LSD Opinion

[Kollontai]

to all friends:
i have read a book called imagine nation: the counterculture of america........... at the begainning of this book, some articles describe how LSD changed people 's mind and make people rethink about the world..............

[Bruce]

I did some in the early 80's... not sure if it was the real deal. I don't remember hallucinating much, just a bit of visual distortion; I recall heightened senses of smell (tobacco stinks) and hearing; what I found cool was that it is "a complete journey of the mind". Most people try it when they're young and only used it for while... it's a phase. Pot, on the other hand, never went out of style, it only got much better and it's grown everywhere today.
There is an urban myth that LSD will fry your brain if you use it regularly (like daily or weekly, for a few years)... or have long term psychological effects... does anybody here know for sure

There is a new web radio station (for LSD users ) that acquired Bill Grahams (the promoter) collection of concert recordings from the Fillmore East and West, The Matrix, Berkely Community Theater and more. I just heard the best live music from the 60's and early 70's: (google Wolfgangs Vault to find the site)

Derek and The Dominos Let It Rain Fillmore East 10/23/1970
Jimi Hendrix Stone Free Community Theatre 05/30/1970
Cream White Room Oakland Coliseum Arena 10/04/1968
Taj Mahal Corrine Corrina Fillmore West 09/18/1969
Hot Tuna Uncle Sam Blues Webster Hall 01/08/1967
The Staple Singers For What It's Worth Fillmore Auditorium 04/19/1968
Joan Baez The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down Greek Theatre 06/02/1974
Elvis Costello Pump It Up Winterland 06/07/1978
Doobie Brothers China Grove Kezar Stadium 03/23/1975
Great Society Father Bruce Fillmore Auditorium 06/10/1966
Led Zeppelin I Can't Quit You Baby Fillmore West 01/10/1969
Leon Russell Prince of Peace Fillmore East 11/20/1970
Crosby Stills Nash and Young Wooden Ships Roosevelt Raceway 09/08/1974
Delaney & Bonnie Don't Know Why Fillmore West 12/29/1970
Elton John Honky Tonk Woman Fillmore West 11/12/1970
George Harrison In My Life Los Angeles Forum 11/12/1974
The Grateful Dead Johnny B. Goode Kezar Stadium 03/23/1975
Jefferson Airplane She Has Funny Cars Matrix 01/30/1968
Led Zeppelin Dazed and Confused Fillmore West 01/10/1969
Linda Ronstadt Desperado Greek Theatre 09/21/1975
Joe Cocker Delta Lady Fillmore East 03/27/1970
Frank Zappa and The Mothers Peaches En Regalia Fillmore East 06/05/1971
Taj Mahal The Diving Duck Blues Fillmore West 09/20/1969
Peter Frampton Baby I Love Your Way Oakland Coliseum Arena 07/02/1977
Quicksilver Messenger Service Babe I'm Gonna Leave You Fillmore Auditorium 11/06/1966
Booker T. & the MG's Summertime Winterland 06/08/1968
Aretha Frankin Respect Fillmore West 03/05/1971
Pink Floyd Welcome to the Machine Oakland Coliseum Arena 05/09/1977
The Rolling Thunder Revue Life on Mars Madison Square Garden 12/08/1975
Santana Black Magic Woman Fillmore West 12/31/1969
Laura Nyro Walk On By Dancing in the Street Medley Fillmore East 05/30/1971
Sex Pistols Anarchy In The UK Winterland 01/14/1978
The Staple Singers Freedom's Highway Fillmore Auditorium 04/19/1968
The Nice Country Pie Brandenburg Concerto Fillmore West 12/12/1969
The Allman Brothers Band Statesboro Blues Fillmore East 06/27/1971
Jefferson Airplane Tobacco Road Fillmore Auditorium 11/06/1966
Bob Dylan and The Band Ballad of a Thin Man Los Angeles Forum 02/14/1974
Bruce Springsteen Spirit in the Night Berkeley Community Theatre 03/02/1973
Joe Cocker Feelin' Alright Fillmore East 03/27/1970
Big Brother and the Holding Company Farewell Song Fillmore Auditorium 06/16/1968
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Gingerbread Boy Fillmore Auditorium 04/19/1968
