Henry Rollins came to television in an unusual manner: the former Black Flag frontman appeared on MTV’s “Alternative Nation” and “MTV Sports” in the early ’90s while he was still the lead singer of Rollins Band. Since then, he’s dabbled in work as both an actor and a TV host while he’s not touring as a spoken-word artist, traveling to support the USO and other activist causes, or otherwise engaged in his multi-hyphenate career (author, radio host, publisher, and so on).
Recently returned from a visit to southern Sudan and Uganda with Drop in the Bucket, an organization that provides water and sanitation facilities in Africa, Rollins spoke to me last Wednesday about his recent television career — from the “Sons of Anarchy” set to his infamous run-in with hipsters on German television (“They’re soft children”) to his upcoming appearances on National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. The interview has been edited for clarity and length, with multimedia added where applicable.
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My favorite part was him thinking that you talk to millions of actors.
Did the chick actually mouth off? She seemed like she was genuinely starstruck, and he thought they were ragging on the old sell out.
Not that I think Henry Rollins is in any way old or a sell out.
Please don’t hurt me.
/urinates on self as defensive mechanism
Kind of weird reading about a guy injecting venom into himself after just having finished “Rant” yesterday.
great interview, Matt.
can’t blame the guy who’s injecting black mamba venom. you never know when a one-eyed Daryl Hannah is gonna show up at your trailer door with a bag full of money.
“Say what?”
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+1 for Princess Bride reference
I would let Henry Rollins break a JD bottle over my head, and if I was still conscious I’d buy him a beer for his troubles.
Although “let” is a bit misleading. Maybe “not fruitlessly attempt to prevent” is more accurate.
“The FUNNEST…”
“they’re soft children, and if you hit them their parents’ wants would die. But that’s just cool kids in Brooklyn feeling very [unintelligible]”
Thats the most important unintelligible word ever.
Great interview Matt
I’ve seen Mr. Rollins several times, both as a singer and spoken-word performer. Guy is legitimately an iconoclast – very interesting, very thoughtful, but also scary/edgy. Has a point of view too little heard from, IMO. Good interview.
Rollins is a fascinating dude. He’s a hardcore punk icon who immaculately cleans his hotel rooms on the road because he’d be embarrassed to have a maid see a dirty room. As “angry” as his reputation might be, the two times I’ve met him in person he couldn’t have been more humble and friendly. Nice interview.
Solid interview, Matt.
The “warrior gene” thing could be very real thing since the only other animal besides human that will actively form a gang and look for a fight for the sake of fighting and not hunting is the chimpanzee and they are arguable our closest relative.
So the next time you go to a zoo and see a cute little chimp eating a banana, just remember that given the chance that chimp will try to find a way to gang rape you for fun.
Hank was just being a dick. He went into that store LOOKING for someone to bully.
Nice work! Rollins is so CoOL!@#E!!
He’s right, he’s a blowhard who takes things personally. In that stupid video, no one was making fun of him… at least not until he decided to start taking himself so seriously. He’s a douche.