Far from the custom tattoo inception point of Vancouver, beyond the great divide, one guy struck out to make a name for himself. Rather than being content to work in the shadow of his contemporaries he stepped up onto the international stage, leaving a legacy of influence across the globe.
At a time when tattooing was emerging from its traditional american approach, and information was not readily available or shared, styles were being blended and fused to create a new look. Tattooists were experimenting with different influences from Japan, blending them with dark, greasy imagery that appealed to the bad asses of the day. The style was infectious, it quickly spread.
