It was a bright sunny day in August. I remember it well because I was in my upstairs bathroom shaking like a leaf. It was around 3 pm and I was getting ready to head over to South Bethlehem for sound check.
It was the summer of 2004 and my band was going to be the opening act for Clay Aiken at Musikfest. On the biggest stage of them all. The fastest sellout in the festival’s history – 6,500 people. We had the greatest female singer ever in our arsenal that got us there. But I was a nervous wreck.
I had dreamed about this forever. Since the first day I picked up my grandmother’s hand held potato slicer and pretended it was a guitar (true story). The callused fingers, the long walks downtown to Ken Brader and Son’s music store for lessons on brutal summer days. The countless number of hours spent practicing after school.
While other kids went out and played sports or hung with friends I was trying to figure out how Eddie Van Halen got his kung-fu. I even used to write journal entries in high school of what my life was going to be like after I “made it”.
And now here I was, sitting in my bathroom next to the bowl for fear of losing my lunch. I’m still not sure how I held it together.
But somehow my “Rock Star Moment” was here. And I wasn’t about to let it slip away.
Ironically, it was being part of a country band that gave me this opportunity. The last thing you’d probably ever expect from a guy who grew up playing Survivor, Bon Jovi, Ozzy and AC/DC .And yet it was because our singer had won a regional vocal competition that we were invited to be the opening act.
So, a METAL head in a COUNTRY band gets to open for POP star. Musical irony.
Imagine the day in the life of your favorite chart topping artist as they arrive at a venue to perform. That was me that day.
Megan Massacre
All the crew members doing whatever it takes to make you comfortable so you could ready yourself for a night of great music. Ushering you off away from the adoring public. Ok, so this “public” was there to see Clay Aiken but this was my “moment” so I could think what ever I wanted.
Clay had just placed second in season two of American Idol but was almost on the same level as Justin Bieber is today. People were going bonkers for him.
Surreal.
This was the story that I told Megan Massacre as she tattooed me. This was the reason for getting my very first tattoo: to commemorate the day my dream came true.
Although my segment with her never actually aired there is a brief glimpse of Megan tattooing me during a transition between scenes as you can see in the one photo.
Frankly, I’m still wondering if this picture justifies me having my own IMDB listing… I can see it now:
Actor: James Wood: Appeared in: “NY INK Season 2″… In the role of: “Arm being tattooed by Megan Massacre“.
I honestly can’t say enough good things about my experience at Wooster Street or the tattoo that Megan did. What’s even better is that I now have a story within a story to tell when people ask me about it.
And I couldn’t ask for anything cooler than that. What do you think?
She’s a model. She’s a DJ. She plays bass guitar. But most of all – Megan Massacre is one really amazing tattoo artist.
I first met Megan one hot summer day last August. I made the pilgrimage to New York with my daughter to visit The Wooster Street Social Club, the tattoo studio where she works. The studio is also the place where the TLC reality based show NY Ink is filmed. You can read about our adventure here. Today’s visit was different though.
Today, Megan was going to give me my very first tattoo and the entire segment was going to be filmed for the second season of NY Ink.
I really loved Megan’s work from the first season. She has such a unique style that was different from most of the other artists I had seen. I mean, tatting a dog dressed as a Victorian Lady or a dude getting hit by a bus is definitely not something you see every day.
Since this was going to be my very first tattoo I wanted it to be special and more than just a “picture” if that makes any sense. So when I gave her the ideas I had for the guitar I wanted I knew she would nail it. And the time was now drawing near.
I was sitting downstairs in a room adjacent to Ami James’ office. Producers and other production type folks all sat nearby with headset communication listening to what was going on upstairs. Finally, I heard one of them say into the microphone “Ok, I’ll send him up”.
And away I went.
Ami and Billy were already in the early stages of their tattoos and I slowly made my way past them to what’s been commonly referred to as “the big comfy couch”.
My View From The Couch
I sat down and peered over to see RoBear helping Megan set up her station. Several members of the film crew were in discussion with each other while others busily adjusted their equipment.
Megan was already well aware that this was going to be my first tattoo and was of significant size but that didn’t stop her from teasing me a bit.
As she was preparing her station with paper towels and ink she’d often look over at me and do her best impression of a nefarious villain by rubbing her hands together and laughing. Sort of saying “There’s no turning back now son… You’re mine!”. And in some odd way, it was almost comforting.
