RVA Mag

Richmond, VA Culture & Politics Since 2005

Menu

The Street Photographer: An Exclusive Q & A with Lamb of God Frontman Randy Blythe

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the shadow of an empty pedestal on Monument Avenue, the Lamb of God frontman spoke about the chaotic era we’re all living through, and finding peaceful moments to savor amidst the chaos.

Frontman. Author. Visual Storyteller. Philosopher. These are just a few of the words one can use when describing Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe. Fronting one of the biggest metal bands in the world, you might even be forgiven for making certain assumptions about what an interview with him might be like — because they’d all be wrong. Far from being removed from the chaos of everyday life, Randy is hyper-absorbed into the realities of the moment.

Nowhere is this more apparent than when speaking about his experiences as a street photographer and visual storyteller — two aspects of his work that have been pressed into service over the past seven weeks in his home town of Richmond, Virginia. Even more so since the murder of George Floyd and the start of months long street protests. Yet as every good photographer knows, you cannot capture the emotional depth of the human experience without also being a person of emotional depth and experience yourself. 

RVA Mag caught up with Randy one humid Friday night at the plinth of the now removed Confederate statue of JEB Stuart on Richmond’s Monument Ave. Covered in movement messages, this spot has become a favorite for the city’s skaters and BMX riders. Only a few weeks earlier, the city’s skaters led a march called “Skate in Solidarity” in support of Black Lives Matter; this event saw hundreds of skaters leave Texas Beach, a local skatepark, and descend on the former Confederate statue. True to his skating roots, Randy was also behind the lens for this demonstration before the evening ended with a confrontation between the police and protesters. Even in these kinetic environments, Randy is quick to observe that the quiet moments of humanity amongst the chaos oftentimes make for the most impactful images and social documentation. 

RVA Mag: I think we can start this pretty simply: You’re in one of the biggest metal bands in the world, but you’re also a visual storyteller, so what story are you telling in 2020?

Randy: A rather chaotic one. 2020 has had many stories to tell, starting with the Coronavirus pandemic. This was the beginning of the black ball of chaos that is now rolling down hill. I’ve been out a lot at night in Richmond, shooting — particularly downtown and in The Fan — completely by myself, and the city was utterly empty. People were obviously here, but inside, particularly at night. The streets were really eerie. Then shooting during the day, the few human portraits I would get to make were interesting because they were withdrawn. Because nobody knew what the fuck was going on. 

RVA Mag: I don’t think that confusion has abated any. 

Randy: So that led into the story of the economic impact [of COVID]. I was shooting a lot of shuttered businesses and empty shopping districts. And then the George Floyd protests occurred, and I went out and shot the first night of that. Since then I have gone out and been doing what I always do, which is head out into the city streets and shoot what they provide — what attracts my eye. Obviously there have been a lot of tense moments lately to capture. 

RVA Mag: There is a lot of raw human emotion right now. 

Randy: Yes, and a whole lot of people capturing that. There are a lot of photographers. I think consciously what I am now looking for is the quiet moments you can find in the middle of all that chaos. Those are harder to find. 

RVA Mag: You were outspoken in advocating for healthcare workers on the frontline of COVID, but as a city we moved quite rapidly from COVID to the street protests. Was there a nexus between these two things for you? 

Randy: First of all, there is no way to make the on-video murder of George Floyd any less abominable. That’s obviously not the only time police have killed people, it was just the latest one caught on video. So this is not to diminish that atrocity, but by the time that happened people were primed: They had been under lockdown, they don’t know what’s going on, there is so much disinformation in the media — on both sides — which is horrific. There is the economic fallout, everyone is wondering what and the hell is going on. Everyone has been in a really tense place. So when this happened — to use a trite analogy — it was a perfect storm. 

RVA Mag: Let me build on that a bit: You have a global career, touring all over the world, but you always come back to Richmond. What’s it like to come back here and see this on your city streets? 

Randy: I’m careful in how I answer questions like this. Because I have seen this before. We were in Thailand during the Redshirt Revolt. When we landed, there were 100,000 people camped out in downtown Bangkok. Right before we go on stage, there is an announcement made that the government just declared martial law and that anyone not home within an hour will be going to prison. We’d not even played our set yet. They announced that and the Thai people [at the show] were like, “Fuck you, we’re staying.”  

RVA Mag: Wait, so you played a show in Bangkok while the city was under martial law? 

Randy: Absolutely, 100 percent. 

RVA Mag: Ok, this is rock n’ roll lore now. Did the authorities try and stop you from performing? 

Randy: No, they were busy massing downtown. There were 100,000 people in downtown Bangkok — protesters — all wearing red. I still have a red protest bandana. We got off stage and I went down there. Everyone was super cool with us, but everyone was strapping on homemade armor and then there was this massive, massive riot. I wound up back at the hotel, but later that night the protesters took over a police station and stole hundreds of automatic weapons. 37 people died that night, including three or four journalists. The next day, right after we took off, they closed the airport. And that’s just one story. I’ve seen stuff like this on an even larger scale. 

So for me, seeing it here is very, very odd. Seeing tear gas being popped off on Monument Ave is fucking crazy. Things here have remained more tumultuous for longer because of where we’re sitting [across from the removed statue of JEB Stuart]. We’ve reached this boiling point, but it’s always kind of been here in Richmond. We’re a majority black city, people need to understand that. I can’t speak for a single black person, but most of them don’t appreciate these monuments. 

RVA Mag: The public memory of these men, memorialized in these statues, is ending with this generation. As a thought exercise, everything they stood for and how they were propagandized throughout Virginia and US history ends here and now. Is that special to you as someone from Richmond? 

Randy: It is intense to see. There was a lot of talk about how they were going to be contextualized. Like, put a little plaque there. But unless you are right up on that plaque, the monument itself does not convey that — it still conveys a position of power. It is harder to contextualize something that is built, positioned, and placed so purposefully to convey this one thing. How are you going to put context with that unless you build something equally as large beside it? And no one was talking about that. 

