Interviews
Allen Falkner – The father of modern suspension
A collection of questions and interviews
| March 13th, 2008 | June 11th, 2008 | September 6th, 2008 | March 4th, 2009 |
Interviews are listed chronologically from newest to oldest
August 8th, 2009
Among the major influences in your work are the book “Modern Primitive” (1986) and the artists, Stelarc and Fakir Musafar. Any other name could be added in this list?
Of course I can always add names to the list, but I think the most important of those is Jim Ward, founder of Gauntlet. Without his contributions to the piercing industry, body modification, as we know it would be a very different and my life would never be what it is today.
You said that you first suspension (a coma, 1992) was quite traumatic. How long do you feel prepared for a second attempt? Tell us a little about this process and how was the second experience.
After my first suspension, I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to hang again. I think my motivation had more to do with trying to figure out what went wrong than an actual desire to suspend. Before I attempted my second suspension, I experimented with pulls and flesh ripping. I was quite surprised how much weight the skin could take and also the amount of tension I could put on a single hook by slowly pulling and building pressure.
Once it came time to do the second suspension I was much more prepared, not only mentally, but our technique and process had advanced dramatically.
In 1993 you start to suspend people. Could you describe the sensation of the first time?
I think the best word to describe my experience was, unprepared. I had no clue what I was doing and only the most rudimentary suspension skills, if you can even call them that. The first person I ever hung was my roommate, Ron. (aka Spoony) We used tiny fishhooks, probably not much bigger than 16 gauge, and we used a lot of them. I’m guessing at least 30 hooks. The suspension went well with only a few problems. I think the best way to describe the experience was exhilarating and frightening.
In 2001 you had 30% of your body tattooed, 8 years later there is still some space?
In 2001 I had my full back, right arm, sides and my abdomen tattooed. Now (2009) I have my left arm, my chest, armpits and few other places, left side of neck, part of my hands and my a piece on my scrotum, but my legs and butt are still uncovered. I guess this brings me up to about 50% coverage. One day soon I will start on my legs, but I have yet to map them out and I want the pieces to be well done. So, I am taking my time and when the time is right I will start on them.
You became a great specialist in male genital piercing, through your contact with the gay community. Where and when was it exactly?
I opened my first shop Obscurities in 1992. I sold that shop in 2007, but that’s another story all together. Two old friends of mine Jenneane and Buddy owned a vintage clothing store in the heart of the gay community. They had a back room they weren’t using that they rented out to me for the shop. At the time I knew very little about the community, but I am open-minded and everyone was super friendly. It wasn’t long before the piercing craze took off and I was incredibly busy. Besides all the gay men that were coming in for genital piercings, many of the other shops in town were refusing to do male genitals and they often sent them to me. Suddenly I became the go-to guy to have your penis pierced.
It was rather funny but I used to tell people all the time, “I own a successful business in the gay and lesbian area. I have hundreds, possibly thousands of gay male fans. I handle cock all day at work. If I was gay, my life would be perfect.”
You already been at Brazil, tell us your experience here?
My mother is Brasilian, so Rio and Sao Paulo are my homes away from home. I’ve only ever been twice, but I love Brasil. There was once a time when I was looking into duel citizenship and thinking about trying to work there. My idea was to work in the US, 6 months then Brasil 6 months so I could have an endless summer. Unfortunately it just didn’t work out. Plus my Portuguese is terrible. I understand very little these days and I speak even less. But, in answer to your original question, I love Brasil and hope to make it back again some day.
Nowadays we have a big number of people doing suspension and by the several possible reasons. What’s your conception about the current suspension’s scene?
Suspension has been growing all over the world, but unfortunately most people don’t have any training. Luckily, this is starting to change. More and more I see people coming together forming groups, and these groups are starting to travel to work with other people to improve their skills. I still think the suspension community needs more education and better equipment. Also, we need to work together. People in the body modification world often work alone. This needs to change. The more we work with each other, the more we learn and ultimately the safer our art becomes.
How is your work with the TSD?
These days my main focus is on teaching and helping the community. I still hang regularly, but am basically retired from performing. I love suspension, but I’m getting too old to keep putting on crazy shows, I will leave that to the younger generation.
Now my I devote most of energy to helping spread education. Back in April I organized a suscon that was designed for practitioners. We had class on suturing taught by Brian Decker or ROP suspension group. A performance roundtable led by Steve Joyner of CoRE and Havve Fjell from Wings of Desire/Pain Solution. We even had a rigging class taught be a Cirque Du Soleil rigger. Although the suscon had it’s problems, I feel that everyone walked away from the convention with more knowledge and better understand of suspension safety and dynamics.
Do you work as a piercer yet?
I guess I still work as a piercer, but it’s been a while since I’ve done any piercing. When I sold my shop in 2007, I changed my focus to laser tattoo removal: www.fadefast.com I know this might seem like a strange transition but it’s really not. Now I work with heavily tattooed people to lighten existing work so they can get it recovered with a better piece. I don’t see lasers as anti-tattoo. I see them as the next logical step in improving bad tattoos.
For you, what’s the future of suspension?
Who knows what the future holds? I think suspension will continue to gain popularity and the art will become more accepted by the average person.
As for me, I want to keep focusing on education, improving our equipment and establishing better safety protocols. The suspension community is growing so fast, but our knowledge doesn’t seem to get passed along fast enough. My goal is to teach and to learn from as many suspension practitioners as possible. If I could spend all my time traveling and focusing on suspension I would. Maybe one day I can afford to do that.
Leave a message for every people who admire your work, especially for us, brazilian!
If you are interested in getting involved in suspension please do your research. There is lots of information out there and so many people that want to help you. Don’t go at it alone. Suspension is a dangerous activity and should only be attempted under supervision of trained professionals.
March 4th, 2009
BME Podcast #1: Allen Falkner Talks Suspension
On today’s podcast, our guest is Allen Falkner, who joins us to discuss the upcoming SusCon he’s organizing, Nevada’s current attempt to ban suspension, the six-hour suspension Chris Glunt just performed, and more. (Also, visit him at Fade Fast for all your tattoo removal needs!)
Stream or download the show below:
http://news.bmezine.com/wp-content/uploads/bme-podcast-20090304-01.mp3
Right-click and “Save Target/Link As” to download the .mp3 directly
September 6th, 2008
Every child cries when hurt or pinched… How did you start your journey into the world of suspension, branding, scarification, implants, and other body modifications? As a child you never cried on getting hurt?
LOL are you kidding? I was big crybaby when I was young. There was even one time when I was so afraid to get a tetanus shot that I had to leave a doctor’s office. The concept of conquering my fears is one of the reasons I was drawn to body modification. Granted my initial draw was more about being different and/or to fit in with my peers. I know that statement seems to be contradictory, but there is an element of both involved in the modified community.
As for when my journey began, this question is difficult to answer. For as long as I can remember I have always been fascinated with the idea of pushing my limits, but I think this true for everyone. People are inherently competitive, not only with each other but with themselves. Plus, we are all affected by what we see and do. My journey into the world of body modification was simply a string of choices that drew me in and shaped who I am. If you asked me 20 years ago what my future would be, I would have told you about finishing my engineering degree and starting a life centered on that. The idea that suspension would be such a huge part of my life would have seemed strange and rather outlandish.
According to you, how do you define Suspension?
The act of hanging the body from flesh hooks.
You say suspension is “painful”, then why should anyone suspend themselves?
Well, suspensions aren’t always painful. Yes it is very intense, but overcoming this sensation is all a part of the ritual. Being able to accomplish what seems unbelievable is one of the draws. Getting the rush and the high that accompanies it is another. I think for many first timers it has more to do with the conquering of fear. Yes, suspension does attract thrill seekers and people wanting to get involved to make themselves seem cool, but those who remain in the suspension community and continue to hang will tell you that they get a lot out of suspension. If nothing else, hanging from hooks is a very empowering experience.
Allen, what is there in suspension, despite all the pain, that drive people crazy?
People are drawn to suspenson, for multiple reasons. The strange? The Unknown? To view, witness and/or experience a bizarre ritual. I think there are as many reasons why as there are people that hang. The act of suspension is a very amazing thing, for both those hanging and those watching. It’s a life changing experience, and for many people, especially in western culture, we need that break from the norm.
How many suspension you have undergone? When and how was your first suspension?
I lost track many years ago, but if I had to guess I would say definitely over 50, probably more than 100. As for my first suspension, it was actually painful and very short, seriously like 5 seconds. It was back in 1992 and there was little to no information on suspension. Everything we did was wrong and the experience was pretty negative. For most people this might have deterred them from trying again, but I was determined to figure out how to do it. It took several years and multiple suspensions to get it right and I’m glad I stuck with it.
Your most memorable suspension show?
Wow, that’s probably the most difficult question I’ve ever had to answer. There have been so many and each was memorable in its own way. I have been seriously hurt a few times and those always stick out in my mind. Then there are shows that just went so well and were very well received by the crowd. Hmm…I guess if I had to choose one over the rest it would be Night of 1000 Scars at the Webster Hall in New York back in 1998.
There are so many reasons why this show stood out. First were the technical problems. We arrived with a 4 man mobile, but only had room to hang 2 beams, meaning only 3 people could hang. Plus, we had issues with the venue’s riggers that compromised our safety and made our structure too low to the ground. The stage was too small, had a sloping front and was cluttered with equipment, which meant we were going to hit everything as we spun. This all reached a boiling point and there was a moment when we were going to pack and go home. Luckily we bit the bullet and stayed because all these problems actually worked in our favor.
At this point in history, our human mobiles were big and bulky. They required a ground crew to turn us by ropes connected to the large metal framework. Because of the speakers and the stage and the sloping stairs on the front, the ground crew was tripping over everything. Plus, the structure was hung too. So, we kept hitting the ground. This was all very frustrating! I’m sure for the first few minutes it look liked poorly planned chaos. Then Pat Tidwell, one of the guys hanging did the most amazing thing. He hit the ground, ran a couple of steps and jumped in the air.
Suddenly the dynamic changed dramatically. Both Sean and I realized that we could run and jump as well. I think it was a much a mixture or adrenaline, endorphin, exhaustion and frustration that caused us to go crazy. Next thing you know we were running, jumping and flying. It was an exhilarating experience that led to the creation of the spinning beam.
There is also another big reason that show stands out. It was that trip/show/experience that connected TSD with many other prominent members of the body modification community.
What philosophy is there behind the shows that you do, is there any?
Philosophy? I’m not sure how to answer that, but I will say that I view suspension as an art form. Because of this TSD was always a sort of living kinetic sculpture when we took it to the stage. Yes, the always has to be a “show” component to it, but generally our goal was to have fun, create a amazing pieces of art and give the crowd something they have had never seen before.
Please throw some light over your journey till your retirement? Why did you take up retirement? Does it mean you will not do any suspension shows or not only perform?
There are several reasons why I decided to quit performing. First of all I’m getting too old. My body just doesn’t heal like it used to. Extreme suspension stunts are best left to the younger generation. Plus, not only was I hurting longer after shows, I felt like I was reaching a point that moving to the next level meant putting my safety at risk. It really became a game of dollar and cents. To put on the shows that I wanted to do, required a large group of people, with better resources and more funding. There are groups out there like CoRE that have all of those components, plus the time to dedicate to the art.
As for me and suspension, yes I still hang, but now it’s mostly in private. Yes, I still hit the stage occasionally, but my focus has changed to education and teaching. I would rather spend what little free time I have working on helping other practitioners and developing better safety protocols. Really if I had endless supplies of money I would most likely become a full time suspension philanthropist, traveling snd working with suspension groups all over the world.
Who would you name doing the most interesting suspension shows these days and what is the reason for you liking their work?
Interesting is a very subjective term. There are lots of interesting suspension “performances” that aren’t truly entertaining. A good example of this was Stelarc’s suspension from a crane in Copenhagen back in 1985. Definitely an amazing suspension, but it’s really not the most interesting piece of footage to watch.
