Squatter (and ex-squatter) documentary, Philadelphia, 2006

[Braleven]

The music sounds old school industrial, pretty rad.

[SparkyBTMP]

Robins squat was really nice!!

[skulldrix]

Rent is theft.

[XXZtormentorZXX]

I know a guy who calls himself Wolfy. He's unusual for his kind, totally straight-edge non-bastard type. I let him crash at my place once, lol I shouldn't call him a genius rather more "spiritual". Fuck, me and this guy have had some interesting discussions. i admire him in a sort of sense...takes a lot of guts to live the way he does. He doesn't even carry a weapon (exception of a flat-crowbar lol). His character made me look at homelessness differently...

[XXZtormentorZXX]

I realized that not all of them are lazy, butt fucking non-creative shitheads with no sense of self worth. Wolfy to me was a good example of a true passionate streeter ((I will miss his ass hahahahaha he took off on the highway to wherever *sigh* :( ))

[XXZtormentorZXX]

Lol this guy made money by either busking or collecting bottles(depending on where he was). He was an awesome musician, loved his piano playing XD. As I said lol I'll miss him and I hope he comes back...

[anarksee]

(N)

[WhollyGhost]

@anarksee

Huh? Is that the 'Conflict' logo???

[Braleven]

@WhollyGhost I think it is the squatter logo (with the arrow going up at the end of the N)

[YsidroheartsHardcore]

@WhollyGhost no retard (N)OMAD

[WhollyGhost]

@YsidroheartsHardcore It's the "no retard" logo.

[anarksee]

@anarksee No;it's my rendition of the International Squatters' Symbol. (A)

[njlacrosse9]

what if you went to a new squat and it was haunted 0_o

[WhollyGhost]

@njlacrosse9 Hey, I lived in a haunted squat! It was an abandoned hotel, which was abandoned due due to a fire in which some people died. It was a really creepy place.

[njlacrosse9]

@WhollyGhost man thats awesome. i live in maryland now (im from south jersey) and me and my friends go to old buildings and hospitals that are suposed to e haunted, but im to mych of a pussy to sleep in one for a night haha. our next adventure is to Midgetville!

[WhollyGhost]

@njlacrosse9 Ha yeah, we used to go to places like Penhurst and Byberry (sp.?) a lot when I was younger.

[njlacrosse9]

@WhollyGhost pennhurst is over in chester isnt it? and if someone doesnt believe in ghosts or is afraid of them then an old hospital would probably make a good squat with some repair. im sure cops check them out alot tho

[daveglass77]

wheres rob banks now ran into him again few years ago he was livin suburban halfway houses great writer and drinkin buddy? I knew some of these kids some still around a few faces in this R.I.P.

[ng416]

I dont understand why you would live under a bridge and steal for food when you have a house and food.

[WhollyGhost]

@ng416

.... me neither..... but I don't think a lot of people who do those things have a house and food. I guess there are people from well-off backgrounds who are having some kind of existential crisis, which I don't understand, but that's their own cross to bear.

[smo1765]

WhollyGhost which one are you in the video?

[WhollyGhost]

@smo1765  Yeah, I'm "coffee shop guy."

[scumgod13]

1300 Laurel Ave known as the Hippie house,the band House,The Mad House,

vacation land and Im sure others. R.I.P.-1991.

[amiekat]

squatting is not punk, nor is it hippie. it's anarchy at it's finest. to declare that they can live without being a slave to the government in ways of work or paying rent and survive on their own. on their own terms.

[WhollyGhost]

@amiekat I agree!

[mrcorpsman123]

@amiekat right on better to have nothing and be free than to have everything and be in bondage

[martydrooo]

@amiekat No, it's self-entitlement and laziness at it's finest. Everyone else works for what they have but they think they are special. If they moved out west to one of the huge forests and built a log cabin home themselves or with their friends, they could have some respect for that.

[thetechnoPIMP]

make more of these films- awesome stories!

[malizmaul]

What I wanna know is why squatting and rebelliing against society and corporate enslavement always has to be "punk," what the fuck? I'm a god damned anarchist and I don't even list to punk, never got in to it.. I do however love the fuck out of death metal. Am I alone? Is this just a trend? I thought punk was against trends.

[malizmaul]

@malizmaul Replying to my own comment here.. I forgot, punk is a trend. Haha.

