Alan Oversby
Encyclopedia
Alan Oversby was one of the primary figures in the development of contemporary body piercing
in Europe
. He was better known by his professional name Mr. Sebastian.
Originally an art
teacher
, Alan Oversby left his initial profession to pursue his interests in tattoo
ing and piercing
instead. From his studio in London
, he promoted both tattooing and body piercing, especially within the gay
leather
community. He was a correspondent of both Doug Malloy and Jim Ward, and sponsored by Malloy, he visited Los Angeles
and Malloy also sponsored trips to London to visit him, bringing along Ward and Sailor Sid Diller. These exchanges were critical to the global spread of the techniques and technology used in contemporary body piercing.
Alan Oversby was also responsible for the adoption of the use of topical and local anesthetics as part piercing procedure in Europe. Although they are used less now, it used to be standard practice to use anesthetics when performing piercings in England, where in North America
this practice is almost unknown.
, a series of raids that resulted in the arrest of men who were all engaged in consensual homosexual BDSM
activities.
Alan, like the other men, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm for performing a genital piercing on a client. He was also charged with using anaesthetic without a licence and for sending obscene material through the post (photographs of piercings).
As the judge was not willing to take the consensuality of the participants into account, Alan pleaded guilty along with the other 15 men. He received a sentence of 15 months, which was suspended for two years.
.
Did much of the tattooing and piercing on Psychic TV
's Genesis P-Orridge
and Paula P-Orridge
. His vocals were used in the Psychic TV track "Message from The Temple" which appeared on their first album Force the Hand of Chance.
Body piercing
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He was better known by his professional name Mr. Sebastian.
Originally an art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, Alan Oversby left his initial profession to pursue his interests in tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ing and piercing
Body piercing
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice...
instead. From his studio in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he promoted both tattooing and body piercing, especially within the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
leather
Leather subculture
The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures...
community. He was a correspondent of both Doug Malloy and Jim Ward, and sponsored by Malloy, he visited Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Malloy also sponsored trips to London to visit him, bringing along Ward and Sailor Sid Diller. These exchanges were critical to the global spread of the techniques and technology used in contemporary body piercing.
Alan Oversby was also responsible for the adoption of the use of topical and local anesthetics as part piercing procedure in Europe. Although they are used less now, it used to be standard practice to use anesthetics when performing piercings in England, where in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
this practice is almost unknown.
Operation Spanner
In 1987, Alan Oversby was one of 16 men charged as a part of Operation SpannerOperation Spanner
Operation Spanner was the name of an operation carried out by police in the United Kingdom city of Manchester in 1987, as a result of which a group of homosexuals were convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for their involvement in consensual sadomasochism over a ten year period.The...
, a series of raids that resulted in the arrest of men who were all engaged in consensual homosexual BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
activities.
Alan, like the other men, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm for performing a genital piercing on a client. He was also charged with using anaesthetic without a licence and for sending obscene material through the post (photographs of piercings).
As the judge was not willing to take the consensuality of the participants into account, Alan pleaded guilty along with the other 15 men. He received a sentence of 15 months, which was suspended for two years.
Trivia
He was interviewed in the fourth issue of PFIQPFIQ
PFIQ is the acronym and common name for a publication known as Piercing Fans International Quarterly, which was published by Jim Ward from 1977 to 1997...
.
Did much of the tattooing and piercing on Psychic TV
Psychic TV
Psychic TV or PTV, is a video art and music group that primarily performs psychedelic, punk, electronic and experimental music...
's Genesis P-Orridge
Genesis P-Orridge
Genesis Breyer P-Orridge is an English singer-songwriter, musician, writer and artist. P-Orridge's early confrontational performance work in COUM Transmissions in the late 1960s and early 1970s along with the industrial band Throbbing Gristle, which dealt with subjects such as prostitution,...
and Paula P-Orridge
Paula P-Orridge
Paula P-Orridge , also known as Alaura O'Dell, is an English musician.P-Orridge's musical career began in 1979 when she met musician and artist Genesis P-Orridge while working at a Tesco supermarket in Hackney, East London.Prior to meeting Genesis she had had some connection to the Industrial...
. His vocals were used in the Psychic TV track "Message from The Temple" which appeared on their first album Force the Hand of Chance.
External links
- The Beginnings of the Modern Body Piercing Movement Body Modification E-zineBME (website)Body Modification Ezine is an online magazine devoted to body modification, noted for its coverage of the extreme and fringes of body modification and erotic body play....
article - A Visit to London Body Modification E-zineBME (website)Body Modification Ezine is an online magazine devoted to body modification, noted for its coverage of the extreme and fringes of body modification and erotic body play....
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