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Sanford Bigger s:

T h e B i g I d ea Malik Gaines

Sanfor d Big ger s isn’ t conte nt t o b e c a lle d a s c ulp t o r, v id e o a r t is t o r p e r fo r m a nc e a r t is t , e ve n though these m edia ar e c e nt r a l t o his w o r k . H e ’ s a n a r t is t w ho s e int e r d is c ip lina r y skills a llow him to c hallenge v ie w e r s w it h a n unus ua l p r a c t ic e t ha t r e s is t s c ha r a c t e r iz a tion. He’s not only an idea m a n in t he c o nc e p t ua l a r t t r a d i t io n , he a ls o m a k e s a m a z i ng a nd mysterious things.

For his ex hibition at Gr and Ar t s in K a ns a s C it y in 2 0 0 7 , B ig ge r s inc lud e d t hr e e p r o je c t s, casting thr ee dif fer ent his t o r ic a l r e f le c t io ns o f v io le nc e a g a ins t Af r ic a n- Am e r ic a ns a n d cr eating a ne w take on f a m ilia r r e p r e s e nt a t io n s o f t ha t v io l e nc e . F ir s t is t he s im p le e le g ia c for m , “Lotus” (200 7 ): a la r ge s c a le g la s s d is c s us p e nd e d in s p a c e , r e s e m bling a ce r e mo nial East Asian gong. H a nd e t c he d o nt o it in t he s ha p e o f a blo s s o m ing lo t us f lo w e r is a r e peating patter n of sla v e s li ne d in r o w s in t he ho ld o f a s hip ; a n im a ge a p p r o p r ia t e d fr om the f amous anti-slave r y p o s t e r c r e a t e d by t he P ly m o ut h C o m m it t e e o f Ab o lit io nis t s in 1789. T he ships become p e t a ls r a d ia t ing o ut f r o m a n e m p t y c e nt e r. T hr o ug h t he lo t us sha pe, this f amiliar ima ge o f t h e s la v e s hip is link e d t o a no t he r v is ua l v o c a bula r y, Ze n Bud dhism . T he sem i-tr ansp a r e nt m a nd a la inv it e s t r a ns c e nd e nt c o nt e m p la t io n w hil e im a g ing a n unbr oken c ontinuum o f s la v e r y w it h no s t a r t ing p o int a nd no e nd . C ir c ula r it y d is to r ts the Wester n notion of p r o g r e s s, illum ina t ing it s f a lla c ie s. C o n c ur r e nt ly, t he his t o r ic a l sp e cificity of Afric an tr aum a p unc t ur e s t he s ha p e ’ s uni v e r s a lit y. Ty p ic a l o f B ig ge r s ’ w o r k , e ve r ything is ha ppening at o nc e . T he v ie w e r lo o k s a t t his fo r m , lo o k s t hr o ug h it , a nd w hile consuming the lar ger sha pe , r e c o g niz e s t he d e t a il a nd t he s ha do w s o f s la v e r y b e ing c a s t o n e ve r y v ie wer passing by. Alt ho ug h it ’ s a ll a b o ut lig ht , t his p ie c e is he a v y.

A la r ge , m onum ental sc ulpt ur a l ins t a lla t io n, “ B lo s s o m ” (2 0 0 7 ), is t he s e c o nd p a r t o f t his suite . An old tr ee a ppear s t o b e g r o w ing o ut o f t he f lo o r o f t he g a lle r y a n d int o t he c e il ing, spr eading its br anc hes a c r o s s m o s t o f t he r o o m ’ s w id t h. A ne a r ly p e r f e c t c ir c le o f dir t on the f loor sur r ounds t he s t ur dy t r unk . And t his t r e e b e a r s s t r a nge f r uit ind e e d : a b r own ba by gr and piano wit h Que e n Anne s t y le le g s is p e ne t r a t e d by t he t r unk a nd lif t e d of f of the gr ound. Fr om the p ia n o o ne he a r s t he s o ng “ St r a n ge Fr uit ” p o p ul a r iz e d by B illi e Ho lliday and ada pted f r om t he Ab e l M e e r o p o l p o e m t ha t fo r m s a n a e s t he t ic la m e nt t o ly nc h ing in the South. T he symb o lis m is no t o b s c ur e a nd t h e ir o ny is p a lp a ble . T his b e a ut if ul constr uction, inv oking the p o w e r f ul fo r c e o f na t ur e a s it p ie r c e s o ne o f hum a nk ind ’ s m o s t P r e vio u s Pa ge : “R ide or Die ” Color inkjet

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love ly inv entions, is a v is ua lly s t unning r e a liz a t io n o f a his t o r y t ha t w e ho p e is p a s sed, but w hic h is vi v id ly r e m e m b e r e d w it h o nly a f e w no t e s o f a p o p u la r tune. De bates ar ound m inim a lis t s c ulp t ur e in t he t r a d it io n o f Am e r ic a n a r t histo r y hav e tended to c o nc e r n t he m s e lv e s w it h a no t io n o f t he a t r ic a lit y ; o ne ar gument has been that t he a r t o b je c t lo s e s it s int e g r it y w he n it r e q uir e s a b ody t o m ov e ar ound it t o b r ing it t o lif e . B ig ge r s e m p ha s iz e s t ha t p o int he r e a nd for the better. T he c ir c le o f d ir t is r e m inis c e nt o f a m inim a lis t ge s t ur e , but e ver y thing inside it is hig h t he a t e r. In t his p lay, a t r e e is no t jus t a t r e e in some ideal for m. T he w ind blo w s a nd it m ov e s, t he s e a s o ns c ha nge a n d it gr o ws, a body hangs f r o m it a nd it s b r a nc he s g r o a n. N o r is a n a r t o b je c t so me thing pur e: it too ha s his t o r y a nd c o ns e q ue nc e s.

Ar tist s c an hold a m ir r or t o t he ug ly t r ut h; t hey c a n a ls o p a int a p ic t ur e o f better possibilities. T he la t t e r is w ha t B ig ge r s d o e s w it h t he t hir d p ie c e in this gr oup, “Cheshir e” (2 0 0 7 ), a v id e o p r o je c t io n a g a ins t a n ex t e r io r w a ll o f a n o ld building in K ansas C it y. In it w e s e e v a r io us bla c k m e n c lim b ing t r e e s.

T hese men ar e pr ofessio na ls w e a r ing t he i r w o r k c lo t he s : a s uit , a d e nt is t ’ s scr ub s, athletic shor ts. B ig ge r s a s k e d t he m e a c h t o c lim b a t r e e in t he ir ar ea. T he ef for t is both c o m ic a l a nd ho p e f ul . T he s e m e n, s o m e o f w ho m lo o k q uite out of plac e, ar e inv e r t ing a his t o r y o f ly nc hing t ha t is quit e d if f ic ult t o tr ansfor m. R ather than a s it e o f d e a t h, d is f ig ur e m e nt a nd e m a s c ula t io n, t he tr e e bec om es a play plac e , a w ay t o r e t ur n t o t he inv e nt i v e p o s s ib ilit ie s o f c hildhood, a natur al wond e r t ha t is e nt ir e ly c o nq ue r a ble . W hile t he r e is s t ill an ambi v alent awkw ar dne s s t o s e e i ng a bla c k p r o f e s s io na l in a s uit o ut o n a limb, Big ger s has tur ned t his s y m b o l o f s ub jug a t io n int o a s it e o f Af r ic a nAme r ic an a genc y and ac hie v e m e nt .

e m e r g ing Af r ic a n- Am e r ic a n a r t is t s w it h m a ins t r e a m a r t educations w ho wer e t o o yo ung t o p a r t ic ip a t e in t he c ult ur e w a r s o f t he 1 9 8 0s, but w ho still, fr om t he ir m e d ia - s a t ur a t e d a n d f a t ig ue d m ille nnia l p o s it io n, intended to consider t he im a ge s a nd r e a lit ie s o f r a c e in t he ir w o r k . M a ny of these ar tists have, in t he ye a r s s inc e t he s ho w, b e c o m e im p o r t a nt na m e s in cont empor ar y ar t , inc lud i ng Sa nfo r d B ig ge r s. W h ile t he d is c ur s i v e a c hie v e ment of the exhibition w a s t o int r o d uc e t he c o nv o lut e d no t io n o f “ p o s t - bla c k ” t o American dis cus s io ns o f r a c e in t he 2 1 s t c e n t ur y, t he r e a l p r a c t ic a l e f f ect w as the cr eation o f a ne t w o r k o f yo ung Af r ic a n- Am e r ic a n a r t is t s w ho a r e s t ill in many cas es f r ie nd s a nd inf lue nt ia l c o lle a g ue s o f o ne a no t he r. H a v ing w rit t en a s hor t es s ay fo r t he Fr e e s t y le c a t a lo g ue a s o ne o f my e a r lie s t high-pr ofile writing gigs, I t o o k a v i v id int e r e s t in w ha t t hi s s c e ne w a s a l l a b o ut .

T he und e r ly ing p r e m is e o f t he s ho w w a s t ha t t he o ld , b old, didact ic r e pr es en t a t io ns o f r a c is m t ha t a p r e v io us ge ne r a t io n o f bla c k ar t is t s had employed

I fir st enc ounter ed Sanfo r d B ig ge r s ’ w o r k in 2 0 0 1 , t hr o ug h t he no w le ge nd ar y Fr eestyle exhibition c ur a t e d by T he l m a G o ld e n a t t he St ud io M us e um in Ha r le m. Initiating her tenur e a t t he m us e um , t he w e ll- k no w n Af r ic a n- Am e r ic a n cur a tor announc ed a ne w ge ne r a t io na l p e r s p e c t i v e t ha t w o uld inf us e t he o ld institution with a c ontem p o r a r y p r e s e nc e . Fr e e s t y le inc lud e d a ge ne r a t io n o f 16

“A Small Wo r ld ”…6:30 min silent co lo r DVD. Sing le-c hannel pr oje c t ion.1999- 2002

to gr e a t aesthetic and c ritic a l e f f e c t – a r t is t s lik e C a r r ie M a e We e m s, L o r na Simpson, or Glenn Ligon – w e r e b e ing r e p la c e d by nua nc e d a nd my s t e r io u s inte r p r e t ations of the c omp lexit ie s o f id e nt it y. T his p r e m is e ov e r s t a t e d t he simplicity of the pr e vious ge ne r a t io n a nd t he my s t e r ie s o f t he la t t e r, but d i d ma ke the spac e for an Afric a n- Am e r ic a n s ho w t ha t a d d r e s s e d t ha t v e r y c o n ce pt with a di v er sity of a pp r o a c he s, f r o m t o t a l a b s t r a c t io n t o p o p c e le b r a t io n.

Big ger s’ piece, a colla bor at io n w it h t he a r t is t Je nnif e r Za c k in, w a s a m o ng t h e most mem or a ble in the show a nd w o uld la t e r b e o ne o f t he s t and o ut p ie c e s in the 2002 Whitney Biennia l. “A S m a ll Wo r ld … ” (2 0 0 0 ), is a s ing l e c ha nne l vide o installation r unning o n a s ix- m inut e lo o p. T he a r t is t s us e d o ld f a m ily films of their c hildhood s t o d r a w s t r ik ing p a r a lle ls a nd c o m p a r is o ns t o a middle c lass African-Americ a n ex p e r ie nc e a nd a m id d le c la s s Je w is h- Am e r ic a n experience. In a monta ge o f i m a ge s, b o t h k id s p l ay t he p ia no, p o s e w it h f amily for Christmas or Hanuk k a h, ha v e b ir t hd ay p a r t ie s, p lay a t t he b e a c h, and take trips to Disneylan d . W hile t he o ut s id e w o r ld o f t he la t e ‘ 6 0 s o r ear ly ‘70s w as continuously r o c k e d w it h t he p r o ble m o f r a c e , f r o m w it hin t he per specti ve of these her me t ic f a m ily ex p e r ie nc e s, t hing s lo o k v e r y m uc h t h e sa me . While the title ir onica lly inv o k e s t he D is ney la nd r id e t ha t ma k e s s ho c k ingly nai ve equi v alences am o ng t he p e o p le s o f t he w o r ld , B ig ge r s a nd Za c k in sho w th at within m iddle c la s s s p a c e s it is a s m a ll w o r ld , a f t e r a ll.

Sanfor d Big ger s gr e w up in So ut h C e nt r a l L o s Ange l e s, a ne ig hb o r ho o d t ha t is mo r e c om plex and layer e d s o c ia lly t ha n t he m o no lit hic a s s o c ia t io ns t ha t usually accompany the nam e . H e r e he e ng a ge d in t ha t li v e ly s c e ne ’ s m us ic , d a nce , f ashion and politic s. As a yo ung p a r t ic ip a nt in t he e a r ly c ul t ur e o f Los Angeles hip-hop, Big ge r s t o o k t ha t s t y le a nd e ne r g y w ith him a s h e move d thr ough higher educ a t io n, his s t udy a b r o a d in Flo r e nc e , his t im e li v ing in Ja pan, his BA fr om M o r e ho us e , his M FA f r o m t he Ar t I ns t it ut e o f C hi ca go, a nd other tr aining in B a lt im o r e a nd Sk o w he g a n, M a ine . Fr o m t he r e his se lf- e d ucation be g an to r es e m ble t ha t o f a c o nt e m p o r a r y Re nais s a nc e m a n: specialized but wide r anging, im p r ov is a t o r y a nd c o s m o p o l it a n. H e s p e a k s Ja pa ne se and Italian, know s a b o ut b r e a k d a nc ing, B ud d his m , a r t his t o r y a nd

a t hing o r t w o a b o ut t he w o r ld . I n t he t im e I c o r r e s p o nded with him in the w r it ing o f t his e s s ay, he w a s d o ing p r o je c t s in G e r m a ny, I ndonesia, and bac k in C hic a go. B ig ge r s s p lit s his t im e b e t w e e n H a r le m w he r e he is bas ed, and R ic hm o nd , w he r e he t e a c he s a t Vir g inia C o m m o nw e a lt h U ni ver s it y. Nex t year he w il l b e a v is it ing a r t is t a nd s c ulp t ur e p r o f e s s o r a t H a r v ar d U ni ver s it y. B igge r s is a n a r t is t s ’ a r t is t t ha t h a s a ls o e njoye d c o m m e r c ia l success, showing in r e p ut a ble g a lle r ie s in N e w Yo r k a nd L o s Ange le s, w hi le being r e ver ed fr om t he ins id e by f e llo w c o lle a g ue s.

B ig ge r s ’ int e r d is c ip lina r y a p p r o a c h r e f le c t s his p hy s ic a l mobility. Despite a c e nt ur y o f a v a nt - g a r d e ex p e r im e nt a t io n in t he w o r ld o f f ine ar t , it s t ill w or k s o ut b e s t fo r a r t is t s t o b e s o m e t hing : a p a int e r, a s c ul p t or, a photo gr a pher.

O t he r w is e , w hic h d e p a r t m e nt in t he m us e um is s up p o s e d t o collect your wor k?

W hic h b ox w ill yo u c he c k o n t he g r a nt a p p lic a t io n? And w hat do you t ell t hat w e a lt hy p a t r o n a t t he c o c k t a il p a r t y w he n yo u o nly ha v e a minute to explain yo ur s e lf ? B ig ge r s ’ ina b ilit y t o b e c a t e go r i z e d in a ny o f these simple w ays c ha l le nge s t he d e e p ly e nt r e nc he d no t io ns o f t e c h ni q ue and discipline that s ha p e t he m a r k e t s a r o und v is ua l a r t . B ut w he n w e c a ll ar tists like Big ger s int e r d is c ip lina r y, t ha t ’ s r e a lly jus t p o s t - m o d e r n la ng ua ge to describe a w ay o f w o r k i ng t ha t ’ s q uit e c o m m o n in m a ny p la c e s o ut s id e o f Wester n moder nity.

B ig ge r s him s e lf r e f e r s t o a n Af r ic a n a r t is t ic t r a d it io n a s a guiding principle, o ne t ha t is m o r e f luid t ha n t he s p e c ia liz ing m a nd a t e o f Eur opean ar t. In t his m o d e l, a n a r t is t is a llo w e d t o w o r k in w ha t e v e r m e d ium w ill f ulf ill her or his id e a s. H ip - ho p it s e lf is a go o d ex a m p le a nd a no t he r guiding principle fo r B ig ge r s, in it s s y nt he s is o f m u s ic , p o e t r y, a nd p e r fo r mance, it s a bilit y t o m a k e ne w t hing s f r o m o ld t hing s a nd v ic e v e r s a , it s p o litical r ele v ance and f a nt a s t ic a l p o w e r. B ig ge r s us e s B u d d his t p r inc ip le s in a s imilar w ay, a ppr ec ia t ing in t he s p ir it ua l t r a d it io n a n a b ilit y t o a b s o r b a num ber of ideas s imul t a ne o us ly, a f luid it y o f p r a c t ic e , a nd a s e ns e o f p r o f und ity in mundane acts a n d o b je c t s. And a ll o f t his f it s w e ll w it h Af r ic a n d ia s p o r ic tr aditions, w her e lo c a t io n is ne v e r q uit e a p la c e in a nd o f it s e lf, but s o m e place in r elation to o t he r p la c e s ; w he r e ho m e is p r ov is io na l, s o m e p la c e b e t w een a los t pas t and 17

an ima gined futur e. Big ge r s is a bl e t o a c t ua liz e t his f luid it y in his s ho w a t Gr a nd Ar ts in K ansas City, w hile s t ill is o la t ing c le a r a nd m ov ing id e a s. W hile t he sp e cializations of post-Enlig ht e nm e nt Eur o p e a n a r t m a k e g r e a t p r o d uc t s fo r conte m plation and for sa le , I w o uld s ug ge s t t ha t p r a c t ic e s lik e B ig ge r s ’ ha v e a mor e immediate r esonanc e w it h w ha t lif e is lik e he r e a nd no w.

In 200 7, Big ger s w as c o m m is s io ne d t o m a k e a p ie c e fo r N e w Yo r k ’ s p e r fo rma nce ar t biennial, Perfo r m a . T he r e s ult w a s “ T he So m e t hin’ Su it e ” , a v a ud e ville v ariety show shown a t T he B ox t ha t int e r r o g a t e d a his t o r y o f r a c e o n t h e Ame r ic an sta ge w hile em p loy ing s p o k e n w o r d a nd p e r fo r m a nc e a r t t r a d it io ns.

