Ian MacKaye
Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (born April 16, 1962 in Washington, DC ) is an American musician. Together with Jeff Nelson, MacKaye is co-founder and owner of Dischord Records , a Washington, DC-based punk label. He was a member of seven bands in his career, including Minor Threat , Fugazi and Embrace . MacKaye is also considered to be the initiator of the straight edge movement.
Life
MacKaye was born in Washington DC in 1962. He has been friends with Black Flag singer Henry Rollins since childhood . As a child he learned the piano and guitar , but gave up both after a while. Early musical influences included Ted Nugent and Queen . In 1979 he became interested in punk through a Cramps concert , bands like Bad Brains and Black Flag became his role models.
MacKaye's brother Alex formed the band Untouchables in 1979 . In 1980, Ian MacKaye formed the short-lived bands The Teen Idles and Skewbald / Grand Union before forming the hardcore band Minor Threat that same year . In order to be able to record a record with the Teen Idles, he founded the label Dischord Records with his bandmate Jeff Nelson. During this time MacKaye switched from bass to vocals. Although Minor Threat only existed for three years and released only one album, they became one of the most influential hardcore bands. After Minor Threat broke up, MacKaye played in several bands, including Embrace, Egg Hunt and Pailhead. Since 1987 he has been the guitarist and singer of the influential post-hardcore group Fugazi and of the folk duo The Evens. He has also worked with Sonic Youth , Government Issue , Ministry (with whose members he founded Pailhead), John Frusciante , 7 Seconds , Bikini Kill , The Nation of Ulysses , Q And Not U , Rites of Spring , Joe Lally and the Rollins Band together.
MacKaye decided in his youth, after seeing the negative effects of legal and illegal drugs on several of his friends and a family member, that he would never use them. MacKaye addressed this abstinence in his texts, which led to the emergence of the straight-edge movement. However, MacKaye never intended to found such a movement.
MacKaye is married to the musician Amy Farina, former drummer with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists , with whom he forms the music duo The Evens and with whom he has had a daughter since 2008.
Equipment
Guitars
- Gibson SG
- Creston Electric Instruments baritone
amplifier
Discography (excerpt)
With The Teen Idles
- 1980: Minor Disturbance ( EP , Dischord Records )
- 1996: Anniversary (EP, Dischord)
With minor threat
- 1983: Out of Step (Dischord Records)
gallery
Ian MacKaye (2008)
Ian MacKaye (bottom right, with microphone) with Minor Threat (1981)
Web links
- Ian MacKaye at Discogs (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | MacKaye, Ian |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | MacKaye, Ian Thomas Garner (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American musician and label founder |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 16, 1962 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Washington, DC |