Rollins Band
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Henry Rollins |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Van Nuys, California , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live recordings, EPs, singles |
Rollins Band was a rock group originating from Van Nuys, California, active between 1987 and 2006, fronted by former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They gained recognition primarily for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and "Liar", which enjoyed substantial MTV airplay during the early to mid-1990s.
Music critic Steve Huey characterized their style as "a relentless, powerful, and cathartic blend of funk, post-punk, noise, and experimental jazz," featuring Rollins' fierce and reflective vocal delivery.
In the year 2000, Rollins Band was placed at No. 47 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
Early Years (1980–1986)
Rollins initially performed as the lead singer for the Washington, D.C. punk outfit State of Alert from 1980 to 1981 before joining the California-based punk band Black Flag from 1981 until 1986. Although they did not achieve widespread commercial success, Black Flag became a pivotal influence in punk music due to their extensive touring.
Shortly after Black Flag's breakup, Rollins assembled a new band featuring guitarist Chris Haskett, bassist Bernie Wandel, and drummer Mick Green. This ensemble released two records: Hot Animal Machine (credited solely to Rollins, with cover art by Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh) and Drive by Shooting (under the name "Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters"). Their sound retained Black Flag's intensity while integrating heavier metal and funk influences.
Initial Lineup (1987–1994)
Rollins Band was formed with Haskett alongside bassist Andrew Weiss and drummer Sim Cain—both Weiss and Cain had previously played in Gone, led by Black Flag founder Greg Ginn. Theo Van Rock, who managed live sound engineering, was frequently acknowledged as part of the group.
According to critics Ira Robbins and Regina Joskow, this formation represented a "brilliant, cohesive unit ... the band does not perform punk per se (leaning more toward a jazzy, thrash-infused swing reminiscent of various moods found in Jimi Hendrix), yet their collaboration harnesses strengths from both genres. Their loud guitar-driven rock features inventive rhythms that selectively draw from metal’s best qualities, ensuring that noise never replaces meaningful musical intent."
Second Lineup (1994–1997)
Rollins’s tour journals from this period disclose internal conflicts culminating in Weiss’s departure following the End of Silence tour. These writings were published through Rollins’s 2.13.61 imprint as See A Grown Man Cry and Now Watch Him Die.
Replacing Weiss was jazz and funk bassist Melvin Gibbs, who came recommended by longtime friend and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, with whom Rollins had toured during the inaugural Lollapalooza. Both Cain and Gibbs had collaborated with guitarist Marc Ribot—Gibbs on Rootless Cosmopolitans (1990) and Cain on Requiem for What's His Name (1992).
The 1994 release Weight included the popular video "Liar," which received extensive MTV exposure featuring Rollins in multiple costumes. The band also performed at Woodstock '94, while Rollins took on guest-hosting duties for MTV shows such as 120 Minutes.
This lineup embraced pronounced jazz influences: Gibbs’s background included work with Reid in 1980s jazz fusion projects and collaborations with guitarist Sonny Sharrock. These influences, combined with Rollins's admiration for late 1960s/early 1970s electric/fusion trumpeter Miles Davis, helped shape their musical direction. During sessions for Weight, they recorded with free jazz saxophonist Charles Gayle, though these tracks remained unreleased until 2003's Weighting due to contractual restrictions.
In 1996, the band became involved in legal proceedings against their former label Imago Records concerning claims of "fraud, deceit, undue influence and economic coercion." Subsequently, they signed with major label DreamWorks Records and released Come In and Burn in 1997. The album featured the modest hit "Starve," with the band promoting it through an appearance on Saturday Night Live (season 22, episode 18). Despite these efforts, Come In and Burn did not match the commercial success of Weight, prompting Rollins to disband the group after touring due to creative exhaustion.
Third iteration (1999–2003)
Henry Rollins substituted the previous Haskett-Gibbs-Cain ensemble with the Los Angeles-based rock group Mother Superior, while maintaining the Rollins Band name. This formation produced the albums Get Some Go Again (2000) and Nice (2001), in addition to releasing the double-disc live record The Only Way to Know for Sure.
This version of the band embraced a more direct hard rock approach. Their initial release included "Are You Ready?", a rendition of a Thin Lizzy track featuring guitarist Scott Gorham. Rollins has often voiced his respect for Thin Lizzy and its founder, Phil Lynott.
Fourth iteration (2006)
While engaged in various other endeavors—such as hosting his radio program Harmony in My Head, presenting the cable television series The Henry Rollins Show, and conducting spoken word tours—Rollins brought back the Haskett-Gibbs-Cain lineup. In a blog entry from March 2006, he mentioned that they had been rehearsing sporadically and enjoyed reconnecting after several years apart.
In an interview with The Daily Herald, Rollins underscored that the reunion was contingent on creating new material; without it, any tour would lack authenticity. He dismissed the idea of a greatest-hits tour, asserting that bands need to progress and dedicate themselves to new creations to preserve artistic credibility.
