Fall 2007 Online Version

www.eastcoastinkmag.
com Summer 2007 EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE 1

ink ink
EAST COAST
magazine
rob
rutherford
crafting custom
tattoo machines
rodney
raines
A man on a mission
ISSUE 2 / VOLUME 1
FALL 2007
$5.00
scott
smallin
meet one of the
hardest working
photographers in
the business
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
FREE
2 EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE Summer 2007 www.eastcoastinkmag.com
stranglehold
www.eastcoastinkmag.com Summer 2007 EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE 3
full page ad
Publisher/Editor in Chief
David Melvin
david@eastcoastinkmag.com
Tattoo Editor
Mike Eaton
mike@eastcoastinkmag.com
Event Planner/Promotions
Erica Adams
erk@eastcoastinkmag.com
Band Proles
Amanda Warren
amanda@eastcoastinkmag.com
Photography
Tom Sapp
Scott Smallin
Tim Sayer
Heather Ross
Contributing Writers
Mike Eaton
Leila Arciero
Amanda Kraft
Seth Cameraon
Amanda Warren
Mike Eaton
Advertising
info@eastcoastinkmag.com
ink ink
EAST COAST
magazine
East Coast Ink Magazine is published quarterly, and distributed FREE of charge to the public, by East Coast Ink Magazine. All
materials copyright 2006 East Coast Ink Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited without
written consent from East Coast Ink Magazine.
East Coast Ink Magazine welcomes contributions: Unsolicited materials must be accompanied by self addressed stamped
envelopes if they are to be returned. East Coast Ink Magazine is not responsible for loss, damage or any other injuries to unsolicited
materials. East Coast Ink Magazine assumes no responsibilities for content of advertisements. Advertisers are invited to contact
East Coast Ink Magazine at: info@eastcoastinkmag.com
East Coast Ink Magazine
124-D Bogue Inlet Drive Emerald Isle, NC 28594
910.548.1896
info@eastcoastinkmag.com www.eastcoastinkmag.com

tattoos are forever. choose wisely.
PORT CITY TATTOO COMPANY
1305 South College Road Wilmington, NC
910.793.0102
night life hooligans
proles
22 scott smallin
32 rodney raines
34 ben miller
36 fuzion ink
12 rob rutherford
shop
14 piercing 101
14 portfolio puzzle 101
tattoos at work
13 amanda overholtz
stylin
20
22 caroline
23 ashley
24 beda
25 erica
26 allison
27 toshia
got ink?
00 tramp stamp?
29 tattoos from our shop
promo tour
band proles
50 speed kings
52 the hottness
54 alesana
gallery
44 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 do
not know who is going to be on the cover until the last minute. One reason is that there are so many great imagages to shoose
from. Sayer is a true professional and we spent hours on the phone at 3 a.m. talking about the cover. The result speaks for
itself. Thanks Sayer ... you rock! East Coast Ink Magazine
Get Inked.
201 N. 17th Street
Morehead City, NC
252-726-3534
Get Inked.
Taking INK to the next level
nccoastcommunications.com
Brochures Magazines Ad Design
Postcards nvitations
Business Cards Posters Flyers
Ink to Ink
Herald Printing in Morehead City, NC received an unusual and
exciting project last quarter when we sent them a print request
for a tattoo and body piercing magazine.
We approached Herald for several reasons, one of which is their
quality and willingness to go the extra mile to work with us on
this frst issue. Another is their proximity. Although most all of
our communication was via e-mail, it was good to walk in the
design department and go over proofs with their experienced
eyes.
Already a company known for their color publications, they
had never had a request for a tattoo and body piercing
magazine, so it was a pleasant surprise for the crew working
the press that day. And they jumped all over it with sure
experienced hands.
I remember watching the cover roll of in these large sheets and
thinking how sharp and brilliant the color was. Registration was
dead on and the fne lines remained fne.
Nothing is worse for a tattoo artist to submit a crisp photo of a
really clean tattoo, only to have registration of just a little and
artifcially blowing the line work out.
Since this was our frst magazine our Customer Service Rep
was on top of everything from day one. It was her input as
too which paper to use that made this such a great looking
magazine.
Reminding us to breath helped a lot too.
They hit every deadline and exceeded every expectation,
which is a rare fnd.
Herald Printing ofers a pretty wide range of services and their
quality is evident in these pages which is why they are top
shelf in our book...er magazine.
David Melvin, Publisher
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m

