BY: DAN JAMES (BOMBING SCIENCE)
Bombing Science: Of course the standards. What do you write? Who do you rep? What’s your favorite paint maker and color? Favorite place to paint?
Phers: I write Phers and have been for over 10 years. I rep ICR and FBSK. As far as I know I am the only Midwest ICR and one of the few FBSK’s in Missouri. My favorite paint was Krylon up until the switched over to the female style tips. So as of now my fav is pretty much anything that is cheap that will accept the tips I use. I really don’t use any of the big name paint(Belton, Montana, etc.) unless someone else is paying. If I had to pick a favorite color at the moment it would have to be Rusto painters touch Key lime but again it seems like all of the good colors are going over to female tips and its getting harder and harder to find paint to use for outlines. My favorite place to paint has to be the city of Detroit. You can get away with almost anything there. I remember quite a few times where cops rolled by while we were painting and didn’t even blink. The other thing that is great about Detroit is the amount of time street spots run. I have seen spots run for over a year and a lot of them have been there for years. I also like painting in Kansas city and Cincinnati.
BS: What’s the scene like where you are at now? How hard is the buff running?
PHR: Street spots here don’t run for very long. A lot of people stick to roof tops. The beef is so bad here, even if something does run it won’t be long before someone goes over it. For that same reason piecing in the yard and legal walls are nonexistent
The scene here in St-Louis SUCKS!
BS: Per our previous phone discussion, the state of America seems very xenophobic. Do you think there is a reasoning behind this, or just the times making people scared of each other?
PHR: I’m not really sure…The times seem to play a part. Maybe it’s a fear of the unknown type of thing sort of like kids being afraid of the dark. Or maybe its just laziness, people probably think it is easier to fear/hate someone than it is to find out they are a bad person the hard way. Again, I’m not really sure. But it sucks.
BS: Is there any other medium besides spray paint you like to work in?
PHR: I messed with airbrush a little but never got into it. I use a lot of paint markers and acrylics on my canvas work. For my sketches I use a lot of prisma colors and gel rollers.
I also like photography even though I suck at it.
BS: Since it’s that time of year, what’s up for Halloween? Any displays for the kiddies and does writing play into it?
PHR: I have kids myself, so I always put out stuff for Halloween. Not many people do anything in my area so I find my self doing a little extra. I make most of my own stuff from scratch. I have full size coffins, real iron griffins, large tomb stones, fog machines and strobe lights, I even made a huge gothic church window for my front porch. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
BS: When you’re relaxing what do you do?
PHR: I mostly hang out with my family and watch movies. I also like to work on canvases when I have the time and work on my car audio stuff.
BS: I like to fire off a few rapid-fire questions here:
1. Floyd or Zep? No preference
2. Steak or chicken? Steak
3. Lemonade or Ice Tea? Ice tea
4. Semi or fully automatic? fully
5. God or no God? Not sure
BS: As a man with family now, how does that impact your writing? Do you find your work becoming cartoony at all or closer to what your kid likes?
PHR: As a family man I think of Graffiti as more of a hobby that I do in my spare time without regard for politics or my numbers. My family comes first at all times. I really don’t think my family impacts my writing style at all, besides the hearts my daughter got me to start putting in my pieces. My family and graff life are two completely
separate entities. At home I’m Dad. On a wall or train I’m Phers.
BS: How is the situation between crews out there? Is there a lot of tension?
PHR: I have never seen so much tension in such a small scene in my life. I have a few friends on both sides of the beef so I try to stay out of it. It sucks have to listen to everyone complain about one another while the scene suffers. There are very few experienced writers in St. louis anymore and most of these kids paint like they have something to prove or they are compensating for their penis size. So far there does not seem to be an end to this bullshit in sight.
BS: What do you think of the new generation of writers? Do you feel they’ve lost their way in any respect? Anything to say to them?
