Es greift wohl nicht zu hoch, bezeichnet man Henry Rollins als „Legende“. Seit den frühen 80ern ist er ein nicht wegzudenkender Part der US-Amerikanischen Musikszene. 1981 übernahm er die Vocals bei der Hardcorepunk-Band Black Flag, deren Logo auf T-Shirts neben einem „Unknown Pleasures“ Jutebeutel heutzutage sicherster Indikator für die nahende Hipster-Gentrifizierung deines Stadtteils geworden ist.
Mitte der 90er erlebte Henry Rollins mit seiner nun neuen Rollins Band einen zweiten Frühling und insbesondere das Video zu „Liar“, mit einem gänzlich rot geschminkten Henry Rollins, dürfte jeder kennen, der in diesem Jahrzehnt einmal MTV eingeschalten hatte. Heute ist Rollins hauptsächlich mit Spoken Word Performances auf Tour, was zu einem so ausdrucks- und meinungsstarken Künstler natürlich auch wie Faust auf Auge passt.
Your three favourite Punk singles/songs?
That would be an incredibly difficult question to answer but I’ll try.
As far as the Punk genre, I defer to what might be considered classics.
** X-Ray Spex – Oh Bondage, Up Yours/I’m A Cliché
** The Damned – Neat Neat Neat/Stab Yor Back/Singalonga-Scabies
** The Ruts – In A Rut/H-Eyes
* A record that will make you dance?
The Ramones can make me nod my head.
* Your favourite song lyrics?
I’m a street-walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm
I’m the runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb
I am the world’s forgotten boy
The one who searches and destroys
Search And Destroy by The Stooges
* The best “new” artist / band right now?
Tamar Aphek, guitarist/songwriter from Israel:
Her only album so far, All Bets Are Off is really great, very different. I hope she makes another one soon.
* Your favourite song about rebellion/revolution?
Let’s Kill These Motherfuckers by Lair of the Minotaur
* Your favourite song in 2022?
Boss Up by Upchuck
* Your favourite movie about music – and why?
I always liked the movie version of the Who’s Tommy album. I watched it over and over. I don’t know how it would hold up now, I haven’t seen it in years but I thought all the cameos, like Elton John and Eric Clapton were so cool. There was a theatre miles from where I lived. I’d ride my bike out there and watch a matinee show for a dollar. It was summer vacation. Sometimes I’d do it days in a row. „Song Remains The Same“ and „Hendrix At Monterey“ are also great.
* Minor Threat, Bad Brains or The Dead Kennedys – which one do you prefer and why?
I was lucky to have seen all three bands many times and they were all amazing. I prefer to listen to all three. I was at the first Minor Threat show, they were great even then. I saw the Bad Brains open for the Damned in June of 1979, that was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. The DKs were just impossibly good. I was at the front, every time.
* The best song you’ve ever written / recorded?
Not sure if any of it was any good.
* Your favourite german song/record?
Song: Trans Europa Express
Records:
** The Razors – Christ Child/Enemy 7”
** Einstürzende Neubauten – Zeichnungen Des Patienten O.T.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7cMCatM-fo
** Kraftwerk – Die Mensch·Maschine
** Cluster – Zuckerzeit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsGMSX00xLo
** Die Haut – Burnin‘ The Ice
** Wolfgang Riechmann – Wunderbar
* Your favourite record of all time?
Fun House by The Stooges
Auf der Bühne:
3rd Hamburg, Germany – Friedrich-Ebert Halle
4th Berlin, Germany – Theater am Potsdamer Platz
5th Heidelburg, Germany – Karlstorbahnhof
6th Cologne, Germany – Kulturkirche
8th Dortmund, Germany – FZW
9th Hannover, Germany – Theater Am Aegi
10th Wiesbaden, Germany – Schlachthof
11th Dusseldorf, Germany – Savoy Theater
12th Ludwigsburg, Germany – Scala
14th Leipzig, Germany – FelsenKeller
15th Munich, Germany – Werk7 Theater
Starker Beitrag, der viele Assoziationen auslöst:
– Rollins Kooperationen auf mehreren Ebenen mit Lydia Lunch.
– „TRANSEUROPA EXPRESS“ ist vermutlich tatsächlich der beste deutschsprachige Titel, vielleicht neben „GOTTSEIDANK NICHT IN ENGLAND“ und „KEIN BESTANDTEIL SEIN“.
– Die Haut mit ihrem Jahrzehntwerk HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR.
– „SEARCH AND DESTROY“ auf RAW POWER im Bowie-Mix.