Rephonic
Artwork for Honest Tattooer Podcast

Honest Tattooer Podcast

No Idols NYC
Tattooing
Tattoo Conventions
Tattoo Industry
Tattoo Culture
Social Media
Tattoo Pricing
Mentorship
Client Relationships
Tattoo Techniques
Apprenticeship
New York City
Tattoo Artists
New School Tattoos
Ink Master
Art
Traditional Tattooing
Tattoo History
Creativity
Entrepreneurship
Japanese Tattooing

The Honest Tattooer Podcast is a show where tattoo artists and tattoo lovers discuss tattoos, art, and most of all keep it real. Keep it honest!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes192Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Visual ArtsArtsBusinessEntrepreneurship

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Honest Tattooer Podcast

Latest Episodes

Send us Fan Mail

Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and Matt Buck talk with guest tattooer Charles Arizmendy  and later Skylar Phung about how AI is affecting tattooing, especially as clients bring AI-generated references that look polished but often aren’t ta... more

Send us Fan Mail

On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano sit down with Matt Buck  and guest Fabian, a New York tattooer of 13 years with a graffiti background who now focuses on mostly freehand blackwork sigils—turning phrases into... more

Send us Fan Mail

On the Honest Tattooer podcast, hosts Jon Mesa and Matt Truiano talk with guest tattooer/shop owner Amanda Malia and her apprentice Jacob Satterly. They discuss blurred style lines, Amanda’s nontraditional early apprenticeships and ... more

Send us Fan Mail

On the Honest Tattooer podcast, Jon Mesa, Matt Truiano, and guests Joe Capobianco, Ermis and Matt Buck discuss who will shape tattooing’s future as outside biotech and tech companies push new products faster than the tattoo communit... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Chats & Tatts
Chats & TattsAaron Della Vedova
TATTOO TALES
TATTOO TALESStef Bastiàn
Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast
Matt and Shane's Secret PodcastMatt McCusker & Shane Gillis
Legion of Skanks Podcast
Legion of Skanks PodcastGas Digital Network
Tattoo Budcast
Tattoo BudcastTattoobudcast

Recent Guests

Bunny Lebowski
Tattoo artist with decades of experience; guest on the episode
Independent artist (Italy/UK/US)
Episode: Shop Managing with Bunnie Lebowski
David Martinez
Tattoo artist, Stage Rollin alias, from Philly/Jersey area
Ahava Tattoo Studio, Pensacola New Jersey
Episode: What Keeps A Tattooer Going For Hours with David Martinez and Dat
Pony Lawson
Tattoo artist guest
Episode: Solving Your Problems with Pony Lawson
Vincent Castiglia
Artist who uses his own blood as a painting medium
Fine art and tattoo work
Episode: Painting With Blood with Vincent Castiglia
Stevie Wells
Tattoo artist; known for Crazy Stevie content
Grandview Tattoo; Instagram: Crazy Stevie Wells
Episode: A Couple Of Funny Guys with Phil Luck and Stevie Wells
Phil Luck
Veteran tattoo artist with NYC roots
Last Chance Tattoo (Las Vegas)
Episode: A Couple Of Funny Guys with Phil Luck and Stevie Wells
Jeremy Schad
Tattoo artist from Syracuse, New York
Episode: Everything Happens for a Reason with Jeremy Schad
Zach Grimm
Tattoo artist from Buffalo, NY focused on American Traditional
Episode: American Tattooing To The Roots with Zach Grimm
Roman Lee Abrego
Tattoo artist, pioneer of realism and biomechanical styles
Episode: Being A Lifelong Creative with Roman Abrego

Hosts

John Mesa
Host of the podcast, guides interview flow and discussion.
Matt Triano
Co-host, provides commentary and questions; veteran tattoo artist.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 105 ratings
  • Gave it an honest try

    Thinly veiled anti-woke complaining, wasting legitimately talented and interesting guests time by talking about social media trends that don’t even matter (even their most recent episode with Josh Bowers!) and younger tattooers culture. Feels like shop talk, but you can tell their actual shop talk is much meaner. I’ve given this show many tries in hope it would develop more but I’m done.

