By Rene Thompson, Editor in Chief | Photos by Rene Thompson, and courtesy of Daniel Gonzales
Daniel Gonzales with his band Blinddryve.
Psychology major and tattoo supply company owner of “Boneyard Ink,” Daniel Gonzales said he has a very specific philosophy when it comes to helping heal people and wants to enact that into his ultimate goal, which is to make or be a part of a special kind of substance abuse treatment center, he said.
Gonzales said that he hopes to support people through helping them gain some spirituality, as well as through proper diet, exercise, education and getting people back their roots.
“I have a culinary degree and I was a cook in Seattle, so I feel like good food is an important part of our healing process too, and when people are trying to detox off drugs or things like that, they are eating food that have a lot of chemicals, and I would like to get into a treatment center that is based around having organic farm to table foods, because I think connecting with the earth is important too. It’s kind of like getting back to our roots,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales not only goes to school full time and still runs his tattoo supply business, but has also played bass for the last eight years in a local Metal band called Blinddryve, and has five children, he said.
“I have five kids, two are in soccer, the other is in voice and acting classes, then I have the two little ones, and this semester I’m taking five classes, so it’s a lot of work, but I’ve always wanted to help people,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he had his own problems with substance abuse in his past and said he has learned so much since then that he wants to help others on their roads to recovery and a better wellbeing.
“I feel like I have some positive stuff to offer, I have life experience in that field and I want to go into counseling or therapy,” he said.
Gonzales said that his passion for helping people comes from his sister, who has a condition called Rett Syndrome and has the brain capacity of an 18 year-old baby, so she has stayed at ARCA who provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities for the past 20 years, and where Gonzales and his family go to see her regularly.
Gonzales said his sister inspires and helps him to stay motivated to succeed in his goal of helping others.
“The doctors said people with her condition usually don’t live past 30 and she’s 46 now, so she’s one of the oldest living people with her condition,” he said.
Gonzales said he opened his tattoo supply business in 2008 while working in the shipping department at The Zone, where they began to get artists who needed supplies.
Gonzales said artists would wonder why there was not a local source at the time that delivered supplies, because there was and still is a major demand, since Albuquerque has an abundance of shops and artists.
“I could see that there was a demand for it (tattoo supplies), because artists would say ‘it would be nice if there was someone who was local who could deliver supplies and then we wouldn’t have to get supplies online,’ so I’ve officially had the business for six years now,” he said.
His band Blinddryve, in their eight years, has played the Journal Pavilion, the South by Southwest Show, and has opened for Sevendust and Lucuna Coil, he said.
“I would say it’s definitely metal; it’s cross between Iron Maiden, Pantera, and maybe Kill-Switch Engage, and a touch of Queensryche,” he said.
For more information on Blinddryve shows go to blinddryve.com or holdmyticket. com for advance show tickets.
G o n z a l e s said he really wants to go to Highlands University at the school of social work, because they have such a great program.
He said they also have a jump starter program that helps students get a Master’s degree in three years.
He also hopes to make a program that not only instills his philosophy but also sets up people with proper work skills to be able to succeed beyond treatment, to less likely keep repeating the cycle of being a multiple drug offender.
“I think that people who use are just sick, and sometimes they were never taught that stuff, a lot of time people want to judge others, but sometimes these people were never taught to take care of themselves, or how to find to their own paths, and maybe they can get skills or certifications to have a better chance at being sober when they have a leg up. It could be 10 or 20 years from now, but my goal is to really help people beyond their immediate treatments and help to give them the skills to have a better life,” he said.
