I’ve been accused in the past of being a “party pooper” or some other derogatory because I don’t take narcotics and have voiced my opinions on them. My main concern really wasn’t for those on drugs, but for now “amateurs” on drugs ruin things for everyone.
It’s the usual story, a rave scene grows from those “in the know” to getting weekend warriors who normally hit up college bars and high school dances. These new people have no clue how to take drugs and especially how to take care of themselves while high. They do too much, OD, end up in the hospital, and then on the news when one dies.
Suddenly the parents, acting all shocked, want the raves ended and the DJs and promoters punished. Now as a DJ I have to worry not only about the event getting busted, but getting fined something like $10,000 just because I DJed there. It’s why I’ll not have gear/music on me when I am not playing…so I can pretend to be just a patron.
I’ve heard “drugs are a part of the scene” many times, and I agree with it. I look at the music that came out of the late 80s and early 90s, and know it was fueled very much by the drugs, despite that the Pioneers of house music were not on drugs. Such is life, but I still say the scene needs to police itself so we’re not dealing with the authorities punishing us for throwing a party.
I think a lot of the music didn’t need drugs to start, but the drugs are what evolved them. They were taking LSD in the 60s, speed in the early 70s (Northern Soul), coke in the late 70s and into the 80s, E and acid in the late 80s and early 90s, and so on. Even now coke is still massive in the club scene with the bottle service. It’s just a fact of life that patrons want to come out, get trashed, possibly get laid, and have a wild night of debauchery. That’s for almost any scene…mainstream or underground.
