In this episode of the Tattoo Budcast, Jimmy and Sanae sit down with Montana tattooer Dana Richards, who Sanae has known since his earliest days as an apprentice in the same California shop they once worked at. Now a successful shop owner in Montana, Dana shares his journey from those humble beginnings to running his own studio, along with the major differences between tattooing in Montana vs California. The conversation dives into everything from shifting testosterone levels to lifestyle changes, shop culture, and what it takes to build a solid career in the tattoo industry. We also get into why a real tattoo apprenticeship still matters in 2025—how it shapes your craft, your professionalism, and your long-term success. Things get philosophical too, as the crew talks about simulation theory, strange coincidences, and whether we might all be living inside something bigger than we realize. It’s a mix of tattoo talk, mentorship, personal growth, and the kind of weird, honest conversations the Budcast is known for. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Podcast Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TattooBudcast Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco Dana Richards IG: https://www.instagram.com/danatattoos
🎙️ Today we’ve got a wild one for ya! We’re joined by tattoo veteran Eric Hare — and trust us, the only thing more complex than one of his geometric stencils… is his story. 👀 From graffiti ➡️ tattooing in prison ➡️ exponential personal growth ➡️ to honing his craft, Eric takes us through a life that’s as chaotic as it is inspiring. We laugh, we get deep, we get real — this episode has it all. 💺 Jump in the tattoo chair and get ready for another surprisingly meaningful yet hilarious session with the Buds. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Podcast Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TattooBudcast Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco Guest: Eric Hare IG: https://www.instagram.com/ericharetattoo/
New city, same chaos. Today we’re comin’ at you from Phoenix, Arizona with a Budcast fan favorite — the curmudgeonly sitcom-neighbor energy, the OG Travel Bud himself… Frank Allen! 🌵🔥 We’re recapping our Arizona guest spot, debating the age-old tattoo question: Copying vs inspiration — where’s the line? …and because it’s tradition… we’re diving into tattoo shop prank culture 😈 It’s another ROADBUDS episode — 🎧 Laugh hysterically, but keep your eyes on the road. Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Podcast Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TattooBudcast Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco FRANK ALLEN: https://www.instagram.com/franklintattoos
🎉 HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY TO THE TATTOO BUDCAST!! 🎉 The Buds are turning ONE and celebrating like only 1-year-olds can (and should) — in baby bonnets, bibs, and up to our elbows in baby food. 🍼💩 Join us for our most chaotic celebration yet and thank YOU, our buddies, for an incredible first year of laughs, tattoos, and total nonsense. So strap into your high chair, grab a warm bottle of… whatever’s in reach, and tune in to the Birthday Bash! 🧸🎂 Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam ----more---- Podcast Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TattooBudcast Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
🎃 WE GOT A SPECIAL SPOOK-TACULAR EPISODE WITH THE DREAMLAND ART CO CREW! 👻 This week, the Buds — with a little help from returning guests Johnny Bones and Goonies — are coming to you not as Selena y Los Dinos, but as SELENO Y LOS DINXS! 💃🕺 Everyone’s sharing their own unexplainable stories, plus we’re reading listener ghost stories too! So throw on your costume, grab your candy bucket, and tune in for an episode full of laughs, chills, and all things Halloween. 🎃👻 ----more---- Watch it on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are available! Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco Goonies IG: http://www.instagram.com/ohmy_goonies Johnny Bones IG: http://www.instagram.com/bonesart
🎃 SPECIAL SPOOKY EPISODE ALERT! 👻 We’ve got a hauntingly good one for you this week featuring two extra spooky tattooers — the return of Johnny Vampotna and, for the first time ever, Christina Hock, an LA-area artist with over two decades of experience! We’re swapping ghost stories (ours and yours), diving into tales of aliens, ghosts, ghouls, and goblins — and of course, talking tattoos. 💀 So grab your candy bucket, throw on a costume, and join the Tattoo Budcast for this very scary, very funny Halloween special! ----more---- 🎧 Watch on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are available! Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- Guests: Christina Hock IG: https://www.instagram.com/xinaxiii/ Johnny Vampotna IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnny_vampotna/
