History, if not recorded - is lost. Almost every event that has ever happened has left no trace. No record, written or visual exists for almost everything outside of the most crucial moments in the history of the human race. That's the big picture. In the much, much smaller picture of paint applied to surfaces in the southern hemisphere. Concrete Fetish aims to preserve a slice of what actually happened in the voice of those who were there. For those who come later and are curious to hear how it really was and to take a stand - however small. Against becoming another vibrant subculture - forgotten in a splintered mess of nebulous half remembered stories, lost photographs and faded paint. With that said. As always, the biggest of thanks for what you are reading today goes to the person who gave up their time to speak about how it was - and put the effort in over the years to live the life. Today - we have a chance to hear from a 25+ year veteran of Brisbane graffiti known as Kradl! Ldark (2021) C: So to kick things off - if you got into graff in the mid to late 90s (possibly older than some readers?) where did you see it first and who was up at the time? K: My earliest memories of graff were mostly just spotting street bombing around Brisbane in the late 80’s to early 90’s. It wasn’t until I caught a train for the first time on the Caboolture line that my world turned into an obsession of letters and colours. Work by Snewp among others along the tracks stood out to me on that fateful day. Not long after that I learnt about Pineapple Park - which was where I first witnessed painting in action. K: Watching guys like Jelous, Jury, Brat, Chuze, Kasino, Kause, Spike, Dupe, Fear etc etc construct their pieces in front of me just blew my mind. At this time I didn’t even have so much as a tag but after countless visits Pineapple Park had taught me a lot about the Brisbane graff scene. (Editors note: The Ironlak colour ‘Pineapple Park’ is a homage to the legendary wall) C: From the sounds of this your initial exposure to graff was maybe 95 or 96? K: Yeah, I first started bombing around 95. Just tags & throw ups under a variety of names. I didn’t attempt my first real piece until 97/98 under the name Kradl which stuck for the next 20 plus years. C: Around that time with Brisbane graffiti still in its infancy (if we take 1984 as the starting time) I understand that The Coffee Shop, Pineapple Park and a handful of other spots were ground zero for networking, meeting other writers and learning in the pre internet years. Was there any pressure from the authorities at those places? K: I have vague memories of the cops showing up at Pineapple Park on a few occasions. Most of the time they were chasing particular writers for both graffiti and unrelated offences. Otherwise they were not causing much of a scene. At least that’s how I remember it. Kradl Rems (2017) C: What's the story on how you ended up on your word? It feels thematically different to most words that get used, perhaps it was given to you? K: The name Kradl came along when I was trying to come up with a name that hadn’t been used. Prior tags I did were all predictable generic names like “Mad” and “Crush”. While playing guitar I noticed my guitar pick brand name was Kradl & that’s where it all started. C: Do you have any memories of riding the rails, or graff that stand out from those early years? K: In the mid 90’s I used to ride the trains just to catch what was going on, who was crushing it and making the most damage. Crews like ACR, DS, BWP, TRP were prevalent crews but a personal favourite was AKM. Their style stood out in my eyes especially along the Caboolture & Shorncliffe lines. I would get around with the disposable cameras and walk the lines flicking what I could. K: Of course you would meet other writers along the line or on the trains (easy to spot a writer when you see their head constantly turning trying to catch graff as the train moved). But I found water towers, spillways and abandos more of a place to meet and socialise. C: Now when you say flicking the tracksides, that phrase hides a whole process behind it. K: Yeah, disposable cameras were the cheapest way to make flicks. The only downside was the quality and the occasional faulty film that meant weeks of flicks were gone. I lost a few of my early pieces to this problem. It was a game changer when digital cameras became a thing. C: It really can't be understated just how much work digital photography cut out. Twenty something years later it's normal, but being able to take a photo and instantly see it on a LCD screen in front of you was revolutionary. Kradl Bus (2002) C: As you moved into the 2000s, how did your graff journey progress? K: Through the late 90’s and into the 2000’s saw a shift in crews and some new faces blowing into the scene. Crews like UMP, BRA, PMC, DFA, ES, OD, JLF, EDT, UBR, ADW were well and truly blazing on my side of town. This period of my graff was the most fun. I was by no means keeping up with these guys but having the opportunity to meet and paint with the likes of Dask, Zeak, Busta, Brue to name a few, was a blast. Looking back at my efforts from that period, I was certainly wak but I was having too much fun to care. C: When you say your side of town, where do you mean? K: By this stage the Ferny Grove line was my local. That & Caboolture. C: As the 2000s rolled on, did you notice the internet beginning to impact graff? Photo sharing, videos etc taking over mags and photo swapping K: The Internet wasn’t much of a thing for me at that stage. 