Before They Were Tatted: 10 Rockers Before + After Their Tattoos
We're so used to seeing some musicians with tattoos now that it's hard to imagine what they looked like before they got them. Some of them may have had a small one here or there in the beginning, but eventually, they got really tatted.
That's why we decided to find some early photos of heavily inked musicians to see how they looked before they got their body art.
Tattoos are very popular in the rock and metal world. Musicians tend to appreciate all forms of art, which explains why they'd want it permanently placed on their skin.
While many of the popular, intricate styles of tattooing we see today haven't been around very long, tattoos have actually been around for centuries — even some people who were mummified have been found with some sort of tattoo on their skin.
First practiced in Asia, the concept of tattooing eventually spread to cultures around the world. They were used for purposes outside of culture, too, such as identification within the military. According to Time, the first tattoo shop in the U.S. was opened in New York City in 1846 by a German immigrant named Martin Hildebrandt. Today, there are thousands of shops in the city alone.
Janis Joplin was among one of the first musicians to have visible tattoos. One design on her outer wrist stood for the liberation of women, and the other was a heart on her chest. The 1970s saw hippie culture and biker fashion rise to prominence, which is around the time that tattoos started gaining popularity. They were initially seen as a sign of rebellion, whereas they are now part of normal self-expression.
Check out the gallery of images below to see 10 rockers before and after they got their signature tattoos.
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