fall 2007 online version

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2 EAST COASTINKMAGAZINE Summer 2007 www.eastcoastinkmag.com

stranglehold


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www.eastcoastinkmag.com Summer 2007 EAST COAST INKMAGAZINE 3

full page ad


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tattoos are forever. choose wis

PORT CITY TATTOO COMPANY1305 South College Road Wilmington, NC

910.793.0102


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night life hooligan


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profiles22 scott smallin

32 rodney raines

34 ben miller

36 fuzion ink

12 rob rutherford

shop14 piercing 101

14 portfolio puzzle 101

tattoos at work

13 amanda overholtz

stylin

2022 caroline23 ashley24 beda

25 erica26 allison

27 toshia

got ink?

00 tramp stamp?

29 tattoos from our shop

promo tour

band profiles

50 speed kings

52 the hottness

54 alesana

gallery44 evo love

46 art submissions

48 tattoo submissions

content go

Cover: Model / Luva, Photogrpahed by Sayer, Tattoos by Marco. Sayer really came through with this cover image. We literally donot know who is going to be on the cover until the last minute. One reason is that there are so many great imagages to shoosefrom. Sayer is a true professional and we spent hours on the phone at 3 a.m. talking about the cover. The result speaks foritself. Thanks Sayer ... you rock! East Coast Ink Magazine


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Get Inked.

!"# %& #'() *(+,,(-.+,),/0 12(34 %1

!5!6'!768589

Get Inked.

Taking INK to the next level

:;;./:2;/(2.:+,< -/@/A2:,< B0 C,


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Most of he photos in thsespages were shot on locationduring our Shop Shoots.Big props to the shops thathosted us. It was always agood time.

Hooligans

2020 Onslow DriveJacksonville, NC

910.346.2086

Garrys Skin Grax3398 S Memorial Dr,Greenville, NC

252.756.0600

Phoenix Tattoo1215 Hillsborough St,Raleigh, NC

919.834.8055

Body Piercing by Progress1213 Hillsborough St,Raleigh, NC919.833.4559

Shooting Star Tattoo5323 Yadkin Road,Fayetteville, NC

910.864.7827

The Soapbox Laundro

Lounge255 N. Front St.Wilmington, NC

910.251.8500

Glory Days Tattoo

11458 US Highway 70 WClayton, NC919.359.2444

Shockwave1923 N William StGoldsboro, NC919.735.8287

Port City Tattoo Company1305 S. College RoadWilmington, NC910.793.0102

Cape Fear Tattoo1533 S. College RoadWilmington, NC

910.794.5533

Flaming Amys Burrito Barn4002 Oleander DrWilmington, NC 28403

901.799.2919

Bombs Away Tattoo345 D Western Blvd.Jacksonville, NC

910.353.7625

Straight A Tattoo539 E Dixie Dr.Asheboro, NC

336.328.0579

www.eastcoastinkmagazine.com

INK word

my crewHitting the shops and other related venues for our photo shoots in different cities is agreat way to collect quality tattoo art on a grass roots level.

Many people with great tattoos and piercings never make it to conventions. The chanceto have their ink photographed in order to show their tattoo artist much deserved propsis a very real opportunity and we work hard to make it a good experience.

The shops open their doors for us on Sunday afternoons and invite all their friends andclients, some serious collectors and other shops to come down for a pretty good time.

So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and a waiting list to bephotographed is a great time to talk to other people and make a few new friends.

We work non-stop during these shoots and the hospitable owners of these shopsusually hit us up with a little food and drink just in time. We have also had our hostthrow out a spread for everyone that comes through the door.

Our Photographers for this issue, Scott Smallin, Tim Sayer, Tom Sapp and HeatherRoss make this magazine the high quality publication it is. A quality tattoo shouldbe reproduced in as sharp a photo as possible while illustrating the beauty of it onits wearer. Our section featuring beautiful tattooed women are designed more forphotographic artisitic content rather than just on the tattoo itself. To see the tattoo

enhance the photograph reveals the true beauty of it.Why shouldnt tattoos be considered fine art? Our format is a little different from someof the mainstream magazines on the market. We want to create a unique publicationthat represents the broad ranging variety of people getting tattooed today, presenting itas an artform, not soley for technical precision.

All in all it is a good time to be had by everyone so if you hear about us in a city nearyou come on out and get photographed or just come say hello.

David Melvin,Publisher/Editor in Cheif

Erica Adams and Mike Eaton take a break at Port City Tattoo Company shoot to proofread eachothers work. Erica, in her capacity as Promotional Director, sets up shops for shoots, merchandisin

and writes her Q and A column. Mike, Tattoo Editor, interviews artists and shop owners to write hisprofiles and assists in reviewing tattoos for publication. Both of them are an invaluable asset to thispublication when they arent throwing dice behind a shop.

thanks


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web

people, places and things INK

Creating a cultural forumBy Sarah Peacock

Stemming from a visual book published in 220 whichcataloguedartists in the Wilmington area, Matthew Dolshad the idea to create a non profit organization that would

support the arts and culture of this area indefinately.

Working with web designer Dennis Walsak, CreativeWIlmington kicked off in November of 2005 and has beenconnecting artist with each other and clients ever since.

Based on the idea of active participation by the peoplethemselves, anyone that lives and works in the artscommunity can pay a twenty five dollar yearly membershipfee, which covers hosting and business cards.

Each member has their own page listing their contactinformation and nine images.

An interactive calendar allows you to post and see eventsposted by other members. A valuable tool, this calendargets a wide range of vistors as it is used by many people to

help any person advertise themselves without the need for amiddleman.

This is not an exclusive website. It represents people workingwithin visual, literary, film, theatre, dance, music, and manyother creative fields. It is an ideal vehicle for finding peoplewithin the arts community and having just surpassed itsmillionth website hit, it most certainly is a success.

If you are interested in becoming a member, andgetting your art out there for people to see, go to www.creativewilmington.com and create your own profile andstart checking out the cultural side of Wilmington in a wayyou never thought possible.

Cape FearWine and BeerGetting a good beer doesnthave to be hard and getting onein a nice relaxing atmospherewith a bunch of people who are

also modified and not, is evenmore enjoyable.

Located right on the waters ofthe Cape Fear Rive, Cape FearWine and Beer is serving up thebest grapes and hops have tooffer. You can sit down at a realbar and enjoy your beverage ortake it home with you.

Miake Brandis, President andself proclaimed beer bitchshares her passion for wineand beer and states Its notso much sheer numbers as it isthe quality of the content.

That must be true becausenationally known magazine Beer

Advocate names Cape FearBeer and Wine #1 in Wilmingtonand #3 in North Carolina.

They have FREE wine and beersampling every Wednesdayoffering two varieties of bothwine and beer. They also

discount these featured brandsfor sale that evening.

