Above backside flip photo: CJ
At the time of writing, it was about one year ago that we interviewed Harry Lintell for the mag. After spending a couple years reserved from skating and the public’s attention, the interview was a pleasant reminder that Harry, simply, still fucking smashes it. Fast forward to now and Harry has kept the pace up – it’s as if he’s making up for lost time with the amount of footage he’s released over the last twelve months. Along with securing a freshly flowed supply of Real Skateboards straight from DLX HQ, we’re glad a company has taken due notice of his abilities and bestowed him with boards to blow our minds on all over again.
With the incredibly long wait for his Volcom section over, the UK skate scene spent the best part of the last month discussing just how good Mr Lintell is. It’s like the aftermath of In Progress all over again… Due to this we thought it was a fitting time to chat to Harry about his new section, Converse, Albion and his natural talent for first try hammers.
Your long awaited Volcom section finally came out, shortly followed by the Cons ‘Braving the Cold’ clip that you were also featured in. How does it feel to be the most talked about thing in UK skateboarding right now?I’m just super stoked man. I couldn’t believe the reaction I got from both parts, especially the Volcom one. I spent a lot of time working on it, I’m stoked that everyone thought it was cool in the end. I was worried that people wouldn’t be into or that it’d look weird. I dunno, one of them where you’ve seen the footage so many times yourself it just doesn’t have an impact. It’s weird; I’m just stoked.
Cons went on tour in January to coincide with the release of Kenny Anderson’s new shoe, how was that and how keen was everyone on the weather?It was damn cold man. But everyone pulled through, it was sick, the tour was good. The shoe is actually really good, super into it. The sole is comfortable; jumping down stuff didn’t really hurt. But the tour was sick because the weather was terrible man. We had a snow day that tour. It was the first time I’ve ever been out on a snow day, that was amazing but hard to get footage.
As photographer for the trip, how many times did you have to endure Reece Leung’s infamous ‘just one more go’?(laughs) Too many times, Reece was quite on it with the ‘one more go thing’. But it was good fun; yeah I’m down for it but…
He’s ruthless…I know, yeah. He’s always saying ‘one more go’ or ‘can you just do it one more time’. But nah it was cool, he shot pretty much everything on the tour. It was cool to be on tour with him and just hang out and shit. Don’t get to see Reece too often.
I imagine the last video part you put this much effort into was filming for In Progress. What do you think to your skating now compared to then? Which of the two parts are you the most proud of?Yeah I guess it is, yeah (laughs). I think I’m more stoked on the new Volcom one. I feel like I put more effort into it and it looks different you know? I think the skating has changed a little bit, but I’m stoked on the Volcom one if I had to pick.
Let’s backtrack a bit less. After a brief bit of off the grid time you’ve been fully back on it since we interviewed you in January last year, Issue 208 after having a couple of years off. Then you had footage in Albion a few months later. Were you filming for your Volcom section and Albion at the same time?Yeah I was actually. Albion was something that wasn’t planned, it was just gonna be tricks in the friends section sort of thing and it just worked out that way. We didn’t plan it at all; it was just if the VX was out and I was at a spot I’d film something. It just something that sort of happened.
Then you got on Real the following summer. How did you end up getting hooked up with Real and how’s it been treating you so far?It’s been going really good man. Just keeping in touch with the T.M. out in the States and talking to him a bunch. It just came about. It’s a company I’ve always really been into, always wanted to ride for and I knew Chima Ferguson from tours that I had done before. I just hit him up and said if there was any spot or anything that was available, y’know if there’s anything they could do. He hit me back and I spoke with Jim (Thiebaud) and everyone there and yeah, they were happy to send me boards and flow directly from them.
Robbie Brockel and Justin Brock spent some time over here last summer. Any plans for you to visit the States for anything Real related?Maybe not to do with Real, I couldn’t say. But I’m definitely gonna go out there soon and just stay in San Fran with those guys. Just skate, hang out and see what happens you know. Good times.
About the same time you also got on Black Sheep and dropped a Piff Sticks part when that was announced. You’re not taking this ‘comeback’ lightly are you?The Black Sheep thing was some old footage that was floating around that I had filmed with Superdead that never got used. Then I just rode for Black Sheep, they were the first people that hooked me up. When I left Superdead I just sort of had to leave Rollersnakes and go with them and do that. The Piff part was one of them – if Kev wasn’t out filming HD or I couldn’t film HD with anyone else then I would just go out and film VX with my friend Brooke and we managed to put that Piff part together in like a week or two. Just totally random.
