Complete List Of Rollins Band Albums And Songs

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Rollins Band was formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, California, by vocalist Henry Rollins following his departure from the influential hardcore punk band Black Flag. The original lineup included Henry Rollins on vocals, Chris Haskett on guitar, Andrew Weiss on bass, and Sim Cain on drums. Over the years, the band underwent several lineup changes, with Rollins remaining the only constant member.

Rollins Band released seven primary studio albums: Life Time, Hard Volume, The End of Silence, Weight, Come In and Burn, Get Some Go Again, and Nice. The group also issued a substantial number of live recordings, outtake collections, and related releases. Their biggest commercial breakthrough came with 1994’s Weight, which reached No. 33 on the Billboard 200. The single “Liar” reached No. 26 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart and earned Rollins Band a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in 1995.

Known for relentless touring, intense live performances, and a sound that moved between post-hardcore, alternative metal, hard rock, funk, blues, and jazz influences, Rollins Band built one of the most distinctive catalogs to emerge from the American underground rock scene of the late 1980s and 1990s.

ROLLINS BAND ALBUMS

Life Time

Released 1987

Life Time by Rollins Band marks a raw and aggressive debut for the group, fronted by former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. Produced by Ian MacKaye, the album captures the visceral energy that defined Rollins’ post-Black Flag career. Recorded at Off Beat Studios in Leeds, England, Life Time blends hardcore punk, bluesy undertones, and heavy rock into a sound the band would continue to develop over the next several years.

The production of the album showcases the close relationship between Rollins and MacKaye, childhood friends who both came from the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene. Rollins’ vocals are filled with angst and fury, while Chris Haskett’s sharp guitar riffs and Andrew Weiss’ bass provide a backbone for Sim Cain’s drumming. The band was still defining its identity, and the result is a collection of songs that is both unpolished and ferociously intense.

Life Time opens with “Burned Beyond Recognition,” setting the tone for the rest of the album with its driving energy. Songs like “What Am I Doing Here?” and “1,000 Times Blind” continue the album’s exploration of personal struggle, isolation, and frustration. The centerpiece of the record, “Gun in Mouth Blues,” stretches to nearly nine minutes and offers one of the album’s most brooding performances.

The original Texas Hotel CD also included live material recorded in Kortrijk, Belgium, on October 16, 1987. The 1999 remaster removed those live tracks and added three studio tracks originally associated with Do It: “Do It,” “Move Right In,” and “Next Time.” Later reissues restored the earlier configuration in different forms.

Critically, the album has been appreciated for its rawness and emotional depth. AllMusic noted how effectively it separated Rollins Band from Black Flag while establishing the foundation for the group’s later sound.

Track Listing — Original Studio Program:

“Burned Beyond Recognition” – 2:56
“What Am I Doing Here?” – 3:21
“1,000 Times Blind” – 2:57
“Lonely” – 4:16
“Wreck-Age” – 5:33
“Gun in Mouth Blues” – 8:57
“You Look at You” – 3:31
“If You’re Alive” – 2:42
“Turned Out” – 5:57

Live Tracks on the Original CD:

“What Am I Doing Here?” – 3:20
“Intro” – 1:19
“Burned Beyond Recognition” – 2:51
“Move Right In” – 8:34
“Hot Animal Machine II” – 8:36

1999 Reissue Bonus Tracks:

“Do It” – 2:43
“Move Right In” – 7:27
“Next Time” – 3:20

Hard Volume

Released 1989

Hard Volume, released in 1989, is a punishing follow-up to Life Time. The album builds on the band’s combination of aggressive energy and brooding lyrics, providing a platform for Henry Rollins to deliver his unfiltered anger and frustration. The principal album sessions were recorded at Echo Sound in Los Angeles in December 1988, while material later included on the 1999 remaster also came from a July 1988 demo session at Graphic Studios in New Jersey.

The album’s opening track, “Hard,” is a relentless introduction to the sonic force that defines the record. With Rollins’ vocals backed by Chris Haskett’s guitar, Andrew Weiss’ bass, and Sim Cain’s drums, the song establishes the high-stakes emotional intensity that runs through the album. Songs like “What Have I Got” and “Planet Joe” continue the band’s mix of heavy riffing, rhythmic tension, and introspective writing.

One of the album’s most unusual pieces is the 32-minute “Joy Riding with Frank,” a live performance built around the Velvet Underground outtake “Move Right In.” Recorded during the band’s 1988 European touring, it documents Rollins Band stretching far beyond the concise attack of its shorter songs. The 1999 remaster replaced that track with six studio and demo recordings, including “Tearing,” “You Didn’t Need,” and a cover of Suicide’s “Ghost Rider.”

