And now for something completely different

[Deleted User]

Hello,
This was posted on an Ampex group I read:
"Psychoactive drugs have long been the Lazy Man's Path To Enlightenment.

Larry is quite right. Starting in the late 19th century and accelerating as
synthetic chemistry was harnessed for this purpose, psychoactive drugs have
been a consistent feature of most "countercultures" and "esoteric" religious
practices. The "Cosmic Circle" in Munich in the early 1900's was already using
Mescaline, for instance.

Generally this was very much an in-group phenomenon, limited to small knots
of "initiates." In the 1950's/60's all of this broke out -- in two ways.
There were those who thought that "dosing" world leaders would turn them into
enlightened overlords. There were also those who thought putting drugs in the
"water supply" would have a major impact. Typical topdown vsw. bottoms-up kinds
of thinking. All this excitement led to the legal sanctions.

The mixture of "religion" and politics in this period is widely documented.
So is the fact that there were only three sources of LSD before the
underground labs got cooking in the mid-1960's. Sandoz in Basle and Eli Lilly in the US
-- both of which had their production "supervised" by the CIA -- and Spofa in
Prague, "controlled" by the KGB.

Larry is also right about "ancient" religions -- which probably all used
something psychoactive to light the fires of mystical contacts. Most importantly
for Western culture, the "religion" of classical Athens appears to have been
based on a natural LSD-like initiation experience -- which took place annually
at the temple at Eleusis with thousands "tripping" together in a big domed
room with fertility-rite paintings on the walls illuminated by ritual fires.

Sounds sorta like the lightshow at Fillmore West in 1967 -- as I recall from
my own experience -- doesn't it? <g>

Ampex content: The Grateful Dead used Ampex gear and were very much at the
center of the LSD-as-religion movement, including the legendary "Trips
Festivals." The band is generally thought to have survived in the early years on LSD
drug-sales proceeds, long before record sales kicked in. The legendary "cook"
who supplied much of the early acid, Augustus Stanley Owsley III (aka Bear),
was also the band's "manager."

Ken

schwarcw

Many ancient cultures in the far east used opium and "poppy tea" made from the poppy flower pods. Lots of material on this.

As far as a "Path to Enlightenment", NO! The addictive nature of all drugs has a much larger downside than any "enlightenment" that can be realized while stoned. I think more thought should be given to the devastation to human lives and the probable loss of the contributions these wasted souls could have made to society.

JUST SAY NO!

Demiurge

organ

Wow! Very interesting. Thanks for sharing that Ken.

Demiurge,
ROTFLMFAO:D:D:D That's awesome! "Marijuana's bad, mmmmkay?" I love that episode.

Shizelbs

Shut your mouths. Psychoactive drugs paid for my house.

Skynut

one of my employees was telling me he saw a show on the History channel that claimed the whole time Christ was alive people were on a form of LSD.
Supposedly back in the day (around 2006 years ago) the people kept rye in wood barrels. When the rye and wood got wet a mold would start to form. This mold allegedly contained forms of hallucinogenic properties that help explain some of the "miricles" that were preformed.

Unfortunatley I did not see the show and am just filling you with hearsay.

[Deleted User]

No problem. Anybody ever go to a Dead "Trips Festival"?
That's a good thread theme, what's the wildest live concert you've ever been to?
Ken

dorokusai

I've been to about 40 Dead shows but don't recall any of them called "Trips Festivals"...but that may have been earlier than my involvement. I would have an exact number of shows, but it really was more dependent on my condition upon arrival.

If a food could be prepared with drugs as an ingredient....a Deadhead will figure it out. They are practically CIA trained when it comes to cooking ability.

I think PixieDave is a big DH...but he's been away for some time.

organ

Kenneth Swauger wrote:

That's a good thread theme, what's the wildest live concert you've ever been to?
Ken

LOL:D. The wildest one for me was the 2003 Metal Gods Tour. Pain Museum, Amon Amarth, Carnal Forge, Primal Fear, Immortal and Halford. Indoor smoking was still allowed at that time. I walked in there with a cigarette filled with MJ and got really stoned and head banged like a crazy sob.

