AF: you`ve been M.I.A for a minute,what happened??
GESO: i just thought graffiti was crap & i needed a break for a minute to get my mind right.. i was painting alone every night in dark places, having to cary a gun & patrol the yard & shit.. it wasn't fun anymore.. i thought i was stuck in a rut.. also i thought money was more important than doing letters with a can of paint.. so i actually had a life for a while, stacking paper & fishing & shit.. getting healthy & shit.. did i mention the perscription drug i was taking at the same time that threw me for a fucking loop & made me lose my mind?? maybe thats what happend..

AF: what made you come back??
GESO: i think it was just time.. it's not like i just said on tuesday the 5th i'm doing a piece.. i was just ready.. nothing is going on & i'm ready to do some good shit again.. i got my mind right & now its on!!


AF: has the scene changed any??
GESO: well i don't follow the scene & i'm not in the scene, but from a far it looks the same..

AF: what makes your work stand out than anybody else??
GESO: i'd like to hope it's cause i try hard to do good shit in the time i have & produce good non-repetetive lettering styles & shit.. i've been around the fucking block!! you know my name!! it's more the stories & shit people heard about me so when you see my shit, there's a story imediately after you see it.. all of a sudden it's like my piece is alive & shit.. also i think i'm a well rounded writer.. i payed dues, bombed, tagged, fill-ins, pieces, transit, freights, walls, everything!! i'm just comparing myself to like someone who just started & i'm not bragging.. i hate all my shit & there's tons of room to improve everything.. i guess i'm real hard on myself & i strive to be at the top so maybe it shows, i don't know..


AF: you`ve always painted illegaly, is that a point of pride??
GESO: alot of people i really respected have really crossed the line here.. they have this big name in the graffiti community & they have done tons of illegal graffiti & i see them out on the street like talking to some hippie painting away in the sun & shit with a nice ice tea & shit.. shades on all relaxed smoking a joint like whhhhat!! i can't do it man.. they do it & that's fine.. i talk alot of shit about alot of shit but whatever floats their boat.. i'm not going anywhere!! i'm not some art fag.. i write graffiti.. i don't do murals & women & nude people & hip-hop characters & all pretty & shit.. i won't lower myself to that shit.. i have certain rules i go by, certain lines i won't cross.. like i won't rape a nun.. im not holy & don't believe in god but fuck man, you don't rape a nun!! i don't paint legally, but for enough money i'll do anything..

AF: who are you painting with now??
GESO: mostly alone again.. i try to hook up wit TRAV & REGAL & MINK.. just people i know & trust & are down with me & my crew.. people who know me & know how i react in certain cituations.. people who are like me..


AF: how has graffiti changed since you first started??
GESO: when i started i painted for 6 months with not even knowing a soul.. just to go out & fucking get my name up everywhere.. i just wanted to go back & look at all the shit i painted on.. what a good feeling of riding on the bus & seeing your name everywhere.. when you're 16 the shit was pure as fuck!! no internet, no mags, no 12 oz, nothing man.. just you & the streets & all the writers in the city.. you had to get up hard & bomb everything & be consistant & be the most up & go out every night & beat the buff & destroy & make a name for yourself & do it over & over!! today you got a million people getting fame off 3 spots they painted.. they get on 12oz or whatever & get a sketch off their favorite toy, do one, post it on the net & wow they're famous.. then you got 10 kids that look at that dude's shit & do the same thing so on and so on.. it's never ending.. ruining graffiti forever!! it's like taking a fucking backstep.. i hope you're happy everyone reading this shit, you know who you are!!

AF: do you think todays graffiti is the same quality as ten years ago, especially the freights??
GESO: the quality of shit today is horable!! you got thousands of kids doing the same styles & letters.. you don't know who's who, people bite their way to the top & have no skills, no name, never bombed, never been in a fight, stold anything or even thought about getting better.. they go out & do 15 freights in 2 hours all happy giving eachother high 5's & shit in the car.. fuckkk!! you got people with freight spots that sit there all day & paint & can't even do one good thing.. or they are so un-original that no matter if they did 5000 trains that were good, they don't even matter.. talkin all their shit how they did so many trains.. i don't care if you did all the trains in the world, if you suck & it's fucking hurting my face & eyes to even look at your shit, theres a fucking problem!! before the freights got raped in the last 5 years it seemed like people were more into doing quality freights & nice pieces.. now it's a fuck fest for every white hip-hop kid in a small town to go for broke in one summer & do a million trains.. i don't know what the fuck is going on??


