John Sinclair (born October 2, 1941 in Flint, Michigan) is a Detroit poet, one-time manager of the band MC5, and leader of the White Panther Party from November 1968 to July 1969. He was jailed in 1969 after giving two joints of marijuana to an undercover narcotics officer. His case received international attention when John Lennon performed at a benefit concert on his behalf in 1971. October 2 is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Nickname: Location of Flint within Genesee County, Michigan. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... MC5 (short for Motor City Five) was a hard rock band formed in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1964 and active until 1972. ... The White Panthers were an American political collective founded in 1968 by Lawrence (Pun) Plamondon and Leni and John Sinclair. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ... The term narcotic, derived from the Greek word for stupor, originally referred to a variety of substances that induced sleep (such state is narcosis). ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... A benefit concert is a concert featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. ...

1960s activism

Sinclair was involved in the reorganization of the Detroit underground newspaper, Fifth Estate, during the paper's growth in the late 1960's. Fifth Estate continues to publish to this day, making it one of the longest continuously published alternative periodicals in the United States. Sinclair also contributed to the formation of Detroit's Artist's Workshop Press, which published five issues of Work magazine. The phrase underground press, especially underground newspapers (or simply underground papers) is, these days, most often used in reference to the print media associated with the countercultural movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s, although publishers of those journals had borrowed the name from previous underground presses such as... Fifth Estate (FE) is a periodical published in Liberty, Tennessee and in Detroit, Michigan. ... Alternative Press is a music magazine focusing on goth and punk music. ...

Sinclair managed the hard-edged proto-punk MC5 from 1966 though 1969. Under his guidance the band embraced the counter-culture revolutionary politics of the White Panther Party. During this period, Sinclair booked the "The Five" as the regular house band at Detroit's famed Grande Ballroom in what came to be known as the "Kick out the Jams" shows. He was managing the MC5 at the time of their free concert outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The band was the only group to perform before baton-wielding police broke up the massive anti-Vietnam war rally, calling it a riot. Eventually, the MC5 came to find Sinclair's politics too heavy-handed. He and the band went their separate ways in 1969.[1] Protopunk is a term used to describe a number of performers who were important precursors of punk rock, or who have been cited by early punk rockers as influential. ... A historic live music venue located at 8952 Grand River, in Detroit, Michigan. ... Kick Out the Jams was the first album by Detroit protopunkers MC5, released in 1969. ... Featured at the Democratic National Convention are speeches by prominent party figures. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War began slowly and in small numbers in 1964 on various college campuses in the United States. ...

Prison sentence

In July 1969 Sinclair was sentenced to prison for 9-1/2 to 10 years for giving two joints to undercover narcotics officers. His supporters viewed his prosecution and harsh sentence as political persecution, and campaigned to free him from prison. Look up Persecution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Sinclair was the subject of the Abbie Hoffman incident at the Woodstock music festival in August 1969, when Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman interrupted The Who's musical set to speak in protest against Sinclair's imprisonment, and Who guitarist Pete Townshend in turn interrupted Hoffman by knocking him into the audience with his electric guitar. (Townshend later said in an interview that he was a supporter of John Sinclair, but that Hoffman's choosing to voice his opinions during the Who's set was the issue.) The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was an event held at Max Yasgurs 600 acre (2. ... The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was an event held at Max Yasgurs 600 acre (2. ... The Youth International Party (whose adherents were known as Yippies, a variant on Hippies) was a highly theatrical political party established in the United States in 1967. ... Abbott Howard Abbie Hoffman (November 30, 1936 – April 12, 1989) was a self-identified communo-anarchist,[1] social and political activist in the United States, co-founder of the Youth International Party (Yippies), and later, a fugitive from the law, who lived under an alias following a conviction for dealing... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Peter Dennis Blandford (Pete) Townshend (born May 19, 1945 in Chiswick, London), is an award winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. ...

On December 10, 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono headlined the "Free John Now Rally" in front of 15-20,000 people at Chrysler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Lennon performed the song, "John Sinclair," calling on the authorities to "Let him be, set him free, Let him be like you and me." Three days after the concert, the Michigan Supreme Court released Sinclair, and later overturned his conviction. The series of events was one factor in the adoption of Ann Arbor's famously lenient "five-dollar pot law" in the early 1970s (see Marijuana laws in Ann Arbor, Michigan). December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Yoko Ono Lennon (小野 洋子 Ono Yōko(ONO Yōko), born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese-American artist and musician. ... For the railroad company, see Ann Arbor Railroad. ... The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the State of Michigan, that is the court of last resort. ... During the last thirty years, the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan has enacted some of the most lenient laws on marijuana possession in the country. ...

