DaVo's Personal Bio

On April 13th, 1969 Took my first breath and joined the human race and ever since have been for the most part, making the world wish it had never invited me to the party in the first place. At least that's what they keep telling me. Just who "they" are is always in question.

I was born and raised in Des Moines Iowa by my adopted parents Gerald "Jerry" Wilkins (who left this world in 1994) and Dorris "Grace" Wilkins(who left us in 2020). Who are the only parents I've ever known, had or ever cared to have. I have two older sisters Debbie and Kim.

Growing up with them taught me a great deal about tolerance and love. Something I hope that I'm passing on to my son Quinn. A large part of my childhood and molding came from my Grandmother Mabel Eben. She passed away in 1997 at 92 but still lives on in our hearts and minds on a daily basis

After climbing out of childhood and becoming a adolescent, I began to get interested in music(punk rock), BMX Freestyling, and Skateboarding and body art. To say that ages 13-24 were rebellious would kind of be a bit of an understatement. Instead of going into all the causes for each and every one of my mother's grey hairs and I just they could be blamed for a few of them on my head. Let's say that I did a lot of searching and boy did I look in a lot of places. Often I look back and wonder just why I am still alive, not in jail and what is the funny looking guy with strange hair, I keep seeing in family pictures.

During this time of searching, I started collecting tattoos and luckily didn't come out with anything I hate. I developed a taste for Guinness, Loud fast music, fast times, 12 year old Scotch, fiction by Faulkner, Miller and Bukowski and good cigars.

Luckily I had this time to find my true loveBody Piercing and Tattooing. I can't remember what caused it or when it happened but at a young age I wanted to get my nipple pierced. After years of putting it off and a few failed attempts I started looking into getting them done. What I found pretty quickly, was that it was not something that you can just go out and have done. After much research and reading I began to develop a strong urge to start piercing. It did not take much time to get hooked on the idea of piercing professionally and with the help of Sherry at Creative Images, I finished a too short apprenticeship and starting piercing back in May 94.

There's something about owning your own business that sucks the life blood out of you while at the same time you're having the time of your life. You throw so much of your life into that space and as I'm sitting here I can feel the warmth of so many people, events and changes that have come to my life over the past years. The Axiom is in a large part my life and life's blood. When I think of all the dead end jobs I had over the years, I feel blessed to have this place even though sometimes it's a pain in the ass.

Also I owned and operated Axiom Promotions that promoted live music in Des Moines steadily over a four year period from 1996 to 2000. Some of the bands I have promoted were: Murphy's Law, The Humpers, Real Big Fish, Black-47, At the Drive-in, Social Distortion, The Pleasure Fuckers, TSOL and a loads more. Promoting has always been pretty much a hobby, and I think I've only made a couple of grand but did I have a blast. After taking close to 5 years off I began agian and started to Promote shows at Mary's in September of 2005 but it was short lived at they closed their doors for good July 5. 2007. Between 1996 and 2007 I spent a lot of time in that building, developed number of life long friendships, saw a countless number of great bands and had the privelegde of being a part of it. 

To say the least, I've always been active in the music scene here. I was in a band called The Have Nots, involved in a public access show called "The Recline of Midwestern Civilization" and even took a shot at Management and promoting shows. Since the age of 14, I've been an active music collector and have always had an undying need to explore for new music. Though my main musical insterst has always been focused on Punk, I listen to a lot of Jazz, Rockabillie, folk, Traditional country and etc.. If it can make me feel something I'm interested and if it is a music that drives me to be passionate about it, I can be very vocal about my opinion of it. Wtih the lanch of the new version of the site and thanks to my latest addiction, I've added a Spotiry playlist blog and plan on post them weekly. 

I've always had an interest in tech and gadgets and started building website on Geocities on my WebTV way back in 1997. Over the years, I've built a number of sites including this one that evolved from that first site. I also built and managed the Iowa Underground Archives and Ugarchives.com both of which are sitting on my harddrive waiting to be relaunched. Beyond web building, I actively keep up on electronics, gadgets and just about everything related. 

My son Quinn Colin Bottenfield was born September 4th, 1998. No one can explain in words what it feels like to hold your own child. It's one of those emotions that can only be experienced first hand. Quinn is my best friend and comes before everything. His personality much like my own. Strong willed, fearless and a burning need to find out all the mysteries of the world first hand.

Over the last few years we have spent a great deal of time doing logos and exploring art, science and history. The thing that stick out in my mind about my experience of fatherhood is that you can't help but envy the unbridled passion and expression of joy, love and excitement he has. It makes you wonder if you yourself have have lost it or if it hidden deep within. I feel bless that even though Quinn's mother and I are not together that she is a truly great mother. In a lot of way I know that is because of the things that first drew me to her in the first place are some of the things that make her a great mom. The proof of this, is what a wonderful little man he is and the fact that regardless of what goes on between her and me, I hold no ill will. It's strange to me and maybe it's my age and my growth. I don't know but he has long wiped any anger I've had out of me. That's the thing that I think people miss about children. There was a time in my life where I view kids as little stress makers. I think a lot of people see it that way especially if it's outside of a conventional relationship. The thing is it's not the kids that cause the stress, it's all the stuff around you that does. It's your job, the phone, your friends, the TV News and etc.. What I've found is that if I focus on Quinn and our time together then all the crap that makes up my life, tends to seem very unimportant. So, even when he is being a bit of a pill, he is pulling me out of that stress. I don't know if that make sense or if I've done it justice but it's a wonderful thing.

The last addition to the family is my sister Debbie's son Connor Gerald Wilkins. He has become a regular fixture at the house and a playmate for Quinn. I think Connor having my father's name for a middle name has given him some of my father's spark. He has a strong will and energy that keeps you on your toes and a smile on your face.

It's been a lot of water under the bridge and a hell of a lot of burnt bridges, but it was all well worth it, and as the Humpers put it I'm going to "Live forever or Die Trying." DaVo

For addtional photos go to DaVo's Personal and Family Gallery