Punk rock icon, writer, actor, and spoken word performer Henry Rollins paid a visit to the National on his seemingly endless string of spoken word dates.  A self-described troublemaker in the vein of Thomas Jefferson and Joe Strummer, Rollins regaled a packed house with nearly three hours of stories, observations and commentary without so much as taking a breath, nevermind even a sip of water.  His vast array of material covered the new Michelle Obama wax statue, working on the set of Sons of Anarchy, giving a commencement speech for a California university, visiting a Saudi Arabian palace, introducing a young Sri Lankan to Fun House, and being a judge on RuPaul's drag show, not to mention having Thanksgiving dinner with William Shatner.  Somehow, it all fit together, and even more amazingly, never lost your attention, not even for a second.  Henry took some time from his masochistically busy schedule to exchange a few emails, and for that we are all very grateful.

33: Do you still maintain contact with the West Memphis Three?  How has your involvement in their cause affected the course of their legal proceedings?  Is it difficult to remain hopeful given how much of a struggle it has already been?  Do you envision even a quasi-happy ending for those guys?
HR: I keep in touch with Damien.  I don't know if anything I did has affected their cause.  I know that we were able to give them a lot of money that was used for their DNA research.  I remain hopeful, as I believe in their innocence.  I think that they will eventually be released.

33: What factors influenced your decision to leave music behind to focus on spoken word and acting?  What makes those mediums of performance preferable to leading a band on stage?  At this point in your career, do you have any interest in fronting a touring band again?
HR: I don't want to go out and play old music to a small audience.  There's nothing wrong with it, but it's a bell I have rung very hard and very often and I don't see what good could come of more of it.  The talking shows correspond more with how I live these days.  I am able to go out into the world, see things, and then bring back the stories to the stage.

33: Who were some of your favorite guests/interviews that you had on the Henry Rollins Show?
HR: Gore Vidal, Werner Herzog.  Interviewing them was a blast.

33: Was your role in Sons of Anarchy influenced by previous personal experiences that you had in dealing with skinheads at hardcore shows?
HR: Not really.  It was just a character.  The guy was very emotion free so it was easy to figure him out.

33: In your television career, have you developed a preference between scripted roles (likes Sons) or interview-based, non-acting duties (like the HRS)?
HR: It's work and I'll take it.  That's about it for me.  I am happy to do either and grateful for the work.

33: When speaking to U.S. troops in the Middle East, were you ever censored by the military's higher-ups?  How did you strike a balance between your overwhelming support of the soldiers and your blatant aversion to our country's (previous) administration and foreign policies?
HR: I have never been censored by the military, but when in a place like a base, I don't bring up political issues.  It's tough enough in these places.  There's no balance to be struck.  I like the soldiers, not the war.  Soldiers don't start war - they only fight them.

33: Have you witnessed any significant change in morale in the Middle East that would be a result of our change in administration in the U.S.?
HR: I have not spent enough time in the Middle East post-Bush.  I have only been in Jordan and Saudi Arabia recently.  I don't know how much things will change.  I think the president's speech in Cairo was a good thing.

33: Have you had the good fortune of meeting your political soulmate Ann Coulter face-to-face?  If so, did sparks fly?
HR: No.  I have never met her.

33: Are you planning any future trips overseas to entertain the troops at this time?
HR: Nothing is planned.

33: Given your extensive travels, is there any country that stands out as having consistently good (or bad) audiences?  If you had to choose a country outside the U.S. to relocate to, which would you choose?
HR: I can't think of a consistently bad audience anywhere.  I am lucky in that respect.  I have a great audience.  I would perhaps move to England.

33: Do you ever face resistance from countries or regions that you are scheduled to perform in?
HR: America.

33: Are there any other spoken word (or even comedic) performers that you find particularly inspiring or influential to your own craft?
HR: No.  I am a fan of comedians but get no influence from them.

33: How has your approach to writing changed or evolved since your earlier works like High Adventures in the Great Outdoors and Pissing in the Gene Pool?
HR: It has gotten flatter and more journalistic.

33: What has been your most recent soundtrack of choice for traveling on this tour?
HR: I listen to a lot of different stuff on tour.  As far as a single new album, the new Slayer album is really good.

Check out henryrollins.com.

By Editing Department, Editor-In-Chief and Author: Andrew Lutwin

Andrew is originally from Boston, but has spent equal time in Richmond and considers both home.  He recently graduated VCU with a B.A. in English and looks forward to seeing if his degree will be worth a damn.  While attending Northeastern University, Andrew began covering music for the Zig-Zag Live website and tour campaign, which won him the undying affection of Bostonians because of his access to free rolling papers.  He is fortunate enough to have parents with great taste in music and owes much of his musical sensibilities to them.  Some of his favorites include the Beatles, the Clash, My Morning Jacket, Mastodon, Mission of Burma, all 70's R&B, and anything that can be considered "outlaw."  Other hobbies include food, guitar, whiskey, hiking, Boston sports, and maintaining his beginner-level fish tank.     

 

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