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Re: (TV) Arthur Lee
No one's asking you to love their disease, just not to criticize
their disease. It's like criticizing someone for having cancer or
epilepsy. These people have a condition and some do not know how to
fix it or can't. I just lost a grandfather to alcoholism. I was the only
one in my family that knew it. Everyone else would just say, "oh he sure
loves his beer". Yeah, 2 six packs or more a day worth of love. Peoples
ignorance to the disease of addiction in this day and age is astounding.
I too have a Jaco Pastorious story that's too long to get into, but he was
constantly in the wrong place and had too many hangers on that would drag
him down with them. The police are complete idiots when it comes to
addiction.
They were constantly arresting Jaco here and berating him with the exception
of one
fine officer who befriended Jaco and tried to help him. You can only help
those addicts who know they need it and want it. It's too bad that so many
people have to
die because of this dreaded disease. We finally have a way to combat it with
an African herb
that the U.S. Government refuses to allow here because there's some
hallucinations
that go with the detoxification of it's use. The name escapes me at the
moment,
but it confirms my suspicions on the "Governments War on Drugs". There ain't
no war. Just load up the heroin user with Methadone which is 10 times more
difficult
to kick. This herb is a one shot deal. In 12 hours the addict is clean
without the
3 days of withdrawal hell and no desire to use again. Does anyone know what
plant I'm talking
about? M T C
----------
>From: "Jeffrey Germaine" <jpg@sirius.com>
>To: <tv@obbard.com>
>Subject: Re: (TV) Arthur Lee
>Date: Wed, Feb 23, 2000, 1:45 PM
>
>I only speak from personal experience.Perhaps my way is too insulting for
>some. I'm just a very candid person. I've been a drunk,etc.. Been there,
>done that.
>Honestly, I have great difficulty "idolizing" some of these pathetic cats.I
>can appreciate their past efforts but I'm not going to "love" their disease.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>
>To: <tv@obbard.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 8:37 AM
>Subject: Re: (TV) Arthur Lee
>
>
>> jpontrelli@nallmiller.com wrote:
>> > JPG wrote: Sounds like another pathetic loser.
>> >
>> > The man responsible for the first three Love records was no pathetic
>loser.
>> > "Forever Changes" is on an equal plain with "Marquee Moon."
>>
>> I find JPG's attitude amazingly harsh. I have known people with drug and
>> alcohol problems, and have broken off dear friendships because of it, and
>have
>> had friends die because of this. There is a big difference between JPG's
>> smug moral superiority and necessity of pushing someone away because they
>> either need to get better or worse. I wonder whether JPG has ever
>> personally known anyone seriously addicted. Doesn't sound like it.
>>
>> Artistic genius is often coupled with psychological problems that draw
>> such people to drugs (including alcohol) like a moth to a flame. On
>> a very simplistic level, such people can be said to "feel" more strongly
>> than the average "normal" person. How people react to this varies with
>> each person. Sometimes purging themselves through their art is
>> sufficient, sometimes it's not. The drugs come into play because they
>> dull that feeling. Some people can control it, others can't. The drugs
>> that are most often abused to the point of addiction by artists are
>> opiates and alcohol. This isn't a coincidence - these are the drugs that
>> are most effective at toning down these feelings.
>>
>> You can look down your nose at the people who can't handle the reality
>> (or the drugs), but there's a fiendish circle at work against the artist.
>> The feelings help put the genius in the art, but make the artist feel
>> that he (or she) is not really in control. Oddly enough, the drugs at
>> first make the artist feel in control. Used often enough, though, the
>> physical addiction will rear its head, and then there's a whole new
>> problem to deal with.
>>
>> I'm fortunate; I don't feel so out-of-balance that I need strong drugs
>> on a regular basis to help me feel in control. A beer or a toke from time
>to
>> time does fine, and I won't go nuts if I don't have it. I also don't have
>> the spark of creativity to be a good musician or writer or any other type
>> of artist. I enjoy playing guitar, but I have no personal "voice" and
>> don't write my own music. I don't mind; I understand the tradeoffs.
>>
>> Yes, there are people who can make music and don't really seem to have
>> demons to fight. Their music is usually dull and boring. Even people
>> with their demons can make dull music - there are no hard and fast rules.
>>
>> When I hear stories about people like Arthur Lee, I'm saddened to think
>> of the losing battle against keeping balance they're in. Of all the
>> feelings I have, contempt is not among them.
>>
>> Much of this message came from a looong conversation I had with a friend
>> of mine, one of the best guitarists I've ever heard, at a time when he
>> was off heroin and seemed to have a handle on his life and career. Sadly,
>> koyaanisqatsi (life out of balance) took hold later and he OD'ed just as
>> his career seemed to finally be taking off. We'd gotten onto the topic
>> when I casually remarked I'd give anything to play as well as he did, and
>> he replied he'd glady give it up if he could get control of things.
>>
>> Paul, I still miss you.
>>
>> --
>> ======================================================================
>> Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
>> 12 Emma G Lane, Narragansett, RI 02882 - vox 401.782.9042
>> Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa
>>
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>
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