Pete Doherty & His Lyrical Genius

 

Some people may neglect to take him seriously because of his antics, but Pete Doherty may be one of the best lyricists of his generation. For Doherty, who famously won a scholarship to study poetry in Russia while in his teens, songwriting is the primary form of expression. And it is his lyrics, good-natured but defiant, that should be regarded as his only real answer to his public. Even as his life grows increasingly hazy, Doherty’s lyrics remain simple, poetic, and clear. With his first band, the Libertines, Doherty was half of a great songwriting pair with Carl Barat. Their songwriting process was precarious; the music was inspired by their power struggles and, to a large extent, contingent upon them. Doherty was the happy-go-lucky merry prankster to Barat’s more sober and structured older-brother figure, and the ongoing clash of their personalities invigorated their music. But even though their songs depended upon their own stormy relationship, they had a liberating effect on the listener. Doherty himself was a surprisingly sunny presence amid the gloomy, moody rock scene. He never went too far into petulance; instead, he played a kind of rock-and-roll Peter Pan, incorrigible but inspiring in his romanticism. On “Campaign of Hate,” from the second Libertines album, Doherty cheerfully proclaimed, “Don’t believe them when they say / That you don’t get nothing for free / It’s all for free / Follow me!” 

Eloquent and erudite, his finely crafted lyrics were poetic and struck a chord with fans. There was shimmering romance; cutting observations on society; enlightening tales of drugs, riots and falling out; and critical dissections of others loved... and not. But there were also classical allusions, historical and literary references (not least to fabled Albion) flashes of nostalgia, and sparks of metaphysical beauty. His visions and vignettes were - and are - unpolished, sincere, and - above all - relatable.

From the beginning, Doherty insisted on freedom but beneath his willful defiance, he displayed a deep-seated yearning for approval. On “The Man Who Would Be King” from the Libertines’ self-titled second album, he sang, “I lived my dreams today / … I’ll be living yours tomorrow / So don’t look at me that way!” And while he often made the suggestion that he was just following his heart, on the earlier “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun”, he uncharacteristically suggested that other people were just jealous. On “Eight Dead Boys,” from the first Babyshambles record, Down in Albion, he sings, “I want love / I want it all”. And therein lies his particular frustration: He longs for total freedom, but total freedom can lead to chaos. This tension creates pathos. A restless longing for freedom, coupled with the intimation that he knows he can’t handle it, is a lyrical theme that dates back to his earliest songs. His lyrics make it clear that his belief in personal freedom is what he holds most dear. When on “A’rebours” Doherty sings, “If you really cared for me / You’d let me be / Set me free”, freedom is a ringing affirmative but also a desperate necessity. In retrospect, his choruses of “Let me go” and “Set me free” seem a bit desperate. 

While in the Libertines, Doherty wanted to break free from Barat, but now it is less clear what he wants to get away from. Doherty is still “too polite to say / I defy you all!” as he sings on “A’rebours,” but on Down in Albion, he continues to plead for understanding and acceptance. But acceptance was becoming harder to find, even as his public persona inflated. By the time Doherty formed Babyshambles, he had become noticeably unhinged. It’s clear Doherty has had trouble dealing with the freedom that large-scale success has brought him. The scene in these songs is bare: There’s almost no one around. Those that present are only too happy to serve him a wince-inducing dose of reality. “You look better now than last time / But you still look better from afar!” someone tells him on “Eight Dead Boys.” Then they get even harsher: “You look better now than last time / But you’re still no better than before / The life that you wanted was not in store / You’re going to be in the dark once again.” Many of these songs are composed of other people’s reproachful monologues, and the cumulative effect is convincing. When he sings, “There’s nothing nice about me / And almost everyone agrees” on “Back from the Dead”, he sounds truly sorry. But the edge has always been there. Many of Doherty’s songs contain a variation on this kind of conditional statement:

I think I now understand what I misunderstood before / How your love gives me so much more / I’m free again I can see again  But if I should fall…

Similarly, when he sings, “If I had to go / I would be thinking of your love” on “Last Post From the Bugle”, you know that it’s not a matter of if but when. Even when he’s reassuring someone, “We’ll meet again some day,” he knows that “there’s a price to pay” for every action or deferral he makes. As a Libertine, Doherty wrote songs in which he dreamed of reaching Arcadia, a mythical, utopian place “The realm of the infinite without rules or authority, a poets paradise.” But because of fame and the extra freedom that it brought, he became able to live a life that more closely resembled his utopian ideal. And what happened? Confusion led the once frolicsome singer astray. 

Like William Blake, the radical visionary poet, Doherty seemed powerfully gripped by his vision of heaven and hell. But a flight of fancy is especially powerful when you can practically touch it. In Doherty’s case, he dreamed about a world (and a life) that was fanciful, but that could practically come true. But as he spiraled deeper into addiction, the ideal seemed more and more out of reach. On Down in Albion, Doherty seems helplessly caught between Heaven and Hell, Innocence and Experience. His experience of hell permeates his songs, but even more powerfully, they demonstrate his awareness that heaven still exists. Doherty’s adoption of the nickname “Baby Shambles” validates others’ opinion of him—he is the most striking contemporary example of a public figure as little-boy-lost.

Yet there’s no lingering bad taste for this scapegrace. Though his songs are often dark, they don’t seem bitter. Maybe it’s because the music is melodic and his voice is sweet that Down in Albiondoesn’t leave an impression of spitefulness. Although there are certain injuries he can’t seem to forget—on “Eight Dead Boys” he sings, “When it suits you, you’re a friend of mine” eleven times in a row (!)—Doherty’s hopefulness doesn’t crumble. A perfect example is in “Eight Dead Boys” when Doherty first talks about disillusionment, then mentions love as a saving grace:

Promises, promises, promises I know: you’ve heard them all before / Love is, love is, love is Love—oh well, it’s just around the corner.

This may be his defining lyric. Though he can’t believe anyone’s promises anymore, he can’t help but come back to his hope in love. Even when his intentions seem skewered and confused, he demonstrates his resolve to be true to his childhood dreams. Like another famously prodigious romantic, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Doherty knows it’s the dream itself that matters, not its fulfillment. The problem is he can’t remember exactly what the dream was in the first place. The best part of “Loyalty Song” (which deals with this issue) is during the chorus, when he starts clapping in an effort to keep his band’s accelerating tempo steady. 

The rhythm of his band is speeding up, and he’s clapping to keep time, just as his lyrics belie his confusion: “And there’s nothing gonna keep me from my… / What did I dream?” Yes, it just might be that reality is too crude and vulgar for one of the UK’s most gifted songwriters. So why is Doherty such an affirming rock-and-roll presence in spite of all his escapades? The answer: his self-awareness. Doherty has always seemed to know exactly what people think of him. On “Don’t Look Back Into the Sun” he recognizes that his public, which remains both fascinated and dismissive of him, begrudges him his success. At the same time that he begs for liberty, he acknowledges that it’s killing him. Success may be the worst thing that ever happened to this singer. In “Loyalty Song” the line “I found solace in the flood / Every body knew that I would” runs like a punch line. And on “Fuck Forever,” one of Doherty’s personal favorites from Down in Albion, he ponders “how to choose between death and glory”:

I can’t tell between death and glory / Happy endings don’t bore me / They, they have a way A way to make you pay / And to make you toe the line.

Justice, he says here, has a humbling effect, but he seems willing to play by the rules if he’s allowed his happy ending. This willingness to give and take has been characteristic of Doherty’s relationship with his public as well. He has always been courteous. Though he hates to be scolded, the closest Doherty has ever gotten to an all-out rebuke of his public was on a live (and unrecorded) song, the still polite “Do You Know Me (I Don’t Think So).” Instead of turning hateful when others deny, condemn, and judge him, the singer, who on “East of Eden” likens himself to a wounded sparrow, becomes doleful; he just can’t understand why people aren’t nice. In “Fuck Forever” the only criticism Doherty offers is similarly soft: “You’re so clever / But you’re not very nice.” But then Doherty turns introspective and identifies the reason his own free-and-easy ways harm him: 

“I’m so clever / But clever ain’t wise.”

