Band tattoos

Sofaspud

My friend wants his first tattoo soon, and he wants to get a band logo on his forearm. Namely the Blink 182 logo.

I've been advising him against this, because I think band logos are the kind of tattoos that people can easily grow to regret. Musical tastes change, tattoos don't (without coverups etc)

Does anyone have any band logos that they didn't grow to regret after having them a long time?

Or is my opinion solely based on the fact that I think Blink 182 are shit?

Melion

I dont have a logo but i do have F.E.A.R on my wrist(its an Ian Brown song). It was my first tattoo, 5 years ago. I dont regret it at all.

Baggio...

For me, I guess it depends on the band... In the nineties I was really into Punk/Hardcore (still am), and at the time I really wanted a Type O Negative Tattoo. Christ, I sooo glad I didn't get one in the end, as they went from an early Hardcore band to a mellow goth band. Which is not my cup of tea at all.

So I guess if I was going to get a band tattoo now I'd want to make sure that I'd still really like the band in the future.

I'll probably get an Exploited one at some point. A) because I've been listening to them since I was 17 (I'm 39 now). I can't see them changing their style in the future.

TangyZizzle

Straight up band logos, for example, Metallica with the weird M and A.. horrific idea, almost as bad as a gf/bf name.
On the other hand, album art or a scene from a music video wouldnt he so terrible, that way if you go off the band or song you can always convince yourself its just a cool tattoo and not connected to the band or song :P

Sofaspud

TangyZizzle wrote: »

Straight up band logos, for example, Metallica with the weird M and A.. horrific idea, almost as bad as a gf/bf name.
On the other hand, album art or a scene from a music video wouldnt he so terrible, that way if you go off the band or song you can always convince yourself its just a cool tattoo and not connected to the band or song :P

I agree with this, although when I was about 15, I thought the Slipknot logo would make a cool tattoo, and even if I stopped liking the band, the logo looked cool enough to not be connected.
Thankfully I was 15!

TangyZizzle

Lol, love it. I know a guy who got the Slipknot S on his upper arm.. right if I remember correctly. He got it done just after turning 17, by a tattoo artist in Dublin ( yeah, for all you people saying no artist will do it, obv some do ).
My point is, its massive, and even while in the healing stages of the tattoo, he wasnt referring to it as a slipknot tattoo, he was calling it his "tribal S," ..sounds like regret to me, haha.

Sean7

I've got the Black Flag logo on my arm and I still like Black Flag four years after I got it. However, I could never in good faith recommend a Blink 182 tattoo as I don't know if they are the kind of band someone will like their whole life.

GirlOfGlass

The dude who wants the Blink182 tattoo should seriously think about why he wants to mark his skin with a logo like that. Even if the band is his favourite and means a lot to him or whatever, it's still such a big decision to make.
I regret my first tattoo, it's not specifically speaking a band logo, but it's related in some way to Bring Me The Horizon as it's Oli Sykes logo thing (THE DREADED DROP DEAD DIAMOND) And I have this on my wrist for the rest of my life. Yaaaaay It's not really as much that I regret it right now, it's that I regret that I WILL hate it in a few years and I am very certain of that.
So band tattoos are a no. Totally.

Sofaspud

Sean7 wrote: »

I've got the Black Flag logo on my arm and I still like Black Flag four years after I got it. However, I could never in good faith recommend a Blink 182 tattoo as I don't know if they are the kind of band someone will like their whole life.

I think that's the main reason I'm so against it, I don't mind other people having band tattoos, when they're iconic bands who are likely to have a lifelong following. But I can't see blink in that way.
Although I hate Blink 182, so that could be related . . .

tfak85

i have a couple of small band tattoos, one because when i was 18 i moved to london to see them and the other because they mean alot to me but they are both small and not instantly recognisable as band tattoos.

i certainly don't regret them, so long as he is sure he wants it on him for the rest of his life what's the harm, perhaps their music really means something to him...
but yeah, rather than just getting "blink182" on his arm perhaps you should suggest a line from a song or something...

dr.bollocko

It does depend on the image IMO.
I saw a guy with the zeppelin 4 symbols

On a line across his back. Looked incredibly cool.
What is the logo?
This one is it?

rain on

The Black Flag bars is an iconic tattoo in itself at this stage, as much as the band itself.

I have a couple of band tattoos (and have been thinking about getting more) but they're in the form of lyrics - I'd never just get a band's name or logo plonked on me, no matter how much I liked them.

Is it your man from Blink 182 who has the Dag Nasty 'Can I Say' tattoo? That's a pretty nice way of doing the band tattoo thing IMO. It's instantly recognisable to anyone into punk/hardcore what it is, without being the name just stuck there on his chest.

Sofaspud

tfak85 wrote: »

i certainly don't regret them, so long as he is sure he wants it on him for the rest of his life what's the harm, perhaps their music really means something to him...

Nope, he just likes the band, and thinks having the logo tattooed will make him look cooler . . .

dr.bollocko wrote: »

What is the logo?
This one is it?

Aye, that's the one.

BlueNemo

Rather then the Blink album logo, which isnt exactly original, how about some lyrics instead?

