Coffeehouse Culture, Page 6 (PC)



WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE NAVIGATION BOX FEATURE: Rocky Road (Editorial: The Kerouac Crowd; The Leary Crowd; The French Connection; Maroc & Roll; Pithing Off the Indians; Howard's End?; London Legends; White Bikes • Pictures: Jack Kerouac; Neil Cassady; Allen Ginsburg; Howard Marks; Napoleon) \| POLICY STATEMENT: Anti-Drugs Policy Pt 2 \| AD: Abraxis \| Go To Contents Further Reading Guide \| Go To Next Page (Page 7)

ROCKY ROAD			xxx	versatile fellow he is. A Cambridge graduate who had made a name for The legendary Mr Naughty. More fun than cream cakes and wittier than Frankie Howard.
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READ THIS STORY IN PRINTABLE PLAIN TEXT COFFEEHOUSE CULTURE HITS THE STONEY TRAIL SORRY THAT SHOULD be 'trail-ER'. This is the point when, although the lights are dim, you know it is safe to go and get a hot-dog, some popcorn, a Pepsi, chat up the usherette, have a pee and still get back without missing a thing. Alas, however, little did you know that while you were in the foyer everybody in the auditorium spontaneously removed all their clothes, had sex with an attractive person sitting near them, shared a joint and a tub of Haagan-Dazs and reclothed themselves in time to watch the main feature. Such is life. Well, life in the fantasy fast-lane occupied by the Cannabisness Section, anyway. CoBut real life is not like that. Is it? In case it is, perhaps you			xxx
had better stay where you are. You wouldn't want to miss something exciting, now would you? So, sitting comfortably? Good. Then here we go. CoSo, okay, maybe hyping a publication is not quite like hyping a movie. But we do have some tasty morsels for future issues tucked away in an envelope somewhere. TOP OF PAGE BBACK TO THE FUTURE History, mystery, pi . . . . Oh, never mind. But we do mind. We mind the way history has been bleached clean, sanit- ised and rendered whole- someish. Not all of it. Just the bits we're interested in. But in Back To The Future we should rectify that. In a regular series of fun, fun, fun features stamped with Coffeehouse Culture's stupid but inimitable sense of humour, we'll be looking at the bits of history school missed out. If you are wondering where the counterculture came from, Back To The Future will tell you. With a cast of thousands to assist us, we will be tracing our way back towards the truth. Meeting Conquerors, Shamen, Despots, Clowns, Saints, Freaks, Seers, Geniuses, Fiends (dope and diabolic) and some jolly nice chaps, we will travel the world sharing joints, jokes and jeers with those who helped create the culture of consciousness. TOP OF PAGE HIHIT THE ROAD J . . . . With the world at our fingertips and magic boots on our feet we will be .... CoSpeeding down the road with Jack Kerouac and the real Dean Moriarty, we will try to pass the Acid Test as we explore the highways, byways and Oh, My! ways of the counterculture that grew up like a grass plant around this influential coterie of friends. The man who started it all. When Jack hit the road he created the whole Beat culture. Kerouac's seminal classic 'On The Road' still defines the essentials of the alternative society. CoCriss-crossing the USA in search of those who helped to mould the future we are all now starting to live we will encounter movers, shakers and one or two fakers. Neil Cassady was the real Dean Moriarty, the lead character in Kerouac's bestseller. Around at the start of it all, he was still speeding down his personal highway in the late 60s when he drove Ken Kesey's outrageous 'Further On' bus. CoIn California we will meet arch-smugglers (although they did smuggle things other than arches), the Brotherhood of Eternal Love. Dressed in our 'Colours' we will be there as the rampaging Hell's Angels are reinvented as cuddly acid-saints. Dancing in the dawn in Golden Gate Park and in the lab with acid- king Owsley, we will be wak- ing up to California Sunshine in all its forms. TOP OF PAGE/FURTHER READING REAREALLY LEERY And crossing to the other side of the Lost