Energy

I know Rollins' backpiece wass done by Rick Spellman, but I was always really curious as to where he got his other tattoos.

They were all by Rick Spellman, weren't they?

What ever happened to Cynthia Witkin?

This seems less like 'This girl is my soulmate' and more like 'I want to make headlines again and go viral'. Hope I'm wrong.

Another vote for Vyvyn Lazonga. I saw her work in tattoo magazines around late 80s, early 90s and flew from Australia to Seattle in 1992 for a sleeve from her. Started in 1992, worked on over the years on different visits to the US, finally finished in 2012 - the 20 year sleeve!

Michie at Sacred Heart is great - check out her portfolio

@Energy Seriously, photos!

I'm the last person standing to not have a camera, or even a phone that takes pictures. Here's a blurry pic of the Don Nolan tattoo using my laptop. It was a souvenir piece from him (I figured for a Sailor Jerry style piece who better than someone who knew Jerry?) but he is still doing large scale Japanese style work!

Nick is a friend of mine. He is a really good dude, and he knows a lot about Canadian tattoo history. He also just purchased a whole bunch of Don Nolan flash that I am going to take a look at next week.

And Don Nolan is still going and putting out great work, at Acme in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I got a tattoo from him earlier this year. Worked with Sailor Jerry, Bert Grimm, Zeke, Danny Danzl, travelled around the world on a boat trading tattoos for supplies...Someone needs to make a film about him!

Nick Wasko was at Sacred Heart in Vancouver a year or so ago I think, and still really into the history. At Sacred Heart on Nelson St they would probably know where he is now at these days.

Paul Jeffries' Smilin Buddha book has a bit about the history of tattooing in Vancouver and Calgary (which didn't seem to have much going on there until he moved there from BC).

Sailor Jerry Swallow was working for the Dutchman in Burnaby a couple of years ago but may be back east now - he'd definitely be someone to talk to as an example of living history - started tattooing in 1960 and has known a lot of people! Would have so many stories.

Dave Shore in BC passed away recently so hope soneone like Nick (or yourself!) documents some of these characters and their tales while they are still around. From the little I know don't think traditional Canadian tattooing has been much different from American.

Thanks Shell! Great suggestions. And welcome to the LST Forum, even though I only joined about 2 minutes before you did. :)

you could try speaking to brett stewart- he's got the australian tattoo museum on the go also jed hill has been around for some time

Great suggestions - I knew of Kiwi Kim but not the other two. Thanks!

@Energy have you considered also John Entwistle in Melbourne as well as ''Kiwi Kim" from Sydney and the really awesome Rick Luder senior still in Perth ?

Great documentary and featuring footage with people like Rollo and Zeke Owen.

Thanks - didn't know the bands featured on this channel (feeling my age!) so checking them out now.

This raises a question - it's so common for bands to be tattooed today, but who started it all? Who were the first bands/musicians to really have tattoos as a part of their image? (and lots of tattoos, not like Janis Joplin who had maybe two, although that was major for the time)

There's Black Sabbath in the early 1970s with Ozzy's tattooed knuckles prominent. Then AC/DC mid to late 1970s with Bon Scott out front (and from the same stable Rose Tattoo with Angry Anderson). Johnny Winter and Greg Allman were around then, but not sure if they got heavily tattooed until later in their career.

Everyone else I can think of - Rollins, Stray Cats, Chili Peppers, Crue, Gunners - are not until the 1980s. So who am I missing? Who else got the ball rolling back in the '70s, or even earlier?

Thanks heaps Duffa. Will post on the general board when I can about the doco. Basically looking for people who have made a difference to the industry in Australia over the years - so far have thought of Cindy Ray and Trevor McStay in Melbourne and Tony Cohen in Sydney. Any suggestions or ideas welcomed!!

Hi @Energy welcome to LST. Now thats a list to be proud of! Would love to hear more about the documentary your working on and who your looking at interviewing :) Depending on who you are already looking at, I may have a couple of suggestions for you ;)

- - - Updated - - -

(And who doesn't love a bit of Rose Tattoo ;))

Got my first at 20 and felt so old to have waited that long! I thought then that you had to have started at 15-16 to have any cred. A quarter century later and still getting tattooed 20 doesn't seem that ancient anymore...

