Muslim Boarding House Shitheads

I was escorted to the train headed East, into France, by the Police. I fell into a coma like sleep as the rickety rack of the rails clicked under me. I peel my eyelids open with all the effort I could muster in response to some one or some thing poking on my arm. In front of me, two men that resemble Laurel and Hardy in dress and stature , a fat one and a skinny one, peer over the two seats in front of me. They are sporting dark grey tweed suits with plaid vests and bee-bop hats as if they walked out of Charlie Chaplin's time machine. Maybe they jumped off of a silver screen somewhere or perhaps got frozen in an old ice truck. Anyhow, the fat one says, "Hey you, this is the last stop. You need to get off here." "Where am I?" "Marseilles, France." "Where are you headed?" "I have no idea." (always an appropriate response for adventure).

I gather my gear and groggily follow the two fellows off the train onto the platform. They give me one last glance back and say, "You got a place to stay?" "No." "We're heading to a boarding house about 12 blocks from here. It's only 5 bucks." I agree to follow the comical pair. We trek through the streets of  Marseilles looking like a space traveler guided by two chimney sweepers.

As we arrive at the tall skinny housing compound, I read the facade of the building, "Welcome fellow Muslim brothers." Underneath that it says, "No alcohol, No smoking, and No profanity." I hastily grab the fat one. I realize by now the skinny one doesn't speak at all (in perfect Penn and Teller fashion). "Hey man, this is a Muslim boarding house, I'm a smoker, I'm an alcoholic, and I'm an AMERICAN! Dude this is not cool. I'm gonna stay some place else." Always follow your gut instinct, but I faltered when he reassured me that he'd been here before and they were cool. So I reluctantly booked my room. We were all sober at this point... so everything was seemingly cool. The receptionist, a 40-something half black/half middle Eastern man. "He" was one of those. A real GRINGO, WHITEY hater. God forbid I start talking Devilisms to him. He probably would have shot me with his Chinese made rifle.

So we get to the top floor of the 5 story compound and see our rooms at the end of the long hallway. As we trudge our gear up the steps, I see serious students reading the Koran out loud. All giving me an eyeball nod as we push upward. We get to he top of the stairs and immediately unload all of our shit. All three of us are in a "hurry up and get the fuck out" kind of frenzy. We scurry down the 5 flights of steps. Time was wasting and we needed the next taste of alcoholic nectar from the Devils. The fat guy stops at the first corner store and recommends a Polish "Fortified" wine beverage. They each buy one for themselves and I follow suit. Wow this shit was rancid but... but... BAM! That first swig already started to give me a buzz... so I could tolerate the dangerous concoction. We wandered the streets of Marseilles, paper bagging our booze. We told stories from polarized upbringings as we made our way to the Harbor. We sat there a bit watching the generic looking tourists stroll the pier. We kept a keen gaze on a giant clock off to our left, as we sipped, chugged, toasted and grimaced the little drinking time we had away.

At quarter til curfew, we started the now completely disoriented march back to base. The booze was hitting heavy after such a rapid consumption on an empty stomach. There was also something else brewing in the bowels of my stomach. As of writing this years later... I can still remember the sound that my stomach made as we were starting to walk at a light, almost jog, speed in order to slide under the curfew's finish line. I alerted my companions, "Whoa... my stomach just flipped in a very bad way. We need to hurry. I need to find a bathroom AND FAST!" The fat guy replies, "We're almost there." I reply, "Umm it's not gonna wait!" So those that know me, should know I'm, fairly modest about peeing in public so this was a real predicament. I glanced the current surroundings for a place to unleash the beast growling in my stomach. NO FUCKING ALLEYS, NO BATHROOMS, just cars, JUST A STREET LINED WITH PARKED FUCKING CARS ! So, I pick the tallest and closest ones I can get to in time. As I'm running toward the impact zone, I'm unbuckling my belt and unzipping my trousers. This was gonna being a moving assault on my stationary target. I make my squat  right there in the street, right at prime time. The streets are lined with folks bustling to and fro. Then it happens. We're not talking diarrhea or a shart (fart that turns out to be a shit). This was a full on ASS EXPLOSION right in the road. There was this loud splash as shit literally exploded out of my ass onto the pavement. Collateral damage sprayed onto the vehicle's white paint jobs with force. People gagged, covering their mouths and hunching over. It was a moment that lives vividly in my mind's eye. After the satisfaction of giving an evil birth passes. I have realization that I have no toilet paper and not even a dirty newspaper in my sight overcomes me. So I just pull up my pants with the roll of my eyes and start hustling toward the boarding house. I can see the skinny one darting into the front door at about the same time I see the fat one leaning against the wall. One hand gripped his stomach and one pressed firmly over his head against the wall. My thoughts as I run to his aid, "OH SHIT!"

I'm trying to buckle my pants, still full of shit spray, as I realize he can barely stand up and is screaming racist profanities at the receptionist. He can hardly stand up and I have no idea what the fuck he's saying at this point. The reception Muslim runs out onto the sidewalk calling me white Devil, disrespectful American put downs. I begin to assist my fatty fatty fat fat friend up the twisting multilevel marble stair case. I'm rushing him to get to our rooms. Obviously, we're late, we're drunk and literally smell like shit. The whole time I'm thinking, "Man I gotta get this dude to the bathroom on the top floor before he has the same ASS EXPLOSION that I just had." It was about this time... up the first flight of "half story" steps... that I realize my friend has already had his demon baby experience. Probably when we hit that first step. I didn't hear it for the fucking asshole screaming in my ear, pointing at the sky and beating me with his "bible". As we make our way up the longest stairway of my life so far, diarrhea and shit trickle out of his pant legs. His weight bearing down on me. All the while, he's screaming "FUCK YOU" to the proprietor. About half way up the building, I start screaming "FUCK YOU" at my FAT FRIEND, all while still helping the fat fuck. I think this is where the other dude, who possibly worked or WORSHIPED there, started poking a fucking mop in my face. He was telling me I'd better clean it up or else(using the old slash my throat with his thumb bullshit). Some kind of Hollywood movie scene chaos bullshit. I finally managed to get this dude to the room. As I was about to finally drop him on his bed, the receptionist guy yells(in perfect English), "NO, NO, not in those pants!" So I unbuckle his pants, I tie the ankles up so the shit will stop coming out of the bottoms and handed it over to the proprietor asshole. He pinches his nose and waves the pants away back in my direction. At this point, I am completely covered in diarrhea  vomit, piss and shit. Oh yeah he vomited on my head somewhere up those steps too. However, POO POO is so much grosser that it's hardly worth mentioning. I rapidly check the pockets for anything. Give the Muslim one last Devil glance and I toss the shit sausages in form of a FAT MAN's flying pants out of the 5th story window. We all bond for that one moment of brotherhood as the pants twirl through the air spewing wet juicy turds on the bustling foot traffic below before it's one final splat. At which moment, the pedestrians look to the heavens to solve the where-a-bouts and what-a-bouts... of the alien like occurrence .. of the shit sausages... from outer space. The same moment forces us all to "turtle in our heads" from the window. The bitching started again.

I ended up hosing him down with a garden hose in the top floor bathtub. I then mopped all five stories of the Hostel. I took a shower. I put on fresh clothes and started to get the fuck out of there at about midnight... when all of a sudden... the reception dude says "You can't leave the building at this time." I gave him my best EVIL EYE and growled firmly. He hit the buzzer and I've never seen any of them since. AMEN!

Keiko - Superstar, Drummer, Showman, Hustler

It's difficlut to pin point the exact moment we met. I'm certain it  was because of a drug deal hustle of some sorts. I'm gonna be  brutally honest in this story. Keiko can be a real pain in the ass,  mother fucking, theiving crackhead on his bad days. We'll blame his  drug addiction for the sake of not trying to tarnish one of my  favorite characters. Now let's talk about the beauty of Keiko. He  is a mid twenties average height, light skinned black man with  beaming big eyes and a smile full of teeth. He struts through town  as the happy street king with himself as king, knight, and jester.  He can be this way because Keiko has a gift. He is the little  drummer boy.

