Smoke Signals, Nov 2010 - UMass Cannabis Reform Coalition

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NOVEMBER 2010
BROUGHT TO YOU BY UMASS AMHERST CRC
Rolled Up
Inside
CRC Current Events
Voting & More Voting
Ask A Stoner
Activist of the Month
Phish @ UMASS
Full Edition Online
umasscrc.org & Facebook
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SMOKE SIGNALS
CRC Current Events
Signal Back
Hello everyone and welcome to
Nov 2
Election Day, Vote Yes on Question 4!
Nov 12
Closet Stoners (2:30-4:20) Marijuana rally &
Smoke Signals, a regular news-
parade; the CRC will celebrate the success of
letter published by the Canna-
the Massachusetts public policy questions!
bis Reform Coalition. The writing
staff is made up of members
of the CRC. Our mission is to
present a wide spectrum of information regarding marijuana
Nov 17
CRC Presents “American Drug War”
Nov 20
Light It Up...Go Bowling!
and its inherent culture. In order
2 hours free bowling @ Spare Time in NoHo
to to be sucessful, to produce
the headiest magazine possible, Smoke Signals needs your
help. We want our readers to be
Nov 25
Thanksgiving
Get high, eat food, sleep (repeat)
involved, informed and intoxicated, and to get as much out of
this magazine as possible. After
all it is written for you. Stop by
our office, located in the Student
Union Room 322, or contact us
online via Facebook, Campus
Pulse or www.umasscrc.org. The
CRC contact information can be
found on the back cover. From all
of us here at the CRC and Smoke
Signals we want to say thank you
for your continued support.
Write for
Smoke Signals
If you are interested in writing
for Smoke Signals we would love
to have you as part of our team.
From an occasional article to a
regular column, we are looking
for input. Drop by the office
Tuesdays at 6 pm (or whenever
else) for Smoke Signals meetings.
From the Offices of the CRC...
My name is Duncan and I am the former president of the CRC. I joined the club initially
because I am a huge fan of cannabis, but the reason why I became so involved is because
of the way that the drug war affects the underprivileged. People are dying everyday
around the world because of illegal drug cartels. People of color are disproportionately
being arrested for drug use. Cannabis is a legitimate form of medication that has been
proven to be more affective than other prescription and over the counter drugs in multiple
survey studies. Also, cannabis is a perfectly legitimate and safe way to recreate - it brings
people together and expands the human mind. I am in this club because I care about
people and the issue of legalization, and it is long past the time to end the cruel drug
war. My goal in the CRC is to help lead the club in creating conditions and collecting
signatures for a 2012 ballot initiative to legalize marijuana. I have faith that we can do
this--but only with the help of our faithful members. Come to all the meetings, learn the
issues, and help us to make this an awesome and productive year. Maybe by 2012 we can
take the R out of CRC.
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amherst voting
Olivia Brown
Attention all students, in state and out: on November
2nd we will make our way down to different voting
stations to cast our ballot for governor and other state
elected officials. However, most elections may seem like
a wild guess for which candidate will uphold the people
the most. This time, pay close attention to the public
policy questions, and the representatives, because these
decisions, my fellow smokers, are exciting!
While not binding, Public Policy Question 4 asks the
following:
“Shall the State Representative from this district be
instructed to vote in favor of legislation that would allow
the state to regulate and tax marijuana like alcohol?”
Stuff stoners need to know
Sam McDonough
Packing a bowl:
Any seasoned smoker needs to know how to pack an
impressive bowl. To begin with, your weed needs to be
broken up, preferably with a grinder. If not, doing it by
hand is fine. At the bottom of your bowl, you should
place one nug, a little bigger than the rest, to prevent
pulling through any scooby snacks toward the end of
your smoke sesh. On top of this you can throw the
smaller nugs and ground bud, but don’t pack it in too
tightly. Don’t push the bud down too hard, as you sneak
it in your sleeve past the security desk--this takes away
from the green hit and makes it burn harsher.
