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PM0705-38_pgsC4,C1-11.qxd
#162 USA $10.00 Canada $10.00 NOVEMBER • 2015 PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID Grand Forks ND PERMIT #322 Publications Mail Agreement #40069018 ★ LIVE FREE OR DIE EXPO ★ THE HOLY MACKEREL ★ STEVE GULBIN ★ issue 162 November 2015 contents 12 Point 2 Point SOM 16 14 Ask Angel The Holy Mackerel 18 staff Publisher Ralph Garza Editor-In-Chief R Cantu Sales Coordinator Michael Gonzales michael@painmag.com Art Director Bill Wetsel art@painmag.com Contributing Writers Elayne Angel Jay Cousins Austin Ray Darin Burt Judi Perkins Tanya Madden APP 20 Sexier Side 26-27 Jenifer Barreras-Kirk Show/Expo 28 Studio Insurance 30 Best Business Card Contest 42, 44 Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo Art Gallery 46 PAINful Classic: Todd Barry’s Artist Profile 40-41 Steve Gulbin advertisers index 99cent Body Jewelry 43 Allan Studio Fixtures 36 APP 21st Annual Conference & Expo 2016 21 APT 7th Annual Tattoo Trade Show 2016 48 Arctic Buffalo 50 Armor Gel 45 Body Art Solutions 24 BodyJewelry.com 37 Body Shock 47 Body Vibe / Salesone 4 Bicknee Tattoo Supply Company 49 Desert Palms Emu Ranch 17 DEScover Up 29 DPS Tattoo Products 7 Eternal Tattoo Supply 52-Inside Back Cover Friction Wholesale Tattoo Supply 13 Galaxy Tattoo Supplies 32 H2Ocean Natural Aftercare 9, 51 Invictus Body Jewelry / Salesone 5 Metal Mafia Cover Sponsor IFC-1 Micky Sharpz USA 10 Back Cover Myke Chambers Inside Back Cover NABink.com 39 Needlejig 25 Nuclear Tattoo Supply 23 Painful Pleasures 6 Palmero Health Care 37 PPIB 31 PRIDE Aftercare 11 Rejuvi Labs 38 Signature Needles / H2Ocean 51 Tat Soul 2-3, 11, 35 Tatt2Away 29 Tatu you 33 Tattoo Goo 15 Tattoo T-Shirt Club 32 Tattoo Vanish 20 Tech Toos 31 Tommy’s Supplies 19 True Tubes 33 Welker Tattoo Needles 52 PAINMAGAZINE 8 Monster Steel Editor Sandy Caputo Account Executive Jennifer Orellana editor@painmag.com jenn@painmag.com 505-332-3003 Executive Assistant Richard DePreist richard@painmag.com 505-275-6049 PAIN Magazine 9901 Acoma Rd. SE Albuquerque, NM 87123 adinfo@painmag.com General Inquiries: admin@painmag.com www.painmag.com www.facebook.com/painmagazine Subscriptions: painsubscriptions@gmail.com Printed in Canada Publications Mail Agreement #40069018 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 737 Moray St., Winnipeg MB, Canada, R3J 3S9 contacts Fax 505-275-6510 Editorial 505-275-6049 cover sponsor Metal Mafia Wholesale body jewelry & piercing supplies. Great selection, fast delivery, awesome service and low prices! #1 Body Jewelry & Piercing Supplier. Shop Now! See pages Inside front cover -1 www.metalmafia.com 866-696-2342 or Email sales@metalmafia.com Copyright 2015 PAIN Magazine. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Pain, Inc. Subscriptions available for $39/year (U.S. funds). Send requests to address listed above. Please mail address changes, and include label from previous issue. For all other information call (505) 275-6049. For submission guidelines, log on to our website at www.painmag.com. Pain, Inc. assumes no responsibility for contents herein. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the writer. Marlo Marquise & Victoria LeMeow at Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo. See page 28 W here has the year gone? We hope you are all enjoying the fast approaching holidays! It is crazy to think that we will be ringing in a new year in just a short couple of months... and thus two of the best issues for the year are coming your way. Start your engines pain readers! First, take a look at the 9th annual Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo that was held this past July! The 127 Artist and Vendor show sold out weeks prior to the start of the expo and we can see why...have you been? Make sure this show tops your list next year as they ring in 10 years! Do you consider yourself a talented artist? If so, let the readers of Pain Magazine be the judge! Please send us your best to editor@painmag.com for a chance to show off your work! Did you know that there is an appropriate level of insurance to carry to keep yourself and your shop from going under in case of a lawsuit? Check out Studio Insurance by Judi Perkins this month to make sure you and your shop are properly protected. Don’t make the mistake that so many other shop owners do. We will see you all next month as we close out 2015! Until then... PAINMAGAZINE 10 PointtoPoint Jay Cousins Jamaica amaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. Kingston Harbor is the 7th largest natural harbor in the world and contributed to the city being designated as the capital in 1872. Jamaica is approximately 600 miles south of Miami, Florida and an airline flight takes passengers directly over Cuba. J Jamaica has a population of 2.8 million. Jamaicans are of predominantly African descent (92%) with significant European, Chinese, Indian and mixed race minorities. Jamaica is best known for its strong global musical influences. Raggae, ska, mento, rocksteady, dub and more recently dancehall and ragga all originated in Jamaica and are popular musical genres