RVA Volume 4 Issue 12 | With Bloodshot Eyes

Page 1










The Toast of Richmond WRIR 97.3 FM richmond independent radio radio for the rest of us online at WRIR.ORG


VO LU M E 4 I S S U E 1 2 W I TH B LOODS HOT E Y ES cover by G enevieve C astree

CO NTACT

8 0 4 .3 4 9.5 8 9 0 - i n f o @ rva m a g .c o m

ADV E RTIS ING LO CAL + NATIO N A L

80 4 .34 9.5890 - t o ny@ rva m a g.c o m

R . A nth ony Harris publi sher

Pa rke r

edi tor - i n- chie f

J oh n Re i n h o ld adverti si ng

S c ott W h itener managi ng edit or

C as e y Lon gy ear fashi on edi t or

Lan di s Wi ne musi c edi tor

B r an don Peck s eni or desi gn er

I an G r ah a m new medi a

A dam S l e dd ombudsman

A s h l e y York Lu c y Wi lli a m s adverti si ng team

N e i l Lope z Inter n

Andy J enkins B o bby Pendleto n B ry an Ung er Chandler O’C o nno r Curtis G rim s tead Eriq N els o n J o n Headlee Landis Wine Laur en Vincelli Mike Rutz Runar ound Sue S. Pr es to n D uncan Shanno n Cleary Talia Miller Victo ria Lo ng

writ in gs

Adam Jur es ko B r ando n Peck illu strat ion s

Adrian Buckm as ter Chris M o r an I an M . G r aham Justin Lussier Mag gie Walker Paul G alipeau Ry an Ro m an ph ot ography

ART

14 Dr. Sketchy 18 Klutch 24 Geneviève Castrée

MUSIC

28 Young Widows 32 Rob Huddleston 36 Jonathan Vassar 38 Pulp Tones 42 Reviews

OPINION

44 This Is How We Do It 46 Identity: Richmond

Fashion

54 Model Behavior

DISTRIBUTIO N

Wa nt t o c a rry R VA? 80 4 .34 9.5890 - t o ny@ rva m a g.c o m

SUBMISSIONS

R VA we l c o m e s sub m i s s i o n s bu t c a n n o t b e he ld r e s p o ns ib le f o r uns o lic it e d m at e ri al . S e nd all sub m is s io ns t o p a rke r @ rva ma g . com.

O NLINE

R VA c a n b e d ow n l o a d e d f o r F R E E e ve ry m o nth at R VA M AG .o m . A ls o, we a r e o n Fa c e b o o k a nd twitt e r.c o m /rva m a g.

S UBS CRIPTIO N

G o o nline t o R VA M AG .c o m

HEADS UP!

Th e a d ve rt i s i n g a n d a rt i c l e s ap p e a ri n g within this pub lic at io n r e f le c t the o p i n io n a nd att itud e s o f the ir r e s p ecti ve a u th o r s a n d n o t n e c e s s a ri ly th o s e o f th e pub li s h e r o r e di t o r s . Re p r o du c t i o n i n w h o l e o r p a rt w i th ou t p ri o r w ri tt e n p e r m is s io n f r o m the pub lis he r is s tri ctly p r o h i b i t e d . R VA M a g a z i n e i s pub li s h e d m o nthly. I m a ge s a r e sub j e c t t o b e in g al t e r e d f r o m the ir o riginal f o r m at. All m a t e ri al w i th i n th i s m a g a z i n e i s p r o t e c t e d . R VA i s a r e gi s t e r e d tr a d e m a rk o f I nk we ll D e s ign L . L .C. T H A NK YO U.

Our apologies to Jason Lefton who was not credited for his photo of Travis Robertson in the Year in Review issue. Check out his work at GYLO.com

RVA 1 9




Dr. Sketchy’s

Anti-Art School is in Session

Model: Atilla | Photo: Ma g gie Winter 14

ART

Runar ound Sue


In 2005, Molly Cr abapple star ted up a Br ooklyn dr awing c lub named Dr. Sketc hy’s Anti-Ar t Sc hool dedicated to a ne w type of ar tistic endeavor. With Dr. Sketc hy’s the ar tist is taken out of the c lassr oom, the model is dr essed in thematic costumes, and ever ybody is amped up with libations and contests. Since it’s inception, Dr. Sketc hy’s has mar c hed acr oss the globe. With communities now in Bogata, Rome, London and Tokyo (just to name a fe w), Molly has been able to expand her vision consider ably. I am pr oud to say that I have had a small par t in that expansion by bringing Dr.Sketc hy’s to my hometown, Ric hmond, Vir ginia. On the second Wednesday of eac h month, fr om 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., I have the pleasur e of playing headmistr ess to Dr. Sketc hy’s at Galler y5 (www.galler y5ar ts.or g). Our fir st session br ought in near ly 60 ar tists hungr y for this ne w type of dr awing session. When I decided it w as time to expand Sugar Shac k Bur lesque down South, I thought of Dr. Sketc hy’s for two r easons. Fir st in a communal ef for t to continue the good and inspir ational endeavor s of other s, and secondly as an ar tist looking for a r ole model. Dr.Sketc hy’s cr eates a special atmospher e w her e all ar e welcomed and anything is possible. Molly has shown the power and ac hievement that can come fr om tr usting your vision in the hands of likeminded individuals. Dr. Sketc hy’s pr oves that we ar e not limited to one town, one venue, one countr y. We can nestle our ar t into the bosom of any town we fancy! I of fer you now Miss Cr abapple’s wor ds of wisdom.

Runaround Sue : Who is Dr. Sketchy? Molly Crabapple : When I initially conceived

him, Dr. Sketchy was our mascot, a per ver se Viennese shrink kicked out of Freud’s inner circle. He’s also John Leavitt after a few drinks. (Writer’s note: John Leavitt, along with Molly, leads the NYC drawing sessions.)

RS : What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur?

MC : While I love creating and promoting content, organizing it has never been my strong point. Luckily, I now have a bunch of folks to help me with that. RS : How do you stay motivated? MC : I am absolutely unemployable at this point – too mouthy and impudent. It’s either entrepreneur ship or the gutter. RS :

How do you ensure the integrity of Dr. Sketchy as the franchise spreads?

M o l ly C ra ba p p l e 25

Cu r rently Resi di ng : Bro o kly n

Currently Listening to: Johnny Cash Pho to : Ad rian Buc kmaster

MC : I choose great people to bring the Dr. Sketchy’s brand to their cities, provide them detailed outlines of how to do it and check in a lot. However, I realize that no tr uly inter national movement can (or should!) be the same in ever y place. Our Dr. Sketchy’s branch in Bogotá is quite different from our branch in Rome, and ART

15


(Editor’s note: Dr. Sketchy’s Official Rainy Day Colouring Book )

that’s the way it should be.

RS :

What advice would you give to another ar tist delving into the wor ld of organized business?

MC : Me and my par tner in crime, John Leavitt, are cur rently wor king on Scarlett Takes Manhattan , a tale of love and cor r uption in the 1880s NYC vaudeville wor ld. Fugu Press is releasing it in July.

MC : I’d tell them that mar keting is more similar to sticking to a fitness plan than creating a painting. You have to commit to doing a series of boring tasks ever y day. Think consistency and attention to minutia.

RS :

What are your goals for the future both as a businesswoman and an ar tist?

MC : I would love to bring my ar t to a more inter national audience. One of my proudest moments last year was lecturing and perfor ming in the Kiasma Museum of Contemporar y Ar t in Helsinki. I’d also love to do more theatrical design. And, as I say in ever y inter view, my finger s are crossed that someday Dr. Sketchy’s will hit Antarctica.

RS : What essential qualities to you think an ar tist needs to possess?

MC : Hmm...I’d say the biggest one is motivation. If you can’t make your self create ever y day for hour s on end, you’re a hobbyist, not an ar tist

RS : What have been some of

RS :

What is your impression of the Richmond ar ts community compared to other cities (based off of your experiences on tour)?

MC : George Orwell. Queen Elizabeth, Bettie Page. Meta-Dr. Sketchy’s. RS :

Dr. Sketchy’s is ver y respectful of the model. How did your experience as an ar tist model infor m the str ucture of Dr. Sketchy’s?

MC :

Well, I was only in Richmond for a day and a half, but I absolutely love Ward at Chop Suey, and I’m thrilled to see you’re star ting to get a bur lesque community there.

MC : When I modeled, I felt that the classes, while educational, treated the models more as anatomical demos than whole humans. While one of cour se needs to lear n anatomy, I felt that it was a waste to treat models in such a clinical way. I star ted Dr.

RS :

Do you have any plans for more publications in addition to the coloring book?

16

ART

your favorite themes?

I llustr atio n: Mo lly Cr a b a p p le


Model: Delerium Trememens | Photographer : Justin Lussier

Sketchy’s both to celebrate the models’ per sonalities and pay a much higher than average wage.

RS : Many people have a difficult time relinquishing control of

a project they created. How difficult is it to allow other s to lead Dr. Sketchy’s in other cities across the globe?

MC : It wasn’t difficult for me. It’s impossible to maintain complete control of any project that you want to be huge. RS :

Dr. Sketchy’s exists in many countries. Have you experienced any language bar rier s and how did you transcend them?

MC :

Yes, in France. While our Parisian organizer, Sorrel, is originally from California, building a Parisian audience was originally hindered by the fact that most of our promo materials were in English. Luckily, we’ve been getting increasing amounts of French language press, and that’s really helped cross the barrier. The organizer of our Tokyo branch, Lady Elle, has also done an amazing job translating our materials into Japanese and reaching over the gaijin-native divide.

RS : Are there any other thoughts you’d like to share? MC : I would say anything is possible if

you wor k hard and believe in your self. Tacky but tr ue. Also, high school is NOT the best time in your life.

RS : us?

