Barter Tattoos, Bidets, Bubonic Plague & Self-Acceptance Ft. Rob Graye (Ep. 32)

2025-06-10

This week on the Tattoo Budcast, the Buds are flushing out the facts—literally—with tattooer, shop owner, and longtime friend Robert Graye! Rob’s a master of neo-traditional tattoos, but don’t put him in a stylistic box—he’ll bust right out of it (with perfect line weight). We cover everything from bidets and bubonic plague to urethral E. coli (yes, you read that right). Then we get serious-ish and talk about how Rob got into tattooing, the emotional sting of constructive criticism, and the financial rollercoast...

We cover everything from bidets and bubonic plague to urethral E. coli (yes, you read that right). Then we get serious-ish and talk about how Rob got into tattooing, the emotional sting of constructive criticism, and the financial rollercoaster that is full-time tattooing.

Oh, and did you know some of your favorite artists have traded tattoos for things like plumbing work or tacos? We’re diving into the secret bartering economy of tattooing, and asking the big questions:

Where are we currently clocking in on the scale of self-acceptance? Are tattoos acts of self-love or just new things to pick apart in the mirror?

It’s equal parts heart, humor, and hygiene in this week’s episode—watch, laugh, and maybe even cringe with us.

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Guest: Robert Graye

IG: @Robiscoffee

Shop: @lalunaartcollective

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