33rpm Archives - Iron Man Records

John Sinclair (1941-2024) Last of the Beatnik Warrior Poets and Cultural Revolutionary has passed away at 82. The work must go on

2 April 2024Mark

“Rock N Roll music is a weapon of cultural revolution. There are not enough musicians around today who are hip to this fact” John Sinclair is best known as the Sixties "marijuana" activist who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for giving two joints to an undercover policewoman. He was eventually freed when John Lennon and Yoko Ono spoke out on his behalf. Less understood is his role as the founder and chairman of the radical anti-war group, The White Panther Party, an offshoot of the Black Panthers. The Black Panther Party was a militant political organization formed after the brutal murders of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Robert…

John Sinclair – Renegade Poet, Beatnik and Cultural Revolutionary

2 April 2024Mark

Immortalized by John Lennon’s 1972 song that bears his name, Sinclair is an iconic figure of ‘60s counterculture, famous for, among other things, having co-founded the anti-racist White Panther Party and for managing Detroit’s legendary proto-punk outfit MC5 early in its history. Following a highly publicized two-year stint in prison for marijuana possession (Lennon’s song was a protest against his incarceration), Sinclair has stuck to his guns as an advocate for marijuana reform. “Living Euro to Euro, sleeping on the couches and extra beds of friends, a man without a country and a post office box in New Orleans for a permanent address.” That's how spoken word poet John Sinclair describes…

John Sinclair Presents Detroit Artists Workshop

1 December 2022Mark

Not many people can say that John Lennon wrote a song about them, but John Sinclair is among that select bunch. Viewed by the powers-that-be as a dangerous revolutionary for his involvement with the White Panther Party, Sinclair was handed a ludicrously harsh sentence – “they gave him ten for two” – for marijuana possession after a police sting. In 1971, Lennon, along with Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Phil Ochs and Archie Shepp played a freedom rally in Michigan and three days later Sinclair was freed. Sinclair is probably best known in the music world for managing riotous proto-punks The MC5 and imbuing them with a radical zeal. But Sinclair is…

Police Bastard – Confined (Vinyl) distributed by Cargo Records

25 May 2021Mark

Confined by Police Bastard “Thought-provoking monologues and confrontational lyrics bring you on a cold, doom-laden journey of perpetual war, psychological mind control and disillusionment.” Only 500 copies pressed on Black Vinyl. A big thank you to all Iron Man Records Patrons who helped make this possible. Cover Art by Mark “skinny” Orton “CVLT Nation’s Top 6 Crust Albums: Police Bastard are pretty infamous at this stage, so no need for any introductions with band member links to Doom, Sore Throat, Cain, Rainbow Grave, Filthkick, Sensa Yuma etc. Their album ‘Confined’ sticks to their cynical view of the world mixed with innovative guitar textures and driving industrial intensity. Thought-provoking monologues and confrontational…

John Sinclair – The Music & Activism that define his Revolutionary life

31 October 2020Mark

In Episode 26 of Essential Conversations, Ann Delisi spoke with John Sinclair about the music and activism that define his revolutionary life and career. This is one of the best interviews with John Sinclair I've heard to date. If you are an artist, writer, poet, musician or performer of any kind, give this a good listen. Turn off the Television, put your phone away. You may learn something. John Sinclair is an activist, poet, and writer whose life and work is connected by one theme – resistance. Sinclair co-founded the White Panthers, managed the MC5, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the possession of two marijuana cigarettes. His imprisonment…

John Sinclair – Kick Out The Jams Limited Edition T-shirt

17 February 2019Mark

This is the first in a series of Limited Edition John Sinclair T-shirts featuring a White Panther design on the FRONT and a quote from John Sinclair on the BACK. Strictly Limited to 50 Shirts including a download code for Beatnik Youth. When these T-shirts are gone, they're gone. The T-shirts are Gildan Extra Tees. A black shirt with a white print on the front and back, with a Green Cannabis Leaf design. The T-shirt is a heavy weight shirt, available in Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large and Extra Extra Large. Also available in Ladies Small. When you buy or pre-order this shirt you also get a download code for John…

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth (Double CD) 2018

4 February 2018Mark

John Sinclair - “Beatnik Youth" on Double CD Released 2018 by Iron Man Records. All Press enquiries to Sean Newsham Catalogue Number: IMB6032 Release date: 2018 Label: Iron Man Records Distribution: Cargo Disc 1 Testify (9.10) Good Stuff (4.32) Everybody Needs Somebody (7.09) Change My Life (5.14) Ain't Nobody's Business (3.36) My Buddy (5.13) That Old Man (3.53) Disc 2 Brilliant Corners (11.29) Culture Cide (11.38) Red Dress (Ruby My Dear) (6.25) Sitarrtha (6.16) Do It (6.16) War On Drugs (6.18) Read a brilliant review of Beatnik Youth by Gus Ironside for Louder Than War here Saby Reyes-Kulkarni interviewed John Sinclair and Youth and wrote a fantastic piece for Bandcamp here…

Police Bastard – Confined: Death, doom, despair and TERRIFYING NOISE… discussed.

23 February 2017Mark

Here's part of an interview With 2 members of Police Bastard conducted by Robin Valk who spends his time writing about Music, Musicians, Music Business and Radio in the UK's West Midlands. Robin: As a bumbling young rock DJ, I covered the decline of progressive and hard rock throughout the 70s. Pub-rock rose and fell, global forces like Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac emerged, and Birmingham moved from Monsters of Metal to cross-cultural mixes, (UB40, Apache Indian, the Beat, Ruby Turner). Oh, and let’s not forget the New Romantics. On second thought, let’s. By the end of the decade, Punk Rock emerged, to be rapidly commoditised as product and fashion trend (Generation…

Police Bastard – Confined (VINYL) is available from Iron Man Records now

12 February 2017Mark

Police Bastard - Confined (VINYL) has arrived after many months of waiting. A big Thank You to all of you who have pre-ordered the VINYL or have contributed as Iron Man Records Patrons. I would like to acknowledge the ongoing insanity of the following and their kind financial support for this madness: Suzy Tweddle, Deborah Ritchie, Scott Roe, Margaret Calleja, Thomas Rathgeber, Dan, Lee Parsfield, Chris Scales, Muir Mathewson, Michael Howe, Jonathan Harris, Dave Barnard, Bill Fadden, Mike Burgess, Joachim Palm, Lyle Bignon, Thomas Burke, Ben Cartlidge, Matt Grimes, Toby Conyers, Chris, Andy Cavendish, Steve Wyatt, Andrew Dubber, Frank Knoblich, Vaughan Roberts, Ian Robertson, Marcus H, Seth Faergolzia, Ricky Lee, Kathryn…