[Deleted User]

Good one, Organ.
I went to a Pink Floyd concert, at Merryweather Post Pavillion in Columbia, MD. that had four huge speaker arrays set up for "quad" sound. It seems the Columbia grounds crew had stacked a small fortune's worth of fresh sod near the back of the concert area. Floyd started playing the complete Mettle album at very high volumes combined with a wild light show. People started throwing the squares of sod like Frisbees, zinging them over the audience. At that time there wasn't the barbed wire fence they have now and you could bring whatever beverage/herb you wanted. It was unbelievable. It caused Columbia to ban all rock concerts for years and years. Night to remember.
Ken

George Grand

In the early 70's I went to see Mountain at The Sheaffer Music Festival in Central Park. Couldn't get in so we sat outside on the rocks, which was really just as good as being inside. The amphitheater was round, with a sidewalk and streetlights all around it. NYC cops were stationed all along the sidewalk path with their backs to the theater and their faces to the crowd. They were staring into the streetlights, and the crowd on the hill which sloped up and away from them. Every once in awhile some chowderhead would toss an empty bottle (Boone's Farm probably) at the cops, who couldn't see where they were coming from. Nobody thought this was sporting (except the throwers) and reacted with boo's every time a bottle crashed near the cops. Every once in awhile, the cops would catch sight of a tosser, and a bunch would run up into the hill's darkness, and then drag the punk down the hill into a paddy wagon or squad car, which was met with roars of approval from the crowd. The **** really hit the fan though before long, and the whole thing turned into a full-scale riot. **** flying everywhere, and I'm with my friend Joe and his wife who was about 7 months pregnant.

That was the only time a concert that I attended at that venue would disintegrate into chaos. I saw The Band, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and a bunch of others there. The first bands I saw there were Frank Zappa & The Mothers, who were warmed up by Buddy Guy and his band.

organ

Wow, Ken and George. You guys have been to some crazy shows, eh?

Ken,
I'm surprised you still remember the details from that night after all the mind altering substances;).

Let's hear some more. I'm sure other members have a story to share.

Polkersince85

There's probably a lot of memories from that era that won't be remembered.

Tour2ma

doro a DH... with 40-ish concerts no less... I'd never have guessed that.

Wildest Concert por moi???

Probably Santana circa '72 in Cleveland's Public Auditorium... They just flat tore it up.

Rhythms so strong all 18k or so in attendance were on their feet for 2-1/2 hours.... and their feet were not on the floor.

Everyone was at least standing on their seats and many of... ahem... us were standing on the seat backs. At least those of us on the main floor were.

Only time I've ever left a concert physically drained.

Not sure if there was an opening act, but if there was, I've forgotten who it was.

Polk65

I came into this world after the good old days, before laws supposedly written to protect us eliminated certain outdoor liberties at private paid functions such as smoking. My recollection involves two Pink Floyd concerts.

The first was hearing "Delicate Sound Of Thunder" in surround sound (for the first time) at an amphitheater. This left an impression I will never forget.

The second was at a concert hearing and seeing some commotion coming towards me. I could see hair and movement in the darkness then the sight of two people jumping over seats. The first person was carrying some t-shirts and the other was non other than Bill Graham! They passed me by only two chairs and continued behind us into the darkness. I'll bet that guy never sold another bootleg t-shirt.

Then there is a vague memory of a pink pig flying through the air with flashing eyes but the rest I cannot remember. There was a haze all around.

ND13

420;)

[Deleted User]

Alright George! Mountain was a great group, Felix Pappalardi, Leslie West. "Nantucket Sleighride" still causes severe "air guitar" when I hear it.
There used to be a small concert venue "in the round" outside of Baltimore that had some great acts. Once the opening act for George Carlin was Kenny Rankin. The audience was being really rude, telling him to, "get off the stage", "we want George" stomping their feet. Carlin was a good friend of Kenny's and he came out and read everybody's beads. Told the audience they were jerks and should have more respect for people who are trying to perform. Let me tell you George Carlin can really tell you off in style.
Ken

heiney9

ND13 wrote:

420;)

Forgot about today being 420 day .

H9

dorokusai

Tour2ma wrote:

doro a DH... with 40-ish concerts no less... I'd never have guessed that.

Wildest Concert por moi???

