The Meat Puppets were between record labels in the summer or 1990. Our relationship with SST was effectively over, but our Polygram deal was still in the negotiation stages. Hence, we spun our wheels, unable to record, unable to tour, just barely making ends meet by doing local shows a couple times a month. We were as broke as we’d ever been.
We managed to catch a bone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who took us to Texas for a week. But that tour just barely broke even. I remember sitting with Cris in the van we’d rented for the trip. He was getting ready to drop it off at U-Haul, along with the last of our earnings. And he turned to me and said, “You got any buds? I’m all out.”
It felt like a crushing weight bearing down on me. As bright as our future seemed, as on the verge as we were of becoming a major label force, with full access to the kind of resources a Presley or a Springsteen might enjoy, we were also trapped in a vicious web of self-medication. The procuring and ingesting of marijuana seemed to be the main glue of our lives. It defined who we were as artists, as people, and as friends. It imposed strict limits on our time, on our energy, on what we could accomplish and on who we could associate with. Not to mention our health and our pocketbooks.
It started to bother me, but the brothers couldn’t understand what I was so worried about. They revelled in their substance abuse. It was part of what made them special. Back then, we liked a saying attributed to Hunter Thompson: “without drugs, I’d have the mind of a fifth-rate accountant.” But to me, it felt increasingly like I was mortgaging my future.
So I quit. I gave away my stash and all my pipes, pulled up a chair and prepared for some long nights. I didn’t sleep for a week. Outside, temperatures in Phoenix reached 123 degrees. I stayed indoors and tried to keep comfortable. I took a lot of cold baths. When sleep returned, I had dreadful nightmares. Freed from the hallucinatory grip of the drugs, my real emotions roared up at me. I bounced around for a couple of months, working my way through guilt, fear, rage, depression and whatever else I’d been suppressing in the decade and a half since I had first taken up the 24-7 wake-and-bake lifestyle.
As it turns out — surprise! — Hunter Thompson was wrong. My mind was never sharper. No longer afraid of arrest every time I left my house, I lost my second-class citizen status. My self-confidence grew by leaps and bounds and I began to get some actual traction in my life. You might say I began to resemble an actual human being!
To this day, I still feel that getting straight is the single most important thing I have ever done. That said, drug abuse is not without its rewards, at least if these droll little comics are any indication. And if a certain condescending sarcasm crept into my post-dependency contributions to the series — well, it wasn’t too high a price to pay.
Anyway, here’s the second batch of Pot Comics:
It’s funny you mention the Chili Peppers. I caught a glimpse of their new video a few days ago, in which they pose as various bands throughout the years, The Misfits, Buddy Holly and The Crickets, Funkadelic etc. They also reinact the Nirvana Unplugged session where Frusciante and Flea (in particular as he is donning a wig) are styled up to look like the Kirkwoods.
Left by Henry on April 11th, 2006
Speaking of tour transportation, whatever did become of the RV?
Alas, pot…what to say about a substance that can utterly convince you that your next door neighbor is a human version of a Flintstone’s chewable vitamin, except in the form of Buddy Hackett?
Left by Arnold Blumper on April 11th, 2006
hello my name is Justine.
My friend and I really love the name of the meat puppets and think the music is REALLY cool.
We wanted to make a tee shirt with the “Mirage†logo, but I’d like to ask your permission first.
We are from Pa and might make it to the show in Harrisburg June 6th
Left by Justine Eckenrode on April 12th, 2006
As long as you don’t try to sell it!
Left by Derrick Bostrom on April 12th, 2006
I enjoy all the entries, especially the old M.P. stories. I was really struck by how hard it was to quit for you. Pot was more a psychological than physical withdrawl, or so I thought and heard, but damn, it sounded like a William S. Burroughs scenerio. Paint the windows black, draw the curtains , shoot the dog, and prepare to enter hell! But it sounded like a good path to take. Thanks for the sharing, especailly on such a personal subject.
