HENRY ROLLINS Says He Is Playing BLACK FLAG Songs As A 'Cover Band'

June 29, 2003

Michael Deeds of The Idaho Statesman spoke with Henry Rollins about his current tour performing nothing but BLACK FLAG classics to benefit the West Memphis Three defense fund. "We're a cover band," Rollins said of his current touring group, which includes his ROLLINS BAND bandmates . "We're not calling it BLACK FLAG. Because in my opinion, BLACK FLAG is Keith Morris and Robo and Chuck Dukowski and Greg Ginn. That's BLACK FLAG. BLACK FLAG to me is the 'Nervous Breakdown' EP." Rollins added that the only way he'd do a tour playing BLACK FLAG music would be if it was a benefit tour. "I could not ever justify taking money to do these songs," Rollins said. "But to do a benefit tour with these songs, that's OK by me. And it is fun to play this music, that's for sure." Rollins hopes to earn about $100,000 from this tour, which will be donated to lawyers for new, more sophisticated DNA testing in an appeal process.

When asked why he doesn't simply organize a BLACK FLAG reunion, Henry said, "That emotional strain is not appealing to me. Doing these songs with my bandmates, in that kind of good spirit, that's what appeals to me. Because around here, it's all smiles. We're all cool to each other. BLACK FLAG was not a very easy band to be in. It was a very tense environment. And for me to go back to that, personally ...

"Believe me, I can go pretty hard, and that band nearly broke me," Rollins said. "It nearly broke all of us."

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