Smoking in groups:
YES YES YES Massachusetts!! What an exciting
question for this state to prompt it’s citizens (13%)
to answer! Many Massachusetts ballots will include
Question 4, for instance Amherst. You may be
wondering, what does this question mean exactly?
Fist off, if the majority of residents vote in favor of
question four, weed will not be miraculously legalized
as a direct result. It simply means that legalization
will be on future ballots and have greater priority
than some other public policy issues. However, the
step to legalization does not stop at Question 4. Pay
close attention to all the candidates for governor, and
other legislative positions in Massachusetts. If officials
in favor of legalization are elected legalization will
become an issue of more importance and the process
of legalization will be sped up. Pay particular attention
to Jill Stein for governor in this upcoming election, as
well as Dan Melick for Amherst State Representative,
both in favor of legalizing marijuana, amongst several
other equally important issues: lowering costs for
higher education, youth violence, and the rising job
loss due to big casinos. As students, these issues face
us everyday. Ranging from sweating bullets as a cop
follows you to school with a dime bag in the car to
those huge student loans we all took out to get to
school, these issues are big, so be sure to get out and
vote on November 2nd to get the student voice heard!
Wherever I go, people seem to have different unspoken
rules when they smoke in groups. In my ever-so-humble
opinion, it doesn’t really matter if you pass to the left
or right. Everyone’s going to get the same number of
hits. If the person who takes the first hit passes to the
left, keep going left. If someone offers to smoke you up,
offer to match them if you can. Make sure to keep the
rotation going; as long as you remember who passes to
you, and who you pass to, no one will miss their hit.
Corner the bowl, lighting only a small portion of the
green on the side of the bowl, so that everyone can get
a fair rip. Show some common decency and follow the
golden rule: smoke up others as you would like to be
smoked up.
Legalizing it:
This upcoming election day in Amherst, get your ass
down to vote. Public policy question four, a nonbinding question asking our fine town its opinion on
the legalization of marijuana, is being voted on this year.
If enough people support the initiative now, the effort
for legalization can get more funding and possibly be on
the ballot in 2012. By the time you graduate, marijuana
could be legal; just go vote on November 2nd.
(Continued on the next page)
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The 2010 Public Policy Questions:
The Next Step for Massachusetts
By Duncan Kampfe-Leacher
“Excuse me sir – would you sign to legalize marijuana
to be taxed and regulated?” This is a question that I
repeated possibly thousands of times this summer. I
was collecting signatures for Amherst-Granby’s Public
Policy Question 4 and a few others like it. On November 2nd over 1 in 8 Mass voters will be voting on
marijuana reform. I am excited to see the Question
pass with flying colors.
The wording of the question that pertains to the Amherst-Granby district is, “Shall the State Representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of
legislation that would allow the state to regulate and
tax marijuana like alcohol?” Another question asks,
“Shall the State Representative from this district be
instructed to vote in favor of legislation that would
allow patients, with their doctor’s written recommendation, to possess, grow and purchase marijuana for
medical use?” The turnout of this vote will not create
a law for Massachusetts, but it will provide an official
poll that will prove (or disprove) that we are ready for
legalization. However, if the bill gets enough votes,
and if things go well with Prop 19 in California, then
those who fund ballot initiatives will be much more
confident in making the investment in an initiative
to legalize marijuana, much like we had with Question 2. If things go really well, then we could have a
legalization bill on the ballot by 2012!
This step in the political process may not be as big as
the one that California is taking this year, but it is a
similarly important one on our path to legalization.
Helping to inform the public and passing the policy
questions will be a great success for the CRC.
More stuff stoners need to know...