Pe r fo r m a’s dir ec tor, Rosele e Go ld b e r g, is t he a ut ho r o f t he c a no nic a l t ex t “ Pe r fo r manc e Ar t: Fr om Futur is m t o t he Pr e s e nt , ” in w hic h s he t r a c e s a no t io n o f perfor mance ar t to Eur o p e a n a v a nt - g a r d e ex p e r im e nt s w it hin m ov e m e nt s s uc h

a s f ut ur is m , d a d a a nd s ur r e a li s m . As G o ld b e r g p o int s out , perfor mance w as a lw ay s a t t he fo r e f r o nt o f t he s e r a d ic a l m ov e m e nt s, s er ving as a s t ar t ing p o int fo r r e je c t ing o r r e v e r s ing t h e ex p e c t a t io ns o f content and for m that b o ur ge o is a ud ie nc e s b r o ug ht t o a r t a t t he s t a r t o f t he 2 0 t h cent ur y. As ne w k ind s o f p e r fo r m a nc e s le d t he w ay in e a c h o f t he s e movements, Goldber g init ia t e s t he id e a o f a n “ a v a nt - a v a nt - g a r d e ” t o d e s c r ibe t hes e c hallenging a c t s. B ig ge r s us e d t his o p p o r t unit y t o b r ing t o ge t her themes and ima ges he ha s ex p lo r e d in o t he r w o r k s, s uc h a s t he f a bulous feather ed jac ket “ Tunic ” (2 0 0 3 ) a nd t he v id e o “ C he s hir e ” , a s s e t s, c os t umes, and conce pt ua l s t a r t ing p o int s fo r li v e p e r fo r m a nc e . Re la t ing to G oldber g’ s “ av ant a v a nt - g a r d e , ” “ T he So m e t hin’ Suit e ” r e a c t s t o t he fo undat ions of American p o p ula r t he a t e r : t he m ins t r e l s ho w. D if f e r e nt c ha r a c ter s played by a host o f s inge r s a nd p o e t s e m e r ge t o s ing s o ng s a nd r e a d poems and r eact to e a c h o t he r in s t r a nge s k it s t ha t e m p loy a nd ex p lo d e the r acis t s t er eot ypes t ha t ha v e c a r r ie d t he m s e lv e s t hr o ug h t he e nt ir e his t o r y of American ent er t a inm e nt . Fr e e d o m e B r a d ley, a C a b C a llo w ay - e s q ue figur e in w hite tails, le a d s t he num b e r “ N o N o o s e is G o o d N o o s e . ” T he p r eac her Mar tin Luther B ling d e li v e r s t he s t ir r ing m e s s a ge “ St ill D r e a m in’ . ” T he “ ghet t o bir d” t uni c is w o r n by a g la m f ig ur e , N ig g y St a r d us t , w hile a pair of Souther n b e lle s p e r fo r m a d ue t in f r o nt o f a D a v id H a m m o nd s - ins pir ed American f la g in t he c o lo r s o f Af r ic a n li b e r a t io n. Fo r a n a r t is t w ho s e r e pr es ent at ions of Af r ic a n- Am e r ic a n ex p e r ie nc e c a n o f t e n b e lo o s e ly d iscur si ve, these dir ect r e f e r e n c e s a nd o bv io us p uns s uit e d t he li v e p e r fo r m a nce mode, caus ing t he a u d ie n c e t o r e li v e a his t o r y t ha t s o m e t i m e s f e e ls im possible to li ve down.

A p a r t ic ula r ly p o lit ic a l s t a t e m e nt fo r t he p e r fo r m a nce ar t biennial, “ T he So m e t h in’ Suit e ” il lum ina t e d t he bl a c k - f a c e d s p e c t a c le that still oper ates in t o d ay ’ s a r t s in d us t r i e s, f r o m p o p ula r m a s s m e d ia t o the fr ontline of the c ut t ing - e d ge .

W h il e B ig ge r s ’ w o r k s a b o u t r a c e a nd r a c is m a r e o nly a par t of his over all o e uv r e , c o m m unic a t io n a c r o s s a nd w it hin c ult ur e s i s a constant of his wor k.

As s uc h, B ig ge r s ha s e m e r ge d a s a p r o m ine nt v o ic e among ar tists w hose

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“T he B r id ge is O ver (Biddybye bye)” P lastic and metal 24 x 41 in. 2006

a e s t he t ic ins t i nc t s a r e p o lit ic a l, a nd w h o s e p o lit ic a l s e ns ib ilit i es af fect the for ms t ha t a r t w o r k s t a k e . B ig ge r s ha s no t ye t r e a c he d his p r im e , and with eac h ne w p r o je c t , t he c o m p lex it y o f t he id e a s a nd t he a m b it io n o f t he s c ope ar e heightened a nd e la b o r a t e d . I n he r e s s ay fo r t he s ho w “ D o uble C o ns c io us nes s : B lac k Con c e p t ua l Ar t Sinc e 1 9 7 0 , ” in w hic h B ig ge r s ’ f e a t he r e d t unic w a s inc luded, cur ator Va le r ie C a s s e l O li v e r c o nc lud e s t ha t “ B la c k C o nc e p t ua lis m has become the act o f t r a n s f e r r ing a nd m a nif e s t ing bla c k s e lf - d e t e r m ina t io n in t he mainstr eam ar t w o r ld . ” W hile t his his t o r ic a l a nd ins t it ut io na l int e r p r e t a t io n is only one of many f r a m e s t hr o ug h w hic h t o v ie w t his w o r k , O li v e r ’ s w o r d s d o r ing t r ue. Sanfor d B igge r s is a m a n w it h a p la n, a nd he ’ s go t t he s k ills t o ex e c ut e it not only as a blac k a r t is t , but a ls o o n t he b ig s t a ge o f w o r ld c ult ur e .

Sanfo r d Big ger s Peculiar Institutio n s…

Januar y 16 – Fe br uar y 28, 2009 Op ening Rece p tio n: Januar y 16, 2009 fr o m 6 – 8 p.m.

Solvent Space is an exhibition space located in the Plant Zer o Ar ts Com p lex a t H ull a nd 4 t h Str eets in Ric hmond, Vir ginia. Solvent Space is a pr oject of the Sc hoo l o f t he Ar t s a n d t he De par tment of Painting and Printmaking at Vir ginia Commonwealth Uni v e r s it y, in c o o p e r a t io n with Plant Zer o. Email: r r oth@vcu.edu, tele phone: 267-262-1619

Galler y hour s: Tuesday 1 2 – 4 p.m.

T hur sd ay 12 – 4 p.m.

Satur day 12 – 4 p.m.

(Exce p t ho lid ays) To see mo r e visit www.sanfor dbig ger s.com

“ T he So me t hin’ Suit e ” - Pe r for mance stills. 2 0 0 7

19

Border T hief T he Ou tlaw A rt of David Amoroso

Pr esto n Duncan

I t ’ s F ir s t Fr id ay a nd B r o a d St r e e t is s lo w ly c lo g g ing w it h Fan hipster s and West End e r s o ut fo r t he ir m o nt hly d e s c e nt int o t he s t y lis h g r it a nd d ila pidat ed r ealit ies of d o w nt o w n. N o r m a lly I ’ d b e a m o ng t he m , h unt ing t he e nd a nge r e d species of open bar g a lle r ie s o r e ls e w a t c hing t he f a m il ia r d e r v is he s o f f ir e d a nc e r s in the str eet. But I ’ m no t t he r e .

I ns t e a d I ’ m a t a w ine s ho p, G r a p e a nd C he e s e o n M a in St r e e t , a nd not for their weekly w ine t a s t in g g r a t is (a s is us ua lly t he c a s e ), but t o s it d o w n w it h David Amor oso, a D.C . a r e a a r t is t w ho ha s jus t f inis he d ha ng ing his w o r k a s I w a l k t hr ough the door.

Am o r o s o is a p a int e r, p ho t o g r a p he r a nd a g r ingo (w hit e ). W ha t s olidif ies his di ver s it y o f m e d ium int o a n a r t ic u la t e a r t is t ic s t a t e m e nt is his a b ilit y t o distill Latin American ic o no g r a p hy a nd r e f le c t it f r o m a U nit e d St a t e s p e r s p e c t i v e . Fr om por t r ait s of s oc a lle d “ ill e g a ls ” t o L uc h a d o r p r int s, his r o m a n t ic is m fo r L a t ino cultur e is in per petual c o nv e r s a t io n w it h t he ha r s hne s s o f t he im m ig r a nt s ’ p lig ht , r e vealing a ter rible and hum a niz ing im a ge o f t he o f t e n ig no r e d r e a lit y o f t he i r ex i s t e nc e.

M y f ir s t e n c o unt e r w it h Am o r o s o ’ s w o r k w a s a t t he R i c hm o nd Folk Festi v al this year, w he r e he w a s r un ning a ha nd s - o n c r a f t s b o o t h c e le b r a t ing D ia De Los Muer tos. He d id n’ t ha v e a ny p ho t o g r a p hy t he r e , but up o n s e e ing t he m , a ll o f his pict ur es pos s es s a ha unt ing f a m ili a r i t y.

So it is w it h a g la s s o f B o a r d ing Pa s s Shir a z a nd a s ho p c a t near ly as f at and not s o w e ll t e m p e r e d a s t he w ine , t ha t w e t a k e a s e a t o n a n o ld c o uc h in t he bac k of t he store.

20

An Eng l is h a s a Se c o nd L a ng ua ge t e a c he r, Am o r o s o ’ s f ir s t i nt r o d uc tion t o Lat in Ameri c a n c ult ur e w a s t hr o ug h his s t ud e nt s, w ho in t he p r o c e s s o f le a r ning English taught him Sp a nis h. B ut it w a s n’ t u nt il he t r a v e le d t hr o ug h M ex ic o t ha t he found an ar tistic c o nne c t io n t o t he c ul t ur a l la nd s c a p e t ha t w o uld d e f ine his w o r k . “When I went to Mexico I, honestly, for the fir st time felt like ther e w as some sor t of r eal life-blood r unning thr ough my body. I w as so excited by all the color I saw…the w ay e ver ything seemed to be sor t of vibr ant…I took tons of pictur es.”

Pe r ha p s his m o s t id e nt if ia ble p ie c e s c o m p r is e t he s e r ie s “ Via je r o s, ” a collect ion of p ho t o g r a p hy - b a s e d p o r t r a it s o f im m ig r a nt l a b o r e r s. T he p a int ing s v ar y stylistically: a t t im e s t hey a r e s t r o ng, c le a n a nd ic o nic , w hile a t o t he r s t hey a r e almos t lik e w as hed o ut w a t e r c o lo r s, t he s ub je c t a g ho s t i n t he p a int .

I a s k Am o r o s o w ha t ins p ir e d it .

“I star ted [the] series after meeting one per son w ho told me a stor y a bout how he cr ossed into the U.S. fr om Boli via. I mean, I couldn’ t belie ve it. It took a bout a month, maybe a month and a half, $2,000 or $3,000 dollar s mor e than his f amily w as going to make in the next 6 months. With that, he tr aveled to the U.S. Eac h countr y he went thr ough became mor e and mor e dif ficult, mor e and mor e c hallenging. He got ar r ested.

He w as se par ated. At one point he w as stowed on top of the engine of a tr uc k to cr oss into the USA, for w hat? To wor k. I’ ve gr own up ar ound hundr eds of people that don’ t seem to e ven w ant to wor k. And so, that some body’s willing to risk their life, and to spend e ver ything they have – sometimes they have to use their homes or their pr oper ties as collater al for a loan – just to get her e, willing to risk that muc h just to wor k in a low paying job that most people don’ t e ven w ant to do, it just so c hanged the w ay I looked at the wor k ethic of so many Latinos.”

T he m o r e im m ig r a nt s he t a lk e d t o, t he m o r e he he a r d o f t he inor dinat e har ds hips t hey f a c e d . T he s e s t o r ie s, a nd t he ir t e lle r s, a r e t he c o nc e p t ua l and phys ical bas is fo r “ Via je r o s. ” 21

“So I did the fir st ‘Viajer os’ painting, w hic h de picted the bur n mar k on his bac k fr om being stowed on top of the motor. He actually had se ver al people on top of him. I did that, I de picted his bac k in fr ont of the American f la g, then I used my hands to pull down on the wet paint so that it would look like the f la g w as bleeding a bit, and then below it ther e’s a bit of a ma p cr ossing fr om Boli via up into the United States. My goal with this painting is that, you may see the ima ge and have some initial r eaction, some impact, but then w hen you hear the stor y that accompanies it – because all of the paintings do have a stor y – you hear that stor y, and it maybe, I hope, c hanges the w ay you look at some body on the str eet. And r ather than asking w hat that per son’s doing her e, you know ‘he needs to go bac k’, you have a gr eater a ppr eciation of w hat someone will be willing to risk, just to sur vi ve.”

Am o r o s o ’ s r e p r e s e nt a t io n o f a p a r t ic ula r s ub je c t is o f t e n b a s e d on the stor y they tell a n d his p e r c e p t io n o f t he ir r e la t i o ns hi p w it h s o c ie t y, t he ir f a m ilies and themselves.

“One of the guys I inter vie wed – he’s been her e for a bout 6 or 8 year s now – he has pr etty muc h no contact with anyone in his f amily. If he wer e to just disa ppear, no one would e ven know. He’s pr esent, but not pr esent. I felt that doing that stuf f sor t of r e pr esents that he’s bar ely her e.

T he ones that ar e a bit mor e gr a phic…well, I star ted as a photo gr a pher, so w hen I photo gr a phed the models, I tended to go for a r eally star k blac k and w hite look. I think it’s out of r espect for the indi viduals, I like to make them look powerful and iconic , and honestly most of the guys I inter vie w ar e just so sur prised to see themselves that w ay, in a positi ve w ay. It’s empowering, and they’ ll call their friends and say, ‘Hey, you gotta come over, ther e’s a painting of me’ if they’ r e in a g aller y or an exhibit of some sor t. Or I’ ll photo gr a ph the ima ge so they can send it bac k home. And once a g ain, as a painter, making a por tr ait doesn’ t seem to be suc h a big deal, but for someone w ho’s been mar ginalized and doesn’ t feel impor tant, it’s my w ay, I feel, of showing them r espect. ” 22

Am o r o s o a ls o w o r k s w it h blo c k p r i nt s, o ne o f w hic h is o f t he he r o of M ex ican I ndep e nd e nc e , Em i li a no Za p a t a . Pe r ha p s o ne o f t he m o s t r e c o g niz a ble f igur es in M ex ican his t o r y, his im a ge is ub i q uit o us t hr o ug ho ut t he c o unt r y a nd t he s cat t er ed bar rios of it s ex p a t r ia t e s in t he s t a t e s. I a s k him ho w his r e p r e s e nt a t io n o f f a mous por t r ait gi ves v o ic e t o t he s t r ug g le s o f L a t in Am e r ic a n im m i g r a nt s.

“I’ d like to say that w hat I do is the voice of people that might not be hear d, but I think I’ d come of f as a jer k if I said I’m the voice of…w hoe ver. I think that anything I can do to spr ead the wor d, to get other s to lear n a bout other cultur es, other plights of humanity, other situations, that’s my goal. Mor e than anything I love the ima ge.

It’s amazing how just a fe w photo gr a phic ima ges of an indi vidual can be r e pr oduced so many times in so many dif fer ent w ays. He doesn’ t die. I’ d say he’s the Mexican Elvis, but that makes him tr ashy. He made films, he r ecor ded, he died tr a gically. He’s been dead for 50 year s. People still love him, they w ant him, and so he’s a mix of pop cultur e, with a messa ge as well.”

L o o k ing a t h is p ie c e s p r e s id ing ov e r t he a nt hr o p o lo g ic a lly o r g a nized w ine r ac k s, his t im e le s s blo c k p r int s a nd ind e f init e p ho t o g r a p hs g i v e a s e ns e o f s omet hing primal, s o m e t hi ng a ut h e nt ic a lly hum a n t ha t ho ld s it s o w n a g a ins t t he d i v e r s e s ens ibilit ies of ur b a n o e no p hi le s a nd f a s hio na ble g a lle r y ho p p e r s. At o nc e hip a nd c las s ic , s t ylis t i c a lly r e le v a nt a nd c o nc e p t ua lly s o c io - p o lit ic a l, it is e a s y t o und e r stand w hy Amor oso w o uld b e a t t r a c t e d t o Za p a t a ’ s im a ge : a s y m b o l o f p o p c ult ur e w it h a mes s a ge, t oo.

T he wor k of David Amor oso will be on display at Gr a pe and Cheese until Januar y 1, 2009, and can be vie wed via the we b at www.geocities.com/Amor osoAr t.

Gr a pe and Cheese is located at 1531 W. Main St. Ric hmond, VA 23220 (804) 353-9463

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S pac e o f H er O w n Talia M iller | Pho to s by Jay Shar p e

I s p e nd T hur s d ay nig ht s a t t he Vis ua l Ar t s C e n t e r w it h a g r o up o f a b s o lut e ly a m a z ing w o m e n a nd g ir ls. T he r e a s o n? A g r a nt - f u nd e d m e nt o r s h ip p r o g r a m r un by t he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r, w it h he lp f r o m Ar t 1 8 0 , c a ll e d Sp a c e o f H e r O w n, o r SO H O fo r s ho r t . T he p r o g r a m m a t c h e s 1 4 g i r ls f r o m T he Fr iend s A s s o c ia t io n fo r C hild r e n in R ic hm o nd ’ s G i lp in C o ur t c o m m unit y w it h 1 4 m e nt o r s w ho w o r k t o ge t he r w it h t he m e a c h w e e k o n a v a r ie t y o f a r t p r o je c t s. T he m e nt o r s hip c ulm ina t e s in t he r e d e s i g n o f t he g ir ls ’ b e d r o o m s ov e r a w e e k e nd in A p r il.

I ’ v e s p e nt Fr id ay nig ht s a t t he Vi s ua l Ar t s C e n t e r in a r t c la s s e s a t t he Se c o nd Fr id ay Sa m p le r p r o g r a m . I ’ v e m a d e a nd b o und my o w n no t e b o o k s, c r e a t e d g la s s p e nd a nt s a nd le a r ne d ho w t o d o im a ge t r a ns f e r s, a m o ng o t he r t hing s. And t he b e s t p a r t is, no ne o f it c o s t m e a p e n ny.

T he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r, no w lo c a t e d o n M a in St r e e t in t he Fa n, s t a r t e d o ut a s t he H a nd Wo r k s ho p in 1 9 6 3 a nd w a s o r ig ina lly in C hur c h H ill. Es s e n t ia lly a co lle c t i v e o f a r t is t s w it h s t ud io s p a c e , t he fo und e r, Elis a b e t h S c o t t B o c o c k , la t e r ex p a nd e d it int o a n a f t e r- s c ho o l p r o g r a m w he n s he no t ic e d a ne e d fo r c hild c a r e in t he c o m m unit y. I n t he 1 9 8 0 s the H a nd Wo r k s ho p r e nt e d w ha t w a s t he n

t he Vir g inia D a ir y a nd e v e ntually pur c hased and la t e r r e nov a t e d t he buil d ing into w hat is today, the Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r.