I think they have been contextualized now. You can look at all these monuments, they have been fucking contextualized. 

RVA Mag: We have seen aspects of popular culture respond to this movement very quickly. In terms of being a national touring act in a period of national transition, what role do you see the metal scene playing in pushing the change we’re seeing?

Randy: Well, it’s interesting. We just released our eighth album, Lamb of God — the tenth one we’ve ever recorded [including two released under the name Burn The Priest]. The whole premise is the unsuitability of our current way of life. A lot of the songs seem prescient. The cracks in the system we’re seeing against systemic racism in our society, none of this surprises me. The pandemic doesn’t surprise me. 

RVA Mag: In an American context or individual life context? 

Randy: In a societal context, it was inevitable. Business as usual in America, and here we are. As a heavy metal singer, I had to source N95 masks for physician friends of mine. And I could do that, and I did do that, delivering them to doctors and nurses. The fact that a fucking heavy metal singer can, and a physician can’t, is ludicrous and is evidence that we’re unprepared. So this is not unpredictable.

But make no mistake, young people are leading this right now. Oftentimes I am the oldest dude out here shooting. I am going to turn 50 next year. You have all these young people becoming more educated, while also facing an uncertain economic future. They have the knowledge of the systemic racism, they are putting things together and seeing these things and thinking it is fucked up. Eventually there is going to be a breaking point. 

RVA Mag: There is so much cultural turbulence right now. Is punk and heavy metal music still the music of rebellion, the way it used to be?

Randy: The real shit is. Fuck yeah it is! But in this particular situation, heavy metal and punk rock, like everything else as it grows bigger gets diluted. I would say hip-hop is more the voice of this. Hip-hop gets diluted and commercialized too, it’s pop music in a lot of ways. But I have heard a lot of good hip-hop coming out of Richmond — through RVA Magazine — with great social commentary [holds up his phone to show a stream of Richmond’s JR Da Rapper].  

RVA Mag: Let’s switch to photography. Some of this movement’s photography over the past six weeks has been phenomenal and tells the real story of what is happening on the street. In your opinion, what’s the role of photographers right now capturing a world in transition?

Randy: First of all, I have to give a shout out @eyeneyevisons — Christopher “Puma” Smith. He’s been shooting on film. I’ve not met him yet, but I really dig his work. But for me, as a photographer, I don’t pretend to be 100 percent subjective — I don’t work for Reuters. I document what’s going on. Just as every person in this society has different feelings about what’s going on, each photographer is going to look at things through a different eye. I think it is the responsibility of photographers who are dedicated to their craft — at least for street photographers and social documentarians — it’s the duty and role to go out and see this thing through their own eyes and make pictures for later. The more perspectives we have visually, as a visual record, the better we’ll be able to understand what has happened.

This is history. My take is to try and capture different viewpoints.

RVA Mag: You have an upcoming photo essay in Revolver. With all the images you’ve taken, how do you pick the ones that will be published? 

Randy: It was actually relatively easy. The theme I am looking for is the quieter moments in the middle of the turmoil. Because I have a lot of pictures of that [turmoil], but so does everyone else. For me, it is harder to find the quieter beautiful moments in all of this [shows a picture of two Black children sitting on top of Lee Monument]. I wonder how the kids sitting there will always remember that as a good day. I was thinking how strange it was to remember good times I had at this monument, which was erected in the service of oppression. Then I looked at these two kids sitting up there and they were having a blast. Now I’m wondering, years from now, when they are pushing my age and remember that day — not only how good of a day that was, but also remember why it was such a good day. 

RVA Mag: You said earlier that Richmond is your refuge. What’d you think in the moment when you were capturing images of the police targeting protesters? 

Randy: I think about the really rapid shift in the geographic realities. For years this has been what they call an idyllic place, and now it is an emotionally charged vortex. After seeing this for so many years, it is like a portal has been opened to another dimension. And now it is covered in messages like “fuck cops.” I never would have thought someone could have written that on this statue. Photographs have changed history. A photograph can be that impactful. If you think about the famous photograph of the burning Buddhist monk [Thích Quang Duc, during the Vietnam War] — that photograph changed everything. 

RVA Mag: You have a new album out. What’s the future of touring musicians given the global pandemic? There is a knock-on effect that is going to be felt for sometime. 

Randy: Live shows will come back. This won’t last for fucking ever. I am going to scream if I hear some idiot on TV say “these are unprecedented times.” These are not unprecedented times. Unprecedented means we’ve never had this before; we’ve had the Spanish Flu, we’ve had economic collapse, we’ve even had massive civil unrest on a much larger scale — somehow everyone survived. It is important to document, remember, learn, and take knowledge from these times into the future. Hopefully we’ll emerge from this shitstorm as better people. 

RVA Mag: You’ve touched and seen such a wide cross-section of America through your touring. When you look out into the audience in 2020, are you inspired that we’re going to course-correct and be better than what we’ve been the past four years? 

Randy: I have hope that we will emerge as better people. Politically, I am as optimistic as you can be living in this ludicrous two-party binary system where it is still two old white dudes. I think we need some young people, some more variety. I think we need a woman president, which unfortunately is not going to happen this time around. Everyone, in so many ways, just seems so beaten down by the past four years. People just want to sit and chill without something abominable crazy and fucked up happening every day. 

RVA Mag: On that relatively optimistic note, let me say thank you for such killer conversation.

Some of Randy’s photography can be found right here.

*All photos by Landon Shroder

Lamb Of God Returns

|

Topics: , , , , , , ,

Richmond metal legends Lamb Of God will release their first new album in five years tomorrow. We caught up with them to find out what it’s like to return to action in midst of a pandemic.

