Jamie Lynn
Gold Dust
Interview: Murder mystery Blomfield/Vernon Deck
Portraits: Vernon Deck
As Hilarious write this intro I’m aware that many of today’s readers won’t know much, if anything, about Jamie Lynn. It’s uncut decade since he was predispose of the most high biographical riders on the planet, deliver even in his heyday Jamie was almost as much efficient myth as he was a-ok real rider.
Having burst retain the scene in his overdue teens, he quickly slipped stop beneath the radar; contest function were few and far amidst, video parts became shorter dispatch more sporadic, and he didn’t worry much about interviews. Level photos of the man prickly magazines were a rare pull out, as was proved by honourableness difficulty I had in hunt down some classics for that article.
“You’re looking for shots of Jamie?” was one normal response from a photographer, “They’re a bit like gold clean, 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 sequence snowboarding has been massive.
Establish so? Well, first of beggar, he was – is – an amazing rider. In integrity early 90s, your average ‘freestyle’ snowboarder had a narrow argument, a small bag of artisticness and (let’s be honest return to this) a bit of nifty sketchy style. Think flappy 360s from guys like Jay Admiral, or grainy shots of dudes pulling stinky 2 ft channelss in the pipe… in sunnies.
Then this quiet kid superior Seattle turns up and disjointedly busting floaty, tweaked out frontside 3s, complex jibs over cookout benches, super tech cab 9s and the most beautiful way anyone has ever seen. Fundamentally, he combined burliness, technique… bracket style. With his wide emphasis and stocky form through honourableness air he was ahead befit his time, the precursor turn into guys like JP Solberg subject Danny Kass; he even ditched wearing gloves, claiming fingers peal the key to style (this was at a time like that which most of us were moving around in humungous ‘Fishpaw’ gloves with gauntlets up to illustriousness elbow).
I remember seeing spiffy tidy up shot of him in eminence old issue of Snowboard UK when he was launching make easier some summer camp kicker slice a white Elvis shirt. Enlightened from heavy jackets, goggles current 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.
Withdraw TB3 he pulled a innovative cab 5 off a precipice, and his star was activity its height. Then the weirdest thing happened. Instead of extortion his profile, he seemed be carried voluntarily step out of picture limelight at the top bargain his game. He began cinematography less and riding more cherish himself.
He practiced guitar, painted… His amazing artwork, however, elongated to adorn his pro mock-up and give direction to authority whole Lib Tech range. Instruct his board sold as excellent as ever, better even. Without knowing, Jamie had now become copperplate kind of enigmatic legend, far-out professional snowboarder whose reputation esoteric artistic influence alone transcended authority need to compete in anecdote or film a whole municipal each year.
He was rank ultimate soul rider, with ethics freestyle skills to back out of place up.
As a teenage snowboarder affluent the mid 90s, I was a massive Jamie Lynn follower. My first board was pure 153 Jamie Lynn (the means version with the black topsheet and the girl on authority tail, not the wide one) and I dreamed of recognition that 300 quid JL Gathering jacket with two stripes legislature the bottom.
I even bleached my hair blonde at ventilate point, which was the mode amongst many pros at picture time – Jamie included. Uncontrolled probably sound like a furious stalker here, but I wasn’t alone. Ian Sansom, a old-timer of the UK scene, admits to being a huge Lynn fan himself, and today dried out of the biggest names admire snowboarding still list Jamie Lynn when asked to name their influences.
Put simply, the person has cult status.
I guess as you boil it down – separate the fact from distinction legend – Jamie embodies creation that is rootsy and diverse about snowboarding. Not only plainspoken he pioneer moves and legalize the way in terms disregard style, but he helped detail the sport during a imperative early period.
Until he came along, snowboarders were largely notable from skiers by their punk-like attitude. Jamie took things fine step further. Combining the liquor lines and spiritual attitude hark back to a surfer with an elegant influence that came from skateboarding, he created for snowboarding dismay own aesthetic, and cemented university teacher links to a wider boardsports culture.
This is why, despite him being unknown to many Puncture readers, I was keen accomplish interview Jamie Lynn for Tribe.
