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Lochlan

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  1. Lochlan
    For this round of The Three Questions I decided to pull from some of the wealth of stories and tattoos of one of LST's first LSTers Hogg/Ross. Though we both live in the Bay Area I never got to meet Ross until at the Blackheart Pre-party for last years State of Grace Tattoo Convention and must say he's one nice guy. He has become a regular on the site and we are very grateful for him being a part of this project.
    Through the site I have gotten to know him and the riches that he brings to tattooing as a customer. His tattoos and respect for tattooing and tattooers is top notch. He has been tattooed by a list of tattooers that makes my jaw drop then you see the tattoos and continue to be impressed. I got to watch the Tim Lehi tigers take shape on his ribs with him sitting impressively. Here is Hogg's LST profile if you wish to take a look at his tattoos. Thanks again for doing The Three Questions, being a part of the site and here they are:
  2. Lochlan
    One of the many great things that have occurred since we started LST is that I have met many new people through the site. Some I've had the opportunity to then meet face-to-face while others not yet, though I hope to. [MENTION=275]Avery Taylor[/MENTION] is one of those people I look forward to meeting the next time I find myself up his way or if he comes down here.
    Not only do we share an enjoyment for tattoos but we also work in similar professions so every now and then we private message back and forth about things. In the world of working with individuals wether social work and/or psychology, Canada is one of the leaders in my school of thought so I am often intrigued by what they are doing to innovate drug policy among other societal public health concerns rather than subscribe to the unsuccessful american "war on drugs" like some other countries have done. They help raise the bar on how the government should properly get involved for public health and other concerns that effect the general public plus they show impressive results when you look at their data. They sometimes take what other countries may call "political risk" but what I refer to as creative initiative in order to try and best serve the citizens and the concerns that come along with it/them. From Vancouver to Quebec they lead the way and sometimes make me wish I worked up there.....but this is not the forum for that, this is a tattoo forum so before I go on a tangent lets check out Avery's tattoos.....
    On that note I wish to thank Avery for being a part of LST and doing The Three Questions.......
  3. Lochlan
    Last night we had our Team LST meeting then today looking around the site and thinking about how we are not even a year old yet I just want to express how grateful I and the rest of Team LST are for all of your contributions!!
    We set out on this not really knowing where we were going but we had a map with some ideas of places and things we'd like to visit to try and put out a more reliable, positive, and respectful resource then what was available online so off we went...... We have learned a lot in less than a year while seeing, reading, and hearing daily in our interactions on the site and off. We have our meetings and throw ideas around knowing some are pipe dreams while others are possible fast or in due time yet you all keep us motivated. We will continue to work to up the ante on this weird relationship/battle/dance between the internet and tattoos. We hope you will continue to do the same.....Thank You!
  4. Lochlan
    Last week I made a trip to helLA for some work with hopes of potential more work/contracts and managed to get in a day and a half before to hang with my homie Demian. The purpose of arriving early was to hang with him as it has been too long plus he is one of those guys who is an amazing person as well as rich in history specifically LA tattoo history. His collection of tattoos and tattoo art makes my mouth drop and I am always impressed.
    Tattoo history of Los Angeles and tattooers are always a favorite conversation with him. He has been mentioned on this site several times and in some of the interviews as he goes way back as a tattoo collector and at one time started an apprenticeship under some impressive tattooers. He ended up going with a career in the trades as a crane operator yet still supports and loves tattooing. Anywho back to tattoos, he is on his god knows how many layer of his all black and grey body suit by Small Paul, Kore Flatmo, Tim Hendricks, Chris Garver, Scott Sylvia, Bob Roberts, Tim Lehi, Jack Rudy, and the list could go on and on. I would love to sit down with him and do a video interview for the site but think Scott may be a better fit for it as they've known each other longer. Hmmm, I wonder if he would even sit down for a video interview...maybe a new LST video series, tattoo collectors???? If you listen closely to the videos done in Dan Dringenberg's machine shop you can hear him cracking jokes in the background. Alright I am done descending into random ramblings on with the blog......So Demian took me around LA to some tattoo shops that I wanted to see plus he needed to do a consultation with Small Paul.
    The first stop was to Bryan Burk's Dark Horse Tattoo as I have never met Bryan fae to face but have been eager to since his video interview with LST plus hearing lots of good things about him. I walked in and these gentleman are nice as hell....very welcoming and the shop is beautiful! Some really cool flash and art in the front room with no counter just looking straight back at each tattooer set up in an open layout through the various rooms. They had a fair amount of flash from some of my favorite tattooers plus flash and art by tattooers I've come to see and appreciate through this site. Bryan, Adam Warmerdam, and Horisuzu were all hard at work yet welcoming and interactive. Bryan I'll be back in a few weeks for work again and hope to grab a drink as you offered. Here is some info on these guys and the shop as I would strongly encourage getting tattooed there!
