At the Crossroads of Tattoos, Tiki and Americana, There is Sailor Jerry

Feb. 27, 2017

This past October, the Chicago Field Museum teamed up with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum to create an event that simply made too much sense not to happen. On the eve of opening its newest exhibit, “Tattoo,” the Field Museum invited Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and National Brand Ambassador Daniel “Gravy” Thomas to take over the space for the evening. Together, they threw a sneak peek event for some of Chicago’s most influential tattoo artists and rum slingers. Sailor Jerry provided the drinks and beats, while the Field Museum brought in the talented tattoo artists whose work was on display in the new gallery. 

So why did this event make too much sense? Well, for those not familiar with Sailor Jerry, he was actually a real man named Norman Collins, a man who is considered an American tattoo icon and whose art can be seen not just on bottles of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, but in museums around the world, including the Field Museum in Chicago. 

We caught up with Gravy after the event and asked him to shed some light on the man, the brand and how they intertwine in the worlds of alcohol and art. 

Breakthru: What is your story and what inspired you to become the Sailor Jerry Brand Ambassador?

Daniel “Gravy” Thomas: At the core I’m a free spirit who has always been able to balance my approach towards work and my passions. My father was a greaser who owned his own auto detail shop by day in Southern New Jersey and at night managed funk rock bands, and hosted dance parties in the 70’-80’s. I’ll never forget the day I recognized his Bald Eagle traditional style tattoo on his arm as he steered his classic Chevrolet El Camino taking us to work. I now boast the same tattoo and have owned 2 El Camino’s since. I grew up in that light and this entrepreneurial spirit has guided me. 

Like my father by day I had a gig I loved and by night I was performing in a band, writing spoken word poetry or hosting a dance party. In the early 2000s I got an event production gig at Quaker City Mercantile (QCM), the agency that created the Sailor Jerry clothing brand – and gained extensive knowledge of Norman Collins. At the same time I was hanging out in some of Philadelphia revered tattoo shops in some of the seediest neighborhoods where I learned not only about the history of tattooing but the lifestyle of tattooing.

About three years ago I joined Sailor Jerry as one of its National Brand Ambassador’s. I find the unapologetic entrepreneurial side of Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins fascinating and apply some of that boldness to my business daily when representing his namesake.

 

Most people probably know Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins for his nautical tattoos with a distinctive Polynesian-American twist, a style he developed after years in the U.S. Navy. Not many probably realize that before all of that Sailor Jerry spent some time in Chicago. Can you talk a bit about that time of his life?

Norman Collins was born in Reno in 1911 but grew up in Northern California.  Like many teenagers at that time who were opposed to the typical “American Dream” and sought out adventure, he hopped freight trains and hitchhiked across the country. This is when Collins started learning his craft, working primarily with only a needle and black ink and creating designs freehand, one poke at a time. 

When Collins ended up in Chicago, two things happened to him here that helped shape his life. First, he hooked up with local tattoo legend Gib “Tatts” Thomas who taught Collins how to properly use a tattoo machine. Secondly, he joined the Navy, which added the around-the-world adventure someone like Collins thrived on. His sea travels also brought out his love for ships, and in the Navy he earned his master’s papers for every kind of vessel you could be tested on.

Sailor Jerry’s tattoos are considered American icons, but they are also some of the most copycatted designs out there. Do you see that proliferation of Sailor Jerry-inspired tattoos and art as a problem or benefit when talking to people about Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum?

I love seeing all the Sailor Jerry inspired tattoos. First off, the proliferation of the Sailor Jerry style of tattooing is a testament to the old school technique of tattooing where simple but bold line work will always be sought after as these tattoos stand out over time. The artwork of Norman Collins is a great starting point for me when speaking to people on our rum. Collins was an exact craftsman and we go about making our 92 proof spiced rum to a similar standard with our master blenders at William Grant & Sons. If I can make someone look differently at their Sailor Jerry bottle because now they know the man, the meaning behind the various imagery on the bottle, and how our rum celebrates this American icon’s legacy, then I’ve done my job. I welcome the clutter and the copycats, as it helps me set Sailor Jerry apart. 

When you walk into a bar and look around, there seems to be a big overlap of tattoo culture with the bartending lifestyle. Do you see that as well, and if so, why do you think that is?

Yes, I see it. At first it stemmed from a place of individualism and freedom of singular expression on the entrepreneurial spirits that make up this industry, Now I am starting to see more packs of bartenders, servers, chefs and line cooks, restaurant owners getting the same tattoo to show their allegiance to one another, symbolizing their venue or their craft such as the pineapple and its symbol for hospitality.

We’ve seen a resurgence in Tiki culture throughout not just Chicago, but much of the U.S. How has Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum shaped this growing trend? How is Sailor Jerry influenced by it?

Tiki culture has been having resurgence for quite a bit of time from coast to coast. Its spike in popularity can be attributed to a few tangibles and intangibles across young legal drinking age consumers. Where Tiki drinks are a vessel to support the idea of Tiki culture – the search for an escape, something different, something more explicit than your everyday life. Sitting at a Tiki bar and enjoying an over-proofed rum drink, mixed with tropical fruit, served in an obscure vessel with unconventional flavors, transcends them to a mind-set of less stress and fewer real world problems. 

Sailor Jerry has distinct relevance to Tiki culture in America. When Hollywood was embracing Tiki culture booming across the states, Collins’ legacy was equally spreading across the US through all of the sailors he had tattooed during WW2 in Hawaii. Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum was created to continue his legacy as an iconic American tattoo artist. Our rum is a bold and smooth 92 proof spiced rum that holds up in Tiki-style concoctions and portrays an authentic pioneering American who cemented his name in the tattoo world during mid-century America.

Rum has been on the rise for what seems like a few years now. Will 2017 be the year that rum really takes off? 

2017 is going to be Sailor Jerry’s best year yet!  Consumers are looking for brands from real places, about real people, with genuine stories they could connect with. Our rum does just that by holing up the legacy of Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins. But I’m more excited when I look beyond a year or two, and really look at how we reach our full potential.  We’re just getting started!

How are you seeing people using and drinking Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum?

People are drinking Sailor Jerry unapologetically however they feel! Bartenders across the globe are having fun with our liquid and treating it as a true brown spirit. It’s mixable, full flavored, and smooth. Our 92 proof spiced rum shines in cocktails but also plays great neat. 

What do you think Sailor Jerry would order at a bar if he were around today? 

Norman Collins would have ordered whatever he was feeling at the time. Whether he had a long day tattooing or sailing on his boat and wanted to relax, Norman was an opinionated world traveler who knew what he wanted. Always!     

This interview has been edited and condensed.