Rachel Mayfield – “Winter of Desire” 12th October 2017

IMB6037 Rachel Mayfield – “Winter of Desire” released on Iron Man Records, 12th October 2017

All songs written by Rachel Mayfield

Rachel Mayfield – Vocals/Acoustic Guitar
Toni Woodward- Cello/Vocal Harmonies
Kirsty Ford – Vocal Harmonies
Produced by – Paul Robert Gray
Recorded at – Saint Dunstans Church Hall, June 2017
Art Work – Dave Twist
Photography – Ian Whitney
Dedication – ‘For Huck’

For all Bookings and Press enquiries email: mark@ironmanrecords.co.uk

Rachel Mayfield is a singer, writer and mixed media artist from Birmingham, UK.

In the 1990’s she formed and fronted Indie Rock band ‘Delicious Monster’ being hailed by the NME as a “Goddess of Indie Rock’ and as ‘exciting, unpredictable and dangerous as a ten legged Tyrannosaurus. The band received critical acclaim for three top ten singles and one album placing them at the forefront of the cultured Indie Rock scene. Since then she has diversified into Solo albums, Film and Art installations while continuing to develop creative collectives.

In 2015 her short film ‘All Lovers Could Be Love’  from ‘Venture of Belief’ featured in the BFI love season with Poetryfilm.org.

October 2017 will see the release of  ‘Winter of Desire’ on Iron Man Records – the first element of a four part Art work that includes Music, Film and Poetry –

Winter of Desire
Venture of Belief
Truth To Material
Collect The Hearts

Rachel Mayfield will perform 12th October 2017 as part of Anchor Gallery ‘Show Me Your Birmingham’ exhibition. Stage time Approx 8pm at Gunmakers Arms, 93 Bath Street, Birmingham, B4 6HG. £10 ticket entitles ticket holder to an all events pass for the exhibition.

What people are saying:

Rachel Mayfield is a master of dynamics and a true artist in the widest sense of the word. She expresses her worldview and reading of her experiences in a variety of formats. Her live performances are fluid; as an ever changing line-up of solid musicians enhances and alters her sound.  As a solitary character, dressed in black, barefoot, with an acoustic guitar, she enthralled me at the Midlands Arts Centre in 2015 with her live Mixed media exhibition ‘Winter of Desire.’  Yet, her most recent performance of this at Pcafe included: bass, cello and backing vocals, along with film and photography on theme, that added further dimension.  Irrespective of the line-up, Rachel instinctively knows when extra layers of instruments are required, whilst allowing the musicians creative freedom to enhance her songs.

Rachel Mayfield is unshackled by mere form. Her lyrics convey ambiguous imagery (reminiscent of artists such as Suzanne Vega) wide open to audience interpretation.  Multiple listens to the impassioned, stripped down, ‘Take Me to God’ will reward you with resonating hidden depths from a gut-wrenching and primeval cry on the eponymous refrain.  Check out the version on YouTube.  Her band cranks up the feeling till the epic crescendo; although her solo version has (at least) the same devastating impact.

Other notable tracks are: ‘Do, Don’t’ – a song that exposes the tumultuous and emotional conflict of Intimacy, illustrated by the simple, yet effective, use of the call and response titular chorus.  Rachel fearlessly exposes her vulnerability through her lyrics and her delicate and powerful vocals; her vast vocal range can hover between precarious whisper and spine-chilling, rousing wail –any time she chooses.  ’Don’t Say Never’ epitomizes the pain of heartbreak. With her sensitive vocal delivery and unobtrusive guitar playing, Rachel creates solace, whilst simultaneously promising optimism.

All in all, through compassionate, sensitive, lyrics, sound and visuals, Rachel Mayfield has produced an album destined to be the vital soundtrack for anyone who has ever experienced epic love and loss. – Antonia Woodward – Gig Junkies

‘Anyone who has not experienced the fragile beauty of Rachel Mayfield’s aural aura, needs to make it their priority. I had the pleasure of experiencing her soul-baring musical performance at Birmingham’s Central Library’s auditorium on Saturday afternoon.  The lyrics – poignant and moving – describe the delicate turmoil an artist must work through to deliver their craft. It was also the romantic tale of rebirth (creatively and physically) and a homecoming to her hometown of Birmingham after living away for over a decade.  The lyrics, personal and allegorical, tell the story of an artist who hasn’t chosen art; art has chosen her.  Lucky us.

Rachel performed one song, stopping near the beginning to encourage the crowd to join in the beautiful and haunting chorus. They did. It was a testament to her magnetic stage presence, that the passers by (above) flocked to hear her performance.  By the time the timeless melody was over, a large crowd had gathered and she was met with rapturous applause and appreciation.

Like the chorus of her self-penned song, most people who were there would need to see her “over and over”. – Andy Strachen 

‘An extraordinarily gifted singer songwriter – possessed of an exquisitely way-ward, multi octave voice.’ Paul Lester – The Guardian

‘Capable of soul baring, sensual ferocity. Heart wrenching.’
Katatonic Magazine

‘Singer, songwriter extraordinair.’
Tony Moran – The Sutton Observer

Rachel Mayfield is one of the most important women in contemporary music. She is a bruised yet strangely sensous woman.’
Andrew Field – Anthem

‘Star of the show, a rock deity whose free falling voice is a wonder to behold.’
Cumbernauld News

‘Mayfield’s voice is to sigh for, full of pure, unforced beauty.’
Whats On

‘An ambiguous, heady brew of power, politics, pleasure and personality all rolled into one.’
Redbrick – Student Magazine

‘I F…ing Love this singer’
Sarah Henderson – GWR FM Swindon

‘Pleasure with Brains.’
Buzz Factory

‘A magnetic, transfixing stage presence. The lady has everything; a totally individual sound and a personality that dominates centre stage like the innocent but knowing eye of a technicolour hurricane.’
Steve Morris – Brum Beat

‘Emphatic, Balanced, Artistry.’
Nicholas Manthorpe – Evening News

‘Rachel’s Mayfield’s voice is Swooping, demanding, pleading but always seductive.’
Cornwall College – Student Magazine

‘Rachel flings her head back, opens her mouth and this voice unleashes itself in all it’s
just controlled, terrifying beauty.’
Sarra Manning – NME

‘Mayfield’s voice is infused with an unmistakeable and exhilarating passion which sends a shiver down the spine.’
Making Waves – Oxford

‘Raw energy and well balanced sensitivity.’
Leon Burakowski – Dudley Chronicle

‘Rachel Mayfield has wit and nerve.’
Time Out – London

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient – Press update

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient
Iron Man Records
IMB6033

Distributed by Cargo BUY IT HERE

All Press enquiries to Sean Newsham : sean@mutante.co.uk

“Incendiary bebop beauty from the renegade poet John Sinclair with hand drawn cover artwork by YOUTH. If we ever needed a passionate beat soul speaking words of wisdom, it’s now, and John Sinclair – Revolutionary, Jazzman – lays it down. Bohemian ex-manager of the MC5, Sinclair was central to 1960’s counterculture. A year or two back he met producer YOUTH (Primal Scream, U2), and got dragged into the 21st Century.

The result is a hypnotic celebration of personal freedom; laid-back thoughts spoken in John Sinclair’s gruff, grainy drawl, draped against blues, bebop and trip-hop.

Do It, with it’s lonesome sax, echoes Paddy McAloon’s intimate I Trawl The Megahertz: “In those days, to make poetry and art…that wasn’t called for. But you did it, even though you knew you would never get paid…”

Brilliant Corners is a wild tribute to Jack Kerouac, and Sitarrtha offers, “If we’re lucky, music will bring us through, and we’ll wake up singing.” What a dude.” – Glyn Brown **** Mojo Magazine August 2017.

Order John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient here

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient UK Press/Radio feedback – Released July 28th 2017

BBC6Music – Gideon Coe played ‘Do It’ on last nights show – 8th June.

BBC6Music Jon Hillcock (sitting in for Gideon Coe) played ‘Do It’ on 31st May

BBC6Music – Jon Hillcock (sitting in for Gideon Coe) played ’Sitarratha’ on 30th May.