Do you have a favorite joke? Can you share it with

MC : I do have a favorite joke, but I think it might get me

Find her here, ladies and gentlemen: www.mollycrabapple.com Gibson Gir ls Gone Bad Cabaret Life Drawing www.dr sketchy.com Dr Sketchy’s Official Rainy Day Colouring Book! www.dr sketchy.com/book.php

in trouble. Mo d e l: Am b e r R ay | P hoto gr a pher : Ryan Roman

ART

17


18

ART


MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS: K lut c h - B e y on d V in y l an d V als p ar S. P r e s t o n Dunc a n | P ho tos c our tesy of the ar tist

If you’ ve e ver cur sed loudly e no ug h t o b e he a r d f r o m t he s id e w a lk o r by a n und e r c ov e r cop dri ving next to you w hile yo u’ r e s t uc k b e hind a bus w it h t he “ U s e a s p r ay c a n, go to jail” ad on the bac k, the s t y li z e d uni v e r s e o f K lut c h’ s a r t m i g ht p r ov id e ins p ir a t io n to par k your car and buy a r a t t le c a n a ny w ay. Klutc h is a stencil ar tist, but t o p ige o n ho le him a s s uc h p la c e s his w o r k int o a f a ls e hier ar c hy, ine vita bly c lassif i e d a s a lo w e r ex p r e s s io n t ha n t ha t of B a nk s y a nd She p a r d Fa ir ey. T his is ar gua bly unt r ue . A c o nc e p t ua l a r t is t a nd t he m ind b e hind t he Viny l Killer s pr oject, as well as a s c ulp t ur a l p a int e r w ho ha s m a na ge d t o e m p loy s k a t e b o a r d d e c k pa inting in thr ee dime ns io na l w o r k s, e s c a p ing t he c lic hé o f t he m e d ium , he ca nnot be le gitim ately m ea s ur e d a g a ins t t ho s e c o ns id e r e d his c o nt e m p o r a r ie s. T his outside of quantitati ve po p ula r it y, in w hic h c a s e t h o s e c o nt e m p o r a r ie s m ig ht ha v e ca use for c onc er n. At once tr a gically human and ex ub e r a nt ly r e p r e s e nt a t i v e o f na tur a l a nd ur b a n d e c ay, Klutc h’s paintings cr eate a n im a ge o f t he f a nt a s t ic im a g ina t io n a nd i t ’ s s o f t - e d ge d conte mplations of beauty, int e r a c t ing a nd c o m p r o m is ing it s e lf w it h t he ins e ns it i v e consciousness of c em ent and p o llut io n. T he w o r k s a r e w him s ic a l ye t p r e c is e in t he ir e vident pr edeter mined laye r ing. And t h e s ubv e r t e d in d us t r i a l p r o c e s s o f t he s t e nc ile d ima ge is m ade som ething m o r e t ha n a nt i- ind us t r ia l w he n ut iliz e d a s a f a c e t , r a t he r than the center piece, of a s ho w. Klutch has been battling the ar tistic void of society since the beginning of the punk, hardcore and skater scene explosion. While the lingering debilitations of a hear t attack, and a full docket of commission wor k keep him from traveling to all his shows, his ar t has not lost any of the poignant vitality that defines it, nor has it stumbled upon the pitfalls of for mulaic reproduction that have ended many a long career. ART

19


20

ART


S. Preston Duncan: What were your fir st creative inclinations?

in the scene and not just a spectator. With skateboarding I lear ned how to make my own fun and to ignore what other s think about it.

Klutch: My ear liest memor y of this was in the 1st grade. Ever yone was supposed to draw what their dad liked to do for fun. I drew my dad’s hot rod par ked out front of a bar. Several year s ago he gave me the drawing, and it’s now a cherished par t of my collection.

SPD: Is there a par ticular community of ar tists you think of your self as a par t of ? A movement?

SPD: How do your fir st paintings differ from your cur rent wor k? Klutch: My fir st real wor ks were mostly flyer s and shir t designs for hardcore punk bands in the ear ly ‘80s. Those were all black and white and heavily influenced by hor ror movies. My more recent wor ks are more about color and motion and are more sur real and abstract. I’ ve also spent a bit of time lear ning to let my hand go free and have moved towards a more raw and dir ty aesthetic. Now they are less about technical skill and more about embracing my flaws as what makes me unique and human.

Klutch: Not really. Sor r y for the lame answer, but I don’t really fit into any scenes. Graffiti and street ar t are pretty much lone wolf activities. Plus most par ticipants are half my age, and I am really not tr ying to be the old kook still tr ying to act like I am 20. SPD: Is stencil ar t punk? Is punk dead? Klutch: Stencil ar t is little more than a tool or method. Although my fir st exposure to stencil ar t was via punk. The punk that I knew is dead, but in it’s wake a thousand new variations have spawned from its ashes. SPD: Is graffiti political?

SPD: What influence did the punk and skater scene have on you as an ar tist? A per son?

Klutch: No insight on this one.

Klutch: As mentioned, hardcore punk inspired me to get involved with ar t. Back then it was impor tant to be an active par ticipant

SPD: Is galler y wor k that echoes street ar t something that validates graffiti ar t or commodifies it? Or both? ART

21


Klutch: I suppose both. In one regard it’s nice to get some recognition, but at the same time I feel like the ar t for m is far too impor tant to just be decorations for a hipster par ty. However, my only income comes from painting, and if I can’t sell enough to make my bills then my energy is diver ted and I do less street wor k. The galler y and cor porate wor k help fund my street wor k. It’s like the old saying, “romance without finance has no chance”. SPD: Is your wor k the expression of a message, or the representation of a vision? Klutch: Honestly I am not too intellectual about my ar t making. It’s just something I am compelled to do. I feel like my job is to create the wor k and after that it’s over for me. Whether they are any good or have any meaning is up to the viewer. SPD: Can you talk briefly about the Vinyl Killer s project and why you have moved on from it? Klutch: Vinyl Killer s was just a one off show that took on a life of its own. Originally it was just a means to showcase ever yone who was doing work on old records, which exploded in 2003. As time went on, more shows popped up, and soon folks around the wor ld were painting vinyl and putting on shows. Per sonally I am more interested in exploring new paths as an ar tist, so I passed the show on to folks who were more passionate about it and could give it the love and attention it deser ves. 22

ART


SPD: You had a hear t attack a few year s ago. How has this affected your per spective? And, how are you doing? Klutch: The hear t attack was big sur prise and really kicked my ass for about a year. The upside is that when I was broke, alone and thought I was dying, spending time in the studio was the thing that saved me. It didn’t seem like I had shit going for me but doing ar t. It has helped me to discover and be more appreciative of all the great things in my life. And, rather than feeling vulnerable it has actually made me feel somewhat immor tal, as I have been through some gnar ly shit in my life, and I always walk away smelling like a rose. These days I am doing better although I have to take TONS of medications, and if I forget or can’t afford them then I can get pretty bad in just a few days. ----Somehow genuinely old school and aesthetically innovative, his wor k continues to evolve not only along with, but also outside of the per vasive iconography of the cur rent ar tistic movement. It is a visual signature that is recognizable in all of it’s varied incar nations, regardless of medium. Though he has achieved substantial commercial success, his ar t has resisted the diluted spirit of commercialism. Though the movements that bir thed his career have succumbed to the mor talities of popular culture and reincar nated, raised by the sensibilities of a new generation, Klutch has ridden the waxed curb on the edge of transient style and never fallen into the time specificity of any par ticular scene. And like the strange phoenix of the punk movement, he doesn’t seem to bur n out or fade away.

Klutch’s wor k will be on display through April at Ghostprint Galler y, 220 W. Broad St., with an opening reception on April 3rd for Fir st Friday. You can go to ghostprintgaller y.com or contact the galler y 804.344.1557 for more infor mation.

ART

23


' Ta l ks Shit Ge n e v i E' v e C astrEe A native of Québec, Geneviève Castrée now makes ar t and music and delicious food in Anacor tes, Washington. She has written and illustr ated sever al wonderful books with the Montreal-based publishing house L’Oie de Cr avan, and her wor k has been featur ed in a volume of the Dr awn and Quar ter ly Showcase Series. Perfor ming music as Woelv, her most r ecent album, Tout Seul dans la Forêt en Plein Jour, Avez-Vous Peur?, was released on K Records in 2007. Castrée will have a show titled “Some Shit” at T hanky (407 Brook Rd.) opening on Friday, April 3rd, and she will be playing there on the same weekend under the title of her new musical project, Ô Paon. 24

ART

I nt e r vie w by Vict or ia L ong a nd Andy Je nk ins

How has the weather been in Anacortes this winter? I was bouncing off the walls at fir st because we got A WHOLE WEEK of snowy weather in December, but for the most par t this winter has been a little rough and gr ey. I keep a weird schedule, and I like to get out fir st thing after br eakfast. It has been hard to gather the str ength to do it, because you wake up and it’s never sunny. Snow makes the winter bright. Clouds make it impossible to tell what time it is.

Tell us about the work for “Some Shit”. What ideas or concepts are you working with? I think it can be humorous if not embar r assing when people like me, people who speak English as a second language, embr ace abstr act for ms of foul language for lack of a better vocabular y. I am conscious of the fact that it sounds a little cute if someone asks, ‘Hey, Geneviève, what ar e you going to show at T hanky?’ and I answer, ‘Oh, you know, some shit.’ Québécois accent and all. It makes one sound like the bad kid at school. T hat is par tly why the show is called that. T he bigger par t is that I have taken this title quite liter ally in some of the pieces.


