CHRIS CROSSMAN

Hello, my name is Chris Crossman and this is my story so far.

I was born in 1969 and I’m the founder of Buzzin Guns. I left school in 1985 on a Friday and like everyone back then, went straight to work on Monday! (Which was forestry) after several years in the family business I decided it wasn’t for me and moved away from the North East of England to the South East of England where I met Sue. I had no idea what I wanted to become but I knew it wasn’t a forestry worker, as a kid I enjoyed woodwork and as I wasn’t academic and preferred to use my hands I then decided to go to college and became a joiner. After a few years of that, I hit a wall and started to hate being on building sites.

It was then time for a big change, but I wasn't sure what to do, so myself and Sue decided to move back to the North East of England and see where that took us. I got a job on the building sites and carried on as a joiner hating every day of it, I felt I was stuck in the rat race of life screaming at the world. Then I met Peter Hall who owns Evil Needle Tattoo Studio. In the beginning, it started off as a typical client and artist relationship, then we became best friends. I had always drawn and painted from an early age but didn’t think for one minute I could make a living out of it. Enthusiastically I began pestering the life out of Pete until he eventually gave up and taught me how to tattoo and oh how it was a baptism of fire! I learnt very quickly. Because I was older and wiser thanks to having had learnt a lot from life and other industries I endeavour to apply that knowledge to tattooing where ever possible. It was a hobby to start with -  every weekend and bank holiday I was in his studio as I couldn’t afford to give up working on sites and become a full-time tattoo artist but I knew I loved it more than anything I had ever done.

Then the 2007 recession came along and we lost everything, so myself and Sue talked it through and decided we no longer had anything to lose and that it was the perfect time for me to pursue the opportunity and start tattooing full time. This was the start of Buzzin Guns. A New Chapter. I worked on my own for 3 years and then in November 2010 the opportunity to buy what was then Steel Pain Brush in Durham came up, so I talked to Sue about the opportunity and we went for a look at the place. From the minute I walked through the door I knew this was the place for Buzzin Guns to grow and develop. The building was, let’s say, in need of some love but the location was perfect just off the north road on Neville street right next to the main bus station and a 5 minute walk from the train station which made it easy to get to from anywhere in the UK. After a little bit of homework, we found out that the area had also been earmarked for a massive redevelopment program which made it very viable so we decided to buy it.

The skills I’d gathered along the way helped us to create what is now Buzzin Guns Tattoo Studio in Durham.

I do not consider myself the boss (Sue is) I’m more like the caretaker if I am honest and I love it! Sue runs the studio and as it turns out she is a natural at it. 

I can tackle many different styles of tattooing but I predominantly enjoy black and grey realism these days, I’ve also added another string to my bow, becoming fully qualified and insured as a laser technician for tattoo removal and scar reduction. I had noticed over the years and especially since cheap tattoo equipment became easily available on the Internet to people with no knowledge or training, that the tattoos that were coming into the studio for coverups were getting worse and harder for us to do anything with, so I made the decision to invest in a state-of-the-art laser system to offer our clients the option of a clean slate and a much better end result. I am immensely proud of what myself and Sue have achieved - which we see as a cool and friendly welcoming place to come for tattoos, piercings and laser treatments where everybody can feel at home and just be themselves.

My vision for the studio is that it continues to evolve and thrive as it continues in its commitment to improvement, impeccable quality of services and technology as it advances.