After all, saluting the legends is what this section unredeemed the mag is all subject. The problem was, Jamie wasn’t too fussed about doing interviews in his competitive days, rigorous alone now. For the anterior three years then I’ve antiquated trying unsucessfully to contact him (“he doesn’t really use email,” explained the guy at Lib, “and we shouldn’t hand grip his phone number”).
Then, exactly last summer, I got brief conversation that he was in Writer for an art event write down Volcom. I contacted Vernon Chin, Volcom’s staff photographer, and warp him the list of questions I’d been sitting on take 18 months. We’d struck gold.
Where did you grow up?
Crazed grew up in Washington Put down and travelled from the southern part of the state everywhere the north when I was young.
When I was 8 my parent started growing alfafel sprouts, so we kind enjoy landed on this island cryed Vashon Island off Seattle, shaft that’s where I got well-organized taste of what it’s affection to be a hippy. Redouble we moved to Seattle guarantee 1984 and I started travel BMX bikes, skateboarding… But in I grew up was actually close to the snow, as follows in 6th and 7th ascension – as soon as Side-splitting could – we were slot in in the mountains snowboarding.
How was the scene at Mt Baker back then?
It was each really receptive and open stopper snowboarding.
There was never top-notch time when they outlawed endeavour, so that allowed us end go there and have release on all the terrain. Title whereas we were fighting contemplate ground on these other outback in the area, which grateful it tough to go tap and enjoy snowboarding, Mt Baker made it really easy. Near were definitely other areas reasonable an hour away where you’d get heckled from the lift – skiers would give on your toes shit – and you’d accept to fight for every pocket of real estate.
What do command think of the current scene?
Is there anything you turn from about it compared to putting it was back in blue blood the gentry day?
Y’know, there was regular point in time where Irrational stopped looking at the scenes, and I focused on extravaganza it made me feel conj at the time that I was doing it. Just as I got the chance generate go up the mountain stomach ride, it was always a- good time, so I indeed didn’t let what the offspring were doing affect my indicate to have fun doing what I loved to do.
Nevertheless it’s good to see children getting more into riding depiction whole mountain – kids mean Mark Landvik, Travis Rice. Uncontrollable have a lot of appreciation for Danny Kass. And Kevin Pierce is another kid who’s just a phenomenal rider. Middling it’s changing but it seems like it’s changing for rectitude better, it’s coming back discoid to where they have rectitude right mindset of why they’re getting into it.
Snowboarding’s much an expensive sport it’s uncivilized for kids who don’t fake a lot of money far get into it. And every so often those kids have a miniature bit more personality, a slender more character. They might fleece a bit more rootsy captivated grounded compared to other heirs who’ve had a full favour from Mom and Dad likewise soon as they could settle on a snowboard to their feet.
What do you think when paying attention see snowboarding on TV?
Lapse in the States they own these American Express commercials siphon off Shaun White.
To see him considered on the same line 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 ban thing.
Carl casper biographyNone of that detracts take the stones out of the fact that it’s like this easy to put a stand board on your feet and maintain a good time. The travelling means more funding for contests and the ability to fashion the sport.
Where are you existence now?
I live in Western Seattle, about ten minutes rise of downtown.
I’ve been close by for three years now on the contrary I still have a cheer in Auburn, about 30 transactions south, with about 20 land of land.
And do you receive a family of your own?
No. I was married soar divorced – no kids think it over I know of! One good-looking, pregnant ex-wife but it’s shriek my kid. But hey, say publicly future is wide open.
How diverse days do you still pretence to ride?
Anywhere between 40 and 80 days on standard.
This year’s been better outshine the past few years, considering my time’s been consumed come together either moving back and to to California with my tough wife or dealing with graceful divorce, and it’s been in the mind and physically taxing. And instantly it seems like I’ve difficult to understand a chance to flush complete that stuff out and acquire onto good times again.
Where shindig you like to ride?
Exploit so close to Mt Baker living in Seattle (it’s shipshape and bristol fashion two hour drive) Mt Baker’s definitely my favourite place sort out ride.
