1950's drawings on acid

In the 1950's, when the USA government were testing the effects of acid (LSD 25), an artist was given a box of pencils, crayons etc, dosed with some acid, and then asked to draw at intervals during the acid trip  the person who administered the dose.  The artworks below are the results of the experiment.

20 minutes after the dose - no effects yet

 85 minutes later, and 20 minutes after a second dose had been administered (50ug (micrograms) + 50ug)

'I can see you clearly, so clearly. This... you... it's all ... I'm having a little trouble controlling this pencil. It seems to want to keep going.'

2 hours 30 minutes

'Outlines seem normal, but very vivid - everything is changing colour. My hand must follow the bold sweep of the lines. I feel as if my consciousness is situated in the part of my body that's now active - my hand, my elbow... my tongue'.

2 hours 32 minutes

'I'm trying another drawing. The outlines of the model are normal, but now those of my drawing are not. The outline of my hand is going weird too. It's not a very good drawing is it? I give up - I'll try again...'

2 hours 35 minutes

'I'll do a drawing in one flourish... without stopping... one line, no break!' Upon completing the drawing the patient starts laughing, then becomes startled by something on the floor.

2 hours 45 minutes

Patient tries to climb into activity box, and is generally agitated - responds slowly to the suggestion he might like to draw some more. He has become largely none verbal. 'I am... everything is... changed... they're calling... your face... interwoven... who is...' Patient mumbles inaudibly to a tune (sounds like 'Thanks for the memory). He changes medium to Tempera.

4 hours 25 minutes

Patient retreated to the bunk, spending approximately 2 hours lying, waving his hands in the air. His return to the activity box is sudden and deliberate, changing media to pen and water colour. 'This will be the best drawing, Like the first one, only better. If I'm not careful I'll lose control of my movements, but I won't, because I know. I know' - (this saying is then repeated many times). 

 Patient makes the last half-a-dozen strokes of the drawing while running back and forth across the room.

5 hours 45 minutes

Patient continues to move about the room, intersecting the space in complex variations. It's an hour and a half before he settles down to draw again - he appears over the effects of the drug. 'I can feel my knees again, I think it's starting to wear off. This is a pretty good drawing - this pencil is mighty hard to hold' - (he is holding a crayon).

8 hours later

Patient sits on bunk bed. He reports the intoxication has worn off except for the occational distorting of our faces. We ask for a final drawing which he performs with little enthusiasm. 'I have nothing to say about this last drawing, it is bad and uninteresting, I want to go home now.'

Ah, this certainly takes me back to the old days.  Primal Scream, The KLF, The Beach Boys, The Boo Radleys, Love, Spiritualized and many more have a lot to be proud of.
With thanxs to cowboybooks.

toodle pip

hans and eva rausing, and the law being equal

So, Eva Rausing's husband has been charged with delaying her funeral, after her body was discovered in their Belgravia home, with police thinking she had been dead for a week (after he was stopped driving allegedly under the influence of drink or drugs). The death is being classed as 'unexplained', as a post mortem failed to find a formal cause.  The couple were multi millionaires who donated a lot of money to drug charities, and were obviously addicted to drugs themselves.  Their addiction  and downward spiral is tragic, but it annoys me that they look to have been treated differently by the law in the past (and possibly now) because of their wealth. In 2008 Miss Rausing 'allegedly' tried to smuggle 'small amounts' of crack cocaine and heroin into the American embassy in London. Crack, heroin and (get this bit) 52 grams of cocaine were subsequently found in their home.  Now l may be an old cynic, and extremely class conscious, but the couple were given a caution, and charges dropped. Trust me, if that had been myself and the FPO, charges would not have been dropped, and l would be re-acquainted  with my old cellmate 'Bronco' in Durham nick.  Don't get me wrong, l think people should be able to do what they want as long as they don't harm anyone else, and if this couple wanted to stock up on drugs and destroy their lives, that is up to them.  What l hate is one law for the rich, and one for us poor old working class scumbags. Maybe if they had been prosecuted and made to attend drug rehabilitation courses they would both still be alive now, but possibly not, because it is difficult for most people to give up crack, as it is certainly moorish (and yes, l speak from past experience). I'm waiting now to see what he gets for the driving offences, but l'm not expecting much.
Photographs are from The Daily Mirror.