[WhollyGhost]

@malizmaul -- In the early/ mid-90's it was already 'blase' to identify as "punk" in the Philly squatter world. The music most popular for crusty type squatters was death metal and "horror rap".... I know genres like acid house have a lot of connections with squatting in Europe, but I think people's outlook on squatting in general was always a whole different thing there. Anyways, who cares what music people listen to or how they dress? These hang-ups and cocerns are trivial.

[Nordland45]

Squatters are NOT Punks . They are lazy hippies in black .

[WhollyGhost]

@Nordland45 SO WHAT????

[scumgod13]

@Nordland45 Id like to see ya come in some of the squats Ive crashed in and say that,or even call one person a hippie.See how that worked out for ya.

[epicfatcat]

when is da next squatter documentary!?!

[WhollyGhost]

Whenever you make one!

[uptehpunxxx]

oh ok. i listen to alot of folk punk and in the song "philidelphia" by spoonboy he mentions the oil cans. i wasnt sure what he meant until now.

[WhollyGhost]

Weird! I never heard that band. I hate the term "oil cans", because it makes them sound small, like the things you use to oil a bike chain. They're not cans, they're TANKS!

[uptehpunxxx]

haha it just rolls of the tongue better. i likw i irony of it. i think its fun

[yticilef66]

god you people are boring. Why kill the cat? Idiots

[WhollyGhost]

For what it's worth, I strongly oppose the murdering of cats. I won't say I'm not boring though, ha ha!

[damianbranica]

glad i didnt grow up there...

[seethootss]

most of those squaters in phili arent really squatters, they have their folks paying their way, most of them are college students playing squatter, but no all of them, but most.

[WhollyGhost]

How do you know this?

[seethootss]

because alot of my friends where or are squatters, my 3 closest friends are in planned collapse, i grew up with them guys and they use to play shows in philly and it was well known that alot of those kids where playing squatter, but even though they were playing squat alot of them where still pretty cool people. like i said alot of them where playing squatter but not all of them.

[WhollyGhost]

O OK! Never heard of Planned Collapse. Cool name though. Just asked that because it's one of those things people always say, but when I was squatting *most* (not all) of my fellow squat dwellers were not in that boat, nor was I. Having been a squatter who very much did not have a trust fund or family money to fall back on I'm always irked by that stereotype. Also I don't mind if people who come from money question that or rebel against it. I see that as a GOOD thing, though no excuse to be PHONY

[seethootss]

No i ain't against some good ol'fashion rebellion, haha. but yeah i just remember at one point in philly alot of people had credit cards and trust funds to fall back on. but what ever.

[uptehpunxxx]

i've seen planned collapse in baltimore. i mean if you can get it easy go for it. its still cheaper to live that way. and maybe they enjoy the life style

[jacob7207]

Ahhh, I remember when my brother worked at Ben and Jerry's in University City. One day I was visiting him at work and all these kids walked in and were like "can we have some free samples?" So he just gave them a bunch of free samples cause he didn't give a fuck at the time, then they all started coming back again and again then he was like fuck off and they got all angry, over fucking ice cream.

[seethootss]

sometimes on the fly a free sample saves the day.

[jacob7207]

Yeah, so get a job at Ben and Jerry's and you can have all the free samples and milkshakes you want then when you get off work you can be all gutter punk and deny that you like to eat ice cream.

[seethootss]

BLAH!

[ooJDMoo]

hey man I like your band eulogy, do you possibly have some mp3s or something you could send me?

[z0rmulaut]

fuckin crusty hipsters, just kill yourselves and stop asking me for cigarettes

[Vaiseoquan]

Dear Squatters, stay out of my town, please.

Legit hobos are acceptable, lazy bastards aren't.

[WhollyGhost]

I'm chuckling at the idea that somehow "legit hobos" escape the "lazy bastard" tag in your worldview. Why, because they more often than not have crippling addictions and/or some type of mental illness, whereas the "lazy bastards" are usually just younger people with the same problems?

[WhollyGhost]

Also, where do hobos go to get their certificate of legitimacy? Or is this just an age/appearance thing? Anyone over 45 years of age with an appropriately long beard is welcome to come into town on a freight train and beg for change, anyone under 45 without a beard must skip over your town.... "L.O.L.", as they say on the internet.