Free WIFI connection makesa good place to check your e-

mail or work on the next greatAmerican novel.

Go check Maike out and ask herto pick a beer out for you and sitback an enjoy the conversationas she educates you on thefiner points of beer and wine.

106 N. Water Street,Downtown Wilmington, NC910.763.3377

drink anyone?

The Rockin

Roller SalonCheck ot this multicultural salon in the portcity that specializes in subculture hair fromrockabilly pin upto urban street. The rockinroller salon has a educated and friendly staffthat provide our clients with the very best in hair,nail, and skin care.

They offer a variety of services from colorcorrection, cut, manicure, pedicure, facials, andwaxing.

They also offer clients a complimentarybeverage (beer and wine 21+) and wirelessInternet. Catering to men and women of allethnicities and styles this salon rocks!

www.therockinroller.com1015 S. Kerr Ave. 910-796-6603st

yle


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working it out INK

Amanda Overholtz is cov-

ered in tattoos and pierc-

ngs. Her hair, often high-ghted with the her color of

he month, is swept back

o reveal gorgeous glassplugs in her well stretched

ear lobes.

She is also taking verygood care of some very

pecial patients.

As a Veterary Technicianat the Sound Cat Vet-

erinary Clinic, a very clean

and professional hospitalocated in Wilmington, NC.,he has a job that requires

as much skill as it does

ompassion

n light of all the public-

y dog fighting is getting

as a result of the chargesbrought against NFL foot-

ball star Michael Vick, it is

good to know that caring

people like Amanda and

er coworkers are savinganimals by finding them

omes every day.

Amanda moved to Wilming-

on from Indiana with her

ong time boyfriend, Jersey,

a tattoo artist at Cape FearTattoo who supplied Aman-

da with most of her ink.

As a Veterinary TechnicianAmanda has many duties

hat keep her going all day

ong. She is responsible fordrawing blood, assistingwith surgeries, administer-

ng vaccines and the not

o glamorous duties like

he clean up after surger-es and cage clean up. But

he attacks each task with

equal enthusiasm.

In the course of her day

she brings the pets out totheir owners when they pick

them up or receiving themwhen they are dropped off.

Amandas tattoos are

highly visible in her scrubsand when asked if it has

ever been a problem with

the owner, Rose Marie Wil-

liams, she replies,

The owners are OK with it

as long as it isnt anything

offensive.

The clients sure dont seem

to mind. One lady in her70s remarked how beauti-

ful her tattoos were and al-

though it wasnt her cup of

tea she could still admirethe colorful artistry.

Even Dr. Stephanie Candy

confesses to getting atattoo, while in college at

Mississippi State, as she

completed another spaying

procedure on a kitten upfor adoption.

Not every job is as tolerant

of modified employees and it

is refreshing to visit a highly

professional and reputable

animal hospital such as the

Sound Cat that measures

the quality of the person and

not the quantity of ink..

If you live in the Wilming-ton area and would like

to adopt a cat, pay them

a visit. All cats receivephysicals, vaccinated and

spayed or neutered.

Say hello to Amanda, sheis the one with the tattoos.

Just another day on the job:Amanda assists Dr. StephainieCandy with a spaying prodedure. All cats are spayed in order tokeep the populations of unwanted kittens down.

modiedworkforce


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shoptalk

MIKE EATONEAST COAST INK

So, youve nally decided to get that tattoo thats been

on the to do list for what seems like years. Word of

mouth tells you that this is the place and as you walk

through the gleaming neon lights of the shop front, the

crowded, pristine lobby reassures your decision.

The steady harmonic buzz of needles in motion means

that the studio is busy tonight. You take your design to

the front desk, where a trendy young lady with a phone

at one ear scurries off to a nearby room with your im-

age, returns with a price and tells you there will be a

thirty minute wait.

If youre unfamiliar with the tattooing process youre

probably thinking, Thirty minutes? Thats not so bad.

Sign me up.

Youre excited and, understandably so. The anxiety is

playing its part but lets pause for a moment.

How many artists work here? Which one of those is

available in thirty minutes? At the risk of generalizing,

the over-all reputation of a studio isnt necessarily based

on the skills of ALL of its artists.

A tattoo studio employing four, ve or even more art-

ists can often represent a vast array of abilities ranging

from seasoned veteran to green horned apprentice.

The lesson to be learned here is what working profes-

sionals in the tattoo industry world wide know to be true

is that an artists portfolio is his (or her) testament of

their skill and experience.

INK what?

Top and Bottom:

Annie Frezel, a tattoo

artist at Phoenix Tattoo

in Raleigh, NC, goes

through her portfolio

with Tattoo Artist James

Vaughn who was

visiting from Straight A

Tattoo in Ahseboro, NC

Vaughn then pulls out

his digital camera to

show off his work.

Digital cameras are

fast becoming an

integral part of every

artists tools and can

help build a quality

portfolio.


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The tattoo artist is expected to

eep a book that includes various

ictures of their work, thus show-

ng their ability to execute the piece

hat you yourself have chosen.

That little black book of photos

s the record of his lifes work on

uman skin. Artistically speak-ng, it could be said that this is his

most valued possession. If youre

nfamiliar with an artists ability,

lways ask to see their portfolio.

Any good artist will appreciate

hat you want to see their work.

What exactly should one look for

n a portfolio? While the answer

o this question, in reference to

tyle, may be as vast as the artists

who make them, there are always

he basic signs of craftsmanship

which will be apparent regardless

f what the subject matter is.As they say, the devil is in the

etail. Even the most basic of

attoos should show crisp, clean

nes with consistent movement.

It doesnt take a photo of a full

ack piece to show that one is ca-

able of pulling solid line-work. It

ould be argued that the close-up

picture of a small name is a better

reference to lines than a large tat-

too which requires more distance

for the photograph.

A solid portfolio should also por-

tray the artists ability to do smooth

shading and or color, depending

on the clients interest.A common misconception is that

an artist capable of doing a good

portrait must surely be well versed

in all other styles.

While endless pictures of re-

alistically detailed portraits may

show the ability to do good black

and grey work, it shouldnt be as-

sumed that this naturally translates

into a good color tattoo.

A great divide often wedges it-

self into the world of the tattooist,

placing black and grey on one side

and color on another. Though thisisnt always the case, coincidental-

ly, many devote themselves more

heavily to one or the other.

In this way, a portfolio can often

show the predominant style in

which an artist invests himself.

As a tattooist, the development of

a portfolio is generally motivated

by two factors; what the artist

likes to do and what he thinks

will impress the clients walking

through his shops doors.

A portfolio lled with what many

would consider common tattoos

may not hold a candle to the skill

represented by photos of a stylethat is seemingly odd or unfamil-

iar to the average person.

