The King of Afterbang has just kept on innovating in the 12 years since that game-changing video.
The Pretzel man was born and raised in Pittsburgh, hardly a ski town.
Its really just a hill, not really a mountain.
Theyve now got a great park scene, but it was always at least somewhere for me to ski.
I saw skateboarders, snowboarders and other sports doing railslides.
If I slide down this hill I wonder if I can do a railslide?
Thats where my original motivation to try urban skiing came from.
It was literally Super Unknown.
I knew that if I could make a good video then I could get some recognition.
I had thought about entering for years, but Id never had enough good footage.
I would say that segment was still in the top two or three in my career so far.
Thats probably the highlight video.
Those are definitely my two favorite projects.
Im literally in good company and that makes it that much more enjoyable to travel the world.
Not incredibly deep or clever, but I think it works.
These last 4 years have been the best Ive had filming.
Working with the crew of skiers and filmers that I really like hanging out with.
Its really all about the community.
Having the right people around you and having a love for the sport is how people make it.
Its the guy that stays a bit longer every day because he or shes having fun doing it.
Finding a crew is my biggest tip.
You want to be funny, different and unique.
I think you still see that.
Everyone wants to be their own person and it was just a style thing for us.
I cant say enough good things about the people at Line.
A ski thats so soft that I can do this or this shape that I can do this trick.
The whole motivation for me was to get on a brand thatd let me create whatever I wanted.
It was just a cool culture and cool company.
Spending a lot of time and money to film a ski movie.
Thats sad to me but also cool.
Its more fun for us that way and also allows us to hopefully keep up with the times.
There were no were no national teams, we were all together.
Youd meet people from different countries, becoming best friends with people from different countries.
“Nowadays everyones on their national teams and hang out with their national coaches, teammates, and physios.
Youre just staying wherever youre told to stay.
That whole comradery with people from different countries just doesnt exist anymore.
“Every year I just seem to get pigeon-holed into the guy that does the park and urban.
A video will come up, Im not made to do it but its a really cool opportunity.
Ill talk to the Sherpas guys and theyll plan out the Imagination video.
So its just a matter of me just wanting to explore something else.
I love doing the commentating, I miss competing and I miss being out there.
Its so fun to see the progression and the sport moving forward and the new tricks.
Hopefully, theyll be a bit more motivated and they think Wow!
This sport is so cool!
Ive got to try this!
I give a shot to describe it in a fun way that makes it interesting to people.
Its the same thing with the board.
In jobs that didnt exist 8 years ago, before the Olympics.
All these resorts and ski academies all have these full time paid careers based around freeski coaching.”
Record Breaker: Tom setting a world recordrailslide, of 424ft, in 2016.
Credit:Nick Martini/Stept Productions.
Sometimes whats going on in the parks today arent necessarily the hardest, most difficult or dangerous trick.
Youll continue to see double-corks and triple-corks and whatever else.
I dont care who you are, thats the scariest thing to do.
I dont think its that cool but its definitely the most dangerous thing!
Theres no way around that.
You see it in events, people like Kai Mohler doing pre-grabs off the lip going switch.
This is my second knee injury.
Its been fun, its a learning experience and it generates a new set of motivations for me.
What are you going to do?
How are you going to make the most of your time?
Just because of the town and the people.
There are so many good Canadians!
Theres tons of good backcountry sled-access and tons of good park skiing.
Its open, basically all year-round, with the glacier in the summer.
The village is great, it’s possible for you to drink Caesars (a Canadian cocktail).
Trick:Its hard to beat the classic backflip, as much as people have a go at.
Track:Ive always been a huge Nas fan, Ive been back into listening to Illmatic and Stillmatic.
Ill throw it back to the Superunknown video.
We all use the beat from it, but the songMade You Look.Thats classic.
We used the Biggie remix but Ill choose the original.
