Cocaine is One Hell of a Drug
This takes place circa 1982. Two members of Kansas, one of my favorite bands, became born again Christians and were featured on The 700 Club. Bassist Dave Hope admitted he spent $40,000 on cocaine (I think) the year before he converted. That’s $40,000 in 1980 dollars.
There might be something to the idea that folks who can’t get their shit together need a kick in the pants. And in some cases religion provides that kick. Jail time or the potential threat thereof too. But I think the costs of the war on drugs WAY outweigh the benefits. Send someone, who is otherwise not a hardened criminal, to jail for doing coke. If they don’t get raped in prison, see how easy it will be for them to find a job when they get out.
Steve Walsh the singer of Kansas never converted. And he too, from what I understand, had a terrible coke problem that he ultimately kicked after being arrested and threatened with jail time.
I heard every night when he performed he was on it. This is certainly evident from the following video. Though, Walsh is outstanding. If that’s because of or in spite of the substance, who knows?
$40,000 a year? He must have been a weekend user.Report
LOL.Report
I think I’m lucky in my chemistry because cocaine never did anything for me. Everything sounds like you have a metal bucket on your head and you feel like snot keeps running down the back of your throat, but I never experienced any sort of “rush” or any real enjoyment. I think I did it enough times to know. Actually it was that way with most drugs. It’s probably fortunate for me.Report
I’ve never done it. I won’t necessarily admit in public what I HAVE done, but I will admit what I have not.Report
Well, I admit it on the League, but I wasn’t born with the name of a Groucho character. I also figure that if drug use ever comes up at work that it’s been so long since I did anything that they’re probably using different names for it now.Report
I wasn’t born with the name of a Groucho character.
Damn, I thought I’d spotted you for sure.Report
Not only $40k in 1980 dollars; but $40k’s worth at 1980 prices. Think about that.Report
Heh heh.Report
OK, there are numerous on-line tools for figuring out what $40k 1980 dollars would be in today’s (a little over $100k), but I have no idea what the price of cocaine has done over the years, so while I get George’s point (and it’s a good one), I’m not sure what the conclusion from it actually signifies.Report
Look, at the risk of sounding trite, we’re essentially talking about enough blow to kill an elephant, but Walsh lived to tell the tale. That’s pretty amazing.Report
“Two members of Kansas, one of my favorite bands . . .”
Clearly, the League membership committee did not screen your application properly .Report
Ha ha. Will do you like prog rock? I’d argue Kansas as their best, and I have plenty of clips, can go toe to toe with the best of the Brit. prog rockers (and Rush, the Canadian prog. rock kings). And members of those bands agree. Do you like Genesis?Report
Prog Rock has never been my thing, I’m afraid. But it’s good to get some musical diversity at the League – I’ve been accused of indulging in “hipster bullshit” by more than a few commenters.Report
That explains it. If you don’t like prog. rock, I don’t think I can sell you Kansas. Kansas had some AOR sounding tunes. And there are some prog. rock folks who THINK Kansas is AOR. It’s those folks I try to sell Kansas too, if they haven’t already bought in. Genesis, Yes, ELP, Rush, etc.Report
I’m pretty unclear on the concept. What’s the difference between acid rock, space rock and prog rock? Is ‘Can’ prog rock? Rick Wakeman’s prog rock, right?Report
Rick Wakeman is prog. rock. Not sure what space rock is. Acid rock is more hippy stuff. All of this of course can bleed into one another.Report
Hawkwind is space rock. I believe it was Michael Moorcock that wrote that second part.
Wanted to mention that there’s an early version of Incomudro on the Proto-Kaw cd with a different singer. It just shows that Kansas was really more of a rock band. The earlier stuff had more jazz and King Crimson influence.
But back to the christian thing, Livgren always was into somewhat esoteric christian literature. He gave the names of some of the books, but I don’t have even a passing familiarity with any of them.Report
Yup. I have all the Proto-Kaw stuff. Much of the first 5 albums is like that — King Crimson, Genesis, fusion like stuff. They just tried to reserve say 1/3 of those Kansas LPs for hits. The two big hits they had were spontaneous compositions that they weren’t sure would hit. And the more they tried for a hit, the worse their material was.Report
To introduce someone to Kansas that isn’t into prog:
Reason to Be, Lamplight Symphony
Straight-ahead rockers:
Devil Game, Carry On Wayward Son
Classic prog:
The Spider, Magnum Opus, Hopelessly Human
Your picks?
Thinking about this, I think that Kansas had a better organ sound than any other band, even Deep Purple. The organ really stands out to me.Report
For classic prog, I’d say Journey From Mariabronn, Song For America, and The Pinnacle.
For those not into prog, I’d say Opus Insert, and the entire Leftoverture LP. That album sold because of Carry On, but the entire LP seemed to me to have cross over appeal like how Rush has all these radio hits that are also very proggy.
For straight ahead rock, Carry On, of course. Also What’s On My Mind.
Yup Walsh’s B3 with Livgren’s synths, a classic sound. The keyboards don’t sound bad today; but Walsh’s newer models don’t sound as good as the old analog ones.
I was talking half joking/half serious to one of their key technicians (he’s a drum apprentice who sometimes fills in) about buying Walsh a new minimoog model. He said Walsh has so many keyboard parts (because he handles all keyboard parts now AND sings) and so little room on stage he wouldn’t accept it.Report
Three chords and lyrics about other people being uncannily attractive.
Why in the hell would any red-blooded American need more than that???Report
Three chords?! How excessive. Real artists only need one chord. *grin*Report
For those who remember Woody Hayes, we always called it 3 chords and a cloud of dust. Still works.
But as Tony Iommi said about the music biz, learn two chords and get an attorney before you learn the third one.Report
Or as Pete Townshend said, a real rock song has three chords, maybe four. Four and you’ll be called up before the committee.Report
And if remembering Woody Hayes doesn’t make you feel old enough, this should seal the deal:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/155857/guitar-heroReport