 October 2005 |
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Every so often, we have a reshuffling. The staff and contributors have pretty much stayed the same, but columnists come and go. It's due to various reasons. Some columns are born as short features, a concept article placed in the magazine to test reader interest. But what sounded like a good idea in an editorial meeting doesn't always float in the sea of public opinion. Other columns disappear because the author has gone onto other things or run out of topics. The "Father of Modern Day Tattooing," Don Ed Hardy, bowed out of his wonderful column because, he told me "I've said everything I needed to say for the last few decades and, if I continue, I'd just be repeating myself." Machine wizard Danny Fowler called a halt to Tattoo Science because he'd prepared a specific number of excerpts and then there were no more. Even though he created enormous reader impact, Fowler said everything he had to say about tattoo machines and that was that. But don't despair. Two new columnists have joined the ranks: Baba, the always-in-the-thick-of-things town crier and owner of Vintage Tattoo and—what a thrill this is for all of us—Vyvyn, the inimitable Madame Lazonga from Seattle, Washington. While Baba has made a household name for himself as a tattoo artist and event promoter in a relatively short time, Vyvyn has assumed legendary status in a very long time—35 years to be exact. Baba and Vyvyn—two more distrinct and diverse personalities have never graced the tattoo scene. Baba exudes the energy and swagger of a run-for-cover graffiti artist while Vyvyn is tattoo's psychedelic butterfly, the ever-evolving artist and spiritual pilgrim. But that's tattooing, isn't it? Dramatically different voices with contrasting viewpoints. I remember someone telling me that, "Whenever I open a copy of SKIN & INK I hear all the individual voices. Each has its own cadence, its own way of saying things and its own unique persona." Yup, there's
no doubt about it, God's in His heaven and all is well in Tattoo
Town. Bob Baxter |
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