Super Mario: Super High

I came across an old Nintendo system before the holidays and spent far too much time reacquainting myself with Mario, Luigi, and callouses on my thumbs. Super Mario is back!

Bigger than ever, Mario returns in this short clip making the rounds at SXSW. High on 'shrooms, the Mustachioed One is dangerously on the hunt for his ex-girlfriend.

The Making of a Pot Star: The Jet Baker Interview Part II

In part one of our Jet Baker interview The Making of a Pot Star Jet told us all about his big break through High Times and touched on his work with Texas NORML. We delved into Jet's creative process and discussed the music he makes.

In Part II Jet gets personal, talks about musical influences and the decision to be made between weed or hash.

Please ensure that your safety belts are fastened, we are getting ready for lift-off...

EP: When we began this interview you were getting ready to play an event in support of Texas NORML in Austin. Are there any other dates beyond NORML on the horizon?
Jet: I’m planning some shows but I am not ready to announce the tour yet. It will be in select U.S. cities and several countries in Europe.

EP: Fave venue so far?
Jet: To perform at the Melkveg in Amsterdam is a rush. And my shows at Ruta Maya in Austin, Texas are a blast too. Each show and venue is different and the audience is (different) too. It makes my performance new to me each time.

EP: What is your ultimate dream venue?
Jet: I’d like to perform at the Superbowl.

EP: You produce your own CDs, tell us about the studio experience. Where do you record?
Jet: I record in my home studio. It’s great because I can record whenever I feel the inspiration.

EP: Featured musicians?
Jet: Over the years I’ve had some great guest musicians. I enjoy working with others. I like to have a female voice on my discs. P. Kat has been on five of my CDs now, before her it was Lusciouselle and Anita Hit. I’ve also had Danny Dingle and Jess play guitar on a few tracks.

Turbulence...
EP: You came out on your MySpace page...
Jet: I wanted to get that out of the way. I thought that once I said that I was gay then that would be the end of it. Now here I am, the first interview after the announcement and I’m taking about it.

Here’s how I really feel – the only people who should be interested in my sexual preference are people who are interested in "gettin with me." In that case I’ll take it on a case-by-case basis.

LOL, otherwise I don’t think who I sleep with should matter to anyone. However, I am a realist. I know it matters to some (people). I know there are some haters. That's their problem, not mine.

It’s hard sometimes for young - or older - gays in our society. It seems like (we are) one of the last groups it’s okay to discriminate against. I’ve had a lot of correspondence since I came out from closeted gay people thanking me. One dude wrote, “You’re the coolest gay ever.” That’s my favorite comment ever!

EP: Do you think that coming out will affect your fanbase adversely or positively?
Jet: I think (coming out) will bring in more fans. First off, anyone who’s ever heard my music or heard me say cannabissss – with four ssss, um, they usually kinda figure it out. It shouldn’t be a shock to my fans.

I do hope it’ll get some more gay pot smokers involved in NORML and other pro cannabis reform organizations. I know there are lots of gays and lesbians who smoke cannabis. I don’t think that a lot of them are involved in the reform movement.

EP:Does it matter what others think?
Jet: I hope stoner fans will connect with my message of peace, love and marijuana. If they feel these ideas then I don’t think it’ll be an issue for them. Everyone can think what they want. Hopefully, people think from a place of love and not hate.

A change in flight path...
EP: Musical highlight to date?
Jet: I’m the luckiest stoner in the world. I won that High Times contest and that started it all for me. That’s go the biggest break I had. This year I performed my Pot Patriot songs on the steps of the state capital at the Texas Cannabis Crusade.

It was empowering marching down the street with thousands of pro cannabis activists and then to perform on the steps was a trip. Some legislators were peeking out the windows. I’m hoping we opened some eyes to relegalization that day.

EP: ...Gettin' some backstage?
Jet: I never expect it or even think about lookin' for a hook-up after a show. It always surprises me when I realize somebody is hittin' on me. I won’t give details but yeah, I’ve got some back stage.

