E-MAN & GEEVES & JODY | INTERVEIW

GEEVES & EMAN & JODY.

INTERVIEW BY JODY WACHNIACK

Andrew Geeves and Emanuel “E-man” Anderson, legends. These two names are iconic in snowboarding for a reason: pure talent and style. Something trampoline training and snowboard coaches couldn’t ever teach you.

Both Geeves and E-man went against the grain and did things their own way. They didn’t care what anyone thought, especially their sponsors. For that snowboarding thanks them (or at least I do). We as snowboarders were getting soft and forgetting our roots. Sometimes you need two kids that smoke weed and drink too much to remind you: we’re all sliding down a hill on a slippery piece of wood. Thanks for the reminder—keep this shit fun.

ANDREW GEEVES

The first question for your big interview is, who is Mike Michalchuk?

Mike Michalchuk is the Hunter S. Thompson of snowboarding.

For kids who don't know who he is, what he's about, what's his stee?

If you don't know Hunter S. Thompson, then watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

So, rumour has it you and Michalchuck are going to be filming together this year?

Yeah! He just bought a new sled and we're teaming up. I’m getting him a DWD Geeves pro model, go buy that shit and nice pair of Fix bindings. He's claiming the triple chuck on the Geeves board. Did I mention you should go buy one?

I remember seeing you ride at Springhill Winter Park in Manitoba when I was like 14 and you were on Forum. How the hell did that happen?

I did a series of contests at the time called Young Bloodz, traveled around Canada, which is actually how I met Logan Short. We both were killing it in all these contests and Dominique Morisset and Marc Morisset who, at the time, owned the Circle Skateboard Snowboard Store here in Whistler. They also worked for Four-Star Distribution. For any little shit-heads out there who don't know what that is, it was: Forum, Jeenyus, Four-Square, Special Blend, and C1RCA. I already knew Dom so there's probably some biased shit, but I won a bunch of these contests and then I was sent out to Big Bear Mountain in California. The first and last time I'll ever go to that place. Sorry for all you Bear heads out there.

And, how’d the Big Bear contest go?

Blew it. I did two Front 7s in my run. What an idiot, eh? Logan Short was on the plane ride down and I'm like, “Yo, what's the biggest handrail you have ever done?” and he’s like a twenty-eight stair or something (laughs) you know back in the day when we use to count stairs and shit. He killed it in that contest. I was also roommates there with Lucas Magoon, who at the time wore tight-ass shit. He made fun of me, said I sounded like a girl (laughs).

How old were you?

I was 14. On the way back to Canada I had the little fan going on my face because I got so sun burnt and this fat chick passed out on me. She was snoring in my ear and I'm like roasting hot. Dude, like burnt tomato hot.

So, you and Kevin Griffin were best friends growing up. What was a typical weekend like with you and Griff?

I dunno, this one time I was eating a Mr. Noodles or something, and I whipped it out of the car and smoked this chick with it. I didn’t mean to. Apparently, this guy seen it and called the cops because we got in a cop car chase. Like a real deal chase, and we had this shitty old car. Another time we got T-boned by a car that ran a light and we were like we should still go skate and that day Kevin learned Kickflip Back-Tails and I learned Noseblunts!

Dope!

Yeah, it was a cool day. I was going to school the next day and my mom says, "So, is there anything you want to tell me about" I'm like, "No" and she's like, "I know you got in a car accident!” She was pissed.

Who has influenced you growing up? Where did you get your style from?

Mainly the Wildcats and the Forum 8: Chris Dufficy, Devun Walsh, JP Walker I just loved Forum. Oh and Lil’ bastards. I used to just fast forward it to Chris Brown and Trevor Andrew’s part at the end of it. The snowboarding in Lil’ Bastards sucked but the partying was so good. Well, besides Devun, because he's like, Devun.

Word. So when you came to visit me in Whistler you were 16, you called your mom once you got here and said you weren't coming home. Why did you do that?

Well, it had a lot to do with Kevin Griffin moving to Banff. He was my boy and without him I didn't even want to go snowboarding. Soon after he moved I got arrested and kicked out of high school.

I remember hearing about this when I was a kid, what happened?

Well, there's this gang where I'm from in Winnipeg, called B Side. Bunch of native thugs that lived around us. There's actually a Vice documentary on aboriginal gangs in Winnipeg. Pretty gnarly. Anyways, I remember this guy just got out of prison, he had ruthless tattooed on his throat. So all these dudes that I was tied in with from B Side took me out back of Langside. Which is a super ghetto street around our neighbourhood. I was pretty much the only white kid hanging around these guys and “Ruthless,” fresh out of prison, wanted to have some fun. They took me in the back lane and took turns beating the shit out of me. They called it initiation but I know Ruthless just wanted to have some fun on his first day out. Scariest shit ever. All that shit made me never wanna come back to Winnipeg. I was over it.

