Radio Gonzo

During the second half of 1979, I was living in Canada; a suburb of Toronto, to be exact. I was staying with one bunch of relatives, and socialising with another bunch, who were nearer my age. Just to place this into context, that was the summer I turned 20. Then, as now, the twin passions which fuelled my existence were rock and roll and the natural world. I spent much of my time wandering about the creeks and scrubland in the area, watching such delightful creatures as snapping turtles, mudpuppies, and spring peepers. I even had the opportunity to see the beginning of the North-South migration of the mighty monarch butterfly; something which will stay with me for the rest of my days. The sight of millions of these gaudily coloured insects heaped onto trees, whose branches were literally bowing down under the weight, is something that I will never forget. I love butterflies, and always have, but the sight of so many millions of them was highly disturbing. One night, towards the end of my stay, one of my co