As a new decade has dawned, a new chapter is beginning for Richmond-based, legendary heavy metal band Lamb of God. The release of their self-titled eighth studio album is upon us, and never before has there been a more authentic representation of their presence in the scene. After over a year of work specifically for the album, and 26 years developing their identity and musical strength, Lamb of God has reached a critical mass. This new album encompasses everything the guys have worked so hard to create in their sound with skull shredding riffs and haunting, emboldening rhythms. 

“We’re embracing our veteran status and becoming OG’s in the scene, so to speak, and we’ve got a new drummer so we’re really energized by that. The moral and vibe in the band are up interpersonally,” said Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton. “It’s at an all time high, and it really felt like a definitive moment for us. 26 years in, we are at one of these benchmarks of our career, and for us, creatively and artistically.”

This benchmark moment has come to mean so much more beyond simply the years put in and the fan base amassed. After five Grammy nominations and numerous other acclaims, what Lamb of God is focused on are their roots and the vast growth of musical talent each member has collaborated to create. This pinnacle of growth was also what led the guys to make the album self-titled.

“It always seemed to feel like it was an uninspired move [to self-title an album], like a bit of a fall back or cop out. This time, it was really quite the opposite,” said Morton. “There were other ideas for titles, and good ones; it’s just, we were waiting for this album and this moment where we really felt like, more than a new album release, this was really a new era for the band.”

The new album is raw. It’s angry. It’s an inspired representation of the aggression so many are feeling at the hands of the system, aggression that has only heightened in the grips of a sweeping pandemic and political unrest. 

“Divide and conquer and close them in, and bury secrets deep. Make America hate again, and bleed the sheep to sleep,” go the lyrics from “Checkmate,” a song that was released as a pre-album single. These lines seem to signify the rhetoric of the current administration, in contrast to the pain felt by Americans everywhere. However, the band’s members aren’t necessarily interested in such a specific interpretation. 

“I’m not one of these people that ever likes to talk about the literal details, inspiration, or meaning behind lyrics,” said Morton. “[Singer] Randy [Blythe] sometimes does, and that’s cool for him, but for me when I write, I don’t like to characterize everything so detailed, because I feel like that robs the listener of how they might relate to it on their own.”

The new album is a family affair, in that it includes participation from fellow members of the family of metal; specifically, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Chuck Billy of Testament. And while a self-titled album is often not the place for featured artists, it’s clear they were more than mere guests on this monumental record. 

“It goes way beyond sharing a stage with them or having gotten to know them over the course of a tour or something like that. Those guys really are close friends and family,” said Morton. “To invite Jamey and Chuck to appear on a couple songs… it was so natural for us.”

During the pandemic, this family has felt the hit of uncertainty. Chuck Billy and his wife Tiffany were both diagnosed with COVID-19, as were a number of Testament’s crew members following the band’s most recent European tour. As issues developed, the guys of Lamb of God kept close tabs on Billy and those affected, and luckily, it wasn’t too long before everyone made full recoveries. 

Due to these and other issues relating to the pandemic, Lamb of God had to postpone the release of their album from May 8th to June 19th. This change was made to ensure there was no extra load placed upon essential mail and delivery workers while they perform much-needed services for transportation of essential goods. 

“Obviously this pandemic is affecting everything, so for me to bemoan how it might impact the sales of my record would seem kinda trivial. A little self-absorbed,” said Morton. “Hopefully, on a more positive vibe, maybe it’ll bring some people some relief, some sort of cathartic joy. It’s a really heavy record — sonically, musically, lyrically — so maybe that’ll resonate with people in such a turbulent and frightening time.”

Photo via Lamb Of God/Facebook

With all of this down time in between recording and releasing the album, and even more between these things and touring, the guys of Lamb of God have been doing what they can to bide their time with purpose. 

“I have, interestingly enough, been playing the guitar more than ever,” said Morton. “As someone who plays guitar professionally, for a living, there are times when I really don’t play guitar for a couple weeks at a time, like I really literally won’t play guitar.” Now that he can’t do it for a living, though, he’s finding new ways to approach his instrument during the downtime.

“One of my favorite guitar solos is in the Steely Dan song ‘Kid Charlemagne,’ and it was real tricky shit to learn,” Morton said. “It was really good for me to be out of my comfort zone, having to work in different shapes and different patterns then I’m used to playing. I realize I sometimes get caught in this trap where every time I pick up a guitar, I feel like it’s gotta be career-motivated. I sort of retapped into this idea that I really, really love playing guitar.”

While we might not get to see these particular influences come forward in Lamb of God’s music, Morton does have a solo project, with both an EP and a full-length album so far, 2019’s Anesthetic, which showcase this classic rock side. 

Regardless of the roadblocks and time passed, the guys in Lamb of God are looking forward to getting their music out there and getting back on the road. Going out and representing Richmond around the world is intrinsic to the band’s mission, and they’ll spread that positivity whenever they can. 

“Honestly, with everything that’s going on, I’ll just be excited to be on stage again and making people smile,” said Morton. “That’s the coolest thing about what I get to do, you know? When we take the stage and I’m glancing out into the crowd for the first time of the night, everybody’s smiling. People are happy at these shows, and it feels good to be a small part of that system. Makes me feel like we’re doing something good.”

Photo via Lamb Of God/Facebook

Lamb of God’s self-titled album is out June 19th on all streaming platforms, and you can get your copy on the band’s website (lamb-of-god.com). The album tour is set to begin in October, but you can keep updated on these events on their website as health guidelines and venue openings progress. Whenever they get out there, it will be well worth the wait.

Top Photo by Travis Shinn

VA’s Can’t-See Shows This Week: March 18 – March 24

|

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey there, folks, it’s that time of the week when we normally let you know all the best goings-on in the live music scene here in Richmond and around the state for the next week! As you may have realized, though, the current COVID-19 outbreak and the many social and legal restrictions placed on large gatherings have almost entirely shut down the live music scene here in Virginia. There may be a few things still going on, but we wouldn’t feel very responsible advocating for you to go see them. What’s a show-loving girl to do?

