Oh, Henry

By brian mock
Catalyst

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Wildcat File Photo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Sure, he's scary, but did you know that Henry Rollins has a soft side too? He's a poet, damnit - and he doesn't care who knows it.

by brian mock

Henry Rollins writes poems, but isn't a poet. He tells funny stories, but isn't a comedian. So what the hell is he?

When most people think of Henry Rollins, they usually refer to the video for the Rollins Band song "Liar." As unenticing as that may be, there really is much more to this prolific artist's career. Long before backroom cafes were promoting "Poetry Slams," where wannabe Keruoacs clad in black and chain-smoking cigarettes sought to outdo one another, Rollins was delivering his own style of "stuff," the word he uses to describe his work. He refers to poetry as the "P-word," in fear of being associated with the usual connotations and to counter being pigeonholed as a poet.

Around 1982, while singing in the Los Angeles punk outfit Black Flag, Rollins was asked by local poetry promoter Harvey Robert Kubernik to perform at a local writer's showcase. Unprepared, he merely talked about growing up as a white kid in 1960s Washington, D.C. His delivery was well received, and he was encouraged to speak and write about his experiences. Punk/poet Lydia Lunch even told Henry (as she seduced him) that he was going to be the next Jim Morrison.

Thereafter, while not on tour as a singer, he began to tour as a spoken word performer, as well as writing and publishing his own books.

Enter the late 1990s. Rollins has published several books, spoken around the world, appeared in several movies, and even turned MTV on to the concept of a spoken word show. However, this exposure has caused some misconceptions.

Wildcat File Photo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Henry Rollins will perform his spoken word "stuff" tonight at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, 440 N. 32nd St.. Tickets are $15 in advance, $16 at the show. There will be no music performed, just ol' Hank spinning yarns about his days on the road. Showtime is 8 p.m. Phone (602) 267-1600 for more information.

A common assumption is that one has to be a fan of Rollins' music in order to understand and enjoy his spoken performance. Not true. Nobody ever said that one had to be an old heroin addict to enjoy William Burroughs' work, so why wouldn't the same logic apply here? Rollins tells stories, period (with the occasional poem or two). These stories tell of experiences he's had. The premises are himself as a traveling man, who runs into all kinds of obstacles en route to performing, but some of the stories have roots in his childhood and adolescence. The great thing about these stories is that anyone can relate to them - Rollins fan, or not.

Rollins' delivery is probably 90 percent of the attraction to his performances. His way of taking the audience on a journey with him is uncanny. One feels as though he or she is experiencing all of the pitfalls, the highs, and learning all of the lessons as he has. His impersonations of the people encountered in his stories are excellent as well. I once saw him impersonate David Lee Roth after he had interviewed him and it sent me to the floor laughing, trying to catch my breath. Finally, after taking the audience with him through a series of vignettes, making them laugh or nearly cry at times, he is able to tie everything together into one or a few life lessons learned.