[kenny1243]

why they kill a cat =[ assholes

[WhollyGhost]

I agree!

[Modacolorist]

@kenny1243 - & ate it! Ewwwww

[stretchmillz101]

lmao

[reaperofsilk]

does it ever bother anyone who is a full on squatter/crustie, that your whole income is coming from others kindness if they feel like it and that during this time of the so called second great depression with people who have gone to school and worked so hard for what they earned, only to lose it due to foreclosure. does it ever bother you to beg for change when you are just too lazy while these people have to beg to try to get their lives back on top

and live in their own home.

[freebricksful]

No. Not even a little bit.

[SuicideSeattle]

Better ask the families who worked hard for what they had and then lost it all and are now having to be forced to beg for things and if it bothers them because I am sure they will tell you yes it does.

[WhollyGhost]

Whoa, cool to hear from you! Hope you're doing good! -- Justin

[BulletForHitler]

How do I get connected with the people who know where to go as far as squats? It would be nice to do that in Philly. I cant deem to find anyone who knows places to stay though.

[WhollyGhost]

I'm not sure. I'm pretty much out of touch with that world these days.... I have seen some squatter type kids around this summer, but I have no idea where they're staying etc. etc.

[duffmetal1970]

Hey, guys, good to see you! Too bad about the oil refinery...I miss those drum circles...I was thinking about responding to the "lazy for life" guy but I'm just to busy theese days..... Love ya, Shiloh

[zootedloody]

ideo rest in peace

[zootedloody]

i can respect the fuck society attitude, if thats what it is. i really respect the freedom you must get from riding trains. on the other hand when some middle class kid makes a comment bc i didnt give him change or some kid in new orleans is acting tough bc hes dressed like shit and has commited to life long laziness by tattooing his face, its annoying. you might be cooler than me, but it seems more lazy than anything else.

[WhollyGhost]

I don't see any reason why anyone should care what someone chooses to do with their own body (i.e. facial tattooing etc.), and I think it takes a real asshole to be angry at someone for *non aggressively* panhandling. People acting tough or being aggressive when not provoked is never justifiable though. Assholes are assholes, from whatever stratum of society.

[reaperofsilk]

. it really makes some wonder

dont you ever get a feeling of laziness

that your entire life is really just depending on if someone will be kind enough to give you money

or buy an obviously used item they could probalby get at wal mart for a few dollars more.

when it isnt that you have fallen on hard times, much as many have during the recession but more so that your just lazily opting out of society. yet still want to recieve its benefits

money and food.

[213SK8MEDIC]

is that shiloh at 3:28?

[oneiricimperium]

Yes it is.

[scottandsasha]

well e1 is loved from me,know that! may God speed....sasha

[selloutpunk]

bright colors=happiness

[WhollyGhost]

The whole thing is up here. The guy who made it just did it as a student project, so I doubt it'll ever be seen anywhere but youtube. It was hard to get a DVD off of him, and I was even interviewed in it!

Anyway I would suggest just downloading it off youtube, there are programs that allow you to do that.

[xxdigipiratexx]

Is there a place to get a full copy of this?

[14mm2]

wow. wtf.

[juliajak]

wish i'd visit this place someday :) and the music, by the way, is really great!!

peace, j.

[nichmars]

music makes me think of Missing Foundation.

[mattchaos]

ill actually be squatting in philly next month. lookin like a fun city!

[WhollyGhost]

Oil cans.... are those the things you use to oil a bike chain? Ha ha! I never hung out at 1503/5.... maybe once. I live just a few blocks away from that area now though. They tore down the refinery tanks, I guess you probably knew that.

[metalgodess81]

naw I didn't....haven't been to philli for three years now. well I guess things can't last forever.

[metalgodess81]

I used to stay at the oil cans three years ago, and i stayed at 1503, and 1505. Those were the days....oh and I know Robin in this video....hi robin!

[Distillers109]

This is pretty rad! I've always been fascinated with Squatting every since I read about the awesome things Squatters do for communities.

[14mm2]

can't believe you said 'rad' lmao

[AgentDanger3000]

hey, you captured the oil refinery really well. i miss that place!!

[WhollyGhost]

It wasn't anyone interviewed in this video who claimed to have done that. I do believe the person who said they did it was telling the truth.

[flubbspeca]

did you really eat the cat.? or you just bull shittin