Although henry rollins escaped the attack, the incident had a significant impact on him, and most of. Henry rollins joined the southern california band black flag as vocalist in 1981. Life on the road as seen through the eyes of black flagrollins band roa. On april 10 of this year, a man named joe cole would have been 52 years old. Rollins was born henry lawrence garfield, the only child of iris and paul garfield. I was fortunate enough to have him autograph it last night during his longmarch tour in thunder bay. Best known as the frontman of 1980s band black flag, henry rollins has seen his fair share of death and violence. There is more than one author in the goodreads database with this name. Cole was murdered by a gunshot to the head, and while rollins escaped without injury, the crime remains unsolved.
A few weeks previous his best friend joe cole was shot to death right in front of him as. It describes his time touring in the 1980s, in particular with black flag. Joseph dennis joe cole april 10, 1961 december 19, 1991 was a roadie for black flag and rollins band. Henry rollins went on to include cole s story in his spoken word performances. Til henry rollins and his friend joe cole were held up at. Rollins later said he kept a plastic container full of soil soaked with cole s blood. Joe cole was a friend and roommate of henry rollins as well as a roadie for black flag and rollins band.
February, 1961 is an american musician, writer, journalist, publisher, actor, television and radio host, spoken word artist, comedian, and activist. Joe cole author of planet joe goodreads share book. Joe cole 0410 1961 12191991 today is the 18th anniversary of the death of joe cole, an actor and a roadie for black flag and the rollins band as well as henry rollins best friend. The hardest working man in punk shares a spoken thought with trevor baker. One from none is out, with another book, black coffee blues, soon to follow on the publishing company he started with joe cole, 2. Most of rollins subsequent efforts have been dedicated to his late friends memory. The mysterious murder of joe cole unsolved mysteries. See all books authored by henry rollins, including black coffee blues, and the portable henry rollins, and more on. Joseph dennis joe cole 19611991 find a grave memorial.
This is not to say that some workings of rollins s mind and pen arent twisted genius. I used to be obsessed with henry and have gone to his spoken word shows like three times, and even met him and talked to him. Henry rollins is portrayed as the classic punk tough guy, but the water runs deeper than this iconic black flag image. In december 1991, roadie joe cole was murdered when he and roommate henry rollins were held up at gunpoint in venice beach. He was living with a rollins band roadie joe cole who was jaclyn smiths stepson when they were robbed and cole was shot and killed. Cole and singer henry rollins were assaulted by armed robbers in december 1991 outside their shared venice beach, california home. Upon its demise, he formed rollins band, and has been making records, writing books, and touring the world ever since.
The son of movie actor dennis cole and sally bergeron cole, joe cole was a minor actor just beginning his career, and had first appeared in the movie weatherman 69 1989. A composite drawing of one of the suspects in joe cole s murder. Joe coles father dennis stands with thenwife stepmother to joe, jaclyn smith, and joe. Before the chop iv by henry rollins nook book ebook. He just seemed like some pumpedup dope who printed book after book of his journals. The joe cole case henry rollins friend sitcoms online. Writers like nick cave in the last picture ever taken of joe cole alive, alan vega of suicide and hugh selby jr easily one of the best friends i.
Yes, henry rollins, former singer for black flag and present leader of the. Rollins included coles story in his spoken word performances. The article also suggests a theory that rollins was the intended target, and that it was a hit gone wrong. Everything is a chapter from the henry rollins book eye scream. In the 90s, henry rollins emerged as a postpunk renaissance man, without the selfconscious trappings that plagued such 80s artists as david byrne. Henry escaped unharmed, but this event was a considerable influence on his work for some time as reflected in a. Hulking, tattooed front man of seminal punk band black flag and later the rollins band, spoken word artist, author of several prosepoetry books, actor, tv and radio host, entrepreneur, outspoken activist, blogger and allaround force of nature. The venice beach home where cole and rollins lived and where the murder occurred. Henry rollins is an american musician, actor, and voice actor who provided the voice of zaheer in the legend of korra. Til henry rollins and his friend joe cole were held up at gunpoint. I think the murder of joe cole was singlehandedly the most impactful event of henry s life, and it probably always will be. He and henry lived in a home in the predominantly black and hispanic neighborhood of oakwood within venice beach, california.
