Address
49/45 Shortmarket Street, 45 Shortmarket Street Cape Town, Cape Town, 8001
Description about METAL MACHINE TATTOO AND PIERCING
was founded in 1993 by Derek Baker who is one of South Africa's most highly awarded and well-known tattooists. The journey to the top of his profession began with being in the right place at the right time, says Derek, who was a hairdresser once upon a time. “I am a beauty school drop-out,” he quips. “I’d been tattooing myself for a while when I met Permanent Mark at the Playground, who took me under his wing as an apprentice.” That apprenticeship was “not long enough” says Derek, but nobody says coming up through the tattoo artist ranks is going to be easy. After completing his training with Permanent Mark at Steel Toe Tattoo Studio in Cape Town in 1991, Derek went solo under the name METAL MACHINE and opened Cape Town’s first professional studio in September 1994 – the only one at the time. Years of relentless work, a tireless hunger for knowledge, numerous trips to international and local conventions h