T he s p a c e is, t o m e , u niq ue and incr edibly impor t a nt t o R ic hm o nd . T he s he e r number of outr eac h p r o g r a m s t ha t t hey o f f e r t o the communit y, in add it io n t o t he v a r ie t y o f a r t c lasses and the studio s p a c e a v a ila ble is a lm o s t overw helming. Ar t has o f t e n b e e n t ho ug ht o f a s something that could o nly b e t r uly a p p r e c ia t e d by t he ric h, but t he Vi s ua l Ar t s C e nt e r go e s a lo ng w ay in mak ing it acc e s s ible t o e v e r yo ne . T he p r o gr amming t hey have d e v e lo p e d no t o nly d e my s t i f ies ar t for the common p e r s o n but a ls o e nc o ur a ge s t hem t o cr eat e it .

T he lo nge s t r unning ex a m p le of t his is t he Ar t Af t e r Sc ho o l p r o g r a m , w hic h no w oper at es as a par t ne r s hip w it h B info r d M id d le Sc hool. T he pr o gr am p r ov id e s f r e e a f t e r- s c ho o l a r t c lasses to over 200 s t ud e nt s e a c h s e m e s t e r. “ T hey w alk over after s c ho o l f r o m B info r d a nd ge t to c hoose fr om four o r f i v e d if f e r e nt c la s s e s t ha t they can take,” says J a c k ie M a nc ini, P r o g r a m C o o r dinator at the Visual Ar t s C e nt e r. I f t his w e e k d ay ar t pr o gr am is not e n o ug h fo r t he yo ung, c ur io us mind, the Visual Ar ts C e nt e r o f f e r s t he Sid e by Sid e Satur days pr o gr am, w hic h t a k e s p la c e o n t he f i r s t t hr ee Sat ur days of

e a c h month. Anyone c an s ig n up a nd c o m e in t o t a k e a n int e r ge ne r a t io na l pairing c lass (i.e. par ent a nd c hil d , g r a nd p a r e nt a nd g r a nd c hild , m e nt o r a nd mentee), w her e they wor k o n a p r o je c t t o ge t he r fo r t w o h o ur s. D id I m e nt io n tha t bo th these pr o gr am s ar e a ls o f r e e ?

“I think we’ r e at an inter e s t ing p o int w he r e w e ’ r e t r y ing t o f ig u r e o u t w ha t the community w ants fr om us a nd ne e d s f r o m us … We a lr e a dy k no w w e h a v e this ba se of people w ho w a nt t o c o m e in a nd w a nt t o t a k e c la s s e s f r o m us, ” says Ma nc ini. One thing t hey ha v e no t ic e d a ne e d fo r is m o r e s up p o r t fo r local ar tists. T he Young L a w ye r s Ta lk s e r ie s t e a m s up M c G u ir e Wo o d s, a Ric hmond-based law fir m, w it h t he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r t o p r ov ide t a l k s a b o ut a r t la w. “People c an c om e in a nd ha v e f r e e w ine , b e e r a nd p iz z a a nd le a r n a b out som ething that, if yo u a r e a n a r t is t , yo u a r e p r o b a bly no t go o d a t t hink ing a bout, w hic h is [le g al s p e a k ] , ho w t o fo r m a n L LC , ho w t o d o yo ur t a x e s a nd no t owe m oney, c opy rig ht m a na ge m e nt … t hing s t ha t a r t is t s r e a lly ne e d to kn ow but ar e har d to w r a p yo ur he a d a r o und . ” M a nc ini c o nt inue s, “ I t ’ s bringing in a gr oup of peop le w ho a r e ind e p e nd e n t a r t is t s w ho a r e w o r k ing i n Ric hmo nd, and w ho w ant tha t k ind o f he lp fo r go o d r e a s o ns. ” Par t of w hat I find so f ascina t ing a b o ut t he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r is it s a b il it y t o se a mle ss ly c om bine Ric hm ond ’ s a r t is t ic a nd c o r p o r a t e c o m m unit ie s. So m a ny times the two str ug gle to ov e r la p, but lo o k ing a t t he lo ng li s t o f c o r p o r a t e sponsor s involved, and pr o g r a m m ing lik e t he Yo ung L a w ye r s Ta lk s e r ie s, it a p pe a r s that the Visual Ar t s C e nt e r ha s c r e a t e d t he p e r f e c t a t m o s p he r e fo r succe ssful c olla bor ation be t w e e n t ha t w hic h w o uld init ia lly a p p e a r d is t inc t ly d if fe r e nt. “I think it is nec e s s a r y in o r d e r t o build a nd g r o w a nd t o c r e a t e t his str ong ar t community to ta k e a d v a nt a ge o f t he p hila nt hr o py t ha t is a v a ila ble fr om companies w ho w ant t o s up p o r t t he ir c o m m unit y. T h ey ha v e t his m o ney that they w ant us to take a nd us e t o ex p a nd o ur p r o g r a m s a nd d o s o m e t hing like th e SOHO pr o gr am , w hic h w e c o uld n’ t d o w it ho ut t he he lp o f t he s e inc r e d ibly gener ous cor por ations, ” s ay s M a nc i ni, he r v o ic e r is ing in ex c it e m e n t ov e r the po ss ibilities.

T he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r ’ s o ut r e a c h t o a d i v e r s i t y o f p o p ulations is both r ar e a n d c o m m e nd a ble . O ne o f my p e r s o n a l f a v o r it e p r o g r ams of fer ed is the Se c o nd Fr id ay Sa m p le r m e nt io ne d b e fo r e . G e a r e d t o w ar d a post-colle ge a ge d c r o w d , t he p r o g r a m w i ll b e g i n a g a in in J a n ua r y, a nd takes place on, o bv io us ly, t he s e c o nd Fr id ay o f e a c h m o nt h. O n t ha t night, anyone can c o m e in a nd t a k e , fo r f r e e , a s a m p le r c la s s o f o ne o f t he c las s es of f er ed a t t he Vis ua l Ar t s C e nt e r. M a nc ini ex p la ins, “ T he go a l [ of t he pr o gr am] is t ha t if yo u ha v e n’ t t a k e n a c la s s he r e a nd a r e no t s ur e w hat kind of a c lass yo u w o uld w a nt t o t a k e , yo u c a n c o m e in a n d ins t e a d o f investing in a c lass t ha t yo u’ r e no t s u r e a b o ut , yo u ge t t o s e e w ha t it w o uld be like. It helps to b r ing in a n a ud ie nc e t ha t ha s ne v e r b e e n i n t he build ing befor e.” Classes o f f e r e d r a nge f r o m t r a d it io na l s ne a k p e a k s s uc h a s c lay t hr ow ing, t o pa per c ut o ut a nim a t io n, t o s t il l lif e d r a w in g, a nd e a c h m o nt h t he staf f wor ks har d t o m a k e s ur e t he r e is a d i v e r s it y o f o f f e r ing s p r ov i d e d . T hey also continue to d e v e lo p ne w p r o g r a m s, w it h o ne c ur r e nt ly in t he w o r k s t hat t ar get s s enior s in a s s is t e d li v ing.

As f a r a s c la s s e s go, if yo u w e r e e v e r y int e r e s t e d in t a k ing any sor t of ar t c la s s, t r a d it io na l o r o t he r w is e , yo u c a n p r e t t y m uc h g uar ant ee t he Vis ual Ar t s C e nt e r ha s it . O f f e r ing s inc lud e m e t a ls a nd je w e lr y, glass, printmaking, w o o d c ut t ing, f ib e r, s e w ing, w r it ing, w e a v i ng, d ig it a l a r t s, photo gr a phy and p r e t t y m uc h a ny t hi ng e ls e yo u c o uld t hink o f. I t a ls o ho uses a g aller y with ex hib it io ns t ha t a r e p r o g r a m m e d a r o und ex t e ns i v e ly by t he ent ir e s t af f. I n J a nua r y t he ir g la s s s ho w, c a lle d “ Fr o m Sa n d , ” w ill o p e n up, f eaturing wor ks

by K e n D a ley, R ic ha r d Jo lley a nd Joyc e J. Sc o t t . A f ilm series focusing on g la s s a s w e ll a s s p e c ia l c la s s e s b a s e d a r o und g la s s w ill a lso be gin in Januar y t o c o r r e la t e w it h t he ex hib it .

To lear n mor e a bout the Visual Ar ts Center, you can visit them on the we b at www.visar ts.or g, or you can dr op by 1812 W. Main St. and visit them for your self.

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An In t e r v i e w with Tho ma s Ba r n e t t o f S tri k e A ny where Mik e Rut z | P ho tos by Julie Fer guson

O n e lec tion night, m any o f us d e c id e d t o t ur n o f f t he T V a nd jo in o ur f r ie nd s at one of the many show s a r o und R ic hm o nd . At G a lle r y 5 , t he e le c t o r a l m a p slowly tur ned blue as Tri c lo p s ! , B r a inw o r m s, St ink Eye s, a nd St r ik e Any w he r e p r ovided a c r uc ial sound t r a c k . In t o w n t o b e g in w o r k o n t he fo llo w - up t o Dead FM , I had the c hance to s it d o w n w it h T ho m a s, le a d s inge r o f St r ik e Any w he r e .

We continued a c onv er sat io n t ha t b e g a n la s t s um m e r a b o ut t r av e ling, p o lit ic s, co mm unity and the origins o f t he a nt i- f a s c is t c ir c le .

M i ke Rut z

You guys a r e in R ic hm o nd fo r a b o ut a w e e k and a ha lf ?

T homa s Ba rnett Ye a h, a f t e r o ur e le c t io n nig h t s ho w, w e lo a d e d into our friend Rob bie’s b a s e m e nt . Ro b b ie (H ud d le s t o n) w a s t he b a s s p laye r in Inq uisition and also the Fo und a t io n B a nd a nd Ann B e r r e t t a, a nd he le t s u s hang out in his basement . H e ha s a yo u ng c hild , w h o s o m e how s le e p s b e t t e r w hen we’ r e playing loud, f a s t s o ng s in t he b a s e m e nt ( b o t h la u g h).

Rob bie’s been so gener ous t o us. To m o r r o w w e ’ ll r e c o r d d e m os t o ha v e r e f e r e nce s to listen to for the ne w r e c o r d .

MR TB

Did you alr eady hav e s o ng s la id o ut t o t a lk a b o ut ?

We’ r e continually wr i t ing. T he r e ’ s a lw ay s m u s ic p i e c e s, a nd g uit a r r if f s, and vocal ideas f loating a r o un d . Ev e r y b o dy in t he b a nd w r it e s, s o I a lw ay s ge t g uita r par ts by the half-do z e n f r o m e a c h o f t he ge nt le m e n in St r ik e Any w he r e .

I e ve n hav e a fe w of my o w n a nd w e c o m b ine t hing s, p us h t he m t o ge t he r. T he

28

d ig it a l a ge is w e ir d , e s p e c ia lly fo r p u nk r o c k e r s li v ing in dif fer ent cities, but w e ’ r e s t ill r e a lly ins p ir e d a nd w a nt ing t o w r it e s o ng s w it h eac h ot her. Someb o dy w ill b e lik e , he r e ’ s a c r a p py g uit a r p a r t a nd I ’ m like, cool, her e’s my c r a p py v o c a l. Yo u k no w, s c r e a m ing a t yo ur c o m p ut e r in t he w ee hour s of t he g a r a ge o r b a s e m e nt o f w ha t e v e r ho us e yo u r e nt . I t hink a lot of k ids all over t he w o r ld a r e d o ing t his. I t ’ s o n e o f t ho s e a r g um e nt s t hat of f ends all of t he L ud d it e s e ns ib ilit ie s t ha t p unk r o c k e r s ha v e a b o ut t he e vils of tec hnolo g y. At s o m e le v e l, k id s in M a lay s ia c a n b e in a b a nd w it h k id s f r om A us t r alia. M aybe t hey c a n’ t a f fo r d t he p la ne t ic k e t s t o p ull a t o ur t o ge t her, but they can have a b a nd t ha t a c t ua lly ha s s o ng s. I t ’ s ne a t .

M R B e ing t ha t s o m e yo u g uy s li v e in d if f e r e nt c it ie s, have the things that a r e inf lu e nc ing yo u r m us ic a nd ly r ic s c ha nge d ?

TB

Ye a h, d e f i nit e ly. I t hink it ’ s k ind a c o o l . I t ’ s o bv io us that our attac hment t o R ic hm o nd is s t r o ng a nd e t e r na l, e s p e c ia lly g r o w ing up her e f r om zer o t o t hir t y (ye a r s o ld ). T ha t ’ s t he w ay I ’ m go nna s e e t he w o r ld for t he r es t of my lif e . T he r e ’ s jus t s o m e t hi ng r e a l ly, a lm o s t s p ir it ua l a b o ut w alking the str eets, a n d t h e his t o r y a nd e v e r y t hing. T he p un k s c e ne he r e is the be ginning of how w e s e e p unk s c e ne s a ny w he r e e ls e ; w hic h i s int e r e s t ing, because the place t ha t r e m ind e d m e m o s t o f e a r ly nine t ie s R ic hm o nd , o f all of our t our s, w as G a lw ay o n t he w e s t c o a s t o f I r e la nd . I t w a s o ur f i r s t tour of Ir eland, and t ho s e k id s ha d t ha t a w e s o m e ge t t ing it w r o ng, but ge t ting it right t hing going o n, w it h lib e r t y s p ik e s t ha t w e r e t w o f e e t w id e , a blue leather jac ket and a s t r a ig ht - e d ge X o n t he ir ha nd . C o m b ining s t uf f t ha t maybe w asn’ t meant t o b e c o m b ine d . I t w a s r a d . T ho s e k id s w e r e s c r e a m ing ‘Ric hmond punks’ a t us b e t w e e n s o ng s in t his p ub w e p laye d . W hic h w a s so cool, b e c a u s e t ha t ’ s h o w w e a ll m e t e a c h o t he r, t ha t ’ s w ha t it means t o us. B ut , ye a h, li v ing in d if f e r e nt c it ie s a nd h a v ing d if fer ent ex p e r ie nc e s is im p o r t a nt , t o o. C o m ing b a c k ho m e t ho ugh, it’s w he r e o ur r o o t s a r e a nd w he r e t hey ’ ll a lw ay s b e .

M R D o yo u g uy s ha v e a t e nt a t i v e r e le a s e d a t e fo r t he ne w a lbum ?

29

TB

I d o n’ t k no w, but I t hin k w e ’ r e r e c o r d ing in M a r c h o r A p r il. B e fo r e t hat, we have a tour in Eur o p e s u p p o r t ing R is e Ag a ins t . We ’ r e a c t ua lly go nna t r y t o go t o B e la r us, t o M ins k and t hen t a k e a t r a in a nd p lay M o s c o w. I f w e s ur v i v e t ha t , t he n w e ’ ll b e a ble t o r e cor d.

MR

So yo u ha v e n’ t p laye d Rus s ia b e fo r e ?

TB

N o, it ’ s ex c it ing. We ha v e c a s s e t t e r e l e a s e s o f o ur r e c o r d s t he r e t hr ough this gr oup fr om M o s c o w c a lle d O ld Sc ho o l K id s Re c o r d s. T hey ’ v e b e e n p ut t ing t he m o ut fo r people in t he Cent r al As ia n, p o s t - Sov ie t Re p ublic s a nd t he C a uc us e s a nd o t he r p e o p le o ut s id e of St . Pet er s bur g and M o s c o w. C a s s e t t e s a r e a v a ila ble a t t ho s e b a z a a r s t ha t t hey ha v e , s inc e C D t ec hnolo g y is not in e v e r yo ne ’ s ha nd s ye t . T ha t w a s s o m e t hing w e r e a lly c a r e d a b o ut , ge t t ing our music out ther e a nd t he n ha v ing t r a ns la t io ns. M y w if e k no w s Rus s ia n, s o s he he lp s t r a ns lat e my lyrics. Yeah, ge t t ing o ut t he r e is go ing t o b e a w e s o m e .

M R I s a w yo u g uy s a ye a r a nd a ha lf a go in Sc hw e inf ur t , G e r m a ny a nd you’ r e going bac k t he r e a s p a r t o f t he t o ur in e a r ly 2 0 0 9 . W he n w e w e r e t a lk ing a t t he s ho w, you s aid one of t he r e a s o ns yo u lik e p lay ing Sc hw e inf ur t , w hic h is no t a m a jo r c it y, w a s b e c ause ther e’s a United St a t e s m ilit a r y b a s e ne a r by. W he n yo u p la n yo ur t o ur s, d o yo u t r y a nd go to cities that ar e near t he b a s e s ?

TB

N o, w e c a n p lay a lm o s t e v e r y c it y in G e r m a ny. I t ’ s c r a z y, t he r e la t ionship people have to p ublic t r a ns p o r t a t io n is s uc h t ha t t hey a c t ua lly d o t hing s in t he ir o w n c ities. So, you get 300 d if f e r e nt fo lk s (a t a d if f e r e nt s ho w ) o nly t w o ho ur s a w ay. I t d o e s n’ t w o r k t hat w ay in t he U. S. (I n G e r m a ny ), p e o p l e d o n’ t t r a v e l t o o t he r c it ie s, m ay b e t hey d o n’ t ha v e c a r s or w hat e ver, s o t hey c o m e o ut loy a lly e v e r y ye a r. Sc hw e inf ur t a nd K a r ls r uhe a r e t w o p la c e s w her e we just ha ppen t o ha v e G I ’ s a nd Am e r ic a ns in t he m ilit a r y c o m e t o t he s ho w s c o ns is t e nt ly and buy us drink s, a n d t e ll us t he i r s t o r ie s. T hey t a lk r e a lis t ic a lly a b o u t w ha t ha s ha p p e ne d and w hat will ha ppen a n d w ha t t hey d o n’ t w a n t t o ha p p e n. T h e r e ’ s a lo t o f f r us t r a t io n , a nd it’s r eally inter esting he a r ing it d ir e c t ly f r o m fo lk s in t he m i lit a r y. W he n w e ’ r e no t o n t o ur, w e wor k w it h t he count err e c r uit m e nt m ov e m e nt t o g i v e p e o p le o t he r o p t io ns w he n t a ble s a r e s e t up at public sc hools a n d in t he inne r c it ie s. O t he r p o int s o f v ie w a r e n’ t r e a lly a llo w e d o n- s it e , so you can hand out f lye r s t o p a r e nt s, o r p ut t he m o n t he s c ho o l bus e s, o r t o t he k id s t h a t a r e w alking to and fr om t he s c ho o l t o s ho w t he m t ha t (e nlis t m e nt ) is no t yo ur o nly o p t io n. L e t ’ s t hink a bout ot her s t uf f.

