Topic: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

This a weird topic, but it can help people to understand better the drug scene. Probably I mentioned it already, but my profession is medical doctor, with special interests in mental problems, like addiction. It's also a knowledge and very interesting to see, how simple guys show, the younger they are, the more chance to end like this. I would even use the word split personnality.

It is already long ago, but after the dead of Jim Morisson, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, some music magazines had their own deathlist. On the top, I am speaking of the early seventies, the numbers 1 & 2 were Lou Reed & Keith Richards. The reason why Keith didn't die is like it is with alcohol, and medication, some people taking 1 valium 5mg sleep the whole day, while others can take 50 times more. Alcohol, some people are drunk after 2 glasses, while others are still standing after 25 drinks. I think it is depending on your constitution. Also, the more money you have, the better the quality is. Even when you take coke (classical way: through the nose) you inhale at the same time, from 1gram cocaine, there is maybe left 30%, and 70% real dirty products, ammoniak, it is incredible how they do it. Dealers, making 7 kg out of 1 kg.

If you read a book, like the one BILL WYMAN wrote, they have been through a lot. You know, that there is a theory that the only reason, why Keith Richards is still alive, is because he had always, the highest quality and pure heroin.

I have been MD on the biggest rock festival in Europe, ROCK WERCHTER, and I have to admit that I saw a lot. One example, do you remember the happy mondays?, I had to enter their trailer for a reason, and 10 minutes later, I came out of the trailer, and everything was so funny, and I even didn't smoke, but 10 others did.

I must tell also that there was an evolution in the + direction, most of them are health freaks now.

I can also understand that because of the stress, they wanted to be in a higher level. But aren't there a lot of people, also with a lot of stress. It is sad to see, how talented guys, loose control. Their only boss is king alcohol, with his family: princess Heroine, prince Coke, and they have nephews like xtc and a maid named Mary Huana. What is your opinion on this one?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

I really love to hear other opinions and ideas concerning this subject. I have seen a lot, being "back stage" doctor on the probably biggest rock festival.

But that is just me, that opinion, or consider it maybe as a statement

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Hi Docphil

In my humble opinion there are 2 very strong  emotions 

Love and Fear ! The latter it seems is the one we focus on more..

Our Fears Produce to much adrenalin in the body.. To much over long periods of time , gives us physical symptoms, which frighten us. I feel its at this point people turn to drugs drink, or whatever to rid themselves of the problem... this may sound to simple, but the body is doing exactly as it should do.!  There is no mystery to this, we send the messages to our brains. { Sick thoughts = Sick Bodies }  We on the other hand refuse to listen to messages our brains send us. and so it goes on. The never ending spiral of Fear Flight or fight Syndrome.

Some of us have to go there to find OURSELVES..


Old  Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Gitaardocphil: From some experience, a huge percentage of young persons (P.C. but I mean young men) get in to rock"n"roll for the "sex". Unfortunately but true, then comes the drugs as a perk to say. It's always there, the sex a way to get closer to the band, the drugs the same.



I was speaking to my sister the other day in regards to letting my hair grow again (I usually get a Marine type hair cut high & tight) and getting a new band together this summer and told her this. "If I would have continued to chase my dream of "rock star" I would have been dead by now because after all excess is best!(jokingly) God had a bigger plan for me and now is letting me realize it!


My reply to my sister was "He is revealing this to me now". "How come HE didn't tell me then I would have still made it without the drugs". 


People think that the sex & drugs will fill the void in their lives. They just mask them until they become sober.


Bootlegger.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

A lot of true words being spoken here. 


It shouldn't be forgotten though, that a substantial amount of the music that shaped later musicians tastes and ideas, peoples lifes and indeed society as a whole was written by artistes who were higher than an astronauts kite.


My opinion is that although the drugs side of the music industry maybe aint the cleverest thing for you to slide into, without it music would be a far poorer art form.


Maybe too much of a generalisation, but it's my opinion that the type of folks who get into making music are those of a creative slant, always looking for new ideas, new inspiration.

Bearing in mind that the use of drugs, particularly halucinogenics - whether they be mild or strong,  do open up the 'doors of perception'...as it were..for me it's no surprise that musicians or indeed ANY creative artistes try too harness them and use them for their own creative ends.


Sex?  Well everyones into that! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">


Of course, it could just be that they enjoy that escape from reality. However it's a fair chance they were using drugs before they feel the need of escapism in the industry anyway.


In conclusion; Sex is good. Drugs, used in moderation are also good. Rock n Roll is fantastic.  Mix the 3, add some alcohol....man, you gotta party going on! 



Craig.  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

I agree with everything Craig just said there. But this will not stop me mentioning a few names, great names, and yes, I mention him a lot and I shall do s again.


Syd Barrett ( first singer/guitarist wit hthe pink floyd) A true legend! an LSD casualty.