I would say my best/worse sober experience was Pink Floyd @ Raleigh/Durham, NC. I had to drive so I couldn't drink...buddies were sloshed. We had lawn seats on a hill. We stood most of the concert with a couple breaks in between; however, the view sitting was still great. I wondered if it had rained the night prior because of the ground being damp, but didn't pay much attention. After the concert, the lights went up and I turn to my buddy, who was HAMMERED, and hes pissing all over the ground, around himself.

Me and about 7 other immediately pissed off concert attendees had been sitting/standing in my friends urine most of the evening. It wasn't a high point in my life.

Sonically, it stands out as the best concert I've ever been to....while sober.

My best tripping the light fantastic concert was Soul Asylum/Spin Doctors & The Screaming Trees @ Hershey Park, PA. The Spin Doctor's opened and were great, then came Mr. Ego, Dave Pirner from Soul Asylum....and when he wasn't get the crowd reaction he wanted, he told us all to **** off and left the stage after about 3 1/2 songs. Then the Trees came on and blasted into right into Sweet Oblivion....with Mark Lanegan tearing up the vocals. It was amazing, they completely tore down the stadium and the visuals coming from the stage were on par with the kick **** melodies. I'll never forget it, and have been a fan ever since.

The order may have been the opposite, now that I reflect, but I'm suprised I even remembered that much data from the concert.

zombie boy 2000

Any of the Flaming Lips shows I have attended have been absolutely perversely, beautifully strange. I have never (at any of the shows I have attended) "felt the love" from both audience and group as a band performs as i have at these events -- random strangers transforming into family. If anyone remembers the last tour, they would pull about twenty people from the audience and have them dress up as animals (zebras, wombats, ducks, whatever) and have them cruise the audience handing out hugs or meander on stage doing whatever came to mind -- it was all gravy. All while the Lips play their own psychotripic love indie brand of musicola. Giant confetti guns, Wayne Coyne "walking" on top of the audience in his giant inflatable hamster ball. The world's biggest disco ball, and enough love and positivity to win over ANYBODY. To know is to love 'em.....

Demiurge

F'lips are fun, but ungodly psychotic. Their new album is extremely disappointing, they must have ran out of fantastical things to sing about, like robots.

heiney9

I think the strangest and still most enjoyable show I've ever seen is semi-famous Midwest band called the The Frogs. click link March 12, 2004.

They are really hard to describe. I was expecting a truely uninspired show and begrudgingly went with a group of friends. What I got was an extremely quirky, bizarre, very inspired rocking good show. The band members are weird looking, weird acting, weird costumes, weird lyrics. I swear I was tripping and I was only drinking beer. No need for psychotic drugs at a Frogs show, the show is enough to get you tripping

The audience and group members constantly were throwing insults at each other (common practice at their shows) and some of their lyrical content is pretty dicey. But they are campy and satirical in the same way the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" was/is. I came away throughly entertained and had a great time and the music wasn't half bad either.

Best way to describe it is if "Monty Python" was a musical group.(that's a compliment, I love MP)

I believe they tour the Midwest occasionally anybody here in the area is encouraged to check them out, they call Milwaukee WI., home. Go in with an open mind and you might have some fun.

zombie boy 2000

the Frogs are huge here in Louisville.. they've played at a really small venue called the Rudyard Kipling a few times and the town goes bezerk clamoring to be there because the place accomodates roughly 75 to 80 people... I wouldn't even call it a "venue", maybe coffehouse/bar...
show's are just as you describe 'em H9

[Deleted User]

Now that I start thinking back I can remember seeing James Brown at the Baltimore Civic Center in '69 or '70. Great show. Talk about a tight backup band, those guys hit every note perfectly. This is when James would do the staged collapse, go down on one knee then the crew would come out with a cape and drape it over his shoulders. Then they'd help him to the side of the stage and he'd throw off the cape, run back to the mic, and sing three more songs. Unbelievable energy and showmanship. Driving home we were sideswiped, some guy came flying out of a side street and clipped the rear bumper and drove off. Put a real damper on the fun.
Ken

heiney9

James Brown was/is awesome. I never had a chance to see him perform live, but listening to many of his recordings, he is the definition of a Legend. I can't think of one single person who has more Soul and Funk than James Brown. Listening to Live @ the Apollo gives me goosebumps and makes me want to shake my thing, and if you've ever seen me you know I can't shake my thing .

