Local faces

A life of skin and ink: the founder of Rye Lanez tattooing, on the best of Peckham ―

By Holly O'Mahony

Rye Lanez Tattooing is celebrating five years of being in business this summer. A party was thrown outside the shop on July 23, with friends of the business providing the food, drink and entertainment. A south-east Londoner born and bred, Rye Lanez owner Moby is a familiar face in the neighbourhood and a champion of fellow local businesses, so finding willing participants to cater for the anniversary was presumably no hard ask.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the tattoo parlour though: Moby had to fight The Arch Co to keep hold of the shop, which takes up one of the coveted railway arches on Blenheim Grove.

The South Londoner speaks to Moby about the joys and challenges of running a tattoo parlour, calling Peckham home, and how he got into a life of skin and ink…

South Londoner: Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get into the tattooing business and what led you to set up your own shop?

Moby: I grew up here in south-east London. I've always been fascinated by tattoos and always wanted to do it. I eventually got an apprenticeship with Joey Inks in Lewisham. After leaving there, I was living with a friend, Lewis Ham (@lewis_ham), and we were spending a lot of time in Peckham, hanging out in shops like Wavey Garms and Balamii studio in Holdrons Arcade. We were both interested in starting our own tattooing business, but we needed a team. We managed to recruit two more artists in the form of Sean (@londonboy_ tattooer) and Cei (@obwelectrictattooing), and started looking for a studio space.

SL: You opened Rye Lanez Tattooing in a railway arch in Blenheim Grove. Fast-forward to the present and your business turned five this year. What did you do to celebrate?

M: We threw a party in our front yard on Blenheim Grove. We had some amazing local DJs including Uyless, Sith God, Bluetoof, OneMan, Chinese Daughter and Silva Snipa, and some incredible food and drink served by En Root and Smokey Jerkey.

SL: What have you learned from the past five years of running a business?

M: I think the best thing about running your own business is getting to have creative control with your work. The team and I do things our way, which is different to other shops, but it’s worked for us so far. It sounds cheesy, but team work really does make the dream work.

SL: Rye Lanez Tattooing must have some stories from the past five years. Is there a memorable moment that comes to mind?

M: We've had so many amazing memories here but one of the best was when we streamed the 2020 Euro finals [held in 2021] in the front yard of the shop and had the community drop in to watch it. Even though we lost at the last minute, it was an incredible atmosphere and a memorable night for everyone.

SL: What’s the most bizarre thing you’ve been asked to tattoo on someone? (that you’re allowed to tell us about, that is!)

M: The craziest thing we nearly tattooed was a Nike tick on someone's forehead, but after finding him smoking something, er, a bit stronger than weed, just outside the entrance to the shop, we gave him his money back and cancelled the appointment.

SL: Sounds like you did him a solid. On the flip side, what’s the most common tattoo you get asked for?

M: I think the most common thing we get asked to tattoo is names – everybody has a word or a name that's special to them or has some meaning in their life.

SL: Tell us something those of us who don’t have tattoos won’t know?

M: I’ll give you a fun fact: according to The Atlas of True Names, which uncovers how global places came to be named, the term Great Britain is a combination of the Celtic word ‘brit’ and Greek word 'prettanoi', which roughly translates as ‘great land of tattooed people’.

SL: As a Peckham local, what do you love about the area? What makes you proud to run a business there?

M: Peckham is great because of the diversity here. We’re a walk-in shop and it's fun to work with people from all walks of life. We tattoo university students, career criminals, celebrities and everyone in between.

SL: In the spirit of supporting other local businesses, what are some of your favourites in the area that our readers should know about?

M: There are so many fine local establishments in Peckham, but to name a few of our favourites: Rye Express, a bar called Tola, Balamii radio, the Peckhamplex cinema, the Nags Head pub, M.Manze’s pie shop, plant-based restaurant En Root and of course everyone in Rye Lane Market, which is where it all started for us five years ago.

Rye Lanez Tattooing, Unit 210, 22a Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QN. Open daily, 11am - 7pm. www.ryelaneztattooing.co.uk