Most interviews you read are by someone who has spent years interviewing people and usually has met the person they're interviewing once or twice, solely for the purpose of interviewing them. To me the best interviews are conversations between 2 people who have had a long relationship. I have known Life about as long as I can remember and he's one of the most interesting people I have ever known. Today, March 19th 2009, we sat down and had a conversation. Here's what transpired...
PHILTHY RICH- YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD NORMALLY DO AN INTERVIEW OR PUT YOURSELF IN THE SPOTLIGHT. WHY DO AN INTERVIEW NOW? WHY NEVER BEFORE?
LIFE- FUCK, I GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO. I THINK I DID ONE FOR SOME LITTLE WEBSITE BEFORE, BUT I THINK THE 17 YEAR OLD KID WHO RAN IT GOT GROUNDED AND HIS MOM TOOK IT OFF THE INTERNET. ALSO, I NEED THE ATTENTION. I'M JUST NOT GETTING IT AT HOME.
PR- HOME IS PORTLAND, OREGON BUT YOU'RE ORIGINALLY FROM MEDFORD IN SOUTHERN OREGON. I HAVE TO SAY, THAT IS ONE OF THE TRASHIEST, BEST PLACES I HAVE EVER BEEN. WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE 'FERD?
L- OH IT IS ONE OF THE TRASHIEST PLACES EVER. I WOULDN'T SAY I MISS TOO MUCH ABOUT IT. I HAD SOME REALLY GOOD TIMES THERE. I MISS MY FRIENDS THE MOST, BUT THEY ALL HAVE DRUG PROBLEMS AND 1000 KIDS A PIECE NOW, SO FUCK THAT. THE BEST PART ABOUT IT WAS THE PEOPLE. SO MANY TRASHY, DISGUSTING PEOPLE DOING AWFUL THINGS ALL DAY LONG. THAT WAS COOL. SO WAS THE YARD WE HAD. OTHER THAN THAT, BLOW THAT PLACE UP.
PR- YA THE YARD WAS ONE OF THE COOLEST PLACES I'VE PAINTED IN THE U.S. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PORTLAND SCENE?
L- I DUNNO, I DONT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO SHIT. THERE'S A FEW GOOD DUDES DOING QUALITY STUFF, AND THANKFULLY I CAN CALL THOSE PEOPLE MY FRIENDS. I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE AT ALL REALLY. ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME WILL TELL YOU I'M NOT THAT NICE. I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE ANY NEW FRIENDS THOUGH GRAFFITI SO I DON"T KNOW ABOUT THE "SCENE." I"M NOT TRYING TO HANG OUT WITH 18 YEAR OLD KIDS AND DO BLOW ALL NIGHT SO THAT LIMITS ME.
PR- HAHAHA. TRUE. WHAT ABOUT THE GRAFFITI SCENE AS A WHOLE? IS THERE ANYONE WHO INFLUENCED YOU WHEN YOU STARTED OR THROUGHOUT YOUR "CAREER"? IS THERE ANYONE WHO'S SHIT YOU REALLY LIKE?
L- GOD, THIS QUESTION? UM, I LIVED IN BETWEEN PORTLAND AND THE BAY AREA, ANY ONE PAINTING TRAINS IN '99 IN THOSE AREAS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
PR- HAD TO ASK YOU AT LEAST ONE OF THE TYPICAL "GRAFF INTERVIEW" QUESTIONS. GRAFFITI ISN'T REALLY A HUGE PART OF YOUR LIFE AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU TAKE SUPER SERIOUS, BUT OTHER PEOPLE ACT LIKE IT'S THE COOLEST, MOST SERIOUS THING IN THE WORLD. WHAT DIFFERENTIATES YOU FROM "THOSE" PEOPLE?
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L- WELL, I THINK GRAFFITI IS FUN AND ITS DEFINITLEY SOMETHING THAT SAVED ME FROM DOING DRUGS OR HAVING KIDS AND STAYING IN THE FUCKED UP TOWN I GREW UP IN, BUT IT'S ALSO A HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS. I DON'T THINK SOMEONE IS ANY COOLER BECAUSE THEY DO A TON OF GRAFF. 98% OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET THROUGH GRAFF ARE FUCKING MORONS. WE HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON. GREAT. BUT YOU'RE A FUCKING DOUCHE BAG. I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT GRAFFITI. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY? IT WAS NEVER ABOUT THAT TO ME. I GUESS I JUST HAVE BETTER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT. STRESSING OVER GRAFFITI AND TALKING ABOUT IT JUST LEADS TO DUMB PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE AVOIDED. MY STANCE ON IT PISSES PEOPLE OFF BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M SHITTING ON THEM BY SAYING THIS TYPE OF SHIT. WHATEVER. DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY. ITS FUCKING GRAFFITI, NOT A TRIATHLON.
PR- I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S THESE "SUPER SERIOUS" PEOPLE EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. TOO. YOU'VE BEEN FROM COAST TO COAST, AND A BUNCH OF PLACES IN BETWEEN; WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU HAVE BEEN? AS FAR AS GRAFFITI GOES AS WELL AS WHERE DO YOU LIKE FOR EVERYTHING ELSE?
