Henry Rollins | |
|---|---|
 Rollins atWacken Open Air 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Henry Lawrence Garfield (1961-02-13)February 13, 1961 (age 64) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Works | Full list of works |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | 2.13.61 |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | henryrollins |
Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally asHenry Rollins, is an American singer, writer,spoken word artist, actor, comedian, and presenter. After performing in the short-livedhardcore punk bandState of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the California hardcore bandBlack Flag from 1981 to 1986. Following the band's breakup, he established the record label and publishing company2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, and formed theRollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups from 1987 to 2003 and in 2006.
Rollins has hosted numerous radio shows, such asHarmony in My Head onIndie 103, and television shows such asThe Henry Rollins Show and120 Minutes. He had recurring dramatic roles in the second season ofSons of Anarchy asA.J. Weston, in the final 2 seasons of the animated seriesThe Legend of Korra asZaheer, and has also had roles in several films. He has campaigned for various political causes in the United States, including the promotion ofgay rights,World Hunger Relief, theWest Memphis Three, and anend to all war. He currently hosts a weekly radio show onKCRW, is a regular columnist forRolling Stone Australia, and was a regular columnist forLA Weekly.[1]
Rollins was born Henry Lawrence Garfield inWashington, D.C., on February 13, 1961, the only child of Iris and Paul Garfield.[2][3][4][5] His mother is of Irish descent,[6] and his father was from aJewish family.[7] Rollins's paternal great-grandfather, Henach Luban, fled to the U.S. fromRēzekne, Latvia, (then part of theRussian Empire) and changed his first name to Henry.[8] When Rollins was three years old, his parents divorced and he was raised by his mother in the Washington neighborhood ofGlover Park.[2][9][10][11] As a child and teenager, Rollins was sexually assaulted,[12] and he suffered from depression and low self-esteem.[13] In fourth grade, he was diagnosed withhyperactivity and was prescribedRitalin for several years to focus during school.[14]
Rollins attendedThe Bullis School, then an all-male preparatory school inPotomac, Maryland.[2] According to Rollins, the school helped him to develop a sense of discipline and a strong work ethic.[13] It was at Bullis that he began writing.[11] After high school, he attendedAmerican University in Washington for one semester, but dropped out in December 1979.[3][15] He began working minimum-wage jobs, including a job as a courier for kidney samples at theNational Institutes of Health.[16] In 1987, he said that he had not seen his father since the age of 18,[3] and, in 2019, wrote, "What my father thinks of me, or if he is still alive, I have no idea."[17]
Initially intohard rock acts likeVan Halen[18] andTed Nugent,[19] Rollins soon developed an interest inpunk with his friendIan MacKaye.
"We wanted something that justkicked ass," he says. "Then one of us, probably Ian, got theSex Pistols record. I remember hearing that and thinking 'Well, that's something. This guy is pissedoff, those guitars arerude.' What a revelation!"[18]
From 1979 to 1980, Rollins was working as a roadie for D.C. bands, includingTeen Idles. When the band's singer, Nathan Strejcek, failed to appear for practice sessions, Rollins convinced the Teen Idles to let him sing. Word of Rollins's ability spread around the punk rock scene in Washington D.C.;Bad Brains singerH.R. would sometimes have Rollins on stage to sing with him.[20] In 1980, the Washington punk band the Extorts lost their frontmanLyle Preslar toMinor Threat. Rollins joined the other members of the band and formedState of Alert (S.O.A.) and became its frontman and vocalist. He put words to the band's five songs and wrote several more. S.O.A. recorded their sole EP,No Policy, and released it in 1981 on MacKaye'sDischord Records.[21]
Around April 1981, drummer Simon Jacobsen was replaced by Ivor Hanson. At the time, Hanson's father was a top admiral in theU.S. Navy and his family shared living quarters with theU.S. vice president at theNaval Observatory. The band held their practices there and would have to be let in bySecret Service agents.[22]
S.O.A. disbanded after a total of a dozen concerts and one EP. Rollins had enjoyed being the band's frontman, and had earned a reputation for fighting in shows. He later said, "I was like nineteen and a young man all full of steam andloved to get in the dust-ups." By this time, Rollins had become the assistant manager of the GeorgetownHäagen-Dazs ice cream store; his steady employment had helped to finance the S.O.A. EP.[23]
