Brian Tunney has been a fixture in BMX for a long time, both as a rider and someone working behind the scenes in the industry. From writing for Dig, traveling the world, managing teams, and judging contests, Brian is as deep into BMX as you can get. We asked Brian a few questions to give you a look at what one version of the BMX can look like.
We've also included a couple videos of Brian riding both flatland and street, sometimes at the same time. Brian knows that having fun on your bike has no boundaries.
How long have you been riding BMX, and what got you started?
I guess it's going on 23 years. What got me started? I bought a magazine that had an interview with the guy that did the skateboard stunts in "Back to the Future." That magazine happened to be a BMX magazine, and the rest is history. In a way, where I am now is Michael J. Fox's fault. And Biff's, too.
How long have you been working in the BMX industry? How did you get started, and what are your current roles in the industry?
I guess I started writing for Dig in 1997. The only "job" before that in the industry was stickering forks at S&M alongside Marvin for a few weeks while I stayed at Sean McKinney's house. Currently, I'm working for ESPN's action sports division, coordinating BMX content with Cody York. And I work for WTP/éclat as well, helping with the team, promotions, and whatever they need. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I judge contests, too, including the X Games. I'll still be contributing to Dig from time to time as well.
You're one of the best writers in BMX. Is that what you went to college for? Have you ever shot photos or video?
Thanks. I'd probably say it's John Paul Rogers, Sean Burns, or Steven Hamilton, though. I went to college for English/journalism, so I guess I am still on that path, even if the techniques have changed dramatically since I graduated. Photos, uhh, super occasionally. And video, not really. I don't know why, I just never really got into either medium. I appreciate both, but I'd always rather be riding that setting up flashes, light metering, or white balancing.
What are some of the most fun parts of what you do for "work"?
Talking to any number of awesome people that I talk to during the week, from Sean Burns to Steve Crandall to Will Smyth and everyone in between. Going anywhere with Leigh Ramsdell. Traveling in general. Watching Trevor Meyer videos on Vimeo and reading in the comments that Eve Degroot thinks Trevor is biting tricks. At ESPN, I actually have been going to work in the office instead of waking up hungover, drinking two cups of coffee, and working at the kitchen table all day. And that's actually kinda fun since I've never done that before. Taking the train, walking around Murray Hill, and having a decent sized work space...
After working in BMX for so long, has it changed the feeling you get from riding your bike?
Actually, riding is my escape from work. I'm sure you know, there's a lot of day to day BS to deal with, and if I can get away from that, even if it's riding in the garage near my house for an hour and a half at night in 20-degree temps, it keeps me sane. Sometimes I do get dragged down by the industry and the scene, but that all magically goes away when I pull a new trick for the first time. That feeling has only magnified throughout the years I've been riding. I wouldn't be able to handle working around BMX if I couldn't ride. I try to ride at least eight to ten hours a week during the winter and a lot more during the summer.
You worked in print for a long time. How has the Internet impacted what you do? Do you enjoy writing for the Web?
The Internet has done a pretty good job at dressing down a lot of information. I'm all for the Internet, but I still like to look at a tangible photo in a well-designed package. It seems like most people want information, and they want it fast, and as a result, quality photos and design and are taking a back seat to the flow of information. Writing seems to carry over from print to the Web, but I don't think photos and design do nearly as well. Yeah, I know people have photography and design Web sites, but I personally like to hold those mediums in my hands. That's just me, though. I don't think Dig #68, the Trails Issue, would've been so well received had it been an online magazine. And I read through that last Axelrad online mag and thought to myself, "Man, this is awesome, but I wish I could hold it."
As far as what I've done with the magazine, the Internet has made it tougher to generate content. We can't just do Top Fives or any of the upfront filler that magazines used to do since that format seemed to transition onto the Internet pretty well. But we have come up with more interesting ways to profile BMX and feature riders. So it's a challenge, but one that eventually makes the magazine a more quality read. The other way that the Internet impacted magazines was the advertising, of course. Some companies simply decided that advertising in a magazine wasn't viable anymore, opting for the force-chill Internet ads we see everywhere nowadays (dude sitting next to bike with headphones on, dude sitting in airport, dude with laptop, etc, etc.), while some companies chose to stuck with print ads. I can't say which is better. They both serve a purpose. But I do like it when companies advertise in Dig because it feels like they're behind what the mag stands for.
And as for writing for the Web, I do like it. I feel like I'm full of useless BMX information, so if I can write that stuff down and make more room in my brain for time travel equations and Star Wars minutia, I'm happy.
How would you describe the reality of working in the BMX media? Any misconceptions you hear a lot?
There's a lot of BS to sift through. But there's a lot of awesomeness as well. I think it really depends on your outlook. You can look for the worst in everything and complain nonstop, or you can focus on the good things and use that positivity to navigate through and around the BS. At least that's what I try to do. Sometimes, it really, really helps to take a step back and laugh at the ridiculousness of everything as well.
As for misconceptions, I don't know. I try not to take anything too seriously.
You also do work in the music industry? Want to describe what you do there?
There's not much work at this point. The Internet has done an awesome job at making the music industry scale back to almost non-existent. What I was doing was pretty cool, though. I'd be given a recording before it was released and asked to describe the record in 500 words or so. It's typically called a one-sheet. That one-sheet is then sent to press firms all over the world with a promo copy of the record, to generate advance press for the release. And I got to work with some awesome bands like Minus The Bear, These Arms Are Snakes, Young Widows, Joan of Arc and Owen. I just wrote a bio for an R&B band from Seattle called One:Fifteen. You can check their music (and the bio) on MySpace: www.myspace.com/onefifteenmusic. I don't think our downstairs neighbors were too psyched on the night I wrote that bio, blasting R&B at one in the morning...
