The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #305 Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat / Fugazi / Dischord Records)

Wed. 2/7 @ 3:00 pm (EST) The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #305 Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat / Fugazi / The Evens / Coriky / Dischord Records) w special guest Glen E. Friedman (Photographer) w/ "Photo of the Week" w/ "Hardcore Shutterbug" Steven J. Messina.
Glen E. Friedman Minor Threat book available here : burningflags.com/news/just-a-minor-threat-book-coming-this-fall/
00:00 Intro (Minor Threat Live 1982)
05:09 Steven Messina "Photo of The Day"
11:27 Ian Mackaye intro
12:34 The Stooges / Drummers drive the band
13:44 How did music come into your life / Did you grow up in a musical household?
14:42 Playing piano
17:34 Early musical influences
21:21 Rock and Roll was the sound of revolution to me
23:36 Was your dad in JFK's motorcade?
26:46 Skateboarding / BMX
32:23 Ted Nugent, Queen
33:53 Wilson High School, punk and mainstream media
35:22 The Damned, Tuff Darts, The Clash, Sex Pistols = "This is music that's asking questions"
37:49 "I found a portal to the world I've been looking for my whole life"
39:23 The Cramps
42:25 Teen Idles
46:38 Joe Cocker influence
48:00 Minor Threat forms
50:11 Bad Brains
57:00 Lyle Pressler, Brian Baker & Jeff Nelson's unorthodox style of drumming
59:00 Teen Idles west coast trip
1:10:20 Minor Threat recordings
1:18:34 Glen E. Friedman intro
1:19:32 Glen E. Friedman "Just a Minor Threat" book conversation
1:41:49 Why did Minor Threat break up?
1:43:41 Recoding Salad Days
1:47:40 "In all my songs, I ment it and I mean it"
1:50:04 DC Hardcore in retrospect
1:52:30 "Minor Threat will never play a show"
1:54:22 Minor Threat "Our Of Step' Outtakes
2:01:13 Working with John Frusciante
2:02:35 What does it mean when Ian Mackaye produces your record?
2:08:33 Unsung heroes from the early DC Hardcore scene
2:14:06 Embrace / Egg Hunt
2:20:11 Origin of Fugazi
2:21:09 "Were you an usher in a movie theater in 1982?"
2:22:29 SSD / Iron Cross Chancery Show
2:24:08 Boston memories
2:30:45 The Evens
2:36:00 Coriky
2:43:05 Thank you's, acknowledgments and goodbye's
2:44:20 Drew Stone outro

[@demiansvideos]

This is probably the best interview I’ve heard with Ian, kudos to the host for coordinating a great conversation.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Well thank you, I appreciate that. He was a great guest.

[@afeitealperro6079]

I can't remember what I ate for dinner yesterday but Ian can remember every date of his life.

[@awrogers3013]

No dope.

[@awrogers3013]

Straight edge benefits

[@kayceeyou]

Had no problem rattling off the address of the movie theater he worked at!

[@dkbk1117]

Watched live for 2.5 hours then had to leave the office and watched the rest this morning. What a great event..treat. "I'm a patient boy" lol

[@frontpuff]

Finally!! Incredible. I still love Fugazi so much! Way ahead of their time. Much Love from Germoney

[@marshall0814]

How were they ahead of their time? They sounded like Gang Of Four & Wire.

[@haraldpotterer162]

Such a stupid bullshit! Have you ever listened to anyone if these records? How can you say Fugazi sounds like Gang of four or Wire ?! You know nothing ….

[@jasonpeng33]

Where's Germoney?

[@prestonrutherford873]

Thank you so much. Brilliant interviewing!! 🩵🩵🩵🩵

[@labeandistort6213]

I ll remember this for the rest of my life. thanks! Cheers from Croatia!

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you, it was very special for me as well.

[@martinvalenzuela9103]

This is absolutely gold! Thank you.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you for tuning in.

