For today's unique blend of letters we delve back into the world of sprayed paints and speak to Clown SMD of Brisbane. As always, this piece would not have been possible without the patience and goodwill of the interviewee, thanks! Q: First of all - thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions! As repeat readers may know, I always like to start these off by identifying the point of infection. So where was the first place you saw graffiti and what drew you to it? C: It’s funny because everything I did kinda pointed me towards graffiti. I've been skateboarding since 1998 so I saw it around skate parks everywhere I went. My father was a train driver for 40 years and I was listening to hip hop from around the age of 13. My mate Fries and I always saw tags from Sulk and Drens while skating around our hometown, then later on we started seeing pieces they did. That was the experience that really opened my eyes to graffiti. Tales Imaks (200?) Q: I've heard from a few people that tangentially related subcultures got them into graff. Skating, surfing, bmx - those kinds of things seem to brush up against graff and lead into it if you're of the right mindset. What year was this - 00s? Who was up at the time? C Yeah 2003 - 2005 which was late highschool for me. There were a lot of writers in my area actually, but the guys who immediately come to mind are Ders WTCS, Spek ADW and the IOS crew guys like Bonks, Drips, Imaks and Crikee. That's just off the top of my head. There are too many others to name haha! Q: Having a family member who works in QR is a pretty unique opportunity - did you ever hear anything about how it was from their point of view? C: My old man knew I painted so he would let me know if he ever saw anything being done. I remember one story that he told me - he was sitting in a train at Mayne waiting to take it out into service when he noticed two guys painting it. He stuck his head out and said hello and they bolted. He told me he was just going to ask them if they knew me and let them continue painting! Hahaha, their loss. Q:In Mayne no less! Bit of a shit night for the other guys though. So when you made the jump to painting, how did that begin for you? Clown Ocka (202?) C: Well like most writers I guess it started with tagging and drawing in sketchbooks. At first I didn’t know about a tag and I remember actually tagging Sulk and Drens because that’s all I saw. I’m pretty sure it was Fries who told me I had to make up a name, then came along a long list of wacky names until I settled on Tales which I still sign off with. C: I was doing that all through high school and on the odd occasion picked up an export can and bombed. But it was only years later that I actually started painting pieces. I would say 2006 or so Fries and I started painting. I met Imaks in 2007 and then we started rocking walls together. Q: I have distinct memories of seeing Sulk tags on wooden telephone poles at around that time. Great piece of luck running into Imaks too - heavy hitter! So what happened next in your painting career? C: After some years, I got a phone call from my old man to come home from work.When I got home and there were cop cars and police walking in and out of my house. When they’d finished emptying my house they loaded me into the wagon with the evidence - I was squeezed in against all the stuff they’d seized to the point I could hardly fit at all. They took me into the city and charged me with 101 counts of graffiti and a 37 thousand dollar fine. C: I said to the graffiti task force detective I would confess to everything that I’d done but wouldn’t nark on anyone. Eventually - it was dropped down to 8 charges 1 for QR property, 1 for private property and so on plus a 5 thousand dollar fine. It wasn’t until later on I found out that a certain young kid got caught and narked on a bunch of us which led to raids. Q: Even though we've talked earlier and I knew that was coming it is still a gut punch to read. How do you feel looking back on it all these years later? C: At the time it really sucked because they took irreplaceable Graff mags, DVDs and about a thousand bucks of spray paint. Other than that it doesn’t matter to me. For a year or two after however I would randomly get pulled over for no reason and questioned which was annoying. Imax Tale (2012) Q: Speaking of seized paints - well. Just the paints - what were the tools of the trade for you at that time, and where did you get them? C: Butter beats was the place to be and the only shop I knew that sold “graffiti” paint. We used to Jay and Silent Bob the heck out of that shop. Most weekends involved skating in the city so I always stopped by multiple times even if I didn’t buy anything. Ksino is a cool guy and didn’t mind having a chat and telling us stories about the oldskool days. My wife and I did the same thing until the shop closed, but we still talk to him now and then. C: Ironlak had just come out so in the beginning that’s all I used (Editor's note: Ironlak launched in 2004 - readers may remember the experience of using early formula cans with some exasperation!) I remember though that one time Ksino was out of black and told us about a Mitre 10 in the city selling paint. They only sold Montana though, once I got a taste of the good stuff I only used Montana black and golds and Molotow premium from then on. C: I still got it from butter beats but Miter10 was good if Ksino was out. Belton is the best paint but I cant get premium or coversall anymore so I use Montana black. Germans man! There are only 3 caps I use. New Yorker, Lego and Montana level 1. Q: Ahh the traditional trek into the city to get the good paint from wherever it's sold! Now you mentioned that you stopped for a while after the raid and that Erde helped inspire you again. In that absence did you still seek a creative outlet? C: I can’t really think of anything specific, I was