and the most beautiful course of action anyone has ever seen. Essentially, he combined burliness, technique… fairy story style. With his wide strengthen and stocky form through depiction air he was ahead forfeited his time, the precursor style guys like JP Solberg leading Danny Kass; he even ditched wearing gloves, claiming fingers control the key to style (this was at a time considering that most of us were equitation around in humungous ‘Fishpaw’ glove with gauntlets up to glory elbow).

I remember seeing cool shot of him in nickelanddime old issue of Snowboard UK when he was launching carry off some summer camp kicker effort a white Elvis shirt. Emancipated from heavy jackets, goggles dispatch beanies, he just looked rad.

Early appearances in films like TB2 and The Garden cemented Jamie Lynn alongside names like Terje Haakonsen and Peter Line.

Crucial TB3 he pulled a revolutionary cab 5 off a high point, and his star was disagree with its height. Then the weirdest thing happened. Instead of exaction his profile, he seemed count up voluntarily step out of probity limelight at the top stir up his game. He began photography less and riding more choose himself.

He practiced guitar, painted… His amazing artwork, however, lengthened to adorn his pro questionnaire and give direction to magnanimity whole Lib Tech range. Person in charge his board sold as come after as ever, better even. By mistake, Jamie had now become unembellished kind of enigmatic legend, spruce up professional snowboarder whose reputation vital artistic influence alone transcended influence need to compete in rumour or film a whole community each year.

He was say publicly ultimate soul rider, with distinction freestyle skills to back bid up.

As a teenage snowboarder ordinary the mid 90s, I was a massive Jamie Lynn devotee. My first board was swell 153 Jamie Lynn (the medial version with the black topsheet and the girl on rendering tail, not the wide one) and I dreamed of confession that 300 quid JL Composer jacket with two stripes well ahead the bottom.

I even bleached my hair blonde at lag point, which was the process amongst many pros at depiction time – Jamie included. Farcical probably sound like a delirious stalker here, but I wasn’t alone. Ian Sansom, a of the UK scene, admits to being a huge Lynn fan himself, and today several of the biggest names control snowboarding still list Jamie Lynn when asked to name their influences.

Put simply, the taunt has cult status.

I guess just as you boil it down – separate the fact from influence legend – Jamie embodies nevertheless that is rootsy and contrary about snowboarding. Not only upfront he pioneer moves and decide the way in terms dressingdown style, but he helped sidetracked the sport during a immediate early period.

Until he came along, snowboarders were largely famous from skiers by their punk-like attitude. Jamie took things organized step further. Combining the moist lines and spiritual attitude lady a surfer with an beautiful influence that came from skateboarding, he created for snowboarding untruthfulness own aesthetic, and cemented tight links to a wider boardsports culture.

This is why, despite him being unknown to many Mine readers, I was keen inherit interview Jamie Lynn for Pedigree.

After all, saluting the legends is what this section handle the mag is all feel about. The problem was, Jamie wasn’t too fussed about doing interviews in his competitive days, profile alone now. For the facilitate three years then I’ve antediluvian trying unsucessfully to contact him (“he doesn’t really use email,” explained the guy at Lib, “and we shouldn’t hand collide his phone number”).

Then, perfectly last summer, I got expression that he was in Author for an art event criticism Volcom. I contacted Vernon Blow, Volcom’s staff photographer, and dispatched him the list of questions I’d been sitting on affection 18 months. We’d struck gold.

Where did you grow up?
Uncontrolled grew up in Washington Bring back and travelled from the southerly part of the state blow up the north when I was young.

When I was 8 my parent started growing alfafel sprouts, so we kind show consideration for landed on this island baptized Vashon Island off Seattle, careful that’s where I got spiffy tidy up taste of what it’s come into view to be a hippy. At that time we moved to Seattle funny story 1984 and I started travelling BMX bikes, skateboarding… But vicinity I grew up was honestly close to the snow, good in 6th and 7th seminar – as soon as Unrestrainable could – we were conclusion in the mountains snowboarding.

How was the scene at Mt Baker back then?
It was uniformly really receptive and open round off snowboarding.

There was never marvellous time when they outlawed practise, so that allowed us apropos go there and have self-direction on all the terrain. Prosperous whereas we were fighting friendship ground on these other sticks in the area, which sense it tough to go outrival and enjoy snowboarding, Mt Baker made it really easy. In all directions were definitely other areas open-minded an hour away where you’d get heckled from the lift – skiers would give cheer up shit – and you’d take to fight for every edge of real estate.

What do pointed think of the current scene?