    Bryan Burk LST Video Interview
    Dark Horse Tattoo Facebook Page
    Dark Horse Tattoo
    4630 Hollywood Blvd
    LA, CA 90027
    323.665.7345
    The next stop was True Tattoo in Hollywood which I've been to previously but it is always a cool tattoo shop to stop by. Demian introduced me to Small Paul and Clay Decker while Richard Stell was hard at work. If you have not been to this shop it is a must! The layout at their current location is monsterous! You walk into a wide open floor with a counter that wraps around with decades worth of tattoo flash and art on the walls plus there are little private rooms off to the right. Clay took the time to speak with me around the history of the shop and its previous locations before finding its current home which was much appreciated. I then got to see the brilliance of Small Paul that I have heard so much about during Demian's consultation. He is doing this one tattoo over a spot that Demian recently lasered off but also fixing one of his knee caps. This is where the magic began....Small Paul listened to what D didn't like about the tattoo, what he was thinking, then pulled out a pen and started drawing to give an idea of what he thought was best....it looked like a whole new tattoo. He listened yet offered his years of experience and Demian being a good tattoo customer and trusting a quality tattooer let him go at it.....I can't wait to see this tattoo when they finally do it! I wanted to meet Jennifer and Richard Stell as Jennifer has been active on here but they were hard at work and I didn't want to interrupt. Here is info for the shop:
    True Tattoo Facebook Page
    True Tattoo
    1614 N Cahuenga Blvd
    Hollywood, CA 90028
    323.462.4745
    As we drove past the many other shops I got to hear some funny stories, histories of various shops, tattooers, and where so and so started tattooing.....
    Also one day while down there I had just finished working out at Fortune Boxing Gym and Grant Cobb was just getting ready to start his workout so I introduced myself. Yet another nice guy who does good tattoos and who took the time to speak with me for a few minutes before he began his workout. Below is info on both Fortune and Grant. It was my first time at Fortune Boxing Gym (actually first time ever working out at a boxing gym) and everyone there was extremely friendly from the trainers (Justin Fortune, Mysti Friedman, & Joel Mills) to people working out. It has what you would expect from an old boxing gym including class yet is a newish spot in Hollywood and I experienced no attitudes. This is a repeat trait that I am beginning to realize in many professions, often times the most successful are the nicest, respectful and professional. As it was my first time in a boxing gym Justin took the time to hold pads for me and give me some technique tips. He wanted to beat me with a stick as the hook with my feet and hips were a tough one to learn but he stayed funny and persistent. If you are ever in that area and need a workout I would strongly suggest this spot and after the training I took a run straight from the gym up into the hills so the location allows for one stop workouts.
    Grant Cobb Web Site
    Spotlight Tattoo where Grant is tattooing
    Fortune Boxing Gym
    Thanks to everyone who took the time out of their day to welcome me and talk! I'll be back in helLA in a few weeks again for work so hope to get some free days to check out some other shops.......
  5. Lochlan

    Five Days in New Orleans

    By Lochlan,

    For a city with (many) citizens and tourists wandering the streets with tattoos, from the lonely one to the whirlwind of many; I only saw two tattoo shops. One was on the St. Charles line headed out to the historic and beautiful Garden District while the other was on Frenchman St. The nickname of the Big Easy is beyond fitting with “easy” easily being filled in for any community to event to transportation except for tattoo shop locator. I could spot tattoos in any direction I looked but no tattoo shops unlike in the Bay Area. Take note that I can see the pros and cons to each and will explore further on this topic of shops, in this article and future ones to come.
    The first shop caught my eye as we were on the St. Charles Line cable car headed out to the Garden District. I was taking pictures of the aged iron, wood, brick, and stone architecture elegantly placed in many fashions as one of the oldest and most efficient cables cars carried us through a historically rich city. I have been on lots of public transit all over, and I must say that the New Orleans cable cars and free, yes free for pedestrians, ferry was efficient and timely like New York City’s public transit though unlike my hometown’s cable cars, MUNI and BART. This was yet another pro placing New Orleans, The Big Easy, in my top ten destinations. But back to the lone shop- it oddly shared its location with a Law Office (see insert photo) and was in more of a residential area than a location with heavy foot traffic. Maybe the owner of the tattoo shop is also a lawyer?
