Uk tattoo fest Milton Keynes Live Interview with Vicky Time2Modify

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

In this episode, I had the absolute privilege of talking to the astounding Vicky, otherwise known as Time to Modify. Vicky is a piercer, she runs academies and she does a job that she absolutely loves and it shows through. I got a piercing done by Vicki at UK Tattoo Fest. And even though she's been doing this for 23 years and has had hundreds of people walk through that door, she still apologised for hurting me. And I think that just says everything about what she is as a person. We talk about what it's like to be judged when you are heavily tattooed and pierced. We talk about the alternative community and we talk about just being a decent human being and helping other people when they need it. So this is Vicky, otherwise known as Time to Modify.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

Okay, so would you like to introduce who you are? So hi guys, my name is Vicky, and I'm also known as Time to Modify, and I am a body piercer. I also own a Pearson Academy and uh jewellery brand. So, how long have you been piercing for? I've been piercing now for 23 years. Oh my god! So old.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Oh my god, don't be so old. I would say how's your bag, but we're both sitting on the floor.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

I was gonna say, and after this weekend, my back's absolutely can I swear my back's absolutely ruined.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

So what made you choose? Like, so obviously being a piercer, it's an unconventional job. It's not a nine to five, and you've got to hustle your bloody ass off to get somewhere. What made you decide to go down that route um then a normal job nine to five?

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Um, do you know what it's gonna sound so cliche, but when I say I've genuinely always wanted to be a piercer, I've genuinely always wanted to do it. From the age of 15, I remember I was asking the local studio from when I was 15, can I have a job? Can I have a job? Can I have a job? And then like, you're not even legally old enough. And then I was actually working in a shop called the Gadget Shop from way back when, it's like Mankind. And uh the owner came in one day and I said to her as a joke, I'm not gonna serve you unless you offer me a job. And she was there to offer me a job, and I've been doing it ever since.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

So what happened around that time that made you think I want to pierce someone?

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Do you know I I think I was just I'm a big believer in what is meant for you is meant for you, and I genuinely think I was meant to be a piercer. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

So what is your favourite part about the job of being a piercer? What is your like what is it? Obviously, it must set your soul on fire. So, what part of it does that for you?

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Do you know what I think over time? Do you know what it is? I like seeing the confidence that it gives people. And I, you know, in the past I've helped people, you know, that have, you know, unfortunately been fighting cancer, but they've come out the other side of it, and you know, they're they're in remission and they're not on their, you know, whatever treatment they need done, and they're allowed to have piercings again. And you know, I've been they've been left in tears. I've been left in tears before, you know, and just helping people be who they want to be. And I know that sounds like I don't know, it's an everyday saying, but I remember what I was like when I wanted to be like that, and every piercing that I got and every tattoo that I got, I felt like more myself. Does that make self? It's all that self-expression, but I love just helping people on that journey, be it one piercing or 25.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

I love that so much. And do you know what? Like, obviously, I've just had a piercing from you, I've just had a dermal done. Yeah, and I just feel like a chunk can I say. Yeah, I took a champ. It's I get so nervous with piercings, I get so anxious with piercings. Um, tattoos are fine, yeah, but honestly, I can see that coming through with your work. I felt so calm.

SPEAKER_02 3:39

And you apologize, and even though obviously hurting me, and I apologize to everyone, any of my clients that are listening to this or hear this, whatever, they'll agree. I apologize to everybody.

SPEAKER_01 3:50

But I think it's beautiful, not just well, you want it done as well.

SPEAKER_02 3:52

Well, I think the the difference with Meg, you know, I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else, but I genuinely give a shit about everybody that walks in the door, and I give genuinely give a shit about what I do. Um, and I treat everybody as if it's their first piercing. Because I remember I was that timid person walking into a tattoo studio that day, you know, about to get a piercing, and it's normal for them to be nervous, but I feel like I want them to know that I know they're nervous. Yes, does that make sense? I want to reassure them. You know, when I when I mark their piercing out, I want them to know. Tell me to move it ten times because I want you to be happy with it. I want you to walk out and go, that was a really good experience. But the whole thing, me, the piercing, the execution, absolutely everything. Because you care about people. Yeah, I do, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

So obviously, being in this community, right? So I love the alternative community.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

One of the biggest supporters of oh my god, yeah, you're such an advocate.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

