Led Zeppelin Tattoo Not As Cool As Guy With Led Zeppelin Tattoo Thinks It Is

Story by Jacob Zlomke 

| Published Oct 6, 2009

Carl Sweeney, a 38-year-old shift manager at Culver’s, recently received a “kick-ass” Led Zeppelin tattoo from Pushpin Ink, he said. The tattoo, taken from the one of the four symbols on the band’s untitled fourth album, is a circle with a triangular leaf-like shape in the center — representative of John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin’s bass guitarist.

Sweeney described the tattoo as “something I’ve really wanted to do for a long time. It’s such a fantastic tribute to the greatest musicians ever. Not only that — it just looks so fucking cool.”

Despite Sweeney’s insistence, his brother-in-law, Will Danforth, said the tattoo was a terrible idea. “Carl doesn’t even really like Led Zeppelin. I mean, he likes them, but not anymore than everyone else. And on top of that, if you were to get a shitty tattoo like that, why would you get the one that represents John Paul Jones? No one cares about him,” Danforth said.

But Sweeney stood by his choice.

“No one really understands. I mean, it’s impossible for my friends to understand how much 'Moby Dick' changed my life. And 'Stairway to Heaven'? So amazing,” Sweeney said in response to criticism of his tattoo.

“I’ve never known Carl to be a huge music fan,” coworker James Winters said, “but now all he talks about is Led Zeppelin and how cool they are and how they changed music and how no one will ever be that good. I hate him so much.”

Sweeney also said that there are not many true fans who can appreciate his commitment to the band. “I even listen to their lesser known stuff, like 'Black Dog,' which, in my opinion, is even better than a lot of their more popular stuff.”

Sweeney said he has one other tattoo, an image of Woodstock from 'Peanuts.'

“I just really have to get tattoos that are meaningful to me, you know? Nothing arbitrary,” he said.