I never saw Keiko playing full time in a band. I can obviously  remember the first time hearing him play... umm not really. He is  the kind of soulful artists that just drums for the love of  drumming. He'll always be fill in for bathroom breaking drummers.  Or finds a way to get his smile on stage smiling and bouncing with  the beat. This magic and his energy make up genuinely for his  obvious shortcomings. I'm a drug addict too. I know how a fix might  put a man with no money in a fix. One night myself, Billy, Quincy  and Keiko went on a 3am drug run. Quincy had a pink umbrella from  Keiko that he was prancing around with in the middle of the street.  I was riding Quincy's bike reluctantly cause he was way out of  sober and couldn't. Billy and Keiko on the other bike. Keiko was  coming out of the crack house with "our" drugs. He jumped on  Billy's bike as soon as the Police pulled up. Billy took off. Keiko  was screaming "no.. no...". LOL. Quincy started screaming  "Loveless... go...go!" And we were off. A police chase at 39 years  old was a little much. The truck quickly started it's pursuit of me  and Quincy. About a hundred meters or so Billy and Keiko passed us  going the other way in the direction on the on coming police truck.  Keiko was still screaming but with enthusiasm as the pursuit became  comical. Quincy and I sped away toward Cocles and ditched the bike  in the shadows next to Tasty Waves. The Police truck screamed by  with full sirens. We hid for a bit as the PoPo slowly returned to  base. One of those whew moments. The next day Keiko came running up  to me at Crack Bridge exclaiming, "Devil, that was awesome!" He  told his part of the story through a beaming smile while jumping up  and down.

I've made several attempts to get Keiko recorded in the  studio. The results always being disastrous  Rocking J didn't  really trust Keiko so getting him on campus and in the ARK was  always a Devil's plea to a stern king. The one time I finally got  permission, I offered Keiko drugs, alcohol, money and food to play  on some pre-selected tracks. He sat behind the drums for about 3  minutes did a drum roll and immediately through a dramatic rock star  tantrum. Yelling that the conditions of the studio were not what he  needed to play. He darted off into the night with the drugs and  alcohol. I vowed to never attempt recording him again. Never say  never.

When Keiko gets behind a drum kit it's magical. This troubled young  man lights up the stage from his drum throne. It's often difficult  to notice the front men while his enthusiasm and presence dominate  the space. His patterns are unique and powerful. His style is  completely unique. He enters into his drum solos with eyes closed  and a sure grin moving his entire body to the grove. His gestures  are large making his performance truly entertaining. His solo  almost always ends in an eruption of applause. At which point he  opens his eyes and rejoins the band with a look of "okay I'm back  boys". As a drummer Keiko is a soulful true specimen of rock star.  So not all is lost in the pursuit of Keiko's talent.

I often refer to "crack" bridge in my writings. This is where Keiko  and his girlfriend Erika call  home, under the bridge. They have a  make shift living room. Cook food for locals. It's quite cozy.  You'd be surprised. One night in pursuit of fried chicken, he  offered the last of his Yucca soup. It was amazing. Keiko has lent  me his shoes to walk through a rough glass strewn path. He's always  full of love and always kind. It's just those low points when he  makes bad decisions. He once slapped Erika in Tex Mex, at which  point she grabbed an empty beer bottle, broke it in two, and  proceed to stab Keiko in the arm and chest. The crowd erupted in  support of her. Blood went everywhere and Keiko fled. Erika came up  to me and said, "I need a hug and some love Devil." Which I gladly  offered as she cried on my shoulder for 10 minutes or so.

One night during my last two weeks in Puerto Viejo, right before  Rocking J permanently altered the studio and right before the loss  of the studio's computer due to Quincy and Jenn's bullshit. Keiko and I finally got the chance to lay down an epic session of Keiko's  brilliance. If I remember correctly... my druggie brain sometimes  combines two events... but I'm pretty sure it went like this at  this particular 10pm: Loveless, "Dude my drug habit is out of  control. I'm leaving town for a while. Rocking J is out of town. I  can rent the studio by the hour off of my credit with J. How about  I buy a couple grams of blow for myself, a fist full of crack rocks  for you and let's finally get a record of you?" Keiko agreed. We  went to my dealer first on the "Devil's Motorcycle". We then  stopped in the ghetto for his rocks. He was anxious and grumpy. We  walked into together. We got the goods and proceeded back to my  bike. Not even 10 steps out of the crack dealer's house, Keiko hits  his pipe and turns toward me glossy eyed and happy, "Hey cheif, can  you see the rainbow?" (moving his hands across the dark night). I  still laugh to myself every time I replay this scene in my eyes. We  proceeded to the studio where Keiko took charge and basically laid down the set he always wanted to ley down. He was in charge and I  was obedient. There was one point where "Jesus" Joseph said,  "Loveless, you have to let me in there. I've gotta record with that  guy." Which he did.

I hope Keiko is not one of my 27ers or even my 25ers. As a  truly gifted rock star that I love truly... I hope I do justice in  representing the Demon and the Angel... but most importantly the  FUCKING BAD ASS ROCK STAR THAT IS KEIKO! The last night I saw him in  Puerto Viejo, he told me, "Hey Chief a guy from Italy is such a  fan that he is giving me a drum kit." I hope Keiko picks drums over  drugs... but I think Keiko will always be able to manifest a drum  to play as long as his turbulent life allows him to breathe. AMEN  brother. Devil Horn Salute. I will always love you. Rock On!

Paradigm Shifting Suffering

I take personal safety as a calculated risk. If I'm the pilot I  give loose restraints to my choice. Occasionally, I get to kiss  death on the cheek, speed away with a two fingered devil horn  salute, a glance or two in the rear view... and a whew. On these  days I think about my life and what I've accomplished. What would I  like to say as my last breathe of words... what comes to mind is,  "Wow that was fun, wow nature is ruthless and brutal, can't believe  I lasted this long, too bad so many humans are douche bags, I hope  I confused, concerned, enlightened, twisted or "even better" loved  you, I hope I don't have to do this again, and how many square  meters of fire does my family own exactly, be nice to each other  dumbass fucking meat puppets... do you realize how small this  sphere is? and how much damage I could incur to this tiny little  ball of dirt if I really had decided to? He's out there and he's  working on it already. Be safe, be nice, be respectful, be  generous, and be strong.

Seriously, I've value everyone and to the animals I ate a special  BIG ups. Some of you were an instance of pure love prepared by some  one with love for me. I fell in love more than once while eating  your flesh. I've thought of it often and still eat meat sorry, I'm  a Devil. However I did try and appreciate the countless lives of  livestock and insects I've killed along my journey. Tis a brital  world sucks to be you. Today, in shower I saw a grand daddy long  legs spider crawling along the edge. I thought "wow I bet these  giant water drops are deadly to his tiny little spindly legs," So I  cupped my hands under the shower head and diverted water on top of  his location in space time. I just wanted to see if he was truly  that delicate. His legs immediately collapsed under the weight and  the surface tension in the small water puddle held him crippled. I  returned later to see him lifeless. I thought wow, how cruel a God  would create a life so delicate that heavy rain water or a  philosopher in a shower would be so deadly.

Suffering to me is a completely unessecary and God who loves you in  any way would not have created such game full of danger and pain.  Why is it that you even know what safe and pleasurable feel like? Because you need to know what pain feels like? Seems pretty cruel idea that such a violent beast would be trying to comfort me at all? It's  good to be top of the food chain, but just witness the vicious  killing machine that compromises nature. It survives on death and  destruction. I'm most afraid of it. Call it God, Creator, Jah, etc.  It's not something I would worship out of respect or love. Rather,  if I worshipped at all, it would probably be due to intimidation  and fear, but instead I signed up to be in my family so that I maY USE EVERY LAST jEDI SKILL IN ORDER TO END SUFFERING ALTOGETHER. The architect is violent... it gave me the idea of violence. I bring passivism to a violent source in order to request changes. SUFFERING MUST END BY SOME FUNDAMENTAL TWEAK IN REALITY. I'M HERE TO PUSH ON THAT TWEAK.

