Ink Atlanta October 2011

2 INK ATLANTA MAGAZINE

Four months in and I feel like it’sbeen eleven years! Being that October is the 11th

Anniversary of PRICK Magazine I felt I had to mention it. For our anniversary weare pushing for Facebook subscribers. That’sright if you want to give us the gift thatkeeps on giving, go like us at www.face-book.com/prickmag and for this mag atwww.facebook.com/inkatlanta.

I have been so busy putting out PRICKand starting up Ink Atlanta that I have neglected pushing social mediato it’s fullest. My commitment to you for our anniversary of PRICKmag and the coming of INK Atlanta is to be way more active person-ally on social media. I have always let the magazines speak for me butnow social media is a major part of doing business and being a mod-ern human being. I apologize for not jumping on sooner. My onlyexcuse is that I have been a graphic designer by profession since justout of high school. Computers have just always equalled work, NOTfun. Honestly, if I never had to stare into a computer screen again Iwould greatful beyond words. I always wanted to be a famous painterand still do if you want to know the truth about it. I was opposed tocomputers from the start but fate or destiny made me channel all mycreativity into making magazines over the last NINETEEN years andit’s all been on a computer! My retnas are permanently singed withblurry spots from the radiation and lack of blinking. Still I will see youon Facebook soon. Sorry about all the computer hate, back to themagazine love... This issue freaking ROCKS! A huge thanks to all myadvertisers for funding this. If you are a reader in need of tattoos orgood times, hit up our advertisers and tell em INK Atlanta sent you!

– Chuck B.

TABLE of CONTENTS

Ink Atlanta MAGAZINE STAFFPUBLISHER - CHUCK B INC. CEO / EDITOR IN CHIEF: CHARLES D. BRANK (AKA CHUCK B.)

CO-PUBLISHER / CMO: JASON BEATTIE

EDITOR / P.R. MANAGER: JESSICA HILL

ONLINE EDITOR AND CIRCULATION MANAGER: STEVE “CRUDD” RUDD

STAFF WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER: GREG TRUELOVE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: J.J. DIABLO, HARRISON KNOLLE, KRISTENWESOLOWSKI, ANGELA ELLIOTT, FREDERICK NOBLE, MATT WOODY

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: CHUCK B., FISHBONES PHOTOS, SYLVIAHAGAR, ANGELA ELLIOTT, FREDERICK NOBLE

DISTRIBUTION / CIRCULATION: CHUCK B. AND JASON BEATTIEADVERTISING: JASON BEATTIE, JESSICA HILL AND CHUCK B.TECHNICAL SUPPORT: OASIS RIM GRAPHICS: JASON BEATTIE AND CHUCK B.

ADVERTISERS INDEMNIFICATION: All advertising is subject to approval before acceptance. Ink Atlanta Magazine / Chuck B, Increserve the right to refuse any ad for any reason whatsoever, without limit. All advertisers in Ink Atlanta Magazine, for fair and valu-able consideration, including but not limited to the printing of each advertiser’s ad, the receipt and suffering of which is herebyacknowledged, hereby agree ad hold Ink Atlanta Magazine harmless with respect to any claim made by a third party against InkAtlanta Magazine, as a result of publishing said advertisement in said periodical. Said indemnity includes, but is not limited to, anyclaims by any party claiming that the publication of the ad violates any trademark, design mark or that it violates an individuals like-ness or violates any fair business practice act, and includes indemnification of Ink Atlanta Magazine for any and all expenses inincurs in defending any said claim, including attorney fees and court costs whether said claim is successful or not successful plusany judgement that might be rendered and any settlement of such claim or judgement. Advertiser warrants and represents that thedescription of the product or service advertised is true in all respects. Ink Atlanta Magazine / Chuck B, Inc, assume no responsibilityfor claims made by advertisers. Ink Atlanta Magazine makes no recommendations as to the quality of any service provided by anyadvertiser. All views expressed in all articles are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the publication and Chuck B,Inc. Publication assumes no responsibility and no liability for unsolicited materials. All letters and their contents sent to Ink AtlantaMagazine become the sole property of Ink Atlanta Magazine and may be used and produced in any manner whatsoever without limitand without obligation and liability to the writer thereof. Copyright© 2011 Chuck B, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole orin part or storage in any data retrieval system or any transmission is totally prohibited and violates copyright law.

