i am limited to only a handful of experiences in tattoo and piercing parlors and have really only been in one. so, let's consider this a non-expert view of the subject in which i'd like to dispel a couple commonly held assumptions about tattoo parlors.
first of all, a lot of bonding occurs when you're in pain, and the people there may look scary with their gauged piercings and tattoo sleeves, but they're about the friendliest people out there. maybe because they have to be. after all, they're sticking needles in people all day, there has to be good reasons people keep coming back to them ;)
secondly, these are not always dark places with heavy metal music playing. i do believe the last time i visited Mos Eisley's it was lit like a doctor's office as usual, and there was very peppy country music playing – which i might add actually did NOT help calm my overly nervous heart rate.