George Harrison Give Me Love Los Angeles Forum 11/12/1974
Country Joe & The Fish Here I Go Again Fillmore West 01/09/1969
Derek and The Dominos Let It Rain Fillmore East 10/23/1970
The Grateful Dead Dancing in the Street Fillmore Auditorium 11/19/1966
Neil Young Bob Dylan and The Band Helpless Kezar Stadium 03/23/1975
Traffic Dear Mr Fantasy Winterland 01/25 /973
Leon Russell Girl From the North Country Fillmore East 11/20/1970
Quicksilver Messenger Service Pride of Man Fillmore Auditorium 11/06/1966
James Taylor Blossom Berkeley Community Theatre 10/22/1970
It's A Beautiful Day White Bird Fillmore West 06/30/1971
Bob Dylan The Times They Are A-Changin' Oakland Coliseum Arena 02/11/1974
Emmylou Harris Together Again Boarding House 11/30/1975
Jefferson Airplane Let's Get Together Fillmore Auditorium 10/16/1966
Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe Winterland 10/10/1968
Muddy Waters Chicken Shack Winterland 09/30/1966
Bruce Springsteen Streets of Fire Winterland 12/15/1978
The Chambers Brothers Time Has Come Today Fillmore Auditorium 05/29/1968
Cream Sunshine of Your Love Oakland Coliseum Arena 10/04/1968
Booker T & the MG's Green Onions Winterland 06/08/1968
The Band Up On Cripple Creek Los Angeles Forum 02/13/1974
Miles Davis Directions Fillmore East 06/17/1970
Stoneground Passion Flower Fillmore West 06/30/1971
B.B. King How Blue Can You Get? Winterland 12/08/1967
Big Brother and the Holding Company Coming Home Winterland 06/14/1968
Stevie Wonder Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours Winterland 03 03 1973
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez with The Rolling Thunder Revue I Shall Be Released War Memorial Auditorium 10/31/1975
Boz Scaggs Dinaflow Paramount Theatre 03/10/1974
Creedence Clearwater Revival Suzy Q Fillmore West 03/14/1969
Joni Mitchell and The Rolling Thunder Revue Shadows and Light Madison Square Garden 12/08/1975
The Grateful Dead Samson and Delilah Winterland 12/31/1978
Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield Please Tell Me Partner Fillmore East 12/13/1968
Hot Tuna John's Other Fillmore West 12/31/1969
The Band Bob Dylan and Neil Young Ain't That a Lot of Love Kezar Stadium 03 23 1975
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Help Me Fillmore Auditorium 10 14 1966
Graham Central Station Release Yourself Kezar Stadium 03/23/1975
Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield Season Of The Witch Fillmore East 12 13 1968
Van Morrison Caravan Fillmore West 04 26 1970
Chicago Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? Fillmore West 11 21 1968

[jimmie ray]

That question you have on long term effects was discussed, quite heatedly, I seem to remember - in a thread here a while back. Of course, the answer is - it depends...
Personally, I could agree with alot of what you just said - but also, many of us here don't feel so comfortable revealing too much about some experiences (in print).
But in music, we can be very open - and that's a fine list of live songs you gave us a sample of. I have been watching a Grateful Dead DVD that I got from the local library, "The Closing of Winterland", that has that "Sampson and Delila" song from New Years 1978 on it - what a great show!
Why can't any regular radio stations play varied selections like this?

[gTarFreak]

Radio is dead. Period. I've even been disappointed by some of the internet stations. Although they play the songs, there's no thought put into the programming. They seem to be just random selections. What's missing is a DJ who knows what he's playing and why he's playing it (musically, not economically) and who can enhance the listening by creatively creating playlists on-the-fly with an ear towards creating a mood, not satisfying some management's decree regarding what the polls say the people want to hear.