[@eancurtis9333]

Amazing!!!!!! He's the real deal OG

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Absolutely.

[@kevxxxedge]

Officially one of the VERY best interviews I've seen on here. What a guy ❤

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you, I appreciate it. It was a big one for me.

[@chrisorquiz7414]

Great interview, Drew! Ian answered the questions that I think were on everyone's minds! Thank you Drew and Ian for the very insightful discussion!

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you Chris, it was a special one.

[@Ern-theOppressed1]

Thank you Drew for getting Ian. Minor threat influenced me so much growing up.

[@ginab.]

Hey, Drew... finally watched without interruptions. Wow, this was one of your best. Ian remembers so much. This was a little b4 my time 81-82, I came in the scene in 87 but I love hearing his stories. He's so articulate. Powerful and yeah, emotional at the end. I get it!!! Thank you!

[@ReconMan8654]

Thanks for this, Drew. One of your most crucial interviews yet! File under: Living Legends ⚡️🐑⚡️

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you for the kind words, I do it because I love it.

[@MrZyphose]

Iggy Pop and .. I know about La Amours also. .. I'm so pumped over Ian McKay but he is from Washington DC. The Bad Brains were very important to New York Hardcore history. Anything Ian touches turns to gold: Teen Idols, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Pail Head, etc. Thank you for this, really, so much!!

[@pawelzawislak1671]

Thanks for doing it, Drew. Ian is great. So down to Earth and genuine. My top 5 favorite people from the scene to listen are: Ian, Henry Rollins, Civ, Walter Schreifels and Ray Cappo. They're all amazing storytellers. I feel honored I got to see all of them live. - Fugazi - Wroclaw, Poland 1999 - Henry Rollins - Sydney, Australia 2023 - Gorilla Biscuits - Sydney, Australia 2008, 2015 - Better Than A Thousand - Poznan, Poland 1999 - Youth Of Today - Sydney, Australia 2013

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Fantastic, thank you.

[@screenfixer1936]

One of my Legends, I named my son Ian after him... cheers from southern Italy

[@parmaniac]

My Christ, still gives me shivers. This is why I am who I am today.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

You and me both.

[@tylerdavis6203]

I remember running into Ian all the time working at Y&T records... what a cool dude.

[@TheDmanMA]

this was just AWESOME...THANK YOU

[@ScottWalker-uw3rp]

This was awesome. Another great episode. Thank you!!!

[@_disengage]

Thank you!!! Amazing episode!

[@ericdwagner]

Simply.....thank you

[@Alistair_Spence]

Outstanding. Thankyou.

[@_antisocial__]

Minor threat just feels so good

[@jasoncecala757]

Being from the D.C. area, Ian's music was so important to me as a teenager and even now. Minor Threat and Fugazi are some of the most influential bands I've ever listened to.

[@jirifx]

Amazing! Thanks for this!

[@burt680]

Finally I can put a personality to Ian, thanks for this interview ❤

[@deanshake5975]

This is just so good. What a great listen! It's so interesting I wish it would never end!

[@derekmejias8559]

This Is just fantastic keep with the good work!

[@deanoid7753]

Caught most of this live but just watched it all again...a real triumph Drew, well done. A top interview with great stories and a lot of history. Could listen to Ian for hours on end! The mystery remains though, how the hell has nobody stolen those prosthetic limbs from the Dischord house after all these years??? 🤣

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Hahahah, yes!

[@thommysaraceno2862]

Thanks Drew

[@seanmcnally4121]

Epic episode, Drew! Well done!!

[@noplanrecords]

Well done Drew. It´s the kind of interview that you hope doesn´t end.

