Profession: Crown of Viserys zine
E-mail interview by: Lady Kat Chaos
Date: May 2014
OCZ: How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
Dustin Ekman: 19 or 20.
OCZ: How many tattoos do you have?
Dustin Ekman: 3
OCZ: Which tattoo is your first and which one was your latest?
Dustin Ekman: My first was my neck, which says LSC with 2786 under it. My latest is the 13th Sky logo on my left arm.
OCZ: How long did it take you to build up your collection?
Dustin Ekman: As much of a collection I have, about ten years.
OCZ: A lot of fans tattoo lyrics or favorite band logos, have you ever done that or plan on ever doing it?
Dustin Ekman: I have the logo for 13th Sky already, and I'd like to get some lyrics done. I considered something like a spiral around my thigh consisting of lyrics.
OCZ: Do you have a piece or a few pieces that have the most meaning to you? Why that specific piece(s) is your favorite?
Dustin Ekman: My favorite is probably my neck. LSC 2786 is my cat Skellington's identification number from the vet that she went to. She had the same tattoo in her ear, and my wife also got it done on her left arm when I got my neck done.
OCZ: Which one of your tattoos was the most painful and where is it?
Dustin Ekman: The neck tattoo. The 8 is right over a tendon, so that was pretty brutal. The touch-ups on the 13th Sky logo were pretty brutal too, right close to the elbow.
OCZ: Which one of your tattoos took the longest to complete?
Dustin Ekman: The 13th Sky logo.
OCZ: Do you have a spot on your body that you would never tattoo?
Dustin Ekman: Erogenous zones...
OCZ: Did you pay for all the work you've had done? What was the most expensive tattoo you've paid for?
Dustin Ekman: Yes, I paid for them all. The neck was the most expensive, but using the least ink and probably the least time.
OCZ: Which tattoo style do you like best?
Dustin Ekman: I love traditional, and I love dark stuff from Paul Booth.
OCZ: Which artist(s) did your tattoos?
Dustin Ekman: Jason Porter did my two arm tattoos, and I can't remember the name of the guy who did mine and my wife's tats.
OCZ: Which tattoo artist do you admire?
Dustin Ekman: Evan Void, from Living Out Loud in Laurel Springs, New Jersey. He's only an apprentice right now, but damn does he have some nice designs, and his in the flesh work I've seen is gorgeous. Whenever I'm in the NJ area, I'll be hitting up Evan for a big leg piece I'm sure.
OCZ: Which tattoo artist would you like to get ink by that you've never went to before?
Dustin Ekman: Well, Evan Void.
OCZ: Do you regret getting any of your tattoos, now hate, want to replace, or have covered up, and why?
Dustin Ekman: I want to cover my neck up and "move" Skellington's number to my ribs. I want to have my other cats ID numbers with hers. I might cover up the 13th Sky tat with a skull, simply because I'm not big on the tattoo itself.
OCZ: Have tattoos affected your life? If so, in what way?
Dustin Ekman: The only way they've really affected me is that people are always asking about the neck tattoo,
OCZ: Have you ever been discrimination in the workplace and outside the workplace because you have tattoos?
Dustin Ekman: Nope. Not yet.
OCZ: What are your thoughts about tramp stamps that many females get and so do some dudes?
Dustin Ekman: They aren't my thing.
OCZ: Do you watch any of the TV shows about tattooing?
Dustin Ekman: No. I don't really watch TV anyway.
OCZ: Have you been approached or featured by any tattoo magazines?
Dustin Ekman: No.
OCZ: What advice would you give to someone who was going to get their first tattoo?
Dustin Ekman: Get it somewhere that is going to hurt like a motherfucker. Tattoos are addictive, and your first one, being painful, will help you decide if they are something you really want. Also, in the end, it's just ink. You don't need special meanings for them. I have a skull on the inside of my arm because it looks cool.
OCZ: What do you look for when you enter a tattoo parlor? Have you ever walked out of one and for what reasons?
Dustin Ekman: Cleanliness, cleanliness, and cleanliness are the first three priorities. Good customer service and a knowledgeable staff are tied for fourth.
OCZ: Do you have any new tattoos planned or underway?
Dustin Ekman: I have tons of tattoos planned. Full sleeves, here I come!
OCZ: Do you have an activity that you would like to mention or plug?
Dustin Ekman: I'm one of the founders and owners of Crown of Viserys, a webzine devoted to metal. Our reviews and interviews can be read at http://crownofviserys.wordpress.com. This autumn we are putting out a 200 page book full of interviews, reviews, and news, in a perfect bound softcover setting.
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