Tattoos

Do all tattoo studios play Scandinavian grind or thrash or doom metal, all day long? Fucking draining, miserable, soulless, macho shite. It's probably the least relaxing music for either artist or client, I can't understand the attraction to it especially when you're working.

Nope, not where I’ve been tattooed. The last time I was tattooed the musical variety was outstanding. Used Shazam several times :-)

Parliament were playing Madonna last time I was there.

Any checked tattoo places to recommend around Camden/Islington/Hackney that have great ink and are not a rip off? I want to get my next tat but no artwork needed. Just a "stamped" black outline, so fine line skills needed only and black ink that won't fade in a year. There are loads in these areas but I'd prefer something you've tried and are proud to have a tattoo from.
Share pics of their work on you if you fancy too! Thanks! :)

Flamin eight in Kentish Town are excellent, I’ve got a few from there. Also really nice people. Have a look at their Instagram!

Thanks! Will check them out - been following them on insta. Some good colourwork as well :)

Parliament should be playing Parliament!

I plugged in my own earphones on the second day. Couldn't handle another dose of it. Thinking back on it, my memory of most studios is of them having it or something similar on.

Are there any studios in London that place a bit more of a premium on client comfort?

Maybe you could just, you know, ask them to play something you like / bring your iPod and suggest this or that?

I dunno, I generally go to a specific person wherever they’re tattooing because I want their work, and put up with whatever. Probably helps that I like doom and Madonna equally. I think the most irritated I have been was with pop punk

I feel this way for short ones. But if I am getting a big one again (last one was two full days) I will definitely take the venue into account more.

So the venue / their jukebox choices are more important than the tattooist?

To each their own I guess but I'd even sit through 2 whole days of listening to, say, ABBA, for proper work that is on my body for the rest of my fucking life (and that I pay €€€ for) than have some 2nd choice guy go it just because I enjoy the music he plays a bit more.

or in other words

I want their work, and put up with whatever

It wasn't just the music this time around, although for me this was a big part of it. The studio was really cramped, there were three tables in a room smaller than my sitting room. The "banter" between the artists wasnt particularly to my tastes with borderline #MeToo-esque discomfort with the way they were treating their female intern. At one point their (male) mate came in and showed everyone a "Michael Jackson rapey" dubbed video on YouTube to much hilarity. Then it was back to the grind metal. The McDonalds at lunch, with the food bag left in the corner bin of the studio, meant there was a constant smell during the afternoon.

I'm very happy with the work and I travelled to go to this artist. Yes you could say the end justifies the means, it's only temporary and just put up with it, but I felt ongoing discomfort, I felt I would have been able to sit better in a more relaxed environment - making things easier for the artist too. I'm also not likely to go back, nor recommend going there to people.

Maybe I'm just older (40+) and demanding / conversative / grumpy / don't want to put up with these types of issues anymore that I would have tolerated in the past for the sake of some cool ink.

King of heart at New X plays easier to the ears music. As they have little rooms (I very big room for 2 artists and a smaller room a floor up for just 1 artist) rather than an open space studio, I am sure they wouldn’t object to you bringing your own playlist...

Yeah that sounds fucking terrible.

Which shop out of interest?

Last time I got a tattoo he chucked Only Fools and Horses on the telly.
Bit random.

As with @ExTra - highly rated my experience at KoH, but have never had a bad exp either. I usually fall asleep.

I'm thinking about whether to say it or not. The artist I went to had only just moved there. I'm considering sending an email to him, outlining the issues I had, rather than put up a Google review or similar first. But I want the email to be constructive rather than bitching, and that's not always easy to put across in an email.

King of hearts in New cross is an excellent shop, yes. I was in that room on my own with Dexter last time, far nicer experience, and yes more likely to go back there again.

My wife's tattoer (in Copenhagen) was elaborating on his very varied musical taste during a session.
Apparantly he likes all styles. Like rap-metal, jazz-metal, folk-metal, you name it...

I want the email to be constructive rather than bitching, and that's not always easy to put across in an email.

Start with saying something along the lines of I want this to be constructive, rather than bitching ?

"I'm not racist but..."

"You now, I like metal, but..."

lol