Friday, January 7, 2011

Who is Mike Vallely?

Who is Mike Vallely? The entertainment and skateboarding world knows him as Mike V. He is a professional skateboarder. Mike is also a musician, actor, television personality, and stuntman.


 Early life

Mike was June 29, 1970(1970-06-29)), in Edison, NJ to Art and Mary Vallely. Mike has an older brother, Joe, and a younger sister, Amy. Growing up Mike played little league baseball and describes life as "Doing what most young kids do.", and that was trying to fit in. But in 1984 at age 14 Mike would become what he describes as truly "Becoming alive." This is when Mike discovered skateboarding and punk rock music.

 Personal life

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. He has a second daughter Lucy.
Mike also has a long love for Professional Wrestling, he is a trained Pro Wrestler who occasionally wrestles at indy events. He once also wrestled TNA superstar Frankie Kazarian in a triple threat match, which also involved a wrestler called The Skate Devil.
Mike also loves playing ice hockey. He plays at a professional level for the Danbury Whalers in the Federal Hockey League.He signed a contract with the club on June 23, 2010.

 Skateboarding

After getting into punk rock music and meeting some punk rockers at school, Vallely began to borrow one of their skateboards and thus began a life long passion and dedication to skateboarding skill. Mike began to skateboard everyday and naturally excelled at it. On Christmas of 1984, Vallely no longer had to borrow friend's skateboards as a brand new Sims brand, Jeff Phillip pro model skateboard was waiting for him under the tree on Christmas morning. Besides street skating Mike was also a vert skater and often skated Tom Groholski's ramp and The Barn Ramp, both located in New Jersey.He also skated The Brooklyn Banks, a skate spot under the Brooklyn Bridge. It's one of his favorite skatespots.
In 1986, Mike moved with his family to Virginia Beach, Virginia for a short time and while living there befriended the local skaters. Skating with a local team "Subculture" in the Kempsville area of Virginia Beach, Mike honed his skills on the streets in local contests, and on neighborhood quarter pipes and launch ramps. In the spring of '86 the Virginia Beach Skatepark, Mount Trashmore hosted a professional vert skateboard contest. Mike and a few friends headed down to the contest early to watch the pros practice. After a short time of watching the pros and getting inspired, Mike could no longer just sit and watch. He headed to the nearby parking and began skating. After a short while, Mike began drawing attention from the visiting pros from atop the vert ramp. Neil Blender was particularly impressed and came down from the ramp to talk to Mike and asked to show him some more of his tricks. The next day at the contest the word was out about Mike and his new and inventive tricks and style and attracted the attention of professional skateboarder, Lance Mountain and Stacy Peralta, both of Powell Peralta and Bones Brigade fame. After seeing Mike riding a board that was in such poor condition, Lance Mountain gave him a brand new complete skateboard. After putting on an impromptu demo in the parking lot of the contest, Lance asked Mike if he would like anymore skateboards. Confused by what Lance meant at first, Lance was in fact offering Mike a sponsorship to Powell Peralta Skateboards and Mike answered with a resounding yes. This day is also historic for the first interactions Mike had with Mark Gonzales and Steve Rocco.
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. 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, CA. 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" which premiered in May 2007 in Santa Monica, California.
In 1987, Transworld Skateboarding Magazine published a photo of Mark Gonzales and Jasper McLean, Mike Valley's best friend pointing to Mike. While the two veteran pros were really pointing to a 'recently busted nose' on Vallely's face, skaters from around the world interpreted these pictures to represent Mike's acceptance into their elite street skating clique. This photo would put him on the "map" of skateboarding at the time, and accordingly, make room for the growth and further acceptance of street style. Shortly after Powell Peralta released "The Search For Animal Chin" on May 1, 1987, Mike embarked the first Hell Tour with Steve Rocco, Per Welinder and others. On the final stop of the tour, a vert contest in Toronto, ONT, CAN, Mike turned pro against Powell Peralta's wishes and entered the vert contest. Mike got last place in the contest.
In 1978, Powell Peralta released Vallely's first pro model skateboard. After a bad start of trying to release Mike's pro model with ugly graphics of a large bug, it was later changed to the now iconic "elephant" graphics. Mike states the idea for the graphics came to him after watching a National Geographic television special about elephants and because one of his skateboard heroes, Mark Gonzales, said "Elephants are cool." The graphics to Mike's "Elephant" board were drawn by legendary skateboard artist V. Courtland Johnson aka VCJ.
Mike's pro model on Powell Peralta became a top seller and helped launch him into skateboard superstardom. Also in 1988, Mike was filmed by Stacy Peralta and Craig Stecyk for a segment for the fourth Bones Brigade video, Public Domain. Filming took place in New Jersey, New York City and Washington state over a three day period. Filming for this video part didn't go exactly how john envisioned it and coupled with the request of running through a graveyard for the segment added to the already strained relationship with Powell Peralta. Despite problems and being rushed through the filming process Mike's video part still shines and is considered a classic and ground breaking video part, one that is still referenced to this day.
In 1989, Mike quit Powell Peralta at a trade show. At the time Powell Peralta was the biggest and best skateboarding brand in the world which sponsored the best and most talented skaters. It was unheard of at this time for someone to quit Powell Peralta and Mike quitting sent shockwaves through the industry.
After quitting Powell Peralta, Mike helped form the small skater run company called World Industries with Steve Rocco and Rodney Mullen.When he was with World Industries he help create a new model for the skateboard, which is the model that all skaters use today. The model included rounding both the tail and nose instead of having a just a rounded nose and straight edged tail. These boards he help create, created a new revolution in skateboarding. More flips tricks, "going big" on your tricks and a lot more.
In 2010, Mike quit Element skateboards to start his own company called By The Swords. Mike created this company with long time skateboarder Jason Filipow.
Contrary to the clean-cut and non-racist image he portrays, Mike has been shown on the website www.theberrics.com driving a Hummer, as well as a Firebird with a confederate flag licence place.

