Henry Rollins: It's a great time to be on stage if you’re an angry, conscientious American
Jul 4 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post
Henry Rollins _220
He admits there could be an element of the “introverted ham” lurking.
He mentions he “maybe inspires people”, but is talking more by way of his globetrotting experiences rather than the old first-person rants about strength, weakness and loneliness.
These days, Henry Rollins has become a one-man ambassadorial crusade.
It’s an obvious role; the one- man show being the epitome of his life, after all.
“George W Bush has been my travel agent for the last eight years.
“I’m not brave. I’m not tough. I’m just p---ed off and curious. I want to go and see for myself,” he says.
“People in the Bush administration don’t want anything to work out – they make money out of disaster.
“Solutions, peace and progress are anathema to these people. And the rest of the world is looking at America wondering what we are on.” It might sound like hard work, but, in reality, Rollins’s shows are incredibly entertaining, and always funny, although he shies away from describing what he does as stand-up.
“Comedy finds me – I’m not funny, I’m the guy that funny things happen to.
“If I tried to be funny, it wouldn’t be any good.
“There’s laughs that happen while I’m on stage, and I’m going for it a little, but I’m not looking for a joke, I’m looking for the truth in the thing.”
It’s telling the truth, he says, which means he’ll always land on his feet.
Spoken word shows are just one of the many strings to his bow, as he is equally as well- known for his radio show, Harmony in My Head, and self-titled cable talk show, as well as the commitments of his publishing company, 2.13.61 (his birthday) and the odd movie role that comes his way.
His musical career, which began with seminal American punks Black Flag and continued with the Rollins Band, is on the backburner for now and possibly for good.
“I don’t want to go out and sing some songs from a few years ago for money. That’s kind of easy.
“I’m not still 20, I’m nearly 50. Music seems a different part of my life, and I don’t want to be some kind of living museum piece.”
* HENRY ROLLINS is at the Liverpool Carling Academy on Saturday, August 30.
