Devo, 1970's Graffiti Writers, Scottish Sea Captain, What?...
I have always wondered why the heck there was a Scottish character with a Tam O'Shanter hat on and a squinty eye on the Spray can label of one of the most revered Spray-paints of the early days of Graffiti Writing.
It turns out that a Sea Captain called Robert Fergusson, who noticed that fish oil spilled on rusty metal decks stopped corrosion from spreading, founded the company, 103 years ago, 1921 in a suburb of Chicago called Evanston, Illinois. They also made it in Haarlem, Holland. I reckon he was Scottish.
They Started out with just 24 Colours.
In 1979 the company's slogan, "Rust Never Sleeps", was adopted by Neil Young (upon a suggestion by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo) as a name for his album.
I've made a little magazine to go with the Tshirts and Prints, full of designs of my own version of the paint called "Dustoleum" as the company is still going and well big.
You can download it here- DUSTOLEUM
Her are some amazing documentaries and dope film footage of early Graffiti Writing days here:
The New York Graffiti Experience (1976)
All City (1985) by Henry Chalfant
Stations Of The Elevated (1981)
>>Mike Delmar has a super superb archive of early styles here:
>>Here is a collection of original vintage Spray Cans by Roger GastMan
Thanks for reading. B273