[@poisonedpens7390]

Fabulous interview, Drew - especially filled with all of those early nuggets straight from the horses mouth!!!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

" We're always going to win the night" Bingo!! This is priceless. Thank you so much. Maybe some would like to read my section on Minor Threat .from my article The Top 15 Punk Albums. " Minor Threat. Two 7" EP's recorded in 1981. Later reissued on one LP in 1983. The first hardcore band on our list. Your humble scribe is a BIG hardcore fan. Hardcore was the progression in punk music-faster playing, louder singing, often screaming, more aggressive, more violent, more in your face. No more pogoing to punk, now there was slam dancing and stage diving. At a Teen Idles 1980 gig at The Mabuhay in San Francisco, the band put all the Huntington Beach kids on the guest list with the promoter, Dirk Diirkson, there saying, "I don't want any horizontal dancing." Minor Threat blasted off in Washington D.C. in 1980. Vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson had already been in two bands together, The Slinkees and Teen Idles (D.C.'s first hardcore band.) They recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitarist Lyle Pressler. Brian was 15, Lyle 17, Ian and Jeff 18. They later added Steve Hansgen on bass, moved Baker to second guitar and dropped the 12" 45 RPM, “Out Of Step”. It is superb in every way, and totally mandatory listening for anyone with the slightest interest in punk music. What more can be said about Minor Threat? They have already received just about every accolade. And in my book, they deserve the highest possible praise, on many fronts. First you have a band whose musicianship is beyond reproach and is held in the highest esteem by everyone who loves punk music. They write inspiring songs with some of the most intelligent lyrics ever put to music. Hearing these songs the first time changed many peoples' lives, became a youth rallying cry, and immediately put Minor Threat in the pantheon of hardcore music. One of Ian's most famous songs, "Straight Edge," spawned the whole straight edge movement. " I'm a person just like you/ But I've got better things to do/ Than sit around and fuck my head/ Hang out with the living dead/ Snort white shit up my nose/ Pass out at the shows/ I don't even think about speed/ That is something I just don't need/ I've got straight edge/ I'm a person just like you/ But I've got better things to do/ Than sit around and smoke dope/ Because I know that I can cope/ Laugh at the thought of eating ludes/ Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue/ Always gonna keep in touch/ Never want to use a crutch/ I've got straight edge." There have been all sorts of issues raised about the straight edge lifestyle of no drugs, no booze and even no sex, but MacKaye has repeatedly said he was talking only about himself and certainly was not telling anyone how to run their lives. Then you have MacKaye, founder of Dischord Records, who sold Minor Threat platters very inexpensively so every kid could own them. To keep prices down I believe he actually lost money on one of them. But imagine the joy a kid with very little money had owning such magnificent music. To me that is priceless. Ian had all ages shows where no alcohol was served, and all tickets were $5.00. His anti-business, anti "rock star" attitude is refreshing today where fame and money seem to be everyone's goal. Minor Threat and Stiff Little Fingers are the two most inspirational bands I've ever seen. Seeing them could change one's life, and always for the better. A pinnacle in modern American music. Dig the lyrics to "Filler," the first song we ever heard by them. MacKaye has plenty to get off his chest, is dead serious and froze us in our tracks with his sincerity and intensity. What a beginning for Minor Threat! "What happened to you?/You're not the same/Something in your head made a violent change/ It's in your head 3X /Filler/You call it religion/You're full of shit/Was she really worth it?/She cost you your life/You'll never leave her side/She's gonna be your wife/You call it romance/You're full of shit/Your brain is clay/What's going on?/You picked up a bible and now you're gone/Filler"

[@loridawn_wotp]

incredible show!! congrats for catching the biggest fish!!

[@abick8725]

Man I grew up on a “Steady Diet” of Minor Threat and then Fugazi. I first saw Fugazi in/around 1992 or 1993 at the Bomb Factory in Dallas, TX and, to this day, by far the best club show I’ve ever seen…the crowd and the band both were amazing and I was young, like maybe 13. It was probably the first real show I had ever seen at a club like that. Fugazi, of course, staying true to their all ages show ethic. Loved it and it had a huge impact on my developing love and appreciation for music. Thanks Ian. 😊

[@lionellopezhuels]

New level unlocked 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 great job Drew 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Absolutely. We reached the promised land. Thank you so much.

