Party Pills and Democracy

What is your problem Crybaby? We had a vote didn't we?

Why are party pills being demonised?

Why are they now in the same category as meth. and heroin? (illegal) when there are no deaths attributable to their consumption?

How come 109 politicians can dictate what 400,000 people are allowed to do?

If do-gooders like Jim Neanderton are so worried about the wellbeing of others, why has he not banned alchohol, - the common factor in more deaths and misery than any other thing!

His popularity - that’s why!

He is looking for the greatest number of people to agree with him, and then use the barbaric and primitive system that we all hold so much faith in to FORCE the rest into compliance!

This is old fashioned bullying, and the kind of politics that must be CHANGED because it is wrong, and immoral, and whats more it does not WORK!

I have never taken what are commonly referred to as “party pills” in my life!

My son gave me some about 7 years ago, and they are still sitting in a drawer somewhere (you know the drawer!)

So why do I speak up about them being banned?

Two reasons!

One is that it’s not a politicians business what an individual does with, or puts into their body, and the second is, there needs to be a change in the way people think when it comes to resolving issues when people think the only way to prevent something THEY do not agree with is to BAN IT!

If banning things actually worked, it may have some merrit, but it doesn’t! All it does is make criminals out of otherwise law-abiding people!

What would happen if Jim managed to ban SHERRY?

Everybodys grandmother would be sneaking off to the gang HQ to get a flagon of illegal pucheen, or dodgy homebres, resulting in hordes of grandmothers off their tits and out of control.

So, why hasn’t he banned sherry?

Because he is relying on all those grandmothers, and all those educated by the state brainwashing system (who all believe than banning things and using force on others is the way to get things done) to back him and his ban, which in turn deprives others of what SHOULD BE their rights, resulting in the mindless use of primitive and barbaric muscle and force over thought, rights and reason.

Here is a perfect example of why democracy is over-rated!

If there was a vote to ban alcohol, it would fail, yet it is a common factor in more deaths than any other substance, so how is that right?

Just because the majority vote for it or against it, doesnt mean its right!

If all the catholic priests had a vote on whether it was OK to molest young children, would it mean it was ok and acceptable?

Last century if all the natives had a vote on whether it was OK to eat people, would that make it OK?

During the war if all the Germans voted that it was OK to murder millions of Jews, would that make it OK?

Here is a little quote that makes a lot of sense to me:

A fact is a fact, reality is what it is regardless of your thoughts or wishes

The Right Note: 2

In the 1930s/40s my grandfather, Nobby Clark, was a bit of a hardman.

He was a bare-knuckle fighter around the east-end of London.

During the war, it was his job to fix the roads after the Germans had finished bombing the place, and the majority of his workers at that time were Irishmen, whose favourite pastimes were drinking, fighting and singing (not necessarily in that order.)

My grandfather was in his element with these guys because he loved all those things too - especially the singing! - oh, and drinking - oh, and . . .!

What has all this to do with the local music scene? Well, I have often wondered HOW I “got the music,” and what twists of fate led to me being invited to write this column, and I attribute much of it to spending a lot of time with my grandfather.

Every Sunday we would walk to his local, and I would sit behind the stage with a bottle of pop and a bag of crisps while he entertained, singing Hank Snow and Hank Williams songs.

I realise this next incident is just coincidence, but it makes for an interesting story all the same.

Whilst living in England in the 60’s, my family were allocated a council house. The surname of the people moving out was Hales, and they were emigrating to New Zealand.

Mr and Mrs Hales son, Shane, went on to become the top NZ recording artist known as “Shane” with his song “Saint Paul.”

In 1969 my family also emigrated to New Zealand, but it wasn’t untill a few years later that music would start to elbow its way into my life.

In the early 70’s I started to frequent a new record shop situated in Wharf Street called “Joyce Colour and Sound.” In true 70s style it was decked out in various shades of psychadelic orange, complete with feature wall made of polystyrene that looked like a bad acid trip! Mike Joyce, the owner, offered me a job! I had to ride a pushbike (which he would supply) and in payment he would give me a record of my choice every week (new records were $5.75) - what a deal. That was until the bike turned up. It was an old-fashioned shop delivery bike that weighed about as much as a small car, painted bright orange, with a huge wooden box on the front, complete with advertising. Still, it beat doing a paper round, and I would have spent the cash on records anyway.

It was at this time that I encountered my first local musician.

He was a very cool dude and he worked in the record shop. He was a drummer by the name of Simon Graham, and he knew everything about all kinds of music, and it was he that introduced me to bands like Little Feat, Patti Smith, and Mott The Hoople.

