I was born in Germany and lived there until I was seven. Then my family moved to Dallas, Texas. In '91 my dad had to transfer jobs again and we moved to New Jersey. I repped it there from 6th grade to right before I turned 21.
Franklin and 3rd. The corner resembles a Mobb Deep video at night. Its pretty rad.
Yep.... front line soldier going on almost six years strong. I'm due for either a vacation or a nervous breakdown soon.
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| In the studio |
Honestly dude, not at all. It's pretty funny because some of these kids who see me there every day will ask me at times, "So Thatch, do you skate?" Every time I've tried to skate there kids will like try to have a conversation with me mid trick. Man, it sucks. I'll brave the sub zero temperature in the 5th street garage any day. There's no intercom there paging me to the front desk every twenty minutes. I can just skate in peace.
I'm making some power moves for art-world domination in the '07. Seiben, watch out.
I'm mainly under the influence of one thing or another when I'm drawing. Usually a concoction of caffeine and nicotine followed by copious amounts of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Your not the first person to have said that. Growing up in New Jersey I was a huge graff addict. It was all I could think about. Before that, as a kid I would try to emulate Jim Phillips. All my school folders were covered in Roskopp faces in various stages of decay and screaming hands. I guess if you mix the art of Phillips with graffiti the outcome is Howell. Thats kind of were I fall I guess. A couple of years ago I came across the Howell book, which is this like this ridiculously vast epitome of all his work and I remember being a little bummed out like, "Damn, this guy has already done everything that I want to do times 10." So now days I don't look at other peoples work anymore. It's just too depressing.
It's mostly a desperate cry for attention. Really. That and all the hot chicks you get when your a starving artist.
I used to be strictly black ink guy for years. I remember being really scared of color, then I started painting and realized it's not so bad. I have this really great dumpster spot were I find most of the junk I paint on. I prefer old wood and masonite sheets over a new canvas. It's like skating some unique street spot over your run of the mill park obstacle.
In a way they are both the same infliction and coincide simultaneously. They even each other out and keep me sane.
Had the banana board set up in '87 and upgraded to the "Zorlac/Pushead/Driveway Launch Ramp program" in '89.
You know, that one kid at the park thats always lurking at the front desk with shin guards and suckin' on the popcicles? I wanna be like that dude.
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| Pivot Fakie by Thatch |
Probably relearning how to push and ollie up curbs every spring.
Probably tre flips. I got the pressure flip syndrome. It sucks.
These days I'm more just into looking like I skate. I been on this real heavy gear buying frenzy lately. Gotta have the tight trousers, ya know?
It's solid and on the come up. I think Cali pros freak out when they come here and witness the level of rippage on a first hand basis.
I don't really go to those kind of parties.
It's hard to say what will happen next. If anywhere, it would be back east even though it seems like the trendy mecca for bohemian migration these days.
CBG, Roots Soldiers, 3rd Lair crew, Jersey heads, Anita and my family
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