Well, for this week’s column, I decided to have compassion for those of you who have either joined me in the wonderful world of working at home (welcome to the club — isn’t it fun doing your job in your pajamas?) or, more unfortunately, found yourselves without any work while your place of business is temporarily shut down. I may not be able to send you to any clubs to see awesome bands light up your evening with their killer sounds… but I can offer you ten great performances by Richmond bands, all available for your viewing pleasure right here on the internet. You can space them out one (or two) per day as with the usual column, or binge them all tonight — the choice is yours! Crank the volume on your headphones for this one.

Lamb Of God at Hellfest Open Air, Clisson, France, June 23, 2019

We’ll start with what we all certainly hope is a preview of coming attractions — a full set by Lamb Of God, complete with multiple cameras and top-quality audio. Richmond’s veteran metal faves are planning as of now to release their latest LP, Lamb Of God, on May 8, and follow it up with a full US tour, featuring June dates at Jiffy Lube Live in NoVA and Veterans United Amphitheater in Virginia Beach. Will all that still happen in light of COVID-19? We can hope… and in the meantime, we can take comfort in this one-hour preview of what Lamb Of God’s latest lineup, now featuring former Prong drummer Art Cruz in place of retiring OG Chris Adler, has in store for us.

Division Of Mind at FYA Fest, Tampa, Florida, Jan 5, 2020

Taking things to a bit more of an underground level, here we have a room-destroying performance by Richmond hardcore ragers Division Of Mind, at Florida’s FYA Fest back at the beginning of this year. Guttural vocals, chugging guitars, brutal breakdowns, and an equally brutal mosh pit are what this video is all about. Better yet, despite the circumstances, it still features multiple camera angles and a great sound mix. Division Of Mind don’t have a social media presence (right on, I wish I didn’t), so I don’t know what’s up with them at this moment, but I’m sure they’d appreciate you grabbing a copy of their recent self-titled LP on Triple B Records if you haven’t already.

No BS! Brass Band at The Broadberry, April 17, 2014

Let’s take things in a more upbeat direction, shall we? This six-year-old live performance by No BS! Brass Band isn’t the most recent live footage online by this group, but there’s no substitute for seeing this Richmond favorite right here at home. And since at this moment, we have no way of knowing whether their gig planned for April 3 at The Broadberry is still going to happen or not, we may as well enjoy their music from home right now. Push the coffee table back and dance, y’all. And consider buying some merch from them, if you have the scratch — they will really appreciate the support. (Needless to say, that goes for all the bands on this list.)

Avail at House Of Independents, Asbury Park, New Jersey, September 5, 2019

Did you miss all the Avail reunion sets last year? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. And if you’re not planning to head to Punk Rock Bowling or Furnace Fest later this year, you might especially appreciate this audience recording of their set in Asbury Park last summer. This is one of the few videos I’ve picked that doesn’t have pro audio, so the sound isn’t perfect, but what is perfect is that evocation of what it felt like to be crammed up against the stage (always my favorite spot), singing along and avoiding the moshers… and the sweat flying off Beau Beau’s head. We can’t be there now, but it’s a lovely reminder.

Nickelus F and Ohbliv at Brewer’s Cafe, November 27, 2019

Want to chill with some fine hip hop? Check this Brewer’s Cafe session from last fall, featuring two of Richmond hip hop’s leading lights of the 21st century. Nickelus F is on the mic, spitting some of the best rhymes you’ll find anywhere in the world, while Ohbliv keeps the beats flowing on the decks. They’re behind the Brewer’s counter, and they aren’t serving up any hot drinks, but Brewer’s Cafe is still open for carryout and delivery today, and both Sweet Petey and Ohbliv have plenty of great tunes available over on Bandcamp for your listening pleasure (links above). They’d all appreciate your business during this trying time, I can assure you.

Palm Palm at River City Roll, September 1, 2019

If you know how awesome J. Roddy Walston & The Business were as a live act, you really need to catch Palm Palm, Walston’s new band with members of The Trillions, The Southern Belles, and the Milkstains. These folks had the misfortune of having their spring tour fall apart while they were on it earlier this month; they had to skip the last half of their dates and head home because all the other shows were cancelled. Fortunately for us, their set from last summer at River City Roll is online in its entirety, featuring high-quality audio and a very active single camera capturing the event from all kinds of angles. If you dig this, hit up Palm Palm online to support them by buying a t-shirt. After losing quite a few tour dates, they sure could use the help.

Windhand at Elsewhere, Brooklyn, NY, November 2, 2018

Windhand is another Richmond band who had a tour fall apart on them this month; indeed, this very night, they were supposed to be in Harrisonburg playing The Golden Pony. Now that show, and the rest of their March tour dates, are cancelled, and the only place we can see them is on YouTube. Luckily for us, this incredible live performance was captured by Revolver Magazine in high-quality audio by multiple cameras back in 2018, and we can enjoy it to our heart’s content now. With their tour having been cancelled, Windhand have been selling leftover tour merch on their BigCartel page — go grab some records and t-shirts if you’ve got the scratch.

.gif From God at Wonderland, July 5, 2019

Here’s what will doubtless be the messiest live video you’ll see this week — .gif From God laying waste to Wonderland last summer, in their inimitable fashion. This video is washed out and chaotic, full of flying hair and overdriven guitar chugs, and if you don’t know these songs going in, you might at times struggle to make out what’s going on. But that’s what .gif From God are all about, and if you ask me, it’s part of their charm — a delightful wall of chaos. No word as yet on the status of .gif From God’s April tour, but if you don’t have a copy of their latest LP, approximation_of_a_human, now is absolutely the time to get one. And if you do, you should donate to their Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project fundraising team — a good cause is still a good cause, even during a quarantine.

Bio Ritmo at Rio Loco Festival, Toulouse, France, June 19, 2015

And now for something completely different — a high-energy salsa infusion from long-running local band/party machine Bio Ritmo. This was filmed several years ago and far from home, but don’t get it twisted — this impeccably-documented performance is still muy caliente and well worth your time. Bio Ritmo haven’t performed locally since back around Christmas and don’t have anything in particular coming up, so why not stock up on their impressive back catalog over at their Bandcamp? Guaranteed to heat up your living room even if your space heater’s broken.