In 1980, a friend gave Rollins and MacKaye a copy of Black Flag'sNervous Breakdown EP. Rollins soon became a fan of the band, exchanging letters with bassistChuck Dukowski and later inviting the band to stay in his parents' home when Black Flag toured the East Coast in December 1980.[24] When Black Flag returned to the East Coast in 1981, Rollins attended as many of their concerts as he could. At an impromptu show in a New York bar, Black Flag's vocalistDez Cadena allowed Rollins to sing "Clocked In", a song Rollins had asked the band to play in light of the fact that he had to drive back to Washington, D.C., to begin work.[18]
Unbeknownst to Rollins, Cadena wanted to switch to guitar, and the band was looking for a new vocalist.[18] The band was impressed with Rollins's singing and stage demeanor, and the next day, after a semi-formal audition at Tu Casa Studio in New York City, they asked him to become their permanent vocalist. Despite some doubts, he accepted, in part because of MacKaye's encouragement. His high level of energy and intense personality suited the band's style, but Rollins's diverse tastes in music were a key factor in his being selected as singer; Black Flag's founderGreg Ginn was growing restless creatively and wanted a singer who was willing to move beyond simple, three-chord punk.[25]
After joining Black Flag in 1981, Rollins quit his job at Häagen-Dazs, sold his car, and moved to Los Angeles. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Rollins got the Black Flag logotattooed on his left biceps[16] and on the back of his neck, and chose the stage name of Rollins, a surname he and MacKaye had used as teenagers.[25] Rollins played his first show with Black Flag on July 25, 1981, atCuckoo's Nest in Costa Mesa, California.[26] Rollins was in a different environment in Los Angeles; the police soon realized he was a member of Black Flag, and he was hassled as a result. Rollins later said: "That really scared me. It freaked me out that an adult would do that. ... My little eyes were opened big time."[27]
Before concerts, as the others of the band tuned up, Rollins would stride about the stage dressed only in a pair of black shorts, grinding his teeth; to focus before the show, he would squeeze a pool ball.[28] His stage persona impressed several critics; after a 1982 show inAnacortes, Washington,Sub Pop criticCalvin Johnson wrote: "Henry was incredible. Pacing back and forth, lunging, lurching, growling; it was all real, the most intense emotional experiences I have ever seen."[29]
By 1983, Rollins's stage persona was increasingly alienating him from the rest of Black Flag. During a show in England, Rollins assaulted a member of the audience who attacked Ginn; Ginn later scolded Rollins, calling him a "macho asshole".[30] A legal dispute withUnicorn Records held up further Black Flag releases until 1984, and Ginn was slowing the band's tempo down so that they would remain innovative. In August 1983, guitaristDez Cadena had left the band; a stalemate lingered between Dukowski and Ginn, who wanted Dukowski to leave, before Ginn fired Dukowski outright.[31] 1984'sheavy metal music-influencedMy War featured Rollins screaming and wailing throughout many of the songs; the band's members also grew their hair to confuse the band's hardcore punk audience.[32]
Black Flag's change in musical style and appearance alienated many of their original fans, who focused their displeasure on Rollins by punching him in the mouth, stabbing him with pens, or scratching him with their nails, among other things. He often fought back, frequently dragging audience members on stage and assaulting them. During a Black Flag concert, Rollins repeatedly punched a fan in the face who had continuously reached for his microphone.[33] Rollins became increasingly alienated from the audience; in his tour diary, Rollins wrote "When they spit at me, when they grab at me, they aren't hurting me. When I push out and mangle the flesh of another, it's falling so short of what I really want to do to them."[34] During the Unicorn legal dispute, Rollins had started a weight-lifting program, and by their 1984 tours, he had become visibly well-built; journalistMichael Azerrad later commented that "his powerful physique was a metaphor for the impregnable emotional shield he was developing around himself."[32] Rollins has since replied that "no, the training was just basically a way to push myself."[35]
Before Black Flag disbanded in August 1986, Rollins had already toured as a solo spoken-word artist.[36] He released two solo records in 1987,Hot Animal Machine, a collaboration with guitaristChris Haskett, andDrive by Shooting, recorded as "Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters";[37] Rollins also released his second spoken word album,Big Ugly Mouth, in the same year. Along with Haskett, Rollins soon addedAndrew Weiss andSim Cain, both former members of Ginn's side-projectGone, and called the new group Rollins Band. The band toured relentlessly,[38] and their 1987 debut album,Life Time, was quickly followed by the outtakes and live collectionDo It. The band continued to tour throughout 1988; in 1989 another Rollins Band album,Hard Volume, was released.[39] Another live album,Turned On, and another spoken word release,Live at McCabe's, followed in 1990.
