Inspired to Ink

All art is beautiful, art can tell a story, show an emotion. Art can inspire other art. That is what music has done for me. I have a total of six tattoos, and I am in the working of more, but what is important about this fact is that three of my six are all inspired by songs and bands that have inspired me and helped me in more ways than one. Tattoos are a permanent part of a body so anything that you put onto it should be something that means something to you and something that you are proud to carry with you. Today I want to tell you the stories behind my music based tattoos, introduce you to some songs and bands you may not be aware of, and in part just talk good music. Beware though, that sometimes music and meaning can be dark yet uplifting. These tattoos are personal as are the stories but it is sharing these impacts that are important, these artists put the work out into the world and they should see and hear what comes from it.

The first music-based tattoo I ever got was actually the second tattoo that I got done in a little shop in Erie, PA for my 17th birthday. The tattoo is based on the song “Lead Me Out of The Dark” by Crown the Empire from their Limitless album. This song really hit home because it talks about to me, leading yourself out of the darkness of the world and your mind. Fighting through a situation you just don’t think you can win and finding that light again in some way.

“That we're all okay, we're doing fine

When we're both fighting just to stay

To stay alive

A fragile state of mind

That I can't quite survive”

Depression was a thing that really struck my family hard and for a long time, I was worried that the people I love weren’t going to be able to pull themselves out of this situation and hearing artists open up about this darkness people are afraid to talk about bringing it to the forefront of a conversation is needed in today’s society. The tattoo on my wrist that represents this I actually designed myself. The little girl represents me and the fragility of childhood and family, and the balloons she is holding represent the parts of life worth fighting for and saving. She is outside the broken light bulb, “the darkness”, but the balloons she is holding are inside representing her fight to “lead them out of the dark”

If any of you know Black Veil Brides then you know their lead singer Andy Biersack, or Andy Black as he goes by on his solo album and social media. In 2016, Andy released a solo album called “The Shadow Side” an album that not only was amazing but touched on a lot of tough issues in songs like “Stay Alive”, “Put the Gun Down”, and “Broken Pieces”. (Let’s be honest though almost every song on that album had a bit of a darker and deeper message and it was amazing). The song that really stuck out to me was the song “Stay Alive” which featured Matt Skiba from Blink-182. At the time of this release, as mentioned above this was a hard time for my family, but it was also hard for the community I was from. Suicides from young people in the area were increasing, some people I knew and were close to my little brother, and it just seemed to keep getting harder. This tattoo is far more simple in symbolic design as it is just the lyric from the song

“Stay alive for the good times” with music notes, but the heartbeat to it is important because every heartbeat is important and this piece is done for all of those who didn’t realize the importance of theirs.

The last tattoo, and most recent of all my work is actually a piece to represent a band in whole, Mariana’s Trench. Mariana’s Trench is a Canadian pop-rock, alternative, no real good genre for the band that I have fallen in love with for many years now. They don’t have a specific song that I worked with for it because this band as a whole helped me through many years through many albums. When I had a bad day, they would be who I listened too. Their music is upbeat and fun, but also meaningful and sad, but no matter what song came on it was like “Wow, I feel better.” They also just give me hope for a lot of the music world, every single member in this band is so damn talented, I mean Josh Ramsay’s vocal range alone is like a gift from God himself.

The fact though that the lead singer, (Josh Ramsay), writes all the music, creates a concept and feel for each album because it isn’t just a single and then another single then another. No, it is a deliberate story, a feeling that lasts through the album as it flows from song to song. Like their newest album “Phantoms” is based on a haunted house, gloomy, Edgar Allen Poe vibes and the album “Ever After” is actually a storybook with a music video based saga. (Haven’t Had Enough, Fallout, Desperate Measures, Stutter, By Now in that order if you are curious to watch on their YouTube channel.) It’s in a word, just insane. I had the honor of seeing them perform in Rochester on their latest touring cycle, sadly didn’t get to do VIP because well classes suck, but I left on a high.

I laughed, I cried, I sang. I had never been so happy and I gabbed my boyfriend’s ear off the whole way home about how no one can put on a show and make me feel the way Mariana’s Trench does. So their tattoo is just a reflection of the works that made my life better, the album titles in their fonts circling the band logo that just gives me joy whenever I see it.

I chose this song because it is the end piece of their new album “Phantoms” and it really shows off Josh’s vocal range. Plus it was uploaded on my birthday so it only feels right but also to be able to have some music videos in this post here is some other ones by Mariana's Trench seeing how their tattoo wasn't inspired by just one song.

Now I want to hear your stories, do you have any songs that have inspired you? Have any of them inspired you to ink? Also, what do you think of these songs/bands, I would love to hear what you have to say!