blues scholars 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 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…

50th Anniversary Celebration of the John Sinclair Freedom Rally, Detroit, 10th December, 2021

8 December 2021Mark

Beatnik Youth Ambient by John Sinclair (Detroit, November 20, 2021)—Former Michigan marijuana prisoner John Sinclair, his family and friends will celebrate his release from Jackson Prison 50 years ago with an early evening party at the Ralston Holistic Healing Center at 19730 Ralston Street (near State Fair) from 6:00-10:00 pm on December 10, 2021, exactly 50 years after the John Sinclair Freedom Rally at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor where John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Seale, Phil Ochs, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Seger, Commander Cody and a host of others gathered to speak, play and protest the imprisonment of their friend John Sinclair following a sentence in Detroit Recorder’s…

50th Anniversary Celebration of the John Sinclair Freedom Rally to be held at Ralston Center in Detroit on 10th December, 2021

1 December 2021Mark

Beatnik Youth Ambient by John Sinclair (Detroit, November 20, 2021)—Former Michigan marijuana prisoner John Sinclair, his family and friends will celebrate his release from Jackson Prison 50 years ago with an early evening party at the Ralston Holistic Healing Center and Stonehouse Bar at 19730 Ralston Street (near State Fair) from 6:00-10:00 pm on December 10, 2021, exactly 50 years after the John Sinclair Freedom Rally at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor where John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Seale, Phil Ochs, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Seger, Commander Cody and a host of others gathered to speak, play and protest the imprisonment of their friend John Sinclair following a sentence…

John Sinclair – Time Line from 1941 to 2018. A Life’s work to date…..

14 November 2020Mark

1941-1959 Born October 2 at Women’s Hospital, Flint, Michigan Parents: John Sr. (Jack) and Elsie Sinclair Sister Kathleen born 1943, brother David born 1945 Attended Davison Public Schools, Davison, Michigan 1959 1959-1964 Attended Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 1959-61 Attended Flint Junior College, 1961 Attended University of Michigan-Flint College. 1962-64 Editor, The Word, UM–Flint President, UM—Flint Cinema Guild Graduated UM-Flint, January 1964, A.B. English Literature 1964-67 Attended Wayne State University, Detroit, Graduate School of English Master’s Thesis: William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch Convicted of Marijuana Possession, Detroit Recorders Court, Sentenced to two years probation Co-Founder & Director, Detroit Artists Workshop Founder & Director, Detroit LEMAR (Legalize Marijuana) Editor & Publisher, Artists Workshop Press…

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…

Dr Marshmallow Cubicle – Occupy

21 April 2016Mark

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…