He got so much out his face on drugs he was left out the band because of his erratic behaviour. Before dabbling he was a gifted song writer, he influenced the phsycadelic scene in the 60's in a very very big way. Musicians in the London area respected his work. early floyd influenced the beatles for their sgt peppers album and tangerine dream and most other bands that wanted to go in that directon of music.

I am led to believe through books that it was pink floyd that introduced colourful lights to music, so maybe without Syd being outhis face and experimenting, we might not have such colourful lights? ( probably would)

JImmy hendrix, a superb performer, wrote some great classic songs while out his nut. Lots were not interested in his music but what he done on stage while on drugs. So without hi drug fuelled concerts would he have got so big?

And back to Pink Floyd.

People think they took drugs all the time, they didnt!!. During the tour of the wall Roger waters was so pissed ofwith people going to see them and smoking hash and takingdrugs he decided to build a big wall on stage and the band would play behind it, so the audience would not see the band but only hear them. Ths pissed off david gilmour and richard wright so they compromised and did show themselves when the all got broken down, as well as the odd appearance thru the show.

So thru drugs and music, or the annoyance of drugs with music, Roger waters created one of the best ever stage shows in the world for a concept concert.


Drugs as said, opens the mind to think differently ( and I can vouch for that  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_rolleyes.gif" border=0 alt="Rolling Eyes">  )

But I think drugs should be left well alone, especially if it is just for the purpose to write music or perform it. Might be ok to sart with but after all these great names that have been mentioned have died or had to resign from music what is the point?


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Don't forget Syd Barrett had a nervous breakdown and just recently died. He was replaced by David Gilmour. Sex while gratifying can also become an addiction (Steven Tyler). It can't kill you (unless you get AIDS) but what a way to try.


Bootlegger.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

I did drugs out of hopelessness and hope got me off of drugs. Drugs (pot,LSD,ect) helped me be more creative and think in a new way but I eventually became so detached from the world that I really couldn't function as a decent musician anymore. I'm glad I did it but I'm more glad I stopped.

"Nobody paints by ear so why would I play guitar by sight?" hmm

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Here is a sobering fact: You are your brain . . .  Anything that messes around with the basic wiring and functioning of your brain is probably not a good thing to do.


Long-term use of any psycho-active substance will not 'improve' anybody's brain and/or enhance their creative abilities.  Long-term use of drugs or alcohol will decrease an individual's ability to learn, think, and process information.


Long-term use of some substances can fundamentally change the way a person's brain functions.  Drug addicts often times become so fundamentally and irreversably addled by drugs that they are unable to relate to anybody in a meaningful way.


Regarding sex - back in the 70's and 80's I was in the Special Forces of the Sexual Revolution.  I valiently wielded my mighty weapon to and fro on the front lines of the sexual revolution - heroically fighting to make the world safe for free love. 


That was many years ago . . . The sexual encounters I now remember the most vividly and fondly are all from meaningful relationships.  The one-night-stands just don't stand out and in retrospect I realize that is because they were truly meaningless and devoid of any emotional significance.


And we thought herpes was scary!  This mighty warrior can no longer fight as long and as hard and as often as I once did.  I also now confine my freedom fighting to a monogomous battlefield -

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>american chaos theory wrote on Tue, 17 April 2007 05&#58;03</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
. ...'I'm glad I did it but I'm more glad I stopped.'
</td></tr></table>



That sums it up perfectly imo.




PMSL at James valiantly weilding his mighty weapon on the front line of the sexual revolution.


Thats one way of putting it!  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">




Craig.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

I am really glad to see all those different answer.

I was a lot in contact with "users" due to professional reasons. I can understand at least 90% of the "why". You start to take something, especially when the stress is high. It starts with innocent stuff, like medication to sleep, slowly a lot of them start with a kind of speed. I tried to avoid these things, but sometimes I had to. Strange but true: a lot of sleeping pills, one of the most known is ROHYPNOL, and our country is "famous" in prescribing drugs, meaning legal. Nobody cares, every patient goes around from one doctor to another. I prescribed at last "caffeine" 200-300mg, it is like drinking red bull's, and I was very engaged with these people, retracting a lot of persons buying "legal" stuff on the black market. Concerning XTC, it is dangerous, and they call it party drug. I admit that about 90% took this drug just in the weekend, and NOT in the week. To stop, it ain't easy, but if are motivated: it will work. But the BIGGEST DRUG is ALCOHOL. I have seen what a destruction this product and you can get it everywhere. This "drug" is so normal, because you can get it almost everywhere, that finally nobody stands still, while they drink a beer, concerning the problems. I have still one thing on my heart: if you start to sell cocaine and/or heroin in a legal way, a lot of countries will have very big problems, because a lot of these drugs are kind of supported by a lot of governements. Young artists take it often for so called "inspiration" to write better songs, and than they start to take more and more: opportunity, tired, flashes and at the end they HAVE to take it, just to function more or less normal. The tolerance is a lot higher and to be honest, if somebody out there has used, you will never get back the same feeling after taking drugs during 3 days.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Its a very naive to group all drugs together. There's a whole lot of difference between pot and heroin for example. Recent studies show that alcohol and nicotine are more harmful than pot, e and acid.