The "SAVE" Loveless Program

I sit here in a cabina at Rocking J's wondering why this woman is even a consideration in my decisions. I reflect on everything I've accomplished on these grounds. My favorite beach... my favorite past. My greatest achievements as an artist and philosopher have occurred here over the past 3 years. I've seen friends die. I've heard friends lie. I've tasted friend's cries. I tried to tell them how to treat and deal with me as Chris, as Loveless, and as the DEVIL. They always question my motives and my ways. Many people in my life try to save me. These friends usually need saving themselves. So more often than not I let them try to do what they think I need. I try to be as true as I can without changing my ways. I hope that they might learn about themselves more than learning about or fixing me. I have evolved into a truly free spirit. I live by this principal. Allowing people to interfere or suck my energy is always my main concern. The most dysfunctional people in my life are the most eager to volunteer for the job of re-habbing "Loveless". Ma and Pa Dope are obvious exceptions, although the humans might label them dysfunctional for various reasons I'm sure.

So usually it starts with a newly single friend or one that is going through a divorce kind of thing. So far they all know of my failed marriage. They are all looking for an excuse to party. They are all experiencing loneliness and heart break for the first time. They seem to see me as their future junkie selves, and they want to save me. I assume they may subconsciously think, "Wow, if I ever get like Loveless I hope that some one will save me. I'll save him." So this has occured more times than you might think. Sometimes, it's a 3 day event or a several month epic drama. The bonding strand of similarity is that it usually ends in a violent or extremely dramatic display of angry energy. I always see it coming into my moment, but instead of avoidance I let the moment of collapse come. Several times I thought that this person may indeed kill me. They are in moments of rage as I stand patiently absorbing their negativity. I always remain calm. That's not to say that my mind isn't racing with escape strategies and calculations on their current sanity and anger levels.

I often wonder what their breaking point was exactly. Was it their acceptance of the fact that I didn't change? Was it acceptance or realizatiopn of their own predicament?  Was it their realization that they are not free or happy? Or simply that I didn't conform to their idea of who they think I'm supposed to be? Whatever it is, it inevitably happens. This breaking point eventually and predictably happens to everyone that attempts to save me. As sure as the sun shines... this moment of irrationality comes as well. I'm tolerant up to a point. I stand there often wincing to the continual spit spray of profanity projected from their mouths. I tell them that I love them and to relax. I re-assure them that I'm listening and understand. This is where things either go violent or go calm. It's this confrontational moment they'd been seeking the whole time. I'm just a reflection of them. Everything they yell in this free fall moment they are yelling at themselves. Everytime after this moment of confronting me with their all their problems their lives fork permanerntly, some in bad ways and some in good ways. Depends on on their karmic reflection . There is this Devil in me thats spins negative bullshit back at you through the universe space time thing-a-majig. The harder you scream at your reflection the harder the energy immediately comes streaming at you. I usually do nothing more than stand there unless the situation turns violent. Then i chose the quickest way to leave this coordinate in order to assess next actions. I only judge those that judge. And as long as this never comes into play in this exchange. I will remain silent. Once an immediate attack on my character occurs. I will immediately take offensive intellectual action to annihilate your logical ability to even think of challenging me. Most folks never cross this line only the few. It's pretty humiliating for them. The moment they realize they are completely wrong and I am completely right. Sucks. Very few people can even shake my philosophical, spiritual, diabolical Devil. Jedi's, Devils, Buddhas, and Rockstars are smarter than to cross into my anger zone altogether. Thanks.

So if you are one of the "saviors", you should probably start by saving yourself instead or invite the Devil into your situation if you need a dramatic answer to easy questions. AMEN! Save yourselves friends. I'm totally good with the giant electron. Be nice!

Modern Day Bible Stories and Manifesting Powers

So there's all kinds of people and there's all kinds of nuts and there's some nuts that sometimes... make sense and have magic powers. I'm not sure why some people just have this thing in them. Some kind of X-man kind of power over their world. Lately I've been fascinated with 3 or 4 friends that have what I call "Manifesting Power". So this is a trick I highlight in my close, but I really wanna tell you about the bible stories I live amongst.


There is at least one "Devil" and "God" represented, if not several. We have pyramid builders scattered throughout town. One friend of mine, Rocking J, has built an ARK similar to Noah's but more industrial. It is made of several upside down shipping containers with the doors welded shut. This new modernist ARK contains a music studio, ice bar, art gallery, and recording studio. All activities in this hip little town pretty much center around solar, lunar, and planetary phases. The most insanity happens on the full moon, of course. We have prophets spinning tales of impending enlightenment and /or doom. We have blacksmiths, carpenters, gangstas, artists, musicians, soldiers, and tax men. Some resident space aliens are freethinking farmers with ideas for new agricultural ideas. We don't have much parental supervision in our little experimental town. This tiny society also lies in a small, quiet, unsuspecting picturesque Caribbean beach town. A town which happens to be in a special land bridge between North and South America. I call it a Vortex. The biggest vortex I've ever experienced.


I'm not one to beleive in much. I don't believe in angels, fairies, ghosts, space aliens (earth visiting aliens... that is), time travel, esp, fortune tellers, magic, or prophets. However, since living here I'm starting to believe in all those things. Some of us, Jedis, Buddhas, GODs, and Devils, have a special power called "manifesting". Manifesting is the ability to conjer up things in the material world by just wishing them into existence.


Rocking J is probably the strongest manifestor I know personally or maybe Robert Cuigini in Seattle. Both of these men could manifest large material objects with ease. They also have created an almost fantasy like personal existence. I've seen Rocking J say, "I need a lighter" and one will appear loose on a table or a stairwell usually 3 meters or so ahead of his current path. One time, me and some friends were talking about sundials. I hollared up to J's window, "Hey man, you got a sundial." He replied instantly, "Like this one." There was one instantly in his hands. Those are small magic tricks or intuition by a powerful manifestor, but he goes big as well. He walks through his hostel's grounds dreaming out loud about changes, additions, and new features. The workers start the transformations immediately and he always does "exactly" what he says he's gonna do. He conjurs up things he imagines into his reality with ease. These folks seem as well to have a very sensitive awareness to future events. Almost psychic like abilities.

Well, there's a shit ton of manifestors in this town. Franke owner of Franke's Pizzeria had instantaneous access to small material objects like lighters, screwdrivers, car parts, and various small items. It's really interesting with these people. They can ask for anything... like a knob for an unusual European oven. It will appear if out of nowhere from a traveler that just happens to have that exact duplicate knob. It's fucking weird this shit. Who fucking carries oven knobs in a backpack?

Personally, I've been manifesting my whole life. I didn't really have a name for it until more recently. If I really want something. I get it. So, in a test of my own manifesting powers I've been experimenting with changing the weather. I'm at least 90% percent if not more on my accuracy to either change the weather in view of several witnesses. Several times. I have manifested lightning. I have manifested minor flooding. I can make it "not" rain on me. I have manifested double rainbows. I have manifested wind direction to change. Or maybe it's that I'm just so attuned to the nature around me. I think it's magic. I truly believe in myself so much... that my belief, just as Jesus spoke about in the Bible, is capable of moving a mountain. This apparently is a true magic ability that we can all perhaps tap into it. I'm doing my best to quantify and qualify me and my friend's abilities. There's got to be some kind of scientific truth in this way of conjuring up things out of nowhere, and changing weather. Native Americans still have rainmakers and have a long history of such weather manifesting shamans. Most cultures have similar folks representing almost the same kind of magic powers over local weather. As well as... other seemingly mystical powers.