Ink Atlanta ADVERTISING & GENERAL INFO:(770) 723-9824CONTACT PUBLISHER CHUCK B. EMAIL: [email protected] OUT OUR AD RATES AND SPECS ONLINE AT: www.inkatlanta.netSEND CORRESPONDENCE TO: PO Box 381,Tucker, GA 30085

Publisher’s Note

On the Cover: Magenta Costley Photographer: Sylvia Hagar

Brannon Amtower of the Highlander

Burn outs at the Drive Invasion

Above: City of Ink;Below: Ink4Pink Vaudeville Villains art

Tattoo by Malia Reynolds

4 LISTEN UPThe Drive Invasion

8 ART/TATTOO PARTYInk 4 Pink’s Vaudeville Villains

10 FEATURED ARTISTMalia Reynolds

12 TATTOOEDBISTROS & BARSThe Highlander& Brannon Amtower

14 FAMOUS INKBallers of the Braves

18 MISS INK ATL OCTOBERMagenta Costley

20 LIFESTYLIN’Unit 2 Fitness

24 FEATURED SHOPCity Of Ink

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

INK ATLANTA MAGAZINE 3

comesINK Atlanta Mag

From


I’m probably the wrong person to write about Drive Invasion. I tend to gushabout my favorite event and journalistic objectivity gets crushed and tossed asidelike an empty PBR can.

But what’s not to love? Live music all day, weird movies all night, the smoke fromcountless grills wafting across the parking lot, classic cars and tattooed people to ogle –this party has it all.

Over the years, the event has pared down from three days to one lean, meanSunday. But that doesn’t stop some long-time fans from tailgaiting early – a day early. By10AM the day of the actual event, there were already hotrods and beer cans on theasphalt.

The festival feels like the festival that creates itself. Cook your own food, or trade abeer for a sausage from a neighbor. Bring your own seating, shade and shelter. Heck, buildan entire tiki bar just for the weekend.There’s an almost-anything-goes vibe different toany other festival in town.

The opening act, Spooky Partridge, features Nick, a 9-year-old drummer whocould’ve been conceived at the drive in. His parents have both been in multiple acts(Catfight!, Rock City Dropouts, just to name a few) that have played Drive Invasions past.

Listen Up

2011 DriveInvasion

Words and Photos by Frederick Noble

Over the afternoon, we were treated to acts as diverse as instru-mental surf played by chimpanzees (The Disasternauts), to old timeBakersfield-style country (Ghost Riders Car Club), to a punky rock revival(Dusty Booze & the Baby Haters), to British Invasion style power pop(The Marques), to a Burt Reynolds impersonator doing classic and corn-pone country (Burt and the Bandits), to psychobilly (Hot Rod Walt & thePsycho DeVilles), to metal (Gargantua), to straight-up pub rock (All NightDrug Prowling Wolves), to melancholy rockabilly torch songs (DexRomwebber Duo), all leading up to the headliner - 60’s psychedelic and

All Night Drug Prowling Wolves rockin during the day before night prowling

The Disasternauts monkeying around


Drive Invasion

70’s hard rock icon RokyErickson.

After dark, movies kickedoff with Smokey & the Bandit, therole that made Burt Reynolds ahousehold name.Though theonly circulating print had beendestroyed by another theatermere weeks before DriveInvasion, manager Jim Stacy cob-bled together a digital projectorand had a blu-ray DVD sentovernight from Australia tomake sure fans of the film didn’tmiss out. Scenes of LakewoodFairgrounds, only a few milesaway, brought back childhoodmemories for Atlanta natives.

Emperor of the North featuredLee Marvin as a 1930’s hobo, ridingthe rails and spitting out weird slangand beating the snot out of variouspeople, occasionally wielding a livechicken to do so. Further abuse ofpoultry was portrayed in Cockfighter,featuring Warren Oates as the trainerof battling birds.A few folks made itthrough Hillbillies in a Haunted Houseand on until dawn, when the sunshone down on a Challenger burningrubber through a pile of empties withtwo shapely ladies clinging to thehood and giggling manically – the per-fect end to the event.

Every year I tell people about the event, the response is,“There’s a drive inin Atlanta?” Yep.And a damn fine one at that.

Check them out at www.starlightdrivein.com H

Dusty Booze & the Baby Haters


Visit and like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/inkatlanta

It’s not common that PBR, the patron saint of East Atlanta,runs dry at a bar. If it does, there’s one thing that’s certain: agood time is being had. “Good” is actually an understatement

for the Ink 4 Pink Vaudeville Villains breast cancer fundraiser held atThe Basement at Graveyard Tavern on September 8. The event cel-ebrated I4P’s one year anniversary with more than just a bang; itblew the hinges (and quite possibly singed the eyebrows) off ofprior events. In true Vaudeville style of being “the heart ofAmerican show business”,Vaudeville Villains made a very clear state-ment: this ain’t your mama’s fundraiser.

For many of us, doing good and having a good time don’t typical-ly come as a package deal. Amidst the flying beer cans, the close tonothing-left-to-the-imagination burlesque, the hard work of localartists, the reverberation of feet stomping the floor to the beat ofsome rough and ragged tunes and the “that HAS to hurt” entertain-ment, it was hard to even believe that this, in fact, was a fundraiser.The alliance that was created for such a just cause made for a nightto remember for all who attended.

