Photo by Anton Corbijn
Corbijn.co.uk"I’m not really proud of anything I’ve done. It’s not a thing I understand really." An Interview With Henry Rollins: Henry Rollins is an anarchist role model. He's a loner, a manic consumer of information that hardly ever sleeps, and hangs out with his room-mate; a pet snake. He's also addicted to travelling, “travelling should be a law”. He just picks a destination and goes. Travelling to places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon. If it's on the news and looking dangerous, chances are, Henry's booking a flight. Recently, he was in the country for two shows in Jo'burg and Cape Town. The Cape Town show was filmed for a DVD/movie.
So, obvious question first. How did a Henry Rollins South African tour materialise? Is it something that you've always wanted to do and pursued yourself, or did the opportunity just kind of fall into your lap? It came up a couple of times but was never confirmed. I was always interested in going. I am happy to go anywhere for a show. And so finally, it worked out and I am very glad about it.
Have you been brushing up on any South African issues, in the time leading up to the tour? The Separate Amenities Act, that was a great one! How about the Group Areas Act? That was AWESOME!!! Old favourites of South Africa? Pal, if I were you, I would distance myself from your country’s immediate past with as much speed as possible.
How closely have you been following, or how familiar are you with major South African issues like AIDS, unemployment, rape, murder, and crime in general? How much coverage do these issues get by the American media?Sounds like Arkansas to me. We have all that stuff as well as fake wars that bleed money and resources, massive trade debt to China and Saudi Arabia, a disintegrating middle class, an evaporating dollar, a healthcare crisis, and a declining literacy rate. As far as coverage, not much really. But I don’t watch television news much anymore. At this point, America seems to be only concerned with America. Which is too bad I think.
How much attention do you pay to the rest of Africa? Like what's going on in Kenya? Or do you mainly focus your attention in and around The United States?For the last few years, most of my reading time and attention has been on America, Iraq, Bush, oil, Iran, Syria, terrorism and things like that.
Are you fans of celebs like Bono, Angelina Jolie, and Bob Geldof? How much of a difference do you think people like these make? I think they are all sincere and dedicated and perhaps shed light on these issues that should be of great concern to all. But in the end, there doesn’t seem to be much happening, that is to say, there are still these ongoing problems. I do think those people get a lot done though.
From all accounts, you seem like a huge fan of music, a connoisseur, a music collector. Were you a fan of South African reggae star Lucky Dube? I have heard of him but didn’t know he was South African. Most of the Reggae stuff I have is dub stuff and a few other artists; Scientist, Perry, King Tubby, Tenor Saw, Dillinger, people like that. There’s a lot of good albums on the Blood & Fire label I like but for the most part, I don’t know a great deal about that kind of music. But I’m working on it and have a very good teacher. It’s too bad he’s dead.
Do you ever get tired of talking about punk rock, Black Flag, State of Alert, and the influence of it all? Or can you never be asked enough questions about your punk-rock/hardcore past? It’s part of my life so I get asked about it and do the best I can to answer clearly. I don’t mind, but I really don’t like talking about the past all the time. I try to hang in there.
Just in case, here's a few more. What attracted you to Black Flag, back in 1981, before you joined the band? What was it that appealed to you so strongly?I thought they were a great band. I thought the lyrics were brilliant and Ginn’s guitar playing was one of a kind. I still think that way.
Greg GinnWas quitting your job as manager of Häagen-Dazs, selling your car, and moving to LA to join the band ever something you agonised over? Or was it, “Hell yeah!” all the way? It was a decision I made very quickly. I saw what I could do at my job and knew it was a dead end and so it made a great deal of sense to take a chance with the music. There are minimum wage jobs all over the place.
Can you remember what you did straight after you got your Black Flag logo tattoo? I walked back to the house we were camping out at in Hollywood.
Black Flag's logo. Back then, as a member of Black Flag, you had people on your case the whole time. You had parents showing up when you rolled into town, mayors and religious groups trying to shut down your shows. Was that a rush, or just a complete nuisance?We just wanted to play the music so anything that happened was annoying. We were a serious band that wanted to work hard.
Did the protesters ever get violent? Not in my memory.
Why do you think people don't react the same way, on the whole, these days? Is it from a dumbing down and dilution of the music and the message, the desensitisation of the modern world through modern media, alienation? Or does nobody give a shit anymore? I think culture absorbs things like music and art and they are less impacting after awhile. I am sure there were people who thought the world was going to come to an end when Elvis arrived.
Black Flag had a lot to do with aggression, angst and physical violence. How much of it was you working through your own personal demons? As far as the violence, it was around a lot but as far as fights, I was always reactive, I didn’t instigate anything. I worked things out by writing and performing, that kind of thing. It was the perfect enviornment to shake rattle and roll in though.
Looking back now, how do you feel about the intensity and the violence of the shows?It was real. It was that time. It isn’t anything you feel really, it’s just a fact. I don’t feel any particular way about tomorrow being Tuesday. I think music and youth culture was changing and in that came some growing pains, turbulence and chaos.
Do you ever wish you could change things, or go back and offer young, angry and poor Henry Rollins some advice? Sure. “You should have killed the motherfucker.”
