In the third part of our interview with the fabulous aliensdontringdoorbells, it’s the turn of lead singer and frontman, Adam. Read on for our chat about tattoos and make sure to stay tuned for our album review, coming soon!
Who did your first tattoo for you? How has the linework stood the test of time?
My first tattoo was when I was 17. I was working as an electrician in a nuclear plant in Culham, Oxford. We had the 6 month test to make sure we were still fertile, thankfully I was, and the beer flowed. On the way home I popped in ‘Lionells’ on the Cowley Road in Oxford to have a tattoo on my shoulder, its a cartoon pic of me, as such, a head shot. It’s now very faded and I keep meaning to have it covered up, but because it’s on my back, and very small, so I keep forgetting about it!
What’s the shortest amount of time you took between seeing a design and getting it inked?
Probably a few weeks… it’s that period of time when you get itchy and want that feeling of pain, relief, excitement and of seeing the finished product. Let’s face it, it is a massive thrill getting inked – if you haven’t experienced it, I personally think, you should… For me, it takes away life’s rough edge and makes you forget things for a while. All you can think about is the pain (It’s not a lot of pain I should say). To me, It’s a similar feeling and reason why I scuba dive. You just concentrate on one thing, like your breathing, and all your troubles leave you for a while.
If you could book a slot with any artist in the world, who would it be and what would you get?
I must admit, I’m not overly into a certain artists. My daughter has designed a lot of my tattoos, but there is one tattoo in particular I’ve always wanted. It would take a very skilled artist to get it right, though, so we will see! But I would ask Gracie, my daughter, to design more, as she did my whole right arm pretty much. From a style, idea, and by looking at my other tattoos, she designed the whole thing! I did say to her “if you do it, I’ll get it done”, and I loved it so much.
Are there any rock stars whose ink you particularly admire? Or any specific pieces?
Again, i don’t overly look at other people’s tattoos, or designs or where they get them, as it’s a very personal thing in my mind. I’d never copy anyone, or have a tattoo that everyone else has – it should be personal and specific to you. That’s not to say if I saw a design that really stood out, I wouldn’t consider it – as long as it was something that suited me, my being, and what I wanted it to stand for. My first real sense of looking at other peoples’ tattoos was the transformation of Adam Lavine; from no tattoos to, well, quite a lot, but they look cool and suit him and his style.
Any that you regret?!
No, I’ve always got a tattoo for a meaning, a feeling, something to be proud of, and not just a fashion statement. Mine are all very personal to me, my family, my life. I’m very proud of my ink.
Let’s talk favourite pieces.
I do have a few favourites, one being, as I said earlier, the one that was designed by my daughter, plus all the dates I have for family meanings. But one of my new ones is a fav. Yes, I’m a mad Zelda fan and I had a Zelda symbol tattooed on my inside right wrist, I love it. And I actually have the title of one of our songs on the album, Arrival, tattooed on my left arm, as it was the first song I ever wrote.
Arrival is out now, and you can read our review later this week!