family guy explain the allure of ecstacy

This made me laugh out loud the other night - Family Guy taking the piss out of why people take Ecstasy. It's not just funny because most of what they say is true (I used to take it a lot), and they are not afraid to state it, it's also the asides such as Peter being told off by Louis and Chris asking what the name of it is at the end, as he obviously wants some.
Classic stuff.

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a panda says - don't do drugs

I've taken quite a few drugs in the past but none have ever affected me in this way. I think l need to sue my dealer as the git was obviously short changing me and selling me below par merchandise. If only l knew where there was an ex lawyer who may be a bit dodgy and do stuff on the side......

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pot growers given away

This made me chuckle.

From JB Barrington's twitter feed (obviously).

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shaun ryder on ecstasy and god's copper

Amongst the many books l've read recently, one was Shaun Ryder's autobiography, 'Twisting my Melon'. In it, he repeats what l (and many others) have been saying for years about ecstasy making people friendlier and it doing away with most of the football violence and general fighting on a night out. As he states, it's now a cliche as it's so well accepted amongst any right thinking folk.

Sadly, as the big clubs and raves are dying out, ecstasy use is being replaced by other drugs such as cocaine, and the football violence is coming back. Time for a revival methinks.

Also, the Anderton he refers to was James Anderton, the chief constable of police for Manchester, who was known as 'God's Copper', due to him stating that he had a direct line to God, which affected his views on morality.

Tosser.

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the chemical brothers - hey girl hey boy

Today's top tune.
The Chemical Brothers - Hey Girl, Hey Boy.
If the world is going to hell in a handcart, and being led there by the privileged few, we may as well party! (or revolt).
Where's my Ecstasy?



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empire of the sun - two vines and pink floyd - wot's uh the deal

Freaky psychedelic electronic rock alert! Here's Empire of the Sun's newie, 'Two Vines', from their album of the same name. Marvellous.
Pass the drugs (but don't touch the brown acid).



And on a related note, here's an 'Obscured by Clouds' Pink Floyd track, the largely ignored (but great song) Wot's...Uh the Deal. I would say it would be a great song to cover on solo acoustic guitar, but plenty of people have already had that idea on youtube.



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revolution - spacemen 3 and lord jamar, plus 'the night of'

Two songs called 'Revolution' today, and neither of them is the famous Beatles one. Lord Jamar's version is pretty recent, and has just been featured in 'The Night Of.' TV series, while Spacemen 3's version is donkey years old. Jason Pierce from Spacemen 3 later went on to form Spiritualised. 'Taking drugs to make music to take drugs to' indeed, but both of these versions are excellent in their own ways.
Oh, and The Night Of series has also been excellent, highlighting the horrors of the American justice system, and the boredom and coping mechanisms of serving time in prison. As an ex lag myself, I know of what l speak!






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the soup dragons and the rolling stones - l'm free

And on the note of being free in the last post -  Here's The Soup Dragons, with their version of The Rolling Stones'  'I'm Free'. Much as l love The Stones, l have to admit that The Soup Dragons version is miles better - especially on Ecstasy (From what l can recall many years ago).



If you want to compare them - here's The Rolling Stones' version, though l can't supply the drugs for the full experience.




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my kind of tv

This looks like it's going to be my kind of programme. The warning stating that it contains scenes of drug use, violence, and of a sexual nature.
Bring it on!

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lou reed and the chemical brothers - l think drugs may be involved

Two songs that have pretty obvious drug references and overtones, from different eras, but both are magnificent tracks in their own right
Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground's 'Waiting for my Man', and The Chemical Brothers 'Hey Boy Hey Girl'.
Myself and Sick Boy have been up to New York's Lexington 125 on shady business, and l can certainly identify with a lot of the visuals on the Chemicals track, so as far as relating to them goes, l'm your man, "feeling sick and dirty - more dead than alive" (or l was at the time).
However, they were happy days indeed, but obviously all behind me now, as l am currently respectable!
God knows how.

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clubbed to death / furious angels

This is one of my favourite moments from a film, as the 'Furious Angels' music (by Rob Dougan) is so atmospheric, and fits the (slightly dragged out) scene perfectly.
From 'Clubbed To Death', a French film from a few years back about a couple of heroin addicts, and the music has since been used (not clubbed) to death in other films, on TV, and in commercials.  Dougan must have made a fortune from it, but if so, he deserves all he got, as the song is a masterpiece.

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the life and times of little richard - charles white

Charles White's autobiography of Little Richard is the sort of upfront Rock and Roll memoir that all others should be judged by.  Little Richard (or Richard Wayne Penniman to his family) is upfront about all his past exploits, eve though the book is from 1984, when he had gone back to the church, thus renouncing his old satyromaniacal ways, and especially his past homosexual experiences (although he swung both ways, and wasn't fussy).  He wasn't just the king (and queen) of Rock and Roll, he also describes himself as a king of jacking off (while getting his titties sucked) and was heavily into voyeurism, mentioning various famous Rock and Roll stars along the way.
He has obviously had conflicting sides to his character all through his life, wanting to be a maniacal performer, putting on a better show than any of his supposed peers, indulging in (what some might say is) extreme behaviour with sex and drugs, while at the same time, believing in the Lord, being good to his family, and always carrying and quoting from the bible.
This (apart from his ground breaking early music) is what makes him such an interesting character, and l am sad to hear that he is not in the best of health at the moment. Mind you, he is not exactly a spring chicken any more (like us all), and is just about to turn 81 years of age.
One of the true greats, and for that, may the Lord make us eternally grateful.

