Henry Rollins Bashes Music Snobs In New Column: 'Musical Elitism Is For Lightweights'

Henry Rollins' L.A. Weekly column made national headlines for all the wrong reasons in August.

The Black Flag singer took a pretty unpopular stance on Robin Williams' suicide, which included the following passage:

I have many records, books and films featuring people who have taken their own lives, and I regard them all with a bit of disdain. When someone commits this act, he or she is out of my analog world.

It didn't take long for Rollins to backtrack after receiving severe backlash, and he issued an apology: "I am deeply sorry. Down to my marrow. I can't think that means anything to you, but I am."

The 53-year-old has — thankfully — moved on to less incendiary topics, and this week's column is about music snobbery. Rollins essentially says that good music is not tough to find.

Now and then I get letters from people bemoaning the state of music. They say that it's all corporate now, there are no more good bands, everyone sounds the same.

I am always so happy to disabuse them of these ridiculous and provably false notions. There are still bands and musicians making exciting, vital music, albums that you can play all the way through and want to play again and again.

After providing some examples of solid music, he offered the following advice:

With parts of the world in one heartbreaking mess or another, and November elections only weeks away, there is a lot to be pretty freaked out about. Without good music to keep you leaning into to the wind, you're no good to anyone.

So off to the record store with you!

Maybe pick up some Black Flag while you're there?

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Henry Rollins