Tattooing has lost one of it's finest... Mike "Rollo" Malone passed away April 18, 2007. He had deep roots in Hawaii as he worked side by side with Sailor Jerry Collins at China Sea Tattoo, Honolulu. When Sailor Jerry passed in 1973 Mike took over the operations at the world famous little shop in Chinatown. It was a small shop but huge in reputation and contribution to the tattoo industry. Few visiting tourist/artists failed to seek out that old shop when in Honolulu just so they could say they had stepped into history! Oh, if those walls could talk!!
Mike "Rollo" Malone
Mike was renowned for his skill at creating and rebuilding some of the finest tattoo machines in the world. His 'Rollo-matics' were and still are treasured by tattoo artists around the globe. He used the trademark established by Paul Rogers of implementing old coins for washers and adornment of the machine. His machines are work horses that few manufactured machines can measure up to.
Mike left Honolulu in the '90's to venture to Minnesota to open Aloha Monkey Tattoo. His last tattoo adventures were at Taylor Street Tattoo in Chicago where he listed himself as a 'retired pirate'!
My husband and I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Mike many times over the years at various tattoo conventions. He was an unpretentious gentleman who knew tattooing inside and out and was not afraid to share his 'secrets' unlike the many generations of artists preceding him. We also have the delight of currently working with Mike B who got his tattooing start with Rollo at China Sea circa 1973. When I asked Mike B to share some info on Rollo I heard of a couple of 'characters' paired up back in the '70's here in Hawaii... I hope to hear more of his stories as it is a rich part of tattoo history.
To Mike Malone... a heartfelt Thank You for all that you gave to our business. You have no idea how much you were respected and loved by so many. It must be quite a reunion in Heaven with Sailor Jerry, Paul Rogers, Bob Shaw, and the many, many other gentlemen who passed before you. God Bless you and all of them.
