Saturday, January 10, 2004

 

Homeland Security,
Code: Orange Sunshine

There was an abundance of materiel to choose from today that begged comment. The California Swartzen-budget, Paul O’Neil’s disclosure of the denseness contained within the Bush cabinet… just as Bush announced new plans for the space program while the rest of us wondered how we’ll pay for it…. But we’ll table those discussions in favor of this “Open Forum” piece in today’s (Fri.) S.F. Chronicle….subtitled, “The Downside of Pop Culture”
The Dead’s Free Ride on Drug Use.

This is a true classic folks… in the tradition of Harry Reasoner poking around the Haight-Ashbury district, asking clueless questions… or Jim Beebee covering the arrival of The Rolling Stones to America. Don’t miss it. I only wish the online article displayed the same photo of Garcia playing in front of a painted American Flag that was in the newspaper.

The guy has a real bug up his ass about coverage of the band in the mainstream media, most notably, “60 Minutes-II”, with Charlie Rose (Is that his Hippie name?) After laying the groundwork for his argument, he states his case:

“……There was no other mention of drugs in the segment -- and no footage of fans getting stoned out of their gizzards at Dead concerts. The news organization missed one of the most important aspects of the story -- either intentionally or because Rose was too star-struck to notice. Some things to consider:

--Garcia was the third member of the band to die of drug abuse -- spanning heroin, morphine and cocaine.

-- Garcia and Brent Mydland, a former Dead keyboard player who died of an overdose in 1990, were known to free-base cocaine and mix cocaine with heroin in what is known as a "speedball," among other abuses.

-- Years before Garcia died, he once lapsed into a drug-induced coma before recovering and going back on tour. Well past the 1960s, he openly promoted drugs, particularly LSD, in interviews.

-- The band's concerts continue to be heavily infused with drugs. It's part of the live-concert experience. It is impossible not to see the vast amount of drug use that occurs at Dead "gatherings." The band plays an instrumental song called "Space" at every concert. Space is spacey indeed. It was created for people who are high on drugs and stems from the early days of LSD use. (~* I love that one)

-- Some of the band's songs contain lyrics and references to drugs. There are drug symbols as well. For instance, "the Dancing Bears" often seen on Dead bumper stickers are also printed on LSD tablets. (~* and THAT one..)

-- Some fans (collectively called "Dead Heads") go so far they are called "freaks" and are known to follow the band from town to town, spending most of their time getting high and listening to the Dead. Other Dead Heads often make light of them. But, the freaks are actually a rather tragic group of drug abusers, often kids and some adults with mental and social problems.
How do I know this? Because I was a Dead fan when I was a kid and went to numerous Dead shows”

~*~ There you go. How can you doubt it now? When he was a kid he went to numerous Dead shows, fer cryin’ out loud! As one who was there for undoubtedly a few more shows, spanning well into adulthood, allow me to offer a quick analysis of first, the author. These seem to be the bitter words of either, A} someone who was not accepted by the prevailing societal standards that made up the crowd that’s been compared to a traveling circus B} someone who couldn’t handle survival in that lifestyle. C} someone who couldn’t handle the drugs. There’s nothing worse than a reformed anything…..smoker, drinker, or Deadhead.

While there are douchbags in every segment of society, my personal experience amongst it was generally favorable and the large majority of people we’ve met are fine upstanding citizens who’ve in many cases gone on to serve society in various functions. I can expound on this, but I’d like to get directly to his article.

To again demonstrate the hypocrisy often found in these all-condemning statements, let’s just start from the first point, “Garcia was the 3rd member of the band to die of drug abuse”. He was actually the 4th. Apparently, Pigpen’s habit of drinking a quart of bourbon a day and dying from cirrhosis of the liver is not considered dieing of “drug abuse”, since indeed the drug abused was legal and approved. The author has no problem with this since it doesn’t even rate a mention. Some years later… his replacement, Keith Godcheaux, died trying to negotiate a deadly double-S turn on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. while trying to also negotiate a crack pipe. A decade or so after that, HIS replacement, Brent Mydland overdosed. Being a piano player in the Grateful Dead was tantamount to being a drummer for Spinal Tap. Bruce Hornsby managed to live through the experience, as did Vince Welnick…barely.