The evening’s entertainment, led by hometown hero Ringmaster,Captain Stab-Tuggo, and his partner in all things painful, Miss Maybellethe Southern Belle from Hell, was exemplary of what beauty can becreated when a bunch of hooligans create an alliance and occupy thesame space.The sultry femininity that is burlesque was defined andperfected by the likes of Sweet Christina, D’lilah D’lite and KittieKatrina. The tongues left hanging out like a bunch of dogs in heatquickly retracted to safety as Captain & Maybelle did what they dobest: make us cringe, shriek, and somehow beg for more.

The overwhelming support of so many people was evident from

Ink4Pinkby Kristen WesolowskiPhotos by FishBonesPhotos Vaudeville Villains

Art Party

the night’s start to its boisterous end. Upon enteringThe Basement, the first thing you saw (aside from thepretty door ladies) was the artwork that was donated byprofessional artists and some of our favorite Atlanta areatattoo artists. There wasn’t a piece of work on display,all twenty something of them, that I wouldn’t be stokedto have hanging at my place. Throughout the night theraffle became a thing of envy as so many won prizesdonated by Liberty Tattoo, Memorial TattooCabbagetown, Only You Tattoo, Mystic Owl Tattoo,Forever Yours Tattoo Gallery, Psycho Tattoo, BonersBBQ,The Barrelhouse, Body Farm, and Toni & GuySalons ATL.

Then there was the music. Oh, the music. The pricepaid to be a witness to so many great artists in oneplace is deserving of a pat on the back for those of uswho were given opportunity. I entered right as JamesHunnicutt started his set, and the quiet that fell over such a rowdy bunch and the undivided attention that fellowfriends/musicians gave him was an indicator of what talent truly is. His nostalgic sound was the perfect way to kick offwhat the rest of the night had in store. Jayke Orvis & the Broken Band led the steady incline of adrenaline with thebluegrass spirit and momentum of their stage presence. Hellfire Revival (led by tattoo artist Chris Saint Clark) dealt usa heavy hand of psychobilly fun, and at this point in the evening, everyone seemed to be more than well equipped forjust that. Liquid spirits poured while the emotional spirit of the room continued to swell.Then there were TheGoddamn Gallows, who ended up being the perfect soundtrack for throwing/dodging flying beer cans, shielding my


INK Atl covergirl, Traci Mize. Vaudeville Villain art by Mandolynne Hopkins

Accordian piece by Brandi Smart

Alexis from The Sugar Dolls dishing up whiskey mint cupcakes.

Snake lady by Gary Betzel.

Chris St.Clark of Hellfire Revival

face from spewed flames and getting the living snot beat out of me by one of myown best friends. Did I care? No. It was good, not-so-clean fun, and everyoneelse in the room seemed to agree.

The party didn’t end as soon as the music was over.We all stuck around todrink and talk and laugh. I couldn’t help but scan the room and think “what a dis-aster,” which really meant, “What a success; mission accomplished.” What sealedthis success in my heart was making eye contact with Ink 4 Pink founder, JessicaHill, who had been running around non-stop since the night began (let alone themonths prior planning the event), and seeing the excitement and glow of purehappiness that was radiating from her smile.

There’s nothing on this earth that compares to the heartache that comesfrom being a young woman who has lost her mother. I myself lost my maternalfoundation to cancer at the tender age of 10. Miss Hill, being a more recent suf-ferer of the havoc that breast cancer wreaks on the family and friends of its vic-tims has taken her experience and turned it into something beautiful: a positivemovement with a mission to bring some glimmer of hope to other women whoare fighting the battle against this relentless disease. Ink 4 Pink is quickly becom-ing a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the fight against breast cancer,and the efforts of the organization itself as well as all of its supporters anddonors are what keep it moving forward.

For every person who walked in the door, for every raffle ticket purchasedand prize won, for every piece of art that someone bought to hang on his or herwall – good was being done. You didn’t have to suit up for a 5k, you didn’t haveto sell pins or stand on a median asking for people to dump change in a bucket,you just had to show up and have a great time.A fantastic night for the breastcause? Absolutely.You can all rest your pretty little heads, because Ink 4 Pink ain’tslowing down, and the next event is sure to be another hell of a good time.Vaudeville Villains art is currently on sale at the Graveyard Tavern in East Atlanta.

