In a recent TEDx talk, Michael Bishop—lead singer of the band and human slave of Blöthar—explains how Richmond, Virginia’s Confederate past and post World War II decline help explain the origins of the musical group of grotesque, blood-spewing intergalactic barbarians.
Once known as the “Harlem of the South,” Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood suffered greatly from regional sprawl and an ill-planned elevated highway that tore through the neighborhood after the war.
Its quirkiest building, the Richmond Dairy building, closed in the early ‘70s.
The former milk-bottling plant, anchored by three corners that resemble giant milk bottles, soon became a haven for artists looking for studio space and cheap rent.