In 1991, the Rollins Band signed a distribution deal with Imago Records and appeared at theLollapalooza festival; both improved the band's presence. However, in December 1991, Rollins and his best friendJoe Cole were accosted by two armed robbers outside Rollins's home. Cole was murdered by a gunshot to the head; Rollins escaped without injury but police suspected him in the murder and detained him for ten hours.[40] Although traumatized by Cole's death, as chronicled in his bookNow Watch Him Die, Rollins continued to release new material; the spoken-word albumHuman Butt appeared in 1992 on his own record label,2.13.61. The Rollins Band releasedThe End of Silence, Rollins's first charting album.[39]
The following year, Rollins released a spoken-word double album,The Boxed Life.[41] The Rollins Band embarked upon theEnd of Silence tour; bassist Weiss was fired toward its end, and replaced by funk and jazz bassistMelvin Gibbs. According to critic Steve Huey, 1994 was Rollins's "breakout year".[39] The Rollins Band appeared atWoodstock 94 and releasedWeight, which ranked on the Billboard Top 40. Rollins releasedGet in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag, a double-disc set of him reading from his Black Flag tour diary of the same name; he won the Grammy forBest Spoken Word Recording as a result. Rollins was named 1994's "Man of the Year" by the American men's magazineDetails and became a contributing columnist to the magazine. With the increased exposure, Rollins made several appearances on American music channels MTV andVH1 around this time, and made his Hollywood film debut in 1994 inThe Chase playing a police officer.[42]
In 1995, the Rollins Band's record label, Imago Records, declared itself bankrupt. Rollins began focusing on his spoken word career. He releasedEverything, a recording of a chapter of his bookEye Scream with free jazz backing, in 1996. He continued to appear in various films, includingHeat,Johnny Mnemonic andLost Highway. The Rollins Band signed toDreamWorks Records in 1997 and soon releasedCome In and Burn, but it did not receive as much critical acclaim as their previous material. Rollins continued to release spoken-word book readings, releasingBlack Coffee Blues in the same year. In 1998, Rollins releasedThink Tank, his first set of non-book-related spoken material in five years.[39]
By 1998, Rollins felt that the relationship with his backing band had run its course, and the line-up disbanded. He had produced a Los Angeleshard rock band calledMother Superior, and invited them to form a new incarnation of the Rollins Band. Their first album,Get Some Go Again, was released two years later. The Rollins Band released several more albums, including 2001'sNice and 2003'sRise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three. After 2003, the band became inactive as Rollins focused on radio and television work. During a 2006 appearance onTom Green Live!, Rollins stated that he "may never do music again",[43] a feeling which he reiterated in 2011 when talking toTrebuchet magazine.[44] In an interview withCulture Brats, Rollins admitted he had sworn off music for good – "... and I must say that I miss it every day. I just don't know honestly what I could do with it that's different."[45]
On the same topic, Rollins more recently said in 2016 "For me, music was a time and a place. I never really enjoyed being in a band. It was in me and it needed to come out, like a 25-year exorcism. One day, I woke up, and I didn't have any more lyrics. I just had nothing to contribute to the form, and I was done with band practice and traveling in groups."[46]
Rollins is a guest star onDamian Cowell's 2017 albumGet Yer Dag On!
