ARTICLES
OUT TODAY! Strange Daze: Richmond 1980-89
RVA Magazine presents Strange Daze: Richmond 1980-89. This new RVA Photo Book is a document of the Richmond punk and hardcore scene in the 1980s, as photographed by the people who were there. This free special edition book features hundreds of photos capturing the music, the flyers, the kids and the chaos of the RVA punk underground. Richmond has always had a great music scene, and this era was no exception. See the local bands who first put Richmond's hardcore scene on the map: White Cross, Honor Role, Graven Image, Unseen Force, Absence of Malice, and others; as well as a special section documenting the great touring bands of the day who stopped off in Richmond: Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Minor Threat, GBH, Broken Bones, and Toxic Reasons, just to name a few. Plus a special look at the earliest days of GWAR, some crazy stories about the most unforgettable characters of the era, and more! It's all inside this brand new photo book!
Here are just a few of the images you'll find within its pages:
Red Cross, Shafer Court, 1981. Photo Courtesy Frank Gresham
Members of the Exploited in the bathroom at Hardtimes, 1984. Photo: Thurston Howes
Dead Kennedys at the Mosque Ballroom, 1983. Photo: Cindy Hicks
Dwain Curd of Sordid Doctrine, 1987. Photo: Adrienne Ownby
Dennis' Problem at the Pyramid, 1988. Photo: Ethan Isenberg
Unseen Force at PB Kelly's, 1985. Photo: Chris Stoddard
We did tons of research and compiled hundreds and hundreds of photos for this book--more than we could use, in fact. In light of our great excess of outtakes, we've started a tumblr account on which we'll be posting photos that didn't make it into the book. Check it out HERE. There are only a few posts up as of now, but we'll be adding to it regularly over the months to come, so follow us! We've also created a soundtrack of sorts for this book, featuring 15 songs by 13 of the Richmond punk/hardcore bands that are in the book. You can find a download link for that mix HERE. And even if you haven't been able to locate a physical copy of this issue, you should still be able to view it on our website, at rvamag.com/magazine. Check it out!
COMEDY SPOTLIGHT: Jesse Jarvis
Jesse Jarvis is a 25 year old catering chef who describes the nature of his work as "raising diabetes awareness for rich white people, one bacon wrapped filet mignon at a time." Born and raised in Richmond, Jesse has been doing comedy for a short, but undisclosed period of time that's taken him all over this fine state. He claims that he might have already left this city if it weren't for the fact that his art degree is weighing him down.
When asked about his first standup experience, Jesse stated: "It was at Cafe Diem's open-mic night and I performed to a bunch of people I didn't know, [as well as] two of my ex-girlfriends. It was short, awkward, and horribly performed. A lot like my relationships with those two ex-girlfriends."
RVA No. 7: Monument Snowboards
Virginia might be the last place you would expect to find a successful snowboard company, but Monument Snowboards is trying to redefine what it takes to be a successful snowboard brand. Based in Woodbridge, Monument has grown over the past ten years from a basement operation into a brand with distribution throughout the US, Canada, Japan, and Korea, and has worked with some of the more popular and accomplished artists of today.
RVA No. 7 Is Out Today!
Hey everybody, our latest issue is on the streets of this fair city as of today! It's crammed full of great articles designed to get you hyped on the diverse, thriving artistic underground here in Richmond. From interviews with local hip-hop movers and shakers Luggage and Black Liquid to profiles of experimental indie rockers Canary Oh Canary and doom metal headcrushers Balaclava to in-depth coverage of the local art scene featuring illustrator-turned-painter Sterling Hundley and photographer Anthony Hall, we've got as much info about the local scene in this new issue as we could possibly fit in there. And that's not to mention our interviews with DC/MD electronic musician and moombahton inventor Dave Nada, Virginia Beach collage artist John Sebastian Vitale, and Woodbridge snowboard manufacturers Monument Snowboards. Plus, to top it all off, we've got a wild and crazy interview with Megadeth, in which writer Adam Ganderson nearly gets himself thrown out of a show! There's a lot of great stuff to see and read in our new issue, and it's all free!