BBC Radio Lancashire – On The Wire – Steve Barker played ‘Do It’ on 17th June

Shoreditch Radio (London) The RealMusik Radio Show – Peter Coulston played ‘Do It’ on 2 August

Confirmed Features

Bandcamp Magazine feature – Saby Reyes-Kulkarni interviewed John and Youth
Mojo Magazine – Eyewitness feature – Pat Gilbert – for issue out end of June – interview done – out now
Louder than War Magazine feature – skype with Gus Ironside done earlier this week email Q&A with Youth

Confirmed Album Reviews

Electronic Sound Magazine
Louder Than War Magazine – Gus Ironside – out now http://louderthanwar.com/john-sinclair-beatnik-youth-ambient-album-review/
Mojo Magazine – Glyn Brown – out now
Record Collector – Kris Needs
Shindig Magazine – Chris Twomey
Uncut Magazine – John Lewis – out now
Vive Le Rock

Digital Press

Cone Magazine – http://www.conemagazine.com/john-sinclair/
DMC World Ben Hogwood
Monolith Cocktail – http://bit.ly/2uIiQRk
Sunday Experience – https://marklosingtoday.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/john-sinclair-2/
Whisperin & Hollerin – Carl Martin

The Seventh Wave (Birmingham) Chris MacAdams – playing tracks

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth (Double CD) 8th September 2017

John Sinclair – “Beatnik Youth” on Double CD
Released 8th September 2017 by Iron Man Records.

All Press enquiries to Sean Newsham : sean@mutante.co.uk

Catalogue Number: IMB6032

Release date: 8th September 2017

Label: Iron Man Records

Distribution: Cargo

Disc 1

1. Testify (9.10)
2. Good Stuff (4.32)
3. Everybody Needs Somebody (7.09)
4. Change My Life (5.14)
5. Ain’t Nobody’s Business (3.36)
6. My Buddy (5.13)
7. That Old Man (3.53)

Disc 2

1. Brilliant Corners (11.29)
2. Culture Cide (11.38)
3. Red Dress (Ruby My Dear) (6.25)
4. Sitarrtha (6.16)
5. Do It (6.16)
6. War On Drugs (6.18)

John Sinclair, the renegade poet, scholar and cultural revolutionary releases “Beatnik Youth” on 8th September 2017 on Iron Man Records. The double CD contains over 80 minutes of music from the restless creative mind of Youth, with some fine spoken word and poetry delivered by John Sinclair.

John, has been described as an Archetype of the 1960’s art, music and literary synthesis, and who today continues his work for cultural transformation.

Youth is one of the UK’s most influential producers and has been honoured, with an Outstanding Contribution Award by the Music Producers Guild. His career spans more than 30 years and is one of the UK’s most consistent, credible and influential producers.

You can pre-order the Double CD, Vinyl and T-shirt here: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/john-sinclair

From Detroit to New Orleans and from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, John Sinclair is still the king-size, psychedelic old-gangster poet, a living legend, a veteran of the counterculture, a survivor of the Marijuana Wars, and one of the last bohemians still standing. As a co-founder of the Detroit underground newspaper The Fifth Estate, manager of MC5, and Chairman of the White Panther Party described on Wikipedia in these modern times as a far-left, anti-racist, white American political collective founded in 1968 and dedicated to cultural revolution his mark on the boho rock & roll underground has been unique.

In 1969, with Richard Nixon in the White House, Vietnam in chaos in the wake of the Viet Congs near-suicidal Tet Offensive, and American cities still scared and scarred from urban riots, even the comparatively harmless agitprop pranks of White Panther cultural revolution had those in power reaching for their metaphoric and sometimes actual revolvers. Authorities remembered how John had organized the MC5 playing outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the only band actually able to perform before Mayor Daley’s rabid police department violently derailed the massive anti-Vietnam war rally with teargas, billy clubs, and helicopter support.

John was deemed a danger to society and set up like a bowling pin. After handing a couple of joints to a hassling hippie who turned out to be an undercover narcotics agent, John found himself on the bad end of a ten year jail term. At the same time though he became a cause celebre. Free John Sinclair became one more battle cry in an embattled era. Protests, propaganda, and a giant concert in Ann Arbor headlined by John Lennon and Yoko Ono ultimately resulted in John’s release in November 1971. Lennon even wrote a song about him called ‘John Sinclair’ which he included on his ‘Sometime In New York City’ album.

In common with much that happens with John, a meeting with producer Youth (Paul McCartneys ‘Fireman’, Primal Scream, The Verve etc & Killing Joke bass player) that sowed the creative seeds was a matter of stoned synchronicity. As former Track Records boss Ian Grant tells it, Alan Clayton told me he had John Sinclair coming round tomorrow. I said “The John Sinclair?” One night Zodiac (Mindwarp) was on the bill with the Dirty Strangers and Youth was very taken with John. “I want to make a jazz album with John” he said. Since then, the two met at Youths house whenever he was home, and when John was in the country, and recorded the album.

And through the course of those recordings John, always so associated with the 1960s, took a serious step into the ways of the 21st century, with the same intoned poetry, but with melodic backing vocals, highly inventive production, even a nod to hip-hop, but still remembering his first loves of blues, be-bop, and classic rock & roll.

Beatnik Youth is one more step in the Big Chief’s long zig-zag trip that seems set to continue all the way to the far blue horizon. Summing up John Sinclair, you can only say with certainty that the beatnik goes on.

Youth

Youth has been responsible for numerous hits from artists including The Verve, Embrace, Echo and the Bunnymen, Crowded House, The Orb, Sir Paul McCartney and The Charlatans. Among his recent projects was the co-production of Pink Floyd‘s final and largely instrumental album, The Endless River. Youth also remixed David Gilmour‘s current solo album, Rattle That Lock. The Verve’s Urban Hymns brought Youth a BRIT Award for Producer of the Year after three consecutive years of nomination.

Youth says “I’m very proud of the longevity of work on Killing Joke and The Orb, how those recordings still sound fresh… and what I’ve done with The Verve and Richard Ashcroft, and Paul McCartney (The Fireman) and Pink Floyd. It’s only really working with those guys, with my insecurities, that I felt as though I could go, ‘yeah, I am a producer’.” His “university” was Killing Joke after he left school, and it “doesn’t really get more intense than that”.

As a young musician Youth, whose real name is Martin Glover, cut his teeth doing bass sessions for Adrian Sherwood productions and for artists such as Kate Bush whose phenomenally successful Hounds of Love album had Youth on bass. He was also a founder member and bassist of the band Killing Joke. After leaving Killing Joke (and a short experiment with the band Brilliant, managed by Bill Drummond and featuring June Montana, Jimmy Cauty and other key innovators of electronic and indie dance music), Youth began working with Alex Paterson and Cauty as The Orb, a collaboration that was responsible for the introduction of chill-out ambient house music.

Cauty and Drummond eventually moved on to form The KLF, leaving Youth and Paterson to experiment extensively in the post punk British dance music and Acid House scene. This led to the release of two classic albums as The Orb – U.F.Orb and Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, which incorporated Little Fluffy Clouds, a track that defined ambient house and chill-out and brought these genres firmly into the mainstream.

Youth’s skills as a producer were now being noticed by a much wider audience, not least because of his remix work with band like Siouxsie and The Banshees, Malcolm Maclaren, A Guy Called Gerald, Fine Young Cannibals, Marc Almond and U2. In 1993, he collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney who had developed an interest in remix culture. This resulted in Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest, an ambient album – and the first of three critically acclaimed albums – released under the name of The Fireman.

Over the years, Youth has notched up a staggeringly large and varied list of production and remix credits for artists such as Yazz, James, Primal Scream, Gun’s N’ Roses, Blue Pearl, Art of Noise, P.M. Dawn, Shack, De La Soul, Erasure, Beth Orton, Bananarama, Maria McKee, Suns of Arqa, The Shamen, Kool and the Gang, Texas, Pete Murphy, Tom Jones and Dido. He remains tireless in his quest for inspiration, excellence and innovation in recording great music and also finds time to paint, illustrate and publish poetry.

John Sinclair

John Sinclair the White Panther firebrand who stoked the MC5’s insurrectionary manifesto has roots that stretch back to jazz and the beats, as a writer, avant-garde champion and poet. John has travelled the world, collaborating with like-minded souls; a living embodiment of the original free spirit that fought to emancipate a generation, one of the few still flying the freak flag.

Since the early 90s, Sinclair has released albums of his poetry, but Beatnik Youth is possibly some of John Sinclair’s best work to date.

This poorly served generation needs it: that militant energy which released the bats in the 60s is crucially booted into the 21st Century in a riotous celebration of personal freedom, cultural trailblazers and marijuana.