“Some Shit” will be something in between humor, ugliness and public ser vice announcements. I tend to have many things to say and there are str ange remar ks to be made. I am also going through this deep black and white with maybe some brown and or ange phase at the moment. A lot of your work reminds us of children’ s books, the ones where the ar t is really tr anscendent and the stories are strange and beautiful. Do you ever think of your work as par t of that tr adition? Did you read Tommy dePaola or Maurice Sendak as a kid? I have a special relationship with Maurice Sendak’s wor k. I believe he was a great inspir ation without me knowing it for a long time. When I was about four year s old, my father gave me Outside Over There , which isn’t his most famous book. The book is eerie; it featur es babies wearing cloaks among eggshells, they kidnap another baby and r eplace him with a dummy made of snow. The snow baby melts in the ar ms of his loving big sister. It’s beautiful. I lost that book at some point. I didn’t know who had made it. When I was twenty year s old someone pointed out similarities between Maurice Sendak’s wor k and my own. Growing up in Québec I wasn’t awar e of most American illustr ator s. Québec can be isolated.

ART

25


How did the publishing of your first book come about? I met Benoît from L’Oie de Cr av an when I was seventeen. I gave him some candy in the subway. I was moving away from home at the time, to British Columbia. We became pen pals. Remember the nineties? When people mailed things to each other? Anyway, I sent him excer pts of what became Lait Fr appé , and he decided to publish it. 26

ART

What cur rent ar tists do you like or feel have influenced you? Gee Vaucher is probably the ar tist whose wor k has made me star e the most. She has done many photor ealistic black and white paintings. She has invented a whole aesthetic that has influenced many people out ther e. She is skilled in a way that I am not skilled. I can’t dr aw what I am looking at. I need to dr aw from

memor y. You would have to be in the other room for me to dr aw a por tr ait of you. Julie Doucet was also a major influence when I was a teenager. It was exciting to see so many details in a comic, so much black on the page. She doesn’t dr aw comics anymor e, but she is still an influence. There is this fear less weird humor in the ar t she has been


making lately. It is difficult to explain, but somehow she manages to get a smile out of people from ver y abstr act things. Her and this other friend, Dominique Pétrin, they make the str angest objects. Really bright colour s, papier mâché animals that don’t look like animals anymor e once you get up close. Réjean Duchar me is also an influence. He is a writer who is ver y popular where I am from. No one knows what he looks like. He does not do interviews, and his books make me happy for the same r easons Dominique and Julie’s wor k make me happy. It is so tr uly and deeply a Québec thing; tr ying to explain it to another cultur e becomes alienating. It’s like an inside joke for an entire nation, except the nation itself is the joke.

Can you share a recipe? Lemon and egg soup for winter : T hinly chop the white par ts of two medium leeks. Do the same with one small onion. Fr y leeks and onion at medium heat in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add thr ee diced car rots. Cook for seven minutes while stir ring r egular ly. Add six cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Add half a cup of orzo. Simmer for ten minutes.

In a separ ate bowl, squeeze the juice of one lemon. Cr ack two eggs and stir them into the lemon juice. Whisk the eggs while slowly adding about two ladles of the broth in the bowl. Whisk the egg and lemon mixtur e back into the soup and whisk, whisk, whisk, because you don’t want your eggs to cook in chunks. The soup will become thick and cr eamy. Stir the soup and add a bunch of fresh par sley, a little Tell us about your music projects. Is Ô Paon dif ferent from Woelv or bit or fr esh mint and a little bit of fr esh or egano. did you just want to change the name? Woelv was a great excuse for me to figur e out how to make music and tour. I Are there any beliefs that shape how you look at the world or go about went from being a complete unknown to all of a sudden expecting things. It li ving? was dangerous and a bit of a headache at times. I don’t like having to say I want to communicate things that will make other s ask a question. I want to make ‘I am a musician’ or ‘I am an car toonist’. I wanted a fr esh star t at the place and eat wholesome food. I want to sleep enough. I want ever yone to drink more where I felt the most comfor table, fewer expectations. Ô Paon means “Ô Pea- tap water from a glass or cer amic cup. cock”. It pokes fun at many things, one of them being alone on a stage and getting people to pay attention to you. I feel comfor table wher e I am now. What is next for you? What projects are on the horizon? I am wor king on a book. I have an Ô Paon r ecord called Cour ses that I am hoping to r elease (by myself) sometime in May or June, and I am helping organize the eighth edition of a festiv al called “What the Heck?” her e in Anacor tes. It’s in July, you should come.

ART

27




Opening Old Wounds with Young Widows Cur tis Grimstead | Gr o up p ho to co ur tesy o f the b and

Ar t wor k by D a v id C ook

28

MUSIC

Last fall, Louisville, Kentucky’s Yo u n g Wi d o w s r e l e a s e d O l d Wo u n d s , and the r ecord was immediately h a i l e d by c r i t i c s a n d f a n s a s o n e o f t h e b e s t r e c o r d s o f t h e y e a r, b e f o r e i t h a d e v e n e n d e d . O l d Wo u n d s a n d Yo u n g Wi d o w s f i t p e r f e c t l y i n t h e l i n e a g e o f L o u i s v i l l e b a n d s. T h e y h a v e t h e a g gressiveness of peer s Coliseum and L o r d s , y e t t h e y s t i l l h a v e m a t hy e l e ments of ear lier bands, such as June o f 4 4 , Ro d a n a n d S h i p p i n g N e w s. I n t h e next couple of months they ar e r eleasing a split 7” series with a set of dignified bands and v ar ying genr es, from Japanese grindcore to singer/songwriter material. Guitarist and vocalist, Ev an Patter son, was awesome enough to answer a couple questions about the band befor e they went out on tour :

Curtis Grimstead: You guys just released

O l d Wo u n d s a n d a r e a l r e a d y f o l l o w i n g i t u p with a split 7” series with Melt Banana, Pel ican, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and one more. How did this come to be? Was this something always planned or did it just kinda of f all in place? Also, how wer e you guys a ble to get all these amazing musicians able to do this?

Evan Patterson : T h e s p l i t s e r i e s c a m e

about because we had four extr a recorded songs that we felt needed to be released. I t ’ s a l w a y s s a d t o l e t s o n g s t h a t d o n’ t m a k e it on album lie around and not see the light o f d a y. B o n n i e ‘ P r i n c e ’ B i l l y w a s t h e f i r s t to agree to be a par t of the series and the fir st to r ecor d his song. He’s an amazi n g s o n g w r i t e r, a n d h e r e s i d e s i n L o u i s v i l l e .


Just having him be a small par t of our place in histor y is r e w ar ding. Pelican ar e great friends of our s, and it was exciting to share a release with them. Melt Banana took our old band on tour year s a go, and we’ve kept in touch since then. Agata is one of the most innovative guitar player s, and they’re some of the kindest people I have had the pleasure to join on

t o u r. We ’ r e s t i l l s e a r c h i n g o u t t h e f i n a l ar tist for the series. (Note: Since this inter view took place, My Disco was added as the 4th band.)

CG :

I h a v e h e a r d t h a t O l d Wo u n d s w a s r e corded half live and half tracked, which created the unique sound that it car ries. How did this recording process go?

EP :

The recording process was enjoyable but tedious. It’s rewarding to set out to achieve something and have it come out better than you hoped.

H o n e s t l y, I ’ v e b e e n t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e r e cording of this album too much, and I’m r eady to star t wor king on new concepts.

CG : T h e r e s p o n s e t o O l d Wo u n d s h a s b e e n really good for you guys, it seems to be album that ever yone – no matter what they gener ally listen to – can agree was one o f t h e b e s t a l b u m s o f l a s t y e a r. H a v e y o u noticed a change in your shows and the attitude toward the band before and after the record coming out? EP : T h e a t t e n d a n c e a t o u r s h o w s has been better and the suppor t of our music does seem to be growing, but I tr y to live in my own little wor ld and not focus on these kind of things. I tr uly appreciate all interest and suppor t, and it does fuel

MUS IC

29


and inspire the creativity of the band.

CG :

I might be wrong about this, but I believe you guys were all in Breather Resist, which w a s m o r e o f a h a r d c o r e b a n d . I f e e l l i k e Yo u n g Widows fits more in the Louisville bands like Slint and Rodan than bands like Lords and Coliseum, yet it still has some of the edge of the newer bands. How would explain the progression from your previous wor ks to where you are now?

EP : A t t h e t i m e – i n m y m i n d – I t h o u g h t B r e a t h er was more just full tilt progressive punk. Looking back, I was really exploring a lot more with tr ying to make music that was an assaulting experience r ather than considering dynamics and mood. Now I still have the desires to make music that shares those same thoughts, but instead of making a record of all songs t h a t h a v e t h a t e x a c t s a m e s o u n d a n d i n t e n s i t y, I want to create new sounds and patter ns that I’ ve never created before and have words that are just as – if not more – compelling than the music. I would hope that one could listen to any song that I’ ve written and take completely dif fer ent things fr om ever y song. CG : 30

A s i d e f r o m t h e m u s i c o n O l d Wo u n d s , t h e

MUSIC


ar t is pretty cr ucial and interactive on the CD ver sion. What is the background on the ar twor k?

EP : D a v i d C o o k i s t h e a r t i s t t h a t d r e w t h e skulls. The concept initially star ted with the cover fold of the CD inser t and grew with the h e l p o f J e r e m y D e v i n e f r o m Te m p o r a r y R e s i dence Limited’s idea to have three different cover s for the vinyl ver sion of the album. CG :

Te m p o r a r y R e s i d e n c e i s p r o b a b l y o n e o f the best independent labels you can be on at the moment. How did you guys get hooked up with them?

EP : J e r e m y a n d I h a v e v e r y s i m i l a r m u s i c b a c k grounds and it seems we were destined to find e a c h o t h e r. CG :

W h a t w o u l d y o u l i k e t o s e e Yo u n g W i d o w s d o t h a t y o u h a v e n’ t d o n e y e t ? W h a t i s t h e f u t u r e o f Yo u n g W i d o w s l o o k i n g l i k e ?

EP : T h e f u t u r e i s n’ t a l w a y s c r y s t a l c l e a r f o r u s .