As a vocalist, Rollins has adopted a number of styles through the years. He was noted in theWashington, D.C. hardcore scene for what journalistMichael Azerrad described as a "compelling, raspy howl".[20] With State of Alert, Rollins "spat out the lyrics like a bellicose auctioneer."[23] He adopted a similar style after joining Black Flag in 1981. By their albumDamaged, however, Black Flag began to incorporate aswing beat into their style. Rollins then abandoned hisState of Alert "bark" and adopted the band's swing.[47] Rollins later explained: "What I was doing kind of matched the vibe of the music. The music was intense and, well, I was as intense as you needed."[48]
In both incarnations of the Rollins Band, Rollins combined spoken word with his traditional vocal style in songs such as "Liar" (the song begins with a one-minute spoken diatribe by Rollins), barked his way through songs (such as "Tearing" and "Starve"), and employed the loud-quiet dynamic.Rolling Stone's Anthony DeCurtis names Rollins a "screeching hate machine" and his "hallmark" as "the sheets-of-sound assault".[49]
With the Rollins Band, his lyrics focused "almost exclusively on issues relating to personal integrity", according to critic Geoffrey Welchman.[50]
In the 1980s, Rollins produced an album of acoustic songs for convictCharles Manson titledCompletion. The record was supposed to be released bySST Records, but the project was canceled because the label received death threats for working with Manson. Only five test presses ofCompletion were pressed, two of which remain in Rollins's possession.[51]
In 1995, Rollins produced Australian hard rock band theMark of Cain's third full-length albumIll at Ease.[52]
As Rollins rose to prominence with the Rollins Band, he began to present and appear on television. These includedAlternative Nation andMTV Sports in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Rollins also co-starred inThe Chase with Charlie Sheen. In 1995 Rollins co-starred inJohnny Mnemonic and also appeared on an episode ofUnsolved Mysteries that explored the murder of his best friendJoe Cole[53] and presentedState of the Union Undressed onComedy Central. Rollins began to present and narrateVH1 Legends in 1996.[54] Rollins, busy with the Rollins Band, did not present more programs until 2001, but made appearances on a number of other television shows, includingWelcome to Paradox in 1998 in the episode "All Our Sins Forgotten", as a therapist who develops a device that can erase the bad memories of his patients. Rollins also voicedMad Stan inBatman Beyond in 1999 and 2000.[55][56]
Rollins was a host of film review programmeHenry's Film Corner on theIndependent Film Channel, before presenting the weeklyThe Henry Rollins Show on the channel.The Henry Rollins Show is now[when?] being shown weekly onFilm24 along withHenry Rollins Uncut. The show also lead to a promotional tour in Europe that led to Rollins being dubbed a "bad boy goodwill ambassador" by a NY reviewer.[57] He also hostedFox's short-lived 2001 horror anthology seriesNight Visions.[58] The show's creators wantedGary Oldman to host this show, but Fox insisted on having Rollins instead.[59]
In 2002, Rollins guest-starred on an episode of the sitcomThe Drew Carey Show as a man Oswald found oneBay and paid to come to his house and "kick his ass". He co-hosted the British television showFull Metal Challenge, in which teams built vehicles to compete in various driving and racing contests, from 2002 to 2003 onChannel 4 andTLC. He has made a number of cameo appearances in television series such as MTV'sJackass and an episode ofCalifornication, where he played himself hosting a radio show.[60] In 2006, Rollins appeared in a documentary series byVH1 andThe Sundance Channel calledThe Drug Years.[61]
Rollins appears in FX'sSons of Anarchy's second season, which premiered in the fall of 2009 in the United States. Rollins playsA.J. Weston, awhite supremacist gang leader and new antagonist in the show's fictional town of Charming, California, who poses a deadly threat to theSons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.[62] In 2009, Rollins voiced "Trucker" inAmerican Dad!'s fourth season (episode eight).[63] Rollins voiced Benjamin Knox/Bonk in the 2000 animated filmBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker.[64]
In 2010, Rollins appeared in an episode of the German documentary television seriesDurch die Nacht mit ... with Iranian artistShirin Neshat.[65]
Also in 2010, Rollins appeared as a guest judge on season 2 episode 6 ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[66][67]
In 2011, he was interviewed in theNational Geographic Explorer episode "Born to Rage", regarding his possible link to the MAOA gene (warrior gene) and violent behavior.[68] In 2012, he hosted theNational Geographic Wild series "Animal Underworld", investigating where the real boundaries lie inhuman-animal relationships.[69] Rollins also appeared in theHawaii Five-0 episode "Hoʻopio" that aired on May 6, 2013.
In November 2013, Rollins started hosting the show10 Things You Don't Know About on the History Channel'sH2.[70] In 2014, he voiced the antagonistZaheer in thethird season of the animated seriesThe Legend of Korra.[71]
Rollins played the part of Lt. Mueller in episodes 1–3 of the fourth season of the TV seriesZ Nation, which originally aired onSyfy in 2017.[72]
In 2019, Rollins began appearing as a disillusioned poisons instructor in the TV seriesDeadly Class.
He was on episode 1 of season 8 of Portlandia. He played a member of the band Riot Spray, also featuring Krist Novoselic.
