I was recently contacted via email to visit a shop down in Linden, NJ. Now, to local musicians like me, Linden, NJ, is known as the home of The Cup Entertainment Complex because we’ve all played there at one time or another. Well, this would be the first time that I headed to Linden without playing at The Cup. This time I was going to visit Paul Nolin’s tattoo shop, Physical Graffiti Tattoo.

Physical Graffiti, which has been in the same spot since 1993, is in a great location. It’s right in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Linden, Saint Georges Avenue, and besides, it’s hard to miss the big bright sign in the front that glows “Tattoos.” After finding parking, I entered what might’ve been one of the biggest tattoo shops that I’ve ever visited. Physical Graffiti has two entrances: you can walk through one door where you’ll end up on the body piercing side of the shop, and you’ll be greeted by resident body piercer Tommy Hill, or you can walk through the other door, which will bring you to the tattoo side of the shop. The tattoo side had a small reception desk in…