worldwide. Jamaica was previously inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taino peoples. The Arawaks and Taino originated in South America and settled on the island between 4000-1000 BC. The island came under Spanish control following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494, Named Santiago, Jamaica remained a possession of Spain until 1655 when England conquered the island and renamed it Jamaica. Under British rule, Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter at 77,000 tons of sugar exported yearly. Its plantation economy was highly dependent on slaves imported from Africa. Full emancipation was granted to all slaves in 1838 and the country became independent from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm with Queen Elizabeth II as its Monarch and Head of State. Jamaica is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with legislative powers vested in the Parliament of Jamaica. According to United Nations crime statistics, Jamaica has had one of the highest murder rates in the world for many years. Some areas of Jamaica, especially cities such as Kingston still experience high levels of crime and violence. Many of the murders in Jamaica are connected to organized crime in the countries urban centers. Most organized crime centers around the illegal drug trade. In 2005, Jamaica had 1674 murders giving it the highest murder rate in the world. Murder rates are dropping in Jamaica since 2011 due to increased police patrols, mandatory curfews and more effective anti-gang activities. When you look at the tattoos people in Jamaica have, a lot of them have to do with memories of other people whether it’s loved ones, family, children or those who have passed away, according to Courtney Buckley, a well known tattoo artist and owner of Klymaxx Tattoos in Jamaica. Phillip Shaw is another well respected tattoo artist in Jamaica and added that Jamaicans also get tattoos of rap stars, DJ’s and popular sports figures. He also said Jamaican men usually get tattoos of animals, crosses and tribal designs. Jamaican women usually get tattoos depicting floral designs. Because Jamaica falls under an English Common Law Model, they loosely follow a set of European Union Laws monitoring the tattoo and body ar t i n d u s t r y. J a m a i c a h a s s e e n s o m e unscrupulous tattooists cut corners on tattoo procedures. According to the Jamaica Online Star newspaper, a teenager claimed she contracted a strain of herpes in 2013 after receiving a lip piercing. “I’m not sexually active,” said the teen. The doctor diagnosed a strain of genital herpes and suspected that the needle used to pierce her lip was also u s e d o n a n o t h e r c l i e n t ’s i n f e c t e d genitals without an intervening sterilization procedure. The Star also reported that the practice of re-using or re-cycling tattoo ink and piercing needles is much higher at large events such as parties that offer the ser vice for free. Prominent Jamaican doctor Jephthah Ford said artists in Jamaica who re-use tattoo and piercing needles should face the full brunt of the law. “Is there a law?” Courtney Buckley sarcastically commented that most tattoos are even older than the law books. According to a well-respected government official in Jamaica, some shops operate under the radar and are illegally run by teenagers looking to make money. Despite the practice of countries such as the United States to implement a law that specifically deals with tattooing of minors and unsafe tattoo and piercing practices, for Jamaica to implement such a law will require a client to die or contract a deadly or life threatening virus for strict tattoo laws to take effect. Tattoo shops in Jamaica are not well monitored or regulated and shop safety is up to the client to ensure they protect their health. There are well run shops in Jamaica that pay close attention to pathogen control and blood borne illness controls. o Jay Cousins works for the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department. He started working for the city in 1985. In 1994 he started working for the restaurant, swimming pool, and body art inspection program. He has approximately 600 facilities in his jurisdiction, including body art establishments. He started doing body art inspections in 1999 and has conducted over 500 body art facility inspections since then. Jay is also a high school and college baseball umpire and works as a fill-in umpire for the Albuquerque Isotopes. PAINMAGAZINE 12 T here are lot of tattoo shops that have piercers on their staff, but few that are owned by a piercer who has tattoo artists as part of the crew. That's how Verno Musselman set out to build Holy Mackerel Studios, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Verno started piercing on the West Coast after attending Cal Tech and working in a soul draining lab tech position. He made his way to the mid-west working in various tattoo shops from Fullerton, California to the Twin Cities area. The issue was that these were places where the focus was on tattooing and piercing was an afterthought. “I wanted to have a space that was well taken care of for