Interview with E-Stone

Extracted from Methodmag issue 21.3

What’s the best thing about making a podcast?

This is kind of a two-part answer but for me, the first part is getting to sit down with all these interesting people and have a rad conversation. Whether it's reconnecting with an old friend or someone I don't really know that well. During Covid, I guess you just don't get the opportunity to sit down with people much anymore so maybe that has something to do with it but every time we are recording I find myself thinking "Damn this is so sick". Having a 2-3 hour in-depth conversation about real shit is just really cool and super fun. The second part of what I like best is all of the feedback from the listeners/viewers. Getting a DM from someone saying that a guest talking about mental health or addiction really helped them seek out help for their own issues is really rewarding. I guess as a photographer I have caught myself thinking about how shooting photos does not really do much to help people so to hear that a conversation that Chris and I had in his garage with a guest actually helped someone is really amazing. Even just DM's where someone said we made them laugh or helped them get through a boring day of work or a long drive is really cool. Connecting with the snowboard community is definitely one of the coolest things about doing it.  

What’s the worst thing about making a podcast?

I guess the worst thing about it is it's a lot more work than Chris and I ever imagined it would be. We want to really do it right, and we started with no idea as to what we were doing. So to do it right takes a lot of time and dedication. We have the attitude that you get back what you put in, so we are really trying to go hard and make this something special. To do that you have to put a lot in. It's all about delivering consistently, so this means no matter what, we have to have a finished product every Wednesday, without fail. No matter what you have going on in your life we have to get this thing done and there is a lot to the process. From figuring out who the guest will be to recording for a full day and then all the editing for the video/youtube side right down to the little details like descriptions and show notes. We really want to do it right so there is lots of attention to detail. The week just flies by and then boom before you know it it's Tuesday night and the episode is going live the next morning and we have to be ready and have all of the assets dialled. Without fail we have to go live every Wednesday at 6 am. This makes time just fly by. It feels like we just started this thing and in the blink of an eye we are 33 episodes deep and 7 months have gone by. It's crazy. The last little thing is how draining a 3-4 hour stimulating conversation can be. When we get done recording an episode we are just mentally drained and that's harsh on anyone you need to talk to afterwards as you are over talking and just want to shut down. That's all pretty minor and these things are really not that bad. I think Chris and I have found we really love doing this so it's kind of hard to find any real negatives. I think we both have always liked to banter so this is kind of what we were made for!!! Hopefully, people stay stoked and don't get sick of hearing us talk shit. 

How long does it take to edit each episode and who cuts it?
We have had three editors going at a time at one point. Justin Myer, Harry Hagen and Paul Osbourne. We were trying to get ahead for winter. Now we just have one, Paul Osbourne AKA China Town Paul. He helped film Tangle and many other Snowboardermag projects but now is a team member of the Bomb Hole.

Is there anyone running the cameras, or do you just hit record and then go?

We have 4 cameras on tripods with no one manning them. We just hit record and it's on!

Does the garage studio stay up each week, or does it get taken down?

Unfortunately for Chris, it’s a permanent fixture in his garage. It’s really just a desk and chairs added to his garage. We didn't do anything special to make it a set, it's just what his garage looked like.  

Have there been any big technical changes to your workflow since the first episode?

So many. We had no clue what we were doing when we started so it's been a learn as you go program. We just try to learn from every episode and figure out how to make them get better and better. The first couple the sound was not so good and our tripods were not level. We actually had a go pro balanced on a spoon for the first couple. For the first couple months we were borrowing Beresford's camera then we finally dropped in and got our own. We also just try to listen to each final product and then talk about what we can do better as well as take feedback from listeners and see if we should implement it. The goal is to just really master our craft and make the Bomb Hole the best it can be.  

Who’s been a standout guest so far?

I'm going to go with Lizard King and Sage Kotsenburg. Both for way different reasons but watch/listen to the episodes and you will prob see why these are a couple of our favorites. 

After the success of your and Rav’s bayou song, do you have any plans to record a new intro for the podcast?

I didn't have plans for that but now that you mention it maybe we should! Rav has invited me down to his music place in SLC. I need to get down there and record!

Despite us running many of your photos and many shots of Chris, there is not a single Method sticker on the wall, what’s up with that!?

Oh damn. Send one over and we will stick one up! Those stickers were all already there in Chris's garage before it was the Bomb Hole so I guess you will have to ask Chris what’s up with that! I got you though, send one out!!

What’s the maximum temperature that’s been reached in the booth? It looks hot under those lights.

Dude so damn hot. SLC can get into the 100's F in the summer so in July it really heats up.  Serious sweatbox. I’m so glad it's winter now. We have to heat the spot now but it's so much better than sitting there just sweating it out in a 3-hour interview. I run hot too so I was just dying.

Chris took his shirt off in one episode, when will we get to see you do the same?

Shit, he just wants to show off all his tattoos. Now that it’s 30 degree's F in the booth I don’t think it will happen any time soon. Plus I don’t have any Tats.  

Let’s talk cheddar biscuits, how much are you guys getting for each episode? Is it enough to turn this into a full-time gig?

It changes from episode to episode based on sponsors. Patreon has been huge as we get support from the listeners and that really helps make it happen. We are basically taking what comes in and putting it back into the show so we can keep making it better. We just dropped in on some equipment to do a live show, so look out for that soon! Going to be a little looser and more about the banter instead of just a guest interview. We are pretty stoked to get it going. As we grow we just put it back into the bomb hole so we can make it better. Paying editors and keeping merch stocked in our store. It’s pretty much been a full-time gig since we started as it takes a lot to make it happen. We both have hardly had time to do anything since we launched the Bomb Hole. We are putting in the time and we don't plan on going anywhere. Oh shit did I just pull a Louie Vito and dodge the actual cheddar bisque question? My bad.  

Last words are yours:

We are so hyped on all the support we have got from listeners and viewers. We are just a couple dipshits in the garage talking shit so it's rad to get all the DMs every week from people letting us know they are liking what we are doing. We are super thankful for the Patreon members that really help keep this thing going. The Bomb Hole is sponsored by the viewers and that support means the world to us. We plan on keeping this thing going for as long as people will listen to us so count on us every Wednesday to come through!!

"You get back what you put in" - Sage Kotsenburg