COLD TURKEY. (Ultimate Mix, 2020) - Plastic Ono Band (official music video HD)
This is a story that, if viewed in the right way, with the right empathy, could even be amusing, besides being very educational. More than to Lennon (who, at least in this piece, simply choked on it), "Cold Turkey" is associated with many jazz musicians, especially—but not only, of course—of the Be Bop era, who seemingly practiced it often and reluctantly (and I can see why) with results that, from what I understand, were quite laughable.
I first heard about it in the biography of Charlie Parker, who knew a thing or two about these matters, given that at around twelve years old—if I recall correctly, and I don’t have the book anymore, not feeling well at all, he went to the doctor, who apparently told him: “It’s nothing, kid: you’ve just had your first withdrawal crisis.”
But how was true Cold Turkey practiced? Charlie would go to a friend of his, who managed a notorious rundown hotel, pay him, and then he would lock him in a room—if I remember right, for a week or more, I repeat—with only two buckets: one empty for evacuating, and the other full of water.
Of course, when the guy would come to change the buckets, he was NOT supposed to listen to ANYTHING the other said: from pleas to the most unspeakable insults, from offers to multiply his payment to threats of taking his own life by putting his head in the bucket of his own vomit and so on.
These are things that open your mind. Enough with these urban legends of drugged rockers: as if they alone were the best of the created world! Tzk. Amateurs, that’s what they are!
This is a story that, if viewed in the right way, with the right empathy, could even be amusing, besides being very educational. More than to Lennon (who, at least in this piece, simply choked on it), "Cold Turkey" is associated with many jazz musicians, especially—but not only, of course—of the Be Bop era, who seemingly practiced it often and reluctantly (and I can see why) with results that, from what I understand, were quite laughable.
I first heard about it in the biography of Charlie Parker, who knew a thing or two about these matters, given that at around twelve years old—if I recall correctly, and I don’t have the book anymore, not feeling well at all, he went to the doctor, who apparently told him: “It’s nothing, kid: you’ve just had your first withdrawal crisis.”
But how was true Cold Turkey practiced? Charlie would go to a friend of his, who managed a notorious rundown hotel, pay him, and then he would lock him in a room—if I remember right, for a week or more, I repeat—with only two buckets: one empty for evacuating, and the other full of water.
Of course, when the guy would come to change the buckets, he was NOT supposed to listen to ANYTHING the other said: from pleas to the most unspeakable insults, from offers to multiply his payment to threats of taking his own life by putting his head in the bucket of his own vomit and so on.
These are things that open your mind. Enough with these urban legends of drugged rockers: as if they alone were the best of the created world! Tzk. Amateurs, that’s what they are!
macmaranza
27 dec 24
DeRank ™: 41,91
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