me as a piercer,” Verno says. “Many shops where piercers work are owned by tattoo artists, and they don't always have the piercer's best interest in mind. They're not always offering quality jewelry or even hiring piercers who are highly educated.” The original location of the shop was 3,500 square feet, and offered Verno the ability to create an open and inviting environment, and to make space for a handful of tattoo artists to join in his creative endevour. Since opening in 2005, the floor space has doubled to include a huge lobby, two private piercing rooms, and an art workshop. There's an industrial feel to the space, but there are no partitions blocking anyone's view to what's going on. “I wanted a space that's really open for the clientele,” Verno says. “We're pretty booked out, but we take walk-ins when we can. It might be something small, but if we can create a great environment for them, they may come back and get something bigger.” More space means more crew. Working along with Verno at Holy Mackerel Studio are apprentice piercer Nick Christensen and tattoo artists Garrett Meyers, Benny Stanphill, Travis Lee Chavez, Steven Skorjanec, Sam Dunn, and Nick Gagnon. continued on page 22 PAINMAGAZINE 14 Ask Elayne Angel Elayne Angel Author The Piercing Bible—The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing President, Association of Professional Piercers Prince Albert Pointers & The “Lenny” Piercing Dear Elayne, I feel like my piercing skills are just fine, but there are a few things about Prince Albert anatomy and placement that I am just not sure about. I can’t figure out where PA piercings are supposed to go on guys who are uncut. I was circumcised and I find foreskin confusing to deal with even though I’m a guy. Where exactly should a PA go on an uncircumcised man? The other thing is, on some of the heavier men, their penis kind of disappears into their body. Is it okay to put a PA piercing on that kind of build? Thank you in advance R. Dear R., natomy in this region varies quite a bit from one man to the next, so a careful evaluation is important, along with attention to certain fundamental considerations. A Appropriate placement is on the underside of the shaft, just below its juncture with the glans. To locate this spot, you must fully retract the foreskin. If it cannot be pulled back far enough to expose the shaft, the anatomy is unsuited. Uncut men, and others who have webbing along the midline, must have the PA placed slightly off center to avoid piercing through webbed tissue. (Though on builds that are flat along the midline, it is perfectly fine to pierce in the center.) You’ll need to check closely for visible vascularity and work around it. On occasion, I’ve seen men whose entire PA zone is clustered with unavoidable blood vessels. If the piercing would need to be placed 3/8” (10mm) or more from the midline to bypass the veins, it is unadvisable to proceed because the jewelry would rest at too extreme an angle. If there are no such issues to guide your selection of which side to pierce, consider alignment with the urethral opening. Also, sometimes the web overlays or folds to the left or right, and the unobstructed side would be preferred. For safety, there should be at least 1/2” between the piercing and the lower edge of the urethra when the penis is flaccid. While deciding on placement, I always inquire whether future stretches to large sizes are under consideration or already planned. If so, and the man doesn’t have a substantial distance between the piercing and the edge of the urethra, place it a little further down the shaft. To support jumbo gauges, the piercing should encompass at least 5/8” when the penis is flaccid. look. If it remains stable against the shaft, then a PA piercing is feasible—if all of the other conditions are also met. Similarly, men whose anatomy “turtles” (the glans retracts into the pubic mound) can have PA piercings if the jewelry rests without putting pressure against the body. In both cases, I use a lower-profile, customized style of jewelry for the healing period—usually a 10 gauge. It is critical that jewelry never keep the foreskin retracted (prevent it from resting over the glans) for long periods of time. The tissue will swell, filling with fluid causing a condition called paraphimosis, which necessitates medical attention. I select a circular barbell that is two or more diameters smaller than the correct fit and use ring-opening pliers to widen it considerably. I create an extended curved bar in a low u-shape that conforms to the area and allows the foreskin to rest unimpeded, or for the glans to turtle back into the body. Another essential requirement is that the pierced tissue must be stable on the shaft. On some men, the skin that is in the right area when the foreskin is retracted, rolls to the exterior when the foreskin rests naturally. This style has more ease than a regular curved bar, stays centered better, and keeps the balls from resting too snugly against the body. Also, it is much easier to wear a condom over this shape, as compared to a circular piece of jewelry. To test for this, fully retract the