Music has a way of making an impact on your life in so many ways. For me personally it seems I have an ever continuing soundtrack to my life that is always playing in the back of my mind. There is something magical about a band or a song that you love to so so so much that you never want to let it go. One way to pay homage to these songs/artists is by getting tattoos to represent them. The following little stories are just a FEW that I have come across. Enjoy, be inspired and get tattooed. <3
Ethan Luck – The Clash
“My band tattoo is of The Clash. My biggest influence and the only band that mattered”
ME- MXPX
“This tattoo represents my very first love in music. This band altered my outlook on music and influenced every other band I loved from that moment on. They continue to blow my mind and are amazing people”
Becky- Bayside
“Bayside is probably my favorite if not one of my favorites. Their music came into my life at a really important time and remains a constant whenever I need it. Proud to have a bit of Bayside on me.”
Bryan- Bayside
“I’ve been a huge Bayside fan for years. Back in 2009 my friend started tattooing. While he was an apprentice, he asked if I wanted a tattoo, for free. So I sent him the Bayside bird logo. He did it for free and all I had to do was buy him In-N-Out. Bayside has always been and will always be one of the most honest and real bands that do it for the right reasons. I had no second thoughts about getting this tattoo because I know they’d never let me down.”
I recently did an interview with Bayside’s frontman Anthony Raneri for Substream Magazine and he had to say this about his own band tattoos:
ME: “There are countless Bayside inspired tattoos out in the world. Do you have any of your own?”
ANTHONY:”I too have a Bayside tattoo. I have an Alkaline Trio tattoo. There is this band called The Toy Dolls that I’ve loved since I was a kid. They are a British punk band. SO I have a Toy Dolls tattoo. I have a Get Up Kids tattoo. I have a Smiths tattoo. I have a Seven Seconds tattoo. I guess I could say I have a lot. “
Wayne- BANE
In 2008 on a coast to coast Canadian tour, after the second show, we were in a truly severe and violent roll over accident. All but one of us were hospitalized after being prematurely discharged from there, we slept for 18 hours straight, then took Greyhound Bus to meet back with the tour with the help and support of everyone on the tour, the people coming to the shows and countless friends and family. BANE (who is also one of my favorite bands a group of people I looked up to growing up) would dedicate a song to us and had some sincere words that were a strong force while we continued to carry our broken bodies from show to show. A few of us got these words, “give everything, give blood” tattooed on us while we were on that tour. They’re lyrics from the song BANE dedicated to us.”
Nick- Listener
“This is from the song Wooden Heart. The full lyrics are, “This war ship is sinking but I still believe in anchors, pulling fist full of rotten wood from my heart, but I still believe in saviors.” It’s pretty special to my wife and I. It kept her really relaxed during labor of our first son.”
Hannah- The Front Bottoms
“These are lyrics from the song Twin Size Mattress. I got it as a constant reminder to get out there and do things instead of sitting around complaining about things I didn’t get invited to. The Front Bottoms are one of my favorite bands, so I asked them to write it out for me, so it’s in their handwriting. This tattoo is definitely a win-win because it is a message that means a lot to me, but still something special from one of my favorite bands as well.”
Becky- The Classic Crime
“This is from the album art from Albatross, my favorite record that means and meant so much to me. I know every line and beat to this record. It even makes my heart hurt a little to hear it. This was my first big tattoo piece. I got it the day after my 26th birthday. It’s one of my favorites for so many reasons.”
Golden Sunshine- Minor Threat
” I grew up in a different time & a different place. Being a black kid going to shows in the 90’s in Las Vegas, there wasn’t any looking out into a crowd & see kids that looked like you. There was no identification to me anywhere except in the music.
Back then people talked Bad Brains like a forgotten language that only my close friends seemed to speak in tones of comfort after walking through a show & hearing white kids yell out to me “you lost or something?” followed by their shitty laughter. Black kids were no better back then either, they called my “white girl” & thought I was weird for having Screeching Weasel blaring from my tape deck. Punk at the early age of 12 taught me how to be ok with myself & never giving a fuck which in return has allowed me to grown into a women very comfortable in her own skin.