service INK
Most of he photos in thses
pages were shot on location
during our Shop Shoots.
Big props to the shops that
hosted us. It was always a
good time.
Hooligans
2020 Onslow Drive
Jacksonville, NC
910.346.2086
Garrys Skin Grafx
3398 S Memorial Dr,
Greenville, NC
252.756.0600
Phoenix Tattoo
1215 Hillsborough St,
Raleigh, NC
919.834.8055
Body Piercing by Progress
1213 Hillsborough St,
Raleigh, NC
919.833.4559
Shooting Star Tattoo
5323 Yadkin Road,
Fayetteville, NC
910.864.7827
The Soapbox Laundro
Lounge
255 N. Front St.
Wilmington, NC
910.251.8500
Glory Days Tattoo
11458 US Highway 70 W
Clayton, NC
919.359.2444
Shockwave
1923 N William St
Goldsboro, NC
919.735.8287
Port City Tattoo Company
1305 S. College Road
Wilmington, NC
910.793.0102
Cape Fear Tattoo
1533 S. College Road
Wilmington, NC
910.794.5533
Flaming Amys Burrito Barn
4002 Oleander Dr
Wilmington, NC 28403
901.799.2919
Bombs Away Tattoo
345 D Western Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC
910.353.7625
Straight A Tattoo
539 E Dixie Dr.
Asheboro, NC
336.328.0579
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e
.
c
o
m
INK word
my crew
Hitting the shops and other related venues for our photo shoots in different cities is a
great way to collect quality tattoo art on a grass roots level.
Many people with great tattoos and piercings never make it to conventions. The chance
to have their ink photographed in order to show their tattoo artist much deserved props
is 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 and
clients, 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 be
photographed 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 shops
usually hit us up with a little food and drink just in time. We have also had our host
throw out a spread for everyone that comes through the door.
Our Photographers for this issue, Scott Smallin, Tim Sayer, Tom Sapp and Heather
Ross make this magazine the high quality publication it is. A quality tattoo should
be reproduced in as sharp a photo as possible while illustrating the beauty of it on
its wearer. Our section featuring beautiful tattooed women are designed more for
photographic 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 some
of the mainstream magazines on the market. We want to create a unique publication
that represents the broad ranging variety of people getting tattooed today, presenting it
as 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 near
you 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 each
others work. Erica, in her capacity as Promotional Director, sets up shops for shoots, merchandising,
and writes her Q and A column. Mike, Tattoo Editor, interviews artists and shop owners to write his
proles and assists in reviewing tattoos for publication. Both of them are an invaluable asset to this
publication when they arent throwing dice behind a shop.
t
h
a
n
k
s
drink anyone?
web
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m

