A seasoned raver and ecstatic dancer, award-winning British journalist and author Mattha Busby is excited to share five tracks that provide a window into his life.
Who Is Author Mattha Busby?
Mattha’s work focuses on health policy, drugs/psychedelics, and (sub)culture, and the intersection where these areas all cross over. He released his latest book, Psychedelics: A Pocket Primer (Hoxton Mini Press) this summer. Currently based in Lisbon, Portugal – after stints in Mexico City, Vancouver, London and Sarajevo - he is also the author of Should All Drugs Be Legalized? (Thames & Hudson, 2022). In 2024, he was a Ferris-UC Berkeley fellow in psychedelic journalism. His articles have appeared in The Guardian, VICE, Rolling Stone, WIRED, TIME, and Men’s Health.
Mattha Busby's New Book Psychedelics: A Pocket Primer
Psychedelics: A Pocket Primer is a pithy, vibrant and accessible explainer to the past, present and future of psychedelics, from Ancient India to addiction therapy and beyond.
The author describes the themes: “Psilocybin. LSD. Ketamine. MDMA. These are the drugs that will change mental health treatment forever. We’re on the cusp of a psychedelic revolution. But how did we get here? And if the drugs are so great, why aren’t they legalized already?”
Mattha’s book examines the long, turbulent history of psychedelics, from their ancient and spiritual significance to their astonishing medical potential, from ancient India to 1960s San Francisco to the labs of today and tomorrow. It explores how they might prompt spiritual revelation, reveals their long cultural legacy and traces the development of psychedelic medicine, ultimately asking the question: how can these mind-altering substances alter the world for good?
Mattha Busby's Ecstatic And Entheogenic Weedsday Playlist
Recently Mattha was told that, as a journalist, he does not just tell the story – he lives it. In some cases this is certainly true.
“I love music and its timeless capacity to bring people together in ecstasy and joy,” Mattha says. “Many of my most memorable moments have been on dancefloors and at concerts, often with some sort of entheogenic aid. Good music, coupled with the right dose and harm reduction precautions, is medicine.”
Marcos Valle - "Estrelar"
This funky workout anthem – “You have to run, you have to sweat, you have to work out (let's go!)” – oozes enthusiasm and a very Brazilian maxim to take care of your health so as to be ready to enjoy summer. This tune leaves me with the irrepressible sense that better days are not just coming, they are already here.
Click here to play on Spotify!
Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers) - "Can You Feel It"
I was at the Godfather of deep house’s comeback show in Croatia in 2016, and it totally blew me away. Larry Heard had taken a hiatus from DJing after a health scare with his hearing and his return – with his melodic, entrancing basslines and frankly God-like vocals – lives long in my mind. Can you feeeeeel iiiit? Um, yes!
Click here to play on Spotify!
*Editor's Note: Did you know? Musical artist David Harks is a protege of Larry Heard. Check out his Weedsday Playlist here.
Peggy Gou And Lenny Kravitz - "I Believe In Love Again"
After a couple of classics, this is a new one. I first copped it following its release this year, just after a tough break-up. As I emerged from that relationship, this ode to a renewed faith in love and romance was one of my go-tos as I cycled across Vancouver.
Click here to play on Spotify!
DJ Seinfeld And Confidence Man - "Now U Do"
This infectious club banger is one for the party when it's at its peak and people are ready to let loose, though it needs proper speakers to do it justice.
Click here to play on Spotify!
Letta Mbulu - "Nomalizo"
I worked at a bar in London for a period when I was in my final year of my undergrad degree and the manager Jamie would always play this soulful classic after we’d closed up. Letta demands freedom and expresses nostalgia for the “old time feeling.” Apartheid South Africa was a singularly awful system, but we can all relate to this tune.
Click here to play on Spotify!
For more about Mattha Busby, follow @matthabusby on Instagram and X (Twitter), and check out his latest work via LinkTree. PSYCHEDELICS: A POCKET PRIMER is now available; click here to get your copy.
What are your favorite Weedsday tracks? Tell us about them - reach out at @honeysucklemagazine on Instagram!
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Featured image: (C) Mattha Busby