In 1991, henry and joe cole were accosted by a gunman and henry watched his best friend get murdered in front of him by a gunshot to the head. On 121991, this man was shot and killed in venice while being robbed at gunpoint. This book is a tribute to henry rollins best friend joe cole who passed away in 1991, and is a phenomenal record of his travels across asia, the middleeast and northamerica. Henry rollins talks about his good friend joe cole youtube. Punk rock giant henry rollins and his best friend and flatmate, joe cole, are returning from the supermarket carrying groceries. Rollins has averaged over one hundred shows a year for over 30 years. Henry rollins talks about the significant women in his life.
Henry rollins books list of books by author henry rollins. Last december, on the way home from the market, rollins and his best friend, joe cole, were ambushed by two gunmen outside the venice house they shared. Joe coles tour diaries combine the cosmic with the mundane as he chronicles his experiences as a road crew member for black flag and then the rollins band. Now, perhaps im reading too much into it, because i imagine watching your friend being murdered in front of you cant be an easy thing to witness, but henry s reaction to it really seemed like the way youd react to losing a lover violently.
Henry rollins tells the whole story in detail about when. Henry rollins saved my life and other fan encounters. This book is chockfull of irksome rants about suicide, the murder of rollins best friend joe cole and the writers obsession with death. Joe cole s tour diaries combine the cosmic with the mundane as he chronicles his experiences as a road crew member for black flag and then the rollins band. His depictions of the daily routine of a touring band provides great insight into a life in the van. He was also the best friend and roommate of the musicianauthoractor henry rollins. His publishing company, 261, has released more than a dozen books, several cds and dvds of his own, and the work of others such as henry miller, iggy pop and nick cave. Life on the road as seen through the eyes of black flagrollins band roadie and. In conjunction with our cover story about henry rollins this week, we took to social media to ask readers a few simple questions. Henry rollins facts, bio, family, life, updates 2020. Joes longtime friend henry rollins a writer and lead singer of the rollins bandhelped with the project.
Joe cole was an american author, writer, actor and roadie for black flag, hole and rollins band. A book of coles collected writings, primarily tour journals, was published posthumously by rollinss publishing company and titled planet joe. As they approach the porch of their home, two gunmen step out of the darkness. Joe and rollins were victims of an attempted robbery joe was shot and killed during the crime. Rollins book is comprised of writings taken from his personal journal and poems that he wrote during one of the darkest periods of his life, including witnessing the murder of his best friend, joe cole. He has remained an uncompromising icon of american alternative culture, a man to whom. In the article, joe s father, actor dennis cole, states his belief that henry rollins is withholding information that may help solve joe s murder. Information on the bands, the songs, some anecdotes, websites, discographies and. A celebrity like no other, henry rollins initially made his mark as the front man for the punk band black flag, and has since gone on to a successful musical career with the rollins band, along with spoken word performance tours, appearances in films, and the creation of his own publishing company 2.
Henry rollins born february, 1961 as henry lawrence garfield is an american grammy awardwinning alternative rock singer and songwriter, spoken word artist, book author prose and poetry, radio and tv personality, occasional movie actor, comedian, and voiceover artist. A book of coles collected writings, primarily tour journals, was published. Henry rollins talks about the significant women in his life musician and spokenword artist henry rollins, who is 55 and single, talks about the significant women. Joseph dennis cole april 10, 1961 december 19, 1991 was an american actor, writer and roadie for black flag and rollins band, who was shot and killed in. Joes longtime friend henry rollins a writer and lead singer of the rollins band helped with the project. Following black flags breakup in 1986, rollins was been relentlessly busy, recording albums with the rollins band, writing books and poetry, perform.
During his time with the band he met joe cole, the two close friends shared a home, and an unfortunate robbery in 1991 led to the murder of joe cole. He and henry lived in a home in the predominantly black and hispanic neighborhood of oakwood within venice beach. When he was three years old, his parents divorced and he. I had two rollins poetry books with me on a trip, where i was gone for six months and had no access to any english media and very little other. This book is a tribute to henry rollins best friend joe cole who passed away in 1991, and is a. He is best remembered for his role of tex watson in the movie the book of manson 1989. By the age of 30 he had written, sung, performed, acted and published more material in more. Joe cole was the son of actor dennis cole and the best friend of actormusician henry rollins. Rashied ali and charles gayle recorded at eastside sound. Rollins has also been successful as an independent publisher, and owns the 2.
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