On May 19, 2004, Rollins began hosting a weekly radio show,Harmony in My Head, onIndie 103.1 radio in Los Angeles. The show aired every Monday evening, with Rollins playing music ranging from early rock andjump blues tohard rock,blues rock,folk rock,punk rock,heavy metal androckabilly, and touching onhip hop,jazz,world music,reggae, classical music and more.Harmony in my Head often emphasizes B-sides, livebootlegs and other rarities, and nearly every episode has featured a song either by theBeastie Boys or British groupThe Fall.[citation needed]
Rollins put the show on a short hiatus from early to late 2005, to undertake a spoken-word tour.[citation needed] Upon resuming the show, Rollins kicked off his return by playing the show's namesakeBuzzcocks song. In 2008, the show was continuing each week, despite Rollins's constant touring, with new pre-recorded shows between live broadcasts. The show ended when the station went off the air in 2009.[73]
On February 18, 2009,KCRW announced that Rollins would be hosting a live show on Saturday nights starting March 7, 2009,[74] which has since been moved to Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m.[75] As of Aug 2023, Rollins has hosted 748 episodes.[76]
In 2011, Rollins was interviewed on Episode 121 of American Public Media's podcast,The Dinner Party Download, posted on November 3, 2011.[77]
In February 2015, Rollins began recording a semi-regularpodcast with his longtime manager Heidi May, titledHenry & Heidi.[78] In describing the show, Rollins stated, "One day Heidi mentioned that I've told her a lot of stories that never made it to the stage and we should do a podcast so I could tell them ... I thought it was a good idea and people seem to like how the two of us get along. We've been working together for over 20 years and are very good friends."[79] The podcast has received positive reviews fromRolling Stone andThe A.V. Club.[79][80]
Rollins began his film career appearing in several independent films featuring the band Black Flag. His film debut was in 1982'sThe Slog Movie, about the West Coast punk scene.[81] An appearance in 1985'sBlack Flag Live followed. Rollins's first film appearance without Black Flag was the short filmThe Right Side of My Brain withLydia Lunch in 1985.[82] Following the band's breakup, Rollins did not appear in any films until 1994'sThe Chase. Rollins appeared in the 2007 direct-to-DVD sequel toWrong Turn (2003),Wrong Turn 2: Dead End as a retired Marine Corps officer who hosts his own show which tests the contestants' will to survive.[83] Rollins has also appeared inPunk: Attitude, a documentary on the punk scene, and inAmerican Hardcore (2006). In 2012, Rollins appeared in a short documentary entitled "Who Shot Rock and Roll" discussing the early punk scene in Los Angeles as well as photographs of himself in Black Flag taken by photographer Edward Colver.[84] Rollins also inspired the characterization ofNegan inThe Walking Dead comic and auditioned to play the character in thetelevision series, but eventually lost the role toJeffrey Dean Morgan.[85]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Kiss Napoleon Goodbye | Jackson | |
| 1994 | Jugular Wine: A Vampire Odyssey | Self | |
| 1994 | The Chase | Officer Dobbs | |
| 1995 | Johnny Mnemonic | Spider | |
| 1995 | Heat | Hugh Benny | |
| 1997 | Lost Highway | Guard Henry | |
| 1998 | Jack Frost | Sid Gronic | |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Bonk | Voice |
| 2001 | Morgan's Ferry | Monroe | |
| 2001 | Dogtown and Z-Boys | Self | Documentary |
| 2001 | Scenes of the Crime | Greg | |
| 2002 | The New Guy | Warden | |
| 2002 | Jackass: The Movie | Self | |
| 2003 | Bad Boys II | TNT Leader | |
| 2003 | A House on a Hill | Arthur | |
| 2004 | Deathdealer: A Documentary | Vincent | |
| 2005 | Feast | Coach | |
| 2006 | The Alibi | Putty | |
| 2006 | American Hardcore | Self | Documentary |
| 2007 | Wrong Turn 2: Dead End | Dale | |
| 2009 | The Devil's Tomb | Father Fulton | Direct-to-Video |
| 2009 | H for Hunger | Self | Documentary |
| 2009 | William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet | Self | Documentary |
| 2009 | Suck | Rockin' Roger | |
| 2011 | Green Lantern: Emerald Knights | Kilowog | Voice |
| 2012 | West of Memphis | Self | Documentary |
| 2013 | Downloaded | Self | Documentary |
| 2014 | Salad Days | Self | Documentary |
| 2015 | He Never Died | Jack | [86] |
| 2015 | Gutterdämmerung | Priest Svengali | [87] |
| 2016 | The Last Heist | Bernard | [88] |
| 2019 | Dreamland | Hercules | |
| 2021 | Music | Ebo's Neighbor | [89] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Saturday Night Live | Musical Guest (Rollins Band) | 1 episode |
| 1999–2001 | Batman Beyond | Stanley Labowski / Mad Stan | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Teen Titans | Johnny Rancid | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Shorty McShorts' Shorts | Skylar | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Odd Job Jack | Larry | Voice, episode: "Insecticidal Tendencies" |
