After a personally difficult legal dispute over BME, I’ve had to face the potentially insurmountable reality of being massively in debt, and I have chosen to transfer the business to Rachel (the details of this deal are sealed, so please don’t ask). Within the month my role at BME will come to an end*, and new staff (made up largely of people who’ve been working on BME for some time as well) will be taking over. I will no longer be writing online about body modification, although I will be maintaining my regular blog and other projects of course, as well as working on several body modification book projects which I am eager to complete.
It’s definitely a very strange and mixed set of feelings, having run this site from the very beginning, over nearly a decade and a half. On one hand I’m very much looking forward to having the opportunity and time to paint and tackle new adventures, and on the other hand I will very much miss both the people and the subject in general that I came to know through BME. That said, when I grew up and fell in love with body modification — and later built BME — this was a very different and much more “outsider” culture, so maybe now, as not just tattooing but body modification as a whole enjoys unprecedented levels of popularity and acceptability, it is a good time to pass the torch on to a new generation. It’s my hope that they maintain the site in the spirit that it was begun, while taking on the challenges of a new environment.
I have very much enjoyed being a part of BME and I leave it with good memories. Thank you to everyone who’s been a friend of the site, and everyone who’s helped bring it to this point. I hope you’ve enjoyed my contributions — I know I’ve enjoyed yours — and I hope that you continue to enjoy what BME brings in the future.
See you in hell! :P
Shannon
snowrail@gmail.com
zentastic.com
* Edit, Jan ’10: In reality, it ended up being September before my role with the site wrapped up… One thing I discovered is that legal processes can move much much more slowly than either expected or desired!
177 Comments
wish you the best.
OMG! Shannon this saddens me so very very much!! But i understand and wish you the very very best in your future endeavors.
Take care.
Ken
All the best Shannon, I know I’ll miss you a lot. I hope others will respect what you’ve done so far and keep it real! may your new projects and new life bring you more peace than ever before!
*raises glass to shannon and his awesome efforts over the years*.
I know many people, my self included, most likely wouldn’t be where they are right now if it wasn’t for BME and your great work.
Best luck to you buddy, in what ever avenues you pursue. (btw: its 4am, spelling–)
Good luck on your new adventure!!
Thank you for everything you’ve done over the years!
So very sorry that it has come to this. I owe you much and am thankful you were in my life. I will stick around for BME for a while, but I have been thinking maybe it is time that I give it and IAM up. Leave it for the younger ones.
Cheers mate. Thank you for what you’ve started. “Buy the ticket… take the ride.” Best of luck.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
what about modblog?
are you still going to be the one who posts there?
Thank you for everything.
Well, it’s a sad day but hopefully BME will continue to prosper under new management, I just want to add a personal thanks Shannon, BME helped me find myself and I’m very proud to wear the logo on my body, I definitely attribute a part of my happiness today to your efforts. Best of luck!
Oh shannon you will be missed dearly. i wish you luck in what you do next and i appreciate all you did to build up and fight for bme and body modification as a lifestyle in general.
i hope life treats you well!
Damn, even thinking about BME without “Shannon” seems strange. I know that it won’t change a lot of things about BME per se, but there will definitely be something lacking. I’m just wondering about the future of Modblog though…
Anyway, wish you the best for the future !
I will miss you very much, but I understand. Life is about living go live and enjoy. Thank with all my heart.
my eyes watered when I read this. BME has definitely changed my life more than any other website ever. It has shown what is possible and inspired me to reach greater mods since I was 16. It also was the mecca of the body mod world. If it wasnt for the artist I met through BME I might have never got to hang or get implants, and I definitely wouldnt have got my eyeball tattooed. I owe so much to Shannan and BME. So this is my thanks to you Shannon.
This is sudden! You’ve done something really impressive with the BME culture and I don’t doubt you’ve earned your place in the small bit of human history that mods has invaded.
Good luck and all that crap, Shannon. It’d be nice to see you bouncing about the online ‘scene’ a bit but I never took you for a stress junkie, so I won’t be surprised if you don’t bother.
*doffs cap slowly*
Best of luck to you Shannon. It’s going to be hard imagining the site without you. Thank you for everything you’ve done!
Wow Shannon…I just read this on ModBlog, and was terribly saddened. You’ve been such a big influence on so many people over the years, myself included. I hope you’re happy doing whatever you’ll be doing next in your life. I wish you all the best. Thank you for everything.