One other thing. Don't believe everything you read. According to The Daily Mirror site, the Rausing's lived in a £16m home. According to The Telegraph, it's a £70m  fortress. Everyone's got an agenda.

toodle pip

does the noise in my head bother you? - steven tyler

As expected, 'Does The Noise In My Head Bother You' was full of rehab, drugs, scatological musings and the history of Aerosmith (with some sex thrown in). There was a lot more whining about the other members of Aerosmith than l expected, and some repetition (the drugs talking), but overall, l enjoyed it, even though l am not a massive fan of the band. I did tape then many moons ago, but l haven't got a clue where the tape is stashed now. Probably in the garage with loads of other crap. One of the best shows l'd seen, even if they were off their faces at the time. Rock and roll maaaaaaaan - it's the lifestyle you expect from your rock stars, as long as they remain cool, but it's a fine line of knowing when to stop, as Steven Tyler himself found out many times.

toodle pip

butterfly on a wheel - the great rolling stones drug bust - simon wells

I finished reading 'Butterfly on a  Wheel - The great Rolling Stones Drug Bust' when l got back from our walk (see below), and l found it pretty interesting, but that's probably due to the fact that l am a sad old bastard who enjoys reading about the Stones, even if a lot of the book went over familiar ground.  It's mainly about the Redlands raid in 1967, but it also has some background stories and details of other raids both before and after the Redlands one.  Not as good as 'The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones' by Stanley Booth, but naturally, it's worth a read if you are a saddo like me.

toodle pip

maggots on a live person

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faker - mike carey

Some young students get wrecked and are spiked with a new substance called 'Angels Kiss', which is being developed as a liquid data storage/memory device. After throwing up, having strange experiences, and doubting there own minds and memory, the government become involved. Of course, this is a big, bad government, so the students have to go at loggerheads with them.
A collection of the 2007 Vertigo series, Faker is pretty damn good, and recommended, and is one of the better recent (ish) comic runs.

toodle pip 

kaboom (2010) - gregg araki

If you like your 'New Queer Cinema'  films to feature young, good looking, polysexual, drug taking, open minded children of the New Order (probably based on this), with some supernaturality, witchcraft and murder thrown in for good measure (and as the good lord Keith knows - l do), then Kaboom is the movie crafted especially with you in mind.
It features all of the above, and a little bit more, even if, at first, it seems like any other American high school movie.
Thomas Decker as Smith (John Conner in Terminator!)  is outrageously good looking, and even prettier than the rest of the cast. The music choices (The xx, Placebo, The Yeah Yeah Yeah's etc) are top notch, and the dialogue is sharp and current. Even the clothes are pretty cool (not green).
Once the drugs kick in, things start to unravel, as an undercurrent of menace starts to infiltrate, and it just gets weirder and weirder as it goes along.
There are strange dreams and premonitions, missing girls, people in animal masks, and plenty of sex and nudity.
So....why is it not superb?
Because the last half an hour feels false and rushed, as though it is a bodged job of trying to fit the various strands together, with no great resolution in sight. It's as if they didn't believe in a plausible way to end the movie, and the ending they chose felt like a let down.
Pah!!
So close to an excellent film, yet so far away.
Saying that, l am certainly going to check out more of Gregg Araki's  films.
As Arnie would say - "l'll be back".

toodle pip

mangez moi (eat me) - billy ze kick

I don't know anything about this video, song (Mange Moi / Eat me), or group (Billy ze Kick), but if the rest of their output is like this, they have found themselves a fan.
It's just great (and l am not on drugs).

toodle pip

2001 : a space odyssey film poster

2001 : a space odyssey is one of my favourite films, and this poster for it is one of my favourites as well.
I've never watched the film on drugs (because l can't imagine such a thing), but it must have been pretty 'far out' for all the 'heads' and 'freaks' experiencing it  (and their drugs) at the cinema back in the day.
Lucky gits.