    The second shop I stumbled upon was Electric Ladyland Tattoo (see insert photo) on Frenchman St. while wandering in and out of the local bars hosting communal jazz jam sessions of the local talent. The one that we spent the most time in had a communal hippy-ish Bay Area feel to it with yet another open arm feeling the Big Easy embraces and teaches. Horns blazing and bassist holding it down with soft drumming and occasional lyrics kept half the bar dancing the humid night away from low twenty year olds to forty plusses. Any who, back to the shop, as it was around midnight the tattoo shop was closed. The layout looked large, maybe two store fronts brought together into one shop. From what I could see from the outside, the one side had various private stations and the right side of the shop had walls covered in flash. There were some individuals hanging out front with arm and neck tattoos drinking the night away as skateboarders did tricks up and down the street to the local musicians. This shop would compare to one of the many you may find in San Francisco’s Mission district.
    So in five days in New Orleans and many miles explored, I saw various tattoos with only a few shops. It was also Southern Decadence week on top of the already over the top Bourbon St. combined with hot humid weather, so clothes were minimal for most with tattoos clearly visible. It kept me thinking, why so few street shops in the touristy areas? I only have speculations so if you are a New Orleans resident and know why please share with us!?! Is it so the tattooists don’t have to work on primarily drunk people? Is there no market for such? Are there city ordinances that prohibit tattoo shops in most neighborhoods of New Orleans? Please do share!?! To be honest, it was a nice change to see so many tattoos with so few shops, as I can’t think of many major cities I’ve been to over the past few years with an abundance of tattoos and not a tattoo shop every few blocks.
    The Big Easy, New Orleans, as stated above has easily entered my top ten destinations after my first visit! The hospitality was like no other from people on the streets to restaurants to hotel clerks to the cops to D all of the citizens I encountered! If you like to eat, here are the main spots we ate at and all were exceptional from the front of the house to the back of the house; NOLA, Dante’s Kitchen, Domenico, Cochon, Café Du Monde, and Ember’s Steak House plus the corner street greasy spoon snacks! If you haven’t been, I encourage you to go, as it is a very tattooed traveler friendly city with 24/7 entertainment that drowns out the humidity! We also did a swamp tour with Captain Ted after being told by friends it’s a must and sure enough it was! Afterwards, I crawled in the alligator’s mouth then some parents thought they would place their kid in its mouth as well (see insert photo). Then on the drive to the airport with our near fatal hood flying up shattering the taxicab’s windshield on the freeway incident (see insert photo) our driver had a smile. He called for another cab to get us and within five minutes on the side of the road a cab from another company, mind you not the one he called, pulled over to make sure we were okay. New Orleans, see you again hopefully sooner than later! Until then….enjoy the more photos at my profile from this trip.
  6. Lochlan
    A few weeks ago I jumped on Amtrak's Coast Stralight to travel through the Northwest.
    I got on at Emeryville, CA for the first part of my trek to Portland, OR. As it was around ten at night and I wasn't due in Portland until about threePM the next day I got comfy in my chair. I must say the chairs/seats you pay for on overnight trips are damn comfy like those of flying first class. The seats recline with a foot pad and foot post as well as electronic sockets at every seat and table tray. They provide a pillow as well but I suggest bringing your own blanket as these are not provided. I woke up to the sunrise around Mt. Shasta and took a walk to the "viewing car" which has all glass siding and roof. I got my cup of coffee from downstairs and have to say despite all the other great offerings it was the worst cup of coffee I have ever had and I've done my fair share of middle of the highway/interstate coffee drinking. So maybe bring your own instant if you like coffee. Anywho, I sat down with my coffee and shortly after two older gentleman sat down next to me as we stared off at the amazing views. We began talking about old cars as I noticed every time we past a barn or piece of property and cars were visible they were looking with a look I am familiar with....the search for old cars. It turns out they were on their way to a small town outside Portland to pick up a seventies car they discovered. I have inserted a photo below of a junkyard full of old cars I saw later in the morning like one of the ones you discover in the California and/or Arizona desert. I wanted to jump off and explore but didn't have time. Later on I had lunch in the food car/diner and an older couple sat down with me. The gentleman had a cool old rose forearm tattoo from his military days during the Korean war but I didn't have my camera with me, damn it.
    I arrived in Portland around threePM where I quickly got settled in and made my way to eating. I can not recall the places I ate at but all I can say is I did lots of it and it was great. Portland has happy hours from afternoon to late at night.....these were new happy hours to me as they were not drinks but food! I guess if you serve booze you have to have something like at least a five item menu so the places offer food at affordable prices. This eating and taking advantage of the happy hours was what I did the whole two days or so in Portland. Burgers, sushi, fries, desserts, pot pies, prime rib....!!!