For more information and to get involved visit: www.ink4pink.org or followI4P on Facebook and Twitter.H


13 Roses Tattoo Parlour shop diva, D’lilah D’lite, putting Double D’s to good use.

Featured artist

MaliaReynoldsBy Harrison Knolle

From Cali to Atlanta

This month I had the sheer delight to hang out a bitwith Malia Reynolds of Memorial Tattoo. Ms.Reynolds came to Atlanta via California where she

graduated from San Diego State with a degree in graphicdesign. However this lovely bird couldn’t have her creativetalents caged in a cubicle. “When I got out of school I real-ized that graphic design and sitting behind a computer all daywasn’t what I wanted to do.” she told me. So after this real-ization and six months relaxing in Hawaii, Malia decided itwas time to get to it. “That’s when I started thinking about

tattooing and went into the shop I had been hanging out insince I can remember, talked to them about an apprenticeshipand here I am now.”

Seven years later, here she is cranking out amazing tat-toos for her Atlanta clientele. Reynolds seemed to be artisticfrom birth, citing her mother as an influence who shedescribed as a “crafty, jack of all trades” when it came to cre-ating.As for herself, she draws other inspiration from aplethora of sources including Mexican folk art, nature andalmost everything she sees in her travels. Reynolds is alsoinspired by her peers, “I’m really inspired by the people that Iwork with, be it current or past. I definitely always take a lit-


tle something from everyone I’ve worked with andI’ve been really lucky to work with amazing tattooartists.”

In an industry that has been predominatelyowned by the male gender, Reynolds brings a feminineenergy to the table that she sees as a plus. “I think ithas its advantages you know. I do a lot of pretty, girlytattoos. I think a lot of women getting tattooed thesedays get tattooed in sensitive areas and they preferfor a woman to see them naked rather than a man. Itjust makes them more comfortable you know? I weardresses and high heels all the time so there’s thattoo.” According to her there really aren’t manydrawbacks to being the pretty lady in the shop.“Idon’t think there’s that social stigma so much any-more. I know plenty of really awesome female tattoo-ers. It’s an open opportunity now for everybodyregardless of your gender, it’s all about the artwork.”So that’s exactly what her focus is, the artwork. Itdoesn’t matter if you’re a man, woman, or some sortof human-goat hybrid; Malia Reynolds will provide aunique piece of artwork for you to enjoy for the restof your life.

Visit www.maliareynoldstattoo.com for more! H


the highlander

by Harrison Knolle Photos by Chuck B.

Longevity is something that is hard to achieve in the restaurantbusiness but somehow through all the hoopla The Highlander hasmanaged to stick around and stay relevant for almost twenty

years. Located just off of Monroe Dr. NE,The Highlander has been servingup good times to the great people of our city for two decades on April 9th.General manager, Brannon Amtower, has been there since the beginning andgave us a little insight as to how they’ve managed to become a staple in thecommunity.“So much has changed over the years with The Highlander and Ithink that we’ve always tried to put out really good product and have reallygood price points and take good care of our customers, you know.”

However the food isn’t the only thing keeping this place going aftersuch an extended period of time.With a lot of the staff having been therefor around ten years they have built a family environment.“It’s always been aCheers-like environment.We’ve built up a crowd and the crowd stays withus all these years.You know people have come and gone but a lot of peopleare still regulars and I think that’s a big part of why we are successful.”Now with a completely revamped menu The Highlander is still very muchalive and kickin’.An array of burgers and everything from falafel to Cubansandwiches means there is always something new to taste. Not to mentionthat every Tuesday night you can get all you can eat crab and fill your facewith crustaceans.

The Highlander also doubles as a great spot to check out some art.They are always holding art shows and showcasing local talent upon theirwalls. Just recently they held a show called “Sabre’s Edge” which was a sci-fithemed showcase that coincided with Dragon*Con to the delight of all myfellow nerds. Coming up this October 29th they are holding a show called“Haunted” displaying dark and evil art including some nice heavy metal fromTronwhip and Red Rocket Deluxe.According to Amtower The Highlanderhas been a long time supporter of the art scene in Atlanta,“We’ve always

Tattooed community bar andeatery for 20 years and running

Tattooed Bistros & Bars

12 INK ATLANTA MAGAZINEBrannon Amtower of The Highlander and his tattoos

been something different and unique and always wanted to be part of the tat-too scene.We’ve been doing all these art shows and we’ve had many artshows with tattoo artists.We’ve just been stern supporters of lowbrow artand tattoo-style art and have always tried to expand that in Atlanta.”