foreskin, mark a dot for the desired placement, and then replace the foreskin over the glans. If you can see your mark on the surface of the foreskin, then the individual is not a candidate for a Prince Albert. If you don’t see your dot, lift the edge of the foreskin to Some uncircumcised men are suited for Prince Albert piercings and others must be declined. By adhering to these guidelines, you can help to assure that all of the PAs you do will be successful. o PAINMAGAZINE 16 Dear Elayne, I saw the news about Lenny Kravitz having a “wardrobe malfunction” at a concert when his pants split and showed off his jewelry— a pubic piercing, right? I read that you were the one who did that piercing on him. I have had guys asking about getting a “Lenny” piercing, though some don’t even know where the jewelry is supposed to go. LOL. Anyway, I was taught that pubic piercings always reject so I never did them. Obviously, according to the news anyway, you did his a long time ago—like in the 90s? Is that really true? If so, then you seem to know something my teacher didn’t. What advice do you have about doing pubic (or “Lenny”) piercings? Thanks G. Hi G., Lenny Kravitz does have a pubic piercing that I performed for him back in the mid 1990s, so he’s worn it (continuously, he said) for around 20 years! I’ve found that when certain principles are followed, this piercing heals well and remains viable on a long-term basis. The proper placement for a pubic piercing is right in the juncture where the top of the penile shaft meets the pubic mound. Simply lift the penis to locate the natural crease. For a pubic piercing to be durable the placement should be wider than that of most other piercings: I encompass a minimum of about 3/4” of tissue between entry and exit, and use 10-gauge jewelry, initially. Additionally, the body must be configured with localized anatomy that will accommodate the jewelry. Individuals with a groove that is too deep, or those who are built too narrow may not be suited. If the structures would cause pressure against the jewelry, the piercing should be avoided. Finally, tissue pliability is also a key factor. If the skin there is dense, tight, and doesn’t pinch up well, I decline. I mark for placement with the client standing, though I do the procedure while the piercee is reclining with the back of the table raised at about a 45-degree angle. If the torso is completely flat, the skin is more taut and harder to work with. Doing tissue manipulation before the actual stick helps to separate the layers so that you pierce no deeper than the dermis, and not into the subcutaneous tissue. Lift and roll the skin for 20 to 30 seconds or longer. A curved bar is subject to less friction and stress, but for added stimulation of a partner’s clitoris, a ring can be worn after healing. A captive circular barbell is a great option for that purpose, as the three balls provide a good chance of connecting with the right spot for her enjoyment. When a pubic piercing is located in the correct width of pliable tissue where the penis meets the body, you should have an excellent success rate whether your client is a rock star or not. o PAINMAG.COM By Elayne Angel A Florida health inspector contacted me with an important question that deserves to be addressed, and the information widely shared. Her inquiry was regarding the APP’s stance on the prepackaged “sterile” instruments, needles, and jewelry that are being marketed and sold to our industry. (She had seen an increase in use of these items by piercers in her state.) When she set out to research the procedures used for the sterilization of these products, she reported that she could not locate any manufacturers of body piercing instruments, needles, or jewelry that follow the standards for sterility established in the United States for medical device manufacturers. In the U.S., manufacturers selling sterile products are obligated to follow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR part 820 and International Standardization Organization standard 13485 for sterilization to ensure that their products are safe and effective. These detailed good manufacturing practice (CGMP) requirements form a highly structured system for regulating quality, and govern the methods used in the design, manufacture, packaging, labeling, and storage of all finished devices intended for human use. All items used in a piercing (including jewelry, needles, tools, and any other supplies or equipment) must be sterilized in the studio using an autoclave that is spore-tested regularly. The only exceptions to this would be medical supplies that come directly from a medical supply vendor who adheres to the requisite stringent standards, or a body art industry supplier who can certify that they uphold the same requirements. The APP Procedure Manual describes in- house sterilization: “To minimize the risk of cross-contamination and to ensure that the piercing procedure is as clean as possible, many components of a piercing set-up are disposable. Unless supplies will be sterilized in a Statim autoclave immediately prior to the procedure, all disposables must be individually packaged