I'll start by saying Randy Adams and Sailor Fred have been great friends for many years. Sailor Fred has many acquaintances, none of which knew his two daughters. It was his closest friends that knew his kids. Randy Adams being at the top of Sailor Fred's closest friends list. Sailor Fred believes he met Randy Adams at Gill Monte's house, at the time it was kitty-corner from the Boothill Saloon, during Daytona's Bike Week in the 1980's. From the first time they met, they tattooed together and shared many good laughs. Whether they were together in NY, FL or TX, Randy Adams always has something new to show Sailor Fred. Like many of the best stories Sailor Fred has to tell will be told in a future project although there was a short story he shared for the purpose of Monday's Story time. Often times, whenever Sailor Fred would travel across country to see Randy Adams in Texas he would bring a few guys with him. This one particular time, Randy put a sign on the door that the shop would only be closed for a couple of hours so they could go have dinner. Randy took Sailor Fred and his guests to an all you can eat seafood buffet near the Dallas airport. Of course, it took much longer than two hours. On the way back to the shop, in a distance Sailor Fred saw tail lights. He jokingly told Randy, "Hey, look you have customers waiting." Well, his wise crack turned into the truth. Randy had multiple customers waiting for his return. On one of Sailor Fred's visits to Randy Adams he ended up staying a month. During that month Sailor Fred worked while Randy went out of town. Sailor Fred learned a few things durning his stay. He had to learn the different codes of the state of TX vs. NY. Remember, during Sailor Fred's career it went from having one rule, you couldn't tattoo, to every state having different regulations. Randy is a kickass artist. He's done work on both Sailor Fred and Miss Kat. Randy Adams owes and operates the Randy Adams Tattoo Studio in Lancaster TX. If you go and see Randy, tell him Sailor Fred sent you. http://www.randyadams.com/randyadams/Crew.aspx
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Sailor Fred first met Mr. Tramp in McLean Virgina at Grandpa Groovy's Tattoo Convention. (Grandpa Groovy had a tattoo club at the time. Sailor Fred believes it was called Rebel Tattoo Club) So, the first time Sailor Fred and Mr. Tramp met was when Mr. Tramp was getting off an elevator at the convention hotel. Sailor Fred and Miss Kat were waiting for the elevator. When the doors opened, Mr. Tramp SLID across the hallway a good 30 feet on his knees! As if he had a motor strapped to his ass. Sailor Fred and Miss Kat wide eyed, busted out laughing in amazement. Sailor Fred HAD to know how Tramp did it so they struck up a conversation. They ended up hanging out all weekend. As for how he managed to slide across the floor on his knees while exiting the elevator, Mr. Tramp never told Sailor Fred how he did it.
The second time Sailor Fred and Mr. Tramp saw each other was in 1981 when they both worked Tat-2 Tony's place in Daytona for Bike Week. From there they worked and partied together multiple times a year. Tramp would work Sailor Fred's shop, Golden Needle, when he was up north for Am Jam or the Harley Rendezvous and Sailor Fred would work Tramp's shop, White Tiger, in Fayetteville, NC on Bragg Blvd. (White Tiger was owned by Louis Scabaras (sp?) although operated by Mr. Tramp) Funning story there ... Mr. Tramp had an unique style. It was very light and detailed. He had mastered the washout technique in its early stages. Mr. Tramp always had three ladies. His main woman was Ms. Cookie. The other two woman changed each year. Sailor Fred and Mr. Tramp shared many memories all which include funny stories. Sailor Fred plans on telling them in the near future. Unfortunately, Mr. Tramp is no longer with us. RIP Mr. Tramp. You are missed and loved. This week Sailor Fred would like to share the story of how his friendship with Bob ‘Hammer’ Madison started.
Around 1999-2000 Sailor Fred went down to Tampa on business. When he was finished, being so close, he headed to Daytona to see his friend Tat2 Tony. Tat2 Tony happened to be working at Hammer’s shop which is where they met. Hammer invited Sailor Fred back down to work during Daytona’s Bike Week. When the time came, Sailor Fred along with his friend Terry (Terry worked in Canada at Crazy Ace’s shop) headed down to Daytona to work bike week. The rest is history. History to be told soon enough ... Sailor Fred doesn’t believe Hammer gets the recognition he deserves. No fault other than Hammer not traveling shop to shop like some of the other guys did. Hammer is a great artist and dear friend. Hammer can be found in Flagler, FL at his shop Inflicting Beauty. If you visit him, tell him Sailor Fred sent you. http://www.inflictingbeauty.com/hammer/4589544108 Karl (KC) Cullison is the self proclaimed 'King of the Bootleggers'. His words not ours. His tattoo career stretches across decades although never owned his own shop. KC, well known in his area of Akron OH, traveled coast to coast tattooing from trucks, trailers or at friends shops as a guest artist. His last tattooing was done from his home basement. Through out his tattooing career he tattooed along side of some of the greats like Mr. Tramp, Charlie Bond, Tat2 Tony, Sailor Bill, Howie the Hand and Lil' Rat and tattooed during many Daytona Bike Weeks.
KC was also a Sideshow/Freak Show owner and magician. Back in 1979 both KC and Sailor Fred played the Monroe County Fair in upstate New York. Sailor Fred was tattooing and KC had his Sideshow. It just so happens they were set up right next to each other and after Sailor Fred recognized KC's bearded lady, they began a 37 year friendship. During the time Sailor Fred was building his sideshow, it was Karl that taught Fred how to do magic and in return, Fred gave KC some tips on tattooing. Sailor Fred and KC's friendship contains so many stories and adventures to be shared soon. They were more than friends, they were family. KC passed away in 2015. He will always be missed. 'Sailor Fred refers to this post as his ‘Life & Time With His Buddy Gill”. It was the late 1980’s when Sailor Fred first met Gill Montie. They met for the first time while Gill Montie, Sailor Fred, Mr. Tramp and Charlie Bond were tattooing at Tat-2 Tony’s place in Daytona during Bike Week.
The next few times Sailor Fred crossed paths with Gill was during various Tattoo Conventions and Bike Weeks. Gill would come up to Schenectady New York along with various artists and friends of theirs like Mr. Tramp, Randy Adams, Wondo or Charlie Bond. (for those of you who don’t know Wando, he owned Sailor Jerry’s shop in Honolulu HI for many years) Sailor Fred would meet everyone down in Daytona. Again, all good times … There was a time in the early 1990's when Gill came to Rochester, NY as a guest artist in Sailor Fred’s Golden Needle Tattoo Studio and ended up stayed for a month or two. Eventually he sent for his family. After the family hung out for a week, both families drove down to Orlando together. Together, as in 4 adults and 4 kids in one car drove all the way from New York to Florida. The last few times Sailor Fred saw Gill Montie was down in Macon, GA just before Bike Week. Sailor Fred would be a guest artist at Howie the Hand's shop while Gill and Zeek Owens were guest artists at Lit’l Rat’s shop. Being friends, they would all get together for dinners. There are some great stories and many memories in between this passage that will be released soon!! |
AuthorSailor Fred is a renown American Tattoo Artist that started his career in 1968 Archives
November 2016
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