Dave Navarro to Host New Spike Original Series "InkMaster"

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dave Navarro has signed on to host Spike TV's "InkMaster," the first-ever tattoo competition series. The eight one-hour episode series, produced by Charlie Corwin's Original Media with Charlie Corwin and Jay Peterson serving as executive producers, will premiere on Spike in January 2012.

"Dave Navarro is known worldwide for his musical talents, but he's also well-known within in the tattoo community for his incredible body art," says Sharon Levy, Spike TV's executive vice president, original series and animation.  "Dave's ultimate respect for the art and culture of tattooing makes him perfect for this series."

An estimated 40 million Americans have at least one tattoo somewhere on their body.   So who is the country's preeminent tattoo artist?  "InkMaster" is the first-ever tattoo competition series featuring some of the nation's top tattoo artists on a quest to determine who is the best at their craft and who will win a huge cash prize.  Throughout the competition, the artists battle it out in various tattoo challenges that test the artists' technical skills and on-the-spot creativity, where they must create and execute an original tattoo on command and be judged by a panel including Navarro, tattoo artists and experts Chris Nunez ("Miami Ink") and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo).

The tension and stakes are high in "InkMaster" as the artists not only face the judges, but also the opinions of their 'human canvases.'  The artists will have a wide variety of clients to deal with, ranging from tattoo virgins to connoisseurs with a full sleeve of body art to those who want to cover-up a prior tattoo misstep.  The masterpieces created on these 'human canvases' will last a lifetime, but so will the mistakes.   Satisfying the individual whose skin now bears the artists' handiwork will be a major element in determining the victor.  

The winner of "InkMaster" will win a $100,000 cash prize and a feature in Inked magazine, the preeminent magazine covering tattoo culture, art, music and fashion.

With his six-string skills best described as a merger between heavy metal, psychedelia, and modern rock, Navarro is one of alternative rock's first true guitar heroes.  Best known as the guitarist for Jane's Addiction, the band recently released the new single "Irresistible Force" off their highly anticipated album The Great Escape Artist that debuts worldwide on September 27.

Nunez, 38, is of Cuban descent and grew up in Miami, FL.  He entered into the realm of tattooing after beginning his career as a graffiti artist.  At 21, Nunez packed his bags for a short trip to Brazil and ended up staying for five years.  He then traveled through Europe for three years, which enabled him to work with his favorite tattoo artists.  The experience expanded both his artistic sense and his knowledge of tattooing.  He was a star and fan favorite on the popular tattoo-reality series, "Miami Ink."  Nunez is a partner in Ridgeline Empire, a strategic multiplatform content and media corporation, which operates the subsidiaries Ink Skins and Upset Gentlemen and an animation studio with two animated series in development, "Hoodbrats" and "Toothians."  He is also getting ready to open a new tattoo venture to be based in his hometown of Miami.

Peck is an artist whose whole life revolves around tattooing.  He began tattooing when he was just 19 years old in his hometown of Dallas, TX and has perfected his precise and traditional tattooing style making him one of the best and well-known 'old school' American style artists.  In 2008, Peck inked his way into the Guinness Book of World Records when he completed 415 tattoos of the number 13 in a consecutive 24-hour period.  He is one of the most traveled tattoo artists on the circuit, tattooing all over Europe including England, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway and in the Far East, including Japan and Thailand. Peck is co-owner of Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, TX and the owner of True Tattoo located in Hollywood, CA.

"InkMaster" is produced by Original Media and Charlie Corwin is executive producer of the series. Original Media currently has thirteen television series on air including the hit shows "NY Ink," "Miami Ink," "LA Ink," "The Rachel Zoe Project," "Swamp People," "Storm Chasers," and "BBQ Pitmasters."  Headquartered in New York, Original Media is a subsidiary of Endemol USA.  Sharon Levy is Spike TV's executive vice president, original series and animation, Chris Rantamaki is vice president of original programming for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 99.4 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.   Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

SOURCE Spike TV