Does anyone know of/heard of JOHN SINCLAIR?

[yeah thats me]

Hi All,

I was just sent this interesting article from the the Daily Pennsylvanian (U of
Penn's student paper) from March 7, 2000. In this article written by Vickie
Fields entitled "From 'Rocky Horror' to Rabbi", she mentions a man named John
Sinclair that "concieved the idea for The Rocky Horror Picture Show" about 30
years ago".
The article continues to say that Mr. Sinclair and a friend (I would assume R
O'B) came up with the idea for it while working on the musical "Hair" in
England. It says he made a deal with a friend that he would produce the stage
musical if his friend would agree to write it.

The article continues with John Sinclair transforming his life from an actor to
a rabbi. It mentions that his name has been changed to Yaakov Ahser.

My question is, does anyone believe this story? Is it possible that R'OB was
only a portion of the creative process? Does anyone know of the name(s) of the
Producers of the orginal London shows?

I will try to have this article scanned for anyone who want to see it.

Adam from Philly

[Nurse Ansalongs Favourite Patient]

As far as I can remember I have heard Richard O' Brien mention another
guy who he worked with at the time and it was in a conversation
withthis guy that he came up with and developed the idea of writing his
own musical. This guy said he would write it with him but had to go
away to work on another job, by the time he got back Richard had
already written it. I think I heard this on that BBC radio documentary
he did, but I don't remember any names.

Neil

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Kev J. Boycik]

> she mentions a man named John
>Sinclair that "concieved the idea for The Rocky Horror Picture Show" about 30
>years ago".

I don't believe that. I think he's giving himself far too much credit.

John Sinclair did indeed work with O'Brien on some recordings. (Kimi & Ritz,
The Richard O'Brien Crusade, and the Touch Me single by Belinda Sinclair, who
was the second actress to play Janet Weiss on stage, and appeared on the
Original London Cast Recording.)

Richard, Sinclair, and Andy Leighton called themselves collectively Andrew
O'Bonzo. They supposedly worked togther on a few other projects that never
got off the ground.

O'Brien has been interviewed millions of times and everyone always asks him
about the genesis of Rocky Horror, and I don't recall him ever mentioning
Sinclair. I would bet he (Sinclair) is full of B.S.

The one thing I would like to know about him is if he's the *same* John
Sinclair that John Lennon wrote the song of the same name about who was jailed
for marijuana in the early 70's. I've never been able to confirm if the 2
people are the same.

Kev J.B.,
Rocky Horror collector/junkie extraordinare
Visit "sanity for today": http://welcome.to/sanityfortoday
http://www.geocities.com/tulipbaker/

[Douglas North]

Um, I didn't get the first message yet so I don't know the connection
with Richard, but are you talking about the guy John Lennon wrote the
song about? The guy who got arrested for having 2 joints and sentenced
to ten years? And who got out because of John's efforts?

Just wondering,
DN
"They gave him ten for two, what else can the bastards do." -John
Lennon, "John Sinclair" 1972

[Ruth Fink-Winter]

John Sinclair, together with Andy Leighton and Richard O'Brien, made up the
creative trio "Andrew O'Bonzo," who, among other things, released the "Touch
Me" single on the Rich Teaboy label. At the time, Sinclair was dating
Belinda Sinclair, the second London Janet, who does the vocals on the Touch
Me single. And yes, John Sinclair went on to become "The Rocking Rabbi."

I got this information from Andy Leighton as part of an interview we're
printing in the May issue of Crazed. This issue will also include an
interview with the amazing Richard Hartley. If you're at all interested in
Rocky Horror audio, you *must* have this issue...both Mr. Leighton and Mr.
Hartley were very generous with their time, and they both have great
memories.

Ruth Fink-Winter

yeah thats me <adamjs...@aol.comonover> wrote in message
news:20000311155057...@ng-ce1.aol.com...

> Hi All,
>
> I was just sent this interesting article from the the Daily Pennsylvanian
(U of
> Penn's student paper) from March 7, 2000. In this article written by
Vickie

> Fields entitled "From 'Rocky Horror' to Rabbi", she mentions a man named

John
> Sinclair that "concieved the idea for The Rocky Horror Picture Show" about
30
> years ago".

[myr...@gmail.com]

the guy who was going to write it with him but had to go away to do another job may very well have been Jonathan Kramer of Truth & Beauty/Midnight Cowboy fame...

[danlan...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, March 11, 2000 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, yeah thats me wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I was just sent this interesting article from the the Daily Pennsylvanian (U of
> Penn's student paper) from March 7, 2000. In this article written by Vickie
> Fields entitled "From 'Rocky Horror' to Rabbi", she mentions a man named John
> Sinclair that "concieved the idea for The Rocky Horror Picture Show" about 30
> years ago".
> The article continues to say that Mr. Sinclair and a friend (I would assume R
> O'B) came up with the idea for it while working on the musical "Hair" in
> England. It says he made a deal with a friend that he would produce the stage
> musical if his friend would agree to write it.
>
> The article continues with John Sinclair transforming his life from an actor to
> a rabbi. It mentions that his name has been changed to Yaakov Ahser.
>
> My question is, does anyone believe this story? Is it possible that R'OB was
> only a portion of the creative process? Does anyone know of the name(s) of the
> Producers of the orginal London shows?
>
> I will try to have this article scanned for anyone who want to see it.
>
> Adam from Philly

IT is true and I have spent many a Sabbath meal with him. He currently resides in JErusalem Israel.

