Total Assault on the Culture Archives

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

2 April 2024Mark

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

John Sinclair – Renegade Poet, Beatnik and Cultural Revolutionary

2 April 2024Mark

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

Total Assault on the Culture

9 March 2024Mark

The Iron Man Records Newsletter aims to inspire you. It's free. It goes out about once a Month. You can choose to support Iron Man Records by paying if you have the means to do so. But there will always be a free version too. Read the latest Newsletter from Iron Man Records here. If you want to keep up with more regular updates, you are also invited to join the new Iron Man Records Channel on Telegram, it’s Free. If you’re interested, simply click on the link: t.me/ironmanrecords23free Once you're there, click on the "Join" button, and you'll instantly become a part of our growing community. If you have anything…

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…

Total Assault On The Culture — March 2022

7 March 2022Mark

“The war in Ukraine is a disaster for the people of Ukraine and a terrible threat to us all, increasing the danger of nuclear war. We demand the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops. We demand an end to NATO expansion. We oppose sanctions that will harm ordinary Russians. We say no to nuclear war and call on all countries to welcome refugees fleeing the war.” — Stop the War I have friends and extended family in Ukraine. The last 8 years and recent weeks may have been difficult, but the last week has been traumatic. I have found it very hard to do any music related work which is why…

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…

Total Assault On The Culture – November 2021

1 November 2021Mark

“There swims behind it all a mass of tremendous life” — Moby Dick an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville This month has been multi-drop van delivery driving all the way in an attempt to turn mileage into music. A few days ago, I found myself loading bathroom supplies into a hire van at the back of a warehouse in pouring rain, whilst discussing abstract mathematics and the life and works of Robert Anton Wilson by phone as confused warehouse staff looked on wondering who on earth I was talking to? Sometimes I don’t understand how anything happens, and the only thing to do is climb behind the wheel and drive…

Total Assault On The Culture – June 2021

22 June 2021Mark

Iron Man Records seeks to provide a cultural outpost for musicians, writers and travellers in the arts. An Embassy for the Imagine Nation committed to inspiring and promoting Independent creativity. The Record label seeks to encourage residents and travellers in the arts to gather, record and present their cultural insights and experiences. 118 Patrons support Iron Man Records. The record label works with 22 Artists, runs a number of Projects, and offers services from Legal Advice and Tour Management to a Recording Studio through Framework Studios. Iron Man Records has generated 43 releases and remains committed to producing new music and distributing it through independent networks. The News this month. Medium:…

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

3 April 2020Mark

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…

Total Assault On The Culture – October 2019

24 October 2019Mark

Iron Man Records provides a cultural outpost for musicians, writers and travellers in the arts. An Embassy and Vehicle for the Imagine Nation committed to inspiring and promoting Independent creativity. The Record label seeks to encourage residents and travellers in the arts to gather, record and present their cultural insights and experiences. Read the October 2019 Newsletter here Sign up for the next Newsletter here

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

18 July 2019Mark

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…

Cultural Revolution through a Total Assault on the Culture

11 June 2019Mark

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…

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

10 June 2019Mark

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…

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

1 March 2019Mark

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…