How San Francisco and Ed Hardy Gave Rise to the Custom Tattoo

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2022

⏱️ 15 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

San Francisco has left a mark on American tattoo history. In today's episode, we learn about longtime Bay Area resident Ed Hardy's impact on the industry, and the evolution of tattooing in America. Share photos of your custom tattoo with us on Twitter using the hashtag #BayCurious or tweet them to @oallenprice. Additional Reading: Are You Inked? How a San Francisco Tattoo Artist Changed the Industry KQED Spark video on Ed Hardy Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli, Chris Hoff and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Kyana Moghadam, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Jenny Pritchett, Vinnee Tong, Ethan Lindsey and Holly Kernan.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From K-QED.
0:05.0	The recent popularity of tattoos is undeniable.
0:10.0	A decade ago, about 20% of Americans had a tattoo, and now that number is up to about 30%.
0:18.4	While more and more people have them these days, don't get caught thinking there's anything new about them. Tattoos have been around
0:25.2	for thousands of years. In fact, the 5,300-year-old mummy, UTSi, has 61 sprinkled across his body.
0:34.0	So yeah, tattooing is old.
0:36.5	Which might be why I was super surprised
0:38.8	to learn that San Francisco has left its mark
0:41.7	on American tattoo history.
0:44.0	Today on the show, we'll learn how San Francisco gave rise to the custom tattoo
0:51.0	and played a part in making getting inked more mainstream.
0:55.0	That story is just ahead on Bay Curious.
0:58.0	I'm Olivia Allen Price.
1:00.0	Support for Bay Curious is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, still family owned, operated, and argued over.
1:11.0	Explore their brews wherever fine beverages are sold and taste how trailblazing runs in the family.
1:17.0	Visit Sierra Nevada.com to find your new favorite beer today.
1:23.0	Now I'll admit when our intern, Sebastian Meinobachelli, came to me pitching a story about tattoos,
1:29.0	it took some convincing to get me on board.
1:32.0	But San Francisco has a significant place in American tattoo history.
1:36.0	Okay, I know, I did give it the green light, but under one condition, right Sebastian?
1:40.0	That I'd not get a tattoo while on assignment.
1:43.0	Right, no tattoos.
	...

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