FREDDIE CORBIN

I've been getting a lot of people asking about the Sons of Anarchy logo. Who created the Reaper? I had a general idea of what I wanted -- something with the anarchist A, something that suggests Vietnam, something very cool. John Linson recommended his favorite tattoo artist, Freddie Corbin. Freddie is a renown San Francisco tattoo artist who has inked some of the most notorious outlaws and celebrities in Northern Cali. For next to nothing (what FX/Fox21 is famous for paying), more of a favor to John that anything, Freddie ran with our vague notion and created the Reaper. It was amazing. It blew us all away. This is a photo and part of an article I lifted from PRICK MAGAZINE:

In the fall of 1987, Freddie Corbin's employment as a paperboy for the San Francisco Chronicle was terminated. While trying to figure out a way to make some money, he began his new career as a tattoo artist. Through his friendship with Erno, of Erno's Tattoo in the Lower Fillmore section of San Francisco, he began to practice his new profession. Erno then gave Freddie keys to the shop, and full use of all the equipment. As he began to hone his craft, a new opportunity arose with the famed Ed Hardy. In the 1989, Realistic Tattoo came knocking and Freddie answered. He switched shops and more opportunities came his way. After a few years with Realistic, he was approached in 1991 by Ed Hardy to help him open the new Tattoo City. Ed, who had been running Realistic, decided that it was time to re-open Tattoo City. With the aid of Eddie Deusthe and Danny Higgs, Tattoo City was re-established as one of the premier galleries in the Bay area, if not the country. But after a few years at Tattoo City, though, Freddie became restless and wanted to see the world. From 1995-1997, he traveled to various shops throughout the West Coast and Europe, making appearances in Sacramento's American Graffiti; in Lausanne, Switzerland were worked at Philip Leu's studio for a day, and holding residence at Hanky Panky's in Amsterdam. Drawing from those experiences, Freddie decided it was time to venture out on his own. He set out to find a place to set up shop. He thought about Atlanta, since his good friends Johnny Colt and his wife Rosie lived there. But upon visiting the ATL, he thought there were enough accomplished artists and good parlors in the area that another wasn't really needed. But on the opposite coast, Oakland was in need of just that - a good shop. Now, with the location set, tattoo artists were needed. He rounded up Chris Conn from and Tattoo City; Jason McAfee from Hollywood; Nate Sponsler from American Graffiti; and recent addition Scott Silva from 222. On May 5, 1998 Temple Tattoo opened at 384 17th St. in the heart of Oakland, Calif. After experiencing great success with Temple, he decided to open a sister shop, Tattoo 13 located in the Temescal section of Oakland.