Although it seems to be increasingly rare, there are still people on the planet without any tattoos on their bodies.
Over the years, tattoos have been closely linked to rock and heavy metal culture. Whether for the artists who take the stage showing off their body art or for the fans who decide to immortalize their passion for their favorite bands on their skin.
In case of Blind Guardian, the public can even make tributes with ink on the skin, but the members are not adept at this type of art. None of the musicians in the legendary German power metal band have tattoos, regardless of body part.
The lead singer of the group, Hansi Kursch, spoke about the subject in an interview with the YouTubeBrazilian Heavy Talk (via website Igor Miranda). He also pointed out that the band — complete by André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen on the guitars and Frederik Ehmke on drums — proves quirky in several ways, including his lack of tattoos.
“We are by no means typical. I mean, we do everything with passion, and tattoos have never appealed to us.”
Right away, Kursch explained why. And the answer is quite simple: no one in the lineup likes tattoos.
“We’re not against it, it’s just not something we like. I have very thin arms, for example, so the tattoo would fall off over the years. And the other guys think the same way. But again, it’s also a question of where you come from. I don’t identify with tattoos.”
Is tattoo fashion?
Another curious observation by Hansi Kursch it has to do with the fact that, in his opinion, tattoos have become fashionable. For him, body art should not be a trend.
“I see a lot of people wearing tattoos, and I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s a fad.’ That’s not what tattoos are supposed to be. And that’s why I wouldn’t want to do one. It’s not my ideology, it’s not my way of thinking.”
Another metal giant without tattoos
O Blind Guardian isn’t the only big name in heavy metal to dispense with tattoos. The drummer of Metallica, Lars Ulrich, it also dispenses with the practice of eternalizing an art on your skin.
In an interview with 11Alive (via Far Out), the musician hesitated a bit in his answer when asked why he doesn’t have any tattoos on his body. First, he cited that this is not “normal behavior” and even hinted that he has a fear of needles.
“I never really stopped to think about why I never got a tattoo. It’s just the idea of someone sticking needles in me, leaving permanent ink stains on me. It seems… I don’t know, why don’t you eat coal or jump off the top of the Empire State Building? It doesn’t seem like what I would call ‘normal behavior’.”
Quickly, the drummer realized that he did not express himself well when trying to define what is and is not “normal”. Ultimately, he just made it clear that he doesn’t like it.
“Let’s take out the ‘normal behavior’ part. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to offend… but tattoos are not for me.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