With the craze of todays artist in

pursuit of the all custom prom-

ised land, the opposite is as often

true and the ash just selected

from the wall is sometimes what

pays the bills.

A portfolio should be an object

in a state of continuous develop-

ment. Over the years an artist will

nd himself replacing pictures of

tribal butteries, chosen from a

sheet of wall ash, with images ofthat lower sleeve he spent so much

time drawing and applying.

While the buttery may have

been awless and appealed to a

broad ranging group of the gen-

eral public, it simply found itself

on the chopping block due to the

artists personal taste.

Does size matter? The number

of pictures one chooses to put in a

portfolio isnt necessarily a repre-

sentation of experience.

While page after page of similar

tattoos may show consistency, it

wont keep the attention of the

person ipping through the book.Too much of the same thing can

be overwhelming. No one wants

to feel as if theyre browsing

through Websters dictionary in

the tattoo studio.

That being said, a portfolio with

only a few pages could possibly

suggest its owner is somewhat

new to the business. The develop-

ment of a full, well balanced port-

folio is often the result of several

years work. A motivated artist is

constantly struggling to replace

and renew images with bigger andbetter tattoos. Chances are your

tattooist has done some updating

since the last time you were in. If

so, you can bet that hes eager to

show it off. So, the next time you

walk into an unfamiliar shop, take

a moment to appreciate what they

have to offer. Ask for a portfolio.

what? INK

Fakir Intensive Basic

Branding Course 2007

Body M odification Artist

Branding Scarring and

Body Piercing

Full Rang e Portfolio

Safe and S terile Prodceafe and S terile Prodce-

dures

Large Selection of Body

Jewelry

Drew Kirk

1 years Professional Piercing Experience


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shoptalk

PIERCINGIDENTIFICATION 101

BY SETH CAMERON

BODY PIERCING BY PROGRESS

This piercing is quite possibly the most historicallypopular piercing other than earlobes. The septum

has been found in North American Indian tribes,South American societies (Aztecs, Mayans, and

Incas) and in New Guinea. It has also been

represented in artworks from Egypt and Asia.Today this piercing is generally done with jewelrybetween 16ga. 8ga. Rings, circular barbells or

septum retainers (staple shaped jewelry designedto be flipped up for the purpose of concealment.

When properly placed, this piercing is usually quiteeasy to stretch to large sizes.

The usual healing time for this piercing ranges from1 to 2 months.

INK holes

septum


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This piercing was developed by Eric Dakota and a client inthe early 1990s. Although the original pronunciation of this

piercing is Doth it is not uncommon to hear people referto it as day-th. This name has has roots in Hebrew and

Kabbalistic texts alluding to wisdom and intelligence.

The piercing was originally intended to wear a ring and thatthe bottom hole should be deep enough in the ear canal soas not to be seen. Today many Daith piercing are shallower

with entrance and exit holes more visible, and curvedbarbells have also become a popular jewelry option.

This piercing is generally done with jewelry 16gauge 12gauge and can take up 2 to 3 months to heal.

This piercing is a completely modern piercing that isperhaps the most common and successful piercing thatcan be performed on a single surface of the body.

The ideal jewelry for this piercing is called a surface barbell,which is bent at 90 at the ends (like a staple) in order toeliminate pressure and irritation that would be caused byjewelry shapes like straight, curved, and flexible barbells.Surface piercing are generally done freehand (with outclamps) in order to minimize trauma to the area.

These piecings tend to appear to healed quite quickly andwith out complication although in reality they take anywherefrom 3 months to a year to fully heal.

holes INK

nape

daith


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artgallery

subm

issio

ns

INK express yourself

Jennifer Manchuca,Raleigh, NC

John Fuller,Tattooer

Zekes TattooJacksonville, NC

Piotr O. KopytekFus Custom Tattoo

Charlotte, NC

Kat Norris,Wilmington, NC

Submitting Art for Gallery:

We prefer high resolution images only

in either tif or jpg format. You may email

your submission to:

[email protected]

or mail a CD to:

East Coast Ink Magazine

124-D Bogue Inlet Drive

Emerald Isle, NC 28594


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create INK

Munday,Tattooer,Port City TattooCompanyWilmington, NC

CarolineHedgepethTattooer,Garrys Skin GrafixGreenville, NC

Shaun Bushnell,Tattooer

Glenns TattooWilmington, NC

Steve Clark,Tattooer

Phoenix TattooRaleigh, NC


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WHO YOUCALLIN A

TRAMP?AMANDA KRAFT

EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE

Okay, cmon on now, ladies. Is this term really

fair? Are there truly certain parts of the body

off-limits for fear of looking like white-trash?

Apparently not, because this tattoo continues

to be the one of the most popular amongst

females, despite its infamous nickname.

In fact, the tramp stampcould easily becompared to the too often scorned navel

piercing, the gateway drug to the world of

body modication, if you will. Because

both the bellybutton piercing and the

tramp stamp are easily hidden under your

favorite t-shirt (thats assuming youre

not baring your midriff while running

your errands), they both are a perfect

start for those interested in, but not

yet willing to fully commit to, an

alternative look.

Now this may sound like straight up

B.S. to those of you currently in the

tattoo and piercing industry, and Imsure Im getting few eye-rolls right

now from some of your clients;

however, let us all please be both

understanding and tolerant,

if not supportive of, those

women (and those guys even)

just starting to think ink.

The truth is, not every

tattoo on the lower back

is obligated to make its

collector look like they

just rolled out of a

dirt road trailer park.

Obviously, there are

www.eastcoastinkmag.com

INK talking smack

DUSTI /PHOTO BY DAVID


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many of these tattoos out there as elegant

and well-done as the chest pieces of which

we see more and more often; and, tribal

designs are certainly not the only option

here, although that style is seemingly the

most requested.That being the case, why do we look down

upon the artwork aunted just above the belt?

Perhaps its not the tattoo itself or the area

of skin this tattoo is in that give people this

opinion, but the way some women with the

stampcarry themselves.

Maybe some of us are just too preoccupied by

those other unfortunate distractions in our eyes

view. After all, its pretty hard not to gawk at a

bright pink, micro-ber g-string or even worse,

a buttcrack popping up to say hello to everybody

in hindsight.

The notorious tattooed blogger known as Kou

writes, I absolutely dislike the term Tramp Stamp[Even more so now that] I am getting a memorial tattoo

in my lower back.

Kou, who is from Mexico, goes on to say, I love my

future tattoo, its really special. It was designed in a

moment full of pain and, of course, Im not a tramp.

Those who use this term are indeed ignorant, but

sometimes the wrong people espouse their uninformed

opinion too loud and proud, and all the sudden rumors

become truth.