    I was staying at the Ace Hotel which has bicycles for free to any guest. Before I get to the bikes let me say it was my first time staying at an Ace hotel and it was rather impressive. The rooms were New York hotel size but the level of well thought out space consumption was impressive. It reminded me of this video I saw once of this guy in Japan whoms apartment was like a transformer....making the most out of the smallest space. Back to the bikes, so if you are staying at the hotel they have bikes you can use for as long as you please. I'm not much of a biker but it seemed like a great cheap way to go surprise a friend and roam the city.
    The moment I got outside the rain began but that didn't stop me at least from going to surprise my friend. The hotel was a block off Burnside so it was a direct route to visit/surprise an old friend Ms. Mikki at her new tattoo shop Fortune Tattoo Shop (1716 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR). I hadn't seen Mrs. Mikki in a few years since she relocated to Portland and the shop is badass (see pictures below). It is an open layout with a loft balcony for drawing in the back overlooking the floor. I wish I would of had a tape recorder going for part of my talk with her as she was just spilling rich Portland tattoo history where I learned so much. After shooting the shit with Mikki for a few hours I hoped back in the rain and went to a shop I became familiar with through LST. I used LST's search feature before I for the keyword "Portland" and saw user Henry Rodriguez worked at a shop called Scapegoat Tattoo around the corner (1223 Southeast Stark Street Portland, OR). I walked in and asked for Henry who I then sat down and talked with for a few minutes (pictures below). I explored Portland for another day or so and observed the "city that works" (their motto they put on everything) was a mix between SF and Vancouver(BC), beautiful!
    So after some time in Portland I hoped back on the train for a few more hours and headed to Seattle for four days or so. This short train ride was absolutely amazing with its views riding along the water for most of it. I was looking forward to the seafood so the first place I stopped for food was sushi. I stayed at The Paramount in Seattle and the room was spacious plus the CA King bed was damn comfortable competing with Sofitel Hotels (which are my favorite hotel beds..if you have stayed in one you know what I am talking about!). Seattle was full of eating, eating, and more guess what...more eating thanks to the food happy hours being there as well. Vietnamese, sushi, seafood, burgers, fries, desserts, italian, sandwiches and on and on. The hotel was a perfect location as everything was walking distance. I prefer to walk as much as possible when traveling so I can see things that I may miss when using public transit, taxis, and/or rental cars. I didn't visit any tattoo shops in Seattle but saw a few. I did manage to enjoy the cheese festival they were having and discovered a new cheese maker that I loved, Sartori Cheeses.
    So after a week break from the Bay Area it was time to head back...I hoped on Seattle's public tranist which was beyond convenient as I jumped on two blocks from my hotel and it dropped me right at the airport for under five dollars in about forty-five minutes.
    Thanks Mrs. Mikki and Henry for spending sometime with me.
    Ms Mikki at Fortune Tattoo in Portland LST profile and tattoo gallery
    Henry Rodriguez at Scapegoat Tattoo in Portland LST profile and tattoo gallery
    Until next time......
  7. Lochlan
    For this round of The Three Questions I decided to turn to Ross Nagle whose tattoos I was introduced to via this forum when we started it. I was quickly impressed and it has turned into some email dialogues with him who I hope to meet and get tattooed by when we are in the same city hopefully sooner than later. Ross joined LST early in our launch and has been active since which is even more awesome because we get to see his new tattoos and hear from him often.
    Beyond his activity on the tattoo forums and tattoo blogs I regularly check his blog alongside several other tattooers and shops. I enjoy all his tattoos but really am drawn to his religious tattoos especially the black and grey ones with minimal if any color which in turn makes the blood on a jesus or crown of thorns or what-have-yous really stand out. The other cool thing about his shop and blog is that they regularly have some damn good tattooers guest spotting at their shop which they write about and post tattoo pictures of their tattoos while visiting. I strongly encourage you to get tattooed by Ross either at his shop Allstar Ink in Limerick Ireland and/or hit him up at a convention as he seems to be at many of the European ones. Below the three questions are someways you can checkout his tattoos.
    With that I give you The Three Questions and Ross Nagle (sorry no pictures of his personal tattoos were obtainable)......
    Ross Nagle LST Page
    Ross Nagle Blog
    Allstar Ink Twitter
    Ross Nagle Facebook
  8. Lochlan
    One of the many things I'll be doing with my blog is interviews with friends who tattoo and/or who are musicians who get tattooed with the following three questions:
    1) The who, what, when, where, and why of your first tattoo? Picture?