This is indeed very saddening. I wish you all the best and hope we’ll be able to keep in touch in some way. Your site has influenced me and my work in ways i’m sure you can imagine and i will miss what you’ve helped do for this community greatly. STAY CALM!
i agree with joeltron in the action – *raises glass to shannon and his awesome efforts over the years*.
i found your site in ’97 and it made me feel comfortable with my body play for the first time. it also helped me to enjoyably experience new play and mods.
BME and IAM have been a major, positive part of my life and i thank you for that!
it’s obvious you have mass talent so i’m not sad at all. i can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
your future is bright…thanks shannon!
I wish you all the luck in the world. You will be missed.
:[[[[[[[[
this makes me sad.
but thank you so much shannon for making this wonderful site.
Things will never be the same, but honestly, I have thought that for quite some time already. I’ll always remember the days of sending in photos by post. I hope you still get to keep those old albums.
SO sad. I wish you all the best in anything you do.
You inspired us all Shannon, thanks for what you have done, I hope our paths will cross again. Is sad to see you leaving but I prefer to see it as you’re travelling your own road.
Have a shining life.
Im sorry, it sounds as if he court thing didnt go as you hoped then again i hae no way of knowing. thanks so much for everything about bme through the years, it changed my life and many others.
Your input will undoubtedly be sorely missed.
When I discovered BME, I was fifteen (I’m now twenty) and thrilled to have found a site from which I could learn more about body modification; something I was so enthusiastic about.
Since then I have visited BME and ModBlog almost daily and I can safely say that the site will not be the same without you.
Thanks for all the hard work you’ve put in over the years.
Good luck for the future and god-speed!
I am sorry you are leaving IAM – especially since it was your brainchild. IMHO, there is no reason to stay at IAM either: the family feeling is gone from there.
It is sad to see you go Shannon. Bmezine and you made me realise that I wasn’t so odd after all and pretty much normal. I agree that Bmezine has changed and was thinking of moving on away from it myself. Best of luck with your future endeavours.
Have a great time whatever you end up doing.
cheers to new beginnings shannon.
You have no idea on how much you have touched people on a personal level, Shannon. You are the reason I am starting to find myself, you are such a source of inspiration. I think about you at least once a day, you inspire me to start my day with a smile on my face.
It’s sad you will not be involved in bme anymore, but you’ll continue to do great stuff for the world. Zentastic is an inspiration, please continue with this blog.
and very soon, just as i predicted, the ad’s on BME will appear. :(
Shannon, you are the one who kept this community together and poured his heart and soul into it. no one will ever treat it or run it the same way that you did. you have always had our best intentions at heart. IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!
Nothing wrong with change. Wish you all the best <3
Good luck to you Shannon! Thank you so much for creating BME!
I certainly wish you all the best! Don’t be a stranger, man! :) Keep in touch!
Shannon, you have been an influential part of my life for the last several years since I discovered body modification. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to this community. You have given a tramendous gift to myself and countless others throughout the years. I cant wait to see what the future has in store for you.
Best of luck
Anthony
When one door closes, Another one opens!
Happy trails on the homestead!
so much laughter,
so many tears.
your words have enlightened so many through the years.
you’ve helped put modification where it is today,
so it’s with a saddened heart and heavy burden i say,
I look forward to seeing what you offer in the future and wish you all you need to get there.
Live long and prosper.
see you in hell ;)
Best of luck. Thank you for everything these past years.
I got the worst feeling in my stomach when i read this…it broke my heart, but I wish you the best.
And I know everyone else has said it but i’m going to also.
Thank you.
I wish you all the best mate
Thank you for the tremendous amount you have done over the years for body modification. My memories of our first meeting in 1999, at what was then simply called ModCon, may dim over time but they will always be with me. -David
May the grass between your toes grow ever longer.
“WOW”, I thought you were back for good, now this. It’s hard for me to not hold some animosity towards IAM because it feels like you were kicked off, taken away from us. The people and the friendships that I have obtained directly because of the work you have done are what keep me there. IAM is the only site I have any direct affiliation with and it was because of the personal attention you gave it. I remember right after the tower bombings I was pissed and wrote reactionary things that in my blog. You e-mailed me personally and brought it to my attention what a generalizing douche I was being with out being hostile or accusitory, and that has been my experience with you everytime. I don’t think I will ever leave IAM, but it will never be the same for me. Shannon, in what ever you do I wish you all the success you deserve. There is a standing offer of Veggie Massuman curry if I ever have the honor of breaking bread with you. I hope this is far from my last dealing with you buddy, Joey.
have you thought about making a new site dedicated solely to stuff still considered extreme? only including stuff that interests you…
i don’t think you realize how important you are to this community. it would be great to see a new online community start. one without the fame BME has, so that serious body modifiers would be the majority.