I found such safety and such kind of I always felt, so obviously we've had this conversation with autistic, I'm ADHD. Are you ADHD? No, OCD. OCD, I'm also OCD, Surgerine, right? Gives me life, right? Amateur. Right. But I was having this conversation of so when I was a kid, okay, um, I'd have my group of friends, yeah, but let's say somebody said something, I wouldn't react as in just reacting, I would think, how would a normal person react and react that way? So I always felt on the outside when I was, I think I was about 15, and I what no, I was 12 when I watched The Craft and decided to get off, and then I was 15 when I found alternative friends, and for the first time in my life, I didn't have to pretend I was anything else. Yeah, 100%. So I found my safety in that. So for you, what is your favourite part about this community? Why does it mean so much to you?

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Do you know what I think it is because it's such a sad thing, but I think so many people in this community are so used to being judged, and you know, me for one, you know, I'm I'm head to toe literally head to toe and tattoo, so I'm used to being looked at in a different way. I'm used to being judged sometimes sadly negatively and stuff like that. And I feel when you're amongst people that are like-minded and and of the same industry, I don't know, you know, passion, whatever, everyone's there for the same reason. So no one gives a fuck if you want blue hair, no one gives a fuck if you've got your eyelids tattooed, as long as you're a good person, and I think because we know what it's like to be judged, we're not gonna do that to someone else, we're not gonna put that on anybody else. Do you know what I mean? And it's the same, you know, being you know, autistic in this industry, it is hard, it is so hard. Every day's a battle, and I'm sure any person that's struggling with any mental, you know, health, I don't want to say problems with any mental health, will understand it's a struggle, but I feel in this industry, people understand because they take more time to understand it.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

Does that make sense? No, it's perfect sense. I so I often have obviously I always say like I have my fingers in all the bloody pies and they all kind of rise at the same time, and I'm like, oh my god, and my autistic side is kind of I need routine, yeah, I need structure. Why the hell have I chosen like kind of different careers that don't give me that? But actually, I have safety because I have a community around me to support me.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

And I think to be fair, I would I would could put my hand on my heart and say, My career has saved me so many times. Not not like that, I'm you know, but when things have gone bad for whatever reason in life, I've thrown myself into my career. When things are good, I throw myself into my career, and my career is the most consistent thing I've ever had. Take away my family and friends or whatever, but in my life, you know, that's the one thing that everybody knows me. For anybody that knows me that you can ask, they will always associate me with tattoos and piercings because it's the only thing that I've had from when I was 18, and I'm now nearly 42. Do you know what I mean? So it's yeah, it it I think my career is my existence. It's it's what you're meant to do, it's like set yourself.

SPEAKER_01 7:57

So I had so I always I wanted to be. I remember when I was really little, I I was very poorly, and I wanted to be a pediatrician because I yeah, I just wanted to make yourself better, yeah. I wanted to make myself better, I wanted to help other people, and then I decided I wanted to be an actress. You'd be good on that, yeah, because bloody autistic, trying to fit in every day. Um, and then I found hairdressing, yeah, and it was and it was because I got pregnant with my son, and I was like, I need a trade, yeah, and I loved it, I absolutely loved it, but it wasn't my people, it wasn't I was kind of so burnt out, and I remember I had a point where I was like, I want to remove people's heads, do their hair, and put it back on their head. Me, I was like, I shouldn't be doing this because I love people so much that's not giving them respect. So then I decided, so I think we kind of had a little same route, didn't we? I was a dental nurse for a little while.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

Yeah, I did that for a little while as well.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

So, how long were you a dental nurse for? Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Well, I'd done it at work as work experience at school, so it was what 14, 15, hard many moons ago. And then I did take I was still piercing, but I wasn't busy enough to be doing it continually. So I was actually a um recovery nurse. Um and that was also and it sounds really weird, but that was also what pushed me to keep going. Does that make sense? Because it was dealing with the public and it was having that empathetic side of people when they're nervous, when they're emotional, when they're sad and whatever. And um it was the owner of the the clinic at the time who passed away a few years ago, bless him, but he was the one that just said to me, just keep going, just keep trying, and you'll make it. And I guess maybe partially down to him that he was the reason that I just and I was only I was still young, I was only probably a year or two into my career, so I was only like 19, 20, and he was the one that just he was like, You will make it, just keep going. And I was like, I've just got to keep trying. Were you tattooed or pierced then when you were a dental nurse? Yeah, I had a massive complaint made against me. Yeah, me too. Oh no, oh my god, oh my god, I've got to do this. And because it was a private surgery as well, so I had to be covered up when I was in front of the the the the what are they called patients, and one day I forgot to roll my sleeve down and there was a complaint made, and he said to me, he was like, Look, I've got to give you a warning because it's been made, and I was like, from that moment on, I was like, This isn't for me. Like I was still piercing, but I was like, I cannot be in this judgmental world.

