RecCenter.com

RC: You have been an outspoken human rights activist over the past few years, including entertaining troops overseas. The issue of water boarding as well as torturing terrorist suspects has come to light recently. Do you have any thoughts to share regarding that?

HR: Water boarding is torture. That is a single issue. What is relevant is that the Bush administration does whatever they can to get around the Geneva Conventions and in doing so, breaks the law, endangers all future American POWs and Americans all over the world. Torture is nothing new. It has happened in many countries for many years. There’s a lot of CIA involvement there. Chile, MKUltra, etc. The events at Abu Grahib were not lost on the Iraqi people and probably a good portion of the Muslim world. We’ll pay for that dearly.

RC: Your currently working on Ice 44 directed by Jason Connery. Can you tell us a little more about the film, and your involvement in it?

HR:I have a very small part in it. If you blink you’ll miss me but I am grateful for the work. It’s a film about a recon mission gone awry with socio-apocalypto implications and a lot of blood. Everyone on the set is very cool and all the actors are very talented and it’s running smoothly. I seem to be holding up my end of the work pretty well.

RC: Following your spoken word tour of Europe you have announced dates in the United States for your Provoked tour starting in February. How do you go about choosing the topics for each one of your tours, or is it a free flowing gig without any set plans?

HR: Usually the material pertains to where I have just been and what has been happening around that time. This year I did some interesting travel to Iran, Syria, Lebanon and other places and came back with some good stories. I would never walk out there with nothing and hope for the best. I can’t do that and get anywhere.

RC: I recently read there has been some new movement to free the West Memphis 3. Can you tell us a little more about that, and how you got involved in the cause?

HR: Best thing to do is get the actual information from the site WM3.org to make sure it’s the real up the minute info. I saw the documentaries years ago and contacted the WM3 support group and asked if I could be any help. They said yes and I have been helping out as best I can since. I believe they are innocent.

RC: What are your feelings with how the 2008 election is shaping up? Also, how do you feel that technology has effected current politics (YouTube debates on CNN, etc...)?

HR: I think it’s too early to tell what will be as far as the election goes. The herd has to thin out somewhat. I reckon we are in for another 4 years of a Republican president. I no longer expect Americans to think critically, use history as a tool and a cautionary tale or push for progress. I also think that the technology is there to make sure we will never really be sure of an accurate outcome again.

RC: Your radio show on Indie 103 in Los Angeles includes an eclectic taste in music. What are three of your favorite releases of 2007?

HR: The Grinderman album, Beyond by Dinosaur Jr. and the Dax Riggs solo album We Sing Only Of Blood Or Love.