It’s easy to hear The Smiths’ influence on The Libertines’ work. Doherty plays on the same line of poetry and wit that Morrissey mastered, never shying away from darkness or deepness, even in the catchiest indie tracks. In an interview with Q, he said he holds one Smiths’ line close when it comes to his songwriting, using it as a teacher or a guide. “‘Don’t forget the songs the songs that made you cry,’” he quotes from ‘Rubber Ring’, stating, “that line always made me well up.” Reminding him of the glorious worth of a sad song, he said, “It’s better than any therapy or any conversation. You just hit something on the head and it captures a mood.” But when it comes to the line he wishes he’d written, he looks to Morrissey again but for a more poetic quip. “There’s ice on the sink where we bathe,” he quotes from ‘Jeane’, one of his favourite tracks from the band and one of the earliest he encountered. Who knows what it means or what the songwriter was trying to say with it, but either way, Doherty wishes he’d got there first.

When he talks about the first single he ever brought he becomes nostalgic - “Somewhere between the pillows and the skies, amidst the stark satanic thrills of adolescent whimsy, there’s a second-hand record shop. Let’s say it’s in Nuneaton,” Doherty recalled of his teenage years, setting the scene for a landmark moment. “Let’s imagine a wonky-fringed 15-year-old striding purposefully towards it with his paper round money in his hand,” he continued, painting the picture of himself heading into the shop and leaving with a disc that he said shifted everything. “My life changed forever,” he said of the purchase. '‘I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish’ cranked into life, and something divine occurred to me,” he concluded, claiming that the second he was introduced to Morrisey, nothing was the same. “Within six months I had officially taken up residence inside Smiths songs ‘Well I Wonder’, ‘Jeanne’, ‘Real Around the Fountain’, ‘Nowhere Fast’. I think ‘The boy with the thorn in his side’ made me want to pick up the guitar. ‘This Charming Man’ quickly made me put it down again and then ‘Rubber Ring’ left me in two minds”.

He even reflects on the song 'Dont Be Shy' about shyness and coyness, and how its still better to be shy than being a 'Drunken old queen, who's always got to have his way.' Also to be young is your time to ''Shine, dance & hear your song/or you may wake up one day in the last chance saloon to find your last chance has been and gone.'' 

"The Man Who Would Be King" by The Libertines explores themes of ambition, self-doubt, and the consequences of chasing dreams, ''But my heart has gone astray I watched friendship slip away.'' The song portrays an individual who desires success in the music industry, acknowledging that luck and appearance are often necessary to achieve fame and recognition. The lyrics express a sense of uncertainty and inner turmoil. The narrator desires to "make it through the night" but feels a discrepancy in their own heartbeats, which suggests inner conflict and a struggle for personal authenticity. The line "With a sleight of hand I might die" indicates a recognition of the risks and potential negative outcomes that come with pursuing their dreams. The recurring phrase "To the man who would be king, I would say only one thing" can be interpreted as a commentary on the perceived importance of achieving greatness and the pressures that come with it. It suggests that the narrator has some advice or message to convey to those who aspire to greatness but keeps it tantalizingly elusive. The chorus, with its repeated "la la" melodies, reflects a sense of carefree escapism and living in the moment. The lyrics imply that the narrator has already experienced their dreams and will continue to live them in the future, disregarding societal expectations and judgments, ''They'll take you away if they don't like what you say They don't like what you say.'

"Don't Look Back Into the Sun" appears to be a song about trying to move on from the past and not dwelling on mistakes or regrets. The phrase "Don't look back into the sun" suggests that the singer is advising someone to stop focusing on something that has already passed and that they can't change. The lyrics also mention that "the time has come" and "they said it would never come for you," implying that the person being addressed has been waiting for something to happen and that it has finally arrived. However, despite this momentous occasion, the person is still "on the run," suggesting that they are trying to escape from something, perhaps their own past mistakes. The line "And all the lies you said, who did you save?" implies that the person being addressed may have done something dishonest or hurtful in the past, and is now facing the consequences. The lyrics also suggest that forgiveness may be difficult to come by, with repeated lines stating "They'll never forgive you but they won't let you go" and "She'll never forgive you but she won't let you go." Overall, "Don't Look Back Into the Sun" seems to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of dwelling on the past and the difficulties of moving on after making mistakes.

The song "Heart of the Matter" seems to be an introspective reflection on dealing with one's own struggles and pain. The lyrics describe feelings of being hard done by and carrying the weight of personal hardship, but also finding a way to get by with a sarcastic or wicked sense of humor. The chorus urges a focus on the heart of the matter, encouraging the listener to confront their issues rather than wallowing in despair. The repetition of "with all the battering it's taken, I'm surprised it's still ticking" may suggest a sense of resilience despite the challenges faced. Overall, the song is a call to face one's personal struggles head on, even if it means feeling glum or miserable in the process.

''Horrorshow" by The Libertines delves into themes of self-destructiveness, disillusionment, and despair. The song seems to depict a sense of being trapped in a cycle of destructive behavior and thoughts, as symbolized by the recurring motif of being instructed on how to slowly screw oneself to death. The lyrics suggest a deep internal struggle and a feeling of being controlled by negative impulses or outside influences. In the first verse, the singer talks about following instructions that lead to self-destruction, metaphorically represented by a screw pointed at their head. This could symbolize a feeling of being led astray or manipulated into harmful actions. The chorus reflects a sense of resignation and a plea to be released from this destructive pattern, represented by the repeated line "lay me down." There is a reference to leaving something behind in Moscow, possibly hinting at a past experience or memory that continues to haunt the singer. The reference to a dream peddler and a stick of light through the bones in the second verse adds to the surreal and disorienting imagery of the song. It may suggest a sense of being deceived or misled by false promises and illusions. The lyrics also allude to a picture of tomorrow that only shows sorrow, reflecting a bleak outlook on the future and a sense of hopelessness. The repetition of the chorus and refrain reinforces the feeling of being stuck in a nightmarish cycle.

The song "Never Never" by The Libertines touches on themes of disillusionment, addiction, escapism, and the search for something better. The lyrics depict a scene where the narrator is caught up in a crowd, possibly at a party or a place filled with distractions like slot machines that promise the fulfillment of dreams. The chorus suggests a sense of longing for a different life, as the narrator questions whether there could be a better way to live and find happiness. However, despite this yearning, they continue to line up and knock down experiences or relationships in a repetitive cycle. The line "I'm still lining them up and knocking them down with you" can be interpreted as a reflection of the narrator's reliance on someone, possibly a partner or friend, to escape the mundane reality or achieve temporary satisfaction. This repetition of seeking temporary solace or distraction hints at a deeper yearning for something more meaningful. The imagery of cigarettes and straight (a type of drink) alludes to addictive behaviors and self-destructive habits. It highlights the narrator's attempts to fill a void or escape from their troubles, yet ultimately realizing the emptiness of those pursuits. The lines "Didn't you always say there's gonna be a better way?" suggest hope and the belief that there is something more fulfilling beyond the current circumstances. However, the repetition of the same destructive patterns and the uncertainty expressed throughout the song indicate a struggle to break free from these habits and find a genuine sense of happiness and purpose. Overall, "Never Never" delves into the themes of dissatisfaction, escapism, and the perpetual cycle of seeking fulfilment without ever truly achieving it. It explores the longing for something better and the challenges of breaking free from destructive patterns in pursuit of a more fulfilling life.

The song "What Became of the Likely Lads?" by The Libertines delves into themes of friendship, forgiveness, and the loss of youthful dreams. In the lyrics, the band addresses a former friend and questions what has happened to their once close relationship. The opening verse expresses a sense of forgiveness, stating "Please don't get me wrong, see I forgive you in a song." This suggests that despite the conflicts or disagreements that might have occurred, the narrator still holds forgiveness in their heart and chooses to convey it through music. The phrase "We'll call the Likely Lads" implies a sense of camaraderie and shared experiences between the band members. The following lines suggest that the other person may not view the importance of the friendship in the same way. The lyric "But if it's left to you, I know exactly what you'd do" conveys a sense of doubt about the other person's commitment to the friendship. It seems that the dreams and aspirations they once shared are now disregarded by this person. The chorus poses the central question, "What became of the Likely Lads? What became of the dreams we had?" Here, the band reflects on the loss of their shared aspirations and wonders what has caused the shift in their friendship. The mention of "forever" implies a sense of permanence and the disappointment that this promised future together may never be realized. The second verse introduces a sense of betrayal, as the narrator mentions that their rights may have been sold and their songs used without their consent. This further highlights the idea of a creative or personal connection being exploited for someone else's gain. The lyric "It’s 'welcome back,' how sad" emphasizes the bittersweet nature of reconnecting with someone who has caused harm. The song continues to emphasize the bond between the band members, stating that "blood runs thicker" and that they are "thick as thieves." This reiterates their deep connection and commitment to each other. However, despite their efforts to make the other person understand, there is a recognition that they may not want to know or acknowledge what has transpired. Overall, "What Became of the Likely Lads?" reflects on the fading of a once-strong friendship, the painful realization that shared dreams may never come to fruition, and the complex emotions of forgiveness and reconciliation. It captures a sense of nostalgia for what was lost and questions the reasons behind the friendship's unraveling.

