Happy 4/20!
Yes! I wish you and counterculturalists alike, a very high and happy day with no harrasment from the police officer.
Speaking of harrasment from the 5-0, I have a little treasure of a video clip here. Possibly the most amazing clip from the laughable television series COPS, ever.
Quite fitting, wouldn’t you say? If only all law enforcement handled such situations in this manner. The fact that it was filmed does cause one to raise an eyebrow at the officer’s authenticity perhaps, but then again the perp. with the purp was also well behaved.
Unlike, of course these two wonderfully stoned reprobates…
Yup, Cheech and Chong!
The lead up to the scene where this clip starts is amusing but it was too long for all intents and purposes. It’s a well amusing film so you might as well just watch it in all it’s entirety, today’s isn’t exactly a bad day to do so either. I chose this particular clip because it’s actually my favourite part of the film. I watched this clip almost every weekend that I went to crash by my good friend Sig. Skifo whilst enjoying the greener things in life. What did I say about repetition earlier? Yes, we thrive on it.
I started writing the bits that are most amusing and entertaining to me however I came to the conclusion that it’s borderline impossible to pick one. I suppose it really does come down to the initial consumption of the acid, the way Chong realises a few seconds too late that he gave Cheech the wrong stuff.
The winner for me I’ll have to admit is the interaction between the Cheech and the cop, the way Cheech is just there tripping and giving the cop a lot of chat and not taking the situation at hand the least bit seriously. “You keep on knocking but you can’t come iiin!” – Cheech sings and then breaks off into a hysterical fit of laughter at the law man.
After a while the cops decided these guys are “too suspicious” and alleges that Cheech fits the description of a man they’re supposedly looking for. They get detained, carried to the station and consequently to court. This all happens during a bit of a musical interlude of sorts.
Ah, but before I digress any further and go off on some tangent about law enforcement and the harassment of the otherwise law abiding citizen who’s only crime is enjoying the consumption of something as natural as peppermint tea or a herb even more natural than that – I shan’t sojourn…
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Alright, back to the order the day:
4/20____4:20 which tends to be synonymous with ganja blazing in a large communal gathering.
“Weed Day” to some,
The Observance of Cannabis to others.
A brief history of how this annual ritual began.
There’s very little else that comes to mind when I hear or see this combination of digits in this particular ordero; 4-2-0. It signals a time when cannabis consumption takes place and has been known to be a time and date where many a stoner, pot smoker and cannabis consumer has been known to converge in one place (usually a park) together and take part in a rather large pow wow (but more smoking and less chanting and dancing).
The most consistent name in this history of 420, seems to be The Waldo Brothers. A group of friends who
Actually before I go on, read the “True Story behind 420” – an interesting article from about three years back. It’s about the very meaning behind 420 and it’s various origins, which you can read here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/20/what-420-means-the-true-s_n_188320.html
– I was going to write a long ass article about it, but instead of inventing the wheel I brought you a starting point for your research of the 420 phenomonen. Instead I can give you a short account of my 4/20 experience of 2011.
It’s not a tradtion that all need necessarily take all too seriously.
For me though, like many things in life – I’m a fan of novelty and I thrive on repetition as do others under this sub cultural heading.
Unlike a religious holiday or a crappy capitalist holiday like Valentines day, this one I can take a little more seriously. A day to commemorate weed and observe it’s wonders in the company of friends and other like minded individuals.
S0 here we are, a year now since I was at Hyde Park, London for 4/20. Now you’ll have to forgive my memory of such events, given that gap in time and activity that took place there which makes it rather difficult to give a heavily detailed account of that event.
From what I recall there was a sea of people out there, mostly youths probably just out of what I could only guess was sixth year and university students. I’m guessing there were older people there as well, but my again my memory of this doesn’t serve me that well. Apart from them, those with either flexible jobs or none at all attended. All types of people sat together in the massive park for a massive session. Above our heads was helicopter moving around idly in the sky, which I noticed when we arrived on the scene. To this day I’m not sure whether it was news or police. I suppose it wasn’t all the relevant to me then, certainly isn’t now.
Meanwhile back on the ground there was the sweet aroma marijuana just wafting about, of all varying strains, a scent that was almost reminiscent of Amsterdam or a reggae festival. It was lovely. I went accompanied by two good friends of mine, fellow enthusiasts as it were.