If have to choose any group or performer and base my decision solely on suspension I would choose CoRE (Constructs of Ritual Evolution) as the most interesting group and Tracie (CRASH) Hannah as one of my favorite new up and coming performers, but these are just two choices from so many others. Of course and I must mention Samar, she has been my performing partner for years and her love of suspension rivals or outweighs almost any other performer out there.
I must say though that these choice were made purely on the condition of suspension, if we are talking body modification performance art, there are sooooo many good ones out there: Pain Solution, The Saviours, Swingshift Side, Ascension, Operification, and so many others.
Why did you close “Obscurities”?
Obscurities is not closed. I sold it to Jay Westerman. I really never planned on selling, but I was burned out and Jay approached me at the right time. Also, Jay was the first person that made an offer that I knew would take care of my employees and keep the standards up to where we had set them. If anything, I think Jay has actually raised the bar by making some good solid changes like converting the tattoo artists over to all disposable.
How did the idea of opening “Fade Fast” came to you? What are the main problems faced during tattoo removal?
I spent a long time soul searching after I sold the shop. I knew I wanted to do something different, but I wanted to stay in my field. After you spend 15 years building a name and reputation it’s hard to start over again. The idea of laser tattoo removal like a logical choice. Not only could I continue working in the body modification community, I could also help fill the gap between tattooing and LTR. The idea of using a laser to lighten a tattoo is not a new one, but it also wasn’t widely accepted when I first entered the field.
As for problems, there two main ones, money and efficacy. First, lasers are expensive. Yes, you can pick up cheap lasers from overseas, but they use an inferior multi-pulse passive Q-switching system that can do some pretty severe damage to the skin. So, because the cost of the laser is so high, and the machine has a limited lifespan, the clients have to pay a lot for the procedure.
The second problem is results. Good results take time. Pigmentary and textural changes to the skin often come from the laser technician trying to get faster results. Sadly people expect instant results and it’s just not how the technology works. Now, that said, newer, better more powerful lasers are coming out all the time, but with new products comes increased prices. Having the latest greatest laser will cost you, and ultimately the client pays.
If you ask me, I will always suggest, “Lighten the tattoo and cover it.” You will get faster results and spends less money in the long run. As I’ve said many times before, it’s not that people hate tattoos, they are simply just unhappy with what they have.
What should someone who wants to get a tattoo removed understand before undergoing a tattoo removal process?
As I said before there are limitations. Certain colors are difficult to remove and others are virtually impossible. People need to understand their options and have realistic expectations. I always recommend that people do their research and homework. Besides there being different lasers out there, experienced practitioners can still be difficult to find. Many laser technicians have a rudimentary understanding of the physics behind the laser and even less experience with tattooing and different types of ink.
You would be surprised to know that many doctors and technicians have never even gotten a tattoo, much less have one removed. This is why I tattooed the nine bars on my arm and treated them consecutively. I wanted to not only show people how the process worked, but also to show them that I trusted the technology enough to work on myself.
Who is Allen apart from being a suspensioner? (detailed please)
Heh, when I figure that one out I will tell you. I would say to read my blogs at allenfalkner.com and scroll through the interview’s page. You might be able to figure out who I am from those writings, but probably not. Allen Falkner really is a bit of a persona. The real me is pretty g33ky and socially awkward. I don’t know. I guess it’s really my life experiences that make me who I am. Honestly, I’ve lived an amazing and blessed life. Not, my life has not been prefect by any means, but I’ve gotten to do/see/experience some pretty incredible things and for that I am thankful.
Finally, what is your suggestions/advice to newbie in the world of suspension?
Take your time and do your research. Find other people that are involved. Spend your time working with suspension practitioners before you jump into it. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with just wanting to hang, but if you spend the time getting to know the art form and the people that are dedicated to it, the more you will appreciate the experience if and when you decide to hang.
June 11th, 2008 (About TSD’s Ripley’s Believe it or Not Exhibition in San Antonio Texas)
First of all, was the suspension performance done by TSD?
Yes, that would be us
What was the name of the type of suspension that you performed? (At the moment it is being referred to as the Human Mobile – is that the correct term?)
I’m not sure if there is any exact term. We called it a 2 tiered 6 man spinning beam. A mobile would be partially correct because people were counterbalancing each other. Although, technically it would be 2 mobiles because the 4 men were balanced on a separate system from the two women.
How do you like the group to be described?
Well here is the description from our online suspension group listing, “Traumatic Stress Discipline (TSD) is a collective of suspension practitioners, organized for the research and development of suspension equipment, techniques, protocols and the responsible dissemination of information pertaining to such. The group is best known for large-scale artistic demonstrations, the introduction of advanced mechanics and providing support to fellow suspension groups.”
How would you describe the whole day? Was there anything else there that you found particularly interesting?
The day was very pleasant. Working with Ripley’s is always such a great experience. They provide everything needed. The crew is always on time, attentive, knowledgeable and professional.Over the years we have worked with all levels and Ripley’s is always one of the very best. As for anything particularly interesting, the fact that we got to do a suspension in front of the Alamo was like a dream come true. In Texas, the Alamo is one of the most famous places, historically and as a tourist attraction.
How often do you get together to do things nowadays?
TSD is a very loose collective that has members spread out throughout the United States, so there rarely comes a time when everyone gets together.We all still communicate regularly, mostly online, and everyone still does small suspension projects on their own. As for getting a group together large enough to pull off a suspension like we did for Ripley’s I would say once a year, maybe once every couple of years.
How long does it take to set up?
In the old days it would take way too long to setup the most simple structure. Now the group has so much experience that setup can normally be done in an hour or two. It’s really all about preparation. It can take many days or weeks of planning and pre-building to get everything ready, but once it all comes to fruition, it all runs like a well oiled machine.
Is everyone else dependent on other people for their movement? How does it work?
A bit. If only one person were to run and jump the system would still work. However,half the fun is the opposing and sometimes complimentary forces. When one person jumps it causes the person opposite them to pitch downward allowing them to touch the ground to run and jump as well.
I’ve seen some very small pictures of TSD doing an ever higher, larger mobile suspension – one that appears to have nine people on it – is this the smaller version? How often do you do the larger one? (I’ve attached a picture of the larger one, just to make sure that it’s TSD.)
Yes, that was the nine man mobile we did for Ripley’s back in October of 1999. That was the one and only time we ever did a suspension of that magnitude. It’s hard to tell from the photo but the structure was about 12 meters tall. Since then we have done numerous other suspensions that involves multiple people. Really the difficult part is getting together the funding to build large structures. We have the building and engineering expertise. We have the people. We just need the room, the crane and the money.
What does it feel like compared to a normal suspension? Does it feel any different?
This is a difficult question to answer in that, for us, these are normal suspensions. Generally the members of TSD do very kinetic high energy suspensions. If anything I would say the larger scale suspension are just more fun. If I had to compare the experience to anything I would say it’s like a carnival ride, but with a huge endorphin and adrenalin rush.
Can you explain what is happening in the pictures that appear to show people suspending in the roof area of the building?
On the third floor of the Ripley’s Believe it or Not building there was a conveyer belt that held several reproductions of Ripley’s attractions. When we arrived on location,it was brought to our attention that the crew of TSD could hang from it after the exhibition if they wanted to. Of course we said yes. It was all in good fun.
What do TSD do specifically?
This is a difficult question to answer.TSD started as a group of people that were fascinated by the mechanics of suspension. We would stay up late almost every night creating and sometimes arguing over diagrams of rigging and equipment designs. We were trying to figure out a better way of doing things and in some cases invent the equipment we needed to make them happen. Back in those days, suspension was very underground and very little information was available. We literally sat down and started creating things from scratch. These days we still do the same thing, but most of the work is done. TSD still strives to pioneer new suspension techniques. Our focus as a collective has been more about creating larger and more complex suspension structures. However, as individuals, we all have different ideas about suspension. For instance, my personal goal is to standardize suspension safety and protocol and to educate people through lectures, classes and suspension seminars.
How long were you suspended for?
It wasn’t long. I think they hung for 10 maybe 15 minutes. The inherent problem with doing a large scale suspension like this is that it isn’t really a performance. It’s more of an exhibition. Watching people hanging from hooks and spinning in circles is only interesting for so long. The truly amazing part is not the hanging from hooks. It’s the engineering it takes to accomplish it.
Also, I don’t know if you saw this but here’s a link to a report in The Sun last week – http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1119512.ece.
Yes I did
Have people really attempted to have injunctions served against TSD?
Nothing formal and not directly. About 9 years ago we ran an ad that featured a baby hanging from hooks. It was actually an April Fools prank, that also served as a publicity stunt for an upcoming show. We made a formal apology and the matter was dropped, but that’s the closest we ever came to any legal problems.
From the beginning we have tried promote suspension as an art form. Suspension can be viewed as a ritual, spiritual and/or religious activity.The problem with promoting it as such is that not everyone agrees on what is what is acceptable. People may not agree that suspension is a tasteful form of art, but everyone can agree that it’s bizarre. People want to see the bizarre, therefore making it a form of art was always the best way to promote suspension.
March 13th, 2008
Allen Falkner (and TSD) is probably best known as, along with Fakir Musafar, the singularly most influential suspension artist in the modern world (see his site, suspension.org) – a vast majority of similarly influential artists credit him as their inspiration and how they were introduced to suspension. In addition, he’s an accomplished piercer and body modification artist, and until recently, the owner of the decade-and-a-half old and consistently successful Dallas piercing studio “Obscurities“. He’s now retired from performance suspension (although he still works behind the scenes and facilitates suspension for others) and in addition to his work as a photographer, he’s opened a new business, “Fade Fast“, which offers tattoo removal with the intention of helping people improve their artwork through cover-ups and touch-ups rather than eliminating tattooing from their lives. In this interview he reflects on his suspension career, studio ownership, and talks about his feelings about tattoo removal.
Note: If you haven’t already heard it, you may also want to download this older MP3 audio interview with Allen Falkner from May 2000, the tenth broadcast of BMEradio.
Allen Falkner in 1986 and Allen Falkner in 2008: Less hair, more axe.
BME: How and when did you get started in suspension?
Strangely enough, the performances came before suspension. I was involved in performance art as far back as the mid to late eighties. My initial interest and involvement in suspension, which was far more ritualistic, didn’t actually happen until ’92. Even then, hanging didn’t become a part of my performances until ’95. For me, the first three years of suspension were purely experimental and soul searching. It wasn’t until I met several other like-minded people and formed TSD that suspension started playing such a crucial role in my public/performance life.
BME: How were you involved with performance art in the mid 80s? Strangely enough my first experience with performance art was also my first business venture. Back 1987, my friend Damon Law and I started a graphic design company called Baffle Logic. I think the original idea was to promote Damon’s artistic ability and to generate business designing print ads. You see, this was before inexpensive desktop publishing programs were available and not many people were on the Internet. So, the flyers were simple photocopies of designs that were all drawn up and laid out by hand and our contact info was a PO Box.
At the time we were eighteen, couldn’t get into any bars, and I was straight edge anyway. So, passing out the flyers in the nightclub area was our entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. At first Damon designed flyers that were purely artistic, but soon they changed to pseudo propaganda leaflets that were riddled with bizarre disinformation. Our nights of distributing flyers turned from a simple PR plan to a strange sort of street performance where we started saying a number of different odd things to people so they would take the flyers. In the end, nothing ever became of Baffle Logic – Damon went on to become a musician and a graphic designer (theStark.com and damonDesign.com) and my experience not only peaked my interest in performance art, but it was the beginning of my career as an entrepreneur.
“Hurt” (photos: Christine Kessler)
BME: How many shows have you done – and how many people do you think you’ve brought into suspension? Nearly everyone in the initial suspension “boom” in the late nineties cites you as an influence. I’ve actually lost track of how many suspensions I’ve done; private, public and performance. These days I like to look at it in terms of places. Without creating a list of states and countries, I can say I’ve hung on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. It is still my hope to hang in Africa, and crazy as it sounds, hanging at the South Pole is one of my goals to do before I die. There’s no good rhyme or reason, and there won’t be many people to see it, but as silly as sounds it’s just something I feel compelled to do one day.
