The first time I laid eyes on Henry Rollins, he was bare-chested, tattooed and sweating like a lead man should in the punk band, Black Flag.
Henry Rollins - Film Independent's 2006 Independent Spirit Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica, CA - Santa Monica, CA © Scott Alan / Photorazzi
The club he was playing "The Island" was tucked under a Houston freeway and painted black inside. I was trying to save my kid brother from being pummeled to death in the mosh pit. Henry whizzed by me, but he stopped and made eye contact for a moment, I could feel his energy then, and I still feel it as I watch him interview, rant, rave, speak and sing on film, stage and television.
Henry Rollins emerged from his military school background and morphed himself in the 1980s Los Angeles hard-core punk scene to become a renaissance renegade Rabelaisian.
Rollins is the quintessential square peg up against life's rote round holes. I have always smelled what he’s been cooking.
Lucky for me and all of Rollins’ fans he is into his second season with IFC, and on April 13th he debuted his brilliant "Henry Rollins: Uncut from Israel"- and yes Henry, we appreciate the chochmeh for the title.
Check local listings for repeat airings, yes it is worth the bother. You can order it online at IFC too.
His half-hour special on the Jewish state, "Henry Rollins: Uncut From Israel" mixed tidbits of Rollins' tour of the Holy Land with moments of his politically charged spoken-word show recorded in Tel Aviv earlier in the year. His connection with the Israeli youth is amazing and real, his stories are interesting and you can't take your eyes off him.
The show weaves Rollins' spoken word show in Tel Aviv with documentary footage chronicling a tour around Jerusalem. Led by Israeli photojournalist Ziv Koren, Rollins tours politically dense and volatile locations in Jerusalem as well as the West Bank security fence during "Uncut."
Rollins visited the Kotel, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the West Bank security barrier. The project marks Rollins' first visit to Israel in 10 years, and features commentary on pop culture, world events and the resilience of Israelis.
Rollins in Israel
During the 2003 Iraq War, he started touring with the United Service Organizations (USO) to entertain troops overseas, despite his personal opposition to the war and the Bush Administration.
Rollins flies when he is left to his own devices. The IFC brass are smart to let him shape his show in an unconventional format, and allow him room to roam.
The show at 10 p.m. Fridays is a feast of pop culture, politics, music and Rollins opining riffs. This season new segments will rotate in including ''The Disquisition,'' an in-the-mind-of-Janeane Garofalo spot, and ''Letters From Henry,'' letters Rollins feels like writing to such iconic nudniks (a la his “love” letter to Ann Coulter last year) as David “Becks” Beckham, Toby Keith and some other unlucky bastards.
Rollins combines hot music acts with some counterculture to speak or perform on the show; his guests this season include Marilyn Manson, John Waters, Billy Bragg, Ryan Adams, the Stooges, Steve Buscemi and William Shatner.
Rollins has claimed in past interviews he prefers the “thinkers and lefties” over the Hiltons and Lohans. Wise choice, his format and atmosphere he creates is a refuge from standard pap chat shows, and is refreshingly compelling.
When not in Israel doing standup or in the television studio, Rollins is on the road doing spoken-word performances or even acting in a film.
Director John Waters is Henry’s next scheduled guest. Hard to find live The Mars Volta swings by to lay down some music and in the segment Teeing Off, Henry sees a direct link between the Army developing video games for kids and the possibility of an Army draft in the future. And in this installment of "Letters from Henry", Henry asks Toby Keith why he tries to promote a blue-collar cycle of boozing and borrowing money to sell records. Priceless.
Grade: A
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