That way if he doesn't like the album logo in a few years, he'll still relate to the meaning behind a few lyrics? no? :rolleyes:

A_Border_Bandit

A friend of mine got the... I don't even know what it is, it's a Chillis asterix thing on his inner forearm. Lame.

seanybiker

I got the waylon jennings W on my chest a few weeks back. I have been a fan of his all my life and ill never regret it. Tis only a small one. i loves it though. Really want to get a johnny cash portrait done at some stage to

hunter164

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhRqDvP-mwM

Irishshin

I love Bon Jovi and wanted a Jovi related tattoo for so long. But nothing that just says Bon Jovi.

I have decided on getting KTF (vertically) on the back of my neck. Its stands for Keep The Faith and I am getting it done in the same font thats on the album.

I don't think I will regret it, have been a fan all my life, kinda grew up with them really.
At the same time, it is a saying that I use a lot as well.

tfak85

Sofaspud wrote: »

Nope, he just likes the band, and thinks having the logo tattooed will make him look cooler . . .

well, each to their own i suppose, don't we all get tattoos because we like how they look, i guess he likes that logo....
perhaps direct him towards some books or the portfolios on here to give him a look at a bunch of different styles and inspire him to get something custom and original..

bodice ripper

i have a White Stripes lyric the whole way across my chest, and a portrait of David Gilmour on my leg.

i don't have to worry, i don't listen to **** bands, frankly...

Sean7

**** it, just tell him to get it, just make it a small one then he can always get a cover-up or relatively cheap removal. You only live once let him do what he wants do what you want, it's not your fault he likes **** music.

EDIT: If nothing else I guess it's a reminder of a time in your life when you did like certain things even if you don't like them later. I'll always love BF though.

seanybiker

he wants to get it, its not you thats getting it. Leave him do what he wants. Yes people do regret getting tattoos and others are happy with them.
Im not to mad about the first one I got. I dont hate it or anything and its to big to cover over. The only reason I got it was because Im **** scared of needles, so saying that the tattoo does have a story to it. I got it when I was extremely bad with my depression and decided I wanted a tattoo. Whatever tattoo I got would still have the "i wanna die" story to it. Everyone has reasons to get them.
So what if blink 182 dont last forever, they are here now and maybe your mate wants to remember this part of his life.
Sometimes mistakes are good, everyone learns from em. I know a chap who wants to get a nazi sign on his leg. I dont agree with that at all. He will get the crap kicked out of him for that, your mate wont. If my mate does get it done im gonna slap him. Your mate wants a harmless tattoo, just cos you dont like it doesnt even come into it.
I have me little waylon one, i love it but I also love guns and roses and am gonna get a tatt about them some stage. Leave your mate off. Nobody on here can tell him not to get it because we are not him.

seanybiker

hunter164 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhRqDvP-mwM

momma dont let your cowboy grow upto be babies. Lol.
Me father met him years ago, funny story.

hunter164

seanybiker wrote: »

momma dont let your cowboy grow upto be babies. Lol.
Me father met him years ago, funny story.

Song always reminds me of San Andreas.

OP I've words from a Bob Marley song on me arm. I love it. If your mate wants to get it then it's his body his choice.

randomchild

Will hopefully be getting my first tattoo later this year, the sun on upper left back. Am planning on getting the words "your going to carry that weight" encircling it a later date (Beatles' lyrics) Think this is safe enough as am pretty sure they are not going to be releasing anything too 'naff in the future:D.

lil'bug

i've thought about getting the rose on the depeche mode album Violater

Crumble Froo

yeah, i'd agree with most that say not to get the band name/logo so much as a more representative image of them. for example, instead of an incubus one, i got the album art related to a certain song done, or instead of ride, i got a polar bear and some lyrics (fave song is called polar bear), and instead of the tea party i got just lyrics.

though again, it is your mate's tattoo and if they want it, they want it, but i guess no harm in suggesting the alternatives.

ryaner7777

First Post in the Tattoo forum so hello all !

I have two tattoo's, both on my upper back, The first is right in the middle and is just the word Imagine is script. It's simple enough and could have so many meanings to so many people but to me it simply represents a hard time in my life where I was listening to allot of Lennon music. That was 5 years ago.

My second tattoo I just got last weekend and it's the Abbey Road silhouette, It's right up in the top left corner of my back. I can't ever see me regretting either of them. Grew up in a house where Beatles music was played an awful lot and would always be my first choice of track when choosing from an ipod or jukebox ?

Let your mate get whatever he wants done. It's his body and if it's ridiculous looking you'll get many years of taking the p1ss out of him about it.

starman1

Irishshin wrote: »

I love Bon Jovi and wanted a Jovi related tattoo for so long. But nothing that just says Bon Jovi.

I have decided on getting KTF (vertically) on the back of my neck. Its stands for Keep The Faith and I am getting it done in the same font thats on the album.

I don't think I will regret it, have been a fan all my life, kinda grew up with them really.
At the same time, it is a saying that I use a lot as well.

Irishshin, won't you're boyfriend be furious if you get that tattoo?

Irishshin

starman1 wrote: »

Irishshin, won't you're boyfriend be furious if you get that tattoo?

I don't have one.
Anyways, even if I did, its my body so he really wouldn't have a say in it!

umdanone

Iv got Nine Inch Nails lyrics tattooed up my forearm with an image relevant to the song, it was my first tattoo and i only got it done 2 months ago but iv been a fan for over 10 years now. I dont regret it one bit. but getting the blink logo is something he will live to regret. Im already planning my next NIN related tattoo for my other arm