Burton Grails: Finding Harmony in Snowboarding and Music

There’s always been harmony in music and snowboarding.

Whether you’re pro riding-with-headphones (shout out Kier Dillon), or opt to leave them at home, music has been — and forever will be — integral to inspiring our days strapped in. From the tunes that soundtracked the videos we tirelessly loop, to the playlists that amp us up on every commute to the hill, music and snowboarding go hand-in-hand for eternity.

But aside from simply soundtracking our lives, our favorite bands and artists have also inspired the actual gear we’ve designed. Through our history, we’ve cranked a few collabs up to 11, orchestrating designs with everyone from Jake’s personal faves, the Grateful Dead, to hip-hop pioneers RUN DMC and Tupac.

Let’s immerse ourselves in some of the hits over the years:

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Catered to jammin’ and jibbin’, 2011’s Whammy Bar X Bob Marley brought all the smoke to the mountain. Prioritizing hot laps in the rail garden with its catch-free, V-Rocker profile, the Whammy Bar was a hit in itself when it landed on shelves that season — topping higher on the charts with this collab from the reggae legend himself.

For those who were looking to stir it up a bit, they didn't wait in vain to snag this deck that satisfied the soul. Jah feel?

It’s been said that one of Jake’s first prototype graphics was, in fact, Dead-inspired. But in our personal opinion, the only individual who loved the Grateful Dead as much as Jake was (and is) Burton Team Rider Danny Davis.

So, in 2013, we satisfied both Burton legends with this Grateful Dead collab on Danny’s Easy Livin’ board. Featuring unique album-inspired artwork across each size offering, this 155 in particular became a much sought-after fan and collector favorite. With its hybrid Steal Your Face logo, incorporating the iconic Burton mountain graphic in place of the Dead’s renowned lightning bolt, the Easy Livin’ brought even more fire to the mountain.

It was Easy Livin’ and good lovin’ for all our fellow Deadheads out there.

Another iconic 2013 collab with a truly revolutionary band, the Whammy Bar X Pink Floyd collection was yet another sought-after brick in the wall of our favorite boards. Similar to the Easy Livin’ series, this run of boards also featured differentiating, yet equally influential, Pink Floyd album art across each size offering.

Obviously, our personal favorite was this 155 —which featured the timeless Dark Side of the Moon artwork. Not only did it “Speak to Me,” but it also spoke to “Us and Them,” and every other Pink Floyd-loving boarder on every side of the hill.

Whether on tour, on a road trip, or just ripping hot laps on the mountain, a trusty ol’ shirt is a necessity. Preferably one that can handle a lack of laundry days and, if we’re being honest, adds a bit of style.

Too much to ask for? Well, our Roadie Tech Tee was the solution. And because we were finding it increasingly hard to find vintage tour tees of one of our favorite bands — the legendary Led Zeppelin — we went ahead and just drew up one ourselves. Featuring graphics from Zeppelin’s ‘75 U.S. tour, this moisture-wicking, sun-protecting, stink-preventing base layer got a whole lotta love from our Burton Team Riders and countless Zeppelin fans — over the hills, and even far away.

Building on our love for rock legends, Led Zeppelin, 2019 was a perfect opportunity to pay tribute to the band that inspired so many of us — from Jake, to Danny, to all of our riders, employees, and supporters.

When the band’s 50th anniversary rolled around that year, we decided to go beyond some collaborative graphics — so we designed an entirely new board. Named aptly after the single, “Misty Mountain Hop,” we constructed a fast, hard-charging shape inspired by the band’s groundbreaking, self-titled first album. And as a special thank you for anyone who picked up this limited edition deck, the band even hooked every purchase up with a copy of their 50th anniversary book, Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin.

So, who out there scored one of these iconic boards?

