These Days Issue Six: Harmony Korine
Taken from the sixth issue of Vans 'These Days' magazine, Tristan Modena from Vans raps with Harmony Korine about his first board and who inspires him. I grew up skating with Harmony in Nashville, TN in the early â90s. We went to the same high school; Hillsboro in Green Hills. I was a couple years younger than most of the dudes who were really skating back then. I guess they let me roll because they knew my older sister, and they were scared of her. I used to love to call Harmâs answering machine (pre-cell phone era) because there was always some funny shit on there. When he was a senior in high school (1992), he told us he was writing a story about a guy who only fucks virgins ... we all laughed and thought it was cool. Soon after graduating from Hillsboro, he moved to NYC. Next thing I knew, Kids (1995) came out, and I was watching my boy make David Letterman uncomfortable on his own show. It was a classic. If you havenât seen the movie or the footage, you should watch it. Not to mention one my personal favorites, Gummo (1997) which was filmed in Nashville and starred a bunch of the homies from back in the day. Harmony was one of the people in my life who introduced me to art. Whether taking us to see a Woody Allen movie like Shadows and Fog (1991), or a screening of My Own Private Idaho (1991), or going to watch KRS-1 speak at Vanderbilt University, he helped open my eyes to a different way of thinking and looking at the world. I was a young, impressionable mind soaking up everything around me. At that time, I was completely enthralled with skateboarding and those who loved it, which hasnât changed to this day. Q. You look good, you been working out? Yeah, 15 hours a day. Q. Where are you from? Where do you live now? Iâm from Nashville. I still live in Nashville. Q. What are you currently working on? Iâve been painting a bunch lately. Iâm also finishing up a script now for the next movie. Q. When did you start skateboarding? When I was 12. I bought a pink Nash Executioner. Q. When did you know you wanted to write movies? I just wanted to make my own movies. I didnât want to have to wait for anyone else. I wrote movies out of necessity. Q. What is the movie/project you are most proud of? I canât separate them. Theyâre all trill. Q. Who has had the most influence on you as a writer/artist? This cripple dude I grew up with named Samson who used to sketch zoo animals with a crayon that was duct-taped to his big toe. Q. How/when did you first meet Gonz? Washington Square Park in the early â90s, skateboarding with a suitcase and cigar. Q. What is your favorite movie/s? Porkyâs. Q. Who is your favorite artist/s? Purvis Young. Tommy Wright III. Lord Infamous. Q. Who is your favorite actor/s? David Hasslecock. Q. Is there any significance to your daughterâs name? Her name is Lefty cause she was born a righty. Q. What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment? Itâs all a miracle. Q. Who do you look up to? Gucci Mane. Q. Tell me about your relationship with Olâ Dirty Bastard. We used to hang out. He was amazing. I once saw him have a conversation with a telephone pole. Q. Whatâs the grimiest thing youâve ever done? Fondled a bumâs foot. Shop the limited Vans Authentic x Harmony Korine collection at Flatspot.