The band served as an opening act for X on select occasions and appeared on the season finale of The Henry Rollins Show on August 12, 2006.
Hiatus and conclusion
Rollins declared his retirement from music in 2011, signaling the conclusion of Rollins Band.
Jason Mackenroth, a former member, died on January 3, 2016, in Nevada due to prostate cancer.
Musical style and influences
The sound of Rollins Band encompasses alternative metal, post-hardcore, hard rock, and funk metal genres. Guitarist Chris Haskett identified early 1970s King Crimson albums—such as Starless and Bible Black, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and Red—as major inspirations, particularly noting their dense, dark tonal qualities and emphasis on collective improvisation. This focus on improvisation was a fundamental aspect of Rollins Band's musical identity, also drawing influence from the Grateful Dead. Mid-career records like Weight incorporated significant jazz influences.
During the early 1990s, the band was a prominent force within the Los Angeles alternative metal scene alongside acts like Tool, Jane's Addiction, Rage Against the Machine, and Green Jellÿ. Henry Rollins' distinctive shout-singing technique impacted subsequent alternative and nu metal bands including Coal Chamber, Korn, Chevelle, Godsmack, and System of a Down. Additionally, Pearl Jam has performed covers of Rollins Band songs "Tearing" and "Shine."
Final lineup
- Henry Rollins – lead vocals (1987–1997, 1999–2003, 2006)
- Chris Haskett – guitar (1987–1997, 2006)
- Sim Cain – drums and percussion (1987–1997, 2006)
- Melvin Gibbs – bass guitar (1993–1997, 2006)
Previous members
- Andrew Weiss – bass guitar (1987–1992)
- Jim Wilson – guitar and piano (1999–2003)
- Marcus Blake – bass guitar (1999–2003)
- Jason Mackenroth – drums, percussion, saxophone (1999–2003; deceased 2016)
Timeline
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Studio albums
| Title | Details | Highest chart rankings | Sales figures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
AUS |
GER |
NLD |
SWE |
UK | |||
| Life Time |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Hard Volume |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The End of Silence |
|
160 | 68 | — | — | — | — |
|
| Weight |
|
33 | 10 | 53 | 35 | 29 | 22 |
|
| Come In and Burn |
|
89 | 38 | 71 | 76 | 52 | 76 |
|
| Get Some Go Again |
|
180 | 40 | 60 | — | — | 112 |
|
| Nice |
|
178 | 64 | 56 | — | — | — | |
Outtakes and Demo Compilations
- A Nicer Shade of Red (2001)
- End of Silence Demos (2002)
- Yellow Blues (2003)
- Weighting (2004)
- Come In and Burn Sessions (2004)
- Get Some Go Again Sessions (2005)
Live Recordings
- Live Split Album alongside Dutch group Gore – captured at El Mocambo, Toronto, May 17, 1987
- Do It – Studio Outtakes and Live Tracks (1988)
- Turned On (Quarterstick Records, 1990)
- Electro Convulsive Therapy (1993)
- Insert Band Here: Live in Australia, 1990 (1999)
- A Clockwork Orange Stage (2001)
- The Only Way to Know for Sure: Live in Chicago (2002)
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Live in Deventer, Holland, October 1987 (1988)
- I Know You b/w Earache My Eye (1990)
- Hammer of the Rök Gödz (1992)
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest Chart Positions | Associated Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Main |
US Mod |
AUS |
NLD |
UK | ||||||||
| "Tearing" | 1992 | — | — | — | — | 54 | The End of Silence | |||||
| "Low Self Opinion" | — | 25 | — | — | — | |||||||
| "Liar" | 1994 | 40 | 26 | 65 | 28 | 27 | Weight | |||||
| "Disconnect" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
| "The End of Something" | 1997 | — | — | — | — | 77 | Come In and Burn | |||||
| "Starve" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "Illumination" | 2000 | — | — | — | — | — | Get Some Go Again | |||||
| "Get Some Go Again" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "—" indicates singles released without chart placement. | ||||||||||||
Promotional Releases
- "You Didn't Need" (1992) – radio promotional track
- "Fool" (1994) – double 12" promotional release
- "Your Number Is One" (2001) – radio promotional single
Additional Releases
Contributions to Other Projects
| Year | Track | Compilation/Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Ghost Rider" | The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
| 1995 | "Four Sticks" | Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin |
| 1995 | "Fall Guy" | Demon Knight soundtrack |
| 1995 | "I See Through" | Johnny Mnemonic soundtrack |
| 2001 | "What's the Matter Man" | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 soundtrack |
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups founded in 1987 in California
- American alternative metal bands
- American funk metal bands
- American post-hardcore bands
- Artists signed to Buddah Records
- Artists signed to DreamWorks Records
- California-based hard rock bands
- California-based heavy metal bands
- Bands disbanded in 2003
- Bands disbanded in 2006
- Musical groups formed in 1986
- Bands reformed in 2006
- Artists associated with Sanctuary Records
- Artists associated with Quarterstick Records
- Musical groups disestablished in 2003