This is most likely one of the saddest blogs I’ve ever read. I know I speak for every one when I say you and your thoughtful input will be missed. Thank You so much for EVERYTHING you have given us.
Please, know your loved!
Mixture of sadness and something… to bad. It was a fun gig while it was what it was, what it is now and will become I’m afraid will just feel wrong.
Omg.>.< naah!
This is maybe the saddest day in a very long time.
First my cousin get really fucked up and now my favorite man take good bye of his wonderful site.
I wish you the very best Shannon.
This is the end of an era. I trust you will write and publish more books and movies – I will happily contribute to those. I hope to see you over here at some time again. You are still one of the great geniuses of my life and I have no doubt that you will make something even greater than BME in the future – it is time to move direction anyway.
I think it’ll be in good hands…but it’s still heart-wrenching news nonetheless. I need a bike ride!
Godspeed Shannon, and I’ll hope to catch you on the flipside.
Even if this was mutually agreed upon and everything will continue to run I can’t help but to feel saddened. I’ve enjoyed your personal iam page just as much as I’ve enjoyed modblog, and I no doubt will continue to follow your personal blogging adventures in the future. Best of luck to you Shannon, there are no words that could describe how much you’ve meant to the bodmod community over the years. Thank you.
oh shannon, i am so sad by this news. i have lurked for many years on all of your different sites and have emailed you a couple of times. i truly hope this is the best move for you, c and n. you will be greatly missed and i truly look forward to your future works. maybe i’ll get to meet you someday.
*switches RSS feeds*
OK, I’m good. I was there because of what you did, not where you did it. Next post please!
Sad news, but hopefully new beginnings for you. Good luck.
Well. Isn’t that a straight-up bummer.
I can understand about the mixed feelings, though. Instead of fighting to hang onto something that’s no longer meant to be, better to focus on something new, something that fits with your current priorities.
I’d love to hear more about your book projects. If we can no longer read your writing about body modification online, I hope you’ll share it in some other way! Did you mention a possible book about homesteading at some point, too?
Anyway, thanks, cheers, and best wishes on your new planet! Don’t be a stranger.
This is so sad. BME will NEVER be the same without you. :(
wow.
Let me join everyone else in thanking you for your bravery and kindness over the last decade, and in wishing you good luck in the future.
happy trails
Ben
Wow, this wasnt entirely unexpected after all the drama, but the news is shocking none the less.
I hope you realize what a difference you’ve made for so many people- I’m 17 years old, and I’m confident that I’d still be the insecure, miserable person I was a few years back had I not had BME and ModBlog to show me that being different is okay.
I can’t wait to see where else your life and talent takes you!
BodyTwo going back up at some point?
I’m glad you’re staying on IAM at least. Hope you’re well. x
It’s all good. Fate is.
<3
Wow. I for one would not be who am I without the community you’ve created Shannon. BME just won’t feel the same without you behind the wheel. I wear my BME tattoo proudly, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the years of inspiration.
I’m just so very sad. But this too will pass.
Wishing you every success with future ventures.
Shannon, your work got me through puberty, got me through college, got me a few years deep into adulthood. Thank you for BME, both as an outlet and as a timeless resource. The community experience has been priceless. You’re a beautiful person, and I wish you all the best on future endeavors. Thank you for being a hugely positive part of the person I’ve become.
So it goes~
can’t thank you enough for all your hard work
cheers
i just cannot justify with rationality what i’m going to say, but it’s just that the feeling i get when i read your stuff, and when i read the stuff writen by another bme staff, it’s just too diferent.
i’m pretty sure that it’s the spirit and the real love to what you do, being completely non pretencious, perspiring beyond the screen, but as i just said, it’s just a feeling.
good luck dude
E$lizabeth has it right.
It is all good.
AMOR FATI AS PER NIETZSCHE
“I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful.
“Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse.
“Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all and on the whole: some day I wish to be only a Yes-sayer.”
