Jeremy Jones Interview

Jeremy Jones is like fine wine: he just gets better with age. With a career of sliding sideways for more years than some pros have been alive, he still never fails to push the boundaries of what is possible. Known for his fearlessness, legendary status within the world of urban riding, and sheer determination to keep progressing, Jeremy turned a whirlwind 2014 (in which he lost his main board sponsor) on its head and came out the other side with a shiny new contract with Electric Eyewear and an exciting winter on the horizon.
We took five to catch up with one of our all time favorite people – and Mizu advocate from day one – to see what the next chapter of the Jones story is looking like.
As usual, we weren’t disappointed.
Photo: Tom Monterosso
MIZU: Let’s start by giving our readers a summary of what the last year has looked like for you.
JEREMY: Well it’s been in a pretty wild transition phase. I lost a long running good gig that I had with Burton. I was pretty invested in the brand so to be checked off their roster, it has been a struggle to change my brand as an athlete and get people to see me as me rather than a "Burton Guy." Part of that will never change, and the part that will has been a bit of a rebranding battle for sure. Things are syncing up now and starting to flow a little bit, so I’m looking forward to this season and really stepping things up, on the board and off the board.
Photo:Adam Moran
MIZU: Resilience. Faith. Determination. These are words that come to mind when we talk about you. How do you feel those characteristics helped you through that time?
 JEREMY:  Thank you! All qualities I try every day to keep strong and developed. I appreciate very much that you view me this way. I feel these are characteristics that make a quality human, so I fight to maintain them in all my business and personal dealings: they give me the fight and they help me maintain that fight to succeed and strive for more…Not monetarily speaking, but just to be a better dude, dad, husband, athlete, etc…  So they help through anytime really, whether it’s a struggling time or not. 
 MIZU: We ended up seeing a lot of you last year in Pat Moore’s Blueprint videos. How did that come about?
 JEREMY:  Just a few chats with Pat really and he felt I would make for a good addition to his BluePrint series. He knows my work ethic in terms of filming, so he knew I would deliver footage. Aside from that, with the Burton stuff, it was a good story to jump on, so it fit nicely for his package. It was a blessing for me that Pat brought me on as it gave me a platform for the year to work for a dope project and film. In the end that’s what I want: I want to make cool crap in snowboarding and be a part of movements that promote snowboarding and its stories.
Photo: Adam Moran
MIZU: We want to congratulate you on your new contract with Electric! Such an awesome company and it was all about Jeremy at their booth at the recent Outdoor Retailer trade show. Do you feel like the tide has changed for you now?
JEREMY: Thank You. I’m still swimming if I’m honest! Electric is such a rad brand and I couldn’t be more happy with the group I am going to get to work with over there. They are supportive of my rebranding as an athlete, and want to support the year round thrashing I do rather than just the snow stuff, so yes, the tide has changed… However, the rip tide is still pretty strong and the swim is far from over. 
Photo: Gabe L'Heureux
MIZU: It looks like you’ve got the immediate future covered, but what would you like to see yourself doing 10 years from now?
 JEREMY:  My goal is to align with brands that I see a future with and there are so many things I can bring to a brand after all the snowboarding ends. I am excited for these placements to happen. Mizu is a great example: I will back Mizu to the very end and beyond! It’s a family, and in their house is loyalty and quality. That’s what I’m looking for – something to love and believe in. I love fighting for the people that fight for me.
Photo: Jussi Oksanen
MIZU: You always seem to be dead sure of where you are going. Are you really as confident as you appear?
JEREMY: I’m confident for sure. I feel that without my confidence I don’t stand a chance. I don’t know about the perception of my confidence…I break down, no doubt. I’m a human being and we all have limits. I honestly run at my limit nearly 24/7 so when I crash I usually feel it pretty good. It’s all I know though… I get the best out of me at my limit and I feel like I give the best for those I work for at my limit.
Photo: Dean Blotto Grey  
MIZU: Do you like the direction professional snowboarding is heading right now?
 JEREMY:  Man that sure is a loaded question! Let me try to be clear and to ONE specific point on this. Professional snowboarding has a saturation right now that seems to really be choking out its quality potential.  So I think a cleanse is long over due but I also think it’s clearly in the works, so time will tell I believe.  The pro snowboarders out there these days are doing crap that I wouldn’t have ever imagined – it’s a wonderful thing. Those quality pros will always carve out their place just as long as they want it bad enough.
Photo: Dean Blotto Grey 
MIZU: You have 2 kids with your wife Sher. How much did their support direct you to where you are today?
 JEREMY:  There support keeps me alive me: plain and simple. I fight for them at the beginning and end of everyday. If they tell me to be a janitor for my remaining days I will apply the very next day.  They would never do that, though! Those 3 have my back. They support my passion, they see my passion, and they can feel my passion. They always know and feel my most greatest passion is them, so they aren’t scared of what I do.  Because they know that no matter what it is, its second to them.
MIZU: So many snowboarding pros live from 1 year contract to 1 year contract. What advice would you give to fellow pros that live with the fear their contract won’t be renewed?
 JEREMY: The fear and stress isn’t worth the pain. Fight hard and earn your next year. Make it indisputable.  That way, even if you do get bumped, it’s not on you. I can go to my grave knowing that the couple of times in my career so far that I left/or got clipped from a brand it was never because I didn’t deliver. I still have my integrity and that’s worth more than any contract or any amount of money.
Photo: Tom Monterosso
MIZU: And today’s Jeremy wisdom is…?
 JEREMY: Ha! I’m not much of a wise man! I’m a fighter. I just fight and grind my way through family life, snowboard tricks, skate tricks, jobs, and normal life. I’m not a natural…I wish I had that gift. Growing up with JP Walker made me wish that everyday. I was blessed with the fight though, so I spend my life showing whoever it is that I’m deserving of that blessing.
Photo: Dean Gray Blotto