In Fe br uar y we go to Eur ope and the United Kingdom for three weeks, then shor tly after that we get to take out the band My Disco, from Austr alia, for about three weeks. There P ho t o : Paul G a l ip e a u p a ulg a lip e a u. c om

will probably be a headlining west coast tour in summ e r. To u r s a r e a l w a y s s u s t a i n i n g a n d e x c i t i n g . O u r n e x t r e l e a s e c o n c e p t i s a 1 2 - i n c h E P. We w a n t t o release it maybe the end of the year or maybe the b e g i n n i n g o f n e x t y e a r. I t w i l l h a v e a u n i q u e m u sical and lyrical theme that will appear throughout the songs, and the recording process will also be a u n i q u e e x p e r i e n c e a s w e l l . We d o n’ t a i m h i g h , w e j u s t nar row things down a bit.

CG : L a s t l y, y o u g u y s h a v e p l a y e d R i c h m o n d n u m e r o u s t i m e s n o w. H o w w o u l d y o u s u m u p h o w R i c h m o n d h a s been to you?

EP : R i c h m o n d i s a n d h a s a l w a y s b e e n o n e o f o u r f a vorite cities to visit. It’s ver y similar to Louisville. We ’ v e p l a y e d a h a l f - f l o o d e d b a s e m e n t i n a n a p a r t ment complex, to Alley K atz, to Nanci Raygun, to a s u s h i b a r. A l l t h e v e n u e s h a v e b e e n t i m e l e s s i n t h e i r own ways, and for some reason we always tend to end o u r t o u r s i n R i c h m o n d . N o t s u r e w h y, i t j u s t s e e m s like a good place to stop and head home. Yo u c a n c h e c k o u t Yo u n g W i d o w s ( w i t h H a i l H y d r a , M o u t h b r e a t h e r, B r a i n w o r m s , a n d H e x M a c h i n e ) o n Tu e s . A p r i l 7 t h a t G a l l e r y 5 ( 2 0 0 W. M a r s h a l l S t . ) . 7 p m - $ 5 - A l l a g e s . To l i s t e n t o Yo u n g W i d o w s g o t o w w w. m y s p a c e . c o m / youngwidows

MUS IC

31


R o b H u d d l e st o n : L ay i n g D ow n t h e Fo u n dat i o n Laur en Vincelli | Pho to s by Chris Mo r an | Po r tr ait by Me g an Kim be r

Ro b H ud d le s t o n is no s t r a nge r t o R i c hm o nd ’ s m us ic scene. Since 1991 H ud d le s t o n ha s b e e n e nt r e nc he d in t he p unk s c e ne , fir st, with political p o s t - ha r d c o r e ic o ns I nq uis it io n a nd s ub s e q ue nt ly a s t he s inger/s ongw r it e r fo r Ann B e r e t t a . H ud d le s t o n c o nv inc e d b o t h I nquisition and Ann B e r e t t a t o d o a c o us t ic s e t s, a nd d ur ing his s t int w it h Ann B er et t a, Hudd le s t o n hit t he s t a ge a s a s o lo p e r fo r m e r t o c o nt inue his acous t ic act in his ne w p r o je c t , Fo und a t io n. Fo und a t io n s t a r t e d a s a n a c o us t ic Ann B e r e t t a p r o je ct . Af t er t heir f ir s t r e c o r d a nd s o m e c o nv inc ing f r o m H ud d le s t o n, Ann Ber etta r ushed out a n a c o us t ic r e c o r d in a b o ut t w o d ay s. T h ey w e r e n’ t par ticular ly ha ppy w it h t he a lbum , but t he ir a ud ie nc e s e e m e d t o c o nn e ct to it. T heir next p la n w a s t o r e c o r d b o t h a n e le c t r ic a nd a c o us t ic ver s ion of t he fol lo w ing a lbum (w it h a f e w ex t r a s o ng s o n e a c h), a nd r elease them at t he s a m e t im e o n F ue le d by R a m e n. T hey p la nne d to title the r elease Fo un d a t io n. T his w a s a b o l d m ov e fo r a p unk b a nd in the mid 90s. “At t he t im e no o ne w a s r e c o r d i ng a c o us t ic p unk r ecor ds, ” s aid Hudd le s t o n. “ T he r e w e r e b a nd s lik e T he Ala r m , w ho w e w er e alw ays get 32

MUSIC


ting compar ed to. I had he a r d T he Ala r m w h e n they w er e popular in the la t e 8 0 s but ne v e r r e a lly paid that m uc h att e nt io n t o t he m . ” Hud dleston c ontends tha t t he t r ue t e s t o f a gr eat song is that it will b e a ble t o t r a n s c e n d genr es. A song should ha v e e q ua l w e ig ht p laye d loud and f ast with a full e le c t r ic s e t up a s i t should stripped down to a n a c o us t ic g uit a r a n d a single voice. F ue le d by R am en liked Ann B e r e t t a ’ s a c o us t ic r e lease but didn’ t feel it w a s in d ic a t i v e o f t he ir us u a l so und. T heir m ar keting t e a m go t a ho ld o f it a nd a ne w plan came into play. T hey stripped Ann Be r e tta’s nam e of f of it a nd , w ith Huddleston’s consent, r eleased the r e cor d as his solo r ecor d, under the name Found ation. Ann Ber etta has since gone on hiatus and Hud dleston spent year s writing and r ecor ding music as a solo ar tist. Now he has signed to a ne w la bel with an old fr ie nd , Pa per + P lastik.


“ Wit h [ Pa p e r + P la s t ik ] I ’ v e c o m e f ull c ir c le , ” s a id H ud d le s t o n. “ I t is a ne w la bel that w a s s t a r t e d by my f r ie nd Vinni e [ F io r e l lo ] w ho s t a r t e d F ue le d by R amen. He actually s o ld his p a r t o f F ue le d by R a m e n, w hic h is a c t ua lly no w p a r t o f a m ajor la bel, and t ook t ha t m o ney t o s t a r t up t his ne w p r o je c t , t his ne w la b e l, w hic h is a c t ually a multi-media la b e l. I t ’ s b a c k t o t he r o o t s. ” Pa p e r + P la s t ik p la ns t o r e le a s e e v e r y t hing o n v iny l p a c k a ge d with a fr ee digital d o w nlo a d a nd k ille r a lbum a r t w o r k . T he ir go a l is t o r e le a s e m us ic suppor t by visual a r t a nd v ic e v e r s a . T his ne w la b e l ha s line d up a r o s t e r o f a r t is t s inc luding Landm ine s a nd T he Ex p lo s io n, a m o ng o t he r s, a nd r e c r uit e d v is ua l a r t is t s, D ave Quig gle, L a ur ie Ship ley a nd H o r s e b it e s, w ho d id t he a lbum a r t w o r k fo r t he upcoming Foundat io n r e le a s e , Chimbor azo . Pa p e r + P la s t ik a ls o p l a ns t o v e nt ur e into collectible toys a n d lim it e d e d it io n f ine a r t p r int s. D r a w ing f r o m m us ic a l i nf lue nc e s lik e Elv is, To m Wa it s, J a m e s Tay lor, Cr edence Clear w a t e r Re v i v a l a nd t h e D o o b i e B r o t he r s, Ro b H ud d le s t o n s e t o ut to r efine twelve s o ng s fo r Chimbor azo . I n R ic hm o nd , c o unt r y a nd p unk m us ic o f t e n go ha nd in ha nd and Chimbor azo is no ex c e p t io n. H ud d le s t o n’ s a r c he t y p a l c o unt r y ly r ic s a nd t e no r vocals ar e pair ed w it h t he t w a ng o f c o unt r y s t y le g uit a r s, w a r bling f id d le s, p ia nos and s t eady r oll ing d r um line s. M a ny s o ng s c o nj ur e up s o m e nic e t e a r- in- my - beer moments that inv it e t he a ud ie n c e t o s ing a lo ng. A f e w s o ng s e v e n f e a t ur e t he accompaniment o f a f e m a le v o c a lis t . T his r e le a s e is a d e p a r t ur e f r o m H ud d le s t o n’ s p e r v io u s b a nd s’ typical har d, f ast a n d lo ud r e le a s e s. I t d o e s, ho w e v e r, r e m a in t r ue t o his p unk r oc k principles, and H ud d le s t o n ex p la ins he w a s ne v e r o ne fo r c o nfo r m it y. “ I ne v e r w a s o ne o f t ho s e g uy s t ha t t ho ug ht t he r e w e r e r ules for punk r oc k, 34

MUSIC


lik e yo u c o uld n’ t ha v e a m a jo r la b e l d e a l or w hat e ver, ” ex p la ine d H ud d le s t o n . “ I ’ v e a lw ay s t ho ug ht the idea of punk w a s no t ha v ing a ny r u le s. W he n s o m e o ne comes out and s ay s ‘ t his is t he c he c k lis t , if yo u’ r e not this, you’ r e not p unk , ’ t ha t k ind o f go e s a g a ins t t he w hole principle. ” H ud d le s t o n is t a k ing a d v a nt a ge o f t he cur r ent ly low airf a r e s a nd f ly ing o ut a r o und t he U nit e d St ates for mini tour s. H e s a id t his s t y le o f t o ur ing s uit s him bet t er, becaus e he is a ble t o s p e nd t im e w it h h is 8 - m o nt h-old son and wife. H ud d le s t o n a ls o w ill b e a ble t o c a ll o n friends in dif fer ent c it i e s t o f i ll o ut hi s b a nd a t c e r t a in venues, cr eating a r e v o lv ing r o s t e r o f b a nd m e m b e r s s o to speak. I n t his w ay t he r o s t e r w ill r e m a in t r ue to Huddleston’s t he o r y t h a t m us ic t r a ns c e nd s ge nr e . Foundat ion’ s r os t e r w il l c ha nge o f t e n. So m e t im e s t hey will perfor m as a f ull b a nd , s o m e t im e s a s a n a c o us t ic t hr ee-piece and s o m e t im e s a s jus t Ro b H ud d le s t o n s t ripped dow n t o his fo und a t io n. H ud d le s t o n’ s ne w r e c o r d , Chimbor azo , w ill be r eleas ed o n Pa p e r + P la s t ic o n M a r c h 2 4 t h. T he CD r eleas e s ho w w ill b e M a r c h 2 7 t h a t t he C a nal Club with special g ue s t s D a v e H o us e (T h e L ov e d O nes), Cr uiserweight a n d B r e t Ad a m s (R i o t B e fo r e ). T ic kets ar e on sale no w a t P la n 9 a nd w w w. t he c a na lc lub.com. All tic ket buye r s ge t a f r e e d ig it a l EP a t t he show. For mor e info r m a t io n c he c k o ut w w w. fo undationbandr v a. com a nd w w w. p a p e r a nd p la s t ic k . c o m . MUS IC