Actually, I shouldn't complain too much. What finally drove me to learn to play the guitar was the fact that I couldn't find anything new to listen to...

Cheers,
Dave

[jimmie ray]

Yah - where are you, Adrian Cronower?

[lovro_asperger]

I'm on LSD now.

[Dormouse]

My opinion on it:

Look at the influence it had in the sixties. None of the music would have been the same if LSD was not involved. I believe that these kinds of drugs have a place in attaining a higher consciousness, as the concept of the "self" is lost. You can find all the horror stories you want about LSD, but look at what it has done, and what it is possible of in terms of music, and by extension, the soul. That can not be ignored.

Now it is probably a big mistake. First, with any drugs you can come across, it may be contaminated with countless foreign and dangerous chemicals. Then, society has made it very easy to have a very bad trip, with the paranoia and such. However, these problems are not with the drug itself, but with society and people who want to rip you off or harm you. I have not taken LSD, but I certainly would during the sixties, but that time is over.

[Old Hippie]

WOW! I can't believe that two years after I joined this forum I come back and my LSD post is still here.

[gTarFreak]

Funny bit of synchronicity, the first time I saw the Rocky Horror show I was tripping... it was a midnight show and most of the audience was dressed as the characters. Kinda hard to tell the difference between the movie and real life..

Cheers,
Dave

[JonathanR]

The most reliable, nonjudgmental, and reality-based source of information about almost any recreational drug you can name, including LSD of course, is Erowid:

http://www.erowid.org/

Visiting Erowid is like looking up a word in the dictionary--you go into it with one thing in mind, but eventually you notice that two hours have gone by while you were browsing through all manner of unrelated but interesting stuff.

For a fresh look at some important questions, the HEDWEB Good Drug Guide is also a valuable resource, in my opinion:

http://biopsychiatry.com/

These folks really are strongly endorsing the idea of better living through chemistry, but they think that most of the licit and illicit drugs available to most people are still too crude to get you there on time (unlike the Jefferson Airplane of course--thank you Donovan). Even xtc is problematic in their view, because the first few trips are awesome and beautiful, but for some reason most users can seldom get back to that wonderful place, probably because of some fairly interesting neurochemistry that we don't really understand and cannot hack or bypass.

In particular, they put into words the sense I had years ago that humans in general and Americans in particular simply aren't ready for everything the acid experience could offer. If our brains had evolved differently, for example, no one would ever have a scary trip. And since the trip takes up virtually all the usable space in your head, it's tough to take care of small children and navigate your way through the surrounding sea of humanity, all members of which have their own agendas to attend to and too often put a jagged edge into your trip, intentionally or unintentionally. And you just can't do certain things while tripping, even though you might really want to. I think Spencer was once quoted as saying something along the lines of "Take acid before a concert? Do you think I could fucking play???"

Personally, I had all kinds of trips. Some were hot, glaring, and edgy. Others were smooth as silk and light as a feather. The variable quality of the acid available accounted for some of the differences, but the set and setting were more often the most important factors; this is something that most people have learned one way or another. I'd like to think that somehow, somewhere I could find a few good hits to try again before I check out, but at this point I simply don't know where to look. It would be nice to think that my children could find the good stuff and share some with their old man, but they're not into it. Not because of D.A.R.E., mind you, they saw through that bullshit with no help from me. It's more a matter of having better things to do, from their point of view. So I don't know. I do know that acid kept me alive at one or two points, because I couldn't bear the thought of never hearing Jorma, Jack, Spencer, Grace, and Paul in that indescribable way. I guess I also know that it was a good thing that I came back from that long trip years ago, because afterwards I got to do some pretty cool things. I'm really glad that J, J, S, G, and P made it through alive too. The world is a better place with them in it, whatever they may be doing now.