AF: since most writers today go over trains where do you stand on that??
GESO: most writers today have no fucking clue what is going on.. they have no history & no fucking common sence.. they have some giant backpack with 27 empty montana cans on & an upside down visor & a walkman on their head bumping chingy or some shit in the fucking yard.. making a mess of the trains & spots, going over some old SENTO or a old LOOK or BRUIN or JERO, PHABLE, HAZE, etc.. not even knowing what the fuck they're doing.. just going wild man!! like flailing their arms around trying to be hip-hop & get the flow & really being hip-hop & being one with the element.. walking with a fucking limp to the trains, pants hanging around their fucking ankles cant even run.. jesus!! they still have no fucking excuse to go over anything.. i'm not saying i'm the fucking graffiti masiah & i know every writer from the 90's who painted a freight but if it has that look, the look of being fucking old & really dope, you know better!! all their 3 feet pieces, 9 people on each train shit, i tax them cause out of the 9 people on one train i have heard of none.. if it's the last train & i need to paint it's getting waxed.. basically if i know you & you're good or it's a old writer from Los Angeles or New York & i know who they are, it stays.. if you're some fuck from montana & you did 1000 three foot pieces & you think you're dope, i go over it with no remorse or do i even question it..

AF: what do you feel that you're bringing to the table??
GESO: guns, money, drugs, merch, broken knuckles, blood, sweat, bail money, fiskars & one domino..


AF: how has graffiti changed your life & what are the negative & positive aspects about that??
GESO: all i can say about the positive is i made some good friends through graffiti.. a few as far as negatives.. it's all bad.. a waste of time.. you'll never be anything from graffiti.. nobody offered me a million dollars for doing all this shit.. nobody gives me medical for this shit or pays for my family to eat everyday.. it's just a waste of time, energy & money.. have fun..

AF: knowing what you know now would you have still gotten into graffiti??
GESO: no way!! i would have spent my time stacken paper & buying land & houses & shit.. fuck graffiti.. big deal i can write my name cool.. how far will that ever get me??


AF: you came up in San Francisco's first golden era where you & others set "the standard" as far as painting, what do you feel about SF graffiti today, do you think that standard is still being met??
GESO: nope the standard is not being met.. there are tons of people going there from different states trying to get up for a month or so or a few months.. shit doesn't matter!! there's a few people left there that are good and doing stuff..

AF: when you first started coming up in San Francisco there were alot of older haters cuz you were so young, what would you say or do to them today if thay came with that bullshit??
GESO: yeah there were tons of haters.. i remember meeting BLES, he was cool but he was with KEPT & KEPT was real rude to me like what the fuck are you doing, talking shit.. i was 16 i think.. i would tell that dude he sucks & i'll fuck his face up so his momma won't recognize him.. fucking pussy!! KR also hated on me but it was expected.. we're cool after that & still are..


AF: how much of an inspriation was GREY to you??
GESO: when i first started he was showing me the ropes & shit.. he is a good friend & inspired me alot in the begining of my career.. so i thank him & hope he gets well soon..

AF: you've gone on alot of traveling missions, did you learn anything from them or was it just the same cycle??
GESO: i learned not to leave the West unless you want frozen toes & a rock stuck in your chin..


AF: when was the last time you punched somebody??
GESO: that's not a fair question.. it's like asking black people when was the last time they ate some fried chicken or asking a mexican if he's eaten any asada lately?? come on..

AF: when was the last time you punched somebody over graffiti??
GESO: not lately.. nobody wants to fight anymore.. i don't know what's going on..



AF: name 3 people that you would want to punch given the chance??
GESO: the inventor of sensomatic, Joe Rogan & Fat Joe..

