Turned On: A Biography of Henry Rollins

by James Parker

A celebrity like no other, Henry Rollins initially made his mark as the front man for the punk band Black Flag, and has since gone on to a successful musical career with the Rollins Band, along with spoken word performance tours, appearances in films, and the creation of his own publishing company (2.13.61). He has remained an uncompromising icon of American alternative culture, a man to whom unrestrained expression is not just a career, but the reason for living.

Unlike nearly every other rock 'n' roll celebrity, Rollins has avoided the usual wallowing in booze, orgies, and medication in favor of pumping iron, performing constantly, writing furious diatribes against complacency and passivity, and repeatedly attempting to rip the scales from the eyes of a brainwashed populace. His performances are karate chops of information, thought-provoking and dangerous.

Turned On is a look at the circumstances, alliances, and conflicts that made Rollins the force he is today. Biographer James Parker starts off in Washington DC, birthplace of Henry Garfield, and chronicles the development of his drive and rage. Parker shows how skinny skate-punk Garfield hooked up with his favorite band, Black Flag, and remade himself as part-animal, part-machine Henry Rollins.

Parker examines at length the punk scene of the early to mid-eighties, when Black Flag toured with few breaks, going into towns where no punk band had ever been and preparing the ears of the nation for the harsh new sound. A historian of the punk movement as it migrated from London to New York to Hollywood, Parker recreates the era, covering the bands, the places they performed, and the riots over which they presided.

Interviews with cohorts, members of Black Flag, roadies, musicians, film directors, and music professionals provide a multifaceted look at Rollins. Above all, Parker examines Rollins' music, giving informed reviews of the noise Rollins has brought to this world and deciphering what the music says about the man.

Turned On is the story of Roll

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Punk

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Reviews

[Alex Ankarr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly informative. Does what it says on the tin. I suppose Rollins would approve that, right?

[Dan Ray · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never do this, but I actually threw this book in the garbage unfinished.
This was clearly written by a fan, not a writer and it was written against Henry Rollins express wishes. Hint - if you're writing an unauthorised biography, and the subject warns their staff not to talk to you specifically by name, you're barking up the wrong tree.

I'm a fan of Henry Rollins, but this book is unreadable.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Henry Rollins, the post-punk early 80s, Black Flag or any of those things, which made this read really engrossing.

An impressive amount of research and interview went into the book, creating a pretty convincing picture about the man and the world he came from. The author is sympathetic to Rollins, though tries to keep things reasonably objective. As a biography about a musician, this was an interesting read, covering post Rollins and the post-punk/hardcore era in the US circa late 70s to mid 80s.

My only major complaint is that the author tends to take a lot of poetic license and indulges in extravagant writing. This does a good job countering the blasting hard edges of the music in question (it's worth digging up the albums mentioned in the book, if only for context), but can also go a bit over the top.

Still, fun and interesting read. Good biography.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Parker has some of the smartest takes on Henry Rollins, Black Flag, and the Brothers Ginn. Completists complain that the latter half of Rollins's career doesn't get anywhere near the attention as his early years Black Flag, I think that fine. The Rollins Band is not Black Flag full stop. That said I'd love for someone to take on his Rollins's books and his publishing empire. A stirring portrait of an unlikely artist.

[Tavia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biography of a relentless, thought-provoking, blunt-instrument artist; also provides some harrowing insights into punk-band touring.

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect much from this book, but ended up being pleasantly surprised; it was a much better read than I had anticipated. That being said, this is certainly not a definitive biography of Henry Rollins. I suspect we may have to wait a while for that, and it may well be that Rollins will opt to write an autobiography or memoir rather than allow anyone else to write any sort of "authorised" biography of him during his lifetime. This book is probably just about as good as it's going to get, at least for a while. If you are a big fan of the man's work, and/or simply curious about him, it's worth reading; nowhere near worth the $17.95 cover price (especially since it's a paperback), however, and frankly not really even worth the $8.50 I paid for a used copy. If I had to do it again, I'd try the library first...

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

let you know hard is hard .

[catechism · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Henry Rollins kind of a lot, but this read more as hagiography than biography.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it, learned so many things I didn't know about him. Excellent in depth behind the scenes peak at an interesting slightly enigmatic character.

[Leigh Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched and informative

[Steven Spector · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engrossing read featuring the LA punk scene, a band called Black Flag, and a very complicated and at times tortured individual square at the center of it all.

[Antonis Moras · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise story, full of contrasting standpoints, maybe a little bit overdramatic in some points but why not. Now i should read "Get in the van" and that's all.