35


36

MUSIC


The Hours and The D ays: T h e Me tamor p hos i s of J onathan Vassar Sha nno n C le a r y | P hoto by Le slie Ed w ar ds

Jona tha n Vassar pulled quit e t he d is a p p e a r ing a c t fo r t he b e t t e r p a r t o f t his d e ca d e . After the r elease of t w o w e ll- r e c e i v e d f ull- le ng t hs, t he R ic hm o nd m u sica l com m unity w as c urious t o s e e w ha t w o uld c o m e next . It t o ok a lit t le lo n ge r tha n anyone c ould hav e im a g ine d (Jo na t ha n inc lud e d ). Af t e r a f e w ye a r s o f co ntem plation and the a s s is t a nc e o f Tr ip le St a m p Re c o r d s, T he Hour s and T he Days would see the light o f d ay. With T he Hour s and T he Days , Va s s a r ’ s c r a f t is f ully r e a liz e d . In t he p a s t , his lyrical focus r elied heavily o n c r e a t ing s c e n e s. M uc h lik e ho w a r t is t s s uc h a s Br uce Springsteen will tak e a s lic e o f lif e o r c ine m a t i c m o m e nt s a nd fo c us the d e pth of the song on exa m ining t his. As Va s s a r p ut s it , “ Wit h my s o ng s I tried to consider the idea o f t he s ho r t s t o r y a nd ho w a m I a ble t o ex p r e s s so me thing in a c ondensed w ay. ” Wit h s o ng s lik e “ T he Ro s e s o f Sha r o n” a nd “A Ma tc h Made in Heav en” o f f o f 9 Songs, t he s e s c e ne s w e r e e ng r a ine d m o r e fr om per sonal experience. So m e o f t he s e s o ng s e v e n la c k e d a t r a d i t io n a l songwriting for m in the sens e t ha t t he r e w a s n o c ho r us a ny w he r e in s ig ht . With a m or e r ealized sens e o f s o ng w r it ing, Va s s a r b e g a n t a k in g no t e o f se ve r a l t hings. For him thes e t hing s w e r e , “ Fo lk exp r e s s io ns, o ld fo lk s o ng s, ver ses fr om the Bible and e s s e nt ia lly a ny t hing I w a nt e d t o t ur n up s id e d o w n on its head to get the listene r t o t hink . ” B y d o ing s o, he ha s d e v e lo p e d a w ay of moving past just cr eating a s c e ne a nd le a v ing m o r e o f a n im p r e s s io n in his songs. With this ne w ba t c h o f s o ng s, he ha s s e t a t o ne in his s o ng w r it ing tha t has put him f ar a bov e t he g a m e in r e g a r d s t o t he R ic hm o nd s inge r / so ngwr iter c om m unity.

Va s s a r f a c e d ye t a no t he r o b s t a c l e w it h t his ne w int uit io n for songwriting. His s o ng s d e m a nd e d m o r e in s t r um e nt a t i o n. T ha nk f ully, h e w a s a ble to r ecr uit a b a c k ing b a nd by t he na m e o f T he Sp e c k le d B ir d . T hey consist of his wife, Ant o nia F is he r- D uk e , p lay ing a c c o r d io n a nd his f r ie nd , C hris Ed w ar ds, playing e le c t r ic g uit a r, m a nd o lin a nd b a njo. N o t t o m e nt io n that on his EP T he Hour s and T he Days , he ha d t he he lp o f lo c a l f a v o r it e s Jo s h Small, Homemade K ni v e s s inge r / Tr ip le St a m p Re c o r d s o w ne r Wil L oy a l, Ano us heh K halili, as w ell a s D a v id Shult z a nd T he Sk y line . Wit h t his a s s is t a nc e , h is songs feel lar ger t ha n lif e . W he t he r it is “ C a t c h M e I f Yo u C a n” o r “ Fle s h a nd Bone”, the slight a d d e d t o uc he s o f s lid e g uit a r o r m inim a l d r um s m a k e t he songs feel muc h m o r e c o m p le t e . T he f ut ur e fo r Va s s a r a nd T he Sp e c k le d B ir d lo o k s p r o m ising. T hey ar e put t ing t he ir f inis hing t o uc he s o n ye t a no t he r EP e nt it le d T he Fir e Next Time . Va s s a r d e s c r ib e s t he a p p r o a c h t o t his r e c o r d a s b e ing a bit dif f er ent comp a r e d t o T he Hour s and the Days . “ W he n I o r ig ina lly w e nt into the studio for t ha t f ir s t EP, ” Va s s a r s a id , “ it w a s r e a l ly o nly s up p o s e d t o be just me, Antonia a n d C hr is. Af t e r a s ug ge s t io n by Wil (L oy a l), w e a d d e d all of these guest p laye r s. I r e a lly d ug ho w t ha t t ur ne d o ut , but t ha t ’ s no t w hat I had originally c o nc e i v e d fo r t ha t EP. S o w it h t his ne w o ne , I t hink w e a r e all going to tr y a n d k e e p it a s jus t t he t hr e e o f us a s m u c h a s w e c a n. ” T he songs for this ne w EP w e r e w r it t e n s ho r t ly a f t e r t he p r o d uc t io n o f T he Hour s and T he Days . I t c o uld b e ex p e c t e d fo r t he r e t o b e a line a ge b e t w e e n t he t w o EP s. Vas s ar p r o m is e s t ha t fo r his nex t f ull- le ng t h, t he r e w ill b e no t ic ea ble dif f er ences in t o ne a nd s o ng w r it ing. H e no t e s, “ Wit h t he f ull- le ng t h, t he tone may be a tad m o r e a p o c a ly p t i c a nd s t r a nge , but I k no w t he c o lle c t io n o f songs I’m saving fo r t ha t a r e d e f ini t e ly a m uc h d if f e r e n t t a k e t ha n w ha t I have been doing with T h e Sp e c k le d B ir d . ” T he ne w f ull- le ng t h s ho uld b e o ut la t er t his year. I n his s o ng “Ar m a nd H a m m e r ” , Va s s a r e nd s t he s o ng w it h the r efr ain “I’ ll be f a r a w ay f r o m he r e . ” Af t e r a lo ng hia t us a n d t he ex p e c t e d r eleas es of T he Fir e Next Time a s w e ll a s a n e w f ull - le ng t h, I c a n o nly ho p e h e does n’ t r emain t oo f a r a w ay f r o m R ic hm o nd . We lc o m e b a c k , Jo na t ha n.

MUS IC

37





As I’ ve been watching the American economy circle the drain over the past several months, I keep har king back to the alt-countr y troubadour s that littered the landscape of the nineties and ear ly naughts, and wonder if they’re kicking themselves for missing the boat. With only a minor bit of tweaking, their reflective Dust Bowl songs could have easily reflected the cur rent housing crisis and economic woes with all sor ts of romantic details. T hese ideas ar e continually for ced to the for e of my mind by the Silver Lining section of the media that constantly reminds me that recessions a r e a g r e a t t i m e f o r t h e a r t s . D o n’ t b e l i e v e t h e m ? Ta k e a l o o k a t t h e massive amounts of records produced during the Great Depression and the impact they had on post-Depression culture well into the sixties and s e v e n t i e s . O r w h a t a b o u t N e w Yo r k i n t h e l a t e s e v e n t i e s ? A l m o s t e v e r y one is familiar with the apocalyptic vibe in the city that helped spawn punk, no-wave, mutant disco and hip-hop that was captured in the class i c p e r i o d p i e c e , C . H . U. D. So, with those two shining examples, we should be shuf f ling into a golden age of musical r einvention and egalitarian songwriting, right? Not quite. Because, you see, the difference in those periods and this one is that t h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o f t h e e n t i r e i n d u s t r y w a s n’ t c o l l a p s i n g s i m u l t a n e o u s l y. P e o p l e i n e a c h o f t h e s e e r a s k n e w h o w t o m a k e m o n e y o f f o f a mar ket full of people looking for cheap enter tainment. The problem now is they’re looking for free enter tainment. If I was four teen, it would make muc h mor e sense for me to na g my par ents for an iPod and then download all the free music my hear t desired as opposed to begging for fifteen bucks ever y week to go buy records. As social networ king continu e s t o e n g u l f t h e l i v e s o f p e o p l e w h o c a n’ t a f f o r d t o g o o u t ( a n d t h o s e who can, because ther e’s less showering involved), it becomes mor e and more natural for people to search for rare albums and either download t h e m o r o r d e r t h e m o n l i n e . T h i s d o e s n’ t q u i t e e q u a t e t o a n e n v i r o n m e n t

