Hometown: Rodney Mullen
Blair Alley
- February 05 2009
- 76 comments
Rodney Mullen Hometown
Alachua County, Florida
By Sean Mortimer
If you look closely at Rodney’s recent coverage—the typical gnar tech we’ve come to expect from The Mutt—you might notice that the majority has been goofy footed. He’s spent the last two years in semi-seclusion figuring out how to erase his stance. (Not switch—we’re talking NO favored stance.) But The Mutt broke away from his intense regimen to talk with us about his memories of driving tractors and skating with the cows.
When I was 10 and started skating, I lived in Gainesville, Florida in a typical suburban neighborhood. Maybe three other people skated there. This was the surf days of skating, around ‘77. It was also the pre-quarterpipe era and the skaters in the neighborhood built a mini-bank and painted a wave on it. They’d wiggle through the ramp pretending they were getting tubed. There were hills to bomb and curbs to go off. My mom had all these potted plants so I’d steal the pots and put them on the road to practice slalom. After a year, my dad built a little ramp for me.
Rodney in 1983.
I skated there for about a year and a half and then I moved out into the country—Alachua County, Florida. Our property had hundreds of acres and we raised cattle on it. One of my daily duties was doing hay. I grew up on tractors. The skaters in my old neighborhood were the coolest people and then I moved and it was just me and the cows and the three-car garage where I skated. I was always off to my own anyway, but it was hard being stuffed into a garage. That was tough, but you’re a kid—you just roll with it.
Tank was a farmhand I used to do my daily chores with. He was a great guy. He was like a mentor and I’d show him new tricks. [Rodney showed him 360s flips after he invented them.] I said, “What do you think of this new trick?” He didn’t know what to say. How does he relate to it? He was just stoked for me and had this great laugh.
I skated the garage for a few years and then they built a skatepark in the city and I went there on the weekends. Going to the park on the weekends was cool, but I spent so much time alone as a kid that I didn’t know how to interact. But everyone was always nice with me. I skated vert but I wasn’t super duper great or anything. I just did handplants, varials, fastplants, halfcab boardslides, lipslides—stuff like that. My dad was a dentist and the deal was the first time I got hurt I had to quit skating. The first big slam I had, I knocked my two front teeth out. I was goofing around on a rainy day waiting for it to dry and I whipped out. [Rodney's father made Rodney stop skating vert but allowed him to skate flatland if he wore safety equipment.]
wb8k1295.jpg
Photo: Seu Trinh
Photos: Seu Trinh
Not a lot of people did flatland at the park—why would you? There was a whole skatepark to ride. I was the only skateboarder out there on this rollerskating rink that went around a little lake. An alligator found its way into the lake and it’d appear sometime. I was stuck out there with the rollerskaters during the roller boogie era. It was really weird back then.
Then my dad built an open barn and poured a cement floor. It meant so much to me and he put in really nice lights because I liked to skate at night. But they didn’t level the ground so there were all these crazy dips—right when you’re setting up to do something, you’d hit a dip and whip out. It would rain and there’d be puddles everywhere.
California represented absolute freedom for me. I had very limited exposure to a lot of things because of how I grew up. [Rodney's dad was extremely strict.] Moving out to California wasn’t a goal—it was a dream. I was so stoked to come to California for contests that when I was there, I’d tape the radio station KROQ. When I needed a boost I’d play those tapes in the barn while I skated for the memories. KROQ didn’t always play the best music, but at least I had the feeling of being somewhere else. It was my own world out there in the barn, an escape. It was dark and then you had the bright lights and you felt like you were in space.
Mortimer wrote some books with Hawk, Mullen, Daewon, Olson, Vallely, Haslam, etc.
Hawk: Occupation Skateboarder
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February 5th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
FIRST, that was sick.
February 5th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
poop
February 5th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
rodney is badass, you ppl should watch the interviews on youtube
February 5th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
That was a REALLY good article. I enjoy a nice read now and then.
February 5th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
gainesville represent.
February 5th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
mullen is a beast
February 5th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
gainsville florida!
thats where its at.
February 5th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Skateboarding today is a reflection of everthing this guy invented years ago !!!! By the way his IQ is off the charts .
Stay in School !
February 5th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
And from this skaters are now nollieflip crooked grinding handrails…got to love the evolution of skating,,Rodney started it all
February 6th, 2009 at 3:11 am
much cleaner style now
February 6th, 2009 at 7:32 am
I liked this article! He cuold be considered our basics.. perhalps not so much people learn these trick to skate now..