Surrounded by the stoned crowd was a sound system which was playing some good vibes, man. I can’t even recall what tunes played specifically but they were good…I think…I want to say police in helicopter played, but that’s probably a forced recollection.
It was entertaining, I didn’t stay the whole day because I didn’t actually have much on me and I wanted to spend the rest of 4/20 in my flat smoking with some other friends. I remember going to the pub in the evening to watch a game and I was told by one of the guys living in our building, that you could smell me from the door upon my entrance to the pub.
– H.G. Fields on a fragmented account of 4/20 last year.
News Flash – Albeit in yesterday’s news yet pertaining to today. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/marijuana-activists-suing_n_1438421.html – In short; Fellow Marijuana Activitsts are suing CU (the University of Colorado Boulder) for the planned closure of the campus to prevent students from celebrating 4/20 at the quad.
It’s where this day and namesake was founded and grounded. Also it’s a university which would most likely, like to think that it has a reputation to uphold and doesn’t want to be associated with an activity that promotes the plant and it’s use among a certain mind of people with a certain stigma attached.
I remember the tune that we had on repeat that week, which was quite fitting for the ‘season’. A tune which I appreciate most when there is a lot of green involved and I’m on my level.
That tune in question is Taylor Gang by Wiz Khalifa featuring Chevy Woods.
A year later I’m still a big fan of this song and of the video even a year later.
At times it’s almost still serves as bench mark to me. That is to say, one day I would like to have the power to hold sessions that resemble that video. I like LOVE being high until my mind twirls to the point where I’m having trouble climbing the stairs. The amount of herb in that video makes me salivate like a dog under the 12 o’clock sun and has yet to drink water from his bowl. It’s a seriously mouth watering affair, at least watching anyway. I assume in practice it’s actually highly dry mouth inducing.
So yes, all in all that is my top Taylor, Wiz song.
I was going to give a review of Taylor Allderdice when it came out, however decided to wait until the “420 season” to give my 2 cents.
All in all it was an entertaining mixtape. They usually have to schools of thought on Wiz currently and Wiz back when. Personally I didn’t hear of him prior to Cabin Fever and thus for me that mixtape stands out the most for me. The beats for those tracks were nuts to me, especially Never Been. That would largely be due to the fact that it was sampled from one of my favourite RPG games on Super Nintendo, Chrono Trigger. So the fact that Taylor Allderdice had Never Been part II, was a delightful surprise. Of course for part II they sampled another Chrono Trigger background tune. What made that even more special to me is the fact that for a few months before the mixtape came out, my brother was playing the tune the beat was from sampled, on the piano. So I did a few laps around the place when I heard Wiz spitting on that track.
Kush and Orange Juice, I understand from the majority of long time Wiz fans that it pretty much set the bench mark. Thus I noticed that a lot of these fans would complain about his tunes getting too commercial for them these days. Which is fair enough I guess, he is advancing in the game as they call it and it’s not unusual. I hardly think it’s unheard of when record companies pressure (not sure if that’s the right term for it) the artist into singing about certain themes etc. So there will be tunes I won’t be in to, like songs singing of bling I could care less for.
That doesn’t interest me in the least, I listen for the weed references and weed humour. That’s what I like, word play when it comes to singing about ganja. I assume that’s why people liked Kush and Orange Juice – I’ve asked but the answers never really seem to be all that clear. I liked Burn After Rolling with The Thrill, that was entertaining.
So back to the subject of Alderdice and what it did for me. I didn’t dig the whole thing to be honest, of the 17 tracks, I listen to 7. Which isn’t bad, given how I listen to music.
Those tracks in order of favourites:
1.) Mia Wallace
2.) Never Been part II
3.) California
4.) Mary x3
5.) O.N.I.F.C (interestingly enough despite the intro, the beat is what moves me)
6.) The Code feat. Juicy J and Lola Monroe and Chevy Woods
7.) T.A.P feat. Juicy J (I like Juicy J, a sporty motherfucker! He really goes in on his verse and his references to weed and drugs and lean is rioutous)
I actually realised my vocabulary for reviewing music is worse than my vocab for the very art that I create and am a part of. Shameful, I know but I’ll try something here.