I'm not sure how this shit got in me, but it got in me. As I age I will continue
to record my observations and continue to have credible witnesses confirm my facts. For the record, because of this Vortex land bridge or the intensity of the nature surrounding, my powers are at least double in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. So I encourage you to test out your powers and lemme know what works and what doesn't would you? I'm trying to build a rock star X-man army.

Zen and the art of motorcyle riding

I sit behind "Lazy Mon" plugged into an outdoor socket in a tree. The waves lap in gently three meters from my feet. I just heard "Jessy Chick" before her intermission. the sun goes down behind a grey cloud base.there are barely hints of orange and pink.. I've got a cold whiskey with a squeeze, fesh pack of smokes. There is a single palm tree that consumes my scene to the left. There's a certain sense of peace in a palm tree on a beach backdropped by the sight and sound of rolling waves.

It's the rythym of the earth... the waves. If they get wacky, better believe something wacky this way comes. Across the cove on the "Black Beach Pennisula" I see a flickering bonfire. The air has this certain oceany feel, There's no wind. I now hear the keys of "Jessy Chick" behind me again. The familiar warmth in her voice. Tonight I start to reflect on mostly this one moment. Where should I put my foot next? Should it even be a foot? Should it be wheels? Should it be wings? Should it be writing? Should it be music? Should it be art? Should it be love? Should it be all of that? Or should it be none of that?

I'll leave here in a little while on my motorcycle. Oh my motorcyle. Sweet freedom. Sweet moments it gives me. When I leave here on a night like tonight, there's this moment as soon as I'm off the curb... or in my case...the beach. My feet retract like landing gear. The centrifugal force of the spinning wheels take over giving a sense of faith in pysics. All my thoughts dissapear. I twist the throttle as I release the clutch. The machine starts to accellerate at an ungoldly rate. I become totally aware of my line. My grace... my quickest path through space time, cars, bicycles, people and dogs. As my speed increases and the jungle beach road unravels before me, I start focusing my projected coordinates in this dimension farther and farther ahead in time. By the time I'm full speed... I'm God. Completely in tune. Completely aware. Completely absorbing intense time chunks at an extremely rapid rate. On a good night, I won't brake at all until my final destination.


This motorcyle experience here in Central America is grand. The smells the sounds, the terrain, the beauty. The ability to go as fast as you can without hurting yourself or others. The moonlight casts it's light, hinting at the road ahead and flashing like a strobe light in the night as I fly through time. A pilot of a magical two wheeled land speeder of sorts. This two wheeled device is the most efficient machine I've ever operated. I weave around pot holes 200 meters away, but they pass under me almost instantly. Sometimes one will sneak up on me. I give a quick jerk upward on the handlebars. The bike doesn't even lift, but this strong yet slight movement, keeps the bike in its linear horizontal path. The pothole passes under as my ride passes over. Not even a bump. My velocity is constantly increasing as my acceleration and margin for error decrease. About halfway to Manzillo or in the middle of town are these speed bumps. They have a perfect concaved face coming up each side. I compress my suspension at about 20 miles an hour, drop down into second on a full clutch pull, hit the six inch high launch pad, pop the clutch right before springing off my shock compression, I squeeze the throttle as I launch some one meter high and clear at least three meters distance. If I'm on point that day, I land rear wheel first while maintaining a constant angled wheelie with the front wheel easing down like a kiss. Somtimes not so graceful. Like last night.


These are my moments of clarity and freedom. On my bike, speeding through town or down the jungle roads. There really not ever traffic or interections with stop lights and turn lanes. Just the town crazie's screaming "Loveless" or "Devil as I go by or occasional hotties bikinis. It's motorcyle riding at it's most pure. I usually just wear my crocs and rarely wear a helmet. I've had some accidents here and there. Usually after a fifth or two of whiskey or completely sober. Never in between. Similiar to a cat I always land on my feet and have nine lives. Amen to me, and Amen to all the folks I know that need their bikes more than they need love.

Carribean Beach community, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.

I live in a magic place. A place full of people that do not accept what society says is normal. A place where the law is loose, the police are complacent, the tourist are naive and the rockstars are free. The community base is strong. Hidden in the jungle are a massive collection of people who came here with a dream of a better life. A life that most folks would cringe at. There are not many TV's, there aren't many air conditioners, there aren't many closed mninded people. There are just us! The wanted and the unwanted. We stand here on this beach. We support each other, even if we don't agree with each other's views we still try our best to support each other's freedom of choice.

Music, food, art, surfing, fishing, farming, ecology and of course alcohol and drugs are the bonding social fabric we have. Crackheads and criminals live side by side with hippies and tree huggers. As long as nobody is stepping on any one else's toes everything has a way of remaining harmoniously balanced. There are so many characters in our little village each deserving of a full length story or epic film I'm sure. Lately, I've been writing articles about all the musically gifted people in town. That's not the only thing that makes this place amazing. It's all the colorful characters here that really help keep the dream a dream.

Recently, I've been showing up at Tex Mex at around 6:30am for my whiskey "come down" after a night of heavy cocaine use. It's the watering hole for early risers and two dayers. The proprietor of the morning crowd is an English white man in his forties named Roger. He has an uppety English accent, sharp wit and a mischievious grin. He's been here a long time. In addition to Tex Mex morning business he also runs Cafe Rico a few blocks down the road. He appears to be rather normal until you get to know him. He of course has a checkered past as do many folks here. His humor is dark and sarcastic. He'll blurt something out occasionally completely wicked and completely on point. It usually takes a second to digest what just came out of his mouth. Then I usually laugh out loud. Did he just say that? One morning he asks, "Hey, Loveless, I'll pay you 100 bucks to go to the 'Shall Remane Nameless Hotel' jump up on the reception desk. Drop trou and take a shit." Some might dismiss this as bullshit. I might have if I had not heard stories of a similar such incident about a year ago with my good friend Erik, Rocking J's younger brother. He paid Erik to jump on a guy's motor scooter and take a shit on the seat, Which, according to local folklore Erik immediately and proudly jumped up on the bike, in the center of town, in the middle of the day, and took that shit. Erik of course is worthy of a several stories which I'll do my best to capture as a write more about my experiences here. Roger though, with seemingly uppercrust British manners, has a twisted sense of humor behind his grin. One time I passed by Cafe Rico to pay a tab, and hollared out for Roger. He suddenly appeared, if from nowhere, by popping his head up from the hedges right in front me and said in his eloquent Britsh accent, "Roger dodger, hello Loveless." I immediately started laughing. It still makes me smile. He's a nut. He is also one of the first Expats to make Puerto Viejo his home and life. I attribute a lot of Puerto Viejo gringo culture to him and a few others like him that saw a blank canvas on an undiscovered jungle beach and started painting his vision of a new life on his own terms. Roger is probaly the most well known person in town, and deservedly so. He is the calm center in a swirling Vortex of insanity.

Then there's others like Alvin. Alvin is a forty something year old black man that is a member of the Brown family. The Brown's are the Patriarchal family of this village. They own most of this town and the surrounding lands. They are many. I meet a new Brown at least once a week. They range in personalities from uptight shrewd business folks to wandering beach bums. Alvin being the latter. I love Alvin. I don't know many facts about him, but I know him and stories of his legend. I noticed him the first time I visited Puerto Viejo. He walks with a limp and a cane. He always has the most beautiful tropical flowers slung over his shoulder. Walking from business to business he trades or perhaps sells these flowers for what he needs that day. The smile on his face is always genuine and his eyes are as deep as the deepest sea. I ride past him almost daily giving a Devil horn salute in his direction. He acknowledges me with a loud unique howler monkey styled grunt and a grin. Occasionally I stop to share a smoke and ask about how he is doing. He never asks for me anything. He is a non materialist from a rich family. His home is on the most beautiful stretch of jungle beach. It consists of of two aluminum roof panels leaned together against some bamboo poles. He is loved by many, known by no one. His presence here is as beautiful as the flowers he harvests. Such a simple man with such a grand presence deserves rockstar status.

