Amsterdam, 2012. DJ-poet Plush, reeling from attacks that shattered his career, forms TRB with Max and Percy. Inspired by Robert Anton Wilson, they fuse turntablism, magick, and literature into the chaotic TribeTable Method, accidentally plugging into Wilson’s unfinished “Tale of the Tribe” and a brewing historical conspiracy centered on the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
As they juggle invoked entities (“The Sixty”), time-traveling tardigrades, and messages channeled through experimental beats, they attract the attention of a ruthless cabal manipulating reality through AI, populism, and bizarre rituals involving peanut butter. From Amsterdam coffeeshops and secret bases beneath the Malvern Hills to the decks of a reality-bending DJ battle, TRB must decode the “Hologrammic Prose” of the universe, hijack the narrative, and fight the “Prick Populist” threat before the singularity hits endgame.Deep Scratch is Vanta Black science fiction comedy.
It’s Burroughs cut-ups slammed into Pynchon paranoia, fueled by hip-hop aesthetics and occult theory. Expect prophetic visions, weaponized memes, sentient technology, talking books, exploding jellyfish, and the desperate search for the perfect beat in a deep fake universe. The tables are turning. Which side are you on, are you on, hello, check check…?
Dedicated to my mother Della Pratt, on her 75th Birthday. I love you.
“Dao, the process, seems more nitty-gritty and tangible since I acquired an apartment with a panoramic vista of Monterey Bay and the surrounding hills. The view never seems quite the same twice. Waves, sun, fogs, seasons, dogs, dolphins, moons, planets, stars — all seem flowing, as if every kind of evolution, cosmic to biological, parades before me. More and more I lose contact with “me” and flow with all else that flows..the Dao-process.”–Robert Anton Wilson, Thought Of The Month 2002.
I want to dive into the hot and holy waters of spirituality to see where my thoughts take me if I ask myself, what does Steve Fly believe? (2.4k Words, approx. 3-4 min. read)
Off the top, I’d define my own position or my goal when communicating on these matters as Multi-model agnosticism, a term lifted from Robert Anton Wilson, roughly translated to mean, suspension of disbelief coupled with a passion for new synthesis and pluralism.
I feel I do not have to believe in a permanent supernatural force to enter into alternate modes of consciousness, associated with spirituality, religion. That said, I try to remain humble to the fact that some discipline and devotional practice can cause states of consciousness radically different from what my own limited experience can produce. Scepticism mixed with a playful willingness to engage with alternate realities is a personal balance you must strike, one man’s play is another man’s absolute reality. On a general level the ability for each of us to navigate the thermo-plastic reality around us is critical for our sanity and survival, narratives that we tell ourselves and others limit or expand our perceptions of spirit.
In soundbites I could say, give me religion without priestcraft, give me my own church in the form of my body and our planet, give me scripture in the language of RNA-DNA transcription and Python code, give us all the Gods and in all the things, give me parables poetry and true story. Be aware of throwing the baby out with the holy water. Every culture, tradition, ritual, religion, book, method and language is a portal of discovery for YOU to interpret and to grow from. With a mantra on repeat such as “the map is not the territory,” the dangers of taking anything too literally is lessened, together with fear of the word of god.
Any psychonaut who conducted a little post-research into parallel experiences will come to discover Shamanism. For me, personally speaking, I thought I’d found my spiritual home when I first read about wild rituals that include entheogenic substances, ecstatic dancing, singing, chanting and trans-dimensional trips with insect animal-plant entities! Hell yeah, where do I join up? I was a naive teenager and perhaps fit the stereotypical middle-class white kid who discovered acid and went on to believe he was an urban shaman because he could float down to the 24-hour petrol station and buy a pack of large Rizzla papers at 4.00 A.M.
As the years passed I continued my study of Shamanism-lite, today I remain in awe of indigenous and aboriginal traditions that survived today, in the face of growing adversity in part due to disaster capitalism munching on their homeland and spirit allies. To make a fanciful analogy, imagine if Vatican City were situated deep in the Amazon jungle and only a handful of priests lived there. Imagine loggers and fossil fuel prospectors moving in, threatening to destroy their holy Churches (trees) and violent threats on their life if they do not comply by moving, or selling out. Imagine the major religious institutions being under such a threat as indigenous Shamanism, while at the same time secular society relegates Shamanism to snowflake culture, off with the fairies and the druggies.
