Violence
While go-go's international profile was on the rise in the 1980s, go-go clubs in D.C. were acquiring a reputation for violence. In 1988, an all-star go-go band dubbed the Go-Go Posse recorded "D.C. Don't Stand for Dodge City," conceived, written, and produced by the "I Hear Ya Records" production team of Jonathan Smith, Mitch Bebbs, and Derral Johnson (also known as JJ&J) as an attempt to raise awareness and stop the violence.
One well-publicized venue with trouble was Club U, located inside a District-owned building at the corner of 14th and U Street NW, where numerous incidents—including murder—occurred, leading to the revocation of its liquor license, and eventual closing.
In March 2007, Prince George's County, Maryland, County Executive Jack B. Johnson also cracked down on venues playing go-go music, announcing the indefinite closing of nine area clubs that had experienced a high frequency of police calls many for violent incidents in the preceding year. A court battle ensued over whether the closings were justified, with a court order temporarily stopping the closing of five of the clubs.
Read more about this topic: Go-go
Famous quotes containing the word violence:
“By many a legendary tale of violence and wrong, as well as by events which have passed before their eyes, these people have been taught to look upon white men with abhorrence.... I can sympathize with the spirit which prompts the Typee warrior to guard all the passes to his valley with the point of his levelled spear, and, standing upon the beach, with his back turned upon his green home, to hold at bay the intruding European.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“It was the first female-style revolution: no violence and we all went shopping.”
—Gloria Steinem (b. 1934)
“Football combines the two worst things about America: it is violence punctuated by committee meetings.”
—George F. Will (b. 1941)