Anything else you'd want to say? Feel free to ask yourself a question.
How would your characterize "The Great Gatsby"?: He was, uh, great!
We've also included a couple videos of Brian riding both flatland and street, sometimes at the same time. Brian knows that having fun on your bike has no boundaries.
How long have you been riding BMX, and what got you started?
I guess it's going on 23 years. What got me started? I bought a magazine that had an interview with the guy that did the skateboard stunts in "Back to the Future." That magazine happened to be a BMX magazine, and the rest is history. In a way, where I am now is Michael J. Fox's fault. And Biff's, too.
How long have you been working in the BMX industry? How did you get started, and what are your current roles in the industry?
I guess I started writing for Dig in 1997. The only "job" before that in the industry was stickering forks at S&M alongside Marvin for a few weeks while I stayed at Sean McKinney's house. Currently, I'm working for ESPN's action sports division, coordinating BMX content with Cody York. And I work for WTP/éclat as well, helping with the team, promotions, and whatever they need. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I judge contests, too, including the X Games. I'll still be contributing to Dig from time to time as well.
You're one of the best writers in BMX. Is that what you went to college for? Have you ever shot photos or video?
Thanks. I'd probably say it's John Paul Rogers, Sean Burns, or Steven Hamilton, though. I went to college for English/journalism, so I guess I am still on that path, even if the techniques have changed dramatically since I graduated. Photos, uhh, super occasionally. And video, not really. I don't know why, I just never really got into either medium. I appreciate both, but I'd always rather be riding that setting up flashes, light metering, or white balancing.
What are some of the most fun parts of what you do for "work"?
Talking to any number of awesome people that I talk to during the week, from Sean Burns to Steve Crandall to Will Smyth and everyone in between. Going anywhere with Leigh Ramsdell. Traveling in general. Watching Trevor Meyer videos on Vimeo and reading in the comments that Eve Degroot thinks Trevor is biting tricks. At ESPN, I actually have been going to work in the office instead of waking up hungover, drinking two cups of coffee, and working at the kitchen table all day. And that's actually kinda fun since I've never done that before. Taking the train, walking around Murray Hill, and having a decent sized work space...
After working in BMX for so long, has it changed the feeling you get from riding your bike?
Actually, riding is my escape from work. I'm sure you know, there's a lot of day to day BS to deal with, and if I can get away from that, even if it's riding in the garage near my house for an hour and a half at night in 20-degree temps, it keeps me sane. Sometimes I do get dragged down by the industry and the scene, but that all magically goes away when I pull a new trick for the first time. That feeling has only magnified throughout the years I've been riding. I wouldn't be able to handle working around BMX if I couldn't ride. I try to ride at least eight to ten hours a week during the winter and a lot more during the summer.
You worked in print for a long time. How has the Internet impacted what you do? Do you enjoy writing for the Web?
The Internet has done a pretty good job at dressing down a lot of information. I'm all for the Internet, but I still like to look at a tangible photo in a well-designed package. It seems like most people want information, and they want it fast, and as a result, quality photos and design and are taking a back seat to the flow of information. Writing seems to carry over from print to the Web, but I don't think photos and design do nearly as well. Yeah, I know people have photography and design Web sites, but I personally like to hold those mediums in my hands. That's just me, though. I don't think Dig #68, the Trails Issue, would've been so well received had it been an online magazine. And I read through that last Axelrad online mag and thought to myself, "Man, this is awesome, but I wish I could hold it."
As far as what I've done with the magazine, the Internet has made it tougher to generate content. We can't just do Top Fives or any of the upfront filler that magazines used to do since that format seemed to transition onto the Internet pretty well. But we have come up with more interesting ways to profile BMX and feature riders. So it's a challenge, but one that eventually makes the magazine a more quality read. The other way that the Internet impacted magazines was the advertising, of course. Some companies simply decided that advertising in a magazine wasn't viable anymore, opting for the force-chill Internet ads we see everywhere nowadays (dude sitting next to bike with headphones on, dude sitting in airport, dude with laptop, etc, etc.), while some companies chose to stuck with print ads. I can't say which is better. They both serve a purpose. But I do like it when companies advertise in Dig because it feels like they're behind what the mag stands for.
And as for writing for the Web, I do like it. I feel like I'm full of useless BMX information, so if I can write that stuff down and make more room in my brain for time travel equations and Star Wars minutia, I'm happy.
How would you describe the reality of working in the BMX media? Any misconceptions you hear a lot?
There's a lot of BS to sift through. But there's a lot of awesomeness as well. I think it really depends on your outlook. You can look for the worst in everything and complain nonstop, or you can focus on the good things and use that positivity to navigate through and around the BS. At least that's what I try to do. Sometimes, it really, really helps to take a step back and laugh at the ridiculousness of everything as well.
As for misconceptions, I don't know. I try not to take anything too seriously.
You also do work in the music industry? Want to describe what you do there?
There's not much work at this point. The Internet has done an awesome job at making the music industry scale back to almost non-existent. What I was doing was pretty cool, though. I'd be given a recording before it was released and asked to describe the record in 500 words or so. It's typically called a one-sheet. That one-sheet is then sent to press firms all over the world with a promo copy of the record, to generate advance press for the release. And I got to work with some awesome bands like Minus The Bear, These Arms Are Snakes, Young Widows, Joan of Arc and Owen. I just wrote a bio for an R&B band from Seattle called One:Fifteen. You can check their music (and the bio) on MySpace: www.myspace.com/onefifteenmusic. I don't think our downstairs neighbors were too psyched on the night I wrote that bio, blasting R&B at one in the morning...
Anything else you'd want to say? Feel free to ask yourself a question.
How would your characterize "The Great Gatsby"?: He was, uh, great!
Get notified
Stop notifications
wish i had his flat skills!