Finally, it was time and she called me over to her station.
The first thing Megan did after applying the stencil was to make a small line to assess what my tolerance for the needle would be. It felt like a bit of a scratch, no pain. Off we go.
For the next two and a half hours Megan tattooed me as cameras rolled. Until the production crew was ready, telling her my actual “story” was the only thing we couldn’t talk about. Anything else was fine. So it was here where we shared our backgrounds and I got some back stories about her own tattoos. I also found out that much like me, she also grew up in Pennsylvania and has a fascination for not only art but musical performance as well.
Eventually, the production crew came over and began filming me telling Megan my story and reason for getting the tattoo. I think this was where I was most nervous. Its hard to try and tell a story and use coherent sentences when people are holding monstrous camera equipment and lights three feet away from you.
At times I have to admit that the tattoo process itself did hurt a little bit but there was no way I was going to cry in front of Megan. Ok, it didn’t hurt THAT much but it did make me wonder how people deal with the pain of getting tattooed in more sensitive areas.
At one point Ami, Billy and Jessica all came over off-camera to take a peek at the tattoo Megan was doing on me. Seeing these other great artists taking an interest in my piece was very cool and during the actual “reveal” only one word came to everyone’s lips: BAD-ASS. Exactly what I wanted it to be.
People have asked me over and over what Megan is really like in person and the one word that immediately comes to mind is “sweetheart”. She is lady-like and bad ass all rolled into one. A person dedicated to her craft.
In fact, in all the time it took her to do my tattoo she didn’t take one break. Well, unless of course you count the time she went over to check out the tattoo Billy was having a problem with. (Side note: It was episode three of season two. When you see Megan come up to see how Billy is doing on his “first” big tattoo, she was actually tattooing me at the time but my segment never aired).
Also, when you see her talking about her affection for RoBear that’s also genuine. RoBear was like her guardian. He helped set up her station and brought her over snacks and drinks while she was tattooing me. I suspect that if I would have gotten out of line with Meg I would have been on the receiving end of the big guy’s boot.
She likes to text
The whole experience from start to finish was surreal. Although I was a bit disheartened my segment didn’t air I can’t say enough good things about it.
I mean, how may people can say they got their first tattoo by Megan Massacre with a film crew watching and being interviewed about it?
So by now you may be wondering what my story was and even more importantly, want to see the tattoo that Megan did. All will be revealed in the finale which is next.
Butterflies began to fill my stomach as I ascended the elevator to the eleventh floor of the make shift studio for NY Ink. The genesis of my excitement had been building since my arrival in New York and subsequent trip downtown via the subway line, but now the reality of the whole event was starting to take shape. It was only a matter of hours now before I’d be getting tattooed in front of the camera by Megan Massacre.
As the elevator floor indicator lights reached higher and higher numbers I imagined the door opening and me being greeted by flashing cameras and paparazzi. Perhaps the catering service asking me what my lunch requirements would be or maybe some early autograph seekers.
I could picture myself wearing Ray Bans and giving half-hearted smiles to my adoring public. “Are you THE James Wood?”, one beautiful blonde female would say. “The one telling his rock and roll story and getting a killer tattoo on NY Ink?”. I’d slowly remove the Ray Bans revealing my deep blue eyes and reply, “Why YES…that’s ME!”
Reality struck fast and my celebrity euphoria got sucked out of the room like a vacuum when the elevator door opened to reveal nothing but an empty vestibule. Only a few chirping crickets would have made the moment more complete.
A simple table with a telephone sat in between two leather chairs against the wall and I chuckled a bit thinking that there would be no h’orderves or goody bag containing high-end skin-care products for me. Sadly, the only thing that rested upon the table was a single clip board containing a sign-in sheet along with a note informing clients for “NY Ink” to dial an extension upon arrival to alert the associate producer.
After signing the sheet and leaving a message with the operator as to my arrival I settled down on the nice comfy chair and noticed that a few more clients were already starting to arrive. More people to tell their story and get tattoos.
During the next few hours I met two really cool people, each with multiple tattoos already and having their own stories to tell as to why they had chosen a particular piece for the show.