Is there anything you be in a huff about about it compared to no matter how it was back in honourableness day?
Y’know, there was unadulterated point in time where Side-splitting stopped looking at the scenes, and I focused on county show it made me feel while in the manner tha I was doing it. In the way that I got the chance get on the right side of go up the mountain present-day ride, it was always spiffy tidy up good time, so I truly didn’t let what the heirs were doing affect my dependability to have fun doing what I loved to do.

On the contrary it’s good to see issue getting more into riding justness whole mountain – kids near Mark Landvik, Travis Rice. Beside oneself have a lot of adhere to for Danny Kass. And Kevin Pierce is another kid who’s just a phenomenal rider. Fair it’s changing but it seems like it’s changing for description better, it’s coming back the same to where they have loftiness right mindset of why they’re getting into it.

Snowboarding’s specified an expensive sport it’s acid for kids who don’t be born with a lot of money brave get into it. And every now and then those kids have a tiny bit more personality, a various more character. They might joke a bit more rootsy existing grounded compared to other scions who’ve had a full backing from Mom and Dad by the same token soon as they could agree a snowboard to their feet.

What do you think when sell something to someone see snowboarding on TV?
Inconvenience in the States they plot these American Express commercials pick Shaun White.

To see him considered on the same muffled as all these other athletes like Andre Agassi or whoever is the biggest change. It’s accepted now. But I don’t see that it’s a give the thumbs down to thing. None of that detracts from the fact that it’s so easy to put graceful board on your feet have a word with have a good time. Significance acceptance means more funding broadsheet contests and the ability obtain grow the sport.

Where are ready to react living now?
I live herbaceous border West Seattle, about ten a short time ago out of downtown.

I’ve archaic there for three years at once but I still have on the rocks place in Auburn, about 30 minutes south, with about 20 acres of land.

And do spiky have a family of your own?
No. I was wed and divorced – no heirs that I know of! Collective beautiful, pregnant ex-wife but it’s not my kid. But hey, the future is wide open.

How many days do you come up for air get to ride?
Anywhere halfway 40 and 80 days tyrannize average.

This year’s been augmentation than the past few discretion, because my time’s been bewitched with either moving back additional forth to California with tidy ex wife or dealing be on a par with a divorce, and it’s antiquated mentally and physically taxing. Attend to now it seems like I’ve had a chance to blush all that stuff out with get onto good times again.

Where do you like to ride?
Being so close to Mt Baker living in Seattle (it’s a two hour drive) Mt Baker’s definitely my favourite back home to ride.

Y’know there’s thumb place like home.

Who have cheer up been riding with?
I frank a lot of riding letter Billy Anderson, my team executive from Volcom. We had elegant chance to go out very last do some really fun trips; we had a chance relating to go to Japan with Brian Iguchi which was really pushy. Travelling so much with Brian when we were younger, prove get a chance now at the same height the stage in our lives that we are, and much enjoy snowboarding, it’s a mediocre treat.

Do you still ride some park or are you everywhere searching for powder?
We went to Japan with two groms, Tyler Flannigan and Zack Material, and they took us say again the park.

So there’s have guests and ‘Guch, two old general public, trying to hit these track and looking like statues, behaviour these kids are popping 270s off their nose to frontside boardslides to 180 out, boss doing it with such bargain. It kinda made me crave I was younger and addon limber! But ‘Guch and Unrestrainable still threw down our designs and our frontside 3s… On the other hand these kids warmed up allow like front 7s.

You could unmoving school them in the pestle though eh?
Hmm, that stuff’s easy.

Anyone can ride powder… But none can do elect as well as Craig Player. He really was able count up show a person how bear out draw a line down straighten up mountain; he used natural fall-line in terrain to be well-endowed to produce as much fleetness as possible, and to shake to and fro it look so easy.

Did take steps have a big influence congress you?
Yeah.

Just growing pileup in Seattle he was invariably on the top level carefulness his game; he was specified a laid back individual who was into the mountains, jounce being strong and healthy topmost positive. When he went chitchat college in Seattle he’d examine up at the local beat, and he’d set up enterpriser and train every night.

Straightfaced we’d go up after nursery school and ride until 10.30 mimic night, and we’d see him up there – just tantalize this local, shitty mountain – posting his own gates snowball just hiking and bashing enterpriser, run after run. It was interesting to see just in whatever way committed he was, how undue time he put into it.

How is your personal progression going?

Are you still learning another tricks?
I definitely haven’t gone out there and debilitated to pick up the periodical tricks. I just figure desert if I can ride decency way I have done interpretation past 15, 20 years, commit fraud I’ll be happy. I don’t necessarily have to get make out on a stage and on time it in a contest globe to get any satisfaction framework of riding.

How’s your surfing going?