Sam McDonough
Smoking in your room:
Talking to cops:
We do not condone dorm room smoking at this fine
If you’ve never dealt with cops before, it can be an
university! So here’s how you do it... Lay a towel down
intimidating experience. But you do have rights: don’t let
along the bottom of your door. Crank up a fan and point
a cop coerce you into waiving your rights just because you
it facing out of your window. If you’re feeling cautious,
are high and paranoid. Hopefully, you will have noticed
you can easily make a spoof by stuffing a toilet paper
the officer before they get too close, and you can calmly
tube with dryer sheets, taping one tight over the end of
put your shit away. Remember that an officer can’t search
the tube and leaving the other end open to blow smoke
you without your consent; they need to have probable
through. This will diffuse that stanky smell. Keep the
cause to believe that you are committing a crime. Refusing
bowl near the window and make sure to blow smoke in
a search is not probable cause. Be calm and courteous
this direction. If it gets a little too skunky, spray some
about it. If you refuse a search, the police officer will have
freshener for good measure towards your door; it can’t
to either let you go or attempt to get a warrant. He may
hurt to be too safe. It’s also a good idea to consider
be able to detain you on reasonable suspicion, but they
whether or not the RAs are doing rounds in your
cannot reach in your pockets in a pat down unless they
building. It’s not too cold out (yet) to skip the outdoor
think you have a weapon! Don’t be intimidated by them;
smoke sesh between eight and midnight. Make sure your
just tell them that, if you are not under arrest, you would
door is locked and that no one will have to leave the room
like to leave.
while you’re smoking. That door needs to stay closed until
the smell fades!
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ASK A STONER: SMOKE SIGNALS REACHES OUT
Jess Charnley
Everyone reading this magazine obviously (or likely)
smokes weed. This paper is right out of the offices of
the CRC. The people in this organization are dedicating immense time to fight drug prohibition. We are so
passionate about it. So I pose the great question, “Why
do you smoke weed?” Why is it we are fighting so hard?
What’s so great about smoking weed? The responses
are anonymous because I wanted to get a real, honest
feel and reason from the people interviewed...
Why do I smoke weed? Hmm, let me ponder that
thought for a moment. Well I first started smoking
the same way most others do. They have a friend
who loves to smoke and that friend loves the experience of getting high. And they want to share that fun
time with someone else who hasn’t had that experience. After that you continue to smoke because you
want to, and it just feels right for you. The whole
social environment that surrounds it is just incredible. And everything sounds and feels better when
I smoke weed because it brings you, quickly, to a dif-
you are high. It is a totally new way of experiencing
ferent place. A higher ground, a nirvana even. When
life that is almost unreal.
you are sober—sure, you can attain complete happiness, but you are still aware of the negativity taking
I have always had trouble focusing on my school-
place around you in the world. When I am high I have
work. I smoke because afterward I am able to focus
complete focus on my goals, nothing is distracting
on what I am working on and actually complete the
me from it at all. My mind can clear and I can put
assignment before it is due.
all my energy into that one idea. I am one with my
art, the painting, the piece of paper, and the brush. I
I smoke because I think too much, and I need to take
am one with my thoughts. I am one with the music I
a peaceful moment to chill out and think a little bit
hear. I feel the music. Each note touches my body in
less. My mind stops racing and I can just breathe
its own unique way. I feel everything so much more
for a moment. I just have such a hectic schedule and
deeply. And that is why I smoke weed.
smoking just slows thing down for me.
I smoke weed because it’s a natural action, it feels
I smoke weed because it is the most unreal sense of
“right”. Smoking emerges an entirely differentiated
reality we can safely attain.
entity of myself, one I like to spend time with on occasion. For most of my life, I have felt disconnected
I smoke weed for the thrill of doing something illegal.
from my environment, from the others around me.
I can’t exactly pinpoint why I feel this way, I just
I smoke weed for many different reasons. I used to
know that I always have. Some days are better than
smoke all the time. My friend and I would love getting
others, where I feel more aware, more awake, more
high and going on cruise rides through the huge hills
attune to the situation at hand. But for me personally,
around my town. The first of every month we’d go
smoking fills this gap. It brings me a feeling of unity,
on a high ride and notice the change in environment.
of satisfaction for what is now. I feel more connected
We’d appreciate the season change so much more
to the individuals that I am with, my surroundings are
high. We would notice how much really does change
home. It gives me comfort knowing that everything
in a month, inside ourselves personally, and in the
will be all right, okay in the end. That transitioning
environment around us, physically. Since I tripped
to this varied state of mind will continue to amaze,
I feel I don’t need to smoke as much to appreciate
inspire and intrigue me. And I will continually sur-
things. But I still love weed—being around it, rolling
prise myself that I still have the answers within me.
joints, the smell of it, and the people and culture that
And that is why I smoke.
surrounds it. Being high is just so much more intense
for me now since I tripped.
