He's been called the angriest man in rock. The man who fronted punk band Black Flag in the 80's is offen percieved as intense, uncompromising and yes, angry. Henry Rollins turned 40 earlier this year and admits he's probably mellowed a little.

"I used to be really judgemental. I'd go 'F... this guy, he's stupid - look at his pants,'" he says. "But now I just figure everyone's trying to get through. Judge not lest you should be judged. We all fall pretty short of that one, but it's in my mind more often than not. I hope someone cuts me some slack when I screw up."

Rollins admits that just a few years ago, if someone in the press wrote something not to his liking, "I'd want to rip the guy's head off. Whereas now he can write whatever he wants - he's entitled. Now I kind of go at things differently."

Given his change of attitude and advancing years, will we see Henry Rollins follow the same path as, say, Metallica and lose that harder edge? "Oh no, no. The new album is all finished and it'll break you into little pieces."

But we digress. Rollins is actually in town for a spoken word tour. While he still fronts his own hard rock act, Rollins diversified a few years back and now wears several hats. He's also an author, actor, and tv show host, and divides his time between these pursuits, his music and his spoken word act. "I'm having more fun now than I used to actually, with playing and doing stuff."

Rollins says he has been misjudged many times by people who are only aware of his aggressive musical persona. But he delights in changing people's perception of him. "It's always fun when someone tries to talk down to you and you just rip them a new one verbally. I'm no rocket scientist, but I'm no cretin."

In contrast to the primal, forceful, very physical energy Rollins harnesses with his band, his spoken word performances sometimes showcase a decidedly articulate side. "I've always been into language, always been into literature," he says. "All my heroes are writers rather than musicians."

Not that his spoken word act involves standing on stage reading from the classics. 'There's some funny stuff, some not so funny stuff, but I don't do schtick," he says. "If I try that, the audience will no. I'm as subtle as a boob job - I fool no one."

This is Rollins' third Australian spoken word tour, not to mention his numerous musical tours here. Since 1989, he has made a point of coming here every year, sometimes twice.

"Who cares about the long flight? There's cool people waiting on the other end and since I live for the shows, I go where I'm wanted," he says. "And I seem wanted here, so I keep showing up. It's not like I hae a wife waiting for me or a kid or any real interest in getting a family. I like the road, I like the studio, I like the practice room, I like the stage."