I’ll consider these different views while at the same time shouting loud from the rooftops: entheogens consumed in the correct set and setting, make up a part of my spiritual practice based on past spiritual experiences. My spiritual philosophy is best defined and demonstrated in nature, a process evidenced by the evolutionary epistemological synthesis between Toads, Toadstools (Fly Agaric) and flies. See Fly Agaric, Flies And Toads: A New Hypothesis by Georgio Samorini 1999.
My challenge to you and to other religions and spiritual practitioners is to try and match these facts of processes observable in nature with scripture. Botanical and epistemological processes observable in nature, I would argue, are holy scripture composed in the complex undecipherable chemical-geometrical language of RNA-DNA synthesis, cell replication, photosynthesis and symbiosis. Nobody “said or wrote” anything.
Spirit entities like those encountered in plant based Shamanic traditions are entangled with our human RNA DNA brain-body nervous system, somewhat trapped in our symbolic language, held hostage by the individual ego and sense of self. I’m guessing here. Shamans meet with, are devoured by, wrestle and dance with all manner of entities, a phantasmagoria of animal insect-plant/fungus hybrids, winged serpents, toads, birds of prey, buffalo, bats, bees, flies, reindeer. I find it interesting and poignant that rarely are humans encountered in Shamanic vision quests, I deduce this stays in the domain of the anthropomorphic traditions where the schlong is more or less what makes an entity divine or not.
I can think of a number of western parallels to this problem of language and identity, such as the Korzybski, Sapir Whorf Hypothesis: the language you use can transform your apprehension of the cosmos (also lifted from R.A.W) Benjamin Whorf, coincidently, studied Hopi languages extensively, concluding that they have a unique apprehension of the cosmos due to a unique use of Syntax. By extension of this idea, you can follow this principle and imagine how different cultures using different language and syntax experience the cosmos (to mean everything) very differently. By extension of extension, now consider Marshall McLuhan and how the medium of the message transforms the message utterly.
The implications and findings from comparative studies of religion, in contrast to Shamanic traditions, are worthy of consideration and to me brings up another challenge to those who adhere to a single true religious faith, in what language does God speak to you?
Experimenting with polytheism may also bring clarity to the questions of Shaman to a Western mind, rather than deny and negate subjective experiences based on some absolute, I’d suggest yet again that a playful willingness to experiment with belief, temporarily. Here I might also point you to Magick and Acting as two such existing playful examples. Take notes and keep a diary, write out your thoughts if you can, I find this process helps me to order and clarify my own thoughts and consider how to share them with others.
Another distinguishing feature can be found in sacraments, how they’re consumed, with what intention and what is the Sacrament chemically made of, what may it mean symbolically. I conclude that the three major religions forbid any entheogen or psychoactive compound, rather using alcoholic wines and placebo (the eucharist wafer) to mimic ingesting flesh of the gods. Shamanic traditions on the other hand, openly and explicitly ingest and worship Peyote, Ayahuasca, Iboga and a variety of Magic Mushrooms. Evidence suggests humans and proto-humans have been getting high long before the one and only true religions were established before over-confident individuals claimed contact with the divine or stated their absolute knowledge of man, god and universe. In other words, I’ll tolerate your limited knowledge of spirituality, if you’ll tolerate mine.
One interpretation linked with the end of the Mayan Long-Count Calendar and prophecy that I like, involves the tribe (humanity) rediscovering entheogens (Magic Mushrooms) and regrouping to lead the regenesis of planet earth, which mimics the general goal of the current climate crisis movement. Through deeper connections with the planet, new maps and models and metaphors can be formed, to help assist in the regenerative process, to give the planet, flora and fauna what they need to continue doing what they do: grow naturally abundant. Psychedelics (entheogens) are critical tools for nurturing intelligence and harmony, attention to detail and the ability to cultivate compassion/empathy.