AF: will you ever come back to the state of california or have you been banned for good??
GESO: i have officially been stricken from the golden state & practically from every store, resturaunt, bar etc from Los Anegeles to Seattle.. the whole West Coast & i'm never coming back!!


AF: why do you think most writers are pussies today??
GESO: i think it's because they don't get much sun.. they hide in their computer dens all night surfing the pipeline stealing good peoples style, trying to see who has the most emo fags as friends on myspace & they dont eat good bbq like i do.. they're on the Frisco diet, cocaine & pabst blue ribbon.. lack of sunlight is all bad.. they only come out at 2 am when the bars close.. they just smoke a pack of cigs & then do a tag & take photos of them & their other pussy friends looking tuff & post that shit on 12oz & in 3 hours 90 people saw them looking so hard that they don't even want to mess with them cause they look crazy so they dont even need to fight or anything to get by..

AF: would you rather do an e2e with 10 emo writers on a SP short hopper or take a leg injury from sharky the shark dog from eek the cat??
GESO: i would take the leg injury.. better yet i'll just take a swift kick in the nuts by that kid on run ronny run, the asian kid with the big feet..


AF: what do you think of SIGH & what would happen if you were ever to meet him face to face??
GESO: hmm great question.. as everyone knows or doesn't know, SIGH is this dude who bites everyones shit & then uses it as his own.. he takes from alot of writers & has no remorse or no feeling about it & then he tells these people to their faces that he bites there shit, "so what, what are you gona do??" i think the dude paints alot actually so i can't talk shit there, but i can say if he did his own shit people would respect him better.. but it's way too late for that.. it's like once you're labeled a rat in the yard, you're done with.. it's too late for him, he's been labeled & all his freights & shit are un-noticed.. all i know if he ever talks shit to my face it will be the last time he talks ever.. i know he's some big okie fuck & i don't give a fuck.. i'll make mush out of his fucking skull.. i have no problems as of now with him but if he ever try's to step to me & say anything rude, thats it.. all i should hear from him is thanks & as far as i'm concerned he can have that style he took.. that can be his..
shit is old & played out like all his shit!!

AF: why do people still try to lump graffiti in with the hip-hop elements??
GESO: i have no idea what is going on with that.. i don't know who made this shit up or why but they should be shot.. i would like to meet the person who calls the hip-hop shots & who lumped me in with some fags.. i don't see how a middle age white guy doing his name with paint has anything to do with rap music & breakdancing & shit.. i'm so un-hip-hop it's fucking sick.. i know a few writers and they're fucking emo fags & shit, they hate hip-hop & they sure the fuck don't breakdance to the music they listen to.. who ever made this up, please take me off the list son!!


AF: would you do a backspin with a pilot in your hand wearing a puma sweatsuit for a quarter mill??
GESO: for that much i'll sit by a light pole at night with a old english & some fatlaces & a adidas shirt on with a huge tip on my can & it will be leaking everywhere & i'll get a necklace made out of tips.. but i want payment first..

AF: i know you're not one to pay for paint but im sure you've used some euro paint, what do you think of it??
GESO: my friend had got a bunch of them to sell & i purchased a few cans of montana from him.. i don't know why i bought them, i guess they just looked cool & i think that's all they are good for, looks!! i used that shit on a train.. damn, all bad & you have to use those gay tips on them.. i'm over that shit & i used it one time.. i haven't used alot of brands so i can't say too much about them, but for a payment of $5,000.00 i'll say i like that shit..


AF: what kind of paint do you fuck with??
GESO: anything free.. rusto, krylon, kills..

AF: are you still getting old paint??
GESO: if i see them at yard sales & shit i pick them up..


AF: do you feel the need to go to europe to paint trains or do you think that whole thing is overrated??
GESO: i think people run over there because it's easy & shit in areas.. they think they like us there.. hahahaha.. they hate you & paint all your trains & go fucking ballistic.. imagine if some fag came here from there & wanted to ruin all your spots.. i have a feeling they hate us man.. i'm not going there, plus i'm not allowed to go there so i have to have an excuse..

AF: you started your hiatus right in the middle of the begining stages of RIME's "the exchange" project, now that your back would you like to re-join??
GESO: i like RIME so i won't talk shit here, but i did it just to make everyone happy & i wasn't.. i sent a sketch & the person couldn't do my shit so i was confused & i didnt want to do it anymore.. i think it's a good idea & i would be down to retry it..


