Interview with Insane Clown Posse

The Juggalos are among us!

My interview with Shaggy 2 Dope of Insane Clown Posse can be found at Richmond Magazine's website. The two-man ICP is still indulging in its distinctive aural mayhem after more than two decades of controversial "horror rap," and Shaggy (Joseph Utsler) talks about the duo's devotion to professional wrestling, the early Detroit rap scene, the changing music industry, and why the group's rabid fans -- the Juggalos -- have been officially classified as a "gang" by the F.B.I. We also address the unlikely strains of spirituality that some have found in their rancorous music.


Catch the mayhem by going right here. Photo courtesy Psychopathic Records.

Candy Land: A Look at the H.E. Williams Candy Company

The H.E. Williams company is Virginia's oldest and longest-running candy manufacturer. And the factory is still going strong, creating sweets the old-fashioned way.

Using much of the same archaic equipment that it started with, the family-run operation has been selling handmade hard candy (like its trademark Peach Buds) in South Norfolk for nearly 100 years. You won't find a more delicious throwback.

My feature article, "Candy Land," tells the story of this fascinating, defiantly old-school business -- no web presence, no credit cards, no social media -- and is now online at the Coastal Virginia Magazine site.

And, yes, I had to do a lot of very thorough research into H.E. Williams' products while writing this piece -- that's just the kind of diligent journalist I am.  Don't mention it. I'm just dedicated like that.

Read "Candy Land" by clicking right here.

(Photo by the sweet-toothed David Uhrin!)

Interview with Marshall Crenshaw

Marshall Crenshaw has played Buddy Holly on the silver screen in La Bamba, impersonated John Lennon in "Beatlemania," and issued more than his fair share of classic albums and songs ("Someday Someway," "Whenever You're On My Mind") over a still-evolving 40 year career in music.

The Detroit native is also one of my favorite singer-songwriters, so getting to talk to him was a real treat. My Q&A interview with Marshall Crenshaw is now online at the Richmond Magazine website. Read it by clicking here.

And for more on Crenshaw and his music, go right here.

Beacon Revived

The Beacon Theatre, a beautifully-restored movie house built in 1928, has been renovated and expanded with a state-of-the-art sound system. The Hopewell, Virginia landmark is currently trying to find its legs as a city-run popular music venue. 

But if you restore it, will they come?

My recent feature for Richmond Magazine shines a light on this out-of-the-way gem. Read "Beacon Revived" by clicking right here. 

(Photo of promoters Susan and Laurin Willis by the mighty Jay Paul!)

Standardized Testing: Rethinking the Standards

For public school students, testing time approaches. But many parents and politicians are pushing back against standardized testing.

A new Federal law (the Every Student Succeeds Act) may or may not fix the identified problems, which include educators teaching to the test, classroom stress, and shifting standards.There's now a growing "assessment reform movement" of organizations and community groups urging parents to opt their kids out of testing.

My Coastal Virginia Magazine article on the changing face of standardized testing in public schools, and the emerging "Opt Out" movement in Virginia, is now online. The print headline is "Rethinking the Standards." Read it here.

(Photo illustration by the mighty David Uhrin!)

Fresh Voices: The Afrikana Film Festival

"Fresh Voices," my feature article on Richmond's Afrikana Independent Film Festival, is online at the Richmond Magazine website.

The grassroots Afrikana produces a floating series of events called "Noir Cinema," which brings up-and-coming African-American filmmakers to different venues around town. The non-profit's founder, Enjoli Moon, says that it's "a series dedicated to exploring the genre of short indie films by and about people of color from across the globe."

Read "Fresh Voices" by clicking right here.

For more on the Afrikana Film Festival, go here.

Photo by the mighty Jay Paul!

Virginia Gospel History at the Google Cultural Institute

I'm proud to be one of the content providers for a new online exhibit created by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, in partnership with the Google Cultural Institute, that celebrates African-American history in Virginia.

The special web exhibit focuses on Virginia gospel artists, and my liner notes for Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes' Live in Richmond CD are included, along with music clips, bios and other information on the Paschall Brothers and Charlie McClendon.

A huge shoutout to the VFH's Jon Lohman for putting this together. Check it out by going here.  

For more on the Google Cultural Institute's celebration of African-American history, prepare to spend a lot of time here.

For more on the great work that the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities does, and especially its Virginia Folklife Program, go to this spot.

Photo of Maggie Ingram by the mighty Pat Jarrett / Virginia Folklife Program.