Flying High with Pro Skater Mike Vallely
Pro Skater Legend - Mike Vallely
Mike Vallely is one of the legends of skateboarding. Here are some of Mike’s career highlights…
Some call Mike V. the Godfather of the Street Hand Plant. Vallely was one of the key pro skaters who aided in the street skating explosion throughout the last three decades. He’s been a character in Tony Hawk’s skater video games. The storyline on Hawk’s 5th game, Tony Hawk’s Underground, is based on Mike V’s entire skating career. He’s kicked around with Bam Margera. He performed as the lead vocalist with Black Flag during a reunion show in 2003 for the entire ‘My War’ album. He is trained as a professional wrestler and has wrestled in some independent events. V skated for Powell/Peralta and appeared in many of their skate videos from the late 80s and into the 90s. Mike is also an actor which includes appearances in Gumball 3000, The Hangover, Mall Cop and upcoming flick, Red Dawn. He also has an IPhone Skateboarding App coming out soon.
Mike is married and has a daughter. Vallely was a huge NHL Ducks fan which appears to have ended recently.
Now, Mike will be 40 this year. He’s played a major roll in skateboarding for around 25 years. Mike kindly took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for us. The one thing we like about Mike V. is that he is a no bullshit kind of guy. And he’s a guy that you want on your side.
Mike V. doing what he does best.... Ripping
DEMONFACTORY (DF): Mike, like it or not, you are one of Skateboarding’s elders. You’ve been a trick innovator. You’ve skated all over the world. Skated and continue to skate for some of the largest skate companies. Why is it that you are remembered by so many for your CKY3 fight against the four frat boys?
MIKE VALLELY (MV): I guess the CKY3 fight really resonated with people, especially skateboarders. Growing up as a skateboarder being hassled and harassed at every turn and being public enemy #1 gets really old. When I refused to take shit from those guys that night, and it happened to get caught on video, it was one of those moments that people really appreciated for what it was. For me, it was just another night and I had no idea I was being video taped. When the video started making the rounds it’s all I heard about and still do to this day.
Mike V on the Mic
(DF): Over the years, you’ve gained the reputation as being a badass. Some of the videos of some of your fights have been viewed over a million and a half times. With that kind of attention, how do you handle being challenge by fuckwits trying to prove something?
(MV): Yea, when I go out and people get enough liquid courage, at a certain time of the night there will always be someone trying to pick a fight but I never take the bait. That’s not what I’m about. The times I have stood up and put my dukes up were spontaneous and real moments. Someone challenging me to a fight based on who I am and my reputation is a joke. Just poor fools with damaged psyches. Like somehow beating me up will mean anything. Just stupid.
Mike V. - Photo Concretedisciples.com
(DF): How does it feel to know that more people have watched your CKY3 fight video on YouTube than Mall Cop?
(MV): Strange way to look at it. I haven’t really thought about it like that and will continue not too really. It just is what it is.
(DF): There was a time when surfing was king and skateboarding was something that surfers did when the waves were flat. Over the last three decades, Skateboarding has exploded. Surfing went through a major growth spurt in the 1970s. That’s about it. What is continuing to drive skate’s evolution?
(MV): Skaters continue to drive the evolution, — creative individuals who are always pushing things forward.
(DF): With your tenure in the skateboarding industry and directly being a part of its growth, what do you think is holding surfing back from having the same successes?
(MV): I don’t know anything about the surf business. I do know that limited access to waves by a great number of the earths’ population is one thing that will keep it from growing like skateboarding. Skateboarding is instantly accessible by anyone with a pad of concrete.
(DF): Jay Adams may have been skateboarding’s first badass. Some say that you have a similar attitude when you skate. A gritty skater. Raw. Pure. Maybe the 2nd generation of Jay Adams if you will. Who is skating’s bad boy right now? Who would you pass the torch too if anyone?
(MV): I don’t know man. I’m a huge Jay Adams fan but I don’t see myself as the 2nd Jay or anything like that. I mean I see a bit of Tony Alva, Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta in all I do and what I’m all about. But yea, when the shit hits the fan, the Jay Adams in me comes to the forefront. There are a lot o rad dudes in skateboarding today but really there is only one Jay Adams.
Mike V. Do or Die IPhone App
(DF): We see that you have your own skateboarding game coming out soon as an IPhone app called “Mike V: Do or Die”. What can you tell us about it? What will set it apart from the other IPhone skating apps? Previews look pretty sick!
(MV): The main thing is that we have really pushed the limits of what can be done in the iPhone platform so we’re bringing skateboarding on the iPhone to a whole new level. The whole game is about a career mode where you can experience to unlock new levels. You play the game by using your left-thumb to push and right-thumb to manipulate your board, which means a player uses somewhat realistic gestures to play the game.
(DF): What’s next for Mike V?
(MV): I don’t think in those terms, I really just write the story as I go and I like it that way.
You can visit Mike’s website here: www.mikevallely.com .
Follow Mike V on Twitter here: MikeVallely
Check out Mike V’s upcoming IPhone Skate App here: MikeV – Do or Die
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[...] fight, and or course, all things skateboarding. You can check out the interview right HERE. This entry was posted by Larry on January 14th, 2010 at 12:47 pm You can follow any responses [...]
Good interview. Nice Get.