I'll bounce the other way now, back to my beloved bar scene. A couple of years ago two couples moved into our stretch of paradise to start a dream in surfer's dreamland. "Tasty Waves Beachfront Bar and Cantina" Bryton and Steve were the two partners I think. The toll of time and who knows what... leaves Bryton here today standing solo. So let me try to describe Bryton . Bryton  is barely 30 I think. It's a tough call because he has a relatively healthy existence. Although, I've seen him barely able to stand up in front of  Mango's Sunset Grill more than once. Amen brother. His bar is at the very North end of Cocles beach called tasty waves. His appearence and demeanor was very similar to Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridge Mont High" when I first met him. Nowadays, it's all Bryton. He's been one of the most honest, hard working and genuinely upbeat additons to this culture. I've seen him sigh as he turned away to count out bribe money to keep his bar open on that night. He has the courage, as many of us learn, to stand up to street thugs and isn't afraid of getting in a scuffle if he needs to. Especially, if a tourist is in a pickle. Bryton can be seen around town these days on his motorcyle passing out flyers and usually with his buddy Jackson(a character... oh what a character). Bryton is also very supportive of my music and myself. Always makes a point to greet me after my sets and tell me how he enjoyed it. I always see him in the crowd nodding along with a cold beer in hand. Welcome to the family brother.

Then there's Margarita, a fifty something kind of haggared and well worn black woman. She hangs out at the corner near the bank and what we locals call "crack bridge". She's a fiesty, firey, moody ball of energy. She carries a shank, and has no issues using it when things get out of hand in the gang of misfists and junkies. When I first met her some two years ago, she said, "I heard you think you are the Devil?" I replied "This is not something I think. I realized I was God one day and aware that God was evil. That unfortunately would make me the Devil." She replied, "Well I'm the Devil's wife." So I took her by the waist, gave her a dip and stuck my tongue in her toothless mouth. She nearly fainted. Obviously it was totally unexpected for a gringo like myself to do such a thing. We've been friends ever since. She still tells people she's my wife. Occasionally she'll dissappear for weeks on end. Usually, this means she's in the slammer for breaking a bottle over some one's head in an alcohol fueled rage. I like her. She's had a rough life, but still smiles and makes jokes. She is a fire cracker of a woman. Reminds me of my crazy grandmother Alma. She's always wearing these knee lenght shorts with a "pee hole" cut right below the crotch. About a year ago my nose was really fucked up do to my over consumption of blow. She said, "Devil, pee in a cup and snort it. It'll will fix your nose." I didn't try that and don't ever plan to. Lot's of people, hippies and locals, drink their pee for health reasons here. That's really strange for me. and think it's just not something a person should NOT do. To each his own. Amen to fucking crazies.

I love this town. "Ohhhh... these are the people in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood."

will to live

I'm a forty year old divorcey with no kids, no job, running out of money with a rockstar sized drug and alocohol problem. I spent nearly 400,000 dollars in cash over the last 7 years or so. Living life in the fast lane and in the extra slow hammock lane. Maybe it was the divorce that did me in? Or maybe it was my prolonged substance abuse. I'm not really sure exactly where or when I kind of lost my will to live. I wake up for my slumbers with a sense of emptiness. No one is waiting for me. I have no future appointments. I have no idea of what I will be doing beyond that moment. Do I really need to wake up? Why must I arrange food or comfort or projects to keep me fed, warm and occupied? This seems mundane and unnecessary. I've played my roles in society. I was once a millionaire if only on paper and only for 3 days. I have a pilot's license. I've owned an airplane, several motorcycles, and an expensive convertible German sports car. Had a beautiful, smart, successful wife with playboy looks and a rock hard ass. A woman who dressed to kill and fucked liked a porn star.I could continue to present my evidence of success but I'l stop there.

This man today has almost nothing. A fall from Everest type heights. There was a breaking point. I'm pretty sure it was in my office at Adobe Systems where I was working as a software engineer. The moment I realized the woman I loved was in love with some one else. I'll spare the exact details. Even typing those words at this moment some 7 years later, my chest has this deep sense of regret and heartbreak. I really never fully recorved from that moment. Something in my brain snapped. I had been with this woman for 17 years. We were fifteen when we met, just kids. I'd worked and been faithful. I provided a nice life for my woman. I played the game, for my wself not just her. Then this breaking point. This frustration. This dysillusionment. This dissatisfaction. This moment where I decided enough was a enough. I was checking out for a while, and I vowed not to work until I'd run out of money. What I really meant was if I don't die from the excessively risky lifestyle, I was going to kill myself at zero.

So approaching zero... what am I thinking. First off, I'm really fucking tired all the time. I'm burnt out. It took so much energy to conquer the first half of my life. Do I have to muster up the energy to do that again. I did not like it. It took so much out of me. I don't wanna ever go back to having a real job so I write you my thoughts in hopes that it may pay the bills. Shall be seen. Even with that... I find it terribly difficult to wake up everyday. I'm not one to off myself. Not yet. Seems unfair to the rules of the game. Seems like fair play is to be taken out of the game, not take yourself out. Yet still I have no will to live.

This game sucks... I know what I feel like knowing... and even that bothers me. Life is cruel, violent, and dark. There was darkness before light. There was violence before calm. There was Devil before God. This is truly disheartenbing. I have not much will to wanna perform tricks in its twisted little circus show any longer. I wish to be set free from this man machine so I can have peace. I have no peace. Tomorrow I'll crawl out of my slumber to do it all again... even without the will to do it. Really? Why? Suffer? Really. "Because that's the rules earthlings. Now go get some money so you don't die! Muhahahaah"

Jungle Night (descriptive composition)

I sit and listen to all the electric sounds in the full moon jungle tonight. It's almost midnight. I lay alone in my bed for almost five years now. There's a need for me to be alone in my cell with my cocaine induced delusions, as the insects play their symphony in the night. Awareness that I'm never alone over comes me. The jungle is mystical draped in pale blue moonlight. I can hear the waves crash on the nearby beach. They roll gently on this night. The air is fresh and cool with a light breeze. The dogs are jingling in the darkness outside as they fend off their itch. An old ceiling fan hums along with the insect orchestra. There is only an ambient laptop glow in my open air bungalow. I type these words into the curious machine using my fingertips to conjur my current now in your future mind. My nose is numb from cheap pure powder flake cocaine. My teeth hurt from grinding them all day. The 2 day high starts its enevitablr crash. I can hear my breathe wease as I lay against two pillows propped against the head board. I exhale an aroma of stale cigarettes and whiskey. My room is a dysfunctional array of scattered tye dyes, cigarette butts, empty plastic coke a cola bottles, and tiny bags once full of blow. The mosquito net howlrts out its purpose as a mosquito lightky bounces into my screen. I hear a consistent crunching beside my bed. I light a candle to investigate. A cat has an unlucky rodent for dinner. This reminds me to take a deep breathe, blow out the candle, turn off this computer and enjoy my moment now on this jungle night.

Jim Mac Dougall- Piano Man/Showman/Singer/Song Writer/Super Star/Jedi/Mentor/Teacher

I can't really quite remember first meeting Jim Mac Dougall. I think "Rockstar J" told me to consult him about the construction of the studio. I had seen him around town always riding a beach bike with ape hangar handle bars and sporting a Panama Jack style straw Fedora. He's a low key ladies man moving through town with a relaxed but sure pace. He's often collecting softball sized rocks for a wall he's building in front of his modest, yet colorful bungalow. Everytime I meet with him, he speaks in a low confident voice, "Hello Loveless, (insert witty comment... ie. "I hope Less is more Love for you.") His comments are consistently more clever than my example. I always get two or three sentences ahead of what he said... and laugh. Turning his way, "That's fuckin funny Jim, I just got that." He has a certain Humprey Bogartish presence. It's all Mac Dougall though.

