Goldie

Totem samurai piece, courtesy of Tats Cru Flickr

Does painting on canvas and board excite you as much as painting walls?

Painting the collection that I’m doing now, yeah. And painting walls, the same. I did that then, I’ve got the memories. Doing my collection and being mature enough to do that, anyone who knocks it, you do it then. I’ve had to deal with fucking haters for over two decades. Fuck ’em. I could give a fuck. But painting now has been beautiful. I stopped painting for a few years but I’m back to what I love. It’s full circle for me. I’m fucking retired mate. If I didn’t have my day job I could do that every day, it’s not a problem. I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone.

I’m not trying to challenge you.

I’m just saying. I just find it like… the game’s up, man. What I need to do now is just do these projects I need to do gracefully, and I’ll be happy once I do that.

We have all these people like Native Instruments throwing stuff at us and it’s just like, ‘Keep it, you’re alright mate.’ I remember when we did the – was it Pioneer? – billboards seventeen years ago. The closest thing to the sound in his head…

You with your hands up like that?

Do you remember that?! But it’s funny how that model was totally unheard of at that time.

And it’s the same now, you go on the tube and see posters with Skream and Benga advertising headphones.

Yeah, I know. And Skream goes, ‘You seen that thing I’ve just done?’ I’m like ‘Mate, Skream, Ollie, I’ve done it. Come on, mate!’ For me it’s great to see it coming back around again. I’m not being defensive about it, but I quietly smile to myself and think, ‘Yes! I told you so…’ I knew this music would be powerful and do what it’s done twenty years later.

I just wanna get on with my projects, man. I’ve got four more paintings to finish and I’ve got an eighteen piece collection. I like the fact I can still go out and paint with all my old boys and we’ve all got kids and families. I was with Crash last week doing interviews in a church. Me, Crash and Henry are about to launch this app which is just fucking ridiculous. Out of this world. Never been done. Guaranteed.

What is it?

I can’t say, man. But we’re doing interviews and Crash is talking about selling fucking Eric Clapton guitars for a fucking quarter of a million quid. Come on! These guys are like my heroes, guys I got to meet that I love and we finally got to do this project together. It’s just great seeing the transition of where their work’s gone. Crash has just done a massive piece on Houston and then he’s showing me these Eric Clapton guitars. ‘How much are they? $450,000? Oh really?!’

People like Futura and Stash realised really early on that they could cross over and that there was money in graffiti.

Yeah, but Crash has been there from day one. To be honest it’s just deserts in the end. Futura was trail-blazing in that. For me, I’ve never really been a good businessman. But people forget that I didn’t start making music until I was 27. I’m 47 now. These days kids make music at 12? 10? It’s insane.

I’ve always been defensive but I’ve got game. I just feel that if it goes to plan in the next couple of years I’ll be happy. I think I’ll reach the top of my game. I’ve not got there yet.

If it goes to plan in the next couple of years I’ll be happy. I think I’ll reach the top of my game. I’ve not got there yet.

That’s the best attitude to have.

If the next five years goes the way it’s supposed to go, I’ll be happy. I’ve been practising my Bikram for three fucking years in May and I’m getting high as a kite doing it so I’ve replaced the kind of drug aspect and I’m getting my best work out. Before I wasn’t getting my best work out. I was just fucking at a tear-out, just doing shit and fucking landing on my feet and going ‘Fuck it!’ and just surviving. So if I get Sine Tempore out and the Lost Tribes collection, I’ll be happy.

Yeah yeah, we’ll see.

Hahahaha! Thanks, man!

The Alchemist: The Best Of Goldie 1992-2012 is out now on Metalheadz/FFRR. Goldie plays Fabric, London, on Friday April 26th.