WW: Let the people know the vitals...name, age, location.
Dan: Dan Noonan, 27, Los Angeles California. Yea, Yea...I know I should move back to Nor Cal where the Delta is!

WW: How long have you been riding?
Dan: Well, officially 3 1/2 years, but I like to discount the first two and a half! After-all, I probably only rode 10-15 times during the first two years. I first strapped on a CWB Dually behind a Glastron with a 200 horsepower outboard with no pole or tower! We had a stretchy rainbow rope, and none of us were any good. We thought the guy that owned the boat was a badass because he could clear the wake heelside!

WW: Were you hooked from that point on?
Dan: Yea. I got an old Wake Tech Byerly Blunt with Bad Ass "Byerly" bindings for my birthday that year!

WW: That's a sweet set up! What's your set up now?
Dan: Yea right! At least now I'm riding a 2001 Project 142 and Belmont Bindings. I love the set-up!

WW: I've never ridden that board, but I do have those bindings. They're freakin' awesome, aren't they?
Dan: Like a comfy pillow under your feet! Hyperlite, I'm looking for endorsements!

WW: So how would you describe your riding style?
Dan: I'd say that although I am not a super aggressive rider, I do have a little style and feel comfortable on the water. The few tricks I know, I do pretty consistently. One time, I rode with these kids from Utah that killed it and charged the wake like crazy. They told me that although they went off, they wished they had some of my style. I was like whoa! I've always been kind of ashamed of my riding.

WW: Why would you be ashamed? What tricks are you stickin'?
Dan: Ahhh! I didn't want you to ask that! Oh well, I'll make some people feel better about what they can do since I can't do much I guess! Well, I have a killer butterslide, butterslide 180, ollie 180, one wake heelside half cab 180, one wake toeside 180, and wake to wake jumps, occasionally into the flats. I can get a couple fingers on the board for my attempts at indy and stalefish grabs and then there's the ollie to blind that I can always stick, but I miss the handle pass and just sink! Oh, and I forgot my powerslide (fin release), and backside butterslide!

WW: Dude, you have nothing to be ashamed of!
Dan: Well almost nothing...you haven't seen me naked!
WW: Thank goodness for that!
Dan: Definitely!

WW: You're from up here in Nor Cal, right?
Dan: Yes, I am! Sacramento, California. However, I didn't know what wakeboarding was when I was there, nor did I know what a Mecca that is for wakeboarders! I moved to L.A. to pursue a career in music and learned to wakeboard once I was already stuck here!

WW: Career in music? What kind of music? What's the name of your band and how long have you been doing that?
Dan: I have been in bands on and off for 11 years and playing guitar for 15. I've been with my current band, Depswa, for almost 3 years now. We play a wide range of music that appeals to many genres. Some people have compared our music to Radiohead and Jeff Buckley on one end of the melodic spectrum. On the other end, we're heavy at times like bands in the Slipknot and the Deftones vein of music. Kind of a weird mix, but I guess it has an appeal.

WW: It must, you just signed with a major label, right?
Dan: Yep! We signed with Geffen Records on October 24th! I guess my college education was all for nothing!

WW: Sweet, bro! Heck it wasn't for nothing! You're using your education in other ventures as well, aren't you? Tell us all about Xtreme Gear Online.
Dan: Oh yea, I almost forgot about it! Just Kidding! Well, when I became a victim of a "Dot Gone" company (i.e. layoffs), I decided to take things into my own hands and try my luck with my own Internet start-up company. I figured that I would do it in an industry or industries that I am really excited about and that would give me some self-fulfillment. Thus, I decided to start a company that sells clothing and accessories for the many hobbies that I enjoy, like snowboarding, wakeboarding, skateboarding, surfing, etc.

WW: That's sweet, bro! Just remember, all I ask for is a Ford F250 4x4 Crew Cab with a Wakesetter behind it, okay? Of course, I'll wait till the record goes platinum!
Dan: How many sacs?
WW: 5 sacs!
Dan: Cool!

WW: Aren't you working with Kelly Kraut, as well?
Dan: Yep, XtremeGearOnline.com is currently the only online source for commemorative Cordell Wear. All the profits go directly back to the Kraut Family and it is a cool way to help keep Corey Kraut's memory alive.

