of the mind & spirit rooted in humanism & love of art, & manifested in creative production
& social engagement, like trane said “to be a force for good” & make an impact on the world at large
“I’m very happy with this book and very grateful to have all my poems collected in one place like this.” –John Sinclair
“Thank you for your poetry, your standing up for the blues and jazz for decades when few did, and for the way you share your talents and good will wherever you go.” –David Amram, Musician, Composer and Author
“Many of these extraordinary poems trace an important method of “transmission of mind,” a form of Investigative Poetry. These poems are a big work that places Sinclair on the path of Charles Olson. This is an extraordinary work.” –Edward Sanders, Poet, Activist and founder of the Fugs
John Sinclair’s Collected Poems 1964-2024 arrived within a week of his passing, and was edited and proofed with an introduction written by Sinclair in late January of 2024. The book was designed by Sinclair’s right-hand commrade at Radio Free Amsterdam Steve “The Fly” Pratt and published by Ridgeway press in a limited first edition of 150 hand-numbered copies with a forward written by M.L. Liebler. Photographs from the covers of each book and recording begin selections taken from each book. Only Fattening Frogs for Snakes, The Book of Monk, and Songs Of Praise for John Coltrane are not entirely included. The book runs 557 pages, with many poems collected here for the first time.
“I was first attracted to becoming a poet when I read On the Road,” wrote John Sinclair in his introduction, “the idea became more apparent when I read Howl by Allen Ginsberg and Pictures of the Gone World by Lawrence Ferlinghetti after I had ascended into college.”
Presented are Sinclair’s scarce first books printed in the early sixties by the Artists Workshop press; This is Our Music, Meditations and Fire Music. Selections from Fattening Frogs for Snakes and thelonious a book of monk and several of his recording projects; The White Buffalo Prayer, Detroit Life, Viper Madness. The last section “Mobile Homeland” has over three dozen uncollected poems written between 1964-2024. Many of the books have special introductions and notes on the text which Sinclair completed for this edition over the past several years.
The Collected Poems includes a concise six page biography, bibliography of major publications, and a discography of the poet’s recordings, a culmination of 60 years of art and life in one collection. Collected Poems 1964-2004 was produced in a first limited edition of 150 hand numbered copies in paperbound wraps, with a signed forward by M. L. Liebler, 557 pages, issued by Ridgeway press. Profits for the book help support the Detroit Writers Guild.
My condolences and respects go out to Wayne’s widow, Margaret, and his family and ocean of friends and supporters around the world. I sadly never got to meet Wayne, but I was certainly touched by his music and due to my close orbit with his old co-conspirator John Sinclair, I evolved a deeper appreciation for his music-activism and brevity.
Besides his self-evident musical genius, stage presence and courage, I have a particular admiration for Wayne’s work together with Billy Bragg, Jail Guitar Doors, that works to rehabilitate prisoners through music by providing them with musical instruments.
Wayne was driven by his innate sense of social justice and used his position to forward various campaigns and movements to help protect what fragile democracy is left in the USA, and around the world. I also personally admire Wayne for his outspoken disdain for Donald Trump, yet managing to keep dialogue and his respect for all humanity when engaging with those who he politically disagreed with.
Go listen to MC5, and Wayne’s later albums and collaborative projects (MC50!) Read his interviews. Get inspired, pick up an instrument and kick out the jams motherfuckers!
“And how did the idea to make Kick Out of the Jams a live album, to make a live album your debut, come about?
It was a consensus idea between the band and [band associate] John Sinclair and Elektra Records because all of our effort was put into performing live. We had very little studio experience at that point. The idea was that getting this band in a studio to record an album could be costly and labor intensive, whereas we were a fantastic live performing unit. And if we could capture the excitement of the live concert on record, it could be a revolutionary way to introduce the band to the world. And I think that worked.”–RollingStone.
You are invited to this memorable event at the Ralston Building (FB Link) on Sat. April 22, 2023 at 7pm featuring John Sinclair with Harmonica Shah and Howard Glazer and Steve Glazer. The $10 to $20 donation supports the Ralston Village Community Association (RVCA) and the Artists. Light refreshments, 313 Brand Detroit-made Tortilla Chips, BYOB, Ice available, water.
The activities and interests of the RVCA include education, healthy lifestyle, historic preservation, the arts (music, visual, performing arts) community discussion panels, land use planning, and positive economic impact. This event welcomes John Sinclair again to the Ralston, and will help to establish Mr Sinclair as Poet/Artist in Residence in the near future. Your attendance helps to set the stage for this to happen, so thanks for considering attending this event!
Yesterday, I just had to get a lifetime license for ChatGPT. BoingBoing store was doing a sweet deal, $59 for a lifetime license from Mind2Matter. So I bit the bullet. However, I didn’t do all my homework and it turns out that my current WORDPRESS account is not capable of hosting third party PLUGINS, I need to upgrade to a business account, and that’s a whopping $286 and way out my current price range.
And then I had a moment of clarity. Sheeet, I can install it over at Radio Free Amsterdam. So I did, and it works. And I think it’s another reason to spread the word about Radio Free Amsterdam: Grass roots music, blues, jazz, funk, soul, all produced by John Sinclair! And now featuring ChatGPT for further entertainment.
Art and music can heal and unify people, we can feel this intuitively. Good music makes us well. RFA brings together a potent mixture of good music selectors who mix up the musical medicine to be administered by our medicine man: Big Chief (John Sinclair)
Music for peace. Music for therapy, for all, criss-crossing boundaries and borders, arriving on-time at the ears and headspace of the people. Tune in, soak up the culture. Relax, take a load off.
Follow this link for a selection of both Paperbacks and E-books (Kindle) over at Amazon Books. If you’d like signed copies or deals, plus exclusive music and blog posts, please head over to my Patreon account and join the ride.