As for bringing other people into the suspension, wow, no clue. It has always been my stance that suspension information should be available to everyone. Over the past fifteen years I’ve tried to help anyone that has asked for it. Not only does this make it difficult to give any kind of number, but I know for a fact that many people I have influenced have gone on and done the same thing. Directly or indirectly I know I’ve brought in more people than I can count.
BME: What made you decide to leave performance suspension? Is this just as a performer (ie. will you still be doing “production”), or are you completely leaving? The decision to quit performing was very difficult, but it was time. Back in the day it was amazing just to see someone hang from hooks. Nowadays, you need to do something really impressive and unfortunately I made a niche for myself by doing cutaways and falling onto hooks. It’s a pretty impressive stunt, and it’s murder on my body, but it’s more than that. My final decision to quit actually came while performing in Greece last year. During my show, I pulled a muscle in my lower back. I was in pain for a week straight, sleeping on a friend’s couch in London and trying to recuperate for the show I had booked the following weekend. During that time I had plenty of time to think. The conclusion… my body just doesn’t heal like it used to and it’s better to just quit now while I’m at the top of my game.
As for my future, I’m sure I will stay involved in performance suspension on some level. I still have some ideas I would love to see happen. So, yes I may very well keep working on the production side. Another reason why I want to quit is that there are just too many jobs for one person to do. When I’m on tour, I have no crew. So, teaching local people to throw strange hooks and handle rigging can be a bit disconcerting. I think doing more behind the scenes work would be much less stressful and then I could truly be involved in the safety side suspension performance, an area that is always hard to manage when you’re the one hanging.
The six-man pyramid and the nine-man mobile.
BME: Looking back on your performance career, what shows are you most proud of? That’s tough to answer because for the time, each performance was very cutting edge. For instance, the nine-man mobile – theatrically not a very interesting piece, but the engineering behind it was incredible, especially for a bunch of kids from Texas. I think my favorite performance is still the “Hurt” show, named for Johnny Cash’s rendition of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt” that I use. I have done several different versions of the piece but the song always plays an integral part and sets the stage for a cutaway drop onto another set of hooks. The reason I’m so proud of the piece is that it’s unique and still rarely duplicated.
BME: As a performer and artist, who have been your favorite people to work with? Who do you think is doing the most interesting suspension shows these days and why? As life experience goes, the people I’ve met and worked with while suspending have been inspirational. I hate to make a list of people because I know I will leave out so many but the top of my list are definitely Ron Athey, Lucifire and even Fakir, even if we don’t see eye to eye on many levels. In suspension performance there are too many to name but I will definitely mention Samar. She has been my performance partner off and on for a couple of years now and hanging with her is always so much fun
As for suspension shows, I’m still a big fan of CoRE, but in all honesty, I rarely see other performance suspensions. I know the crew from Ascension performs regularly and I’m good friends with them, but I’ve never actually seen them on stage. For instance, I’ve seen Havve from Pain Solution perform a couple times, but I’ve yet to see a show that involves suspension, well, no live show. And I’ve seen Aesthetic Meat Foundation perform as well, but never any hanging. I have seen Operafication perform several times, but suspension is in my opinion a minor part of the act. The true focus is the singing not the hooks.
I think the future of suspension will be more aerial work. I believe the Flying Tigers Circus were the first to incorporate suspension and trapeze work, but unfortunately the have retired the hooks as well.
BME: Will you still do private suspensions for others? Oh yes, my focus on suspension has turned to the community, especially in the arena of education. I want to help others that are interested in suspension. That’s always been my primary goal and in many ways I feel that I got a bit lost in the performance side. For me, the act of hanging others has always been an amazing experience. To see some else hang is just as, if not more gratifying than doing it myself. I doubt very seriously that I will ever stop suspending other people.
BME: Will you still do private suspensions yourself? Why or why not? Yes, of course. I still love private suspensions. In fact, all these performances have actually diluted my experience. I need to get back to me roots and just hang. When you are on stage, you need to worry about timing and music cues. When you hang just for you, you can just relax and immerse yourself in the sensation.
BME: As one of the “fathers of the modern suspension movement”, and someone with a long history in both public and private suspension, what is suspension’s value? Heh, what value does any act have? For me, suspension is one of the most important finds in my life. For others, who knows? I have never been a big fan of pushing my ideals or beliefs on others, and in the case of suspension, this is most definitely true. So, rather than answering your question directly, I will answer it indirectly with another comparison. Smoking tobacco is socially acceptable. Annoying to some, a vice to others, but for most it’s just viewed as an activity that has little to no value. However to certain Native American cultures, the smoking of tobacco is part of an important ritual that has been passed down for generations. So, what is the tobacco’s value?
BME: How is suspension different from self-harm? This question is difficult to answer in that everyone’s view of self-harm is different. Do the hooks hurt going in? Sure. Is hanging from hooks painful? A bit. So why do people do it? Simple, the sensation is amazing. Plus, many people have an experience that is life changing. Is it just a biochemical response to pain mixed with a euphoric sensation of getting close to shock while hanging feeling almost weightless? Do people have out of body or religious experiences? Is it just the fact that someone has just overcome their fears and done something that seems impossible? I really can’t answer these questions. Everyone gets something different.
My personal view is that when we modify are bodies on any level we are putting ourselves back in touch with our tactile sensations. In western society we communicate with our outside world mostly through sight and sound. For some people, smell and taste play an important role as well, but what about touch? We, as a species, rarely use this sense. Other than sex, when is the last time you remember the sensation of what something actually feels like?
Yes, suspension could be viewed as self-harm, but so could that ringing in your ears from all those loud concerts you attended.
BME: You mentioned that it’s getting harder and harder to make an impact on a crowd with suspension. As a form of performance art, is suspension “done”? Not buy a long shot. In fact, I think quite the opposite. Suspension is actually an accepted art form now. With all the media hype and exposure, hanging from hooks has come out of the closet and entered mainstream conversation. It’s actually difficult to find anyone that’s never heard of suspension. Some of the old timers disagree, but I think this is a very positive thing. People may not be as shocked as they used to, but now hanging from hooks can be seen as entertainment. What role will suspension play in performance art in the future? Who knows.
BME: I don’t suppose you could have imagined that suspension would be where it is now when you first started, and things have changed a lot in the last fifteen years. That said, do you think it will change much from where it is now, or has suspension hit a stable point socioculturally? I think everyone is pretty surprised at how far suspension has come. Just like piercing, when I first got involved I never really thought it would be much more than an underground activity. However, unlike piercing that has hit its peak and is now either stable or on the slight decline, suspension will never really gain much acceptance. I realize that it might seem pretty mainstream, but I doubt hanging from hooks will ever become the new navel. You never know though. There might be a future of “suspension spas” just on the horizon, but I definitely wont be behind that venture – but I will happily take a paid position doing guest lectures.
BME: Can you give me a really quick history of Obscurities? 
I opened Obscurities as a piercing studio back in 1992, as hobby more than anything. In fact, the name came from only fifteen seconds of thought, and in some ways I regretted the decision because it’s difficult to spell and doesn’t really roll of the tongue. I was setting up the business, and didn’t even have a location yet, but I need a sales tax permit to be able to buy jewelry. I went to the county tax office to apply for it and realized I needed a company name for the document. I’ve always liked the word “obscure” because of its multiple meanings and how it can easily represent almost anything. So the word Obscur…ities just came out of my mouth when they asked for my business name. I planned to change it at some point, but a few months later I opened a piercing studio in a vintage clothing store. A year or so later the owners of that shop and I partnered to open the tattoo side, Trilogy Tattoo – there were three of us. A year later I sold my part to them. Then by 2000, the clothes were gone, it was one big tattoo and piercing shop, and I bought back Trilogy and combined it into one shop.
BME: Was it difficult choosing to sell your shop after having it for so long? Difficult wasn’t even the right word. Gut wrenching is more like it. In all honesty I don’t think I would have ever sold it if the right person hadn’t come along and offered the right price – yes, money did play an important role. However, the sale was also based on the new owner’s character. If I thought for a minute he was going to tarnish the shop name or not take care of the employees it never would have happened.
BME: It must be hard seeing “your baby” under someone else’s control? LOL, you don’t even know. Technically I only work as a consultant for Obscurities now, but I’m still in the shop every week. I know I haven’t really let go, and I’m not sure if I ever will. I am still emotional vested in that shop. I guess in a way it’s a good thing. What better than to have a former owner still supporting a shop that really gives him nothing? In a way it’s a huge compliment to everyone that works there. I still give praise to them all and consider it one of the best shops in the industry.
BME: How have your feelings about the industry changed in any way, now that you’re not longer doing it for a day job? I’m not sure my feelings have changed, other than to say that I miss piercing a bit. I think the biggest difference now is that I can speak my mind, where before I was always afraid to bite the hand that feeds me. In all honesty, I think the biggest change is that no one is my competition anymore. When you work in any industry, especially if you own a business, there is a certain amount of “us against them” mentality. Now, I can walk into any tattoo or piercing shop and I feel welcome. Actually, even more than that, people now greet me differently. Now that I’m working in tattoo removal, artists are beginning to see me as an ally.
BME: Having now gone through the full cycle in this industry, would you do it over again if you could rewind to being, say, sixteen? Would I do it again? Of course! The last two decades have really shaped who I am. I can’t imagine what I would be like if I had finished my engineering degree. Yes, there are numerous things I would change if I knew then what I know now, but my general direction would have been the same.
BME: You went to school for engineering? Prior to piercing I was a full time student and in my spare time I worked on several projects. I started a company doing a specialized form of tax filing. Yes, I come from a family of accountants. I worked in a movie theater, an art gallery, and even partnered with a guy to open an all ages club called the Discowtech one night a week at the gallery. It was actually my involvement in the club/gallery that led me to my first meeting with Fakir Musafar. He came to speak one day, took a shining to me, and I guess the rest is history.
My education has always been a bit spotty. I was an exceptional student when I wanted to be, but more often than not I didn’t. In elementary and junior high I was an honor student, but high school was boring. So, I dropped out and got a GED. I became interested in computers so I went to college to get a degree in computer science engineering, but I discovered body piercing and chose to drop out. My father almost killed me. He put me through school and I quit to put holes in people. In the end, he was actually impressed by my accomplishments. He never liked my mods or the suspensions, but he was my accountant and did my taxes. He saw that I was a successful businessman and for that he was proud.
BME: Did you ever consider going and finishing that degree? I think about it a lot, but it’s not the degree per say I want – it’s the learning and gaining of knowledge I crave. At this point in my life, a degree has little to no value to me. It’s simply a piece of paper. If I really wanted to get a degree I think an MBA would do me the most good, but I don’t really care enough to pursue it. Although I’m an entrepreneur at heart, the business classes I’ve taken just weren’t interesting enough and never seemed to apply to my businesses. I would rather sit in on lectures about quantum mechanics or human physiology. Oddly enough, I think most piercers, especially the old school ones, have a similar mentality. We just can’t conform enough to deal with the politics of the educational system, but on the other hand we are obsessed with self-improvement and learning.
BME: Looking back, what moments do you most treasure in your experiences as a shop owner and piercer/body modification artist? I think I could write a novel answering this question. Off the top of my head, one my oldest memories is sitting in my shop, after closing. I was alone and it was dark except for the neon in the windows and the lights from the clubs outside. I remember sitting there thinking, “This is mine… I built this and I am proud.” As for experiences with clients, there are just too many to name. I constantly think I’m done, I’m retired, I’m through, but I have so many positive memories of piercings that I think about taking it up again. I really don’t think the answer to this question would be complete without a suspension experience. Again, there are so many things I could name, first tandem, first knee, first suspension, Night of 1000 Scars, but the nine man mobile really takes the cake. Besides pulling off an amazing engineering feat, the whole trip with I think 20 or 22 people, the largest membership of TSD ever, was an experience I will never forget.
