Tattoo Talk: Sylar Vocalist Jayden Panesso Discusses Painful Tats, His Chest Piece, and Motherly Portrait

Queens, NY five-piece ruffians, Sylar, are set to release their pummeling new album, To Whom It May Concern, on May 13th, 2014 via Razor & Tie. The new recording demonstrates a band ripe with potential and songs that, both on disc and live, are purely hyper-mode-inducing. We caught up recently with lead singer Jayden Panesso to chat in brief about his ink.

When, where and what was your first tattoo?
Panesso: I got my first tattoo on my 18th birthday in Queens, NY. I got a nautical star on each one of my arms.

Do you have a specific shop or artist that you frequent (insert shameless plug time!)?
Panesso: I really loved getting tattooed by Miguel Lepage (Obey The Brave), he’s from Canada so I haven’t really seen him since he finished my chest piece.

Do you have any new tattoos planned or underway? Give us the dirt dude!
Panesso: Yes! I’m actually getting tattooed on our upcoming tour. I’ll be covering up some work I got on my right arm when I was 18.

Have you seen any fans with a band tattoo, anything crazy memorable?
Panesso: Yes, I have, I’ve definitely seen a few out there. Lyric tattoos always hit me the hardest, because those are my lyrics on someone else’s body. It’s really dope.

Do you have any tattoos that you now hate, want to replace, or have covered up, and why?
Panesso: Yes, my whole right forearm, I LOVE the tattoos I have on there, it’s just they were done very lightly so they’re really light. I’m more into dark tattoos.

Have any tattoos that were painful. Like made you cry, see white light, and regret being born?
Panesso: Jesus. I’ve honestly had a few. My chest was SUPER painful. For some reason, my legs were insanely painful as well. I don’t know, the older I get, the more it hurts.

If you HAD to get someone’s face tattooed on you, who’s would it be and why?
Panesso: I know I eventually will, but I want to get my mother’s face tattooed on me. There’s no one on this earth who’s been there for me as much as she has. It’ll be sweet.

Check out the song “Prescription Meditation”