Customer Reviews

Get in the Van

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recommend this spoken word book on CD to anyone who likes punk music. What is contained on it is a diary of Henry Rollins during his Black Flag years. Lots of tour stories, some that will make you roll on the floor laughing and others that will make you think "holy %^$#." I read the book when I was 15 and I think it actually changed my life. The way Henry describes what he was feeling during these insane punk shows is awesome. He doesn't hold anything back here. Its all there to be judged and he doesn't care...you can tell.

He spits in some guy's face because the guy says it would be an honor, then Henry grabs him up and tells him next time someone does that to him, break his jaw. It is just classic Rollins. And he really tells it well.
The reason that this documentation is important is because this era of music is gone. It is dead. Real rock and roll, or "punk," is a legend now...and no I'm not talking about Good Charlotte. Kids have no idea what bands like The Misfits, Metallica, The Stones, and Black Flag went through to get signed or to "make it." It wasn't MTV. It wasn't the radio. It wasn't having a relative in the business...it was pure energy and real drive. What it was was hard work. Very hard work.

Got a son or nephew in a band?? BUY THIS FOR HIM. He will respect you for life.

This CD is Amazing, and Disturbing at the same time. I loved it. if you are a musician, Then Buy this. If you are not a musician, Still Buy it.

Disc one is a lot more light hearted and entertaining, in a way,
He talks about Joining the band, Recording the Damaged LP and going on tour and playing with great bands like the Damned, Flipper, Dead Kennedys, and the Misfits, its great to hear those stories, he also talks about a lot of bad stuff that happened on the European tour, which was also great and educational, Its hard to believe that a band like Black Flag that is so Respected now days got kicked around and Harassed and Screwed over so much back then. Lots of Skinhead, and Poser Stories, pretty scary stuff.

The thing I like about Henry Rollins so much is that he Says Exactly what I feel, like he takes the words right out of my mouth, I know it sounds Cheesy but its true, the way he describes and thinks about 99% of people and the "Punkers" and "Posers", and "Macho people" who think they are tough, and just all the B.S. you have to put up with.
its 100% right, just listen to this CD, youll know what I'm talking about.

Disc Two, on the other hand is very depressing and Disturbing,
it is great though. it really shows you the dark side of touring, and thats pretty much the whole vibe of disc two.
just miserable and rough.

I couldn't stop listening to it, it was like heroin or something. Great CD.

This tells the bitter sweet story of black flag in the 80s. The good times and the bad . The fact that it's actually told by henry rollins really makes it great . This story doesn't sugar coat the truth that being in a rock band is no picnic . If your a massive henry rollins fan this is highly recomended .

Henry Rollins is, and I don't say this often but I will here, an inspiration to me. While I don't agree or like everything he says on some topics, he has taught me many things through his spoken word performances. One of them, (and thats perhaps why I love the SWEATBOX collection of stories) is that weakness is stupid and that everyone should try to destroy what is weak in their lives (mine is lazyness and I am working on it). GET IN THE VAN has Hank telling the important events in his life just before joining and during his time with the band Black Flag.

It's quite a ride as Hank will tell how he as a manager schmoe in an ice cream store gets to meet and audition for the band Black Flag. Hank joins and quickly sees his life go upside down. The cops aren't always the good guys, more often or not their in his and the bands face for no reason other then to flaunt authority. When it's not the cops here in the states, it's the skinheads overseas that give them problems and fights. Food wasn't always a gaurentee (one of the roadies for a while lived on dogfood and bread). Equipment and money is stolen by junkies, cars break down or are vandalized, and even other bands hassle them. Hardly glorious at all for a band.

Hank at times gets bleak with his writings about how he doens't need anybody or anything and how cold the world is. Hearing him recite the stories of his younger self is pretty cool and he doesn't over enphasize hardly any of it.

Thats where part of the problem is in the recording. Hank for the most part of the CD's (which are nearly 2 and a half hours together) merely recites from his notes. Rarely does he emote or "get into it" here and sounds like a bland cipher and thats too bad.

Another caveat is in the way the material is presented. Both CDs have only 1 track and there both about 77 minutes. If you gotta stop it, or bump your palyer or anything, you have to start all over again and shuffle through what you've already heard. Hanks (...)discs were the same way. What this also means is that you can't go right to a particular story such as when he starts his Europian tour or a somewhat satisfying story where a skinhead gets his head blown away by a bouncer.

While the music world has changed since the early 80's, the CD is a good listen particularily for bands just starting out, maybe they can get an idea on what they could be in for. This is what I picked up anyway from listening: Being in a band isn't always going to be fun and games. It's hard work like anything else and unless your a hit right out of the box, your money comes hard and it will just survive till the next gig. You won't get handed everything just because your supposadly famous either, because that would only be.....weak.

'Get in the Van' is an eye-opening account of Henry Rollins' experiences with the struggling punk band Black Flag. Many of the stories are sad, shocking, funny, and facinating. It doesn't matter if one is into punk or not, it is interesting journey into the life of a traveling musician.