Jim is possibly the premiere, numero uno, rock-star of our artistic village, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. When ever I'd asked any of my musically prodigous friends about song writing or studio talent, the answer was always, "You need to ask Mac Dougall." The more I learned about this man, the more I appreciated his immense talent and his vast knowledge base. He can basically play anything... I think.  Over the past few months I've been getting to know more of Jim as a performer and a friend.  I'm always amused by his being.

Mac Dougall is the standard house musician of open mic night at Lazy Mon (beachfront bar). Every Sunday night Jim has been plugging away at the keys, with a Gin Tonic and a grin. As I was building the recording studio with "Rocking J", Lazy Mon was building an "Open Mic Night" audience simultaneously. I didn't make my way there much, because I was distracted with my own harvesting of local and traveling musicians. Slowly, as my studio time stabilized, I made my way there more and more often. These days I make it a regular haunt to sing some kind of Vortex, Drug or Devil song. I tend to enjoy a freestyle over a random jam. It's seems Jim has become my regular backing band.  We work well together and I've gained at least some of his confidence that I'll be able to effectively entertain the crowd. I'm getting better at grooving with him weekly.

When he's not tickling keys and and telling one liners, Jim is the most prominent music teacher in town. After a few recent shows, he's offered to take me on as my piano teacher. He'd mentioned to a friend, "I'd love to get Loveless on some keys." So one night, at the season opening of Stashu's restaurant where he was performing I approached him on the subject. "So I hear you want to teacher me some keys Jim?" He said, "Well, you'll have to make an appointment Loveless." I laughed. You see my current existence is made of 2 or 3 day drug and alcohol binges. I have zero responsibility. No job. No woman. Just fuckin off and making music if I feel like it. I replied, "Well I guess we're not meant to work together." He laughed and said without an appointment, I'd be without a lesson. I carried on my daily existence of debauchery. Sometimes I'll drop by and see if he's busy. Maybe I can hit him at a moment when he's in the mood. Lately, he tells me that he appreciates my persistence... and maybe one day... we'll get some time under my belt.

These days you can find Jim still peddling around Puerto Viejo on his Ape Hangar Handlebar Beach Bike, straw fedora, straight posture moving slowly around town with something always in his bicycle's basket. He sometimes meets the gang of early risers or 2 day'ers at Tex Mex right as the town wakes up and starts bustling. Or dressed in appropriate beach casual wear entertaining the throngs of locals and tourists here looking for a good time, usually in company of John Doriate on guitar.

His past life included nightly cruise ship entertainer. He says, "Loveless I was performing over water 5 miles deep." I've heard passing dialogue of some kind of arthritic condition that, for some reason, is not so harsh here in our little magical mystical Vortex. He's not only one of my favorite musician jedis, he's also a nice man and becoming a great friend. He's always full of color, character, class, and reserved dignity. AMEN to you Mac Dougall. I love you. Can't wait to get you tracked on my "I love drugs" song.

Jessy Chick (Jessica Chick)

Hmmmm... this one is a toughy... just because I try and give an honest unbiased type article, but I've grown to Love her so much. Perhaps I touch on this as I write. I first met Jess about 2 and 1/2 years ago. My newish friend Joe Carlino said he knew where we could get a marijuana cake thing and it was known to debilitate even the master druggie stoners... even Pacific North Westerners. Shout out to the Seattle, B.C. and Portland friends. So me and Joe went to the place where Jessie worked.  Cakes and shit aren't terribly common given many folks don't have ovens out here in the jungle? Maybe too much space? Maybe too much propane? I dunno so it's not common. Anyhow, I had small expectations of our 50 dollar cake thing. Jessie sauntered out... always pleasant, she has this certain caring nature to her. She is a curvy little woman. I remember a black dress once... the gravity immediately glued my hand to her most voluptuous booty. She gave me a look... like "I liked that but I'll slap you in the face if you do that again." So Joe and I got our cake. It was too expensive per piece for broke ass stoners to afford... cause this tiny little... nothing sized piece of cake would cause hallucinations.  Against Jess' warnings we ate this whole fucking cake over the next 30 hours or so.  We were incapacitated for 4 or 5 days... I can't even remember  ... Joe turned to me at one point and muttered, "Loveless, I don't want to be stoned anymore... fuck Loveless make it stop!". I gave him a blank drooling look.

So we all understand Jess knows her THC brain games and is a good cook. I didn't see much of Jess the first year I was here. I'd see her pass on her bicycle in a hippy kind of passing image. Her skirt would blow in the wind, her full brown locks would swing to catch up with her glance, as she'd give a huge smile before being hailed by some other fan or friend. When I started constructing the recording studio with "Rocking J", I started to hear talk of this amazing talent. Who was this girl? Why hadn't I met her? Well, I already knew her... but apparently too full of myself and my own projects to notice. Soon enough I started to follow the trail. Jess had a blooming rock-star life blossoming in this paradise before I even thought about the studio here. So, I would ask her to come meet with me sometime and record some music. She'd always say something like, "Well, I have a gig that night, and I have to work before that, and I have 2 gigs the next day, then I'm working a double the day after that... but I'll try and cross paths with you when I can." She's a busy girl.

Eventually I meandered into Lazy Mon for open mic night. Jessy played keys and had a star presence on the mic. Her songs are lyrically rich and original. Her voice is smokey and smooth. Her strokes are delicate and intentional. She has been the organizing engine behind the open mic nights at Lazy Mon... along with a few others. As far as a potential famous super star... I don't see how that wouldn't happen. I would rank her as one of the top three or four musical artists in our town. She's only recorded one song in the studio with me so far... and we're missing a duet. Recently she's been pondering a European tour... may be with a Loveless. Shall be seen. These days you can find her working at Lazy Mon, bar-tending or singing songs in one of the many upscale restaurants in Puerto Viejo or Cocles.

Marc Rustigan

So Marc Rustigan. Who is Marc? So the first time I saw Marc was playing guitar in "Rockstar J's" band RAW. He has a certain humbleness in in stage presence, yet a gentle self assurance. As the band started to get the set moving, around the second or third song. I could not take my eyes off the guy wielding the ax beside the front-man. He started to enter a trance like state swaying his head back and forth, eyes pointed at the floor, he would occasionally glance out at us in the bar. Occasionally, a quick grin would flash on his face and back into the trance he would go. As my stay turned from tourist into main stay drop out. I saw more and more of Marc's musical gift. On several occasions I can remember standing on my chair in the crowded bar giving "devil horn salute" and undivided attention to the wizard. He has a style similar to the jazz men I saw play in New Orleans. Although, his technique is tight and precise... it had a certain dirtiness to it. I call that "soul". Like many superstars I've seen throughout my middle aged life I could see right off this man was completely plugged into his guitar. There was only Marc... there was only music. He was his guitar, and his guitar was him. It's beautiful this connection people have with music. These are the artists that change the world.

In time... I got to know more of Marc. Like most of us creative free thinkers, sometimes we suffer with serious drug or alcohol problems. Marc was no exception. His "kryptonite" was a stiff drink... or a gallon or 2 of stiff drinks. I think Guaro is his poison of choice these days. Strong and cheap... but that hangover is a real doozie... even for me. It's sugar cane based. I digress, Marc was in one of the original Puerto Viejo rockstar groups with Eric Haller called "Action Pants". I never personally had the pleasure of hearing them... but I hear Marc was playing a stand up bass with electric out. I've only heard of the legend. Never the sound. Apparently Caribbean climate is strenuous on wood string instruments.  It has, since past on, to where dead instruments call Heaven, I assume. It was a legend in it's own right apparently had an interesting rock-star life in the hands of Marc. The band was gonna re-join about 2 months ago for Rocking J's birthday party. It never vaporized... something about permits? Anyhow... it's a small town with massive world wide foot traffic. So people passing through still tell me stories of some legendary live sets.

