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• Henry Rollins

Former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins brings his spoken word tour to the Murat Egyptian Room March 6.

After three decades of performing, Henry Rollins doesn't pay much mind to name-calling. Just don't call him provocative.

"That's a way to marginalize a point of view. It's a way to sideline someone and divert the discussion," Rollins said. "All critical thinking dies at that moment."

Rollins' new spoken-word tour, "Provoked," visits Indianapolis on March 6. A critic with a cult following, Rollins named the tour in response to what he believes are attempts to quiet dissenting voices in the political and cultural arenas.

Rollins came to counterculture prominence as the ferocious front man of the infamous early '80s punk band Black Flag. He later formed the progressive hard-rock Rollins Band and parlayed years of funny, bizarre and traumatic experiences into popular spoken-word performances.

Rollins writes and publishes his work through 2.13.61, a company he operates from his home in Los Angeles. He also works sporadically as an actor and voice-over artist, and hosts an eponymous talk show on the Independent Film Channel.

Like all of his spoken word shows, "Provoked" is part memoir, part polemic and draws on his extensive travels and how those experiences shape his views of current events.

Whenever Rollins has time off between his numerous jobs, he packs a bag, books a flight, and takes off.

"It's my curiosity that's the fuel for this," he said. "I was one of those kids getting National Geographic magazine every month. I've always wanted to see the Pyramids."

Rollins saw the pyramids last year, as well as parts of Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Syria and Iran. That curiosity also delivered him to Pakistan without a plan; former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated during his visit.

"It was intense. Stuff was on fire," Rollins said. "I walked towards the smoke and men were crying, and I stayed with (the experience)."

When asked if he ever felt unsafe in the crowds in Pakistan, Rollins said he depended on the goodwill of the people there.

He also is dependent on the goodwill of his fans.

It's not uncommon for fans to approach him before and after shows, on the street, or in nearly empty airports at 3 in the morning. Some of the weirder fan stories have been incorporated into his spoken-word performances, but Rollins strives to be considerate to his fans.

A self-professed "fanboy," he knows what it's like to be disappointed by your heroes when you see them up close. "If people want to talk to me, I won't blow them off," he said. "I would never want to be 'that guy' to that person."

No matter how considerate he is, a significant portion of Rollins' fans are disappointed to find that the guy they meet is more thoughtful voice-over artist and television host than mythologized rock animal.

Rollins says that it's simply a matter of different situations demanding different responses.

"Are you the same way during sex as you are when you're waiting to see the dentist?" Rollins asked. "Either you're a lousy lay or you're going to get kicked out of the office."