Punk-rock icon. Spoken-word poet. Actor. DJ. Is there anything this guy can't do? As he settles into a second season on IFC with The Henry Rollins Show (Saturdays at 10 p.m.), we asked the 45-year-old to give us the CliffsNotes version of a career that's included three bands, 40-plus albums, 11 films, one publishing house, and well over 20 books...and counting.
BLACK FLAG 1981-86
''I won the lottery, basically,'' says Rollins of becoming the band's
frontman after jumping on stage at a New York gig. ''I sang the way I
thought it should be done, with eyeballs bugging out.''
2.13.61 1984-present
Other than Rollins' own writing, ''Nick Cave was the first victim. We
started publishing him in the late '80s, and we're still publishing him.''
'HEAT' 1995
His character gets pummeled by Al Pacino's in the Michael Mann film.
''For a guy who can't act — that would be me — it's fun to hang out with a
guy who really can.''
USO 2003-present
He's done six tours for the troops. ''You talk to a guy with his leg
blown off, raise his spirits a little. It's two minutes of his day that
didn't suck as hard.''
'HARMONY IN MY HEAD' 2004-present
Rollins recalls the ground rules for his show on L.A.'s Indie 103.1: ''I
said, 'I won't cuss, but you're not gonna tell me I can't play Bartók
and Mötorhead back-to-back.'''
'THE HENRY ROLLINS SHOW' 2004-present
''If someone said, you're gonna have so-and-so on and he's gonna hold up
his new barbecue sauce, I'd quit. I'd rather work at McDonald's than do
that for any paycheck.''
