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Rethink the Ink

Want to prove your undying love to your favorite artist by getting a tattoo? These fans did. Boy, are they sorry now

Who: Jay Belin, 22, writer
Tattoo: Weezer’s “=W=” symbol
Location: Calf
Why did you get your tattoo? “Have you heard Pinkerton? I’m a die-hard Weezer fan, and since 1994-the year I fell in love with ‘The Blue Album’-I wanted to get their logo around my leg. I’ve outgrown them a bit, but the tattoo is not only a symbol for the band-it’s also a reminder of that period in my life.”
Why do you regret it now? “I can’t wear shorts without being asked why I got the ‘WWF’ symbol inked on my leg.”
Will you have it removed? “No. I’m not a quitter, and wrestling fans suck.”

Who: Vanessa Nadia Moylan, 22, mail-order sales rep
Tattoos: Marilyn Manson “Omega Head” symbol; lightning-bolt symbol below the name of [former Manson band member] Twiggy Ramirez
Location: Abdomen
Why did you get your tattoos? “Because I was this insanely huge Manson fan and wanted to show my devotion. I was 16 and stupid. I was also head-over-heels for Twiggy.”
Why do you regret them now? “It’s stupid to get a band tattoo. If I find another band I want to devote my time to, I won’t be getting marked for life.”
Will you have them removed? “No. It’s too painful and costly. I’ll just cover them.”

Who: Shawn Waldron, 30, photo archivist
Tattoo: A Joshua tree, à la U2’s The Joshua Tree album
Location: Thigh
Why did you get your tattoo? “I was 19, on my first spring break with a bunch of guys. The Joshua Tree is symbolic of my high-school years. All the cool kids were doing it in 1992.”
Why do you regret it now? “I could have just kept a journal.”
Will you have it removed? “No way. I’m not having that laser thing shot into my leg. Too close to home, if you know what I mean. I have been thinking about having it re-inked to look like Jack White, though.”

Who: Larry Hess, 26, musician
Tattoo: Cover of Daniel Johnston’s album Hi, How Are You
Location: Thigh
Why did you get your tattoo? “It was my favorite album when I was 18, and I loved the drawing on the cover. I thought it was really funny at the time, sort of like having a greeting card on my thigh.”
Why do you regret it now? “I’m a little older, and it doesn’t seem quite as funny. Most people have never heard of the album, so it just seems like a crudely drawn alien saying, ‘Hi, how are you.'”
Will you have it removed? “I don’t think so. Sometimes it’s better to remember how stupid you were when you were a teenager.”