Continent, we will	xxx	join the court of Owsley's Jester. With timid, self- effacing Timothy Leary we will watch ego overwhelm evolution. There will be many new friends to make: Michael Hollingshead, the man who turned on Aldous Huxley; Alexander Shulgin, the man who invented Ecstasy; Andy Warhol, the man who conned the art world and many more. But there will also be old friends to meet again: many from the Kerouac-crowd, including Allen Ginsberg, for over 30 years one of the most active and influential propagandists for dope use and, coincidentally, a poet of note, who will tell us why he wore his underpants on his head. CoIf we seem lost in the USSA, it is only because there is so much to see and do. But we The poetic underpants man, Allen Ginsburg. haven't forgotten that we are world travellers. CoThe world, however, is a big place so you will forgive us if we only make flying visits from here. TOP OF PAGE/FURTHER READING FREFRENCH KISSING We will have our tongues down the throat of French hypocrisy as we join Napoleon in North Africa. As he 'liberates' the historic and artistic treasures of the Middle East by the sack load we will marvel at the audacity of French colonisation bears its finest fruit. this small man with a nipple fixation. And, back in Paris, it's party-time with the Club des Hashashins where such notables as Dumas, Baudelaire and Moreau will be found somewhere over the Rimbaud where the jam is green and says: "High!" But what a party. TOP OF PAGE FDON'T KNOCK MAROC For Hassan Al Sabbah and his legendary band of bloodthirsty Hashishins (from whom we get the word 'assassin'), gardening was more than a hobby. High in the Atlas Mountains was his famed Garden of Earthly Delights in which men lost their souls to excess and pleasure. And, lucky us, we have a visitors' day pass. Can't wait. TOP OF PAGE PPITHING OFF THE PITPITINDIANS With pith helmets on their heads and exploding bibles in their hands, the British thought they could bring civilisation to the 'savages' of India. As the civilising influence of the East India Company cut swathes through the Indian subcontin- ent, the priests and pundits could only try to preserve their 5000 year culture. Not much good came of the Brit's occupation of India except .... The impressively named Indian Hemp Drugs Commission report of 1894 contains everything you ever wanted to know about dope and its history in India. And what a breathtaking story it is. TOP OF PAGE UNAUGHTY BUT NICE We thought it was Howard's end when Mr Marks got 40,000 years in prison for his smuggling activities. It was, however, just a beginning. Back on the outside, he has risen again to tell his story. Raconteur and rebel, smuggler and super-spy, criminal and comedian, nice but very, very naughty, what a	xxx	himself as a legitimate businessman before leaving college, Howard was chosen for a less conventional path. More than anyone else this century, Howard has demonstrated his commit- ment to cannabis. A present- day legend of the cannabis culture, Howard is a guy to whom we'd give full marks TOP OF PAGE/FURTHER READING LLIBERATING LONDON LEGENNLEGENDS Up from the underground: Unidentified Flying Objects landing in Tottenham Court Road, Hoppy and the odd socks, John and Yoko (we were there), International Times, Middle Earth, the Ormsby-Gores, and other beautiful people. Down and out in sunny South Kensington with Brian Jones, at the Free School being . . . well . . . free, freshly napalmed peace and sub-machine guns at the Roundhouse, 24 hour Technicolor Nightmares, taking a trip with Granny, "Oh yea, we're the London Boys" and so much more. TOP OF PAGE/FURTHER READING WHITE BIKES & NOT SO DIDDLEY SQUATS As we criss-cross the globe visiting the places where it happened and finding the movers and shakers who 'just did it', we'll be paying respectful attention to the city that has given freedom and us sanctuary -- Amsterdam. Exploring the traditions that have made Holland the closest thing to Heaven on Earth available today, we will take in the Provos, the squatter movement and every aspect of this City of Light. In every way we'll be celebrating its sacred role as the Protector of Freedom to Explore Your Own Consciousness. CoTOP OF PAGE
