Henry Rollins on Buk

nervas

nervas

more crickets than friends
I just read in another thread a line that mentioned Rollins growing out of his Bukowski interest, or something to the sort.

I have read several of Rollins books, and thought some of his early stuff was trying to be in the Bukowski vain.

Does anyone know of Rollins ever talking of Bukowski, critically or not? Rollins seems to be such an avid fan of people like Hemmingway, Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, etc....However I have never heard him mention Bukowski? It almost seems intentional at times, like he doesn't want to be known as a Bukowski fan?

Any thoughts?
 
hoochmonkey9

hoochmonkey9

Art should be its own hammer.
Moderator
Founding member
there's some talk on the subject in this thread, as well as a link to an interview with Matt Dillon and Rollins discussing Bukowski.
 
nervas

nervas

more crickets than friends
Thank you. I really need to get better at searching around this forum, before I post my repeated questions. I also can't believe I forgot about that interview with Dillon. I remember watching it and gathering from it Rollins was a fan. However after reading the thread you recommended I see how he kinda back peddeled on that one.
 
S

slimedog

He doesn't really like Buk-maybe being a non drinker might have to do with it along with his generally grumpy demeanor.

He's a big fan of Selby though.
 
scribbler

scribbler

Yes, even if he liked Buks writing...the non-drinker self-righteousness shit would prevent him fom ever appreciating him fully. Too bad for Rollins...I'm sure he'll live a very long time.
 
bospress.net

bospress.net

www.bospress.net
Selby was a junky. I love his writing, but if Rollins hates Buk for the drinking then that would make him a hypocrite.

What Rollins hates is that he never did get past Buk as a guy that wrote about drinking and fucking. That is more his problem than Buks.

And yes, the first few Rollins are clearly written by a Buk Wanna-be.

Bill
 
Billville

Billville

I've never read anything by Rollins but every time someone mentions his poetry I can't help but think back to an article I read about ten or so years ago. I think the actual title of it was Why Henry Rollins Must Be Stopped and the gist was that Henry was just churning out book after book of shit poetry. I never felt compelled to read any of his stuff so I couldn't say whether or not I agreed with the article but I did find it entertaining.
 
P

polski

because you can be fan of chinaski not bukowski.
as a writer he gave us good books but why he was pretending to be tough when the only reason he run from home after college was war simple he was a coward.
his fights in dark alleys and his hard women - all bollocks.
to be tough and street wise you just need to be,you simply can't become one because your's books say so.
but truly good writer and I respect that. no need to play tihis stupid game hank my fella.
 
S

slimedog

I read a bit of Rollins and I have a lot of respect for him. I've even seen his spoken work twice. I think his first books were great but then he got really repetative and dreary. He had (or has) and interesting show, too.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
polski said:
because you can be fan of chinaski not bukowski.
as a writer he gave us good books but why he was pretending to be tough when the only reason he run from home after college was war simple he was a coward.
his fights in dark alleys and his hard women - all bollocks.
to be tough and street wise you just need to be,you simply can't become one because your's books say so.
but truly good writer and I respect that. no need to play tihis stupid game hank my fella.
Click to expand...
Well, you're the expert. I guess that's that.
 
homeless mind

homeless mind

polski said:
because you can be fan of chinaski not bukowski.
as a writer he gave us good books but why he was pretending to be tough when the only reason he run from home after college was war simple he was a coward.
his fights in dark alleys and his hard women - all bollocks.
to be tough and street wise you just need to be,you simply can't become one because your's books say so.
but truly good writer and I respect that. no need to play tihis stupid game hank my fella.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you joined the right forum?

Perhaps you should read: "All The Assholes In The World And Mine."
 
ESO9

ESO9

Yes, I would say Rollins just doesn't get off reading about drunks and drinking. He despises drunks, and he does not hide his contempt for the way people act when intoxicated. However, I agree that a lot of his prose does remind me of Bukowski at times.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
I worked with ROLLINS (he wants you to type it that way) at the LA County Art Museum back in the 1940's. He was a bastard back then, and would steal your lunch out of the employee refrigerator and then look at you all innocent, and say, "What? What sandwich?" when there were obviously sandwich crumbs all over his blazer.

but I haven't seen him in many years, so maybe he's changed.
 
ESO9

ESO9

mjp said:
I worked with ROLLINS (he wants you to type it that way) at the LA County Art Museum back in the 1940's. He was a bastard back then, and would steal your lunch out of the employee refrigerator and then look at you all innocent, and say, "What? What sandwich?" when there were obviously sandwich crumbs all over his blazer.

but I haven't seen him in many years, so maybe he's changed.
Click to expand...

In the 40s?
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
ROLLINS is an uninteresting, self-important cunt, always has been. But that kid interviewing him is PUNK ROCK!

ROLLINS is trying his best to intimidate him, but the kid just stands there and asks, "So, are you selling out?"

Ha ha ha - I love that kid! I want him to be president. I take back my vote for Obama.
 
homeless mind

homeless mind

Don't know. Every time I go into a booth, I run into a woman who claims to be famous for a shirt stain -- calls herself Monica Lew*nsky (and she tries to give me a heads up on who to vote for). So a different lever gets pulled every time, in all directions. Up, down, left, right...until I can't figure out if I'm coming or going...left or right...
 
hoochmonkey9

hoochmonkey9

Art should be its own hammer.
Moderator
Founding member
I'm pretty sure I went to high school with Henry Rollins. he's still there. I heard he won't leave until he makes the football team.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
You left out "it with" - as in: "I heard he won't leave until he makes it with the football team."

But homoerotic ribbing aside, ROLLINS created an impossible persona to live up to. Which is why he's so funny now. He had an interview show on some cable channel (has? Is it still on?) and the thing was painful to watch. He wants to come across as an intellectual prison gang leader or something, but he's just a pussycat.

Or a tame lion.

But he's DIY, and not a lazy man by any stretch, so he's punk, all the way through.
 
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