Henry Rollins, Black Flag. Photo by John C Burley When campaigning for causes like women's and gay rights, do detractors ever bring up incidences of violence from your past, to count against you? I’ve never been violent against gays or women. I don’t really campaign for anything as much as question why anyone would care that two gay people want to get married. What’s it to you? Get a life. That kind of hatred is so incredibly stupid. I have nothing to do with the issue. The issue is the issue and there’s nothing in my past that changes the issue.
In an interview with The Modern World you said, “Well, you see this guy’s take on women. You can’t justify misogyny on any level, but you can go; well, you know, things were a little different then.” Do you think the same kind of logic could apply to any Black Flag songs? You write what you feel at the time from what you see and experience. If your reality changes, then perhaps something you thought back then doesn’t work now. It’s what happens when one grows and accrues more experiences.
Have you ever thought about getting into politics? No.
The Chase was your first movie, hey? I remember it. Charlie Sheen having sex with Kristy Swanson, in a speeding car, while being chased by the cops. How did you first get into acting? Crispin Glover told me I should act. I thought it might be interesting to check it out.
Did your first on set duties feel at all surreal? A little but as soon as you understand the mechanics at work, things make a great deal more sense.
From reading several past interviews with you, it seems like you don't even watch a lot of the films you're in. Is it always just a pay-check, or do you have any favourites you're proud of? Johnny Mnemonic, maybe? No. I just work and do the best I can every single time. It’s work and I take it very seriously but I don’t take myself seriously. I don’t do a lot of looking back with work. I do it, finish it, and then do something else. I’m not really proud of anything I’ve done. It’s not a thing I understand really.
Do you ever watch that show Dinner for Five, with Jon Favreau? If you could choose, who would your four dining partners be and why? I did that show. It was a good time. Best part about it was the food. I don’t know who I would like to eat with. I like to eat alone actually.
Top five films of all time?Apocalypse Now, Sling Blade, Seven Samurai, Doctor Strangelove, Animal House. I've read accounts that you were bullied as one of the few white kids at a predominantly black school. Did that ever give rise to any anti-black, pro-white feelings in you? Or could you always identify irrational hate?No. I never went down that road. My mother explained where it was all coming from and I got it.
Did being bullied and picked on early on had something to do with you wanting to be so huge, strong and powerful?No. I train for the work I have to do. For shows, I needed a lot of quad and lumbar strength so I trained that way. I wouldn’t describe myself the way you just did though.
Do you think that your relationship with your father had something to do with your desire to be big and strong?I have not seen him in over 20 years. I really don’t know the guy. I trained really hard for many years, it was an interesting trip but had nothing to do with him.
How did you end up following a straight-edge lifestyle? Was it just what worked best for you, or did your close friend Ian MacKaye have an influence on your decision?I don’t have any kind of lifestyle. I don’t know what all of that is about as it seems to change from house to house. I don’t want to smoke, drink or do drugs because it seems to be the last things you want to do if you also want to get somewhere. It’s that simple for me, really.
How did you feel when NOFX wrote the song “Straight Edge”? Did you get the joke, or were you just pissed? I have never heard the band’s music. I have read quotes from the singer fellow and he doesn’t seem to like me. I am not aware of ever meeting him.
There seems to be an influx of Black Flag in my life lately. From the video game Skate, to the latest Rise Against EP. Who are some of your favourite modern day punk bands? I don’t know if I know what that means at this point. I listen to a lot of new records but I don’t know what genre they are in. Perhaps noise, bands like Wolf Eyes, The Planet The, Yellow Swans, Hair Police, stuff like that. There’s a lot of good bands around these days, Dax Riggs, Sunn 0))), XBXRX, The Mae Shi, Deer Hoof, Grinderman, a whole bunch, I don’t know exactly what you call them though.
How much do you enjoy your DJ time, playing the records that people just have to hear? I like that job a lot.
How often do you work out these days? What kind of a routine did you do this morning?I try and work out one way or the other 4-5 days a week. Today was a lot of walking. I was in a small British town.
If you don't work out for a while, do you start to feel weird and uncomfortable? Yes.
In 1984, journalist Michael Azerrad commented about yout, “His powerful physique was a metaphor for the impregnable emotional shield he was developing around himself.” Was he right? I think Mr. Azerrad needs to get out a little more often or perhaps get in touch with his homoeroticism. Have a word with him, will you?
How therapeutic do you think all your various creative outlets have been for you?Hard to say, I have been at it all so long, I don’t know what I would be like without all the stuff I do.
What's been the most moving moment of your life, so far? I guess my friend getting shot next to me.
What does freedom mean to you?To be able to go.
How hard was it doing the USO tours, when you're not a fan of the Bush administration? Or, did you just put your personal differences aside, and talk to the troops as human beings, and not as soldiers? Armies don’t start wars. Rulers do. Having a beef with a soldier about the war is like having a beef with a cop about the law. The soldiers are great. It’s not their war, they’re just fighting it. So for me, it was never a matter of putting anything aside, I was happy to get out there and meet the troops. I do a lot of that stuff.
Do you like the term renaissance man? I don’t think it applies to me. I just work for a living.
Finally, in an interview with Underground Online, you said, “I'm this fearful home-owner, and when I'm on tour, I hire someone to sit and protect my things. I'm one of those people I probably would have sneered at when I was 20.” Do you still feel the same way, or has '80s Henry made peace with modern day Henry? You live your life and you change as you go. When I was young, I didn’t think past the next meal so my worldview is not what it is now. It’s not a matter of making peace with anything, you just life your live and do the best you can.
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