Ta lk ing t o t he s e fo lk s in G e r m a ny in t he m ilit a r y is r e a lly im p o r t a nt t o m e a nd t hey a ppr eciat e it ,

30

too. At f ir st, I thought, may b e w e d o n’ t a g r e e o n e v e r y t hing, w hic h is still c ool, but they r eally d o t hink t ha t t his w a r w a s p r e d ic at e d on a lie and it’s insane. All o f t he t hing s t hey t ho ug ht t hey w e r e going to get out of m ilitar y s e r v ic e ha v e no t ha p p e ne d . T hey ’ r e car r ying a lot of post-tr aum a t ic s t r e s s d is o r d e r a nd o t he r a i lm ent s that ar e going to be a par t o f t he ir li v e s fo r e v e r. M e m b e r s o f St r ik e Anyw her e have friends w ho ha v e c o m e b a c k f r o m I r a q w it h P T SD a n d with r e constr uc ted lim bs, a nd it ’ s a huge p a r t o f o ur li v e s, p e r s o n a lly, to t hink a bout this c r it ic a lly. We t r y t o ext e nd o t he r o p t io ns a nd to adv oc ate peac e, not jus t o n a s lo g a n a nd m a r c hing le v e l, but with people in the c omm unit y a nd w it h a ll t he c o m p lexit ie s o f Ame r ica n life intac t.

MR

What is a city or count r y yo u ha v e n’ t p laye d t ha t yo u’ d lik e to p lay?

TB

Well, e ver yw her e! We w e nt t o So ut h Am e r ic a , t o B r a z il, a nd played thr ee shows in Sao Pa ulo, w hic h is a huge c it y, a nd t he n w e f le w up and played one sho w in B o go t a , C o l um b ia . I t w a s a m a z ing, but str a nge, because it’s r ig ht o n t he e q ua t o r bu t it ’ s c o ld , a n d

t he r e ’ s t r o p ic a l m o unt a ins a nd fo g a nd s t uf f lik e t ha t . So, m o r e So ut h Am e r ic a a nd m o r e e v e r y w he r e . We ’ r e t a lk ing w it h t he b a nd , H a v e H e a r t , no w a b o ut d o ing s o m e t hing in t he s um m e r w he r e w e d o a ll o f As ia , a s m a ny p l a c e s a s w ill ha v e us. We ’ ll s e e if t ha t ha p p e ns ; it ’ s m o r e in t he d r e a m ing s t a ge r ig ht no w. B ut , it ’ s c o o l t o h a v e p a r t ne r s in c r im e , o t he r p e o p le w ho a r e t r y ing t o f i nd t he o ld r e c o r d d is t r ibut io n ne t w o r k s w ho c a n d o r e g io na l t o ur ing b e t w e e n So ut he a s t As ia , I nd o ne s ia . We ha v e s o m e f r ie nd s in Ta iw a n r e c e nt ly w ho a r e d o ing a g r e a t d e a l o f w o r k bui ld ing up a n ind e p e nd e nt t o ur ing s c e ne in So ut he a s t As ia . T ha t w o u ld b e a n inc r e d ible p la c e (t o p lay ).

M R Yo u jus t p laye d G a lle r y 5 fo r t he e le c t io n s ho w. W ha t m a d e yo u p lay G a lle r y 5 t his t im e ins t e a d o f yo ur us ua l v e nue , Alley K a t z ?

TB

Yo u k no w, it ’ s a n a w e s o m e v e nue , a nd w e lik e t he a r t t ha t ’ s t he r e a nd t he l it t le b o o k s ho p in f r o nt . I t jus t g i v e s yo u a lit t le m o r e t ha n jus t a c o m m e r c ia l s p a c e , w he r e s o m e t im e s yo u f e e l (t he b a n d is ) jus t a s o und t r a c k t o p e o p le d r ink ing b e e r unt il t hey v o m it . T ha t ’ s c o o l, o bv io us ly t he r e ’ s a lc o ho l a v a ila ble a t s ho w s a t G a lle r y 5 , but t he r e ’ s m o r e o f a c ult ur a l c o m p o ne nt w he r e yo u f e e l e m b e d d e d in t he c o m m unit y a b it m o r e . I t ha s a r e a lly nic e f e e l . T he p e o p le a t

31

“. . . p e o p l e have to s tay enAlley gage d and peo ple have to K a t z ha ve been ho l d p o li ti c i a ns acge ne r ous to c o u ntab le a nd no t us, too, for the j us t wa i t fo r the p a st eight or nine o ne vo te every ye a r s. It’s one of the four yea rs b e tter r oc k c lubs of its size that we e v er play. to feel like T he balc ony is nic e bec a us e they have o ur f am ilies, w hen we c o m e t o power.”

Ric hmond, c an w atc h the s ho w w it h out getting moshed on. T ha t ’ s im p o r t a n t .

But, yeah, we loved tha t s ho w (a t G a lle r y 5 ).

T he f ir e engine that’s t he r e , t he o ld p a r t s o f t h e fir e m useum and all of t he a r t w o r k . T he r e w e r e p ie c e s of Gw ar sta ge setups the r e , s t ill ho r r ibly d is g u s t ing t hing s that move ar ound and s ho o t go o a t yo u. T ha t ’ s o ur r o o t s, yo u know, and if we can be ne a r s o m e t hing t ha t ha s s t uf f t ha t G w a r ’ s tr yin g to use, that’s pr e t t y a w e s o m e , b e c a us e s o m e o f t he f ir s t s ho w s I e ver saw wer e Gw ar w he n t hey jus t s t a r t ing u p. And t hey w e r e build in g their own weir d stuf f, r o lle r s k a t ing i n lo inc lo t hs w it h fo a m b a t t le a x e s, just sc aring the hell out o f yo u.

MR TB

What is your r eac tio n t o t he e le c t io n o ut c o m e ?

Of cour se it’s amaz ing, but b eyo nd t ha t , lo o k ing a t the potenc y of an Am er ic a n p r e s id e nt a nd t he t he a te r of elec tor al politic s a nd t he int e ns e ov e r w he lm ing w aste of money and t he a s y m m e t r ic a l a s p e c t s of the nominating pr oce s s a nd a ll t he c a nd id a t e s,

32

tha t’s m or e of our c ritique. T he s y s t e m it s e lf is r ig ge d a nd it ’ s go nna s e r v e the inter ests of alr eady we a lt hy a nd t he t r a ns na t io na l p o w e r s, t he r e a l p o w e r, and they just use gover nm e nt s t o m a k e l a w s t o a llo w t he m t o m a k e m o ney a t the exp ense of the planet a nd t he r e s t o f us. T ha t ’ s o bv io us ly ly r ic s w e ha v e in our songs, that’s how we f e e l. B ut o n a no t he r le v e l, o n a n e qua lly im p o r t a nt le vel, (look at) the w ay tha t t ha t e le c t io n m a d e e v e r yo ne ha p py a nd b e l ie v e in so me thing. Vir ginia did some t hing ! And no t jus t in t he p a s t – s o m e t hing ho r rible in the past – but some t hing r e a l in t he p r e s e nt . T he s p o nt a ne o us m a r c he s and e ver ything, ther e might no t b e a ny t hing lik e t h a t a g a in in my lif e t im e . I t ’ s almost like the positi ve num b e r o p p o s it e Se p t e m b e r 1 1 t h in t he m a s s p s yc hic consciousness. T he w ay e v e r yo ne f e lt e m b e d d e d , is o la t e d , f r ight e ne d a nd a l most in t ellec tually attac ked by yo ur o w n c o unt r y a nd yo ur o w n r e a c t io ns t o Se p te mber 11th. T his w as a w a v e o f p ublic joy a nd e nlig ht e nm e nt . I d o n’ t ha v e a gr eat deal of f aith in the a b ilit y o f o ne p r e s i d e n t t o r e v e r s e , r e c o ns t r uc t a nd r e vita l ize the things that m ig ht s t ill b e s a lie nt a nd t r ue a b o ut Am e r ic a n lif e a nd the Ame ric an dr eam . I think B a r a c k Ob a m a a nd his f a m ily, he m ay m e a n m o r e o f w ha t h e say s than any other p o lit ic ia n I ’ v e e v e n k no w n, but p e o ple ha v e t o s t ay e ng a ge d and people hav e t o ho ld p o lit ic ia ns a c c o unt a ble a nd no t jus t w a it fo r the o ne v ote e v er y four ye a r s t o f e e l lik e t hey ha v e p o w e r. T ha t ’ s t he c r it iq ue of the elector al system tha t I t hink is t he t r ut h b e hi nd it a ll. I d o t hink s o m a ny mor e people car ed. So many m illio ns o f p e o p le r e g is t e r e d t o v o t e , go t e ng a ge d , followed the tedious insanit y o f t he m a s s m e d ia p e r c e p t io n o f t he e le c t io n. T hey still car ed and these people , w e ’ r e no t a ll go ing t o go a w ay, a nd t he r e ’ s a w ho l e ne w consciousness with folk s w ho ne v e r f e l t inc lud e d in t he p r o c e s s. Wo r k ing c lass folks of all gr oups, w ho a r e go ing t o b e p ay ing a t t e nt io n a nd w a nt ing ans wer s w hen things go wr o ng. T ha t ’ s a huge t hing a nd t ha t ’ s s o m e t hing t ha t should not be under stated o r fo r go t t e n. We w e r e r ig ht t he r e o n M a r s ha ll St r e e t dedicating our last song to M a g g i e Wa l k e r a nd t he n t hr e e m in ut e s la t e r, C ur t is to ok the m ic and said Vir ginia p us he d it ov e r fo r Ob a m a . A m ov ie a b o ut it c o uld no t ha ve been m or e dr am at ic , o r ha d b e t t e r b e a t s.

t he a nt i- f a s c is t c ir c le f r o m . T hey w e r e a g r o up o f p e o ple t r ying t o s peak t r ut h t o p o w e r in G e r m a ny ; t r y ing t o s ay, lo o k , t his b r own-shir ted gr oup t ha t ’ s ge t t i ng p e o p le hy p e d up in t he b e e r ha l ls i s f ille d with hate and it’s go nna go b a d ly fo r a ll o f us a n d w e h a v e t o t a lk a b o u t it. T hey wer e one o f t he b ig ge s t a nd m o s t unif ie d v o ic e s fo r c e s a g a ins t the rise to power o f t he N a z is. So, t his a nt i- f a s c is t c ir c le ha s b e e n a par t of ant i-r acis t a n d a nt i- na t io na lis t m ov e m e nt s s inc e t he n. So, w e ’ r e calling the r ecor d t ha t a nd t he r e ’ s s o ng s a b o ut im m ig r a t io n, a nd t he f ir st song we’ ve e ver w r it t e n a b o ut t he a p o c a ly p s e – but t he g lo b a l w a r m ing a pocalypse w her e o ur s p e c ie s jus t fo ld s b a c k int o t he p la ne t . T h e r e ’ s a s ong that’s kind of a m e m o r ia l t o f r i e nd s w ho ha v e f a lle n, p e o p le t a k e n f r o m this life too soon.

T h e r e ’ s s o m e he a v ie r t o p ic s, b e c a us e it ’ s b e e n a ha r d year for a lot of R ic hm o nd k id s. B ut , t he r e ’ s a ls o s t uf f a b o ut t he le v e li ng out of r eality in t he f a c e o f a ll t his m e d ia a nd ho w s e p a r a t e d o ur c o nsciousness can get a nd ho w d is t r a c t e d w e c a n a ll ge t . So m e t im e s it ’ s go o d t o jus t go out and a c t ua lly s ha k e s o m e b o dy ’ s ha nd a nd ha v e a r e a l c o nver sation and not b e o nline a nd no t b e o n yo ur p ho ne . T he r e ’ s s o m e t hing a bout losing our hum a nit y w it h a ll o f o u r t oy s. T he r e ’ s s o m e ne w t o p ics. We have a song a b o ut t he c h ild s o ld i e r is s ue in Af r ic a . B e c a us e w e ’ v e been tr aveling a lo t a n d t a lk ing t o s o m a ny p e o p le , t he r e ’ s s o m a ny s t o ries and nar r at i ves t ha t info r m us. T he m o r e w e lis t e n, t he m o r e s o n g s w e have t o w rit e.

T his inter vie w originally air ed November 8th, 2008 on Ri ver City Limits, the local-only show that air s Satur days 5 to 7 p.m. on WRIR 97.3 Ric h mond Inde pendent R adio. For mor e infor mation, lo g on to wrir.or g. To kee p up with Strike Anyw her e, you can visit strikeanyw her e.or g.

M R What ar e som e of the ly r ic a l t o p ic s yo u a r e go ing t o t a c k le o n t he ne w a lbum?

T B We ll, the wor king title o f t he a lbum is Ir on Fr ont , w hic h is t he g r o up w e go t 33

Cur tis Grimstead | Ima ge by B r a ndon Pe c k

By the time you are reading this ar ticle you are either stoked because you saw Off With Their Heads or you fucked up and are probably watching a bunch of dudes in tight pants chasing a dead pig’s ass for points. I had the pleasure of seeing Off With Their Heads Sunday mor ning at T he Fest in 2007. I had no clue what I was going to see and almost blew them off to eat more pizza. Luckily good friends of mine convinced me to check them out, and ever since it has been my shit. With song lyrics like “It’s all a fucking joke to me / I wake up and wor k, and get fucked up and sleep / I wake up and wor k, and get fucked up all over again,” combined with instrumentation that is original yet comparable to punk rock l i k e D 4 a n d To y s T h a t K i l l y o u c a n n o t g o w r o n g . O f f With Their Heads might be one of the busiest bands in punk rock. Right now the band is cur rently on a tour that is around six months long and has put out over a dozen records in the past couple of year s.

Their most recent release was also their first fulllength, From the Bottom, which was released on No I d e a t h i s s u m m e r. R y a n Yo u n g w h o p l a y s g u i t a r / vocals in the band was awesome enough to answer s o m e q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e b a n d f o r m e r e c e n t l y.

Cu rtis G r i m stea d: Fir st, the generic histor y question.

How did Off With Their Heads come to be?

Rya n Y o u n g : I w a s l i v i n g i n a r e c o r d i n g s t u d i o b a s e m e n t with my friend Erik. I wrote a few songs and we recorded them. They were the product of hour s and hour s of layering stuff and coming up with different ver sions. That wound up being the fir st 7”. Justin came along in the middle of rec o r d i n g t h a t s t u f f a n d 1 5 m e m b e r s l a t e r, h e r e w e a r e .

C G : Yo u h a v e b e e n t o u r i n g f o r a l m o s t t h r e e m o n t h s s t r a i g h t and have another three months from the looks of your tour schedule. How is touring non-stop wor king out for you guys?

RY : W e w e r e t a l k i n g a b o u t t h a t t h e o t h e r d a y. N o b o d y i s t i r e d o r s i c k o f e a c h o t h e r, a n d t h a t w a s t h e b i g c o n c e r n .

It’s something I’ ve alw ays w anted to do, and this gr oup of b a d n e w s b e a r s w a n n a b e s a c t u a l l y p u l l e d i t o f f. K i c k a s s.

CG: Where have you not played that you would really like to?

RY : W e r e a l l y w a n t t o h i t u p t h e S c a n d i navian countries and Austr alia. From the sounds of it, we will be doing all of that in 2009.

CG: From the Bottom is the fir st full studio album that you have made. Wer e the songs 35

more cohesively written for the album with the intentions of a full-length or could they have been split up?

RY : I t h i n k f o u r o r f i v e o f t h o s e s o n g s w e r e p r e v i o u s l y released on other 7”s. The other half was written for the record. I think it was just dumb luck that they wor ked out together so well.

CG: It seems like the band has new records constantly coming out. I remember seeing about six last year alone. None of these records have sucked and if anything each one out does the previous. How are you guys able to come up with such a large catalog of songs in such a shor t amount of time?

RY : T h a t ’ s t h e w e i r d t h i n g . We a r e s e r i ously the laziest guys when it comes to writing. We’ ll stop pr acticing to go play Me g atouc h at the bar if anyone suggests it. I guess Justin and I are just fucking genius.

CG: There have been 15 people in Off With Their Heads over the year s, but you have seemed to lock in a pretty solid crew o f d u d e s n o w. H o w d i d t h i s f i n a l l y w o r k o u t ?

RY : N o t h i n g i s s e t i n s t o n e . S h i t c a n c h a n g e a t t h e d r o p o f a h a t . R i g h t n o w, w e a r e a l l g e t t i n g a l o n g f i n e . I ’ l l k i l l a n y 36

one of these guys if they fuck with me.

CG: The song “Call the Cops” has been rumored to have a stor y wor th mentioning with the recording/song. Is there any validity to that?

RY : I t ’ s j u s t a b o u t t h i s c r a z y a s s h o l e o f a g i r l I u s e d t o date. I guess I had a thing for mean shithead gir ls or somet h i n g . A n y w a y, w e g o t i n a f i g h t a t a b a r. S h e w e n t h o m e , a n d I was walking to her house to tr y and fix things. On the way b a c k I g o t h i t b y a c a r. N o t h i n g t o o s e r i o u s , b u t I s o m e h o w smacked my face on the side mir ror and got a black eye.

When I got to her house, she picked up her phone to call the cops because we were arguing. I tossed her phone across the room and left. I think we were together for a year after that as well. I’m smar t.

CG: Being on the road so much bound to see some new bands pretty awesome, what bands road have you been stoked would recommend?

you that on on

RY : T h e r e i s a b a n d f r o m P i t t s burgh called American Ar mada that we are all pretty fond o f. A l l t h e s t a n d a r d b a n d s we are pals with. And I guess The Anchor from Austin, now that they

are are the and

k i c k e d o u t t h a t d i c k h e a d c h i l d - m o l e s t i n g d r u m m e r.

CG: Richmond has a histor y of being many bands favorite c i t y t o p l a y w h i l e o n t o u r. M o s t l i k e l y i t h a s e i t h e r b e e n super-hyped up to you or a lot of shit has been talked on it. What kind of expectations do you have for your fir st time in Richmond?

RY : I a l w a y s a s s u m e t h i n g s w i l l s u c k . I g u e s s I h a v e a b u n c h o f f r i e n d s i n R i c h m o n d n o w, so no matter what the show is like we’ll h a v e a k i c k a s s t i m e . Te l l B r a i n w o r m s I ’ m hur t that they didn’ t write me bac k w hen I told them I liked them at T he Fest 6.

Now I don’ t like bear ds anymor e.

