[raiden]

latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/01/sheriffs-deputi.html

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies today arrested at least eight alleged members of the notorious Metro Transit Assassins tagging crew, some of whom are believed to be responsible for a several-blocks-long “MTA” tag in the concrete Los Angeles River bed that authorities say will cost millions of dollars to remove.

The arrests occurred during a series of early-morning raids centered in the Hollywood area. Among those detained for a parole violations is a famous tagger whose work “SMEAR” has has won acclaim in the art community.

Those arrested were booked on suspicion of vandalism, drug possession, narcotics for sales, weapons possession and other parole violations, officials said

"These individuals are responsible for tags not only in Los Angeles but Las Vegas and San Francisco,” said Sheriff’s Cmdr. Dan Finkelstein, who is chief of the Metropolitan Transit Authority police. “The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that removing the "MTA" tag from the riverbed alone will cost $3.7 million.

Cleaning graffiti from the river is far more expensive than cleaning other areas. Officials use high-pressure water spray to remove the toxic paint.

But hazardous-materials crews must then dam and capture all the paint and water runoff to prevent it from getting into the river. The crew did an additional $20,000 worth of damage to transit vehicles and facilities. Finkelstein said the Los Angeles River "MTA" tag, in a vast industrial district east of downtown between two rail yards, took about 400 gallons of paint -- 300 gallons white and 100 gallons black. “It took them four nights to do it,” he said.

The three block letters cover a three-story-high wall and run the length of several blocks between the 4th Street and 1st Street bridges. The tagging crew, which is also known as “Melting Toys Away” and “Must Take All,” began about the time the transportation agency began using the MTA letters. Investigators say they have statements, including some on video, that implicate some of the crew members in the enormous tag.

“Some of this group could face federal charges,” Finkelstein said. During the raids, Finkelstein said, investigators found customized high-pressure fire extinguishers that, when filled with paint, allow the tagger to hang upside down on the underside of a freeway and quickly scrawl massive graffiti. These taggers are not kids, he said.

Most those detained are in their 20s; one of them drives a $60,000 BMW, and another member possesses a diamond-and-ruby-encrusted Metro logo pendant with paperwork suggesting it's worth $29,000, Finkelstein said.

UNBELIEVABLE.

Follow the link for an interesting discussion on the LA Times page about it. The fact that they would say clean up will cost $3.7 million is outlandish.

Supposedly its around 500 meters long (1600 ft).

Incredible.

[grantb]

i believe there is a bigger one i wil have to find out who did it,

[Replete]

There's already a thread about this up in the street piece section and as I said on there it's not a tag its a blockbuster, its around 250 to 300m in length and it's not the largest example of a blockbuster in the world to date. I've seen ones in holland nearly twice the length and some when joined together run for mile upon mile on some rail lines.

Again I do agree with the ridiculous nature of the stated cleanup costs as it will be left along with the rest of the oversized graf in the LA river.

Again this is said as a purely factual statement on my part ;D

banksyforum.proboards82.com/index.cgi?board=streetartgallery&action=display&thread=32272

[chief]

Feb 4, 2009 1:50:49 GMT 1 @grantb said:

i believe there is a bigger one i wil have to find out who did it,

wasnt is sabre?

[Replete]

saber's is a piece not a blockbuster and it's done in the same river channel in LA as the MTA blockbuster and Sabers is one of the biggest illegal pieces done by a single writer and is certainly the best in my book.

Amuk of the UK did one of the largest illegal pieces to date in Sunderland last year:



I'll see if I can find some of the really large blockbusters. There's one that's the entire alphabet done on a railwaytrack (trackside).

[jonvespa]

i cant believe that the only person they mention in the article is SMEAR. nicest dude. we showed him in our first show at the gallery. i went out to his place and he had tons of art sitting around with "evidence" stickers on the back. he had been busted before, and the cops confiscated most of his art in his place, then released it back to him years later...he was given a $25k fine for "tagging" in LA. he was making payments working as an "extra" in movies and whatnot (pays like $100 a day).

here is SMEAR'S piece from our november 2008 show, its $500, 18x24, mixed acrylic, oilbar, collage



hit me up if any of you are interested...i think smear could use the dough right about now....

jon

[swamped]

I love it, nice bold and proud! Sorry you were caught, good luck.

