22 Facts About Tony Alva

Tony Alva was born on September 2,1957 and is an American skateboarder, entrepreneur, and musician.

Tony Alva was a pioneer of vertical skateboarding and one of the original members of the Zephyr Competition Skateboarding Team, known as the Z-Boys.

Tony Alva was born September 2,1957, in Santa Monica, California, to Dutch and Mexican-American parents.

Tony Alva first began surfing and skateboarding around 1967 at the age of 10.

Tony Alva's style was revolutionary and stood in stark contrast with the contrived traditional style of the era, which was still based on tricks formulated in the 1960s.

Tony Alva is considered an originator of vertical skating and is credited as one of the first skateboarders to successfully pull a Frontside Air.

Tony Alva started his long relationship working with Vans in 1974, helping to design the off-the-wall skateboard shoe, the original skate shoe.

Tony Alva's father had been buying Vans shoes for his kids since they were young.

In 1977, at the age of 19, Tony Alva shunned the major skate companies to form his own company, entitled Tony Alva Skates.

In December 2005, Tony Alva opened two retail stores in Southern California located in Oceanside, near San Diego, and on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles.

Tony Alva signed autographs and served as the DJ for the catered event.

Tony Alva pioneered the first Rip Grip product, a material that could stick onto the underside of a skateboarder's deck, making it easier to maintain grip.

Tony Alva signed a three-year deal with Vans shoes and his pro model high-top was released in 2006.

Later, Tony Alva was in an early line-up of sleaze rock band Junkyard.

In 2013, Tony Alva began playing with Los Angeles rock band, His Eyes Have Fangs.

Tony Alva was featured in the music video Unenslaved for the band Excel in 1995.

Tony Alva is featured in the 2001 documentary on Santa Monica and Venice Beach skate culture Dogtown and Z-Boys, which was fictionalized into the 2005 feature film Lords of Dogtown.

Tony Alva played the role of Tony Bluetile in the 1978 film Skateboard: The Movie.

Tony Alva makes an appearance in the 2012 documentary Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, directed by Stacy Peralta.

Tony Alva is seen on the cover of the album The Action Is Go by stoner rock band Fu Manchu.

Tony Alva featured in the 1978 documentary "Skateboard Kings" produced by director Horace Ove.

Tony Alva was voted "Skateboarder of the Year" in Skateboarder Magazine's readers poll and he set the Guinness World Record for barrel jumping.