Filed under: Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: Atlanta, Bombing, Boston, Chicago, D-30, Detroit, Fill-ins, Graffiti, Houston, Los Angeles, MSK, NEKST, New York, New York City, NYC, Philadelphia, R.I.P., Rest In Peace, Saint Louis, San Francisco, St. Louis, Subways, Trains
The graffiiti world lost another one yesterday with the early passing of Houston CA NYC, nationwide crusher “NEKST”…
NEKST – Spring and Bowery (NYC)
“MSK” by NEKST, seen from the Williamsburg Bridge
“NEKST” Houston St. (NYC)**
“NEKST” MBTA Red Line (Boston) **
* stolen pic from theKeeganGibbs.com
** stolen pic from ?
Filed under: Art, Back In The Days, Books, Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Vintage Spraypaint | Tags: "History Of American Graffiti", 2011, 5AV, Albuquerque, Alert, Alone, Alone 1, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, American Graffiti, Atlanta, Baltimore, Bay Area, Blackbooks, Books, Boston, Caleb Neelon, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, East Chicago, Freight Train, Freight Trains, Future textbooks, Graffiti, Hawaii, History, History of Graffiti, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York City, NY, NYC, OD, Oregon, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Providence, Reviews, Roger Gastman, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Spraypaint, Tagbanging, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington DC, Wisconsin
This book came out about a month ago. I meant to do a comprehensive review on it, but with about 400 PAGES a proper review would take months for me to write. And I don’t want to reveal too much of the book. Here’s a small preview…
First, the cover. Take off that paper one that it came with and reveal the (MUCH doper, in my opinion) vintage spraycans cover hiding under there.
Then get ready for a Graffiti History 101 on the history of over 25 cities. Just check out the Contents pages!..
Instead of starting with the expectected Cornbread and Taki 183 stories, it starts earlier with other forms of graffiti.
Of course any history book is bound to overemphasize certain people and events and omits others (REZENT! LOST!). However the Boston and New York sections are pretty accurate and no way as biased as it could have been. I’m not so knowledgeable on the other cities, but hopefully they are just as accurate.
In addition to the individual city chapters, there’s profiles on some very influential writers such as Cost, Revs, Twist, and others.
Then to top things off, they’ve even included info on spraypaint, blackbooks, tagbanging, freights, the list goes on..
I was very pleased to see the Boston chapter giving just credit to the X-men, Jayrock, Remote, and of course the much justified write up and photos of Alert (OD. KBN. 5AV) and Ryze (5AV KBN.) in the Boston chapter.
The OD crew gets their mention. I get a mention and some quote. And a photo (not one I would have chosen.. guess I should have submitted some of my own.) of an “AN” I did on the Porter MBTA tracks in 1993. Yup, the “Star Market wall”.
They also go on in the Denver section about Alert and Hel (OD KBN) relocating out there and hooking up with SWS.
Overall, this is a great book that will undoubtedly (like it or not) be used as THE first and foremost account of 20th century graffiti and will be studied for centuries to come. Grab a copy while you can still get an original first pressing.
*** Oh yeah, BIG THANKS to Caleb and Roger for hooking up me up with a copy of the book!!
Filed under: Photography | Tags: 2008, Adze, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, Art of Graffiti Removal, Bay Area, Bay Bridge, Blogs, Boston, Boxtruck, Bronx, Brooklyn, Buffed Graffiti, Caype, Celtics, Celtics Dancers, Cholo, Divorce, Dumpling House, East Coast, Echo Park, Ellis G., Ellis Gallagher, Fire Escapes, FTW, Gas, Graffiti, Hew Burney, Jesus Saves, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Lost, Lower East Side, M.T.A., Minivan, Nevada, New Years, New York, Noxer, NY, NYC, Obama, OD, Odee, r32, r33, r34, Red Wings, Redbird, Redbirds, San Francisco, Second St, Second St Tunnel, Slay, Subway, Taco Tuesday, Tacos Mexico, Travel, Union Pool, UW, Vault, Water Towers, West Coast, Williamsburg
2008 was a crazy year for me. The “divorce” was finally over and no more mortgage. I was set free in a lot of ways. Here’s some pics from the last year that never made the blog..
I drove (..yeah crazy already) about 15,000 miles in a year.
..even in a minivan, I can’t drive 55. Topped out at 117, shaking ALOT.
Spent alot of time in Los Angeles. Things are just different there.
LA doesn’t have so many Dunkin’ Donuts.
Galo and Size. Don’t know who did the cholo characters, but they are so LA and really dope.
FTW. These dudes were up in Echo Park.
Dope SLAY sticker. This dude was up, creepin tags in weird not-so-quick-to-buff spots.
Ellis G came through for a West Coast visit.
The Bay Area became my new second home.
Hew Burney came through with the pics when in Vegas..
Taco Tuesday dictated the schedule in ’08.
OD crew wasn’t being pushed anymore, partly due to a “bad apple” bumming out everyone. Something had to give, and it was either retire the crew or clean it up and move on. Bad apple removed.. new apples added.
Welcome to the family Caype OD.

Gas prices got out of control (I had to spend $5.15 a gallon once in Hollywood), leading me to drive less and steal more (gas). Which made LA suck even more.
..so even with all the beautiful weather and women, LA just wasn’t for me.
I was out.
and oh yeah, huge political news.. Obama pulled it off.
Happy New Years!