A Visit with UrbAge Designs Creator and Radio Host: Urb Thrasher

Weedists: Meet Urb Thrasher

“Weedists are the people who are out there fighting the good fight and these are their stories.”

Urbage Designs is a Portland, Oregon based company that started in 2002, which is about the same time that I met the owner, Urb Thrasher.  He and his family have been hemp and cannabis activists as well as developing UrbAge Designs along the way.  I am glad he is my friend; he is the kind of guy who would come and save me if I had a flat tire in the middle of nowhere.  That’s a good friend to have!

You can find UrbAge Designs at just about every summer festival in the Pacific Northwest.  Urb, as some friends call him, is always among the first to step up in response to a call for donations or eager to lend a  hand to all of us working to end cannabis prohibition.  He and his family have become special to me and the rest of the Pacific Northwest cannabis community for everything they do. I caught up with Urb recently, and he shared what’s up.  Check it out –

What was your inspiration to start UrbAge Designs? How has that changed over the years?

I was the kid in school who knew we were being lied to about marijuana.  I have always been pretty defiant about this subject, especially for someone from small town Alabama.

After I graduated from art college, I knew I wanted to use my education to do something cannabis related myself.  But, I didn’t want to make bongs or sell weed!  I felt back then and still feel that business taxes and dollars are great ways to mainstream cannabis.   So, I got a job and started a side company, UrbAge Designs.  I have been on the American Business Dream HIGHway ever since. I’m still on it, I and still love the community.

You also have a radio show on Friday nights. What’s it about?

I also have a love for most ALL music, especially Rock ‘n’ Roll and Heavy Metal. The show is called the Urb Thrasher Flower Hour and appears on 420radio.org.  It started when I was a board member of Oregon NORML doing/going to many festivals and doing the Rockin’ Friday segment for the Norml Audio Stash.

There is to much great music and there are so many great musicians that needed to be bridged with the cannabis community.  It all blossomed into its own show, “Norml Rocks.”  Due to some crazy politics, the show has bounced around a bit.  It has landed on 420 Radio, where you can catch live on Friday nights at 8:00pm PST.  We interview bands, play new and old great tunes, support freedom, and ROCK!  Join us…..

You have been a member of the Oregon cannabis community for many years. What are some of the highlights for you?

Yes, it’s been a long hard road, but as you mentioned, quite a few HIGHlights. Without a doubt I would have to say that one of the highlights has been meeting so many of the people within the community.  When you are a devoted activist, it’s like your a part of a huge team.  So meeting, working, and smoking with activists like Madeline Martinez, Russ Beleville, Paul Stanford, Danny Danko, Ngaio Belum, Keith Stroup, Diane Forbacher, you, Anna Diaz and so many more is rewarding.

Being a part of many Northwest Hemp Festivals is a close second.  I travel up and down the west coast during the summer and hit as many festivals as possible to market UrbAge Designs.

Taking a Bong HIT with Chris Barnes from Six feet Under is third.  What a moment!

You come up with new designs each and every summer festival season. What inspires you? 

Ha – Yes it gets harder each year.  But, it comes down to loving what I do, loving the community and loving the flower.   That’s one of the things about us, we like the leaf, but we love the bud.  That helped form our logo. I’m actually working on new stuff now.  I think in its own funny way, the rain helps, too.

How do you balance your UrbAge time, radio time, family time and work a “regular” job? Do they all merge together or do you keep it all separate?

I’m still trying to figure that one out, myself. I think it’s important to be flexible; I get very few nights of good sleep.  Most important, though is knowing that Mrs. Urb and the kid are the bosses, and they come first.

They do all seem to merge together sometimes.  But I try and keep my family and personal life away from the game of Prohibition. I’m tired, too.  Come on already, “Government,” change the law.

What’s coming up for UrbAge and your radio show? 

I plan to continue to grow them both. One day, maybe UrbAge can become more than a side business.  It takes hard work when resources are tight.  UrbAge will shift and change a little bit as we focus a little more on the gift side and less on t-shirts this year. We will still continue to do festivals as our summer focus.  Be sure to look us up and come say, “HIGH!”

The Urb Thrasher Flower Hour on 420Radio will continue to bridge music, bands, and community together in a smoketacular kinda way. They can keep weed illegal, but they can’t stop ROCK N ROLL!