Maggie St. Thomas Photography | 35mm Maggie

EXene Cervenka
Interview and Photography by: Maggie St.Thomas Published in Kush LA Magazine December 2009*

Along with three original bandmates forming in 1977 that made up X, Exene Cervenka carried the torch of youthful punk rock rebellion for the Los Angeles punk scene. This Queen of Punk Rock opens up with me exclusively for the readers of Kush LA Magazine.

“This is the first interview in support of marijuana I’ve ever done, and you’re the first person I’ve ever connected with this side of things,” she begins. “I’ve only been back here for five months from Missouri, and you don’t go into Jackson state capital trying to get people to support marijuana legalization, you just don’t do that there,” she declares.
“I’m 53 years old and from a time when you went to prison for thinking about marijuana, and thinking about being gay.”

We talk about local Doctors in the area that prescribe Medical Marijuana cards to qualifying patients. It is so important to consider when choosing your Doctor that your recommendation can be verified online as well as by telephone, so that you will have access to meds 24/7 as a patient, and it is easier for yourself and the collective(s) you may visit, which have to verify upon entry.

“Things are going to change, and it’s going to become legal, I do believe that. I’ve seen several changes in my lifetime, only the universe shall decide how soon that will be,” she predicts.

Exene is enjoying a thick joint of Lemon Amnesia cannabis wrapped nicely inside a Joker paper, serving this Queen a perfect hit with each breath. “I don’t drink alcohol and you should be thankful for that. It’s a very dangerous substance. I’ve always had a positive attitude and was supportive of people who did smoke marijuana even when I was sober. I’ve only been smoking marijuana for the past three or four years now, it helped me quit alcohol, so when I medicate I think it’s more of a balancing and centering medicine for me. Marijuana helps me in every aspect of my life, whether it’s creative, or my health, or just appreciating the day. Listening to music, being with friends, working, it helps me focus in a way that radiates out. I think it has been a very beneficial drug for me,” Exene admits.

When talking about different types of cannabis, Sativas, Indicas and Hybrids, Exene adds, “It is a very positive energy from the sativa strains that I love. It makes me feel so much more alive. Sometimes your mind is a very important part of the medicine you take, and it mixes well with me. I like to mix it up with different strains too, and be surprised.”
We talk about marijuana from the 60’s compared to the marijuana of today, she reflects, “I grew up in Florida, the pot in the 60’s was $15 for a lid, which was about enough pot for three months. It was ditch weed, whatever people could grow, there were so many other drugs then, it wasn’t a really big component in my life. The psychedelic drugs of the 60’s were incredible. I don’t think there is anything like that anymore. I’ve never been arrested in my life; I’ve never even had a moving violation. I’ve managed to let my intuition and other things get me through life a little bit.”

Exene has something she wants to show me. She leaves the front room and enters another part of her home, to which she returns with a large black mattboard, a creative work in progress with labels of pharmaceutical names of various medical cannabis strains. “This is a very sentimental piece for me, I’m never going to sell it, once it’s finished it’s going to be really nice,” she shares. “I have to gesso this ‘Ode to Favorite Medicines’. As I read the labels she says Amnesia Haze and Asteroid were her two favorites, both Sativa strains.

She hands me a copy of her latest album, the cover is beautiful, and the music inside it is very peaceful and pretty. “I wrote all the songs and produced it. I also have another band called Exene Cervenka & The California Mothership, it’s a very 60’s psychedelic funk band. I am so happy and proud of my work,” she says with a smile. This new release is very relaxing and complete with a soothing string section, playful piano, unorthodox drumming and acoustic guitar. She walks to the corner of her living room where she sifts through a writers stack of papers with songs she has written, and sharesg she has a new one she wrote about marijuana. “It’s called ‘I Can’t Escape Without You’ and it’s about having a friend that you enjoy smoking with. …

‘Pipe dreams and high high strangeness, a new way, a different kind of madness. If you’d come with me why I’d arrange it, cause I can’t escape without you… ‘
www.ExeneCervenka.com
Published in Kush LA Magazine December 2009 pg 50-51