Tattoo Talk: Finch Drummer Alexander James Pappas Talks Pac-Man, M.C. Escher and Painful Ink

We recently checked in with Finch drummer Alexander James Pappas. Why you ask? Well it’s pretty simple… the renowned rock band released their new studio album, Back To Oblivion, on September 30th via Razor & Tie and we want to help spread the news! Back to Oblivion marks the return of Finch with the band’s first full-length album in over nine years and is by far Finch’s most introspective and demanding work from a lyrical standpoint. The album was produced by Brian Virtue (Deftones, 30 Seconds to Mars, Janes Addiction, Audio Slave) and you can sample a couple songs below. Check out what Pappas had to say about his tattoos!

When, where and what was your first tattoo?
Pappas: My first tattoos were when I was 18 years old. I got the Triforce from Legend of Zelda on my right wrist and the Samus Aran Screw Attack S on my left wrist. I remember vividly coming home and trying to hide them from my parents. Job stoppers right off the bat, and the giant bandages looked like I had tried to slash my wrists. My mom looked at it and said “you’re so ugly!” and didn’t talk to me for two weeks! Those tats on my wrists are still going strong!

Do any of your tattoos have a particularly special meaning behind them? If so, do share man!
Pappas: All the tats on me have some kind of meaning. I don’t get a piece unless I can attach it to something in my life. I’m not going to get something straight off the wall for the hell of it, ya know? I’ve got a partial sleeve on my right arm that’s a bunch of buildings from places I’ve been, kinda setup to look like M.C. Escher’s work. That one’s a work in progress as kind of a reminder of all the places I’ve been and how fortunate I am to have seen them.

Check out the song “Anywhere But Here”

Do you have a specific shop or artist that you frequent (insert shameless plug time!)?
Pappas: I haven’t gotta a tat in a little bit here, but my last piece I got that I really love was done by Aaron Mason at Soul Expressions in Temecula, CA. I gotta get back to him to get some more work on my sleeve now that we talk about it!

Do you have any new tattoos planned or underway? Give us the dirt dude!
Pappas: I just have to get back to work on the sleeve on my right arm first. Finish the M.C. Escher mural of buildings from my travels down to the wrist from my elbow.

Have you seen any fans with a band tattoo, anything crazy memorable?
Pappas: I see a good amount of Finch circle F’s and lyrics from different songs. That sort of thing is always super flattering to me. For someone to put stuff that we thought up on them for life is pretty cool. I just say thank you.

We know you have one… tell us about that stoned/drunken joke-tattoo you once got….
Pappas: I’ll look you in the eyes and tell you I don’t have one of those. I picked everyone of them consciously… but I will say that some of them weren’t done in the best circumstances with some of my tats looking better than others. In the younger years, the eagerness to get some ink might have cut a corner or two… once or twice. I definitely remember getting inked in the back of a tour bus, with the air-conditioner load on the bus generator slowing down the tattoo needle. The speed up/slow down is something to experience for sure!

Do you have any tattoos that you now hate, want to replace, or have covered up, and why?
Pappas: Just a couple I need to get touched up. Just general maintenance. I wouldn’t say I even hate my bad ones. just need to get them cleaned up a little bit. Bolder lines and spots where a little scab or something took a little ink out. I just need to get on the horse of putting more on! LOL.

Have any tattoos that were painful. Like made you cry, see white light, and regret being born?
Pappas: I don’t know about regret being born, LOL, but the ribs and the shin on the front of the legs aren’t fun. It’s all just being cut up by a needle right? So I always tell people, the places that see light less are going to hurt more! I just try to zen out when it’s that situation… I’m not really a dude that wants to have a conversation about random shit when your slamming my ribs. Cheers!

If you HAD to get someone’s face tattooed on you, who’s would it be and why?
Pappas: Can’t do a face tattoo… Just… can’t… do… it…. I guess if it were do or die, Pac-Man is going on me. I REALLY don’t want someone’s face on me. LOL. Call me weird I guess, but it’s just a thing. Portraits are a turn off for me. I’m just not it to it. But that’s me being weird!

Check out the song “Two Guns to the Temple”