Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
INTERVIEW WITH TASE OSH/PT
Q: First lets start with what you write and what crews you rep?
A: TASE OSH/PT CREWS
Q: What does OSH/PT stand for and how did you end up getting down with them?
A: There are many different meanings of OSH PT but mainly "OSH" stands for "ONE STEP HIGHER" and "PT" stands for "PURE TALENT." I ended up getting in these crews because I have known these people for a long time and many of them have become my best friends throughout the years. I also got in these crews because they are very close-knit crews and everyone is cool with each other and has known one another for many years. This is something I know many crews lack which creates a lot of chaos and disorder internally. Being good friends with them is one part of it but I respect and I am inspired by each and every member of the crews in different ways.
Q: How did you first get introduced into graffiti??
A: I first got inspired into graffiti by these older guys that used to live on the street I grew up on. DOTS and I always looked up to these dudes and when they showed us what they were doing around the neighborhood we instantly wanted to be a part of it. One guy wrote DOBS and the other guy wrote SQUID. We were all into BMX back then so we made up a crew for all of our BMXing friends and we would ride around like 10 deep and just write on stuff for fun. That’s basically how I was introduced to graffiti. Those were real fun times in my life. A couple years later we met SIAR and we started to do our solo shit a lot more.
Q: How did you come up with the name TASE?
A: I came up with the name TASE because in the early to mid 90's in San Jose,CA everyone was trying to do these flared fat-cap tagbanger style tags that connected to every letter. I was always practicing different names to do this with. I started writing this name CAME for a while and then I was drawing on paper and I wrote TASER. I liked that name much better so I stuck with that. This was probably 94-95. I just did tags for years and when I started attempting to do straight letters and throwies with that name I always hated the "R" on the end so I just dropped it and wrote TASE instead.
Q: What do you enjoy/hate most about graffiti?
A: There are a lot of things I enjoy about graffiti but that changes from time to time. Right now, my favorite part of graffiti is exploring and finding new spots. If I just catch a runner tag at a new spot that I've never been to before than I feel WAY more accomplished then doing a piece in a spot that everyone else and their mom has been to. I guess you could say I am the exact opposite of the guys that find one chill tunnel or trackspot and paint it again and again and again. That shit is just boring to me.
The thing I hate most about graffiti nowadays is probably how the internet is SO involved. Don't get me wrong, I look at my fair share of graffiti on the internet but I think by doing this graffiti is losing its mystery. I mean graffiti is supposed to be this anonymous secret mysterious subculture but nowadays anyone can find out anything they want just by searching around the internet. I also dislike how people speak and present themselves so negatively behind a computer screen towards other individuals but when it comes around to being a real life situation their attitude is completely the opposite.
Q: Who are some of your influences when it comes to graffiti?
A: Mainly my crew members and guys I looked up to when I was younger that are still doing the do. I have multiple favorite train writers also but dont want to name any names........
Q: Do you have any crazy stories of close encounters?
A: As many writers, I have had PLENTY of close encounters with our friends the police. This is just one of the many.
One very cold winter night, Dots, myself, and RUDEBOY went to go paint this huge dam in the middle of the mountains. It was this super chill spot at least that is what we thought at the time. I think the only person that had it before us was BUCKET and we were pretty sure he painted it in the daytime. Because of this, we figured nighttime would be no problem at all. So we started painting. We were drinking hella beer, smoking cigarettes, those dudes were blazing, we were talking back and forth, just having a good time. Well, we were just finishing up with our shadows when a spot light hit us. We figured they must have seen our lighters in the distance because we were pretty far away from the road. In this scenario, there were only two directions to run. One, was towards the spotlight, the second, was the other direction into the freezing cold water. So, of course we chose the water. We notice the spotlight begin to approach us rapidly. We immediately jumped in the water which was probably like 10 feet deep. We then swam across this reservoir probably like 40 feet with the spotlight on us the whole time listening to these cops yelling at us to stop. Finally we get to the shore and began running up the mountains through untraveled wilderness and brush which was not easy to do. At this point, all of us were shaking and shivering from being so cold from the water but still ended up finding some good cover. We stopped, laid down, and there was just silence. Well sometime when we were running up the mountain we must have gotten out of the spotlight because now there was another cop on scene and two spotlights were combing the mountains but not really in the area where we were hiding. It seemed they had no idea where we went. So, we thought we were cool. So, a couple hours go by and those guys are not giving up. At this point we were in so much pain from being so cold we didn’t know what to do. We had noticed that the one of the cops had found a way across the water and was in our general area. We could here the snaps of sticks breaking from his footsteps. So, we just stayed quiet, still freezing, bodies completely numb. Then FINALLY they gave up and took off. We waited like 30 more minutes just in case, striked it back to the car, dropped everyone off, and took the best hot showers of our lives. About 24 hours later, I ended up getting the worst poison oak I have ever gotten and ended up in the hospital. Those guys got nothing though. Fuckers. I guess I didn’t learn my lesson though. SIAR and I went back and painted the same spot in the daytime for like 5 hours about 3 years later. And there was no problem at all……….
