Photo by Tomas Muscionico

Vince Neil is out of town preparing for a month long tour during a weekday visit to the tattoo shop at the Rio that bears his name, but signs of him are all around.

A few custom-made electric guitars are under glass, including one dedicated to his late daughter Skylar. A large award recognizing his recording career hangs on the wall that divides the artists' workstations from the wall of T-shirts behind the counter. And Neil's business partner, Danny "The Count" Koker, is extolling the virtues of the three choppers on prominent display – one of them christened "Girls, Girls, Girls" – to Vince Neil Band drummer Zoltan Chaney.

The choppers are here courtesy of Koker's Las Vegas motorcycle shop, Count's Kustoms. Before Koker and the Mötley Crüe frontman opened the Rio location of Vince Neil Ink in August (another location is located on the Strip at O'Sheas Casino), Neil was a customer and friend of Koker's. "Vince and I, we used to just run into each other," said Koker, who frequented the same concerts and Vegas nightlife venues Neil did in the late '90s. "Of course, I knew who he was, but he was never quite sure who I was."

The two were finally introduced after a con artist who had arranged a chopper to be built for Neil was exposed. Koker struck up a friendship with Neil and eventually built bikes for the rest of the Crüe, who would rev up Count's Kustoms creations onstage during subsequent tours. Meanwhile, a bond of trust began to build that eventually led to several Las Vegas co-ventures, including an off -Strip rock club called Feelgood's that opened shortly before the Rio location of Vince Neil Ink.

Koker brought several artists from the A&E show Inked to the new shop, including manager Jerome Swanson, Twig Sparks and Josh Petty. The expertise of the six artists on staff spans the spectrum of skin design, from portraiture to tribal motifs, mythology to modern symbolism, religious devotion to military pride. But rock 'n' roll attitude permeates every inch of Vince Neil Ink. A lounge area facing the choppers practically invites people to hang out, which they do evenings and weekends when non-touring Neil is likely to show up. "It's just under 3,000 square feet. That's a big tattoo shop," Koker said.

"We wanted it to be comfortable and cool and large, a place to hang out: Watch the fl at screens, listen to rock 'n' roll music and chill."