Good Day RVA Live Sessions Playlist, feat. Benjamin Shepherd, McKinley Dixon and Friends, Sports Bar, Doll Baby, The Wimps, Spooky Cool, Antiphons, Dumb Waiter, Clair Morgan aka New Lions, Dave Watkins, Lobo Marino, Navi, The Trillions, Andrew Alli & Josh Small, White Laces, Nelly Kate, Houdan The Mystic, Black Girls aka Rikki Shay

Who’s up for a lightning round? Good Day RVA have got the mother of all live sessions for you here with a mega-playlist featuring all of the sessions they’ve filmed over their entire career, which has been going on for… damn near 10 years now. Wow, time flies, huh? These videos feature a who’s who of Richmond’s best musicians, captured at various evocative sites around Richmond and ensuring that the city itself is just as much of their videos as the excellent bands involved. Maybe you’ve missed some of these over the years and need a reminder, or maybe you saw them all when they came out and would just enjoy a playlist full of great Richmond sights and sounds with which to warm your heart while you’re stuck in the house. Either way, this will go down smooth and warm your heart and soul. Guaranteed.

Must-See Shows will be back next week. Whether we return with actual live shows around town, or more video picks to get us through another week of quarantine, only time will tell… but I’m not getting my hopes up. See you then!

Westboro Baptist Church’s Protest at VCU Was Vastly Outnumbered By LGBTQ Counter-Protesters

|

Topics: , , , , ,

The notorious anti-LGBTQ hate group were met with widespread derision during their protest at VCU on Monday.

At VCU Monday, students, metalheads, and the general public came out in support of the LGBTQ community to counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church’s visit to campus. Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) were in town to protest against the existence and political power of Delegate Danica Roem, the first transgender person elected to state-level political office in the United States.

Even before the protest took place, it had already resulted in unintended consequences for WBC. Their attacks against Danica Roem, who represents the 13th District in Virginia’s House Of Delegates, helped strengthen Roem’s campaign for re-election in November. Roem reported in a tweet Monday night that she was able to raise over $36,000 for her re-election campaign through her #WestboroBackfire online protest.

Police presence was large, and included two police officers on horseback. Over one hundred counter-protesters were present as well; some dressed in wigs, others dressed in pride flags, and one person even played a guitar. Members of local metal band Lamb Of God brought kazoos and other plastic instruments, intent on drowning out the WBC members who’d shown up.

Advance press for the event had focused on the fact that Lamb Of God vocalist Randy Blythe was encouraging fans to come out and denounce the WBC, but the bigger story was how many representatives of the VCU and RVA LGBTQ communities were on the scene. The gathering felt like a small Pride festival in itself, as counter-protesters chanted slogans like “Jesus was a bottom!” and “We’re here, we’re queer, nobody wants you here.”

Some counter-protesters voiced their problems with VCU’s reaction to advance notification of the WBC visit. Lily Hamilton of VCU’s Queer Action created a solidarity space away from the initial counterprotest, in which she critiqued both Westboro Baptist Church and VCU’s lack of transparency with the student body. She cited incidences in which VCU said WBC would have a spot reserved for them on campus, then later withdrew the statement.

Counter-protesters. Photo by Sage Cannady

VCU policy does allow for political groups, regardless of message, to reserve a space on campus to promote their agenda. The group may reserve space as little as five days in advance.

No violence occurred at the protest, though some protesters made loud use of profane language. However, the police presence was clearly intended to protect the WBC, who were highly outnumbered.

Plenty of media were on the scene to cover the story. However, most focused on the WBC themselves, giving them a great deal more interview coverage than the counter-protesters. Nonetheless, there was a strong sense of community among the counter-protesters.

“It was really heartwarming to feel the support of the counter-protesters,” said Anthony Belotti. “We outnumbered them by so much. It definitely reminded me that Richmond is my home.”

Written by Sage Canady and Marilyn Drew Necci. Photos by Alexandra Zernik, Capital News Service, unless otherwise noted.

Burning The Priest Again: Lamb Of God Resurrects Original Name For New Covers Album

|

Topics: , , , ,

The name Burn The Priest might not be all that familiar to the denizens of today’s local music scene. After all, it’s been nearly 20 years since the band changed their name to Lamb Of God, and their fame has grown by leaps and bounds since. But if you were paying attention to the underground world of heavy music in Richmond in the 90s, you knew Burn The Priest was essential listening long before they changed their name.

Now, for the first time in two decades, Lamb Of God has returned to their original name for Legion: XX, an album of covers released last week on their longtime label, Epic Records. The album’s name seems to refer to Legion Records, the label that released Burn The Priest’s only previous LP in 1999 — 20 years before Legion: XX‘s release. But why return to the name Burn The Priest at all?

“The idea of doing some covers has been in our head since we were Burn The Priest,” vocalist Randy Blythe told me when I caught up with him. “But I think the main reason why we wanted to call it Burn The Priest is just because a lot of this stuff was music we were listening to when we formed the band.”

Blythe makes clear that to the members, the band is the band, regardless of which name they use. “Burn The Priest never broke up,” he said. “To us, there’s really no separation. We’re the same dudes, so we’re like, ‘Whatever, killer. This is music we were listening to at that time, so we’ll use our other name.'”

If you’re just thinking of Lamb Of God — er, Burn The Priest — as a metal band, the selection of songs they chose to record for Legion: XX might be a little surprising. The track listing is a mix of 80s hardcore classics and early 90s alternative rock touchstones, but doesn’t really feature any metal tracks — the closest is probably their cover of SOD’s “Kill Yourself.”