	xxx		xxx	Just another cop out ANTI-DRUGS POLICY No. 2 READ THIS STORY IN PRINTABLE PLAIN TEXT Somewhat reluctantly, Coffeehouse Culture's anti-drugs policy has to include the major organic hallucinogens mushrooms, yage, peyote and many others. Whilst we believe that these substances have the potential to produce extremely positive life- changing effects in the individual and society, we have to acknowledge their dangers. For the majority, the major hallucinogens are a safe if somewhat exhausting medium through which to experience dramatically increased consciousness. However, used in uncontrolled situations by inexperienced and potentially fragile people, they can produce effects that are at best traumatising and at worst permanently damaging .CoCoffeehouse Culture believes that the major hallucinogens have the potential to solve many of society's problems. We are not alone in this belief. In the early 1960s, the English writer, Aldous Huxley, introduced described a society where the hallucinogenic experience is included as a compulsory part of the educational system. Within this society, the hallucinogenic experience has lead to such a level of individual self- actualisation that social evils have disappeared. 'Island' is, of course, fiction. But we would like to hope that it offers pointers for a future where small-minded bigotry does not win out over social benefit. CoHowever, whilst the major hallucinogens remain outside the acceptable social framework, whilst they are available for use only in uncontrolled situations, we must uphold our responsibilities to our readers and include them in our anti-drugs policy. That said, Coffeehouse Culture is a publication that deals with aspects of increased consciousness. And it is impossible to truly cover the subject of increased consciousness without writing about chemically-induced experiences. They are, after all, the most common medium through which people experience dramatically increased consciousness. In an effort to resolve this dilemma, Coffeehouse Culture will always include a clearly- worded, explanatory warning with every article that deals with or mentions the major hallucinogens. TOP OF PAGE
TOP OF PAGE		THE MAN WHO GAVE THE DOORS THEIR NAME READ THIS STORY IN PRINTABLE PLAIN TEXT Watch out for our Aldous Huxley special issue. Born into one of the families that created Victorian Britain's intellectual establishment, Huxley was not only a great intellectual, an inspiring lecturer and a best-selling novelist but a courageous visionary and mystic who was among the first adventurers in consciousness. With extracts from his writings, a full biography, an analysis of what he had to say and his visions for the future, the dramatic story of his LSD- eased death and much more, Coffeehouse Culture will be paying the fullest tribute to his hero of the revolution in consciousness. TOP OF PAGE

FURTHER READING GUIDE Our Personal Recommendations in association with Amamzon.com and Amazon.co.uk
There are just so many influential, profound and glorious books out there dealing with the subjects covered on this page that we were hard pressed to limit ourselves to the 17 (yes, 17, sorry about that) that are recommended below. Among the books below are some that have defined this culture. Everyone should have read them. But, if you haven't, now is the time to rectify that situation. ROCKY ROAD There are books one owns for pleasure and there are books one owns because no library would be complete without them. Below are some of the literary gems that have helped to define this culture plus some of the best factual tomes around. Most of them we own or have read. Unfortunately, some of the crucial books we would have liked to have recommended (like 'The Brotherhood of Eternal Love' by Stewart Tendler & David May, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Lenny Bruce' by Albert Goldman and "Haight Ashbury' by Charles Perry) are out of print at the moment.
