When talking about classic old school tattoo artists, one man stands above the rest. Thats Tattoo Lou(a.k.a. Lou Rubino.)

Raised in Brooklyn in the early 1950's Lou knew that his career was in was in tattooing by the age of 14. Lou hung around Coney Island and watched One Eyed Max Peltz tattoo in his sidewalk booth. It was here that he got his first tattoo by Max (the infamous heart with MOM written inside of it). Lou would sit and draw flash, cut stencils, build needles and make machines for Max in return for his knowledge and tattoos.

Later Lou Met Eddie Funk(a.k.a. Crazy Eddie). There was a big fight in a bar one night, and 'of course' Lou and Eddie were there, but on opposite teams, hence they started talking tattoos and from that point on Lou and Eddie became best of friends. Then one day Ed's dad who is responsible for getting them both started professionally, helped them open up shop in Rockaway Queens, where the spent thier days inkin' and fighting. It was a very rough crowd back then. After the season was over Tattoo Lou went back to Coney Island and worked for Brooklyn Blacky, bieng he was the only one open all year round.

Lou then moved on to the Brooklyn Navy yard, where he worked with Jack Red Cloud. Lou was inkin' and knocking out sailors 2 or 3 at a time. "I could ink' and hit all day" said Lou.

A few years later Lou moved on to Manhattan where he and Professor Dominic Chance had the Garden Tattoo Shop, on 48th street and 8th ave, right across from the old Madison Square Garden. " by the way don't let the name Professor fool mislead you, Dominic was no joke, he was a 5 foot terror." said Lou. "Dominic introduced me to my new companion - 'The Ball Peen Hammer' Dominic once said " You need your hands to ink Lou, when they get out of hand, just calmly walk over lock the door, grab the hammer and go to work"

Now instead of 2 or 3 men you could do 5 or 6 easily.
From here Tattoo Lou found a permanent home. He moved to Long Islands Suffolk County where at the time there was only one other shop, who else but the Bowery Boys, Stanley and Walter. Lou opened 35 miles from them in Selden so the duel of stanley and his razor didn't meet the Infamous Tattoo Lou Ball Peen Hammer!

'Respect' thats what it was all about in those days. It didn't grow on you, you had to earn your own. "There were no wimps tattooing in those days, you had to be tough or you just wouldn't make it" said Tattoo Lou.

Lou is very proud to be one of the old time greats along with all of greats he had worked along side of, like One Eyed Max Pelts, Professor Chance, Mikey Colantonio, Tony the Pirate, Brooklyn Blackie,and of course Crazy Philadelphia Eddie. Today Lou is very proud of the staff he hosts of internationally known Award Winning Artists, especially the joy of his creation Tattoo Lou Jr. who has become very well respected in the industry, and won many International Awards. As Lou Sr. signs his name to many on books and tattoo machines he signs 'Tattoo Lou 1956 to infinity', the infinity stands for his son, because Lou Jr. will uphold the great name.