Ian MacKaye Challenges the History of Rock - Deviate with Rolf Potts Podcast

“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 (7:00); the task of archiving and preserving evidence of music that was created outside the commercial music industry (28:00); skateboarding and punk rock as lenses through which to see the world in a different way (44:30); and the lessons and experiences of traveling the world as a musician.
Show Notes: rolfpotts.com/...

[@suplex7]

This is the best Mackaye interview I’ve heard, I can tell he enjoyed it as well. Congrats.

[@dannyryan2174]

Minor Threat is what got me into punk back in 1993

[@ililililil8385]

Hearing Ian talk about Henry genuinely makes me happy.

[@E.C.2]

He's a blowhard clueless leftist who made good music.

[@ililililil8385]

@@E.C.2 Duly noted

[@jeffdarden337]

Remember seeing ian at a " Love" show and i was really happy he was there to see a hippy band

[@davidcutts9079]

DEAD MOON!!! Hell yes... 503 baby! Great interview; thanks!

[@stevenconte4714]

This is just what I need in the south Bronx at 5 a.m. thanks. Dunedin! I can't believe that. Very beautiful. I got to become a world traveler

[@aliveormedicated]

come to arthur ave!!

[@enginesdown]

Great ! Thanks for this.

[@happyjack1598]

Skateboarding,surfing,roller skating was not a sport back then.Yet,thank God people understand it takes talent.And,anyone can do it for fun too!

[@matthewatwood2581]

The Grateful Dead of Punk. A lot of Punk folks will hate that. It's all folk music. It's the voice of the people. & Ian is right-it will go on forever.

[@jeffdarden337]

Finally, i always thought dave brought scream with him to nirvana and foo fighters

[@airoff8]

Did he throw anyone out and give them a refund during this interview?

[@roaringlion1977]

It wasn't Tim Burns Ian, it was KEN BURNS on Vietnam War

[@happyjack1598]

Fabulous point,most of good insight came from a small gathering of talented folks,who never forgot sense of humor.Flags nervous breakdown etc.is my relatives are coming for the holidays,I want to entertain!As well as a gig.I want folks to enjoy themselves Everyone diy,dont beat each other up!Why would anyone come to a show to cause trouble?😀 what's for a gig?Reminds me of the Jam.They were promoting unity,but every gig not all,but the morons would be fighting a few..Are you actually listening about we are on about?😀❤

[@sickboyrocky665]

Thank you brother

[@DanHintz]

well done.

[@ChrisCleg]

I think he is wrong about the dynamic between Kurt and Dave. He underplays Kurt’s talent and overrates Dave’s sing writing ability or influence on Nirvana in 1991…I do like Foo Fighters but cmon.

[@skawashers]

Unfortunately that music having its genres or sub-genres has limited the expression to just fit into convenient boxes to appeal to a type of gig goer. Without the audience chancing their arm on a new sound and being blown away by it.

[@Blackadder153]

I appreciate the fact most underground bands tried their damndest to stay clear of genre labels. The worst bands I saw were the ones that catered to a particular genre. Very cliche, very limited, same old grip about tired issues.

[@Blackadder153]

@Vodoo Child God so many local bands playing the 80's Chaos Punk role throughout the 90's. It was just watching Larpers playing two chord at 150 BPM.

[@thedddemon]

Excellent interview. Bring back the page likes please, it gives out a bad vibe. I would assume this would get highly upvoted.

[@happyjack1598]

Tourists are money..I jest.lol

[@E.C.2]

Punk rock was one of the biggest mistakes in my life.

[@adamwest1424]

Why so?

[@E.C.2]

@@adamwest1424 Give me a day or two I'll explain. I work in outside in the heat and I'm tired.Have a blessed Thurs.

[@adamwest1424]

@@E.C.2 all good homie, ive been a punk since i was 12 and im about to turn 18 so im just super curious. Some punks would kill you for saying that but im actually very intrigued as ive only ever heard positive experiences from ex punks

[@adamwest1424]

@@E.C.2 still waiting lol

[@E.C.2]

@@adamwest1424 I forgot and just saw this comment.Give me a few mins bro promise I'll explain.

[@dickschlitz1360]

I think Kurt had 90 % of never mind written before Dave entered the band so I am suspicious of how much Dave had in any writing partnership with Kurt…why did Kurt go from the Melvin’s inspired bleach to the pop oriented nevermind? I think he wanted to blow the band up n Melvin’s style rock wasn’t going to do it

[@dickschlitz1360]

True but Jack endino who produced bleach said that Kurt’s Melvin style guitar lines were tricky for him to sing over so there was a conscious effort (on Kurt’s part) to simplify his guitar work so he could slam the vocals…yknow in the early days of nirvana Kurt was always looking for a second guitar player (probably to play the crazy guitar lines) …he got pat smear but according to thurston Moore he tried to recruit j. Masics…this was just when bleach broke and j was like…how am I hoping your small band when mine is bigger…but fast forward to 92 n jay might have had a diff idea-

[@ChrisCleg]

Yeah I disagree that dave is the reason for the big change in song writing between bleach and nevermind. He played all of Chad Channing drum parts for the songs…also listen to that marigold song with where Grohl sings lead on a nevermind song…it is far from evolved they way Kurt’s was already in 1991. I love fugazi lol

[@mnemecast]

I believe Ian here is just referring to Dave Grohl's writing with the drumming. I've seen a lot of Steve Albini interviews lately and he agrees with this notion that even if Dave Grohl were to drum a song without music you would know which Nirvana song he was playing. He talks Dave Grohl up a lot too. To address the pop oriented Nevermind, in another Steve Albini interview, he didn't care for Nevermind. That is until Nirvana showed up with a no overdub version of Nevermind. Steve said he thought it sounded great. He was really impressed with it because it was live with no extra guitars or extra vocals. So Butch Vig had a lot to do with the pop overproduced texture.