Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 07/06/2026Happy Pride Month yall. This is David- Suit by Cliff Raven. He’s seen here at a queer tattoo gathering that ran parallel to a major tattoo convention. Con during the day, party at night. It gave a safe space to the gay tattoo crowd that might not be as free to express themselves in mixed company. 0101
Reposted by Occult VibrationsTattoos by Doug Hardy @tattoosbydoughardy.bsky.social · 02/06/2026Happy Pride, I love you 061
Reposted by Occult VibrationsOld Tattooed Hippie ☮️✌️ @sauchellibot.bsky.social · 13/12/2025Tattoo Artists Cliff Raven And Sailor Sid Diller 1970s Or 80s... #tattoo #tattooing #cliffraven #sailorsid #tattooartists #1970s #1980s 181
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 13/12/2025Lyle Tuttle, traditional Samoan tattooing, 1970s. Photo by Robin Ryan sacreddebbris.com 020
Reposted by Occult VibrationsSacred Debris @bodymodificationarchive.com · 02/12/2025www.blurb.com/books/125078... In August I gave a lecture on the under-documented influence of queer tattoo artists & collectors in modern (1950s-1980s) tattooing. This book covers the introduction & tattooer/pornographer JD of TRASH fame. It's 25% off thru Dec 11th with code GIVINGTUES25 052
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 18/11/2025Underground queer tattoo shop, 1970s. The artist was likely Ken Meyer (also seen spelled Meyers) and the client Bobby Mack. Filmed by Sailor Sid Diller. sacreddebris.com 072
Reposted by Occult VibrationsNick Bergin @godspeedtattoo.bsky.social · 22/10/2025Made a new flash painting. I’d love to tattoo any of these 😍 #bayareatattoo #tattoo #flash #halloween #skulls 1342
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 21/10/2025Larry Copeland hosted a gathering of tattoo and piercing fans at his Hoboken, NJ residence in 1974/5. In attendance was Emil Gundelach who continued getting tattooed into his 90s, Tatu Scotty, Spider Webb, Dave Slack, Mary, and Ken Meyer (among other unnamed friends) 062
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 21/10/2025Dave Slack was a queer tattoo artist who worked in NYC in the 1970s/80s. He appeared in the legendary gay xxx video "NYC INFERNO" (playing a tattoo artist). This clip, recorded in approx 1974/5, also features Emil Gundelach, Larry Copeland, Key Meyer, and Spider Webb. sacreddebris.com 052
Reposted by Occult VibrationsCassie DeBord @cassietattoos.bsky.social · 14/10/2025Real American Patriot Betty Boop at your service 🫡 #bettyboop #traditionaltattoos 0101
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 07/10/2025This is the length (heh) I go to to not get banned on Instagram again. Leg tattoos by Raven sacreddebris.com 1101
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 10/09/2025Underground queer tattoo shop, 1975. Ken Meyer (Florida) working on a homoerotic back tattoo. Screenshot from video. sacreddebris.com 040
Reposted by Occult VibrationsSacred Debris @bodymodificationarchive.com · 24/08/2025On Aug 16th, I gave the first in a series of lectures on the under documented history of Queer Tattooing. We covered a basic primer on some of the early (1960s-80s) queer tat pioneers, then dug into cruising culture documentarian/tattooer John Dagion. This book serves as a lecture companion...blurb.comIndelible Identities 01: John Dagion by Shawn Porter | Blurb BooksFind Indelible Identities 01: John Dagion by Shawn Porter at Blurb Books. Compiled as a companion to his August 2025 lecture at BMXNet in Berlin, Germany, this 8... 153
Reposted by Occult VibrationsShawn Porter @thedocumentedbody.com · 03/08/2025The finished tattoo. 181
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 02/08/2025Robert E. Roberts - Maddog Tattoo - 1990s. Slide building is going well on the Indelible Identities lecture on Queer Tattoo History. 121
Reposted by Occult VibrationsOld Tattooed Hippie ☮️✌️ @sauchellibot.bsky.social · 23/07/2025Chicago Tattooist Cliff Raven And A Client 1972...Adults Only Photo Of Cliff And A Client... #tattoo #tattooed #tattooing #cliffraven #tattooartist #adultsonly #nsfw 1132
Reposted by Occult VibrationsSacred Debris @bodymodificationarchive.com · 23/07/2025Pleased as punch to be invited back to Berlin by the fine folks at BMXNet! 031
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 22/07/2025Proof copy of our lecture guide arrived with a friend. PFIQ ceased publication with issue 50 but there was one last issue cued up. Jim Ward was finally able to complete the run. So exciting. 060
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 17/07/2025Our friend @savagesal.bsky.social was kind enough to reimagine a Cliff Raven design to add a little razzle dazzle to my latest book - a visual companion to the lecture I’ll be giving on #queertattoo history in less than a month! 192
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 23/06/2025 Along with Ed Hardy & Don Nolan, Cliff Raven was one of a handful of Western artists responsible for popularizing Japanese influenced large scale tattooing to America. He was also an out gay man. Screenshot from 50+ year old video at an underground queer tattoo shop. Sacreddebris.com 061
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 22/06/2025I feel like a one-trick pony lately. All of my archival energy is going towards the first lecture in the Indelible Identities series. This page is from the introduction essay on the history of Queer tattooing- the final image is from NYC's TRON - part of the future of queer representation in tattoo. 051
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 18/06/2025Just finished writing a footnote explaining to my readers what a "truck hawk" is. Is it worth going into glory hole etiquette or is that gilding the lily? I dont think the other tattoo historians have to make these choices, y'all. 130
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 16/06/20251981 REAL PEOPLE episode excerpt. I for one think that tattoos + perversion is a rad combo. Full video is on our Patreon: Sacreddebris.com 050
