do you think any member of u2 has ever been using any hard drugs

[BonosSaint]

I read an interview where Lennon said the song was based on his little son Julian's drawing, not LSD.

Uh-huh.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.

{REFRAIN}
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Ah... Ah...

{VERSE 2}
Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies,
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.
Newspaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.
Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,
And you're gone.

{REFRAIN}

Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.



Acid.

And good acid.

 

[rihannsu]

Uh-huh.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.

{REFRAIN}
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Ah... Ah...

{VERSE 2}
Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies,
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.
Newspaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.
Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,
And you're gone.

{REFRAIN}

Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,
The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.



Acid.

And good acid.

That is not proof that he was on acid. It is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that this can only be a product of drug use. Many people have wonderfully psychedelic imaginations without any drug use whatsoever. I won't say that drugs won't affect creativity but to suggest that only drugs could produce that is naive to say the least. That is what gets artists into trouble thinking that they can only produce great work when high. In the first flush of experimentation they may produce more creative work but as they spiral deeper into drug use the negative outweighs the positive. Unfortunately by then the addiction has usually taken over their lives. The folly is in thinking you can control the drugs when in actuality they control you.

Dana

 

[BonosSaint]

Rolling Stone Interview with John Lennon

"How did you first get involved in LSD?

A dentist in London laid it on George, me and the wives, without telling us, at a dinner party at his house. He was a friend of George's and our dentist at the time, and he just put it in our coffee or something.

When you came down, what did you think?

I was pretty stoned for a month or two. The second time we had it was in L.A. We were on tour in one of those houses, Doris Day's house or wherever it was we used to stay, and the three of us took it, Ringo, George and I. Maybe Neil [Aspinall] and a couple of the Byrds - what's his name, the one in the Stills and Nash thing? - Crosby and the other guy who used to do the lead. McGuinn. I think they came, I'm not sure, on a few trips. Peter Fonda came, and that was another thing. He kept saying [in a whisper], ``I know what it's like to be dead.'' It was a sad song, an acidy song, I suppose. ``When I was a little boy'' . . . you see, a lot of early childhood was coming out, anyway. So LSD started for you in 1964. How long did it go on?

It went on for years, I must have had a thousand trips. Literally a thousand, or a couple of hundred? A thousand - I used to just eat it all the time.

The other Beatles didn't get into LSD as much as you did?

George did. In L.A. the second time we took it, Paul felt very out of it because we are all a bit slightly cruel, sort of ``we're taking it, and you're not.'' But we kept seeing him, you know. We couldn't eat our food; I just couldn't manage it, just picking it up with our hands. There were all these people serving us in the house, and we were knocking food on the floor and all of that. It was a long time before Paul took it. I think George was pretty heavy on it; we are probably the most cracked. Paul is a bit more stable than George and I.

And straight?

I don't know about straight. Stable. I think LSD profoundly shocked him and Ringo. I think maybe they regret it."


Your choice whether you believe it or not.

I quoted the lyrics because I highly doubted that song was about Julian's picture. And you are correct. Drugs are not necessary for
psychadelic imagination although they are certainly often helpful.
There is a correlation between certain types of drug use and certain types of creativity. Spiralling addiction or injudicious use is a different topic.

By his own words, Lennon and Harrison were into acid. And of the four, their music was the trippiest, for lack of a better word.
Now whether their straight creative minds ran to psychadelia or whether the psychadelics allowed it is another speculation altogether.

But none of this addresses the thread topic which is whether or not U2 used hard drugs. I don't know. I've derailed the thread too much already.

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

Lennon was inspired to write Lucy when he saw his childs painting-He asked Julian what it was a picture of and his son said it was "lucy.....in the Sky..with diamonds", but yeah he was using acid during the time. He admited to having "thousands of trips" during the 60s.


U2 have admitted using at least Marijuana and mushrooms and probably have tried a few other drugs. Has it influenced their music? Probably at some point, yeah, whether it was after or during an experience.

 

[Chile]

Well, yeah, John Lennon could get that from a picture his kid drew.

