Day 41 - Backflip (The Front Bottoms)

DIY Tattoos, Nostalgia, and The Front Bottoms: An Illustration Inspired by 'Backflip'

Some songs don’t just play in the background—they etch themselves into your memory, tangled up with late-night conversations, impulsive decisions, and fleeting moments of youthful defiance. Backflip by The Front Bottoms is one of those songs.

One lyric always stuck with me:

"A spool of thread, a few more good vibes, a safety pin, and a ballpoint pen..."

That line captures a perfectly reckless, deeply personal moment—the kind where you’re bonding with friends, making mistakes, and creating something that might outlast the moment itself. I took those words and turned them into this illustration: a DIY tattoo machine, held together with thread and a bit of blind confidence.

The song itself is a mix of angst, nostalgia, and self-reflection, flipping between acceptance and regret, impulsiveness and uncertainty. That duality is something a lot of us can relate to—whether it’s about tattoos, relationships, or life choices we haven’t quite figured out yet.

Have you ever gotten a tattoo on a whim? Do you regret it, or does it remind you of a time you don’t want to forget?

Let me know in the comments—let’s talk tattoos, music, and memories.