Let It Kill You is a book by Ben McQueen.
Ben McQueen is a tattoo artist and skateboarder from Indianapolis living in San Francisco. On October 28, 2022, Resolute Press will release Let It Kill You: The Marriage of Tattoos & Skateboarding.
“Let It Kill You is a unique book that lands somewhere between a photography book and your favorite issue of Thrasher. Interviews were conducted with each subject in person at their residence or workplace over the course of 2021 and 2022. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for print. The result is an intimate and thorough conversation on skateboarding, tattooing, and a lifetime of working between the two.”
“Vol. 1 features over 250 pages of interviews, artwork, tattoos, and skate photos with Jamie Thomas, Nathan Kostechko, Andrew Allen, Chad Koeplinger, Cheyenne Sawyer, Tyler Bledsoe, Eric Dressen, and Jano Navarrete.”
The featured photographer is Brandon Burdine.
COVID inspiration: “I started considering it more seriously during the pandemic and it led me to the idea for this book. There’s always been this bond between skateboarding and tattooing, the overlaps and parallels are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. We’ve brought together eight of the best skateboarders and tattooers to share their experiences in skateboarding, tattooing, and how it has shaped their lives. The interviews are special and really raw.”
Why a book, Thrasher Magazine asks, “Books are tangible and they’re timeless. So many things these days just feel unstable and fleeting. Also, books have always played a huge role in how I tattoo, so they’re familiar. I like that this book won’t live in a cloud somewhere—it will be on a shelf to revisit over and over. I’m open to the idea of rolling this project into something different down the road, but it’s books for now. Check out the rest of this interview with McQueen in Thrasher Magazine.
