“You want something that’s always going to be there. That’s why I think, most of the time, tattoos are based on memories,” Shawn Adams, host of the WPMD radio show, said.
For Adams, his radio show will always be there as an important memory in his life.
Everyone has their own opinion of what tattoos should represent, and if people should even get them.
Adams got tattoos of pancakes on his forearms during his show to commemorate this cornerstone in his life, while also promoting the show since he is still actively producing the segment.
“I not only got the tattoo for the show, but I also did it because it was a changing of the guard in my life,” he said “, I messed around a lot when I was a kid, and I wasn’t serious [until the show].”
He added the promotion he does every day for his show was another reason he chose to get the tattoos. He is now a self-proclaimed walking billboard.
“On the promotion level, it’s awesome. Everywhere I go, everyone wants to take pictures and see the tattoos.
I went to my co-host Jason Tyler’s house on Sunday and his aunts were telling me to come inside so they could take pictures with me, and the stack of pancakes,” Adams added.
It was appropriate for Adams to get these tattoos primarily because of the culture he’s involved with and how they fit in to his life as he had other tattoos done prior to these.
“Within the whole genre, and the punk and the metal scenes, [tattooing] is a custom of the lifestyle,” he said.
It all depends on who you are, what you do as a profession and what kind of lifestyle you live.”
Veteran’s club member Alex Rojo commemorated his experience with the U.S. Navy and other memories from his past.
“Well I have five tattoos, two are actually homemade, one I got in Singapore, one I got in San Diego and one I got in Chicago,” Rojo stated.
Every tattoo on his skin has a meaning behind it.
“In my opinion, every tattoo should have its own meaning, but I understand why people choose not to get them for a particular reason,” he said.
While some tattoos may have no meaning, they are still pieces of art.
The importance of finding the right artist is essential to a good tattoo because you’re essentially wearing someone else’s art until it’s removed, or you pass away.
Rojo added that, “Depending on what kind of style of work you want to get done, you should go online or visit shops and find out what artists do that specific type of work well.
You should find out everything you could about the artist before you get it.”
Having had seven piercings down his back, Rojo stresses the importance of finding the right artist to prevent botched work and ensuring a desirable piece of permanent art.
Rojo sees choosing an artist as so important because of the only tattoo he regrets.
“I regret the one on my back only because it wasn’t professionally done,” he said “, I don’t regret the meaning of it, but I just wish I had it done professionally.”
Adams also shared his thoughts on some reasons tattoos could be a source of regret, years after someone gets them.
“If you’re drunk or you have been smoking too much, those are all reasons why not to get tattoos.
If it’s four in the morning and you go to a tattoo shop, that’s probably another time you shouldn’t get a tattoo,” Adams added.
Getting another person’s name tattooed is a huge decision because you don’t know what the future may hold for your relationship. Even nicknames could be regrettably inked into your skin.
“Nicknames are bad. Five or ten years down the road, you may not be the same person,” Adams said.
As far as other forms of body art, he said piercings seem to be the ones becoming a little extreme.
“I’ve seen the whole on-the-back piercings; I was kind of thrown off by that.” Adams said “, It’s pretty intense but its really up to the person, to each his own.”
