Henry Rollins (born Henry Lawrence Garfield on February 13, 1961, in Washington, D.C.) is an American singer, spoken-word performer, writer, actor, broadcaster, and publisher. He first became known within the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene before establishing himself as the frontman of Black Flag, one of the most influential bands in American underground music. Over a career spanning more than four decades, Rollins has moved between aggressive rock, spoken-word performance, publishing, radio, television, film, and activism without settling permanently into a single role.
Rollins began performing in 1980 with State of Alert, a short-lived Washington hardcore group associated with the early Dischord scene. His forceful stage presence attracted the attention of Black Flag, and he joined the California band in 1981. His tenure coincided with a period of relentless touring and artistic expansion for the group. On records such as *Damaged*, *My War*, *Loose Nut*, and *In My Head*, Rollins delivered a confrontational vocal style that matched Black Flag's increasingly heavy and experimental approach. He remained with the band until its dissolution in 1986.
During his time in Black Flag, Rollins also began developing a parallel career as a spoken-word performer. After the band's breakup, he established 2.13.61, an independent record and publishing company named after his birth date. The imprint became a vehicle for his own books, spoken-word recordings, and work by other writers and musicians. His writing combined touring diaries, personal observations, cultural criticism, poetry, and accounts of life in the punk underground.
In 1987, Rollins released *Hot Animal Machine*, recorded with guitarist Chris Haskett, and formed the Rollins Band with Haskett, bassist Andrew Weiss, and drummer Sim Cain. The group blended hardcore intensity with heavy metal, alternative rock, jazz, and funk influences. Albums including *Life Time*, *Hard Volume*, *The End of Silence*, and *Weight* established the band as a major force in the heavier alternative scene. *The End of Silence* became Rollins' first charting album, while *Weight* brought broader recognition through extensive touring and exposure on alternative radio and music television. The Rollins Band also appeared at Woodstock 94.
Rollins received a Grammy Award for the spoken-word recording of *Get in the Van*, his account of touring with Black Flag. He continued to issue books and spoken-word albums, often presenting long, unscripted performances built around travel, politics, music, literature, and social observation. His direct, physically intense delivery made his spoken-word shows an extension of his music career rather than a departure from it.
From the 1990s onward, Rollins expanded into film and television. He appeared in movies including *The Chase*, *Johnny Mnemonic*, *Heat*, *Lost Highway*, *Feast*, and *He Never Died*, and provided voices for animated productions such as *The Legend of Korra*. He has also hosted television programs, worked as a radio presenter, and contributed music journalism and cultural commentary. His broadcasting has included programs for KCRW in Los Angeles.
Although the Rollins Band has been inactive for extended periods, Rollins has continued to perform spoken word, publish, record, act, and travel. His importance rests not only on his work with Black Flag and the Rollins Band, but also on the way he turned the hardcore ethic of constant activity into a broad, self-directed career across music, literature, performance, and media.