When I was growing up, I used to hear mention made of the tragic death of bandleader, Tommy Dorsey. When I inquired as to the nature of his demise, I was told that he ate a lot of food, went to sleep…and essentially drowned in his own regurgitation. A lovely image, I know. Bongo, Kasha, Wavy,,, and probably Leslie… will attest to that act as being known among us as “pulling a Dorsey”….as in, “I ate so much I’m afraid to go to sleep and pull a Dorsey”. It wasn’t until later that I associated Dorsey’s death with drug abuse…after all, he had to be at least pretty drunk to sleep through that! But that musical legend from our parents era was never referred to as a statistic of abuse. Technically…Jimi Hendrix died of the exact same cause…albeit substitute probably heroin for booze. But of course, as the headlines screamed…and is still believed today… Jimi overdosed. Most people know that Hank Williams died in a single-car crash on New Years Day in 1951. But he was a notorious boozer as well as pill-popper due to his chronic bad back. In all likelihood it was the cause of the accident.

I guess my point is that musicians and drugs are no strangers…in ANY era. It hardly rates headlines!

NEXT; “… he once lapsed into a drug-induced coma before recovering and going back on tour. Well past the 1960s, he openly promoted drugs, particularly LSD, in interviews.” While certainly his long term drug abuse exasperated his medical condition, I believe he suffered a diabetic coma induced by way of a badly infected tooth. As for openly promoting drugs, I believe that would be limited to the use of pot and LSD. I know for many of you there’s a minute differential, if any. But for most of us, I believe the difference is well worth mentioning.

“The band's concerts continue to be heavily infused with drugs”. ~* Thanks for the flash, Gordon. Nobody knew that. Of course, that would only be true of the Dead and their tributaries. Nobody gets “F”ed up at a Springsteen concert. Or to see the Stones. And there’s no alcohol abused at a Las Vegas Wayne Newton show either.

“Some of the band's songs contain lyrics and references to drugs.” ~* God forbid! By all means let us ban these songs from human ears! There are literally THOUSANDS of songs that could qualify under a strict interpretation. Even under a lenient one. I think a firing squad is called for. “"the Dancing Bears" often seen on Dead bumper stickers are also printed on LSD tablets.” ~* So is Mickey Mouse. (I never cared for that idea though) So are a myriad of things.
“….But, the freaks are actually a rather tragic group of drug abusers, often kids and some adults with mental and social problems.” ~* I think that’s a very pejorative opinion. Any culture attracts a share of nutcases. It is indeed my experience that the vast, overwhelming majority of people I’ve met in that group of people have gone on to become productive members of our society. More so than from my Boy Scout Troop!!!
As the hour is getting late for my morning’s intentions, let me skip right down to his closing paragraph:

“One thing is clear: If a religious or cultural organization that attracted thousands of believers condoned drug use and had followers who got stoned out of their minds at gatherings, you can bet "60 Minutes II" and a host of other news organizations would be on the story. But the Dead always seem to get a pass.”
`
I’m undecided on which end to attack this statement from. I guess to start with, the use of drugs at Dead shows is such a NON story that it barely rates mentioning anymore. It’s pretty much a fact understood, but most people don’t really have a problem with confining use to such events. Which is probably why we only see it mentioned by disgruntled former participants. Secondly… to witness another “religious or cultural organization” that condones drug use, check out an Irish wake sometime. It’s religious, it’s cultural…and it certainly condones drug use in the form of alcohol. There are other examples, but that one should suffice in it’s popularity in this country.

Just for the record, this author’s bio is printed under the article:

Chris Plunkett is managing director of Brainerd Communicators, Inc., a public relations firm in New York. A husband and father of two, he often writes about the influence of pop culture on drugs and youth.

The potential problem I see growing out of articles like this is the eventual connection to our old bugaboo, homeland security…as seems to be with EVERY problem we face in America today. After all… we’ve been capturing boats loaded with drugs in the Persian Gulf! The Deadheads must be supporting terrorism! The foundation for this view is already being laid in numerous anti-drug ads seen on TV.
As the hour grows late, I shall delay any further musings on the subject for another time. And I think I could continue too. Would anyone else care to comment in my absence? Knock yourself out. I bid you good night
~Brahma*

posted by ~Brahma 3:20 AM