the industr y has seen in the past. Of cour se, there’s always the likelihood that reasonably priced live enter tainment will blossom, and within that sphere there’s plenty of room for an audience shift. Bringing people away from big ticket acts in arenas means bigger audiences for DIY touring bands in dives and basements. Then, as the recession (hopefully) winds down, the economy – combined with the new blood created in the underground – will create some sor t of sustainable legacy for those w i l l i n g t o t r u d g e t h r o u g h t h e c l i m a t e . H o w e v e r, i t s e e m s h i g h l y u n l i k e l y that we’ ll see any of the politically inspired diatribes that other such periods fed on, as bands/ar tists are now caught up in the clash between sustaining hope and optimism in our new president and experiencing p o v e r t y a n d j o b l o s s t h a t h a s n’ t b e e n s e e n i n d e c a d e s . I t ’ s a c u r i o u s l i n e to walk, and I’d be ver y interested to hear the sor t of singer/songwriter who could manage such a ground intelligently without resor ting to the FUCK BUSH slogans that we’ve been hearing ad nauseum over the past eight year s. It’s easy to scoff as the major s str uggle to find any ground to hold while C D s f a l l o u t o f f a v o r a n d r e v e n u e s d i p, b u t m y h e a r t l i t e r a l l y d r o p p e d w h e n To u c h & G o a n n o u n c e d i t w a s s h u t t e r i n g i t s d i s t r i b u t i o n a r m a n d ceasing to r elease ne w r ecor ds. For those of you not w holly f amiliar with t h e l e g a c y o f To u c h & G o , t h e l a b e l a n d i t s f o u n d e r, C o r e y R u s k , h a v e remained as bastions of the tr ue spirit of punk and indie rock for almost thir ty year s. T hey have oper ated with handshake agr eements, bringing countless incredible bands from any number of genres into the light of day and maintaining a fucking incredible amount of goodwill while ser ving as an example to anyone interested in star ting a label. This is what s c a r e s m e . A s d i s t a n c e d a s I c a n b e w i t h P u l p To n e s , t h i s s h i t i s u n n e r v i n g . We N E E D p l a c e s l i k e To u c h & G o , a n d j u s t a f e w y e a r s a g o , t h e y w e r e h i t t i n g t h e i r a l l - t i m e h i g h f o r s a l e s . T h e p a r a d i g m i s s h i f t i n g . We d o n’ t have songs for our new Depression, but I’m sure they’ ll be some great rhymes to be made after the bottom drops out. MUS IC

39


A n d n ow b eat i n g t h e ea r d r u m s. .. The Prodigy Invaders Must Die Take Me To The Hospital Onetime underground rave rockers and pioneers of big beat electronica, The Prodigy shamelessly incorporate new elements on Invaders Must Die , their first album to feature all three band members since The Fat Of The Land in 1997. Drawing influence from ar tists like Justice and The Go! Team, The Prodigy reinject their infatuation with skull-shattering bass and epic breakbeats into the European club scene. Pulsing with dramatic electricity, each track will shock the studded belts at any angry dance par ty, but Invaders Must Die is more than just a collection of potential hits; its chaotic order, flawless song transitions and unpredictable shifts in energy form an addictive experiment in dance music. Though less groundbreaking than previous works by The Prodigy, Invaders Must Die stays true to the beat-heavy, industrial electronic style they have been expanding for nearly twenty years. - Bryan Unger

Neko Case Middle Cyclone ANTIIt has been three years since Neko Case has graced the world with a studio album and this time she’s back with a broadsword. If anything, this interim has delivered us a Neko even more polished, shinier and even more ready to cut your head in half with her vocal skills, if not her considerable skills at carback sword fighting. “The Pharaohs” is a jewel of scintillating guitar riffs thrown up in the dust of what used to be your hear t and is vocally strong enough to be a for tress in the storms that are running all over this record. Throughout her ventures in country music, Neko Case has challenged people’s conception of what a country singer can tackle lyrically, stylistically and culturally. In spirit, if not in style, she is the inheritor of the storm front named Emmylou Harris that was pushing hard against the Nashville clone factory in the early ‘80s and winning. Middle Cyclone weaves a whirling path between stark beauty and lavish sonic storms, dipping through your hometown and up the highway toward the lights on the horizon. - Eriq Nelson 42

MUSIC

Brainworms Swear to Me Rorschach Records Compulsively schemed from beginning to end, Brainsworms’ second full-length release, Swear To Me , insists your full attention. Opening strong, the persistent vocals invade the decadently melodic “Let’s Be Honest”, “Jay’s Big Date” and “Half a Life”, then recede graciously for the first of two instrumental intermissions. Sandwiched between the lyricless pieces lies an epic triumvirate. “Which Words” flays with transcendently schizophrenic changes in tone, destroying your preconceptions in preparation for the highlight of the album, “Ropes Course”. “Whatever That’s How You Get Famous” follows asser tively; however, with a spoken word rant set to increasingly convulsive chaos, the peak of the album’s intelligent fun. The second lyrical break, “The Pinnacle of Storytelling” gives you only a moment of feverishly melodic relaxation. The album ends in a fashion reminiscent of the beginning, with “Lottery Balls” and “Take Your Medicine” rounding out the album impeccably by barking out Brainworms’ brutal roots and intentions. Technically marvelous and lyrically stellar, Swear To Me earns your time. Put it on, turn it up and pay attention. - Bobby Pembleton


Morrissey Years of Refusal Lost Highway Morrissey has traveled an interesting road throughout his career, dipping into literature and dropping out of music at times. He tends to walk around rock music loosely and freely without much regard for other people’s opinions and it shows. He’s got a big collection of organs, synths, drums and guitars and he’s gonna use them all tonight. Years of Refusal is a backstage pass to Morrissey’s mind. This album star ts off strong with “Something Is Squeezing My Skull”, bringing a smattering of pure rock to the album, grabbing your attention and letting you inside. Then the he beckons you into the back room for tracks that sound more like a progression of his solo work since his return to the music scene in ‘03 with You Are The Quarry . For those familiar with Morrissey, you’ll notice that his lyrics have moved outward in this record, painting pictures of the world through his eyes and letting you inside to watch. For those unfamiliar, you are about to meet a brilliant lyricist face to face and come away smiling. - Eriq Nelson The Whitest Boy Alive Rules Bubbles The Whitest Boy Alive is the greatest elevator band you’ve ever heard. They are dancing quietly in a light disco limbo between Belle and Sebastian and The Postal Service, wagging their fingers to the beat. They write minimalist electro inspired pop compositions that have nothing to prove; they are breezy and light on their feet, smiling the entire time as they dance through your headphones. By the time “Intentions” is playing you’ve already introduced them to your mother and invited them to come stay the weekend. Just when you think that they can be written off as a light handed pop band from Berlin, “Timebomb” comes along and you realize there is something lurking under the covers of their hotel sheets. Something dangerous. Something cool and unknown that you need more of. It’s okay, they’re not going anywhere yet, and there’s plenty more on this album that bears repeated listening. - Eriq Nelson

Vicegrip Demo Swim Harder “I’ve got this sickness, who knows tomorrow/I’ll plant the seed, you sow the sorrow”. Thus ends “Ill Omen”, the first track on Vicegrip’s recent demo. Released on Swim Harder Cassettes, Vicegrip’s initial recordings are promising to say the least. While ostensibly paying homage to legends in the scene – Righteous Jams, American Nightmare, Integrity – these four tracks definitely venture into unchar ted terrain. Musically, these songs are full of a texture and a youthful energy that few bands succeed in capturing. The brooding, uncer tainty-laden opening chords of “Ill Omen” convey the mood of the entire record. The heaviness, the depth, and the sheer vitality of these four tracks are enough to make anyone with a pulse want to hur t something. Lyrically, however, vocalist Knox Colby explores exceedingly personal terrain. Disappointment, misfor tune and doubt are all recurring themes. Tearing through mix, the vocals are marked by a sense of desperation and urgency that reinforce the feelings of disillusionment and regret that fuel the demo. “Iron into Steel” and “Moving On” are more uptempo songs with a Suicide File-esque groove. The final track, entitled “Vicegrip”, is definitely the demo’s heaviest song with its thick, chugging intro. Though well recorded, the demo fails to capture the heaviness of these tracks heard live. Even so, Vicegrip’s demo is a testament to the idea that angry young kids can still make amazing music. Anyone who has ever felt threatened by the prospect of having to face adulthood, anyone who has ever been disappointed, anyone who has ever endured the crushing burden that life becomes day after day can cer tainly relate to these tracks. - Chandler O’Connor MUS IC

43


99-09

presents DJ Spooky 3/13 @ IS Venue, C’ville

Join our group and gift application on Facebook

2 1/2 N. 18th St Richmond (804) 644-5044

1325 W. Main St Charlottesville (434) 244-5044

NEW HULL STREET LOC ATION OPENING SOON!!!