The following Iron Man Records Patrons have made this release possible:

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, Jachim 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….

Become a Patron too https://www.patreon.com/ironmanrecords

John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient (500 copies on Vinyl) 28th July 2017

John Sinclair – “Beatnik Youth Ambient” on Vinyl.
by Iron Man Records.

Pre-order the Vinyl here: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/john-sinclair

All Press enquiries to Sean Newsham : sean@mutante.co.uk

Catalogue Number: IMB6033

Barcode: 5060132273319

Label: Iron Man Records

Release Date: 28th July 2017

Distribution: Cargo

Side A

Do It (6:16) Recitation – John Sinclair, Music – Youth, Mix – Youth and Michael Rendall

Brilliant Corners (11.29) Recitation – John Sinclair, Produced by Youth

Side B

War On Drugs (6:18) Recitation – Howard Marks, Music – Youth, Mix – Youth and Michael Rendall

Sitarrrtha (9:19) Recitation – John Sinclair, Produced by Youth

John Sinclair, the renegade poet, scholar and cultural revolutionary will release “Beatnik Youth Ambient” on Iron Man Records. The record is over 30 minutes of ambient, chill out music from the restless creative mind of Youth with some fine spoken word and poetry delivered by John Sinclair.

John, has been described as an Archetype of the 1960’s art, music and literary synthesis, and who today continues his work for cultural transformation.

Youth is one of the UK’s most influential producers and has been honoured, this year, with an Outstanding Contribution Award by the Music Producers Guild. His career spans more than 30 years and is one of the UK’s most consistent, credible and influential producers, Youth has also hand drawn the beautiful cover artwork.

The record features 4 ambient tracks including 2 tracks completed in late 2015. Do it and War on Drugs were composed and produced by Youth with words By John Sinclair and Howard Marks. John Sinclair presents some illuminating words of wisdom on the life of the artist in the opening track Do It, while Howard Marks delivers some lost last words in War on Drugs on side B. The Mood is maintained by 2 extra ambient tracks taken from the Beatnik Youth album simultaneously released by Iron Man Records on Double CD. The free-form cinematic Brilliant Corners is a homage to Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs and the smokily atmospheric Sitarrtha reflects on the work of John Coltrane.

The record is a smoker’s dream with the 4 ambient tracks clocking in at just over 30 minutes.

You can pre-order the Vinyl, Double CD and T-shirt here: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/john-sinclair

From Detroit to New Orleans and from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, John Sinclair is still the king-size, psychedelic old-gangster poet, a living legend, a veteran of the counterculture, a survivor of the Marijuana Wars, and one of the last bohemians still standing. As a co-founder of the Detroit underground newspaper The Fifth Estate, manager of MC5, and Chairman of the White Panther Party described on Wikipedia in these modern times as a far-left, anti-racist, white American political collective founded in 1968 and dedicated to cultural revolution his mark on the boho rock & roll underground has been unique.

In 1969, with Richard Nixon in the White House, Vietnam in chaos in the wake of the Viet Congs near-suicidal Tet Offensive, and American cities still scared and scarred from urban riots, even the comparatively harmless agitprop pranks of White Panther cultural revolution had those in power reaching for their metaphoric and sometimes actual revolvers. Authorities remembered how John had organized the MC5 playing outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the only band actually able to perform before Mayor Daley’s rabid police department violently derailed the massive anti-Vietnam war rally with teargas, billy clubs, and helicopter support.

John was deemed a danger to society and set up like a bowling pin. After handing a couple of joints to a hassling hippie who turned out to be an undercover narcotics agent, John found himself on the bad end of a ten year jail term. At the same time though he became a cause celebre. Free John Sinclair became one more battle cry in an embattled era. Protests, propaganda, and a giant concert in Ann Arbor headlined by John Lennon and Yoko Ono ultimately resulted in John s release in November 1971. Lennon even wrote a song about him called ‘John Sinclair’ which he included on his ‘Sometime In New York City’ album.

In common with much that happens with John, a meeting with producer Youth (Paul McCartneys ‘Fireman’, Primal Scream, The Verve etc & Killing Joke bass player) that sowed the creative seeds was a matter of stoned synchronicity. As former Track Records boss Ian Grant tells it, Alan Clayton told me he had John Sinclair coming round tomorrow. I said “The John Sinclair?” One night Zodiac (Mindwarp) was on the bill with the Dirty Strangers and Youth was very taken with John. “I want to make a jazz album with John” he said. Since then, the two met at Youths house whenever he was home, and when John was in the country, and recorded the album.

And through the course of those recordings John, always so associated with the 1960s, took a serious step into the ways of the 21st century, with the same intoned poetry, but with melodic backing vocals, highly inventive production, even a nod to hip-hop, but still remembering his first loves of blues, be-bop, and classic rock & roll.

Beatnik Youth Ambient is one more step in the Big Chief’s long zigzag trip that seems set to continue all the way to the far blue horizon. Summing up John Sinclair, you can only say with certainty that the beatnik goes on.

Youth

Youth has been responsible for numerous hits from artists including The Verve, Embrace, Echo and the Bunnymen, Crowded House, The Orb, Sir Paul McCartney and The Charlatans. Among his recent projects was the co-production of Pink Floyd‘s final and largely instrumental album, The Endless River. Youth also remixed David Gilmour‘s current solo album, Rattle That Lock. The Verve’s Urban Hymns brought Youth a BRIT Award for Producer of the Year after three consecutive years of nomination.

Youth says “I’m very proud of the longevity of work on Killing Joke and The Orb, how those recordings still sound fresh… and what I’ve done with The Verve and Richard Ashcroft, and Paul McCartney (The Fireman) and Pink Floyd. It’s only really working with those guys, with my insecurities, that I felt as though I could go, ‘yeah, I am a producer’.” His “university” was Killing Joke after he left school, and it “doesn’t really get more intense than that”.

As a young musician Youth, whose real name is Martin Glover, cut his teeth doing bass sessions for Adrian Sherwood productions and for artists such as Kate Bush whose phenomenally successful Hounds of Love album had Youth on bass. He was also a founder member and bassist of the band Killing Joke. After leaving Killing Joke (and a short experiment with the band Brilliant, managed by Bill Drummond and featuring June Montana, Jimmy Cauty and other key innovators of electronic and indie dance music), Youth began working with Alex Paterson and Cauty as The Orb, a collaboration that was responsible for the introduction of chill-out ambient house music.

Cauty and Drummond eventually moved on to form The KLF, leaving Youth and Paterson to experiment extensively in the post punk British dance music and Acid House scene. This led to the release of two classic albums as The Orb – U.F.Orb and Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, which incorporated Little Fluffy Clouds, a track that defined ambient house and chill-out and brought these genres firmly into the mainstream.

Youth’s skills as a producer were now being noticed by a much wider audience, not least because of his remix work with band like Siouxsie and The Banshees, Malcolm Maclaren, A Guy Called Gerald, Fine Young Cannibals, Marc Almond and U2. In 1993, he collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney who had developed an interest in remix culture. This resulted in Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest, an ambient album – and the first of three critically acclaimed albums – released under the name of The Fireman.

Over the years, Youth has notched up a staggeringly large and varied list of production and remix credits for artists such as Yazz, James, Primal Scream, Gun’s N’ Roses, Blue Pearl, Art of Noise, P.M. Dawn, Shack, De La Soul, Erasure, Beth Orton, Bananarama, Maria McKee, Suns of Arqa, The Shamen, Kool and the Gang, Texas, Pete Murphy, Tom Jones and Dido. He remains tireless in his quest for inspiration, excellence and innovation in recording great music and also finds time to paint, illustrate and publish poetry. All original artwork on the sleeve was hand drawn by Youth.

John Sinclair

John Sinclair the White Panther firebrand who stoked the MC5’s insurrectionary manifesto has roots that stretch back to jazz and the beats, as a writer, avant-garde champion and poet. John has travelled the world, collaborating with like-minded souls; a living embodiment of the original free spirit that fought to emancipate a generation, one of the few still flying the freak flag.

Since the early 90s, Sinclair has released albums of his poetry, but Beatnik Youth Ambient is possibly some of John Sinclair’s best work to date.

This poorly served generation needs it: that militant energy which released the bats in the 60s is crucially booted into the 21st Century in a riotous celebration of personal freedom, cultural trailblazers and marijuana.

