Baz Luhrmann's 1999 spoken word track Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) has met its match:

CNgrxgmcwck

  - Henry Rollins, Young Person, Apr. 25, 2012.

If you're wondering who the hell Henry Rollins is and why I think a spoken-word piece is worthy of a "more than a decade" post, let's go back to Black Flag.

Black Flag: 1976-1986
Rollins Band: 1987-2002
Spoken Word, on and off regardless of what project he was working on musically: 1985-present.

Rollins sounds like a motivational poster.

I prefer:

William S. Burroughs: Words of Advice for Young People

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcZxCA8Wbbg

Rollins is my hero.  I've seen his spoken shows live and he never disappoints!

I never cared much for Rollins music (I like him better as an actor), but his spoken word piece is not bad.  Will it become a hit like Baz Luhrmann?

The best spoken word song of all time should be the 1973 piece 'The Americans' by Gordon Sinclair. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ_okAgAUGE

I never cared much for Rollins music (I like him better as an actor), but his spoken word piece is not bad.  Will it become a hit like Baz Luhrmann?


I doubt it will, but I hope so.  I'm with ladybug316 - fantastic spoken word artist, and much better in person than in transcript.

"I envy the lonesome coyote, walking alone under clear night sky, moon reflecting off its coat. The beast howls at the moon, full of pain and desire. My howl would be thin and hollow. I want, but I don't know what."
  - Henry Rollins, Standing Still in Slow Motion, from 1989's Short Walk on a Long Pier. 

He was 28 when he recorded/performed that. I was a little younger, but as long as I'm going back 20-odd years, I believe we all have a moment in which we "called in the airstrike" and "incinerated the island of hope".  It's one thing to read it in text, it's another thing to hear it in person and recognize that we're all re-enacting some perverse version of Apocalypse Now, and that the only way out is through.  Napalm is thorough. You know - smells like victory.  (The difference between Henry and the rest of us is that he actually made it through, rather than becoming a cynical SOB like me, and good on him.)

But Henry, for what it's worth, I'm still down for most of the "few changes you wanna make" in Taking over the World.  I think a lot of us here in America could agree that "there would only be one version of the national anthem - HENDRIX AT WOODSTOCK", and use that as our common ground.

Rollins, definitely one of few out there past or present with something to say, and a background to be able to say it.

I read “Pissing in the Gene Pool” back in the early 90’s (right after I moved away from the D.C. scene).  It hit home for me too well for me to really put it into words and really connected to what he put into paperback, what he had to say put part of his life into perspective.

Here’s a major issue for anyone that has read or taken into importance what Henry had to say.

Rollins has always been able to look into his current persona and relate it to where others are, where WE are… good for him.  But as I got turned onto some of his spoken word albums back in the 90’s too, post/late disenchanted college student that I was…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRDDOpKaLM

There is something, something, about where he has evolved to, as an actor, celebrity or spoken word figure that has bothered me recently (actually for a LONG time) and I think we, as he, in his own advice should take a step back before we take what he has to say in full measure…why, do I smell something of a sell out, yet not be able to relinquish myself from his persona of being bad ass enough to recognize it?

It like saying yes, its (life, music, movies, culture) is f’d up, but don’t make any mention of me playing along with, taking acting and other roles in the b.s. too that I call out?

This is a guy that drives a black 7 series BMW LWB (stretched wheelbase) , not exactly what I would call the person to call out our cultures shortcomings...

There is something, something, about where he has evolved to, as an actor, celebrity or spoken word figure that has bothered me recently (actually for a LONG time) and I think we, as he, in his own advice should take a step back before we take what he has to say in full measure...


I can't speak for Rollins (I can only ramble incoherently on the Internet), but I think he'd agree with you.

A koan: If you meet a buddha, kill the buddha. (attr. Lin Chi, ca. the 850s-early-860s)

Rollins had some sage advice for the ladies too.  Heh-heh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH9TCZ8G-eg

My girlfriend liked this record.
I liked this record.
But I wasn't sure how much
I liked how much
My girlfriend liked this record.
:o

Rollins, definitely one of few out there past or present with something to say, and a background to be able to say it.

I read “Pissing in the Gene Pool” back in the early 90’s (right after I moved away from the D.C. scene).  It hit home for me too well for me to really put it into words and really connected to what he put into paperback, what he had to say put part of his life into perspective.

Here’s a major issue for anyone that has read or taken into importance what Henry had to say.

Rollins has always been able to look into his current persona and relate it to where others are, where WE are… good for him.  But as I got turned onto some of his spoken word albums back in the 90’s too, post/late disenchanted college student that I was…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRDDOpKaLM

There is something, something, about where he has evolved to, as an actor, celebrity or spoken word figure that has bothered me recently (actually for a LONG time) and I think we, as he, in his own advice should take a step back before we take what he has to say in full measure…why, do I smell something of a sell out, yet not be able to relinquish myself from his persona of being bad ass enough to recognize it?

It like saying yes, its (life, music, movies, culture) is f’d up, but don’t make any mention of me playing along with, taking acting and other roles in the b.s. too that I call out?

This is a guy that drives a black 7 series BMW LWB (stretched wheelbase) , not exactly what I would call the person to call out our cultures shortcomings...

You can be successful, drive whatever you want and still have your finger on the pulse of things. Don't hate him because he's rich (and beautiful).

He'll take his lumps, though and has been pretty outspoken about this sort of thing.  I don't have source material presently, (it's 2am, and I don't feel like searching) but he has made mention of the acting roles or going to war torn places and staying in the better hotels, saying that he's got nothing to complain about.  He's got a great new book of photography and it mentions this also.

Henry's ability to transcend his own situation, to find the common thread of humanity wherever he goes make him a worthy storyteller.  I consider him a journalist at this point, really.  Our man on (a self-directed) assignment.  When he's not home on a relaxing drive in that BMW, he's in Yemen, or Siberia or some other far-flung place that I sure as hell would never visit!

He's earned his money and after all these years, his leisure, yet he's still out there calling it like he sees it!  AWESOME!

Rollins' outlook on music is black-and-white.  There's what he likes and then there's stuff that sucks. 

I agree with him about mainstream pop.  However, I could write a similar screed about punk and metal.  That goes double for his overblown spoken word full of 14-year-old machismo and four letter words.  It's really tiresome, Henry. 
::)