Here ye, hear ye. Be there or be square!

Here ye, hear ye. Be there or be square!

July 5th I’ll be down in Bidwell, Ohio to do some pickin’ on the guitar and talkin’ ’bout tattoos. Bidwell is right down river by Gallipolis. It’s in the old Gallipolis Harley Davidson building. We’re talking about the Ohio Tattoo Museum here. Rich has an unbelievable collection of flash that goes back several hundred years… and lots of other cool stuff too! I’ll also be playing some music. What’s not to like?

I was in Hawaii recently an got a chance to have breakfast with my old pal Ed Hardy who did my back piece. Hey, I know, life goes on and I hate to keep talking about ‘The Old Days,’ but I’m going to talk about the old days. I realize that tattooing has become mainstream in a way and that as in most art forms… the modern inkers are doing things that were unthinkable when I got my first tattoo in Lyle Tuttle’s shop over the Greyhound Station on Seventh St. in San Francisco back in the 60’s. Tattooing inhabited a demi monde back then… and the work really meant something lurking in the shadows of society.

Just sayin’

Jorma Kaukonen and Don Ed Hardy

Jorma Kaukonen and Don Ed Hardy

Couple of survivors here… Ed and I. Here’s to us and those like us… damn few left!

Good times. I’m going for a walk with Maverick the Dog.


Comments

  1. Comment made on July 15, 2015 by rich l

    Ah, the good ol’days.

    I used to sell a good ol’ boy in Tupelo Ms. Quite a character. He took me to his home one night. On tje way there, we stopped by Elvis’s boy hood home- or should I say “boy hood small garage.” It was so tiny. Joe was sort of a practical joker, but in dead earnest he told me a story. He said after Elvis had made it he came back to visit. He asked the good ol’ boys he used to haang out with, “Now that I’ve made ot, how do I get back to here?”

  2. Comment made on July 4, 2015 by bob b.

    Thanks Jorma for your response to my Tom Hobson inquiry. I enjoyed the tribute website. Each passage gave testimony to his genius. I’ll have to try to access some of his other work mentioned on the site. Do love that Blue Prelude.

  3. Comment made on July 4, 2015 by Paul Wasserman

    Nice to see you both.

  4. Comment made on July 4, 2015 by John B

    Ditto@jim hitchcock

  5. Comment made on July 4, 2015 by jim hitchcock

    Ha, first thing that popped into my head on 1st post :)_@Dusty

  6. Comment made on July 4, 2015 by Dusty

    or should I say ROW, JIMMY

  7. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by Dusty

    WELL SAID, MR. HITCHCOCK……..ROLL AWAY THE DEW

  8. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by jim hitchcock

    Myron Hart is one heck of a gearhead. Truly a one of a kind.

    Fare thee well, GD…my time spent in your musical universe is well cherished.

  9. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by FillmoreSoundMan

    FillmoreSoundMan :

    FillmoreSoundMan :

    FillmoreSoundMan :
    So happy you got to reconnect with Ed Hardy. He’s one of the coolest, most interesting people I’ve ever known. A true Renaissance man. It’s amazing how far the world of tattooing has come since Ed and Fran published those Tattoo Times books. Glad I got a tattoo (or two) from him before he moved to Honolulu! I always wonder about your backpiece, but never want to bother you about having a look at it! What year was that done? Bob Roberts is still working down in Hollywood. It’s great that you are supporting this fine sport of tattooing. RIP Stoney St Clair.

    • Comment made on July 4, 2015 by Jorma

      Yo Soundman… Ed did my back piece in the late summer of 1977. Gotta get in touch with Bob Roberts next time I’m in LA.

      Jorma

  10. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by FillmoreSoundMan

    FillmoreSoundMan :

    FillmoreSoundMan :
    So happy you got to reconnect with Ed Hardy. He’s one of the coolest, most interesting people I’ve ever known. A true Renaissance man. It’s amazing how far the world of tattooing has come since Ed and Fran published those Tattoo Times books. Glad I got a tattoo (or two) from him before he moved to Honolulu! I always wonder about your backpiece, but never want to bother you about having a look at it! What year was that done? Bob Roberts is still working down in Hollywood. It’s great that you are still supporting this fine sport of tattooing. RIP Stoney St Clair.

  11. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by Chuck

    Oh. I’m sorry you don’t have them anymore. Long may they wail!!!

  12. Comment made on July 3, 2015 by richu

    @Chuck
    that was a long time ago chuck best to let that one rest.this is not a guitar forum I’ve learned but pictures from the past still provoke curiosity I suppose.happy holiday weekend…

  13. Comment made on July 2, 2015 by johno

    Jorma, nice tan – you look GREAT – a Hawaiian Glow. Heading up to mountains for the weekend – Everybody have a happy and safe 4th of July. See you and Jack soon at the outdoor music festival on Long Island on July 19th.

  14. Comment made on July 2, 2015 by Chuck

    Speaking about “the old days”, in honor of the 4th of July I have a question. Whatever happened to the American Flag strat that you used to play? Do you still have it? Also I know you like to “tinker around”, did you customize it, or someone else? Happy 4th everyone and God Bless America!

    P.S. Love the Panhead shirt!

    • Comment made on July 3, 2015 by Jorma

      Hey Chuck… Happy Fourth and all that good stuff… There were two flag Strats in my life. The one I presume you are referring to (where the body was one big flag) was a 1957. The flag obviously done by the owner before me. In those days, second hand guitars weren’t ‘vintage,’ they were just ‘old!’ Anyway, my ex-wife, Margareta (may she rest in peace) hocked that guitar on 6th street in San Francisco. That guitar is long gone. I used to know where it went, but that was a long time ago as well. I had another Strat that I had put flag stickers all over in the late 60’s. I gave that one to John Hammond long time ago also. Hopefully these guitars are still around in happy homes. In the electric show, I am now playing Jazzmasters… brand new. These sport Myron Hart neck sets and Lindy Fralin pickups. Great guitars… love the jazz side of the instruments too.

  15. Comment made on July 1, 2015 by Andriy

    I like this very much.
    In Russia getting the body ink is a negative statement but here in America you can express youself to be free.
    I love to live free in America.

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