in autoclave bags, sterilized, and remain in their pouches stored in enclosed, nonporous containers until use. Disposable materials that can and should be autoclaved include piercing needles, corks, rubber bands, cotton swabs, toothpicks, and gauze.” The excerpt below is from my book, The Piercing Bible: The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing: Even in studios where procedures are done only with disposable equipment, an autoclave must be used. A piercer cannot be certain that needles and body jewelry are sent in a sterile state or whether contamination occurs during shipping. Medical suppliers have stringent requirements for sterilization and packaging, but other industries are not held to the same standard. Piercers and body art business owners should pay close attention to this issue for the safety of their clients. It has become clear that many piercers are making the assumption that items touted as “sterile” are ready to use in the studio. However, this may not be the case when the products come from body art suppliers. While piercers aren’t medical professionals, this is an area in which abiding by their practices is entirely appropriate. When you buy “sterile” prepackaged products from body jewelry and piercing supply companies, be aware that they are not bound by the same requirements that govern the medical field. For safety you must sterilize on-site all jewelry and needles, as well as forceps and other tools before use. Only when sterile items are purchased from medical suppliers—who must uphold strict CGMP standards— can articles be considered ready for use without sterilizing in-house. The only exception would be if your body art industry supplier can show you certification that they are following the same stringent standards required by the medical industry. o The mission of the Association of Professional Piercers is to circulate vital ? health, safe ty,and education information to the professional piercing industry, health care providers the general public. 1?888?888?1277 PAINMAGAZINE 18 Business Insider “A few years ago an artist was tattooing his client when the portable light hanging over the client’s leg burst, causing third degree burns and sending him to the ER,” said Jay Pallante, agent for Allen Financial Group. “The claim was about $70K. They paid out on it, because the insurance company found him negligent in his professional liability.” Rewrite that story for shops with only general liability coverage: The client sued. The shop closed. The owner went under. He wasn’t even the artist. Pallante won’t write a policy without a professional liability extension to the general liability base. “It’s like a doctor’s malpractice insurance. The biggest exposure shops have is needle to skin, although they don’t always see it that way. If an owner isn’t willing to cover the studio properly, they can get a basic policy somewhere else.” Another carrier not willing to write general liability only is Crimson Business Insurance. Agent Ambere St. Denis said, ”Vandalism, theft, stolen equipment; general liability is standard. But for a studio, alleging inappropriate conduct or saying the equipment got them ill has to be responded to.” And that can be costly. “Even if it’s found to be frivolous or fraudulent, it slows down operations. Getting a policy to handle that offsets it into the insurance carrier.” Many clients have come to her after learning the hard way, having suffered from improper coverage. “One client had tattooed a minor with parental consent, but the client made allegations of misconduct. The client spent hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket to get it thrown out of court,” said St. Denis. After shutting down operations and starting as a new entity, this time his next move was to secure a professional liability policy. Susan Etter with PPIB (Professional Program Insurance Brokerage) is yet another agent who won’t write anything without professional liability, noting that employees and independent contractors don’t always have the owner’s business interests in mind. Echoing the experience of St. Denis’ client: “We’ve had issues where artists or piercers have suggested in explicit detail to some cute young thing how she can pay for her tattoo or piercing,” she said. “That’s usually a lawsuit; not against the piercer, but against the name on the door. “ continued on page 24 PAINMAGAZINE 20 “My goal with the tattoo artists was to make sure they have everything they need to be creative, and to give them the space to help them grow as artists,” Verno says. “I'm focussed and passionate about my career, and the tattoo artists are as well. I really have to give the tattoo artists props. . . they're in control of their own destiny.” Being a seasoned piercer, Verno is often sought out by those wanting piercings and body mods that are outside the box – tongue splitting, implants, scarifications, you name it, he'll consider it, as long as it's “feasible and viable” and works well with the anatomy. One of the reasons that Verno kept the shop in St. Paul rather than moving to the bigger city of Minneapolis is that the local regulations were more open towards more extreme modification. That includes suspensions. The shop has suspension rigs built into it in the lobby ceiling with anchor points in the floor, and Verno will hold group suspension sessions when there are enough requests. He'll also take groups outside to various locations, like a secluded island on the Mississippi river. continued on page 32 PAINMAGAZINE 22 Studio Insurance continued And then there are problems from unplanned results. Etters tells of the shoulder-to-shoulder tattoo intended to say ‘resurrection.’ “It was done in a hideously rendered, Old English font four inches high and missing an R. You just can’t fix that,” she said. Kim Zem, who owns Velvet Panther, tells of a studio client who impaired a woman’s hearing for life. “He accidentally dropped a tiny ball into the ear canal. Since he could see it, he decided to dig it out.” Instead, he accidentally jammed the ball in the canal and destroyed her ear drum. “Weird things happen that you just can’t anticipate,” said Zem. “She didn’t sue him, but we helped the client out.” Etter notes that not everyone’s as understanding. “The number one thing many shops don’t think about is no matter how careful you are and how good you are at your trade, you can’t eliminate mistakes, and you can’t prevent crazy.” People who like to cause problems. People who complain. People who change their minds. People whose significant others don’t approve of the tattoo or piercing: how it was done, the way it looks, or that it exists, and thus the client charges back into the studio threatening to sue. Pallante tells of the shop that completed a dragon on a woman’s back. She alleged that they had colored the dragon’s eyes incorrectly. “The company said,’ Let’s just be done with it,’ and gave her $3K,” said Pallante. Zem warns of walk ins. “They are the number one accusers. They have no loyalty to the shop or the artist,” she said. “If they’re out of money and need something, they’ll cause an allergic reaction, an ER visit, or accuse the artist of using dirty needles.” Zem teaches classes to studio owners on the details of insurance. “Attorneys are holding seminars on how to sue tattoo studios. And ER doctors don’t realize almost everything is disposable.” All the agents recommend a communicable disease extension. The presence of needles, even disposable, combined with a person looking to profit, can sink a shop fast. Said Etter, “Both MRSA and staph may live in a body but not show up until the skin is punctured. The client has no idea they’ve been carrying it.” She said most of the studios she’s seen are cleaner than many doctor’s offices. “Chances are good the client didn’t pick up the infection at the studio, but who do you think they’re going to blame?” Pallante is baffled as to why with so many needles present, more studios don’t include it in their policy. “A lot opt out. I don’t know why, because it’s really cheap, and it’s very important to have.” St. Denis agrees. “That can be worth the entire policy. We’re talking several hundred instead of losing several thousand for having a claim that the studio might not survive. It’s money well spent.” Zem recommends her clients also purchase a video system, but not just because it helps with theft. “If an artist or piercer is accused of using dirty or unsafe needles, it can disprove that by showing them setting up and opening the package,” she said. “It’s a big line of defense against con artists.” There are also other, more specialized policies available from companies who understand tattoo studios and the trade. Those include coverage for apprenticeship programs, guest artists or piercers, conventions, and permanent make up. But studio insurance specialists agree that general, professional and infectious disease are coverages no studio should be without. “Release forms aren’t sufficient. Studios need insurance for what release forms don’t cover,” said Zem. “Claims are on the rise. Staph is number one. Walk-ins are number two, and customer dissatisfaction can get ugly quickly.” o PAINMAGAZINE 24 WWW.PAINMAG.COM J uly 24th, 2015 marked the first of the three day long 9th Annual Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo at the Radisson in Downtown Manchester, New Hampshire. Despite being one of New England’s longest running tattoo expos and the year preceding their greatly anticipated 10th anniversary, the LFOD Team did not disappoint in creativity, entertainment, or professionalism. Having sold out of 127 artist and vendor booths week’s prior, registration was busy but ran like a well-oiled machine. With an extremely hands-on team on-site all weekend organization is one of Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo’s strongest attributes. Ready with pre-packaged registration packets, a detailed map and schedule, extra hands to help with load in, and plenty of friendly smiles it’s easily the most welcoming tattoo expo in the Northeast. continued on page 34 PAINMAGAZINE 28 To enter your business card in our monthly Best Business Card Contest, simply mail your card to PAIN Magazine, 9901 Acoma Rd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123. Cards