"No obsessed groupies?"

All the time. But one learns to live with it.

"No debilitating LSD trips on stage?"

Never use the stuff. Not into drugs.

There was a time, however, when I was singing at "The Place Next Door" where I sang regularly (coffee house, kind of "up-scale;" clean, you're elbows didn't stick to the tables, and it was frequented not just by college students and folk music enthusiasts, but by the "after-show crowd" as well). This particular evening, the owner, Bob Clark, was experimenting with different fruit drinks to serve, as well as the usual exotic coffees and teas. I had a small table on the riser where I sang, and one evening he brought me one of his experimental fruit drinks and said, "See how you like this."

I took a sip and discovered that he had spiked it with something highly alcoholic. He' mixed this up especially for me. The Place didn't serve booze to the public. No liquor license. This was just for me.

I sipped away at it and sang my usual sets. I was most mellow. The crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy my singing and my comments.

Afterward, Bob Clark said, "This was a great evening! You were really on! I think that from here on, I'll keep you a little plastered all the time!"

Not really a bad musical experience. Quite good, in fact.

"Being electrocuted by your amp?"

Never use an amp or any electronics, except maybe whatever sound system the house provides. Just bare voice and guitar.

"Or your prized instrument being stolen or damaged?"

Nope. Harry, my pet tarantula, sees to that!

Don Firth