L- GRAFF IS THE SAME EVERYWHERE. AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE KIDS DOING IT. SPOTS ARE SPOTS. THE EAST COAST HAS FAR MORE GRAFFITI THAN THE WEST COAST. BUT I THINK THE WEST COAST HAS PROGRESSED MORE IN TERMS OF STYLE. EITHER WAY, I'M NO FUCKING STYLE MASTER SO MY OPINION IS PRETTY INVALID. AS FAR AS PLACES I HAVE BEEN THAT I LIKE, ANYWHERE WITH GOOD FOOD AND FRIENDS. I'M SICK OF THE NORTHWEST. THERE IS NOTHING TO DO UP HERE. OH YEAH, FUCK CALIFORNIA. ALL OF IT. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
PR- BASICALLY, BUT CALI IS THE SHIT! STYLE-WISE, YOU'RE GRAFFITI IS VERY BIG AND VERY LEGIBLE. HOW COME YOU NEVER REALLY GOT INTO DOING "WILD STYLE", TECHNICAL PIECES?
L- BECAUSE I CAN'T. HAHA. ALSO, BECAUSE ALL I HAD TO LOOK AT WHEN I GOT INTO GRAFFITI WERE FREIGHT TRAINS BLASTING BY MY HOUSE AT 50 MPH. THE ONLY SHIT I LIKED OR PAYED ATTENTION TO WERE THE ONES I COULD READ. I FIGURED, WHATS THE POINT OF GETTING ALL WILD WHEN SOME NORMAL PERSON CAN'T READ YOUR SHIT. MY MOM WORKED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MAINLINE TOO, AND SHE WOULD TELL ME WHEN MY TRAINS ROLLED BY. I DON'T DRAW EITHER. I CAN'T DO IT. I HAVE RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN DO COMPLICATED SHIT, BUT THAT'S NOT ME.
PR- REMEMBER THAT ONE TECH PIECE YOU DID ON A FREIGHT THAT POPPED UP YEARS LATER ON THE INTERNET SOMEWHERE AND I FOUND IT AND NEVER LET YOU LIVE IT DOWN?
L- HAHAH. YEAH, THAT BURNER? MAN, PRETTY EMBARASSING. THAT SHIT WAS MY SCREEN SAVER FOR LIKE A MONTH. I NEED TO DO MORE STUFF LIKE THAT. WAIT, I THINK HALF THE KIDS IN AMERICA ARE DOING THOSE TYPES OF PIECES NOW. NEVERMIND. SEE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO GET LOOSE.
PR- DOES IT BOTHER YOU THEY BIT YOUR STYLE?
L- IM PRETTY UPSET ABOUT IT, YEAH. ITS COOL THOUGH. MAKES ME FEEL INFLUENTIAL.
L- YOU HEAR ABOUT RIANNA AND YOUR BOY CHRIS BROWN?
PR- YA. THAT HE BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA HER AND THEN THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER AND ARE POSSIBLY MARRIED A FEW DAYS LATER?
L- NAH, I JUST SAW THAT SHE DUMPED HIM. OH, AND SHE GOT PULLED OVER THE OTHER NIGHT.
PR- BESIDES THEM AND BOYS 2 MEN, WHO ARE THE BEST R' N' B ARTISTS OF ALL TIME?
L- KELLZ. USHER.
PR- TRUE. YOU WERE IN A GRINDCORE BAND FOR A LONG TIME. DO YOU STILL LISTEN TO GRINDCORE OR IS IT STRICTLY USHER AND R. KELLY?
L- BOTH, MORE INTO OLD STUFF I GREW UP ON AS OF LATE. CRO-MAGS, YOUTH OF TODAY, GORILLA BISCUITS, BLACK FLAG. KELLZ IS CURRENLY IN THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM. SHOULD BE OUT THIS YEAR. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
PR- ASIDE FROM MUSIC, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU INTO?
L- WELL I HAVE RECENTLY GIVEN UP DRINKING. THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG TIME CONSUMER. SO I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BETTER WAYS TO OCCUPY MY TIME. I GO TO SCHOOL FULL TIME, SO THAT'S GOOD. KEEPS ME BUSY. I RIDE MY BIKE A LOT, SO THAT MAKES ME A TOTAL HIPSTER FAGGOT, WHICH I'M INTO. I STEAL A LOT OF SHIT OF THE INTERNET AS WELL. I AM VERY INTO SLEEPING TOO. BUT I DON'T THINK I'M AT YOUR LEVEL AT ALL. I REALLY NEED TO PUT SOME WORK INTO ACHIEVE YOUR STATUS IN THAT AREA.
PR- I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN COMPETE WITH ME IN THE SLEEPING CATEGORY. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STOPPED DRINKING. YOU WERE THE BIGGEST DRUNK I KNEW. WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GONNA DO NOW?
L- OH I HAVE BEEN SMOKING TONS OF HASH AND EATING PILLS. I CANT JUST UP AND QUIT EVERYHING. DRINKING WAS CAUSING ME ALOT OF GRIEF.
