You Don’t Know Joey Odom But You Should

When I started this interview Joey was a nobody to me, just another kid in the crowd that rides a snowboard. Since that time we’ve become friends, shared jokes, busted each others balls, and talked a lot about snowboarding and life. Sure you might not have heard of him yet but hopefully you will. This interview is your introduction to a crazy kid from California just trying to make it in the streets.

Angry Snowboarder: Why does no one know who you are? Is it because you ride for a no name company that can only afford to advertise with me?

Joey Odom: > Haha, I’d say that’s because this was my 1st year really putting a video part together, Having 90% of my riding in the streets as well as my 1st summer up in Hood. Plus I come from the middle of California where there isn’t to much snow. So I got a late start on things I guess you can say.

Taking it to the streets.

Also riding for smaller companies has me on a limited budget vs riding for corporate companies. Its a struggle but not something I stress out about too much. Some how, some way we always seem to make the magic happen!

AS:On top of riding for super unknown brand No Way! Snowboards who else do you bless with your riding talents?

JO: Steezie Beanies, Villain Motion Pictures, Koalition Co., and just recently Eternal Snow.

AS:Does that mean you’re a magician? Snowboarding has gypsy’s so is that the next progression?

JO: Aha, I guess so. Love it when Everything falls together when not expected. Oh Gypsy’s…. quad corks all day son. NOT! I mean riding these days varies so much now… There is too much hate and I think that everybody, including myself sometimes forgets why we ride. Its not a sport or a hobby but more of a lifestyle. If you wanna be a gypsy or a thug or a dirty pirate hooker then more power to you. As long as you’re having fun, because really when it comes down to it that’s what its all about.

AS: How was filming for your first part? How much of a learning experience was that?

JO: Ya it was amazing. I had a great film crew, Villain Motion, that supported me 100%. I can’t remember how many sleepless nights and run ins with the cops we had, but in the end it was worth it. I wouldn’t trade those times for anything.

AS: Do those dirty pirate hookers smell like stalefish?

JO: They smell like a port-a-potty on a warms summers eve.

AS: When are we going to see the fruits of your labors from filming with Villain Motion?

JO: Well we are still working on so more shots I have planned out so the video should drop this upcoming summer. We will release some teasers through the season.

AS: So Johnny Law wasn’t so down with you riding your stunt stick outside of the park, any good stories from run ins with them?

JO: Ha seriously. Well we were in Carson City hitting a down rail at 1 a.m. when a cop rolls up and says we’re all good and that he’s just out there cause someone called us in. Typical. He then says nothings gonna happen, we’re cool and then left. Five minutes later his partner, Deputy George, shows up and told us we have two minutes to pack up and leave or he was going to arrest us. Packing up meaning dragging a generator and five sets of lights and cords 100 yards through two feet of fresh snow….. He then left and came back fifteen minutes later where we were across the street in the parking lot packing the car. His lazy ass rolled down the window right next to me and started yelling at me, dropping F bombs, and telling us how much we suck. So I told him he needed to quit being a dick and long story short. I almost went to jail that night. Hahaha!

AS: Have to love cops on a power trip. Personally I’d have just fed him to Andrew, (Owner of No Way! Snowboards) cause no one wants to fuck with the Jolly Green Giants bastard offspring.

JO: Yeah, I normally don’t have too much of a problem with them. Usually its, “let me see your I.D., You have a warrants? OK pack your shit up and leave.” But there is always one who has to be the bigger dick I suppose. I’ll keep feeding them to Andrew in mind! Sometimes I wonder why they get so upset in the first place. Not like I’m killing anyone and usually when we build a spot we tear it down and clean the place up. Sometimes better then what it was when we rolled up. So really they should be paying us! But its just Johnny Law and you know him… He’s above you at all times and we are always wrong.

AS: If you had spent the night in the pokey would you have a tossed salad or rump roast for dinner?

JO: I knew this conversation was going there! Ummm… there is no answer without being a gay one…… So with that said I think I’d have rump roast for dinner. Only if I can throw so BBQ sauce on that! What about you? Are you a salad tossing kind of dude? or do you prefer some roast as well?

AS: Are you insinuating you want to toss my salad?

JO: You caught me!

AS: Other than dealing with the law any other wild and crazy stories from urban missions?

