Henry Rollins
a South Bay Legend in
Punk Rock
Born: February 13, 1961 Hometown: South Bay
Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, comedian, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the California hardcore band Black Flag from 1981 to 1986.
After joining Black Flag in 1981, Rollins quit his job at Häagen-Dazs, sold his car, and moved from D.C. to Los Angeles. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Rollins got the Black Flag logo tattooed on his left bicep and also on the back of his neck, chose the stage name of Rollins, a surname he and MacKaye had used as teenagers. Rollins played his first show with Black Flag on July 25, 1981, at Cuckoo’s Nest in Costa Mesa, California. Rollins was in a different environment in Los Angeles; the police soon realized he was a member of Black Flag, and he was hassled as a result. Rollins later said: “That really scared me. It freaked me out that an adult would do that. … My little eyes were opened big time”