Updated: Dec 8, 2022
Welcome back to Speakeasy Tattoo Los Angeles, you funky kids!
You know what day it is!
BLACK
FRIDAY
A name that sounds way cooler than it is.
I hope everyone survived the Thanksgiving gluttony!
Since everyone is probably still feeling full, it seems like a good time to talk about eating and tattoos.
Why would I bring those things up in the same place? I’ll tell you why. Calm down. I can only type so fast and I’m still feeling lethargic!
Which also ties into what I’m talking about.
It can all be tied together in two scary words:
VASOVAGAL REACTION!!!!!
(insert Inception BWOONNGGG here)
A vasovagal reaction is a fancy way doctors try to sound smarter than you when describing what the rest of the normal world refers to as “fainting.” And while there are a litany of potential causes of a person to faint, we are a tattoo shop, after all, so naturally we are trying to keep this fainting train on the rails here.
Anybody that has been to our Speakeasy to get tattooed might have noticed that the friendly person answering the door and ushering you into the underworld will oftentimes ask you if you had anything to eat that morning. You probably thought they were just being nice.
WRONG!
The question about where you are staying or where you come from, that’s them being nice. They are nice people and they care about you and your well being. That is, in fact, the reason why they are asking about whether or not you ate; your well being. And while eating is part of it, there are a lot more aspects that go into passing-out/fainting.
In short, you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. Most fainting is triggered by the vagus nerve which connects the digestive system to the brain, and its job is to manage blood flow to the gut.
It should come as no shock to anybody that getting a tattoo can be a source of significant anxiety, especially if it’s your first time getting tattooed. Add to that the sight of the needles set out on a metal, medical tray or the loud buzzzzzz of a coil machine, and this alone can be overwhelming to a nervous person’s nervous system. So the anxiety alone is enough to amp a person up, and almost prepare themselves to faint, thus almost ensuring they will.
Once the tattooing process actually starts, every person reacts differently and has a different tolerance of pain. Pain can stimulate the vagus nerve and is a common cause of vasovagal syncope. When the vagus nerve is stimulated, excess acetylcholine is released, the heart rate slows and the blood vessels dilate, making it harder for blood to defeat gravity and be pumped to the brain.
One other interesting element might actually be tied back to our early days of survival as a species. During warfare, confrontation with a “stranger wielding a sharp object” was likely to be associated with threat to life. Humans’ tendency to faint (or “play dead”), rather than attempt to flee or fight, may therefore have evolved as an alternative stress-induced fear-circuitry response. Obviously, no one individual can overcome pre-historic autonomic responses, so if you are someone who has an inexplicable fear of needles, just feel honored that you are more connected to your ancestors.
What is interesting to note is that fainting is more common in women than in men. It is possible that this too is tied to the Paleolothic-threat respose. The Paleolothic-threat hypothesis suggests that, during warfare, a phobic response to the sight of blood or an approaching sharp object was likely to be maladaptive for men who engaged in combat. For women and children, however, this behaviour may have been adaptive; fear-induced fainting may have increased the likelihood of being taken captive rather than being killed. Grim, kinda creepy, but pretty interesting nonetheless.
What is important to remember is that a good majority of the fainting response comes from the brain. And while it is true that a lot is on a subconscious level. It is remarkable what taking the time to relax, breathe and yes, eat. Getting tattooed is certainly painful, but it is nowhere near what most people anticipate and build up in their head. It should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Hopefully this did a bit to demystify some to the autonomic responses the body goes through. Take the time to talk to your artist, try not to fixate on the perceived pain.
If you are interested in a more in-depth examination, check out this great article.
And remember, its no big deal. Don’t let things get built up in your head into something bigger than they need be. We are here to guide you through this experience, as smoothly and enjoyably as possible.
Good morning friends, family and fans of Speakeasy Tattoo Los Angeles!
First and foremost I want to shoot Nate a heartfelt thanks for the warm welcome last week. Being a new apprentice is a nerve racking experience but the Speakeasy team has made it a great experience. For anyone that missed it, my name is Sweeve, the new apprentice here at the shop. It is with great pleasure that my first announcement as an apprentice is that, yes, the rumors are true!
WE
ARE
OPEN!
How appropriate that I am brought onboard and business can resume during the best month of the year; Black October.
Needless to say, the pandemic has hit the tattoo industry pretty hard so now is your chance! Polish them shoes, get that quarantine mullet trimmed and come get that sick wolf tatt you’ve been dreaming about since March!
As you may have gathered from Nate’s mini-interview from last week, my style leans heavily toward the traditional tattooing art and with that style comes a rich and profound history; most of which is passed down via word of mouth, becoming the oral myths and legends of the profession. And with the official go-ahead from the state of California what better way to catch up on business than to honor the tradition and history of tattoo culture than to spend a day riding the winds at sea.
“Sailor” Scott at the helm!
There are few more intrinsically connected archetypes that a swarthy sailor and bold tattooed imagery. Be it an anchor or a screaming eagle, tattoos and Naval service almost seem on in the same.
As with many aspects of the cultural melting pot that is Americana, what better place for “exotic” concepts and practices to get imported and adopted from cultures often visited by service members who have been sent to far-off shores. Naturally, port-towns became centers of new ideas and new arts. And while the idea of modern tattooing can be traced as far back as the 15th century when pilgrims from Europe would mark their arms in remembrance of the ports they visited, the classic art of electric tattooing came into its own in the 19th century.