The new issue will be available at many fine retail locations around the city over the coming days and weeks, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on a copy, you're in luck, because we'll be giving them out at the Holidaze party at New York Deli (2920 W. Cary St, in Carytown) Friday night! Audio Ammo DJs Long Jawns and Doddie will be spinning the tunes starting at 10 PM and we'll keep giving away copies of the brand new issue until they're all gone, so come on out and party with us!
STOP CHILD ABUSE NOW! An Interview with Amalia Pizzardi of Colors of Life
In the wake of the Penn State scandal, it seems fitting to run this interview with Amalia Pizzardi, director of local non-profit Colors Of Life, and passionate advocate of stopping child abuse in every corner of the world. Colors Of Life has teamed up with international program Every Child Matters, and together they are doing their part to bring a spotlight to the epidemic through art and photography-centered initiatives. I had a chance to ask Pizzardi about the program and how everyday Richmonders could get involved.
An American Conversation: Dispatch From Kanawha Plaza
Editor's note: I received this article from Preston last Friday, and was planning to run it today but it has been somewhat overtaken by events. Nonetheless, I felt that his perspective was valuable, and did a good job of illuminating the overall reasons behind the Occupy movement as it exists here in RVA and in the rest of the world. Therefore, we'll be running this article unaltered, in spite of the fact that some details may now be outdated. Rest assured, though, in one form or another, the Occupy movement will continue to exist in RVA.
“It’s like Woodstock meets Burning Man meets people with absolutely no purpose.”
-Kimberly Guilfoyle, FOX News
Holy shit, I just learned something from FOX News. –Me.
This summer I participated in a social experiment in the middle of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. It’s called Burning Man. There were over 50,000 other people there--citizens, if you will--of a city based not on law and commerce, but on ten simple principles. These principles (Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification, Radical Self-Reliance, Radical Self-Expression, Civic Responsibility, Immediacy, Communal Effort, and Leaving No Trace), create the governing philosophy behind Black Rock City, which is for one week the third largest city in Nevada.
And I’ve already pissed people off. It would stand to reason that if Burning Man wanted media attention, it would be held somewhere more accessible than a brutal alkali flat in the middle of August. Burning Man is not a protest. It is apolitical because it does not engage with the political systems that govern our society. There are people of conscience there, aspiring politicians, and in all likelihood bankers and lobbyists as well. But you are not your job at Burning Man.
Nothing about your default-world life is relevant to Burning Man, unless you decide it should be. And so many “Burners” are resentful of public discussion about the Burner phenomenon outside of their own communities. Nobody wants a modern day Cointelpro designating Black Rock City as ground zero for the next revolution. And it never will be. Burning Man is not commentary on our society; it is its own society. That’s the whole point. So take what I’m imparting here as Radical Self-Expression.
Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Richmond
This is not an objective article designed to explain the motivations and goals of a movement. This is not a manifesto intent on enumerating the causes and ethos of popular sentiment. This is a personal expression. A contemplation of an evolving social climate. A revelation of support. A pondering of potential futures. An editorial, if you will. If you’re disinterested in such radical subjectivity, please, feel free to abandon this page in favor of less honestly subjective journalism.
I have run through the streets of major cities clutching vinegar-soaked bandanas to my face while pepper spray barreled through frantically dispersing crowds of peaceful protesters. I have stared into surveillance cameras unmasked and articulated “fuck you” in a myriad of angry political statements and fist raising determination. I have broken through police lines, dropped banners on highways, wheat pasted stenciled proclamations of revolution to dilapidated storefronts. I have read poetry to protests, sat through excruciating consensus meetings while planning illegal direct actions. And I have been burnt out, disillusioned, pacified.
It’s not that my political inclinations shifted, that I got older and more conservative, or even that I lost my passion for the Struggle. What I became disillusioned with was the nature of protest. It occurred to me that these weekends of demonstration, these nights of clandestine activism, were simply gaskets. They allowed us to vent our rage, our indignation, our discontent, with relatively ineffectual displays of opinion. They were catalysts for change, we felt, in some ways. More often than not, however, they served primarily to allow us to feel we were doing our part in creating a better, more just world, without actually affecting the corrupt structures we were so vehemently dedicated to dismantling.
