Slave Pit Inc.

Slave Pit Inc. originated in Richmond, Virginia, during the mid-1980s as a shared artistic and production environment associated with the developing Gwar project. In 1984, Hunter Jackson rented space in an old Richmond Dairy building to work on a proposed space-pirate film called Scumdogs of the Universe. He named the studio The Slave Pit. The site soon attracted other artists and musicians. Death Piggy moved into the building after two costumes had been completed, Mike Delaney established a studio known as The Swamp, Chuck Varga joined him, and Don Drakulich later rented space there and moved in. The building became a workshop for an expanding group of performers, visual artists, and fabricators. By 1986, the various studios were contributing props and other production elements to Gwar performances. Renovations in 1987 displaced the tenants, leading the group to move its prop work temporarily to a tobacco warehouse. After being removed from that location, the artists returned to a cramped space in the Dairy building. In October 1987 they established a new Slave Pit at 801 West Broad Street. During this period, the collective shifted from a loose group of collaborators into a more defined Gwar organization. The early group identified in the historical account included Don Drakulich, Chuck Varga, Mike Bonner, Scott Krahl, Dave Musel, and Dave Brockie. Gwar's touring activity gave Slave Pit a broader role. The group completed its first full coast-to-coast North American tour in 1988 and undertook the Death Tour in 1989. In 1990, Slave Pit became a legal corporation. That year Gwar recorded Scumdogs of the Universe in April and released it in July, establishing one of the label's central recorded-music associations. The organization also supported the band's touring and visual production requirements. In September 1991, Slave Pit moved to 2010 Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond. The group filmed Phallus in Wonderland in October of that year; the project was released in February 1992. In 1993, the first Gwar-B-Que was held at the Slave Pit, demonstrating the site's importance as a gathering place and event venue as well as a studio and production base. The roster associated with Slave Pit has included Gwar, Death Piggy, Mensrea, Locus Factor, X-Cops, and the Dave Brockie Experience. The collective's work has encompassed music releases, live-show fabrication, costumes, props, audiovisual productions, and events. Its identity is closely tied to Gwar's fusion of heavy metal with comic-book mythology, grotesque performance art, political satire, and elaborate stagecraft. The name has an explicitly historical interpretation. Michael Bishop, an early Gwar member later trained in music ethnography, discussed the name in a 2015 TED Talk as a commentary on the privilege of the band's white members within Richmond's history of racial slavery. Public sources do not establish a complete current corporate structure, ownership record, executive roster, or confirmed operating status, so those fields remain unspecified.

• 1993

  First Gwar-B-Que

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  The first Gwar-B-Que is held at the Slave Pit.

• 1992

  Phallus in Wonderland is released

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  The Gwar audiovisual project filmed the previous year is released in February.

• 1991

  Move to Chamberlayne Avenue

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Slave Pit relocates to 2010 Chamberlayne Avenue in Richmond and films Phallus in Wonderland.

• 1990

  Slave Pit becomes a legal corporation

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Slave Pit Inc. is formally incorporated, and Gwar records and releases Scumdogs of the Universe.

• 1989

  Death Tour 89

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Gwar launches the North American Death Tour 89.

• 1988

  First complete North American tour

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Gwar undertakes its first complete coast-to-coast North American tour, expanding the reach of the Slave Pit production network.

• 1987

  A permanent Broad Street workspace is established

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  After several forced relocations, the collective rents 801 West Broad Street in Richmond in October.

• 1986

  Prop production begins for Gwar performances

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  The Slave Pit, The Swamp, and Don Drakulich's studio begin producing props and related elements for Gwar shows.

• 1985

  Artists and performers move into the Dairy building

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Death Piggy, Mike Delaney, Chuck Varga, and associated artists expand the shared creative environment.

• 1984

  The Slave Pit studio is established

  [1]Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Hunter Jackson rents space in Richmond's old Dairy building for a proposed space-pirate film and names the studio The Slave Pit.

An artist-led creative workshop and independent label combining heavy metal, theatrical performance, visual art, satire, and self-produced media.

• Artist and recorded-music project

  Gwar

  Gwar is the principal artist associated with Slave Pit Inc. The project combines heavy metal music with fictional characters, elaborate costumes, stage props, theatrical violence, satire, and a sustained visual mythology. Slave Pit has functioned as a production and release platform for Gwar's music, touring activity, audiovisual work, and performance infrastructure.

• Album · 1990

  Scumdogs of the Universe

  Gwar's Scumdogs of the Universe was recorded in April 1990 and released in July of that year. It is one of the major recorded projects associated with Slave Pit's transition into a formal corporation and independent release organization.

• Concert film and audiovisual project · 1992

  Phallus in Wonderland

  Phallus in Wonderland was filmed in October 1991 and released in February 1992. The project extends Gwar's theatrical world into recorded audiovisual form and reflects Slave Pit's role in producing more than conventional music releases.

• Music projects

  Related artist projects

  Public reference material identifies Death Piggy, Mensrea, Locus Factor, X-Cops, and the Dave Brockie Experience among the artists or side projects connected with the Slave Pit roster.

1. 1Slave Pit Inc.en.wikipedia.org