Tommy Lee's First Tattoo Explained

May 2024 · 2 minute read

Tommy Lee has a collection of tattoos that would make Ray Bradbury's Illustrated Man jealous. According to Express, Lee has his sons' names tattooed on his wrists, pieces that carry obvious sentimental significance. He also has the word Mayhem across his upper stomach, which is in all likelihood a nod to — and a not so subtle bit of promotion for — his side project, the rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem which the drummer started in 1999 during a hiatus from Mötley Crüe, per Discogs.

The drummer's left arm features a Mötley Crüe tattoo as well as images including a Chinese symbol, flowers, and a lightning bolt. His right arm features a cheetah pattern, a jungle scene, and on his forearm is a blue-tongued, top hat-wearing skeleton. Lee's back is covered in a tribal pattern that is meant to look like a stylized set of wings. On his chest are a pair of lions which Body Art Guru says are often seen as symbols of "strength, victory, and masculinity."

Lee's most obvious tattoos are one that he first unveiled in 2020. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Lee revealed a set of newly acquired facial tattoos which drew a mixed reaction from fans. On one side of his face is a pair of Japanese characters, while on the other side of his face there's a collection of stars and a series of fading dots above his eyebrow. But it all started with a simple tat of a cartoon character. 

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