ON THE ROAD By Jack Kerouac The book that started it all -- Kerouac's literary masterpiece. This, my friends, is lit-er-at-ure. Like a Thelonious Monk number, it is a strange blend of rhythms and counter-rhythms played out through surreal illusions and slightly embarrassing free-form, somewhat experimental, prose. Dripping with hippness and oozing speed-induced weirdness, this is the tale of Dean Moriarty and his travels through America. Not the easiest read in the world but certainly one worth trying. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE $2.59	xx	HOWL/ KADDISH By Allen Ginsberg Cast in the role of group nerd, Allen Ginsberg emerged as one of the gems in the crown of the counterculture In the original City Lights editions (very hip to own), these are the books that launched his career. UK READERS: HOWL/KADDISH US READERS: HOWL/KADDISH	xx	NAKED LUNCH By William S. Burroughs The last, if not least of the countercult- ure's unholy trinity, Burroughs is another infinitely hip writer and this is his most famous and most readable book. It has its moments but weirdness overwhelms readability far too often. Never the most approachable writer (except, of course, from the rear) in the genre, Burroughs gets weirder and weirder from this book on. Set in Tangier (I believe) it is heavy on insects and paranoia. Every page reeks of Bill's smack habit. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE $2.39
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JACK KEROUAC By Barry Miles Although I have not read this, I am recommending on the basis of the Miles book I have read -- the Ginsberg biog. As manager of the London's hip Indica bookshop (it was at the Indica Gallery -- the bit of the Indica mini-empire for people who couldn't read -- that John met Yoko), Miles was right at the heart of the scene. But he was in London. Nonetheless, he is an excellent researcher who puts his material together with care. UK READERS SAVE £1.80 US READERS SAVE $3.00	xx	GINSBERG By Barry Miles This is a great book. A really good read and packed full of well researched material. Enriched by Miles' own reminiscences of the great man, this was a joy to read. Of all the unholy trinity, Ginsberg is, perhaps, the one we owe most to. One of the very first legalise pot protesters, he was very influential in ending the Vietnam conflict when he organised a well supported protest designed to levitate the Pentagon. Highly recommended. UK READERS SAVE £3.00 OUT OF PRINT IN US	xx	OFF THE ROAD By Carolyn Cassady Neal Cassady was, of course, the model for Dean Moriarty, the fictional hero of Kerouac's masterpiece. But he was much more interesting than that and far more influential. This a book packed full of personal memories of some of the main characters in the counterculture drama. Lots of new (to me, anyway) information about the man with his hands full. Interest- ing stuff about Edgar Cayce and Ken Kesey. A good read. UK READERS SAVE 11p (!) US READERS SAVE $2.99
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THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST By Tom Wolfe In the days when Tom Wolfe was the chief repre-sentative of the 'new journalism' that had been so successfully applied by Rolling Stone, this was the book that made his name. And what a goody it is. The tale of Ken Kesey, Ken Babbs and the Further-On bus, it features some of the great names of the hippy culture. Fantastic biographical stuff about Owsley and his acid lab. Wonder-fully written. A great read and a 'must have' for every hip library. Highly recommended. UK READERS SAVE £1.60 US READERS SAVE $2.99	xx	DAYS IN THE LIFE By Jonathan Green We picked up this little gem in a remaindered bin in the Charing Cross Road for tuppence; and a great buy it turned out to be. Consisting of reminiscences from a lot of people you've never heard of who lived in the Notting Hill area of London in 1967 it is evocative of the times but is probably of more interest to us than anyone as that's where we lived at the time and we knew some of the people interviewed. Has some great stories about Germaine Greer and quotes from Hoppy. UK READERS SAVE £2.50 NOT AVAILABLE IN THE US	xx	MR NICE By Howard Marks The teller of tales tells his. Very easy and fun to read with lots of outrageous dope tales and visionary scams. Every-one who was a smoker in the UK in the 1960s and 70s owes Mr. Marks a debt of gratitude; we all smoked his dope. The boyo from the valleys made it to the heights of decadence and elegant self-indulgence on a wing and a prayer (plus a hell of a lot of cunning, intelligence and bald-faced blagging). Not as famous as Tom Jones but a lot more fun, Mr Marks is the Welshman we love to love. UK READERS SAVE £1.60 NOT AVAILABLE IN THE US
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THE MAN WHO GAVE THE DOORS THEIR NAME Don't be fooled by the size of the box, Aldous Huxley was, perhaps, more influential than any of them. Before the Beat Generation, when the world wore a stiff upper lip and a grey suit, Huxley was 'coming in colours.' Emerging from the mid-war Literati on back of a series of slight but beautifully written novels, Huxley scandalised the world with a novel so full of new concepts and visionary acumen, he had to have been taking something. And, with the publication of his essays on his own the psychedelic experiences, we all knew what it was.