Entertainment Above All Else: America’s Culture of Rape Sympathy
A few months ago I reviewed Tyler, the Creator’s new record, Goblin, and opened myself up to some criticism regarding my response to the record’s misogynistic, homophobic, and rape-glorifying lyrical content. The lines that most people seemed to take issue with were: “Go ahead and tell me that I just don’t get it, I’ll tell you that you’re a rape sympathizer and a coward.” Apparently, it was a big claim for me to suggest that Tyler, the Creator fans are rape sympathizers. I disagree, and here’s why:
Most Americans, not just Tyler, the Creator fans, are rape sympathizers.
I’m not saying Americans think rape is okay. They don’t. If you ask almost any American if they think rape is acceptable, the answer will be no. We’re not bad people, necessarily, and neither are people who enjoy Tyler, the Creator. We’re largely morally aware human beings. Of course rape is wrong. We get that, as a culture.
We get that it is wrong, but we are largely ignorant of rape and its prevalence in America. It is a distant, abstract concept. A classic case of the “it doesn’t affect me, so I don’t worry about it” attitude. What we don’t get is that it affects almost all of us and the ones we love. We don’t seem to understand, for example, that one in six American women will be victims of either completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. You probably come into contact with a survivor of rape every day. Most likely, you come into contact with several. Rape permeates our everyday lives.
On Selective Enforcement and the Rule of Law (Or, let’s throw some science at this bitch)
“There is a terrible poetry in that sound at dead of night: but there was a day when the echo of that Bell awoke a world, slumbering in tyranny and crime!” --George Lippard, Ring, Grandfather, Ring!
Perhaps it is this quote that inspired Charles Samuels to exclude church bells from violating his utterly ridiculous sound ordinance. Of course, Lippard was writing on liberty, and Samuels intends to make sure the churches of his constituents can make noise to their heart's content--certainly, the early-morning churchgoers can be counted amongst the loudest of his anti-art, anti-fun, anti-whippersnapper constituency. Lippard was also speaking out against “Priest-craft and all other crafts born of the darkness of ages, and baptized in seas of blood.” But this is not a rant about religion, churches, or priests. This is about science, and empirical proof that the recently washed and passed sound ordinance is in violation of the rule of law. Here's the full copy that I'm pulling the below excerpts from.
I pulled up behind the Library of Virginia with a smirk on my face. After scores of complaints about the new sound ordinance (after all, it was thrown out as unconstitutional, then reintroduced, barely reworded, to remove religious exemptions), I had finally decided to throw some science at it. Collect data, analyze, and report.
RVA No. 6 Is Out Today!
Our latest issue hits the streets of the city today! Featuring Deanna Danger and the lovely ladies of her Boom Boom Basics Burlesque Studio on the cover, this issue is chock full of great stuff. First we've got a profile of Deanna Danger and her Boom Boom Basics classes. Then there's an interview with Kate Jennings, a local photographer and owner of Na Nin Vintage Clothing. Our artistic spotlight focuses on painter Jenna Chew, and on the surprisingly brutal illustrations of Julia Scott. Musically speaking, we've got interviews with doom-metallers Cough, electro-rockers Sleigh Bells, local hip-hop sensation Noah O, energetic pop-punk group Hold Tight!, and once and future Richmond drummer Tyler Williams of Sub Pop recording artists The Head And The Heart. On top of all that, we've got an extensive guide to our RVA Music Fest, which is taking place in a mere 10 days time, so you'll want to grab your copy of this new issue as soon as possible! You can also download the program guide from rvamusicfest.com)
Don't worry--we're going to make it easy for you to do so. Head to Cafe Diem (600 N. Sheppard) for Happy Hour today, between 5 and 7 PM, where we'll be handing out copies. Or, if you can't make it then, come by The Republic (2053 W. Broad St) tonight starting at 9 PM for the official release party, with Audio Ammo! We'll have plenty of magazines on hand at both locations for your reading pleasure, and you'll also be able to pick it up around town over the next few weeks!