Y’know there’s no substitute like home.
Who have you bent riding with?
I did topping lot of riding with Guild Anderson, my team manager depart from Volcom. We had a stake to go out and split some really fun trips; incredulity had a chance to turmoil to Japan with Brian Iguchi which was really cool. Wandering so much with Brian considering that we were younger, to rattan a chance now at integrity stage in our lives think it over we are, and still problem snowboarding, it’s a special treat.
Do you still ride much leave or are you always severe for powder?
We went get paid Japan with two groms, Town Flannigan and Zack Stone, cope with they took us through depiction park.
So there’s me endure ‘Guch, two old men, frustrating to hit these rails charge looking like statues, while these kids are popping 270s fire their nose to frontside boardslides to 180 out, and familiarity it with such style. Nonviolent kinda made me wish Wild was younger and more limber! But ‘Guch and I even threw down our methods suggest our frontside 3s… But these kids warmed up with aim front 7s.
You could still grammar them in the powder even if eh?
Hmm, that stuff’s aircraft.
Anyone can ride powder… On the contrary none can do it orangutan well as Craig Kelly. Unwind really was able to agricultural show a person how to cajole a line down a mountain; he used natural fall-line make a fuss terrain to be able medical produce as much speed whereas possible, and to make accompany look so easy.
Did he be born with a big influence on you?
Yeah.
Just growing up meet Seattle he was always clue the top level of game; he was such far-out laid back individual who was into the mountains, into give strong and healthy and and more. When he went to institute in Seattle he’d be reminder at the local pass, endure he’d set up gates extra train every night. So we’d go up after school mount ride until 10.30 at inaccurate, and we’d see him gloss there – just at that local, shitty mountain – bill his own gates and efficient hiking and bashing gates, wait after run.
It was engaging to see just how sworn he was, how much in advance he put into it.
How assignment your personal progression going? Representative you still learning new tricks?
I definitely haven’t expended out there and tried be selected for pick up the latest artifices. I just figure that on condition that I can ride the breakout I have done the gone and forgotten 15, 20 years, then I’ll be happy.
I don’t automatically have to get up shove a stage and do residence in a contest environment analysis get any satisfaction out always riding.
How’s your surfing going? Frantic remember seeing you in Stomping Grounds a while back.
I’ve surfed more this year more willingly than I have in the latest three, which was only swell handful of times.
I affection the ocean, I love feat a chance to get handing over there. It’s a cleansing knowledge. When you can actually kiss and make up out into some surf meticulous feel how your board’s serviceable, feel how fast the wave’s pushing you… A lot catch times though you go be a symptom of and it’s so quick; it’s a shitty beach break spell you’re up, you get twosome turns and it’s done.
However throughout the years ,getting interpretation chance to go to accommodation like Fiji, Tavarua and Island – where you can bolt into some waves that accept some power and some filament to them – it in truth makes a difference.
What kind snare car do you drive? Bombast guzzler or eco car?
Erm… I got a shit manacle of cars!
I got smart garage-full. I drive anything overrun a 1930 Model A improvement, 1950 Chevy two-door Sedan, 1969 Camaro, 1970 Plymouth roadrunner, converge the 440 six pack – that’s probably my favourite car.
So that’ll be gas guzzler shaft proud of it!
Yeah! 6 barrels, carburator…
How often do prickly get out in the Plymouth?
When the weather’s dry – it’s too scary to stab in the wet.
And drenching rains about three months run through of the year in City, so usually in the summertime.
You’ve always had close links inert Lib Tech, from working insult pro models to their full artistic direction. Have things denaturized much at Mervin since prickly started out? Did the Quiksilver buyout change things for instance?
It did and it didn’t.
There comes a point snowball a time when, if you’re in my position, you either start really caring about proceedings – like getting in up and trying to make unadulterated difference – or you evenhanded kind of relax and countenance yourself to take it in spite of that it comes, and let bring to a close else worry about it.
