Mike Vallely

Mike Vallely

Mike Vallely performing a head-high frontside air at a demo at Doc*36 Skatepark in Jackson, Mississippi.
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Mike V.
Born	(1970-06-29) June 29, 1970 Edison, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Skateboarder Actor Stuntman Musician
Spouse(s)	Ann (m. 1992)
Website	www.mikevallely.com
Sport
Sport	Skateboarding

Mike Vallely (pron.: /ˈvæləjiː/ VAL-ə-yee; (1970-06-29)June 29, 1970), also known as Mike V, is a professional skateboarder. Vallely is also a musician, actor, television personality, stuntman, professional wrestler, and FHL hockey player.^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Mike Vallely was born in Edison, New Jersey, United States (US) to Art and Mary Vallely.^{[citation needed]} Vallely is the younger brother of Joe, and an older brother to sister, Amy. Growing up, Vallely played little league baseball, but, in 1984, at age fourteen, Vallely discovered skateboarding and punk music.^{[citation needed]}

Following his interest in punk music, Vallely borrowed a skateboard from a friend and proceeded to dedicate his life to skateboarding. At Christmas in 1984, Vallely's parents purchased a Sims-brand Jeff Phillips professional signature model skateboard for Vallely. Besides street skating, Vallely also began "vert" skating and often skated at Tom Groholski's ramp, as well as The Barn Ramp, both of which are located in New Jersey. Vallely also skated the Brooklyn Banks, a well-known skateboarding location under New York's Brooklyn Bridge.^{[citation needed]}

In 1986, Vallely moved with his family to Virginia Beach, Virginia, US for a brief period and, while living there, befriended some local skaters. Skating with a local team called "Subculture", in the Kempsville area of Virginia Beach, Vallely tested his street skills in local contests, as well as on neighborhood quarter-pipe ramps and launch ramps. In the spring of 1986, the Virginia Beach Skate park, Mount Trashmore, hosted a professional vert skateboard contest. Vallely and his friend began skating in the car park, adjacent to the vert ramp, during practice, and drew the attention of professional skateboarder, Neil Blender, from atop the ramp. Lance Mountain and Stacy Peralta, both of Powell Peralta and the Bones Brigade, were also impressed with Vallely. Seeing Vallely skate on a worn board, Mountain provided him with a brand new skateboard. Following the impromptu demo, Peralta offered Vallely an amateur sponsorship deal with Powell-Peralta Skateboards.

Professional skateboarding

Thrasher Magazine photographed Vallely performing his tricks in the "handplant circle", and one of the photographs eventually made its way onto the cover of Thrasher's August 1986 issue. It was also at this time that Vallely's new sponsor flew him to California to compete at the Oceanside "Street Attack" contest, in Oceanside, California, in July 1986. Vallely won the amateur division that led to a full-page spread in Transworld Skateboarding's September issue.^{[citation needed]}

Powell-Peralta

In 1986, Vallely was filmed for a part in the third Powell-Peralta video, "The Search For Animal Chin".

In 1987, The Search for Animal Chin was released and Vallely became a professional skateboarder at a vert contest in Toronto, Canada on May 31, 1987.

In 1988, Powell-Peralta released his first professional signature model skateboard. After an attempt to release Vallely's model with graphics of a large bug, it was later changed to a graphic that featured an elephant. Vallely stated that the idea for the graphic came to him after watching a National Geographic television special about elephants.^{[citation needed]}

World Industries

In 1989, Vallely quit Powell-Peralta at a time when the company was the biggest skateboarding brand in the world.^{[citation needed]}

Following his departure from Powell-Peralta, Vallely became involved with World Industries, a skater-run brand that was conceived of and launched with peers, Steve Rocco, Jesse Martinez, and Rodney Mullen. World Industries created the first ever "double-kick" skateboard design (a skateboard deck with a "kicktail" at both ends of the board, rather than merely a rounded nose)—the model eventually became the industry standard, with a Vallely signature board used for the shape's introduction into the retail market.

Vallely was a part of World Industries until early 1991, when differences with Rocco over his use of company advertising for political purposes became irreconcilable.^{[citation needed]}

New Deal

Vallely then rode for New Deal Skateboards until January 1992, before starting the short-lived TV Skateboards with friend, professional skateboarder, Ed Templeton.

TV Skateboards

In late 1992, Vallely suffered a health scare, and TV Skateboards was financially suffering; however, Vallely credited the birth of his daughter with the creation of a new perspective in his life and an ability to move forward. Vallely returned to the newly developed Powell Skateboards in 1993, and this period would last until 1997.^{[citation needed]}

Transit and Black Label

Vallely then briefly rode for Transit Skateboards, before joining Black Label Skateboards in 1998, riding for the company until 2002. Vallely appeared in the Black Label video, Label Kills.