RVA Photo Book: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
RVA Magazine and The Republic Restaurant and Bar present The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: A RVA Photo Book. This free special edition RVA full-color book, featuring work by 26 different photographers from Richmond and the surrounding area, will be available tonight starting at 6 PM at The Republic, located at 2053 W. Broad St. in the Fan. Come by for Happy Hour and a meet and greet with RVA staff and photographers whose work is presented in the book--copies will be available all night, up to the Karaoke contest at 10 PM (or while supplies last).
Richard Perkins
David Kenedy
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly is a narrative that takes you through a typical day in RVA, from the start of the day all the way to the glamorous nightlife. It depicts the RVA Lifesytle in all its glory, featuring the people and places of Richmond and beyond. Its 100 pages depict the glories of swimming in the river, bike and skate tricks done urban-guerrilla style on sidewalks and handrails, ridiculous party hijinks, and the lesser-known sights of our well-traveled city. These images were captured by hungry young photographers who go to great lengths to practice their art wherever possible, and the love they feel for their art shows in every image. This 5x5 book may not be as big as your average coffee table photography tome, but in the coming years, the work that it contains should be if anything even more important, so be sure to grab yourself a copy while the getting's good. You'll want to treasure this book for years to come.
Franklin Obregon
Matthew McDonald
rvamag.com/magazine
therepublicrva.com
Top photo by Thomas Fields
RVA NO.5 : WAYNE COYNE of The FLAMING LIPS
Over the course of their nearly three-decade-long career, The Flaming Lips have been through a number of surprising metamorphoses and unconventional side trips on their way to becoming an alternative rock institution. It might therefore come as a surprise to learn that they’ve spent the vast majority of their career signed to Warner Bros, one of the most conventional major labels of all. However, as singer/guitarist Wayne Coyne reveals in the interview below, that contract expired at the end of 2010. There will be a new contract with Warner Bros, and in fact, securing it is a mere formality at this point. But as of right now, for the first time in nearly 20 years, The Flaming Lips are an independent band. They’ve taken this brief label-free period as impetus for a frantic burst of musical activity, planning at the beginning of this year to release one song per month--a goal they have thus far wildly exceeded. Some of these releases have taken bizarre form (see our discussion below about their just-released gummy skull, each of which has a USB drive containing 3 songs embedded within it), but all of them have one thing in common--they display the same spirit of spontaneous adventure that has been a hallmark of the Flaming Lips’ career thus far.
On top of all this release-related activity, the band has found time to embark on one of their world-famous tours, which will bring their psychedelic sensory overload of a stage show to Richmond’s The National on May 15. In celebration of that upcoming appearance, I caught up with Wayne Coyne over a long-distance telephone connection. Our conversation took place on March 30.
Summer is here and RVA #5 is in the streets!!
Hey everybody, RVA #5 is here, and we think it's our best issue yet!
For one thing, there's an in-depth interview with the Flaming Lips, which we are really stoked about. We've also got awesome art from insane photographer Richard Perkins and Othelo Gervacio, who does dark, angry paintings that drip
down the page. There's a rad article about local metallers Inter Arma, complete with excellent photos of the band in action.
Plus, be sure and check out our interviews with DJ par excellence Steve Aoki, Kenna, and San Francisco based psych-punker Ty Segall. We worked hard to get together some great content for this issue, so the whole thing is a great read, and we're particularly proud of the way it looks as well. Copies will be available around town starting today, so look for Steve Aoki stagediving on the cover, and be sure to grab one.
Also, keep an eye out for the limited-edition alternate cover, featuring the Flaming Lips. We hope you love this issue as much as we do.
R.I.P. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Wrestling is a strange beast. I completely thought wrestling as a kid was the end all and that the cast of over-the-top characters were my friends. I would catch the shows every week, the cartoon every weekend and had the oversized Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage dolls. I would use them to rain fire on my sister's Barbie crew and it was sweet. Looking back, how awesome was it to be a happy kid and have these bad-asses as your idols. Many days were spent picking fights and wrestling till someone cried "uncle" or just started crying. Maybe that isn't PC now but back before the interweb it was just part of being a boy.
