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Richard Sen- Britain's Baddest Graffiti Outlaw

Author: Jonty Adderley (Skrufff.com)
Saturday, March 15, 2003
Richard Sen's tag of Coma was the only graffiti artwork featured on a British TV shown this week examining the history of bad behaviour in rock & roll. His tag, displayed on the side of a London tube train, appeared in a programme called Lock Up Your Daughters: Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll in the UK, broadcast on BBC1.

The mild mannered electro DJ's tag of Coma illustrated a segment on breakdancing, in between footage of the Sex Pistols and acid house, confirming Sen's status as London's most notorious spray paint maestro. Extremely prolific between 1984 and '87, he eventually served two prison terms, though has few regrets he told Skrufff in an interview last year.

"Looking back, I was f*cked up and rebelling, it was a way to express myself as well as being a part of a group. It was the most exciting time of my life," he recalled.

"Then in '88 there was a massive clampdown with a specialist police squad set up. They raided my house and at home I had sketch books and paint and I ended up being done for my tag.

"I got prosecuted for everything, they took photos of all my work. I'd actually stopped by then anyway and started going to acid house parties instead but I pleaded guilty and got 6 months youth custody."

Sen also nowadays produces music as the Bronx Dogs and remains one of London's most down-to-Earth DJs.

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