The following Iron Man Records Patrons have made this Vinyl release possible:

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, Jachim 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 McCormack, Ade Cartwright, Sunwoo Jung….

Become a Patron too https://www.patreon.com/ironmanrecords

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

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 X anyone?), and used as a career-launching platform (Police, Squeeze, Boomtown Rats). Then the mainstream lost interest, so it went underground, morphing from a bunch of snotty teenagers flipping the bird at the man, into something else altogether.

Police Bastard were punks once. Now they’re punk/metal/thrash, a set of 40 somethings with a remarkably long history, and a new album, Confined.  The dumb rebellious simplicity of the late 70s has been replaced by something more complex, more considered, even dutiful. The music? Savage as ever, of course – but now, these guys can play. John Doom and Mark Badger talk it up after the jump.

John Doom: The band started as a fun project in about 1993. Not many albums, but we’ve done lots of touring. A real mix.

Robin: Twenty years – are you still as angry?

John: When I was about 16 I formed Doom. They’re still going now. It was Crust/Punk. We were raised on Punk – and political punk as well. Anarchist Punk Rock.

Robin: OK, let’s clarify some definitions. Proper Punk has always been about being snotty and challenging the establishment. I came in for all that when the Sex Pistols went round radio stations on promo tours. But Political Punk goes a lot further – as irreverent and challenging as all Punk, but with a more layered set of things to say?

John: We were influenced by Crass and Conflict and all these bands that were political. Yeah, we were angry then… but we lived with our parents! We were at odds with a lot of things. We lived in suburbia; a lot of people there were quite racist, traditional in their values. We were singing from a slightly different hymn sheet.  So, yeah, when we formed Police Bastard in 1993, I’d left Doom, and become a bit jaded. I made a commitment to write about things that were pertinent to me and the band – fresh ideas, positive things, not spiteful and vicious things. But filtering down to where we are now, I’d still say there’s plenty to be angry about.

Robin: No argument from me on that score. The early punk bands reacted against turgid progressive rock. There’s that famous Who song, Who Are You, which tells the story of Pete Townsend having a drunken row with Johnny Rotten in a Soho pub… but all that was years before you even started Doom. So does that mean that you are bringing – gulp – an adult perspective to your punk?

John: I’ve been through many different ways of thinking about things. In some ways, time strengthens your position, because you can come at things from an adult perspective. You’re not quite so quick to judge, to let things spill out your mouth. Here’s an example. When we were growing up listening to Crass and the like, people were really, vitriolically anti-religious. If you fast forward to now, there’s all these questions about what faith is, and about respecting other people’s faith; Islam for example.  All these ideas of being blasphemous and rude and in your face – you come round to thinking maybe faith isn’t the problem, maybe it’s the organisation and the power behind it. That’s something we address on the new album.

Robin: But that early 70s/80s anti-establishment punk blasphemy was pretty much all against Christianity. Nothing else was on the radar.

John: Exactly. It’s a more complex and globalised world. You’ve got to take on ideas about the whole world, not just your own neighbourhood.  The world’s got smaller. It’s easy to see a lot more problems – Syria, Russia – different issues.

Robin: How does that play out with your audiences – from the early days to now?

John: Weird. It might be my cynical nature. Underground Punk exists as an entity, outside the mainstream. It’s always been a constant. But around acid house and rave culture, some people forgot about issues, forgot about being angry…

Robin: They were blissed out…

John: Yeah!  More hedonistic, having a good time. But those issues were still there. Things come around though. A lot of original bands came back for one last time in their fifties… Things come in cycles. Over the last five years, you’ve seen a shift back, politically and in society, to what brought people out in the seventies. People are feeling disillusioned. Feel there’s no hope, that there might not be those jobs for them. So you can see Punk growing again.

Robin: Are you saying nostalgia for Punk? That makes it a commodity!

Mark Badger: It’s like a dogma. Some people still think that if you want to be in punk band, you gotta think a certain way, look a certain way, sound a certain way, do certain things.  The idea of Police Bastard, when I joined was more attractive than the band itself. Something that had a brutal musical delivery of political ideas, with a very diverse set of individuals.  To me, that flies in the face of the dogma of what it is to be punk or metal.  And we’re still doing that.

John: Some of our goals have come true. The major labels don’t control things anymore. So the DIY ethic, at the heart of punk, hasn’t been affected by the decline of the industry. And the web has helped.
On the craft and musicianship front, the band now has some phenomenally good technical skills.  A thunderous attack, played with blistering skill and stamina. You just wouldn’t have had those skills twenty years ago – they come with time. Does stagecraft sort of get in the way?

John: I think there have been times when we’ve been in danger of disappearing up our own asses. A few pints where we became a little bit too metally, a little bit too technical. That’s because we’re absorbing ideas from all over.

Robin: But there’s nothing wrong with being a fabulous player…

John: Not at all. But you can move away from some of the areas you should be in. As Mark was saying, one of the beauties of Police Bastard is that if we want to do a dub song, a metal song, a two-minute punk song, we’ll do it. It doesn’t get in the way.

Robin: What’s the gender split with your audience?

John: Fairly good. I never like to see it get too male. There was a point with hardcore where it became too violent and too macho. Everything became blokes with their shirts off, fighting rather than enjoying the gig. My experience has been good. We’ve had loads of girls dancing, and not feeling harassed or beaten or groped. I’ve been fairly happy with it.

Mark: We manage to sell good quantities of girls and boy’s t-shirts.

Robin: So how about the album….?

John: I’m proud of this album, We’d finished the band in about 98… the rest of the band was unable to put the time in. We had jobs, I went back to university… Then the band sort of reformed, and at first I felt a little bit off about it. But what they were doing was great – exactly what Police Bastard were all about. Eventually Mark asked me to come in with the band, and it’s gone from there. Our singer lives in Spain, we’re all doing different things, and we’ve still managed to come together and create new songs. All different, dark, aggressive, touching on new material.

Mark: John and Pid (Stu-pid) have probably come up with the best lyrics on Confined they have written so far. The new album was difficult in lots of ways, especially getting everyone together. But we’ve got to hand it to Simon Reeves. He sat there with about 27 channels of guitar. John put down several tracks of noise and feedback and other horror. Simon sat there clamly with his head in his hands muttering what am I going to do with this? John simply said ‘You’re the Producer, you sort it out!’ And of course, he did. We are all really pleased with the finished record.

Robin Valk

Police Bastard – Confined

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

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 McCormack, Ade Cartwright, Sunwoo Jung….

Almost all orders have been posted out in the last few days, and Patrons will get their copies this week.

It’s been a bit mad at this end, I have never had to post out so many records in such a short time before. It’s been a task in itself just trying to get the orders to the post office.

If you would like to buy Police Bastard – Confined on VINYL try the Iron Man Shop here

If you would like to become an Iron Man Records Patron go here

This record is possibly the best record the band have released to date and there are only 500 copies on Vinyl so get one while you can.

The work continues on new recordings and new material. The band will be back playing live later this year, hope to see you then

Cheers Mark

Iron Man Records would like you to become a Patron.

The general history of art and literature shows that the highest achievements of the human mind are, as a rule, not favourably received at first. Iron Man Records would like to invite you to consider becoming a Patron.

Iron Man Records has dedicated over 20 years to supporting, promoting, and working with, some of the most interesting artists you may never have heard of, sometimes with a budget you can stick under a glass.

February will see the release of Police Bastard – “Confined” on Vinyl.

One of CVLT Nation’s Top Crust Albums: “Thought-provoking monologues and confrontational lyrics bring you on a cold, doom-laden journey of perpetual war, psychological mind control and disillusionment.”

April will see the release of John Sinclair – “Beatnik Youth Ambient” on Vinyl.

Ambient, chill out music from the restless creative mind of Youth with spoken word and poetry delivered by John Sinclair.

John, has been described as an Archetype of the 1960’s art, music and literary synthesis, and who today continues his work for cultural transformation. A psychedelic poet, a living legend, a veteran of the counterculture, a survivor of the Marijuana Wars, and one of the last bohemians still standing. As a co-founder of the Detroit underground newspaper The Fifth Estate, manager of MC5, and Chairman of the White Panther Party described on Wikipedia in these modern times as a far-left, anti-racist, white American political collective founded in 1968 and dedicated to cultural revolution, John Sinclair’s mark on the boho rock & roll underground has been unique.