people, places and things INK
Creating a cultural forum
By Sarah Peacock
Stemming from a visual book published in 220 which
cataloguedartists in the Wilmington area, Matthew Dols
had 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, Creative
WIlmington kicked off in November of 2005 and has been
connecting artist with each other and clients ever since.
Based on the idea of active participation by the people
themselves, anyone that lives and works in the arts
community can pay a twenty five dollar yearly membership
fee, which covers hosting and business cards.
Each member has their own page listing their contact
information and nine images.
An interactive calendar allows you to post and see events
posted by other members. A valuable tool, this calendar
gets a wide range of vistors as it is used by many people to
help any person advertise themselves without the need for a
middleman.
This is not an exclusive website. It represents people working
within visual, literary, film, theatre, dance, music, and many
other creative fields. It is an ideal vehicle for finding people
within the arts community and having just surpassed its
millionth website hit, it most certainly is a success.
If you are interested in becoming a member, and
getting your art out there for people to see, go to www.
creativewilmington.com and create your own profile and
start checking out the cultural side of Wilmington in a way
you never thought possible.
Cape Fear
Wine and Beer
Getting a good beer doesnt
have to be hard and getting one
in a nice relaxing atmosphere
with a bunch of people who are
also modified and not, is even
more enjoyable.
Located right on the waters of
the Cape Fear Rive, Cape Fear
Wine and Beer is serving up the
best grapes and hops have to
offer. You can sit down at a real
bar and enjoy your beverage or
take it home with you.
Miake Brandis, President and
self proclaimed beer bitch
shares her passion for wine
and beer and states Its not
so much sheer numbers as it is
the quality of the content.
That must be true because
nationally known magazine Beer
Advocate names Cape Fear
Beer and Wine #1 in Wilmington
and #3 in North Carolina.
They have FREE wine and beer
sampling every Wednesday
offering two varieties of both
wine and beer. They also
discount these featured brands
for sale that evening.
Free WIFI connection makes
a good place to check your e-
mail or work on the next great
American novel.
Go check Maike out and ask her
to pick a beer out for you and sit
back an enjoy the conversation
as she educates you on the
finer points of beer and wine.
106 N. Water Street,
Downtown Wilmington, NC
910.763.3377
drink anyone?
The Rockin
Roller Salon
Check ot this multicultural salon in the port
city that specializes in subculture hair from
rockabilly pin up to urban street. The rockin
roller salon has a educated and friendly staff
that provide our clients with the very best in hair,
nail, and skin care.
They offer a variety of services from color
correction, cut, manicure, pedicure, facials, and
waxing.
They also offer clients a complimentary
beverage (beer and wine 21+) and wireless
Internet. Catering to men and women of all
ethnicities and styles this salon rocks!
www.therockinroller.com
1015 S. Kerr Ave. 910-796-6603
s
t
y
l
e
e
a
s
t

c
o
a
s
t

i
n
k

m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e

working it out INK
Amanda Overholtz is cov-
ered in tattoos and pierc-
ings. Her hair, often high-
lighted with the her color of
the month, is swept back
to reveal gorgeous glass
plugs in her well stretched
ear lobes.
She is also taking very
good care of some very
special patients.
As a Veterary Technician
at the Sound Cat Vet-
erinary Clinic, a very clean
and professional hospital
located in Wilmington, NC.,
she has a job that requires
as much skill as it does
compassion
In light of all the public-
ity dog ghting is getting
as a result of the charges
brought against NFL foot-
ball star Michael Vick, it is
good to know that caring
people like Amanda and
her coworkers are saving
animals by nding them
homes every day.
Amanda moved to Wilming-
ton from Indiana with her
long time boyfriend, Jersey,
a tattoo artist at Cape Fear
Tattoo who supplied Aman-
da with most of her ink.
As a Veterinary Technician
Amanda has many duties
that keep her going all day
long. She is responsible for
drawing blood, assisting
with surgeries, administer-
ing vaccines and the not
so glamorous duties like
the clean up after surger-
ies and cage clean up. But
she attacks each task with
equal enthusiasm.
In the course of her day
she brings the pets out to
their owners when they pick
them up or receiving them
when they are dropped off.
Amandas tattoos are
highly visible in her scrubs
and 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 her
70s remarked how beauti-
ful her tattoos were and al-
though it wasnt her cup of
tea she could still admire
the colorful artistry.
Even Dr. Stephanie Candy
confesses to getting a
tattoo, while in college at
Mississippi State, as she
completed another spaying
procedure on a kitten up
for adoption.
Not every job is as tolerant
of modied 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 receive
physicals, vaccinated and
spayed or neutered.
Say hello to Amanda, she
is the one with the tattoos.
Just another day on the job: Amanda assists Dr. Stephainie
Candy with a spaying prodedure. All cats are spayed in order to
keep the populations of unwanted kittens down.
modifed workforce
s
h
o
p