February 6th, 2009 at 9:02 am
All hail Mullen!
doesnt have the same ring but whatevs
February 6th, 2009 at 9:52 am
mullen is who inspired me to start sk8ing like i do now. round three rocked, i love almost. its all i ride. itll be good to see rodney get back cuz i havnt heard much in the last few years. maybe he’ll make another almost video. i hope so
February 6th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Dood Rodney is a badass, i miss that guy, i havent seen him since i was like ten.
I know he needs to come to Phoenix, cause he never sees me when he goes down there anymore.
You sick. (by the way its your cousin Minnie’s Nephew)
February 6th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
The. Greatest.
Ever.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
He’s a skateboard GOD!. It just gets no better!
February 6th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Who gives him boards nowadays?
February 6th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
u have to do it near perfect to do a one foot nose manny
well Rodney does it perfect
Mutt superbia!
u da best
February 6th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
i give him deffinate props but in some of those videos he talks like a girl and he looks really gay but know hes pretty cool
February 6th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Man Rodney you have been a insperation to me and many other skaters out there.Evereytime I watch your videos I get so exicted becuase its always something difficult and awesome.I hope you keep skating for as long as you can your a legend and the king of skateboarding.It would be an honour if you could reply to me. I cant wait for the new almost video.I know its going to me the best. Almost have the best team I think.Oh yeah you know that united by fate video on this channel is by me,well my youtube account.Its an awesome part keep it up Rodney
February 6th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Oh yeah my names Allan, Im from australia if u reply then I would be honoured
February 7th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Here is the reply. Hope you are honored.
February 7th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Im new to this but do they actually reply?
February 7th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
rodney mullen is the King of skateboarding
February 8th, 2009 at 12:36 am
can you imagine if this is what skateboarding turned in to? it would have been, if only anyone could be as good as Rodney, he’s truly one and only..
February 8th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
YEAH RODNEY!
PROPS PROPS PROPS PROPS PROPS
THANKS
February 8th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Rodney mullen is more than a legend to me he does what skaters are supposed to do …. skate, but, he does it for fun not fame or money(the money is cool to maybe he does) but he still shows the people that skate that its not really that hard to just do what you gotta do I have plenty of favorite skaters out there but rodney is my favorite at the best. im 12 years old and look up to rodney my birthday is tomarrow on the 9th so im syked about it and rodneys gonna be the one that inspires me to skate and keep skating my whole life.
February 8th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
rodney mullen is super sick. even if you dont like his tricks you need to give him props for his attitude and everything he has ever done for skateboarding. he has pushed the limits in flip tricks to the point where people cannot even comprehend what he is doing. i want to say thank you to rodney mullen for everything he has done for skateboarding and for such a great attitude.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:37 am
I can totally relate to Rodney’s experience having a strict dad who despised everything I did and spending years in self-imposed isolation, as well as his love of classical music. However, I’m still stuck living with that pest of a dad even at 32, and I’m sick of it! Rodney’s book touched me so much that I couldn’t resist writing him a four-page heartfelt letter by hand and mailing it to Dwindle, so I wonder if he got it; an autograph and a personal note is all I’d ask for. Afterwards, I even wrote a song wherein I’m asking Steve Rocco to help me out of my situation, knowing how well he helped Rodney out of his!
February 9th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Oh, and Rodney’s even gotten so very pretty lately, he looks even younger than ever since the Bones Brigade days! It’s hard to believe he’s actually 42, or exactly 10 years older than me!
February 9th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Rodney Mullen is the best skater ever. Skateboarding started with Rodney and i guarentee it wont end with him. His legacy and creation will live on and forever!!! He continues to inspire me when i watch and old or new video of him, and thats what its all about, getting insiration from the one who started it all and growing and learning from that! You the man Rodney!
February 10th, 2009 at 2:59 am
Nice one interview. Really, Rodney is an inspiration. I heard that the reason he is skating goofy is that he had an injury or something… Is that true?
February 10th, 2009 at 7:23 am
sweet mullen always does somting crzy to! props mann
February 10th, 2009 at 10:54 am
i can totally relate, skating in a garage does blow. bloody. it does.
i can hardly get my parents to atleast drop me off in town, the little city of redwing, mn. where still its underground, not too much to skate. but bloak does what he can.
