like Music freak, why did you hold back from making it? ginger
I stopped processing ideas in terms of lyrics. One day, I woke up and thought: “I’m done.” My boss flipped, but I never looked back. I didn’t want to become a human jukebox playing oldies, so I filled the space the band takes up with movies, TV, and now my shows, my radio show and write. At this point, I’m not going back on stage with a band for anything.
Jingle Bells with William Shatner It’s a great song. Are there any future musical collaborations on the horizon? shivermetumbersnow
Bill called and said, “Henry, I really want you to have this song with me.” I said, “Bill, for you, anything.” We’ve done a song before. He is just a pleasure to work with. It was the same with Flaming lips In 2009. They’re people I know, but I generally lock up my shield and sword.
What was the experience like working on Heat?? Prestonian 79
Director Michael Mann said, “Your character has scenes with Al Pacino, but if you don’t like Al, you can’t be in the movie. So we’ll have lunch and see if he likes you.” I’m like: “Uh? When?” He said, “We’re leaving now.” We walked out with our jaws on the floor and went to a high-class Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Like Al: “Call me Al.” At the end of lunch, he said, “Michael, I love him.” Every day on set, I’ll go: “How are you, sir?” Al would put his hand on my shoulder, say, “Henry, no good,” and tell me in great detail how to stretch a muscle in his arm. It was hilarious to be around. There’s one scene where I’m handcuffed, so Al is sitting on the couch and keeping me company while I’m unlocked: “Somebody give me a magic sign. I’m going to draw a mustache on Henry.” When Al Pacino freaks you out, how bad is your day?
Is touring a spoken word show less stressful than a full band tour? 2 threatened dogs
Playing music was like a gladiatorial sport. I would lose three pounds of water per show. I tore my back and neck, and my jaws clicked from the crash. Talk shows are more urgent, because it’s just me on stage. It’s like comparing surgery to construction – one requires extreme concentration and the other just physical. And on the bus is not a tribe of cool guys! They are four non-smokers and low key people. Behind the scenes, it’s just me.
I heard the sad news of the death of Glenn “Spot” Lockett [the influential Black Flag and SST Records producer] . Do you have a story to share or a favorite album to produce? HJayJay
Spot had a very old way of recording: fewer mics, less mixing, and the whole thing live, almost as if cutting the side of Charlie Parker. My favorite album he’s done is The Punch Line by the Minutemen, from 1981. They were both very argumentative, so Spot would say, “Okay, here’s the thing. Shut up,” and they were smart enough to listen.
I have never met anyone like him. He’d been riding around for days in snowshoes. When Black Flag recorded the recording broke, Greg Ginn wanted to hear it sound in the studio, so Spot picked up Greg’s guitar and while the band was playing, he nailed the track Damaged II just right, which sounds like rock. Greg was an amazing guitar player, but he was very closed off. It was hilarious. The chess master got checkmate.
Your KCRW radio programming delight. Which radio DJ inspired you and enjoyed it? VerulamiamParkRanger
My mom took me to see American Graffiti and the Wolfman Jack character scenes were very engaging. I became obsessed with the idea of the mysterious voice speaking through a clock radio at night saving your life through music. At KCRW, my late great friend Deirdre O’Donoghue You first taught me how to do it. I’ve been on the station for 14 years and my show is heard all over the world.
When you put together your playlist for your radio show, what do you look for in a new artist? Xenon 73
That you love their music. That’s it. When I was in a band, I always wanted someone to play us on the radio to help us on the wall, so if someone recommends a new band I like, I do Bandcamp and buy their entire catalog. I like the next album by Snooper is from Nashville. It’s a fun record, all 23 minutes of it.
When I was 14 years old, I wrote to all the bands that inspired me. I was one of the few who cared enough to respond. Have you ever written to your heroes? Jim Crimson
No. But I come from the Washington, D.C. punk scene, which was very egalitarian. When a young man writes to me, I will never write again, because I believe in young people. I don’t want to dampen their enthusiasm.
What are your memories of your time at 52 Harold Mount, Leeds, and recording those early Solo/Rollins Band recordings at outside Beat Studios? davehumanfly
Chris Haskett of the Rollins Band used to live in Leeds, so we made records there and camped out in his frigid apartment with a coin-operated counter. The local shop served the best onions I’ve ever had and the owner was forever trying to make Chris with his daughter.
I learned the land of the whole region. We borrowed a microphone from Mykonos and played the Duchess of York a few times. One night, someone said, “Jimi Hendrix was basically British.” So I said, “Yeah, sit down. You’ll be educated in Washington State,” and I totally exploded at this guy.
sOur article 1994 Iron and soulwhich lays out how and why I got started in weightlifting, there Sven Lindqvist Bench Press A book on redefining the causes of strength training. What is your exercise regime like now? KingOfLuxembourg
I work out six days a week: a big pull-up day, a big push-up day, a small push-up day, a sit-up day and the rest is cardio. I’m on stage for two and a half hours talking at high speed, and that one stop of the tour is 44 straight shows, so the calories burned in the afternoon prepare me mentally. As a teenager, I couldn’t throw a ball straight and nobody wanted to play with me. My teacher taught me to lift weights and the gym has been a happy place ever since.
You have a huge record collection. What record do you have the most versions of? Xenon 73
I have a lot of different pressings of the first goddamn album and the first three Buzzcocks albums. The various pressings of Hendrix’s albums are interesting, especially the ones in South Africa, because they didn’t want a non-white face on the cover during apartheid. Bowie 7ins from the Philippines are very hard to find and always in bad shape. I buy every Joy Division bootleg. It’s basically the same as the eight shows, but until I’ve squeezed in all of my life, my life won’t be complete.
How did you get the original artwork for Ruts classic 1979 British punk album The Crack? ferret 76
sigs [John Jennings] Of the Russians tell me that the painter, John HowardShe took him to New York, and the band never saw him again. I found John Howard and he told me he sold it to an art collector who just thought it was a great picture for a party. He gave me an insanely low price. After a while, Segs told me the back cover artwork had turned up at an auction house in Suffolk, so I bought that, too.
Your mention of the electric age Miles Davis triggered my longtime love and obsession. what are you Listen to that may be relevant? Mr. Frisky
I grew up on Miles, but my mom said she didn’t understand him anymore during the age of electricity. So, in Rollins’ band, my bandmates were amazed I’d never heard On the Corner and sat me down and played it. I’m not sure there was anything like it, but on the bus my road manager was playing Eastern European jazz in the 70’s, so I’ve been tracking down records of all these bands whose names I can’t remember.
What are your memories of performing in Ukraine – and will you be performing in Kiev or Moscow now? surgical
Kiev was really beautiful and the audience was really thoughtful and appreciative. The Russian audience has always been cool. Going to Ukraine will lighten the situation, unless I can afford the flights myself and do a free show, a kind of tonic for the troops, like I used to do with the USO [United Service Organizations, a live-entertainment charity for the US armed forces] In Iraq and Afghanistan. I will not go to Russia now for fear that something will fall into my tea.
in your latest book soYou mentioned that you moved to Nashville for a big project. What is this? Colindardies
It’s something I’ve been working on for the past two years with my boss, Heidi Mae, and have put my life savings into it. All I can say is we are looking forward to launching 14 months from now in Nashville and it will make people smile until their faces hurt.