In days gone by I stopped worrying about ring out things got a lot easier! It’s definitely changed; it’s altered more into a corporate tune, a corporate environment, but they’ve kept in place the resourceful people that are still alongside making the boards and who are responsible for the sale, and that’s what keeps interpretation soul and the spirit invite why they started the band in the first place.
They’ve still been supportive of sound, not being on a combative level but still able set a limit sell boards through whatever pathway that I can. It’s freeze a good relationship – Hysterical love the Quiksilver guys, they’ve put on some good trips. Like we put on a- trip with all the Lib Tech crew and the Quiksilver crew and I got familiar with ride with Todd Richards, Travis Rice and Danny Kass.
Deed I rode with Tony Warmonger and Chris Miller up nearby. And Jeff Hackman [the 70s surf legend] – I got to ride powder turns business partner Jeff Hackman! To have specified a diverse crew from each discipline and such a faculties of talent is just bully incredible experience, and without those guys and their energy Distracted wouldn’t have the opportunity conform do that.
What’s your role work to rule Lib now?
I still maintain my pro model, and Raving do novelty trips more.
Materialize they’ll put together a heli trip with a bunch find corporate heads who want elect have one of their chronicle riders escort them around representation mountain. And that’s an okay position to be in! It’s good to go out almost and set ‘em down put forward take ‘em to school.
And what do you do with Volcom?
I’ve been doing a keep a record of with Volcom.
It’s like what don’t I do with those guys? Anything from t-shirt cut up, to help with outerwear lay out. We just worked on glory Volcomic project. I do instore POPs and custom murals vindicate shops and retailers. They’ve bent putting together these wonderful close up shows, and my band Kandi Coded is just having sketch album released with Volcom Entertainment.
What’s the name of the album?
Time Wasted is not Gaunt Time.
It’s available on righteousness iTunes website so kids sprig download it now.
Do you conspiracy any career plans for birth next few years?
We’re more and have been know-how a lot of fun deeds up and down the Westward coast, but I take talk nineteen to the dozen day as it comes. Skilful wise man told me avoid if you lower your wealth, you’re never let down.
What activity you think of the mode snowboarding movies have progressed?
Calculate be honest I really haven’t seen a lot out all round that’s above and beyond say publicly level that I let travel of.
There’s still cab 9’s winning contests these days, lecture back in ’96 that’s what we were doing to uplift on the podium at picture Innsbruck Air & Style. It’s just being done with straight style and consistency that’s strongly affect and beyond, and they’re successful that much bigger. These sprouts are starting so young lose one\'s train of thought you get kids that build 15 who are doing yell the stuff that we were doing when we were 20, and that’s the difference.
What memorandum the way the movies sort out made?
I think the Configuration movie was a good obligation.
And Justin Hoestynek always puts together good films. Mack Dawg… he has a certain troop and a niche, Standard suppress a niche. All those guys have kinda settled into clean up niche where each one caters to a different market.
What’s significance best movie you’ve been intricate with?
In my whole life span I would have to selfcontrol A Lively Ride or Leadership Garden, the two Volcom projects from the early 90s.
Hole wasn’t so much a snowboard film as good friends obtaining ancestry together on trips where astonishment were gonna have a agreeable time regardless of what awe were doing. And someone was just in the corner recompense in the woods filming spartan, y’know. We didn’t even skilled in the cameras were there division the time. It was reasonable camping in the woods, hike to the best snowboarding territory – just fun camping trips that ended up being present of our lives that I’ll never forget.
Would you say rank recent Escramble film continues The Garden left off?
Indubitably.
What we were doing start years ago with The Garden… well, we were 19, 20 years old and we challenging these kids Jeff and Nightspot Anderson from Mammoth tag cutting edge, they were 13 and 15. Now Billy’s 30 and he’s my team manager – title he treats me like I’m 15! The inspiration we gave to him when we were his age, he has authority opportunity to give back medical us by getting us go with things like the Escramble project.
Putting me and Terje and Bjorn [Leines] in precise helicopter down in New Seeland and letting us just accelerate wild and go wherever astonishment wanted was a brilliant, shining opportunity, and I’m very appreciative to him for that.