To be blunt, I see a lot of fake shit out there today, a lot of disease and ignorance. Many are lost, have been lost for a long time, some have ignored the signposts and repeated warnings, choosing to walk into the wall over and over again. You cannot recover from death, and that’s where we are heading, some sooner due to stronger ignorance. Like moths flying into a light bulb over and over again every night, not listening or caring or being willing to learn can lead to physical Death. Sometimes I feel a deeper connection with animals, plants and insects than I do with humans, especially the greedy racist xenophobic homophobic violence-prone, loud-mouthed liars and predators. Critical decisions personal and collective lie ahead, we all have work to do, billions of people need help, billions. A new world is possible, shine your light. I refuse to look away but I also refuse to pass without comment.
Yes, to me this fits the description of a global spiritual emergency and a global material emergency. Thoughts and prayers as currently practised are not working for the large population of earth. Perhaps modify our thinking and prayer so it includes indigenous and aboriginal teachings. Nurturing common ground with the Thoughts and Prayers across faiths and lead the way into deeper thoughts and deeper prayer rather than blow off the cliche’ used to mask detail. Join in thought and prayer on the regular, innovate to lead by example. Where do your thoughts go?
I am currently an apprentice Shaman of the urban poet, drummer, DJ variety. These practises or art forms make up my spiritual practice, or you could say my religion, my means to connect with non-human entities, such as my muses. If I had to choose a pre-existing spiritual tradition that hits all the bases of my interests, I’d pick Shamanism, drums, music, long poetic chants, sacred sacraments and dancing, yep.
Shamanic practice has some overlap with the original illegal rave scene in the UK and the birth of most forms of electronic music and the spontaneous gatherings of urban tribes worldwide. Seeking connection through ecstasy, there’s a kinship with ancient ancestors who share similar desires for dancing, exultation, healing, ecstasy plus a yearning to reconnect and regenerate mother earth. Terence Mckenna was on the periphery of this movement and was present in the mix that led to new tribal sound systems throughout the 1990s and into the naughties.
Mirrored by what happened in the 1960s, the 90’s birthed a new generation of apprentice Shaman, stumbling along the bardo’s seeking truth through art and beauty through harmony and dance, surrounded by neoliberal disaster capitalism and climate degeneration. Groups of fledgeling urban Shaman formed and splintered off into a thousand paths, some went into PR, marketing, advertising, super clubs and the global dance music business. Like what transpired in the late ’80s to produce Silicon Valley, Shamanic skills deployed and sold to the worldwide computer industry and the emerging telecommunications industry.
A smaller but significant tribe took other routes, continued to innovate art and music and words with respect, integrity and passion. The temple is not for sale and Shamanism is not for sale, religion and art share a lot in common, it’s the price that distinguishes the difference here, how much for the temple and paid in what kind, blood/gold/bitcoin?
Today it’s clear to me that religious or secular ideology that does not accept the fact we are all brothers and sisters rooted and sprouted from the same RNA-DNA transcript (individually expressed through our unique body sense and experience of time) are antiquated, heading for extinction like dinosaurs. Yet another distinguishing feature of indigenous spiritual practice is the shared tradition of the gathering. The idea/story/song that tells of a tribal gathering event, a gathering of humans during a global emergency (take your pick) to reconnect with mother earth listen to her advice and pass it on to ALL the people.
Some powerful thoughts and prayers are required, fierce blessings, no doubt. Perhaps entheogens play a part here if we can listen and interpret what we hear with selfless reverence. Keep in mind the power of story to transform humanity very quickly using hyper-connected media, sometimes producing a new piece of common ground with diverse peoples worldwide.
I guess that if six highly experienced Amazonian Shaman came up with a practical solution, such as a recipe for a new medicine or vaccine tomorrow, mainstream medicine and culture would not take it seriously. However, if the recipe was detailed in a documentary format with a soundtrack by DJ Shadow, guest narrators Samuel Jackson, Jamies Oliver, Gordon Ramsey and Jack Back, with a global release scheduled on Netflix, these facts can get fleshed out and reach the minds of the people, maybe leading to a new sub-genre of experimental films made with experimental techniques.
