A short stature, black clothes, and gray-tinged hair are the main characteristics of 40-something Henry Rollins' appearance. It does not match his personality.
His muscular build and tattoos poking out of his T-shirt reveal a side of Rollins that the audience will attentively listen to for the following three hours: One that is powerful, witty and undeniably intelligent.
Speaking to an energized crowd of fans at Buffalo State College on Sunday night, Rollins - a punk rock icon turned spoken-word artist - did not refrain from sharing everything from personal anecdotes to opinions on politics, the president, and the war. Referring to President George W. Bush as, "the least articulate guy in his administration," Rollins went on to show his vast knowledge about each man in office, citing specific examples of past speeches.
As for the war, Rollins said he never felt threatened by Saddam Hussein and felt that "war is the ultimate human failure." He said he also finds "complacent, mediocre, and ignorant" people to be the most dangerous within society. With these ideas as the central theme of his speech, Rollins referred back to his animosity toward people with the attitude of college students who take a "four year beer holiday."
Gaining the devoted attention of the audience with outrageous stories concerning his days of touring through Canada in extreme temperatures, his ideas about the Texas justice system, and the wild members of his band, Rollins succeeds in balancing laughter with intellectual interest. Referencing the Texan woman who ran over her husband, Rollins transformed the heinous crime into a parody of the judicial system.
His self-deprecating nature added further humor and reminded the audience of his role as a regular citizen in society.
"I am an adult loser with no life," Rollins said. "I'm miserable all the time, I might as well get a job out of the deal."
Rollins' ability to get paid for entertaining has included a 10-year gig as the lead singer of the Rollins band, as well as a role in the punk band Black Flag. He made appearances in movies such as "The Chase," "Johnny Mnemonic" and "The New Guy." With countless CDs, 10 books, and numerous TV appearances and lectures under his belt, Rollins has become popular in many forms of media.
As the evening continued, Rollins shared perhaps more personal information than his audience was looking for. He mentioned stories about watching late-night infomercials in the nude and bawling his eyes out while ordering a 1970s compilation CD. His verbal detour, including the tale of his experience at a Ramones concert, caused the audience to laugh loudly.
Aside from his humorous stories and ironic opinions about politics, Rollins has a more serious side. Openly acknowledging his dislike for people who consume large amounts of alcohol and tobacco, feeling that poisoning one's body is a waste of time, Rollins shared his attitudes toward a crowd full of (likely biased) 20-somethings.
Rollins said it can be embarrassing to live in American society today, one in which a college-aged student once asked him what color crayon he would be if he could be any one.
To this, Rollins replied, "Whatever color your blood is."
Temperamental, yes, but Rollins made many good points during his in-depth speech. Rollins was not afraid to share his opinions, regardless of whether it offended his audience. He succeeded in making his audience think, encouraged them to help other members of society, and more than anything, not to be a waste of food, time and space.
With so much information to be absorbed, so much knowledge to be attained, and better things to do than sit around, Rollins said that as he grows older, "the more I see, the more I get pissed off about ... to say you don't know, to say you don't care, to say there's nothing going on, I say f- you."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
