When did you start playing?
"I won a guitar years ago, and then I forgot about it until my brother and a friend both started playing. I’m hypercompetitive, so I just wanted to be good enough so they’d quit. I practiced like crazy. But there was this sad day when I realized you can’t win at guitar. Now I have a little group I mess around with."
How did you put together the band? Are there other athletes involved?
"No. Have you seen that movie I Love You, Man? It’s kind of like that. I roll into a place like, 'Hey, wanna go on a band date?' to random musicians. I’m so over playing alone."
You’ve had the opportunity to meet or play with Slash and ZZ Top, among others…
"When people found out I knew how to play, they were like, 'You should jam with Slash—I can hook you up with him!' And the last thing I wanted to do was that. I mean, it’s like…'Oh, you play basketball? Cool! We should get Kobe in here!'"
But you did meet Slash, right?
"Yeah. I ran into him while reading his book, which is awkward. Like, I was actually reading his book, and I saw him. Do you know how weird that is? But we talked, and it’s funny: I wanted ¿to be the guitarist, and he wanted to be a pro X Games rider."
Is being onstage much different than performing on the mountain?
"It’s the same rush, but with more consistency. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been able to draw ¿the same feeling from as boarding."
So you haul your setup everywhere?
"I travel with an old Les Paul Studio guitar with a sunburst. And I bring amps. Yep, I’m an ass! The airline is like, 'What’s in here?' It’s terrible. I’ll even bring loop and wah-wah pedals overseas."
Wow, you really are obsessed.
"Yeah, but guitar is the only thing that makes me sit still."