Damn, I totally see why you didn’t want to go back.

Yeah, I was on a bad path. I was selling drugs and hanging out with bad people. In a sense, snowboarding saved my life. If I would have gone back to Winnipeg, I'd either be selling drugs or in jail.

Glad you moved. When you first moved to Whistler and you started riding the park, who were the kids that stood out?

E-man Anderson. I had the biggest man crush on him and Brian McClatchy. E-man was always kinda a dick to me back then though. I was that little shithead following him around the park as much as I could. Brian was super nice. I also knew the Cashless crew before moving to town, which was Adam Drover, Dan Pitts, Jordan Smith, Mike Osachuk, Mikey Scott a.k.a. White Coco [laughs].

“I was on a bad path. I was selling drugs and hanging out with bad people. In a sense, snowboarding saved my life. If I would have gone back to Winnipeg, I'd either be selling drugs or in jail.”

Yeah, those guys were super dope. You rode for DC for years. You were pretty much the poster kid. You even got a DC tattoo, why did you do that?

It's funny why I got that tattoo. DC asked me to come down for this dinner in Gastown or some shit. I thought it was a dinner so I could sober up with some food but it was just cheese, crackers and booze. I was skating the mini ramp they had and someone landed a trick, so I took my board and hit the window, like tapping it, and I broke the window. Then they kicked me out. I felt super bad so I was like, what could I do to show them how much I care? Got a DC tattoo. Things just didn’t work out.

Some people would say that you like to party, would you agree?

Well, ask anyone that knows me, I like to crank it up.

At what age did you start “cranking it up?”

Well, I started smoking weed when I was eleven.

Damn. So would you say you have an addictive personality?

Yeah, in a good way, though. It's not a bad thing. I have my shit together, I've got my job and my dog. I just like to party, and unlike most people, I don't like to hide anything. I hate people for that. I hate judgment. I’m not saying people need to do drugs to have fun or be cool, but everyone's so different. Drugs don’t define me as a person.

Totally, homie. Anything to say to kids that are reading this magazine and are just trying to figure themselves out?

All right. First and foremost, follow your dreams. I know this is the most cliché bullshit ever, but it's not bullshit. You can actually do anything that you want to put your mind to. Be different. Don't follow the whole crowd, be you. Don't be like, “that guy's doing something cool.” You make something cool. Whatever you want to do, just go do it. Put a smile on your face and have fun. Manners is a huge thing, too. Have good manners and just be a nice person and be yourself.

Love that. Do you want to give any shout-outs to anyone?

There're so many people. First and foremost are my parents for putting up with my bullshit and believing in me. Even when there was nothing to believe in, pretty much. To you, Jody. Dinosaurs Will Die for life, because I was the first person on DWD. I left for DC and then they fucking had me back with open arms. That's the biggest one. Fix Bindings, Jason Broz, he took me to China. I thought I'd never get to travel with snowboarding again. Modest Goggles, Duh Bolts, DOPE and all the homies.

E-MAN ANDERSON

It was Halloween last night, what did you get up to?

Derek Molinski and Rhett Haubrich. We went to a haunted house party thing, it sucked. Then we had some drinks, went to Garf’s, danced, and Rhett did back flips off the stage. He landed on his face. He was Boozy the Clown.

He dressed up like Boozy the Clown?! Who's Boozy the Clown for the kids that don't know?

Come on now. Whiskey videos?! Google it. I don't even know if it's on there though…

You’re a seasoned painter. Who's the best painter in town: Brian Mcclatchy, Rube Goldberg, Derek Molinski or Amanda Scheller from Peak Season?

Me, for sure. Brian would be a close second, he gets real sketchy on them ladders. Rube's the best for interior... Dmo’s good on facing and sketchy roof work.

You were a dope boss by the way [laughs]. Alright, who's the best fishermen in town: David Brocklebank, the Moose a.k.a. Zale, Derek Molinski, Chris Bradshaw, Justin Fronius or yourself?

Definitely Zale. He's the luckiest damn fisherman. I swear he speaks to the fish, like a fish whisperer of some sort. Follow him, he's crazy @FishingAcrossCanada.

Can people have bad fishing style?

Well, yes.

Like, the way they hold their rod?

Bait fisherman, that's bad stee. Anyone who uses bait is a whack fisherman in my opinion.

