Mike Vallely (pronounced Val-ee), a.k.a. Mike V, (born June 29, 1970) is a professional skateboarder who resides in Long Beach, California. Growing up in Edison, New Jersey, he began skating at the age of 14. A temporary move to Virginia Beach,and Sebastian Garcia VA would lead to the start of his career less than two years later. In May of 1986 Vallely attended the Virginia Beach pro vert contest where he attracted attention for doing handplants in a parking lot. One of the people who Vallely got the attention of was Neil Blender, a top pro then. Blender sought out Lance Mountain, another top pro, to check out Vallely's skating, who in turn had Stacy Peralta watch him skate. Peralta sponsored Vallely that day, putting him on Powell Peralta's preeminent Bones Brigade team. It wasn't just Peralta who plucked Vallely out of obscurity that day. Thrasher Magazine also 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. Vallely's new sponsor had him compete at the Oceanside "Street Attack" contest, in July. Vallely won the amateur division which got him a full page spread in Thrasher's September issue. is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... A skateboarder performing a frontside lipslide Skateboarding is the act of rolling on or performing tricks with a skateboard. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , Country United States State California County Los Angeles County Government  - Mayor Bob Foster Area  - City  65. ... The Edison Memorial Tower, one of Edison Townships notable landmarks. ... Lance Mountain was one of the most popular skateboarders throughout most of the 1980s, and one of the five most legendary members of the Bones Brigade, as featured in the 1987 classic The Search For Animal Chin (Bones Brigade Video Three). ... Stacy Peralta circa 1976 Stacy Peralta (born October 15, 1957 in California) is an American director, as well as a former professional skateboarder, team surfer and entrepreneur. ... Powell Peralta is widely considered to be the most successful skateboard company ever. ... Bones Brigade is a highly successful skate team that featured many of todays top pro skateboarders. ... Thrasher is a monthly skateboarding magazine founded in 1981 and currently edited by Jake Phelps. ...

In the fall of 1986, the Powell Peralta classic skate video The Search For Animal Chin was filmed, which upon its release in April 1987, included Vallely skating at a garage party with other members of the Bones Brigade. The Search for Animal Chin is a 1987 skateboarding film, one of the first skateboarding films to have a plot. ...

In a 1987 copy of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, Vallely was the featured skater in the "Check Out" column, where Natas Kaupas and Mark Gonzales are seen pointing at him. While the two veteran pros were really pointing at facial injuries Vallely recently sustained, the photo appeared instead as good-natured teasing of their new peer. Skaters from around the world interpreted the picture to represent Mike's acceptance into their elite street skating clique. As Vallely explains in the Etnies short film Sponsored, this photo would put him on the "map" of skateboarding at the time, and the rising skate star was soonafter informed by Stacy Peralta that he would turn pro. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Transworld Skateboarding is a skateboarding magazine owned by AOL Time Warner. ... Natas Kaupas (born in 1969) is a semi-retired professional skateboarder of Lithuanian descent. ... Mark Gonzales (born June 1, 1969), also known as The Gonz, is a professional skateboarder and artist. ...

With the release of Powell Peralta's "Public Domain" in 1988, Vallely's first full length video part combined with his first pro model issued made him the most popular skater over the next year. It was during the peak of his popularity that Vallely left Powell Peralta with Rodney Mullen to help start World Industries, in February, 1989. This career move of his revolutionized the skateboard industry, challenging its corporate structure. World Industries is a skateboard company. ...

Vallely's World Industries Barnyard deck, from 1990, is credited for the evolution of the skateboard shape to the current popsicle-shaped deck ubiquitous today in street skating. At 9½ inches (24 cm) wide by 32 inches (81 cm) in length, The Barnyard was actually considered thin for its time, and featured straight rails, not unlike a freestyle deck, and a kicked nose that resembled the tail, giving the board an almost symmetrical shape. World Industries is a skateboard company. ...

Throughout the early and mid 1990s, Vallely's influence leveled off as skateboarding's popularity sunk and more technical skaters emerged. His career regained as skateboarding became immensely popular in the late 1990s.

Mike Vallely is also the lead vocalist in his rock band Revolution Mother.

As well as appearing in the games, songs by his band Mike V & The Rats can be heard in the video games Tony Hawk's Underground ("The Days"), Tony Hawk's Underground 2 ("Never Give Up"), and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland ("Vendetta"). He is also featured in the Tony Hawk's Project 8 video game as a playable Skater, with his own unique and special tricks. Mike Vallely wearing an Element Skateboards hooded sweatshirt. ... Tony Hawks Underground, also called THUG, is a skateboarding video game available for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Xbox platforms released in 2003. ... Tony Hawks Underground 2 (or THUG 2) is the sixth installment in Neversofts Tony Hawks Series and is the sequel to 2003s Tony Hawks Underground. ... Tony Hawks American Wasteland is a video game that has been released for the PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube and PC. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. ... Tony Hawks Project 8, officially abbreviated as THP8 is the eighth installment in the Tony Hawks Series. ...

He is married to Ann and has two daughters, Emily and Lucy.

Current Sponsors

• Element Skateboards and Wheels
• Element Apparel
• Element footwear
• Destructo Trucks
• Speed Metal Bearings
• SoBe beverages

Element is a skateboard company that was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1992 as Underworld Element. ... Element is a skateboard company that was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1992 as Underworld Element. ... Element is a skateboard company that was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 1992 as Underworld Element. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... SoBe (1996) is a drink brand of teas, elixirs, and energy drinks produced and distributed by PepsiCo. ...

Past Sponsors

• Powell Peralta
• World Industries
• TV Skateboards
• Transit Skateboards
• Black Label Skateboards
• Vallely Skateboards
• Etnies
• Accel Wheels
• Venture Trucks
• Destroyer Trucks
• Tracker Trucks

Powell Peralta is widely considered to be the most successful skateboard company ever. ... World Industries is a skateboard company. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... etnies is an American footwear brand based in Lake Forest, California owned by Sole Technology, Inc. ... Venture Trucks are a skateboarding company originally based in the West Coast of the United states. ...

Skateboard Videography

• Powell Peralta Public Domain
• Speed Wheels Risk It
• World Industries Rubbish Heap
• Drive
• Black Label Label Kills
• Mike V's Greatest Hits
• Concrete Wave Volume 1
• Elementality Volume 1
• Elementality Volume 2 (released online only)^[1]
• Tony Hawk's Secret Skatepark Tour (2004)

References

1. ^ http://www.elementskateboards.com/audiovisual/ev2.html

External links

• Mike Vallely's Official Homepage
• Revolution Mother's Official Homepage
• Mike Vallely MySpace
• Revolution Mother MySpace