are selected based on what we think is cool, creative, or otherwise worthy of attention. All cards will be entered into a contest for “Card of the Year” in 2015. The owner of the card selected by our distinguished panel of judges will win $100. Winner must call in to claim prize. PAINMAGAZINE 30 TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN Shop of the Month continued Verno may do 30-40 piercings a day, but he spends time with each client educating them on aftercare. Long before there was a shop, he would speak to college students about the aspect of professional piercing. “It's not just about soaking (the piercing in salt water),” he says, “I want to educate them on some basic science so there are no problems, and they'll be a better client down the road.” The jewelry used and sold at Holy Mackerel is all top of the line, made from implant grade metals. Companies represented include Anatomical, Industrial Strength, Body Circle, Body, Body Regime, Scylla, Gorilla Glass, Glassware, Maya, and Tawapa. Want something flashy? Verno will show you a piece in gold with hand-set gemstones, and if you don't find exactly what you're looking for, he'll handcraft it for you personally. “I tell people to think fine jewelry rather than body jewelry,” he says. Everything about The Holy Mackerel is of the highest standard, as matter of fact, and that includes the ideals. It's Verno's mission is to champion others to grow personally and artistically so that can reach the top level of their craft. “There's enough talent in the shop for clients to get anything done as long as it's feasible and ethical,” he says, “. . . it's just become a little mecca of body art.” O PAINMAGAZINE 32 PAINMAG.COM Sponsored by MOM’s of Manchester and supporting The Friends of Manchester Animal Shelter, the hallways outside the venue were lined with motorcycle eye candy and adorable pooches up for adoption, both of which tugged at heart strings all weekend long. Besides the expected entertainment of live tattooing by amazing artists such as Tebori Tattooist, Takashi Matsuba, Chad Chase of Venom Ink, and Tyler Malek of Underworld Tattoo Company; this expo offers a packed entertainment schedule leaving no time for boredom. Performing 7 shows throughout the weekend was the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. Sword swallowing, glass dancing, phone book tearing, and optical illusions filled their set thrilling the consistently full crowd of children and adults! The always lovely and poised Miss Marlo Marquise has forever been one of the most enjoyable performers at this expo. Accompanied this year by Victoria LeMeow, their multiple back to back suspension performances were awe inspiring, sexy, and downright wild! A popular staple at LFOD is their annual Pin-Up Pageant, themed this year as “Roarin’ 20s”, but a new addition was the Beard & Moustache contest sponsored by Killer Beard Oil. Filling in the gaps between stage performances were multiple tattoo contests with an endless amount of sign-ups and impressive award winners. It was truly a great weekend at the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo and next year’s 10th Anniversary promises to be even better! If you’ve yet to check out this expo, 2016 is surely the year to do it! We’ll see you there! O Note from the President of Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo: My sincerest thanks go out to the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo longtime supporters and serious talent such as Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter, Tommy Supply, Marlo Marquise and her amazing team, the Coney Island Sideshow, Venom Ink, Jim’s Tattoo, Spider-Bite, and the amazingly talented artists at Tattoo Angus. To my staff Emilie, Michael, Lacey, and Jennifer: I hope you all know I could never do any of this without you. I am looking forward to celebrating 10 amazing years of LFOD with everyone next year! -Jon Thomas PAINMAGAZINE 34 PAINMAG.COM PAINMAGAZINE 38 “This is one of the only industries in which the customer is not always right,” said Steve Gulbin, co-owner of Marc’s Tattooing in Wilkes-Barre, PA, talking about clients who aren’t set up for what they want. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s talk about something else.’” Sometimes they walk out the door, looking for the piercer who will do what Gulbin won’t. “And exactly what I feared would happen, happens. Improper placement. It doesn’t lay right. Or the healing won’t happen.” He turns clients down more often than he’d like to. “Sometimes it’s like a girl asking for a Prince Albert. She doesn’t have the right equipment for it.” Gulbin welcomes them back with open arms and turns them into lifetime clients. “I’m not going to do something that will hurt someone just to make a buck.” Gulbin was attracted to the technical aspects of piercing. “I look at it for the symmetry, like an architect would. How it’s going to look in the end. How it will heal.” He’s not into what he calls the spiritual side,”the traditional tribal, ritualistic aspect.” Suspension, large gauge piercings and intense body modification. “I have nothing against it though, and