New Henry Rollins tour of SA

"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.

So many lunatics

Since his last tour, Rollins 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 said: "I thought America would become a more peaceful place in 2009. I had no idea the country had so many lunatics."

When he 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 his talking shows, but they form his world view. As the tour poster bills it: "Knowledge without mileage equals bullsh*t."

Extensive globetrotting

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. Rollins 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.

Black Flag

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, Rollins 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.

Catch Frequent Flyer on Thursday, 6 May at The State Theatre in Pretoria at 8pm; on Friday, 7 May at The Bassline in Newton at 8pm and on Saturday, 8 May at the Baxter Concert Hall in Cape Town at 8pm. Tickets cost R278.50 (including all charges) via Computicket or 083 915 8000. Please note that the show has a PG16 rating.

For more information, go to www.henryrollins.com.