EP: What are you listening to right now?
Jet: New Black Eyed Peas.

EP: What do you wish was on your iPod right now?
Jet: Kings of Leon.

EP: Fave way to unwind?
Jet: Ummmmmmmmmmm...a pinch of KB in a nice, clean, glass bong.

Weed or hash?
Jet: Kind weed.

EP: Paper or pipe?
Jet: Bong.

EP: Three people that you would like to share a spliff with (even if they pass) that you know you never will?
Jet: George Washington, Barney Frank, President Obama – Yes we cannabis!

Prepare for landing...
EP: What three songs/artists (other than you) turn you on with reference to pot...er...reeferences?
Jet: I’m impressed with the Kottonmouth Kings. They are very hard working guys. They’ve worked their asses off to get the huge success they’ve achieved. Their fans are undeniably fans for life. Kottonmouth Kings isn’t just a band anymore - It’s a lifestyle. My favorite song from them is Positive Vibes.

The song Ride Wit Me by Nelly made a big impression on me when it came out. Talkin' about puffin in a limo (even though it was edited out on radio everyone new it was a pot song.) It was a huge song, mainstream with weed references. And it wasn’t a goofy novelty song like (Because) I Got High.

Bob Marley – One Love. This song should be the official Planet Earth Anthem.

We hope that you enjoyed flying Estoy Pacheco. We'd like to thank Jet Baker for the in-flight entertainment and as you leave us and continue with your journey we remind our fellow sky pilots that they can find Jet, here, here, here and here. Hell, Jet is everywhere!

The Story behind Moonshine and Herbs Hit "Legalize Weed" Video

Moonshine and Herbs created an Internet buzz last month with their paean to marijuana - Legalize Weed.

If you haven't heard it yet, you will be singing the chorus halfway through your first listen.

Despite the down-home bluegrass feel to Legalize Weed the trio from Canton, Georgia rock a little harder on their other tracks. But it is Legalize Weed that has people talking about the boys that comprise Moonshine and Herbs - Andbrick 'Steve' Williams, Eric C and Alonzo Greer.

Zo spoke to us recently to tell us how the song came about. Take it away Zo!

Writing Legalize Weed
"Well the three of us were hanging out one night feeling pretty good with a few beers and some herbs and talking politics and world events. Then Steve, who wrote and sings the song, says that we need to write the revolutionary 'free the weed' song.

"We all agreed and to my surprise the next day Steve said that he got it and played it for me. I came up with the bass line and we worked it out for about a week or so before we were able to get with our drummer E and record it. It was only about two takes and that's it!"

The Shafer Commission
The video for the song borrows heavily from news reels over the last 40 years, taking us on a chronological trip through the ages from the Shafer Commission to Barack Obama. The Shafer Commission - named after chairman Raymond P. Shafer - is otherwise known as the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse which had recommended that marijuana be temporarily placed in the most restrictive category of drugs - Schedule I. (Ed.-It was hard to get a "j" in the early 70's so people were into using "h" when spelling marijuana.)

Shafer, as Chairman, presented his report, Marijuana, A Signal of Misunderstanding, to Congress in 1972. One of the key recommendations in the report called for decriminalization of simple possession. President Nixon passed on Shafer's recommendations. In fact Nixon passed on almost all the recs. But the report did stir up hope among libertarians at the time and made the nightly newscasts. Snippets of these reports form the basis for the Legalize Weed video.

Making the Video
"Everything on the video is just stuff I got off of YouTube to get an idea of what I wanted the video to be about," says Zo. "Its really just a sampler video and not yet close to being completed, kinda like the track."

While the video may be a sampler it is serving as a calling card for Moonshine and Herbs as the band is looking to strike a record deal. Together as a unit for less than a year the braintrust of Moonshine and Herbs - Steve and Zo - have been honing their writing skills together for two and a half years. The duo continue to write new music while narrowing down selections for a future CD release.