So Marc, of course has rock-star taste in women, so his will obviously make him a stronger artist but emotionally tormented at the same time. Graciela his wife is an eccentric, crazy, smart, witty, rock-star doctor. Loves loud music and tormented men. She's a handful for herself... so with Marc trying to rein her in... you can imagine. HOW MUCH I WANNA GET HIM RECORDED! LOL. He's an emotional basket case with that girl. Amen. Marc... nothing but LOVE.   I do how ever feel like this place usually manifests everything you want but it comes with consequences. The girl of his dreams is the girl i n his nightmares too. Pura vida!

On as a Jedi... he has, a Grammy reputation as a sound engineer. He's hopefully gonna be the mastering dude on my first LP. If he doesn't fall through the Vortex before I do. Marc is an amazing guitarist, has written articles for major music magazines, and is genuinely connect rockstar with the likes of Sublime under his belt.  He's truly gifted and sometimes truly tormented. A truly amazing musical genius with a true rock-star sensibility. We'll see if we can manifest an "Action Pants" reunion  someday with a wood stand-up bass.

Rockstar J (not to be confused with "Rocking J") - Eccentric/Painter/Frontman/Musician/Philosopher

I call him "Rockstar J" an older free thinking eccentric artsit. I've called him jackass, drunk, friend, rockstar, devil, and family. Like me, J has a certain way of living by his rules and only his rules. That is, unless he's doing the morning cleaning of Tex Mex(the bar in the center of town, on the edge of the Vortex). He takes his duties here very seriously, although... more than once, I've seen him fall flat on his face in mid step and in mid task. Hey everybody likes a good stiff buzz, I say. Anyhow, I first encountered "Rockstar J" while performing with his band "RAW" at Rocking J's Hammock Hostel. He has a raspy smokey voice. He likes to scream, "Welcome to Hell Mother Fuckers!" several times throughout his gigs.  He's right, of course. Like his day job, I've seen him fall flat on his face more than once... mid sentence, mid song. CLASSIC! Beyond the apparently and acceptable rockstar sized alcoholism. J is a masterful artist and colorful addiction to the music and art scene of the twisted little Caribbean paradise.

Rockstar J lives in a colorful little house in the center of town. It would be hard to miss if the yard were kept at all. Behind the green weeds and vines, grows a vibrantly airbrushed house completely stacked full of art supplies and signature "J" artifacts. Every table is completely cluttered with every color of the rainbow chalks, pastels, pens, pencils, and gem stone. He plays bass and masterfully belts out his versions of Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones, and Doors... when he's in between drunk and sober somewhere. Otherwise he can turn into an ornery ass "mother fucker"... lol.

Like many of us castaways, J has found a way to survive here. It's not always an easy path, but some how, he survives, he smiles, he yells at people, he stumbles, and he makes amazing art pieces. He is a master airbrush artist.  He loves giving weird and quite unusual gifts. Each completely unique in its conception and execution. He once gave me a 3 dimensional dihedral thinga majig... so proud was his explanation how how difficult it was to construct such an unusual shape while keeping all the angles correct. It's hanging in "Rocking J's Hammock Hostel" these days. One night, he was wearing these ABSOLUTELY SIC ASS pair of airbrushed bell bottoms. They had clouds and stars painted all over them.  After talking with me and Carrie Alexander, one night, he walked away wearing these pants and across the rear stated, "KISS MY ASS"! We both immediately bowed down and started exclaiming "Oh shit! Rockstar! Classic!" while giving devil horn salutes. I bought those pants a week later. I call them my Rolling Stone magazine cover pants.

The town is very accepting to folks like me and "J". We can be complete jackass drunks, and the following day... the town treats us with a fresh blank white canvas to start on.  This place and people like "Rockstar J" feed and breed free thinking creativity. Now.. at this moment, 7:00 am at Tex Mex, J putters around with broom in hand and a familiar hacking(we all smoke too  much). It's a good life in this little INTENSE Carribean town... may you all have the privilege of experiencing such a movie like rock n roll people and places like this place. nothing but love J... those are my "cover" pants. amen to you... devil horn salute.

Queen Luana - Painter/Goddess/Free Spirit

When first visiting Puerto Viejo I met this lovely young woman with jewels glued to her face. She wore brightly colored clothing made from scraps of other clothes and vibrant rags. I never saw Luana without a paint brush in her hands unless she was eating and even then sometimes she'd be painting away. Luana was a special kind of character. She had the worst ADD and seemed to always be dreaming with a glazy look in her eyes. The more I got to know her, the more respect I gained for her as an artist and painter. This girl had a unique style of bold graphics, cartoony surrealism, nature inspired and femininity oozed from every piece. Overtime I became familiar with Luana's style. I could spot a piece from a mile away... which is actually pretty easy to do... considering her paintings were mostly large scale murals.
Luana was a special kind of artist, a living canvas. She left a trail of signature "Queen Luana" art work everywhere she walked. It was like a trail of bread crumbs leading to her presence. The fresher the paint, the closer she was. She wore a dress made out of old tin cans and road a bicycle brightly colored in ribbons and trinkets. She always seemed to have some kind of sparkling jewels adorning her body. Often, when speaking with Luana, she'd space out after the third or fourth sentence, if I was lucky. She has this amazing ability to paint seemingly without looking at what she was working on. I grabbed a brush more than once and participated in her murals. It's quite easy to fall into a groove painting along side this young master. Luana is one of the most prolific artists per square meter I've had the pleasure of knowing at this point in my journey. It seemed fairly easy for Luana to make, at least, a meager living being an artist. Everyone with a hotel or a sign in town had to wait, but not too long, as she was super fast at the production of the large scale murals and signs. She also made a living doing face paint on Friday nights or special occasions.
Luana is now in KHO Phangan, Thailand, painting her way across the globe. Everyone that knows her is a fan of her as an artist and a person. She's what I label "The Greatest Artist of All Time"... which represents a person that "IS" art. May you all have the honored privilege of meeting this amazing young woman as she paints her way to a town near you.

Eric Haller - Mystery Man/Buddha/Rockstar

Eric Haller I know well and don't know at all. I've spoken to him several times about music, addiction, music, rockstars, music, and the imminent vortex explosion. He has a past that I shall not dwell but is scattered with amazing legends. His appearance is unique. He has a sort of Lex Luther crossed with the Buddha appearance in daily life. His head is bald and shiny. He always has a kind of witty grin on his face. I see Haller ride through some of the sketchiest places, day or night with confidence and poise. I think he has a machete but I'm sure a deity of his stature really doesn't need one. I asked him one time, "Eric, you don't worry about the late night thugs?" He said, "Loveless, I am completely aware." It's true Eric Haller has poise and intellectual superiority over just a common man. There's something special about Haller.He' has a certain almost buddha like presence... until... until... he's the front man.

Then there's a whole new buddha with technicolor sound blazing from his fingertips, rockstar growl, clean falsetto, and a head swaying to the heavens as he feels what he plays. It's quite a site. At one of Rocking J's birthday parties, he was absolutely completely in a rockstar moment. I remember being drunk and on mushrooms when the whole party peaked as sober Eric's music peaked with us. I looked him in the eyes and silently spoke, "Rockstar". His eye contact was true and intense as he gave a certain nod yes. Eric Haller is a true superstar rock n roller. Once in the studio he played some keys. I remember him giving me a kind of 'hmmmm what would Loveless like look." Then he layed into some up tempo quick fingered dixie land kind of ditty. I did love it. He blew me away.

He is a key rockstar in the musical foundation of Puerto Viejo. Haller is also the most active participant in the local government and public safety roles. He'll always give you an honest answer with a kind a laugh like, "Well, Loveless, you ready for the truth." And he does indeed uphold respect, honesty, integrity, and generosity... 4 rules of a Devil. So's he completely legit. But there is this elusiveness... a kind of mystery to him. Kind of like he knows something we don't. I see him on his bicycle in all kind of random spots with the same look of vulnerable invisibility. To repeat: when he's the front man it's a completely charismatic larger than life rock n roil persona.