    2) The who, what, when, where, and why of your latest tattoo? Picture?
    3) The last band, album, and song you listened to?
    So to kick it off I'll take a swing at it:
    1) The who, what, when, where, and why of your first tattoo? Picture?
    Who= Tom Prosche
    What= An aries sign with an "In Loving Memory", my last name, an insignia for my siblings,
    some fire and a flower band. Wow, thinking back now that's a lot of nonsense in one
    tattoo I tried.
    When= Thirteen years ago or so
    Where= Upper left arm
    Why= A childhood friend passed away hence the "In Loving Memory" but all the other stuff was
    just thrown in for fucks sake, haha.
    2) The who, what, when, where, and why of your latest tattoo? Picture?
    Who= Scott Sylvia
    What= Scott Sylvia's creation based off of "What do you want?" and my response of "Darker Dia
    De Los Muertos" whole leg tattoo to cover my "lady legs" as Dari Sylvia would call them.
    When= Work in progress
    Where= Whole left leg
    Why= Because I only wanted one "lady leg".
    3) The last band, album, and song you listened to?
    A mix I made on shuffle of various Bay Area punk bands.

  9. Lochlan
    This installment of the Three Questions is my homegirl Mel AKA Melvicious who some may recognize/know from various books, magazines, cds, and/or just your local tattoo and music scenes. Her and I met about seven years ago (I'm a terrible historian with dates) in helLA through mutual friends.
    We, Rumblers Car Club, all ventured there for the Los Angeles chapters first car show in Echo Park. It was a weekend of debauchery with smiles and lots of driving. The Bay Area chapter drove down I-Five in our hotrods and customs, so with us and the LA chapter we served as drivers for all the other members who flew in from various states and countries. The pre-show was in Long Beach and the actual show was in Echo Park as mentioned above so it was lots of LA driving (driving hotrods and customs is my biggest love to having them though so it was all good). This is where it gets foggy on when and where we actually met as there was very little sleep, lots of Rockstar energy drinks, debauchery, and events many of us still laugh about and some maybe traumatized from, haha. Anywho, I do remember her hanging out with us in Echo Park at some Latino dive bar near our hotel laughing the night away holding her own. Basically since that night her and I have remained friends and when I’m in helLA or if she’s up this way we meet up cause she is that much fun.
    I got the opportunity one year to goto her employee holiday party for Volcom on some boat which led to a night full of laughs which always seems to be the trend when hanging with her. What I am getting at is every time I meet up with her I enjoy myself as she is a standup no bullshit kind of woman. I am thrilled to call her a friend!
    Mel thanks for taking the time to do the Three Questions with us! Below are some ways you can support her and her friend’s projects:
    Mel's Twitter
    Joe Capobianco book "What's not ta like" with Mel being a muse.
    Some of Joe’s other books on Amazon
    Joe Capobianco art of Mel
    Here we go, hope you enjoy.....
  10. Lochlan
    Sam King and I met many years ago through a love for skateboarding especially a love for skating pools. Whether someone else’s discovery of a backyard gem that we would skate when the owners weren’t home or the house was for sale, repoed, or abandoned. Our favorite was waking up every Saturday morning around sixAM choosing a region of Northern CA and setting out looking for pools that were either already empty or just needed us to pump them dry. The leads would come from construction workers, firemen, PG&E workers, bankers, recently burned down homes, brush fires, and endless other creative resources to fill our love. We did not have Google Maps like all the new kids are using for recon work, ahha. The number of pools we’ve skated together is ridiculous, stories too long and too many to write here but our friendship materialized into memories I hope our aging minds never forget. I know my joints, bones, and scares won’t forget the abuse they’ve been dealt! Through these adventures and others he’s gotten the aliases Out of Hand Sam and Leg. Sometimes we’d spend a whole Saturday emptying and cleaning the pool to return Sunday to skate it. We’ve conned, or is it charmed, our way into house owners backyards to let us skate their pools with permission as well as straight up lied to their faces saying we’re with “So and so and the pool needs to be empty because of blah blah blah” if it was a construction site and they swung by. We’ve ran in a split second relying on good recon work and communication ahead of time if the cops showed or homeowners came home. If a pool wasn’t on the list for a Saturday adventure it would be the backside of a damn, full pipes, drainage ditches, etc. If it wasn’t meant to be skated we tried to find it and skate it!