There ain’t much out there more progressive than the Beastie Boys. Featuring the photography of Ricky Powell, this freeride juggernaut of a board and complementary Step On bindings were a direct collaboration between MINE77 and the legendary hip-hop group. While Paul’s Boutique — the group’s second studio album — didn’t initially match the commercial success of their widely acclaimed debut, Licensed to Ill, it has since become regarded as a landmark album in the golden age of hip-hop, with many describing it as the Sgt. Pepper of the genre. 30 years after its release, it stood (and still stands) as the Beastie Boys’ breakthrough achievement.

In many ways, the passion and creative drive that produced Paul’s Boutique was ultimately the same form of energy that led Jake to create the MINE77 Collection in the first place. So, it was pretty dang cool when MCA wrote a personal thank you note to Jake upon this collection’s release.

Unbeknown to most, Metallica and Burton have had a pretty strong relationship over the years. From the band stopping by HQ a few times, to James Hetfield recording the voiceover in the Craig Kelly documentary, “Let It Ride,” we’re perhaps as big of fans of them as they are of us.

Which made our 2021 collab a long overdue no-brainer.

From the workwear-inspired Dunmore jacket — which included Pushead’s unmistakable Flaming Skull artwork that lit up Metallica’s Summer Sh*t Tour in ‘94 — to the iconic skull art-graced Skeleton Key and denim-laden Step On binding, the Burton X Metallica was a rock-n-roll collab that made us feel like nothing else matters.

Tupac is arguably the greatest rapper of all time (sorry, fellow East Coasters, but you know it’s true), and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. And his impact on the Burton family — especially Jake’s oldest son, Timi, was undeniable:

“My dad introduced my brothers and me to Tupac’s music at a young age. I think he was drawn to how raw, real, and honest Tupac was, while still having a soft side. At one point my dad gave me a collection of Tupac’s poems called ‘The Rose That Grew From Concrete.’ That book made me realize how much Tupac wanted to change society for the better. When the opportunity arose to work with Tupac’s estate, there was no hesitation. We worked elements of his writings and drawings into the Freethinker because, in my opinion, it’s an aggressive board, but versatile — kind of like Tupac’s style.”

To celebrate the collaboration — alongside the MINE77 Mine-Vita Binding — Burton made a donation to A Place Called Home. Founded in 1993 with Tupac’s support, A Place Called Home works to provide a safe, nurturing environment with proven programs in music, arts, education, and wellness for the young people in South Central Los Angeles to help them develop healthy, fulfilling, and purposeful lives.

One of our most recent artist collaborations — and perhaps the one that happened the most organically — was 2023’s work with legendary hip hop outfit Run DMC.

“The idea for this collaboration came from a tightly bound friendship rooted in passion for snowboarding,” said Jake’s son, George Burton Carpenter. “The Burton x Run DMC collection breathes life into the legacy of our fathers, or as the world knows them, Jam Master Jay of Run DMC and Jake Burton of Burton Snowboards. Through this collaboration we carried on their legacy and amplified the connection between hip-hop and snowboarding. The designs remain true to our heritage while evolving the style and culture that we intend to pass on for generations to come.”

And the process was equally as vital for the snowboard-loving members of Run DMC:

“This collab meant absolutely the world to me and my brother Jesse,” said TJ Mizell, son of the late Jam Master Jay of Run DMC. “My brother Jesse and I have been snowboarders since we were kids. Being a part of the snowboarding culture and a collaboration that celebrates my dad’s Run DMC legacy and Jake Burton’s legacy as a snowboarding pioneer is incredible. Fashion, snowboarding, and music, specifically hip-hop, really go hand-in-hand, and that’s what my brother and I have been born into, so it’s incredible to bring our sense of style to snowboarding through this Burton x Run DMC collaboration.”

With sales benefitting both the Chill Foundation and the Jam Master Jay Foundation, 2023’s Run DMC collections was one of our most fulfilling collections, both on the snow and off.

And at Burton, we’ve been privileged to collaborate with some of the world’s most iconic artists — from rock legends Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Zeppelin, to hip-hop icons Tupac and Run DMC, to reggae luminary and global superstar Bob Marley.

So, which artists do you think we should link up with next? Only time will tell…

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