Living Out Loud

Joe Hughes

Rok with you: Commander Adama, Scott Free and Jimmy West of the current Rok Tots.

Joe Hughes

The Rok Tots circa 1981.

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More About

• Jimmy West
• Tom Headbanger
• The Who (Musical Group)
• Punk Rock
• Heavy Metal

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"Jimmy was never really punk; Jimmy was just Jimmy," says Headbanger. "I think of him as more of a roots-rock guy -- more like Chuck Berry than Sid Vicious. It's like Motörhead: There's always been a clarity of vision there. He wanted to make music that hit your chest, not your brain. And that makes him a dinosaur, but that's not a bad thing: Dinosaurs ruled the earth, and if they were still here, they'd still rule.

"Jimmy would be doing what he's doing if it was the '50s or 2020," Headbanger adds. "And he'd still be wearing that leather jacket. He wears it in bed -- you can tell. He doesn't take that thing off."