Danny Elfman Says Tool Album Helped Him Endure the Pain of His Multiple Tattoos

[u/BlurryRogue]

https://consequence.net/2026/10/danny-elfman-tool-album-helped-pain-tattoos/

[u/ttyp00]

Genuine question.. how much do tattooos actually hurt?

[u/ChildoftheApocolypse → u/ttyp00]

Depends entirely on the person and location..

[u/Mudmartini → u/ChildoftheApocolypse]

How much do they hurt in Ohio?

[u/ChildoftheApocolypse → u/Mudmartini]

Everything hurts more in Ohio..

[u/Disastrous-Row1429 → u/ChildoftheApocolypse]

True. Dull people and dull needles.

[u/dialogical_rhetor → u/Mudmartini]

They hurt less under a dead Ohio sky, apparently.

[u/Gymrat777 → u/ChildoftheApocolypse]

I have one on my outer thigh and it was mildly uncomfortable.

[u/Nebula_369 → u/ChildoftheApocolypse]

In addition to those variables, the 1st hour of the session is VERY different than your 6th hour into the session. It becomes nearly unbearable. However, I once did a 10 hour tattoo session and my body caught a huge second wind of pain tolerance around hour 7.

[u/threeoldbeigecamaros → u/ttyp00]

It’s something between a severe sunburn and a few hundred thousand bee stings

[u/thefract0metr1st → u/ttyp00]

I have one on the back of one of my shoulders and that basically felt like someone was writing on me with a well sharpened pencil. I have another around my wrist and there were points that it hurt enough that tears started forming.

[u/CipherAC0 → u/ttyp00]

Like a really deep cat scratch as the needle moves along. You tune it out eventually but occasionally you remember you’re getting tattooed and it hurts again.

[u/carthuscrass → u/ttyp00]

Kinda like someone with short but present fingernails scratching you. It doesn't hurt really in most places but in areas with large stretches of skin with no bone behind them like the abdomen it gets fairly painful.

[u/jmster109 → u/ttyp00]

Depends

The one on my inner bicep hurt like a MF but places like your shoulder or outer arm doesn’t hurt nearly as bad

[u/x_conqueeftador69_x → u/ttyp00]

In my experience, it's mostly like a persistent cat scratch. It ain't comfortable, but it's more than bearable. Until you get close to/on top of bone. Then that shit hurts like a mofo.

The real trick, however, is to make sure you go to a good artist. Because laser removal might be the worst pain I've ever experienced - and I can handle a lot.

[u/Warlock420 → u/ttyp00]

The sensation I always get is like a tens unit on a very high setting. This weird burning/shocking/vibrating feeling. Honestly my tattoos weren't that bad since I use them at high settings anyway 

[u/luckyfox7273]

Which tool album?

[u/deNOMNOMNOMinator → u/luckyfox7273]

Fear Inoculum

[u/luckyfox7273 → u/deNOMNOMNOMinator]

Its good shit 👏

[u/cris090382]

We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.

[u/princeof_pain]

FI makes me willing to do anything. Almost like I’m ready to enlist in a space mission

[u/Ok-Reality-9197 → u/princeof_pain]

There's some power in that album for sure

[u/hyundai-gt]

He needed the New Tattoos to complete the OGT set

[u/RickyWicky]

Oingo Boingo's "Insanity" is one of my favourite songs ever.

[u/mirandabrokedown → u/RickyWicky]

Same. Elfman is legit a musical genius.

[u/Ok-Reality-9197]

TIL that Danny Elfman has tattoos. And a lot of them. This guy is actually metal as fuck

[u/Local_Maintenance788 → u/Ok-Reality-9197]

He is badass. I just saw him live last month. Never knew the Simpsons theme guy was that fuckin cool

[u/TakeThePowerBack83]

It's a dead man's party. Who could ask for more? Everybody's coming, leave your body at the door. I always liked Oingo Boingo.

[u/burchalade]

Saw him before Tool at LTL. He has a really cool Alice in Wonderland piece on his shoulder

[u/Popular_Painter9648]

What I would give for a body of art. I kind of dig the pain.

[u/dr-blaklite]

My old drummer pretty much did them same thing. That and talked about Buddhist philosophy with his artists, and how the two interscet