Line #55 Music/HenryRollins


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/henry-rollins_9253.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300: The Man, the Chin, the Force of Nature]]
3
4	-> ''"My name's Henry. And you're here with '''me''' now."''
5	-->-- "[[Music/DamagedAlbum Damaged I]]"
6
7	Henry Rollins (born Henry Lawrence Garfield, February 13, 1961 in Washington, DC) is an American [[RenaissanceMan musician, spoken word artist, author of several prose/poetry books, actor, TV and radio host, entrepreneur, activist, blogger and all-around force of nature]]. By the age of 30, he had written, sung, performed, acted and published more material in more varied mediums than many artists could aspire to during their entire life.
8
9	Henry is perhaps known best either for his time as the hulking, tattooed frontman of seminal punk band Music/BlackFlag (and later the Rollins Band) or his known tendency to express ''exactly'' how he feels. While this has lent itself to a legacy of Henry being one of rock's most confrontational figures, aided in no small part by his imposing physical appearance and manic performance style, he is truthfully an intelligent, nice guy and something of a nerd, embracing the Internet and other technology at the cutting edge. (This may be because he initially cultivated the whole "physically imposing" deal to cope with rowdy, often-violent Black Flag shows.)
10
11	Now in his sixties, Henry is still in the same physical shape he has always been and is actively performing, writing, touring and kicking ass as much as ever.
12
13	If you would like to see a full list of everything he has published during his career, one option is to visit his official website at [[http://21361.com/ 21361.com]] -- it is enough to fill a(nother) book.
14
15	He can currently be heard bi-weekly on his podcast ''Henry and Heidi'' along with his assistant Heidi May.
16	----
17
18	!!Tropes embodied by Henry's work:
19
20	* AbusiveParents: Some of his stories of his childhood and high school years.
21	** His father in particular was apparently a poor excuse of a person, with Rollins often referring to him as some variation of "champion racist, tremendous misogynist, and world-class homophobe;" said father would often yell obscenities at minorities from his car, and apparently once bragged about murdering a Mexican man during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.
22	** His mother was scarcely better, being a raging alcoholic who would fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. After she and Henry's father divorced, she went through a series of boyfriends who were mentally, physically and sexually abusive to her and Henry, before finally settling down into a much more stable relationship when Henry was in his mid-teens, by which point Henry couldn't wait to get away from her. Some of Henry's more recent stories are about his absolute indifference to both of his parents' deaths.
23	* AdamWesting: Most notably during a clip on ''Series/TheEricAndreShow'', where he lent his trademark terrifying rage to a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv4D0o41Aj8 monologue]] about...[[MundaneMadeAwesome frozen yogurt.]]
24	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: For him, it is Music/IggyPop. And even worse, Rollins was an UnknownRival [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li1ggmyogRU from 1992 to 1996]]. And even when Iggy ''did'' realize it, [[CurbStompBattle Rollins got his ass kicked.]]
25	-->'''Rollins:''' "What are you doing in Denmark?" I-I played tonight! "You did?" Yes, I was the opening band, I saw you staring at me! "[[OvershadowedByAwesome You played? I just remember Iggy Pop.]]" [Iggy]'s just like ''finger flick dink''.
26	* BadassBookworm: Looks like a prison kingpin (with the muscles to back it up) and in addition to his music career, he's written more than a dozen books and has worked as a journalist for several online publications, not to mention numerous spoken word performances.
27	* BerserkButton:
28	** Techno music, having railed against it multiple times, particularly DumbassDJ's who play it and think they are musicians because they can mess with a song list on a Mac book. Of course, his rants have been the fodder for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf13MmZIcLs techno remixes]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0TSVti62r0 for years now]]. [[note]]This doesn't seem to mean he's against ''all'' electronic music, however - he collaborated with DrumAndBass artist {{Music/Goldie}} on the song "T-Strain" for the ''Film/{{Spawn\|1997}}'' soundtrack album[[/note]]
29	** Throughout ''Literature/GetInTheVan'' he rails against closed-minded punk rockers he encountered constantly. During a later tour of the UK, he and the band would have the DJ take off the generic punk tape playing over the PA and play a tape of Music/ZZTop's ''Eliminator'' to piss everyone off, and then told everyone it was the new album from [famous punk band], just to further bum them out.
30	** He has so many of these that he served as host to Magazine/NationalGeographic's documentary on "[[http://youtu.be/35cOqZI067E The Warrior Gene]]", wondering whether he had it - [[spoiler: he did not]].
31	* BourgeoisBohemian: A punk version rather than a hippy version. He is notably the voice of Infiniti luxury automobiles.
32	* CassandraTruth: Went to a voice specialist doctor for chronic vocal problems. When asked to list all the drugs, drink and smokes he does daily, the doctor refused to believe him when he said "zero" (granted, he was looking at his vocal chord x-ray at the time, which resembled Lemmy from Motorhead's more than a clean living guy, due to Henry's aggressive vocal styling).[[labelnote:*]] Henry elaborates on how the doctor was totally justified in asking these questions and doubting his answers, because if he really was taking certain drugs and was given the wrong prescription he could have had a heart attack.[[/labelnote]]
33	--> "I'll believe you, but whenever you're ready to tell the truth, just let me know."