Getting back to your Volcom part, it’s taken a pretty long time for you to finish it. How come – have you been injured, selective over your footage or anything like that?Yeah there were some injuries, like knee injuries and stuff. Blew my knee out twice whilst filming it, that didn’t help, having to take like six weeks out every time. We just wanted it to be really good and just work hard at it, both me and Kev. Yeah I dunno why it took so long, just getting fussy with the footage… Then it turned out to be really good and the reaction from people is wicked. It paid off I think in the end.
Definitely. How does it feel having so many people stoked on you right now? Is it going to your head at all, do you feel famous?(laughs) I don’t know what to say. I’m just stoked everyone is stoked on it, y’know?
Did you see the illustration Andy Smoke drew lining you up with other renowned missing toothed skateboarders like Rodney Mullen and Andy Roy?(laughs) Yeah, it was sick. I love Andy’s drawings man. We’ve hung out before and he’s a rad guy. I’m stoked he wanted to draw me, I’ve got my own Andy drawing. (laughs)
Kev’s told me you nailed an impressive amount of your footage first go, which was the most surprising first try make?The Front Blunt Flip Out at Chalky. It was weird; it wasn’t first try of ever trying it. We’d been there three or four times to try and get it and it just hadn’t worked out. Then we went there on the day and it just happened first go. That probably shocked me the most.
That’s one of the spots you blew yourself out on right? I’ve heard that the front blunt on the bigger one of those Chalky ledges claimed you pretty badly.On the higher side I did, yeah. I just slipped out and busted my knee and winded myself. It was one of them you know when the public aren’t even laughing or pointing they just go ‘ooo…’ It was pretty bad.
How many attempts was your ender then? The Switch Flip over the rail at South Bank that you got last month’s cover with.I dunno, we sort of just went there and it took a couple of goes to figure it out to get over the bar. We went there one time and I did it and landed but it was a bit weird, so we went back the next day and did it again and Kev wasn’t happy with the way it looked. So we went back two days later and we did it again.
Three times and you went back and did it every time. Is Kev always that picky?(laughs) Nah it just is what it is. I’m glad he made me do it again, I’ve seen me… its better we did it again anyway.
Lately, skateboarding is focusing a lot more on ‘creative’ trickery. Not a day goes by without being over exposed to no complies, wallies, wallrides… One thing I was stoked on with your part was that it just seemed like it was just you going for it. What do you think to that more ‘creative’ lower impact style of skating as opposed to what you’re into doing?I like creative skating, I love watching wallies. It’s always something that will make you think of a new trick or makes you do something a bit different but… I dunno. I just want to pop high and jump down stuff (laughs). I dunno what to say to that really, it’s just how I skate (laughs).
Funnily enough, the style of skating I’m referring to seems to really attract kids to Converse… You noticed that?Yeah, I think there’s a connection for sure. I’m happy that they support me and I’m happy to ride for them, it’s a sick company. I’m stoked that they help support other skaters that don’t have to fit in with the trends and stuff y’know? Like you, you motherfucker! Sorry I’m sitting next to Jerome (laughs)…
The section was filmed in and around London apart from one trick up North and one trick in Oman. Did you film the majority of it around London because it was easier or because you prefer skating there to up here?It was because I just moved to London and there were so many new spots and ideas, I just wanted to have a lot of the footage there. Being a UK skater and everything, I wanted to have a lot of it in England for sure.
Obviously with the link to Black Sheep you’ve spent a lot time in the North of England too. What do you think in to the scene in the North of England compared to the South?I think it’s really good actually. The Northern scene is a lot smaller but a lot more tight knit. The London scene can be a bit large sometimes. Not everyone hangs out with everyone but that’s just skating you know? I think that will happen up north as well, like there’s groups of kids who won’t hang out with other groups of kids, it just seems a little more tight knit.
Now that this part is done with, are you going to be working towards anything for the next True to This feature length?I’m not sure you know, possibly. I might get a trick and if they’re into it, hopefully it’ll go in there. That’d be rad if it did but I couldn’t say.
Back when Rye interviewed you a year ago you said you where hesitant to pursue the American sponsorship route. Has this stint in the spotlight encouraged you towards it at all or is it still something you’re not fussed on?I think I’m still not overly fussed but I’ll give it a go. Y’know, why not? If it works out. I’d just like to go over there and skate and have fun. I’m not too fussed on what happens. As long as I can skate and eat and y’know, be happy. That’s it.
It sounds like you’re a lot more confident now compared to back then.Course yeah; I’m way more stoked, in a better place.
I think it’s safe to say you’re definitely good enough to do it if you wanted to mate. Any final thanks or anything you want to end this on?I just want to thank Kev Parrot and Volcom for helping do the part with me. Clapton Castle; Morph, Karim, Brooke, Tom, Biko. James Cruikshank. Jerome… yeah that’s it I guess.
Interview – FG
