Dean is guitar player in the London-based Metal band PARABYSS. Heavy and melodic unleashing progressive and groove-based guitar riffs and roaring vocals - so the band describes their music. PARABYSS is currently working on their debut album and I hope we can listen to it soon. But let’s go back to our main topic, tattoos, because Dean has amazing pieces of art on his skin and I want to know more about them.Reflections of Darkness [RoD]: When did you get your first tattoo and what was it? Did it take much time until you decided to get it done?
Dean:I think I was 25, when I got my first tattoo. It’s of an angel, and it was based on a friend of mine because of her stage performance name. I sat on the idea for a couple of months before getting it, to make sure I was happy with the design, as I’ve had many ideas for tattoos and didn’t want to regret it.
RoD: How many tattoos do you have? Could you please tell us their story?
Dean:I have 11 tattoos; 6 of them are dedicated to friendships. Angel tattoo, and God tattoo on my calf muscles are really good friend of mine, as well as being a couple. They always looked out for me, and taught me so much and were such a source of inspiration for music. The water colour eye on my shin, is based of Alex Greg’s that I took from TOOL’s ‘Lateralus’ album. Rather than have the artist sign their name, I decided to have a Queen bee for her name sake next to the piece she had done. I have three ambigrams of friends’ names on my right shin, I intend to get a couple more in this style. It is almost like the book you’d get your friend to sign when you left school.
I have the angel of death from ‘Hellboy 2’ on my left thigh. A friend for my birthday gifted me a framed drawing of this character and straight away I said I’m getting this tattooed. On my right thigh, I have the poster of Arnold Schwarzenegger from ‘Terminator 1’. It’s my favourite movie of all time. My left sleeve is dedicated to a friend that came into my life at pivotal time, I was dealing with issues of depression without even knowing what depression and anxiety was. And chose the design of a woman and a Phoenix spiralling down my arm to represent the duality of man as well as change and evolution. My right sleeve is a representation of there being more to life than what we can see and understand. There are four skulls at, in what I could only best describe as, different stages / phases of life surrounded by the universe.
RoD: Have you already got all the tattoos that you wanted or will you get some new ones in the future?
Dean:I still need to finish my right sleeve, and there will probably be a couple more after that, but we shall see.
RoD: Have all your tattoos been done by one tattoo artist or by different ones? How do you choose the tattoo artist? In addition, who draws your sketches?
Dean:My first three tattoos were done by Jim444 at Bloodbrothers Studio, the rest were done by various artists at Tattooend Studio; Endre Szabo, Eva Szolnoki, Vivien Vámosi, Bee Cole, and Marta Cirślak-Piróg. Jim444 had tattooed some friends from bands I knew, and when I met him, he was such a friendly guy, very enthusiastic, open to discuss designs, and had a way about him when he was tattooing to make you feel at ease, either by laughing or engaging in conversation that was genuine. All the artists at the Tattooend Studio were chosen on their artwork and their personalities; Endre’s tutelage combined the individual artist’s skill made each one shine, and I wanted to get tattooed by them all. I’m treated like family when I’m there and I will never need to look for another tattoo studio.
RoD: Getting tattooed hurts, how do you cope with the pain during the sessions?
Dean:Try and get a good night’s sleep, no heavy partying the night before, a nice hearty breakfast, a large bottle of orange Lucozade, are the standard things, if it reaches a point of excruciating pain, I try to meditate, and just bare the pain as it comes.
RoD: Do you regret getting tattooed sometimes?
Dean:No, not at all.
RoD: What is your taboo in terms of tattoos? What kind of tattoo would you never get done and don’t like to see on other people?
Dean:I’m not a fan of random flash tattoos, but that’s just a personal choice... or scratchers. If you google tattoo fails, that’s more than enough of a reason.
RoD: Some people say that the drive to acquire body art is addictive while others say it fails to meet the true definition of an addiction, simply calling it a passion. Is it really impossible to stop?
Dean:Everyone feels differently about what their passions, some will get a tattoo just for the sake of getting one, some will black out their tattoos, or laser them off to either have blank skin or be able to get a new tattoo over it. The definition will be down to the individual to define.
RoD: Currently tattoos are a new trend; many people do not care about the meaning, they just want to have something coloured on the skin, to be in trend. Those people often just go into a tattoo salon and ask which drafts they have. Tattoo artists are not artists any more, they produce consumer goods. Not all of them, of course. How do you feel about this situation?
Dean:Tattoo artists are artists; it says it right there. Everything is an art form, and you cannot negate tattooing from that definition. Tattoos started out in tribes, and meant something culturally, so it can mean more than just decorated skin, like when someone gets a tattoo to commemorate the loss of a loved one, it can bring comfort. I don’t judge those that get a tattoo for a fashion trend, as the more people that have tattoos, hopefully the stigma will lessen even more. Judge someone on the content of their character, not for their appearance.
RoD: I would like to talk about the social aspect of tattoos, too. Previously, many people believed that if you have a tattoo, you will be never be successful and will not find a “good” job. Have this state of mind and people's perceptions changed or are these prejudices still alive?
Dean:I partly answered this above, but again, tattoos do not affect someone’s ability to do a job, it goes to show the true nature of those that discriminate those that do. I believe the prejudices are still rather prevalent, but it can still change.
RoD: Which advice would you give to people who are going to get their first tattoo? How to choose a tattoo artist? Colour or black and white? Any practical advice?
Dean:Get the tattoo because you want to, and think about the design for a good while, and list as much detail as you can for the artist to do their best work, and don’t have a negative attitude if your ideas won’t work in the format of a tattoo, the artist has a better understanding of what will work. Pick an artist that you can build a connection with as well as the credentials and avoid scratchers, making the process of getting tattooed more comfortable, unless you simply want to get tattooed by work renowned artist. Follow every step of the aftercare.
Links: http://www.parabyss.com / https://www.facebook.com/parabyss
Project by Daria Tessa and Daniela Vorndran, Interview by Daria Tessa
Pictures by Dean Mills
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