This situation is best addressed by very talented author and

staff writer for About.com, Karen Hudson. In her enlightening

article, The Iinfamous Tramp Stamp, Hudson explains, Just

because a woman decides to assert herself sexually does not

mean she is sexually promiscuous! Whether we are talkingabout the derogatory tramp stamp issue or about skirts too-short,

she is completely right.

My opinion probably doesnt weigh a whole lot, and Im not

going to get catty here, but this lower back tattoo is really no

different from any other tattoo placed on any other part of the

body.

It is an undeniable fact that there is some ink resting above

belt loops of better quality and content than others. However,

when it comes down to it, opinions are made based on the

way these tattoos are displayed. Like with all visible body

mods, if you dont want the attention, you might want to

reconsider you choice of body art.

Getting tattooed right above your goodies will draw

attention; and, you will most denitely have to dealwith wondering eyes, just as you would have people

grabbing at your sleeved arm in public places.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing

off artwork you are proud of; and, beauty really

is in the eye of beholder. Its your body, so do

with it what you please. Wear those jeans as

low-cut as is comfortable and expose as much

of your backside as you care too with out

incriminating yourself, of course.

AMANDA /PHOTO BY DAVID


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Smiling Scott Smallin.

You might know the name Scott Smallin. His work

is in magazines, web sites, CD covers and quite a

few family albums. This diversity in his experience

makes Scott Smallin the professional he is today.

Anyone that knows Scott will tell you that he is a

hard working easy going guy and a true professionalin his eld.

He started shooting Rock and roll about 7.5

years ago as a way to give back to the music scene

sending and giving away countless numbers of

free photos just to get his name out.

Scott, Dot Com as his friends know him, nally

got a good contact with 31g Recordswhich led to a

contact with Alternative press, a top ranked national

music magazine for which he still photographs quite

regularly for.

About three and half years ago Scott tried his skill at

commercial photography when his buddy started up a

small Graphic design rm called 803 Productions.

Scott did this for two and half years before gettinga corporate offer from McClatchy Tribune which

owns The Sun News in myrtle beach.

McClatchy keeps Scott busy shooting commercial

photos for a glossy Coastal Carolina Dining

Magazine, Coastal Carolina Homestyles, BeachLife

Style, and the alternative weekly called Surge.

National magazine have published his works in

Spin, Bizarre, and recentlyEast Coast Ink Magazine

Liberator and Vesperi Latex are just a few more of

his contracts.

One of his more exciting gigs, as Staff

Photographer for Suicidegirls.com, has him

travelling all over the east coast setting up shoots.

A rock and roll documentary book is currently inthe works which will come up in spring of 2008 on

S.A.F. Records. www.safrecords.com

His web site, www.scottsmallin.com is going

through an upgrade for the rst time in over 3

years. . You can view current works at www.

myspace.com/scottsmallin and www.myspace.com/

scottphotosuicide.

eastcoastinkm

agazine

INK profle

PHOTO/DAVID

One of the most professional and easy

going photographers we have worked

with. Scotts attitude is infectious and

sends out the kind of good vibes that

can turn anyones day into a good one.SCOTTSMALLIN


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ZUI/PHOTOSAYER


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PORCELYN/PHOTOTIMSAYER

PO

RCELAIN/PHOTOSAYER


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AMY/PHO

TOSCOTTSMALLIN


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28 EAST COASTINKMAGAZINE Summer 2007 www.eastcoastinkmag.comKIT

TY/PHOTOTOMSAPP


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www.eastcoastinkmag.com Summer 2007 EAST COAST INKMAGAZINE 29KIM

/PHOTODAVID


30/70


Have you ever asked your

tattoo artist, Who does

your work? Its logicalenough to conclude that

whomever he goes to must

be good, after all, he is a

working professional in

the business. If you live in

or around North Carolina,

theres a good chance that

this is his guy and if not,

then maybe it should be.

His name is Rodney Raines,

his home base is Charlotte,

N.C. and his mission, to

cover as much skin as

possible with some of the

most beautiful tattoo work

on this continent. His well

rounded style, diligent

work ethic and objective

interpretation of his

profession means that as

you read this, hes needling

his way into tattoo history.

His busy schedule means

that hes often working

conventions or doing guest

spots but East Coast Ink

recently caught up with him

at Ace Tattoo, his studio in

Charlotte.

: So Rodney, how

long have you been

tattooing?

RODNEY: I started in

March of 97 so just under

10 years. I remember the

day that I started. It was

in Hendersonville at point

blank tattoo.

: What are your

predominant inuences?

RODNEY: Well, I have a lot

of inuences outside of the

tattoo world. Theres the

obvious tattoo stuff, things

like what Sailor Jerry did

and even tattooists before

that. I like David Waugh,

Joe Capobianco, Phil

Coleman, he helped me

a lot. Ive gotten to know

other tattooers also like

Mike Dorsey, Jack Rudy,

also international people

like Philip Leau, Shea,

theres just too many to list.

: And what about

outside of the tattoo

industry?

RODNEY: Ive always reada lot of comic books. I use

a lot of comic book art, a

lot of fantasy art, things

like JeffScott Campbell

and Frank Frizeta. There

are plenty of different

ne artists that I was a big

fan of even before I was

interested in tattooing,

profles

INK guest spot



31/70


people like Picasso and Goya. I used

anything visual that I could nd.

: Often one draws inuence

without even knowing it.

RODNEY: Yeah, but I also try to

intentionally get outside of the tattoo

world for inspiration. Too much of

the work is looking the same. Even

the people that are being innovative,

theres the next person thats being

innovative beside them. The work just

looks the same. I purposely try to look

as far away from a tattoo magazine as I

can for inspiration. Its not that I dont

look at certain tattooers but its an easy

crutch to fall on, getting on the internet

and going from web site to web site.

I look at a lot of book illustrators and

a lot of comic illustrators. I also liketo look at nature. If Im trying to do a

tiger I dont want to look at someones

drawing of a tiger. Id rather look at

a tiger or a photograph of one. I just

dont want to look at a drawing of one.

I need something more anatomically

sound. Im looking for real things an

not just the easy way out like tracing

what someone else has already done.

: You have a very well

rounded style. Theres a strong Asian

inuence there but youve adaptedthat very well to other things.

RODNEY: One of the things that occurs

to me about Asian work versus typical

American work is that Americana was

started as a tattoo here and a tattoo

there and eventually they realized that

they needed to ll in space. The Asian

inuence, they intentionally looked at

a large area, usually a full body, at least

a full back or a full arm. It was never

a keepsake. It was always a much

grander process and most of the work

that I do is large scale work like sleeves,

backs and ribs. Im already looking at

it on a large scale so even if they want

Americana type tattooing, like a rope

and an anchor, I still dont see it as

something thats just drawn on paper. I

tend to work a lot drawing on the skin

and try to use the layout of the body

and the natural body movement, how

its going to change with the placement

of the tattoo. I think about multiple

angles rather than a symmetrical image

on paper.

