The Climate: How does Richmond compare

to other towns musically?

“We never became a Chapel Hill, Gainesville

or Olympia, and there’s a reason. Those areas had an infrastructure to support

the scene. For every musician who started a band, there was someone writing

a zine, booking a tour, promoting a show or releasing their friend’s record.

To a small extent this is happening here with groups like Radio Free Richmond,

Slug & Lettuce magazine, and Silver Leaf Booking. Until a foundation is

developed in this area, Richmond will continue to languish.” — Damian Riddell

“Richmond has always been a weak musical market

in terms of audience turnout/support for both venues and acts. When Skip Castro

was really in business, Richmond was one of the weakest markets we’d play. We

could draw more people in Boston and we’d only play there two or three times

a year. As general sales manager of XL-102, I worked directly with Cellar Door

Productions to promote shows at the Classic Amphitheater. Richmond was always

viewed as a difficult market for shows due to the apathy of the market. … there

is no good sized venue in Richmond hosting shows for that very reason.

“Charlottesville, by contrast, has always been

a mecca for musicians despite its small market size.”– Bo Randall

“There’s some great players here for sure —

many different genres and styles of music to choose from … tucked away most

of the time playing little clubs across the city.” — Jonathan DeMaio

“I think it fares fairly well, at least historically.

I think, per capita, we’re great — quality bands, music that really talks to

people, to true music fans, not the consumers.”– Pen Rollings

“Quality-wise, we’re pretty high up. We have

a pretty amazing pool of talent. In terms of support, it’s pretty low. People

come from all over the country to record here and use musicians from here, so

that’s a sign.”– John Morand

“People in other towns are always surprised,

shocked even, to hear how many notable bands call Richmond home.” — Cam

DiNunzio

“Even though Richmond’s market may not be as

large as major cities surrounding us, our close-knit network of people and exhaustive

list of successful bands is what has kept Richmond a major scene in the country.”

— Kelly Shaw

“I think there’s quite a lot with all the various

universities, not just in town, but in the area. You could go to a different

event every night. I’ve been really impressed with the quality of guest artists

brought into Richmond.”- Bobbie Barajas

“It’s a bit of a difficult question because

every city’s so unique. I look and see how much music of all different kinds

is going on here. For a city this size, we have our own symphony, our own resident

string quartet.” — James Wilson

The Scene: What is the best thing about

the scene here? What’s the worst?

“One of the best things would be the quality

of music that we do have. The symphony is wonderful. The university has wonderful

programs. The school systems are generally very strong in the arts. The worst

thing would be probably the big cultural, racial and socioeconomic lines. We

miss so much because we have people and organizations that won’t cross the lines,

that won’t branch out.” — Veronica Jackson

style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>Best:
style=’font-size:12.0pt;’> “The unaffected creativity, and a legacy of interesting

bands that are unique and inspiring to other musicians.” Worst: “Clubs

and radio. And the city never embraced the nightclub culture, it tries to kill

it.” — Pen Rollings

style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>Best:
style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>”I love the fact that (for the most part) everyone involved

in the scene has the same general goal to bring good music to Richmond.” Worst:

“Everyone here seems to hear about new awesome bands six months after the fact.

And people tend to be a tad pretentious.” — Kelly Shaw

style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>Best
style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>: “For musicians, it’s the combination of location and

low cost of living.” Worst: “Lack of consistent good promoters.”– John

Morand

“The best thing has to be the help and knowledge

that the ‘older and wiser’ bands graciously pass down to the younger bands.

I have always known somebody higher up in the musical food chain who is willing

to answer a question.

“The worst thing is simply that there aren’t

enough people to go around to fill every venue for every band.” — Cam DiNunzio

“The talent pool. I’ve never been to any area

that has as many creative people in such a small area. A lot of really influential

bands such as Sleepytime Trio, Honor Role, Breadwinner, Avail, 400 Years, Inquisition

and LaBradford have come from this area. It’s weird, though, for as many well-known

bands from Richmond, not many people seem to know it. Maybe it comes from living

in D.C.’s shadow. Some record labels, such as Lovitt or Jagjaguwar, seem to

have half their roster rooted in this area but are based elsewhere.” — Damian

Riddell

“Number 1 is variety. There’s complete wide

diversity … we’re not getting locked in a ‘Chapel Hill Sound.’ That usually

hurts towns in the long run.” — Steve Douglas

“There’s a dedicated and strong underground

and cult following for stuff you don’t hear on radio. The Robbie Fulkses, the

Dale Watsons.” — Chuck Wrenn

ÿ”It’s a pretty good location [for touring bands]. I-95 goes on

forever. The routing opportunities are so strong with Tidewater and Washington,

D.C. We’re kind of the missing link. There’s room for more [midsize venues].”

