Happy Saint Patrick's day everyone!

Happy Saint Patrick's day everyone! Try not to get too crazy. Since I quit drinking (and smoking) it has been a whole new experience on St. Patty's Day, and I don't miss the drinking at all. In years passed I would get toasted with the guys by early afternoon at a place called Brennan's in Berkeley, Ca. We'd drink green beer and shots of Irish whiskey until our lips got numb and we couldn't play the ocarina anymore, then we'd all eat corned beef and cabbage until we puked. Sounds great, doesn't it? Ah, well, we were young and crazy.

I have a ton of memories of St. Patty's Day, dating back to the 70's when we toured in the Emerald Isle. The late, great Phil Lynott, singer/bassist for the classic Irish rock band THIN LIZZY, had a hollow leg and could drink more liquor than anybody I have ever seen in my entire life! He could literally drink all of my band, plus roadies and management, under the table without breaking a sweat. He was amazing! Plus he was the only black Irish guy I ever met. He once took us to buy bright green African bud from a Chinese woman in Ireland! It was like the united colors of Beneton! As a bunch of homesick Berkeley boys far from home, we really needed a toke at that time. We just couldn't keep up with the Irish guys and their drinking, and I think Phil took pity on us. So, he took us on a journey to find good bud in Ireland, something he insisted was real. We scoffed. After all, we were Californians! We knew all about good bud. Ireland was the land of drinkers, wasn't it? Well, in the end, the bud was crap and we didn't even get a buzz. But we were forever in the debt of Mr. Phil Lynott, and I will never forget him. He was a hell of a singer too!

We ran into him years later in our own area code and returned the favor. I don't think Phil realized how strong Northern California weed could be. Who knows? Maybe we could have gotten him off the sauce and saved his life... Tragically, Phil favored alcohol instead of pot, or maybe we could have saved him. I heard that he got into coke and heroin later. What a shame. Phil died from heart failure and pneumonia in January 1986 following years of alcohol and drug abuse. It broke my heart. He was a major supporter of Manchester United Football Club and he loved to talk about them. I think of him every St. Patty's Day.

Here's a link to his Wikipedia page in case you want to read up on him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Lynott

And just for the hell of it, here's THIN LIZZY, one of the greatest bands of all time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FmPhJkdTwU&feature=related