Music

Resistance: Mike's first band from 1985. Mike 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.
Mike V and the Rats:

Revolution Mother: Glory Bound(2007), Rollin' With Tha Mutha(2009)
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 has also released three solo albums, "Weekend In Pittsburgh" with Joe Grushecky, "California Angel" and "Alone."

Video games

Mike has appeared in the highly successful Tony Hawk Pro Skater skateboarding video game series since the fourth release of the game, appearing as a secret character. From the fifth release of the game he has been a major character in each game. In Tony Hawk's Proving Ground he is also a playable character on two player mode.
The storyline to the fifth game in the series, Tony Hawk's Underground (THUG), is based on Mike V's skateboard career.
Vallely has his own skateboarding video game for iPhones and the iPod Touch entitled "Mike V: Do or Die - Skateboarding".

Hockey Incident

In November 2009, Mike was attending an Anaheim Ducks game with his wife and 8 year old daughter. After the game Scott Niedermayer pointed at Mike's daughter at the glass and tossed his hockey stick over the boards to her. Mike and a man got into an altercation and several punches were thrown. Since the incident, the Ducks have cut all professional ties with Mike and even un-invited him from a charity event that was supposed to happen weeks later. Mike later said on the Jason Ellis Show on Sirius/XM said that he was only party charged.

Filmography

  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop - Rudolph
  • The Hangover - as Alan's friend in the tuxedo van
  • Elementality- Element video part
  • Viva La Bam - Helping Bam's Uncle get revenge on Bam
  • This Is My Element - Small video part.
  • XxX - Vin diesels friend
  • Drive - His show on Fuel Tv
  • Grind - Mike has a small cameo as himself
  • The Truth - Mike plays a security guard for the evangelist, Evan Jealous in this mocumentary.
  • Jonah Hex- Mike does stunt work in this Warner Bros. / DC Comics film.
  • Red Dawn- Mike plays a weapons dealer and also did stunt work as a Russian Special Forces soldier.
  • Mulberry Park- Mike plays Danny, the leader of an Irish gang.
  • 7-Teen Sips- Mike plays the reclusive rock star Charlie Monroe.


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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Who is Brent Hinds?

Who is Brent Hinds? The music world knows him as a guitarist/singer for the Atlanta, Georgia metal band Mastodon, in which he shares guitar duties with Bill Kelliher and vocal duties with Troy Sanders.

In Mastodon's early years, Hinds would work as a full-time carpenter when not touring to promote the band. Hinds is also lead guitarist/singer for the Surfabilly band Fiend Without A Face, and is involved in other projects, including classic rock band The Blood Vessels, West End Motel, Four Hour Fogger and The Last of the Blue Eyed Devils.


Early life

Brent was born in Pelham, Alabama  in 1974. He first asked his father for a guitar at age 13. His father agreed to buy him one, on the condition that Brent first learn the banjo, take lessons and learn to read music. Brent reluctantly agreed, attending the Alabama School of Fine Arts for several years.

Musical career

Hinds subsequently left Alabama for Atlanta, Georgia in pursuit of a music career. It was at this time that he met Troy Sanders, a future member of Mastodon. According to Troy, he "lived in his van for the next five years", becoming a member of Troy's then band Four Hour Fogger. The first practice he attended with this band he allegedly "showed up so wasted he couldn't even play".
Once Four Hour Fogger fell apart, the two stuck together, eventually meeting Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher at a High on Fire concert in "their friend's basement".