34	* CatholicSchoolGirlsRule:
35	** Mary, one of his high school girlfriends.
36	** His first kiss (and cigarette, and drink of whiskey) was from a Catholic school girl at a mixer dance when he was 15.
37	* ComicBookFantasyCasting: Negan from ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead'' is based off him. Rollins was asked to audition for the role in the [[Series/TheWalkingDead television adaptation]] but lost out to Creator/JeffreyDeanMorgan.
38	* DarkIsNotEvil: In spite of his reputation and overall demeanor, he is generally agreed to be friendly and approachable.
39	* DrivesLikeCrazy: He intentionally drove like a nutter for [[Series/{{Jackass}} Steve-O's]] "off-road tattoo" - while swearing at everyone around him.
40	* DrugsAreBad: Staunchly straight-edge, including alcohol and tobacco. He has spoken on a number of occasions about past experiences with drugs, most notably his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vhaQIp5PBs&t=585s incredibly stressful first LSD trip]], but has described all of them as being overwhelmingly negative experiences for him and he currently does nothing outside of a minor amount of caffeine intake. Most find it hard to believe (see CassandraTruth). He takes no issue with marijuana, medical or recreational, however.
41	* TheEponymousShow: ''The Henry Rollins Show,'' which aired on Creator/{{IFC}} from April 2006 to September 2007.
42	* EvilFeelsGood: From "Liar"
43	--> "Oooooh I'm a liar, I lie, yeah, I like it, I feel good"
44	* ExpectingSomeoneTaller: Covered in tattoos and muscles with a reputation for kicking large amounts of ass, and on the lower side of average height at about 5'9". In one of his routines, he described himself as "short, grey and angry."
45	* FreeTheFrogs: A humorous version on The Boxed Life. While he was attending a MilitaryAcademy / private school as a teen, his dissection frog escaped and the boys in the class had to chase it around. "It was cute, like something from that Creator/RobinWilliams [[Film/DeadPoetsSociety movie]]."
46	* FriendlyRivalry: With Music/IggyPop, as Henry has always been vocal about his love for The Stooges and Iggy. According to Henry, his entire stage presence is built on one thing: trying to be a more compelling performer than Iggy. The one time he came close (exhausting himself to the point that he could barely walk and was hyperventilating), Iggy just got mad that Henry had done so well, and proceeded to turn up his own efforts even more than usual, utterly crushing any dream Henry had of winning the contest.
47	-->'''Henry Rollins:''' Then you realize, you're ''never'' gonna beat the master.
48	* GallowsHumor: When he hit his 50th birthday, Henry commissioned some artwork and photos that confronted the issues of aging head on. [[https://obeygiant.com/prints/rollins-50/ This poster]] for a speaking tour shows him in his Franchise/{{Superman}}-esque outfit from the "Liar" video, while the Grim Reaper peers over his shoulder. In two photos taken for a ''Billboard'' interview around the same time, one shows the Grim Reaper chasing Rollins while another shows the singer wearing Depends over the Franchise/{{Superman}} outfit.
49	* GeniusBruiser: The man is big, smart, and has performed or published material in just about every medium that exists. His stage presence is one of a barely-controlled explosion. He will verbally ''destroy'' you with logic and common sense at the drop of a hat, and then when you are on the ropes, he will drop a PrecisionFStrike to devastating effect; good thing he is a good guy.
50	* HardcorePunk: With Black Flag, he helped define the genre.
51	* InkSuitActor: He has voiced cartoon characters that bear a passing resemblance to him:
52	** His ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' character [[http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/19735/Batman%20Beyond%20Fancast%20henry-rollins.jpg Mad Stan]].
53	** [[http://38.media.tumblr.com/b02ec55708f276c2f91f1923ccb1051f/tumblr_n8mzy9Gjdf1rg2ffoo1_1280.jpg Zaheer]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''.
54	* LampshadedTheObscureReference: When working in a science lab, he would write Music/{{Devo}} on his chemical protective suit (as they looked like something Devo would wear onstage, hell, probably was), to the bafflement of the middle aged scientists working there. He would then proceed to make fun of them for being out of touch, despite at the time Devo being a fairly obscure band.
55	* LoonyFan: Met many over the years.
56	** While in line to get tickets at a Music/{{KISS}} show, a drug-addled, white trash meathead ahead of him in line recognized him and began gushing about his work to him, making Henry uncomfortable to have such a...''specimen'' of humanity be a fan of his.