AF: if you could go anywhere in the world, where would yo go and why??
GESO: i'm going to Hawaii soon but if i had to pick, Japan.. i would stare at everyone & get in some slant..

AF: how do you keep your sanity living in rural Amerikkka??
GESO: i fish alot & do outdoors shit, hit yardsales & shit, paint & travel around the area, i look at latinthumbs online..


AF: do you miss living near your homies??
GESO: no.. just you..

AF: what do you think of IBD's new generation??
GESO: well i think some people need to be kicked out & i like some people.. i think they need to step it up & get with the times.. start doing better shit & doing more shit & not living on the frisko diet, beer & cocaine..


AF: do you still consider yourself the white 50cent??
GESO: no.. i found out he was faking this whole time & he was using this dudes name, 50 cent from his old hood, so i hate him now!! i guess the real 50 was the illest dude around so he wanted his name.. fuck him.. he had me fooled.. i'm like the white Donald Trump with hair, lots of it..

AF: i heard the infamous flare gun has been shelved, how true is that??
GESO: it's so true.. it was cool to burn people & burn shit down & watch people's faces when you shot that thing at them, but i was younger & that shit is only cool if the other person on the receiving end dosen't have a fucking hand cannon!! i traded it for a bullet proof vest & 9mm.. what can i say, i just upgraded that shit..


AF: have you ever done any low down shit that you felt bad about afterwards, or better yet have you ever felt bad about anything??
GESO: like fucking Donny's sister?? no, i dont feel bad.. someone talked shit & got thumped.. no regrets.. yelling at some old hag cause she can't drive, nope.. throwing sodas in peoples faces on the freeway while they're driving, no again.. i feel bad that i'm supposed to feel bad!! how's that.. hahaha.. if i did something to someone, they deserved it & if i'm sorry, i'll appoligize later..

AF: if you could create your own "real world" house, who would you put in it??
GESO: i would put 5 or 6 girls from latinthumbs.com & me of course..


AF: is it true that everytime you go to the bathroom you do push-ups??
GESO: no, but imagine if you did how buff you would get.. ok, i admit it i do an occasional push-up in the bathroom.. but who dosen't??

AF: if Amerikkkan gladiators was still on the air, would you try out for it??
GESO: not only would i try out, i would make it & beat the fuck out of Lazer & kick Ice in the crotch..


AF: you roll hard through the hispanic areas in your town, how did you get your barrio pass, is it cuz you took a part time job at the rim & furniture spot??
GESO: dude, i smell like a mexican.. i'm legit!! i got my ghetto pass years ago, i'm sellin them shits now.. they see me rollin through they know me.. i was born brown on the inside.. i'm ok.. i'm the one white person that can kick it cause i always have shit they want & need.. i make them money!! money has no color but green..

AF: remember when you be-dazled those stunner shades way before stunner shades were in style??
GESO: i invented stunner shades, deisel jeans, arteryx jackets, lo vans.. i started every fad & get no credit.. i want my reperations check!!


AF: what advice do you have for the people coming out of the wood work, bugging you for money??
GESO: i know motherfuckers with millions & i dont ask them for money.. my advice is go back into the woodwork and don't ask a nigga for shit.. i have the same answer for all of them.. i aint got shit!!

AF: in one word, describe your past, present & future..
GESO: killer


AF: would you ever write a book about your life & if it was made into a movie, who would you & i be played as??
GESO: yes, i've had the idea of a book for a long time but no time to write it.. if there is a publisher reading this, contact my agent & let's make a deal.. you would be played by Huracio Sands & i would be played by Mark Walburg.. hahahaaaaa..

AF: any last words??
GESO: yeah i got some shout outs.. big up to JESTER, young TRAV, REGAL, stinky MINK, GREY, AMAZE, RIME, EWOK hm (the real one that's better than the other one) EVADE, FELON, rip SOPE, Silvia, JIG, JAS10 & all the old writers that get no fame & have done a ton of dope shit!!


exclusive interview by J. Anaya