Herbs and the Creative Process
"Well, we love to burn the herbs and get into a good groove," says Zo with regards to weed affecting the band's creative process. "Without a doubt, depending on the herbs, a creative mediation can lead to something inspirational. We love the herbs but whether they are available or not our creativity never goes away."

That free flowing creativity may explain one of the band's more peculiar projects.

"We are currently working on a couple of projects including a jingle that we have written for a Finnish company called ScanBev. Hopefully it will be used to promote one of their new beverages."

Are you singing the chorus yet?

Surf Guitar God Bob Bogle Dies

Surf guitar legend Bob Bogle of The Ventures passed away in Vancouver, Washington after a long battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Bogle revolutionized the surf guitar sound on a string of instrumental hits in the 60s including Telstar and the theme for the classic Hawaii hipster cop television show Hawaii Five-O. The Ventures released an astonishing 40+ instrumental albums in their storied career with sales of more than 100 million.

Inducted with The Ventures into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year Bogle influenced many guitarists over the years. Eddie Van Halen said that the first song that he learned to play on the guitar was The Ventures version of Pipeline.

Bogle and The Ventures co-founder Don Wilson met in Seattle in 1958 when Wilson was selling cars. Bogle, who was working construction at the time, walked into the shop and Wilson asked him if he could get him a job.

Fast friends, they then formed the band that would break through the charts one and a half years later with Chet Atkin's Walk, Dont Run.

“If you listen to Walk, Don’t Run and Perfidia, the lead guitar is just totally unique,” Wilson said. “He used that vibrato bar — they call it a whammy bar — and he used it like nobody else.”

A private funeral service will be held on Friday, June 19th. Bogle was 75.

Surfers Unite for World Ocean Day

Today is World Ocean Day and big wave surfers have called for the creation of marine protected areas. Seventy-One Percent of Earth, a short film by Ari Marcopoulos pushes home this point with comments by Grant Twiggy Baker, Frank Solomon and other big wave surfers. You don't have to surf to appreciate the sea and all of us should have a vested interest in the care and preservation of our oceans.

Two Green Thumbs Up for Food Inc.

This is the movie that Monsanto doesn't want you to see. They even went through the trouble to set up a web page disputing most of the points raised in the film. But before you click that link up above it should be pointed out that the link was inoperable this morning. Could Monsanto have come to its senses?

Food Inc. is a documentary from director Robert Kenner that paints an unflattering picture about the American food industry and how it is controlled by corporate interests.

How hard-hitting is the film? Variety states that "Food Inc. does for the supermarket what Jaws did to the beach."

The film opens June 12 in select theatres in New York, LA and San Francisco. It expands to more cities nationwide on June 19.

If you can link to that Monsanto page you may want to then click on La Vida Locavore who took the trouble of countering each of Monsanto's objections to Food Inc.

Dandy Warhols Like Pot...A Lot

The Dandy Warhols are playing the Playboy Mansion in support of the Marijuana Policy Project. The gig at Hef's place also includes a guest DJ turn by David J. If that name rings a bell then you remember the 1980s as J is best known for his work with Bauhaus and later on with Love and Rockets.

The gig takes place on June 4...whoa, man...is that today? and includes such typical stoner fare as a magic show...ooooh and fire dancing...ahhhh. So what brings the Dandy Warhols to the mansion?

As Courtney Taylor-Taylor tells NME.com, "We have a lot of stoners in our band so to have marijuana still be illegal is ridiculous. As a recreational chemical it's a lot less dangerous than alcohol.

"There are a lot of countries where it's perfectly legal and they get along better than America. Plus it may be our only chance to go to the Playboy Mansion and hang out."

The Marijuana Policy Project "believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is prison, we focus on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use, with a particular emphasis on making marijuana medically available to seriously ill people who have the approval of their doctors."

Members of the advisory board include social commentator Bill Maher, and Navy SEAL, turned pro wrestler, turned Minnesota Governor, now Zen surfer Jesse Ventura.

Estoy Pacheco is quite certain that Mis Amigos will make the set list today.

