One of the amazing things about Malicious Intent was their role closing the gap that existed between north central West Virginia and the music scene in the Charleston area. Producing a brand of metal-sludge-punk, Malicious Intent better fit on bills with bands from down south such as Dirt Bear, Chum and Flood than those in the Clarksburg-Morgantown scene. MI found a home-away-from-home at the venues in Charleston area like the Common Grounds, and regularly graced the pages of Corn 'Zine - a paper documentation of the scene by Dana White. Through this, MI singer J.D. Smallridge and Dana became close friends.
Dana's and J.D.'s friendship helped strengthen the bridge between southern and north central West Virginia, and soon convoys of dozens of teenage and 20-something punk-metal-hardcore-alt kids were traveling both directions on I-79. Shows at the Common Grounds in Charleston, Milton VFW, Drop Shop in Huntington, Lost Creek Ladies' Auxiliary Building, Salem Barn and Bridgeport Civic Center were not just attended by local residents but by people coming in from more than two hours away - not always to play but to hang out. The result was a larger, more inclusive, diverse all-ages music scene.
Though the envelope/letter pictured above has no significance other than a humorous read, what it does is represent the bridge of friendship and positive personalities that existed in the state at the time. In West Virginia, where the state's landscape can easily isolate one region from another, this was happening before it was effortless to keep in touch with out-of-town friends via Facebook or social networks. Because of that, I'm impressed and proud to have been part of it and made so many great friends. That is why I will always have so much respect for Dana White, J.D. Smallridge and countless others like Brian Pauley (Dirt Bear, Shindig) who worked their asses off at making an all-ages scene in West Virginia flourish.
Text of the pictured envelope:
This envelope contains absolutely NO plans to undermine the government or manufacture chemical weapons. Nor does it include any intentions to feed starving 3rd world countries. Any attempt to manipulate the contents of this package could, however result in a catastrophic world-ending event. Oh, yes friend the end is soon and I fear that the fragile handling of this package is important for the preservation of mankind and I for one do not want any responsibility of accelerating the end of myself, you, the guy down the street, and everything else in the world. So please, take caution in the handling of this envelope. Thank you and have a very happy, happy day.
That shit wouldn't fly post-9/11. (The terrorists truly have one.)
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