Henry Rollins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Rollins
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Rollins at Wacken Open Air 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Henry Lawrence Garfield |
| Born | February 13, 1961 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | 2.13.61 |
Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known by his stage name Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, actor, and public speaker. He is famous for his powerful energy on stage and his wide range of talents.
Rollins first became known as the singer for the punk rock band State of Alert in 1980. From 1981 to 1986, he was the frontman for the famous California band Black Flag. After Black Flag broke up, he started his own record label, 2.13.61, and formed a new group, the Rollins Band.
Besides music, Rollins has hosted radio and TV shows, including The Henry Rollins Show. He has acted in many movies and TV shows, like Sons of Anarchy and the animated series The Legend of Korra. He is also an activist who campaigns for important causes, such as human rights and ending war. He writes regular columns for magazines like Rolling Stone Australia.
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Early life
Henry Lawrence Garfield was born in Washington, D.C., on February 13, 1961. He was the only child of Iris and Paul Garfield. His parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised by his mother. As a child, he faced many challenges and struggled with depression and low self-esteem.
Rollins went to The Bullis School, a prep school in Potomac, Maryland. He said the school taught him discipline and a strong work ethic. This is where he first started writing. After high school, he briefly attended American University before leaving to work minimum-wage jobs.
Music career
State of Alert
As a teenager, Rollins and his friend Ian MacKaye discovered punk. They loved its high energy and rebellious sound. Rollins started as a roadie (a person who helps bands on tour) for local bands. When one band's singer didn't show up for practice, Rollins stepped in to sing.
In 1980, Rollins joined with other musicians to form the band State of Alert (S.O.A.). He became the lead singer and wrote lyrics for their songs. The band recorded one EP, called No Policy, before breaking up after only about a dozen concerts. Rollins loved being a frontman and became known for his energetic performances.
Black Flag
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In 1980, Rollins became a huge fan of the California punk band Black Flag. He wrote letters to the band and even let them stay at his mother's house when they toured the East Coast. During one show in New York, the band's singer, Dez Cadena, let Rollins come on stage to sing a song.
The band was so impressed with his performance that they asked him to be their new permanent vocalist. Rollins accepted, quit his job, sold his car, and moved to Los Angeles. He got the Black Flag logo tattooed on his arm and started using the last name "Rollins."
Rollins's intense stage presence was a perfect fit for Black Flag. Before shows, he would pace the stage dressed only in black shorts, getting focused for the performance. Critics praised his energy. One wrote, "Henry was incredible... the most intense emotional experiences I have ever seen."
Over time, Black Flag's music style changed, becoming slower and more experimental. This new direction was not popular with all of their early fans. During concerts, some audience members would react in a hostile way. Rollins became known for his muscular physique, which he developed through weight-lifting.
Rollins Band and Spoken Word
Before Black Flag broke up in 1986, Rollins had already started performing as a solo spoken-word artist. In these shows, he would tell stories and share his thoughts with the audience.
In 1987, he formed the Rollins Band. The group toured constantly and released several albums, including Life Time and Hard Volume. In 1991, the band's popularity grew after they played at the Lollapalooza festival.
That same year, Rollins experienced a great tragedy when his best friend, Joe Cole, was killed in a robbery outside their home. Rollins was deeply affected by this loss but continued to create. The Rollins Band's 1992 album, The End of Silence, was their first to make the music charts.
In 1994, Rollins had a breakout year. The Rollins Band played at Woodstock 94, and their album Weight was a hit. He also won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording for his audiobook Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag. The men's magazine Details named him "Man of the Year."
The Rollins Band went through lineup changes and released more albums, like Come In and Burn and Get Some Go Again. After 2003, the band stopped touring, and Rollins focused more on his radio, television, and spoken-word careers. He has said he doesn't plan to make music again, stating, "For me, music was a time and a place... I woke up, and I didn't have any more lyrics."
Media work
Television and Film
Rollins has appeared in many TV shows and movies. He hosted shows on MTV and VH1 in the 1990s. He made his film debut in the 1994 movie The Chase. He has also appeared in films like Heat and Johnny Mnemonic.
He has had recurring roles in several TV series. He played A.J. Weston, a gang leader, in the second season of Sons of Anarchy. He also voiced the character Zaheer in the animated series The Legend of Korra and Mad Stan in Batman Beyond.
Rollins has hosted many shows, including the film review program Henry's Film Corner and his own talk show, The Henry Rollins Show. He also hosted 10 Things You Don't Know About on the H2 network.
Radio and Podcasts
Since 2004, Rollins has hosted a weekly radio show, first on Indie 103.1 and later on KCRW. On his show, he plays a wide variety of music from his personal collection, from punk and metal to jazz and world music.
In 2015, he started a podcast with his longtime manager, Heidi May, called Henry & Heidi. On the podcast, he shares stories from his life that he has never told on stage.
Writing
Rollins is a published author with many books to his name. His books often include journal entries, essays, and stories from his travels and tours. Some of his well-known books are Black Coffee Blues, Get in the Van, and Eye Scream. He has also released several audiobooks of his writings, winning a Grammy for the audio version of Get in the Van.
Activism and Charity Work
Rollins is an outspoken activist for human rights, especially for gay rights. He often speaks about equality and justice during his spoken-word shows.
He has also done a lot of work to support U.S. troops. He has toured with the United Service Organizations (USO) to entertain soldiers in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. He believes it is important to connect with the troops and show them support.
Rollins was also involved in the campaign to free the West Memphis Three, three men who were believed to be wrongfully convicted of a crime. He helped raise money and awareness for their case. The men were eventually released from prison.
Personal life
Rollins has said he is not religious. He is childless by choice and has said he is not interested in being in a romantic relationship. He considers himself a solitary person and is close friends with fellow musician Ian MacKaye and actor William Shatner. After living in Los Angeles for many years, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
The murder of his best friend, Joe Cole, in 1991 had a profound impact on his life. The crime remains unsolved, and Rollins often speaks about his friend in his spoken-word shows to keep his memory alive.
Works
With Black Flag
- Damaged (1981)
- My War (1984)
- Family Man (1984)
- Slip It In (1984)
- In My Head (1985)
With Rollins Band
- Life Time (1987)
- Hard Volume (1989)
- The End of Silence (1992)
- Weight (1994)
- Come In and Burn (1997)
- Get Some Go Again (2000)
- Nice (2001)
Spoken Word Albums
- Big Ugly Mouth (1987)
- Human Butt (1992)
- The Boxed Life (1993)
- Think Tank (1998)
- Provoked (2008)
- 50 (2012)
See also
In Spanish: Henry Rollins para niños
