Editors’ Note: Rock and Roll Dope takes the form of a facsimile of the MC5’s Elektra album liner notes for two reasons. First, because Brother Sinclair was stranded in Buffalo after attending a national Lemar (Legalize Marijuana) conference in that …
FE Author: John Sinclair
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 73, February 20-March 5, 1969
The Legal Self Defense (LSD) benefit February 4th was the greatest success in my memory: over 1200 people attended and offered their bread for support, and the LSD Fund netted over $2200.00 for the community.
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 72, February 6 - 19, 1969
I remember two and three years ago and longer writing columns for the Fifth Estate and trying to hip people to a new music and never getting anywhere—people just didn’t seem to be ready for the high-energy jams for one …
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 71, January 23-February 5, 1969
For two weeks now I’ve been trying to write a letter to William Leach, the Black Panther who attacked what he calls the “white left” in the Fifth Estate last time as being jive and untogether. [See “The White Left—Serious …
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 70, January 9-22, 1969
We arrived in New York City on Dec. 15 and made it to Steve Paul’s Scene to dig the Rationals and Slim Harpo. The Rats were cooking as ever and even managed to get a few people dancing. Slim Harpo …
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 69, December 26, 1968-January 8, 1969
“The duty of the revolutionary is to make revolution.” The duty of a musician is to make music. But there is an equation that can’t be missed: MUSIC IS REVOLUTION. Rock and roll music is the most vital revolutionary force …
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 68, December 12-25, 1968
“If we want to do much more fucking, we’re going to have to start fighting. If we want to be able to live we have to start fighting and not let ourselves be fucked around any longer by this shitpile …
Rock & Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 67, November 28-December 11, 1968
People need music to live. We know that and act on it, all ways. Only straight people—honkies—think music is superfluous, that it doesn’t make any difference what you listen to, and their lives demonstrate their ignorance. Music shapes us and …
White Panther Statement
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 66, November 14-27, 1968
First I must say that this statement, like all statements is bullshit without an active program to back it up. We have a program which is on-going and total and which must not be confused with anything that is said …
Rock and Roll Dope
by John Sinclair
Fifth Estate # 64, October 17-30, 1968
Hi kids, sorry I wasn’t here last time but I got a little depressed by Cella Alderson’s letter and just couldn’t get it together in time for the deadline. The only reason I write this shit is because people seem …