probably just skateboarding and freestyle rap battling people. Hahaha Q: Another question repeat readers will recognize. Were you around for the great buff or the flood trains? C: The buff sucked. That’s what killed it for me, so much history was wiped out. I haven’t been on a QR train in over 12 years, maybe longer. Q: Do you have any memories of the pre buff lines you could share? C: First trackside I’ll always remember, I thought everyone painted them like after midnight in pitch black you know, but Imaks said to come through at 7. I was hmm ok maybe we are gonna have a few beers or something then head out later on. We got straight back in the car and drove to the spot, I was then thinking I’m going to see some cool ninja shit getting on to the lines, but no he was like pull up here next to the fence and we just climbed over it right here. I’m like looking around paranoid. He’s just passing over the rollers and buff and bags of paint. Hahaha. Imaks Clown (200?) Q: You just reminded me of something I’d forgotten from many years ago. Heading back from the city on a 6pm express packed with office workers, looking out the window and seeing two guys, casual as you like pressed against the barrier with cans. Q: SMD is one of the oldest crews still around. How did you get put down with them? C: I have Risen KOC SMD to thank for that. He invited me to a wall with him and Snupe then I got to paint walls with Chuze, Louie, Zume and Caper over the next few years. I think they realised I wasn’t going anywhere and had no choice but put me in. Hahahaha. I won’t forget that day I got put down in SMD. It's an all time highlight. Followed closely by my wedding day....hahaha jk C: I was nervous the first wall I painted with Chuze. He was one of my favourite writers so painting with him was crazy after all those years of seeing his work around Brisbane and the spillway plus magazines and dvds. Saying that it was nerve racking painting with all the crew was an understatement but they are all cool dudes so that made it chill. Q: Graff is an incredible example of team work making the dream work. Sharing paint, helping your mates, a real example of the total being greater than the sum of its parts. You’re also known for doing a shitload of travel. Where should people check out next? C: Oh yeah. my wife and I have been to almost 40 countries now, the most recent was Christmas in Canada which we got to experience -45c. The coldest we had experienced beforehand was in Russia but that was nothing compared to being in the Rockies. Overall Germany is our favourite country, I highly recommend travelling there. Doesn’t matter which part the whole country is amazing Clown (200?) C: We got up at 5am one morning and walked to a part of the remaining Berlin Wall and painted it which was a highlight. I’ve painted in Germany, India, London. We have never been to Bali but we want to see all the world so we are going next week and painting there as well Q: Out of all of those countries - who has the best trains in your opinion? C: Because my dad was a train driver I’ve actually always been obsessed with them. Not in the graffiti sense but more like Sheldon cooper. Having been to New York and Chicago seeing those iconic trains they stand out, but actually I would say QR emu are my favourite - they just look cool! Q: I think a lot of graff heads accidentally get into trains to some degree. What's fascinating is when it happens the other way around like the American freight heavyweight ICHABOD who came from being a rail fan! Q: So where to from here for you? C: I’ve already been put down in a dope crew, painted around the world and painted with my top favourite writers. I feel like I’ve already achieved everything I want. My art work certainly doesn’t reflect this hahahaha but I’m happy just to keep rocking walls with my wife Erde, Fries and the SMD crew - plus anyone else who wants to paint with me. C: If you told me my list of top favourite writers I would not only paint with someday but become mates with I’d never believe you man. Sulk and Imaks, Rush and Jury, Fries, Spek and Chuze and Putup! Clown (2023) Q: Well shit, sounds like you’ve gotten your goals sorted already! I'm going to double back just a moment to fill something out, how have you seen graff change over the years you've been into it? C: I have a unpopular opinion about graffiti, but it’s what I like to see not what other people think is cool. I’m into more “traditional” or “oldskool” graffiti. Although I’m impressed with some of the stuff that writers are doing these days I just don’t care for it, If it doesn’t have a keyline around the whole piece, bubbles and at least one arrow on it then it’s not graffiti. Hahaha jk I just know what I like and that’s it really. Funky old skool style and no flares! Q: Do you feel the internet has had a negative impact on graffiti then? C: Hmmmm I don’t know, because even though Drens and Sulk walls were sick it wasn’t until I saw Daim and Loomit graffiti on the internet that really opened my eyes to what was possible. Seeing all those crazy German artists like Cantwo and Suk crew just put it on another level. C: I actually messaged Loomit in the early 2000’s from his website and he replied for a few weeks. I Remember he sent me pictures and stuff but it was from the school computers so I don’t have anything saved from it. Hahahaha Q: Loomit, one of the first (that I know of) to wander the earth as a graff ambassador - he turned up in New Zealand too, around 1993? On a personal note, I think all the thousands of tiny moments like that where people who would have never met ordinarily get in touch via the internet are just fantastic to hear and I can never get enough of them. Q: Do you have any shout outs you’d like to give as we wrap this up? C: Shout out to my wife Erde, the whole SMD crew and my mates Fries, Sulk and Imaks! Q: Thank you for your time!