[tanipo...@gmail.com]

yes it is true hi name is asher and i have been priveleged to study under him in israel he is AWESOME!! but yes its true

[ggavr...@gmail.com]

He was my rabbi in jerusalem's ohr sameyach yeshiva. He usually tells everyone about his journey. In fact, the reason many of you may wonder if there was such a person as john sinclair is because he invested a lot of money in removing his name from history and any affiliation with his past. However, if u search hard enough, you'll find a few of his photos from the 1970s with the stars of the rocky hps. He is now into professional photography as well as being a full time rabbi. His portfolio includes "Seasons of the Moon".

[ggavr...@gmail.com]

Here I will link you 2 sites with his pictures from 1970s and now. Youll see the resemblance:
before: http://www.rockymusic.org/photostag/John+Sinclair.php
After:
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wVi80MHVWqI/hqdefault.jpg

[er...@logi-serve.com]

It's actually true - Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair, formerly known as John, lives in Jerusalem Israel and is a Talmudic scholar and very well regarded teacher at a Yeshiva Ohr Somayach, a college devoted to Talmudic and Judaic studies.

[john.b...@gmail.com]

[john.b...@gmail.com]

Yes, he is a highly regarded rabbi at the seminary ohr Someyach in Jerusalem. He's the brother of the late Jill Sinclair. together they created Sarm east studio, which at the time was the most modern recording studio. After his success <I believe he went to America to produce some big acts there but despite fame, money and success, found himself feeling spiritually empty and took a trip to Israel to rediscover his Jewish roots empty. He's been there ever since. Pretty good photographer too.

[nellyma...@gmail.com]

John Sinclair
yes, wow...this brings back something....
in the mid 80s I was a schoolboy looking at TV or radio stuff, when offered to look round a 'top London studio' for the day, but a family friend who worked there as kind of floor manager. That was SARM West at its very heights
At the end of the day I was involved up to the top office to meet the owner, Jill Sinclair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Sinclair) who offered me a bottom rung, 'gofer' / tape librarian post.
well, what teenage boy wouldn't - and I quit school
For a couple of years I was absorbed into the whole all ZTT, Frankie, Band Aid, Trevor Horn ...80s scene
One of the many 'runner' jobs I was given was to help roadie her brother John Sinclair, putting on his own one man (slightly hip, avant guard), show about the life and works of the legendary 'beat' comedian 'the naz!' / monologist 'Lord Buckley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Buckley)
he'd first performed it in Los Angeles, and then brought to London - called 'Lord Buckley's Finest Hour' (co written by Richard Shepherd)

John seemed (to me) to be hanging around Jill's business (that he would I imagine have had a stake of when it was just SARM East - living off what he could of the opportunities it opened ...whilst fulfilling more personal ambitions and interests
- check out his 'The Naz (The Word), by John Sinclair & Lord Buckley' (https://www.discogs.com/The-Word-The-Naz/release/3631307)
John it seemed had been involved on the side lines of Trevor Horn's Buggles - and features in the 'Video killed...' video
In the tape library I managed (dusty archive of old master tapes of SARMs past - and future) were original multi-tracks of RO'Bs Rocky Horror - published on 'Perfect Songs' (http://www.perfectsongs.com/welcome/) - part of Universal Music Group now
I was told - and I hope I've got this right - that whilst Richard OB travelled publishing houses trying to get any one to take his 'Rocky...' idea seriously, he was introduced by his friend and collaborator John Sinclair, to his sister Jill (in whom he part owned SARM East), and husband Trevor, who were looking for anything to establish a catalogue for their own fledgling 'Perfect Songs'. Hence the reason the master tapes were still at SARM in my day.
Jill of course tragically died 8 years after the accidental shooting by her son (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/10722718/Record-company-boss-Jill-Sinclair-wife-of-Trevor-Horn-dies-eight-years-after-shooting-accident.html)

I wasn't involved much longer, but have fond memories of sitting at the back helping on the sound & lights of John's Lord Buckley shows (some small upstairs theatre play room, near Chelsea I think ...but could be wrong !)
and oh, wow....just found this on the net - the opening is some of the script John used ! ... that I heard every night by him (in character of course) - see the reference to John's show half way down
http://www.lordbuckley.com/LBC_The_Word/LBC_Print_Articles/Immaculately_Hip.htm

John's name can be found on company records as a Director of SARM here (along with their father David) -
http://www.datalog.co.uk/browse/company_officers.php/CompanyNumber/01676084/CompanyName/SARM+%28EAST%2FWEST%29+LIMITED

A Rabbi now eh? .....
...as Buckley would have said (and I can still hear John as...)
...he's 'straightening out the squares!'

[nellyma...@gmail.com]

http://m.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Music/A-Foreigner-fan-in-Mea-Shearim-346256

[mcoh...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, March 11, 2000 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Kev J. Boycik wrote:
> > she mentions a man named John
> >Sinclair that "concieved the idea for The Rocky Horror Picture Show" about 30
> >years ago".
>

> I don't believe that. I think he's giving himself far too much credit.
>

Andy Leighton said in an interview a few years back

"My best mate John Sinclair was in Hair, the touring company, where he met Richard O’Brien, who then became a friend of mine and was the first person we signed."
in other interviews he refers to Sinclair as being a critical part of the show, including was the man who got them the funding for making it in the first place, and Sinclair did the recording of the music.

So not giving himself too much credit. Between recording the music and obtaining the funding for the project, I think he was very critical to that project