Owsley Stanley (born Augustus Owsley Stanley III), notorious 1960’s LSD chemist and the original Grateful Dead sound engineer (he helped kick start the live recording of their shows), is currently visiting the Bay Area from Queensland, Australia, where he’s been living off the grid for over 20 years making gold enamel sculptures.
San Francisco Chronicle music critic Joel Selvin arranged to met up with him for a rare interview: “For the unrepentant patriarch of LSD, long, strange trip winds back to Bay Area”
By conservative estimates, Bear Research Group made more than 1.25 million doses of LSD between 1965 and 1967, essentially seeding the entire modern psychedelic movement.
Less well known are Bear’s contributions to rock concert sound. As the original sound mixer for the Grateful Dead, he was responsible for fundamental advances in audio technology, things as basic now as monitor speakers that allow vocalists to hear themselves onstage.
The legendary, super pure acid that Owsley produced was a staple of the Bay Area scene in the mid to late 60’s. Showing up at Grateful Dead shows and Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests.
Owsley’s nickname is “The Bear”, which comes from the bear illustration created by Bob Thomas, an image that later became the familiar “dancing marching bear” icon of The Grateful Dead. Speaking of Grateful Dead art, Owsley, along with Bob Thomas, designed the famous “Steal Your Face” logo
For more on Owsley Stanley, check out his Wikipedia article.
UPDATE: In the comments Owsely clarifies the “Purple Haze” myth as well as the misconception that he put his doses on paper.
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s also a fantastic (and lengthy) profile of him in the current issue of Rolling Stone, which unfortunately does not appear to be published online.
LETS GET ONE FACT STRAIGHT, JIMI HENDRIX’S SONG PURPLE HAZE WAS WRITTEN BEFORE STANLEYS ACID, IN FACT OWSELY STANELY NAMED THE LSD AFTER JIMI HENDRIX’S SONG PURPLE HAZE. GeT ThE FaCtS WrItE……………………
This whole ‘purple haze’ thing is nonsense. I have no idea what Jimi meant by the line, nor when he wrote it, but i do know the acid at Monterey was not it.
We called the purple acid tabs pressed specially to be given away at the Monterey Pop Festival: “Monterey Purple”. Jimi did seem to enjoy it- he jammed all night long in the long shed after I was able to organise a guitar and restrung it for him…
I cannot speak of acid today, but in our time, acid of this quality is not the kind of thing which would attract the term ‘haze’. To call it that would have been misleading. it was CLARITY- squared.
History, like all the past (and future) ‘exists’ only in the mind.
Only the present exists.
One more myth needs busting.
I NEVER put doses on paper, it is no good for the purpose- it rapidly and unpredictably destroys the activity. I abhor the practice.
Thus, there was never any ‘bear blotter’. My material was first put up in caps and later, in tabs. Other than colours -white, blue or purple, no special markings of any kind were ever used on doses.
The little bears we all know and love are a bit of original art by Bob Thomas, based on a traditional cast-typeface widgit found in certain fonts ( I have the original lead piece). They are marching around in a circle on the back cover-art for Bear’s Choice album.
NB- Marching, NOT dancing.
you can view the bear type face, on owsleys site :
http://www.thebear.org/
and tons of info about his sound recordings are there also.
Thanks for clearing mythology up a bit there.
Owsley, nice to meet you (at least virtually). I’ve added an update to the post as well as made some corrections in order to clear up any misconceptions. I went ahead and removed the entire reference to Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”. Thanks for setting the record straight.
Wow! Just happy to be here….
i believe the perple haze was a type of heroin at the time an old vet from vietnam told me this
Hi Owsley.
Back around 1971 or so in Burbank, California I did some very excellent grade LSD which everyone called “Christmas Acid” (no doubt due to the orange barrels and green barrels that were floating around at that time). I was told at the time that it was 'Owsley Acid'. I've always felt that these names were merely marketing aggrandizement. Is it true? What can you tell me about “Christmas Acid”?
Also, the song, “Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan….was that in reference to you? Thanks in advance.
Respectfully,
–Allan–
Owsley, did you ride with the train in Canada touring with a bunch of bands ? If so what kind of lsd did you hand out or did you. I Owe u a good time.
Hey ASO3,
Did my first tab of your blue flat in 67…Changed my life clarity squared to infinity’s power. “Surely this must be the place where g-d doth dwell,” You are forever loved oh master mechanic of the exact 25!
Forever yours oh humble one,
Marc Joel
THANKS! You changed my life. Jim Welch
Never met anyone who was lucky enough to consume Owsley acid , sure wish I was hangin around the Bay area back then… I wish Owsley would surface again with those Steal Your Face belt buckles… had my chances to buy one on Dead tour but never did… Damn it would be a special thing to take some of his LSD and wear a belt he created… Take care Bear where ever you are…
You can buy Bear’s buckles directly from him through his website
os..I remember in 70 at the filmore east..did you carry doses in a violin case..btw.chocolate thu8nder..?
Doc
owsley should just resurface in the bay I’d love to take some of his well known LSD the shit now a days is just crappy . owsley if you read this give it a thought I’m telling you there’s going to be a new movement just look how shit is now the generation is going to need somebody’s help to expand there mind from the socialist box this country is soon to be. just give it a thought
i’m in awe of all this talk………..took maybe 50-75 tabs in high school 71-74 good times
I have been very intersted in physcadelic expireince. As shrooms lsd and other halluacations are very rare and hard to obtain I haven’t yet had the full expiereince but I am really intersted in knowing a lot more on lsd and its properties. I have been readining a lot up on shrooms lsd and the expierinces on them. There are a few things im interested in finding about about first off. Lsd today is it anything like what you use to have? I have had friends that say they have had trips that only make them feel abit wierd and give them the giggles, I think either the strenght these days is obviously nothing like it use to be. Or they have been sold something as trips instead? Which is higly likely for trips are very hard to get hold of.
Also the other thing im really intersted in kknowing is there is a lot of talk about a trip either being a step out of reality or it actually bringing you closer to reality.
Also any other information you can give on lsd or other pyschdelics would be much apprecttiated.
I would travel anywhere in the world to be taught what owsley stanley knows about ergot chemistry and white lightening.
Owsley Stanley, i’ve read recently about your mishap with cancer. I’d like you to know there is a cure available.
“ScienceDaily (Apr. 17, 2007) — The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070417193338.htm
Contact me if you’ve the time, i am interested in asking you a few questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGhpVzN0ik8&feature=related
Hey Stanley,
I was wondering.
I think I met you @ the show in Frankfurt 1990.
Were you there?
I was but my mind was wondering.
I remember we talked abot meat/vegs.
Anyways hope ya doin well,Peace………….
Its time to start up that Bus again,Clayton
I’m just in the middle od re-reading “The Electric Koolaid Acid Test”, what a great reflection on a great time in history. Many of the old great ones have left this earth on moved on to the next realm, they are truly missed.
Never had any “Owsley” acid, but consider myself fortunate to have come across some very clean and high quality material over the years. Taking the cosmic train changes a person forever, in my case, all for the good.
We could use some perspective in this crazy world right now, maybe a return to the revolution of truth seeking is just what we need.
Peace all.