What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I read in Jack Bruce's biography that both he and Mick Taylor went there in 1975 (I believe) before they planned to start rehearsals for their tour in order to get off heroin. Probably just a temporary solution at best. What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside, or is their some special elixer known only to the Jamaicans?

What a horrible drug. Can only wonder what MT's life would have been like if he never used. Anyway, apparently plans went awry because Mick's wife met them at the airport with a bag full of drugs. Makes me wonder if she did that on her own accord or Mick secretly asked her to meet him there because he knew he couldn't get sober. How these people cleared Customs is anyone's guess.

If your going to feel shitty. Might as well feel shitty, in someplace nice.

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MingSubu
If your going to feel shitty. Might as well feel shitty, in someplace nice.

'ya mon

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Bellajane
What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside?

That, plus the same principle as the rehab place in Ireland that Ron Wood uses, the one that's in the middle of the Irish countryside. Which is that, you put yourself in a remote place where you don't know anyone, and where drugs are relatively hard to get, it just makes it a LOT harder to get into trouble when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anyone at all.

Its the only place to get the REAL Red Stripe...Desnoes & Geddes did it right...

Now where do you get a REAL Steinlager? Auckland?

Rasta don't care for the powder drugs. Not as prevalent. I loved Negril, Jamaica but it is a dangerous place still.

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Turning To Gold

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Bellajane
What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside?

That, plus the same principle as the rehab place in Ireland that Ron Wood uses, the one that's in the middle of the Irish countryside. Which is that, you put yourself in a remote place where you don't know anyone, and where drugs are relatively hard to get, it just makes it a LOT harder to get into trouble when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anyone at all.

Guess so, but I always had the impression that there were lots of drugs in Jamaica. It's not a place I would readily think of to get sober. Now..Mongolia...that would be the answer. Always wanted to go there!

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Bellajane

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Turning To Gold

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Bellajane
What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside?

That, plus the same principle as the rehab place in Ireland that Ron Wood uses, the one that's in the middle of the Irish countryside. Which is that, you put yourself in a remote place where you don't know anyone, and where drugs are relatively hard to get, it just makes it a LOT harder to get into trouble when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anyone at all.

Guess so, but I always had the impression that there were lots of drugs in Jamaica. It's not a place I would readily think of to get sober. Now..Mongolia...that would be the answer. Always wanted to go there!

I didn't say anything about bellmen bringing you hefty garbage bags of ganja for under $100!

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crholmstrom

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Bellajane

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Turning To Gold

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Bellajane
What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside?

That, plus the same principle as the rehab place in Ireland that Ron Wood uses, the one that's in the middle of the Irish countryside. Which is that, you put yourself in a remote place where you don't know anyone, and where drugs are relatively hard to get, it just makes it a LOT harder to get into trouble when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anyone at all.

Guess so, but I always had the impression that there were lots of drugs in Jamaica. It's not a place I would readily think of to get sober. Now..Mongolia...that would be the answer. Always wanted to go there!

I didn't say anything about bellmen bringing you hefty garbage bags of ganja for under $100!

Sounds like one helluva party to me!

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Bellajane
Guess so, but I always had the impression that there were lots of drugs in Jamaica. It's not a place I would readily think of to get sober. Now..Mongolia...that would be the answer. Always wanted to go there!

Haha, Mongolia is pretty remote. But it's also close to China and Afghanistan, i.e. pretty close to the heroin trail so to speak. I'm just guessing now.

Another place where a lot of people with drug problems seemed to choose is Switzerland. Either to get clean or just to get high without being hassled. Keith did it for both reasons, I reckon.

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Bellajane
... I read in Jack Bruce's biography that both he and Mick Taylor went there in 1975 (I believe)...

.... Anyway, apparently plans went awry because Mick's wife met them at the airport with a bag full of drugs. Makes me wonder if she did that on her own accord or Mick secretly asked her to meet him there because he knew he couldn't get sober. How these people cleared Customs is anyone's guess.

Interesting story, can only imagine how it went, probably that Mick and Jack had the best of intentions, but were probably bummed out and feeling the pangs, but ready to do the right thing, but not a happy time.... and then.... voila!! more drugs!! oh well, will get sober later.



I only went to Jamaica one time, it was a great trip.

Btw, is Jack Bruce's biography any good?

Yeah, it's a good read. I believe it's Chapter 11 that's devoted to Mick Taylor. Jack Bruce was so hurt and infuriated when Mick quit his band that he had to take a year off. Seems to me that addicts have virtually no coping skills..other than drugs. Carla Bley talks about Mick Taylor, as well. She was very understanding and said when he first was in the studio with this band he was like a caged bird set free. It's surprising how many musicians were using heroin back then. As I said before, wish MT never did.

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Max'sKansasCity

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Bellajane
... I read in Jack Bruce's biography that both he and Mick Taylor went there in 1975 (I believe)...

.... Anyway, apparently plans went awry because Mick's wife met them at the airport with a bag full of drugs. Makes me wonder if she did that on her own accord or Mick secretly asked her to meet him there because he knew he couldn't get sober. How these people cleared Customs is anyone's guess.