t
a
l
k
MIKE EATON
EAST COAST INK
So, youve fnally 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, fve 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.
The tattoo artist is expected to
keep a book that includes various
pictures of their work, thus show-
ing their ability to execute the piece
that you yourself have chosen.
That little black book of photos
is the record of his lifes work on
human skin. Artistically speak-
ing, it could be said that this is his
most valued possession. If youre
unfamiliar with an artists ability,
always ask to see their portfolio.
Any good artist will appreciate
that you want to see their work.
What exactly should one look for
in a portfolio? While the answer
to this question, in reference to
style, may be as vast as the artists
who make them, there are always
the basic signs of craftsmanship
which will be apparent regardless
of what the subject matter is.
As they say, the devil is in the
detail. Even the most basic of
tattoos should show crisp, clean
lines with consistent movement.
It doesnt take a photo of a full
back piece to show that one is ca-
pable of pulling solid line-work. It
could 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 this
isnt 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 flled with what many
would consider common tattoos
may not hold a candle to the skill
represented by photos of a style
that 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 fash 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
fnd himself replacing pictures of
tribal butterfies, chosen from a
sheet of wall fash, with images of
that lower sleeve he spent so much
time drawing and applying.
While the butterfy may have
been fawless 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 fipping 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 and
better 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.
s
h
o
p

t
a
l
k

what? INK
Fakir Intensive Basic
Branding Course 2007
Body Modification Artist
Branding, Scarring and
Body Piercing
Full Range Portfolio
Safe and Sterile Prodce Safe and Sterile Prodce-
dures
Large Selection of Body
Jewelry
Drew Kirk
10 years Professional Piercing Experience
s
h
o
p

t
a
l
k
PIERCING
IDENTIFICATION 101
BY SETH CAMERON
BODY PIERCING BY PROGRESS
This piercing is quite possibly the most historically
popular 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 jewelry
between 16ga. 8ga. Rings, circular barbells or
septum retainers (staple shaped jewelry designed
to be flipped up for the purpose of concealment.
When properly placed, this piercing is usually quite
easy to stretch to large sizes.
The usual healing time for this piercing ranges from
1 to 2 months.
INK holes
septum
This piercing was developed by Eric Dakota and a client in
the early 1990s. Although the original pronunciation of this
piercing is Doth it is not uncommon to hear people refer
to 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 that
the bottom hole should be deep enough in the ear canal so
as not to be seen. Today many Daith piercing are shallower
with entrance and exit holes more visible, and curved
barbells 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 is
perhaps the most common and successful piercing that
can 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 to
eliminate pressure and irritation that would be caused by
jewelry shapes like straight, curved, and flexible barbells.
Surface piercing are generally done freehand (with out
clamps) in order to minimize trauma to the area.
These piecings tend to appear to healed quite quickly and
with out complication although in reality they take anywhere
from 3 months to a year to fully heal.
s
h
o
p

t
a
l
k
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m

holes INK
nape
daith
a
r
t

g
a
l
l
e
r
y

s
u
b
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
s
INK express yourself
Jennifer Manchuca,
Raleigh, NC
John Fuller,
Tattooer
Zekes Tattoo
Jacksonville, NC
Piotr O. Kopytek
Fus 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:
submissions@eastcoastinkmag.com
or mail a CD to:
124-D Bogue Inlet Drive
Emerald Isle, NC 28594
e
a
s
t

c
o
a
s
t

i
n
k

m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e

create INK
Munday, Tattooer,
Port City Tattoo
Company
Wilmington, NC
Caroline
Hedgepeth
Tattooer,
Garrys Skin Grafix
Greenville, NC
Shaun Bushnell,
Tattooer
Glenns Tattoo
Wilmington, NC
Steve Clark,
Tattooer
Phoenix Tattoo
Raleigh, NC
WHO YOU
CALLIN 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 stamp could easily be
compared to the too often scorned navel
piercing, the gateway drug to the world of
body modifcation, 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 Im
sure 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
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
INK talking smack
DUSTI / PHOTO BY DAVID
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
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 faunted 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
stamp carry 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-fber 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 talking
about 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 defnitely have to deal
with 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
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 professional
in his feld.
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, fnally
got a good contact with 31g Records which 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 frm called 803 Productions.
Scott did this for two and half years before getting
a 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 recently East 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 in
the 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 frst time in over 3
years. . You can view current works at www.
myspace.com/scottsmallin and www.myspace.com/
scottphotosuicide.
e
a
s
t

c
o
a
s
t

i
n
k

m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e
INK profle
P
H
O
T
O

/

D
A
V
I
D
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.
SCOTT
SMALLIN
Z
U
I

