Particularly in the early 1970's, many people assumed Ian was a regular user of 'mind-expanding' drugs. As he said in an article he wrote for Trouser Press Magazine, in October 1982: "Of course, people who saw me jumping about on-stage thought I was taking every drug under the sun. No matter how many times I would say politely, "No, thank you, I would not like a joint ", they'd say, "Aw, C'MON, man, HEY... " Rather than be rude or get angry bottled it up, all these feelings of growing up among a generation I felt I didn't belong with surfaced on Benefit". This attitude to drugs is apparent in the second verse of 'A Small Cigar':
"If you ask me they're on their way
to upper-middle-class oblivion.
The stupid twits, they roll their only one cigarette between them".
The other people at the party are sharing a joint:
"My small cigar's redundant now
in the haze of smoking pleasure.
Call it a day, Get the hell away".
The smell of cannabis fills the room, so Ian leaves early:
"Go down the cafe, For a cup of real tea."
'Tea' being a slang term for cannabis, of course, as distinct from 'real' tea, the drink!
@Krendall2006 You are spot on. Having had the honor of serving as a "roadie for a day" for Tull during the Passion Play tour, I saw Ian smoke (regular) cigarettes and drink an occasional beer, but nothing else. I believe he once commented quite strongly in an interview that those were the only "mind altering substances" he ever enjoyed.
@Krendall2006 You are spot on. Having had the honor of serving as a "roadie for a day" for Tull during the Passion Play tour, I saw Ian smoke (regular) cigarettes and drink an occasional beer, but nothing else. I believe he once commented quite strongly in an interview that those were the only "mind altering substances" he ever enjoyed.
From CupOfWonder.com:
Particularly in the early 1970's, many people assumed Ian was a regular user of 'mind-expanding' drugs. As he said in an article he wrote for Trouser Press Magazine, in October 1982: "Of course, people who saw me jumping about on-stage thought I was taking every drug under the sun. No matter how many times I would say politely, "No, thank you, I would not like a joint ", they'd say, "Aw, C'MON, man, HEY... " Rather than be rude or get angry bottled it up, all these feelings of growing up among a generation I felt I didn't belong with surfaced on Benefit". This attitude to drugs is apparent in the second verse of 'A Small Cigar': "If you ask me they're on their way to upper-middle-class oblivion. The stupid twits, they roll their only one cigarette between them". The other people at the party are sharing a joint: "My small cigar's redundant now in the haze of smoking pleasure. Call it a day, Get the hell away". The smell of cannabis fills the room, so Ian leaves early: "Go down the cafe, For a cup of real tea." 'Tea' being a slang term for cannabis, of course, as distinct from 'real' tea, the drink!
@Krendall2006 You are spot on. Having had the honor of serving as a "roadie for a day" for Tull during the Passion Play tour, I saw Ian smoke (regular) cigarettes and drink an occasional beer, but nothing else. I believe he once commented quite strongly in an interview that those were the only "mind altering substances" he ever enjoyed.
@Krendall2006 You are spot on. Having had the honor of serving as a "roadie for a day" for Tull during the Passion Play tour, I saw Ian smoke (regular) cigarettes and drink an occasional beer, but nothing else. I believe he once commented quite strongly in an interview that those were the only "mind altering substances" he ever enjoyed.