The four began a new musical venture with then singer Eric Saner, touring the southern USA, working 40-hour weeks and committing to the band in their spare time. The band's mainstream success would ensue after Saner left the band, pushing Brent to the forefront not just as a guitarist, but as a vocalist also, the duties of which he would share with Sanders.
Hinds continues to concentrate on Mastodon, with the majority of his time spent touring or in the studio. He also enjoys promoting his lesser-known psychedelic rockabilly band Fiend Without A Face and his classic rock band The Blood Vessels. Hinds composed the score to Jonah Hex.

MTV VMAs incident

In 2007 Hinds attended a MTV music video awards after-party, where he partied and drank heavily with members of Motörhead, Queens of the Stone Age, and Foo Fighters. Hinds left the party in an inebriated and drugged state, reportedly swinging his shirt at pedestrians on the sidewalk, where System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and singer-songwriter Rev. William Hudson were walking back from the VMA's to their hotel. According to a police report the Las Vegas Weekly cites:
Hinds was the instigator and allegedly took off his shirt and hit Odadjian with it, then punched Hudson in the face and chest. 
Hinds concedes that he struck Hudson in the head, who then returned the hit back to Hinds. Hinds wound up with a broken nose, two black eyes, and a brain hemorrhage as a result of falling and having his head hit the floor.
Following the incident, Hinds revealed that his doctors advised him to moderate his drinking and drug-use while he recuperated, but that he ignored the advice, saying "I was back doing drugs and everything by 28 days. But I don't drink as much as I used to, I don't smoke crack anymore, and I don't do tons of fucking pain pills."

Equipment

Hinds favours Gibson Flying V's, typically in silver burst finishes, but also owns a wide variety of guitars including a Goldtop Les Paul, a Les Paul Florentine, a Lucite Flying V built by the Electrical Guitar Company, a Gibson SG,a Gibson sg custom, Gibson Explorers and a Michael Kelly Phoenix Hollowbody.

He also has two custom First Act guitars: a 6-string used in the video for Colony of Birchmen (which has asymmetrical horns such as those seen on a Mosrite guitar, a Bigsby vibrato, silverburst finish and a Mastodon logo inlaid on the headstock) and a 12-string dc lola, also with a silverburst finish, used on the Unholy Alliance 3 tour to capture a fuller sound while guitarist Bill Kelliher was too ill to perform.

Bill Kelliher owns a guitar similar to this one, though Kelliher's has only 9 strings. He also used a '64 Fender Stratocaster and a '52 Fender Telecaster while recording "Crack the Skye".
During live performances, Hinds favors his various Silverburst Flying V's. He often performs the solos and more melodic parts, whereas Bill Kelliher takes rhythm duties.

As revealed in the "TUNE-UPS" section of the October 2007 issue of Guitar World, the two guitarists use three tunings: D Standard (E standard down one whole step, D G C F A D), Drop C tuning (Drop D tuning down one whole step, C G C F A D), and a third tuning similar to Drop C, but with the low E string tuned down to A (A G C F A D). The tunings are so low, the guitarists have to use heavy gauge strings.

Regarding amplifiers, Hinds was featured in the Marshall magazine as a JCM 800 2203 player. In his pedal board he currently uses a Boss Compressor CS-3, Boss Tuner TU-2, Monster Effects Mastortion, Ibanez Tubescreamer TS-9, Voodoo Labs Pedal Power and the Enema FX Mingebox.

Influence and style

Originally playing the banjo, Hinds learned his "signature style" of fast hybrid picking by emulating banjo fingerings on guitar. He frequently utilizes the minor pentatonic, natural minor, and the harmonic minor scales in his playing as well as many hammer-ons, pull-offs and legato slides.


Hinds grew up listening to country, but when he entered his late teens he started listening to Neurosis and Melvins, bands that would have a profound influence on his musicianship. Hinds has also stated that he is a big fan of the progressive and psychedelic rock genres, especially from the '70s.
 
On June 12, 2007, Hinds and bandmate Bill Kelliher won the Metal Hammer Golden Gods award for best shredders, the first time the Mastodon guitarists had been awarded for their guitar virtuosity.
Hinds was featured along with Kelliher on the cover of Guitar World's 300th issue alongside guitar legends like Jimi Hendrix, Angus Young, and Kirk Hammett.

Hinds' vocal style is reminscent of a more extreme Ozzy Osbourne voice. Hinds performs clean and harsh vocals in Mastodon, where he shares lead vocal duties with Troy Sanders.