"La Belle Et La Bete" by Babyshambles explores themes of jealousy, insecurity, and self-esteem within the context of a toxic and destructive relationship. The song tells the story of a character, referred to as a "coked-up pansy," who indulges in a hedonistic lifestyle and spends their nights escaping reality through fantasies and substance abuse. The lyrics mention meeting two individuals, one described as a "souped-up Soho mincer" (presumably a flamboyant and fashionable person) and the other as a "pikey" (a derogatory term for a lower-class or transient person). These characters are possibly representative of different aspects or influences in the protagonist's life. As the conversation between the characters turns "evil," the song highlights their tendency to gossip and talk negatively about others. This suggests that they may be projecting their own insecurities and frustrations onto those around them. The lyrics then shift focus to a girl who is portrayed as being "way ahead of the game." This girl is juxtaposed with the protagonist, highlighting the feeling of being left behind or inadequate. The protagonist's jealousy is evident through the repeated questioning of the girl's beauty compared to themselves. The refrain "La Belle Et La Bete" translates to "The Beauty and The Beast," symbolizing the dichotomy between beauty and ugliness, both in appearance and behavior. The protagonist acknowledges their own shortcomings and wonders if the other person, presumably the girl mentioned before, is truly more beautiful than themselves. Ultimately, the song expresses feelings of self-doubt, resentment, and a desire for validation. It sheds light on the toxic dynamics within destructive relationships and the impact they can have on one's self-worth.

"Killamangiro" by Babyshambles is a song that explores themes of societal oppression, rebellion, and personal resilience. The lyrics depict the protagonist questioning why anyone would pay to watch them be confined and controlled, comparing this dehumanizing experience to being caged like an animal on a stage. The line "I was the only one that'd have gladly died for what was wrong in the eyes of the unwell and unwise" suggests a defiance against societal norms and an unwavering commitment to one's beliefs, even when they are considered "wrong" by others. This defiance is further highlighted when the protagonist discusses a man being killed for his giro, which refers to unemployment benefits. The song implies that the system and society at large are responsible for the brutal treatment of individuals who are struggling economically. The lyrics also touch on heartbreak and the concept of second chances. The line "On a second chance I'll never get again" alludes to missed opportunities and regret. The protagonist expresses the desire to move on from a broken heart and let go of past resentments, emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and personal growth. Towards the end of the song, there is a shift in perspective as the protagonist declares a newfound belief in love. This could suggest a sense of hope and redemption, choosing to overcome the negativity and hate that they have experienced. The song ultimately encourages embracing love as a way to transcend the oppressive forces of society. Overall, "Killamangiro" can be interpreted as a commentary on the constraints of society, the resilience of the individual, and the importance of finding love and forgiveness amidst adversity.

Pete Doherty’s favourite books: 

Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

Down and Out in Paris and London – George Orwell 

Oscar Wilde, Complete Collection – Oscar Wilde 

The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde 

Wilfred Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est: An Appreciation 

Our Lady of the Flowers – Jean Genet 

1984 – George Orwell 

Flowers of Evil – Charles Baudelaire 

Brighton Rock – Graham Greene 

The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson  

The War Poems of Siegfried Sassoon 

Arthur Rimbaud: Complete Works 

The Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen Keep 

The Aspidistra Flying – George Orwell 

Billy Liar – Keith Waterhouse 

Salome – Oscar Wilde

La Belle Et la Bete

I'd tell you a story but you won't listen
It's about a nightmare steeped in tradition
It's the story of a coked-up pansy
Who spents his nights in flights of fancy

Met two fellas over gin and mixers
They talked for a while and soon got the picture
One was a souped up Soho mincer
And the other was a pikey with a knowledge for scripture

Then the conversation turned evil (evil)
Talked, talked and talked about people
Why did you do it to so many people?

Stumbled left out of the boozer
Threw some schrapnel to the legless fusalier
An endless ceiling and another light
With a half-tenner smile and you're looking alright

That girls out way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game
Way ahead of the game

You've turned your back upon her
One too many times
Spent all her hard earned money
Getting high she sang

Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me? x2

She's la belle et la bete at the ball
La belle et la bete at the ball
La belle et la bete at the ball
You know she could have us all

You've turned your back upon her
One too many times
Spent all her hard earned money
Just getting high
She sang

Is she more beautiful, is she more beautiful
Is she more beautiful than me? (Than she) x2

Music When the Lights Go Out 

Is it cruel or kind not to speak my mind
And to lie to you, rather than hurt you?
Well I'll confess all of my sins
After several large gins
But still I'll hide from you
Hide what's inside from you

And alarm bells ring
When you say your heart still sings
When you're with me
Oh won't you please forgive me
I no longer hear the music
Oh no no no no no

And all the memories of the pubs
And the clubs and the drugs and the tubs
We shared together
They'll stay with me forever
But all the highs and the lows
And the tos and the fros
They left me dizzy

Oh won't please forgive me
I no longer hear the music
Oh no no no no no

I no longer hear the music
When the lights go out
Love goes cold in the shades of doubt
The strange face in my mind is all too clear
Music when the lights come on
The girl I thought I knew has gone
And with her my heart had disappeared

I no longer hear the music
Oh no no no no no

All the memories of the fights and nights
Under blue lights and all the kites
We flew together
Love thought they'll fly forever

But all the highs and the lows
And the to's and the fro's
They left me dizzy
Won't you forgive me

I no longer hear the music
I no longer hear the music

Jiang Qing & Her Trial Outbursts

 

On November 20th, 1980 the 40 day trial of the Gang Of Four started, after when they were first arrested on October 1976. On November 26, Jiang testified for the first time. When the judge asked her about the plot, she replied with “I can not remember.” Then, the prosecutor called on Wang and two other individuals to testify about the plot. Upon hearing the testimony, Jiang still denied any participation in the plot. She requested to “cross-examine” Wang. But the judge dismissed her request. Jiang began to shout, “This trial is nothing more than a parody of justice!” At that point, the judge ordered the court personnel to escort Jiang out of the courtroom.

Faced with a mountain of evidence and of tourturing comrade Liu evidence, Jiang did not deny her participation in the persecution of Liu. However, she argued that she was only an “assistant” in persecuting Liu, implicating that she was merely following the orders of Mao. Moreover, she asked: “most members of the CCP Central Committee at that time denounced Liu. If I am guilty, why not hold them guilty as well?” This remark irritated the Chief Judge. He ordered Jiang to “shut up!” In response, Jiang shouted “Revolution is glorious! Revolution is no crime!” This is a familiar slogan during Culture Revolution. The judge ordered the court personnel to escort Jiang out of the courthouse. At that point, Jiang seemed to be crazy, reportedly shouted “I was Chairman Mao's dog. I bit whomever he asked me to bit!" Again, she implicated Mao into the persecution of Liu and other senior officials. ''You accuse the wife of Chairman Mao?... We were together for more than 36 years, we went through hard times. During the war I stayed at the front following Mao. Where were you hiding?"

Defiance was the keynote of her performance. It was even reported in a preliminary hearing that Jiang Qing complained of the heat. When nothing was done she steipped naked before the judges - only putting her clothes back on when officials turned off the heating. But the authorities did not censor Quig's extrordinary outbursts, which made the proceedings utterly compelling as a human drama. For example, on December 12th, Liao Mosha, an eminent essayist, described how he had been condemned to eight years in a gaol at the behest of Mao's wife. He started to cry and this infuriated Jiang Qing. In sneering tones she hurled abuse at the man, shouting that he was an 'enemy agent'. When the judges tried to quiet her she called them 'renegades' before being dragged out of court. "I always acted in accordance with the instructions and decisions of the central committee headed by Chairman Mao Tse-tung," Jiang Qing said in a nationally televised segment of the trial broadcast tonight. "Arresting me and bringing me to trial is a defamation of [the late] chairman Mao Tse-tung.''

