Shocked by “Enlightned in Eternity” album we asked to frontman Nate Garrett for some stories about his tattoos. And it turns out he’s a huge Stephen King fan…
Hi Nate! Since we deal with tattoo art on this blog I wanted to ask you if tattoos – as well as your beloved Black Sabbath records – have been helpful to you. I mean: a sort of motivational help during your life…
I’m not sure I find my tattoos to be motivational, to be honest. I just think they look simply cool! (laughs) I remember seeing photos of young Pantera’s Phil Anselmo when I was about 14 years old and thinking “Yeah, I want to look like that guy!”. To cut a long story short: I just like the way they look.
So during your teenage years it was more Phil Anselmo than Ozzy Osbourne pushing you on the exciting path of tattooing…
Yeah, definitely Phil, 100%! I thought the full sleeves of scary, demonic, mean looking stuff was so badass.
Are you tattooed just along your both arms or do you have also not visible tattoos in other parts of your body?
I’m tattooed all over. I have a lettering (“Born Too Late”) on my chest, a full back piece, both arms, and some of my legs as well.
Who is that knight (or lonely horseman) you flaunt on your left arm?
That’s my “The Dark Tower” piece. It was an alternate cover for one of “The Dark Tower” graphic novels. I am a huge Stephen King fan, as well as a fan of old Western movies. So that tattoo covers all those bases.
Who are the best tattoo artists you’ve approchead so far?
My favorite tattoo artist I’ve worked with so far is Taylor Ryan (IG: @taylor_ryan_tattoos) from “Fifth Estate Tattoo” in Gilbert, Arizona. He did my back piece. He also designed the Spirit Adrift script for our new album “Enlightned in Eternity”. He’s cool!
Let’s talk about music: 4 full lenghts and 2 EPs in just 5 years for Spirit Adrift. It almost seems like yours is a kind of rescue plan for the entire Heavy Metal movement…
Thank you! We’re really proud of the work we’ve done so far, and we look forward to making more great albums in the future.
Yours is a productivity and a quality that takes us back to the Eighties, the golden age of heavy metal. I would like to hear your opinion while I ask you about the new born “Enlightened in Eternity”…
You know, sometimes I worry that I am a relic of a bygone era, and that heavy metal is fading away here in the United States… Not so much in other parts of the world where this kind of music is still totally revered and respected. But we will do everything in our power to keep it alive and carry it into the future, across the entire planet!
Photos: Courtesy of Nate Garrett/Spirit Adrift
