The Big Book of Body Mods, 20 Years Later

Before tattoos and piercings and ear plugs were commonplace, there was the book “Modern Primitives,” a then-revolutionary glimpse into the practices of body modification. Published by San Francisco-based punk rock publishing house RE/Search in 1989, the book is a testament to the power of the alternative press. All these little hipsters with their neo-tribal tattoos and nose rings are a testament to the fact, whether they know it or not.