: Do you think that how well

adapted it is to large areas is what

attracts sop many people to the

Asian style?

RODNEY: It denitely has a biginuence. Im sure it affects lots of

peoples decisions to do it. And what

Ive seen more than anything is that

people want what theyve already seen.Rather than just getting an idea on the

ride to work, people who want a tattoo

will typically look at tattoos. Honestly,

more than anything, I think thats howI ended up doing so much Asian work.

Its just feeding itself. Its a contagious

thing that way. Ive learned to becareful of what I put in the public eye.

Theres things that Ive tattooed that I

havent necessarily put on my web site

because I dont want to promote that

its the kind of work that Im doing. Youdont want to get roped into doing

something that you dont enjoy. I do

enjoy doing Asian work. I have a lot of

fun with it and people allow me a lootof freedom with it. I dont have a very

traditional Asian style, very far from it.

: Youre one of the few peoplethat Ive seen make blue water in a

Japanese tattoo look good. It seems

to generally take away from the depth

of the piece.

RODNEY: It really takes away the

contrast. It seems like it would be easy

to pull a lot of contrast from some

blue or teal water but a lot of times it

sounds better than it looks. Im not

a big fan of it but at the same time if

someone is set on it, I dont try and talk

them out of it. Ill show them examples

of good versions of each and work it

out from there.

: Many tattooists will go

through periods where they have an

artistic break through. Youve been

tattooing a long time and Im sure

youve had many of them. How do you

reect on those moments?

Rodney: The biggest moments for me

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were getting tattooed by other people.

: So you actually learned more

from getting tattooed than tattooing?

RODNEY: Yes absolutely because not only

are you getting to see the work. You get

to see the preparation that leads up to

it. You get to see the action of the tattoohappening. You get to watch it heal and

you get to watch it grow and change as

your body ages. That can be a lesson that

takes years to really come to fruition.

Getting tattooed by Dave Waugh was a

big step for me. Thats when I got my rst

major forearm work done. The whole

experience of dealing with someone who

was at the level that he was, he was a very

known name, every shop had his ash

and everyone was interested in seeing

the next piece of work from him. At thattime there was no internet. There was

no communication. You would read a

magazine and that was your one option

and that was always a limited amount of

things to see. Getting tattooed by him

really opened my eyes to some different

techniques and a year after that I got

tattooed by Joe Capobianco. That was

another huge step, getting a full sleeve in

two sittings. I sought both of those artists

out because I like their work. Not only did

I want to wear it but I also wanted to learn

from it. Since then Ive been tattooed by 3other people and Ive learned something

from each of those. In some cases I learned

what not to do. One of the things that Ive

tried to hold on to is efficiency in my work,

not to be faster just by working faster but

to waste less movement. Try to work clean

and efficiently so that you dont abuse the

skin and dont overwork it. Just get in ther

and get on out.

: Do you think the tattooist has

his place in the art world today?

RODNEY: They do it pop art but in thegrander scheme its not as far along as I

would like for it to be. You can see it in

ad campaigns and tee shirts. A lot of pop

artists like Mark Ryden, Shag or Coop

have always used the tattoo imagery and

the tattooers have borrowed from their

imagery also. Its always been an outsider

kind of thing but its more accepted now

and its denitely in the pop culture. As

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rodney raines INK

far as it affecting high art,

like museum and gallery

work, only galleries that

are showing pop culture

stuffalready are interested

in that. Ive noticed things

like the Art fusion projects

that guy Atchison and PaulBooth are doing, is denitely

getting attention ion the

high art world. Working

with Alex Grey and his studio

in New York was a big step

but part of me wonders just

how many of the people

that were there watching

it just wanted to watch the

tattooed wierdos doing their

thing and how many were

really paying attention to

the art. Im sure there are a

number of them that were

affected but I also know

that there were a bunch

of them thinking, can you

believe what those tattooed

people are doing? I couldnt

watch the painting because

I couldnt look past them.

Im sure theres still some of

that and theres going to be

some of that but ya know, If

there wasnt some of that, itwould take away what we

all got into this for to begin

with. This was the whole

tattoo game to begin with.

It was pretty Avant Guarde.

People were uncomfortable

around people that were

heavily tattooed and thats

something thats not really

there anymore on the scale

that it was. Now rather than

someone running away from

those people they have to

go up to them and compare

tattoo stories. Its lost a

certain thing that made it

special. The familiarity that

people have with it has

changed things. Its a weird

thing because as it gets

more commercial, people

who arent really invested in

the tattoo community are

starting to make money off

of it. If it starts to get away

from us then it may become

less real and become more

of a fad. If it becomes a fad

then it will go away becausethats what fads do.

: Its difficult to

do an interview without

asking, how do you feel

about tattooing in the

media?

RODNEY: Well in a way itstems from some of the

other things that Ive talked

about. Its been a powerful

stage in helping tattooers to

have a better life. There are

more people coming into

the shop and a lot of money

being spent but it is opening

the door top big business.

Look at what Wallmart does

to a small town. They go in,

knock they prices way down,

they kill offall of the small

town shops and all of those

people end up having to go

and work for Wallmart. They

dont have a way to make aliving anymore and then all

of the money is being made

by Wallmart. The same thing

can happen in the tattoo

community if it lets its guard

down. They could open

shops in every mall and it

would no longer be a special

thing. Its a real danger and

something that we should

think about.

: Have you seen a

difference in what people

want to get in relation to

the television shows?

RODNEY: Its opened lots of

peoples eyes in both good

and bad ways. Its made

people understand that

there can be a little more to

a tattoo than whatever thing

that a friend or coworker

might have. They realizethat theyre seeing a lot

more ideas. The bad thing

is that now everyone thinks

that every tattoo has to have

a story behind itand it

doesnt. It doesnt need a

story and it doesnt have to

have a death involved. How

about just have a good idea

and then get a tattoo? Thats

enough. At the same time,

we are documenting our

lives as we go through these

things. I do have tattoos that

have signigance to me but

I didnt feel the need to tell

the tattoo artist when I was

getting it.

: What do you think

about the direction of

todays convention scene?

RODNEY: I do about twelve

a year now but I try to keep

them as far away from oneanother as possible. Im

doing east coast, west coast,

mid west and two shows

out of the country. When I

rst started, I was working

anything that I could which

was predominantly east

coast, Atlanta, Richmond,

Greensboro and Charlotte.

