2.13.61

2.13.61 is an independent American publishing and record company established by Henry Rollins, the musician, spoken-word performer, author, and former Black Flag vocalist. The name refers to Rollins's date of birth, February 13, 1961. Based in Los Angeles, the company developed from Rollins's early self-publishing activities into a vehicle for issuing spoken-word recordings, rock and jazz albums, books, and archival reissues. The company’s origins are closely connected with Rollins’s emergence as a solo artist after the breakup of Black Flag. Rollins had already begun publishing his own writing, and he later explained that the name was initially adopted because he was told that his first self-released book, 20, needed to carry a company name. Assuming that the book might be a one-time project, he selected his birth date as the imprint’s name. The label subsequently became a continuing platform for his creative work rather than a temporary publishing designation. 2.13.61’s early recorded-music activity concentrated on Rollins’s spoken-word performances. Its first two releases, Big Ugly Mouth and Sweatbox, were initially issued in cooperation with Texas Hotel Records, the label with which Rollins was then associated as a recording artist. Over time, the company expanded beyond spoken word into independent rock and jazz releases. Its catalog has included the Rollins Band and other artists connected to alternative music, punk, experimental rock, and related scenes. The organization also developed specialist reissue activities. Infinite Zero Archive was created as a joint venture with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings and focused on archival and catalog reissues. District Line served a related historical purpose, concentrating on reissuing music associated with Washington, D.C., Rollins’s hometown and an important center of American punk and hardcore. These activities positioned 2.13.61 not merely as a vehicle for new releases, but also as a curator of historically significant independent music. The publishing side has included books by Rollins and a range of writers and musicians from alternative, punk, rock, and experimental culture. Listed authors have included Iggy Pop, Exene Cervenka, Nick Cave, Michael Gira, Joe Cole, Tricia Warden, Don Bajema, Bill Shields, Jeffery Lee Pierce, and Ellyn Maybe, alongside Rollins himself. The resulting catalog reflects the company’s close relationship with underground music communities and with artists whose work crosses performance, literature, memoir, poetry, and cultural criticism. 2.13.61 is therefore best understood as a hybrid artist-led imprint rather than a conventional mass-market entertainment corporation. Its identity is rooted in Rollins’s personal publishing history, the independent music networks surrounding Black Flag and Washington, D.C. punk, and a sustained interest in spoken word, literary work, catalog preservation, and non-mainstream music. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current operating status, detailed corporate ownership structure, executive roster beyond Rollins’s publisher role, or a current official website.

2.13.61 began as an extension of Henry Rollins’s self-publishing activities. Rollins’s first self-released book, 20, appeared in 1984, and he later recalled that he used the name 2.13.61 after being told that a company name had to appear on the publication. The name was derived from his birth date, February 13, 1961. What began as a practical label for a single book became a durable publishing and recording identity. The company’s expansion into recorded music followed Rollins’s transition to solo work after Black Flag disbanded. Rather than immediately operating as a broad-based record label, 2.13.61 initially concentrated on Rollins’s spoken-word performances. Big Ugly Mouth and Sweatbox, identified as the first two releases, were co-released with Texas Hotel Records, the label with which Rollins was signed at the time. This arrangement connected the new imprint to existing independent-label infrastructure while allowing Rollins to develop a distinct outlet for his spoken-word material. As Rollins’s creative work broadened, 2.13.61 moved into additional areas of recorded music. The imprint released work associated with the Rollins Band and expanded into rock and jazz. Its catalog and publishing activities were connected to a wider network of musicians and writers from punk, alternative, experimental, and underground cultural scenes. In this respect, the company functioned as both a personal imprint and a curatorial platform for related artists. The organization later supported archival music projects through two specialist reissue imprints. Infinite Zero Archive was established as a joint venture with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings, with an emphasis on reissuing older or historically important material. District Line focused on reissues connected with Washington, D.C., a city central to Rollins’s personal history and to the development of American punk and hardcore. These ventures extended 2.13.61’s role from issuing contemporary artist projects to preserving and circulating catalog recordings. The literary catalog developed alongside the music business. In addition to Rollins’s own books, the company’s authors have included figures associated with The Stooges, X, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Swans, The Gun Club, and other alternative or experimental communities. The listed contributors include Iggy Pop, Exene Cervenka, Nick Cave, Michael Gira, Joe Cole, Tricia Warden, Don Bajema, Bill Shields, Jeffery Lee Pierce, and Ellyn Maybe. This publishing roster reflects a consistent preference for artist-authored writing and culturally distinctive voices. 2.13.61’s documented history is consequently one of gradual expansion from a personal book imprint into a hybrid publishing and record company. Its activities encompass spoken word, music, literature, and reissues, but they remain unified by Rollins’s artistic network and by an emphasis on independent and historically significant work. Available reference material does not provide a complete chronology of releases, a confirmed current corporate structure, or reliable information about the company’s present-day operations.

