Henry Rollins has announced his return to music after more than two decades, revealing a collaborative project with punk legend Ian MacKaye that marks his first new release since 2004.
The former Black Flag frontman shared details of the recording sessions on his website, describing the project as “great” and expressing genuine excitement about the collaboration.
The recording sessions took place at Inner Ear Studios in Washington, D.C., a location steeped in punk history where both musicians first cut their teeth decades ago. Rollins noted the significance of returning to the same studio “where we made our first records decades ago and mixed a four song session with the great Don Zientara at the board.” The venue holds particular importance as the birthplace of recordings by Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and numerous other influential hardcore acts.
The sessions also featured a notable guest appearance from Eddie Janney, known for his work with the Untouchables, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, Happy Go Licky, and Skewbald. Rollins acknowledged Janney’s contribution, stating: “The session benefited greatly by his presence.”
This announcement comes as a surprise to fans who have long accepted Rollins’ departure from the music industry. The singer’s last full album, Weighting with the Rollins Band, was released in 2004, and his final tour with a band concluded in 2006. Despite occasional guest appearances with bands including The Flaming Lips and Ruts DC, Rollins has consistently maintained his distance from regular music-making.
“Weeks ago, I journeyed it to DC in order to work on a great project. Ian MacKaye and I went to Inner Ear Studios, where we made our first records decades ago and mixed a four song session with the great Don Zientara at the board,” Rollins wrote on his website. “As to the tracks, I had them mastered several days ago, and I’m now working on the layout and design for the record. When it’s ready, I’ll let you know. We are extremely excited by this one.”
Rollins revealed that the tracks have been mastered and he is currently working on layout and design for the record. However, no release date or format details have been announced at the time of writing.
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