Rock 'n roll raconteur for SA

Henry Rollins, the prolific musician, actor and writer, trades in his airline miles for a tour bus with the launch of his Frequent Flyer Tour in early 2010.

Henry's latest talking tour takes in Ireland, North America, Australia and South Africa in May 2010. The show picks up where he left off in 2007, and continues to narrate the adventure that is the life of our favourite American.

"Hank" as he is known by his large and fiercely loyal fan base, promised South Africans on his previous visit that, given time, America would improve and, 24 months after he made that statement, a Nobel Peace Prize winner now runs his beloved country. In Frequent Flyer he promises fresh tales of rock 'n roll mayhem, current events dissected live and postcards from his never-ending walk all over the planet. Of course, he's intelligent enough to know it's not all roses.

Since his last tour, Henry has been working in television and radio, travelling all over the world and like everyone else, dealing with the changes that America - and the world - is going through. He says, "I thought America would become a more peaceful place in 2009. I had no idea the country had so many lunatics". For him there's a lot to remark upon, of course - there always is.

When Henry talks about travelling the world, he's not referring to plush resorts and genteel European cities. Henry's current and most recent travels include stops in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, China, and Senegal. These global experiences - like past excursions to such vacation hotspots as Pakistan, Myanmar, and Siberia - not only supply humorous anecdotes for Henry's talking shows, but they inform his worldview. As the tour poster bills it, "Knowledge without mileage equals bullsh*t."

Amidst his extensive globetrotting, Henry the actor, author, and radio host remains as busy as ever. Henry recently concluded an extended guest run as rival thug A.J. Weston on the FX biker drama Sons of Anarchy. He continues to do his weekly radio show on L.A.'s revered NPR affiliate KCRW.

Henry's latest book, ‘A Mad Dash’, is now available at www.henryrollins.com, through his own 2.13.61 imprint. Picking up where 2007's ‘A Preferred Blur’ left off, A Mad Dash is a frenetic travelogue spanning over 100 live performances and the filming of five documentaries on five continents. Henry has also been tracking his travels - and sharing his thoughts on politics and the state of the world - on his "Straight Talk Espresso" blog at VanityFair.com.

Henry Rollins joined the Southern California rock band Black Flag as vocalist in 1981 thereafter making records and touring the world. Beyond taking to the stage as a musician, Henry has speaking engagements all over the world, where his machine-gun delivery includes satirical observations on current events and anecdotes from the music world. Including his band gigs, the Grammy winner has averaged over 100 shows a year for 25 years.

Local comic John Vlismas, who produces Rollins' SA tours, says everyone should see Henry in action "Rollins' delivers belly laughs via wild imagery and his worldview is so tuned that he keeps Google informed!"

Judging by the success of his previous visit, Whacked Management have opened booking way in advance, to avoid disappointment and ensure that people who want to see the show don't get sucked into blowing their budget on the 2010 madness when it hits.

Catch Frequent Flyer on Friday May 7 at The Bassline in Newtown at 8pm. Tickets cost R278.50 via Computicket or 083 915 8000. Please note the show has a PG16 rating.

For more on Henry Rollins and the Frequent Flyer Tour, go to www.henryrollins.com