Now me, being a virgin of skin-art, eagerly listened to their tales of family, hard luck, and the needle and ink process. The butterflies that I had originally felt quickly subsided as I now found myself more concerned what the threshold of pain would be like for me when needle met skin.
“It feels like an annoying scrape”, one would say. “Nah, it’s more like a stab”, said the other. Looking back, it was hard to tell if they were being honest or just trying to scare me.
Me and Jessica Gahring
It wasn’t long before the associate producer sat us all down and explained the details of what was going to happen during the course of the day.
She would escort us over to the Wooster Street Social Club and upon our arrival we would each do a pre-interview.
Afterwards, crews would begin the process of filming us getting tattooed and telling our stories. The entire process was going to be an all day affair and there would include a lot of waiting.
Bring it on.
“Is everyone ready?” she asked and the three of us all quickly rose in unison. “Onward to Wooster Street”.
As we made our way down the elevator and out onto 6th Avenue the excitement of memorializing everything music has meant to me really started to build. Deep inside though I couldn’t stop thinking about the needle.
If anything, there definitely was no turning back now.
It’s been thirty years since E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial changed the way Americans looked at Reese’s Pieces. In 1982 you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing the little guy with the lit-up finger munching on those chocolate and peanut butter candies.
E.T. was everywhere. From Pizza Hut glasses to Atari video games and even lunch boxes. His stickers adorned everyone’s beloved Trapper Keeper (mine included) and I still recall all of the kids in 7th grade talking about him for months.
But even thirty years after its release the one thing I remember most about the movie, aside from wanting one of those cool flying bicycles, is the scene where Henry Thomas’ character Elliott saves the frogs in his science class from certain death and kisses his female classmate.
Quite fittingly, she was credited as the “Pretty Girl” in the movie and it was one of those moments during my own adolescence where I would have given anything to be able to change places with some other guy. That other guy being Henry Thomas.
E.T. : The Extra-Terrestrial introduced the movie world to Erika Eleniak. Since then, she’s been a Playboy Playmate, a Baywatch babe and a Beverly Hillbilly just to name a few of her accomplishments.
She’s fought off terrorists in “Under Siege” and even hunted vampires in “Dracula 3000: Infinite Darkness”. Most recently, she’s appeared in episodes of “Desperate Housewives” and “CSI: Miami”.
In this interview, Erika talks about her time working on “E.T. :The Extra-Terrestrial“, “Baywatch” and “Under Siege“. She also discusses her newest movie, “Meant To Be” which deals with a very controversial subject.
goJimmygo (gJg): When did you first start acting and how did your role in E.T. come about?
Erika Eleniak (EE): I first started acting when I was ten-years old. My earliest appearances included a play, some commercials and on a TV show.
Although E.T. was not my first acting role it was my first film role. I was twelve-years old and in the 7th Grade performing in an audition showcase when I was spotted by a talent scout for Steven Spielberg, who was seated in the audience.
I later went to meet with Mr. Spielberg and he asked me if I wanted to be in his movie.
I said, “Yes.” <laughs>
gJg: What was the experience like working with Steven Spielberg?
EE: Working with Steven was wonderful. He was very playful with all of the kids and caring as well.
I remember when it was time for our on-screen kiss. He cleared the set and had private conversations with both Henry Thomas (Elliott) and myself to reassure us that it would be handled with care.
gJg: Did you ever expect the movie to become the phenomenon that it did?
EE: When I was cast for E.T. great care was taken with everyone to make sure that “E.T.” stayed a secret until it was time for its release. This was done to avoid the possibility of the film being ripped off before it’s release.
I was told that the name of the film was “A Boys Life” and that it was going to be about a boy and an alien. That’s all. I had no idea what to expect.
I still remember sitting with my Mom, Grandma and Sister in the Hollywood Dome Theater for the premiere and just being wide-eyed the whole time!
gJg: Are there any funny stories from being on the set that you’d like to share?
EE: I think the funniest memory I have is that Henry had told everyone that he was in a “Girl Hater’s Club”.
The other thing was that he was 10 years old and I was 12 so we were both pretty freaked out about having to do that kiss!
gJg: Did being part of such a big movie bring lots of offers for future films?
EE: I was very fortunate in that my Mom was the complete opposite of what a typical “stage mother” is. She made sure that I had a normal childhood and stayed in school. I had worked a couple of jobs a year on average but as far as getting roles based on E.T: there were none that I am aware of.
gJg: A few years later you were cast as Shauni McClain on “Baywatch”.
