I'm happy that many people are fans of ArtCal, and the so-called value of "accuracy" is occasionally mentioned. ArtCal may have a mailing list now, but only Douglas Kelley brings writing like this to our inbox.
Here is Douglas on drugs, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Glenn O'Brien:
Glenn O'Brien, I believe, understood that The White Powder School is not for most people, probably 99.9% of most people, however there are rare
individuals such as Keith Richards and Jean-Michel Basquait for whom
certain Schedule IV prescription pharmaceuticals, as well as the
traditionally universally contracinded in all cases contraband psycho
stimulants and depressants are indispensable essential commodities of
life like food, paint, canvas, or guitar strings. And history often
remembers these individuals by the great periods of their most extended
peak output wherein they so colossally dwarfed the production of anyone
else, certainly in quantity, but more importantly in supreme sublime
quality that all the slightly less talented are left scratching their
heads, wondering what were we doing all that time?Jean-Michel Basquait: King of The White Powder School
If you ever meet an artist as talented as Jean-Michel Basquait with such
a chemical romance, just put the drugs under the door and leave the art
supplies in the hall, and come back in the morning and collect the art,
no questions asked. It's highly unlikely that you ever will, so with
that understanding, always stay away from drugs kids and stay in school!