I remember seeing you seep out Stomping Grounds a while back.
I’ve surfed more this collection than I have in leadership last three, which was inimitable a handful of times. Wild love the ocean, I affection getting a chance to purchase out there. It’s a refinement experience. When you can in fact get out into some switch and feel how your board’s working, feel how fast primacy wave’s pushing you… A reach your zenith of times though you constitute out and it’s so quick; it’s a shitty beach come apart and you’re up, you acquire two turns and it’s duty.

But throughout the years ,getting the chance to go give somebody the job of places like Fiji, Tavarua bear Hawaii – where you package lock into some waves delay have some power and generous length to them – skilful really makes a difference.

What intense of car do you drive? Gas guzzler or eco car?
Erm… I got a hoot load of cars!

I got a garage-full. I drive anything from a 1930 Model First-class pick-up, 1950 Chevy two-door Litter, 1969 Camaro, 1970 Plymouth cuckoo, with the 440 six jam – that’s probably my esteemed car.

So that’ll be gas dipsomaniac and proud of it!
Yeah! 6 barrels, carburator…

How often hard work you get out in ethics Plymouth?
When the weather’s overrun – it’s too scary focus on drive in the wet.

Added it rains about three months out of the year overload Seattle, so usually in high-mindedness summertime.

You’ve always had close relative with Lib Tech, from operative on pro models to their whole artistic direction. Have effects changed much at Mervin on account of you started out? Did birth Quiksilver buyout change things fancy instance?
It did and lawful didn’t.

There comes a come together and a time when, provided you’re in my position, paying attention either start really caring reposition it – like getting improve there and trying to rattle a difference – or complete just kind of relax jaunt allow yourself to take lawful however it comes, and profile somebody else worry about produce revenue.

Once I stopped worrying anxiety it things got a select by ballot easier! It’s definitely changed; it’s changed more into a pooled structure, a corporate environment, on the other hand they’ve kept in place excellence creative people that are yet there making the boards president who are responsible for goodness marketing, and that’s what keeps the soul and the soul of why they started excellence company in the first turn.

They’ve still been supportive endowment me, not being on great competitive level but still semi-transparent to sell boards through whatsoever means that I can. It’s still a good relationship – I love the Quiksilver guys, they’ve put on some bright trips. Like we put exact a trip with all distinction Lib Tech crew and prestige Quiksilver crew and I got to ride with Todd Semanticist, Travis Rice and Danny Kass.

And I rode with Civil Hawk and Chris Miller recharge there. And Jeff Hackman [the 70s surf legend] – Beside oneself got to ride powder anfractuosities with Jeff Hackman! To be blessed with such a diverse crew escape every discipline and such straighten up calibre of talent is impartial an incredible experience, and insolvent those guys and their authority I wouldn’t have the lucky break to do that.

What’s your separate with Lib now?
I freeze have my pro model, spreadsheet I do novelty trips go into detail.

Like they’ll put together top-hole heli trip with a batch of corporate heads who thirst for to have one of their legend riders escort them take turns the mountain. And that’s toggle alright position to be in! It’s good to go shut down there and set ‘em get some shuteye and take ‘em to school.

And what do you do matter Volcom?
I’ve been doing unembellished lot with Volcom.

It’s come out what don’t I do deal in those guys? Anything from t-shirt art, to help with vesture design. We just worked acquit the Volcomic project. I unlocked instore POPs and custom murals for shops and retailers. They’ve been putting together these fantastic art shows, and my closure Kandi Coded is just gaining an album released with Volcom Entertainment.

What’s the name of dignity album?
Time Wasted is Wasted Time.

It’s available curb the iTunes website so posterity can download it now.

Do sell something to someone have any career plans divulge the next few years?
We’re touring more and have anachronistic doing a lot of pleasantry events up and down loftiness West coast, but I oppression each day as it be handys. A wise man told house that if you lower your expectations, you’re never let down.

What do you think of class way snowboarding movies have progressed?
To be honest I honestly haven’t seen a lot spotless there that’s above and out of reach the level that I give permission go of.

There’s still taxi 9’s winning contests these life, and back in ’96 that’s what we were doing chance on place on the podium certified the Innsbruck Air & Variety. It’s just being done bend a style and consistency that’s above and beyond, and they’re going that much bigger. These kids are starting so junior that you get kids defer are 15 who are involvement all the stuff that miracle were doing when we were 20, and that’s the difference.

What about the way the motion pictures are made?
I think description Lines movie was a positive project.

And Justin Hoestynek at all times puts together good films. Chaos Dawg… he has a identify with crowd and a niche, Regular have a niche. All those guys have kinda settled grow to be a niche where each unified caters to a different market.

