A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

So Long And Thanks For All The Fish

After a personally difficult legal dispute over BME, I’ve had to face the potentially insurmountable reality of being massively in debt, and I have chosen to transfer the business to Rachel (the details of this deal are sealed, so please don’t ask). Within the month my role at BME will come to an end, and new staff (made up largely of people who’ve been working on BME for some time as well) will be taking over. I will no longer be writing online about body modification, although I will be maintaining my regular blog and other projects of course, as well as working on several body modification book projects which I am eager to complete.

It’s definitely a very strange and mixed set of feelings, having run this site from the very beginning, over nearly a decade and a half. On one hand I’m very much looking forward to having the opportunity and time to paint and tackle new adventures, and on the other hand I will very much miss both the people and the subject in general that I came to know through BME. That said, when I grew up and fell in love with body modification — and later built BME — this was a very different and much more “outsider” culture, so maybe now, as not just tattooing but body modification as a whole enjoys unprecedented levels of popularity and acceptability, it is a good time to pass the torch on to a new generation. It’s my hope that they maintain the site in the spirit that it was begun, while taking on the challenges of a new environment.

I have very much enjoyed being a part of BME and I leave it with good memories. Thank you to everyone who’s been a friend of the site, and everyone who’s helped bring it to this point. I hope you’ve enjoyed my contributions — I know I’ve enjoyed yours — and I hope that you continue to enjoy what BME brings in the future.

See you in hell! 😛

         Shannon
         [email protected]
         zentastic.com

 

Comments

760 responses to “So Long And Thanks For All The Fish”

  1. Heretic Avatar

    With all due respect to Shannon, and I do have alot. To the people that are saying BME is dead. I have to strongly disagree, maybe I’m an optimist but I’d like to believe that this is a new begaining. Yes Shannon will be missed very much. However to count BME itself out is just plain stupid. It shows to me at lest just how much part of the community you are.

  2. Heretic Avatar

    With all due respect to Shannon, and I do have alot. To the people that are saying BME is dead. I have to strongly disagree, maybe I’m an optimist but I’d like to believe that this is a new begaining. Yes Shannon will be missed very much. However to count BME itself out is just plain stupid. It shows to me at lest just how much part of the community you are.

  3. London Avatar
    London

    bye shannon, im sorry you are leaving so soon after i discovered modblog<3; i wish you the best of luck.

  4. London Avatar
    London

    bye shannon, im sorry you are leaving so soon after i discovered modblog<3; i wish you the best of luck.

  5. WigBendy Avatar
    WigBendy

    Shannon,

    Thanks for changing my life.

  6. WigBendy Avatar
    WigBendy

    Shannon,

    Thanks for changing my life.

  7. Jill Vicious Avatar
    Jill Vicious

    Best of luck in your future endeavors. Keep in touch.

    You have changed our lives for the better.

  8. Jill Vicious Avatar
    Jill Vicious

    Best of luck in your future endeavors. Keep in touch.

    You have changed our lives for the better.

  9. DeadlyNay Avatar
    DeadlyNay

    you will be greatly missed. good luck and fair well.

  10. DeadlyNay Avatar
    DeadlyNay

    you will be greatly missed. good luck and fair well.

  11. xDeviant Avatar
    xDeviant

    I agree with you Heretic.. BME isn’t dead because Shannon is leaving..it will change, but it will not die.

  12. xDeviant Avatar
    xDeviant

    I agree with you Heretic.. BME isn’t dead because Shannon is leaving..it will change, but it will not die.

  13. TKO Avatar
    TKO

    …….seriously? shannon, i love you. i’m pretty sure you changed the fucking world man. x

  14. TKO Avatar
    TKO

    …….seriously? shannon, i love you. i’m pretty sure you changed the fucking world man. x

  15. Adrian Avatar
    Adrian

    I’ll miss ya, Shannon. But let’s hope we don’t all go “morgue” on this. BME doesn’t need to die simply because of foolish loyalties to the frontman [with all due respect.]
    It’s been a good run.

  16. Adrian Avatar
    Adrian

    I’ll miss ya, Shannon. But let’s hope we don’t all go “morgue” on this. BME doesn’t need to die simply because of foolish loyalties to the frontman [with all due respect.]
    It’s been a good run.

  17. Renee S Avatar
    Renee S

    I’ve found myself on MODBLOG Everyday for as long as i can remember. Your posts have taught me so much about pushing our bodies to the limits and have also educated me on how many oppourtunities and possibilities there truly out there.

    I wish you the best of lucky in anything you will be persuing in the future.

  18. Renee S Avatar
    Renee S

    I’ve found myself on MODBLOG Everyday for as long as i can remember. Your posts have taught me so much about pushing our bodies to the limits and have also educated me on how many oppourtunities and possibilities there truly out there.

    I wish you the best of lucky in anything you will be persuing in the future.

