Ahead of last week's cover story, punk legend Henry Rollins — who's become a historian and preservationist in his fourth quarter — invited Scene photographer Hamilton Matthew Masters and me to his Nashville home to check out some of his extensive collection of rock ’n' roll artifacts. 

Today and tomorrow, Nov. 6 and 7, Rollins is inviting his fellow fanatics to check out some of his collection in an exhibit called Cool Evidence: Captured Moments From the Last Century at RADAR615 in Nashville's Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. The display features show posters, flyers, photographs, album art and more from iconic and influential 20th-century outfits including The Damned, Bad Brains, The Cramps, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, Rollins' own Black Flag and more, as well as artwork by Raymond Pettibon. It has all been painstakingly preserved and carefully arranged.

Earlier this week, Rollins and gallery director Lain York invited the Scene to RADAR615 to watch as dozens of these artifacts were placed on the gallery walls by a team of Nashville's best art handlers. The results are a collection Rollins describes as “a 15-year-old’s bedroom walls meets the Smithsonian.” It's electric. 

Friday and Saturday, Nashvillians (and travelers) are invited to check out Rollins collection from 2 to 9 p.m. There's no entry fee. As noted in my cover story, this likely won't be folks' only chance to see some of Rollins' collection. But if you can make it by, you should.

Above, see Scene photographer Eric England's shots from Cool Evidence as it went up on RADAR's walls.

Like what you read?


Click here to become a member of the Scene !


Load comments