Mick Weder

My wife is Maltese. Speaks 3 different languages. Prides herself that her theoretical understanding of the English language is sound, until..... My mates rocked up the 1st time when we got together on their bikes for a bar b and a few sherbs. Cranking the sounds, knocking back the ales, swapping lies with the general lingo happening. She said to me the next day, "why can't you blokes just speak normal English? I had no idea what you's we're talking about" My reply was, "but babes, we're not English. We speak faaarkin' Australian". Even after 13 years together she still at times struggles to understand our humour and lingo. God love her, keep her guessing eh hifire!

The "taboo" of tattooing past your wrists & collar line ceases to exist once your suited. In my book, tattooed hands and necks compliment the suit & takes it to another level. That's the work you have earned. But yes, we all have different takes on the subject. I refused to touch hands or neck until my suit was near completed and are now my favourite collections, although maybe not the best work. ;) I think you can blend different styles, as long as the approach is consistent. I have vast differences in style, but maintained the basics of simple colour, bold lines, heavy black background and not too busy designs. I feel that's the key.

I ride/ go on regular runs, so get hassled by the pigs from time to time. Gold Coast is a no go for visible tattoos these days. Banned in most venues. In Brissy, I been alright. Just gotta learn how to fly under the radar.

Spot on SeeSea :) I also find utilising a pillow helps. Like, instead of holding on to something tight, I might say for example, lay in the fetal position, & put the pillow between my legs. Just a slight shift to comfort factor works wonders.

Ya can misread so much into stares. I just ignore them, or just smile in return. I remember being a kid, and seeing suited dudes, I couldn't help but stare in sheer awesomeness, with respect.

I tell the straights nothing. Even genuine interest, it's not for them to understand in my book. I keep my answers aloof, don't tell them where I go, don't even try to educate a clean skin as to why. I consider it prying into my business. I don't pry into theirs. Keeps a bit of the mystery alive too.

Nice. Hope ya haven't copped too much of a hard time by being refused entry into venues or getting hassled by the pigs.

How long have your sittings been? I know when banging big hours, sometimes I'd get fucked up & disorientated at times. Blurred vision and feeling crook. I put it down to the body going into a slight state of shock. The backs not easy at the best of times. Not having enough food & dehydrating won't help either. Wouldn't be dead for quids

G'day hifire. Brisbane-ite here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A little more work belted into my fingers yesterday. Will finish off bottom fingers & black accents to crop behind areas of the hand. Other hand. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife gave up washing ink from our pillow cases and sheets. Every single set is stained. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You'll be sweet as Dove. Two separate parts of the body, both relatively small jobs. The 1st tattoo will be a fading memory by the time you sit for number 2. Enjoy! When ya get the right head space happening, you'd be surprised how ya can slam 2 big sessions a week. Takes a lot of mental prep but. I'm glad those big monster sessions are done with :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Grew up in the early 80's punk rock scene, never got much into the folk punk style of music....until only just recently. I must be maturing with age :) Really liking Rumjacks ATM. Hope has enjoy this as well.

Gonna have some devil heads drilled into my knuckles this weekend. Faaark yeah. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My 1st tattoo, back in 1985 was the spiky haired punk rocker being shot through the head from the Sub Hum Anz album The Day The Country Died. Had it reworked and it sits in with the suit great. My 1st tattoo at 17, and now turning 46 this year, love it as much as I did then. "Don't worry, you'll get over it, you'll grow old, you'll calm down, another youth, another fashion"..... Haha! Not even! Great thread. Thanks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the kind words. Tattooer, fella by the name of CP, Brisbane Australia. Now retired.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@ Keekatzz. We all have a different mindset why we choose to tattoo. When you have a different kind of motivation, you must expect not to receive the feedback you were probably looking for. I don't explain my mindset why I do what I do, & I don't expect to understand your motivation. I got my first tattoos at 17, which I still have & still love. I wouldn't get them now, but I wouldn't cover them also. Some though, I have. Faaarkin, who cares. If your dead set on leopard print down the back. Do it. Just do your research with a tattooer who can execute the design solid & kick arse. You see, for most of us, the back tattoo is prime real estate and holds a very special meaning to us, but your motivation to tattoo is different to those of us who understand this, so walk the path you feel you need to. Good luck with it.

Gotta be happy with that outcome! My ritual is, a belly full of McDonalds shit food & pancakes. 6 pint bottles of a premium cider. (3 for me, 3 for my tattooer). 3 codeine based, over the counter, Panadeines. Works a treat :)

With areas I get hit hard & cop bruising, redness & inflammation, I hit 2 pumping hot showers a day. Hand wash the area with a soft body wash, pat dry & then just the lightest application of paw paw cream, which has a local anaesthetic & reduces inflammation. If I don't swell too bad, the same application as above minus the ointment. Just let it dry heal. I had a solid hand piece done 4 days ago. The hand got slammed! Did my usual for the first 2 days. Now, leaving it flake dry heal, & it's healing a treat.

The full back tattoo has always been the tattoo that had me awe struck from a real early age, and still does. Nothing quite like a photo of a handful of people together showing off their backs. Nothing quite like it.

I kind of miss the days when tattooing was the underbelly of society. Tattoo shops weren't labelled "boutiques", they were found on the fringes of the city, down the backstreets & alley ways, well out of view of mainstream population. I became part of this culture because I didn't fit in with mainstream & nor did I ever want to. I loved the mysticism & the secrecy behind it. With it becoming so mainstream these days, it def has its benefits. There's no way I could be in the position of work I am now, 20 years ago. I can turn up to executive meetings with my hands, fingers & neck sleeved in & be judged on my performance, not my looks...so it also gives me the opportunity to educate mainstream pop in a round a bout way that tattooed people "do know their shit, & can talk the talk". I love blowing peoples pre conceived misconceptions. The side to it I don't like is that elitism status. The, "I'm too kool for skool" attitude I see a lot of these days. Once upon a time, tattooed people had that special understanding of respect. Now it appears to have created cliques. I believe that when I strip down at a show & am on stage with other tattooed people...we're all the same, no matter what the work is, no matter how old it is. I don't look at designs, I look at overall effect. I believe when we're together, we should be treating each other with that old time respect (old skool is used to loosely), that acknowledgement, that understanding that we've been to the "same place" that most citizens will never understand. I don't expect to be sized up & judged by my own, which sadly happens a lot these days. So, I'm kind of hoping that it takes a full circle. That the superstars, the beautiful people & sports stars don't find it trendy anymore, & we can give it back to the people who understand it. Just a bit of my 2 cents on how I kind of view it.

My wife & mother of our two children has no tattoos nor the desire to get tattooed & has no interest in seeing or hearing about when I add to my collection. She basically doesn't give a f*ck, nor gives a f*ck what other peoples reactions are. I met her heavily tattooed, & now suited, she just sees it as a normal progression in something I've dedicated the best part of my life to. We go further than just skin deep.