Track Listing:

“Hard” – 4:06
“What Have I Got” – 4:58
“I Feel Like This” – 4:26
“Planet Joe” – 4:18
“Love Song” – 6:22
“Turned Inside Out” – 6:24
“Down and Away” – 8:20
“Joy Riding with Frank” – 32:04

1999 Remaster Additional Tracks:

“Tearing” – 4:58
“You Didn’t Need” – 5:11
“Ghost Rider” – 7:23
“What Have I Got” (Demo) – 4:33
“Thin Air” – 8:21
“Down and Away” (Demo) – 7:14

The End of Silence

Released 1992

The End of Silence marked a pivotal moment for Rollins Band, solidifying their place in the mainstream rock world with its 1992 release. It was the band’s first album for Imago Records and moved Rollins Band from the underground toward a wider alternative-rock audience without losing the force of their earlier work.

Recorded over six weeks in October 1991 at Showplace Studios in Dover, New Jersey, The End of Silence was produced by Andy Wallace. The album’s sound blends alternative metal and post-hardcore with blues and jazz influences. Rollins’ vocals are complemented by Chris Haskett’s guitar work, Andrew Weiss’ bass, and Sim Cain’s drumming.

One of the album’s standout tracks is “Low Self Opinion,” a fierce song about insecurity and self-reflection that became an MTV favorite and reached No. 25 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart. “Tearing” and “You Didn’t Need” continue the album’s exploration of personal turmoil, while the long-form pieces give the band room to move beyond conventional song structures.

At the heart of the album is “Just Like You,” a deeply personal track in which Rollins confronts his relationship with his father. The album’s cover features a stylized sun matching the tattoo on Rollins’ back, an image credited to tattoo artist Rick Spellman.

The End of Silence became Rollins Band’s first album to chart on the Billboard 200, reaching No. 160. Its wider exposure followed the band’s appearance on the inaugural Lollapalooza tour in 1991 and helped set up the even greater commercial breakthrough that followed with Weight.

Track Listing:

“Low Self Opinion” – 5:18
“Grip” – 4:50
“Tearing” – 4:58
“You Didn’t Need” – 5:30
“Almost Real” – 8:03
“Obscene” – 8:50
“What Do You Do” – 7:22
“Blues Jam” – 11:46
“Another Life” – 4:39
“Just Like You” – 10:57

Weight

Released April 12, 1994

Weight stands as Rollins Band’s most commercially successful album. Released on April 12, 1994, it captured the raw intensity of Henry Rollins’ vocals while combining the band’s heavy alternative-metal sound with funk, jazz, and hard-rock elements. The album was recorded in December 1993 at Echo Creek Ranch in Meyers, California.

With production handled by longtime collaborator Theo Van Rock, Weight introduced bassist Melvin Gibbs alongside Chris Haskett on guitar and Sim Cain on drums. Gibbs brought a different rhythmic character to the band following Andrew Weiss’ departure, and the new lineup produced some of Rollins Band’s best-known recordings.

The album’s signature single, “Liar,” was supported by an Anton Corbijn-directed video in which Rollins appeared in a series of exaggerated personas. The song reached No. 26 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 40 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It also earned Rollins Band a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards.

Tracks like “Disconnect” and “Shine” show the band’s ability to mix introspection with ferocity, while “Fool,” “Volume 4,” and “Divine Object of Hatred” demonstrate the compact, riff-driven side of the record. The writing developed throughout 1993 after the touring cycle for The End of Silence.

Commercially, Weight reached No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and No. 22 on the UK Albums Chart. Material from the same era was later revisited on Weighting, a collection of outtakes and live recordings.

Track Listing:

“Disconnect” – 4:57
“Fool” – 4:26
“Icon” – 3:41
“Civilized” – 3:54
“Divine Object of Hatred” – 4:01
“Liar” – 6:34
“Step Back” – 3:58
“Wrong Man” – 4:19
“Volume 4” – 4:39
“Tired” – 3:46
“Alien Blueprint” – 3:45
“Shine” – 5:26

Come In and Burn

Released March 25, 1997

Come In and Burn, released in 1997, marked a significant chapter in Rollins Band’s discography. The album arrived after a difficult period involving the band’s relationship with Imago Records and became the group’s first release for DreamWorks Records. Despite the behind-the-scenes tension, Come In and Burn stands as one of the band’s most polished and introspective recordings.

Produced by Steve Thompson, the album was recorded primarily in Bearsville, New York, with additional work associated with New York City. It features Henry Rollins on vocals, Chris Haskett on guitar, Melvin Gibbs on bass, and Sim Cain on drums. The long period spent developing the material gave the record a dense, carefully worked sound while retaining the band’s heavy rhythmic attack.

“Shame” opens the album with a menacing groove, while “Starve,” “All I Want,” and “On My Way to the Cage” continue the record’s themes of internal struggle and emotional survival. “The End of Something” and “Saying Goodbye Again” bring a more reflective tone to the album without abandoning its intensity.

Come In and Burn reached No. 89 on the Billboard 200 and also charted internationally. It became the final studio album made by the lineup of Rollins, Haskett, Gibbs, and Cain before Rollins rebuilt the band around the musicians from Mother Superior.