Jiang Qing, who has been ejected from the courtroom in the past for her violent outbursts, had to be warned again today by the court to observe courtroom etiquette. In return, she defiantly called the judge a "revisionist" and giggled while he told her that her courtroom slanders and false accusations constituted a new crime that would be considered against her at her sentencing. 

"Just ask the monkey king to give me more heads to be cut off," she yelled back, referring to the hero of a classical Chinese children's story who had the magical ability to create new monkeys with the wave of his wand. Prosecutors who have pinned full blame on Jiang Qing during the five-week trial quickly criticized her defense as a cover-up and urged judges to sentence her to death. The verdict, an all but foregone conclusion, is expected soon, with sentencing for Jiang Qing and her nine codefendants to come next month.

Jiang Qing, who at 67 appears still to possess the personal strength and savvy she displayed as first lady of the Cultural Revolution, was well aware of the historical significance of her testimony and trial, calling the proceeding little more than a political vendetta. "You want to vilify the millions upon millions of people who took part in the Cultural Revolution," she shouted at the long bench of judges. "You want to reverse verdicts [leftist gains] and make a restoration" of captalism. In her own defense, Jiang emphasized her slavish devotion to Mao, saying, "I have never had my own line of action. During the [civil war with Nationalist Chinese], I was the only woman comrade to follow Mao."

In closing arguments, prosecutors tried to separate Jiang Qing from Mao, citing several cases where the late chairman expressed distrust for his wife, saying at one point that she "does not speak for me" and in another that "after I die, she will make trouble." Listing a series of persecutions against high-ranking party officials that Jiang Qing was alleged to have directed, prosecutor Jiang Wen turned toward the defendant and asked, "Can it be true that chairman Mao asked you to do all this?" Jiang Qing had framed and persecuted too many people to enumerate," the prosecutor said. "She attempted to shift the blame to chairman Mao so as to deny her responsibility and escape due punishment by law. This would never work." During the long show trial, Miss Jiang taunted the court to execute her, shouting that ''it is more glorious to have my head chopped off.'' There is no sign that Mao's widow, having been blamed for everything that went awry in the Chairman's last years, has shown the slightest remorse.

It is rumored that Jiang Qing, now 69 years old, is confined to Qincheng Prison in suburban Peking, where she has been put to work making dolls. Prisoners in China must do something useful. But according to one version, she has embroidered her name on each doll so they cannot be sold and are now piling up in a warehouse. 

On her last day in court she yelled out "I am without heaven, and a law onto myself. It's Right to Rebel! Making Revolution is No Crime! Bombard the Headquarters!" On December 29th, in what was supposed to be her last appearance in court before the sentence is handed down, Chiang Ching (Jiang Qing) shouted out these slogans from the Cultural Revolution and once again created a grand revolutionary disruption in the revisionists’ trial of Mao’s comrades. The presiding judge, once again taken aback, warned that she was straying from the issues and slandering the Chinese leaders and the court, and then ordered “Take her away.” The television footage shown to the public went blank at this point. What the film did not show was Chiang Ching being dragged out of the court by three armed bailiffs, for the second time (at least) since her outburst on December 12th.

Following the prepared script, the judge chimed in by stating that “The facts are clear, and the evidence is conclusive. The special court will pursue her criminal liability in accordance with law.” The judge’s statement, according to the L.A. Times, “brought a sardonic smile to Chiang Ching’s face.” The Chicago Sun-Times reported that “with a cold laugh” she said. “You just want my head,” and also shouted “I am prepared to die!” During the course of the hearing, the Times said, she “repeatedly mocked both the judges and the prosecutors interrupting their speeches with contemptuous comments, making faces and once simply taking off her earphones and closing her eyes to ignore the prosecutor’s attack.” Chiang Ching attacked the current rulers as “reactionaries, counterrevolutionaries and fascists” and mocked the judges and prosecutors, calling them a “bunch of vampires,” and “dirty vultures.” Given a chance to make a last statement, Jiang Qing made the attempt by the revisionists to bully her into submission through threats of execution look very feeble by declaring sarcastically “Let the monkey king give me more heads for you to chop off,” referring to a character in Chinese mythology with magical powers. Jiang Qing was not only saying that she was unafraid to die for the international proletarian revolutionary cause, but she was also warning the revisionists: ''If you want to wipe out revolution, you will have to chop off more than my head–there are millions more you will have to deal with.''

The revisionists wanted Jiang Qing to get bogged down in trying to refute every single cooked-up charge that they had thrown at her. But she refused to step into this trap, dismissing the charges as an attempt to “pick the bones from an egg”–in other words, there is nothing to it. Instead, she got right to the heart of the matter by insisting, as she has done throughout the trial, that “all my basic actions were in line with the decisions of the Party Central Committee headed at that time by Chairman Mao.” This is a truth that the revisionists, with all their rantings about her “crimes,” have not been able to wipe out. She even dared the revisionists to “Go and check materials still locked in my personal safe. If you can find anything that shows I violated any policies of the former Central Committee headed by Chairman Mao, then I will be guilty of plotting.”

According to one news report, Jiang Qing also read a poem accusing the revisionists of trying to “steal the sky and change the sun.” It could very well be that she was referring in part to the song “The East is Red” which begins, “Red is the East, rises the sun.” and goes on to sing the praises of Mao and the Communist Party. This song, formerly China’s national anthem, was banned right around the time the trial started as part of the revisionists’ campaign to downgrade Mao. Dealing with Jiang Qing's defiant stand has been very difficult, not only for the Chinese revisionists, but for reactionary ruling classes all over the world, including the U.S. imperialists. Confronted with the fact that Chiang Ching has been exposing that it is precisely Mao’s revolutionary line that is on trial in China, the U.S. press has scraped around for some new crap to spread in a rather desperate effort to cover over the truth. So they have resorted to characterizing her stand as “blaming Mao”–as if she were trying to evade the punishment by blaming someone else. Come on, imperialists, surely you could cook up something better than this. “Blaming Mao” as she stands up and shouts “It’s right to rebel!”! “Blaming Mao” as she calls her accusors “counter-revolutionaries” and “revisionists”! “Blaming Mao” as she says “I am prepared to die”! 

Jiang Qing appears to have even gotten physically stronger and sharper as the trial has progressed and the attacks intensified. In fact, she revealed in a two-and-a-half-hour long statement she made on December 24th that while in prison, she woke every morning at the crack of dawn to train her body so that she could do her best in court to defend the Cultural Revolution. This major statement was apparently a real blockbuster. The regularly scheduled TV program on the progress of the trial was cancelled without notice that night, and the December 25th edition of the official People’s Daily did not mention her speech at all. Very little of the details of the statement has been allowed to leak out. According to Ta Kung Pao, a Hong Kong pro-revisionist mouthpiece, “Chiang Ching completely evaded the facts about the crimes of frameup, persecution and interrogation to death contained in the indictment, shamelessly playing the part of ’upholder of Mao Tsetung Thought’.” Before she began her statement, Chiang Ching demanded to know “Are you going to interrupt while I speak? This could be my last chance to speak in my life, and it is also the first time in the four years I have been locked up that I am able to speak before an audience.” While having no illusions about the nature of this railroad, Chiang Ching has used every opportunity, including the revisionists’ facade of bourgeois legality, to stir things up. Again according to Ta Kung Pao, the central part of her statement was “singing the praises of the 10-year turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. She reviewed the Cultural Revolution from the May 16th Circular of 1966 to the campaign against the right-deviationist wind to reverse the correct verdicts of the Cultural Revolution that took place in 1975. She stated that all she carried out were the decisions and instructions of the Central Committee led by Mao. 

The January Storm (the overthrowing of revisionist leadership in Shanghai in January of 1967, led by the Four), she stressed, had Mao’s approval. She said she was the only woman comrade to follow Mao to the frontlines when the Kuomintang reactionaries were advancing on Yenan. “Where were you then?” she asked. “You are trying Chairman Mao’s wife,” she stated. “You are trying to destroy me because you know you can never destroy Chairman Mao.” Finally, Chiang Ching stood up to read a written declaration which was full of Mao’s quotations and slogans from the Cultural Revolution, such as “The bourgeoisie is in the Communist Party,” “As for bourgeois right, it must be restricted under the conditions of the dictatorship of the proletariat,” and “Take class struggle as the key link, when the key link is grasped, everything will follow, continue making revolution.” At the end, she dared the revisionists to sentence her to death in front of a million people in Tienamen Square in Peking and proclaimed “It is more glorious to have my head chopped off” than to yield to the revisionists.