BME: Is there any advice you’d offer to a piercer or tattoo artist that wants to also become a studio owner? What are some things you did right, and some things you did wrong? I could write a book about the dos and don’ts of being a studio owner, so I will try to pick a few highlights. As with any business it’s location, location, location. You can have the greatest shop in the world but you will never succeed if you are in the wrong area. If the studio is difficult to find, there’s no parking, or in an area that won’t attract your clientele, you will never make it. Stability is key as well. If your artists switch every few months you’ll never be able to keep a decent client base. People like a certain amount of change, but they want reliability too. Also, customer service seems to be a big problem for many studios. It doesn’t matter how good you are, people want to be treated with respect. Why some shops think it’s ok to grunt at and ignore customers I will never know. Last but not least, quality. If you offer shitty jewelry, your shop is dirty and your tattoo artists suck, you won’t be very successful. Strangely enough, the average customer cares more about everything I have listed above, over price, but people still feel the need to offer discounts and slash prices. This might be a good way to get people in the door, but if you offer a cut-rate price, people perceive you to be a low quality service.
This last point leads to a good story. I know this tattoo artist that is such a good salesman. People would ask about a tattoo and he’d say something like, “You know the tattoo you want would look best with this ink.” Pulling out a random bottle he would say, “This ink comes from Tahiti and the color will really pop in your skin tone.” All along it was just regular bottle of ink. It didn’t really matter what kind of ink it was or where it came from, but he made his clients feel like he was giving them special attention. Even if this practice might not be the most ethical, people came back and loved him.
Now, all that said, honestly, opening a new shop, with all the competition and the sluggish US economy, may not be the best decision. At the very least, a new shop needs to have some serious funding behind it… But good luck to anyone that tries. If you are looking for a consultant I am definitely available.
BME: How do you approach tattoo removal differently than someone who’s coming into this starting as a tattoo removal person, rather than someone who started with decades of pro-tattoo experience? I always encourage people to lighten tattoos and recover them. Many tattoo removal clinics push total removal with the angle that getting a tattoo is a mistake. I feel very differently. It’s not that people hate tattoos – they are just unhappy with they have. As I try to explain to people, doing a few treatments and covering the old tattoo is usually the best option. Yes, total removal is sometimes necessary for certain career moves, but total removal is a big commitment. Using a laser to lighten existing work is cheaper, faster, and is better for the tattoo industry. I see it as a win-win situation for everyone.
BME: What is your goal with Fade Fast? As I mentioned, using a laser to lighten tattoos is the perfect pretreatment to getting better artwork. Yes, I founded the business to help my clients, but it’s more than that. I am working directly with tattoo artists to fix, rework, and completely change their client’s tattoos. I know that some removal clinics are becoming more and more tattoo friendly. However, other than Fade Fast, I only know of one other company that works directly with artist to laser edit tattoos, Rethink Your Ink in Marion Illinois.
BME: Realistically, what percentage of people eventually regret their tattoos? Regret? Well I don’t think anyone should regret any decision, but that’s not how most people see things. I think that people’s decisions to alter or remove tattoos have more to do with how their lives or ideas have changed. What was once a good idea may not be a good idea now. I would say that most people with multiple tattoos want to change them, whether it’s to remove, cover, or even add to them. As for true regret, it’s hard to say. Most people I work on say they regret their tattoo, but once I get them talking, more often than not, they don’t regret getting it, they just aren’t happy with what they have now. To me, this is more about perception. So with that said, 90? 95? 99? percent of people with multiple tattoos want something about their designs altered. True regret? Well, maybe tattoos that hinder their lives or remind them of an ex… but then again, aren’t those the things that have actually shaped their lives and made them who they are?
Left: in progress, Right: before, and after two sessions.
BME: As someone doing removal, what advice would you give to someone thinking about getting their first tattoo? Now that’s a loaded question. Should my answer be, go crazy and pay me to remove them in the future? As funny as that it is, it’s really not the answer. Yes, the technology is getting there, but removal is not a quick, simple process. Lasers are great tools for providing more options, but you can’t expect miracles. My real answer, “Think before you ink. How will this tattoo affect your future? Will it interfere with any future decisions? Make a plan. At eighteen you might not be thinking body suit, but at thirty will that tiny piece affect the flow of a half sleeve?”
If there are any life lessons best learned early on, it’s that we all change. The more you plan and the better you prepare, the happier you will be. From a very early age I wanted hand and neck tattoos, but I got 3/4 sleeves and tried to be patient. At thirty-six, I had created a life and a career that allowed for my mods, so now my hands and neck are tattooed. Did I make mistakes? Sure, my back piece is a huge mess. I rushed into it, and now I’m a stuck with it. Will I remove it? Maybe… Who knows?
BME: What kinds of tattoos are easiest and hardest to remove? Are different parts of the body different to do removal on? The technology of laser tattoo removal is based on light absorption. The darker the color, the more energy it will absorb and the easier it is to remove. Simple answer, but the problem is bit more complex. Different inks react to different wavelengths. Skin types and skin color also play an important role in laser removal. Plus, the quality of the tattoo is a key component as well as your immune system. The body’s lymphatic system does most of the work so each person varies dramatically. Generally poor quality, dark tattoos on high blood flow areas on light skinned people with strong immune systems are easiest to remove. Conversely, well-done, light-colored tattoos on people of darker skin in low blood flow areas of the body that might have slower healing are much more difficult.
BME: How have your friends in the industry responded to your new business? For the most part I have been greeted very positively by most of my peers. However, I have had some very close friends react very negatively. I chalk it up to a misunderstanding and after a small discussion most people come around when they realize I’m in it to help the field of tattooing not hurt it. There are of course a few exceptions. I think laser tattoo removal and tattooing are complementary services and work great in the same location. However, one tattooer that is an old friend of mine still thinks the two do not belong in the same location. I guess we will just agree to disagree.
BME: What would you say to people who believe that tattoo removal is fundamentally wrong or a betrayal to the tattoo industry? Not that I can imagine anyone with any sense or objectivity actually believes this? You would be surprised. I have found it to be a first reaction by some tattoo artists – not many, but it has happened. Usually I just explain who I am, my work in the industry, and how I see the laser as the perfect pretreatment for cover-ups. Nine times out of ten I get a very positive response, but there is always someone that thinks I’m Judas. In the beginning I was got very defensive, but now I just smile, shake their hand, and give them some promotional materials.
BME: What do you think about the “easy to remove” tattoo ink that’s been in the media lately? Good idea or bad idea? How do you think that “easy” removal would change the tattoo industry and culture? I used to have mixed emotions about the Freedom-2 ink, but now I’m starting to think it’s a good idea and here’s why. No matter what ink you use, tattooing is still a long and painful process. I can see the modified culture not liking the fact that people can get a tiny tattoo and remove it a year later, but think about it this way. You sat under the needle to get it done. As far as I’m concerned you still “earned” the piece. So, yes, perception about small tattoos might change, but what about big work? What if you could spend ten, twenty, thirty plus hours on a piece and then remove all or part of it a few years later and start over? The impact on tattooing would be incredible. More work for artists, more modified people walking the earth, more social acceptance. “Oh that, I will get it removed later if I have to.” In the beginning there might be some disgruntled heavily modified people, but once the ink starts being used on a large scale, no one will complain. There will still be people that love tattoos and people that hate them.
BME: Do you think tattoo artists should tattoo with removal in mind? Well, I don’t think my opinion matters, but I have never thought people should get tattoos done with the idea of removing them. Even if the ink is easier to remove, there is a permanence that is inherent with tattooing. I’ve always tried to consider the future in every decision, so in a sense, yes I’m sure some will tattoo with removal in mind. My guess though is it will be a small percentage. Tattoo artists are proud of their work and I can’t imagine many of them want their clients to remove their artwork.
I do think there is one huge application that people are overlooking. Tattoo apprentices have to work on people. If they could work on clients with less worry of mistakes, wouldn’t inks like Freedom-2 be a huge asset? Plus, wouldn’t artists feel a bit less guilty about tattooing a piece of flash or name if they knew it could be removed later?
BME: What sorts of changes have you observed in people via removal? That is, what sort of things do people usually get removed, and why? My business is different than most in that I work with heavily tattooed people. Many of many clients are clearing way for new work, so I spend a good portion of my time simply lightening dark areas. When it comes to the realm of total removal, you guessed it – the number one request is to remove names. Other removals have to do with placement. For instance I am removing a wrist tattoo on a woman that needs to hide it for work. Technically my job is tattoo removal, but I always try to encourage people to lighten and recover. In the grand scheme of things it means less treatments, faster results, and it helps people keep a positive attitude about their tattoos and the modified community at large.
BME: Do you think this will in time become the norm? I can’t say if it will become the norm, but I do believe it’s the wave of the future. Complete removal is great and for some people it’s the best alternative, but for the modified community, laser removal will no doubt become a companion service to tattooing. So far most of my clients want entire pieces faded for complete cover-ups. However, I have been working with people to target specific areas just for the sake of editing the piece.
BME: What equipment do you use, and what training was involved? I use two pieces of equipment. First is the Palomar Q-switched YAG laser. There are lots of lasers available and they all have their pros and cons. I decided to purchase this unit because it’s designed to work best on blacks and reds. Being that I focus heavily on lightening dark tattoos for re-cover, this laser is perfectly suited for my needs. Plus, it has a unique wave-blending feature that gives it enormous flexibility that no other system offers.
Second, I use a Zimmer Cryo unit, which blows negative 22 degree air to keep the area cooled during the procedure. Blowing cold air on the skin isn’t necessary, but after polling multiple people that have experienced constant cooling during a removal treatment, I determined it was a good investment. Plus, when it’s used in conjunction with pre-icing the area, many people say the pain is comparable or even less than getting the initial tattoo.
As for training, my initial education came from the National Laser Institute in Arizona. The school is definitely geared toward aestheticians, but they also offered a course on laser tattoo removal. Then upon purchasing the laser, Palomar provided further training on the use of the unit. In all actuality, my biggest learning curve came from doing treatments on myself. I not only worked within the standard parameters of the laser, but I have and still continue to do tests to determine better methods to speed removal and to reduce the number of treatments.
Allen gets tattooed for the purpose of removal.
BME: What “test” have you done and why? The main thing I have done is to tattoo nine black rectangles on the inside of my right arm, specifically to remove them. The first was not treated, the second treated once, the third twice and so on. I wanted a physical example of how the process works. Plus I wanted to show my commitment to the trade. How better to earn a client’s trust than to perform laser removal on myself first? I actually liked the image so much – I use it as my company logo.
I now have four other tests in the works that I plan to start in the near future. Once I get each of them rolling, I plan to blog each of them step by step.
BME: Are there any people you turn away? Actually, there are far more to turn away in this field than in a tattoo or piercing studio. As with any modification, I will not perform any laser treatment on clients that are on drugs or intoxicated. Plus, certain people either are not good candidates or simply cannot safely have laser treatments done. For instance, if the person has taken Accutane in the last year or are on any photo reactive medications there can be serious complications associated with the procedure. Also, there are numerous other factors to take into account. Were you aware that laser treatments can cause herpes flare-ups? The treatment area would have to be where the viral outbreak appears, but still, removing lip liner is a request I do get… bet you were thinking about different area, weren’t you?
BME: How do you promote or market Fade Fast? I know that a lot of tattooing marketing involves word of mouth and handing out business cards, but I don’t imagine you walk up to people and are, like, “hey, your tattoo sucks — I can help you with that!” Funny that you say that, I see bad tattoos all the time, and yes I want to walk up and hand them a card, but how do you that? I think I’m pretty creative, and I’ve tried to think of a funny and non-insulting approach, but I have yet to figure it out. I do several things to market the business; print advertising, keeping a laser removal blog, bugging an old friend to do an article for BME, but my main marketing has been through local tattoo shops.
I’ve been in the business so long that I know a good chunk of the artists that work in Dallas. So, my first plan of action was to go door-to-door, hand out promotional packs and simply tell everyone more about what I doing and why. It has actually been a very cool and educational experience. Back when I owned my studio I’d only been by a handful of local shops. Now I’ve seen the insides, artist stations, and even bio areas of eighty shops. Well, truth be told, only a handful of shops gave me the full tour, but still it was great seeing all those places.
Although I do get business from all my PR work, my main referrals still come from tattoo shops.
January 31st, 2008
What are exactly the shows that you are doing? How would you describe them to someone that has no idea about that what you are doing….