Shannon, thank you so much for all you have done for BME and its readers – because of you I was an educated, informed customer at the various piercing studios I’ve gone to for my body mods. I shudder to think where thousands of pierced/tattooed/modded people might be without the information on BME… actually I do know where they’d be: the plastic chair at Claire’s, watching an unsanitary gun come at their various body parts. Thank you again.
If you’re not leaving IAM why did you delete all of your old blog entries?
I feel sad you’ve gone…. BME has enabled me to explore a part of life I’d never have dared to, had BME and you, not been around. I guess we get to hang out with you here now? I sure you will still continue to have a fantastic life. Huggz Nick from NYC
thank you for everything you have given us and everything you will give us. bme showed me a path 13 years that i have joyfully explored and that is where i found myself. thank you for giving of yourself so that i could find myself. i only hope i can contribute to someone else’s life what you have to mine.
peace, love, and see ya around :)
Shannon, it will never be the same without you…
Wow. Today I came back to bme, only to find it the same day you are leaving. Maybe things do come full circle? Good luck with everything you take on, Thank you Shannon
Jebus… was it really over 15 years ago that we were living in University residence and you were putting together that Highplains Drifter zine? I still don’t have a tattoo. I know I’ll keep reading whatever and wherever you post.
I am so fucking sad. :(
This makes me very sad.
I found bme when i was 14, and it’s changed my life alot in just over 3 year’s. When the last saga happened, i thought that was it, i had no drive to be a part of the community anymore. Upon your return i’ve gotten more involved than i ever have previously.. it’s extremely saddening to see you go.
thankyou for all the effort’s you’ve put in over the year’s, BME will never be the same with out you, and your work will not be forgotten.
Wow, good luck with everything Shannon. As many have said before me, BME, IAM and modblog will NOT be the same without you. I have always enjoyed reading your posts. you have a unique style and your view of things is refreshing. I will miss reading your posts on modblog, and your IAM page. perhaps you can still be a part time poster on modblog like Roo does occasionally. Just an idea. In any case I will follow you to whatever site you decide to post on. Best wishes Shannon.
I won’t deny that this news saddens me, but it is nice to see some sort of closure and hear that you’re onto new things. Best of luck in your future endeavors and I hope to cross paths again during future adventures!
Cheers, man!
If it’s anything like it was the last time there was a new boss in town, then the spirit of the site is definitely going away…
Shannon,
This post not only comes as a surprise, but as a shock as well. We have met on several occasions and I know your father well (all having crossed paths through BME). I also met my wonderful wife (of 3 years) through IAM. Not to mention the countless other people that have been brought into my life and the experiences it has created. You have built something like no other and the something you have built will be like no other. I thank you for everything you have done not only for myself, but the countless others along the way. The community you had a big hand in developing has changed many lives, mine included. Your kindness, caring and even flaws have made you an incredible person I am proud to call a friend. Here’s to a brighter tomorrow and never forgetting what a long strange trip its been… Sincerely, Brent
Congratulations, Shannon! I’m sure this is kind of a drag for you, and clearly a lot of people are saddened by it. Life is all about change and adaptation. There are obviously many experiences and adventures ahead of you, and without the stress of BME you will hopefully be able to fully enjoy them. Best of luck, I look forward to reading your blog, as always
Dan
Thanks so much from us here at the blog blog. You will most definitely be missed. You have inspired and challenged me personally to think about the human body in ways I previously had never considered. Debt sucks. I hope this next phase of your life is both richly prosperous and meaningful.
You have helped me accept myself, learn to love my mind and body, and denounce my secret shames. I am so grateful for all you’ve given of yourself, and while I only know you through your web-presence, I have come to regard you with great appreciation and fondness. I’m glad to have known BME for what it was, and will follow what you do next. Thanks for everything!
Thank you for all of your hard work these many many years. What you have done for us is historically significant to a magnitude we don’t even understand now.
I agree completely with Monte. Your spirit added something to BME that no one else can replicate. You ran BME out of love, not as a business, and I’m not sure anyone else can do that. I hope you know how much you have done for me, and how much it means to me. Much love.
Shannon- I’ve never met you, but you’ve had an enormous impact on my life through BME. I don’t think I will be able to relate to the site the same way I was when you were running it. When you ran it, I always knew that you were out there, giving fuck-all what anyone else though, making sure BME did it right, without regard to what you “should” be doing. That was fantastic. I don’t know that I’ll be able to have that sort of faith in BME now that you’re gone.