H9

heiney9

zombie boy 2000 wrote:

the Frogs are huge here in Louisville.. they've played at a really small venue called the Rudyard Kipling a few times and the town goes bezerk clamoring to be there because the place accomodates roughly 75 to 80 people... I wouldn't even call it a "venue", maybe coffehouse/bar...
show's are just as you describe 'em H9

Same type of venue. Upscale bar with very limited space, perhaps for about 40-50 people safely. They had a good turn out, but I wouldn't say people we clamoring. They certainly have a large following all over the US, not just the Midwest. The last couple of years they've cut way back on touring.

H9

reeltrouble1

Frank Sinatra, Irvine Meadows Ampitheater, Irvine Ca. a couple of mooks went over the hill and did not come back!!!! Yikes, I didn't ask, they didn't say.

Bow Wow Wow--holy crap, alot of bouncing boobies getting air that night.

Ozzie Ozbourne of the bite the bird head days, that was pretty wild, but he did not bite the bird as PETA was on to him

The Kinks---A bunch of chord crunchers up for anything from the crowd.

Jefferson Starship--Grace Slick invited the crowd into the pit in front of the stage, those Security Guys beat feet like kittens running from a Bull Dog.

Fleetwood Mac--for reasons forever needing to be held in secret.

RT1

George Grand

Hey Ken,

Well, Never in My Life! Not a lot of folks know that Mountain was the opening act for The Allman Bros. the night they recorded the double album "Live at The Fillmore East". The entire show was broadcast "live" on WNEW-FM, and I taped it in its entirety on a Vivitar cassette deck. I had The Allman Bros. Live at the Fillmore East a long time before it was released on vinyl, and the corresponding live Mountain album YEARS before it was released. The good old daze.

It just came to me! Corky Laing on drums with Felix and Leslie! Someday I'll figure out just WTF "Theme from an Imaginary Western" was about.

shack

Kenneth Swauger wrote:

That's a good thread theme, what's the wildest live concert you've ever been to?

Bloodrock - 1971 - Knoxville Civic Coliseum... I remember leaving home for the concert...I remember leaving after the concert (only because we - long haired hippy types - got lost in the projects soon after the show - and caused a bit of a rukus). 35 years later bits and pieces of the actual concert are creeping back into my concious memory . It was VERY loud...lots of smoke(s)... A naked girl (streaking was in vogue at the time) and....well....it's still coming back to me.... What I CAN remeber was.....memorable.

Tour2ma

heiney9 wrote:

James Brown was/is awesome... he is the definition of a Legend.

And the originator of "the ONE".

Working in his band was a tough gig. He was a brutal prefectionist when it came to his arrangements and fined anyone who messed up in concert.

There's one famous performance video of him where a horn player minimally messed up. You have to really focus to hear it. Anyway JB immediately turned to him and improvised, "I got you. I got you." It fit so well with the bridge that was being played that the audience thought JB was just playing with the tune. The horn player knew different.

POP Quiz: Who played guitar in JB's band for a few months in the mid-60's?

F1nut

I probably shouldn't talk too much about those days, I'm sure there are some LE types still looking for me.

One of many Grateful Dead Trip Fests that stands out was the '72 (I think) "wall of sound" tour. I've never seen that many speakers on a stage before or after. The sound quality has never been beat.

I was knighted by George Thorogood using his guitar at the University of Maryland.

Little Feat at the Warner, countless times. Strangest thing, it always snowed indoors there, heavily.

Jerry Garcia and band (aka Grateful Dead) at the Kennedy Center. Talk about a unusal place for a rock concert. I'm in a 3 piece suit, girlfriend in an evening dress, they are serving mixed drinks in real glasses to everyone and everyone is smoking weed on the terrace, toasting what a great country we live in.

Out of all the concerts I remember and the many that I can't remember right now, if ever, the wildest has to be the Fiddler's Convention in Union Grove, NC. I'm still not quite sure how I made it out alive and that's all I'm saying.





Ken, I was at that PF show at Merriweather. Truly unbelieveable! The "in the round" venue was called Painter's Mill, many a great show there. I'll bet we crossed paths a few times back then.