SPEAKER_01 10:28

And the thing is though, you should know, like obviously cross-infection, nothing below the elbow when you're thinking so it's I I remember when I first um so I was like, Oh, I should get a proper job, even though hairdressing is a proper job. It's my brain, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not a proper job. I I had my throat tattooed, I hadn't had my face tattooed, I had my throat on my hands, and I remember having to wear roll necks and they wanted me to put do you remember the derma blend stuff? Oh stop. Yeah, they wanted me to put that on my neck and my hands. I was like, Yeah, but I can't be clean with that. And so as soon as I got my feet under the table, because I don't know if you have the same thing, when you do a job, you do a bloody good job. Um what's the point in doing it? That's it.

SPEAKER_02 11:06

If you're not gonna do it properly, just don't do it at all. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

That's why I'd got my feet under the table as one of the quickest, one of the fastest, cleanest dental nurses. So after that, I was like, I'm not covering up anything. Yeah. So I was like the tattooed dental nurse. I love that. I loved that because I never had. I mean, if anyone said anything, I didn't know. Yeah. But the amount of people that come in have like, you really put me at ease, you really and it's been It kind of proves people wrong, doesn't it? Yeah. Do you feel that you spend Do you feel you sometimes have to be not overly nice? Oh, 100%.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

I feel like I have to justify myself seven days a week.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Yes, yeah, like, I'm not gonna rob you. Yeah. I will help you if you need, I'll give you my last 20 grand if you need it.

SPEAKER_02 11:47

Yeah, I'd give you the clothes off my back if it was raining. Yeah, and it's and it's sad because there are still places in the world, in the world around that still look at you like you're a criminal or like you're about to rob them or you're about to punch them in the face when actually I'm probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. And I don't want to sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but I know that I am genuinely such a nice person, and and it's really sad that that sometimes um you know people will look at you and then you talk to them and they're like, Oh, you're actually really nice, aren't you? And I'm like, Yeah, yeah, I am.

SPEAKER_01 12:19

Yeah, I am. I'm just a normal person. So you know has anything happened to you before, obviously, um for you, because I know obviously any things, judgments that I've had, which is why I feel I have to be, I just feel not that I have to be overly nice, but I think it's moulded me. So is anything have you had like any judgments or things that have really stuck out that made you go, oh my god?

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Yeah, do you know what it's such a minor thing? But years ago I worked in a studio and it was just something as silly as um I offered a customer a cup of tea, he was getting tattooed, he said, Yes, I made him one, put it down. He said, Thank you, and I said, You're welcome. And he went, Oh, you're a lot politer than I thought you would be. And I'm like, but what did you think I was gonna be?

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Do you know what I mean? How much stigma that I think we have in this community, and that is, I think, so much why I do the work that I do is that this community is the most for me saved my life. This community I've found safety in, I've found a job in, I've you know, I've I feel as soon as I come to a tattoo convention or anywhere like that, yeah, I am home. Yeah, I am home, and I think I just want to raise so much awareness of this community.

SPEAKER_02 13:34

I'm scared of it, you know, like the amount of people that I've put I mean, I've done probably nearly 100 piercings this weekend, and the amount of people that have said it's their first time coming to a convention and how much they enjoyed it. And I think especially this convention is because it's it's a local convention, but it's such a big local convention, and it's one of the friendliest, I probably, if not the friendliest convention I've ever worked, be it the staff in the arena, be it the the organizers, the the bastards, everybody at this point absolutely everybody in this place, every single artist, you know. And I worked this convention many moons ago before it is what it is now, and it was good, but this is on a different level, and the amount of people that are like I can't believe how nice people are here, and and not necessarily because we're tattooed and pierced, but just because there's a shit ton of tattooed people under one roof, it is intimidating, but yet you know, the amount of kids that are running around having a good time.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