To c h e c k o u t m o r e O f f W i t h T h e i r Heads go to w w w. m y s p a c e . com/offwiththeirheads or www.noidearecords.com

On a c hilly Monday night, Ric hmond-based punk r oc k band, Landmines, load their equipment into a small pr actice space located just south of downtown. Aside fr om the c lic ks of lighting cig ar ettes, the sna ps of PBR cans and Mic key bottles being opened and a fe w spor adic coughs, the scene is mostly quiet. It’s been a long day of wor king at gr ocer y stor es, r estaur ants and other jobs to pay the bills. Se ver al member s have c hil dr en, wi ves and gir lfriends at home that would r ather this fr ee time w as spent with them; howe ver, despite the somber and numb atmospher e, these tir ed men have been looking forw ar d to this all day. T hey have been looking forw ar d to e venings like this for most of their adult li ves, and not just for the music.

Vocalist, Paul Picillo details: “As you get older, it becomes har der to tell your gir lfriend or wife that you ar e going out for a beer with your friends.

But w hen you can say, ‘I’m going out to play music ,’ and you can hang out with your best friends and have a fe w drinks, life is good.”

Wa lk ing Through a

Minefield

A D i s c us s i o n w i t h L a n d m i n e s C hr is M o r a n | P hotos by K ar en Seif er t 38

T his band isn’ t just your aver a ge gr oup of late 20s/ear ly 30s men in denial of gr owing up. T hey ar e not pr acticing for a Friday night gig at a spor ts bar to play cover s of your f avorite alt-r oc k songs on local r adio.

T hey ar e experienced musicians. T hey have a her alded de but LP pr oduced by one of the most sought-after studio engineer s in inde pendent music , Brian McTer nan. Yes, the same Brian McTer nan known for his wor k with bands like Hot Water Music , Texas Is T he Reason, Strike Anyw her e and many other s. T he self-titled r ecor d w as r eleased on one of the most pr omising ne w la bels ar ound, Pa per and Plastic k, star ted by Vinnie Fior ello fr om Less T han Jake. Yes, the same Vinnie Fior ello r esponsible for Fueled By R amen Recor ds, w ho br ought you the de but fr om Ric h mond’s own punk elder statesmen, Ann Ber etta. Oh, his old la bel also br ought you the de buts fr om some other bands called Fall Out Boy and Panic At T he Disco.

After brief ly tuning guitar s, tightening dr umheads and adjusting amp le vels, Landmines pr oceed to tear thr ough their set list pr actice for the following e vening’s show at the Canal Club with Ever y Time I Die and T he Br onx. For suc h a big show, in suc h a musically competiti ve town as Ric hmond, an opening slot like this would seem like a pri vile ge, possibly intimidating. For this band, it pr ovides just another r eason to hang out and play music. “T he only w ay I can be sane is if I’m playing music ,” pr oc laims bassist Casey Mar tin.

Like most bands, Landmines aspir e to tour and shar e their music with str anger s in small bar s, community center s, VFW halls and basements thr oughout the countr y. “You get to go camping and hang out with buds for a month,” adds guitarist Nic k Ber gheimer ; w hile Paul is quic k to c larify, “What he means to say is, you get to do lots of dr ugs and drink fr ee alcohol.”

Playing in bands has alw ays been a priority for guitarist Tony Mar ston. “When you’ r e not in a band, it suc ks,” he said. “Once in my life, I w asn’ t in a band for maybe 3 months, and it w as the wor st.”

Sometimes band life can mix interestingly into the r esponsibility of

being a f ather of two. Inside the band’s tour v an, w hic h doubles as Tony’s f amily vehic le, it isn’ t uncommon to see c hild safety seat or str oller tuc ked in a cor ner. “After tour it becomes a tr easur e hunt to c lean out the v an and find all the shit we left in it.”

T he ne west Landmine is cur r ently making pr e par ations to move to Ric hmond fr om A ustin, TX. Mar k Shaw, f amiliar to some for his pr e vi ous stints in bands like Tiltw heel and Bric kfight, joined Landmines last October during a shor t east coast tour, w hen the band w as opening for Less T han Jake. He r etur ned to Ric hmond later that month for another brief tour southbound tow ar ds the annual “Fest” in Gainesville, FL. Filling in between visits for pr actices and hometown shows is the band’s for mer dr ummer and longtime friend, Joe Hunt. Joe left the band ear lier this year to focus on the expected Se ptember bir th of his daughter. Paul explains: “He didn’ t w ant to stop playing with us, but it w as w hat he had to do at this point in his life.

At eac h pr actice, he’ d ask if he could play local shows with us until our ne w dr ummer situation w as r esolved. T he idea of the last show with Joe sor t of tur ned into a r unning joke.”

Following the e vening’s pr actice session, a discussion be gins on the number of tic kets sold for tomor r ow’s Br onx/ Ever y Time I Die performance.

T he band 39

has been asked to sell 50 tic kets; howe ver, over all pr esales ar e muc h lower than expected. Joe Hunt, pr acticing tonight for yet another “last show,” of fer s his insight on the dec line in over all show attendance. “Pr omoter s have gotten lazy and think that all you have to do is post something on MySpace. T hey’ ve for gotten a bout the audience that doesn’ t c hec k e ver y MySpace r eminder, or sear c h online for e vents. Whate ver ha ppened to going ar ound campus for an hour and posting f lyer s?”

T he competiti ve natur e of Ric hmond’s inde pendent music scene also plays a r ole in the success or f ailur e of shows in the ar ea. “Li ving in Ric hmond...it r aises the bar,” Tony explained. “T her e ar e so many good bands and so many good shows that it is har d to impr ess people these days.” T his vie w of Ric hmond exists beyond the city and state limits, and is held by people in other cities’ music scenes, w hic h sur prises Paul. “I talked to a lot of kids down at T he Fest (in Gainesville) w ho asked w her e we wer e fr om,” he said.

“And w hen I told them Ric hmond, they wer e like that’s the coolest fuc king place! I mean…I like it her e, but r eally?”

Watc h any documentar y a bout an old punk band and you’ ll notice that most of them have one common attribute as they a ge... bitter ness. As the discussion continues in the pr actice space, Nic k jokingly asks the r oom, “Who in her e is jaded? R aise your hands!”

T his howe ver, spar ks a le gitimate discussion. Tony leads the conver sion of f: “I feel ther e’s a lot of jaded folk in Ric hmond.” “Totally,” adds Paul. In a dee p, gr uf f and ver y moc king voice Tony continues, “I’m not going to any shows...”

40

Casey, joining the conver sation, cites; “People her e have gotten used to seeing a good band pop up e ver y fe w year s for the past 15 year s or so, and they be gin to just expect it.”

“Gr eat. Another good band fr om Ric hmond,” c himes Paul in a heavily sar castic undertone.

It’s the sar casm, the moc king tones added with the dr ugs and alcohol that tur n some of f to the music of Landmines. Tales of over night dri ves on acid during tour leading to after noons dancing with Salvia ar en’ t supposed to be the tr ademar ks of serious musicians anymor e. Unless you ar e in Landmines, w ho some will ar gue play better under the inf luence of alcohol and other accessories. “It’s like r olling t h e

dice with us,” says Nic k. “Ar e they gonna be too dr unk, or not dr unk enough...w ho knows?”

Re g ar dless, the band is moving forw ar d. T his December, they will be gin writing songs for a late spring r elease. Less than one year after the r elease of their de but LP, the band will r elease a 5 song EP on Pa per and Plastic k. Ear ly next year they will head to Chi ca go to spend two weeks r ecor ding it. T his time, the band has enlisted another big name for pr oduction, Matt Allison, w ho has wor ked with bands like Alkaline Trio, T he Lawr ence Ar ms, Smoke Or Fir e and Less T han Jake. “We’ r e excited to see w hat we can lear n fr om Matt,” explains Tony. “Brian (McTer nan) had suc h an impact on us; he made us a better band. He showed us how to be a studio band. We’ r e just looking forw ar d to add on to that with Matt.”

With the countr y experiencing economic tur moil, dri ving to Chica go to r ecor d is looking to be muc h mor e af for da ble than it w as this time of year in 2007. Last summer, the band tour ed the conti nental U.S., paying r ecor d g as prices along the w ay. Looking bac k at how things might have been dif fer ent touring with the cur r ent g as prices, Tony sug gests, “We might have made money, or at least had cocaine e ver y day.”

Chris Mor an is a ne ws and video editor for Punkne ws.or g. To c hec k out mor e Landmines go to www.myspace.com/landminesr oc k.

41

Nice Guys Make Brutal Music Lamb of God’s Chris Adler I an M . G r aham | Pho to s by David Kenedy

DISC L AIM ER: Lam b of God ha s b e e n go o d t o us a t RVA Ma g azine , a nd w e ’ v e done our best to be good t o t he m . T hey ’ v e he lp e d p u t o ur d ir t y lit t le c i t y b a c k on the m a p by play ing g r e a t m us ic , a nd t he e nt ir e o f f ic e ge t s d o w n o n the ir b r utal tunes. T he band ha s s e nt us e v e r y a lbum a nd DV D t hey ’ v e m a d e since we star ted up. T hey’ v e inv it e d us t o a lm o s t e v e r y s ho w t hey ’ v e p ut o n in the ar ea, and one time a c t ua lly s a t us d o w n a nd f e d us, t o o. I ha v e b e e n a ble to do numer ous inter v ie w s w it h t he s e w ho lly s o lid d ud e s, a nd t hey ’ v e been consistently accommo d a t ing. I int r o d uc e d Jo hn C a m p b e ll, t he ir b a s s p laye r, to my r oom m ate Rus s e l (w ho a ls o p lay s b a s s ) a t W R I R ’ s 2 nd a nni v e r sar y par ty. T hey talked sho p fo r ha l f a n ho ur, a nd Jo hn o nly m e nt io ne d t ha t he p layed bass for Lam b of G o d a t t he e nd o f t he c o nv e r s a t io n, w he n Rus s e l asked him, “So man, w hat d o yo u d o ?” A w e e k a go w a s I a ble t o s it d o w n a n d shoot the shit with Chris Ad le r, d r um m e r fo r L a m b o f G o d . I p lay, t o o, a n d it w a s g r eat to be a ble to t a lk a b o ut o ne o f my f a v o r it e s ub je c t s w it h o ne o f my f avorite player s. He is a go o d g uy, a ha r d w o r k e r, a nd i t w a s a b s o l ut e ly my ple a sur e.

Ian M. G r ah am : Is the r eco r d d o ne ?

Chr is Adl e r : R andy just finis he d t he v o c a ls t w o d ay s a go, s o w e ju s t f inis he d up ; we ’ r e all getting hom e. We ha d a bunc h o f p ho t o s ho o t s, t ha t k ind o f s t uf f, just ge tting the m ac hine sta r t e d a g a in. G e t t ing r e a dy, w e ’ r e a ll p s yc he d .

IMG : Wer e the vocals r eco r d e d in a d if f e r e nt lo c a t io n t ha n t he r e s t o f t he a lbum?

CA : Eve r y thing, just a bout, w a s r e c o r d e d s e p a r a t e ly t his t im e . We r e c o r d e d the dr ums fir st, in Electric L a dy – J im i H e nd r ix ’ s s t ud io in M a nha t t a n. T ha t w as in ear ly Se ptember. T he g uit a r s w e nt d o w n ne a r Vir g inia B e a c h, b a s s w a s he r e in Ric hm ond at Sound o f M us ic , a nd v o c a ls w e r e up in N e w H a m p s hir e .

All fo r d if fer ent r easons, mo s t ly fo r w he r e t he p r o d uc e r p r e f e r r e d – w he r e he

w a s f a m ilia r w it h t he e q uip m e nt a nd lo c a t io n. I t w a s a ls o t o get us s e par at ed a s ind i v id ua ls, s o w e c o uld r e a lly w o r k a nd no t b e d is t r a c t ed by t he daily k ind o f lif e s t uf f t ha t go e s o n a t ho m e .

IM G : Wa s t his w it h t he s a m e p r o d uc e r a s Sa c r a m e nt , [ na med] M ac hine?

CA : N o, a c t ua lly, w e d e c id e d t o go a d if f e r e nt r o ut e . We went with a guy na m e d Jo s h Wilbur, w h o a c t ua lly jus t w o n a G r a m my w o r k i ng with Ste ve Ear le.

I g ue s s t ha t k ind o f f it s t he m o ld . We d o n’ t ha t e M a c hine, but now w e w or k w it h p r o d uc e r s, no w t ha t w e c a n, w ho a r e o ut s id e o f t he box . M ac hine cert a inly w a s [ no t o ut s id e t he b ox ] . H e ’ d w o r k e d w i t h b a n d s like the Pr odig y, but w e w a nt e d t o b r in g in s o m e o ne w ho is n’ t o ne o f t he us ua l s us pect s of met al p r o d uc e r s t o g i v e us a n o p inio n t ha t ’ s o ut s id e t he b ox , a nd on a pr oduction le v e l, t o t a k e a m e t a l b a n d t o a le v e l w he r e m e t a l ha s n’ t gone befor e. With Sa c r a m e nt , w e ex p lo r e d t ha t t o t he f ulle s t . We r e a lly t o o k adv anta ge of the p r o d uc t io n e le m e nt , a nd w it h t his nex t r e c o r d , w e d id n’ t go w it h M ac hine bec a us e w e w a nt e d t o r e e l it b a c k in, r e v is it s o m e s t uf f w e wr ote w hen we wer e yo unge r, t a k e t he w ho le t hing b a c k t o a m o r e g a r a ge b a nd feel, get a little m o r e r a w a nd d ir t y. We w a n t e d t o le t a ll t he w a r t s s ho w – not smooth and p o lis h e v e r y la s t m ill is e c o nd o f t he r e c o r d .

IM G : H a s t he d r um k it c ha nge d a t a ll?

CA : I ’ v e p ulle d e v e r y t hing in a lit t le b it t ig ht e r. B e fo r e , I had this octopus s p a c e s h ip t hing go ing o n, a nd I r e a liz e d I w a s s t r a ining myself mor e than I ne e d e d t o. I us e d t o ha v e it s e t w he r e I ’ d ha v e a go o d s ho w; so it’s good, it’ ll b e go o d t o m o r r o w s o d o n’ t t o uc h a ny t hing. B ut ha v ing a year of f to write, t he r e ’ s a lo t o f v e r y c ha ll e ng ing m a t e r ia l o n t his r e c o r d , so I pus hed mys elf ha r d e r t ha n I h a v e o n t he p r e v io us t w o a lbum s. I t hin k our album, As T he Pa la c e s B ur n, ha d s o m e o f t he b e s t d r um s I ’ v e e v e r r e c or ded. Even t hough I ’ m 4 0 0 ye a r s o ld e r no w, I w a nt e d t o s e e if I c o uld a c h ie ve that a g ain, so I 43

t r ie d t o r e a c h o ut int o t he v o id a nd g r a s p t he a ng s t a nd p o w e r t hat w as on t hat r ecor d, r e a lly p us h my s e lf a s a p laye r. S o I b r o ug ht e v e r y t hi ng in a b it tighter and r aised my f e e t up. I c ha nge d a f e w d if f e r e nt c y m b a ls he r e a nd t he r e , no t hing dr astic. I’m not ver y ov e r c o nf i d e n t w it h my p lay ing, d e s p it e w ha t p e o p le t e ll m e I ’ v e ne ver felt like I r eally k no w w ha t I ’ m d o ing, but I ’ m v e r y ha p py w it h w ha t ’ s go ing t o b e on t his r ecor d.

IM G : I p lay t he d r um s a s w e ll, a nd I k no w t ha t f e e ling. I ’ v e ne v e r had any for mal t r ain ing ; I c o ns t a nt ly f e e l lik e a n a m a t e ur, e s p e c ia lly w he n I s e e p e o p le w ho can play e ver y s ing le r ud im e nt w i t h t he ir eye s c lo s e d .

CA : Ex a c t ly, I ’ m t ha t g uy t o a T. I ’ v e ne v e r h a d a s ing le l e s s o n, and if you wer e to pull m e o ut o f t his b a nd I ’ d p r o b a bly b e w o r t hle s s ; but fo r t he 5 0 o r 6 0 s ongs w e’ ve w rit t e n, I jus t ho ld my b r e a t h a nd ho p e t o m a k e it t o t he e nd .

IM G : Wo r d . I t ’ s c le a r f r o m yo ur li v e p e r fo r m a nc e s t ha t yo u ne v e r r eally play as f ast as yo u’ r e c a p a ble o f o n r e c o r d s. I ’ v e he a r d y ’ a l l p lay a s o ng li v e a t a healthy c lip f aster t ha n it ’ s r e c o r d e d . I t hink t ha t ’ s a d m ir a ble ; yo u w r it e s o ng s, no t beats, and the band is a ble t o d e li v e r t ha t m uc h ex t r a int e ns it y in t he li v e s ho w. Ar e ther e ot her dr ummer s w ho s ho w s uc h r e s t r a int in t he s t ud io ?

CA : Re s t r a int in t he s t ud io ? I d o n’ t k no w, I t hink it ’ s ex p e c t e d t hat you go well a bove a n d b eyo n d w ha t a ny no r m a l p e r s o n c o uld b e ex p e c t e d t o d o in metal. I think that w ha t yo u’ r e n o t ic ing w he n w e p lay li v e is t ha t unt il r e c e nt ly w e ’ ve ne ver played to a c lic k . T he r e ’ s a lo t o f a d r e na line , a nd it ’ s a f e e ling t ha t I c a n’ t describe w hen you’ r e o n s t a ge in f r o nt o f p e o p le w ho a p p r e c ia t e w ha t yo u d o, t he e ner g y just takes over.

Runne r s ge t t ha t , a r unne r ’ s hig h. M a r a t ho n r unne r s ge t in t o t his mode w her e e ver yt hi ng e ls e i s blo c k e d o ut , t hey ’ r e blind e d t o e v e r y t hing ex c e p t r unning. T her e’s a lot o f m us c le m e m o r y t ha t t a k e s ov e r w he n yo u’ r e p lay ing li v e - it ’ s r eally lik e an out of b o dy ex p e r ie nc e . Ye s, yo u’ r e p hy s ic a lly t he r e , but if yo u t r y t o tak e it all in, it ’ s t oo m uc h. Yo u jus t r id e t he a d r e na line , w he r e a s if yo u w a k e m e up i n the mor ning, gi ve me b r e a k f a s t a nd p ut m e in t he s t ud io a nd I p lay a s f a s t a s I c a n, I still might be a ble to

p lay f a st er that night in fr o nt o f f i v e t ho us a nd p e o p le in f r o nt o f m e s c r e a m ing fo r m or e.

Do I know anyone that hold s b a c k ? I t hink m o s t [ m e t a l d r um m e r s ] t r y a n d push it too f ar. One of the t hing s I ’ v e d e f init e ly le a r ne d is t ha t it ’ s no t a b o u t tha t. As the m aturity c ontinue s a nd t he e v o lut io n o f s o ng w r it ing - no t jus t m e , but as a band - moves forw a r d , w e ’ v e k ind o f p ut a la s s o a r o u nd t he e go s, and we r ealize w hat’s bette r fo r t he s o ng. Jus t b e c a us e w e c a n d o s o m e t h in g d oe sn’ t m ean we should.

