sugar & spikes tattoo feature x afropunk fest ’12: straight line stitch

Alexis Brown embodies the beauty and raw talent of a true rock legend ascending to the top. As the front woman of the hard rock/metal band from Knoxville TN, Straight Line Stitch, Alexis is proving to the world that she is unafraid to be a true individual and create music that is genuine. She has the ability to alternate her sound between blistering metal with screaming vocals and belting out melodies from her soulful roots. Her growing success is a result of her band’s passion to creating a sound that reflects their unity. There is something special Alexis exudes during her performances and it hits your heart…you feel her devotion. Just as she is committed to her music, it comes as no surprise that her devotion for her spirituality would be as strong and would transcend through her inspiring ink.

Words by Mika Kenyah
Tattoo shots below by Photos by Dan Rosenthal

While many girls were still playing with dolls, Alexis was fascinated by tattoos. She admired all the ink her stepfather sported and attributes him to influencing her love for tattoos. By age 16, Alexis got her first tattoo and admits getting tattoos at that age, definitely created an addiction because her impulsive nature would be ready for ink at a moment’s notice. “There are so many good tattoo artists out there who I know now that I wish can tattoo me…but now I’m pretty covered.”
A lot of her pieces are part of a whole tattoo theme, she named, “Dark Christianity”. “All my tattoos represent my strong belief in God, but they’re very dark, almost gothic in a way.” Alexis’s favorite piece is on her left arm which is a a portrait of Jesus out of the tomb with Mary praying underneath, two doves, a storm breaking into a magnificent sunset, along with a glow-in-the-dark sacred heart that represents the sun. On her right upper arm, she has a Garden of Eden theme beginning to form. Some vividly bright colored flowers gives way to a serpent sneaking around an apple. Looking at her pieces as a whole, feels like you are looking right into the pages of the Bible, brought to color by Diestsch at Skinwerks Tattoo and 1st Ammendment Tattoo. Her most cherished piece of all are her portraits of her grandparents and brother done by Danny Fugate. There is no doubt that her love for her spirituality and family speaks volumes of her sincerity as an artist.
With “God” tatted on the back of her neck, Alexis Brown isn’t afraid to wear her faith proudly while still rocking the pants off of thousands of fans in a hardcore scene. Rock & Roll and faith is both part of her soul and she lays it out for all of us on stage with every scream she delivers. Come check out her band, Straight Line Stitch at this year’s Afropunk Festival 2012.