[@TrevyTrev-andTheFunkyPets]

That was incredible. Minor Threat was the gateway drug to any kid wanting to become a punk rocker ( whatever you call it).

[@steviegrimm77]

Funny that “the gateway drug” is also “the heroin”…because so much of what followed was good, but basically just “methadone”. 🤣 XXX

[@AbruzzoRockers77]

Loved this. Ian was my hero growing up and still is .Cheers from Italy

[@itscourtney218]

Catching up now! Bummed I missed this live!

[@knights_of_old]

Great show!

[@brucewilliams2106]

Whatever happened to Black Market Baby? They were one of my faves

[@willieluncheonette5843]

that Sham 69 show in 79 at Hurrahs blew my young punk mind. The whole crowd was going ape shit.

[@crosswalklarry]

That show was crazy!!!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@crosswalklarry Here's what I wrote a few years ago about their 1977 Peel Session and the Hurrah's show " One of the very greatest British punk bands and for many the link between punk and oi. Singer Jimmy Pursey is the archetypal working class kid on the street. Their early music seemed to simplify punk to an even more basic state. Some likened it to sing-a-long songs or crowd chants at a football match, so you can see the progression to oi. They had a huge following called Sham Army and Sham 69 recorded some of the most powerful punk ever, being perhaps the most popular band at the time, scoring seven straight top 50 hits on the British charts. Strangely enough, three of their greatest songs failed to chart--Ulster, Borstal Breakout and Unite and Win. Borstal Breakout/ Hey Little Rich Boy (1/6/'78) was their second record. They Don't Understand and Rip Off turned up on their classic first LP Tell Us the Truth (2/17/'78) What 'Av We Got was originally a one sided 7" recorded live at the Marquee and given away free at shows in late '77 as a thank you to the Sham Army kids. On the record in response to What 'Av We Got, the chorus sings "Fuck all." Here the response is "John Peel" Cute eh? (No cursing allowed on the BBC.) They were scheduled to come to America in 1978 but immigration refused Pursey a visa due to his criminal record for causing a disturbance and resisting arrest in Sept. 1977 when Sham played on the roof of the Vortex, a club famous for booking punk bands. I first saw Sham 69 at Hurrah's here in New York City in late 1979, a show I will never forget. Sham was smoking hot that night and Pursey was as charismatic a front man as you could ever hope to see. The crowd was going completely ape shit the whole show. And at the end of the night my young punk mind was totally blown"

[@arnisador8600]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Bravo Drew this really was a great interview

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you.

[@E.C.2]

@@stonefilmsnyc @Drew You asked good questions and let them talk,which is a rarity in the online world.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you, funny I've been accused of being the worst interviewer since I don't let people talk! Hahahah@@E.C.2

[@E.C.2]

@@stonefilmsnyc Fat from it,you simply have a lot of good questions prepared.

[@2true359]

Great story teller with a great memory.

[@Crinkle65]

Too bad this has to end. Loved it. Thanks.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Yeah it was a great one, I felt that I had to respect his time.

[@nashwpg]

that was great, big ups from winnipeg canada

[@ARGProductions]

Great show! I also love the episode #, hahaha

[@voiceofreason1208]

It's funny to me hearing someone say they just wanted music to skate to referring to thin Lizzy and Van Halen. When I started skating we listened to minor threat! 🤣🤣

[@johnkoutsoupakis]

fantastic fantastic fantastic

[@davecipres6612]

Great episode. Ian is awesome. One time I called his cell phone which I should not have had the number to and he returned my call with a personal voicemail answering my question. And another time Alec phoned back . Amazing 😎

[@leechristien8868]

LOVE LOVE LOVE

[@jengelenm]

Waw. I just listened to Follow Fashion Monkeys. Amazing band. A real ‘86 hidden gem of a record !!!!!

