Don’t try this at home’ – life advice taken straight from MTVs TV show Jackass. However, as much as you might be inclined to think in terms of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, and Steve-O, none of these three legendary guys are the star of the show this week. Instead, it is one of our time’s most prominent spokesmen: Henry Rollins.
Rollins, born Henry Lawrence Garfield, is perhaps best known for his cameo appearances on Jackass, and his role as host on a wide range of other important shows such as The Henry Rollins Show, and MTV’s 120 Minutes.
Starting his career as a punk rock musician, he first became famous in 1981 when he joined Black Flag as lead singer. Black Flag, a Californian rock band, was one of the first bands to incorporate heavy metal melodies and rhythms into their music. Consequently, their unique merger of rock and metal built the foundation for American West Coast punk rock as we know it.
Rollins left Black Flag in the late ‘80s and decided to start his own band. Rollins’ Band became the name of his newfound family – one that kept loyal to his punk rock image, although it came with a twist, fusing funk, post-punk noise, and jazz experimentalism. Songs such as ‘Low Self Opinion’ and ‘Liar’ both earned heavy airplay on MTV in the early ‘90s. In 2004, Rollins managed to – yet again – reform his unique music image when he started hosting a live radio show on Indie 103.1. Rollins and his colleagues were among the few who championed indie-rock while it was still at its grassroots level.
Today, however, he primarily performs his ‘Spoken Words’ shows – shows that depict him as the leading social and political provocateur of our contemporary society. With his unique humour, Rollins is not afraid to touch a variety of topics such as gay rights, dating, and rave music – everyone gets a piece of his mind, whether they like it or not. As much as his music would classify him as a man of renaissance, his role as contemporary provocateur is as up to date as the latest news. Addressing some of our core social problems, Rollins has no fear of calling a cow a cow – if that is what he believes.
Henry Rollins – Spoken Words is not a show for fragile souls; however, it is a show for people who are not afraid of saucy and uncensored comments. As Rollins likes to put it, once the curtains have started rolling: “My content is UNCUT!”
Henry Rollins – Spoken Words
Bremen, Nyrupsgade 39-41, Cph V; Fri 21:00; tickets 215-330kr, www.billetnet.dk
Palladium, Sødergatan 15, 21135 Malmö; Mon 19:30, tickets 375-405kr; www.palladium.nu
