I Beg to Differ is a blog that isn’t about grandeur; but the charming messiness of life, the questionable decisions that are involved and how it somehow seems to make sense in retrospect.
My name is Paul and you Might know me from the weekly podcast that I make with my buddy Chris called That Tattoo Show.
During our time making the show, I’ve shared some stories from my life as a professional creative in other fields, it was very well received & it became clear that a lot of new tattooists are seeking out authentic voices that share the kind of advice that’s essential but sadly all too often unavailable. But, That Tattoo Show is a chat show and a monologue isn’t exactly a chat…
Tattooists love to tell tales and share stories and I’m no different. The most important things we learn in tattooing are really from books. They’re from the life experiences of our mentors.
Invaluable advice and wisdom has been shared with me over the years in various art settings and it’s genuinely helped me navigate the stormy seas of art vs. Commerce. But, My journey up to here is just the frame of reference for the things I’ve want to share with you.
My life isn’t important here. The advice is.
In Each episode, we’ll delve into the lessons life has thrown my way. Exploring the mishaps, the triumphs and the unexpected revelations.
Along the way I’ll tell you how this creative soul stumbled though idealism tripped over the real world and fell into integrity. All without spilling my pint. And it’s mostly true!
“Welcome to the machine, what did you dream?”
That Tattoo Show is growing and we’ve have had to adapt as quickly as the growth of our subscriber count.
Often, it’s like walking a tightrope, torn between journalistic freedom, the economic realities of our show and the impossible standards that we set ourselves. All while more and more brands come knocking at the door.
The landscape where art and business converge is a territory of ever-evolving dynamics, an intersection where passion meets pragmatism, creativity marries commerce, and authenticity dances with profit. It’s a landscape that has been redrawn time and again, reflecting the cultural shifts and economic tides of our times.
Understanding this fusion of artistry and entrepreneurship, where brand collaborations (and the financial possibilities they offer) can catalyse innovation is, not only daunting but, quite honestly terrifying for a kid from Birmingham from a broken home with almost no education to speak of!
That balancing trick that all creatives must learn has been an ever present dark cloud in my life for, what seems like my whole life.
But lately, thinking about all the various points in my life that I’ve had to balance my need for creative freedom with the financial truths of the real world, I’m wondering where did these ideas and beliefs come from?
“Another town, another place”
Growing up in the vibrant post-punk and grebo scene of the 1980s, I was immersed in the resolute ethos of ‘indy’, DIY culture. It felt like a cultural anthem echoing through the era, a testament to individualism, self-expression, and the rejection of conformity.
In those days, self-reliance and independence were the rallying cry for individuals to seize the reins of their creative pursuits and steer away from the established institutions.
I had no idea at the time but the cultural shifts of the early 80’s and the maverick voices that emerged from that time would have a lasting effect on how I see the world. Even if – at the time – my only viewport into the world was via a little English comic called 2000ad.
More than anything else 2000ad was the thing that ignited my passion for art. It was the first time I can really remember looking at a anything and thinking I’d like to do that, how do you do it? And I think that subversive publication also gave me my dark sense of humour and my tendency to take the piss out of any and all authoritarian establishments. And I wasn’t alone.
But sadly I’m a terrible comic book artist so a job at 2000ad was out of the question. So I did the next best thing and I joined a band instead.
It was while I was on the road and living the lyrics of Bon Jovi’s ‘Wanted Dead or Alive – in my head at least, the truth was closer to ‘We are the Roadcrew’ by Motorhead- that I learnt what the term graphic designer actually meant and what they did.
Designers Republic made the artwork for PWEI – a band we toured with a lot. I thought that ‘the poppies’ made their own artwork like we did so when Clint (Mansell) informed me that actually this bloke called Ian made theirs because he was a graphic something or other the penny dropped. It was a true lightbulb moment for me. And That chance exchange in Sheffield in about 1988 would radically change the shape of my life. It’s funny how things like that seem more and more important the further away from them you get.
I loved DR more for their anti-establishment pseudo corporate piss-taking than the actual artwork. I loved the humour of it but my art direction and what I wanted to do with this new idea came from 4AD album covers. I loved the layered imagery and the use of really tidy standard fonts along with the looser, hand drawn styles. Vaughn Olivers work gave me a direction and that started me on a path that I’m still on to this day.
David Carson is quite simply the GOAT. If vaughn Oliver was the direction then DC was and is the roadmap. Every piece of artwork I make is in someway a love-letter to him and a tribute to the greatest of all my heroes, Howard Roark
“Men have been taught that it is a virtue to agree with others. But the creator is the man who disagrees. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to swim with the current. But the creator is the man who goes against the current. Men have been taught that it is a virtue to stand together. But the creator is the man who stands alone.” – Howard Roark
“Across the world the message flies. Information, truth and lies”
Today I find myself in very different place. The seismic shift caused by Technology has demanded changes in the relationship between art and business. That – in turn – has given birth to new possibilities and (of course ) challenges that none of my early heroes could have imagined.
If you’d taken me back to my youth and whispered into my ear that the indomitable spirit of the ’80s punk and DIY scene would one day open doors to a future where I could craft my very own radio/TV show, A tomorrow where our fierce, punk spirit could find its place on the airwaves and screens, defying the odds, and the limitations of our wallets. I’d have thought you were peddling a surreal fantasy.
The thought of such an artistic journey, carrying us into an age where barriers could be shattered, and independent voices celebrated, would have seemed nothing short of a miracle.
If you’d offered me a glimpse of this incredible voyage, I’d have hitched a ride in your time machine without a second thought, ready to embrace this astounding chapter of our creative journey.
And that’s exactly where I find myself today. But not by time travel. Just, time. I’m thinking about my later design heroes and thinking ‘what would they have made of all this?’
I think Neville Brody would have been asking the questions like what can this be? Can it be more than this? Can it be something entirely different for an entirely different audience?
That Tattoo Show is a product of technological changes, unpredictable events and the democratisation of both content creation and distribution. Its existence loudly echos those early days of the DIY 80’s scene and all of my early heroes are – kind of – the executive producers of it by way of their influence.
We started That Tattoo Show for ourselves. It was something we needed at the time.
Now, you lot have joined us and we get to share ideas & life advice with an audience who – as it turns out – also needed it.
When we realised this, we decided to be of service to our viewers & listeners. Throughout our journey, we’ve held onto a promise. We vowed that if our show ever reached a juncture where it could genuinely instigate positive change, we’d seize that opportunity and etch it into our legacy.
Of course, the path to real transformation is a rocky one, littered with obstacles. Everything must evolve to survive and offer something more.
And that’s where IB2D was born. Out of sticking to that promise. To offer clear ideas & possible solutions to your problems. The stories that contain the information, lifted from my journey are merely a convenient frame of reference. The point is the advice (not me) and the result is knowledge. All delivered in an age old form – the tattooists tall tale.
Our mantra has always been clear: Leave the industry better for our presence and be a force for positive change in the complex world we’ve chosen to navigate.
Now you know how I got here and you’ve met the voices in my head. It’ll be easier for you to understand the things I want to share with you. But, for now, this is the end of the beginning. Until next time, take care.
I beg to differ is Available in video format on Youtube, in audio format wherever you listen to podcasts and in it’s written form in Total Tattoo Magazine every issue.