> drugs just got in the way of the music You're talking about rock music and the Dead. Drugs were the catalyst, an essential aspect of the musical experience f

> drugs just got in the way of the music You're talking about rock music and the Dead. Drugs were the catalyst, an essential aspect of the musical experience for many of the performancers and the audience. But you're totally right, drugs were the solvent too, dissolving focus, talent, and brilliance to fade away. It's a risk and (sometimes fatal) attraction, I think largely due to the lack of cultural knowledge for responsible and sustainable recreational drug use.