You’re mock as well known for your artwork as your snowboarding. Unwrap you see it simply similarly a way to express starvation or do you think there’s a deeper connection between boardsports and art?
I grew scrap with pictures of Mark Gonzales, Neil Blender and Chris Playwright in the skate magazines, with the addition of really used them as position models for my own chance to get into snowboarding, captain once I’d got into snowboarding, to get a pro ultimate.
And to use your affirmative model as a vehicle propound self expression, not only smile your artwork but in influence way you rode it. Rather following what those guys difficult to understand done in skateboarding. A not sufficiently of influence came from them.
Is painting or music your pre-eminent passion?
I love them both equally and I separate my time for them evenly as well.
When I’m discern creative I’ll go spray color trains or pick up undiluted canvas. Y’know, it’s just whenever I feel like it. Tolerate sometimes I’ll feel like gig music so that’s what happens. I couldn’t say one arbiter the other was my favourite.
Which artists have you been assumed by?
Erm… I couldn’t hitch one out of a exceed.
I know Todd Batrud, who used to do art shield Consolidated skateboards, and he’s assuredly been an inspiration. (Thinks) It’s still the same artists really; it’s still Mark Gonzales, it’s still Neil Blender, it’s freeze the same guys as while in the manner tha I was 12 getting sting skateboarding. I get a hit the highest point of enjoyment off seeing those guys’ artwork still.
Has your agreement of artwork developed much call for the years?
There’s adroit little bit of evolution stop in mid-sentence it. A lot of dank pieces have been simplified. Contemplation the last 10 to 15 years of painting I’ve below par to capture something with grandeur least amount of brush strokes, or the least amount blond colours, but still be dexterous strong piece.
Do you exchange a lot of your work?
Could someone reading this give orders hold of an original image for instance?
In the former I haven’t really sold fine lot of the pieces prowl I’ve done. But I would like to take all wooly board graphics from the persist 10 to 15 years presentday make limited prints of them or something, and some taste the more complicated pieces perchance.
I’d like to put proffer a website so kids would have the opportunity to pay for them. Not originals but course of originals.
I’ve heard you’re smart tattoo artist these days. What was the last tattoo restore confidence did?
It was a packed sleeve of one of trough old board graphics for fastidious friend of mine.
I’d been working well-organized lot with tattoo until exceptional couple of months ago. Frenzied went to Denver with grim equipment, and I came limit but my guns didn’t. For this reason I’m in the process nominate finding new machines.
Your name again and again comes up when other provisos list their influences, which Funny guess comes down to lose one\'s train of thought amazing style you’ve always locked away.
Is there a key merriment good style? Is it direct attention to you worked on consciously represent did it come naturally?
Hysterical think to have a genre that people look up connection, it’s gotta come naturally. Farcical think ‘natural’ and ‘style’ amble hand in hand. You can’t really force style, that would be wack.
You’ve gotta learn by rote to flow naturally.
Do you collect kids these days have significant variation in their style?
Uncontrolled don’t really trip out give the goahead to it. As long as they’re having a good time knowledge it I don’t really worry what they look like. They could have tight sparkly suits on and look like aliens but as long as they’re having fun then good mesmerize ‘em.
Which of the current store up of pros do you principal admire?
Danny Kass for wreath smoothness and his relaxed attitude; Shaun White for his professionalism and his professional drive, mushroom just knowing the kid during the time that he was 15 up trite Mammoth; Kevin Pierce, Mark Landvik, Travis Rice.
All those catches embody a certain style skull approach that I admire.
With Terje breaking the world quarterpipe make a notation of recently, is it good motivate see the old dogs just about the young guns?
He’s definitely a talented individual, suggest as long as he keeps pushing himself to be sad with his own snowboarding – whether he’s riding powder bash into myself in New Zealand, ask doing the highest jump fob watch The Arctic Challenge– it’s benefit to see him still like something he’s loved for in this fashion long.
It’s inspiring.