PHR: There is a lot of up and coming writers that have only been painting for a few years that completely blow me away! I don’t know what they are feeding these kids! Sixteen year old girls look like they are twenty, my little bother is taller than me and a lot writers with under half the time painting as me would make me look stupid on a wall! What the fuck is going on? I don’t think anyone has really lost their way. Inexperienced writers have always and will always make an ass of themselves until they get the hang of things or get set straight by someone who knows what they are doing. It seems that graffiti has become the cool thing to do here lately and there are a lot of new kids screwing things up for the people that are out there doing stuff that’s worth a shit. (See questions 2 and 9). The only thing I have to say to them is respect you’re elders kids, you might end up learning something.
BS: You mentioned that you’ve gotten up in Detroit. How does it compare to where you’re at now?
PHR: There is just as much beef but the city/scene is much larger so it doesn’t seem as bad. The buff is almost nonexistent in Detroit and here stuff gets buffed pretty quick or dissed out.
The police situation is better vs. St. Louis because they are busy dealing with real crime.
I need to get back up there for a visit! I miss painting there.
BS: As everyone knows as a writer you’re out at odd hours of the night. Any crazy stories?
PHR: One that sticks out in my mind was the time a homeless guy tried to car jack my wife with a staple gun while I was in an abandoned building getting flicks. (Laughs).
She wasn’t having that shit though, she told him to go fuck himself which made it
that much funnier!
BS: What does your significant other think of writing? Does she get scared when you’re out painting?
PHR: She likes graffiti, but sometimes worries about me being in random places alone.
BS: Is there anything that would make you walk away from graff forever?
PHR: I as of now no, but life happens and there may be something that comes up that has never even crossed my mind.
BS: What’s in the car stereo these days?
PHR: Right now nothing, I’ve been working on a rebuild so right now my car has nothing but the dash board and drivers seat in it.
BS: Any plans for the future involving graff or any hobbies connected to it?
PHR: I’m building my own subwoofers which should be exciting. I have the baskets and magnets done and now I’m just waiting on the soft parts. I plan on screen printing one of my pieces on the cones before I assemble them. I’ll send you pics of my Phers 15’s once I get them finished. (Laughs), I’m also thinking of getting into doing some custom jewelry work in silver. Nothing mass produced, strictly custom work. So keep an eye out for that stuff.
BS: If you could pick one person past or present to get up with, who would it be?
PHR: Hhhhmmm….that’s a hard one…I guess mine would be a little past and present.
I lost touch with my buddy Seven KMS US in like ‘02 and have not seen/painted with him since. He was the main person I painted with back in the day and I would love to have the chance again.
BS: Being that graff is so ego-centric. Do you ever find yourself getting lost in your own or your crews hype?
PHR: I really don’t think there is much hype (or at least I hope not) surrounding myself or the crews I’m in. I was not even aware that many people knew who I was until you contacted me for an interview.
BS: Do you ever find yourself hating on anyone just off their hype?
PHR: Nah, I really don’t give a shit about anyone else. I have way too much of my own stuff to worry about.
BS: Is there anything you’re doing or your crew is doing you want cats to know about? And of course the obligatory shouts section if you’d like.
PHR: There are a few art shows I plan on throwing a few things in the near future but that’s about it. As far as shouts here go’s a few: Else, Loaf, Srek, Jer, Yeloe, Dems, Kink, Betor, Dose, Pubek, Bug, Veal, Bus, Such, Yews, Suds, News, Gnes, Reft, Dues, Otis, Amoe, Vatoe, Stun, Phem, Years, Quisp, Verse, Kosek, Irate, Pask, Almost, Shek, Kes, Hoax, Obces, Horse/Ater, Anyone down with ICR and FBSK, My wife and kids, I’m sure I forgot tons of folks, (Sorry).
Phers, I had a great time doing this interview. Our phone chats were quite funny and of course you come up to Jersey I’ll grab you a pint and make you drink it. Keep putting the work in, cats are definatly respecting you for it. Thanks again for the words of wisdom.