I smoke weed to enhance good times with my friends.
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Cooking with cannabis:
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Ingredients
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup canna-butter/canna-oil
* 1 egg
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon milk
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and
egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking
powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the
baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour
mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet
and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for
approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown
and firm.
Strain of the month - Sour diesel (chem/dawg x super skunk)
Sour Diesel (SD) is the finest herb to emerge from the
Pioneer Valley. As the story goes, the Chem/Dawg indica
seeds originally made their way from Colorado to Massachusetts via Grateful Dead tour, before being cloned
and renamed Diesel by a grower on Phish tour. A Massachusetts Super Skunk pollinated the Diesel, thus producing the queen of all strains: Sour Diesel. The SD’s sister,
OG Kush, is equally as infamous and potent. Both the
Sour Diesel and OG Kush are (supposedly) sativa dominant through breeding, though the information on these
strains can be difficult to assess. This is mostly due to the
fact that OG, Kush and Diesel are terms that are thrown
around by growers and strain connoisseurs. For instance,
the Kush family is entirely different from OG Kush, as
is NYC Diesel from SD. Adding to the confusion, the
genetics of the parent Chem/Dawg are unknown to the
general public.
The SD smells potent! And it is, containing over 20%
THC content. One feature of the second hand smoke
is that it smells just like the bud, which comes across as
truly sour. The strain tastes a bit fruity, closer to that of
Chem/Dawg, and delivers a significant cough. The high
features a bit of the indica body feel of the parent genetics,
though it ranges much more on the side of sativa, leaving
the smoker’s head in the stars (thus, the qualification of
this strain is as a sativa). SD produces tight buds, which
often lack maturity, with light pink hues along a dark
green background. The small leaves of SD are also green in
color, but are much darker than the bud itself. Be careful
not to consume large quantities of SD as it will get you
extremely high—before you know it the indica qualities
will seep in and lay you out on the couch. Goodnight.
NEWS FROM THE FRONT
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Ben Rudnick
With decriminalization here in Massachusetts
and Prop 19 about to pass in California, things
are definitely going our way in the War on Drugs.
However, it is still important to be vigilant for
new ways to advance our agenda, especially in
light of recent news that neither American nor international prohibitionists have surrendered yet.
For example, Mexican police and soldiers have
reportedly busted 11 operatives of the Sinaloa
cartel in the largest-ever cannabis seizure south
of the border. Originally reported as a mere 105
tons, the final total impounded was actually 134
tons. That’s over 1.2 million grams! To be sure,
this proves how important marijuana is to the
Mexican smuggling gangs, and why we should
take that money away from them by legalizing
it. However, it also proves that the front lines of
the War on Drugs are still very active. The fight
is just beginning!
Next, and much closer to home, is the news that
cops and feds in New York arrested High Times
writer Matthew Woodstock Stang, Hip-Hop
Record Company founder Kareem Burke, and
over 40 other people for allegedly running a potsmuggling ring between Florida and New York.
The authorities also seized 340lbs of weed and
$2 million in cash. I know we’ll all keep a good
thought that these folks all have great lawyers,
but make no mistake, this also shows that the
Federal authorities here at home have not given
up on the war either.
But I don’t want to end on such a downer so here’s
some good news: Recent reports indicate that the
cannabis crop, for California alone, could be
worth as much as $14 billion. That’s seven times
more than all the wine they sell each year! Politicians are just drooling over the potential tax revenues, and these new numbers look like nearly a
billion and a half more reasons to legalize it!
