Experience 1960’s and 1970’s Culture Archives
Authentic Counter-Culture Artifact:
CEREMONIAL PIPE
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High School Confidential:
“I WAS A TEENAGE DOPER!”
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Tribute to an Exceptional Human: Jeff Warren
00individual would like to remind everyone that his documented experiences were not unlike hundreds of thousands of like-minded free-spirited individuals. He wasn’t doing anything anyone else of the Counter-Culture wasn’t doing; except in a few uniquely-positioned cases: M.G.M. Studio Back-lot 3 Adventures! – ’68 ; Pink Floyd – Los Angeles Sports Arena – Three Nights – Front Row Center! – ’75; Supernatural Super Natural – ’71; True Hippie Levitation Experience – ’72; Kicked Out of Disneyland – Twice! – ’68 and ’70!; and as a Record Store Manager – ’71-’72; Record and Tape Rack Jobber – ’72-’73; Record Store Manager of the Stars! – ’74-’75 and A True 24 Hour Account of a Day in the Life of a Los Angeles Hippie – ’71.
While Marijuana/Cannabis has been growing wild since uprights gained consciousness; it wouldn’t be until the beginning of January 1967 for 00individual to smoke Marijuana for the first time – it was scary, thrilling, and fun – all at the same time. Getting high was as much fun as getting high! It was forbidden and illegal, but offered something never before experienced in life; the ability to enter an alternate world – a world that was there all along.
By the time the Summer of Love happened, the publicized use of Marijuana and drugs was all over the news; so getting high was done in secret, away from parents and even away from some friends; most friends early on. This was back when, in a high school population of two to three thousand students, there were about a dozen known Dopers and about the same number of suspected “Dopers”. 00individual always liked that name, he took pride in it, he wasn’t “known” yet, but he was “suspected”, which in and of itself was very cool. Being a suspected Doper made him part of the underground, a secret group that only Dopers knew about.
Like his small circle of about four or five guys and other small groups of Dopers, he took uppers and downers smoked weed and Hash all in covert, responsible ways, but the Establishment’s negative propaganda popularized a “Doper” as a low-life addicted criminal; the scourge of society. He wasn’t like that and neither were his friends. This was one of the first times where 00individual was presented with the truth that he knew was correct from personal experience versus the lies that were being reported. Sure, there were some drug-addled bad guys out there, but the term was being twisted to include a group of innocent teenage psychedelic adventurers.
This was very ironic at the time, because as 00individual was becoming enlightened, it became all too clear as to whom the real Dopers were.
The ’60s and the ’70s environment encouraged creativity; Musicians, Singers, Actors, Artists, Comedians, Cultural Leaders, Writers, Poets, Rock Bands, Painters, Sculptors, Dancers, and the average inspired Individual all explored their talents and abilities.
Sometimes that creativity emerged out of necessity ‘cuz back then it twarn’t like’tis for you young folk today, oh no, 00individual had to roll his own joints and make do with whatever type of pipe he could find to suit his needs. This was the era when people were sent to jail for long periods over a joint, a roach, or even more insidious, a seed.
So in times of lack of a decent pipe, or to avoid “holding” drug paraphernalia, a quick Hash pipe could be conjured up by a few inches of brass tubing (for repeated use) or anything tubular that could hold the heat for a quick bowlful (metal pen) and a piece of tin foil. With the tin foil wrapped around the end of the pipe (tube) and sculpted into a bowl and tested for a clear sustained draw, the technique proved to work very well, and was actually great for Hashish, and Opium even – for those times when euphoric opportunity needs immediate ingenuity.
This form of creative ingenuity spread throughout the Counter-Culture, and soon the Tribes of the Nations had an artistic imprint in everything they did. Pop Culture exploded into society – it was a great time to be a human!
This Authentic Counter-Culture Ceremonial Pipe is an example of the Counter-Culture’s artistic ritual attachment and meaning bestowed upon sacred objects in one’s life. It also serves as a link back to the roots of Tribal Man when a pipe’s essence was shared among caste members, friends, family, or an enemy, as a sign of Brotherhood and Peace. Assuredly many a treaty was settled after a few rounds of the Ceremonial Peace Pipe of Marijuana among adversaries, who once the ego was broken-down, became friends, or at least parted with empathy for one another.
In the late ’60s this very pipe began being the conduit from Herb to Heaven an infinite amount of times for nearly as many people, cosmically-speaking. It is a small short-draw hardwood slide-top pipe purchased at a Head Shop in Venice. Over time 00individual grafted another wood pipe to extend the draw length, then later a flexible rubber tube and hollow wood mouthpiece for further extension and a cooler hit. Spiritually-relevant additions were embedded over the years; a silver sliver moon, turquoise chips, wood bead with glass inner bead, a special piece of leather, inlaid peace sign, and an inlaid Yin-Yang symbol on the front with a mini-turbo hole in the center. The pipe was finally finished and wrapped in the leather thong that served as 00individual’s necklace for the auspicious mystery animal tooth discovered while on a hike. Proof of the pipe’s completion is that 00individual can be seen wearing the Tooth necklace (with beads at the time) seen in photo blow-up below from ’73 and ’74 – and soon after he used the thong’s acquired-from-him Essential Vibe to wrap and symbolically trap all of the psychic energy that it had absorbed and contained over the years.
One could probably get super high by just inhaling the heated smoke coming off the walls of rich, thick, dank decades worth of permeated strains of Marijuana and Hashish. Yum!
00individual had many pipes over the decades; a traditional mens’ gnarled wood bowl with black plastic bakelite stem pipe, water pipes galore, brass “fixture” pipes, and of course
00individual’s Legendary Gas Mask
but the Ceremonial Pipe was the only one that survived the decades.
Rendition of 00individual’s Famous Gas Mask circa late ’60s / early ’70s.
Peace Pipe, Out.
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JEFF WARREN TRIBUTE
There has been an unprecedented passing of notable creative and talented people so far this year; unfortunately 00individual needs to add one more to that list, Jeff Warren.
While Jeff was not internationally known he was a popular hometown personality and master magician. Beyond excellent card tricks and sleight of hand, Jeff created a magic about him; those who knew him were blessed. Renown for his skills as an entertaining waiter for several high-profile restaurants; Jeff’s personal magic spread quickly.
His weird and wonderful behavior sometimes got him in trouble, but it was usually for extreme innocent fun or for a rebellious act of being human – which is what made Jeff the beloved character that he was.
Initially a friend of 00individual’s son, Jeff became a welcomed part of the family for over two decades. He was a rare soul whose smile was infectious and whose friendship 00individual will always cherish.
Against all odds, Jeff fought his condition and beat the system much longer than most, but courageously, in a lucid state of mind, and with great humor, finally made the decision to put his energy elsewhere and transcend this plane for a higher one on April 27, 2016 at 43 years young.
00individual would say the usual Rest In Peace, but somehow he knows that Jeff will be far too busy to let something like death slow him down, and also knows for a fact that they will meet again, and have more cosmic talks in the Upper Astral Kitchen.
Jeff Warren, a True Rock ‘n’ Roll Hippie Rebel Protester for Truth and Justice!
(Fighting the Good Fight during the Occupy Era of Rebellious Revolution!)
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