Guest appearance(s)


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    Wednesday, January 5, 2011

    Who is Rafael Márquez Álvarez?

    Who is Rafael Márquez Álvarez? The Soccer world know him as a Mexican footballer, who is currently a free agent after being given a free transfer by his previous club Barcelona in La Liga. He plays as a centre back or defensive midfielder. He also captains the Mexico national team.

    Club career

    Atlas

    Márquez was born 13 February 1979 in Zamora, Michoacán. He began his career at Atlas, for whom he debuted in 1996 at the age of 17. Márquez rose to prominence while with Atlas, making 77 appearances for the team and being runner-up in the league losing the final against Deportivo Toluca in penalties.

    Monaco

    In 1999, Monaco purchased him for €6 million. Monaco scouts had gone to see Pablo Contreras on a Copa América match against Mexico, but they were impressed with Márquez's performance, so they signed the two defenders. Marquez was an immediate success with Monaco, helping lead the team to the French title in his first season with the club. Despite pressures from larger clubs, he would remain with the Monegasque club until 2003, when Barcelona signed him for €5 million to revitalize their back line. In doing so, he became only the second Mexican to play for Barcelona, after Horacio Casarín.

    Barcelona

    In his first season with Barcelona, Márquez appeared 21 times, helping the team to a second place finish in La Liga. During his second season, he was moved from his natural position as a center back to a defensive midfield role, due to injuries to players Thiago Motta, Edmílson and Gerard López. He completed a great season, being one of the main players that helped Barcelona win its 17th league title on 14 May 2005 after a 1–1 tie with Levante. After an injury in his left knee, he returned after a month to play against Milan in the first leg of the 2006 UEFA Champions League semi-final. Barcelona, playing away at the San Siro, won 1–0.
    Márquez was present in the Champions League final on 17 May 2006 for Barcelona, in which they won the tournament over Arsenal. This achievement made him the first Mexican football player to ever win this competition, something Hugo Sánchez was not able to do during his time in La Liga with Real Madrid. After the 2006 World Cup, Barcelona extended his contract for the following 4 years to €38.5 million which will see his contract end in June 2010. Despite sustaining injuries, he was rumored to be up for sale at the end of the 2006–07 season. His future at Barça was up in the air until the 2007 Copa América, where Márquez regained his best form and was one of the best players of the competition, helping Mexico to an acceptable 3rd place.
    In the 2007–08 season, Márquez got off to an excellent start, as he managed to form a solid partnership with new signing Gabriel Milito while captain Carles Puyol was out injured. However, constant injuries threw off his form. Márquez's success declined with the rest of the season leading Barcelona to end up in 3rd place after a miserable second half where injuries lead to his contribution being negligible. Even so, new coach Josep Guardiola continued to rely on his contributions; with the departure of Ronaldinho, Márquez has become the last original signing of the Rijkaard era to remain on the team. He was Guardiola's first choice at center back along with captain Puyol for the 2008–09 season. On 13 December 2008, Márquez played his 200th match for Barcelona in the clash against Real Madrid, which they won 2–0. He got injured on 28 April 2009, in a match against Chelsea in the semi-final. Márquez was told he needed surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.[2] Barcelona would go on to win a historic treble after winning the 2008–09 Champions League, in which Márquez was present but was sidelined. Márquez also received an offer from Fiorentina.[3] However, Márquez admits he would like to end his career at Barcelona and insists he is not concerned about the fact that his current contract runs out during the summer of 2010.[4] Márquez signed a new contract with Barca in November 2009 that will keep him at the club until 2012.[5] On 20 February 2010, he scored his first goal since his return against Racing Santander. Rafael officially left Barcelona after being released on a free transfer on 31 July 2010, he is currently without a club but has been consistently linked with a move to New York Red Bulls which would reunite him with Thierry Henry. [6]

    International career

    Since making his international debut on 5 February 1997 against Ecuador, but was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad. Márquez has been one of the Mexican national football team's most important players. Márquez has played various tournament's with the Mexican team, winning the 1999 Confederations Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Márquez started all four of Mexico's games during the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, where he was given the Captain's Armband by then coach Javier Aguirre despite his young age of 23. Despite a strong performance during the group stage of the tournament, he received a red card during Mexico's second round 2–0 loss to the United States for a deliberate midair head butt on Cobi Jones in the final minutes of the match. Márquez was an integral part of Mexico's subsequent World Cup qualification campaign and was selected by Ricardo Lavolpe for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
    During the 2006 World Cup, Márquez played in all of four of Mexico's opening round matches, and scored the lone Mexican goal in a 2–1 loss to Argentina in the second round off a Pável Pardo free kick which was headed to the far post by Mario Méndez, allowing an unmarked Márquez to strike the ball into the back of the net. The winner was scored by Maxi Rodriguez in extra time after Hernán Crespo had equalised for Argentina. Since Mexico's second round exit, he has spoken out about the need to encourage future Mexican football players to play in Europe to increase the competitiveness of the team.