1. 1984Rollins self-publishes 20

   Henry Rollins releases his first self-published book, 20, the publication associated with the origin of the 2.13.61 name.

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2. The imprint enters recorded music

   After Rollins began his solo career following Black Flag’s breakup, 2.13.61 started issuing his spoken-word recordings.

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3. Initial Texas Hotel co-releases

   Big Ugly Mouth and Sweatbox became the first two 2.13.61 releases and were initially co-released with Texas Hotel Records.

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4. Expansion into rock and jazz

   The label broadened its catalog beyond Rollins’s spoken word to include rock and jazz releases, including work associated with the Rollins Band.

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5. Creation of Infinite Zero Archive

   2.13.61 developed Infinite Zero Archive as a joint venture with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings for specialist catalog reissues.

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6. Creation of District Line

   The company created District Line to focus on reissuing music associated with Washington, D.C.

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An artist-led independent imprint combining music releases, spoken-word recordings, literary publishing, and archival reissues, with a strong connection to punk, alternative, experimental, and jazz culture.

• Henry Rollins spoken-word recordingsSpoken-word music releases

  A foundational part of the 2.13.61 catalog, these recordings document Henry Rollins’s spoken-word performances and reflect the imprint’s development after his move into solo work following Black Flag. The early label identity was closely tied to Rollins’s live verbal-performance practice rather than to conventional band recordings.

• Big Ugly MouthSpoken-word album

  Big Ugly Mouth is identified as one of the first two releases associated with 2.13.61. It was initially issued jointly with Texas Hotel Records and represents the imprint’s early focus on distributing Rollins’s spoken-word work.

• SweatboxSpoken-word album

  Sweatbox is identified as the other first 2.13.61 release. Like Big Ugly Mouth, it was initially co-released with Texas Hotel Records and helped establish the label as an outlet for Rollins’s solo spoken-word material.

• Rollins Band releasesRock music recordings

  2.13.61 has released albums associated with the Rollins Band, connecting the imprint to Henry Rollins’s principal rock project and to the broader alternative and punk-oriented music network surrounding his career.

• Infinite Zero ArchiveMusic reissue imprint

  Infinite Zero Archive was established as a joint venture between 2.13.61 and Rick Rubin’s American Recordings. It specialized in reissuing archival and catalog music, extending the company’s activities into historical preservation and renewed distribution.

• District LineMusic reissue imprint

  District Line is a specialist reissue imprint associated with 2.13.61. Its stated focus is music from Washington, D.C., a scene and location closely connected with Rollins’s background and with American punk history.

• Books and literary publicationsPublishing1984

  The publishing program includes works by Henry Rollins and writers drawn from punk, rock, alternative, and experimental culture. Named authors include Iggy Pop, Exene Cervenka, Nick Cave, Michael Gira, Joe Cole, Tricia Warden, Don Bajema, Bill Shields, Jeffery Lee Pierce, and Ellyn Maybe.

1. 2.13.61