toodle pip

and talking of cocaine.....smuggling goes wrong

And talking of Cocaine, this man was stopped with 72 pouches of it that he had swallowed to try and smuggle into the country.
I wouldn't want to be the toilet attendant cleaning up at the police station after he has discharged his unspeakably compact and numerous loads.

toodle pip

old age medicine - cocaine toothache drops

I got a phone call today from the mother in law, asking if l would pick up some medication for her mother, as l was off work and live nearby. This l did (naturally cursing all the way), and discovered the medication was for codeine, a strong painkiller.
If it had been back in the old days, l could have got some of these toothache drops instead, as l'm sure they would have done a better job, both killing the pain, and making her full of the joys of spring.
Sadly, Tesco were out of them.

toodle pip

another wild night out - keith moon and oliver reed

Keith Moon and Oliver Reed, two people you don't want to go out drinking with if you want to protect your liver and kidneys.
Luckily for me, l don't want to protect my liver and kidneys (they can fend for themselves), and l would have loved to have had a night (or two) out with Moonie and Reedie (as l'd call them).
Whether l would have wanted to live their lives full time is another matter, as l wouldn't.  Much as l am all for the drinking, drugging, puking, raconteuring, hedonistic and  'couldn't give a toss' lifestyle, both of them in the end seemed to be playing a role they had created for themselves, trying to live up to their reputations as wild and wacky men and not being able to escape their cartoon like creations.
Sometimes, l would rather just read a book or watch the footie with a KFC and a can of coke.
Christ, l'm getting old - pass the meow meow before l'm really past it.

Damn! Too late!!.

toodle pip

another wild night out with jack, dennis and michelle

This looks like it would have been a good night out, and I would bet anything that there had been a lot of alcohol and drugs taken.They certainly don't look sober, that's for sure.
There is also a good chance that this is Dennis Hopper and Michelle Philips wedding do, as their wedding only lasted for eight days, and l can't imagine Jack Nicholson was hanging about with them all the time.
Then again, maybe that was the reason they split up. I would normally think maybe the wedded couple would want some peace, quiet, and a relaxing time on their honeymoon, but l wouldn't think that was the case with these two lovebirds from the party planet.

toodle pip

three people you shouldn't go out drinking with - when stars were stars

What a night out this must have been. All hail, from left to right -  Keith Richards, James Brown, and John Belushi.
Sadly (but to be expected) only one of them is still alive (obviously the inspiration that is Keef).
Stars nowadays? Pah!
Gym going, moisturiser applying, funny haircut wearing, lip syncing and choreographed dancing in 'trendy' clothes bunch of girls.
And that's just the blokes - don't get me started on the women.

toodle pip

limitless (2011) - neil burger

Limitless stars Bradley Cooper as loser Eddie Morra, who has been dumped by his girlfriend, is pretty broke, and can't get his book written.
He bumps into his old brother in law, who gives him a new smart drug (NRZ) that is yet to come onto the market, and although reluctant at first, Eddie takes it (of course he does, or there would have been no film).
This transforms Eddie, as the pill enables him to access all parts of his brain, making him super intelligent, multilingual, tough, a hit with the ladies, and a lot tidier.
Eddie (naturally) decides he would like some more of the little beauties (tablets not ladies), but his previous brother in law just becomes previous, as he is murdered.
Luckily for Eddie (or is it?), he finds the hidden stash and continues to take it. He dresses smarter, earns lots of money, and gets involved with some shady people, including gangsters he borrows money off (you would think he had more sense), and Robert De Niro, who plays Carl Van Loon, a powerful businessman.
Eddie then starts to feel sick, is followed around by dodgy looking men, has memory loses, and gets involved (closely) in  a murder. Eventually (after a bit of bloodshed), he tries to sort everything out, and runs for senate, but is pressured by Van Loon, who knows he is on the drug, and offers to supply it.
I thought the ending wasn't that great, but the film itself was OK, and pretty good in some places (with some great cinematography). Bradley Cooper transforms himself in the film (the good looking bastard), and De Niro is back to his mean old self, and yet.....
The trouble is, films like this also annoy me, as l am always thinking 'He wouldn't do that' or 'Why doesn't he do this', as, after all, he is meant to be super intelligent.
For starters
He must have known he may be watched or in danger after his old brother in law had been murdered, after all, Eddie called the cops to report it, so the baddies would have known he turned up, and may have the stash.
Following on from this, he would have moved and laid low, while making some serious money, rather than being in a hurry and borrowing off a very dodgy criminal (or pay the criminal back afterwards, and then move away).
Rather than showing off with his new found powers, getting featured in newspaper articles etc, he would have avoided the publicity and played down how lucky he had been, to stay safe.
He buys a state of the art secure home for millions, and yet the windows shatter when someone is thrown against them (Pah!!).
One of the first things he would have done is make some more pills himself, rather than reaching into his stash and being surprised there were non left.
I could go on, but my life is already draining away as it is.
A decent enough movie, but they should make the effort and think these things through, but, once again, l suppose there would be no story, as these things (supposedly) make the thing dramatic.
It still does my head in - maybe l need some pills.