Story and narrative are powerful beyond measure. Song and music and dance and costume are even more powerful when bootstrapped, use forces don’t fight them. Have fun, challenge the gods to a duel, stand your ground, play, take down a King or Prime Minister, be a cruel dispassionate God who tortures his characters, play with paradox and explore the dark recesses of your creative mind, reach for forbidden fruit and eat it, take another. Within story world you are alike Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl: The Winged Serpent) a roving spirit of intelligence, free to fly anywhere and anytime, free to write what you like and add a serpent’s bite, you have two wings, one tragedy the other comedy and a tale that reaches the furthest galaxies. Consider the Shamanic overtones to the animated series: Midnight Gospel, for example.
I consider the process of building a proposal and plan for a documentary, part of my spiritual practice and shamanic apprenticeship. Singing matter, dancing matter, healing matter, moving images, rooted in plants/insects/animals and flora, the tale of the gathering of the tribes.
“This is why the shaman is the remote ancestor of the poet and artist. Our need to feel part of the world seems to demand that we express ourselves through creative activity. The ultimate wellsprings of this creativity are hidden in the mystery of language. Shamanic ecstasy is an act of surrender that authenticates both the individual self and that which is surrendered to, the mystery of being. Because our maps of reality are determined by our present circumstances, we tend to lose awareness of the larger patterns of time and space. Only by gaining access to the Transcendent Other can those patterns of time and space and our role in them be glimpsed.”–Terence McKenna, Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge.
Hi, the following essay sprawled out of control into a what I now call a woo-woo piece. A densely packed linked up trans-media story, riddled with facts, methodology and research based thinking, yet considering epoch sized, call em’ cosmic-ramifications, or woo-woo. I’d like to thank everybody who crossed my path along the way and above all to wish readers a strong, resilient and joyous 2020 as we shuffle toward the lights. After a number of perceived synchronicities recently, charged by the universal sense of existential dread flowing through the species at the moment, I’m reflecting on 44 days that impacted my life in 2012 and what I can learn in 2020. If you get tired of my tales you can skip to video and music links.
My story begins around 1996, when I was living in Stourbridge UK and experimenting with psychedelic drugs and trip poets. I discovered two authors simultaneously, thanks to close friends, that had a deep and lasting impact on my life: Terence McKenna and Robert Anton Wilson. When I discovered the chapter, Law Of Acceleration, in Wilson’s popular work of non-fiction Cosmic Trigger (1977) and his inclusion of McKenna’s Timewave-Zerotheory, the penny dropped, or my voice dropped, something dropped. Wilson’s model of information doubling and onward to distinguishing exponential growth, including McKenna’s model and his love for entheogens and magic mushrooms was precisely what I needed to hear. Since then, I’ve followed the 2012 stuff and chimed in now and then with my 5c contribution to what I think it all means. As I said, woo-woo, to mean BIG ideas about complex processes and esoteric knowledge, a bit like criticism of Finnegans Wake by James Joyce. These were the wild and out-there things this young apprentice shaman pined for. Indeed, these are the conditions that led me to adopt the artist name: Fly Agaric 23 around 1995.
To give at least some idea of what I had read at this point in my life, yet not necessarily understood correctly! I’ll list a few titles: Food Of The Gods, True Hallucinations, The Invisible Landscape by McKenna, Cosmic Trigger I, II and III, Sex Drugs And Magick, Quantum Psychology by Wilson.777 and The Book Of Thoth by Aleister Crowley, The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby, I-Ching And The Genetic Code by Martin Schonberger, plus dipping my toe into Graham Hancock, Robert Bauval and even a taste of David Icke (spits over shoulder, ugh). During this time (1996-2000) I was drumming, learning to DJ with Jungle/Drum and Bass, Hip Hop, Trip Hop music, plus discovering the diverse UK underground cultural melting pot, leading to collaborating on nights and events locally.
Jump forward 16 years, after living in America for five years, attending McKenna’s Wake in San Francisco, interviewing Wilson and contributing to his biographical film: Maybe Logic, and helping to found The Maybe Logic Academy (see MaybeLogic Quarterly). I was working at the 420 Coffeeshop, Amsterdam, collaborating closely with poet John Sinclair. It’s the 19th of November, the 25th High Times Cannabis Cup is opening.
John Sinclair And His Amsterdam Blues Scholars At The Cannabis Cup
As an unofficial, satellite performance, celebrating cannabis and hemp culture during the High Times Cup,John Sinclair And His Amsterdam Blues Scholars performed at Club Aknaton on November 19th, 2012. John Sinclair, Leslie Lopez, Esther Croez, Mark Ritsema, Vicente Pino, Rebbecca Waller and myself played two sets of reefer jazz, one with Sinclair front and center.