I’m happy to comply with that if that’s what the person wants,” said Gulbin. “I have a lot of piercer friends who are into it, like Jon (Owens – co-owner), and they’re awesome piercers and awesome dudes.” What Gulbin does object to, however, are people who think they know how to pierce. He’s a big proponent of apprenticeships, has had one himself and accepts apprentices. “Too many people pick up a needle and start piercing people. If you want to pierce yourself and you want to experiment on yourself, you have the right to do that,” he said. “But when you pick up a needle without training and start piercing other people that’s where I draw the line.” O Marc’s Tattooing Wilkes-Barre, PA @Marcs309 PAINMAGAZINE 40 PAINMAG.COM Cee Jay “Inky” Jones Sassmouth Ink zzzMI Riverview, zzz Johnny Markiano Vanity Tattoo Roselle, IL Chuck Deluxe Mellow Madness Tattoo Parlor Rochester, NY PAINMAGAZINE 42 Tonii Florrez House of Pain Josh Clayton West Town Tattoo Chicago, IL Kayla Sunell Minneapolis Tattoo Shop Minneapolis, MN PAINMAGAZINE 44 Ryan Ouellette Precision Body Arts Nashua, NH Serious Protection for Your Tattoo! 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I wonder if it’s like every bathroom I’ve ever been in… in my entire life…including the one at the bus station?” Out of context, these barbs may sound uninteresting, juvenile or lacking in insight, but again, it’s all in the delivery, the unraveling. He starts with a simple premise like “Young people use stupid phrases,” points to a couple of them, then spirals out from there, referring to community-college students as old Bluesmen, then soliciting fruit suggestions from the audience to further point out the silliness of it all. Y His stage persona also lends well to bravado. “This guy’s slapping his knee; he’s doing everything right,” he notices at one point, smugly assured that his comedy is worthy of the man’s amusement. “He said ‘Of course,’ as if there were no choice. And there isn’t a choice.” Elsewhere he mentions his killing on the open-mic circuit, how he’s our time’s best topical comedian, and so on. The difference between a cocky, in-your-face comedian and Barry is stark, and it helps add to his likability. The arrogance is a put-on, of course, but it’s not aggravating, either. ou probably know Todd Barry, even if you don’t think you know Todd Barry. He’s worked on a veritable laundry list of amazing television/movies (Louie, Flight of the Conchords, The Wrestler, Bob’s Burgers, Bored to Death, Chappelle’s Show, Aqua Paradoxically, self-deprecation is also in the mix. Teen Hunger Force, Delocated), all the while crafting his snarky stand up for audiences all over the world. On the latter, he’s When fans ask Barry if things like a drunkard throwing dropped three albums and a Comedy Central Presents, but up in the front row is a setup, or a “30-woman somehow this is his first hour special for the humor behemoth. bachelorette party wearing chocolate dick helmets and talking throughout [the] show,” only to confront him at the Much of Super Crazy‘s material starts like so: a simple bar after they’ve been kicked out, he does a good job setup (“I did a show in South Carolina…”), followed by of making his life seem a lot harder than it probably is. something a little bit weirder (guy asks him about making But when he turns it around to telling the joke about tons of money doing comedy), followed by Barry plucking puking and an actual person pukes during said joke, and the weirdness apart, mocking the absurd person or thing the whole “magical” incident scaring the living shit out of (“I can tell by the question you’re in it for the right reasons.”), the audience (“His jokes come to life!”), it wraps up the often beating that absurdity like so many dead horses. bit with a nice little bow of resolution. Yes, the sarcastic The slow-burn unraveling is Barry’s calling card, and it man and the arrogant man and the self-deprecating man works more often than not throughout Super Crazy. The best are the same man. Barry is large; he contains multitudes. moments are when he, in character or not, gets befuddled Super Crazy ends on a positive note…sort of. by how long a bit has stretched out. As the story goes, he’s been thinking about the happiest Barry’s dulcet, breathy deadpan is mesmerizing in its moments in his life. Without spoiling the bit, let’s just say restraint. Like Steven Wright with extra smirk, Barry’s delivery it comes at the expense of some asshole he’s rolling his gets into a warm and fuzzy rhythm that can alternately help eyes at surreptitiously. But would you really have it any or hurt his jokes, depending on the viewer’s expectations and other way? Like his role on Louie, which exists mostly to tolerance. Annoyed by a mildly shticky characteristic? Barry mock the show’s titular creator, Barry is here to keep the will likely drive you batshit, his voice slowly grating away ridiculousness of the world in check. Or at least to allow at your sanity. But it’s easy to get into his zone if you give us all to laugh at it with him. And what’s more positive than that? O right of way to his sarcastic observations. PAINMAGAZINE 46