| 2009 | American Dad! | Trucker | Voice, episode: "Chimdale" |
| 2009 | Sons of Anarchy | A.J. Weston | 10 Episodes |
| 2010–2016 | Adventure Time | Bob Rainicorn, Cookie Man | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Cliff Steele / Robotman | Voice, episode: "The Last Patrol!" |
| 2013 | Hawaii Five-0 | Ray Beckett | episode: "Ho'opio!" |
| 2013 | The Eric Andre Show | Himself | Episode: Chance the Rapper/Mel B |
| 2014 | The Legend of Korra | Zaheer | Voice, 13 episodes |
| Uncle Grandpa | Skeletony | Voice, episode: "Hide and Seek" | |
| 2014 | You're the Worst | Cameo appearance | Episode: Other Things You Could Be Doing |
| 2015 | Stitchers | Robert Barbiero | Episode: "Full Stop" |
| 2016 | Sheriff Callie's Wild West | Speedy Silverado | Voice, episode: "Blazing Skaters" |
| 2017 | Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters | Mickey Simmons, Prison Guard | Voice, episode: "The Gangs of Old Town" |
| 2017 | Z Nation | Lt. Mueller | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Mr. Pickles | Govt. Agent Commander | Voice, episode: "S.H.O.E.S." |
| 2021 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Tri-Klops | Voice |
| 2023 | The Patrick Star Show | FitzPatrick | Voice, episode: "FitzPatrick" |
Rollins has written a variety of books, includingBlack Coffee Blues,Do I Come Here Often?,The First Five (a compilation ofHigh Adventure in the Great Outdoors,Pissing in the Gene Pool,Bang!,Art to Choke Hearts, andOne From None),See a Grown Man Cry,Now Watch Him Die,Smile, You're Traveling,Get in the Van,Eye Scream,Broken Summers,Roomanitarian, andSolipsist.[90][91]
For theaudiobook version of the 2006 novelWorld War Z, Rollins voiced the character of T. Sean Collins, a mercenary hired to protect celebrities during a mass panic caused by an onslaught of the undead. Rollins' other audiobook recordings include3:10 to Yuma and his own autobiographical book,Get in the Van, for which he won aGrammy Award.[92][93]
In early 2005, with his weekly show on hiatus, Rollins posted playlists and commentary on-line;[where?] these lists were expanded with more information and published in book form asFanatic! in November 2005. In 2007 and 2008, Rollins publishedFanatic! Vol. 2 andFanatic! Vol. 3, respectively.[73]
Rollins continued to take notes of the music featured on his show, and wanted to preserve them in book form along with scans of set lists, flyers and other music-related materials he had been collecting since the 70s. These volumesStay Fanatic!!! Vol. 1,Stay Fanatic!!! Vol. 2 andStay Fanatic!!! Vol. 3 were published in 2018, 2021 and 2022, respectively.[73]
In September 2008, Rollins began contributing to the "Politics & Power"blog at the online version ofVanity Fair magazine.[94] Since March 2009, his posts have appeared under their own sub-title,Straight Talk Espresso.[95] His posts consistently criticizeconservative politicians and pundits, although he does occasionally target those on the left.[citation needed] In August 2010, he began writing a music column forLA Weekly in Los Angeles.[96] In 2012, Rollins began publishing articles withHuffPost and alternative news websiteWordswithMeaning! In the months leading up to the2012 United States Presidential election, Rollins broadcast a YouTube series called "Capitalism 2012", in which he toured the capital cities of the US states, interviewing people about current issues.[citation needed]
Since the 1980s, Rollins has toured around the world doing spoken word performances and his shows frequently last for over three hours.[97] His spoken word style encompasses stand-up comedy, accounts of experiences he has had in the world of music and during his extensive travels around the globe, self-deprecating stories about his own shortcomings, introspective recollections from his own life (such as the death of his friend, Joe Cole), commentaries on society and playful anecdotes.[citation needed] "The talking shows are more demanding, because it's only me on stage", Rollins explained in regards to his spoken word shows. "It's like comparing surgery with construction – one requires super concentration and the other is just physical."[98]
Rollins was a playable character in bothDef Jam: Fight for NY andDef Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover.[99] Rollins is also the voice of Mace Griffin inMace Griffin: Bounty Hunter.[100]
Rollins has become an outspoken human rights activist, most vocally forgay rights. In high school, a gay classmate of Rollins' was bullied by classmates to the point of attempting suicide. Rollins has cited this as the main catalyst of his "anti-homophobia".[101] Rollins frequently speaks out on justice on his spoken word tours and promotes equality, regardless of sexuality.[102] He was the host of the WedRockbenefit concert, which raised money for a pro-gay-marriage organization.