Wake and Bake: The Best Modern Surf Music

A while back Estoy Pacheco brought you the best old-school surf tunes. Now we send you out to the rollers with our wake and bake modern surf tunes. Why wake and bake? Half of these tunes will leave you amped and ready to tame the mighty monsters. The other half are for those moments when you are, well...baked. We'll leave it to you to decide which is which. But one thing is sure - these modern surf trax are all killer, no filler!

Xavier Rudd - Mother
I've had the pleasure of catching this Surfin' Cat who originally hails from Australia at a number of festivals over the last few years. Catch him on tour this summer if you can, especially if you have never heard a didgeridoo. They know their waves in the land of Oz.


Donavon Frankenreiter - Free
Produced by fellow surfer and bud Jack Johnson, this tune from Donavon's eponymous (I love that word) debut disc gets you into a good place. Unfortunately his record lable won't let you view the vid here and you have to leave this site and check it out on YouTube but we can show you this teaser from the 2008 Billabong Pro.


Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
The Seattle-based band on the SubPop label were the guys who got me thinking about these lists in the first place. You knew that they were gonna show up on one of them.


Blue Hawaiians - A Cheat
Fan faves from Flint, Michigan Greg, Jory and the boys are still going strong after 20 years.


Jack Johnson - Surf Song
Is there anybody out there not doing a take on this tune from this native of Hawaii? Great tune with Philadelphia's favorite surfer, G. Love lending a hand. This fan-made vid has some awesome surf footage.


Mermen - Neptune's Revenge
The Pink Floyd of modern surf music reformed in 2006. The Mermen are gigging at selected dates this summer in the San Fran area. Patience is a virtue, at least until the 2:32 mark of this Bay show.


Russian Circles - Death Rides a Horse
We're throwing in a curveball here with this three piece outfit from Chicago. This will get your adrenaline pumping!


Los Straitjackets - Tempest
The wrestling masks can't hide the talent of this Nashville combo that formed in 1988 and then didn't play again as a unit for another six years. They haven't been heard from since 2005. I guess we have another two year wait ahead of us. The vid comes from "Psycho Beach Party." You know that you want to see it now.


Reverend Horton Heat - Psychobilly Freakout
Adrenaline overdrive! This is the one that everyone tried to master on Guitar Hero II. When you think about it, isn't psychobilly just a much cooler term than surf music for the same f'n thing?


Meteors - Go Buddy Go
While we are on the subject of psychobilly, we'd be remiss if we didn't include the UK group that are considered the Kings of Psychobilly and by extension the torchbearers of surf rock through the 80s and 90s.


Surf Coasters - Refraction
Japan's answer to the Ventures and all those surf bands from the 60s. The Surf Coasters have been tearing up the Asian charts since 1994 bringing a punk edge to the surf music genre.


Surfites - Surfville
Let's close this chapter with the band that best encapsulates the days of the wooden board in the 21st century. And The Smurfites come from Sweden of all places! These "landlocked gremmies" have been playing instrumental surf since 2004.


That's all she wrote, dude! It was alot harder to come up with this list than it was the old-school list. Surfing music was so defined in the 60s. Today the music has grown and influences can be heard in lots of different genres and bands, and as we have shown with these trax influenced musicians from four continents. While this list is by no means definitive, it is meant to be representative. Drop us a line if there is a glaring omission.

A number of bands that could have made this list on any other day and are just bubbling below the surface on this day are The Brains, Daredevil Jane, Weezer, and Southern Culture on the Skids.

Peace out!

Big Wave Teaser from Ireland

Big Wave surfers Tom Lowe and, Fergal and Mickey Smith spent the winter carving up the frigid swells of the North Atlantic before they come to a screeching halt off the left coast of Ireland.

The finished product of their cold water surfing foray is the Powers of Three documentary. If you have a subscription to Carve magazine you already have a copy of the DVD from the May issue.

The Beeb Goes Surfing

The BBC takes you inside a monster barrel in the South Seas with Dylan Longbottom. Super slowmo, super clear and super radical.