Q: What is your favorite paint and color?
A: My favorite paint was American Accent. But that company was discontinued apparently. My favorite color to paint with is BERRY PINK in PAINTERS TOUCH before they turned the caps into female tips. But, this was awhile ago. Now you can pretty much get any shade of color you want from all the non-american paint companies.
Q: What are your other hobbies other than graffiti?
A: I work so much I don’t really have time for any other hobbies besides graffiti related stuff and hanging out with my friends. I guess I can say I am interested in photography but still have a lot too learn.
Q: What do you think about graffiti videos?
A: What's there not to like? ......I obviously like all of the CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTION videos. I also liked the AFFITI GRAY video that CLOUT put out. I also really enjoyed the DAY IN THE LYFE video.
Q: What are you bumping on your Ipod these days?
A: Too much to list. All different types of stuff.
Q: I've heard your quite the drinker...What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?
A: HAHA.....well....I would say I USED to be quite the drinker...don't get me wrong.....if I had no responsibilities I would still be drinking all the time but I do so I would say I am more of the weekend warrior nowadays....But....I guess I would have to say my absolute favorite alcoholic beverage has to be a SUPER CHEVELLA....Those things are fucking delicious man....haha..... other than that that I like pretty much any kind of beer...I've been digging the CORONA FAMILIAR'S lately....Im always down for red bull and vodkas....I can drink those ALL night....and IFUL showed me this drink JAMESON AND WATER ON THE ROCKS which I have been drinking a lot lately.....so I guess those are my main squeezes right now when it comes to alcohol
Q: If you had to choose between a cute fat chick or an ugly skinny chick who would you pick?
A: I gotta see the picture. HAHA
Q: Any advice you would give to younger writers coming up in the game?
A: Don’t get into a crew just because someone asks you to. Make sure you are down with everyone before you agree to that shit. Also, limit the number of people that know you write to as little as possible.
Q: Good talkin with you...lastly and shot outs?
A: To CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTION…keep up the good work……And to all my friends….you know who you are……..
A: TASE OSH/PT CREWS
Q: What does OSH/PT stand for and how did you end up getting down with them?
A: There are many different meanings of OSH PT but mainly "OSH" stands for "ONE STEP HIGHER" and "PT" stands for "PURE TALENT." I ended up getting in these crews because I have known these people for a long time and many of them have become my best friends throughout the years. I also got in these crews because they are very close-knit crews and everyone is cool with each other and has known one another for many years. This is something I know many crews lack which creates a lot of chaos and disorder internally. Being good friends with them is one part of it but I respect and I am inspired by each and every member of the crews in different ways.
Q: How did you first get introduced into graffiti??
A: I first got inspired into graffiti by these older guys that used to live on the street I grew up on. DOTS and I always looked up to these dudes and when they showed us what they were doing around the neighborhood we instantly wanted to be a part of it. One guy wrote DOBS and the other guy wrote SQUID. We were all into BMX back then so we made up a crew for all of our BMXing friends and we would ride around like 10 deep and just write on stuff for fun. That’s basically how I was introduced to graffiti. Those were real fun times in my life. A couple years later we met SIAR and we started to do our solo shit a lot more.
Q: How did you come up with the name TASE?
A: I came up with the name TASE because in the early to mid 90's in San Jose,CA everyone was trying to do these flared fat-cap tagbanger style tags that connected to every letter. I was always practicing different names to do this with. I started writing this name CAME for a while and then I was drawing on paper and I wrote TASER. I liked that name much better so I stuck with that. This was probably 94-95. I just did tags for years and when I started attempting to do straight letters and throwies with that name I always hated the "R" on the end so I just dropped it and wrote TASE instead.
Q: What do you enjoy/hate most about graffiti?
A: There are a lot of things I enjoy about graffiti but that changes from time to time. Right now, my favorite part of graffiti is exploring and finding new spots. If I just catch a runner tag at a new spot that I've never been to before than I feel WAY more accomplished then doing a piece in a spot that everyone else and their mom has been to. I guess you could say I am the exact opposite of the guys that find one chill tunnel or trackspot and paint it again and again and again. That shit is just boring to me.