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
P
O
R
C
E
L
Y
N

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
P
O
R
C
E
L
A
I
N

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
A
M
Y

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
C
O
T
T

S
M
A
L
L
I
N
K
I
M
B
E
R
L
Y

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
K
I
T
T
Y

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
O
M

S
A
P
P
K
I
M

/

P
H
O
T
O

D
A
V
I
D

Have you ever asked your
tattoo artist, Who does
your work? Its logical
enough 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 infuences?
RODNEY: Well, I have a lot
of infuences outside of the
tattoo world. Theres the
obvious tattoo stuf, 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 read
a lot of comic books. I use
a lot of comic book art, a
lot of fantasy art, things
like Jef Scott Campbell
and Frank Frizeta. There
are plenty of diferent
fne artists that I was a big
fan of even before I was
interested in tattooing,
p
r
o

f
l
e
s
INK guest spot
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
people like Picasso and Goya. I used
anything visual that I could fnd.
: Often one draws infuence
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 like
to 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
infuence there but youve adapted
that 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 fll in space. The Asian
infuence, 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 defnitely has a big
infuence. Im sure it afects 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 how
I ended up doing so much Asian work.
Its just feeding itself. Its a contagious
thing that way. Ive learned to be
careful 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. You
dont 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 loot
of freedom with it. I dont have a very
traditional Asian style, very far from it.
: Youre one of the few people
that 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
refect on those moments?
Rodney: The biggest moments for me
tattoo
artist INK
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 tattoo
happening. 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 frst
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 fash
and everyone was interested in seeing
the next piece of work from him. At that
time 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 diferent
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 30
other 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 efciency in my work,
not to be faster just by working faster but
to waste less movement. Try to work clean
and efciently so that you dont abuse the
skin and dont overwork it. Just get in there
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 the
grander 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 defnitely in the pop culture. As
rodney raines

p
r
o

f
l
e
rodney raines
INK
far as it afecting high art,
like museum and gallery
work, only galleries that
are showing pop culture
stuf already are interested
in that. Ive noticed things
like the Art fusion projects
that guy Atchison and Paul
Booth are doing, is defnitely
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
afected 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, it
would 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 of
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 because
thats what fads do.
: Its difcult to
do an interview without
asking, how do you feel
about tattooing in the
media?
RODNEY: Well in a way it
stems 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 of all 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 a
living 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
diference 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 realize
that 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 signifgance 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 one
another as possible. Im
doing east coast, west coast,
mid west and two shows
out of the country. When I
frst 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 people
dont 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
p
r
o

f
l
e
s
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 frst started tattooing there were maybe ffteen conventions in
the United States and everybody wanted to go to every one of them
because there were diferent people from around the world there.
Everybody couldnt go to every one of them but people would really
make an efort 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 frst 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 to
conventions 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 fnd that you do
diferent things with a brush than you do with a tattoo machine?
RODNEY: Absolutely. I prefer to paint diferent than how I tattoo but
they do cross over. Ill use certain color schemes in a painting to get an
efect 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, fnally. 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 fnally 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 going
to 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.
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
p
r
o

f
l
e
s
INK Q & A
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
Ben Miller is an extraordinary artist
who 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
fne art style, tattooing or running his
newly opened art gallery/shop, Ben
Around Tattoos and Of Beat Gallery.
While he started a full sleeve on a
gentleman named Josh that drove
up 8 hours from Atlanta, I had the
pleasure 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 down
of where youve been, Ben.
: For the frst 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 defnitely
have paid my dues at street shops.
I mean everybody starts out as a
street 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 fash 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 someone
travel for work, was this Krishna nun
that was traveling to the US for the
very frst 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 scared
to 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 fow 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
stuf is 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
Q
A
BY ERICA ADAMS
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
INK: If you could defne tattoo,
what would be your defnition?
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 to
see 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 infuences?
Lowbrow art, painters anywhere
between Frank Frazetta and Robert
Williams. Robert Williams has been
a huge inspiration as far as my oil
painting and stuf like that. Salvandor
Dali, Caravagio. I like everything from
Resistance fne arts to Kozik to Giger.
A lot of my friends in the tattoo industry have been a huge
infuence on me. I owe a lot to Mike Dorsey and Jef Zuck. It
helps to have somebody point it out when your fucking up.
Other artists would be Shige, Filip Lue, Bob Tyrrell, Robert
Hernandez, and I can go on and on with names of artists Ive
been infuenced by and admire.
: What is it about the Asian style that interests you
so?
Well the way it fts the body in tattoos. Its tried and true. From
what I know it seems the Japanese, well they were the frst
ones to put it down into imagery, opposed to tribal, dots, or
words.
: Is it true that Japanese tattoos are supposed to tell
a story?
From what Ive been told traditionally if you got tattoo by a
Japanese master you didnt walk in and say I want a dragon.
You walked in and you sat down you had a meal with him, and
you had tea and then he told you what he was going to tattoo
on you, from what he interacted with you
: What is the story behind the koi fsh tattoo your
doing on Josh?
The legend of longbow falls, if a koi could swim all the way up
and over it he would turn into a dragon.
: If you had a witches brew what would it be?
Two parts rum, one part apple cider, lil bit of this, lil bit of that.
Stir it with a platinum necklace and a lil bit of gangsta lean.
To learn more about Ben check him out at: http://www.myspace.
com/horibenzo
INK ben miller
p
r
o