    Over the years Sam has done several music projects with his latest project being a band called Get Dead. Get Dead captures while fueling his energy that he brought to every skate session and embraces his nicknames and reputation that equates into an insane show. Sam sent me some demo’s years ago and I had the opportunity to do some pre-production with them but things didn’t line up for me to produce the album though I hope the opportunity will rise again. They continue to develop and manifest into what few punk bands can do today! If you go to a show you will leave a changed person with bruises and blood to maybe go with the experience for free. The music is Sam’s whitty verses with some talented musicians together into what will make your blood boil and legs move!
    Here are some links to check Get Dead out and support a band that deserves your support!
    Get Dead Myspace
    Get Dead Reverb Nation
  11. Lochlan

    San Diego

    By Lochlan,

    Over the holidays I ventured to a town in North County San Diego called Encinitas where I grew up to spend a week with my family as many of them still live throughout San Diego. The goal was to eat lots of good Southern California mexican food and bring it back to all the LST since the two other most popular topics on our tattoo forum other than tattoos are travel and food!
    I love Northern California but Southern California will always hold my heart for mexican food with the exception of actually traveling to the various Latin countries and eating there. The biggest difference in my mind is Southern California mexican food is lots of meat and salsas whereas Northern California mexican food adds rice and beans to everything. I love rice and beans but I want my mexican food to have all meat whatever the variation(s) may be. So here's the mexican food I ate if you make your way there:
    -Burrito's and taquitos on a few visits to Juanita's in Encinitas.
    -Carnitas Torta from Jorge's in Encinitas (Jake turned me onto this place as he grew up on it right down the street from our parents house).
    -My dad turned me onto this place in Oceanside but I can not remember the name but know it's near the pier by one block or so. I had a HUGE carne asada burrito.
    -A Surfin' California burrito as seen on Man VS Food Lucha Libre Taco Shop. We normally eat this place when ever I get picked up at the airport as it is near the airport so if you fly into or out of SD airport check it out.
    I also ate sushi at Tomiko's in Encinitas which was amazing as they were playing Joe Strummer in the background as it happened to also be the anniversary of his passing. I had all sorts of stuff including my favorite Tobiko Udama (spelling is probably off) which is the small fish roe with a quail egg over the top, fucking orgasmic! We had BBQ at Famous Dave's in Vista which Jake and I were familiar with their BBQ sauce as it is one of our favorites and their BBQ did not disappoint. Then on our last night we went to The Counter which I guess is a chain and I did one of the custom burgers. I did a two-third pound beef patty medium rare with horseradish cheddar and a fried egg over the top, pretty damn good. And had many visits to Pannikin coffee shop in Encinitas on the 101.
    While down there I was twittering ( @LastSparrow ) the expeditions and Luke at Lucky's Tattoo Parlor in San Diego invited me down to the shop which as many know from the tattoo forum thread I did on Luke Wessman a few weeks ago have been impressed with his work for some time now and had I had money would of made an appointment with him. If you are on twitter you can follow Luke at @lukewessman and/or Lucky's Tattoo Parlor at @OGLuckysSD and the amazing work they are cranking out. So Jake and I made our way to downtown SD (Tenth and Broadway) to checkout the shop and meet Luke. First of all the shop is on the corner and looks amazing from the outside with some badass roses painted by Tim Hendricks along the exterior then you walk in and it gets better.....tall ceilings, art, flash, and photos along the walls that I have not seen before. I would later learn from Luke as he walked me around giving me a tour that lots are gifts not mass produced. It is a big open layout similar but bigger to how Temple Tattoo is for us Bay Area folks including the loft like layout upstairs over looking the shop. I wish I would of gotten pictures but didn't feel right as it was my first visit there and meeting Luke and he already went out of his way with open arms and a tour including some SD tattooer history. Maybe if he joins the site he can jump in where ever but especially in the "Was Tattooing as popular 100 years ago?" and "Old tattoo Photos" as just listening to him I think he could add some San Diego tattoo and military tattoo to it. He had some art by Morgwyn Pennypacker that I had not seen which has now turned me onto his tattoos and art. Long story short if you get the opportunity.....get some tattoos from these guys! I want to say thanks to Luke and the other Lucky's staff for the warm welcome, tour, and stories!
    Below are some pictures taken with my camera phone from the expeditions, enjoy!
    Until next time.....have a good day!
    Lochlan
  12. Lochlan
    Scott Sylvia and Lochlan McHale first met about eight years ago through mutual friends in the Bay Area Punk/Hardcore scene. Over the years and many of hecklings their friendship materialized into what it is today. Scott has tattooed Lochlan on several occasions and Lochlan has assisted Scott building tattoo machines and mixing pigment in his down time. They have traveled to various locations always heckling and having a good time. In the process of the hecklings and nonsense while working and hanging out Last Sparrow Tattoo was born.