I think my suspension shows are fairly unique. When most people envision hanging from hooks, they think of a primitive culture, a freak show or some kind of masochistic activity. My performances, or at least the way I hope people perceive them, are more of an artistic expression. Yes, pain does play a big role in the show, but it’s not about the enjoyment of pain but rather the conquering of it. Plus, I try to incorporate a bit of acrobatics and yes some acting.
Are these shows your everyday job or do you do something else as well?
Suspension is a HUGE art of my life, but performance is actually a very small part of it. I travel the world lecturing, teaching and facilitating others. I like to refer to myself as a suspension philanthropist because I spend so much time working with the art, but I never really make any money. As for my “real” job, I have been working in the body modification industry since 1992. I owned a tattoo shop for 15 years, still work as a piercer, but ironically enough, my latest venture is laser tattoo removal: www.fadefast.com
When and how did you start these shows and under what circumstances? How did you come up with this idea?
Performance art has always been a huge interest of mine. It all started in the late 80′s when I began doing shows that had a sadomasochistic theme to them. It was also at this time that my interest in learning the trade of body piercing got me involved with Fakir Musafar and several other prominent body art practitioners/performance artists. Then by chance I met up with several other people that were interested in suspension and we formed TSD (Traumatic Stress Discipline), which is considered to be on the first suspension groups. It’s actually all very odd when I think about it. At every turn I seemed to be in the right place and the right time for everything to come together. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was fate or divine intervention, but at times it seems I was just meant to be involved in suspension.
Would you call pain your business? Is it a good business and why?
LOL well I’ve jokingly used the tag line, “Pain is my business and business is good.” Is it really my business? Well, I guess. Let me put it this way. Pain is a part of life, and its through strife and hardship that we grow and develop strength and character. I don’t like pain, but pain is not a negative thing. To overcome pain is to overcome weakness and short comings.
How do you understand pain?
Pain, or at least physical pain, is two things. First, pain is an electrochemical response. When the body is injured, nerves carry a signal to the brain, which then interprets the sensation, how and why, leads me to my second point. Is pain genetically hardwired, a learned response or maybe a bit of both? I can pose several examples to support the argument that pain, at least to some extent, is a learned response. For instance, as a child, you can injure yourself and within minutes you can shake off the pain and continue playing with your peers. However, as adults, if we were to injure ourselves to such an extent that we are left with cuts, scrapes and bruises we would need time off work to recover.
Why all people are so afraid of pain? Is it because it hurts so much? And further are you not afraid of pain? Please explain your answer.
As for the fear of pain, this is most certainly a learned response to the genetically hardwired sensation, and with good reason. If we did not feel pain, we would not learn to avoid activities that cause us injury. As for my own personal fears, well sure I still fear pain, but not to the level of most people. When it comes to suspension, especially performance, I know how it will feel and how long it will take. In all honesty, the moment right before the first needle goes in always the worst. I know I can handle the pain, but there is always that fear and doubt that grips me. In the end, I know that if I conquer my fears and accept the pain, the sensation can be controlled, minimized and sometimes even converted to something very positive.
Personally I would never come up with the idea to cause pain to myself. If something I hate in life this is being in pain… So I would really like you to explain me your philosophy about that what you do…
There are so many things we do that cause pain and we not only accept it, we seek it out. Pain can come in so many forms. The best example is always childbirth. Every woman knows that with birth comes pain, but ask any mother and they will tell you it was worth it. Plus think of all the pain we endure for beauty or status. Even as simple our day-to-day work activities. Can you really avoid pain?
Is there also a certain philosophy behind the shows that you do?
My shows are often hard to put into words. Yes there is a bit of acting and presentation, but I try to present them in a raw and powerful form. The act of hanging from hooks is very difficult, but to accept the sensation and to completely give into the music and pain is an incredible release. It is my hopes that people walk away from the show with a feeling of amazement, not one of disgust.
People like me think that people like you are kind of strange because they like such things that are made of needles and pain. How would you describe people like you? And how would you describe people like me?
Are we really so different? I think its more a perception that a reality. I don’t like pain; in fact I don’t think anyone does. It’s simply a matter of how your brain perceives that sensation. Here is another good example. No one wants to be frightened, but people go to scary movies and ride roller coasters all the time. Does this mean this people want to live in a state of fear? No, they enjoy the rush of adrenaline that comes with being scared. Plus, to conquer one’s fears it to become a stronger more well rounder person.
Which were your intentions when you were starting the shows and which are your intentions now? Were there any changes?
My shows have always been about entertainment and self-expression, but now I try to focus more on the extreme and the impossible. I push my body to the limits and it shows. The only down side to this is that I’m getting to old to keep pushing the envelope. I’m still not positive, but I’ve been considering retirement.
Are you afraid of needles? Of giving blood for example?
Strangely, when I was younger, I was afraid of needles. In fact, I remember leaving a doctor’s office because I was too scared to get a tetanus shot. Wow, things have changed. Now I can pierce myself with little to no hesitation.
When you were a child were you easily going for vaccination?
Nope, See answer above
Is there a certain satisfaction that you gain from pain? If yes how would you describe the feeling?
The act of suspension is not about pain, but more the rush that comes the body processing the sensations. When you hang, both adrenaline and endorphins are produced causing the body to enter a euphoric state not unlike being high.
Do you have a lot of friends? Do you have friends only of the same field like yours?
I’m a very lucky many in that I have more friends than I count. I would say that most of my friends are involved in body modification on some level, with only a small portion involved in suspension.
Do other people that have nothing to do with the pain community you are in afraid of you or your habits?
Afraid? I’m not sure how to answer that. Most of my friends that are not involved in suspension don’t really interested in trying it. It’s kind of like the old adage, what’s the difference between tattooed people and non-tattooed people. Tattooed people don’t care if you have a tattoo or not.
How would you describe your everyday life? How would you describe a common day of your life? What do you do from morning ’till evening?
I spend a good chunk of my time answering questions about suspension, answering emails, posting online and such. However, my main business is laser tattoo removal. So, the biggest part of day is spent working clients, answering questions and working on promotional materials.
Which country do you think that is more familiar with pain (if there is such thing) and why?
I guess it all depends on your perception of pain and how it’s integrated in the culture. Countries that are more advanced seem to avoid activities that might cause pain. But then again, modern civilization has made us so reliant on certain comforts that our perception of pain is quite different than those that live in a more primitive society.
November 29th, 2005 (Article about Stelarc)
Since you’re familiar with Stelarc, I’m going to assume you are familiar with his theories. Do you agree with Stelarc’s notion of the Obsolete body; that we have reached our physical limitation as humans and must find ways to erase the boundaries between the self (inside) and the world (outside) by incorporating technology (whether that technology be hooks or nanocytes) into the body or do you take the opposing view that we are not limited by our bodies but rather by the technology we have available to us? Can you explain this for me?
I would say I agree and disagree. I do think we have reached many perceived physical and mental limitations. Right now technology is growing at an exponential rate, whereas our ability to learn and adapt is moving at a snails pace. Plus, I feel that modern society has created artificial limitations. The average person lives in a world devoid of external stimulus. We live in climate-controlled boxes, we travel around in cars and we sit in cubicles staring at computer screens. I view suspension as not only a physical augmentation but also as a way for our inner self to make a connection with the world around it.
Beyond different styles of suspensions that Stelarc performed (and the rad sideburns he sported), can you tell me more about how he was and is an influence on you and what you do?
Stelarc’s influence on me has less to do with his ideas and philosophies and more to do with his artistic vision. Yes I found his ideology fascinating. I can honestly say it has given me plenty of food for thought. However, it’s really his engineering, presentation and fearless physical advancements that have inspired me the most.
Where and in what forms do you see his works and theory insinuate themselves into contemporary practice?
Surprisingly, much of the suspension community has very little knowledge of his work and seem to just now be discovering him. So, I haven’t seen a dramatic influence in the practice and design of modern suspension. More than anything I have seen an indirect influence through a few suspension practitioners.
As for his theories, Stelarc is in my opinion one of the most under publicized performance artists, especially for being such a pioneer. Mainstream media controls our world, and sadly Stelarc has never fit in to what John Q Public wants to see and hear.
Do Stelarc’s theories (suspensions aside) still remain relevant and if so how and what do you see as being the cause of their longevity?
Being that technology has become integrated into our daily lives, it’s only logical that the people would start to expect it to be incorporated into our bodies as well. Stelarc’s ideas will at some point become a reality. You can already see it with general acceptance of prosthetics. Sadly though, human nature is to be fearful of change. Western society often views the body as a perfect creation designed by some form of higher power. So, the idea of modifying it is often met with heavy opposition. Are we just a combination of DNA that has in some way become a cognitive being? Or are we simply a carbon-based vessel that contains a living soul. It’s truly a philosophical question that may never be truly answered.
Do you view suspensions more as pushing the limits of our corporeal selves or rather a discovering of what we were capable of all along?
Both. I have never been someone that subscribes to absolutes.
Do you see spectators as playing a role larger than viewing and what kind of impact does this kind of work have on the spectator?
Yes definitely. That is one of the reasons we have divided suspension into two types, public and private. When a suspension is done for an audience, the suspension itself takes on a new life of its own. Not only can I, as a performer, actually feel the energy between the crowd and myself. I have spoken to many of the spectators after a show and they often comment on having a dramatic change to their perception of what is humanly possible. Also, people comment on feeling a rush or a high from viewing the performance.
I’m also curious to find out how you would define ‘body’ and if there is a difference between the body of the artist and the body that becomes representation? (Perhaps too is there a difference between the body of the artist and that of the viewer?)
Difficult question to answer in that one can only view reality from their perspective. My body is simply the device that I use to communicate with the outside world. Augmenting my body through suspension in many ways helps me to feel more connected with the rest of the world.
Yes, I do think there is a difference between the body of the artist and that of the viewer in that the body of the artist is undergoing physical changes. The viewer on the other hand is simply using the body to process the information coming from the artist.
And finally how do you perceive the relationship between the representation and the viewer?
As I have said before, the interaction between the viewer and the artist is a fundamental aspect to performance art. There are many artists that perform in such a way that the audience plays little to no role in the presentation. I however want and need the input from the audience. Although, in some ways, by entering into an ecstatic state, I can, at times, lose all touch with the world around me, including the crowd. So, in that case, the viewer could play no role whatsoever. However, this is sporadic and rarely lasts the entire length of a performance.
Would you also be able to send me some info regarding the goals or FAQ of TSD?
TSD is a collective of suspension practitioners, organized for the research and development of suspension equipment, techniques, protocols and the responsible dissemination of information pertaining to such. The group is best known for large-scale artistic demonstrations, the introduction of advanced mechanics and providing support to fellow suspension groups.
November 14th, 2005
Before I get started, just a question off the record: “screw flanders”? (simpsons?)
Heh…It comes for the episode where Homer is trying to write as food critic. He ran out of things to say so he wrote “Screw Flanders” over and over again. I have said for years I was going to put that into an article. That one was being written by someone I know. So, I thought it was funny.
Do you believe that suspension is an art (not making reference to the art of performance or photography)? If so, in what ways?
There is an art to hook placement, the rigging and the overall design of the suspension. Plus, suspensions are very beautiful to watch. I view art, or at least good art, as something that invokes and emotional response. If anything is true about suspension, it affects those who participate and watch. Therefore, suspension is an art form.
What historical roots did you know of prior to your first, and most painful, suspension in 1992?
Up until that time, I had only seen a few suspension images and I knew very little about the act of suspension. So, in a sense I approached it quite blindly.
What qualities of suspension are the most appealing to you and/or the general public?
I hate to speak for other people. For me, everything about it is appealing. From the first idea, to the equipment design, to the prep and piercing, to the actual hanging, it’s all very magical. I guess if I had to say anything about the people viewing it, it’s that watching a suspension is an amazing experience…but as an insider, it’s even more incredible knowing what everyone is thinking and feeling.
What is the closest experience to suspension that you’ve encountered?
Tough question, suspension is a unique experience that affects you physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. In the past I have compared it to fire walking, skydiving, bungee jumping, etc. It’s like you are doing something that seems physically impossible. It’s incredibly empowering…but it’s much more than that. The rush of endorphin and adrenalin being combined with a slight state of shock puts the mind and body into an ecstatic state that could be compared to sex, drugs or a religious experience.
