Henry Rollins has written a grim but funny book chronicling his years as the screaming front man for Black Flag, one of the heaviest punk rock bands of the late '70s to mid-'80s. With his caged-animal stare and a blanket of tattoos covering his body, Rollins was a punk-rock icon.
Get in the Van is a compilation of journals he kept during his years on tour; it includes nearly 200 images. The journals convey both the tedium and the strangeness of the touring life.
Rollins doesn't hold back when he slams music industry heavies. But he must have hit a blue-light special in the angst department. He drones on and on about his contempt for virtually everything on the planet, save Nick Cave and a few others.
But he does a good job describing life on the road - it's a soul-frying experience not to be undertaken by lightweights. A companion audiobook featuring two and a half hours of excerpts read by Rollins is also excellent and is definitely worth a listen.
Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag, by Henry Rollins: US$25 book, $20 CD, $16 cassette. 2.13.61 Publications: +1 (213) 969 8043.
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