Before the Chop IV

by Henry Rollins

Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on, four times? REALLY? How in the hell did I fall for this again? Was it the $40 (ten bucks more than last time) I was paid to choke out the words for the back cover of this "book?"

This time around, old angry ass couldn't even get to one hundred columns for the LA Weekly. He keeled over at fifty-nine. How weak! I know what you're thinking--he must have been fired, right? All the complaints and missed deadlines took their toll and the little paper that could, finally did and sent H Rollings packing, right back into to his glass box at the Smithsonian. Believe it or not, he quit. What an idiot! Do you have any idea how lucky he was to get that job in the first place? The people who hired him are long gone. You have to believe that they brought HR on as a parting shot, the proverbial lit paper bag on the front porch.

Finally, a bright spot on the horizon. This has to be last of these "Chop" books, right? Please let it be the last one. The stupid covers of a frickin' pen "winning." The whole pen-v-sword gag one more time shows you how much the under talented, over stimulated scrawler at a certain vanity label has NO IMAGINATION. Note to Henry No one wants to read the "real" versions of your work! Don't you get that? It was Andy Hermann's great editing that made your worthless column barely readable in the first place. Talk about the lipstick hitting the pig. Rollings should mow Mr. Hermann's lawn every other week and send the pig a get well card.

I bet Henry Rollings feels reeeeeal important since his column won the Southern California Journalism Award in 2017. Well, there's one award that won't ever get its integrity back. I can see him now, carrying it everywhere, carefully placing it next to his laptop when in the coffee places he inhabits, so everyone knows there's an AWARD WINNING WRITER in the room. Insecure much? I think I'm going to hurl.

You know what? This time around, I didn't read the pdf file of the book that was sent to me. I already know what's in it--and so do you. Henry's the only person out there with an opinion, and citizen do you need to know it. Sound familiar?

Let's all spare ourselves, shall we? Let's give Before the Chop IV (and after): LA Weekly Writing (and more) 2012-2018 a miss. Put the book down. Put. It. Down. Good. Now walk away. Still here? Why? Trust me, he's not going to get any better.

So glad it's over. I feel like a three-legged rabbit, hopping away from a trap, leaving a trail of blood in the snow. Maimed and in excruciating pain. But free. Oooh. My name? It's been dragged down so far by all this that even I can't find it. Enough!

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2018

About the author

Henry Rollins (born Henry Lawrence Garfield; often referred to simply as Rollins) is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, author, actor and publisher.

After joining the short-lived Washington, D.C. band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the Californian hardcore punk band Black Flag from 1981 until 1986. Following the band's breakup, Rollins soon established the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, as well as forming the Rollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups until 2003 and during 2006.

Since Black Flag, Rollins has embarked on projects covering a variety of media. He has hosted numerous radio shows, such as The Henry Rollins Show and Harmony In My Head, and television shows, such as MTV's 120 Minutes and Jackass, along with roles in several films. Rollins has also campaigned for human rights in the United States, promoting gay rights in particular, and tours overseas with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops.

Reviews

[Lloyd Kerns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollins keeps rolling even without THE STONE. So, I've read a lot of Henry, watched the interviews and spoken word shows. And this. Is. My favorite so far. It came at the right time, in dealing with the political mess that is America, and therefore most of the world.

There were so many highlights of things that made me say Amen, or laugh, or music/books/documentaries to check out.

[Thomas Vacchino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series from Mr. Rollins and I am sad to see it end.
Fantastic per usual!
Not sure why there is only a KINDLE Edition listed? I bought my paperback edition direct from Rollins website just like all other editions.

"You need to understand that your freedom is only as valid as the freedom you allow others"