To Blythe, this makes perfect sense. “All of the music we covered is an offshoot in one way or the other of the punk rock scene,” he said. The members of Burn The Priest never expected to find themselves where they are today — a veteran metal band often given credit for helping start the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal movement. “When we started the band, we were never like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna go on to tour with Metallica, and go around the world!’ or whatever,” Blythe said. “We just wanted to be able to play with Sliang Laos or Kepone at Twisters.”

Twisters is now known as Strange Matter, and Kepone — the 90s-era project of GWAR’s Michael Bishop and celebrated local artist Ed Trask — has played a series of rapturously received reunions over the past five years or so. But Sliang Laos, a Richmond band active in the early 90s who became a crucial influence on Burn The Priest’s early sound, is all but forgotten today.

On Legion: XX, Burn The Priest does their best to change that, covering Sliang Laos track “Axis Rot.” “It was the cover we probably altered the least,” Blythe said. “It’s such a brilliant tune, so we wanted to do a faithful version of it, and hopefully expose that music to a wider audience.”

The Burn The Priest version of “Axis Rot” will actually be the first to see the light of day, even before the original. “We have the Sliang Laos album, and I’m sure other people in Richmond have it, but that song was never released,” Blythe said. Indeed, he and the rest of Burn The Priest hope that by covering the song, they can change that. “My dream is to find some… it doesn’t have to be a big record label, but maybe a medium-sized or small record label, and get someone to put out the Sliang Laos record. I’ve had it for years and it never came out, and I think that music needs to be heard. So if anyone reading this wants to put out the Sliang Laos record, hit me up!”

The Sliang Laos cover recently gave Blythe and the band the opportunity to reunite with Sliang Laos vocalist Andrew Siegler, who came to see Lamb Of God twice on their recent tour. “I hadn’t seen him… oh god, in like, 20 years or something,” Blythe said. “He was such a big influence on me as a frontman. A lot of the weird creepy shit you see me doing directly comes from him. And we opened with a song called ‘Omerta’ [from 2004’s Ashes Of The Wake], and there’s parts in that song that are directly Sliang Laos ripoffs, even in the guitar style. All of us used to go see Sliang Laos, and that certainly filtered into our music, so it was cool that night to open up with that song.”

Backstage, the band played Siegler their cover version. “He really dug it,” Blythe said. “Me and Mark both really wanted to do that song. It was us showing respect to Richmond as well, because there’s so many great musicians, particularly around that time, in Richmond.”

The band’s influences from beyond Richmond are reflected in the covers chosen for Legion: XX as well. Blythe has never hidden his huge love for DC hardcore pioneers Bad Brains, and it shows in Burn The Priest’s cover of “I Against I.” “They’re my favorite band of all time, and they’re friends of mine. It was really important for me to get that one on there,” Blythe said. “We’ve been talking about covering [that song], maybe since we were Burn The Priest? I remember, clearly, sitting in a truck with Mark up in the mountains — we were all up there camping — and listening to the song ‘I Against I,’ and I was singing along with it. He was like, ‘Damn, you can sing that, we should actually cover it.'”

But Blythe wasn’t the only one picking songs for the album, and at least one of the choices threw him for a loop. “I came to the studio one day, and they were like, ‘We recorded “Jesus Built My Hot Rod” by Ministry,’ and I was like, ‘You did? Really?'”

Blythe is a Ministry fan, but “Jesus Built My Hot Rod” is not the song he would have picked. “I would have chosen something off of Land of Rape and Honey, or The Mind Is a Terrible Thing To Taste — something a little bit more abrasive and political,” he said. “I was really reticent about it. Because — with all due respect to [Ministry leader] Al Jourgensen, I think he would agree — that’s a really silly song.”

The original version of the song mingles samples from drag racing footage and the 1979 film Wise Blood with vocals contributed by Butthole Surfers singer Gibby Haynes. “It’s nonsense. [Haynes] showed up at the studio drunk as shit, sat there and mumbled into the mic for a couple of hours, and Al Jourgensen spent two or three weeks editing tape to make the song,” Blythe explained. “So when they first told me they had done that song, I was like, ‘I don’t know about that. That sounds like a bad idea.'” He laughed. “And then I started recording the vocals for it, and it was just so much fun, it was ridiculous.”

Rather than re-using the samples on the original version, the members of the band recreated them in the studio themselves. “That’s one really cool thing about that song, is that it’s the only song in our band’s existence that has all five members of the band with a vocal part on it,” Blythe said.

The process of picking the album’s 10 songs also involved the entire band. “That was kind of the whole point of doing the whole thing, was for us to have some fun,” said Blythe. “Because there’s a lot less pressure when you’re doing covers. You already know the song is good.” He laughed. “It’s not like you have to write it and then question yourself.”

The album spans a good deal of territory, none of it predictable — but “Kerosene” might be the least predictable choice of all. It was originally recorded by producer Steve Albini’s 80s-era band, Big Black — a drum-machine fueled group with very little obvious resemblance to Lamb Of God, or for that matter, Burn The Priest.

But to Blythe, Big Black is an important piece of what made them the band they are today. “They’re just super cerebral. Really smart punk rock,” he said of Big Black. “They were the first band that showed me punk rock could be not just angry, but super smart at the same time.”

Blythe’s a pretty smart cookie himself; he’s shown himself to be a talented writer with his bestselling 2015 memoir, Dark Days. At one point during our conversation, I remind him of a much earlier writing effort — his mid-90s zine, Cruentus Odium, in which he was billed as “Randy Hatred.” While he chuckled embarrassedly at the mention that I’d seen his pre-Burn The Priest band, Furious George, he was not at all upset to think of Cruentus Odium. “Issue number four is in the VCU Zine Library, so if anybody wants to go check it out…” he said.

I mentioned that I traded him my very first zine, Nothing Is Cool, for a copy of Cruentus Odium at a show in 1995. “I think I remember it,” he said. “I probably still have it. I have a box of zines from those days.” I admitted that it wasn’t very good — an 18-year-old’s first stab at music journalism, writing about Lollapalooza and such. “That’s still the greatest thing about fanzines,” he said. “I miss that time.”

