Who is trashing the Camino with the graffiti phrase ‘melted rubber humans ‘

[Charles Ross]

Written hundreds of times on everything.
May they rot in a special hell.

 

[Vacajoe]

It’s all the way to Santiago...

 

[caminoagogo]

For me, the first half was that Neurope Camino Revolution stuff and the last half was Melted Rubber Humans. At least the latter made me laugh. Once.

 

[Heather Anne]

Our graffiti was Wild Sheep on sign posts for weeks

 

[Camino Chrissy]

And I don't understand what any of those slogans mean!

 

[Heather Anne]

My take on the Wild Sheep was, We are like a lot of wild people and we are following others like sheep.

 

[RJM]

Whenever I see the graffiti I wonder who did it? Not to stereotype, but I will stereotype, I believe that the average graffiti vandal is under 30 years old. Probably a local. I do not know why I think a local, I just do and I suppose in my mind I cannot fathom a non-local actually traveling all the way to the Camino with a game plan of sorts, to vandalize property with graffiti. To actually transport spray cans of paint and/or large permanent markers with them to do that, or to even go shopping for such upon arrival. That would be so utterly pitiful and sad, and disturbing that someone would be that dysfunctional.
I suppose there are some naive and misguided people who read me saying this and think I'm just some silly older guy who doesn't get it. I am closed minded and don't see it as an expression of art, philosophy. Modern poetry to them. A sort of 21st century cave art, lol.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Probably a local. I do not know why I think a local, I just do and I suppose in my mind I cannot fathom a non-local actually traveling all the way to the Camino with a game plan of sorts, to vandalize property with graffiti.

Melted Rubber Humans is a music group, so the graffiti is probably not a Spanish local.

 

[RJM]

Melted Rubber Humans is a music group, so the graffiti is probably not a Spanish local.

Never heard of them, but not disappointed that I have not.
Still, all the more disturbing that individuals walk the Camino planning to vandalize it.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Whenever I see the graffiti I wonder who did it? Not to stereotype, but I will stereotype, I believe that the average graffiti vandal is under 30 years old. Probably a local. I do not know why I think a local, I just do and I suppose in my mind I cannot fathom a non-local actually traveling all the way to the Camino with a game plan of sorts, to vandalize property with graffiti. To actually transport spray cans of paint and/or large permanent markers with them to do that, or to even go shopping for such upon arrival.

I think the answer is, all of the above. I doubt that many pilgrims are packing cans of spray paint, and a lot of the political slogans are clearly of interest primarily to locals.

On the other hand the numerous “inspirational” messages written with Sharpie or scratched into the paint of every available surface, and in a dozen languages, are obviously the work of pilgrims. How many local juvenile delinquents choose to rebel by writing “Ultreia” on a traffic sign?

 

[PastorCat]

Not a fan but so you know... It's a band. An awful band actually. But yeah. It's a band.

https://archive.org/details/LifeIsJustADream

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Not a fan but so you know... It's a band. An awful band actually. But yeah. It's a band.

They have about six fans, but I guess one is on the Camino.

 

[JillGat]

Wild Sheep is a band, too. I wrote them a nasty note, to which they responded that that's
"the price of fame" and that they aren't responsible for what their fans do. I wouldn't be proud of this kind of fame... I later ran into another pilgrim, Sheila, who found Wild Sheep online and wrote, scolding them, too. We laughed about how we both did that and wonder how many others have, too. When I got to Santiago, I went in a tourist shop and bought one of those little paper weight size Camino trail markers and wrote Wild Sheep on it with a sharpie (in that awful script/font) and mailed it to Sheila.

 

[JillGat]

I think the answer is, all of the above. I doubt that many pilgrims are packing cans of spray paint...

I finally stopped into a ferretería along the way and got a can of white primer spray paint and, in the cases of graffiti on originally white surfaces, I "erased" some of it.

 

[JillGat]

This is interesting; a Facebook bio. for the Wild Sheep band:

Biography
We' re WildSheep, a sperimental punk hardcore band from Vicenza, Italy. Ours is a passion we' ve been feeding for many years, we' re trying to communicate our discomfort towards an impassive, monotonous and corrupted bastard society. We renounce any sort of racism and intolerance, we try to protect nature obstructing those destroying it, reclaming our rights of "citizens of the world searching for freedom". We' ve started publicizing our first EP so that our message can cross every border, in the hope of finding people that will give us strenght to continue to nourish a scene that' s disappearing all over the world. Spread our CDs, don' t worry if you copy it, just spread it.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

can of white primer spray paint and, in the cases of graffiti on originally white surfaces

Something is white in Spain???

I pondered doing something like that, but nothing comes close to matching "granite." There is a solvent/cleaner sold in the China stores that has some effect on magic marker when rubbed vigorously. I suspect that only paint remover will work on paint.

Just after Mercadoiro there is a wall with a Grateful Dead tribute that has been there for over a decade (it is fading). Music band fans are a curious bunch; rebels with more in common with tyrants than Christians!