ISLAND By Aldous Huxley If you have not read this wonder-ful novel of a society based around increased consciousness, you are not complete as a person. Encapsulating some of the key phrases that we use to define our reality (like 'here and now'), this is a visionary treatise that not only bears witness to the inspirational aspects of the psychedelic experi-ence but offers a blueprint of sorts for how such a society might be structured. One of the great books. UK READERS SAVE £1.60 US READERS SAVE 70 cents	xx	THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION/ HEAVEN & HELL By Aldous Huxley A great intellect-ual with an immense interest in a wide range of subjects, Huxley scandalised the world with these accounts of his experiences on mescaline. It is, as those of us who have tried know, extremely difficult to encapsulate the multimedia-ness and ineffable spirituality of a trip. Huxley, however, does it -- not surprisingly --- with grace and style. No bookshelf should be without it. Great. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE $2.50	xx	MOKSHA Edited By Michael Horowitz Worth buying just for Laura Huxley's description of her husband's death, Moksha shows just how inspired by the psychedelic experience Huxley was. This is a book full of essays, letters and notes that attest to the great man's undeniable originality of vision and thought. There is much new information tucked away in its pages with a number of key characters in the drama (like Timothy Leary) making an appearance. Highly recommended. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE $2.99
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OTHER CRUCIAL BOOKS In those far off days when avant guard really meant something, most us poseurs tried to stay abreast of the 'big boys' who had got the intellectual march on us. For many of us it was a time of intellectual discovery -- the discovery being that some of the books we were reading to 'stay abreast' actually were very good. Here are three of them. Each one of these books, in its own way, had tremendous influence.

THE GLASS BEAD GAME By Hermann Hesse Fantastically influ-ential, this is the best of Hermann Hesse's work. The tale of a strange monastic order of intellectuals who practice a technique of transcendence through a game -- The Glass Bead Game of the title -- it inspired so many of us. Leary named his organisation after the city in which the story is set and the Brotherhood of Eternal Love structured their vast smuggling operation around the concepts it contains. The book contains a number of appendices among which are three of the most incredibly beautiful, inspiring and well written short stories ever. It is worth buying just for these. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE $3.40	xx	SIDDHARTHA By Hermann Hesse This is another one that set our world on fire. For many of us it was our introduction to the world of eastern mysticism that could only send us chugging down to the Penguin Bookshop for Christmas Humphrey's books on buddhism. A short but extremely elegant novel that sets itself up as a biography of the Lord Buddha, we had no idea just how closely it stuck to Gautama's teachings. The lead character comes across as a totally unpretentious and self-actualised individual. The book ends with a scene of such immense evocational power that it changed many a life. You must read this. UK READERS SAVE £1.40 US READERS SAVE 55 cents	xx	CATCH 22 By Joseph Heller Although it was published in 1962 it took a few years for Heller's anti-war master-piece to catch us up. But when it did -- wow, what a piece of work. An intense and weird satire based on a US airforce base in Italy, it is full of great characters and snappy phrases and has some of the most wonderful irreverent black humour ever. Extremely clever and meaningful, of course, it was another one that had tremendous influence. Like all great art it had a profound lesson to teach us -- that Catch 22 is a real phenomena that affects all our lives. But you gotta laugh at the irony of it all. Haven't you? UK READERS SAVE £1.60 US READERS SAVE $2.40
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SEE PAGES 2, 3, 4, 11, 16, 17 AND 21 FOR MORE FURTHER READING GUIDES
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