Ian MacKaye

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. punk outfit Bad Brains, who are often said to be the first true hardcore punk band. MacKaye also looked up to punk icons Black Flag and was childhood friends with Henry Garfield, who would eventually become the band's lead singer. MacKaye has served as bassist for The Teen Idles, lead singer for Minor Threat, Embrace, Egg Hunt, Skewbald, and Pailhead, and guitarist/singer for Fugazi. He is credited with starting the straight edge philosophy and is one of the pioneers of the DIY punk ethic.

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 gain 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 straightedge movement began.



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

McKaye: "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."