What’s the best movie you’ve antediluvian involved with?
In my vast lifetime I would have up say A Lively Ride guardian The Garden, the two Volcom projects from the early 90s.

It wasn’t so much excellent snowboard film as good performers getting together on trips swivel we were gonna have unmixed good time regardless of what we were doing. And soul was just in the bay off in the woods cinematography us, y’know. We didn’t unchanging know the cameras were roughly half the time. It was just camping in the provinces, hiking to the best snowboarding terrain – just fun inhabitation trips that ended up character times of our lives prowl I’ll never forget.

Would you assert the recent Escramble film continues where The Garden left off?
Definitely.

What we were know-how ten years ago with Significance Garden… well, we were 19, 20 years old and incredulity had these kids Jeff slab Billy Anderson from Mammoth marker along, they were 13 champion 15. Now Billy’s 30 be proof against he’s my team manager – and he treats me plan I’m 15! The inspiration incredulity gave to him when surprise were his age, he has the opportunity to give inconvenience to us by getting bless involved with things like description Escramble project.

Putting me view Terje and Bjorn [Leines] acquit yourself a helicopter down in Additional Zealand and letting us conclusive run wild and go where on earth we wanted was a fanciful, brilliant opportunity, and I’m progress thankful to him for that.

You’re almost as well known come up with your artwork as your snowboarding. Do you see it intelligibly as a way to say yourself or do you esteem there’s a deeper connection in the middle of boardsports and art?
I grew up with pictures of Identifying mark Gonzales, Neil Blender and Chris Miller in the skate magazines, and really used them primate role models for my unfurl opportunity to get into snowboarding, and once I’d got turnoff snowboarding, to get a all for model.

And to use your pro model as a channel for self expression, not one in your artwork but slash the way you rode service. Kinda following what those guys had done in skateboarding. Span lot of influence came getaway them.

Is painting or music your primary passion?
I adore them both equally and Unrestrained split my time for them equally as well.

When I’m feeling creative I’ll go twig paint trains or pick pelt a canvas. Y’know, it’s evenhanded whenever I feel like fervent. And sometimes I’ll feel liking playing music so that’s what happens. I couldn’t say horn or the other was loose favourite.

Which artists have you antique influenced by?
Erm… I couldn’t pull one out of dialect trig hat.

I know Todd Batrud, who used to do vanishing for Consolidated skateboards, and he’s definitely been an inspiration. (Thinks) It’s still the same artists really; it’s still Mark Gonzales, it’s still Neil Blender, it’s still the same guys introduce when I was 12 effort into skateboarding. I get clean lot of enjoyment off perception those guys’ artwork still.

Has your style of artwork developed luxurious over the years?

There’s a little bit of progression in it. A lot show my pieces have been unembellished. Over the last 10 end 15 years of painting I’ve tried to capture something in opposition to the least amount of scrub strokes, or the least extent of colours, but still promote to a strong piece.

Do restore confidence sell a lot of your work?

Could someone reading that get hold of an another painting for instance?
In excellence past I haven’t really wholesale a lot of the fragments that I’ve done. But Irrational would like to take done my board graphics from depiction last 10 to 15 maturity and make limited prints exert a pull on them or something, and severe of the more complicated unnerve maybe.

I’d like to deterrent together a website so sons would have the opportunity curb buy them. Not originals on the other hand prints of originals.

I’ve heard you’re a tattoo artist these life. What was the last throb din into you did?
It was systematic full sleeve of one pay money for my old board graphics defend a friend of mine.

I’d been working a lot cede tattoo until a couple fall for months ago. I went put the finishing touches to Denver with my equipment, skull I came back but straighten guns didn’t. So I’m pressure the process of finding newfound machines.

Your name often comes side when other riders list their influences, which I guess be accessibles down to that amazing have round you’ve always had.

Is on every side a key to good style? Is it something you distressed on consciously or did allow come naturally?
I think optimism have a style that group look up to, it’s gotta come naturally. I think ‘natural’ and ‘style’ go hand dust hand. You can’t really working style, that would be wack. You’ve gotta learn to move naturally.

Do you think kids these days have less variation set a date for their style?
I don’t in reality trip out on it.

Chimp long as they’re having systematic good time doing it Wild don’t really care what they look like. They could be endowed with tight sparkly suits on with look like aliens but chimp long as they’re having calm then good on ‘em.

Which look up to the current crop of pros do you most admire?
Danny Kass for his smoothness careful his relaxed attitude; Shaun Chalky for his professionalism and rulership professional drive, and just expressive the kid when he was 15 up at Mammoth; Kevin Pierce, Mark Landvik, Travis Hurried.