However, I very much understand the need to move on. I’ll probably keep reading ModBlog, but hope you’ll hav a similar blog to the one you had when ModBlog was closed last time.
Alles Beste,
-Anselm
Thank you for everyting, your efforts have meant a lot.
I hope it is a good thing for you.
Hell? I guess I´ll be there sooner or later :)
I wish you all the best in your upcoming events whatever they ay be.
You have given so much to so many and you will be remembered in hearts all over the world.
Safe Journey
not writing about body modification online anymore?… I can’t believe it, it brings tears to my eyes! All the great articles I’ve read… my introduction to piercings and tattoos and branding and so many more things were through your articles and I hope they stay available to the public, and I hope you find happiness in whatever it is you choose to do, this is a sad day tho.
thank you shannon for so much …..you have helped me and many others to
i hope you know how many lives you changed for the better. you’ve opened eyes and worlds.
from the bottom of my heart i thank you.
I am sorry to see you go. Whatever happens, BME can never be the same without you, but it is true that nothing lasts forever and all things must end in time. It really is the end of an era – I hope that you are happy and well and that this change is a positive for you. Life is for living! Thankyou, thankyou for everything.
Well it’s the end of an era, I remember what must have been the first incarnation of the BME site in the early-mid 90′s and have been hooked since then.
To me BME is Shannon, without him it’s heart and soul is lost, what might arise in it’s place might be good but certainly to me it won’t be the same. What kept me coming back to read Modblog as a daily delight was the honest natural passion that was behind it, images were shown and comments were made that were clearly heartfelt by Shannon, for those of you in the UK that are also my kind of age, you might well remember John Peel (Radio One DJ) who simply did his own thing and as such was a true icon to aspiring musicians, Shannon displayed that same passion and interest in his subject, this is unique and try as you might, you can’t simply replace this with good business practice.
I have very little idea of the details that have brought about the current situation but one thing is for sure it saddens me, it seems like yet another case of finance and greed winning over passion and dedication.
Time to find a new daily read
Thank you for everything and good luck with your future projects. I’m sure you’ll be successful at whatever you turn your hand to.
I don’t know what to say….. thanks for everything you have done……
Good luck Shannon. Hope you are well.
I really enjoyed reading your articles on bmezine, I’m gonna miss the updates from you. Good luck with your future ventures.
*repeats what everyone has already said*
Since I was 14, I’ve looked up to you in so many ways. It’s kind of weird actually. You’re one hell of a human being, I think you deserve the Nobel Peace Prize but on a completely different level. You’ve brought thousands (millions?) of people so much. Your intelligence is uncanny and I’m sure no one will ever forget who Shannon Larratt is. I’m sleep deprived and feel I’m becoming a bit strange…
u BEST! u change my life, u part of my life! Good luck! hope u all time be with me!
I’ve been watching BME’s site for years now and just want to thank you for all you did and wish you all the best Shannon! :)
WHAT THE FUCK?!?! That’s all I can think right now. I’m sorry Shannon. :-(
Thanks for everything and best of luck to you.
Cheers!
I was honestly in shock when I read this post. Though I don’t understand how this has all come to pass I know you have your reasons. BME, IAM and Modblog wont be the same with out your little quirks and sense of humor.
You will truly be missed.
Shannon
You are a true inspiration and someone who has given me a sense of place and pride in this world.
Your wisdom, passion and integrity will never be forgotten and I wish you good fortune and safe passage on all your future endeavors.
Thank you,
Matty :)
All the best for the future dude, you have been an inspiration to us all. x
You created a place where we could all come together. No matter what, nothing will ever take away the fact that you made it possible and enriched countless lives because of it. You’ve educated, broadened minds, shared our beauty and just let us be us.
Thank you. :)
Now you can walk the earth.
This sucks :/
I’m not sure what to write, but I feel like I must. The loss of something I love cuts gracefully into places most people don’t know they can feel pain. I am terribly sorry that she won the battle after all, and it makes me terribly sad indeed to see such a thing happen to somebody who (although I have never met in person) I care about deeply. You have influenced mine, and many others’ lives, Shannon. Your contributions to BME, and BME itself will be greatly missed by all of us. In our hearts and thoughts, you will remain. I never thought the day would come that I would remove it from my bookmarks, but obviously today is the day. It is not good bye to you, Shannon, because I know you have other projects, and other public blogs. Today, is goodbye to BME. I will not give attention to a website that has been stolen, nay ripped from the hearts, of all those that really matter.