57	** The entirety of the ''Eric the Pilot'' saga (the whole tale takes up an entire spoken word disc). Henry's flight to a gig in Oklahoma got cancelled, and as he and his agent scrambled to figure out a new flight out of St. Louis, a "pilot" named Eric offered his services and said he would take him on a small charter plane. The plane got completely lost and made an emergency landing in a tiny air strip in the middle of nowhere. Turns out Eric a) was not a commercial pilot (although he did have a pilot's license), b) had taken the plane without permission, and c) ''hadn't even registered the flight with the FAA''. He was just a huge fan trying to impress and help his idol, a move that according to Henry ultimately ended with him getting stripped of his pilot's license.
58	** Henry describes himself as one when meeting various musicians, authors and actors he idolizes. Particularly Music/KingCrimson guitarist Adrian Belew when working with him on a Creator/WilliamShatner album in Nashville.
59	-->'''Ben Folds'''[[note]]producer for the album[[/note]]: "Oh no, are you a Trekkie for Adrian Belew?!"
60	* MistakenForGay: Gets this constantly. He is mostly just amused by it, and is a staunch supporter of gay rights.
61	--> "If I were gay there would be no closet. I would have burned it for kindling when I was twelve. Because there's nothing wrong with being gay ''and you know it.''"
62	* MoodWhiplash: Most of his stand up shows are like this, going from hilarious anecdotes to serious statements on the state of the world.
63	* MotorMouth: Occasionally lapses into this in his stand-up shows.
64	* NerdsAreSexy: He is not just a big guy who yells a lot. Not only does he embrace technology, but he yells at you to take every advantage you can of it for your own betterment. Often sports NerdGlasses for extra points.
65	* PerpetualFrowner: A staple of his appearance. It is quite shocking [[WhenSheSmiles when he smiles]]. You can see some videos of him laughing his ass off on his website.
66	%%tropeslashed ZCE* PrecisionFStrike, ClusterFBomb, SirSwearsALot: All staples of his work.
67	* PrefersGoingBarefoot: You will seldom find a musical performance in which he is wearing shoes.
68	%%* ProtestSong: Black Flag, Rollins Band, and most of his spoken word works are filled with these.
69	%%* SelfProclaimedLiar: Remember that song?
70	* TamperingWithFoodAndDrink: Played with. When working at Haägen-Dazs as a teen, he and HeterosexualLifePartner [[Music/MinorThreat Ian MacKaye]] would get bored and play various pranks on customers, including once replacing bubblegum sprinkles with ''rat poison.''
71	--> Customer: "...and I'll take some bubblegum sprinkles."
72	--> Ian: "Sir those are not sprinkles. That is rat poison."
73	--> Customer: "Oh, ha ha, that does look like rat poison."
74	--> Ian: "Sir, I assure you, that really is rat poison." holds up bag
75	--> Customer: "...why the ''hell'' would you put rat poison in the toppings selection?'
76	--> Ian: "Sir, we just thought you'd want the option."
77	* UnknownRival: According to one of his stories, he was this for Music/IggyPop. In the story, Rollins describes several concerts where he was opening for Iggy and decided to try to upstage and outplay Iggy. Each time, (despite Rollins' best efforts) Iggy blows them off the stage without even trying, and then inadvertently rubs salt in the wound by complimenting Rollins and his band so much about how great they were. Finally, Rollins trains for months, amps himself up to the nth degree, and plays himself half to death trying to upstage Iggy. It finally forces Iggy to take him seriously... and Iggy still blows him off the stage, except now Iggy actually exerts himself slightly and goes crazier than usual during the performance. In Rollins' own words "Then you realize... you're never going to beat the master." [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li1ggmyogRU Watch Henry tell the story as only he can]].
78	* UrbanLegend: As per the PromotedFanboy on the trivia tab, the exact details of his joining Black Flag are murky. The popular version (and told by Rollins in his ''Get in the Van'' bio) is that Henry simply took a train to see them in New York, and jumped onstage (or was invited to in the spur of the moment) as they played "Clocked In" for him before he had to get on the train to go to work back in D.C. Others have suggested they were already considering him, having already formed a friendship with him and having listened to his EP from his previous band State of Alarm, then somewhat discussed the possibility of him coming on stage to sing with them ahead of time. Even Henry's own retelling of the event years later does not seem to keep the details straight.
79	* WalkingShirtlessScene: Henry raised eyebrows for sporting a muscle-bound physique and often performing shirtless, which did not fit into many peoples' perceptions of what punks looked like.
80	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Quite literally. One of his tales from his days working odd jobs as a teen includes his time as a gofer in a science lab, and how one lab rat due for experimentation managed to escape. The staff never located it. Eventually, the entire grouping of rats were put down, and as they closed the door on the room for the last time before it was dismantled/sterilized, the rat made his final escape out the closing door, never to be seen again. The rat became Henry's personal hero.
81	* {{Workaholic}}: "I am addicted to work."
82	* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: "Low Self Opinion"
83	-->''I know the self doubt\
84	That runs inside your mind\
85	I know the self doubt\
86	That treats you so unkind\
87	\
88	If you could see that you that I see\
89	When I see you seeing me\
90	You'd see yourself so differently\
91	Believe me''

Context Music / HenryRollins