During the show, Steven Hager (of High Times) and Fantuzzi (Of The Fantuzzi Band) turned up, danced and fluffed-up the aura of the party. At the end, Hager stepped on stage and invited the band to join his Temple Dragon Band: the official High Times 2012 house band. Half the band accepted his offer. Rebbecca, Esther and I joined up for a week of creativity, chaos and a wild path to the Kukulkan pyramid, four weeks later.
At some point late in the week Fantuzzi asked me if I wanted to join him, to play drums at Synthesis 2012, taking place in Chichen Itza. It didn’t take me long to decide. One song I played with both The Temple Dragon Band and with Fantuzzi is called Warriors Of The Rainbow, and is his interpretation in song format, of the Hopi Prophecy.
The world is on fire! Literally and figuratively. Don’t panic. The gap between the richest and poorest is growing, and seems set to keep growing, as nations continue to repeat history and vote for the toughest big-daddy they can, to protect them from foreign influences, or rather the foreign influences not paid for. Don’t panic. Often I think to myself…I’d like to retreat to a cave and sharpen my pencils, watch TV and be blissfully unaware of all the drama out there.” No, this is the last day of 2019 and we are awake.
2019, 365 days that changed the world? Much different from 2018? Hotter or richer or poorer? Here’s my round-up of things that impinged on my nervous system, balanced between events in my life and those on the world stage. 2019 was bittersweet. I could say, the world has gone to hell, but I’m all right Jack, but I try to avoid sounding like a self-centred idiot who only talks about himself and his interests. Truth, beauty, excellence and compassion are my weapons of choice. Lets burst the big pimples first. Let us not look away from the violence, but try to understand the root causes and organize together to prevent division and hatred.
To scrape the surface of the year in politics speak, from the opening play on January 1st, when right-wing fucktrumpet, Jair Bolsonaro started his unholy presidency in Brazil, and sets the worrying tone of the rise of right-wing populism across the world, ending in 2019 with Boris “Hard Right Brexit” Johnson, sweeping to victory after the dirtiest and expensive smear campaign Britain has ever seen, as if organized by United Snakes. Feb 1st, Trump signs off America from the mid-range Nuclear treaty, Putin responds with the same the next day. March 15, 51 people murdered in Christchurch, New Zealand, by a racist lunatic called Brenton. The same day, Greta Thunberg returns to Sweeden as a figurehead of a worldwide climate awareness movement. April 10th, first-ever image of a Black Hole M87 Galaxy, the first glimpse of Trump UK trade-deal. April 11th, Julian Assange arrested in London. April 21st, the Sri Lanka Terror attacks result in 500 murdered by religious extremists. April 29, Isis nut, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, releases footage of Sri Lanka Terror attacks, he’s clearly mentally ill but treated by the media as some kind of criminal mastermind. May 1st, Bad Vlad Putin signs the Sovereign Internet bill into law (In which he can hack British sovereignty at the source, sucks it all up, and funnel it back over to the Kremlin for the Skeksis to lap up.) May 6th, Syrian army launches ground attack on last rebel stronghold in the country. May 24th, Maybot plans shut down of her dancing queen program. June 3-5th, Trump balloon visits the UK and the Queen, cheeses with the Maybot and Boris the lapdog. June 7th, Maybot dancing queen stops dancing for Tories, a new beast is required to be born. July 17th, Netflix star, El Chapo, is sentenced to life in prison. July 24th, Boris Johnson becomes the UK prime mongrel, voted in by less than 0.4% of the UK. His lies begin in overdrive. August 3rd, mass shooting in a U.S Wallmart store leaves 23 people dead, the racist shithead shooter targeted Mexicans. August 10th, child rapist billionaire friend of Prince Andrew, Jeffery Epstein dies in jail, reports are that he killed himself? August 21st, Amazon wildfires