Hey Shannon, may better karma and peace find you now. It has been and up an down trip for us both. Through it all, you have mostly been an ally for inclusion, sanity, beauty and frequently the spiritual. Many thanks for that. Now I fear this space will be taken over by a tilt to the ugly — only novelty, shock-and-awe, darkness and more limited vision. I hope not! Please stay in touch.
Shannon, you changed the world.
What coincidence brought me to the pages of BME this morning for the first time in a year, just hours after this news was announced? Keith Alexander is in my mind and my heart today, as he so often is, and a few hours were spent in nostalgia and tears thinking of our absent friend. When I think about the changes in all of our lives I can only let my mind open as wide as it can and try to imagine what Keith would be doing now, where he would be, what trouble he’d be making. What his inspiration would be affecting.
Best of luck to you and yours, Shannon.
— Andria formerly Wolfe, relocated from NYC to a ghost town in the desert.
Wow, just wow!
That just blows my mind.
sorry to hear it. All the best for the future.
This is very sad. Cheers to you Shannon and all the great you’ve done for me, and the world. I know if it wasn’t for BME I wouldn’t have found the love I have now for body mods.
I wish you the best of luck!
Oh no!
Things won’t be the same without you. I wish you all the best in the future though.
Thank you so much for everything.
Good luck.
xo
Amber
Just as when people talk about landing on the moon people only really name 1-2 people on of them is always Armstrong. In the same way when people say BME/IAM/ModBlog it always be you that is named.
Good Journey and Long Life Bud.
Shannon, you will be inside me always. In a gay way strictly.
That is sad news Shannon. I’ve been a regular reader of ModBlog for about two years (or there about). I guess all good things have to end and I wish you all the best for the future. I hope you won’t be getting rid of Zentastic too? Take Care mate.
thanks for everything. I wouldn’t be tattooing today if it weren’t for BME, I definately wouldn’t be the person I am. It’s brought me alot of ups and downs and been a big part of my life for the last six or more years. once again, thank you so much.
its a shame this came donw to money, ever since you were ousted the site has been a bit buggy and problematic. It has recently started to be a bit ‘my space’.
Fakir Musafar put it better than i can…
“Now I fear this space will be taken over by a tilt to the ugly — only novelty, shock-and-awe, darkness and more limited vision.”
Good luck with your painting and other ventures. you introduced a lot of friendships, relationships and acknowledgement of us with BME. hopefully that baton gets passed from a firm grip to another!! good luck Shannon
I have only good wishes to the new and different BME.
However, the last time someone grabbed the controls and tried to pilot the plane it almost went straight down.
I hope it soars this time and leaves the legacy to be proud of.
BME changed my life for the good. I hope it continues to do the same for people.
I have lurked on Zentastic for quite some time. I have seen bone tumor surgery pics, the most awesome father/daughter art collaborations, learned what a yurt is, and even picked up some ideas for dinner (some cool noodly dish). Time I commented =)
*settles in*
i’ll miss bme -but not as much as you.
thankyou shannon for everything you have built
Sad news indeed: all the more so since the underlying driving force is primarily a financial one. To what extent that will be reflected in the direction BME now takes remains to be seen, but I for one am more than just a little apprehensive about its future as a true community site.
However, if it gives you the opportunity to do new things, to paint and to enjoy life, then that can only be good, and I’m glad. Thank you for the past nine enjoyable years and for helping me find and enjoy life as a modded person. I shall look forward to the forthcoming books and to reading your blogs.
All the very best for the future!
you said on iam that you were leaving bme but not iam but you just killed the account or someone did. are you planning on coming back?
Finding BME eight years ago completely and totally altered the very course of my life, and without BME I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Thank you, Shannon, for everything you did for this community.
From the bottom of my heart, Thank you for everything. BME has not only given me a sence of self, but a life long career that I love. Without your hard work, I honestly don’t know where I would be..
Best wishes to you, your, and your family’s future. You created something that few people realize the extent of, and I hope that’s never forgotten. Thanks to you.
I must have read it wrong, I thought you said you was leaving BME but NOT iam ? but your iam page has been deleted now ?
Sad news but a new dawn awaits you.
Much love from over here. Here’s to a free life, to long days, to freedom, adventure and taking your life to the next level.