IMG : Is ther e anyone in the r e a lm o f ext r e m e m e t a l t ha t s t ill im pr e s s e s yo u?

Is ther e someone w ho plays a t r id ic ulo us s p e e d s, but s t ill p us he s c r e a t i v i t y – no t sho w boating – and foc us e s o n t he s o ng ?

CA : Ab solutely, those ar e t he g uy s w ho m a d e m e w a nt t o d o w ha t I d o. G uy s like Gene Ho glan (Dar k An ge l, Te s t a m e nt ) ha v e b e e n a h uge inf lue nc e . I don’ t think I’ d be a ble to d o s o m e o f t he s t uf f he d o e s. I t ’ s no t a b o ut s p e e d ; the r e ’s s o m uc h f lav or in w ha t he d o e s, a nd it jus t ha p p e ns t o b e go ing o n ver y, ver y f ast. He’s an am a z ing p e r fo r m e r, a nd he ’ s d e f init e ly a g u y w h o ho lds bac k. I don’ t think the r e ’ s a ny t hing he c o uld n’ t d o, a nd he a d d s a v e r y uniq ue v ibe to e v er y thing he d o e s.

IMG : Yo u use a trig ger [elec t r o nic s o und ] in o ne o r t w o s o ng s, t o p lay a m a s si ve “boom ” sound of som e k ind . W ha t is t ha t ?

CA : Something I’ ve alw ays b e e n s t uc k t o is t ha t I d o n’ t t r ig ge r my d r um s. I ’ v e ne ver liked the idea of plug g ing in my d r um k it . T he r e ’ s p le nt y o f t hing s t ha t ca n go w r ong on sta ge, and I d o n’ t w a nt t o b e p lug ge d in, but t he n w e s t a r t e d wor king with Mac hine, and a ll o f t he s e b ig p r o d uc t io n e le m e nt s t ha t w e w e r e ta lking a bout ear lier, ar tific ia l b a s s d r o p s a nd s t uf f lik e t ha t . I ha d a n e le c tr o nic kit that I used in my o ld a p a r t m e nt . I w a s a ble t o t a k e t he “ b r a in” o f

t ha t w hic h ha d t his b ig s o nic b o o m s o und o n it ; t a k e o ne o f t he pads f r om t he e l e c t r o nic k it a n d a t t a c h it o n t he f a r le f t s id e o f my k it . So, w her e a ppr opri a t e , o r w he r e r e q uir e d by t he s o ng, I c a n r e c r e a t e t ha t v ibe li ve.

IM G : Yo u a r e a le f t - ha nd e d p e r s o n, p lay ing a r ig ht - ha nd e d k it .

CA : Ye a h, a nd t he r e ’ s no r e a l go o d r e a s o n fo r it , in f a c t it’ s pr oba bly a ver y b a d r e a s o n. W he n I s t a r t e d p lay ing – I h a d b e e n p lay ing bass in a couple b a nd s – I d id n’ t a c t ua lly s t a r t p lay ing t he d r um s unt il I w as twenty-one or t w e n t y - t w o. W he n I go t my d r u m s, I jus t s e t it up lik e t he dr ummer s in my b a nd s ha d t he ir s, no t t hink ing t ha t I s ho uld t r y it t he o t her w ay. Lear ning to p lay r ig ht - ha nd e d w a s n’ t a n o b s t a c le ; it w a s jus t le a r ning t o play.

IM G : Yo u’ v e go t g r e a t c o nt r o l o f t he b e ll o n t he r id e , w hic h is gener ally ha r d e r fo r d r u m m e r s (p lay ing a “ r e v e r s e ” k it ). I ’ m a le f ty, and I’ ve alw ays ha d a he l l o f a t im e p lay ing r ig ht - h a nd e d s e t up s. I ha v e a l w ays kind of wished t ha t I ha d n’ t s t a r t e d o n a le f t y k it , b e c a us e o n c e yo u b e c ome accustomed, it s e e m s lik e yo u’ r e in a m o r e d ex t e r o us p o s it io n t ha n s o m eone w ho’s playing t he ir k it o n t he c o r r e c t s id e .

CA : T ha t ’ s f unny, b e c a us e w he n w e f ir s t s t a r t e d c o m ing up, w hen w e w er e t he o p e nin g b a nd o n a ny num b e r o f t o ur s, I w o uld a lw ay s he a r the tec hs fr om the b a nd s p lay ing a f t e r us, w a r m ing up, a nd I ’ d s ay, “ M a n, yo u’ ve got one hell of a r ig ht ha nd ! ” a nd it ne v e r o c c ur r e d t o m e .

IM G : H a s t he b a nd c ha nge d ? O bv io us ly, ov e r t im e p e o p le e volve, but now that t he b a nd is no t a n e s t a blis hm e nt – b e c a us e t ha t im p lie s complacenc y – do yo u p e r ha p s c o ns id e r it a ho us e ho ld na m e ?

CA : Wo w, t ha nk s ! I t hink w e ’ v e d e f in it e ly r a ile d a g a ins t that, the idea that p e o p le m ig ht ex p e c t s o m e k ind o f c o m p la c e nc y. T h e p e o p le in the band have 45

cer tainly gone thr ough cer t a in s t a ge s o f e v o lut io n i n e go a nd in w o r k ing to gether, not only in friend s hip s but a ls o a s a bus ine s s a nd e v e r y t hing t h a t comes along with doing som e t hing fo r a s l o ng a s w e ha v e . We s ta r t e d in ‘ 9 4 , so we ’ ve seen a lot of thing s, int e r na lly a nd ext e r na lly. We ’ r e fo r t una t e t o ha ve be en out [on tour] wit h s o m e o f t he g r e a t s, a nd s o m e o f t he w o r s t . We r eally lear n fr om the succes s e s a nd f a ilur e s o f e v e r y b o dy a r o und us, a n d yo u tr y to make your own w ay. We ’ r e a ll s t ill he a lt hy a nd m e nt a lly a w a r e , w e ’ r e star ting our own f amilies no w. I w a s t e lling my w if e t he o t he r d ay, if w e w e r e w her e we ar e now w hen we w e r e e ig ht e e n, w hic h is o f c o ur s e w he r e I w a nt e d to be – I think we’ d pr oba bly a ll b e d e a d . I d o n’ t t hink w e c o uld ha nd le it . So I don’ t alw ays enjoy being 3 5 a nd go ing a m illio n m ile s a n ho ur e v e r y nig ht , but I’m cer tainly a ble to ha nd le it b e t t e r o n a m e nt a l a n d i nt e lle c t ua l le v e l.

We’ ve gr own up to gether, t he r e ’ s d ay s w he r e w e ha t e e a c h o t he r, d ay s w he n we love eac h other, but in t he e nd I d o n’ t t hink t ha t a nyo ne w o uld q u e s t io n tha t we ar e gr eater as a g r o up t he n w e a r e a s ind i v id ua ls. W ha t w e d o t o ge the r is pr etty spec ial.

IMG : If you had to enter t he T hund e r d o m e in a t w o d r um m e r s e nt e r, o ne dr umme r leav es sc enario, w ho w o uld yo u w a nt t he o t he r d r um m e r t o b e , a nd w hy ?

CA : [la ughs] Oh, wow. Who w o uld I w a nt t he o t he r d r um m e r t o b e ? H m m . . .

IM G : Yo u d e f init e ly ha v e o ne o f his fo o t t e c hniq ue s d o w n – t he heel-t oe s t rik e [ Ad le r d e m o ns t r a t e s t his t e c hniq ue in his p r o f i le o n t he Killadelphia DVD].

Af t e r I w a t c he d y ’ a l ls DV D, I w a t c he d H o w T he We s t Wa s Won.

CA : T ha t ’ s a g r e a t d o uble - he a d e r !

IM G : Ag r e e d ! I t ’ s lik e t he M o e lle r t e c hniq ue , but w it h yo ur foot .

CA : T ha t a c t ua lly c a m e o ut o f ne c e s s it y. T h e r e w a s a song called “Ruin” [ t r a c k #1 o n As T he Pa la c e s B ur n] t ha t ’ s a c t ua lly f a ir ly simple compar ed to t he s t uf f I ’ m d o ing, but fo r w ha t e v e r r e a s o n I jus t c o uld not play t his beat .

T he r e w a s o ne nig ht w he r e I w a s s o f r us t r a t e d t h a t I b a sically tried to kic k my k ic k d r um o f f t he r is e r. I n d o ing s o, my fo o t jus t d id this cr azy thing on t he p e d a l. I t w o r k e d p e r f e c t ly, a nd it s o und e d in my m o nit or just as it should ha v e , s o I f ig ur e d o u t ho w t o c o nt r o l t ha t lit t le b it o f r a ge, and w as a ble to c a p t ur e a nd k e e p us ing it .

IM G : Ar e yo u t a lk ing a b o ut t he f ill in “ Ruin, ” f r o m t he v e r s e int o t he br eak d o w n?

CA : N o, I k no w w ha t p a r t yo u’ r e t a lk ing a b o ut , t he r e ’ s t ha t dr um br eak , act u -

IMG : Sur e!

a l ly t ha t ’ s t he p a r t e v e r yo ne w a nt s m e t o p lay fo r t he m . ‘ C hris, do that thing!’

B ut no, it ’ s t he s t r a ig ht fo r w a r d v e r s e , a v e r y s im p le , a lm o s t 2 /4 beat , and for w ha t e v e r r e a s o n I w a s lo c k ing u p a nd no t a ble t o d o it . I got so fr ustr ated t ha t I t hr e w c a ut io n t o t he w ind a n d go t t his c r a z y t e c hnique out of it .

CA : O K. I think I would w ant it t o b e Jo hn B o nha m .

IM G : Ar e t he r e a ny s p e c if ic ex e r c is e s o r ha nd s t r e t c he s t hat you do?

IMG : Wic ked.

CA : We ll, t he p r e v io us r e c o r d s w e r e v e r y r hy t hm he a v y, lot s of f eet s t uf f

CA : T hat w ay, I wouldn’ t fe e l b a d a b o ut lo s ing, a nd in t he p r o c e s s I w o uld

a n d no t s o m uc h w it h t he ha nd s. O n Sa c r a m e nt , I s t a r t e d tr ying to pic k up t he ha n d s p e e d a b it , a nd o n Wr a t h, t he ne w r e c o r d , I ’ ve definitely taken

a li ve or dead?

ho pe fully lear n a lot.

47

it fur t her than I e v er hav e . So in t ha t , ye s, t he r e is d e f init ely a s e t o f specif ic exer cises that I d o b e fo r e a s ho w. I ’ v e go ne t hr o ug h s o m a ny dif fer ent r outines thr oug h t he ye a r s, a n d no w I ’ v e go t it na r r o w e d d o w n to anyw her e between an ho ur a nd a n ho ur a nd a h a lf. W ha t I d o is p r e t t y simple – I don’ t r un thr o ug h e v e r y r ud i m e nt b a c k w a r d s a nd fo r w a r d s, par adiddles and you kno w. I p ut o n a c lic k t r a c k , s e t it a t a b out 1 5 0 , r un tha t for any w her e between f i v e a nd s e v e n m inut e s, t he n s t e p it up t o 1 5 5 , 160, 170, and by the tim e I ’ m a t 1 7 5 I ’ m go o d a nd r e a dy t o go, ge t t ing s we a ty, and by the tim e I ’ m a t 1 8 5 I’ m t o o t ir e d t o d o a ny t hing, s o I us u a lly cut it of f at 170 and t he n go f r o m t he r e . Oh, a nd I s w it c h ha nd s a nd feet bac k and for th. As s im p le a s t ha t is, fo r m e it ’ s a b o ut ge t t ing t he bloo d wor king, not a bout s c ho o ling. T he w ay I p lay is no t a v er y s c ho o le d tec hnique. I’ ve had lots o f p e o p le t e lling m e t ha t I ’ m d o ing it w r o ng, but I just do w hat wor ks for m e .

IMG : So did Bonham . For t he t im e p e r io d , a lo t o f w ha t he d id w a s t e c hni ca lly inc or r ec t.

CA : Absolutely.

IMG : So you’ r e comparing t he n e w a lbum , Wr a t h, t o Pa l a c e s. G r e a t a l bum .

“Vigil” is one of the m os t s o ut he r n m e t a l t r a c k s s inc e “ T he G r e a t So ut h e r n Tr endkill” [Panter a]. Pa la c e s w a s p r e t t y r a w. Ar e t he r e going t o b e a lot of blast beats on Wr a t h? Ar e yo u t a k ing it t ha t f a r b a c k ?

CA : Yeah. Actually, I didn’ t k no w it w a s c a ll e d t ha t a t t he t ime . Alt ho ug h I’m not in any w ay tr y ing t o c la im t ha t I d id it b e fo r e o t he r pe o p le w e r e do ing it, but I think I did o ne o n N e w Am e r ic a n Go s p e l in t he s o ng “ C o n fessional” a bout a thir d o f t he w ay t hr o ug h. T he p r o d uc e r s a id t ha t w a s the cr aziest blast beat he ’ d e v e r s e e n. I r e m e m b e r him s ay ing t ha t , a n d I had no idea w hat it mea nt . Sinc e t he n I ha v e n’ t d o ne a ny t hing lik e t ha t .

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T he r e ’ s b e e n s o m e f a s t t e m p o s t uf f o n Pa la c e s a nd s o m e o n As hes [ Of T he Wak e] , a n d Sa c r a m e nt w a s m o r e o f a m id - p a c e , a nd t his o ne [ Wr ath] is w ay up ther e.

T he r e ’ s a s ig nif ic a nt a m o unt o f bla s t s t uf f, a nd I he ld o f f p ur pos ef ully in t he pas t f r o m d o ing it . I r e a lly e njoy t he g r o ov e o f t he m us ic , a nd a blas t can be s uc h w hit e no is e . I t c a n ha v e s uc h a la c k o f int e ns it y, e v e n t ho ug h it is to some people the v e r y e p it o m e o f it . T he r e a r e s o m e p a r t s t ha t w ill d e f init e ly benef it f r om t hat s or t o f m a c hine g un f ir e , a n d w e a b s o lut e ly ha v e s o m e p a r t s lik e that on this r ecor d, but I d id n’ t w a nt t o no t d o it b e c a us e o f s o m e ult e r io r r e a s on.

IM G : I ’ v e a lw ay s fo und t ha t M e s hug g a h is m o r e int e ns e for me t han, s ay, Hat e Et e r na l. T he c ho p, t he s t o m p, I jus t lov e o d d t im e , e s p e cially w hen you hear s o m e o ne t ha t c a n p ull o f f o d d t im e in m e t a l w it ho ut it s o unding a bs t r act – lik e Sq ua r e p us he r but m e t a l .

CA : Ab s o lut e ly r ig ht . We k ind o f s t r a d d le t ha t line . I d o n’ t t hink I would call us a p r o g r e s s i v e m e t a l b a nd , but w e d o s o m e int e r e s t ing s t uf f. When the guys bring in r i f f s a nd id e a s t hey ha v e o n g uit a r, I a lw ay s t r y a nd fo r c e t hos e ideas – if t hey’ r e in 4 / 4 t im e – int o s o m e t hing in s ix . I a lw ay s he a r in s ix , a nd t hey look at me lik e w ha t a r e yo u d o ing t o my r if f ? B ut in t he e nd , it t ur ns o ut t o be a unique sound, a n d if yo u lis t e n b a c k t o s o m e o f L a m b o f G o d ’ s s t uf f yo u’ ll hear it all over the p la c e .

IM G : M y f a v o r it e ex a m p le w o ul d b e o n “ N o T i m e To K ill, ” the opening beat in t he r e . I t p lay s in fo ur, but yo u p lay ov e r t o m a k e it s o und lik e it ’ s in odd t ime. I t ’ s r e a lly f un t o p lay, but it t o o k m e a f e w m o nt hs t o ge t t ha t p ar t dow n.

CA : [ la u g hs ] D o n’ t f e e l b a d . All o f t he s e s o ng s a r e a c ha llenge for me to play, t o o. I t ’ s a c ha lle nge e v e r y nig ht , e s p e c ia lly w he n w e ’ r e ha lf as lee p and t r ying t o d o it . Ev e r y nig ht I c r o s s my f inge r s a nd ho ld my b r e a t h. I t ’ s not eas y, but I enjoy p us hing my a b ilit y, a nd I t hink it r a is e s my p o t e nt ia l. I t ’ s not easy, it’s tough for m e t o o, a nd s o m e s o ng s e nd up a s a s t r a ig ht up d is a s t e r. I’ ll come of f s t a ge s o d is a p p o int e d , but t he nex t nig ht is a lw ay s a no t he r o p p o r t unit y.

TOADS PLACE

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Greta Brinkman vs. The City Laur en Vincelli | Pho to s co ur t e s y of G r e t a B r ink m a n

Greta Brinkman is no doubt one of the city’s most successful musical denizens.

Often credited for her par ticipation in building the Richmond punk scene, Brinkman has played with bands like Unseen Force, Four Walls Falling, L7, Moby, The Debbie Har r y Band, Lunachicks, Pigface and many more. She’s the go-to bass player dozens of other bands. She has been featured in the documentar y America Hardcore , and the book Tour Smar t and has gone from being homeless to rocking The Tonight Show . Brinkman has one of the most impressive resumes and interesting per sonal histories around.

Brinkman has recently settled down in Richmond, wor king as a car penter by day and frequenting metal shows by night. I sat down with “Bass Goddess Greta” as she’s so aptly dubbed, and talked about living with Debbie Har r y, the state of the music industr y, local metal and being immor talized in the Inquisition song, “Greta Brinkman vs. The City.” - LV Lauren@r vamag.com Lau re n Vincell i: You’re living in Richmond now, but you still have a place in NYC? Gr e ta B rinkman: I moved to New Yor k in 1994 and I lived there for about 12 year s, and then I finally got so sick of the music scene there that I moved back. I still kept my apar tment in trendy Williamsburg. I’ ve been there since before it was trendy.

LV: Why did you decide to live in Richmond?

GB : I’m just that way. I like to have more that one home base; it makes me feel more secure. I’ ve mostly been staying in Richmond. I moved to New Yor k, lived there for several year s, did a bunch of gigs and then got the Moby tour, which lasted an exhausting three and a half year s, and by that time I was so tired and exhausted and things had changed. You just can’t make a living anymore. So I just got completely fed up and I said I better just come back to Richmond and wor k as a car penter for a while, just relax and get a regular paycheck for a novelty.

angr y. I ended up in a really high profile situation, I met all the rock star s, and I got all these endor sements with all the great companies like Gallien-Kr ueger, Car vin and GHS. I really value that a lot. I was just hating music so much by the time I got back here. I really have not played in a year. I was really shocked because up until then I was a musician that was par t of my identity. I was like, if I don’t play music then who am I? But it hasn’t been that bad of a transition really, and now I’m finally star ting to really get into music again. I’m going out to see bands. Richmond has a really happening scene right now. The local metal bands will blow your mind. It’s just such a treat to go out and see this amazing musicianship from people in their twenties. No one is tr ying to be on MTV or anything. They’re just playing because they want to rock and it’s an amazing scene here.

