An Interview with Goonism

1. Who are you and what do you do?

I am Goonism, and I draw ugly little bastards rocking fresh gear.

2. When and why did “Goonism” begin?

Goonism began when I got bored of painting traditional style b*boy characters, they felt played and I wasn’t getting much fun out of drawing them anymore. A lot of people were like “what you drawing these for? Your other characters are dope” and I suppose they did start off looking fairly crude, but that’s why I liked them and stuck with them, it must have been about 1999-2000 and I was listening to a lot of Necro at the time so I think that’s were the name come from, and it fitted with the look of the characters. I made a load of stickers with slogans like “snapping beaks” and “don’t front” and traded them through the post, people seemed to like them and I stuck with it.

3. Are the characters based on real people or fiction?

There fiction I suppose, but ever since I can remember my characters have always been kind of inspirational, I remember some girl at school saying one time that I was starting to look more and more like my characters. I suppose you take influence from what you like and what you see around you. I don’t even realise I'm doing it.

4. What have you discovered about the graffiti world on the journey?

Graffiti accepts everyone black white rich poor, you can’t make any assumptions about the person that’s made the piece, other than the piece is either sick or shit. And I love it for that.

5. If could change one thing about the current scene, what would it be?

I think toys bombing halls of fame, that drives me mad, don’t go halls of fame to tag, go trackside in town etc, I love bombing it’s the essence of graffiti but it don’t belong in halls of fame. What’s the point in tagging somewhere legal? It makes you look like a puff, and makes the spot look shit.

6. Who are your closest allies?

FYStars (Fresh Young and Stylish) from Leicester, been in that crew since 95 and I love them all like brothers.

7. Who do you see as competition?

No one really, I’ve done a few battles like secret wars n that, but the atmosphere tends to be friendly so. If I had to answer probably Leicester city council, we’ve been at war for years.

8. Who would you say is the best artist in the UK right now and why?

It’s probably quite a predictable choice, but I’ve have to say Aroe, he’s hardcore yet at the same time does some of the nicest characters. He also used to rap in Brighton Hip Hop group First Down who were also sick as.


9. Is it more about quality or quantity? (Less work and a better standard or more work and less quality?)

Id say, quantity doesn’t always mean less quality, in writing I much prefer to see stuff that’s been done quickly, there’s a skill to that. It’s like turntablism all you’ve got to work with is 2 decks a mixer and your records, and the skill is to make more out of those tools, to push them further than what they were intended. If your painting in a hostile environment were you’ve got little time, you’ve got to make the best of that time scale and do your best in that time frame, and for me that’s were the skill in graffiti lies. Id much rather look at some 5 minute backjump than a wall that’s took 2 days to paint. Not that there’s no skill to that, I love to see a fresh wall. I suppose it’s like the difference between a good hard quick dirty fuck, and a long loving romantic one. Both appeal, just in different ways.

10. Canvas or wall?

Wall definitely, I hate doing canvasses they make me feel confined.

11. Pen or Can?

These questions are difficult, if were talking about graffiti then can, unless you mean some dirty horrible stainer for making big ugly drippy tags, then pen. Nah I’ve been drawing on walls a lot with pens recently, ten years ago I would of thought I was toy for it, but these days I don’t see that stuff as graffiti its more like illustration. At least that’s what I tell myself so I try to make some kind of divide.

12. Banksy – love or hate?

I don’t like Banksy at all, almost every time you say to someone that you like graffiti, there like “oh you like Banksy then” or “yea wicked I love Banksy” I’m not that fussed with stencils at all really, but I’m told Banksy has taken a lot of inspiration from a French activist called blek le rat, he’s a lot more interesting I think, so you should look him up.

13. Tell us about your tees..

I did a small run of tee’s a few years back and a lot of people had been asking when I was going to do some more, I had some spare cash so I got a load printed up, there looking fresh, if I do say so myself. only 1 design and 2 colour ways at the moment though but I’m looking to do some more, I’ve got a lot of ideas, and it looks like I’m going to get some help to put them into practice, so keep your eyes locked. You can still pick this first batch up off my MySpace at the moment, But not for long as there selling out fast.



14. Shouts and dedications?

FYS(COST VENKS YOBS RALPH DICE GREN ACEW EASER), TMLSTARS, BNC, BSR, LML, Polarbear, Molesta Gritty Comitee, Pillars Of the Community and anyone else reppin Leggy(Leicester).

Oh and one more thing, I will be drawing live at the Southbank on the 18th and 19th of July alongside my good friend and slam poet Polarbear, it’s a really interesting project, he will be performing an hour long poem, and I will be drawing scenes from the poem live in the foyer, so check www.myspace.com/ificovermynose booking information will be up soon.

For more and info and to order a tee hit up the Goonism website

www.goonism.com

www.myspace.com/theworldfamousgoonsquad

www.flickr.com/photos/goonism

Paix!