Interesting story, can only imagine how it went, probably that Mick and Jack had the best of intentions, but were probably bummed out and feeling the pangs, but ready to do the right thing, but not a happy time.... and then.... voila!! more drugs!! oh well, will get sober later.[/

I only went to Jamaica one time, it was a great trip.

Well, it appears that Rose Taylor spoiled their best intentions, at least according to Jack Bruce. You know if that's true, she may have felt threatened if her husband was trying to get clean. If you're an addict you certainly don't want your mate to get sober. The relationship would most likely fail.

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Turning To Gold

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Bellajane
What is the appeal of Jamaica for musicians who want to get clean. I What do they do in particular? Drink rum all day and sleep on the beach until the withdrawal symptoms subside?

That, plus the same principle as the rehab place in Ireland that Ron Wood uses, the one that's in the middle of the Irish countryside. Which is that, you put yourself in a remote place where you don't know anyone, and where drugs are relatively hard to get, it just makes it a LOT harder to get into trouble when you are in the middle of nowhere and don't know anyone at all.

ronnie might not know anyone in the middle of knowhere but everybody knows ronnie and i imagine it's very easy for him to get taken care of ,fame and celebrity can come in handy!

From someone I know who used Heroin for some time it sounds like a dumbass drug. (Although I'd love to know, just once, what it feels like.) He said it's like cigarettes, you have to stick with it! You don't even get high the first few times because you're so sick.

It doesn't look like people are laughing, or having fun on it. It's not like they release the belt and a beatific smile spreads across their face.

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Bellajane

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Max'sKansasCity

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Bellajane
... I read in Jack Bruce's biography that both he and Mick Taylor went there in 1975 (I believe)...

.... Anyway, apparently plans went awry because Mick's wife met them at the airport with a bag full of drugs. Makes me wonder if she did that on her own accord or Mick secretly asked her to meet him there because he knew he couldn't get sober. How these people cleared Customs is anyone's guess.

Interesting story, can only imagine how it went, probably that Mick and Jack had the best of intentions, but were probably bummed out and feeling the pangs, but ready to do the right thing, but not a happy time.... and then.... voila!! more drugs!! oh well, will get sober later.[/

I only went to Jamaica one time, it was a great trip.

Well, it appears that Rose Taylor spoiled their best intentions, at least according to Jack Bruce. You know if that's true, she may have felt threatened if her husband was trying to get clean. If you're an addict you certainly don't want your mate to get sober. The relationship would most likely fail.

What's the scoop with Rose Taylor. Was she as bad an influence as I have read in various books? They are not still together are they?

If you drink enough rum, you probably don't feel like you need anything else.

According to Tony Sanchez, many people got into heroin after being strung out on coke. Cocaine would make you nervous and jittery, and too high; and heroin would bring you back down..or to "sanity" as he called it. I know MT was into coke big time, so I'm sure he turned to heroin very quickly to calm him down. It was common behavior in his circle of friends and associates. As he said, drugs didn't have the sinister quality as they do nowadays. Well..yeah!

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Shantipole

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Bellajane

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Max'sKansasCity

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Bellajane
... I read in Jack Bruce's biography that both he and Mick Taylor went there in 1975 (I believe)...

.... Anyway, apparently plans went awry because Mick's wife met them at the airport with a bag full of drugs. Makes me wonder if she did that on her own accord or Mick secretly asked her to meet him there because he knew he couldn't get sober. How these people cleared Customs is anyone's guess.

Interesting story, can only imagine how it went, probably that Mick and Jack had the best of intentions, but were probably bummed out and feeling the pangs, but ready to do the right thing, but not a happy time.... and then.... voila!! more drugs!! oh well, will get sober later.[/

I only went to Jamaica one time, it was a great trip.

Well, it appears that Rose Taylor spoiled their best intentions, at least according to Jack Bruce. You know if that's true, she may have felt threatened if her husband was trying to get clean. If you're an addict you certainly don't want your mate to get sober. The relationship would most likely fail.

What's the scoop with Rose Taylor. Was she as bad an influence as I have read in various books? They are not still together are they?

No, they divorced in 1977 or thereabouts. She wasn't any better or worse than anyone else back in those days. I wouldn't call her a bad influence, necessarily. Since she was a young teen she loved hanging around bands and met MT at the Sticky Fingers recording sessions at Olympic Studios, I'm guessing late '69 or early '70. What a catch! Maybe she just enjoyed being a Mrs. Rolling Stone..only she can answer that honestly. I think she was the stronger person in the relationship,though. The only thing I don't like about her is that she was a drug dealer. So, I guess in that light, she could be considered a bad influence IMO.

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Bellajane
According to Tony Sanchez, many people got into heroin after being strung out on coke. Cocaine would make you nervous and jittery, and too high; and heroin would bring you back down..or to "sanity" as he called it. I know MT was into coke big time, so I'm sure he turned to heroin very quickly to calm him down. It was common behavior in his circle of friends and associates. As he said, drugs didn't have the sinister quality as they do nowadays. Well..yeah!

