ADDICTS EVERYWHERE

Editor:

After reading the Curt and Cris Kirkwood article ["Shooting Star,"
Vol.18, No.18], I feel compelled to write of my own experiences here
in Austin.

I moved here about two years ago at the insistence of friends in
Springfield, Mo. "Move to Austin. Do your music there. Great scene,
etc." So I did. Cold. Not knowing anybody.

After awhile I started making contacts, new friends, and started my
group the Fabulous Pimps. Work is good and the money is fine with my
day job, and the music scene is great. One thing, though.

I've been a casual drug user over the years, but I used to have a meth
habit over 12 years ago. A jail stint got me straight, feelin' good,
and doing meth left me feeling like crap so I stopped that. Then
again, I moved here, and hanging with my new pals, I found I not only
could smoke weed and drink beer, but due to the abundance of coke,
crack, and later heroin, I could pretty much be high every day,
whether I was looking to or not. I mean, it's easy as hell to go down
in front of the cop shop and score crack, for Christ's sake!

Basically, the point is, almost all the seasoned musicians I've played
or recorded with here are addicts or well on their way. I would be
too, but I couldn't give a damn. I don't have that compulsive, kid in
a candy store thing going. I mean, watching some of the folks I know
can be pretty ridiculous. And the one-track mindset til they've scored
really bugs me too. No one in my circle has died yet. (Yet.) But it
seems the more junkies that form in front of me or I have the

pleasure to meet, the more often my stuff ends up missing; i.e. cash
to pay day laborers, back door kicked in with my rootbeer-colored
Strat gone, etc. The thing is, these are my friends? I used to take
one fellow to his old lady's ATM so he could snake money out of her
account daily. One time I lied to her and said it was for work
materials. They're married now.

I'm getting sick of this shit. I guess it's about time to travel again
before I have to hear about one of my acquaintances dying or going to
jail. Sure, there's drugs everywhere, but in Austin it's almost
easier to score than it is in L.A., and that's easy. Wherever it is
that I'm going (not along the Mexican border, that's for sure) it'll
take a while to meet new people, establish work, make music connects,
and find dope. In other words, a nice little break.

Sincerely,
Paul Mitchell