Vallely

Vallely founded Vallely Skateboards in 2002, after leaving Black Label. Vallely Skateboards was distributed through Giant Distribution and eventually folded in 2003, due to poor growth.^{[citation needed]}

Element

From 2003 until 2010, Vallely rode for Element Skateboards, before quitting to start his own company, By The Sword, with fellow skateboarder, Jason Filipow.^{[citation needed]} However, the company was short-lived, as in late 2010, Vallely joined the roster of a rejuvenated Powell Peralta Skateboards—his third time with Skate One Distribution—along with Airwalk Footwear and Bones Bearings.

Iron Fist and Tork

In mid-2011, Vallely joined Iron Fist Clothing, as well as Tork Trux, after noticing the company's innovative assembly method; however, Vallely quickly left Tork after joining the company as their first team rider.

Elephant Brand

In late 2011, Vallely again resigned from Powell-Peralta and launched the Elephant Brand Skateboards company in December 2011. In April 2012, Jason Adams—formerly of Black Label and Enjoi—was added to the team roster.

Servant Footwear

A press release from Swedish skate shoe company, Servant Footwear, was published in February 2013, announcing that Vallely is the first American ambassador and team rider for the brand. The company stated: "We are proud to announce that Mike Vallely has joined SERVANT Footwear as US ambassador and team rider. We are honored to get support from and work with such a legendary and truly inspirational player within our culture."

Music

Vallely first joined a band called Resistance in 1985. He only played one live show with the group, together with 7 Seconds and Aggression. Vallely was eventually asked to leave the band for spending too much time on skateboarding.^{[citation needed]} In 2003, Greg Ginn invited Vallely to sing for Black Flag at its 2003 reunion shows in Los Angeles, US—Vallely performed the entire My War album. Vallely was the lead singer for Mike V and the Rats and the band's song, "The Days", appeared in the video game, Tony Hawk's Underground, and the song, "Never Give Up", appeared in THUG's successor, Tony Hawk's Underground 2. In 2013, Vallely formed a band called Good For You with Greg Ginn. Their debut album was released on SST Records in February 2013.

Good For You:

• Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge (2013)

Mike V & The Rats:

• Fist 3 Songs (2002)
• Mike V & The Rats (2002)
• The Days (2003)

Revolution Mother:

• Glory Bound (2007)
• Rollin' With Tha Mutha (2009)

Solo Career:

• Weekend In Pittsburgh (2002) with Joe Grushecky
• California Angel (2006)
• Alone (2006)

Guest appearances:

• Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta's "Jasta" (2011) - "Heart Of A Warrior".

Video games

Vallely has appeared in the highly successful Tony Hawk Pro Skater skateboarding video game series, since the fourth release of the game, in which he appeared as a secret character. From the fifth release of the game he has been a major character in each game.

The storyline to the fifth game in the series, Tony Hawk's Underground (THUG), is based on Vallely's skateboard career. Vallely also teaches the player the "Flamingo trick" early in the same game.

Vallely has launched his own skateboarding video game for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, entitled Mike V: Do or Die – Skateboarding.

Personal life

Vallely also played professional hockey for the Danbury Whalers of the Federal Hockey League—he signed a contract with the club on June 23, 2010. In his first career game (October 23, 2010), Vallely fought Joe Pelle of the Brooklyn Aviators, a career minor-league enforcer. Several seconds into the fight, Vallely lost his footing and landed awkwardly, breaking his right arm.

Filmography

• Paul Blart: Mall Cop – Plays "Rudolph"
• xXx – Plays Vin Diesel's friend
• Grind – Vallely appears in a small cameo as himself
• Jonah Hex – Stunt work in this Warner Bros./DC Comics film
• Red Dawn – Plays a weapons dealer and completed stunt work as a Russian Special Forces soldier
• Mulberry Park – Plays Danny, the leader of an Irish gang
• 7-Teen Sips – Plays the reclusive rock star, "Charlie Monroe"
• The Hangover – Plays "Neeco"

Television

• Viva La Bam – Appears in two episodes, in which he helps Bam's uncle seek revenge on Bam in one episode, and skateboards at a demo with Bam and other Element skateboarders.
• Drive (2004) – Vallely's own show with Fuel TV (2004–2008)
• The Truth with Evan Jealous (2011) – Plays a security guard for the evangelist, "Evan Jealous", in this mockumentary

Music videos

• "Gold Cobra" – A music video by Limp Bizkit, in which Vallely executes a "caveman" skateboard trick from the top of a Lamborghini car.

Videography

• CKY
• Element: Elementality
• Element: This Is My Element

External links

• Official website
• Official website of Mike Vallely's Elephant Brand Skateboards, started in 2012
• Mike Vallely at the Internet Movie Database