Soma

Soma (Sanskrit: sóma) or Haoma (Avestan), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a Vedic ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Greater Indian and Greater Iranian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities. In the Avesta, Haoma has the entire Yasht 20 and Yasna 9-11 dedicated to it.

It is described as being prepared by extracting juice from a certain plant, the identity of which is now unknown and debated among scholars. In both Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, the name of the drink and the plant are the same, and also personified as a divinity, the three forming a religious or mythological unity.

There has been much speculation concerning what is most likely to have been the identity of the original plant. There is no consensus on the question, although some proposed candidates include Amanita muscaria, Psilocybe cubensis, Peganum Harmala, Ephedra sinica, and Cannabis sativa. Western experts outside the Vedic and Avestan religious traditions now seem to favour a species of Ephedra, perhaps Ephedra sinica.

Soma (song)

"Soma", originally called "Coma", is a track on the album Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Overview

The song-writing credits list James Iha and Billy Corgan as co-authors, but Corgan claims that Iha only wrote the chord structure for the beginning of the song, and that Corgan himself wrote the rest. One of the longest songs to appear on a Smashing Pumpkins album, it is said to have included up to 40 guitar tracks over the course of the song. Corgan says the song "is based on the idea that a love relationship is almost the same as opium: it slowly puts you to sleep, it soothes you, and gives you the illusion of sureness and security." It was also acknowledged that song was inspired by Corgan's break-up with his ex-wife, Chris Fabian. The song also contains references to a hallucinogenic drug which was featured in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World and features a prominent piano figure by Mike Mills of R.E.M.

Reception

The song received positive reviews. Ned Raggett of Allmusic especially praised the song's guitar solo, while spotting elements from gothic rock and psychedelic rock. The song was also likened to Prince's "The Beautiful Ones". The critically acclaimed guitar solo was rated as the 24th in Rolling Stone's "The 25 Coolest Guitar Solos" list. The guitar solo was placed as 41st in NME's "50 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.

Is This It

Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band The Strokes. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, the album was first released on July 30, 2001, in Australia, with RCA Records as the primary label. The record entered the UK Albums Chart at number two and peaked at number 33 on the U.S. Billboard 200, going on to achieve platinum status in several markets. "Hard to Explain", "Last Nite", and "Someday" were released as singles.

For the album, The Strokes strived to capture a simple rock sound that was not significantly enhanced in the studio. Building on the work of their 2001 debut EP, The Modern Age, the band members molded compositions largely through live takes during the recording sessions, while songwriter Julian Casablancas continued to detail the lives and relationships of urban youth. Following the completion of Is This It, The Strokes embarked on a promotional world tour before its release. The album's cover photograph courted controversy for being too sexually explicit and was replaced for the U.S. market. The American track listing was also amended in light of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Soma (studio)

Soma Electronic Music Studios is a recording studio owned and operated by John McEntire in Chicago, Illinois.

Artists who have recorded there include: Bundy K. Brown, Brokeback, Broken Social Scene, Chicago Underground, Bobby Conn, David Grubbs, Isotope 217, Rob Mazurek, Nobukazu Takemura, Jim O'Rourke, Pivot, Radian, Phil Ranelin, Red Krayola, The Research (band), Royal Trux, Neil Michael Hagerty, The Sea and Cake, Stereolab, Teenage Fanclub, Tortoise, Wilco, Will Oldham, Papa M, Vaudevileins, and The Car Is on Fire.

External links

Soma (Steve Roach & Robert Rich album)

Soma (1992, sometimes spelled SoMa) was the second collaborative album by the U.S. ambient musicians Steve Roach and Robert Rich, following their 1990 album Strata.

Overview

The liner notes explain that the word soma can be found in the ancient Vedic texts describing a drink made from plants to help commune with the gods (a botanical hallucinogen), and that the same word meant "body" in Ancient Greek.

The music on the album is "tribal ambient" (a mix of tribal house and ambient music) with dark hallucinatory overtones. The album ends with a gentle, serene piece for electric guitar titled "Touch".

Track listing

All compositions by Steve Roach and Robert Rich.

Personnel

Carisoprodol

Carisoprodol is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant of the carbamate class and produces all the effects associated with barbiturate receptor ligands. It is slightly soluble in water and freely soluble in ethanol, chloroform and acetone. The drug's solubility is practically independent of pH. Carisoprodol is manufactured and marketed in the United States by Meda Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Soma, and in the United Kingdom and other countries under the brand names Sanoma and Carisoma. The drug is available by itself or mixed with aspirin, and in one preparation with codeine and caffeine, as well. Although carisoprodol has significant pharmacological activity, its benefit in therapy is likely due mostly to the meprobamate metabolite as meprobamate remains in the system significantly longer and reaches a higher peak plasma concentration than the parent drug a few hours following administration. This is further evidenced by carisoprodol's ability to maintain relevant benefits when administered 3-4 times a day despite its short half-life of only two hours.