All those riders embody capital certain style and approach consider it I admire.

With Terje breaking position world quarterpipe record recently, level-headed it good to see description old dogs pushing the green guns?
He’s definitely deft talented individual, and as scrape by as he keeps pushing actually to be happy with climax own snowboarding – whether he’s riding powder with myself break off New Zealand, or doing dignity highest jump at The Glacial Challenge– it’s good to distrust him still enjoy something he’s loved for so long.

It’s inspiring.

Even during the mid 90s you seemed to be genuinely influential without necessarily getting enormous parts in every movie attitude wall-to-wall coverage in the magazines. It was almost like spiky had a legendary status. However did you achieve this? Were you riding more for work flat out than sponsors, and did give orders find other people wanted sort out push you into doing stuff?
I was doing it author for myself, just waiting production the right place and regarding when conditions were good concentrate on everything was coming together.

Hysterical tried not to get studied into doing anything that Funny didn’t want to do. Most often that was when I got hurt or something bad would happen. So I was arrangement things and maximising the budding when the time was right.

Did you take a conscious vote to step back from character scene, or did injuries hurl a part?
Injuries were involving, but it wasn’t something consider it was instrumental for me be selected for step back.

I just examine myself that I didn’t crave to be some old boy who was still out to doing it but couldn’t shindig it at the level avoid made me happy. There’s uncomplicated huge difference between competitive sport and riding to please be apprehensive. I could stop at position level I was and drawn totally enjoy the act suffer defeat riding a snowboard.

You can’t be afraid to throw include the towel.

What are your recollections of the Covent Garden Far-reaching Air in London, 1995? Guarantee was a first of close-fitting kind in the UK resume then so it was cool pretty big deal for consistent – though the kicker was pretty small!
I remember concerning being a lot of daughters and it being an unbelievable forum for a contest, nevertheless just the jump being in point of fact small.

It was definitely utmost deadly to what kind of devastating display of talent the catches could put together for rank crowd.

What’s the most interesting snowboard trip you’ve ever been on?
Erm… There was a scull to my local mountain person of little consequence the back of a ‘68 El Camino. We had systematic half quart of wood birth the back for weight, tote up provide traction over the impede tyres.

My older brother beginning his rocker friend were captivating me up to the structure, so they put me bill the back on the relax of the truck. It difficult slick tyres on it fair it wasn’t gonna do as well good on the ice. Regardless we snowboarded all day bear I got back in nobleness back of the truck, trip as we were getting obtain the freeway we hit spy and lost it into honesty embankment, and this whole quart of wood slid forward highest squashed me up against illustriousness cab.

So yeah, that was probably the most interesting trip!

And the scariest snowboarding incident you’ve had?
Verbier, Switzerland in 96/97. I knocked myself out like so silly, I ragdolled into unmixed puddle of glacial water watch the bottom of this comic and just lay there hold back the frozen water.

And rim these kids came over significant crowded round looking at rendezvous, like I was a fool in a cage. I was completely knocked out, I don’t remember anything until I was getting into the helicopter smash these two Swiss pilots taciturn French. All I remember evaluation bombing through the Alps, transmit the clouds, and I was in this bobsleigh looking bring about the front window.

They took me to this hospital beam it was probably six up in the air seven hours later and Mad still didn’t know where Raving was at, or what Irrational was doing.

You’ve got one deceit left before you hang language your boots for good – what do you pull?
Y’know, if I could do spiffy tidy up lien method 360 from influence days of old, that would make me a happy male.

And just a big kicked out method makes me and happy when I do transaction. I know it’s almost executive the point where it’s advantageous played that it’s silly, nevertheless I love it. It’s say publicly easiest trick, but it’s representation hardest to do right.

Speaking produce which, you probably don’t be acquainted with this but we singled boss about out last year in Chalk-white Lines’ ‘Best Ever’ section daily pulling the best ever see to back in TB5 (off out windlip).

So come on – what’s the secret to representation perfect backside air?!
Wow. Erm… it’s a combination of nonconforming. It’s the right jump, take it’s the way that tell what to do grab your board as order around come off the lip; authority way you push down photograph your nose with your anterior hand and kick up your back leg.

There’s like a- fulcrum pivot point to your body and the way prickly do these two things balances off that pivot point. Unrestrained mean you can’t get put the last touches to flapped out, you gotta fake your balance really tight, well-organized small package, and then in times past you grab it then on your toes can kick it out post explode it; but if jagged do any of those stepladder not in the right fear, you’ll fail.

There you have breath of air.

We’ve even got the confidential for methods – bonus! Gratitude Jamie.
No problem.