Then you grow up and the world isn't so black and white. You find out wrestling is mostly fake theatrics and that your heroes are paper-thin scripted actors. Talk bout jading you a bit and making a teenager cynical.
I just found out that the Macho Man has passed due to a car wreck. Admittedly, I harbored some love for the guy and genuinely hate that he passed. My cynicism has small cracks. I still kept up with his career, not in a big way but I would still pull for him. Even listened to the album, which was horribly funny but not on purpose.
RVA Magazine 2005-2011 : The Paul Lazio Era
Paul Lazio was an alter ego that would cause trouble in the name of gonzo. Essentially, the guy was a loose cannon that made "helpful" suggestions to the authorities and get us in trouble. We couldn't control him and his antics just took the whole magazine on a ride into the bizarro. Nothing encapsulates this better than when the Queen of England came to town. There is a ton more from this guy but that would take all day to sort through. Enjoy.
RVA Magazine 2005-2011 : Our First Interview with Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe
Alright RVA has been around for awhile and over the years we have had some amazing times and interviews. Coming out of a 2 bedroom row house on Floyd Avenue, RVA was born on April 15th, 2005 from a group of frustrated and motivated people needing an outlet for their ideas. The original cast was amazing, from driving around in a really old Volvo 240DL wagon (affectionately called the Bricklayer) because none of us had a vehicle to having meetings on the floor cause we didn't have room for the staff, the first year of RVA was stupid tough. Anyway, no need to get too far into all the crap that we went through but leading up to our actual birthday we thought it would be fun to reprint some of the old interviews and revisit our growing pains. Enjoy our awkwardness.
The first one to post has to be our first big scoop with Lamb Of God. Randy Blythe and the guys of Lamb of God have been mad supportive since the beginning of the magazine and this interview is one of the funniest we have ever run. He totally has fun with us on this and made us feel like rookies but you know what - we fucking were! These guys were bigger than life and the new face of American Metal and they loved this town. No stress. So we sent a very, very young Ryan Kent to get this and you have to read it...
RVA NO.4: RJD2
RJD2 is probably best known for, well, a lot of random great songs. From the theme song for Mad Men to the unforgettable crutch dance from his “Work It Out” video, his music has made it into almost everyone’s subconscious playlist at one time or another. He’s one of a diminishing amount of DJs who actually takes the time to work four turntables live, juggling corners of countless vinyl LP covers with his fingertips. When performing, he never seems to come up for air, and the momentum doesn’t stop when he says goodnight at the end of his set. He then proceeds to become an equally skilled merchandise dispenser. “I don't have roadies,” he tells me with a smile, packing up his merchandise and equipment by himself. He really is a one man army, but that also makes him extremely humble. People were giving him compliments and handshakes all the way to his car. “I have to be in Athens, GA tomorrow for a show, and then Tallahassee, FL after that,” he tellls me as he leaves. “Is it cool if we skype this interview later so I can give you more of my attention?” We caught up later to talk about his new album, the project known as The Insane Warrior, and the lost art of live DJing.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL ISSUE
The Final Four Aftermath.
When VCU lost in the Final Four you knew people would be disappointed. You knew from the partying after they won in the Elite 8 that a loss in the Final Four would bring the same kind of energy. What we didn't expect was the Richmond Riot Squad and tear gas or from the students, rock throwing and destruction of public property. Things got alittle out of hand last night and RVA might be the only local media to have it on video the way we did. Watch carefully, this isn't your normal report from the scene like CNN but a strangely quiet narrative of young people making the best of a tough night, watching a mob get out of control and then being caught up in what happens next.
Video from Mondial Creative Labs ----> CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
Shot and edited by Nick Wurz and Kevin Bennett.
Music: "Memories" - Clint Mansell
Shot on 5DMkII.
Shot and edited by Nick Wurz and Kevin Bennett.
Music: "Memories" - Clint Mansell
RVA NO.4 : New Brow! The World of Art Whino.
