In the Works

HENRY: THE SEVENTH

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By Tom Sinclair

Tom Sinclair

Tom Sinclair is a senior writer for EW and has been called "the handsomest man in rock criticism'' (by his wife)

Hank of Burn-in Love: Malcontents seeking catharsis through pile-driving rock and angst-ridden lyrics can mark down March 25 as a red-letter day. That's when Come in and Burn, the seventh full-length helping of sound and fury from the Rollins Band (and its first for the DreamWorks label) will hit stores. Lest one surmise that time has mellowed muscle-bound Henry Rollins, consider some of Burn's song titles: ''Shame,'' ''Starve,'' ''Rejection,'' ''On My Way to the Cage,'' and ''The End of Something'' (the first single). ''Call me Frustration and Anger, Inc.,'' says Rollins. ''If I'm feeling good, that's not an occasion when I'm going to be writing. I'm nothing if not a guy who tells you what's on his mind.'' Rollins' mind apparently stays occupied; the perennially pumped singer says the sessions, which took place at Woodstock's Bearsville Studios this past fall, yielded enough material for two albums. The band will hit the road in April and tour ''until the wheels fall off,'' promises Rollins.

Fugees-La, Fugees-less: Fugees have been exiled from Heavy D's upcoming album Waterbed Hev. Group members Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill had been featured on ''Maxine,'' a reggae-tinged ditty about a stripper that was included on advance copies. However, due to an 11th-hour decision by Fugees' label, Columbia, the song was withdrawn. ''I guess Columbia thought the Fugees were overexposed,'' shrugs Heavy. Though disappointed, the rotund Romeo is philosophical. ''Hey, I could be p -- -- - off, but the track still won't get on the album. Whatever. I love the Fugees, and I know it wasn't their decision.'' The pullout will force Grammy-nominated Heavy back into the studio to ''bang out'' a replacement. ''Who knows?'' he says. ''Maybe I'll come up with a hit.'' He'd better hurry. Waterbed Hev (the title alludes to one of Heavy's favorite rappers, Waterbed Kev) is due in stores March 25.

Posted Feb 21, 1997 | Published in issue #367-368 Feb 21, 1997 | Order Article Reprints