Swedish Model & performer of burlesque, fetish and fire Elegy Ellem was at the London Tattoo convention on Saturday 24th September. Mark popped by to ask her a few questions about metal and tattoos…
Out of all the albums you have listened to over the years, what one is it that you still go back to and listen to it as if it’s new?
Oh my God….To be honest I listen a lot to Metallica, I love Metallica. When I was 17 or 18 they were all I listened to. It is their album that I still listen to and love. Metallica are a band I grew up with. I do listen to a lot of different kinds of music, but they are the ones I continually love. I listen to RnB to hip hop to rock and classical music as well. It all depends on what my mood is, you know?
Did you see the bands that were on last night?
I saw the naked guys? Hahah I the naked ones. I don’t get to leave the area, so I don’t hear much from the other areas. Besides I have the DJs here. So that is all I hear. They do great covers mixed with weird covers. They are so good; they did a remix of Amy Winehouse.
What was your first tattoo?
My first tattoo… I actually got tribal wings on my back with a heart and barbed wire around it and it said my boyfriend’s name in the middle. Which is such a great idea… .mmmm… I recommend getting your boyfriend’s name tattooed on you. Such a great idea!
Which tattooist do you go to?
I have several artists in Sweden, as I live in Stockholm. My big tattoos are by Gunnar Foley, he’s amazing. There are some other guys I go to back home. But I’m taking a little bit of a break now as I had so much work done last year.
Do you know what you will get next, when you decide it is time?
I have tattoos of flowers and stuff on my neck so I might get it all to go up to the side of my head. Maybe, maybe get the other sleeve done. I want a black and grey sleeve on the other side as on my other arm is a sleeve full of colours. I am still figuring it out. I have to say I am kind of sad that I got that sleeve when I was young, I do wish I would have saved it so I could have done matching ones with a rockabilly kind of vibe instead. Don’t do sleeves first, do sleeves last, it’s the ones you’re gonna see all the time, you always see your arms. We nearly always tattoo our arms first so it has to be good. The sleeve I got is just too cutesy I don’t want pink and cupcakes anymore… Oh well, what can you do?
Back to music and the inspirational question I am going to ask is… Have you ever moshed?
Yes, I have. I don’t much. I was 17 years old me and a friend of mine were at a festival and we saw Dropkick Murphy’s play and I was pretty shit faced. We got so wasted, but don’t much after that.
If you were to get lyrics tattooed on you, what would they be?
I’ve actually had Metallica lyric tattooed on me. That was about another ex-boyfriend and that has been covered up now, haha! So now, I would have to say… none. Lyrics and sayings and all those, represent you in that time of life. I still love Metallica but not enough for me to have their lyrics tattooed on me. I probably won’t get any more of those on me.
Thanks for your time!