The thing I hate most about graffiti nowadays is probably how the internet is SO involved. Don't get me wrong, I look at my fair share of graffiti on the internet but I think by doing this graffiti is losing its mystery. I mean graffiti is supposed to be this anonymous secret mysterious subculture but nowadays anyone can find out anything they want just by searching around the internet. I also dislike how people speak and present themselves so negatively behind a computer screen towards other individuals but when it comes around to being a real life situation their attitude is completely the opposite.
Q: Who are some of your influences when it comes to graffiti?
A: Mainly my crew members and guys I looked up to when I was younger that are still doing the do. I have multiple favorite train writers also but dont want to name any names........
Q: Do you have any crazy stories of close encounters?
A: As many writers, I have had PLENTY of close encounters with our friends the police. This is just one of the many.
One very cold winter night, Dots, myself, and RUDEBOY went to go paint this huge dam in the middle of the mountains. It was this super chill spot at least that is what we thought at the time. I think the only person that had it before us was BUCKET and we were pretty sure he painted it in the daytime. Because of this, we figured nighttime would be no problem at all. So we started painting. We were drinking hella beer, smoking cigarettes, those dudes were blazing, we were talking back and forth, just having a good time. Well, we were just finishing up with our shadows when a spot light hit us. We figured they must have seen our lighters in the distance because we were pretty far away from the road. In this scenario, there were only two directions to run. One, was towards the spotlight, the second, was the other direction into the freezing cold water. So, of course we chose the water. We notice the spotlight begin to approach us rapidly. We immediately jumped in the water which was probably like 10 feet deep. We then swam across this reservoir probably like 40 feet with the spotlight on us the whole time listening to these cops yelling at us to stop. Finally we get to the shore and began running up the mountains through untraveled wilderness and brush which was not easy to do. At this point, all of us were shaking and shivering from being so cold from the water but still ended up finding some good cover. We stopped, laid down, and there was just silence. Well sometime when we were running up the mountain we must have gotten out of the spotlight because now there was another cop on scene and two spotlights were combing the mountains but not really in the area where we were hiding. It seemed they had no idea where we went. So, we thought we were cool. So, a couple hours go by and those guys are not giving up. At this point we were in so much pain from being so cold we didn’t know what to do. We had noticed that the one of the cops had found a way across the water and was in our general area. We could here the snaps of sticks breaking from his footsteps. So, we just stayed quiet, still freezing, bodies completely numb. Then FINALLY they gave up and took off. We waited like 30 more minutes just in case, striked it back to the car, dropped everyone off, and took the best hot showers of our lives. About 24 hours later, I ended up getting the worst poison oak I have ever gotten and ended up in the hospital. Those guys got nothing though. Fuckers. I guess I didn’t learn my lesson though. SIAR and I went back and painted the same spot in the daytime for like 5 hours about 3 years later. And there was no problem at all……….
Q: What is your favorite paint and color?
A: My favorite paint was American Accent. But that company was discontinued apparently. My favorite color to paint with is BERRY PINK in PAINTERS TOUCH before they turned the caps into female tips. But, this was awhile ago. Now you can pretty much get any shade of color you want from all the non-american paint companies.
Q: What are your other hobbies other than graffiti?
A: I work so much I don’t really have time for any other hobbies besides graffiti related stuff and hanging out with my friends. I guess I can say I am interested in photography but still have a lot too learn.
Q: What do you think about graffiti videos?
A: What's there not to like? ......I obviously like all of the CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTION videos. I also liked the AFFITI GRAY video that CLOUT put out. I also really enjoyed the DAY IN THE LYFE video.
Q: What are you bumping on your Ipod these days?
A: Too much to list. All different types of stuff.
Q: I've heard your quite the drinker...What is your favorite alcoholic beverage?
A: HAHA.....well....I would say I USED to be quite the drinker...don't get me wrong.....if I had no responsibilities I would still be drinking all the time but I do so I would say I am more of the weekend warrior nowadays....But....I guess I would have to say my absolute favorite alcoholic beverage has to be a SUPER CHEVELLA....Those things are fucking delicious man....haha..... other than that that I like pretty much any kind of beer...I've been digging the CORONA FAMILIAR'S lately....Im always down for red bull and vodkas....I can drink those ALL night....and IFUL showed me this drink JAMESON AND WATER ON THE ROCKS which I have been drinking a lot lately.....so I guess those are my main squeezes right now when it comes to alcohol
Q: If you had to choose between a cute fat chick or an ugly skinny chick who would you pick?
A: I gotta see the picture. HAHA
Q: Any advice you would give to younger writers coming up in the game?
A: Don’t get into a crew just because someone asks you to. Make sure you are down with everyone before you agree to that shit. Also, limit the number of people that know you write to as little as possible.
Q: Good talkin with you...lastly and shot outs?
A: To CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTION…keep up the good work……And to all my friends….you know who you are……..
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
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