Youth is one of the UK’s most influential producers and has been honoured with an Outstanding Contribution Award by the Music Producers Guild. His career spans more than 30 years and is one of the UK’s most consistent, credible and influential producers, Youth has also hand drawn the beautiful cover artwork.

Please consider becoming a Patron to support the work. Incredible amounts of time, effort, and money has gone into making these records happen. Iron Man Records would like to invite you to give your support to the artists involved and their work.

Among the rewards, Patrons will get a copy of each release as soon as it is available and Patrons will get their names printed on the sleeve of all future releases generated with their help and support.

You have to build the world you want to live in, and while you may not want to consider running a record label yourself, you can directly influence what happens next. Patrons enable Iron Man Records to continue the work supporting struggling artists.

Please consider getting involved. If you want an alternative to what you see going on around you, you have to make it for yourself. Let’s make something happen https://www.patreon.com/ironmanrecords

The only way to support a revolution…..

Looking back on this year, Iron Man Records has had an interesting one. Three recurring themes emerged.

“The only way to support a revolution is to make your own” — Abbie Hoffman, Woodstock Nation.

“Reality is not enough; we need nonsense too. Drifting into a world of fantasy is not an escape from reality but a significant education about the nature of life.” Edmund Miller, Lewis Carroll Observed

“It’s dangerous to understand new things too quickly” — Josiah Warren, True Civilization

Make of that what you will. Some of the significant things that happened this year included:

Seth Faergolzia of Dufus brought his new band Multibird to Europe on Tour.

John Sinclair published a book called It’s All Good: A John Sinclair Reader.  Stories of tragedy and triumph that will take you on a trip through the Wonder Years with music lyrics and poetry. Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone attempted to find out how to live a psychedelic life with the poet and activist John Sinclair as BBC Music’s My Generation celebrated the 1960s.

Dr Marshmallow Cubicle – Occupy was released on Iron Man Records, 23rd April, 2016.

In the early hours of 10th April 2016, Howard Marks died peacefully in his sleep. Iron Man Records had the pleasure of meeting, working with and listening to Howard Marks. He really was exactly as you would hope: A truly decent bloke, funny, humble and just Mr Nice. His life and work will live on…..“You might control a lot of things Drugs Tsar, but you’ll never control my mind…..” Howard Marks from the song Let Me Grow More Weed he recorded with P.A.I.N

Robert Anton Wilson meets Steve “Fly Agaric” Pratt was released on Iron Man Records, 23rd June, 2016

The entire Iron Man Records music catalogue was made available on Bandcamp. To start with all releases are £5 or you can Stream the releases and listen for free. All Releases are available on most of the download and streaming platforms already but for those of you who want an alternative to Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google, Youtube, Facebook and all the other main providers, Bandcamp seems good.

Some people wonder what on earth I do for a living. Well, I earn money working as a Tour Manager and I spend all of it keeping Iron Man Records going. I spend the rest of my time trying to stay sane, despite serious provocation from people who are totally convinced or totally stupid, and often both at the same time. Have a read and make up your own mind: Back In Five Years  and My life is a pile of receipts in a deserted restaurant on a cross channel ferry

Simon Reeves at Framework Studio spent three days recording Oliver Senton reading Cosmic Trigger 1 by Robert Anton Wilson for a forthcoming audio book. Iron Man Records somehow managed to neglect it’s responsibilities to The Cosmic Trigger play but was happy to help see Oliver Senton looked after during these recordings.

Test pressings arrived for John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient which includes a beautiful recording of Howard Marks’ last lost words called War On Drugs with an ambient soundscape masterpiece from Youth…and also Police Bastard – Confined. Both records will be released in 2017.

But these things wouldn’t have happened without the money burning antics of Iron Man Records Patrons and people like you supporting the madness and getting involved.

Iron Man Records has ambitious plans to make a big impact in 2017. And with Patrons helping out, I feel positive we can make a big change. I guarantee there will be no funding appplications, no idiotic culture bids, no creative consultants, no government, business or arts advice types involved. Just you, me, musicians, madness and music.

If you want to contribute, have a look in the shop before you go: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com

Thanks again for all your support and have a fun Christmas.

Cheers Mark

Police Bastard – “Confined” VINYL limited to 500 copies. Released Jan 23rd 2017

“Thought-provoking monologues and confrontational lyrics bring you on a cold, doom-laden journey of perpetual war, psychological mind control and disillusionment.”

Cover Art by Mark “Skinny” Orton

Pre-order your copy on VINYL now. Only 500 copies to be pressed on Double Gatefold VINYL. Released January 23rd 2017

All pre-orders will be £10 plus postage and sent out ahead of the release date.

A big thank you to all Iron Man Records Patrons who helped make this possible.

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, Jachim 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….

“CVLT Nation’s Top 6 Crust Albums 2013: Police Bastard are pretty infamous at this stage, so no need for any introductions with band member links to Doom, Sore Throat, Filthkick, Sensa Yuma etc. Their new album ‘Confined’ sticks to their cynical view of the world mixed with innovative guitar textures and driving industrial intensity. Thought-provoking monologues and confrontational lyrics bring you on a cold, doom-laden journey of perpetual war, psychological mind control, disillusionment and omnipresent bullshit. For a band that has been knocking about on and off for twenty years, they could be forgiven for reverting to the formulaic. However, they rethink and deliver a furious maelstrom of complex dark hardcore, best served cold.” – CVLT Nation (Dec 19, 2013)

“The album starts with “The Curse Of The Cross”, an anti-theistic slice of brutality, which leaves the listener in no doubt that Police Bastard mean business. You even get a quote from Richard Dawkins about teaching the bible as fiction. Musically they give us huge chugging riffs on “Brought To Our Knees”, which tackles the blandness of multi-national companies infecting the high street, set against the backdrop of the widening gap between rich and poor. For those that like their anthems loud and stompy, “Sick Sick System” will no doubt win a seal of approval with its knock about Punk mayhem and catchy refrain, ‘sick sick system, same old bullshit’. Elsewhere on the album, we get subjects as diverse as being captivated by virtual reality (Word Confined) and environmental disaster from the hand of mankind (Cries From The Earth). Album closer “Fortress” sees organised religion attacked once more, and poses the question, how long before it crumbles…..” – Zak, Ryans Gig Guide (Dec 01, 2013)

“….From Mark Orton‘s cover art through the final song, “Fortress,” Police Bastard have presented an album that uses hardcore’s battering ram approach to push through a series of songs that depict how humanity has destroyed the Earth. Lines such as “We’re sealing our fate” hammer home the idea that mankind has taken the world to the edge of existence, and we’ll all soon perish, should we not change our ways. Thankfully, Confined manages to never lapse into Earth Crisis-like preaching, choosing instead to quote the likes of John Gray‘s Straw Dogs: “Long after the traces of the human animal have disappeared, many of the species it is bent on destroying will still be around, along with others that have yet to spring up. The Earth will forget mankind. The play of life will go on.” While the music is basic hardcore which occasionally aims for bigger sonic targets, the lyrics and presentation are what make Police Bastard worth checking out……” – Rock Star Journalist, Rock Star Journalist (Nov 22, 2013)

Ten songs recorded in early 2013 and released through Iron Man Records, Birmingham.

Tracklisting:

Side A
The Curse Of The Cross
Brought To Our Knees
Sick Sick System
Humanimal
Cries From The Earth

Side B
Binary Thinker
Words Confined
Bite The Hand
We Are The Dead
Fortress.

All Lyrics: Pid and John

All Music: Police Bastard

Layout: John Doom

The album was Recorded, Mixed, Produced and Mastered by Simon Reeves at Framework Recording Studios.

Label: Iron Man Records
Catalog: IMB6036
Format: VINYL Double Gatefold Limited to 500 copies
Country: England
Released: 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk

This Week: Total Assault On The Culture

Bandcamp
Work has started on uploading the Iron Man Records Catalogue on Bandcamp. To start with all releases will be available for £5 or you can Stream the releases and listen for free. All Releases are available on most of the download and streaming platforms already but for those of you who want an alternative to Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google, Youtube, Facebook and all the other main providers, Bandcamp seems good.

Back In Five Years:
Some people wonder what on earth I do for a living. Well, I earn money working as a Tour Manager. I spend all the money I earn trying to keep Iron Man Records going. Here’s a life in a couple of weeks:

Become A Patron
If you want to contribute to the work of Iron Man Records, here’s How To Burn Money – Become A Patron of Iron Man Records

Cosmic Trigger
Steve Fly and Simon Reeves start work on post production this week. Simon spent three days last week recording Oliver Senton reading Cosmic Trigger 1 by Robert Anton Wilson. Here’s a picture of Simon and Oliver at Framework Studio, Birmingham, on completion of the great work.