After a friend of mine by the name of Lin Newborn who promoted anti racist action through punk was murdered by skinheads in 1998 for looking like me & liking the same music as me, I tattooed Minor Threats out of step sheep as a reminder of my black youth. Lin was the only other black punk I knew. Even through the tragedy of a huge hole in the Vegas punk scene due to the death of Lin, I still seemed to find this beautiful world around me of friends who fought in my honor and never looked at me any different than themselves.
I knew what Ian Mckaye meant after writing “Guilty of being white”. I was still living his word 7 years later just completely on other side of the spectrum from him.
Now people come up to me & say “Hey! Out of step!” Or they’ve a matching tattoo and whether the conversation from there goes on for hours or seconds, for a brief moment, I’m reminded of that little girl with so much love for something and the friends who’ve come and gone along the way. And I am reminded of a change I never knew back then would come. Kids at shows can now feel more free than I ever did at their age. And when I’m at a show today, and look through a crowd, I see myself: repeatedly! I’m there through the black kid with his white girlfriend and his blue hair! I’m the girl with the dreads near the pit. I am there and completely over joyed to see we’re no longer “out of step” with the world.”
Nick- The Chariot
Alexa – Say Anything
“I have the lyrics to ‘Retarted In Love’ to express my love for photography and I branded it with a big S and A in honor of Say Anything”
Bryan- MXPX
“The one on the right, is on the back of my calf. Besides being a long time fan, I decided to get it after directing their documentary and two music videos. It was kind of like having a “club patch.” It was an honor to be a part of their creative team, so this was my way of showing it.”
Tyler- OH, SLEEPER
“So this tattoo is inspired and based off of the song “in the wake of pigs” by oh sleeper. I always loved their lyrics and when I was thinking about a tattoo, I wanted one that represented my faith. The lyric is “you are not alone, in the eye of the darkest storm we are the lighthouse shining a lamp from the shore to bring your journey home” It was a little long to sum up so I had “guide me home” placed. The lighthouse represents my faith and the storm represents life. It’s definitely one of my favorite Oh,Sleeper songs. “
Mayra- Alkaline Trio
“Alkaline Trio has been my favorite band since 2005. 5 years ago I lost a good friend and somehow their music helped me overcome the pain. I got the tattoo 4 years ago and every time I look at it, it reminds me of my friend and my passion for music.”
Dulce- Eisley
“I got this tattoo in 2012 to cover up my first tattoo which was meaningless to me. This one is based on a Sherri Dupree-Bemis (Eisley) drawing. She is one the people I admire the most because you can feel her love for music in all her projects, and her voice is so dreamy. I chose this drawing in particular because this girl represents music as well. In 2010 my mom and I lost our belonging in a floatation. It was a hard time for us, but Eisley music helped me through that rough period. When I was finally able to afford the tattoo I got it.”
Dani- Against Me
“Against Me has been one of my favorite bands for 10 years, and got me through the toughest times in my life. Their new album is with no exception. The verse “don’t want to live without teeth, don’t wanna die without bite; never want to say that I regret it” really resonated with me.”
Alli- MXPX
“MXPX has been one my one and only favorite band since I was 9. Let It Happen was my first cd after cassette tapes were going out!”
Olivia- My Chemical Romance
“I got this tattoo in August during my first week at college. It’s a phrase that has stayed in the back of my mind throughout the soon to end of my teenage years. Being 13 isn’t easy for anyone and it’s hard to find your place. I found mine in music. The first band that really changed my life was My Chemical Romance. The band and fan base gave me a home and a support system when I was very unsure of myself and who I wanted to be. Phrases yelled by front man Gerard Way like “You Cannot Destroy Me” helped me feel confident and strong and stayed with me as I met new people, experienced new milestones and most importantly for me, discovered new music. I decided that I needed this tattoo to remind me of where I have been, to honor people and songs that meant so much to me , and to remind myself that no matter what I come up against, it can’t destroy me.”
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories with me. I am inspired and I hope that these bands see this and know they are loved.
oh, you are loved to. duh.
XOXO, Christie Gee
