Heartdea13r w/ chr1stoph3r g0nda Owen Paulls: “Keep going because you don't know what's around the corner.”
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Dec 22, 2025 Owen Paulls, a UK-born tattoo artist, painter and former touring musician, walks through his shift from the road to studio life. He talks about small-town Americana, painting’s revival, the craft of storytelling in tattoos, the emotional work of sessions, and how manifestation and risk-taking shaped his path.
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Grunge Childhood To Sleeping By The Space Needle
- Owen grew up immersed in the grunge scene, stealing his sister's CDs and replaying Nirvana's MTV Unplugged repeatedly.
- He and his band once slept in a van under the Space Needle while touring, which cemented his attachment to Seattle's vibe.
From Catering To Playing Warped Tour Main Stage
- On Warped Tour Owen’s band worked catering to get a slot: they ran stage meals and earned trust with stage crews.
- That led to playing one song on the main stage daily with Bouncing Souls for 30–40k people despite no rehearsal.
Choose Experience Over Immediate Pay
- Take risks and accept lower pay abroad when the cultural experience outweighs money.
- Owen cites traveling to places like Italy where the vibe and learning justified budgeting just to break even on pay.