What Inspired Peter Line’s Iconic Snowboard Style?
Peter Line is a legend in the snowboarding world, with a style that has transcended generations. But where did he get his inspiration from? In this post, we’ll take a look at the events, people, and places that inspired Peter Line’s iconic snowboard style.
Early Influences: Skateboarding and punk rock
Peter Line grew up in Southern California, a place where skateboarding and punk rock were part of the cultural landscape. As a teenager, Line was influenced by these subcultures, adopting elements of their DIY attitude and aesthetic.
Skateboarding provided Line with a foundation in board sports, teaching him the balance and agility that would serve him well as a snowboarder. He also took inspiration from the skateboarding style of the 1980s, characterized by big airs, grabs, and spins.
Punk rock, with its rebellious spirit and anti-establishment ethos, was another major influence on Line. He adopted the punk look, sporting thick black glasses, spiked hair, and leather jackets. More importantly, he internalized the punk attitude of doing things your own way and not caring what others thought.
The Inception of Forum Snowboards
In the mid-1990s, the snowboarding world was changing rapidly. Snowboarding had gone from a fringe activity to a mainstream sport, with companies like Burton and Sims leading the charge. However, there was a sense of corporate homogeneity in the sport, with everyone trying to make boards that looked and rode the same.
This is where Forum Snowboards, the company founded by Peter Line and a group of fellow snowboarders, came in. Forum’s mission was to make boards that were different from anything else on the market – boards that reflected the individuality and creativity of snowboarders themselves.
Under Line’s creative direction, Forum began making boards with colorful, eye-catching graphics and unusual shapes that defied categorization. These boards were designed for freestyle riding – the kind of riding that Line excelled at – and were meant to be ridden in the park, in the streets, or in the backcountry.
Line’s Signature Tricks
Line’s snowboarding style was heavily influenced by the skateboarding tricks he had grown up doing. He took the skateboarding “ollie” (a jump that doesn’t require an obstacle) and applied it to snowboarding, creating the “ollie” in the snow. This trick involves popping the board off the snow, then bringing it back down to land on the same spot.
Line also took inspiration from the spinning tricks of skateboarding, incorporating spins into his snowboarding repertoire. His 360-degree spin, in which he rotated his body and board a full 360 degrees in the air, became a signature move.
However, Line’s most iconic trick was the “Method”. The Method is a grab trick in which the rider reaches behind their back with their back hand and grabs the heel edge of the board while extending their front arm. The move was originally pioneered by snowboarding legend Terry Kidwell, but Line took it to new heights (literally and figuratively) with his huge Methods off kicker jumps.
The Legacy of Peter Line
Peter Line’s influence on snowboarding cannot be overstated. His innovative riding style, bold board graphics, and commitment to individuality helped shape snowboarding into the creative, freestyle-driven sport it is today.
Line’s legacy lives on, not just through his own riding and the boards that bear his name, but through the generations of snowboarders he has inspired. His commitment to doing things differently, to following one’s own path, and to having fun while doing it all, makes him a true icon of the sport.
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