MILK TFP Interview @149st

MILK TFP INTERVIEW

©2001, 2003 @149st Do not republish without permission.

Where and when did you start writing?
In Munich, Germany end of '85 after seeing pieces in my city and having been to London, where I saw MODE 2 paint a fence at Covent Garden.

How did you get your name?
Unfortunately there is no good story to it, something like I fell into a big pot of Milk when I was little or something like that. I just liked the word, everybody could remember the name and I am not the suntanned type so I guess it fits my appearance as well.

Did you have a particular inspiration or mentor(s)? Were You inspired by New York City Writers?
SENTO and the trains in New York in the mid 80s. When I first went to New York City in the Summer of '87 it just blew my mind. And SENTO over the years has been a great inspiration and I consider him the writer that kept graffiti alive in New York after the trains went away. He's done it all, he's done it everywhere.

Is New York City important to German writers?
To me it always has been and it has always been a great inspiration to go there, not only graffitiwise.

What lines have you hit in Europe?
Never really been to Scandinavia. So expect me to show up there one day. Been to most other countries in Europe.

What german crews have you written for?
None.

Why did you come to New York City? What were your first visits to New York City like?
Well my first trip to New York City was some school exchange. One afternoon we where off to do what we want, but nobody wanted to go and look for Graffiti with me, so I ended up hanging out with my teacher. We walked down to take a train back to the hotel which happened to be a completely bombed 5 with several Whole cars on it. After seeing me jump up and down my teacher agreed to letting me go on my own to photograph trains. I ended up spending the whole day on Jackson Avenue taking roll after role. From then on all I wanted to do was hit trains.

How did you join up with The Fantastic Partners crew?
Through SENTO after meeting him and CASE in the summer of '89.

Who was your most successful New York partner?
The man - SENTO!

Do you have any good raid Stories?
Quite a few and luckily all with a happy ending. One time I was surrounded by workbums with metal bars and wrenches that weren't very happy I had painted their subway. I had just taken photos when they stormed around the corner, dropped my camera by falling down a wall, had to jump in a little river to get out, came back a day later to look for my camera, found it and had perfect photos of my piece!

Describe the your personal style of writing.
Run the same piece as often as possible and disguise that fact by adding a few arrows now and then. "Style" is, to get over and have a piece running the next morning

In your opinion what distinguishes the German school of graffiti from the rest of the world?
Germans in general are known to be efficient and punctual. Well that applies also to german writers, even though they sometimes they lack a bit of innovative artistic spirit, they certainly are very efficient.

Are you currently involved in commercial or fine art?
I am the art director of a skate, tits, Hip Hop lifestyle-magazine.

Do you have any closing words?
More people to meet, more places to go, more MILK-pieces to roll..

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