    If you want to listen to a bunch of middle age guys on their way to old farts complaining about the way t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Sbhawk77777
    United States4 months ago
  • Not very productive

    I listened to the episode with Alena, she seemed great but I didn’t really appreciate the hosts body shaming and trying to get her to say something bad about her pro athlete clients.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tonka_Bear
    United Statesa year ago
  • No idols!

    I got a tattoo at no idols and heard about the pod from there! Such a great listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Friedel-leedle-lee
    United States2 years ago
  • whiners

    these guys are utter pissbabies

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Cashew Ears
    United States2 years ago
  • SJW clown show

    This podcast is a clown show sjw circle jerk. The twink host is a total loser. Boring content. Just a bunch of complaining and sissy boys crying about tattooing. Don’t waste your time listening to this garbage.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    AETHER_XX
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate candid industry insights and real-world storytelling from veterans.
The show's honesty and practical business discussions are frequently highlighted as strengths.
Guests are generally seen as credible with diverse backgrounds in tattooing and art.
Some episodes attract criticisms around tone and controversial topics, which can polarize audiences.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#97
Canada/Arts/Visual Arts
Apple Podcasts
#225
United Kingdom/Arts/Visual Arts
Apple Podcasts
#195
Germany/Arts/Visual Arts
Apple Podcasts
#204
Australia/Arts/Visual Arts
Apple Podcasts
#230
Italy/Arts/Visual Arts
Apple Podcasts
#50
Ireland/Arts/Visual Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Shop Managing with Bunnie Lebowski
Q: What's the most difficult part of your job as you've aged in the industry?
She discusses managing a large cohort of guest artists and staff, handling diverse personalities, egos, and work styles, and maintaining a cohesive shop culture while navigating changes in the industry.
Shop Managing with Bunnie Lebowski
Q: What were the biggest changes you noticed in tattooing from the 1990s to today?
She highlights the move from a DIY, basement culture to formal shops, the impact of the internet and Instagram on visibility and education, the rise of large multi-tattooer studios, and the evolving client expectations and price dynamics that changed how shops operate.
Painting With Blood with Vincent Castiglia
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a young artist out there that they're trying to find their authentic voice, what would it be?
Sit with themselves in meditation long enough to understand what constitutionally makes them them, focus on what is most important to them, and let that guide their subject matter and technique; develop a chain of reflections and allow it to click into a personal lock.
Blackout Tattoos with Hoode
Q: What do you think is the biggest misconception that people have about blackout tattooing?
People think it's just easy and anyone can do it, which is not the case.
Blackout Tattoos with Hoode
Q: How did you end up specializing in blackout tattoos?
It developed slowly as my clients started asking for darker tattoos, and I found a group of people who wanted blackouts.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Honest Tattooer Podcast

What is Honest Tattooer Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A revealing look at tattooing as both craft and business, with veteran artists sharing memoirs from early basement studios to modern, multi-artist shops. Guests frequently discuss mentorship, shop culture, pricing, branding, and how technology and social media reshape client dynamics and the industry at large. Noteworthy is the willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, critique franchised models, and unpack the tension between artistry and commerce—alongside practical guidance on pricing, content creation, and career longevity that could benefit artists, shop owners, and brands seeking authentic industry perspectives.

Where can I find podcast stats for Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Honest Tattooer Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Honest Tattooer Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Honest Tattooer Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Honest Tattooer Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Honest Tattooer Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Honest Tattooer Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Honest Tattooer Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Honest Tattooer Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Honest Tattooer Podcast:

1. Chats & Tatts
2. TATTOO TALES
3. Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast
4. Legion of Skanks Podcast
5. Tattoo Budcast

How many episodes of Honest Tattooer Podcast are there?

Honest Tattooer Podcast launched 4 years ago and published 192 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Honest Tattooer Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Honest Tattooer Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Honest Tattooer Podcast?

Recent guests on Honest Tattooer Podcast include:

1. Bunny Lebowski
2. David Martinez
3. Pony Lawson
4. Vincent Castiglia
5. Stevie Wells
6. Phil Luck
7. Jeremy Schad
8. Zach Grimm

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days