This week I read a gut-churning article in a Malaysian newspaper that told of the truly gruesome and horrific lengths one local man – tattooed a decade ago in a drug rehabilitation center – went to remove his ink. Unable to afford the hefty price of laser tattoo removal and desperate to wipe his epidermic slate clean, the man turned instead to some sickening D.I.Y.

I’m talking an imported Thai chemically abrasive soap so harsh it shredded his skin like a cheese grater. I’m talking formic acid and hot metal that burned through his flesh almost to the bone.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that the man did not succeed in removing any of his ten tattoos. Instead he added to his body a wide array of infections, sicknesses and permanent scars from which he will never recover. All of this of course begs the question: why would anyone – especially this man whose tattoos are inoffensive and easily covered with the most basic items of clothing – resort to such extremes, maiming his body in the process, in order to get rid of his ink?

One word. It’s one of the most universally recognizable words and definitely one of the most (if not the most) universally controversial topics of conversation. You know what it is. Say it with me now: Religion. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re in or around Fredericksburg, Virginia this weekend, make your way over to Jack Brown’s Tattoo Revival between noon and nine p.m. for some fresh new ink. As part of the annual Tattooing for Community fundraiser, the Tattoo Revival team, alongside Salvation Tattoos’ Fred Pickhardt and Tattoo 702’s Drew Manley, will be giving tattoos in support of the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, with 100% of the proceeds going to the charity.

“Every year it gets harder to find the time and money for charity,” Kenny Brown, co-owner of Jack Brown’s Tattoo Revival, told the local press. “This is our way of giving back and keeping our ties with the community.”

Last year the event raised close to $6 000 for the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault.

For those not interested in tattoos but still interested in contributing, the parlor will also be holding a canned-food drive for the Food Bank. Peeps who bring in three cans of food or more will be given ten dollars off any piercing.

Jack Brown’s Tattoo Revival can be found at 1919 Princess Anne St. in Fredericksburg, VA. Give them a call at 540-899-9002 to find out more info about the event. Click here to learn more about the different ways you can help feed Fredericksburg’s families in need.

Tattoo artist Derek Kastning’s glory didn’t last long. Kastning’s world record of 726 tattoos in 24 hours, set barely a week ago, has already been broken by John “Joker” McManus of West Monroe, Louisiana.

Hundreds stood in line for hours from noon on Friday until noon on Saturday outside Joker Tattoo Shop to receive one of the record-breaking tattoos inked by McManus. His design of choice was a two-inch by two-inch star, which he tattooed onto 775 people at a breakneck pace – at one point completing a tattoo every 45 seconds. His speedy tattoo-gun slinging helped him secure not only the record for the most tattoos performed in 24-hours but also a second world record: 331 tattoos in an eight-hour period, beating the original record of two-hundred-and-forty.

Unsurprisingly McManus was said to be “sleep-deprived and physically exhausted” as he drew the final star on his wife, Shelina, at the end of the 24-hour period, but was still all smiles and choked-back tears as he took his hard-earned place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Thankfully 775 people don’t all have identical, hastily done tattoos for the sole purpose of being part of a record, which – if this past week goes to show – is unlikely to stand the test of time. All of the money made from the event will benefit the Ouachita Humane Society, Toys for Tots and the Louisiana Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

Picture Courtesy of

After a family crisis, 47-year-old Don McClintock of Christchurch, New Zealand – a man who “never liked tattoos” – had the names of his kids tattooed on his neck. Then, in an attempt to change his family’s luck, into his skin went an indelible Lady Luck. Now, seven years later, the only areas of McClintock’s body not covered in Down Under Tattoo artist Steve Johnson’s work are his face, the backs of his feet and some small areas of his inner thighs.

Unsurprisingly McClintock has lost track of just how many tattoos he has, how many hours he’s spent under the needle or how much it has cost him over the years, though he estimates his full-suit’s total price tag to be between sixty- and seventy-thousand dollars.

McClintock’s expensive suit began to pay itself off on November 2^nd when McClintock took home a $1000 prize for best overall tattoo at the Lower Hutt Charity Tattoo Show in – you guessed it – Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. The annual charity event is a combination tattoo/motorcycle/leather/family circus expo (if you can imagine such a thing) that raises money for the Life Education Trust – a charitable organization aimed at providing the children of NZ with “healthbased education” and the “knowledge and skills to raise their awareness to live a fulfilling and healthy life.”

McClintock may be running out of tattooable canvas but will be able to live vicariously through his family, which has begun to follow in his inky footsteps despite having originally found his tattoo obsession strange.