“Tattoo Jack” in Denmark, 1940s
From the shores of Hawaii to the ports of Denmark, most of what we today identify as “American Traditional” tattooing can be traced from imported English styles into New York City’s rough and tumble Bowery District or into the ports of San Francisco. On the most surface level, the connection is somewhat apparent. Sailors wanted a souvenir from the ports they visited, but on a deeper level it also fostered the connection and brotherhood amongst fellow servicemen’s. These were momentos of their service, which is why so much of the classical traditional tattoo iconography involves ships, or flags carried by bald eagles, or something as seemingly whimsical as a bee holding a mop. In the words of legendary Bowery tattoo artist Stanley Moskowitz, son of the groundbreaking tattoo artist Willie Moskowitz, put it simply when talking about tattooing in the 1940s “…real tattoos…seaman style. Patriotic stuff. It was all Army, Navy, patriotic stuff. Tattoos had meaning in them days. That was their purpose, to show patriotism. Or love of their their wives, girlfriends. A guy never had to talk, or make all kinds of crazy things. They saw their stuff. Something hit them on the wall..Boom, they were in the chair.”
“Cap” Coleman in the 1940s
Beyond the mementos that tattoos represented, one must also bare in mind that sailors tend to be very superstitious. Something as simple as “H-O-L-D F-A-S-T” across the knuckles acts as added insurance that a sailor wouldn’t let the rigging slip. Hinges tattooed at the joints at the elbows protected from career-ending painful arthritis. A tattooed portrait of Jesus on the back of a sailor might seem an obvious representation of devotion to faith or to have the protection of a higher power right? Or perhaps such a portrait might make the administration of corporeal punishment somewhat difficult when the prescribed punishment is to be lashed on the back. Who from that era would want to get on the bad side of their lord by whipping his face??
Portrait of Jesus done by the master Sutherland MacDonald in 1899
1920 flash from Cap Coleman
Just like the traditions, myths and legends of tattoo culture are passed down through oral histories, the designs themselves are passed down, creating an almost uniform look to what is now called “American” traditional. To many, the imagery might look crude, almost cartoon-like (in fact, when you dig through the archives of vintage flash sheets, its not uncommon to see designs pulled directly from 40s era cartoons such as Pepe’ Le Pew). This simplicity is by design, not by a lack of skill. As the name itself explains, it’s tradition. One cannot mention traditional tattooing without certain names that helped define the style. “Cap” Coleman was designing and tattooing images in 1910 that are still in use today. Bull Wicks brought a much more refined and clean aesthetic to the traditional look. But one name cannot be overlooked nor this name be overstated in its significance: Norman Collins, or perhaps better known to even the general public as “Sailor Jerry.”
Sailor Jerry’s name is absolutely synonymous with classic tattoo design. To this day, Jerry’s designs remain relevant and contemporary, despite some being over a hundred years old. From his Hawaii shop in the 1940, what Jerry did was tighten the craft. His lines were clean. His imagery was bold. His simplicity was dynamic and, at times, sexy. Hey may not have been the first, but he certainly defined the look by taking the designs he saw from his time in the Navy and refining it.
Today, one need not be a sailor. Tattooing has moved into the mainstream and along with it, the iconography is no longer as deeply rooted or coded in its roots. On a personal level, there is little more visually appealing than a bold, anatomically cartoonish but oh so beautiful than a Jerry-style pin-up, or a snarling black wolf, bold lined fur and upturned eyes. With time, tattooing has evolved into countless styles from the simple black stick-and-pokes seen on baristas in Oakland, to some of the insane photo-realistic portraits produced in this very shop. And while trends can will always fluctuate, which is certainly a good thing, there will always be room for the classic, for the bold, for the traditional.
I’m looking forward to bringing some of that classic, tradition to the Speakeasy Tattoo family while also infusing my own bit of dark/gothic seasoning.
Check some of it out here!
And remember, we are now open and slots are filling up fast, so NOW IS THE TIME! Make that appointment you have been waiting for here!
For a great read, full of insane interviews from some of the most important names in the burgeoning days of modern tattoo art, check out
Enjoy your weekend!
XXX
-Sweeverton Killjoy
Good Morning Friends of a Speakeasy Tattoo Los Angeles! This is Marléna again, writing you from a remote off-the-grid cabin in far Northern Ca. Quarantine continues to bring us closer into what feels like summer. Ostensibly, most things are still closed. California’s claim to fame being the first to close and the last to open.
All in all, I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things this quarantine season. I fled super-quarantined LA and drove across the state of Arizona and halfway through New Mexico. Arizona was all yellow flowers and red rocks, a rhythmic splattering of butterflies the (same yellow as the flowers) hitting my windshield. The California poppy super bloom in Antelope Valley felt like a drug-induced impressionist painting flittering in the wind. The bioluminescence at the beach at night was otherworldly and the ocean was warm enough to comfortably get into at night.
If I’ve learned anything from having my jobs, social life, and ability to freely access public spaces stripped away from me, it’s that I must continue to move towards what I love. This process is exactly that, a process- as I’m still experiencing and learning what exactly it is that I Love. There are some things I know I love: forests, being outdoors, fresh vegetables, freedom to travel, art, drawing, tattooing, community and education. While I don’t have any sort of clear life plan in the face of Covid-19, what I know is that I need to continue moving towards that which I love.
With that being said, this will be my last blog post as an apprentice, as my apprenticeship is now over. At this point, I don’t know if next year will find me working on a sustainable farm in the countryside, moving to New Mexico, or putting all my belongings in a storage unit and getting on a long long trail for several months. For now, it’s just important that I have the freedom to fully consider my options. That is why, for the time being I will be leaving Speakeasy Tattoo. It is with a heavy heart that I say ‘see you later’ to the shop and group of artists who supported me through my apprenticeship. This will always be the place.
Wishing you all the best, -M.M