Activist of the Month:
Alex Arsenault
Interviewed by Duncan Kampfe-Leacher
On the Front Lines of the Prop 19 Campaign
Alex Arsenault is a man on a mission to legalize
marijuana. During the past two years, he has
worked with the Proposition 19 campaign to
enable the government to “regulate, control, and
tax cannabis” such that anyone over the age of
21 in California can buy it in a store. However,
Arsenault’s prolific career in legalization has its
beginnings in the Cannabis Reform Coalition at
UMass Amherst.
Alex says that he was interested in different psychoactive drugs, their history, and the politics
around their criminalization since before joining
the CRC. He learned about the club through
Extravaganja, having grown up in Amherst, and
decided to go to their meetings during his freshman year after finding a flier on campus. He
quickly became involved in the club, filling the
role of treasurer for three years during his involvement in the CRC. He lobbied for a decriminalization bill before Question 2, coordinated
the CRC’s Question 2 campaign, and helped
organize three Extravaganjas. As a result of his
political organizing at UMass, Alex was a great
candidate to take leadership in the Proposition
19 campaign in 2009.
Alex Arsenault says that Prop 19 is “one of the
better campaigns there’s ever been” and that its
proposal will “bring up the issue on the national
level”. When he began working for Prop 19, Alex
expected nothing more than collecting signatures for the campaign. Alex’s full potential was
realized when he began organizing volunteers in
Southern California.
(Continued on the next page)
Activist of the Month: Alex Arsenault
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Interviewed by Duncan Kampfe-Leacher
In the summer of 2010, Alex organized signature gatherers for public policy questions in Massachusetts regarding the legalization of marijuana and instituting a system of medical marijuana.
More recently Alex has done work registering voters and spreading the word about Proposition 19.
He has also participated in the organization of phone bankers, who tirelessly call California voters
to convince them to vote yes on 19. Alex said that he is often “working late, working hard” and that
“it is uncertain whether or not the bill will pass, but it is more likely to pass”. He expects that the
determining factor will “come down to who decides to vote on November 2nd”.
Alex Arsenault is a great individual who has had a positive influence on the politics of legalizing marijuana for quite awhile now. With his determination, and a little bit of luck, we may see California
legalize marijuana for recreational use.
Phans Rocking Out at the UMASS Mullins Center
Photography by Dave Vann
The CRC’s own Andy and Joe enjoy Phish at UMASS; Cathy (mentioned in the article) and her husband
Lance get down and dirty on the front rail; another 10,500 attendees stand waiting in the velvet sea.
(From center left to right: Heady brah who rocked out all show, Cathy, Lance, Andy, Girl getting
down, Dude in a trance, Andy, Joe Smith, a whole bunch of other fucking people rocking the fuck out!)
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DREAMS DO COME TRUE: PHISH - 10/23/10 MULLINS CENTRE
Adam Freed
Phanatic Cathy (in the above photo) initiated the
almost-forgotten “Meatstick” coreography at the beginning of Phish’s Fall tour in Broomfield, Colorado.
Two weeks later at Umass Amhert’s Mullins Center,
the band spotted her and launched once again into the
rare tune, dance moves and all. This kind of audienceband connection is focal to the energy and atmosphere
created within the spanse of muical enlightenment
that is a Phish show. During this three hour musical
journey, anything and everything can happen. Forget
the acid peaks, spilled beer, young and old getting
down side-by-side—Phish is truly a spiritual event that
goes above and beyond the I, the band, and even the
group conciousness present at every show.
Phish first played the Mullins Center on November 3rd, 1994, returning for two more shows in
December of 1995. The band has strong connections
to the area as their original manager was an Amherst
College student. Back for the first time in fifteen years,
the band made a bold statement by booking two nights
at Umass, re-establishing the Pioneer Valley as Phish’s
second home. With home field advantage, Phish is
an unstopable force of vibrant energy. Plus, just like
Umass, they really know how to party: “Party Time”
(believed by some to be the intended opener) set the
mood for a raging weekend. This new Fishman tune,
from the B sides of Phish’s most recent release Joy, has
only two lyrics (party, time) and was an obvious choice
to open the weekend. Phish loves to play cheesy time/
crowd appropriate songs.