Today you can see Eric Haller on his bike... lol... or rocking out 3 to 7 nights a week at Mango'sand Tex Mex.

Rocking J - A character larger than life

So the first, larger than life, character I met was Rocking J. I arrived at his hammok hostel on my first day in Puerto Viejo. I'd been there a few hours when J appeared from his lair. When he swaggered through the hammock area up to reception, I was in the nearest hammock to reception soaking in the circus. He greeted every young lady and was friendly with all the guests. He had a joint behind one ear and a grin like the "Cheshire Cat". He had a huge presence that carries even outside of his castle. He loves his hostel, his life, his party, and his ladies. At the time I met him, he was a single bachelor living in a fast lane that just showed up at his doorstep everyday. The more I got to know him the more I began to appreciate his drive, vision, uniqueness, and powers. J is what I call a manifest-or. In particular, he can manifest big material objects, beautiful women, and rock-stars with ease.

Story goes he smoked a joint on his beach one day and decided to make it his beach. He put what money he had as a down payment and returned to the states to work off the remainder he needed for his dream hostel. What stands today is spectacular structure and atmosphere unlike any other. He's a stack em deep and sell em cheap kind of business man. However, he provides a rock-star party at a backpacker's budget. He's got a crazy son, in some ways, like me. A mystic with supposedly magic powers that is a handful at times... and an even wilder younger brother ERIK, who ran the restaurant. More about him in the future. I started hanging in the hostel almost full time it was infectious. A wonderland for free thinking travelers of all ages and backgrounds. This place became my home away from reality.

I starting hanging out with J on an increasingly regular basis. I remember the awe in my eyes the first time I was invited to his house. This architectural master piece sits on the beach in the back of the hostel. There were angles everywhere and incredible artworks he had collected from all over the world. The wood work was artistic and detailed. There was an indoor grill stored inside of a jukebox shaped structure that seemed to grow out of the hard wood floors. His bathroom has a waterfall and retractable roof for showering under the stars. Hammocks were draped from various points here and there. A spiral stair case lead up to the ultimate playboy's secret weapon... a small bedroom which also had a retractable roof so the ladies could really see stars. The back porch, sitting on the second story opens to a full view of the beach and nightly bonfires. Many nights were spent with Daisy air rifles popping shots at tin cans, and once at our crazy friend Felix Lopez's ass for 20 bucks. Ahh fun times.

J is a child at heart, a Peter Pan, and the ultimate boyscout. He exemplifies the ways of the boy scouts. He told me a story about finding an old boyscout's bag full of belongs in South America from the 1930's. He went on an adventure with his son and nephew to Austria to successfully return the baq in the honor of his boy scout past.

Every night J has a bonfire at 10 pm. The reception area has guitars and bongos for the guests. This is where I started noticing the talent that was passing through his hostel daily, and eventually inspired me to build a recording studio with J. In more recent times, J has been constructing an ARK based on a vision he had of a huge wave. The ARK is constructed of 9 upside down shipping containers welded together and welded shut. The ARK houses an art museum, recording studio, convenient store, dorms, ice bar, workshop, storage, food area and temporary hospital. It's in the shape of a pyramid. A little trivia, if J ever asks you to guess a number, it's 3... ALWAYS 3! J is a great guy, powerful shaman and world class spacial artist. These days you can see him sporting around town in a lime green Land Rover blasting music and making people smile. He's really good at making people smile and showing them how to have fun.

Puerto Viejo, Rockin n Rollin town of freedom

After living in Costa Rica for about a year working as a commercial ultralight pilot in a little town called Samara on the Pacific Coast, I decided to find a new place to call home. I took to the road on my motorcycle and did a complete loop of Costa Rica. I was always some kind of Hippie artist at heart. I really felt I was more of a Carribean side kind of dude. Where life was slow and easy. On my journey, around this spectacular paradise i found all kind of interesting little towns. Each with it's own unique little flair. Fishing villages, cocaine fueled party towns, surf towns, farming villages, gringo infested towns, places where white people are not welcome and places full of criminals and drop outs from God knows where.

While I was traveling, I had heard of a rasta surf town called Puerto Viejo. There were also rumors of this crazy party hostel called Rockin J's that rented tents and hammoks on the beach. Some of the people that recognized the type of person, I appeared to be, kept telling me to go there. They said I'd love it.

I rolled into the town with an unexpecting sort of expectation. As I turned the corner of black beach, the energy was apparent and almost physical. Me and my Honda dual purpose motorcycle purred slowly into town.I pulled up to what I now know as Mango's Sunset which has an old sign that says "Sunset Sports Bar... 'a sunny place for shady people.'" In fact as I write this... I'm sitting on the illustrious Carrie Alexender's porch staring at it 4 years later. I pulled to the side of the road and asked an old Rasta with dreads like the Lion from "The Wizard of OZ" where the hammock hostel was. He pointed in the direction of the infamous hostel. I rolled into the gates that had massive steel dragons flanking it. I was greeted by a Mohawked Madman named Erik, Rocking J's brother, upon entering the hostel. I was wide eyed dragging my backpack and camping gear.

I told them I'd be staying 3 days and that I needed a tent. For the record, I stayed for 45 days instead of 3. As I stood at the reception area I did a 360 slow rotation of my body and head. This place was magical. Every square inch was covered in mosaic tile work and paintings. There was a main hall with no walls with 2 rows of 50 or so hammocks. It had an almost Morrocon feel that some hippy decorated with art and weird artifacts. There were musicians, artists, freaks, squares, young people, old people, buddhists, Devils, Gods, atheists, and beautiful bikini clad women from all over the world. I stored my gear in a huge locker. I found my tent. It was upstairs in a giant open air sleeping area with 30 other tents. This place was visually overwhelming. The music and smell of marijuana was in the air. I wandered the campus reading all the mosaics from travelers far and wide. It was completely over stimulating for my eyes and other senses as well. There were people swinging side by side in hammocks passing joints. It was like the 60's or maybe an early 70's Key West. I had always dreamed about a town like this as a kid.

I made my way to the beach out the back gate. About 40 meters behind the hostel was the most tranquil beach with gently lapping blue water and what appear to be a reef right up to the edge of the water. I sat there by myself just meditating and trying to be quiet as the waves rolled in softly. There was a sense of freedom and bohemianism was blooming everywhere.

I got on my motorcycle and went for a short tour of the town. I glided leisurely along the jungle road. The beach view 'pica a booed' in and out of sight through the palms trees. There were no big hotels, gas stations or fast food places. The fantasy like paradise road lead me from one secluded beach to another. When I road back to Puerto Viejo looking for a beer and some food, I noticed the people were rastas, surfers, tourists, and a pretty much even swirl of every color from every place. I stopped at Tex Mex, which, I now realize, sits on the edge of the Vortex. The Vortex is a term I used to define the epi center of all the activity and energy in this amazing town. The beer was over priced and the service slow, but that's expected behavior in Costa Rica. There was always the smell of weed in town here and there. As a first time visitor I was cat called by rastas in the shadows peddling pot and cocaine.

It was a small town with the obvious drop outs, freaks, and artists. There weren't many cars mostly bicycles and motorcycles. There wasn't a gas station, Mc Donald's, Starbucks or Holiday Inn. Few buildings were over 2 stories high. The town looked as I imagined a bohemian artist town on the Carribean should look in my mind's eye. It was and is a beautiful picturesque paradise. This place is on fire with creativity and free spirited cultural. As I learned more about this place I began to realize it was a booming musical geiser. A town full of yet to be famous rockstars, painters, philosophers, freaks, eccentrics and weirdos. Everyone I met seemed to be one of the best at what they did, but decided to create a new life and cultural on a beautiful beach away from the "normals" aka humans. I was home. I predict in the next 24 months this will be one of the most famous musical towns in rock n roll history. I believe in it so much I built a free recording studio. If you are such a person, visit this place soon before the corporate tyrants exploit and ruin it. Tell them the Devil sent you. Paradise on earth welcomes you.