I still enjoy working those

shows because I have a lot

of clientele there and I get

to see friends but peopledont travel as much to come

to them. Theyre just not

interested because they cant

make any money. There are

just too many shows so I

have to get further away to

be able to see the people

that I use to see. Im working

a few shows in California, the


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profles

INK rodney raines

salt Lake city show, Detroit, Texas, london and Japan. Getting to work

the shows that are further away is a whole lot more fun for me because

I get to see other parts of the world.

There have been several weeks this year where there were two and

three conventions at the same time. Its not helping matters for me.

When I rst started tattooing there were maybe fteen conventions in

the United States and everybody wanted to go to every one of thembecause there were different people from around the world there.

Everybody couldnt go to every one of them but people would really

make an effort to go really far but now people arent even going to

their own convention thats in their own home town.

RODNEY: Do you think that maybe the origins of the convention

have been lost in all of this?

Rodney: Well, at the rst conventions they werent tattooing anyway.

The original guys had it together. They were like, lets go sit in the bar

and tell each other stories, laugh and trade some secrets. That aspect

of it hasnt been lost for me because I still do that. I still get together

with the other tattooers. Thats why I do that. Thats why I travel

so much because I can make better money at home. When I go toconventions I get together with the artists that Im friends with, look at

what theyre doing and show them what Im doing. We get to talk at

length about how the whole thing has come together and do the same

things that people were doing thirty years ago.

ECI: I know that you do a lot of painting. Do you nd that you do

different things with a brush than you do with a tattoo machine?

RODNEY: Absolutely. I prefer to paint different than how I tattoo but

they do cross over. Ill use certain color schemes in a painting to get an

effect and it will work its way into my tattooing. Things will make sense

in a painting and Ill ask myself, why cant I do this on skin? I learn a

lot about color theory by painting because Im not wasting someones

time. The imagery that I tattoo very often ends up in my paintings. I do

a lot of Asian tattooing but I dont do a lot of Asian painting.

ECI: So what do you have going on in the near future?

RODNEY: Lots of traveling, lots of conventions. Im suppose to go to

Japan this year, nally. Its something that Ive been wanting to do for

quite a while. If everything works out, Ill be working a convention just

south of Tokyo in August. Then I have the show in London this year.

Trying to get more international has been a goal that Im nally seeing.

That just exposes me to a lot more artists so that I can continue to

learn more. Right now Joe Capobianco and I have a painting project.

Were going to do a show that will take place in 2008, hopefully. Its

going to be a whole new body of work from both of us and its goingto be themed together. Were going to have some pieces that we paint

together as well. Im just getting to the point where Ive realized that I

have to shell out a painting every week or two so its been pretty high

stress. The shop here has been running well and everyone has been

doing great work. Were just carrying on with the shop and trying to

keep the name and the artwork strong.



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profles

INK Q & A


Ben Miller is an extraordinary artistwho enjoys tattooing traditional

Japanese style. Tucked away in central

Virginia in the small eclectic town

of Charlottesville he is constantly

staying busy with either painting Asian

imagery with liquid acyclic on water

color paper, oil painting in more of a

ne art style, tattooing or running his

newly opened art gallery/shop, Ben

Around Tattoos and OffBeat Gallery.

While he started a full sleeve on a

gentleman named Josh that drove

up 8 hours from Atlanta, I had thepleasure of asking him a few questions

and picking at his brain.

: So you have been tattooing

for 13 years, how did you get into

it?

BEN: I started out in all the

wrong ways, I never got a formal

apprenticeship, mostly self taught.

Had a lot of help from some really

good artist I worked with.

: Who were some of those

people?

Mark Reagan of Old Anchor tattoo

gave me my break into tattooing.

Kim Thomas, Jay Morton and Jon

Hunter had a big part in my start.

Then people like Billy Eason, Tony

Olivas, and more than I can mention

on one page got me to where Im at

today.

ink

: Give me a little run downof where youve been, Ben.

: For the rst four years I

worked out of my house. Landed a

job at a shop that was a hour and

half away from me, I commuted

for almost 2 years. Then I decided

to work closer to home because I

just had a kid and I didnt want to

be that far away in case something

happened. So I started working

for a local shop there. I denitely

have paid my dues at street shops.

I mean everybody starts out as astreet shops. Capital Tattoo was a

street shop when I got to it, but

through all the work we put in and

concentrating on customers that I

actually turned it around from being

primarily street and ash to 99% of

what I was doing was custom work.

: So now since you are

an award winning artist, is it

uncommon for clients to travel to

see you?

Nope, not at all. I have a lot of really

loyal customers. If I cant make it to

the place where they live, then some

of them travel long distances to get

work. After I get to know some of

them to a certain level, I put them

up in my house, they eat my food,

sleep on my couch, they drink my

booze, I tattoo em, pat em on the

butt and send them home. Actually

the farthest Ive ever had someonetravel for work, was this Krishna nun

that was traveling to the US for the

very rst time that had met through

a mutual friend and I did some

tribal on her back and twice in the

last three years she came over from

Norway to get tattooed.

: Youve been called a

marathon tattoo artist, do you

support that label?

BEN: An average tattoo sitting is

about 4-6 hours, but Im not scaredto tattoo 9-10 hours. The longest Ive

ever tattooed anybody was about

19 hours and that was a mistake on

both our parts. Its not canvas it can

only take so much

: I see that you arent using

a stencil on Josh, that you are just

drawing that on. Why do you like

doing that instead?

BEN: Because it allows you to create

the images more to the ow of

the body, because paper is two-

dimensional and you cant make

it match the muscles tone on the

paper. What I prefer to do for large

stuffis take a light colored sharpie

and mark out the major muscle

landmarks and from there just sit the

client down and make the images

work with that.

who is

QABY ERICA ADAMS

EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE


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INK: If you could dene tattoo,

what would be your denition?

A lot of people are really into the whole

deviant end of tattooing, and the fact

that for a long time it was taboo.

I would really like to see it (tattooing)

viewed as another art medium. Not

necessarily just stamps or mementos,

not that I dont have a my share of time

and place tattoos, but I would like tosee people get tattooed because they

like art and wanna have a form of art

that no one can take from you.

INK: When it comes to art and

tattooing what are you into or what

are your inuences?

Lowbrow art, painters anywhere

between Frank Frazetta and Robert

Williams. Robert Williams has been

a huge inspiration as far as my oil

painting and stufflike that. Salvandor

Dali, Caravagio. I like everything fromResistancene arts to Kozik to Giger.


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profles

INK craft


The craft behind

the machine

BY MIKE EATONEAST COAST INK MAGAZINE

For tattoo artist, that buzzing

compilation of parts that you grip within

your hand from day to day is your

livelihood. For most of us it becomes an

undying passion, but how many of us take

the tattoo machine itself for granted?Do you understand how its duty cycle

can affect the temperature of the coils?

