this book is so great, I'm sure I'll read another Rollins book later on which I'll want to lay that fifth star. This is the first one of his I've read, but it definitely won't be the last.

I met Rollins once, at a gig the 'pigs,' as he refers to 'em, shut down. This was in 1985, 86, I was in high school, and I remember how cool Rollins was to everybody that night.

Now I realize he was in basically utter torment at the time, which makes his demeanor all the more amazing.

Sure, I like the records. I like the stand up stuff. I lived in D.C. for years. But let me tell you this - if you're ever suffered from serious depression, this book is gonna give you nightmares. It's basically the best accounting I've ever read of what living day to day with that is like. It's like...everything can be objectively going great, in this case if you're the leader of a popular band, and you can still wake up every day and think about snuffing yourself.

It's ironic that Rollins is best known for his recorded material, when this book is so good. It almost makes you want to call him up and get him to come over, just so you can give him a hug. I'll tell you what, it must take a lot of guts to put your name on something like this and send it out into the world, for schlubs like me to review on Amazon.com.

I have mixed feelings on this one. On one end it is a fascinating account on life on the road with one of Punk's most infamous bands. Black Flag was an enterprise onto itself, but also conversly an alienated, former punk band growing into something so new and different that the punk audience started to turn against them, then the burgeoning "alternative" movement started to embrace them again towards the end of their tenure. One who reads this feels that Rollins is a bitter, jaded person who cannot come to grips with his fame or adulation from others. That said, I still am a fan of the man, and his art has grown and changed since the old days, as he has become more outward seeking in his writing and mindset.
One thing I get from this book is the feeling of being inside Rollin's mind as he toured year after year with the band. It was well worth the money in that respect. Black Flag seemed to splinter in part because of Rollin's growing celebrity in face of Greg Ginn's years of hard work put into HIS band. This is not Rollin's fault but Ginn in recent years has seemed to blow off any praise that Rollins shows him out of a warped paranoid jealousy. Its not Rollin's fault that he can successfully run his book business, and that people find him a fascinating draw. That said, it is understandable from Ginn's point of view that when you work hard for something, and then another member of the band is getting all the "Credit" and chicks, then one feels frustrated and alienated from said band member.
The book has these revelations but also a lot more. It could have been better but this is, after all, an internal monologue. Recommended.

I recommend this book to bands I work with who think they want to go out on the road. Like Henry Rollins or not, I think there are some really good lessons here for anybody who wants to get involved in the music business. This isn't American Idol...

This is Henry's diaries from his tours with Black Flag. It follows him across the world through struggles with bandmates, fans and promoters. This is a great read and can't help but to motivate.

I've read this thing about 3 times now, it never gets old. To tell you the truth, I didn't really dig punk rock when it was happening (whether it was East Coast or Euro). I kind of don't dig it now. I am, however, a musician and have spent some time on the road. Nothing like Rollins!! This guy had it bad! Full of wit and somber moments, this is a roller coaster ride. The interesting thing to note is that Henry lived the most jaded life and managed to articulate it perfectly so that you could hear the roar, smell the sweat and feel the pain. Even if you don't like the music that he makes, this book is more than entertaining to read, it is an experience!