EE: Yes, I was cast in Baywatch right out of high school. I was 18 or 19 years old and one of the original cast members of the show when it was first aired on NBC.
This was the most conservative network at the time by the way.
gJg: I loved your role as Jordan Tate in “Under Siege”. Was there a reason why you didn’t appear in the sequel?
EE: “Under Siege” was a great film and a fantastic project to be a part of. The role of Jordan Tate was pure FUN to play. I am often asked why I was not cast in the sequel.
From what I understand, they wanted to make a completely different theme and therefore a new cast.
gJg: What was it like working with Tommy Lee Jones in that movie?
EE: Working with Tommy Lee Jones was an honor for me. He is one of my favorite actors of all time. Watching him work with Gary Busey was also inspiring. They wrote, re-wrote, created, improvised. It was amazing to watch.
gJg: Have you made any lasting relationships with any of the cast from those movies?
EE: I have run into various actors I’ve worked with over the years and that is always cool but it’s very difficult to maintain relationships with us gypsies sometimes! We move around from town to town, working and traveling.
I’m kidding though, we are not gypsies. We all just have our own very different and busy lives.
Erika on CSI:Miami
gJg: What is the biggest question fans ask you the most?
EE: Most fans ask me what it was like working on Baywatch or what it was like to work with certain actors.
That is the biggest question really: “What was it like working with…..”
gJg: And I’ve asked a few of those too…. <laughs>
gJg: Out of all of the people you’ve worked with over the course of your career thus far, who would you say is the one person you’ve enjoyed working with the most and why?
EE: I have been fortunate in my career to meet and work with many fascinating and interesting people but, if I have to choose a favorite, it would have to be Cloris Leachman. She is a wild, wonderful woman! So full of Joy-for-Life and her spirit is as contagious as her laughter. (Ms. Leachman co-starred with Erika in The Beverly Hillbillies)
gJg: Finally, what can you tell me about your new film “Meant To Be”?
EE: My new film, “Meant To Be” looks at the very controversial topic of abortion and what happens to those involved in the process. It is a very interesting point of view of a “possibility” of what the consequences of having one “may be”.
I play a woman who previously had an abortion and later on goes on to have a child. After her child goes off to college she finds herself “mentoring” a young girl in the very same situation that she was faced with many years ago.
There’s also a young man in this story in search of his birth mother as well which takes on a veryinteresting twist.
For more information on Erika check out the links below:
The MTA system of New York City can be a bit daunting for the amateur subway commuter. It’s easy to find yourself lost somewhere in Gotham City if you happen to choose the wrong letter of the alphabet when boarding a train. Maybe it’s the small town boy in me but no matter how confident I am that I have chosen wisely I always find myself second guessing the decision I made the second the doors close.
I suppose that even the most seasoned of riders does a double-check every now and again just to make sure they’re heading in the right direction. For someone like me, a person who rarely visits the big city or rides a subway for that matter, it’s even more distressing. The thing is when you’re trying to make it to an appointment at the casting offices for Wooster Street Social Club (or anywhere else downtown for that matter) you definitely don’t want to wind up going uptown to Central Park. And this was no ordinary visit to the Big Apple to sight see either. My promptness was even more necessary because in this case producers and film crews were involved.
You see I was a man on a mission to get my first tattoo filmed for the second season of NY Ink and could hardly afford to be late for such a surreal and unique experience. So I took comfort in the fact that every street name I read on the subterranean wall at every stop matched the one I had on my pre-printed schedule.
Before too long the train came to a stop at the Canal Street station and I hurriedly departed. After quickly readjusting the backpack I was carrying over my shoulder I made the walk up the concrete staircase and into the bright morning sunshine on the Avenue of The Americas. The hustle and bustle of traffic and people mindlessly walking in step to get to their destinations reminded me that I was not in the small town of Easton, Pennsylvania anymore. This was the big time.
Me and Tommy Montoya
I pulled out my phone to check the time and was relieved to see that I still had an hour before I needed to be at the studio. It’s times like these, the in between arrival and actual appointment times, when nothing but coffee will suffice and I quickly spotted a Starbucks and made my way inside.