Do you know how many grams of tension

should be on the rear spring?

While many tattooists know how to tune

their machines, the ne details of full

build are far out of reach.

It looks simple enough, a frame, some

coils, a few binding posts, but most artists

dont truly understand the intricacies of

this tool. Rob Rutherford is not most

artists.

Hailing from the small town of Sanford

NC, where southern hospitality would

seem to have rubbed off on him quite

thoroughly, Rob Rutherford plies his trade

as a tattoo artist and custom machine

builder.Rutherfords interest in tattooing was

shortly followed by a passionate curiosity

about the tools of this unique trade that

he would struggle to rene over his now

seven years as a working tattooist.

In February of 2002 Rutherford

completed his rst build based on a

traditional Spaulding machine, making

changes and modications in hopes

of customizing its appearance, and

performance while learning subtle yet

valuable knowledge that would catapult

his understanding of every artists prized

piece of machinery. The Spaulding

machine is versatile,says Rutherford.

Anyone in machine building knows that

its good as a liner or a shader.

About ve months later, Rob would

face his next challenge in building a fullycustom machine from scratch. It was

during this time that he would grapple

with the difcult task of coil wrapping

which he describes as, not the most

readily available information. With the

minute differences in every detail of a

tattoo machine, he would slowly, through

trial, error and intensive study, improve

every angle of his creations.

Since that time his machines have

developed into ne pieces of art that any

PHOTO

/TIMSAYER


41/70


craft INK

tattooist would be proud to

have within his collection.

In his convention outings

Rutherford made it a priority

to seek out machines built by

such people as Paul Rogers,

Mike Malone and SethCifferi and photograph these

machines.

By photographing these

machines from every angle

he would study the detailed

craft of those before him to

improve his own endeavors.

With each machine he would

note the ne points that

affect things such as weight,

magnetism, speed, balance,

and strength.

He would also draw images

of the machines that hestudied saying,When you

draw something you really

see it.These photographs

and drawings would reveal

valuable information about

machine setup and the

relationship of its parts.

The setup is what makes the

machine,states Rutherford

In a time where supply

companies are capitalizing

on the abundance of artists

coming into the industry by

selling cheaper, more poorlybuilt equipment, too few of

us appreciate the beauty and

elegance of a well built, well

tuned tattoo machine.

When asked about this

Rutherford replies, There

are those that know and

those that dont. Let the

supply companies make their

buck. Id rather be known

for building a ne tattoo

machine. He doesnt offer

a free machine with a ve

hundred dollar purchase of

green soap, gloves and lap

cloths but it would seem that

he does offer quality andthe all too unfamiliar human

touch.

Traditional values often

come from meeting the right

people,says Rob.

Rutherford is a traditionalist,

not only building and using

his own machines but also

by making his own needles,

which in this day and age is a

fading craft.

To create a clean tattoo is

one thing, but to fabricate the

tools with your own hands isan undertaking that makes the

process all the more personal

for both artist and client.

When it comes time for you

to purchase your next tattoo

machine maybe you should

ask yourself, Do I want a

mass produced machine do

I want a nely tuned, hand

crafted, one off machine built

by a man who studies the

art and uses them on a daily

basis.

The repetitive grind of aworking professional often

has its way of distancing

the artist client relationship

though many would agree

that this involvement from

beginning to end is a standard

that we should all strive to

maintain. contact:

[email protected]

Aussie Liner

Hybrid

Lefty

Mastiff


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LAUREN /CLIFF BUSH, RED DRAGON

DANIELWALL,SHOCKWAVETATTOO

STEVEHUNTSBERRY,IMMORTALIMAGES C

AROLINE/GLENNWILSON,GLENNSTATTOO/PHOTOSCOTTSMALLIN

BOBR

OUTLEY,INKPORIUM


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OTT SMALLIN /JEFF CRIBB HERO TATTOO / PHOTO DAVID

MICHAEL/LA

CIEFRAIN,PHOENIXTATTOO


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JACOB

/MAT

TKERLEY,GARRYSSKINGRAFIX

JAN/ANNIEFRENZELPHOENIXTATTOO


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46 EAST COASTINKMAGAZINE Summer 2007 www.eastcoastinkmag.comKEV

IN/REXBARNES,RELENTLESSTATTOO

/PHOTOSAYER

JOR

DAN/PHOENIXTATTOO/PHOTOSAYE

R

TORREE/GLENNSTATTOOSERVICE/PHOTOSAYER


47/70


KESHIA /JIM CONNOR, ACE HIGH TATTOO / PHOTO TIM SAYER

CIE FRAIN, PHOENIX TATTOO


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48 EAST COASTINKMAGAZINE Summer 2007 www.eastcoastinkmag.comLEE MCFARLAND /PIERCER, BODY PIERCING BY PROGRESS / PHOTO TIM SAYER


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SHANNON/ANNIE,PHOENIXTATTOO/PHOTOTIMSAYER

JARED

RAISOR/BOMBSAWAYTATTOO/PHO

TODAVID

GA

RYROUTH/JAMESVAUGHN,STRAIGHTATATTOO/PHOTOTIMSAYER


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AMAN

DA/KEVINMASHBURN,TATTOOZOO/

PHOTOTIMSAYER

KYRA

/GILL,HABITATS/PHOTOTIMSAYER


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MIKEBONILLA/KIMREED,JADEMNKEY/PHOTOSCOTTSMALLIN


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sound

machine

SPEEDKINGSSince getting together in

2005, The Speed Kings have

been bringing their brand of

real rock n roll to the band

rich and historic Port City of

Wilmington, North Carolina.

After a few lineup changes,

Will, bass, and Jeff, drums,

agree that their current lineup

is the strongest yet. Along with

Andrew, guitar and vocals,

and Axl, lead vocals and guitar,

they are consistently building

a loyal fan base in and around

Wilmington. Jeff says that ever

since their rst show in April

of 2006, the Wilmington music

patrons have embraced them.

Wilmington has been known

for being a hard place to break

in, but once youve proven

yourself theres not a more

loyal, supportive group of kids

anywhere. They have high

expectations and thats a good

thing!, remarks Jeff. Perhaps

the reason they are doing so well

is because they are playing astyle of music that is lacking in

this area....rock n roll...plain,

simple, and raw. The Speed

Kings They draw inspiration

from classic bands such as

AC/DC, The Ramones, Social

Distortion, New York Dolls,

Dead Boys, and US Bombs.

Take a listen to either song on

their MySpace, The Cult of

RockNRoll or Hold Fast,

and youll hear how these bands

have impacted the writing andplaying styles of these guys. Its

loud, fast, and dirty rock music

infused with a punk attitude.