12 OZ Prophet and BrisGraff were about the only graff related sites I used to check out but can’t remember what year they started. K: The mags, VHS, DVD’s were definitely a great way to check out what was happening outside of the neighbourhood. I used to study the Hype and Blitzkrieg mags for hours. Rocking Horse Records also sold Euro mags which showed graffiti on another level. C: Oh yeah downstairs at rocking horse I'd forgotten about that - though it was mostly dead by the time I got there. Were you painting with others at this point? K: Early on I painted solo or with mates who just came as a spotter. But by the 2000’s I was painting more often with other writers. Missions with the ADW boys certainly come to mind. Sparks Hill water towers in Stafford became a social hub on weekends. Without fail, if you went there with a bag of paint during the day, you would soon be surrounded by other writers doing the same thing. It was always a good time up there with some amazing work being done by the best in Brisbane. The vibe was very chill and not once did we get interrupted by the boys in blue. The water tower at Chermside was much the same, a writers playground. Sparkes Hill (1999) C: Sadly today both of those spots are nothing but blank walls and security cameras, as is the natural course of things. An endless wave of spots, writers and styles. Speaking of which - where was the heat on the Caboolture line back in the day? I'm thinking of the Bray Park wall for example. K: The Caboolture line had plenty of hot spots. A lot of the best ones were covered in burners from 90’s writers. Around Virginia, Sunshine and Nundah were definitely a highlight. Also behind the petrol station at Bald Hills. The walls and old fuel tanks facing the lines were a prime spot to hit. K: The Bray Park wall along the lines was no longer chill to paint by the time I made my way out that way but a spot not far called the “Bray Park underpass” was a different story. I was told it was legal so I hit it on a Saturday afternoon. I soon realised from locals that it wasn’t legal and I wasn’t welcome but I pushed on and got the job done. Shortly after I had dropped my tins back at my car I returned to grab flicks but the cops had showed up. To my surprise, they only asked me if I’d seen anyone painting. So I directed them to head in the opposite direction. I got my flicks and ran like hell. C: That's like something out of the Looney Tunes! I'm pretty sure I know the underpass you're talking about here, you'd need some guts to hit that in the daytime nowadays.What was the steel situation like through the 00s into the 10s - any memories or chasing things up and down the line for photos? Kradl Gus Dismo (20??) K: Panels were always a thrill to see especially when you knew who painted them. Good memories of rolling by Bowen Hills yard and catching the panels on the old rattler trains. Occasionally I’d be lucky enough to take flicks but the few photos I did have were mostly from the guys who were painting the trains. Listening to their stories that came along with the photos was always the best part. C: What would you say are some of the biggest changes you have noticed in graff over the years? K: One of the biggest changes in my opinion is the plague of surveillance cameras. There everywhere now & trying to do this craft without being recorded is much harder. Quality, variety & availability of spray paint has certainly come a long way too. Paint that’s now made for graffiti is absolutely fantastic. C: What has kept you painting for 20 something years? K: It’s something I’ve never been able to switch off. The brain always thinks of letters, colour schemes, spots to paint, people to paint with. I have two different lives. Home, work, bills and responsibility. And then there’s graffiti - my happy place. A creative outlet that keeps me sane. Sure there’s been times where I was no longer happy with what I was painting or where the graff trends were at. But as long as I’m having fun, I will continue to paint. I don’t have an alternative therapy, nothing beats the rush. C: Is there any advice you would give to younger writers starting today that you've gleaned from your many years of experience? K: My best advice from experience is be smart about who your friends are in this game. Like everything in life, there are plenty of good people but don’t get caught up with the ones that stink. Otherwise soon enough, flies will be hanging around you. C: Any shout outs you'd like to give? K: Nah, my mates know who they are. C: Kradl - thank you for your time! Saefs Reals Kradl (2013)