Hurricane Ike hit my hometown of Houston, Texas, a couple of weeks ago. Just as my dad began to repair the fence and pick up the roof shingles that were strewn about his street, I decided to interrogate my very own Hurricane Ike — Ike Shanaman. According to a few close friends, Ike Shanaman is definitely considered a “Category Five” hurricane.

Besides claiming stake as Tacoma punk band Broken Oars’ front man, Shanaman also achieves creative bliss as one of Ink City Tattoo’s* talented artists in Bonney Lake. As much as Shanaman could tear up any city like a devastating hurricane, he was a gracious teddy bear as I prodded him for inside information.

STEPH DEROSA: Your body is covered in tattoos. How many do you have, exactly?

IKE SHANAMAN: Um, lets see …ONE. I have one huge, continuous tattoo all over my body.

 

DEROSA: Good answer! Tell me the truth; people must come in with ridiculous tattoo requests that make you cringe. Spill it with some examples.

 

SHANAMAN: No, Steph, it’s not like that. Everyone has a reason for the tattoo they want. Everyone has a meaningful story behind the art on his or her body.

 

DEROSA: What a lame answer. I need some juicy info, I need secrets!

SHANAMAN: There really are no secrets. It’s not like the good ol’ days. Back in the early 1990s, back when we used to smoke in the shop while getting worked on. Back then people would come in and order something weird with a codeword.

 

DEROSA: What did that codeword mean?

SHANAMAN: I have no idea, really. All I know is they would go in a back room, I’d hear handcuffs snap, and then about an hour later they’d come out all sweaty and red in the face.

 

DEROSA: OK, be honest: did you ever go into that back room yourself?

SHANAMAN: Oh hell no! But I do love to go in the “back room” with my wife at home.

 

DEROSA: Oh yeah, by the way, could you not tell your wife I said your tattoos are hot? She’d kick my ass.

 

SHANAMAN: When did you say my tattoos were “hot”?

 

DEROSA: Oh. Nevermind!

*Thank you Jason Danger and Jayme Jack for bringing Ike Shanaman into Ink City Tattoo some 2 years ago. You’ve been a fresh breath of inspiration to him in the industry.

[Ink City Tattoo, 21191 State Route 410 E., Bonney Lake 253.862.0208 ]