As the trial went on, Jiang became increasingly defiant. On December 24, after the Chief Judge summarized the charges against Jiang, Jiang suddenly stand up and loudly accused the Chief Judge as a “fascist.” She claimed that “the real purpose of the trial is to vilify Chairman Mao and the great Cultural Revolution initiated by Mao.” Obviously she was “defending” herself by cloaking herself in Mao's mantle. When the Judge reminded her to “rationally” defend herself, Jiang became even angry. “This trial is only a show trial. I do not bother to defend myself.” Jiang then announced that it would be “more glorious to have my head chopped off” and dared the court to execute her. On December 29, 1980, after the testimony of forty-nine witnesses and the showing of more than 870 pieces of evidence, the trial finally came to the end. Summing up the case, the Chief prosecutor acknowledged Chairman Mao’s “great contribution” to China, but also noted that Mao was responsible for the “plight” of people during the Cultural Revolution. He argued that the GoF (particularly Jiang) can not escape punishment by raising Chairman Mao as a “shield.” He then cited some remarks of Mao in 1974 and 1975, trying to demonstrate that Mao disagreed with the GoF on many issues. He then demanded death sentence for Jiang.

Upon hearing this, Jiang immediately began to shout ''Revolution is glorious! Revolution is no crime!” Again, she was dragged out of the courthouse. On January 25, 1981, the sentences were handled down. Jiang and Zhang were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. Wang was sentenced to life imprisonment. Yao received a 20-year imprisonment sentence. There was no appeal process. Chairman, your student and fighter is coming today to see you.''

On May 14th 1991, after hoarding socks and handkerchiefs to have enough to make a rope, she hung herself in her prison cell. Writing in her suicide note, she said that ''Today the revolution has been stolen by a clique led by Deng Xiaoping. The result is that unending evils have been unleashed on the Chinese people. Chairman, your student and fighter is coming to see you.''

Chairman Maos last letter to Comrade Jiang Jing - May/June 1976.

Pete Doherty songwriting interview 2007

PETE DOHERTY - THE LOST BOY

by Simon Goddard

Q Magazine, september 2007

Equal parts self-mythologising waster and Byronic romantic, Pete Doherty is the most influential British songwriter of the past five years. Arriving with the Libertines in 2002, he juxtaposed William Blake-esque visions of Albion with 21st-century squalor, reclaiming British guitar music and paving the way for everyone from Razorlight to Arctic Monkeys.

Today, Doherty fronts Babyshambles and his private life is a tabloid soap opera. The day before Q interviewed him, news broke that he'd ended his on-off relationship with supermodel Kate Moss and was living in a caravan beneath a dual carriageway. But today, Thursday 5 July 2007, it's business as usual: business being a secret Babyshambles show in North London pub The Boogaloo. He arrives a mere two hours late, carrying a guitar, a beautiful young girl with a dark bobbed haircut in tow. He immediately stalks over to greet barely alive Pogues singer Shane McGowan, the Boogaloo's resident barfly who's already fallen off his stool twice this afternoon, before disappearing to the flat upstairs. Five minutes later, Q is invited to join him in a cramped living room. The mystery girl is also there. She smiles but says nothing, even after I introduce myself. Doherty, meanwhile, falls over an armchair trying to close the curtains, presumably lest prying paparazzi snap him. He eventually settles, trilby hat on, a salection of necklaces swinging atop a black shirt. What looks like a plastic elephan earring bobs beside his neck whenever he moves. His fingers are grubby, his left hand wrapped in black gaffer tape. His skin is blotchy and clammy. His eyes are wide, pupils like dinner plates. His voice is so feeble, at times it's like talking to an asthmatic on a ventilator.

What was the first song you ever wrote?

Honestly? It's dead embarassing. Billy The Hamster.

How old were you?

Twenty-one (smiles). No, about 12. I just wrote it in my head.

About a real hamster called Billy?

No, I wasn't allowed one. I think I was promised a hamster, so I went and bought the cage and the sawdust and all the things, hoping that they'd get the hint and buy me a hamster. By the time they did, I was a bit old. And anyway, its name was Reindeer.

Was that when you realised that you could write songs?

Er... (bats eyelids vacantly) dunno.

When did you start playing guitar then?

I picked up guitar quite late. About 16 or 17. I just hammered away at it fow two or three years, not really getting anywhere. Then I bumped into Carl (Barat). Just sat at his feet, gobsmacked. Just taking it in and drawing on that, really.

What point did you start to think you were any good?

Maybe when I was getting the same feeling from things that I wrote that I was getting from other people's songs. Albion. When I wrote Albion, probably.

Do you write every day?

I dunno if I write well every day, but I write every day. I have to. Normally I just flick on one of these things (points to Q's dictaphone) or a laptop.Just playing and playing and then a month or two later I'll listen back to what I've done and think, "Fucking hell. There's something in there somewhere".

Your songs don't come fully formed then?

Not always. Sometimes they can gestate for years.

What about lyrics - is it a case of grabbing a pen and writing on anything when the moment strikes?

Yeah. Me leg's been covered in biro many a time (rolls up trouser leg revealing pale, hairy skin but no biro). But I'm quite precious about my writing. Like, I've got scrap and things... (gets up and scrambles over to retrieve a notebook from his satchel, then sits back down and opens a book at page with a couple of spider scrawls) This started with me going (sings a cappella) "Torn torn torn torn. Torn torn torn torn" (stops singing) That's all I had for ages and then... (grabs guitar from side of chair and proceeds to sing and strum) "Torn torn torn torn. Da dee, dah dah" (stops playing). And then I'll play it to somebody and say, "Hey, listen to it's an old Velvet Underground song". I pretend someone else has written it. And then I go, (resumes singing) "Torn torn torn torn / Torn torn torn torn / Torn between two lives / La la la... (membles something about a ghost ship) Torn, da dee dah dah".

Is environment important when writing?

You think it's important at the time. You think, "This place is dull, I gotta get outta here". And then you look back and think, "Actually that was the right place to be".

Like prison?

Well, that was ideal because there was nothing else to do. Literally, it's just you and a pen and paper.

Is songwriting a catharsis for all the chaos in your life?

A lot of the songs I haven't used, or tend to get embarassed by, I'd say were, but I think my most successful songs are ones that are pure fiction, really. Taking a small idea from reality and telling a story. That's when people get paranoid and say "Why did you write that? That's about me". I'd say "No, no, no. It's just a song". My famous last words. "It's just a song and it's not about anyone".

So you've written some songs so personal that you've chosen to hide them?

I wouldn't say hide, I just don't think the outside world has anything to gain by them.

Do you live your songs or sing your life?

Well, take What A Waster. Line by line, verse by verse, every line of that began to ring true over time. But when I first wrote it I was a clean-living lad, to be honest.

It became a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Completely, yeah.

Are drugs a help or a hindrance to you as a songwriter?

I'd sayd drugs are an alternative to songwriting. It's something else to do rather than playing guitar. Sit down and have a pipe instead. It's not conductive to concentrating and playing and singing.

So whenever you write, you're always straight?

Erm... it's not really a conscious thing. But I tend to not get a lot done when I'm battered.

Does it bother you that the tabloid circus surrounding you continually detracts from your works as a songwriter?

It would worry me if I thought about it. But I can't afford to think about it. I care an awful lot about what people think about my songs, but I'm not interested in their opinions of me personally.

Audience reaction is important to you?

It started off as the be all and end all of songwriting. Wanting to find the audience and crave it. For a long time it was such a pipe dream. It seemed there was no way in the world we were ever going to get a crowd. And then we reached a point where the crowd were singing the songs back to us and it became to be all and end all again. Like "I can't wait to play this song to a crowd". There's nothing worse that when people say to me, "Oh I really liked what you used to do, what you're doing now is alright". But I know I wouldn't carry on writing unless I could maintain standards.

You've not peaked yet?

No, I'd say the record that's coming out this year (Babyshambles' second album) has got the best songs I've ever written.