PR- HAHAHA. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE DOING 10 YEARS FROM NOW?
L-HOPEFULLY HAVING A GOOD JOB AND LIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY. NOT HAVING ANY KIDS. THAT'S A CRUCIAL QUESTION. WHAT IS THIS? A JOB INTERVIEW? THE FUCK YOU GONNA BE DOING IN 10 YEARS?
PR- HOPEFULLY LIVING OFF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
L- OH MAN, THATS A GOOD ONE. TRUE. I'M TRYING TO LIVE OFF WIFEY'S ACCOMPLISHMENT THOUGH, MAYBE WE CAN FIT YOU IN THERE.
PR- SHIT, I HOPE SO! I AM SURE SHE WILL BE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN BOTH OF US PUT TOGETHER! WHAT IS THE MARRIED LIFE LIKE? HAS IT CHANGED YOU AS A PERSON? AS A GRAFFITI WRITER?
L- BEING MARRIED IS GOOD. IT'S REALLY THE SAME THING AS BEFORE, I JUST HAVE TO SAY "MY WIFE" INSTEAD OF "MY GIRLFRIEND" NOW. I ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE SOMEONE DEPENDS ON ME FOR SHIT NOW, SO I CAN'T ACT LIKE AN IDIOT ALL THE TIME. AS FAR AS GRAFFITI GOES, I HAVE SLOWED DOWN QUITE A BIT. PROBATION WAS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TOO. SHE ISN'T TRIPPING IF I PAINT THOUGH, SHE JUST DOESN'T WANT ME GOING OUT DRUNK AS FUCK, WHICH I UNDERSTAND. I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER BEEN CAUGHT UP SOBER. EXCEPT THAT ONE TIME WE GOT PAINTED ON BY THE POLICE. AT LEAST WE DIDN'T GO TO JAIL THOUGH.
PR- OH FUCK, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT. THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS. NOW THE COPS BEAT YOU UP AND TAKE YOU TO JAIL. THE LAWS ARE WORSE AND WORSE BY THE DAY. WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BACK THEN, GRAFFITI-WISE? WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT GRAFFITI NOW?
L- BACK THEN ALL I DID WAS RACK AND PAINT. NO RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL. THAT WAS A GOOD FEELING. I PRETTY MUCH PUT EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE ON HOLD TO TRAVEL AND PAINT. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PERIODS IN MY LIFE. WE WERE PRETTY MUCH THE BIGGEST LOSERS IN THE WORLD. GRAFFITI IS SOMETHING I COULD REALLY GIVE 2 SHITS ABOUT THESE DAYS, I MEAN, IT'S STILL FUN AND EVERYTHING. I JUST HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITY NOW. I KNOW PEOPLE WITH A LOT MORE TO LOSE THAN I DO AND STILL PAINT ALL THE TIME, AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A PUSSY, BUT WHATEVER. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE IF AMERICAS NEXT TOP MODEL IS ON. OH THE BEST THING ABOUT IT?
PR- YA?
L- I DUNNO. I REALLY CAN'T SAY ANYTHING IS THAT GREAT WHEN COMPARED TO BACK THEN. I JUST LIKE TO SEE OLD SHIT AND THINK ABOUT WHERE OR WHEN IT I DID IT. THAT SOUNDS CHEEZY BUT WHATEVER. ALL THE SHIT THAT WENT INTO DOING A SPOT OR THE DUMB SHIT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE PAINTED A CERTAIN TRAIN. THAT SHIT GETS ME PUMPED.
PR- YA ME TOO. THE EXPERIENCE OF IT...BUT THERE'S STILL ALWAYS MORE EXPERIENCES TO BE HAD. DO YOU THINK YOU WILL ALWAYS DO GRAFFITI HERE AND THERE OR DO YOU THINK AT SOME POINT YOU WILL QUIT ALL TOGETHER?
L- OH, I WILL ALWAYS DO IT. ITS SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT EVERYDAY. I DON'T THINK THAT WILL GO AWAY. THE MOTIVATION GOES AWAY AT TIMES, BUT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK. I'LL BE GOOD AS LONG AS I DON'T MEET ANY MORE NERDS WHO GET ME BUMMED ON IT.
PR- YA THE MAIN THING THAT RUINS IT FOR ME, ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS LEGAL REPERCUSSIONS, IS THE PEOPLE WHO DO IT/DID IT/THINK THEY DO IT. OK, SHOULD WE CALL IT A WRAP? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT YOU HATE EVERYONE BESIDES R. KELLY AND THAT YOU ARE A MARRIED BUM? SHOULD WE TELL THEM ABOUT HOW THE REASON YOU'RE SO GOOD AT GRAFFITI IS BECAUSE OF YOUR CROOKED EYE?
L- HAHAH. I THINK YOU SUMMED IT UP. IS THIS THE PART WHERE I DO "SHOUT OUTS"? NAH, FUCK THAT. THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW. I COULD THANK OTHER PEOPLE FOR STUFF BUT THAT'S NOT ME. NO LOVE.
PR- NO LOVE EVER! THANKS DUDER!
