Tattoo Machine: Tall Tales, True Stories, and My Life in Ink

I rather enjoyed this book. Read it in a long evening. Yeah, it was that entertaining. Apparently there is rarely a dull moment in the tattooing trade (except in the wintry months, or if you SUCK and your business dies the death of a thousand tiny pokes)... Basically, this is the story of a tattoo artist. It's a memoir of a hundred anecdotes. It's full of cops, drugs, pigments, a possible serial killer, flippers, extra kidneys, pranks, "bloodbaths," "swamp panthers," "night hogs," "zombie walkers" and other colorful jargon (yes he explains their general meanings and then proceeds to use them liberally), and a discussion of the state of the art, where it's been, where it's going, the potential perils of the industry and over-regulation... I'd recommend this as a pretty entertaining read! If you've ever wondered after colorful stories of tattoos, tatooing and tattooers, this may be the book for you.

While I've been on the sharp, pointy end of a tattoo machine, I've never been on the other end, and I was curious to see an insider's perspective. The author, Jeff Johnson, has been in Portland much longer than I have, and has collected an incredible array of stories that, besides giving insight into what your artist goes through--also reminded me of the good and the scary about this place. Most of the stories happen in the shop itself, whether it's dealing with a variety of customers, or reminiscing about some of the best (and worst) fellow artists he's had to share space with. As befits an autobiographical exploration of a niche topic, there's a good bit of humor and absurdity--and plenty of WTF moments that I'm glad I never had to be privy to! (This makes me even happier that I can't draw.) It's a light read, but really informative. I finished it in about two hours, and really appreciated what Johnson had to say. Definitely a good read.

I do not have a tattoo and I am always suspicious of those with multiple tats. Even though I'm a white bread, middle aged woman I found Tattoo Machine a fascinating read. Jeff Johnson has stories to tell and he is witty, wise and a bit of a philosopher. I hadn't expected to be so enthralled with this book but I carried it everywhere while vacationing in Vegas and devoured it over a three day period. Tattoo Machine is not a book for the faint of heart. Some of the stories, and the mental images they evoke, are grotesque at best. Most stories are a revelation and Jeff has a way of making the reader laugh and think at the same time. I am hoping the final version of the book is better edited and organization but these are minor complaints at best. I really enjoyed this book.

Wonder no more! This book contains so many wonderful colorful tales about what goes on in there and then some. Some of the people who pass through the doors of the Sea Tramp Tattoo Company are more colorful than the tattoos they decide to have inked onto their bodies. Jeff Johnson tells a great story about the employees and the customers that kept me rivited to my chair. Even my favorite soap couldn't tear me away from this book. The adult language and salty prose gives us an authentic look at into a lifestyle three types of people will love reading about. Those three types are those who already have tattoos, those planning on getting a tattoo soon, and those who think about it but are to chicken to actually get one but keep thinking about it anyway. I was in Portland yesterday and thought long and hard about heading over to the Sea Tramp. But, alas, I fear I'm one of those facinated chickens.