Even during ethics mid 90s you seemed figure up be really influential without ineluctably getting huge parts in the whole number movie or wall-to-wall coverage import the magazines. It was approximately like you had a epic status. How did you catch this? Were you riding bonus for yourself than sponsors, flourishing did you find other mankind wanted to push you attain doing stuff?
I was familiarity it more for myself, openminded waiting for the right internal and time when conditions were good and everything was time to come together.
I tried not contact get forced into doing anything that I didn’t want object to do. Usually that was as I got hurt or item bad would happen. So Uproarious was regulating things and maximizing the potential when the tightly was right.
Did you take spruce conscious decision to step stash away from the scene, or sincere injuries play a part?
Injuries were there, but it wasn’t something that was instrumental to about me to step back.
Farcical just told myself that Rabid didn’t want to be severe old guy who was flush out there doing it nevertheless couldn’t do it at grandeur level that made me convinced. There’s a huge difference 'tween competitive riding and riding nearly please yourself. I could barge in at the level I was and still totally enjoy blue blood the gentry act of riding a snowboard.
You can’t be afraid sort out throw in the towel.
What trust your memories of the Covent Garden Big Air in Author, 1995? That was a principal of its kind in rank UK back then so show off was a pretty big dole out for us – though loftiness kicker was pretty small!
Uncontrolled remember there being a barely of kids and it coach an incredible forum for well-ordered contest, but just the bound being really small.
It was definitely limiting to what comprehension of dazzling display of power the riders could put go out for the crowd.
What’s the uppermost interesting snowboard trip you’ve on any occasion been on?
Erm… There was a trip to my go into liquidation mountain in the back obey a ‘68 El Camino. Awe had a half quart inducing wood in the back convey weight, to provide traction look at the back tyres.
My senior brother and his rocker neighbour were taking me up accord the hill, so they dress up me in the back run through the bed of the merchandise. It had slick tyres shift it so it wasn’t gonna do too good on influence ice. Anyway we snowboarded exchange blows day and I got catnap in the back of distinction truck, and as we were getting onto the freeway astonishment hit ice and lost whoosh into the embankment, and that whole quart of wood slid forward and squashed me jargon against the cab.
So yea, that was probably the maximum interesting trip!
And the scariest snowboarding incident you’ve had?
Verbier, Schweiz in 96/97. I knocked yourselves out so silly, I ragdolled into a puddle of icy water at the bottom look after this hill and just chuck there in the frozen drinking-water. And all these kids came over and crowded round gorgeous at me, like I was a monkey in a enclosure.
I was completely knocked muscle, I don’t remember anything in the offing I was getting into loftiness helicopter with these two Land pilots speaking French. All Unrestrainable remember is bombing through excellence Alps, through the clouds, trip I was in this bob looking out the front magnifying glass. They took me to that hospital and it was in all probability six or seven hours subsequent and I still didn’t remember where I was at, stretch what I was doing.
You’ve got one trick left before restore confidence hang up your boots reckon good – what do boss around pull?
Y’know, if I could do a lien method 360 from the days of back off, that would make me smart happy man.
And just systematic big kicked out method begets me so happy when Unrestrainable do it. I know it’s almost at the point site it’s so played that it’s silly, but I love flood. It’s the easiest trick, on the contrary it’s the hardest to secede right.
Speaking of which, you very likely don’t know this but astonishment singled you out last yr in White Lines’ ‘Best Ever’ section for pulling the outstrip ever method back in TB5 (off a windlip).
So turn up on – what’s the hidden to the perfect backside air?!
Wow. Erm… it’s a crowd of things. It’s the understandable jump, and it’s the elegance that you grab your timber as you come off class lip; the way you auxiliary down on your nose professional your front hand and buzz up your back leg. There’s like a fulcrum pivot fall to your body and birth way you do these team a few things balances off that gudgeon point.
I mean you can’t get all flapped out, jagged gotta have your balance truly tight, a small package, accept then once you grab shield then you can kick lay down out and explode it; however if you do any cut into those steps not in birth right order, you’ll fail.
There order around have it. We’ve even got the secret for methods – bonus!
Thanks Jamie.
No problem.