TPM Episode 331: Derek Taylor, Former Powder Magazine Editor in Chief and Journalist
The Powell Movement
Mike Powell
4.9 • 860 Ratings
🗓️ 22 May 2023
⏱️ 81 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Derek Taylor once held the most important job in ski media at a time when magazines dominated the media landscape. Derek was Editor in Chief of Powder Magazine, but before that, he was a "ski bum" in Crested Butte right about when Seth Morrison and the US Extremes came to town. In the early days, DT made ends meet by freelance writing for outfits like ESPN The Magazine, The Ski Journal, Freeskier, Outside, Bike Magazine, and more. Then he landed the dream job at Powder. On the podcast, we talk about his journey from college soccer player to dirtbag skier, the early days of Crested Butte, and the rise and fall of Powder Magazine. The Buena Vista Surf Club asks Inappropriate Questions.
Derek Taylor Show Notes:
3:00: Rugby, The Hartford Whalers, soccer, and skiing; growing up
10:00: High School, college soccer, leaving and going to Crested Butte and what the town is like
15:00: Ski v Snowboard rivalry, and all the players of Crested Butte
20:00: Rollerblade: They invented inline skating and make the best skates on the planet.
Best Day Brewing: All of the flavor of your favorite IPA or Kolsch, without the alcohol, the calories and sugar.
Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better.
23:00: Covering the US Extremes for the school paper, ski bumming, is Vail the enemy article, and landing an internship at Bike
32:00: Moving to CA and working for free, making a difference at Bike as an intern, going back to Crested Butte, learning how to freelance through friends, X-Games, and leaving CB
41:00: High Cascade Snowboard Camp: The legendary snowboard camp
Stanley: Get 30% off site wide with the code drinkfast
Peter Glenn Ski and Sports: Over 60 years of getting you out there.
43:00: Getting hired by Powder, Powder Magazine readership, where they make their money, what is lifelike writing at the mag
49:00: Pressure at the magazine, favorites, his writing, passed over and eventually landing the Editor in Chief role, and his vision with Powder
56:00: Crazy expense reports, writing the letter from the editor, managing Powder in the changing landscape of media, and money
63:00: Changes when getting bought, fighting for his team, what happened to Powder, and giving up work to become a stay-at-home dad
75:00: Inappropriate Questions with The Buena Vista Surf Club
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Have a seat on your porcelain throne. |
| 0:02.3 | It's time to talk some shit on the Powell Movement. |
| 0:13.5 | Welcome to the Powell Movement. |
| 0:17.1 | I'm your host Mike Powell, and I have the best news to share with you this week. |
| 0:21.1 | My wife, Ann and is cancer free. |
| 0:23.2 | Fuck cancer and to anyone out there who's being affected by this terrible disease, you can |
| 0:27.8 | beat this. |
| 0:29.1 | Medicine is good and I'm silently rooting for you. |
| 0:31.6 | Don't stop fighting. |
| 0:32.8 | For us, while the major battle is over, we still have one huge surgery left before we can put this nightmare behind us. |
| 0:39.4 | And this whole thing really has been a nightmare. You know, no one wants to have cancer or have cancer affect one of their loved ones. |
| 0:45.8 | And for us, while it wasn't easy, this whole process was fast. |
| 0:49.8 | Ans went from almost dying on an operating table to being cancer-free in less time than it takes to fully recover from an ACL surgery. |
| 0:56.8 | It really is amazing. |
| 0:58.4 | Thank you, Dr. Kratz. |
| 0:59.6 | Thank you, Dr. Gold. |
| 1:01.0 | Thank you to all the incredible nurses for saving my wife, Andes, and being so great to us. |
| 1:06.4 | While I didn't pay too much attention in school and didn't study as much as I should have. I am sure |
| 1:10.8 | glad that you did because you did your jobs and we greatly appreciate all the hard work that you put |
| 1:15.8 | into your craft to make my wife live and she should have a happy long life from here on now. |
| 1:20.9 | So thank you to all our medical team. And if I see any of these amazing doctors or nurses out |
| 1:25.6 | in the wild, I'm going to buy you a best day |
... |
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