For me personally, this is the closest experience I had was this: A friend of mine and I got up one morning before sunrise and drove to the coast to surf. When we got there it was extremely foggy and there was just barely enough light to see as we paddled out. As the sun came up, the fog started burning off and the ocean was as still as glass. The view was breath taking. Then in the distance, we could see the swell rolling in. For the next couple of hours, the waves were huge and brutal, but the ones I caught were exhilarating. When I got home I was beaten, bruised and exhausted, but the entire experience was nothing short of amazing.
Why do you believe that people try to turn their heads away from suspension/flesh pulls?
Well, it can be a like a train wreck. You don’t want to watch but you just can’t help it.
What steps have you taken in your research to make suspension more enjoyable and safe?
Well, suspension research is my life. I spend many hours everyday thinking about suspension. In fact, both my work and social life often revolve around suspension. I setup TSD and suspension.org to help facilitate others and open a line of communication between people interested in suspension and the practitioners of the art. If anything, that’s my role in the community. To help others share information.
(this might sound like I’m taking the glory away from the subject, but) Is suspension a good time consumer?
Not sure what you mean, but isn’t anything we do just consuming time? Life is nothing but a stream of experiences. There are those that avoid life and others that embrace it.
From what you’ve seen, is suspension a fast growing art?
Yes, when I first started, I could hardly find anyone that was interested. Now it seems that suspension has become a household word. I have no idea how many people actually suspend these days, but I would guess over 300 people a year.
October 14th, 2005
You mentioned your family’s friend the photographer as one of your earliest memories. Were you creative as a child?
I think all children are creative. In fact, I think it’s the loss of creativity that makes people grow old, at least in the terms of psychological age. Do I think I was more or less creative than other children? No. Although, I think I was more clever than most.
What did you originally want to be when you grew up?
I’m 36 and I’m still not sure what I want to do when I grow up. I had the same dream that I think all people have, to become a rock star. However, I have never had much musical talent. So, I gave that one up very early on. I have always been a jack-of-all-trades. So, I have ideas of doing many, many things…but the main idea has always been to create and be my own boss. It might sounds strange, but in a sense, through the world of body modification, I’ve managed to attain a status or notoriety not unlike that of a rock star. Through suspension, piercing and photography, I’ve made a mark on society. I’m proud of my accomplishments and I hope to continue onward.
Was your upbringing religious?
Far from it, my father was atheist and my mother is agnostic. In fact, growing up in an atheist household was very bizarre. I never really understood how different my life was from my peers until I became and adult. Rebellion is a fact of adolescence. So my views of the establishment and the questions I posed were probably very different than most youth born in the south.
Did you study art formally?
No, most of my education was centered on math and science. As with my non-religious upbringing, my early days were probably different educationally than most in the 70′s. I have no memories or writing drawing or painting. My creativity was always formed around legos and other building toys. My parents wanted me to be an engineer and they got me on that track at a very early age. I think my interest in artistic side of body modification may have stemmed from need for more creative outlets as a child. Even in high school and college my parents steered me away from artistic class to core curriculum classes. If anything my passion for art as an adult is even stronger now, because I feel I missed out on a lot from my youth….but then don’t we all feel that way?
Why did you get your first modification?
I started piercing my ears when I was 12 or 13 and my first homemade tattoo at 16. Why? Well I’m not sure. I have always been fascinated with modifying my body. I know everyone wants to there to be a deeper meaning…but honestly I did it I liked the way it looked. Although, I can’t deny the fact that I did get my first tattoo to identify myself as a punk. You know, besides self identity, pain did play and important role. The good things in life are never easy, and challenging one’s self gives character. Strange that its hard to say, did I get into body modification to separate myself from others, to be unique. Or did I do it to be accepted by my peers. In all honesty, I think a bit of both.
Tell me about your training in tattooing and piercing.
I am not a tattoo artist, nor do I have any training. Although, I did attempt a few tattoos, that turned out quite dreadful. My piercing training started in the late 80′s by practicing on friends. Them my formal training came from Fakir Musafar in 1991 and 1992. Even though its not a commonly accepted practice these days, I was primarily self taught, as were most piercers from the early 90′s. I think I actually learned more from working with other piercers over the years. In the old days no one shared information. BUT over the years piercer lightened up and started helping each other. Through organizations like the Association of Professional Piercers and online communities like BME, we all began to network and improve our industry as whole.
Did you consider yourself an artist during this time?
Hmmm…I’m not really sure if I have ever identified myself an artist. I think everyone is creative in their own right. I see an artist as someone that dedicates their life to art. I only feel like a part time artist at best…so it’s not really how I see myself. So I guess the answer is yes and no. I think everyone is an artist in some way. It’s one of the things that separates from other living creatures. Our drive for creation is one of the sparks that keeps alive and young. In fact, answering these questions is introspective and creative. So in a sense, I am playing the artist right now.
You said you attended a workshop by Fakir Musafar and became his student. Tell me about him.
He and I are very different people with very different ideas about life, spirituality and suspension. Although we don’t see eye to on many things, I still think he’s an amazing person and I owe him my life in many ways.
Has the quality or character of your experiences (with piercing as well as suspension) changed throughout the years?
Yes of course. When I first got into both piercing and suspension they were both fairly underground activities. So, in many ways I have matured as they did.
While everyone accepts your work as a fundamental part of you now, what was the reaction of people in your life (parents/friends/spouse) to your suspensions initially?
Well, those that are close to me have always known me to be a bit of an extremist. So, I can’t say that anyone has ever been terribly surprised. I think more people are shocked about the act of suspension…at least more so than my involvement. Now its more a matter of how people used to see me. I’m always going to be my mom’s innocent little son. She knows I’m involved in suspension but doesn’t ever want to talk about it, and I respect that. My newer friends know nothing of me before suspension, so the only ones that might see it as odd are my old friends. But you know how old friends are. They accept you for who you are. Otherwise they wouldn’t still be your friends.
How important is it to have close friends as partners? How much of the event is social?
Suspension in itself is an extremely bonding experience. So, I wouldn’t say so much that my friends become involved in suspension. It’s more that when people work together helping each other suspend they develop an indescribable bond. I really couldn’t imagine working with people that I didn’t like. Yes, there have been a few instances, but they are few and far between. The act of suspension is very social. The friendships that have formed through these events have become as strong as if they were my blood relatives. In fact, its the people that I’ve worked with over the years that I often miss the most.
Explain the suspension as artwork.
We use the body and suspension to create kinetic human sculptures. It’s not an art form we created…but we definitely pioneered it. Up until the early 90′s, other than Stelarc and few others, suspension was primarily a ritualistic act and in some cases a freak show. We took the experience and visual aspects of hanging and tried to make them more amazing and esthetically appealing.
What about ‘kinetic human sculptures’ appeals to you?
It’s multiple things. First of all, the act of hanging from hooks is not something everyone can do. It takes strength, experience and dedication to pull off some of our creations. Secondly the engineering behind it is not only incredible to watch, the research and development that goes into it is amazing in its own right. Then of course there is the artistic vision and presentation that pulls it all together. It’s a process that when it all works is truly unique and amazing thing to see.
Your favorite photograph features mechanical aspects. Has your work ever moved in the direction Stelarc has taken, of the body’s relationship with technology?
A bit. Stelarc has always been a huge inspiration to me and I would love to incorporate technology into suspension. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the access and resources that Stelarc has. I’m a city kid at heart, and an engineer by education. So the idea of bringing mechanical components into suspension always fascinates me. I like the concepts of technology, but when it comes right down to it, my passion is really the experimentation, improvement and perfection on the mechanics of suspensions
You originated a suspension in popular use (the Falkner). What pushed you to make this new thing?
I’m not sure. I had wanted to hang from my knees for quite a while before trying it. Then when I finally did, I realized that hanging upside down was incredibly euphoric. I can’t call it a Falkner, it’s just to egomaniacal BUT when other people do it fills me with enormous pride.
How do you feel when other people perform it?
Honestly, it worries me a bit at times. The knees are prone to ripping and if any fall is going to hurt someone, its that one. There have been times when I was 15 feet of more in the air when my knees started ripping. The last thing I want to see is from someone to drop from that height. The notoriety of being the first is great. But being known as a deadly suspension is not really something I want.
What does being an artist and making art mean to you?
As i said, I think everyone is an artist in their own way. I think it’s a fundamental part of life. Every day we create things. I am just lucky enough to have an interesting medium to work with.
Is there any suspension you long to do, or are hesitant to try?
Yes, I just attempted the resurrection for the first time this past weekend. Ever since Life Suspended first did it I wanted to try. Although, I was hesitant because I have never been a big fan of hanging from my chest.
Is there anyone of age that you would refuse to suspend?
I wont suspend anyone under the age of 18, nor will I hang anyone that is not in good health.
What reactions do people have to the artistic connotations in your work (performance, modification and photography)?
Normally, people react very positively. Every once in a while people are disgusted. But, because of the appearance of suspension and other forms of body modification in mainstream media these days, people are a lot more receptive.
Do you have to defend your work from art snobs or people who dismiss it as shock value?
Honestly, not really. However, I never really look for acceptance other’s opinions. I hope to one day that suspension will be an accepted form of art, but I’m not holding my breath.
What do you get from photography that you do not from performance?
Well photography and performance are completely different. I see performance as creating art, whereas I view my photography as more of a documentation of the beauty around me.
Explain the difference between being an observer (photography) and being participant (modification and suspension)
See above.
What do you think of the controversy concerning modern appropriation of cultural rituals?
All art and culture borrows from previous generations. To create controversy over it is to deny human nature. But then again to create controversy is human nature in itself. I think people just need to complain. You’re never going to make everyone happy. When any two cultures meet, there is always a certain level of appropriation and blending. Just look at Easter. Where in the bible does it say “Jesus rose from his grave and giant bunny hid colored eggs”
Suspension.org states that death is a small but important risk in suspensions. Have you ever heard of or experienced this personally?
Not yet…but it will happen. I’ve injured myself quite seriously in a couple of falls. I dread the day that someone is seriously hurt themselves or worse. Let’s just hope that disseminating good information will help prevent this from happening.
What is the ultimate potential of the human body?
That’s too broad to answer. I think the possibilities are endless. With all the genetic decoding these days, its only a matter of time before our present bodies are obsolete.
Art history and critics distort meanings after an artist has died. What is the most important facet of your art you want them to get right after you are gone?
Wow, I really have no idea. I have never given it much thought. I think the history and chronology of suspension are most important. Where is came from, who carried it forward, etc. There are so many talented suspension artists out there that just don’t get the credit they deserve. Although, I can see some anthropologist concocting some long drawn out explanation. If I had it my way, I would still people we hang for shits and giggles.
What is the next evolution of your work?
I see many improvements and development in the equipment involved in suspension. Right now our limitations are not our physical bodies but rather the mechanisms were are using to suspend.
You mentioned a lack of resources with regard to pursuing the technological aspect. Have you considered applying for a National Endowment for the Arts grant?
We have discussed it but I have never really been one to ask for money. Yes, I realize that is why it’s there…but it’s just not in my nature to ask for things.
How do you keep yourself motivated to continue producing work?
Well that’s the hardest part. My motivation comes in spurts. Honestly it has more to do with the people around me. If they are motivated and full of good ideas, it influences me to do more.
How would you define ‘freedom’?
Something we don’t have in America. Seriously…without going off on a tangent, we are one of the least free countries out there….at least as personal freedoms go. Yes, we have enormous economic freedoms that most countries don’t BUT I live in state where everyone owns a gun BUT it’s illegal to sell sex toys.
Personally I feel that our bodies are own true possession. No one but you owns it. Everyone should have the right to do whatever they want to their own body. That is freedom.
July 25th, 2005
How did you get into the industry?