[stillborncrisps]

Can the TMA be seen via Google maps? (dunno exactly where it is to even begin looking)

[grantb]

yea sabre was the one i meant,

[welikestatic]

nice blockbuster! would love to see that trackside alphabet Replete.

[twist65]

Replete - do you know if the Amuk piece is still there in Sunderland and its whereabouts? Would love to check it!

[Replete]

I know exactly where it is and I'm not sure as to if it's still there. I would say probably yes but once a year they have a huge illegal graf jam down there so it may have been covered but it's unlikely as there's lots of wall space there and not many local writers. Plus most writers would respect it and leave it alone.

I'll PM you the location as we try and keep it quiet as not to bring unwanted attention to it.

[Deleted]

,,,yeah love him or loathe him

[cashman]

Feb 20, 2009 22:32:38 GMT 1 @badrobot said:

,,,yeah love him or loathe him - the legend (and he is) is coming....

haha knew it ;D

[Cocteau 101]

Souled Out Studios?

[junkieart]

Love it, imo the man is a legend. I come into KX and out to Gatwick quite often and it always amazes me where he gets!

[grantb]

saw tox 09 today

yeshhh

[Deleted]

f**king legendary , nw this is a vandal

[bullet]

shit vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

[dynamixx]

TOX wouldn't make any claims about being stylistically pretty...that isn't the point. The art is in getting up, and he/they have done, literally everywhere.

[skelly]

He should just tag an edition of 50 on paper with spraypaint or something instead of a print simply of his tag

[howler]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

Really ? you dislike taggers so much that you'd wish a horribly painful death on them ? and you'd do it on a forum for an artist who's done their fair share of unartistic tagging in their time. A forum which asks "are you interested in GRAFITTI" before imploring you to join.

You should read this I'm sure it'll give you a good laugh, maybe someone on here could tell you who they were, I know one of these lads had a kid maybe you could pop round and tell them what a cunt their father was. Hey I know what would be funny if on your way round you stepped in front of a bus, I'd say IMO but I suspect there's a few more here that would like to see that.

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23381576-details/Graffiti-spraying+youths+killed+by+tube+train/article.do

[Deleted]

Tox is a legend we all know that, and jboy is a clueless cunt, we all know that too.

[romanywg]

Well said Howler.

[baileymontana]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

That really is harsh. You should read Subway Art or the Wildstyle anniversary book. It really will help you understand that tagging is part of graffiti art. No tagging - No Dface. I'm sure there were a lot of pissed of commuters and rail staff when Banksy sprayed Laugh Now on a train (who also thought there's no artistic merit to it). I'd hope these people wouldn't wish him to be hit by a train though.

[cashman]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

I hope u get fucking slapped up next time you walk the streets you cretin

[littlewhisper]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

You go and tell your thoughts to one of the forefathers (Futura) of the movement and ask his opinion.

[remirough]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

OH OH! Somebody's discovered 'real graffiti' not the one, that some middle class kid started up 6 months ago, to earn a few quid... cos he saw Banksy on the telly!
hehe....

Tagging is the base essence of graffiti. Without hand styles and tags you wouldn't have any of this...

[grantb]

Feb 21, 2009 11:58:58 GMT 1 howler said:

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

Really ? you dislike taggers so much that you'd wish a horribly painful death on them ? and you'd do it on a forum for an artist who's done their fair share of unartistic tagging in their time. A forum which asks "are you interested in GRAFITTI" before imploring you to join.

You should read this I'm sure it'll give you a good laugh, maybe someone on here could tell you who they were, I know one of these lads had a kid maybe you could pop round and tell them what a cunt their father was. Hey I know what would be funny if on your way round you stepped in front of a bus, I'd say IMO but I suspect there's a few more here that would like to see that.

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23381576-details/Graffiti-spraying+youths+killed+by+tube+train/article.do

yer i met wants/wise what ever you know him by and i know the guy who got arrested. they were from round my way and know them when i used to paint few years ago. RIP.

[Deleted]

Feb 21, 2009 1:56:54 GMT 1 bullet said:

s**t vandal

no artistic merit apart from jumping onto tube tracks where i really hope one will hit him one day

IMO

lmao

i was waiting for u to pipe up

know your street art history eh jboy?

know anything other than what can make u and your flat mates a little bit of dosh on the side?