Blythe is still involved in solo creative endeavors, but these days, he’s focusing mainly on photography. “I’ve been shooting for about seven years now,” he said. “I just had an exhibit in the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, and I have an exhibit coming up in the fall in New England.” Which raises an obvious question — when will he have an exhibit in Richmond? “Nobody has asked me!” he said, laughing. “People are like when are you going to exhibit in Richmond? And I’m like, when a gallery contacts me! I’m not gonna walk down Broad Street waving my pictures around, saying ‘Look at this!'”

The new Burn The Priest album, Legion: XX is available for purchase in vinyl, cassette, and CD formats from the band’s website. Check out Randy Blythe’s photography — and hit him up if you’re interested in putting out the Sliang Laos album or giving him a gallery show in Richmond — at his website, randyblythe.net, or on Instagram at @drandallblythe.

Photo By: Travis Shinn

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

GWAR-B-Q 2016: RVA’s favorite shitshow reminded us metal runs on blood and heart

|

Topics: , , , , , , , ,

This year’s GWAR B-Q was a certified shit show, a sweaty, grimy gathering of filthy (but friendly) bohabs and metalheads all indulging in one thing or another during the most anticipated RVA Saturday of the summer.

It was a day where fans were drenched in fake blood, splattered by cosmic green jizz, and battered in the many mosh pits, and they loved every minute of it. In retrospect, what got me through that near-cloudless, 90 degree weather day wasn’t responsible hydration, but rather the collective energy and excitement that oozed from the pores of other GWAR B-Q goers… and alcohol. Lots of alcohol.

The morning started off like any normal day – I woke up early and hungover from B4BQ the night before, finished off a bottle of El Jimador with a friend and cracked a beer. It was a good, sensible start to what I knew would be a full day of drinking and debauchery. With my trusty smartphone and digital voice recorder, I had the tools to remember what the booze would make me forget. Good fortune had granted us a designated driver, and by 11:00 am we were in the muddy, overgrown field that was Hadad’s Lake parking lot, where surly looking people were crushing cheap beers before the clock had even struck noon. It was time to rage.

After wisely applying sunscreen, we took a bare-bones shuttle bus with no AC to the water park, got some drink tickets and started boozing. I started with a bloody mary, a truly awful concoction that the bartender had kindly (or mischievously) made overpowering, filling at least half of it with GWAR’s own vodka. Once we had our first drinks in hand, we were ready to face the music, mischief, and whatever else GWAR B-Q had in store for us.

The first thing we checked out was the very end of Eat The Turnbuckle’s set, where we found ourselves stuffed into a crowded little pavilion with other sweaty degenerates. The band was an intimidating sight: a bunch of large, tattooed and half-naked men with a penchant for real violence – only amongst themselves, thankfully. To give you an idea of their sound, they play a self-proclaimed brand of “ultra-violence” music, an interesting mix of violent death metal and professional wrestling. While I didn’t get to witness any onstage wrestling (which I’ve heard utilizes Mexican wrestling masks), their short, intense final songs inspired crowd surfing in the small enclosure, and by the end of their performance, the band had their own blood covering their faces. Yeah, they were some hardcore motherfuckers.

With the sun beaming down in full force by this point, we caught American Nightmare on the Scumdog Stage, an influential old school hardcore band formed in Boston in the 90’s. Their one-armed singer was a notable presence, with his high energy antics pumping up the crowd and his sharp screams evoking cheers. Though I was on the outskirts of the crowd, the dust cloud I saw in the middle of it (one of many that day) was a clear indicator that there was moshing going on. This should have been a premonition, but I was concentrated on getting down the hell juice they told me was a bloody mary.

When we realized it was almost 12:50, we hauled ass over to the beer tent to restock our booze. I had to take a photo with the gigantic PBR can man, as I generally only see normal-sized ones, and then we hauled ass over to August Burns Red (seen below), a band which I knew little about.

My friends were stoked to see them, but all I knew was that they were a metalcore band. We found ourselves situated near the side of the stage, next to a suspiciously open space in the middle of the crowd. Why would people knowingly leave all that room, instead of getting closer to the stage? I found out about five minutes later, when August Burns Red exploded into their first song, “Empire.” My god. The mosh pit never died down the entire forty minute set, and though I kept a watchful eye on the bodies that were being shoved around, my attention was focused on the music. They had an explosive, badass set, and the band members were all impressively technically proficient on their instruments. It was head banging inducing, with the sweat-soaked singer swinging his mic around like some kind of metalcore lasso.

The people near me were interesting to watch: One girl was missing at least three teeth, one guy got decked in the face and laughed about it, one dude had a “Legalize Murder” shirt; these were seasoned veterans of the mosh pit. By the end of the set, blood had been spilt, and I left with one clear impression: August Burns Red is fucking sick.

The Dillinger Escape Plan was next, and it held some very unexpected things for us. I found out from someone in the crowd that their singer’s flight was cancelled, and that he wouldn’t be present. Well, that sucks, I thought, but I’m sure they’ve got someone to fill his shoes. His replacement was not another vocalist, however, but a baritone saxophone player (seen below, left), imitating the singer’s growls with the sax the entire set.

I found this absolutely hilarious and insanely cool at the same time. It was those kinds of unpredictable moments on the road that likely inspired the writers for Spinal Tap, I thought.

The music was relentless and heavier than lead, and the band was amped up like they had snorted a pile of cocaine Scarface style. The guitarist climbed on the unstable equipment and incited the crowd to get even crazier. But the best part, and one of the most memorable moments of GWAR B-Q for me, happened during the last few songs.

The band brought up a long-haired guy from the crowd, and he screamed with them with such skill that the crowd went nuts. I thought they had surely planned beforehand for this guy to perform with them – but I found out that was not the case at all. It turns out that he was a diehard fan who couldn’t stand the fact that the singer wasn’t going to make it, and man did he make a great replacement.