Framework Recording Studios, Birmingham.
Framework Studios has worked with Napalm Death, Carcass, Cathedral, Meathook Seed, P.J.Harvey, Ride, Family Cat and other acts including Piss On Authority, Police Bastard, Spirit Bomb, Drongos For Europe, Selfless, Cerebral Fix and more. Telephone Simon (UK+44) 07790 158210 or email siframework@gmail.com

Vinyl Test Pressings:
I’m waiting on test pressings of John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient to arrive and also test pressings of Police Bastard – Confined. Exciting times.

Pre-order John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient on VINYL

You can pre-order the Vinyl, Double CD and T-shirt here:  http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/john-sinclair

All Press enquiries to Sean Newsham : sean@mutante-inc.demon.co.uk
Catalogue Number: IMB6033
Release date: April 2017
Label: Iron Man Records
Distribution: Cargo

Side A
Do It (6:16) Recitation – John Sinclair, Music – Youth, Mix – Youth and Michael Rendall
Brilliant Corners (11.29) Recitation – John Sinclair, Produced by Youth

Side B
War On Drugs (6:18) Recitation – Howard Marks, Music – Youth, Mix – Youth and Michael Rendall
Sitarrrtha (9:19) Recitation – John Sinclair, Produced by Youth

John Sinclair, the renegade poet, scholar and cultural revolutionary releases “Beatnik Youth Ambient” on Iron Man Records. The record is over 30 minutes of ambient, chill out music from the restless creative mind of Youth with some fine spoken word and poetry delivered by John Sinclair.

John, has been described as an Archetype of the 1960’s art, music and literary synthesis, and who today continues his work for cultural transformation.

Youth is one of the UK’s most influential producers and has been honoured, this year, with an Outstanding Contribution Award by the Music Producers Guild. His career spans more than 30 years and is one of the UK’s most consistent, credible and influential producers, Youth has also hand drawn the beautiful cover artwork.

The record features 4 ambient tracks including 2 tracks completed in late 2015. Do it and War on Drugs were composed and produced by Youth with words By John Sinclair and Howard Marks. John Sinclair presents some illuminating words of wisdom on the life of the artist in the opening track Do It, while Howard Marks delivers some lost last words in War on Drugs on side B.

The Mood is maintained by 2 extra ambient tracks taken from the Beatnik Youth album simultaneously released by Iron Man Records on Double CD. The free-form cinematic Brilliant Corners is a homage to Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs and the smokily atmospheric Sitarrtha reflects on the work of John Coltrane. The record is a smoker’s dream with the 4 ambient tracks clocking in at just over 30 minutes.

From Detroit to New Orleans and from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, John Sinclair is still the king-size, psychedelic old-gangster poet, a living legend, a veteran of the counterculture, a survivor of the Marijuana Wars, and one of the last bohemians still standing. As a co-founder of the Detroit underground newspaper The Fifth Estate, manager of MC5, and Chairman of the White Panther Party described on Wikipedia in these modern times as a far-left, anti-racist, white American political collective founded in 1968 and dedicated to cultural revolution his mark on the boho rock & roll underground has been unique.

In 1969, with Richard Nixon in the White House, Vietnam in chaos in the wake of the Viet Congs near-suicidal Tet Offensive, and American cities still scared and scarred from urban riots, even the comparatively harmless agitprop pranks of White Panther cultural revolution had those in power reaching for their metaphoric and sometimes actual revolvers. Authorities remembered how John had organized the MC5 playing outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the only band actually able to perform before Mayor Daley’s rabid police department violently derailed the massive anti-Vietnam war rally with teargas, billy clubs, and helicopter support.

John was deemed a danger to society and set up like a bowling pin. After handing a couple of joints to a hassling hippie who turned out to be an undercover narcotics agent, John found himself on the bad end of a ten year jail term. At the same time though he became a cause celebre. Free John Sinclair became one more battle cry in an embattled era. Protests, propaganda, and a giant concert in Ann Arbor headlined by John Lennon and Yoko Ono ultimately resulted in John s release in November 1971. Lennon even wrote a song about him called ‘John Sinclair’ which he included on his
‘Sometime In New York City’ album.

In common with much that happens with John, a meeting with producer Youth (Paul McCartneys ‘Fireman’, Primal Scream, The Verve etc & Killing Joke bass player) that sowed the creative seeds was a matter of stoned synchronicity. As former Track Records boss Ian Grant tells it, Alan Clayton told me he had John Sinclair coming round tomorrow. I said “The John Sinclair?” One night Zodiac (Mindwarp) was on the bill with the Dirty Strangers and Youth was very taken with John. “I want to make a jazz album with John” he said. Since then, the two met at Youths house whenever he was home, and when John was in the country, and recorded the album.

And through the course of those recordings John, always so associated with the 1960s, took a serious step into the ways of the 21st century, with the same intoned poetry, but with melodic backing vocals, highly inventive production, even a nod to hip-hop, but still remembering his first loves of blues, be-bop, and classic rock & roll.

Beatnik Youth Ambient is one more step in the Big Chief’s long zigzag trip that seems set to continue all the way to the far blue horizon. Summing up John Sinclair, you can only say with certainty that the beatnik goes on.

Robert Anton Wilson meets Steve “Fly Agaric” Pratt

WORDS: Robert Anton Wilson and Steve ‘Fly Agaric 23’ Pratt

MUSIC: Steve Fly, Tim Egmond, Martin ‘Youth’ Glover, Rick Rasa, Hagbard Celine, Garaj Mahal.

ARTWORK: CHU

PRODUCED BY: Mark Sampson and Steve Fly Pratt

MASTERED BY: Simon Reeves at Framework Studios, Birmingham

RELEASED on IRON MAN RECORDS June 23rd 2016.

Special thanks to: Robert Anton Wilson, Christina Pearson, Rick Rasa, Chu, Mark Sampson, Kai Eckhardt, Matt Black, Martin ‘Youth’ Glover, Paul Krassner, John Sinclair, Tim Egmond, Toby Philpott, Prop Anon, Nick Larson, Caleb Selah, Pete Maybe, Jenni Vyskocil, Faustin Bray, Bob Tesch, Lance Bauscher, Jack Sarfatti, Nigel Blunt, UB40, Robin Johnson, Tom Jackson, Raymond Wiley, Daisy Eris Campbell, Janne Svensson, Gregory James, Ben Kappel, Brien Harvey, the Maybe Logic Academy staff and students.

While getting firmly hooked on the series of Cosmic Trigger books during the mid 1990s, I literally dreamed of meeting the mysterious author, Dr Robert Anton Wilson. He was an early anarchist hero to me, a truly free man, and he remains one of the funniest scientific philosophers of all time. And yet, he, and his great works remain underground for the most part, bubbling away beneath the surface, patiently awaiting rediscovery and reenactment by brave new readers from next generations and with fresh interpretations. I hope this recording can introduce his ideas to at least one such reader. We need to act on his wisdom now!

After an auspicious solar eclipse experience in August, and a house fire in December moments before the millennium fever of 1999 went into overdrive, i had a rare moment of clarity, and decided to sell my prized turntables and scrape the money together for a ticket to go and see this guy for myself. Only six days after the sad passing of Terence Mckenna, i set off to New York where i next caught the Greyhound bus to New mexico, and my destination, the so called the ‘Prophets Conference’ only two days before my 24th birthday.

Little did i know that RAW had fallen ill that week due in part to his post polio syndrome, together with the grief of losing his lifelong companion, writer and activist Arlen Riley Wilson. The announcer at the conference informed the crowd Bob would not make it, and i went into an altered state of total shock awareness. 

 After the conference was over i straddled that Greyhound up to San Francisco and fell in awe of the San Francisco bay area. I hung out at Wired Magazine radio station, worked for Sound Photo Synthesis, jammed on turntables with jam jazz super group Garaj Mahal. Plus i met Dr John Lilly, Jack Sarfatti, Saul Paul Sirag, and some other friends and associates of RAW, all  seemingly by happy coincidence most of them were presenting at the Guilding The Lilly event at 3220 Sacremento street.

