Month: August 2020

The Strokes from their new album “The New Abnormal.”

With Radiohead I am reminded of visiting Joe back when he was living in the district’s Dupont Circle region with Mara.

I ventured out on my own via yellow cab (pre-Uber) to see Radiohead perform at the club The Black Cat. Probably one of the top five shows I have attended.

The other four were probably at the now “restaurant only” club The Satellite formerly called Dreams/Spaceland on Silverlake Boulevard. Particularly several Earlimart shows when that band was at the height of their powers. Seeming to channel Elliot Smith-like master harmonies at the venue Earlimart and Smith considered hometown.

Smith spiraled down quickly from smoking crack and eventually committed suicide. He suddenly ceased all his psyche prescription medicines before fatally stabbing himself in the chest. Smith suffered from wild delusions like surrogates from his record label Geffen were following him around in white vans.

Some creative types historically have not done well under the umbrella of a major label. The pressure to produce, “hits,” with sounds that have worked previously can hinder broader material. If you haven’t read the Smith biography “Torment Saint” I highly recommend.

Smith’s sister did much better in the City of Angels graduating USC with a degree in marine biology.

Along with Radiohead, the rainy night show at Spaceland with Beck/Foo Fighters also sounded large. Before remodeling the Beck/FF show had the stage where the soundboard ended up. Unfortunately I don’t see The Satellite surviving co-vid restrictions. I also enjoyed several David Dondero shows at the venue during his “Real Tina Turner” era with a full band/drums.

Kyle might contend that some of the more “doom” sounding bands rank higher with shows at the now closed “The Complex” in Glendale and some bars in downtown LA.

With the Intervention candidate “Nathan’s” conversation with his mom, I think of my own lovely/great mom. A teetotaler who decries my cannabis abuse, Mom and Josh have designed a no-cash policy on funds to Jer, to stymie the flow of flower. Marijuana dspensaries do not take credit cards because of the shaky relationship between providers and U.S. banking laws. Hence, no cash no grass.

I will admit the “glazed over” feeling of a cannabis high can lose it’s novelty/build a tolerance to effects. I have found I do not become overwhelmed/delusional from smoking. I learned the hard way in 2016 that I can’t tolerate cannabis edibles. Landing in the psyche ward at UCLA Ronald Reagan/Resnick hospital, I was locked-down multiple times.

Sectioned for 5150 and eventually put on Clozapine after Risperidone seemingly lost it’s therapeutic efficacy. The addition of high doses of Gabapentin helps stave off alcohol consumption with a measure of relaxation/satisfaction.

On the plus side+ smoking cannabis can be very enjoyable with a mostly benign high. Flower/hash use also prevents seeking harder drugs and ending up like Nate– the Intervention candidate.

Detox from marijuana is mostly psychological. There is no chance of this incidence of yelling/shakedown (give me all your cash) that Nate relates to his mom.