Short, chubby and wearing a dress: Jon Fishman
is the drummer, firing on all cylinders and filled with
crazy antics. As with the Beatles, Phish chose to name
their band after an animal—in this case Fishman
or Fish—but mispelled the word. If you don’t think
Fishman is an animal, then you haven’t seen him
run around the stage a dozen times. Fish goes by
many nicknames including Henrietta, his alterego that
belches a variety of covers, typically featuring a solo
on his Electolux vacuum cleaner. Towards the end of
the first set, Henrietta serenated the audience with Syd
Barrett’s “Love You,” which was defenitely a special
treat.
Prior to the ‘trainwreck’ portion of the set, as
Fishman often refers to this comedic chunk, Phish
layed down several solid tracks. “Golgi Apparatus,” a
tune inspired by school lessons, was written by guitarist Trey Anastasio and his childhood friend/lyricist
Tom Marshall in seventh grade. This high-energy
number was successfully follwed by the new crowdpleasing anthem “Kill Devil Falls,” also featured on
Joy. Trey, the compositional genious and creative
driving force, established dominance in the band as he
shredded through numerous solos. During the mid-set
“Tweezer,” a funky dance number, Trey proved his
ability to build a jam to unique, unexplored grounds.
One key to a Phish experience is how the band carries
their improvisation, as a tight four-man unit, without
verbal communication. This sometimes slow process
often leads to amazing heights, and without it the jam
portion of the show would be less fullfilling.
Page McConnell took center stage for his lounge
number “Lawn Boy,” the lovey-dovey title track from
Phish’s second album. Page, who wrote his final thesis
on the art of improvisation, is the soft-spoken pianist
with an angelic voice. In their earlier days the band was
keen to giving Page vocal duties as often as possible.
“Lawn Boy” also contains a melodic lounge-esque bass
solo from Mike Gordon, the Massachusetts resident
and musical virtuoso. Mike was soon to be pinacle in
the set, as “Sparkle” built up into a peaking frenzy:
the bassist’s “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars.”
This tune, which is about as loud and angry as Phish
gets, describes an alien creature who is trying to kill
Mike when he gets home from work. This rare track
contains a lot of noise and screaminrg.
Following the aforementioned Henrieta routine,
the first set began to wind down with the standard
“Possum,” a bluegrass infused song about road-kill that
also features Mike on vocals. Phish really exploded
with this jam, which led into a fast-paced Trey solo.
The band closed the set by ending “Tweezer” with
a reprise or “Tweeprise.” In this case, we will call it
“Meatprise” because the band, proving their versatility,
reworked the lyrics to include “Meatstick.”
(Continued on the next page)
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DREAMS DO COME TRUE: PHISH - 10/23/10 MULLINS CENTRE
Adam Freed
On-the-spot creativity like this was essential to Phish
in their hayday and ranges from quotes or teases of
other songs within a song to the full-out mixing of two
songs. Only a band that is extremely in tune with each
other could attempt to pull off these musical feats (for
an example listen to 2-20-1993).
The second set showcased numerous pockets of
energy, particular moments that should be experienced
by all fans, within a slew of Phish classics. An E. Coli
scare in the town of Amherst instigated “Down With
Disease” for the second night in a row (atypical of a
normal run of shows), which raged at its peak, though
less than it had the night before, and segued into the
spooky “My Friend My Friend.” This tune enters some
weird spaces: beginning with a somber chord progression, it transforms into a dark song with an odd tempo
that forces listeners to cringe. Two slower tracks followed: “Prince Caspian” and the brand new “Halfway
to the Moon,” which was played for the full moon.
Continuing the segue, Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On
Reggae Woman” propelled the entire audience to their
feet, likely due to Mike Gordon’s funky bass line that
drives this cover.