f
l
e
s
INK craft
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
The craft behind
the machine
BY MIKE EATON
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 fne 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 refne over his now
seven years as a working tattooist.
In February of 2002 Rutherford
completed his frst build based on a
traditional Spaulding machine, making
changes and modifcations 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 fve months later, Rob would
face his next challenge in building a fully
custom machine from scratch. It was
during this time that he would grapple
with the diffcult 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 fne pieces of art that any
P
H
O
T
O

/

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
p
r
o

f
l
e
craft
INK
w
w
w
.
e
a
s
t
c
o
a
s
t
i
n
k
m
a
g
.
c
o
m
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 Seth
Cifferi 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 fne points that
affect things such as weight,
magnetism, speed, balance,
and strength.
He would also draw images
of the machines that he
studied 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 poorly
built 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 fne tattoo
machine. He doesnt offer
a free machine with a fve
hundred dollar purchase of
green soap, gloves and lap
cloths but it would seem that
he does offer quality and
the 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 is
an 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 fnely 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 a
working 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:
www.ironfactoryeast@aol.com
Aussie Liner
Hybrid
Lefty
Mastiff
C
A
T

M
A
N

/

J
A
M
E
S

V
A
U
G
H
N
,

S
T
R
A
I
G
H
T

A

T
A
T
T
O
O
,

A
S
H
E
B
O
R
O
,

N
C

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
LAUREN / CLIFF BUSH, RED DRAGON
B
I
L
L

D
E
R
M
O
D
Y
,

G
A
R
R
Y
S

S
K
I
N

G
R
A
F
I
X
D
A
N
I
E
L

W
A
L
L
,

S
H
O
C
K
W
A
V
E

T
A
T
T
O
O
D
A
V
E

S
C
E
A
R
C
E
,

I
M
M
O
R
T
A
L

I
M
A
G
E
S
S
T
E
V
E

H
U
N
T
S
B
E
R
R
Y
,

I
M
M
O
R
T
A
L

I
M
A
G
E
S
C
A
R
O
L
I
N
E

/

G
L
E
N
N

W
I
L
S
O
N
,

G
L
E
N
N
S

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
C
O
T
T

S
M
A
L
L
I
N
B
O
B

R
O
U
T
L
E
Y
,

I
N
K

P
O
R
I
U
M
SCOTT SMALLIN / JEFF CRIBB HERO TATTOO / PHOTO DAVID
M
I
C
H
A
E
L

/

L
A
C
I
E

F
R
A
I
N
,

P
H
O
E
N
I
X

T
A
T
T
O
O
J
O
E

M
E
T
A
L

/

M
I
K
E

E
A
T
O
N
,

G
L
O
R
Y

D
A
Y
S

T
A
T
T
O
O
A
M
Y

&

D
E
V
O
N

/

J
U
S
T
I
N

P
E
A
R
C
E
.