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 15/06/2025Fired up the VCR today for some conversion. This cassette is likely from 1981 and features Bill Mokry. Sacreddebris.com 071
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 15/06/2025Watching a 40+ year old tattoo documentary shot by Emiko Omori, featuring Don Ed Hardy. The VHS degradation is terrible (Im converting it to digital) but I'll always sit and listen when Ed is talking. 150
Reposted by Occult VibrationsSavage Sal @savagesal.bsky.social · 10/06/2025My new convention banner came in! I’ll be in Eau Claire, Wisconsin June 13-15 for the Sawdust City Tattoo convention! savagesal@live.com to book an appointment 😊📆#eauclaire #sawdustcityinvitational #savagesal #manther 0171
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 10/06/2025Little rough teaser - still working on dropping some text in it any trying to work Cliff Raven in somehow- for my August lecture on queer tattooing history. Sacreddebris.com 150
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 03/06/2025Still tweaking an essay for the Indelible Identities lecture companion book. I’m not a good writer, by any means, but I do what I can. #queertattoo history! 082
Reposted by Occult VibrationsSacred Debris @bodymodificationarchive.com · 13/05/2025John Dagion's semi-autobiographical smut zine, TRASH, collected his sexual escapades alongside the lascivious tales of his readers, personal stories, erotic art, & personal ads. It's essential documentation of the life of an underrepresented part of modern tattoo culture. sacreddebris.com 041
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 05/05/2025It’s impossible to overstate the impact that Samuel Steward had on modern tattooing. Tattooing professionally under the name Phil Sparrow, he was a primary mentor to Ed Hardy & Cliff Raven. The intersection of tattoo culture and the queer community is inseparable. sacreddebris.com #queertattooyoutu.beTattooing Reality 3YouTube video by Shawn Porter 1153
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 03/05/2025The infamous Spider Webb tattooing in Mt Vernon, NY, 1974 #tattoo #tattoohistoryyoutu.beSpider Webb, Mt. Vernon NY 1974YouTube video by Shawn Porter 071
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 30/04/2025Dennis Avner (Stalking Cat) and Bob Shaw, 1980s. There was a time where facial tattooing was banned at most tattoo conventions; exceptions were made. #tattoo #tattoohistory #bobshaw 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 28/04/2025Another 35mm negative scan from photographer Robin Ryan; Houston 1976. Peter Polous (left) and Dale Grande and friend. #tattoo #traditionaltattoo #occultvibrations #35mm sacreddebris.com 070
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 28/04/2025Val Watson at the 1976 Houston Tattoo Convention. Val is the subject of a recent zine from tattoo historian/tattooer Sharky Pitts- thought to be the first professional female African American tattoo artist, Val was a fixture at early tattoo convention. This photo is by Robin Ryan, scanned from 35mm 2142
Reposted by Occult VibrationsCassie DeBord @cassietattoos.bsky.social · 28/04/2025You can never go wrong picking off the wall❤️ 0301
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 28/04/2025Can't remember when I photographed this piece or who it was on. Getting old is fun. Paul Rogers, 1988. 050
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 27/04/2025When the subject of LGBTQ+ tattooers comes up, I’m usually greeted with calls of “Cliff Raven was amazing!” - and so he was. But there were a lot of trailblazers, folks who never rose to the level of acclaim Cliff received, whose stories need to be told. I look forward to adding to the series. 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 27/04/2025Photographed this gent at the Mad Hatters Tea Party- late 1980s. At the time, some tattoo conventions wouldn’t allow guests with facial tattooing. 082
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 27/04/2025(Not from our Archives) Filmmaker Werner Herzog showing off his Ed Hardy tattoo. 080
Reposted by Occult VibrationsOld Tattooed Hippie ☮️✌️ @sauchellibot.bsky.social · 19/04/2025Tattoo Flash By Tattoo Artist Stoney St. Clair Year ?... #tattoo #tattooed #stoneystclair #tattooartist #tattooflash 0161
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 25/04/2025I visited Amsterdam for the first time 30 years ago this week; this footage was shot on 8mm cassette and converted to digital in 2015. Time really does fly. ThEnigma being tattooed by 22 tattoo artists, including Horishi III, Bob Vessels, Permanent Mark, Alex Binnie, and more.youtu.beOVxAMST953: The Enigma vs 22 Tattoo ArtistsYouTube video by Shawn Porter 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 25/04/2025Dale Grande, Chicago, 1970s. Tattoo by Cliff Raven. 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 25/04/2025Avery, Meadowlands Convention 1990. Avery wore tattoos by a variety of emerging artists who went on to become legends in the industry. Greg Kulz, Filip Leu, and an amazing "tortoise-saurus helmet" by Daniel Higgs. 030
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 25/04/2025Shotsie Gorman, 1980s tattoo convention. (I think this was Knoxville, 1986) Shotsie was a passionate advocate for the tattoo community, bridging the fine art world with the tattoo world. 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 16/04/2025I usually only post things that originate in my archive, and I admit I can't remember where I sourced this... Tom of Finland (L) and Samuel Steward (r) who wrote erotica under the name Phil Andros, and tattooed under the name Phil Sparrow. 040
Occult Vibrations @occultvibrations.com · 08/04/2025Working on the lecture companion for my John Dagion presentation; not sure what it’s all going to look like in context but that’s part of the fun of it. #queertattoo history is tattoo history! 040