The Buds are back with returning guest — and newest shop crew member — Johnny Bones! They come in hot with the giggles and dive into everything from Taco Bell nostalgia and Get-What-You-Get specials, to graffiti culture and even people catching feelings for ChatGPT?! They also unpack why Michigan banned Bactine in tattooing, explore the criminal underworld roots of common tattoo designs, and lean into spooky season with the Scream Movie AI Challenge. Plus — they get weird with the tattooing-teeth trend in Asia, talk mouth breathing, and answer a hilarious listener advice letter. Grab your headphones and get ready for laughs, chaos, and tattoo talk in true Tattoo Budcast fashion. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Johnny Bones: http://www.instagram.com/bonesart Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
This week on The Tattoo Budcast, we’re joined by Mike Panic from Removery — The World’s Tattoo Removal Experts! Ever wondered how tattoo removal actually works? Mike breaks it all down and answers the questions every artist and collector has been too scared to ask. We also dive into the age-old debate of tattoo price haggling — is it ever okay? Plus, we play a couple of our favorite chaos-fuelled games: F*, Marry, Kill — Tattoo Edition**, and a round of This or That that’ll have you laughing and cringing at the same time. Tune in, laugh with us, and learn yourself a little something. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- REMOVERY Http://www.removery.com https://www.instagram.com/removery
This week the Buds sit down with Big Ceeze — tattooer of 27 years, Ink Master alum, and former boss of Sanae (who reminds us she’s still got a big mouth and zero filter). We dive into what it was like working together back in the day, why bodybuilding competitions might be the strangest hobby for a tattooer, and Big Ceeze’s new passion project: The Inked Network, a platform built with unique features for both tattooers and collectors. And just when you think it couldn’t get better, he drops not one but TWO wild stories for our Tattoo Cover-Up segment — one involving a misspelled tattoo, the other a sketchy run-in with the Mexican Federales. This is one episode you don’t want to miss — tattoos, comedy, and chaos all rolled into one. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- Big Cheese Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggceeze/ Shop: https://www.instagram.com/mifamiliatattoostudio/ ----more---- The Inked Network http://www.theinkednetwork.com https://www.instagram.com/theinkednetwork/
The Buds are hitting the books this week with Professor Kiki Flambé, a Communication Studies proffesor who specializes in interpersonal communication and the art of persuasion. She’s breaking down the difference between persuasion vs. manipulation, teaching us how to make small talk that doesn’t suck, and showing us what a real, effective apologyactually looks like. Kiki also gives us a few sales tactics that every tattooer (or anyone selling their craft) can use at their next consultation. And because no guest leaves without spilling some ink—she joins us for Tattoo Cover-Up, with a wild story that may (or may not) involve ghosts… or angels?! 👻😇 Come watch, listen, and laugh with us—because after all, listening is the most important part of communication. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- Kiki IG: https://www.instagram.com/kikiflambe/ https://www.instagram.com/rumpusroomwoodworks/
We got a Bud Solo on our hands today! James is back from his Hawaiian tattoo trip and—believe it or not—he narrowly survived a tsunami scare. He’s spilling all the wild details about how he escaped his brush with death. 🌊 But it wouldn’t be the Budcast without some laughs—your Buds dive into food talk, fart jokes, and a taste-test of the latest Flamin’ Hot product 🔥. Then they wrap things up with a real tattoo shop convo: the dreaded slow season—and how they plan to make the downtime actually productive this year. Grab a seat, crack a snack, and join the Buds for another chaotic, hilarious ride! ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
It’s hard to run a tattoo-centered podcast without eventually touching on piercing—and today, the Buds welcome their very first piercer guest! 🎉 Long-time friend and professional piercer Alexx joins the show. With over a decade of experience, she’s here to bust common piercing myths, drop some piercing truths, and share a few horror stories from the chair. Of course, she’s bringing plenty of laughs along the way. Tune in for a brand-new episode packed with sharp stories and even sharper insights! ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco ----more---- Alexx IG: https://www.instagram.com/alexxantipathy/ Alexx studio IG : https://www.instagram.com/ancientadornments/
What’s better than one guest? TWO guests! 🎉 This week the Buds sit down with not one but two tattoo buds from Handmade Tattoo: Pops (the shop owner) and his right-hand woman, Emily Taylor. We get into shop life, coworker dynamics, and even read some of their most ridiculous Yelp reviews. Emily shares how she almost didn’t apply to her first tattoo shop right out of her apprenticeship, and Pops opens up about surviving a two-year closure and what it was like to open a shop at the worst possible time in history. And of course, both Pops and Emily bring the heat (and the embarrassment) with their stories for our Tattoo Cover-up Segment . ----more---- Guests Info: Pops IG: http://instagram.com/artbypops Emily Taylor IG: http://instagram.com/emilytaylorink Shop IG: http://instagram.com/handmadetattoosp Handmade Tattoo 947 E. Main St, Santa Paula, CA. 93060 ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
