EP21: MARK MAHONEY

This week, I’m speaking with Mark Mahoney. As a tattooer, Mark needs no introduction. A pioneer of the single needle style, his work has inspired artists and set a standard for decades. An afternoon at the beach as a young boy set Mark on a path which has seen him bridge the gap between outsider and popular culture, helping to bring the art form into the mainstream.

It was with the outlaw motorcycle clubs of Massachusetts where Mark would first practice his craft, saving members a trip to neighboring Rhode Island. After a short stint in art school, he found himself in New York City in the late 70’s, expanding his body of work on a clientele that included some of the most notorious musicians in history. With tattooing illegal in Manhattan, Mark made his way to The Pike in Long Beach, California where he cut his teeth and was exposed to single needle tattoos, popular with Chicano artists, but shunned by the larger tattoo community.

Mark would eventually land in Los Angeles, where he set up shop ON The Sunset Strip, but the journey there wasn’t without his fair share of tragedy. During the course of our conversation, we discuss kicking Charles Bukowski’s ass, the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry of the 90’s, and the Shamrock Social Club, his home for the last 22 years. The term legend gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Mark, it’s difficult to think of a more accurate way to describe him, save only for the word humble.

It is my privilege to present Mark Mahoney on The Days Between..