ISSUE 7 | INTERVIEW | EARLY 1995
Names/crews?
Fat, And. DTS (Da Thugsta Set).
How old are you?
17.
How many pieces have you done?
About 270 (by January -95!).
When did you start and how did you get into graf?
I began in summer -93. A friend of mine taught.
Who do you think were the best writers when you started?
Raster & CDC guys.
How did you invent your name “Fat”?
I’m so big and fat and the word has nice letters.
Have you had any trouble with the police?
Once I was painting in the Gallery and the STV-guards ran there with a hard on and called the police. The police yelled at the STV for not knowing how to handle their jobs without the help of the police, and they let me and the monkey go!
Otherwise I’ve been caught twice.
Do you write any political or societal messages in your pieces?
Well, those “German stories” fly in frequently, “…in Berlin… meine aisa in deine arschloch…” etc.
What is impressive for you?
The German language and my lovely teacher Kaisa. Especially the critics inspire me to smear the concrete walls.
Which do you think is more important in piecing: the artistic result or the advertising of your name/visibility? In other words, quality or quantity?
At first spreading your own name is important, but quality, in other words how well you can paint is more important. Usually I don’t pay attention in quality and I rather rush a silverpiece under ten minutes. But a piece that’s made more carefully is always better (if you have the energy to do so!).
Do you have a funny story?
Yes, here’s one:
I woke up in the morning, satisfied (Murphy-expression on my face) in my room. It was 8.20 am and school began at 8.30. So I had to rush up, even though I had time to take a look at the picture of a naked chick on my wall, which is by the way painted with spraypaints. I ran suddenly out, my foot stuck between the door and the door got stuck, I fell by myself and I decided to run with the dick in my hand and to urinate at the same time – it’s a nice drunken competition. But I woke back to reality when I noticed I was pissing over my new trousers. I ran into the bus, got slightly mad when the graffiti I made the night before was being buffed at the line. Then I ran to school a little late. In the recess I went to daub the lavatories with Vink and Woad. In the German class I heard a reason for rejoicing: Write a German essay!
After school I walked with my friend from Ruskeasuo to Herttoniemi ‘cause we didn’t have the bustickets. While we got there we wondered why we walked there. Then we went back to Helsinki by subway, the ticket inspectors came and gave us fines. Pissed off, we decided to go drinking to Kerava. On the way, skinheads attacked the train and stepped on the shit I just popped out of, so they got mad at us and kicked Woad into the nuts. I ran away & managed to kick the door of the train open and I jumped on the railroad banks… It’s strange that we survived with nothing but a few bruises, though Woad can’t get it up anymore, no big deal.
We stole a bike and a case of beer and started to pedal to Planet FunFun with intention to paint and booze, however the cops stopped us and gave us fines for giving a lift with a bike. They let us keep the beers so that our evening wouldn’t be a total fuck up.
In the yard of FunFun we found a nice place at the roof that we decided to paint. While we were painting the STV came and caught us… rest of the night was spent in jail.
And this was just one of my normal days.
Negative things in graf?
The prices of the paints, the cleaning of the pieces, night job, Mika Kaski.
Positive things in graf?
Being able to express yourself and fuckin’ up to the graffiti-police… the nightruns are also very rewarding.
Any messages or “last words”?
“Men made a mistake when they bought beer in a plastic bag.”
Shout out’s/hi’s to?
Greetings to STV Pasi Tuovinen, who is a relax dude!