It's five years since the Libertines' debut...

Is it? (eyes widen). Fucking hell.

...and since then bands like Arctic Monkeys and The View have followed. Are you aware how influential you've been?

I dunno... (frowns) Arctic Monkeys are quite special. I don't see too much of the Libertines in them. I think they'd have along anyway. I've had to swallow my ego and admits they're a good band.

Can you communicate better though song than you can in real life?

(Still talking about Arctic Monkeys) That's a comment on them as songwriters not as people. Cos they wouldn't let us stand by the side of the stage and watch them at Glastonbury.

As I was saying, can you communicate better through song than you can in real life?

Yeah. That's the only way I can communicate successfully. Like you can say to a girl, "Can I kiss you?" and she'll say "Well, no". But maybe in two and a half minutes (she'll see) what's come from inside. Although it's drawn, and it might be fictional, it's not really false, if you know what mean? It's not like someone might hear a song and say, "I wanna kiss that person because they wrote that song". But you never know There might be be someone out there (like that).

So songwriting is your means of finding love?

Hmm... (grimace) I thought so, but really the one or two people that I thought I was in love with, they've never really been big fans of my music. In a way it's good because you know that they're not with you just because they like your music, but it's sad. Everything you do at a certain time in your life, no matter what the song's about, all the energy is really directed towards that one person. Whatever that was for Carl. Or for Kate. Or for someone else I fell in love with.

Kate didn't actually like your songs?

No. It was always a bit of a choker.

Is sadness a good muse?

Even if I'm feeling blank or not particualrly feeling happy or sad, suddenly a song will come out and it'll suddenly occur to me that's how I really feel. It's better than any therapy or any conversation. You just hit something on the head and it captures a mood. Like Well I Wonder by the Smiths. I used to put that on, especially the 7-inch (it was the b-side of How Soon Is Now) where you'd hear all the crackles and then the drumbeat and then... (starts to hum Well I Wonder). Just that mood.

Your new song, The Lost Art Of Murder. Was that inspired by George Orwell's Decline Of The English Murder?

Yeah, yeah! (eyes popping out of his head) Fuck! That's what I meant to call it but I couldn't remember the Orwellian bent on it.

Literature is still a big influence on your songs?

Yeah. Titles are almost the be all and end all of the song. I've got reams and reams of scribbled titles that have never been used. I'm always checking them. 32nd Of December, I had that as a title for so long. It's had so many shapes and sizes and curlies. I could have a whole album of 32nd Of Decembers.

What's the perfect song?

It all depends on the time of the day and what you're wearing.

Right now, what song would that be?

We'll Meet Again (adopts barmy Irish accent). You can never fail with the G to the D7, now.

Do you know the Number 1 song on 12 March 1979, when you were born?

I do. I Will Survive (by Gloria Gaynor).

Is it fitting?

(Shrugs, smiles)

How long do you think you'll continue writing?

As long as the person you want to kiss doesn't want to kiss you , then there's always room for another song. I'm not trying to kiss you, by the way. But you've got quite nice teeth.

Thanks.

You've gone red, mate.

Would you be happy if your gravestone read simply, "Pete Doherty, Songwriter"?

That's just a fantasy, though?

It might happen.

I dunno. That is fantasy stuff. I'd love that. It's like a craft, songwriting. Medieval. Traditional. It'd be the ultimate accolade.

So, what's your secret?

Er... (stares at the ceiling) Being lost. Gettng lost and then not being able to ask the way. As my nan always used to say, "As long as you've got that (grabs his tongue), then you can't get lost".

Our chat ends when Doherty is summoned to start his soundcheck in the bar below. Before going, he shakes my hand and asks if I'll write something in his notebook. I agree on condition he scribbles something in mine. We swap notebooks. In his, I draw a set of dentures, sign my name and add, "Not such nice teeth, really". An hour later, long after we've said goodbye, I finally check what he's written. It begins with a quote from another Smiths song, Rubber Ring. "Don't forget the songs that made you cry... that line always made me well up. Love, Pete".

Charles Manson & his Brainwashing - 1970 Berkeley Barb magazine

 

Dr. David Smith on the Family in the Berkeley Barb 1970 - Vol. 10 No. 2 Issue 231. Jan. 16-22, 1970 Page 3

LIFE WITH MANSON

Charles Manson and his "family" were in the Haight half a year after the Death of Hippie. They left in the Spring of 1968 and moved south close to the scene of the murders with which they are charged. A Haight clinic researcher, Alan Rose, followed them. Rose lived for four months with the Manson family on the "Spahn Movie Ranch," where they spent a year operating a riding stable-- and doing various other things-- after leaving the Haight. In an exclusive interview with Dr. David E. Smith, founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, BARB got some insights into the personality of the accused slayers of actress Sharon Tate and four others. Dr. Smith told BARB Charlie and other members of the "Manson family"-- mostly young girls-- came to the clinic in April and May 1968 for "general medical things, not drug related problems or psychiatric counseling."

RARE DATA

But the rare "group marriage" sexual scene the Manson family was into attracted the clinical interest of Dr. Smith and Rose, then administrator of the clinic. They were concerned with the health problems that crop up in different types of communal living, and the Manson family was one of the few they'd run across the practiced all-out sexual communism. From that study and their experiences at the Clinic, came a scholarly paper on the group marriage commune to be published this spring in the Journal of Psychedelic Drugs.

WARNING

And coming as a by-product of their study is a warning to people who dig taking other people's trips: your friendly local guru just might be an incredibly persuasive schizophrenic with destructive paranoid delusions, and not a mystic at all. BARB interviewed Dr. Smith Wednesday night for clarification of certain points brought out in the study report-- circulated in typescript-- and received permission to use some of the information it contains prior to its publication. "He, (Charlie) was an extroverted, persuasive individual and served as an absolute ruler of this group marriage commune.  What he approved was approved by the rest of the group.  What he disapproved was forbidden," the report says.

NO BOOKS

The commune at this time consisted of about 20 core members, 14 of them women, plus several visiting "cousins." Three had some college education, one even had a masters degree, but education was "indoctrination" to Manson, and one of his chief tasks was to undo the "brainwashing" society had done on his mainly middle-class charges. Manson "felt that getting rid of sexual inhibitions would free people from most of their other inhibitions and problems," the report said. "Most of the group had refuted the financial and material possession orientation of their families with relative ease. The 'sexual orientation' was not that easy."

INITIATION

The researcher reported how Manson went about the process of reorientation: (Charlie) set himself up as "initiator of new females" into the commune. He would spend most of their first day making love to them, as he wanted to see if they were just on a "sex trip", or whether they were seriously interested in joining the family. He would spend a great deal of time talking with them finding out, as he put it, "where their heads were at." An unwillingness, for example, to engage in mutual oral-genital contact was cause for immediate expulsion, for he felt that this was one of the most important indications as to whether or not the girl would be willing to give up her sexual inhibitions.

DISCIPLINE

The study touches on methods of disciplining family members and prospects who did not shape up. These included refusal to have sex with anyone who was not changing fast enough, and as a sterner measure, a "long talk" technique. "This form would involve two or three partners in the commune approaching the individual in question and asking "Why are you here? What do you want from us? If we asked you to hitchhike to New York and stay there for awhile, would you do it? "If the answer to the last question was yes, and the individual still did not go, he would usually be asked to leave and stay away until he went through sufficient "changes."

THE REJECTS

People usually left "involuntarily" at the insistence of the family..." Those that stayed found the struggle for food-- which they termed an "adventure"-- to be one of the main preoccupations of the daily round. They would rummage through grocery store garbage bins during food forays to town. Other than that, bread came in the form of contributions from new members or gifts of money, food, and clothing from more affluent "cousins." The group stayed in condemned ranch buildings in return for managing the stable of riding horses, the ranch's sole source of income.

KID CULT

The group wasn't into eastern religion or drugs, but the simple daily round of work, lovemaking, casual dope-sacramental use of smoking, and scrounging tied in with Manson's thing about children, the report indicated. There were several kids on the commune. "The child was always the center of attraction and went everywhere the group did. The child was viewed as the one to emulate and follow as he was considered untainted by society. (Manson) used the words of Jesus: "he who is like the small child shall reap rewards of heaven,' to guide their family and child rearing philosophy," the report stated.

