John Sinclair – Renegade Poet, Beatnik and Cultural Revolutionary

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…

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

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…

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

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…

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RETROPOPIC 435 – Poet John Sinclair Talks: Freed By A John Lennon Song & Other Life Stories

Alongside the music of Gil Scott Heron, MC5, John Lennon, Charlie Parker, The Clovers & John's own words set to music, in this 59 minute podcast The Saint of RETROPOPIC RADIO talks with the legendary poet John Sinclair. How does John remember his childhood? Why did he move to Detroit? What was so different about the music of MC5? How did he receive a prison sentence for possessing dope? What were the circumstances that lead to John Lennon campaigning for his freedom? How does he regard the 'John Sinclair' song that appeared on Lennon's album 'Sometime In New York City'? What relationship did he have with Lennon after his release? Why…

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John Sinclair – I Just Want To Get High And Fuck (Limited Edition T-Shirt)

This is the third design in a series of Limited Edition T-shirts featuring a quote from John Sinclair, the last of the Beatnik warrior poets…..a cultural revolutionary, pioneer of marijuana activism, radical leader and a political prisoner by the end of the 1960s. In 1966-67 the jazz poet, downbeat correspondent, founder of the Detroit Artists Workshop and underground journalist joined the front ranks of the hippie revolution, managing the “avant-rock” MC5 and organizing countless free concerts in the parks, White Panther rallies and radical benefits. Buy John Sinclair - I Just Want to Get High and Fuck T-shirt here The T-shirts are Gildan Extra Tees. Black shirt with a White print…

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Cultural Revolution through a Total Assault on the Culture

Our program is Cultural Revolution through a total assault on the culture, which makes us use every tool, every energy and any media we can get our collective hands on. We take our program with us everywhere we go and use any means necessary to expose people to it. Our culture, our art, the music, newspapers, books, posters, our clothing, our homes, the way we walk and talk, the way our hair grows, the way we smoke dope and fuck and eat and sleep — it is all one message, and the message is FREEDOM! We are the mother country madmen in charge of our own lives and we are taking…

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John Sinclair – Demand The End Of Money (Limited Edition T-Shirt)

This is the second design in a series of Limited Edition T-shirts featuring a quote from John Sinclair, the last of the Beatnik warrior poets…..a cultural revolutionary, pioneer of marijuana activism, radical leader and a political prisoner by the end of the 1960s. In 1966-67 the jazz poet, downbeat correspondent, founder of the Detroit Artists Workshop and underground journalist joined the front ranks of the hippie revolution, managing the “avant-rock” MC5 and organizing countless free concerts in the parks, White Panther rallies and radical benefits. Buy John Sinclair - Demand The End Of Money (Limited Edition T-Shirt) here This run will be limited to 50 Shirts. When they're gone, they are…

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

The T-shirts arrived today, they look fantastic. Gerv at Mission Print has done a fantastic job on the printing as usual. Big thanks to Russ at Shockproof-Design for putting it all together and Steve Fly for researching and proposing the John Sinclair quote. Here are a few pictures to show you what the finished design looks like. I have started posting orders already so look out for delivery from next week. 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…

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Beatnik Warrior Poet John Sinclair in the News

January 22, 2019 A group of citizens and NGOs led by Michigan poet John Sinclair and including a physician, a pharmacist, a medical marihuana patient, together with MINORML and the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association have sued the Michigan Board of Pharmacy and its chairperson Nichole Cover seeking to declare void the Board’s continued listing of marihuana as a controlled substance under state law. Under Michigan law, the Board of Pharmacy is charged with the duty to schedule, re-schedule, and de-schedule substances based upon their medical benefits, relative harm and potential for abuse. Notwithstanding the passage of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act and the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, the Board continues…

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Whoever controls the internet servers, controls the intellectual record of humankind

"He who controls the present, controls the past" - George Orwell. Whoever controls the internet servers, controls the intellectual record of humankind. And by controlling the intellectual record of humankind, you control our perceptions of who we are. When all music is digital, all independence will cease. Iron Man Records would like to release all new records on Vinyl and you can help make something happen. You are invited to become a Patron. "When All Music is Digital, All Independence ceases." Iron Man Records is an independent record label, that began in 1996. To release Vinyl at an affordable price, and maintain it's independence, Iron Man Records needs your help. Iron…

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John Sinclair – Beatnik Youth Ambient – Press update

John Sinclair - Beatnik Youth Ambient Iron Man Records IMB6033 Distributed by Cargo 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…

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Howard Marks 1945 – 2016

"In the early hours of 10th April 2016, Howard Marks died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his four loving children. The best-selling author, life time campaigner, raconteur, stand-up comedian and counterculture hero died after battling bowel cancer that was diagnosed at a terminal stage in August 2014. He fought the illness with grace and humour. His death was 21 years to the day since his release from prison in the United States, his second bout of imprisonment for cannabis smuggling since his miraculous acquittal at the Old Bailey in 1980. One of his last acts was to set up the Mr Nice foundation, to ensure the causes dear to him…

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John Sinclair – Mohawk – Press

ARTIST: John Sinclair TITLE: Mohawk LABEL: Iron Man Records FORMAT: CD Double Gatefold Sleeve / Digital Release too RELEASE DATE: 24th March 2014 FILE UNDER: Rock Cat No: IMB6022 John Sinclair - “Mohawk” CD out now on Iron Man Records. Distribution by Cargo Works in Progress: Beat Poet John Sinclair 10/15/2013 By: Tom Porter - The Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Poet John Sinclair has been described as a pioneer in the counter-cultural movement that began in the 1960s. He's been at the forefront of the underground publishing movement, he's managed rock bands, organized concerts, and was also founder of the White Panther movement - a group of white left-wing activists united…

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John Sinclair – Mohawk

John Sinclair - “Mohawk” CD Out Now on Iron Man Records, Birmingham. Distribution by Cargo John Sinclair, the renegade poet, scholar and cultural revolutionary released his latest album in March 2014. John, has been described as an Archetype of the 1960's art, music and literary synthesis, and who today, is still kicking with both feet on his trajectory for cultural transformation. His record features ten tracks from his book of verse: always know: a book of monk. Twenty poems planted firmly in a single-shot session, and carefully trimmed down to ten exhibits for this album. Beatnik poems, great odes and personal reflections of the Be-Bop jazz persuasion, all flowering together. First…

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P.A.I.N – Our Universe Commences Here Vinyl distributed by Cargo

Track Listings 1. Schtum 2. P.A.I.N 3. Blue Ska 4. Rocking Cross De Borda 5. Neighbourhood Watch 6. Super Drugs 7. A-Z 8. S.T.A.H.B.M 9. Eastern Dub 10. Chickens Double Gatefold Vinyl (Distributed By Cargo 13 Oct 2014) Number of Discs: 1 Label: Iron Man Records O.U.C.H is the long awaited second album from P.A.I.N. The South London conspiracy offer the world a radioactive audio file crammed full of Nuclear Dub, Genetically modified Ska, and BSE laced Punk Rock. The album is about the prison system, its use against the defenceless, and laws that cannot be defended. The band have found allies in unexpected places, such as the well documented liason…

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