“My family has started to get them now too,” McClintock told the New Zealand press. “I’ve definitely started a craze with them.”

The third tattooer this year has made a run at the Guiness World Record for most tattoos…. Kat Von D did the publicity stunt for her tv show tattooing people with the phrase “LA Ink”, then her ex-husband Oliver Peck upped the anti by breaking her record tattooing 415 people with the #13 on Friday the 13th.

There are two rules for the record the tattoos must be 3.25 by 3.25 and at least 2 colors

Rat-A-Tac-Tat Tattoos in Tyler, Florida … tattoo artist Derek Kastning did 726 tattoos in the 24 hour span for $20 a piece with the cash going to the Humane Society of East Texas.

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Mr Leppard, who spent £5,500 covering his body in leopard-like spots, was the world’s most tattooed man – a crown he held until recently. In his crumbling previous home, he cooked on a gas stove and slept on a bed made from blocks of polystyrene and foam. Tom Leppard – whose entire body is covered in leopard-spot tattoos – lived in a ruined bothy on the Scottish island of Skye for 20 years.
He had a roof made from plastic sheeting, no electricity, no furniture and had to canoe three miles for his weekly shopping. The Leopard Man shot to fame after becoming the world’s most tattooed man – a crown he held until recently.

Courtesy of

Frontman Dallas Taylor of southern rockers MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER was recently featured on Rock Sound TV talking the viewers through his eclectic tattoo collection. Watch the clip below to see Dallas’ mullet angel tattoo and tribute to his nephew.

The press release that the local Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit sent out his below, which informed the local community that some of the equipment found at the Adam & Eve shop has not been sterilized properly. However in a follow up story on the local paper’s website the owner Richard Ellis said “the health unit failed to follow its own protocol. According to health unit policy, sterilization of the disputed equipment is not mandatory. In fact, only bleach is required to clean that equipment, a process that was completed by shop employees,”

If you read the article he says that they actually had a sterilizer, but it doesn’t seem that it was working properly at the time. Since the Health issues the tattoo artist working there has actually quit and they’ve recent replaced him. To me it sounds like the exploding popularity of tattoos has shown a real demand for more critical scrutiny by health officials especially in this case when Adam & Eve Tanning adds tattooing … may be just may be, tattoo buyers need to beware.

*****August 2008 Press Release Below About the Shop Being Forced to Close*******
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is asking all clients who received tattooing or piercing services at the Adam and Eve Tattooing and Piercing in Innisfil between April 29 and Aug. 21 to call the health unit, as part of an investigation into potential exposure to non-sterile equipment.

The business is located at 1070 Innisfil Beach Road. Health unit has ordered the operator of Adam and Eve to stop offering body modification services, including tattooing and piercing, until further notice. Although the risk is very low, the possible use of non-sterile equipment could lead to the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Clients who received body piercing or tattooing services at this facility during the specified time period are asked to call the health unit at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-7250, ext. 8802, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We have no evidence of transmission of infectious diseases, but because of the potential use of non-sterile equipment, there is also a potential risk that we must act on,” said Colin Lee, Associate Medical Officer of Health. “We’re also working closely with the operator to identify clients who might be affected and we are following up directly with them. However, we’re still urging anyone who received these services from this establishment to call us so we can provide information on the recommended followup tests required to help rule out any blood-borne diseases.”

The health unit recommends that anyone who received tattooing or body piercing services from this establishment during that period of time take precautions until evidence of transmission of infectious diseases can be ruled out.

Affected individuals are encouraged to use a condom during sexual activity, avoid sharing clippers, razors, toothbrushes, needles and other personal items. They are also asked to avoiddonating blood until they have been examined by a health care provider.

More information can also be found at www.simcoemuskokahealth. org.

Moore, Oklahoma tattoo artist Phillip Caify has done over a 100 free Barack Obama tattoos…. I wonder how many other shops are running free Barack vs John McCain tattoos…. Short Video of the artist giving a Barack tattoo

In related news the Willamette Week asked Barack if he had any tattoos

Willamette Week: If you had a tattoo, what would it be and where would you put it?
Barack Obama: Uh, I cannot imagine any circumstances in which I would get a tattoo.
W.W.: If you were under duress.
B.O.: If a gun was put to my head?
W.W.: Yes.
B.O.: Then I suppose I’d have to have [his wife] Michelle’s name tattooed somewhere very discreet.
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December 10th Anniversary Special

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