While he was in prison, Sinclair wrote the books Guitar Army and Music & Politics, the latter of which was co-written with Robert Levin. In October of 2006, Sinclair's book, Va Tutto Bene ("It's All Good"), was published in Italy by Stampa Alternativa. It contains some of Sinclair's best poetry, as well as provocative essays, in both the original English and translated into Italian (page by page) by John Giorno.

Sinclair was freed on appeal after serving 29 months in prison.

In February 2003, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, at the urging of Supervisor Matt Gonzalez, voted to honor Sinclair with a resolution congratulating him for his "multi-faceted lifetime of poetry, music, activism, and inspiration." The Inter-Cooperative Council at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor honored Sinclair by naming the smoking suite in Georgia O'Keeffe Cooperative House for him. Extensive information on Sinclair is available in the John and Leni Sinclair Papers, at the Bentley Historical Library of the University of Michigan (see External links). Matt Gonzalez (born June 1965) is a former district supervisor, president of the Board of Supervisors, and mayoral candidate in San Francisco, California. ... The Inter-Cooperative Council at the University of Michigan (ICC) is a student owned and operated housing cooperative serving students and community members in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM, U of M or U-M) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Michigan. ...

The Blues Scholars

John Sinclair has released several albums as leader of the Blues Scholars (named after Professor Longhair's band). The music typically features Sinclair's poetry recited over jazz and blues accompaniment. The band first came together in Detroit in 1982. Image of the artist Professor Longhair (nee Henry Roeland Byrd and aka Fess) (December 19, 1918 - January 30, 1980) was a legendary New Orleans blues musician. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on the use of the blue notes and a repetitive pattern that most often follows a twelve-bar structure. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

Sinclair moved to New Orleans in 1991 and assembled a new edition of the Blues Scholars. He also joined the staff of WWOZ radio, winning Offbeat Magazine's reader's poll as the city's most popular DJ five years in a row (1999-2003). New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... WWOZ is a non-profit community-supported radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana broadcasting at 90. ... OffBeat is a monthly music magazine in New Orleans, Louisiana first published in 1988. ...

The Blues Scholars have on occasion been joined on stage and in the recording studio by former MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer. Alive Records released the Blues Scholars recordings. Wayne Kramer is the guitarist for MC5. ...

In 2004, John Sinclair moved to Amsterdam. He continues to tour and record with the Blues Scholars, and hosts a weekly radio show, The John Sinclair Show, which is streamed live and is also available as a podcast. Nickname: Motto: Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig (Valiant, Determined, Compassionate) Location of Amsterdam Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province North Holland Government  - Mayor Job Cohen (PvdA)  - Aldermen Lodewijk Asscher Hennah Buyne Carolien Gehrels Tjeerd Herrema Maarten van Poelgeest Marijke Vos  - Secretary Erik Gerritsen Area [1][2]  - City 219 km²  (84. ...

Other

• The band Blind Melon covers the John Lennon song, "John Sinclair", and it appears on their studio album entitled "Nico"

• Since 2005 Sinclair has twice opened the annual Grass-a-matazz, an event related to the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.

• In Italy, Sinclair received the prestigious Premio Matteo Salvatore in November 2006.

• He recorded an album of poetry called "criss cross" with Mark Ritsema on guitar (Spasmodique, Raskolnikov, Nightporter) and is currently playing across Europe.

Blind Melon is an alternative rock band, whose most notable work dates from 1992 to 1995, and ceased with the death of lead vocalist Shannon Hoon. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Promotion poster for the 18th Cannabis Cup The Cannabis Cup is a festival that was started in 1987 by High Times editor Steven Hager, who came to The Netherlands for an interview with the founder of the first Dutch cannabis-seed company. ... Municipality of Amsterdam Alternate meanings: See Amsterdam (disambiguation) Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. ...

External links

• JohnSinclair.us The Official John Sinclair Website
• JohnSinclairRadio.com Current / Archived Poems & Radio Shows
• John Sinclair on Myspace
• RadioFreeAmsterdam.com Tune into John Sinclair's Radio Free Amsterdam Shows
• The John and Leni Sinclair Papers, 1957-1999
• Audio interview with John Sinclair from Dopefiend.co.uk
• Website of the Inter-Cooperative Council in Ann Arbor