The “Boogie On” jam led into an authentic Phish
moment, namely the peak of “Maze.” This track is about
being trapped in a maze and has an eerie feel, initially
sparked by Fishman’s high hat intro and techno ambience from Page. As the song builds through the verses,
Trey lands an exhillarating solo, featuring intense
wailing on the guitarist’s part, followed by a Page solo.
This particular tinkling of the ivories is a must listen;
Page really went places during an extended chunk of
improvisation, which is followed by a second Trey solo
to finish the climax of the jam. This intense energy
was then harbored, as Page clunked into “Wading in
the Velvet Sea,” one of the most emotional songs in
the band’s repertoire. “Wading” began the final segue
of the night: “Piper” > “Harry Hood” > “You Enjoy
Myself.”
The “Piper” jam, which emerges from a vocal and
melodic buildup, generally explodes into an epic Trey
solo, and tonight was no different. Yet Phish had two
classics left to conquer for their adoring audience. The
first, “Harry Hood,” is a reggae-esque song filled with
composure, mood changes, and a melodic jam that
exemplifies a different realm of Phish energy that lacks
uptempo raging and wailing solos. Instead, the song
builds to a pleasant peak, slowly and meticulously
built by Trey’s guitar work. The track also features a
call and response segment, where the band calls out
‘Harry’ and the audience responds ‘Hood’ (initiated
by fans on 8/6/96), and inherently quotes the Hood
Milk theme (‘you can feel good about Hood’). The
Mullins Center version was one of the year and, as
the jam ended, Trey counted out the tempo of “You
Enjoy Myself” or “YEM.”
“YEM” is the most prolific and interesting Phish
song. Here is a quick breakdown: 1) Trey’s countdown
to an extremely complicated composed section, light
and airy; 2) an ambient section where Fishman lets
his symbals do the work, calm yet majestic; 3) a caribbean section, Page tinkles and floats us through to
Mike’s booming bass; 4) composure, becoming dark
before Trey wails (which happens twice, the second
time Trey holding a sustained note) ; 5) peak into
“boy, man, god, shit” vocalization by Trey followed by
seemingly nonsense words, “Wash ufrenze, drive me
to virenze;” 6) a funk section; 7) Page solo, while Trey
and Mike mount trampolenes and bounce in unison;
8) Trey solo, following dismount from trampolenes;
9) Mike’s long funky bass solo, which was much more
dark than usual at the Umass show; 10) a vocal jam,
where the band jams by making weird vocal noises,
accompanied by Chirs Kuroda’s spectacular light
show. Words cannot describe the energy, the intense
momental peaks, how hard Phish fucking raged this
classic tune... The show ended on a somber note, with
the Rolling Stone’s “Shine A Light,” first debuted
at last year’s Halloween show. Speaking of which, I
cannot wait for the rest of this tour, concluding on
Halloween in Atlantic City.
(The following show, 11/24/10, will be covered in the
next edition of Smoke Signals. Stay tuned...)
12 BLA BLA BLA Exero 01, 5555
Artist’s Corner
Twisted Heart
“We are the last beatniks. The lost heretics.” – Kasabian
“Stop bitching and start a revolution.” – unknown
PEACE IS HERE! (IF YOU WANT IT)
(Read this while listening to Plastic Ono Band – “Give Peace A Chance”)
We are the new generation.
We are in the middle of a drug prohibition.
We are activists.
We are the new 60-70s.
We will prevail.
Dub step. New age psychedelics. Our friends keep tripping.
We are the ones who go through struggle.
Weed. Shouting. Fighting. Fucking. Loving. Living.
The new John Lennon is among us.
Yes we want revolution. And yes we are thinking again.
We have ideas. We learned from your stupidity.
The new generation. The new world.
THE NEW TODAY.
(We actually know change will happen.)
Exero 01, 5555 BLA BLA BLA 13
CONTACT INFO
Join the CRC!
Where - Room 322, Student Union
When - Every Monday @ 7:00 pm
Website - www.umasscrc.org
Phone - 413.545.1122
Email - smokesignals@umasscrc.org
Also find us on facebook!