I wonder what Shiina Ringo would be like on marijuana?

[merman]

The difference is with some artists, they don't need drugs to be creative - they're just creative in a different way. Addiction is a different thing, yeah that's bad.

[Osiris12345]

I agree. Frank Zappa made some of the most bizarre and creative music in rock history and the worst the guy did was cigarettes. He hated drugs and would kick people out his band if he found out they were using them on tour. I find it sad when artists have to depend on them to be creative myself.

[TeslaGuy]

It is impossible to predict what effect a specific drug will have of the creative expression of a particular individual. There are too many variable factors involved, ranging from the microbiological to the external.

Jackson Pollack did his best work when he was sober. Some of Hunter S. Thompson's work would probably be far less interesting if he wasn't wasted. David Lynch has never taken any drugs at all. Who knows what positive or negative effects drugs would (or did) have on Shiina.

Opium certainly had a major impact on Romantic literature, and marijuana does widen the mind's horizons. I imagine that Sativa would be a more effective creative stimulant than Indica. I personally think that the controlled, casual use of psychoactive drugs to explore (vs. escape) is reasonably harmless. But would Shiina's music be "better", or merely different?

[Maou]

If she was on drugs when she wrote Morphine I'll gladly become her dealer.

[kuro_neko]

Originally Posted by TeslaGuy

But would Shiina's music be "better", or merely different?

Better, duh. why is this even a question.

not everyone's music is better on drugs, nor do they write better music while on drugs. but there are some artists that could benefit from smoking a fattie. ringo is DEFINITELY one of them. actually, the HF version of Gamble always felt druggy to me in a way. that entire ZCS work was extremely trippy as well.

[TeslaGuy]

^You obviously have very strong opinions about this topic. I am comfortable with my conclusion that there are too many unknowns to be certain of anything. Fair enough. I doubt that either of us will alter the other's perspective.

[kuro_neko]

rofl, nah, no strong opinions. what started off as a fun thread (hmm, what would a stoned ringo be like?), turned into this serious discussion about the use of drugs in art. its just kind of a bit of a turn off. I'm just trying to keep it lighthearted. I mean, I don't want to see Ringo pull a Courtney Love. Nor do I think it would be funny if she sat around and ate cheetos for two years while we patiently waited for new music. but I think everyone, ringo and this forum included, could benefit from just chilling out, relaxing, perhaps smoking a fattie, etc.

and I think it should be clarified that the term "drugs" is largely subjective and most people considering themselves advocates for the use of marijuana probably wouldn't consider it so.

[TeslaGuy]

^I'm glad that my concerns that this thread had the potential to become unnecessarily contentious were unwarranted.

I think the word "drug" can be a quiet, objective noun if one uses a definition like this one I quickly found at an online dictionary: "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Not perfect, but reasonable. It's when adjectives like "dangerous" or "immoral" are added that the trouble begins, and things get subjective and ugly.

I certainly am no stranger to recreational drugs. When I worked in major NYC rap studios, we'd have the kindest bud delivered daily. G-13 one day, Northern Lights the next...

[Masuku]

^That dictionary gives nice definition.

Idk why have this idea that japanese people usually don't touch in drugs or that it's not even that popular there. Correct me somebody!

Hah Ringo would be nice company for some mari

[TeslaGuy]

When I was working with a Japanese theater company in Shimokitazawa, I'd often smell marijuana in the evenings when walking around. That's just a tiny piece of anecdotal evidence, but it does prove that some people smoke weed in Tokyo. And the Japanese do love their alcohol, which of course is quite a powerful drug.

Curiously, due to a loophole in Japan's strict drug laws, Psilocybin mushrooms were legal until June 2002. According to one news report "Japanese men in their late teens and early twenties are thought to be the most frequent users of the mushroom. Until Thursday, they purchased them in shops in Tokyo's entertainment districts or over the Internet."