August 21st – Some folk collect stamps, some folks
beer mats, glasses, sugar packets…(?)… I mean, I used to collect fag packets…so
what have I got to be surprised at. I think I had a collection of about 1500 or
two thou when I stopped. It was in my formative years back in the mid-late 50’s
and, even though I say so myself, I was quite and expert; no, seriously, I was.
I could look at, say, six empty packets of WD&HO
Wills ‘Wild Woodbine’ (coffin
nails) and point out the different wording, placements of the same wording, the
address on the side (sometimes Nottingham sometimes Belfast). I had some real
rarities…made my dad buy and smoke some several brands of fancy stuff that were
probably 50% camel shit and all for the packet to add to my collection ‘cos
that was the only way I’d ever get such unusual makes…and anyway, if dad had
developed lung cancer, I’m sure it would have been of a more exotic type so
that would have made him feel exclusive…he didn’t, but…
Fag shops back then, tobacconists to the wealthy, were akin
to going into a Pokémon card shop today. The bright colours, the different
varieties… and the smell… Wonderful: no wonder we got hooked…although, I have
to say, as an ex-smoker, that had I been made to smoke a pack of ‘Capstan Full Strength’ then I’d probably
never have got past the first draw. By gum they were some strong stuff; almost
like smoking road-mender’s bitumen.
In the music field some folk collect guitars (Mr. Clapton
owned 75 at one time which is small-fry compared to Joe Perry – of Aerosmith – who apparently owns 600…?).
I know drummers have a penchant for snares and cymbals…and probably specific
kik-pedals too; perfectly understandable, but 600 lead guitars…? Still, you’d
never go cold of a winter’s night would you? Give them a poke; they’d probably
burn all night. Gold discs is another collection point, obvious candidates
being Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson but, here’s the teaser; who
had the biggest collection of detectable, illegal substances in their
bloodstream when they were found dead? That’s stopped y’, aint it? Think you
can get it? OK; shout when you’ve guessed it…here we go.
This person admitted to spending around $7,000 a week on
drugs for five straight years: was sent to jail for imprisoning a girl for 6
days, during which time he physically and sexually abused her whilst on a drugs
binge: kidnapped, with a colleague, a music executive (Mary Sauger) and beat
her over a 20 hour period: was accused of a serious sexual assault…but got off…
how we doin’?
OK. Step forward, Rick James.
With a record career that included hits like Superfreak and Give it to Me, Baby’, with Grammy awards, gold discs and a fan-base
of millions, he still managed to run a car-crash of a life that left him a
diabetic with a pacemaker and cocaine and crack addiction, and a serious weight
problem; when his autopsy was completed following his heart attack…at 56…the
number of prescription and non-prescription drugs found in his bloodstream were
greater than the average lab rat; alprazolam, diazepam, bupropion, citalopram,
hydrocodone, digoxin, chlorpheniramine, metamphetamine…and that good ole’
standby, cocaine; way t’ go, Rick.
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