These are old school rockers. In

fact, Will says that there arent

a lot of new bands that impress

him. He sticks to bands like The

Clash and Rancid.

A Speed Kings show is

PHOTOS / TOM

INKmusic


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anything but ordinary. They make it a point to play

shows with a diverse lineup. Having played shows

with country, hardcore, oi, punk, garage, indie, and

metal bands, they like a good mix. Expect to see four

guys having a great time on stage, delivering as much

energy to the crowd as they can. It is denitely afeel-good type of show, intended to make you forget

about your day jobs and obligations, and just take it

the music and excitement.

The guys are currently finishing up their album at Sunset

studios and have plans to tour up the east coast starting

in August. After that...back to writing new material...which

Jeff says will make you want to drive 120mph down the

street. To check out The Speed Kings music and find a

show to rock out to, visit their MySpace:

www.myspace.com/thespeedkings

Wilmington has been known

for being a hard place to break

in, but once youve proven

yourself theres not a moreloyal, supportive group of kids

anywhere. They have high

expectations and thats a good

thing!

Jeff, Drums

speed kings


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INKmusic

THE HOTTNESSWilmington, North

Carolinas The Hottness is

a fusion of ve guys with

different musical tastes and

a passion to play music that

moves people. The band is

comprised of Alex Milam

(drums), E-Rock (guitar),

William Robert Zachary

III (bass), Kyle (guitar and

vocals), and Adam (vocals).

The Hottness, and make

sure you spell that with two

ts, is a southern blend of

rock, punk, and metalcore.

They began playing together

in 2004 and have been

gaining success ever since.

Their driving riffs and and

heavy hitting drums mesh

with Adams powerful

vocals that cut through the

music to deliver an in your

face attack. Their song

writing starts with just a

single riff. After that, E-rock

tells says that its a total

secret. However, Adam

tells me that the big secret

is that they lock themselves

in a room with lots of beer

and pound it out into a song.

This is denitely one of

those bands that you just

have to see live. They pretty

much go full on insane

with their stage antics and

the immense amount of

energy they give to the

crowd. There is certainly

never a dull moment.

They have somewhat

of a cult following in

their hometown. Its not

uncommon to see the

same kids at every show

screaming every word right

back at the band. They enjoy

sharing the stage with bands

such as Goatwhore, From

Graves of Valor, Between

the Buried and Me, and

Predecessor, among many

others. Their cd, Stay

Classy, will be available in

September from Tragic Hero

Records. After that, they

plan on doing lots of touring

and of course, taking over

the world, as Alex would

say. To check them out head

over to www.myspace.

com/thehottnessrock. And

remember, the best way to

experience this band is to

see them live. Theyll leave

you wanting to mutter the

words of our dear friend

Paris Hilton...yeah...thats

hott.

sound

machine

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INKmusic

ALESANAWhere is the band from?

Raleigh, NC - but Shawn &Pat

started the band in Baltimore

MD 2. Who are theoriginal

members? How many member

changes have youhad? -Shawn

and Pat started the band in

Baltimore,moved to North

Carolina because the music

scene is waybetter in Raleigh.

IN Raleigh they met Dennis,

Jeremy,Steve, and Adam.

Then just recently we had the

bassplayer change to Shanefrom Greenville, NC. Recentbass

change...

How do you feel about the

new addition?Where did the

new bassist come from?

We are reallyexcited, Shane

has a lot of energy and that has

been rubbing off on everyone,

not to mention that he is akiller

bass player. Shane used to be in

another band on our old label,

Tragic Hero Records, called

YourName in Vain. Then he

was actually our merch guy for

a few months, one thing led to

another, and now he is doomed

with the rest of us.

What are yourinfluences?

Everyone in the band has vastly

differenttastes, but honestly we

play off of each other morethan

anything. everyone brings their

own style to the table and weend up knitting them all together

into one atrocity or another,

then we name them and call

them songs.

Whats your bands niche?

We call our genre sweet-core

because it really didnt t into

anyone of the more common

genres like screamo or post

hardcore. the heavy parts are

fast and relentless and the soft

parts are melodic and catchy, so

sweet-core seems like the best

name for it.

Hows touring? Thebands

youve toured with?We love it. it is the bestway

for any band to make it just

by going around thecountry a

bunch of times rocking out every

night. andit makes the band a lot

tighter as friends andmusically

on stage and with writing. we

get along withmost bands really

well and we have toured with

somebands 2 or 3 times and

really gotten to know whatjoke

especially get to them... and th

is what makesit all worth whil

How and why did you chang

labels? How is Fearless

Records treating you? How

doyou feel about leavingTragic Hero Records?

As ourpopularity increased ov

time we had a lot of labelsstar

to show interest in us. the

guys at tragic herorecords are

some of the best people i have

ever workedwith, the bands

and the label really are like a

bigfamily. but it seemed like

sound

machine


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fearless records was theright step for us to take and tragic hero was

reallysupportive of us no matter what we decided to do whichhas

been awesome. fearless records is great, it hasthe same family feeling

that tragic hero did and theyhave really helped us get t the next level

and developour careers rather than just try to make money off of us.

What are your most receptive areas on tour?

Pennsylvania, most notably Allentown, California,Texas, Florida,

New York

What are the statements inyour music?

We really try to just tell stories in oursongs that make you think, so

there arent too manyblatant messages in the songs themselves. the

bandjust wants people to not be afraid of being anindividual and

making sure you think about everythingyou stand for and truly believe

it, no matter what it is.

Anti-drug? Anti-violence?

Yeah that is the only really big stance the band takes, we feel

verystrongly about non-violence in general, shows or otherwise, and

no one in the band does drugs or supports anything to do with them.

Does the message make a difference?

haha thats a really good question. who knows? we think it does, but

you cantforce anyone to listen to you and we want kids tothink for

themselves, not just because we say theyshould. but when you are in a

position to push amessage like we are, you have to try whether or not

itturns out to be futile in the end.

alesana


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ANNIE FRENZEL/PHOENIX TATTO

INK submissions

Check out the art we got in the mail

for this issue. As we grow we hope this

section will grow as well.

In this age of digital cameras tattoo

artists are building better portfolios th

ever.

If you are an ar tist and would like to

submit your work for publication, plea

send high resolution les on a CD or D

to:

East Coast Ink Magazine

c/o Submissions

124-D Bogue Inlet Drive

Emerald Isle, NC

If you would like to have your shop

advertised in this section, check out

the advertising tab on our website andownload a PDF media kit with all the

information you need.



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BRYAN HUMPHRIES/CAPE FEAR TATTOO

JAMES VAUGHN / STRAIGHT A TATTOO


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AXL / PORT CITY

TATTOO COMPANY


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www southernsont ttoo com


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fall 2007 online version

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