Many great cultures in this world believe that drugs are an important part of spiritual development. Don't blame the drugs. Blame the loss of ritual.

As a songwriter, I have written my best songs sober but I usually formulate the ideas better while intoxicated. Most of the best songs I've written have come from times when I was into drugs and alcohol way over my head or when I was trying to sober up. The important lesson for any drug user is that soberity is also important. Sober moments are when you can put to use what you have learned from drugs. I believe that exploration of drugs can be a period of amazing growth in anyone's life but they have to be smart about it--make sure that some sort of spiritual exploration is involved in your drug use and make sure you pure stuff.

I once attended a Navajo peyote ritual and it is still one of the defining moments of my life. The ritual is important. Most drugs are plants and they were put here for us as tools. That said, you gotta use the right tool---you don't hammer nails with screwdrivers.

As for sex, its always better with someone you care about but a one night stand here and there can be a lot of fun.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

I love this answer. I know a lot about this subject, because I did use while, when working. The variety was going from, he so called Benzodiazepines, like valium, up to amphetamines because I "taught that I needed it, to take in the morning, to have a head or brain that worked better, because I worked so hard. I also used to drink, the limit here is now 0,5 pro mille, but 15 years ago it was 0,8 promille. I could say I am proud because they never catched me. I knew all police officers, very good, was even for a longtime medical for the police, and in that time It was like "pill or drugheaven" for me. We got al this, irresponsable stuff, for free as samples. I am NOT at all proud of this part of my life, I told they never catched me: WHY: Because I knew the effects of combination different kinds, and after a few drinks, you were mostly still functioning, almost nobofy saw it and if they asked something about my eyes or behaviour, I told them that I was to tired. The thing with drugs is that in my case I could take 50 times more than compared to the average. I know so much about this subject, consequences, and stopping (never in hospital), sometimes with "cold turkey", if on holiday. Finally I realised that I messed up my life, my EGO, my family relations, only a very few patients knew this. I have to admit, if you put an alcoholic in a bar, very easy to styart again. In my case the same. But I am VERY PROUD that I was able to turn this BAD thing into a GOOD thing because I could share my experience with my patients, and I am also proud that about 20 patients stopped after being followed by me. I want to write a book about this problem, I am sitting here every day, because of sequels of an accident, and I wrote one about depression. I can go on for hours, so if you, reading this, and you recognise yourself don't hesitate to send me a personal email, I know what I did and because of this, I know what to do. This was not so easy to write, but if I can help 1/100 people it is worth to have written this.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Hi James,

I have heard of Brave Heart ? But Brave ? at the forefront of battle !!

You have a wonderful command of the English Language.

Good Post..

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Lena, as a woman what is your point of view of the trio sex, drugs & rock & roll?


Bootleger.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Hi Bootleger,

this may not be what your asking ? But this is how I feel about same.


First of all, why make them a trio ? Sex on its own {with the right person } is Orgasmic.. and lasting.   One night Stand sex, Is a moments rush and soon forgotten, no lasting high, just a blip in ones life!

Our love of Music  Both playing and listening too can be orgasmic. It makes us feel great and takes us back to times  and places, with great emotion. So good, you remember who was their and even what they were wearing. Play a piece of music, think about it, and what memories come up?

I only have to hear the intro to "Shape Of My Heart"  {Back Street Boys}  and the emotion trancends  me to another time and place!

The 1st and 2nd take us to a Natural High.



Now add drugs to the same scenario.  To me they interfer to much with the bodies mechanism, maybe create a high, but not a natural one... they Blur our vision, deplete us of real raw emotion.. "The day i dont feel my pain will be a worrying one for me!". If a red light came on in your car, you would take it to a machanic, to see whats causing it?. We on the other hand ignore our red lights!!


We have lost many great musicians, because of same, Phil Lynott was brillant,played in our local clubs.. He was mesmerising to watch and listen too. The natural high was'nt enough It seems, he added drugs and died a young Man.


There is a place for drugs in our world, just dont mix them " Get High On LIfe ".. Keep them separate.  I Dont want to sound all holier then thou, Been their done that and will never wear the tee shirt again !!  As the song says

"I Hope You Dance "

Old Doll,

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Thanks, Lena for your reply.

My point as you answered was the view point and the difference of response. A man will answer with his head not considering emotions or lack of them and that's why we group them together. "With rock & roll (in a band) you'll get the sex & drugs". While a woman thinks with her heart and weighs the consequences, that's why I asked your point of view. The orignal core that being the love of music gets lost.


Once again thanks.

Bootlegger.

Re: SEX & DRUGS and ROCK'N ROLL

Hi bootleger,


I forgot to tell you ,"i was never in a rock band ".But I was a lead singer in a folk group, late sixties,and seventies. Maybe that makes the Difference?.

Just an afterthought!!


Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !