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. Fight2Survive Avatar

    WHAT!?!?!?!??!
    just when i came back on iam…
    ughhh..
    That means ill be leaving iam again…IAM WITHOUT SHANNON IS NOT IAM. ITS NOTHING.

  2. Fight2Survive Avatar

    WHAT!?!?!?!??!
    just when i came back on iam…
    ughhh..
    That means ill be leaving iam again…IAM WITHOUT SHANNON IS NOT IAM. ITS NOTHING.

  3. toothpaste Avatar

    lots of love shannon..i can’t believe you have to give up something that you created.

  4. toothpaste Avatar

    lots of love shannon..i can’t believe you have to give up something that you created.

  5. KimDracula Avatar
    KimDracula

    Best of luck with everything. You’ve done a brilliant job.

  6. KimDracula Avatar
    KimDracula

    Best of luck with everything. You’ve done a brilliant job.

  7. HERe Avatar

    thanks for all you’ve given us, it was greatly appreciated.

  8. HERe Avatar

    thanks for all you’ve given us, it was greatly appreciated.

  9. Hamsandawich Avatar

    This blog truly changed my life like many others on here. I wouldn’t be so confident in myself if it weren’t for this place. It gave a lot of us an escape from the harsh judgements of the “real world” and brought us altogether and made us feel united and proud of being modified. I will truly miss your writings Shannon, I’ve never spoke to you personally, but I feel as if your a good friend. I am truly sadden by this news and alittle piece of me is crushed. I will continue to support modifications of all kinda, but I can’t truly say if I will continue to support BME or not.
    <333
    -Sarah

  10. Hamsandawich Avatar

    This blog truly changed my life like many others on here. I wouldn’t be so confident in myself if it weren’t for this place. It gave a lot of us an escape from the harsh judgements of the “real world” and brought us altogether and made us feel united and proud of being modified. I will truly miss your writings Shannon, I’ve never spoke to you personally, but I feel as if your a good friend. I am truly sadden by this news and alittle piece of me is crushed. I will continue to support modifications of all kinda, but I can’t truly say if I will continue to support BME or not.
    <333
    -Sarah

  11. Kobold Avatar
    Kobold

    Thanks for the articles, encouragement, and getting this community growing and going.

  12. Kobold Avatar
    Kobold

    Thanks for the articles, encouragement, and getting this community growing and going.

  13. jurcis Avatar
    jurcis

    wow

  14. jurcis Avatar
    jurcis

    wow

  15. Mattias (Sweden) Avatar

    Thank you so múch Shannon for all that you have done for the bodymod community and those interested in it.

    I drink to your unfortunate departure from this site and wish you the best of luck with your continuing work. And I also drink to the people taking over. Welcome!

    Since I first discovered BMEzine (back in the freeq.com days) it has been a sanctuary away from my everyday life as a school teacher. When the dullness of normality became to strong there was always BME Hard, Extreme etc. to provide me with a much needed dose of blood and art. And an at least weekly visit to Modblog has helped restore my whatever little faith I’ve had in humanity.

    I’m looking forward to see what the future brings.

    Once again, the best of luck and thanks for the FLESH.

  16. Mattias (Sweden) Avatar

    Thank you so múch Shannon for all that you have done for the bodymod community and those interested in it.

    I drink to your unfortunate departure from this site and wish you the best of luck with your continuing work. And I also drink to the people taking over. Welcome!

    Since I first discovered BMEzine (back in the freeq.com days) it has been a sanctuary away from my everyday life as a school teacher. When the dullness of normality became to strong there was always BME Hard, Extreme etc. to provide me with a much needed dose of blood and art. And an at least weekly visit to Modblog has helped restore my whatever little faith I’ve had in humanity.

    I’m looking forward to see what the future brings.

    Once again, the best of luck and thanks for the FLESH.

  17. Robyn Avatar
    Robyn

    🙁

  18. Robyn Avatar
    Robyn

    🙁

  19. freekyeyes Avatar

    the king is dead …. long live the king!!

  20. freekyeyes Avatar

    the king is dead …. long live the king!!

  21. .: Adam Avatar

    Shannon,

    This world will not be the same without you. You will always be my mentor =)

    Thank you for all of your help and support. We will miss you! Keep in touch!

    .: Adam

  22. .: Adam Avatar

    Shannon,

    This world will not be the same without you. You will always be my mentor =)

    Thank you for all of your help and support. We will miss you! Keep in touch!