With a new themed art show every month, awesome eats and full glass-es,The Highlander is certainly a spot worth visiting more than once.Their tat-tooed and friendly staff is certain to make you feel at home even if you’re not aregular. So The Highlander officially gets the Ink Atlanta stamp of approval.Check them out at www.thehighlanderatlanta.com or just stop in a have adrink! Bottoms up,Atlanta! H


As the sound of the Tomahawk Chop echoes through Turner Field and its armsrain down on visiting teams, the work of All or Nothing Tattoo’s Brandon Bond can beseen gracing the arms of some of our hometown Atlanta Braves players. Bond, who weall know is an amazingly talented artist, is also an avid Braves fanatic. All or Nothing hasbecome a tattooing epicenter for the city of Atlanta and even baseball celebrities. Bondhas tattooed various players from Major League Baseball but we at Ink Atlanta love ourBraves just like Brandon Bond. Since the 2009 MLB All-Star break, Bond has been tat-tooing Braves relief pitchers Peter Moylan, Kris Medlen and left field sensation MartinPrado as well as former Braves outfielder and current Houston Astro, Jordan Schafer.

The Australian born Peter Moylan had Bond reworked a sleeve that he wasunhappy with that had been a collaborative effort from other artists. The sleeve gainedadditional artwork at All or Nothing as well as the welcomed corrections. Bond alsoreworked the half sleeve of the young Braves pitcher Kris Medlen. Medlen originallyhad a black and grey Koi before he went to see Brandon. In his sessions with Bond heredid the Koi with color and had fellow artist Dave Tedder sketch out some newJapanese waves. With the adding of the waves and a new Japanese mask, Bond managedto take a sub par tattoo and make it a great half sleeve. Fellow Braves player, outfielderMartin Prado, received an amazing black and grey cross from Bond who has a whole lotgoing on at All or Nothing Tattoo.

Not to mention about a million other endeavors you are sure to hear all about inhis upcoming feature in the December issue of PRICK Magazine. The man does it allfrom tattooing to instructional DVDs, directing films, fundraising for charity and writingbooks. It is sure to be a solid piece on a talented workaholic and revolutionary in tat-too culture. As for our hometown Braves, they suffered a heartbreaking end of theseason in September. Their loss in extra innings to the Philadelphia Phillies on the finalgame of the regular season kept them from a wildcard playoff spot. Keep your headsup Braves fans, there’s always next year!

For more, visit: www.allornothingtattoo.com and www.atlanta.braves.mlb.com H

Famous Ink - Atlanta

BRANDON BONDAT THE BALLPARKby Harrison Knolle Photos courtesy Brandon Bond/All or nothing Tattoo


Above & Below: The Braves’ Peter Moylan.

Below: Brandon Bond tattooing Peter Moylan.

Below: The Braves’ Kris Medlan and his tattoos by Brandon Bond.


Above: Peter Moylan’s “reworked” sleeve by Brandon Bond

Above: Brandon Bond and The Braves’ Jordan Schafer

Above: The Braves’ Jordan Schafer half sleeve by Brandon Bond Above: Braves’ Martin Prado and his Bond tattoo

MagentaCostley

Miss Ink Atl October

Words by J.J. diablo Photos by Sylvia Hagar

Just asThe Rocky Horror Picture Show has become a cult classic far exceeding its creators’ expecta-tions, a young woman named after one of its infamous characters who now calls Georgia home,has far exceeded her own expectations by covering her body with ink that would make George

Lucas and Dr. Frank-N-Furter her/himself proud. She has graced the pages of countless pinup magazinesand we are lucky to have her for our local mag this issue. Self proclaimed “nerd”, devoted wife and gener-ous contributing member to her LaGrange community, Magenta Costley is headed for a time warp toland her in the archives of tattoo and pinup culture as permanently as the tattoos she proudly wears.

So how does a devout Christian girl end up covered in sleeves depicting her favorite movies likeStar Wars and The Labyrinth? We asked her to explain.

“For as long as I can remember, my mom has had tattoos, just little small ones here and there.Theplan was always to get matching ones on my 18th birthday.The big day arrived, we go to the shop . . . and Ichicken out!” Not one to give up so easily though, she was able to “finally muster up enough courage to


get a tiny star behind my ear.” Relieved, she tells us,“I wassurprised at how little it hurt! Once I knew the pain level, Ihad all kinds of ideas for what I wanted to get done!”Magenta now has a full arm sleeve, half sleeve and knee tofoot leg sleeve, chest piece, a thigh portrait of Vincent Priceas well as individual pieces over her legs and other arm. Hertattoos are not the traditional Americana we have becomeaccustomed to as they depict scenes of Sci-Fi, literary fiction,Coca-Cola and even a pinup with a book and the phrase“Reading is Sexy” under it. Our hats off to her for having notonly a gorgeous look and classy attitude but some of themost original tattoos we’ve ever seen.

Magenta is proud of her work and the shop 100% of itcame from,Aart Accents, in her home base of LaGrange, Ga.Her primary artist is Joseph White;“he’s done 95% of mywork,” she says. He is responsible for her Star Wars sleeve,her other half sleeve and Kelly MacDonald completed herLabyrinth leg sleeve.

