Category Archives: ModBlog

SPC: ModCon One (1999)

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How do you write an article about an event so private, so secretive, that it’s guests were made to sign nondisclosure agreements? Easy. Just be one of the ones who didn’t sign. Over the last fourteen years, the ModCon events have been shrouded in mystery. Fight Club jokes aplenty- the first rule of Modcon is that you don’t talk about ModCon and so on.

But today, we’re going to do just that. In a continuing series of articles on my life in the modern Body Modification community I’ve decided to shed a little light on ModCon; where the idea first came from, the 1998 event that never happened and more.

Obviously there will be a lot left out for the sake of discretion (as well as keeping some of the mystery) but if you’re a geek for this sort of thing…  read on. Continue reading →

ScarCon!

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by Iestyn Flye, ScarCon London

A post from me that’s not about history?
I know, I know. But I’m looking at things in the long view- eventually ScarCon will join my own ScarWars event as a nodal point in the history of Scarification, so…. this post is just coming a bit early!

Ron Garza is one of my oldest friends, and along with Steve Haworth is someone I consider to be directly responsible for the way that Western scarification has evolved. He’s influenced the best in the world and in 2006 at Scarwars LA  I was honored to present him with the ‘Keith Alexander Award for the Advancement of the Art and Culture of Scarification’. To date he’s the only artist who’s been given this award. He recently hosted ScarCon; an international gathering of Scarification artists hosted in London England and has graciously contributed photos exclusively to ModBlog and Scarwars (so check there for pictures not included in this update!)

2013artistsThe artists for the inaugural London ScarCon were: Christiane Lofblad, Ryan Ouellette, Bruno BMA, Iestyn Flye,  Ron Garza and Brenno Alberti .

I’m going to be rolling more photos out soon, here and over at Scarwars, so check back!

As always… discuss! Continue reading →

SPC: Jack Yount

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Jack and Kristin of Nomad

Jack and Kristin of Nomad

The first article I ever submitted to BME was a memorial piece on my friend and mentor Jack Yount.
That was two years shy of twenty years ago. I had always planned on writing more about Jack per Shannon’s request, but as time went by and other projects took my attention I didn’t get around to it. Which is strange considering the massive impact the friendship with Jack had on my life. So. I’m sorry it’s taken a few decades to get back to where I started, but sometimes it’s nice to take the long way ’round.

Rasmus photographed by Stanley Kubrick

Rasmus photographed by Stanley Kubrick

Jack was born John Andrew Yount on Sep 15, 1926. When he was nine years old, his parents took him to the circus where he saw the infamous strongman Rasmus Nielsen. Rasmus was a circus sideshow performer; a three-in-one blacksmith, tattooed man and strongman. Had that been all, he may have still influenced young Jack- but thankfully Rasmus had set himself apart from other tattooed men with the addition of tongue, septum and nipple piercings which he hung weights off of to the shock, horror and delight of 1930s circus goers. A pre-Lifto Lifto!

Continue reading →

A little slash and burn…

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Have we ever considered designating May as ‘International Scarification Month”?
Going back to 2005, May was the month that I hosted the first organized gathering of Scarification professionals in the world under the banner of ‘Scarwars‘ and eight years later my old friend Ron Garza is hosting ScarCon this weekend in London. I’m sure the two things are just a coincidence, but it’s worth looking into. I mean, right now the only thing we really have to compete with is National Masturbation Month.

One of the artists who attended all three Scarwars events was NYC’s multi-talented Brian Decker of Pure Body Arts, who did this amazing cut/cautery hybrid scarification.

From Brian:

Since thighs don’t typically scar that well, I made sure to keep the main parts bold, and am hoping the burning will do more damage to the tissue than superficial removal. We’ll see…..

It’s super important to go into a cutting/branding piece knowing that the results can be unpredictable, with technique, healing method, genetics and just plain luck factored in. Some folks may want the reassurance of knowing exactly how a modification will heal, but as Mr. Decker says: “We’ll see.”
Continue reading →

SPC: Big Ed Fenster and the Silver Anchor

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My attempts to write for Modblog- considering I’m not a real writer- will be more grounded in personal memories and oral histories. I’m giving you folks a look at the history of modern body modification through my life and perspective. These aren’t well researched footnoted clinical studies, more the fruits of a life spent in the Body Modification scene. Some details are added because the memory makes me happy. Others are omitted because it’s been 20+ years I’ve simply forgotten the whole story. Maybe that’s why writing these is so important. So that nothing gets left behind.

So thank you for taking the time to read these, please discuss them and if you’d like to read more, let me know.

Also. If you have a personal memory you’d like to share- get in touch! I’d really like to hear your stories.

Zephyrhills Florida was first incorporated as a city in 1914. According to the 2000 Census it was home to 10,833 residents, many of whom were over 65 and retired. It’s close to Tampa and to my home town of Plant City, and can boast to being the birthplace of several famous NASCAR drivers, an American Idol finalist and notorious Ghoul Carl Tanzier.

It was also, for a few years at least, the Body Modification capital of the world.

Continue reading →

Call for actors

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I was sent this request looking for people to appear in a music video. As we always do, I’m posting this request here for anyone who might be interested in taking part.

Good morning,

My name is Jonathan Cozzo, I’m working for a music video production company called Prettybird and we are currently organizing the making of a music video for a major American singer. We are actually looking for people with African scarifications or scars (from wounds for instance) and people with tattoos (of words or sentences) to appear as actors in that video and I was hoping you could help me on this subject.

To give you more details, we’d like several dark-skinned persons with either scarifications on their body and/or face or tattoos (words or complete sentences) to participate in a video shoot next week, on Thursday the 9th. Their participation will of course be paid and expanses covered.

Thank you for your time and help,
contact

Is anyone interested in history?

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Rachel has graciously allowed me access to the ModBlog control panel. I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with it, to be honest. I already have a bunch of blogs that you may or may not read- ScarWars, Occult Vibrations and my own personal diary site, so what can I offer to you folks here at Modblog?

History maybe?

My passion is the documentation of the things that I love. Always has been. I’m one of those folks who wants to know everything about the things that interest me. Luck (and a birthday in the 1970s) placed me right smack dab in the middle of the cultural shift in the Body Modification community, when the older generation and the younger generation met and everything changed. Jack Yount (pictured above) was instrumental in teaching me about those who came before me as well as instilling a desire in me to document and preserve those lessons.

So tell me ModBlog… If I post it, will you read it? Are there still folks out there that want to know who Jack Yount was, or what a U-Tube is? What connection Cliff Raven had to Ed Hardy or how old Brian Skellie was the first time I saw him naked?

Remember that there’s a comment section and let me hear from you. I want interaction on Modblog!