    .: Adam

  23. BIOHAZARD Avatar

    my eyes watered when I read this. BME has definitely changed my life more than any other website ever. It has shown what is possible and inspired me to reach greater mods since I was 16. It also was the mecca of the body mod world. If it wasnt for the artist I met through BME I might have never got to hang or get implants, and I definitely wouldnt have got my eyeball tattooed. I owe so much to Shannan and BME. So this is my thanks to you Shannon. For all you’ve done and also for posting me on modblog 4 times this month. Mostly for all you’ve done…

  24. BIOHAZARD Avatar

    my eyes watered when I read this. BME has definitely changed my life more than any other website ever. It has shown what is possible and inspired me to reach greater mods since I was 16. It also was the mecca of the body mod world. If it wasnt for the artist I met through BME I might have never got to hang or get implants, and I definitely wouldnt have got my eyeball tattooed. I owe so much to Shannan and BME. So this is my thanks to you Shannon. For all you’ve done and also for posting me on modblog 4 times this month. Mostly for all you’ve done…

  25. Magician Avatar

    Thank you for starting BME. Without you I would never have got pierced, tattooed or suspended. Very sorry to see you go.

    I am glad I didn’t get my BME4Life tat – I don’t think BME will ever be the same.

    Cheers Shannon

  26. Magician Avatar

    Thank you for starting BME. Without you I would never have got pierced, tattooed or suspended. Very sorry to see you go.

    I am glad I didn’t get my BME4Life tat – I don’t think BME will ever be the same.

    Cheers Shannon

  27. Tim aka rockettpunk Avatar

    nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

  28. Tim aka rockettpunk Avatar

    nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

  29. Beauty inthe Breakdown Avatar

    Haha I don’t feel so retarded now for getting teary eyed.

    Shannon we don’t even need to tell you how much you’ll be missed, I’m sure you know well. You know the difference you make in so many lives. It’s amazing. A part of my everyday isn’t going to be here anymore. It really saddens me. I wish you nothing but the best in whatever you continue to pursue.

    We’ll all miss you.

  30. Beauty inthe Breakdown Avatar

    Haha I don’t feel so retarded now for getting teary eyed.

    Shannon we don’t even need to tell you how much you’ll be missed, I’m sure you know well. You know the difference you make in so many lives. It’s amazing. A part of my everyday isn’t going to be here anymore. It really saddens me. I wish you nothing but the best in whatever you continue to pursue.

    We’ll all miss you.

  31. katie Avatar
    katie

    you’ll be missed shannon 🙁

  32. katie Avatar
    katie

    you’ll be missed shannon 🙁

  33. Madeline Avatar

    Lame…..you will be missed.

  34. Madeline Avatar

    Lame…..you will be missed.

  35. zynon Avatar
    zynon

    /tear.

  36. zynon Avatar
    zynon

    /tear.

  37. cirrin Avatar
    cirrin

    I’d hoped (probably a bit naively) that things were okay now and you’d be able to stay forever. I guess not. Your presence on BME will definitely be missed. Love you.

  38. cirrin Avatar
    cirrin

    I’d hoped (probably a bit naively) that things were okay now and you’d be able to stay forever. I guess not. Your presence on BME will definitely be missed. Love you.

  39. CherrY VampyrE Avatar

    The end of an era… Won’t be the same without you… But good luck with everything… xox

  40. CherrY VampyrE Avatar

    The end of an era… Won’t be the same without you… But good luck with everything… xox

  41. Jumping Joshy Jesus Juice Avatar

    awww shit!! im really trying to stay positive and give the impending take-over people the benefit of the doubt but man last time everything went into other peoples hands everything went to hell. Lets hope things wont go that way this time. Christ Shannon, its been good man.

  42. Jumping Joshy Jesus Juice Avatar

    awww shit!! im really trying to stay positive and give the impending take-over people the benefit of the doubt but man last time everything went into other peoples hands everything went to hell. Lets hope things wont go that way this time. Christ Shannon, its been good man.

  43. lovelost Avatar
    lovelost

    Im so fucking sad about this. BME will not be the same!

  44. lovelost Avatar
    lovelost

    Im so fucking sad about this. BME will not be the same!

  45. MetalHouse III Avatar
    MetalHouse III

    Farewell dear sweet Shannon, may your work as an artist soar and grow.
    You rule

  46. MetalHouse III Avatar
    MetalHouse III

    Farewell dear sweet Shannon, may your work as an artist soar and grow.
    You rule

  47. prettysick Avatar
    prettysick

    Shannon you have changed my entire outlook on what I can do with my body and thanks to you and BME I have the confidence to do what I feel I have to do without the fear of being looked down on. You have done the body modification society such a service. I will miss knowing you are there 🙁

  48. prettysick Avatar
    prettysick

    Shannon you have changed my entire outlook on what I can do with my body and thanks to you and BME I have the confidence to do what I feel I have to do without the fear of being looked down on. You have done the body modification society such a service. I will miss knowing you are there 🙁

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