 

[RJM]

Like I already said in another post, I think it would be best if the local governments just stuck to simple stone obelisk or monolith shaped markers. No brass plates or any other attached parts. The arrow or scallop simply a relief in the stone. Paint the stone markers solid white and the scallops or arrows bright yellow. Every couple of years or so it is a simple matter of repainting to cover up the inevitable graffiti.
It was nice, but naive of the local governments to put those elaborate and I am sure expensive ones with brass plates, etc as replacements for the simple solid stone ones.

 

[t2andreo]

And I don't understand what any of those slogans mean!

I think it is a generational thing. You and I are waaay past understanding this generation...

 

[JillGat]

Many of the new way markers in Galicia are white. Some appeared to have been painted over a few times. I guess, along with picking up trash, there will need to be volunteer efforts to remove graffiti. Along with this, I would like to see a couple of signs along the way, thanking the folks who clean up the Camino. Might be good to let people know that it doesn't happen by itself. Maybe at least a few will get the message and not contribute to the mess.

I was also saddened by all the local graffiti in Ponferrada, even on historic walls.

 

[t2andreo]

Personally, I would like these taggers and graffiti artists to be made to stand still whilst others spray paint THEM. The punishment should fit the crime.

Okay, I would let them wear a respirator...but not much else. Wanna truly experience your art...well, have I got the perfect sentence for you...

 

[Albertagirl]

Personally, I would like these taggers and graffiti artists to be made to stand still whilst others spray paint THEM. The punishment should fit the crime.

Okay, I would let them wear a respirator...but not much else. Wanna truly experience your art...well, have I got the perfect sentence for you...

This post made me laugh. Thanks @t2andreo .

 

[MinaKamina]

Personally, I would like these taggers and graffiti artists to be made to stand still whilst others spray paint THEM. The punishment should fit the crime.

Okay, I would let them wear a respirator...but not much else. Wanna truly experience your art...well, have I got the perfect sentence for you...

Great plan, but I'm afraid it won't work.
According to http://indiemusicpeople.com/artist.aspx?id=92102 this is what a melted rubber human looks like:

Now this may sound a little counter-intuitive, but the best remedy is apparently imitation. As soon as the pillars of society, the everyday people and the law-abiding grandfathers (-mothers) dress accordingly, all the fun is lost. Not saying that you should, please sleep on it, but it would be a great way to make new friends.....

 

[Dorpie]

Not a fan but so you know... It's a band. An awful band actually. But yeah. It's a band.

https://archive.org/details/LifeIsJustADream

They have virtually no internet presence and that track, which I agree is pretty bad, is 10 years old. I suspect it's just a coincidence.

 

[Clairejruf]

My take on the Wild Sheep was, We are like a lot of wild people and we are following others like sheep.

I think Wild Sheep is a music band.

 

[dgassa]

I wrote about this in my blog. Time For A Rant

 

[Rick Chollett]

I just got to Leon today and I keep seeing swastikas and SS all over.

 

[ClaireJJ]

Our graffiti was Wild Sheep on sign posts for weeks

WILD SHEEP was our graffiti as well. Always made me laugh but it is friendlier than the others mentioned.

 

[Former member 72918]

I finally stopped into a ferretería along the way and got a can of white primer spray paint and, in the cases of graffiti on originally white surfaces, I "erased" some of it.

Vandal!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wisepilgrim]

Something is white in Spain???

Just like me!

If anybody wants to launch a gofundme I would be happy to use the proceeds on cleaning materials and a few days of labor to clean the last 100km.

 

[DeansFamily]

Sad to say, but it was obvious in its green scribble when we came off the Norte.
Last year "wild sheep" was the annoying graffiti along the Frances, but at least not to Santiago (the ink ran out luckily) and a Google search listed it as a German punk rock band. Possibly this is the same culprit who has joined a new band and actually made it to Santiago? Spiritual messages are tolerable, blatant graffiti is not.

 

[Vaughan Bell]

Written hundreds of times on everything.
May they rot in a special hell.

I agree. The other annoyance I have is seeing a lot of the affixed kilometre plaques been removed from the waymarkers, particularly in the last 100 km from Sarria!

 

[1946caminoman]

They have about six fans, but I guess one is on the Camino.

Written hundreds of times on everything.
May they rot in a special hell.

Perhaps a rather extreme punishment for what really is a minor infraction. But to answer your question, I believe it was a rather demented fan, who stalked one of the musicians in the band. I know she got in trouble with the police over this, but it must have been a decade ago. I heard the story through my son, who was also in a band back then. I knew her father quite well. She was a difficult child. He told me she was off to walk the Camino, and that I might bump into her. I think I did see her one day, but she looked very surly, so I didn't approach her.

 

[Robo]

I agree. The other annoyance I have is seeing a lot of the affixed kilometre plaques been removed from the waymarkers, particularly in the last 100 km from Sarria!

The km markers all seem to be back (replaced). Now cemented in !