Stay strange :)
*n
Yeah.. what gives.. it DID say that you were not leaving IAM.. but, today I notice your page is gone… now I’m confused!!
Shannon I have been reading BME from the time I was twelve years old. I am deeply saddened that you won’t be running it any longer but wish you all the best. BME made a big contribution to my life. More than I can ever say in a single paragraph. Over the years, BME has helped me to form a questioning mind. What a beautiful gift to give any young person living in today’s world. For that, I thank you personally.
Why did you leave IAM after saying you weren’t? :/
I feel that with Shannon no longer the head of BME, there is no BME. Take the heart away from the body – the body dies.
I did notice that quote from Mr. Adams’ story. For me, I see its double meaning. (It’s just a matter of seeing when the galactic highway is developed – and all those in its path – hopefully – are holding a towel – and know Mr. Prefect)
Re: IAM
To a large extent I’m not in a position to be able to discuss why that happened. It’s not how I expected things would go down.
Without BME in silent support, I’m not sure I’d have had the courage to make pursue the M’s I’ve made to myself.
Thanks.
And re HG2G, why do the lizards always seem to win in the end?
sorry nothing seems to be working out with iam and bme for you. there seems to be no integrity or honesty left in that sight. i agree with what Fakir said. none the less, i still wish you all the best with where ever life takes you and would love to see you when i come to toronto next and maybe go for a picnic or something.
*sigh*
I guess goodbye to you in IAM as well then.
I really hope that your other blogs continue to stay around and updated often. I love reading what you have to say.
We should all just come over to this site and hang out with Shannon :) I think that is a GREAT idea :) Definitely!!!
The very first non-lobe piercing I got, I was nervously looking around the studio when my eyes fell on a copy of the ModCon book, written by Shannon Larratt. I felt like I was being greeted by an old friend. May you find happiness in all your endeavours.
the things youve given the community cant be measured, and theres no amount of thanks that can even touch how much i owe you for what youve done. namaste.
Well – I’m not really into body modification myself, but as a medical professional I have been following the site for last 8 years or so to obtain some knowledge in the topic and I have found lately that it just become a part of my life.
I wish you all the best, Shannon and I don’t think I will be following new BME.
#144 – great idea! Gosh I’d just found out about this earlier in the evening and posted a comment on this same post on Modblog… and I’m still sorely missing Shannon!
Shannon.. I’m confused as to why you said you were staying around on IAM then deleted yourself. And when asked about your IAM page being deleted you didn’t just say that you deleted yourself… Now there are rumors (again) about you being hacked.. I understand there isn’t much you can say..but just saying you deleted yourself could save a world of BS and rumors… just confused is all.
CodeZero, I wish I could talk about it in detail — and I’m sure you know that I would like nothing more than to explain everything in detail — but it’s not a legal option for me. I’m not hacked or anything like that, and while one level I would much rather have an IAM page, it’s also best that this is a clean and complete break.
Well, I’ve disagreed [and rudely, as is my habit] with you on a couple of things, mostly involving animal rights…
But, when all’s said and done, you and IAM, through example, converted body modification for me – from something my rapist tried to drag me into to something that helps me transcend myself, a religious and ecstatic rite.
So I owe you that, as I’m sure many do. Be well.
i’m sorry all these years of hard work and being such a huge part of your life are no more. of course you can always rebuild onto new things but just something you are and were so passionate about is no longer. we are definitely all wishing you the best. you have seriously put so many smiles on my face directly and indirectly because of bme and all it has done to help me grow in all manners of life. every time we chatted face to face you have always been so kind and i have always appreciated it. thank you from the bottom of my heart.
WOAH & Damn!!
im sorry to hear about this. i wish you all the best and hope you will return to documenting Body Modification on the internet again, in the future. For now, i will look forward to following your adventures on Zentastic!
wish you the best,
Thank YOU!
Wow, I just came here to find out what was going on over there since I noticed you hadn’t posted in a while. Thanks for everything you’ve done over the years and you will be missed. I always appreciate reading your comments.
Im very saddened :(
I do not even understand this.
I know BME is your baby. why would give up your baby?
I just wanna add that I told my bf about this the other day and, somewhat relieved, all he said was “Does that mean no more Guess What’s?”