INTERVIEW

Primarily concerned with health issues, the report did not devote extensive attention to the other problems raised by this and similar communal arrangements. So BARB sought and received a few additional insights from Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith said, "The problem was that Charlie was disturbed. He developed a paranoid delusional system that led to violence, it wasn't a drug thing. "When we studied them there was no violence, but there is a fairly fine line between mysticism and schizophrenia. Every commune we studied that has survived has had a spiritual leader that has nothing but positive visions this wouldn't happen.

GOD'S WORD

"Charlie had a lot of good things about him, he said a lot of mystical things that appealed to the girls, but he also had a lot of serious problems in the area of paranoid delusions, and everything he said was God's word to the girls. "If you totally accept someone you lose your ability to discriminate between the good things and the bad things.  If you know schizophrenics, you know how persuasive they can get, and if you are an adolescent in turmoil who is searching for a guru, you can be easily convinced." Dr. Smith continued:  "This is one of the things that worries us at the clinic.  People can't surrender all individual control to higher authority, they still have to be able to think for themselves."

WHAT'S REALISM?

"...I think there are certain things anyone should be aware of. like what kind of grasp on reality the leader has, how he apprehends reality, but the girls always say 'What is reality.'' "What Charlie did, the main thing, was the sex thing and the infant consciousness.  They put a tremendous emphasis on that, saying the ideal is the infant.  What they are really saying is any socialization is bad and the individual should reject it. "Then what he did was substitute his own philosophy.

CRUCIAL TEST

"The crucial thing to look for is how in touch with reality the leader is, and, secondly, whether his vision runs counter to what you intuitively know is destructive.  If people would think in terms of what is constructive and what is destructive behavior, not what is conventional or not... "So many groups don't develop an individual ethic, just a group ethic, and they aren't much better off than if they stuck with the straight society they are rejecting.  They just go from one group ethic to another group ethic...

HIP MAGNET

"Unfortunately, a very large number of guys like Charlie are running around.  They seem to be attracted to the hip subculture with its freedom and acceptance.  Fortunately, not many of them are as persuasive as Charlie, and they don't end up in positions of power... "There are a lot of people like that, and many of them are in mental hospitals.  Any individual who has an all-encompassing delusional system that has all the answers is very persuasive to an adolescent who is searching for a substitute father figure." BARB asked if the girls in Manson's family were any different in any way.

GIRL PROBLEM

"No, that's the dangerous thing, there are hundreds of thousands of adolescent girls in turmoil that are looking for answers, and if they get hooked up with a guy like that, they are in trouble.  They must analyze their behavior to determine what is constructive and what is destructive.  I'm concerned with the great deal of group conformity that exists in the hip movement," said the 30-year old doctor.  "It's suppose to be the antithesis of conformity." "I think communes can be a very positive and meaningful way of life but only if the participants in the movement think for themselves," he concluded.

Symbolism of 'The Wizard Of Oz' - The Greatest Movie Ever Made

'The Happiest Movie Ever Made' is how The Wizard of Oz was originally advertised in 1939. Totems, symbols and motifs from The Wizard Of Oz have been regurgitated into so many movies by directors such as John Waters, David Lynch, Guillermo del Toro, and now new filmmakers such as underground director Fabrizio Federico. This classic fantasy film has enbedded its self into the encompassing cinematic language for all time, and has become ubiquitous with pop cultures lexicon, and a paradigm of perfect cinema. Dorothys look of wonder when she sees Oz has been embedded into every childs psyche, and gives off an apex of feeling that tugs at the audiences heartstrings. The journey and lessons of this film are universal, such as, whether to grow up or be a kid forever, but also realizing that by growing up change can be a beautiful thing. But because we have all seen the Wizard Of Oz as kids (especially filmmakers) in a sense we are all either subconsciously living or making the story of the film (if you're a movie director) because it lives rent free in our minds. Even its darkness has touched us deeply. We re-explore, re-investigate, re-contextualize, re-everything about this classic movie. Looking to the past while also looking to the future. Some have said that all that happens in the film is the characters are ''just walking'', but that is the films greatest message, to move forward. In the field of relativity the trick is to find your way home, while wearing ruby red shoes, ''There's no place like home'' indeed. 

One of the films most similar to Oz is 'It's A Wonderful Life', they share the same story, beats, the same trajectory, and they were both flops. The films start off with the main character wanting to explore and see the world, but by the end they just want to go back, to go home. Oz is the quintessential fary tale movie. Welcome to the world of movies. Even 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' (2000) steals from Oz, i.e the scene when Clooney and his gang watch as the KKK hold a wizard ceremony, in Oz their gang watches the guards march around the courtyard and then they both sneak down in disguises. Or how the screen goes from sepia to colour in 'A Matter Of Life & Death' (1946) like a candy coloured world. Or how in the middle of certain movies the main character will suddenly start to sing a song, i.e Nicholas Cage singing Elvis in 'Wild At Heart'. Or how the symbolism of the red shoes and curtains crop up in 'Twin Peaks' & 'Blue Velvet'. Consciousness and transcendence are at the heart of every David Lynch film, and he embodys Oz more than any other filmmaker, but Oz has many acolytes. 

At the base source of thought is this consciousness. Even Dorothy, she transcends and goes to this other world called Oz, where she finds herself and her power. Same thing happens to Neo in 'The Matrix'. Trauma sends them on a journey to find stability. In her case surviving a near death experience from a tornado.

Even the use of wind in the film is symbolic. The winds of change. It defines the whole film. When the house finally lands on the wicked witch the soundtrack finally goes silent for the first time and it clears the palette for the audience. Then we hear those human voices replicating the sound of wind. Wind equals mystery, ''put more wind into the performance'' Lynch would tell his actors. Rooms filled with the sound of wind. Wind will put you somewhere new. It will send you somewhere beautiful but you need to watch your back, like a flower filled with poison in it. Dont take things at surface value. Like when the apple trees come alive  and grabs Dorothy, theres violence below the surface. Oz is actually quite violent. Dorothy enters Oz by killing the Wicked Witch of the East, and later she melts the Wicked Witch of the West. The message is nothing should be taken for granted, and nothing is what it is. Theres a deep truth inside all of us to be 100% awake. Also that you should move through the world like a child with a complete lack of cynicism like Dorothy. When people are kind she's greatful and when they arent she calls them mean. Mainly she is curious and adventures cant be planned, and with the right attitude she is victorious, the way life shoul trully be. 

Curtains are another reacuring symbol. They are a gateway to magic, like in movie theatres or with magicians, so when you see a curtain you know its not going to be real life, but fantasy time. Curtains are welcoming because they are easy to pull open, but once you see behind the curtain the secret is gone, the craft has been exposed. Nothing can live up to it, its top secret. Lynch uses Oz as a symbol and a movie arc. Like when the fairy in her bubble comes down in 'Wild At Heart', or when you seen the evil mother dress as the wicked witch on a broom stick, it give it a parallel and shorthand for a feeling he wants to communicate, and you know their motivations, almost as a shortcut to thinking because you've seen it already in Oz. It's a shared language and it shakes your hand. Even 'Back To The Future's' story resembles Oz, like how Michael J Fox meets his dopplegangers from his past. Its because 'The Wizard Of Oz' is a very sturdy cinematic template for basing a story on, many life lessons can be attached to it. Marty even comes back to the present having changed his future life. But danger and harmony can co-exist. 

Dreams. In these films when you cross over thats where the danger lies. You meet the dark characters who drag you through hell, then returns to their family knowing new worldly things after having liberated the people that they met on the dark side of the tracks. An innocent character moving between different worlds, like how 'The Elephant Man' goes from circus folk to the upper class. Finding your own Kansas and its kindness. Oz inspires and allows and helps parse out a filmmakers story, to tie in particular elements of a films trajectory. New worlds and new sensations is what an audience wants to experience and see, dragged into a hell against our wishes, like Neo in 'The Matrix' or when Forrest Gump is sent to Vietnam, and 'Lord Of The Rings', but you must return safe to your home. In dreamland you can have multiple faces and avatars, be playing different characters like they do in Oz, which is a great metaphor for a dream world. The fish out of water, like Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop', he learns some lessons and that theres less difference than you might think at first glance, and then he goes back home. Extending yourself beyond your comfort level. Or 'Crocodile Dundee', 'Star Wars' & 'Splash'. 

