Mike Vallely performing a head-high frontside air at a demo at Doc*36 Skatepark in Jackson, Mississippi. |
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| Personal information | |
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| Born | June 29, 1970 Edison, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Skateboarder, Actor, Stuntman, Punk Rock Singer |
| Website | mikevallely.com |
Mike Vallely ( /ˈvæləjiː/ val-ə-yee; June 29, 1970), also known as Mike V, is a professional skateboarder. Mike is also a musician, actor, television personality, stuntman, professional wrestler and FHL hockey player.
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Mike Vallely was born in Edison, New Jersey[1] to Art and Mary Vallely. Mike has an older brother, Joe, and a younger sister, Amy. Growing up Mike played little league baseball, but in 1984 at age 14 Vallely discovered skateboarding and punk rock music.
After getting into punk rock music, Vallely began to borrow a skateboard from a friend and thus began a life of dedication to skateboarding.[1] On Christmas of 1984, Vallely's parents got him a Sims brand Jeff Phillip pro model skateboard. Besides street skating Mike also began vert skating and often skated at Tom Groholski's ramp and The Barn Ramp, both located in New Jersey. He also skated The Brooklyn Banks, a famed skate spot under New York's Brooklyn Bridge.
In 1986, Mike moved with his family to Virginia Beach, Virginia for a short time 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 skills on the streets in local contests, as well as on neighborhood quarter pipes and launch ramps. In the spring of '86 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 Bones Brigade were impressed with Vallely. Seeing Vallely skate on a busted up board, Lance gave him a brand new skateboard. And following the impromptu demo, Peralta offered Vallely an amateur sponsorship deal with Powell Peralta Skateboards.
Thrasher Magazine took photos of Vallely performing his tricks in the handplant circle, one of which eventually made its way onto the cover of Thrasher's August 1986 issue. It was also at this time that Vallely's new sponsor had him on an airplane for the first time to fly to California to compete at the Oceanside "Street Attack" contest in July in Oceanside, California. Vallely won the amateur division which got him a full page spread in Transworld Skateboarding's September issue. Also in 1986, Mike was filmed for a part in the third and now classic Powell Peralta video "The Search For Animal Chin".
In 1987, The Search for Animal Chin was released and Vallely turned pro at a vert contest in Toronto, Canada on May 31.
In 1988, Powell Peralta released his first pro model skateboard. After an attempt to release Vallely's pro model with graphics of a large bug, it was later changed to the now well-known "elephant" graphics. Vallely stated that the idea for the graphics came to him after watching a National Geographic television special about elephants. The graphics on Mike's "Elephant" board were drawn by legendary skateboard artist V. Courtland Johnson.
In 1989, Vallely quit Powell Peralta. At the time Powell Peralta was the biggest skateboarding brand in the world which sponsored the best and most talented skaters. After quitting, Vallely helped form the small skater run company called World Industries with Steve Rocco, Jesse Martinez and Rodney Mullen. While riding for World Industries he helped create a newly shaped skateboard deck, which eventually became the industry standard. The model included rounding both the tail and nose, rather than rounded nose and straight edged tail.
Valelly would be a part of World Industries until early 1991, when differences with Steve Rocco over his use of company advertising for political purposes became irreconcilable. Vallely then rode for New Deal Skateboards until January 1992, before starting the short lived TV Skateboards with friend Ed Templeton.
In late 1992 Vallely suffered a health scare, and TV Skateboards was going broke, but Vallely credited the birth of his daughter with giving him a new perspective and ability to move forward. He returned to riding for Powell Skateboards in 1993, and his second period riding for the company would last until 1997.
Vallely then briefly rode for Transit Skateboards, before joining Black Label Skateboards in 1998, riding for the company until 2002.
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.
From 2003–2010 Valelly rode for Element Skateboards, before quitting to start his own company called By The Sword with fellow skateboarder Jason Filipow. The company was short lived though, as late in 2010 Valelly joined the roster of Powell Peralta Skateboards for a third time along with Airwalk Footwear and Bones Bearings.
In mid 2011, Vallely joined Iron Fist Clothing. Vallely noticed Tork Trux innovative assembly method and joined them as their first Pro Team Rider.
In late 2011 vallely quits powell-peralta for a third time and starts up elephant brand skateboards, his third attempt at a skateboard company.
Vallely first joined a band called Resistance in 1985. He only played one show with the group with 7 Seconds and Aggression. He was kicked out of the band for spending too much time skateboarding. In 2003, Greg Ginn invited Mike to sing for Black Flag at their 2003 reunion shows in Los Angeles. Mike performed the entire My War album from cover to cover.
Mike V & The Rats:
Revolution Mother:
Solo Career:
Guest appearances:
Mike 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 Mike V's skateboard career. Mike also teaches the player the Flamingo trick early in the same game.
Vallely has his own skateboarding video game for iPhones and the iPod Touch entitled "Mike V: Do or Die – Skateboarding".
Vallely currently resides in Long Beach, California. Vallely married his longtime girlfriend Ann in 1992 and in December of that year their daughter Emily was born. Vallely also has a second daughter named Lucy.
Mike Vallely is a trained Professional Wrestler who occasionally wrestles at independent events. He once wrestled TNA superstar Frankie Kazarian in a triple threat match, which Vallely won.
Vallely also plays hockey at a professional level for the Danbury Whalers in the Federal Hockey League. He signed a contract with the club on June 23, 2010.