Don't let the thick neck, buzz cut and muscled frame fool you -- Henry Rollins is no dimwitted gym rat. He's punk rock's first Renaissance man. For the past 20 years, Hammerin' Hank, who turns 40 today, has been a full-bore media machine, laying his throat-splitting scream across power chords with Black Flag and the Rollins Band, writing and publishing his own books, acting in films such as Heat and Johnny Mnemonic and performing spoken-word shows and releasing spoken-word albums. When critics thought Rollins would lose steam he redoubled his efforts and elbow-greased his way past them with longer tours, more books, MTV appearances, a Grammy nomination and even a Gap ad.

Born Henry Garfield in Washington, DC, Rollins was a shy kid at an all-boys school when punk rock crash-landed in the late Seventies. He formed his first band (SOA) and, with the help of friend Ian MacKaye (of Minor Threat and Fugazi fame), released a single. Then in 1981 when Rollins' favorite band Black Flag played in nearby New York City, an impromptu guest vocal spot landed him the gig as frontman for the Flag, one of punk's most popular and powerful acts. Henry Garfield, manager of a DC Häagen-Dazs, relocated to Los Angeles to become Henry Rollins, badass singer for Black Flag.

It was during his tenure in the drill-camp conditions of Black Flag that Rollins solidified his extreme work ethic. The band was notorious for its constant touring (sometimes close to 200 shows a year), 13-hour practices and an absurdly prolific recording schedule (including the release of three albums in 1984 alone). With what little time he scavenged outside of the band, Rollins founded the publishing company 2.13.61 (his birthday) and put out books of his poetry and tour diaries. He also hit the coffeehouses and clubs to perform spoken-word shows consisting of abstract poems and tales of on-the-road bravado.

In 1986, after eight albums, Black Flag founder and guitarist Greg Ginn disbanded the group. Rollins quickly formed the Henry Rollins Band (later shortened to the Rollins Band) and released a string of intense albums loaded with barbarically self-depreciating lyrics such as Hot Animal Machine, Lifetime and Hard Volume. The band's blend of blistering rage (Burned Beyond Recognition) and violently depressive lyrics (Gun in Mouth Blues) earned them a spot on the inaugural Lollapalooza tour. Rollins' 1994 single Liar even earned a Grammy nomination. Most recently, Rollins parted ways with his longtime backing band and enlisted LA's Mother Superior for his 2000 effort, Get Some Go Again.

This month Rollins turns 40, a rare thing for someone spawned in the die-young aesthetic of early punk rock. Middle age and two decades on the road certainly haven't slowed him down. He has a new Rollins Band album (Get Some Go Again), a spoken-word album (A Rollins in the Wry), a Fox TV show (Night Visions) and appearances in three upcoming movies. Rollins talked to Playboy.com about turning 40, the Internet and why he won't watch Seinfeld reruns.