I listened to a “Hot Ones interview” with Henry Rollins yesterday while I mowed the lawn. I really like Henry Rollins. The first time I ever heard Rollins speak was in the early 90s. He had been hired by MTV to report on Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign. I vaguely knew of him as the lead singer for a death metal metal band so I was surprised by his thoughtful commentary and insight.
Over the years since then, I’d occasionally read an article he’d written and again, be pleasantly surprised by the depth and weight of his prose. Otherwise, I paid little attention to him.
A few years ago, he popped up on my radar again when someone on a podcast mentioned his “Spoken Word” tours. I listened to these recordings and was blown away.
First, he’s a great storyteller. He’s traveled all over the world, had an usual childhood and lived the rockstar life. What I connect to the most is his pragmatic, realistic view of the society and his dedication to being a loner.
He professes that he is not a people person. When he described his current life, it is full of travels and adventures with people all over the world – when he is doing his spoken word tour. But when he is home, he is alone and likes it that way.
He has no girlfriends. He has close friends who he sees occasionally. The friendships he describes are eclectic – William Shattner, Ru Paul, an Afghani Herder – among them.
He likes sits in his apartment alone between two giant speakers and listen to music.
He writes. He acts. He does the spoken word tour.
Although he is unapologetic about how he lives his life, he talks openly about apologizing sincerely when he hurts others.
He’s insightful, obsessive, funny and self deprecating.
I would never want to live the life he leads. And yet, in some ways, our lives our quite similar.
If you’ve never read his work or listened to his interviews, I encourage you to do so.
As for his singing and the music of others that he likes – it’s not my taste.