“I need those records like I need food”: Henry Rollins on his happy-place album
It’s difficult to imagine Henry Rollins with a smile on his face. For most of us, we are used to seeing the former Black Flag frontman looking fiercely angry, standing on a stage wielding a microphone as though it were a weapon. Nevertheless, the punk icon seems to have mellowed out somewhat with age. Don’t get me wrong, I still wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him but, nowadays, you are much more likely to find Rollins espousing the joys of vinyl records, than punching a stage-diver in the face.
Rollins rarely misses an opportunity to talk about his musical influences. The self-confessed music nerd has, by this point, waxed lyrical about everybody from Bikini Kill to Miles Davis, exposing himself as a true music obsessive. This should perhaps come as no surprise, given the fact that the frontman has been firmly within the music world ever since his teenage days in Washington D.C., entrenching himself within the blossoming hardcore punk scene of the time. Since those early days, Rollins has worked with a wide range of legendary figures, though he is best remembered for his days with the utterly iconic West Coast punk outfit Black Flag.
Despite his punk credentials, or perhaps because of them, Rollins always held a healthy appreciation for the unique stylings of one David Bowie. As a music obsessive, Rollins almost has an obligation to adore Bowie; after all, the Brixton-born musician is among the greatest songwriters of all time. What’s more, Bowie had an undeniable impact on the punk revolution that produced figures like Henry Rollins. Although his music was far less abrasive than that of Black Flag, Bowie pioneered a certain defiant attitude and infallible artistry that rejected the norms of pop music, and would later be embraced by punks across the globe.
You would be hard-pushed to find a musician who did not like Bowie – or, at least, one who will admit to not liking Bowie – but there is something quite activistic about Rollins’ appreciation for the songwriter in particular. Speaking to Pitchfork, the former frontman shared, “I don’t know the guy, but damn man, talk about take-me-to-my-happy-place records,” adding, “I need those records like I need food”.
Transporting the burning ball of rage that is Henry Rollins to a happy place is perhaps something that could only be achieved by an artist like David Bowie. You can imagine, therefore, the devastation that ensued when Rollins found out about the death of the songwriter. “I was on tour in Newcastle, UK, when I got the news of Mr. Bowie’s passing,” he shared, “I just sat there, unable to move. My legs filled with lead. I know everyone dies, but man”.
At that time of great darkness, Rollins turned towards one of his favourite Bowie records, Blackstar. In an experience that will likely ring true for countless other Bowie fanatics on that day, he said, “I played Blackstar three times that day,” explaining, “I was in dog-shot-in-the-leg misery in my freezing dressing room. I didn’t want to go on stage, I wanted to go back to my bus and curl up in a ball”.
“I kept playing the record,” the singer continued, “’cause he kept not exactly being dead”. Rollins hits the nail on the head within that quote; Bowie is not dead, not really. For as long as people like Rollins keep playing his records and celebrating his incredible body of work, his soul will certainly not be lost.