A contented smile came across my face as I sat down with my Venti bold. My biggest challenge upon arriving in NYC was to take the A-Train (or 8th Avenue Express) down to Canal and into the heart of SOHO with time to spare.
“Back in the New York Groove” was a song written by Russ Ballard that first appeared on the 1975 album “Keep Us Off The Streets” by the British glam band Hello. As a musician I know this because well, I looked it up.
Who would have thought that three years after it first appeared on vinyl that song would indirectly become part of my life?
It was 1978. The year the members of KISS, the biggest band in the world at the time and with enough glitz, makeup and pyrotechnic prowess to make even the great Liberace and his golden candelabra melt, all simultaneously released their own solo albums as a gimmick. “New York Groove” was a song covered by guitarist Ace Frehley on his solo album of the same name.
As a nine-year old boy, KISS was the world to me and Ace was always my favorite member of the band. Not just because he had the coolest face makeup but also for the way his sunburst Les Paul guitars would literally catch fire during his solos. Ace’s antics were one of the main reasons I picked up a guitar with the dream to “Shout it Out Loud” and “Rock and Roll All Nite”. As far as I was concerned Ace Frehley was synonymous with rock and roll and suffice to say, his solo album quickly wore out on my turn table.
So it’s kind of ironic how thirty-three years later that particular song, New York Groove, was selected to be the theme for NY Ink, the reality-based television series on TLC. For those who may not be aware, NY Ink follows the trials and tribulations of famed tattoo artist Ami James as he attempts to make a go of a tattoo studio in the SOHO district of New York City.
What’s even more surprising is the notion that the melody for “New York Groove” kept running through my head as I looked out the window of the bus that was carrying me to New York City to get my first tattoo from Megan Massacre, tell my own musical “story” and have the segment recorded for the second season of NY Ink.
In my family being of age and still a tattoo virgin is frowned upon. The inside joke being: “You can’t consider yourself a “Wood” if you don’t have at least a little ink”. Most of my relatives have been tattooed at some point or another but I never was. Quite frankly, I would have been perfectly content with being the only black sheep in the family.
It wasn’t until I stumbled upon NY Ink that I began to give being tattooed serious consideration. The artwork and stories I had heard really had a profound impact on me. More so than any “cool” factor would in me getting needled. And my own story would sure be one for the books.
From an early age I was a guitarist with a dream to be a rock star. You know, right up there in the same league as KISS, Survivor, and Bon Jovi. Yeah, that was going to be me.
I even remember writing journal entries about “making it” while in high school. At one point I’d pretend my journal was a Rolling Stone magazine interview. I’d write questions that I’d want the interviewer to ask me and then answer them in full ‘rock and roll’ mode. I’d muse about who I’d be collaborating with, the up coming summer tour I was about to embark upon and what I did when throngs of female fans sought my attention. Little did I know at the time that one day the dream was going to come true but in a most unusual way. I couldn’t wait to tell the story and have it memorialized.
Me and Ami James
As the bus slowly rolled into the Port Authority Station a feeling of excitement and anticipation filled me. I slowly departed and made my way into Manhattan not really sure if I was more excited to tell the story, get my first tattoo from an artist I greatly admire or the fact that my experience was going to be filmed and possibly air on a television show.
In any case all I did know was that Ace would have been pleased. Today was going to be an interesting day.
I’ve waited six long months to be able to tell you this story. No seriously, I’m not kidding its been that long. I’ve had a five-part blog that’s been in the works since last September and at last I’m finally able to reveal it.
I’ve got good news, bad news and great news! I’ll explain them all to you in that order:
Good News: Last summer, I submitted a request to be a candidate for Season 2 of the TLC television show NY Ink and was actually chosen to have my segment filmed for the show!! I got to travel to New York City, go on set for the show, tell my story and get my first tattoo done by none other than Megan Massacre.
After it was all over, I started to write a blog about my experience. And that blog got so large that it led to another blog. Which led to another. And another…. Before I knew it, I had written five parts.
Bad News: Season 2 episodes began airing in December of last year and my segment never made it to air. (Although they did show a glimpse of my session in a transition from one scene to the next). It’s too bad because I already had my IMDB application ready and several agents and publicists on stand-by. Sadly, I had to tell them the bad news. (Hope you all realize those last two sentences were a joke).