[@docmartensoundsystem]

Mazel Tov, Drew! Great episode!

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you.

[@rockutron9000]

Great interview. Covered a lot of ground.

[@maddogg63]

Great throwback history...when Ian was talking about Teen Idles I wish the question of their west coast tour was mentioned, Also the picture of them at The Wilson Center? He mentioned the singer for Void in the background but failed to realize the person up front was Henry. Still going to check the rest of it later. TY to The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #305

[@maddogg63]

Edit: The tour out west came later in the interview , Nice one Ian! Mentors story priceless!

[@arnisador8600]

Great interview! Fucken beautiful

[@Ruminator]

Shout out to my hometown of Windsor

[@jengelenm]

Vic DiCara !!!! Good one, i’m stoked for that!

[@1afterthep]

I would like to hear what Ian thought about or thinks about the Second Wind security LP and that band. I like the record and would love to see it re-released. For everybody else: read Dance of Days.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Yeah I love that record. We need to get Steve Hansgen on the show to talk about it and his time in Minor Threat.

[@Annunaki_0517]

I saw Minor Threat for the first time when I was 15 years old and they played Irving Plaza in NYC with MDC and SS Decontrol in the Fall of 1982. Irving Plaza management said they would never let Hardcore bands play there again after that show because we trashed the place. Someone flushed a lit blockbuster (1/4 stick of dynamite) down a toilet and blew it up, flooding the bathroom. That show was out of control.

[@benng4376]

My 2 favorite styles of music in high school was harDCore and NYHC. My friends generally only liked one or the other as though the 2 styles were mutually exclusive.

[@johnnewman2804]

17000 subscribers-2500 views on this show in 8 hours. Had minor threats 1st album lost it in coram Ny or Charleston SC either way best singer still holding test of time awesome band. Wow!! You have a sick show!! Congratulations 🎉 You keep this genre alive and kicking!! Consistency and work ethic I’m proud of you!! Biohazard at Sundance still the most energetic show to date and rage against the machine at roseland coming in 2!

[@Man_Lantern_Skateboards]

The chat got a little chaotic and punchy, but I guess that's gonna happen when you have someone so famous. MacKaye was amazing. Dude was like "Yes I remember that was April 24th, 1982".

[@bettycrocker4397]

BEST vocals EVER !!!!!!!!

[@MichaelHansenFUN]

please section off the steppin stone section

[@TheDmanMA]

Two Stewards of Hardcore Punk . 🙏

[@Vitusvonatzinger]

IAN WAS A PROTO BMXER!?!? Righteous.

[@brucewilliams2106]

Anyone remember the Wilson Center shows? Ontario Theater?

[@pizzamachine4193]

“I meant it and I mean it.”

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Heavy.

[@RoryDubh]

What Ian was talking about, was Rockabilly legend, Ramsay Kearney, Ian and Drew got it right, Rockabilly is kind of a mix of jazz (swing) and country

[@JMarinelli]

Cool that Ian mentions Jefferson Airplane's "Volunteers," which great, angry, political record.

[@stonefilmsnyc]

That caught me by surprise. I love that record.

[@thosethatcan]

Some coincidence 305".. FL Miami.. GRUDGE/ SOIA

[@chrisculpen9205]

You need to get Larry May from The Candysnatchers ON!!!

[@jma6893]

Ian: "drummers like Ringo, Charlie Watts, Keith Moon, Robo, Chuck Biscuits..." Drew: "Steven Adler!" WTF, Drew?? Of all the drummers you can think of? Not sure Ian MacKaye even knows who Steven Adler is... Hahaha...

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Hhahaha yes he did and I'll stand by it. Topper Headon and Steven Adler!

[@carvinblack]

I'm sure he knows Adler. That is like saying you don't know Lars Ulrich. Adler was only on one of the biggest rock albums in History.

