Staff Writer Henry Rollins refuses to rest on his laurels. The 49-year-old punk rock legend, most famous for fronting Black Flag from 1981 to 1986, has kept himself busy in the decades since and shows no signs of stopping.
The musician, poet, comedian, activist, writer, radio host and the list goes on, is currently performing his spoken word work on his Frequent Flyer Tour, with global pit-stops from bustling metropolises to smaller cities like Kingston.
“It’s my life,” Rollins said. “It gets harder and easier. I spend up to nine, 10 months a year travelling. Being off the road is difficult for me. I was off the road for a chunk last year. I think there was a few months in 1994 and that was the first time since 1981.”
The pieces performed on the current tour range from Rollins’s life philosophies to musings on mullets. His powerful stage presence translates well to the more intimate atmosphere of spoken word and small venues, although the comedic content itself would probably be considered weak if not tied to Rollins’s reputation. A couple of his pieces fall into mediocre stand-up comedy pit falls—diving into gender stereotypes to rehash the tired difference between men and women, invoking images of awkward Just for Laughs guests.
The underwhelming content of Rollins’s comedy doesn’t make speaking to him any less of a privilege, though. Despite the crackling phone and shoddy connection, Rollins shared his politics, philosophies and experiences on the current tour and over the years. His restless travels are no accident.
“I make a conscious effort to never rest on laurels. I think too many people do, playing the greatest hits every night,” he said. “It takes no talent, it takes no guts. It’s all about courage. There’s a courage deficit. With the talking shows I can keep putting in new material with how I’m living at the moment. I don’t want to go into the way-back machine.”
If you went back in time, you’d find a Rollins much more cynical than his current self. He says he has gotten less cynical over the years, shedding the precociously hardened demeanor of his young adulthood.
“The more you go out and see—you’d think that would make you jaded but it’s the opposite,” Rollins said.
And go out and see he does. Much has been made of Rollins’s international travels, with some lauding him for going to countries considered enemies of George W. Bush’s America. Rollins’s vocal criticism of Bush and stances against mainstream American imperialism has struck nerves but there’s possibility of hypocrisy in his motto “knowledge without mileage equals bullshit”—not everyone has rock star money like Rollins does, and some may question how much global tourism challenges what he sets out to criticize.
But Rollins backed up his actions.
“For me, it’s necessary to travel. It’s the most informative as far as getting the real info.” The inward focus was recurring in our conversation. The man is independent, sounding divorced from much community or pressure to conform. When asked about some of his favourite performers in the American spoken word scene, he was upfront.
“I have no idea if there’s a scene. I tour on my own; I don’t know who does what. I really don’t. It’s never occurred to me to be part of anybody’s scene anywhere. There’s no opener. There’s no with people who do that. Between tours I do other work.”
Rollins has been working on books about his tours. He also does occasional voice-over work while on the road as well. He has continued his history of political activism, having taken a stance on the battle for gay rights in the United States, a point of prominence meriting mention in the first paragraph of his Wikipedia page. When asked for an elaboration on how he navigates his identity as an official “straight ally” he spouts truisms.
“To me it’s a civil rights issue purely. All of a sudden they’re seen as second-class citizens and this will not stand, it’s a no brainer to stand up in their defense. In doing that I’m standing up for their civil liberties. Homophobes are really fun to get riled up. I like that kind of confrontation.”
Since Rollins has been celebrated as a political figure for decades, throwing in some political questions seemed appropriate. He sounded a bit thrown off by them though, answering with obvious shrugging statements. And just in case you’re wondering, he says he’s not a feminist but does believe in pay equity. But one remark particularly was surprising for a ex-punk.
“I don’t think that people in culture or entertainment have much influence. Those Marley and Dylan songs never stopped the war. It’s not like L.B.J. [Lyndon B. Johnston] ever said ‘I’m going to stop the war because of that Dylan song.’ It’s down to courts, money and voting. I don’t think that musicians can influence votes either. I think that some people overstep their potency. I try not to think of myself as too much of an influence.”
Despite subverting the post-boomer norm of celebrating rock ’n roll as a political force, Rollins emphasizes that being vocal is important regardless of its impact.
“It can’t matter who you are. You can’t just be some guy in a band and think you’re a band so your opinion is important. You need to realize that your opinion counts too and have them.”
He surprised again by claiming no relation between his storied struggle with depression and his endless creativity. Although many a pop culture fable claims that emotional suffering produces great art, Rollins thinks otherwise.
“There’s no link between depression and creativity. I deal with it and still get called creative. I always thought that was a bit of a high compliment in itself. It does lead to something for some people but for me it’s been more reactive. The older I get, I react to what I see. I get more information and do things. I want to know what’s out there. So I go. And going there, being in it—I actually get information. Something creative happens from that.”
So he goes. He keeps moving and says that it’s necessary to live.
“You have to keep going after it. Life is a ive state. You’re the one who brings the life to it.”
When asked about this confrontational position to such an abstract concept, he lets loose a bit of a famous growl.
“I almost have contempt for life. Contempt kind of keeps you on life’s heels. It allows you to give yourself a full life. I like it—it’s good to be around. But I’m not gonna let it get away with anything.”
Henry Rollins performs next Wednesday March 24 at Sydenham St. United. The show is all ages. Tickets are $25 and available at Brian’s, Jungle, Sunrise Records, Destinations and ticketbreak.com
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