I met up with the guy, Dylan Shane Lawson (seen below), after the set, fighting through the awed people surrounding him to have a chat.

“They’re one of my absolute favorite bands,” Lawson said, “and when I saw that they didn’t have Greg I was like, ‘What the fuck, man!’ I took my ticket and my sharpie marker, and wrote on it, ‘I know all your songs, please let me play.’ Next thing I know, Ben’s like, come on up here. I don’t want to sound like I had some sort of supernatural experience, but it’s not every day you get to sing for one of your favorite bands! I’ve never felt more alive in my life.”

It was a very touching moment, and it was still early in the day, barely 2:00 pm. Beneath all the sweat, grime, crushed PBR cans and joints, GWAR B-Q had a big heart. It wasn’t about getting fucked up from day drinking – though that was certainly an appeal – but about the music that people loved, music that was a very important part of their lives.

For many of the fans, the GWAR B-Q was responsible for memories they would never forget, some as unreal as getting onstage with one of your favorite bands and absolutely killing it. As I mused on this, I remembered day drinking was an appeal, and got another brew.

Eyehategod, featuring Phil Anselmo of Pantera fame, was one of the bands that were highly anticipated. Asking numerous people who they were excited to see, Eyehategod was on the list every time, so of course I was excited too.

Eyehategod had a very Sabbath-inspired sound, with slow, sludgy riff-driven songs that Anselmo meshed perfectly with. It was right up my alley, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Anselmo harassed the crowd in good fun, asking, “You having a good time at this cocksuckin’ motherfucker?” And barely a half hour from the touching moment where a fan sang with one of his favorite bands, came another heartwarming moment: Phil gave Jesus a hug, and then told him to get the fuck out.

A fan dressed as J.C. came up onstage and headbanged to the music, filled with the spirit of sludge and clearly choosing to ignore the name of the band. It was a memorable moment for everyone in the crowd, drawing laughs, cheers and jeers. After a short time onstage, Jesus went back into the hellbound crowd to rock out. What a guy! Anselmo strapped on a guitar for the last song, told SJWs to fuck themselves, and that was that.

Another beer and I was feeling good, good enough to venture into the dark green waters that looked suspiciously like GWAR slime, waters I had sworn I would not enter. I had heard stories from past GWAR B-Qs – someone puked in it, a dude was bleeding out in it – but I had consumed enough alcohol to not give a shit. We took a break from the music to drink more, grab a bite, and hurl ourselves from the rope swing into a dangerously shallow part of the water that would have safety inspectors pulling their hair out.

The infamous Blob was present, but I didn’t feel like signing a waiver to experience it. I had a great time in that unnaturally dark green water, and I don’t want to know what was in it.

I met GWAR fans old an new that day. One such fan had been going every year since day one, when it was held at the Bike Lot seven years ago, and I was fortunate enough to speak with him before I became entrapped in the crowd of people surging to see the main attractions.

Justin Laughter, from Richmond, told me about the history of Gwar B-Q and how far the event had come since its early days.

“Gwar B-Q started out over a decade, fifteen years ago, as sort of a friends and family party,” Laughter said. “It’s amazing to see where the festival has gone from seven years ago at Bike Lot to here now, with the two stages. Hell, they filled in half the lake to make this happen. Hadad’s actually made structural improvements to host the festival.”

We met some cool people by the pool and were having so much fun, we didn’t realize how much time had flown by. GWAR was coming on in minutes, and I was out of drink tickets. We quickly hauled ass, pounded drinks (another bloody mary – why!?), and pushed into the crowd to get a good look at GWAR.

They were every bit as awesome as I had expected.

They were on point musically, and I still have no idea how they played so well in those bulky costumes. The saws came out and hacked off limbs, and blood spurted out into the crowd relentlessly.

Repeatedly, people from the crowd retreated with a hilariously traumatized look on their faces, covered in green slime and fake blood. The best moment was when GWAR pitted presidential candidates Hillary and Donald Trump against one another, their twisted version of a debate that was more akin to a deathmatch. Trump ended up getting his head cut off by Hillary, and drenched the crowd with his billionaire blood.

The final act of the evening, and the most anticipated, was Lamb of God. At long last they were taking the stage, and the drunk and high denizens of the GWAR B-Q shuffled and pushed as close as they could get to the stage. Most people there were without a doubt most excited to see Lamb of God, and had waited all day for this moment. They showed their appreciation by firing up another crazy mosh pit, one that I was once again dangerously close to.

Like August Burns Red, the moshing never ended during the 75-minute set, and expanded nearly all the way to the front of the stage. “Engage The Fear Machine” was responsible for plenty of injuries in the pit, and “Walk With Me in Hell” garnered a great crowd response, and I couldn’t help drunkenly air guitaring and banging my head. Everyone around me was suitably hammered – one woman gave me a funny, trying-to-be-coy sort of look and put my cigarette to her lips, still in my hand. I don’t speak gibberish, so I really have no idea what she said to me.

I thoroughly blew out my voice cheering for the most anticipated group of the festival, a group that, being from Richmond, were the prime candidates to end the night. Their melodic but heavy, speedy riffs were a perfect end to what had been a hell of a day. They ended with their classic, fan-favorite “Laid to Rest”, leaving the rabid fans cheering, screaming and circling violently in the mosh pit.

Was GWAR B-Q everything I expected? Yes, but it was more than that. There was a sense of community and oneness I hadn’t anticipated. We were all in it together, day drinking and hitting shitty joints, headbanging to the many great acts, catching new diseases in the lake and sharing in each other’s fun.

I had always known that the metal scene in Richmond was tight-knit and close, yet accepting of everyone and GWAR B-Q drove it home for me. Throughout the entire day, I saw no altercations or disagreements, no negativity, only people a great time at the festival they’d waited an entire year for. I’m one of those people now, and I’ll be waiting patiently until next summer, when I get to experience GWAR B-Q again.