Besides modeling, Magenta has dedicated herself to anew cause close to her heart called OPERATION ZIPLOCK.“It is a project that will take Ziplock bags and fill them withneccessities for the homeless and less fortunate, such astoothbrushes, band-aids, shampoo, soap, etc.” Magenta is sell-ing custom paintings of some of her most influential peopleto help raise money to fill the needs of the countless manythat are in need of supplies to not only survive but bettertheir situation.A better cause, especially in the shadow ofwinter and the holiday season, is hard to fathom.

Again, for her grace, poise, principle and good willtowards others, our hats off to Magenta Costley.We arehonored to have her in our pages!

For more pics, updates and info on Magenta andOperation Ziplock, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/ModelMagenta or theOperation Ziplock Facebook fan page. H


unit 2 Fitness


Unit 2 Fitness is no stranger to the public eye. Besides numerous acclaims andholding residency for leading BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) trainer, Roberto Traven, theyhave continuously updated the martial arts and fitness programs they have to

offer.Whether your goal is to learn self defense, master fighting techniques for competition orsimply get into some of the best shape of your life, Unit 2 has you covered. In the wake of yetagain being named Creative Loafing’s “Best Martial Arts Gym” (2008, 2009 & 2011) and “BestCrossfit Gym” (2011) we asked one of their own clients, photographer Angela Elliott, to inter-view owner, Nick DeKay, about what sets Unit 2 Fitness apart from other gyms in Atlanta.

Q: Unit 2 is considered by far as one of the Southeast’s most eliteMMA gyms. What does it take to work at Unit 2?

To work at Unit 2 you need to be an exceptional trainer. We often joke that our frontdesk staff is more qualified to teach BJJ than most gym's instructors. Our head BJJ coach is amulti-time world champion,ADCC champion, and is widely considered the top BJJ for MMAcoach in the Southeast. Our head striking coach is a two time world champion and two timeU.S. National champion.All of our trainers all have a minimum of 10+ years experience in mar-tial arts/fitness, have competition experience, and some even have Master's degrees insports/health/fitness and related studies.

Q: There is a definite “no wimps allowed” mindset in this gym. Whatdo you do to get people motivated?

The "no wimps" policy has nothing to do with physical strength or fitness. It has all to dowith having the content of character and mental toughness to actually train and become bet-ter.We do not require any existing fitness level to become a member here. However, we gen-uinely want people to succeed at Unit 2. The only way to do that is to work at your own

Lifestylin’

interview and photos by Angela Elliott

Above: Nick DeKay practices what he preaches.

Phot

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maximum intensity every time you come to the gym. People that are not committedto becoming better typically lack the guts to even walk in the door. We know thatwe could get more customers by wimping up our programs like the vast majority ofthe gyms in Atlanta.We could install some TVs to watch or spend more time chattingand less time sweating.That would be disingenuous to our clients that are committedto being better.We pride ourselves on being that absolute most hardcore gym inAtlanta by far. I tell people this: ‘Don't think of an excuse to quit but rather find a rea-son to keep going.’ I believe that everyone has a reason for training at Unit 2. Itmight be to fight, to look better, for health and longevity, or simply to be better atlife. When people want to give up I ask them to find that reason and latch onto it,to fight just a little longer.The pain that one experiences while training is nothingcompared to the pride of accomplishing a goal.

Q: Your website goes above and beyond what most gyms,

including MMA gyms, have. It shows that you really do want toinstruct people on how to live a healthy life. How often do youupdate your blogs?

We update the site daily.The blogs are written about my personal experiencesas a coach, trainer and a competitor. Before owning a gym I was in InformationTechnology. I was never a "natural athlete" and so I really understand what it takes togo from sitting at the desk all day surrounded by lethargic people coasting their waytowards retirement to being surrounded by athletes trying to get the most out oflife. I write to help people get the most out of their training. I truly believe that wechange lives at Unit 2. For some, we help them go from sick to well and even to fit.For others we help save them from the mediocrity of modern life. One way oranother everyone that commits to real training will change for the better.

Q: Does it annoy you or make you proud that MMA has gottenso mainstream?

A little of both, I suppose. It is great that people are finally able to make somekind of a living in MMA. But the beer-gutted wannabe guys at the bar give the sport apoor image.

Q: What compelled you to add CrossFit into the Unit 2 schedule?

We came to use CrossFit methodologies in our strength and conditioning forour professional athletes competing in the UFC,WEC and Strikeforce.We saw theresults with our pros and started using those methodologies with our amateur ath-letes and our regular students. The results were awesome and we decided to makeCrossFit our primary strength and conditioning program at Unit 2.

Q: CrossFit is spreading like wildfire in Atlanta right now andbecoming more popular. Do you have other CrossFitters in yourgym, or are they all Unit 2 clients converting to CrossFit?