Left by Steve H. on April 12th, 2006
No dogs were shot – honest! I was restless for a while! But “psychologically addicted” is too easy a phrase. Think about “self medication.” If at a young age, one gets programmed to give himself instant gratification, it can be a real developmental handicap.
Warning people off ruining their lives can be a good by-product of “fame.” I welcome the opportunity.
Left by Derrick Bostrom on April 12th, 2006
r u tryin’ to say that pot is bad? CAN’T I GET high every day and not feel even more paranoid than i already do???
Bostrom, you should get high and try listening to some Meat Puppets, it’s one of my favorite activites…
: )
Left by Miguel on April 13th, 2006
June 6th? A show?
Left by Matt on April 14th, 2006
Just wanna say that the ‘Pups’ have been a massive inspiration to me and my music. One of the greatest bands ever, so unique in their own way. Thanks for giving me some of the best tunes I have ever heard. You guys rock! And hey, if your ever in England, maybe we could play a gig together lol!
Left by Dan on May 4th, 2006
Derrick, the emotional rollercoaster you describe during your pot-detox is exactly how mine went 6 years ago. I was a “head” for a good 15 years and one day in late ’99 I woke up one morning and realized that getting high, being high, the whole “culture” of pot was such an incredible chore. I no longer could enjoy just simply feeling high. All the baggage over the many years became impossible to carry around anymore. Where to get pot, who has pot, can I afford the pot, is the pot good, will I be caught with pot, where can I smoke pot, are these people “cool”, will I be busted today, do I look high, will they “know”, how are my eyes, do I reek like pot, pot pot pot pot!!! My life was utterly consumed in potsmoke to the point of enormous stress.
I too had nightmares after 15 years of no dreams whatsoever. Then many occasions of lucid dreams to the point of controling the actual dream. I felt as if I was given my soul back. It was wonderful. I was so free. But there is still some longterm emotional and mental damage although very subtle. Mostly concentration and focus issues. A.D.D I guess. Dont get me wrong, I dont hate pot. It just didnt like me for some reason. And I realized our long relationship was dead and over with.
If there was one positive thing I could take with me from my 15 years of cannabis use it would be the wonderful music you Curt and Cris made. It was during those years that I discoverd The Meat Puppets while in serch for music that was different from the norm. Something to listen to while high and just escape a little bit…ya know? It has inspired my own musical endevors and for that I will always be gratefulf for the music you have made. Thank You!
Left by Sean on May 7th, 2006
Yeah pot’s an easy substance to abuse. Should have just kept it to the weekends or before something good etc. I was just wondering if other band members took the same path as you, and have you ever smoked since then on occassion?
Left by Chris on May 7th, 2006
Very very funny lol
Left by Buckethead on May 14th, 2006
I was a massive Meat Puppets fan back in the 80′s. Not that I’m not so now, I just work all the time and pay bills. I saw The Puppets in Indy at the Patio in 1985 with my best friend Matt. The was during the second LP tour. The show was hugely inspiring to me. I remember this guy standing up in front of the band and after some time my friend Matt crunched up a beer can and whizzed it across the place and hit him right in the back to get him to sit down. If he missed he would have beaned lead man Curt, that was a tense moment.
I would love to have some original Meat Puppets art. Do you guys have anything in studios etc? I live in San Diego now and I could imagine you have works you might sell in Arizona studios.
Left by Bruce on May 27th, 2006
i like your comics, speaking of comics i was looking at my moms old year books and you drew a picture of her, I didnt know that you knew her until I started listening to your music a while ago, anyways her name is Shannon and she says hi
Left by Kristen on June 5th, 2006
Damn…!
Sometimes the world just seems incredibly small!
Left by Derrick Bostrom on June 5th, 2006
Am I high or did I miss pot comics 1?
Left by Jack on August 20th, 2007
Hello Derrick. Thanks for talking so openly about giving up pot. I’ve given up so it’s interesting and inspiring to read about others that have done it also. I’m about to start the process of creating a comic book called Western Buddha. When I’ve finished i might send it on to you for your opinion. Cheers.
Left by Renko Farts Sublime on December 31st, 2007