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the pill that gets you drunk (and it's antidote) - prof david nutt

Unless this is some elaborate joke, it sounds pretty amazing.  Professor David Nutt (above) has been working on pills that will re-create the effects that alcohol has,  but the most incedible part of the story, is that once you have the antidote, you sober up and can drive, or carry out whatever task you want.
There's going to be a lot of money made out of this (unless the brewers get to him first).
I'd be watching my back if l was him.
More on the story at The Telegraph.

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jimi hendrix pop art poster

Imagine having this pop art poster on your wall in the 1960's while you were lying around, indulging in free love, smoking pot, taking acid, and listening to Jimi Hendrix while he was still alive and young.
It is from 1967, was on the cover of 'OZ' magazine, and is by Martin Sharp. Reproductions available here.
Colour me jealous.

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breaking bad - my take and family guy's take

Ok Ok, I know everyone has been gushing about Breaking Bad, but as l have recently watched all of the episodes from the beginning to the bitter end (over 60 hours worth!), l thought l should at least post something, but without giving the ending away (although everybody probably knows it by now). I had seen the first series years ago, but decided to start again so l wouldn't miss anything significant, and I'm glad l did. It was one of the best TV dramas that l have ever seen, even if l thought they were clutching at straws a bit towards the end, with the involvement of the Nazis. Saying that, the 'Ozymandias' episode in season 5  was the best of the lot, and will be up there as one of the best hours worth of TV - ever!. For those that don't know, it is a poem by Shelly about the decline and disappearance of a once great ruler, and let's just say the title was perfect.
The cinematography throughout the series was interesting, quirky and evocative, and as for the acting,  Walter White (Bryan Cranston) performance was colossus, and most of the supporting characters added an immense amount to the story arc, tension, comedy and believability. Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) as Walt's sidekick was magnificent, but there were so many others that also excelled, especially the fast food owner Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), general all round fixer Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), and lawyer to the poor and the dodgy, Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk).
My abiding memories will be the shots of the desert and the inside of machines, the walk out of a room after an explosion (with the unexpected facial shot afterwards), plus the high levels of tension and numerous twists and turns that kept you always wanting more (rather like the metamphetamines they were cooking).
It has now joined the likes of The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Boys From the Blackstuff in my personal higher echelon of televisual delights.
I suppose now l should get round to watching The Wire.

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peru women to be probed for six months

According to the BBC, Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid, the two UK women who have pleaded guilty of trying to smuggle cocaine out of Peru, may face a 'six month probe'. I don't know if that is a punishment or a reward.
More on the story here.

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dont drink and drive - take lsd poster

A poster (and sentiment) close to my heart.  If good acid was freely available (stay off the brown acid), l would certainly drink less.

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the simpsons say no to drugs

Seeing this poster on drugs would be enough to put you off them for life. It would certainly freak me out. Apparently this is in a Chinese nightclub.

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robin friday and reading festival 1974

When l was a young lad and my parents moved to RAF Benson (in between Reading and Oxford), one of the first things l did was choose a local football team to watch, which turned out to be Oxford United.
I went to just about all of their home games while we were there, but also some away fixtures (not many, as l  was still at school).
One of these was in 1974 against Reading, in a pre season friendly, where the programme was a single sheet of paper. Myself and a mate also hung around the ground for a bit and met some of the players, some of whom signed the back of the sheet.
One that did not sign (as l don't recall meeting him) was Reading's Robin Friday, who went on to become a cult hero at both Reading and Cardiff City, despite only playing a couple of seasons for both.  He was a wayward lad, drinking, shagging, drugging, being banned from pubs, and certainly a man who did his own thing, despite the consequences.  He was also a great lower league player who was skillful and gave everything in a match, which is why the fans of both clubs loved him (and still do).
There's a great book about him by Paulo Hewitt and Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan (from Oasis), which is well worth reading called The Robin Friday Story (The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw).  Luckily, my piece of paper from this game proves l did see him play. Sadly, he died when he was 38 from a suspected heroin overdose (according to Hewitt).
On a related note, because l was into music as well, l often wondered why myself and mates didn't bother with the Reading Festival, which was pretty much on our doorstep.  Then l saw a poster of the line up and realised why.  I have grown to love The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Kevin Coyne, and the older me would watch George Melly and Ronnie Lane, but at the time it was all Marc Bolan and T.Rex, Sweet, Status Quo and Deep Purple.  This Reading line up would have meant nothing to us at the time, and my first Reading Festival had to wait until 1977.

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keep going with party tabs

Hopefully someone will slip one of these in my drink tomorrow when l am out and about in Middlesbrough. If they do, there will be no complaints from me.

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