February 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
indeeeeed, definately. so many people don’t give him the credit he deserves saying he “just does gay flatland”
February 10th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I totally agree with you.
I think that they are just jealous because they aren’t as creative as him.
February 10th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I only ride almost too (just because of mullen)
February 11th, 2009 at 5:51 am
hola!!! bueno decir que rodney es el mejor skate del mundo y gracias a el sigo en le skate cada dia al ver los videos me da ganas de segir y segir es el mejor att: wellyskate
chao y saludos a los skate del mundo suerte
February 17th, 2009 at 10:06 am
rodney is legend, thanks!
February 18th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Mullen can completely, totally, and absolutely dominate, demolish, and destroy any skateboarder that ever lived in the history of the universe.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Rodney is one of my favourites along with Carroll and Koston. I am so inspired by him that I practice flatland in my Tv room on weekend nights! He’s a beast!
February 21st, 2009 at 11:35 pm
i am a girl but rodney mullen is my idol!! he totally inspired me to skate! he is the best ever! rodney mullen is the best and anyone who thinks different can just go jump off a bridge!
February 25th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Ahh, Rodney Mullens da beast!
February 27th, 2009 at 9:18 am
rodney mullen the best of the best of the best!!!forever!!!!!
March 1st, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Rodney inspired me so much he is the best
March 11th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Rodney by far is the best skater I have ever seen I myself read his book and was inspired to bring back some of those old trick he invented and so far I have enjoyed them a lot and many thanks to Rodney for you inspiration
March 11th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
umm im a girl 2 n u so dont sound like a skater omg ima girl rodneys my idol! give me a break u sound like a cheerleader.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
hey rodney your my favorite skater please reply
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:25 am
UR FUKING AWESOME NUMBER 1 FAN
March 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 pm
i once saw a video where they said how rodney was a genius and i think he used math in skating sometimes i think well besides that im trying to learn freestyle but beacuse of some stupid backache that is really random and happens out of nowhere is so bad that i cant skate for days so it kinda slows me down…….other than that rodney is awsome
March 22nd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
he is kicking goofy, anyone noticed that?
March 27th, 2009 at 8:26 am
yeah
March 27th, 2009 at 8:29 am
yeah if you read the beginning it says he is trying to be able to skate with no preffered stance. he is trying to get equally good in both stances
April 6th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
how do u get sponcered?
April 6th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
by almost
April 6th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
keep on sk8 till the sun rise n set
April 29th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
ROD IS GOD
May 18th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
u r the best skater in the entire world. u r ganstaB). u inspire me to keep skating all the time.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
omg rodney mullen is fricken bad*** hes a fricken beast
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
almost
July 9th, 2009 at 3:48 am
i wish rodney mullen would teach me a trick or two in skateboarding,. hes the greatest!
July 11th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
he makes his own
July 12th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
yeah that's because he wasn't very social, and the clothes were just fashion then, the socks were to protect shins though.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:27 am
hey does anyone know when rodneys next demo is in san francisco.
August 6th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I don't know whether it is fair to say that Rodney Mullen is 'King' of skateboarding, but street skating would definitely not be what it is today without his overpowering influence. Nice to know that others are into this very important character!
August 22nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
hey rodney you are a legand! your the reason i started skating. Me and my friend just wanna say YOU ARE THE MAN!
August 22nd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
You can say that again!
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December 17th, 2009 at 2:59 am
imagine being that guy with rodney in the garage and rodney's like "yo check this trick i INVENTED" and its a fucking tre flip. The guys just like "cool" but think about how much the tre flip blew up everyone does em now. Same with dozens of his other tricks. Mind blowing how hes the first to think up then learn hundreds of tricks and nobody else at his time is doing anything like that.
January 9th, 2010 at 12:55 am
rodney is awesome he is the reason is started skating
January 15th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
ROdney Mullen is the best!!. I love when he freestyle. I use to skate in ramps alot when i was a kid. but now i just love to skate freestyle and have funn while skating.
sometimes i go to a skatepark and there is lots of people doing tricks in ramps. I always stay in the flatland and sometimes i hit the ramps to get some air but i always doing freestyle.
Yo see all those kids doing tricks in ramps and when i start freestyle they join me.
Rodney mullen inspired me to freestyle and he show everyone that skating is not a competition is just for funn and for having a good day.
January 20th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
I remember meeting Rodney when I was a kid. The Bones Brigade did a demo at my skatepark. Rodney was so cool! He is without question the greatest skater of all time.