Shannon Shirley

we are not the same, a tattoo shop should look PRO. it seperates us from the ink slingers.

for years i had a self imposed uniform, it worked well for me. growing up blue collar ,in the SF bay area, it always seemed normal to me. I quit the elevator trade in 89' and started tattooing for a living. I continued to wear Ben Davis work wear, you know ,striped shirt ,work pants. i would wear that stuff everyday, its easy. not trying to impress but looking professional. After a lot of years, that sort of wear seemed to catch on with the gangsters,thugs etc. so then i guess i looked like my customers. its strange to me, my grandfather worked at the Falstaff brewery south of market in the 50's. thats what he wore. I still wear "Bens" everyday, their my clothes.OK ,I worked for Gtc for quite a few years, speak some spanish, and still remember eating burritos next door at 3 years old. I still cant figure out why even people in the south ask me if im a "cholo". Damn it im a "huero".Hehe. I personally like uniforms. it unifies the staff,looks very PRO. OK ,you go to the hospital, nurses,doctors ,everybodys got cool t shirts on with cool artwork and nifty slogans. im sorry, not so professional. lets act like professionals, instead of the cool people. maybe the slingers will be intimidated.

damn, it all feels so apocalyptic. i hear shit everyday that makes me shiver.

martin worked for GTC for the last 7 yrs he recently moved back to england, not sure where? I am interested in keeping in touch with him,If anyone knows him ,tell him im lookin.

make an offer.

i must be very gullible.but you must realize, its a stupid world.

im just askin , how do we know that chick aint got any? i was helping/ teaching good time charlie's daughter ,Reina ,to tattoo about 20 yrs ago. she didnt have much. And what about Filip Leu, i think he started at the age of 12 ,professionally , i dont recall, but i dont think he had too many. dont get me wrong, i see crappy stuff by people that got no business in the business all the time.but anomalies do exist. im always amazed by the generally unsmart,hehe, and their willingness to sit down with a practitioner that obviously doesnt fit the mold. that chick,excuse me, appeared to know how to do it. she was using disposable tubes, so maybe she learned to do an eyebrow and lip liner first? this whole damn biz is in brutal flux. god help us everyone. If i could go back in time i would. PS , im watchin a f#ckin rerun of miamink and Kat von namestealer just said she started when she was 14 , how inked was she? we all started somewhere. It is easy to throw rocks , if you know what i mean. ask anyone that can tattoo, we all suck in the beginning. PPS : its hard to weed out the f#CKERS.It is thankfully,a free,well sort of, country. lets not get to cocky. I have quickly become a "fan" of this site, im reconnecting with old friends. but everyones opinion doesnt matter , even mine. PPS; GTC started in his car in Wchita with all his designs on the headliner, that wasnt that long ago.hehe. I think he told me he first tattooed his 10 yr old brother.scott's got a early aaron cain on his chest, not so nice. we all started somewhere.

i wanna be on a rainbow too!!

i walked into American Graffitti one afternoon , im thinkin Scott was probably there, I believe it was the late Eric Hogan, had put on the neck of a friend/customer,'' Capricon''. I suggested he get a dictionary. he said" i did look it up" and produced a dictionary with the word misspelled. i believe i suggested he get a better one.

apparently somebody was testing, the "hard 2 kill " tattoo , and its protective charm capabilities.

too dope fer me. Damn im old. i swear i watched the whole thang. too dope n too old.

i personally dont know who knows who Don was I really havent touched a Tattoo Magazine for possibly 15 yrs,but i know there have been articles. all i know was from personal experience. mean crank ! whew! that never was my cup of tea. hehe. i kinda think there might be someone outthere that might cherish this kinda stuff.

appreciated

capt don leslie vinyl signed by Don and lyle Tuttle. not sure of its value would except swaps and or offers.

yes quite the self promoter. FYI ; i was the back cover of the first issue.

thats great. good to hear your still kickin. and im glad you remember me. wheres nate been? missin the biz. but you know ,i cant help but feel its changing at a breakneck speed. maybe we'll cross paths soon.

nice vid,nice camera work.