— Tim Timberlake

“This is a topic dear to my heart. …The little

tiny clubs that support local artists — Poe’s, Hole in the Wall for the touring

artists that play smaller crowds because people don’t know them — That’s what

we have that’s good. There’s not a whole lot other than that.” — Jim Bland

“When I first came to town [in the ’80s] I

thought [the music scene] was a boys’-club deal, and then it seemed pretty cool.

I thought ‘Man, Richmond is going to be the next [big music] city.’ But it seems

like the last seven, eight, shoot, the last 10 years … it just never happened.

We’re in the dead center of the East Coast. It just don’t make sense. I just

wish there was a way to make it right.

“The biggest fault is there’s not enough clubs

to support all the different kinds of music because there’s a s–tpile of musicians

in this town. Really good ones.” — Jyl Freed

“I went to a blues club in London. …There was

this band and I’m thinking, ‘I can name 10 guitar players in Richmond that are

as good or better than that guy and where are they playing?’ Venues are a big

problem.” — James Talley

“Musically, it’s great. Lately, I’ve been blown

away by how much is going on here. There’s a ton of bands. It’s low-key here,

it’s got cheap rent, it’s easy to live, it’s centrally located. In New York,

they have to struggle. But because we don’t have a medium-sized venue, we miss

a lot of stuff.” — Jim Thomson

“The best thing is the variety and the quality

of the concerts of all kinds. The worst thing is that the performing-arts organizations

are a little too territorial. I think that’s because Richmond is not a very

big city. I always think, the more the better — a little competition never

hurt anybody.” — James Wilson

style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>Best:
style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>”It’s very diverse, there’s plenty of room for all kinds

of styles.” Worst: “I wish there were more opportunities for local musicians

on the radio.” —Susan Greenbaum

“For people ‘in the biz’ there are a variety

of audiences down here.” — Walter Bell

style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>Best
style=’font-size:12.0pt;’>: “There are good bands here, and a good musical heritage

here.” Worst: “Lack of venues and lack of media support. By the time

Richmond’s potential has been achieved, I’ll be dead. And I hope I’m wrong.

I point the finger at the media, which I’m part of.” — Eric E. Stanley

“People still have a hard time paying $15 for

a concert ticket even thought they’ll pay that much for a movie and a coke.”–

Bobbie Barajas

“There are definitely close, co-operative musical

communities in Richmond, though I would strongly argue that it’s a cohesive

scene. I’m not even sure that exists in larger cities.” — Rick Alverson

The Airwaves: What do you think about

Richmond radio?

“There’s no local feel now. The whole corporate

thing is so narrow in scope. They won’t talk about local activities unless it’s

bought. I like to say if Jesus Christ put his disciples together again, and

they went out on the road, and they didn’t pay for an ad, nobody would announce

that they were playing. Even public radio does not reflect the public here.”

— Eric E. Stanley

“Nobody seems willing to step up to play local

acts. There are four good hip-hop stations here, and they’re leading the way

in terms of local talent, with local DJs mixing live.” — John Morand

“I do have high hopes that underground radio

will make an appearance soon. I really wish we had a decent college station.

It could do wonders for exposing Richmond to new music.” — Kelly Shaw

“I think it’s funny how VCU touts its Mass

Comm program, yet its radio station’s signal can’t even reach the parking lot

next door. University of Richmond has a great station, WDCE 90.1-FM, but its

signal doesn’t reach downtown.

“In order to get a license from the FCC, a

broadcaster must show that they are going to somehow benefit the community.

But companies like Clear Channel and Cox who own most of the frequencies in

the city have no interest in Richmond beyond monetarily. I think they show this

in their programming. If they ever play any Richmond artists it’s on a local

rock show one hour, once a week. If you ever hear a DJ talking about upcoming

community events and news it’s usually about the MTV Campus Invasion Tour or

some other nonsense.” — Damian Riddell

“A lot of people are dying to hear straight-ahead

jazz. We would have a better turnout if people could hear it on the radio more;

it would help the music and the musicians.” — James “Saxmo” Gates Jr.