The lyrics for Being for the benefit of Mr. Kite are from a poster for an old carny.

So, why not?

The music of the Beatles do not hide the influences of numerous music styles and genres- many of which were already introduced by contemporaries into what became, at the time, popular music. Additionally, I think history looks well on the efforts of Sir George Martin, the one who crafted the arrangements for the Beatles, and taught the boys how to listen. Without him, the Beatles wouldn't have recorded at all, and they wouldn't have merited such an influence over future artists.

If u2 are looking to emulate the beatles somehow, they should be sequestered in Studio 2 and bring Jeff Lynne and/or Alan Parsons to produce or simply advise.

As to whether u2 consume drugs, it doesn't really matter to the music provided they come into the studio prepared. Every artist needs a way to unwind, but the work should always come first.

 

[CTU2fan]

So what exactly is a "hard" drug? IMO stuff like weed, shrooms, X are not...heroin is though. What about coke, crack, meth?

 

[U2Man]

cigarettes and alcohol.

 

[Chile]

So what exactly is a "hard" drug? IMO stuff like weed, shrooms, X are not...heroin is though. What about coke, crack, meth?

I think any substance that offers a high level of dependency and/or a likelihood of permanent physical damage is considered a hard drug.

Most of the above mentioned drugs are hard drugs.

 

[rihannsu]

Rolling Stone Interview with John Lennon

"How did you first get involved in LSD?

A dentist in London laid it on George, me and the wives, without telling us, at a dinner party at his house. He was a friend of George's and our dentist at the time, and he just put it in our coffee or something.

When you came down, what did you think?

I was pretty stoned for a month or two. The second time we had it was in L.A. We were on tour in one of those houses, Doris Day's house or wherever it was we used to stay, and the three of us took it, Ringo, George and I. Maybe Neil [Aspinall] and a couple of the Byrds - what's his name, the one in the Stills and Nash thing? - Crosby and the other guy who used to do the lead. McGuinn. I think they came, I'm not sure, on a few trips. Peter Fonda came, and that was another thing. He kept saying [in a whisper], ``I know what it's like to be dead.'' It was a sad song, an acidy song, I suppose. ``When I was a little boy'' . . . you see, a lot of early childhood was coming out, anyway. So LSD started for you in 1964. How long did it go on?

It went on for years, I must have had a thousand trips. Literally a thousand, or a couple of hundred? A thousand - I used to just eat it all the time.

The other Beatles didn't get into LSD as much as you did?

George did. In L.A. the second time we took it, Paul felt very out of it because we are all a bit slightly cruel, sort of ``we're taking it, and you're not.'' But we kept seeing him, you know. We couldn't eat our food; I just couldn't manage it, just picking it up with our hands. There were all these people serving us in the house, and we were knocking food on the floor and all of that. It was a long time before Paul took it. I think George was pretty heavy on it; we are probably the most cracked. Paul is a bit more stable than George and I.

And straight?

I don't know about straight. Stable. I think LSD profoundly shocked him and Ringo. I think maybe they regret it."


Your choice whether you believe it or not.

I quoted the lyrics because I highly doubted that song was about Julian's picture. And you are correct. Drugs are not necessary for
psychadelic imagination although they are certainly often helpful.
There is a correlation between certain types of drug use and certain types of creativity. Spiralling addiction or injudicious use is a different topic.

By his own words, Lennon and Harrison were into acid. And of the four, their music was the trippiest, for lack of a better word.
Now whether their straight creative minds ran to psychadelia or whether the psychadelics allowed it is another speculation altogether.

But none of this addresses the thread topic which is whether or not U2 used hard drugs. I don't know. I've derailed the thread too much already.

My objection was to the use of the end product as indication or proof of the use of drugs. If there is other evidence, fine I don't care one way or the other if they used or not. I'm just saying that you can't simply look at the creative output and say this person was on drugs or this person was not on drugs. That has nothing to do with whether or not I believe they used drugs.