Not to be confused with graffiti, street art has blown up and grown into the cultural statement of our generation. Street art is the secret handshake, the open diary, the language of a frustrated people expressed in a full range of emotions and human experience, written on the walls of your local neighborhood sketchy alleyway. “I was here. I had something to say.” A raw, direct connection from artist to audience.
It was unavoidable that this pure expression would find an audience, and that galleries the world over would come calling. DC gallery ART WHINO has been one of the best in presenting the work and dealing legitimately with their artists. Both an equal partner and an encouraging big brother, ART WHINO is the East Coast cog needed to bring this amazing art to the masses. The shows are so good, it kinda makes you wonder why, in a region of over 8 million people, there isn't another gallery like it. I had an opportunity to ask owner and curator Shane Pomajambo a few questions that were on my mind.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL ISSUE
Tatiana Suarez
What was the inspiration for the gallery, Shane?
The inspiration for Art Whino is to put DC on the map for the New Art Scene. Being the nation’s capital, it’s unconstitutional for it not to be!
Jon Lovato
As the scene has grown, what have you seen as positive trends towards the perception of street art? Any negatives?
Street art since the 80's has always been seen as vandalism by mainstream America. As America sinks deeper and deeper into [the] numbness of everyday schedules and routines, street artists are aiming their art more and more at these schedules, routines and propaganda, [and] snapping some people out of it. I believe now more than ever, there is a revolution where people understand and appreciate what these artists are doing.
Melissa Collier
Do you make a distinction between street art and graffiti?
For me personally there is a HUGE difference between street art and graffiti. Graffiti been around since civilization has been. At its essence, it’s an individual’s marking, saying, “I existed and I was here.” Street art’s aim, on the other hand, is less on the individual, and more about activating the space it inhabits.
Rich Salcido
How was your time down at Art Basel this year?
We did the TAKEOVER at Art Basel in Dec 2010 and it was a great success. We brought large scale installations into a a 8000 sq. ft. enclosed courtyard, and had 20 artists exhibit 8' [tall] x 16' wide pieces. With over 2000 people at the opening alone, it was more that we had expected, and a good sign people like what we do!
Nick Morris
Having been there a few times, how big has Art Basel been in promoting the gallery? Is it worth the expense?
Art Basel is the Super Bowl of the art world. With over 60 art openings in 4 days, and over 40,000 art collectors, it’s a great place to go as a visitor, and a great place for a gallery to meet new collectors. If you can pay to play, then [it’s] worth it for sure.
Charlie Owens
You have a group of artists you work with all the time. Who are part of the Art Whino family?
Unbelievably, in over 4 years, we’ve worked with over 1200 artists worldwide. It really has been an amazing experience to meet so many artists, and see so many perspectives on the art scene. Out of 1200 artists, though, some stand out by their professionalism, passion and drive, and have become Art Whino Family for sure. You can see our stable of artists on our website.
Angry Woebots
Going forward, where would you like to see the gallery? Any big things coming up?
The goal for Art Whino continues to be to unify the New Brow world, where you can see artists worldwide in one place. With that said, we have 3 epic shows coming up this year: the G40 Art Summit in the spring, Arts Festivals in the summer, and Art Basel in the winter.
Spring is here and RVA NO.4 has hit the streets!!
The winter hangover is done and we at the office couldn't be more ready to get on with some sunshine. So we are bringing it to you in the form of a new RVA #4.
It's packed full of exclusives like the one with Greg Gillis aka GIRL TALK and club legend RJD2. While Editor-in-chief Andrew Necci hammered out great interviews with punk legend Mike Watt, the guys in Conditions and still got the reviews in just under the wire. We had to tell you about about Dirty Richmond. How about one of the best new bands in town, The Trillions? Find out what was said about street art with Art Whino's Shane Pomajambo and my conversation about the artistic inner-self with Yusef Ola. Can't forget the spread on local street poet Nick F and our talk with the man at the morgue or the award winning photography of Matt Eich.
All this plus dope design work! This might be the best issue yet of your homegrown culture mag, RVA.
OR CLICK HERE TO READ THE NEWEST ISSUE RVA #4
IMAGES BELOW THE BREAK
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