Tony Hawk w/ Birdy’s 100th issue
Art + Photo by Mark Mothersbaugh
Published Issue 115, July 2023
Legendary skater Tony Hawk holds Birdy’s 100th issue featuring Pandemic Oil Paintings in front of Mutato Muzika on the Sunset Strip by DEVO’s Mark Mothersbaugh.
The world knows Tony Hawk as a legendary skateboarder, entrepreneur, and founder of The Skatepark Project — but how exactly did he get all those titles? Tony Hawk was nine years old when his older brother changed his life by giving him a blue fiberglass Bahne skateboard.
By 14 he’d turned pro, and by 16 was considered the best competitive skateboarder on earth. A World Champion for 12 years in a row, he continues to skate demos and exhibitions internationally, and remains the most recognized action-sports figure in the world. Check out his site to learn more and follow him on Instagram.
Mark Mothersbaugh is one of this era’s most unique and prolific composers. Deeply aware of the ability of precise, multi-faceted artistic expression to deliver vital social commentary, he has perpetually challenged and redefined musical and visual boundaries. Mothersbaugh co-founded influential rock group DEVO, and then parlayed his avant-garde musical background into a leading role in the world of scoring for filmed and animated entertainment, interactive media and commercials.
As an award winning composer, his credits include Moonrise Kingdom, 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Enlightened, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and the hugely successful Rugrats television, stage and film franchise. Through his multimedia company, Mutato Muzika, Mark has scored hundreds of commercials. Mothersbaugh received the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the organization’s 2004 Film/TV Awards. He can currently be seen as the art teacher on the hit television series, Yo Gabba Gabba! See more of his work on Instagram and his site.
Check out Tony and Mark’s Back Cover from Issue 105 in case you missed it. Head to our Explore section to see more work by Mark.