Rock & Roll Forever

Rockstars have all the luck in the world. They easily get away with things we, mere mortals do not. Take for example, their excessive use of dope. They take it as often as a secretary makes coffee for her boss. The authorities don't mind at all: They're too busy catching other dope fiends. Such is this modern-day paradox.

Some rock groups have been known to be stoned while performing in front of huge live audiences with profound look, as it adds "appeal" to unsuspecting fans who are stoned themselves. Such reciprocity is the happy way to go for massive concerts. Women simply get smitten over the bloodshot-eyed idol while the men remain pre-occupied with their business of going wild and hurting others, after which they declare "peace" then go on hurling not only invectives at each other, but also bottles. Except on rap concerts, but of course i've never been in one.

So there's illicit drugs, women, but what about booze? Well, it is a "given" already. Fans drinking while the band does not? I remember a time when I religiously went with the boys every Fridays and Saturdays to Weekends Live! at the Atrium in Makati City when the band, Wolfgang was just starting out. While we boys lived together at Tristan's "Paradiso Land" nearby with Alfie Boy whom I would drive to Weekends earlier on those nights where he worked as a bartender. There is that advantage of knowing the bartender; the better when he is part of your circle of friends.

And so later that night, while the speakers blared Juan Dela Cruz's "Beep Beep" by Basti the inebriated vocalist, we would have already downed either five beers or three full glasses of vodka (whichever we drank first) that Alfie smuggled-in earlier at the club. it saved us from paying the exorbitant price for liquor, aside from the fact that we got in for free; All five of us.

A few days ago (October 9) marked the 25th death anniversary of Rock legend, John Lennon. Yeah, it's been that long and he would have been 65 years old - so never mind he died young and tragic for it's better to remember him with that look; a look now frozen in time. I mean look at Bob Dylan: no one seems to care if he's still around since people only remember him during that time when he said the answer was "blowin' in the wind." It's good there's the Wallflowers to carry on with his legacy and lineage.



Anyway, Lennon started smoking joint and other stuff like LSD at the onset of the "Age of Aquarius" and stopped his usual visits to the local barber in Liverpool. Not since the time of Jesus did the long-hair look been revived with such following. The "hippie generation" was born, thanks to this man. I guess he did create a revolution when we said we wanted one, and ever since, it has been a magical tour.

And while he was telling us to imagine, every twentysomething of that time wanted to go to India to visit the Maharishi and lie all day in the sun naked in Goa while burning their lungs with jimmys - and forget about surfing, it's too sixties. So while all the barbers in the world were on an all-time low, pharmacies flourished. In New York City, where Lennon lived until his death, marijuana is legal if one has only two sticks of it in his pocket. More of it will land you in the coop.

An excerpt from a recent article commemorating the Beatle icon's death said that the Maharishi was left clueless upon Lennon's decision to leave the latter's faith. And so he asked Lennon why - to which was the reply, "you're the cosmic one, figure it out."

By the way, I personally think the Beatles looked a little too gaudy in their Indian outfits, although they seem to have loved wearing them. Too colorful as it is, it served them well on their "Sgt. Pepper's" album.

Anyway, I wonder why John Lennon's assassin was reported to have held J.D. Salinger's "Catcher In The Rye" book when he gunned down his idol in New York City. It's a novel required for high school students. Can anyone tell me why? And would the Oasis been formed if he hadn't died? Interesting... It would create what Dr. Emmet Brown told Marty called 'Space-Time Continuum' in the movie "Back To The Future." Ah, questions.

Anyway, John Lennon changed the world, and he is the ultimate rockstar in my book. And with or without him, Rock & Roll will forever live.