Let’s start by saying these seven are the only ones on the playlist that are ticked. Quite often with rap, I tend to zone out and hear only the beat after awhile, well half listening more to the point. I would drift off and then listen in intently when a specific reference to Mary Jane is made. That said, I’m certainly in no position to make a proper assessment of the lyrics but I can identify lines that give me the feeling of some immense jubilation.
If I was to suggest five ganja songs to listen to at any point today, they would be:
- Smoke Weed – Aidonia
- Natural Ites feat. Iyah V – I Wayne
- Kaya – Bob Marley
- Lick Da Chalice – Guinney Pepper
- Free Up The Herbs– ZamanduBut wait!What’s this? A bonus track…
- Collie Man – Simon Pipe & Buggy Nhakente
Update (04/20/12 – 17:35 AST)
A friend of mine just brought this to my attention about an hour ago! An added bonus music video – mind you this made my day so far – from college humour:
At the time of posting I’ve now watched it about 5 times…
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I don’t believe a 4/20 post would be complete without drug humour in the form of a treecomic, some observance now for the reason why we are here and thus feel obligated to ingest thy herb.
All hail…
I love how at first they are in fear of their king and then in the end they are absolutely thrilled with the command they were given by the their king.
One other piece of weed humour, this time from Cracked. http://www.cracked.com/funny-2148-stoners/
I’m waay inquistive about the relationships that weed forms within people, the different customs and manners that vary from country to country. More succinct, to the point I guess is; how ganja ettiquete varies from social group to social group. In some cases, their influence can spread, with as few as one person.
An example perhaps would be; I studied in London for some number of years. During my time spent, I had various cirles of friends, from different countries or even different regions of England, more local yet, different areas of London and Greater London.
Okay so you have different circles with a common theme i.e. love for cannabis and it’s associated culture. Many will have quite a few common beliefs and m.o’s. Over time I visit various circles for a while and adopt certain habbits with cannabis usage; of such usually pertaining to the direction of the rotation, and the puff to pass ratio.
When I visit another circle I might carry a habbit that was picked up and if it suits this other circle, they too will adopt it as their own as well, and on it goes.
Very rarely will bogarting a joint be acceptable, in some cases there will be familiarity, favouritism or spitefulness that could influence the passing of joint.
Overall there are many variables which at present I’m now currently too high to continue going on, also in part with me starting to forget where I’m going with this.
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I haven’t seen any new marijuana flicks recently, but I can probably guess that I’ll be watching Super High Me tomorrow.
Probably my all time favourite Weedventure film/documentary to date.
And speaking of documentaries on this fine day –
“Possessions make you rich? I don’t have that kind of richness. My richness is life.”
– Bob ‘Nesta’ Marley
If you didn’t know or maybe forgot, Bob Marley the new documentary is out at the cinema tomorrow, so that’d be something else that should happen. High or otherwise, definitely something that must get watched.
For you non smokers, maybe you should watch this today and get high vicariously through Bob in the footage.
What a legend.
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H.G. Fields News
Alright! Some good news, the website is launching in a matter of hours.
Yes, that’s right!
The official H.G. Fields site which I was going on about, in the later stages of last year and a few times earlier this year is finally here. Scheduled initially in December and then eventually in January/February.
I grew tired of giving dates for it’s launch and then postponing so shortly after, all the time.
Then this 4/20 miracle happened yesterday my time but actually on 4/20 GMT.
It’s a happy coincidence I’d say that the fb page: https://www.facebook.com/hgfields has reached 420 by this day! It must be a sign of good things to come because as a result I have been now able to release the 4:20 Postcard Collection now as well!
The postcards in question can be found here on the official H.G. Fields site! https://hgfields.wordpress.com/?p=1595&preview=true -Yes that’s right, the space hasn’t been officially been bought as yet but shortly, trust. Like this blog you’re on and the facebook page, it will grow.
There’s more however, a very good friend of mine has started up a further business venture by the name of http://www.420fortunes.com/ – Expect plenty to come soon from this biz very soon! Online headshop headed by a man with a mission and vision to see it through.
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I think I will end it on that note, just stay safe n’ enjoy a THC filled day.
And
Remember Keep blazing and stay Amazing folks,
H.g. Fields
H.G. Fields 
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Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all
your posts! Keep up the excellent work!