“Punk is not a sound for me. It’s not a style of music. It’s not a look. It’s not even an attitude. For me punk is the free space: It’s the place where new ideas can be presented without having to hew to profit motives.” — Ian MacKaye

Ian MacKaye is the co-founder of Dischord Records and former front man for Fugazi and Minor Threat. He currently performs in the two-piece indie band The Evens with his partner Amy Farina. He curates an informal archive of the Washington DC hardcore and post-hardcore music scenes, including the Fugazi Live Series, an extensive online library of digitized concert recordings.

In this episode of Deviate Rolf and Ian discuss the “Nirvana moment” of the early 1990s, how new ideas find their way into music, and how lesser known acts influence the dynamic of popular culture (8:00); the task of archiving and preserving evidence of music that was created outside the commercial music industry (29:00); skateboarding and punk rock as lenses through which to see the world in a different way (45:30); and the lessons and experiences of traveling the world as a musician.

Notable links:

Our Band Could Be Your Life, by Michael Azerrad (2001 book)
Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century, by Greil Marcus (1989 book)
Get in the Van: On the Road With Black Flag, by Henry Rollins (1994 book)
“Why Do So Many Kids Think Fugazi is God?” 1993 Washington Post article
Henry Rollins’ 2018 KCRW interview with Ian MacKaye
Woodstock (documentary film)
The Vietnam War (Ken Burns TV documentary series)
Thích Quảng Đức (Vietnamese monk who died by self-immolation)
Phonograph cylinder (19th century recording technology)
Dada (early 20th century avant-garde art movement)
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (museum)

Bands, musicians, and music mentioned:

Henry Rollins (vocalist, author, and performer)
Dave Grohl (rock musician)
Kurt Cobain (rock musician)
Ted Nugent (rock musician)
Jimi Hendrix (rock musician)
The Stooges (rock band)
Black Flag (hardcore punk band)
Bad Brains (hardcore punk band)
Lungfish (post-hardcore Dischord band from Baltimore)
Empire (post Generation X English punk band)
Dead Moon (DIY garage punk band fronted by Fred Cole)
Heatmiser (early 1990s Elliott Smith post-hardcore band)
The Wipers (1970s Portland punk band)
Greg Ginn and Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag band members)
“The Laughing Song” (late 19th century recording by George W. Johnson)

Look what my hero Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat/Fugazi) just found: a letter I wrote to him when I was 14! Haha! pic.twitter.com/Ak8gxZz5m6

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) May 28, 2015

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lu mber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

Punk icon Ian MacKaye on why we should question the official history of rock music