P
O
R
T

C
I
T
Y

T
A
T
T
O
O
J
A
C
O
B

/

M
A
T
T

K
E
R
L
E
Y
,

G
A
R
R
Y
S

S
K
I
N

G
R
A
F
I
X
A
N
N
I
E

F
R
E
N
Z
E
L
/

J
A
Y

C
H
A
S
T
A
I
N
,

E
M
P
I
R
E

T
A
T
T
O
O
J
A
N

/

A
N
N
I
E

F
R
E
N
Z
E
L

P
H
O
E
N
I
X

T
A
T
T
O
O
K
E
V
I
N

/

R
E
X

B
A
R
N
E
S
,

R
E
L
E
N
T
L
E
S
S

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
J
O
R
D
A
N

/

P
H
O
E
N
I
X

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
T
O
R
R
E
E

/

G
L
E
N
N
S

T
A
T
T
O
O

S
E
R
V
I
C
E

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
A
Y
E
R
M
A
R
C
I
A

/

J
U
L
I
E

H
I
N
E
S

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
C
O
T
T

S
M
A
L
L
I
N
KESHIA / JIM CONNOR, ACE HIGH TATTOO / PHOTO TIM SAYER
J
E
N
N
I
F
E
R

M
A
N
C
H
U
C
A

/

V
A
R
I
O
U
S

A
R
T
I
S
T
S

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
LACIE FRAIN, PHOENIX TATTOO
LEE MCFARLAND / PIERCER, BODY PIERCING BY PROGRESS / PHOTO TIM SAYER
S
H
A
N
N
O
N

/

A
N
N
I
E
,

P
H
O
E
N
I
X

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
J
A
R
E
D

R
A
I
S
O
R

/

B
O
M
B
S

A
W
A
Y

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

D
A
V
I
D
T
I
M

/

M
A
R
C
O

S
U
L
L
I
V
A
N
,

S
O
U
T
H
E
R
N

S
W
A
N
K

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
G
A
R
Y

R
O
U
T
H

/

J
A
M
E
S

V
A
U
G
H
N
,

S
T
R
A
I
G
H
T

A

T
A
T
T
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
K
A
T
I
E

/

P
E
T
E
R

N
E
L
S
O
N

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
A
M
A
N
D
A

/

K
E
V
I
N

M
A
S
H
B
U
R
N
,

T
A
T
T
O
O

Z
O
O

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
C
H
I
L
L
I
N

/

P
H
O
T
O

D
A
V
I
D

M
E
L
V
I
N
K
Y
R
A

/

G
I
L
L
,

H
A
B
I
T
A
T
S

/

P
H
O
T
O

T
I
M

S
A
Y
E
R
K
R
I
S
T
I
N
A

/

B
A
R
T
,

B
O
M
M
B
S

A
W
A
Y

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
C
O
T
T

S
M
A
L
L
I
N
M
I
K
E

B
O
N
I
L
L
A

/

K
I
M

R
E
E
D
,

J
A
D
E

M
N
K
E
Y

/

P
H
O
T
O

S
C
O
T
T

S
M
A
L
L
I
N
M
E
L
I
S
S
A

/

G
L
E
N
N

W
I
L
S
O
N
,

G
L
E
N
N
S

T
A
T
T
O
O

S
E
R
V
I
C
E
M
E
L

B

/

C
O
R
S
E
T
T

B
Y

D
R
E
W
,

S
H
O
C
K
W
A
V
E

T
A
T
T
O
O
s
o
u
n
d

m
a
c
h
i
n
e
SPEED
KINGS
Since 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 frst 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 a
style 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 and
playing 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 SAPP
INK

music
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 defnitely a
feel-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 nishing 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 nd 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 more
loyal, supportive group of kids
anywhere. They have high
expectations and thats a good
thing!
Jeff, Drums
speed kings
INK

music
THE HOTTNESS
Wilmington, North
Carolinas The Hottness is
a fusion of fve 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 defnitely 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.
s
o
u
n
d

m
a
c
h
i
n
e
INK

music
INK

music
ALESANA
Where 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 Shane
from 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 yourinuences?
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 we
end 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 ft 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 whatjokes
especially get to them... and that
is what makesit all worth while.
How and why did you change
labels? How is Fearless
Records treating you? How
doyou feel about leaving
Tragic Hero Records?
As ourpopularity increased over
time we had a lot of labelsstart
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
s
o
u
n
d

m
a
c
h
i
n
e
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
EVO LOVE
e
a
s
t