WW: So you've ridden both So Cal and Nor Cal. How would you describe the different riding styles, if any?
Dan: Everyone in Nor Cal just rips...style, aggressiveness, inverts and spins. You have all types up there! I guess when you guys have butter all year long, it's easier to progress than if you're forced to ride in chop like you are in So Cal (except I get to ride during the week now that I don't have a 9-5 and I occasionally have glassy days!). Speaking of Nor Cal riders, Xtreme Gear sponsors a few Delta riders. Aaron Aubrey, Brady Sammons, and Arun Frances. Check them out here at www.xtremegearonline.com/XtremeGear/riders.html. They all kill it and go HUGE!

WW: Yeah, I've been riding with Arun a lot lately. Ridden with Aaron once and have only watched Brady ride...all those guys rip!
Dan: Jaw dropping, huh?

WW: Yeah! They always come up with something new, which, in turn, pushes me to try new stuff, too.
Dan: If I just had a smidgen of the balls they have, I'd ride a lot better.

WW: Your girlfriend rides too, right?
Dan: Yea. She loves it as much as I do, but she doesn't like the cold. When winter rolls around, she puts away the wakeboard and busts out her snowboard. I like to wakeboard all year round though.

WW: Okay, I'm going to put you on the spot here.
Dan: Uh oh!
WW: How do you feel about women in the sport of wakeboarding? It seems as though women aren't given the respect that they deserve in this sport.
Dan: I really support women in the sport. But on the other hand, I admire anyone that straps on a board! I actually picked up a female rider (picked up as a sponsored rider, that is) named Tiffany Landry (a Wake World regular, too). She rides better than you even! This year, she took the podium at several tourneys, Nationals, and finished 2nd at Worlds in the Amateur Women's division. It is so killer seeing a woman just go big and throw tricks that make my head spin!

WW: Okay...Monstercraft...what the heck is that?
Dan: That is my novelty boat! It is a $5000 "customized" Bayliner with a 305 Chevy V8 that I added Stickers to, to resemble an X-Star. It has a Skylon Pole, board racks, homemade pylon speakers, a five-blade prop and fat sacks. The wake is decent sized and it drives well. I like the looks I get when I come passing by other wakeboard boats. Check it out for yourself at www.xtremegearonline.com/XtremeGear/GhettoBoatTurnedPimp.htm. It pretty much stays in the driveway now thanks to the WakeWorld discussion board and the riders with much nicer boats that I've started to ride with from there.

WW: Whom do you ride with in So Cal and Nor Cal?
Dan: The So Cal crew is Chris Stewart, Erik Carter, R.J., Joe Balint, Scott Alameda, Geoff Hinds and Tim Jewitt from the IEWC, Jared Pineda, Ron Cafferky, Wayne Wilson, and Hector. I apologize if I forgot anyone else. The Nor Cal crew consists of yourself (Joe Umali), former featured rider Tony Tonso, his girlfriend Margaret, Arun Frances, Jason Buffalow, Marcus Shahens, Nick Knieriem, Paul and Martha, Brady Sammons, Aaron Aubrey, Steve Jones, etc.

WW: So are you going to bring your board along when you start touring?
Dan: You know it! I'll have my laptop, snowboard and wakeboard! I'm sure you'll see a lot of posts on WakeWorld's discussion board and the Wakelist from me when I know I'll have a day off and am looking for a pull or people to hook up with! I'm sure I can trade show tickets for a pull. Don't tell our manager though!
WW: Your secret's safe with me!
Dan: And the thousands of wake-a-holics that grace these pages on a daily basis.

WW: So let's wrap this up. Anyone you'd like to say "hi" or "thank you" to?
Dan: First, I'd like to thank Dave Williams for creating such an awesome way for me to get my daily fix of wakeboarding! I'd also like to thank all the people that I've met on this site that have allowed me on their boats and that have also visited the MonsterCraft! I'd like to thank Jason Buffalow, Marcus Shahens, Nick Knieriem, and you! In closing, I'd like to shout a blatant plug for my band Depswa (www.depswa.com). Keep an eye out for our album to hit the stores late spring/early summer 2002. Also, if you're in need of wakeboarding clothes or accessories, please visit www.xtremegearonline.com. We have shirts, caps, sweatshirts, Cordell wear, binding tools, Newt Juice, etc.! Please support the sport and keep me alive while I'm trying to make it as a starving musician!

WW: Thanks for your time.
Dan: No Problem, bro. Thank You!

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