During theIraq War, he started touring with theUnited Service Organizations to entertain troops overseas while remaining against the war, leading him to once cause a stir at a base inKyrgyzstan when he told the crowd: "Your commander would never lie to you. That's the vice president's job."[103] Rollins believes it is important that he performs for the troops so that they have multiple points of contact with other parts of the world, stating that "they can get really cut loose from planet earth."[104] He has made eight tours, including visits to bases in Djibouti, Kuwait, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan (twice), Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Honduras, Japan, Korea and the United Arab Emirates.[105]
He has also been active in the campaign to free the "West Memphis Three", three young men who are believed by their supporters to have been wrongfully convicted of murder, and who have since been released from prison, but not exonerated. Rollins appears withPublic Enemy frontmanChuck D on theBlack Flag song "Rise Above" on the 2002 benefit albumRise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three, the first time Rollins had performed Black Flag's material since 1986.[106]
Continuing his activism on behalf of US troops and veterans, Rollins joinedIraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in 2008 to launch a public service advertisement campaign, CommunityofVeterans.org, which helps veterans coming home from war reintegrate into their communities. In April 2009, Rollins helped IAVA launch the second phase of the campaign which engages the friends and family of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans at SupportYourVet.org.[citation needed]
On December 3, 2009, Rollins wrote of his support for the victims of theBhopal disaster in India, in an article forVanity Fair[107] 25 years–to the day–after themethyl isocyanate gas leak from theUnion Carbide Corporation's pesticide factory exposed more than half a million local people to poisonous gas and resulted in the deaths of 17,000 people. He spent time in Bhopal with the people, to listen to their stories. In a later radio interview in February 2010[108] Rollins summed up his approach to activism, "This is where my anger takes me, to places like this, not into abuse but into proactive, clean movement."[109]
Rollins is an advocate for thelegalization of cannabis.[110] Rollins has stated he does not personally consume cannabis[111] but views the issue as an important matter ofcivil rights,[112] arguing that its illegality is based in "bigotry and racism and financing theprison–industrial complex".[113] Rollins has shared his views on the subject askeynote speaker at the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference and the International Cannabis Business Conference.[114][115][116][117]
In August 2015, Rollins discussed his support forBernie Sanders as a candidate in the2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[118]
Rollins has said that he does not have religious or spiritual beliefs, though he also does not consider himself anatheist.[119] He has mostly avoided recreational drugs throughout his life, but experimented a few times with alcohol,cannabis, andLSD during his teens and early 20s.[120][121][122]
Rollins ischildless by choice,[123] and says that he has not been in a romantic relationship since his 20s.[124] Rollins said, "I am not that interested in having someone to account to and be romantic with on a regular basis. Every once in a while I think I want it, but it's like holding on to sand. It always slips away. Falling in love does not interest me."[125] A lifelong bachelor, Rollins considers himself a solitary person, and maintains few deep relationships outside of his professional ones.[126] One of his closest personal friends isMinor Threat lead singerIan MacKaye, with whom he has been close with since they met as children.[124] He also enjoys a friendship with actorWilliam Shatner, which developed after he performed on Shatner's albumHas Been.
After nearly 40 years of living inLos Angeles, Rollins mentioned during his "Good to see you" tour that he had relocated toNashville.