In the film 'The Miracle Worker' (1962) theres a dinner table sequence, which is both comical, horrifying and a little sad. But as a contrast it is dreamy. Then theres the scene when Annie watches Helen through the window and has a flash back to her days at a school for the blind, and Arthur Penn uses a double exposure dissolve that lasts a long time. But Lynch does it all the time to evoke ghosts from the past, and you cant tell which layer of reality they are in. We see that in Oz when the Lion and Scarecrow are in the field of poppies and the good fairy appears as a double exposure over them. It evokes a nostalgia for a perfect world or a world from the past that only existed in your mind. Oz has baked its self into many filmmakers subconsciousness. Oz is basically the story of a girl who moves between parallel worlds, simulation theory too. But which world is the real one? Even in 'Nightmare in Elm Street', and 'Mullholand Drive', certain characters influence can travel between worlds. Dreams can come true and then it can become a nightmare, a marble prison, like death. Which reality will you land in? Strangeness can cross into reality. Strange timings baked to the bones of certain scenarios. 

Transcendental Meditation is a technique to experience a thought in its most infant states of development until the conscious mind taps the source of topic. A thought moves so it has energy to make it move, and due to intelligence it takes a direction. So the source of thought needs to be clensed. Concentrate on a word without meaning (mantra) transfer the attention to a thought without content. Concentrate on the sound of the word. The source of the energy. As the mind goes deeper into the subtle levels of thought the breathing becomes less, as ur body enters into a lower field of activity, one breaths less. TM takes the mind from the surface level of thinking to the inner field of being and explores the foundation of life.

Being is the basis of thinking, and thinking is the basis if action.

In Oz another aspect that has become standard fare is the villain. In this case the Wicked Witch of the West. The director is a puppet master and the villain is always one of the fav puppets, they are better characters, they have cooler costumes, you just remember them. Examples such as Captain Hook, Cinderella's step mom, the girl from The Bad Seed. Margaret Hamilton embodied the witch and gave her a campy evilness, she even signed her autographs WWW. Even the scene where the Wizard demands for Dorothy to bring back the witches broomstick, for in exchange a reward, has been copied in other films. Loyalty to the King/Queen will grant you your requests. Plus theres the Munchkins who make up the little weird town, even that has been copied in other movies, such as 'The Outsiders' and the 'canteen scene' in 'Star Wars'. Its a familiar movie structure and motif. Oz cliches are all over John Waters movies too. He even made a short film called 'Dorothy The Kansas City Pothead' (1968) and in 'Mondo Trasho' (1969) his main character clicks their shoes three times, then disappears. In his films the villains are the judgemental parents, jocks, and the stuck up rich snobs, but the cool characters are the loose girls, the weirdos, and the outside greasers. The moral of his stories is ''mind your own busines.'' Turn and exaggerate what people use against you, turn it into a style, and win! John Waters practically uses this theme in every one of his movies, usually set in the 1950's surrounded by judgemental, conformist parents and neighbours. People just want to feel at home. The land of Oz is a very disorienting place to live. Lynch even said ''I love, writing, editing and filming. But then you release the movie and thats when the heartbreak begins.'' 

Oz is very elliptically shaped in some ways. The structure and idea within the consciousness of a character, a dreamscape given a narrative life. Which in this case is two thirds of the film. Every character is always searching, dreaming and hoping. All the best characters do. Finding the best version, the most capable, loving and hopeful of themselves. We learn best about a character not from their reality but their dreams. But making movies in Hollywood is about staying in the game, and sometimes that means seeing your true vision die on the editing room floor. Lip syncing is also a reacuring element we see in many of these directors movies, and it stems from Oz. Even the close up's of the actors makeup, such as the Witch, Lion etc... theatrical artifice. Lynch does this the most. Then you realize that the conscious courage that the character has is expressed in their willingness to keep opening doors they shouldn't be opening. Spying and going to strange addresses, in the process they invite terror & chaos into their lives just like Dorothy does. Its the mystery that attracts them. The quotidian narrative trope of the detective is applied. Detectives of the metaphysical mysteries or cosmic, in some cases, to their peril. Thats what Dorothy is, with her dog and basket, being asked to go on this insane journey by the Wizard. Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Its the only way to go home. Its part of the American conciousness. Oz is the foundational text for all these filmmakers. Oz gives filmmakers the permission to think so big and wild, kind of like using the film as a Bible, you go back to it in order to consult the Bible of cinema, a foundational text. Theres so many films braided with gestures and moments taken from Oz, burned into your unconscious minds. Once you see certain images they are etched forever into your psyche, in your DNA. Keep singing infront of curtains, singing like a torch singer. But the meta story beyond Oz is the story of Judy Garland, her brilliance, greatness and the tragedy of her life. The story outside of the story is just as influential. Possibilities that died. You start off all naive & 'golly gee' but then mature and see the dark side of life. A central instinct to the best films is to see the multitudes of a character, how they can evolve and surprise us. There is so much more to all of us. To find the courage to go home, like Dorothy, to face our fears. She was frightened but her gang (Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion) had her back. In the end she becomes THE hero. Its an optimistic film. But we all have each one of those characters in us (cowardly, brave, optimist), including the sham Wizard. 

Many directors have used the formula and the vernacular of 'the heroes journey' to tell their stories. Esentially the story of Oz, when the Wicked Witch melts or they want to meet the Wizard. Even the iconic ''Im Melting!" Has been copied. Oz touches on every genre possible like action, musical, comedy, sxi-fi, horror and drama. Even The Big Lebowsky copies Oz, including the cast of magical characters who give him secret knowledge that they always had inside of them. Suspiria is very Oz like, including Pans Labyrinth & The Devils Backbone, with their lead characters dreamjng of escaping their dull existence. Even After Hours by Scorsese borrows these dream like scenarios, where tasks need to be completed in order to succeed at life. Apocalypse Now has an Oz theme too, he goes on a mystical journey, meets a load of strange weirdos so he csn essencially find an evil wizard. The monolithic, all knowing, powerful Colonel Kurtz which everyone speaks abouth with reverance and fear, but this time hes both the wizard and the witch. The references are the cultural real estate of The Wizard Of Oz that belong in the publics consciousness. Theres a cultural currency to using certain universal Americana images from the past, like a post-modern popular surrealist. 

Lynch is the king at weaving the visual and auditory language, the thematic and story language of Oz into his own work. He honours Oz and admires how the film allows us to dream in a cosmic way, talking to us in a deep way. In his film Wild At Heart you feel that Oz exists in the cannon and mythology of its world and they use it as the ideal of their own lives which they can never achieve. Oz also plays with counterparts & polorization i.e good vs bad, black & white vs technicolour, dream vs reality, good witch vs bad witch. Even the relationship between Dorothy & Judy Garland is highly analogous to heaven & hell. The American dream vs the American nightmare. Theres references to Dorothy & Judy all over Lynch's films, even her surname Garland is referenced. Judy is never found. Judy Garland even famously said in an interview ''I wanted and I tries my damnedest...to believe in the rainbow that I tried to get over and I couldnt! So what!?" 

A funny thing about Oz is how it reverts back to sepia at the end, in a way telling us to stop dreaming and accept life as it is. To stop chasing the rainbow. A movie can give us a vivid perspective of the world around us, or take us to another world and then bring us back home. Each time we watch a movie we are transported. Make peace with a way to exist with the world as it is, like in Spirited Away or Peter Pan. The very concept of never growing up isnt as its cracked up to be, you have to be ready to grow up, a world where the rules do apply. The fantasy of no rules isnt as its cracked up to be. Beauty & The Beast has the same message, so in a way these films are revealing to kids that the disappointments and discimforts are necessary in order to function in the world apprechiate it. You dont have to leave that feeling behind though. Growing up can be just as magical through change. Oz is a fairy tale with bursts of happiness and a jolly ending, but the layers that can be extrapolated from it are vast. As a child you take it as face value, as a teenager your more cynical if you watch it, and then later you view it as a piece of history, that it might have not been a happy production. Look how the Pink Floyd 'Dark Side Of The Moon' myth and the dead dwarf became another strange angle to Oz, a shadow world to the happy myth. Everything goes hand in hand.

We look for darkness in perfection. The whole world family can see themselves in The Wizard Of Oz, just look up at the sky with a look of wonder to achieve an emotional apex as we work our way towards a crescendo of life tounderstand what matters to you. Look to the future.