Today we’d like to introduce you to Cyrus Duvernay
Hi Cyrus, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Back in 2019 I started booking metal bands for gigs in Lima and a label called Bad Lip Music. Being in a band personally, I felt that the local scene had drastically dried up from what it had been years prior so I wanted to start doing something about it. When you’re from a smaller town, the music and art community is typically much more centered around trying to cater towards the more mainstream or traditional audiences than it might be otherwise in a larger city with greater diversity. DIY shows and the underground are where a lot of musical or cultural movements begin yet they’re not always given due credit.
The first summer had some pretty good shows happen. For example ,The Convalescence came through a couple times while touring. They were one of the first internationally recognized bands that gave me a chance in the beginning, they still come through here now and I’m thankful for what everything has grown into over the years. Groamy’’s record store was where we did most of the events that year. He was also was one of the first people to give me any support as a youngin and many young musicians here have had their introduction to music through his store or the Groamy Show that used to be filmed in the back.
In 2019 I also began my career as a tattoo artist, but at the beginning of 2020 I relocated to Yellow Springs with the intention of moving the booking and label down to southern Ohio, but the pandemic had plans otherwise. My time in Yellow Springs was pleasant and I focused heavily on tattooing since touring was off the table then.
Towards the end of 2020, I moved back to Lima to be closer to the band I was in at the time and took a position at Legacy Ink on W North Street. That was when I also started booking drag shows at the shop. The first one was Halloween themed, and I felt that the queer community also needed a good spot to gather for stuff like that since the only local gay bar that had been open since the early 80s closed when covid hit.
The original setup was pretty modest. Us folks in the bands would combine some of our equipment from our practice set ups to try and make It a little better. We really just utilized whatever was available.
Over time things began to snowball and last year, the shop owner James decided it was time for a more updated and professional PA. He also added a BUNCH of lighting. Him letting us convert this big garage into basically an underground venue really gave the label a different platform for the community than what I ever imagined we could do at first.
Outside of the venue space at Lima, I’ve also had a few opportunities to tour around the Midwest and North east of the country in my band Disposal Unit. Will Olter who’s been a long time friend of mine started that band with Matthew Reis, and then recruited me once they started wanting to play some shows some years ago. Our third full length album is in the works.
This year, there’s more on the schedule than ever before and I’ve recruited a couple newer bands to the label that I’ll be producing their EPs over the remainder of the winter. Artists from all over the place at many different levels have started planning to make tour dates here in Lima when before, they’d probably just drive by it on the interstates while passing through in years prior.
Mostly heavy music or even anti music, but there’s some other types of happenings such as some pretty high profile drag and burlesque performers are coming through as well as some other variety. This year, some piercers who do body suspension are also planning to have a debut show of that kind here. When a big event happens, it kind of looks like a small festival where the whole parking lot also fills up with tents and vendors. A lot of stuff I can’t really talk about yet because it won’t be announced til a few months before that specific show.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think that overall, people who are into the music and the community have been very supportive. Everybody faces obstacles in different ways, yet I feel as if many of my challenges in particular have stemmed from trying to do bigger things in a smaller area where folks still aren’t so open-minded. That or they also see alternative crowds as undesirables and being ignorantly classist say “we don’t want these people here.”
There’s a lot to my personality and a life in general that I’d prefer to focus on, but I feel as if many prejudice folk like to reduce me to just being a queer person, and they don’t grant me the same treatment they would somebody who wasn’t. I’ve received a lot of hate solely based on that and at times, even death threats.
Honestly, I’m completely fine with not being liked by everyone because anything that I’m a part of is meant to be welcoming and inclusive for all walks of life, and those who are hateful bigots are not welcome here.
There’s been a few that are of the same prejudice mindset who also seem to suffer from cognitive dissonance and only have negative or outright false things to say, but they don’t actually participate or support the local music/art community anyways, so they’re hardly worth mentioning.
Regardless of whatever challenges have come and gone, I have a really great support network here and things have always been set straight how they should be. Individuals who I’d expect to be indifferent to my struggles have surprised me with the amount of love I’ve received in the last couple years. Those many people who support not only me, but the scene in general are one of the biggest reasons that it’s still alive and growing again.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a tattoo artist by trade. This is my 6th year in the industry, and there’s a few styles I really enjoy making. Neotraditional and darker themed black work are big favorites of mine. I’ve started to work more into realism with black work as well but I’m a huge fan of doing bright or complex color pallets depending on the style and what my clients want.
Last year, Legacy Ink was voted number two best in the region for tattoo shops by locals giving their opinion to the Lima News. We don’t rely on social media as much as some other shops and I would like to try to expand our marketing online some more, but the biggest means of business for us is word-of-mouth and people who exclusively have been coming to us for years. Several of my clients will drive many hours or even come from out of state to get tattooed by me. The work and the atmosphere is what keeps bringing people back.
I’ve played music since I was about 13, have been in several bands, put out many different releases, and have been to many states to play. Originally I started off just as a drummer, but I also do bass and vocals. I’m not reinventing the wheel by any means with the music I’ve made or contributed to, but I just try to do whatever I think sounds good.
Because of music, I’ve always been very interested in sound and recording so that’s why I started Bad Lip Music as more of a label than me just being some promoter because I’m more about the creative side of things. I want to make physical media that is interesting to both look at and listen to.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Several people have shared their wisdom with me over the years and showed me things in the form of mentors so it’s hard to pinpoint one specific person. If I made a list of everyone who’s taught me valuable lessons along the way, this would turn into a whole book.
Some of my most important advice to anyone in life is follow your intuition and don’t give too much of yourself to anyone who doesn’t make you feel appreciated or welcome. A lot of people will not give you the same amount of consideration or respect that they expect to receive and it’s ok to establish boundaries that are healthy for you. Surround yourself with people that inspire you and make you want to do better. No one ever makes great growth within complacency.
It is said very often to be the change that you want to see in the world. If you want to make a difference then do whatever it is that’s calling to you.
Very few things that happen now will mean anything or be remembered in 100 years, so try to be happy and follow your passions because we only get one chance and what we do is usually the things that bring us our sense of purpose or accomplishment.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @duvernaytattoos @badlipmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FRpqnmzo6/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@badlipmusic?si=nvEVR6_jnsyatt73