In 1973, Slade, Black Sabbath, and several kiwi bands, played at a 3-day Music Festival in Ngaruawahia, which was the first large outdoor event in New Zealand to feature music as the main focus.

The advert on the radio featured Slades "Get down and get with it," The sheer energy of this song, and the recording of it really grabbed my attention, and from that moment on I was a big Slade fan.

The first two albums I selected from the record shop were “Very 'eavy, very 'umble by Uriah Heep,” and “Slade Alive.”

This festival was notable for several reasons apart from the music. It was here that Corben Simpson - quite likely on a much higher astral plane to most!- stripped naked onstage and was promptly arrested during his performance.

In the evening, Black Sabbath set fire to a gigantic cross on the top of the adjacent hill, and of most importance historically to New Zealand music, it was here that the Hunter brothers put a band together, wrote some original songs, and performed for the first time - they called the band Dragon.

My mother said if she had anything to do with it there was no way I was going! - she had LOTS to do with it, - and I didn’t go!

I WISH I WROTE THAT:
People always want to give me free advice
well its something that I always tried
but you get what you pay for, thats what I say
And now Im paying, and paying and paying
I lost everything I had
Starting over from scratch

Mark Sandman - Morphine
Scratch
From the Album YES

The Right Note: 1 — Music in the Key Of Life

A couple of weeks ago the editor of the BOP Times called me on the phone and asked if I would be interested in writing a weekly music column. I said yes, and so here is my very first one.


Welcome to this, the very first “Right Note” column by me, Graham Clark.

As many of you may be aware, I have been a prolific letter writer to the BOP Times for several years now, and on the topics of my choice I am able to write confidently, backed up by facts, principles, and a basic philosophy that I can apply to any issue, and come to a consistent conclusion, but when the editor invited me to write a weekly column on the local music scene, I was petrified!

You see, ones taste in music is highly subjective - that is, it is based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions, which is the exact opposite to my normal writing style, and consequently a great deal more challenging.

I have been chastised on more than one occasion by several individuals whom I hold in high regard for not applying the philosophy by which I live my life, to the music I listen to, but my reason for not doing so is that I became heavily influenced by popular music from an early age and believe that the music you listen to is the soundtrack of your life, and my soundtrack had been on the turntable for a good 40 years before I discovered philosophy!

It was at this point I began searching for an interesting angle or point of view from which to approach the topic, and that is when I started to reminisc on my many years experience in the local music scene.

During my years playing music around the country, it has come to my attention that musicians from the Tauranga area are very highly respected, and when I look back at some of the players I have had the pleasure of working with, it comes as no surprise.

I turned up on the local music scene in the early 1980’s. I have played in many bands, regularly gigging 2-3 nights a week at times. I have been responsible for booking venues, gigs, tours, support acts, and had dealings with managers, promoters, bar owners, and barmaids(!) of every description.

So, I thought this column would be a great opportunity to share an insight into the local music scene - past and present - by introducing you to some of the individuals, bands, venues, and colourful characters that I have crossed paths with on my ride on the local music scene roundabout.

This content of this column is not based upon anything other than the opinions, individual taste and personal experiences of one person, and next week it will be the same - only different!


I WISH I WROTE THAT
Johnny got his temper,
When the doctor slapped his ass.
A minor misdemeanour,
That was always gonna last
He cried for the future,
but now he laughs at the past
Johnny Grew Up . .

Johnny Grew Up
John Michaels & Anton (Tippi) Elkington
Hard To Handle - The end of the beginning

US Gun Laws and people who cant add up 2 and 2!

Not that it's really any of my business, but would anybody with 2 braincells to rub together - not so fast you Labour and National voters - please explain how THIS is supposed to work!

For the first time in 70 years, the US Supreme court will take on the question whether individual Americans have the right to keep and bear arms.

This debate is about to take place after a series of mass shootings in the past year.

Excuse me for THINKING, but where do these mass shootings generally take place? Schools and shopping malls - compounds where guns are BANNED that is where!

No WONDER they are MASS shootings, when one insane person can go, completely un-opposed - protected by THE LAW - and gun down defenseless, unarmed people at his leisure! with not one person on the premises allowed to carry a firearm

Why don't these mass shootings take place in a GUN SHOP?

Because every fucker standing there has probably got a 45 calibre down the front of his trousers that's WHY!!

How many shots do you think a gunman could get away before he resembled a collander?

Now, I'm not a big fan of guns personally, but these guys have got to be joking - haven't they?

