A Conversation With Harry Lintell
Harry as painted and animated by 🎨 @leon_washere
After closing out the 2019 Transatlantic hit Cover Version it didn’t take long for the name of Manchester UK’s (by way of Ashford) Harry Lintell to end up on the bottom of a skateboard.
In anticipation of a new part debuting online this week, we gave him a call to talk about being in a Dan Magee project(!!!), Julian Stranger picking out his song, his artwork, and his alter ego.
Village Psychic: Harry, how are you man?
Harry Lintell: Yeah, I'm doing all right. I've been staying in Oakland for a month now. It's been a quick month but it's been pretty productive, actually.
VP: It looks like you guys premiered the part last night. How was that?
HL: It was really good, big turnout. I think it went well. You can never tell with these things. I'm really stoked on the part though. I'm glad that it's finally out, stoked on the music. The song was Julien Stranger’s idea, so that’s really cool. He gave the song to Mack Scharff (who filmed most of the new project) and it worked really well.
VP: Oh wow, I feel like if Julien Stranger gives you a song you have to use it, right?
HL: Yeah, it felt kind of trippy. I was worried about it to be honest, I hope I did it justice.
We’d say you did the song justice, Harry :’) Photo: Gabe Morford
VP: We’d say you did. The part is amazing man, congratulations. How long had you been filming for it?
HL: Thank you, thank you very much. About two years. Because of COVID there were a lot of delays, but this is how it worked out, you know? It's all good. I was filming other parts in between as well like, the Northern Grit part.
VP: It seems like this new part you filmed a lot of in the Bay Area. How many trips to the states did you take while filming this part?
HL: At least a good three or four. With long gaps in between them. This is actually my first time back in the states since the start of COVID.
VP: Because of COVID, did you have a long list of tricks you wanted to try when you finally got a chance to travel again?
HL: To be honest, not really. I’m more of a spontaneous kind of guy. When the thing is in front of me I'll try and skate it, you know? Of course you see the new spots pop up on Instagram or whatever and you think of things you want to try, but it's more spontaneous than anything.
Harry’s favorite trick from the new part. It’s one of ours, too.
VP: Do you have a trick you're most proud of from this part?
HL: I do actually, the ollie into the big silver slide was particularly really good because it was just on a really good trip with Mack in Cologne. It was this underpass where they had changed the entrances into art installations, that one in particular they had turned into a kids slide, that’s why the cross bar was on it.
VP: You’ve been staying with Mack Scharff, who filmed the project, and he told us that you’re a lovely house guest. What is the secret?
HL: You’ve got to get along with the whole house and be doing your bit you know? Washing up and getting along with the animals. Just always being ready you know? Never sleep in.
VP: You don't really film in LA. Why is that?
HL: It's a hard scene to get skating done down there. I’m not used to all the driving, I find it really difficult to get going. In San Francisco, the spots are a lot closer, the drives are shorter. I actually do just prefer the spots here in The Bay. The spots in LA are so sick, but it’s hard to get skating done there.
Harry prefers spots in The Bay, and they look dang good when he skates them. Photo: Bram De Martelaere
VP: Have you done much traveling in the States outside of California?
HL: Not really. I have been to Vegas once. I went to Phoenix AM once. I would love to go to the East Coast, I’ve just not had the opportunity. It seems it would be a lot more up my street.
VP: Ok a bit of a lane change, but how did you first get hooked up with Real?
HL: It was through Shiner, the distribution in England. I was on this UK board company that was going under, so I asked Shiner and they asked Jim (Thiebaud). I knew Chima Ferguson from riding for Volcom, so I think Chima vouched for me and they started flowing me boards. I came out to SF to meet the GX1000 guys and I ended up meeting Mack on his second day working for DLX as a filmer. We’ve been friends ever since. Mack has really helped me out to get from flow to am to pro.
VP: Tell us about going pro, those photos and videos were heartwarming as hell.
HL: It was a long road, for sure. We were in Manchester. Mack was in town and we'd been skating around the city. Actually, Mack did a boneless tailslide to fakie on this hubba right before. Then we went to the skate shop (Black Sheep Store) and someone said something like “We’re going to film you doing a Free Skate Mag reveal.” and I was like, “…what? That’s kind of weird, I don't think that's a thing that’s ever done, but…okay.” So I was sitting there looking through a copy of Free Skate mag, and then everyone came running in with boards that had my name on them and champagne. My mum was there, and I hadn’t seen my mum in like three years. It was very heartwarming. I didn’t know what to say to anyone so I spent the whole night with my mum (laughs).
Harry has been to Vegas. Photo: Gabe Morford
VP: You're from a town called Ashford?
