Trinity of Tripsters

Since I can remember I’ve danced to the “sound of a different drummer.” Could it be organic, caused by an odd translocation of my chromosomes, or a mutation in my neural network? Perhaps it’s environmental. By the age of 10, I had watched The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy assassination and The Outer Limits with equal relish.

 Early on, I was exposed to three great tripsters.

1. Lord Buckley – At age 12, my friend, Dave, and I would sit in his basement listening to the Lord's albums for hours. His raps illuminated the rhythm, irreverence and beauty in language. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHPrNCQQBvY
2. Over the next few years, my friend Pat’s musical interest shifted from rock to jazz. He turned me on to Rashaan Roland Kirk. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he’d play several saxes, a flute and other instruments at the same time. His monologues during performances were laced with satire and absurdist humor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPATPXGJgKo
3. In 1968, I read The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. That led me to On the Road. They bookend the life of Neal Cassady from the beat beginnings of the late 40s to the psychedelic awakenings of the mid 60s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99uZor1OTO0

 Did my multifarious make-up attract me to these bohemians, or did their early influence shape my persona? That is my chicken/egg conundrum.

This unorthodox trinity still produces my Inner Smile. Voltaire wrote, "Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world." They may not harm, but I view those amusements as driving forces in the revolution. As ever – BB

"If I can't dance - I don't want to be part of your revolution." - Emma Goldman