Dana

 

[MrPryck2U]

What's a hard drug? Coke, Heroin, Acid, X, Crystal Meth, Special K and PCP to name a few. Pot, on the other hand, is pretty low on the drug ladder. We all know about Adam's love of MaryJane, but I'm sure all of the Boys have smoked.

 

[neilm]

A friend of mine in the UK, his father was in top Management of a record label and in 1989 he took his son (same age as me) to the 1/1/90 Dublin show where they attended the after show party. Tellin gme every detail he could remember about the party, on eof the things he let slip was that Edge, Bono and Adam were all seen using coke at that party and marijuana was being smoked freely.

This is something that my friend told me. In fact he told me this story a long, long time ago and told it a few times since and it's never changed. He's a pretty honest guy so I have no reason not to believe him.

Still, so what if U2 have experimented with drugs now and then. I can tell you from my own personal experience that drugs are very easy to get hold of when you are in a band, whether you want them or not, especially if you are touring.

I don't think drugs have ever been a major problem in U2. It's a safer bet to say that a fair bit of heavy drinking has gone down over the years and has been the more popular 'drug' of choice, with nicotine.

 

[IanIinTheSky]

I remember having this crazy time in a hot tub with Bono, Whitney Houston, Ashy Larry, and Courtney Love.

It was mad!

 

[redhotswami]

I love it how in the U.S. celebrities are free to indulge in whatever they want, and just as free to admit it publically. But as soon as my friends/family/neighbors were spotted or even approached under suspicion of drugs, they are busted.

Especially since, for example, possession for a small amount of crack cocaine (cheapest form) results in a bigger punishment than a larger amount of powder cocaine. And...just to throw this out there...this results in a huge difference of race and class penalties.

I'm sure U2 has experimented with drugs (for the record, I agree with Pryck that pot is not a hard drug), that doesn't change my opinion of them. I just think that the system is effed up. I'm not sure if the laws are the same in other countries...does anybody know?

 

[JCOSTER]

In U2 by U2 Bono says he doesn't do drugs, whether that means never had or just doesn't now I don't know.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

There are some stories around. My favourite is one about Bono at the Mardi Gras after party here in Sydney post-Popmart (huuuuge gay dance party).

 

[Caroni]

There are some stories around. My favourite is one about Bono at the Mardi Gras after party here in Sydney post-Popmart (huuuuge gay dance party).

TELL ME

 

[biff]

There are some stories around. My favourite is one about Bono at the Mardi Gras after party here in Sydney post-Popmart (huuuuge gay dance party).

So, tell us the story already.

You can't mention it without telling it. Don't be a tease, please.

 

[david]

i think earnie shavers is referring to a picture of someone that looked a lot like bono, dressed up in a weird gay s&m outfit. it was posted on the net.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

No, nothing to do with a picture. I know a couple of guys who organised the party and were in the 'ultra' VIP room. They were telling the story as part of a larger story about being the only straight and sober guys in this debaucherous room full of wasted celebrities. The way they told the story was hilarious, but basically Bono was in quite a state that was openly and obviously nothing to do with alcohol (alone), mimicking him as this funny, dishelved, "very loving" but still somehow very cool guy, and that he ended up down on the main dance floor camping it up with any and all sweaty half naked men. I read something once where Bono mentions going to the Mardi Gras in Sydney, meeting up with Kylie Minogue, going to the party and then something about "falling into a bowl of pasta and not returning till the next day", whatever the f*ck that means. Sorry, its not a funny story to read as told by me, but being told that by two very camp gay guys who don't know Bono or U2 from a bar of soap, but manage to to mimic him perfectly was hilarious.

 

[U2girl]

Ah, the "I know a guy who knows a guy" stories.

Well there are also stories on U2's zero tolerance policy on drugs, so...

 

[neilm]

Ah, the "I know a guy who knows a guy" stories.

Well there are also stories on U2's zero tolerance policy on drugs, so...

Maybe zero tolerance drug policy these days but don't be fooled into thinking that is how it has always been. They have even done as much as to admit it themselves even if they have not always named the drugs that have been taken.

