Read the entire interview in issue two

How do you prepare for tour, and what do you do once on the road?

Well preparations for a tour like this one, where I’m just going to be speaking or if I’m going to be doing anything that requires information to be rendered – I check it, crosscheck it, back check it and try to memorize it. If I’m going to be talking about anywhere I’ve been, any country, I get the facts on the country at least a few hundred years back so I can get an articulation of what I saw. All I’ve got up there is my mind and what I bring to the stage. So it’s not as much a physical preparation as it is a mental one, and getting the facts straight. And, once I’m on tour; I’m mostly preparing for the show I try to do a lot of reading and writing, I try to find a local gym and pass the time that way.

Aggression and confrontation have worked in your favor over the years to convey your message; do you think you reach an audience that might not otherwise pay attention?

Well, I don’t think I’m anyone that anyone needs to listen to,and I don’t think that anyone would get their information solely from me of course. But, saying what I say in this time, in America you can definitely get a few people that don’t agree, and hey, it’s a democracy fair enough. I’m very unafraid to say what’s on my mind I don’t fear the repercussions of saying it and that could be detrimental for some people. I don’t feel I’ve ever said anything bad, or wrong, I’m not advocating abducting kids or anything.

The Henry Rollins show is in its second season, how do you choose your guests, and who do you want to interview that you have yet to?

I choose the guest, the ones that I think will give a good interview and that I’m also very interested in; I mean, I don’t want to bring anyone on the show that I’m not interested in because you will see it on my face that I’m not interested. I try to find a good combination of someone who has  something interesting to say and can articulate it well, I drag them on the show, and so far that’s worked out great.

If you had to choose one form of expression what would be your favorite, or preferred such as: writing, music, spoken word, acting and why?

I think music is the most fun because of the volume, the sweat factor and all of that, but I think the most effective one is speaking. I wish I could say it was writing, and it is very effective but I’m not good enough. I think I’m better on my feet with a microphone than I am at the typewriter.

I’m sure your oppositional behavior in some form has gotten you in trouble with  law-enforcement is there one experience that stands out?

Well, umm as far as anything I’ve had with law-enforcement it’s usually them guys that start it. I don’t’ do drugs, I don’t speed, I’m very lightweight. I’m not one that you really have to look out for in your neighbor-hood, I’m not going to hurt your kid and I’m going to pull your
trashcans up the driveway if you forget, because I’m cool like that. But, many years  ago when we would be doing shows, law-enforcement would come up and start cracking kids upside the head. At one point when a cop dropped a bag of white  powder at my feet and said, “wow how’d you get that!?”, I saw this cat and mouse game he was playing with me, and that engenders a lot of hatred and distrust in law-enforcement I certainly have felt that way about it.

Is there a significant moment that kind of defines your current movement?
Something that put you on the map so to speak, doing what you’re doing,
having people come and listen to you talk?

Well, I think what probably got out on stage and got me noticed was being a
member of Black Flag, and that way many years ago. The band broke up in
1986, so that’s a bit of water under bridge, but that would probably be the
first time I was able to go out on the road and out into the world in the
entertainment business or whatever you want to call it and from there I built
on that. I did my first speaking date in 1983 so a couple of years into being a
touring dude I was out on a stage, just me and a microphone.

There was always a lot of on-stage hostility and violence at your shows, do you think that was a collective anger or that people were just pissed-off and utilizing your show as an outlet?

I think it was the sign of the times.  I can’t think that it was just us, this stuff probably
happened at a lot of people’s shows but it certainly happened at ours. That’s the idea that
I got, well if I hit this guy upside the head at a show it doesn’t matter, because it’s a show
if I was to do it at the dentist’s office I’d be in trouble, so I won’t. If I light the singer’s
leg hair on fire with my butane lighter it’s not really hurting him because it’s a gig.
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