Mike Brown is a tattoo artist who, if you know your history, always comes up when people talk about those who pioneered tattooing in the late 1970s. He worked at China Sea (formerly owned by Sailor Jerry), which was ground zero for traditional American tattoos, and at the birthplace for black grey penitentiary-style tattoos, Good Time Charlie’s Tattoo Land. His life has had some ups and downs over the years, and they’ve made him a little hard to track down if you’re looking to get a Mike Brown tattoo. But when we had the chance to visit Honolulu in January, we made sure to stop by the shop Mike works at to ask him about the old days. He still tattoos five days a week, and we’d wager that most people who see him have no idea about his pedigree. His portfolio alone is a history lesson in tattooing, with everything from the most beautiful Cholas, Pin Ups, mean ass biker skulls, and touristy sea turtle tats. Mike Brown still does it all, and does so with the most humble manner.
More From This Show
-
Matt Mignanelli
His paintings may seem simple at first glance, but spend more time with them and you'll start to admire the patterns created by light and energy. We hung out with Matt at his studio in Bushwick, Brook…
-
Rostarr
Romon Kimin Yang, a.k.a. Rostarr, is a painter, calligrapher, and filmmaker living and working in Brooklyn. He spent much of his early career focusing on painting and graphic design, blurring the line…
-
Philip Michael Wolfson
London-based architect Philip Michael Wolfson was Zaha Hadid's head of design for ten years. Now he runs his own studio, where he works on sculptural pieces and interior architecture. When we visited,…
-
Matt Curry
When we went to Washington, DC, to meet the Grammy-nominated illustrator, he showed us his most recent work, the various techniques he uses, and his small studio in the middle of the woods.
-
Ghost of a Dream
Ghost of a Dream is the collaboration of sculptor Lauren Was and painter Adam Eckstrom. A few months ago we met up with them and got a chance to explore their works in progress, look at the variety of…
-
How and Nosm
Twin brothers Raoul and Davide Perre, aka How and Nosm, grew up practicing their craft in Germany, leaving tags all across Europe. After moving to New York and joining the legendary Bronx-based graffi…
-
Deedee Cheriel
LA darling Deedee Cheriel is a punk rocker turned painter known for mixing iconography from Indian temple imagery, South American political art, and animals in the wild to produce mystical narrative p…
-
Tristan Eaton
Tristan Eaton is a street artist, painter, illustrator, toy designer, and all-around renaissance man. We learn about his career path starting with his skate and graffiti beginnings to being one of the…
-
FAILE
VICE and 42Below recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Brooklyn-based artists FAILE on their permanent installation, The 104 North 7th Project. The piece consists of thousands of handmade t…
-
Rafaël Rozendaal
An artist who makes websites as artworks and sells their domain names.
-
I Don't Have the Stones to Be a Crime Reporter
I tried covering the Tia Sharp case but just felt guilty the whole time.
-
The Worst Restaurant in the World
A night at the Jack in the Box of the Damned.
-
Alexis Neiers’s Pretty Wild Road to Recovery
She robbed celebrities, abused drugs, inspired a movie, and now she's clean.
-
VICE News: Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor
A new drug called sisa is tearing its way through Athens' poor.
-
Oxford Has Put Heavy Metal, Mesopotamians, and Noh Theater Together at Last
With inspiration from Tangerine Dream.
-
VICE News: Triple Hate - Part 1
A documentary about Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Memphis City Council, the Klan, and the Crips.
-
Nick Gazin's Comic Book Love-In #88
Nobuyoshi Araki's new photo show is the prettiest thing in Jersey.
-
Munchies: Hatos Bar
We all got suitably wasted before cooking up some barbecue.
-
Some Guys on Reddit Claim Quitting Porn Is Good for Your Complexion
I took the 30-day challenge.
-
Teens Are Being Trapped in Abusive 'Drug Rehab Centers'
How an anti-drug cult from the 60s has evolved into a billion-dollar industry.
-
Fightland: Pakistan - Part 2
Pakistani MMA got its start in an apart
-
Australian Scientists Think We Can Grow Our Limbs Back Like Salamanders
I am a human, so if my limbs fall off, they stay off. This is unfortunate.
-
Juggalos Are OK, Cupid
Don’t be a Tumblr asshole to people trying to find love.
-
Rave and Hardcore YouTube Comments Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity
They're genuinely some of the most beautiful things I've ever read.
-
The Loneliness of the Village at the End of the World
Niaqornat's residents fight alcoholism and suicide as their village sinks into the Arctic.
-
Get Rich or High Trying
The smart money is increasingly looking to marijuana as the nation's biggest new business.
-
Alexis Neiers’s Pretty Wild Road to Recovery
She robbed celebrities, abused drugs, inspired a movie, and now she's clean.
-
I Don't Have the Stones to Be a Crime Reporter
I tried covering the Tia Sharp case but just felt guilty the whole time.
-
Teens Are Being Trapped in Abusive 'Drug Rehab Centers'
How an anti-drug cult from the 60s has evolved into a billion-dollar industry.
-
Ghost Wave - "Here She Comes"
Ghost Wave's New Video is Great, Unless you Hate Art and Birds
-
Channelling Wheatgrass and LSD with King Khan & BBQ
Getting Old and Drinking Piss
-
Some Guys on Reddit Claim Quitting Porn Is Good for Your Complexion
I took the 30-day challenge.
-
Reggie Watts Has a New Show
For some reason we were invited on set to see firsthand how internet gold is made.
-
Fightland Show: Pakistan - Part 2
Bashir Ahmad continues his tour of Pakistani martial arts.
-
I'm Hunting Down the Fat Fetishist Who Has My Stolen Laptop
He likes big ladies and lives in a maisonette.
-
Get Rich or High Trying
The smart money is increasingly looking to marijuana as the nation's biggest new business.
-
My Week with Hungary's Far Right
Hungarian nationalists throw beer at people and blame Jews and Gypsies for all their problems.
-
Munchies: The Marrow
He yelled a lot while juicing rhubarbs.
-
Fightland Show: Pakistan - Part 1
Fightland travels to Lahore to meet Bashir Ahmad.
-
Art Talk: Matt Mignanelli
A chat about his work, life, and strong American work ethic.
-
VICE News: Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor
A new drug called sisa is tearing its way through Athens' poor.
-
VICE News: Triple Hate - Part 1
A documentary about Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Memphis City Council, the Klan, and the Crips.
-
Did I Discover YelaWolf?
This. CD. It looked like… I really can’t even explain the levels of wrong this thing was.
-
Did a Murderer Just Give Himself Away on Yelp?
It seems like he might have done.
-
Tao Lin's iPhone Photos of Taipei: Taipei Signs
Tao shows us some of his favorite signs around Taipei.
Related Shows
-
Our favorite bits of our favorite country (USA).
-
Finding fashion's buried nuggets of greatness.
-
Swag, bitches!
-
No one is safe.
-
Watch Eddie Huang eat food and do cool shit.
Thought and Memory
New Fiction by Ed Park 
Malaysian Neo-Nazis
Fighting for a Pure Malay Race 
The Strongest Dwarf in New Jersey
Remembering My Tormentor 
Gay Men and Their Misogyny Problem
It's Not Cute Anymore 
Triple Hate - Part 1
The KKK vs. the Crips vs. Memphis City Council 
Saudi Arabia's Feminist Revolution
It's Not Happening 
Comments