THIS IS HOW WE DO IT Talia Miller and Mike Rutz

T he idea for this column originated in our mutual T heorizing Gender Violence c lass. Since then, we have had sever al in-depth conver sations r egar ding sex and gender in a social context and how sex plays out in our lovely city. What we quic kly r ealized is that this topic is r ar ely, if ever, discussed in an open and honest context. T hat’s w hat we strive to be with this column: completely open, honest and as objective as possible in our sociological explor ation of sexuality. If you would like to r espond or of fer additional insight to a column, please email us at thisishowwedoit@r v amag.com. Our gender r oles, r egar ding sex and otherwise, have been pr escribed to us since bir th. Take a look at our pictur es for last month’s column – the boy is blue and the gir l is pink. Women, specifically, gr ow up tr ying to ne gotiate the r oles of virgin and w hor e that r emain per v asive in today’s (supposedly) sexually liber ated society. Take this example: ther e ar e guys out ther e w ho admit they don’ t do anything consider ed “dir ty” w hen they have sex with their gir lfriend. T he r eason is not as str ange as you’ d think; basically, the man sees the woman as the futur e mother of his c hildr en and nothing else. T his fur ther illustr ates the vir gin/w hor e dic hotomy, but w hy can’t we seem to r econcile the two? It’s as if guys w ant to be sur e the gir l they mar r y is pur e. Not that she’s an actual vir gin, but that she won’ t let her self go too wild. And if she does, it will be only with him. T hat’s w hy, even if you’ ve been to gether for a long time, the man may have tr ou ble seeing the woman as anything other than pur e and vir ginal. Once you’ ve taken 46

OPI N IO N

her home to your par ents you should no longer see her in a sexual light. It’s like, I fell in love with this per son, and I w ant to be serious so I don’t w ant her to be a w hor e w hen we ar e to gether. It’s a decision that – even if the man isn’ t totally satisfied sexually – completes his emotional side. So, w hen women have sex without attac hments, or decide to get a little kinky, guys ar e cool with that as long as they don’ t feel entitled to that one per son. You see gir ls getting undr essed for a video camer a and those ar e images that, as a man, you str ongly associate with women you don’t w ant to end up with. Perha ps ther e is that fear that once you open up that side, you won’t be a ble to go bac k, and it will tur n out to be how she continues to act. Whic h means sexually adventur ous women may alw ays be cate gorized as w hor es, e ven after they get mar ried. Muc h of the g a p between the two r oles r emains due to men’s jealousy. T hey think, if I have attac hment-fr ee sex, then I won’ t get jealous about it or have any feelings a bout this woman w hatsoe ver. Howe ver, if I star t to like her, then I’m going to wor r y. You know, she’s like this with me, so she must be like this with other guys, and she’s slee ping ar ound. And even though that’s the exact same thing I’m doing, I don’ t w ant her to do that, because I’ ll get jealous. T he c lassic double standar d. T his dic hotomy allows men to feel safe fr om any confusion, because the only options they r eally have ar e to bottle up or explode. Unfor tunately, jealous anger fr om men in r elationships is still lar gely expected and excused – but that emotion only comes with the title. When ther e ar e no strings attac hed, ther e’s not the same kind of emotion involved, if any at all. Guys typically don’ t get jealous until they feel like they have some sor t of


owner ship over that per son or at least a connection to them. It’s simple r eally: guys get jealous thinking a bout their gir lfriend slee ping with some body else – being a “w hor e”. Jealousy for females is also implicit, but it’s shr ug ged of f because the connotations ar e dif fer ent. Women ar e taught that in or der to be successful – to be a r eal woman – you need to find a mate and have a f amily. T his is ver y contr ar y to the r eality we exist in, and it cr eates a lot of r oom for jealousy. But it’s not a sexual jealousy; it’s maybe mor e of an emotional jeal ousy. As we said in the fir st column, sex and emotion ar e completely linked – as muc h as we w ant to deny it. And we think about c heating for men and women so dif fer ently. When women c heat – and you can take this bac k thr ough histor y – it’s suc h a big deal, an inexcusable crime. But so many times w hen men c heat women take them bac k, because they see it as a physical act and not as an emotionally intimate act with someone else, w hic h is w hat matter s to them. For men, being physically, sexually intimate with someone else, is the wor st thing that could ha ppen. It goes bac k to how men ar e socialized to feel entitled to women’s bodies and their sexuality, and they ar e expected to take owner ship of that w hile women ar e not. When women take that bac k, it’s a definite sla p in the f ace. Inc luded in the vir gin/w hor e dic hotomy is the w hole public ver sus priv ate debate. Like, I would take you home priv ately to fuc k you, but I wouldn’ t public ly show you ar ound as my significant other, or vice ver sa. Lately gir ls, as well as guys, have per petuated this. With this embr acement of no strings attac hed sexuality, ther e seems to be nothing expected beyond sex itself. But both parties have to be privy to this infor mation, and it isn’ t alw ays like that. T her e has to be some sor t of under standing, but it’s dif ficult to r eac h an under standing without talking to the per son, w hic h is a par adox, because if you don’ t see anything beyond fuc king, then you pr oba bly don’ t w ant to have a sit down, seri -

ous conver sation with them. Even “friends with benefits” have to deal with eac h other in public after their priv ate time. If you ar e hooking up with some body and you star t to feel dif fer ently about him or her, the w hole dynamic c hanges. Dating r aises e ver ything to the public le vel, and you see that per son in a dif fer ent light. T his is good in many w ays, but it also cr eates that ne w le vel of tension and emotions that guys don’t w ant to think a bout. You can ne ver have sex a g ain with the same under standing. So guys will likely stop alto gether, because they don’ t w ant to go into that ter ritor y since they have to sit down and talk and take a risk. Men ar e socialized to halt their af fections anyw ay, because r omantic love makes you less of a man in our cultur e. And you cer tainly don’ t w ant to show af fection for someone w ho’s not the vir gin. And so it r emains in our society that you can only have it one w ay or the other. T hat’s w hy it w as inter esting w hen Texas pastor Ed Young ur ged his mar ried congr e g ants to have sex for se ven str aight days. Especially in conser v ative r eligions, most people don’ t talk a bout sex, because it isn’t supposed to be a major par t of the r elationship. What he w as saying is that by having sex you ar e going to have a healthier r elationship. A lot of men and women wer e pr oba bly afr aid, because Pastor Young w as asking them to not only bridge that dic hotomy, but to bridge it within the context of a conser v ative Christian marria ge. Couples wer e pr oba bly fine with the vir gin aspect of it, but to focus on sex for fun – that’s ver y cool on one hand – but on the other hand it could have cr eated a lot of emotional tension. Especially w hen other issues wer e br ought into the pictur e, suc h as infidelity, that should pr oba bly be wor ked out fir st. Or, allow couples to divor ce without being stigmatized if their mar riage isn’t wor king at all, instead of r elying on sex as a solution. OPINION

47


, 2 c h a n g e pa r t Id enti t y: R ichm o n d

Two score and five year s ago, Mar tin Luther King Jr. had a dream. Now, I’m not black, and I’m not Obama riding in on a tr ain, but I too have a dream for our future. I dream of a Richmond willing, ready and able to step back into the forefront of American society. I dream of a city striving to make a better future, not a better ode to the past. I dream of a fully realized metropolis, powered by 21st centur y technology, not 20th centur y excess. I dream of a near future where crowds of pedestrians paint a vibr ant urban scene, instead of the dull tones provided by r usting car s and over priced toys. I dream of trolleys and high-speed r ail integr ating the city into a stronger society, instead of car s and buses segregating us into haves and have-nots. I have a dream of a greater Richmond, but I fear too many in this city have been asleep too long for the dream to be realized. By Jo n He ad le e Im ag es by Ad am Ju re sk o

48

OPI N IO N

As the centr al point for not only the Mid-Atlantic, but also the entire East Coast, Richmond has always been a hub of activity in this countr y. Richmond has a deep histor y with r ail (the fir st city in the US to be the junction of three different r ail lines, and the fir st city in the wor ld to have a trolley system, etc), but that histor y was buried in the waste of the 20th centur y. We fell in love with the illusion of freedom that car s provided, and we abandoned our infr astr ucture. Now it’s in need of serious repair, and one can only hope that city planner s, developer s, and the urban community as a whole realize

this as they throw millions around in projects like the Shockhoe Stadium plan and master plans to revitalize Manchester and Jackson Ward. So how are we going to do it? More to the point, how are we going to pay for it, how are we going to build it, and where are we going to put it? Well, let us begin with the where. We must use as much of the existing space as possible without disturbing the delicate foundation this city is built upon – I don’t think anyone wants to see a repeat of the Church Hill Tunnel disaster. This means utilizing our larger roads, avenues and boulevards to their fullest. Ideally, we would want to eliminate on-street par king on various roads, and in some cases reduce the number of lanes. In the shor t-ter m, tr affic will increase, but long-ter m, the city will gain a muchimproved infr astr ucture, and Richmond is going to need a better infr astr ucture in order to finally gr aduate from a second-tier city to a fir st-tier, global city. Now, how are we going to pay for it? Well for star ter s, any mass tr ansit project is going to need to multitask and provide more ser vices than just tr anspor tation. What if we could give ever yone free, but limited Internet and cheaper electricity? Any project that involves digging up city streets to lay tr ack is going to be ver y valuable to a telecommunications company looking to lay down high-speed fiber optics. Why not put a piggyback contr act up for auction among telecommunication companies? Force provider s to outbid each other for the right to lay down the wire. That allows companies like Verizon or Comcast to pump valuable and profitable fiber optic lines into urban communities, while also paying the major constr uction costs. They’ ll make large


profits off the subsequent consumer contr acts, and our hi-tech tr ansit system will be fully wired for monitoring and safety pur poses. While we’re at it, we could utilize the fiber optic systems to digitally link the street light systems on the trolley roads – in order to coordinate the automobile tr affic and the trolley systems. Additionally, we’d want to create limited wireless networ ks off of the fiber optic lines to allow for limited, but free Inter net access. Yes, you still have to pay X.XX dollar s a month to illegally download your full HD por n collection, but with the increased necessity of communication, you shouldn’t need to pay an obscene amount just to check your email. We could also make these limited networ ks locally controlled (which would allow greater oppor tunities for appropriate local adver tising – which would help Richmond’s smaller businesses take off and reach their local markets). The other element we’re missing is the cheaper power to city residents. Imagine hi-tech tr ansit stations (the bus stop of the future) that provide not only shelter, but also solar power (by covering the roof with solar panels). This would help power the trolley system, and if done right, it would feed power back into the grid, thus lowering costs for businesses and residents. Rewiring par ts of the electrical grid could also provide secondar y


power routes to protect against possible outages. The ability to cut energy costs and protect against major outages would eventually save enough money to pay for the project itself. It’d be easy to build the wireless networ king equipment (WiMAX, prefer ably) into these hi-tech shelter s, and thus, maximize our limited spaces. So how would we build a system that would eventually link Shor t Pump to Innsbrook to the Fan to Jackson Ward to the Downtown/Main Street Ter minal/Shockhoe Stadium to Church Hill to the Richmond Inter national Air por t to Sandston (via Broad Street to Rt. 60), Ashland to VCC to VUU to Jackson Ward to VCU to Manchester to Chester to VSU/Peter sburg (via Rt. 1/301), Mechanicsville to Highland Par k to Downtown/Manchester to Br ander mill (via Rt. 360), Glen Allen to Belmont to Nor thside to Ginter Par k to The Diamond/ Movieland to the Fan/Museum District to Maymont to Forest Hill to Chesterfield/Pocahontas State Par k (via Rt. 161 to Rt. 10). It’ ll take a commitment to cooper ation and integr ation between the city and the counties, and we’ ll need the suppor t and leader ship of local businesses throughout the metropolitan area to get it done, but don’t wor r y. It can and it must be done for the sake of Richmond’s future. That’s just four routes right there that would link a significant amount of the RVA metro area to the center of Richmond. It’d also allow residents throughout those routes to receive the benefits of high-speed telecommunications, limited free Inter net and cheaper electricity. Smaller routes (like a Labur num express, Monument express, and Car y/Main Street lines) could 50

