Earlier in the year, I wrote a blog post about juggling music journalism alongside attending university, and how that impacted upon my life. (If your mind needs refreshing, have a read here.)

However, I decided that I’d also talk about another love of mine, which is heavily influenced by my music taste: tattoos. Tattoos are becoming a more mainstream fashion choice nowadays. It’s rather difficult to not spot any tattoos when walking down the street. Listening to heavier music, I found that about 99% of bands had tattoos and visible ones at that too, such as on their hands and arms, or their throat. The other 1% most probably had tattoos that just weren’t visible.

I suppose that, in some unconscious way, I ended up liking tattoos because the bands I liked had them. I know – cue everyone saying, “If someone told you to jump off a cliff, would you?” because it’s rather similar, in a sense. I ended up desperately wanting a tattoo, especially when my best friend got her first one; she’s a year older than me, so I had to wait like a sulky teenager until I was 18 to get mine.

My first (and so far, only) tattoo is of a rose and is on the inside of my right leg, just above my ankle. It was done by Antony Flemming, a very talented artist who specialises in Japanese and neo-traditional tattoos, which is my favourite style. After that tattoo though, I promised my Mum I wouldn’t get any done until I was 21 and, surprisingly, I’ve kept to my word. I have, however, had a sketch from my friend, Kathy, who’s doing my next tattoo, and what she sent me is perfect. It makes me excited to have another piece of art on my body!

It also amuses me that different cultures take to tattoos in different ways. Example: me and my best friend (I referred to her earlier) went to Rome this July. Naturally, it was scorching so we wore shorts or skirts for most of the week. At the time, she had about seven tattoos on her legs, so they were visible to the public eye. And boy, did she receive some dirty looks! Everywhere we went, people would openly stare at her legs and then shake their heads before walking away.

It intrigued me. Here, no one really bats an eyelid if you do or don’t have a tattoo, but in Italy, people seemed absolutely disgusted that we’d gotten our legs tattooed. It surprised me at the time but it also makes sense – whilst we were there, it seemed “normal” for men to be heavily tattooed, but the majority of young women would only have one or two, and even then it was usually something like a rose or a butterfly.

I find it strange how some people are so violently against tattoos, but I can understand some people’s concerns. But for me, I love tattoos – it’s like having your own art gallery at your disposal. There isn’t any opening or closing times, and you can touch the artwork too. I have plans for many more, but rest assured, they’ll be all on my legs, with maybe one on my ribs too. Here’s to the next one!

It’s hard. That much I can tell you just by simply looking at the title. However, before I delve in too deep, maybe I should (and will) give you a brief rundown about how I immersed myself into music journalism.

Since the age of 11, I’ve had an incredibly deep love for the more “alternative” side of music. Bands such as My Chemical Romance – don’t laugh, everyone’s had their Emo phase, and I know you still know all the words to ‘Teenagers’ – and Slipknot gave birth to such a love, and I eagerly waded through the Internet to find more bands and artists that were just as visceral and brutal. Even now, I still embark upon finding the next band that I want to fall in love with.

As I grew up, my love for music deepened. Despite staring longingly at gig posters in Kerrang! and Rocksound, I didn’t actually get to experience my first gig until the age of 16; I went to see Cancer Bats at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, on Friday 29 October 2010 with a couple of friends, complete with other gig-goers dressed up in various forms of zombies – there was even a zombie bride in the mosh-pit!

It was in the same year that I finally jumped into the world of music journalism. As part of my English Language coursework, we were required to write two different styled-pieces and, for one of my pieces, I wrote a review on the then recently-released, self-titled album from Escape the Fate. My excellent English teacher, Elaine, suggested that I actually start my own music blog – she said that reading my review had impressed her greatly, and apparently wouldn’t look out of place in a music magazine!

With this in mind, I set up a small Tumblr blog, reviewing singles, EPs and full-length albums from all manner of bands. I wasn’t sure it was going that entirely well until two things happened that made me incredibly determined to carry on down this path:

1)    I reviewed Mallory Knox’s EP ‘Pilot’. After tweeting this link, their bassist, Sam Douglas, replied and said he really enjoyed reading it. I then saw them perform Upstairs at the Relentless Garage in Islington a few days after; he told me that my review was one of the best he’s ever read!

2)    A band called The Purple Shots tweeted me, asking if I would review their upcoming single, which I did. Upon reading the review, the guys offered me a guest-list spot (my first of many!) for one of their upcoming gigs in Camden, as a way of saying ‘thank you’.

After these events and with encouragement from Elaine, I set about e-mailing various different music websites, asking if they’d be so kind as to take me on as a contributor. The first two websites never got back to me but HevyPetal did; their editor was more than happy to take me on, and thus began a long and fruitful journey into music journalism.

Even now, as a student of the University of Brighton, I still write. Last year alone, I wrote for Bring the Noise, Stencil Mag, Highlight Magazine, Already Heard and New Junk – I was even Assistant Editor for New Junk! And, if you see me falling asleep in a lecture, I promise it’s not because I’ve been drinking the night before; I’m just shattered after travelling to London and back because I went to review another band, and didn’t actually get into bed until gone 1am. (Look, I need my sleep, okay?)

I have faced hardships whilst working in this gruelling world – it can be incredibly bitchy and there are days where I feel my writing is awful, causing me to question why I’m pursuing this path; whilst being Assistant Editor, I sometimes found it difficult to juggle university work, my job and being an editor.

But there are so many opportunities that I’ve experienced that I wouldn’t change for the world. In my first year, I was offered the incredible opportunity to intern at the Kerrang! offices in London for a week, giving me the chance to see how a weekly magazine is put together. On my first day, I got to interview five different bands, all of whom I’ve been to see at gigs and, later on in the week, I had my first ever phone interview with none other than Jeff Hardy, former TNA Wrestling Champion! Again, a massive thanks to Tim for being supportive about me missing a week of university to go gallivanting around London, listening to unreleased albums in Gibson Studios, watching the lead singer of Your Demise strip to only his boxers and a Christmas-themed apron, and cutting up More magazine’s Christmas tree so Architects’ Sam Carter could wear it for a photo-shoot. The whole week is still a huge ‘pinch me’ moment.

I’ve also been incredibly lucky to interview some humble and lovely people in the music industry; my personal favourite was interviewing Tyler ‘Telle’ Smith of The Word Alive at Slam Dunk last year. Since the age of 15, I’ve been a huge fan of The Word Alive and to sit down with their vocalist for ten minutes was incredible!

Anyway, seeing as I’m so nice (and for saying thanks after I’ve been rambling on), I’m going to try and attach a video of my first ever face-to-face interview! It was conducted outside London’s Nambucca venue on Holloway Road and was with Scottish quintet Autumn In Disguise: Autumn In Disguise Interview.

Anyway, if the video works, watch and laugh my friends. I’m off to pretend that I’m Patrick Stump and violently sing, ‘Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down’. (Sorry to my flatmates.)