“Radio? What’s this radio? Oh

wait, I’ve heard about that. Isn’t that the thing where you sadistically listen

to the same few songs over and over again until you fall into a coma? Some cultish

thing. right? Just silly. I can’t imagine just listening to music without actually

having something to watch along with it. It’ll never make it.”– Dan-O

“Richmond radio is much the same as radio is

all over the country. It’s like McDonald’s, everywhere you go it’s the same.

As radio has become consolidated the past few years, you have only a few owners,

and they use the same consultants and programmers for the entire country.” —

Bo Randall

“We still don’t have a good play list. I see

the results bands are getting [on national and on European radio play lists].

Li’l Ronnie, Terry Garland are on the Living Blues [magazine] chart. I know

a DJ could take one chunk of time [to play unfamiliar and local artists]…I

know they’d find sponsors.” — Steve Douglas

“For our size town, radio sucks. Compared to

Charlottesville, they’ve got college rock to esoteric women’s shows to avant-guard

jazz. In a town that size. … Local-music shows here are shoved in like the late-night

ghetto. Once in awhile, someone will rise above; Susan G. on 103. … It can happen

but they’re not taking any chances.” — Jim Bland

“Radio’s been swallowed up by consultants,

and there’s no encouragement for local bands. The only good shows are Eric E.

Stanley, John Morand and Page Wilson.” — Harry Gore

“I have experienced firsthand the difference

radio makes — I have been tremendously fortunate. I applaud the local radio

people who offer those chances for locals, like Bender & Jackie, Page Wilson,

J. Smack and Bill Bevins. We’re all hamstrung by the corporate nature of radio,

except for Britney or Sting.” — Susan Greenbaum

“I won’t even touch FM with you — that’s abysmal,

and Wal-Mart-ized, and cookie cutter. AM and Internet radio is where it’s at.

Solid Gold Soul AM-1450 is great.” — Jim Thomson

Audiences: How does audience interest

level compare?

“Richmond has always been thought to have a

good music scene but often will not support regional and national acts when

they come through. So they will skip Richmond. I encourage anyone who bellyaches

about not having a band play in Richmond to contact them and book them into

a club. It is really that easy. That always shuts them up or inspires them to

action. And both of those things are terrific.”—Rick Danger

“Personally, I arrived at the end of the last

‘heyday’ in ’92 and witnessed the subsequent six-year slump that ensued. Audiences

thinned out quite a bit in numbers, but over the past couple of years, there

seem to be a lot more people promoting and going to shows. It’s awesome to see.”

— Cam DiNunzio

“Most of the people that go see shows in Richmond

are in bands or are friends of the band. You never know when you go see a band

if their music is that popular or if they just have that many friends.” — Scott

Crowder

“I always hear that bands get bummed out after

playing Richmond because they think no one was into them. Typically everyone

at the show enjoyed them. But are too cool to act like it.” — Kelly Shaw

“The Richmond audiences are amazingly enlightened.

The classical scene is not as big as I would like, but the world-music and jazz

audiences are very aware. Little pockets of people appear in droves when we

put on something that is culturally specific. We have a Klezmer concert and

the house is full; Ravi Shankar sold out the Carpenter Center. We’re not looking

at the internationalization of Richmond as much as we should. We tend to conceive

ourselves as being on one or the other side of the racial line, but as a capital

city we are much more cosmopolitan than we think.” — Kathy Panoff

ÿ

“Richmond is a family town. Of course when

you have kids you don’t want to go out at night. In big cities like Washington

or New York, music is successful because there are so many singles that go out

at night. The interest is here, but I think that people who go to concerts are

mostly older people. … I wish there was more interest. I wish we could attract

more younger people. There’s a big community of singles, but somehow … maybe

they’re too young.” — Eckart Preu

“There’s two sorts of audiences — the music-scene

audience, and everybody else. A lot of people in the music scene don’t consider

Carbon Leaf a “cool” band, but they’re a kick-ass band, even if what they’re

doing isn’t what you like. Punk rock always does well. Strike Anywhere will

sell out anywhere, as will Avail.” — John Morand

“Five percent of D.C. is different than 5 percent

of Richmond. There’s a smaller base number to start. It’s not so much not support

but it’s people not knowing what [the musical act] is.” — Chuck Wrenn

“Richmond has a reputation for not supporting

big-venue acts over the years… This legacy unfortunately still haunts us.” —

Jim Bland

“It’s going to sound like an old record: We’ve

got bands here that are huge in Europe. … If you go to other towns, you see

the locals going out and supporting those acts. We have a mindset here: ‘Oh,

I can go see them any time.'” — James Talley

“I think our Richmond audiences are amazing.

