HOW DID YOU GET INTO TATTOOING?
Getting into tattooing was tough. Jack Rudy was the first person to tell me “no” back in California. I ended up in New York and Louie McHale brought me in at Spiritualized. I apprenticed for 2 years. The first year I wasn’t allowed skin except for friends and punk kids you couldn’t possibly screw up worse than they already were.
WHEN DID YOU OPEN YOUR FIRST STUDIO?
In 2001 Dan Duszynsk and I opened up The Shaman’s Den at the same location where I did my apprenticeship.
WHAT YEAR DID YOU START BUILDING?
I started really, really young. Like, I screwed up some stuff, man. My first machine was a joke!
WERE YOU TATTOOING WHEN YOU GOT INTO MAKING MACHINES?
Tattooing led me to building machines. I was working with metal and shop stuff since I was 8 years old. My Granddad was about it. That man - I never saw him pay for a tool. If you needed something, he made it.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH KINGPIN?
Directly? What this is like two years now? Outside of that, selling machine to or through Kingpin I want to say since 2006-ish.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BUILDING STYLE?
Clean and simple. I mean, honestly. Once upon a time with my custom stuff with all the overlays and mosaic work and everything else...I kinda felt like I was getting a little cluttered with what I was doing.
HAVE YOU EVER BUILT A ROTARY IN THE PAST?
I’ve made probably 2 or 3 rotaries prior to now in my career. I was satisfied with what I made It’s just that at the time it wasn’t where my hands were. Now I’m at a place where I feel like I have something to offer.
ANY PLANS FOR A ROTARY IN THE FUTURE?
Uh, yes. Watch close!