LV : Are there any local bands that you are keeping your eye on in par ticular?

GB : InterAr ma have gotten way better since the last time I’ ve seen them. They’re really good right now. Also, there’s a really great dr ummer named Elway who plays in Bastard Sapling. He and Drew from Bastard Sapling are putting together the Hear t of Winter Metal Fest (December 18-20), which I think is really a hoot.

LV : What will it take for you to be in a band again?

GB : It’s so much wor k! Oh my god! Star ting a band from scratch is exhausting. It would have to be a band that I already knew and respected that suddenly needed a bass player. I don’t want to star t from the ground up again. I’m just too tired.

LV : We talked before about how the fir st band is like a star ter wife.

GB : Yes! Yes it is. Ever yone’s fir st band breaks up in tear s and hear tbreak. Being in a band is like being in a mar riage except it’s with three or four other people and there’s no sex. The dramas are there and the tensions are there.

LV: So are you done with New Yor k?

LV : Well, sometimes there’s sex, but they break up even quicker.

GB : That’s a good question. You know the whole music business thing made me so

GB : ( laughs ) Exactly. It’s also really hard for people in committed relationships to 51

be in bands because there really is a conflict of time and scheduling. Unseen Force.

I was that band with Dewey (Rowell) and that relationship outlasted the band, which is sor t of unusual. Since then any guy who gets to whine about it, and he’s out the door. It is possible to balance a relationship and music, it’s just difficult.

LV: Is it also difficult to balance a relationship with your band mates? As a session musician you’re not always able to be in a band with your best friends. Can touring sometimes be lonely because of that?

GB : Right. You might not necessarily choose to hang out with these people outside of the tour. If you’re lucky you get somebody that has a similar outlook and similar musical interests and then you really can just gel with them. The Moby tour was hard for some reason even though ever yone on the tour was perfectly nice. I just didn’t connect with any of them. That was a really lonely experience.

LV: Do you think that might be why you are bur nt out on bands and touring?

GB : That’s a good question. I don’t know. It’s really a combination of the exhaustion of tr ying to wor k with other people and it’s hard to swim upstream, and it’s hard to just get any band noticed in the industr y. There are so many bands and so few venues and so little appreciation usually. You can no longer make a living as a session musician. You can quote me on that.

LV: Things like MySpace have revolutionized the music industr y and also r uined it.

It’s a great tool for exposure but the mar ket is so flooded now. In the past few year s there has been a surge in music with a whole do-it-your self mentality. There are so many tools available that make doing it your self a lot easier.

GB : I don’t blame MySpace as much as I blame MTV for giving people the idea that they could be knee deep in groupies in two weeks. And I blame Pro Tools for making ever ybody think that they don’t need a band because they can just have a band on their computer in the bedroom. It resulted in this massive tidal wave of absolute shit music.

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LV: Also touring is so hard because gas is so expensive and just getting from point A to point B is such a hassle.

up going to New Yor k and being Debbie Har r y’s bass player. It was just completely random.

GB : And a lot of clubs that used to exist don’t anymore because club owner s realized there is an insurance issue of cour se, but it’s way cheaper just to hire a DJ. I see a lot of bands going really under the radar and playing house shows, which is extremely fun.

I ended up living in Debbie’s house. It took me two year s of couch surfing in New Yor k to find an apar tment of my own. I didn’t really hang out with Debbie that much because she’s really busy, and I’m still ver y intimidated by her even though she is nothing but kind and gracious. It was just a wonderful oppor tunity for me and because of her I just had the oppor tunity to have my entire life changed. I’m still so grateful for that.

LV: Are you finding that punk or metal or rock in general is going back to the underground, back to the house shows?

GB : I’m not sure what ever ybody else in the wor ld is doing but in the scene that I’m actually paying attention to, it reminds me a lot of the mid-eighties. That’s when Unseen Force was doing their thing. Ever ybody practiced in their basement, and they made their own records, and they put out their own records, and then they toured and stayed at people’s houses. This was before the Inter net and before cell phones, but back then if you knew even one per son in the town you could be guaranteed to have a show and a place to stay. I see a lot of that kind of networ king now, but it’s more fluid because there is MySpace and ever yone is more visible to ever yone else. I see a lot of the same kind of DIY aspect, which is refreshing.

I hope that people aren’t expecting major labels to sign them up and do all the wor k for them, because that isn’t how it wor ks. I see a lot of bands just doing it on their own, which is how we used to do it.

LV: Tell me about some of the tour s you’ ve done. You told me that touring with The Debbie Har r y Band was just a coincidence.

GB : What’s the saying? Luck is oppor tunity meets preparation and timing? I had gotten to be friends with Chris Stein who was Debbie’s guitarist and Blondie’s guitarist. I was on the phone with Chris one day here in Richmond and he said The Debbie Har r y Band is going to London for a couple of weeks but we don’t have a bass player. And jokingly I said let me know when you want me to show up. Chris said, ‘I never thought of that. When can you be here?’ So that was how I ended

LV : What is touring with that kind of band like? Debbie Har r y has some pretty fanatic fans.

GB : Yeah. At that par ticular phase in her career though, Blondie had broken up and she, I believe, had been dropped by her label. In a way it was a pretty shitty experience for her but in another way it was ver y freeing because she could now do anything she wanted, and she did. It was totally stripped down. Debbie was a punk rocker from 1974, so she knew how to live small and just be real. She was the far thest thing from a diva. So we toured England in a little Chevy van, and actually we shared hotel rooms, too, because she was gracious enough to share and it was low budget kind of thing.

LV : Do you think that helped to make a connection for you? I hate to say that women musicians get such a hard time, but they really do. So often really capable women are passed up for men, because it just doesn’t occur to people to hire women fir st.

GB : I had that experience many times. You never hear about the gigs you don’t get, but I know that it’s tr ue that people just didn’t think of me for some time. Then on the flip side of that it became kind of an asset for me – being a woman – when I got to the Moby band because I had a cer tain high level of visibility and I was the only woman in that par ticular position at that par ticular time. My ad (for GHS Strings) was on the back for Bass Player Magazine for two year s. I was just a lot more visible then. So it was an asset to be a woman then. For the 20 year s before that it wasn’t such an asset.

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LV: So how did you make do when it wasn’t in your favor to, um, have a vagina?

GB : People always ask what’s it like to be a woman in the music business, it must be ter rible. But I say it’s probably like being a woman in any other business. It kind of sucks and we don’t usually get the respect we deser ve, and we have to be twice as good to be considered half as qualified. So you just get used to that. You adapt and overcome and just don’t whine about it and just go on with your life.

LV: What do you do with your free time when you’re not on tour? Do you like cooking?

GB : I’m not a big gour met cook. No. I like cooking a meal, but I’m not much of a food fanatic. I’ ll eat just about anything as long as there’s plenty of it. What do I do…well…I like to ride bikes, and I like to go to shows, and I like to read and play with the cats. I just got some kittens that are making my life a living hell.

LV: Kittens? What are their names?

GB : ( laughs ) Don’t shoot me. One is named Foofy Mopkins and the other is named Chir py Puffer ton ( laughs ).

LV: I like that. Those are excellent names for cats. You are a crazy cat lady I think.

So you’re living here now. Do you believe in the Richmond cur se?

GB : Richmond cur se? I have heard that Richmond is a black hole and when you tr y to leave you always come back. I guess yes, that happened to me. Only now I’m here by choice. I bought a house in Oregon Hill. Smar test thing I ever did.

LV: Tell me what you like about Richmond. Why did you come back here?

GB : Well, when I came here in 1985 with Dewey and Unseen Force I hated it then.

Richmond is a ter rible place to be if you can’t escape. Then I went away from Richmond and lived in New Yor k for many year s and in completely the opposite way, 54

because Richmond is ver y passive and slow and flaky and nothing really gets done.

New Yor k is the opposite. Ever yone is in your face and they’re on point all the time and r ushing and racing around tr ying to get things done. They’re even just spinning their wheels tr ying to feel like they’re doing something. That was exhausting too, and after having twelve year s of that I realized Richmond is not that bad if you have your feet under you and know what you’re doing and you have a clue. It’s a good place to make a home base out of. It’s a really good place for bands to make as a home base, because it’s two hour s from Norfolk, two hour s from D.C., and three hour s from Raleigh. Right on the Boston-Atlanta tour circuit.

LV : Have you given up on being in a band?

GB : I would have said that a year ago, but maybe I’m just shifting focus. You beat your head against a wall for so long until you realize that’s not going to wor k.

LV : Do you miss it?

GB : I’m star ting to now. It’s always in the back of my mind. I’m asking myself am I ready to go back to being in a band yet? And if I do miss it, why? There’s a social aspect of being in a band that I miss. I miss having a rehear sal and going to rehear sal and seeing what’s up with the other guys. Hanging out and actually that was a big par t of it for me. The social aspect. It’s really nice hanging out with other people who are on the same page and have similar experiences and see things in a similar way. For me that was always a big par t of being in a band.

LV : What would you like to do in the next year, now that you’re not sure about playing music?

GB : You know the one thing I really miss about being a professional musician is the traveling. I haven’t been to Japan or Australia in a really long time, and I love going places. I would like to travel. I would also like to be in a really slammin’ metal band if one was reading this and needed a bass player ( laughs ).

L V: Ok, so I have to ask, how do you feel about the Inquisition song “Greta Brinkman vs. The City?”

G B : ( laughs ) I am so tickled with those kids. They used to practice in my basement at my other house in Oregon Hill. Inquisition when they were just so young used to practice in my basement, and I used to tell them stories about life with Debbie Har r y and Thomas (Bar nett) was totally spellbound. And ever y single member of Inquisition went on to do something else that actually did something, and I’m so proud of them for that. And I’m just tickled pink. I was so pleased that they named a song after me. I’m so proud of each of those kids for still being in bands that actually went somewhere.

LV: Do you follow their bands still? River City High, Ann Beretta and Strike Anywhere?

GB : Oh, I love ‘em! Of cour se I’m totally biased.

LV: Do you have a connection like that to other musicians in Richmond?

GB : Oh, you know who I am really proud of right now is Tommy Hamilton who is from Florida. He used to be in a band called Gr uel and he moved to Richmond, and now he’s in a band called Sour Milk Sea, which he star ted from scratch. I have the utmost respect for him and I love his band. I’m proud of him.

LV: What does the wor ld need to know about you Greta Brinkman?

GB : Frankly, I always feel weird when I’m getting inter viewed, because I don’t think I’m that exciting. I’ ve gone all the way from being homeless to being on Saturday Night Live , and it’s been a really great ride. Of cour se I want to give a shout out to all the great local bands. And I’m happy Twister s is open again, but I haven’t been to the new Bagel Czar yet.

For more info on Greta Brinkman, to read her blog and check out photos from her lengthy career, check out www.bassgoddessgreta.com 55

Fo odie Mix!

Laur en Vincelli

In the spir it o f ho lid ay ov e r e a t ing he r e is a de lic io us m ix fo r a ll yo u Fo o d N e t w o r k a d d ic t s a nd Ep ic ur e a ns, e s p e c ia lly my gour me t s is t e r, t he B r a w ling B a r is t a . D o n’ t w o r r y a C o f f e e M ix is c o m ing fo r yo u, t o o ! H e a r t his m ix a nd o t he r t a s t y b o nus t r a c k s a t http://www.last.fm/user/RVAmix – LV Se nd e m a il t o Laur en@r v ama g.com

1. Kelis 2. Dead P r e z 3. P har ell Willia m s 4. MF Doom 5. Cibo M a t t o 6. Metric 7. Deerhoo f 8. Nada Sur f 9. British Se a Po w e r 10. Of Mo nt r e a l 11. Minus T he B e a r 12. A pple s in St e r e o 13. Sean Le nno n 14. Wolf Pa r a d e 15. T he R a v e o ne t t e s 16. Desc e nd e nt s 17. T he Re p la c e m e nt s 18. T he Ro lling St o ne s 19. Dead Ke nne dy s 20. Gr eat B ig Se a 21. Man M a n 22. Sc r eam in’ J ay H a w k ins

“ M ilk Sha k e ” “ B e H e a lt hy ” “ Ic e C r e a m M a n” “A p p le Pie ” “ Sc i- F i Wa s a b i” “ R a w Sug a r ” “ Le m o n & Lit t le L e m o n” “ Fr uit Fly ” “ Lik e A H o neyco m b ” “ Ve g a n In F ur s ” “Ab s int he Pa r t y a t t he Fly H o ney Wa r e ho us e ” “ St r a w b e r r y f ir e” “ D e a d M e a t ” “ D inne r B e lls ” “ Yo u Wa nt T he C a ndy ” “ I Lik e Fo o d ” “ B e e r Fo r B r e a k f a s t ” “ B r o w n Sug a r ” “ So up Is Go o d Fo o d ” “ T he Old B la c k Rum ” “ T he B a lla d Of B ut t e r B e a ns ” “Allig a t o r Wine ”

Tasty 3:07 Let’s Get Fr ee 2:34 Ali ve on Ar ri v al 3:04 Mm Food 1:43 Ster eo Type A 3:44 Gr ow Up and Blow A w ay 3:48 T he Runner s Four 2:07 Let Go 4:34 Open Season 4:35 Satanic Panic In T he Attic 3:54 Highly Refined Pir ates 5:24 Her Wallpa per Re verie 4:31 Friendly Fir e 3:40 A polo gies to the Queen Mar y 6 : 2 6 Lust Lust Lust 3:07 Somer y 0:19 All for Nothing/Nothing for All 1 : 3 8 Hot Roc ks 3:49 Fr ankenc hrist 4:15 Gr eat Big CD 2:29 R a b bit Ha bits 4:29 Cow Finger s and Mosquito Pie 3 : 0 4

RALLY FOR CLEAN WATER

Photo courtesy Bill Portlock

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009 / RICHMOND, VA Virginia has taken huge strides to reduce nitrogen pollution from wastewater treatment plants. Now we need to make sure the Commonwealth continues this progress by reducing runoff pollution.

Join hundreds of clean water supporters at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square on Monday, January 26, 2009. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protect our rivers and the Bay!

SIGN UP TODAY! www.cbf.org/rallyforcleanwater or 804/780-1392

produkt

Ian M. Gr aham | I m a ge by Ada m Jur e s k o

In the wake of the triumph of civil rights that was the 2008 Presidential Election, a civil rights battle wages on. California – by ballot – has rescinded its brief allowance of all marriages.

There are those that would argue that the Church of Latter-Day Saints is largely responsible for this move, that it was by playing the religious instincts and fears of California’s minorities that this legislation came to pass.

There are many ludicrous assertions being maintained by the conservative side of this battle. From the idea that we must preserve the sanctity of “traditional” marriage, to the notion that America is founded on Christian principles, or maintaining that straight people will go through a “gay” mar riage to save money on taxes (a cheat that is obviously cur rently available to straight people), or arguing that gay marriage would provide a gateway to polygamy or bestial-

ity (Zoophilia), the list goes on and on. Even amongst those who f a v o r e q u a l i t y, w e f i n d a n a r g u ment toward a separate but equal system where gay marriages are def ined as somehow intrinsically different from heterosexual marriages.

where “civil unions” are allowed, and one where the federal def inition of marriage has been def ined as two people f iling their taxes t o g e t h e r.

The third of these realities will be called the “blank” argument, for reasons to be disc u s s e d l a t e r.

I will not be addressing any of these ideas. Most of these arguments can be tackled easily by anyone who is versed in the issue.

No, I will not argue these most idiotic assertions (although I will gladly respond to them, if anyone wants to email me). I will be addressing gay adoption as well, which I see as intrinsically tied to the issue.

In the f irst example, we see a divided America.

Gays are denied any legal tie to their partners, states and private institutions can (and currently do) deny access to a variety of privileges to couples, including (but certainly not limited to) hospital visitation rights, joint banking and tax filing, adoption, insurance claims and even housing rights.

Gay couples, no matter how committed, are second-class to heterosexual couples.

In this example, the government honors rights given to couples by the churches, but only the right kind of churches and only the right kind of couples. The governm e n t , b y p r o x y, a l l o w s a n d s u p ports the limitation of rights by

The issue of gay marriage can be r e s o l v e d e a s i l y, a s l o n g a s o n e wishes to separate the church and the state further (as the Founders intended) and exercise a fair t a x p o l i c y.

We ’ l l l o o k a t t h r e e main viewpoints: one where gay marriage is banned outright, one

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ceding these rights to the church, as defined by (certain) churches; the government endorses some churches, and rejects others.

No w, t h e s e c o n d A m e r i c a w h e r e “civil unions” are allowed, this argument is usually supported by those who may tr uly harbor no ill will towards homosexuals, yet harbor some sense of heterosexual propriety towards marriage.

Gay couples are allowed many of the intrinsic rights defined above; h o w e v e r, t h e y m a i n t a i n t h e i r s t a tus as second class to heterosexual couples. “Traditionalists” are likely divided – some would be happy that their union is preserved as b e i n g h o l i e r, r i g h t e r o r m o r e m o r a l i n t h e e y e s o f t h e l aw, w h e r e a s others would be inf lamed at the idea of government endorsement of what they see as heretic behavi o r. C h u r c h e s w o u l d b e d e f i n e d a s g a y f r i e n d l y, o r n o t , b o t h i n t h e eyes of the scornful and in the eyes of the gover nment. The gove r n m e n t , a g a i n b y p r o x y, b e s t o w s 62

one title to heterosexual couples and one title to non-heterosexual couples, i.e. a system of separate but equal. The burden of paperwork could be enormous for the government; heterosexual couples and gay couples would have to f ile different paper work to afford themselves the same rights, and in turn, the government would have to f ile and process paperw o r k s e p a r a t e l y. P r i v a t e i n s t i t u tions would be able to exploit this legal distinction, especially in areas such as housing (where it is currently legal to enforce “moral” standards). In the end, the idea of separate but equal, marriage vs. civil union, could end up as a detriment to gay couples as many situations can arise where being legally def ined as queer could interfere with business.

A n d f i n a l l y, t h e “ b l a n k ” a r g u ment.

When a couple wishes to become married, they go to the local judge, magistrate, off icer of the peace or otherwise legal mar-

riage off icial. The “marriage certif icate” is def ined as a “civil union” for all couples, and there is a blank space on the form for a personal definition, which is arbitrar y (but extremely impor tant to some). It is arbitrary because the government’s only role in this would be to take this form and use the information therein to change both persons’ tax filing status.