They are enthusiastic, they tell their friends, they show up all over the place.

A bunch of ’em drove up to New York City to see us play. They’re right there

with you.” — Susan Greenbaum

“It depends on the genre. … My audience has

grown steadily, and they’re very faithful, even showing up out of town. It’s

really cool. It’s very warm, and I appreciate it.” — Walter Bell

“I feel like maybe Richmonders are overwhelmed

with choices, but they might also be taking this for granted. They might not

realize what it’s like to not have the opportunity to go to all these events.

— Bobbie Barajas

The Gem: What’s something we are lucky

to have?

“Chuck Wrenn, far and away. He’s been in the

Richmond music scene through thin and thin. He brought in great things at the

Moondance, and he is doing the same thing at Poe’s Pub now. He does it because

he loves it, not trying to get rich, just have a good time.” — Buzzy Lawler

“Richmond is very lucky to have a great musical

heritage. Everything from free jazz to hardcore is represented here. Oneness

of Ju-Ju, Mr. Wiggles, The Whole Darn Family, Starfire, Lonnie Smith, Honor

Roll, White Cross — the list goes on.” — Marty Violence

“Plan 9 records. They are the central artery

for what we call the Richmond music scene.” — Scott Crowder

“You have this extraordinary school that people

flock to. VCU draws really talented people.” — Darius Jones

“Plan 9 and Sound of Music Studios. A record

store that meets the needs of every music fan, and an amazing Class A studio

that for years has made accommodations for almost any band that sought to record

there.” — Cam DiNunzio

ÿ”I really think that the Richmond Philharmonic is a blessing

because they perform very high quality concerts for free. You can take your

kids to a concert and not break the bank.” — Bobbie Barajas

“I think [the Modlin Center] is a gem. The

university is underwriting programs for the whole community. And it is a very

intimate space; I can sit in the last seat in the house and see the whites of

Regina Carter’s eyes. …The biggest musical gem is Page Wilson’s “Out of the

Blue Musical Review.” I am stunned by the diversity of that program. I often

hear something that I want to go out and buy.” — Kathy Panoff

“For as long as it lasts, Hole in the Wall

has served a vital role in this area. The sound and size left something to be

desired, but John treated every band that played there better than clubs 10

times the Hole’s size. I can’t tell you how many bands came up to me after a

show raving about what a great time they had.” — Damian Riddell

“Southern Americana rules! We’ve got railroads,

train horns and old stuff. … A river, Virginia Museum of Art that’s filled with

mummies and Van Gogh paintings … Marlboro and Advil factories…NASCAR, punk

rock … lots of culture that most cities don’t have!” — Jonathan DeMaio

“The Shanghai Quartet — they draw so many

wonderful artists, it’s a definite plus for Richmond. Another plus would be

our jazz artists, like James Gates, Desiree Roots, Total Control and The Main

Ingredient. Also, organizations that support such events — Brown’s Island,

Fridays at Sunset.”—Veronica Jackson

“Ashland Coffee & Tea, and Bev’s Homemade

Pumpkin flavor ice cream. And the gem of gems is John Morand at Sound of Music.”

— Susan Greenbaum

“I’d say The Virginia Museum’s music series

— Fast/Forward and others. And Jim Bland has been a great patron, and that’s

cool.” — Bob Schick

“Our location. It has a lot of potential.”

— Walter Bell

“Plan 9 is a gem. VCU as a training ground

for jazz is a gem. Richmond Jazz Society is a gem. Creole Arts [bringing zydeco

to town] is a gem. Bio Ritmo is a gem. And the fact that Richmond has respect

in the music industry. David Lowery’s here, Jerome Brailey’s here, D’Angelo’s

here, Joe Kennedy’s here, Plunky Branch is here, James Gates is here, hell even

Mr. Wiggles is here.” — Eric E. Stanley

“The collective community — it’s always been

a gem here.”- Jim Thomson

“Plan 9 Records, and Eric E. Stanley — that’s

two good things. And Ashland Coffee & Tea.” — Harry Gore

Talent: What/who should our readers go

see?

“Gregor Samsa. Their music and live projections

captivate the audience like no other band in Richmond.” — Kelly Shaw

“That’s a tough one. There are more amazing

bands in Richmond than time in this interview. The Rah Bras, Gregor Samsa, Pat

Phelan, Engine Down, Metal, Spokane, the Silent Type, Denali, Bats & Mice,

the Fro-Bros … the list just goes on.