Maybe coke and LSD maintained an innocence for a spell, but I have never heard or seen heroin portrayed as anything but the most evil drug on the planet. (This is before meth.) My first encounter with it was when a fellow busboy at a restaurant I worked took me in a bathroom to help him jack. His veins were scarred and looked like a roadmap. It looked like hell to me.

Actually, I believe I read somewhere that cocaine replaced LSD as the drug of choice in the early 70's, because LSD was frying people's brains. Cocaine was actually considered harmless at first. I never tried it, but I suppose just a little bit wouldn't hurt. It can harm your heart; however, and it's supposed to be the gateway drug to heroin.

By the way, how can a busboy afford heroin? Tips must've been great!

One of the problems with cocaine is most of us will never get the effete product elitists like Keith had access too. That is more of a euphoric drug, compared to the teeth gnashing, nose bleeding experience of the average user's street coke.

That particular busboy, and his cohorts, would supplement their income by acquiring old ladies pocketbooks in a fast, violent manner.

Nobody should kid themselves (and I am not saying anyone here is)(but US drug policy makers certainly are) thinking that less people are doing coke and heroin (and now meth and Big Pharma meds) than before.

Anyway, I often read opinions that these drugs were all done long ago and now their use has subsided, but that is incorrect. People everywhere, from all walks of life, are using more drugs (both legal and illegal) more often than ever before... and this BS where the US troops are protecting the poppy fields in Afghanastan is some of the biggest bunch of BS that I have ever heard of... and of course some countries in S. America are flowing the coke as fast as the world can snort it. I am not saying it is all good or bad or whatever, I am simply saying the drugs are flowing and being consumed more than ever by people all over the world.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-10-04 21:19 by Max'sKansasCity.

that`s true, and coke is getting cheaper and cleaner. The war against drugs is lost.
...Going to Jamaica to kick anything wouldn`t work for me. I once smoked a bit of Ganja on Tobago, that stuff is horrendous. Like a mix of H and LSD. How some of those Rastas toast themselves for a lifetime and maintain a life, is beyond me. No wonder that in rastafarian societies, it`s most often the women who keep the show on the road. I never understood the allure of heroin. It might be useful for a young guy who finds himself a rockstar and is under public scrutiny all the time, but what price? OK good night. Everybody`s addictive personality is different, I guess.

Excuse my ignorance, but Ganja is marijuana right? How do they make it that strong..is it treated with chemicals?

Clapton's rehab center is in Antigua, also a very nice spot (or so I've heard).

Back in the mid-70's I tried heroin many times until I finally realized I didn't particularly care for being sick to my stomach for 4 hours. Part of the appeal of the initial high (of shooting it) was that it hit you instantly, a very warm, euphoric gush of pleasure as the blood brought it to your brain. You could also maintain the rush by slowly releasing the belt or whatever you used as a tourniquet, pushing and pulling on the plunger of the syringe as the drug mixed with your blood. It was quite pleasurable and if someone told you your entire family was just wiped out in a horrible accident, you wouldn't really care much. But, as I said, for me the nausea it caused (me at least) wasn't worth it and I finally gave up. I also did "speedballs" which were a mix of coke and heroin, where they would fight it out in your bloodstream. Again, not for me. And I'm very fortunate because most of my dope brothers who embraced it are dead or HIV positive. Supposedly tobacco is harder to kick though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-10-04 21:49 by bleedingman.

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Bellajane
Excuse my ignorance, but Ganja is marijuana right? How do they make it that strong..is it treated with chemicals?

Yes I think ganj is marijuana.
I am no expert but I have heard sometimes they sprinkle chemicals (angel dust?) onto rolled marijuana... but I have also heard that is not needed because there have been huge advancement with growing techniques and they have improved strains and seeds and can now gorw weed that will get one high as a kite on 3-4 puffs... so I have heard anyway.

Wow..I'm so out of touch with this stuff. I used to smoke black hash from time to time. I liked that. Just a little would go a long way! But now I'm just a Chardonnay and Champagne girl. Couldn't imagine shooting up..it's really scary. I think it was in C/S Blues that Keith had a needle hanging out of his arm. I believe I read that in Keno's book. I saw the movie online awhile ago, but I don't remember that scene. I'd hate to see Little Mick shooting up. That would break my heart.

For as early as I can remember heroin was bad bad bad a very very NO NO, that was after so many music greats and others had died from ODing and I never even thought about it a something I would try... which is why I am flabbergasted at the recent herion OD epidemic going on, just do a simple search.... [www.google.com] it seems kids get hooked on oxycontin (synthetic heroin)(how did anyone EVER think that would turn out to be a good idea) but as oxycontin got more regualted and prices went up people switched to heroin because it is now so plentiful and potent and cheap (protected poppy fields creating more heroin than ever before)..... I still would not touch heroin for anything thing, ever. period. I have no doubts it must be a great high, but it is double bad. 1) heroin gets one physically hooked to it (one's body grows to REQUIRE IT, or one becomes sick). 2) One has to increase one's dosage amount to get the same high because one grows a resistance to it.... what a debacle.