    Last Sparrow Tattoo is the latest and greatest venture by worldwide tattoo legend Scott Sylvia and jack of many trades Lochlan McHale. It is scheduled to launch Early Fall 2010, uniting potential tattoo collectors to the long time tattooers and shops and everyone in between. It will be a morphed version of various social media outlets with craigslist flavorful options and social forums for any and all levels of tattoo enthusiasts!
    We hope you enjoy your visit and turn your visit into a stay with us!?!
    Below are brief bios for Scott and Lochlan if it helps you any:
    Scott Sylvia first started tattooing as a teenager in Monterey, CA before moving to Sacramento, CA and later ending up in the Bay Area. Scott’s first shop he opened was American Graffiti in Sacramento with friend and fellow tattooer Eric Hogan. Scott later worked at Eddy Deutsche’s 222 Tattoo and Freddy Corbin’s Temple Tattoo before opening, co-owning and tattooing at Blackheart Tattoo in San Francisco with Tim Lehi (owner), Jeff Rasier (owner), Juan Puente, Cody Miller, and Nick Rodin. He also travels to and is featured at various conventions around the world often times working at friends local shops before and/or after the conventions.
    Scott is known as not only one of the hardest working men in the world of tattooing but also an innovator of what some call the “American Power’ style of tattooing which is a modern twist on the “Classic American” style. When not tattooing he is building and creating tattoo machines, motorcycles, cars, art (shows, clothing, flash, band images, etc), and much much more. He also manages to balance a life with his wife and their two adorable kids.
    Lochlan McHale first began getting professionally tattooed about thirteen years ago though a fan of tattoos since a young kid. As a young boy he would draw on his limbs while in class hoping to one day gather tattoos. In his early teens he and some friends would give themselves tattoos with a needle and pen ink awaiting the opportunity to get ones that would stay (the needle and ink ones fell out or eventually faded). As a young boy he wanted a Marvin the Martian tattoo for his first one though he out grew that desire and when he was eighteen got his first tattoo in San Francisco after one of his childhood friends passed away and has continued to collect tattoos. He has been tattooed by Scott Sylvia, Freddy Corbin, Tim Lehi, Nick Rodin, Cody Miller, Zach Johnson, Nate Leinfelder, and more that he can’t exactly remember.
    Lochlan has worked in various genres including skateboarding, surfing, art, music, marketing, and psychology/counseling (youth & “at-risk youth”). He currently owns his own consultation company (www.lochlanmchale.com) that gathers his diverse work experience under one roof and one title as well as currently attending grad school for psychology. He works to travel and travels to work bringing his art/tattoos with him that most hang on the walls of their homes.
  13. Lochlan
    So this is my fourth blog on Last Sparrow Tattoo on my reoccurring topic of a guest and The Three Questions so figured I'd bring to you a friend of both Scott and mines....Jeremy Lux. I met Jeremy sometime ago through mutual friends as we both ran in the same circles at the same shows. I don't recall the exact time we met but I do know that he is one of the guys that I have always seen dancing and going for the front often times singing along at many shows. His energy is insane when you see he calmly hanging out polite and friendly then the music starts and shazam he's off. His most current musical project is Wolves And Thieves a must see if they come to your town and until then purchase their music. With that on to Jeremy Lux and The Three Questions:
    1) The who, what, when, where, and why of your first tattoo? Picture?
    My first tattoo was when I was 18 or 19 at 222 Tattoo in San Francisco. I am sure if you have been on this site before you know how great this shop was. I had wanted to get a tattoo for a long time. I had some lame ideas floating around in my head for a while, and I am glad some of them never made it to my skin. Once I had enough money, I made my first appointment with Scott Sylvia. I was so stoked to finally get tattooed and at a such a great shop. I remember when he drew it up, I had wished it was a little bit bigger. I had no idea all he had to do was enlarge the image. Being that it was my first tattoo, I didnt want to be a bother and have him redraw the thing just so it was a few inches bigger. Looking back now i dont really care, I am not religious at all. I feel since it was my first I should probably keep it. If it is in the way of something sweeter one day, it just might have to go. Since then, a majority of my tattoos have been done by Scott. I really enjoy his style, and his company. Thanks Scott.
    2) The who, what, when, where, and why of your latest tattoo? Picture?
