From their 1998 “Over The James” album, legendary local hardcore punk band AVAIL blasted the song “scuffletown” at a searing 1 minute and 18 seconds with the following lyrics:
There’s kepone in the river
But the river’s still flowing east
Ethyl ‘dozed the planet
In an attempt to keep the downtown clean
Still it’s a beautiful day
And the sun is still shining over the James
Oregon Hill is at end time
VCU crept up and lit the torch
West Ave. honkeys don’t forget
That trains still run north
Third per-capita
Next year number one
Couple of quick notes-
Local band Kepone, named after the local chemical disaster, just had a reunion at the GWAR-B-Q.
Ethyl, now known as NewMarket, owns much of the Richmond riverfront, something which is becoming more of an issue recently.
And, yes, VCU is still a concern….
Though in a few ways, Richmond is different from ’98, when there was speculation that it would go from third most murderous city in the country to number one.
Now as far as Dominion Power is concerned, Jim, there is the following reference in the AVAIL song “The Falls” off the 2002 Front Porch Stories album–
i’ve been broke and forlorn and caught out with the best at acca yard
oh it just goes to show, to desert friends like these streets
i would be crazy
to all the years full of backyard parties
winters in hibernation
to assaulting views with dominion at our door
healing but scarred