If you had asked me back in the late 80′s, “what will you be doing in 2005?”, working in the body modification industry would have been my last guess. The truth is that I literally fell into it. In 1989 I was living in Santa Cruz California and working at an art gallery. One night Fakir Musafar came out to the space and did a performance/lecture on Body Play. He befriended me that evening and invited me over to his house on many occasions. Eventually, in 1992, he established his piercing school and took me on as his second student. I moved back to Dallas, setup Obscurities….and the rest is history
Why did you get into the industry?
I think I already explained piercing. However suspension goes a lot deeper. In 1992, I attempted first suspension. Why? Well, besides all the fascinating people I had met in Northern California that were doing body rituals, the photos I had seen in ReSearch’s Modern Primitives fascinated me. So, after doing some very limited research and using some very poor reasoning/logic, I attempted my first suspension. It was a terrible experience. I used all the wrong materials and my rigging was substandard at best. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I knew that hanging from hooks was physically possible and I was determined to figure out how to do it. So, I gathered up a group of like-minded people, gave it the group a name, Traumatic Stress Discipline (TSD) and we started experimenting. Little did I know that our coffee fueled IHOP rap sessions would turn into an international network of suspension practitioners.
Did anyone inspire you or do you have a mentor? Please give name or names.
So many people have and still do inspire me. Obviously, I owe a lot to Fakir and Jim Ward (the founder of Gauntlet) without them piercing as we know it may not exist. Stelarc has also greatly inspired me, and TSD, to push the boundaries of modern suspension. Hmmm…since 1992 I have met so many people along the way that I could right an entire book on people that I admire or that have influenced me. However, I will limit it down to just one more name. In 1989, Stace Maples established Skin and Bones piercing studio in Dallas. Over the years we have been bitter rivals for several different reasons. This said I do owe him for 2 things. One, if it weren’t for the competition, I would have never pushed Obscurities to level it is today and two, he was one of the first people to introduce me to the body modification world and I owe him thanks for it.
How long have you been doing this?
You know, this is always a heated topic for me. I have been working full time in this industry since 1992. I have worked very hard and made my mark. I find it irritating that people claim years and years of experience that they haven’t earned. Using an ear-piercing gun at the age of 16 does not constitute piercing experience, nor does play piercing. Sadly many piercers don’t last past 5 years due to over saturation and the influx of crappy jewelry. Piercing over 10 years? Well to answer the previous question, I am constantly inspired by anyone who has stuck it out that long. Making a living as piercer is tough…especially for those that who are ethical and stick to their convictions…OK, I will step of my soap box now.
What do you feel makes you stand out from the rest? ( what makes you different?)
Ethics, longevity and Attitude. Sadly, the piercing industry is full of people trying to make a quick buck. I really don’t think that piercers in general are unethical. It’s simply a matter of economics. When you have to compete with shops that are offering jewelry and services and ridiculously low prices, it gets harder and harder to stick to you ethics. This brings me to longevity. Unfortunately, piercers can have trouble making livable wages, especially when you are over 30 and have a family to support. Although there are many people my age still working in the industry, I am really starting to see a lot of older people moving on to higher paying industries. I’m 36 now and I still pierce on a regular basis. And attitude. Megalomania and piercing just seems to go hand and hand. Still one of my favorite jokes is, “What’s the difference between God and a piercer? God doesn’t think he’s a piercer.” As for me, finding that balance of ego and humility has always been the bane of my existence. No one trusts a piercer that is too humble BUT who wants to get pierced by a self-righteous prick…yes pun intended. So, because of my ethics and longevity, I have managed to keep my attitude in check and find a balance that I feel sets me apart…damn that sounds egomaniacal…guess I better work more on that balance.
What have been your challenges if any?
In the beginning, being a self-taught piercer was tough. Yes, I did have some training by Fakir, but a two-day piercing seminar hardly constitutes an apprenticeship. Nowadays piercers can get formalized training and work in established shops, however, back in the late 80′s and early 90′s most of us were just figuring out as we went along. So without any formal business training, I setup my shop and learned everything the hard way. I am still shocked when people come in with piercings I did over 10 years ago. My other big battle has been the roll of business owner and boss. There have been so many times that making the right decision has ended friendships and caused many lost hours of sleep.
What do you feel is your specialty if you have one?
Two things, suspension and male genital piercings. First and foremost, suspensions are my life. If I could work full time as a suspension practitioner I would. However, as with everything, I have to find a balance between suspension and piercing. Piercing funds suspension and suspension brings clients back to the studio. So, it works. Why Male Genitals? Well, when I opened my shop in the heart of the gay and lesbian area, people thought I was crazy. Why would a straight man want to be around homosexuals? Well, I am not homophobic and I love the gay community. Little did I know that my job was quickly going to turn into handling cock all day long…funny mental picture hunh? From the day I opened my doors, clients poured in wanting every genital piercing you could think of. That, coupled with the fact that many piercers are uncomfortable working on genitals, meant that for years everyone sent every male clients my way. So, 13 years later, I think I’ve done more PA’s than any other piercer out there…well maybe not but it sure does seem like it some days.
What’s new or cutting edge in your opinion?
Everything. I am so old school it’s not even funny. I started piercing in the days when we soaked jewelry in Cetylcide to “sterilize” it. Right now I would say that the implantation of magnets to “feel” magnetic fields has to be the modification that I find most interesting at the moment. I have thought about having the procedure done, but with MRIs becoming so commonplace, I could see complications coming in the near future.
Anything else you think we or our readers should know about ?
Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders, Screw Flanders
…actually I think the only thing I really didn’t mention is that I’m a founding member of the Association of Professional Piercers…
Added February 7, 2004
How many people have you helped suspend?
Honestly, I have no idea. I have been directly involved with several hundred, possibly thousands of suspensions. Indirectly, who knows?It has always been my goal to share suspension information whenever and where ever possible. I have trained many people that have gone on to train others. So, it’s really a tough question to answer. I would like to think that I have had made a positive impact on the entire suspension community.
Why is your name always mentioned when it comes to suspension?
Honestly, I was not the first. I’m not the toughest, and not the most innovative. There are many people that have suspended more than me. I think the two reasons are education and the presentation of suspension as an art form.
When I originally got involved in suspension, there was no public information available. Most people that were experienced with suspension were not that willing to help others. From day one I have felt that act of suspension was an amazing, beautiful experience that needed to shared. That attitude combined with the fact that myself and TSD have always tried to present suspension as something more than a freak show, has really pushed us to the forefront of the modern suspension community.
So, to answer the original question, I’m well known because I have tried harder than most to share suspension with the world.
July 23, 2003
Do you see suspension as an extension of piercing, or a different practice entirely?
Well, yes and no. I think most people now involved in suspension are actively involved in the body modification community on some level. In fact, piercers and piercing studio are often some of the biggest driving forces and largest supports of the suspension movement. On the other hand, Stelarc, one of the most influential suspension pioneers, has had very little to do with body piercing and the piercing community at large. So, I would say that piercing is often a stepping-stone and driving force behind suspension. Although, I would not go so far as to say that suspension is truly an extension of piercing.
Do you supervise the suspension of other people, or concentrate on your own performance art?
My main focus is, and always has been, the research, design and dissemination of information pertaining to suspension. I actually spend significantly more time supervising other people that I do in performing. Most people actually view myself, and TSD, as performance art group because that is where we have achieved most of our notoriety. However, performance is very small part of suspension for me.
Have you ever undertaken kavadi?
I have carried several different Kavadi type structures over the years. To me, it’s a bit like a mobile suspension. As for the actually Hindu ceremony of Kavadi bearing, no I have never participated in true ritual.
Do you have a favorite suspension position, or photograph?
My two favorite suspensions are “suicide” hanging from the upper back and the knee suspension.
I think my favorite photograph to date is the following self-portrait: http://www.obscurephoto.com/iam/4RIMachine035.jpg
Do you do private suspensions as well, or are your suspensions all for public display?
Most of the suspensions we do are private.
Have you done a flesh pull? If so, how does it compare in your opinion to suspension?
I have done quite a few pulls. Strangely, pulls can often be much more physically intense than a suspension. It’s purely a mental block that makes the act of suspension seem so difficult. There is a loss of control associated with hanging and this is the key factor that makes it seem so extreme. Conversely, when a person is pulling, the pulling force is entirely up to the individual…for this reason I think pulls are a great introduction to suspension
How do you mentally and physically prepare yourself for a suspension?
Years ago I would meditate and fast. Soon, I learned that if I could just relax and put myself into a calm head space, the suspension would go smoothly. However, lately I seem to be in charge of so many different aspects of suspension, that when it comes time for me to hang I am usually too busy to relax. So, now I have just trained myself to enter an ecstatic state by just taking a few deep breaths, concentration and focus.
Artists such as Stelarc see their bodies as mechanical tools, while others find suspension a deeply moving undertaking. Do you view suspension as a spiritual experience, or is it more about the performance?
Yes, yes and yes. I have gone from one extreme of thinking to the other. I think that suspension is many different things. I think that spirituality can be found in every action and aspect of life. So for that reason anything can be spiritual. I have noticed that those who strive for spiritual enlightenment through the use of body play often find themselves let down and lost. Suspension is an extreme physical, emotional, mental experience. My best answer is that the experience of suspension seems to give you what you need and not what you want.
Added September 7, 2002
For larger people wanting to suspend, do you recommend fasting and drinking large amounts of water one week prior to suspension?
Suspensions are more mental than physical. When you see larger people suspend, it has a lot to do with experience. One of the larger members of TSD, for instance, had a lot of trouble in the beginning. His first few suspensions were VERY difficult for him. Whereas, it’s been my experience that thinner people seem to have less trouble when hanging for the first time. One of the crucial factors is skin elasticity. The looser the skin and the more it stretches, the easier the suspensions seem to be.
There are two reasons for this. First, piercing someone with soft, stretchy skin is so much easier. Therefore the hook insertions hurt a lot less. Which, in turn, puts the person into a more relaxed state prior to suspension. Second, if the skin stretches, the weight is distributed over a large area. Which makes the act of hanging less painful.
Fasting and large water consumption is not necessary BUT can help with two aspects of suspension. First, it does help to shed some extra weight and increase elasticity of the skin. Also, it helps the person to mentally prepare. If the individual can make that kind of commitment, it can often be easier to take the mental leap into suspension. To be honest, I don’t think people should hang on an empty stomach. Suspensions often send people into shock and low blood sugar will simply increase this possibility. Eating a light meal an hour before suspension will help to settle the stomach, give the person energy and ultimately help the person to relax.
Meditation, fasting and sleep deprivation can play key roles for people wanting to enter into trance like ecstatic states BUT since shock is such a huge risk, these elements should only be explored under guidance and supervision of individuals with experience in this field.
April 4, 2002
How did you get into Body Modification?
I have been drawn to Body Modification for as long as I can remember. I think its actually fairly common and healthy for people to experiment with their bodies. Lets see…I think my first memory of self modification was pushing sewing needles through the calluses of my fingers when I was very young. Then there was ear piercings at age 12 or 13. And of course, my first homemade tattoos in 1985, I was 16 at the time. Even though I had experimented with body modification since I was a kid, my introduction to Fakir Musafar in 1989 really spurred my interest in pursuit of become a professional piercer and led to my involvement in all sorts of other forms of body modification.
What sparked your interest in suspension?
Growing up, I had access to many years of National Geographic magazine. I can remember seeing images of “primitive” people and thinking they were fascinating. BUT The book Modern Primitive published in 1986 by RE Search was probably one of my biggest influences in extreme body play such as suspension. Most piercers that got their start in the early 90′s often attribute there interest and involvement with its publication. It was here that I first saw images of suspension. To see modern people doing these ritual acts was nothing short of inspiring.
When was your first suspension? How was it? What style did you choose?
My first suspension was a coma (horizontal face up) suspension in 1992. Everything went wrong and it was one of the most painful and worst experiences of my life. It was this experience that really motivated my research into suspension. There just wasn’t a lot of information readily available and I felt driven to research and document everything I could. I think I chose this position for maximum weight per hook distribution, and face up so I could see what was going on, which actually back fired. Seeing your skin stretched up hanging from hooks can be a bit disconcerting when you have zero suspension experience.
What is your favorite suspension style?
