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Trevor McStay
by Yetti
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Trevor McStay is without question one of the most influential Japanese style
tattoo artists around - yesterday or today. His work and ethics are second to
none and he is also one of the friendliest tattoo artists you will ever have the
pleasure of meeting. Since Trevor is an Aussie, a lot of us have only been able
to admire him and his work from afar...hopefully this interview will do him some
justice in showing just how much there is to be admired by his entire approach
to being a tattoo artist.
Yetti: Let's just get the basics out of the way...how long have you been
tattooing and how did ya get started?
Trevor: I've been tattooing for over 24 years. I grew up in the country and had
done an apprenticeship as an electrician but always wanted to be a tattooist.
The nearest tattoo studio was at least 100 miles away and in those days no one
was going to give you any advice let alone help you get started in the business.
So, like so many other people, I saved my money and bought a couple of
Spaulding machines and some color. But I forgot to buy the power supply!
Finally, though, I had everything and got to tattooing some friends...and I really
stuffed those first few tattoos up! (Laughter) And then through a comedy of
errors, a tattooer from the city finally gave me a break. I was traveling 100 miles
on a Friday after work to the city to sit and watch my new friend tattoo, then
drive the 100 miles home on Saturday, full of enthusiasm.
Thinking I had learned enough after about eight months, I opened my first
studio; that was in '81.
That same year I went to the U.S to get tattooed from Ed Hardy and Bob Roberts
and attended the National Tattoo Convention in Virginia.
I got tattooed off Bob Roberts in New York when he was down on the Lower East
Side. He was great: [he] showed me how to make mags and even gave me a
couple to bring home and try...but I didn't have any tubes to fit 'em. (Laughter)
I also got tattooed off the legendary Ed Hardy and that was an awesome
experience. Ed was great and he told me about mixing pigment. But what
did they care, I was from 12,000 miles away and definitely no threat to them.
(Laughter)
I used to do a lot of traveling back then to get tattoos, and that really helped.
That was a big thing, especially in the '80s. There was no internet and no
magazines to look at - you had to travel. And when you got there you had to
show respect just to get a bit of information.
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