“Planar. They totally blew me away. Kind of

in the vein of Mogwai. I heard two of the kids are still in high school. As

they start to play more shows I think people will really catch on to them.”

— Damian Riddell

“The Rah Bras, obviously. Lamb of God is a

fantastic metal band of international caliber, on the underground scene.” —

Pen Rollings

“The Broken Hips have a perfect blend of musicianship

and great songs. Obviously Susan Greenbaum — the quality of her performance

is something you don’t get in your typical band of Richmond slackers. John Moosa.

And Pen Rollings’ new band, Loincloth, is slowly bubbling under the surface.

And the Orphans, a power-pop band a la Cheap Trick or the Cars, comprised of

computer engineers.” — John Morand

“The Rah Bras and The Stomachs. Both these

bands serve to give you the most bang for your buck. These folks are not for

the tame-hearted.” — Scott Crowder

“Broken Hips is excellent, definitely in terms

of improvisation. And Them Against Them, which is a duo with Paul Watson and

Phil Murphy. And Corn Tooth is excellent.” — Jim Thomson:

“Johnny Houston. Modern Groove Syndicate. A

lady singer named Tenille. The Rabid Monkz, they do a hip-hop thing. The Love

Assassins.” — Eric E. Stanley

“Fighting Gravity are still doing their thing,

and by their longevity, they deserve to be checked out. And I’d be remiss not

to mention the great Eric E. Stanley — it takes balls to do what he’s done,

and what he continues to do.” — Kahlil Jahid

“Johnny Hott’s Piedmont Souprize, and the Broken

Hips, and BJ Kocen, and John Moossa. And people should see The Richmond Symphony

— they’re amazing.” — Susan Greenbaum

“People should really watch the Richmond Symphony

because they’re going through big changes. They have a fabulous new concertmaster.

It sounds like a completely new orchestra.” — James Wilson

“Broken Hips are really great. I’ve seen them

three times now and each time they add something new. The wonderful thing about

living in a town like Richmond is watching a band develop before your eyes.

This band is going to give you something to cry about while you sit at home

in the dark.” — Scott Crowder

“Most definitely the Broken Hips. All the elements

of success. Just waiting for the right helping hand. I know it will happen for

them.” — Cam DiNunzio

“The McGuffin. It’s like a Southern-influenced

psychedelic rock ‘n’-roll band. One minute you’re hearing Neil Young, then it’s

a ’60s garage band mixed with Frank Zappa.” — Harry Gore

“Modern Groove Syndicate — and they were damn

good before J.C. Kuhl from the Agents got there.” — Eric E. Stanley

“Denali is the band people are going to want

to see.” — Bob Schick

The Challenge: What’s holding Richmond

back from being a “real” music town?

“Besides the question of funding for the arts

and music education in the schools — that’s a nationwide problem — it’s that

question of attitude. There’s a certain sense here that if it’s from somewhere

else it must be better. That’s a very damaging attitude to have for any community

like Richmond that’s on the verge of growth” — James Wilson

“I hate to harp on the subject, but, my God,

I don’t know of another city in the U.S. without a good college radio station.

Harrisonburg, Williamsburg, Blacksburg, Charlottesville and Fredericksburg all

have better stations. Richmond is the capital and supposedly the center of Virginia’s

art, music and film scenes, and boasts four universities and one community college

in the area. This is not just an unrealistic idea — this is a basic. — Damian

Riddell

“The great divide. Socially we tend to be a

city that gets more press for its great divides — socially, culturally and

certainly racially. It’s unfortunate. I’ve only lived in Richmond eight years

and that’s been the highlight of my stay here. I would like to see Richmond

expand our boundaries within our city.” — Veronica Jackson

“I’d like to get the city itself to start looking

at music as an asset. There’s a lot they could do to promote music in this town.

[Venues] are taxed to death. … The city gets 7 percent admission tax within

the city. The only reason to [book bands] is because you really love it. If

making money is the primary interest, it’s going to be a tough road.” — Chuck

Wrenn

“I don’t think anything is holding Richmond

back. A Richmond band won the American Music Award. We have D’Angelo, we have

GWAR, we have enough big stars. We have our own label now, TKO Records, which

moved here from California. We have entertainment lawyers.” — John Morand

“I think it is a music town. I like

that it’s not all neon-bright and this Nashville rock ‘n’ roll dream thing.