OPI NIO N

be used to fur ther connect the city together (and provide an alter native to dr unk driving). If we utilized the local colleges (with some cooper ation from ODU’s r ail research teams), along with local entrepreneur ship, we could have Richmond’s trolley system rebuilt by 2020. The improvements and innovation that resur rect Richmond’s past to save its future could also be used to lay down high-speed r ail lines inside Virginia’s inter state system, which could be used as par t of a national high-speed r ail system. And if Richmond becomes a national leader for 21st centur y r ail development, then we can expect the city to prosper and profit from its creation and innovation. Now, just imagine how large of a New Year s celebr ation we could have in 2020 if we connected the entire metro area into a networ k of hi-tech routes. The fiber optics we lay down could be used to link video displays across the entire city. We could have smaller, communityoper ated celebr ations across the entire city (instead of 20,000 people cr ammed into one stretch of Car y Street). We could have a series of thematic celebr ations spread throughout the city (Downtown at the proposed stadium, Car ytown, Monroe Par k, Manchester, The Diamond or whatever becomes of that space, Joseph Br yan Par k, Maymont, the Richmond Inter national Raceway, the Coliseum, etc.), and all of it broadcast live over the Inter net. Imagine being able to use the trolley system to hop from celebr ation to celebr ation. Imag-

ine how much money and how many visitor s we could attr act to Richmond, and how many people we could dr aw into the festivities. We’d put Time Square to shame. Richmond has a proud and storied histor y. It is the only city in the countr y to have been a capital of a state and a nation. It has always had an independent spirit, the fir st quality of being a leader. Instead of being a real leader, however, the city lags behind in many important aspects, and this is tied to the r acially motivated flight to the suburbs during the 1960s and ‘70s. Segregation tore us apar t; much like I-95 tore Jackson Ward apar t. Atlanta took off as many Richmond black banks and businesses left the remains of the Ward behind. If we don’t act soon, perhaps the rest of the city will follow in the Ward’s footsteps. Integr ation, not segregation, will be our savior.


Richmond stands poised to see its city population triple in all of us, not just the privileged few. Will we come together and build something the next decade, and the metropolitan area will most likely for ever yone of us, or will we continue to bicker, squabble and divide our selves double in that time. We’re going to see a large influx of among petty lines and antiquated politics? Only a unified and integr ated Richmond people tr ying to get a piece of Virginia’s relative will weather the coming stor m. Only a robust infr astr ucture will be able to suppor t prosperity (relative to the cur rent plight of the population increases we’re going to see. Only a Richmond committed to the nation). We’re going to see people our children’s future, sustainability, innovation and progress will sur vive coming from the West, looking for jobs the dar kness brewing in the near future. It’s only going to get and low-cost housing. We’re going wor se before it gets better, but if Richmond to see people coming in from takes the right steps now, it will be the South to be close to able to step out into the light that Obama and the changes follows the dar kness. The choice is taking place in Washingyour s, but we will all bear the burden ton. We’re going to see people of our collective actions – or inaccoming in from the Nor th to discover the tion. last vestiges of souther n hospitality. And if we ever get out of Ir aq, we’re going to see families come inwards Change is in the air. from Norfolk/Va Beach, looking to move on from the militar y life. If we pre A r e YOU ready for it? pare for it, Richmond will take off as an inter national metropolitan community. If we do not, Richmond will sink fur ther into its obscene state of obscurity. Will the city built as an ode to London, developed as a hub for slave tr ansit, rebuilt from the ashes of the Civil War, and tor n apar t by the growing pains of the ‘60s finally find peace? I am no Nostr adamus, but as a filmmaker, a producer and a wannabe ther apist, I shall do my best to help Richmond grow into the city it was always meant to be – a global city for culture, progress and innovation. The only question I have for you is, who’s with me? Who will help me tur n Richmond into a mecca for independent ar ts and media? Who will help me convince the social, political and financial leader s of this town? Who will help me resur rect Richmond to the forefront of the U.S.? I have a dream for Richmond, but the dream will be lost in the face of our growing nightmare if we don’t stand together, side by side, white and black, young and old, and build a future that wor ks for




R M B O E D H E A L V IO Natalie: dress by BB Dakota; shoes by Sne,'s Collection; necklaces by Garnett Jewelry; all available at Need

A rt D ir e c t io n : C a s e y Lo n gy e a r Pho t o gr ap hy : I a n M. G r ah a m M o d e l s : N at e Ke e y e s , Pa ul Le w i s , C a r a B r o o ks , Natalie Patric k , Gi o i a Va r e s i , P h i l C e c o ni, Ry a n C o o ke, Ev i e Stylis t : C a s e y Lo n gy e a r Stylis t a s s is ta nt: A ma n d a Po n g Pho t o a s s is ta nt: Ji m N e l s o n e M ake up : A e n e a s Z h ou


S tu f f

Since 2008, loc al a rt bas ed nonprofit STUF F h a s pr ovid ed Richm ond w ith a community spac e f o r creative reus e, educ at i o n , an d env ironm ental a war en ess. The com binatio n o f fi n di n g value in tras h, and cr eat i ve ly recycling mat erials in a spontaneou s wa y brought the divers e S tu f f team members tog e th e r an d i n spire d the m to o r g anize a res ourceful ou tl e t for community mem b e r s wi th an intere st in th e envi ron ment, a rts, a nd r eus e.

Left : Pa ul: jeans by Nudie, available at N e e d ; shoes by Nike, C ardigan by R VC A , both avai l abl e at D omin ion N atali e : skirt by Moon; shoes by J e ffrey C ambell, all available at Nee d Right : C ar a: hat by Joia, shorts by Quic ksi l ver, top by Tax i CDC, all avai l abl e at Ne e d

FAS HION

55


The B a c k Po r c h I n i ti ati ve Sta rt e d by a gr oup o f 2 0 - s o m e th i n g s w h o tr a ve l e d a r ou n d th e c ountry in a ve ge tab l e o i l fu e l e d truc k in o r d e r t o l e a r n ab ou t r e gio nal e nvir o nm e ntal co n ce r n s , o ff e r sup p o rt, a n d bu i l d a n e two rk o f c o n c e r n e d i n di v i du al s , th e B a c k Po r c h I nit iat ive is d e di cate d to d e ve l o p i n g a n d su s ta i n i n g s o lu t i o n s t o lo c al e nvir o nm e ntal i s su e s . Th i s Ri ch m o nd b a s e d no np r ofi t co ll ab o r ate s with va rious S outhe r n co m mu n i ti e s o n th e i r e x i s t i n g r e s ou r c e s i n o r d e r t o he lp m o dif y p r a cti cal , e co n o m i c al a n d e nv i r o n m e ntal s o lu t i o n s t o lo c al e c o lo gic al c o n ce r n s .


Pr e vious Pa ge : Phil: Ja c ke t by N i ke, Te e by A m e ric a n A p p a r e l , b o th a va i l ab le at Ne e d ; J e a n s by RVC A , a va ilab le at D om i n i o n Rya n: H o o di e by R VC A , Te e by R VCA , b o th a va i l ab l e at Do m i n i o n ; J e a n s by Nu di e, a va i l ab l e at Ne e d G io ia : D r e s s by C o ll e cti ve C o nc e p ts , a va i l ab l e at N e e d ; p r e l ove d n e c k l a c e & s h o e s , b o th a va ilab le at Ru m o r s Evie : S k i rt by M i n kp i n k , To p by M o nt e a u , b o th a va i l ab l e at N e e d ; p r e l ove d s h o e s , a va i l ab l e at Rum o r s T H I S PAG E : G io ia : d r e s s by I n s i ght, a va i l ab l e at Ne e d C a r a : d r e s s by I n s i ght, a va i l ab l e at Ne e d Nat e : ta nk a nd s h o rts by I ns ight, hat by B ri xto n , all a va i l ab le at Ne e d Pa ul: t e e by A lta m o nt, j e a n s by R VC A , b o th a va i l ab l e at D o m inio n

FAS HION

57


B o o ks on Wheel s: D e di c ated to promoting li t e r a cy and alternative tr a n s portation, Books on W h e e l s provides much needed r e s ou r ces- books and fr ee bic y c le r epai r - to many di ffere nt c o mmunities, s etting up w h e r e ver they are welcome t o gi ve away books and fix b ic y c les.

C a ra: t o p by C oll ecti ve Cl othi ng , jean s by Ch eap M on day , both availab le at Ne e d Gi o i a : d r e s s by BB Dakota, avai l ab le at Ne e d N at e : ta n k by Kr ew, j eans by R VC A , both available at D omin ion


A ll c lo the s a va i l ab l e at N e e d Sup p ly


BOE HFU SFBEZ GPS

JO $FOUSBM 7JSHJOJB

5IF #FTU 3BEJP

BOE

(SFBU .VTJD $PODFSU $BMFOEBS 6OCFMJFWBCMF (JWFBXBZT


04.17.09 B I G N EWS FRO M RVA M A G.C O M M AY B E T H E B I G G EST N EWS EV ER.



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.