HL: Yeah, it’s a small sunny little town in the south of England. A lot of green. A lot of countryside. It's near the coast. There's not much happening there. After Ashford I lived in London eight years or something. I really liked it, but it became a bit expensive. I ended up moving to Manchester to date a girl. That didn’t work out but I just ended up staying in there.
The Manchester scene died a bit since then, everyone just moves to London. I’ve done the plazas in London. I've sort of already tried that. It's fun, but I prefer going to Leeds or going out around Manchester where there's a bit more crusty spots and hills.
VP: Regarding Dan Magee, how did your Blips Cover Version part come about? And what did being a part of a project of his mean to you?
HL: Oh, it means the most. I used to watch the Blueprint videos all the time, I am a massive fan of his work. I used to film Kevin Parrott a lot. He's a UK legend, he knew Dan really well. Kevin was already working on a project with me and Manny Lopez, he rides for New Balance and Levi's. And that project just ended up spiraling. Dan McGee got involved, then Charlie Munroe, my friend Carlos from Spain moved to London, then Korahn Gayle, it kept growing and growing and it ended up being the Blips video.
It was kind of funny because we started that video and I filmed loads for it. And then I ended up moving to Manchester for like two years and not filming anything. Looking back it was kind of funny, I was like, “Yeah, we're going to do this video!” and then I just moved away like “Yeah, you guys got it!”, but I did come back to London to film that tre flip for my ender.
He moved away but he did return for this tre flip to end his Blips part.
VP: Do you have a favorite skater from the UK?
HL: Right now I would say Charlie Munroe, or this is the young kid in Manchester is definitely coming up. His Instagram is called @cashmanimotherfucker, I can't pronounce his last name (Haddon), really good little ginger fella.
VP: I wanted to ask about your artwork, you made all the titles for your part. Have you always made art?
HL: I've got a lot of friends in Manchester that tattoo and used to skate. So when we’re hanging out they’re always painting traditional tattoo flash. I got a bit interested from that and they taught some techniques and I would just practice from there a little bit every day. I would like to learn to tattoo one day in the future and painting is the best practice. It’s kind of taken off a little bit, seems like people are getting more interested in it. I'm hopefully doing some guest series with Real and I'm trying to do a Spitfire wheel.
VP: Have you given any tattoos yet?
HL: I gave a few to myself and one of my friends has got a scar for life (laughs). Got to practice the painting a little bit more.
VP: Is tattooing your plan for after skating?
HL: Yeah, yeah 100%. My legs aren't going to work forever and I don't know how long skateboarding will last. Obviously the pro thing just happened, so hopefully I have some good years to go still. But, afterwards I'd like to invest in a tattoo shop and do that as a living. It's very similar lifestyle in the sense that you’re your own boss, it’s creative, you have days off when he want, you know? That's the plan. But not for a while.
Until he does decide to hang it up and be a full time tattooer, we are going to eat noseblunts like this up. Photo: Bram De Martelaere
VP: Mack wanted me to ask you who Gary Mental is and what he's been up to?
HL: (Laughs) Gary Mental is what Mack calls me when I stress out or get too drunk and go a bit mental. And Gary has been alright. He was there at the Lower Bob's contest the other day eating mushrooms. Gary’s back got pretty sunburnt and he was screaming about it. That’s Gary. Gary is not a bad guy…he’s just a bit mental.
VP: We heard Gary was out full swing on a recent Volcom trip to Portugal.
HL: Oh God, he was. That was so gnarly but went so well. Really productive trip. But yeah, lots of drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.
VP: Who is Gary’s partner in crime on a Volcom trip?
HL: Oh, Victor Pellegrin, the Duty Master is for sure Gary’s partner in crime. Wait actually, Gary’s partner in crime? No, Victor is the mad one.
Not sure if this switch 180 is Harry or Gary, either way it is tweaked. Photo: Gabe Morford
VP: How long have you been on Volcom?
HL: You know, I think it was one of my first sponsors. Around age 18 they started giving me boxes and then I went on a trip with Kevin Parrot in the UK, then some Europe trips, and before you know it I knew all of them really well and it is just good family. Good love.
VP: Okay, last question. Knowing that he was a good friend of yours, could take us out on a fond Ben Raemers memory?
HL: Just any day in London. Quite often when I lived in London, we would just go to London Fields with disposable barbecues and just not skate all day, listening to Morrissey. And he was always so funny on trips. Watching him stress at a spot. He’d say “Yell abuse at me!” and then he’d focus his shirt. That was always a classic. He’d just walk around all day with a ripped shirt like “Fuck, what have I done?”