If I lived in America, I most certainly would appreciate having the right to defend myself.

I predict the death toll from mass shootings to increase if they remove the right for citizens to protect themselves and carry a firearm.

Concerning Euthanasia and dancing naked in church!

This is my letter to the BOP Times concerning the religious people denying others the right to euthanasia in the name of GOD.

I am outraged at the arrogance of your correspondents who would deny me my rights on the subject of euthanasia because THEIR GOD doesn’t agree!

I am an atheist. I do not believe in their god.

If this is the game they insist we must play, then I must insist that they show me the same courtesy and do what MY god says, (don’t ask me for proof of my god, because I will have to ask you the same of yours!) and he says that they must hold hands and dance naked at church every Sunday!

I uphold sovereignty over my own life, to sustain it or otherwise. To pursue happiness as I chose, not by permission from any god, society or government, but by virtue of my nature as a thinking being. This is the moral creed by which I live my life.

You may disagree with it, but at least I believe that you should be entitled to the same!

The only act that to be banned in a free society (you want to live in a free society dont you?) is the initiation of force or fraud by one party over another.

By denying others the right to euthanasia in the name of a GOD you are in breach of BOTH of the above, and I find you guilty on both counts.

See you at church on Sunday (naked!)

Euthanasia and rights

Hylton Rhodes may be the voice for life, but he is certainly not the voice for reason!

There is only one thing more certain than more taxes under our present style of government, and that is death!

We are all going to die Mr Rhodes, so whether that be after a long-drawn-out and painful illness, praying that one god or another will bless us with his favour and miraculously cure us, or face up to the facts and reality, and book in to cut the unpleasantries short, and end it tomorrow!

It would be a fast, economical, inexpensive, and most of all FINAL process, so attempting to pull up Mr Watkins on his belief that tax is theft (which it still is!) does not stack up.

It would be a very courageous person to make tthe euthanasia option, and not one that would be made lightly, as there is no second chance!

It is my choice at the moment to stay alive as long as possible, and NOT take this option, but should I find myself in such an unfortunate position, I should be entitled to make that final decision, as it is MY life - nobody elses.

What is life without freedom? Mr Watkins is a tireless champion of freedom, fighting a never ending battle against the hordes of general busybodies, local bureaucrats and party politicians, all who want a say in how other people live their lives.

I do not wish to take anything away from the anti euthanasia people.

If they chose not to take that option, it is their choice, but they wish to take away something from me, yet they are the ones who feel agrieved!

My grandfather fought for his life and our freedom, against oppression from those who would impose their will upon us by force.

We are now fighting against those among us who are doing the same thing!

I do not agree to your denial of my rights on religious grounds as I am not religious, so what measure of force do you intend to use, and to what lengths will you go to deny me my rights?

Graham Clark - the voice for MY life.

Mary Bloody Brooks on the museum (again)

What an odious woman Mary Brooks is!

She has the habit of telling people who do not share her opinion to “get a life!”

It mustn't be just any life though! It must be one that she agrees to or else she will call you all sorts of things!

Brooks has made it very clear, (over and over again) exactly where she favours a museum.

What she also makes clear is that because she thinks she is right, she is happy to use FORCE on everybody else to get what she wants.

Now, I don’t know where she comes from, but I was taught that it is wrong to bully other people - to use threats of retribution - to get what you want.

There have even been major campaigns recently to stop bullying, or is Ms Brooks “version” of bullying exempt from the meaning of the term?

By threats and retribution I mean "forcing others to pay for something against their will, and the resulting legal action, fines or imprisonment if they refuse to co-operate."

Begone Ms Brooks - your incessant attempts at justifying your immoral threatening behaviour and demands on other peoples lives and income have become tedious to the extreme.

Flip-flop boy preferred Prime Minister

Oh dear!

John Key is the preferred prime minister!

What are people thinking? [sic]

Whatever makes them think “flip-flop boy” is the answer to the countrys problems?

Maybe It’s not that Key is the preferred prime minister, it is that people are sick and tired of Helen Clarke and the labour Party and what they have done and continue to do to us!

Key and Labour-lite (National) are merely an alternative - but they are definitely not the answer.

To be the real opposition you would have to offer something different - in fact I hate to say this, but I would prefer Clark! - at least she’s a strong leader and you know what she stands for - but “flip’flop boy” doesn’t stand for anything!

Who knows which way he will go when the wind changes! Labour-lite are just offering the same as what we have now, only delivered by a blue team rather than a red one.

Why vote national when all you are going to get is the same as what we have now.

Bring on the REAL opposition?