Of all the irresponsible, bad decisions I’ve ever made, getting a tattoo is probably the best. I admit my friend had to physically push me into the chair when I tried to escape and there are times I think…maybe I’ll regret that…but for the most part it makes me feel just a little bit more bad ass. Mind you my tattoo takes up about one square inch on the front of my shoulder and is the outline of Africa so it took all of one minute to complete. I am a wimp. Wimpius Maximus I believe is the technical Latin term.
Enough about my lame body art choices.
Janis was one of the original tattooed women. That’s not to say she was the first woman anywhere to get body art. There are cultures that have been practicing forms of body decoration for centuries. However, Janis got tattooed when it was still considered extremely rebellious, loose and low brow in Western cultures. Now a tattoo with a side of woman known as Kat Von D has her own TV show. We are obviously more comfortable with it.
I thought I’d take a moment to show off some fan tattoos. Apparently you people feel strongly enough about Janis to have pieces of her permanently etch-a-sketched into your bodies with needles. That’s dedication. I like it.
The above is my personal favorite…that detail is AMAZING.
If you have a Janis tattoo send me a picture of it at claire@janisjoplin.com. I’d love to post it on the blog! I know these aren’t the only ones!
For those curious about Janis own tattoos…
Janis had two. A heart on her breast and a flower bracelet on her wrist. I have never been able to find a picture of the heart, though I hear rumors that Lyle Tuttle, famed tattoo artist and the man that inked Janis, gave many people the same heart after her death…
Here’s a photo of the wrist tattoo:
So go out there and piss off your parents. Decorate your body. Show off what you love! But be prudent, find a decent artist and spend a little time considering these choices…because no matter how drunk you were or how funny it seems a woman throwing up into a baby carriage probably isn’t going to be cool in 10 years. Screw that…it’s not cool now.
This is unfortunate….
Oh man. Well here’s to all of our good and bad decisions. May they bring us joy and laughter…or at least a good story.
6 Comments
Like you, I loved Janis. She had so much love inside to give to someone who would be true to her. She’d always be there for the right person. Had she had someone to love she’d be here today. What a star she’d be today. Of all the female vocalist I grew up listening to, she was the most original, the most soulful, the hardest worker on stage, and I’m sure she didn’t consider it work on stage. It was just natural to her. I think being Pearl was work for her, she needed you and I as friends. People who would just love her and not take advantage of her or her emotions. A shoulder to cry on, someone she could melt with.
thank you,
hst3
Such a wonderful comment. Thanks for your memories and good words! She was an amazing person and her music is still so relevant. Viva Janis!
u have the outline of africa? i have the globe…:) with latitudes and longitudes. he.. he.. but yea, thanks for posting the janis tatooes.. it does take guts n a strong person to get all that details.
Yeah I do have the outline of Africa. You can see a picture of it on my Twitter profile @RegularWeirdPpl. You should send in a picture of yours! Thanks for checking out the site!
I am getting my Janis tattoo this coming month, I have submitted the photo to the tattoo artist and can’t wait to put ink to skin
I will defo share this with you!
take care
You will have to send me a photo when it’s done! I’d love to see it. I’m assembling, what I’m quite confident is, the first Janis Joplin tattoo collection! Ha! claire@janisjoplin.com