Track Listing:

“Shame” – 5:32
“Starve” – 4:08
“All I Want” – 4:41
“The End of Something” – 4:50
“On My Way to the Cage” – 3:20
“Thursday Afternoon” – 4:04
“During a City” – 3:39
“Neon” – 4:28
“Spilling Over the Side” – 3:44
“Inhale Exhale” – 3:39
“Saying Goodbye Again” – 3:34
“Rejection” – 4:37

Get Some Go Again

Released February 29, 2000

Released in 2000, Get Some Go Again marked a major shift in Rollins Band’s sound and lineup. After parting ways with the lineup heard on Come In and Burn, Henry Rollins enlisted the Los Angeles-based trio Mother Superior as his new backing band. The collaboration resulted in a leaner, more direct hard-rock record that moved away from some of the denser textures of the band’s mid-1990s work.

Recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, Get Some Go Again was recorded and mixed by Clif Norrell. The lineup featured Jim Wilson on guitar and piano, Marcus Blake on bass, and Jason Mackenroth on drums and saxophone. Their chemistry gave Rollins Band a renewed sense of speed and straightforward rock-and-roll energy.

The album opens with “Illumination,” followed by the title track, “Get Some Go Again.” Songs like “Monster,” “Thinking Cap,” and “Change It Up” keep the record moving at a fast pace, while “L.A. Money Train” stretches the band into a much longer closing piece.

“Hotter and Hotter” features Wayne Kramer of the MC5 on guitar, while Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham appears on the band’s cover of “Are You Ready?” The album reached No. 180 on the Billboard 200, No. 40 in Australia, and No. 60 in Germany.

Track Listing:

“Illumination” – 4:11
“Get Some Go Again” – 2:12
“Monster” – 3:03
“Love’s So Heavy” – 3:53
“Thinking Cap” – 4:11
“Change It Up” – 3:03
“I Go Day Glo” – 1:45
“Are You Ready?” (Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, Phil Lynott, Brian Robertson) – 2:43
“On the Day” – 3:44
“You Let Yourself Down” – 2:46
“Brother Interior” – 5:39
“Hotter and Hotter” (Rollins, Wilson, Blake, Mackenroth, Wayne Kramer) – 3:50
“L.A. Money Train” – 14:13

Personnel:

Henry Rollins – vocals
Jason Mackenroth – drums, saxophone
Marcus Blake – bass
Jim Wilson – guitar, piano

Additional musicians include Wayne Kramer on guitar for “Hotter and Hotter” and “L.A. Money Train” and Scott Gorham on “Are You Ready?” Clif Norrell handled recording and mixing duties, while George Marino mastered the album.

Nice

Released August 21, 2001

Nice marked the final standard studio album released under the Rollins Band name. Featuring Henry Rollins with Mother Superior musicians Jim Wilson, Marcus Blake, and Jason Mackenroth, the record pushed further into a raw, blues-influenced hard-rock sound. Released through Sanctuary, Nice followed the stripped-down direction introduced on Get Some Go Again.

The recording process kept the emphasis on live performance. Rollins described the sessions as using analog two-inch tape, real instruments, and very few takes, with no attempt to digitally perfect the performances. That approach gave the album an immediate and deliberately unpolished character.

Nice opens with “One Shot,” followed by tracks such as “Up for It,” “Gone Inside the Zero,” and “What’s the Matter Man.” “I Want So Much More” adds soulful backing vocals to the band’s heavier sound, while “Going Out Strange,” “We Walk Alone,” and “Let That Devil Out” continue the album’s mix of frustration, reflection, and hard-driving rock.

The album reached No. 178 on the Billboard 200, No. 64 in Australia, and No. 56 in Germany. Although it did not approach the commercial impact of Weight, it closed the band’s primary studio-album run with a different lineup and a more direct musical attack.

Track Listing:

“One Shot” – 3:03
“Up for It” – 4:39
“Gone Inside the Zero” – 2:39
“Hello” – 3:04
“What’s the Matter Man” – 2:58
“Your Number Is One” – 4:27
“Stop Look and Listen” – 1:48
“I Want So Much More” – 3:42
“Hangin’ Around” – 5:25
“Going Out Strange” – 4:51
“We Walk Alone” – 3:59
“Let That Devil Out” – 4:21

Bonus Tracks on Selected Editions:

“Nowhere to Go but Inside” – 3:02
“Too Much Rock and Roll” – 3:49
“Soul Implant” – 4:57
“Marcus Has Evil in Him” – 4:00

Personnel:

Henry Rollins – vocals
Jim Wilson – guitar
Marcus Blake – bass
Jason Mackenroth – drums, saxophone

Backing vocals on selected tracks were provided by Jackie Simley-Stevens, Valerie Pinkston, Maxayn Lewis, Sue Ann Carwell, and Tyler Collins. The album was engineered by Clif Norrell.

Read More: Top 10 Henry Rollins Songs