JO:
It’s funny, riding urban has a entirely different aspect to it than riding at a resort. Riding at a resort is pretty much just pure snowboarding. When you are trying to ride street there is so much more to it. It starts to become less about the actual snowboarding and more about the “snowboarding experience”. Instead of full stories it starts to blur into a thousand little memories. I’ve had a full size 32oz slurpie thrown at me by a “Reno Local”, I had the pleasure of watching fellow team rider Chris Johnson break his face on a closeout down rail. I got to shred a gnarly down rail for a cheering audience at a Carson City sled hill. I got to do donuts in the main plaza at TMCC when I found out that security leaves at 11. I watched Andrew Guddat get in a hit and run in his spaceship Mini van and then I got to jib that same minivan a few months later. Its been a trip to say the least, but so much fun.

Is that the Mini Van in question or a left over shuttle craft from Star Trek?

AS: Obviously with hitting the front country and doing urban assaults it has helped influence your riding. What other aspects of life and snowboarding have helped shape you as a rider?

JO: I have a super beautiful Asian girlfriend, every time I go shred I talk to her on the phone and she cheers for me so I feel like I’m at the Beijing Air + Style. On a more serious note though, I’d say I’ve definitely learned how to be optimistic and ambitious because of all the stuff I’ve done in business. On top of that I most definitely am a huge consumer of music. Stuff Like The Builders and the Butchers, Arcade Fire, and The Devil Makes Three are all stuff I listen to. I get yelled at so much every time we ride cause no one can ever converse with me while riding. I get lost in the music. Been know to play a little air guitar while waiting to drop in sometimes. Usually when we roll up to a spot and depending on my mood I throw a song on repeat the entire time we are there. Its just my way of getting into it.

AS: How do you balance the life of being an emerging rider and running a company and aren’t riders supposed to start a company after they’re established not before? Blowing it!

JO: Yea, I sometimes wonder how I do it myself. Its pretty rough juggling both, but it’s something that I really enjoy doing. Personally I think that if I would have made a name for myself first it would have been a whole lot easier, but it is what it is and I enjoy it a lot. I Think it would be like Ashbury or Nomis. Both those companies had big names involved in the actual founding of the company. I don’t think they would be where they are today if they didn’t already have the following behind them when they started. Its things like that which push me to work harder at both to prove that anything is possible.

AS: You mangled yourself a little while back filming for Better Late / Than Never how’s the recovery and how exactly did all of that transpire?

JO: Yea. A few times actually. The most recent was the worst. We were hitting this pretty well over down flat down spot in front of Squaw at a park. I was going for a front lip on it and got caught up o the flat (where 2 rails come together to make the one). Needless to say it sent me flying down to the donkey dick were I guess you can say it ‘Dicked me’. Ha! That was about the same injury I sustained early last season. Taking a rail to the hip thinking you have internal bleeding, that kind of thing. Except this year I was lacking with the medical insurance and decided to try and tough it out and take some pain meds. Two weeks later still extremely swollen very much alive and still shredding.

AS: Is taking a Banshee Bungee to the nuts a prerequisite to ride for No Way! Snowboards? Or was that part of the stipulation to be placed in your first online ad?

JO: That’s funny. Yea karma has not been on my side lately for some reason….. Same day about 15 minutes before that donkey dick took me out the bungee snapped and I was pulling it and it smacked my nuts and the back of my leg.

So pathetic… Can honestly say that’s a first. Weird how you’re feeling a spot and your minds set then one bad thing after another seems to kick your ass. Guess that’s how it goes sometimes. Someone always has to take one for the team.

AS: In all seriousness though how does it feel to be featured in your first ad and have it on my site? Yes I know that’s a shameless plug for myself.

JO: As far as the ad goes. I couldn’t be more stoked on it! The guys over at NoWay! are always busting their ass for me and trying to make things workout. I appreciate all the time and effort they put in to following every move I make and capturing it through a lens.

He’s so famous!

AS: Anyone you want to plug as being awesome and helping you or giving you support?

JO: Yea for sure! Eternal Snow who recently decided to put me on the AM team and work with me. Excited about that and the road ahead. No Way! Snowboards and the Villain Motion crew who are always out pushing each other to the next level and always having good times. The Boardroom at Herb Bauers for hooking me up for years until I recently made the move to Eternal. My family for all the love and support through all the crazy shit I have put them through. And I suppose that’s about it. I mean I didn’t win a Grammy or anything!