rage as Bolsonaro does sweet fuck all. September 10th, Boris and the Tories prorogued Parliament, shutting it down in a Trump-like manner. September 20th, International climate strikes. September 24th, a British court ruled prorogued parliament was void, Boris did indeed do a Trump move. October 17th, Trump pulls U.S troops in Syria, away from helping the Syrian army, blessing Turkey to invade, all to “protect the oil”. October 19th, 1 million March in London for the second referendum on Brexit. October 27th, Trump announces that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead, killed by American weapons. October 30th, Twitter bans all political advertising worldwide. November 21st, Ben Netanyahu is indicted on charges of fraud and bribery. Nov 26th, Chilean protests, 50 protestors require prosthetic eyes after police shoot in the face. December 12th, Tories win UK general election, with Boris leading the UK into a Brexit more than half the country does not want. “Just Get On With It,” combined with “Love Actually,” spoke in volumes to the soul of English exceptionalism. Dec 18th, the orange-to-peach balloon becomes the third U.S president in history to be impeached for meddling in the 2020 elections, the least of his long litany of crimes. Dec 20th, U.S Space force founded by the orange windmill king. Wildfires continue to burn across Australia, wiping out millions of animals and their habitats, homes, and some people, leaving Sydney in a hot fog, and new highest temperatures set every week. Ian Duncan Smith, the Godfather of Universal Credit and the war on vulnerable people in the UK, is bestowed a Knighthood by the British Crown. That about sums up the UK nicely, politically speaking.
Phew, but we made it through didn’t we? First off, a toast to those who didn’t, those that passed over to the great trade-deal in the sky in 2019, in particular, Jake Black, who I had the pleasure of knowing a little bit, rest easy friend. The Zen Bastard Paul Krassner checked out, one of my all-time favourite American’s, who first published a piece of my writing (Magic Mushrooms: From Toad Slime To Ecstacy, 2003,) and was present at a most memorable mind-bending afternoon with Robert Anton Wilson in Palm Springs, 2000. Paul kept in touch with me via email whenever he could write, his contributions to the western countercultural tradition are incalculable. Know his name. Paul Krassner, R.I.P. The great Dr John, and Art Neville, both natives of New Orleans had their traditional Jazz Funerals, and full musical send-offs, or carry-ons. And the psychedelic twin of Timothy Leary turned yogi and dharma teacher, Baba Ram Dass, passed into the clear light of bliss. Rutger Hauer and Ginger Baker also left the world stage leaving behind them large bodies of excellent art. To all my friends who may have lost a family member or friend this year, may they’re memory live on eternally and their souls rest in peace. One statistic that you can’t argue with overtime is that the older you get the more dead people you know. Honour your ancestors with life-affirming actions and thinking, music, merrymaking and contemplation as you see fit, that’s my best advice for dealing with the grief of 2020 and beyond. Enough about the dead, let’s get onto some of the living critters who have set 2019 alight, and who will certainly be caught playing with matches in 2020.
First, my three to watch and study in 2020. The goodies. If you take anything away from this year in review, make it these three names: Bruce Sterling, Cory Doctorow and Alan Moore. For me, the holy trinity of the next decade, each fully capable of turning it all around, if…IF…we could be so bold and brave as to listen, compute, understand, and share that good stuff. As Douglas Rushkoff said, program or be programmed. For me, the next decade will be dominated and in the hands of those who can program, write and juggle legal facts to the degree that Cory Doctorow is capable, present design-science innovation and tech-criticism to the calibre of Bruce Sterling, and synthesize Art and Magick in the grain of Alan Moore. And so, to the villains.
