Lush still fuckin’ rules

Lush still fuckin’ rules

By Arden de Raaij

We’ve said it before, we’ve said it again and we’re still saying it: Lush fuckin’  rules! That’s why we didn’t pass up another opportunity to interview the Melbourne native writer who appears in humorless graffiti artists their nightmares on a regular basis (previous interview with Lush). Because after returning from the dump that some people call the city of angels, he’s back in his hometown to do another show at the Backwoods Gallery. Expect a lot of filth, sex and other fun stuff!

” we can’t take everything as joke in the end. World hunger, war, taxes, the economy, breast sizes and other important stuff deserve some seriousness.”

Lush Rules
Lush Rules

To start off, LA looked like a lot of fun, how did you end up doing a show over there, and more importantly, how was it?

“I now understand why they L.A guys are crazy gung ho as fuck and paranoid as fuck about cops. But not just the cops, so many heroes and snitching maggots.”

L.A is a dump, a total disgusting festering shithole, no wonder there are so many batshit crazy homeless people and thuggin’ azz gangsters killing each other over there it’s a fucking human zoo.

But you gotta hand it to some of the locals it’s a VERY tough city to do graffiti in. Police helicopters hovering above, too many cops, way too many cops they are literally everywhere lurking. I now understand why they L.A guys are crazy gung ho as fuck and paranoid as fuck about cops. But not just the cops, so many heroes and snitching maggots.

Lush - Fuck the police
Lush – Fuck the police

I could never ever live there, I have no idea why a lot of the people I met live there? A boatload of fakers and perpetrators out there in L.A, but I did meet a very small handful of people who weren’t concerned too much about sniffing their own farts.

I will not bore the fuck out of you with the how I did end up there, but I’m glad I went over and did it. I think I took the piss out of it the L.A show in the end, obviously haha.

Lush
Lush

So your show over there, just another excuse to stare at tits? And how did they take the accent over there (better yet, how did you survive theirs)

It was a chance to go to Amerikkka for free so I took it, the accent is a door opener. They did tell me I spoke good eanglash for an “Austrian” like we here in Australia don’t even speak it as our first language.

Tits by Lush
Tits by Lush

Yesterday I read that some French magazine taking the piss on prophet Muhammad got Molotov-cocktailed, is that something you’d do as well or is there somewhere you draw a line and say ‘fuck that’

“If you go out and try to kill someone in the name of a Skywizard or even just nit-pick at them you’re a real turd in a cunt.”

On the whole religion holier than thou thing, they can eat a turd. If you believe in any form of religion you’re pretty dimwitted, sorry but it’s just the harsh truth. If you go out and try to kill someone in the name of a Skywizard or even just nit-pick at them you’re a real turd in a cunt.

Me personally do not like human faeces, it’s disgusting to me so I tend to stay away from doing stuff related to it. Even through its hilarious at times, turd tags are hardcore.

I do feel for the magazine in question, it sucks when dimwits come and fuck you for a wacky reason. But in the end its quite easy for me to do and say whatever I feel because It’s not linked to who I’m out in the so called Real World TM all rights reserved MTV. So I’ll just continue say what I think and draw it on a wall too.

“They are exercising free speech whilst threatening my life and so on. Graffiti is SERIOUS business.”

Lush
Lush

When thinking about it, you seem to be quite the advocate of free speech, wether you want to or not. Do you think that free speech is ‘ultimate’? Also, what if you insulted some religious cook deeply and you would receive some real serious threats, how’d you react?

Free speech is great, I’m all for it. I get messages from more then just religious cook’s, I get messages from all kinds of cook’s. They are exercising free speech whilst threatening my life and so on. Graffiti is SERIOUS business.

On that note, any new-old writers / artists that feel that they have a beef with you since your last shows?

I got beef with all kinda people, fuck em. Maybe their children have small cocks even the female ones they may have.

Lush Rules
Lush Rules

So now another show at backwoods, what made you decide to do that?

I was on an offshore gas rig making ends and I got a call over the satellite phone from Backwoods about a show, I told them to stick it in their ass and that I was a blue collar kinda man aint doin’ no fuckin “art”. Doin drawin n shit is for poofters. I align the drill mast, it’s some difficult manly shit on the high seas, got no time for sissy faggot prissy pants art shows brother. Did I mention I was isolated out at sea with greasy, lonely old dirty blue collar men? So I re-thought it and took it up.

So I expect the fair amount of filth in your new show, anything else?  (not that we need anything else, but we’re curious anyway)

Hopefully a naked dwarf pouring spirits into people’s mouths, loads of crappy drawings and exquisitely shitty “paintings”. Perhaps some stuff to destroy and smash and so on. You know just another one to tell the grand children about.

Doing it wrong.. Comic by Lush
Doing it wrong.. Comic by Lush
'The good and the bad about crisis' - Lush
‘The good and the bad about crisis’ – Lush

How much does a show like that turn over? Any stripper money left after a show like that?

If I was into making money I sure wouldn’t be doing graffiti.

I think Cope2 wouldn’t agree,  haha. But is there any particular part of doing a gallery show you enjoy more than being out on the streets?

Cope2 has kids to feed. Me personally I’m into it to get the shit I need to get off my chest the fuck off my chest but whilst getting a little buzz from it indoors or outdoors. But of course painting outside with spray paint is where I’m feeling that John Lennon kinda at peace with the world type shit.

I really do hate canvas and I hardly draw on paper but… I enjoy the free booze. Mainly because I don’t drink unless it’s free.

Do you ever get strange requests to paint particular stuff?

Everyone has an idea and every one of them so far has been shit. Sorry guys.

'Tags aint art' by Lush
‘Tags aint art’ by Lush

when are you planning to visit europe, and especially Amsterdam? It’s filled with cock-loving gallery owners over here

I don’t do drugs so it don’t really get my balls juiced much. Cock loving gallery owners on the other hand… I’m working on some shows in Europa, maybe next year, maybe in countries where they speak English because I cant speak any other languages they all sound like gobblygook to me.

hah, I recall you being a called a ‘bong smoking vandal’ and ‘all that is wrong with this country’..shameless accusations?

Yeah that was because in a video someone dressed as a local scumrat took a hit of one. The award winner reporter didnt do much fact checking or anything like that of course.

” we can’t take everything as joke in the end. World hunger, war, taxes, the economy, breast sizes and other important stuff deserve some seriousness.”

Lush
Lush

Do you prefer people who are easy to piss of or people who take everything as a joke?

An even keel is best. Bit of both, we can’t take everything as joke in the end. World hunger, war, taxes, the economy, breast sizes and other important stuff deserve some seriousness.

Any Occupy idiots occupying stuff in Australia?

They got their ass whooped by pigs, I don’t agree with them at all, the whole thing just reeks of weed smoke and aids. If any of them truly were down to do anything they wouldn’t be so half assed slack about it all. They just come off as whiny white people.

But still, facing off with the police even over dumb shit is always fun.

Lush
Lush

Will you be taking the piss with your graffiti forever, or what do you see yourself doing in 25 years from now? (granted you’re still here!)

I’ll get cancer from all the spray paint no doubt, maybe I’ll grow up at some point in the next 25 years? By then I’m assuming at least in my hometown graffiti will be eradicated or it’ll be thunderdome and I’ll be so busy driving my Ford Interceptor trying to scavenge fuel whilst wearing a leather jacket that graffiti won’t be a priority.

Any last words?

Last words? I’ll see you in Disneyland.

LUSH x Andy san dimas
LUSH x Andy san dimas

If you liked this interview, you will probably like the previous interview with graffiti artist Lush as well!

@Lush
@Lush