Rollins brings spoken word to Rogue Theatre
From our weekly issue dated May 26, 2010
Henry Rollins (Photo by Maura Lanahan)
He“s spent the past few years traveling the world on his “Frequent Flyer Tour“ — and now, Henry Rollins is bringing his observations to the Rogue Theatre in Grants Pass on Tuesday, June 1.
Rollins, whose stint singing for the band “Black Flag“ made him a punk rock icon decades ago, has evolved into an actor, author, radio host and spoken word artist.
In a Friday, May 21 telephone interview, Rollins described his foreign travels as an “eye-opener.“
“When you travel far and wide, it“s hard to avoid getting an education from it, unless you hide in a hotel room every day,“ Rollins said. “That“s one of the reasons I travel as far as I can.“
Touring abroad has helped shape Rollins“ perspective on the United States“ military presence in more than 150 different countries.
“You start to see how people feel about that in other countries,“ Rollins said. “I think some people are getting quite over it. I think we“ll definitely have to deal with that in the next few decades.“
Broader global issues and their effects also are becoming obvious to Rollins.
“You can start to see that what we do to the planet is really starting to make itself evident,“ Rollins said.
“There“s a growing desperation for food and water. They“re seeing that in Africa. Water is going to become a real issue in the next few years. I think it will start killing people off, and there will be wars fought over it.“
Rollins also has been exposed to different cultures, he said. For example, he went to Saudi Arabia a few months ago, which is under strict Islamic Sharia law. As such, women in that country are not allowed to drive cars or go anywhere without a husband or male relative.
“That“s a little crazy for someone coming from the bold and free America,“ Rollins observed.
Going to countries such as South Africa could be intimidating for some, but the performer explained that he embraces the chance to engage in new experiences.
“I“ve walked through places where sometimes, I“m the only white guy I see all day. It“s not a matter of being brave or tough, because I“m neither,“ Rollins said.
“But I can see the real mechanics of some of these places I have to go. That“s what interests me. I“m trying to find out some of the things you can“t find out of a book.“
Despite all the challenges faced by mankind, Rollins said that he has become increasingly optimistic about the future.
He stated, “We can all get along. Wars are preventable. We don“t need them, and I think that more people are coming to that conclusion.
“Things are tough right now, but oddly, they“re getting better.“
As the forces of globalization continue to erase political and national boundaries, people everywhere find themselves confronted by many of the same issues. Rollins said that ultimately, people are the same, no matter where they come from.
“Divisions make certain groups money,“ he said. “Divisions start wars and pit you against someone else that you think you have disagreements with. But I think the disagreements are not as prevalent as the agreements.“
He believes that his live spoken-word performances reflect his newfound role as a global “correspondent.“
“I“m onstage by myself, just me and a microphone,“ he explained. “I“m editorializing and recounting stories from recent months. I tell you where I went, what I saw and what information I got from it. I go out and report back to you, is the whole idea.“
Much has changed since Rollins first took to the stage belting songs from classic “Black Flag“ albums like “Damaged“ in 1981. He said that in retrospect, those were “quite amazing times.“
“I don“t think anybody back in those days knew how hallowed all of this would become later, or how mythologized,“ he said. “Those days, it was a bunch of grimy clubs and a lot of poverty and desperation,“ Rollins said. “But I feel lucky that I got to be there for some of it.“
Tickets for Rollins“ June 1 appearance at Rogue Theatre are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. His appearance will start at 8 p.m.
For more information, phone 541-471-1316 or visit roguetheatre.com.
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