Arriving at Human Waste Project frontgal Aimee Echo's luxury duplex apartment in the Los Feliz Hills (two doors away from Rage Against The Machine's Zack de la Rocha, it should be noted), there is the familiar sight of fast food debris sprawled across the table.

Aimee Echo is obviously getting herself well fortified. Because today, Aimee is tagging along with three of her closest friends - who all happen to be drummers: HWPs Scott Ellis, Snot's Jamie Miller and Deadbolt's Chris Hamilton - with Kerrang! to witness the addition of her third tatoo.

We hop in the car and drive nearly an hour south, towards Disneyland and the ocean. It's been a whie for Aimee since she's been to her old hometown.

"All these memories just keep flowing back!" she says as we turn off into miles upon miles of the Great American dream personified.

"That's where I witnessed my first witchcraft ritual," she notes, pointing to a grassy knoll behind a grove of trees called Gum Grove Parl. Eek!

Cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway, we take two detours in Seal Beach, an old style post-war haven of cul-de-sacs and dive bars with nautical themes. The first stop is at the former home of her aunt and uncle, where Aimee was born. "Creepy! This trip is freaking me out!" she admits.

Driving through her old stomping ground, Aimee is reminded of the days when she was the city mascot for Seal Beach. "I wore a red velvet mini-dress, white go-go boots and carried a seal", she grins. Further down the highway, her memory bank begins to explode. When Aimee was about four, she and her Mom moved into a big old yellow house previously occupied by her grandparents. "We used to put on plays in the backyard. My bedroom was up there", she says, pointing to the home's upper right window.

"I accidentally set the wall on fire while trying to set light to the trashcan on purpose ... We planted that tree. It was just a shrub, and now look at how big it is! The house is haunted!"

When I press for details, she says firmly: "My mom can tell you about that." Aimee and her mom, Laura, are "very close". In fact Laura is at all of HWP's local gigs, always in the front row, and often helps out manning the merchandise booth.

For a girl who's been on tour so long, Aimee's memories of this place haven't dimmed at all. "Nothing has really changed at all. That's where I went to Brownies", she says, pointing out another suburban blur. "I got kicked out" Why are we not surprised?

We meet up with Aimee's mom at Sean Smith's tatoo shop in Balboa. Smith is famous for, well, doing Aimee's tatoos along with also decorating Korn's David and Fieldy. "You know," smiles Aimee, "It was one year ago today that I had my wrist stars done!"

She and Sean get right to business. First, Aimee does a freehand drawing of the E-Lux album logo she wants tattooed on the back of her neck. Sean copies it, slaps on a sample, and Aimee okays the placement of design. In less than an hour, Aimee has a new tattoo!

There were no tears, and she didn't pass out (like she almost did when she got her first tattoo, of elaborate flowers on her lower stomach). This time she has the moral support of Jamie Miller, who holds her hand throughout the whole process. Aaah.

"It wasn't so bad" she admits, "Actually, it tickled at the end!"

Next, Scott takes the chair for a little colour fill-in. "Scott, want me to hold your hand?" asks Chris Hamilton. Scott answers with a heart "yeah!"

How sweet!

In Aimee Echo's bedroom is her "The Other Not So Nice Girl" doll, a Christmas present from her mate Tarrie B.

In a community where kids learn to surf before they can ride a bike, Aimee managed to avoid both sun and sea like the plague!

She was always in trouble with her teachers, and admits she spent a lot of time in detention after being dubbed "a distraction for other students".

During the day, we make a quick stop at Electric Chair, the groovy studio where Aimee one ran her own body piercing studio.