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What do you write? WISH. What crews are you in? SSM – South Side Mob, Around what time did you first start to notice graffiti, and who’s tags was it that you were seeing? About 1984, 1985, Tags started popping up around my area. Early 85 everyone had kinda crazy Breakin/Graff names, By the end of 85 every one had proper tags. Growing up in Streatham, i was seeing Crash 151, Dust, Prime, 2Hot, Raizor, Lazy Lady, Cash, SE Vandals, Custom Boys, Loads of South London Pioneers with some amazing style. What year was it that you had really started to become an active writer? 85/86 was a lot of photo taking & local bus bombing, “Learning the ropes” you could say. 1988/89 were good years, there where a few of us by then, (SAS / SSM) we had style, knowledge, & “previous”, we were going yards all the time, we knew what was what, we had links all over London. Some people loved us, some hated us, some never heard of us!! we were kinda “Getting up”…….Good times!!!
Who were the big names of the early days, were any famous for certain things? Ha Ha! Too many too many writers to mention, every writer back then had a story or rumour behind them. Big underground crews were YDS, ITC, WD, WRH, TKS, TU, CD, CCD. KTC, BNB, CMS, AKA, SAS, SSM, RCS, TRC, SBS, TCM, NHS, IBS, HAH, NWA, MGM, CBS. How about looking up to writers. As you were growing up was there any writers that you really looked up to or maybe admired? Again, too many to mention. There was a lot of raw talent back then, FUCK YEAH!!!!! I used to go yards on a Sunday afternoon, or after school, broad daylight, all paint was racked, all travel cards were forged. No CCTV, sensors or razor wire then!!! I was never caught in the act only “grassed”. What were the early days like compared to today? I LOVED IT, It was not just the graffiti, it was my youth!
Tell us about one of your worst experiences while writing or maybe one of your most memorable missions? The downside was obviously getting caught! My house was raided a few times, I didn’t like upsetting my mum and dad. (Sorry). Around 1990 you quit graffiti for certain reasons. At that point did you have any intentions to return again? No, I was done, after our last massive court case I couldn’t be bothered anymore, raving, loose women and other things had taken over. How did it feel to be away from graffiti for such a long period of time, you didn’t paint for around 14/15 years, right? Yeah, but graffiti never leaves you, I always worked in London, so I was still travelling, seeing new people getting up, reading all the tags on the way to work, occasionally bumping into an old writer, looking at trackside dubs thinking “I could do better than that” ha ha ha!!!! So why the comeback? Not sure? Im hoping its not a mid life crisis! (im only 34 , still a spring chicken) The stencil work you have been doing, did it not feel strange to make stencils? Seeing as prior to that you were a typical writer. Stencils for me were a way to get back into painting, I think they can look quite effective, and planned to try and mix stencils & graff.
What are you up to these days? Well after doing a few off key comeback pieces, im trying to raise my game for 2007, I try and paint when I can, Im still doing stencil work, and canvases etc. Just enjoying it… How do you balance graffiti with your family life, must get difficult at times? No its sweet, I work hard, pay the bills, my girlfriend likes me painting (sometimes) xxx She likes the social side, parties, exhibitions, My son Lewis is 10, he knows what I was, what I do, He’s been painting with me, but I don’t think he will become a writer?? Anything else you’d like to say while you’re here!? Shouts to: Sam, Lewis, Char aka Tcow, Shine, Kwest, Rize, TML, Alope. And much respects to all the london underground writers still keeping the underground vibe alive. You know who you are.
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