ESP 1027 – Timothy Leary – Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out
by Robert Ham

The opening salvo of this album finds the late LSD guru issuing a bit of a warning: “If you’re over the age of 40, I’m not sure you should listen to this record.” It’s a fair piece of caution, as I don’t think anyone above the age of 40 in 1966 when this spoken word album was released nor anyone over the age of 40 who lived through that era, could sit patiently through an hour’s worth of laconic ramblings on the LSD experience and human consciousness. Listening to it, I couldn’t help but wonder if this subconsciously inspired Marlon Brando’s gonzo improvisations on the set of Apocalypse Now, as they follow Leary’s same unhinged speech patterns and stream of conciousness takes on human nature. This is obviously a record meant to accompany the psychedelic or marijuana inspired experience, as listening to it straight (as I did), left me feeling itchy and restless about 1/3 of the way through. I do think there is value in this record though – both as a cultural artifact and as a disc that might creatively inspire some people who do indulge in mind-altering substances.

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