I can also assure you that my story came from a very close friend who was actually there and saw it all with his own eyes - the same as Earnie's was, so they are not tales from someone who knows someone, who knows someone. As I said, my friend is a very honest person who would of had no reason to make that stuff up - however, you take something like that however you wish to. You either believe it or remain skeptical. Knowing how the music industry works having been involved in it myself in a touring band in the past, it would not surprise me in the least if my friends story and Earnie's were true.

Does it change the way I think of the band? Nope.

Do I care that they've tried drugs? Nope.

Why? Because it's none of my damn business!!!

 

[Alisaura]

IMO, alcohol is way "harder" than pot... just because it's legal doesn't make it better or "softer" or whatever. It has a high dependency level. Look at what happened to Adam in Sydney during the Zoo tour; the most public/only occurrence of drugs screwing up the band (or a member of the band at least), and it was alcohol, not pot or crack or speed or whatever.

 

[t8thgr8]

they looked like they were rolling inside the lemon for a british tv interview i saw a while back...

 

[U2girl]

Maybe zero tolerance drug policy these days but don't be fooled into thinking that is how it has always been. They have even done as much as to admit it themselves even if they have not always named the drugs that have been taken.

I can also assure you that my story came from a very close friend who was actually there and saw it all with his own eyes - the same as Earnie's was, so they are not tales from someone who knows someone, who knows someone. As I said, my friend is a very honest person who would of had no reason to make that stuff up - however, you take something like that however you wish to. You either believe it or remain skeptical. Knowing how the music industry works having been involved in it myself in a touring band in the past, it would not surprise me in the least if my friends story and Earnie's were true.

Does it change the way I think of the band? Nope.

Do I care that they've tried drugs? Nope.

Why? Because it's none of my damn business!!!

Just saying what Rocko Reedy said in an interview a bit ago, around the time of Hawaii show. Believe if you want.

I'd be skeptical unless it's official (and I doubt anyone is that good at keeping it a secret for 30 years of being in the business), straight from the horses mouth. So far I haven't seen anyone (not counting Adam's problem) in the band coming out and say "yes I did/tried this and this drug" - the closest to that is the mushroom story in Flanagan's book (alcohol and cigarettes not included, I assume we're not referring to those in this thread). Till then, best anyone can do is speculate.

 

[The_acrobat]

Didn't Bono get into heroin during Joshua Tree tour/Rattle and Hum era??

 

[dazzlingamy]

i love all these stories.
I also agree Mia the wide gap between normal people with a bit of crack or weed on them compared to stars that can do anything seemingly and never get in trouble. (not that im saying people who take drugs should be in troubel, just that i dont believe in one rule for one and one for another just because you're "famous")

 

[dr.dae]

Didn't Bono get into heroin during Joshua Tree tour/Rattle and Hum era??

holy shit !!!!

 

[t8thgr8]

In sheer coincedence from the heavens, there is a link to the interview i just commented on in where the album has no name. http://www.sa vefile.com/projects/1062193

watch and tell me they arent on ecstacy...

 

[Axver]

Didn't Bono get into heroin during Joshua Tree tour/Rattle and Hum era??

During that very period, Bono was introducing Bad live by condemning heroin. I think he targets it a few other times too.

Considering U2's history of condemning heroin, I doubt they would have done it. While I think some people on this thread are wilfully being naive with regards to U2's use of other drugs, I would be more ready to believe that they haven't done heroin as that is what their behaviour and attitudes indicate.

 

[rihannsu]

In sheer coincedence from the heavens, there is a link to the interview i just commented on in where the album has no name. http://www.sa vefile.com/projects/1062193

watch and tell me they arent on ecstacy...

This was filmed right after the concert. Bono is always spacey after performing. This is well documented. I see 4 people with fabulous imaginations and sense of humor. I have many friends who can and do act just as crazy as this when perfectly sober. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't but you can't tell just by their behaviour.

Dana