Most of our CrossFit customers were existing clients of Unit 2. The vastmajority does CrossFit in addition to martial arts at Unit 2. It becomes the strengthand conditioning component of their training.They still do kickboxing, boxing, MuayThai and BJJ as their sport.

Q: CrossFit can be a very intimidating workout to peoplewho’ve never seen it. What does one have to do to start CrossFit?Do they need to be in shape first?

Getting in shape before starting training is like eating dinner at home beforegoing out to your favorite restaurant.

Unit 2 offers personal guided tours and consultations to all interested new andexisting clients. For more info and to start training today visit: www.unit2fitness.com/or call their Midtown location: (404) 745-3019.Tell them Ink Atlanta sent you! H

Advertise in INK Atlanta!Call now to reserve your space!

770-723-9824 or [email protected]

Check out our online directory too!www.inkatlanta.net

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Chambersof Horrorat the Masquerade

Chambersof Horrorat the Masquerade

When it comes to Halloween attractions, the possi-bilities around the Atlanta area are endless.Unfortunately, they are also seemingly lackluster.

Sure, a nice cup of hot apple cider and a waltz through a hauntedcorn maze is cute and all but most of us are looking for somethingmore. We want to be scared.We want to feel threatened.Wewant to look fear in the face and walk away a survivor. You canwalk through any old haunted house around here, deal with abunch of shrieking kids who are terrified of some idiots in crappycostumes, and walk away feeling totally ripped off.

Or you could join the forces behind TortureCo at TheChambers of Horror, the lone ‘adults only’ haunt in the Southeast.This is NOT for kids. Since 2009, Gorehound Productions andRene Arriagada have been fine tuning their talent of terrifying.Thisyear’s haunt has truly proven itself to be one Hell of nightmare.Perhaps why it’s the #13 must see haunt in the nation accordingto Haunted Attraction Magazine.

Welcome to TortureCo; a company with quite the businessplan.They take innocent people and mar them up in the mostgrotesque, horrific, ‘I didn’t know those boundaries could bepushed’ ways imaginable.This is grindhouse at its goriest, with allthe sensational violence, near full nudity, rebellion, mayhem andshock and awe that one could ever want.You WILL be discomfort-ed, you WILL want to look away, and you WILL get the ever-livingshit scared out of you.You also, for good measure, will get dousedwith some bodily fluids (and if I just meant blood, I would have justsaid blood). Hell, there’s a good chance you’ll soak yourself withsome of your own bodily fluids if you have a weak stomach ordon’t take a moment to relieve yourself before entering.

Chambers of Horror will be open nightly from September30th through October 31st and is located behind the Masqueradeat 695 North Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30308. It is truly adults only,so you must be 18 or older to enter. Considering this is for grownfolks, there’s also a full bar to get you amped or numb your painafter.

So hold onto your seats, morals, intestines and gag reflexesbecause Chambers of Horror is NOT for the faint of heart. Beprepared for the most terrifying haunted house you’ve ever hadthe pain of experiencing.

For more visit: www.chambersofhorroratl.com and check ourFacebook page for ticket giveaways this month!


Halloweening ATL.

By Kristen Wesolowski photos courtesy of the masquerade


The days of start-up tattoo parlors are upon us, and Atlanta has seennumerous shops open over the last several years. City of Ink is a primeexample of hard work and passion colliding to create an enjoyable tattoo

experience for customers.The energy of every artist and their workis immediately felt upon arrival. The walls are lined with paintingsand other abstract pieces created by all of the affiliated artists, main-taining an influential presence for everyone who enters. It's no sur-prise, as the shop resides in the heart of the Castleberry Hill neigh-borhood, a vibrant and eclectic area of Atlanta that quickly brandeditself as the city's arts capital.

I talked with Miya Bailey, an Asheville native turned Atlanta resi-dent, to understand what drives the shop and where it's headednext.

“In the early 90s, the black community was still new to tattoo-ing,” he recalls. “Everybody was sort of fresh. If we saw an African-American person with a tattoo, we would all gather around that per-son and say 'Oh where'd you get that tat?!'”

Bailey’s obsession for the culture and artwork grew rapidly dur-ing that time period, gaining inspiration from Robert Ashburn, ownerof North Carolina shop Liquid Dragon.After moving to Atlanta, hestarted an apprenticeship at West End Tattoo, a parlor where many oftoday's City of Ink artists began. From this point forward, tightfriendships and relative passion for creating unique tattoo artworkhelped lay the groundwork for City of Ink today.

