Henry Rollins: Still Angry After All These Years

By Henry Rollins Mon., Feb. 25 2013 at 3:30 AM

[Look for your weekly fix from the one and only Henry Rollins right here on West Coast Sound every Thursday, and come back tomorrow for the awesomely annotated playlist for his Saturday KCRW broadcast.]

I turned 52 years of age on the 13th day of February. That morning, I found myself completely uninterested in this fact. My 50 birthday was interesting. I saw it as the beginning of some post peak, diminishing returns, downhill ride in Mortality's toboggan. It ended up not being a big deal.

This time around, I got a cake, a card and a lot of friendly e-mails from all over the world, all of which I answered after work that evening.

I figured since it was my birthday, I would suspend my usual rule of only listening to new music on the weeknights, which I do in an effort to keep moving forward, distancing the hounds of stagnation from my heels, and play some records that were more familiar. I consider this carbohydrate listening; comfort food for the ears. I usually reserve this kind of low challenge listening for Saturdays.

One of my true north, clear the air, reset favorites is the first Clash album, the UK version, which has different songs than its American cousin. I have been listening to this album since I was in high school and it still moves me.

So, I sat right in front of the speakers and took it in one more time. As I listened, I did a multi-level gut check. I do this kind of thing all the time: Before shows, auditions, anything where there is risk involved. I do the big ones in the early hours of the new year and on my birthday. I try to figure out where I'm at as far as motivation, intensity, etc.

When the album's last song, "Garage Land," finished. I found myself very happy. Ecstatic, actually. Because I realized how angry I was. I got up, flipped the record over, started it again and resumed my self-analysis. As the songs played, I concluded that I was more angry than I was a year ago. This to be an achievement, something I have somehow gotten it right.

My anger does not manifest itself in destruction of objects, swearing in traffic, or attempting to get beaten up by another male several years my junior. Actually, it gets me up early, on the road and down it. I believe that contentment or any sustained period of joy that doesn't inspire thought that leads to action almost immediately is useless.

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JR100

1 Like

Motivation for change is important. Anger or sadness can often prompt us but I'd like to think that these aren't our only choices. I think it devastating to entertain the idea that anything else equates to weakness.

It's a shame that societally we assign gender to emotion, but patriarchy insists that girls take charge of the ushy-gushy emotions and if they aren't seemingly nurturing enough, they have failed. Patriarchy browbeats boys into thinking that anger is the only emotion that will reward them -- it is the only emotion that will propel them and satiate them.

If upholding anger has become a bragging right, that is problematic. I think we all know what anger is, and consistent anger will kill you. It will damage your body and certainly your brain. Neuroscientists will tell you that. As a woman in her 30s, (whether that is old or young) I have become more conscious and concerned about brain health. If maintaining anger is so important to us, this tells me that it has become identity and the possibility of anger turning into identity is widely acceptable, if not embraced. If we fear the potential loss of it, that speaks to how dependent we are on this emotion. It's important to understand that anger is not a bragging right and it is not something to romanticize.

To loosen our grip of anger -- even a seemingly safe and concentrated anger -- does not necessarily mean to let it go completely. To loosen our grip on anger does not mean to say we have loosened our grip on reality or that we certainly must be too privileged to know real pain or to empathize with those who are in pain.

Rollins travels the world, many times over and I think it's safe to say that many of us have not. I certainly have not. I do not lack insight into this, nor do I lack empathy. Never the less, anger does not disguise a feeling of hopelessness and it doesn't not assist us in feeling less hopeless long-term. Why must one test themselves to make certain that the anger still exists, that it's still brewing? Pissed? Whew! Thank GOD it's still there. Thank God, I'm still "me"; I've still got a pulse. If we cling to anger with such desperation in order to feel a sense of control, that tells us how out of control we are. All the anger in the world will not compensate for that.

So, if not anger, what? That's up to each of us as individuals. I'm working on it.

JennieVasquez topcommenter

I've never been a particularly angry person. I was raised to be quiet, was painfully shy, and as a fat kid learned that if I fought everyone that made fun of me, I'd be fighting all the time like the neighbor girl down the street who did punch those that teased her. To this day I still admire her courage but I would still not fight as I hate pain. My way of handling anger took its toll as I grew and I internalized any anger which in turn mad me fatter and lacking self worth. Then I had a professor who turned my way of thinking around and he taught me the fine art of being punchy. If something made me mad and was worth fighting for, I learned to go ahead and speak my mind or do something if I could. It also meant not literally punching people but to not back down when you believe in something. Unfortunately, in recent years the punchiness has faded due to losses that have left me sad but perhaps it's time to go find my inner anger and light a fire underneath me again.

wormofthesenses

As much as I've always admired Henry's ideals and attitude, the more interviews I read, the more he comes off like an elitist, washed up dickhead.

"The hounds of stagnation"? How appropriately DC. Verbose and full of shit.

katnj63

1 Like

I'm turning 50 this year, and I'm soooo looking forward to it. I am very angry still, each and every day, and often get happily angrier after listening to a good raw album too. I am proud of my anger, proud that I use it in a positive way to continually better myself and teach my children about the world and hopefully make them angry also. Unlike some other women my age who are trying to hide their age, I proudly wear it as badge representing what I have evolved into today. If you lose your anger, you stop caring and I never plan on doing that!

clashblog

I've always felt anger as a positive is a great thing to harness and what better source than the first Clash album?

David Donan

I wonder if ill always be an angry person and if i will ever know why. I like how Henry Rollins puts anger in perspective and makes it a positive thing to be.

James Recinos

Anger is a good motivator. People don't change when they have their hands in their face moping, they change when they get mad.

Lonnie Brown

Anger is a gift !!! Calm like a bomb

Dominic Pace

I like that.

Mikel Hennessay

wow, an old guy joke. never expected it.

Dingo Core

he just needs Metamucil.

Mark Adams

Well,Jesus said to anger,and sin not...He also said to love and pray for your enemies--so there's a constructive way to be angry and do no one--including yourself--any harm,at least.

Eric Evans

Isn't that special.

Liliana Vasquez-Duran

I concur Henry my rage still pumps blood through my arteries and back into my veins. My anger doesn't demand destruction but a revolution and at the very least I want a mofo or two to wake up and stop being so damn iphone content.