PROPHETS CON

When my visa time limit came up, unlike Columbus, I returned to the UK. One memorable summer day in 2000 i received an email from the Prophets Conference asking if i would like to be a carer for Bob during his next lecture in Palm Springs, 16-18th December 2000. I eagerly responded ‘yes’ and started to save up my dole money.

Bob’s fine lecture at Palm Springs can be viewed on youtube and you can hear him say at one point “I had a Manhattan with my lunch” which i purchased for him when sat together with Paul Krassner and his wife Nancy before his show. This may have led to him using slightly more taboo words than usual, which became part of the reason why the conference wrote him a letter explaining that they had received complaints about his language! and were unwilling to invite him to any more conferences, unless he more or less cleaned up his act. For fucks sake.

 Bob writes about this in his book T.S.O.G: The Thing That Ate The Constitution. I was sacked from the Prophets Conference a few months before Bob. My crime was much less punk rock, i failed to get Bob to the stage with adequate time to spare before he was scheduled to speak, which set a few people panicking and resulted in the boss lady of the conference screaming at me in front of Bob.

After his lecture, Bob gestured me over and invited me up to his room to conduct an interview, which i hinted at earlier. This was partly due, i think, to the fact that he saw how badly i was disgraced earlier and so took a little pity on me. I gifted Bob with a copy of the “The Stargate Conspiracy”, a pretty lame book in retrospect, but a text i figured he should take a look at as he had a few mentions in it, along with almost everybody else at the fringes of paranormal and psychic research in the 1970s.

I offered Bob some dried mushrooms picked at my local spot called Wychbury Hill. He gracefully passed on them with a kind smile and nod. They didn’t go to waste though, years later while reading an article by Richard Metzger (Dangerous Minds) who visited Bob’s room shortly after my interview–i discovered Richard ate the shrooms’ and reported that they were good and strong. Success. His friend Alex Burns, also from Disinformation, managed to get us all super high with some High Times Cannabis Cup winning weed, named William’s Wonder.

CAPITOLA

I pressed the button for the apartment number Bob had sent and waited, and waited…and after what seemed like an eternity i heard the crackle of the intercom and a familiar voice “yes”.

“It’s fly agaric, erm’, i was in touch with you by email about coming down to visit”. After another long pause he said “So…do you wanna’ come in then?” “Yeah, sure” i said, and he buzzed open the steel gate. I walked around the small inner garden area, up some steps to the front door which was already ajar. I stepped through the door.

Once through I slipped my shoes off and walked past his study on the right, and his small library area to the left. He was sitting on a couch, next to some large sliding doors, with a fresh clear view looking out over the Monterey bay. “Hi Bob, thanks for having me over.”

“Would you be so kind as to grab me a coffee, it’s in the pot” he said. “Sure”. I fetched a mug, which had a quote from Hannibal Lecter printed on it, filled it with black coffee and set it down on the table, sitting opposite Bob. “Thanks, fly. So, you’re going to make a recording right?” he asked. “yeah, if that’s cool with you.” I unpacked my minidisc recorder, and set up the microphone on the table.

The apartment reflected a humble man, with moderate furnishings, a couch, two chairs, a television set, stereo, coffee table and a dresser decorated in what looked to me like traditional Japanese artefacts. There were framed pictures hanging up and ornaments that indicated this really was Bob’s residence. On my way out I recall seeing a certificate from a UFO convention, plus I’ll never forget the cute Loch Ness monster ornament laying out on top of the cable box, which at one point during the interview he politely asked me to straighten out for him.

We had two smoke breaks out on the balcony, where i kissed the sky with a specially rolled up bomber. Bob passed my offer due to already feeling high as a mountain goat on his marijuana brownies, which he consumed for medical purposes to help relieve the pain from post polio syndrome. It would be fair to say we were both pretty high and cheerful. I went the whole nine yards and cracked open a four pack of guinness, which was probably a mistake due to the slight fogging of my memory caused by the alcohol.

Bob talked and talked, weaving his unique prose to my unrehearsed questions, turning them into delightful examples of his unique mind at play. He mixed hilarious tales with some serious facts and produced his unmistakable discordian dance of delicate metaphors. There were times when my mouth opened and nothing came out, due to my processing what he had previously said. I had to remain mindful not to interrupt or talk over him, which i’m prone to do at times. There seems nothing worse to me than an interviewer who can’t listen, and sings the eternal song of “I”.

The audio interview is regrettably only the first half of the full recording, the other half of which remains lost in an ocean of badly indexed minidiscs. Fortunately, i made a transcription of the full recording, which was published at the Maybe Logic Quarterly magazine in 2008. However during the interview my disc space ran out, but we carried on talking for at least another 45 minutes. Hence my regret at getting half drunk. Some of the subject matter i recall from that chat included Saul Paul Sirag, Jack Sarfatti, Paul Krassner, David Bohm and the Physics Consciousness Research Institute. He commented at length on 9/11 describing a friends experiences in New York, and the high weirdness that day, and the days that followed. I talked about some of my musical projects, about Garaj Mahal, graffiti art, Ninjatune and my fascination with jazz and synchronicities connected to the music John Coltrane.

I was made to feel welcome during the 3-4 hour visit, and Bob did not whinge or complain once. I only felt him get slightly agitated during the interview after i blindly asked him a series of four readymade questions from somebody else, the last of which was “how do you plan to take physical action?” which, when i said it, sounded rather inappropriate for a man suffering from post polio syndrome most his life, and who uses a wheelchair to get around. It hit a small nerve, he coughed and raised his voice a little “I don’t mean to ball you out but, it’s just that i hear that kind of question a lot.” He went on to describe how he attends protests and gatherings when he can get a ride there, and contributes to Amnesty International.

In 2015 I was digging for a minidisc of DJ Fly material for use on my Fly By Night radio shows, produced for Radio Free Amsterdam. While sifting through the discs I noticed one with writing in light pencil that read: R.A.W 10th September 2002. I popped it into the player, and to my delight it was the first half of the interview. I edited and boosted the sound files to the best of my ability, and added a selection of music from friends and past collaborators, resulting in what you hear right here.

I uploaded two short excerpts from the interview to my Soundcloud account and was planning to release the other parts when a friend, Mark Sampson of Iron Man Records, stepped up. In March 2016 Mark kindly offered to master the audio and release it on his independent record label Iron Man Records. So the circle is complete and I hope you enjoy the words and music. Long live the optimists.

– Steve Fly, June 2016

Nightingales + Ted Chippington – UK Tour Dates in May 2016

NIGHTINGALES + Ted Chippington
UK Tour May 2016

Thu 12 – BRIGHTON, Green Door Store
Fri 13 – BRISTOL, Thunderbolt
Sat 14 – BIRMINGHAM, Flapper & Firkin
Mon 16 – LONDON, Birthdays (Dalston)
Tue 17 – MARGATE, Tom Thumb Theatre SOLD OUT
Wed 18 – MARGATE, Tom Thumb Theatre
Thu 19 – CARDIFF, Moon Club
Fri 20 – OXFORD, Cellar Bar
Sat 21 – DERBY, Hairy Dog
Tue 24 – LEICESTER, Firebug
Thu 26 – MANCHESTER, Gullivers
Fri 27 – BRADFORD, 1 In 12 Club
Sat 28 – EDINBURGH, Leith Depot
Sun 29 – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, Cluny 2

Buy Nightingales stuff: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/nightingales

Buy Ted Chippington Vinyl: http://ironmanrecords.bigcartel.com/artist/ted-chippington

Read all about it: www.thenightingales.org.uk

Dr Marshmallow Cubicle – Occupy

Dr Marshmallow Cubicle – Occupy – Released on Iron Man Records, 23rd April, 2016.

All songs written and composed by Dr Marshmallow Cubicle (Pino and Pratt) lyrics by Steve Fly. All music recorded by Kasper at Kasper Studios 2010. Additional vocals, scratches and overdubs recorded and mixed by Tim Egmond at Ei-Complex studios, 2011/2012. Mastered by Simon Reeves at Framework Studios, Birmingham, March, 2016.

Vicente Pino – Guitars, Bass and Vocals
Steve Fly Pratt – Drums, Scratches
Miss Marshmallow – Vocals
Creature of Rebelmatic – Vocals (Let’s Go Get Em’)
Mark Sampson – Executive Producer
All Rights Reversed – Iron Man Records 2016

The band formed in Amsterdam 2007 and played at local venues and festivals, including The Nieuwe Anita, Cafe’ Batavia, The Buurvrouw, Magneet Festival, Queens Day, Pacific Parc West, The Pick Up Club, CCC, The Oki, Cafe Zen, Eddie The Eagle Museum, Blijburg.