[Dormouse]

I'm sure the Jefferson Airplane would agree with you!

[Dormouse]

Yeah, you're right. I don't think or would I want to imply that LSD is a savoir drug that is always a fantastic trip. I just think of those scenes from Woodstock and Monterey, where a lot of people were high and it fit into that time. But now is very different. When I hear things, though, I do get defensive. My extended family (grandparents and aunt) always made me promise not to do drugs. "Don't listen to sixties music either! It is evil! They used drugs! The Beatles even practiced Transcendental Meditation!! No!" [insert image of person holding their fingers to creat a cross image]
My father (Who introduced my to sixties music) told me stories about how they would go to their church when he was little and break Beatle albums. The Beatles! Imagine how they would have felt about some of those Airplane lyrics if they bothered to listen to them!
So I don't mean to sound like someone who is completely ignorant of potential dangers of drugs like LSD, I have done a lot of research on it! Yeah, you may have a good trip at Woodstock, but if you have a bad trip in the wrong environment, you will be very sorry.

[Dormouse]

I don't know whether or not Grace or any else would be creative enough without drugs. They played a larger role overall. But what I do know is that drugs (let's focus on LSD) was a key factor in leading the counter culture movement of the sixties that included rebelling against authority and trying to form a better society. Without drugs, this would have never occured, or if it did, would have never have gotten as far as it did. LSD allowed a mass number of people to see the reality of the war in Vietnam and to think for themselves, independent and against the government! And if there was not a mass counter culture movement, the Airplane would have very few people to spread their message to. Imagine if LSD where not in the sixties, and the hippie movement never happened! George Orwell's book written in 1948, called 1984, would no longer be in the fiction genre, but it would be fact! Even forty years after many have forgetten the sixties counter culture or see it in a negative light, it is clear that many large nations in the world are, if not already, becoming Big Brother.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four


For anyone that has read this book, think if all the proles took LSD. There would be one hell of a revolution!

In nineteen hundred and seventy-five all the
people rose from the countryside to move against
you government man d'you understand locked
together hand in hand all thru this unsteady land--
gonna roll roll roll the rock around roll roll roll the rock
around lift the rock out of the ground

at the Battle of Forever Plains all my people hand
in hand in hand in the rain the laser way won the day
without one single living soul going down the government
troops were circled in the sun gun found themselves on the
run... from our nation the rock is raised no need to hide from
the other side now... transformation

call high to the constellation headquarters call high to the
most high directors send out the transporting systems and
send out the sun finders
thirteen battalion of mind raiders three hundred master
computer killers from great platforms in the mountains
twenty mile lasers & great giant trackers... twenty miles
south now in 1975 all my people rose from the countryside until we
meet again and touch our hands together in another land
until we meet again & see each others minds we
three have met again and touched our hands talking of
Napoleon in the garden we will muffle the drums tomorrow
mornin gonna roll roll roll the rock around gonna roll roll
roll the rock around lift the rock out of the ground

[DonRico1967]

There have been very many valuable statements and enlightenining comments on this thread, from all contributors.

However there has also been a fair bit of straying from the topical question originally posted which is to say:

In a 1960's-era statement the late great freedom fighter Yippie radical Abbie Hoffman
(not Albert Hofmann the Swiss chemist who first synthesised in 1938 the series of chemicals of which the 25th of series of lysergic acid monohydrates a/k/a LSD-25 was found in 1945 to make you TRIP )
made a statement to the effect:

On a certain fundamental level, he could never fully "trust" anyone who had not dared to "open that door" and peer inside with psychedelics aka TRIP !

Well...

[Meredyth Raye]

she is amazing, it is a drop of sunshine, but like all wonderful things, should not be abused. everything can become simple or too complex, how can she be described...? dreamlike surrealism

its...a time you've been searching for your whole life but never even realized you were looking for it to begin with

I can see how it changed the consciousness of a generation, although I agree when people say it does not give one creativity, only a source of inspiration.