I’m not a fan of drugs, and I’m not a fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers.
There. I said it.
And somehow, this makes me 100% UnCool, in the view of a limited number of people. Or a number of limited people. I haven’t yet decided.
Here comes a little back story…. Back in 1989, the Recording Academy – known for the Grammy Awards – launched the MusiCares foundation, to provide support for musicians in times of need – financially, emotionally, and in times of personal need. All with good intentions.
In 2004, it acquired the Musicians Assistance Program (MAP), a similar organistion, whose purpose was to help music industry professionals recover from drug and alcohol problems.
All very worthy. Google MAP and you come across some very personal heartfelt stories.
Hard drugs, hard times – Buddy Arnold and the Musicians Assistance Program
Drugs and rock and roll are no strangers. Musician Takes Drugs! is not a shocking headline. In itself, that’s quite sad.
If we can help, we should. Right?
So why do the Benefit Concerts held by MAP make my blood boil?
The most recent Benefit was to honor Anthony Kiedis – Red Hot Chili Peppers front man, the very definition of clean and healthy living. Of COURSE he’s so straight and clean now, and while everyone else was shovelling away the mountain of drugs backstage during the RHCP world tour, Anthony was tucked away in bed, watching episodes of Quincy ME on cable in his hotel.
Right?
Yes, he’s had his problems in the past – they are well documented. But does anyone truly believe that he’s 100% clean and sober these days?
Is this really the sort of person that an organisation such as MAP should be promoting?
And in fact – the attitude of MAP seems to be – yes, fuck your life up for a few years or whatever – get better (even if it’s just a little), and we’ll have a big party in your honor, and charge $12,500 for a table at this party, and tell the world that you’re such a great person! Because you once did drugs! Aren’t YOU just the hot shit?
And who else shall we have play at this party in your honor… Let’s get Bob Forrest – ex-junkie, now celebrity counsellor – one of the few that actually seems to have turned their life around and is helping others.
Let’s also get Ronnie Wood, fresh out of rehab for alcoholism. Should have invited Keith Richards, another promoter of good healthy living.
Let’s get Josh Cokesniffer Klinghoffer, who will admit to drug use (doesn’t smoke weed, but does everything else), while a hoard of braying groupies tell him how cool he is, and how awesomely hot his MAP Benefit is going to be in a few years time. But it’s only recreational drug use, so that makes it all ok.
At least John Frusciante, cohort of Kiedis, stalkee of Cokesniffer Klinghoffer, wasn’t in attendence. Was he invited? Would he have turned up? Does anyone care except the local speed dealer?
Let’s invite Mars Volta, who won’t actually turn up because they’re too busy getting fucked out of their tiny minds on god-knows-what to actually go and raise money for junkies.
And to cap it all, let’s get good old wholesome Iggy Pop.
Iggy. Fucking. Pop.
Are all these musicians still clean? Probably not.
Why are they playing a benefit to help musicians with drink / drug problems? Do they want to help? Then they should stop giving out the number of their dealers. Or they should stop getting up on stage and acting like taking drugs has made them better people.
Don’t they see how hypocritical it is? To celebrate people that fucked their lives up, and may or may not be continuing to do so?
Why don’t they rename it By Junkies, For Junkies? One reason. They want YOUR money. They want the fans who blindly follow these assholes to fork out the cash for tickets, to dig them out of the hole they’re getting themselves into. Your favorite artist may put all his royalties up his nose. Who’s gonna pay for rehab then? You are. Moron. Don’t you know they own you and they’re better than you?
If MAP really wanted to help, maybe look at programs that encouraged people away from drugs in the first place? Why not celebrate people who have achieved success without the need to shoot up?
MAP is set up to help people with drug/drink problems. It wants to help people overcome these problems. And so it glamorises them. It makes people with these problems out to be heroes, people to be worshipped.
There’s something wrong with that picture. Very wrong.
Loading ...
To me, you’re 50% cool. Out of the remaining 50%, 75% cool because 25% of that 50% are my darling and will always be…not sure if that makes me 25% limited, but it probably does make me a masochist, more or less.
So, I guess you’re 7/8 out of 8/8 cool. And that’s a lot!
Love,
Your straight edge friend who thinks Lushing oneself, eating junk food and sweets, as well as going to bed when tired is better than any drug.
P.S. I don’t want to see Đoša’s reaction to this post. But Đoša kind of deserved it…