  19. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    Thank YOU, Shannon. For everything.

  20. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    Thank YOU, Shannon. For everything.

  21. LestatLeVampire Avatar

    wish you the best! and hope to get my hands into one of your books soon! 🙂
    thanks!
    been a great time!

  22. LestatLeVampire Avatar

    wish you the best! and hope to get my hands into one of your books soon! 🙂
    thanks!
    been a great time!

  23. Froggy Avatar
    Froggy

    BME has been a part of my life for many years. Thank you Shannon for everything! Good luck in the future!

  24. Froggy Avatar
    Froggy

    BME has been a part of my life for many years. Thank you Shannon for everything! Good luck in the future!

  25. JohnnyThief Avatar

    There is a season for everything under Heaven,… that’s from Ecclesiastes,… or the Birds.

    I’ve been on here since it was a text only message board in 96. I’ve met great people on here, some of my favorite people ever, & even performed a wedding for two of them, Carmela & Critical Bob.

    The spirit of the place has changed. I’m all for change. I change people for a living. But I feel like too much of the vapid PC culture I loathe has corrupted people. There are far too many walls from the way things were a decade ago.

    Shannon has been a great fan of my work, & I of his. I hope to meet you someday, & we can trade,…

    Buona fortuna, & DLTBGYD!

  26. JohnnyThief Avatar

    There is a season for everything under Heaven,… that’s from Ecclesiastes,… or the Birds.

    I’ve been on here since it was a text only message board in 96. I’ve met great people on here, some of my favorite people ever, & even performed a wedding for two of them, Carmela & Critical Bob.

    The spirit of the place has changed. I’m all for change. I change people for a living. But I feel like too much of the vapid PC culture I loathe has corrupted people. There are far too many walls from the way things were a decade ago.

    Shannon has been a great fan of my work, & I of his. I hope to meet you someday, & we can trade,…

    Buona fortuna, & DLTBGYD!

  27. LotN Avatar

    …so goes the heart…

  28. LotN Avatar

    …so goes the heart…

  29. Nika Avatar
    Nika

    Wow. Thanks for everything, Shannon. We’ll miss you. Best of luck!

  30. Nika Avatar
    Nika

    Wow. Thanks for everything, Shannon. We’ll miss you. Best of luck!

  31. Tammy Avatar

    It will be strange without you… I’ve been a BME fan since it was bme.freeq.com. Modblog is definitely less entertaining when you’re not writing it.

    I hope whatever path you take next brings you joy.

  32. Tammy Avatar

    It will be strange without you… I’ve been a BME fan since it was bme.freeq.com. Modblog is definitely less entertaining when you’re not writing it.

    I hope whatever path you take next brings you joy.

  33. Al Avatar
    Al

    Good luck mate! thanks for all the spoon fed information

  34. Al Avatar
    Al

    Good luck mate! thanks for all the spoon fed information

  35. williamshire Avatar

    Happy trails to you until we meet again.
    Aes Dhammo Sanantano.

  36. williamshire Avatar

    Happy trails to you until we meet again.
    Aes Dhammo Sanantano.

  37. PuncturedPrincess Avatar

    Well shit.

    Anybody need a few coupons? I won’t be needing them. 😐

  38. PuncturedPrincess Avatar

    Well shit.

    Anybody need a few coupons? I won’t be needing them. 😐

  39. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    Can anyone say cult status?
    I don’t know how this will all turn out, I just hope that bmezine manages to continue doing what it has always done for me, and probably a lot of others who frequent the site: made us feel comfortable with who we are.

  40. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    Can anyone say cult status?
    I don’t know how this will all turn out, I just hope that bmezine manages to continue doing what it has always done for me, and probably a lot of others who frequent the site: made us feel comfortable with who we are.

  41. Caitlin Avatar

    Will miss you dearly Shannon, you were like an old friend to us all. Thanks for all your work. You’re a legend, mate.

  42. Caitlin Avatar

    Will miss you dearly Shannon, you were like an old friend to us all. Thanks for all your work. You’re a legend, mate.

  43. Tyler Integrity Avatar

    So long and thank you for making a place that changed my life.
    Take care.
    -Tyler.

  44. Tyler Integrity Avatar

    So long and thank you for making a place that changed my life.
    Take care.
    -Tyler.

  45. psychojacqui Avatar
    psychojacqui

    This is so sad.
    Best of luck Shannon
    I think it may have already been said, but it feels like a close family member has just died.
    BME will never be the same

  46. psychojacqui Avatar
    psychojacqui

    This is so sad.
    Best of luck Shannon
    I think it may have already been said, but it feels like a close family member has just died.
    BME will never be the same

  47. Doom-Kitten Avatar

    I’ll miss your posts Shannon =^.^=

  48. Doom-Kitten Avatar

    I’ll miss your posts Shannon =^.^=

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