Henry Rollins in new Williamsburg VANS mural, says record collectors are not hoarders

It’s VANS’ 50th anniversary and Henry Rollins is part of their campaign celebrating the classic SK8-Hi shoe. A picture of him wearing the shoes at a 1981 Black Flag gig in Austin, TX is being used in magazine ads, as well as murals — like the one currently being erected at Kent Ave / Grand St. in Williamsburg. Other folks involved in the campaign include skating legend Steve Caballero, Syd Tha Kid and more.

Rollins is an admitted vinyl fanatic, and recently wrote about record collecting for LA Weekly, saying he’s not a hoarder but a lover:

I would argue that when it comes to records, there is no such thing as critical mass. No matter how many are leaning against walls next to shelves that long ago reached their capacity, or find themselves in locations where they are rediscovered weeks or even years later, they never classify as clutter. The owner of all these records could never be tarred with the epithet “hoarder.” Records, no matter how many or where they are stashed, only enhance an environment.

I never met someone with a lot of records who wasn’t at least interesting.

I have also reconciled myself to the fact that I’m a vinyl fetishist. I thought the Vinyl Fetish record store on Melrose was not only a great outlet but also aptly named. In the 1980s, I would go in there, buy what I could afford, stare at all the other records I wanted and absorb the attitude that often radiated from other shoppers and some of the people behind the counter. I didn’t care. I liked being around the records.

I will have to forward this article to my parents. In other news, Henry Rollins starred in sci-fi film He Never Died where he plays, “A reclusive immortal who needs human flesh but tries to stay clean finds himself cast back into society by a gang of thugs and his estranged daughter.” You can watch that on Netflix.