People are doing it because they love it. It’s happening, but it’s difficult

to open a venue that could cross all the borders and provide a neutral environment.

… The city almost tries to block it. That’s why community is so important.”

— Jim Thomson

“I think Richmond is a real music town.

We have great bands of every genre here, and our struggles with venues, promoters,

competition and mudslinging are no different than any other city. Perhaps the

fact that we are overshadowed slightly by D.C. in terms of cool venues or name

recognition leads people to believe otherwise, but the bands from Richmond that

do well nationally/internationally are just as highly regarded as any others

in the world.” —Cam DiNunzio

“Other places around the country, new arts

centers are being built with corporate funding. That would make a big difference

in Richmond, a center where people could go at night, go to a concert, go to

the theatre, hang out. Like the opera houses in Europe that are on a plaza downtown

with restaurants and everything nearby. In Newark,[N.J.], for instance, the

area comes alive with its new arts center.” — Eckart Preu

“I really believe that the lack of public support

for acts has been a big hindrance to success here. A decent-sounding venue also

is a problem. The Coliseum and the Landmark Theater are awful-sounding rooms.”

— Bo Randall

“I feel good about the community of music,

but there’s a lot to be desired about some venues and areas where clubs are.

…I’d like to see the Bottom come back to where it was. I’d like to see the Canal

Club be successful. I’m still optimistic [but] I don’t know what the answer

is.” — Janet Martin

“So much club failure goes back to ABC laws

and the city’s lack of support. … I would have opened a club in this town.

… My wife says, ‘We can do one someday. But not here.’ … College kids can’t

come out to most of the shows. There are 18-year-old kids in Afghanistan. …It

doesn’t make a bit of sense.” — Steve Douglas

“A town that has [at least] two colleges, an

obvious art community, you would think every music venue would be packed and

there would be more music venues.

“The ABC laws are fairly archaic here. In D.C.,

where a club doesn’t have to serve food, they can afford to pay the band.” —

James Talley

“The colleges have to be more involved. And

I still think there’s a real conservative hold on things. They don’t want to

take chances with the music. One of the good things is the Jumpin’ series at

the Virginia Museum. I’d love to see that programming out at Innsbrook.” —

Kahlil Jahid

“If radio and the media show respect to the

artists here, the public will respect the artists here.” — Eric E. Stanley

“Maybe a slight misunderstanding of attracting

such an industry on a municipal level has contributed to a slow growth. … Nonetheless,

Richmond is a ‘real’ music town. It’s diverse and talented on many levels, and

there are many people working hard to keep it that way. Maybe we should enjoy

that fact. I do. So the short answer to the question is; nothing except believing

it already is.” — Dan-O

“The biggest challenge is the absence of a

vital downtown; it’s so deserted. The city center needs to be a hub of artistic

activity. It would be fabulous to leave a concert at the Carpenter Center and

have somewhere to go afterwards. I would love to go to a club that had world

music.” — Kathy Panoff

“I would hope that Richmond would become promoter-orientated

rather than club-orientated. It would help energize the music scene and spread

around the hard work of promotion and the plethora of different genres of music

that Richmonders are interested in.” — Rick Danger

“It would be government kinds of things, like

I wish they’d really go for building that arts center downtown with a lot of

public display of support, or they’d really support music educators. I’m really

waiting for people to wake and realize how fundamentally important music education

is.” — James Wilson

“We need to get a good, medium-sized venue,

and get someone to run it who will solicit ideas from musicians, record store

employees, and other people who have a wider knowledge of what’s out there.

You don’t have to have the same crowd every night. I don’t think anyone has

come up with that idea yet.” — Buzzy Lawler

“We wish, of course, for a good concert hall.

As beautifully weird as the Landmark and the Carpenter Center are, they’re not

ideal acoustically as concert spaces.” — Eckart Preu

“I wish I could just snap my fingers and go

back to the way it was in the ’80s. Those great bands had a platform to be heard,

in places like Benney’s, Rockitz, Hard Times and New Horizons.” — Harry

Gore

“Somehow to involve the student population

in the Richmond scene. The college students themselves aren’t really to blame.

With the Internet and Domino’s pizza, why leave your house? If there was a college-type

club that didn’t suck, that would help.” — John Morand

“The extreme separation of the counties and

[lack of] public transportation. It’s too spread out. Most of the venues are

clumped into one area in the Fan and Downtown. If I want to book my group, it

has to be in that area. I’d like to do some gigs in the West End, in Chesterfield,

North Side, all over.” — Darius Jones

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