My first three to watch are predictable, Trumpet Booris Pootin. The three claws of the new Tsarist Anglo American alliance, playing cold war games with their billionaire friends, foes, and who the fuck knows. But that’s obvs. Steve Bannon is a better villain to keep your eye on, he’s smarter than Trump. In the same fashion, I’d say, learn from Jacob Reece Mogg, a nasty but smart English motherfucker, if you want to fight. Boris is the distraction like Trump, in 2020 you might be fitter if you filter-out the dog whistle alt. right bait, and the pumped-up lies and bluster guaranteed to be splattered all over 2020 UK tabloids. Reading and sourcing some Mogg literature, and a study of law will be much more helpful in the long run. Watch Tommy Yaxley Lennon Robinson if you like, but there’s nothing new to learn here since early hominids leant how to use clubs, you’d be smarter watching a chocolate fudge sundae melt, look for a worthy intellectual opponent in 2020. And, perhaps learn some self defense? Find the smartest racist you can, and study them. If you want to fight, take the strongest opposing argument to your own, first. Racism, Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Xenophobia are all built on a logical fallacy, and categorical untruth in the first place. A part of the problem in 2019 is that many are not doing philosophy and social psychology, and such intellectual pursuits are increasingly branded lefty cultural Marxism. In 2019 a meme goes around the world seven times before a PhD. thesiskeksis footnotes on! The domain of the thick, the stupid, and the ignorant, is the domain of categories and group-think. Overemphasis on nationality and not enough emphasis on the unique individual. The fact remains movements, based on gene-pool ignorance, are founded on lies and blind-faith based thinking, the opposite of scientific – research-based thinking. The wars of the words will continue up until the Chinese written character puts a backstop on the limping 26 letters, and English crumbles away into Finnegans Wake completely.
Highlights for me this year, personally speaking on a creative tip are, editing and releasing my paper The Entourage Effect At Finnegans Wake, concerning Cannabis Terpenes, and the perfumed language of James Joyce. Visited the Island of Kos in Greece with sweet Janne, spending quality time with cats on the beach, shells on the bottom of the ocean and the Tree Of Hippocrates, and the Hippocratic oath. Opened a night of funk and jazz in for DJ Eddie Pillar, who chatted for a while and made my weekend. Played a DJ set for Red Light Radio, and 3 sessions at the Hill Street Booze Bar in the centre of Amsterdam. For Radio Free Amsterdam I recorded more than 40 one-hour shows this year and made lots of artwork for the station continuing into 2020 with brother John Sinclair. I tracked some turntable work for a new tune with Garaj Mahal, that should be coming out in 2020, we will be jamming.
2019 marks the year I studied turntable beat-juggles, and in nine months, with an average of practicing around 10 hours per month, I can hold a beat, deploy a few tricks and new techniques. I will continue the practice, and craft some ready-made routines, and make some tight tracks. Maybe I’ll get out there for battle someday. Much of the driving impetus to learn to juggle and scratch better, came from working on my novel (trans-media project) called Deep Scratch. I figured that, if I’m writing about DJ’s I should learn to do what I’m writing about, with the bonus of making soundtrack material for the trans-media project. I started filming practice sessions, and uploading them to Youtube to help gauge any progress. In 2020 I may finally land on Serato software, a decade after every other DJ went over to the digital side. It’s not cheap to get up and running. Nuff’ about me? How you doing? If you got this far your probably thinking of books and albums that you like or want to make, and perhaps you have stories you want to tell? Now is the time, publish or perish. Be bold, say it loud. “Do it now!” Try not to lose your centre fighting the world. Please, check your facts in 2020, your life may depend on it. Oh, and do art.
If you want to link with my britinternational.org ensemble join me at Patreon.com/stevefly Make your own account and I’ll support you back. Or else, create some other such community-based network of like-minded individuals, help the vulnerable, the disabled, the homeless if you can. Visit them. I’d advise occasionally stepping away from the digital mobile-screen-world and reconnecting with community and nature in equal measure. Recharge you charity next to the stream. As cliche as that may sound. You will have to compromise at some point, you will have to let go, to be able to swing and grab something new, and let go again, things in motion and motion in things. Oh, and the post-quantum superimposition revolution, coupled with Artificial General Intelligence, Internet Of Things, 5G, and the global industrial military entertainment complex is sure to deliver some, lively, stuff. You need cognitive security! Maybe Logic and Multi-Model Agnosticism are a good place to start. Start now. Bladerunner, remember the future?
I raise a toast to an independent hand-made, hand-printed 2020, of and for the people. The new art and literature and ecological innovations are here with us. Stay awake. Love all the people. I wish you good luck and happy trails, enjoy every success on the path ahead.
Turntable Futurists, Custom Designers, Scientists, Rhythm & Hardware Engineers, Cultural Commentators, Comedians, screenwriters united. The scratch DJ and the science fiction author wrestle with past-present-future forces. Using turntable hardware, and records (past), live streams (Present) and predictive intersection points for musical jams (future) whisking up all the tenses.
DEEP SCRATCH 