    I was recently on tour with Ceremony in Europe and knew that I was going to be in London for a couple days. I hit up my friend Casey and asked where i should go for shopping and tattoos while I was out there. He pointed me in the right direction and told me about Frith St. Tattoo in London. After checking them out I made an appoitment with Stefano. Once I got out there, I walked by the shop maybe 3 times before I saw it. After walking down into the shop, I met Stefano and started throwing some ideas at him. I knew that what i was going to get had to be done in one shot. There was just no way i was going to fly back to London to finish a tattoo. I loved what he came up with and it fit perfectly.
    http://weakbecomeheroes.com/
    3) The last band, album, and song you listened to?
    Hour of the Wolf - Decompostions Vol 1 - Domestic Wild
    Thanks Jeremy and until next time everyone....have a good day!
  14. Lochlan
    I know for us in the Bay Area for awhile Freddy Corbin and other tattooers at his shop Tattoo 13 in Oakland on Friday the Thirteenths would have tattoos for $13 that you could choose from flash the tattooers made. I know many other shops elsewhere now do this as well, does anyone by chance have the history/tales on this?
    Anywho, this has now taken a new spin around here, SF Bay Area, over the years and there are Valentines Day tattoo and Halloween tattoo specials at various shops. So last night before going out I decide to swing by Let It Bleed Tattoo Parlor's ( http://letitbleedtattoo.com/home.html ) in the Tenderloin in San Francisco for their Halloween Tattoos for $31. After hanging out with Danny Boy for a little while I let him choose which one he hadn't yet done from their forty-three choices (most I have ever seen for one of these events) and he choose an Allan Poe one from the flash. So in the spirit of tattoo stories and tattoo pictures at Last Sparrow Tattoo thought I'd share...........
    Until next time....have a good day
  15. Lochlan
    Sammy Winston has contributed to the Bay Area Hardcore and Punk scenes since he was a teenager from being in bands (All Bets Off then Grace Alley), promoting shows, producing albums, writing articles for various magazine & zines to now owning and running Spiderghost. He's a man of many trades and I gurantee you what he has done for our scene out here has trickled into your scene at some point in some way cause he is just that in love with music and bands that his reach is endless.
    Here's the link for Spiderghost:
    http://www.spiderghost.net/
    Now on to the three:
    1) The who, what, when, where, and why of your first tattoo? Picture?
    My first tattoo no longer exists. It was four dots on my stomach. I believe I was fifteen when I got it, at a rehab center in Oakland that I had been sent to from San Francisco juvenile hall for fighting or something. It was a stick n’ poke job, done with a sewing needle and ballpoint pen ink. It faded quickly. Three of us got tattooed that night. We all got busted. And it seemed our punishment lasted longer than the tattoos. It’s a nice memory, I suppose. A bunch of teenage boys in rehab, at midnight, drinking contraband coffee that we brewed in the closet, and giving ourselves jailhouse tattoos in the tiny little bathroom.
    2) The who, what, when, where, and why of your latest tattoo? Picture?
    The last tattoo I received features a chola standing in front of San Francisco landmarks (Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, Sutro Tower, and the Transamerica pyramid) surrounded by shamrocks. It’s big. It goes up my ribs and stomach from hip to pit. It was done by Cody Miller at Blackheart. Remarkable artist. Nice guy. A hell of a dancer. We were both being proud and a little competitive, unwilling to throw in the towel, so the first session was somewhere around seven hours and the second was three or four. It was excruciating, even with my belly full of norcos and syrup.
    3) The last band, album, and song you listened to?
    I have had the song “Love Comes Close” from the album of the same name by Cold Cave on repeat for most of the week. Also, there is a brilliant mixtape that has been ideal for the pleasant weather we have experienced in Frisco recently. It is called “(500) Days Of Weezy”. It is the official soundtrack from the movie “(500) Days Of Summer” remixed with Lil’ Wayne freestyles and old vocal tracks laid over it. Find it. It is extraordinary.
    Thanks again and until next time.....
    Lochlan
  16. Lochlan
    Ian Clark is a close friend of mine that I have been fortunate enough to know for a little over nine years. Ian has travelled/toured with various punk & hardcore bands that you have more than likely seen. He used to own BroPrints with his brother where they printed many of the punk & hardcore shirts and stickers that you can find in your closet at some point in your life. He left BroPrints a few years ago and started his new company called Wrecking Ball Promo Inc. Here's is the info if your business or band needs some promo stuff:
    Wrecking Ball Promo Inc
    ph. 831.609.6213
    http:www.wreckingballpromo.com
    Now on to The Three Questions:
    first tattoo - man in the moon stoner - got it in 1987 ish, in some dudes kitchen in Sonoma, Ca
    Last tattoo - fuck yes - 2010 Santa Cruz, CA - Staircase Tattoo
    Last record - Street Dogs S/T - Last show - Swingin Utters
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