By Matt Woody Photos Courtesy of City of Ink

featured shop

city of inkHard Work and Passion Pays


Above: Tattoos by Tuki Carter. Below: Tattoos by Miya Bailey

City of Ink crew


City Of Ink ContinuesWith a quick flip through the artist portfolios, it's easy to understand what drew

the shop to their Walker Street location. Because City of Ink features no flash art, thecreativity of each artist represents the shop's do-it-yourself mentality rather well. In fact,many of the artists draw directly onto the customer's skin, avoiding the need to createstencil tattoo work.This creates lines that contour with the shape of the body, maximiz-ing the appearance of each finished product. Miya Bailey and Tuki Carter, two of theshop's founding members, have collaborated on many custom projects over the years,from portraits to abstract designs. Melvin Todd, a City of Ink employee of three years,views tattooing as more of an artform than anything else, and it certainly shows in histraditionalist pieces. Chris McAdoo is a musician with Tuki Carter in the groupHollyweerd, and his tattoos derive from a traditionalist standpoint. Qulock Nimmons,who has also been with City of Ink for three years, draws inspiration from Japanese-styleanimation, a colorful trait acquired from living the first portion of his life in Japan andKorea. Chris Colbert, an Atlanta born-artist, credits his style to wild lettering and charac-

ter-driven animation. Newcomers Charity Hamidullah and Roger Parilla Jr, fromRochester, NY and Asheville, NC respectively, both have been actively tattooing for thelast few years.Apprentices James Daniel and Frank “Paper” Dunson may be new to inkapplication, but obvious talent shines through each of their works. Shop managers SambaSillah and Chris Carter make sure everyone's appointments and schedules stay current,ensuring that the shop runs smoothly every day. No matter what type of tattoo youwant, City of Ink has someone aboard to fulfill those needs.

But the parlor is not just a regular tattoo institute, and everyone will be quick toexplain what sets them apart.The shop doubles as an art gallery, showcasing works bythe many artists and friends who wish to display. Kevin Hart, who's been with Miya andthe City of Ink family for much longer than the shop has existed, organizes all of the art-work and events that take place inside the parlor. He states that the shop exists to pro-mote the collective of artists as influential members of the community, not just as tattoo


Above: Tattoos by Qulock Nimmons

Tattoo by James Daniel

Tattoo by Tuki Carter Tattoo by Melvin Todd

Tattoo by Melvin Todd

Tattoo by Charity

Tattoo by Charity

Above & right: Tattoos by ChrisMcAdoo


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artists, painters or whatever medium they choose to work through.With theawareness of everyone's contributions, more creativity rises from the city itself.

The shop approaches its fifth anniversary next February as everyone read-ies a full remodeling of the parlor's interior. In addition, the team plans on host-ing several art gallery openings between December and June of next year. Stay intouch with City of Ink tattoos and artwork through YouTube or any of their var-ious social networking sites.

City of Ink 323 Walker Street Atlanta, GA 404-525-4465 http://www.thecityofink.com H


City of ink continued

Tattoos above by Miya Bailey

Tattoos above by Chris Colbert

the Sugar dollsdo Sacred Heart


Whether it be perfect pink breasts to be ogled at Ink &Dagger Tattoo Parlour’s Man Day, booze infused (andignited) prohibition delights for Ink 4 Pink’s Vaudeville

Villains or Rockabilly Elvis cupcakes for Mon Cherie’s RockabillyLounge, Flowery Branch’s The Sugar Dolls custom themed cupcake andbaked good delivery service has got what you need for ANY Atlantaevent. Not familiar with The Sugar Dolls yet? Yes, you are. If you’vebeen to any of the above events or pretty much any burlesque show inand around the metro Atlanta area, they are the darling twosome car-

rying gorgeous (and at times gory) edible treats on trays reminiscentof the classic cigarette girls that used to pepper the best of socialaffairs.Well no gig is too big or too small for Alexis and Aileen. Patronsneed do nothing more than make a quick phone call or fill out theironline contact form to obtain custom cupcakes or cookies themed totheir own event and the gals arrive promptly in their best dress (alsoto occasion) to deliver the goods!

As for their own events,The Sugar Dolls are proud to be hostingtheir second annual Day of the Cupcake fundraiser at Sacred HeartTattoo in Little 5 Points benefiting Atlanta Bully Rescue! Saturday,October 8th, Sacred Heart Tattoo will dole out dollops of $50 cup-cake tattoos while ladies compete as the perfect cupcake pinup for achance to win a shoot with Dynamite Dames and Cherry Dame andeven more contestants test their cupcake decorating skills! Add to thatlive bands, karaoke, Hula hoop antics from HoopEssence, cupcakes (ofcourse), prizes and a whole lot more and you’ve got a recipe for a deli-ciously good time!

For more info and to place your order visit:www.thesugardolls.com/ and check out the Day of the Cupcake atSacred Heart in Little 5! H

Check This out!

By J.J. Diablo Photos courtesy of The sugar dolls


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Ink Atlanta October 2011

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