In an interview with Jason Tanamor of Zoiks! Online, when asked about a longtime rumor of Rollins being homosexual, the singer said, "Perhaps wishful thinking. If I were gay, believe me, you would know."[127]
In December 1991, Rollins and his best friendJoe Cole were the victims of an armed robbery and shooting when they were assaulted by robbers outside their shared home inVenice Beach, California. Cole died after being shot in the face, but Rollins escaped.[128] The murder remains unsolved. In an April 1992Los Angeles Times interview, Rollins revealed he kept a plastic container full of soil soaked with Cole's blood: "I dug up all the earth where his head fell—he was shot in the face—and I've got all the dirt here, and so Cole's in the house. I say good morning to him every day. I got his phone, too, so I got a direct line to him. So that feels good."[128]
In a 2001 interview withHoward Stern, Rollins was asked about rumors that he kept Cole's brain in his house. He stated that he has only the soil from the spot where Cole was killed. During the interview, he also speculated that the reason they were targeted may have been because, days prior to the incident, record producerRick Rubin had requested to hear the newly recorded albumThe End of Silence and parked his Rolls-Royce outside their house while carrying a cell phone. Because of the notoriety of the neighborhood, Rollins suspected that this would bring trouble because of the implication that there was money in the home. He even wrote in his journal the night of Rubin's visit that his home "is going to get popped".[129][130]
Rollins has included Cole's story in his spoken word performances.[131]
| Song | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Threat's First Demo – provided additional Vocals (credited as Henry Garfield) | Minor Threat | First Demo Tape EP | 1981 |
| "We Are 138" | Misfits | Evilive | 1982 |
| "Kick Out the Jams" | Bad Brains | Pump Up the Volume Soundtrack | 1990 |
| "Let There Be Rock" | Hard-Ons | Released as a single | 1991 |
| "Bottom" (Spoken word monologue by Henry, 3:14 minutes into the song) | Tool | Undertow | 1993 |
| "Wild America" | Iggy Pop | American Caesar | 1993 |
| "Sexual Military Dynamics" | Mike Watt | Ball-Hog or Tugboat? | 1995 |
| "Delicate Tendrils" | Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel | Highball with the Devil | 1996 |
| "T-4 Strain" | Goldie | Spawn: The Album | 1997 |
| "War" | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony,Tom Morello &Flea | Small Soldiers | 1998 |
| "Laughing Man (In the Devil Mask)" | Tony Iommi | Iommi | 2000 |
| "I Can't Get Behind That" | William Shatner | Has Been | 2004 |
| All tracks | The Flaming Lips | The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing the Dark Side of the Moon | 2009 |
| "Grey 11" | The Mark of Cain | Songs of the Third and Fifth | 2012 |
| "Come On Waleed" | Damian Cowell's Disco Machine | Get Yer Dag On | 2017 |
| "Jingle Bells" | William Shatner | Shatner Claus | 2018 |
| "Jingle Bells (Punk Rock Version)" | William Shatner | Shatner Claus | 2018 |
| "Riotstarted!" | Public Enemy | The Evil Empire of Everything | 2012 |
| "All tracks" | Charles Manson | Completion | Additional production- Henry Rollins |
Henach became Henry Luban in America and many of his children, grandchildren and further descendents are still alive. One such descendent of Henry Luban's is his great-grandson Henry Garfield, better known to many of us as the punk rocker Henry Rollins.
You might remember Fanatic! volumes 1-3, which were published between 2004 and 2007. I had a radio show at a station called Indie 103.1. I was there from 2004 to early 2009 when they signed off. I made extensive notes for each show and annotated each song. I thought that they might be useful for people who were curious about music and they were really fun to write. The Fanatic! books were comprised of these notes. When Indie closed its doors in 2009, I felt bad for the station and that all the people who had put so much into making it great were suddenly out of a job. Selfishly, I felt bad for myself as I really dug having a radio show. Playing music for people is something I've always liked. Having this as an actual job was incredible. ~. I found that I really liked writing about music, so I kept on typing up brief show notes, which I still do every week. However, I wanted to write about music beyond what I was doing for the radio show. I wanted to take advantage of the fact that I've been collecting records, flyers, set lists, clip- pings and other music related materials since the late 1970s. I wanted to be able to scan these pieces as images, imbed them on pages and write about them. I wanted to take the reader into a world of obsessive gathering and organizing. Otherwise, this stuff just sits in acid-free environments, for the most part, unseen. I also wanted to detail the record stores I go to all over the world, the epic searches I've embarked on to locate records and music related items, the shows I've been to, and so on. Basically a life of being a total music Fanatic. So, how to do it? I tried to come up with ideas as to how to put all the enthusiasm I had for music and records into a format that would be fun for me to write and enjoyable for someone to read.
A good show lined up for you. We hope you dig it. As I'm writing this, I'm listening to the Art Of Self Defense remix. Of course my audio source is not all that great but even through the small speakers, it sounds really good. Thanks for reading these notes and for tuning into the show. Have a great week and STAY FANATIC!!! –– Henry
Rollins, 44, has made six USO tours. The former lead singer for the punk-rock group Black Flag said that he generally keeps his anti-war views to himself at USO shows.
Q: You're well-known for imploring audiences not to destroy themselves with alcohol and tobacco, but have you ever had a pint and a Castella?
Henry Rollins: Never had a cigar. When I was 17, I got drunk a few times. I didn't like it, never have. Don't like the taste, don't like the feeling, don't like throwing up on my sneakers.
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Data from Wikidata