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Lancaster, California

Mike Pike—Psycho City Tattoo

By Bob Baxter with photographs by Bernard Clark

I used to drive the hour or so out to Lancaster just to hear Mike Pike talk. And not just because he's got more stories than ten other tattooists his age, but because he sounds like his pipes are coated with rust and velvet. Foggy and blown-out at the same time. Every guy wants to have his voice. But more than that, his Psycho City tattoo shop on the edge of a busy street in God-forsaken Lancaster, California, is always hopping with people: talky customers, hotrods, old-timers, pretty girls and guys with cigarette packs rolled up in the sleeves of their T-shirts. It's hot out there in the desert. But, inside, the shop is cool. And not just temperature-wise.

I've know Mike for a decade or so. He and Jojo Ackermann are like family. My son Noah used to work at Psycho City. He'd drive in from Van Nuys four or five times a week and got his chops working alongside Mike, Jojo Ackermann and the rest of the Psycho City crew. Noah first met Mike and Jojo at a convention put on by Sammy Ramirez in Guadalajara a few years back. Noah went with me to experience Mexico and, since Noah wasn't prepared to tattoo there, Mike handed him some equipment and invited him to share the booth with him and Jojo. That's the way Mike is, immediately helpful and supportive. He didn't know if Noah could tattoo, but he said he did and that was enough for Mike. He'd lean over and watch Noah work, giving him tips and telling him how great his work was. It was the beginning of a solid friendship between the two of them. And Noah couldn't have had a better, more patient, more encouraging teacher. more..

Riverside, California

Shawn Warcot—Empire Tattoo

By Bob Baxter with photographs by Bernard Clark

I first met Shawn Warcot at his shop, Empire Tattoo, in Rialto, California. That was back in 2002, when I was gathering information for a book on the Southern California tattoo scene. We'd never met, but I'd heard a lot about him and especially his Tikis and the incredibly trashed motorcycle parked in front of his second-floor, strip-mall location. Rialto, by the way, is not exactly the "garden spot" of Southern California. It's hot, it's dry and it's the San Bernardino County distribution center for Staples, Toys R Us, FedEx and Target. Whoopee. The celebrities that came out of this one-hundred-thousand-population town include Rodney King, whose beating by the L.A.P.D. touched off the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and Hall of Fame linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, Ronnie Lott. The air is smoggy, the pavement burns your feet and the only half-interesting landmark is the '50s motel with Indian tepees for rooms.

Warcot's a terrific, eclectic artist and smart businessman. His expertise and enthusiasm have resulted in his opening two additional locations, one in nearby Redlands and the other in Riverside. This time, we met at the Riverside shop, where an enthusiastic welcoming committee, including Shawn's family and all his artists, were waiting for us. Always the perfect host, Shawn had a table piled high with sandwiches, soft drinks and bottled water. The crowd that showed up to have their tattoos photographed were clearly members of the Shawn Warcot fan club. They treated us like long-lost relatives, but the star of the show was clearly Warcot. He's super-savvy, tells it like it is and has got the kind of positive, motivating energy that's inspiring to be around. more...

Los Angeles, California

Team Famous—Street Bike Musketeers

By Bob Baxter with photographs by Bernard Clark

When we pulled off the 118 freeway in Northridge, California, we had no idea what to expect. I'd talked to Team Famous manager Keith Belcher several times on the phone, but when he started to wax poetic about his trio of daredevil bikers who went by the names Famous Crow, Warren Jamez (with a Z) and J-Beats, I thought it was just so much marketing hype and not to be taken seriously. However, when I mentioned them to my daughter Holly, who lives in Van Nuys, she said, "Oh, yeah, those guys. A bunch of times I'd be waiting at an intersection for the light to change and they'd come roaring up the street a hundred miles an hour, throw on the brakes and start doing wheelies around my car. I see them all the time." Hey, we were on a road trip and one more stop with a bunch of photogenic motorcycle riders sounded like something different. No problem, we'll be there. So, with an SUV full of photo equipment, plus Bernard, Mary and Jack the dog, we slowly snaked our way through the peaceful, tree-lined neighborhood, looking for the street address. more...