Recorded Books Inc. - Before the Chop

BEFORE THE CHOP

(LA Weekly Articles 2011 2012)

Henry Rollins

Contents

BEFORE THE CHOP 2013 Henry Rollins

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-8809-8553-3

Published by

2.13.61

7510 Sunset Blvd #602

Los Angeles, CA 90046

www.21361.com / www.henryrollins.com

2.13.61

Thanks to Heidi May, Carol Bua, Shelley Leopold, Gustavo Turner, Ben Westhoff and Mitch Bury of Adams Mass.

Special thanks to Lisa M. Lombardo for her eagle-eye proofreading

Design & illustration: Dave Chapple Back cover portrait: Heidi May

JOE COLE 04.10.61 12.19.91

I have been living in Los Angeles for over thirty years. Since 1981, when I first arrived to now, the LA Weekly has had an ubiquitous presence in the city.

Years ago, in the back of the Weekly, there was a gossip column that had a revolving cast of contributors who sent in their reportage to fill the page. For some reason, these people would use me as a figure of fun and made sport of me quite often.

Even up to a few years ago, I would get an e-mail from someone asking me if I had read about what was said about me in the LA Weekly. I remember in April of 2007, I was doing some shows with Janeane Garofalo and Marc Maron at the Silent Movie Theater and my press agent showed me a notice in the LA Weekly by content provider Libby Molyneaux:

They should have called it the Preaching to the Converted Tour instead of the Its Not a Play and Theres No Music moniker Marc Maron, Janeane Garofalo and Henry Shecky Rollins came up with for their bicoastal comedy shows defiantly not held in venues known for comedy. You can expect the topics to range from Bush is bad to Bush sucks to Bush: What an asshole spewed to a crowd of Jon Stewart-worshiping, Prius-driving yoga types who used to rock out but now have Netflix and high-def to keep them busy on Friday nights. But for this theyll get a babysitter. The sardonic triplets are each known for being counterculture friendly. To fans of rock emsock em Rollins, it comes as no surprise hes taking the mike in the name of funny. His spoken-word shows often elicit boisterous laughter at his self-deprecating stories of his life. And Maron is one of the sharpest guys out there. Yeah, man, political outrage is so cool, it s not even cool anymore. Put that on a T-shirt.

In August of 2010, Shelley Leopold and Gustavo Turner, two very good people at the LA Weekly, asked if I would like to be a contributor with an occasional feature or editorial. Since it was them asking, I said sure.

I started out posting a dispatch on the LA Weekly site later that month. My primary goal was to get out the play list for my Saturday night radio show on KCRW FM.

In November of 2010, Gustavo asked me if I wanted to interview Nick Cave about his Grinderman II album and turn it in as a feature. I said yes. I believe that was my first time being in the print version.

Early the following year, Gustavo said he really liked one of the things I had posted and wanted to put it in the print version to see what the response was. He did and people seemed to like it. He asked me to contribute on a weekly basis. I have been doing that since February of 2011.

Anger is my motivation for writing the column. To Ms. Molyneaux and the like, Im some jackoff named Shecky. Believe me, I got it and I never forget. When I read something like the example I provided, I cannot explain to you how much it inspires me. Turned on doesnt even begin to cover it. It reminds me that I have eaten more kinds of shit than they will ever have to and I am still here. This is why I overachieve. I live to bury people like this.

I have no idea how long this job will last. I keep sending pieces in and they keep printing them. So far, its been a good thing.

Due to space limits, the editor must trim the piece and often sees fit to change the title I sent in to something I would never say. I dont mind any of this. I know the editors have a job to do, and ultimately, my version will end up right here... original form and title intact: Before the Chop.

My allegiance is to you. It always has been. Its the only reason I do all this in the first place.

Henry

LA WEEKLY #001

02-04-11 Los Angeles CA

For The Record

Last week, I was at El Compadre, sitting across from my editor, one Gustavo Turner. He handed me an Amoeba Records bag and said the contents were a gift that he hoped I would like. I reached in and pulled out an LP by the Argentinean Tango master Astor Piazzolla. The LP, titled, Suite Troileana , was one I had never heard before. I looked forward to the evening to get that platter spinning.

Hours later, there I was, sitting happily in front of my Wilson Sophia 3 speakers, soaking up every drop of this exquisite album. It was a perfect experience. At some point during side two, I remembered what Gustavo asked of me.

Memo From Turner Dept.: Henry. Deliver some writing on music, something that captures your enthusiasm.

By the time the Astor LP had come to an end, I had the idea for what to write about.

Wonderful readers, pardon me while I wax euphoric about the simple and complete joy of listening to music from a vinyl source.

As I write to you now, I am listening to a pristine Canadian pressing of Televisions absolutely perfect Marquee Moon album. It is to me, as good as music gets. The title track is one of the best things ever committed to magnetic tape. While the recently remastered CD version is excellent, there is but one way to truly enjoy the utter magnificence of the songs contained on this album and it is from the LP. Those of you who know what Im talking about, know exactly what I mean.

Yes, yes, yall, its not hipster, elitist hypevinyl sounds better. Much better. There is actual music in those grooves. Technically speaking, there is no music whatsoever on a CD. Lots of information but no music. Digital technology has made great strides to deliver a series of numbers to be read by a laser to emit that which is doing its damnedest to replicate its analog and sonically superior master. There are some very good CD players out there that sound incredible. I recommend the Rega Isis valve version or one of the players made by dCS but even they cannot capture the full bloom soundscape of your turntable interacting with an LP or single. As a LP spins, your needle goes on the musical journey with you, traveling great distances as it deftly picks up the analog information and delivers the sonic message to you in real time. Vinyl is the people, a CD is the man.

Oh! Do you know that guitar breakdown right before the snare comes back in at the very end of Marquee Moon to end side one? That moment, never fails to move me. It just happened! Tom Verlaine, one of the great guitarists of all time. What a perfect piece of music! This happens to me over and over, I enjoy a CD but am moved by the vinyl version.

Since I was very young, the playing of the vinyl is one of the most enjoyable rituals of my existence. It was Beatles records when I was very young and as I grew older, Zeppelin, Hendrix, Isaac Hayes, Aerosmith, Nugent, Van Halen, Stones to name a few.

And then, in my very impressionable late teenage years, in came the noise that would start a revolution in my mind that I have never been able to quell. The Clash, Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Devo, The Saints, The Damned, The Adverts and many others, all fitting somewhat together under the umbrella of Punk Rock and Independent music. It was these bands that turned me into the record store haunting, album obsessive that I am now, decades later.

Some of these albums I have no idea how many times I have played them. Their digital descendants dont sound the same and leave me wanting. I have had some of these LPs for well over half of my life. I know every crack and pop on them. Those surface noises are to me, as much a part of the music as the songs themselves and gives the music some textural perfection that digital sterility simply cannot achieve.