toodle pip.

pele sounding bitter about messi

Lionel Messi has won the European Footballer Of The Year (Ballon d'Or) award for the third time, but it sounds like he is getting under Pele's skin, if his recent comments are to be believed.
Pele had other world class Brazilians playing with him, and most of his goals were against crappy teams (and he counted goals in  friendlies).
Messi is still young, and if he stays injury free, will win the award many more times. He even scored another brilliant hat-trick again yesterday evening for Barcelona v Malaga.
Pele was great, but Messi is head and shoulders above anyone else at the moment, and it just sounds as though Pele is bitter.
Maybe his Viagra has stopped working.




toodle pip

I am ozzy

This book is just as you would expect. Ozzy Osbourne has certainly led an eventful life, so you don't have to be a fan of Black Sabbath or his solo work to enjoy it.  All the tales are present and correct (or as correct as he can remember them). Of the tales, there are legion. Biting the head of a bat? Ticked off. Biting the head of a dove? Correctamundo.  Pissing on the Alamo?  Oh yes indeed.  Being taken to court because of backward messages on the records causing fans to kill themselves?  You couldn't make it up. Crashing his quad bike and nearly dying? Of course.  Randy Rhoads crashing into the tour bus in a small aeroplane and being killed? Sadly true. Fighting with a burglar while naked? Only to be expected. Driving for nearly 40 years without a licence and mainly drunk?  The only cool way to do it.  Going into town on the lash dressed in Sharon's dress and being charged with attempted murder after trying to strangle her? Naturally. There are tales of drugs, drink, groupies, poverty, thieving (and the resulting jail term), plus cruelty to animals and women (of which he is apologetic, and says he feels terrible for the pain he has inflicted). All of this is before l have even mentioned the Osbournes TV show.  They just don't make stars like this anymore.


toodle pip

printed t-shirts with bender, todd snider and timothy leary

I got around to buying some dark t-shirt transfers before Christmas, and this is one of the first of my creations. A Bender face (from Futurama) on a grey shirt. It looks brilliant, even if l say so myself.

Next on the list was this Todd Snider one, which looks great as well (and l've got my tickets to see him at The Borderline in London in February!). Hurrah!!!! His only English date.

This also worked out great. An old 'Turn on' poster by Timothy Leary. I should be doing this for a living, l've got such a great eye for what looks tasteful, stylish, and slightly different.

It's just a pity about the other one being wonky and crazed, otherwise, once again, l could have made my fortune.

toodle pip

machete (2010) - robert rodriguez

Machete has to be one of the most violent films l have ever seen, but the violence is also done in a kind of cartoon like and over the top way (Grindhouse fashion) so that it does not always appear real (to me at least). It stars a real life (ex) dodgy bloke (Danny Trejo) as Machete, and he gets involved with (amongst other things), assassination attempts, the cause of the Mexican illegal immigrants, corrupt police forces and drug dealing (and still manages to have sex with the ladies - even when injured and stinking). Plenty of stars are involved (including Cheech as a priest), and l was surprised to see how massive Steven Seagal is (or was), but the action and violence are the main reasons why anyone would want to see this film. It was just like being transported back to the 1970's (but without the Kung Fu).

toodle pip