Punk icon Henry Rollins of BLACK FLAG and ROLLINS BAND recently spoke to the Discaholics website about collecting his own records.
Are you an official discaholic?
I have always had a hard time dealing with people. I don’t hate them but feel uncomfortable around them. I prefer them on records. Music keeps me company, actual humans don’t all that much. So, music has a large place in my life. I like all the different pressings and labels, it’s all very interesting to me. About as happy as I get is when I am listening to music
Are there any secret S.O.A test pressings / acetates, laying around… that we haven’t seen yet?
There were some test pressings. I am not certain of the actual number. Perhaps ten or so. Past that, I think there were three pressings of the single, two for sure.
Was this your debut in vinyl ? the No Policy ep? Or are there any earlier results on vinyl? Why green vinyl on the 1st issue of No Policy?
That was my first time being on a record. I thought green vinyl would look cool. That’s the only thought I had about it.
Are there any secret Black Flag test pressings / acetates, laying around… that we haven’t seen yet?
There are test pressings for sure. Jealous Again, Six Pack, Damaged of two different masterings. Those are the ones I am aware of. There might be some for Everything Went Black but I am not sure. As far as I know, there were no acetates. We could not have afforded them. There are perhaps more test pressings. Honestly, it’s not a discography that interests me all that much. I don’t have all the records I am on,
Are there any secret Rollins Band test pressings / acetates, laying around… that we haven’t seen yet?
Test pressings for Life Time, Hard Volume, Do It for sure. There is a Hard Volume Australian test pressing that a guy showed me but I don’t have one. As far as I know, those are the only ones. No acetates to my knowledge. Again, no money or need really.
Fav format in general?
I would rather listen to a record or other analog source over digital.
What is it really… in between the grooves?
I don’t know.
How come you got into Free Jazz?
It seemed as punk rock or more punk rock than punk rock, which very often played it safe. Free Jazz doesn’t seem to care about getting paid, it sounds like truth.
Normally we deal and talk exclusively about vinyl on this site… but occasionally we have some rare cassettes and related that we think is worth spreading some lights on. There is one AMAZING cassette with the music of Norman Howard that came into DC´s archive 20 years ago…. Were you at all involved in that release? There was some rumors about it at the time….
I bought the masters of that album from a Scottish guy who somehow got them. I told the asshole at ESP. He asked for them and offered 1000 dollars, which was less than I paid but I said ok because I figured he could put it out and life would be grand. So, I gave him the tape and he never paid me. I would take one of his ears in lieu of payment because that is the kind of sociopath fuck I am but I don’t want to do the time. He should put it out.
Have you produced any other free jazz / improvised music on vinyl or cassette? Any plans for the future?
I mixed some sessions for Charles Gayle and others. No plans to do more.
Are producing / releasing vinyls a useful tool to fight the stupidity back?
I think music is a good thing to keep humans on their best behavior.
The rest of this interview can be read here.