Couples who wish to write in “traditional Christian heterosexual marriage” can do so.

Muslim couples can write in Nikah, Jewish couples Nissu’in, Hindu couples can fill in their variation of Vivah, and so for th and so on. The governm e n t ’ s r o l e i s l i m i t e d t o ( A ) t a king money for the license and (B) changing the couple’s tax status.

The government makes no moral or religious judgment, they make no blessing, they do not endorse one church’s definition or anothe r, t h e y m e r e l y t a k e y o u r m o n e y and change your tax status.

Churches who wish to define marriage as between one Man and one Wo m a n w o u l d b e a b l e t o c o n t i n u e t o do so, and if they think that their m a r r i a g e i s h o l i e r, m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l o r b e t t e r, t h a t ’ s f i n e . G a y c o u ples cannot force their way into a church and demand to be married on their altar (one of the fears played on r ural AM radio); howeve r, t h e g o v e r n m e n t w i l l n o t b e a b l e to force an anti-gay church’s def inition on the Unitarians down the road. The government recognizes all unions between two people, for tax reasons alone.

In this mostly tax-based third a r g u m e n t , h o w e v e r, l i e s a C a t c h 22.

Tax incentives for married couples are in place – philosophically – to ease the burden of raising children. I f irmly support gay couple’s (and gay individuals, for that matter) right to adoption, should they be able to prove that they are mentally sound and f iscally stable enough to support a child. The tax incentive for mar-

ried couples carries no enforcement of child bearing, i.e., couples receive the tax break whether they p r o c r e a t e o r n o t . We d o n o t r e move the tax incentives from couples that are found to be incapable of bearing children, or from those who choose not to, so why should this tax break be extended to said couples? This tax break is a fiscal endorsement of heterosexuality and should either include gay couples, or eliminated until children are produced. Why should single p e o p l e ( o r, u n d e r a s e p a r a t e b u t equal system, gay couples) be paying extra taxes to subsidize heterosexual married couple’s possibility of procreation?

There are many arguments put for th for not extending marriage rights to homosexuals, and plent y o f t i m e i s s p e n t ( r a t h e r, w a s t ed) refuting these segregationist mentalities. The vast majority of them (that are not naked prejudice) stem from the idea that allowing gay marriage steps on the

toes of the church, and indeed, it may infuriate and f luster many churches.

I w o n d e r, w h e n d i d it become the government’s job to honor various churches’ misp l a c e d s e n s e o f s u p e r i o r i t y, t o d e fine the sanctity of love, or to protect the sensibilities of our most sensitive and of ten offensive heterosexuals and religious extremists?

It never has been, and it never will be. In making all marriages equal and without var ying definition, we stride closer to the very intentions of the Founding Fathers, who sought life, liber ty and the pursuit of happiness, free from impositions or def initions placed by either individuals or the institutions that some hold sacred. It is these impositions that the proponents of legislature such as Prop 8 would have us maintain, and they are, in the words of Sen. John McCain, horseshit.

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Understanding Autism

c a n t o w o r k t ow a r d m e e t i n g a l l o f t h e possible needs of t h e ir c u r r e n t a n d f u t u r e s t u d e n t s .

It’s 7 a.m. on a Thursday, and I have three text messages wondering why I wasn’t out the night before. I’m drinking my mor ning cof fee and planning what to wear that day. It really doesn’t make much of a dif ference seeing how I’ll end up donning ar m guards and a jean jacket that will disguise any streetwise fashion I may muster up at this ungodly hour. I walk out the door half asleep, but by the time I get to my classroom I’m wide awake and mentally prepared. I check to see which students I will be teaching for the day and go wait them to ar rive.

Au t is m is d e f in e d a s a d e ve l o p m e n t a l neurol ogica l d isa b i l i t y t h a t h a s n o s c i e n t i f i c a l ly k n ow n cause or cure.

C u r r e n t s t a t is t ic s in d ic a t e t h a t it o c c u rs in 1 out of eve r y 15 0 ch i l d r e n , w i t h b oy s fo u r t i m e s as likely to be d ia g n o s e d t h a n g ir l s . S in c e t h e r e a r e var ying d eg rees a s t o h ow p e o p l e a r e a f fe c t e d b y a u t is m , it and other a s s o c i a t e d d i s o r d e r s a r e r e fe r r e d t o w ithin the autism s p e c t r u m . T h e s p e c t r u m i n c l u d e s a u t ism, Asperger’s s y n d r o m e , ch il d h o o d d is in t e g r a t ive d is ord er, R ett synd r o m e , a n d Pe r v a s ive D e ve l o p m e n t a l D i sord er Not Othe r w is e S p e c if ie d ( P D D - NO S ) .

The Faison School fo r Au t i s m w a s fo u n d e d i n 19 9 9 b y A l a n Kirshner and Flo G u z m a n a s a w ay t o h e l p m e e t t h e n e e d s o f their g randdaughte r, B r i t t a ny Fa i s o n , a s we l l a s o t h e r y o u n g people living with a u t i s m . S i n c e t h a t t i m e t h i s n o np r o f i t scho o l has been addr e ssi ng t he ne e ds o f scho ol a ge ch il d r e n with disabilities. K i d s f r o m t h r e e ye a r s u p t o e i g h t ye a r s of age are taug ht o n t he 2nd f lo o r i n se pa r a t e c l a s s r o o m s divided by langua ge c o mp r e h e n s i o n a n d a b i l i t y. M u ch t h e same divis io n is ev i de nt o n t he 3r d f lo o r fo r s t u d e n t s a ge s 9 to 15. The Life Sk i lls pr o g r a m w a s r e ce nt ly imp l e m e n t e d to ass ist 16- to 22-ye a r -o lds i n t he t r a nsi t i o n aw ay f r o m a scho o l enviro nment a nd i nt o a mo r e i nde pe nden t a d u l t h o o d .

Each cl as sro o m o n e ve r y f lo o r ho u se s st u de nts w h o s e d ia g noses range acro ss t he e nt i r e a u t i sm spe ct r u m , w it h v a r ying deg rees of lan g u a ge c o mp r e h e n s i o n a n d vo c a l a b i l i t i e s .

I t’s refres hing to w o r k a t a scho o l t ha t do e s e ve r y t h in g it

It’s now noon and for the students in my classroom, it’s time to go outside to the playg round or to the gym on the bottom f loor for g roup play. As teaching assistants we supervise the children and tr y to help initiate social interactions, tur n taking, and language skills while the children are positively reinforced by the range of toys and activities provided for them. Helping foster g rowth and education in contextual situations is a vital role at Faison, and while going through my daily routine, I should always be ready to encourage or initiate such occur rences. I’ll say f irsthand, this is not as easy as you may think it sounds. F irst of all, it’s hard to prompt a student down the hallway and tr y to initiate g reetings with peers when they have a habit of bolting to random doors to open and shut them or just plain bolting down the hallway. Perhaps your student for this block decides

E r ic We i n r a u b

64

they don’t want to go where you are leading them, instead they’d prefer to ignore your instr uction and f lop to the g round, or yell, or cr y, or agg ress toward you or themselves or any combination of those listed. Did I happen to mention that I’ve been hung r y and dreaming of my own lunch break and a quick, but oh so amazing ly sweet cigarette? Like I said, it’s not as easy as it may have sounded.

But it is in fact the most rewarding thing I’ve done and well wor th it.

Af t e r t h e s t u d e n t s l e ave fo r t h e d ay, t h e t eaching a ssist a n t s , l e a d t e a ch e r s a n d o t h e r fa c u l t y in a d d ition to their o t h e r d u t i e s , w i l l a l s o c o l l e c t a n d a n a ly z e data regarding a c a d e m ic p r o g r e s s , b e h av io r s c u r r e n t ly b e ing targeted for d e c r e a s e a n d o t h e r l ife s k il l s r e l a t e d in fo r m a tion. A nyt h i n g o f s i g n i f i c a n c e , w h e t h e r i t b e fo r c u r rent or future c o n s i d e r a t i o n , i s t r a cke d a n d c a t a l o g u e d . All of this data is g r a p h e d a n d c o mp il e d , f il e d a n d s t o r e d aw ay for future use.

Besides the one-on-o n e t e a ch i n g p r o c e s s , d a t a c o l l e c t i o n is the most impor ta n t a s p e c t o f T h e Fa i s o n S ch o o l . T h e gathering , g raphing a nd a na ly si s o f b e hav i o r a n d l e a r n ing d a ta is a co ns tan t dr i v i ng fo r ce a t Fa i so n. E ve r y s t u dent at the school h a s a p r o g r a m b o o k c o n t a i n i n g a l l o f their cur rent educat i o na l pr o g r a ms. Eve r y pr o g r a m r u n , includ ing ever y sing l e qu e s t i o n a s ke d d u r i n g e a ch d ay i s r e c or ded and s to red . E a ch st u de nt a lso ha s a t e ach in g a s si stant f ir mly ho l din g o nt o a cli pb o a r d o n w hi ch t h e y r e c or d a wide ar ray o f da i ly b e hav i o r i nfo r ma t i o n

When I began tr ying to write this ar ticle a bit ago, I assumed I’d crank it out in under an hour; that people would read it, love it and gar ner g reat interest in The Faison School and the work that is car ried out there. T wo months, and many draf ts later I still hope to do the same thing. But I want to end with this: I’ve held many dif ferent types of jobs and had tons of dif ferent co-workers since I moved to Richmond in 2000. Never before have I had a job with a tr ue purpose, or co-workers who tr uly were dedicated to working toward the benef it of another’s life. I’m amazed each and ever y day I go to work, by the students and the staf f, and I’m g lad for the chance to keep coming back day to day and lear ning from all of them.

It’s now 2 p.m. and I’m preparing my students to get ready for their trek home. I f inish up my teaching and prompting while they pack up their belongings. It’s time for the transpor tation provided by the county, g roup home vans, buses, and parents to come pick their kids up and bring them home. I send my students on their way, take a deep breath, take of f my ar m guards and denim jacket, and I head of f the proper ty for a quick smoke break before I go back and f inish the rest of my duties.

www.thefaisonschool.org www.nationalautismassociation.org www.autismspeak s.org http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/applied-behavior-analysis

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THE MOST BRUTAL SHOW ON TELEVISION:

METALOCALYPSE SEASON 2 DVD

Dude, these guys ar e fuc k in’ a w e s o m e . T hey ’ v e got v ast num ber s of f ana t ic a l fo llo w e r s, unlim it ed r esour ces, gover nme nt s a t t he ir f e e t a nd t he wor ld’s economy at their w him . U nl ik e t he C a t ho lic Chur c h, the ridiculous ba d - a s s e r y o f w hic h I s p e a k is completely fuc king me t a l in e v e r y p o s s ible w ay.

T hey’ r e just as dia bolica l a s t he C a t ho lic s, if no t mor e , although totally m o r e ho ne s t a b o ut it . In stead of attempting to de p ic t t he m s e lv e s a s p io us, holy, righteous and bene v o le nt , t hey s t r i v e t o b e the m ost br utal, uncaring, ha r d c o r e m o t he r f uc k ing g uys on the f ac e of the pla ne t . T hey li v e in M o r d haus, a giant metal mons t r o s it y o f a c a s t le s ha p e d as a dr a gon. T heir e ver y a c t io n is w a t c he d by a n Illuminati-style council c a lle d T he Tr ibuna l, w hic h might be e ven mor e nef a r io us t ha n t he b a nd it s e lf.

T he band is guar ded by le g i o ns o f he a v ily a r m e d goo ns wearing blac k hoo d s.

T hey ar e Dethklok. T hey a r e t he G o r illa z m e e t s Opeth, a car toon band on a m is s io n t o b e t he m o s t b r uta l band of all tim e.

Seriously, man. Blast be a t s, s p e e d - p ic k ing g u it a r d ue ls, gutter v oc als and d ia m o nd - s t ud d e d c o d pieces. It’s w ay mor e b r ut a l t ha n a ny t hing Ad u lt Swim has e v er put out, by a lo ng s ho t – no t lik e that’s saying muc h, tho u g h. Shit ’ s f unny, but let’s f ace it, most of Ad ul t Sw im is fo r p us s ie s.

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H o w e nt e r t a ining c a n a bunc h o f k id s m a k ing Home Movies r e a lly b e ? W ha t k ind o f d ic k b a g w us s w o uld e v e n c o m e up w it h s o m e t hing lik e t ha t ? A bunc h o f s m a r t a s s r ug r a t s a nd t he d e p r e s s e d , a c c id e nt a lly ins ig ht f ul a d ult s t ha t s urr o und t he m ? I ’ m s ur e t he g uy w ho c a m e up w it h Metalocalypse w o uld b e a t t he s hit o ut o f t ha t g uy a nd p r o b a bly s h ov e a m e t a l- t ho r n e d g u it a r d o w n his t hr o a t . F uc k ye a h. Yo u t hink Neon Genesis Ev angelion is e p ic ? Ep ic is p lay ing a m e t a l s ho w o n a r o a m ing d e a t h p la t fo r m w hi le p e r fo r m ing t he la r ge s t m a s s ex e c ut io n o f d e a t h r o w in m a t e s e v e r, c ho r e o g r a p he d t o t he b r ut a l m us ic . Ep ic is r unning a d e m o lit io n d e r by in t he c a r K e nne dy w a s s ho t in w it h t he c ha ir L inc o ln w a s s ho t in a s t he d r i v e r ’ s s e a t , o r p lay ing t he N a t io nal Ant he m o n b a s s w it h yo ur d ic k . Epic is a laser-fight guitar solo with dr a gons .

*end metal-dude impr ession* I f yo u lik e he a v y m e t a l, a nd d o n’ t m ind ha v in g yo ur s e lf a nd yo ur ge nr e m o c k e d inc e s s a nt ly a n d a c c ur a t e ly, yo u’ ll lik e t his s ho w. T h e m us ic is s o lid a nd G e ne H o g l a n, fo und a t io na l he a v y m e t a l d r um m e r, p lay s t he d r um t r a c k s. B r a nd o n Sm a ll (c r e a t or o f Metalocalypse a nd Home Movies ) p lay s a w ic k e d g uit a r, t o o, a nd he d o e s t he r if f s fo r t he s ho w.

If yo u lik e Ad ult Sw im ’ s p r o g r a m m ing yo u’ r e p r o b a bly a lr e a dy w a t c hing.

I f yo u lik e e p ic c a r t o o ns, yo u’ ll lik e t his s how.

I f yo u lik e a ny o f t he a b ov e c ombinations of things, then this show is your s . T hr ow up some hor ns. I w as ha ppy to do so w hen I went with two friends to Baltimor e to see Dethklok li ve. Br andon Small, Gene Ho glan and other musicians played li ve with a pr ojection of the band going on behind them. Half of the concer tgoer s wer e car toon f ans, and the other half wer e metal f ans w ho wer e into the show and the music , and e ver yone seemed to enjoy the show.

Her e’s your bump: buy this DVD. It is funnier than wearing human leather, although it’s got that, too.

67

Models in order of a ppea r a nc e: El a ine R u sh, Dan a S crug gs, Jojo Sanderford- Shu ltz a nd Z iric hi G r ay Fa shion a ssista nt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A m a nda Pong Photo gr apher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Phil Bowne

Bl anc he ,

Tre

I was in t h i s tow n fi l l ed wi th ta lki ng to ys an d Mot h er G o o se p e ople , a n d horrible monsters tried to eat me alive!

W o r l d o f M i rt h 3 0 0 5 W Ca ry St .

D r e s s by M a d is o n M ar cus, av aila ble at P ink

V e l o c i ty C o m i c s 81 8 W G r a c e St .

O n D a na : Shir t a nd je a ns by R VC A, a v a i la ble a t D o minion Sk at e boar ds O n Tr e : Shir t a nd je a ns by R VC A, a v a ila ble a t D o minion Sk at e boar ds O n Ela ine : J a c k e t a nd t unic by L A M a d e , a v aila ble at Rumor s 73

V i n y l C o n fli ct 324 S o u t h P i n e St .

O n Jojo: Car dig an by DC Sho e s a nd je a ns by Va ns, b o t h a v a ila ble a t D o m inio n Sk a t e b o a r d s O n Ziric hi : Sweatshir t by M is hk a a nd je a ns by W ESC , b o t h a v aila ble a t H e nr y O n Tr e: Shir t by Four Sta r a nd je a ns by R VC A, b o t h a v a ila ble a t D o m inio n O n Dana: Shir t and jeans by R VC A, b o t h a v a ila ble a t D o m inio n 74

V i n y l C o n f l i c t 3 24 S o u t h P i n e St .

O n D a na : Shir t is v int a ge , a v a ila ble a t Ex ile . Je a ns by R VC A, a v aila ble at D ominion O n Ela ine : D r e s s by C he a p M o nd ay, av aila ble at Henr y O n Zir ic hi : Sw e a t s hir t by M a t ix a nd j e a ns by R VC A, b o t h a v aila ble at D ominion

75

R i v e r C i ty C e l l a rs 2 931 W Ca ry St .

On Jo jo : J a c k e t by C hili Pe p p e r, d r e s s by U SE U nus e d a nd b a g by M o nic a Fa s hio n, a ll a v aila ble at Eur ot r as h O n Ela ine : J a c k e t by Tulle , a v a ila ble a t N e e d Sup p ly. D r e s s by Te d B a k e r, a v aila ble at Eur ot r as h 76

F utur e site of S ec c o W i n e Ba r O n Ela ine: Dr ess by HCOCH , a v a ila ble a t Eur o t r a s h O n Jojo : Dr ess by BB Dakot a , a v a ila ble a t N e e d Sup p ly. Je w e lr y a v a ila ble a t B ygo ne s 77

On Tr e : C a r d ig a n by K ill C it y a nd t - s hir t by Am e r ic a n A p p a r e l, b o t h a v a ila ble a t N e e d Sup p ly. Je a ns f r o m Rum o r s c ons ig nm e nt .

J a c k e t a nd s ho e s a r e s t y lis t ' s o w n

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O n D a na : Shir t a nd hat by RVCA, both a v a ila ble a t D o m inion. Jeans by Str etc h F â&#x20AC;&#x2122; c k n Je a ns, a v a ila ble at Ex ile. Shoes

by Va ns, av aila ble at D ominion

H o s p i ta l i ty 2 8 2 0 - A W est Ca ry St .

O n Ela ine : D r e s s by B C B G , a v a ila ble a t N e e d Sup p ly. N e c k la c e a v aila ble at B ygones On Tr e : Jea ns by T he H und r e d s, s h ir t by 1 0 D e e p a nd C la e M c q ue e n s ho e s, a ll a v a ila ble at Hos pit alit y O n Jo jo : D r e s s by Te d B a k e r, a v a ila ble at Eur ot r as h 79