Either suicide (upright from the back) or knee (inverted suspension from the knees). Suicide is very comfortable and provides an incredible amount of freedom and mobility. The knees on the other hand forces all the blood to your head and intensifies the euphoric experience.
What was your best and worst suspension experience?
Worst is easy, my first. As for best, I have had so many that it’s hard to categorize one as better than the other. I guess if I had to choose, I would say the 9 man human mobile we did for Ripley’s Believe it or Not. It was an incredible engineering achievement and the camaraderie between the members of TSD was unlike anything I have experienced..
Who is a “good candidate” for suspension? or what are TSD’s requirements (age, cost, etc)?
Well the most obvious of all the answers is that the person must be in good health and over the age of 18. The best candidates for suspension are people with stretchy skin, have some body modification experience and have the ability to relax and put themselves into a calm and positive state of mind. As for cost, we have charged many different amounts due to the person’s finances and our costs. It’s become common practice to work on system of donation to suspend. Taking money implies liability on the part of the practitioner. I usually sell people the supplies for $100 and charge nothing for the service.
What is TSD and when was it started?
Well, TSD has been called many things. These are some of my favorites:
Traumatic Stress Discipline – The performance art troupe
Technical Suspension Development – A Research and Design Team
Texas Steel Design – A group of people the design and build suspension rigs.then of course
Tough Skin Dudes
Too Slow Damnit
…and I’ve heard so many other funny ones.I would say TSD started in the late 80′s a performance art troupe, evolved into a research team in 1992 after my first suspension and then became a group of material fabricators in the late 90′s. The name TSD started as a performance art piece where the name Traumatic Stress Disorder was up on a video screen, with the word Disorder scratched out and Disciples written underneath. As the group became purely suspension oriented, we were got some publicity in a local paper where they referred to the group as Traumatic Stress Discipline. Because of the the free PR we decided to stick with name change, even if it was just a misprint. Now, TSD is a very loose group of people that work together for the love of suspension. It’s really hard to say who is a member. The core group has spun off in so many directions. But if you look there are quite a few of use with TSD tattoos.
What type of hooks do you use? What size hook can hold how much weight?
There are many, many types of hooks out these days, each of which are used for different things and can hold different amounts of weight. The most common hooks are 8 gauge salmon hooks, that hold about 80 pounds and 6 gauge big game hooks that hold about 150 pounds. There are also numerous locking hook designs that hold a variety of weights and handle dynamic conditions differently. This is where a experience comes into play. Over the years, we’ve experimented with different types of hooks and have found pros and cons to all of them.
What is a good suspension style for someone who has never had it done before?
In my opinions, the superman (horizontal face down) or a suicide are the easiest for beginners. Most people want to start with a suicide BUT not everyone can handle the experience. Suspension is all mind over matter. It’s not that physically difficult to hang from hooks. The hardest part is for some to convince themselves that they can do it. One of the best things to help people prepare for a suspension is to do a flesh pull. People are often surprised that they can pull more than their body weight, but since their feet never leave the ground, they brain processes the sensation without all the fear.
April 21, 2001
What are the legalities of suspension?
Suspensions are at this point a fairly unregulated procedure. Simply put, suspension would still fall under state regulations pertaining to body piercing. Although, there can be some serious and possibly life threatening dangers from suspending which are also big legal concerns. (2007 update – There are now a few laws in place that have made the practice of suspension illegal)
You have to be at least 16 and have a parent’s permission to pierce anything but your ears. Could a 16 year-old be suspended?
The laws concerning minors are very subjective and vary greatly depending on where you live. For me, I would not be comfortable suspending anyone under the age of 18. AND in some cases, I’m not even sure if certain adults are mature enough to suspend.
How long have you been suspending people?
I started suspending in 1992 and started suspending others in 1993.
How long have you been interested in body modification?
I’ve been interested for as long as I can remember BUT my serious interest started in the early to mid 80′s.
Would you call self-modification self-mutilation? I know a lot of people who do.
No. Body modification and mutilation are very easy to differentiate. Body mutilation is that act of destroying any tissue of the human body for no other reason but to cause physical damage. If the body were intentionally altered for any other reason it would be defined as body modification. FACT. Over 90% of American women mutilate/modify their ears to adorn them with jewelry. So, I guess it all depends on your perspective.
Do you think the term self-modification is used instead to make the things some people do seem less emotionally driven than the word self-mutilation might convey?
I think it’s purely an issue of social acceptance. Would you consider waxing mutilation or modification? It’s fairly commonly accepted in the western culture and I think its a pretty blurry line at best.
I’ve talked to a friend in Dallas who has seen your public suspensions in clubs and he’s informed me that sometimes the hooks tear the skin. Is this true? What usually happens during a time like that, when something goes wrong?
The tearing experienced is usually negligible or non-existent. What appears to be tearing is, more often, the hooks bending by overloading them with too much weight. In the event that person being suspended does show signs of extreme stretching or slight tearing, the suspension is normally stopped. In very extreme cases the wound might need sutures or steri-strips to close. However, this is actually a very rare occurrence.
March 27, 2001
Do you have any other body modifications such as piercings or tattoos? If so, what kinds do you have and at what age did you get them?
I started around the age of 16 (1985). Now, (2001) I have about 30% body coverage of tattoos and have had many piercings. Some branding, scarification, implants, forked tongue…although, I look fairly conservative on the exterior.
Do you participate in branding, scarification, or any other body modifications of this nature?
Yes, yes and yes.
If you have had tattoos or piercings or participated in the above modifications, do you think that this may have led up to you wanting to suspend? In other words, do you think that a person would just suspend without experimenting with other forms of body modifications? In other words, do you think that modifications is a gateway that leads to other experimentation?
Well, body modification is a form of experimentation. There are numerous reasons why people modify their bodies. However, the act itself is a ritualistic form of self-exploration.From the procedure to the final product, body modification is a life changing experience that is, in a sense, both an internal and external experiment. In answer to the original question, people with little to no tattoos or piercings have contacted me expressing interest in suspension.So I don’t think it’s a must for suspension enthusiasts to be involved in body modification, but I would assume most people are involved on some level.
Do you think that suspensions lead to other levels of body experimentation?
I think suspension is one of the apexes of body modification. If you’ve reached that level then you are already experimenting with your body. BUT sure all forms of body play “lead” to other forms.
Was there a certain event in your life that influenced you to choose a path that led to self-modifications? How did you know that this would be something that you wanted to do? Do you consider yourself a sensation seeker? Did this lead you to suspending?
I actually had a very childhood. I can tell you that I was lonely alienated and abused as a child BUT honestly, no more than any other person. In retrospect, I have always been an extremist and I have an addictive personality. As for suspending, I saw a picture of it, thought it was impossible and had to give it a try. Sensation seeker? Aren’t we all? There are those who live to experience life and those that wait for death….that which does not kill me makes me stronger…about the best thing Nietzsche every wrote.
What do you want to get out of a suspension? Why do you participate in suspensions? Have the reasons that you wanted to fulfill been satisfied?
Suspensions are fun, a rush, soul searching, amazing, painful, painless, horrifying, peaceful…you name it can be. There are as many reasons to suspend, as there are suspensions that have been done. Everyone and every time are different. Myself, I normally do it as performance art. Kinetic human sculptures if you will. As for reason and fulfillment and satisfaction, you are trying to dig too deep. If you are looking for some great spiritual reason you have reached a dead end. It has been my experience that everything in life is spiritual. The people in this world who strive to find spirituality in ritual are normally looking in the wrong direction. We do it because we enjoy it.
How do the people in your life react to you suspending? Do you hide it from certain people because of their negative reaction?
Suspension is my life…everyone who knows me, knows of my suspensions. I’ve been on national television, books, magazines, newspapers and a few films. It’s a bit difficult to hide it. Honestly, most people don’t have a negative reaction to what we do. The “spiritual” stuff is private, so they don’t see it. The “freak show” stuff is a bit underground so again it’s not really seen, at least not from me. The mainstream stuff we do is artistic. Yes it’s extreme BUT society has finally reached a point where it embraces extreme things. You might cringe when you look at a suspension BUT the 5 o’clock news it usually far worse in my opinion.
What type of suspensions have you participated in? How many hooks did it take? How many suspensions have you done?
As for myself, I lost count at around 30 suspensions and that was several years ago. As for others, there was a time when we were hanging 1 to 2 people a week for a while…maybe more. I have hung by 30 hooks. I have hung by one. I have hung in every position you can think. (2007 Update – I’ve directly helped hang hundreds possibly thousands of people…indirectly? If you take into account all the people I’ve trained, and the people they’ve trained…wow, no clue)
What was your initial reaction to the piercings of the hooks? Was it more or less painful then you expected? Do you think that you have a high tolerance for pain?
Sometimes it hurts very badly. Other times its nothing more than pressure. It really depends on your mood, state of mind and how grounded you are. Pain tolerance? I am a big baby. I know that might sound weird BUT there are many other people that hang much better than I. Plus, I’m a man. Men always have lower pain thresholds than women.
On your first suspension, did you ever feel like backing out because the pain was too strong?
Yes, but my first suspension was a nightmare. It was 1992 and we had no practical information on the mechanics and everything was done wrong. I hung for 3 seconds and it was the most horrible thing I ever endured. That one experience is why I have devoted my life to researching and disseminating information on suspensions.
What do you think about when you are suspending? Do you think or do you just feel? What happens to you when you are suspending?
Depends a lot on what’s going on in my life or around me. I prefer to be surrounded by a crowd and loud music. When it’s a performance or a spectacle it’s an adrenaline rush, although, I have hung in silence in the dark. It’s a very strange experience a serene floating sensation. No, I don’t leave my body or talk to spirits. I have to admit, I was kind of looking for that for a long time BUT I have not ever experienced anything like it.
Do you feel like you are in a state of unconsciousness when you are suspending? Do you keep your eyes open or closed? If they are open, what do you look at?
Again, you are looking too deep. More often then not, it’s a floating sensation. Normally, you are wide-awake and lucid. Sometimes the person drifts into an ecstatic, near dream state, which is by far the best state to be in. There have been some experiences where the person drifts in and out of consciousness BUT my worry is of seizures and shock. Whenever and individual goes unconscious, we always monitor their heart rate blood and body temperature. The ecstatic state that people are often shooting for is a form of shock and can be dangerous. I have seen seizures and vomiting…To be quite honest, with all the people suspending the days, I’m surprised no one has died while suspending.
I have interviewed another guy and his girlfriend. They have stated that they experienced orgasms during their suspensions. Is this normal? Is this a reason some people participate in suspensions?
I do not mix sexuality with suspensions. I’m sure it is completely possible BUT it’s not my thing. I’m not opposed to it in any way…it’s just not why I suspend.
Do you feel that people who do suspensions at the same time bond through an out of body experience?
I’m not sure I even believe out-of-body experiences happen. I do however agree that people who suspend together bond. Plus, you bond very strongly with the crew that is helping you suspend. I feel very close to everyone I help suspend. You are sharing something very personal and I feel honored when people ask me to help them.
Can you describe in a few words your overall experience?
Throughout this interview I have tried to avoid the “spiritual” aspect of suspensions. I have some very strong beliefs BUT I don’t share them. It’s hard to explain BUT I want people to find their own answers…not the ones I’ve handed to them. Although, I will say this. Suspension has brought more to my life than almost any other experience. I can credit many things in my life to the shaping of who I am BUT suspension has given so much to me, that I cannot picture my life without it.
May 26, 2000
Audio Interview: http://www.bmezine.com/radio/old/allenfalkner.mp3 (25.2 megs)
Quote for Shannon Larratt founder of BMEzine – Allen Falkner is a driving force behind TSD, and it could be said that he has done more to bring suspension into the mainstream than anyone else out there, having trained many of the best known performers, and having organized some of the biggest public performances as well as having hosted the Texas SusCons.
TSD is acollective people, organized for the artistic demonstration of body suspensions and the responsible dissemination of information pertaining to such. Often referred to as a performance art troupe, the public and private demonstrations consist of temporary and sometimes dangerous deformation of the human form. Though often shocking these exhibitions are in no way designed to promote anyone as freaks nor as religious zealots.
< suspension.org >
