Who Are Ya?

Lots of tattooists and people who are deep into the artform pass through or are members of TattooNow. Gabe, Taz, Krystof, erlich, so on & so forth. But Who are ya? How'd you get started? Where ya workin out of? This is really for anyone that had an interesting start in tattooing who wants to share a story or two. -Mario J. Lambadi City Tattoo

Well, I hate to break it to you, but my story isn't all that interesting. I hung around a shop in Connecticut (it was illegal in Massachusetts) for about 2 or 3 years every extra moment I had, sometimes driving down there just to hang out for 10 minutes because they were closing, sometimes 4 hours. I got inked there alot as well. I always knew from a young age that I wanted to be a tattoo artist (long before reality tv shows told people that being a tattoo artist was cool), and I knew I had it in me to not only have the will, drive and talent, but also the ability to live the life. I had 2 different approaches to training and learning, and both were equally beneficial, one by Jamie Cross and the other by Steve "Inker" Gabriel. I owe those guys a world of gratitude. Some of the stories Steve told me about the early days of his career are just amazing to hear, and I'm thankful to have been in a position to have been able to hear them directly from him, as I've also learned that he's a take no shit from anyone Old School Badass type of guy. I also learned quite a bit from the several accomplished artists I've had the pleasure to work with and just loiter in their shops, Paul Musso, Scott Kaufmann (another walking encyclopedia of the tattoo field), Rafael Rivera, and Kauri Tiyme to name a few, and lately Johnny Berrios, Lou Jacque, Kandyman Joe, Nick Baxter, Jeff Ensminger and Dan Henk. I worked in Connecticut briefly until they legalized it in Massachusetts, worked in a shop for almost 5 years before I hit the lottery by getting a job at a new shop with a new approach to tattooing called Off the Map Tattoo in Easthampton in December of '05. Thats my story, not too exciting, but definitely worth it to me.

Hey Mario...I am Taz. It would take WAY too long to tell my whole story but I will give you a brief synopsis...At age 10 I heard a buzzin sound comin from an old Wonder Bread delivery van....I snuck up to the door and inside was an old Gypsy carny tattooer pokin holes in a very drunk local cop.The Gypsys name was Skazgny Vorteg A man who changed my life. I started huntin him down when he was in town and buggin the crap out of him till he finally let me start cleanin stuff up and shillin marks ( that means gettin customers!) His eyes eventually started to go bad and he started teaching me little by little ( when he wasn't yellin at me or smackin me in the head for screwin somethin up!) At 14 I did my first tattoo for money...Guess that'd be my first "professional" tattoo huh? Tattooed out of that damn ol truck for years all over the states.Met uncle Bert Grimm in Kansas City Mo and although I never had a formal apprenticeship with him ( hell we didn't even know what that was in the 60s!) I learned a lot from him...Like how to duck when I accidentally said "GUN" LOL!!! Over the past 35 years I have had the pleasure to meet and work under the same roof as Jack Armstrong...the oldest living tattoo artist and so many more. The most important thing I ever learned was to keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open. A this point I am not in the best of health and I am semi- retired...I still own and work at Painted Angel Studios in St. Joseph, Mo just north of Kansas City with a great crew of young uns! OK OK enough about the old fart!! Lets hear YOUR story!!!...Taz

Damn, that was one hell of a story. I cant even imagine what it would be like to meet some of those guys, let alone tattoo next to 'em. Lotsa respect. My story is still being written. I'm 22 now and had no real interest in tattooing before i was 19. I was born and raised in Bermuda, that little island in the middle of the Atlantic. And yes, i've heard all the triangle jokes! Basically i started tattooing (part time) because the owner of a local shop thought i had potential. I had a very informal apprenticeship, unfortunately, and pretty much hit the ground running. It didnt take long for my attitude towards the artform to change and i started to devote everything i had to it. Tattooing in Bermuda for a couple of years was fun and all but it wasnt very creative, i.e. Lots of Cherry Creek, kanji, and script. Flash Jockeys rejoice!! Around the same time i started tattooing, i met my girlfriend (now fiance) from the U.S and we started talking about me moving out here to Ohio early 2006. We found a shop near by that was interested in having me come in for a guest spot, September of last year. While working my spot up here i was offered a full time gig after my move in January. Totally unexpected! So here i am, 3 years in starting a career for myself and loving it. Not too exciting a story but i still got a ways to go. This chapters just beginning... -Mario J. Lambadi City Tattoo

Sounds like ya got it goin on mario...I love following the careers of you young uns!Whats your site so I can see some work?..Taz

Our shop site is under construction right now. You can keep up to date with whats going on at www.justtattoos.com or i can e-mail a couple if thats cool...?

Sure Mario send me some!...T

Thanks for the pics Mario! Good stuff man!...Keep up the standard! Taz

Wow from what I have heard (read) so far I am greatful to even have read your stories... Im kraut (for the love of german cars) If I might place my very humble beginnings in text.............. I was a paper artist. Went into a lady in a VERY small shop in the back of a hair salon and got a smallish tatoo. She couldnt do what I wanted picture wise (flash only shop) and so I sat down a drew it out stencil wise for her. She was greatful and asked if I would draw flash and custom work for clients.. I agreed and the friendship began... or so I thought. I filled her now bigger studio with 1000's of my drawings and then began to ask ???'s she agreed to let me apprentice under her as long as I didnt disturb the client base. I agreed all to hastily... we wnt on and on for about a year me never doing any "real" work. once I asked to do something she said FINE! if you wanna F&*K it up then go ahead. I did one on my friend and lo and behold I could do this! Did another frined and so on... got myself a basement clientel and she freaked... I moved out and on.. 8 years later she saw one of my recent pieces on another friend and promptly called me up said I could have an oofice my own section hours were whatever I wasnted... basically she saw what I had become and wanted me in her shop. I declined gracefully and stopped to see her 3 years or so later. Talked and laughed about the start up days... worked into her paying ME for a nice leg piece etc... 14 years off and on later here I am. Rules are TOO strict here so I am a semi-retired friend tattoo artist. Thanks for letting me spill this out. Ive been looking for a place like this for a long time. Sorry so long :( ~Kraut

Great story man ..We appreciate your sharing...Thanks...do ya have a website or somewhere we can see your stuff ?... where do ya work?....Taz

No website I took that down a long time ago... Im in the process of digitizing my portfolio. so soon enough it will be available for viewing. Thanks for the kind words.. Im in East Oregon.

i'm dez. i'm 11 years old and pretend to be an artist just to mess with gabe.

11? Damn, I had you pegged for 14... Live and learn.