And they've wanted to have some stickers, have since Mother's Day off see this kids said, Yeah, you know, get get her a tattoo, not flowers, yeah. It's like the kids, and it's like people giving stickers and lollies, and the apprentice who works downstairs at the shop that I work in is with tattoos, uh tattoo shop below. So she's the apprentice, she's never been, and she was really kind of quite scared of going. So I said to her, I was like, calm, calm. And I've seen her out there, she's getting tattooed, and it's love lesson. And she's like, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

Because it gives the but then it'll give her the confidence to be able to realise that you can just walk around and talk to people.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Yeah, everyone just so what would you say to somebody? Let's say, um, right, someone on the outside, yeah, and they just walked into this building accidentally, yeah, and they're on the outside looking into our community. What would you say to them? Fuck off. No, I'm joking, fuck off, fuck off, mate.

SPEAKER_02 15:20

If your name's not Daniel coming in, we're just a fucking total blah blah. Fuck off, Brenda. I would just, you know what? I'd just say, just come in and embrace it, yeah. You know, and and talk to people and ask them questions and and and you know, I think the thing is when when you you're somebody looking in, you want to know so much about somebody that does tattoos, has tattoos, whatever. Just ask. Because there's always a story to tell. We've all opened looks, aren't we? Yeah, you know, like speaking from experience when people just stand and stare at me. Obviously, as you know, with autism, being stared at is quite possibly the worst feeling in the world. Oh my god. And I can't expect to look like this and not be stared at, but there's being stared at and there's being looked at. Do different things. Oh, 100%. I fucking hide behind this all the time. Yeah, you're not seeing me. And you'll think you can't talk to me, then don't. I'm fine. Do you know what I mean? But see it, that's it. But just come up and ask questions and just be like, oh, what made you do it? Real conversation. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:20

Real humanity. I think that's what I'm saying. Because I love people, I love talking to people. No super I can't do superficial.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

I want to know a person, and I think that is my thing.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

And I do know what I think as well is what is important is to know that there's more to us than tattoos and piercings. Yeah. I you know, my heart still beats, I still bleed. I do know what I mean. I still love flowers. I hate butterflies.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

I was gonna say, what would you say are five things about you that people would never think to ask, but also never think to guess? I'm scared of butterflies.

SPEAKER_02 16:59

Okay. I'm obsessed with orcas. Yeah, I've got the word Arlook there tattooed me. Oh my god, that means. Yeah, yeah, Toy Story is my favourite film. I used to drive a blue fit 500, it's probably the best card I've ever driven.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Oh my god, I love my little black KO.

SPEAKER_02 17:16

What's the biggest one that people will be like, fuck off. I pierced my own arm 30 times in two and a half hours for charity. Oh my god, what's the one? There we go. Uh 2008.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

Well you want to know how I got these scars. Yeah, basically. Yeah, they come down here, you can feel them down there and down there. Yeah, two and a half hours and but I raise money for um cancer research. See, that's the thing as well. I've done endless amounts of charity work. Yeah. You know, I've combi combined my passion with doing stupid stuff. Making people not me making money out of it, but making money for for the causes.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

For happiness, it's that whole thing. It's you have to make money because you have to live. Yeah, you've got to have something that sets your soul on fire, yeah. But you have to help other people. It's it's that that circle again makes it complete.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

Yeah, you know, I've done a suspension, you know, the hooks in your back. I've done yeah, I've done that a few, I'll say a few years ago, probably about ten years ago. I raised, I don't know, hitting on two grand for great Great Ormond Street. Oh my god. But again, you know, it's like, well, what can I do? If I'm gonna do something, then why don't I make it a massive thing and give to charity for it as well, you know?