Anyway, through out the season I was already pretty much aware that my segment wasn’t going to make the final cut but I was contractually obligated not to say anything about my time on the show until the last episode aired.
Which was last night.
So…..
Great News: Starting Monday I will begin posting the blogs from my experiences on NY Ink. From the ride in to the city, to being on the set, getting tattooed by Megan and meeting most everyone from the show. You’ll also get to hear my “rock and roll” story and see the final work of art.
Although obviously a bit bummed that my segment didn’t air I have absolutely no regrets about it. It definitely wasn’t your typical tattoo experience.
If you’re already a fan of the show and are sad that its over here’s one last NY Ink story you didn’t hear.
One that I’m excited to finally be able to tell you about.
The day finally arrived. My wife and I had been so good at paying our bills in a timely manner and living within our means for years that the opportunity finally presented itself.
The chance to make the last mortgage or car payment you ask?
I wish.
No, because of our hard work we were finally able to upgrade the 32″ gigantic tube television that has been sitting in our living room for ten years with a new state of the art high-definition model. Strangely, the television we were looking at (a 51″ plasma) was actually $200 cheaper than what we had paid for the now ancient 32″ model we currently own. You’ve gotta love technology.
An excursion to our local Best Buy was in order and so Saturday night, off we went.
Upon arriving at the store we stared in awe at the enormity and clarity of the televisions that adorned the back wall. LCD, LED, Plasma, Smart TV’s, man this place had them all. I even saw a 75″ unit mounted on the wall with deluxe surround sound. “Wow, Ultraman would sure look good on THAT”, I thought to myself.
The model we were looking at was a 51″ Samsung plasma unit that would not only be an excellent replacement for the old tube model we had but would also look awesome mounted above our fireplace. It seems like hanging a television above the mantel is all the rage these days and who am I to argue?
As is almost always the case when I purchase a big ticketed item, when the Best Buy employee checked his inventory he quickly determined that the model we wanted was not in stock. Fortunately though, there was one available at another store 20 miles away that we could go pick up. Although the hour was late we decided to make the purchase anyway with the intention of going to the other store first thing in the morning.
The next day I got a late start, as is typical for a Sunday, and didn’t get moving until well into the afternoon. I drove the twenty miles to retrieve our new television. It was all boxed up and fit perfectly in my car. The sales associate had informed me to travel with it in an upright position and not flat so I took the necessary steps to ensure this was done.
After arriving home we quickly began dismantling the old beast of a television that had sat there since the turn of the century. Cables and dust flew everywhere but I didn’t mind. The thrill of actually seeing something in high-definition made any mess made well worth it.
Having cleaned up the area we began to un-box the 51″ Samsung Plasma. I started peeling off all of the sticky plastic stuff surrounding the unit and that’s when I noticed something…..
Uh oh.
There seemed to be a scratch on the screen. At first I thought it might have been the way the plastic covering was stretching but as we pulled the television out of the box more my worst fear was confirmed. It wasn’t a scratch at all. Half of the screen was cracked. It looked as if it had been hit by a baseball.
So in addition to having a 51″ television that’s useless I also now have a 32″ disassembled boulder sitting on my living room floor with DVD’s and cables lying all over the place. But come hell or high water there was no way I was putting the old TV system back together. This busted plasma was going back for something else… TODAY!
I packed up the unit as best (haha “best”, get it?) I could, made my way out into the cold winter’s night and took it back to the store nearest my home. The salesman sure got a good laugh at my expense. Apparently, he had never seen a plasma busted like that. I guess there’s a first time for everything.
Ironically, it was at this point that fate stepped in.
There happened to be an LG plasma television sitting boxed up right next to the counter where the sales guy had been chuckling at my misfortune. This model by coincidence had just gone on sale and was actually $20 cheaper than the one that had originally given me angina.
Much to the chagrin of the store clerk, before purchasing it I made certain we opened the box first and took a peek inside. I just wanted to make sure that Babe Ruth didn’t use this one for target practice too. No cracks….SOLD!
This morning, in addition to having a new 50″ plasma television sitting in my living room there’s an extra $20 in my wallet for about ten Grande Starbucks. And Ultraman never looked so good. Thanks Best Buy!
And now here I was, sitting in my bathroom next to the bowl for fear of losing my lunch. I’m still not sure how I held it together.
go.Jimmy.go 