Does it piss you off that there's so many fishermen in Whistler?

Kind of. I'm learning more about fish slash fishing and it makes me not want to go anymore but I'm addicted, like a crackhead... it's crazy. I go down every day at 5 a.m. I can't help it.

How the hell do you get up so early?

I was forced to get up early when I was a kid. Now I'm just a natural.

Does Cody Wilson's wakeboard boat piss you off?

Kinda of… [laughs]. It's just not my scene. I don't know. Get sunburned out in the middle of the lake with a bunch of guys, maybe one girl. Water sports just aren't my thing.

“It's all fun until you hit your head and then you're in a fucking daze in a dark room for six months. It's really depressing.”

Do you think there's good style in wakeboarding?

God, no. You're holding onto a rope. But I did watch this sick wake skate line the other day. Kid did like seven tricks in a row: Frontside Big Spins, Kickflips, Heelflip and shit.

What do you think about winching into snowboard spots?

It's gnarly. I've only been on one trip with a winch. I just watched Bode Merrill, Ozzy Henning, and Scot Brown get crazy. It was fun to watch.

Have you seen Bode’s new movie?

Yeah, I thought it could have been four minutes shorter, but it was awesome. He's crazy and talented.

What's up with Dope and Duh Bolts this year?

I think we're making snowboards, unofficially. We also got some bindings out there, Fix n’ Dope collaboration. And might make a movie. We do smoke a lot of weed, though, so who knows. If it happens, it happens.

That's hype. Are you going to be filming for it?

I won't be snowboarding seriously. Maybe a couple slashes and pillows but no more sliding on metal. I've had too many concussions. My last one was really gnarly. I barely hit my head and then I was messed up for months afterwards.

Do you wear a helmet full time now?

Yeah, I wear a helmet—Sandbox. Thanks, Kevin Sansalone. See that product placement?

Do you think kids should get over the fact that helmets aren't “cool?”

I don't know, that's a weird one. Just do your thing, but everyone should be aware that concussions are gnarly. It's all fun until you hit your head and then you're in a fucking daze in a dark room for six months. It's really depressing, I couldn't sleep... I was really messed up. It's hard to explain. Just wear a helmet, that’s my advice.

I remember that, super lame.

Or just don't hit your head? Just be really good all the time. I'm really tall and I have a huge head, so I'm all flippy floppy.

So you have one of the dopest styles in snowboarding and everyone knows it. Who were you like, "Damn, that guy’s got some dope style,” growing up?

Snowboarding... Brian McClatchy was the best snowboarder and Grayden Kavanaugh definitely had the best style. Grayden hasn't snowboarded in years, but he could still do the dopest Cab 5, first try.

What about Andrew Gevees? Did you like his style when he first showed up in the Whistler park with his bright DC Mountain Lab one-piece kit?

[Laughs] To be honest, I wasn't too jealous of the style. Like, don't get me wrong, he was really talented and had amazing style, but he was very flamboyant with his gear and patterns. Geeves is one of my favourites and you, for sure.

Do you need to smoke weed to have style like you?

No, you're born with style.

Damn?! That's tight. What about skateboarding?

[Andrew] Reynolds... anyone who skates fast is awesome to watch.

Who are the up-and-coming kids you're hyped on?

I don't really follow snowboarding that much... too many videos now. But the kids around here are pretty sick. Kye a.k.a. M3th is one of my favourites. All those FootyFIEND kids are awesome. Party Marty... I dunno.

Dude, what about Rhett Haubrich?!

Oh snap, yeah Rhett's my favourite snowboarder.

Rhett's your favourite snowboarder?

Yes. Rhett is hands-down, my favourite snowboarder. He's the best.

Rhett is the best. So, how'd you get so good at snowboarding?

Just riding with Brian, I guess, and snowboarding with the homies. You just get better with you’re with the homies. Well, I used to, now I just get worse.

I don't know about that, dude. I was with Bryan Fox and Austin Smith one day and you just rolled in first thing in the morning, all-black kit and did the dopest Switch Back 9. They were tripping! People love watching you snowboard.

That was probably a year or two ago. I just do Backside 180s now.

Back 180s are tight. What's your favourite trick?

Switch Backside 360s and Backside 180s.

Allright, any shout-outs?

Yes. The classics: my family, friends, girlfriend. I'd definitely like to thank Brad Richmond and Sean Johnson at Stepchild snowboards for sure, a lot. They helped me out big time. Evan at adidas, Creepy Cyle at Electric, Cope at Neff, Deadlung at Tite belts, he's tight.