Ian MacKaye (pronounced Mc-Eye) (b. April 16, 1962) is the founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based punk rock label. MacKaye grew up in the suburbs of D.C. and listened to mainstream hard rock before discovering punk music. He was particularly influenced by the D.C. and Californian punk scene. MacKaye looked up to punk icons like Bad Brains and Black Flag and was childhood friends with Henry Garfield (who later changed his name to Henry Rollins). MacKaye has served as bassist for The Teen Idles (1979), lead singer for Minor Threat (1980) and Embrace (1985), and is the guitarist/singer for Fugazi (1987). MacKaye also worked with a few small bands on the side during the tedious breakup with Minor Threat, including Egg Hunt , Skewbald/Grand Union, and Pailhead, a collaberation between MacKaye and Al Jourgensen of the industrial band Ministry. He is credited with starting the straight edge philosophy and is one of the pioneers of the DIY punk ethic. He currently sings and plays guitar in the band The Evens with drummer and vocalist Amy Farina of the Warmers . The Evens released their self-titled album in early 2005, breaking a four-year silence by MacKaye.

Straight Edge

The song "Straight Edge" was written by Ian for his band, Minor Threat and was released in 1980 on Minor Threat's EP, "Out of Step." The song, according to The Manchester Newspaper in 1997, was written as an obituary towards a friend of MacKaye's who died from an overdose of heroin. Ian expressed his pain, anger and his determination of being clean, and pure of any type of drug. It was a song that referenced a life free of smoking, drinking, drug use, and promiscuity. With the passion he evoked singing this song, it created an impact to the youth culture as Minor Threat gained popularity through numerous live shows, and being released of the song on their EP. Over time, the youth culture began to live the way the words MacKaye sung. Soon, thousands of bands began to label themselves straight edge, thus the straight edge movement began.

Quotes

PSF: "How did the idea of 'straight-edge' come about?"

MacKaye: "It was just the title of a song that I wrote. I guess I coined the phrase but certainly never intended to start a movement." [1]

External links

• Dischord Records
• Cokemachineglow interview with MacKaye
• Ian McKaye Interview by Billy Bob Hargus (April 1997)
• [http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/d/j/djf182/art002/assign4.htm Ian McKaye

By: David Faber]

• Interview Music Excerpts (Real Audio)
• A letter to Ian McKaye: The Iinspiration Behind Friction
• Minor Threat on Fusion Anomaly