On this episode, we conjure up the ghost guy himself—Johnny Vampotna. Best known as the paranormal trad-dad of LA, you can spot one of his ghostly or Halloween-inspired tattoos from a mile away. But Johnny doesn’t just draw otherworldly things—he lives them. We dive into his career, branding, and spiritual “gifts.” And for the first time ever, we get a story for the Tattoo Cover-Up that will have you questioning reality. So light a candle, call upon the spirits, and materialize with us for this eerie episode. ----more---- Guest: Johnny Vampotna IG: http://www.instagram.com/Johnny_Vampotna Web: LinkTree ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
TRUST US, THIS ONE STINKS… LITERALLY. This week the Buds get nose-deep in the world of smells (don’t ask why, we don’t know either). But what really stinks? AI tattoo robots invading NYC’s tattoo shops. Thanks to a spicy listener comment, the Buds also dive back into the messy mentor/apprentice dynamic and why it rarely lasts longer than a stick-and-poke. For the first time in forever, we’ve got a listener submitted advice letter for Tattoo Aftercare (it’s BACK) that takes things from stinky to sticky. Plus, Tattoo Cover-Up segment — and the listener submission involves going to extreme lengths for a very special toy (yes, THAT kind of toy). It’s chaotic, it’s smelly, it’s very on-brand. Basically, just the Buds being Buds. Tune in, plug your nose, and come bud around with us. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
Court is now in session! The Buds sit down with Attorney Matt Gomez to tackle some burning legal questions. We’re getting to know our rights… and maybe litigating a few grudges we’ve been holding against each other. This is one hearing you won’t want to miss. Laugh now, or be held in contempt. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
🎉 BONUS EPISODE ALERT! 🎉 Welcome to Part 3 of our ROADBUDS: Road Trip, Prescott or Bust series! We’re hittin’ the highway and bringing you along for the ride—literally. Hop in the back seat (audio-only, sorry not sorry) as Sanae and Jimmy Jam trade stories, trash talk, and questionable snack choices en route to the Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest. No guests. No edits. Just raw, unfiltered car chaos. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
🎉 BONUS EPISODE ALERT! 🎉 Welcome to Part 2 of our ROADBUDS: Road Trip, Prescott or Bust series! We’re hittin’ the highway and bringing you along for the ride—literally. Hop in the back seat (audio-only, sorry not sorry) as Sanae and Jimmy Jam trade stories, trash talk, and questionable snack choices en route to the Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest. No guests. No edits. Just raw, unfiltered car chaos. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
🎉 BONUS EPISODE ALERT! 🎉 Welcome to Part 1 of our ROADBUDS: Road Trip, Prescott or Bust series! We’re hittin’ the highway and bringing you along for the ride—literally. Hop in the back seat (audio-only, sorry not sorry) as Sanae and Jimmy Jam trade stories, trash talk, and questionable snack choices en route to the Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest. No guests. No edits. Just raw, unfiltered car chaos. ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco
On this episode, we’re packing up and saying goodbye to the Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest—but not before one last session with some of the realest to ever do it. First up is long-time convention staple, tattooer, master painter, and certified Rad Dad: Mike Pinto. He takes us back to where it all started and gives his take on where the industry is headed. Then we sit down with the couple behind it all—Adrienne and Tony Carey. With zero experience and 100% heart, they built this convention from the ground up, turning sleepy little Prescott into a once-a-year tattoo summer camp for the past 13 years. Tune in for stories, laughs, and inspiration from some of the “triedest and truest” on the convention circuit. ----more---- Guests: Mike Pinto IG: http://www.instagram.com/colfax_og/ Northern AZ Tattoo Fest IG: https://www.instagram.com/northernaztattoofest/ Northern AZ Tattoo Fest Site: https://northernaztattoofest.com/ Tony Carey IG: https://www.instagram.com/tonycareytattoo/ ----more---- Like & Subscribe to Our Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TattooBudcast Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tattoobudcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tattoobudcast Sanae IG: https://www.instagram.com/sanae_kawaii/ Jimmy Jam IG: http://www.instagram.com/iamjimmyjam Dreamland Art Co: http://www.instagram.com/dreamlandartco