    Former Mexican coach Hugo Sánchez asked Márquez to participate in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2007 Copa América. Rafael joined up with the team Mexico for the Gold Cup's championship game against the United States after the conclusion of 2006–07 La Liga; Rafa started the match, a game that Mexico lost 2–1.
    Marquez captained the Mexico national football team at the 2010 World Cup. Marquez scored Mexico's first goal against South Africa in the 79th minute against the hosts tieing the game one a piece. In Mexico's 2-0 win against France, Marquez played a tremendous ball to Javier Hernández Balcázar which put them up 1-0 in the game.

    Personal life

    He was married to Mexican actress Adriana Lavat, the couple married in December 2001 and had 2 children, Santiago Rafael and Rafaela, before separating in early 2007[7]. He is now dating Jaydy Michel.[8][9]

     

     

    Honours

     
    Monaco
    2000
    2000
    2003
    Barcelona
    2005, 2006, 2009, 2010
    2009
    2005, 2006, 2009
    2006, 2009
    2009
    2009
    International
    1999
    2003
    Individual
    2000
    2005
    • IFFHS 3rd Most Popular Player in the World: 1
    2006
    2008

    Career statistics

    As of 25 April 2010.[10]
    Club performance League Cup Continental Total
    Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
    Mexico League Cup North America Total
    1996–97 Atlas Primera División 24 2 24 2
    1997–98 20 1 20 1
    1998–99 33 3 33 3
    France League Coupe de France Europe Total
    1999–2000 Monaco Ligue 1 23 3 2 0 6 0 31 3
    2000–01 15 1 0 0 4 0 19 1
    2001–02 19 0 3 0 22 0
    2002–03 30 1 0 0 30 1
    Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
    2003–04 Barcelona La Liga 22 1 6 0 3 0 31 1
    2004–05 34 3 1 0 6 0 41 3
    2005–06 25 0 4 1 8 0 37 1
    2006–07 21 1 7 0 7 0 35 1
    2007–08 23 2 5 0 8 0 36 2
    2008–09 23 1 4 1 10 1 37 3
    2009–10 15 1 3 0 5 0 23 1
    Total Mexico 77 6 77 6
    France 87 5 5 0 10 0 102 5
    Spain 163 9 30 2 47 1 240 12
    Career Total 327 20 35 2 57 1 419 23

    National team

    As of 8 February 2008.[11]
    All-Time National Performance
    Nationality Year Games Played Minutes Played Goals Scored Yellow Card Red Card
    Mexico 1997 1 29
    1999 13 1177 1 2
    2000 10 902 2 1
    2001 12 1020 5 1
    2002 7 557 1 1
    2003 7 299 1 1
    2004 8 676 1 3
    2005 11 710 1 3 1
    2006 6 554 1 2
    2007 10 810 1 2
    2008 6 540 1 2
    2009 2 155 2 1
    2010 6 496 1
    Career totals 93 7925 11 23 4

    International goals

    # Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
    1. 5 February 1999 Hong Kong Stadium, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Egypt 1 – 0 3 – 0 1999 Carlsberg Cup
    2. 13 February 2000 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States Trinidad and Tobago 1 – 0 4 – 0 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
    3. 3 September 2000 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Panama 5 – 1 7 – 1 2002 World Cup qualifier
    4. 12 May 2002 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Colombia 2 – 1 2 – 1 Friendly
    5. 24 July 2003 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Costa Rica 1 – 0 2 – 0 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup
    6. 19 June 2004 Alamodome, San Antonio, United States Dominica 0 – 3 0 – 10 2006 World Cup qualifier
    7. 7 September 2005 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Panama 2 – 0 5 – 0 2006 World Cup qualifier
    8. 24 June 2006 Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany Argentina 0 – 1 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) 2006 FIFA World Cup
    9. 28 March 2007 McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, United States Ecuador 2 – 2 4 – 2 Friendly
    10. 10 September 2008 Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico Canada 2 – 0 2 – 1 2010 World Cup qualifier
    11. 11 June 2010 Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa South Africa 1 – 1 1 – 1 2010 FIFA World Cup

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    Who is Luigi "Geno" Auriemma?

    W ho is  Luigi   " Geno "   Auriemma? The college basketball world recognizes him as the most successfull division 1  college bas...