Vicente Pino has played guitar since a young age coming up in Venezuela playing everything from thrash to Django Reinhardt. Since moving to settle in the Netherlands, Pino has played in dozens of bands, performing many hundreds of shows. As the co-founder of the beloved band ‘Supercity’, he has helped write and produce 2 albums, and remains the central axis of energy for the band. Another project, ‘Pino and the Bluebirds’ is well worth tracking down, and playing at high volume.

Steve Fly Pratt is a drummer and DJ, who met up with Vicente after moving to Amsterdam in 2007, thanks to a mutual friend. Fly wrote the lyrics to all the songs on this album, while the music was teased out between both of them, together with the priceless feedback from Tim Egmond at the controls.

Vicente and Steve Fly have worked together with their friend and poet John Sinclair, and initiated into the prestigious open ended ‘Blues Scholars’ an international collective of musicians who play together with John. The Amsterdam Blues Scholars recorded an album together in 2010. And they both joined with New Orleans pianist and composer Tom Worrel, and virtuoso bassist and composer Leslie Lopez to record ‘Let’s Go Get Em’ in 2011. In 2011 and 2012 The Blues Scholars performed as a part of the 24th and 25th High Times Cannabis Cup celebrations. All of which can be found on youtube.

Occupy is the first studio album by Steve Fly and Vicente Pino a.k.a Dr Marshmallow Cubicle. In 2009 DMC joined with vocalist Miss Marshmallow for live shows, and this Occupy album. She can be heard singing on Stop The Cuts, Bluezero and Thoughts.

The DMC duo follow an improvisational framework, always inventing and moving the music in perpetually new directions. Polyrhythmic drums kick out a scatter shot across the layers of analogue feedback, loops and roughneck guitar playing. A species of experimental breakbeat punk, DMC explore many tempos and harmonic environments on the fly.

Occupy captures the various influences in the band, noticeably drum and bass, funk metal, blues and jazz. Plus the name of the album captures the brief period in 2011 when for just a moment, seemingly, global citizens united under a movement to stand up the the big bully banks, major corporations and corrupt government. “Occupy your mind” encourages you to owning your own thoughts.

Special thanks: Vicente Pino, Tim Egmond, Mark Sampson, Miss Marshmallow, John Sinclair, Creature, Kasper, Chu, Saskia Smitt, Ivo Sprey, Leah Blits, Prop Anon, William Sutton, Daniel Bruggman, Dan Dewitte, Janne Svensson, Pim, Oscar Jan, Simon Reeves at Framework Studios.

DR MARSHMALLOW CUBICLE – OCCUPY
Total Running time (68.00 mins) 10 album tracks and 9 extras

1. Occupy

2. Stop The Cuts

3. Banksterdem

4. Law Of Acceleration

5. Silhouette

6. Thoughts

7. Let’s Go Get ‘Em [feat. Creature of Rebelmatic]

8. Bluzero

9. Lovebox

10. Coffeeshopalypse

11. Occupy [Instrumental]

12. Stop The Cuts [Instrumental]

13. Banksterdem [Instrumental]

14. Silhouette Taka

15. Let’s Go Get ‘Em

16. Thoughts [Instrumental]

17. Bluzero [Instrumental]

18. Lovebox [Instrumental]

19. The Law Of Acceleration

DMC Youtube Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3B69EE4E5EBE2716

FB Group
https://www.facebook.com/DOCTOR-MARSHMALLOW-CUBICLE-SYBLINGS-285448185020/

Burn Money – Become A Patron of Iron Man Records

Iron Man Records wants to make all new record releases available on Vinyl.

23 Patrons currently support the record label. You are invited to become a Patron to ensure the insanity continues.

The journey from 1996, when Iron Man Records began, has been back-breaking. The record label has generated a mountain of debt and a serious Class “A” drug habit would have probably worked out a lot cheaper. Everything I earn, working as a Tour Manager, goes into keeping Iron Man Records moving and your support would be much appreciated at a critical time.

Iron Man Records continues to release records by some of the most interesting and talented artists, writers, and musicians. There has to be something that opposes the “reality” that we are surrounded by every day.

I don’t expect everyone to like what the record label releases, but at least you have a choice.

Musicians have to go to band practice, pay for their rehearsals, record their music, and work out a way to release their music. Many musicians have to plan and finance the costs of touring to promote their music by themselves. Musicians also need to eat and have a roof over their head, and I do too. It’s a tough time for musicians and artists, and you have to be mad to carry on sometimes.

I want to return to making every release on Iron Man Records available on Vinyl, as well as via streaming, downloads and on CD. It’s madness in the current economic climate, but a little bit of madness is just what is required. Are you still with me on this?

I’m not asking anyone to pay for everything, nor am I asking anyone to pay me to run Iron Man Records, I can look after all that myself. What I want to do is invite people to contribute to reducing the costs of producing albums on Vinyl in exchange for a number of rewards to make it all worth while.

Patrons will get a copy of everything the label produces, as it becomes available. Patrons will also get access to digital files of everything, so you can listen on portable electronic devices, and you will get all sorts of other benefits. For example: free stuff from the Iron Man shop, stickers, email updates, free tickets, and whatever else I can think up as I go along. There is method to the madness, all you have to do is join in.

If you want to support struggling musicians who are up against it on a daily basis, then please consider offering your support to the cause.

I have put a page together on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ironmanrecords which appears to be an interesting way to raise money. This will help produce Vinyl in small quantities and to the highest standards. Patreon lets you make recurring monthly donations and helps to reduce the upfront costs of producing music on vinyl. Anything from £1 a month or more is actually really helpful.

Iron Man Records is not in the pop business. The Label’s debts are what it’s worth. The label is trying hard, during a tough time in the history of recorded music, to help musicians and artists develop a sustainable future. To me, the simple way to do that, is to give the bands and artists a record to sell at gigs, that people would love to buy.

Iron Man Records wants to create Vinyl, something special, something that presents music in a format that people want to keep and enjoy. Life isn’t just about computers, mobile phones and social networking. There has to be an alternative. So if you want to join in and Burn Money, become a Patron and let’s make something happen. You have to make the world you want to live in.

Have a look here and any comments, good or bad are invited.

 

John Sinclair – It’s All Good: A John Sinclair Reader

It’s All Good: A John Sinclair Reader

Writer/Poet John Sinclair takes readers on a journey through time through music lyrics, poetry and stories from songwriters themselves. It’s All Good features stories of tragedy and triumph, musical and poetic inspiration that takes readers on a trip through the Wonder Years.

John Sinclair has been many things to many people—founder of the Detroit Artists Workshop and the White Panther Party, manager of the storied MC-5, producer of the legendary Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festivals and of records by artists from Deacon John to Sun Ra, political prisoner and implacable opponent of the marijuana laws since 1965, popular radio broadcaster at WDET and WWOZ and originator of the live coverage of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, pioneer of podcasting and proprietor of his own internet radio station at Radio Free Amsterdam for the past ten years.

But first and always John Sinclair is a poet and journalist with 50 years of the written and spoken word behind him. His work in adapting the blues and jazz idioms to verse forms with musical accompaniment is without parallel, and he’s produced more than 20 albums of his music & verse creations.

IT’S ALL GOOD collects 25 of Sinclair’s poems and 25 prose writings into one handy compendium of selections from his books of poetry Fattening Frogs For Snakes—Delta Blues Suite, always know: a book of monk, and Song of Praise—Homage to John Coltrane, plus excerpts from his underground classic Guitar Army and features on Jack Kerouac, Dr. John, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Irma Thomas, and the Wild Indians of Mardi Gras.

IT’S ALL GOOD is accompanied by a free album download of Sinclair’s poetry & music collaborations corresponding to the poems in the book and featuring accompaniment by Wayne Kramer, Jeff Grand, Mark Ritsema, Charles Moore, Lyman Woodard ,Tom Worrell, Afrissippi , Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra and others.

Buy It’s All Good: A John Sinclair Reader

Product Details
Copyright The John Sinclair Foundation (Standard Copyright Licence)
Publisher Horner Books
Published 16 September 2015
Language English
Pages 416
Binding Perfect-bound Paperback
Interior Ink Black & white
Weight 0.27 kg
Dimensions (centimetres) 15.24 wide x 22.86 tall

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