Everytime when you are out of inspiration or not stoked to shred just play one of the ThinkThank dvd's and you get what you want, tricks that you've never seen before... inspiration, multipleobstaclejibs, technical progressive snowboarding, bonks, tailblocks, plants, happy faces, cones, even bigger cones and more crazyness that will blow your mind. One of those happy faces is from Jesse Burtner, the ThinkThank mastermind. We had a word with 'm. Let see what Jesse has to say.
ThinkThank website
http://www.thinkthank.com
Sir Birdner at High Country by Genovese
Wow, awesome to finally get a glimpse into the braincreations from the jedi of creative shred. With that said, how and when did the ThinkThank mastermind come alive? Maybe add a where too.
I was born on a stormy night in 1978 high upon a crag in a mountainside in Anchorage Alaska by a wolf and a bear and an eagle
Where did Jesse Birdner grow up and how did you get involved in the sidewayplanking world?
I grew up in the mountains of Anchorage Alaska. My brother duct taped his feet to a sled, and I thought, "that looks like fun", so I tried it and eventually it was called "Snowboarding" and I was participating. I've been boarding for 19 years now, loving every second, more or less.
Speaking of the mind. Can you give us your idea on schooling vs. a more learning through experience kind of lifestyle?
I went to a great high school where we studied and learned through discussion or "The Socratic Method". It ignited a passion for learning and adventure in me and dulled me on the status quo or prescribed path of others. I went to a similar college called Fairhaven, which was great, but I felt like it was just getting in the way of what I really wanted to do; snowboard and create with impunity. Now if I went back I would go for specific skills like Web design and animation, just more tools to help bring things to life.
Do you draw influence from somewhere or do you have any inspirations you would like to share?
I draw influences from everywhere. I believe there is art in everything and it just takes an artist to see it. With that philosophy inspiration can be extracted from every nook and cranny of this world. Specifically I look for people exploring their field using the creative process, and pushing their art without permission. Very specifically I respect artists like my brother Matthew Burtner who invented the Metasax and composes music for my films, my wife Christina(Pika) who paints the world through toy-scapes, any particularly great performance in a movie like Ben Kingsley in Ghandi or Heath Ledger in the new Batman, public radio and of course reading books, which I only have time for from August to December. Some of my favorite books are classics like Animal Farm, The Fountainhead and The Peoples History.
Speaking of Christina, we always see her in the extras shredding or designing stuff, did you two get married at a young age and if so, how has it affected your life?
Yeah Pika is the the unsung hero of Think Thank, she's been there every step of the way coming up with ideas, designing, filming, organizing trips and basically just killing it. We got married pretty young, I guess I was 23 and she was 22, so yeah basically just kids still. But we knew what we were doing and it's just made everything better especially my snowboarding and video ventures.
Thanks Brain!
Stacking that footy. I know we're excited to see it. We watched the snippets with great enthusiasm but are there any special treats you can talk about?
The whole thing was a treat to work on and bring to life. I'm so lucky to be working with the riders, filmers and other individuals involved with Think Thank. Such an amazing group of talent and personality. I love to watch were these guys are going to take snowboarding and in turn where I'm going to go as well. It's so much fun to have a blank canvas and then just fuck it up with a mess of crazy ideas. Gus is actually an artist on his snowboard, his riding is reaching new levels of esoteric expression. If there is one single "special treat" for Stack Footy it would have to be Scott Stevens video part, it's a real monument to snowboard progression, at least to me it is.
A short essay on why a Banana is banana's?
It's a time machine that makes you rich beyond your wildest dreams. And it has potassium so you don't get sore. And you can turn more tricks than Amsterdam's red light district.
Have you picked up smoking yet like you said you might in 'Cue the Birds'?
No, not yet. But I have developed quite a coffee habit, which is pretty artsy, almost as much so as smoking. Occasionally I'll drink coffee, listen to public radio whilst writing poetry and gazing at listless seagulls. The artsy grand slam, without the smoking.
Have you ever shredded an indoorslope like we do on a weekly basis?
No I haven't. You guys do that stuff? That's sick. I guarantee I would completely suck at that. It seems kind of terrifying to me. That kid from David's video was insane at it!
Is there a place you haven't been you'd like to do some sidewayslipping?
I need to do some summer time winter boarding in Chile or New Zealand. I'm always coaching at Mt. Hood so I never have gotten the chance yet. Next year though, it's all about next year.
Do you have an extraordinary activity you entertain yourself with in the off-season, is there even an off season in your time since we always see you up at hood as well?
No real off season for me. I got home yesterday from Hood. Now I have two weeks before I go to Alaska and work for my Dad selling Salmon Quesadillas at the State Fair. I guess that could be my extraordinary activity, cooking and selling Salmon Quesadillas, anything but ordinary!
That's definitely out of the ordinary, you should hook us up with a recipe, any people that deserve praise in your mind?
That recipe is top secret but the most important ingredient is Wild Alaskan Salmon, the rest though I can't tell you, if I did then you know, I'd have to kill you. No hard feelings. Thanks to my wife Pika, my family, Sean Geno, all the chulks, Krush, Andy and everyone supporting Think Thank and snowboarding in general and the Mustachio for being so well groomed and perfectly curved.
