We recently connected with Bonnie Ramone and have shared our conversation below.
Bonnie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I am both a tattooer/shop owner and a full-time musician. Both the paths I’ve taken are some of the most self-motivated careers a person can choose, and there’s no net to fall back on if it fails. Everything is a risk. No benefits, no time off, no security net. I think true artists are sort of broken in a way, because in talking to friends and colleagues, not a one of us could make it in a “normal” job. This is the option, and it has to work… so you make it work. I opened the Kindred Spirit Tattoo Co. with my business partner Kristin Hawk having never run anything other than a band rehearsal. We didn’t know what we were doing or how we were going to find the money, but we had to make it work, so we did. And we’ve never been happier at work. In my band, Bonnie & the Mere Mortals, we needed to move the needle for this release and make it to that “next level,” so we’re doing that. This entire release, vinyl, merch, distro, recording, PR, touring… it’s all on a $25k loan and sweat equity. No where in hell does that make any kind of financial sense, but in both cases, I believe in what we’re doing, and I believe just as much in the community that is holding us up. I’ve never worked harder or longer hours than I am right now, but I’ve also never felt more like I was on the correct path. I think the real risk is waking up every morning and radically believing in yourself and trusting in the community you’ve built around yourself. Maybe it’ll never get me a retirement, but I need to do more than survive my life… I want to live it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have been doing tattoos since 2010, and touring as a musician since 2008. I grew up on 103 acre a beef cattle farm on the border of the West Virginian Panhandle. I learned to fix things that were broken, make my own fun, and voraciously seek out the things I was interested in… because they weren’t going to land on my doorstep. I knew I loved art, music, and the gothic, and I sought out anything I possibly could, like a spooky little Anne of Green Gables. I learned about music from old country standards and limewire on dial-up, and I learned how to draw from drawing the animals on the farm and my Dad’s old anatomy and renaissance books. I watched old Vincent Price movies and Twilight Zone reruns, and couldn’t wait to move to the “big city” (Pittsburgh) to get my start and get away from the little backwards town I was born into. I started touring with my band and began my apprenticeship before I even turned 18.
As I’ve learned and grown, I’ve begun to release how important these roots are. I’ve become less ashamed of my little Appalachian accent and my love of old country music. I started working on creating communities for folks that feel out of place everywhere the way that I did. My band, Bonnie & the Mere Mortals, blends these influences in a literal sense, landing somewhere halfway between Dolly Parton and Cure. We’ve put out a beacon for other little Appalachian queerdos and beyond to cling to, and by earnestly leaning into my story I’ve found that I’m not alone out there. My shop, the Kindred Spirit Tattoo Co., was made to be a home for other artists and clients like myself who found themselves uncomfortable (or in many cases, abused) in other tattoo shop environments. And what I’ve found in both cases is that by giving to a community, you receive. My music has taken me across the country, and my tattoos have given me a home.
Bonnie & the Mere Mortals is currently on our fall album release tour for our latest studio album, Take me to the Moon, and you can support us by taking a listen, coming out to see us, or donating for merch. We are a Southern Gothic band whose music has been described as “y’allternative” and our aesthetics are like a Grand Ole Opry show run by a Drag Queen singing murder ballads. From Kate Bush and Chappell Roan to Hank Williams to Depeche Mode, everyone can find a touchstone in our story.
The Kindred Spirit Tattoo Co. is a female and queer run and operated tattoo studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that focuses on creating top-notch art in an inclusive, cozy environment. We currently have 8 artists who styles range across the board, but our focus remains singular: create something that makes your client feel beautiful in their skin. Walk-ins are always welcome, and our books are always open.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In this society, art and creativity is being severely devalued. It is a function of Capitalism and Authoritarian government to turn the human experience into a product to be bought and sold. This is a heady statement, but it’s the truth we’re living. As an artist, this can lead you to quit. Often. The algorithms, the “content,” the rising costs of everything… it’s insanely hard. The only joys that have brought me back again and again are 2 simple things: 1. That to make art is to be human, and 2. People need this. If you find your people, you can hold each other up.
The simplest way to support art as a society is to value it, both with your money and your time. If you want to support a tattoo shop–get a tattoo. And if you can’t afford a tattoo, tell your friends to get a tattoo. In fact, tell your friends regardless. If you want to support music–buy the album. Donate money. Stream the album. Donate time. Tell your friends to come out to the show with you. Artists survived in the Renaissance because they had patrons. Be a patron of the arts.
Further than that, tell the creatives in your life what they mean to you. I can’t tell you how many times a client has cried in my chair because I captured their Grandma perfectly, or because I covered a memory that’s haunted them. Fans who’ve told me a song of mine has met them at their lowest, that I made them feel heard when they felt alone. These are the stories that give my life purpose and meaning and keep me going.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Be earnest. Having a polished, professional look is important, but don’t forget to be yourself too. Your story is important. Post often regardless of who’s watching and show your personality. And foster those fan relationships. 1 super fan is worth 20 fair-weather fans. Focus on reaching 1 person. More will follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: BonnieandtheMereMortals.com AND theKindredSpiritTattooCo.com
- Instagram: @bonnieandthemeremortals, @bonnieramone, and @thekindredspirittattooco
Image Credits
Veronica Baron for the band photos