SPEAKER_01 18:26

It's my other half, so when you look at him right, he's bald, covered in toes, like he looks like a right ruffian. But he did a bike ride and it was the London to Brighton. Oh wow, but he did it on a BMX, he's the only one to have done it. He's done London to Paris, the only one on a BMX, yeah, and it's zero. And and that's the thing, isn't it? It's like you look at this, you ask anyone, people in this community, we just want help, but I think it is because we know what it's like to at some point in our life ask for help and how we look at it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

I mean, even to the point I spent the majority of last year studying, um, I've done my level two in counselling, um, I've um trained to be a life coach, um, a peer mentor, and stuff like that, because I know what it's like at one point in my life when I came out, you know, and then I'm having all these tattoos and piercings. It's a very lonely time. Yes. And although, don't get me wrong, I had family around me, I had friends around me, but if people don't understand, they don't know. Yes, they can listen, but they don't know. So, my way of thinking is one day I'd like to be that person that I never had growing up. Not like not in I'm talking, you know, remove my family and friends. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about me. I was an alternative person, I was bullied to fucking school because I was alternative, and I only had a few ear piercings. I mean, I was I didn't reach outgoing until at least mid-20s, mid to late 20s, you know, and you know, you okay, you can say, Oh, I feel a bit sad, okay. You're gonna go to the doctor's, the doctor's gonna chuck medication on you. Some people don't want medication, some people just want to talk. Someone want to talk because that's you, and I just, you know, it's so hard to get into, but that that would be the only thing that I would do less hours piercing to just be that someone for there is a guy called the heavy metal therapist.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

I don't know if you've seen him. No, have a look. That he's in America at the moment, he's from the UK, but that's his thing, is the fact that and I work with heavy metal therapy as well, and their thing is you know, there are so many times you walk in for counselling, yeah, and the people who are sitting opposite you, you know there is nothing in common, and they can also look like the people that you need counselling against. Because of, yeah, yeah, yeah. It is not part of your community, and that is so important, it's not about looks, yes, but it's but it breaks the barrier down straight away.

SPEAKER_02 20:49

It it it and it is also about looks if you're speaking to somebody that are coming onto the alternative scene and they haven't got a fucking clue what to do with their life, or if they think they might be gay but they've got no one gay in their life, so they're being fobbed off, or they don't want to talk to someone. And I think I I a lot of me thinks as well that a lot of people on this scene we've got so much life experience because we've been through so much, be it mental health-wise, be it I don't know, anything. I'm not gonna categorize it just anything, you know, because obviously on the alternative scene, there are also are also a lot of gay people, and people might they might want someone to talk to. Do you know what I mean? Just have a little chat and just reassure you that life is actually alright. I mean, we're both how old are you? I'm 40. So we're both in our 40s, we've both made a fucking brilliant career. So it also shows that just because you're struggling now, it's not always going to be like that.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

And do you know what? I look back to younger me, and I just think there's this thing, I know oh god, I live my life in memes, but it's like there's this thing, it's like I look back and younger me would look at me and be like, Fuck, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

And you just gotta keep it's you know, you then might then and I'm sure you've had days as well where you're like, I'm not. Going to carry on. I'm not going to get through this. Why have I done this? I'm going to go get a nine to five. But then, but then you see it and you're like, actually, life's pretty dandy. It is, isn't it? I've got a job that I love, I in a career that I love, I get to do conventions, I've got the world's most amazing partner, you know, we've got a nice house together. So it does show you that things do get better. You've just got to keep going.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

And I think as well, it goes to that thing with social media. We're going to round it up in a minute because we said 20 minutes and we're on 22, 22.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

Are we already? Fucking hell.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

No, it's that whole thing with social media, it shows you the highlight reels, it it shows you overnight success, it doesn't show you the slogging that you've got to go through in between it. If you do something that's it sets a fire in your belly, keep going.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

Just don't quit.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

So my last thing to you is obviously um I'm a Radio Center as well, so I'm going to be doing putting together a playlist of music of UK Tattoo Fest. If you could choose one song that you think you you either put it on that goes, yeah, let's fucking do this, or a song that means something to you. Well, I know now you just know no songs. It's like you have zero music knowledge in your whole entire life.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Show what it is, right? And it's such it's so weird, but it's Nicki Minaj. Yeah. Roman's Revenge. Okay, and why? Because I don't know, because it's a all she does is swearing it, and she she duets with um Eminem, but it's just such a fierce song, put it on, and you'll realise that life's actually not that bad.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Oh my god, I love this so much. Do you know what I mean? I love that your song is gonna come with a this is after 6 pm. So uh if you've got boring kids, send about the room. If your kids are fucking cold, they'll know the words.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

And you're so fucking welcome. Oh, I love it. Honestly, thank you. Oh my god, can we though? I'd fucking love that. Mate, mate, honestly.