Thanks - didn't know about the Instagram stuff and it's amazing. This whole old photos thread has been fantastic - great time travel. Wish I had something to contribute!

If you guys don't follow him on instagram, Lal Hardy is posting up some serious tattoo history. It is pretty much everyday I get treated to at least a handful of pics from days past. Since I haven't asked permission yet I wouln't post them here but grab his instagram...seriously! Between him and Horiyoshi III there is a lot there!!

Sidenote Freddy Corbin's posts are always entertaining!

For me personally, as a collector when I'm thinking about getting work from someone I look at the portfolio, not the person. Whether or not they are tattooed themselves is irrelevant. They either do work I like and want, or they don't.

I do find it curious someone would want to dedicate their life to this craft but not go through the experience so they can know what it's like on the receiving end. But hasn't ever affected my decision either way!

Take care

Energy

I know!! There's a reason I've been putting that one off :)

Dude. Totally in awe.

Went to Thailand with every intention of getting a temple tattoo...unitl I saw them using the same "needle" and inkpot on all of the people in line for them.

Hello everyone, will try to keep this short!

I grew up in a few places around the world, mostly Australia, and still live on the road so that's why the "From...?" title. I'm a tattoo enthusiast, not a tattooer, and next year I will have been collecting for 25 years.

Got my first tattoos at Tony Cohen's Illustrated Man studio in Sydney - he tattooed the original members of Rose Tattoo and I would say being a fan of that band was what got me started on this journey. After I had got my first tattoo or two a friend gave me a copy of Tattoo magazine imported from the US. It featured the work of people like Jack Rudy - suddenly I was aware of just what the possibilities on skin could be and what was going on beyond Australia at the time in those pre-internet days. So started travelling and collecting over the years, now wear the good, bad and ugly results of my choices, and more interested than ever!

Currently I'm involved in producing a documentary on the history of tattooing in Australia, and I hope to post on this forum to get any input that might help or who might be the people to try and talk to.

In case you're interested have been tattooed by (more or less in order I think):

Terry Roberts - Illustrated Man, Sydney

Tony Cohen - Illustrated Man, Sydney

Creeper - Tattooland, Anaheim

Vyvyn Lazonga - Madame Lazonga's, Seattle

Nino - Rising Dragon, NYC

Kian Forreal - Inner Vision, Sydney

Anil Gupta - Inkline, NYC

Milena Sergi - Bologna, Italy

Yamato Bonten - Tokyo Japan

Jack Rudy - Tattooland, Anaheim

Michie Kojima - Sacred Heart, Vancouver

Mike Parsons - Doc Dog's, Tampa

Sailor Jerry Swallow - The Dutchman, Burnaby BC

Pat Fish - Santa Barbara

Jose Lopez and Abey Alvarez - Lowrider Tattoo, Orange County

Steve Wimmer - Monster Tattoo, Delaware

Tom Renshaw - Eternal Ink, Michigan

Boris - convention

Horimasa - Gunma, Japan

Horiyoshi III - Yokohama, Japan

Brittan 'London' Reese - MD Tattoo, Northridge

Bob Tyrrell - convention

Uncle Tim Heitkotter - Blue Tiki, Kauai

Jake Burton - Fat City, Burnaby BC

Cory Ferguson - Good Point, Oakville

Don Nolan - Acme Tattoo, Minnesota

Next on the list - hopefully Ian of Reading in the UK and a traditional hand poked piece in Cambodia or Thailand

Take care

Energy

Here you go! Let me know if you want to see anything else

Next year will have been collecting for 25 years.

have been tattooed by (more or less in order I think!):

Terry Roberts

Tony Cohen

Creeper

Vyvyn Lazonga

Nino

Kian Forreal

Anil Gupta

Milena Sergi

Yamato Bonten

Jack Rudy

Michie Kojima

Mike Parsons

Sailor Jerry Swallow

Pat Fish

Jose Lopez

Steve Wimmer

Tom Renshaw

Boris

Horimasa

Horiyoshi III

Brittan 'London' Reese

Bob Tyrrell

Uncle Tim Heitkotter

Jake Burton

Cory Ferguson

Don Nolan