Greetings from The Big Easy! First, a little history:
At A Glance Author Cosmic Ray Contact Cosmic Ray@bme.anon Artist Elaine Angel Studio Angel Wings Studio Location 710 St. Louis, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA I got my first piercing in 1973 when I was 15 y.o. at a place called Rings & Things in a local mall. I was the drummer in a heavy metal rock band named Graven Image. I had a single piercing done in my left earlobe. I was talked into it by my girlfriend, who told me that since the other guys in the band had piercings, I should have one, too. Like I said I was 15 and it was 1973! As my father put it, when he saw the stud in my ear, "Only queers and junkies have that shit in their ears!" Well, since I was neither, I told him it was part of the image of being in a heavy metal band. I mean, I was an honor roll student with a love of music. FUCK! I sang in the choir at my church! I loved music in every form. But, I digress...
So, after my father decided he wouldn't disown me and my mother stopped crying, I went about the business of explaining my piercing to EVERYONE ELSE! Well, about 4 months later, Dean, the lead guitarist, decided to get a second hole in his left ear and a new hole in the right. It looked really cool. So, naturally, I thought I'd get more myself. I went to a place called "Body Art by Bruno" and got my new piercings. This time, my parents didn't say a word. I guess they figured that I was only making myself look silly and that, eventually, I'd outgrow it.
By this time, I was 16 and rock solid in the band. They used to worry because of my age when we played in clubs that served alcohol.(which is every club in New Orleans!) So, they would tell the manager that I was just a roadie. I'd come in without my earrings, a bandana around my head and dark glasses. When it was getting close to showtime, I'd slip into the equipment trailer, put on my gig clothes, put in my earrings, pick out my Gino Vanelli locks, put on my 4" platform shoes and strut into the bar, ready for action. No one knew any better. The bad part was that my girlfriend couldn't come to see me play.
In 1976, we renamed the band MIRAGE and switched to playing more top 40's rock and dance music, thanks to fucking disco! I got my hair cut shorter and went back to wearing just my left ear stud or hoop. Disco died a few years later and we went back to a more heavy metal play list. Then, as all things happen, I left the band in 1984 after more than 11 years. We played our last gig on New Years Eve night. But 1985 was to be a good year.
The high school sweetheart, who talked me into getting the piercings to begin with, and I got married in 1978. We stayed married for almost 16 years. In 1984, the year I left the band, my third child, my daughter Sharon, was born. I decided to get ear piercings, with their birthstones. I just added a third hole in my left ear and wore a silver loop in my right ear. I went to a place that's no longer in business called, believe it or not, "In Your Ear". In spite of the fact that I was working as an engineer with a government contractor, they didn't seem to mind my taste in jewelry accents. In fact, I was one of the more normal people working there.
In 1993, I met a wonderful lady named Meg. She loved my piercings. That's actually how we got started talking. I was working out in a gym when she commented on my piercings. On our third date, we went to the same shop where I got my piercings in honor of my kids and got her a couple of new studs. They had renamed the shop "Angel Wings" and it had a new owner. I recently broke up with Meg. Which brings us to the present.
I just had some piercings done to my left upper ear. I actually wanted to get them done a year ago, and here's why. I went to the Orpheus Mardi Gras Ball and Met Camryn Manheim from "The Practice" television show. I liked her row of loops and told her so. They look really good on her. So...I had three loops put in my upper left ear. I had them done by Elaine Angel. She has one of the best body mod shops in the city. I had seen her working out at my gym and got to talking to her one day. She told me to come see her and she'd show me photos of some of her work. It took me a year, but I finally got it done. I had a little problem with swelling, but the result was great. I really like the look. And my new girlfriend loves them! She has multiple studs and nipple piercings. The only drawback is going through the metal detectors at the airport. One lady said that I was "too old to have all those earrings!" I'm very happy with my piercings, though, I don't think I'm brave enough for nipples. Not yet!