c
o
a
s
t

i
n
k

m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e
INK expression
BY SARAH PEACOCK
ARTFUEL
The worlds of tattooing and art are fast emerging into the same.
I met Evo Love, a Miami based artist and curator through our
gallery here at Artfuel and was very impressed with her insight
of the art world.
Considered an outsider artist, Evo collects and assembles
everyday objects into art that creates story about her subjects,
much like a tattoor would bring together a tattoo design.
Currently Evos main body of work is a series of 45
colorful icons. She choses inspirational people to depict,
touroghly researching their lives from noted biographies
to insider stories.
Desiring to express their strong voices, she hunts
for just the right objects and then uses them to
refect the personality of the icon. In doing so, she
has created her own personal language.
Tabasco botles used in the Bettie Page piece
refect the pin up legend as being hot, the
movie tickets remind us that Betties abusive
father used them to silence her from telling
people about what was going on in her home.
Needles and thread show the seamstress
side of Bettie.
How well we, as viewers of art
forms, know the subject matter
depends on how deeply we can
read Evos work.
She extends her visual language
to other works; themed pieces that
include chairs, installations, shadow
boxes, all using objects to reveal the
magical wonder that makes up her work.
Marbles portray crazy people.
Numerology appears using dice, ususally
depicting the numbers 2 and 3, or 4 and 5.
The numbers represent Psalm 23 known as the
Lords Prayer and Psalm 45 a love song
At frst glance you may think you see unrelated
arbitrary pieces, however every item in her artwork is
signifcant to the piece. You have to really see to put
it all together and receive the message Evo has vested
within the work.
Evo is the frst to admit the use of toys and other
ephemera may be a way of of recapturing her childhood,
one that was hard at best, which ironically she credits as
the source for her self discipline and self promotion.
Passionately involved in the Miami art scene, she
showcases other artists in guerilla shows. But thats
another chapter.
Check out Evo online at: http://homepage.mac.com/addicts
My tongue is like the pen of someone that writes easily
PSALM 45
e
a
s
t

c
o
a
s
t

i
n
k

m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e

envision INK
Bettie Page Icon Series
James Dean Icon Series
Rockabilly Chair
B
R
Y
A
N

H
U
M
P
H
R
I
E
S
/
C
A
P
E

F
E
A
R

T
A
T
T
O
O
ANNIE FRENZEL/PHOENIX TATTOO
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 than
ever.
If you are an artist and would like to
submit your work for publication, please
send high resolution fles on a CD or DVD
to:
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 and
download a PDF media kit with all the
information you need.
www.eastcoastinkmag.com
BRYAN HUMPHRIES/CAPE FEAR TATTOO
JAMES VAUGHN / STRAIGHT A TATTOO
AXL / PORT CITY
TATTOO COMPANY
SHAMROCK
PRODUCTIONS
CUSTOM TATTOOS
541 Bonanza Dr., Suite 104 8 Fayettevile, nc 28303
910-822-9300
TIM VICTIM, NEW JERSEY
www.southernsontattoo.com
C
A
R
O
L
I
N
E

H
E
D
G
E
P
E
T
H
Garrys Skin Grafx Tattoo Studios
3398 S Memorial Dr. Suite E / Greenville, NC
252.756.0600
caroline@skingrafx.com caroline@carolinehedgepeth.com
coming next issue
cover up
Covering up tattoos is not an easy proposition. However, the right cover up can make your
old tattoo into a completely different bigger and bolder piece of art.
laser removal
Sometimes this is the only option if you want to cover that unwanted ink. Find out why
Tattoo Shops are bringing this technology in house and what it could mean for you.
convention coverage
We are hitting the First Annual Augusta Tattoo Expo and The 13th Annual North Carolina
Tattoo Convention with our camera crew and street team. Find out what we got on lm.
the art of suspension
Our unique photo journalistic look at suspensions shot on location at Straight A Tattoo by
Photographer Tom Sapp.
ink ink
EAST COAST
magazine
John Fuller
CUSTOM TATTOOS
Zekes Tattoo
244 Wilmington Hwy. Jacksonville, NC
(near the triangle)
910.346.9420

Fall 2007 Online Version

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Fall 2007 Online Version

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

www.eastcoastinkmag.

com Summer 2007 EAST COAST INK MAGAZINE 1

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi