This here is Jim from True Blue Tattoos in Austin, TX. Shamokin is the name of his home town. When asked why he chose the name of his home town he replied, “Well, it’s got eight letters and I’m always going to be from there. You can send my corpse there when I’ve paid my dues.”
I got tipped off to Corey by a friend of mine at the Skatepark of Austin. I tracked him down on myspace, and asked if I could post the picture and get his story. I’m just going to post his response verbatim:
“heres my tat.. heres my story”
Oh well I’m the type of guy who will never settle down,
Where pretty girls are well you know that I’m around
I kiss ’em and I love ’em cause to me they’re all the same
I hug ’em and I squeeze ’em they don’t even know my name
They call me the wanderer , yeah I’m a wanderer,
I go around around around aroundWell there’s Moe on my left and Mary on my right,
And Janie is the girl well that I’ll be with tonight,
And when she ask me which one I love the best,
I tear open my shirt and I show Rosie on my chest,
‘Cause I’m a wanderer, yeah I’m a wanderer
I roam around around around around hmmmWell I roam from town to town, I go through life without a care,
And I’m as happy as a clown,
With my two fists of iron, but I’m goin’ nowhere.Yeah I’m the type of guy that likes to roam around
I’m never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself fallin’ for some girl
I hop right in that car of mine, I drive around the world
And I’m a wanderer, yeah I’m a wanderer
I roam around around around around hmmmCause I’m a wanderer, yeah a wanderer
I roam around around around around
If you want a gimpse into his wanderings, check out his photo bucket album.
Geoff, door man at Ed’s Cucaracha/The Jackalope in Austin, TX.
He says the tattoos represent the rough odds he faces and his divorce. They are a tribute to the The Pioneers song ‘Long Shot Kicked the Bucket’ (available on many of the Pioneers’ CDs, including the appropriately titled best of album: Long Shot Kicked the Bucket).
So let me tell you a quick story about Geoff. He used to work for my old lady, working in the production, stuffing boxes and shrink wrapping them. One day he just didn’t show up. A day or two go by and he calls in. When she asks him where he has been his answer was “A bottle of Jameson’s and a girl.”
Long Shot indeed.
Today’s knuckle come at the hands of Josh, a piercer at True Blue Tattoos in Austin, TX.
He explained that he is a dedicated science geek and that the Vega Star is the closest solar system to ours. And yes those are fruits, vegtables and meats on the next knuckles down.
Josh is also a killer shot in the laser tag arenas. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Another set sent in by the lovely ZOMBIEGIRL. Here is what she has to say about them:
These knucks belong to Rat Bastard…Dread Pirate…a man of mystery.
Thanks for sending these in, the more the merrier!
This here is Pineapple. He owns Shaman Body Piercing located inside Golden Apple Tattoos in Austin, Texas. The short story is that he is a cancer survivor. This here is a close up of his knuckles. It really is a great set.
Photo: Elan R.
This comes from my pal Elan who was just up in Seattle appartment hunting. He popped into a cafe in Belltown because they had free wifi and noticed that one of the clerks behind the counter had some fingertats. So he told her about this project, got a photo, and asked her what the story was. This is Jessica, a barista at the Cherry St. cafe in Seattle (slightly paraphrased):
“So I was getting sober, and … drinking was all about instant gratification and getting what you want right now. So, patience seemed like a good thing to keep in mind. And it’s been working good for me so far!”
Thanks Elan and Jessica!
Joe Lifto
Mr. Lifto is a founding member of the Jim Rose Circus, a travelling performer and a bartender at Casino El Camino here in Austin, Texas. His knuckle tattoos were a 5th anniversary gift from his then wife April. Now a days he has been over heard telling people that they refer to a prescription drug he is taking called Luvapril.
We have our first email’d in set of knuckles! Here is what the owner has to say:
I got my knucks done by Rain at Deep Roots in Seattle. My name is ZOMBIEGIRL and I skate with the Rat City Rollergirls…team Throttle Rockets. Yes, I have a zombie fetish…hence the dead sexy.
Thanks a ton for send them in ZombieGirl. Oh, wait you are also our first roller girl knuckles! Sweet!
And to be honest, we share your zombie fetish…
Jimmy here didn’t have much to say about his knuckles except that they were a statement about his thoughts on karma as it applied to him.