[@jma6893]

@@carvinblack Lars Ulrich has been in Metallica since 1981, and is a prominent spokesperson for the band. Adler was in Guns n Roses for 4 or 5 years and didn't do anything significant after that. Also, I am not sure Ian MacKaye is into GnR at all :))

[@carvinblack]

@@jma6893 Time means nothing. Its if they were in the spotlight of Mainstream Music Fans. G and R exploded on the music scene. Maybe you werent around, but Guns and Roses were way bigger than Metallica back then. Ian definitely knows Adler. Maybe doesn't care, but he knows him.

[@E.C.2]

@@carvinblack Steven was an awesome drummer. Notice,he was kicked out while recording "Use your illusion" and GnR were NEVER the same afterwards,those 2 LP's sucked.

[@jaredcoffin1]

Awesome reposted in the fugazi group

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Thank you.

[@TheRecordLibrary]

WWID

[@paulgambino1463]

A big music regret, never seeing Minor Threat live. WTF was I thinking?!

[@mjlorenzo4596]

tremendous

[@PrettyCoolFriend]

Anyone remember Cause for Alarm?

[@itscourtney218]

Drew has never seen IGGY? Man you’re missing out. Go see him when you can! I’ve seen him solo and even with the stooges reunion at jones beach. Amazing and one of my faves.

[@xbfdx988]

That Ian guy seems familiar. He's the one who does all those documentary interviews.

[@crosswalklarry]

Understatement of the century.

[@chad5908]

Epic episode

[@TOMG12XU]

Love Hall💥. Buff Hall💥

[@SCREEVER333]

wtf? What is this? Where have I been??😳😘

[@stonefilmsnyc]

Welcome to reality.

[@ungarlinski7965]

I think the thing that rubs me wrong is that Ian has strong morals/opinions but has never been tested in a real way. I mean he has isolated himself in a bubble living at his parents' house. Someone musically popular like him demanding $5 cover charges is not that remarkable when your living expenses are zero based on your parents backs.

[@E.C.2]

Every punk rock HC band in the 80's 90's,objectively speaking,were radical leftists. Any band or person who wasn't a raging leftist back then was shut out of their music scene.(tended to be children of wealthier sheltered leftists)

[@pizzabaconcheese5536]

I too saw Sham 69 at Hurrah! way better than ok- fkn great

[@kissel2294]

Ian constantly in a hoodie and winter hat

[@crosswalklarry]

Shave your head and you will see how cold your head gets.

[@TheDmanMA]

the Cramps!!!!

[@thosethatcan]

46:37

[@thosethatcan]

1:04:05 🤔

[@Themonkeychunkspunk]

@2:07:51 lol

[@hauntedhotelrecs]

!!!!

[@comaofbowls84]

I love Ian but sheesh it’s so weird that he has to make that disclaimer that he’s “not here to sell anything”. Dude you run a record label that has a website where things are for sale. You’re not giving away that Minor Threat 7” for free. We know your sole purpose for being in this podcast isn’t to advertise anything but you don’t have to go out of your way to try and say you don’t sell anything because that’s blatantly false. I also don’t get how someone who is as much of an archivist as he is try and downplay the idea of nostalgia.

[@crosswalklarry]

People who say sheesh. 😂

[@borno5692]

Comet Ping Pong🤔

[@awrogers3013]

Note that for the first time Ian admitted to some dishonorable conduct. Run after blowing the speakers…..wow. Probably the only time

[@Jil8840]

Ian didn't like punk....!!!!!! Wow, that was a big shock. And someone else had to push him into listening to punk???? Wow.

[@Beelzebunge]

Never liked hardcore. Ian MacKaye is an absolute legend though.

[@kookadams85]

Ian must be getting senile, when he was talkin bout early rockNroll & forgets to mention the Beach Boys, Jan&Dean, Pyramids, Sonics etc...especially the former! 🤔