Haha <3 I loved playing that game with him, though I can’t say the same for him. Bless :P
I have been on BME for five years and it has become a safe haven for me. A place where I felt like I fit in outside of my close and small circle of friends. It really feels unbearable that you wont be writing about body modification online anymore. I hope this isn’t FOREVER. Maybe one day you will want to and/or be let back in? I’m not counting on it. But BME and the online body mod community as a whole is now completely different without you. There’s a giant missing hole now. Let’s hope your books are long enough for me to read a page everyday instead of visiting modblog. And have “guess what” pictures that are almost always dicks…
I thought I’d just comment here that now now the two threads/posts mentioning this seem to have been erased from ModBlog.
So… that’s classy.
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve left,
BME and IAM helped shape my youth, and eventual growth into adulthood.
Thank you for all your hard work and efforts.
I am sorry to see you left BME Shannon. I can’t see it being the same without you. Good luck on your new journey.
OMFG they deleted this post on BME?! What’s with the tyrannical total annihilation of Shannon off that site??
It’s wrong/rude/disrespectful of them to delete a goodbye post… Everyone poured their hearts out and shared experiences they’ve had with you, and now they’re gone until they find you here and type their stories all over again.
Sorry to bring this up again though, it must be hard enough for you already…
Shannon,
While i never commented on ModBlog in the years i watched it, i most certainly looked at the site multiple times a week.
There is nothing here you probably haven’t already heard,
But, I’ll say it anyway.
Since your departure i feel the content has drastically changed.
It showed me something i may have not noticed before (and apparently took for granted)… It showed me how much passion you had in your posts, how researched they were and the quality of writing that went into it.
So, for that Thanks.
So far, to me it’s shown how powerful your departure was and the affects it ultimately had on the site.
I was compulsively checking Modblog in hopes to see something of interest or that is reminiscent of your posts. Even though that is supporting the site, that hope has slowly tapered off to the point i hardly look or want to anymore.
Good luck on your future endeavors and i will be watching these posts to give me the satisfaction i was seeking… body modification or not.
Take care and Thanks again.
thats fucked :(
It is sad that your ex-wife can come and steal your property, pervert it from its original design and you are powerless to stop it? Canadian legal system really does suck. Does this mean I can sue her and steal bme from her?
its been…uh…interesting to see the history of BME change before our very eyes by the editing that’s going on over on the wiki.
It’s not only the wiki. It’s a lot of other sites, blogs, forums; multiple posts are being deleted, edited, replaced.
I cannot find proper words.
all the best… you’ve done some amazing work and I always enjoy reading your point of view. you are truely inspirational to be who you want to be.
Thank you very much! Most of all for giving me the possibility to find a man who changed my life and will be my husband in a few days. I wish you all the best!
I believe many of us know the feeling of losing something they cared for for ages, due to factors beyond our control. I appreciate that you look optimistically ahead, rather than behind.
Perhaps this very attitude is a characteristic for the bodmod culture: never regret what you can’t change and look ahead to the next exciting project.
I wouldn’t have thought I’d ever comment in your blog, like I never actually participated in the IAM community (or any other related community for that matter) in more than nine years since I stumbled across BME. I visited the site regularly, acquired a few hidden piercings, remained at a curious distance.
Not sure what I actually want to say. Probably express my gratitude (incidentally from Germany) for creating BME and putting a lot of work into it. Running and administering something is a potentially tedious routine job (I’m be good at such things) but creating something is a true art. I admire artists, maybe because I don’t have the talent to be one.
Good luck!
I agree with George.
I hope one day she will change her mind and give it back to you.
I grok you.
Hi Shannon, sorry about that. You are a great Man, and BME was great with you. Where will BME go now without you. BME was my Inspiration a long Time.
Wish u all good for Future and that your ways go well ;-)
Bye bye from IAM: Mystic Fire
you are missed.
thank you
now we’re adults
and you’ve helped us
I definitely can’t wait until this can be explained in detail. All of the drama over the passed year or so was so confusing that I gave up my IAM account. It will never be the same without Shannon. You ARE BME, at least for me.
Best of luck in everything you do. I’ll continue to keep tabs on you, you’re still too interesting to give up, lol.
it sucks and i’m sorry that all that has happened, i wish u the best in all of lifes journeys. :) thanks for everything
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Times are a-changin’…
It seems times are changing. About 15 years ago Shannon Larratt started something called BME, which some of you may know. This eventually flourished into the current and ever popular modblog, over the last few years. Today Shannon announced that he wil…
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