In this raw and compelling episode, Jeff the Chef opens up about his wild experiences—from taking LSD at Glastonbury to surviving the harsh realities of life inside Strangeways Prison.
Jeff recalls going to Glastonbury in 1984 or 1985, the only time he ever paid to get in. He shares how, back then, there were no police around and people openly looked for LSD and marijuana. After getting ripped off on his first acid tab, the second one kicked in, and Jeff describes a mind-altering trip where pylons breakdanced in the clouds and a laser show kept him flat on the grass for 8 hours.
He returned to Glastonbury later with his partner Dave after a night partying at the Hacienda. Tripping on acid and ecstasy, Jeff suddenly spotted Nick Carroll, the same friend who gave him his first spliff. In a surreal moment, Nick turned into a fox before Jeff’s eyes. They ended up wandering through car parks, lost and paranoid, believing they were being followed.
Jeff then dives into his arrest and time in prison, beginning at Strangeways. He recalls how the jail seemed to “buzz” at his arrival, due to his reputation as a major Ecstasy dealer. On his first day, fellow inmates like Vinny and Sharky welcomed him with cigarettes and advice. Jeff was quickly labeled high-risk, put on closed visits, and recalls how weed and ecstasy were regularly smuggled in—often with the guards turning a blind eye.
His loyal friend Dave visited him every month, kept his promise to split earnings, and sent money and weed through others. Jeff describes life with his cellmate Pollie, a heroin addict from Wythenshawe. Despite the grim reality of “slopping out” and constant pressure, Jeff and others would get high, listen to Stu Allan’s radio shows, and create their own ecstatic escapes.
Jeff was later moved to The Dana in Shrewsbury, where he played football for the first time and kept up with fitness and weight training. He also ended up in Walton and then Garth Prison, where drugs were easily smuggled in. He formed a close bond with Andy Maher, tied to the infamous “Handless Corpse” murder. They’d transform their cells into party spots, using lights and music to create a makeshift club atmosphere.
Jeff speaks openly about the prison drug scene, including a batch of “Strawberry Acid” that left 16 inmates tripping, while one sober friend walked around checking on everyone. He reflects on his mental health, the pressures of prison, and the loyalty and regret that shaped his time inside.
From hallucinogenic highs to moments of darkness and redemption, Jeff’s stories are unfiltered and unforgettable.
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